All said, I had at least one drink from 16 of the 18 bars across Icon of the Seas. And lived to tell the tale.
When I think about cruises , I think about booze .
To me , cruise ship are about abundance : a grand , be adrift lesson in what it mean to attempt to meet the demand , desire , and pauperism of every passenger on board . As someone who has beenfollowing the years - long storyof Royal Caribbean ’s Icon of the Seas , the world ’s biggest sail ship , I knew that this ship was the most uttermost try at this yet . I was acutely aware of how all eight “ neighborhood , ” or themed areas of the ship , were orchestrate to offer something for every kind of traveller and cater to just about everyone ’s theme of the perfect holiday . And cocktail , which come out in just about every street corner of a cruise ship , are a stirrable representation of that nearly - unacceptable promise .
The FOMO begin to hit me as I approached the ship on a shuttle charabanc from the airport . Every gap between the construction and parking garage of PortMiami expose a new sliver of the ship — a tangle of waterslides on the top deck , a gleaming wall of shabu balconies , the ill-famed “ human lasagna ” crabby - section scene of the aft . It was like a skyscraper , laid down sideways to drift on the urine . If you tolerate her up , she ’d follow in just a small more than 50 substructure unsure of the Empire State Building .
Was I ready to go down all six waterslides , soak in all seven pools , and take on the many other shows , attractive feature , and forms of amusement on offer ? Absolutely not . At most , I was about 50 % prepared to take on the earth ’s largest floating family vacation simple machine .
I was , however , very surefooted in my ability to sip my elbow room through Icon ’s dizzying raiment of drinking establishments , including 10 completely new cake concepts sole to the ship . And when all was said and done , I ’d had at least one drinkable from a whopping 16 of the 18 bars across the ship .
Sure , the ship may be placard as the “ ultimate vacation , ” but for me , it was the ultimate Browning automatic rifle crawl . Then again , possibly those are one in the same .
Photo by Tony Merevick for Thrillist
DAY ONE: slowing to a crawl
Despite finding myself in the unresolved - air , tropical - theme parade of the Chill Island neck of the woods on Deck 15 of the ship , my iciness had yet to re-emerge . I could n’t shake the touch that ’d been growing since the bus topology ride to the ship . It mat up like standing atop an formicary , with thou of masses — enough to fill a small town — pouring through the highly engineered snarl of corridors and spaces of the deck above and below me . The raceway was on to figure out where to go and what to do for the rest of the evening , but for the sake of my sanity , I determine all of that could hold off . It was sentence to get a potable in my hand .
Thus , my bar crawl began .
To be clear : taproom crawling , not booze cruise . The term “ booze cruise ” feels supererogatory to me , as someone whose entire sailplaning experience unremarkably rotate around when and where to drink . It also turn out that the terminus ’s original signification does n’t quite make sensation here . While I ’d always assumed it had some variety of connection with boozing ( liquor ) and maritime dangerous undertaking ( cruise ) , it ’s actually a act of British slang . The Brits would cluster to nearby countries to take advantage of lower prices and taxes for inebriant and other vices , hauling bulk wine-coloured home via booze cruises .
Yeah , it ’s fun to say , but “ prevention front crawl ” is more meet .
speak of which , when you inevitably end up on the upper decks after setting out to explore Icon of the Seas for the first time , The Lime and the Coconut bar is there waiting for you . It ’s the ultimate island bar with its Caribbean - themed decor , with child carte of tropical - themed cocktail displayed on driftwood plank arranged on the wall , and law of proximity to the biggest pools and hottest whirlpools . Moreover , the bar ’s highlighter - orange high - top chairwoman are a great advantage point for afternoon people - see , just as daytime transitions to nightlife .
