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It Was Ecstasy.....4/28/08 Sailing

floatingaway2525

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floatingaway2525

floatingaway2525

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My first review….scary to think how I will ever find words to do justice to the experience, but here I go! I have to post in parts, it is a challenge to balance this with work!! I’m sorry in advance if it’s long…I talk a lot when I’m excited….I took a ton of pics and will post the link for those that would like to see them :>)

 

Background: This was a Mother’s Day sail with my Mom, our first time on Ecstasy, and our first time out of Galveston. It’s been a rough couple years for us, Mom and I, and it was fun to surprise her with this sailing, she loves to cruise!

 

Right after I booked this sail date, I found out Jimmy Buffett was playing in Dallas on 4/26/08!!! So off we went from OKC to Dallas to my brother’s on Friday 4/25/08 for the concert on Saturday. What better way could there be to start off on a cruise!!!

 

It was an awesome concert of course, and the best part for me was getting to meet my first CC Crazies group members, Charles and Paige, for a pre-concert party in the JB city that always springs up in the parking lot for a concert!!!

 

On Sunday morning we are on the road from Dallas to Galveston, never mind that slightly fuzzy head, we had to get there in time to see the Conquest sail away at 4PM from the Crazies Patio!!! After watching Ecstasy and Conquest on the cams for months, FINALLY I would be on the other end of those cams!! AND, I have the Crazies Mascots with me!!

 

And we made it! Some torrential rains on the way down, but getting into Galveston the skies cleared for our arrival. Galveston is awesome; take extra time there if you can. As you come off I45 (it ends in Galveston), it just turns into Broadway, to the right is the Gulf and to the left is Harborside Drive, and the Port. Very easy to navigate and a lovely small town feel. I liked it right away.

 

We headed over to the Hilton on the Gulf and checked in. The hotel is very nice, on the pricier side for the area, but very nice, newly renovated, restaurant and bar on-site. We paid $129. for a Gulf View balcony room on Seawall Drive, great location with many restaurants and bars :>) within blocks. Like many of the hotels, it offers free parking while you cruise, with a shuttle to and from the Port. We did not do this, more on why not shortly.

 

It was time to head back to the Port to see Conquest sail away. As soon as I crossed back over Broadway towards the Port Terminal, that fabulous funnel was in easy view!! At the Harbor House Hotel, right next door to the Port, there is a rooftop cam and a patio/dock place that overlooks the Channel. We headed there to say hi to all the CC Crazies on the cam!! While on the patio, my cellphone rings and it is my sister Judy in FLORIDA telling me to move closer to the cam!! FUN fun fun!!

 

This is a rare Port, small enough to have a place where that gorgeous behemoth sails away sooooo close to you from that Patio!! We waved a mad Bon Voyage to all the passengers on deck, happy campers knowing that in the morning it was OUR turn!!

 

After sailaway, we went over to The Spot for a bite to eat. This is a very casual, very fun, beach/biker kind of place. Excellent food, right on the Gulf, and another cam to wave at!! After a great meal and a visit with some new friends at our neighboring table (they were visiting from England), we headed back to the hotel to organize luggage and such one more time. It is tricky to leave three days before the actual cruise!! Luckily we drove and left the first part of the trip stuff in the car…

 

Embarkation

I had a great night’s sleep, but short with all the excitement. So up at 5AM then watching the sunrise (YAY it will be sunny) and discover that it was 50 degrees….yikes! I was promised by the local weatherman that it would be mid-70’s shortly so don my cruising clothes I did!! I wore my new Cruise Critic shirt, highly recommended for more fun!

 

We had a leisurely light breakfast and headed over to EZ Cruise Parking at 10:15. I decided to use EZ for parking, $30 for five days, for two reasons. After we cruised, I was meeting the next Crazie to sail on Ecstasy when we got off, on the Patio, and EZ Cruise is about three blocks from the Port. Second reason is, my Mom has an extreme dislike of shuttles.

 

In Galveston, you shuttle no matter how you park, but EZ Cruise seemed like, well….the easiest. You can reserve in advance on-line, or drive up. You park, put your luggage behind your vehicle, and they drive the bus around the lot and pick you up. In five minutes you are delivered to the Terminal, and they unloaded our luggage to the porters. They were efficient and I would do this again when we go next time. Thanks to CC, I knew this before we went!! We were at the Terminal at 10:45.

