Carnival Freedom Day Five
Sea Day 2
We slept in this morning, well Di did anyway. Tim was up by 7AM as usual. We had our coffee and 6 Danish and then headed to the dining room for a very quiet breakfast. We had the pleasure of being served by our nighttime waiter; a very funny young man from St. Vincent.
After breakfast we returned to the cabin to retrieve paper work for Di’s large group so we could set up a conference room for Bingo. Only about 20 of the 72 attended bingo but they all had a great time and Di gave away some very nice prizes to her group.
After bingo we went up and had an ice cream cone and then headed to the atrium lobby for some people watching while we listened to classical music until it was lunchtime. Nothing looked appealing on the Lido deck so we decided to try lunch in the main dinning room. The main dinning room is at the aft of the ship, we got to watch where we had been. All day we have been sailing side by side with Carnivals Destiny and now we are about 10 miles or more in front of it and we are just on the north side of Cuba.
Tomorrow we will be the disembarking from the Freedom.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Yeah 'Mon we be jammin' in Jamaica!
Carnival Freedom Day Four
Ocho Rios Jamaica
First of all let us apologize for the lateness of this posting. Internet connection is very slow at times on this ship.
We arrived in Ocho Rios at about 6:45 AM. Tim, as usual, was already up and waiting on his two pots of coffee and 6 Danish. Only one glitch - Tim had forgotten to order the 6 Danish the night before. A call was placed to room service and they were delivered within 5 minutes.
After our morning coffee and Danish we went to the dinning room for a full breakfast before making our way forward and down to deck 0. We departed the Freedom for a day of shopping on Ocho Rios. This is not our first time in Ocho Rios, we have been here several times and we know how the Jamaican people can be both friendly and pushy at the same time. We have learned from past experience to say no or not interested a lot.
We walked from our ship to the two main shopping areas close by that are duty free. Tim wanted to get his Harley Davidson t-shirt from Jamaica and Di needed to pick up small gifts for her girls in the office. We also were shopping for Christmas present for our daughter. We found a store that had what we were looking for and, after a lot of talking with the store manager, were able to purchase the gift.
While we were in the small shopping mall it rained, which cooled things down a little bit. Once the rain stopped we started walking back to the ship but got distracted by a new shopping/show area. A local dance group was putting on a show and one of the shows was how Jamaican’s celebrate Christmas since the days of slavery. It was very interesting to see.
After we left the show area we stopped at a liquor store and purchase 3 bottles of local dark rum for $12.00. We also picked up a small bottle of vodka for $4.00 for the two ladies who are traveling with us from Schalamar Creek. They were very appreciative of the unexpected gift.
Arriving back on the ship we dropped our purchases in the cabin and went to the Lido deck for lunch where we were joined by one of Di’s group members. He shared his day with us and we were amused to hear him talk about being burned out from shopping with his wife. He was so tired that he had left her in town and came back to the ship to rest.
Tonight was our second formal night and, as one of the bartenders told us, we were looking good! Tim ordered the tiger shrimp and Diane enjoyed the Chanute Briean. We think we are getting to old to stay up and party with the young kids these days because it ended up being a very early evening for us. After dinner we headed back to our cabin for the night. Tomorrow is a day at sea and also our last day of cruising this year.
Ocho Rios Jamaica
First of all let us apologize for the lateness of this posting. Internet connection is very slow at times on this ship.
We arrived in Ocho Rios at about 6:45 AM. Tim, as usual, was already up and waiting on his two pots of coffee and 6 Danish. Only one glitch - Tim had forgotten to order the 6 Danish the night before. A call was placed to room service and they were delivered within 5 minutes.
After our morning coffee and Danish we went to the dinning room for a full breakfast before making our way forward and down to deck 0. We departed the Freedom for a day of shopping on Ocho Rios. This is not our first time in Ocho Rios, we have been here several times and we know how the Jamaican people can be both friendly and pushy at the same time. We have learned from past experience to say no or not interested a lot.
We walked from our ship to the two main shopping areas close by that are duty free. Tim wanted to get his Harley Davidson t-shirt from Jamaica and Di needed to pick up small gifts for her girls in the office. We also were shopping for Christmas present for our daughter. We found a store that had what we were looking for and, after a lot of talking with the store manager, were able to purchase the gift.
While we were in the small shopping mall it rained, which cooled things down a little bit. Once the rain stopped we started walking back to the ship but got distracted by a new shopping/show area. A local dance group was putting on a show and one of the shows was how Jamaican’s celebrate Christmas since the days of slavery. It was very interesting to see.
After we left the show area we stopped at a liquor store and purchase 3 bottles of local dark rum for $12.00. We also picked up a small bottle of vodka for $4.00 for the two ladies who are traveling with us from Schalamar Creek. They were very appreciative of the unexpected gift.
Arriving back on the ship we dropped our purchases in the cabin and went to the Lido deck for lunch where we were joined by one of Di’s group members. He shared his day with us and we were amused to hear him talk about being burned out from shopping with his wife. He was so tired that he had left her in town and came back to the ship to rest.
Tonight was our second formal night and, as one of the bartenders told us, we were looking good! Tim ordered the tiger shrimp and Diane enjoyed the Chanute Briean. We think we are getting to old to stay up and party with the young kids these days because it ended up being a very early evening for us. After dinner we headed back to our cabin for the night. Tomorrow is a day at sea and also our last day of cruising this year.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Turtles here, turtles there. Turtles Everywhere!
Live from Carnival’s Freedom.
Day 3 in Grand Cayman
Today we rose to the noise of shore tender boats just below our cabin at about 6:45 this coincided with delivery of our two pots of coffee and Danish. After a quick cup of coffee and a shower we were off to breakfast in the Posh dinning room. Instead of a table for two today we were seated at a table for 10. We introduced ourselves to all and asked where our tablemates were from. Most were from the same traveling group and were from Kansas City. One other couple was from Davenport Florida, a neighboring community from Di and myself.
