Our First Cruise Ever - 29 December 2010

[wobblyfeet]

Day of the trip – On Our Way to the Airport 26 December 2010

 

The day has finally arrived. The day we actually go to the airport and board the plane, bound for our cruise to the

Southern Caribbean.

 

We had been thinking about going on a cruise at the end of 2009. We were wondering then whether we should try

a cruise holiday and where we should go, if we decided on such a holiday. In January 2010, we actually decided to go.

We made arrangements to book a cruise holiday, and to get all the paper work in order. Then, came the months of

planning the trip and saving for it. We even had to get our passports, since we didn’t have one. We did not need one

for many years, even though we did travel to the United States many times in the past. With the terrorism concerns

and the extra security over the recent years, it is now necessary to present a passport when entering the United States.

 

It was a different world of travel when we last travelled by air, some 14 years ago. Now, passports are necessary.

Also, passengers can not carry certain items in their luggage. Scanners and body scanners are now used increasingly,

and passengers are now required to remove their shoes at security.

 

Anyway, the bags are packed and we are ready to drive to the airport. Our dog has a special place to go while we

are away. He will be well taken care of and have lots of fun with the other dogs. I wondered whether he would want to

come home again when we came back. Even though we were ready, we still checked our carry-on luggage time and

again, just in case we might have forgotten something. We even packed our worries and concerns in the back of our

minds. For one thing, as I said earlier, we haven’t travelled by plane in many years; secondly, we have never been on

a cruise ship before and we were not sure what to expect. CruiseCritic helped, to a certain degree, answer some

questions and raise others; it also helped alleviate some worries. Yet, some questions and concerns still persisted.

They would be answered once we were on board.

 

We planned to leave early in the afternoon for the airport, around 2:00pm. We wanted to avoid the usual afternoon

rush traffic through Toronto and leave enough time in case there is bad weather along the way. Our flight was not until

8:30 that evening. So we would have lots of time to check in and pass through security. We heard and read so much

about security delays in the news media.

 

We packed the car. With the luggage in the truck of the car, we wondered if we packed too much. It always looks

that way when the bags are all together. There were 3 of us going on the cruise: my wife(DW), our youngest son(DS) and

I(DH). So, I guess it was not too much actually.

 

Before we climbed into the car, we took a look at the cold miserable we were leaving behind. I took some pictures

of the dreary conditions. Soon enough we would be in warmer weather, with no snow on the ground, and we could

walk around in shorts and sit by the pool. Even so, the weather we experienced was nothing compared to other regions

of Ontario, such as London, or even the eastern coast of the United States, which was experiencing one of the worst

winter storms in years or even decades.

 

Our eldest son drove us to the airport. It took no time to get to the airport as there was very little traffic on the

highway. That was due quite likely to the Christmas holidays. We decided to stop along the way and have a light

supper at Subway, since it would be quite some before we would board the plane and even longer before we would

arrive in Fort Lauderdale and at the hotel. We also wanted to avoid the high prices charged at the airport. After our

submarine sandwich supper, we continued the short distance that remained to the airport. The drive to the airport took

about an hour, including the stop for a light supper. We had lots of time.

 

We checked in at the WestJet counter and received our seat assignments aboard a non-stop WestJet flight to Fort

Lauderdale. We were early and not many people were waiting at the counter, so baggage check and boarding passes

were quick. At security, we had to empty our pockets and some of the carry on bags. We also had to remove our shoes.

At the time, there was a concern with thermos bottles; therefore, they had to be removed from carry-on bags and

checked manually. After our wand scan we were able to put everything back in the carry-on bags, and then move

toward our gate. The security process was done in about 30 minutes and it was not as bad as we had heard over the

news.

 

We walked toward the gate where we waited to board the plane. It was a long wait, about 3 ½ hours. I walked around

the area and visited the newstand a few times where I perused the magazines and looked at the various book titles. I

read the newspaper and then walked to a small sandwich shop where they sold rather small and expensive sandwiches;

ones that would barely fill the stomach, yet cost upwards of $8. Good thing we ate at a Subway shop earlier. I chose

a drink instead and returned to the gate. DS was busy texting his friends and DW was watching a DVD on the laptop

computer. We discovered later that the crew was late in arriving and they had to clear security and customs before they

were allowed to board our plane. Therefore, we were delayed by about ½ hour. No boarding took place until after 8:30

that evening, however, once boarding started, the passengers were on board quite quickly.

