My long "Sunrise Story" (with pictures) - 10/14 - 10/18

[mlshum]

(Dear Reader:  The following is a tale of TSA security woes, dining room fiascos, moments of nostalgia, and new memories with old friends.   It’s a long read.  The opinions and observations are my own and might be completely different from someone else who was on the same cruise.  That’s OK!  We all view things differently, which makes life so much more interesting so, if you’re willing to read along, you are “my” people and this is my “Sunrise Story”.)

 

 

(clearing throat….now sing along to the tune to Gilligan’s Island….)

 

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of our favorite trip.  We planned to visit tropic ports aboard a mighty ship.

The first on the list was Paradise, sailing in the fall.  The virus hit and cruises stopped; no traveling after all…no traveling after all.

Rebook they said and so we did, seemed like we couldn’t fail.  Elation was the next in line with a famous red “whale tail”.

The news just kept on getting worse, and nervousness prevailed.  We canceled the Elation trip, though it hurt our hearts to bail….it hurt our hearts to bail.

With the dawning of a brand new year, we prayed all would be fine.  We hoped that we would sail again on the beautiful Sunshine.

But “life” prevailed…. plans were changed….changing dates again seemed wise. 

We tried once more… it finally “stuck” so we’re sailing on Carnival Sunrise!

 

(Please note…..this first section is pretty much everything that happened to us between January 2020, which was our last cruise, leading up to now.  There aren’t any pictures until I get into the actual Sunrise cruise part of the story.  If you’d rather skip my ramblings and go straight to when we actually started THIS cruise adventure, please scroll on down.  I promise I won’t be offended!  LOL)

 

 

2020….what a wild year!

 

It started pretty much like all other years… New Year’s Day, cold weather, and our yearly cruise.  In January of 2020, we sailed on the Horizon.  (You may have read that review!)  I distinctly remember being at dinner one night with Ron and chatting about the new virus that was currently spreading through China and how scary that must be for them.  We never imagined that in just a few short weeks, our own lives would be so impacted by what we now call COVID-19.

 

If you haven’t read any of my other reviews, let me take a minute to introduce you to myself and my husband, who is also my best friend.  We are Ron and Michelle and we live in the beautiful mountain state of West Virginia, just a few miles from the southernmost West Virginia/Virginia border.  We are both real estate appraisers (at least at the beginning of this story!) and own our own business.  It is difficult for us to find time to take a vacation during the summer because that is when our work tends to be the busiest and since we are self-employed, we really need to take advantage of those busy times.  That is why we usually take our yearly vacation, which is always a cruise, in the winter.  2020 would mark our 35^th anniversary and our cruise on the Horizon in January 2020 was our 8^th cruise, seven of which were on Carnival.  This cruise we were trying to book, and eventually DID book on the Sunrise, would be our 9^th cruise.

 

I love writing reviews of our cruises!  It just makes the experience last a little longer for me.  I spend the year (or years in this case!)  before our cruise reading reviews here on Cruise Critic and enjoy that immensely.   I hope you guys enjoying reading mine as much as I’ve enjoyed reading yours! 

 

I will start at the beginning….the VERY beginning….so here’s “our year(ish) in review”.

 

As COVID-19 began to spread across the U.S., it was obvious that everyone would be affected in some way.  We were blessed to be in a rural area that was not as heavily impacted because of our sparse population.  We already practice social distancing naturally!   Our state was the last state to report a case of COVID-19 and, for quite a while, continued to have some of the lowest rates in the country.  Still, our governor decided to shut down much of the state’s businesses fairly early on in March 2020 and issue a “stay at home” order.

 

As the governor was outlining who would be considered an “essential worker”, we assumed that we would NOT be on the essential list.  We were surprised and happy to learn that we were considered part of the banking and financial community and therefore were considered "essential".  We decided that we would take as many precautions as possible to protect ourselves and those people whose homes we visited and continue to work as long as we could.  Both of us expected our work to slow down dramatically.  Again, we were mistaken.  Not only did the work NOT slow down, but we were actually busier than normal.  So much for my assumptions!

 

We learned that stimulus checks were coming.  Since our business wasn’t affected, it was extra, unexpected money for us and it was coming regardless of whether or not we needed or requested it.   Let’s book an extra cruise!  We’d never done two cruises in one year before.   It would definitely be something to look forward to this summer when life returned to normal.   I would later learn that I was WRONG AGAIN.  (My track record for guessing correctly in 2020 was pitiful!)

 

We began considering different itineraries, ports, ships, and all the research type things I so enjoy doing.  That’s one of the reasons I love Cruise Critic.  I can read all the postings and reviews about the various ships and itineraries.  It’s fun to read the stories of everyone’s different experiences and look at the pictures.  We knew that it wouldn’t be possible to take more than a few days off, so we settled on a shorter, five-day cruise aboard the Paradise.  I couldn’t believe it!  We were going on an extra cruise this year!!!!

 

I looked at shore excursions, found copies of the Fun Times, read about the ship….all of my normal pre-cruise activity and then……...

 

On June 22^nd, 2020  the announcement was made that all cruises in September were to be cancelled!!!!!  My heart was broken.  I understood the reasoning, but I was still disappointed.  Ah well, it was fun while it lasted.

 

 

Back to the drawing board. 

 

 

Ron mentioned that we’d probably never see prices this low again or have this chance again.  Carnival offered the opportunity to rebook up until 2023.  We COULD skip this fall and use the future cruise credit for our 2022 vacation, but we had gotten our hopes up at that point.  We decided to book a mid-November cruise from Port Canaveral aboard the Elation.  Just like before, it was a five -day cruise.  We booked and crossed our fingers.  Surely life would be back to normal by then.

 

The summer weeks rolled by.   August 2020 arrived and one of the hardest things I have ever endured happened.  My beloved grandmother became very ill, was completely bedridden and was admitted to hospice care.  My mother, who was her primary caregiver, needed help.  I started taking a few days off work every week so I could travel to her home 3 hours away and help my mom with her care.  Now I really NEEDED this cruise to be cancelled.  Besides, at that point, my heart just wasn’t in it.

