Review--Mariner of the Seas--6.14.2009

Mariner of the Seas Review 6.14.2009

Just The Facts:
Ship: Mariner of the Seas
Date: June 14-June 21, 2009
Captain: Johnny Faevelen
Cruise Director: Abe Hughes
Ports: Los Angeles – San Francisco - Victoria - Seattle - Los Angeles Weather: Good all week

I am cruising as a solo and this was my 12th Royal Caribbean cruise, 51st overall cruise, and 1st cruise on the Mariner of the Seas. I am attending a Seminar at Sea presented by Royal Caribbean while aboard. I’m also participating in a Whodunit Production Murder Mystery that is a bit different, it’s not just one night, but over the course of the entire cruise.

Day One--Sunday—Embarkation
This is different for me in that I am both flying to a cruise AND flying into port on the day of the cruise. It’s always safest to fly in a day early in case of potential problems, but the air transfers work well for embarking on the west coast due to the time gained. The day started at 3:45 a.m. on the ranch with last minute details, loading the truck, etc. and I got away heading to the Waco Regional Airport about 4:20 a.m. It’s about an hour drive and by the time I parked in the remote parking (free) and made the terminal they were already screening passengers for the 5:45 am boarding. We pushed away right at 6:00 and were at DFW in just a few minutes. The connecting flight from DFW to SNA (Orange County-John Wayne) was 3+ hours and went well. I would have preferred to have flown into LAX or Long Beach, but I was using AA Advantage miles so had to use SNA. The shuttle was $50 to the San Pedro Cruise Terminal and that was a bit dear and more than expected. With the gaining of two hours that put me at the Terminal about 11:00 a.m and it was just about right for check-in and a short wait before actual boarding. No champagne as with the Voyager and Galveston embarkations. I recognized and spoke with John Joseph in the waiting area and was pleased to hear that he would be doing a show the following night. I was beginning to get hungry and realized that it had been 8 hours since that biscuit back on the ranch. The Diamond and Priority guests boarded about 11:30 and I headed to the Windjammer. I wasn’t really in a big hurry, but using the experienced cruiser routine (skipping photos, using back bank of elevators, etc.) actually ended up being the first in line at the Windjammer buffet. I always enjoy seeing the presentation of the food before the masses arrive. They had the usual RCCL first day buffet. The roast beef from the Carving Station was very good as were the salads and the desserts. Since I couldn’t bring cokes I did purchase a Coke Card. I’ll report on its use. It is $6 per day + 15% tip so almost $50 for an adult. It may keep me from buying too many of the drinks of the day.

I went to my cabin shortly before 1:00 p.m. when cabins become available to guests. I have cabin 2254 an ocean view forward on starboard side. It’s a large cabin very nice and clean and has a large porthole window. I bet I see waves! I was hoping to take a nap, but they are loading luggage just below my cabin and it’s interesting to see a forklift swing by the porthole window every ten minutes and a bit noisy. Won’t be a problem after sailing. The cabin is an ‘adjoining’ cabin and I’ve noticed the main difference is that you have a large padded chair and not the small sofa. The cabin set up is great for me as a solo.

Our first Whodunit meeting was this afternoon in the Dragon’s Lair lounge and we are all in a mob family with two major branches, the Rubys and the Sapphires. My character is Ray Ruby. So I am in the Ruby family. I met the new acting Don of the family, Jimmy the mouth Sapphire. This may be interesting. Muster Drill was scheduled for 4:15 and seemed to go smooth. My luggage didn’t arrive until 4:45 pm. so I unpacked and then went to the upper decks for sail away. We sailed a little late, about 5:30, and we sailed out the channel into the Pacific. We could see the Carnival Splendor sailing out of Long Beach. It was a nice sunny and mild day and you could see Santa Catalina Island. I didn’t attend the Welcome Show as I attended a reception for the Seminar at Sea group in the Cloud Nine lounge. The cocktails were complementary so I had two very nice mojitos since we were on the Viking Crown level and that is one of their specialty drinks. That was very nice, thank you, Royal Caribbean. Dinner was 15 minutes later than scheduled as is common on embarkation day. Most Seminar attendees are all at the same table and area in the Top Hat and Tails dining room. I had the Vidalia onion tart and Tomatillo (spicy) soup. I also had the Prime Rib (with fresh horseradish) as an entree and Savrin for desert. After a LONG busy day and dinner I retired to the cabin for the evening.

Day Two--Monday--at Sea / San Francisco
I slept very well and hopefully now I am acclimated to Pacific standard time. The starboard side is great as from my large porthole window I can see the California coast as we sail north. I had a very nice breakfast in the Rhapsody at Sea (main) dining room. Chocolate chip pancakes was the special, but I had Eggs Benedict. After breakfast I checked on getting tickets for the Ice Skating Show, but I was told they didn’t use the ticket system, you just show up at the performance. That could be good or bad, we’ll see. It’s a mostly cloudy day and chilly on deck. Some are using the hot tubs. I was lucky and I did see a whale this morning, but later we passed a large pod of whales and the Captain slowed so that many could see them. There was a Diamond family reunion at 11:00 am and I met the various members of the ‘family’ (Whodunit actors). It’s fun so far. I had a light lunch in the Windjammer. They had roast pork at the carving station and the specialty station. There was a wide selection of items in the buffet.

I have to admit crossing under the Golden Gate Bridge was a real highlight and a lot bigger deal than I originally thought it would be. I was on the center observation area above the Sky bar and it was a great spot as the forward tower/mast was ahead and it really looks like it would not clear as you approach. Of course she did, but by only 17 feet and this was at low tide. It is a very close fit. Just as we passed under the bridge the captain blew the ships horn and everyone cheered. A very unique experience. It took another hour plus to reach the dock and begin debarkation. I took my time as I wasn’t planning a tour and left the ship about 2:00 pm. I walked down to the original Fisherman’s Wharf and had a whole crab from the Fisherman's Grotto crab stand. It was great. Not near as many tourists in the original fishing piers behind the dockside restaurants. I remember taking a charter fishing boat out of there when I was a teenager. Most tourists now go to Pier 39 that has all the tourist places, shops, and chain restaurants. I did buy some beautiful Bing Cherries from a fruit stand and they were great. I returned to the ship about 4:30 for a nap. About 7:45 I went to the alternative Concierge lounge located in the Dragon’s Lair only one deck above my cabin for a pre-dinner glass of wine. Dinner tonight was at the usual 8:30 pm in the dining room. It was Italian night and I had the Scallops Risotto, Chicken Marsalla and Tiramisu for dessert. The waiters ended Italian night by singing O Solo Mio. After dinner I attended the John Joseph & Johnny B show in the Savoy theater. I really enjoyed it. I first saw John Joseph on the Splendour in 2006 as a solo. Very funny man and act.

Day Three—Tuesday—at Sea
Weather was cloudy & chilly and we can still the coast as we sail north. I had breakfast in the Rhapsody in Blue dining room. A very good breakfast: tomato juice, grapefruit, fried eggs, bacon, corned beef, hash brown potatoes, and toast. I activated an Internet program and caught up on some emails and business this morning. We had a meeting of the
Whodunit family at 12:30 and folks made arguments about who the next ‘Don’ should be. Following that a large group of us had lunch in the Windjammer. They had roast turkey on the carving station. I had the turkey, mashed potatoes, and a very nice salad. Following lunch I had a very nice nap. Petit-Fours and Chocolate Covered Strawberries were delivered to the cabin and they made for a nice snack following the nap. We had the Diamond Family ‘Gala’ in the theater at 6:45 when we discovered that Uncle Vinnie has now also died. Very entertaining except when I was a backup dancer for Lulu Von Tramp. This was formal night so I prepared for the Captains Cocktail reception that was held in the Grand Promenade. The Captains Dinner was very good and the dining room was at capacity this evening. Escargot, Shrimp Cocktail, Beef Filet, Sea Bass, and Grand Mariner Soufflé were my selections. The feature production show was after dinner this evening in the Savoy Theater was Front Row. The show is very enjoyable and featured various show tunes, popular tunes, and dance numbers.

