Monday, December 17, 2007

Winter Is Here
Recently the news is full of the cold wintery conditions all across the USA. Ice storms and snow storms have wreaked havoc from coast to coast. Mother Nature has cruelly reminded us that winter is here. When I lived in New Hampshire I had a simple way to deal with the weather. I would book a cruise. Usually the cruise was booked long before the cold arrived. I spent countless hours planning what I would do on my winter getaway to warm weather. It was fun to think about. I could be snorkeling in azure blue waters off the coast of Mexico. I could be shopping for a special piece of jewelry in St Thomas. I could be enjoying a Margarita in Cozumel. So many places to go to get out of the cold. On those cold winter days "cruise dreaming" was my favorite pastime. Want to do some "cruise dreaming" of your own? Book a cruise, grab a cup of coffee or cocoa and relax and dream about the fun you will have on your cruise.
With so many itineraries from so many ports, there’s a “Fun Ship®”
cruise vacation that’s perfect for you.While on board enjoy superb
dining, Spa Carnival®, spectacular entertainment, a friendly casino
and much more. Every destination offers its own unique attractions,
shopping opportunities and sightseeing adventures. For the most
fun you can have on vacation, book a Carnival cruise today.
At any one moment there are
a million ways to have fun.
www.lberry.globaltravel.com


Wednesday, November 28, 2007




A First From Miami


CARNIVAL FREEDOM



Newest & Largest Mega "Fun Ship"!
CARNIVAL FREEDOM will sail from Miami to our most popular Caribbean destinations. At 110,000 tons, this fantastic floating resort offers an enormous variety of family entertainment areas, including an expanded childrens program, "Camp Carnival", and teen club "Club 02". Call now to book your cruise on the newest Mega "Fun Ship" in the world CARNIVAL FREEDOM.
7 Day Eastern & Western Caribbean Cruises From Miami
Starting Saturday, November 17, 2007
7 Day Western Caribbean Itinerary
Saturday - Miami............Departs 4:00 PM
Sunday -"Fun Day At Sea"
Monday - Cozumel 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday - "Fun Day At Sea"
Wednesday - Grand Cayman 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday - Ocho Rios 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Friday - "Fun Day At Sea"
Saturday - Miami 8:00AM
7 Day Eastern Caribbean Itinerary
Saturday - Miami..............Departs 4:00 PM
Sunday - "Fun Day At Sea"
Monday - San Juan 5:00 PM - Midnight
Tuesday - St. Thomas/St. John* - 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday - St. Maarten - 7:00AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday - "Fun Day At Sea"
Friday - "Fun Day At Sea"
Saturday - Miami - 8:00 AM
*Optional excursion to St. John is available
Call For Rates
Laura Berry
Independent Agent
Global Travel International
863-248-6706 Home
863-701-6782 Cell



















Saturday, November 24, 2007

Cruisers Love To Cook

Cruisers!! We all know we love to cruise. We tell you that over and over until you want to run away screaming. Sometimes it seems like cruising is the only thing in our lives but that is not true. We have many interests and one of those is cooking. The following are recipes that were submitted to me by my cruising friends at my two favorite cruise related websites. http://www.themarinerscabin.com/ and http://www.cruisemates.com/

read, try them and enjoy!



Laura




Here's one:



1.5 oz Captain Morgan

5 oz Coke


Add ice and mix in a double old-fashioned glass.



Enjoy..........!


Submitted by Dean

Portland Oregon




















Lamingtons



2 T butter

2 T cocoa

6 T water, boiling

3/4 lb icing sugar

vanilla essence

coconut sponge


Melt butter and add cocoa and water. Add icing sugar and essence and mix until smooth. Cut sponge into squares, coat with mixture then roll in coconut.


Submitted by Lombard

New Zealand







STUFFED PEPPER SOUP






2 POUNDS OF GROUND BEEF


1 CAN OF TOMATO SAUCE 28 OZ.


1 CAN OF DICED TOMATOES UNDRAINED 28 OZ.


2 CUPS OF LONG GRAIN WHITE RICE 2 CUPS OF CHOPPED GREEN BELL PEPPERS


BEEF STOCK 1 LG CAN 28 oz


¼ CUP PACKED BROWN SUGAR


SALT


PEPPER.



IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN, BROWN THE MEAT AND DRAIN OFF EXCESS GREASE. ADD THE REMANING AND BRING TO A BOIL. REDUCE HEAT AND COVER AND SIMMER FOR ABOUT 30 TO 40 MINUTES OR UNTIL PEPPERS ARE SOFT AND TENDER.. YIELD 10 SERVINGS







Submitted by Darlene (RedWitch)
Pittsburgh


Mississippi Mud Pie!


Ingredients (first layer):

1 cup flour 1 stick butter

1 cup pecans, crushed......leave em out and decrease the butter or substitute!

Dough should be stiff....really stiff!


Directions (first layer) Mix ingredients together. Press into bottom of 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes Chill.

Ingredients (second layer)
1 8 oz, package cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 cup Cool Whip

Directions Blend ingredients except Cool Whip. Add 1 cup Cool Whip.

Ingredients (third layer)
2 3 oz. pkges instant milk chocolate pudding
3 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Mix ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour over second layer. Top with CoolWhip. Add chocolate shavings from Herseys chocolate bar for garnish. Chill untill ready to serve.

Submitted by
Melody
Baton Rouge LA

Cornbread dressing....it's the Southern Way!

1- 12" skillet of cooked white cornbread, cooled and crumbled
4 cups diced cooked chicken or giblets (I prefer chicken...hate giblets!)
8 boiled egss diced
6 raw eggs
2 c. diced onions &
2 c. diced celery sauteed in one stick of butter chicken broth and turkey drippings
salt
pepper


Mix all of this in a BIG BIG BIG bowl, adding enough turkey drippings and broth to make a soupy mixture. Pour into a BIG disposable aluminum pan and bake at 375 degrees until lightly brown on the top.....about an hour and a half. Usually served with a gravy made with a roux In a dutch oven, combine equal parts oil and flour (about 1 cup or a cup and a half) Stir constantly over medium heat until it is a dark caramel brown. Remove from heat, add 1 c. diced onions and stir until they are wilted (one or two minutes). Add enough water to fill the pot over half full. Add 1 can of chicken broth, 1 cup of diced cooked chicken, 1 diced boiled egg, salt and pepper to taste. Return to a simmer and simmer for about 45 minutes. You can add turkey drippings in place of the broth. I apologize for the EXACT measurements......I don't cook with measuring cups, so I just have to guess!



Submitted by
Melody
Baton Rouge LA





This recipe is diet friendly feel free to substitute more sinful ingredients


Bay Scallops with Whole Wheat Penne Pasta

Ingredients
16 oz cooked bay scallops (if using sea scallops, cut each one into quarters)
12 oz uncooked whole-wheat penne pasta, Prepared according to Package Directions
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp table salt
2 tsp olive oil 2
Tbsp margarine
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 clove garlic clove(s), chopped
1 medium onion(s), Choppred Fine
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning


Instructions
In a large frying pan, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are soft and slightly brown. Add, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Dust scallops with Old Bay seasoning and add scallops to pan with margarine , lemon juice and remaining Old Bay seasoning. Stir until margerine is melted then simmer for two to three minutes. Pour mixture over prepared pasta and toss. Serve immediately.

Submitted by
Doug
Marmora NJ




The Cynic's Cabbage Roll Filling
Cabbage rolls are a traditional Ukranian favourite.

Here's my take on the filling.

This is a very quick and easy meal. Brown 1.5 lbs ground beef, add steak spices if you wish, and a bit of soy sauce and worcestershire sauce. Cook 2 cups parboiled/converted white rice Sautee 3 regular onions cut into 1/4 inch squares, add a bit of Bovril beef sauce. Combine beef, rice and onions in a large skillet, turn down heat to simmer. Add one can whole tomatoes, a bit of HP sauce and about 3-4 ounces of tomato juice (to taste). mix well and break down the whole tomatoes as much as possible. Serve hot. Garnish with celery. Salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe makes enough for 6.

Submitted by Cruise Cynic
Location
Canada


I normally don't give these recipe out, but I'm willing to share it with my friends here at CruiseMates.


