Breeze trip report with photos/menus Oct 11 2021

[luckybecky]

Hello cruisers!

 

I just returned from a 5 day getaway cruise on the Carnival Breeze. I was excited about going on this trip because our first "big" cruise was on the Breeze on her third sailing, soon after she launched in June 2012. She was brand spanking new and the Mediterranean voyage was a bucket list dream vacation for us (trip report on that cruise in my signature). I was looking forward to sailing on her again. 

 

I'm going to give a detailed trip report. I'll have lots of menus from the dining room and several bars. I'll comment on Covid protocols and a few things I noticed that are different from the first time we cruised the Breeze. I won't post a ton of ship photos as I usually do in my trip reports, because much of the ship looks just the same as it was in my first report.

 

I booked this cruise a little more than 3 weeks before sailing. I'm normally a big planner and usually plan our trips months in advance, but I got a last minute casino deal offering us a rate of just $25 per person for a balcony cabin on a five night sailing out of Galveston. At that price, I couldn't resist! My husband couldn't take the time off so I initially planned to go by myself (would have been my first solo cruise), but then my son was able to arrange the time off on short notice so we made it a mother-son trip. Our total cost for a balcony cabin was around $300 including all taxes and fees, and gratuities.

 

The first Covid protocol we had to adhere to was obtaining a negative Covid test within 2 days of embarkation. We were able to schedule appointments at CVS and got this accomplished easily the Saturday before the cruise on Monday Oct. 11. We received several emails reminding us of this requirement in the week or so before sailing.

 

We drove from San Antonio to Galveston the day before the cruise. We had a boarding time of 10:30-11:00 -- I don't think I've ever been on a ship that started boarding that early. We never drive the same day we cruise. We stayed at the Baymont, which was OK for just an overnight stay. Not glamorous but it's cheap and the beds were comfortable.

 

The next morning we left our hotel around 10 am. We use Galveston Park N Cruise. Have used them I think 3 times, highly recommend them. They are directly
across the street from cruise terminal 1, so no need for a shuttle. You drive to the end of the terminal to drop off your luggage with the porters, then you can go park and just walk across the street to the terminal. We arrived in the terminal almost exactly at our 10:30am assigned time. 

 

Check-in: I was a little disappointed in the lack of social distancing. People were required to wear masks in the cruise terminal. But the check-in area was very crowded, with only a couple of feet between kiosks. Then we were packed into the waiting area just as in the pre covid days with no distancing at all between the chairs. By way of comparison, our first post-covid cruise was on Celebrity a couple of months ago. They did not allow people to congregate in the terminal. You weren't allowed in the terminal until your check-in time, and once checked in, you got on board. This did not happen with Carnival and I was a little uncomfortable being crowded in a large hall with many other people.

 

OTOH, everyone was supposed to be vaccinated and have negative tests (I hope most people were honest about this and did not provided fake documents), so it should be safe. We waited in the terminal seating area for a little while. It wasn't too long before they started boarding, maybe 20 minutes or so.

 

We also had a minor glitch when the check in agent asked about my son's CPAP. I said he doesn't use a CPAP. She said, well, it says here he does. We went back and forth on that and assured her that he most certainly does not and never has used one. She had to go find a supervisor to clear up the matter and we stood waiting for a good 10-15 minutes before she came back and let us through. Getting through security was easy with no lines. I had two bottles of wine which were given a quick glance and we were done. We snapped this photo walking up the gangplank at 11:09 am.

 

 

 

We headed straight up to the lido and by 11:15 we had a Guy's burger in hand. 🙂

 

 

 

 

On the lido deck

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by luckybecky

[luckybecky]

So on this cruise, I heard that we were at about 50% capacity. I'm not sure how accurate that was, but probably pretty close. We definitely were not 100%. The lido buffet and pool areas were much less crowded than usual. There was no line at all for the burger. Of course not everyone was on board yet. Sometimes we would see a short line but it was never bad.

 

Speaking of burgers, I need to tell you about my son's and my weird dietary habits. My son has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of high functioning autism. Part of his disability is that he has very particular food preferences and has a very hard time deviating from them or trying new things. He loved Guy's Burgers and ate that -- and only that -- for lunch every single day of the cruise. And he ate the same grilled chicken breast every night for supper in the MDR. The only dessert he ate was vanilla ice cream at every meal. 

