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By Katrina Kane, on April 19th, 2014 The night before we docked in Progresso, we found tickets in our cabin for the excursion we had booked. With an all day excursion to the Chichen Itza Mayan ruins ahead including a 2 hour drive each way, we had little time for breakfast so we hit the continental breakfast being served in the buffet area. It wasn’t much but adequate to start the day. After breakfast, we joined the other first time cruisers in trying to find the right elevator to get to deck 0 which we didn’t even know existed prior to the docking announcement. We did find it though and managed to help a couple of other lost souls along the way. Getting off the ship was fairly easy. They scanned our Sign and Sail cards then ran us through a photo op on the gangplank. We stepped off onto the world’s longest pier (5 miles long!) and walked a short distance to where buses and tour guides awaited us with signs. Once we were lined up, the guide took off through the marketplace and we scrambled to keep up while ogling all the exotic goods around us.
The buses appeared very well kept and modern. They were thankfully very well air conditioned. My one gripe about them would be the seats. They are soooo small and close together. There is no leg room, the seat belt dug into my hips, and there was nowhere for my elbows to go but into my seat mate. I truly felt like a sardine. It’s a good thing I was traveling with a very good and close friend. At least they had pockets in front of us to hold our water, etc. We brought our own filtered water bottles, hats, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, wallets, Sail and Sign cards, driver licenses for ID, and camera with us. I fell asleep in the tight quarters and slept half the way there. Bernie fell asleep on the second half.
We stopped at a little tourist trap just before arriving at Chichen Itza. There we were able to use the restroom, buy drinks and munchies, and gawk at souvenirs. Getting back on the bus, we were handed our sack lunches for the day and ice cold bottles of water. They were actually very tasty and hit the spot right then. I saved my bottle of water for the trip back to the ship later.
We quickly arrived at our destination and as soon as we were all off the bus we were chasing after the tour guide and his sign again. It was sunny and in the 80s. The tour was pretty interesting and standing in front of the pyramid was awesome. I had written a school report on the Mayans in 6th grade but actually being there was somehow much more complete for me. We clapped our hands and listened to the reverberation which sounded like the howl of a wild animal like a jaguar. Bernie and I both got our pictures taken in front of it to claim the virtual geocache there. How cool is that to claim a geocache in a foreign country?!
The tour guide showed us the ball court which always reminded me of the Harry Potter game Quidditch with the rings mounted vertical instead of horizontal like basketball. The ball court is much larger than I imagined and the rings are much higher than I could ever throw. There was some talk about the leader of the losing team being sacrificed after the game. Tough fans!
 
After showing us the warriors pyramid where human sacrifices were done, the wall of skulls (with a live iguana on it), and a few other buildings, we had about an hour to walk around on our own to explore, snap pictures, and shop the many vendors setup around the grounds. Flutes, jaguar calls, and T-shirts seem to be big business there. When the hour was up, everyone headed back to the bus. A local came up to us and escorted us straight back to our bus for a tip. Tips are very popular both on cruise ships and in Mexico. Even the lady in the bathroom that hands you a paper towel gets tipped!
  
Another 2 hour ride and we were back at the marketplace out on the pier near the ship. Looking around had to be quick so we could get back on the ship in time before it sailed. There was an ambulance next to the gangway taking a passenger off the ship who was too ill to continue the cruise. There were a couple of gangways to get back onboard. Be sure to look for the shortest line when you get there. To get back on the ship, you have to show your Sail and Sign card and ID. Then you put everything you are carrying through a scanner like the airports use and step through a people scanner. Take your hat and sunglasses off.
Once onboard, we went to our cabin to drop our things off then went out to go check the photo gallery for our formal dinner pics and Progresso debarking pics. We checked out the ship’s store where I scored a “Cruising the Caribbean” T-shirt on sale and postcards for my family. I’m very big on sending postcards to share my experiences with those I love. Since Bernie was there with me, I saved some money by not having to buy her a postcard for a change. LOL. We then went for the oh so necessary ice cream cones before getting ready for the show that night and dinner after. Others were out on deck at the sail away party up on Lido. It must have been quite a party. The ship was bouncing all over as we sailed on. We got a taste of rough seas all that night. Walking down the halls became an adventure in itself and sitting down did not escape the rolling waves. We took our ginger capsules and wore our Sea-Bands to keep from getting sick. They worked!
