TravelBluebird

More from the breakfast! It was very sweet and fun! $15 a person. Samg Happy Birthday. A Dr Seuss Showtime, photos with the characters. Food was fun—I had basic eggs and sides but also the French Toast which was covered in corn flakes with peanut butter and strawberry jam in middle. Boys tried the pancakes. Omelettes were fluffy and good. Everyone got birthday cake! I don’t usually eat a big breakfast so that is all until dinner!

Thing 1 and Thing 2 Breakfast!

Off to the Thing 1 and Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast! 8:30am—what was I thinking when we booked this? 😂

Just tonight I was sitting with my husband in the Magic Atrium, and I leaned over and said “It looks like a leprechaun threw up in here” 😂

Wandered around a bit listening to music here and there after the show. Then I ended up back in the casino. I sat down at a weird Wheel of Fortune machine. By the time I realized I was betting $6 a spin, I had two Wheel spins so was way up, and then moved to my fav Little Shop of Horrors machine where I managed to stay up, but ended the night about $100 less than my high point. Had fun. Bar service has been decent in the casino; but then I’m usually gambling late, and this cruise seems to have more day time gamblers. NOT as busy as the Excel class ship casinos overall, for whatever reasonl

We headed back to the Atrium, and there is this fun red-carpet pre-show for the FLICK show that happens there. I was one of the “celebrities” interviewed—shows up on a huge screen in the theater! Was lots of fun; CD Frankie asked questions, like what actress would play you in your life story (I said Bette Midler, cause people say I look like her….) Of course clueless DH, who was saving seats in the theater, did NOT video it for me, but DD did in the atrium of the filming part. Flick was an interesting show, I think it was the best show for this cast. They were down a cast member because one of the female singers had her last show with Carnival last night (flowers, hugs and goodbyes after Country Roads). The main female singer for this show was fantastic; really killed the songs, even Whitney Houston. Dancingf was elegant and even acrobatic. My only complaint was the costumes. The show really deserved better costumes…hoodies, and cape and drapey things, and after seeing shows like Celestial Strings, I know what a difference beautiful costumes make. DH went to see Country Roads alone last night. This is his quote, not mine: “It was a little lackidasical” and he didn’t like the song selection.

After the show went to buy birthday grandson the ship model. and HORRORS they have taken the nice, heavy ship model and madd it lighter and more plasticy feeling//looking. The heavy model was out on display, and when we picked up the 2 boxes left, they both felt empty. When opened, that was NOT what we were expecting, Rudee in the ship was able to find one of the old style for grandson. I wonder if this will be a fleet-wide change? Hope not; although some people may prefer the lighter model for packing purposes.

I always feel like the next to the last day is the day I’m trying to squeeze in so many things I want to do! Just got back to the room and its 12:40am. After sail away, we got ready for second elegant night. DH and I listened to the latin music in the atirum and then headed to meet the family at our dinner table. I must say SIL really has made the most of this trip! At dinner about 10 people came up to say hello to him at dinner tonight. He had half the people on the beach wishing younger grandson Happy Birthday (his birthday is toay!). And was not afraid to dance up on Lido or during Showtime at all. Formal dinner tonight was just perfect. We really adore our wait team of Ekka, Jerome an Jauvena (I hope I spelled that right). So attentive and also just really great people to talk to! I had no appetizers and so the prime rib and yep, 2 lobster tails. I’m so glad they no longer bring you a huge stack of plates when you do this…DH had his lobster tail and prime rib on one plate, and I did end up with 2 plates, but that was OK. My second lobster tail was actually my youngest,grandson’s as he’s just happy with chicken nuggets, so no charge. Eldest grandson had the prime rib, when I explained that was exactly what he likes that DH cooks for Christmas Dinner every year! He really ventured into the main menu this tirp. Lobster was perfectly cooked and decently sized, and the prime rib was medium rare and very nice. I had chocolate melting cake for desert since tomorrow I’ll want the Baked Alaska and had to have the melting cake 1 more time. After dinner we saw Sean Finnerty comedian for the 7:45 show. That show is such a gem—PG for a family to go to it, and never, ever a line. The show after that is usually standing room only. Photos tomorrow…dead phone is charging.

@Hogladyrider Hey there! And thank you; it was an awesome beach day!

Some more photos from Jacks! Also there are some new sweet beach dogs. Sure miss Topher though.

My family made it back! 🎉 Beautiful sail away of the Carnival Vista just now!

The blues of the water in Grand Turk never fail to amaze me! So beautiful. Hope the seaweed is a temporary thing.

Back on the ship! Wasn’t going to eat lunch but I didn’t have breakfast. Got hot, hungry and dehydrated on the walk back. So I just had most of a Guy’s Burgers and fries which may mess up my plans for a big formal evening dinner. Getting back to the ship has been a bit disorganized—hope everyone makes it! But I was NOT going to be standing with everyone on the pier waiting for the one family member who has a little trouble telling time, and making my late lunch even later. Don’t worry, my family knows I talk about them online—it’s like having a comedian in the family. Occupational hazard if you come on a cruise with me!