Day Four--Wednesday—Victoria, British Columbia
It was very foggy in the early morning when I first looked out the porthole. We must be in Puget Sound as the water is smooth as glass. We are supposed to be docked about noon. I again had a very nice breakfast in the Rhapsody in Blue dining room then checked email from a Promenade deck WiFi hot spot. The Whodunit group had a memorial service for Uncle Nicky this morning. It was very good, the best event so far in the program.
We arrived at the pier in Victoria on time and docked next to the new Carnival Spendour. I met some friends and we went into downtown Victoria for a nice lunch on the inner harbor. We visited the Empress Hotel and the shops before returning to the ship. I took a nap before attending the Ice Under The Big Top show in Studio B. It was a fantastic show and we actually had a show within a show with two overly exuberant inebriated ladies on the front row. I don’t know how they kept from falling over the rail onto the ice. Dinner was again good, I had Shrimp & Crab Salad, Jalepeno Potato Soup, Black Angus Steak, Tilapia, and BBB for desert. The BBB was a new dessert consisting of bananas and Baily’s Irish crème made into a brule. The Love and Marriage game show hosted by Abe was this evening in the Savoy Theater, but I had some cabin time and watched a movie after dinner.

Day Five--Thursday—Seattle
We docked very early this morning and it was a cloudy day, but the weather improved over the day. I had breakfast in the Windjammer and caught up on emails in the morning before leaving the ship. We are docked at pier 66 and it is very convenient for downtown and especially the Pike Street Market. I really enjoyed watching the famous fish market area where they throw the fish as it’s ordered. Very interesting and good teamwork by the fish mongers. I had to buy some Mt. Rainier cherries and they were excellent. I returned to the ship in early afternoon and had lunch in the Windjammer. They had lamb on the carving station, but I had a very nice salad. I watched the Love & Marriage show on the cabin TV this afternoon and took a nap. I watched the sail away and then we had our final Whodunit gathering. I submitted my guess as to the murderer, but was off base. I’m sure they have several alternative endings. The actors were all very good. And it was a very enjoyable experience. I spent some time in the Concierge lounge. They have very nice snacks in addition to the cocktails. LaRaf was the headline showcase, but I have seen them several time on the Voyager so only watched the first act then returned to the Concierge lounge to visit with friends. Dinner was again good, I had the Maryland Crab Cake, Soup, Grilled double sliced Pork Steak and the mango parfait for dessert. This evening the Quest was held in Studio B, but I watched Matt Yee’s show in the Schooner Bar. He was very entertaining and really gets the audience into the show. Now being late I retired to the cabin.

Day Six--Friday—at Sea
It is a cloudy & windy day today. The Captain is not hugging the coast line on the return and we are experiencing some high Pacific waves. I am getting spray on my porthole window so it’s a nice ride. I had another good breakfast in the dining room. I enjoy the service of the dining room especially on sea days when we have plenty of time. After breakfast I again checked email and news on the Internet. Having a satellite system in the country I understand why the system may be slower on cloudy days at sea. The ISP system on board ship is very similar. I walked around the ship and then had an early light lunch in the Windjammer. They had corned beef on the carving station. I watched a movie on the cabin TV and later went to hear the Mariner of the Seas orchestra play jazz on the promenade from the Wig & Gavel. They had a nice cocktail reception for the Whodunit participants and cast in the early evening. It was interesting seeing the actors not in character. The Captains C&A past guest reception for Platinum & Diamond guests was also this evening so it was very busy. Tonight is the second formal evening and dinner was again good. My selections were a Garden Salad, the Fisherman’s Platter (Lobster & shrimp) and the assorted dessert selection. The second production show for our cruise was after dinner. The show was Pure Energy featuring the Mariner Singers and Dancers in a 1980’s style review show featuring popular songs from that era. It was an excellent show and not to be missed. Following the show several of us caught Matt Yee’s adult version of his Divas Live show. After a very long evening I retired to the cabin

Day Seven--at Sea
Very pleasant and sunny weather this morning, probably the best weather of the cruise. I slept in a little bit this morning as it was a late night. I did have a 10:00 a.m. seminar to attend as a part of the Seminar@Sea program. The Whodunit folks discussed the group aspects of this type group on board ship. After business I ate in the MDR (main dining room) for the first time for lunch. It was wonderful. They have a build your own salad bar where you choose the ingredients and items in want in your salad. They then add your choice of dressing and crush/cut the salad for you and viola a wonderful chilled salad just as you like it. I also ordered the open face steak sandwich that is served with fried eggs and on a thick slice of bread. If you wait until after 3:00 pm on the final sea day and purchase liquor from the General Store you can take it with you to your cabin. Passengers really enjoyed the pool deck this afternoon. There was an Enchanted Knights Parade in the Promenade, nice to see it earlier in the day. Last visit to the Concierge lounge before dinner. It has been enjoyable having a location to meet other past guests. Dinner was again very good. I had the Cesar salad, New York Strip Steak, French Onion Soup, and Key Lime Pie for dessert. All selections were very good.

Debarkation--Sunday
I was up early and as mentioned there is a gangway below my cabin so I knew we had arrived back at San Pedro and the Port of Los Angeles. No room service on debarkation morning, but a full breakfast menu in the dining room so I took advantage of that very early. They use the new debarkation system that works very well. No general announcements, only announcements to the individual debarkation stations. I left the ship about 8:30 and since our last port was in the USA customs was a breeze. I actually got a shuttle right away and was off to John Wayne Airport. I wanted to arrive early as there was a mix up with my air tickets, so I had a nice wait before beginning the journey. I arrived back in Waco at 9:30 Texas time and it was an hour drive back to the ranch. I’m not keen on air travel, but this cruise was worth the effort.

Ship
This was my 5th time on a Voyager class ship. I am still very impressed with these magnificent vessels. I know the people on the West Coast are happy to now have a Voyager Class ship available to them for cruises. There are good and bad things about the size. The elevators can be busy or full and I recommend taking the stairs when possible. The additional size also means that there is room for the photo gallery, casino, bars, etc. without any one of them dominating an entire deck. The Grand Promenade is very impressive indeed and must be experienced. One difference is that they have a wine bar on the promenade where the Voyager has a sports bar. The ship was very clean and the public rooms were always spotless. I noticed a new sign in the elevator, No children under age 11 without a parent. They also have their alcohol policy prominently displayed (drinking age is 21) at every bar and lounge. The theme of the casino is State Fair. I love the dining room and the chandelier, but I don’t believe the chandelier on the Mariner to be near as large as the one on the Voyager. That’s an observation I’d like confirmed just to satisfy my curiosity.

Crew
The staff and crew are very good and very friendly. Captain Johnny made his daily announcements around noon each day and kept us informed of the weather and activities. He was also seen out and about on the ship and had a Q&A session on the last sea day. I thought all the crew were very nice and greeted guests very well.

Cabin
I have cabin 2254 a Ocean View on deck two forward starboard side. There is little noise as it’s on a deck with few cabins and little activity. As mentioned there is noise at embarkation and debarkation but that is fine as your not really using your cabin at those times. The cabin steward was good and the cabin is clean. As mentioned the cabin is an ‘adjoining’ cabin and I’ve noticed the main difference is that you have a large padded chair and not the small sofa. That actually allows more floor space and I never noticed any noise from the other cabin. The safe has a button keypad. The air conditioning worked very well. You can check the status of your on board account using the RC-TV. The cabin refrigerator was well stocked, but I never used it. I had a nice towel animals most nights. I would have no problem staying in this cabin or location again.

Food
I had second or late seating for dinner. Our dining room, Top Hat & Tails, was the deck four (middle level) of the three level restaurant. It was a ten top table with others participating in the Whodunit show and the seminar. A wonderful collection of table mates. Our waiter, Denise from Romania, was very good and called me by name each evening. Lunch in the dining room has the same menu each day with one special item that does change daily. The new salad bar is wonderful. The Windjammer had a daily pasta bar and a carving station for nice meat selections. I enjoyed the green salads and specialty items. All the bread selections are very good on board. The desserts are very good in both the Windjammer and the dining room. There are several ice cream machines with vanilla, and chocolate flavors. I do not use Room Service as much when I don’t have a balcony cabin, but the assorted fruits and cheese plate are my still my favorite items. You can order room service on the RC-TV, but I recommend calling room service. Service was good when used.

