songbird's cruise blog

next cruise?

2011-05-13T14:06:00.002-04:00

thinking we might do the Mediterranean...

thought I was done with this blog but....

2011-05-12T13:12:00.000-04:00

So ok, we went on a cruise in February 2010, and that was that.

or so I thought.

after all, the next vacation we took was to Niagara Falls. and the one coming up this summer is to Disneyworld. and then I was thinking "Europe"...

the pirate king just got an email offer from Carnival.Mediterranean cruises, sailings during the summer of 2012.

we are so on it....

here are the photos

2010-03-23T23:41:00.001-04:00

photos

a few of my favorites -- click to see the whole photo

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2010-03-02T00:52:00.000-05:00

I have finally uploaded all the cruise photos to photobucket. Still waiting for the pirate king's photos....he has a great camera and he takes better pictures than I do. he promised to send them to me...

2010-02-25T23:41:00.000-05:00

To continue the review....

Day 5. Belize.

Music of the Day: "Birthday" by Paul McCartney from the Tripping the Live Fantastic album.

Gee, is someone having a birthday today?

I wake to Sir Paul singing about my special day. Room service for breakfast, then to the Ivanhoe to get our tender tickets.

Musical background: "Boat in Belize" by Kelly McGuire.

We tendered to the port area for our River Wallace/Altun Ha excursion. Our tour was set up to cruise the river first, then visit the ruins after lunch. Other groups see the ruins first, then cruise the river back to port. It's a small boat, and we had to wear life jackets while on the bay -- but not on the river.

the manatees was camera shy, we saw the tips of their noses but that was about it. Once on the river, though, we saw crocodiles, iguanas, even howler monkeys -- one actually howled at us. We also saw lots of people practicing for the national canoe race, which takes place in March.

Lunch was at a rustic resort called the Black Orchid resort. Black orchids are the national flower of Belize. We dined on baked chicken, rice and red beans. the only other alternative would have been hamburgers.

Then it was on to Altun Ha. this was the best, and worst, part of the excursion. Our shipped arrived late, and then we had a very long wait for the bus while at the Black Orchid. So by the time we got to the archeological site, our tour guide kept telling us "we don't have a lot of time!" We got a thorough and well-informed tour, but it felt rushed. And we didn't have time to explore the site on our own.

We learned that the Mayans got their name when Columbus asked who they were. They said “maya”, which meant “we don’t understand”, but the "name" stuck.

It was amazing to stand among ruins that date back to 600 AD . I didn't climb any of the structures, however, it just looked a bit too scary.

Musical cue: "Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing.

Appropriate song choice for two reasons. the first, of course, is because it's my birthday and I am having a wonderful time.

But also...

It's our second formal night. Everyone dress up for my birthday, you hear?

The show tonight is a salute to the 80’s. We loved the dancing and singing – Madonna, "Thriller", Flashdance…break dancers ... the memories.

On to dinner. I ordered a pasta dish and prosecco. The pirate king ordered a birthday cake --- yellow cake white frosting and strawberry filling. sophisticated, not overly sweet. the waiters sang "Happy Birthday" to me. And for a few minutes, i really really really missed my daughters.

Our late night entertainment included a show in the Eagle Lounge, "Liar's club" starring Big Tex and two other members of his staff. Very funny.

Day 6. "Mexico" by Jimmy Buffett

We arrived in Cozemel looking for the sun, but found only a cloudy day.

the port area has a lovely shopping plaza, we browsed for awhile before meeting up with our tour. The pirate king made the mistake of calling home on his cell – we heard all about the s-n-o-w.

Our tour today is Isla Pasion by Twister. The Twister is a speed boat – you must wear a life jacket and you must be strapped in. It’s a 20 minute ride to the lagoon at Isla Pasion, when you get to the lagoon you do the twists and spins. You WILL get wet.

Song: ~~"Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles"~~ " Ain’t No Sunshine" by Bill Withers

Isla Pasion is a lovely beach... but there’s no sun! The weather has not cooperated all week. The white sands, the blue waters, it’s very inviting and I did go for a short swim. Then we ate lunch, drank some rum punch and did some serious shopping – silver bracelets for the kids and a tanzanite and opal ring for me. Don’t be afraid to bargain with the sellers, they will give you a much better price. Then back on the boats, more spins in the lagoon before returning to the pier.

We did A LOT of shopping at the pier in Cozumel. Bought a ton of souvenirs.

Tonight's entertainment is a comedian. Dinner is seafood Newberg and champagne. I was so tired by that point, I decided to make it an early evening. the pirate king decided to go exploring, however, and went to the deck party for the Mexican buffett. He tells me he was not impressed with the food...first time either of us were disappointed with food on the ship.

Day 7.

Background music: "Sea Cruise" by Frankie Ford.

Our day started with breakfast on the Lido deck. I am really getting used to this. It’s our last sea day.

Next up is the Behind the Fun Tour. It involves lots of walking and several sets of steep stairs, but it's a great tour – back stage at the theater, crew quarters, galleys, garbage disposal facilities, engine control room, laundry room, bridge. Security accompanies us to the secure areas of the ship, such as the engine control room and the bridge, Do you know that the bridge is on deck 8, right near passenger cabins? We picked up a stowaway as we walked through the deck, someone followed us onto the bridge. security quickly escorted him out.

the captain told us that the previous week the Valor had a real-live rescue at sea! One night one of the officers spotted a flash of light in the dark that turned out to be a man in a small sailboat.the boat was taking on water. the man was pleased to see the Valor, but upset that they could not save his boat.

We got refreshments along the way – coffee in the library, water and juice in officer’s mess, cookies in the Lincoln dining rom, champagne in Scarlett’s, and cookies and chocolate covered strawberries in our room. We also got photos, lanyards, pom bags and caps, all bearing the Carnival "Behind the Fun" logo.

After the tour we stopped at the gift shop to buy a few last-minute souvenirs. then it was back to the room to pack.
Then up to the Prometheus pool (because it has retractable roof) for some swim time. There’d been sun in the AM but by the time we were ready to swim it was cool and cloudy. The water in the pool was cold but the swim felt good. Hot tub felt even better.

We went up to the deck to watch the sun set. We could see the Florida Keys in the distance. I turned to the pirate king and said "welcome back to Florida", and he replied "Why must you say such evil and horrible things?"

It was actually very lovely on the deck, a bit breezy, but we could see the moon and stars in the night sky.

Our last dinner aboard ship ---prime rib. Our last show from the waiters –singing "Leavin’ on a Jet Plane." It was nice, but not nearly as good as their dance to "Low" earlier in the week ("apple bottom jeans...boots with the fur...")

We went to the Ivanhoe for the raffle drawing, hoping to win a cruise. No such luck. We had no interest is watching the "Legends" show, so we headed back to our cabin and went to bed -- we had an early departure from the ship because of the time of our flight home.

Day 8. Debarkation day.

Song interlude: "Good riddance:Time of Your Life" by Green Day

The weather is gorgeous! too bad we have to go home today. We had breakfast in the room. Getting off the ship easy, we collected our luggage in the terminal -- and got on the line for customs. Now I knew we were home.

