Why bother with Carlos and Charly's or Señor Frogs?

[Dena]

I sometimes read reviews from people who go ashore only to visit one of these places. I've never been to either one, but if they are just bars, why bother? The ship has lots of bars that are easier to get to. Is the atmosphere of these places special enough to be worth the trouble. I admit I'm not much of of a drinker and rarely visit bars either at home or on vacation, so maybe I just don't get it.

[brian_uk]

I guess people like to get on to " DRY " land and stretch their legs.....

 

Brian

[NJ Fred]

Establishments, be they gin mills or tohers, have thrived around images created by their public relations and aadvertising gurus.

 

What makes the Hard Rock Cafe so special? Why are so many people eager to pluck down their hard-earned money to buy a Senor Frog's t-shirt and become an unpaid walking commercial for them?

 

It is the conditioning of the mind. A conditioning done via advertising that plays to our "keep up with the Joneses" ego.

 

And let us not forget the age-old practice of tour guides being paid a bounty for steering people to such places. Next time your tour stops at a certain shopping paradise, take note that the tour guide is perched at the cash register to make certain he/she gets their percentage.

 

Bottom line is that a drink is a drink is a drink - - no matter what the sign outside might say. Carlos, Charley, Sam or Irving.

[CruiseVA]

The atmosphere of these bars are party city! They are usually filled with people, mostly in their 20's, seriously 'firing it up'. It's a very raucous, party atmosphere, usually making a deck party on a Carnival ship look like tea-time at the old folks home.

 

Personally, we enjoy stopping in one on our way back to the ship, but, usually only for a drink or two. I do draw the line at having shots served off of my rather large belly :)

 

Chances are that if you stop in, you'll recognize some of the faces later, they'll be the ones stumbling down the pier yelling as the ship pulls out :)

[dmwnc1959]

I recently went to the Señor Frogs in Nassau while on the Celebrity MERCURY. You actually had to walk through their long narrow t-shirt heavy gift shop just to get to the restaurant entrance. It wasn't packed wall to wall like a nightclub but there also wasn't too many empty tables. The music was LOUD, the place 'jumpin' with a microphoned Master of Ceremonies running games of people doing alcohol shots while standing on the bar dancing, a very long conga line of customers doing alcohol shots from an open bottle, all the while kids running around and people dodging infant strollers. The food was really good, but the mixed atmosphere of alcohol shots and unsupervised kids on the swing chair at the seaview bar was a real turnoff.

[Muushka]

I recently went to the Señor Frogs in Nassau while on the Celebrity MERCURY. You actually had to walk through their long narrow t-shirt heavy gift shop just to get to the restaurant entrance. It wasn't packed wall to wall like a nightclub but there also wasn't too many empty tables. The music was LOUD, the place 'jumpin' with a microphoned Master of Ceremonies running games of people doing alcohol shots while standing on the bar dancing, a very long conga line of customers doing alcohol shots from an open bottle, all the while kids running around and people dodging infant strollers. The food was really good, but the mixed atmosphere of alcohol shots and unsupervised kids on the swing chair at the seaview bar was a real turnoff.

 

If you added cigarette smoke to that scenario, it would be my idea of hell.:eek:

[cyntil8ing]

The only time I've ever visited one is while waiting to board the ship in San Juan last year. The place was empty!

 

But, I think a large part of the attraction is the social atmosphere -- a bunch of people getting loud and crazy together. Then, when you see your fellow partiers later around the ship, it's rather like you're sharing a secret.

 

Also, drinks are significantly cheaper. A beer that is $6 on the ship might be $2. In San Juan, I had a huge pina colada for about $5 that had me feeling tipsy.

[teajak]

If you added cigarette smoke to that scenario, it would be my idea of hell.:eek:

Went there once, even climbed steep stairs in downtown Cozumel to get in,BIG mistake, did learn something like don't ever do that again. The most fun is having a balcony facing Senor Frog's in Cozumel and watching people leave late and run down the pier or better yet are the ones so drunk they just stroll down listening to the pretty sound of the ships horn. :rolleyes::eek:

[derf5585]

I guess it is the same reason my wife wants to eat ashore when we can get all the food we want onboard.

[dmwnc1959]

I guess it is the same reason my wife wants to eat ashore when we can get all the food we want onboard.

 

I thought the same thing but they didnt serve Conch Fritters on the ship! ;) The ones in Nassau were quite tasty and had a great dipping sauce, perfect with a cold brewskie....

[Shooraq]

I recently went to the Señor Frogs in Nassau while on the Celebrity MERCURY. You actually had to walk through their long narrow t-shirt heavy gift shop just to get to the restaurant entrance. It wasn't packed wall to wall like a nightclub but there also wasn't too many empty tables. The music was LOUD, the place 'jumpin' with a microphoned Master of Ceremonies running games of people doing alcohol shots while standing on the bar dancing, a very long conga line of customers doing alcohol shots from an open bottle, all the while kids running around and people dodging infant strollers. The food was really good, but the mixed atmosphere of alcohol shots and unsupervised kids on the swing chair at the seaview bar was a real turnoff.

 

That's not quite accurate. Yes there is a gift shop in the Nassau, Bahamas bar, but you aren't required to go thru it. The entrance to the restaurant/bar is off on the right hand side as you walk towards the place.

[Shooraq]

I don't mind Senor Frogs. It's probably the only place I pop into when stopping in Nassau. Can load up on fun alcohol drinks for cheaper than the cruise ship bars. The food isn't bad and decently affordable. I'll hear some amusing party songs being played.