 

I have sailed out of Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Tampa, Canaveral, and New Orleans. Honestly, I have never had a bad experience, but some are easier than others. To me, Galveston ranks right up there with NOLA for easy and pleasant. Every single person we encountered along the way was relaxed and smiling, even the TSA guys. And, I didn’t have to remove my laptop from its case, a first for me. In no time we were through check-in, S &S cards in hand, and seated in a comfortable waiting area. It was 11:30.

 

From 11:30 to 11:45 we were entertained by two staff members (I am not kidding) who had fun with first time cruisers, anniversary cruisers, and had us all hootin’ and hollerin’ for the wedding parties. At 11:45, off went the VIP’s, and at 11:55, we were called to board. Piece of cake. Bravo Carnival!

 

There is nothing quite like that first step on board, right? By 12:15, there we were, finally on Lido Aft with our first DOD!!! AHHHHHHH! I was back home….this was more like it!

 

We had a scrumptious lunch, OMG, I had pan-seared Tilapia with fresh sautéed veggies, and curried mussels….yum yum…this will be a recurring phrase for the week….then it was time to check out the cabin, dump our carry-ons, grab the life-jackets, and explore the ship until muster, and SAIL AWAY!!

 

We stayed on Empress, E177, right behind the aft elevators. Not a bit of trouble all week with noise by the way, and a very convenient location. We happily discovered that we were muster station F, which was located on…..LIDO POOL DECK….some VERY smart person has re-done the muster drill, wooooo hoo!!!

 

After muster, we hustled up to Verandah Aft, and then…we are floating away!!! Going down the channel and passing the Patio (new view-awesome!) and then SeaWolf park (another Crazies cam!!) and we are hitting open sea!!! Bye Bye Texas!!! Hellooooooo Mexico :>)!!

 

Before we left Verandah Deck, a couple approached and said, “Cruise Critic….were you on our Roll Call?” And so we met Kim and Dan, and Kim’s sister Tonya….from OKC no less!!! Happy chatting while we enjoyed the channel views!! Half hour later….another couple….”Cruise Critic? What’s your screen name?” This was Marty and Debbie from Houston, also on Roll Call! Dang this is fun, get a CC shirt!!!

 

Back to the cabin, our luggage is there! We are happily moving in to our place…..a quick change for dinner, and we are off for some serious exploring before the Welcome Aboard Show and our late seating in the Windstar Dining Room. A quick mention here…we have always done early seating, and thought we would try late…we liked it a lot!!! Made the days more relaxed and getting ready for dinner less rushed. Also loved the extra time after the ports!! Also extended our night time fun, less big-dinner-early-and-falling-asleep-by-10!!!

 

We head up to the Society Bar, on Promenade aft. This would become a favorite and daily stop!! The bartenders (we were informed that this was THEIR bar, and rightfully proud of it they were!) Jelko and Dragan greeted us warmly, and we immediately felt at home. Mom and I met the couple seated next to us, Sarah and Marty from Montreal, and the six of us chatted away like old friends. There is nothing quite like a great glass of cabernet, the gentle rock of the sea, and good company to share it with.

 

The Welcome Aboard Show was hosted by Cruise Director Tina Noble, and was one of the most enjoyable we have ever attended. Tina welcomed us warmly to her “living room”, and we found her English humor irresistible (Boooooogie Woooooogie)!!! The Carnival Dancers were a beautiful sight, with a forties style review, and Mom had a ball, which means I had an even bigger ball!!

 

We made a quick stop on the way to dinner to check out the Piano Bar (Neon Bar) on Atlantic Deck right outside the Windstar Dining Room. WOW some fabulous neon signs greet us!! Angela the pianist is not on yet, so we’ll be back! Off to dinner to see our table and meet our waiter!!

 

Our First Night Dinner

Our table was in fact a booth for six, which disconcerted me a bit as we were two, and I thought this arrangement might be awkward. It wasn’t at all. Shortly after we sat down our first of four tablemates arrived, two lovely young women from the Dallas area, Melissa and Helen. These are best friends from high school, having a vacation together before Helen moves to San Antonio for her surgical residency. It was soon apparent our remaining two tablemates would not be joining us this first night.

 

The four of us were then pampered and spoiled by two delightful men, headwaiter Freddy, and assistant Rommy. Freddy began a week of fussing over Mom and she simply glowed. Thank you Freddy!! We enjoyed a fabulous dinner, and let me say here I should have written which dinner was which night, but alas, I did not, so allow me to say that we were not disappointed in any of our meals. For me, most nights it was one fabulous soup, followed by one fabulous entrée, mostly fish or shellfish for me, followed by those wonderful desserts.

