Carnival Sunshine Cruise Review

 

Carnival Sunshine Cruise Review

February 16, 2014

Just The Facts

Ship:  Carnival Sunshine

Ship Captain: Roberto Leotta   

Cruise Director: Butch Begovich

Ports: New Orleans, Roatan, Belize, Cozumel

Weather:  Excellent all week

This is my 40th Carnival cruise, 3rd time on the Carnival Sunshine, and 86th cruise overall. I am cruising with my dear wife (DW) and the fantastic group of experienced cruisers: the Snoozemates.  As well as 688 fellow Bloggers on John Heald’s 7th annual Bloggers Cruise (BC7).  My first Bloggers cruise was BC2 also sailing from New Orleans on the Fantasy so we have come full circle. This is also the first week of a Back-to-Back (B2B) cruise.

Day Zero--Saturday--Travel

We overslept and was awakened by a call from our car dealer so a bit of a late start.  The good news is that we are driving our brand new 2014 GMC Acadia.  We left the ranch about 10:30 am and headed south again using the same wonderful Texas backroads I traveled last month on the way to NOLA. The weather was good, the drive wonderful, and we arrived in Gonzales, Louisiana about 7:00 pm. to stay overnight at the LaQuinta.  We visited the new Cabela’s store just up the street...it’s a huge store with museum, aquarium, and more...a very interesting sporting goods operation.  Most of the Snoozemates’ are partying in the French Quarter this evening and I know having a great time.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation

Beautiful Serenity Deck on Carnival Sunshine

We left Gonzales about 9:45 am for the easy one hour drive to NOLA and the cruise terminal arriving about 10:45 am.  We parked at the official port of NOLA Julia Street Terminal.  It is pricey @ $16.00 a day, but it has a baggage drop, covered parking for the new car, and it’s just an elevator ride down to cruise check-in area. Also since we are cruising for two weeks and they only collect for one it is a value this trip.  Down the elevator to the nice VIP area for check-in and we were processed about 11:30.  We then proceeded to boarding and it was very busy, but we made it on board and to our cabin about noon.  We have an aft facing balcony on deck 8.  We began seeing friends immediately as their cabins are all in the area  Then it was up to the Havana Bar were we had some group tables for cocktails and Mongolian Grill (JiJi’s) for lunch.  This is a great spot for our group to meet as it’s directly above our cabins and one has the choice of Cuban Food, Mongolian Grill, Cucina Del Capitano (Italian), or the Lido Buffet across the way.  Many thought the Cuban Iced Tea from the Havana Bar was an excellent cocktail.  Some explored the ship, I returned to my cabin and my bag arrived, but none of the others.  Boat Drill was about 4:00 pm, and we sailed away about 4:30 pm.  DW was getting somewhat concerned with no bag as yet, but it seemed many had not received all their luggage.  The first bloggers event was Welcome Cocktails in the Liquid Lounge at 5:00 pm and it was a full house of Bloggers.  I enjoyed a few Funship Specials and visited with friends and bloggers, a FUN event.  Following it was time for a visit to the Alchemy Bar then to the cabin to prepare for dinner.  DW’s bags had arrived and all is now well.  Matre’D Ken arranged for three excellent tables in the center of the dining room for our group. Perfect.  It is traditional Carnival menu items tonight and I had the Creme of Sun-ripened Tomato Soup, Linguine & Sausage as a starter, Gazpacho, the Tilapa entree, and two desserts: the Creme Brulee & the Black Forest Gateau Cake. The shops do not open until we are out of the Mississippi River, but the casino and bars are doing a brisk business.  Most of the group who had partied in the French Quarter the previous night made it an early night.  I retired soon after to get some last minute free internet time while in the river and rest.  A great first day.

Day Two--Monday--at Sea

Snoozemates 'Morning Glory' Party

Very calm in the Gulf of Mexico and I had a very good nights sleep.  Nice and sunny today and quickly warming.  DW ordered her usual room service breakfast and about 8:40 am I went up to the Havana Bar and had a very nice omelet from the omelet station.  Soon I was joined by several other Snoozemates arriving for breakfast.  Nice to have a designated meeting area.  At 10:15 we went down to Piano Bar 88 for our private ‘Morning Glory’ cocktail party.  This is one of the new cocktail party options on Carnival and the first held on the Carnival Sunshine.  Cocktails include: Mimosas, Bloody Marys, Belinnis, Screwdrivers, House Sparkling Wine, Red Wine, White Wine, Sodas, Regular Coffee and Tea.  in the spirit of the morning event many wore pajamas and EVERYONE arrived in their white Carnival cabin bathrobes.  Very funny.  With just our small group the service was excellent, thanks Jermaine, and very soon everyone was in a very spirited mood.  After the party we all met in the Havana Bar area to continue the party and have lunch.  People had their favorites including Guy’s Burgers, Mongolian Grill, or Pasta from the Cucina. The ‘Havana Iced Tea’ from the bar was very good too.  Several had enrolled in the Cocktail Seminar at the Alchemy Bar this afternoon and several attended the ‘Friends of John H’ cocktail party in the Limelight Lounge.  It was nice visiting with  other friends and bloggers. This was certainly a full day for cocktails so by 5:00 I needed a nice nap that extended into cabin time for the rest of the evening.  DW had a nice dinner from Lido so we didn’t make it to the MDR this evening.  The rest of the group enjoyed various activities including:  the Casino, the production show Latin Nights, Adam Coe in the Red Frog, The Swamp Thang Band was in the Ocean Plaza, Ben in the Piano Bar, and Percy Crews was in the comedy club with late shows. 

Day Three--Tuesday—at Sea

Captain's Diamond Guest Luncheon

The ship rocked a little more, but another good nights sleep as we entered the Caribbean this morning. An invitation under the door this morning for a luncheon changed my plans for breakfast, I’ll save the sea Day Brunch for the last sea day.  I had another great omelet from the omelet station then enjoyed a bowl of fruit on our balcony.  It’s a beautiful day and the large balcony is wonderful.  We were invited to the Captain’s Luncheon for Diamond guests in the Steakhouse 55 at noon so we went to the Library Bar for a glass of wine prior, this is the only bar on the Sunshine that I had not previously visited.  They have an automatic wine dispenser as well as a small bar.  At noon we entered the Steakhouse, they had assigned seating and we sat with friends that I knew, Caroline the Guest Services Manager, and  Linda the Housekeeping Director.  They had a set menu with choice of entree between Salmon or Chicken.  I started with the unique mini salad of mozzarella cheese and cherry tomatoes, pasta course of spaghetti, the Chicken Roulade entree with a mushroom creme sauce, and a selection of three small Creme Brûlées for dessert.  They also served wonderful breads with three flavors of butter, choice of wines, sparkling water, and sides of Spinach and Creamed Potatoes. They prepared a vegetarian dish of Mixed Vegetables in a phyllo wrap for DW.  It was a very nice and enjoyable lunch experience. Thanks Carnival.  There was a Crazy cocktail party after lunch and balcony time, but I was really looking forward to the Alchemy Bar opening at 4:00.  I was carrying messages from the Triumph Alchemy bar crew for the Sunshine Alchemy bar crew and had not had a chance to deliver them.  Great fun with them and other Diamond friends at the Alchemy.  We went down to the Limelight/Punchliner to see Al Ernst’s comedy show at 6:45, he has become a regular for Bloggers cruises and was very funny as usual.  The Snoozemate’s crew then met up in the Ocean Plaza area for an aperitif.  Dinner was good tonight, I ordered the French Onion Soup, Pasta, the Short Ribs entree, and Strawberry Cheesecake for dessert.  Motor City was the production show this evening and they had the big Mardi Gras Party in the lobby area.  The group split up for various FUN activities this evening.

