blueangel74

Enjoyed your review Kimberly. Bermuda is on my list of places to go to. I will definitely look forward to your travel blog when you get it up & ready.

Have fun on the Vista. Johnnie, my friend Donna, & I will be sailing on the Vista in November. Hope you have a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. :)

Yay!!!! It's a GaPearl review. Congrats on your move to Nevada. Looking forward to reading more of your review of your cruise with your mother & Sean. I will also be on the look out for Sean's review also.

I will have a balcony for the first time for my upcoming cruise(Decided to splurge & go for a spa balcony on the Breeze for Halloween.).

But when I said are all the rooms "that" big, I meant like the room I got (which had a separate bedroom) or did I just get lucky. :D

I like to think positively. Think you got lucky.

 

So since you mentioned you stayed at the Sheraton last time, can you tell me if all the rooms are actually that big? Or was it just because I was on the end? I have really been wondering this.

 

I definitely wanted to make it out to eat some real PR food. It was just so hot and we were so worn out from walking in the heat. I will get to it next time for sure.

 

I have not been to LaRomana or Dominican Republic yet. Some day I hope. :)

The rooms from what I remember were big. I stayed in a single room with a huge bed. The room seemed big to me because it was only me in the room. Loved it. My room was not at the end of the hall. My sister had a room right next door to me & her room was big too. I would stay there again. Enjoyed not having to pay for a taxi to haul me & my luggage from the hotel to the port. :)

Hope you do get a chance to go to the Dominican Republic. It was nice but I would love the chance to go to Amber Cove on one of the Carnival cruises that sail to there as a port of call.

Enjoyed reading your review for your cruise. This itinerary is under very heavy consideration for my cruise next year. San Juan is one of my favorite port cities. I stayed at the Sheraton in Old San Juan the last time I cruised from there.

Someone said to try Barrachina for Puerto Rican food & I agree with them. Their pina colada is the only one I have ever enjoyed. Also try Rosa de Triana. Their mofongo was excellent.

Also have been looking at the Conquest out of Ft. Lauderdale. Only been to Grand Turk & LaRomana. I was not sure what to do in LaRomana so I ended up booking an excursion through Carnival. Think it was called the country side experience. Many people on my cruise booked excursions through Seavis Tours in the Dominican Republic. Have not been to the other two ports on that itinerary.

Glad to see a new review by you. I am seriously thinking about possibly doing this itinerary next year on the Fascination(or one of the Vista itineraries out of Miami.). That hotel you stated at looks huge.

I have to agree that GT and St Thomas are a few of my favorites. I really need to cruise out of San Juan and see more on a pre-cruise time frame, I think, in order to appreciate it more I guess.

 

I have not tried Magen's yet because, although everyone says it's pretty, they say it's such a tourist trap, no snorkeling, pay to get in, and that it's a VERY crowded beach because they push all the cruisers into going there. I absolutely LOVED Coki and Sapphire for the snorkeling and Sapphire was so beautiful. But, I will have to try something different next time, and it will probably be Magens just to experience it. :)

Magen's was beautiful. Was one of the first ones there. Didn't get a chance to snorkel there but I loved the view. When I left for the other part of my excursion, the beach began to get crowded.

The one thing I always do for each cruise(except for my Elation cruise. Went zip lining.) is snorkel. I will definitely look into going to Coki or Sapphire for the snorkeling. :)

Thanks and glad you enjoyed the review. Which are your favorite ports? Just wondering. If there's somewhere else you go at these ports, let me know. I hope to return some day.

 

Congrats to your sister in doing the LPN to RN program. At least she has a good head start in her knowledge with nursing. It's a long hard road. :)

The three ports that are my favorite are San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, & Grand Turk. For me to go back to any one of them, I would have to go out of Florida or fly into Puerto Rico. The nearest ports to me are New Orleans & Galveston.

When I went to San Juan, I stayed there for 2 days each time(2 days after the Conquest Repo cruise. 2 days before sailing on Splendor.) I am a history buff so I spent a lot of time at El Morro. Was going to go to San Cristobel but ran out of time because of going through El Morro. El Morro is a huge fort. The hotels I stayed in were in Old San Juan. There are cats walking through Old San Juan(Especially around the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista). They are fixed & the residents there take care of them. Some of the cats will let you pet them. Some will not.

Went on the Flavors of San Juan food tour. I highly recommend it. Got to try Puerto Rican food at six different restaurants. When my sister went with me, we went to the Barcardi Factory(Not a place for children.). The next time I go, I am planning on going to the El Yunque National Forest & to Fort San Cristobel.