After taking my seat , I order a Watermelon ‘ Rita of stupefying sweetness . I associate margaritas with a high ABV , so it felt like a safe bet to get the cruise legal profession - front crawl party start compare to other tropic - style drinks on the carte like the Planter ’s Punch ( rum , pineapple juice , orange juice , lime tree juice , grenadine ) or the Lime & Coconut ( Malibu , cocoanut Milk River , coconut syrup , guava syrup , lime juice ) . While it only got me about midway to the have - loose bombilation I was looking for , it was pleasant to sip as a steel drum band played a beach - themed soundtrack , and as I watched multitude already simmering in a nearby blistering tubful as if the Steamfresh suitcase of Miami air was n’t enough for them .
Photo by Tony Merevick for Thrillist
Boom : I formally shift into cruise mode . At last .
There ’s a clip and place for astonishingly cherubic drink and , naturally , that time is reasonably much any minute you find yourself poolside on a cruise ship . There are a few reasons for this . First , the case of drink masses gravitate toward on vacation — like piña coladas , hemangioma simplex daiquiris , and frozen margaritas — are all sugary by conception . They ’ve also get to be visually pleasing enough to warrant a pic , so extra fruit juices and syrups are bring in for aesthetics . I suspect that there ’s a toll - savings component as well since it ’s credibly cheaper when bartenders expend more flavored syrups and less liquor .
“ Most citizenry , when they go on a sail , they ’re looking for some variety of escapism , ” explain Naren Young , a mixologist and creative director at Sweet Liberty in Miami Beach who was latterly aboard a Virgin Voyages sail for an event at sea and did some guest shifts behind the taproom . “ Often that escapism mean tropic drinks , whether it ’s piña coladas , sexuality on the beaches — thing that palpate like they ’re party drinks and they ’re fun and they ’re pretty with an umbrella in them . With that inherently come up a batch of sugar . ”
Photo by Tony Merevick for Thrillist
The margarita went down fast , mostly because it was n’t all that strong , and that mean plot my next name and address — namely , a bar at the very back of the ship in the adults - only neighborhood known as The Hideaway . The Hideaway ’s got it all . Two extremist - all-inclusive maelstrom . A gross ton of seating scatter across multiple terrace - like levels . A shallow infinity consortium that ’s set aside high above the youngster ’s waterpark vicinity , Surfside , seven decks down . Incredible view of much little sail ship dock at the larboard with downtown Miami not too far off in the space .
The unspoiled part , though , are the vivacious tropic drinks paired with kick downstairs Miami Beach - similar disc jockey vibes . slip in point : the bright - orange , mai tai - inspired Oh Mai Gawd , you know , because you have to regulate the drink that sounds like a Long Island accent . It come with a pretty small orchidaceous plant on top , which also form you want to say “ gawd ” like you ’re from Massapequa . In fact , almost every boozing comes with some sort of floral or herbal garnish . The slightly angelic Bloom & Botanical that I tell next make it with a twig of fresh good deal that played squeamish with its mix of gin , elderflower liqueur , and blueberry .
My third terminus , Rye & Bean , direct me to the opposite closing of the ship — all the way to the AquaDome , the Beluga melon - comparable drinking glass bodily structure that sit atop the ship ’s bridge like a reflective helmet . Looking back , this was accidentally strategic for a couple of reasons : The retentive walk took me through additional area of the ship and I found some much - needed snacks along the way , including grab - and - go poulet quesadillas from El Loco Fresh that reminded me of Taco Bell .
At the Rye & Bean , which offers both regular coffee drinks like lattes as well as coffee - base cocktails ( hence , the name ) , the espresso martinis are on tap . Each is teem froma Ketel One - brand machinethat unbeknown to me has been around for a long time now . They hold about 30 espresso martinis and dispense each in about 20 moment . If you ’ve ever made this boozing from lucre or watched a bartender do the same , you ’ll very much appreciate this countertop technology wonder . The speed was great , yes , but I particularly enjoyed the consistency from round to stave , which frankly is n’t something you experience much on a cruise ship with hundreds of barman .
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While outdoor stripe like The Hideaway wow you with their view , Rye & Bean puts on a different kind of show . The streamlined bar , with its earth tones and mid - century modern finish , is just feet off from the AquaTheater , the high - tech execution locale that combines mellow diving , robotic arms , trapeze - like rope raising , and a dizzying array of lights for the ship ’s marquee aquatic display .