 

Some of my do-not-miss suggestions…..Panko crusted snapper, sweet and sour tiger shrimp (sauce is served on the side-fabulous with or without), veal parmigiana (WOW and we are Italian-very fussy with Italian), chateaubriand (medium rare with béarnaise), lobster and grilled tiger shrimp on formal night….these were all simply amazing. The soups….my favorites…pumpkin, lobster bisque, and wild mushroom. Caesar salad fresh and crispy…..OK I am starving for that dining room again!

 

Desserts….well….these were a highlight for Mom who is a big “it’s coffee and cake time” lady. I think it’s one of the reasons she is a dedicated cruiser…of course, our first dessert was WCMC….and it was…too soupy that first night!! We consulted with Freddy who magically presented a perfectly prepared replacement, and it was perfect the rest of the week. Now look at this…on the third night of the cruise…Assistant Maitre’d Eva approached our table to greet us as she did every night…but this night, she leans down and asks me if my WCMC was now correctly prepared! These guys really care about your dining experience!! Some other desserts you must not miss are Bitter and Blanc, and the Grand Marnier Soufflé. Heaven, they are heaven in your mouth.

 

The dining room fun every night is a highlight, they work so hard to entertain, on top of all this first class pampering. Every night we had singing and dancing, it is so much fun!! The waiter next to ours, his name is Julius Caesar (I swear, it’s on his name tag) and this guy can dance!!! Lots of people from tables faaaaar away from ours were running to see after the word got out after the first night or two…hilarious. Just grown people having a silly great time!

 

So off we waddle after dinner right next door to the Piano Bar, and there is Angela, leading a rowdy bunch through some great sets!! Angela also hosts a Name That Tune game with Matthew from the Entertainment staff on one of the sea days….do not miss it, check the Capers, it was hilarious! This lady is extremely talented, with a wide repertoire….we met Marty and Debbie again, and stayed until we were too drowsy and it was time for bed.

 

We had a surprise when we returned to the cabin…a lovely basket of fresh fruit from the Bon Voyage Department, Hotel Director George!! For us?? I thought it was a mistake…but no…..there was our name and cabin number…it was the first of several wonderful surprises that would come on our first sea day….

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tess2cruz

tess2cruz

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You know, you are making me cry way too much this week!!:p Ecstasy was my first ship, and reading your review, memories flooded back, thanks. Keep going, please!! A few more tears won't hurt me LOL;)

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*Mach*

*Mach*

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What a great beginning to a cruise!!!

Ya' gotta know that when it starts like this it's just gonna get better.

The crew of the Ecstasy has consistently ranked at the top of Carnival's customer satisfaction ratings... I'm beginning to understand why.

We're waitin' for more, Floatie!!

Great job!

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floatingaway2525

floatingaway2525

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I just love that first wake-up on board. When you are still in that half-asleep/half-awake mode, you feel that gentle rocking, and realize that you weren’t dreaming, and you’re really there. It’s time for more! We ordered room service, coffee and a croissant for Mom. We had a smiling young woman at our door in 10 minutes, with hot coffee and enough pastry for a family of six, to start our day with big smiles.

 

 

Quick showers (wow these showers are hot hot hot), bathing suits and cover-ups, and we are off to Lido Aft, our favorite spot to savor the morning. It does not disappoint, as we step out into that wonderful sea breeze and savor the sights, sounds and smells of open sea. There’s just nothing like that first morning at sea!

 

 

We decide to spend a little time up on Verandah, in our carefully placed lounges, with a good book, what a luxury. We are not big sunbathers, but it has been a long cold Oklahoma winter and we are happy to feel that warm morning sun. Soon we were doing that reading/dozing cycle as the sun rose in the east and all was well in our world. I took an hour in between for a brisk walk around the track on Sun Deck. I love the Sun Deck on Fantasy class ships, you are on top of your own beautiful world!

 

 

Joining my Mom back on the lounges for a little more dozing…but wait….why is the sun in the west? No sooner do I puzzle over this, than CD Tina’s voice announces that we have a passenger in medical emergency, and have turned about to rendezvous with the US Coast Guard, we are expected to reach them at 2PM. Sobered by this sad event and praying for that passenger and family, we head back to our cabin to exchange one set of paraphernalia for another and consult Capers.