 

I'm into intermittent fasting. So I never eat breakfast. And I rarely eat lunch. Sometimes in the afternoon I'll have a protein bar (which I brought with me) and that's it until supper. So I don't have a wide variety of food photos for you but I did try to get as many menus as I could and I'll show you what we ate in the dining room at night. 

 

So we explored the ship a little after lunch and then went to our room when they opened at 1:30pm. Our luggage was already there  -- yay! We unpacked and had plenty of room for everything. We had room 10259 on the lido deck. It looked identical to the one I remembered from our 2012 cruise. We were in 10248 that time. I loved our lido deck location then and liked it just as much this time. Very convenient to the forward elevators, the pool, lido deck bars and buffet. I'll share some room photos. 

 

 

 

 

 

I believe the ship had a dry dock in 2017.  There were a few minor areas where it looked like she needs another one. Overall, she's still in great shape and we love the ship. But there were a few things. The most bothersome was the partition on the balcony between our cabin and the one next door. It didn't close tightly. Our first night on board was pretty windy, and that door was rattling like crazy. It was just on the other side of the wall from the headboard and very noisy. I finally went out there and wedged a folded washcloth tightly in the jamb. That helped a lot. There were a few other small things like a drawer that didn't slide smoothly, cabinet door that hung a little crooked, stains on the decorative lanterns that hang in the upper atrium, and some stained carpets. But these were really quite inconsequential minor issues. I'm not trying to be nitpicky, just commenting that there are some little things that could use a little sprucing up. Overall though, the ship is beautiful, still in great shape, and I like the layout.

 

Our stateroom steward, Jesus, was terrific. Stopped by and introduced himself. Always greeted us when he saw us in the hall and asked if we needed anything. He kept our room very nice. 

 

Muster was so easy. You can watch a video on the Hub app, but apparently that is not required. What is required is to check in to your muster station. Once you check in, you sit and watch a 3-4 minute demonstration of how to put on a life jacket. That is pretty much it. You don't have to all show up at the same time and wait in crowded conditions. You could do the muster at any time during the afternoon. If you don't do the muster, they will freeze your sign and sail card. They made many announcements trying to get everyone to do it. Finally calling a couple of people by name who STILL had not done the easy check-in. Eventually everyone mustered and we were able to sail away. The new muster procedure is one of the best post covid changes!

 

By the way, don't pay full price for drinks when you board. There were waiters everywhere on the lido pushing the Drink Of The Day at full price. I didn't know until the last minute, but the Red Frog bar has happy hour from noon to 2pm on embarkation day. (I think there may have been happy hour on other days too.) All drinks are half price, including the huge $35souvenir keepsake fish bowl glass which you can get for $17.50 during happy hour.

 

Here is the Red Frog Pub menu

 

 

 

[luckybecky]

Here is the room service menu. There are no longer any items available for no charge, as best I could tell in the app. In the past, room service was free of charge for many items. 

 

The nice thing is, you can order from the app and have it delievered not only to your room, but to virtually any location on the ship. You just state your location in the app and they will bring it to you. (Most of the menus I show will be screenshots, because there are no longer any paper menus.) 

 

The menu seems much more limited than before. There were only about 9-10 items in the app, all for a cost. On our Sunshine cruise a couple of years ago, there were these same items available for a fee, but also at least half a dozen sandwiches, a couple of salads, and about 3 desserts, all at no cost. Am I missing something? Have they eliminated all those free items and gone only to the more limited for-a-fee menu?

 

Here are screen shots of the room service (or delivery) menu from the app.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was a "Carnival Player's Club Getaway Cruise" and included a few perks since we booked a casino rate. The first perk was a pair of lanyards in our room upon arrival which included a little card identifying us as "Getaway VIP Guests" and said "display this card to enjoy complementary beverages while playing in the casino." So I tried it. First, they said that although the casino was open, we were not yet in international waters so they could not serve me a drink. Later that evening I went back and had a couple of glasses of wine, but got charged both times. I spoke to a casino host and she removed the charges. (BTW, on cruises leaving from Galveston, the Cheers package does not kick in until day 2 -- something to do with Texas laws.)

