BlerkOne

Pro tip: The interent on the ship seems stable, but I find the speed disappointing for being the latest and greatest. The Medallion app works fine on iPhone and can be garbage on Android. It's because of the latest release earlier this month. Consider not updating the app if it is working. Last I asked, they still don't have a fix, but there are workarounds for many Android phones like Samsung and Google. I now have it working on all 3.

Monday. Next is Tonight I believe. But it varies depending on when seadays are. Tomorrow is a seaday, but they don't like to have the last night of the cruise.

You can easily see the mainland today

Thank you. Weather has been great. Now in Cozumel and humidity is rising. I think it will start raining this afternoon. I think next week will not be as good, but weathermen make a living out of being wrong.

Only the tip top shelf stuff was available

The hold up was everyone arrived early 🙂 and security was swamped Pro-tip - have your medallion delivered to you and be green lane via the app, or else you will have another line to wait in. I breezed through the rest of check-in and boarded the ship immediately. I didn't expect my cabin to be ready, but it was. One on the ship, I found the typical elevator gridlock but not even close to what Discovery Princess was a couple of weeks ago. Stairs it is. I had forgotten what a pleasure it is to cruise from Galveston. I know not all cruise lines are the same, but the drink packages don't work for anything on the ship until after sail away. Not even bottled water from the bars. Alcohol choices were limited AND you got to pay.

I parked the next day at the Express Lot which is adjacent to terminal 28. I took a back way to get there and didn't have any issues with traffic. The traffic issues I had were at last a million people waiting to check in

I overpaid for a hotel to make sure I made it to the island. Many bikes were still on the road toward Galveston with the same or more leaving the island. And a number on the side of the road, broken down or perhaps just waiting for others to catch up. I made it to a food truck I've wanted to try on the island

https://lonestarrally.com/ Much took place along the seawall, but also near Harbor House

A funny thing happened on the way to the ship - a ginormous biker rally was taking place in Galveston. Not sure of the final tally, but hundreds of thousands attended. Not as big as Sturgis (yet), but getting there. Who knew (a rhetorical question)?

Carnival Freedom in 2007 added a pre-inaugural. I was on it.

Carnival did this with Freedom.

Now on Regal . I see Sabatini's opened for lunch, BUT, it was for the top cruise day cruisers. I was not one of them

I value it at $16 per day.

I can confirm there are issues. Pixel is at Android 14. Samsung is at 13. Tis the app at fault. They are working on it.

I may have to retract/redact that. Now having some issues (but I also have an iPhone because, why not) 😺

Perhaps you should have given away free (cheap) champagne?

Sometimes a bargain, sometimes marked up bigly. Buyer beware

Works fine on my Android phones (Samsung and Google)

I've tried the buffet a few times for dinner, and almost always wonder Why???? When there is pizza, the Deli, and more to try. I have even started paying for Fish and Chips occasionally because have been really good.

I assume they make money, too. The real question is the ROI sufficient? Obviously some gamblers really do risk a lot. I suspect most don't.

They could eliminate the buffet altogether and I wouldn't miss it. Carnival has a number of other venues to choose from for all meals.

I wouldn't try to plan everything down to the last minute - you will greatly add stress to your day. A private table can finish faster. You can also ask that they don't wait for you to finish a course before bringing the next one. If you eat at popular times, it will take longer than at off times. I prefer to let it take as long as it takes and enjoy my food (and digestion).

I learned a long time ago to avoid questionable hearsay. Especially when squared.