Cjh1975

I basically spent all day Friday getting ready for the trip. Laundry, packing, getting the kids stuff ready to spend the week with their grandmothe. Around 7:00pm I dropped the kids off at a friends house and gave them hugs and kisses and said my I love yoys and goodbyes. Then I was headed off to Diane's house. Luckily traffic want too bad. I got to her how se loaded up her car and we headed to LAX. We parked the car at 405, which found to be the cheapest. We hopped on their shuttle and were at the airport in no time. Check in was a Breeze we just walked up to the counter. Diane's bags were a bit over her limit so we had to move things around a bit to get her under the limit. The security check at the airport wasn't too bad either. We weren't through it pretty quickly. Once through the security check we were a bit bummed because we usually start our vacation off with some drinks at Gladstones but we realized we were in the wrong terminal for that :(. Our flight want until 11:55 so we wondered around looking for a place to grab a drink. We found a bar and next the Kogi truck restaurant. I have been to the Kogi truck several times and I love it. I didn't realize they had a spot in LAX. Diane order a beer for her and a margarita for me and I went and got us some tacos. The tacos were delish as always. After eating and drinking we went to our gate and boarder the plane. The flight was a red eye so I selpt a bit.

Hello everyone here's goes another review:). First a little background: I'm 39, from Southern CA and this was my 6th cruise. I cruised with my favorite cruising buddy Diane. Hope you enjoy the review and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

One of the nice girls we met at the piano bar took the next few pics. You can see us in them :)

 

 

 

hey girl, its Caroline. Love these pics. We had so much fun in there. I miss it.

I loved this picture of the starfish in one of the stairwells. There were so many nice pictures but this is the only one I snapped a pic of.

 

 

Red Frog Pub: We went in here a few times and they had someone playing live acoustic guitar.

 

 

The starfish pic was my fav too.

We sadly took the elevators down to the atrium and walk off the Glory L we headed down to customs and waited a while. When we got to the customs officer I went to hand him my birth certificate and he said, “I don’t need to see that, just your ID.” Which I thought was odd, every other cruise customs had looked at my birth certificate and some even ask for my marriage certificate since my last name on my ID and BC don’t match.

We had an early flight to catch so we called SAS to let them know that we had been through customs and they said a driver would be on his way. We waited a while and didn’t see them, so Diane called SAS and left a message. The driver called back saying that he couldn’t find a spot to stop so he was going around the port and would be back. He finally came by, pulled up and picked us up. We stopped at some other terminals to pick up some other passengers from other ships then were on our way back to Fort Lauderdale. I flight was at 10:45 and we were a little worried we were going to miss it. We got to FLL and were the first ones dropped off. We went walk in to the terminal and the lady working asked what time our flight was, we told her and she brought us up to the front of the line. Then we headed to the security line which was long and moved pretty slowly. There was a police dog in line which was really cute. We were pretty close to the front of the security lines when the officer standing next to the officer holding the dog’s leash shouted, “Everyone, DO TOUCH THE DOG!!!!! He is working and this isn’t a petting zoo” which we had to laugh at cause he sounded ridiculous. When we got to the scanners we took off our shoes and put our stuff i8n the bins for scanning. An officer came over and told us to put our shoes back on and not use the bins, which I also found weird, I have never been told not to use the bins. So we put our bags on the belt for scanning and walked through the body scanner holding my phone. After making through security we had to make a pit stop at the restrooms and then headed over to the gate. As we walked to the gate the Southwest employee said, “Are you Caroline & Diane?” We answered yes and he said, Welcome you are the last ones to board. We boarded the plane and since we were the last to board we had to seat in middle seats. I sat behind a couple who had a child with them and they were arguing loudly. Finally a flight attendant came up and told the man that he would have to move seats. The man was very angry and demanded to know why he had to move. The flight attendant told him that if we were in the air and they started arguing like that again the plane would have to be diverted to another airport and they would be escorted off, and to save everyone’s time it would be easier to diffuse the situation now. So the man switched seats but was not happy about it. Then we took off and landed in New Orleans about 2 hours later.