Weather
The weather was primarily cool & cloudy especially in the mornings, but most afternoons cleared with sun. Very enjoyable weather especially if you were looking for relief from heat.

Diamond Value Booklet
The new C&A Diamond booklets are now out and were used on this cruise. Basically there are no benefits for the returning guests, only incentives to purchase at a discount. The only coupon I used was $10 off on purchasing internet service and it wasn’t properly credited. Missing are anything that was free on it’s own, i.e. Johnny Rockets cover charge coupon, free drink coupons, etc.

Cruise Highlights
I really enjoyed the Whodunit Productions murder mystery program. The program was very entertaining and the camaraderie of those in your group was wonderful. The Ice Under the Big Top and the two productions shows, Pure Energy and Front Row, featuring the Mariner Singers and Dancers were very good. The Schooner bar with Matt Yee was very popular with the passengers. My favorite port this cruise was Victoria.

Comments
This was a great cruise for me as I received a very fair single supplement fee and experienced a new ship and new ports. I also got to experience the Whodunit Mystery experience that was unique and enjoyable. I really enjoyed the Diamond Concierge lounge and hope future changes don’t diminish that experience. Overall a VERY GOOD cruise.

Links
Whodunit Productions: http://www.whodunitcruises.com/

Thanks to Jake Tomlinson and Bart DeBoer for photograph

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Carnival Sunday Funday

Carnival Cruise Lines held a series of Sunday Funday parties nationwide on Sunday March 29, 2009. We were one of the 1002 households selected. Not sure why we were selected, but we fit the criteria and I was also on the Carnival Bloggers cruise in February where it was first announced.
We began the day doing party preparation. First the decorations that was in the party kit sent to us from House Party who organized the events for Carnival. We also found a use for all those Carnival hurricane glasses we have collected over the years. We made a nice centerpiece from the Carnival balloons and put banners on the kitchen island which was designated as ‘party central’ in the house. We then began preparing meat trays, vegetable trays, cheese & fruit trays, desserts, and dipping strawberries in chocolate. All of that kept us very busy. I made two gallons of Funship Special cocktails and finished party preps and last minute cleaning before our 6:00 pm starting time. We prepared a very nice selection of party foods and drinks:

Funship Specials
Shiner Bock,
Captain Morgan’s Parrott Bay Tropical drinks

Roll ups with crème cheese and pico de gallo

Roast Beef, Ham, Turkey, Turkey summer sausage
with fancy mustard & horseradish

Swiss Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Provolone Cheese
with fancy crackers

Special Italian Meat balls
In homemade Marinara Sauce

Carrots & Celery with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
And a selection of Green & Red grapes

Black Bean & Mexicorn hot dip

Individual Rum cakes

Chocolate covered strawberries

We had twenty-two guests who all arrived promptly at the ranch. No one got lost. Let the Party Begin.

Guests also brought:
Queso Cheese dip
Summer Sausage with Cheddar Cheese and Spicy Crackers
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Chocolate Pecan Cake

Everyone really enjoyed the excellent food and drinks. The instructions for a towel animal contest was missing or I never found them, but a couple attempted some basic designs. Most guests were neighbors or people who have sailed or about to sail on Carnival. The company and conversation was very good and everyone was in a party mood.

I’ll let the following photos speak for themselves.
(click photos to enlarge)

The End

Coming up Soon

Review--Carnival Fantasy--2.7.2009

Blog2NOLA Cruise / Fantasy Review 2.7.2009

Just The Facts:
Carnival Fantasy
February 5-12, 2008
Captain: Pier Paolo Scala
Cruise Director: Big Tex
Special Blogger Cruise Director: John Heald
Hotel Director: Andy Brown
Ports: New Orleans-Progreso-Cozumel-New Orleans
Weather: Very Good all week.

This is the John Heald Bloggers Cruise for fans of John Heald, the Senior Cruise Director for Carnival Cruise Lines and his very popular Cruise Blog. I am sailing with the CruiseMates Blog2NOLA group. This is my 14th Carnival cruise and 49th cruise overall. I am also sailing as a solo.

Travel Day--Thursday
I rarely fly to a cruise anymore so this was a little different for me. I flew American Airlines from Waco to DFW for a flight to New Orleans. I was wearing a Blog2NOLA group T-shirt so I was spotted by others in our group who were on the same flight to New Orleans. The flight was delayed almost two hours so we did have some time to visit. Once in the air the flight was fine and we were greeted at the baggage claim area by a New Orleans style brass band. I was able to share a taxi/van from the airport to downtown NOLA with my new BFFW’s. My hotel is the Maison St. Charles and it is nice in the fact that it is a quaint New Orleans style hotel and not a mega-convention type of hotel. It is a bit further from the hot spots but on a street car line. A lot of the early arrivals in the CruiseMates group met at the Hard Rock Café and some explored Bourbon Street and the famous hurricanes from Pat O’Briens. Unfortunately I was one of them.

New Orleans—Friday
I had originally planned on doing some volunteer work this morning, but due to some recent stress at the ranch and drinking the hurricanes the night before I thought it best I slept in this morning. I don’t want a bug before even boarding on the ship. Some friends attended the volunteer project sponsored by Carnival Cruise Line and it went well. I went for an early lunch at Mothers, a famous New Orleans spot, for a Ferdi special. It was fantastic and worth the effort to get it. After lunch I visited Jackson Square, The Cibolo and St. Louis Cathedral. I took an afternoon cruise on the The Natchez, a paddle wheeler on the Mississippi River. It was very interesting and informative especially the engine room. This evening the CruiseMates group met at Mulates for dinner and a good time. The band was La Touche a very good Cajun group. I had a pink lemonade and the Cajun Seafood Platter which was excellent. Our group of about 50 had good seats near the front and the band and everyone had a great time.

Day One--Saturday—Embarkation
It was a beautiful day in New Orleans. I took advantage of the fast internet connection in the courtyard of the hotel to update emails and news before heading for the ship. I shared a cab to the port ($7 set fee) and arrived about 11:15. A good arrival time as it was just behind the rush but earlier than most arrivals. There were a lot of VIPs for this boarding so the VIP check in line was as long if not longer than the regular check in line. I was on board by 11:45 or thereabouts. Since I brought the T-shirts for the CruiseMates group I helped at their check-in-table for a lot of the day before boat drill. The Captain came by and recognized me from previous cruises on the Ecstasy. I appreciated that very much. When I checked my cabin there was a “Welcome bottle of champagne and two plates of canapés. Very Nice. I did have lunch from the Taste of Nations station. It was Cajun Day and I had the Cajun Vegetable Soup, Corn Fritters, Spinach Cornbread, Chicken Creole, and grilled Fish Fillets, all very good. We set sail down river as boat drill ended about 4:15 p.m. I have never sailed down the Mississippi river and because of all the turns in the river it felt as though we were at sea. A lot more pitch and roll than I expected. There was a special cocktail reception for all the Blogger groups on board at 5:00 p.m. in the Universe Lounge, the main show lounge. They were very generous with the cocktails and John Heald made his first official appearance to the group. I have early seating for dinner so straight to dinner following. They have open seating for the Bloggers another new experience. I ordered the Fried Shrimp that was served with a very unique & tasty Plum dipping sauce, the Broccoli Soup, a Grilled Pork Chop served with vegetables and macaroni, and the Black Forest Gateau (cherry) for dessert. The Welcome Aboard Show was after dinner featuring Big Tex as a cruise director, and comedian Lewis Nixon. A Bloggers Pajama Party sponsored by CruiseMates was held in Cleopatra’s Piano Bar this evening. I’m sure the other passengers thought this had to be a crazy group walking around the ship in PJ’s. It was fun and there were probably 60+ who participated. John Heald made an appearance, judged the PJ’s and I actually got to meet him for the first time. He recognized my name from this humble blog of ours. Following the Pajama Party and all the first day activities I retired for the evening.

