Live from the Legend!! December 19-26, 2021 with Kmom.

[KmomChicago]

I’m out here on Deck 10 getting my allotment of Vitamin D. It’s the warmest and calmest (almost no breeze) weather we’ve had yet as we are still docked in Freeport, but not for long. We’re not far from Florida and I fear by this time tomorrow we’ll potentially already be cold and cloudy. 
 

Grand Classica from Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, and formerly of Costa if I recall, pulled up shortly after we arrived. I’ve looked at their dealio out of Palm Beach but it never seems to come out a good deal for such a short cruise after you add in all the taxes and port fees. I hate to say that because it seems like a neat product, especially for people who don’t have a lot of time. I know they have been generous with providing aid during various disasters as well. 

Edited December 24, 2021 by KmomChicago

[Hogladyrider]

@KmomChicago.....so glad to see you have gotten in your zone as the cruise progressed.  Your friend paying you a visit and inspiring gets two thumbs up!

 

Freeport, if I remember, is an industrial port.  We got off the ship once and after that we always remained on the ship and enjoyed the ship, which is always a good thing!

 

Spirit Class on Carnival has been our favorite class since day one!  Wish they had made more of them.

[KmomChicago]

I am going to ask if we can get back some partial credit for this crap internet. If they refuse I’m not gonna throw a screaming tantrum or anything but it’s not like me to even ask in the first place and at times it’s been out entirely and so slow at others to be essentially useless as nothing loads before timing out. 
 

I’ve actually lost many of my own posts in this thread, keying it in then hitting submit to get a death spin or slow load followed by an error. I’ll go back through it all when I get back home and address anything I missed. 
 

It’s not the end of the world or anything but it’s kept me from meeting my own live review expectations as I have not answered timely in many cases. 
 

Chopsticks for lunch today now. 🥢

[KmomChicago]

As promised I’ve played a lot of trivia and mostly lost as usual. I couldn’t believe I lost Beatles trivia by a couple points. I did protest one answer. Where was the Beatles’ last live performance?

 

I started to answer San Francisco but that was their last scheduled, ticketed concert. Their last live performance was years later in London on the roof of 🍏 Apple Corps offices during those iconic Let It Be sessions.

 

Carnival’s answer: San Francisco. He let me have the point anyway and it wasn’t enough anyway but of course I had to prove my point. 😬

[KmomChicago]

12 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

@KmomChicago.....so glad to see you have gotten in your zone as the cruise progressed.  Your friend paying you a visit and inspiring gets two thumbs up!

 

Freeport, if I remember, is an industrial port.  We got off the ship once and after that we always remained on the ship and enjoyed the ship, which is always a good thing!

 

Spirit Class on Carnival has been our favorite class since day one!  Wish they had made more of them.

Freeport is indeed relatively unlovely by tropics cruise port standards, though some efforts have been made to create a little shopping village a la Costa Maya, though this is really still a far cry from that effect. There’s a bit of grass and several carefully placed coconut trees and various brightly colored huts peddling T-shirts or local morsels.

 

 

[KmomChicago]

Pano of Freeport from Unicorn. I do have a photo but looks black here.

Edited December 24, 2021 by KmomChicago

[dcwalker]

50 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

I am going to ask if we can get back some partial credit for this crap internet. If they refuse I’m not gonna throw a screaming tantrum or anything but it’s not like me to even ask in the first place and at times it’s been out entirely and so slow at others to be essentially useless as nothing loads before timing out. 
 

I’ve actually lost many of my own posts in this thread, keying it in then hitting submit to get a death spin or slow load followed by an error. I’ll go back through it all when I get back home and address anything I missed. 
 

It’s not the end of the world or anything but it’s kept me from meeting my own live review expectations as I have not answered timely in many cases. 
 

Chopsticks for lunch today now. 🥢

Ick. You sound like me. One day maybe I'll take my own advice; here it is for you. Don't minimize and dismiss the issues. You deserve to get what you paid for. Go to guest services and make sure they know what's happening with internet connectivity and get that refund. But first - Chopsticks.

 

I'm so glad that Chopsticks is tasty. I've been looking forward to that, without really knowing if it's good.

[KmomChicago]

7 minutes ago, dcwalker said:

Ick. You sound like me. One day maybe I'll take my own advice; here it is for you. Don't minimize and dismiss the issues. You deserve to get what you paid for. Go to guest services and make sure they know what's happening with internet connectivity and get that refund. But first - Chopsticks.

 

I'm so glad that Chopsticks is tasty. I've been looking forward to that, without really knowing if it's good.

It’s roughly Panda Express quality. Did I say that earlier? It’s good if you have a taste for it. It’s popular too, attracts a decent crowd for lunch. It’s not life changing or anything. 
 