After breakfast we met Di’s co-worker Todd and his wife Jennifer at the Victoriana Lounge to obtain our tender tickets so we could go ashore. The trip ashore took about 10 minutes. As we powered away from the Freedom we noticed that there were a total of 5 cruise ships in port.
Once on shore we found a taxi to drive us to Boatswain’s adventure park which is the old turtle farm expanded to a bigger park. We Started out viewing 500 lb turtles in a tank and then walked around and saw the Predators reef and viewed sharks from above and then moved to view the sharks and lots of other fish through glass. The rest of the park included a swimming lagoon. We also were able to pick up and hold several turtles of varying sizes. We have more than enough photos of turtles to last us a lifetime.
If you visit Grand Cayman this is a must see site.
On our way to Boatswain’s we stopped in ‘Hell’; this is actually old coral that is no longer under water. A British officer in the 1800’s said that looks like Hell and the name stuck.
We called a taxi for the ride back to George Town and passed along the famous 7-mile long beach. Once arriving back in George Town we parted ways with Todd and Jennifer to go shopping on our own. We spent some time in different stores looking for Christmas presents but did not find what we were looking for. We did find the Harley Store so Tim could add a Harley shirt from Grand Cayman to his collection.
We walked back towards the pier and decided to have lunch in Senior Frogs. Lunch was a huge platter of Nachos and cheese with chicken and beef with a nice cold bottle of local beer for Tim. We got back to the tenders just in time to board one of the last ones heading back to the Freedom.
Now, are you ready to have your mouth water? As promised we will tell you about dinner from last night. We arrived in the Sun King supper club early but were seated right away. We were presented with the meat selections for the evening, which included prime rib, filet, Lamb and lobster. We chose the filet and lobster combo with the steak well done for Di and medium for Tim. We didn’t know what the appetizers were, but they were tasty! And of course we needed to get in our veggies, which was in the form of a very good salad. When the main course arrived we were very surprised at the tenderness of the meat and how sweet the lobster was. If you know Tim then you know he can eat a lot. And he could not finish the steak. For dessert Tim had a cheesecake and Di had an apple chocolate torte, both of which were ok.
We were quite satisfied with our dinner in the Sun King supper club. We’ve heard that tonight’s dinner is a Turkey dinner. Tomorrow we will be spending the day in Ocho Rio’s, Jamaica. Yeah ‘Mon!
Day 3 in Grand Cayman
Today we rose to the noise of shore tender boats just below our cabin at about 6:45 this coincided with delivery of our two pots of coffee and Danish. After a quick cup of coffee and a shower we were off to breakfast in the Posh dinning room. Instead of a table for two today we were seated at a table for 10. We introduced ourselves to all and asked where our tablemates were from. Most were from the same traveling group and were from Kansas City. One other couple was from Davenport Florida, a neighboring community from Di and myself.
After breakfast we met Di’s co-worker Todd and his wife Jennifer at the Victoriana Lounge to obtain our tender tickets so we could go ashore. The trip ashore took about 10 minutes. As we powered away from the Freedom we noticed that there were a total of 5 cruise ships in port.
Once on shore we found a taxi to drive us to Boatswain’s adventure park which is the old turtle farm expanded to a bigger park. We Started out viewing 500 lb turtles in a tank and then walked around and saw the Predators reef and viewed sharks from above and then moved to view the sharks and lots of other fish through glass. The rest of the park included a swimming lagoon. We also were able to pick up and hold several turtles of varying sizes. We have more than enough photos of turtles to last us a lifetime.
If you visit Grand Cayman this is a must see site.
On our way to Boatswain’s we stopped in ‘Hell’; this is actually old coral that is no longer under water. A British officer in the 1800’s said that looks like Hell and the name stuck.
We called a taxi for the ride back to George Town and passed along the famous 7-mile long beach. Once arriving back in George Town we parted ways with Todd and Jennifer to go shopping on our own. We spent some time in different stores looking for Christmas presents but did not find what we were looking for. We did find the Harley Store so Tim could add a Harley shirt from Grand Cayman to his collection.
We walked back towards the pier and decided to have lunch in Senior Frogs. Lunch was a huge platter of Nachos and cheese with chicken and beef with a nice cold bottle of local beer for Tim. We got back to the tenders just in time to board one of the last ones heading back to the Freedom.
Now, are you ready to have your mouth water? As promised we will tell you about dinner from last night. We arrived in the Sun King supper club early but were seated right away. We were presented with the meat selections for the evening, which included prime rib, filet, Lamb and lobster. We chose the filet and lobster combo with the steak well done for Di and medium for Tim. We didn’t know what the appetizers were, but they were tasty! And of course we needed to get in our veggies, which was in the form of a very good salad. When the main course arrived we were very surprised at the tenderness of the meat and how sweet the lobster was. If you know Tim then you know he can eat a lot. And he could not finish the steak. For dessert Tim had a cheesecake and Di had an apple chocolate torte, both of which were ok.
We were quite satisfied with our dinner in the Sun King supper club. We’ve heard that tonight’s dinner is a Turkey dinner. Tomorrow we will be spending the day in Ocho Rio’s, Jamaica. Yeah ‘Mon!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Lost at Sea? Nah! We're right here!
Day two: a day at sea.
Today began as a normal day for us with 2 pots of coffee, 6 Danish and 2 orange juices at about 7:15. Tim as usual was up first and carried 1 pot of coffee to the balcony along with the 6 Danish. Di joined him about 20 minutes later and we watched the ocean go by. The air temp was about 82 degrees and the sun had just come up.
