Mardi Gras 2 Oct - live(ish) impressions!

[mylittleone2000]

Need info on any Halloween decorations or happenings, please!!!

[crewsweeper]

51 minutes ago, mylittleone2000 said:

Need info on any Halloween decorations or happenings, please!!!

No one knows what the MG will do over Halloween.  I would assume something but if you want to drag along a costume or add decorations to your cabin/door, no one will stop you.

Edited October 6, 2021 by crewsweeper

[MrsRissB]

14 hours ago, Virga said:

Edit: the speakeasy isn't a dedicated venue, it's just a themed party early one evening - nothing special, really, but if you enjoy theming or like an excuse to wear period clothes, you'll enjoy it.  I'm getting the impression I probably wasn't supposed to mention it, because it was not noted in the fun times.  If it's something you really want to check out, find a seated bar you enjoy the first night, be polite and friendly, tip as though you believe the Cheers gratuity isn't enough (at fifteen drinks, $9 a day is not nearly enough in our minds) and I feel pretty certain you'll find your way there.  It made for excellent people watching, if nothing else!

 

Thanks for the info. I didn't understand but definitely interested.

[MrsRissB]

7 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Since the OP was skirting the issue and left bread crumbs, I'll give you the whole loaf.  The Speakeasy is  done once per cruise on the Mardi Gras only and you need an invitation to gain admittance.  Certain bartenders have a limited number of business cards that they give out that tell you where and when it will happen and there may even be a code word as well to gain entrance, don't know.  Saw a brief video clip on a YouTube review and it looked pretty cool, with prohibition style costumes being the norm.

Hopefully on one of my four 2022 Mardi Gras sailings, I will get to experience it.

 

Thank you for breaking it down. I am traveling solo on Mardi Gras in November. I think this would be a fun party to experience. I'm down to try my luck!

[stellarose]

I will frequent the fortune teller bar to see if I can get a crumb. 

[Virga]

1 hour ago, mylittleone2000 said:

Need info on any Halloween decorations or happenings, please!!!

 

The only Halladecorations I've noticed so far are on cabin doors - but they did have a Halloween / costume party last night.  A highlight of the evening was when two adult T-Rexes, a juvenile T-Rex, and a young female explorer riding a dinosaur took a victory lap around the ship after (I think?) winning the costume contest.  

 

Thanks for the help on the speakeasy - I'm glad to know I was not the first one to blow it up on the internet.  I was feeling a bit guilty.  I also didn't realize it was just this ship!  This is only our second 7 nighter ever - we usually take the weekend cruises and assumed they just don't do stuff like that on the short cruises.  I feel doubly blessed now!

[SNJCruisers]

20 minutes ago, MrsRissB said:

 

Thank you for breaking it down. I am traveling solo on Mardi Gras in November. I think this would be a fun party to experience. I'm down to try my luck!

Your best bet would be to get to know the ladies at the Fortune Teller Bar on day 1 and hopefully one of them will have an invitation card for you.

[SNJCruisers]

13 minutes ago, stellarose said:

I will frequent the fortune teller bar to see if I can get a crumb. 

That's my recommendation.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

2 hours ago, mylittleone2000 said:

Need info on any Halloween decorations or happenings, please!!!

We did Halloween for last 12 years on Carnival except last year. Did Halloween on Royal once. Not that great. The ship is decked out with Halloween decorations. People do decorate the doors to their cabin. The majority of guests dress up. We have seen a lot of fabulous costumes. Many crew members do also. Oct 31st is the day it all happens. Late afternoon to late evening is when most of all the fun is. People all dressed up walk back and forth usually on the casino deck. Everyone is posing for pictures. We have never seen and problems, just a lot of great fun. Usually at the main pool is where they pick the best costume. Sometimes in the theater. The Cruise Director and a few others write down there picks for best costumes and then the final one is picked from there picks. Always a lot of fun.

[urbanhawk]

If one is lucky enough to get an invite to the speakeasy, does carnival provide the period  costumes, or does one pack a costume, in hopes of  receiving, an invitation?  Thanks in advance.

[Virga]

5 minutes ago, urbanhawk said:

If one is lucky enough to get an invite to the speakeasy, does carnival provide the period  costumes, or does one pack a costume, in hopes of  receiving, an invitation?  Thanks in advance.

 

If they provided costumes to some guests, we did NOT rank that level of service, lol! 

 

I don't think that's the case, though, pretty sure the folks we saw who were dressed to the nines had been prepared for the possibility of a Roaring Twenties party that had been discussed in our Facebook group, or maybe knew about the actual event from online, or even just brought for their Halloween costume.  For the guys, it was mostly about an appropriate hat (perhaps sold onboard, unsure, I haven't wandered the shops even once) but some of the ladies we saw had to have put it together at home.  We just wore our normal elegant wear and did not feel even a little bit out of place, that was the MO for most of the 'guests.'

