I Belize in MAGIC! MITSUGIRLY revisits the Western Route. My Novel.

[mitsugirly]

Here's some pictures of the decor/paintings in the hallways (at least on my floor).

 

I have to be honest, I really loved them and the colors. Sakari is a huge "bird lover" and is always drawing birds. She loved these and was always looking at them as we passed by.

 

I also loved the colors they used because Sakari and I have been doing some watercolor paintings recently and it kinda reminded me of our paintings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ch27088]

Yes, a review from Mitsugirly. Been looking for your reviews for several months now. So, I'm now ready to sit back and read on!!!

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

Now you be the judge...these are some of our paintings we did just prior to the cruise. They are colorful just like the decor on the walls in our hallway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think we are going to have some ideas the next time we do a painting (by looking at some of these pictures from the Magic). :D

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

Like I said, this ship is just loaded with green everywhere.

 

Down the hall from us was this couple #lifegoals

 

 

Congrats to Frank & Connie. You are my heroes!

[mitsugirly]

Ok, done with the ship tour. You'll see more of some of the places during the review.

 

I'm going to head for the shower, get ready for work and do some charting and then I'll return for a bit to carry on with our Day 1.

 

I hope you enjoyed the ship tour. :)

[ABQrobin]

hahaha....yes, I knew you were doing a cruise around Thanksgiving, so I have been stalking you.

[mitsugirly]

Yes, a review from Mitsugirly. Been looking for your reviews for several months now. So, I'm now ready to sit back and read on!!!

 

Glad you found me and glad to have you here. :)

[siestakeys04]

2 things, I don't know how your 12 maids keep such a HUGE suite clean LOL!!!

What hotel were you guys staying at??

As all ways enjoy your reviews.

[agp_mzk]

Kim, what site do you use to host your photos? I’m looking for a new option now that Photobucket doesn’t allow remote hosting and haven’t been impressed with the options I’ve found so far.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[kpark895]

I've been waiting for your magical review, and it's finally here! Looking forward to following along.

 

I can't believe how much Sakari has grown up since she was 3. I admit it seems like yesterday, as I binge read every one of your reviews in chronological order after someone recommended one of your reviews. Your family always seems to have such good times together.

[adam3313]

Happy to catch this review at the beginning! I actually got off the Magic the day you boarded!

 

How did the casino treat you? Did you spend any time at the piano bar?

[mitsugirly]

2 things, I don't know how your 12 maids keep such a HUGE suite clean LOL!!!

What hotel were you guys staying at??

As all ways enjoy your reviews.

 

I know...they had to work their fingers to the bone with that suite!

 

We stayed at the Radisson at the Port.

 

 

Kim, what site do you use to host your photos? I’m looking for a new option now that Photobucket doesn’t allow remote hosting and haven’t been impressed with the options I’ve found so far.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I use Smugmug and have for many years (even prior to doing reviews). They are great and I pay for the yearly subscription to get the "power" account and it's only $60 a year. Well worth it to me. I heard that Photobucket is trying to charge people hundreds! Yikes!

 

I've been waiting for your magical review, and it's finally here! Looking forward to following along.

 

I can't believe how much Sakari has grown up since she was 3. I admit it seems like yesterday, as I binge read every one of your reviews in chronological order after someone recommended one of your reviews. Your family always seems to have such good times together.

 

 

Thanks for finding me again and glad you enjoy the reviews. Sakari has really grown for sure. I can't believe how quickly the time is passing.

 

 

Happy to catch this review at the beginning! I actually got off the Magic the day you boarded!

 

How did the casino treat you? Did you spend any time at the piano bar?

 

I hope you had a wonderful cruise before us.

 

 

The casino did not treat me well this time. No sorry, we didn't spend any time at the piano bar. :)

[ejincali]

I highly depend on TripAdvisor reviews when going to new places. PLEASE post your experience about that breakfast place on TripAdvisor. Thanks to your review here, I won't be going there. Hopefully it will help others also.

 

Not trying to give you extra work :D, but if you could cut and paste your review to Yelp as well you will help even more people out.

[E@syPe@zy]

 

 

The hubby loves the Panda game everywhere we go. It did not treat him well on this cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for all of the casino photos! Love seeing that the chairs at the slot machines have backs on them.

Looking forward to another epic Mitsugirly adventure!

[njmomof2]

Kim, I'm thrilled to have found one of your reviews from the very beginning! Looking forward to reading the rest of it.

 

I'm also a fan of your casino pictures. When I take my mom to either Sands or Mount Airy, I always walk around and try to find machines that I've seen you mention are generally hot machines, in the hopes of making a few $$.

 

I have to agree that Sakari does seem so much taller and older this time around. Probably the gap between this review and your spring one and the fact that she's probably hit a growth spurt. She's as beautiful as ever!

