Jamman54

Thanks for continuing to follow along!

Yes Sharon, B2B cruises are awesome! The best is the last night of the first cruise. Most of your fellow cruisers are winding down, packing, and doing as much as they can, while you can just chill and relax. We can't just do 7 days anymore. We have three B2B's, and one S2S booked as of now. Glad that you continue to follow along, and thanks for your kind words. Much more to come!

Patti thanks you! It is not a dress, just a top, but it was from Land's' End, so you nailed it! As for our smiles...... we're on a cruise, how can you not smile?

Were you expecting fra diablo?

Awesome review and awesome pictures! Thanks again for taking the time to post!

I was just wondering if you had the same one as we did on our Hawaii cruise. Apparently not, as ours was a guy.

Hey Jimbo! Looking forward to your review as the Greek Isles are on our bucket list. Hope everything works out for you on the home front.

Just wondering, is the artist named Ty?

For dessert, Patti had the fruit plate, while I had a banana split….. After dinner, Patti made her way back to the cabin, and I went to Punchliners to catch the “R” rated 8:30 pm show. I got my usual great seat at the bar in back. This cruise, we had two new comedians come aboard. They were Andy Beningo, who would be performing this show, and Mike Delamont. Kier would also be performing this cruise…… The new comedy club host is CJ from the Fun Squad….. This is Andy Beningo on stage…… He was not very good, or funny at all. I gave him a generous 5.5 out of 10. Hopefully his next performances will be better. Afterwards, I went to the Casino Bar and had a few drinks with Angela, and then back to the cabin. We have received our invites for the Diamond Luncheon tomorrow….. We also received our excursion tickets for our tours in Boston and Halifax. Coming up next: The Diamond Luncheon and Captain Mark makes an appearance!

Thanks for following along! Hopefully your weather will be better than ours was.

At this point we were hungry, so we decided to go to the Truffles Restaurant tonight. I requested a table at 6:15 pm, and we were seated at Table # 408, right along the railing, at 6:35 pm….. This was our view of Truffles Restaurant….. Here we are at dinner….. We both love the cranberry bread….. For her appetizers, Patti had the chicken quesadilla and a Caesar salad…. For my appetizers, I had the fried calamari and a shrimp cocktail. I feel special because I got FOUR shrimp tonight! For our mains, we both had the chicken parm….. I also had the sweet and sour shrimp….. To be continued…..

Once again, we are sailing under the Francis Scott Key Bridge….. Just east of the bridge we sail past Fort Carrol…… Here is a little history: In 1847, the State of Maryland gave permission to the United States War Department to construct a fort in the shallow water of Soller's Point Flats to protect the city of Baltimore. Fort Carroll was important for the defense of Baltimore—before the fort's construction, Fort McHenry just outside the city was the only military defensive structure between Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay. The fort was part of the "Permanent System" or Third System construction program, which aimed to defend America's most important ports. Then Brevet-Colonel Robert E. Lee designed the hexagonal structure and supervised the construction, which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers commenced in 1848. The fort received its name on 8 October 1850. In 1852, Lee left Baltimore to become Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The original design foresaw the fort being armed with some 225 cannon on three levels. However, in April 1861 at the outbreak of the Civil War, Fort Carroll's walls were still less than half the planned height of thirty feet. Only five gun platforms were ready and only two were armed with guns. Still, the Army emplaced about thirty cannon and occupied the fort throughout the war. In April 1864 torrential rains flooded the fort's magazines, which led the Army to move all the powder and ammunition to Fort McHenry. After World War I broke out, in 1917 the Army removed the guns from Battery Heart and in 1918 those from Battery Towson to use elsewhere. By 1920, all guns had been removed from the fort. In March 1921 the Army officially abandoned Fort Carroll and moved whatever military equipment was left to nearby Fort Howard. The War Department declared the island excess property in 1923, but took no immediate steps to sell the land. A variety of proposals for the use of the island were advanced, including a prison, as well as a 1923 plan advanced by Baltimore mayor William Broening to place an electric "Welcome to Baltimore" sign on the island, accompanied by a statue of Lord Baltimore. In World War II the Army used the fort as a firing range. It also served as a checkpoint for vessels. Source = Wikipedia. To be continued…….

There are a lot of people out on the water today…… We are now sailing past Fort McHenry……. Here is a little history: Fort McHenry was built on the site of the former Fort Whetstone, which had defended Baltimore from 1776 to 1797. Fort Whetstone stood on Whetstone Point (today's residential and industrial area of Locust Point) peninsula, which juts into the opening of Baltimore Harbor between the Basin (today's Inner Harbor) and Northwest branch on the north side and the Middle and Ferry (now Southern) branches of the Patapsco River on the south side. The Frenchman Jean Foncin designed the fort in 1798, and it was built between 1798 and 1800. The new fort's purpose was to improve the defenses of the increasingly important Port of Baltimore from future enemy attacks. The new fort was a bastioned pentagon, surrounded by a dry moat—a deep, broad trench. The moat would serve as a shelter from which infantry might defend the fort from a land attack. In case of such an attack on this first line of defense, each point, or bastion could provide a crossfire of cannon and small arms fire. Fort McHenry was named after early American statesman James McHenry (1753–1816), a Scots-Irish immigrant and surgeon-soldier. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress from Maryland and a signer of the United States Constitution. Afterwards, he was appointed United States Secretary of War (1796–1800), serving under Presidents George Washington and John Adams. It is best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy from the Chesapeake Bay on September 13–14, 1814. It was first built in 1798 and was used continuously by the U.S. armed forces through World War I and by the Coast Guard in World War II. It was designated a national park in 1925, and in 1939 was re-designated a "National Monument and Historic Shrine". During the War of 1812 an American storm flag, 17 by 25 feet, was flown over Fort McHenry during the bombardment. It was replaced early on the morning of September 14, 1814, with a larger American garrison flag, 30 by 42 feet. The larger flag signaled American victory over the British in the Battle of Baltimore. The sight of the ensign inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry" that was later set to the tune "To Anacreon in Heaven" and became known as "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States. Source = Wikipedia. To be continued……