 

It was not much later when the doors to the plane closed and the plan was moving down the runway. Once we had

climbed to a good altitude of 35,000 feet, we started to cruise at a good speed. The little screens in front of us

indicated that the plane was travelling quite fast. Over the length of the flight of 2 ½ hours, the pilots managed to

make up for lost time; we actually arrived in Fort Lauderdale about 10 minutes later than scheduled. Quite impressive.

 

While the flight was very pleasant, the wait time for baggage pick up and finding a taxi was not. It was around 20

minutes to midnight when the plane arrived in Fort Lauderdale; yet, we were off the plane, picked up our luggage and

waited for transportation to the hotel by about 10 minutes past midnight. By then, the shuttle to the hotel had already

stopped operating for the night and we had to find a taxi to take us there. The taxi seemed to take us in a long and

round about route to the hotel that was a very short distance from the airport. At one time, I thought the taxi driver

had misunderstood us and that he was going to drive us to Miami. It certainly looked that by his driving and the route

he took. It was well past 12:30am when we reached the hotel. We told the hotel manager much earlier that we would be

arriving quite late, so there was no problem with the hotel.

 

When we finally came to the hotel, we were relieved and we quickly checked in. Soon after, we climbed into bed

for the night.

[LambKnuckles]

What a great start to a review!!! The weather you left was COLD... and will, hopefully, be met and countered with some GREAT Caribbean weather!!!

 

I can't wait to hear more!!!

[Prairie_Gal]

Looking forward to reading the rest of your review.

[KelsiRei13<3]

OH my goodness first cruise ever thats exciting:) im 14 and ive already been on 12 cruises haha yeah my family and I are kind of cruiseaholics XD

[wobblyfeet]

We woke up to a beautiful sunny morning with the palm trees moving gently in the breeze. I looked out the window and

noticed some people in and around the pool. Quite a difference in scenery. Yesterday, the snow and cold; today, sunny

and warm temperatures.

Despite it being much warmer than back home, many of the residents were wearing coats, hats and mitts. What was going on?

 

As it turned out, the weather was rather cool for Florida norms. The temperature was around 50F. Obviously, the

Floridians were not used to it. The tourists thought it was great, especially anyone who came from regions that had

really bitter cold weather and bad snow storms.

 

We stayed at the Springhill Suites, Fort Lauderdale Airport and Port Suites on Dania Beach.

Hotel

 

It was a very nice and clean 3-star hotel with a large room.

Typical rooms

 

Breakfast was included in the price of the hotel stay; however, it was a basic breakfast with rather meager choices

which were cold by the time we reached the table. The basic breakfast included cereal, toast, scrambled eggs and

sausage, waffles, orange juice, coffee and tea.

Breakfast area

[wobblyfeet]

We spent the morning sitting around the pool, soaking up the warmth of the sun.

Around the pool

 

DS and I went to the local shopping center where we bought some soft drinks and a couple bottles of wine in Kmart

to bring with us on board the ship. You can not buy wine in a department store back home in Ontario. That was something

different for us. Later, we bought some lunch afterward and brought it back to the hotel.

 

In the afternoon, I went for a walk along a major street to get some more supplies which Kmart did not have. I walked

for several kilometers, visiting several stores and pharmacies before I found what I needed. DS and DW stayed at

the hotel. He went for a swim in the hotel pool. Originally, we were going to do some sightseeing in Fort Lauderdale,

possibly visit a museum in the city that dealt with the history of the area. I learnt a valuable lesson that day. Make

sure you have everything before leaving on vacation. We forgot one thing at home and it was hard to find it in Florida.

 

Later in the afternoon, we took a taxi to a restaurant called Grandpa’s. We heard about this restaurant on a television

show called “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”, hosted by Guy Fieri on the Food Network. He travels across United States,

visiting numerous eating establishments and showing the viewers how certain signature dishes are made. In one

episode, Grandpa’s was featured. At this particular restaurant, they prepare large portion meals and big burgers, and

make numerous baked goods to eat there or take home. We wanted to see and taste for ourselves the kind of food being

served there, especially the one dish which was actually prepared on the show. Unfortunately, we decided not to order

it after we saw how much it cost. Instead, we ordered burgers and fries.