 

In light of the things going on in my life, I called Carnival to discuss the possibility of canceling.  The trip was paid in full already.  I was told that there would be a $300 penalty if I canceled or rescheduled.  (Considering all that was going on in the world, I was kind of surprised and disappointed with their response.)   I had trip insurance.  It was going to cost me less to use the trip insurance than to pay the penalty.  My plan at that point was to wait as long as possible to see if the cruise would be canceled by Carnival and, if not, I would use my trip insurance.  I just couldn’t leave my mom or my grandmother, both of whom I loved so very much, when there was so much suffering, just to go on a cruise.

 

On October 1, I received notice from Carnival that, although my cruise was not yet canceled, I now had the option to voluntarily cancel with no penalty.   With a huge sigh of relief, I took the offer and canceled our fall cruise on the Elation.  As you already know, it turned out that November was cancelled anyway.

 

On November 3^rd,2020, my precious grandmother passed away.  I was grateful that she wasn’t suffering any more but it was so very, very hard to let her go.  I have been very close to her all of my life and I feel like that void will never be filled.  She was the kind of woman I wanted to be when I grew up.   I still sometimes think, “I’ll call Grandma and tell her…” before I realize that I can’t.  She was my confidant and the one I went to for advice and comfort.  She was one of my best friends and my biggest supporter.   I had tried to be a comfort and help to her, too.   I’m still adjusting to the loss nearly a year later.

 

December arrived and with it came illness and injury.  Ron and I both came down with COVID.  We were very, very blessed that we both had mild cases that behaved more like a bad sinus infection. Then I fell down the stairs, breaking my foot and hurting my back in the process.  At the time, the foot injury hurt worse than my back but as the weeks and months wore on, it was obvious that my back injury was the bigger problem.  (I have suffered with back issues most my adult life but this was worse and different.)   The pain in my back got worse and worse as time went by.   There was no big family gathering this year.  Christmas Eve and Christmas Day found us wrapped in blankets on opposite ends of the couch with fevers from COVID, pain in my foot and back and generally miserable.  Would 2020 never end???

 

January came and I began the long process of trying to “repair” my back issues with chiropractic care.  I had been a chiropractic patient for many years with really good results but this time, it just wasn’t enough.  After struggling for four months, I finally gave in and, at the suggestion and referral of my family doctor, visited a neurosurgeon.  An MRI revealed a whole list of problems, the worst and most immediate of which was a badly pinched nerve due to my fall down the stairs moving things out of place in my back and causing severe inflammation.  The surgeon felt that it was imperative that the pinched nerve be addressed first to relieve the pain.  It was his hope that some very specific injections in  very specific locations might solve my problems long term, too, since many of my issues had been with me for a long time and didn’t seem to be causing immediate problems.  Even if it might not be a long term fix, it might give me relief for even a few weeks or months.   I felt really discouraged.  It just seemed there was no end in sight.  My injection took place the first week that sailing resumed in July.  Due to the type of injection he wanted to use and the necessity of being very specific in the location, I had to be admitted  for what was considered “day surgery” for the procedure.    At least I had something to read on Cruise Critic while I recovered!   To make matters worse, Ron also had an injury and had to have surgery to repair the damage. Thankfully, his surgery was scheduled a few weeks after my injection so I was back up and going by the time he had to be down for a while.  We could really use some good news! 

 

Good news began in the form of that injection that my doctor had ordered.  Since I had to be in a surgical setting for that particular injection, I was terrified!  Because of COVID, Ron wasn't even allowed in the building with me.  I was on my own.  I was nervous waiting for the procedure.  Finally, it was my turn in the OR and I quickly discovered that it wasn't nearly as bad as I had envisioned.   In a couple of days I started feeling better.   Finally, there was some relief!  I could sit again without tremendous pain. I could work a normal day, go to church, play piano, go to the grocery store…  I felt like things were finally looking up!

 

June and July also brought an interesting professional proposition.  Like I said earlier, we are both real estate appraisers.  A southeastern bank chain approached Ron about heading the bank’s appraisal services department, which covered multiple branches in multiple states.  It was very unexpected.  He hadn’t been looking for a job, hadn't applied for the job and we were completely happy with what we were doing but, to quote “The Godfather”, they “made him an offer he couldn’t refuse”.  In the middle of July, he left Shumate Appraisals to join the bank where he has an office in their corporate headquarters.  Fortunately, his new office was within driving distance of our home so it wasn’t necessary for us to move again.  I felt like it was the right thing and was excited about the opportunities it offered, but I really, really did (and still do!) miss being with him in the office every day.  It was the first time in many years that I had worked alone.  Not only is he my husband; he is my best friend.  It was an adjustment for both of us.

 

Watching cruises start up again was very exciting.  I was glued to the computer as I watched Mardi Gras enter the Port of Miami to escort Horizon out of port on her first voyage in more than a year.  I felt a little emotional.  Silly, I know, but it was a sign that our lives were, indeed, finally getting back to normal.

 

We had had booked a cruise with a group of friends on the Sunshine that was supposed to sail in February of 2021.  Obviously, that didn’t happen but had been rescheduled.  A group cruise was going to be a totally new experience for us.  Up until now, we had only sailed with just the two of us.  We were pretty excited!

 

As cruise dates changed, “life” also took over for some of our friends.  Job changes, family challenges and the like happened and it just wasn’t possible for the whole group to cruise as originally planned.  That’s something we still hope to do in the future.  One couple was still able to go, Aaron and Liz.

 

Aaron and Liz are actually the ages of our children but have become some of our closest friends.  I have no idea why they want to hang out with old people like us!  LOL   The whole “group” cruise was actually Liz’s idea.  I really didn’t think Ron…or Aaron…would want to do it but…. surprise, surprise… they both thought it was a great idea.  Aaron and Liz have been on several cruises and have sailed out of Charleston several times.  They would have been our “tour guides” for our pre-cruise activities.  When the cruise had to be moved to October and a Miami sailing, we knew we’d have to table our visit to Charleston to another time so we took a rain check on the personal tour and turned our attention to Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.