It was a picture perfect day, I almost wanted to cry. We had an easy bus ride to Fort Lauderdale airport (I prefer it to Miami, much better layout.) and an uneventful flight home.

Next I will post some photos from the cruise.

2010-02-25T14:38:00.001-05:00

day 4 Roatan

By now I've stopped counting days according to the calendar. It's day 4 of the cruise, who cares what the calendar says?

We arrived in the late morning, watched the coastline for awhile before docking at Mahogany Bay. From our ship we can see two wrecks…both look very rusty.

We opted for breakfast in the main dining room. The king had eggs benedict and I had a cheese omelet. Asked for a ham and cheese omelet, but ...anyhow, the food was delicious..

Then it was time to walk down the gangway and meet our tour – Discover Roatan. The first part of the tour is a ride in a dinghy out to the wrecks – it rained a little, but it wasn’t too bad. The wrecks can’t be moved -- tthe coral reef might be harmed. We got to see one of the wrecks up close, took lots of photos of the rust.

Then we boarded the bus. the tour guide talked quite a bit about how poor the island is and how tourism is their only industry. Every stop on the tour involves shopping and I felt I have to contribute to the local economy. We saw scenic bluffs, a performance by the Garifuna people –Africans who came to Honduras and Belize to get away from the English –as well as a park honoring the local Garifuna heroes, and we got to taste local foods including yucca bread and some sort of fish stew. then it was back to the pier and shopping. (gee, do you sense a theme here?)

Back on the ship, we ordered room service. He had pastrami and I had shrimp salad. We spent some time reading and relaxing, then dressed for dinner.

We ate at Scarlett’s. It was truly an amazing experience. He had lobster bisque, iceberg salad, surf n turf with Yukon gold mashies with wasabi. I had shrimp cocktail, casear salad and surf n turf w/ Yukon (no wasabi), and then we had dessert – vanilla ice cream for him, cheesecake for me. While we ate we watched the rain fall on deck and felt the movement of the ship on choppy seas. No trip outside this evening.

2010-02-25T11:53:00.001-05:00

2/16.

Our first port of call, the Cayman Islands.

We awoke to the sound of room service bringing our breakfast. In the pre-dawn distance I could see the lights of George Town, Grand Cayman. By 7:30 we were dressed and on our way to the tender. The water was a bit choppy, but that couldcn’t stop us.

Background music: anything Paul McCartney. The pirate king and I were fortunate to see Sir Paul in concert at Citifield last july. Today the king wore his concert t shirt, a real conv ersation starter, everyone asked us if we’d seen the concert. Apparently Sir Paul is revered in the British West Indies.

Background music: a medley of "Yellow Submarine" by the Beatles and "Under the Sea" from Disney's Little Mermaid. We arrived in port and found our shore excursion quickly --- a group of six headed for the Atlantis Submarine. We walked over to the Atlantis offices, and there was a yhellopw submarine on display outside! Usually there are about 40 people on the sub, but we were a v ery small group and it felt like a private tour. Lots of interaction with our tour guide as we tendered out to the sub.

The worst part of the trip wasn’t the choppy waters at the surface, it was climbing the ladder down into the sub (going up after the tour was better). We saw coral reefs, we saw fish, we saw a shipwreck and we even saw a mermaid…well, a statue of one. No stingrays or turtles, alas. but we saw a moray eel!

After the sub ride we walked around the downtown area for awhile. We spotted a small area with a few old cannons and a stone wall. We discoverd that it's the last remnants of Fort George.It's so sad that Fort George was torn down to make way for development, history should be preserved. We also found our way over to the courthouse and a few national monuments. The pirate king teaches high school social studies, and he was interested in the island's history -- slavery was abolished in the Cayman Islands over 30 years before the American Civil War!

Next up: a tour of the best of Grand Cayman. The bus ride was borning—past condos and hotels in various stages of repair --- yes, I realize Hurricane Ivan tore apart the island, and I am glad the island is recovering.

The first stop was a small beach area where we posed for photos. and shopped, of course.

Next was the turtle farm, where we got to hold real live turtles. Guess who turned out to be a turtle whisperer? The turtle I was holding was flapping about and trying to get away from me….until the pirate king rubbed the turtle under its chin. Then it got quiet and allowed me to hold it.

Afterwards we walked across the street to the dolphin swim area – our tour didn’t include a swim, but we got to watch the dolphins for a few minutes before heading ovef to the Tortuga Rum outlet for free samples of rum and rum cake -- I really liked vanilla rum and didn’t like banana rum. A friend of ours makes better rum cake than what’s for sale, but the cakes were good…and we came away with bottles of hot sauce.

Background music: "Bat Out of Hell" by Meat Loaf.

The last stop was the town of Hell. Saw the rocks, posed with the devil, bought a few souvenirs and mailed a few post cards. Now I can say I've been to Hell and back.

On the way back to the port area the tour guide toldus thath 7 ships wereexpected tomorrow, but the weather has changed and the ships have to dock on the other side of the island – and the Carnival ship has therefore cancelled. it's visit to the island.

Back at port, we did a little more shopping. The pirate king bought one last souvenir -- a cross bow (the pirate king likes decorative, non-functioning "antique" weapons), and then it was time to tender back to the ship.

Musical accompanymnet: "Let’s Twist Again" by Chubby Checker

Tired from our day on the island, we headed back to the c abin for awhile, then we grabbed a bite to eat on the Lido deck before tonight’s show – a juggler and a comedian. I had a taste of the islands -- jerk pork loin for dinner. Later we danced to 50’s tunes in the casino lounge -- the pirate king can still do the twist….

Background music: "Southern Cross" by CSN. We ended the evening on the deck. It wasn't as windy tonight, and we could actually see stars. Found myself singing the second verse of the CSN song...."When you see the Southern Cross for the first time..." No, I couldn't see that particular constellation...but I'd never been that far south before...and I have always been something of a stargazer.

Next up: Roatan

2010-02-24T13:41:00.001-05:00

2/15. fun day at Sea

Day 2. Fun day at sea.

Background music: "Havana Dayreamin'" by Jimmy Buffett

We got up this morning at headed up to the Lido deck. Found a great table at Rosie’s, a window seat on the port side of the ship. We were able to see Cuba in the distance! About as close as most Americans can ever get to the island of Jose Marti, I suppose. Nice breakfast – the hash browns and bacon were terrific. Then we went to the cruise director’s talk. It’s been a long time since we‘ve been on a cruise and we needed to find out how the shore excursions work.

Next was a round of super trivia in the Winston Cigar Bar. (I am not a smoker, i dislike the smell of smoke. During the day the cigar bar smelled faintly of smoke. In the evening, the smell was overwhelming -- one musician playing in the bar actually wore a face mask to filter the air.) the pirate king and I love trivia games, and our firends never let us play on the same team. but this time....I knew a lot of the answers – to other people’s questions. Ah, well. Wanted to stay for Scattergories, but no one else showed up to play.

song of the day: "Macho Man" by the Village People.

