IntrepidFromDC

So you MIGHT join me for french fries in Paris ahead of the cruise?

Muster Captain, all you need is a Muster baseball cap (cheap) and reflective vest. You can point at people, demanding "Sir - no alcohol during muster!" and "Did you complete your Muster yet? EVERYONE MUST MUSTER!"

Fly to Paris nonstop a couple weeks ahead of the cruise like I am and we can dine in Paris together, Blerk! $567 from Washington, DC nonstop. The train from Paris to places between Paris and Barcelona is affordable! I'll be staying in Paris 3 nights, then Dijon, Lyon, Marseille, Monte Carlo, Nice, Arles and Avignon for 2 nights each before the $74 train from Marseille to Barcelona. Six straight fun-days-at-sea hopefully will not translate to six-straight-lose-money-in-the-casino-days-at-sea.

Wow, that's great to hear! Shaq was on my last Mardi Gras cruise last month, he did marriage recommitment thingys (forgot what they're called) on Lido deck. I've never been on a TA before, but I have experienced some rough North Atlantic seas. I suggest bringing seasickness pills for hubby if he's only done Caribbean and is prone... Caribbean: North Atlantic: Hope to meet you and chat on Venezia. 😁 🏴‍☠️

Hi! Just like last September, when I did the mix cruise (Greece, Sicily, Pompeii) and train around Italy (Cinque Terre, Bologna, Rome, Venice) I'll do a live with lots of pics and food talk. I'll probably just start a fresh thread and also follow along TravelBlueBird's live.

Thanks for sharing your trip, I love Mardi Gras. It looks like I'll be joining you on Venezia's maiden voyage, after three weeks in southern Italy, French Riviera and Barcelona. I'm excited because I've never been to Nice, Monaco or Monte Carlo before. Got a great casino offer on the May 29 15-day Venezia cruise and it works well with the Italy/French riviera trip I already had planned so I'm even more excited than before!

Anybody on the TA from Barcelona May 29? Casino offer right now is cheaper than free for that 15-day cruise (OBC + Casino Cash > $100 fare + port fees and taxes). I'll already be in Europe May 1 - May 29 so it's tempting on one hand, but hard to imagine being away from the dogs and ferrets that long. Easy to imagine losing a bunch in the casino on a TA though.

Anybody done a S2S Carnival/MSC cruise in Miami? I looked at what I think are the Conquest and Divinia terminals and it looks walkable. I'm not worried about distance or finding my way, I'm just curious about impediments/detours not on the map? TIA.

Hi, I searched using multiple key words and couldn't find the answer... could someone who has fairly recent experience with Conquest out of Miami tell me, in their best opinion, if the Conquest is scheduled to debark/arrive at 8am what time I would probably disembark with the early self-assist Platinum group? TIA.

Piling on to everybody's else's comments, thanks for taking us along. Your reviews feel like a party, lots of fun and great pics too. Hope the ankle is nearing 100% (well, revised "middle-age" 100% anyway), as mine is just the past few days. 'Til next time! 🍸😁🍹🏴‍☠️

What an amazing song and video to go out on!

Those cheap white t-shirts have carnival laundry salivating.

???

That guitar dude must have his head in the clouds if he thinks big balls are not gonna distract a Carnival audience! Look at that hand on the hip.

I actually wondered what that Na meant! 🤣 🏴‍☠️

30 - 40 minutes in line (I was with the swarm that just got off the ship, though... I imagine if you time things right the line would be shorter) and a five minute ride up. Boarding is quick.

Hurry! We're waiting!

A few steps down you'll find a used condom, no doubt.

I love the twisty, sail away out of NOLA, where it gets spookier and voodooier as you wind your way through the delta with the sunset and moonlit night.

I remember that strange walk from the hotel to the ship in NOLA, where the last ten minutes, before you turn past the building, you're wondering if you're on the right track, despite the signs. Then you see a couple official looking people and they're waving you on and you can taste that Funship Special already! Have fun, looking forward to following and hopefully no foot/ankle injuries!

Thanks, Tom. I had a bunch of tests and the consensus seems to be there is thickening of arteries on the left side of my head (impact) but they can't say whether it's due to aging (I'm almost 60) or the impact. I feel mostly like myself again but still feel pressure when I sleep on my left side and I'll hope the slow mend continues. Those casino chairs are the same ones but seem to be in pristine condition! Were you on the smoking side? The chairs at the tables and sit-down slots were not that spanking new, even the ones that weren't torn, from my memory.

THAT was fun to read! Saint Greg, International Man of Mystery (and Monkey)

The food is one of several things that makes Mardi Gras a grand departure from every Carnival ship before it, IMO. Be sure to grab "anytime" dining so you get the additional dinner options like Chibang at any time early, free. I've read people come in on both sides, but I've enjoyed every meal in Chibang quite a bit, and it's free like MDR food. I'm really tired of Carnival MDR food for the most part and Lido marketplace is hit or miss. Shaq's chicken and Cucina are great free options in my opinion, up there with Blue Iguana. The teppanyaki restaurant is fun but just like all the rest, Steakhouse is amazing and Rudi's is also great. Others have raved about Emeril's, I've been pretty happy with the food there but not "wow'd" like I am with the other pay food. Other great free options include the Food Truck type stations, Shawarma (don't sleep on Shawarma!) and Sea Dogs, good quality hot dogs and sausages from other countries. I still haven't tried Bolt. The Grand Central shows are fun to watch and worth the price of admission. The casino is huge and the slot machines seem to be turned down so it doesn't have that Vegas madness feel. I haven't been on Celebration yet, but Mardi Gras is everything Horizon should have been (I feel like Horizon was a disappointment) and more. Have a great cruise and bet you can't eat everywhere.

Random pics...

Steakhouse both legs of the cruise were my favorite meals.