Carnival Miracle Journal with Pics - VD at Sea: The Miracle Cure

[Bonds73]

Ahh , Grand Turk, it's always nice to return home. I always enjoy stopping by the local liquor store to tell stories of my days at Brown...

[AuntieBon]

Jim, Your review is getting Karen really psyched for next year. She's the really partier in my family. :D

[vanislandcruisers]

Ahh , Grand Turk, it's always nice to return home. I always enjoy stopping by the local liquor store to tell stories of my days at Brown...

 

Brown???...NICE!!!...cause that"ll match the colour of those stories perfectly;):D

 

Jim, Your review is getting Karen really psyched for next year. She's the really partier in my family. :D

 

That's GREAT Bonnie!!!...sounds like her and Dee will get along GREAT!!!:D

[WeBeCruisin']

They just wanted to talk...just say "Hi":D

 

Good one! :)

[Timmys_mom]

Knowing these 2 I can only assume this was their first Tourist Stop of the day...

 

 

Actually, it was our first tourist stop of the day. Unfortunately, it was about 8:30 in the morning and they didn't open up until 9:00. They had to dip into their reserves until we came upon a liquor store that was open.

[izzydog]

Would you guys book the cabana again? We were thinking about it, but, I don't actually think we would spend too much time using it. I think there would be too many bars to hit on the beach. LOL

 

That being said, I think you guys need to go on the Breeze us, looks like you had a great time!

[Timmys_mom]

We seem to be stuck in Grand Turk. Can we move on, please?

[thunter1224]

I really need to know how you made them on the ship? and maybe your recipe ?? I seen the jello boxes. and I am guessing you brought the cheap plastic shot glasses. but what type of booze ? and in the fridge in your room ? I have never made them. and did you carry some around the ship with you ?

:rolleyes:

[lynyrd]

Would you guys book the cabana again? We were thinking about it, but, I don't actually think we would spend too much time using it. I think there would be too many bars to hit on the beach. LOL

 

That being said, I think you guys need to go on the Breeze us, looks like you had a great time!

 

I would not rent one again. Like you said we barely used it. We probably should have all just chipped in on one just to have a place to store our stuff.

:D:

[lynyrd]

I really need to know how you made them on the ship? and maybe your recipe ?? I seen the jello boxes. and I am guessing you brought the cheap plastic shot glasses. but what type of booze ? and in the fridge in your room ? I have never made them. and did you carry some around the ship with you ?

:rolleyes:

ouu will fn= google it yo

 

I made them in plastic syringes I ordered off the internet. If yo will find lots of recipes. I brought an electric tea kettle to heat the water. It is basically a cup of hot water to melt the jello, Then you use a mixtur of booze and cold water to equal another cup. Some folks omit the cold water, but if you use a high proof alcohol it won't set properly if you don't use cold water. Most recipes call for a half cup of booze and a half cup of water. I usually left out the water though. None of the stuff I brought was too strong to prevent it from setting....but some of the shots were really potent. We chilled them in a cooler of ice. We tipped our room steward up front and he kept us well supplied with ice

 

We really didn't carry them around the ship. Mainly did them on our ginourmous balcony. We did take some to the cabana in Grand Turk.

Edited November 5, 2012 by lynyrd

[vanislandcruisers]

We seem to be stuck in Grand Turk. Can we move on, please?

 

Yes;):D

 

I really need to know how you made them on the ship? and maybe your recipe ?? I seen the jello boxes. and I am guessing you brought the cheap plastic shot glasses. but what type of booze ? and in the fridge in your room ? I have never made them. and did you carry some around the ship with you ?

:rolleyes:

 

See Lynne's answer..She was our Jell-O Queen:D

[vanislandcruisers]

Would you guys book the cabana again? We were thinking about it, but, I don't actually think we would spend too much time using it. I think there would be too many bars to hit on the beach. LOL

 

That being said, I think you guys need to go on the Breeze us, looks like you had a great time!