After about 30 minutes we decided to get ready for breakfast. Di walked across the ship to see if all was well with her dad and his friend Joan. She came back and called the front desk for a wheel chair for Joan because Joan needed to see the ships Dr for some pain that she had the night before. Di dressed and took Joan to the Dr and Tim followed later and the Dr told Joan to rest in her cabin the rest of the day. We then took Joan to a late breakfast and then to her cabin so she could rest. We have been checking in on her throughout the day.
Now that excitement was over we were free to roam the ship and do our favorite thing on sea day - people watch. The pool deck was very crowded with young and old alike.
For lunch Tim had a piece of Goat Cheese and Mushroom pizza and Di had the fish from the Fish and Chips grill; both were very tasty.
Di has a group of 72 on board and she has to make sure all get together for a group photo today. This evening’s dress code is formal so the photo should come out very nice. After the photo Tim and Di will be having a romantic dinner in the Sun King restaurant. This is a specialty restaurant that has an extra cost but is well worth the money. Check back tomorrow to read about our dinner experience and our day in Grand Cayman!
Today began as a normal day for us with 2 pots of coffee, 6 Danish and 2 orange juices at about 7:15. Tim as usual was up first and carried 1 pot of coffee to the balcony along with the 6 Danish. Di joined him about 20 minutes later and we watched the ocean go by. The air temp was about 82 degrees and the sun had just come up.
After about 30 minutes we decided to get ready for breakfast. Di walked across the ship to see if all was well with her dad and his friend Joan. She came back and called the front desk for a wheel chair for Joan because Joan needed to see the ships Dr for some pain that she had the night before. Di dressed and took Joan to the Dr and Tim followed later and the Dr told Joan to rest in her cabin the rest of the day. We then took Joan to a late breakfast and then to her cabin so she could rest. We have been checking in on her throughout the day.
Now that excitement was over we were free to roam the ship and do our favorite thing on sea day - people watch. The pool deck was very crowded with young and old alike.
For lunch Tim had a piece of Goat Cheese and Mushroom pizza and Di had the fish from the Fish and Chips grill; both were very tasty.
Di has a group of 72 on board and she has to make sure all get together for a group photo today. This evening’s dress code is formal so the photo should come out very nice. After the photo Tim and Di will be having a romantic dinner in the Sun King restaurant. This is a specialty restaurant that has an extra cost but is well worth the money. Check back tomorrow to read about our dinner experience and our day in Grand Cayman!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Coming to you live from the Carnival Freedom!
Carnival Freedom day one
Carnivals Freedom is a very nice ship and we are sailing with 3000 of our closest friends.
We got on board yesterday around noon and dropped our luggage off at our balcony cabin. Since we were hungry we headed up to the Lido deck for a quick lunch before taking a short tour of the ship. The public space on board is very open and very well decorated; the atrium has been decorated for Christmas and looks very festive.
Food on the Lido deck was very tasty and with a great variety of choices of food from Asian to just a nice salad. Ice cream machines are plentiful with a choice of cones or dish. The staff on the Lido deck is very helpful and friendly.
We have the late seating so dinner was at 8:15 PM. We were directed to our table by the dinning room staff we were pleasantly surprised to find that we were in a very quiet area of the dinning room. We were the first to arrive at our table for six, followed shortly by the Huffines from Greely CO. We were soon chatting like old friend and enjoying a very good meal. We also discovered that this was their very first cruise and that they were very impressed. When we were presented with the desert menu Tanner Huffines, a young college student traveling with his parents and a friend, saw that there was a warm Chocolate Melting Cake with ice cream. After his first spoon full of this dessert the words out of his mouth were ‘Where have you been all my life’ We convinced him that he could have seconds of this mouth watering dessert.
Port of Call: Key West Florida
We woke to a beautiful sunrise as we sailed into Key West Florida at7 AM. This port of call is very different from any other that we will be at on this cruise because it still part of the United States. The shopping is very expensive but some of the shops will lower the price a little bit just to make the sale. We have been to the port many times in the past and can get our shopping and site seeing accomplished in about 2 hours including a stop at Sloppy Joes bar, a must for people watching. This trip we bought a Harley Davidson T-shirt for Tim and lots of Key Lime products for Diane. At one Key Lime store we asked how much it would cost to ship a fresh Key Lime pie. The price? $63 to send one overnight. We said no thank you.
This is the beautiful sight that greeted us this morning as we headed into Key West.
Our home for the rest of the week.Thursday, December 11, 2008
Cruisin the Western Caribbean
On Sunday December 14th Di and I will be setting sail on Carnivals Freedom for the Islands of Key West, Jamaica and Grand Cayman. We will be posting daily from the Freedom. Hopefully we will be able to upload photo's from the ports of call.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Ruby Princess Lady in Red
First of all, we apologize for not posting while we were on board the beautiful Ruby Princess. There were so many passengers accessing the Internet, which caused it to slow down immensely. So we decided to just sit back and enjoy the two-day trip to nowhere and tour the ship.
We arrived at Port Everglades about 11:30 AM after a 4-hour drive from our home in Lakeland, Florida. Our first glimpse of the Ruby Princess was as we drove to the parking garage. It was a breathtaking site. The Ruby Princess is 931 feet in length and 118 feet wide. She has a maximum passenger capacity of 3,150 her gross tonnage is 113,561 tons. Fuel capacity is 701,983 gallons. Fresh water capacity is 722,349 gallons. Cruising speed is 22.5 knots.
Check in was a breeze; all check in is done by deck so the lines weren’t as long as we’ve experienced on other ships. We were given a cabin on the Baja Deck, or Deck 11 and once we checked in we headed for the line to board the ship. We were told by a Princess employee to use the elevator if we needed to. So we headed over to the elevator and came out on the second floor of the terminal where we were able to have our photo taken and we got to board in the front of the line.
Once on board we went to our balcony cabin number B246, which was port side forward, deposited our luggage and met our cabin steward Enrenkia from Portugal. The cabin itself was ok. The shower was too small for Tim; that meant the shower curtain and Tim were very close friends.