Did some more exploring, and then made our way to the Lido deck for the hairy chest contest. The pirate king participated, and I have the blackmail photos to prove it! Carnival videotaped the event, of course, and reran in on thipboard TV ad nauseum. Throughout the cruise the pirate king was recongnized and we chatted with lots of nice people because of it.

Got our lunch from the deli -- corned beef and pastrami sandwiches -- and ate it while sitting on deck chairs on the veranda. This is what “doing nothing” feels like. It was too cold to swim, though, so we had to find other ways to amuse ourselves. Went to the art auction next, loved the paintings but chose not to stay very long. Walked around some more, wound up listening to a guitar player named George in one of the lounges. Then back to the room to prepafre for elegant night.

Background music: "Copacabana" by Barry Manilow.

Tonight’s show was Nightclub Express, a singng and dancing extravaganza featuring the Carnival dancers and a Disneyesque talking sofa. Then it was on to dinner. Our travel agent sent us a bottle of spumante and we drank it with our lobster tails. Lesson for the day…it’s scary on the sun deck on a windy, starless night, especially after you’ve had half a bottle of spumante and you’fre wearing 3 inch heels….but as I am here to tell the tale, obviously my fears came to nothing.

cruise review day one

2010-02-24T10:07:00.000-05:00

Background music: "Boat Drinks" bu Jimmy Buffett

This trip has its origins last winter, as I was shivering through another winter and longing for palm trees, sunny skies and warm sandy beaches. My birthday is February 18, and I have always celebrated it while wearing a heavy winter coat.

No, that’s not entirely true. I spent my 40th in Disneyworld with my kids, then ages 9 and 7. Loved it so much, I went back for my 41st. that’s when the pirate king and I were not on speaking terms, so where else would a single mother go with young children? If you’d told me 10 years ago that the king and I would get back together I would have told you that you are crazy.

So it’s October and we’re trying to decide on a trip. Just the two of us, leaving the kids at home. We briefly considered Disney – I‘ve been there so many times I could plan a trip there in my sleep. It would be a fun trip, but not particularly romantic. We briefly considered cancun, Acapulco or some Caribbean island. Then the king’s friend (a travel agent) suggested a cruise.

So we were off and running. Or rather, planning. We booked the Carnival valor, booked the fly aweigh program and booked shore excursions through carnival. THEN I signed up for cruise critic’s message boards, and realized all the things I could have done differently. Oh well.

Background music: "Changes in Lattitudues, Changes in Attitudes" by Jimmy Buffett

so it's Sunday, February 14. Valentine's Day.

All our bags packed, we headed out to JFK. Carnival has booked us on American Airlines to Miami. Curbside check in, we checked our bags and headed to the security gate. The AA terminal at JFK is huge, and our gate is the furthest from the entrance….by the time we get there we feel as though we’ve walked all the way to Newark. Little did we know.

Our flight was oversold….if I weren’t going on a cruise I would have taken the offer to be bumped to a later flight – the offer was $400. But no way are we going to miss our cruise!!!!

Aboard the flight to Miami I’ve got Jimmy Buffett on the ipod and a cold diet coke in my hands and I start to feel winter melting away. I AM ON VACATION and it feels so right.even spilling the diet coke doesn’t phase me.

If I thought the walk through JFK was interminable…OMG Miami airport is a killer. After a major hike – it felt like we walked all the way to ft Lauderdale – we collected our luggage and found the Carnival rep. Another long hike to the bus…and finally we were on our way.

so we're on a bus, driving through Miami, and the pirate king starts singing Allan sherman's "Streets of Miami" under his breath ("I'm going to the Fontainebleau, Partner, it's mod'ner") (did I mention the pirate king has a warped sense of humor?) while I am singing "Vacation" by the Go-Gos.

So finally we arrive in the Port of Miami. And we see not less than four cruise ships berthed there. and the pirate king, who has not seen a cruise ship up close and personal in 20 years, cannot believe the size of these ships.

Background music: "Under Pressure" by Queen

so here's where things get not-so-pretty.

The bus made two stops – first at the Glory then at the Valor. We unload the luggage, go through the check-in procedure, endure yet another long hike up the gangway. We board the ship just a few minutes before muster drill, so it’s a race to find our cabin (1397, ocean view, starboard and aft on the Riviera deck) and dump our carry-ons before reporting to our station. You will not find a “welcome aboard” photo of us in the gallery, the photographer stopped taking photos just before we boarded. After the drill we headed ove to the shore excursion desk to book the Behind the Fun tour (thank you Cruise Critic for letting me know that one exists!) Then songbird almost had meltdown – all I’d eaten that day was a bagel at JFK and I was so hungry I was ready to cry. We headed up to the Lido deck, and a couple of slices of pizza and some crazy umbrella drink later, and my mellow mood has been restored.

Background music:

"Come Sail Away" by Styx.

We found a spot on the veranda deck, port and aft, for sailaway. Got some great photos of Miami and Miami Beach (the pirate king pointed out a building that is feautred in a lot of background shots on CSI), but it was COLD out there. Had to come in to warm up.

Headed back to the cabin to nap and unpack. I liked our cabin -- it was large and comfortable, though the bathroom was understandably cramped. We did feel the motion of the ship at times, but not as much as we did on upper decks. there was noise below frequently, but it wasn't particularly intrusive -- you hear more noise in the average city apartment.

We watched the light from the ship reflect on the waves, we watched another cruise ship in the distance. Before long it was time for dinner. Our assignment is late seating, lower levelof the Washington dining room. We are seated at a table for 4 with another couple, also from NY. The pirate king loves shrimp, he ordered a shrimp cocktail and the sweet and sour shrimp. I asked for hearts of iceberg lettuce salad with thousand island dressing and the sweet and sour shrimp. The entrée turned out to be panko-breaded shrimp with a spicy dipping sauce, accompanied by rice noodles . Great food! Dessert was some decadent chocolate concoction, shaped like a heart in honor of Valentine’s day. The dining room staff serenaded us with “Let me call you sweetheart,” the first of many amusing performances.

The evening’s entertainment included a show in the Ivanhoe Theater featuring the Carnival singers and dancers, our cruise director Big Tex and the comedy of Happy Coleman. Great evening!

adventure and romance on the high seas: a review of the Valor 2/14-21

2010-02-23T11:43:00.002-05:00

Also known as "songbird and the pirate king take on the Caribbean", this is a musical review.

Cast of characters:

Yours truly, known in cyberspace as songbird, though my musical talents are best performed in the shower or behind the wheel of my car. Mother of two girls, ages 17 and 19, and desperately in need of a king-sized margarita or a straightjacket, not sure which one.

The pirate king, so named because he will shortly appear in the chorus of a community theater production of The Pirates of Penzance dressed as a swashbuckler. Also known as my former husband and current boyfriend – it’s a long story though not as good as a Meryl Streep movie.

Background music: "Lovely Cruise" by Jimmy Buffett.

First, some overall impressions. Later I will provide more details.

