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.

Carnival Sunshine Transatlantic Cruise

Carnival Sunshine soon after arrival in New Orleans

Carnival Sunshine Transatlantic Cruise Review

November 1-16, 2013

Just The Facts:

Ship:  Carnival Sunshine  1-16 November, 2013

Captain:  Giusseppe Giusa

Cruise Director:  Jamie Dee

Ports: Plama De Mallorca, Malaga, Las Palmas, Grand Turk

Weather:  Very good with smooth seas

This is my 37th Carnival cruise, 4th transatlantic, and 82nd overall cruise. I am traveling solo, but know many people on board.

Travel

I began my trip leaving the ranch at 4:30 am on Thursday (Oct 31) by driving to Waco for a 6:00 am flight to DFW airport.  I then took a morning flight to New York JFK airport to catch an afternoon transatlantic Delta flight arriving at 8:35 am (Nov1) in Barcelona Spain. After clearing customs and retrieving my checked bag I took a 10:15 am  Carnival shuttle to the cruise pier.  Check in was fairly smooth and I was on board and in my cabin at 11:35 am.  Nineteen hours of travel from home to ship cabin is a lot for my old bones, but it will be an easier return.

Day One--Friday--Barcelona--Embarkation

Oceanview Cabin

I have one of the newly installed cabins located on the Promenade deck aft, an interesting new location for passenger cabins on Carnival ships. This area is where the aft promenade showroom is located on all other Carnival ships (and used to be located on this ship) and it is very convenient to the new Red Frog Pub, Alchemy Bar and Ocean Plaza.   After dropping my bags I went upstairs to get a stir-fry in JiJi’s Asian grill (similar to the Mongolian Grill on other Carnival ships) from the new concept all enclosed Lido deck aft.  Located there is the Cucina de Capitano, JiJi’s Asian Kitchen, and the Havana Bar.  In addition to my wonderful bowl of made-to-order stir-fry I also sampled the Cuban sandwich from the Havana Bar.  All very good.  After the long travel experience I retired for a much needed sleep until near dinner time.  I appreciate that they do two Welcome Aboard Shows as I would not have made a late one, but the 7:00 pm show time was perfect.  Jamie Dee the cruise director is a very good host and I believe will become one of the top CD’s at Carnival.  I have late seating at 8:00 pm in the Sunset Dining Room one of two main dining rooms (MDR).  I’m used to set dining being in the aft MDR, but the Sunrise Dining Room is now reserved for Your-Time dining.  I do have a nice table with a very good group of people and the best Maitre‘D in the fleet with Ken Byrne so that makes up for the secondary dining room location.  Tonight for dinner I ordered: the Creme of Sun-ripened Tomato Soup, Fresh Green Salad, the Chicken a la Grecque entree, and two desserts: the Creme Brulee & the Black Forest Gateau Cake.  After dinner it was cabin time for much needed rest.

Day Two--Saturday--Palma De Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

Palms in front of Old Palace - Palma de Mallorca

Smooth seas overnight and I was up early for an excursion today.  At 6:45 am there are very few in the Havana Bar and I got a great made-to-order omelette from the omelette station.  I then met a group in the EA Sports Bar after 7:00 am for a private excursion.  Soon we were off the ship and boarded a nice coach for a Panoramic tour of Palma on our way to the Caves of Drach.  After driving and viewing the countryside we stopped in Manacor to see a display and history of Mallorcan Pearls, it was interesting and worth the visit.  We were soon off to our 10:45 tour of the Caves of Drach located on the eastern shore of the island.  The caves are very interesting with a large lake at the bottom.  Once you reach the lower chamber by pathway you take a seat and enjoy a concert performed by musicians in a boat on the lake.  Your then ferried in a row boat across the lake and after some new views along the path exit the cavern.  It was enjoyable.  After a quick San Miguel cerveza we boarded the bus for a drive through the very picturesque village and harbor of Porto Cristo and then the return to the city of Palma.  We had a nice guided tour of the outer castle walls, Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, and old town area before some free time.  The narrow streets and shoppes of the Arab section and the Cathedral doors were most interesting.  I found a great gelato shop and remembered the flavor Crema Catalona from previous trips to Barcelona...excellant.  We arrived back at the ship about 3:00 pm for a 4:00 pm sail away.  I tried my first Guy’s Burger upon return and was actually disappointed.  It was a very good Hamburger, but it was not a proper Guy’s.  It was not smashed out thin and cooked with a light crust, but a thicker meat patty.  Still better than what they used to have, but not a Guy’s.  I went to see Lance Montalto’s family comedy show at 6:00, he was very funny followed by a wonderful Alchemy Bar apéritif.   For dinner tonight I ordered:  the Hot & Sour Soup, baked Pene Pasta with Sausage, Roast Beef of Tenderloin, and the Passion Fruit Creme Brulee for dessert.  Another good dinner. The feature entertainer was juggler Neil Duinker, but I went to the Alchemy Bar for cocktails and then to the Comedy Club for the 11:00 show with Lance Montalto.  The comedy show was fantastic.  Following comedy I helped close the Piano Bar.  Seth the piano player is young and talented and people had a fun time.  I predict he will be the next Carnival Piano Bar 'Star'.  About 1:30 am I went up for pizza and they were actually busy at this late time and the pizza was very good.  After a very long day I retired to the cabin.