Day Four— Wednesday--Roatan, Honduras

Mahogany Bay - Roatan

Calm seas and a good nights sleep.  I was up early and watched us back into the pier at Mahogany Bay, we were docked before 7:00 am.  Since it’s a port day the breakfast venues opened early and I went down the The Sunrise MDR for Melon, Omelet, Corned Beef Hash, and Bacon.  DW did room service as usual.  We were in no rush as we didn’t have any specific plans and went ashore about 10:00 am.  We walked to the beach and it was very crowded with both the Carnival Dream and Sunshine docked.  We headed back to the shopping area and there saw our friends so decided on a few drinks at Fat Tuesdays that soon became 15 friends, 7-8 buckets of beer, cocktails and nachos.  What a wonderful group we have.  I returned to the ship about 2:30 and had a Guy’s burger then went to the Serenity Deck to cool off in the swimming pool and waterfall.  After almost an hour of lying in the warm sun I had another Guy’s burger on the way back to the cabin for a short nap. One of the group had a wonderful sail away cocktail party for us at 6:00 pm in their suite.  Excellent  h’orderves, small bar,  wines, and snacks.  Thank you very much.  It was now time for dinner, I ordered the Tom Kai Guy soup, the very good Bowtie Pasta with Turkey, the Lamb entree, and Bitter & Blanc and Tiramisu for dessert.  John Heald brought in a special entertainer for just the blogger group, Gronway Thom, so we attended his one and only show at 10:00 pm in the Liquid Lounge.  He is a comedy juggler with a lot of audience participation and should be seen at least once.  Not everyone's cup-of-tea, but I found him very entertaining.  It was now time for my late cocktail, The Deal Closer, from the Alchemy Bar before retiring.  Another great day on the Carnival Sunshine.

Day Five—Thursday--Belize

Maitre’D Ken Byrne

Another good nights sleep and calm seas.  I was up early again and it was a beautiful Caribbean Sunrise as we approached Belize.  We were anchored about 8:00 am near the Carnival Glory.  Some day they will have a pier here, but for a long while this will remain a tender port.   It is about a 15-20 minute ride from the ship to the pier in Belize City.  I went to the MDR for breakfast and ordered Eggs Benedict, Potatoes, Bacon, and Corned Beef Hash.  It was very good.  DW had room service with extra tea, honey and lemon for her sore throat.  I went to a Bloggers Q&A event hosted by John Heald in the Red Frog Pub at 10:00 am.  It was cabin time following until noon when I had a very nice Mongolian Grill for lunch.  A lazy afternoon on board ship as I decided not to go ashore.  We sailed about 4:15 pm and the VIFP party was held at 4:30 in the Liquid Lounge.  Butch, the CD, did a good job keeping the party exciting. There were 44 Diamond Guests on board.  The party continued into the Red Frog Pub and actually continued until 8:15 dinner with most Snoozemates coming and going as they prepared for dinner.  When I returned I had a birthday ‘Fish Bowl’ size cocktail I was only able to finish with the help of friends.  For dinner I ordered the Eggplant, Escargot, Pasta, and Chateaubriand.  For dessert it was Birthday Cake and Baked Alaska as the waiters and Maitre’D Ken Byrne sang Happy Birthday for me. Very nice…thanks friends.  Ken sang again for us tonight and the MDR wait team did the song: What Does the Fox Say?  Most of the venues again had good entertainment scheduled, but I had a Cherry Kiss and a ‘Deal Closer’ at the Alchemy Bar as my nightcaps and retired by 11:30. A FUN and interesting day.

Day Six--Friday--Cozumel, Mexico

Carnival Sunshine docked at Puerto Maya Cozumel

A bright sunny day as we approach Cozumel.  DW is still feeling under the weather so is planning a cabin day, I’m glad we have the aft balcony this week for her benefit. I watched the Freedom of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas follow us in and dock next to us at the International pier then I went down to the Sunset MDR for a nice breakfast of Fried Eggs, Bacon, CB Hash, Potatoes, Melon, and Leche Caliente.  By the time I finished we were docked with the Carnival Magic next to us.  Today  the girls went to Paradise Beach and the guys went to San Miguel.  We made our HQ at Woody’s Bar owned by my friend Nelly and used her super fast internet and three of us got haircuts from my barber Martin.  Great people watching place as we enjoyed Cerveza, Coca-Cola Light, Guacamole & Chips, and Tequila.  About 2:00 pm we were joined by some of the ladies and we went to Wet Windy’s for their great Margaritas and to eat.  It was quite a feast.  We got a taxi and returned to the Puerto Maya pier and was back in the cabin by 4:00.  After cleaning up we met in the suite above the gangway for the 5:00 pm sail away, always fun to see the late runners and the waves from the guest on the Magic as we back away from the pier.  I took a nap and DW was not feeling up for dinner so I had room service with her this evening and we had a casual cabin evening and watched the Winter Olympics on TV.  I know the group enjoyed the casino, the Hasbro Game show, the Punchliner Comedy Shows, and more.

Day Seven—Saturday—February 22—at Sea

What Does the Fox Say?

I had a very good long and restful nights sleep.  Today is my birthday.  Smooth seas and I was up early again this morning.  I enjoyed a good breakfast at the Sea Day Brunch, I ordered the Steak & Eggs and it was prepared very well.  After brunch I had cabin time and reviewed my ship account, they have two kiosks that will print your statement for you and save a trip to Guest Services.  Unfortunately they do not have an interactive TV system. The morning was very nice and sunny and guests enjoyed the outdoor activities.  Our group including DW who is now feeling better met at 11:30 am and had the Sea Day Brunch (lunch for me) in the Sunrise MDR.  We did a ‘girl’ table and a ‘boy’ table as we have been known to do.  I ordered the Tomato Soup, Grilled Pork Chop, and ice creme for dessert. It was very good.  It was a good sea day and I was greeted by many on board with birthday greetings including a call from Guest Services.  The weather got cooler once we reached a cold front late in the afternoon, but guests have had great weather all cruise.  At 4:00 pm liquor can be taken from the Ship shop so I got a bottle of spiced rum for the following week. The production Show this evening was:   Epic Rock, perhaps the best show of the week, we hope to attend more shows next week.  The group met for cocktails before dinner in the Ocean Plaza, a good location as you can order Alchemy cocktails or standard bar cocktails or beer from the Red Frog as both haver severs in that area.  We had all our tables full for our final dinner,  I ordered the Grilled Chicken Breast on Fettuccine and two Panko Crusted Jumbo Shrimp.  For dessert I had the Grand Manier Souffle.  Ken sang again for us again tonight and the wait team again did the song: What Does the Fox Say?  Much better than the usual Bags are Packed song.  Following dinner I went to my favorite bar, The Alchemy.  Since we are now well in the Mississippi River I had wifi from my personal hotspot so checked some late email and arrange some items to pack for the following morning.

Debarkation

We arrived back in NOLA very early and I was up and using the internet by 5:00 am.  It will be an easy Debark as we are actually staying on board ship. We started packing about 7:00 am as we do have to change cabins today.  I went up to Lido for a very nice omelet. Then we began our B2B process. Easy.

Crew / Staff

I found the crew to be very good as on all previous Sunshine sailings.  I was able to again meet many ships officers through the Diamond reception and VIFP party. The ship is in very capable hands.  My cabin steward team was adequate, our MDR waiters were much better than my previous Sunshine cruise.  The bartenders were all great.  Bar servers all very good. Ken Byrne as always is awesome as both singer and Matre’D.  I enjoyed getting to know Linda the HouseKeeping Manager and sat with Caroline the Guest Services manager again, such a sweetheart. John Heald’s Blogger staff did a great job, I also enjoyed seeing Stephanie who used to be on John’s team and is now on her last week as the ACD on the Sunshine. 

Cabin

We had cabin 8330 a category 8N aft facing balcony on deck 8.  It is the first time I have had an original cabin on the ship.  We have had this cabin location on many Carnival ships and the cabin is slightly smaller, but the balcony is very nice perhaps even larger than the same location on Conquest class and definitely larger than Dream class ships.  Great balcony, cabin not so much.  The cabin is the usual layout with glass door at balcony (not sliding), full couch, three closets (a bit smaller), nice table, one bed stand (no lamps), push button safe, and stool at dresser/desk.  No mini refrigerator, no mirror.  The new downside to this cabin is the music late at night from the Havana Bar, it didn’t bother me, but it did friends in similar cabins.

Needs improvement

They should have never sold any FTTF (Fastest to the Fun) passes since there were well over 600+ Priority Guests booked.  They could not properly handle that many VIP’s and baggage wasn’t delivered until 8:00 pm for many.  Also that was too many cabins to have ready at boarding, ours was only half way prepared and some not ready at all.  One should not believe the claims that FTTF’s are not sold on sailings with many VIFP’s booked, they are.

Cruise Highlights

Sailing with Snoozemates & other Blogger Friends.  It’s always nice to see friends and familiar faces all week long on the ship.  The Alchemy Bar is my favorite bar by far.  The Diamond Luncheon was wonderful.

Another Great Bloggers Cruise !

