Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 5, 2023 #1 Share Posted November 5, 2023 This post was recognized by LauraS! "And another from IntrepidFromDC! Thank you for generously sharing your time at sea with everyone at Cruise Critic! Please consider submitting it to the site for publication as well: Click: Write a Review" IntrepidFromDC was awarded the badge '"Live from...."' and 3 points. This afternoon my daughter will be driving me 35 minutes to Port of Baltimore and not coming with me again on this cruise. At least I have the bathroom to myself - when she comes with me she uses every square centimeter of space on the sink-top for her epic cosmetic collection, and spends two hours at a time with the bathroom door locked to get ready for dinner. Conversations go like this... me: "Faith, I really gotta pee, you keep saying five more minutes." Faith: "Five more minutes!" me: "Faith you've said that every five minutes for the last 35 minutes, when will this makeup session saga end?" Faith: "Use the bathroom down the hall and stop rushing me you're only making it worse for yourself!" So at least I have NOT that to look forward to. But who am I kidding, all my best trips have been with my daughter. We start with three "fun days at sea", which probably translates to "lose money at sea" days since I'll have all day and all night to go back and forth between casino and other activities. I only have one excursion planned so far, full island tour on Aruba. I might do the Morgan Freeman St. Kitts tour (Sanford Grey). And I'll probably choose some Carnival excursion at the excursion desk at some point. Otherwise I walk around port, especially Curacao as I enjoy walking around Willemstad and drinking the Blue Curacao Mojitos at a couple places. I have Steakhouse tonight after embarkation so I hope to score a bottle of Kendall Jackson Cabernet at half price (aka double the wine store price). I'll probably do Steakhouse again and other pay-for food because I can only stand so much MDR and Lido deck food. My last two long trips were Europe + cruise itineraries, so this trip might feel a little flat relatively but I hope not. I have learned that for me, combining a cruise with land trips adds so much to my vacation, and makes the trips truly "vacations of a lifetime" as Carnival always promises on each and every cruise. 🙄 We are visiting my favorite four Caribbean islands and I didn't have to fly from DC for them which is a first. 8 days of glorious fun swimming in 80 degree crystal clear sea! The live report will be heavy on pics, especially of food, drink, excursions and ports. Some commentary, and let's sprinkle in some ridiculousness. 😁 🏴☠️ Itinerary: Lose Money at Sea Day Lose Money at Sea Day Lose Money at Sea Day St. Thomas St. Maarten St. Kitts Lose Money at Sea Day Aruba Curacao Lose Money at Sea Day Grand Turk Win Money at Sea Day Lose Money at Sea Day 15 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ninjacat123 Posted November 5, 2023 #2 Share Posted November 5, 2023 Woo Hoo!! I've been looking forward to your review since I found out about it (learning about signatures😉) and by the time you are finished with this cruise review I will be ramping mine up for Thanksgiving😃. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Jamman54 Posted November 5, 2023 #3 Share Posted November 5, 2023 We'll be following along. We love the Legend, and we love the Journeys cruises! 😁 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 5, 2023 Author #4 Share Posted November 5, 2023 9 minutes ago, Jamman54 said: We'll be following along. We love the Legend, and we love the Journeys cruises! 😁 Agreed and agreed, sir! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 5, 2023 Author #5 Share Posted November 5, 2023 14 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said: Woo Hoo!! I've been looking forward to your review since I found out about it (learning about signatures😉) and by the time you are finished with this cruise review I will be ramping mine up for Thanksgiving😃. LOL you're going to forget what USA is like after Italy, Greece, etc. and then your next cruise. I'm curious as you start to be retrospective of last trip your afterthoughts on surprises/hidden gems like Taormina. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ninjacat123 Posted November 5, 2023 #6 Share Posted November 5, 2023 1 minute ago, IntrepidFromDC said: LOL you're going to forget what USA is like after Italy, Greece, etc. and then your next cruise. I'm curious as you start to be retrospective of last trip your afterthoughts on surprises/hidden gems like Taormina. I've heard Freeport is called the Greece of the Bahamas!🤣 I was pleasantly surprised when I opened my laptop this morning and my screensaver opening page was a beautiful pic of Taormina! I showed Craig and we both had a moment of silence. Ahhhhhhh.....Taormina!🥰 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 5, 2023 Author #7 Share Posted November 5, 2023 Melody the rottie mix is boycotting my offer of a walk after watching me stuff the carry-on. She has never boycotted a walk before. 