I have only been to St. Thomas once & fell in love with it. When I went, I went to Magen's Bay Beach. Fell in love with how peaceful & beautiful it was there. As a part of the excursion I went on, our bus stopped in a shopping area not too far from the port. Walked around there & ate at a place called Green House. The food was good(Thought I could not go into a restaurant that had a lot of people in there from my home state & not get bad food. Lol). Got back to the port & decided to take the sky ride to Paradise Point. The view up there was gorgeous. Enjoyed a drink called bushwhacker while I was enjoying the sights from up there. In the little shop area at Paradise Point, there was a woman who had a bird show.

The next time I go, I will be looking into going to Coki Beach or Sapphire Beach.

I have been to Grand Turk twice. The first time there I went snorkeling. Went on an excursion through Carnival in which they took us to two different places to snorkel(One shallow. One deep.) Grand Turk has been the best place I have gone snorkeling at. Got to see the dolphins swim by as I snorkeled. My last time in Grand Turk, my sister & I rode atvs. When I saw your pictures of the roads in Grand Turk, it reminded me of all the bumps I tired to avoid. And those donkeys were everywhere. After our excursion, we stayed at on the beach at Margaritaville & walked down to Jack's Shack to see Topher. When I go back to Grand Turk, I do plan on going snorkeling again.

I want to go to St. Kitts & St. Maarten someday.

I am very happy for my sister going back for her RN after being a LPN for 19 years. She told me I had to cruise for me & her until she gets out of school which is something I will gladly do. Lol.

Finally got a chance to read your review & I enjoyed it. You went to three of my favorite ports & two ports I hope to visit someday. I'm sailing on the Breeze the week of Halloween.

Hope you have a speedy recovery from your surgery.

Your daughter is so beautiful. Loved her mermaid costumes.

Congrats on going for your BSN. Good luck with your studies. My sister is planning on starting in a program in the fall in which she will transition from LPN to RN. She is usually the person I cruise with when I do not go solo but will not be able to until she completes her studies. Told her when she got her RN she gets to pick the cruise we go on.

Thank you. So sorry about your mom. Losing a parent is a club that no one wants to be a part of. I know that my dad will always be watching over me from above as my angel.

New Orleans is my favorite city in the U.S. so I know that we will have a good time....we always do

Thank you. I know she is still with me as my angel also.

Enjoy the parades while you are in New Orleans. You leaving on the first weekend of parades & returning on the Sunday that Bacchus rolls. I will be looking forward to your Dream review. At the moment I am looking at booking either the Dream, Glory, or Vista for my cruise next year.

I have enjoyed reading your review. Thank you again for providing links in gapearl's Royal Caribbean review for your reviews of the Celebrity Silhouette & the Norwegian Jade. I have read those reviews as well. The research process has been started to figure out which cruise line I would like to try other than Carnival. I love Carnival & I have had nothing but positive experiences with them but would like to try a different cruise line at least once. Again, thank you for your information.

Brianna,

I am very sorry about your father's passing. Always enjoyed reading your reviews about the cruising adventures you had with your father. This coming Monday will make one year since my mother passed away. She would always tell me & my sister those who pass on will always be in your heart, always on your mind & watching over you no matter where you are(Hence the statement in my signature about the angel & the devil cruising together with their mother watching over them from up above.).

I enjoyed your review & seeing the pictures of the Elation. The Elation was the ship that got my sister addicted to cruising.

I love reading about the adventures you & your krewe have.

Enjoy your time in New Orleans before going on the Dream & have an awesome cruise.

Monicia :)

Oh, if you are also interested in NCL and Celebrity, I have also reviewed my cruises on them right here on cruise critic. Links for you, if interested.

 

NCL Jade (we stayed in a non haven 2 bedroom penthouse suite, squeezed in 6 pax!)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2139138

 

Celebrity Silhouette

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1952065

 

Both were good, but different.

Thank you very much. I have begun to read your MSC Prezoia review & I am enjoying reading your review, watching the videos you have posted & pictures you took.

I would encourage you to try other cruise lines just to see what they are like. We have sailed mostly with Royal but we have also tried Celebrity Silhouette once, NCL Jade once, and more recently MSC Preziosa (Yacht Club). All are alike yet different. I am still reviewing my cruise on the Preziosa, this the link to the review on the MSC Boards of the cruise critic forum, if you are interested - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2288693

Thank you. I will look at your review. I met a gentleman in St. Thomas who was sailing on MSC Divina & he had good things to say about MSC. One of my friends sailed on Celebrity out of Miami. She was very happy with Celebrity.

