Bar Crawl

[jjr1282]

Is it worth it to book a bar crawl? Me and the GF could do our own, but I'd think we'd want to go with a group. Does the one Carnival have include drinks, etc? Is it worth it to go with Carnival for an excursion like this and if not how should we book something like that?

 

Thanks!

[Aquahound]

Personally, I think the bar crawls are a tourist trap. As far as I know, Carnival is the only cruise line that has this excursion.

 

I really think you are better off doing it yourself.

[bhopal21]

I agree with Paul, save your money and go where you want to go.

 

Mike:)

[kwbound]

I agree w/Aquahound - Just do it yourself. If you do the excursion, you may get stuck at a bar that you don't care for and can't leave until the group does. Or worse, you might find a place you love, start having a great time and then have to leave with the group. Well, I guess they couldn't make you leave, but you would have paid the money for the excursion.

 

Trust me - it is not hard to find a bar in Key West! Check out these webcams: http://webcam.keywest.com/ There are several cams at different bars.

 

My recommendation would be to walk down to the Southernmost point, take the obligatory tourist picture...head back up Whitehead St to the Green Parrott bar. (You will pass the lighthouse and Hemingway's house, which are both interesting.) Have a Bloody Mary at the Green Parrott. Have a second one for me. Jump back over to Duval. Go to the top of the La Concha hotel for a beer or wine and a great view of the island. Head back up Duval towards the ship and make sure you hit Capt Tony's and Sloppy Joe's, maybe the Hog's Breath...there are others...those are the ones I remember from our self-guided tour.

 

Have fun and let us know how it goes.

[jjr1282]

Our only thing is that it might be fun to go with other folks from the cruise. What do you think?

 

We're both in our mid-twenties and are up for having a few drinks!

 

Is the bar crawl carnival offers 5 bars and 5 included drinks?

[Aquahound]

 

Is the bar crawl carnival offers 5 bars and 5 included drinks?

 

Ok, I'll give this the benefit of the doubt for a minute. What does Carnival charge for this excursion?

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

If you go alone without other passengers, don't forget Irish Kevin's on Duval.

 

By the way, what time is your bar crawl scheduled on your Carnival Cruise? I was once on a Royal Caribbean cruise. A guy beside me at the rail watching us dock was complaining that his Duval Crawl tour was starting at 9:30AM or 10:00AM. He was disappointed because he thought that was entirely too early to be doing a bar crawl. He was considering canceling his bar crawl.

 

Maybe the time is no problem for you.

[jjr1282]

Ok, I'll give this the benefit of the doubt for a minute. What does Carnival charge for this excursion?

 

I believe its 41/pp. Obviously we know we can do our own bar crawl, but this more about doing the crawl with a bunch of other people from our cruise. So if thats the case and it includes 5 drinks than it might just be worth the few extra dollars from our perspective.

 

The whole "excursion" is 2.5 hrs so there should be plenty of time to do other stuff.

 

Here's the blurb from carnival website...

 

"

Come and party like a native on this walking tour of the most famous and entertaining drinking establishments in Key West.

On this excursion you will:

 

 

• Rain or shine, find out the best places in town to have a drink – Conch style! Begin downtown and move through the historic seaport.
  
• Receive a complimentary t-shirt before visiting 5 different pubs.
  
• Receive your choice of a complimentary beer or mixed drink at each stop.
  
• Enjoy food and drink specials at each bar.
  
• Be kept entertained with a festive atmosphere, contests, and stories.
  

Note: Minimum age is 21 years. Choice of one beer or well drink at each bar included.

Specialty drinks and food are available for purchase. Comfortable walking shoes and sunscreen are recommended."

 

 

We still need to find out what time it goes....

[mama_hao]

Go to the roll call for your cruise here on Cruise Critic. Say that you are thinking of doing a Pub Crawl and see if anyone else is interested. Our cruise is re-routed to Key West next week and our roll call is doing just that. We are calling it "Conch Republic Refugees".

