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Just Home From Glory Western - Review and Photos SOON!!

TwinMom7

By TwinMom7,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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TwinMom7

TwinMom7

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We returned home late last night. Today I'm facing four suitcases to unload and a pile of dirty laundry. It's 1:30 p.m. and I'm still depressed and in my pajamas! I've already been online checking prices for the fall of 2009. I am sooooooooooooooooooooo addicted.

 

Anyway, I'm currently uploading 500+ photos and I promise a detailed review and lots of photos SOON!

 

I'll leave you with this - it was a perfect week, with AWESOME weather. We couldn't have asked for more!

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hurls88

hurls88

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Posted
We returned home late last night. Today I'm facing four suitcases to unload and a pile of dirty laundry. It's 1:30 p.m. and I'm still depressed and in my pajamas! I've already been online checking prices for the fall of 2009. I am sooooooooooooooooooooo addicted.

 

Anyway, I'm currently uploading 500+ photos and I promise a detailed review and lots of photos SOON!

 

I'll leave you with this - it was a perfect week, with AWESOME weather. We couldn't have asked for more!

 

 

I am sorry its over but can't wait for pics. Sounds like a great time

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TwinMom7

TwinMom7

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i can't wait to see your pictures, we sail on glory in less than three weeks:D

 

 

I promise to have LOTS of stuff up for you to view later this week!!!! In plenty of time for you to get even more motivated than you are right now!. We planned this trip for 15 months. It seemed like forever - and then it was here - and now it's over.

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TwinMom7

TwinMom7

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Please post those pics soon. We leave on Saturday. Actually we're leaving on Wednesday to head down to Floriday. So, I'll look at your pics and review when I get back. (or you could post today for me). :)

 

OK - well in honor of you, I'll get started. Forget the fact that my suitcases are still unpacked!!! I know how anxious I was this time two weeks ago!

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TwinMom7

TwinMom7

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So......let's get started!

 

To give you a little background, this was a family/friends cruise consisting of 40 people. We ranged in age from 82 - 12. Quite a few were from Florida, some from Tennesse, Illinois and Indiana. A lot of us were strangers when we set foot on the Glory - and good friends seven days later. We planned this cruise 15 months in advance - and four families had adjoining balcony rooms, which was WONDERFUL!!!

 

Four of us flew out of O'Hare on Friday morning, April 4 and four more flew out of St. Louis that same morning. We landed within ten minutes of each other in Orlando - couldn't have worked out better. My brother (Frank) and his friend (Jesse) picked up the eight of us and ALL of our luggage and transported us to Frank's home in Melbourne (1/2 hour from Port Canaveral). Thankfully, we had no rental car and no hotel to have to worry about. We relaxed for a few hours and ran to Walmart for a liquor stop - to pack some in our suitcases. At 6:00 we attended a Bon Voyage party where we were given the opportunity to meet all of our fellow cruisers. Then it was back to my brother's home for a good night's sleep before our adventure began.

 

We were up early on Saturday morning and some of Frank's friends arrived at 9:00 - with two large vehicles - to load us up and take our group of 12 to the port. Here's my brother-in-law Ray and our friend Tad, trying there best to get all that luggage loaded.

 

http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/19210/2125566130030311051S500x500Q85.jpg

 

We arrive at the port around 9:45, unloaded our luggage and waited for a porter. Most of them were busy helping those who were still disembarking, but we were in no rush. We lined up everything, took photos and waited until we were able to grab a porter. It took him two loads to transfer all of our luggage, and once we had generously tipped him - we were off to get in line for check-in. This was probably around 10:30. There's really not much reason to arrive earlier than 10:30because the porters are just not available to assist you until they get everyone off the ship.

 

http://inlinethumb14.webshots.com/9741/2940429440030311051S500x500Q85.jpg

 

http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/32572/2609901970030311051S500x500Q85.jpg

 

Here I am with my "baby brother Frank" - all smiles and ready to head off for embarkation.