By then we were hungry so we decided to grab something to eat and since we were in New Orleans we decided to stop at Zatttarans for some food. I ordered a sausage sandwich with gumbo and was really disappointed, but I guess I shouldn’t expect too much from airport food. After lunch I sat and charged my phone for a while then we boarded our plane back home to LAX. On that flight we had a sick guy that they had to page a doctor for assistance to help him out. When we landed we had to wait until the sick guy got off the plane before we could get off. We got off the plane, grabbed our bags and waited for my husband and kids to pick us up. They got there and we headed to Applebee’s for dinner then dropped Diane off at her house and our trip was over. L It was an awesome trip and can’t wait for our next one. Thanks for taking time to read this and I hope you enjoyed it

We woke a little sad this day because our fabulous trip was coming to an end and we were back in Miami.

We headed up to breakfast then came back to our cabin and enjoy the view from our balcony one last time

Before we left our cabin I had to take a picture of something that bothered me all week..........

This tile was hung on the bathroom wall directly above the toilet. Across from the toilet is a large mirror so when you are on the toilet doing you business and not only do you see yourself in the mirror, you see this tile staring at you.

Probably the only person on the ship that was bothered by this but for some reason I just found it awkward.

We said goodbye to our awesome room steward

Grabbed our luggage and left the cabin

This morning we woke up and went to the Sea Day Brunch to use our drink coupons. The brunch was yummy and we met a couple who were on the ship to celebrate their fathers 101 birthday. After brunch we went to some trivia, then Hasbo Game Show which is always fun to watch. Next we went to the Q&A session with the cruise director and assistant CD. This was really funny, the answers the two of them have to people's questions were hilarious. After the session we chatted with them for a bit

Dr E and I

Wally and I

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After the Q&A we went to grab lunch and I headed to the Fish n Chips for one last time I ate up on deck 10 and watched the Groove for St Jude's and I bought my t-shirt. Then we went back to the cabin to pack up and get ready for dinner. While waiting for a table we saw a couple we met a dinner a few nights earlier so we decided to get a table with them.

Me with our server DWI. He said he was accepting applications for his next girlfriend :)

After dinner we said our goodbyes to them and headed back to the room.

A sight I hate to see

When we got back to the room this was waitng for me

I had won the ship on a stick a few days before from the morning show and was wondering if it was going to come. After changing we headed out and went to the piano bar for a bit which was once again disappointing. We decided to check out the comedian and he was hilarious!!!!! He was my favorite of them all. After the show we went and grabbed some pizza, then we were off to bed

Another Carnival ship

After hanging on the deck we went to the Serenity deck to use the hot tin for a while. After the hot tub we got ready for dinner. After dinner we went to see Dr E do his sing a long. This time it was themed the oldie but goodies and the 90s. For this one he played songs from all the decades starting with the 60s through the 90s. Once again it was a really fun time. After that we watched Transformers on the big screen. I hadn't watched one before and found it pretty cool watching a movie under the stars in the middle of the ocean. After the movie we went to bed.

Today we slept in then headed to breakfast. After breakfast we laid out in the Lido deck for a few hours. We basically had a chilled, relaxed day. We did several trivia games and won nine of them. We did tie for first place with 2 other teams in the comercial tag line trivia but we lost in the sudden death round. We played scatagories, we even tried the Amazing Race game but we were eliminated in the first round, but it was fun to watch the rest of the teams do it. I gambled a bit then headed back to the room. Then Diane surprised me with a piece of carrot cake.

We rested in the room for a bit then headed back to the Lido for a bit.

There were quite a few other ships out with us

After the past guest party we got ready for dinner. They night the dinning room was quite busy and it there were no large tables available so we were sat a table for 2 but luckily we were sat next to a couple that we sat with earlier in the week so we chatted with them. After dinner we went to Dr E's name that 80s song. This was so much fun!!! He played snippets of songs and we had to figure our what they were then after he played all of them we were going to back through the list and sing along. When we were about 3/4 if the way through the listening to the snipets Dr E got a call on his cell, then Wally the assistant CD showed up. Once Wally got there Dr E took off running! Obviously something was wrong. A few mins later we hear a page from Dr E stating that we would be heading back to Puerto Rico for a passenger that had a medical emergency. A few mins later Dr E was back to finish the show.

