Carnival Dream Cruise Review

  Carnival Dream Cruise Review

July 13, 2014

Just The Facts
Ship:  Carnival Dream
Ship Captain:  Luigi DeAngelis
Cruise Director:  Mat Seguin
Ports: New Orleans, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay,
Weather:  Very good all week

This is my 46th Carnival cruise, 93rd cruise overall, but my first time on the Carnival Dream. The ‘dear wife’ (DW) and I are sailing with friends from Bosque County.

Day Zero--Saturday--Travel

We left the ranch about 8:15 am, picked up our friends, and headed south using some pretty Texas blue highways. We had a very nice lunch at McKenzie’s in Conroe, Texas...the BBQ Pork Ribs  and their attached family Bakery are wonderful.  We had an uneventful trip until we reached Lafayette, Louisiana where Interstate 10 was closed due to an accident and spill on a bridge.  As this was near the beginning of the Atchafalaya Basin there are few roads with bridges crossing the area.  Traffic was bad, but we eventually used some back roads to get to Henderson where we ate at the institution: Pat's Fishermans Wharf located on the Atchafalaya Levee.  Unfortunately the entry to I-10 was also closed in Henderson, but the bartender at Pat’s (I believe it was Pat’s son Harvey) with his heavy cajun accent, gave us directions how to cross the levee and take a back road to the next I-10 entry.  It was a very interesting detour through the bayou but we were successful and once again traveling on the interstate highway. Soon we crossed the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge and arrived in Gonzales, Louisiana about 7:10 pm. to stay overnight at the new LaQuinta.  A little longer travel day than was originally planned, but we had two nice meals and had a little adventure.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation

Carnival Dream Lobby

I was up very early (4:00am) so I updated cell phones while I had the chance (very limited bandwidth at home), ate breakfast, and serviced the car before meeting our friends. We left Gonzales about 9:00 am for the easy one hour drive to NOLA and the cruise terminal arriving just before 10:00 am.  We parked at the official port of NOLA Julia Street Terminal.  It is pricey @ $16.00 a day, but it has a baggage drop, covered parking, 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.  About 11:15 they began announcements and as soon as the large wedding party boarded began boarding suites, platinum & diamond guests. There were a lot in these categories, but it went well, followed by the FTTF guests.  We went strait to our cabin and it was ready and waiting for us. In fact Ryan the cabin steward greeted us by name as we walked up.  The cabin is next to the forward bank of elevators so it’s a convenient location although I would prefer aft.  We unloaded our carry on bags and were soon on our way to the Mongolian Grill for lunch.  There was already a line and by the time we left there was already a LONG line to get to the Mongolian.  It was very good as usual and I will have to be clever to eat here again.  It was time to explore the ship so we checked the Lido deck, walked the Promenade deck, then down to the Lobby Bar for a cocktail and Thirsty Frog beer.  We returned to the cabin and very soon (1:30ish) the first bag arrived, in the parking garage I asked the porter to attach extra VIP labels that I knew they have as the printed Priority Tags are sometimes overlooked. The second bag arrived 15 minutes later so we could unpack, hang clothes, and settle into the cabin while watching the finals of the World Cup on the cabin TV.  Since I was up so early it was now nap time until they began announcements for Safety Drill.  Germany scored in extra time just before they shut off the TV’s for muster drill so timing was good there.  We sailed away about 5:00 and DW went up to Lido to meet our friends at the sail away party and we all met later in the Lobby Bar for drinks.  We have late dining (8:15pm) in the Scarlett Dining Room (MDR) at a nice ten-top table near the center of the lower level.  It is the 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, the Grecko Chicken, 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.  We retired soon after dinner to get some last minute internet time and rest.

Day Two--Monday--Fun Day at Sea

Martyn Lucas

Very calm in the Gulf of Mexico and we had a very good nights sleep.  Nice and sunny today and quickly warming.  DW always orders room service and we were still asleep when it came at 8:30 am. so we had a nice casual morning. I left a bag of laundry at the door and went to the SeaDay Brunch in the MDR about 10:00 am.  I ordered my usual Fruit Plate, Steak & Eggs, and side of Bacon.  It was very good.  I did a short walkabout  and it must be a very full ship as there are guests everywhere: Sun & Lido decks, Promenade deck, Casino, et al. This afternoon we had cabin time watching a movie and balcony time as well.  I have never seen the gulf water so flat and calm, it looked amazing. We ordered room service BLT’s & snacks and they also delivered the Platinum ‘Elegant Night’ sweets early so we had a very easy relaxing day.  We met our friends in the Lobby Bar for cocktails then went to see the production show Eight More Seconds in the Encore Theater. It’s an excellent western themed show with a full orchestra, a dozen great dancers, and two feature singers.  The show had lot’s of colorful costumes, dances, songs, and a feature fiddler.  It was the Captain’s Elegant Night menu and as usual good selections from the menu.  I ordered the White Stuffed Mushroom, the Spaghetti Carbonara, the Prime Rib, and Cherries Jubilee.  Of course Lobster was on the menu and a popular item.  Dinner was good, but service was better.  After dinner we went to Sam’s Piano Bar to see Martyn Lucas.  He was an excellent performer, much more than a just a piano bar player.  The DW is NOT a piano barbarian, but she insisted on staying through three sets, I enjoyed him as well, I would say it was much more of a ‘Nightclub Performance’ than a sing-along Piano Bar entertainer.  When we returned to the cabin we had some goodies from John Heald and some special gifts from the Carnival Dream Team staff in lieu of a Diamond event.  Very fair and I’m a happy cruiser.  A FUN day on the Carnival Dream.

Day Three—Tuesday—Cozumel. Mexico

Buccanos Beach Club - Cozumel

Another good nights sleep and again very smooth seas as we are entering the Caribbean.  We were docked before 7:00 am although I did not wake until 7:30 so it must have been smooth.  We are docked next to the Carnival Conquest at Puerto Maya.  DW had her usual room service breakfast and our friends and I went to the MDR for breakfast, I ordered the Eggs Benedict+ and they were very good.  We left the ship about 9:30 am and took a taxi ($16+) to Buccanos Beach Club located in the Zona Hotel Norte area of Cozumel.  We got a nice outdoor table in the shade and enjoyed the beautiful view, some guacamole & chips, cervezas, and more.  I actually swam from the beach out to the far buoys enjoying the Caribbean water for the first time in several visits to Cozumel.  It was very enjoyable.  The ship had a very early departure time of 3:00 pm so we returned about 1:30 to allow a little shopping time for the ladies at Puerto Maya.  I returned to the ship and ordered some BLT’s from room service and fortunately the buffet lines on Lido were still open so DW was able to get a nice salad from the salad bar.  The extended buffet hours are a good idea since there is no food venue similar to Guy’s to quickly feed a large number of guests.  There was time for a nap before cocktail hour by the piano bar and dinner.  For dinner tonight I ordered:  French Onion Soup, Fruit Cocktail, Penne Marscos (as starter), Sliced Braised American Beef Short Ribs, and Banana Split for dessert.  The production show was a Hypnotist, but we retired after dinner.

Day Four--Wednesday--Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Dancing in the Streets - Carnival Dream

Again calm seas and a good nights sleep. I went to the MDR for breakfast and enjoyed a ‘country’ breakfast ordering Fried Eggs, Bacon, Corned Beef Hash, Hash Browns, & Toast.  Very Good.  As I returned from breakfast I could see guests lined up to get their tender tickets to get to the island.  Guests with Carnival Excursions met in the theater and all others went to the aft lounge to get a tender number.  I understand many waited for well over an hour to get a tender ticket.  We had an easy morning as we are staying on board ship.  I did take a nice walking tour of the ship while most guest were off the ship visiting the upper decks, slide areas, and Serenity Deck.  For lunch today we went to Pasta Bella the Italian venue on deck 11.  This is similar to what became the Cucina del Capitano Italian  Restaurants on subsequent Carnival ships such as the Magic and Breeze.  It is not open for dinner, but the lunch offerings were very good. We had cabin and balcony time in the afternoon.  It was really too hot to enjoy the balcony for an extended time, but it was nice to view the beautiful water from the cabin.  We met our friends for cocktails in the lobby at 6:00 then got good seats for the 7:00 pm production show: Dancing In The Streets.  This was a very unique show featuring the talented Dream Dance team, the urban dance troupe Fun Force, the two featured production Singers, and the Dream Orchestra.  This urban themed production is a fantastic show, one of the best I have seen on a Carnival ship and certainly not to be missed.  It was now time for dinner, tonight I ordered two Shrimp Cocktails, the Lasgna Bolognese (as starter), the Petite Filet Mignon and Braised Boneless Short Rib entree.  After dinner DW went to see the late movie, Monument Men, on the Lido deck big screen. 

Day Five--Thursday--Montego Bay, Jamaica
Another good nights sleep and calm Caribbean seas.  We were docking at 8:00 am when I went down to the MDR for breakfast and ordered another ‘country’ breakfast. It was again very good.  DW is staying on the ship today as are many other guests, I’m just walking over to Partners Restaurant & Bar to use their high speed internet ($2-$4).  I stayed for several hours and also had Fried Chicken with Rice & Peas (Red Beans & Rice) for lunch.  For one Ting, one Red Stripe beer, my lunch, and unlimited internet it was $20…very fair I thought.  I was really the only passenger guest although several crew were there…nice to keep this place as a ‘secret’ for a while.  I have still been having trouble with a sore knee and just as I arrived at the gangway from the walk back to the ship my calf muscle cramped on me.  Now I’m really limping and in pain.  Fortunately it wasn’t too busy and an elevator came strait-away and I went from deck 0 to deck 8 and back in the cabin easily.  After a refreshing shower on this very hot day it was time to exercise and medicate the calf muscle.  I did make it down to the Lobby Bar for cocktails, but retired to the cabin following.  We didn’t go to the MDR tonight so I ordered Grilled Reuben sandwiches from room service for dinner, served with potato chips and were very good.  It was massage and TV night in the cabin this evening.

