Four Days of Paradise: Baja Mexico - Aug. 8, 2011 Review with Photos

[Inklight]

This would be a cruise of firsts. Our first porthole cabin, our first try at Your Time Dining, our first experience with Chef’s Table, our first Behind the Fun tour and our first cruise together without any children. I’m excited.

 

Sometimes the waiting period from booking to cruising seems like an eternity ... 111 days, seriously? Although the anticipation really is a lot of the fun for me.

We booked an ES rate back in April and sent in our FCC (purchased on the Carnival Splendor) for added OBC ... $50 since it’s a short cruise, woo hoo! In the upcoming months we would receive two price drops adding a nice little OBC fund for our adventures. Wow, that’s a lot of acronyms in that sentence. So, for you cruise newbies here’s the key: ES = Early Saver, FCC = Future Cruise Certificate, OBC = Onboard Credit.

 

Oh, let me introduce myself. I am Robin and I’m traveling with my wonderful hubby, Rod. We have five kids and a couple of cats ... we aren’t too old, but not too young either! We have been working really hard and like most people deserve a lovely three-month vacation ... but, we will gladly accept this shorter trip on the Paradise.

 

Living on the West Coast, our cruise destination options are somewhat limited. We just don’t have a lot of foreign Islands/Ports hanging around within reach like the East Coast has for a quick getaway. Our Baja Mexico itinerary, though, included a nice mix of port days and at sea days:

 

 

Monday — Long Beach - 4:30 p.m. Sail Away!

Tuesday — Catalina Island - 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday — Ensenada, Mexico - 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Thursday — Fun Day at Sea

Friday — Long Beach - 8 a.m.

 

As I said earlier, the anticipation is a large part of the fun for me. This is where all of the planning and dreaming happens! So, it probably wouldn’t surprise you to know I frequented the Port Cams often just waiting for the day it would be our turn.

 

The Paradise looked gorgeous sitting next to the Queen Mary when I snagged this shot from the Long Beach Port Cam, just a week before we were to embark. “Hello, lucky people!”

This trip journal will cover our experiences both onboard and off the Carnival Paradise as well as our pre-cruise adventure on the Queen Mary. Please feel free to ask any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them as best as I can.

 

Oh, I see there is 1 day left to cruise ... so we’d better get started.

 

 

:)

[Inklight]

Carnival Paradise’s decorative theme is Great Ocean liners of the World (thank you ship’s architect Joe Farcus), so it seems very fitting to spend a pre-cruise overnight on the Queen Mary.

 

The Queen Mary sits afloat at the Port of Long Beach ... very handy for those embarking on the Carnival ships that dock there. I booked directly through the Queen Mary Web site and found a Park & Sail deal attached to a Deluxe Stateroom with King Size Bed. Sounds fabulous, count me in! I detest paying for parking and will usually try to find ways around it. There are a few other hotels in Long Beach that will babysit the car for free while you cruise. It’s good to check out the deals if you are driving to the port.

 

We arrived later than we originally wanted to. You see, we had this pressing work deadline that we were feverishly trying to complete. Our vacation initially was to include some pre-cruise fun for a few days in and around Long Beach, but ‘the deadline’ quickly took that over. So, as our Thursday turned to Friday turned to Saturday, we knew those fun days were gone. Not that big of a deal, we had our reservation set and paid for the Queen Mary Sunday. We were leaving then, for sure ... deadline or no deadline. And so we did. We arrived just after dinner.

 

 

Hauling a load of cruise luggage for a one-night hotel stay is funny. Even when packing light ... there can be a lot of pieces. It’s just the way it works. So, here we were late Sunday hauling our ‘necessities’ onboard the Queen Mary. Setting foot onto what was once regarded as the grandest ocean liner ever built; a sea-faring vessel that transported kings, queens and other very important people across the Atlantic, in my loaded down vulnerability I felt like the Beverly Hillbillies.

 

The Lobby, located on A Deck, was easy to find. We quickly checked in and received a pass key for our Stateroom #449 on B Deck ... one deck below. We have cruised quite often and have stayed in quite a few hotels in our life, so it came to a halting surprise to us that we got completely lost looking for our stateroom on the Queen Mary.