Day Three--Sunday—at Sea

Carnival Sunshine - Behind the waterfall

Smooth seas overnight and it was refreshing to sleep late this morning.  I didn’t get out until after 11:00 am and had a late breakfast in the Lido Marketplace.  As this was the first sea day I took a walk around the decks and explored new areas on the ship.  The Serenity Deck area is very large and was very busy.  The Waterworks looked like great fun, but it was not busy at all and it was a very nice and warm day.  I want to do the water slides but the staircases up to them look more challenging than the slide itself.  We’ll see.  At 1:00 pm I went to a nice private cocktail party for Facebook friends in the  piano bar.  It was the usual deal, unlimited drinks for an hour, and the servers were very good, enough for the 60+ in attendance.  After a nice buzz and enjoying good conversation it was back to the cabin about 2:30 pm and ordered BLT’s from room service as cabin time was the plan for the afternoon.  I made notes for the blog and enjoyed the BLT sandwiches, they really need to be ordered each cruise as the Carnival room service version is very good.  The feature show in the Liquid Lounge is Motor City a Playlist Production with the eight feature performers and great LCD stage backgrounds.  This is also Elegant/Captains night and passengers have the opportunity to meet and have photos taken with the Captain & Staff before dinner.  For dinner tonight I ordered: the White Mushrooms, Roasted Pumpkin Soup, Spaghetti Carbonara, Prime Rib, & Cherries Jubilee for dessert.  The mushrooms were not the large ones as usual, but very small portions, but everything else was very good.  Other options of course included the Broiled Maine Lobster or Seared Redfish.  I retired after dinner as Monday is another early day.

Day Four--Monday—Malaga, Spain

Mijas Pueblo - Fountain

Again smooth seas overnight.  I ordered a light room service breakfast as a wake up and it was delivered at the scheduled time.  Carnival room service is usually very consistent with service. I met our private excursion group at 7:30 am and soon we were off the ship and on our motor coach and away at 8:00 am on the way to Mijas for the day.  The guide pointed out several points of interest in Malaga and on our way along the Costa del Sol.  We drove briefly along the beach before heading up the mountain to the old Mijas Pueblo.  Our bus  parked at the visitors center and the guide gave us a tour of the quaint Virgin de la Pena chapel built in cave then a  walking tour of the old town.  All the houses and shoppes are white washed and built along the hill side in this town.  It’s a lovely town and the views of the Mediterranean Sea and coast are spectacular from here.  After our tour a small group of us spent our hour of free time at a restaurant with a panoramic view drinking some good San Miguel cervezas and using their Wifi.  It was then time to meet the rest of the excursion group for a Tapas lunch.  Family style we were served sangria wine, meatballs, cheese, shrimp, mushrooms, ham, potatoes, peas, and fresh bread.  It was an excellent meal.  A unique feature in this town is that the taxi’s are burros, a good choice considering the hilly nature of the streets.  We boarded tour bus and returned to the ship by 2:30 for our 3:00 pm departure.  I had a nice snooze upon return.  After my nap I had my first Thirsty Frog Red before dinner in the Red Frog Pub, it’s a very good beer.  Dinner was interesting tonight for a couple of reasons: 1) Half out table was eating in the steakhouse so we were joined by both comedians Lance Montalto & Joel Lindley & the Punchliner host Wally and 2) it was a completely new & unique menu.  I ordered: Chilled Borscht, Gravlaks, Farfalle Pasta with Artichokes & Arugula, and Roast Striploin with Popovers.  Other menu items included: Truffled Duck Livers, Green Asparagus & Mussels, Spring Chicken in Crawfish, Glazed Veal, and Roasted Fennel & Braised Leeks.  Interesting menu.  Comedy Magic with Thom Peterson was the feature entertainment in the theater this evening, but the real entertainment was the 10:00 pm Playlist Performers Feature in the Ocean Lounge.  The eight performers did numbers of their own choosing with the band. They were all good and I was able to hear it from a good seat in the Alchemy Bar.  We turn back our clocks for the first time tonight, an extra hour of sleep.