Almost booked a cruise on NCL's Breakaway the year it first sailed but became interested in a repositioning cruise on the Carnival Conquest from New Orleans to San Juan.

My plan is to go on at least one other cruise line no matter if I have to drive to New Orleans or Galveston or fly to the port.

I don't think NCL has ships out of Singapore. Princess does and I think Celebrity does too. It was so awesome posing next to the tiger. They were very chill, just big lazy cats. The Marina Bay Sands was truly amazing. Definitely once in a lifetime at that price. Lol Dr. E came to the Magic almost as soon as I left. He was the assistant CD on one of my cruises a few years ago and is really awesome. It would be fun to be onboard with him again. Drag queens coming to the dinner table would have given me so much life on a cruise! :D

Thank you for the info on Princess & Celebrity. I will look into them. Every once in a while I think about taking a cruise on another line just to see what the difference is between them & Carnival. Royal Caribbean & Norwegian have been the two I have been looking at the most.

Dr. E made the most out of the cruise that Patricia tried to ruin. He kept saying Bye Patricia instead of Bye Felicia. LOL. Would love to be on another cruise with him as CD.

From what two of the ladies said at my table, the drag queens on the Magic cruise always cruise out of Galveston every year. They gave us all life. Can't wait to see them again on the Breeze cruise.

Hey Monicia! How did you and Johnnie enjoy your Magic Halloween cruise? I'm glad you're enjoying the review. I sure could have used some fun table mates like y'all at dinner lol. Glad to see I'm not the only southern girl that doesn't like tea! Ha! :p

Just finished reading your review. Loved how you were able to be near the tiger. That hotel in Singapore was gorgeous. Would love to do a sailing like this someday. I would probably do this on Royal Caribbean or Norwegian.

Halloween on the Magic was awesome. Loved Dr. E. He has been the best cruise director on any Carnival ship I have sailed on. Halloween on Magic was a lot of fun. Had so much fun that I am sailing on the Breeze for Halloween(Probably as a solo because Johnnie is looking at going back to school for her RN.).

Sorry to hear about your table situation. You would have loved the table we had on the Magic. All women who were related & we had a lot of fun. So much fun that the drag queens on board always stopped by our table every night to chat w/all of us.

Hope you have a Merry Christmas.

Some of the restaurants on Siloso Beach.

 

 

Take a ride on this lift.

 

 

 

I stopped at Coastes and got settled in there for the day. A lounger and umbrella rental was $20 and that includes two free iced teas. Please don't revoke my southern girl card, but I don't like tea. At all. Not iced tea, not hot tea, not even sweet tea. I'm sure I'm the only person in the south that doesn't drink tea. I asked if I could substitute the tea for a soda or bottle of water, but there are no substitutions. They have free wifi, so of course I had to upload a few pictures of my view to make everyone back home jealous when they woke up.

 

 

 

Don't worry. You are not the only Southern girl who does not like tea. I don't either. Enjoying the review so far.

Hi Kimberly! Clicked on your review for your Royal Caribbean Cruise. Just started reading it & slowly making my way through it. Can't wait to read all the way through. :)

I am so sorry for your loss. Always enjoyed reading your reviews & seeing you & your dad enjoyed cruising. Saying a prayer for you, your mom, & your family during this time.

I enjoyed reading your review. Looking forward to sailing on the Breeze when she comes to Galveston next year.

I enjoyed reading your review of the Carnival Victory. The pictures you took of Half Moon Cay were beautiful. Definitely planning on going on a cruise that stops there.

Glad you & your family had a great time together. Your uncle seems like quite the character but in a good way.

Enjoyed reading your review for Splendor. Seeing the pictures you & your wife took around Splendor brought back many good memories of my Splendor cruise. Looking forward to your review on Breeze. My sister & I will be cruising on the Breeze from Galveston in 2016. Enjoy your cruise. :)

Girl you should! It only will take about an hour and it's just $15. You'll still have your whole day free to hit up the beach and get some Mexican food. Have fun on the Magic! I wish I could cruise with y'all again. :)

 

 

 

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the review. The next one will be a big one for sure! :D

Definitely will look into the chocolate store. It would be a pleasure if we have the opportunity to sail with you again. :)

Finally got a chance to read all of your review. It was awesome. Loved the chocolate store you went to. I am seriously looking into doing this with Johnnie when we go to Cozumel.

 

 

 

Which itinerary are you doing again?

Cozumel, Belize, & Roatan. We have been to Cozumel(Johnnie has been once. I have been there three times). It will be our first visit to Belize & Roatan. We know we are going cave tubing in Belize. Still trying to figure out Cozumel & Roatan.