Thanks to John J,  Kaye G,  &  Zydeco for photos

Carnival Triumph Cruise Review

Carnival Triumph Cruise Review 1/27/2014

Just the Facts:
Ship: Carnival Triumph
Captain:  Allesandro Iemmi
Cruise Director:  Jen Baxter
Ports: Galveston-Progreso-Cozumel-Galveston

This is my 39th Carnival cruise, third time on the Triumph, and 85th cruise overall.  I an cruising as a solo.

Sunday / Travel

Debarkation from the Carnival Sunshine was very easy so I was on the road from New Orleans to Texas by 8:30 and arrived in Alvin about 2:30 pm.  It was a nice travel day, but another cold front is approaching due to arrive in Galveston just before sail away on Monday.  I’m staying with cruise friends and enjoying some fast land based wifi.  We had a great Tex-Mex dinner at Gringos with other cruise friends and after returning, I retired early.  Thanks Guys.

Monday / Embarkation / Day 1

Lobby & Lobby Bar

I awoke very early and took advantage of the fast internet, then had a light breakfast before leaving for Galveston at 9:45 am. I arrived at EZ Cruise Parking by 10:20 and was shuttled over to the ship straightaway.  When I left my bag with a porter I asked for the VIFP/FTTF Priority tape.  I was checked in at the VIFP priority check in area by 10:45 saw some friends straightaway and after a short wait we were escorted to the ship.  The Platinum, Diamond, FTTF were all boarded together, but there was not a huge number of people, so it was smooth.  I went straight to my cabin on deck eight and it was all ready for me.  I dropped my bag and went to Lido for lunch before it got too busy.  There is no Mongolian Grill on Triumph so I had a Reuben sandwich and a Tuna Salad sandwich from the Deli. After lunch I went to the lobby bar and had a diet coke and did some people watching as they boarded the ship. I did meet and visit with folks from the FB page roll call. I was also hoping to see the GS manager who I knew from previous cruises, but they are very busy with a credit card/sail&sign problem with a lot of guests…although mine is working just fine. To be honest I had my fingers crossed for a possible upgrade, but it wasn’t to be.  I went back to my cabin to get my computer and my checked bag had already delivered, I know the VIP tape helps.  I had received some messages from clients so I actually booked a couple of cruises from the lobby area as they were clearing it for the scheduled 3:45 Boat/Safety Drill.  They allowed me to stay until I finished, I did kind of look official.  Safety drill went smooth and very soon the Triumph was sailing from the port of Galveston on her way into the Gulf with the usual escort of dolphins.  Since it was now very cool on deck it was off to the Alchemy Bar for my sail away drink.  I was given a message from the Carnival Sunshine Alchemists to deliver to their Triumph Alchemist friends so it was a great conversation starter for me and my NEW friends at the Alchemy Bar.  I returned to the cabin to unpack and prepared for dinner then returned to the Alchemy for an apéritif.  The Welcome Show was scheduled for 7:30, but I had seen it previously so I listened to the Mickey Utley Band in the Casino until time for dinner in the Paris dining room.  I have a nice eight top table in the center of the lower level, my favorite location and a Diamond friend and soon to be new friends at the table as well. For dinner I ordered a Shrimp Cocktail, Escargot, Gazpacho, the Chicken a la Grecque entree (grilled Chicken with Pasta), and NY Cheesecake and Black Forrest Gateau for dessert.  Dinner was very good and the service was excellent, making up for the last night on the Sunshine two evenings ago.  I went to the double headliner comedy show after dinner and both Charles Elstner and John Wesley Austin did their acts.  The Hollywood Nights lounge is 3x the size of the Limelight on the Sunshine and it was packed.  Following I popped into the Piano Bar with Michael next door and they were closing up, not many taking part there.  Finally my now traditional Alchemy Bar nightcap: the Deal Closer before retiring.  There was a very nice Gift Basket in the cabin when I arrived back…thanks Carnival, Jen, and John.

Tuesday / Fun day at Sea / Day 2

Carnival Triumph - Lido Buffett

Very smooth seas overnight and good sleeping in the inside cabin, just enough movement for an enjoyable nights sleep. I was off to the Paris dining room for breakfast about 9:00 am. for the Sea Day Brunch and ordered the Fruit Plate and Steak & Eggs.  After Breakfast I bought the Cheers Card at the lobby bar and visited with the Excursion Desk about the new price match guarantee on a tour to  Uxmal.  It’s a cool blustery day on deck so I had a cabin morning.  I saw a friend at the Lobby Bar so I had lunch back in the Sea Day Brunch as they serve until 1:00 pm.  This gave me a chance to try something completely different and I ordered the Hen alla Diavola a small whole Split Chicken in a Marinara Sauce. It was very different, but very good.  Although overcast it began to warm up on deck so it was great for guests, but I watched an afternoon movie & listened to some music in the cabin.  At 4:00 it was time for the Alchemy Bar opening and there is already a group of ‘regulars’ being established.  I had the start time off on the production show Wonderful World so I thought I was going 15 minutes early and was actually 15 minutes late, but I had seen the show on a previous Triumph cruise.  The show features the Carnival Triumph dancers and singers and highlights music from around the world. There were songs or dances from: France, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Africa, Spain and more.  It is a fantastic show with full cast of singers and dancers and full LIVE orchestra.  Elegant night dinner was good, I ordered: the Stuffed White Mushrooms, Farfalle Pasta with Turkey, Prime Rib, and the Cherries Jubilee for dessert.  Other good options were:  Roasted Pumpkin Soup, Alligator Fritters, Lobster Tail, or Pork Spare Ribs. Then it was to the Alchemy for a Deal Closer (or two) before turning in for the night.  The Platinum gift was delivered tonight: a Carnival Logo Bag.

Wednesday / Progreso, Mexico / Day 3

Calm seas overnight and I slept very well not getting up and around until 9:00ish and went to the Lido deck and had an omelette from the omelette station with a side of bacon and ham.  They do have the bacon police on the Triumph, at least in the section I was using.  I then had a Bloody Mary from the Red Frog Rum Bar on Lido deck since I missed my MDR one.  Guests were leaving the ship, but a large number were staying on board as was I.  The weather was pleasant and I got a nice table on Lido deck aft and enjoyed the day.  I took my small JBL speaker and had my own personal music and rediscovered that the aft pool bar also makes a very good Bloody Mary, the best on the ship in fact.  A nice way to enjoy the day.  I had a great view of passengers returning to the ship so before too many returned I made a trip to Guy’s for a  plain Guy’s Burger with fries, a very good lunch.  I also had a view of a weather front approaching and about the time we sailed at 4:00 pm we had a light rain. After some cabin time and cleaning up I went to the Alchemy Bar for a cocktail then to see I went up to the Variety Music with Jerry in the Lobby.  He sang requests and has a very enjoyable show. It was now dinner time and this evening I ordered Gazpacho, Shrimp Cocktail, the Farfalle Pasta in Alfredo Sauce with Turkey, the Pork Steak in jerk sauce, and a Banana Split for dessert. The ship is really rolling tonight as we sail through that weather front and enter the Caribbean, I actually like it. Of course an Alchemy Bar nightcap: the Deal Closer, but had discovered a variation of it to make it more of a chocolate mint flavor (substitute creme de menthe for the amaretto).  A nice relaxing day on the Carnival Triumph.

Thursday / Cozumel, Mexico / Day 4

Carnival Triumph at Puerta Maya, Cozumel

After being rocked to sleep overnight as we entered the Caribbean, we arrived early at the Puerta Maya pier and were docked before the scheduled 9:00 am arrival time. We are docked next to the Carnival Breeze and the Nieuw Amsterdamn is docked at Puerto Langusto, the only three ships in Cozumel.  I was in no rush as I have no big plans and I had a MDR breakfast this morning of Eggs Benedict with side of bacon and potatoes.  A friend went with me to do my usual rounds in San Miguel so we took a taxi into town ($8) about 11:00 and we went to Woody’s Bar & Grill owned by my friend Nelly to use their WiFi and have a diet coke and some Guacamole & Chips.  My friend had never had a Wet Windy’s margarita so that had to be done, a Mango/Banana combination for each.  We then went down to La Candela for a fantastic lunch.  This is not a ‘tourist’ restaurant, but a very nice place that serves a ‘Daily Special’ for the local business clientele. We both ordered off the menu and had the Pescado Mayan, fresh Grouper cooked with onion, tomato, pepper in banana leaf wrapped in foil served with steamed vegetables.  It was excellent, but soon it was off to the ship as it sails at 4:00 pm.  Note the black smoke in the photo: I wonder if that is a precursor to the incenerator problem to come?  The  VIFP Party was held at 5:00 in the Theater for Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Guests.  Jen did a good job presenting the film and the ‘live music by the show band was wonderful.  I sat with a group of other Diamonds, most all who know each other and as they did the count for senior on the cruise…who knew…it was a tie between my friend and myself at 39 Carnival cruises. I had never asked her how many she had, nor she me, it was a surprise and we each received a bottle of champagne.  Thanks Carnival.  Time for the Alchemy Bar since I’m already dressed for dinner for some nice cocktails.  For dinner tonight I had again the Gazpacho Soup (this was preordered), Pasta, Shrimp Cocktail, the Chicken Breast entree, and Grand Marnier Souffle for dessert.  Evening cocktail and the crew of the Alchemy gave me messages for the Triumph crew that I will gladly deliver in just 14 days when I return to the Sunshine for a B2B cruise.

