Our Beautiful Breeze cruise (with pics) 8/15/15

[Jamman54]

Day 3 – Our second day at sea…..

 

 

The weather forecast for today was partly cloudy, with an occasional rain shower. The seas were fairly calm. This was the view out of our cabin window…..

 

 

 

Around 8am I made my way up to the Blue Iguana Cantina to get a breakfast burrito…..

 

 

 

 

To be continued……

[Jamman54]

Here is how you construct a breakfast burrito…..

 

 

This friendly crewmember is building my breakfast burrito. I like the jalapeno tortilla filled with Mexican eggs, chicken sausage, ham, cheese, potatoes, salsa, sour cream, and hot sauce…..

 

 

Here are a couple of pictures of the Salsa Bar…..

 

 

 

This is the nearby beverage station…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

I took my burrito over to the high top tables at the Red Frog Rum Bar…..

 

 

This was my view of the Beach Pool and Seaside Theater from my seat at the Red Frog Rum Bar…..

 

 

 

Patti catches me enjoying my first Thirsty Frog Red of the day…..

 

 

I hung out at the Red Frog Rum Bar for a few beers, then went to visit my buddy Theodoro back at the Tides Bar.

 

Meanwhile Patti took the camera, as she was planning to check out the Dr.Seuss parade, then play a three game set of bingo. Here we see that the stage is set for the Seuss a Palooza…..

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

The parade started all the way aft on Deck 5 in the Limelight Lounge, led by CD Matt Mitcham…..

 

 

 

The parade went the whole length of the Promenade Deck, then down two flights of the Atrium stairs to Deck 3, and finally winding up in the Ovation Theater…..

 

 

 

All the children sat right on the stage as Matt read the story of “The Cat in the Hat”…..

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Here is a page full of Seuss a Palooza pictures…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Here is Patti with Thing 1…..

 

 

After Seuss a Palooza was over, Patti remained in the Ovation Theater for bingo. She took these pictures of the Ovation Theater…..

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the bingo screen. Patti didn’t have any luck this session…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Patti met me at the Tides Bar, and we decided to have lunch at Cucina del Capitano. For those who are familiar with the Conquest and Splendor Class of ships, it is located where the Fish and Chips or the Rotisserie is on those ships. Here is the entrance on Deck 11. There is another entrance on Lido Deck 10…..

 

 

For lunch the Cucina del Capitano is a pasta bar, and there is no charge. For dinner they serve Italian meals for a $15 up charge. Here is the menu board outside of the entrance…..

 

 

Reservations are not needed for lunch, but are recommended for dinner. Here is the reservation table…..

 

 

Here are the Chef’s preparing the meals…..

 

 

When you are seated you are given a number. We were given # 20 which just happens to be Patti’s birthday!

 

 

They give you a paper to fill out with your choice of pasta, sauce, salad, bread, extras, etc. You hand it to your waiter, and then the chef’s prepare it. Here are my selections…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[nybumpkin]

Jeff, your photos of Matt Mitcham with Seuss-a-paloosa are great. In all the pictures I see of him, I see someone who really enjoys his job. We didn't get to sail with Matt when we sailed on Breeze in July - he was on vacation (but Dr. E. was great!) - but we're looking forward to sailing with him on Vista next year.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review!

[Jamman54]

Here are Patti and I at Cucina del Capitano…..

 

 

 

There is one big negative with the location of Cucina del Capitano, and that is the Sports Court is located directly above it. While we were there, it sounded like an earthquake was happening above your head, and the chandelier was actually swaying a little. It was so loud that even the turned up music they were playing couldn’t hide it. I was told that they close the Sports Court during dinner hours, but that’s not fair to those that want to use it. They should have installed padding above Cucina del Capitano, then installed the Sports Court above it. Anyway, here are some Cucina del Capitano views…..

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued……

[Jamman54]

After about 20 minutes our meals were delivered to us…….

 

 

 

Other than the noise from above, we both enjoyed our lunch, and made plans to try the Cucina del Capitano for dinner one night.

 

Afterwards, Patti and I made our way to the casino to play blackjack for a few hours. Patti wound up winning $50, and I won $200. Not a bad afternoon!

 

We both went to the Red Frog Pub for a few drinks, and then made our way back to our cabin to relax before heading to dinner. We both loved the cranberry nut bread…..

 

 

Tonight, both Patti and I started with the spring rolls and a shrimp cocktail…..

 

 

Ryan and Patti both had the baked ziti……

 

 

Patti also had as side of green beans…..

 

 

To be continued…….

[Jamman54]

I had the veal parm……

 

 

I also had the pork chop again, and it was good, just like the first time…..

 

 

For dessert, Patti had the butter pecan ice cream, while I tried the coconut cake…..