 

BTW, I want to point out that although we got a fantastic rate on the cruise, and got the Player's Club gifts which I will show later, we are NOT high rollers by a long shot. I gamble a little each day. But really not much, like under $100 a day. We are not spending thousands in order to receive these perks. So even if you just gamble penny slots, I recommend that you sign up for the player's club so that you can start receiving emails with special deals. 

 

 

 

The main casino is on deck five. But there is now a "casino annex" on deck four. This used to be a conference center and is still labeled as such on the deck plan on the Carnival site. Someone said they thought this is a "pilot program." I think our cruise director described this as "brand new." It's right behind the thrill theater. It is nonsmoking and considerably quieter than the main casino. There is not a bar. I did see a waiter pass through once or twice but the bar service seemed considerably slower than in the main casino. The ceilings were low and it didn't have the same vibe as the upstairs casino. I'm sorry, I was positive I took at least one or two photos of the annex but now I can't find them.

 

As for the smoking, if that bothers you the annex may be your thing. The smell of smoke was quite noticeable in the main casino. However they have made some changes. If I recall correctly, smoking was allowed at one side of the casino bar back in 2012. That is no longer the case. You are not allowed to smoke in the casino unless you are actively playing at a table or machine. Otherwise, you are supposed to go outside (though I am not sure if anyone is monitoring or enforcing this rule). So, no smoking when the casino is closed even if the bar is open. Also, a waiter told me that the starboard side of the casino is supposed to be nonsmoking, but that is the smaller section (no tables) and the smoke gravitates from one side to the other anyway. 

 

Personally, I am not extremely bothered by smoke. I notice it, but I can tolerate it. But I also try to avoid sitting right next to a smoker. I know that some people find it very offensive. So the annex would be great if that's you.

 

And by the way, I mentioned the Thrill Theater. This was closed every time we went by. I don't think it ever opened during this cruise. Too bad, because we had fun here on our 2012 cruise and I thought my son might enjoy it. 

 

Here's one shot of the main casino

 

 

Minimum bets for most table games were $5 or $6. I'm not sure about craps. They had one Let It Ride table, if you like that game. My husband likes it, and it can be hard to find.

 

[luckybecky]

So we spent the afternoon getting settled in and exploring the ship. I went to the sail away party which was a lot of fun with line dancing and a booty shaking contest. I wish I knew how to post videos on here because I have some fun ones. But this shot of a guy who knows how to party will have to do. He's doing the Cupid Shuffle while drinking a Bud Light and Not Adulting. I loved this guy! LOL

 

 

 

The reduced capacity was noticable. Compare this photo from the Sunshine Sail Away party in 2018 to the one on the Breeze in 2021. For me, this is a welcome change. I loved the less crowded venues. 

 

Sunshine 2018

 

 

 

Breeze 2021 at half capacity

 

 

 

We played a round of mini golf, shot some hoops, and even did a little workout on the sport court exercise equipment. 

 

[luckybecky]

First night in the Main Dining Room

 

We had anytime dining, but always go to dinner early, around 6pm, because I like to finish dinner in time to do the shows and comedy club in the evening. We got a nice table right by the window. They no longer give you a paper menu. You have to look at the menu on the Carnival Hub app, or there is a QR code on the table that you can scan.

 

I tried to get screenshots of the menu in the MDR each night. Here they are for tonight.

 

 

 

 

By the way, you can check in for dining on the Hub app. Every time I used it, it would always say there was "less than a 10 minute wait," and then soon would receive a message on the app that our table is ready. This was a really nice feature. I'm sure the short waits were due to our reduced passenger capacity. But the wait times were a problem on our last Carnival cruise, on the Sunshine. They would give you a pager and you could not stray far from the restaurant or the pager wouldn't work. The current method of checking in on the app can be done from anywhere on the ship and you just go when they notify you that your table is ready. This was a massive improvement.

 

I had the smoked poblano and corn soup which was delicious, and a salad.

 

 

 

Travis tried the quesadilla.

 

 

The beef brisket was also good, but was not really what we call "brisket" in south Texas. Here, brisket is a BBQ style. On the ship it was just roast beef, which was fine. Served over mashed potatoes with roasted veggies. Tasted great.

 

 

I had the chocolate melting cake which was delicious. On our last Carnival cruise, we were pretty disappointed in the dining room food and service. Both were vastly improved on this trip. We were very happy with the MDR food and service every night.

