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Your Paris photos are gorgeous. That is one of our favorite cities. Looking forward to more! And, congratulations on your wedding!

Wow! Thanks for taking your own time to write such beautiful remarks. I am speechless. Okay, maybe not speechless... haha... but you get my point.

 

I would like to believe that you're right, that my mother would be proud of me. One of her sisters (my aunt) and I stay in touch and she has been rather accepting of Latanya and I but she is really the only other family that has at all. At the end of the day, I've learned to be okay with this because I am who I am and I'd rather live a life with little family and be happy with my choices than live a life with family that don't love me for who I really am and force me to supress my individuality.

 

I have never even considered getting lice from a monkey! Oh god... I am a paranoid individual so thanks for putting that into my "head".. pun intended. lol. I think the places where we've visited the monkeys care a lot about their monkeys and take good care of them. I've never even been the slightest bit itchy from holding them or anything (allergy wise) and I do get that way even when I hold my own cats occasionally.

 

I've been considering fit flops for a while now. My feet are so oddly shaped that it's hard to get shoes (even flip flops) that work well for me. I wish there was a retail location I could check them out and try them on at...

 

As for everything else you wanted to know, why don't you shoot me an email? My email is (no spaces) P u r e E m o t i o n s P h o t o g r a p h y @ g m a i l . c o m

 

Look forward to hearing from you! Glad to hear you live so close by!

Sorry to make you itch...but if you have not felt the effects by now, chances are the monkeys were lice free, so all is good, lol. The next time we come across these darling little monkeys, I think we will all take our chances and play with them!!

As for the Fit Flops, our Macys has them, so you could probably try them on there.

Love your photos!!

3.) An Alaskan cruise. I mostly want to do this to photograph it. To see the sights and to breathe in the rigid, cold air. Latanya doesn't want to take this cruise with me... she thinks she'd be miserable and too cold and it's just not her cup of tea. I've considered taking it with another photographer or finding a roomie on one of the boards or something because this is a dream of mine.

 

Tell Latanya an Alaskan cruise is not always cold. When we did Alaska in July, 2009 (NCL Star), they were having a bit of a heat wave and the temperatures reached almost 70. The only time we were ever really cold was on our balcony as we sailed by Dawges Glacier. The rest of the trip it was actually quite pleasant outside and coming from FL in July, it felt wonderful!! I'm sure May and Sept cruises experience much colder temperatures, but in July it was really pleasant!!

Wow, I just found this review this week and have really enjoyed it. It is rare to find a review that is both well written and has such incredible photos...well, I'll just say yours is the best I've read. The photos are simply amazing. A few thoughts:

1. Your mom would be so proud of you and what an honor to her memory your photography skills represent! My son is very active in the theater and I have met many young people who are afraid to come out to their parents and, as a parent, I just cannot imagine something as silly as sexual orientation (which I firmly believe is inborn) coming between family members. I'm sorry your other family members were not more accepting and hope they come around soon.

2. I firmly agree with you about the photography skills of the ship's photographers. Rarely do we find a photo worth purchasing and the candid shots in the dining room are usually the worse. Surely, Carnival would sell more photos if the quality of the photos (and equipment) was upgraded.

3. This is a topic I've never seen much written about, so I may be crazy, but here goes...were you at all concerned about getting hair lice from handling the monkeys? We saw similar monkeys in St. Kitts and I know my kids would have loved to have interacted with them, but after having a daughter who brought home the dreaded hair lice from school, I was afraid. When the monkeys "groom" you, aren't they looking for lice to pick off? Maybe I am just paranoid, but it is because of the lice issue that we have never interacted with these adorable creatures. We live in FL, so a trip to the Miami place with the monkeys would be great fun if I were not so afraid!

4. I gather it is the increased salt intake that causes one's feet to swell, but something I absolutely swear by for cruises (and most of my off work hours) are fit flops or sketchers tone up flip flops. They are truly like walking on a cloud of air and although I don't think they prevent swelling, if you are swollen and uncomfortable, I'd think these would be the best to wear. I don't work for either company, and found them quite by accident, but to me, there is not a more comfortable shoe out there!

5. Living in Orlando, I've made note of your profession and bookmarked it for future reference. Your photos are just stunning. I wonder if you ever photograph theaterical performances? As I mentioned, my son is quite involved in theater and I am always trying to take decent photos of his performances without a flash with horrible results. Of course, I just have a point and shoot camera, but would love to get a DSLR and learn the ins and outs. Maybe one day...

6. Finally, you and Latanya are a beautiful couple and I wish you many years of happiness and loads of fun on future vacations. Hope you are feeling better. (I'm only on page 22 of the review, but was so moved, I had to write now before I've even finished it all).

Thanks again for a wonderful review!!

I loved reading your review before we left!

