A breeze of a Journey that was full of firsts

[Hogladyrider]

Pretty sad that Marriott is all closed up and in poor shape still from the hurricane.

 

WOW sorry to hear you got hit right at the start of the cruise with the crud!

 

Looking forward to reading your review to compare with my own thoughts.

Susan

[jimbo5544]

11 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

Pretty sad that Marriott is all closed up and in poor shape still from the hurricane.

 

WOW sorry to hear you got hit right at the start of the cruise with the crud!

 

Looking forward to reading your review to compare with my own thoughts.

Susan

Feel free to comment your thoughts at any time here.  Actually we heard 2 days before the cruise the Frenchman's Reef just opened, not sure which part.  I will have plenty of pics on how this area is struggling to recover, not as a deterrent to others not to go there, but more to show progress.  We are big fans of the Caribbean and hope for a strong recovery from an area that was decimated by hurricanes.  

[Jenny in TX]

Looking forward to the rest of your review!  This looks like such a great itinerary.

[vicky3vicky]

1 hour ago, jimbo5544 said:

After a visit there, I go a nebulizer treatment (2 more to follow for the next two days)

 

I have never had any type of respiratory issues until I was on a B2B cruise on the Breeze last January. Never sure what triggerred it and it has never happened since. But I also went to the infirmary and received the first of 3 nebulizer treatments. I could not believe what an instantaneous difference they made. This was the first time I have used the infirmary. I was charged at the time but the insurance purchased through Carnival reimbursed the cost quickly with no issues.

[jimbo5544]

5 hours ago, Jenny in TX said:

Looking forward to the rest of your review!  This looks like such a great itinerary.

Thanks for following along, it is a great itinerary, I do not think you would be disappointed.

[jimbo5544]

5 hours ago, vicky3vicky said:

 

I have never had any type of respiratory issues until I was on a B2B cruise on the Breeze last January. Never sure what triggerred it and it has never happened since. But I also went to the infirmary and received the first of 3 nebulizer treatments. I could not believe what an instantaneous difference they made. This was the first time I have used the infirmary. I was charged at the time but the insurance purchased through Carnival reimbursed the cost quickly with no issues.

It helped me as well, but I had the issue even before I got on the ship.  We have insurance and I am sure it will be covered as well.

[jimbo5544]

The next morning I felt a good deal better,  I actually tried walking with the wife as we approached Antigua, but only got 4 laps in on the 5th floor.  This was the first of our booked excursions for the trip.  More coming, but have a day of travel in between.....

[grandmarnnurse]

15 hours ago, vicky3vicky said:

 

I have never had any type of respiratory issues until I was on a B2B cruise on the Breeze last January. Never sure what triggerred it and it has never happened since. But I also went to the infirmary and received the first of 3 nebulizer treatments. I could not believe what an instantaneous difference they made. This was the first time I have used the infirmary. I was charged at the time but the insurance purchased through Carnival reimbursed the cost quickly with no issues.

Carnival insurance will pay for a visit to their infirmary? I never knew that. Thank you for that info, as I have needed their services in the past, and never went. On my last cruise, I fell ill the night before debarkation (respiratory). By the time I boarded our flight, I was feverish. Temp upon arriving home was 104. I saw my Dr the next morning, and tested positive for Influenza A and it had already developed into left lower pneumonia. Praying that nothing like that happens on another cruise, but good to know the insurance will pay to see infirmary. 

[pacruise804]

19 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

When I awoke the next morning,we were pulling into St Thomas....and I felt lousy.  I had to sleep on the sofa sitting up and got about 3 hours sleep.  No walking for me this morning.  At 8 I headed down to the med center....a first for me.  After a visit there, I go a nebulizer treatment (2 more to follow for the next two days) and a script for an oral steroid (3 days worth as well).  I felt marginally better and since we were doing nothing that day, took a nap before just getting off the ship and walking around the port area.

 

Not many pics this day, just a sail away and a pic of the better half at dinner.  Our waiter June had somehow found out she did not like carrots and brought a bigger and bigger bowl of cooked carrots each evening.  

Hope the treatments continued to work and you were able to enjoy the cruise.

 

While some might find it funny, I would be very irritated if a server knew I didn't like something and was persistent in bringing it - making a joke of it.  Maybe your better half is a better sport than me 😉 

[jimbo5544]

23 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

Carnival insurance will pay for a visit to their infirmary? I never knew that. Thank you for that info, as I have needed their services in the past, and never went. On my last cruise, I fell ill the night before debarkation (respiratory). By the time I boarded our flight, I was feverish. Temp upon arriving home was 104. I saw my Dr the next morning, and tested positive for Influenza A and it had already developed into left lower pneumonia. Praying that nothing like that happens on another cruise, but good to know the insurance will pay to see infirmary. 

While I believe they will, we use Travel Insured and it will be our first claim, but feel certain all will be ok, once our primary denies it (have not met our high deductible).  

[jimbo5544]

20 hours ago, pacruise804 said:

Hope the treatments continued to work and you were able to enjoy the cruise.