[peter_krynicki]

I believe its 41/pp. Obviously we know we can do our own bar crawl, but this more about doing the crawl with a bunch of other people from our cruise. So if thats the case and it includes 5 drinks than it might just be worth the few extra dollars from our perspective.

 

The whole "excursion" is 2.5 hrs so there should be plenty of time to do other stuff.

 

Here's the blurb from carnival website...

 

"

Come and party like a native on this walking tour of the most famous and entertaining drinking establishments in Key West.

On this excursion you will:

 

 

• Rain or shine, find out the best places in town to have a drink – Conch style! Begin downtown and move through the historic seaport.
  
• Receive a complimentary t-shirt before visiting 5 different pubs.
  
• Receive your choice of a complimentary beer or mixed drink at each stop.
  
• Enjoy food and drink specials at each bar.
  
• Be kept entertained with a festive atmosphere, contests, and stories.
  

Note: Minimum age is 21 years. Choice of one beer or well drink at each bar included.

Specialty drinks and food are available for purchase. Comfortable walking shoes and sunscreen are recommended."

 

 

We still need to find out what time it goes....

 

FWIW this seems like a good thing to do if you've never been to Key West. Something to drink and a snack at 5 bars plus a T-shirt for $41.00 is a good deal, and if you think you like 2 of them to come back to, that's a bonus. Plus you will be lead around so if on the way you spot other places that look good, make a note of them and go back when the walk is over.

 

Pjk

[Izzy'smom]

We did this on the Carnival Freedom in February, and had a blast! Part of the fun is going with a group of people from the ship - we kept seeing our new friends during the trip. There were 2 guides, and the tour was so popular, we were split into 2 groups of about 20-30.

 

The day we went, the tour started at 1:00 and lasted till 3:30. Our guide was Brian, and we stopped at Captain Tony's, The Flying Monkey (go for the orange drink!), The Lazy Gecko, Schooner's Wharf and Rick's. After the 3rd bar, there was a conch blowing contest, and a short stop at Kermit's for some key lime goodies.

 

The tour didn't include any food, but there was some time to order food if you wanted.

 

Here's a pic from the conch blowing contest - the guide is the one wearing the hat.

[Sea Born]

PJK - I think it sounds fun and worth the money. You figure that you are getting 5 drinks, the t-shirt and the tour for $41, not to bad to me. We will also be there on 5/23 and maybe my daughter and I will do this, as we were just there in Jan. and now can't decide what to do this time. We did want to go to Sloppy Joe's for lunch and I also want to get the Key Lime pie on a stick too! Didn't do that last time. We took the trolley last time and it was great, but don't think we will do it this time, would like to try something different.

 

Sue

[peter_krynicki]

I usualy stop by Sloppy Joe's once a trip for a Key West Sunset Ale and to watch the people, sitting at the smaller bar that backs Duval Street, but I think you can do better for lunch. You could walk a couple of blocks over to the Key West Bight at sit on Alonzo's veranda or at the bar at the Conch Republic Seafood Company, both overlooking the harbor, and have peel your own shrimp or oysters.

 

I come home on 5/23:(:(

 

Pjk

[Marinegal]

My husband & I are thinking about doing the bar crawl tour in Sept. Is it worth it? What do the tshirts look like?

[goodtimescruisers]

Is it worth it to book a bar crawl? Me and the GF could do our own, but I'd think we'd want to go with a group. Does the one Carnival have include drinks, etc? Is it worth it to go with Carnival for an excursion like this and if not how should we book something like that?

 

Thanks!

 

My DH and I are doing the Pub Crawl in Key West on the June 14th cruise out of Galveston. Our thinking is the same as yours....going with a group should be fun! We are never too old to make new friends. ha! We also like the fact that when the Pub Crawl ends, we'll have time to go to Margaritaville! We are total Parrotheads!