I'm so glad it helped. Gosh, you said the the walk to the southernmost point was hot in January!! We about died doing it in the summer. I'd love to do it on a brisk fall day, if there is such a thing in Key West!!!

I love your spacious room! How did you find out about that particular room?

Thanks for the great review. We've also done the Freedom 6 day cruise and loved it (review in signature).

 

 

 

Thank you! I found it at Macy's. It was an end of season sale.

Thanks!

Cute Dress.

Thank you both!

I absolutely love the pink dress from the first formal night! Would you mind sharing where you purchased it? We are in the process of shopping for a Homecoming dress for my 16 year old daughter and that dress is gorgeous!

Gapearl, I enjoy all of your reviews, this one included.

I'm with you and Ginny on the cornbread! That is certainly not like any cornbread I've ever seen. In fact, I've never seen anything like that at all...it looks like a roll with creamed corn in the middle!!!

Thanks again for the review and I love the pink!

Loved the dolphin photos! Sounds like a great trip!! Although we have sailed the Glory twice, we have never done the Canadian itinerary. I'd surely love to try that one!

Thanks again for a wonderful review!

Great review. We booked my DH's parents on the Dream for their 50th anniversary next year, so I'm enjoying the review. Isn't it wonderful living so close to the cruise ports (we also live in Orlando...in fact the nail salon you used is about 15 minutes from my home!). Unfortunately, we seem to be picking cruises out of Miami due to the cheaper price...we really need to start sailing from our home port of Port Canaveral!!

Thanks Mark!

 

Sorry your cruise didn't pan out, d@mn tropical storms!

 

No rope lights on Imagination, even the cable that used to hold them (and the flags) was gone. The strand in front of the bridge was still in place oddly enough. I asked the Captain why they were taken down while we were on the Behind the Fun tour, he said they were probably taken down for repair. But since the Fascination has also lost hers, I'm betting it will be done fleetwide sooner or later. Probably some Vice President trying to save a few bucks and didn't think anyone would notice. :rolleyes:

We were on the 7/31/10 Inspiration cruise and they had both the rope lights and flags. I love to see those!

Loved your Hemingway House photos. Although we toured the inside of the house, I didn't get any photos of the interior because we were too focused on the cats (see review of Freedom in my signature). So, it was nice to remember what the inside of the house looked like!!

Does anyone know if 6393, 8357, and 7345 have 2 lowers on the Freedom?

 

I noticed that many of these now have 2 lower beds, but why are they still 1A?

 

Thanks!

The deck plan I consulted (from a cruise travel agency's website) shows 6393 and 7345 as 1A with an upper/lower bunk bed style bed. For 8357, it is colored as a 1A, but they don't give the key for the 1A on that deck, so not sure of the bed configuration. I would just call your travel agent or Carnival and ask about these rooms.

I've been searching all morning and can't find a conclusive answers.

 

Does anyone know if 2207 on Carnival Glory is a twin/sofa bed or twin/bunk bed?

 

Thanks so much!!

The deck plan I consulted for Glory shows this as a twin with a single convertible sofa. Go to the website of any travel agency specializing in cruises and look at the deck plan of your ship and there should be a key as to what each room has in terms of beds. I don't know whether Carnival's website has this info or not. I find their website extremely hard to navigate!

I just booked 3 cruises (had to get in before the rate increase), all with porthole rooms. Look at the deck plan for the ship you are interested in. Some ships only have a few porthole rooms. For instance, I think the Glory just has 4 such rooms on the Riveria deck and 2 porthole rooms on the main deck. So, these rooms do go quickly. If a porthole room is not showing up as available for your cruise, it is probably gone. I think my porthole rooms were classified as 4a. I was under the impression that 1a is always bunk beds. BTW, the porthole rooms do have 2 twins that can be pushed together to make a queen.

Sorry, but I meant to say that the porthole rooms are usually the same price as 4a rooms, however they do have their own category as a PT.

I just booked 3 cruises (had to get in before the rate increase), all with porthole rooms. Look at the deck plan for the ship you are interested in. Some ships only have a few porthole rooms. For instance, I think the Glory just has 4 such rooms on the Riveria deck and 2 porthole rooms on the main deck. So, these rooms do go quickly. If a porthole room is not showing up as available for your cruise, it is probably gone. I think my porthole rooms were classified as 4a. I was under the impression that 1a is always bunk beds. BTW, the porthole rooms do have 2 twins that can be pushed together to make a queen.

We will be in St. Marten on the Miracle on 1 April 2009. I am wondering whether the Divi Little Bay Beach Resort or the Westin Hotel is better for a day pass. Has anyone been to these resorts? What did you like or dislike about them? After a not so great experience at Meagan's Bay in St. Thomas in Nov., we are looking for a beach at a hotel that is not too crowded; water sports would be a plus, but not a requirement.

Thanks for any advice!