In the short time I spent there , sip one espresso martini after another , several members of the form rehearsed a series of stunts scored by a jarring pastiche of snippets from major film soundtrack , include “ The Imperial March ” fromStar Wars , the main stem from theStar Trekmovies , the main theme fromPirates of the Caribbean , a back of Elvis ’ “ Ca n’t Help Falling in Love ” fromBlue Hawaii , and “ I Do n’t Want to overleap a Thing ” by Aerosmith and fromArmageddon . The floor of the stage folds aside to reveal a half moon - shaped diving pool . A adult female in a red dress glided over the urine via the lift ropes , trip the light fantastic in the air .
The show definitely pressurize my buzz . I was lastly feeling alive and quick for more . Then again , it could have just been the caffein from the espresso martinis verbalise .
DAY TWO: Embracing cheesy cruise culture
After a thrilling morning at the waterpark , it only made sense to keep my washup wooing on and take a beverage break at Swim & Tonic , Royal Caribbean ’s first - ever swimming - up bar on a ship and winner of the award for cheesiest name of all meter .
I first heard about Royal Caribbean ’s program for Swim & Tonic in October 2022 , when I natter the company ’s Miami headquarters for a virtual reality - powered prevue of Icon . Myself , along with a few other newsman , donned 3D glasses and clunky padded footwear before step in a closet - sized “ cave ” of a way covered with displays from storey to ceiling , which together with highly detailed rendition , simulated a take the air go of the ship . When we arrived at Swim & Tonic , and the name sunk in , the whole thing was in short derailed by a chorus of groans . The Royal Caribbean reps expect so pleased with themselves . It was exactly the response they were looking for .
After all , cruise civilization is built on cheesy names . Look no further than what these company resolve to name their ship . The Carnival Glory ? The Disney Wish ? Ovation of the Seas ? They ’re zany , but memorable . And the further you submerge yourself in the cruise Kool - Aid while gliding , the more you begrudgingly enjoy them . You begin to speak the language of wordplay , sometimes out of virtuous requisite while navigating the ship .
And particularly in the case of Swim & Tonic , I ’ll let it slide . I love gin and restorative , and the whole fare is a long list of play exact on the drink . I opted for the bar ’s signature spin on the classic , nickname the Iconic G&T. On a scale of observably sweet to Astonishingly Sweet ™ , it was somewhere in the halfway and perfectly refreshing while sitting half - submerged at a minute tabular array mid - pool , rob up as much of the warm sun as I could between dark white-haired clouds .
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The 1400 Lobby Bar has a magical draw to it . It ’s hard not to divagate into the crowd there while walk along the Royal Promenade . It ’s the first place you see upon boarding the ship and the last affair you see before step onto the gangway to exit into the terminal , so it was clearly design with potent first impressions in psyche .
The glassy emerald ceramic bar bulwark , the foxy bloodless stone bar top with work up - in lamps every duet of feet , the tree diagram of wooden slats that join the bar to the ceiling , the bartenders dressed in livid collar shirt under forest green apron with leather accents and flat cap , the mass of the crowded way — they all fall together for immaculate vintage vibes .
The 1400 Lobby Bar has a magical attraction to it . It ’s hard not to wander into the crowd there while walk along the Royal Promenade .
This is where Royal Caribbean PR and execs host a press league and demo immersion — for me and the many other member of the medium aboard this sailing — all about the drinkable concept created for Icon of the Seas . Ed Eiswirth , theatre director of beverage operations at Royal Caribbean , lead the talk and detail some of the reasoning behind the detailed bar concept onboard and the drinkable they serve . He was joined by noted mixologist Tony Abou Ganim , who was among the three experts they wreak on to recrudesce the more than 100 newfangled cocktails — a third of which are non - alcoholic — for the ship as well as Alex Palmeri , the company ’s manager of beverage operation .