Day Five--Tuesday—at Sea

Carnival Sunshine - Alchemy Bar

Smooth seas overnight and I was up around 8:00ish so I went to the MDR for a nice full breakfast with friends I ran into at the deck five elevator.  (I’m really liking the deck 5 cabin location...everyone uses the promenade to traverse the length of the ship so you do see a lot of people)  After breakfast I made some notes then I actually took a nap, why not?  For an early lunch I had a salad from the Salad Bar on Promenade Deck, very nice.  It was now time for the Cocktail Seminar at The Alchemy Bar.  Daniel the bartender did a nice basic presentation and we sampled three small Alchemy cocktails in addition to receiving a coupon for a full cocktail later.  It was a two hour presentation and good fun.  Click here to see the Alchemy Bar menu. New friend Lance Moltanato did a Beatles show this afternoon and it was a full house as was the previous one he did on Sunday.  I went to Guy’s for a burger and it was much better than previous, these burgers were flattened better, but still needs more fire.  I got an ice creme for dessert and as I went through the Ocean Plaza saw some friends and Lance M and joined them for a while.  I really enjoyed getting to know Lance this cruise as I had several lunches and dinners with him as it happened to turn out.  He was always a favorite, more so now, and he is genuinely a nice and funny guy.  It was cabin time for the rest of the day to make some notes and have a Cabin Cocktail (Cuba Libre light).  Dinner was again interesting with some old and new items on the menu. I ordered an Iced Pineapple Salad with Watermelon, Spanakopita, Cannelloni Piemontese pasta, and Roast Prime Rib.  All very good.  After dinner you couldn’t get in to see the 9:45 comedy show as it was packed so only early dining guests would get a chance to attend.  I had a cocktail in the Alchemy Bar then ended up with friends coming so stayed for a few hours.  The Alchemy is kind of my neighborhood bar on ship since my cabin is just around the corner.  They had called for all passengers to turn in their passports before arriving in Las Palmas tomorrow.  Since it was now 1:00 am I went to Guest Services and avoided the long lines from earlier in day.  A Fun Day at sea.

Day Six--Wednesday--Las Palmas, Canary Islands

Cathedral Santana Veguetta - Las Palmas

A bit of higher seas overnight.  We are not scheduled to arrive in Las Palmas until 11:00 am and that is very unusual as the Magic arrived early and we are doing the same itinerary.  I went up to JiJi’s on Lido for a wonderful omelette with a side of Canadian Bacon and readied to meet for another private excursion.  Our group of about 28 debarked just before noon and it was very busy as the ship was half hour late arriving so everyone was debarking at once, but we got to the bus just after noon and head out of Las Palmas.  First stop was Arucas where we stopped at the very large Cathedral of Arucas and then the Arehucas Distillery and tasting room.  After driving through the mountains, the next stop was Teror one of the oldest towns in Gran Canaria with interesting houses, buildings, and streets.  I did have time for a local cerveza with friends in Pino Square before leaving.  Final stop was the Caldera de Bandama the site of an old volcano caldera and scenic overview of Las Palmas.  We returned to the ship by 4:00 to long lines of passengers waiting to board.  Once on ship I went straight to Guy’s for a burger then took some ice to the cabin for cabin time until dinner.  Dinner was perhaps the best of the cruise so far.  I ordered the Escargot, and two entrees: the Osobucco, and the Carnival Filet Mignon.  The osobucco and steak were great.  I had a very nice Apple Crum and a Pineapple dish for dessert. The feature entertainment this evening was Hasbro, the Game Show and we have new Comedy Show entertainers onboard: Tom Pepper and Gary Thompson. 

Day Seven--Thursday--at Sea

Carnival Sunshine - Epic Rock

Smooth seas overnight and I slept very well...past 9:00am in fact.  Today they had the NEW Sea-day Brunch in the MDR.  New menus, new hours, and even new aprons for the servers.  I like the concept.  The Punchliner theme didn’t really work, but the menu was good so they saved the best and did away with the comedians and later start time.  Good job Carnival.  I had the Steak & Eggs and they were excellent.  I went on deck and lounged around the waterworks area and would have gone down the slide, but there was no attendant on this beautiful calm day.  Lunch from the JiJi’s Wok and it was very good as usual.  I had afternoon cabin time then went for a walk around decks, stopped for a Reuben Sandwich on the way back to the cabin.  I went a bit early to the Liquid Lounge and got a great seat for the Playlist Production Epic Rock 7:00 pm show.  This is a high energy rock show with great costumes, the full LCD background and with stage enhancements such as smoke, fog, & flames.  A very entertaining show.  Dinner tonight was good.  We had Chicken Wings for the table (2nd time) and I ordered: the Butternut Squash Soup, Pasta & Shrimp entree as a starter, the Pork Tenderloin and as I couldn’t decide on a dessert had the first three (Apple, Strawberry,& a Brulee) listed on the menu .  Might as well.  They had rock music in the Ocean Lounge this evening, I only listened for a while then cabin time.  We turned our clocks back one hour this evening.