We decided it was time for lunch and headed up to the Lido deck and the Horizon Court for our lunch. The Horizon Court food selection was not very large but it was adequate. The quality of the food provided, however, was very good as was the service from the staff.
After eating we embarked on our own self-guided tour of the Ruby Princess top to bottom; after all, we did need to work off the great lunch we’d just eaten. The pool deck mid ship was being decorated for the Naming Ceremony and a wedding that was going to be held on the upper pool deck. Part of the decorations included deep red roses everywhere, even floating in the middle of the pool
We continued on our tour and made our way to the aft of the ship where there was another pool and hot tubs overlooking that pool. We also saw Skywalkers Nightclub, which is located above the Funzone Youth and Teen center. Ruby Princess is making sure to provide entertainment for all age levels and has three Funzone groups: Princess Pelicans, Shockwaves and Remix.
The next stop on our tour was the three dining rooms. Yes, you read that right; Ruby Princess has 3 dinning rooms. Botticelli on Deck 5 aft, Michelengelo on deck 5 midship and Da Vinci on deck 6 midship. We had dinner in Botticelli on Thursday evening and we are sorry to say that the lobster tasted old. Like lunch, service again was excellent. On Friday night we joined friends from our host agency for dinner in the Da Vinci and enjoyed a much better dinner.
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The Ruby Princess also has two specialty restaurants available on board. Sabatini’s and the Crown Grill, although neither was open for this two-day cruise.
On Friday we decided to try a different dining option and had lunch in the Wheelhouse bar. This was a very popular dining location as it was English Pub style. Diane had the Fish and chips and Tim had both the fish and chips and an English sandwich since he couldn’t decide. And of course Tim had a Guinness while Diane had her champagne.
The most popular public area of the Ruby Princess, and our most favorite, is the Piazza. There is variety of activities in this area from live entertainment to pastries, a European style coffee and Sushi bar.
Princess Theater is very audience friendly and provides a good view of the stage from all seats. We attended two shows while on board. Thursday night we watched ‘Adbacadabra’ this is a musical Tribute act to the Swedish group ABBA. The second show we attended was a tribute to the life of Gavin MacLeod, which included a video of his life and audience questions and answer session.
Now remember the naming ceremony I mentioned earlier? This took place on the pool deck, or to be more specific The Neptune’s Reef on decks 15 and 16 midship. We arrived late but we were in time to see the introductions of several people including the original love boat Captain - Captain Merrill Stubing. The national anthem was sung, speeches were given by all of the invited dignitaries and then it was announced by the cruise director, James Lay, that there was going to be a wedding ceremony. A couple from California had won a contest to be married on board the Ruby Princess and Captain Stubing (Gavin Macleod) was to give away the bride. We watched as the bride made her way down from deck 18 to the alter and then we decided that we would view the remaining parts of the ceremony on video because it was very hot outside. To view the Naming and Wedding Ceremony click here.
Our overall impression of the Ruby Princess is that she is a very beautiful ship with an excellent utilization of both public and cabin spaces.
Enjoy the photos that we took during our short two-day cruise feel free to comment.
Our Cabin as viewed from balcony
Penthouse suit from entrance
Penthouse Suit
Skywalkers Night Club
Neptune's Reef Pool Decorated for Naming Ceremony
Princess Theater view from stage
DaVinci Dinning Room
Crown Grill
International Cafe on the Piazza
Ceiling in the Piazza
Fun Zone Youth area
Looking Forward
Looking Forward
And finally Tim and Diane boarding.
This is just a small sampling of all the photo's that we took over two days.
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Ruby Princess
Mom and Dad safely made it to the Ruby Princess last night and they are in love with this new ship. Mom raved about the fish she had for lunch while Dad was beyond thrilled to meet John the Blogger. Stay tuned for a complete report and lots of pictures from them.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Count Down to Ruby Princess 1
1 Day before we board the brand new Ruby Princess. Tune in Thursday evening for photos and our thoughts of this ship.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Count Down to the Ruby Princess 2
2 Days to go before we board Princess Cruise Lines newest ship. The Ruby Princess. On board will be a favorite blogger of ours. John Heald who is the senior cruise director for Carnival cruise lines. We hope to meet John on this cruise. To view and read Johns blog go to http://johnhealdsblog.com/.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Count down to the Ruby Princess
3 days before we board the beautiful Ruby Princess. Watch our blog for coments photos and updates on this beautiful new Princess ship.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Cruise on Ruby Princess
Diane and I will be on a special two day cruise to nowhere on Princess Cruise Lines brand new ship the Princess Ruby. We will be posting photos and our thoughts about this new ship live on November 6 and 7th.
Cruising Eastern Caribbean Part 1
Cruising the Eastern Caribbean
Part 1. St. Thomas
Port of call Charlotte Amalie St. Thomas USVI
St. Thomas is part of the United States Virgin Island and we think it has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world: Magens Bay. No matter which cruise ship you’re on, all provide shore excursions to the beaches. Or, if you’re a little more inclined to do some bargaining and you want to be a little more flexible with your time, you can hire one of the many taxi’s that are waiting to take visitors to and from the port. This lets you enjoy the duty free shopping in Charlotte Amalie. Magens Bay does cost about $2 per person, but it is well worth it! There is a small souvenir shop and a restaurant on the beach. The water is clear gorgeous shades of blue and Magens Bay is a wonderful spot for snorkeling.
Looking to bring home some wonderful souvenirs? St. Thomas has great shopping at two main shopping areas. The first is right at the port where the ships dock and the second one is in the downtown area, which is our favorite. Downtown is old and very quaint. Shopping at St. Thomas will allow you to practice those bargaining skills, although keep in mind, not all shops do bargain.
From St. Thomas you can also take a ferryboat to the island of St. Johns. St. Johns has an underwater national park with available snorkeling, allowing an up close view of the coral and sea life. The island of St. Johns has circle island guided tours by bus, which we have taken and enjoyed very much.