As we had done previously, we stopped in the Capitol Lounge to get drinks and listen to the musician there until show time. The show was excellent again. It is different every night. Dinner in the dining room was also excellent. We checked out the karaoke in the Del Rio Lounge. Yuck! One girl was OK but the rest stunk. We left after a very short time. Back in the casino we got to hear the good country band again. It’s fun just sitting there watching the drunken partiers dancing as the other casino guests plunked coin after coin into the machines.
Back in our cabin for the night, we watched a bit of news on TV. I don’t know why the news comes from Florida for a Texas ship. No luck finding the Malaysia plane yet, eh? We continued to wear our Sea-Bands to bed that night. I yelled at Bernie to stop rocking my bed all over. She yelled at me for the same thing. Finally Zzzzz…
By Katrina Kane, on April 18th, 2014 We slept very well and awakened to calm seas and lovely sunshine. Rather than hit the buffet for breakfast, we went to the Paris dining room. There, we were seated at a table with other guests for some entertaining conversation. Breakfast is the most “normal” meal they serve. They have cereal, eggs, pancakes, waffles, omelets, juice, sausage, bacon, hash browns, etc. I had steak and eggs which were delicious. Bernie had the Eggs Benedict. One thing the ship definitely does right is the portions of meals. They aren’t large which helps to keep you from over-eating. You can order more than one side or entrée but even those are kept small to let your stomach catch up with your eyes and avoid as much waste as possible. Be sure to order orange juice, hot cocoa, milk, or chocolate milk if you want it. They aren’t provided by default like coffee is.
Good news was announced. The trip back to Galveston last night would not delay us or change our schedule. They made up the time during the night so we would still arrive in Progresso, Mexico on time. We later heard that the passenger in distress was either a baby that had a seizure or a child that fell from one deck to another. Best wishes go out to him and his family.
After breakfast, we played a round of miniature golf. The course is very nice and laid out well so it isn’t too difficult for anyone but still fun. Clubs and balls are sitting right there for your use and don’t need to be checked out or in.
We did some more ship exploration then donned bathing suits and headed up to Lido deck 9 and the 3 hot tubs there. As expected, the hot tubs tend to stay pretty full. It wouldn’t be so bad except for the all kids in them violating the rules. They are not supposed to be in there without a parent per the rules posted at each one and they play in them like they are swimming pools which is also forbidden. Expect to have to point out the rules to them and even kick them out if necessary. Other than the kids, the hot tubs really are wonderful with great views and they help a lot after walking the length of the ship back and forth all day.
We did the slide for fun. It is worn but fun. Laying down on it works better than sitting.
I checked out the pool. It is well designed with benches all around, a wide wading edge, showers, and good depth. The pools aren’t large but do seem to be adequate. There are 2 on Lido and one aft which has a cover that opens and closes above it like some ball parks. The pools, unlike the hot tubs, are also filled with salt water and unheated. The showers next to them are warm and plain water to wash off when you are done swimming.
The most popular things to do on Lido around the pools is lay in one of the many lounge chairs, drink, play games, listen to a DJ playing very loud party music, and dance. There is lots of sunbathing, partying, and dancing going on there, especially during sail away parties. There is plenty of food available right there or in the buffet area inside.
  
Speaking of food, we tried a Guy’s burger for lunch. It is every bit as large, greasy, and delicious as they say online in cruise forums. Once you have your burger and fries, there is a condiment station where you can add the usual ketchup, mayo, pickles, and onions but they also have tomatoes, shredded lettuce, caramelized onions, mushrooms, etc. You can make it any way you like! The fries are also very good with a little seasoning on them but not too much. I wouldn’t suggest eating one of these every day. Later in the day and possibly all night long you will know why.
