I spent some time in this lounge almost daily on a five day, four night cruise last week. one day as I was sitting there I thought I should put down a review for any other BOTL cruisers that might find themselves aboard the Liberty of the Seas...
Imagine the scene:
You swing the large wooden hand carved doors open to a great room. The walls display the bounty of many adventures. Hunting and fishing trophies mounted to the walls, sporting trophies gleaming in a cabinet. Artifacts tastefully placed throughout for all to admire.
To one side, a long exotic wood bar top, with well stocked back bar, shelves filled with the finest scotch, bourbons, cognacs and any other liquors you would desire. The bartender knows your drink just by looking at you. He casually gets to work mixing or pouring your drink without hesitation. At the end of that room is a large wood burning fireplace with blazing log in place. To the other side are groups of large worn in brown leather chairs. The kind that are built on sturdy wood frames and no matter how worn in they look they are always comfortable to rest a weary traveler from his/her adventures.
The moment you sit your drink is removed from an ornate silver tray and set down next to you while you are greeted by your adventure seeking buddies.
Now shrink that room, remove the beautiful wood and replace it with frosted Egyptian themed etched glass and wood laminate. Replace the artifacts with plaster Egyptian cats. There are no trophies in the case, they have been replaced with empty cigar boxes and empty bottles of booze filled with colored water. Most not having a cork or cap on them. Take out the big leather chairs and cram in as many brown pleather and tacky cloth patterned couches and chairs as you can. Replace any classy tables with matching wood and frosted glass topped tables and remove the cigar ashtrays for cigarette ashtrays.
As I sit here and watch my smoke slowly rise and swirl overhead with no direction or sign of suction only to disappear into the ceiling I realize there is not a venting systems place. Instead there are a couple of air purifies that stick out like a sore thumb (they are white in a predominantly dark colored room) and make a whirring sound that could be annoying to some. There is no attendant during the day, no beverage service, no access to the poorly stocked cabinet humidor. Just to add an extra level of annoyance toss in the occasional cigarette smoker and, at this moment, a group of loud old people giving me the stink eye for smoking an actual cigar.
A slight change of pace occur about 8pm. A small bar is set up with an acceptable assortment of scotch, bourbon, brandy and cognac. Cigar ashtrays replace the cigarette ashtrays and an attendant (Ana from Romania) will grant you access to the non-Cuban assortment of Romeo y Julietas, Gurkha, Davidoff and Macanudo's. Sadly I was informed the ship had a clearance sale on all Habanos and would not be restocking due to some rule that the attendant could not really explain to me. She also explained that they had stripped her liquor selection of some higher end libations such as JW Blue. Sadness!
In all honesty the place is not bad, only slightly disappointing. The lighting is dim, the music is mild and jazzy (today), the view out of one window is of a life craft, the other is blocked by the cabinet humidor. The chairs are worn in but comfy and the smoke does seem to dissipate. The room smells like your typical lounge but does not reek of stale cigars. This lead me to believe that either there's some sort of venting system or these air purifiers do decent job. The attendant is pleasant and seems to be annoyed with the recent downsizing of her liquor and cigar selections.
The place also seems to be a daytime gathering spot for crew members to take breaks or stop in for some quick gossip and the occasional ship explorers that walks in and quickly walks out. Most days it was only myself and my thoughts to enjoy whatever I was smoking.
I met quite a few cigar smokers i the evenings I spent there. One night in particular a handful of us stayed till about 2am and had an enjoyable time talking about cigars, weather and whatever other subject came up. Another night there were only a couple of us and some brief chit chat. All in all if you don't want to go up on deck and smoke there this lounge does give you access 24/7 to a peaceful place to smoke. It won't blow you away but it will allow you to smoke, contemplate and be at peace.
As a side note... if you're looking for a cocktail or any higher end libation past beer or average scotch find the Champagne bar on the other end of the deck 5 (the lounge is also on deck 5). At the Champagne bar you will find your Johnny Walker Blue, Johnny Walker King George V, King Louis, Patron Reserve and if Robert is there you will find a true mixologist. You won't find beer, margaritas or any other blended foo foo drink.
The entrance door just before you walk into the Sphynx showroom.