Day Eight--Friday--at Sea

Singing Maitre'D Ken Byrne

Smooth seas overnight although a bit higher than yesterday.  I went to the MDR for breakfast and they have reverted to the standard breakfast menu, not the brunch so Eggs Benedict ordered this morning.  I went up to the Water Works and again the slides are closed and the seas are calm.  It’s a shame to spend so much money on the new design only for them to not be able to be used.  I was told that they are not holding enough water in the small pool at the end of the slide run.  After a walk about the ship I had some very good Chicken Schnitzel from the Lido Marketplace for lunch.  At 2:30 pm Ken Bryne, the long time Carnival Maitre’D did his first ever official Carnival show in the Liquid Lounge.  He had a packed house with people in the aisles and staircases.  He did a great show and received two standing ovations.  Carnival should have been doing this on all of the transatlantic cruises.  At 4:30 they hosted the Diamond Cocktail Party in the Limelight Lounge.  It was well attended by more than the 116 Diamonds on board.  This is the largest number of Diamonds ever on a single Carnival sailing.  CD Jamie introduced the Captain and senior staff and they served very nice h’orderves as well as your choice of complementary cocktails.  It was nice of Carnival to do this...thanks.  Following the party several gathered in the lobby bar until time for the feature show with David Knight, the hypnotist.  I’ve seen his show several times and it is entertaining.  Dinner was good, I ordered French Onion Soup, Pork Tenderloin, and Short Ribs.  Tonight was 1950’s theme music in the Ocean Plaza from 10:00 pm to late.  We also turned the clock back another hour.

Day Nine--Saturday--at Sea

Carnival Sunshine - Cherry on Top

I felt some rolling seas overnight.  I was up and had a very nice special omelette this morning.  I then met a friend to get some photos for my blog before going up to waterworks to check on the slides.  Not running and it actually looks as though they are shut down.  I now wonder if it’s a weight situation with the extra fuel on for the Atlantic crossing or problems with the NEW fresh water system for the Waterworks.  Not really right to promote it if it can’t be used.  I did something new this morning, I had my haircut in the Spa.  It was nice and they did a good job.  I just couldn’t wait until December to see my regular barber in Cozumel.  I watched the movie Lincoln on cabin TV, Daniel Day Lewis did a great job, but I thought the movie was slow.  I went to a kiosk and had my Sail&Sign account summery printed out for review.  The kiosks are great and saves time standing in line at Guest Services (GS).  I had Stir-fry from the JiJi’s Wok for lunch...always good.  There were a couple of college football games on TV as they picked up two television stations from San Juan and one in USVI.  So I was able to watch some Big 12 football during the day as I would do at home. Nice.  For dinner I’m doing a basic plan, I ordered a Salad, Pasta, the Prime Rib, and three desserts just for myself and the table to sample.  All were good too.  The feature show this evening was Seth, the piano bar entertainer.  He was very good and has a very bright future either with Carnival or wherever.  They also had a nice 10:00pm show in the Ocean Lounge by Justin, one of the Playlist entertainers.  We again moved our clocks back an hour at bedtime.

Day Ten--Sunday--at Sea

Carnival Sunshine - the Twister

Just enough seas to rock you to sleep, it’s been a very smooth cruise.  I went to the MDR for a nice full breakfast this morning.  I heard that the waterworks opened yesterday afternoon for two hours so I went up to check and the Waterworks was open.  Amazing what a few complaints to senior officers, on social media and JH’s Facebook page will get done.  I doubt we’ll know why they have kept it closed, but passengers were taking advantage this morning.  There are three slides, two for racing if you wish, but the  Carnival Sunshine Twister is the longest slide on any cruise ship and that is the one I tried a few times.  Lots of twists and two black out areas...exciting.  I’ll try to do this each day.  Another advantage of my cabin location is I can easily get a light snack from the Taste Bar around the corner, the Egg Drop soup today was good.  This is cocktail party day.  At 1:00 pm we had a Facebook Friends Cocktail Party in the Piano Bar, my drink of the party was mojitos.  Good Fun.  The next Party was the Carnival VIFP Party at 3:15, but I had time to have two slices of pizza from Pizzeria del Capitano between.  The VIFP Party, one of three that they held,  was the usual deal with the Carnival video and I did have a couple of FunShip Specials but that was my limit.  The Sunshine does not have a live orchestra so the DJ did the music from a booth on the stage.  A little different, but it worked fine.  The more I see Jamie the more I like her as a cruise director.  There are about 2725 passengers on this cruise, with 116 Diamond, 717 Platinum, and 1014 Gold thus the need for three parties.  As we get closer to North America we are getting more television so there were some NFL games on TV this afternoon, so I enjoyed some room service BLT’s and football.  I did the same at dinner tonight as last ordering just a basic Fruit appetizer, Arrabiata Pasta, Rib Eye Steak, and three desserts for the table to sample. Duck, Frog Legs, and Perch were other options.  Dinner was good especially the Pineapple Boat fruit selection.  After dinner they had a Caberet show in the Ocean Lounge with Chiara Castania one of the Playlist entertainers. She was great and they have done a great 10:00 pm show most every night.  The Dallas Cowboy vs. New Orleans Saints NFL game was also featured in the EA sports bar and cabin TV late this evening as we have a lot of pax from both places on this cruise to NOLA.  Very late game as we are still a few time zones east and I was actually asleep before the game ended.  We again changed our clock back an hour this evening.