 

So wonderful that Kam is now part of your extended cruising family.

 

Do the kids have time off from school the week you sailed? We had 2 days for Teachers' Convention (11/9-10) and I was off for Veterans Day (11/10) but not enough to get away. However, we are currently 24 days from leaving on our Christmas break cruise!

 

On another note, I ended up putting a new longboard for the younger boy on the back burner for a while. I might revisit it for his birthday over the summer, so I may reach out to you to get Sam's thoughts on what he thinks might be a good option.

 

Will check in again as you progress in your report.

[lohgan]

So excited about this and love the review so far! Going on my first cruise on the Magic in January. 53 days left I think???? Started with close to 400... The impatience is real!!

[mitsugirly]

Not trying to give you extra work :D, but if you could cut and paste your review to Yelp as well you will help even more people out.

 

Hmm, never knew about that place to post reviews. It's probably not one I'll start doing over there. Just too much work for every place I've been. ;p

Thanks so much for all of the casino photos! Love seeing that the chairs at the slot machines have backs on them.

Looking forward to another epic Mitsugirly adventure!

 

You're welcome. The weird thing about the chairs were they only had 1 arm on them. Super odd and kept throwing me off.

 

 

Kim, I'm thrilled to have found one of your reviews from the very beginning! Looking forward to reading the rest of it.

 

I'm also a fan of your casino pictures. When I take my mom to either Sands or Mount Airy, I always walk around and try to find machines that I've seen you mention are generally hot machines, in the hopes of making a few $$.

 

I have to agree that Sakari does seem so much taller and older this time around. Probably the gap between this review and your spring one and the fact that she's probably hit a growth spurt. She's as beautiful as ever!

 

So wonderful that Kam is now part of your extended cruising family.

 

Do the kids have time off from school the week you sailed? We had 2 days for Teachers' Convention (11/9-10) and I was off for Veterans Day (11/10) but not enough to get away. However, we are currently 24 days from leaving on our Christmas break cruise!

 

On another note, I ended up putting a new longboard for the younger boy on the back burner for a while. I might revisit it for his birthday over the summer, so I may reach out to you to get Sam's thoughts on what he thinks might be a good option.

 

Will check in again as you progress in your report.

 

Glad you are here from the beginning. Nice to have you.

 

 

Thanks for all the comments/compliments. I appreciate it.

 

Nope, the kids have school during that week. We cruise (usually that particular week) every year and the school is well aware of it. They usually plan well ahead of time and I have to have signs filled out and signed off on from her teachers and principal. They usually give her a book of work to do while away but this time they did not (it's a new principal) so I guess she got off easy this time.

 

 

So excited about this and love the review so far! Going on my first cruise on the Magic in January. 53 days left I think???? Started with close to 400... The impatience is real!!

 

Oh yippee for you. I hope you have a great first cruise on the Magic. I don't think I would last 400+ days of waiting. Yikes.

[mitsugirly]

So...back to our day...or at this point evening.

 

We were in our interior suite when I left off. Our luggage had arrived per our butler and I started to unpack and put everything in it's proper place where no one would be able to find anything when it was needed for the next 7 days.

 

My pop had not arrived yet and now I was sitting there with a wine glass and melted ice that how now become "water on the rocks" with no caffeine in sight.

 

I was super tired from not getting any sleep the night before and I laid down to watch some t.v. waiting on my caffeine to arrive. I begged Sakari for a nap for mommy and she told me she would set her alarm for 7:15pm to wake me. It was already 6:40pm-ish. Sigh. Then by 6:55ish, our room butler, wait it is a girl, does that make her a butleress? Anyhow, she arrived and introduced herself and ask if I wanted 1 or 2x a day service. For the most part, I keep my room pretty clean (nothing like Kendra's of course where you can't see the floor by day 2), but I enjoy the freshen up in the morning and the turn down service at night. I feel all special and fancy-fancy by having this done. I'm sure the hubby enjoys a week off of not making the bed as well (rule in our house is last out of the bed makes the bed...and yes that includes all 8 fancy decor pillows that are only there for our viewing pleasure...and that means it's usually the hubby that gets this job). In reality, the only thing she would really be doing is turning down the bed and setting the "mood" lights on in the evenings. Super easy right? Yea, I'll take 2x day service please and thank you.

 

I'm pretty sure I didn't get the chance to nod off before that darn alarm went off and Sakari told me "times up".

 

I wanted to go to the Welcome Show because I had never been before. I have heard stories in the past that it is great and I figured I would find out for myself.

