LIVE-ish Carnival Magic May 19 - May 26 Family Cruise Eastern Caribbean LET’S CRUISE!

[princess76021]

not too bad for me,  page 2!

thanks for taking us along!

hugs from texas!

 

whoops, make that page 3! but on top 😁

Edited May 21 by princess76021

[KarmaCruisers]

4 hours ago, TravelBluebird said:

Here is an image of our stop at Princess Cay—there were 3 ships in port, plus us.  A successful medical transfer was made. Grandkids are now going to boast to their friends that they’ve also cruised to the Bahamas!

It’s the little baby of the fleet!

[TravelBluebird]

1 hour ago, princess76021 said:

not too bad for me,  page 2!

thanks for taking us along!

hugs from texas!

 

whoops, make that page 3! but on top 😁

@princess76021 Tvanjs for joining in!  Lots of cruise to go—our first port San Juan is tomorrow!

[TravelBluebird]

36 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

It’s the little baby of the fleet!

@KarmaCruisers I know’it’s like where are the balconies! ?

[TravelBluebird]

Time for the PG comedy show!  Never done 1 at dinner time—no line!

 

 

 

Edited May 21 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

Dinner was excellent tonight!  Went back for more Fried chicken plus the poke bowl for appetizer .  OMG best banana cream pie I ever had! 
 

err family went a little wild during Showtime—Uptown Funk being a family favorite! 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 21 by TravelBluebird

[Frank12]

6 hours ago, TravelBluebird said:

 

 

BTW I DO love having a traditional atrium; I miss those on the Excel class ships!

 

I agree 100%.  Atrium bar is a great place to hang out.

[TravelBluebird]

We saw both comics perform—Pinklebeery…Finkleberey??  And then Paul Hooper R rated.  I am now at the Main Theater America Rocks! Pre show then everyone even DH going to the Rock N Glow Deck Party

[TravelBluebird]

Random Carnival Magic cruise thoughts from tonight…

 

There is a room right opposite my family’s room. Every time I go past, and I do mean every time, the hall is littered with take out plates. Like, everything under the sun. Hope they are well…can’t imagine choosing the room service that you now have to pay for for all your meals, with all the other choices on the ship!

 

The internet is awful. Not the speed when you connect-that is fine thanks to Starlink—just the incredible amount of times during the day that you get disconnected and have to sign in again, whether its the internet or the app, Makes the chat feature of the app very hard to use.

 

The deck of the Magic is FAR superior to the new Excel ships for the deck parties. Rock and Glow was so much fun. So much room to dance!  I do wish the Lidos on the Excel ships were a little bit more spacious.

 

Frankie did a fine traditional Rock N Glow party. No competitions, just music, dancing and singing along. I enjoyed that; was getting a bit tired of the competitions during that party on some of the other ships.

 

The America Rocks show was much better than the 88 Keys. The Lady and the Vamps group that provides the live music for the show is excellent; good costuming and also staging.  Err…OK, I’m going to go all theater person on everyone with one criticism. One of the young male cast members shouts his songs. This is not on him; he has a good voice-its on the sound mixer and also on the director for not pointing this out and bringing him back just a tad. It is SO hard to hear yourself on stage in a show like this.  Just an observation. 

 

OK nitpicky theater geek rant is over, back to happy grandma on a cruise!

 

Tomorrow is San Juan. We are going to just walk around the old town and maybe the forts.

 

No photos of Rock and Glow; decided to be in the moment with the family!  

 

However I did high tail it to get pizza during the last song, thereby beating the large line once the party was over.  Now enjoying the balcony; fine weather, not too hot or humid.  Cruising along pretty fast; just a bit of boat motion, but overall a very smooth cruise so far!

 

[Saint Greg]

13 hours ago, TravelBluebird said:

We saw both comics perform—Pinklebeery…Finkleberey??  And then Paul Hooper R rated.

 

 

Probably Carl Faulkenberry....or Frankenberry as I call him.

