Another cruise line gets on board with boozy ice cream
It's official: Alcohol-infused ice cream and milkshakes are trending on cruise ships.
Florida-based Margaritaville at Sea on Thursday became the third cruise brand in the last two years to begin touting the availability of spiked ice cream concoctions on its vessels, joining Virgin Voyages and Royal Caribbean.
The one-ship line announced it had partnered with New York's Tipsy Scoop to bring liquor-infused ice cream and other frozen treats to the decks of its 1,308-passenger Margaritaville at Sea Paradise.
Available exclusively to passengers 21 and older, the new boozy offerings include Blue Margarita, a tequila-infused sorbet, and Bahama Mama, a coconut rum-infused ice cream.
Both concoctions are made with Margaritaville Spirits brand liquors and were created exclusively for the ship.
In addition to tequila, the Blue Margarita sorbet is infused with blue curacao, fresh lime juice and salt. Bahama Mama ice cream is made with fresh oranges, pineapple juice and a touch of grenadine in addition to coconut rum. Other signature Tipsy Scoop flavors are available as well.
Passengers on Margaritaville at Sea can also order a boozy milkshake made with the Tipsy Scoop flavors and two different types of alcohol-enhanced sundaes, the latter of which are served in a specialty branded Margaritaville blender cup.
The two types of sundaes feature scoops of either the Blue Margarita sorbet or Bahama Mama ice cream along with traditional ice cream, a single serving of liquor, toppings and edible adornments.
Guests can order the various options, which contain up to 5% alcohol, in the vessel's main dining room (Fins), at the ship's Margaritaville Coffee Shop and from a roaming Tipsy Scoop pushcart.
Prices range from $5 for a single scoop of either the sorbet or the ice cream (or $8 for two scoops) to $15 for a full-blown frozen sorbet or ice cream "cocktail."
“We’re thrilled to partner with Tipsy Scoop and serve up this unique new signature amenity for our guests," Margaritaville at Sea president and CEO Kevin Sheehan, Jr. said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
“Guests know our amazing bartenders always have booze in the blender, but these new options blend the magic of Tipsy Scoop’s artisanal, hand-crafted ice cream with the mastery of a perfectly mixed cocktail for next-level fun with an island vibe."
Starting this week, the alcohol-infused sorbet and ice cream will also be available on land at three Tipsy Scoop ice cream parlors, which the company calls "barlours," in New York City. You can order them online, too.
Margaritaville's announcement about adding boozy ice cream concoctions follows in the wake of Virgin's launch of spiked milkshakes at The Social Club bars on its vessels in 2021.
In recent months, Royal Caribbean has also begun touting spiked milkshakes as a feature of a new ice cream venue called Desserted that will debut on its next vessel, Icon of the Seas, in January 2024.
Margaritaville at Sea is a small cruise line that specializes in short, two-night cruises to Grand Bahama Island from Palm Beach, Florida. Its one ship features venues themed around the Jimmy Buffett song "Margaritaville."
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.