 

Plodding our way through the infinite hallway watching the room numbers rise ... B301, B315, B331 ... we were confident we would soon reach our room ... B341, dead end. What? We were at the Bow of the ship with not a #400 in sight. So, with plenty of backtracking (and even a few sidetrackings) we found that the stateroom numbering systems begin mid-ship. B301 starts mid-ship and goes forward, while B401 starts mid-ship and goes aft towards the Stern. We were at the wrong end of the boat.

 

Our stateroom was awesome. There were two Portholes with a sitting area, a flat screen TV, a King size bed and good size bathroom that included a bathtub. Yes, we were sitting in the lap of luxury.

 

 

Hello, Rod! Here is my hubby’s review of the Queen Mary bed: “Best. Bed. Ever.” And I concur.

 

 

Hey, did you know the Queen Mary is haunted? They have tours available ... but, we decided to create a few ‘ghosts’ of our own!

 

 

Yep, that’s me taking stateroom photos. We spent the rest of the evening running around the ship with our cameras (you’ll probably hear this a lot).

[Inklight]

Welcome to the 1930s

 

Being aboard the Queen Mary is really like stepping back in time to that wonderful Art Deco era of the 30s. Not only is the decor rich with originality, but ‘big band swing’ music from the 30s could be heard all over. The ambience was that great.

 

Paying homage to swing ... here are my jazz hands!

 

 

I love the architecture from this era, they just don’t make elevators like this anymore. Standing in front of them I couldn’t help but think of all the infamous people who may have passed through these elevators.

 

 

The Promenade is the place where everything is happening ... well, it would be when the shops open! At this point it was quite late at night and there were just a few people wandering the ship.

 

 

See, even the ceiling looks cool.

 

 

Everywhere you look you are reminded of a different time. The promenade extends the length of the ship and is filled with stores, cafes and historic reminders of how the ship looked back then.

 

 

One such case held photos and mementos from over Queen Mary’s years ... and ignited a memory from my own childhood. When I was young, my Grandparents took me to Europe. At one point we traveled on a Ferry from England to France, and it was here my Grandmother bought me a little blue velvet Sailor doll. Exactly like the one behind the case! I loved my Grandmother and I loved that little Sailor doll. It was so weird to see a childhood ‘friend’ like that. The next day we found more in one of the shops on the promenade. After relaying my story, the shopkeeper told us “Yes, we do sell those dolls.” And as he picked one up he stated, “This one is on consignment and it sells for $465.”

 

Needless to say, I now have a great photograph of my little Sailor Doll!

[Inklight]

“Wear closed-toed shoes.”

 

The next morning we were awakened by what sounded like an announcement being piped into the ship. I initially thought how cool it was that the Queen Mary carried its authenticity through to making cabin announcements like on a working cruise ship. Come to find out (as I came out of my sleeping fog) it was the Carnival Paradise, docked and trying to kick this weekend’s passengers off the boat ... also known as debarkation. And boy, was she loud about it.

 

Woo Hoo, our ship has arrived. So, up and Aft we went.

 

Hello, Paradise!

 

 

We spent some time up on deck taking photos of both the Queen Mary and Paradise.

 

 

Hey, what’s through those doors? We have time to find out ... let’s explore.

 

 

Now would be the time to explain the “Wear closed-toed shoes” idea. For weeks (if not months) prior to our cruise, I would tell hubby we need to remember to bring closed-toed shoes because they were required for the Behind the Fun Tour. I think I said it so often more for myself than for him because he always brings sneakers. I on the other hand usually only bring various forms of sandals on a cruise. So, not wanting to be shut out of this tour, I had to keep reminding myself (out loud to everyone around) to bring closed-toed shoes.

 

So, on this special embarkation morning ... I of course was wearing open-toed sandals.

 

Stepping in and over the bottom of the metal doorway, I misjudged my stepping and BAM smashed my toe on a corner of the metal. Yes, it hurt. But, I’m not a big baby so I ventured on and through to the Isolation Ward.

 

 

The isolation ward was where foreign passengers would hang out until they were deemed healthy. It was also a place where passengers with their 1930s diseases would hang out until they were well. It was also here where I realized my bashed toe was also bleeding. Good thing I was in the Isolation Ward.

 

 

Maybe we should think about heading off this ship. But first, a few more Queen Mary photos.

[Inklight]

The best cup of coffee ever ... I had a great morning vanilla latte from the Starboard Bakery.

 

 

The outer decks were cool and the views fabulous. What's that I see peeking through the lifeboats? Ahhhh, the Carnival Paradise!

 

 

 

I was fascinated by all of the ropes on this ship.