Friday / Fun day at Sea / Day 5

A calm night at sea and a beautiful sea day most of the day.  The plan is to do as little as possible today.  I had my favorite Sea Day Brunch breakfast this morning: Fruit Plate, Steak & Eggs, and Bloody Mary.  It was excellent.  Spent some time people watching on Lido aft, the pool was taken over by teens.  I don’t understand why they can’t have just ONE pool for adults.  I had a nice nap from 1:30 - 2:30 and then went up to get a Guy’s Burgers for lunch.  I had a plain-jane burger and one burger with condiments and they were excellent.  Just as I finished my burgers suddenly the ship lost complete power and went dead in the water.  Of course this being the Triumph, the ship that was stranded at sea almost exactly one year ago, there were a lot of anxious thoughts.  Announcements for Alpha teams, etc. and all the crew coming out from the kitchen and serving area, looking worried, to listen was somewhat interesting.  A lot of worried looks all around. My first thought was at least I just had a nice hot meal.  Soon Jen made announcements that there had been an incident, but it was minor.  I visited with other Diamond guests who were in the Lido Buffet area and we weren’t really too concerned as yet.  Another announcement that the source of the problem had been determined and corrective steps were already underway.  We were told that a situation in the incinerators caused safety breakers to engage (trip). Basically like a big blown fuse I guess.  After about 40-45 minutes of total time the lights returned and in another 15+ minutes we were underway again although not with full power everywhere.  Interesting that Guy’s saved the day as suddenly everyone wanted something to eat (I guess…just in case) and they handled the guests very well.  Although a little late I even made it for the 4:00 pm opening of the Alchemy for a cocktail.   Air conditioning was the last to be restored about 5:30 and soon all was well.  Interesting that the internet was down, perhaps purposely.  It was now time to prepare for the Captains Reception for the Diamond guests at 7:15.  I was not expecting the Captain and he did not make it, but many senior staff did.  They had excellent Hors d'oeuvre and wonderful cocktails.  There were 8-9 Diamonds I actually knew or had met all previously.  Thanks Carnival Triumph, a first class job, much better than the Brunch the week before with just menu items available and my purchasing my only cocktail.  Final dinner was good, I ordered the French Onion Soup, Penne Marisco as a starter, and the Veal Parmesan.  For dessert I had the Baked Alaska.  Two final ‘Deal Closers’, one of each type, from Alchemy before turning in for the evening.

Saturday  /  Debarkation

I awoke at 6:30 and we were already docked.  I suspected they wanted debark to go fast and smooth because of the loss of power incident on Friday.  I had already received emails from press that knew I was aboard ship. I hurriedly packed and was ready to go just in case and yes they began self debark by 7:15 am.  No time for breakfast, but the bananas from the fruit basket served that purpose.  I was through US. Customs by 7:35 and at EZ Cruise parking by 7:50 am.  I always walk back to the car as by the time you walk to the shuttle pick up you could be 1/3 the way to the lot itself.  Much faster to walk.  I stopped for gas ($2.98) and was off the island at 8:08 am.  At Twisted Oak Ranch by 1:00 pm.

CABIN

I have cabin 8397 an interior located next to the aft elevators on starboard side on deck 8.  A great location, but an odd bed configuration and I had the Steward move my bed so that I could see the TV. The cabin has a swipe type safe, twin/queen beds, but no refrigerators in the interiors (OK by me we never use them), Bottle Opener, Medicine Cabinet, Small Table, Bench Seat at Dresser, and Flat Screen TV with interactive features.  The cabin stewards was fine, the cabin was always clean and ice chest filled.

DINING / FOOD / BARS / ENTERTAINMENT

Both Main Dining Rooms are very nice especially the Paris Dining room.  The new Blue Iguana for burritos and Guy’s Burgers are excellent.  The buffet food is pretty standard, but the desserts are good.  The MDR food is IMHO just adequate, but we had a nice location and the waiters were good.  No Mongolian Grill, but they have Chopsticks, an Asian specialty spot.  Love the new Alchemy Bar and the Lobby bar is very nice.  Thirsty Frog beer is available in the Red Frog Rum bar, EA Sports bar, and Lobby bars.  If guests want the full entertainment experience, then the Triumph may be the ship for you.  They have a large 10 member ship orchestra, 12+ production dancers, and two excellent feature singers.  Also very good bands and solo performers. 

CREW

The entire crew were certainly very friendly.  They really made the cruise. Waiters and Cabin stewards were very good.  Favorites this cruise were Maja in the  Lobby Bar; Milos, Joacin, & Alexandrea in the Alchemy Bar; and our MDR hostess.

GENERAL

There is really a lot to do on the ship with bingo, casino, trivia games, and excellent entertainment. This is a very good starter ship for newbies to cruising and there were a lot on board, also a lot of extended families and various groups. A perfect ship and cruise for all of those.  As an experienced cruiser and as I get older I prefer longer cruises, but this was certainly a FUN and INTERESTING cruise.

HIGHTLIGHTS OF THE CRUISE
The Diamond Reception was excellent.
Jen’s announcements during the Friday power loss was important.
Alchemy Bar and staff.
MDR food and Service.
Laundry service is best of any Carnival ship I have sailed.

~Thanks to my FB friends for photos~

Carnival Sunshine Cruise Review

 Carnival Sunshine Cruise Review

January 19, 2014

Just The Facts
Ship:  Carnival Sunshine
Ship Captain: Carmelo Marino   
Cruise Director: Jaime Dee
Ports: New Orleans, LA, Montego Bay, Jamaica; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico
Weather:  Good all week

This is my 38th Carnival cruise, 2nd time on the Carnival Sunshine, and 84th cruise overall. I am cruising as a solo.

Day Zero--Saturday--Travel

I left the ranch about 9:20 am and headed south using some wonderful Texas backroads along the way. The weather was good and I arrived in Gonzales, Louisiana about 5:30 pm. to stay overnight at the new LaQuinta.  I visited the new Cabela’s store just up the street...it’s a huge store with museum, aquarium, and more...a very interesting sporting goods operation.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation

Mississippi River Bridge upon departure from NOLA

I left Gonzales about 8:45 am for the easy one hour drive to NOLA and the cruise terminal arriving before 10:00 am.  I parked at the official port of NOLA Julia Street Terminal.  It is pricey @ $16.00 a day, but it has a baggage drop, covered parking, and it’s just an elevator ride down to cruise check-in area. They have a very nice VIP area for check-in area and I was processed and waiting by 10:30 and hoping for an 11:00 am boarding.  Just as I hoped by 11:00 they began announcements and soon began boarding suites, platinum & diamond guests. There were a lot in these categories, but it went well, followed by the FTTF guests.  I went strait to my cabin and it was ready and waiting for me.  I unloaded my carry on bag and was on my way to the JiJi’s grill (Mongolian on other Carnival ships) for lunch.  Even though I did not rush I was the first through the line, the Grill is a bit harder to find on the Sunshine being located in the Havana Bar area, so early guests had not discovered it.  It was very good as expected.  I then did a desert sampler plate from the Lido buffet area and returned to my table in the Havana Bar and enjoy my very filling lunch.  After lunch I returned to my cabin and very soon my bag arrived...in the parking garage I asked the porter to attach the extra VIP labels that I knew they have as the printed Priority Tags are sometimes overlooked.  I was very pleased to have had a wonderful lunch, my baggage, and unpacked in my cabin by 1:00 pm. A perfect embarkation.  I then took advantage of my wifi hotspot to catch up on mail and internet.  I discovered that I had some extra OBC that I had not expected and decided to purchase the ‘Cheers’ drink card, especially since I am sailing solo and would only have to pay for one package.  I was off to the lobby to get it then had a Funship special in the Lobby bar and people watch.  I was back at the cabin before the scheduled afternoon safety drill and I was able to watch the cabin TV for the NFL playoff games.  We sailed away after 5:00 and I went to the Alchemy Bar for some early cocktails.  Comedian Lance Montalto came by before his ‘family show’ to say hello.  I readied for dinner and made Lance’s first Adult comedy show at 7:45 then strait to dinner at 8:15 in the Sunrise dining room.  Matre’D Ken arranged an excellent table in the center of the dining room and the table mates seem nice although two were an hour late.  It is traditional Carnival menu items tonight and I had the Creme of Sun-ripened Tomato Soup, Linguine as a starter, the Fried Shrimp with Plum Sauce, and two desserts: the Creme Brulee & the Black Forest Gateau Cake.  The shops don’t open until we are out of the Mississippi River, but the casino and bars are doing a brisk business.  There were two Welcome Aboard Shows, but having previously attended I walked the deck then retired soon after to get some last minute internet time and rest. 