While watching the show we ran into a couple of ladies we met a few nights before and she offered us some shots of jäger. That was my first time trying it and I really liked it, it tasted kinda like black licorice which I love. After the show we called it a night

I'm back to finish the review :). Sorry to leave you hanging but Ive been really busy lately.

After hanging on the balcony for a while we headed to the past guest party. We sat down and ordered a couple of shade-ades from a server and were served some appetizers and listen to the band play some songs. Then Dr E came out and performed as James Brown which was really funny

to

The servers were good and took our drink orders before we finished our first drinks

The cruise director the spoke for a bit and showed the film with all the ships and everyone claps for the ships they have been on. I could only clap for four of the shops but am looking forward to being able to clap for a lot more someday.

Next they showed the options for the Super Bowl commercial. I liked the cruise virgin one the best personally. Next the officers came officers came out and were introduced. We ordered some more drinks and this time I got a Miami Vice

We got back to the ship and grabbed a guys burger them went to the room to get ready for the past guest party. While Diane was getting ready I

Chilled on the balcony for a while.

Senor Frogs

Looks like she had a good time at Senor Frogs

Then Trish came around and gave us some free Fireballs which I’ve never had before but was pretty good. I saw something on the drink menu and had to try it. It was called a bushwhacker and was a frozen drink with chocolate and peanut butter. One sip and I was in love, it was so tasty!!!! I told Diane she had to try it and she ended drinking half of it.

The Bushwhacker AKA awesomeness in a cup

Whenever I am back in St Thomas, which hopefully will be next Jan, I will make a point of going to the Rum Island Bar and ordering another Bushwhacker. We spent several hours at this bar and just before we were about to leave Ivan bought us a round of drinks. Seabass asked me what I wanted and I said surprise me. I forgot what he made me but was a fruity mixed drink and was pretty good. We then said our goodbyes to Ivan and Keith took our drinks and headed back to the ship. The ship wasn’t too far away so we decided to walk back. I’m glad we did because it was a very scenic walk.

Three ships at dock

We docked in St Thomas at 7:00am but since we had no set plans for this port we decided to sleep in a bit. When we woke up we grabbed some breakfast and off the ship and walked over to where the taxis are.

Christmas decorations were still up in St Thomas too

We found a taxi that would take us to the Charlotte Amalie shopping area for 4.00 each. We took the quick ride over and hopped off the taxi and went over to the little swap meet type area. I bought a few things for the kids then we left and started walking towards the brick and mortar stores. We were looking for a good place to stop and buy drinks. We found a spot where we each had a Caribe, the local beer, and some chips and queso. After that we just wondered around for a while browsing in the stores. Then we decided to find another bar so we found one place where you can but a drink and add as much rum in it as you want. They gave us some free samples but we decided to pass. Then we saw a little bar down one of the side streets and decided to check it out. It was called the Rum Island Pub. So we decided to get a drink there. It was a fun bar with great bartenders. Trish and Seabass were working behind the bar and were great. When we sat down Trish gave us some free samples of some frozen berry drink that was really good so I ordered that and Diane had some beers. The bar had a few signs around it that said “Husband Daycare Center” and that’s exactly what it was beside me and Diane, it was all men at the bar who’s wives were out shopping and the wives would stop by from time to time.

After my frozen drink I had a few more Caribes. I’m not a huge beer drinker but I really liked the Caribe.

While at the bar we met the two guys that were sitting on the sides off us: Ivan from Canada and Keith from somewhere. The four of us had so much fun hanging out and joking around.

The four of us

Trish and Seabass

Sail away was at 10 at night so we didn't really do much after that. We went to the piano bar for a bit and saw about the last 5 mins of the comedy show. Then we called it a night

We headed up to the Serenity deck and went in the hot tub. We spent a hour or so in the hot tub then went and got ready for dinner. After dinner we went to the Lido Deck to watch sail away.

Goodbye Puerto Rico

After sail away we went back to our room and there was our towel animal with our past guest party invitations.

Headed back to the ship.

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We walked around the port area for a while which was still decorated from Christmas.

