“Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.”
Whether Scott and I are cruising alone or with our little Ladybug, we enjoy participating in the various alcohol tastings that Disney has to offer on their ships. They are usually done on a sea day, so I imagine we will have a few to choose from on our particular cruise. Our favorite, so far, has been the Martini class. This wasn't so much a class as it was a full-on "get your drink on" kind of meeting. They served you 4-5 different types of martinis and explained how they made them. I realized that while I love the girlie Apple Martini, I thought the Dirty Martini was disgusting! I would make a terrible James Bond, wouldn't I? It was pretty much vodka, vermouth, and A LOT of olive juice. Gross! I took one sip of it and handed it over to Scott. Never one to be wasteful, he dutifully finished his shot of olive juice with a splash of vodka and proved he's definitely an alpha male.
Another tasting we did was more like the class described in the brochure. It was called a "mixology class". They gave you the ingredients for each drink and you tried your best to make it without spilling. Some of the drinks had to be layered instead of mixed, which proved hard to do. Especially, as the class went on and you drank more and more. At this point, I should probably add, thank God for the Oceaneers Club! You let them know you're going to a class, and they will do their best not to call you, unless your child has an emergency. It gives you plenty of time to drink and then sober up before you have to pretend that you've been making wise and motherly choices while she's been in the club all day.
There are so many choices. I don't think they offer all of them on the same cruise, but here is what is available, according to the DCL website:
Amari Tasting
Beer Tasting
Bourbon Tasting
Champagne Tasting
Chocolate & Liquor Tasting
Cognac Tasting
Martini Tasting
Mixology Class
Mojito & Caipirinha Tasting
Rum Tasting
Stem-to-Stern Wine Tasting
Tequila & Margarita Tasting
Whiskey Tasting
So, which one sounds good to you? Personally, I think we will try for the Chocolate & Liquor Tasting. Sounds delish! But, so does the mojito class. Hmm, decisions, decisions. I should mention that all of these tastings have a "nominal fee" attached to them. In my opinion, it's totally worth it. The classes are about 30-45 minutes and you definitely walk out of the tasting feeling, how my sister, Karen puts it, "relaxed". The classes book up quickly, so have an idea of which tasting you would like to experience when it comes time to book our on board activities. Of course, everything on a cruise is optional, so if you don't want to do it, you don't have to. We will make you the DD of the ship and let the Captain know you'll be manning the helm.