 

 

[luckybecky]

I love the live shows on cruise ships and go to them pretty much every night. Tonight our cruise director Cookie did an funny opening and then there was a musical singing/dancing bit by the  Carnival troupe. Cookie was really funny and over-the-top. He was everywhere. Very energetic and fun.

 

 

 

I found a cruising duck in the casino. 🙂

 

 

 

And we loved the towel animals from our steward every night.

 

 

 

I went to three comedy shows on this ship. There were multiple opportunities for the comedy club. One or more shows most nights. As far as I know, there were no family friendly, PG shows as we have noticed on prior cruises. In the past there would usually be a G or PG show around 7pm, and then the late night shows would be adult only. This time, they were all adult oriented as far as I know. But there were very few kids on board so that makes sense.

 

As usual, you needed to show up early to get a good seat, but this was not as bad as usual on ships at full capacity. There was absolutely zero social distancing in the comedy club (or in the main theater for that matter). Chairs were lined up as close together as possible.

 

 

So I don't want to start a debate about masking. I'm just going to tell you what the stated protocols were on the ship, and what was actually happening. Haters, please hold your fire. 

 

So I've already told you there was no social distancing. At all. But you were supposed to wear a mask in indoor venues. There were signs everywhere. And frequent announcements about masking up, but I never saw any ship personnel actually asking anyone to follow the protocols. They had a "sip and mask" rule so if you were in the theater or casino, for example, you should keep your mask on except when actively drinking. In the dining room, you obviously could have your mask off but should wear it to and from your table. Generally speaking, the rule was that you keep your mask on indoors.

 

This rule seemed to  be widely ignored. I'd estimate that 60-70% of people were unmasked in the theater, the casino, and comedy club -- whether or not they were eating or drinking. Look, I don't like masks any more than anyone else. But I want to travel. If a mask is what it takes to do it safely, I'm in. I am willing to follow the rules and I'm frustrated by people who fragrantly ignore them. Which seemed to be a majority of passengers. The one place where masks were almost universally used was the elevators. 

 

(By the way, another CC member who was on this cruise described their experience differently, specifically noting that masks were used in the spa area.) 

 

Here is the letter in our stateroom describing the rules for masking in "all indoor areas," including shops, casino, MDR, buffet, etc. 
 

 

[luckybecky]

So now that I have stirred that hornet's nest, how about I talk about the alcohol package? Once again, please don't hate on me. I'm just going to tell you what happened. We were not trying to cheat -- in fact, as I think I implied above, we want to follow the rules. And I emailed Carnival in an attempt to do just that. So here goes.

 

So, I told you that my son has Asperger's syndrome. He is 28 years old, but does not drink alcohol. Not a drop. In fact you could not make him take a drink no matter how hard you try. He absolutely refuses it. He is, however, hopelessly addicted to soda and certainly would need the soda package.

 

I like to drink when on vacation. I understand the rule that if one wants the alcoholic drink package, all adults in a stateroom must purchase it. I know that this rule is meant to avoid abuse of the package and sharing among adult drinkers.

 

This question actually occurred to me recently around the time of our recent Celebrity cruise when I saw an adult with Down Syndrome travelling with parents. I wondered if the cruise line would require this passenger to purchase the package if the parents wanted it, and I asked about it on the Celebrity board. I wondered if the cruise line might make an exception for people with disabilities. Some commentors said I should just contact the cruise line and said it shouldn't be a problem to get an exemption for a documented disability.

 

So after booking this cruise, I emailed Carnival's department, don't recall the name, but the people who assist with disability issues. I explained the issue and asked if they gave exemptions for a person with a disability, and said I could provide medical records documenting the disability if needed.

 

I soon recieved a reply that said our booking had been noted as having a person with special needs, but it did not address my question.

 

A couple of days later, I was looking at my planner, exploring excursions, dining, and drink options. For some reason, it allowed me to book the Cheers package for myself, and then separately reserve the Bottomless Bubbles soda package for my son. I was surprised, because I thought the website would not allow only one adult in the room to purchase Cheers. But it did. I could only assume that my email to the disability department had been received and addressed in a way that allowed us to book the packages separately. I assumed that if the website allowed the purchase, then it was OK.

 

Later, I recieved an email that said no exceptions were possible. Hmm. I had already purchased the packages and they had gone through with no trouble. So I just figured we would wait and see if there was any problem on board, we would pay whatever was required, or cancel the alcohol package if necessary. But as it turned out, all was well. I had the Cheers package and my son had the Bottomless Bubbles package, with no questions asked. 