Norm's Especially Seasoned Loaf of Ground Beast

This healthy variation on a classic comfort food never ceases to draw raves from my guests. It is also a very versatile leftover, so I always make more than required for the immediate meal. Serves: Approximately 6.

Ingredients: *

1 Large or Jumbo Egg, or 2 Small or Medium Eggs *
1/4 Tsp. Salt *
1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper *
1/8 Tsp. Ground Mustard *
1/4 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon *
1/4 Tsp. Basil Leaves *
1/2 Tsp. Parsley Flakes *
1 1/2 Lb. Diet (At Least 90%) Lean Ground Beef (Note 1) *
1 Cup Unseasoned (or "Plain") Bread Crumbs *
4 Oz. Tomato Sauce (Hunt's or Similar)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 Deg. F. (Note 2)
2. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with hands.
3. Press into loaf, then insert into medium (8" x 3 3/4") loaf pan or disposable loaf tin (E-Z Foil or similar).
4. Bake at 350 Deg. F. for approximately 1 hour (Note 2).
5. Slice to desired thickness and serve. Variations:


* Halving Recipe: Bake in small (approx. 5 1/2" x 3") loaf pan or "mini" disposable loaf tin at 375 Deg. F for apprximately 45 Min. (Note 2).


* Doubling Recipe: Bake in large (approx. 9 1/2" x 5 1/4") loaf pan or large disposable loaf tin at 325 Deg. F for approximately 90 Min. (Note 2).

Serving Suggestions:
* For an entree, serve with baked potato and vegetables.
* For a luncheon, slice thiny and make sandwiches on Italian bread.
* If left over, warm in microwave on "Defrost" setting to desired temperature and serve with a side of pasta and a garden plate for a quick meal.
Notes:

(1) This recipe also works well with ground sirloin, ground buffalo, or ground ostrich meat.

(2) Ovens vary, and may require some adjustment of temperature and baking time to achieve optimal results. When done, the outside should have a light crust and the center should be cooked to medium, or about 160-165 Deg. F as measured by a meat thermometer inserted to the center of the loaf. If the top is too crusted, try cooking for a longer time at a lower temperature.


Norm's Quick Pasta Sauce

This sauce cooks as quickly as the pasta over which it's served. The recipe is easy to quarter or to halve to serve one or two, so there's no need to make extra.
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
* 2 15 Oz. Cans Tomato Sauce (Hunt's or Similar)
* 1/2 Tsp. Basil Leaves
* 2 Tbsp. Parsley Flakes
* 1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.
2. Bring to boil on medium heat. Allow to simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
3. Stir thoroughly.
4. Serve over pasta cooked per directions on package.

Serving Suggestions:
* For a quick meal, serve with pasta with Italian sausages cooked on a Forman (or similar) grill and a garden plate. Variations: * For a spicy (Fra Diavolo) sauce, add 1/2 Tsp. of Black Pepper.
* For Goulash, dice four 3/4" slices of Norm's Especially Seasoned Loaf of Ground Beast and add to sauce, then combine with four portions of cooked elbow macaroni and grated cheese to taste. Serve with a garden plate or a salad for a quick meal.

Bon appetit!
Submitted by Norm.
Massachusetts






Italian Sub Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
3/4 pound, 3 links, hot or sweet Italian sausage,
split and meat removed from casing. I use hot sausage.
1/4 pound piece stick pepperoni, diced
1 ham steak, diced (about 1/2 to 3/4 pound)
1 green bell pepper, seeded, quartered and sliced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled, quartered and sliced
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
salt and black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound gemelli pasta or other short-cut pasta ( cooked)
3 large cloves garlic, cracked from skin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Place a soup pot or deep sided skillet on the stove top and preheat to medium high heat. Add olive oil, 2 turns of the pan and the sausage. Brown and crumble the sausage, drain off excess fat if necessary then add the ham and pepperoni. Cook meats together 2 minutes then add peppers and onions and cook 2 or 3 minutes more. Add diced tomatoes and season with oregano, salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and bring stoup to a boil. Stir in pasta and cook for 8 minutes. Top with your favorite croutons



This is my family's favorite soup.