 

 

 

 

 

See what I mean? I just couldn't get enough.

 

 

 

An early morning row of visitors!

[magic&buddy]

Loving this! I really want to stay on the Queen Mary!

[magic&buddy]

Double post

[Jimmy Geegitz]

WOW!! Love the pics of the Queen Mary!!

[Inklight]

Loving this! I really want to stay on the Queen Mary!

 

We had a wonderful time staying on the Queen Mary. It really was a nice intro for the cruise! Thank you for your kind words. :)

[Inklight]

WOW!! Love the pics of the Queen Mary!!

 

 

Thank you! We totally enjoyed our time on the Queen Mary. :)

[Inklight]

Embarkation - Carnival Paradise we are here!

 

One of the perks of staying onboard the Queen Mary is early check-in for the cruise right from the Queen Mary ship. Between the hours of 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. we could bring all of our bags to the Engine Room of the Queen Mary and everything would be taken care of. Well, we were still running around the QM and really weren’t in any big hurry because we were enjoying what we were doing and, quite frankly, we were already there ... at the Port. There was a certain relaxation to Embarkation day that came with already being at the Port.

 

So, about 11:15 we decided to take advantage of this perk and hauled our luggage to the Engine Room. The process was simple, but what surprised us was the number of people checking in. Clearly we hadn’t seen that many people staying over on the Queen Mary. What we later learned was that all early arrivals to the Carnival Paradise were sent to the Queen Mary for check in. Perks for everyone!

 

We were given Zone 4 and decided to wander around the Engine Room and associated Museum for awhile before heading over to the Paradise.

 

The Engine Room was huge ... and amazing. I’m glad we were directed here for luggage check-in or we may have missed this cool area of the Queen Mary.

 

 

We had checked two small bags and a garment bag. We really did pack light, but like I said before, even packing light can still create a few pieces of luggage. With part of the load gone we made our way to the embarking area with our carry-ons. Here is where I have a question. I know Carnival allows a 12-pack of soda per person, a bottle of wine per person, and bottled water to be carried on the ship with the rest of your carry-on items ... how do you do that? LOL! Kudos to you who do. We thought about bringing soda, but never got organized enough (or maybe we were just lazy) to do it. Let me tell you, while embarking the ship, I’m glad we didn’t have those extra pieces.

 

We were led through the white dome which once housed the Spruce Goose (Howard Hughes’ heavy transport flying boat - plane). The authority at the entrance reminded us we were entering a Federal Building - so no photos allowed and she was pretty serious about this! One thing I found interesting is we weren’t asked to fill out a health form this trip. Moving through all the check points in the dome we were led to a photo moment. Pretty much mandatory because you weren’t allowed to bypass the people as they posed in the adobe Mexico facade for their first official Carnival Portrait. *SNAP*

 

The next stop was another mandatory photo. Only this was more fun because it was our official Security photo for our Sign & Sail card. *DING* Woo Hoo! Just a little bit farther and we are cruising!

 

The next photo moment was on the gangway and this one could easily be bypassed. But, I would suggest stopping for this one because the Carnival Paradise poses as a lovely real backdrop for your Sail Away photo. *SNAP*

 

I love the Sail Away photos because the whole trip is ahead of us and I can see all that excitement, anticipation and fun on our faces.

 

 

What we learned later is that the first ‘mandatory’ photo op (with the adobe Mexico facade) produced an 8X10 image promoting the words ‘Long Beach’ for a price of about $21. The second photo op produced a 5X7 image with ‘Sail Away’ printed on it for around $12. We even got a deal when purchasing this image with a photo portfolio including a Carnival stock photo of the Paradise for a total of $16. Just a heads up for you all.

 

Once onboard (12:30, not bad at all) we were thrown into a flurry of activity ... all of which kept us hanging out in the Paradise Atrium for awhile. Fine by me, the Atrium is quite beautiful.

 

 

I have been on other Fantasy Class ships before (Elation and Imagination) and while the layout is the same, the decor is always different and I find the Atrium usually sets the standard. The Paradise Atrium didn’t disappoint with the darker rich colors and subtle embellishments.

 

 

Looking up gave a unique perspective with all of the glass and mirrors lining the atrium dome.

 

 

I even liked the ‘Faberge Egg’ ornaments lining the grand staircase.