The ambiance was wonderful and guests could watch the very television episode which featured the restaurant. While we

waited, they brought us bread and rolls before the meal. Shortly afterward, came the entree. The burger was huge and

piled high with an assortment of condiments and lettuce. It was so huge you could have easily dislocated your jaw, just

trying to get it in your mouth. True enough! The food was very tasty and the portions were large; there was no room left

in our stomachs for any of the numerous baked goods. So, we were content to just walk over to the dessert counter and

gaze at the desserts. We sat for awhile afterward then decided to return to the hotel. Before we left, DW bought me

one of Guy Fieri’s books, based on the show, and had it autographed by the chef at the restaurant. I was quite happy when

she gave it to me. And to have it autographed by the chef was an absolute bonus.

 

The taxi driver, who brought us to the restaurant earlier, was unavailable. The waiter called for taxi from a different

company, and we were glad she did. The taxi fare back was only half as much as the trip there. Just imagine! The same route

and the same distance covered, yet half the fare. Clearly, the first driver soaked us.

 

We stayed around the hotel but went back to the pool area. I ventured around and captured some photos. Later that

evening, we rearranged our luggage for the cruise and put the boarding tickets on the luggage. I spent the rest of the

evening watching television and surfing the internet.

Garden

Hotel entrance

Pool

Mall across the street

[JAXCRUISER]

Great job with your review! Looking forward to the rest. Thanks!

[wobblyfeet]

This was embarkation day, the day we boarded the cruise ship and start our journey to the Southern Caribbean. It

was another sunny but cool morning. It was definitely not very warm for swimming in the pool. Again, the Floridians

were walking around outside with wool hats and mitts.

 

Our bags were ready for the cruise. The boarding passes were attached. We were ready for the shuttle to the port. I

asked the evening before when the shuttles left for the port. The person, behind the front counter, told me that 9:45am

was when the first shuttle would leave. We therefore made sure we were ready for that time. I went downstairs in the

morning to arrange a shuttle ride for us and also get a cup of coffee. They, however, told me that the first one would

only be at 10:45.

 

We had an hour to wait. We decided to check out of the room anyway and wait in the lobby while having the basic

breakfast. It was the same as before, but it was at least nourishing. It would give us sustenance for the morning.

 

While waiting in the lobby, we sat with an elderly couple who have been on several cruises before and who were

also going to be on the same cruise as us. They travelled with several cruise companies, including Carnival, and have

been to different regions which included Alaska and the Mediterranean.

 

The wait for the shuttle didn’t appear to take too long, as the driver was asking the passengers to walk over to the

bus. The bus was full with passengers, all eager to start their journey. Once on our way, the ride was only about 10

minutes long.

 

We could see the port and our ship in the distance. Once the bus arrived we disembarked and joined the growing

line of passengers in the port lobby. With our luggage all ready taken to a special area for loading, we just had to

concern ourselves with getting authenticated, arranging the Sign and Sail card and the necessary paperwork, and then,

boarding the ship. The whole process did not take that long, we found. In about 30 minutes, we were on board, sipping

our welcome drink and sitting on the Lido deck. We still had a carry-on luggage with us then as we ate our lunch on the

Lido deck. Our cabins were not ready as yet. They were not ready until after 1:30.

 

The three of us found a good spot to sit and wait. We took turns going to the food serving areas, so that someone

could watch over the carry-on bags. DS went first and located the pizza station. He came back with a drink and a

couple of slices. I then went and brought something back for DW; later, I went back and picked up a couple slices

of pizza. I was quite pleasantly surprised at the selection of pizzas. The pizza tasted very good. We were quite hungry

since breakfast at the hotel didn’t really satisfy us.

 

While we waited, we took turns touring the Lido deck to see what was available. DS wanted to go first as he

was looking for some dessert. Afterward, DW and I toured the deck. We were quite suitably impressed at the array

of food choices available for lunch. We also walked over to the sun deck where the lounge chairs were already

occupied by sun worshippers, enjoying the warmth of the sun, or reserved with an assortment of towels, bags, books

and other things. It was true when they say that the lounge chairs are hard to get.

 

As the time got closer to 1:30pm, we took turns going to the deck to see if our cabin was ready. There was much

activity but our cabin was not ready. The clue came when DS saw some of our bags in front of our cabin. We then

decided to go to deck 7 and wait until our cabin was ready.

