Searching for Best Chocolate Martini at Sea

click images to enlarge

Started on Celebrity Constellation

In 2001 we sailed on Celebrity Constellation to the Baltic - at least we began the cruise.  We'd spent two nights in London pre-cruise and boarded the ship.   We had planned a private excursion in St. Petersburg, Russia with folks we met online. Shortly after sailing, the phone rang in our cabin - it was my niece with bad news.   My mom had passed away.  Our cruise was about to end abruptly.  BTW, this is an excellent reason to purchase travel insurance.

Since we had the tickets for the Russia excursion, we contacted the others that were going with us.   We broke the news to them that we'd be disembarking at the first port of call, Oslo.  Immediately, they said, come meet us for a drink in the Martini Bar.   I'd never had martinis before, but agreed.

This is where I had my first chocolate martini.   I don't have any pictures - we weren't really in the mood as you might imagine.   From that point on, I've tried chocolate martinis on most cruises. I think to myself "Mom this one's for you."   I'm pictured above 3 years later when we concluded our trip on Constellation.

Most Memorable Martinis

We sailed on Celebrity Century in 2007, right after it was refurbished. An ice bar was added which served martinis. Once again we met a group of passengers online and we'd meet with them each night before dinner.

We'll never forget the bartender, Leo, and his assistant, Enrico. The first night I ordered a chocolate martini and I told Enrico that I liked them to be creamy. Leo made the perfect chocolate martini. They wrote our names in the ice bar and from then on, they knew us by name each evening. We didn't even have to give them our room key - they already would have the receipt filled out with our information. The tables and chairs would be arranged for our little group, awaiting our arrival.

One night, we didn't show up for our pre-dinner cocktail. When they saw us later that evening, they told us they were all concerned. It turned out that we'd made dinner reservations at one of the specialty dining venues at our usual meeting time.

Sometimes we'd arrive early and Leo wasn't there. Enrico would try to make the chocolate martini but he just couldn't get the proportions correct, and he'd say we'd have to wait until Leo arrived. Memories like this are priceless. Their friendly service has stuck with us all these years. Enrico had previously been a butler, but when there were no openings when his contract was renewed, he took this new role. We are so happy that he did.

Some Top Contenders

Here are some of our favorite chocolate martinis. Three of them are from the Royal Caribbean family of cruise lines - Royal (Allure of the Seas), Celebrity (Century), Azamara (Journey). The final entry here: Carnival Triumph.

We've started a Pinterest board, "Margaritas, Martinis, & More" where we will post some of our favorite martinis and other drink creations from our cruise vacations.

What's Your Favorite 

Do you like chocolate martinis as well?  Perhaps you'd like to join us in our quest to find the perfect one onboard a cruise ship.

New Favorite Is Born

Celebrity Edge had an extensive martini menu but they didn't have my favorite milky Chocolate Martini.   We did try the Snowflake Martini which is made with Grey Goose Vanilla, White Chocolate, Heavy Cream, Liqueur, and Creme Cocoa.  It was a close second to my traditional choice. If you ask, they will make the traditional martinis that aren't on the menu as well.

Since we had the premium drink package, martinis were included. Each night we experimented with several different martinis   My new favorite is the Coconut Cream-Tini.   It's made with Bacardi, Coco Lopez and Vanilla.   Other favorites included  Bananas Foster and Toffee Apple.  The image to the right has just a sampling of the many choices on their martini menu. 

Make sure to check out the rest of our Martini Bar pictures from Celebrity Edge.

(Updated 10/16/21)

In less than a month we will be sailing on Celebrity Apex, sister ship of Edge.  We can't wait to be sharing martinis with our friends in their atrium bar.  Be sure to watch our blog and social media platforms for our latest quest for the best chocolate martini at sea.

Click the banner above for the latest cruise promotions

 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

Connect With Us On

    
    

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers

I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

Al Fresco Dining at Sea

click images to enlarge

Imagine Watching the Sunset as you Enjoy Your Meal....

Do You Want a View with Your Meal?

Al Fresco dining (eating outside) has become a necessity in the COVID-19 era as restaurants added this option to stay in business with limited indoor capacity imposed by most local governments.   However, Al Fresco dining has been popular long before that.

(Updated 10/14/21)

Can I Dine Outside on a Cruise?

Most ships these days have one or more outside dining options.   Typically, they are found around the pool deck, offering the opportunity for guests to grab a quick meal and get right back to having fun in the sun.   With the advent of specialty dining, introduced by Norwegian Cruise line in 2000 as Freestyle Dining, many restaurants are located on a deck dedicated to these specialty restaurants.   You have the option to dine indoors or outdoors in many cases.