The weather did not cooperate. It was cold the day we left Miami. It was cloudy and overcast, with occasional periods of rain, throughout our cruise. The only really nice day, weatherwise, was debarkation day. We worked around the weather and managed to have a really nice time.

Our trip was not "perfect". There were a few glitches and bumps in the road, but for the most part Carnival tried to make things right whenever that happened. The get an A+ for effort.

Our cabin steward introduced himself the first day. And we never saw him again. But our cabin was always clean, towels replenished when appropriate, maintenance issues resolved promptly. No complaints.

the dining room staff was exemplary. and we loved the nightly dining room entertainment. the food was very good. our favorite meal, though was in the steak house. worth the extra money and then some.

the shows were great, too. in fact, the only performer we felt was lacking was Larry the piano player. heard him play once, and avoided him the rest of the cruise. loved our cruise director, Big Tex, and all three comedians we saw.

the ship was most definitely at capacity, 3400 guests, almost 1000 of them children. while we were never truly alone, we didn't feel "overcrowded" either.

I would have liked to have seen more shipboard activities. we had fun in the pool and hot tub, we enjoyed some of the games (like super trivia) and we were never bored. but the pirate king would have enjoyed a rock climbing wall and I would have enjoyed a cooking demonstration or something like that.

can't tell you about the casino, we're not big gamblers. thought we might play the slots, but never got around to it.

I loved our shore excursions, thought they were well planned. though I must say, every excusrion seems to bring you back to a place to shop. sometimes the sales approach can be a bit aggressive. but a firm "no thanks" usually solves that problem.

details and photos to follow.

a few complaints/comments

2010-02-23T11:39:00.003-05:00

overall it was a great cruise, and I will post a detailed review later this week. I did want to point out several issues, though, where I thought Carnival could/should do better.

most of our issues involve "Fly Aweigh". our TA suggested that this was the best way to book airfare. we did save money, but....I will NOT do "Fly Aweigh" again. In the future I will book my own air and ground transportation

1. booking "Fly Aweigh" meant that Carnival chose our flights, including the airline and departure/arrival times. I started reading this board AFTER we booked our cruise and flights, and everyone here seems to think it's better to fly to your departure port a day before you sail. when I tried to change our booking to fly down to Miami the day before our cruise, Carnival was inflexible.

2. Our arrival in Miami International Airport was NOT FUN. Carnival booked us on American Airlines. Once the plane lands, it's a good 20 minute walk from the AA gate area to the baggage claim area. After we met the Carnival representative and collected our luggage, it was another lengthy walk from the baggage claim area to the Cabana Coach bus booked for us by Carnival. I could not help but notice that other cruise lines had their buses closer to the baggage claim area.

3. Our arrival at our ship was NOT FUN either. We sailed on the Valor. We shared a bus with passengers bound for the Glory, which is berthed next to the Valor. The bus stopped at the Glory first to discharge passengers before continuing on to the Valor. By the time we actually boarded the ship, the photographers taking the "Welcome Aboard" photos had closed up shop and the crew was announcing "muster drill in five minutes". I felt pressured to race to our cabin and drop off our carry-ons and then race to our muster station. This was NOT how I pictured my arrival on the ship!

4. We also had trouble with the flight home. Not with the flight itself (I love Jet Blue). No, our problem stemmed from a lack of information. When we got our cruise documents, a month or so before we sailed, our flight information was included -- American Airlines JFK to Miami, Jet Blue from Ft. Lauderdale to JFK with a stop in Raleigh. We were given a "record locator" for American Airlines so that we could print out our tickets and boarding passes. All we were given for Jet Blue was a flight number for each leg of our trip. we never received any confirmation from jet Blue that we were actually booked on the flight. when our TA called Carnival to get a "record locator" (so that I could print out our boarding passes on the ship), she was given an incorrect number! I am not willing to simply show up at the airport and hope my name is on some manifest, I really like to have proof that I am a ticketed passenger before I get to the airport. In fact, on the website, Carnival tells you that:

Quote:

Fly Aweigh® guests must check all documentation prior to sailing to ensure tickets correspond with the correct ship and sailing date. Guests or travel agents should request advance seat assignments and boarding passes directly with the ticketed air carrier(s) after airline tickets or your airline e-ticket confirmation have been received. Guests should reconfirm flight numbers and times within 48 hours of departure directly with the assigned carrier.

It took several phone calls to Carnival and Jet Blue -- while we were on the ship -- to get the correct information. And then it took almost 45 minutes for the gentleman in the internet cafe to actually print out the boarding passes for us -- he was quite frustrated by the time he finished the job. The situation was frustrating and time consuming and did not set a good tone for the cruise as a whole.

5. we also had a problem with one of our shore excursions. we booked the River Wallace-Altun Ha tour in Belize. the overall experience was a positive one, but it was not without its frustrations. the ship arrived late in Belize, and we did not board a tender for our excursion until some 15-20 minutes after the time stated on our tickets. the river tour was very interesting -- we saw manatees and crocodiles and iguanas and howler monkeys. but our 30 minute lunch break turned into a 45 minute break because the buses were late to arrive. once we arrived at the archeological site, our tour guide repeatedly reminded us that "time is short, we have to hurry" through the site. her tour presentation was excellent, but we had no time to wander about the site ourselves and no time to shop at the site. my signifcant other is a high school social studies teacher, and the visit to the ruins was supposed to be the more important aspect of the excursion, so to be rushed through the site was disappointing. to complicate matters further, the bus ride back from the site to the pier took at least 30 minutes longer than we were told, leaving us no time to shop or explore the pier area before we had to tender back to the ship.

6. a brief mention of a problem on Roatan. we booked the Discover Roatan tour. I enjoyed the tour, found it to be interesting and entertaining. I would have enjoyed the tour a bit more if I didn't have an issue with the bus transportation. the aisles of the bus are EXTREMELY narrow. so narrow, in fact, that anyone larger than a 10 year old child will have difficulty maneuvering down the aisle to their seat in the bus. a larger person, or someone with mobility issues, will find the aisle almost impossible to travel.

as I said earlier, our overall experience with Carnival was positive, and we will likely cruise Carnival again. but next time we will book our own flight and ground transportation, since that aspect was very frustrating. I will book other excursions direclty with Carnival, but I really think they need to discuss some issues with the tour companies.

__________________

welcome home

2010-02-21T23:51:00.001-05:00

trip report will be posted shortly. I am soooo tired.

bon voyage

2010-02-14T06:50:00.001-05:00

we leave for the airport in a little while....

now this is a movie to watch before a cruise

2010-02-13T21:24:00.001-05:00

ahhhh....

2010-02-13T11:20:00.000-05:00

Vacation

2010-02-12T09:54:00.000-05:00

you can find the original video here.

Waiting for the Weekend

2010-02-11T21:46:00.001-05:00

nothing like a snow day

2010-02-11T12:12:00.002-05:00

to serve as motivation to pack your bags for a cruise.

had to dig my car out of the snow at 6:30 this morning so I could get to work today, after taking off yesterday because of the blizzard.

more snow is due Monday.

but who cares? I will be in the Caribbean!

huzzah for the pirate king!