Day Eleven--Monday--at Sea

Guy's Burger

Smooth seas again and I had a nice sleep.  This was a Sea Day Brunch day so I had long casual breakfast in the MDR.  I had the Hueavo Rancheros and they were very good.  I also tried the Banana Creme Pie...it was very nice.  At 11:00 am (11/11/11) they made a special announcement concerning Veterans Day and had a moment of silence.  Very well done and this afternoon a big Veterans gathering and show in the theater.  It was a packed house and guests really enjoyed it.  This afternoon I had a nice Fiery Tomato Soup from the Taste Bar as a lunch snack while walking around the ship then retired to the cabin to read.  About 3:30 I went up to Guy’s Burgers and since they were not too busy I discussed with the manager the  fact that it’s not quite a true Guy’s Burger.  He said it was the meat, that they are still using the European supplier.  That makes sense as Guy’s requires a 70/30 mix so hopefully that will be corrected once in the USA.  No Waterworks today yet leaks and brief loss of water in Lido Marketplace area today (it’s just below the Waterworks)...who knows what’s going on?  Minor inconvenience and not disruptive to cruise though.  The feature show  this evening was another Playlist Production: Studio VIP.  A very good high energy show.  Too many fruit drinks on the cruise for me so I enjoyed a White Russian with friends in the lobby bar before dinner.  Tonight I ordered: a double Shrimp Cocktail, Spinach Crepe (not good), New York Strip Steak, and a Banana Split & White Bread Pudding Cake for dessert.  Disco and 1980's music was the theme in Ocean Plaza this evening.  Another nice sea day.  Clocks turned back again.

Day Twelve--Tuesday--at Sea

Again nice seas overnight.  I was up early and with six consecutive 25 hour days I have had plenty of sleep.  I read for a while then went early to the MDR for a very nice breakfast.  It’s another beautiful day and I had a walk on deck, no Waterworks, but there was enough to keep the sun worshipers busy.  There does seem to be plenty of deck chairs although there are chair hogs on board, I suspect it’s the high number of European passengers on board and the fact that while in the MDR I overheard some telling another group to take your time, they’ve covered a dozen chairs on Serenity deck.  I read until meeting a friend at Cucina del Capitano for lunch.  I had both a pasta and lasagne, they were very good.  Maitre’D Ken did an encore show in the Limelight Lounge this afternoon.  It was again very well received.   I’m really getting into my book so did more relaxing reading this afternoon and I went to the pre dinner feature show featuring Jerry Goodspeed the comedy ventriloquist.  He was very entertaining and is a Carnival regular feature.  Dinner was again good, but similar to previous night.  I ordered two Shrimp Cocktails, the seafood entree Zuppa di Pesce Cioppino, and the NY Sirloin Steak.  Late tonight was the Mexican Fiesta Party on deck.

Day Thirteen--Wednesday--Grand Turk

Grand Turk sunset

Calm seas overnight and I was up up early and did some reading.  I had a very nice Omelette with Canadian Bacon from the Lido Marketplace this morning as we arrived early into Grand Turk.  We are docked next to the Carnival Victory out of Miami and they are transferring some provisions to us this morning.  It’s a beautiful day with temperature in the mid 80’s and will get warmer.  I’m not in a rush to get off and pretty much had the ship to myself for a few hours.  I did some more reading then went up to get a great stir-fry from JiJi’s grill.  It was somewhat busy with crew as they are allowed to eat there on port days and it’s a popular spot with crew as well as passengers.  I left the ship about 1:00 pm and headed to Jack’s Shack.  Friends were already there so I got a lounger and hit the water strait away.  Wonderful.  Topher the JS dog was doing his thing playing with some kids on the beach.  I started with some Turk’s Head beers and signed on to the internet for the first time since leaving Barcelona.  It was a Beautiful day with a great beach, a great bar, good beer, so it was like a day in Paradise.  I was actually the last cruise passenger to leave making my way back just before our 5:30 boarding time.  In fact it was sunset, see photo at left (thanks Doug).  Tonight I went to the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse with a friend.  It was fantastic, I ordered Green Salad, Escargot, Ribeye Steak, and Fruit for dessert.  The escargot was prepared individually in pastry shells and assorted seasonings....best I have ever had.  After a wonderful day and meal I retired early this evening.