Day Two--Sunday--at Sea
I enjoyed a very refreshing nights sleep and the ship rocked just enough to make it very nice. Thanks Captain Scala. I had breakfast in the dining room, my personal standard 1st morning Carnival breakfast of: tomato juice (V8), a mixed fruit plate, Eggs Benedict with side of bacon, and milk. All were very good. After breakfast there was a Q&A session for the Bloggers with John Heald. During the comments, John expressed how important the port of Galveston is to Carnival. Even the possibility of a third Carnival ship. That’s positive news for Texas. I met Paul Motter of CruiseMates and Anita Dunham-Potter who writes several Travel Blogs. I later shared a table on the Promenade Deck with Anita who is very delightful and we shared information about cruising. It took me a minute to figure out that she was interviewing me in between our conversations. (Link to one of her blogs below) It was Italian day in the Tastes of Nations section. I did have a selection of items. The regular buffet featured roast turkey at the carving station. We had a special tea time with John Heald for CruiseMates at 2:00 pm. in the Celebration Dining Room. The tea was good and the scones were excellent. I spent some time at HQ and discovered a new option. The Fun Ship SPECIALS CARD is $23 but will get you one drink of the day and four additional drink specials. That will save you $8.75 and also gets you the drinks in a larger glass. Sounds like a good deal to me. Wish I had know before my initial Funship Special purchase at sail away. One can collect only so many of the souvenir cocktail glasses. The Captains cocktail reception was before dinner and I greeted the Captain, but only stayed for one glass of wine and left before the introductions. Dinner was very good. I had the pumpkin soup, the stuffed mushrooms, and the seafood entrée consisting of lobster and jumbo shrimp. The lobster was very good and the shrimp were excellent. I had the Bitter & Blanc for desert. The stuffed mushrooms are not as good as they were on the Conquest or Ecstasy. This is also the third variation of the Bitter & Blanc since they introduced it to the menu as part of the George Blanc signature dishes. Still good just different. The feature show was a production shows featuring the Fantasy singers and dancers Nightclub Express. It was very good and featured numbers from various nightclub venues such as: Cotton Club, the Copa, Capri, Crazy Horse, Tropicana, etc.. This production team just came on the ship last week and they were fresh and crisp. The show had excellent singing, dancing, costumes, and music. This show is not to be missed. I did think this production group of singers and dancers are as good as any I have seen on any cruise ship, kudos to them and their director. Some very nice canapés were delivered to the cabin this evening as a part of the Platinum ‘Concierge Club’ guest program. I also received a stainless steel thermos as a gift.

Day Three—Monday--Progreso, Yucatan, Mexico
Another very pleasant nights sleep. I heard people comment that they considered the seas ‘rocky’ last night, but to me it seemed fine. Captain Scala got the Fantasy into Progreso at our 7:00 scheduled arrival time. I had breakfast in the dining room: fresh sliced fruit, fried eggs with hash browns, bacon, & corned beef hash, toast, V8, and milk. I left the ship about 10:00 am and I took the free shuttle to town. I stopped at the Mayan craft store that DW loves (run by Richard) and purchased a bag I wanted for my computer cables and charger. The store has authentic crafts made by Mayans from Yucatan and Guatemala and a good place to get gifts. I saw friends and accompanied them to Buddy’s, but we moved to Le Saint Bonnet and I made that my HQ for the afternoon. We had a very nice table on the restaurant side and enjoyed a very nice breeze coming off of the Gulf of Mexico. The weather was beautiful. The best weather I have ever experienced here. Over the course of the day we were joined by fellow Bloggers from Cruise Critic and CruiseMates. I ordered a shrimp cocktail, and enjoyed their great guacamole & pico de gallo. I also purchased a few items from various vendors who passed. My favorite mariachi, Julio, approached and again recognized me from previous trips, he is the best if the many mariachi’s that play here. Progreso is probably the pirated DVD capital of Latin America. Charges for a DVD run about $3.00 on average per movie (a little less if you get more) and I again as on previous visits purchased a couple. I took the shuttle back to the ship and was onboard by 3:00 p.m. We sailed away at the scheduled departure time of 4:00 p.m. For those that stayed on board, it was Mexican day in the Tastes of Nations. We had the official group cocktail party for the CruiseMates group at 5:00 pm in the disco. It was a Pirate theme and everyone looked so great in their pirate costumes. It was great fun and attended by John Heald and other special guests as well. Dinner was again good. I had a green salad and two entrees, the Sweet & Sour Shrimp and the Chicken Breast, then Tirmasu for dessert. I really liked the shrimp and would do two of those at next opportunity. The Carnival Return Guest party was after dinner. A very unusual time, but perhaps because of all the extra activities this cruise. Big Tex and the Fantasy show band hosted the Guest Talent Show was this evening and it was very enjoyable. There were three CruiseMates / Evil Krewe group members of the six who performed. Big Tex did his five level dance routine and that was fantastic. At midnight they had a Men’s Nightgown contest (which from photos I’ve seen must have been hilarious), but I retired to the cabin after such a busy day.

Day Four--Tuesday--Cozumel, Mexico
Another good nights sleep. The sea was much calmer than the previous night and very nice as we sailed around the Yucatan peninsula and into the Caribbean. I had another good breakfast in the dining room We arrived and docked on time in Cozumel at the Puerto Maya pier. Another first for me on this cruise is that I have booked a ‘ships tour’, but really it’s the official Bloggers excursion for Cozumel. We met on the pier at 9:45 and were on our way to Playa Mia straightaway. We were met as we got off the bus with servers holding trays of drinks and given a quick orientation of Playa Mia. The package included mixed drinks, beer, a Mexican buffet, water toys, lounge chairs, swimming pool, ice crème, and more. The bar servers were very generous with the drinks and the food was good. The weather was ideal with a nice breeze to keep it cool. It was a great day in paradise. I had two dips in the cool Caribbean water, it was rocky as you first entered but fine and sandy just out a bit. I was very pleased with the tour, the resort of Playa Mia, and the great company. We returned to Puerto Maya about 3:00, but a group of us enjoyed some light snacks and cocktails at Poncho’s Backyard until time to board the ship at 4:30 pm.. It was Caribbean day in the Tastes of Nations section, another good choice. Dinner was again good, my selections were Escargot, Thai Chicken, Bing Cherry Soup, the Chateaubriand as an entree, and Grand Mariner Soufflé for desert. Our dinner ran late as there was a food problem in the kitchen and we barely got out before second seating began, but that took us to show time. The show was juggler Manuel Zuniga and comedian Al Ernst. Al has been ‘hanging’ with the Bloggers group all cruise and I was familiar with his act, but this was the first time to see him live. He is very funny. I’m not keen on the juggling. There was a special late show just for the Bloggers with John Heald, Al Ernst, and Lewis Nixon. They told stories about one another and reminisced about working together on Carnival years ago. It was very very funny. It was time for the Mexican buffet on Lido deck and it was a very nice set up on deck. The weather was wonderful and the band Music Manila played good rock cover tunes on the open deck. A long day. I checked emails late back in the cabin then retired.

Day Five—Wednesday--at sea
Another good night sleep and I had another very nice breakfast in the dining room. I attended most of the Q&A session for the invited press covering the Bloggers and the ‘new & improved’ Fantasy. I tried one of the hot tubs on the new Serenity Deck. The deck is adults only and located aft with a great view. It was American Day in the Taste of Nations so I had a bit of Salad, Fried Chicken and a baked potato. They had ham on the carving station. There was a scheduled competition at the water slides for CruiseMates at the new Evolutions of Fun water area. It is a fantastic area for families and people who want to have fun. Several slides and other nice water features. I retired to the cabin for a much needed little nap after the excitement of the past days. A Bloggers Talent Show was at 4:00 pm and we do have talented people in the group. John, Al, & Lewis also added to the entertainment. That was followed by the farewell Bloggers cocktail party at 5:00 with excellent hors d'oeuvres and generous cocktails. With early dinner at 6:00 a very busy evening. Dinner was good, I had the Crab Cake, Veal Parmesan, and Baked Alaska for desert. The feature production show was this evening, Ticket to Ride, a Beatle show featuring the Fantasy Singers and Dancers, Fantasy Orchestra, and the group Music Manila This is a fantastic show not to be missed. The last finale of the Bloggers cruise was a late comedy show. The Opening act was our own Kuki of CruiseMates making his comedy debut and featuring Al Ernst. A funny ending to a jammed packed five days of entertainment.