 

Definitely mixed emotions...gonna talk about it my next post in the Journal...it was good Home Base but like Lynne said below 1 would have sufficed for all of us...if it was Dee and I on a Cruise we would not spend the $...

 

I would not rent one again. Like you said we barely used it. We probably should have all just chipped in on one just to have a place to store our stuff.

:D:

 

Agreed

[CruisefromNY]

I would not rent one again. Like you said we barely used it. We probably should have all just chipped in on one just to have a place to store our stuff.

:D:

 

We got a Cabana in Grand Turk, everyone is invited!

[vanislandcruisers]

On our walk from the Ship to the Cabanas Dee asked me if ‘I had brought a hat?’ and I said “No I forgot to pack one when we left Victoria.” Being ‘follicley challenged’ - Conclusion #691: Grass DOES NOT grow on a busy street - this is generally considered a necessity for me when in the Caribbean. This may or may not have contributed to my early night. Nevertheless we arrived at our Cabana, had our ticket verified by our Matgaritaville Waiter, placed an order for a couple of Buckets of Beer and then went inside to set up Shop.

 

Having the Cabana was a good ‘Home-Base for us for the day. We would have considered it expensive if it was just the 2 of us but since there were 4 of us in the Cabana, as there were for the other 2 Cabanas rented by the others, made it much more reasonable. It was Air-Conditioned which gave us an opportunity to seek some relief from the heat if needed and was also lockable so gave us a spot to safely store our belongings when we were wandering

 

Looking out from the Cabana

 

 

About 10:00am it felt like someone had turned the heat on – IT GOT HOT!!!. Lynne and Peewee asked us to come to their Cabana for a Jell-O Shot and these were no ordinary Syringe Jell-O Shot We were introduced to ‘2-person Suck ’n Blow Jell-O Shots’ where just as the name suggests it takes 2 people with one person sucking and one person blowing the Jell-O in a double-open-ended plastic tube. You have not tried Jell-O until it’s careening off the back of your throat at Mach 1. Those in our Group who had already experienced the pleasure of consuming Jell-O at the Speed of Sound got plenty of laughs at those of us who had not.

 

Donna and Dan went first and showed us ‘Virgins’ how to do it with style.

 

 

Dee and I were the first of the Suck ’n Blow Virgins to give it a whirl with Dee on the Sucking end and me on the Blowing end. Peewee was standing right beside us to provide us some moral support and also to laugh at us .The force of the Jell-O backed Dee up a bit and then her Gag Reflex kicked in and she deposited half a mouthful of Jell-O on Peewee’s left foot. Conclusion #692: Peewee had Toe Jell-O which is a 3rd Cousin once removed of the more familiar Toe Jam.

 

 

The look on Peewee’s face was priceless. Coral and Dan went next and they each sucked back their 2 Jell-O Shots like Pros.

 

 

 

Dee and I went again with our roles reversed from the first time and I persevered and managed to get the Jell-O down before having a more conventional chaser.

 

[vanislandcruisers]

The first Rounds of Suck 'n Blows done we decided to order some eats and more drinks to our Cabana and having finished with the Breakfast Beers the 4 of us moved on to what Margaritavilles are known for – Margaritas and these ones were Yard sized. Our drinks arrived first and when our Waiter arrived he said he also ‘brought us some ‘Shots compliments of Margaritaville’ for us and then said “they are very nice Shots because they are Jell-O Shots” and handed each of us what looked like a little kid’s plastic medicine cup full of Jell-O that was infused with Tequila. Not having had any Jell-O in the previous 6 minutes we were game.