“ We will make the most kickass piña colada you ’ve ever savour , if that ’s what the invitee comes on wanting , but we want to change the way the world pictures drinking on cruise ships , ” Eiswirth enounce . “ We really wanted to take a good deal of upkeep into comparing the experiences on board with the same experiences guests have at home . If they want to go to a craft cocktail measure , they ’ve have a trade cocktail bar . If they want to go relax and have light , refreshing drinks at a place they feel well contribute their kids to , we have Lemon Post . If they require to enjoy malarkey with some classic New York and New Orleans cocktails — grant , with our spin on it — we have Lou ’s . ”
All that said , it ’s actually a challenge to get the great unwashed to step out of their sweet , tropic drink comfort geographical zone to try new things when at sea , according to Eiswirth . This is especially on-key if they do n’t grease one’s palms the potable package , which can cost up to $ 105 per mortal per day , and have to pay up $ 10-$14 per drink , plus gratuity .
1400 has a flagship cocktail that ’s basically made to get you Instagram like called The Fourteen Hundred . While not a card - holding extremity of the Astonishingly Sweet ™ drink club , it ’s a sweet and citrusy tequila intermixture that the barkeep pour into martini shabu and — for extra wow - factor and Instagram worthiness — use a erratic bubble blaster gun to top it with a jiggly , shimmer bubble . As such , everyone calls it “ the bubble drink . ”
Whenever one is place , the tricky house of cards - make operation draws the tending of everyone nearby . At one stage , there were 10 line up on the bar in front of me , look their bubble crowns , which was no easy feat for the bartender because , per my unscientific reflection , the house of cards guns produce sturdy , lasting bubble only about two - thirds of the sentence . So several misfires in a words promptly left a haze in the air in their backwash .
Are these boozing deserving all the bother ? I was n’t quite sure after have one myself . For one , it was too sweet for me ( I blame the glittery “ shimmer sirup ” they add to it ) , and two , the bubbles pop before or during my attempt to clink in a sunshine . If the bubble does n’t bulge on its own first , you have to split it with your natural language , nozzle , or finger ( there ’s no salutary way ) , and a swarm of enchanting aromatized smoke engulfs your brass . The whole spectacle last for only a few second , and when the smoke crystalize , you ’re left with a canonic tequila cocktail .
The process is fun to watch , though , specially when a crowd forms around the legal profession just to see the bubblepalooza unfold . Bottom line : It ’s a helluva way to change piña colada drinkers to craft - cocktail connoisseurs .
DAY THREE: A perfect day for… a piña colada
Perfect Day at Coco Cay . That ’s the name of Royal Caribbean ’s individual island and the sole name and address of this trailer cruise ( Icon now does seven - night , multi - stop tours of the easterly and westerly Caribbean ) . The midget specification of land in The Bahamas is little more than a series of beach surrounding a bunch of eatery , bars , and an all-encompassing waterpark that ’s coronate with the magniloquent waterslide in North America .
A consummate daylight at Perfect Day at Coco Cay starts with Royal Caribbean ’s ill-famed remaking of “ Lovely Day ” by Bill Withers in which they replaced the word “ lovely ” with “ perfect . ” The sail director blast it over the tinny ship intercom after the morning ’s general announcements :
Then I look at youAnd the world ’s alright with meJust one flavor at youAnd I know it ’s gon na beA perfect day(Perfect Clarence Day , pure day , perfect day , perfect day)(Perfect day , perfect 24-hour interval , perfect solar day , perfect day)A endearing day(Perfect day , perfect day , unadulterated day , perfect day)(Perfect day , unadulterated day , perfect sidereal day , staring day )
New to the island as of this year is The Hideaway , an grownup - only spotlight with single amenities — much like the ship neighborhood of the same name . It sport an Accho - long stretch of secret beach , a heated kitty with an infinity border and swim - up Browning automatic rifle , several shoes to get food , and individual cabana with add - ons like secret kitty with in - urine dallier and consecrated attendants , among other not - so - affordable amenities . ( On top of the $ 39-$89 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. pass to The Hideaway , the cabanas will correct you back an extra $ 1,300 or more . )
you may walk up to the master bar of The Hideaway on one side , or swim up to it in the stunning , heated eternity pool on the other side . The menu has an island theme like to that of The Lime and Coconut , with many rummy boozing to opt from , but I was inspired by the alteration of scene and ordered off - menu : a mojito , well-fixed on the simple syrup .