 

 

I believe I was told in the past that the welcome show involves bits and pieces of the shows to come during the week. However, that was not the case (or maybe it was just the wrong cruise line and NCL is the one that does that). The entire show consisted of Dr E, the cruise director. I have to admit though, it was a funny show that involved the longest wed couple to a newlywed couple. He used the newlywed guy for a skit that had us cracking up and involved using the guys arms as his own and making gestures depending on what Dr E said in the story. There was dancing involved and he did some dress up skits and so on. Pretty funny and I really liked this guy.

 

After the show, it was time for dinner. We "try" to do dinner in the MDR of the first night (and I've tried in the past to also go during sea days). I haven't been having too much luck with the buffet and Carnival on the last few cruises, so I was going to try to make it a point to go to the MDR more often this cruise. Stepping out of my comfort zone this time around...go me!

 

 

 

So what's on the menu...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our bread basket came out. I think this is Sakari's favorite part of the meal each cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

We both ordered a salad...however, when they came out, they were both different. ??? How did this happen? Waiter...You look like a simple person, I'll give you just lettuce and croutons...and you sir, you look like a person that could use more, I'll give you something different with various opinions contained in your meal. Yep, I'm pretty sure that's how it went down behind the scenes.

 

 

 

Sakari ordered the "Strawberry Bisque". What the heck is a Bisque? She was confused and this confusion would last for quite some time. "I like strawberries, so this has to be good right mommy?" Yea, yea, I'm sure it is. Order it.

 

It came out...It was a strawberry that looked as if it was dissected and had a piece of grass on the plate. Oooooh, the look she gave me. She was speechless.

 

 

She really was...speechless...for quite some time. As a matter of fact, she didn't say a word until our server came back to pour in the rest of the meal. LOL

 

Then she perked up and was happy. Man that stuff was good!!!! I'll have to order it the next time.

 

 

I ordered the vegetable lasagna. I believe I had this the last time and it was so yummy. Well, not this time. There was just something about the way it "felt" and tasted. The consistency was sorta weird...maybe over cooked noodles and gooey? I guess that's the only way to describe it. It's just not what I had in the past.

 

 

I also ordered the mac & cheese & bacon. It's always so yummy.

 

 

 

Sakari ordered chicken breast...thinking it would be coming out as...a breast of chicken cooked on the bone. Instead it was just the breast and grilled. It was another "I'm shocked" moment for her.

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

And then this happened...I couldn't resist laughing and taking a picture.

 

 

 

The finished product...

 

 

 

Dessert Time. There was a couple one table over from us and I was admiring the way his desert looked. I inquired with our waiter what it was called and said I would like to try that and as a back-up I would also like the chocolate melting cake.

 

 

 

About me...I'm weird. I don't like steak. I don't like most red meat except hamburgers. I venture out maybe once a year and get a pork chop, ribs, or roast. I don't like chocolate...however, there are some exceptions to the chocolate rule. I like chocolate milk. I'll eat candy bars covered in chocolate but there needs to be something fantastic in the middle of cover most of the taste...like peanut butter. I do like brownies. I love white chocolate. I hate chocolate cake or anything else chocolate. So, the chocolate melting cake taste just like brownies to me and I do find it pretty good.

 

This is all I received...no chocolate melting cake. Sigh I honestly didn't care for it.

 

 

 

Sakari played it safe with some ice cream.

 

 

 

The hubby ordered the fruit plate.

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

The ship photographer did catch up with us during our dinner. Sakari with her deer in the headlights look.

 

 

They also had a pirate that came around. I think Sakari has gotten over her fear of Pirates versus Mermaids. Or...she just feels comfortable around them because her mermaid status is a secret on the ship for the most part.

 

 

 

 

After dinner we decided to do a little shopping/browsing in the ship stores. I was on the hunt to find Sakari a pretty diamond studded lanyard so that I could cut off the plastic card holder and attach the other to her cell phone so that she could wear it around her neck. I was successful in finding one with blue-green-white studs that matches her peacock case. Score!

 

 

 

Remember the friendship rocks? It was time to place a few of those in various places around the ship.

 

 

SpongeBob was placed by the pool towel hut.

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

Sakari always begs for one of these suckers. She would successfully bribe Kendra into buying her one by the end of the cruise.

 

 

 

We headed back to the room because Sakari was complaining that she was tired and wanted to sleep.

 

When we arrived in the room and the hubby had a "gift" for it being his birthday...only we seem to get this spa gift card every cruise no matter if there's a birthday or not. We're no fools. The gift card is for $50 and I'm sure anything you do in there is at least twice the amount so it's a marketing scheme to get you to spend more money.

 

HOWEVER.....!!!!! You see that Pixel card? Well it was stuck to the spa card and I didn't even know it was in there and could have used it! Ugh...I'll check a little better next time. I discovered it after I got home and took this picture.