The deck plan shows something called international flavors at a station in the buffet but they don’t really have that with the exception of possible interesting options at Good eats along with more American options. 

[dcwalker]

Yup. Panda Express is fine with me. That's exactly the taste I'm craving. That's too bad about the international flavors station, though.

[cruisingdudette]

Kmom, It looks like you are having an awesome time. I am sailing on January 2nd and Carnival is sending tons of email updates. Some of them will make you nervous with all the vaccine and testing but we are looking forward to going anyway. Thanks for the beautiful pictures of HMC. I think our itinerary is Princess Cays, so I hope it measures up. Looking forward to reading more of your adventure.

🥰

Cruising Dudette

[KmomChicago]

1 minute ago, cruisingdudette said:

Kmom, It looks like you are having an awesome time. I am sailing on January 2nd and Carnival is sending tons of email updates. Some of them will make you nervous with all the vaccine and testing but we are looking forward to going anyway. Thanks for the beautiful pictures of HMC. I think our itinerary is Princess Cays, so I hope it measures up. Looking forward to reading more of your adventure.

🥰

Cruising Dudette

Thanks Dudette. Every voyage is unique. I have read many times that Princess Cays sand is sharp and water shoes are a must. I too, in fact, was once on a January 2 Carnival cruise to the same destination (4 nights on Sensation) but the port was cancelled due to unsafe tendering conditions and it was very rough and cloudy and chilly anyway. 
 

As far as the pandemic I feel safer on these ships than anywhere else in the world at the moment. Nowhere else have I been with only fully vaccinated people in these past 2 years.

 

Your voyage will be wonderful.

[cruisingdudette]

Thank you so much. It makes sense from the perspective that everyone is mostly vaccinated. I hadn't thought of it like that. Is anything restricted? Are karaoke, the night club and deck parties still going on? I'm ready to sail away 😉

Edited December 24, 2021 by cruisingdudette

[IntrepidFromDC]

2 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

I’m out here on Deck 10 getting my allotment of Vitamin D. It’s the warmest and calmest (almost no breeze) weather we’ve had yet as we are still docked in Freeport, but not for long. We’re not far from Florida and I fear by this time tomorrow we’ll potentially already be cold and cloudy. 
 

Grand Classica from Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, and formerly of Costa if I recall, pulled up shortly after we arrived. I’ve looked at their dealio out of Palm Beach but it never seems to come out a good deal for such a short cruise after you add in all the taxes and port fees. I hate to say that because it seems like a neat product, especially for people who don’t have a lot of time. I know they have been generous with providing aid during various disasters as well. 

Forecast for Christmas tomorrow in DC is 65 so I imagine it won't be chilling cold as you turn north and hug North Carolina.

[Roscoe13]

5 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Forecast for Christmas tomorrow in DC is 65 so I imagine it won't be chilling cold as you turn north and hug North Carolina.

Makes sense 🤔...that's where all the hot air is...🍻😝🛳

[KmomChicago]

1 hour ago, cruisingdudette said:

Thank you so much. It makes sense from the perspective that everyone is mostly vaccinated. I hadn't thought of it like that. Is anything restricted? Are karaoke, the night club and deck parties still going on? I'm ready to sail away 😉

Most stuff is mostly like back in The Before. Yes those things you mentioned are all going on. The kids’ Seuss events including Green Eggs and Ham breakfast are NOT. Quest and Hairy chest contest are not happening at the moment and there are mixed reports on whether that’s pandemic related or if Carnival was done with them anyway, as well as whether they will thus ever return. 

 

54 minutes ago, Roscoe13 said:

Makes sense 🤔...that's where all the hot air is...🍻😝🛳

Now now, if you kids are gonna come over here to play at my house you have to play nice!

[KmomChicago]

In case you wanted to see menus, I didn’t bother because I did a special post with Mardi Gras menus and they are all nearly identical across the line. We do have an optional sushi boat for $18 on the MDR menu.

 

We’ve done just two dinners in there so far but plan to go back tonight. Even without the over abundance of the Mardi Gras, there is still tons and tons of good food. I haven’t made it to Blue Iguana but haven’t had a taste for it.

[Roscoe13]

50 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

Most stuff is mostly like back in The Before. Yes those things you mentioned are all going on. The kids’ Seuss events including Green Eggs and Ham breakfast are NOT. Quest and Hairy chest contest are not happening at the moment and there are mixed reports on whether that’s pandemic related or if Carnival was done with them anyway, as well as whether they will thus ever return. 

 

Now now, if you kids are gonna come over here to play at my house you have to play nice!

My apologies! 

In the spirit of Christmas I will avoid picking on @IntrepidFromDC and after Christmas I will only make jabs towards him on his threads. 