 

 

 

First to Guest Services to add cash to our account (so it’s not such a shock the last day). Then over to the Shore Excursion desk to add our names to the Behind the Fun Tour list and to sign up for our Ensenada excursion. We were really lax about excursions this trip. Usually we plan well ahead. But, we chose just to sign up once on board for whatever we felt like doing. I had heard that excursion prices were higher once on board the ship. So, I compared the prices of the excursions offered online with what was being offered on board ... and in the end I found that while some prices remained the same, there was a $1 to $5 increase per person for many of the offerings. How’s that for an experiment?

 

Next, the Atrium Bar seemed to be calling us over. How handy that it was just right there! So, what did we get? Remember how we chose not to bring any soda on board? Yes, that decision cost us, because we bought Soda Cards! For $29.70 each (including tip) we could drink all of the soda and juices from the bar we could possibly consume during the next four days. Yes, we are big partyers!

 

We hung out at the Atrium Bar for a bit because it was close to 1:30 and the cabins would all be ready. Besides it was fun watching everyone embark on the ship! It was here I had my first International encounter. One of the bar associates was getting drinks and he opened up a can of soda using another can to pop the top off! Impressive! So, I said to him, “Wow, you just used that can to open the tab!” Caught off guard he replied, “Hmmm?” I repeated, “ I was impressed by how you opened that can of soda with the other can.”

 

Him: “lnlnslkdflsndf.”

 

I paused and realized I didn’t understand a word he just said to me. Now there is a point when you are talking with someone from another country (or another part of the U.S. for that matter) where you decide to either just nod and smile OR invest the time to get through the accent differences and actually communicate.

 

I chose the latter.

 

Me: “What?”

 

Him: “t sv mmm nnnnls.”

 

Me: Pause “What?”

 

Him: “t sv mmmm nnnnls.”

 

Me: Even longer pause. “What?”

 

Him: “It saves my nails.”

 

“Oh, it saves your nails!” And he and I had a great laugh together. I would find out later that the Carnival Paradise hosts 70 different nationalities and as hard as it is for us sometimes to get through the different accents ... they have an equally hard time understanding our various English accents, as well. All I can say is that I’m glad I didn’t choose to just nod and smile.

 

Well, I see it’s about 1:30 ... time to go check out our Cabin!

 

But, before I go ... let’s have one last look at the Queen Mary!

 

[ATL2LAS]

That was too cool...:D. A prelude to your cruise on a beautiful ocean liner. Keep the pics coming.

[sjn911]

This was my only Carnival trip so far..while i did not stay at Queen Mary I spent a lot of time roaming her and just loved her..there was even a period party going on while there and they were dressed to the nines in era clothes.(smiles)..your review and photos are just professional and awesome...sad to see Paradise leave..hope her replacement fits as well...Sarah

 

Thank you soooo much it is just wonderful and looking forward to rest of your adventure!!

[cj7238]

OMG...I am loving this. I will be on the Paradise in Dec. with my son and his girlfriend. These are the first pictures I have seen of her and they are awesome!!! I love your review...can't wait to read the rest. I am sure I will have some questions for you also. Thanks so much!!!!!

[ccruisequeen]

The best cup of coffee ever ... I had a great morning vanilla latte from the Starboard Bakery.

 

 

 

The outer decks were cool and the views fabulous. What's that I see peeking through the lifeboats? Ahhhh, the Carnival Paradise!

 

 

 

 

I was fascinated by all of the ropes on this ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See what I mean? I just couldn't get enough.

 

 

 

An early morning row of visitors!

If you'll notice the small condo between the two birds on the Left, that's where I live & was probably watching you as you watched the shoreline!:cool:

[CapsR1]

Carnival Paradise’s decorative theme is Great Ocean liners of the World (thank you ship’s architect Joe Farcus), so it seems very fitting to spend a pre-cruise overnight on the Queen Mary.

 

The Queen Mary sits afloat at the Port of Long Beach ... very handy for those embarking on the Carnival ships that dock there. I booked directly through the Queen Mary Web site and found a Park & Sail deal attached to a Deluxe Stateroom with King Size Bed. Sounds fabulous, count me in! I detest paying for parking and will usually try to find ways around it. There are a few other hotels in Long Beach that will babysit the car for free while you cruise. It’s good to check out the deals if you are driving to the port.