 

 

No sooner do we get there than our cabin phone is ringing. Our phone is ringing?? Mom answers and I watch her eyes go saucer as she hands me the phone and says, “It’s the CRUISE DIRECTOR!!” in stage whisper!! And so it is, CD Tina, saying welcome aboard and she would be on the lookout for us, and the Mascots, at the Captain’s Party! Wow, it was amazing.

 

 

Some background here. I am a fan of John Healds blog. For anyone that does not know about this, John Heald is Senior Cruise Director for all of Carnival, and he writes a daily blog about his amazing adventures in this role, on his website, johnhealdsblog.com for all cruise junkies to enjoy. When I first found Cruise Critic in January 2008, researching the internet for my Glory cruise, it was an amazing discovery, and soon I had found a whole new community of new friends, fellow cruise lovers, who welcomed me so warmly.

 

 

Soon my cruise calendar was full! My first B2B is in October with Saints and Sinners 4 on Destiny (HEY SINNAS!!). The next group I was welcomed into is the Bayou Bloggers (HI KREWE!!), and we are attending John’s Bloggers Cruise on the Fantasy in February 2009 out of NOLA. The next group cruise I joined is the Conquest Crazies in September 2009 (MY CRAZIES FAMILY!!!), and the Mascots for our Crazies group were along with me on this Ecstasy trip, what an honor!!! Now, the Crazies cruise sails on my Mom’s 75th birthday, and we are booked in our first aft cabin (shhhhhhh….it’s a surprise)!

 

 

After we booked Ecstasy, I had emailed to John Heald to ask him for help to make sure my Mom was able to meet the Captain, and have her photo taken with the crew, and the mascots she loved already. I didn’t hear back, so the surprises on this cruise coming fast and furious were awesome for me too! Mom was so excited for the night to begin!

 

Hard to believe it is noon already and the Lido buffet is calling us. The luncheon buffets are different on each side of the Panorama Grill, Lido aft. One side is the Grand Buffet and one side is the international cuisine of the day. Opposite the buffet is the heavenly pizza place and the deli. Today salmon is calling me, along with split pea risotto, that’s a new one. Mom hits the deli and those reubens. It was fabulous, and we go walking again, not so brisk, more a stroll……Lido pool is in full swing, the slide is entertaining the adult kids, and the scene is glorious. Ecstasy gleams and sparkles in the sunlight, she is a shiny gem, obviously lovingly maintained by ever-present crew in the background.

 

 

We had several announcements from Captain Donato and CD Tina keeping us informed about the rescue of our fellow passenger. Soon we can hear the whirring hum of the US Coast Guard approaching. You know, I had never seen, in all these years cruising, a rescue at sea, until our Glory cruise this past January. Now today, my second experience to witness this operation and it is humbling. Medical staff is responsible for stabilizing the passenger for the hours it takes to rendezvous with the chopper for transport. It is obvious the Ecstasy crew is well-trained to smoothly prepare the ship, and hasten that passenger’s transport.

 

 

It takes a long time to safely lower a USCG medic to the ship’s deck, secure and lift a passenger up to a chopper, and requires that chopper pilot to hover above Verandah aft for nearly an hour in winds that are clearly not so gentle from this angle. God Bless those steady hands, and the clear minds of the CG crew. It is comforting to know the extreme expertise in place, to do whatever is needed for our safety and well-being. That passenger is heading towards the full attention needed, sent off by salutes, cheers, and prayers from fellow passengers for Godspeed. We are all heartened later in the day to hear from the Captain that the passenger is stable and recovering.

 

 

We are now headed south and onwards to Mexico! Mom and I spend a lovely, lazy afternoon wandering the ship, shopping, checking the Photo Gallery, shopping, viewing the Art Gallery, shopping, and then back to our cabin to unload our loot and get ready for our Elegant Evening and the Captain’s party! We dressed ourselves, and prepared the Mascots for our special party. With MachBird, so named in honor of Mach (our Host Mach but don’t call him that, it’s just Mach please) in tuxedo, and Capt’n Crazy in full dress uniform, off we go!

 

 

As we approach the door of the Blue Sapphire Lounge we are easily identified thanks to our little friends in tow. Warm hugs from CD Tina, many oooohs and ahhhhs for the Mascots, we are soon seated front and center, me with my cab and Mom with her…martini!! Ooooh it’s gonna be a fun night when Mom is drinking martinis!! We are so enjoying the atmosphere, the great Carnival band, and watching all the happy passengers arriving.

