The Costco cocktail cruise is one of the four 2015 Buyer’s Choice cruises. Costco’s 2015 Buyer’s Choice Cocktails Cruise, to use its full and official name, came to our attention while writing about Costco wine cruises (also Buyer’s Choice cruises), and we thought it deserved an article unto itself. Below we provide an overview of the Costco cocktail cruise, explaining the details of the cruise and what to expect on board.
The Costco cocktail cruise is similar to the Costco craft beer cruise, held in 2013, and Costco wine cruises, which have been offered on multiple occasions, in that alcoholic beverages and the appreciation thereof are at the center of the cruise. As we have pointed out before, alcohol is often a part of a cruise vacation – hence the interest in “all you can drink” cruises and various other booze cruises – but cruises that are specifically dedicated to wine, craft beer, and spirits are different because of the unusual seriousness with which the beverages are treated. On a cocktail cruise, you don’t merely have a couple of whiskey and cokes to catch a buzz before heading to the ship’s casino (although of course you could do this). Rather, you are on the cruise to think deeply about the very concept of the cocktail, meditating on its once and future role in civilization, while simultaneously enjoying mixed drinks that are prepared with rigorous care.
On the 2015 Buyer’s Choice Cocktails Cruise in particular, you will be under the stewardship of Dustin Haarstad, the founder of Blind Tiger Cocktail Company, which is essentially a consulting firm for all things related to cocktails. He also works at Canon: Whiskey and Bitters Emporium, which in 2013 was declared to have the “World’s Best Drink Selection” at Tales of the Cocktail, a global educational event held annually in New Orleans. “Influenced by classic, pre-prohibition cocktails, Dustin seeks to represent cocktail history while defining modern day cocktail culture,” according to his bio for Blind Tiger. So, by all indications, you will be in good hands if you decide to take the upcoming Costco cocktail cruise.
As for the details of the cruise itself, it is a round-trip sailing that begins in Fort Lauderdale on February 8th. It is a week-long cruise to Mexico and the Caribbean, with stops in Cozumel, Cayman/George Town, Falmouth, and Labadee (in that order). As a Costco member booking through Costco Travel (this link will take you directly to the booking page), you’ll receive shipboard credit from $140 per stateroom, and you’ll also get to participate in several private events, including a welcome reception, a four-course lunch with cocktail pairings, and two cocktail/spirit-tasting seminars.
So, to sum up the Costco cocktail cruise, you get to cruise around the Caribbean during February drinking and learning about cocktails. There are worse ways to spend a week in the dead of winter.