[TravelBluebird]

@Saint Greg Thanks! It was his last show, and he had scrolled off my app, and I didn’t have the paper Fun Times with me when I posted!

 

4 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

Probably Carl Faulkenberry....or Frankenberry as I call him.

 

[TravelBluebird]

Back from a day in San Juan, Puerto Rico!

 

Family had a leisurely breakfast while DH and I slept a little later then just got coffee and a pastry.

 

Off the ship 9:10…no line at all. I believe the gangways were ready about 8:30am, both front and mid-ship.

 

DH and I are not huge shoppers, but the rest of my family is, So for the first time, we did all those little free gifts and shopped around in the Old Town.  Recently my joints have swelled up quite a bit more from my RA and I have not been able to wear my wedding ring at all this trip, which upset me. I didn’t want a super expensive ring to temporarily replace it while I wait for this flare up to resolve, but I did want something nice I can move to my other hand when the flare up is over.

 

DH got me a lovely infinity ring with multi colored sapphires. It’s lovely, and it was expensive but not crazy expensive.  NOT from Diamonds International; from a smaller chain called Infinity Jewelry.  Lovely anniversary gift; yes, I’m spoiled!

 

After all our shopping and free gifts (DH got a nice tee shirt from Del Sol…black cause the family keeps teasing him that he is only person not wearing black for our photos! 😂)  we had some nice tapas for a light lunch at La Carreta—their ginger lemonade and empanadas (they call them chicken turnovers on the English menu 🤣) were fantastic and the boys loved their fries. La Carreta has been featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive Ins & Dives.

 

After that we visited the fort near the Old Town. Lovely views! Creepy tunnel to the “dungeons” too and a very nice gentleman dressed in period wear giving talks; was great with my youngest grandson.    Photos will follow!

[TravelBluebird]

After the fort DH and I came back to the ship and the rest of the family continued exploring.  I ddid 14,000 steps yesterday which were perhaps a bit too much during my current flare up.   On the way to the ship we saw the Starbucks and added the San Juan mug to our Starbucks travel mug collection!

 

It rained lightly all day then poured as we got back to the ship!   No sunshine whatsoever. 

 

Bit of a line to return to the ship when we got back, but not horrible.

 

When we were leaving this morning, I noticed all the rust on the side of the ship! By the time we returned, it had been painted a gleaming white again. 

 

Waiting for the family to return…we warned them 6 ways from Sunday that they HAD to be back by 3:30….my family is like herding cats….its 3:40 and not a sign of them….I’m trying to not be THAT anxious grandma and knock on their door, but I think I’m going to….

 

Anyway…the Starbucks is very close to the ship in a plaza you can eat outdoors in. First Starbucks in Puerto Rico (see, I know all the good historical sites in town 😂)

 

Having the family with me is GREAT cause now I’m not the only one stopping to take photos driving DH crazy!  

 

You can see how gloomy today was in the I ❤️ PR photo—it was like that all day.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 22 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

They made it back at 3:20!! 

 

Living on the edge 😱😂

[TravelBluebird]

Let’s play Guess the Towel Animal!

 

 

[TravelBluebird]

Got some beautiful shots of the ship today!

[TravelBluebird]

Got spectacular views of San Juan and the big Fort as we left port this afternoon, even in the rain! First one is my favorite; no sunshine, but nice and moody!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

The fort!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

There are some really run down old buildings on the fringes of the Old Town of San Juan

 

 

Edited May 23 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

DH and I have been sitting  and lounging quietly, listening to the wake of the ship, on our beautiful balcony since dinner adults meeting back up at 9:15 for some Latin dancing, and then everyone back together for the Mega Deck Party later on (although DH not sure he’ll make it tonight). 

 

Youngest grandson (and I ) got a lesson on ship sales and why NOT to go to them after we left port this afternoon. At 4:30 was the $1 and inch “gold” sale.  Well, I mentioned that he wanted a particular chain that we told him to not rush and buy. He was hoping that chain, or maybe a different one that wasn’t quite as nice but woould do, would be at the sale.