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ninjacat123 Posted November 5, 2023 #8 Share Posted November 5, 2023 16 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said: Melody the rottie mix is boycotting my offer of a walk after watching me stuff the carry-on. She has never boycotted a walk before. Sadness... 4 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jimbo5544 Posted November 6, 2023 #9 Share Posted November 6, 2023 Enjoy your cruise! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jimbo5544 Posted November 6, 2023 #10 Share Posted November 6, 2023 8 hours ago, ninjacat123 said: I've heard Freeport is called the Greece of the Bahamas!🤣 I was pleasantly surprised when I opened my laptop this morning and my screensaver opening page was a beautiful pic of Taormina! I showed Craig and we both had a moment of silence. Ahhhhhhh.....Taormina!🥰 LOL, who told you that….😁 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 6, 2023 Author #11 Share Posted November 6, 2023 I asked navigator to route to Port of Baltimore and as we passed the Ravens game enroute I realized it was navigating us to Inner Harbor, not the Cruise Port... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 6, 2023 Author #12 Share Posted November 6, 2023 We wound our way through a neighborhood to go the final 2 miles in a different direction. Neighborhood was interesting. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 6, 2023 Author #13 Share Posted November 6, 2023 My arrival time was 130-2. Faith dropped me off at 230 and our line hadn't even started moving. Both embarkation and sailaway were delayed 1.5 hours due to Coast Guard inspection. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jimbo5544 Posted November 6, 2023 #14 Share Posted November 6, 2023 3 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said: My arrival time was 130-2. Faith dropped me off at 230 and our line hadn't even started moving. Both embarkation and sailaway were delayed 1.5 hours due to Coast Guard inspection. Ahhhh, the dreaded Coast Guard inpection, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 6, 2023 Author #15 Share Posted November 6, 2023 Watched the Cowboys lose... not a good start to the cruise but Steakhouse and Casino will make it up to me, I just know it! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 6, 2023 Author #16 Share Posted November 6, 2023 I got one of the rooms with slightly more soft. Ironically, Faith would always comment when we got a small room, and now she's not here to enjoy the luxurious space. As an added bonus I can walk around in underwear. Not like the drones can see, as dirty as these windows are. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 6, 2023 Author #17 Share Posted November 6, 2023 (edited) Carnival Lido Deck has worked magic with food again. Somehow they scored bananas that go from green to brown without stopping at GO or turning yellow. Edited November 6, 2023 by IntrepidFromDC 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 6, 2023 Author #18 Share Posted November 6, 2023 Otherwise, Lido buffet was pretty good. Beef carved to order was juicy and flavorful. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenatorsFan Posted November 6, 2023 #19 Share Posted November 6, 2023 I'll be following along and hoping you don't lose too much money! 😆 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momof3cruisers Posted November 6, 2023 #20 Share Posted November 6, 2023 I’m so excited to follow your trip report! I really enjoyed following your Europe report. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 6, 2023 Author #21 Share Posted November 6, 2023 Steakhouse was delicious and to me, worth spending the OBC on. As an added bonus I was told I can have 2 more complimentary steakhouse dinners since I turn Diamond on this cruise. Half price KJ Pinot was almost double what it costs at the wino store back home. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 6, 2023 Author #22 Share Posted November 6, 2023 Casino was disgusting with the stench of second hand smoke. But I won $115. A guy at our table hit a straight flush going blind as he was standing up to leave. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbri Posted November 6, 2023 #23 Share Posted November 6, 2023 Have a great time! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ninjacat123 Posted November 6, 2023 #24 Share Posted November 6, 2023 10 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said: I got one of the rooms with slightly more soft. Ironically, Faith would always comment when we got a small room, and now she's not here to enjoy the luxurious space. As an added bonus I can walk around in underwear. Not like the drones can see, as dirty as these windows are. We had a sofa on Pride and it was helpful for staging my outfit for the next day. 👍😁 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted November 6, 2023 Author #25 Share Posted November 6, 2023 3 hours ago, ninjacat123 said: We had a sofa on Pride and it was helpful for staging my outfit for the next day. 👍😁 To Craig's delight no doubt! 🥴 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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