Panoramic of the room (thats my wife in the left corner).
The pseudo bar
From another angle. That was my corner
One from my corner
Imagine the scene:
You swing the large wooden hand carved doors open to a great room. The walls display the bounty of many adventures. Hunting and fishing trophies mounted to the walls, sporting trophies gleaming in a cabinet. Artifacts tastefully placed throughout for all to admire.
To one side, a long exotic wood bar top, with well stocked back bar, shelves filled with the finest scotch, bourbons, cognacs and any other liquors you would desire. The bartender knows your drink just by looking at you. He casually gets to work mixing or pouring your drink without hesitation. At the end of that room is a large wood burning fireplace with blazing log in place. To the other side are groups of large worn in brown leather chairs. The kind that are built on sturdy wood frames and no matter how worn in they look they are always comfortable to rest a weary traveler from his/her adventures.
The moment you sit your drink is removed from an ornate silver tray and set down next to you while you are greeted by your adventure seeking buddies.
Now shrink that room, remove the beautiful wood and replace it with frosted Egyptian themed etched glass and wood laminate. Replace the artifacts with plaster Egyptian cats. There are no trophies in the case, they have been replaced with empty cigar boxes and empty bottles of booze filled with colored water. Most not having a cork or cap on them. Take out the big leather chairs and cram in as many brown pleather and tacky cloth patterned couches and chairs as you can. Replace any classy tables with matching wood and frosted glass topped tables and remove the cigar ashtrays for cigarette ashtrays.
As I sit here and watch my smoke slowly rise and swirl overhead with no direction or sign of suction only to disappear into the ceiling I realize there is not a venting systems place. Instead there are a couple of air purifies that stick out like a sore thumb (they are white in a predominantly dark colored room) and make a whirring sound that could be annoying to some. There is no attendant during the day, no beverage service, no access to the poorly stocked cabinet humidor. Just to add an extra level of annoyance toss in the occasional cigarette smoker and, at this moment, a group of loud old people giving me the stink eye for smoking an actual cigar.
A slight change of pace occur about 8pm. A small bar is set up with an acceptable assortment of scotch, bourbon, brandy and cognac. Cigar ashtrays replace the cigarette ashtrays and an attendant (Ana from Romania) will grant you access to the non-Cuban assortment of Romeo y Julietas, Gurkha, Davidoff and Macanudo's. Sadly I was informed the ship had a clearance sale on all Habanos and would not be restocking due to some rule that the attendant could not really explain to me. She also explained that they had stripped her liquor selection of some higher end libations such as JW Blue. Sadness!
In all honesty the place is not bad, only slightly disappointing. The lighting is dim, the music is mild and jazzy (today), the view out of one window is of a life craft, the other is blocked by the cabinet humidor. The chairs are worn in but comfy and the smoke does seem to dissipate. The room smells like your typical lounge but does not reek of stale cigars. This lead me to believe that either there's some sort of venting system or these air purifiers do decent job. The attendant is pleasant and seems to be annoyed with the recent downsizing of her liquor and cigar selections.
The place also seems to be a daytime gathering spot for crew members to take breaks or stop in for some quick gossip and the occasional ship explorers that walks in and quickly walks out. Most days it was only myself and my thoughts to enjoy whatever I was smoking.
I met quite a few cigar smokers i the evenings I spent there. One night in particular a handful of us stayed till about 2am and had an enjoyable time talking about cigars, weather and whatever other subject came up. Another night there were only a couple of us and some brief chit chat. All in all if you don't want to go up on deck and smoke there this lounge does give you access 24/7 to a peaceful place to smoke. It won't blow you away but it will allow you to smoke, contemplate and be at peace.
As a side note... if you're looking for a cocktail or any higher end libation past beer or average scotch find the Champagne bar on the other end of the deck 5 (the lounge is also on deck 5). At the Champagne bar you will find your Johnny Walker Blue, Johnny Walker King George V, King Louis, Patron Reserve and if Robert is there you will find a true mixologist. You won't find beer, margaritas or any other blended foo foo drink.
The entrance door just before you walk into the Sphynx showroom.
Panoramic of the room (thats my wife in the left corner).
The pseudo bar
From another angle. That was my corner
One from my corner