 

We arrived later than we originally wanted to. You see, we had this pressing work deadline that we were feverishly trying to complete. Our vacation initially was to include some pre-cruise fun for a few days in and around Long Beach, but ‘the deadline’ quickly took that over. So, as our Thursday turned to Friday turned to Saturday, we knew those fun days were gone. Not that big of a deal, we had our reservation set and paid for the Queen Mary Sunday. We were leaving then, for sure ... deadline or no deadline. And so we did. We arrived just after dinner.

 

 

Hauling a load of cruise luggage for a one-night hotel stay is funny. Even when packing light ... there can be a lot of pieces. It’s just the way it works. So, here we were late Sunday hauling our ‘necessities’ onboard the Queen Mary. Setting foot onto what was once regarded as the grandest ocean liner ever built; a sea-faring vessel that transported kings, queens and other very important people across the Atlantic, in my loaded down vulnerability I felt like the Beverly Hillbillies.

 

The Lobby, located on A Deck, was easy to find. We quickly checked in and received a pass key for our Stateroom #449 on B Deck ... one deck below. We have cruised quite often and have stayed in quite a few hotels in our life, so it came to a halting surprise to us that we got completely lost looking for our stateroom on the Queen Mary.

 

Plodding our way through the infinite hallway watching the room numbers rise ... B301, B315, B331 ... we were confident we would soon reach our room ... B341, dead end. What? We were at the Bow of the ship with not a #400 in sight. So, with plenty of backtracking (and even a few sidetrackings) we found that the stateroom numbering systems begin mid-ship. B301 starts mid-ship and goes forward, while B401 starts mid-ship and goes aft towards the Stern. We were at the wrong end of the boat.

 

Our stateroom was awesome. There were two Portholes with a sitting area, a flat screen TV, a King size bed and good size bathroom that included a bathtub. Yes, we were sitting in the lap of luxury.

 

 

Hello, Rod! Here is my hubby’s review of the Queen Mary bed: “Best. Bed. Ever.” And I concur.

 

 

Hey, did you know the Queen Mary is haunted? They have tours available ... but, we decided to create a few ‘ghosts’ of our own!

 

 

Yep, that’s me taking stateroom photos. We spent the rest of the evening running around the ship with our cameras (you’ll probably hear this a lot).

 

 

OMG, we will NEVER stay on the Queen Mary again. I swear it is true that she is haunted.

DH, DS and I spent a night there in June 2010 prior to our 3 day cruise on the Paradise and NONE of us could sleep at night. The room was very spooky, dark and weird, can't even explain it properly. We couldn't wait to leave in the morning.

[Inklight]

That was too cool...:D. A prelude to your cruise on a beautiful ocean liner. Keep the pics coming.

 

Thank you. I agree, staying onboard the Queen Mary really did set up the cruise for us. She is a beautiful ocean liner, like you said! :)

[Inklight]

This was my only Carnival trip so far..while i did not stay at Queen Mary I spent a lot of time roaming her and just loved her..there was even a period party going on while there and they were dressed to the nines in era clothes.(smiles)..your review and photos are just professional and awesome...sad to see Paradise leave..hope her replacement fits as well...Sarah

 

Thank you soooo much it is just wonderful and looking forward to rest of your adventure!!

 

 

That would of been cool to see people in period costume on the Queen Mary. Yes, I agree, it is sad to see Carnival Paradise leave. But, I'm now excited to see what her replacement, Carnival Inspiration, has to offer! Thank you for you kind words. :)

[Inklight]

OMG...I am loving this. I will be on the Paradise in Dec. with my son and his girlfriend. These are the first pictures I have seen of her and they are awesome!!! I love your review...can't wait to read the rest. I am sure I will have some questions for you also. Thanks so much!!!!!

 

 

Thank you!!! I'm sure you and your son and girlfriend will have a great time. I have never cruised during December before, so I am really curious about how your trip will turn out. ;)

 

I have a ton more photos to post along with Fun Times for each day. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

[Inklight]

If you'll notice the small condo between the two birds on the Left, that's where I live & was probably watching you as you watched the shoreline!:cool:

 

LOL! I'm envious that you are that close to the port! :)

[cathyz]

Thank you. I agree, staying onboard the Queen Mary really did set up the cruise for us. She is a beautiful ocean liner, like you said! :)

Great review and pics! We love the Paradise and have sailed on her several times, just did in May as the final time before she leaves the west coast, but also we're looking forward to the Inspiration coming this way (she was our first Carnival cruise). I see you were on the Song of America way back too, those were some SMALL cabins!!!