Day Two--Monday--at Sea

Steak and Eggs

Very calm in the Gulf of Mexico and I had a very good nights sleep.  Nice and sunny today and quickly warming.  I went down to the MDR for the Sea Day Brunch, this has replaced the Punchliner’s Brunch and is an improvement: they open earlier, kept the better brunch menu, and eliminated the comedians.  I ordered a Bloody Mary, a very nice fruit plate, and the Steak & Eggs.  All very good.  Although familiar with the ship I had a nice walk about.  I did notice that they have moved some trivia out of the Ocean Plaza and into the Red Frog Pub, I think this is a smart move.  There are many more guests on deck enjoying the outdoors than there were on the Sunshine transatlantic.  It is an overall younger crowd.  I enjoyed a cocktail in the lobby bar and swapped some stories with Lance then had a late lunch at the Taste Bar on deck five.  I had a nice salad that they prepare and Egg Drop soup.  I noticed in the afternoon they had also had Karaoke in the Red Frog, it was packed and guests were having fun.  I never saw that many in there during the transatlantic, a better use of space and I’m sure they are selling more drinks.  I had a visit with entertainer Will Marion, I did not expect him to be on board so that was a pleasant surprise.  There was a beautiful sunset this evening easily viewable from my starboard side balcony a nice bonus while dressing for this evenings elegant night.  I went up to the Alchemy Bar for a few cocktails then to the Liquid Lounge to see the production show Latin Nights.  They had a technical glitch about half way through the show and since I’ve seen the show I bailed and went to the Red Frog Pub to see Will Marion.  I was glad I did as Will has progressed so much as a performer...he is a real asset for Carnival.  Tonight was Captain’s night menu and as usual great selections from the menu.  I ordered the White Stuffed Mushroom, Roasted Pumpkin Soup, the Spaghetti Carbonara, the Prime Rib, and Cherries Jubilee.  Of course Lobster was on the menu and a popular item.  Dinner was very good and enjoyable, Ken sang a song as well as the waiters.  After dinner I took a walk around deck and the ship was hopping.  Adam Coe was in the Red Frog, The Rock & Roll Time Machine was in the Ocean Plaza, Gary was in the Piano Bar, and Tony Esposito was in the comedy club with late shows.  All great performers, it really is amazing the talent on the ship.  I was very worried about the small venues on Sunshine, but the guests were evenly split among the venues so it worked very well.  A great day on the Carnival Sunshine.

Day Three--Tuesday—at Sea

Diamond Guest Brunch

Another good nights sleep and very smooth seas as we are entering the Caribbean.  I have a brunch invitation at 11:30 so I went up to Lido Buffet for a light breakfast.  I notice that the Canadian bacon is no more, but they do now have ham, interesting, more American I suppose.  This morning I am working on a project I need to complete for the Texas Scottish Festival. I took a break when they came to clean the cabin and had a Bloody Mary at the Lobby Bar.  We have one of the new ‘Morning Glory’ cocktail parties on the Sunshine in a few weeks so I’m trying all the bars and bartenders to see who makes the best.  Someone has to do it!  At 11:30 am I met the seven other Diamond guests and we had Brunch with Captain Marino and Caroline the Guest Services Director in the Sunrise Dining Room.  I had the Tomato Soup starter and the Steak & Eggs breakfast again followed by the Banana Creme Pie. It was gracious for Carnival to have a function for us and it was nice meeting the Captain and seeing Stephanie again.  Thanks Carnival. The Facebook group had a cocktail party scheduled for 2:00 pm in the Piano bar, but it was moved to the Limelight Lounge as the Piano Bar was far too small for the 60+ people.  Luckily that lounge was available and nice of Carnival to give them a full hour 2:30-3:30.  Back to work in the cabin then a cocktail at the Alchemy Bar.  I then went to see Lance Montalto’s comedy show in the Limelight lounge, it was again a packed house.  Lance treated me to dinner in the Bonsai Sushi on deck four, it was the only specialty restaurant I had not visited on the Sunshine. We had The Boat a combination of sushi, shrimp, salmon, etc. for two. We also had Soup and Sake.  Very interesting meal and I enjoyed the sushi.  I had a Tiramisu martini for dessert from the lobby bar.  Cornelius one of my favorites from the Alchemy was also there as the bartenders put on a flair show as a part of the big Mardi Gras Party in the lobby area.

Day Four--Wednesday--Montego Bay, Jamaica

Ray about to jump from the Secret Falls

Again calm seas and a good nights sleep.  Since it’s a port day the breakfast venues opened early and I went up to Havana Bar and had a wonderful omelette.  Then down to the Lobby Bar for a Bloody Mary while waiting for us to complete our docking in MoBay.  I’m joining a private tour today with 8 others to the Secret Falls.  We found our tour operator, Liberty Tours, in the designated area and were soon on our way.  Our driver was Ricardo and he did an excellent job keeping us informed and entertained.  We made a stop at Discovery Bay, passed by Rose Hall, Dunn’s River Falls, and Ocho Rios on our way to the private property were the Secret Falls and Blue Hole are located.  It was a very beautiful location where the river comes down from the mountains.  We had two guides on the river and falls and they helped show you where to step as we climbed up and down the rocks and trails. There were several dive or jumping locations and then we passed through a small hole into the rocks below and behind the big waterfall.  Amazing and I did fit (barely) through and then swam through the waterfall. We then went upriver enjoying smaller falls and swimming holes before given the opportunity to jump off the big waterfall.  There were three brave souls in our group of Jamericans that made the big jump including myself.  I admit it was a bit scary, but I’m glad I did it, not everyday you can jump from a waterfall. This was a big adventure for an old man.  I do highly recommend water shoes.  We then stopped at a group of souvenir and tourist shops before going  to Scotchies for lunch.  Our group of new friends and fellow adventurers enjoyed Jerk Chicken, Red Beans & Rice, and Festival. It was very good.  We then began our long drive back to Mo-bay, but had to make a restroom stop at the Scotchies in Iron Bay so I got some jerk pork for the road.  We got back just before sail away so we had a full day on the excursion  After cleaning up it was soon time for an apéritif at the Alchemy Bar.  Miro actually concocted a nice cherry flavored drink we called the Cherry Kiss, it is wonderful.  Dinner was good, I ordered both the Tom Kai Guy and Potato Soup, the wonderful Bowtie Pasta with Turkey, the Beef Stroganoff entree, and Bitter & Blanc and Tiramisu for dessert.  Ken noticed my soup comparison and said a new Soup chef had just come on board.  The Tom Ka Gai was good, but different than before, the Potato soup was also good, but the pasta was by far he best dish tonight.  Very long and tiring day today so I retired after dinner.

Day Five--Thursday--Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Carnival Sunshine from the Grand Cayman tender

Another good nights sleep and calm Caribbean seas.  We were already anchored off Grand Cayman when I awoke and tenders began about 7:00 am.  Looks like a partly cloudy day today and my plan is to stay onboard.  I went to the MDR for breakfast and ordered the Eggs Benedict, Potatoes, Bacon, Tomato juice, Bloody Mary, and Leche Caliente. It was very good.  My leg muscles are very sore today after climbing up and down in the river yesterday so I hit the hot tub this morning and had a restful easy morning.  I had the Mongolian Grill today for lunch as most guests are off the ship although the Guy’s Burgers makes the grill less busy than on ships that do not have a Guy’s. As usual a lot of senior crew was there as well...they know the place to eat on port days.  This afternoon I worked on some projects until they delivered a tray of canapés to the cabin so I took a break to walk the deck...more guests have returned and taking advantage of the nice weather.  We sailed about 3:45 pm and the VIFP party was held at 4:30 in the Liquid Lounge.  Jamie Dee, the CD, makes the party exciting.  I had a nice visit with new friends and with Butch who will be our CD next month.  Afterward it was back to the cabin to get ready for our second Elegant Night. The feature entertainer tonight was Magician Bobby Borgia.  I had cocktails at the Lobby Bar before dinner and then made the walk back to the Sunrise on my still sore legs.  For dinner I ordered the Eggplant, Bing Cherry Soup, Escargot, Chateaubriand and Cheesecake for dessert.  Most of the venues again had good entertainment scheduled, but I had a ‘Deal Closer’ at the Alchemy Bar as my nightcap and retired by 11:15.  A fun lazy day.

