Wasn’t sure what we planned to do today in St. Thomas. Thought about snorkeling off of a beach near the port but was not sure that the place was still open. Will have to do more research before we come back in December.
Got up at 7:30 and went for coffee. We were already docked and people were getting off. All aboard is at 4:30 today. We decided to have breakfast in the main dining room even though it wasn’t a Brunch day. I had the French toast which was very good but I was not a fan of the weird sauce-covered bananas.
Since we docked at a different port than the last time, we decided to walk around and see what was happening. Different dock – same stores. The humidity was already very high at 10:00 so we didn’t last long.
Came back and decided to play some mini golf up on the 12th floor. Fairly challenging holes. Not busy on a port day. Heat and humidity still a problem as there wasn’t even a small breeze. I won by 4 strokes. I’m sure we’ll have a rematch on the next leg of this cruise.
The pool was not crowded so we got our stuff and found a couple of loungers and bobbed around in the pool for a while. If it is not too crowded, you can float but mostly people just stand around and bob. The deepest is 4 ½ feet.
We took a break from our busy pool time to eat some lunch and then we felt the need to go back in the pool. We were so worn out from this adventurous day that we came back to the room and took a nap.
The evening brought some time at the Alchemy Bar, a winning slot session at the Casino, dinner in the main dining room, and more slot play.
The show tonight in the Showtime Lounge was Country Roads. In the past, it has not been a favorite of mine so I almost didn’t go. But they have modernized it and I thoroughly enjoyed the performance.
We attended the Eighties Deck Party and listened to the music for a while. Then they started with the games so we called it a night.
Early day this morning. Up at 6:00 and got coffee at 6:30. Lots of people already milling about the ship. I got breakfast in the Lido and Chuck got a breakfast burrito from the Blue Iguana Cantina.
After listening to the health protocols for St. Martin (wear masks when indoors and bring your vaccine cards just in case you need them to enter premises), we were able to get off the ship at 8:45 and followed the map provided by the tour company – Captain Alan’s 3 Island Snorkel to the pickup point.
A gate agent found a driver from the taxi service hired by Captain Alan and he had our name. It was a large van for just the two of us. He ended up stopping and we transferred to another smaller shuttle. That driver told us there was a mix-up in drivers and he would be taking us the rest of the way and would be taking us back after the snorkel. We told him the other guy took the taxi fee.
We arrived at the marina of Captain Alan’s. I did remember it from the last time we snorkeled with them. There were only two other couples from a nearby condo resort going with us. It started to sprinkle so I was a little disappointed because it can make the water murky. However, it stopped even before Captain Corrine finished checking us in. We brought our own gear but did use their fins as they are much better than our travel fins. We only bring our fins in case the tour company doesn’t supply them.
She was running the show today. She would be the Captain, first mate, tour director, and restaurant manager. I guessed her at 25. We left promptly at 9:45 to our first snorkel stop.
Once we donned our gear, we jumped in and started swimming toward the reef area. Almost at once, a small jellyfish appeared in front of my face. I backpedaled swiftly. I didn’t see many but they were out there. I had hoped it would attract more turtles but there were only a couple of turtles and I only saw them from a distance. We did see so many pretty fish and a nurse shark.
Our next stop was a drift snorkel. She let us out at one end of the reef and we met her at the other end. It provided a spotted eagle ray, an eel, and a large turtle along with more fish. Just as Chuck was getting back to the boat, a jellyfish brushed his hand and he got stung. Luckily, it didn’t wrap around him so the sting was not bad. She had some medicine to put on it but he didn’t need it.
Our last stop was at a small island that had a beautiful beach. She anchored as close as she was allowed so we could wade to the beach. She first fed us sandwiches of ham and cheese on a baguette. She had coolers of water, soft drinks, and beer. The other couples had never been to the island so they waded in. Chuck and I stayed on the boat and talked to Corinne.
She was 40, married to Captain Alan, and had 3 children – two adults. She was born in Guyana but her mother brought them to St. Martin when she was young. She had scars on her legs from the piranha bites. She and Alan weathered Hurricane Irma and Covid. They are building their home, doing most of the work themselves. They hope to turn part of it into an Airbnb. I was very impressed with their ingenuity and commitment.
Some other tour company boats were anchoring closer to the beach where there were swimmers. Colleen got angry because they were breaking the rules set forth by the French. She said if the authorities come by and see these boats, they will make it hard on all the tour operators. She said they already make it hard for the Dutch companies to come over to the French side and they certainly didn’t need any more rules. I wonder if she will report the company when she gets back to the marina.