 

We had a letter in our stateroom upon arrival from the Guest Services Manager specifically addressing the disability issue, offering assistance if needed. So clearly our earlier letter was noted. So, haters, please do not come out accusing us of trying to subvert the rules. We booked the packages as the website allowed and did not try to circumvent anything. Our packages worked exactly as advertised: I was able to enjoy Cheers and my son drank endless amounts of soda. I would be interested in hearing others' thoughts on this as far as the alcohol policy applies to disabled adults, but I don't want to start a problem.

 

So as long as we are talking about alcohol, here is the cocktail and wine list from the app for the MDR:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our first day on board was awesome! Tomorrow is a sea day.

[luckybecky]

Tuesday October 12

 

We slept late. Travis headed to the buffet to get some pancakes. I went to the gym for a run. I went to the gym three of the five days that we were on board and it was never crowded. In fact, it was practically deserted. I'm sure this was at least in part due to our reduced passenger capacity, but it was really noticeable that the gym was very little used. I have never been a gym person before, but in the last couple of years have tried to become more fit. So I can't comment on how this cruise compares to others because I never used the gym before. But it was a large space here and very accessible. ~~Nike4000, I promise I wiped down my treadmill each time after finishing my run! 😉 ~~

 

We did the water slides and ropes course. Tons of fun! Spent a little time in a hot tub.

 

I had a Kiss On The Lips -- yummy!

 

 

I found another duck!

 

 

 

 

Here are some more menus for you. Sorry they are distorted. This is how they appeared in the app, a bit distorted, so the screen shots are hard to read. 

 

Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the menu from the Seafood Shack

 

 

Here are some drink menus. I'm pretty sure this is from the Casino Bar, but not positive. As mentioned before, there were very rarely any paper menus available. Everything on the app. For that matter, there was very little paper at all. There used to be a magazine or two on the stateroom coffee table, and of course a daily schedule -- the Fun Times, as I think it was called. I really miss that. I like having something I can hold in my had and read. I'm old school that way, I guess.

 

 

 

The Layer Cake wine, the standard cabernet sauvignon which is what I like to drink, is now 11.25, was 10 on the Sunshine when we last sailed.

[luckybecky]

We had a great day. This was elegant night so we looked forward to dinner. Here is the menu.

 

 

 

 

I don't eat seafood, so it was not a problem for me, but I remember that the lobster tail on elegant night used to be a big deal for many people. So I was really surprised to see that it is not on the menu now. When did that happen? Is this something new?

 

Well, actually it is on the menu. For a $20 surcharge. I am certain this is a change since our last sailing. I know I have heard people talking about the lobster on elegant night. I suppose this has 
probaby been discussed at length so I don't want to revive a debate. This is just the first time I became aware of it because I haven't been on the boards much since Covid and haven't sailed Carnival in a few years. 

 

Anyway, the prime rib is still on the menu. Now that is more my speed. But it was just OK. Not bad, but not amazing either. Overall, the food in the dining room was much better than our last Carnival cruise and we enjoyed every meal.

 

 

Spinach salad

 

 

 

Here is the grilled chicken that Travis ate every night -- with extra mashed potatoes

 

 

 

 

Prime rib with gravy, broccoli, small baked potato

 

 

Spaghetti carbonara. This was offered as an entree, but I asked for a small side portion alongside my prime rib and this was provided. Even the half portion was plenty for Travis and I to share.
It was very good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[luckybecky]

Tonight, we had a special gift in our room: a large Getaway Cruise tote bag. I really like this bag: it is perfect for the beach. 

 

 

 

Here is a menu of some seasonal drinks. I'm sorry, I don't remember for sure, but I think this might have been at the atrium bar on deck 3.

 

 

There were a few Halloween decorations on board. The only ones I noticed were here in the atrium. A big pumpkin thing and banner which were a great backdrop for photos, along with garland along the staircases in the atrium. I did not see any other Halloween decor in other areas of the ship. I know that on one day they invited people to wear costumes (but didn't see many doing so) as well as having trick or treating around the ship for kids. On that note, I noticed only a very few children on board. There were some, but not many. Of course this is in the middle of school time.

