When Toby Keith sang his hit tune about loving a bar, I really feel the identical factor concerning the Mason Jar bar.
Royal Caribbean created the primary Mason Jar on Surprise of the Seas when that ship debuted in 2022, and adopted it up with a second on Utopia of the Seas. A 3rd location might be added subsequent 12 months to Attract of the Seas when she will get a significant replace.
On any ship, there are dozens of bars you may go to, however I believe the Mason Jar combines nice music, a particular drink menu, and energetic employees to create an expertise I have not discovered elsewhere.
Over time, I have been keen on spending time on the English Pub or Schooner Bar for the nice dwell music. Even Playmakers has an ideal setup with the sports activities protection, and the brand new Pesky Parrot bar on Utopia deserves some consideration for creativity. However I do not head to any of them as rapidly because the Mason Jar.
Music and the band
The Mason Jar is a rustic bar, which can seem to be a polarizing alternative. Heck, I do not even take into account myself a fan of nation music within the sense whereas at residence I by no means take heed to it.
However identical to the Schooner Bar performer picks the well-known hit piano classics to sing, the Mason Jar band tends to lean closely into common songs that simply so occur to be nation music tunes.
I by no means thought I would be that into nation music till I began to understand numerous the songs they sing there are songs I like:
- “Mates in Low Locations” by Garth Brooks
- “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker
- “Take Me Residence Nation Roads” by John Denver
- “Hen Fried” by Zac Brown Band
- “I Love This Bar” by Toby Keith
- “Earlier than He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood
There’s additionally extra conventional nation songs too, however I discover the vast majority of songs performed are the tunes I’ve not solely heard earlier than, however most likely know the refrain too.
And I can not discuss concerning the music on the bar with out mentioning the Nation Trio band that carry out there. Specifically, the trio that embody Bryan, Jeff, and Colin/Josh are my high favourite.
They embody the best stage performer on Royal Caribbean: proficient musicians which have an ideal character and get the gang into the present whereas they carry out.
There have been many evenings that I’ve re-arranged my plans to see their units.
The distinctive drinks
Royal Caribbean’s Meals & Beverage crew has been waging a secret struggle on clichéd cruise drinks, and you will find one in all their crowning achievements within the Mason Jar.
Certain, you will get a pina colada or daiquiri there, however there may be a whole menu of particular drinks developed only for the Mason Jar.
Lots of the drinks supply particular liquors that you do not normally discover on a Royal Caribbean ship. The beverage crew got here up with 8 new cocktails to strive, solely out there on the Mason Jar.
My completely favourite drink is the PB&J Outdated Original: Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey blended with Kentucky Bourbon, strawberry jelly and walnut bitters, garnished with a mini crustless PB&J.
It tastes superb, and I can simply drink a couple of of those any night. It is single handily a motive for me to get a drink package deal given it maxes out the per-drink worth allotted by the package deal.
My spouse’s go-to drink is the Mississippi Moonlight: Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine, contemporary blackberries, topped with lemonade.
For Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean added an Apple Pie Outdated Original cocktail to the menu, which is served with an apple turnover.
I actually like that the drinks right here usually are not “extra of the identical”, and it provides to the attraction to cease by for one thing particular.
Mason Jar drink menu
The key ingredient: crew members
Crew members throughout any ship work exhausting, nevertheless it looks as if the bar employees on the Mason Jar actually love their jobs.
It is sort of humorous to consider crew members from Romania, Ukraine, and the Philippines getting so right into a bar designed across the American south, however they bring about an vitality to the expertise.
They know the drink menu fairly effectively, however in addition they sing and dance in the course of the performances. They’re fast to share fun, and on a uncommon event, come up on stage for a tune.
As you get to know Effy, Claudia, Cristian, Michael, “Attractive” Rex, or Herbert, you may rapidly see what I am speaking about.
Mason Jar menus
Brunch menu
Dinner menu