Day Six—Friday--Fun Day at Sea

Scarlet Dining Room - Carnival Dream

Again smooth seas overnight.  My leg is feeling better this morning.  We had chilled a bottle of wine overnight and met our friends for the Sea Day Brunch about 10:00 am in the Scarlet Dining Room.  Rarely does DW make an appearance for a MDR breakfast, she had a cheese omelette & cheese grits and I had the Steak & Eggs.  We visited the shoppes on Promenade deck and I went by Guest Services to put some $ in our account.  For lunch we went to the Lido buffet and each made a nice salad from the salad bar, I also had some Indian food from the Tandoor food station. The decks were full with guests enjoying the weather, but the hot sun was on the balcony so it was a relaxing reading afternoon inside the cabin for us.  We met our friends for cocktails in the Lobby bar then went to the theater to get close seats for the final production show: Get Ready. This was another new show to me and was a very good show. It featured the LIVE orchestra, Dream dancers, & Dream production singers…all very good.  We did make it to the Scarlett MDR tonight for dinner, DW ordered the Spanakopita & Rice and I ordered Escargot, Penne Siciliana (as a starter), the Chateaubriand entree, and baked Alaska for dessert.  After dinner they had the Mardi Gras Party in the Lobby & Atrium that we could see from our deck 8 landing, we participated on our previous cruise from NOLA so only observed and listened to the music for a brief time. 

Day Seven--Saturday--Fun Day at Sea
It was smooth seas again and I had another very good nights sleep.  As this is our final day, this morning I reviewed my ship account on the interactive TV system.  I also updated email 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, ordering Eggs Benedict with a side of Bacon and Corned Beef Hash.  This morning the ship had it’s Green Eggs & Ham breakfast featuring Dr. Seuss Characters in the Scarlet MDR.  This is a  great idea for families with younger children.  Yesterday they set a record serving 2000+ in the SeaDay Buffett and I thought that it would not be as busy today with the special Dr. Seuss breakfast, but when I left at 10:00ish the MDR was full with a line beyond the rear lobby area to the stairwell. It is a very good menu and extended times so I can see the popularity.  It helps with lunch demand as does the BBQ on Ocean Plaza on SeaDays.  Our friends joined us for lunch today at Pasta Bella for an Italian Lunch and it was prepared very well.  A casual day on ship and it clouded up, but the decks were again full of guests.  The deck five Ocean Plaza offers a great outdoor location to relieve the crowds on Lido deck.  They have four hot tubs and showers as well as loungers on deck five.  The VIFP party was held in the Encore Theater at 4:30.  It was the usual format and I was the only Diamond Guest on board.  Afterwards we met for Cocktails in the Lobby, visited with other guests, and stayed for the Fun Force break dancing show.  It was quite amazing.  Final dinner tonight was good, I ordered the Grilled Chicken Breast on Fettuccine as starter and two entrees: Panko Crusted Jumbo Shrimp and Roasted Prime Rib of Beef.   DW and friends attended the Carnival Legends show, but I retired to the cabin since we are now in the Mississippi River and I had wifi from my personal hotspot so checked some late email and arranged some items to pack for the following morning.

 Debarkation

Ranch Hand- Chicken-fried Steak

We arrived back in NOLA very early.  It was a really great view of NOLA at dawn as we sailed by Lafayette Square and downtown. I was up early and finished packing by 6:30 then went to Lido for my only omelet of the week. It was very good.  They began calling self-debark guests about the time I made it back to the cabin so our little group soon met and we headed to deck three about 7:45 am. The timing was excellent as we went straight through the lobby and onto the gangway.  They had the casual inspection at Customs and we were soon to the elevator and at 4B our parking area and car by 8:00 am.  Overall debark went very smooth and we were soon on Interstate 10 heading to Texas. We stopped for lunch at the Ranch Hand Cafe near Cleveland, Texas for a very interesting and delicious lunch.  I had a very good large Chicken-fried Steak (see photo).  We arrived at our friends place in Bosque County about 6:30 pm and after some shopping in town were home at the ranch soon afterward.

Crew / Staff / Entertainers
I found the crew to be very good.  My cabin steward team lead by Ryan was excellent, one of the best I have had on Carnival.  Our MDR waiters were good.   I didn't interact with staff or Guest Services very much.  My first time to see Mat the CD and he was good.  The entertainers are where this ship excels. The full orchestra, full dance team, and feature singers are all very good.  The Fun Force guys (break dance) were very different and what a great surprise with Martyn Lucas, former Phantom of the Opera performer from London's West End, in the Piano Bar.  Amazing entertainment.

Food / Drink
I have been spoiled having a Guy’s burger on board the past dozen Carnival cruises I have taken.   They make all other venues better, for example on the Dream there were long lines at the Pizza, Deli, and Grill locations.  Also room service took a minimum of 30 minutes, I know it is less on ships with a Guy’s.  After 46 Carnival cruises the MDR food has become very routine to me and I really don’t get excited about it as I used to do.  The quality has fallen over the years as well, but there are some very nice selections on the menu.  I did enjoy the Pasta venue and room service was good.  Our friends enjoyed the Steakhouse.

Cabin
We had cabin 8267 a category 8C Balcony on deck 8 very near the elevators.  The cabin is the usual Dream Class layout with door at balcony, full couch, three closets, nice table, bed stands with lamps (mentioned as these are going away in some categories), push button safe, mini refrigerator, and stool at dresser/desk.

Cruise Highlights
Productions Shows especially Dancing In The Streets
Piano Bar with Martyn Lucas
Mongolian Grill

Lobby Bar

Another fantastic FUN cruise!!

Carnival Triumph Cruise Review

 Carnival Triumph

Cruise Review 6/21/2014

Just the Facts:

Ship: Carnival Triumph

Captain:  Allesandro Iemmi

Cruise Director:  Mike Pack

Ports: Galveston-Progreso-Cozumel-Galveston

This is my 45th Carnival cruise, the 4th time on the Carnival Triumph, and 92nd cruise overall.  I am cruising as a solo.

Saturday / Embarkation / Day 1

Galveston Harbor

I awoke early and was on the road about 6:10 am arriving at EZ Cruise Parking just after 10:30 am and was shuttled over to the ship straightaway.  I decided to carry my bag with me through check-in and not leave it with a porter.  I was checked in at the VIFP priority check-in area by 11:00 and it was not busy at all.  I’m the only Diamond guest and I guess there are few Platinums and FTTF’s. After a short wait we were escorted to the ship and I was in my cabin by 11:30.  It was smooth process.  After dropping my large bag I went straight to the Lido buffet for lunch before it got too busy.  There is no Mongolian Grill on Triumph so I had some Roast Beef, Chicken Tenders, and Fried Fish.  The Mustard Sauce for the chicken tenders was very good, but no tartar sauce for the fish.  The Blueberry Cobbler at the Desert Station was very good.  When I returned to the cabin a Housekeeping Supervisor was inspecting it.  Very efficient, although it looked good to me she’s requesting a deep cleaning.  Thanks.  I set up my cabin since I have my bag and spent some time on the internet using my mobile hotspot.  I also purchased an Excursion on the cabin television, I really like the interactive TV systems.  Since I’m the only Diamond guest I called Guest Services and made them a proposal: in lieu of a cocktail party, breakfast, or bridge tour with the Captain, I would be happy with a few cocktail vouchers for the Alchemy Bar.  That would save the Captain an hour of his busy schedule and I’m happy with that…they readily agreed.  Very soon afterward Jennifer from GS delivered the vouchers.  Wow nice guest services already provided from two departments.  I was headed to see the Matre’D about my dining room table (why would they seat the only Diamond guest upstairs on level two?) when I noticed that the Alchemy Bar was open.  Milos is still one of the bartenders so it was good to visit with him again.  Alexandrea who I just saw on the Freedom is server.  Unfortunately they are limited on the liquor they can use until we get 12 miles out to sea and because of TABC taxes they restrict the type of alcohol available to the bars.  Boat/Safety Drill was held about 4:00 pm.  Safety drill went smooth and very soon the Triumph was sailing from the port of Galveston on her way into the Gulf.   I did not see the usual escort of dolphins, but the Pelicans were more active than I have ever seen them.  Lots of them diving and catching fish, especially near harbor entry.  I enjoyed watching the sail away and very glad I got a balcony cabin.  I tried to take a wee nap, but at least rested.  The Welcome Show was scheduled for 7:30, but I have seen it previously so I went to the Alchemy Bar for aperitifs and used my Diamond guest drink vouchers  I met the other Alchemist, Marko, and had a nice time.  The Alchemy Bar is not near as busy as I am used to and I guess it is because with summer sailings there are more children taking berths & parents with children so fewer martini fans on board than a fall or winter cruise. I did not check nor change my dining table prior to going to the Paris dining room (MDR) and thought I would at least see it…worst table location on the ship.  I went to see the Kris the Matre’D and Ms. Natasha actually recognized me and immediately moved me to a better table on main floor. Natasha is a sweetheart and I was very courteous about the situation, but I am amazed that the ONLY Diamond guest on the ship is assigned the absolutely worst table in the MDR.  They blamed it on Miami, I will follow through on that. For dinner tonight I ordered: the Escargot, Gazpacho, the Lasagne Bolognese (as starter), Chicken a la Grecque entree (grilled Chicken over Pasta), and the Black Forrest Gateau for dessert.  Dinner was good and the service from head waiter David was excellent. Following dinner I wanted to go to the double headliner comedy show @ 11:00 pm with both Lester Bibbs and John Wessling, but I was so tired I retired after dinner. I will see them later this cruise.

Sunday / Fun day at Sea / Day 2

Milos and Marko  'Ziveli'

Very smooth seas overnight and an enjoyable long nights sleep. The excursion ticket I purchased on the interactive TV system yesterday was delivered under my door this morning. I was off to the Paris dining room for breakfast about 9:30 am. for the Sea Day Brunch and ordered a Bloody Mary, the Fruit Plate, and Steak & Eggs.  After breakfast I played some trivia and bought the Cheers   (almost unlimited liquor) Card  at the Casino bar.  I went to Guest Services and deposited some cash to my ship board account and stayed at the Lobby for for a few Bellinni morning cocktails.  I could use my toast Noroc as one of the bartenders was from Romania.  They delivered a plate of chocolate goodies for Elegant night and it’s great when you get them early in the day.  I watched some World Cup soccer on cabin TV and took a much needed nap.  For a late lunch I went up to Lido deck for a great Guy’s Burger and Fries and the decks were packed with guests.  At 4:00 pm it was time for the Alchemy Bar opening and I stopped by for an afternoon cocktail about 4:30ish, then back to the cabin to prep for the evening.  I went a little early to see the production show Wonderful World and got a nice 3rd row center seat. 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. The Can-Can was my favorite dance and Con Te Parte my favorite song.  I later visited with the female feature singer at the Alchemy Bar and complemented her on the song, she says it’s the one song she is a bit nervous to sing, but she does a wonderful rendition.  Elegant night dinner was good, I ordered: the Stuffed White Mushrooms, Pumpkin Soup, 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 off to the Punchliner Comedy Club to see comedian John Wessling, a very funny and entertaining show.  I also tried the Punchliner cocktail, why not with my Cheers program, but really not my ‘cup of tea’.  Finally to the Alchemy for a Deal Closer (or two) before turning in for the night.  The Platinum gift was delivered tonight: a Carnival Logo insulated coffee mug.