Having said that, Merry Christmas everyone!  🎅 

 

[CookieShip]

10 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

We debated that if we ever return. Obviously more cost effective and still provides shade. A possible downside of the cabana is you do feel like you need to stay until the bitter end when shelling out this kind of $$.

We stayed until almost the end with just our clamshell rental, lol. Did they pick you up from the cabana on departure? I took a walk down that way, quite a hike though there is path/paved road just a little ways up from the beach.

[Pami1968]

Kmom, thank you for such a terrific live... 

I do have a question - where on the ship did you get the crab rangoon?

I'm sailing on the Legend in January, and I think they might need to be on my personal menu.  🙂

[KmomChicago]

8 hours ago, CookieShip said:

We stayed until almost the end with just our clamshell rental, lol. Did they pick you up from the cabana on departure? I took a walk down that way, quite a hike though there is path/paved road just a little ways up from the beach.

Yes the trucklike tram runs all day for cabana guests so you can hop one anytime including to get lunch at the BBQ place. I like walking and would not have wanted to walk all the way out to, or back in from Cabana 13, via either the beach or the paved road. About 90 minutes before last tender they come around asking when you wanna head out and letting you know your latest option, a gentle prod to start packing.

[KmomChicago]

8 hours ago, Pami1968 said:

Kmom, thank you for such a terrific live... 

I do have a question - where on the ship did you get the crab rangoon?

I'm sailing on the Legend in January, and I think they might need to be on my personal menu.  🙂

It’s occasionally on the Chopsticks (one of the Unicorn buffet stations) lunch menu but not every day. It was labeled shrimp and crab and it was the highest seafood proportion I’ve ever had. Usually it’s mostly cream cheese with essence of seafood. 
 

It was pretty good, freshly fried and a nice crisp on the edges. 
 

The buffet is more like a food court than a true buffet, with the deli and pizza stations fully dedicated and available long hours, Guys and Blue Iguana out nearby on deck, and then Good Eats changing daily for lunch and dinner and providing the daily breakfast grill spread and omelette stations. Chopsticks at lunch turns into up charge seafood at dinner.

 

With the exception of chocolate melting cake in the MDR, Carnival is inconsistent and a bit weak on cakes and desserts IMHO. They put too much gelatin in some desserts like some (but not all) mousses and in things like tiramisu. I get that it holds a nice shape when cut but it’s an unpleasant texture unless you actually wanted and expected a Jello type dish. The birthday cake we got with our teen’s room decorations looked appealing but was just barely okay, a bit bland and overly fluffy whipped frosting. 
 

I felt the same on RCI, desserts the weakest point of otherwise great food. That’s a hidden blessing though as I always overdo it and anything that’s easy to turn away from us actually a benefit.

Edited December 25, 2021 by KmomChicago

[jimbo5544]

Love to hear more about hwhat they do for Christmas on the ship

[KmomChicago]

Good morning Mr. Sun, Sol, Solaris, local astronomical object of highest importance,  giver of life warmth and energy.

 

Humble old Kmom says thank you for greeting me on the occasion of my 56th Christmas. 
 

And a merry one to anyone here on the boards, or any other winter observance of your choice, or none at all as the case may be. 
 

I’ve seen the ABC islands turning away infected ships this week. Omicron ain’t taking any prisoners. If only someone had 1. Provided a vaccine earlier and B. Explained to us the benefits and safety of using the daggone thing.

 

 Yea I’m not sick and have not been yet, but I am sick of literally all the moronic anti-vaxxers who are actually mostly not that stupid but rather stubborn and trying to gaslight themselves and everyone else. 
 

We could have been done by now. Period. No I’m not going to explain. It’s all out there if you want to check the research and your own arrogance.
 

Sorry if you gotta block me now. Just do it. Love you anyway and I will not dance on your grave but I will sadly shake my head. And I’ll be angry that your choice to drag this out increases the risk for everyone else.

[KmomChicago]

21 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Love to hear more about hwhat they do for Christmas on the ship

Quite a bit. There was caroling yesterday up on Lido. Today we have a special show at 3pm. Considering I have just seen 4 shows that restored my faith in playlist, I have high hopes.  I’ll see what I can pull off the hub for you.?

 

After just 2 very meh offerings on the Flagship in August, I was finally in agreement with the Playlist naysayers. The performers were talented but the first show was just okay and the second so bleh I didn’t even cover it in my live review. No interesting costumes or backdrops and total butcher job on almost every oldie song between shortened versions and reinterpretation of the hit version. 
 

Conversely the 4 on Legend have ranged from very good to Holy Bajoley!! So much fun. 

Edited December 25, 2021 by KmomChicago

[KmomChicago]