Mardi Gras 9/4-11/21 Somewhat Live Thoughts and Information

[kwokpot]

11:30pm.

Limelight lounge is slow so I'm getting my late night cocktail at Fortune Teller Bar - Absinthe Minded; Pernod Absinthe, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Bayou Satsuma Liquor, Lillet, Lemon, Regan's Orange Bitter #6

Highly unusual for me to order another cocktail. Usually it's iced water this time of night. That's what happens when you have a comped drink package!

 

[kwokpot]

Last call at Fortune Teller Bar. Midnight seems kinda early for a cruiseship bar to close,just saying.

[SNJCruisers]

On 9/4/2021 at 11:08 PM, bobbyg11 said:

This is so exciting. Only Horizon has had 100lb dumbbells in the past. I love not having to shortchange a workout.

I prefer 12 ounce curls. 

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, mondello said:

@SNJCruisers, here's a drink you can try at the Fortune Teller bar. Especially if Alchemy is too crowded.

It'll be on my list.  I already have a few ahead of it.  The Crystal Ball and the Abracadabra.

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

Usually it's iced water this time of night. That's what happens when you have a comped drink package!

 

Same thing happened last week to Saint Greg when he hit 15 on Cheers @ 700 pm.

[kwokpot]

Remainder of Sunday night/Day 2:

By 12:20am Limelight Lounge was hopping. It was bottled water here for me. What was notable was how much younger the crowd was vs the public areas earlier in the evening; where's all the old people? The casino!

[Spif Barwunkel]

Perhaps I have missed it in previous threads. Are reservations required/necessary for the Punchliner Comedy Club? If so, made at guest relations, comedy club itself, online? Can you make them prior to boarding? Carnival customer service cannot answer the question satisfactorily so I'm coming to you. Certainly not important and only at your convenience.

 

Thanks.

[kwokpot]

Morning update Day 3:

Breakfast was at Cucina this morning ( app reservation at 9:20am was only 5 minutes wait)

No issues at breakfast; however,I'd like to make note that the Broken Egg sandwich was a complete miss. 

 

I was on the Vista when Carnival introduced the new Port Day breakfast menu ( My posting history should show the posts I made about it). When this menu item was first introduced it was a hot grilled sandwich plated in a paper lined basket with fries. What was served today was a fried egg on un-toasted bread, cheddar cheese crumbles (originally melted slices), bacon with a hash brown on the side. A sad rendition of the once amazing hot grilled breakfast sandwich!

 

We are currently docking at Cozumel,along side the Carnival Breeze and the Royal's Symphony of the Seas at another adjacent pier. It's partly cloudy and humid.

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2021 by kwokpot

[Roscoe13]

12 hours ago, kwokpot said:

Dinner at Fahrenheit 555 was very good and service was the same if not a tad eager on the onset ( maybe I'm being overly critical?).  I feel the meal was worth the cover. Having said that for me maybe there's a bit of rosy retrospection in that I seem to remember even better meals on the Vista class steakhouses. In any case it was the best meal of the cruise so far and we had some nice conversations with the couple next to us. 

 

I checked out the Playlist production of Rock Revolution. A new show for me and it was entertaining and unusual for a shipboard show to focus solely on '60s music. I like the Intimacy of the Mardi Gras Theater with no columns to obstruct views. The sound was clear and loud and the video backgrounds were crystal clear.

 

Just wanted to say that you two look quite happy.  Both as cruisers and a couple.👍

[kwokpot]

3 minutes ago, Roscoe13 said:

Just wanted to say that you two look quite happy.  Both as cruisers and a couple.👍

Thank you and I appreciate the sentiments.

[SNJCruisers]

3 hours ago, kwokpot said:

where's all the old people? The casino!

Asleep in their cabin?

[kwokpot]

Just now, SNJCruisers said:

Asleep in their cabin?

Probably. 

[SNJCruisers]

3 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Perhaps I have missed it in previous threads. Are reservations required/necessary for the Punchliner Comedy Club? If so, made at guest relations, comedy club itself, online? Can you make them prior to boarding? Carnival customer service cannot answer the question satisfactorily so I'm coming to you. Certainly not important and only at your convenience.

 

Thanks.

Not as of yet.  It was implied by John Heald that it may eventually come to fruition.  It would be a nice addition in my opinion since I am not a fan of waiting in line and I enjoyed the reservation process on my four sailings on the NCL  Escape and Bliss.