 

 

Now here comes Tina, calling us out of the audience, and whisking us to….the CAPTAINS TABLE!!! Well Mom was a sight to behold, let me tell you. This is a lidy not often speechless, and it was fabulous! Pictures with Tina, Captain Donato and Senior Officers, and of course, the now-celebrity Mascots!! It was a party night to remember forever.

 

 

Wow, what excitement! We floated over to the Neon Bar before dinner, again greeting new friends, and more photos with the Scots. Everybody wanted to hold and cuddle the Scots!! Assistant Maitre’d Eva, Freddy and Rommy in the Dining Room, our favorite bartender Jelko in Society Lounge, much hugging for the Scots! These are priceless pictures of an oh-so-special night.

 

 

We arrived in the Dining Room to be greeted by our full complement of table mates, and happy hellos all around to Paul and Rosa, our missing mates who napped through dinner the night before (been there, done that, too :>) Paul and Rosa hail from San Antonio, and the six of us shared camaraderie and an excellent meal of Lobster and Shrimp, YUM!

 

 

We re-convened in Society Bar, of course, then on to Stripes for dancing. We were joined by Marty who kept Mom and I on the dance floor. We ended in the Piano Bar with Angela, and our evening was as full as our hearts. Off to bed, tomorrow is our first-ever visit to Progreso!!!!

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*Mach*

*Mach*

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Wow... a medical rescue at sea, meeting the Master of the Vessel and his senior staff, partying and dancing... what a day!

Thanks for mentioning John's part in this. The guy is an absolute gem with a heart as big as Texas. He and the folks who manage the blog go WAY above and beyond if there's a special request.

I've never been to Progreso, either so c'mon... hurry up already!!

:D

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tess2cruz

tess2cruz

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Wow... a medical rescue at sea, meeting the Master of the Vessel and his senior staff, partying and dancing... what a day!

 

Thanks for mentioning John's part in this. The guy is an absolute gem with a heart as big as Texas. He and the folks who manage the blog go WAY above and beyond if there's a special request.

 

I've never been to Progreso, either so c'mon... hurry up already!!

 

:D

 

DITTO!!!:)

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floatingaway2525

floatingaway2525

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Hola Progreso!!!

 

As a fairly frequent insomniac, I really cherish a solid sleep, and this is one of the fringe benefits of cruising for me! Even if it's only a few hours (ahem!) it is sooooo restful!! So I waken this morning to the sounds of pulling into the Port of Progreso. It is nearly 8AM!!! Captain Donato did an amazing job of getting us to Port within an hour of scheduled time in spite of a five hour detour the day before…Bravo Captain!!

 

 

Mom and I are always excited to see new ports. This one, I had read so many mixed reviews, I could not wait to debark and get to see this for myself. Besides that, I already knew we were starting with a shuttle down a four mile pier to get to town, and I did not share this with Mama in advance…that shuttle thingy again….The Scots elected to spend the day on board, so off Mom and I went for our next adventure….

 

 

Debark was a total breeze today. We stepped off the ship to the welcoming sounds of a Mexican band and dancing, and well…it is instantly magical Mexico. Warm sun and smiles everywhere, we go through the inviting terminal building, through the little port market….we had our first of many shopping bags before we hit the shuttle…… my Mom is a world class shopper, God love her! The shuttle was met with more smiles as our driver beamed his approval at getting to transport us, and we were on our way into this little town that really entered Carnival’s spotlight after poor Costa Maya was devastated in the hurricane.

 

 

Getting off the shuttle puts you about halfway between the beach, and the town center. Mom and I elected to explore on our own this trip, so no excursions, no schedule. When you get off the shuttle, directly in front of the bus is a double-decker bus offering $2 per person, twenty minute tours of town. We chose our own walking tour, and next time we will definitely take that “fun bus” as we saw it several times during our travels around town, and the passengers were having a ball!

 

 

On first impression, Progreso is like a budding flower, after a hard winter. You can sense the excitement in the air as we set off towards town center, enjoying the sounds of the street, and the people bustling to put out the welcome mat for the waves of visitors now engulfing the streets steadily. You can sense (and see) the history of the town, the decay of years of economic struggle, the spirit of the people that is so essentially Mexico, and the palpable awakening that is going on today, in a new era of progress and prosperity for these lovely families. It is obvious that the people of Progreso are happy for the benefits visitors bring to this little haven, and renovations are underway throughout. I love it as it is right now, and I am sure I will love seeing the restoration and improvements made as Progreso awakens when I return again, which I most certainly will.