2010-02-10T16:18:00.007-05:00

the Beatles said it best

2010-02-09T03:03:00.003-05:00

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,

and I say it's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter

Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

and I say it's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces

Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

and I say it's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting

Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,

and I say it's all right

It's all right

this time next week...

2010-02-08T10:51:00.000-05:00

I will be at sea.

can you tell I am excited?

LOL

2010-02-08T00:36:00.002-05:00

some more humor

2010-02-06T16:46:00.002-05:00

too funny!!!

2010-02-05T13:37:00.000-05:00

oh my!

2010-02-02T09:43:00.000-05:00

another carnival accident, this time on the Ecstasy.

Cruise ship damages gangway

By Laura Elder
The Daily News
Published February 2, 2010

GALVESTON — The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating an incident last week in which Carnival Cruise Line’s Ecstasy struck the passenger gangway at the Texas Cruise Ship Terminal at Pier 25, knocking the $1.8 million structure out of commission, possibly for weeks.

No one was injured in the collision, which occurred about 8 a.m. Thursday as the ship’s captain was attempting to turn the 855-foot Ecstasy around in the channel, port officials said.

“While turning around in the channel, the rear of the ship nudged the gangway and pushed it about 15 feet along the wharf and about 3 feet toward the terminal — but not into the terminal,” Port Director Steve Cernak said.

Cernak referred questions about the cause of the incident to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard has ruled out drug and alcohol use as the cause of the crash, Lt. Timothy Tilghman said. But it had not completed its investigation nor determined the cause, Tilghman said.

Such investigations are standard in vessel accidents, Tilghman said.

Two members of the 15-member Galveston-Texas City Pilots Association were aboard the Ecstasy when it struck the gangway.

Ship pilots guide vessels in and out of local harbors, relying on their local expertise to alert captains of local obstructions.

Capt. Wally Hogan, president of the association, said pilots performed their duties and were not responsible for the accident.

Ecstasy’s captain was in control of the vessel, Hogan said.

One pilot was in the wheelhouse and another on the stern when the vessel struck the gangway.

The pilot on the stern advised the pilot in the wheelhouse that the ship was about to hit the structure, Hogan said.

Carnival Cruise Lines could not be reached for comment Monday.

Relations between ship pilots and cruise-ship operators have been tense for months.

In September, Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruises and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association in September sued the Board of Pilot Commissioners, which regulates ship pilot pay, to uphold an agreement that would stop the requirement of two ship pilots on each cruise ship.

Cruise ship operators said one pilot is sufficient and two is expensive. Pilots said the two-pilot rule is about safety.

But Judge Susan Criss of the 212th District Court in Galveston last month dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds.

Port officials still are assessing damage of the gangway to determine whether the frame was damaged, Cernak said.

The port is directing cruise ship passengers to an alternate gangway typically used by staff, Cernak said.

The port has ordered parts to repair the gangway. Delivery of the parts and the repairs could take at least 30 days, Cernak said.

Carnival Cruise Lines is a port tenant.

The port and the Florida-based company have not yet agreed whose insurance would cover gangway repair costs, Cernak said.

Information about damage to the Ecstasy, which offers four- and five-day cruises to the Mexican coast and the Western Caribbean, was not available Monday.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

it's finally starting to feel real

2010-02-01T15:17:00.000-05:00

13 days until we cruise...I've printed out the cruise documents and luggage tags, i'm checking the weather...won't do the airline stuff just yet, but soon...

"20 degrees and the hockey game's on....I gotta go where it's warm....."

2010-01-29T16:08:00.000-05:00

Actually, it's 22° right now...with wind chills of 8°....

Jimmy Buffett has it right, I gotta go where it's warm.

Carnival Miracle accident

2010-01-28T16:06:00.003-05:00

seems they struck a dock in St. Kitt's.

Carnival Miracle sustains damages at Port Zante

By VonDez Phipps

Hull damaged during berth

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CRUISE passengers aboard the 2 124-passenger vessel Carnival Miracle were able to disembark to Port Zante safely after a challenging berth this morning (Jan. 28) that left the hull of the ship damaged.

SKNVibes responded to reports that the cruise ship collided with the pier at Port Zante around 11:00 a.m. Upon arriving on the scene, there was no permitted entry into the arrival hall, but the cruise ship had a visible blackened dent on the right side.

Port officials at the arrival hall refused to comment but SKNVibes contacted Denzil Crooke, Chief Executive Officer of Delisle Walwyn & Co. Ltd, the St. Kitts handling company for Carnival Cruise Line, and he confirmed that both the 12-deck cruise ship and the port facility were damaged during this morning’s berthing.

“According to information received, while the ship was berthing a gust of wind thrust the ship to hit one of the dolphins and it subsequently hit a one of the fenders on the pier. The dolphin and fender were damaged and the ship also sustained damages,” Crooke told this media house.

Crooke was unable to give further information regarding the extent of the damage to the port facility or the vessel but stated that an evaluation of damage is being done.

Public relations officials at Carnival Cruise Lines told this media house that they have not yet received any information on the damages but would issue a statement at the earliest possible time.

SKNVibes contacted the Head of Corporate Affairs and Public Relations at the St. Christopher Air and Sea Port Authority (SCASPA) Delcia Bradley-King who informed that a team of welders from Puerto Rico have begun work on the vessel so that it can leave St. Kitts as early as tomorrow morning (Jan. 29). It is expected to sail back to Fort Lauderdale.

At this point, the cost of damage is unknown.

On the ground, tour operators and taxi drivers on Port Zante suspect that the cruise ship may remain in port for another day and they anticipate increased business with the visitors.

what are you reading?

2010-01-28T10:04:00.000-05:00

great book for a snowy afternoon...and great book for pumping me up for our cruise in 17 days.

frustration

2010-01-25T23:40:00.000-05:00

not a major problem, but the king is making me...and our TA...nuts.

we fly down to Miami on American Airlines. we fly home from Ft. Lauderdale on Jetblue.

we have a record locator for AA, we have our seat assignments, etc.

we have no information for our Jetblue flights...and can't get any info until at least next week, because the airline is upgrading its computer system.

another movie not to watch before a cruise...

2010-01-24T19:19:00.001-05:00

caught part of this one on TV yesterday.

Haiti

2010-01-19T19:46:00.001-05:00

Haiti

Should cruise ships have returned to Haiti?
Cruise Critic members weigh in on ships resuming port calls to Labadee
By Kelly Ranson
U.K. Editor
CruiseCritic.com
updated 12:20 p.m. ET, Tues., Jan. 19, 2010

As humanitarian aid arrives and rescue workers continue their efforts to rebuild Haiti following the devastating earthquake last week, there's been much talk about Royal Caribbean's decision to resume calls on Labadee — the cruise line's private “island” destination about 100 miles from capital city Port-au-Prince (it was not damaged in the quake).

Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas was the first to return, on Friday. And, despite rumors on Cruise Critic's message boards that Royal Caribbean might reverse its decision, swapping Labadee for sea days, a cruise line spokeswoman tells us there are no plans to cancel calls. Both Navigator (which arrived today) and Liberty of the Seas (which calls on the port Friday) have been loaded with 80 pallets worth of supplies. On Friday, Celebrity Solstice will make its regularly scheduled stop — also bringing passengers and aid.

The majority of Cruise Critic readers support Royal Caribbean's decision, according to a homepage poll that ran on both cruisecritic.com and cruisecritic.co.uk. A resounding 67 percent of readers supported Royal Caribbean decision, saying that it was a good idea to continue calling in the region as the ships and passengers were bringing much needed aid and money.

There are some cruise travelers who disagree with the quick return, however, as conversations on controversial subject continue on Cruise Critic's message boards. “I have donated my money, but I would not feel comfortable going there for a vacation at this time,” posts Cruise Critic member jerseygirl79. “Not only would I not feel safe, but I wouldn't feel comfortable enjoying a vacation so close to utter devastation and loss of life.”

Ac110, meanwhile, disagrees: “Don't you see that depriving these people of employment is the last thing we should be doing right now?! Go, enjoy, and tip generously.”

Member Mechcc offers even more advice to those arriving in the port who want to help: “First off, everyone gets off the ship and heads to the market and buys a trinket at an outrageous price. And add a few dollars to the price. Then tip someone on the beach for carrying their bag. It has been reported that food that is not eaten by the passengers is taken home by the Haitians working at Labadee. So passengers — don't eat while on Labadee. Have a big breakfast, head back to the ship for a slice of pizza for lunch, and enjoy your dinner onboard.

“Leave the food that is prepared at Labadee for your enjoyment to be taken by the Haitians. Some of it will find its way to the shelters. You can do without it. Also, leave a few unopened bottles of water with the Haitians. And if you are on a cruise that RCI is donating profits from that stop to charity, well buy an excursion. You don't have to go on it, just buy it. Or donate that money to one of the charities that are helping out.

“Honestly, you can get off the ship, contribute, and have a subdued day. I also would probably leave several pair of brand new pairs of flip-flops on the beach. Not to mention a few new T-shirts and whatever. New and unused.”

Beyond Royal Caribbean, cruise line relief efforts vary. A passenger who was onboard Carnival Miracle in the Caribbean when the quake hit told Cruise Critic via e-mail that passengers were not told about the tragedy until the next day. “We wished Carnival would do something ... food, water,” she writes. “Granted passengers were on ‘vacation,’ but that didn't mean they stopped caring about humanity. Another reason to look to Royal Caribbean or Celebrity for our next cruise.”

Carnival Corporation on Monday announced that its cruise brands — including, among others, Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Crystal Cruises, P&O Cruises and Holland America Line — will donate $5 million toward Haiti relief via multiple international organizations.

What do those closer to the disaster think? Cruise Critic Editor-in-Chief Carolyn Spencer Brown shares this firsthand story after engaging in conversation with a Haitian taxi driver in Miami while traveling there this weekend. “He's from Labadee of all places, which is a good distance from Port-au-Prince. I asked him: how do Haitians feel about a cruise ship coming back so soon. He said that Labadee was not affected and that it's still crucial for people there to keep working, to have some sense of normalcy — and that the country needs any supplies it can get (which Royal Caribbean was bringing in).

“I said, ‘So it's not disrespectful, then?’ He looked incredulous, and said, ‘absolutely not.’ ”

Royal Caribbean has committed to providing $1 million in humanitarian relief to Haiti, a portion of which will augment the company's Crew Relief Fund, which can be drawn on by any of the company's more than 200 Haitian crewmembers. Passengers onboard can make a donation to Food for the Poor's Haiti Relief Fund, via a charge to their onboard account; others can visit the organization's Web site to make a donation.

For more information on how to help Haiti, check out our list of worthy charities.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34936685/ns/travel-cruising/?GT1=43001

MSN Privacy . Legal
© 2010 MSNBC.com

it's 5 o'clock somewhere!!!

2010-01-17T19:33:00.001-05:00

made another trip-related purchase today

2010-01-15T16:43:00.005-05:00

bought an inexpensive waterproof watch. it will be great to have at Isla Pasion!

it's called "traveltime"

2010-01-15T09:38:00.000-05:00

doesn't it look like the perfect sneaker for clearing airport security?

I'll be wearing these when we fly to Miami.

my parents are home

2010-01-14T21:14:00.011-05:00

overall they loved the cruise...thought the ship was great, loved the restaurants (and didn't care that they had to pay a cover charge in some of the specialty places). they were a bit bored with the days at sea, especially since they missed the Port of San Juan. they thought the tour of St. Thomas was overpriced and a bit dull.

I can't believe they actually went bowling, they haven't done that in ages.

and they brought home the Freestyle Daily for every day of the cruise..I am going to have fun reading those!

countdown

2010-01-14T09:47:00.000-05:00

today is 1/14/10.

we cruise on 2/14/10.

let the countdown officially begin.

some interesting video

2010-01-13T22:37:00.000-05:00

taken with my mini camcorder 1/13/10 at 5 PM from Jersey city, facing lower Manhattan at the World Trade Center site.

update on the Gem

2010-01-13T10:49:00.000-05:00

the ship has arrived back in NYC. my parents should be disembarking shortly.

the Gem sails out this afternoon, right past my office. I'm going to try to take a picture later -- I'll post if I do.

can't wait to hear the details of the cruise later.

this one's making the rounds on cruise critic

2010-01-12T07:13:00.000-05:00

this version is the "clean" version shown on Saturday Night Live

for your listening pleasure

2010-01-10T21:52:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day merchandise is in the stores

2010-01-07T13:48:00.002-05:00

And that's exciting because we sail on Valentine's Day.

sounds like a great product

2010-01-07T12:01:00.000-05:00

just ordered something from Avon -- it's a combined product -- an insect repellant (without DEET) and a sunscreen with an SPF of 30.

Perfect for cruising to the Western Caribbean and exploring the rainforest of Belize.

live from the Gem....

2010-01-06T22:45:00.000-05:00

one of the advangtages of the 21st century...

my paents are asailing on the Gem even as I type this. and I know all about the problems the ship is having...becaause I read Cruise Critic and someone posted live from the Gem.

it seems the Gem experienced rough seas for two days. then there wsas a problem with the engines, and the ship came to a complete stop for about an hour. then they decided to skip the first port of call, San Juan, and head straight to St. Thomas -- not only did they hit a delay, but the part they need to repair the ship in in the Virgin Islands, and if they make port in Puerto Rico they may not be able to get the ship going again.

I will continue to follow this drama from the safety of my computer...

so I will be cruising with a PIRATE!

2010-01-06T20:26:00.000-05:00

well, not a REAL pirate.

King Arthur has been cast as a pirate in a local community theater production of The Pirates of Penzance.

So today I figured I'd post a clip from the 1983 movie:

no more walk for the cure?..new cause instead?

