5 favorite cruise ship bars
Some top cantinas & hotspots to celebrate a special event
From the archive. Published May 5, 2018. Ships, prices and port details may have changed since.
You don't necessarily need a holiday — say, Cinco De Mayo — to want to escape to Mexico or Latin America and let loose a little on a cruise vacation. A birthday, anniversary, reunion or special event will also do the trick.
If you've been thinking about a lovely Mexican Rivera cruise or a Western Caribbean cruise hitting the east coast of Mexico, there are a number of cruise ships with some top-notch Mexican and Spanish inspired cantinas to get you in the mood for a fiesta.
Here are 5 of our favorite cruise ship bars & hotspots for any time of year.
Sabor
1. Ships: Freedom of the Seas | Navigator of the Seas | Oasis of the Seas| Allure of the Seas| Harmony of the Seas | Liberty of the Seas
For a trendier, subtler celebration, Sabor restaurant on Royal Caribbean ships above is your spot. With a kick-back Mexican atmosphere, this spot lets you dine on homemade guacamole, prepared tableside. You can also get one of two house margaritas that are made right in front of you. Open for lunch and dinner, you can also enjoy a number of other libations and eats at a la carte pricing, including the yummy dessert tray, as you sail the Caribbean or Mediterranean.
Margaritaville at Sea
2. Ship: Norwegian Escape
If you want to waste away again, in the best way possible, then you should head to the first Margaritaville at Sea on Norwegian Escape. This open-air eatery features an a la carte menu with some amazing nachos and burgers. Of course, the real treat here is the specialty drink menu serving boat drinks and signature margaritas. Inspired by the music and lifestyle of Jimmy Buffett, this carefree establishment is worthy of a few bebidas as the ship sails up and down the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
Blue Iguana Tequila Bar
3. Ships: Carnival Breeze | Carnival Magic | Carnival Dream |Carnival Freedom | Carnival Vista |Carnival Sunshine |Carnival Inspiration |Carnival Liberty |Carnival Pride | Carnival Triumph
Enjoy a frozen margarita at Blue Iguana, a Carnival Cruise Line staple. A wide variety of authentic tequilas, beers and other alcoholic concoctions are available that are all covered in the cruise line’s Cheers program. Located on the pool deck, you won’t be far from all of the excitement. For something extra special, enjoy the Mexican Fiesta deck party offered one night of your cruise on many itineraries year-round. Complete with drink specials and plenty of bailando, you can expect to groove the night away on your Caribbean cruise.
Outrigger Bar
4. Ships: Royal Princess | Regal Princess
Princess Cruises knows how to serve up first class dining and drinks, so of course they know how to ring in a special celebration at the Outrigger Bar. This outdoor venue offers a wide selection of specialty margaritas as well as made to order burritos, chips and salsa, and guacamole. Located aft of the Horizon Café, you can meet-up with some fellow compadres and overlook the ship’s wake as you sail into exciting ports in the Mediterranean and along Scandinavian coasts.
Santa Fe for Tex Mex
5. Ships: MSC Fantasia |MSC Splendida
You can enjoy an evening of drinks and tapas or settle in for a multi-course Tex Mex experience at Santa Fe, an MSC specialty dining venue. With a modern menu, serving plenty of specialty drinks, starters, soups, entrees, and desserts with Latin flair, you can watch as your meal is prepared in this open kitchen venue. Reservations are recommended so you can enjoy the food, music, and drinks as you sail through Europe and the Mediterranean.
Pick your cruise
You can have a genuine Latin-flavored celebration filled with plenty of Mexican food and drinks on numerous ships from a variety of cruise lines — if not this year, why not next year? Grab your amigos and book a trip on one of these amazing cruises heading to various locations around the world. Keep in mind that it doesn’t matter if your ship stops in Mexico because you are sure to have a grand time no matter what. So, sip your margarita, indulge in some Latin favor, and salsa dance the night away, you are on vacation!
In our series: Cruise Food & Drink
- Beginner's guide to dining on a cruise
- All about specialty restaurants
- 5 favorite cruise ship grills
- 10 best cruise ship restaurants
- 5 best cruise ship bars for beer lovers
- 10 dining spots & attractions on Carnival Vista
- Curtis Stone on his new Princess Cruises restaurant (video)
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