,

 

The people are lovely and warm, welcoming us as we shop (and tequila sample) our way around town and back towards the beach. By noon we are at Corona Beach, more welcoming smiles, dollar beers (with a free shot of tequila, oh my), music, massages, and people watching, a perfect port in my opinion!! We shopped our way back to the shuttle, meeting a lovely family and having a proud tour of their new shop, father a sculptor, son a painter, and mother taking care of her new domain in their store. We explored a few of the courtyard cafes behind the row of shops, then a hop on a shuttle and we were on our way back to our ship, with fond memories of a favorite new port. My new Crazie friends (that we met at Jimmy’s concert) assured me this port would be a gem. You were so right Charles and Paige!!!

 

 

Now back at port terminal, we are enticed to join a happy bunch at the Corona Bar conveniently located right on the path to the ship…..the main bar is a thatched-roofed oasis, adjacent to the cutest little pool, complete with a swim-up bar and submerged stools down one side…..how fun! Now I am studying the pool bottom, and with the brisk breeze, the surface of the water is blurring it (not the tequila at all), but yes, it IS a Corona bottle etched in the bottom, in full color!!! You gotta see the pics! Mom and I pulled up a (dry) stool at the main bar, and we see that this bar is autographed by hundreds of earlier happy visitors!!! We request our sharpie and yup, you can go and see “Floatie’s chair” next time you are there, right on one of those Corona Bottle posters, on the side of the circular bar that is at 10 O'clock if Noon is at the cute little pool!!! Now it is more than time for lunch and Lido is calling. Fond farewells to Progreso and we munch away on Lido aft for sailaway!!! Hasta la Vista Progreso!

 

 

After an indulgent afternoon nap and a leisurely afternoon, we again are enjoying a lovely dinner, swapping stories of our Progreso adventure with our tablemates, visiting (where else?) our friends in Society Bar, and now it time for a blissful rest. We are returning to Coz, our mecca in Mexico!!!

 

 

No Place Like Coz!!

 

 

Everyone that knows Cozumel knows it is in a class of its own. I have visited many ports and enjoy them all, but Coz is indescribably delicious. This is my 8th visit since 1991, all but one of my cruises have included a stop in this oh-so-fabulous place. I was dancing off the ship!!! The new pier at Punta Langosta is fabulous, walk right off and you are downtown. Mom, MachBird, and I set off down Front St with no particular schedule, but a very definite destination in our minds. For us, no visit to Coz goes without an eventual return visit to our “family” at Pancho’s. Period.

 

 

The stroll down Front St is full of ooooohs and ahhhhs as we note places new since our last visit, and visit places that beckon us joyfully back. As usual, we walk on the water side of Front St, crossing over each time we fancy. The water side is relaxed, less congested, and I am always curious why we have it pretty much to ourselves. It’s OK by me though. Along the way, there are sculptures to pay attention to on the water side, just beautiful. Many breeds of birds scurry along the water-line catching breakfast, and our ship is a glorious backdrop in the not-too-distant background, now accompanied by Sister Fantasy. What a sight!

 

 

Before long, it is 11:30, and we are in sight of Los Cinco Soles, which is the street-front store for Pancho’s Backyard. Through the store, relishing all those warm welcomes, and we are finally, back in our backyard! It is open to the gardens on two sides, high ceilings and beams, stucco walls in the Mexican style, and there is our table in the corner, flirting with the sun a few feet away. We found Pancho’s in 1991, thanks to the crew on our first cruise there, and we have returned every time. We have watched it change and grow into a beautiful oasis, a secret no longer. We meet our neighbors at the next table, also Ecstasy family, and we settle in for an amazing meal (camerones and quesadillas OMG), killer margaritas, and some fun with Machbird, attracting the fascinated attention of the staff, who suddenly need to pass our very out-of-the-way table to get to the kitchen on the far opposite side :>) Gotta love Mexicans, they are curious children their whole lives, what a gift!

 

 

After we eat and drink ourselves even more merry, here comes the staff with a surprise…free tequila shots and dessert in honor of our 8th visit!! Serenaded by the staff, and there goes Machbird, playing with the musicians who welcome him to the band. What a ham! We share our free tequila with our table neighbors in honor of their very first visit to Pancho’s. I can guarantee it won’t be their last either…

 

 

This merry trio was ready to head back, and a taxi is clearly the prudent way to go, so off we go, $5. ride back to the pier area, more shopping and browsing, some dancing in the streets with Senor Frog balcony partiers, and we are ready to go get set for sailaway. Not really, but we must. Te quiero mucho, Cozumel!!!

