Chances are, you’re not going to visit an ice bar if you’re in the Caribbean UNLESS you’re on the Norweigan Epic ship, which includes one of only 14 ice bars in the world: the SVEDKA Ice Bar.
It’s a little bit crazy, but we had to participate. I anxiously made our reservations, afraid that all of the spots would be sold out. The space is tiny – only about a dozen people can be in there at any given time. I needn’t have worried; not that many Caribbean-bound people are interested in subjecting themselves to a 17-degree Fahrenheit refrigerated room. But I couldn’t wait!
This is the whole place. I’m standing at the entrance, taking this picture.
For $20, each person gets two SVEDKA vodka drinks served in cone-shaped ice. (Think snow cones.) But first, everyone dons a parka and gloves to enter the ice bar.
One member of our party was savvy enough to wear wool socks and shoes, but all of the girls in our group had on sandals. Still, we managed to stay inside for about 30 minutes — longer than most people, who barely manage to throw back two shots of vodka before they high-tail it back out into the heat. We were surprised to hear that, but not surprised that we stuck it out. We’re Midwesterners, after all. We’re used to cold weather. With or without Vodka.
17 degrees Fahrenheit. So un-Caribbean.
I’ll tell you what, though. Standing in an icy room sipping icy drinks did make me realize one thing — I’m not so sure I want to stay at an ice hotel anymore. Even if it were in the Caribbean.
How about you? Ice bar – yay or nay?
Browsing The Atlas 
I’ve read about hints like ice hotels in Norway or Greenland, and I can get behind those. I have a harder time with an ice bar in the Caribbean, where I go to get AWAY from the cold! 🙂
I know! It’s such a strange juxtaposition to have sunscreen and flip flops on and then walk into a room with a hooded parka and gloves. But I think it also made it more bearable to know that all you had to do was open the door again to get warm. 🙂
I would do it in a hot minute! Actually, I would do it in a cold minute too! Any time, I would be there. Yes, yes, yes! Great photos, btw!
Your answer does not surprise me at all. I bet you’d love it. I thought it was fun. I actually took about 50 pictures. No surprise there. 😉
A hot, humid day… sounds good but a little trendy. 🙂 –Curt
Definitely trendy, but I couldn’t resist.
I would be open to an ice bar, but not an ice hotel – brrr! Happy Day 🙂
Yes. That what I’ve decided, too. Though, will I remember this when the opportunity to stay at an ice hotel presents itself? That’s the question.
I’ve always been intrigued by ice bars and ice hotels … although the idea of extended cold doesn’t appeal to me. Thanks for sharing. The conclusion in your last couple of sentences made me laugh.
They are fascinating in the same way an igloo seems fascinating. Maybe it’s just the idea of being surrounded by frozen water– something that’s so temporary and exists one day but maybe not the next?
Umm, nay. Which won’t surprise you Juliann. That said, my equivalent is drinking a beer with mates in Jersey’s Royal Square on a Sunday evening. It’s late in the year by the time we give in and abandon the great setting and head for the heated indoors.
LOL. Sounds close enough to me. 🙂
Yay for me! I’d throw on some extra layers and jump around whilst drinking. Must be those few years of being an honorary mid-Westerner. 🙂
🙂 As far as I’m concerned, if one comes across an ice bar opportunity, how could anyone resist?