 

And that brings us to Sunrise.   When we realized the cruise on the Sunshine in September out of Charleston wasn’t going to happen, we moved to the Sunrise out of Miami on Oct 14^th with ports of call in Key West and Cozumel.  We figured Key West was “iffy” at best, but worth a try.    This was the cruise that finally “stuck” but not necessarily the ports.  Aaron had wanted to visit Key West for a long time and Cozumel is a favorite port for all of us.

 

The countdown officially began in earnest...60 days……45 days……34 days…AND THEN there was an itinerary change.  Key West and Cozumel were changed to Nassau and Half Moon Cay.  At this point, I don’t care!!  I just want to go on a cruise!  I love Half Moon Cay and I haven’t been to Nassau in years so LET’S GO!

 

One of the trickiest things to figure out for cruising in our new COVID world is the testing requirement.  I get it…..I really do……but it’s tough to make all of those moving parts work together.  We basically have one day to get the testing completed because we always fly the day before the cruise.  The cruise left on a Thursday, we were scheduled to fly on Wednesday so that meant the test HAD to take place on Tuesday.   I know this is a common problem.  I know most people have the same kind of crazy work schedules that we do and fitting in that extra wrinkle in an already hectic work “wrap up” day is tough.   I also read how some people (particularly Saint Greg) had a lot of challenges with the logistics of the testing and cancellations beyond his control.  Fingers crossed for a problem free test!

 

I turned my preparation attention to testing options.  There was the “test at home” option, which seemed a little expensive but probably most convenient.  There was the CVS and Walgreens option but every time I called to inquire, they were always out of the rapid tests.  After reading Saint Greg’s review, I thought CVS and Walgreens might not be the best options.  Our family doctor only offered tests for people who were displaying COVID symptoms.  One pharmacy offered tests for $65 per person and finally, a local urgent care place offered tests for $189 each and supposedly your insurance would pay.

 

After considering all of the options, we went with the home test and the local pharmacy as a back-up plan.  Our cruise was to start on Thursday, October 14^th.  We were flying into Ft. Lauderdale on Wednesday, October 13^th.  That left Tuesday, October 12^th as the only possible test day.  If it’s a requirement to go on the cruise SO BE IT.  We made it happen.

 

 

Oct 12th – Test Day!

 

 

Two days until cruising and it’s time to test.

 

As I said, we had opted for the eMed at home testing option.  We really had no idea how or if this would work so we started early in the day so there would still be time to use other options if necessary.  We had all watched a couple of YouTube videos of people actually taking the test and it seemed pretty straightforward.

 

 

Ron was up first.  He started his test early since his workday started the earliest.  We got the test kits out, set up a phone and opened the app.  After signing in, the app instructed us to connect via the eMed website.  Ron connected quickly and immediately received a message that he was “next in line”.  A test proctor came on and began talking to him.  It isn’t possible to see the proctor on the screen but they can see you.  The procedure was quick and simple;  scan the test box, open the test box, follow the proctor’s instructions for swabbing and putting the test together and then waiting.  The test itself could not be touched after it was finished and a fifteen minute timer counted down on the screen.  At the end of fifteen minutes, the proctor came back on and asked Ron to hold the test close to the camera.  He then asked for verbal confirmation of what he was seeing.  Ron was negative and his test results came in the email even before the proctor had finished his closing instructions.  Super simple!  By the time Ron was finishing up, Aaron and Liz had arrived as they had decided we would all test one after another.  Aaron went next, then me, and finally, Liz.  All of us tested negative, thankfully.  We were ready to cruise!  Out of an abundance of caution, I decided to not rely just on the electronic version of boarding passes, test results, etc.  I also printed out all paperwork.  I wasn’t taking any chances on missing this cruise!

 

(to be continued tomorrow!)

 

 

[MPH711]

Looking forward to your review!

[Jamman54]

Looking forward to the rest of your story. Thanks for posting! 👍😎

[mlshum]

October 13^th – (Day Before Cruise)  Flight to Miami/Evening in Miami

 

Finally, FINALLY, after all the waiting, all the cancellations, all the sickness, all the problems, all of the tests, it was time to leave for our cruise.  Excited doesn’t begin to cover it!  I hit the ground that morning ready to GO!  It’s kind of like that first day of school when you don’t sleep well the night before because you are nervous and excited.  That was me. 

 

The airport is about three hours from our house.  Our flight left around 1:45. It seemed like 8:30 should be early enough to leave and make it comfortably in time.  I would find out that I was WRONG about that, too.  (Seems like I’m WRONG more than right lately!)

 

We stopped to pick up Liz and their luggage.  Aaron decided to ride his motorcycle to the airport and meet us there.  We made a quick breakfast stop and settled in to drive.  About an hour and a half out of Concord, we encountered our first roadwork.  We crept along in heavy traffic for a long time.  Finally we were moving again.  That lasted for another thirty minutes or so until….more roadwork.  Ugh! 

 

Constant roadwork!
 

 

We finally made it into Concord, grabbed a bite of lunch, met up with Aaron and dashed into the airport.  We were definitely NOT early, which is stressful and actually unusual.  We are usually a couple of hours early.  There were several people in line both ahead of and behind us so I felt confident we would make the flight since it still wasn’t quite time to board the flight.  We checked in, dropped off our checked suitcase and headed for security.  That’s where it started to get interesting.

 

Still people in line so at that point we weren't TOO late.

 

Aaron and Liz went through security first.  No problems.  I went through.  I was immediately pulled aside and patted down.  Then I was wiped down with a sort of a moist towelette.  They took the towelette and ran it through a machine.  Apparently, it still showed SOMETHING so they asked me to step out of line and to the side for further investigation.  In the meantime, Ron had cleared security with no problems.

 

At that point, I was starting to get upset.  I just KNEW they weren’t going to let me get on the plane in time.  I told Aaron and Liz to go on, hoping they would at least be allowed to fly.  I admit, I wasn’t thinking straight at that time!  Security gave me a thorough pat down.  They did another wipe test all over my hands and clothes.  They went through my luggage.  They opened every prescription bottle in my backpack.  They asked if I gardened and finally explained that their scans were showing some residue from a chemical typically found in fertilizer.  I have absolutely no idea where I picked THAT up.  I don’t know how it got on my hands or my clothes.  Finally, they decided to let me go on through.  Shaken, embarrassed and upset, I boarded the flight.  We made it after all.