Monday / Progreso, Mexico / Day 3

Pyramid of the Soothsayer - Uxmal Mexico

Calm seas overnight and I slept very well but had to get up early for my excursion.  I ordered a light breakfast from room service as my wake up call and it was delivered about 7:00 am.  I have been to the Yucatan many times over the years, but have never been to the Mayan ruins of Uxmal so I booked the Carnival Uxmal & Haceienda Ochill excursion ($85.99 pp).  We met at 8:00 am in the Rome theater and were on our way just about 8:30.  It was about a 1.5 hour drive to Uxmal and the guide explained a lot about the Mayan culture on the way.  Uxmal is very impressive site, we saw: the Pyramid of the Soothsayer, the Nun’s Quadrangle, the Ball Court, the Palace of the Governor, the House of the Turtles, and more.  I was also interested in the local tree that was sacred to the local Mayan, as I have two of them hidden on my ranch (the ranch also sets on a limestone cap at the same elevation)  I will clean out the cedar growing around them when I return as the tree is beautiful if allowed to get sunshine and grow.  I also saw a very interesting blue bird with a long unique tail, the guide said they call it a Motmot bird that I later confirmed (click on link).  We were at the Uxmal site a total of about 1.5 hours and then proceeded to Hacienda Ochill a restored sisal plantation & production facility.  It is a beautifully landscaped site and we were served a very nice light Mayan luncheon. We were at the Hacienda an hour total before boarding the bus for the return to Progreso. I admit after this tour, my old legs and bum knee were in some pain. We arrived back at the pier an hour before sailing and boarding was smooth, I had expected lines.  I was told later by an ship officer and he said a record number, almost 1/3 of guests stayed on board. If you read my last review for a call here I stayed on board my last visit.  I was back in time to have a plain Guy’s Burger with fries, a very good late snack, then to the cabin to clean up from the hot day in the Yucatan. After some cabin time I went to the Alchemy Bar for a cocktail and people watching.  It was now dinner time and this evening I ordered Shrimp Cocktails, the Farfalla Pasta in Alfredo Sauce with Turkey, the Grilled Red Snapper, the Breaded Shrimp & Fries, and a Banana Split & Tiramisu for dessert.  Of course an Alchemy Bar nightcap: the Deal Closer before retiring.

Tuesday / Cozumel, Mexico / Day 4

Woody's - San Miguel, Cozumel

After being rocked to sleep overnight as we entered the Caribbean, we arrived early at the Puerto Maya pier and were docked before the scheduled 9:00 am arrival. We are docked next to the Carnival Dream and the Navigator of the Seas  and Carnival Legend are docked at the International Pier, the only four ships in Cozumel.  It will be a very hot and humid day 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, corned beef hash, and potatoes.  I left the ship about 10:00 and shared a taxi into San Miguel ($4 my share).  I went straight to Antonio’s Barber Shop and I got a haircut from my friend Martin ($7+).  He also told me the location of Similaries, the generic pharmacy, that sell prescription drugs at a huge discount, but the pharmacy next door Y&R matched the prices of the items I needed.  Next stop is Woody’s Bar & Grill to use their fast WiFi and have a few diet cokes and some Guacamole & Chips.  They had live music today at Woody’s, that’s new for day time and I don’t know if that will be a regular feature, but it was nice, Too soon it was off to the ship as it sails at 4:00 pm. My first stop was on deck 9 for a Guy’s burger and diet coke then to the cabin to clean up and cool off.  The VIFP party was held at 5:00 in the Club Rio Lounge for Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Guests.  Mike did a good job presenting the film, introducing the senior staff, and the ‘Live’ music by the show band was fantastic.  I sat with table mates near the front and since I knew I was the only Diamond guest I knew I would be senior guest.  I had my photo taken with the staff and surprise-surprise it was delivered to my cabin that evening.  I had already made a deal with the Guest Services Manager (GSM) for no special Diamond event so I was very pleasantly surprised when Captain Iemmi and some staff surprised me at my ‘hangout’ the Alchemy Bar for an aperitif. I think they knew I was always there at that time and I was very honored by their extra effort and attention.  I really enjoyed visiting with the Captain and also GSM Stephen who I discovered is a fellow Scotsman.  The Housekeeping Ops Manager, Beverage Ops Manager, Hotel Manager, & CD Mike were also there…very impressive. Thanks Carnival.  For dinner tonight I had Lobster Bisque, Penne Siciliana Pasta (as starter), Panko crusted Shrimp, the Chateaubriand, and Grand Marnier Souffle for dessert.  Stephen (GSM) sent a wee dram of Glen Morangie to my table…Slainte & thanks.  Tonight at 11:00 was the cabaret show A Kiss Good Night a fantastic show if you can get a seat.  After a final nightcap at the Alchemy Bar it was time for me to retire.  A great day.

Wednesday / Fun day at Sea / Day 5

Carnival Triumph theme decor

A calm night at sea.  The plan for the day is to do as little as possible, I feel like I may have a bug since I have a sore throat, and I suspect it may the fresh mango slices I purchased from a Mayan lady outside Uxmal.  I should have known better than to do that since my immune system is still not 100% since my rare tropical disease  (schistosomiasis) incident last year.  About 9:15 am I went to the MDR and I had my favorite Sea Day Brunch breakfast this morning: Fruit Plate, Steak & Eggs, and a side of Bacon & Corned Beef Hash. It was excellent. I returned to the cabin just to rest and update this review.  I had a nice nap and then went up to get a Guy’s Burger about 3:00 pm for late lunch. I spent some time on deck drinking a few ‘boat drinks’ and the frozen concoctions did feel good on my throat.  I saw the Variety Music with Ashby performance in the Lobby Bar, he was very good, not to be missed.  It was now 7:00 so I attended the final Production Show: The Big Easy. It was a very good show with a lot of costume changes and featured many songs associated with New Orleans.  Final dinner was good, I ordered the French Onion Soup, Penne Marisco as a starter, and the Veal Parmesan.  For dessert I had a Banana Split.  After dinner a final Deal Closer from Alchemy before turning in for the evening.

Thursday  /  Debarkation

I awoke at 6:30 and began packing soon afterward, it was obvious we would not arrive early, but probably closer to the 8:30 published arrival.  I had half a banana for breakfast and went down to the designated meet point for Diamond & Platinum guests in the London MDR by 8:00 am.  It was not busy there at all similar to embark and we were the first to leave the ship about 8:20 am. I was through US. Customs by 8:35 and at EZ Cruise parking by 8:50 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. The only two slight hiccups were: I used a birth certificate as I have my passport submitted for renewal and that can take longer and I had to have my truck jumped due to weak battery.  Neither took long since I was among the first at Customs and I was first by far at the EZ Cruise parking lot.  I stopped for gas ($3.38) at Raceway next to the bridge and was off the island at 9:08 am.  I met the DD and DW in Waco for lunch about 12:30 pm then following had a new battery & windshield wipers installed.  Home at the ranch about 4:30 pm.

CABIN

I have cabin 7397 a balcony located near the aft elevators on starboard side on deck 7.  A fair location, but I only booked the week of the cruise so good location for such a late booking. The cabin has a swipe type safe, twin/queen beds, no refrigerator (OK by me rarely use them), Three-section closet, Three Drawers,  Cabinet (new) with three shelves, Two Electrical Outlets (rare) on long Counter/Dresser, Bottle Opener, Medicine Cabinet, Small Table, Small Stool at Dresser, and nice Flat Screen TV with interactive features.  The cabin steward George was very good, the cabin was always clean and ice chest filled.  What is nice is that they seem to have eliminated the problem with door slammers on the balcony doors.  The doors are adjusted so that the returns hold the door very well, you may even have to physically close them yourself, but a much better option than the door slamming.  Whoever was the Ship Engineer that solved this problem needs to go fleet wide. I actually have a friend who no longer books balconies, only ocean view cabins (OV’s) because of the annoying door slammers.

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 I 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 9 member ship orchestra, 12+ production dancers, and two excellent feature singers.  Also very good bands and solo performers. 

CREW

The entire ship crew were very friendly, they can make the cruise more enjoyable. Waiters and Cabin stewards were very good.  Favorites this cruise were David my headwaiter; Milos, Marko, & Alexandrea in the Alchemy Bar; and MDR hostess Natasha.  The Ship Officers were fantastic…they really seem to enjoy their work and are very friendly.

SUMMER CRUISING

I do NOT normally cruise in the summer primarily for two reasons: Children and Pricing.  If school is not in session pricing is 25-40% higher than other months and of course there are lots of children and teens using 3rd & 4th berths in cabins.  Experienced cruisers such as myself usually avoid the summer; however, one can actually survive and enjoy a summer cruise.  Here are four recommendations:  Balcony-you must have a balcony so that you will have your own private space.  Forget about deck space and swimming pools, they will be packed.  On this cruise the aft pool was the teen pool and the main lido pool was families and small children.  Dining-late set time dining will be your best bet, fewer children. Also if you really want some sun & deck time you can go out about 6:00 pm when many go to early dinner.  Alchemy Bar-already one of my favorite places, the fact that they do not serve soda keeps the kids away.  Casino-I’m not usually a gambler, but I did spend some time in the casino this cruise, it’s kid free.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CRUISE

The Senior Staff surprising me at the Alchemy Bar was ‘over the moon’.

Alchemy Bar and staff.

Uxmal Excursion

MDR and Cabin Service.