Day Fourteen--Thursday--at Sea

Rolling seas overnight, unusual that we made it across the Atlantic with smooth seas and get some bumps now that we are sailing the pseudo Caribbean.  We will be sailing just off the north coast of Cuba all day today.   It’s also the first day that we have had cloudy skies although it’s still warm although humid.  Today was the last of three Sea-day Buffets in the MDR so I went there for a nice Steak & Eggs breakfast.  The Veterans events they had Monday onboard inspired me to get into my book.  I finished it and I’m sorry to admit that it’s one of the few I have read cover to cover in several years.  The book is From Dogfight to Diplomacy a memoir of Donald MacDonnell of Glengarry.  He was a Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain and later a spy in the Soviet Union. While sailing the Carnival Legend last month I had promised Lady Glengarry that I would read it so I ordered it and I was lucky that it was delivered just a few days before leaving for this cruise. It was a very good read. I was fortunate to carry the Glengarry Chief banner for him at a ceremony in Glencoe Scotland years ago.  He actually showed me his ‘spy’ camera at the time.  A great man.  I timed lunch for just after 2:00 pm so there was not a long line at JiJi’s for another good stir-fry lunch.  I began a new book this afternoon and then met friends for cocktails in the Alchemy.  They added a new Alchemist bartender who joined the ship from the Carnival Victory in Grand Turk, so there are new faces on board including several Carnival Beards (executives) that came aboard as well.  I had dinner in JiJi’s Asian Grill this evening.  JiJi’s is Carnivals new premium Asian dining venue and the Carnival Sunshine is the first to have one so I did want to experience it firsthand.  The food was very good.  You pick from a choice of appetizers, an entree, side dishes, and a dessert.  I also ordered their specialty drink, a Green Tea Martini.  Lots of activity around the ship and another new comedian onboard.  We also set our clocks back for the final time this evening so we are now on CST the same as our destination New Orleans and home time in Texas.


Day Fifteen--Friday--at Sea

Carnival Sunshine - Serenity Pool

Seas were slight overnight and weather the same as Thursday- warm, cloudy & humid. I was actually up early, didn’t use our final 25 hours for additional sleep.  I went up to the omelette station for another great omelette then some Canadian bacon and fruit from the Lido Marketplace.  I set on deck for a while to people watch and I’ve started a new book- SOS Spirit of Survival about the family of four from California that was on the Costa Concordia when she sank in the Mediterranean Sea in January of last year.  I enjoyed lunch in the MDR for the first time today, I had a great Pasta dish and a Yankee Pot Roast.  I read after lunch for most of the afternoon although they repeated the excellent Playlist Performers Musical Feature at 2:30 pm.. This afternoon turned into the only really cloudy day and brief rain of the cruise.  We have been very fortunate. The 7:00 pm feature show was a New Orleans Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, that joined us in Grand Turk.  It was a good, but a loud show and old-timers were bailing fairly early.  Dinner was good, I ordered the Tom Ka Gai (soup), Farfalle Pasta with Turkey, Grilled Pork Steak, and Grand Manier Souffle for dessert.  I had not attended any of the late functions in the Havana Bar as yet and tonight they had Havana Fusion with Salsa Music, Mojitos & special drinks, Mombo dancing and more.  I finished my book then retired.  Another nice sea day.

Day Sixteen--Saturday--at Sea
Fair seas overnight in the Gulf of Mexico and I went to the Sunrise MDR for a nice full breakfast this morning.   I also started another book, This is Your Captain Speaking by Gavin MacLeod.  We approached the Mississippi River and entered about 11:00 am, it was great entering in day light hours and get a good view of it as it had always been dark on previous cruises.  Since I was on the upper open decks watching us sail upriver I decided to get a hotdog from Seadogs located on deck 11 aft, one of many lunch locations and one most passengers forget to enjoy.  We had our final Facebook Friends cocktail party in the Piano Bar at 1:00 pm and I spent the rest of the afternoon reading.  I did make a Guy’s Burger run followed with ice creme in the late afternoon.  Resting and reading as I know tomorrow will be a very busy day.  The feature show this evening was Thien Fu a comedy juggler, but I stayed in the cabin and read.  Final dinner was good, I ordered  the Sweet Potato Soup, Prime Rib, Planko Shrimp, and Bitter & Blanc for dessert.  After dinner they had a Bathrobe Farewell Party on deck, that was interesting and appropriate as most were now packed for debark on Sunday.

