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If you’ve ever been on a cruise, you know that the cocktail programs have grown well past drink-of-the-day specials and frozen concoctions with tiny umbrellas.
In fact, many cruise lines have been upping their cocktail (and zero-proof mocktail) game in the past few years. I’ve been able to experience these changes firsthand, with a speakeasy that highlights handcrafted drinks on MSC World America, a magic parlor where shows are combined with spellbinding cocktails on Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess, and even a "if you know, you know" whiskey bar on the Disney Treasure.
Still, most of these major cruise lines and their beverage programs are limited to a standard menu or basic off-menu drinks that are made special by mixing in rare or exclusive spirits. But on a recent cruise with Silversea, the luxury cruise line owned by Royal Caribbean Group, one cocktail lounge blew everything else I’ve ever tried out of the water.
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A New Standard for Cocktails at Sea
Enter S.A.L.T. Bar (short for Land And Sea Taste), a cozy, dimly lit bar that feels like it was plopped onto a luxury cruise ship from one of the world's best cosmopolitan cities. When I walked in for the first time, I was greeted warmly, handed a menu, then proceeded to order my go-to after-dinner cocktail, an espresso martini.
Little did I know that on that first night, I would be in for a real treat, and not because it was a truly great espresso martini. But because after that first night, I made a point to return to S.A.L.T. Bar and really get to know the drink program in one of the most unique bars at sea.
“S.A.L.T. Bar—part of Silversea's Sea And Land Taste program—is built around the concept that a cocktail should be a direct expression of where you are in the world. Our mixologists work with destination-specific spirits, local ingredients, and regional traditions to craft drinks that reflect the culture and character of the places guests are visiting,” says Gianluca Sparacino, Global Head of Food and Beverage at Silversea. “The menu shifts with each destination, which means a guest sailing in the Mediterranean will have an entirely different experience than one exploring Southeast Asia or the Caribbean. That level of destination immersion, applied to the beverage program, is something entirely unique to Silversea.”
On my Silversea cruise, which traveled from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, around the Western Caribbean and Central America, through the Panama Canal, and ending in Lima, Peru, the menu was filled with a variety of delightful drinks ranging from Peru’s signature Pisco sour to a handful of creative margaritas, and other drinkable works of culinary art.
According to Sparacino, the Silversea fleet carries about 340 spirits, including rare single malts, artisan gins, craft rums, and 300 regional spirits. Even outside of spirits, S.A.L.T. Bar takes nearly everything that goes into a cocktail into consideration, from garnishes and glasses to its ice.
“We apply that same level of craft to something as fundamental as ice—a detail many guests would not expect on a cruise ship, but one that speaks to the precision that lets S.A.L.T. Bar compete with the best bars on land,” explains Sparacino.
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The Number One Secret to a Great Cocktail at Sea
While the ingredients matter, Sparacino also says the most important part of getting a great cocktail at sea is one of the easiest things to do on a cruise ship.
“The most important thing any guest can do is engage directly with the bartender by sharing what they enjoy, asking what is unique to the voyage, and being open to something they have not tried before,” he shares.
This tip may seem obvious, but as a regular cruiser, I’ve seen countless guests plop down at a table nowhere near the bar, order a drink from a roaming server, then be disappointed with what’s actually delivered.
Sitting at the bar nearly guarantees that you can interact with the bartender on your first visit, you can share your preferences with them, and watch them make your drink (which I always think is part of the fun). I also love sitting at the bar and getting to know the person behind the cocktails because they often have interesting stories.
For example, on a recent Disney Cruise, I checked out their hidden bourbon sanctuary, and the bartender mentioned that they could make nearly any drink with a bourbon twist. And when one of my companions didn’t want any brown liquor, the bartender made them a unique water mixed with a lemon twist and a dash of bitters, which felt truly up-leveled for something that could be as easy as putting ice and water in a cup and passing it over.
When I sailed with Silversea, I also made a point to sit on one of the S.A.L.T. Bar’s bar stools every night. I came to know the bartender, who by night two understood my preferences, and started making more interesting drinks with milk-washed spirits they created a few days earlier, off-menu drinks they were testing for an upcoming cocktail competition, and more.
Even better, because I got to know the S.A.L.T. Bar mixology master, I was invited to their exclusive cocktail classes, where just a handful of guests learned how to make regionally-inspired cocktails, all leading up to the final class where we had to create our own cocktail without any assistance from the bartender. Talk about a true test of learning from one of the best in the biz.
So next time you’re on a cruise, whether it’s a family-friendly line like Royal Caribbean or Carnival Cruise Line, or a luxury cruise with a brand like Silversea, remember to sit at the bar and enjoy the show.
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