Day Six--Friday--Cozumel, Mexico

Cornelius pouring a Martini Sampler

A partly cloudy day as we approach Cozumel.  We did not arrive until 10:00 am so I had plenty of time for a very nice relaxed breakfast in the Sunrise dining room.  The Carnival Magic is docked next to us. I left the ship about 10:45 and headed to San Miguel by taxi ($8).  I went to Woody’s Sports Bar owned by our friends Nelly and Pepe and used their Wifi for a couple of hours.  Lunch there was very good, I had  the Chicken Quesadillas.  I visited the Farmacia and had a quick Mango/Banana Margarita at Wet Wendy’s before heading back to the ship about 3:30 pm.  Just relaxing this afternoon and my balcony faces the Magic so I had a great view of their pier runners and her sailing away.  Our late arrivals caught a bit of rain before we sailed a little after 5:00 pm.  I had my special cocktail at the Alchemy and went to the production show: Studio VIP in the Liquid Lounge, it was very entertaining.  Dinner was good tonight, I ordered the Creme of Mushroom Soup, Oysters Rockefeller, the Pasta, and the Filet Mignon & Short Rib combination.  The beef dish is one of their better meat dishes IMHO.  Ken sang again for us and the wait team did the song: What Did the Fox Say?  New and very clever.  Following dinner I had another ‘Deal Closer’ at the Alchemy Bar as my nightcap. 

Day Seven--Saturday--at Sea

Will Marion in Sunshine Lobby

It was rocky early in the night at sea, but I had a very good nights sleep.  This morning I was updating email and making some bookings online with the final minutes I have left on my internet package (240 Minutes for $89.00 ($0.37/min)).  I enjoyed a good breakfast at the Sea Day Brunch, I ordered the Steak & Eggs again and it was prepared very well.  After brunch I reviewed my ship account, they have two kiosks that will print your statement for you and save a trip to Guest Services.  Unfortunately they do not have an interactive TV system.  The morning was very nice, sunny and calm until about 1:00 pm when we hit that cold front that had covered the states.  Very soon it was a light rain and VERY windy.  I did go and get a Guy’s Burger, but took it to the cabin to eat, too cool outside and the indoor spaces were quickly filling.  After a bit of work in the cabin I went to the Lobby Bar in time to see a full musical set by Will Marion, who was originally to play in the Lido pool area.  He had the place rockin’.  Didn’t need an apertif this evening as I had some unique cocktails by the great Lobby Bar bartenders during Will’s show.  The production Show was: Epic Rock, perhaps the best show of the week.  Dinner was off to me and perhaps not noticed so much by others.  I ordered the Grilled Chicken Breast on Fettuccine as starter and two entrees: Panko Crusted Jumbo Shrimp and Roasted Prime Rib of Beef, in that order, shrimp then followed by beef. The waiter gave my shrimp entree to the person on my left (who had ordered the Mac & Cheese) and gave me my Prime Rib.  She had already started eating before she realized it wasn’t what she had ordered.  We got through it, but when they remove the charger there was a large child's hand print gravy stain right in front of me.  That’s not appealing.  I also asked the cocktail server to bring two Drambuie’s for dessert, he did remember to come by and said, “would you like your Sambuca’s now?”  I specifically reminded him that it was Drambuie I wanted.  He of course still brought Sambuca and wanted me to settle for them.  Of course the whole point is that it was January 25 the Scottish Bard Robert Burns’ birthday and you toast him as they do all over the world with a Scottish drink.  Sambuca would not do.  He did finally bring Drambuie.  For dessert I had the Grand Manier Souffle.  Following dinner I went to my favorite bar, The Alchemy, for two wonderful Deal Closers.  I would have only had one, but when informed that I was one shy of the Cheers limit, I order the second just so I could say I did it once on the cruise.  I had not come close on the previous six days.  Since we are well into the Mississippi River I had wifi from my personal hotspot so checked some late email and arrange some items to pack for the following morning.

Debarkation

We arrived back in NOLA just very early.  I was up early as I had not really started packing. I began to pack about 6:30 then went to Lido for my final omelette. They were calling self-debark guests by the time I made it back to the cabin so I finished packing and headed to deck three about 7:45 am. They had the casual inspection at Customs and I was soon to the elevator and at 4B my parking area and car by 8:20 am.  There was a light mist so the indoor parking did come in very handy.  I was soon on Interstate 10 heading to Texas and arrived at friends in Alvin about 2:30 pm to rest for my next adventure on the Triumph the following day.

Crew / Staff

I found the crew to be very good.  I was able to meet many ships officers through the Diamond reception and VIFP party. The ship is in very capable hands.  My cabin steward team was excellent, our MDR waiters were only adequate.  The bartenders were all great.  Bar servers very good. I especially enjoyed Ioana, Miro, & Cornelius in the Alchemy Bar.  Ken Byrne is awesome as both singer and Matre’D.  I enjoyed getting to know Caroline the GS Manager better, that’s a tough job.  I look forward to seeing the crew again next month.

Food / Drink

I found the food overall to be very good. Soups were excellent.  One new minor change in the MDR is that the bread is on your table and not served.  The major change and a point I listed as 'needs improvement' in previous cruise is that the set dining is now located in the Sunrise Dining Room.  Much better, thanks Ken and Carnival.  I really didn’t get an opportunity to eat at all the many venues this trip, but I did get to most of my favorites.  Very pleased with food quality as were all the guests that I spoke to during the week.  I purchased the ‘Cheers’ program ($49.95 + 15% per day), but discovered that it can be purchased on 2nd day...I would do that if I get it again. 

Cabin

I had cabin 10115 a category 8S Spa Balcony on deck 10.  It is decorated in the new Caribbean lighter colors that began with the Carnival Breeze roll out.  Very nice and this is only one of two ships as of now that has the new colors. My cabin steward, Alexander, did a very good job.  The cabin is the usual layout with sliding glass door at balcony, full couch, three closets (a bit smaller), nice table, bed stands with lamps (mentioned as these are going away in some new categories), push button safe, mini refrigerator, and stool at dresser/desk.  It does have the premium spa items such as nicer branded bath towels, Serenity beach/deck towels, nicer Serenity plush robes, and spa toiletries.  Only negative was that the set-back deck 11 balconies overlooked most of the balcony, so no privacy.  A cabin further forward would eliminate that situation.  I did enjoy the Spa location more than I thought I would usually be staying far aft on cruises.

Cruise Highlights

Jumping off a waterfall in Jamaica.
Alchemy Bar
Omelette Station & Mongolian Grill.
Lobby Bar

Special thanks to John Jenkins of Arkansas for some great Photos

Another Fantastic FUN Cruise!!

TABC to begin collecting taxes from Galveston Cruises in 2014

 

 

If your a Texas resident it just became a little more expensive to bring liquor back 

from your cruise.  See the following press release:

El Paso, TX (KTSM) — The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) will begin collecting personal importation taxes on alcohol and cigarettes from passengers returning from cruises in Galveston in 2014.

On January 4, 2014, cruise travelers disembarking out of the Port of Galveston will need to pay the tax for alcoholic beverages and cigarettes imported into the state that were purchased either on the ship's duty free store or at a foreign port of call.

TABC currently operates 20 ports of entry collection facilities along the Texas-Mexico border where the tax is presently collected.

During the recent legislative session, the agency was appropriated funding to begin tax collection of imported alcoholic beverages and cigarettes from seaport facilities.

The Galveston Port facility will be the first seaport location where this tax will be collected with plans to extend to the Houston-Bayport facility in the fall of 2014.

Section 107.07 of the Alcoholic Beverage Code, in effect for over 40 years, requires that each adult (21 years old and over) importing alcoholic beverages into the state for personal consumption pay the state tax and an administrative fee of $3.00.