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Boo810

Boo810

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Great review Floatie, was on the Ecstacy in Sept. and everything is comeing back. We also spent a lot of time in the Society Bar.

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*Mach*

*Mach*

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Aww you guys are so sweet to a newbie :o it is so much fun to re-live it!!

Mach was right though...I am on the last day and it's hard to write this part...:( hate those goodbyes...

 

 

Yep... it always seems to take me three or four days to write the final day of the cruise... I'd sit down at my computer, write a sentence or two, get a bit misty eyed and have to quit... I think writing it is more difficult than living it...

You're doing a wonderful job, Floatie... wonderful...

:)

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floatingaway2525

floatingaway2525

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After a glorious sailaway, it was coffee and cake time for Mom, an afternoon ritual. It was fabulous to watch her relish the delights that Izabella would serve her from the tantalizing dessert buffet each day in Lido. Her favorites were banana cream pie, pineapple cheesecake (well she loved every cheesecake, a new variety every day), and the strawberry crunch something or other. Another advantage to late dinner is Mom would still enjoy dinner since the time space was sufficient for this very tiny lady.

 

Forgot to mention that after Progreso……back to the cabin…and there it is, MY ECSTASY PIN IS HERE….YAY!!! Silly how much those little pins mean to me…but soooooo happy to have it. Now we have a Past Guest Party to attend on Thursday night after Coz!!! This one was very well done, and very well attended, a testimony to the great job Carnival is doing with drawing repeat passengers. Of course, we knew that didn’t we….

 

We enjoyed another hilarious dinner with our tablemates, and our waiters…did I mention that Freddy doted on Mom all week? Bless him!! He makes these wonderful creations out of napkins, and tonight was a rose (that is now in a place of honor on Mom’s dresser)…and afterwards we make our favorite rounds and relish the plans for our final day at sea. Tonight is the Deck Party and Mexican Buffet at midnight but…..we are Cozzed out and with no nappy that day, we are in bed by midnight!

 

Our last day at sea is always bittersweet, y’all know what I mean….reveling in the happy freedom of sea days……trying not to remember that tonight is packing (WAHHHHH!!!!) and our last night to be here….It was a joyful day to be sure, we spent some additional time cherishing a sunny deck on Verandah, had a great walkabout on Sun Deck, shopped for our take-home choices, bought our carry-off liquor selections….oh yeah, and two new collapsible Carnival Carry-Ons…….the luggage was no match for Mom’s shopping….yikes…..

 

In the afternoon, we ate that pizza I earned on Sun Deck (WONDERFUL PIZZA ON ECSTASY!!), packed, napped, and went up for….. coffee and cake (what a surprise). Later that night, we attended CD Tina’s Debark talk, it was a celebration really, and of course we cried. Tina was also on her last week for Ecstasy, she goes to Inspiration next for a short time, and then to Elation until July or August. Her acknowledgement of the Ecstasy crew and their outstanding service was obviously from her heart. Before sailing, I was disappointed to find out that Goose, the regular Ecstasy CD, was on vacation, as was Captain Scala: I had heard so much about both of them.

 

I can only say that while I look forward to them both on our next Ecstasy sail, I could not imagine a more enjoyable week than the one we had with CD Tina, and Captain Donato. At the end of the Debark info, Tina and Captain Donato called crew representatives from every area to the stage, thanking them for extraordinary service, and a heartfelt Standing O was promptly provided by the full house of passengers!!!

 

Following our heart-rending Debark Talk, we headed to our heart-rending (but delicious) final dinner and goodbyes all around to Freddy and our tablemates. Then off to Society Bar, same choked up goodbyes for our new friends from Montréal, and our delightful bartenders Jelko and Dragan.

 

Then my final mission was to get to the Explorers Lounge (library) and find the Crazies Travel Log, so I could add my entry for Crazie history. I wrote from my heart and dripped on the pages, I hope they were dry for the next Crazies!!! Then it was back to the cabin, bags out at midnight, we were zone 11 for Assisted Debark, more on this shortly. We fell into our bunks and slept our last night in Ecstasy…

 

I woke up very early, in time to be on deck in the dark, coffee in hand, watching the Texas coast draw ever-nearer as the sky grew lighter. Bittersweet!! We had plenty of time, Ecstasy docks at 8AM, so we showered and got up on deck again for the final channel ride, and docking. I KNEW there were Crazies waiting on the dock thanks to text messages from Mach and Lambie! And there they were, Sheri and Zackie, on the patio, ready for their turn on Ecstasy!! Then it was time to say goodbye to my cabin, and we headed up to Society Bar to hang out until our turn to get off…….