Part 1. St. Thomas
Port of call Charlotte Amalie St. Thomas USVI
St. Thomas is part of the United States Virgin Island and we think it has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world: Magens Bay. No matter which cruise ship you’re on, all provide shore excursions to the beaches. Or, if you’re a little more inclined to do some bargaining and you want to be a little more flexible with your time, you can hire one of the many taxi’s that are waiting to take visitors to and from the port. This lets you enjoy the duty free shopping in Charlotte Amalie. Magens Bay does cost about $2 per person, but it is well worth it! There is a small souvenir shop and a restaurant on the beach. The water is clear gorgeous shades of blue and Magens Bay is a wonderful spot for snorkeling.
Looking to bring home some wonderful souvenirs? St. Thomas has great shopping at two main shopping areas. The first is right at the port where the ships dock and the second one is in the downtown area, which is our favorite. Downtown is old and very quaint. Shopping at St. Thomas will allow you to practice those bargaining skills, although keep in mind, not all shops do bargain.
From St. Thomas you can also take a ferryboat to the island of St. Johns. St. Johns has an underwater national park with available snorkeling, allowing an up close view of the coral and sea life. The island of St. Johns has circle island guided tours by bus, which we have taken and enjoyed very much.
Here are some photos from St. Thomas
Diane with Magens Bay in the background
Tim enjoying a swim in Magens Bay
St Johns Beach
Dinner on our balcony. Well worth the money.
Our Dinner
Sunset leaving St. Thomas
Sunset leaving St. Thomas
Twilight in St. Thomas
Our next port of call will be the twin island nations of St. Martin and St. Maarten
Our next port of call will be the twin island nations of St. Martin and St. Maarten
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Concerned About the Weather?
Yesterday Hurricane Ike made landfall in Texas. Hanna took a trip up the East coast and visited New England. Gustav decided to explore Louisiana and the states above. All three traveled in the waters surrounded Florida, waters that cruise ships routinely use when departing and returning from the main port and other ports of call. MSNBC.Com had this article regarding what cruise ships do when severe weather threatens. I know my parents have talked about this before. But MSNBC.Com had the benefit of speaking to cruise line officials to provide more specific information.
So take a look at the article, let it put your mind at ease and then contact my parents regarding that cruise you've been considering.
So take a look at the article, let it put your mind at ease and then contact my parents regarding that cruise you've been considering.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Cruising Alaska
CRUISING AND TOURING ALASKA
Sometimes we’ll hear people talk about wanting to travel someplace that’s not crowded with tourists or hasn’t been overrun by the tourist industry. Cruising to Alaska is becoming more popular and provides an experience of a lifetime! The Alaskan cruising season is very short; it only runs May to September. Because of the shorter season and how popular this destination has become these cruises should be booked at least a year in advance. A cruise to Alaska is like no other! You’ll see glaciers and wild life, ride a glass-domed railcar to view North America’s highest mountain peak, Mt. McKinley. Like fuzzy puppies? You will even see and hold future sled dogs. Like fish? Have you ever tried fresh Salmon or Alaskan King Crab? On your Alaskan cruise get ready to dig in! Our cruise Alaska was the trip of a lifetime. Would we do this again? YES, in an instant.
Here are just some of the photos that we took when our vacation of a lifetime.
Tim and Diane at Mendenhall Glacier.
Sometimes we’ll hear people talk about wanting to travel someplace that’s not crowded with tourists or hasn’t been overrun by the tourist industry. Cruising to Alaska is becoming more popular and provides an experience of a lifetime! The Alaskan cruising season is very short; it only runs May to September. Because of the shorter season and how popular this destination has become these cruises should be booked at least a year in advance. A cruise to Alaska is like no other! You’ll see glaciers and wild life, ride a glass-domed railcar to view North America’s highest mountain peak, Mt. McKinley. Like fuzzy puppies? You will even see and hold future sled dogs. Like fish? Have you ever tried fresh Salmon or Alaskan King Crab? On your Alaskan cruise get ready to dig in! Our cruise Alaska was the trip of a lifetime. Would we do this again? YES, in an instant.
Here are just some of the photos that we took when our vacation of a lifetime.
Tim and Diane at Mendenhall Glacier.
Where else can you get this close to a Bald Eagle?
This photo is from our glass-domed railcar looking to the front of the train.
Here is Diane trying her hand at gold mining
Here is Tim holding a future sled dog. We had a hard time leaving it behind.
Here are some photos from on board our ship. Holland America’s Veendam
Dinning room for formal night
Dinning room for formal night
Baked Alaska
Are you ready for your trip to Alaska? Then call us now so we can get you booked for next year. The sooner you call us, the sooner we can get you booked. Alaska is very popular and the first cabins to sell out are balcony cabins. After all, what better place to see the Glaciers, or what the Northern Lights than from the comfort of your own balcony?
A small deposit will hold your cabin for a vacation that you will never forget.
Book early to save $$ and have the best choice of ship and cabin on board that ship.
Always use a travel agent who specializes in cruise travel for that memorable vacation you want.
A small deposit will hold your cabin for a vacation that you will never forget.
Book early to save $$ and have the best choice of ship and cabin on board that ship.
Always use a travel agent who specializes in cruise travel for that memorable vacation you want.
Next up Cruising Eastern Caribbean. Part 1. The island of St. Thomas
Sunday, July 20, 2008
If the ship is rockin'
Then it must really be a rollin'!
It's hurricane season in the Atlantic and Caribbean. That usually means people are a little concerned about taking a trip to the Islands during this season. But, as my parents already pointed out in this post, it doesn’t have to be a concern. In fact, as we found out one year, it doesn’t have to be hurricane season to get the ship rockin’ and rollin’!