Submitted by Darlene
Pittsburgh








Here is a recipe for my Moms Japanese Fruitcake. She made this every Thanksgiving and Christmas. She made her cakes from scratch and used fresh coconut but I cheat a little and use mixes and flake coconut.

Bake 1 Butter cake and 1 Spice cake according to package directions. You will have 4 cake layers.

Filling and topping
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
4 teaspoons flour
1 lemon peeled, seeded and chopped
2 oranges peeled, seeded and chopped
1 pound flaked coconut
1 cup pecan halves
maraschino cherry halves


In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, flour, lemon and orange. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Stir in coconut and cook for 2 minutes. Allow to cool, and then ice cake alternating a white layer and then spice layer. Alternate pecan halves and maraschino cherries halves around top of cake to form a pinwheel.

My grandmothers Macaroni and Cheese.. This is a staple in my house. If I didn't make it every holiday I think my kids would disown me.

1 package elbo macaroni
2 8oz packages of sharp chedder cheese sliced
2 T flour
1 stick butter
milk..
salt and pepper

Boil your macaroni and drain.
In a frying pan melt your butter and add your flour to make a roux. Add salt and pepper. Then enough milk to make a cream sauce. Let it come to a boil and thicken..add more milk if it is too thick.

Alternate layers starting with macaroni, then cream sauce, then cheese. make at least 2 complete layers ending with cheese.
Bake at whatever temp you are using to cook your other foods with until cheese is melted and starts to brown slightly.

Sloppy Joes ( Joe and Travis's favorite food, lol)

2 pounds ground chuck browned and drained.
Half a bottle of Ketchup
2 Tablespoons of mustard
splash of Worsterchire Sauce
1 small onion chopped fine
1/2 bell pepper chopped fine
Garlic, to taste
2 Tablespoons of sugar
salt and pepper.
1 cup water
Add all ingredients to the pan and let simmer until the water cooks out and the mixture thickens.
Put on hamburger buns. I like pickles on mine. They are so easy and much much better than Manwich.

I didn't know how hard this would be. I really don't measure anything. I just do it, lol. It made me hungry so I am going to go cook dinner now. LOL



Submitted by Linda


Atlanta








Spicy Fresh Country Sausage





3 lbs pork butt


3/4 to 1 lb of pork fat back


1 TLB of red crushed pepper flakes


4 tsp kosher salt2 tsp sugar


2 tsp black pepper


2 tsp dried sage1 tsp dried thyme


1 tsp ground cayenne pepper


1/2 cup of water





Put the pork meat and fat through meat grinder using the 1/4 inch plate.In a large bowl mix the ground pork and fat with the spices, squeezing and kneading until everything is nicely blended. Two tsp of fresh minced garlic can be added also. Fry up a small piece to taste. You can add more of the dried spices to adjust to your taste. Fresh sausagewill keep for 3 days in refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer.





Submitted by Linda (Biker Linda)


DeBary FL








BEEF STEW


An old family favorite

2 lbs. stew beef chunks coat with flour and salt brown in 2 tablespoons of shortening/oil.
Add 2 cups hot water
1- 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
2 teaspoons parsley flakes
8-12 whole cloves
medium onion cut up in chunks
large bay leaf
cover and simmer 2 hours
Add whole carrots (cleaned) I use 1 lb. bag


5 potatoes peeled and halved
cook for 1 more hour
remove carrots and potatoes
add more flour if needed and stir to thicken gravy.
serves from 4-8 depending on appetites!





Submitted by


Jeanne


Palm City FL





Katlady's Favorite Portugese recipe


carne vinha d'ailhos (Meat of Wine and Garlic)


4 lbs. of pork butts cut into small pieces ( 1 or 2 inch sq.)


1 cup of White Wine Vinegar


1 cup of red wine (I have used Burgundy, but it will color the meat)


20 cloves of garlic crushed


1 and 1/2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes


1 and 1/2 tsp. of kosher, or Hawaiian salt


5 bay leaves.