Some of Our Favorites

Rooftop Garden Grill, located on deck 15 on Celebrity Edge offers splendid views of the sea while enjoying lunch or dinner outside.  Dine in early evening and you can be engulfed in color as the sun gently sets into the sea. See our blog post, Rooftop Garden Grill Dining, for details on one of our recent meals.   You will enjoy a great meal with great views .

When Norwegian Cruise Line introduced their Breakaway Class, they introduced The Waterfront, a revolutionary, quarter-mile oceanfront walkway lined with shops, restaurants and bars.   Pictured here La Cucina, Norwegian Escape's Italian restaurant. It is warm, cozy, family friendly (lots of big tables) and has its own bar and even a pizza oven, not to mention tables outside on The Waterfront. A Carnival cruise ship passes by as we dine outside. This is one of our favorite restaurants on Norwegian Cruise Line, due to the ambiance and good food.

On Carnival Cruise Line ships, you have several options to dine outdoors.  Guy's Burger Joint, pictured here, serves up your choice of Guy Fieri's famous burgers topped with your favorite ingredients. Blue Iguana Cantina serves up some of the best burritos at sea.  Enjoy breakfast or lunch poolside with your choice of fixings.

Perhaps the most memorable Al Fresco dining we experienced on a cruise ship was a cookout on Azamara Journey.  They turned the pool deck into an amazing dining venue, complete with entertainment.   The highlight was these grilled lamb chops prepared on deck.  How many of you thought you would ever see a BBQ grill on a cruise ship?

If you enjoy Al Fresco dining, add that to your bucket list for your next cruise vacation.  It's been worth the extra charges, when applicable, to dine outside at one of the specialty dining venues.  We'd be happy to help you select a cruise ship that offers you the most choices including ships with free options.  

Click the banner above for the latest cruise promotions

 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

Connect With Us On

    
    

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers

I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

Searching for Best Chocolate Martini at Sea

click images to enlarge

Started on Celebrity Constellation

In 2003 we sailed on Celebrity Constellation to the Baltic - at least we began the cruise.  We'd spent two nights in London pre-cruise and boarded the ship.   We had planned a private excursion in St. Petersburg, Russia with folks we met online. Shortly after sailing, the phone rang in our cabin - it was my niece with bad news.   My mom had passed away.  Our cruise was about to end abruptly.

Since we had the tickets for the Russia excursion, we contacted the others that were going with us.   We broke the news to them that we'd be disembarking at the first port of call, Oslo.  Immediately, they said, come meet us for a drink in the Martini Bar.   I'd never had martinis before, but agreed.

This is where I had my first chocolate martini.   I don't have any pictures - we weren't really in the mood as you might imagine.   From that point on, I've tried chocolate martinis on most cruises. I think to myself "Mom this one's for you."   I'm pictured above 3 years later when we concluded our trip on Constellation.

Most Memorable Martinis

We sailed on Celebrity Century in 2007, right after it was refurbished. An ice bar was added which served martinis. Once again we met a group of passengers online and we'd meet with them each night before dinner.

We'll never forget the bartender, Leo, and his assistant, Enrico. The first night I ordered a chocolate martini and I told Enrico that I liked them to be creamy. Leo made the perfect chocolate martini. They wrote our names in the ice bar and from then on, they knew us by name each evening. We didn't even have to give them our room key - they already would have the receipt filled out with our information. The tables and chairs would be arranged for our little group, awaiting our arrival.

One night, we didn't show up for our pre-dinner cocktail. When they saw us later that evening, they told us they were all concerned. It turned out that we'd made dinner reservations at one of the specialty dining venues at our usual meeting time.

Sometimes we'd arrive early and Leo wasn't there. Enrico would try to make the chocolate martini but he just couldn't get the proportions correct, and he'd say we'd have to wait until Leo arrived. Memories like this are priceless. Their friendly service has stuck with us all these years. Enrico had previously been a butler, but when there were no openings when his contract was renewed, he took this new role. We are so happy that he did.

Some Top Contenders

Here are some of our favorite chocolate martinis. Three of them are from the Royal Caribbean family of cruise lines - Royal (Allure of the Seas), Celebrity (Century), Azamara (Journey). The final entry here: Carnival Triumph.

We've started a Pinterest board, "Margaritas, Martinis, & More" where we will post some of our favorite martinis and other drink creations from our cruise vacations.

What's Your Favorite 

Do you like chocolate martinis as well?  Perhaps you'd like to join us in our quest to find the perfect one onboard a cruise ship.

 

National Plan A Cruise Month Promotions 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

Follow Us On

        

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat