Georgia Pearl Turns Bermuda Girl: My Pride Cruise to the "Island Paradise" & TS Karl.

[gapearl]

Well I thought I'd be able to get this finished tonight, but it's 1:36 am here on the west coast and I still have one more day to cover. That was too ambitious of me trying to cover three days in one sitting, especially while watching The Walking Dead and Talking Dead lol, so the last day of the cruise will have to wait. I'm tired, didn't have a nap today and I'm sick, so I'm going to head to bed but promise to get this finished as soon as I have a free hour later. :)

[joand452]

Was Leigh Xuereb your CD? He was our CD on Explorer of the Seas many years ago, and is one of our favorites. We normally don't worry about who the CD is, but he left quite an impression. Do you know if Pride is his regular assignment? Would love to see him again.

 

Interesting decor for sure on that ship!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[foxcent]

Lol!.. Kim sent this to me last night.

 

 

 

She is right. She is a special person to me and I'll always have her back, but we're meant to be friends. :cool:

 

Awwwwwwwwww :cool:

[AXiDMonica]

So... I know you're not done with this review yet BUTTTTTTT... ;););)

 

Will you be reviewing the Aventura Dance Cruise? I would love to know what that is like! (To then decide if it is something I should con my hubs into doing! lol)

[gapearl]

Was Leigh Xuereb your CD? He was our CD on Explorer of the Seas many years ago, and is one of our favorites. We normally don't worry about who the CD is, but he left quite an impression. Do you know if Pride is his regular assignment? Would love to see him again.

 

Interesting decor for sure on that ship!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Yes, Leigh was the cruise director for the Pride. From what I understand this is his first contract and ship since leaving Royal Caribbean. I don't know how much longer he'll be on the Pride. He's a very nice guy indeed.

 

So... I know you're not done with this review yet BUTTTTTTT... ;););)

 

Will you be reviewing the Aventura Dance Cruise? I would love to know what that is like! (To then decide if it is something I should con my hubs into doing! lol)

 

I had thought about reviewing it, but I'm not so here's a quick rundown. It is a nonstop party! You MUST like Latin music and dance because you will be immersed in it 24/7. I mean there's bachata piping through speakers in the MDR when you're having dinner lol. I *think* I remember one or two beginner dancer boot camps, but the dance classes offered are mostly intermediate-advanced level. I didn't get off the ship in Nassau until almost 3 pm because I was taking dance classes all morning. There are live concerts out on the lido at night. This cruise featured bachata singer Johnny Sky, reggaeton singer Tito el Bambino, and salsa bands Grupo Niche and New Swing Sextet. The makeup of cruisers is very diverse- all races, ages, people from literally all over the world (Korea, Canada, the Caribbean, France, etc). The parties by the pool during the day were just insane. Everyone from the Allure was hanging over the rail checking out our party when docked in Nassau, it was too funny lol. I'd say maybe half the people on the cruise weren't dancers, but came for the fun atmosphere and concerts. Feel free to email me if you want specifics- gapearlcruiser @ yahoo.

Edited December 1, 2016 by gapearl

[gapearl]

Cruise Day 7- Sea Day

 

Ok time to finish this already. I didn't take any notes on anything today because I didn't do much of anything, so I mostly have just pictures and not much commentary.

 

Sean and I spent an hour or two riding the waterslides.

 

 

The Twister is a bit slow, not too exciting and a bit of a bore.

 

 

 

Shower area at Waterworks.

 

 

 

If you didn't know, the water on the slides and in the pools is salt water from the ocean.

 

[gapearl]

The Green Thunder is unique, as you start standing up and the bottom falls out from under you.

 

 

 

 

You will be out of breath by the time you get to the top, trust me lol.

 

 

 

[gapearl]

Can y'all put an elevator up to the top next dry dock, please? haha

 

 

 

 

 

The point of no return. The slide starts out a little thrilling with the bottom falling out, but the slide is soooooo short that your excitement is short lived and will likely turn to disappointment.

 

 

There were no lines so we rode both slides over and over again.

 

[gapearl]

A few pics from around the open decks.

 

 

 

I've NEVER seen these red chairs on a Carnival ship. Where did they come from?

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

A few pics from Carnival Waterworks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View from the top of the waterslide.

 

[gapearl]

Watch out for the power drencher! Don't let it catch you off guard! :eek:

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

I always love the last day of a cruise for one reason only- the chocolate buffet!

 

 

 

There's a chocolate fountain for you to dip your fruit in.

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

So much chocolaty goodness.