Carnival Sunshine Review

Carnival Sunshine Review

May 30 - June 6, 2014

Just The Facts:
Ship:  Carnival Sunshine
Ship Captain: Isidoro Renda
Cruise Director: Jamie Dee
Ports: Port Canaveral, Aruba, Curaçao, Grand Turk
Weather:  Good

I won a Travel Agent contest last fall and this was a ‘freebie’ cruise for me.  At the time of winning I picked the longest available cruise at the time and it was this 8-day cruise on the Carnival Sunshine. This is my 5th cruise on the new Carnival Sunshine, 44th Carnival Cruise, and 91st cruise overall.  I am cruising as a solo and do have some good cruise friends on board.

Day Zero—Thursday—Travel
Since I have such an early flight on Saturday morning to Orlando from DFW airport I chose to drive up to the DFW Metroplex and take advantage of the Stay & Fly program at a LaQuinta Inn.  My rate was for one night accommodation and parking was $115+taxes, very fair I thought.  I left the ranch about 6:00 pm, late to avoid traffic and arrived about 8:30 pm.  My room was very nice.

Day One—Friday—Travel--Port Everglades—Embarkation

Port Canaveral, Florida

I had a 4:30 am wake up call to catch the 5:00 am shuttle to the airport since my boarding time was 7:00 am. (I thought the 6:00 shuttle would cut it too close.) It was a very easy security and bag check-in that early at DFW and I was at my gate by 6:00 am.  Complementary WiFi at DFW so the wait was fine.  My flight was great since I had an upgrade to 1st Class. To avoid bad weather we flew over Houston and Galveston Island then SE across the Gulf  arriving in Orlando just a little late about 11:30 am EST.  I met my friends who had flown in the evening before in the baggage claim area. A little concern when my bag wasn’t on the baggage belt, but it turned out my bag had taken an even earlier flight and was in the baggage office. No harm though as we had to wait for the Carnival shuttle bus that left about 12:15 pm.  It was about 55 minutes to the port and since we were behind the early crowd check in was very easy and we were on the ship by 1:30.  We were all familiar with the ship having just sailed on a B2B on the Sunshine earlier this year so we agreed to drop our bags and meet in the Havana Bar area for lunch.  My cabin is in my favorite area on deck 8 aft and next to the aft elevators.  I dropped my carry on bag and only had to go up one flight of stairs to the Havana Bar.  Surprisingly the lines for the Mongolian Grill were short so that was my choice for a very good lunch.  After lunch we went in search of the Steakhouse display and made reservations for dinner there this evening.  A subsequent  stroll down Promenade deck led to the pleasant surprise of seeing the Alchemy Bar open early.  We stopped and met the new Alchemist Gabriel and I had a welcome aboard Quick Fix cocktail.  Soon Miro the other Alchemist we have known for many cruises arrived and we were having so much FUN we almost got caught up in the Boat Drill.  I went to my cabin and met my Cabin Steward Dika and he had already placed my bag in the cabin.  Very soon we had cast off and began our sail away from Port Canaveral.  I made a quick telephone call home before we lost service then watched us sail through the port into the Atlantic. This is my first cruise from this port and overall impression is good.  I then began to unpack and settle into my cabin. The cabin is a standard Carnival balcony on starboard side and very comfortable especially for a solo.  The Welcome Show was at 7:30 pm in the Liquid Lounge, but knowing I could watch it later on cabin TV, I met my friends at the Alchemy for aperitifs and Gabriel fixed a special spicy cocktail that was very unique, I know a splash of jalapeño infused vodka was involved.  We had 8:30 reservations in the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse.  I ordered: the Escargot Bourguignon, the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, and the Broiled Prime New York Strip Loin Steak.  All were very good.  For dessert the three of us shared: the Cheesecake with Hazelnut Biscuit, Caramelized Washington Apples, and the Chocolate Sampler.  On the first TWO nights in the steakhouse they include a bottle of wine for the table.  A very nice evening.

Day Two—Saturday--Fun Day at Sea

Atrium Bar - Carnival Sunshine

Smooth seas and partly cloudy skies this morning and I enjoyed my 9+ hours of restful sleep. About 9:15 am I went down to Sunrise Dining Room (MDR) for the Sea-Day Brunch.  I ordered the featured Steak & Eggs and they were very good this morning.  The MDR was very busy and I thought that was unusual since there are more breakfast locations and choices on the Sunshine than any ship in the fleet. Guests will discover the other alternatives.  After breakfast I went to the lobby bar and purchased the Cheers Cocktail Program.  Since the Alchemy Bar is so fun and the fact this cruise is a freebie I thought I would splurge for it…so another Bloody Mary and some people watching from the lobby bar.  I went up to the Serenity Deck and it was packed, but a sudden small rain shower cleared the area for a new round of guests.  I enjoyed a soda and ginger ale at the Serenity Deck Bar (soft drinks are included in the Cheers program) and did some more people watching.  I had cabin time in the afternoon and began my notes for this review. They delivered some Elegant Night sweets to the cabin that were nice to have early in the day.  I met my friends at the Alchemy Bar at 6:30 and both the Bar and Ocean Plaza were packed.  We were fortunate to get a seat, but did so and enjoyed some wonderful cocktails by our Alchemists until dinner.  The reason that the Promenade area was packed with guests is that they have started a new program that you have to check in at a table on the Promenade Deck to get a table assignment for Your Time dining.  IMHO it was an disjointed mess:  Stand in line to make a reservation on Promenade, then wait to be called back to the table on Promenade, then receive a ticket with table assignment, then go down to the MDR to again stand in a long line to be seated.  We requested a table in center of the MDR as we knew the waiters and said we would wait as long as it takes to get that location.  Of course we were assigned a table completely away from that location, in fact, furthest away from the kitchen in a poor location. Very frustrating since we had gone to that much trouble.  That being said, George, our waiter (from Romania), was very good and provided great service.  I ordered The White Stuffed Mushrooms, Spaghetti Carbonara (as a starter), the Choice Prime Rib, and Banana Split for dessert.    After dinner it was to the Alchemy for a nightcap.  I had a Miro special Cherry Kiss and then a Deal Closer before retiring.

Day Three--Sunday—Fun Day at Sea

Red Frog Pub - Carnival Sunshine

A little rolling during the night and clear skies.  I went to the Sunrise MDR again for the Sea Day Buffet and had a Bloody Mary cocktail, Fruit Plate, a side of Bacon, and the Huevos Rancheros .  During breakfast the ship temporally lost power, but only for a few (10+) minutes.  Both the Captain and Jamie made announcements. When I returned to the cabin I left a message for the Matre’D hoping to get some help with dinner assignments.  I went to look at the shoppes and I had a diet coke and nice visit at the lobby bar with Ting and Feby who were working there on three of my previous Sunshine cruises. I stopped by the Taste Bar and got a very nice salad for lunch that I took to my cabin and ate on the balcony.  After a little TV time, I went by the Red Frog Pub (RFP) for a Banks beer then took a walk on deck and found it was packed everywhere on Lido and Serenity decks. Guests were enjoying the warm weather, there were many more people on decks than I ever saw on a NOLA sailing. I met our friends early  in the Alchemy so that we could check our dining arrangements when they opened on Lido deck.  Ante did arrange for use to get a table with I Gusti in the MDR; however, we would have to go to dinner early to guarantee it.  I don’t recall ever eating this early on a cruise, I can see why some request a table by the window, I’m used to it being dark when I dine.  The good news is that we have a very nice table location with a great waiter we know very well. They even assembled the old wait team from our recent B2B on Sunshine for photos.  After dinner we went to the Alchemy Bar for cocktails and the ‘regulars’ were all there so FUN times. We attempted to see the 9:15 Comedy show going 15 minutes early, but it was already full.  The venues are so small on the Sunshine and I refuse to stand in a line for 45 minutes to see a 30 minute comedy show.  The Motor City production show was also tonight at 9:15, a good show, but I’ve seen it a few times so I got a good bar seat location in the lobby to watch Jamie’s Mardi Gras Party.  Great fun and worth it just to see Jamie do the splits on the lobby bar.  Being used to late dinner it was a different experience this evening. 

Day Four—Monday—Aruba

Trolley in Oranjestad, Aruba

Seas were rolling a bit and cloudy skies this morning. I  went up to Lido to get a very nice Western omelette from the omelette station for breakfast.  Also a side of potatoes and bacon and still no bacon police on the Sunshine.  All was great.  I had cabin time this morning and prepared a bag of laundry to be sent out, complementary laundry is one of the better perks for Platinum and Diamond guests.  We docked about 12:15 and they opened the gangway about 12:45, a little before the scheduled 1:00 pm time.  I went up to the Mongolian Grill to get lunch about 1:00, the Mongolian is one of my favorites and not too busy on a port day.  I met my friends and we left the ship about 2:00 pm.  You debark right in the town of Oranjestad so the town is easily walkable.  Aruba has very nice beaches and locals were offering 2 hour island tours for $20 pp.  We chose to walk around the town and first stop was a small unique bar on the harbor for a pitcher of Heinekin beer.  We came across the local trolly car and rode it for a little tour of the city.  We then stopped at a bar called Mojitos for some of the local beer and use their Wifi.  Oranjestad seems to be in a restoration process with many buildings being remodeled, there can be a combination of nice properties, derelict buildings, and restorations all in the same block.  On any cruise call in Aruba, I would recommend a beach day or tour, you could skip the city except for a quick souvenir stop.  We returned to the ship about 6:00 and it was straight to the shower to clean up from a hot sticky day.  I went up to the Alchemy about 7:30 for an aperitif then to dinner about 8:00 pm.  Very slow in the MDR since we are actually still in port until 10:00 pm and we had our center table even though it was late, it did start filling up with late comers though.  I ordered the Tom Ka Gai (soup), Faralle Pasta with Turkey (as a starter), Beef Stroganoff and Bitter & Blanc and Tiramasi for dessert.  Other entree options were: Assorted Seafood Newburg Style, Baised Lamb, Fillet of Atlantic Salmon, and Black Bean & Vegetable Enchiladas.   After dinner it was a FUN night in the Alchemy Bar, the regulars were there and the Alchemists were concocting very unique cocktails.  It was 1:00 am before returning to the cabin.