Patti and I grab some lunch and bring it back to the Red Frog Rum Bar to eat. Patti got a turkey wrap from the deli, and I got a Guy’s Burger. We hung out there for a while, and at one point Cruise Critic member BroadwayGirl and her husband dropped by to say hello. Around 2:30 we made our way back to our cabin to hang out and relax before sail away. We found that some fruit and champagne were sent to us from Hotel Director Paul Heslop…… We also received this Canadian Customs Notice. Basically, all we had to do was fill out a Canadian Custom Declaration Card, and deposit it in a drop box by Guest Services by 8 pm tomorrow. Not a problem….. The Carnival Legend sailed right at 5 pm, and we decided to watch from our balcony. After pushing away from the pier, Captain Mark spun her around so that we were facing out to sea….. We are now sailing from the Cruise Maryland Terminal….. To be continued……

Bring it on!!!

I suspect that this has something to do with the Costa Venezia coming to New York next summer. Generally, when Carnival has two ships sailing out of New York in the summer, one will do Caribbean itineraries, and the other will do the Canada itineraries. We have a Canada cruise as part of a B2B on the Magic next September, so we'll be keeping an eye on this. I believe more changes are coming.

When I had gotten to the Red Frog Rum Bar and ordered a drink, Argee told me that my card wasn’t working, but he would get me one anyway. I told him that I was going to make a quick trip down to Guest Services, and that I would be right back. When I got down there they apologized profusely, as they had a delay, and they were just checking all the B2Ber’s in. They had just checked Patti and I in a few seconds before I got there, and they assured me that the cards would now work. I got back to the Rum Bar and sure enough the card was now working! Patti is making her way back towards me. Here is the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar….. This is the mid ship Avalon Pool and stage….. Guy’s Burgers is set up and ready to go…… This is the Swirls ice cream machine next to Guy’s….. The Paradise Duo is performing some steel drum music, though there’s only one of them there now….. Patti has made it to the Red Frog Rum Bar….. To be continued…..

We had the ship to ourselves for about a half an hour before they started to let the new passengers on. We stopped back at the cabin, and then at noon, went down to our muster station. When they went to scan our cards it didn’t work, so they took down our folio numbers. Another couple, who we knew were B2Ber’s, their cards also didn’t scan. Then along came some new passengers, and their cards scanned, no problem. I think I see a pattern here. So, from here I went up to the Red Frog Rum Bar, while Patti said that she wanted to take some pictures that she missed last cruise. Here is an empty Firebird Lounge….. Here is the bar in the Firebird Lounge. The fifth or sixth seats from the right were my prime viewing seats for the comedy shows….. Patti makes her way back up to the Lido and gets these shots of the forward Camelot Pool area. The starboard side of this area is a smoking section….. To be continued……

At 10:45 am we made our way down to the Alchemy Bar where all the B2Ber’s would be meeting up at 11 am. They came around and scanned our old cards out, and then gave us our new cards. They asked us if we had completed our ArriveCan, which we had done, but didn’t ask to see it, so just took our word for it. I’m sure that those who were just arriving to board this cruise had to show it three or four times! Anyway, here is the email we received prior to the cruise which gave us the requirements to cruise to Canada. All of this goes out the window as of October 1st….. Now, we are just waiting for all the old passengers to get off the ship so that we could be led off the ship, through customs, and then back on again. After about ten minutes they came back and told us that we would not have to leave the ship at all, and we were free to go. Score! We don’t know why this happened, and we aren’t going to ask any questions! Most everyone went to the Lobby Bar for free mimosas or juice. They would not be taking a group photo, but would take individual photos if you wanted one. Why not, they’re free. Here’s ours…… We took a couple of “unofficial” B2B pictures….. Now that our second cruise has officially started, here are today’s “Fun Times”…… Here is some Good to Know information, for those that want to know….. To be continued…..

Yes, you can count on it!

The ship is being refueled so there is no smoking allowed anywhere….. The Best Western van arrives to pick up some passengers….. Our car is all alone now….. We decide that we’re going to hang out back in Serenity until it is time to head to the Alchemy Bar….. The Serenity Bar….. To be continued…….

The Carnival Legend was docked back in Baltimore at 8:30 am. I am reposting our B2B information here…… We don’t meet at the Alchemy Bar until 11 am, so we have some time to kill. First, we are going to head up to the Lido for some breakfast. Around 9:15 they begin debarking those who are doing self-assist. They are doing it by deck number. Patti and I head down to the Lobby to watch our old fellow passengers debark from the ship…… Gabe is down there directing traffic……. We head up onto the open decks to check things out. You can see the people heading down the gangway, getting processed in the building, then spilling out into the parking lot. It’s a continuous stream….. Supplies are being unloaded for this week’s cruise…… To be continued……

A little over an hour later we were sailing under the Francis Scott Key Bridge….. We are almost back in Baltimore…… To be continued……

Day # 7 - 9/3/22 - Turnaround Day! We were up at 6 am as we are sailing in the Chesapeake Bay heading for Baltimore. It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day. Here’s the view from our balcony looking forward and aft….. We sailed under the Chesapeake Bay Bridges at 6:40 am….. To be continued…..

Try bidding for a horse. Makes it even more fun!