Day Seventeen--Sunday--Bonus Debut Day--New Orleans

Captain Giusa and Carnival Sunshine Godmother Lin Arison

Again smooth seas overnight and I slept well.  I had a nice MDR breakfast again, my final Eggs Benedict until my next cruise.  I do not have to leave the ship today as I received an invitation to attend the one day Debut and Naming Ceremony event for the Carnival Sunshine in New Orleans.  I do have to clear U.S. Customs though so I relaxed until they almost cleared the ship about 11:15 am.  I least I was able to exchange greetings with John Heald in the lobby from deck 3 to deck 4 as he boarded the ship.  Unfortunately there was a long slow line through baggage claim and customs, but I finally made it through about 12:30 pm.  Once I finally cleared I just went around the corner and up the escalators to where they were preparing guests for the days ceremonies.  By the time I got my new documents they began boarding the ship so I was back on about 1:20 pm.   I had stowed my big bag with friends so I retrieved that and went to my new cabin, number 8289, a balcony located on deck 8 about mid-ship.  Now for the important thing of the day other than the special ceremony: Open Bar.  I made it to the Alchemy Bar by the 2:00 pm opening and had the first drink they prepared, kind of fitting.  Daniel knew the ‘program’ and started me off slow with a few Aperol Spritzers.  Soon friends from the transatlantic cruise, friends in the press, event guests, and new passengers began arriving and soon a party was underway.  After a few regular Alchemy Bar cocktails a few of us went up to the Havana Bar for a late lunch.  They were serving their very good Cuban Sandwiches and there was no line in the nearby at JiJi’s Wok.  After mentioning to the bar manager that although I saw their daily drink specials each day I never actually had a cocktail from the Havana Bar in my previous 16 days.  He solved that with a tray of ALL the drink specials.  We had the Havana Especial, Mojitos, Papa Doble, Cuban Iced Tea, La Buena Vida, and Daiquiri Clasico.  The group of us used straws to sample before ordering our favorites.  Very interesting drinks and follow this LINK for the drink descriptions.  Dino the Sunshine Beverage Manager came by with his approval of our FUN idea.  The Carnival Sunshine naming ceremony was held in the packed Liquid Lounge and all the Carnival Senior Management were in attendance. Lin Arison who christened the original Carnival Destiny did it again and renamed her the Carnival Sunshine.  They had a very good preview of the ship for the guests, the Punchliner had four comedy shows, there was entertainment in all the venues, and they had two showings of the feature Playlist Productions show Epic Rock.  Jerry Cahill did an official welcome prior to both showings in the theater.  Dinner was in two open seatings in the Sunrise Restaurant. Basically the elegant night dinner was served: Prime Rib, Lobster, etc. with complementary wine.  Of course a final visit to Daniel in the Alchemy Bar was on the agenda.  The shows and previews, especially the Piano Bar and Red Frog Pub, went very late into the evening.  They even delivered a nice BLT sandwich in the wee hours of the morning.  THANK YOU Carnival for a wonderful day.

Debarkation--Monday--New Orleans
I had my final MDR full breakfast this morning and a Bloody Mary to start the day, both needed after a full FUN day on Sunday.  Since I cleared customs on Sunday all I had to do this morning was walk off the ship. Very simple. I left about 9:15 am and was able to share a taxi with two Carnival Corporation beards (Miami executives). Carnival even paid for the taxi...thanks again.  I had an early afternoon flight from New Orleans to DFW, then a commuter flight to Waco.  I had time to begin catching up on the internet with airport Wifi, but finally arrived in Waco and made the one hour drive back to Bosque County and the ranch.  Much easier than the trip to Barcelona at the beginning.

Ship / Cruise
Of course the Carnival Sunshine is the reincarnated Carnival Destiny.  She had an extended refit adding extended decks, new cabins, refurbishing, updates, and a NEW name.  Are there still a few kinks to work out?  Yes.  I saw the buckets catching water leaks on several occasions and other items that needed repair, but  it wasn't enough to effect the enjoyment of the cruise.  Also added to the Carnival Sunshine were all the 2.0 features such as a Red Frog Pub, Ocean Plaza, Waterworks, Guy’s Burger Joint, JiJi’s Asian Kitchen, and more.  I wonder if they did not try to do too much, they have a wide variety of venues, but most are smaller than one would expect on this size of ship.  The Liquid and Limelight lounges are much too small.  I really enjoyed the 7:00 pm start time for feature shows for late seating guests. They had a lot of Trivia sessions, Crafts, Lectures by Micky-Live, and activities to keep passengers busy during the crossing.  Weather also cooperated with lots of good deck time and deck activities available each day.  It was a very nice transatlantic crossing.