 

Here I am looking and feeling traumatized after airport security.

 

Finally boarding!

 

As usual, I took the window seat and Ron took the seat beside me.  I am always excited.  I enjoy flying.  (I do NOT enjoy security!)  He is usually sleepy about 15 minutes into the flight.  This flight would be no different.  We were required to wear our masks at all times over mouth and nose.  His mask could conveniently be pulled up to cover mouth, nose, AND eyes.  Instant sleep mask!  He settled in for a nap.   I pulled out a book to pass the time.

 

Ron and I FINALLY on the plane

 

 

Liz and Aaron....you can see his motion sickness patch is beginning to kick in!

 

We're on our way!

 

Time to read

 

We landed in Ft. Lauderdale a couple of hours later.  The flight was smooth.  No more problems, thankfully.   Gathering our bags was an easy process.  Since we were some of the last people on the flight, our bags came out first.  Silver linings and all!  Contacting the Uber was quick and easy.  We waited only a few minutes for Anthony to pick us up and were on our way to Miami.  Finally, things were going right!

 

It was  HUGE relief to actually BE in Ft. Lauderdale after an exhausting morning/afternoon!

 

 

Anthony was super nice.  He asked us to wear masks, which we had planned to do anyway.  He also asked that only vaccinated people sit in the front beside him.  Since we were all vaccinated, this wasn’t a problem at all.  The ride from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami was about 30 – 40 minutes.  We chatted with Anthony and he pointed out some interesting sights, including the new Hard Rock Hotel currently under construction.  It’s also shaped like a guitar.  I remember seeing another Hard Rock shaped like a guitar in the area.  It was a little too pricey for me!

 

Anthony pointed out the new Hard Rock hotel.

 

 

We checked in at Hampton Inn/Doral/Dolphin Mall.  Hampton Inn is reliable and is usually my “go to”.  It’s always clean, always well maintained and they have a nice quick breakfast with hot breakfast options included with the cost of the room. 

 

By the time all of that was accomplished, it was definitely time for dinner.  We called another Uber and went to Dolphin Mall for dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.  We don’t have a Cheesecake Factory near where we live so it’s a treat when we find one.  Dinner was great!  We all got cheesecake to go and headed out to wander in the mall for a while.  Since we wanted to go different places, we split up and each couple planned to get their own Uber back to the hotel.  Ron and I wandered around for about 45 minutes before deciding to head on back.  We were tired.  It had been a long and stressful day.

 

Cheesecake Factory for dinner!

 

 

Dolphin Mall

 

 

Back at the hotel, I decided to go ahead and iron everything that would need to be ironed for the rest of the cruise.  I’ve found that if I do that the night before, hang them, roll them gently to repack and hang them up again as soon as our luggage is delivered to our stateroom, we’re usually OK with no need to do any ironing.  I also found a hotel laundry bag and sealed my clothes from the flight into the bag.  I absolutely did NOT want them touching anything else and have that whole security episode possibly happen again!

 

We watched TV, relaxed a bit, ate part of our cheesecake and called it a night.

 

[MPH711]

Thanks, I’m enjoying your adventure! 

[momof3cruisers]

You are a very good storyteller. That whole airport situation would have stressed me out. Glad it all worked out. 

[pcrum]

Loving this review. Yikes about the airport security!!

[Jeni99]

So excited to hear more!!! I always set off that extra testing too but they say testing for drugs... I dont even smoke lol... but usually clears up fast. 🙂 Now tell us more... Im on the Sunrise in March!! 

[Missymo]

Enjoying your review.  Looking back at your airport mishap, happened to me . Ended up that I had worn clothes that had recently been at the cleaners, which caused the "fertilizer" scan.  I went thru everything you did, and more.  Glad you made the flight. and are enjoying  Miami, before your cruise. I know the area well.   .  Looking forward to the rest of the story.   

Edited October 24, 2021 by Missymo

[mlshum]

9 hours ago, MPH711 said:

Looking forward to your review!

 

9 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Looking forward to the rest of your story. Thanks for posting! 👍😎

Thank you so much for taking time to follow along!

[mlshum]

5 hours ago, MPH711 said:

Thanks, I’m enjoying your adventure! 

 

3 hours ago, pcrum said:

Loving this review. Yikes about the airport security!!

 

1 hour ago, Jeni99 said:

So excited to hear more!!! I always set off that extra testing too but they say testing for drugs... I dont even smoke lol... but usually clears up fast. 🙂 Now tell us more... Im on the Sunrise in March!! 

 

33 minutes ago, Missymo said:

Enjoying your review.  Looking back at your airport mishap, happened to me . Ended up that I had worn clothes that had recently been at the cleaners, which caused the "fertilizer" scan.  I went thru everything you did, and more.  Glad you made the flight. and are enjoying  Miami, before your cruise. I know the area well.   .  Looking forward to the rest of the story.   

Thank you all so much for reading along!  That whole airport security thing nearly left me in tears.  I was 100% sure they were leaving without me!.  When one of the TSA workers asked me if I was an avid gardner, everyone started laughing because I'm SO bad at even growing simple flowers!  LOL  Really glad it all worked out.

[mlshum]

 

October 14 – Embarkation Day!

 

After 627 days since I last stepped on a ship, today would be the day!

 

Just like the day before, I woke up bright and early, ready to GO.  We ate breakfast at the hotel, collected our luggage and headed to the lobby to wait.  I had already made arrangements with Raphael at Doral Tours to pick us up at our hotel and deliver us to the port.   Our boarding time was 10:30 – 11:00 and Raphael arrived promptly at 10:00, as previously agreed.  His van was clean, comfortable and well kept.  He was a total professional.  I highly recommend Doral Tours if you need port transportation for several people in the Miami area.  The price was good, too….only $15 per person.

 

 

Doral Tours (call Raphael!)

 

 

On the shuttle, ready to GO!

