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Tiffany's Carnival Ecstasy review 4/12

stressedmomof3

By stressedmomof3,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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stressedmomof3

stressedmomof3

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I'll try to make this short and sweet. My hubby and I prepaid our excursions and spa and tips all before we set sail for our trip and brought $50 cash- all in $1 bills ( for excursions/spending money at ports)- but set up a credit card for our sail and sign account since it was our 2nd honeymoon and we did not want to "worry" how much we spent on our trip. So have to say- I spent about $400 in buying photos of us on the cruise ( about 11-19.99 each depending on the pic) and about $250 in drinks ( alcohol and regular cokes and specialty coffee).We could have gotten away with just $200 extra spending money- but hey- it's our 2nd honeymoon....I actually came in $300 UNDER budget:)

 

 

Monday- we waited in line for a 2 hour check in. Thankfully we ate lunch before boarding. After we got in we had to wait about 30 minutes more to get in our rooms so had a drink in the atrium lobby-hubby had jack and 7 and I had a mudslide. Nice. Then we went to our rooms, dropped our stuff off- put some things away and took care of the safe items. We were in E240- WONDERFUL aft balcony- only thing is I kept running into the stupid beam outside of my door-lol. Wish I could blame it on drinking- but I don't drink too much. Then we went to the Lido deck and shared 1/2 a hamburger for "snack" and hubby got a drink of the day.

We had anytime dining and have to say IT IS THE BEST THING EVER. Loved it. met up with some really nice people who also had anytime dining and we were able to sit with them throughout the cruise ( Hi guys if you're reading this!!)

My dinner consisted of: shrimp prawns ( were not good at all)

flat iron steak ( cooked good liked it)

chocolate melting cake ( and yes it is GOOD!)

We also rented a tux for my hubby from the formalities that I pre-ordered/pre-paid on the phone the week before- so we picked that up as soon as the shop opened for the next night.It was $85 and we could keep it for the whole length of the cruise- but I was happy I could get hubby into wearing it for elegant night and then 30 min. for pics the next night too.

 

Tuesday: My hubby went to play trivia and won a ship on a stick (show off!) I went to roulette and crap lessons and played the 2 cent slots. I won $40-so I was happy.

We also went to our couples massage and it was heavenly and SO worth the money- but horrible sales pitch of products at the end.

After that we went back to our cabin and fell asleep-lol. Then we got some drinks and sat on our aft balcony enjoying the view ( hubby had Beam and coke and I had a strawberry daquiri with LOTS of whipped cream!)- we did this a lot on our trip. Also hit the hot tubs on the Serenity deck- LOVE IT ( they had waiters come to you on the serenity deck while in the hot tub and you tell them what you want and they bring it to you in the hot tub! I got an appletini-didn't like it at all- hubby got something- can't remember- as I was too relaxed being in the hot tub;)

 

Then we went to elegant night dressed up- and sat for as many pics as I could! Also changed my dress a 2nd time to get more pics taken of us all dressed up since taking pics are free and my hubby can only stand so much staying in a tux:)But I got what I wanted- pretty much $400 of "elegant" pics for my house and to send to family.The walk was not bad back and forth to everywhere- we kinda liked being where we were- sort of out of the way and not noisy at all. Have to say mid ship

on a couple floors where rooms are it did stink of something in the hallways on a couple floors-can't place the smell- but it was not something you want to smell before going to eat. Smelled it on dock days and when we were getting off the ship to go back home.

 

BUT My dinner in the diningroom consisted of:

Caesar salad-YUM!

Cheese Tray-YUM ( it's on the dessert menu- but can be ordered anytime)

Prime rib and au jus - YUM!

baked potato-YUM

Chocolate melting Cake-YUM!

 

We had a lot of high winds and boat rocking that night but it was really nice sitting on the back balcony and hearing the waves crashing a bit.