In December 1996 my parents decided to take us on a cruise. This trip was on the Carnival Inspiration out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. There little to no storms during our weeklong cruise, yet the seas were pretty rough. The ship kept rolling from side to side, making everyone look like they were stumbling drunk as they walked down the hallways. The stabilizers were out, but that didn’t seem to help much. Even the water in the pools had their own waves going. It would have been a great time to take knee boarding or body surfing lessons.
Dad and I never got seasick, that was always left to my mom and brother. The movement on this trip was so bad that I felt dizzy and queasy a couple of times. I still enjoyed the trip though. And one of my fondest memories in the night we were in the front of the ship dancing. That night the after-dinner show was a comedian. He did a family friendly show and said that he would be in a smaller lounge later that night (after midnight I believe it was). This show was more adult oriented.
My parents and I decided to attend. Before the show there was a band and dancing. We enjoyed the music and even got up for several songs. Then the band played “Macarena.” I know, there’s a lot of people groaning; but remember this was 1996. The song was on the downward slide of its popularity. And I can honestly say I have never danced to this or any other song quite like I did that night.
Remember, we’re in a lounge at the front of the ship. Typically with cruise ships they are more stable and any rocking is felt less more towards the middle. So we’re at the front of the ship and the ship is rocking from side to side. And Mom and I are on the dance floor dancing to the “Macarena”… in heels! Needless to say, we didn’t stay up there too long. It was too difficult to dance in heels (and no, they weren’t the type with the wider base) while the ship kept moving up and down like it did. But we sure had fun trying :D
It's hurricane season in the Atlantic and Caribbean. That usually means people are a little concerned about taking a trip to the Islands during this season. But, as my parents already pointed out in this post, it doesn’t have to be a concern. In fact, as we found out one year, it doesn’t have to be hurricane season to get the ship rockin’ and rollin’!
In December 1996 my parents decided to take us on a cruise. This trip was on the Carnival Inspiration out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. There little to no storms during our weeklong cruise, yet the seas were pretty rough. The ship kept rolling from side to side, making everyone look like they were stumbling drunk as they walked down the hallways. The stabilizers were out, but that didn’t seem to help much. Even the water in the pools had their own waves going. It would have been a great time to take knee boarding or body surfing lessons.
Dad and I never got seasick, that was always left to my mom and brother. The movement on this trip was so bad that I felt dizzy and queasy a couple of times. I still enjoyed the trip though. And one of my fondest memories in the night we were in the front of the ship dancing. That night the after-dinner show was a comedian. He did a family friendly show and said that he would be in a smaller lounge later that night (after midnight I believe it was). This show was more adult oriented.
My parents and I decided to attend. Before the show there was a band and dancing. We enjoyed the music and even got up for several songs. Then the band played “Macarena.” I know, there’s a lot of people groaning; but remember this was 1996. The song was on the downward slide of its popularity. And I can honestly say I have never danced to this or any other song quite like I did that night.
Remember, we’re in a lounge at the front of the ship. Typically with cruise ships they are more stable and any rocking is felt less more towards the middle. So we’re at the front of the ship and the ship is rocking from side to side. And Mom and I are on the dance floor dancing to the “Macarena”… in heels! Needless to say, we didn’t stay up there too long. It was too difficult to dance in heels (and no, they weren’t the type with the wider base) while the ship kept moving up and down like it did. But we sure had fun trying :D
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Cruising the best vacation for your tight $.
Looking to be pampered on your vacation?
Smart Money Magazine reported the following this month:
"Cruises may be best travel value"
"The high price of gasoline and airline tickets may mean you've scratched land and air from your vacation itinerary. Fortunately, 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water."
The magazine also offered this advice: "Don't book direct. Use a travel agency instead."
Smart Money Magazine reported the following this month:
"Cruises may be best travel value"
"The high price of gasoline and airline tickets may mean you've scratched land and air from your vacation itinerary. Fortunately, 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water."
The magazine also offered this advice: "Don't book direct. Use a travel agency instead."
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Flying through the air with the greatest of ease
Hi! Kidlet number 1 here, you can call me Priszm. In 2006 my parents decided to go on another cruise, this time on Holland America's Veendam. As soon as Mom and Dad decided they wanted to go, Grandpa and his lady friend, we'll call her Angel, signed up to join them. Pretty soon my parents friends from NC were on board, as well as two other couples.
Dad emailed me one day and said that he had planned a wonderful, amazing surprise for Mom. He decided to do a vow renewal ceremony. Mom wasn't to know until the moment of the ceremony. When he sent me the email, my boyfriend JEM and I were considering joining them on this cruise. Dad said if we were able to go, I'd stand with Mom. We did get to go and it was a beautiful ceremony. Although Mom did find out when we first boarded the ship, they had several cards in their cabin and she opened the wrong one. Oops!
Our trip happened to take place shortly before my birthday and JEM's was celebrated on board as his birthday took place the same week as our cruise. My parents told us that for our birthdays they would purchase a shore excursion for us, we just had to let them know which one. It wasn't easy choosing which one we wanted to do. There were several, so we picked our top favorites and told Mom and Dad to pick one and surprise us. So this is what we got to do:
In Belize one of the shore excursions is a zip line tour through Belize's rainforest. It was sooo much fun and soooo pretty! We spent about an hour and a half on a bus heading to the site. Once there we were outfitted in our harnesses, helmets and gloves. Then we went for a short hike. We had a break at a small cave like area where we received instructions on how to zip through the tree tops.
This was so much fun and definitely something everyone should try! And of course, while waiting for our tour to get gathered up and onto the bus, we got to meander through the shops at the port. I didn't do a lot of shopping there, but Mom definitely enjoyed herself at the jewelry store :D
Friday, June 13, 2008
Looking for some Inspiration?