Day Five—Tuesday—Curaçao

Willemstad, Curaçao

Windy weather and choppy seas overnight.  I slept very well and we were already docked when I  awoke about 9:00 am.  I relaxed then went up to the Lido to get breakfast from the Blue Iguana burrito bar.  About 10:15 I met my friends at the Lobby Bar for our adventure into town.  We are docked at the outer Mega Pier just a short walk into town through the Renascence Center and Fort Rif.  The town of Willemstad is a beautiful and clean city with unique old Dutch architecture.  We crossed the historic wooden swinging bridge into the old town that certainly has a European feel about it and looked around at the shoppes making our way to the Fish Market and outdoor fruit market.  Willemstad, Curaçao also has community Wifi so you can use the internet most everywhere, we stopped at a very nice outdoor restaurant, Eetcafe de Buren, located at one of the squares for a few beers and to update our email.  Good timing, I was able to live IM the wife back at the ranch, guess she has a rattlesnake problem, always something exciting happening there.  We looked around more of the old town on the way back to the wooden bridge and the ship.  I would certainly recommend any cruise call in Curacao as a ‘city’ day in Willemstad. Upon return to the ship a Guy’s Burger and diet Coke really tasted good.  I returned to the cabin to clean up and a little rest.  We had sail away about 4:00 and the ship had to really fight the high wind to get off the pier…interesting.  They had the VIFP party at 4:45 and I just popped in for a few minutes, but was able to speak with Jamie Dee for the first time, she really is a big asset to Carnival as one of the best Cruise Directors in the fleet.  No one is more energetic than Jamie.  It was off to the Alchemy Bar for an aperitif cocktail and meet my friends for dinner.  We asked for Senvile as our waiter and were assigned a very nice booth with both a view through the aft windows and also the main part of the MDR.  I like it, eating earlier is growing on me.  Senvile was our head waiter for our B2B in February and he really took care of us this evening…we had much more food than we ordered including:  two double Shrimp Cocktails, Wild Mushroom Creme Soup, Grilled Red Snapper Fillet, Panko Crusted Shrimp, and Petite Filet Mignon & Braised Boneless Short-Rib with Pumpkin Pie for dessert.  A lot to eat and I was actually ready to retire after all that, but the Alchemy was calling.  The feature show was magician Bobby Borgia, very entertaining, but I have seen him several times so direct to deck five.  Much quieter at the Alchemy this evening so after visiting with a few bar regulars, Miro, Gabriel, and Kunyakorn it was off to the cabin for sleep.

Day Six—Wednesday—Fun Day at Sea

Winsu - I Gusti - Senvile & Happy Guests

Somewhat smooth seas overnight, and a cloudy humid sea day.  I had a good 9+ hour nights sleep.  I went to the MDR for the Sea Day brunch and again had the Steak & Eggs, a great breakfast.  I went to Guest Services to place some cash in my Sign & Sail account and stopped at the lobby bar for a diet coke.  Knowing I was an Alchemy Bar fan they brought out a list of martinis that they did there.  I decided to go retro again and had a Brandy Alexander.  By now Trivia had started and some new friends were there so we became a team for three sets of trivia:  80’s Pop icons, Carnival Cruise Lines, & 90’s music. We did very well, it was an interesting and fun way to spend the day and I also got to see others from the FB roll call page.  It was almost 4:00 by the time I got back to the aft promenade deck and my friends had just finished the Martini classes at the Alchemy bar, so a congratulatory cocktail with the new graduates.  This is the second elegant night so it was time to prepare for dinner.  We requested and got a very nice 4-top table again with Senvile.  I ordered:  the Escargot, Shrimp Cocktails, the Chateaubriand with Sauce Bearnaise (also horseradish), and Baked Alaska for dessert.  I had to excuse myself as I was late for the Diamond Guest reception that began at 7:30 pm in Piano Bar 88. There are 22 Diamond Guests on this sailing and we enjoyed nice hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.  I met Captain Isidoro Renda who was the staff Captain previously on the Carnival Sunshine, a very nice man from Sicily.  I also didn’t waste the opportunity to let the hotel director know my opinion on the Your Time dining situation.  He did say that ‘beards’ (executives) from Miami were coming on board to review that very situation.  For Example: tonight the line to get a ticket for the MDR went from the Taste Bar to the casino by 5:20 so at least they started issuing them a little early.  Then when we were later in the MDR the line to be seated went from the MDR entry to the elevators, not a good system overall.  Following dinner I enjoyed an after-dinner cocktail at the Alchemy Bar then I returned to Piano Bar 88 as I had heard good things about the piano player and I’m so glad I did…she is wonderful.  Sing-a-long Piano with Sonjia is her gig on the ship.  I highly recommend an evening in the Piano Bar if you have the opportunity to see her.  A final nightcap and I retired to listen to some music in the cabin before retiring.

Day Seven—Thursday--Grand Turk

JiJi's Mongolian Grill available for lunch

Smooth seas overnight and nice partly cloudy weather in Grand Turk.  We were already docked when I awoke about 7:30 am.  I’m in no rush as I usually get off in this port after lunch since the only real option here is a beach day. I had a nice omelet from the omelet station and took it to the Blue Iguana for some fresh pico de gallo.  Visited with old and new friends as it seems many have the same idea about no rush to debark.  I had cabin  and balcony time this morning and watched the Carnival Glory dock next to us.  At noon I went up to get a nice Mongolian Grill, a bit busy since crew eat there on port days, but really the time to eat without a long waiting line.  With it being overcast and me still nursing a bad knee I’ve decided to just stay on board this afternoon.  Some reading and relaxation with a visit to the Red Frog Pub for a cocktail.  The RFP was a great location for watching the action on the beach below and I swear I could see Topher on the Jack’s Shack beach.  We sailed away as scheduled at 4:00 pm and my balcony is pier side with the Carnival Glory opposite, always cool to hear the ships horn and farewells from ship to ship. Tonight we ate later getting our four top table with Senville about 8:15 pm, close to our usual dining time for cruises.  Tonight I ordered:  two Shrimp Cocktails, Potage Saint Germain (Pea Soup), Barbecued Cornish Game Hen, Grilled NY Sirloin Steak, and Bread Pudding Cake with Ice Creme for dessert.  A very good meal and after only one Deal Closer from the Alchemy it was time for me to retire.

 Day Eight—Friday--Fun Day at Sea

Serenity Pool - Carnival Sunshine

Partly cloudy and occasional showers in the area, but over all a nice day.  I was up early and had a nice omelet in the Havana Bar then went to the Excursion desk to many queries about the Space Center tour with airport drop off.  I have a late flight on Saturday.  I met my friends for in the Lobby Bar then we went to the final Sea Day Brunch in the Sunrise Dining Room, I ordered a Bloody Mary, the wonderful Flaming Tomatoes Soup, the Hey Pork Chop, and Banana Creme Pie for dessert. More of lunch for me and it was very good.  I still have all the magazines I brought along so I read this afternoon and enjoyed the balcony.  A nice easy relaxing afternoon. I did go to the Lobby bar to hear Guitar Music with Adam and enjoy a cocktail. Time for an aperitif then our final dinner of the cruise.  We ate about 8:00ish with Senior Head Waiter Senvile and for dinner tonight I ordered the New England Crab Cake, the Prime Rib, Panko Crusted Jumbo Shrimp, and Grand Mainer Souffle. Very good dinner.  Tonight is probably the best Production Show: Epic Rock.  All four Playlist Production shows on the Carnival Sunshine are very entertaining.  Final nightcap and good-byes at the Alchemy before retiring.  It was my goal to reach the limit on my Cheers program today since I had not come close and I did make that goal.  Time to retire to the cabin.

Debarkation — Saturday—Port Canaveral, Florida
We were docked early this morning and I was up early enough to go to the MDR for a nice breakfast this morning.  I’m doing self debark and I think more than half the ship is as well.  I had to go by Guest Services this morning to have two laundry charges removed, but I got to visit CD Jamie as she was doing a thorough job with announcing the debarkation.  Amazing that she can take the time for guests even when in the middle of such a job.  I was off the ship, through Customs, and on a Airport shuttle by 9:30 am.  Pretty smooth actually and Port Canaveral had three ships this morning.  I was too early to check bags for my 4:50 pm flight so a nice lunch and internet time.  I did get another 1st Class upgrade that made the flight very nice.  We arrived at D/FW about 7:30 CST and I had just a short wait for my shuttle.  A two hour drive and I was at the ranch about 10:00 pm.

Ship
Complete Redesign: May 2013 - formerly the Carnival Destiny (1996)
Passenger Capacity: 3,002 | Onboard Crew: 1040  |  Length: 892 feet
Gross Tonnage: 102,853 tons  | Cruising Speed: 22.5 knots
Always kept very clean and ship shape.  Largest Serenity Deck in the fleet, Great water works area, Multiple food venues including Guy’s Burgers, and updated public areas.

Crew / Staff
All the crew and staff were very efficient and professional.  My cabin stewards did a great job.  My head waiters & staff were wonderful and very professional.  I have never been greeted by name more by a wider variety of staff and crew than I was on this cruise.  Some may have remembered me from previous cruises, but many are new to the ship.  I know Carnival is emphasizing this, but this ship is truly amazing.

Cabin
I had cabin 8299 a category 8D balcony located right at the aft elevator and stairwell on deck 8.  I like this location as your only one deck below the Lido buffet for food, ice, drinks, etc..  It’s a standard Carnival balcony cabin with: a three section wardrobe, full couch, punch code safe, Flat screen TV, hair dryer, and small stool for desk/vanity.  The bathroom door opens inward that can take space away.  They installed a new digital thermostat while on the cruise, not sure how much of an improvement that will be, but to me, it got warm during the night.