 

While sitting on the stairs, we were told our cabin was ready a little while later. The cabin was a good size for the

three of us. Our Bon Voyage gifts, we ordered, were waiting for us on the desk: The chocolate covered strawberries for

DW, and a bottle of vodka and a solid chocolate in the form of the cruise ship for DS.

We arranged the bags, put some of them under the bed, and then settled in. We sat and relaxed in the cabin,

then went out onto the balcony to enjoy the view and watch the activity on the pier.

Port in Fort Lauderdale

[wobblyfeet]

DW remained on the balcony while DS went to the Lido deck to check the action. I decided to walk around the ship

and take some photographs. I visited many areas of the ship on the various decks until it was time to meet at our

designated muster station for the muster drill, a required drill to familiarize the passengers with the safety procedures.

The muster drill was your typical meeting during which the passengers learnt about the many safety procedures,

including how to wear a lifejacket and to board the lifeboat. The demonstration was over in about 20 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Afterward, I returned to the cabin where we waited for the ship to leave port and begin the journey. At around

5pm, we looked out onto the pier and noticed that the ship was leaving. It was a very smooth departure. We

didn’t noticed any movement until we looked out over the balcony and noticed we were leaving the pier.

 

We sat on the the balcony for a long time and watched the scenery pass by and the activity on the water.

We even watched someone parasailing in the distance with the city skyline in the background.

A short time later, even the skyline of Fort Lauderdale vanished in the distance.

 

The Fort Lauderdale skyline

[wobblyfeet]

We witnessed an incredible sunset as it set over the ocean after 5:15pm.

 

 

 

 

Afterward, we relaxed inside the cabin and watched some television. There were some interesting shows on the

television, including a travel and food show, hosted by Anthony Bourdain, on the Discovery Channel. We also watched

some of the channels, provided by Carnival Cruises, that gave us some information about activities that evening and

also showed a Sail-away party that happened earlier on the Lido deck.

 

We had a late seating in the dining hall. For various reasons, we opted for late dining, because we thought it was a

good idea to have a hour or so to wind down after a day of island excursions on the days we were docked.

 

On sea days, late dining room seating would mean a rather long wait until dinner. This was one of those days. So I

went to the Lido deck and picked up a light snack for DW and a sandwich of smoked salmon on a bagel and coffee

for me. I wanted to try the smoked salmon I had eyed earlier.

[wobblyfeet]

Entrance to the Bacchus Dining Room

 

At 8pm, we went to the Bacchus Dining Room, on the second deck, for dinner. After a 10 minute wait outside the

restaurant, we were guided to our table. The dining room was beautiful with a lot of colour and distinctly grape-like

decor with grape leaf motives around the tables and chairs and purple lights in the shape of grapes.

 

 

 

Our waiter was Errol, a very friendly and excellent waiter who was very attentive to his dining guests. To start,

we were given a choice of dinner rolls and breads before the meal. The rolls were very good and we nearly stuffed

ourselves on various breads.

 

As starter meals, DS chose a Beef and Barley soup with diced root vegetables and a Caesar salad.

 

 

 

DW and I chose the Gazpacho Andalouse which was a chilled tomato broth with diced plum tomatoes, peppers,

cucumbers and Mediterranean herbs. The way the gazpacho was presented was quite interesting. A large bowl,

with a small mixture of vegetables and herbs in the centre, was brought to the table. Then, the waiter came

back with the tomato broth and poured it in the bowl.

 

The starters were very delicious.

[wobblyfeet]

For the main meal, DS chose the Linguini with Italian sausage, bell peppers and mushrooms.

 

DW had the Lasagna.

 

I had the Indian Vegetarian dinner.

 

For dessert, DS had the famous Warm Chocolate Melting cake.

 

DW had the Vanilla Crème Brulee,

 

and I ate the Black Forest cake.

[wobblyfeet]

We also shared the Tropical fruit platter in the end.

 

After dinner, we walked about the ship a little. Later, I went to the Mad Hatter’s Ball to listen to one of the

comedians perform. He was not very good. His jokes were not very funny and many in the audience were getting

anxious for the hour to be over.

 

 

 

[ChelleBee]

i can hardly wait to read the rest. we were on the miracle at the end of october and loved it and the new itinerary.

[wobblyfeet]

The ship was beautifully decorated for the Christmas season. There were decorations all over the ship.