On Saturday June 7th, 2008 Diane and I had the privilege of doing a ship inspection of the Carnival Inspiration. Ship inspections are a chance for Cruise Specialists to tour a ship while it’s in port. This is usually an exclusive event, done by invite only and ships aren’t always opened up to Cruise Specialists, or only a limited number are permitted to participate. Touring a cruise ship lets us see exactly how the different cabin categories look, what amenities are provided, what the set up is, what type of theme or décor the ship has. We also get a chance to sample the culinary experience that our clients will get to enjoy on their vacation, complete with a delectable chocolate dessert and samples of the wines available to you, the passenger. All of this just so we can easier find the perfect cruise vacation, something tailor made just for you.
In 1996 Diane and I had actually sailed on the Carnival Inspiration, enjoying a family vacation with our two children. At that time the home port was San Juan, Puerto Rico and the itinerary was the Southern Caribbean. The ports of call that we got to enjoy on our seven days in paradise were, of course, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maartin, Martinique, Barbados and Dominica. Having had a personal experience on the Inspiration as guests, we were anxious to see what changes have been made in the ensuing years.
Last year the Inspiration underwent a make-over; the price tag was over $50 million dollars. All that we saw pleasantly surprised us! In 1996, having a family of four which included two teenaged children, we booked the mini suite. At that time the décor was black veneer; now it has been updated into a more modern look with bright, airy colors. When we sailed the room was partially divided by a partition, a wall that separated the beds from the couch. The couch at the time was a small sectional that folded into a hide-a-bed; well, the shorter part of the sectional did anyway. It’s not something I would recommend a tall guy like myself try sleeping on. The updated look removed the partition, allowing for a more open feel. The couch still opens into a hide-a-bed; however now it’s the longer portion of the couch opening up. On this new version I wouldn’t hesitate to worry about having enough room while sharing the bed with my wife.
The cabins weren’t the only part of the ship to receive a new look. All of the public areas received a face-lift with an artistic theme. For those that like to golf, a 9-hole mini golf course has been added. I know, you’re probably saying “But Tim, I don’t like to golf! I’m on vacation, I’d rather just hang out and have fun at the pool.” Guess what?! You’re covered too! The Inspiration has added a water park with several water slides. Or maybe you’re looking for a little pampering; then we’re going to send you to Serenity – an adult only retreat. Maybe you’re looking to work off a few of those scrumptious meals you’ve been eating (Diane recommends having dessert first!). The gym not only has state of the art equipment, but also provides classes; we even saw some bikes for spinning in the room. And after your day of fun in the sun, a fabulous 3+ course dinner (hey, if lobsters on the menu, I’ll have 2 or 3!) and maybe some dancing under the stars or catching one of the shows, you’re ready for bed. And Carnival has you covered there with a bed that’s going to feel like your own version of heaven.
Are you ready to try out the new and improved Carnival Inspiration for yourselves? We’ll be happy to help you find that perfect cabin at that perfect time. The Inspiration sails year round out of Tampa, Florida heading to the Western Caribbean for five glorious days. The cabins are very affordable and are perfect if you’ve never been on a cruise. Or maybe you have but now you’re looking for something to take the family on. Did I mention that we had our two teenagers on board with us and we only saw them at dinner time? Ahhh! Peace and quiet! And for those of you just looking for a short get-away to paradise? This ship is perfect for you too! The Carnival Inspiration has something for everyone and we look forward to helping you find that vacation that’s just what the doctor ordered! So just click on My Vacation Center at the right and we can get started.
In 1996 Diane and I had actually sailed on the Carnival Inspiration, enjoying a family vacation with our two children. At that time the home port was San Juan, Puerto Rico and the itinerary was the Southern Caribbean. The ports of call that we got to enjoy on our seven days in paradise were, of course, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maartin, Martinique, Barbados and Dominica. Having had a personal experience on the Inspiration as guests, we were anxious to see what changes have been made in the ensuing years.
Last year the Inspiration underwent a make-over; the price tag was over $50 million dollars. All that we saw pleasantly surprised us! In 1996, having a family of four which included two teenaged children, we booked the mini suite. At that time the décor was black veneer; now it has been updated into a more modern look with bright, airy colors. When we sailed the room was partially divided by a partition, a wall that separated the beds from the couch. The couch at the time was a small sectional that folded into a hide-a-bed; well, the shorter part of the sectional did anyway. It’s not something I would recommend a tall guy like myself try sleeping on. The updated look removed the partition, allowing for a more open feel. The couch still opens into a hide-a-bed; however now it’s the longer portion of the couch opening up. On this new version I wouldn’t hesitate to worry about having enough room while sharing the bed with my wife.
The cabins weren’t the only part of the ship to receive a new look. All of the public areas received a face-lift with an artistic theme. For those that like to golf, a 9-hole mini golf course has been added. I know, you’re probably saying “But Tim, I don’t like to golf! I’m on vacation, I’d rather just hang out and have fun at the pool.” Guess what?! You’re covered too! The Inspiration has added a water park with several water slides. Or maybe you’re looking for a little pampering; then we’re going to send you to Serenity – an adult only retreat. Maybe you’re looking to work off a few of those scrumptious meals you’ve been eating (Diane recommends having dessert first!). The gym not only has state of the art equipment, but also provides classes; we even saw some bikes for spinning in the room. And after your day of fun in the sun, a fabulous 3+ course dinner (hey, if lobsters on the menu, I’ll have 2 or 3!) and maybe some dancing under the stars or catching one of the shows, you’re ready for bed. And Carnival has you covered there with a bed that’s going to feel like your own version of heaven.