 

While some might find it funny, I would be very irritated if a server knew I didn't like something and was persistent in bringing it - making a joke of it.  Maybe your better half is a better sport than me 😉 

It was a joke that I set up with bim lol.  All is good, this team was among the very best we have wver had.  The treatments helped a LOT.   Did the regimen and considered going for a second set but decided against it.   

[jimbo5544]

20 hours ago, pacruise804 said:

Hope the treatments continued to work and you were able to enjoy the cruise.

 

While some might find it funny, I would be very irritated if a server knew I didn't like something and was persistent in bringing it - making a joke of it.  Maybe your better half is a better sport than me 😉 

It was a joke that I set up with bim lol.  All is good, this team was among the very best we have wver had.  The treatments helped a LOT.   Did the regimen and considered going for a second set but decided against it.   

[pacruise804]

Glad your wife was good with the joke 🙂 

 

My kids used to need nebulizer treatments for their asthma when they were little - very scary, but amazing what a difference they made.  It's good to know that's available on board if needed, and glad you got relief.

 

 

[JaniceB]

Just found your review and always enjoy reading about your adventures, looking forward to more.

[jimbo5544]

22 hours ago, JaniceB said:

Just found your review and always enjoy reading about your adventures, looking forward to more.

More coming today, with lots of pics. 

[jimbo5544]

So, as we sailed into Antigua, this would be our 1st Carnival based excursion of the trip.  We have been to Antigua a couple of times on a cruise and once on a land based trip as well.  Our last time here on a cruise we ended up doing our own thing to the Grand Pineapple, which is a resort owned by Sandals.  This time, we were doing Devils Bridge and a beach break.  We loaded up into 3 15 passenger vans and headed out.  As we drove across the island, I was looking for signs of devastation from the hurricane.  Antigua was hit, but the small sister island Barbuda was devastated....

 

Here are some pics from Devils Bridge....

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

.... and a few more......

 

 

[jimbo5544]

we mounted up and went on the short ride to the beach break.  As we pulled and got out I looked to the left and it looked somewhat familiar.... yup Grand Pineapple.  The time there was nice, after a couple of hours we mounted up again for the ride back to the ship.  But before that....here are some pics from beach break.

 

[jimbo5544]

.... and some more......  check out the little bears in front of the guy with the sandy back...... posing for a pick.

[jimbo5544]

We made our way back to the port and the downtown area, when we got there, it was really....and I mean really busy.  New York midtown comes to mind.  Here are some pics from sail away, the ship next to us is a P & O (another Carnival owned brand UK based), we would see her again.....  Also, the first of many remarkable sunsets......

[jimbo5544]

.... and some more......

[jimbo5544]

Next up St Lucia, the absolute gem of the Caribbean......

[Hogladyrider]

We also did a Carnival excursion in Antigua,...the lobster lunch with beach breaks.  In 20+ cruises it was the BEST time ever!  The crew was fantastic, very informative ride down the coast pointing out all the sites along the way.  The two beach stops were so beautiful and NOT over crowded either.  Lunch prepared and served on the boat in between our two beach stops was amazing!

 

I never would have thought that an excursion could be so much fun, so informative, and worth every penny!

 

Here is your little LOL moment of the day......I got a GoPro for my birthday and I brought it on this excursion.  I'm still green using it but was determined.  I got it turned on and was happily waving it around filming everyone and I passed it off to my partner to continue filming while I got up and did a little dancing with a pole.......we got back to the cabin and I went to look at the video, nothing, nada, not there.  I had turned the GoPro on alright but I had not pushed the "record" button, so I was waving it around while it was doing nothing!  I blame the rum punch.

Susan

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, Hogladyrider said:

We also did a Carnival excursion in Antigua,...the lobster lunch with beach breaks.  In 20+ cruises it was the BEST time ever!  The crew was fantastic, very informative ride down the coast pointing out all the sites along the way.  The two beach stops were so beautiful and NOT over crowded either.  Lunch prepared and served on the boat in between our two beach stops was amazing!

 

I never would have thought that an excursion could be so much fun, so informative, and worth every penny!

 

Here is your little LOL moment of the day......I got a GoPro for my birthday and I brought it on this excursion.  I'm still green using it but was determined.  I got it turned on and was happily waving it around filming everyone and I passed it off to my partner to continue filming while I got up and did a little dancing with a pole.......we got back to the cabin and I went to look at the video, nothing, nada, not there.  I had turned the GoPro on alright but I had not pushed the "record" button, so I was waving it around while it was doing nothing!  I blame the rum punch.

Susan

Our guide on our tour was an excellent rep for her country.  Tourism is so important to them, they get it.....

[pacruise804]

I'm glad you seasoned cruisers took a chance on the ship excursion.  I often read complaints about how they are overcrowded and expensive, but most of what we have taken have been very good.  Then again we pick more unique options and not just the generic shopping or least expensive beach break, so that might contribute to our better experiences.