 

I'll start on the Wednesday day of my trip in a bit- have to get the kiddos from school and get ready to go to soccer practices;)

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SlmGT

SlmGT

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That "cooking class in Cozumel" is what I want to hear about mostly since I really want to do one of those classes :)

 

It has been interesting thus far, looking forward to reading more [especially about the cooking class].

 

The more details, the better :p (cooking class)

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stressedmomof3

stressedmomof3

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okay i am back for a bit- have 30 minutes before heading out to look at new homes-lol- busy,busy.

Wednesday we got up at 6am ( I know- alarm was set at 6:30 am but the sun was streaming behind the curtains and it was wonderful waking up to it. We put out the door hanger the night before for room service at 6:30am and it was delivered on time and everything PERFECT! We ate on our balcony as we came up to port in Progreso. We took pics as we got off the ship at 7:15am ( it was a tad bit late docking) and it went very quickly- think most people slept in or decided not to get off the boat here. WE got on a bus for 1 1/2 hours to Uxmal and SOOO worth it! We went to Cancun for our original honeymoon 13 years ago and to Chitzen Itza so going to Uxmal was pure bliss for me. WE drove past armed guards thru Progreso which I was not used to- they looked like suped up rifles and machine guns. Had to pass them going to and coming back from Uxmal. It was a beautiful day after the light rain while on the bus. they handed out "lunches" on the bus- sandwiches, sugared bread and a water bottle.Saul was our tour guide and WONDERFUL at what he does!~ I took over 121 pics at Uxmal . I climbed everything I could possibly climb and was worn out when it was time to get back on the bus back to the ship and slept part of the way back. The bus WAS air conditioned and had a tiny bathroom on it.Everyone we talked to booked the tour thru carnival so to ensure the ship would not leave without us-but we got back in plenty of time and even had 1 hour to shop before getting back on board. Keep in mind- ALL the shops pretty much have the same stuff- so if you haggle on a price and can't get it at one shop- you can probably get the price you want at another shop. HTH.

We were late leaving Progreso due to high winds and a few people on the ship were sick in the infirmary- my hubby's a pharmacist so he helped some people who did not look too good on the cruise too- just a habit...

Here is a pic of Uxmal:

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OH and in the diningroom that night- we had the waitstaff sing happy aniversary to us- which was very nice- not necessary- but very nice. The head waiter knew my husband and I since the 1st day of going in the diningroom and called us the "honeymoon couple" throughout our stay and it was just a special touch for our trip

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stressedmomof3

stressedmomof3

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Thursday: ( I know there are lots awaiting the info on the cooking class- so breaking Thursday into 2 parts)

 

We were pretty late getting to port and getting off the ship- like 30 minutes late. BUT the staff for the buses to the Mexican Cooking Class was very helpful and AMAZING!

They got a hold of the chf and told him we were going to be late so he started the others that arrived before us on a round of drinks and entertaining the class untilo we arrived. I belive it was held at Playa del Mia or something of the sort. Too much drinking at that one- lol- the drinks kept flowing throught the class and with our meals-all inclusive.

You had a choice of preparing fish or chicken. Pretty much the class was 1/2 and 1/2. It was a lot of fun. It took about an hour- the chef was very happy:) and fun, and time passed very quickly. it was held in an airconditioned room which was nice too.

Below is a pic of my hubby's main dish:

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It's grouper with garnishings and wrapped in a banana leaf- DELICIOUS! And I am very picky about fish asd I grew up on the coast.

Below is a pic of hubby showing off- of course you can see the beers in the pic they give out too:

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We also made an appetizer with potatoes and sausage:

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and also a dessert:

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when we were finished cooking they brought our plates upstairs to another airconditioned room with a gorgeous view of the beach.

They take pics of you and the chef and offer it to you in a picture frame for $22 USD-but no obligation to purchase. After we were done we were able to roam the private beach and have unlimited drinks and unlimited use of the water toys but it started to rain and we did not want to wait it out as we are not beach people- so we got to the front and we actually met another couple wanting to leave too and we shared a taxi back to the pier at $7 USD each. If we stayed we would have had almost 2 hours left before the bus was to take us back to the pier. It was a gorgeous beach though. Be sure to bring suntan lotion, bathing suit and a towel if you plan to do this , though. they had tons of things for the kiddos in the water like bouncy rafts and climbing slides. I saw JAWS at a young age and I have never been in any water other than a bathtub or pool ever since...