Cabin
I had cabin 5335 one of the new cabins located aft on deck five. Basically a standard Carnival cabin with three closets, safe, drawers, mini-refrigerator, couch, a new style table, night stands, and queen/twin bed. This is the only Carnival ship with cabins located on the promenade deck.  Good location as deck 5 traffic goes from forward to aft and it’s next to Ocean Plaza.  First thing I noticed is that it is an adjoining cabin although it was not shown as one on the original deck plans.  I try to avoid adjoining as you usually lose your couch because of the door; however, the new design has the door opposite the bed so you do not lose any cabin space and I never heard my neighbors. After retuning I noticed that the newer revised deck plans do show this correctly.  The thermostat and cooling system worked very well, but I did bring my fan that helped with circulation.  Poor selection of movies on the cabin flat screen television and it is NOT interactive so you can not check your Sail & Sign account or check menus, etc.  I heard several opinions on various cabins during the course of the cruise and some had cooling or drainage problems, but mine was fine.  I know that the deck 6 cabins above the new Ocean Plaza are NOW very noisy...avoid these.  A few buckets in the passageways will probably be a fact of life on this ship until they trace down all the leaks, it’s a minor inconvenience and not disruptive to cruise life.

Crew
The crew were great.  Carnival has done a great job in training, it is noticeable, and the primary reason along with value to cruise on Carnival.  My MDR headwaiter Kaz was very professional and efficient. One of the best I have had.  The Alchemy bartender Daniel is now one of my all time favorites, but all were great.  Cruise Director Jamie Dee is a star and now #1 in my book.  She is energetic, professional, easy on the eyes, a great host, and all one needs in a CD.  I liked that she had a entertainment and highlights plan that was given at the beginning that outlined the 16-day cruise.

Food
Overall I did not find the food as good as on the Carnival Legend last month.  As I mentioned in that review, Carnival food many times is ‘hit or miss’.  That was a hit, this cruise was good, but many times closer to a miss. MDR service was very good though.  I really liked all the breakfast options: MDR-regular, MDR-brunch, Blue Iguana, Lido Marketplace, Ocean Plaza, Havana Bar, and three omelette stations.  I liked the availability of Canadian Bacon too.  Lunch also has a lot of options.  I loved my two dinners in the the specialty locations: Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and JiJi’s Asian Kitchen, well worth the additional charge.

Needs Improvement

1. The venue for the Punchliner’s Comedy Club is much too small.  Once she begins her Caribbean sailings with 95% english speakers the demand for space  will be even greater.  
2. It would be nice to have an interactive TV system so that you can check the status of your onboard account or something as simple as the dinner menu.  I doubt that is in the future though. 
3. The Waterworks were advertised to be open from 9:00 to Sundown (or  5:00 pm) each  day in the FunTimes yet was only open a few days and only a few hours on those few days.  Weather was good so not a factor.  Don’t know the true problem.  The fresh water is nice, but if it’s the problem go back to salt water, not that big of a deal.
4. The primary aft dining room should be for set time diners especially now that Your Time dining seems to have peaked and the majority of guests are now repeat and not first timers.

Cruise Highlights (for me)

1. Meeting new friends and seeing previous cruise friends
2. Carnival Crewmembers
3. The Alchemy Bar
4. Mijas Excursion
5. Great Breakfast & Lunch options

Comments
The Carnival Sunshine is promoted as the only ship in the Carnival fleet with ALL the Funship 2.0 improvements.  True and they are very nice, but perhaps it was too ambitious as many of the venues are in my opinion too small to accommodate many guests.  Hopefully the variety of venues will spread demand...we will see.  She is a great choice as a 'sampler' or beginners cruise. I do believe the space/venue problems will become more acute once she sails the Caribbean itineraries. I will be back to back on the Sunshine for the John Heald Bloggers Cruise in February and that will be fun with the Snoozemates and other Blogger friends, but I really don’t see myself booking the Sunshine as a destination ship beyond that.  Too many other choices closer to my home ports in Texas. 

Did I have fun on this cruise?  You bet I did!!

~Thanks to ZydecoCruiser and other friends for photos~

(click on photos to see full size)

Epilogue:  I no more than posted this with my final comments when I actually booked the Carnival Sunshine again for 19 January 2014.  Goes to show that aggressive marketing works.  It my case it was the no solo supplement offer...that makes it a great value.  It is unusual though that the newest Carnival ship is already using promotions and discounted fares.