The law limits personal importation by an adult to once every 30 days with limits of: 1 gallon of distilled spirits, 3 gallons of wine, and 288 ounces of malt beverages (24 12-ounce containers).

Persons importing alcoholic beverages must personally accompany the product as it enters the state.

For a detailed list of the taxes for both cigarettes and alcoholic beverages go to http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/poe/tax_rates.asp.

 

Caribbean Princess

Caribbean Princess

Cruise Review 12/7/2013

Just the Facts:
Ship: Caribbean Princess
Captain: Girgio Pomata
Cruise Director: Brett Siborne
Ports: Houston, Cozumel, Roatan, Belize

I am sailing with the Dear Wife (DW) and a group of 9 good cruising friends. We all like Princess Cruise Line and are very happy that they are sailing again from Texas.  This is my 21st Princess cruise, first time on the Caribbean Princess, and 83rd cruise overall.

Friday / Travel

North Texas was experiencing a major ice storm so we wanted to leave a day earlier than we would have, but didn’t leave soon enough.  It took us more than an hour to get down our mountain and off our property as it was solid ice everywhere.  We finally got to Clifton and once to State Highway 6 the roads where much improved.  South of Waco it was fine and soon we were beyond the ice line and in a few hours at our friends house in Cypress.  After some good Texas BBQ we were resting for the big day tomorrow.

Saturday / Embarkation / Houston / Day 1

Piazza - Caribbean Princess

We were up early and soon on our way to our group meeting point in Alvin, Texas.  We have a special plan today for transport to the cruise terminal.  Our group of nine are all riding together in a very nice motorhome.  In the MoHo we had breakfast snacks and morning cocktails so it was a very fun hour drive to Bayport and the party started very early.  In  addition to the nine we have two local friends doing the Bon Voyage experience.  This is unique to Princess and allows BV guests to board for the day, enjoy lunch, have a complementary welcome photo, tour the ship and receive a future cruise credit.  This also allowed the entire group to board early so we were through security, check-in, and on the ship about 11:30 am.  After dropping our bags we all met for a welcome cocktail in Crooners, the martini bar on deck 7.  We all had lunch in the Coral Dining Room, one of three Main Dining Rooms (MDR) located on ship and open for Bon Voyage, Platinum & Elite guests on embarkation day.  Lunch was fantastic I ordered the Shrimp Salad, Beef Tenderloin, and Orange Cheesecake.   After lunch we toured the ship visiting: Lido Deck (quickly as it’s cold outside @ 34°), International Cafe, Skywalker’s on deck 18 aft, the various Public Lounges on Promenade Deck, and ending in the Princess Theater.  Our Bon Voyage friends left about 3:00ish as Boat Drill is scheduled for 3:30.  Our bags were delivered by now so we unpacked and then had a nice quick nap.  We did not sail until after our scheduled time getting way about 6:00 pm.  Some went to the 7:00 pm Welcome Show, but since we were in the Houston ship channel I was getting some last minute internet use as we had phone service for the two+ hours it took to get into the Gulf of Mexico.  It was now time for our first dinner in the Palm MDR, the designated set time dining room located on deck six aft.  We have a nice nine-top table and the waiters were very nice.  Dinner was very good, I ordered The Red Snapper Cerviche Cocktail (Red Snapper, Shrimp, Mango, Rum, Lime, Avocado garnish served chilled in large cocktail glass.) Fettuccine Alfredo, Sliced Pork Tenderloin with Potato & Vegetables, a Crayfish Étouffée  to sample, and two desserts: the Passion Fruit Souffle and the Creme Brûlée.  After dinner we saw Seth Gibson the piano player in Crooners for a short time before retiring for the evening.

Sunday / Fun Day at Sea / Day 2

Caribbean Princess Aft Pool area - our HQ for the week

A little bit of choppy seas overnight as we broke through the cold front, but I slept very well.  We now have very welcomed warm weather.  I had breakfast in the Coral MDR and ordered the days special: Blueberry Pancakes with a side of bacon & ham. It was very good. Afterward I saw some of the group heading to the International Cafe for one of their signature Cronuts (combination donut & croissant), I did sample one just to say I had.  We are very conveniently located next to the aft pool so it’s very easy to lounge here as many did this morning.  Since the Pub Lunch is limited and it was available today in the Crown Grill some decided to meet there at 11:30.  We got a nice larger table fairly easily and ordered beer and lunch.  I had a Fish & Chips and a Ploughmans Lunch.  The afternoon was Casino, more deck time, or NFL football for the group.  Some in the group attended the Matre’D premium Wine Tasting and said it was very good.  Six of us attended the Captains Circle event 4:00-4:30+ in the Princess Theater.  This was my first time to see the Cruise Director and they had a nice small show with the Caribbean Princess orchestra and feature singers.  What I really liked was that in lieu of being served a ‘cheap’ cocktail we were given drink vouchers good for a cocktail of our choice in any of the cocktail bars.  Wonderful idea.  We went strait away to see our cocktail server Kelvin in Crooners.  I had a Hershey’s (chocolate) cocktail.  As it was now sundown, we went directly to the aft for our own wine party.  We had wine glasses, our own music, and went through 5 bottles of wine while enjoying the sundown+.  This is the first formal night and we went to see the Champagne Waterfall and Kelvin made sure we got a complementary champagne.  Dinner was good, I ordered the Crabmeat & Monterey Jack Cheese Quiche, Farfalle alla Rustica, French Onion Soup, and the Golden Medallions of Beef Tenderloin.  For dessert I had a very nice Bananas Foster prepared by the head waiter and also sampled an Oreo crusted Chocolate pie.  DW, a vegetarian, had the Mixed Greens Salad and Crustless Spinach & Potato Flan with Spicy Tomato Sauce.   After dinner most attended the feature show: Do You Wanna Dance in the Princess Theater.  It was an enjoyable show and we had a great view from our third row seats.  It was a FUN sea day on the Caribbean Princess.

Monday / Island of Cozumel / Day 3

Chen Rio area on east side of Cozumel

Very smooth seas overnight. Weather is perfect 82° with a breeze.  We docked at the Puerta Maya pier by the scheduled 9:00 am arrival.  The Carnival Dream is also docked and the Carnival Triumph is next door at the International pier.  Several went to the MDR for breakfast, the daily special was a Mexican omelette, but I had Eggs Benedict this morning.  A  group of eight of us arranged a private van to do our own tour and bar crawl on the eastern shore of the island.  We met our driver at 10:00 am, stopped at the 7-11 to get some Bohemia beer & water and were on our way to the “wild side” of the island.  First stop was  Rastas bar with our first view of of the Caribbean and Bush Beach.  The wave and surf were very high.  After a round of drinks, a very nice mojito for me, we were on our way.  Next stop was Playa Bonita that used to be our favorite stop in years past,  Unfortunately time has taken a toll, the beach here is basically no more.  Still a wonderful view and very good guacamole.  The waiters did a bit of a raunchy show along with free shots of tequila.  Chen Rio was the next stop and it was super with a small bay that allowed us to swim as the surf broke on the large coral rocks just beyond us.  They also had Bohemia beer and beach massages.  Next stop was the chichi bar Coconuts located on a bluff overlooking the coast line.  This is one of the most famous bars on the island and I had a mojito and enjoyed the view.  Final stop was at Punta Moreno and as it’s later in the day we had the place and it’s saltwater pools to ourselves.  They also had a nice beach, hammocks, swings,and more.  The mojito here was the best of the day.  We then headed to San Miguel and after a pit stop at Woody’s Bar we went to a pharmacy to get our medicines needs fulfilled.  We arrived back at the pier about 4:30 in time for some shopping at Cinco Sole and shops.  From the balcony we watched the Carnival Dream docked next to us depart with the usual waves and horn blasts between ships.  Always fun.  We sailed about 6:00 pm.  Hot shower and rest time until dinner.  Half our group did the Monday Night Football Party on Lido deck where they were showing the Dallas Cowboy Game so we had small group for dinner.  I ordered the Warm Crab & Artichoke Dip with Baguette Chips, Cock-a-Leekie Soup, Fettuccine Alfredo (they have this on the menu every night), Surf & Turf  (filet mignon and jumbo shrimp) and Ice Creme for dessert.  A great day on ship and in Cozumel.

Tuesday / Island of Roatan / Day 4

We snorkeled around these!