There was also a beautiful gingerbread house display in the atrium area. Here are some

pictures of this display.

 

http://rdsimon.tumblr.com/post/3444995160/gingerbread-display

 

and a few more http://rdsimon.tumblr.com/post/3445021023/gingerbread-display-continued

 

A view of the Atrium

 

A few views around the ship http://rdsimon.tumblr.com/post/3445118416

 

and a few more http://rdsimon.tumblr.com/post/3445270268

 

A reggae band

was playing on the Lido deck later in the day.

[wobblyfeet]

This was the first day at sea, a day full of activities on the ship. I had a good night's sleep. It did not start that way.

When I went to bed, I could feel the swaying of the ship and I thought that would keep me awake. After about 30

minutes of lying in bed, I was fast asleep.

 

Looking at the water from our balcony

 

I rose out of bed around 8:30. DS was already up and at the gym for a morning workout. I often thought of

doing just that, but I do not seem to find the energy, first thing in the morning, to go to the gym. I imagine, if I were to

try it just once, I might like it. I did however go up to the Lido deck and pour myself a cup of fresh coffee. DW

was up shortly afterward.

 

When DS returned, we all went to the Lido deck to eat some breakfast. There was quite an assortment of foods

to eat. Eggs; omelettes; a variety of cereals, both hot and cold; toast and buns; and a variety of fresh fruit. Definitely, a

good selection. We only had one complaint though. By the time we sat down to eat the food, it had cooled down fast. I

am not sure exactly why that was; perhaps because we sat in a breezy section with a significant movement of air

coming in through the doors from outside. We discovered later that day that it was quite windy outside on deck. I

believe, had we not sat in the drafts, our food would not have been so cold so quickly. DS and DW did not

agree with me.

 

After breakfast, we went to the aft section of the ship where the Orpheus Bar was located. Already, almost all of the

lounge chairs were either occupied or reserved with an assortment of items, including books, towels and beach bags.

We did find 3 lounge chairs together but it was in a section with quite a breeze. Despite the warmth of the sun, the

breeze was quite cold. We were still quite a distance from the Caribbean and the warmth. DW ordered a can of

Coke and sat in the lounge chair. I sat for a while, then decided to wander around the ship and see something new. Our

son was off looking for some activities.

 

There were many activities planned for the day: ship orientation with the cruise director; Super Spa 5 Bingo, in

which you played 5 games on one card; more ship tours; karaoke lessons and singing competitions; Name that Tune

contests; acupuncture demonstrations; scrapbook lessons; a drink mixing competition; a hairy chest contest; a cooking

demonstration; and many opportunities to take pictures and have pictures taken by professionals. I discovered later that

day that these professionally done photographs were quite pricey, from $9 per picture in many cases. There were also

many places to listen to music. I went to some of the venues where they played a variety popular tunes and jazz.

Stairs to Nick and Nora's Steakhouse

Decor in Nick and Nora's Steakhouse

 

Then I watched the cooking demonstration at Nick and Nora's Steakhouse, a speciality restaurant. Believe it or not, the

cooks were showing guests how to cook a macaroni and cheese lunch with shrimps. Then, they prepared a fancy custard based

dessert. It was an interesting demonstration, but I assumed the cooks would have prepared something more sophisticated

than macaroni and cheese.

 

Cooking Demonstration, making Macaroni and Cheese

Making the Custard dessert

 

DS, DW and I then went to the Lido deck for lunch. Lunch was a delicious and interesting blend of deli and American

dishes. The choices were pizza, burgers, salads, various deli sandwiches and a delicious array of desserts. DW went for a

chicken dish, and my son and I opted for pizza. I also had another smoked salmon bagel.

For dessert, we had a slice of cake and some fruit.

 

After lunch, DS went to the mixed drink competition. I joined him later. DW relaxed on the deck in the aft

section of the ship, not far from the Orpheus Bar. The mixed drink competition involved mixing your alcoholic drink

concoction in front of an audience and judges. The concoction could contain any number of alcoholic beverages, and

they usually did. There were 5 contestants in this contest, 2 Canadians and 3 Americans. The winner was an American.

It was fun to watch them prepare their favourite drinks, especially one who shook his drink shaker so much that the cap

flew off in the direction of some of the helpers. That was quite hilarious. The winning drink was the featured drink of

the day and also available for purchase during the remainder of the cruise.