Debarkation --Thursday—New Orleans
Another good night sleep and we were docked very early in New Orleans. I went to the Windows on the Sea for a nice buffet breakfast. My first time to eat breakfast on the Lido deck. I filled out my customs forms and Return guests (b2b) were to meet at 9:45 to go through U.S. Customs and we did so without much trouble. There were just more people than they were probably used to having for a b2b as our group alone had 25. Since I’m staying onboard debarkation was a snap.

Ship / Crew
The Crew is top notch. Always willing to help, I was always greeted by name many times. I met Captain Scala on embarkation day and he recognized me from some previous cruises on the Ecstasy. He is a great guy and very professional Captain. By the end of the cruise everyone else knew what a fantastic captain he is as he was recognized by John Heald, the press, and the bloggers who crashed his Q&A session on the last sea day. I really enjoyed the bar staff at the Lobby bar and all the bar servers over the five days. With so many cocktails events over the five days some bar servers became well known.

Cabin
I had cabin E-181, a 1A interior cabin. It is really one of my favorites on a Fantasy class ship as it is on the Empress deck and makes it easy for embarkation & debarkation. Also the lobby bar is close as well as access to the dining rooms. No refrigerator, but the cabin steward kept my cooler full of ice. No hair dryer and fewer shelves than newer ships, but lots of storage in the three wardrobes. Push button safe, flat screen TV, good WiFi connection, and a unique floor plan. I had a towel animal each night.

Food
Breakfast in the dining room was very good and my first choice, but many prefer the buffet. There are a lot of options for lunch: the ‘Taste of Nations’ which changes daily and the regular buffet both in the Windows on the Sea, the Grill for burgers & hotdogs, the Deli, the new Mongolian Wok, or the Celebration Dining Room on sea days. The quality of food was good to very good. Some items better are than others. At dinner if you do not care for a dish or entree ask for a different item, the waiters really will help in any way they can.

Interesting / Unique
The most unique cruise I have ever taken has to be the John Heald Bloggers Cruise. With all the special events it was like taking two cruises at once. You could enjoy all the regular ship events and activities plus all the Blogger events and functions. Double the comedy shows, double the cocktail parties, all the unique events, and group functions. Certainly more than DOUBLE the FUN.

Final
Of all the fantastic things on this cruise the thing I enjoyed the most was meeting all the wonderful people that I have communicated with online for many years. To me that was the highlight.

Blog Links

John Heald
http://johnhealdsblog.com/

Paul Motter
http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/author/Paul%20Motter/

Kuki
http://www.cruisemates.com/blog/category/kuki-cruise-news-opinion-and-oddities/

Gene Sloan
http://blogs.usatoday.com/cruiselog/

Anita Dunham-Potter
http://www.expertcruiser.com/

For fantastic photos of the cruise visit:

ZydecoCruiser
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/Blog_2009/

Storm'n Norman
http://gallery.me.com/earthlight920#100326

~I have reversed the order of these two reviews from standard blog form so it would read in order~

Review--Carnival Fantasy--2.12.2009

Carnival Fantasy Review 2.12.2009

Just The Facts:
Carnival Fantasy
February 12-15, 2008
Captain: Domenico Cilento
Cruise Director: Big Tex
Hotel Director: Andy Brown
Ports: New Orleans-Cozumel-New Orleans
Weather: Excellent all four days.

This is the second half of a B2B on the Carnival Fantasy. The first cruise was the John Heald Bloggers Cruise. This cruise is the short four day cruise immediately following. I was going to review them as one cruise, but there are so many differences I am reviewing them separately. Of course there will be references to the previous cruise. I am sailing with the CruiseMates ‘Rehab’ group and after the previous five days a rest is needed. This is my 15th Carnival cruise and 50th cruise overall. I am again sailing as a solo.

Day One--Thursday--New Orleans
This will be a very easy start as I am already on board the ship. I glanced at the bow cam from bed at 5:30 am and we were already tied up at the pier. When I awoke I filled out my customs forms and went to the Windows on the Sea for a nice buffet breakfast. Return guests (B2B) were to meet at 9:45 to go through U.S. Customs and we did so without much trouble. There were just more people than they were probably used to having for a B2B as our group alone had 25. It was kind of a good feeling to wave good bye to those leaving knowing you are staying on board. No packing or hassles at least for another four days. After receiving our new cards several in the group went to the adjacent River Front Mall for beignets at the River Mall Café DuMonde. They were very good. Then back on the ship to get the new sail & sign card activated and prepare for another sail away and cruise. We have a new Captain this cruise and will not have all the extra Carnival personnel on board, but we’re looking forward to another good cruise. Muster drill went much faster than the previous cruise and was finished before casting off and making the big turn to go down river at about 4:15 pm. I purchased the Carnival Specials Drink Card and had a Funship Special sail away drink. It wouldn’t be sail away with out it. I’m going to sample all the daily drink specials this cruise. I’ve really had fun with the bartenders at the Lobby Bar and I think they like to see familiar faces as well. Dinner comes early as I’m on main seating again because of the group. Dinner was very good, I had two of the Fried Shrimp with Plum Sauce, Iceberg Salad, and the Pork Chop. The waiter, Tom from Costa Rica, is much better than previous waiter, brought some ribs for us to sample and even prepared wet naps from napkins for us. I again had the Black Forest Gateau for dessert. All was very good. After dinner I went to listen to members of the Universal Orchestra (the ships orchestra) who were performing as a Dixieland Jazz Band on the Promenade deck. That was very neat as we were sailing down the Mississippi River. I would like to take this cruise in the summer so there would be more daylight and more to see. Following this the men in the group gathered (by coincidence) and had a ‘yawn fest’ table on the Promenade deck. It’s been a tiring five days, but I was able to make the 10:00 pm Welcome Aboard Show featuring Big Tex, the Orchestra, and the Singers & Dancers. The comedian was Tim Hankleroad. I don’t recall having seen him before, but I knew his routine so I must have seen him somewhere. I retired to the cabin but noticed we were just leaving the Mississippi River and entering the Gulf of Mexico (11:15-11:30) so it takes 7+ hours to get to the Gulf from New Orleans. It took me much less time to get to sleep.

Day Two--Friday--at Sea
Another great nights sleep and the weather is great. I went to the Celebration Dining room for breakfast and had my traditional day one breakfast of: Orange & Grapefruit Sections, Eggs Benedict with sides of Bacon & Corned Beef, Tomato juice, and milk. It was good and the waiter was excellent. I thanked the cabin steward for the turkey towel animal he left the night before and he gave me instructions on how to make one. Since he was there to clean the cabin I spent an hour on the Promenade deck updating email and reviewing on the computer. They had turkey on the carving station on the lunch buffet. I sat outside on the aft looking at the water and it is beautiful today. After lunch I had movie and some much needed cabin time. This was elegant night and the Captains Reception was at 5:15 and dinner again at 6:00pm. in the Celebration Dining Room. My selections for dinner were the Stuffed Mushrooms, Strawberry Bisque, Lobster & Shrimp, and the Banana Gateau for dessert. A bottle of champagne was delivered to the cabin from Hotel Manager Andy Brown, I assume this was for being a return guest. The drink of the day is a Goombay Smash. The nights production show was Nightclub Express featuring the Fantasy Orchestra, Singers, and Dancers. I enjoyed it even more the second time. Excellent show. After the show I listened to Smooth Music with Michael at the 21st Century bar. Being so busy last cruise I’m able to catch more of the LIVE music on board this time. Some more time at the 'yawning' table and then to the cabin. A great day to rest and relax.

Day Three—Saturday--Cozumel, Mexico
Another good nights sleep and a beautiful day in Mexico. I had breakfast in the Celebration Dining Room, a very nice omelette. We docked at the Puerto Maya pier. The Ecstasy docked next to us at 10:00 am and the Grandeur of the Seas docked later at the International pier. It was interesting comparing the Ecstasy and the Fantasy side by side. You could really compare the new additions to the Fantasy especially the Evolutions of Fun areas. Several in our group wanted to accompany me to Antonio’s Barber shop, nine people in fact. I guess it did become an excursion of some sort. About 11:00 we took a van into San Miguel and three of us got a haircut. The group then went to my favorite lunch spot in Cozumel: La Candela. Several joined us there so we had 15 people for a great lunch. I had the Mayan fish platter and it was excellent. We had a Tres Leches cake that I purchased at the local Panadería. After the great lunch I had my traditional mojito at Havana Blue in the Forum before taking a taxi back to the ship. For information and photos about this little excursion check this link on the CruiseMates website: http://www.cruisemates.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=606190 After returning to the ship and in order to cool off I decided to try the big slide again. I did a much better job with a good push off and displaced a fair amount of water at the bottom. It certainly did cool me off. I tried the cocktail of the day a Mexican Momma at my HQ, the lobby bar, then a very short nap before dinner. If room service had not delivered some canapés I may have slept through dinner. I had the Sweet & Sour Shrimp (actually two) as an entrée and they prepared a special chocolate Valentines day dessert. It was beautifully presented as a heart shaped chocolate and a red kiss (lips) on the plate, but it was too rich for me. The maître d' also gave flowers to all the ladies. A very nice touch. A group of us met at the ‘yawning’ tables on Promenade deck to socialize. Later I retired to the cabin to watch one of the movies I purchased in Progreso on the previous cruise.

