Miracle Review 10/08 - Late and Long

[cathyoo]

Most evenings we hit the shows and we really enjoyed them. Generations, Ticket to Ride and the comedian were all favorites. The guest talent was excellent. Our favorite was a pair of dancers that had a fantastic routine. When it was announced that the next couple would provide some dancing entertainment I thought “boring”. It was anything but and I love being surprised. An extra bonus was watching the Phillies clinch the Division in the sports bar. The excitement in the air was contagious and just as I enjoyed sharing a common dream with my Merrymaker friends, I enjoyed sharing Philly fever with my fellow passengers.

 

We had planned to eat at the Supper Club on 10/12 for our 40th anniversary. We were a group of 13 and I waited too long to make our reservations. Again a worry. I was afraid the scruffy kids would not think the $30 was well spent.

 

The supper club could not accommodate us on the twelfth, so we settled for the 13th. If my DH had his druthers, he would eat there every night. It was a wonderful experience. We couldn’t all sit at the same table so the old scruffies sat a big round table next to the young scruffies at a long table. The food as usual was out of this world. My filet was well done (as ordered) but could be cut with my fork. The live music adds so much to the atmosphere. The kid scruffies loved their food but found their service lacking. They had a different wait staff . I did notice their food being bought out separately and we finished a good twenty minutes before them.

 

This was our third Supper Club visit and it is becoming a cruising tradition. It excites me to have “cruise traditions”. Amazing to me that I’ve been on enough cruises to talk about traditions.

 

Ports of Calls.. First port of call was San Juan and this was where my nephew was boarding. It was a major relief when we heard they were on the dock waiting to get on board. Now the scruffies were complete.

 

The old scruffies (at my recommendation) were going to take a horse and buggy ride. We had to walk a few blocks and were inundated with offers of transportation. I told one driver we were going for the horse and buggy ride and he told me we were too late they had stopped for the day.

 

We had to get two separate buggies. Our horse had kicked his diaper bag up into the driver and also into the buggy. The driver was very unhappy and he had to get cleaned up and the buggy needed to wiped out. Unfortunately the aroma definitely lingered. I was grateful it was on the ride before us not our ride. The driver perked up a little and the ride was okay. But nothing to write home about. The other half of the scruffies had a driver who did not talk much and when he did his English was very hard to understand. I don’t think anyone was giving me Kudos for this recommendation.

 

After the buggy ride the gents and my mom headed back to the ship. My sisters and SIL wanted to check out the Coach factory so I went along. We either misunderstood the directions or someone was pulling our legs but we eventually found it. I enjoyed the walk more than the buggy ride. It is a very old city with extremely narrow houses and sidewalks. I’m not a Coach type gal so I can’t tell you if there were any good bargains, I think one of the scruffies bought something. On the way back to the ship we found a dollar outlet store and bought all our Drunkin Pumpkin stuff.

 

I know some folks including scruffies felt the city was dirty.. I just felt it was old and what I would expect for a place with that much history. I wish we would have had time to travel out from the city. While I enjoyed my visit I'm not biting at the bit to go back.

[NCTribeFan]

We had a day stop on our "special" Miracle cruise (7-day pre-holiday sailing last December).

 

I absolutely LOVED it. So did DD. We took the free trolley up to El Morro and spent a long time wandering around the fort; then meandered down through the old town; had lunch at La Bombanero (fantastic old place); then wandered some more.

 

I'm trying everything I can think of to manage a cruise out of San Juan and stay a couple of days after.

 

I know a lot of cruisers only seem to want to wander around a port area with lots of shops, eating and drinking. I like to get out there and see the area, meet some locals, and get a feel for the history and culture.

 

You're much braver than me. I could NEVER cruise with a group that large. I'm not very good in groups, and trying to coordinate times and get people to agree to do things is not my bag, baby! :p

[cathyoo]

I absolutely LOVED it. So did DD. We took the free trolley up to El Morro and spent a long time wandering around the fort; then meandered down through the old town; had lunch at La Bombanero (fantastic old place); then wandered some more.

 

 

 

 

I know a lot of cruisers only seem to want to wander around a port area with lots of shops, eating and drinking. I like to get out there and see the area, meet some locals, and get a feel for the history and culture.

I think it would have made a difference if we weren't there at night. I loved St Thomas and Tortola and would rather go there.

You're much braver than me. I could NEVER cruise with a group that large. I'm not very good in groups, and trying to coordinate times and get people to agree to do things is not my bag, baby! :p

 

Not braver, crazier.. next cruise Nov 09 I have about 32 people going on an all inclusive cruise. We will be part of a group of 110. I have some real fears about that cruise. Some first timers but even scarier.. some RCI lovers who have a poor opinion of Carnival. I am a nervous wreck and will fret for a year.