Of course, a day at sea or a dip in the hot tub is not complete without ice cream! There are soft ice cream and yoghurt machines on both port and starboard as well as fore and aft in the buffet area. They provide both dishes and cones. You can have chocolate, vanilla, or both twisted in some machines. Others have chocolate and strawberry. Eat all you want at any time, day or night. Go ahead, no one will tell on you. What happens on the ship stays on the ship.
That afternoon, we met up with a group of folks I met on Facebook. They were having a cabin crawl and poker run. Best $5 we could have spent! We all went to several different types of cabins they arranged so we could see what the various types had and looked like for future bookings. That was sooo informational! In the cabins, we found goodie bags with candy and alcohol drinks. We also picked up a playing card at each one for the poker run. Best hand at the end won the pot. I got a lousy pair of fives. 🙁
Later that evening we went to another show in the Rome Lounge. It was spectacular! I think the professional shows are the best or almost the best reason to cruise. We like the 7pm show every evening. It is always different.
This night was formal night in the dining room. There were photographers set up on several floors with different backgrounds to shoot pictures of us all in our best duds. Take as many pictures as you want. Bernie and I dressed up before going to the show then we got our picture taken and went to a late dinner. Bernie got the lobster and I ordered the prime rib. Yum! It was fun being dressed up for one night and seeing everyone else in their best. For fun, we also painted our nails and wore dress sandals to show them off.
After dinner, we went to the casino to listen to a great live country band before heading off to bed. If you have the stamina, there is music and other activities going on most of the night. When you return to your room for the night, you will find your bed turned down, a different towel animal, and chocolates. Who knew going to bed could be so exciting!
By Katrina Kane, on April 17th, 2014 Now that I have finished RVing almost all of the USA, it is time to start my cruising years. My parents were avid RVers and cruisers. Many RVers make room in their lives for both. Being in Texas currently, I decided to book a Carnival cruise out of Galveston with a good friend of mine, Bernie. We started our vacation yesterday. Bernie flew in to Houston and went to the Ramada Inn. I got a relief person to move into my trailer to handle the gate I was on and drove over to Houston to meet Bernie and spend the night before heading down to the cruise terminal in Galveston. I must say the beds were incredibly comfortable. We really enjoyed them. The room had a fridge, microwave, and coffee maker. The pool looked nice with a fountain flowing into it at one end though it was too cold outside to swim. They provided us with a free breakfast that was excellent! The scrambled eggs were true perfection. We could make our own waffles. They had very tasty sausages, pastry, orange juice, and coffee. Yum! I can recommend a stay at the Ramada definitely.
After breakfast, we drove the 54 miles down to Galveston. With the help of GPS, we had no problem locating the Park n’ Cruise near the terminal. Their staff were excellent in checking for my reservation and helping me to back in to an indoor secure spot between two posts. I was a little skeptical but he really knew what he was doing. As we scrambled out of my truck, a golf cart showed up to take us and our luggage down to the corner to cross to the terminal. We handed off our checked luggage to a very nice baggage handler then took off to see a bit of the area and do some geocaching. We scored 5 geocaches including a webcam cache (a first for us). We tried to do the second webcam cache but, unfortunately, the camera was pointed to a location we were unable to access. For a webcam geocache, you have to be caught on an internet linked camera to claim it. We’ll try that one again when we get back. Another cache we only got because Bernie was tall enough. Us short people are out of luck with that one without some tall help.