 

I'm 90% sure the costume judging was some on the main stage, I was heading for the casino to trade some dollars for indoor nicotine, and heard them asking people to cheer for the 'covid vaccine' and the 'man from UP' - and later saw a picture posted of the gentleman dressed as the man from UP.  He deserved the kudos, he looked great!  

 

We had a blast last night at the piano bar, and moved to the club afterwards.  I swear I need to find and book an Americana themed cruise, I am tired of not being able to find 'my' kind of music!  I do enjoy most all music, but I feel like there is a zero percent chance of me finding someone covering Jason Isbell or Tyler * on a cruise =(

 

Stopping now because I'm in search of sugar free electrolytes, I think they should have them at the coffee shop.  Brb!

[Virga]

Finishing up my thoughts on last night's festivities!  We tried out the Cucina because the MDR menu didn't have anything we couldn't live without, and we all enjoyed our meals.  I'd apparently set my expectations too high for the meatballs - no fault of the chef, it's the curse of having my own Italian nonna!  Was somewhat glad when 'meatballs' turned out to be a singular meatball. 

 

I did love the rice balls, though, and hubs' short rib was excellent.  I really enjoyed the pistachio pasta, though I'd been expecting a pesto.  It was served as what I'd tell you was a cross between carbonara and Alfredo.  Not a complaint - that's actually quite a lot like what I always make for comfort food at home, and the pistachios really took it up a notch.  Just not what I'd describe as a pesto. 

 

Our table mates enjoyed their mussels and clams and garlic shrimp - I sadly can't remember the other main our table ordered but no one left disappointed.  

 

I already touched on this, but the piano bar was a wonderful time!  I admit that it was without a doubt the place that I felt least covid-protected all cruise - but I have a few days off after the trip, and we'll test several times after our return, so I figure even if we're spectacularly unlucky, we won't have much opportunity to share the bad luck.  

 

We had another late night last night, but I deliberately avoided the sugary drinks I've been enjoying and was rewarded with a clearheaded (too) early morning wakeup!  Of course, after a few pre-dawn minutes on the balcony, I convinced myself to head back to bed and promptly slept through Emiril's again!  Two more chances, haha!

 

A recurring medical issue flared up today, so I spent most of the day alternating hot showers and resting - just what the doctor ordered!  I'm hoping that being overly kind today will convince my body to move on quickly.

 

Looking forward to a couple of sea days - always my favorites, though we basically treated this cruise as a straight week of sea days.  If I'm suitably recovered tomorrow, were going to study the map and make sure we've actually explored the whole ship - it's totally possible that there are corners and venues we've missed!  

[urbanhawk]

Thanks Virga "V" for info on the speak easy. Every year  Tucson has Dillinger Days. I've never participated, but it's always fun to see all the folks dressed to the nines, and driving around in their classic, gangster cars!

 

Pesto pasta is the best! Hope  you feel better, so you can enjoy the rest of your cruise!

[princess76021]

thanks for taking us along!!!

excellent review,  i enjoyed every second of it!!
 

hugs

 

[Cooldoggie]

58 minutes ago, Virga said:

Finishing up my thoughts on last night's festivities!  We tried out the Cucina because the MDR menu didn't have anything we couldn't live without, and we all enjoyed our meals.  I'd apparently set my expectations too high for the meatballs - no fault of the chef, it's the curse of having my own Italian nonna!  Was somewhat glad when 'meatballs' turned out to be a singular meatball. 

 

I did love the rice balls, though, and hubs' short rib was excellent.  I really enjoyed the pistachio pasta, though I'd been expecting a pesto.  It was served as what I'd tell you was a cross between carbonara and Alfredo.  Not a complaint - that's actually quite a lot like what I always make for comfort food at home, and the pistachios really took it up a notch.  Just not what I'd describe as a pesto. 

 

Our table mates enjoyed their mussels and clams and garlic shrimp - I sadly can't remember the other main our table ordered but no one left disappointed.  

 

I already touched on this, but the piano bar was a wonderful time!  I admit that it was without a doubt the place that I felt least covid-protected all cruise - but I have a few days off after the trip, and we'll test several times after our return, so I figure even if we're spectacularly unlucky, we won't have much opportunity to share the bad luck.  

 

We had another late night last night, but I deliberately avoided the sugary drinks I've been enjoying and was rewarded with a clearheaded (too) early morning wakeup!  Of course, after a few pre-dawn minutes on the balcony, I convinced myself to head back to bed and promptly slept through Emiril's again!  Two more chances, haha!

 

A recurring medical issue flared up today, so I spent most of the day alternating hot showers and resting - just what the doctor ordered!  I'm hoping that being overly kind today will convince my body to move on quickly.

 

Looking forward to a couple of sea days - always my favorites, though we basically treated this cruise as a straight week of sea days.  If I'm suitably recovered tomorrow, were going to study the map and make sure we've actually explored the whole ship - it's totally possible that there are corners and venues we've missed!  