Day Four--Sunday--at Sea
Another great nights sleep and another beautiful day at sea. Since I awoke early I thought I’d try the Omelette Station located on Lido deck for breakfast and my omelette was very good. I spent the most of the day on the new Serenity deck. I had a nice lounger center aft under an umbrella so I took advantage of that and enjoyed some good deck time while grooving to the iPod and reading. I took a break for a salad for lunch, but continued on until about 2:00. I wanted to try the new Mongolian Wok station before it closed at 2:30. You pick out the ingredients, meats, and sauce and the chef prepares it for you. It was very good and good timing as we ran through a squall line and got some rain about the time I got my food. It really cooled it off which was actually nice. We had another cocktail party at 5:00 in the Cat’s Lounge. The bartender really took care of me remembering me from the Lobby Bar. Too well really. At dinner we had champagne and wine as well so everyone was in a friendly mood and it made for an interesting final evening. I had the Crab Cakes, Field Greens Salad, Short Ribs (don’t recommend), and Baked Alaska for dessert. The big production show, Ticket to Ride was after dinner and I got a seat on the front row. This is a fantastic show. I really enjoyed seeing it again. After the show I printed my boarding passes and packed for tomorrows departure.

Debarkation—Monday
We were docked very early so all went well with debarkation. Not in a real hurry I had a nice breakfast in the dining room as they were finishing the self debarkation. I knew I wouldn’t have long to wait as I was using the priority debarkation for Platinum guests. I was off the ship by 9:00 am and had a friend to pick me up. It went very well. We had time to visit Chalmette and the Battlefield Park, one of my old stomping grounds as an 1812 War reenactor. It was amazing seeing the devastation of Katrina around town four years after. I enjoyed a very nice lunch at Copeland's and then off to the airport for the flight to Dallas connecting to Waco, Texas. I was home about 10:30pm.

Ship / Crew
The cruise director, Tex, is being promoted to another ship soon (Carnival Valor) and I’m glad he was on board for this cruise. He’s informative with his announcements that he calls: Tex Messages, without it being too intrusive into the passengers day. Victor my cabin steward has been very good and my waiter, Tom, has been a great improvement from the previous cruise.

Cabin
I still have cabin E-181, a 1A interior cabin. It’s really important to keep the same cabin on a B2B as it makes it so much easier. I would not do a B2B unless you could have the same cabin. Again, it is really one of my favorites on a Fantasy class ship as it is on the Empress deck and makes it easy for embarkation & debarkation. Also the lobby bar is close as well as access to the dining rooms. No refrigerator, but the cabin steward kept my cooler full of ice. No hair dryer and fewer shelves than newer ships, but lots of storage in the three wardrobes. Push button safe, flat screen TV, good WiFi connection, and a unique floor plan. I had a towel animal each night even on the last four days (turkey, bulldog, bird, swan).

Food
I finally had the opportunity to try the Mongolian Wok and the Omelette Station on this cruise and both were excellent. You pick your ingredients on both and they are prepared fresh for you as you wait. My favorite meal was breakfast in the Celebration dining room. My favorites dishes were: the Fried Shrimp, Lobster, and the Cajun Buffet.

Interesting / Unique
This cruise was slower paced than the previous one so I was able to get into a more usual cruise routine. The rest was very much needed. The Snoozeman's tour of Cozumel with lunch was great fun. I really liked both Production Shows, especially Ticket to Ride.

Final
This cruise stands out to me because of all the new friends made on the previous cruise and those that stayed on board for this cruise. It sure makes it special, especially when you are sailing solo. I would sail from New Orleans again particularly when they get the Carnival Triumph.

Next

Review--Voyager of the Seas--1.11.2009

Voyager of the Seas Review 1.11.2009

Just The Facts:
Ship: Voyager of the Seas
Date: January 11-January 18, 2009
Captain: Patrik Dahlgren
Entertainment Director: Eric Dowis
Ports: Galveston - Cozumel - Roatan - Costa Maya - Galveston
Weather: Poor all week

This was my 11th Royal Caribbean cruise and 3rd cruise on the Voyager of the Seas. We are cruising and traveling with my Sister & BIL and meeting good friends who we have sailed with previously.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation
The Voyager had major embarkation problems due to fog (5+ hours late) the previous weekend so that was our major precruise concern. We were actually pleased when a small cold front came through central Texas on Saturday. We would gladly trade the cooler weather for the assurance of no fog and thus a delay. The front reached Galveston late Saturday so the weather was clear, and colder than normal at embarkation, but no fog. We left the Ranch at 6:00 a.m. BIL drove and I navigated and enjoyed following with the very nice GPS system. The GPS system took us the exact same route we usually take. We had a nice and easy drive to Galveston. Houston traffic was fine. We arrived early enough to drop our bags at Cruise Terminal #2 before automobile traffic became heavy. I drove over and parked at EZ Cruise parking and then walked over to the ship terminal. I highly recommend EZ Cruise parking and they have shuttles, but I prefer walking. By the time I got back to the terminal our party had reached the front of the first security ID check. They had a priority/VIP line for the 2nd security check point that we used and then went to Priority check-in desk. We had just settled in with our complimentary glass of champagne and met some CC members when they announced they would begin boarding. Nice group in the priority area and no mad rush to the door. The ships staff were extremely friendly, everyone welcomed us on board ship and offered help or guidance. We went to the Windjammer and were ahead of most of the arriving passengers. With fewer people there we could appreciate the three beautiful ice carvings and the fruit displays. The roast beef was very good as was the salad and the desserts. We went to our cabin shortly after 1:00 p.m. when cabins become available to guests. Our luggage arrived about 1:30 p.m. so we were unpacked right away. I promised DD that we would go down to the Promenade deck and wave at the web cam at 2:00 so we did (she later reported that she saw us) and then stopped at the Pig & Whistle for a cocktail and cokes. The Promenade deck was packed as the cool weather kept passengers off the outdoor decks and inside the ship. The Grand Promenade is a very good people watching spot and I saw several friends and acquaintances. It was busy early due to the cool weather. The sports bar was packed with people watching the NFL football playoffs that were also shown on cabin TV. We later finished unpacking and explored more of the ship. It was quite chilly for muster drill. The Welcome Aboard Show for both dinner settings featured comedian Keith McGill, Eric Dowis the Cruise Director, and the Voyager of the Seas Singers and Dancers. It was a good show and a good start to the cruise. Dinner was scheduled for 30 minutes later than usual as is sometimes common on embarkation day. Friends and family are all at the same table as requested in the La Boheme dining room. The Vidalia onion tart and Tomatillo (spicy) soup were very good. I also had the Prime Rib (with fresh horseradish) as an entree and Savrin for desert. After a busy day and dinner we retired to the cabin for the evening.

