What's going on here? If you ask passengers which cruise line would be most likely to wear the unflattering moniker of "booze cruise" chances are the response would be Carnival, the line that admittedly tries to take "fun" to the extreme without directly linking it to the consummation of alcohol.
But…is that Norwegian, making a run at the title?
One week, Kevin Sheehan's favorite cruise line seals a deal with the Mondavi 
family, known for many decades of turning grapes into red and white beverages that are downed by drinkers who don't care for the exotics and the hard stuff.
The next week, Norwegian proudly locks arms with Bacardi, the people who make rum and who as of yesterday have a "first of its kind" rum bar at Great Stirrup Cay, the Caribbean island owned by the cruise line.
Now, for those of us who don't have this spirit on our drink menu, a rum bar is a rum bar s a rum bar. Apparently there is something unique about this one, other than the fact that it's on the beach at Great Stirrup Cay, but it seems you need to go there to find out. Yes, on a Norwegian ship (the Pearl is a regular).
And maybe that's the whole idea. Maybe it has nothing to do with taking on Carnival after all.
Carnival Ecstasy
4 nights
January 20, 2014
Miami (return): Key West, Cozumel
Inside: $169
Cost per day: $42
www.carnival.com