Cruise Day #9 - At Sea

We are at sea today, while we head towards the Mexican island of Cozumel. We arrive in Cozumel tomorrow morning. 

This morning's breakfast, egg/avocado/cheese on an English Muffin.  ¡Delicioso!

After breakfast, I made my way to my "happy place."  Debbie had a full day of activities planned with our granddaughter. 

I lasted until 2 p.m. in the Sanctuary—it was so hot, even for my Cuban blood! On my way back "home," I passed by the adults-only Retreat Pool. It was packed! 

I also took a quick peek at the main pool, which was a complete sea of humanity. 

Honestly, the photos don’t do justice to how crowded it really was.

Debbie had a wonderful day with our granddaughter. Our granddaughter, and her new friend from Chicago, teamed up and won a music trivia game in the Piazza. Their prize? Princess-branded luggage tags! 

She also got to participate in the Acrobat/Juggler show—definitely a highlight.

After enjoying lunch in the Reserve Collection Dining Room, they headed to the theater for the "Deal or No Deal" game. They walked away with $50 in casino play—what a fun way to wrap up the day's activities!

Cruise Day #8 - Ft Lauderdale

We’ve arrived back in Fort Lauderdale. 

This morning, I had my once a cruise indulgence, the Brioche French Toast. It was ¡Muy Rico!

For us in-transit passengers, we’re scheduled to meet in the Deck 5 restaurant at 9:30 AM to be escorted off the ship for immigration inspection. Once that’s complete, we’ll be walked back on board. I promised our granddaughter that we’d head straight to the pool afterward. It should be nice and quiet there—at least until later in the day when the new passengers begin to settle in.

While we were waiting for immigration inspection, we caught up with a dear friend who is a Senior Staff Officer onboard. They confirmed a rumor we had heard a couple of days earlier: the Double Down Bar/Lounge will become a smoking casino starting July 26th.

This lounge, which is adjacent to the main casino, is currently designated as non-smoking and has a small area with slot machines. It’s currently closed and will remain so until its re-opening as a smoking venue. At that time, the main casino will become non-smoking instead. This change will apply to all ships with the same configuration.

Great news for non-smokers!

After reboarding, we kept our promise and headed to the main pool with our granddaughter. It was nice and empty! We hung out with the family until after lunch, and I got some swim time in with the little one.

Later, our family friends joined us, and after a while, Debbie and I made our way to the Sanctuary to enjoy a relaxing afternoon.

Cruise Day #7 - At Sea

Today, we are at sea as we make our way back to Fort Lauderdale. Tomorrow is turn-around day. About 350 passengers will be continuing with us on the next 7-day segment, meaning roughly 92% of the guests will be disembarking.

One of the best parts of our sleepover with our granddaughter last night was getting to take her to breakfast at the Crown Grill this morning. She absolutely loved it! 

After reuniting her with her parents, we headed to the Sanctuary for some relaxation. But before we left, we had to promise her we'd spend some time together at the main pool later in the day.

Just before lunch, we made good on that promise and ventured over to the main pool. Wow—what a madhouse! The Retreat pool area was also packed, including every lounge chair and the pool itself. It seems like everyone wanted to make the most of their last day onboard.

Tonight, the extra dish in Reserve Collection dining was Lobster Thermador. It was the best Thermador we have had in a very long time!

Cruise Day #6 - Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

Today we are in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands!

We woke up to a thunderstorm, heavy rain, and strong winds. Once again, the Carnival Mardi Gras is docked alongside us. The Captain announced that this weather pattern is expected to continue throughout the day.

We decided to stay onboard and avoid the unstable conditions, while our kids ventured ashore and took a taxi to Governor’s Beach. They reported having a great time despite the weather!

Debbie and I spent the morning in the Sanctuary until about 2 p.m. By then, the rest of the family had returned to the ship and were enjoying the (very crowded) pool. We're there now too, catching up on everyone's day.  By the way, it did not rain for the remainder of the day. 

Tonight, we dined at The Catch by Rudi, where we were warmly welcomed by the lovely Faye. We’ve known her for years, and it’s always such a pleasure to see her! The food was outstanding, and—as expected—Faye took excellent care of us.

I had the Dover Sole, one of my all-time favorites, while our granddaughter absolutely loved the Chantilly Lace dessert.

After dinner, we headed to the Princess Theater for the always-entertaining Marriage Match game, which had us laughing throughout.

We wrapped up the evening with a special sleepover—our granddaughter stayed with us in our stateroom. A perfect end to a wonderful night!

Cruise Day #5 - Amber Cove, Dominican Republic

Good morning from Amber Cove, Dominican Republic!

We’re docked today alongside the Carnival Mardi Gras. 

We decided to stay onboard and enjoy a peaceful day in the Sanctuary, while the kids went ashore to explore the expansive cruise port—complete with swimming pools—designed especially for passengers.

This evening, Debbie and I had the pleasure of attending 360: An Extraordinary Experience, a multi-sensory, immersive dining event. This one-of-a-kind, seven-course meal blends destination-inspired storytelling, world-class cuisine, expertly paired wines, and stunning visuals projected on a 360-degree screen. The dining room accommodates 20 people. 

It was absolutely FANTASTIC—an unforgettable experience! This was our third time at 360 and it did not dissapoint. The photos truly don’t do it justice.