 

After that competition, came some crazy tests of strength, endurance and hairiness. By that, I mean taking a towel,

pretending it was a snake and slaying it, and then saving the damsel in distress. It was getting quite strange toward the

end when some of the men were actually crawling on the floor. Then came the bum waving or wagging contest, I am

not sure which. Some men were swaying their bums from side to side in a way that only be described as wagging. It

was truly strange and possibly disgusting, especially when the overweight guys strutted their stuff. Later, came the

hairy chest contest. It was not as bad, but some of the guys really did not have much to show, and the chubby ones had

a little too much to show. I didn't stay long for that contest. I went back to the deck by Orpheus Bar and relaxed with

DW in the sunshine.

 

Later in the afternoon, there was the Captain's Celebration. This was a chance to meet the captain and senior

officers, and to dance and enjoy pre-dinner happy hour drinks. I am not sure how we missed that event, but missed it

we did.

[wobblyfeet]

Dinner this evening was a formal affair. That meant we had to dress up: a nice evening dress for the women, and

good slacks, shirt and tie for the men.

 

At 8pm, we went down to the Bacchus Dining Room. Errol, our waiter, was waiting for us, and he lead us to our

table.

 

We started with a choice of dinner rolls and breads. This time, we knew not to get too full on breads. As starter

meals, DS chose the Caesar salad and DW decided on Minestrone Milanese, an Italian soup with Plum

tomatoes, beans and pasta. I chose two starters that evening; the first one was a West Indian Roasted Pumpkin

soup and the second one was a Strawberry Bisque, a chilled creamy strawberry soup with fresh mint. The starters

were absolutely delicious.

 

West Indian Pumpkin Soup

Strawberry Bisque

 

Our mains were Tender Roasted Prime Rib of American Beef au Jus for DW, Spaghetti Carbonara and Supreme

of Hudson Valley Duck for DS and Grilled Fillet of fresh Victorian Perch for me. The beef was combined with a

baked potato and traditional toppings. The Carbonara had a delicious sauce, made from with garlic, cheese

and bacon. The duck was a delicious dish with a mushroom risotto and roasted broccoli florets. The perch was

also very good and also included a mushroom risotto and broccoli florets.

 

Tender Roasted Prime Rib of American Beef au Jus

Spaghetti Carbonara

[wobblyfeet]

We barely had room for desserts, but we managed somehow, nonetheless, to eat a tasty dessert. DW had the

Caramelized Apples on pastry, DS had the warm Chocolate Melting Cake again. He enjoyed it very much the

evening before, so he decided to have it again. I had the Cherries Jubilee.

 

Carmelized Apple on Pastry

Melting Chocolate Cake

Cherries Jubilee

 

 

After dinner, we walked around the ship and worked off some of the food. We looked at the photo gallery on the

third deck. I went briefly up to the top deck with the Atrium elevators where I took a few pictures.

 

Viewing the atrium from the top deck

 

Then, I returned to the third deck to join the others. Already, there were a large number of photographs hanging on

the walls. I even managed to find some pictures of us coming out of the dining room the evening before. We listened

to some more karaoke but the singing volunteers were not too good that night. So we left not long after we arrived.

Later, DS went to the casino to play a couple games and then up to the Lido deck to check out the action. DW and I

went back to the cabin. I didn't want to go see the bad comedian again that evening, once was enough.

[wobblyfeet]

This little slide show shows some of the art work around the Carnival Miracle that depicts the many

literary heroes and heroines we know and have read about.

 

http://www.ucruiser.com/videos/id_176/

[JohninDC]

Great review so far - keep it up! :)

[LSEA]

Hi Wobblyfeet -

 

Great Review. Thanks for taking the time to post. Anxious to read more.

[SanKay]

Love the pictures! Keep 'em coming!

[wobblyfeet]

This was the second day at sea and also the last of 2010. We were about 890 miles away from Fort Lauderdale early in the morning

and would be passing about 80 miles from St. Thomas later in the day.

 

It was another sunny day, although the wind was quite strong, as it blew over the ocean. The air temperature was significantly

warmer this morning as we were getting closer to the Caribbean. Already the lounge chair hogs were out reserving the lounge chairs. I

guess one has to get out of bed rather early to find a lounge chair on the deck.

