jam19872016

Getting her ready for your arrival. See you soon 😁

I'm in the hallway but I'm here at least. I think the piano bar not including the hallway is smaller than freedom. My girl 🎶

Perfect score but I only got 21. My bar is empty gonna go grab my casino drink from earlier and see if I can get into the piano bar.

Gotta catch his name...he's fun squad but definitely CD material. Gangsta paradise 🎶 Killing me softly 🎶

They were good I'll be sure to check them out again. 90s trivia in the theater. I'm not here to play I just love 90s music 😀 They are also selling bingo packages.

I've had it before and this was not quite what I remember. Close, but something was off.

Variety music with Jesse and Sarah Hey Jude 🎶

It's the first day and I know ships are always the most crowded and then things begin to thin out. But I've certainly been spoiled sailing smaller ships. It still feels very crowded as I wander the ship. I am hoping the entertainment options are easy to get into. I know comedy is not happening. The piano bar doesn't seem much bigger than on Freedom and it's open to the walkway which I think is going to be an awkward layout. Red Frog is the same, maybe even smaller. Ocean Plaza is a nice addition and will hopefully draw some people in to spread more people out. Making my way out now to see what I can get up tonight!

Now that you mention it, yes it was renovated for Celebration. But it feels smaller inside, I don't have facts to back that up but it seemed smaller. It looks old and outdated, with freshly painted Carnival graphics all over. And it does not have a parking garage so it shares with Terminal G and V. It literally took almost two hours last time for me to get out of the parking garage, and I was not even on a top level. Three ships full of people, two gate agents who either were new or have very slow software processing payments. That's all I did and I was able to open the file. Maybe try a different browser? What date are you looking at? Maybe I can grab a screen shot for you. Miami traffic is very fickle! It doesn't take much and smooth sailing turns into a parking lot! Especially the way they drive down here. Sorry she didn't get lucky but so so glad I missed the headache that is typical of Miami traffic. I can't say that has happened too often 😅 Thankfully I just forgot it in the room! I forgot it completely on my four day cruise last weekend so it was double triple checked as often as I checked my passport 😆

The short ribs....I take a bite by itself to get a taste of the meat without the sauce. Dry. Like choke on it dry. I try the sauce, it's amazing and I'm hoping it can save the meat. It does it's best, but it does not succeed. Still quite dry. Still needs a starch, a nice polenta or even a well prepared mash potato would distract from the dryness and be a cheap ingredient to make the meal a little more filling. The biscotti....also dry. Not bad, but I'm extra sensitive to it now and this could be more moist. The gelato and the cream inside were both delicious and provided moisture, but they were very chintzy on the amount of each. I can't say I've ever been disappointed with Cucina before (the pay option, the Celebration version..meh) but this didn't really hit the mark despite the very strong start. Overall I'm still satisfied, and if this was not an upcharge I would be happy but at $18 above an included meal in the dining room, this didn't really live up to expectations. The free bottle of wine was the saving grace. Absolutely made the meal worth the charge. I really did not expect to like it, more like a necessary evil to keep the bar bill down, but that was actually pretty good. Again, not a wine person, YMMV on that one 🙂 The service was top notch. Friendly, and prompt service and the welcome greetings were met again with friendly goodbyes on the way out.

The bed was fixed while I was out.

Biscotti 649.

Those arancini were amazing. Hot from the fryer with a nice crispy crunch and gooey cheese in every bite. The rice was cooked well and was served in a delicious slightly spicy tomato sauce. The calamari were good as well. Not too chewy and lightly breaded. I do have to ding it just a little as the sauce was a little watery and the calamari was a tad too greasy. Still very good but the winner was definitely the arancini. Short ribs and a side of broccoli and cauliflower 637. I feel like this short rib needs a pasta or a starch of some kind with it but let's dig in and see.

I forgot to bring my mobile bar. Arancini and calamari 618.

I'm hardly a wine expert, but that is actually pretty good. I wanted something sweet and was advised this would be dry. I've had much drier prosecco before. Another benefit of being solo, it's one per table. Table of four next to me has to split theirs. Score. Bread is here.

Free wine is one option a chardonnay. They don't do half off a nicer bottle here only steakhouse l. I tried it, I can drink this. They try to steer you towards one appetizer but I ordered two and it wasn't a problem.

Very friendly in here. Had no less than five bona seras even from the kitchen.

I wouldn't call that quick but I think this smaller non smoking casino had potential. There are at least two servers and it's not super busy. Put this in the fridge for later. I forgot to pack straws. Off to Cucina for dinner now.

Sail away was a success although very gloomy out. I'll post some pictures later. At the non smoking casino to see how quickly I can get a drink. It's quiet in here but I don't see a server. Dinner soon may have to abandon my quest.

Looks like we've got some liquid sunshine. I'm going to venture outside and see how hard it is raining. If it's just a drizzle I'd like to take in the sail away, if it's too hard I will just try to catch it next time.

Didn't sleep but the bed is very comfy. I like it! Got unpacked and going to sit in the room for a few minutes with the snoozing sign off so maybe Stuart will come by and I can ask for my beds to be pushed together. So strange that any time I travel with someone they are almost always pushed together, and now I am solo and they are split. Weird. Once it is sail away time I will head out on deck to enjoy the beautiful Miami sail away.

Think I'm gonna try to catch a quick nap 😴.

Room ready...other than the split beds 🙄