1 lb linguica sausage (4 links)





Combine pork, white wine vinegar, red wine, garlic, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, and salt. Let this marinate 5 days in the fridge. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. After 5 days use a slotted spoon to remove pork (DO NOT cook in the marinate)and place in baking pan. Cook the Linguica in a Pyrex pan with water halfway up the side. cook both at 400 for 45 mintues. serve with rice or make a sandwich.





Submitted By Sherry (KatLady)


California

Where Is She Now? TSS Festivale

Last night I was looking at a souvenir from my first cruise on Carnival Cruise Lines TSS Festivale. I sailed on Festivale in February 1983 She was to me at that time the finest ship ever built. I was so impressed with her 38,000 tons. By today's standards she was tiny. Can you imagine? She carried about 1100 passengers and had about the same staff and crew aboard. With all the pleasant memories I began to wonder "Where is she now?" So a quick search brought me a wealth of information on where ships have gone.TSS Festivale began life in 1962 as the Transvaal Castle and later became the S.A.Vaal. She began operating in October 1978 for Carnival as the TSS Festivale. TSS Festivale was sold in 1996 and became the Island Breeze for Premier Cruises. As the Island Breeze she was not a popular ship. She also did a brief stint as the Big Red Boat III. She did not do well and eventually this ship was reposessed by creditors and was sold for scrap.
I remember my first sight of TSS Festivale. We were on the bus bringing us to the Port of Miami from Miami International Airport. As we drove into the port. I sat there looking out the windows searching for that Carnival crescent on the smokestack. In those days Carnival had not yet adopted the gull wing stack that is their signature now. Finally..........There it was! Carnivals red white and blue crescent. I was so excited I burst into tears. No kidding, I was so emotional over that first glimpse of "my ship". I was slightly embarrassed by the tears until I looked around. Others on the bus were sitting there teary eyed too. TSS Festivale is long gone now. She is a fond memory for me. A ship that had many "lives" and brought joy to many people on cruises. I was one of those lucky people.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Introducing..............Carnival Freedom

Carnival Freedom
Carnival's Newest and Largest Mega "Fun Ship"!

CARNIVAL FREEDOM will sail from Miami to our most popular Caribbean destinations. At 110,000 tons this fantastic floating resort offers an enormous variety of family entertainment areas, including an expanded childrens program,"Camp Carnival", teen club, "Club 02"

Call now to book cruise on the newest Mega "Fun Ship" in the world, the Carnival Freedom.

7 Day Eastern and Western Caribbean Cruises From Miami

Starting Saturday, November 17, 2007

Interior from $579 Ocean View from $799 Balcony from $929


7 Day Eastern Caribbean Itinerary

Saturday - Miami - Depart 4:00 PM
Sunday - "Fun Day at sea"
Monday - San Juan Arrive 5:00PM Depart Midnight
Tuesday - St Thomas/St John* Arrive 8:00AM Depart 6:00PM
Wednesday - St Maarten Arrive 7:00AM Depart 5:00PM
Thursday - "Fun Day" at sea
Friday - "Fun Day" at sea
Saturday - Miami Arrive 8:00AM

7 Day Western Caribbean Itinerary

Saturday - Miami Depart 4:00PM
Sunday - "Fun Day" at sea
Monday - Cozumel Arrive 7:00AM Depart 6:00PM
Tuesday - "Fun Day" at sea
Wednesday - Grand Cayman Arrive 7:30AM Depart 4:30PM
Thursday - Ocho Rios Arrive 8:00AM Depart 3:30PM
Friday - "Fun Day" at sea
Saturday - Miami Arrive 8:00AM

cruise only rate is category 1A Interior, category 6A Ocean View and category 8A Balcony. US Dollars per guest based on double occupancy. Government taxes and fees and optional air transportation are additional for all guests. Some restrictions (including stateroom category availability) apply. Ship's Registry: Panama

www.lberry.globaltravel.com

Saturday, November 10, 2007

My Review-Carnival Pride-February 25-March 4 2007

Carnival Pride
Mexican Riviera
February 25,1007
Laura Berry
"Cruznut"