Looking at the water from our balcony, water was a little choppy.

 

The wind persisted for most of the day, making it a little uncomfortable being outside on deck 9, around the pools, and especially

on the decks 10 and 11 where guests were playing table tennis and chess with the large chess pieces. Not many people were swimming

in the pool, probably because of the wind. Even though the wind was too strong to spend time being out on deck, there were many

activities to enjoy indoors. We decided to go to some of them as well as spend some time out on deck, provided we could find a

sheltered area and some lounge chairs; first, it was time for some breakfast.

 

After our son came back from some exercising in the gym, we went up to the Lido deck for some breakfast. The Lido breakfast buffet

was quite good with a variety of foods to eat. There were scrambled eggs and waffles, omelets made to order, French Toast, toast,

cereal and a variety of fresh fruits. Breakfast was quite delicious and varied; however, it did get cold fast and the scrambled eggs

were runny that morning.

 

After breakfast, we decided to try our luck at finding some lounge chairs. We went to the aft of the ship. As before, they were

mostly occupied or reserved with belongings and a lot of Carnival towels on the chairs. We did find some chairs in an area that was

protected from the wind and near the Orpheus bar. My wife decided to relax there. I wanted to see what was happening on the ship. Our

son was already off doing something.

 

This was another day full of fun activities. I read a review on Cruise Critic, prior to the cruise, in which one of the guests was

complaining there was not much to do on the ship. Looking at the Fun Times, I could not see how that was possible, as there were so

many activities from which to choose. In fact, I wanted to participate in several activities but they were being held simultaneously

in different areas of the ship. For example, there was bingo and a Texas Hold’em tournament, basketball free fall, movies, bean bag

throwing competitions, arts and crafts, shows and comedy reviews in the Mad Hatter’s Ball and Phantom Theatre, yoga sessions, lessons

in towel folding, and opportunities to participate in indoor cycling, mini golf, ping pong tournaments and basketball games. Also

available were sessions on how to improve your metabolism, gain greater health and better body conditioning, as well as making stuffed

bears and scrapbook lessons. Of course, there were ample opportunities to shop for souvenirs and that better watch or piece of jewelry.

 

I opted for walking around the ship in the morning, searching for photo shots. In the afternoon, I popped in the food and wine pairing

session. Later, I went to listen to some music. The Calypso band was quite good. Later, there was live jazz. The pianist, in the Atrium

lobby, was not so good. He played a few of the famous Elton John and Billy Joel tunes, but did not play them very well. He did nothing

to impress me with his rendition of Billy Joel tunes, an artist of whom I am not particular fond.

 

Afterward, I joined my wife and our son on the Lido deck, who were already lounging on a chair. We sipped on colas and watched some

people soaking up the sun and reading their favourite novels in book form and on a device called “Kindle”, which stored electronic

versions of books. We also went to the buffet and grill a few times to satisfy our taste buds. We munched on salads, deli sandwiches

and pizza. Of course, we also tried some of the various cakes and pastries. All the while, we said to ourselves that we were not going

to eat too much, because we wanted to leave room for tonight’s dinner. It was a special evening, as we had reserved a table in Nick and

Nora’s Steakhouse. We read that the meals were delicious and large. We were also told to leave room for dessert, as they were both

delicious and huge.

 

I relaxed in the sunshine for about an hour, then I decided to go listen to some more live music. I am one of those people, who can not

sit all day and do nothing. A guy named Del was performing some good rocking tunes on his guitar. He had many in the audience singing

along.

 

The concert was over at 5pm and I went back to the cabin to get ready for later this evening. We relaxed for a while and watched some

television. I sipped a tasty cup of coffee which I brought down to the cabin from one of the many

One of the coffee stations

 

coffee stations on the Lido deck. I think I had never seen so many coffee stations which served coffee all day and night. It was also one

of the most tastiest coffees I had ever had. I work on the night shift and have a couple of coffees a night. That stuff is bad, and tastes

salty and a bit fruity. At night, where I work, we do not have much choice in coffees and coffee places. People, in Canada, flock to this

place that was founded by a retired hockey player back in the 1950’s. The coffee, served on the Lido deck, is definitely much better.

Various teas and hot chocolate are also available. Our son had a few cups of hot chocolate.