 

The first sip I had from my yard-sized Margarita had my face looking like I was sucking on a Sour Candy. The Waiter laughed and said `it’s GOOD!!! It`s got 5 Shots of Tequila in it`. This Yard may or may not have contributed to my early night. Once the food arrived we headed into our Cabana to eat. The food was good and I am not a fussy eater but after travelling as much as we have together I should have known better than to order meat – in this case a Cheeseburger – as I find the meat in the Caribbean tastes much different than I am used to and the meat in this Burger didn’t sit well with me at all. This Burger may or may not have contributed to my early night. Like I said the taste seemed to just stay in my mouth and wanting to get the taste out of my mouth went out to the Yard and had a swig of the Margarita.

 

After eating and spending some more time lounging around the Pool it was time to walk down the Beach to Jack’s Shack.

 

 

Hello Jack!!!

 

 

The walk down the Beach had taken us about 5 or 10 minutes and once there we met up with Shelly and Jimmy, Rick and Laurie, Trevor and Angie and Sharon. We grabbed a seat at the Bar, where Rick and Laurie introduced us to Jack and Janet, ordered a couple of drinks, had little taste of Rick and Laurie’s order of Jerk Chicken and then listened and laughed along as the Golf Carters told us of their Adventures from earlier in the day. Jack’s Shack is truly a beautiful place!!!

 

We were having such a GREAT time that when Jack was taking a picture of all of us with Angie’s camera a lady beside us said “You guys are FUN. We want to be in your picture too” so Jack ended up taking 2 pictures of all us with the lady and her husband; one with Angie’s Camera and one with the other lady’s Camera.

 

 

After about an hour Dee and I wandered into the Gift Shop where I got a T-Shirt and she got a Tank Top before making our way down to the Water and wading in til we were knee deep. This place is truly PARADISE!!!!

 

 

 

 

Dan and Coral had already headed back to the Pool Area so we did the same as did everyone else. Shelly, Jimmy and Sharon as well as Trevor and Angie returned their Rented Golf Carts and everyone made their way to the Pool.

[vanislandcruisers]

we got a cabana in grand turk, everyone is invited!

 

You are TOO NICE Anna!!!

Edited November 5, 2012 by vanislandcruisers

[vanislandcruisers]

We spent the next hour or so playing in the Pool, lounging and just enjoying the day. We even had some people we met at the pool who were on the Ship indulge in some of our Jell-O Shooters.

 

 

 

Dan and Coral and many of the others headed back to the Ship around 1:45 while Rick, Laurie, Trevor, Angie, Lynne, Peewee, Dee and I made our way to Margaritaville as apparently we still had some thirsts that needed quenching.

 

 

 

Angie and Laurie at Margaritaville

 

A couple of rounds of drinks there and then a packing away of 2 Rum Runners into the Shorts Pockets of Rick and I had us all ready to make our way back along the Pier and back on the Carnival Miracle – our time in Grand Turk. Conclusion #693: We’ll be back!!!…October 2013 to be precise.

 

[vanislandcruisers]

Back on the Ship we headed up to the Cabin to drop off our stuff, clean up and enjoy Sail-Away on the 5-Wide Balcony. It was still SUPER HOT out so we mixed a couple of drinks. Shortly after 3:00pm we stared to move and the 10 of us + Sharon and Allen, who we had called when we got back, continued to sit out there chatting, laughing and having the odd Jell-O Shot until the Sun went down.

 

Bye, Bye Grand Turk

 

 

We had received our Invitations to the Past Guest Party which was being held in the Phantom Theatre on Deck 2 at 5:15pm in our Cabin the previous night . We debated attending and before deciding against it and stayed out on the Balcony until close to 6:00pm when I told Dee I was starting to feel a little chilled so Allen, Dee and I decided to head down to the Casino and some of the others said they’d be ‘down in a bit to join us.’