Feel better soon!

 

[Virga]

We ventured out for dinner today - two of our friends who had decided not to join us at the Cucina were regretting their decision, and we were pleased enough to be willing to return.  Plus, creamy pasta is basically medicine for me!

 

Dinner was great again, of course, and it appears that the pasta, a few glasses of wine, and another round of Aleve was the ticket - I'm feeling almost human again!

 

The best part of the evening, so far, was brought to us by an older woman who shared the elevator with us.  The voice recording for the elevator has a bit of an accent, so our overgrown teenager minds noticed her pronunciation of 'deck' immediately, and we laughed about it together.  I could not contain my laughter when we stopped at our floor, the announcement played as usual, and the woman giggled and said, "Oh my! Ten dicks!"

Edited October 7, 2021 by Virga
Spelling and such

[Cooldoggie]

4 minutes ago, Virga said:

We ventured out for dinner today - two of our friends who had decided not to join us at the Cucina were regretting their decision, and we were pleased with to be willing to return.  Plus, creamy pasta is basically medicine for me!

 

Dinner was great again, of course, and it appears that the pasta, a few glasses of wine, and another round of Aleve was the ticket - I'm feeling almost human again!

 

The best part of the evening, so far, was brought to us by an older woman who shared the elevator with us.  The voice recording for the elevator has a bit of an accent, so our overgrown teenager minds noticed her pronunciation of 'deck' immediately, and we laughed about it together.  I could not contain my laughter when we stopped at our floor, the announcement played as usual, and the woman giggled and said, "Oh my! Ten dicks!"

I love this and laughed out loud...it brought back a distant memory...I am a woman of a certain age that was lucky enough to sail on the original Carnival Mardi Gras as well as several other Carnival ships before cruising was a "thing". I don't remember what ship, but back then decks always had names, not just numbers. Upper deck was U deck. My friend and I always looked at each other and  exclaimed "uuuuuuu DECK" every time we ended up there. We laughed so much. Thanks for the memory! 😀

[Virga]

16 minutes ago, sharon7811 said:

I love this and laughed out loud...it brought back a distant memory...I am a woman of a certain age that was lucky enough to sail on the original Carnival Mardi Gras as well as several other Carnival ships before cruising was a "thing". I don't remember what ship, but back then decks always had names, not just numbers. Upper deck was U deck. My friend and I always looked at each other and  exclaimed "uuuuuuu DECK" every time we ended up there. We laughed so much. Thanks for the memory! 😀

 

I'm equally amused at that little memory!  Thank you so much for sharing!  Some things are universal and perennial 😃

[E@syPe@zy]

Thank you so much, Virga, for such a delightful and upbeat review!  It sounds like you are having so much fun and your descriptions of everything makes one smile!  

[mylittleone2000]

21 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

No one knows what the MG will do over Halloween.  I would assume something but if you want to drag along a costume or add decorations to your cabin/door, no one will stop you.

 

I guess I was wondering because Carnival had recently touted that they will do Halloween activites/fun all month long so was hoping for any clues as to Halloween things on the Fun Times, etc. 

[Virga]

30 minutes ago, mylittleone2000 said:

 

I guess I was wondering because Carnival had recently touted that they will do Halloween activites/fun all month long so was hoping for any clues as to Halloween things on the Fun Times, etc. 

 

I scrolled through the week's fun times on the app in case I'd missed something, but it looks like just that one costume party in terms of big events. They do have 'Frightfully Fun' trivia today and 'Scary Movies and TV' trivia tomorrow.  They're playing Hocus Pocus on the big screen today, too.  I imagine as it gets closer they'll start decorating.  I don't think you'll have any trouble getting your Facebook group to throw a trick or treat event, either.

 

[mcgore83]

Great review!  Thank you for sharing.

[Virga]

Eeep!  I know I'm not quite up to date, but just had to post - I'm about to ride a roller coaster on a ship!!

 

Edit: table that excitement - wind picked up and they had to close =(  We'll try again tomorrow!

Edited October 7, 2021 by Virga

[Cooldoggie]

27 minutes ago, Virga said:

Eeep!  I know I'm not quite up to date, but just had to post - I'm about to ride a roller coaster on a ship!!

 

Edit: table that excitement - wind picked up and they had to close =(  We'll try again tomorrow!

Fun! I want to try that when I'm on next month. Is the charge $15 for two rides? I remember reading that somewhere. Thanks!

Edited October 7, 2021 by sharon7811

[Virga]

2 hours ago, sharon7811 said:

Fun! I want to try that when I'm on next month. Is the charge $15 for two rides? I remember reading that somewhere. Thanks!

 

If I understand what I've read correctly, it's $15 for a single ride, but you can hit the boost button at the end to get another go round?  I'll try to figure it out tomorrow.