 

 

 

 

 

I had a light lunch, didn't eat most of this.

 

 

I always fill my plate with a few different things and just sample them all so no judgment lol.

 

[gapearl]

A few more random ship pics.

 

David's Steakhouse.

 

 

 

 

 

There he is in all his glory. :D

 

[gapearl]

The Taj Mahal theater.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

The past guest platinum and diamond party was held this afternoon. The one on my Magic cruise was empty, so I was surprised to see this one so packed.

 

 

 

There were lots of appetizers offered, but I didn't have any as my picky eater self didn't like anything being served.

 

 

This server was making drinks of Tito's vodka and lemonade. Drink servers had free rum punches, beer and wine, and you could order a special drink for free if they didn't have what you wanted.

 

 

This was a game where you had to guess the ship on the left and guess the officer by the epaulets on the right. I think I got them all wrong lol.

 

 

[gapearl]

The room was pretty full.

 

 

 

Same ole cheer for which ships you've sailed.

 

 

A little entertainment from one of the guitar singers.

 

 

The officers gave a plaque to the person with the most days sailed. I think the number was 343 or something like that. There was also a plaque given to the youngest platinum cruiser. Looking around the room, I thought I had a chance as there was no one obviously younger. I didn't win, but CD Leigh told me after the winner was 27, so I was close. (She wasn't in attendance).

 

 

Cruise Director Leigh and me with no makeup on lol.

 

 

One more random bit. I noticed one of the servers had braces and being a brace face myself, I was curious how she was able to maintain them while spending so many months on the ship. She said she got her adjustments done in Orlando when the ship does the Bahamas run and stops in Port Canaveral.

Edited December 1, 2016 by gapearl

[gapearl]

Tonight's dinner menus.

 

 

 

 

Every night, dirty menus. :(

 

[gapearl]

BBQ chicken flatbread.

 

 

Caprese salad.

 

 

Ricotta ravioli. This was my first time having this and it was delicious!

 

 

Cornmeal crusted chicken breast.

 

 

Carrot cake.

 

 

After dinner, I went to one of the comedy shows and called it an early night.

 

[gapearl]

Day 8- Debarkation

 

My last few shots from our balcony.

 

 

 

 

Going under the bridge.

 

 

 

We weren't due back into Baltimore until 9 am. I didn't notice early on that our arrival was so late. I guess I'm used to the 7 am arrivals in Miami. We had 1 pm flights I didn't want to have to wait for our bags until 10 or 11 am, so we did self assist. Platinum guests were to meet in the Red Frog Pub at 9 am. We were walked out around 9:20, breezed through customs in a few minutes, in a taxi and back at BWI just before 10 am.

 

Goodbye, Carnival Pride!

 

 

So here ends my Pride review. Thanks for the concern when I pretty much vanished from CC and thanks for being patient with the huge gap of weeks in getting this done. I’ve already taken another cruise since getting off the Pride (Aventura Dance Cruise charter on the Fantasy) and will be heading to Miami next week to board the Vista. Everyone wants to know if I will be writing a review on that one, and I’m sorry but the answer is no. Not only do I not have the time or energy to write another lengthy review right now, but I want to go and just enjoy my cruise. Here’s what I mean by that.

 

I have written a review for 13 of my 17 cruises. I want to go on the Vista and not have to think about taking my camera to dinner every night. I don’t want to have to leave my afternoon nap by the pool to go spend hours wandering the ship taking pictures of everything. I don’t want to have to worry about taking constant notes of every detail that is happening all day every day. When you're on a cruise and know that you will be writing detailed review such as this one, the review is ALWAYS on your mind! I don’t want to come home and think about spending all of my free time leading up to Christmas writing a novel. In fact I'm ready to “retire” from writing reviews (this might be the last one you get out of me) and focus on completely redesigning my travel blog into something amazing and planning my winter trip to South Africa. So no, I’m sorry but you will not have a Vista review from me. That being said, thanks for all the support for the ones I have written over the past few years and please do say hello if we ever cross paths on a cruise. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll come out of “retirement” for my Explorer of the Seas South Pacific cruise in 2018 though lol.

 

Happy holidays everyone!

Edited December 1, 2016 by gapearl

[hlb76]

Thanks for coming back to finish this review. I hope you had a great time on your last cruise and enjoy the Vista! I so want to cruise on her. Very sad to hear your will not be reviewing anymore. I'm a huge fan. I guess I will need to find your travel blog and follow that. Maybe just maybe you will come do a mini review from time to time with just pics and thoughts? Take care!

[pghsteelerfan]

Hubby is sick and working from home today so he can't (or shouldn't) have distractions and there are conference calls involved. What does that leave for me to do that will be nice and quiet? Cruise Critic!!! :D

 

I just finished reading you review and have to tell you that I really enjoyed it. I've enjoyed them all. We definitely have to check out the Pride one of these days since we can drive to Baltimore. I'd love to get back to GT and HMC and we've never been to Freeport, but I'd really love to do a Bermuda cruise, so will be checking those options as well. I really enjoyed being able to "see" Bermuda through your eyes, and Sean's of course. I'm sad that this may be your last review but I totally understand. I've done three and the third was probably my last as well. You definitely summed it up and all the work and planning, while still on the cruise, that goes into them. Not to mention daily life/responsibilities that are put on hold to actually do it. And here's me only after three and you've done a gazillion of them. But hey, I've contributed, right? :p I think it's time for some of the others who haven't done a review to take a shot at one for us to enjoy for a change. :D

 

That south Pacific cruise you have booked...I'd LOVE to do something like that one of these days. I hope you have a great time on the Vista and glad that you'll be taking the time to enjoy yourself without thinking of a review. From what I've seen, she's a beautiful ship.

Edited December 1, 2016 by pghsteelerfan

[k9trix]

Thank you for finishing up your review, as always I enjoyed it very much. Although I will miss reading and viewing your pictures from your cruises I think it is great that you are taking some much deserved time for you. I can only imagine what it takes to do one of these reviews and how a break from it can be needed. Hope you have an amazing time on your Vista cruise!!!

 

Trix :)

[foxcent]

Thank you for finishing up your review, as always I enjoyed it very much. Although I will miss reading and viewing your pictures from your cruises I think it is great that you are taking some much deserved time for you. I can only imagine what it takes to do one of these reviews and how a break from it can be needed. Hope you have an amazing time on your Vista cruise!!!

 

Trix :)

 

I wish you well, I knew after the long break that you will rethink writing reviews.. It is a lot of work and you probably had more time on your hands as you get older the days get away from you and trust me I know. You prefer spending more time relaxing...... Hope you will be back to read this comment LOL...Enjoy the Vista and Tell Matt I said HEY.........

Edited December 1, 2016 by foxcent

[gapearl]

Thanks for coming back to finish this review. I hope you had a great time on your last cruise and enjoy the Vista! I so want to cruise on her. Very sad to hear your will not be reviewing anymore. I'm a huge fan. I guess I will need to find your travel blog and follow that. Maybe just maybe you will come do a mini review from time to time with just pics and thoughts? Take care!

 

I did indeed have a great time on the last cruise and am sure I'll love the Vista as well. I never got the old blog quite right so I'm thinking of finding someone to design it for me, maybe first thing next year. I might come back with some thoughts on Vista in place of a review. :)

 

Hubby is sick and working from home today so he can't (or shouldn't) have distractions and there are conference calls involved. What does that leave for me to do that will be nice and quiet? Cruise Critic!!! :D

 

I just finished reading you review and have to tell you that I really enjoyed it. I've enjoyed them all. We definitely have to check out the Pride one of these days since we can drive to Baltimore. I'd love to get back to GT and HMC and we've never been to Freeport, but I'd really love to do a Bermuda cruise, so will be checking those options as well. I really enjoyed being able to "see" Bermuda through your eyes, and Sean's of course. I'm sad that this may be your last review but I totally understand. I've done three and the third was probably my last as well. You definitely summed it up and all the work and planning, while still on the cruise, that goes into them. Not to mention daily life/responsibilities that are put on hold to actually do it. And here's me only after three and you've done a gazillion of them. But hey, I've contributed, right? :p I think it's time for some of the others who haven't done a review to take a shot at one for us to enjoy for a change. :D

 

That south Pacific cruise you have booked...I'd LOVE to do something like that one of these days. I hope you have a great time on the Vista and glad that you'll be taking the time to enjoy yourself without thinking of a review. From what I've seen, she's a beautiful ship.

 

Poor hubby. I'm just getting over a cold and bronchitis myself. :(

 

I've only been to HMC once and also never been Freeport so I'm always look at cruises that have stops at both of those. Bermuda was an interesting island and definitely had a different vibe from all the others. The planning it takes to write one of these is tremendous and I don't think people realize how much work really goes into it. It's a wonder I haven't gotten burned out before now lol. Thanks for reading and I'll see you on that other site. ;)