My View: I See a Cruise on the Horizon! (Semi-Live)

[jimbo5544]

7 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

In my opinion Steakhouse is worth the up charge. Out of my 25 cruises on Carnival I have only been dissatisfied once and that wasn’t service. 

Totally agree

 

[APDMOM]

Evening Entertainment:  Strings!

 

TIP:  Check your app from time to time for changes.  They changed the main show on us - we would have missed Strings if we had not noticed the change in the app.

 

First, the positive:  The strings were excellent!  These violinists are very skilled and a joy to watch.  The choreography was very good and the costumes were beautiful.  Special effects were great on the digital screen and the decor was effective, except for the unfortunate huge rose that blocked your view if you sat on deck 5.

 

Unfortunately, there was one big negative:  It was hard to believe this was the same cast as the night before.  The singing was extremely pitchy.  Only 3 songs were executed well.  It makes me wonder if the singers could not hear the accompaniment well.  

 

 

 

 

 

[APDMOM]

TIP:  When the Liquid Lounge (Main Show Lounge) is open without a show scheduled, walk around to find good seating.  The design is the worst I have seen, as it is very difficult to find good seats where you can see the whole stage.  Many shows also overflow into the deck 4 seating area, so it can be a fun interactive experience if you find a good seat. 

 

 

[APDMOM]

Our Favorite Live Music so far:  Latin Beat in Havana Bar

 

We ended the evening in the Havana Bar.  The atmosphere was very lively with some excellent dancing!  

 

Havana Bar Drinks menu:

 

 

Cuban Iced Tea:

 

I LOVE the edible straws they serve with milkshakes and cocktails on Carnival!  What a great idea.  🙂 

[APDMOM]

My View: End of day 3 - At Sea

 

Sunset from our Cove Balcony:

 

[APDMOM]

Day 3 - At Sea FUN TIMES

 

 

 

Download PDF here:

Day 3 Fun Times.pdf

[BeachChik]

Is there a different schedule for the daily activities in the kids clubs? The last time we sailed on carnival we didn’t have kids so I didn’t pay attention to how that worked. 

[APDMOM]

We had a fun “empty ship” day in Aruba… Got a bit behind with organizing photos.  Will try to catch up tomorrow afternoon, since we have a short day in Curaçao.  Although we did not get off the ship today, I will post tips about our previous visits to Aruba, as well as our favorite excursion. 🙂 Keep an eye on this space. 

[APDMOM]

3 hours ago, BeachChik said:

Is there a different schedule for the daily activities in the kids clubs? The last time we sailed on carnival we didn’t have kids so I didn’t pay attention to how that worked. 

Yes, there is. I will post some of that for you. It can all be accessed in the app. 

 

The will give you an idea of what to expect. If you have specific age requests, I can share more about that.

 

 

 

 

[APDMOM]

My View: Day 4 - Aruba

[APDMOM]

Due to very windy conditions, we gave up our original plans to take the Arubus to the beach.  However, here is how you do it, if you are interested.  If the directions are not clear, there are also YouTube videos - just google Arubus.

 

TIP:  The Arubus is an easy, cheap, safe way to go to the public beaches in Aruba.  You can also walk to a close beach by turning left out of the port.  All beaches in Aruba are public, so you can use the beaches in front of hotels and resorts too.  Below, is a picture to show how to get to the Arubus - Walk along the walkway indicated by the blue arrow, Turn right past Diamonds international, on the left side of the street is a tunnel through the building that least to the Arubus terminal indicated by the green arrow:

 

 

 

[APDMOM]

TIP:  If you are the adventurous type, our ALL TIME FAVORITE excursion was taking a Trikes Aruba tour.  Highly recommended.  If you want a detailed review, click on my reviews in signature, and choose the 2017 Navigator of the Seas review. Flashback to 2017:

[APDMOM]

…back to events on this cruise on the ship.

 

MDR Breakfast Menu (we did not go to MDR today):

 

 

 

 

[APDMOM]

Heuvos Rancheros - this time with eggs over easy at Blue Iguana

[APDMOM]

Quiet Ship Adventures:

 

Since the ship was basically deserted, we enjoyed mini-golf, the sports court activities, and the empty pool:

 

[APDMOM]

TIP:  Forgot to mention this… if you are looking for the I ❤️ Aruba sign, turn left when you exit the port gates toward the Citgo…

 

 

 

TIP:  The tram is free to ride and will take you to more shops.  It is not far for a walk, but it is a fund ride if you are interested.  The tram can be found right outside the port gates.

 

 

[APDMOM]

Morning Views:

 

Ruby Princess:

 

 

 

 

 

Have I told you lately I love the COVE balcony?  🙂 

 

View Forward:

 

Views Aft:

 

 

How about a buffet with a view? 

 

[APDMOM]

Lunch:  

 

What we used to know as Cucina del Capitano - Lunch at Pasta Bella… Open every day - not just sea days:

 

TIP: If you love pasta, this is a great free option - every day for lunch.  You fill out the order card with your options.  It is a sit-down experience on deck 11 - you can access from the very back of the buffet, or up the regular aft stairs.

 

 

Linguini with pomodoro and shrimp (Excellent)

 

Farfelle with shrimp and alfredo (Very Good):

 

Meat Lasagne with a side of spinach (Excellent):

 

 

Edited March 20 by APDMOM

[APDMOM]

On 3/16/2024 at 9:11 PM, Getting out there said:

Thinking of taking my grandkids. They are 10 and 6. They like to swim, but are not swimmers. The waterworks looks like it is very shallow and the slides look big. Do you know much about this?

 

@Getting out there Here are some pictures and the height requirements for the slides… One of the slides uses a tube, the other one does not.  I did the red and white one with the tube.  It was very easygoing and fun:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[APDMOM]

Cruise number 44 - and for the FIRST time ever, I found the ship coin. 😂

 

TIP: Spoiler alert… don’t read this if you don’t want to know where it is… it is on deck 14 behind the slides. 

 

[APDMOM]

Afternoon Views:

 

My first ‘affordable’ drink - Amaretto sour at $9.44 with gratuity:

 

Aida Mar:

 

Auf Wiedersehen:

 

 

[APDMOM]

Dinner Menu (We skipped and enjoyed deli sandwiches instead):

 

 

 

[APDMOM]

Sunset Views:  I see another ship on the horizon, but it is probably not in my future…  Unless I can go on a 43-day cruise like those on Aida Mar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[APDMOM]

Best show so far:  

 

This was an absolutely unforgettable experience.  I don’t remember DH laughing so much in a long time 😄  Jonathon has an incredible voice - and flawless pitch too (as you may have noticed, that is important to me).

 

Cruise director, Georgia, introducing Jonathon Timpanelli:

 

 

 

Excellent impressionism with “It’s a Wonderful World”:

 

 

Don’t miss this!

[APDMOM]

Evening Views:  I love staying in port past sunset