 

Later, we went onto the balcony and watched the sunset. Then, we sat and enjoyed the light breeze coming our way. We looked at the stars

that were beginning to brighten as the skies became darker. Soon, it was time to get ready for dinner.

 

We had late dining this evening at Nick and Nora’s Steakhouse. This gave us ample time to dress up and be ready for the evening. We left the

cabin a little earlier than our seating time. We walked around the atrium and watched the activities. People were already gathering in the

atrium for some fun and some drinking. Then, we took the elevator up to the tenth deck where the restaurant was located.

 

The three of us were seated almost right away after we arrived at Nick and Nora’s Steakhouse. We had a good table in a location that afforded

us great views of the restaurant and its decor.

Decor in Nick and Nora’s Steakhouse

Stairs, from deck 9 to Nick and Nora’s Steakhouse

 

We started with a choice of dinner rolls and breads. As appetizers, our son chose a Caesar salad and my wife decided on breaded crab cakes.

In fact, she had 2 servings of crab cakes. I had a Caesar salad as well. For the entrees, our son and my wife both chose the Surf and Turf meal,

a delicious blend of fish and beef, served with some vegetables. I chose the Chilean Sea Bass, a hearty portion of fish with potatoes and

vegetables.

 

The waitresses were very pleasant and quite attentive. They asked us a few times if we were enjoying ourselves. The bread and appetizers came

quite quickly, within 15 minutes after sitting down at the table. The entrees, however, took much much longer. I was not sure why it took over

an hour for the meals to arrive at our table, but it was becoming increasingly annoying. Was it because it was late dining? Did they have problems

with the kitchen? I was not sure. I looked over at the waiters as they were scurrying around, looking to see what was the matter. Immediately, I

thought of Gordon Ramsey and Kitchen Nightmares or Hell’s Kitchen, in which the chefs had to redo the meal a couple times because it was not done

right.

 

It finally arrived and we could finally eat. The plates looked good and very appetizing. The portions were indeed large. There was an excellent mix

of meat and vegetables and the beef was done well. The Chilean Sea Bass was excellent and flaky. It broke apart with a fork and a knife was not

needed. When we finished the main meal, we felt full, and doubted whether we had room for dessert. Both my wife and I could not eat any more; so, we

had to decline dessert. Our son decided to order the Chocolate cheesecake and take it back to the cabin for later.

 

The meal, in general, was very delicious and filling. The portions were big. Unfortunately, the wait was intolerably long, and that was only aspect

of the dinner that disappointed us. My wife was not as disappointed as I was. I was of the opinion that I would not go to the steakhouse again. Perhaps,

an early seating would be better. If we were to go again, then we would definitely go for an early seating.

 

We went back to the cabin and put the cake in the little refrigerator. We sat on the balcony and listened to water making quieting splashing sounds. We

enjoyed watching the stars in the sky. I learnt about the positions of the constellations in an astronomy class, and knew that they would appear

differently as one travelled south and closer to the equator. However, I had never actually experienced or seen the constellations from that far south.

I looked out over the ocean and could see the Big Dipper, which was just over the horizon. It was beautiful to see. At home, it is high in the sky. I

also rarely experienced such dark skies at home where we are subject to too much light pollution.

The band playing on one of the stages on the Lido deck.

 

After a couple of hours in the cabin and on the balcony, my wife and I decided to go on the Lido deck and see what was happening. We went to the aft

section of the Lido deck and watched as we past by several islands. Around this time of evening, we were about 80 miles away from St. Thomas. The captain

announced that news earlier that evening. I was not sure what the islands were called that we passed, but they seemed large and had plenty of lights. I

used the video camera and zoomed in toward the islands. I could see a lot of activity on the islands.

[wobblyfeet]

Dancing to some smooth sounds

 

There was also much activity aboard the ship as well. Lots of good music and dancing. We walked around and watched the revelers having a great time. My

wife was not feeling too well, probably she had too much to eat. We went back to the cabin and relaxed on the balcony. We watched the islands pass by and

I looked at the stars. Unfortunately, I could not take pictures of the constellations.

2010 for a while longer

[wobblyfeet]

Tossing beads to the revelers

 

Later in the evening, we could hear partiers whooping it up on the Lido deck, as midnight was approaching. I went up a couple of times to see the action.

 

A beautiful ice sculpture

The captain was enjoying himself. ------------------------------------------------------ The captain as he was about to blow his miniature horn at midnight.