 

We arrived at the port, collected our luggage, joined the “on time” line and immediately walked into the terminal.  I don’t think we ever STOPPED walking.  Everything happened very quickly.  Our backpacks went through the scanner, ID checked, boarding passes checked, paperwork checked, and we went straight upstairs to board.  They barely looked at our test results or vaccine cards.  To be honest, I was expecting a little more scrutiny of the test results at least.  Ron joked that we could have just typed something up ourselves and they would have never noticed.  Still, it was good to know that if they did want to investigate more closely, everything was in order.  We boarded Sunrise just a little before 11am.

 

 

First look at ships in the port of Miami

 

Outside terminal

We literally walked straight through security and kept walking!

Heading to the ship......

Here's my first step on the ship.  I felt like I could have dropped down and kissed the deck!  (My mom was a little horrified when I said that.  LOL)

 

The mask rule WAS being enforced during the whole check in procedure and also on board.  It really didn’t bother me.  I did leave my room a couple of times only to remember that I had forgotten my mask and would have to go back.  Everyone that we met seemed to be cooperating easily with the mask mandate.

 

First order of business when we boarded was muster drill.  This would be our first experience with the new “e-muster” and it was a breeze!  We watched the video on our phones and headed to our muster station.  When we arrived, we were checked in by a crew member.  We waited about two minutes while another crew member was demonstrating how to wear the life jacket.  After she finished, the four of us, plus a couple others who had just shown up at about the same time, took our turn for the life jacket demonstration.  It was over in five minutes or less!  I LOVE the new muster process.  This is so much quicker and easier than the old muster drill.  The long process of standing in lines crushed up together in the heat wasn’t fun.   This is soooooo much better!
 

 

 

Not many people on the deck.  You can see the folks doing their muster drill demonstration in the distance.

 

After muster, we found a seat in the Skybox sports bar and took a minute to buy shore excursions with our onboard credit.  We usually book the excursions before we ever leave home but since we all had a lot of onboard credit from cancellations and price drops, we waited until we got on the ship.  We were able to book in the HUB app, which is another change that I really like.  The app does so much more than it did the last time I cruised in January of 2020.  I love the convenience of doing everything from my phone and skipping the line at the Shore Excursion desk.  Super easy!

 

 

Shore excursions ordered!

 

...to be continued!

 

 

 

 

 

[mlshum]

After we finished our purchases and caught our breath, we headed up to Lido to get drink packages.  The ship was still relatively empty at that time.  I overheard that we were sailing at 60%-70% capacity.  I have no idea of that is actually correct but it was obvious that there were fewer people than normal onboard.  There were lots of empty seats in the dining room and at the shows.  We rarely waited in any lines anywhere during the cruise.

 

 

First order upon arrival on the Lido deck.....purchase Bottomless Bubbles!

 

So….boarding, check!  Muster, check!  Shore excursion and drink purchases, check!  It was about noon and time for a trip to Guy’s Burgers!  Woo hoo!  Again, there were very few people in line and service was quick.  After lunch it was time to explore the ship.  Since we were already there, we started with a couple of pictures on the Lido deck.

Notice how few people were in the pool?  It would stay that way throughout the entire cruise.

 

 

Sunrise isn’t that large.  It’s similar in size to Conquest class.   It was very similar in layout and amenities to all of the other Carnival ships that we’ve sailed.  Since it had been remodeled recently, the colors and décor was a little more sedate than the Fantasy Class ships, which appeals to me very much.   As usual, we started at the top and worked our way down.  We visited the golf course, ropes course, sports area, serenity, Water Works, etc. taking pictures as we went.  I stopped by Guest Services looking for a paper copy of the Fun Times so I could scan it for you here but didn’t have any success.  My timing must have been terrible because I never saw an actual paper schedule during the cruise.  Since each day’s schedule took about eight screen shots, I just gave up on trying to include a schedule with this review.  Sorry!  (I’ll try to do better with Mardi Gras in January, I promise.)

 

Sports Square

 

Ropes Course - definitely more on this later!

 

Water Slides - we checked these out later in the cruise, too!

 

Water Slides

 

End of water slides and splash zone

 

I love the view of the Miami skyline from onboard!

 

Mini-golf - we kept meaning to come and play a round but simply ran out of time.

 

Whale Tale!

 

I LOVE when there are REAL steel drums on Lido!

 

Check out how empty the Lido deck is at noon!

 

 

Then continuing the tour inside........

 

Hallway from Lido

 

Looking down into atrium from upper deck

 

 

Atrium bar

 

 

Atrium

 

 

Liquid Lounge

 

Entrance to Liquid Lounge

 

 

Casino - Aaron and Liz would check out this area later but Ron and I didn't so this is my only picture

 

 

Bonsai Sushi - Aaron said it was excellent

 

 

Red Frog Pub - we would crash and burn at trivia multiple times in this area!  LOL

 

Piano Bar 

 

Radiance Dining Room - upper level (site of this cruise's biggest catastrophe)

 

 

Radiance Dining Room - lower level

 

 

Pixels area

 

 

Halloween decorations

 

 

Limelight Lounge - comedy club

 

 

Guest Services

 

 

 

I'll be back!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2021 by mlshum

[Mud_Shark]

enjoying this.  Keep it rolling!

 

Don

[mlshum]

2 hours ago, Mud_Shark said:

enjoying this.  Keep it rolling!

 

Don

Thank you so much and so glad you're reading along!

[mlshum]

We explored for a while and sat down in the atrium for a cool drink.  It was about 1:15. While we were looking around, I realized some of the people on that deck had already been to their staterooms.  We headed up to Deck 7 to see if ours was ready.  Sure enough, the doors were already open and the stateroom was ready.

 

Ron and I had splurged a little on this cruise and went with an aft balcony.  We’ve had balcony cabins before but never the aft balcony.  I was so excited!  There was one lounger, two chairs and a small table.  I really liked the extra room but there isn’t much shade in the afternoon and it tended to get pretty warm during the day.  Also, in the mornings I would find soot on the chairs.  I’m very glad we tried it and, like I said, I greatly enjoyed having it, but I think I like the shadiness of the regular side balcony a little better.  To be honest, I’m not sure a balcony actually makes sense for us on most cruises because we’re out and about more often than not, which is why we usually book an interior.  I like both types of cabins so I guess we’ll continue to alternate.   Our suitcases had already been delivered so we hung up our clothes and rested a bit.  It was nice to take a minute to relax.  It had been a really good day so far but it was time for a breather.  It always feels good to be unpacked.  Let the cruise officially begin!