 

 

After dinner, I went to the Motown show in the main theater. I enjoyed it. I think it was an improvement from our last Carnival cruise. I was a little critical then of the shows and the food in the MDR.

 

This time I thought both were much better. I also thought there was much more live music everywhere than last time. Instead of only a DJ most of the time, now they often had a Calypso drummer on the Lido, a fantastic violin trio in the atrium every night, a live band in the Ocean Plaza, and more. 

 

Here is the violin trio. They were really good. 

 

 

And here are some shots from the Motown show

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later, I went to the Punchliner Comedy Club to see a comic, I believe his name was Roman. Everyone seemed to enjoy the show.

 

I also hit the casino a couple of times a day during this cruise. Usually for a little while before dinner, and again sometime between or after shows in the evening. I had terrible luck this cruise! 😞

 

[luckybecky]

Wednesday October 13

 

Costa Maya!

 

We didn't dock until late, so I put in a 3 mile run up on the jogging track. Seven laps = 1 mile. It was pretty hot so I didn't try that again. Went to the gym the rest of the time. 

 

We received a nice gift from the casino host: a plate of delicious cookies. 

 

 

 

My son had the requisite Guy's burger and then we disembarked around 1pm. 

 

 

 

We had reserved a tour of Chacchoben Mayan ruins with a company called Native Choice. If you read any of my reviews, you'll find that I am a big advocate for doing tours on your own. We saved about $30 per person compared to a similar tour by Carnival, and we had a very small group tour instead of being on a tour bus with 30 or 40 others.

 

We had about a 15-20 minute walk to arrive at the Native Choice office to begin the tour. You could also take a short taxi ride to the office if you don't want to walk. Then a comfortable ride in a 14 passenger van, with just two other tourists, plus a guide and driver.

 

When we arrived at the ruins, we joined a guide and about 8 others and had about a 30 minute tour. Then, all the others left to continue their tour at a lagoon where they could swim or kayak. We had
booked only the ruins tour, without the lagoon portion, so we stayed behind with our guide. He spent another hour with us giving us a private tour just for my son and I. Then we drove back in a private van with a driver and our guide. This was so much better than being herded onto a tour bus with dozens of others, and cost us only $55 per person. We were dropped off right at the security gate to the port, avoiding the walk from the Native Choice office that was required to start the tour.  Be aware the tour at the ruins required walking on uneven surfaces and climbing some uneven steps.

 

 

 

 

 

Just so you know, there is a very large shopping area immediately at the port of Costa Maya. It includes a really nice pool with a swim up bar. So you could get off the ship and just go shopping and enjoy the pool if you wish, no need to book an excursion. Here are some feathered friends we spotted at the port.

 

 

 

 

 

Back on board, this critter was waiting to greet us.

 

[luckybecky]

Dinner was excellent. I started with the roasted broccoli soup -- delicious. Travis tried the mozzarella sticks which he enjoyed. 

 

 

 

 

Broccoli soup

 

 

 

I had the grilled beef tenderloin which was very good.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I seem to have missed getting the dessert menu tonight. I had a chocolate martini -- yummy! -- and whatever this dessert is. 

 

 

 

Here are a few more menus for you. This was the drink menu at the Red Frog Rum Bar on the lido, one of the few places where I actually found a printed menu.

 

 

 

Here is the menu at the Pig and Anchor BBQ 

 

 

[luckybecky]

Bonsai Sushi menu

 

 

 

 

Sorry they are blurry. That is how they appeared in the app.

[luckybecky]

Thursday October 14

 

Today we were in Cozumel. We had an early docking time and early back on board time of 3:30pm. This time, I reserved a Carnival excursion. We just wanted a little beach time so I booked the Beach Escape tour. It only included transportation to and from the beach, about a 20 minute drive away. This was a private beach which we were told was only for Carnival passengers. The Vista was also in port, but the beach was still very uncrowded. More than enough loungers. Clean white sand and crystal clear water. There was food and drink available for purchase. There was also a pool. It was a nice relaxing break. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't recommend this excursion if you have very small children, because the water gets deep very quickly. You can take only about 2-3 steps into the water before it takes a drop off to knee deep, and then just a very few steps more and you are up to your thighs and then waist. Before you know it, you can no longer touch bottom at all. This would not be good if you have small children because the water is just too deep for them to play along the beach. Otherwise, it was a terrific excursion.