 

 

After dinner, Ryan and I went to the comedy club to see Cee Jay Jones, and it was a very good show. From there I went to play blackjack, and gave back $250. Still up for the cruise though.

 

I was back to the cabin by midnight to find tonight’s turndown service and towel animal. It was another fun day!!!

 

 

 

Coming up next: Land Ho!!! Our day in St. Maarten.

[negronw_1]

I AM lOVING THE REVIEW. I COME HOME EVERY DAY HOPING YOU PUT A LITTLE MORE EVERY DAY. GOING ON THE BREEZE ON NOV. 7 AND CAN'T WAIT. WONDERING YOUR THOUGHTS ON MATT THE CD?? CAN'T WAIT TO READ MORE

[Jamman54]

Jeff, your photos of Matt Mitcham with Seuss-a-paloosa are great. In all the pictures I see of him, I see someone who really enjoys his job. We didn't get to sail with Matt when we sailed on Breeze in July - he was on vacation (but Dr. E. was great!) - but we're looking forward to sailing with him on Vista next year.

Looking forward to the rest of your review!

 

Thanks for continuing to follow along Kathy. We enjoyed Matt very much, and had the pleasure of speaking with him several times during the cruise.

 

I AM lOVING THE REVIEW. I COME HOME EVERY DAY HOPING YOU PUT A LITTLE MORE EVERY DAY. GOING ON THE BREEZE ON NOV. 7 AND CAN'T WAIT. WONDERING YOUR THOUGHTS ON MATT THE CD?? CAN'T WAIT TO READ MORE

 

Thanks for reading!! Matt was great. He was everywhere, which you will see as the review progresses.

[retiring soon]

Hi all!

 

Jamman54 ~ loving your review which is taking me back to my 2 cruises on Breeze, just couldn't do it all on one cruise! I did Breeze followed by Getaway & loved them both.

I never had Matt on either cruise so hope to possibly see him on Vista at some point. JayLynn was a comedian both times I sailed & I enjoyed her show.

Loved Cucina & went for both lunch & dinner.

You're making me want to do Breeze again!!:o

 

Looking forward to seeing the ports through your & Patti's eyes.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[Rockypoint]

Thank you so much for putting together such a detailed review. We will be sailing on the Breeze in just 28 days on the same itinerary as this cruise. I am beyond excited! We are taking my mom on her first cruise, can't wait for her to experience it.

[wrigley80]

Hey gang!! I will be posting some more pages later today.

 

But first, on this day, I felt compelled to post a few pictures from some of my early cruises from New York......

 

 

 

This last one was taken less than two months before the attack....

 

 

Living and working in close proximity to New York City, I guess we feel this day a little more than the rest of the nation and the world. It was a day I will never forget. Though we didn't know anyone personally that lost their lives that day, some of our friends did. Several members of our community and the surrounding area did perish that day.

 

We will never forget!!!!!

 

Thank you Jeff for sharing these photos. They gave me chills. As I sit here and look at those photos and see the Twin Towers I just can't even fathom watching a jet liner crash into the sides and then comes crashing down. THANKS AGAIN

[wrigley80]

I AM lOVING THE REVIEW. I COME HOME EVERY DAY HOPING YOU PUT A LITTLE MORE EVERY DAY. GOING ON THE BREEZE ON NOV. 7 AND CAN'T WAIT. WONDERING YOUR THOUGHTS ON MATT THE CD?? CAN'T WAIT TO READ MORE

 

Matt is hands down the best cruise director in the fleet (IMO)....he is very personable and makes it a point to make sure that you are enjoying your cruise. He makes you feel like you are the only passenger onboard when you are talking to him.

[Jamman54]

Hi all!

Jamman54 ~ loving your review which is taking me back to my 2 cruises on Breeze, just couldn't do it all on one cruise! I did Breeze followed by Getaway & loved them both.

I never had Matt on either cruise so hope to possibly see him on Vista at some point. JayLynn was a comedian both times I sailed & I enjoyed her show.

Loved Cucina & went for both lunch & dinner.

You're making me want to do Breeze again!!:o

Looking forward to seeing the ports through your & Patti's eyes.

~ Jo ~ :)

 

Thanks for reading!! We need to sail the Breeze again for sure!

 

Thank you so much for putting together such a detailed review. We will be sailing on the Breeze in just 28 days on the same itinerary as this cruise. I am beyond excited! We are taking my mom on her first cruise, can't wait for her to experience it.

 

Thanks for following along. Enjoy your cruise on the Breeze!!

[anewmac]

Never did the pasta place, maybe next time. Looks good but that could be my diet craving carbs lol.

 

Can't wait to hear about St Maarten!

[negronw_1]

Matt is hands down the best cruise director in the fleet (IMO)....he is very personable and makes it a point to make sure that you are enjoying your cruise. He makes you feel like you are the only passenger onboard when you are talking to him.

