Cocktails and cruises go hand in hand. Part of the enjoyment of sailing is to lay back on a sun lounger with your favourite drink. Every cruise line offers well-known fruity concoctions but you’re bound to discover some new pre- and post-dinner aperitifs.

Below are several drinks specific to cruise lines that you may want to try on your next sailing.

PRINCESS CRUISES

Princess Cruises’ cocktail menu features 20 different drinks that represent the various locations it’s 17 ships visit. Mayan Heat is a guest-favourite, made up of tequila, lime, syrup and triple sec, garnished with a slice of fresh jalapeño. To carry on the hot theme, opt for a spicy Margarita, also featuring jalapeños.

For something a little sweeter, choose Italian Sunset – made with gin, Aperol, lemon and Angostura bitters. Or, try The Isaac, designed with the main character from Love Boat in mind. Its recipe includes mixing white rum, pomegranate, lime and club soda before decorating with pineapple leaf spears around the highball glass.

HOLLAND AMERICA

Holland America expresses an exquisite drinks package that includes creations on an exclusive craft cocktail menu made by Dale DeGroff, an elite American bartender who’s a master of mixology. His legendary Sidecar Riff, made up of Cognac, Cointreau, a squeeze of lemon juice and garnished with orange peel and a sugar rim, is sure to make your mouth water.

His other specialities showcased in the menu include the Ritz Carlton, a mixture Cognac, Triple Sec, Maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and Champagne. Also featured is The Midnight Sun, a bright yellow drink created to celebrate the cruise line sailing to and from Alaska for 70 years.

SEABOURN

Seabourn partnered with Brian Van Flandern, a world-renowned mixologist, to upgrade their bar offerings. These include transforming the onboard spirits and designing a brand new cocktail menu. He’s handcrafted classic cocktails and others specific to the fleet using ingredients from local markets visited by ships in the fleet.

One of his creations is the Upper East Side, a delicious drink comprised of Bombay Sapphire gin, chartreuse, lemon juice, sugar syrup and garnished with fresh tarragon that’s been given an absinthe rinse. The first few guests that indulged in these cocktails were aboard Seabourn Encore, relaxing in the private bars situated in the spa area’s bungalows.

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES

The tasty Legend Reviver, found on all Norwegian Cruise Line ships, was invented by the 2017 Bacardi Legacy Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year. The cocktail is a work of art and acts as a delicious pre-dinner drink that you can get in any bar aboard any ship in the fleet.

Made from Bacardi 8, star anise, caramel or cinnamon syrup, a small amount of Fee Brothers whiskey barrel-aged bitters, a drop of absinthe and decorated with Lemon peel and star anise, it’s bound to tickle your fancy. However, if you’re on the hunt for a more maritime-themed drink, opt for the Rebellious Fish.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

When sailing on board certain ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, you’ll have the opportunity to have your drinks made by robots in the Bionic Bar. After ordering your drink via an iPad, these robot bartenders use their mechanical arms to shake, stir and pour your chosen cocktail.

One of a handful of drinks served here is Infinity, a concoction made of Beefeater gin, cranberry juice, lime juice and tonic. Another drink to keep an eye out for is Coco Loco, which is inspired by the cruise line’s private island, Coco Cay. Made with rum, fresh fruit juice, coconut cream and grenadine, it’s perfect when sailing around the Caribbean.