 

We headed back to the ship after a couple of hours enjoying the beach. We had another Player's Club gift waiting for us in our room: a huge fluffy beach towel. 

 

 

 

 

[luckybecky]

I had time to get in a run at the gym and then a shower before a pre-purchased 3pm massage. It was great! I am not a big spa person because the prices are so very high, but on the last couple of cruises I have splurged. It was great.

 

Tonight we went to Cucina del Capitano. My son *loved* the chicken parmesan on the Sunshine and has never stopped talking about it, so I had to make sure we went to the Cucina on this trip. Here is the menu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had the superb Capitano's Insalata di Rucola. It was a much larger portion than the salads in the MDR and was really very good. I also wanted to try the Minestrone so asked for "a cup" of soup in addition to the salad. They brought a huge bowl of soup, and it was delicious. But I couldn't finish it all, especially since we had 2 orders of the amazing parmesan bread they serve, and trying to save room for the main course. 

 

 

 

 

Travis had the chicken parmesan and devoured every bite, and had a side of roasted potatoes. I had the pork chop which was excellent, along with some delicious roasted broccoli and cauliflower. 

 

 

 

 

 

We tried the polenta cake and the apple tart desserts. Everything was good. The meal is absolutely worth the $15 surcharge.

 

 

 

 

I believe tonight I saw the comic Valarie Storm again. I saw her twice on this cruise. She was very funny. We really enjoy the comedy club on Carnival ships. And I think tonight was also the Love and Marriage show with cruise director Cookie, or maybe was yesterday. We try to catch this show every time we cruise. It is always different and always hilarious. Don't miss it.
 

I have to run but I'll be back later to finish up. Sad to say we have just one more day on board. 

Edited October 20, 2021 by luckybecky

[princess76021]

thank you for doing this!!  really appreciate it!

 

i miss cruising, can't wait for my turn 🙂

 

hugs!!!

[Harleydidi]

Enjoying your review!!

[luckybecky]

37 minutes ago, Harleydidi said:

Enjoying your review!!

 

Thank you! Welcome to cruise critic!

[Joe817]

Excellent review! Very easy to read and good word choices! 👍

[cruisingguy007]

Really enjoying this review. Good pace, yet thorough and comprehensive without mundane filler. Some great tips and insights as well. Well done! Great photos as well! Sounds like you two had a great trip. Appreciate you sharing your experience.  

[luckybecky]

By the way, I forgot to mention that we used room service only once on this cruise. Travis ordered breakfast when we were in Cozumel because we had an early excursion (had to disembark and meet in the port at 8:30). Breakfast room service is still ordered the old fashioned way, with a paper menu that you fill out and hang on your doorknob before you go to bed.  We set our alarm for 7:25 and asked for breakfast delivery at 7:30-8:00. Of course, the knock on our door came at 7:20 and roused me out of a deep sleep. So I got to answer the door in my pajamas with my hair sticking out every which way. 😴 Anyway, on with my tale...

 

 

Friday October 15

 

Our last day was a sea day. When we got up, my son wanted to do the water slides. We went down them multiple times, they are a lot of fun. Spent a little time in the hot tub and aft pool. Amazingly on this cruise you could actually get a lounger near the pool, even on a sea day, thanks to our reduced capacity.

 

Then we did the ropes course again. It's easier the second time around. We played a round of mini golf. My son beat me every time we played. 

 

We also did some air hockey in the arcade and he beat me at that too. He loved the arcade and spent some time there almost every day. It is quite large compared to some ships we have been on, with a good variety of games. Of course the cost can add up quickly. It was very little used. Sometimes he would be the only one there, I guess because of both the reduced capacity and the small number of kids and teens on board.

 

After all that I went to the gym while Travis had lunch. There was one person there when I arrived, but he soon left and I was the only person in the entire gym. And this was on a sea day!

 

On the last day in the afternoon they do a fundraiser for St. Jude's Children's hospital on the lido deck. If you donate at least $10 you get a t-shirt and a wristband. We both donated. I believe that Cookie the CD said we raised over $5000. 

 

I was really tempted to try the sea day brunch because the menu looks amazing, but I resisted the temptation. Trying really hard not to put on any cruise weight. (And I didn't! 😃)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2021 by luckybecky

[hurricane0226]

6 hours ago, luckybecky said:

We had a great day. This was elegant night so we looked forward to dinner. Here is the menu.