 

As we were getting off the Elevator to head to the Casino we could see a large crowd of passengers heading our way – the Past Guest Party had just ended – and as we walked against the flow I noticed a couple amongst the crowd who I was sure I recognized from the pictures in a GREAT Review I had followed on Cruise Critic. It was Gary, whose Screen Name is ‘cruising USA’, and his wife, Mary Ann, and he had written a Review entitled WE MISSED THE BOAT that Dee and I LOVED!!! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1270596&highlight=cruisin+usa

 

As we came up to them I looked at him, pointed and said “Cruise Critic” to which he smiled and said “Yes I am on Cruise Critic.” And then asked ‘me my Screen Name’ to which I replied “vanislandcruisers’ As it turns out Gary had read our first 3 Journals on Cruise Critic and we had a 30 second mutual admiration session before I looked at Dee and said “He’s the one that wrote the Review WE MISSED THE BOAT” Dee said she “LOVED that Review before Allen said “I missed the Bed once” Dee won that conversation by saying “Yea well I missed the Toilet once” and we all busted up laughing. They had to get going to Dinner so we said we ‘hoped we’d have some time to get together later in the Cruise’ and we continued to the Casino as Gary and Mary Ann headed towards the Elevator. Gary also wrote a VERY entertaining Review of this Cruise on Cruise Critic; he’s got a GREAT Style to his Reviews. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1587441&highlight=cruisin+usa

 

The 3 of us grabbed some drinks and made our way over to a $6.00 Fun Pairs Blackjack Table where Richard, who was from England, was the Dealer and we were joined by Dan and Coral shortly thereafter.. There was a lady who as the Cruise went along started playing at whatever Table we were all playing at and she made no bones about the fact that we made her laugh and she liked the way we all played. When Trevor arrived Dee decided to join Coral at the Slot Machines so Trevor took her spot.

 

As the next hour went along the chills I had felt on the Balcony returned over and over again and left only when they were replaced by periods where I felt extremely warm. We were doing pretty well at the Table but at about 7:15 I said I was done and coloured up my Chips went over to Dee to tell her I ‘wasn’t feeling well at all and was going to up to the Cabin.’ She looked at me and said “my eyes did look a little glassy “and she did think “I looked pale.” Dee said she’d come with me and as we walked along the Promenade I started to feel worse and worse. By the time we got up to the hallway where our Cabin was I felt like I was going to be sick and I knew that feeling was turning to reality as we struggled to get the $&$ Card in the Door. As we were doing so Ninja Dan poked his head out the Door of their Cabin and started to say something to us before realizing he did not want to deal with a dose of reality and quickly shut the door. Once inside I went o the Bathroom and after dealing with reality I felt much better and decided to relax on the Balcony.

 

After a little while I felt a little better and decided to go to the Dining Room with the rest. Lynne, Peewee, Shelly, Jimmy and Trevor and Angie were eating at the Steakhouse this evening so as we walked past Donna and Dan’s Table we noticed that Rick and Laurie were sitting with them that night. Dan asked me if I ‘was feeling better ‘and apologized for not ‘helping out earlier’ adding that he doesn’t deal well with that “Nuff said No problem” I said and as I started to explain that Dee thought I had a slight case of Sun Stroke a wave of horrible came over me so I headed to our Table and sat behind my Double Crown and Coke in a Tall Glass with lots of Ice. I did place my Dinner Order, a Caesar Salad and a Medium Rare Flat Iron Steak, before Dee looked at me and said you “are looking awfully pale again.” I had already downed a Glass of Ice Water and hadn’t touched my drink and looked at Dee and said “I can’t do this. I’m going to have to excuse myself” which I did and then apologized to everyone. Dee said she’d come up and check on me after Dinner and before leaving I asked her if she ‘could grab the Steak off my Order if no one else wanted it and bring it up when she came so it didn’t go to waste’ and she said ‘she’d try’. I headed up to the Cabin, which fortunately had already been made up, took the traditional picture of our Towel Animal...

 

 

...and then crawled into bed. I am not a real ‘covers’ person when sleeping but on this night I had the covers pulled up right to my chin and they were that way when I was awakened by the Cabin Door opening. I was expecting to see Dee and was very surprised when I heard “Mr. Jim How are you feeling?? I brought you your Dinner” Focusing I saw it was our Assistant Dining Room Waiter and somehow our Head Waiter, after talking to Dee and Dee telling her she thought I ‘had Sun Stroke because I wasn’t wearing a Hat’, had gone and talked to the Maitre’d and arranged for her Assistant him to bring the food I had ordered on a Tray up to the Cabin. All I can say is AMAZING!!!