2010-01-05T18:40:00.007-05:00

seems the partnership between Susan G. Komen and the cruise lines is coming to an end. and Carnvial has entered into a partnership with St. jude's Children's Hospital. so I'm not sure which fundraising activities we will have on our cruise. not to worry, they'r eboth good causes.

Come Sail Away

2010-01-04T21:59:00.000-05:00

Isn't she a gorgeous ship?

2010-01-04T17:21:00.000-05:00

sigh

2010-01-03T15:46:00.000-05:00

My parents are on the Norwegian Gem, about to start a 10 day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean.

It is 18 degrees here in New York.

I want to go where it's warm!!!

even Sherman wants to cruise

2010-01-02T11:10:00.003-05:00

if you can't see the whole strip, click to enlarge

guess which old movie I saw on TV last night?

2009-12-31T20:39:00.008-05:00

The Poseidon Adventure

No exactly "cruise friendly" :-) but still one of my favorite movies.

what are you reading now?

2009-12-30T17:00:00.002-05:00

packages arrived today

2009-12-29T08:14:00.000-05:00

the two dresses I ordered for the cruise, and two floral hair clips. they match the dresses perfectly!

dinner last night....

2009-12-28T11:38:00.000-05:00

Met a friend for dinner last night. Went to a Mexican place called Cozymel, we drank frozen margaritas and ate nachos and tacos.....

and I found myself laughing out loud, because in less than 2 months I will be eating Mexican food and drinking margaritas in Cozemel.

got our cabin assignment!

2009-12-26T17:38:00.000-05:00

so today when I looked at the Carnival website, I saw that we have been assigned a cabin.

we booked fun saver, so Carnival got to pick the cabin for us.

we're in an ocean view cabin, category 6B, in the middle of the Riviera Deck.

should be a great cruise.

wtih 2 feet of snow on the ground, a little music to get you thinking "cruise"

2009-12-24T16:50:00.000-05:00

lyrics of the day

2009-12-22T10:58:00.002-05:00

When you see the Southern Cross

For the first time

You understand now

Why you came this way

'Cause the truth you might be runnin' from

Is so small.

But it's as big as the promise

The promise of a comin' day

I just bought

2009-12-20T16:42:00.001-05:00

two Hawaiian-style dresses to wear on the cruise.

Walk for the Cure?

2009-12-19T22:56:00.001-05:00

Just read on Cruise Critic that on the last day at sea, the Carnival ships sponsor a Walk for the Cure event in support of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Participants pay $10 and receive a t-shirt, and are encouraged to walk one mile on the ship's jogging track.

Sounds like a plan!

Cozemel...or Grand Cayman?

2009-12-19T18:54:00.002-05:00

I'm not that big of a parrothead that I need to do more than one visit to Margaritaville.....

the one in Georgetown, Grand Cayman, is right by the pier.

the one in cozumel is further away, but is supposed to be "better".

packing list

2009-12-16T11:47:00.000-05:00

Last night the King advised me he has already started making a list of things he needs to pack.

glad he's so organized, but we're still 2 months out.

attention fellow Parrotheads

2009-12-14T10:16:00.005-05:00

I am thinking about a visit to Margaritaville when we make port in Cozumel.

phins up!

party time!

2009-12-13T22:04:00.000-05:00

cousin's bat mitzvah was yesterday, it was a great party. I danced so much I had to take off my shoes.

had to buy a dress for the party. so now I've got an outfit for one of our formal nights on the cruise. can't wait to wear it again, I hope we'll have a chance to go dancing!

passport has arrived!

2009-12-11T20:48:00.001-05:00

guess I'm good to go!

so I get an envelope from the Department of State

2009-12-10T20:23:00.002-05:00

and I get all excited....

and I opne the envelope, and it's...my birth certificate. and a note that the passport was mailed under separate cover.

well, at least we have trip insurance

2009-12-10T16:24:00.000-05:00

looks like we're not going to be able to change our plans so as to be able to fly down the day before the cruise. King Arthur tells me the TA says it's impossible. I told him the TA should have booked it for us that way in the first place.

I am fuly prepared to have to fly to Grand Cayman Island if we miss the boat.

please pray we don't.

Passport is on the way

2009-12-09T14:55:00.000-05:00

I got an email from the State Department today, my passport has been processed and mailed.

welcome to winter

2009-12-09T10:34:00.000-05:00

cold and rainy today...which is actually an improvement....it snowed a little last night.

I hate this weather.

what's keeping me warm right now is the thought of sitting on the deck of the Valor with a pina colada in one hand and a juicy romance novel in the other...

2 months. 2 long, cold, bitter months.

still feeling nervous

2009-12-04T14:27:00.000-05:00

the TA hasn't been able to book us a Saturday flight and stayover in Miami, and I am feeling more than a little queasy about flying on the day of the cruise in the dead of winter.

when I went to Disneyworld with my friend K in July 2008, she flew out of Long Island/Macarthur on a Wednesday morning. I had to work, and flew out of Neark Wednesday evening.

she got to WDW on time and had dinner in EPCOT.

I had a four-hour delay due to rain, and had dinner in the airport terminal.

no, I am NOT happy with the TA right now.

and it's official

2009-12-01T23:20:00.001-05:00

the final payment was made today.

Lovely Cruise -- from the Summerzcool tour!!!

2009-11-26T11:11:00.002-05:00

Landshark!!!!

2009-11-25T12:42:00.002-05:00

Photos of the Carnival Dream

2009-11-23T20:02:00.001-05:00

She sailed out of New York this evening.

the photos aren't great, I took them with my cell phone. I work in jersey city, right across the Hudson from the World Trade Center site. Came out of my office at 5 PM and saw the Dream right in front of me. Practically ran after the ship shouting "take me with you!!!"

Click on the photos to enlarge.

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Mayan pyramids, oh boy

2009-11-20T10:07:00.001-05:00

the tallest structure at Altun ha is 54 feet.

that's like 5 stories.

today I walked up 6 flights of stairs, I climbed from track level to the street in the PATH station.

had to stop on almost every landing to catch my breath, but I did it!

it's really going to happen....

2009-11-19T23:26:00.001-05:00

the US State department cashed my check, my passport is in the mail.

why I am excited about my cruise

2009-11-17T00:37:00.003-05:00

thinking about my upcoming cruise....

remember this show?

so my parents have booked a cruise

2009-11-16T12:38:00.007-05:00

they're sailing on the Norwegian Gem in January, headed to the Eastern Caribbean. they booked a trip with their retirement group. ask my mom about the details, such as ports of call, and she's not sure where she's going....

updates

2009-11-15T10:48:00.001-05:00

passport finally ordered. should be here in 4-6 weeks.

still frustrated about hotel the night before -- especially since local weatherman is predicting a blizzard the weekend we're supposed to fly.

currently reading James Ferguson's"A Traveller's History of the the Carribean."

Altun Ha

2009-11-11T21:21:00.000-05:00

so the tallest pyramid at the site, the one you can climb, is 54 feet tall.

So I need to get in shape to climb it in February.

54 feet = maybe 5, stories, right?

the PATH station at Exchange Place is 6 stores below ground.