Then we were headed back on the ship

Somehow when we got back on the ship we ended up on a crew elevator instead of the passenger one

When the elevator got to our floor it opened up to a bunch of hallways and we had no idea where to go. Luckily a crew member saw us and showed us the way out. Then we headed back to our cabin and saw there was a little treat form the cruise director. We were talking to him the night before and he asked us for our room number, then these showed up today. That was nice of him.

We still had quite a while till sail away but we didn’t feel like going back out so we decided to go to the hot tub. We walked up to the Lido deck and looked at other ships. The HAL ship that was in port with us the day before and the Carnival Sunshine were docked with us.e decided to go to the hot tub. We walked up to the Lido deck and looked at other ships. The HAL ship that was in port with us the day before and the Carnival Sunshine were docked with us.

I noticed when we walked around that a lot of stores still had Christmas decorations up. I guess they just weren’t ready to let go of the holidays.

Even myCoke was Christmassy

After hanging on the beach for a while we decided to walk back to Oroscos. We left our towels on the chairs to save them. The trifongo was just as delicious as I remembered it and I washed it down with the local beer.

After having a couple more beers we decided to walk back to the beach. We get back to where the chairs were and they are gone. We look around and the people who were renting them were gone too…………….and so were our beach towels L We weren’t even gone an hour, and the people who rented the chairs to us saw as walk away so I wish they would have said something to us if they were going to shut down soon. This kinda put a damper on our say and we decided to head back to the ship. We found a taxi and headed back to the ship.

We weren’t scheduled to arrive in to Old San Juan until late afternoon so it was kind of like having a sea day in the morning. We woke up and got breakfast then laid out on chairs on the Lido deck where I napped for a bit. Then we went to play some trivia, which we lost. Then we went back to our chairs for a while. We went back to the rooms and got ready to go out for the day, then sat on the balcony as we sailed in.

This was a cool little area that was still decorated for Christmas, you can see the toys soldiers and there were little gingerbread houses too.

Last cruise I took was out of San Juan and we stayed in Condado and loved the beach there so we decided to go back there. We took a cab over there for $14.00. I wanted to go to Oroscos for their trifongo, because I had it last time I was there and I loved it. Oroscos was opening late that day so we decide we would go to the beach and come back after 4:00. We walked over to Walgreens to get some snacks and drinks then headed to the beach. We found some people who were renting chairs for 5.00 each so we got two chairs and sat down. The waves were too strong for us to go in the water so we just relaxed on our chairs and enjoyed the view. This beach is beautiful!

Love your review :)

Thank you

Thank you for an excellent review. We are leaving in 3 days and I loved seeing what you did! We are also doing Cosol Tours, and so it was nice to see how the tour was from your perspective. Hope you get to sail again soon! :)

How did you like Cosol Tours?

After we were back on the ship we were hungry so we decided that we hungry so we went to the Lido deck to grab something to eat. Back in 2012 when I was on the Liberty I tried a Guys Burger and hated it. I thought it was WAY overrated. Since then I refused to eat another one. For some reason I decided to give Guys another try and OMG, I'm glad I did! I had the ringer and it was good!

After eating that delicious burger we went to put balcony to watch sail away.

After we went an walked around the ship. Then it was time for dinner. After diner our towel animal was waiting for us along with Diane's platinum gift

After dinner we went to watch guess that 70s tune with Dr E. That was so much fun! He does it at the stage by the casino and plays clips of 20 songs from the 70s. After he says all the clips he goes girls through the list song by song and has people sing and dance along. If you want get a seat you have to get there really early.

Dr E

Next we headed to the piano bar which surprisingly was pretty good that night. He sang a lot of upbeat songs and had a good size crowd. So we ended up staying there til the place closed then headed off to bed

We went in the water for a bit then it was time to head back to the ship (our least favorite part of the day)

Love the water here

Jacks Shack is a fun little bar with friendly staff. We grabbed a couple of seats and ordered some drinks. I have been wanting to try conch so I decided to order some conch fritters. I’m glad I did they were delish.

we had a great time hanging out at the bar. We met quite a few people from the ship and had a fun time chatting with them and the server we had was really friendly and we chatted with him for a while and had some more drinks. After spending a couple of hours at the bar we walked back to our beach chairs. On the walk back we came across these cute little houses and I found one that look empty so I decided that I wanted it to be my future residence.

Diane in front of my new house J

The view from my house