I’m on the ship right now! It’s not perfect but we are having a great time and I am really enjoying the ship!—I’d take a free offer on this ship! Here is my LIVE thread:

Some selfish human is blasting a boombox here on the beach. I come all the way to Jack’s Shack for the peace and quiet. If I wanted music, I’d be at Margaritaville.

They really need food and drink service TO the beach loungers at this point at Jack’s Shack. I’ll wait 45 minutes for food at my lounger but not doing it standing in line! And I really wanted those conch fritters even though they now cost $20 (!!)

If I forgot to mention it we are in port today with the Carnival Vista.

We left the ship right around 9:20 and I was worried we couldn’t get a good spot at Jack’s and of course, most of the front row by the water was taken up but we got lucky and we’re kind of in between where Jacks Shack and another small place that isn’t selling seats ended so we have a lovely view of the water. It seems that Jack shack has added quite a few loungers so there are more than when I was here last time. Another great improvement is they have a whole bunch of very fast white fans in the bar and food area and it’s nice and cool there now. Our lounge chairs were four for $46 including two big umbrellas. The place next-door which was not very busy was two umbrellas for $30 less crowd, but no bar and I didn’t see a restaurant or a bathroom.

We are at Jack shack in grand Turk, and it’s just a perfect day. The only thing that isn’t perfect is this is the first time I’ve been here that the beach is completely covered in seaweed all the way up and down the beach. Next to Jacks Shack are giant white bags full of seaweed that they are trying to get rid of and I think they’ve given up the battle.

Gorgeous day here in Grand Turk!

Oh wait, one last thing. Weather was not bad today at all; overcast so a little cooler; a bit of a breeze; I’m out on my balcony at 12:30 AM and it is humid but quite pleasant. I was worried about weather cruising in the summer, and honestly, much better than the incredible heat we had going to the ABC islands at the end of September. 91 predicted in Miami for disembarkation. That WILL be hot!

Today’s random cruise thoughts: First time I’d been to a beach in Dominican Republic. It was quite nice; not too crowded, water warm, no rocks to stub your toes on in the sand or things to cut your feet! Our table service was lightning fast tonight in the MDR; even though we all didn’t make it on time from our day out. We noticed lots of empty tables tonight at our 6pm seating lots of people were even more tired than we were. I always have a great time at Amber Cove. Don’t know why; just really enjoy the port and Puerto Plata area. Feels very safe also, compared to some of the other Caribbean ports, which is amazing since the other half of this island is Haiti. With 2 fairly large ships in port, for whatever reason the port shopping area and also in Puerto Plata didn’t feel very crowded—I’ve been here when I have felt more crowded. Always beautiful sailing in and out of this port; was a treat to back into the port with the tug at the pack since my balcony is aft. My flare up is much better; at least there is still some cruise left! I will enjoy that for rest of trip (we don’t get home till Monday; staying extra day in Fort Lauderdale area). Those people in the “eat in our room all cruise” room are still doing it. Today the offerings to the Hall Gods included two slightly moldy oranges. Are they food hoarders? Stowaways that dare not show their faces in the MDR or at the buffet? Inquiring minds want to know! With this new digital disembarkation thing, you now can order your disembarkation tags at any point in the cruise. So we’ve had ours in our room to depress us most of the week. I haven’t had much time to gamble in the casino this cruise; I do miss it, but family was first and I can’t very well be up half the night gambling then be up early for ports or family time. Hope I continue to get the casino offers! My free drinks in the casino have amounted to 1 Martini so far, that one night when I got to play. Maybe I’ll get some casino “me” time tomorrow night since I don’t have to be up early our last sea day. OK, that’s it for tonight! I have some more photos I want to share from Amber Cove /Dominican Republic but they are on my phone which is charging. Right now i’m on my iPad on my balcony. I find the noise at the back of the ship so soothing! Please let me know if you have any questions about the ports or the Magic!

Best laid plans of mice and grandmas never work out. Everyone checked the app and there was no age restriction that we saw on the Silent Party. The one I went to on Venezia which was also 10pm was not age restricted. But if it’s in VIBE, the nightclub, it’s 18 and over. So instead of the Silent Party I took the boys to the arcade so their parents could have some alone time. Stipulations in the arcade was had to be a game of skill, none of those spin the wheel and win tickets things. We had a blast—had 2 skee ball tournaments, and also played this little ‘shoot the tokens” thing which looks a lot like those quarter things in the casino…so a little on the edge, but it gave long play for the $$ and it was fun strategizing where to shoot the tokens. We spent about $25 but it was cheaper than a night in the casino for sure! I think we ended up with about 600 tickets; prizes nothing to write home about. Then we had pizza; very short line at about 11 tonight.

DH just decided he HAD to see the Country Roads show and ran off and will see me at the Silent Party later. So now I’m just grandma sitting’ in the corner nursing her Martini till the rest of the family shows up. The people watching is great from my corner! And I think that other than my balcony occasionally it’s the first alone time I’ve had this cruise.

LOL we just figured out we are THOSE Grandparents that bring their family on a cruise and are yes, having a great time, but also enjoy hiding in a corner for a little peace and quiet We are listening to the Clarosciuro duo.