[Inklight]

OMG, we will NEVER stay on the Queen Mary again. I swear it is true that she is haunted.

 

DH, DS and I spent a night there in June 2010 prior to our 3 day cruise on the Paradise and NONE of us could sleep at night. The room was very spooky, dark and weird, can't even explain it properly. We couldn't wait to leave in the morning.

 

 

They do have a Haunted Tour along with their other tour offerings. We didn't, however, go on any of the tours this time around. But, like you saw, we created our own ghostly images (believe me ... I have a ton more!).

 

We didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary. Though the 'period' of the ship's decor led me to thinking about ALL of the people that have walked her decks. I actually found that cool. With that said, however, if a real ghost appeared with clanking chains and all ... I may have felt the same way as you. :eek:

[Inklight]

Great review and pics! We love the Paradise and have sailed on her several times, just did in May as the final time before she leaves the west coast, but also we're looking forward to the Inspiration coming this way (she was our first Carnival cruise). I see you were on the Song of America way back too, those were some SMALL cabins!!!

 

 

Yes, they were small ... but, then again I was a lot smaller too!;)

[cathyz]

Yes, they were small ... but, then again I was a lot smaller too!;)

Yep, you are much younger than me, I was apparently too big (adult) for the cabins!

[Inklight]

A Room With a View - Porthole Style

 

The Porthole Cabins on the Fantasy Class ships are by far the best deal for the money. Not only will you pay Inside Cabin prices with an Outside view, but you can choose any of the four cabin decks without a price increase (at least that was our experience). Thus, we landed ourselves on the Empress deck (Deck 7) just a short walk to the Paradise Atrium Plaza ... and all the fun.

 

While looking at the deck plans, hubby said to me, “I want to be in the first cabin.” Okay, your wish is my command, so I booked E1 ... which is as close as you can get to sleeping on the bow of the ship as passengerly possible.

 

High above the anchor and directly under the AR in Carnival and over the P in Paradise are two porthole windows. That’s E1.

 

 

I’ll have to admit, I was a little concerned about booking this cabin. We stayed in Balcony Cabin #9237 Lido Deck on the Carnival Splendor last year and you know what they say, “Once you go balcony, you can’t go back.” Well, I’m sure someone has said that before. Anyway, the balcony staterooms on Fantasy class ships come at Suite prices (not so sweet, if you ask me). Thus, began my new obsession ... finding the unique or ‘deal’ cabins on every ship. Porthole cabin E1 seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

 

So, off we went to check out our cabin.

 

We entered the cabin through a long hall with the closets on the right and bathroom on the left. The deck plan shows this space (as well as other porthole cabins) to be a bit larger than the surrounding ocean views. So, was it bigger? Not so much, unless that space was added to this hallway.

 

 

 

As you can see our cabin was made up with a king size bed ... which basically took up the whole space. Set up as twins, the beds would be against the walls ... one under the portholes and the other along the left-side wall.

 

 

Yep, there is that box holding our life preservers! It does take some acrobatics and agility to get over!

 

 

Looking from the portholes to the door, you can see we have a desk with a stool and a chair.

 

 

Our cabin was situated directly below the stage of the Normandie Lounge. But, we didn't hear any noise from the lounge or the shows. In fact, we were so exhausted the first night, we went back to the cabin at about 10:30, missing the Welcome Aboard show (which I love ... we were that exhausted) and didn't hear a thing from it.

 

We have heard there was noise issues with these porthole cabins. Now, we have five kids and a couple of cats and have never been bothered by odd noises while sleeping. Here is what I heard from this cabin.

 

• Prior to Sail Away there was a series of eerie creaking sounds - like stress on metal. This was scarier than any sound I could have possibly heard on the haunted Queen Mary!
  
• Dropping anchor at Catalina sounded like we were crashing into something - only at a distance.
  
• Docking in Ensenada I heard nothing.
  
• Docking in Long Beach I heard what I think were thrusters - quite loud and quite often.
  

None of these sounds bothered me, they just were. These are the only extra sounds I heard from this cabin.

 

 

Waiting for us in the cabin was this lovely little Bon Voyage cake! Prior to our cruise, I ordered this 6-inch chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling from the Bon Voyage Dept. to be delivered to the cabin upon arrival. This was an inexpensive little way (for only $7.95) to place a special mark on the beginning of our cruise for DH. The cake feeds six ... so, it was just enough for the two of us! And boy was it delicious!