SRQbeachgirl

The Magic, Dream, and Breeze are the only ships I would splurge on this, and YES it's worth it on those ships! The T-pool is included and is the best!

There are two potential ways to play/win. You buy game cards that each have a bar code and number on them. A number is randomly selected and the person who bought that card goes onstage to be the contestant. For everyone else, while the contestant opens briefcases the audience members open the briefcases on their cards. If the dollar amount for a particular briefcase on your card matches the dollar amount of the briefcase the contestant opens, then you have a match. For two matches you get a $25 Bingo card package. For three you get $30 Casino credit. Four is $50 cash. The prizes go up the more matches you get.

I'm enjoying a very relaxing (aka "lazy") last sea day morning courtesy of Java Blue and the deep blue sea. And Mr. SRQ, since he made the coffee run. Running into a lot of seaweed this morning. We're also being bombarded with disembarking instructions. We've gotten no fewer than four letters, a flyer, and just heard an announcement. QUIT REMINDING ME!!! 🙄☹️

That is my kind of themed cruise!

The line for Bingo cards is from Grand Central all the way into the Palm Restaurant. I guess everyone loves the chance to win a free cruise. I'm only here because we won a free bingo package in Deal or No Deal last night (along with $50 cash and $30 casino credit--not bad).

Apparently it rained early this morning. Like, seriously rained. With lots of lightning and thunder. Mr. SRQ and I slept right through it. We woke up to a drenched balcony with standing water. Fortunately it drained fairly quickly and I was able to start my morning like any good Sea Day should be started. We had reservations for Bolt at 10:30, but they've pushed all the appointments back to give the ride time to dry out. I mean, I know it's called Bolt and is supposed to be an electrifying ride, but we really don't want to take that literally, do we? ⚡️

Your wife is correct (and I know she will enjoy hearing "you were right, dear"). 🤣 It is free the first time and $8 per person for the second visit.

Mahogany Bay is our favorite "beach day" stop. It's hard to beat a beach cabana, especially when the included hammock is so darn comfy. That might be my leg hanging off the side in the first photo below. I think this was right before I fell asleep. Mr. SRQ eventually had to wake me up--something about snoring and scaring off the wildlife. I have no idea what he's talking about, though, since obviously I don't snore. Duh. 🙄😉 And a couple of early morning shots as we docked.

Our first was a 7-day on the Carnival Holiday in 1992 to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. We've cruised Carnival, RCL, and Celebrity, but we happen to be on Carnival Mardi Gras as I type this.

It was a towel animal attack on the MG Lido Deck today! I'm thinking there must be a Georgia fan in the Fun Squad! 😂

Well hello, Mr. Sea Turtle! Every time we have visited Mahogany Bay I've seen sea turtles from our balcony. Mr. SRQ, however...hasn't. It goes like this... Me: Hey, there's a sea turtle down there! *Mr. SRQ runs outside...just as the turtle dives.* Him: Where? I don't see it. Me: You just missed it. Wait a couple of minutes and it'll come back up. *He waits all of 15 seconds and gives up, then goes back inside* Me: There it is again! *He runs back outside* Him: WHERE?!? Me: You just missed him again. Him: Forget it. I'm going back in the air conditioning. Every. Single. Time. 🤣

Yes, you could tell they weren't happy. They were doing their best with what they had, but it pretty much stunk for everyone. I felt bad for them having to sit in their sweltering shops all day knowing they weren't going to make much revenue.

That was a different person, an 18 year old who jumped off the Blackbeard's Revenge in the Bahamas on a dare from his friends. They were on a graduation trip staying at the Atlantis. It was first reported that he jumped off a cruise ship but later corrected that it was a sunset cruise.

Thank you for coming along! Hiaasen is my favorite for that as well. He seriously knows how to capture all the quirkiness of Florida!

We sailed closer to Cuba's coastline than we have ever done, plus our Samsung Galaxy S22+ phones have really great cameras.

Thank you! She's a great ship!

Costa Maya So, what can be said about Costa Maya? It's just...so...so....well, words escape me. Which, for anyone who knows me, is a rare occurrence. The port area was having a power problem and most of the shops had no power. Which meant no lights in the shops. No air conditioning in the shops. And most critically, no Wi-Fi for credit card transactions in the shops. Or restaurants. Or BARS! Needless to say, nobody was happy there today! Even the flamingos got into an ugly brawl! Y'all, it was chaos! At least the pole flyers didn't need power. And the flamingos eventually calmed down and made up...or at least stopped antagonizing each other. We missed the trolley on the way back to the ship so we had to make the hike on foot, but we got to see some decent schools of fish behind the ship. We had an excellent dinner at the Steakhouse tonight, where we sat next to a couple from the "other" coast of Florida and struck up a really nice conversation. Might have had something to do with the two watermelon martinis I had before dinner. Mr. SRQ says I get a bit outgoing and talkative when I drink. Like I need anything extra to get me talking... 🙄😆 The Love and Marriage show tonight was hilarious as always. Mr. SRQ has forbidden me from ever trying to get us entered into that contest. I think he's a bit traumatized from last year on the MG when I may or may not have had to do a Tarzan yell in front of the entire theater when they were selecting couples. 😳 But that's another story... Tomorrow it's Cabana Time at Mahogany Bay!

Thanks for coming along!

The Dream is the only one in the Dream class we haven't sailed. Love, love, love that class of ship and was disappointed when Magic left PC.

Being stalked by the Dream in Costa Maya today. I mean, if you're gonna be stalked, this is a pretty good way to do it. 😜

I can tell you that is certainly not the case on the Mardi Gras right now!

Awwww, you look so happy! Glad you at least have one!

Wow, that's crazy expensive. But also Spring Break so everything is sky high then. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending how I look at it), we have plenty of Hilton Points so this stay cost us nada.

Thanks for joining! We're having a blast!

You should definitely do it again and get the photos. You need those photos! Mr. SRQ said he can't remember when I've looked so darn happy in pictures! Usually I'm the one trying to hide behind someone or serepticiously lean out of the frame. 🤪