[rugrat]

Just got back yesterday and did this in Key West with Brian. Yes you could do this on your own but it was a blast as a group and met lots of great people. We visited the "not so popular" bars, but had enough time afterwards to go to Sloppy Joes and then to Hogs Breath.It started at 11am and you do visit 5 bars and get a drink at each, you stay about 20 min and that was enough time for us to have another at each bar. Brian also pointed out info about the town and we also had a conch blowing contest, Which I won!!!

[spikester]

I did this 2x and it was a blast both times. Even my 70 year old mom had a blast.

 

We had enough time for 1-2 drinks at each place, depending on how fast you drank. And got to see a few different places. The first one our ship left at 230pm, and we ended up at Ricks, then went to Margaritaville, and ended up racing down the street to get to the trolley back to the ship.

The 2nd one also ended up at Ricks, but we were parked at pier B, and timed ourselves better, so no racing back.

 

Both of the tours were in the AM.

Last time I was in Key West (in April) the pub crawl was later in the day. I saw the people around in the afternoon.

 

But I thought it was totally worth it the 2 times I did it. I might do it again, but I have some otherthings I want to do so probably not for next week.

[Venusleo1]

Hey Aquahound! Good to see a post from you and especially since you live down there!

Anyways I am on the Enchantment of the Seas in Key west this friday the 5th and i booked this excursion. I'm hoping it will be alot of fun and since I am cruising solo again I think it should be a great way to meet some "like minded" people to hang out with.

It starts at 10am but we are only in port till 2 so I think that is why it is so early. I'm thinking I can hang with a fun group of drinkers and then when it's all over I can continue my pub crawl till I am crawling back to the ship! Maybe I'll make some new friends too. Reading some of the posts from those of you who did do I think it will be a great choice vs. walking around solo. I'll let you all know how it was when I get back!

[Venusleo1]

Personally, I think the bar crawls are a tourist trap. As far as I know, Carnival is the only cruise line that has this excursion.

 

I really think you are better off doing it yourself.

 

Lol, of coarse you must think every excursion down there is a tourist trap.... Locals!!!! :) Ohh btw I book through RCC.

[KittyMomma]

Hi just wanted to know what is fun to do in Key West? Where is Bar Crawl is it in Key West? What kind of place is it? Sorry not trying to sound dumb, just this is only my second time to leave Arkansas? Thank You

[Venusleo1]

Kitty Momma, we are talking about a planned excursion that some of the cruise lines offer. It's a guided pub crawl they take you from 1 bar to the next I think 5 total and included in the price you get 1 drink at every bar and a t-shirt. I just booked mine it was $36.

[KittyMomma]

Oh wow!! I feel like a total dummy know. I was thinking that it was a place to go. I am so sorry for asking that question. The worst thing about it is we are not even going to Key West. I am traveling with a girlfriend and I said that the Key West cruise would be fun, I think it was on the freedom and she said why dont we take the 7 day one instead, so we flipped a nickel and she won, so know we are going on the liberty which will take us to Cozumel, Mexico. Sorry for your troubles.

[Venusleo1]

Kittymomma, don't feel dumb!! There are no stupid questions, just stupid answers! If you've never been somewhere before every question is valid.

You will probably have more fun on the longer itineray anyways more unique ports! No troubles at all don't sweat it! Have a great cruise and glad your venturing out of Arkansas for a 2nd time, catch the travel bug and see the world! Just be careful a side of effect is becoming addicted and spending too much money.

[mosel]

We have done the pub crawl in Key West twice and are booked again for October. It is a blast and so different from just drinking by ourselves. We were with a great group from the ship and made friends that we hung out with later on the cruise. Both times we had a great guide that tells you alot about the island and the best drinks at each bar. We think the price is good for 41 dollars with 5 drinks and a shirt. A few times they gave us discounted shots for being with the group if we wanted to buy more tham the prepaid drinks. If you decide to go try to get in the group with Zam as your guide.... heis alot of fun. We can't wait to go again. Cindy

[Venusleo1]

Thanks Cindy! Did you book this through Carnival? I wonder if there is a big difference between groups as I am going through RCC.

4 more days and I will be Pub Crawlin through Key West!!