We made it back to the marina by 2:00 and the driver was waiting for us. We were back on board by 3:00. An excellent day with this company. We will go with them again.
Since it was still early and our bathing suits still damp, we went to the Aft pool area and enjoyed the empty hot tub until 5:00. All aboard was 5:30. I didn’t hear any names being called so I assume everyone was back on time.
After sail-away and getting cleaned up, I listened to the music in the Alchemy Bar while Chuck got in some casino time.
We were back in Percival’s section tonight. I ordered the Linguini and Chuck had the beef tenderloin. Excellent meal again.
After dinner, I reviewed my underwater photos on the computer while Chuck went back to the Casino. This cruise seems to be filled with Casino players. I guess that is how they are filling the ships – giving great deals to their casino players and Platinum and Diamond members.
We went to the late show of the Magician/Comedian in the Showtime Lounge. He was very good. There were no comedians in the Comedy Club tonight. We decided to call it a night after the show.
Tonight’s towel animal is a bat hanging from the ceiling. So cute.
This morning was a repeat of Sunday. Coffee from the coffee bar and then the Sea Day Brunch. We walked two miles around the jogging track but then negated that walk by having two drinks at the bar.
I got too much sun on Sunday so I went in early today and prepped our snorkel gear for our trip in St. Martin tomorrow.
I went to the photography counter and picked up my very first Platinum status gift – a Carnival lanyard and pin. I guess they direct you there instead of Guest Services as that counter is always so busy.
We then went to the Platinum/Diamond status party in the Showtime Lounge. There were a lot of people who have reached this status. The youngest was 12 years old. The oldest was someone in his 80’s. We watched a film about the Carnival ships and cheered for the ships we have sailed. One of the Carnival guitarists played music and sang.
The waiters kept bringing any drinks that you wanted. They did not count against our drink package allotment. Lots of people stayed to the bitter end until they had to be shooed out with drinks in both hands. They probably would have balanced one on their heads if they could have.
We went to the Alchemy Bar area and danced until it was time for dinner. The Halloween party is tonight so people were starting to dress up in costume. This is the first year we decided not to bring our costumes. We just weren’t sure with all the COVID protocols what kind of Halloween party/contest they would be having.
We sat in a different section of the dining room for dinner tonight. With Anytime Dining, after you check-in on the app, you get the first table available. I’m not sure how you request a section and I don’t know that I would want to wait a long time for a particular section. Our wait team was very efficient and friendly. The lead team leader was JaJo.
Tonight’s entertainment in the Showtime Lounge was The Love and Marriage Game and Battle of the Sexes. I have seen these shows numerous times. Since we have an early excursion tomorrow, I decided to call it a night and Chuck went to the Casino.
Our usual sea day routine – Coffee from the coffee bar and then breakfast at the Sea Day Brunch. I had a regular breakfast of eggs and bacon and Chuck had the steak and eggs special. Breakfast in the dining room can be hit or miss but today the service was quick and the food was hot. Enjoyed conversation at the table with 4 other people – one couple from Michigan and two friends from South Carolina. Just before we left, Percival, our waiter from the night before, sang another ballad.
I spent the majority of the day at the pool reading and people watching. It was a partly cloudy day and I was surprised at the suntan that I got. Chuck spent time between the casino and the pool. We had a light lunch at the Lido.
Tonight, was elegant night so we dressed up. I was surprised to see how many women were wearing long gowns and men in suits or tuxedos as I haven’t seen people dress that way on a Caribbean cruise in a long time. Lots of women in sparkly cocktail dresses too. There were others, like us, in resort wear.
We went to the Alchemy Bar for a pre-dinner cocktail. Chuck loves the Cucumber Sunrise and I really like the Forty is the New Twenty. This bar is always crowded.
We each chose the lobster for our main course. Sometimes it is tough and chewy but tonight it was very sweet. The waiter wanted to give Chuck another one but he declined. The portions have been just right – not too much, not too little. We skipped dessert again.
We spent the rest of the evening dancing in the Ocean View Lobby area and going to see the other comedian in the Comedy Club. We liked his routine much better than the first comic.
Embarkation Day! Feels like forever since I have been able to say those words.