We sat there FOREVER waiting to get far enough out of port for the store to open. They brought out the ENTIRE table of “gold” chains with the sale sign on it. And then when the store opened, found out that only one TEENY TINY gold chain was part of the sale. Of course we did not buy it, or anything else either.  Live and learn and I’ll go back to my non-shopping ways on the ship, but grandson was very disappointed.  

[TravelBluebird]

Dinner has been lovely each night.  Out ream which includes Ekka and Jerome have been fantastic. 

 

Every night, we get to our table and we have lemons out and my husband’s ice tea and two Pepsis for the boys!

 

The food has mostly been quite good, but when we have a small complaint, they quickly rectify it (no fish in my husband’s cerviche tonight, and I got an ice cold small plate of curry for the Indian selection). 

 

We tried lots of different things at dinner tonight; always enjoy the Poblano ans corn soup and stuffed mushrooms. I had the Indian selection for an entree (with a side of a curry with meat that my servers thoughtfully brought me as they know I’m not vegetarian!), others had the chicken breast, the short ribs, the chicken parmesan.  

 

 I was fooded out a bit so had a nice small plate of fruit for desert (not on the menu but you can get that!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

Youngest grandson got a lesson in Latin Dancing from his Mom—so sweet!  

 

Fit in a trip to the Alchemy Bar for drinks with Zora again @Jamman54 Zora sends back her good wishes to you!  Also at some point ended up getting ice cream…I just don’t know how those two things keep happening (Alchemy Bar and Ice Cream…they are like the vortexes of the ship!).

 

Then we headed up to the Lido Deck around 10:10 and….the deck was wet and the chaise loungers were out. As we were finding out the Mega Deck Party was moved to the Atrium, it started to rain again.

 

It’s hard to fit a MEGA Deck party into the Atrium, but everyone made the best of the situation. So many college kids and teens…I didn’t feel right taking up a spot on the crazy crowded dance floor.  Did a few line dances in the corner then we gave up.

 

CD Frankie is very good at teaching line dances and taught new ones to the Taylor Swift Shake song and some Justin Bieber. The old favs like the Wobble were danced as well.

 

I got a few images from deck 5 of the crowd!

 

All the boys head off to a catamaran and snorkle excursion tomorrow, the ladies shall be having a hang around the port day.  Want to gamble but really need to get to bed so I’m not over tired.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

Tonight’s random observations:

 

My room is the very last room that is an even room on the back of the ship. SO, my room number is right on the sign in the hall when you get off the elevator. Very handy when sleepy, drunk, or just absent minded!

 

I walked. over 16,000 steps today. Not bad for being in the middle of a flare up!  

 

My cabin air conditioning isn’t great.  It has been struggling most of the trip.  You kind of have to have the drapes closed to have it cool at all, but then what is the point of a balcony room?  Several areas of the ship feel quite warm to me.  I’m warm all night and usually throw the covers off, which is not like me.  

 

Two more days to another birthday on the ship! The poor people at the next table in the dining room must think we’re just making this all up for the attention!

 

Our stateroom is on 9 so there is a big overhang that gives lots of shade AND almost total protection from the rain. That has been handy this trip (where it was boiling in and near Miami, and now raining today).  I was worried that I’d hear the lounge chairs scraping above me back and forth from the pool on the back of 10, but other than a bit of noise on the balcony here and there, haven’t heard a bit of it in the room!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

Our current view!  Yursan and I took the last minute book on the pier city sights and beach break!  Yuri has never been to the Dominican Republic before.  We are at Costa Rita beach with our Pina Colada and Sex on the Beach, having Moufongitos and Pollo con arroz for lunch!  
 

Had a nice tour into Puerto Plata as well! 
 

 

[TravelBluebird]

Our tour was $39.99 each and no heavy selling in town.

 

We are headed back to the port in a couple minutes right about 2pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23 by TravelBluebird