Day Two--Monday--at Sea
Warmer today than it was yesterday, but still cool and cloudy most of the day. I slept very well and a little late. I went up to the Windjammer and it was packed so I had a very nice breakfast in the Carmen (main) dining room. After breakfast I picked up tickets for the Ice Skating Show for our group. We attended the Cruise Critic Meet & Mingle at 11:00 a.m. in the High Notes Lounge. There was a good crowd and it’s always great to put real names to screen names. They had small finger sandwiches, water, and lemonade. Very disappointed that there were no chocolate covered strawberries or petit fours as there were last year. Eric Dowis, the cruise director, attended and was his usual humorous self during the raffle. BIL actually won the Royal Caribbean computer mouse. The Captain gave his midday report and announced that there would be a delay in arriving in Cozumel, not sure why. We had lunch in the Windjammer. They had roast pork at the carving station and the specialty station had ‘prepare to order’ pasta. There was a wide selection of items in the buffet. The chocolate peanut butter pie was fantastic as were the egg custard and tutti-frutti, some of my favorite desserts. A short nap before we went to the 4:00 ice show, Ice Odyssey. It was an excellent show and not to be missed. The Captains reception was held in the Grand Promenade. He introduced his senior staff from a bridge above and across the promenade. Dinner tonight was at the usual 8:00 pm in the dining room. Escargot, Shrimp Cocktail, Beef Filet, Sea Bass, and Grand Mariner Soufflé were my selections. The headwaiter brought me a plate of sliced Hearts of Palm (one of my favorites) that were fantastic. This was my favorite dinner of the week. The Hughes Brothers were the feature entertainers this evening, but we skipped having seen them previously. Another early cabin night.

Day Three—Tuesday--Cozumel
Weather was cloudy and moist today. Midday temperatures around 80°. I had breakfast in the Carmen dining room. A very good breakfast: tomato juice, grapefruit, fried eggs, bacon, hash brown potatoes, and toast. We arrived three hours late in Cozumel docking after 10:30 am. The cause was stated as weather and water currents early after leaving Texas although I think we have been traveling on only one screw since we left Galveston. There were four ships in Cozumel, two at the International pier (Voyager & Grandeur) and two next door at Puerto Maya (Carnival Fantasy & a Costa ship). We were the last to arrive. Because of the late arrival and on again and off again showers we didn’t do any excursions or island tours as originally discussed and we just took a taxi into San Miguel. Our first stop was the Mayan Pearl owned by our friend Nelly. I had a much needed haircut at Antonio’s barber shop. Martin has been cutting my hair for over three years. We did some shopping at Ron Jon’s and our favorite store La Cinco Soles. We had arranged to meet our friends at La Candela and we all arrived there about 2:00 p.m. Lunch here was fantastic and it is a very attractive and clean restaurant. They set up tables for our group of eight on the lower patio next to the little waterfall. The owner is Cuban so there is a nice selection of Mexican and Caribbean (Cuban) dishes. Our group ordered a wide selection of items from the menu and ALL were very good including the fresh Seafood dishes, Shrimp dishes, Soups, Mexican & Guacamole dishes, and the unique house Salsa. They also have a full bar and very good service. They do a good mojito with Cuban rum and have my favorite Mexican beer, Bohemia. A little shower again fell, but we were protected on our little patio. After lunch we visited the Havana Blue cigar bar as rumor was that they are serving mojitos from there although the main bar is still closed. Our group drank all the mojitos that could be made as they ran out of the ‘makings’ so we were offered some samples of various Cuban premium rums. We headed back up the Malecon to the main square and then taxis back to the ship. As we have done on previous cruises our group likes to meet on deck four over the gangway just before sail away. It’s fun to watch the late arrivals and their condition as the return to the ship. At Cozumel there were some lucky people even though they were late, there was a large ship tour from the mainland that was very late so no one would be left at the dock. We sailed about 45 minutes late. The feature production show this evening in the LaScala Theater was Music in Motion. The show is very enjoyable although we skipped having seen it twice and such a busy day. DW & I stopped by the Concierge Club for a cocktail before dinner. Dinner was good. DW had very good vegetarian entrée: a multi-colored pasta cooked in a blue cheese sauce which is their best vegetarian entrée in her opinion. I had the Maryland Crab cake, Soup, Grilled double sliced Pork Steak and a Black Angus Sirloin Steak, with a Mango parfait type dish for dessert. The Pork Steak was very good. This evening the Country & Western night / Texas Party was held in Cleopatra's Needle. They had a western band and did line dancing directed by the cruise staff.

Day Four--Wednesday--Roatan
The Voyager arrived around 9:30 a.m. and the weather is overcast with showers. You can’t see the mainland today. Temperature is very humid 82-84° with showers. I again had a very nice breakfast in the Carmen dining room. Due to the weather we all changed plans from a trip to the West End/Tabyana beach. DS & BIL took an island tour by taxi and our friends went to the Fins & Flippers located in Coxen Hole the same harbor as the cruise terminal. We watched a movie in the cabin then had lunch in the Windjammer. Each of us had great salads. I also had roast beef and baked potato. Dessert was a very good Lemon Meringue pie. We decided to take a walk after lunch just around the pier area. They have now completed the construction of the three new buildings at the Coxen Hole Cruise Terminal, they look very nice, a sort of old colonial warehouse style architecture. They will eventually house shops and services. There is already a Diamonds International opened, some may say that is progress, others not so much. Although still cloudy and an occasional shower we decided to take the tender over to the Fins & Flippers to see what it was like at this new resort. We got there about 2:00 pm and found our friends on the beach and in the water snorkeling. They said the snorkeling was wonderful. We stayed and had a bucket of the local beers, Salva Vida and Port Royal, until the rains really came down about 3:30. Fortunately it was a warm rain. The tender took us from the small island directly to the cruise ship pier. That allowed us to avoid the crowded walk back and was very convenient. Sail Away: We had a fantastic impromptu sail away party. The deck four gangway party merged to our large aft balcony for cocktails and fun as we put the view of the island of Roatan and sunset behind us. We even ordered a dozen Fruit & Cheese plates for a nice snack. A lighter dinner just having a steak as an entrée, but the waiter again brought a plate of sliced hearts of palm (one of my favorites) that we shared with the table. The Love and Marriage game show hosted by Eric was this evening in the La Scala Theater.

Day Five--Thursday—Costa Maya
We docked very early this morning and it was pouring down rain. Also docked at the newly reopened pier is the MSC Lyrica and the P&O Oceania. The Lyrica is the ship we hope will be sailing from Bayport (Houston) Texas soon. We watched the Love & Marriage show on the cabin TV this morning and Eric Dowis is amazing. A great ad-libber and he makes the now standard cruise show very humorous. I met our group for breakfast in the Windjammer and the plan for the day is to sit out the rain until afternoon. Team GangwayRay/Mohahual were the Voyager of the Seas Team Trivia Champions for Thursday. The question that we answered that put us over the top as no other team got it was: Who was Robert LeRoy Parker better known as? The weather slacked a bit about noon so a group of us headed over to Costa Maya and Mahahual. It was still sprinkling, but gradually stopped although still very overcast. This is my first visit since they recently reopened the port. It had been closed since Hurricane Dean in August of 2007. The modern village has been completely restored and is very nice. All the shops, bars, and restaurants are open and it is very clean and convenient to the ships. We decided to go on to the old former fishing village. The ticket/transport area has been moved further south, but allows more room on the outside for loading. The cost of transportation to Mahahual either by bus, taxi, or van is $3 per person. Mahahual: They have developed a Malecon with a nice walkway along the waterfront. They will now only have permanent structures on the shore side although they will have palpas, umbrellas, etc. along the beach side of the walkway. Several restaurants are building nice structures on the shore side with a nice beach area for guests. We stopped at the El Faro beach area first and had a few beers, very good guacamole & pico de gallo, and enjoyed a large mariachi band, but showers moved us into their patio across the street. To be honest their permanent building lacks the charm of their former location. They do have good toilets in the building, but it will not be my favorite place in the new Mahahual. Pez Quatro has the most impressive structure so far, but I do not recommend them. The beer is $3 per beer which is $1+ more than other beach locations. The real sin was the nachos are made with canned processed cheese and canned nachos. Basically the same as the ballpark nachos you would get at Ranger stadium just dressed up a bit. They may be acceptable for the people off the Lyrica, Oceania, or 30% of the passengers of the Voyager, but that’s not real nachos. After having so much fun here in previous years I was very disappointed with Mahahual this time. After returning to the cabin I enjoyed watching everyone return to the ship and the sail away of the Lyrica. The Lyrica is owned by MSC an Italian company and of course announcements are in Italian. What was very unique was that as they sailed away from the dock they played Italian Operatic Arias over the loudspeakers. Very Cool. The entertainment this evening in the La Scala Theatre was Merrill Osmond, lead singer of the famous Osmond Brothers family. He had a great multimedia show and sang many Osmond hits. This was one of the better shows we have seen on a cruise ship. This was Italian night in the dining room. My selections for dinner were the Scallops Risotto, Minestrone soup, Chicken Marsala, Sponge Cake with strawberries, and Tiramisù. The waiters ended Italian night by singing O Solo Mio (kind of ironic because of the weather-no sun). This evening the Quest was held in Studio B, but I met friends in the High Notes Lounge to listen to Synergy a jazz/pop group who did a variety of music. The female vocalist was great.