It was strong ( ask for less simple sirup really made it ) , ridiculously tonic , and dead on - theme for a day on an island . It tasted even well in the pool . After all , there ’s no better spot to fuddle than leaning against an infinity border , shoulder joint - late in the water , miss the stint of beach between you and the ocean .
But after a couple rounds , I got the tactual sensation that the barman at the swimming - up cake was getting tired of muddle so many tidy sum leaves for me . So I did the unthinkable : I ordered a piña colada . The mixologist poured the smooth , fixed mixture , then exceed it with a rummy musca volitans for good measure . I ’m not sure if that was because he pegged me as someone who would appreciate the redundant booze or what , but I very much treasure it .
And as if there was n’t enough slopped pot liquor in the pool for one twenty-four hours , at one point imperial Caribbean EXEC express up armed with bubbly guns . Among them was Royal Caribbean International ’s CEO , Michael Bayley , who I have to say , is a swell champagne - gun nip . However , it was Linken D’Souza , the company ’s Senior Vice President of Global Food & Beverage , who managed to get me with the champagne stuff .
Afterward , I walk back to the ship humming that damn Bill Withers Song dynasty . It just could n’t be help .
My search for a great Manhattan
Schooner Bar , the maritime - themed cocktail legal profession on Deck 6 , filled up not too long after I make it , newly showered and dressed after Perfect Day , just as people returned to the ship forward of our 5 phase modulation deviation . I had to twinge up to the bar to put my order in , so I made it count : a double Manhattan with extra bitters . Then I look on as the bartender go to mix in the drink in a mover and shaker , pour it into a martini Methedrine , and top it with a dash of angostura bitterness .
At home , I make my Manhattans enceinte and strong ( commonly for two ) , with four ounces of rye whiskey , one ounce of odoriferous vermouth , one ounce of extra wry vermouth , and eight dah of bitter . I conjure up it all together with chalk in a cool mix glass , which I thought was pretty standard ( I ’d never heard of anyone making this drink in a shaker ) , and pour it into a chilled drinking glass .
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This Manhattan was indeed potent , but because the flavor was so off without the bitter , I ascertain myself facing a fresh seeking to complete before sailing domicile : find a sincerely good Manhattan . I intend , how hard could it be with a clear excogitate drink parliamentary procedure and a bit of patience ?
I took my 2d shot at it later that dark at Trellis , an outdoor bar in Central Park . Its swanky nightlife feel gave me authority in its Manhattan - making abilities , so I repeat the order I had placed in the first place at Schooner . It did n’t function . The same thing happened — not enough bitter , and this time , the shaken Manhattan got a spritz from the soda gun before it was served .
I went to bed mean about something the potable surgical process managing director , Alex Palmeri , enjoin at the press group discussion earlier : “ We worked so hard on getting all of these menu together and taste all of these formula and putting all of these beautiful computer menu together , but then it comes clip for the training . How are we going to learn all of these young cocktail , all of these new recipe — a hundred - plus — on top of the survive cocktails that we have on our fleet right now to all of these endearing bartenders who do work so severely on a day-to-day basis ? While we were in Cádiz , Spain , we did the eq of a two - week Browning automatic rifle bootcamp . We did two three - hour sessions a twenty-four hours and went through all of these recipe . We made them for our team and the squad made them back for us , and it kind of revalidated what we train . We went through all of our cocktails so that we could really teach them and concentrate on consistency and drill . ”
It reminded me that like with other aspects of this brand - raw ship with dozens of brand - new food and drink conception , they were still working out some of the kinks — even on seemingly the most mundane things .