Dining Rooms
There have already been three changes to assigned dining on this ship. First it was in the Sunset MDR (Europe & Transatlantic), then the Sunrise MDR (from NOLA), and now back into the Sunset.   I have already mentioned the current jumbled mess:  Stand in line to make a reservation on Promenade, then wait to be called back to the table on Promenade, then receive a ticket with table assignment, then go down to the MDR to again stand in a long line to be seated.  I suspect they require check in on Promenade because after arrival in New Orleans and before they moved the assigned to Sunrise, many guests actually just ignored the assignments and seated themselves taking over the Sunrise dining room.  Worst night is first formal night by far and It did seem to get somewhat better the later in the cruise, but primarily because many people gave up on the system.  The beard (executive) who authorized the two-top tables in Sunrise needs to admit the mistake and make the change.  I know Your-Time dining was becoming very popular at that time, but that trend has now peaked.  The food on Carnival ships is usually good to very good and this cruise was typical.  Guy’s Burgers, Mongolian Grill, and Room Service was very good to excellent.  The entire MDR service team was excellent and wait service was wonderful everywhere on ship.

Comments
As mentioned this is my 5th cruise on Sunshine so I didn't do a lot of activities or go to many shows, please read all 5 reviews for a wider perspective of this ship.  The Freedom cruises I just took from Fort Lauderdale was a mixture of guests from across the US and Florida, this cruise was very much a Florida resident value cruise.  Just my observation and somewhat a generalization, but they tend to concentrate on cruise basics: the sun decks, the casino, and the MDR for most meals.   They didn’t tend to take advantage of all the alternatives offered on the Sunshine and it was very crowded in the three venues mentioned.  Very crowded.  This was my 5th cruise on the Sunshine, but I doubt I return, at least not until they change the Dining Room assignments.

Cruise Highlights:
Carnival Sunshine Officers, Staff, & Crew
Sunrise MDR service: Senior Head Waiter Senvile, Head waiter I Gusti, &  Wisnu
Alchemy Bar & staff: Miro, Gabriel, & Kunyakorn
The port of Curacao

Mongolian Grill  (JiJi's)

Pastelitos de Guayaba y Queso from the Havana Bar

The End

Carnival Sunshine - June 2014

 

 Carnival Sunshine Alchemy Bar

Great Alchemy team on Carnival Sunshine of Miro and Gabriel.
Kunyakorn very good bar back.  (she's in video)

Here's video of Gabriel pouring 12 drinks on Thursday.

Review will follow soon.......

Carnival Freedom Review

 Carnival Freedom Review
May 10 & 18, 2014

Just The Facts
Ship:  Carnival Freedom
Ship Captain (5/10 cruise): Rosario Arena
Ship Captain (5/18 cruise): Candeloro Donato
Cruise Director: Skip Lyons
Ports (5/10 cruise): Ft. Lauderdale, St. Martin, St. Thomas, San Juan,
Ports (5/18 cruise): Ft. Lauderdale, Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel
Weather:  Good

I had never sailed the Carnival Freedom and she has just come from dry dock getting most of the Carnival 2.0 updates so this is a perfect time, especially since they have just announced that she will be moving to my local home port of Galveston, Texas next year.  I was anxious to experience the new Carnival Freedom.  I am doing a B2B cruise beginning with an 8 day followed by a 6 day cruise.  I will review both cruises in this one review.  These are my 42nd and 43rd Carnival Cruises and 89th and 90th cruises overall.  I am cruising as a solo taking advantage of a zero single supplement promotion by Carnival.  I do know some guests and crew on board.

Day One—Saturday--Travel--Fort Lauderdale Embarkation

Port Everglades - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

I left the ranch at 4:06 am for the drive to Waco Regional Airport arriving at 5:00 am for my 6:00 am flight.  I like this small airport with free parking and very easy check-in.  We were boarded by 5:50 am and on our way to Dallas for the 8:45 AA flight to Miami.  I was moved to a exit row so had plenty of leg room on the Miami flight.  We arrived about 12:30 (EST) and after claiming my bag went to the Carnival kiosk and was checked in for my cruise by 1:15. Most arrivals were for the Carnival Breeze sailing from Port of Miami today.  I had purchased a Carnival transfer since I was at the Miami airport (not the closer Ft. Lauderdale) and actually had a bus to myself arriving at the port about 2:30 pm.  Boarding was a breeze as I was behind the crowds and had checked-in at the airport so I was in the lobby entry before 3:00 pm.  I was quite hungry so I dropped my carry-on bag at my cabin and went straight to the Comfort Kitchen.  It was Italian theme day at the Lido buffet so I had a nice selection and sliced Roast Beef from the carving station.  It was good.  I had an ice creme for dessert as I briefly walked around to find the locations of two of my favorites: Mongolian Grill and Guy’s Burgers.  Both were getting brisk business.  I returned to my cabin to change into cooler clothes and my luggage had arrived.  The extra VIP tape on your Priority luggage tags really work.  I now just took the opportunity to unpack  and set up my cabin especially since ‘Safety Drill’ was to be held about 3:45 pm.  I was soon unpacked, met my cabin steward, and had a much needed nap until sail away.  The movement of the ship awoke me once we had left the port so I enjoyed watching the Florida coast getting smaller from my balcony.  I prepared for dinner and went for what I thought was early cocktails at the Alchemy Bar. Soon after I was served my Quick Fix cocktail people began leaving for dinner…I discovered I was an hour off the time as I was still on Central Time.  My snooze was longer than I thought and our sail away was late, after 6:00 pm local time.  All was well as I made it to dinner in the Posh Dining Room (MDR).  For dinner I ordered the Linguini with Italian Sausage, Bell Peppers & Mushrooms (entree as a starter), Cream of Sun Ripened Tomatoes (Soup), the Sweet & Sour Shrimp entree, and two desserts: the Creme Brulee and Black Forest Gateau.  All were very good.  The Welcome Show was at 10:00 pm in the Victoriana Theater, but knowing I could watch it later on cabin TV, I retired to the cabin to make notes and rest.

Day Two—Sunday--Fun Day at Sea

Atrium Bar - Carnival Freedom

Smooth seas and partly cloudy skies this morning and I enjoyed my 9 hours of restful sleep. About 9:00 am I went down to MDR for the Sea-Day Brunch.  I ordered the featured Steak & Eggs and they were very good this morning.  My cabin is located just below the lido beverage area so it is very easy to get juices, tea, and lemonade as needed so I filled my large ‘travel mug’ with guava juice and set about to explore the new features of the ship.  She has the same basic lay out as all the Conquest class ships and the new Red Frog Rum Bar and Blue Iguana Cantina on lido deck look great.  What was the old cigar bar on deck 4 is now the Habana Bar, the new Red Frog Pub is in the old O2 and gaming area on lido…a great location and much better use of space.  The Cherry on Top is expanded in it’s lido location.  Every new feature looks very nice so far.  I went to Guest Services (GS) to get a hole punched in my Sail & Sign (S&S) card and asked if I could borrow a iPhone charger cable from Lost&Found.  Jade from GS actually went to her cabin and loaned me her extra.  Service above and beyond, thank you Jade.  While down in the lobby I sat in on the music trivia they were doing at the Lobby Bar and discovered Toppy the bartender from all my recent Sunshine cruises was the bartender.   Another feature that I discovered they did when reconfiguring the Promenade deck for the Red Frog was add a direct passage to the midship elevators.  Now you don’t have to pass through the Casino Bar and the smoking area to get to them.  As I’ve never sailed the Freedom perhaps it was always there, but it’s not there on most Carnival ships.  A smart decision either way.  I had a very nice Guy’s hamburger for a late lunch on Lido deck.  It was perfect.  This afternoon I saw my friend Daniel the bartender who took such good care of us on the Carnival Sunshine, always great to see friends. Is it a bad thing that I know the ‘top’ bartenders in the fleet?  I had cabin time in the afternoon and watched a movie on cabin TV.  They delivered some sweets to the cabin that were a great snack as I prepared for the Captains Elegant Night.  Alchemy Bar was first stop for a couple of cocktails and then dinner.  I ordered The White Stuffed Mushrooms, Roasted Pumpkin Soup, Spaghetti Carbonara (as starter), the Choice Prime Rib, Lobster, and Cherries Jubilee.  After dinner I went to the Victoriana Theater to see the Playlist Production of Getaway Island.  This is a great show featuring the music of Jimmy Buffet, the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, and others. Not only is the eight member cast incorporated, but the Cruise Director, Toppy my bartender, and the solo guitarist from the Red Frog Pub (RFP).  A very enjoyable show.  BTW—they had the first row reserved for Diamond Guests.  Sweet, although I sat in row two.  The ship was hopping late, the Disco, Alchemy, and music from the TheSea6 all busy.

Day Three--Monday—Fun Day at Sea

Sea Day 'Steak & Eggs'

A little rolling during the night and another day of partly cloudy skies.  I went to the MDR again for the Sea Day Buffet and had a Bloody Mary cocktail, Fruit Plate, and the Steak & Eggs.  I had a very nice cabin/balcony day today enjoying the nice weather, reading, & relaxing.  I did go up to get a nice Mongolian Grill for lunch.  Captain Arena and his staff hosted a nice cocktail party for Diamond guests at 5:15 in Scott’s Piano Bar.  They served very nice hors d'oeuvres and complementary cocktails  There were quite a few Diamond Guests, about 20, and key department heads.  I had never met Skip the CD so that was nice.  Following I went to the Alchemy Bar and enjoyed the evening until time for dinner.  Great fun.  Dinner was good, we had Chicken drumettes for the table and I ordered: Penne Mariscos (as starter), French Onion Soup, Braised Short Ribs entree, and Fruit Plate for dessert.  After a great social evening & dinner I retired to the cabin to rest for the port day following.

Day Four—Tuesday—St. Martin, Netherland Antilles

Very nice weather and seas. We arrived at St. Martin on schedule by 9:00 am.  I  went up to Lido to get a very nice omelette from the omelette station for breakfast.  It was great.  I took my time leaving the ship this morning and debarked about 10:30 am.  My knee was hurting so I took the water taxi ($7 pp) into central Phillipsburg.  I found a store that sold electronics and purchased an iPhone cable then went to the local McDonald’s to drink a diet coke and use their very fast Wifi. Then I went to Pirates Paradise a beach bar located on the beach promenade.  They had a nice set up where I could charge my computer and they had Wifi (photo left).  Presidente beer was $3 a bottle and I had a great view of the beach and harbor.  I saw some friends at Woody’s bar (better prices on beer) then took the water taxi back to the ship about 4:30 pm.  First stop was Guy’s Burgers for fries and cheeseburger then to the cabin to clean up and watch the sail away from St. Martin.  Lovely Day.  No aperitif this evening it was straight to dinner, I ordered the Tom Ka Gai (soup), Faralle Pasta with Turkey (as a starter), Pork Chop and Bitter & Blanc for dessert.  Other entree options were: Assorted Seafood Newburg Style, Baised Lamb, Fillet of Atlantic Salmon, and Black Bean & Vegetable Enchiladas.