Are you ready to try out the new and improved Carnival Inspiration for yourselves? We’ll be happy to help you find that perfect cabin at that perfect time. The Inspiration sails year round out of Tampa, Florida heading to the Western Caribbean for five glorious days. The cabins are very affordable and are perfect if you’ve never been on a cruise. Or maybe you have but now you’re looking for something to take the family on. Did I mention that we had our two teenagers on board with us and we only saw them at dinner time? Ahhh! Peace and quiet! And for those of you just looking for a short get-away to paradise? This ship is perfect for you too! The Carnival Inspiration has something for everyone and we look forward to helping you find that vacation that’s just what the doctor ordered! So just click on My Vacation Center at the right and we can get started.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Cruising During Hurricane Season
I know it’s been a while since anything new has been written and I apologize. I’ve been planning on different stories to share with everyone, but there’s so many it’s hard to decide. So while Diane and I are working on that, we thought it would be a good idea to write about something that’s at the top of everyone’s mind when considering a cruise right now: hurricanes.
June 1 was the start of the Atlantic Hurricane season. A lot of people think that means it’s a lousy time for a cruise. Guess what?! It’s not! Cruise Lines spend millions of dollars to create these big floating hotels. They have on an average of 2000 or more guests per cruise. The last thing they are going to do is put such a large investment and number of people in danger. Cruise ships are equipped with the latest and greatest weather radar and communications equipment. Land based hotels are stuck, they can’t move. But with a cruise ship there is very little chance of a cruise sailing into a hurricane. Land based hotels would run out of food, electricity, water and just the general convenience of life.
If a hurricane prevents the ship from returning to the home port, you’ll be taken care of in the manner you have become accustomed to! The dinning room might have to repeat a menu from earlier in the trip, but there is still electricity, air conditioning, food, water, and entertainment until the ship is able to return to port.
We can speak from first hand experience what it is like to sail during a hurricane.
A couple of years ago we were on a cruise to the Panama Cannel on the Coral Princess. That was when Hurricane Wilma decided to visit South Eastern Florida. Wilma meant we missed Grand Cayman Island and Cozumel as ports of call. The ship instead was re-routed to Aruba and we then an extra day at sea before returning to Ft. Lauderdale. Well, Wilma decided to turn to the East and came across South Florida, closing both the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami ports due to flooding. We floated around in the post hurricane waters off of Ft. Lauderdale on the day we were supposed to return, even making an extra trip to the Bahamas for a day. Naturally we didn’t mind a few extra days living in the lap of luxury! The cruise ship was able to open up the ship to shore phone lines so passengers could make whatever phone calls they needed to. Internet was also provided. Our luggage was returned to us as quickly as possible, everyone had theirs back by 6pm on the day we were supposed to disembark.
Living in Florida we didn’t really experience any part of a hurricane except rain that is until Hurricanes Charlie, Jeanne and Francis came through our hometown. We know what happens on land when a hurricane strikes; we would much rather be at sea where the ship can travel around the hurricane and we are much safer.
June 1 was the start of the Atlantic Hurricane season. A lot of people think that means it’s a lousy time for a cruise. Guess what?! It’s not! Cruise Lines spend millions of dollars to create these big floating hotels. They have on an average of 2000 or more guests per cruise. The last thing they are going to do is put such a large investment and number of people in danger. Cruise ships are equipped with the latest and greatest weather radar and communications equipment. Land based hotels are stuck, they can’t move. But with a cruise ship there is very little chance of a cruise sailing into a hurricane. Land based hotels would run out of food, electricity, water and just the general convenience of life.
If a hurricane prevents the ship from returning to the home port, you’ll be taken care of in the manner you have become accustomed to! The dinning room might have to repeat a menu from earlier in the trip, but there is still electricity, air conditioning, food, water, and entertainment until the ship is able to return to port.
We can speak from first hand experience what it is like to sail during a hurricane.
A couple of years ago we were on a cruise to the Panama Cannel on the Coral Princess. That was when Hurricane Wilma decided to visit South Eastern Florida. Wilma meant we missed Grand Cayman Island and Cozumel as ports of call. The ship instead was re-routed to Aruba and we then an extra day at sea before returning to Ft. Lauderdale. Well, Wilma decided to turn to the East and came across South Florida, closing both the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami ports due to flooding. We floated around in the post hurricane waters off of Ft. Lauderdale on the day we were supposed to return, even making an extra trip to the Bahamas for a day. Naturally we didn’t mind a few extra days living in the lap of luxury! The cruise ship was able to open up the ship to shore phone lines so passengers could make whatever phone calls they needed to. Internet was also provided. Our luggage was returned to us as quickly as possible, everyone had theirs back by 6pm on the day we were supposed to disembark.
Living in Florida we didn’t really experience any part of a hurricane except rain that is until Hurricanes Charlie, Jeanne and Francis came through our hometown. We know what happens on land when a hurricane strikes; we would much rather be at sea where the ship can travel around the hurricane and we are much safer.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Passport Rules
As Cruise Specialists we have received more questions about "Do I need a Passport?" Well, maybe the final answer is now here. After many date changes Uncle Sam has finally put it in writing that we need passports for all travel beginning June 1, 2009. This is subject to change as you all know. Right now we recommend that you get a passport for all travel including cruises. If, for some reason, you have to leave the ship in the Caribbean and fly home you will need a passport to return to the US. For this reason we highly recommend that you get a passport. For passport information and applications visit http://www.travel.state.gov/.
One more tip, if you have a valid passport: Before you cruise check the expiration date. If it is within 6 months of expiring when you return home you will not be able to board the ship. Please check the expiration date and, if needed, renew your passport before you sail. We know of a gentleman who was cruising to Europe last year from Miami and his passport was good for another 5 and ½ months. He was denied boarding and his travel partner cruised alone. He did not book his cruise through us.
One more tip, if you have a valid passport: Before you cruise check the expiration date. If it is within 6 months of expiring when you return home you will not be able to board the ship. Please check the expiration date and, if needed, renew your passport before you sail. We know of a gentleman who was cruising to Europe last year from Miami and his passport was good for another 5 and ½ months. He was denied boarding and his travel partner cruised alone. He did not book his cruise through us.
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