DAY FOUR:Adrenaline over alcohol
At some distributor point in the middle of any proper taproom crawl , you have to acknowledge the obvious : If you ’re going to survive it , you ’re go to have to lurch to a stop and pass some time put epinephrin over alcoholic beverage . For me , Day Four of the cruise was the perfect moment for such an entr’acte .
At first , I recall about face my awe of perform in front of others by tackling the FlowRider , the surf simulator on Deck 17 , but I chickened out and choose for a more palatable fear : heights . I can deal with vertigo just ok . On the other hand , the estimate of flop around shirtless , like a salmon , in an attempt to surf while others watch crossed a line . So , I headed to a new attractive force call Crown ’s Edge .
The drive involves walking a plank - same series of small platforms until you ’re off the side of the ship , dropping on the spur of the moment , then gliding 150 feet over the water supply below . But first , you have to climb up into a Ne jumpsuit and put on a helmet , baby-sit through a long briefing academic term with a bunch fellow member , and get lather into the harness that ’s unite to the racecourse above . That whole experience lasts for roughly 15 minutes , while the drive itself is only about 90 second .
In any event , off the board I went . Every careful step I take move me farther off the side of the ship until I was standing on a narrow chopine directly over the murky water of PortMiami . I do n’t take care heights , so of course I looked down and all around me , taking in the pleasant city horizon — when the political program dead drop from under my foot , lurching me down and along the cypher - business track . The fall hitch me by surprisal and I remember making a gasp - same speech sound . You only have about a second to recoup before you ’re gliding over the water back to the starting position on the ship , and set to land on my feet there — as if I had jump down — give me a rush .
Like a shot , the ride is over before you have a go at it it , but you climb back down to the deck and ill-use out of the jumpsuit with a bombilation . Especially if you ride it twice in a course ( I did ) .
DAY FIVE: Finally, the perfect Manhattan
Going to a concert at the Music Hall locus on Decks 3 and 4 was n’t on my bingo visiting card , but it ’s where I ended up reunify with a friend who also happened to be aboard .
We chose this spot for two reason : to see PHOENIX — not to be confused with the Gallic indie stone band Phoenix — do their prima set of classic stone covers ; and to see if I could , at last , get my hands on a hearty Manhattan at the comparatively less meddlesome taproom here .
It terminate up being medicine to my mouth . Not only did the Music Hall barkeep budge my Manhattan in a mixing methamphetamine rather of shaking it , he also nailed the rye whisky - to - sweet-flavored vermouth ratio and add an appropriate amount of bitter . He did n’t add tonic to the top , either . It try out like victory . I walked away from the prevention hold the trash in my hand like a prize , irrationally felicitous about it .
Maybe I did a little too much tattle .
I ’m a sucker for the classics . The brassy and gimmicky beverage are fun—cough * bubble drink * cough—but the classics are timeless for a reason , so it ’s authoritative to get them right . It boils down to this : When you ’re on a ship that can capably commit off both form of drinks — the classics and the inventive new concept — you’re going to have a better metre , a better imbibition experience , and a better Clarence Day - longsighted bar crawl .
Meanwhile , PHOENIX performed hit after hit ( “ Rock’n Me , ” “ Your Love , ” and “ More Than a flavour ” to name a few ) with shocking , borderline bizarre faithfulness . I sang along at sentence , between sips of my utter Manhattan , and then my second perfect Manhattan . Maybe I did a little too much singing .
It was at the Dueling Pianos bar , which overlooks the Royal Promenade , where I had my third perfect Manhattan . Beyond that and a rendition of “ The Thunder Rolls ” by Garth Brooks that kick in me frisson , I do n’t call back much about the residue of the night . I do know , though , that there are photos and telecasting from the Dueling Pianos bar with timestamps reading 1:59 am .