Thank you Wrigley80. I also enjoy all of your thorough reviews of the Breeze. Glad to know that Matt will make sure we have a great time.

 

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

[wrigley80]

Thank you Wrigley80. I also enjoy all of your thorough reviews of the Breeze. Glad to know that Matt will make sure we have a great time.

 

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

 

 

I don't want to hijack Jeff's review but yes you are guaranteed to have a great cruise with Matt as your cruise director.

Just make sure that if ya go to his sing-a-long music trivia in the Ocean Plaza that ya don't sing after the music stops or you'll be put in timeout right next to him [emoji6][emoji6]

[TriniTammy]

Hi Jeff,

 

Can you give me some advice on joining a Carnival blackjack tournament on my next cruse? I'm a little nervous that the players will be "hard core" and intimidating. Is this where the "big dogs" play or is the vibe inviting for "newbies"?

 

Is it 7 rounds with 7 people with $1500.00 in chips?

 

Are they playing real blackjack or Fun21?

 

Do you know how many decks they play with?

 

Do you use just normal betting strategies? I read in one of the threads on here that it's better to break certain traditional strategies in tournament play (e.g., splitting face cards when dealer has 4. 5. 6).

 

Thanks in advance for the advice,

Tammy

Edited September 13, 2015 by TriniTammy

[Jamman54]

Never did the pasta place, maybe next time. Looks good but that could be my diet craving carbs lol.

Can't wait to hear about St Maarten!

 

Andrea, Patti and I both agree that we loved both lunch and dinner at Cucina del Capitano, and plan to eat there on the Sunshine next year. Our dinner there will be part of the St. Maarten segment which I will begin posting later today or tomorrow. stay tuned!!

 

I don't want to hijack Jeff's review but yes you are guaranteed to have a great cruise with Matt as your cruise director.

Just make sure that if ya go to his sing-a-long music trivia in the Ocean Plaza that ya don't sing after the music stops or you'll be put in timeout right next to him [emoji6][emoji6]

 

Brianna, please feel free to interject at any time. Your knowledge and opinions are respected and appreciated!! :)

[Jamman54]

Hi Jeff,

 

Can you give me some advice on joining a Carnival blackjack tournament on my next cruse? I'm a little nervous that the players will be "hard core" and intimidating. Is this where the "big dogs" play or is the vibe inviting for "newbies"?

 

Is it 7 rounds with 7 people with $1500.00 in chips?

 

Are they playing real blackjack or Fun21?

 

Do you know how many decks they play with?

 

Do you use just normal betting strategies? I read in one of the threads on here that it's better to break certain traditional strategies in tournament play (e.g., splitting face cards when dealer has 4. 5. 6).

 

Thanks in advance for the advice,

Tammy

 

Hi Tammy!! First, let me welcome you to CC, and thanks for reading my review.

 

Don't be nervous about joining the blackjack tournament, because it is a FUN event.

 

There will be many qualifying rounds starting at a certain time and ending at a certain time with the final round starting about 15 minutes after the last qualifying round. The top 7 money winners after ALL of the qualifying rounds will advance to the final round, so the object is to get on the leader board. From experience, the lowest qualifier usually averages 6 to 7 thousand dollars, but that can fluctuate up and down. The lowest qualifier for the tournament I played in was $7,400.

 

The entrance fee is $25, and you can re-buy in as many times as you want for $15, if you don't make the leader board after your round.

 

You are given $2,000 in tournament chips to start.

 

Regular blackjack rules apply with the following exception. No insurance, no even money, and blackjack pays 2 to 1.

 

Minimum bet is $100, and you can bet an additional $100 on the side bet, which on the Breeze is Lucky Ladies.

 

You play only 7 hands. At times you can throw basic strategy out the window. You are playing to get on the leader board, not against the dealer.

 

They are playing with 6 decks out of a continuous shuffling machine.

 

If you do make the final round there are a few more wrinkles. First the top qualifier chooses their seat first, followed by the second qualifier, and so on. That is the only advantage, and it can be an advantage, that the top qualifier gets.

 

Everybody starts with $2,000 again. What you did in the qualifying rounds means nothing.

 

The betting order changes with every hand and you must wait for your turn to place your bet. Seat 1 bets first for hand 1, seat 2 bets first for hand 2, etc, however the cards are always dealt to seat 1 first.

 

All of your chips must be visible on the table, and stacked by color.

 

After the 6th hand, the chips of all remaining players will be counted.

 

Coaching by or talking to spectators is not allowed.

 

The person with the most in chips after the 7th hand is the winner.

 

I think that covers it. Enjoy!! :)

[CARNIVALCRUISE3]

Great pictures! Thanks so much for sharing! I'm loving your review. I sailed the week before you on August 9th. I'm sailing on the Breeze again in March!