This room had a small couch and table, which was nice.

 

The balcony was roomy!

 

Enjoying the view off the balcony

 

 

"Something of the Seas" was docked behind us but for the life of me, I can't remember what it was and I forgot to put it in my notes.

 

 

I enjoy the Cruising Ducks.  Since we were sailing in October, I decided to go with Halloween ducks.  I had  four different duck styles….Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy and a witch.  On our Facebook Group, one of the ladies had posted that she hoped to find a duck to take home to her granddaughter.  I messaged her to ask if I could give her a duck so she’d be sure to have at least one.  On the way to Sail Away, I left a Mummy duck in a little bag hanging on her stateroom door.  That was my first “duck drop” of the cruise.  I took eight ducks total and hid or gave away two each day.   The other duck on that first day was left on a stair banister between decks 5 and 6.

 

Sail Away was supposed to happen at 4pm so we headed up to Lido a few minutes before to get ice cream and find a place on the railing.  Normally, I like to go forward for sail away but one thing we discovered on this ship is that we were not able to access any of the forward deck areas.  There were two access points….one on Deck 6 forward and one on Deck 7 forward.  Both entrances had signs saying that the decks were closed due to high winds.  It wasn’t windy.  Oh well!  That left Serenity.   4pm came and went…nothing.   4:15….nothing.  We decided to head back down to our balcony and watch from there.  Liz and Aaron opted to stay on Lido.  Around 4:30 we finally started moving.  Our cruise was underway!

 

Legend was docked in front of us

 

Sailing past Legend

 

Entering the basin....

 

...under the watchful eye of the harbor police.

 

Miami in the rear view mirror

 

I love the picture of the ferris wheel!

 

Goodbye, Miami!!

 

 

We had early assigned dining for this cruise.  Dinner that first night was quite an experience!  To start off, service was really slow.  I mean REALLY slow.  That’s usually to be expected the first night so I didn’t think much of it.  What WAS surprising is what happened when the servers were bringing in trays of food. To give you a reference point, we were sitting at a table for four which was closely positioned to another table for four. It really felt more like a table for eight. The same configuration of tables went all along that wall.  We did have a window but it looked out on one of the lifeboat decks so there wasn’t much of a view.  Ron, Aaron, Liz and I sat together (of course!)   Directly beside us were a couple who were on their honeymoon.  Another couple was on their other side but I didn’t get to speak to them.  We chatted with the honeymooners for a bit and congratulated them.

 

Now here's where it gets interesting....horrifying even....

 

 

There were small tables between some of the long dining tables.  As one of our serving team made his way to that small table with a large tray of food, he dropped a couple of plates off the top onto the back of a guy sitting at the next table!  Eek!  You could almost see it happening in slow motion.  First, the tray tilted, then the plates started to shift and finally, the plates started to fall.  You could see the panic in the eyes of the server as he saw the inevitable outcome but at that point, it was too late.  It was an uncontrollable avalanche.  The plates hit this poor gentleman’s head and neck and ran down his back.  Sauces, food….everything… was dripping down his head, back and chair.  It was awful!  The server was absolutely mortified and understandably so!  The guy left the dining room to go change but did come back to finish dinner.  I can’t even imagine what that was like! 

 

 

(Obviously, I didn't photograph any of THAT!)

 

 

Our personal experience was uneventful, other than taking forever.  Ron, Aaron and Liz all ordered a steak and I had roast chicken.  Everything tasted good.  We all had melting cake for dessert except for Ron who had ice cream.  (I didn’t take pictures of all the food or the menus during this trip.  I always feel strange photographing everyone’s dinner.  LOL)

 

 

After dinner, Ron, Liz, and I headed to the Liquid Lounge to watch a team game and Aaron went back to the cabin.  I didn’t catch the name of the game and we weren’t there at the beginning because dinner took so long.  It was fairly entertaining.  Basically, there were two teams of ten people.  Each held a numbered card 0 – 9.  The team was given a math problem and the team members holding the correct numbers had to run forward to make the answer by holding their cards in the correct order.  The first few problems were easy.  They got a little harder after that.  I’m glad I wasn’t taking part in that game!

 

I dropped off a duck.

 

Brave people playing a math game

 

Since the Welcome Aboard show wasn’t until 9:30, we headed to the Limelight Lounge to see comedian Jim Brick.  He was the best comedian we’ve seen on any of our cruises.  There was another comedian onboard, but Ron and I didn’t get a chance to see his routine.  We went back to see Jim a second time later in the cruise.  Liz and Aaron saw both Jim and the other comedian, whose name was Orlando, later in the cruise.

 

Limelight Lounge

 

Limelight Lounge

 

 

One thing I forgot to mention earlier was that both our head server and our room steward had the same name, spelled differently.  The server was Roby, pronounced “Robbie” and our room steward was Rabbi, also pronounced “Robbie”.  Definitely easy to remember.  Both were very friendly.

 

It was finally 9:30 and time for the Welcome Aboard Show.   The three of us headed for the Liquid Lounge.  The show was very similar to the others we’ve seen.  The cruise director introduced himself and the Fun Squad.  They brought two couples up from the audience to participate in a game that involved each of the men strapping a plastic box containing twelve ping pong balls around their waist.  The object of the game is to shake out all twelve balls in the fastest time possible by shaking their booty.  This particular game ended in a tie.  The participants were given reserved seats for the rest of the cruise in the Liquid Lounge during shows.

 

Waiting for the Welcome Aboard Show to start.  Check out all the empty seats!

 

 

Liquid Lounge Bar

 

 

It's showtime!

 

 

After the games and introductions were over, the Playlist Productions crew came on stage to perform a couple of songs.  I believe that this group, overall, was probably about the most talented group I’ve seen.  They all did a great job and several of them were great vocalists.  The show was high energy.  We would definitely be back to watch them later in the week.