 

http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/42336/2097900340030311051S500x500Q85.jpg

 

There was absolutely NO LINE for check-in. We were done in less than ten minutes and then we were instucted to sit in an area with other cruisers, until we were free to board. We sat here for approximately 15 minutes and by 11:15, we were told we could board the ship. We had our embarkation photo taken and then walked across the gangplank. One more quick photo for our sail and sign card as we entered the Lobby and we were set. We dropped our carry-on items onto some comfy couches and activated that Sail and Sign card with our first drinks from the Lobby bar. I'd waited 15 months for a "KISS ON THE LIPS" and it tasted sooooooooooooo good!

 

The sign at the Excursion Desk stated that it opened at noon, so we decided to wait 20 minutes and be the first in line to grab our excursions. At noon, someone arrived and told us that they would not open until 1:00, so we headed off to the Red Sail Buffet for lunch. After we stuffed ourselves, some of us ran back to the excursion desk, booked our excursions and then met up with everyone for a little sun on the Lido Deck. Here's a shot of my husband. The only thing missing here was his ever present bottle of Miller Lite. (He did a LOT of relaxing last week).

 

http://inlinethumb19.webshots.com/42642/2053078910030311051S500x500Q85.jpg

 

By 1:30, we were able to go to our rooms. We were scattered all over the ship, but the majority of us were on the Empress Deck (Deck 7) - and four of us had connecting balcony rooms. We were in room 7376. We met our room steward - John from India. We asked him about removing the dividers and he said we would have to call down to the Purser's Desk to request. One of our guys called, and by the time we returned from the Muster Drill, we had our four dividers opened.

 

http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/40777/2101094700030311051S500x500Q85.jpg

 

Our luggage arrived very quicky. I was completely unpacked and had my luggage stowed prior to the Muster Drill.

 

The weather (when we boarded the ship) was sunny and beautiful. By the time the Muster Drill ended and we went to the Lido Deck to watch the sail away, we could see a storm quicky approaching. The sooner we get out to sea the better.

 

http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/30122/2617918130030311051S500x500Q85.jpg

 

The clouds were rolling in and wind was INTENSE. We had to hold on to everything we could grab as we sailed out. My brother (the comedian that he is) had us all rolling with this shot....

 

http://inlinethumb22.webshots.com/3861/2884774730030311051S500x500Q85.jpg

 

The first night at sea was very windy and our divider did a lot of rattling. I had to get up about 2:00 a.m. and wedge the deck chair up against it so I could sleep. Other than that, it was great to sit out there with friends early in the moring with a cup of coffee and late at night with a glass of wine.

 

All of our group had the 8:00 dinner seating in the Platinum Dining Room. Carnival had arranged it so that all of us were in the same area of the Dining Room - which made it easy to visit and take pictures of our friends at other tables. Our waiters were Lindo from the Phillipines and Augusto from Peru. Lindo called my 82-year old mother "mommy" and doted on her every evening - even cutting her steak.

 

http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/40053/2920732660030311051S500x500Q85.jpg

 

Because of the wind and approaching storm, that first evening at sea was a little "rocky", but by Sunday morning, we'd left it all behind and the clouds gave way to a beautiful sunrise. We enjoyed lots of sun and smooth sailing the rest of the week.

 

http://inlinethumb58.webshots.com/40825/2612246390030311051S500x500Q85.jpg

 

OK - so I REALLY have to get to my laundry and unpacking. I promise more tomorrow!!!!

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Ilovepj

Ilovepj

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I sailed on the glory in 2006, and I am going again on Oct 4, 2008, I did the eastern the first time, so I am looking forward to hearing about the ports. Did you do Cozumel, Belize, Honduras and Freeport, I know there is different western routes.

 

The glory is a great ship, I am looking forward to sailing her again.

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Nanatochase

Nanatochase

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YOU ROCK ! ! ! Thank you for starting it. Like I said, this week will probably drag by. Saturday can't get here soon enough. Glory...here I come. I'm looking forward to reading more before I leave. Thanks again. By the way...don't work to hard doing laundry...slowly get back into the "real life".

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