Day Five—Wednesday—St. Thomas, USVI

Creeque's Alley - Side Street Pub - St. Thomas

Good weather and smooth seas overnight, but cloudy with some showers.    I slept very well and we were docked when I awoke about 9:00 am.  I relaxed and watched the activity from my balcony then went up to the Lido to get another nice omelet breakfast.  About 10:45-ish I went down to get a shuttle into downtown Charlotte Amalie ($4). I had not been to downtown Charlotte Amalie in years and it’s pretty much the same with great shops located in the restored Old Warehouse area.  Lot’s of Jewelry stores and tourist shoppes.  I looked around the various stores and soon came across Creque’s Alley of Momma and Poppa’s fame.  There is a very nice bar there now, the Side Street Pub, with Wifi and nice cocktails, including a Painkiller.  I stayed for a while at the Side Street Pub then did some shopping before going back to the ship about 3:00 pm.  Upon return a Guy’s Burger really tasted good at this point.  I returned to the cabin to clean up and enjoyed a really nice sunset and sail away from the harbor.  Later it was off to the Alchemy Bar for cocktails followed by dinner.  Tonight I ordered:  two Shrimp Cocktails, Potage Saint Germain (Pea Soup), Green Garden Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Grilled NY Sirloin Steak, Fruit Plate, and Bread Pudding Cake for dessert.  Friends went to see the feature show:  Comedy & Magic with TC Tahoe and said it was very entertaining.  I retired after dinner.

Day Six—Thursday--San Juan, Puerto Rico

El Convento (from steps of Cathedral) - San Juan

Smooth seas overnight, and a hot and humid day.  I had a good nights sleep and we were already docked when I awoke a little after 8:00 am.  I’m in no rush today and went to the MDR for a nice breakfast ordering: Melon, Eggs Benedict, Bacon, Tomato Juice, and hot Milk.  The ship docks right in Old San Juan (OSJ) and I left the ship about 10:00 and although with a bad knee walked up to Fortelezza Street looking at a few shops and stopping at a small park along the way…then down to the Barrachina Restaurant for one of their famous Pina Coladas. It was actually better than I remembered from previous visits.  I then went to El Convento the luxury boutique hotel in OSJ located across from the Cathedral to hopefully use their Wifi, have a cocktail, and see this site located in what was a 17th century convent.    There are some beautiful architectural details in this lovely building that was a convent for over 250 years.  I went to the patio bar and ordered a Ginger Mojito and the excellent staff made sure I could get access to the Wifi, even booting their router so I could get connected, I did and it was super fast.  Great drinks, fast wifi, a cool breeze, and  beautiful location…I’m staying for awhile.  I still have some business from my just completed Festival I could finish online and I could update email, etc. perfect.  This also allowed me time to sample one of Puerto Rico’s craft beers:   Magna.  Luis the bartender provided great service and after some discussion about the history of Pina Coladas’ at Barrachina and the original island resort, I had to sample one from El Convento.  It was an excellent Pina Colada served in a tall glass, somewhat creamy, with a floater.   Although it was now downhill all the way back to the pier I took the easy way and took a taxi back to the pier and was back onboard about 3:00 pm.  Once back at the cabin I called room service for a couple of BLT’s (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato).  Carnival has excellent BLT’s and I order them every cruise. They were served within a few minutes, another reason to like Guy’s Burgers as the room service delivery on port days is greatly improved since so many now eat at Guy’s. We sailed early, about 4:15pm and I watched us sail out of the harbor and around El Morrow castle.  I was lucky to have balcony on the starboard side of the ship.  I returned the iPhone cable to Jade at Guest Services on the way to the 4:30 Past Guest party in the Victoriana Theater.  Skip did a good job, it was the usual party with a film and some banter.  My server was good, I did not go lacking.  Following I did some people watching on the Promenade deck before going to the Alchemy Bar for a ‘special spritzer style cocktail’ by Adri.  So good I had another as well as several other folks at the bar.  It was now time for dinner, tonight I had especially ordered Onion Rings, Wild Mushroom Cream Soup, Lasagna Bolognese (as starter), Petite Filet Mignon and Short Rib of Beef combination, and Butter Pecan Ice Creme for dessert.  During dessert we were joined by Lance Montalto the Comedian who just boarded the ship in San Juan.  Always good to see friends.  The Love & Marriage Show featuring Skip was the entertainment tonight.

Day Seven--Friday--Fun Day at Sea

Scott's Piano Bar - Carnival Freedom

Smooth seas overnight and nice partly cloudy weather as we slowly sailed north.  I had a fruit plate for breakfast as I have plans for brunch. I spoke to Guest Services (GS) about the next cruise then talked with the future cruise representative on Promenade deck about some potential future bookings. At 11:30 I met a group of friends including comedian Lance Montalto for brunch.  Great fun and the food was good, I had the Fiery Tomato Soup (spicy), Steak & Eggs, and Fruit Plate.  This was a great cabin/balcony day.  I actually had a two hour nap and did some reading on the balcony this afternoon. At 5:00 I went up for a Guy’s burger, I got one just off the grill hot so ate it ‘as is’ or a Plain Jane with no condiments…very tasty.  I received a call from GS and I’ll be getting an upgrade on next weeks cruise, a balcony on deck six, just one cabin over and two decks down from current location…Woo Hoo.  I went to the Alchemy for an aperitif on this our second ‘Elegant Night’.  Most passengers are not near as ‘dressy’ on the second night.  For dinner I ordered:  Escargot, Pasta (as starter), Three Shrimp Cocktails, Chateaubriand, with Cheesecake and Baked Alaska for dessert.  It was good although I thought the Chateaubriand was tough. Lance joined us for dessert again.  Tonights feature entertainment was a Magician, but I went to the Alchemy Bar for a Deal Closer then went to see Seth Gibson in Scott’s Piano Bar.  All of my MDR table went to the Punchliner Club for the late 11:45 pm show to see Lance Montalto’s second show this evening.  New material and very funny as usual.

Day Eight—Saturday--Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

Guy's Burger

Partly cloudy and showers in the area as we arrived at Half Moon Cay early this morning.  They began tendering just before 8:00 am. I went to the MDR for a nice breakfast of fried eggs, bacon, ham, et al.  I really didn’t think I would go to the private island because of the tender hassle and the short time here.  When the weather looked less than perfect that was enough to make it a ship day for me.  With many off I did some more exploring, still had not been to the Serenity Deck or other places forward.  I did have another basic Guy’s burgers for lunch.  I still have all the magazines I brought along so I read this afternoon and the balcony was nice.  A nice easy relaxing day.  For dinner tonight I ordered the New England Crab Cake, the Prime Rib, Panko Crusted Jumbo Shrimp, and Grand Manier Souffle and a Banana Split for dessert.  Very good dinner.  Tonight was the second Production Show: Heart of Soul  it is a collection of romantic songs and dance and incorporates passengers from the Love & Marriage Show.  Interesting concept.  They had a full house in the theater.

Day Nine (1) — Sunday—Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Calm seas overnight and I happened to wake early and tested my phone connection, I was on the internet by 5:16 am.  We didn’t dock for awhile so we were probably sailing along the Miami area coast on the way to Port Everglades.  About 8:00 am I went to the MDR for a nice full breakfast then stopped by my new cabin on deck six to see if it was vacant.  It was and the cabin Steward said he would prepare it strait away  so I took some hangers up to my cabin to pack.  I moved down to my new cabin about 9:30 and appreciate the help from both my Stewards.  It’s great to be into the new cabin before you go to the B2B meet which was scheduled for 10:15am for us today.  They seemed to be a little long on debark it was closer to 11:00 when the B2B guests went down to U.S. Customs.  We had to wait until about 11:45 to board again.  Then there was a dash to be the first to the Red Frog Pub.  Although not first I made it for a free beer and the photo which was published on John Heald’s Facebook Page (the actual photo from JH FB page on right).  Don't know the guy on the left, but he tried to trip me on the way to the RFP.  I do see him around the ship in funny hats.  After my beer I went up to the Lido Buffet to the Mongolian Grill, it was already packed with new guests.  After lunch I went to my new cabin and finished set up and took a little snooze. About 3:30 I went up to Lido to get a slice of Chocolate Cake with purple colored cheesecake icing.  A vey unique dessert.  I returned to my cabin to do a little work online in the afternoon and they delivered a Fruit Basket and bottle of Champagne as they usually do for B2B guests, so I had Champagne cocktails the rest of the day. They held Safety Drill about 4:15 pm. and we sailed not long afterward.  I had dinner tonight in the Sun King Steakhouse with friends at 7:00 pm.  Dinner was excellent, I ordered the Escargot, Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, Cowboy Cut Steak (basically a bone-in rib eye), Baked Potato, and Ice Creme for dessert. I also enjoyed the background music in the Sun King Steakhouse and the service was excellent.  The Welcome Show was at 10:00 pm. and there was a late comedy show with Lance Montalto.

Day Ten (2)—Monday—Key West, Florida

Kelly's in Key West

Fair seas overnight and a warm sunny day.  We were docked by 8:00 am in Key West at the hotel pier near Mallory Square.  I used the internet this morning before going to a nice full breakfast in the MDR.  I got off the ship about 10:45 am and first stop was for a Chocolate Covered Key Lime Pie on a stick.  I looked around for a bit and went to Sloppy Joe’s for a frozen Cap’t Morgan spiced rum punch….very good.  I then went over to my favorite Key West spot:  Kelly’s Caribbean Bar.  They had live steel drum music and it’s a wonderful historic location in the original PanAm building.  I returned to the ship right at the 3:30 pm requested time and fortunately there was not a line to board…surprising for Key West.  It was straight to Lido Deck and a Guy’s hamburger (undercooked), then an ice creme cone for dessert.  After sail away from Key West it was time to clean up and take a snooze.  My nap ran long so no cocktail before dinner.  I now have a nice ten top table in center of the MDR with the same wait staff as previous cruise.  Lance joined us for dinner as well as other cruise friends I know from Carnival Bloggers cruises. For dinner I ordered:  French Onion Soup, three small Shrimp Cocktails, Braised Style Short Ribs, and a Banana Split for dessert.  It was good and I had my bottle of wine I received for dining in the steakhouse on the first night. As an incentive the steakhouse offers a free bottle of wine if you dine there on embarkation night. The feature shows this evening was Manuel Zuniga, the ‘fastest juggler in the world’ and the Love & Marriage Show masterfully hosted by Skip.