 

After the Welcome Aboard show, we headed to the piano bar for a while.  It was standing room only.  We only stayed for about fifteen minutes before deciding to head up to Lido and get an ice cream cone.  We sat around talking and eating ice cream for quite a while.  Finally, we all were tired and decided to call it a night.  It was really, really, good to be back on a cruise!

 

Home sweet home!

 

Nightly snack (although this photo appears to have been taken in the day......hmmm......)

 

 

There was a towel animal awaiting us when we got back to our room.

 

Does anyone have any idea what this is?  Bear maybe?

 

 

Goodnight!

 

(more to come tomorrow!)

 

 

[retiredgram]

I get to go on a cruise without leaving home.  Thanks.🍹

[AKR2011]

Awesome review so far! You're a great storyteller 😊

[mlshum]

2 hours ago, retiredgram said:

I get to go on a cruise without leaving home.  Thanks.🍹

 

1 hour ago, AKR2011 said:

Awesome review so far! You're a great storyteller 😊

Thank you so much!  I’m honored that you’re reading along!

 

[mcgore83]

Enjoying this!  Thank you for sharing your voyage with us!

[mlshum]

2 hours ago, mcgore83 said:

Enjoying this!  Thank you for sharing your voyage with us!

Thank you and thanks so much for reading along!

[mlshum]

Ron and I slept a little later than we usually do but were up and out of our room around 8:30am.   There’s something about those comfy Carnival beds and the rocking motion of the ship that always makes it very easy to sleep!  Liz slept in that morning.  Ron and I headed up to the Lido buffet for a quick breakfast before heading out for some morning trivia. 

 

Sometimes the beds are just too comfy to decide to get up!

 

 

The Lido breakfast was good.  Pretty normal.  This was not a bacon day but there were plenty of other choices and, as would be standard for this cruise, we didn’t have to wait long.  After we finished eating breakfast we went to the Liquid Lounge for trivia.  We always enjoy the trivia games!  So far, we’ve been very lucky and have come home from all previous cruises with the coveted “solid gold plastic ship on a stick”.  I was in pursuit of the next addition to the collection and on this cruise and, with only one sea day, this first day would be our only opportunity to win one.  On the way we saw Aaron who had been up earlier trying his luck in the casino.  He was headed back to their cabin.

 

 

 

First trivia game of the day

 

 

It was about an hour or so before the next trivia game, so we grabbed a soda and our books and headed out on deck to read a while.  Relaxing and reading is one of our favorite things to do on a cruise and this cruise would be no exception.  It’s nice to step away from the hurried pace of our normal work days to depressurize and regroup.   Time to relax is rare and we definitely took advantage of it.

 

 

I am a terrible photographer and seem to get my finger in lots of pictures.

 

 

After relaxing a while, we met up with Liz and Aaron to try out the ropes course.  I love the ropes courses.  Our kids always tease us about “old people doing stuff”.  That’s a badge I’ll wear with honor!  As long as I can, I will keep “doing stuff”!  Since there were so few people onboard and so few on the ropes course, we were allowed to go through the courses as many times as we wanted.  There were a couple of other people and one little boy on the course.  He was flying around the course so we let him pass by us several times since we were taking a little longer.  This particular course had two projections that stuck out from the main course.  It seemed kind of like “walking the plank”.  We went through the obstacles about three times before descending back down to deck.

 

Ron is walking "The Plank".   I wonder what he did THIS time?!?!

 

 

Liz....goofing off and hoping none of the crew spots her!  LOL

 

 

Aaron started gaining confidence after the first time around.

 

 

"Old people doing stuff!"  (according to our kids, at least)

 

 

He's not just my hubby....he's my best friend.

 

 

And speaking of best friends.......

 

 

I can get behind this "group cruise" thing!

 

 

 

It was almost time for Cartoon Trivia in the Red Frog Pub.  One thing about cartoons….if it’s newer than Tom and Jerry, Ron and I are pretty much out.  Liz and Aaron didn’t know the old cartoons, but had a better grasp on the newer ones.  Still, even among the four of us, we couldn’t pull it off.   We knew going into this one that there wasn’t much of a chance but it was still fun.  There was another game after that but I don’t remember the theme.  Regardless of the theme, there was simply no beating the Trivia Guy.

 

Getting ready for Trivia in the Red Frog Pub

 

 

Liz and Aaron

 

 

Ron and I  (notice Liz and I both wearing the shirts she bought for us for this cruise)

Liz says "Hey, pay attention!  I'm trying to take your picture!"

 

(I'll pause here to give a "shout out" to Ron and Liz for sharing all their photos with me to include in this story.)

 

 

After our games, Ron, Liz and I decided to check out the pasta bar for lunch.  Aaron went to get sushi and was heading to Serenity for a massage afterwards.  The pasta bar is one of my favorite lunches.  Liz and I both chose a pasta with alfredo, I had chicken, she had sausage and Ron went with the lasagna.  As always, it was very good.  It wasn’t crowded at all.  There were lots of open seats the entire time we were eating.

 

Ready to place our order

 

 

We didn't have to wait long.....

 

 

....which made us ALL happy because we had worked up an appetite!

 

 

We finished lunch and decided to stop in the shops for a magnet.  I always get a ship magnet and a magnet from every port of call.  We have a large magnet board on our kitchen wall with the various years and the magnets underneath from that year.  The current year’s magnets go on the refrigerator.   It’s a cheap, fun reminder of our vacation.  There were several choices in the shops so I got a dome magnet this time which a photo of the ship.  We also got a Whale Tail Christmas ornament.  We still had quite a bit of onboard credit to use even after booking shore excursions and buying our Bottomless Bubbles package.   I would use the rest of that later to purchase pictures. We all agreed it was time for an afternoon break so Ron and I headed to our cabin and balcony and Liz and Aaron went to the casino.

 

I never, NEVER get tired of this view!

 

When I look out at the ocean, I am always overwhelmed at the beauty of creation.  Way to go, God!

 

 

Loving my balcony!!

 

 

Here's our towel animal for the day.  I knew exactly what it was!

I love the towel animals!!