 

When we got back it was still pouring rain but we ran in and out of a couple shops. btter priced there in cozumel than Progreso.

Have to tell those who love to eat- be sure to buy you some Exlax and bring it with you as it costs $10 a pack in Cozumel in the little pharmacy. the boat was completely out-so for those who like to plan ahead...hint hint...buy it and bring it aboard just like dramamine-ship was out and it was $12 on shore for not tha many in a pack- but the little drugstore is right there at the pier for any emergencies.

 

had dinner in the diningroom and had the flat iron steak again and salad

 

We then had 10-12 foot waves that night, heavy seas and rough ride, about 1/2 the ship was sick. I did nto feel to well either- but drank some coke ( hint hint- must be real plain coke- no diets or gingerales) and it helped alot. lots of people around with the little patches behind the ears, but did not help them too much unfortunately. Coke and crackers, coke and crackers, spend the money...belching helps ( even if you're a "lady" it is a must do if you do not want to be sick as a dog after getting an upset tummy from the seas)

While I rested hubby went out and played trivia again and came back with a 2nd place medal.

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stressedmomof3

stressedmomof3

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Okay and Friday- won $8 more on the 2cent machines-whoo hoo. So I actually came out ahead . I played for maybe an hour max so well worth it for entertainment-now I could spend it on more pictures-lol!

 

Returned hubby's tux.

 

Picked up my canvas print- yes I spent $59 for that canvas print and it was SO worth it- now I just have to get it framed and matted at Hobby Lobby.It will be the masterpiece of my new livingroom as soon as we get our new home. Some say you can scan the pictures and make your own- NOT TRUE- as blowing up a picture you lose megapixles and will turn out really blurry- so NOT good.

 

Ate Lido deck for breakfast- mostly empty-pretty sure it was b/c of the big waves yesterday. Food was good.1st time had breakfast on Lido. Decided to eat there for lunch too. Very relaxing and again- pretty much noone around. Went back to Serenity deck for the hot tub, WENT DOWN THE WATERSLIDES WITH our newfound best dinnermates Connie and Marty . Tried to take a nap but decided to start packing because we were going to set our luggage out that night for the porters then it was dinner- and we ate on the Lido deck again. very nice.

 

I did eat at the Mongolian Buffet while on the boat at sometime for lunch and have to say it was not that special- my highpoint memory of the Lido deck was the all you can eat 24/7 soft serve ice cream-lol.:D For those keeping track- it is included with your all inclusive so eat it for breakfast if you like- you're on vacation! Just sorry I did not find that part out much sooner on my trip- but then again- would not have been able to eat so much chocolate melting cake!

 

We set our luggage out by 9pm and used twisty ties as previous cruisers mentioned and it was fine- no issues.

 

In the morning woke up- ate late breakfast on Lido and left luggage in room. i DID eat some ice cream for breakfast that day along with a bagel and bacon- sounds yummy- right? lol!

went back to our room as the Lido was all filling up with people and luggage and we watched some tv and hung out on our balcony as they were calling people the get off the ship. We were scheduled late to get off , so we pretty much hung out in the room until 20 minutes before we were called. Also passed thru the photo gallery 1 last time to see if there were any pics I wanted before they threw them all away- of course I picked a couple more up while hubby got a drink! Your sail away cards are still useable the day you get off the ship if you use a credit card. If you don't- they WILL accept cash.

 

Oh and for the slots- you CAN use dollars but winnings go on your sail and sign card and you have to remember to cash out on every machine you play on and go to the cashier's cage for your winnings. Not too hard- but just something out of the ordinary as I like to play with cash and get cash;)

 

Also- there are not many gifts on board ship to buy as souveniers for friends/family- so buy them in ports. Also they do not have pescos (sp?)I tried to get some onboard after we left Cozumel- and the purser's desk did not have any- wanted to get them for the kids at home- but alas- that did not happen.