A little bit of rolling overnight just enough for a good sleep.  The weather is perfect in the mid 80’s.  I went to the MDR for breakfast and ordered the day’s special: The Lumberjack Breakfast (steak & eggs).  We arrived at Mahogany Bay in Roatan a little late and that always causes a back up for those wanting to leave the ship.  Our group arranged for a Catamaran private excursion with Radical Adventures, rated #1 in Trip Advisor.  Their van picked us up at the Mahogany Bay entry and we were off to Oak Ridge on the east end (south shore) of the Island of Roatan.  The Catamaran was very nice with a crew of five and they provided snacks, soda, beer, or piña coladas.  We sailed to the Cow and Calf islands and had some great snorkeling completely around the small island. We saw great coral reefs, fans, lot’s of colorful fish, lobster, and even a small octopus. We enjoyed the water and scenery as we were served a very nice grilled lunch and dessert before sailing back to Oak Ridge.  After returning to the dock we were taken back to Mahogany Bay in the same van.  It was a great excursion and perfect for a group.  It was a good day for balcony or deck time with the perfect weather, we have a view of the bay and shipwrecks from our balcony. After a hot shower I relaxed and enjoyed a good movie in the cabin, White House Down until dinner time. This was the night I was looking forward to for dinner as it’s Italian Night.  I ordered: Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant Parmesan), Iced Peach Bellini Soup (in a glass), Spaghetti con Polpette in Sala di Pomodoro Fresco, Scaloppine di Vitello al Marsala, Saltimbocca di Pollo (pan seared chicken breast  topped with parma ham) and Cassata alla a Siciliana (ice creme with candied fruits) for dessert.  The waiters were are dressed in Italian uniforms and the assistant Matre’D sang several traditional Italian songs, it was an outstanding dinner. Several went to the casino or listen to music after dinner, but after a long day including snorkeling I retired soon after dinner.

Wednesday  /  Belize City  /  Day 5

Entry to Skywalkers

Smooth seas overnight and we arrived at our anchorage early well before 8:00 am; however, the weather although warm is foggy and rainy.  I went to the MDR for a nice breakfast, Italian (open faced omelet with mushrooms over Frittata and Polenta with Italian sausage) was the special, but I ordered an Eggs Benedict and a nice Pineapple boat fruit starter.  Afterwards we met on the aft deck for Bloody Mary’s and watched the weather, most are staying on board especially since this is a tender port. We watched a movie then had a nice late lunch on Horizon Court.  Rain continued throughout the day so they opened more television stations with movies so it was an afternoon movies and reading for us.  Some did the wine tasting in Vines and enjoyed it.  There is enough indoor public space and activities to handle a rainy day so everyone seemed fine with the weather.  Dinner was good, I ordered the Goat Cheese Souffle, Potato Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce, the Pork Tenderloin entree, a Trilogy of Lamb Chop, Veal Breast, & Chicken Kabob (to sample),  and a Chocolate Lovers Delight for dessert.  After dinner some went to the Casino and Disco located in Skywalkers high above the sea on deck 18.

Thursday  /  Fun Day at Sea  /  Day 6

Caribbean Princess - Main Dining Room

Calm seas overnight and the weather has improved to just cloudy, but it’s nice and warm so outdoor decks in use today.  I went to the MDR for breakfast and the special was Eggs Benedict so that’s what I ordered.  Mine were cooked hard not near as good when being mass produced…the previous ones I ordered were perfect, still a very good breakfast though.  They had a lot of shipboard activities today including: Bingo, Trivia, Games, Seminars, and a Veterans meeting. I watched some Love Boat reruns in the cabin and I ordered a Club Sandwich and Chef Salad from room service for lunch, they were excellent.  The weather improved and after an afternoon relaxing on the aft deck most met at Crooners Bar for cocktails.  This was quite fun and one of the bartenders could make a very nice Sidecar Cocktail.    This evening was the Elite Guest Circle C event in Club Fusion.  They served cocktails and appetizers and were very generous at this half hour+ event. We did get to meet several officers and staff and shook hands with the Captain. It was enjoyable and very different than the previous one for Gold and Ruby guests on Sunday.  Dinner tonight was the formal Chef’s Dinner menu evening, I ordered: Escargots Bourguignon, Roasted Tomato Creme Soup, Ravioli di Vitello in Salsa di Funghi Porcini (ravioli & mushrooms), and the Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs as an entree.  Other choices were: Broiled Lobster, Pheasant, Beef Wellington, and Filet of Rockfish.  An excellent dinner.  We went to the late production show: Born to be Wild in the Princess Theater and had very good center seats on row two.  The center piece on the stage was a Pink Cadillac so they did that song and other 50’s-70’s road themed rock music. Always enjoy the song Route 66.  It was a very good show. 

Friday  /  Fun Day at Sea  /  Day 7

MUTS - Movies Under the Stars

Fair seas overnight and I had another MDR breakfast. Today's special was Eggs Florentine, but I ordered Pancakes with sides of Bacon and Ham.  The weather is great today, very sunny and warm, but enough breeze to be comfortable so a deck day today.  The group had some loungers and tables on Lido aft so we made a morning of it and enjoyed both our bought-aboard and bar cocktails.  Also perfect for our Pizza lunch.  We were fortunate to have such a nice day as we know it’s very cold back home.  In the late afternoon we visited the shops to see if there were many late bargains and I also purchased a Future Cruise Certificate from the Futures Desk.  While in the Piazza I did go by the International Cafe and sampled a nice Cuban Sandwich.  DW did select a ring so she got a souvenir and we celebrated with a cocktail in Crooners.  I had a Sidecar and she liked the Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail (served with cranberry it would make a good Christmas cocktail).  At 5:00 pm we met friends in Skywalkers for the Elite Guest cocktail hour.  It’s the first time we had actually attended, but they offer reduced prices on cocktails and have nice snacks to Elite and Platinum guests.  This evening it was a very nice Shrimp fountain with cheeses and other goodies.  We had a great time and actually stayed until dinner time. Tonights dinner was a USA theme although we requested a repeat of Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant Parmesan) for the table. I also had a Green Salad, NY Strip Steak, and a proper Baked Alaska sliced at our table.  We also had a birthday cake for one in the group so it was a very nice dinner.  After dinner I packed as we had to have our bags out by 11:00 pm.  Afterwards I finally had a chance to see Seth at the Crooners piano bar.  I was able to catch a song most evenings as we were going from one area to another, but it was always too busy to get a seat.  He is very good and not to be missed, but I will say it’s not as ‘randy’ as his sets on the Carnival Sunshine….LOL. 

Saturday  /  Debarkation  /  Houston

We arrive back at Houston ship channel early, but it was closed due to fog so we had to anchor outside the harbor  The waves hitting the ship certainly could be felt and were loud while we were anchored so we were up fairly early.  I finished packing my roll-on bag and the group had a final MDR breakfast in the MDR.  We finally arrived at Bayport about 10:45 am so we had a long wait until most of us debarked.  It was about 1:30 pm for us, and eight of us returned to Alvin in the motorhome.  We left Alvin about 3:00 stopping at the new Waller mega Buc-ee’s on Highway 290 for fuel arriving home about 7:30 pm.  A long interesting travel day.

SHIP

She's a beautiful ship and until just a few months ago when the Royal Princess was launched the Caribbean Princess was the largest ship in the Princess fleet.

Launched:   April 2004
Tonnage:     112,894 GT
Length:        951 ft (290 m)
Decks:         17 total, 15 passenger
Power:         2 diesel-electric propellers (42,000kW each)
Speed:         22-knot
Capacity:     3,080 passengers
Crew:          1,200 crew

CABIN

Our cabin is a BE category balcony on deck 14 aft.  Good location near the exit to aft Lido pool.  It is slightly smaller than a comparable balcony on Carnival, but the bed itself is larger.  No couch, but two chairs and a table.  The refrigerator was stocked with my Elite Bar set-up and we added the cokes we brought on board.  Standard bathroom although DW would prefer a more adjustable shower head.  We did loose hot water a few times during the week. Cabin Steward was good and kept us adequately supplied with ice. 

DINING / FOOD / BARS / ENTERTAINMENT

MDR service was very good, Princess has more waiters per guest than most cruise lines and that is reflected in the service. Impressed that our MDR 10-top table was set for 9 the number in our party.  Enjoyed Crooners Bar, the Wheelhouse Bar, and International Cafe very much.  DW enjoyed the vegetarian choices on the menu, much better than most other cruise lines.  I really enjoyed the MDR breakfasts.

GENERAL

Always great cruising with a group of friends.  We always create our own fun on board ship.  I enjoyed the Caribbean Princess very much and although I won’t be able to sail her again this year, I am already booked on the Emerald Princess out of Houston for next year.