Day Six--Friday—at Sea
It is a cloudy & very windy day today, but a bit nicer on the aft balcony. I was up early today so made my way up to the Island Grill to get my first omelette. It was very good. The lines have been longer at the omelette station this cruise as many more people have discovered it. Corned beef hash, bacon, tomato juice, and milk completed breakfast. We entered the Team Trivia contest again and tied for 1st, but lost the tie breaker: What book did John Hinckley have on him when he shot President Reagan? I tried my luck in the casino with the free slot pulls that come with our C&A booklet and won some credits. We watched a movie on cabin TV and then went to the Windjammer for a light lunch. The green salads are very good and I also had some Schnitzel and potato salad. I took a nap after lunch and then tried some more trivia but we again lost out to the same team. I did discover that they read this simple blog though, so they are obviously ‘intelligent’ folks. ;-) The second production show for our cruise was before dinner. Broadway Rhythm & Rhyme featured the singers and dancers in a Broadway style review show featuring popular songs from Broadway shows. It was an excellent show. Tonight is the second formal evening and dinner was again good. My selections were the Baked Ziti, Garden Salad, Fisherman’s Platter (Lobster & shrimp) and the assorted dessert selection with ice crème. The Karaoke Superstars was following dinner, but we went to the Big Band Swing show by the Voyager of the Seas Orchestra that was held in Cleopatra's Needle's Needle. After the show we stopped to check some of Derrick Lewis’ Kamikaze Karaoke at the Pig & Whistle Pub. Derick has his own group of followers that have sailed with him many times previously from Galveston on the Rhapsody and now the Voyager.

Day Seven--at Sea
Party cloudy and sun this morning. Best weather of the cruise on the last sea day. We tried to sleep in this morning as we have ordered room service breakfast for the balcony. I filled out an application for a future cruise booking and left it with the Loyalty Ambassador this morning. He seemed very nice. We were invited to the luncheon for Platinum and Diamond guests at noon. It was in the Magic Flute and it was well attended. We were able to eat with friends from a previous cruise as well as DS & BIL and made some new friends and fellow ranchers from the Granbury area. They served two starters, Duck Pate, and a Potato Soup with flaky biscuit. The wine served was very good. We had a choice of entrees. I had the Filet Mignon that was excellent and they prepared some vegetables for DW. The dessert was a very very rich Chocolate Cake. After lunch I used a C&A coupon to try a Mango Lava Flow from the Aquarium bar and it was very nice. I leave a tip when using a coupon and the bartenders seem to appreciate it. If you wait until after 2:30 pm on the final sea day and purchase liquor from the General Store you can take it with you to your cabin. I purchased two bottles of Bacardi rum ($21) and the price gets better the more you purchase, but Texas has a legal limit of one liter per person. The weather finally improved enough that passengers used the pool deck this afternoon. The band played and the pool bars were finally busy. We took our first stroll of the cruise along the decks about 4:00 pm. We did sneak in a visit to Johnny Rockets this afternoon and did catch a dance from the waiters. DW & I had cocktails in the Concierge Club and visited with friends. We skipped the Farewell entertainment show, but watched it on the cabin TV later while packing. Dinner was again very good. I had the Cesar salad, New York Strip Steak, French Onion Soup, and Key Lime Pie for dessert. All selections were very good. After dinner was the Island Frenzy Parade in the Royal Promenade.

Debarkation--Sunday
No room service on debarkation morning, but a full breakfast menu in the dining room. Of course today we had the best weather of the week. The Voyager arrived early and we were docked by 6:30 a.m. They have a new debarkation system. They make no announcements at all, everyone is allowed to select their own departure time earlier in the week and are assigned a meeting spot for that time. The staff then goes to each location at the appropriate time and escorts them to the gangway. I think this will work well. They started allowing the self-debarkation people off about 7:00 a.m. thirty minutes before scheduled. It was really fairly smooth considering how many people are using it. We debarked, went through U.S. Customs, rolled our bags across the street, loaded the truck, and were off the island at 7:50 am. Gasoline was $1.68 in Galveston. We made our stop at Ama’s in Hearne Texas for migas, picked up the dogs in Waco, and arrived home in fine shape about 1:30 p.m..

Ship
This was my 4th time on a Voyager class ship. I am still very impressed with these magnificent vessels. There are good and bad things about the size. The elevators can be busy or full and I recommend taking the stairs when possible. The additional size also means that there is room for the photo gallery, casino, bars, etc. without any one of them dominating an entire deck. On this particular cruise because of a lot of cool and wet weather the additional interior spaces was needed and utilized. The Aquarium Bar and Champagne Bar are very impressive as are the Studio B, the Theater, and other public spaces. The Grand Promenade is very impressive indeed and must be experienced. The ship was very clean and the public rooms were always spotless. They replaced the carpet on deck seven aft during the week so they are still making repairs even though they have a dry dock scheduled soon.

Crew
The staff and crew are very good. The staff are very friendly. I guess they have really adjusted to Texas and the friendly crowd. We had our third different Captain on the Voyager and he did keep us informed of the weather for better or worse. Captain Patrik is currently the youngest in the fleet. Our waiter and assistant waiter were excellent. The bar staff all very friendly. Even the maintenance crew would greet you. Very impressed.

Cabin
We have cabin 7688 an aft wrap balcony on deck seven. It is an average sized cabin, but a very nice balcony and quiet location. Our cabin steward was excellent. He did keep my small cooler full of ice and the cabin in good shape. The cabin was very clean when we boarded and cleaned very well during the week. He also kept the balcony neat and clean. The safe has a button keypad. Air conditioning worked very well. You can check the status of your on board account using the RC-TV. The cabin refrigerator was well stocked, but we never used it. The toilet paper had been downgraded to an industrial quality. Also no mints on your bed at turn down, but some nice towel animals most nights.

Food
We had second or late seating for dinner. Our dining room was the La Boheme, deck four (middle level) of the 3 level restaurant. It was an eight top table and had a perfect view of the beautiful main chandelier. Our waiter, Reynaldo from India is very good. The assistant waiter, Dennis from Romania, is also very good. The headwaiter Betty from India came by several times to check our table and arranged the hearts-of-palm. We enjoyed all the dinners in the dining room. Johnny Rockets is a good alternative for lunch or afternoon snack. Lunch in the dining room has the same menu each day with one special item that does change daily. All the bread selections are very good on board. The Windjammer had a daily pasta bar and a carving station for nice meat selections. We enjoyed the green salads and specialty items. The desserts are very good. There are several ice cream machines with strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate flavors. We do use Room Service more when we have a balcony cabin. You can order room service on the RC-TV, but I recommend calling room service. DW used it for light breakfast every morning. We also used it a few times in the afternoon for Fruit plates & Cheese plates and twice for sail away parties. Service was good when used.

Weather
This was the worse weather I have ever experienced on a seven-day cruise. No severe weather, but it was just consistently cloudy, windy and rainy. A majority of the shore excursions in all three ports were canceled. The weather also created longer lines and people in the Windjammer or Johnny Rockets as it was too wet for the food usually served on pool deck. I know many were disappointed they could not use the pools and other outdoor activities.

Cruise Highlights
We ‘appreciate’ CD Eric Dowis, the fantastic Ice show Ice Odyssey, the Broadway style Rhythm & Rhyme production show, and Merrill Osmond. Our favorite port this time was Roatan.

Comments
This was our first cruise as C&A Diamond members so we are leaning the advantages of that level of membership and we did enjoy the Concierge Club. The weather really affected the overall atmosphere of this cruise. We made the best of what opportunities we had to make our own fun when we could. Traveling with friends helped a lot in this situation. We had a good cruise, but it would have been much more enjoyable with better weather.