Maybe I shold start taking the stairs instead of the escalator in the morning.

frustration

2009-11-10T21:56:00.000-05:00

travel agent tells us that she can't book us for a night in Miami -- there's nothing available for that night with the package we booked. but she's going to keep checking back with Carnival.

OK, Cruise Critic folks, you've convinced me

2009-11-03T00:06:00.000-05:00

Our plan was to lfy to Miami the day our cruise sets sail.

In February.

During Presidents' Day Weekend.

guess whose plans are about to change?

Yep. We're going to fly down Saturday and spend Saturday night in Miami, and sail on sunday without making ourselves crazy.

Kokomo

2009-11-01T13:36:00.000-05:00

Mexican food ....

2009-10-28T23:59:00.001-04:00

ate at a local Mexican place the other night. kept thinking that in just over 3 months I will be eating mexican food in Mexico. Can't wait to see Cozemel.

more shore excursions!

2009-10-25T22:11:00.000-04:00

Cayman Islands -- not only are we doing a ride on the Atlantis Submarine, we will also take a tour of the best of the island.

Belize -- we're taking a cruise on the Wallace river to the Altun Ha Mayan site.

Roatan -- a tour of the island -- the exotic, undeveloped East Side.

Cozumel -- a speed boat ride to Isla Pasion, where we can enjoy the beach and shopping in an open-air market.

booked a shore excursion

2009-10-24T05:33:00.000-04:00

at Grand Cayman Island we will do the Atlantis submarine shore excursion.

What are you reading?

2009-10-23T00:28:00.000-04:00

Probably should have bought it before we booked our cruise, but I am enjoying the learning process.

can you believe....

2009-10-21T16:28:00.000-04:00

I am 49 years old and do not have a passport? and never had one?

the last time I left these United States, one could travel to the Bahamas on a cruise ship using one's birth certificate as ID. for canada, all I needed was a regular NYS driver's license.

how times have changed.

guess what's on my list of chores for the weekend?

Toes

2009-10-21T13:36:00.001-04:00

Sea Cruise

2009-10-18T01:52:00.000-04:00

cold out today

2009-10-13T23:51:00.000-04:00

we barely had a summer this year, and now it's autumn and unseasonably cold.

four months until the cruise. 7 days in the sun.

I can't wait.

Carnival Valor facts

2009-10-12T19:08:00.001-04:00

Total Staterooms - 1,487 Decks - 13 Passenger capacity - 2,974 Total crew - 1,180 Tonnage - 110,000 Registry - Panama Ship size - Large

formal night planning

2009-10-11T23:23:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to decide how formal we should go for the two formal nights on our trip.

I've got two really great gowns, a spaghetti-strap black gown with beading on the bodice and a matching jacket, and a blue gown, also with spaghetti straps and a matching jacket, with beading all over the gown and the jacket. I wore the black one for my older daughter's bat mitzvah and the blue one for younger daughter's bat mitzvah.

Significant other owns a tux but really doesn't want to pack it.

This could get interesting.

Premier Cruse memories

2009-10-10T18:34:00.000-04:00

We sailed on a Premier Cruise on June 29, 1987. Flew down from Long Island that morning (it was a Monday) to Orlando, picked up our rental car and drove to Port Cananveral, where we boarded the ship. When the ship retruned to Port Canaveral on Friday, we toured the Kennedy Space Center before driving back to Orlando for our Walt Disney World vacation.

Accomodations: inside cabin with a queen bed and a sofa bed. our cabin steward knew it was our honeymoon (our travel agent sent us champagne) and instead of just leaving chcolates on our pillows, he'd make whole patterns on the bed with the wrapped candies.

Ports of Call: our first port was Nassau, Bahamas, on Tuesday. We did two shore excurions. the first was in the morning, we took an auto tour of the island, saw Nassau, ruins, Paradise Island. Had lunch in (of all places) Burger King. went shopping in the Straw Market (learned how to bargain with the vendors) and a liquor store (had to buy run!). In the evening we went to a night club for Calypso music and frozen tropical cocktails.

second port of call was Wednesday -- Salt Cay, a private island owned by the cruise line. we spent the day at the beach, went snorkeling. we were told to wear t-shirts in the water. I listened -- when we went before lunch. after lunch I left the shirt on the beach. got the worst sunburn of my entire life! when they served lobster in the main dining room I couldn't eat it....the lobster and I were the same color.

shipboard activities: formal night included a photo opportunity with teh captain as well as one with Mickey Mouse. there was a reception for honeymoon couples during the cruise as well. one night there was a costume party...I dressed as a pirate (the ship had accessories for that) and King Arthur put a pillow on his back, under his shirt, and went as the Hunchback of Notre Dame. during the day at sea (Thursday) we played board games, had a trivia contest, swam in the pool, and the king did some skeet shooting.

it was a short curise, but it was lots of fun.

So we booked the cruise!

2009-10-09T00:01:00.001-04:00

After much discussion and trepidation, we made the decision and booked a cruise.

A little background is in order.

I will celebrate a milestone birthday on February 18. Yes, I will reach the half-century mark in 2010.

I have one daughter in college, and one who will graduate from high school in June and start college next fall. I am facing an empty nest and the next phase of my life.

I will also, G-d willing, celebrate my 5 year mark in February -- 5 years since my cancer diagnosis, five years since my surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

And I am celebrating the rebirth of an old relationship. I would never have believed it. My significant other is my ex husband. for purposes of this blog I shall call him "King Arthur", after the T.H. White book, The Once and Future King. We got engaged on 2/14/86, and our very bitter divorce became final on 2/14/96. Until quite recently we hated each other, but in the last few years we've become friends....and now lovers...once more.

So a few weeks ago, I turned to King Arthur and said "I want to go away for my birthday. I want to celebrate it someplace that is NOT HERE."

New York can be horrible in the winter, I am not a snow person.

So we discussed Orlando, FL (I am a Disney freak!). We discussed Cancun. We discussed Acapulco.

And then we settled on a cruise.

We're sailing on the Carnival Valor on 2/14. It's a seven day cruise from Miami to the Western Caribbean. Ports of Call include Grand Cayman, Belize, Roatan and Cozumel.

We put the deposit down today.

This is not our first cruise. The king and I took a cruise on our honeymoon. We did a four day cruise to the Bahamas on the Premier Cruise line in 1987. The ship (billed as The Big Red Boat) sailed out of Port Canaveral, visited Nassau and a small private island called Salt Cay, and then returned to Port Canaveral. The package also included admission to the Kennedy Space Center, hotel accommodations on International Drive and three-day admission tickets to Walt Disney World (there were only 2 parks at the time, the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT). Premier was the official cruise line of WDW at the time, it was prior to the existence of the Disney Cruise Line, so we sailed with Disney characters.

And neither of us has been on a cruise since.

though I have been to WDW again. Many times. In fact, I've become a little obsessed with Disney vacations. So a cruise will be a welcome change.

So I joined Cruise Critic. And felt instantly at home -- it's just like all those WDW planning boards I've joined over the last 10-11 years.

So now the real planning begins.

I am so excited.