[kwokpot]

I'm not planning on disembarking here in Cozumel so I decided to try out the ropes course this morning before lunch. No cost and you can't reserve it on the app, unlike the Bolt rollercoaster. There wasn't anyone waiting or on the course at the time so I had the whole thing to myself. It was fun but too short and could be a bit more challenging. The walk the plank and mini Zipline are fun challenges.

Edited September 6, 2021 by kwokpot

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, kwokpot said:

Morning update Day 3:

Breakfast was at Cucina this morning ( app reservation at 9:20am was only 5 minutes wait)

No issues at breakfast; however,I'd like to make note that the Broken Egg sandwich was a complete miss. 

Like to mention that a few people had positive things to say about the breakfast chicken biscuit with drizzled honey at Big Chicken, available till 300 pm.

[Saint Greg]

41 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

.

 

 

Watch the jewels!

[kwokpot]

52 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Like to mention that a few people had positive things to say about the breakfast chicken biscuit with drizzled honey at Big Chicken, available till 300 pm.

I'll have to try that!

[kwokpot]

20 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Watch the jewels!

I know! 😬

[Saint Greg]

3 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

I'll have to try that!

I had it a couple times. I enjoyed them.

[kwokpot]

Afternoon update Day 3: 

After the ropes course relaxed in the room and had to decide where for lunch. At first we were going to do Paninis but I wanted to try the Shawarma so off we went to the buffet. Robert went for a Big Chicken sandwich which he's in love with and I tried the beef shawarma. Yummy! Added some cooked vegetables from the buffet. For dessert I had a sample plate of their yummy cookies. I love the crunchy, crumbly texture. 

Rays and the Last Dragon animated movie was showing on the big screen and it started to rain.

It will be spa time a little later and then a workout before dinner.

 

FYI:

Street Eats isn't open on port days but the adjacent Seafood Shack is.

[kwokpot]

FYI

https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/gyro-vs-shawarma

 

[Spif Barwunkel]

3 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Not as of yet.  It was implied by John Heald that it may eventually come to fruition.  It would be a nice addition in my opinion since I am not a fan of waiting in line and I enjoyed the reservation process on my four sailings on the NCL  Escape and Bliss.

Thank you, SNJ. Always enjoy the comedy clubs on all lines when available. Will definitely stand on line one night although I much prefer having reservations.

[kwokpot]

Evening Day 3 update:

I spent the rest of the afternoon in the thermal suite and then a workout before dinner. The thermal suite was busy but people were coming and going so there was never a problem getting a heated tile lounger. The steam and sauna rooms were an enjoyable way to relax. 

 

The gym wasn't busy at all, at most there were 3 other people there. Great way to workout with no one in your way. 

 

We requested a table at Chibang(Robert calls it Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) via app at 7:00pm and we were sitting down at 7:10. First time eating there and I must say I really enjoyed all the Asian dishes. The food was hot, fresh, and full of flavors. Not all the dishes were fully authentic (the Mapo tofu is a Chinese dish of tofu in a spicy brown sauce and it was turned into a Southeast Asian dish, albeit still full of flavors of Asia)

but the seasonings created the appropriate flavors. At this meal we only had the Asian dishes and without researching fully it seems close to what Jiji's Chinese serves for dinner on other ships. I enjoyed the decor and tableware and service was friendly, prompt, and accurate. We finished three courses within one hour and never felt rushed.   As with Jiji's on other Carnival ships I would gladly pay a cover to dine at Chibang if that ever happens. The restaurant is quite large and to be honest if a cover charge was applied I'm not sure they would ever fill the restaurant.

 

 

 

[kwokpot]

Trying a new drink in a new bar. The Brass Magnolia Bar and a cocktail named Vieux Carre; Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Hennessy VSOP Cognac, Cinzano 1757 Sweet Vermouth, Benedictine, Peychaud's Bitters, Angostura Bitters. Grownup cocktail. I like the additional subtle flavors besides the whiskey. It packs a punch!

Edited September 7, 2021 by kwokpot

[KmomChicago]

9 hours ago, kwokpot said:

I'm not planning on disembarking here in Cozumel so I decided to try out the ropes course this morning before lunch. No cost and you can't reserve it on the app, unlike the Bolt rollercoaster. There wasn't anyone waiting or on the course at the time so I had the whole thing to myself. It was fun but too short and could be a bit more challenging. The walk the plank and mini Zipline are fun challenges.

I enjoyed this as well. Unlike you I am not in very fit shape and I couldn’t force myself to step off the mini zip line step.