 

Obviously these places aren't for the sophisicated crowd. ;)

 

I am not a party animal by any means, but it's fun to swing by for an hour, have a decent meal and a frozen alcoholic drink in a yard glass! Even better when I can watch my 61-year-old mother finish off 2 yardsticks while I'm still working on my first! Now that's worth it! :D

[dmwnc1959]

That's not quite accurate. Yes there is a gift shop in the Nassau, Bahamas bar, but you aren't required to go thru it. The entrance to the restaurant/bar is off on the right hand side as you walk towards the place.

 

That was actually CLOSED for reconstruction while I was there. They were rebuilding that entranceway and you did have to go through the souveneir shop to get to the restaurant.

[Ocean Dancer]

it's like..............what happens on a cruise, stays on a cruise..............say hello to your mother..........:D

[Denny01]

If you don't go to bars at home or on vacation, I guess that would explain why you find it curious people do at various ports...kind of like saying, "I don't go to Museums at home or on vacations, and don't understand why people do in port. How boring".

 

Personally, I've stepped into one in Cozumel because we've been there more than enough, but don't go to bars or for that matter, restaurants in port most of the time. I always enjoy pointing back to the ship when someone asks me where a good restaurant is in town.

 

I also don't go into internet cafes and sit there emailing/surfing so I can save a few bucks, but not enjoy the port...even ones I've been in number of times. Always try to go wander and find something new or just see what the town/area looks like.

 

Heck, there have been more than a few threads asking about laundromats ashore......that one I don't track at all.

 

So there are a number of things I don't do...but thats my choice. And by the way, all those bars are usually just bars especially during the day when we make a port call.

 

Den

[I&J Cruisers]

In 1986 on a Mex Riviera cruise we were docked in Mazatlan until midnight. In those days ships were much smaller and sevice much more personal. At 11:30 the ship sent crew to Senor Frogs to pull passengers off the tables and get them back to the ship before it sailed. These days they'd leave them there.

[Lois R]

Sometimes its just fun:D. I remember going to the Mexican Riveria

a few years ago. A group from our roll call went on a tour with Frank

in Mazatlan and it was fabulous. He was so nice.:) After the tour was

over he brought a few folks back to the ship AFTER dropping a few of us

off at Carlos and Charlie's. He actually came back to the bar and sat

with us (he drank soda) and then he took us back to the ship.

 

Sure you can drink on the ship too but sometimes its just fun to go

out, especially when the roll call has friendly folks and you are doing

a tour together:)

[BroncosFan2010]

DH and I ate dinner Pre-Cruise in San Juan once. Not worth it, as the food was just decent. The place was pretty dead. I would not get off the ship JUST to visit these places. There are usually so many more things to do that are way more exciting on a cruise.

[CruiseVA]

Another fun thing about going to Carlos or Frogs or one of the outside bars in a port near the pier is you get to meet people from other ships in port, have a few drinks with them & just have a little fun.

[3418ahl]

When we go to the Caribbean, we usually go for a WARM rest! A lot of times we just get off for two-three hours and wander, come back to an empty ship, have a wonderful lunch (as good or better than paying more on shore), enjoy an EMPTY poolside, or take advantage of one of the spa specials offered on port days. Sometimes we just go to a beach. We seldom eat on shore, since food is usually a rip-off. If you really want a drink, sometimes it can be a bit less expensive on shore...."eat on board, drink on shore".

[13yranncruise]

If you added cigarette smoke to that scenario, it would be my idea of hell.:eek:

 

Now that is funny!

 

On our last (and only to date) cruise, all I wanted to do in San Juan (besides see the fort) was to try some mofongo. So what do we do instead? We eat at Senor Frog's where we had overpriced tacos and they poured sex on the beach from an alladin's lamp down my husband's mouth. You be the judge! HA!

 

We're heading back to SJ in November so I can finally try my mofongo!!

[A Sixth?]

Personally when I travel I far prefer local spots frequented by the 'local crowd"

 

Never been a Carlos and Pukeis guy, but I will admit that Margaritaville does catch me, along with my fellow Parrotheads on a regular basis.

 

There are no "rules" to cruise ship outings. Try it and if you have a good time.... go again and again. Lots do.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We had some time to spare waiting for a tender, in Cozumel I think, and stopped in Senior Frogs for a quick drink. I like frogs and had one in our pond named Senior Frog, long before I heard of this chain. We enjoyed the drink and I still wear the T-Shirt I bought. We were on vacation and enjoyed ourself.

Mary Lou

[swscruiser]

I sometimes read reviews from people who go ashore only to visit one of these places. I've never been to either one, but if they are just bars, why bother? The ship has lots of bars that are easier to get to. Is the atmosphere of these places special enough to be worth the trouble. I admit I'm not much of of a drinker and rarely visit bars either at home or on vacation, so maybe I just don't get it.

 

Because they're fun and we have a good time. ie Vacation

[Dena]

Thanks, all. The reason why I don't often go to bars is not because I am against drinking or socializing, but because until fairly recently, bars in my state allowed smoking, so visiting one would give me headaches and stinky clothes. So I just never developed the habit of going out for drinks. I am looking forward to the smoke free bars on the ship. I don't drink anywhere near enough that the trouble of leaving the ship would be worth saving four dollars a drink and I don't usually go for sweet drinks or beer anyway. And from what you all have written the atmosphere of these places does not sound good to me. For example, I don't like loud music. I have always wondered how one can have a conversation with that much noise. And how can you socialize without conversation? Anyway, to each his own.