 

Dee came up to the Cabin around 9:30pm to find me still covered up and after asking me how I felt she started to get undressed as if she was going to come to bed. I asked her “What she was doing?” and she said she’d ‘stay in the Cabin with me.’ I told her “No go have some fun. No reason for both of us to be here” Eventually she relented and headed out.

 

I didn’t hear anything until 1:30am when Tammi and Dee got back to the Cabins after their night consisting of some Mr. Lucky’s Casino time with the ‘regulars’, some Sam’s Piano Bar time with Lynne, Peewee and Allison and some time in Dr Frankenstein’s Dance Club with Allen.

 

Unbeknownst to us Tammi and Allison ended up having a bit of an issue about 3:00am in their Cabin. This is the story they would end up telling us the next afternoon after we returned from Catalina Island. Allison, who had gone up to the Cabin after the Piano Bar closed was asleep when Tammi got back and Allison’s bed was the one closest to the Hallway Cabin Door. Tammi, after getting ready for bed did just that and got into bed. Allison woke up about 3:00am to the sight of a strange man walking INTO their Cabin. Allison screamed at the guy telling him to “GET OUT” and that “THIS IS NOT YOUR CABIN” and she said the guy seemed a little frazzled before he turned around and staggered out. They hadn’t told anyone about this until they told Dee and I the next afternoon….and there is a ‘Now you know the rest of the Story’ to this one.

Edited November 5, 2012 by vanislandcruisers

[WeBeCruisin']

My introduction to Suck and Blows was on my first trip as a single and also my first Carnival cruise about 6 years ago and my S & B partner was Shelly. I had never heard of Suck and Blows, due to my having led a protected, nay holy, life. I'm not sure if Shelly had, either, because we didn't know the rules and we were both blowing for a long time and then we apparently switched at the same time and were both sucking.... at some point, we were desperately switching back and forth while everyone mocked us and finally succeeded. I had no idea that you were supposed to choose "roles" as either a sucker or the suckee or a blower or the blowee. :confused:

[thunter1224]

ouu will fn= google it yo

 

i made them in plastic syringes i ordered off the internet. If yo will find lots of recipes. I brought an electric tea kettle to heat the water. It is basically a cup of hot water to melt the jello, then you use a mixtur of booze and cold water to equal another cup. Some folks omit the cold water, but if you use a high proof alcohol it won't set properly if you don't use cold water. Most recipes call for a half cup of booze and a half cup of water. I usually left out the water though. None of the stuff i brought was too strong to prevent it from setting....but some of the shots were really potent. We chilled them in a cooler of ice. We tipped our room steward up front and he kept us well supplied with ice

 

we really didn't carry them around the ship. Mainly did them on our ginourmous balcony. We did take some to the cabana in grand turk.

 

thank you very much !!!!!

[vanislandcruisers]

A First, Coke and Water, “James, It is James right?” and Security

 

Our stop in Catalina Island was 8 hours in length between the hours of 9:00am – 5:00pm. With the last Tender back to the Ship scheduled for 4:15pm it was effectively a 7 hour stop.

 

I woke up about 7:30am and felt GREAT…well until I got out of bed. I realized I was thirstier than I had ever been before and did feel a little dizzy and weak. I ended up going next door and getting a couple of bottles of Water from Dan and Coral and drank those and followed those up with a Coke on Ice for some Caffeine energy. The day wasn’t staring out all that nice but it did clear up eventually as did I.