My fitbit alarm went off at 6:00 and I had no problem getting up. The hotel breakfast started at 7:00. Because of Covid and being short-staffed, the breakfast items were to-go only: protein bars, oranges, apples, muffins, bottles of water, and coffee. We got a few items and ate at a table outside.
The shuttle service that the hotel contracts with was right on time. She was only taking passengers that were going to the Magic which made it nice. I have been on shuttles that have to make stops at all the ships in port to drop people off. She told us there was a car accident at the pier near the Mardi Gras and some shuttles were trapped in the blockage. We were later to learn that the driver had a seizure and hit a porter. The porter sustained a broken leg. Didn’t hear if the driver hit any other vehicle or if the driver survived the seizure.
At the pier, the porters got our two big bags and we took our smaller ones. One of the perks of achieving Platinum Status is that you get to go to your room before 1:30.
Our first stop was the Health Station. The attendant checked our boarding passes, Covid vaccination cards, our negative covid tests, and our passports. He asked me “you were born in 1970, right?” I’m so paranoid now because of all the hoops to jump through that I thought he was trying to trip me up into saying something wrong. I just told him “I wish.” He just laughed. Making jokes. Okay.
Next stop, Security. Similar to the airlines. Bags go through the x-ray machine. Empty all pockets. Walk through metal detector. Done.
Next, Check-in. Only want to see passport. Hmmm. My hair has changed since 2019. Yes, I am gray haired now. Need to take another picture. Okay.
Another perk is early embarkation. There were no signs for the designated room so we finally asked. The attendant said the room was full but come back to her when they announce suite guests (who always go first) and she could then let us go into the room. Five more minutes – Suites guests embark.
Now we are in an upstairs holding room. No organization. After suite guests, there was not much announcing so we just got in line. One more stop. Take your picture at facial recognition kiosk. Finally. Getting on board.
SNAFU. Because of Covid cleaning protocols, no early entrance to rooms. Drag your suitcases around until 1:30. So annoying.
We passed our muster station and I said to Chuck, let’s get this over with. Used to be that you had to sit through a very long safety presentation. Now, you can go in – electronically check you in and you watch the life vest demonstration. 10 minutes done. Later, you watch the entire video in your cabin. I’ve always said, no matter how detailed you can give the presentation or what form it takes, if the ship were really going down, there is going to be total chaos. Human nature.
Made it up to the Lido Deck and ate at the Blue Iguana Cantina. We were able to keep our carry-ons out of the way. I love their shrimp burritos so much. While Chuck was getting his food, he heard someone say that they are allowing Platinum guests to drop off their luggage even though they can’t stay in the room. Great!
Next stop, our room. Our hallway had the main doors open so they were ready for occupancy anyway. We were able to put our bags up with no problem. We even saw our big bags in the hallway ready to be delivered.
Even though we have been on the Magic before and her sister ship the Dream, we walked around to familiarize ourselves with it again. We made our way to the casino, the Red Frog Pub, the Serenity area (over 21 only area), and the Aft Pool area.
After 1:30, we went back to the cabin and our luggage was waiting for us. Got everything unpacked and stored away in time for the sailaway. Met our room steward and asked him for a robe. Chuck just told him not to bother giving him one – he would just run naked up and down the halls. Took the poor steward a minute to determine that Chuck was joking. He’s probably thinking – oh great, one of “those” guests.
The sailaway was advertised as sailing at 3:00 but it didn’t leave until closer to 4:00.
We passed the Mardi Gras and we waved to its passengers. The ships exchanged horn blows. It is a very big ship, close to 6000 passengers at full capacity, and people were already riding the roller coaster. So fun to once again watch the port getting smaller and smaller as we head out to sea.
Once we hit international water, the casino opened. I got a free $25 slot play so I wanted to play. On your first machine, you have to activate your room key and decide on a PIN. I thought I had done everything correctly but of course my PIN didn’t work. I thought I had punched something in wrong. Back up to the cage area. No, my PIN was correct. I went to another machine – everything went fine. Lost my free $25 in less than 30 minutes. Just like at land casinos. *Sigh*
Got some cash and tried another machine. Won $50! Yay. I cashed out and was waiting for my ticket. No ticket. Said my money was “On my Bank.” What’s that? Turns out I have to take my key up to the cage and they give me money or I can keep it on my key and play some more. Just be sure to cash out before the end of the cruise. So far, Chuck is doing well at 3-card poker.