 

Anyone interested int he gold by the inch "specials" they have on board- please be aware it is GOLD PLATED. Lots of little ladies on board were going crazy and it had the words gold plated in little letter on bottom of the sign.

 

lastly- There is shampoo and body wash and soap in the bathrooms-so no need to bring any of those bulky items. Warning- do not get bodywash in eyes- it burns like the dickens. They have Pepto tabs and disposable razors in the rooms for you.There are NO hairdryers and NO irons on board. Do not bring an iron on board- it is not allowed. DO bring a 2 prong extension cord or 2- you WILL need them. Bring an alarm clock with batteries or have it hooked up to your extension cords. DO bring extra batteries for your cameras.

 

IF in need- the liquor store on board sells OTC medications if you need them and they don't run out.

 

I hope this can help the many of you out there as I much needed to hear this from someone as this was our first cruise for us. DO tip your cabin steward extra if they give you the extra niceties as it is hard to come by these days for all inclusive anything. Our bathroom was spotless every day, room tidy, turndown service while we were eating and 2 little mints left with towel animals every day. I have no idea who our cabin steward was as "he/she"/"they" were invisible to us the whole trip- but everything was Mary Poppins fine and it was above and beyond what we expected even ice in our ice buckets every day even when my hubby had his yougart inside it- it was magically refilled. Very, Very nice.

 

I would highly recommend this cruise for anyone . We usually go to Disney World and stay at the moderate resorts and love that- if that helps anyone deciding on this cruise and we LOVE Disney. My husband and even decided that we will take another cruise soon AND next time bring the kids

Okay, signing off for now.

GLTA,

 

iffany

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stressedmomof3

stressedmomof3

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Thanks for all the details - that cooking looks like one I've seen before, but can you enlighten me as to what website/company you booked it through?

 

Thanks again!

 

we went through carnival for all of our excursions as we were first time cruisers and scared to death of a possibility of being left behing b/c we did not book through a cruise line excursion. hth

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stressedmomof3

stressedmomof3

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Thanks for the writeup. We'll be on her in 8 days!! What is the deal with the twisty-ties and the luggage though?

 

you are not supposed to lock your luggage as per carnival policy but if you use the twisty ties from like the breads you buy at the store and twist the zipper snaps together and twist the ties as much as you can- they never even touched the luggage- guess too much of an issue and take up too much time- but it secures the luggage in case someone has slipperyhands and deters theft as it would take too much time and effort around your bags for anyone to take anything. hth;)

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stressedmomof3

stressedmomof3

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Please please post pictures of the cabin and balcony! Also...can the dividers be opened?

 

 

Posting the only 2 pics i have of the inside cabin we had. it was quite nice- plenty of room for us both and nice enough amount of space for everything we need. we stored suitcases under the bed and put clothing on every hanger so they would not clang together while at sea.i do not have a photo of the bathroom but it was a nice size and the balcony has 2 chairs and a small table and could easily fit 3 or 4 adults. we did not try to see if there were any dividers to open up-sorry. but it is NOT a wrap around aft as some describe on other ships- but the aft balcony is quite large and called an "extended" balcony

 

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Oh and for those of you who like to party- word to the wise- don't do anything foolish that you would not want on you tube or GASP the cruise ship channel or dvd sent home with other passengers. And no- just because you have cute girls smiling at you the next day after partying like a fool does not mean you're a huge boat stud- it's probably that you were seen on the cruise boat channel 1/2 naked, face full of makeup wearing a bra-lol! Let's say I had an interesting morning waking up to what I saw of what some of my fellow cruise mates did the night before and some even got standing ovations at lunch in the Lido deck:)

 

But all in all it's a blast and since it's a small ship- it's like being in a neighborhood- you continually see alot of people over an dover on the ship so be nice and smile and make new friends in the beginning of your cruise and it will be pleasantly nice for everyone:)

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