DAY SIX: Food is your friend
You should n’t ever feel anything more than tipsy when there are so many piazza to snap up a collation to rust on this ship , Smorgasbord of the Seas . ( Icon boasts more than 20 situation to consume that are fresh or unparalleled to the ship , plus several other concepts that reprise Royal Caribbean patrol car will recognize from its other vessels . )
The “ floating Olive Garden ” criticism of cruise ships is unjust when apply here . The world ’s biggest cruise ship is n’t just a floating Olive Garden ; with the sheer number of place to consume , it ’s also a floating Applebee ’s , Red Lobster , Benihana , Cheesecake Factory , Ruth ’s Chris , etc . etc . With the exception of the stateroom hallways , it ’s hard to discover a stain on the ship where you may resist andnotlocate somewhere to get something to eat .
That ’s all by design , of course .
During a press league intended to shed light on how the company draw off course X of thousands of passengers across tons of ship all over the world every day , Linken D’Souza , who had recently sprayed champagne in my mouth , explain some of the thinking behind the strategical distribution of food and drink venue across the various areas of the ship .
“ If you think about each of the neighborhoods , it ’s really about complemental and convenient food , ” he said . “ you could walk into AquaDome , grab a bite , step into the amazing space that is AquaDome , revel that experience . Or if you need to go to a specialty experience while the show is on and get a little bit of that show while you ’re induce dinner party , you may sit at Hooked and enjoy that experience . We ’ve try on to make experience for everyone within each of the neighborhoods so that you could truly enjoy the neighborhood as it associate to intellectual nourishment and beverage , your way . ”
The “ float Olive Garden ” unfavorable judgment of sail ships is unfair when apply here .
He also drop a dear amount of time talk up Icon ’s tough dinner reservation , Empire Supper Club . The intimate space outfit just 38 people , and there ’s only one dinner servicing per night . majestic Caribbean describes the eating house as a place where “ culinary art is an affair , cocktails are celebrations and sultry hot idle words is your legion . ” For an extra $ 200 per mortal ( or $ 130 if you purchase the Unlimited Dining Package ) , you get an eight - course repast where every dish is pair with a cocktail . No , not vino . Cocktails .
I could n’t get into the Empire Supper Club , but I tried two other forte restaurants : the aforementioned Hooked , a seafood restaurant , and Coastal Kitchen , a Mediterranean and Californian fusion settle in the swanky and exclusive Suites Neighborhood , where I had lobster mac ‘ n cheese and a sirloin steak with herb butter , followed by a dense coffee patty . Was the food perceptibly best ? Was the service a notch more refined ? I really do n’t think so . The central differentiator with these upgrades is the ambience of the restaurant space , which are more interesting than the extravagant ballroom gash bustling spread of the main dining elbow room .
To be good , when it come to dining on the ship , I kind of preferred Basecamp , a new - to - Icon eatery conception sandwich between Deck 16 ’s mini - golf course and rock - climbing wall where they serve gratuitous eats like raging dogs , fond pretzels , and Irish potato toddler to keep you awake between the many drinks and thrills . It ’s the fast food you need for your strong drink - filled adventure . It is n’t fancy at all , but that ’s the whole stop .
DAY SEVEN: One last sip
On the final dark of the cruise , I snagged a adept seat at Rye & Bean , take a good flavor around to appreciate the conniption one more time , and natter with the bartenders there who I ’d get along to know over the course of instruction of the calendar week . A few minutes afterwards , my beverage arrived in a steaming - spicy teapot with an empty teacupful and a miniature hourglass on the side . After all I ’d put my trunk through , I owed it a solace nightcap that I could sip and savor .
When the hourglass discharge , I decant half of the contents of the teapot into the teacupful and breathed in the fragrant steam before taking a careful sip . It was a Guava Hot Toddy — rummy , guava sirup , and Earl Grey teatime — and it was wondrous . It lulled me into a blissful composure and a pleasant-tasting peacefulness .
So much so that when I woke up the next twenty-four hour period , I did n’t finger like I had failed to press all the juice out of my metre on the earth ’s with child cruise ship . Or that I ’d scourge all my time drinking as oppose to experiencing the Icon ’s many , many , many amenities . or else , I stepped off the ship feeling totally content .
My only real ruefulness was not asking for one last espresso martini to go .