We have Anytime Dining option. I really like that when you are ready to eat and if you want to eat in the main dining room, you just check-in with the Carnival app on your phone. They notify you when your table is ready. The service was a little slow tonight but it is the first night and the head waiter seems to be having to really direct his assistants. I am sure they will get faster.
Our head waiter is also a very good singer. Right before the main course came out, the lights dimmed and he was introduced. He sang a ballad and everyone was astonished at his vocal range. Not sure why he is not part of the entertainment crew.
I had the lasagna and Chuck had the brisket. We normally opt out of dessert and it really freaks the waiters out. “What? No dessert? You are on vacation.” True, but we are stuffed after the appetizer, salad/soup, and main course.
We then went to the Welcome Aboard Show. Our cruise director is from Scotland. Hearing his voice on the intercom, I had guessed Australian. The performers sang and danced a few numbers from their upcoming shows. I hope the shows are as good as I remember.
We went to the Comedy Club but I was not impressed with this comedian. He just talked to the audience and made fun of people. He didn’t really tell any jokes. There is another comedian that we hope to catch tomorrow night. Maybe I will like him more.
Was a long day. Our first full sea day tomorrow. Our towel animal tonight is an elephant.
So excited to be cruising again. Our last cruise was this month in 2019. I was not even sure that this cruise would sail when we booked. We have booked others only to see them cancelled so I was trying not to get my hopes up.
We did all the paperwork and the only thing left yesterday was the COVID test. For vaccinated guests, we were allowed to do a rapid antigen test. The problem is that there are no places around here that will do them for a low cost if you are not experiencing symptoms. I decided that we would try the online method with Emed.com which is approved by many cruise lines.
Luckily, I ordered the tests about a month ago. I learned recently, they have sold out and people are on a wait list. I watched a YouTube video on the process but I decided to use one of my tests and did a practice video call last week. Chuck watched the process and it went well.
The tests must be done no earlier than two days prior to embarkation. I logged in and did my test and got my Negative result on my app and in email. Chuck logged in on my laptop and did his test. Waited for his information. And waited for his information. Nothing – no notice on his app and no email. I looked at my app and email again and there was another notice. I got his Negative test results but WITH MY NAME ON IT.
Can we never have a trip without some sort of SNAFU? I called the only number I could find and was on hold for 45 minutes. When I finally did get someone, they transferred me to another number. Hair pulling time. The gentleman who finally answered said it could be fixed but it could take up to 15 hours or more as they would have to go back through the video.
I asked him if Chuck could just take another test. He said yes but to ensure that my info doesn’t show up again, I should clear my browser history so that my app information would be deleted. Okay. I got everything removed and Chuck went through the whole testing process again. I held my breath just staring at his email – Success! He got his negative results on his app and an email. The cruise is suddenly back on!
Had a restless pre-travel night like always. Got up with the alarm at 5:30. Pumpkin came in for his breakfast at 6:30 and knew something was up when I would not let him back outside. He went from door to door demanding to be let out but I ignored him. He gave up and went under the couch to sulk. I know he prefers to be outside but it is safer for him to stay indoors when we are gone. His sitter will come and take care of him.
We left at 8:15. Atlanta traffic was terrible as usual but at least we got to use the HOV lane so that helped speed things up at Spaghetti Junction. Stopped at our favorite Waffle House in Forsyth for a late breakfast. Stopped for gas at exit 2 right before you enter Florida. They are doing some roadwork so it was not as easy to get on and off that exit as it used to be. I am sure it will be fine once they are finished.
We cut across to Jacksonville on I-10 and then down I-295 and I-95 toward Cocoa Beach. Traffic was really heavy on those interstates. We finally arrived at the La Quinta at 5:45. Just the same as I remember from all the other times we have stayed here. Our park and cruise package gave us 8 free days of parking here so we only had to pay for 6 extra days. Not a bad deal considering how expensive it is to park at the port.
We went to the hotel bar and got drinks to have by the pool. Then we went back to the bar to order wings and tacos for dinner. Met two other couples that are also cruising on the Magic tomorrow. This is a popular hotel for cruisers as they offer a very good shuttle to the port as well as free parking. We were the only ones planning a back-to-back cruise.
After dinner, back to the room to get organized for tomorrow. Breakfast starts at 7:00 and we are on the 9:30 shuttle. Weather calls for partly sunny and in the 80’s. Hoping tomorrow goes off without a hitch.