Wore out and feet hurting, we went back to the truck to get my carryon bag and walk back to the terminal to check in. It was 11:30AM and the lines going in were very long. Thankfully, I spent quite a bit of time online waiting for a chance to grab a “Faster To The Fun” spot and got one for $49. With FTTF, we were able to breeze past the long lines as VIP travelers. We walked right past all the serpentine lines on the bottom level and began to get the feeling that we had done something right. Going through security was fairly fast again in our own FTTF line. When we arrived upstairs to get our Sail and Sign cards to board, again we bypassed the long lines snaking back and forth. Yay! The only wait we had was for them to print our cards. We were both smiling like Cheshire cats by that time and highly recommend the FTTF program where you get many of the benefits of Diamond and Platinum cruisers who have sailed many times with the company. It’s worth every penny to us. You also get a special shorter line onboard at the guest services desk, a special phone number to them, priority boarding on tenders at ports of call that use tenders, and priority disembarkation when you return home.
Getting on board the ship was an adventure in itself. Once we had our boarding cards, we went up a ramp that then turned and took us back the other way. As we neared the end of that one, it turned again and took us back the other way. Sheesh! I think it had us running back and forth 3-4 times before we actually got on board. Our feet were hurting so bad and our bags got heavier by the minute but we were laughing all the way. When we finally arrived, we went straight to our room, 2351, an outside cabin with a window view. It was already ready for us thanks to our FTTF priority. We dropped off our carry-ons and headed to the Lido deck for lunch at the buffet. I wouldn’t call it the best I have ever had but I did enjoy it. Couple things to note:
1. If you want milk or chocolate milk, ask for it. They don’t put it out in the beverage area. They may have cartons in the buffet line.
2. If you leave your seat, when you get back, your dishes may be gone as they are very good about keeping the tables cleaned up. I still had some chocolate milk left and was smart enough to take it with me when I got up to look for dessert.
Next we explored the ship. We had fun using the glass view elevators aft to explore each floor. The elevators at the center of the ship were unavailable because they were being used to bring all the luggage to the cabins (They set the luggage outside the doors in the hallway btw). We found our muster station to prepare for the safety drill later. We checked out the stores that were still closed. We found all 3 pools and the hot tubs, the waterslide, miniature golf, basketball court,the picture gallery, the theater, the jogging track, the library, our dining room assignment, and other areas.
  
Just before the ship sailed, we attended the muster drill to learn what lifeboat to go to in case of an accident and how to put on our life preservers. The talk wasn’t long but it took a bit of time to get everyone out there. When the drill finished and we were dismissed, the party began as the ship pulled away from the dock. Up on the Lido deck, a DJ was blaring some excellent tunes as folks danced by the pool, stretched out on lounges, or hit the hot tubs. Everyone was ready to party hearty! Many were dressed in matching specially designed T-shirts for their group which made the party and people watching more fun. We stayed out there enjoying it until the sun started to set and the wind chilled things down.
 
We browsed one of the stores and the Rome theater on the way back to our cabin to get coats. With a quick stop in the Capitol atrium for some soda, we then headed to the Rome theater for our first show. It was a little dampened by an announcement that the ship had stopped and was turning around to go back to Galveston due to a passenger who suddenly became very ill and had to get off the ship. We didn’t know if that would cause us to have to miss our first stop in Progresso and our planned excursion there. The show went on anyway and it was wonderful! There was a live band, singers, and dancers. It was an all out performance. Then our Cruise director, Jen, came out to have some fun with us and play some games. Two of the passengers have already won a “Ship on a Stick”.
After the show, we went to a late dinner in the London dining room. We had the shrimp cocktail starter and southern fried chicken dinners. They were tasty and hit the spot. The vegetables were perfectly cooked and very good. For dessert, we tried the chocolate melting cake with vanilla ice cream previous cruisers rave about. It was good but not something I want every night.
Despite all the other entertainment going on all night, it was time for us to head for bed. In our cabin, we found our beds turned down, chocolates, a towel animal on one bed, and tomorrow’s schedule of events. After a little relaxing it was lights out. Until tomorrow…
By Katrina Kane, on March 21st, 2014
One of the fun things I like to do in my travels is see those quirky attractions like the World’s Largest Paul Bunyan Statue and the World’s Largest Frying Pan. This week I saw the World’s Largest Peanut in Pearsall, TX. I know you folks are just dying to see it too so here it is!
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