And by boat I mean ship. And by ship I mean cruise-ship.

That’s right, folks, in case you missed the earlier note I’m on vacation this week, bobbing around the Gulf of Mexico on the Carnival Mircale. Today we were in Belize where I picked up both Ginger and Cashew wines which I’ll have to review in full once I’m back state-side, along with the Tamarind liqueur I picked up in Roatan.

But first, back to the boat. I think Boat Drinks are essentially the same as what some call “skirt drinks”: the  fruity concoctions that may or may not come with an umbrella or some other sort of decoration on the rim. The Jimmy Buffet song of the same name makes me wonder if boat drinks are purely a modern invention or if these cocktails reach far enough back to have been something like scurvy prevention and the like. (My reasoning is that cirtus and other fresh fruits would have spoiled on long journeys without some sort of preservation and fermentation would have been the method of choice for the juices. Mixing them with other liquids would let you stretch them farther.)

But enough of my meandering…

Almost the first thing you’re presented with on a Carnival cruise is the Drink of the Day (DoD). On embarkation it’s the Fun Ship, made up of Vodka, Light Rum, Apricot Brandy, Amaretto and fruit punch and garnished with an orange slice, cherry and an umbrella. Of course I had one with lunch and got my souvenir cup needs out of the way (if only I knew which day the drinks came in the coconut cups!).

One night at dinner I tried the Mojito of the Day. Apparently Mojitos are the new martini, with all sorts of varieties available. This one was a Melon Mojito and, I would presume, just took the addition of some Midori or other Melon liqueur along with the Rum, Simple Syrup, muddled mint leaves and club soda to make it what it was (tasty!). Other options I’ve seen (but not tried) were the Mojito Margarita and the Apple Mojito. I have to admit, I’m a bit of a purest with the Mojito. As much as I enjoyed the Melon one, I think the regular Mojito is enough of a stand-alone, definitive presence that the additions really aren’t necessary.

Today, being Innauguration Day, the ship’s bartenders have decieded to offer three themed cocktails: The White House (a frozen drink of melon liqueur, pina colada and blue curacao), the President (vodka, triple sec, amaretto, sloe gin and cranberry juice over ice) and the Oval Office (a non-alcoholic drink of mango mix and grenadine). Just like I’ve chosen not to watch the Innauguration in the lounge (I’m on vacation, folks!) I think I’ll pass on the politically-tinged beverages as well.

But that won’t necessarily stop me from finding out just what the Coco Loco Monkey is…