 

 

Debarkation

 

 

I like the new system Carnival has implemented, with the numbered zones. At 8:15, the self-assist passengers, who are the ones that do not check any luggage the night before, begin by their zone numbers. These went in groups of six zones at a time up to zone 25. Then we started at zone 1 for the luggage-assisted passengers at 9:30. Our zone 11 was called at 9:45, and we were easily down the aft elevators to Empress deck and off. Easy, and no sense of a full ship at all.

 

In the luggage area, same thing, you go to your zone and there are your bags. Now, I get a porter, always. It is by far the easiest and fastest way through customs and out of the terminal. This was no different. I like that Galveston has one “porter line” so you are not dashing madly to catch one of those guys whizzing by. We were outside by 10:15, totally painless. Now, if you are at EZ Cruise, you would go to the shuttle area and be driven the few blocks to the parking lot once the EZ shuttle was full. That is what you would do, if you were not traveling with Mom. Since I was traveling with Mom, I loaded us into a taxi 15 feet from the terminal door and for $4.50 we were at our car and loaded up in another 10 minutes.

 

One more fun event…..we are meeting Sheri at the Patio, and handing off the Mascots…..this was happy and hard at the same time….you really get attached to those little guys….but hand over we must. Drive five blocks next door to the terminal and we are at Harbor House and there is Sheri with Zackie (Sheri’s ADORABLE 4 year old grandson) waiting for the Scots to join them for their Ecstasy sail!!!

 

We head off to the highway, back to the real world…. and we comfort ourselves by mentioning when we might cruise this grand lady again. It is easy to see why Ecstasy is rated #1 in service consistently….it is truly a standout for us, of many extraordinary cruises we have already enjoyed. That is really saying something. She is not the newest, or the biggest, but she is a GEM!!! You definitely get off saying HASTA LA VISTA ECSTASY!!!

 

I hope this helps anyone who is sailing her, and any questions I will gladly answer as best I can. CC members have helped me so much, I am happy to pay it back. I am posting a link here to my pictures…with my new camera …..and I thank Mach for all of his help, a true gentleman and my hero!!!

 

http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk242/floatie2525/It%20was%20ECSTASY%20042808/

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floatingaway2525

floatingaway2525

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Thank you so much for the review an the pictures. You gave me some good ideas for my Oct cruise on the Ecstacy. Thanks again.:D

 

Lucky you Caroline, you will be so pleased with that choice!!:D

 

Thanks so much to everyone for reading...if anyone has questions ask away!

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LEtue

LEtue

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Now I'm really getting excited about our July cruise! I haven't sailed on a Fantasy class ship since my first cruise on the Imagination in 1997 and I was a little apprehensive about booking it. But with 40 plus family members celebrating a grandparents 50th - who could stay home ;)

 

Thanks for the great review :D

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floatingaway2525

floatingaway2525

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Now I'm really getting excited about our July cruise! I haven't sailed on a Fantasy class ship since my first cruise on the Imagination in 1997 and I was a little apprehensive about booking it. But with 40 plus family members celebrating a grandparents 50th - who could stay home ;)

 

Thanks for the great review :D

 

OH Linda, you will love a celebration on this ship!!! 50th anniversary wow, God Bless your grandparents!!

I suggest you leave a note at the Pursers desk for the CD as soon as you get on board, and ask to have them recognized during the week, or at the Welcome Aboard or the Married game show!!! That is a huge milestone!!:D

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homeschool mom

homeschool mom

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Great Review! I sailed the Conquest in December and we are set to sail the Ecstacy in November. I'm trying to get a better idea of what to do in Progresso. Do you know if that double decker bus lets people on and off at different locations? I would love to see the town, but we want to do some shopping. I'm not sure where to shop.

 

Same in Cozumel. I was really disappointed in the "mall shopping" at the pier. I want to find the real treats and bargaining in Mexico. Where exactly do we go or ask to go? We're also planning a little beach time. Sounds like you have plenty of knowledge of Cozumel.

 

Thanks!

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