 

 

 

That afternoon there were a couple more trivia games.  One of those games was Harry Potter trivia.  We all collaborated on the trivia and got all questions right…but so did about 10 other people!  We sent Liz in for the tie breaker.  The tie breaker was a numbered question that was pretty much a total guess.  She was close but not close enough.  The last trivia game of the day was Sports.  Ron and I are NOT sports fans although Liz and Aaron do follow some sports, especially college football.   If it isn’t UK basketball, Ron is pretty much out, although he did better than he anticipated on some of the questions. Liz and Aaron are both rabid Virginia Tech fans.  Still, none of us knew nearly enough about the many different sports that were covered to win.  Trivia Guy was again the winner.  For the first time, I wasn’t going home with a solid gold plastic ship on a stick.  (sniff, sniff)  I guess that means we’ll have to sail Sunrise again at some point in the future! LOL 

 

 

We wandered around a bit....

 

 

 

 

And placed a couple more ducks.

 

Here's a witch.....

 

....and Frankenstein.

 

 

 

More to come!

 

 

[tw67]

On 10/24/2021 at 8:29 PM, mlshum said:

Just like the day before, I woke up bright and early, ready to GO.  We ate breakfast at the hotel, collected our luggage and headed to the lobby to wait.  I had already made arrangements with Raphael at Doral Tours to pick us up at our hotel and deliver us to the port.   Our boarding time was 10:30 – 11:00 and Raphael arrived promptly at 10:00, as previously agreed.  His van was clean, comfortable and well kept.  He was a total professional.  I highly recommend Doral Tours if you need port transportation for several people in the Miami area.  The price was good, too….only $15 per person.

 

Thank you for the information on Doral Tours.  I am booked at the Miami Airport Marriott, and their shuttle won't start until 11 am.  Our check in is 10:30.  So I contacted Doral for a quote.  I love only $15 PP.  If it wasn't for your recommendation, I wouldn't have known to try him!  

[mlshum]

6 minutes ago, tw67 said:

 

Thank you for the information on Doral Tours.  I am booked at the Miami Airport Marriott, and their shuttle won't start until 11 am.  Our check in is 10:30.  So I contacted Doral for a quote.  I love only $15 PP.  If it wasn't for your recommendation, I wouldn't have known to try him!  

Great!  I'm so glad I was able to help!  Raphael was super nice and was totally professional and right on time.  We'll definitely be using him again when we're in Miami.  Enjoy your cruise!

 

[mlshum]

 

Just a note before I continue on regarding the ropes course.....they REQUIRE and strictly enforce closed toe shoes.  If you are in flip flops or sandals, they will not allow you on the course.

 

 

It was time to get ready for dinner.  Tonight was elegant night.  If you read the introduction to my story, you will have read how I lost my grandmother last November.  One of the things she left to me were her beautiful black pearls.  As Ron was hooking them around my neck, I confess I was getting a little misty.  That night was the first time I had worn them.  When Mom saw the pictures she commented that the pearls looked lovely and Grandma would have been proud.  I hope so.  I am honored to wear them and will treasure them always.

 

 We wanted to get a couple of pictures taken of the four of us, so we met up about 30 minutes before dinner to sit for a few different backgrounds.  We usually work on the "splatter theory" with pictures...whether we are taking them or someone else is taking them.  If you take several, you're more likely that at least one will turn out well.   I’m nearly always pleased with the pictures taken by the Carnival photographers.  They do a great job!  This would be no exception.  We sat for pictures as couples and then with all four of us together.  We wound up buying  pictures of each of the couple and one of all four of us.  I spent the last of my onboard credit on pictures.

 

 

 

Here are pictures of the professional portraits that we bought.

 

 

 

 

I liked this next one but was afraid it was a little silly so I didn't buy it.  When I got home, Liz surprised me with it.  She had bought it as a gift.   She said it made her happy that, after 36 years, we were still happy and were still having fun.   Thank you, Liz! 

 

After we finished posing for pictures, we still had a little bit of time before dinner so we stepped out on the deck to snap a few fun pictures of our own.

 

 

Aren't they adorable?!?!

 

Ron felt that it was necessary to instruct Liz in the proper way to throw Aaron overboard.  As you can see, he's still with us so she was obviously unsuccessful....thankfully!

 

 

 

No way could I have bent like this six months ago!

 

 

 

Just before we got to the dining room, I found the only duck I would find this cruise.  It was a superhero duck.  Super cute!

 

We arrived at the dining room just as the doors were opening and were seated at our normal table.  The group behind us that had endured the “incident” from the night before did not come to dinner that night or the rest of the cruise.  I had believed that the very long dining time the first night was probably due to that catastrophe and to the simple fact that it was the first night.  Apparently, that wasn’t the case.  Tonight’s dining experience would not be any better organized and actually took longer.  The couple at the end of our eight person table were already eating dessert before our entrees were served.  The honeymooners decided against dessert altogether to hurry the process along a bit.  We ordered and waited…..and waited….and waited.  The appetizers finally came out, and it would be nearly 40 more minutes later before the entrees were served.  By that time, we had been in the dining room more than an hour and a half and dessert was no where in sight.  They had, again, taken time to do the song and dance thing twice.  We were trying very hard to catch the first seating of Soulbound.  With just a few minutes to go before the show, we finally got up and left without dessert.  I think we hurt Roby’s feelings and we did apologize later but we just didn’t want to wait any longer.

 

Here's the duck I found on the way up the stairs to dinner.

 

Ron and I had seen Soulbound on our last cruise on the Horizon in 2020 and it was one of the best shows I have seen.  It was just as good this time.  The set, costuming, performances….everything was spot on!  It was the best show of any of the cruise shows in my opinion.  I completely forgot to take pictures during the show!

 

 

Aaron suggested changing back into casual clothes.  Afterwards, he and Liz went to the comedy club and Ron and I headed for the piano bar.  As before, it was standing room only.  We stayed for just a little while then went to Lido in search of dessert.  We found a hazelnut cake that was pretty good and some cookies.  We strolled around the upper decks for a while and decided to call it a night.  Half Moon Cay in the morning!

 

A ship far off in the distance.

 

 

More to come tomorrow!