 

We weren’t in any rush to get off the Ship hoping to avoid the ‘mad rush’ for the Tenders and in fact kicked around the idea of making it a Sea Day but knew we would regret it down the road. After showering we headed up to the Lido for some breakfast. Feeling the need for something good I avoided anything that had grease and stuck to a plate of fresh fruit and Dee did the same with a Coffee to go along with it. We could see the Island off in the distance and it looked packed already.

 

 

 

After eating we headed back down to the Cabin and spent a little while out on the Balcony. Dee said I should ‘go buy a Hat before we leave the Ship’ which would have been a good idea had the Fun Shops not been closed due to the fact that we were considered in Port. Dan said he had an extra Hat I could borrow but that I might not like it and went in their Cabin to retrieve it. Conclusion #694: He was right!!! When he came back outside to give me the Hat a feeling of nausea came over me like nothing I have ever felt before. To this day I still don’t feel right. Dan was giving ME, a Montreal-born and devoted Montreal Canadiens Hockey Fan all my life, a Vancouver Canucks Hat to wear. I told Dan “I need a hat to cover my head not something to wipe my *** with.” It was either wear the Hat or wait and take a chance that there’d be something on the Island that I could purchase. Not wanting to hold anyone back I decided to wear the Hat and of course Dan had to have a picture of how happy I was wearing it once we got to the Island.

 

Can you feel the JOY???

 

 

Around 11:00am we made our way down to Deck 0, normally a 'Crew Only' area where they had fashioned a makeshift Hallway out of Tarps hanging from the Ceiling. The line moved quickly and we were on the Island having our Welcome to Catalina Island…picture taken at 11:15 Ship time.

 

 

 

[vanislandcruisers]

The Beach set-up was loungers and umbrellas upon loungers and umbrellas as far as we could see with an Activities Area, a small Shopping Area and a dedicated Swimming Area that is marked with Buoys and Swimming Pool Ropes.

 

 

 

 

Further down the Beach there were Jet Skis and Sea-Doos available for Rent as well some Vendors where you could arrange various Excursions.

 

 

With the exception of the Beach Workers and those in the Stores the Bar Staff Food Staff were all Carnival Staff Members from the Ship and all the Cooking Supplies and Food had been brought over from the Ship on of the Tenders.

 

The Washroom facilities were located at the end of the Beach closest to the Tender Pier and up a set of rather steep stairs. I know I was up there twice and on both occasions, both going up and coming down the stairs, I could hear some elderly people or those with decreased mobility complaining about the location of the Facilities. 'What can you do about the fact it’s on top of the Hill/" I thought to myself …Had they not heard the expression about that stuff “rolling downhill”?

 

The Views from 'up the Hill' by the Bathrooms

 

 

 

We started walking down the Wooden Sidewalk that separates the Beach Area from the Shopping and Activities Areas until we found a Beach Worker who asked us if we ‘wanted some loungers and Umbrellas?’ I said “We need 4 loungers and 1 Umbrella and if you happen to have a shovel that I could use to bury this Hat I would appreciate that too.” Conclusion #695: He was able to provide 5 of 6 Items.

[rickb]

I've been reading along laughing to myself as I remember the days on this cruise. :D:p

[WeBeCruisin']

The Washroom facilities were located at the end of the Beach closest to the Tender Pier and up a set of rather steep stairs. I know I was up there twice and on both occasions, both going up and coming down the stairs, I could hear some elderly people or those with decreased mobility complaining about the location of the Facilities. 'What can you do about the fact it’s on top of the Hill/" I thought to myself …Had they not heard the expression about that stuff “rolling downhill”?

 

.

 

 

At least those "elderly people" you're abusing were able to make it off the ship. Some of us had suffered such dire injuries that all we could was sit in a wheelchair at the railing of the ship and longingly watch the people cavorting and romping on the beach while all I could do was softly whimper and sob. :eek:

[AuntieBon]

I've been reading along laughing to myself as I remember the days on this cruise. :D:p

 

I was laughing out loud reading it. Unfortunately I was at the office and started getting weird looks so I had to stop reading.:o