Day Eleven (3)—Tuesday — Fun Day at Sea

Thanks for the Wine, JH

Smooth seas overnight.  Very restful night and I slept latest of the cruise so far: 9:00 am.  I went upstairs to Lido for fruit and banana bread then to Future Sales on Promenade deck to work on the Triumph B2B in October 2015.  I got a Past Guest quote last week, but today he was only able to get Early Saver pricing.  I never book ES, too many restrictions.  I may wait until I am on the Sunshine to book it.  At 11:30 I met friends for the Sea Day Brunch in the MDR.  I ordered the Fruit Plate, Steak & Eggs, and a side of Corned Beef Hash.  Very good.  I read some good Texas magazine articles this afternoon enjoying the cabin and balcony.  I really have not had time to read recently at home, very relaxing.  Tonight is the Captain’s elegant night and he and staff were on the Promenade deck when I went down to the Red Frog Pub to have a Stella Artois draught beer.  I was met by Lance on the way to the Alchemy Bar and enjoyed a couple of cocktails and visiting with guests.  We had the Captain’s Elegant Evening menu, I ordered:  Baked Stuffed White Mushrooms, Prime Rib of American Beef, Lobster Tail, and Cherries Jubilee & Banana Split for dessert.  The Matre’D informed me that I had been sent a bottle of wine by someone so I asked for the same wine as I already have…I’m set for this week.  After dinner I returned to the cabin, made some notes, and hopped in bed.  I couldn’t sleep and looking at my watch noticed that the 11:45 pm Comedy show was starting in ten minute just one deck below in the Punchliners.  I was there and I’m so glad I went.  Lance started off with my joke about me getting my cabin on deck six. If you see me on a cruise I’ll gladly tell it for you.  After the comedy show I went over to the Piano Bar to see Seth perform.  By the time we closed it down it was primarily crew and Playlist performers.  Interesting.  It now being very late I retired for the second time.

Day Twelve (4)—Wednesday — Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Smooth seas again overnight.   I slept very well and we were anchored off of Grand Cayman when I awoke about 8:00 am. It is partly cloudy, warm, and humid.  I could see from my balcony that the early tenders were empty so I skipped a large breakfast and had a banana from my fruit basket so I could tender into Georgetown early and very easily.  Local time was an hour earlier than ship time so I actually had to wait for many shops to open, my goal was good Wifi, so soon Margaritaville opened and I spent an hour and a half drinking a soda and a ‘Havana & Banana’ cocktail ($16-expensive place). The internet reception and speed is much improved since the last time I was there.  I returned to the ship by 1:15 pm and had a couple of Guy’s burgers for lunch.  They are not as good this week, I suspect the trainers left, they are not smashed out as much as they should be so they are not getting that crispy bit they should have on the meat.  After cleaning up I enjoyed some cool off cabin/balcony time until it began pouring down rain about 2:45. I was glad I returned early.  They suspended tender service for a while, but they eventually got everyone on board for our 4:00 pm sail away.  The VIFP party was scheduled for 4:30 in the International Lounge.  They had very nice live music, the usual cocktails, short movie, senior crew introductions, etc.  Following that at 5:15 they had the Diamond reception in the Piano Bar.  Much nicer hors d'oeuvres and cocktails.  There was only half the number of Diamonds as the week before.  I met the new Captain and more senior staff.  I was able to relate the Guy’s Burgers situation to the Food Service Director.  It was a fun gathering…thanks Carnival.  The party then moved over to the Alchemy Bar until time for dinner.  Tonight I ordered:  Wild Mushroom Cream Soup, Lasagna Bolognese (as starter),  Oysters Rockefeller, Petit Filet Mignon and a Banana Split for dessert.  After dinner I attended the feature show: Comedy Hypnotist Doug MacGraw.  It was a very entertaining show and a very fun evening!!

Day Thirteen (5)—Thursday — Cozumel, Mexico

Smooth seas again and clear & hot weather for the day.  I went for a full breakfast in the MDR and was seated far aft center so I had a great view of three Carnival ships sailing the Straits of Cozumel this morning: The Freedom, The Triumph, and The Breeze.  Very impressive. We are docked at Puerto Maya next to the Carnival Breeze.  The Carnival Triumph docked at the International pier.  I met friends and we shared a taxi into San Miguel about 10:30.  First stop was Woody’s Bar located just off the main square to set up a HQ and use their WiFi.  Then some price comparisons at a few pharmacies, and a visit to the Our Lady Shrine. No haircut this trip, but I did see Martin when I went to the Farmicia next door to his shoppe.  We had a beer at Wet Wendy’s before getting a taxi back to Puerto Maya.  We went to Three Amigos, located at the pier, saw more friends and I ended up trying their Cozumel Cooler and some nachos. Interesting place, I saw a waiter walking with four margaritas (photo right) on his head...very Cool!  This is a great crew hang-out as it's close to ship and the crew discount.  Today they were also having a ceremony at the pier announcing an expansion to the existing Puerto Maya pier so that they can dock three Carnival ships there at one time.  The new pier was needed today, I knew a crew member who changed ships today, but had to wheel his gear all the way through Puerto Maya, then to the International Pier just to change ships.  I boarded the ship for some rest and then watched sail away from the balcony.  It was another beautiful evening so I enjoyed the balcony until time for dinner.  Tonight I ordered: the Escargot, Shrimp Cocktail, Chateaubriand, with Baked Alaska for dessert. The Chateaubriand was much better this week.  The production show Get Away Island was tonight, this is the better of the two shows IMHO.  A guest was injured during the limbo portion prior to the main show, I wonder how long that will continue. 

Day Fourteen (6)—Friday — Fun Day at Sea

Who's the Best Cruise Director?  This Guy.

Smooth seas overnight and a beautiful last sea day.  I had an omelet from the omelet station early then took walk around deck while they cleaned my cabin, I’ve had fantastic cabin service this cruise.  I went to the Excursion Desk and made a query about a possible excursion tomorrow since my flight is so late in the day.  Maybe I’ll do it.  I met a group of old and new friends for a final Sea Day Brunch, great fun.  Although I had breakfast I still went with the Steak & Eggs for brunch/lunch, it’s such a good menu item.  After lunch I had some cabin time and did some packing. In the afternoon  went to the Red Frog Pub to see the Beatles Show by Lance Montalto.  He had a full house.  No time for a final Mongolian Grill, Guy’s Burger, or BLT…you just can do all your favorites on the the last sea day.  I did make it to the Alchemy Bar bar for a cocktail though.  Final dinner was very good, I ordered: New England Crab Cake, the Prime Rib, Panko Crusted Jumbo Shrimp, and Grand Manier Souffle for dessert.  The ship had a lot of activities the final night, but I did go to Guest Services and get the Everglades excursion/FLL transfer for debark so I went to the cabin to pack after dinner as I decided to put a bag out for pick up.

Debarkation

Everglades Excursion

I was up early enough to go to the MDR for a nice full breakfast this morning before the designated meeting time of 8:15 for the days excursion.  I actually used my VIP tags (#1) and left just before 8:30.  My timing was perfect I was able to go straight off the ship and collect my bag.  When I got to the customs line I notice people behind me with the excursions ID tags so perfect timing indeed.  After customs I boarded the tour bus and we were off just after 9:00 am.  We went to Everglades Holiday Park located at the edge of the Everglades Wildlife Management Area only a 30+ minute drive from the port.  First thing was an hour long Airboat Ride into the Everglades.  We saw birds, wildlife, one alligator in the wild, and our boat got stuck on a mudflat as the water level was low.  It was fun.  Following the airboat ride we had an alligator show presented by the Gator Boys.  It was interesting, but too touristy for my liking.  We left for the airport about noon and were soon there.  I was about three hours before my flight, but I was checked in straight away.  I was waiting in the terminal when I received an IM from Lance, he was on the same flight so that help pass time until my 4:30 pm flight.  We arrived at D/FW and I had just over an hour before my flight to Waco arriving about 9:30.  An hours drive and I was at the ranch about 10:30.

Ship

Maiden Voyage: March 2007 - last ship in Conquest class series

Passenger Capacity: 2,980 | On board Crew: 1150  |  Length: 952 feet

Gross Tonnage: 110,000 tons  | Cruising Speed: 22.5 knots

Always kept very clean and ship shape and she just had her Carnival 2.0 upgrades a few weeks ago.  The Conquest class ships could really use a space such as the Ocean Plaza for entertainment.

Crew / Staff

All the crew and staff were very efficient and professional.  My cabin stewards did a great job.  Roy my head waiter for both cruises was wonderful and very professional. The Bar Servers were really good.

Cabin

Week one I had cabin 8221 a category 8C balcony located right at the aft elevator and stairwell..  I like this location as your only one deck below the Lido buffet for food, ice, drinks, etc.; For week two I had cabin 6441 located near the same stairwell on deck six.  Both cabins are standard Carnival balcony cabins with: a three section wardrobe, full couch, mini bar refrigerator, swipe safe, Flat screen TV, and small stool for desk/vanity.

Food

The food on Carnival ships is usually good to very good and this cruise was typical.  Guy’s Burgers, Mongolian Grill, Room Service was very good to excellent.  The entire MDR service team was very good as well as well as Ian the senior Matre’D.  Food Service was wonderful everywhere on ship.  Red Frog Pub has bar snacks only, no bar food.  Breakfast is becoming my favorite meal on Carnival.

Comments

I was a bit disappointed with the Alchemy Bar, still one of my favorite spots, but the team is not on the par with the Triumph or Sunshine.  Daniel was fine and perhaps they will gel as a team with some more time.  I also thought it was too dark behind the bar compared to the other Alchemy Bars, didn't enhance the environment.  Cruise Highlights:  the two new Production Shows and food service.  Overall another FUN cruise.

Sunset Sail Away from St. Thomas USVI