 

 

 

It was time to wind down and I always do that with my hot nightly shower to relax me. Only I didn't get very far because it wasn't draining...ugh

 

 

I would have to cut my shower super early and retire for the night. But first...I needed to get out my eye make-up remover sheets from my bag I hang over the door.

 

sniff sniff...hmm, these smell extremely good compared to what they used to. I usually take a few out of the original package and put them in a Ziploc baggie. So, there's no writing on the bag. Wait, these don't even feel soft like my eye make up remover sheets. sniff sniff again...OMG! These are the couple of dryer sheets I had put in a baggie to take with us on our land vacation to Aruba back in August and didn't use them because we didn't have a washer & dryer in the room like we were told. UGH! Ok, there's my blonde moment of the cruise. But in my defense, they look exactly the same and the same shape/size.

 

It was after 1am and it was time for bed. We had a big day tomorrow of doing absolutely nothing and I needed my beauty rest.

Oh...the ship was ROCKING!!! Like bad! There were barf bags everywhere. Of course it doesn't do anything to my crew (me, hubs and Sakari) and it's like getting drunk without the liquid.

[mitsugirly]

DAY 2: SEA DAY NOVEMBER 12

 

 

 

I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 9:30am. THIS is NOT what I consider sleeping in. What is wrong with me. I guess I couldn't wait to get started on my day of no plans.

 

It was 80 degrees outside and sunny and the ship was in calm water now. No more rocking and I noticed everyone's faces had returned to their normal color.

 

I ran into our butleress and told her about the shower and she said I was in luck that maintenance was right across the hall. I told her no worries, any time today would work because the rest of my family was still sleeping. Two seconds later: knock knock...it was maintenance. "Um ok, my family is still slee......" "Alrighty then, yes, I see you are already in. Ok then, I guess you are fixing this right now then"

 

I would hear others say they had an issue with the shower draining on the cruise as well. So, we were not the only ones and my daughter said her room had the same problem and she was going to have to call them to fix hers too.

 

They did something real quick and the smell of sewage immersed the room with it's aroma and then they were gone. I immediately started trying to justify the smell to the hubby and informing him that it was not me and not last nights dinner that came out.

 

There is one thing I wanted to mention about the water...it smelled like a musty something or other the entire cruise. I also noticed it in other places like the restroom and even pool. I'm not sure what is going on.

 

Since it was a sea day, I wanted to eat breakfast in the MDR and have Seaday Brunch. In the past, once I discovered this, we would go because I always enjoyed getting the huevos rancheros meal. However, the last time I had it, it just didn't taste good to me. Therefore, I decided that I would try something else this time around. We headed to the MDR at 10:15am.

 

 

 

We do not speak to the hubby until this happens and the red glow in his eyes are reduced to a nice shade of green.

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

They came around with the goodie basket and Sakari discovered this....

 

 

 

After this day, she was hooked on the cinnamon rolls and had to have them every day.

 

I would get hooked on these (below) and have to have them every day. I do not know what they are called. At one point during the cruise, I asked one of the workers in the buffet what the name of them was and his reply was "pastry". Well, I know this...but what type? "Breakfast pastry". LOL Got it! Breakfast pastry---> making note for future reference. I also elected to get a croissant but there was no butter on the table. I can't eat it without butter. I would later have to ask for some and like magic, it appeared within 2 seconds. These guys are amazing.

 

 

 

 

My breakfast arrived and I couldn't wait to dig in.

 

 

The hubbys meal...he's watching his figure! (Actually he's not a breakfast morning type of person and can't really eat when he first gets up so he usually tries to just get a little something to please me and he knows 2 hours from now those famous "well, you shoudda ate breakfast" words would be coming out of my mouth when he was ready to eat and I was still full).

 

 

Sakari's breakfast

 

 

Now let's talk about my grits. I'm from (well born there at least) Birmingham Alabama. I was raised on grits. I love cheese and could add cheese to every single thing I eat if possible. So this discovery of cheesy grits a few cruises back was a delight. However....I scooped a bite of these grits with my fork and put it in my mouth and went to savor the flavor and swirl it around in my mouth and....there was nothing. Nada, Ziltch, zero. Wait, what just happened? I tried again...but this time I watched. It was SOUP! Like no staying on a fork or anything. Yucky. I attempted to peel off the cheesy part on the top in hopes that some of the grits were stuck to it. It didn't work out that way.

 

When our waiter returned he said "you no like grits?" I told about the consistency and right away he ran to get more. Ahhh, now that's grits!!!

 

 

 

 

These guys work really hard to please you. They really do. I'm not a complainer and would have told him "it's ok, nevermind" but he zoomed off to quick for the words to come out of my mouth.