 

 

 

 

I don't eat seafood, so it was not a problem for me, but I remember that the lobster tail on elegant night used to be a big deal for many people. So I was really surprised to see that it is not on the menu now. When did that happen? Is this something new?

 

Well, actually it is on the menu. For a $20 surcharge. I am certain this is a change since our last sailing. I know I have heard people talking about the lobster on elegant night. I suppose this has 
probaby been discussed at length so I don't want to revive a debate. This is just the first time I became aware of it because I haven't been on the boards much since Covid and haven't sailed Carnival in a few years. 

 

Anyway, the prime rib is still on the menu. Now that is more my speed. But it was just OK. Not bad, but not amazing either. Overall, the food in the dining room was much better than our last Carnival cruise and we enjoyed every meal.

 

 

Spinach salad

 

 

 

Here is the grilled chicken that Travis ate every night -- with extra mashed potatoes

 

 

 

 

Prime rib with gravy, broccoli, small baked potato

 

 

Spaghetti carbonara. This was offered as an entree, but I asked for a small side portion alongside my prime rib and this was provided. Even the half portion was plenty for Travis and I to share.
It was very good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lobster tail is only on a 7 day sailing, we did the 5 day on the magic, and no lobster tail on elegant night.

[hurricane0226]

35 minutes ago, luckybecky said:

By the way, I forgot to mention that we used room service only once on this cruise. Travis ordered breakfast when we were in Cozumel because we had an early excursion (had to disembark and meet in the port at 8:30). Breakfast room service is still ordered the old fashioned way, with a paper menu that you fill out and hang on your doorknob before you go to bed.  We set our alarm for 7:25 and asked for breakfast delivery at 7:30-8:00. Of course, the knock on our door came at 7:20 and roused me out of a deep sleep. So I got to answer the door in my pajamas with my hair sticking out every which way. 😴 Anyway, on with my tale...

 

 

Friday October 15

 

Our last day was a sea day. When we got up, my son wanted to do the water slides. We went down them multiple times, they are a lot of fun. Spent a little time in the hot tub and aft pool. Amazingly on this cruise you could actually get a lounger near the pool, even on a sea day, thanks to our reduced capacity.

 

Then we did the ropes course again. It's easier the second time around. We played a round of mini golf. My son beat me every time we played. 

 

We also did some air hockey in the arcade and he beat me at that too. He loved the arcade and spent some time there almost every day. It is quite large compared to some ships we have been on, with a good variety of games. Of course the cost can add up quickly. It was very little used. Sometimes he would be the only one there, I guess because of both the reduced capacity and the small number of kids and teens on board.

 

After all that I went to the gym while Travis had lunch. There was one person there when I arrived, but he soon left and I was the only person in the entire gym. And this was on a sea day!

 

On the last day in the afternoon they do a fundraiser for St. Jude's Children's hospital on the lido deck. If you donate at least $10 you get a t-shirt and a wristband. We both donated. I believe that Cookie the CD said we raised over $5000. 

 

I was really tempted to try the sea day brunch because the menu looks amazing, but I resisted the temptation. Trying really hard not to put on any cruise weight. (And I didn't! 😃)

 

 

 

 

 

 

You missed a good meal, always luv this brunch lol.

[luckybecky]

59 minutes ago, hurricane0226 said:

Lobster tail is only on a 7 day sailing, we did the 5 day on the magic, and no lobster tail on elegant night.

 

Ok, that explains it. I was wondering why there was no lobster. I know of people who say they even order two!

[luckybecky]

Maybe someone can answer this for me: do gold cruisers now have to go to the photo gallery to pick up your complimentary gold VIFP pin? This is our second cruise at gold status. Last time, the pins were left in our stateroom. That did not happen this time, and frankly, I forgot all about it since we stayed so busy all the time. So just now I was looking at the perks at different levels and it says the pin is "Redeemable at the Photo Gallery no later than two days before the end of the cruise."  Well that's a bummer. I had no idea this had changed. Am I understanding this correctly? If so, I'm a little disappointed in Carnival on this point. I mean, how hard is it for them to put the pin in the cabin for gold+ cruisers as they did before? Or at least let us know that we can go pick up this gift, that it will not be delivered as before. Anyway...