Embarkation

Embarkation in Long Beach is a mess. We walked over from the Queen Mary to the terminal next door. We were greeted at the door and told to take our luggage across the street to the parking garage. No porters to take it for us. We got there and had to find a porter to take it back across the street to the ship. After checking our luggage we went back to the terminal only to be directed to go out around the building and into the Queen Mary for early check in. This done we were sent back to the terminal to be lined up outside. VIP, Zone 1, Zone 2 and so on. So we stood forever in line.
Finally they started taking us inside VIP, Zone 1, Zone 2 and so on. Once inside we were lined up yet again to wait some more. Finally line by line we were lined up to get our pictures taken, no avoiding this, had to cross the set to get to the stairs to the ship. Pictures done, up we went on to the gangway to wait some more. Finally slowly the line began to move again. Once inside the ship we had our security pictures taken and our cards punched in. Finally after nearly 2 hours of standing in lines we were aboard.

The Ship

The layout of the Spirit Class ships are easy to get around. All of the public rooms are located on decks two and three. It is easy to go from one end to the other on both of these decks.
Carnival Pride is a lovely ship. The central theme is the Renaissance. The atrium has much renaissance art, a lot of nudes. Some found it offensive, I did not. The colors were warm, dark woods, bronze tones with beige and gold.

The Taj Mahal lounge

This is the main show room. This room was light very pretty. Many pinpoint lights along the walls. The stage area was brightly lit.

The Mermaids Grille and the Lido area.

Bronze and blue are the central colors here, the room was comfortable with many tables for passengers to enjoy their meals while looking out at the sea.
The 3 pool areas were spacious, the central pool was for both adults and children. The forward pool was for just adults and the aft pool was for children. I was not impressed with the metal chairs at the pool area tables I found them uncomfortable.
The dining room was 2 levels with table sizes from 2 persons to 8 persons. The decor was light colors with comfortable chairs.

The Casino.

This room was as always smoky. I sure do wish that Carnival would do something about that. I was impressed with the variety of slot machines in here. Many 2 cent, and nickel machines. Most of them had bonus games to play too. I found that I could play for hours for $20.00 on a nickel machine with bonus games. Made it much more fun to hit the combo needed to be eligible for the bonus round. Much more fun than mindlessly pulling the handle and watching the reels spin.

The Cabins.

As is usual on Carnival ships the cabins are larger than most cruise ship cabins. I had a nice ocean view. plenty of room for storage in closets and under beds. There were 2 large drawers under the couch. A large cabinet and plenty of drawer space. We had a refrigerator in our room. There was a safe also which was nice to keep our valuables in.

Food and Service

Excellent is the word here. As always with Carnival they excel at food.. It was good and well presented. No complaints here. Much variety both in the dining room and the Lido buffet . The dining service was excellent also.

Cabin Stewards

The cabin stewards rate an excellent. Our room was always cleaned and comfortable. Our cabin steward was a man with long service with Carnival and does a great job. If you ever get Franklin for your cabin steward consider yourself lucky.

Entertainment

To be honest I was a bit disappointed here. On most Carnival ships I have found the dancers to be very talented. We went only to the first formal night production. It was a show called Vrooooooom. The music was good because I love the "oldies" I felt the dance team here was less than stellar. The male singer kept reaching for the high notes and missing. The best part of this show was the video that played between acts. It was an older "biker" named Wings talking about his trips. We did go to an afternoon show with the comedian and he was funny. We planned to go to a late show to see him do his "adult" comedy, we never made it. Too late for us old gals.

The Ports

Puerto Vallarta

I did not see a lot of this town. We took a tour on the water with snorkeling, kayaking, whale and dolphin watching. The day was windy but nice in the sun. A nice lunch was served onboard the boat. Cold cuts, cole slaw and potato salad and fruits. Complimentary beverages were also served. An enjoyable day that was worth the $79.

Mazatlan

This town was dirty in the downtown areas. Somewhat better in the Golden Zone and the hotels area. We took a City tour that took us to see the cliff divers also. We went shopping in the Golden Zone. After shopping we attended a show that was somewhat interesting. Native Indians doing ritual dancing. They also did an act from high atop a pole and hanging from ropes while the pole rotated. The dancers were slowly lowered to the ground.

Cabo San Lucas

I stayed aboard this day and enjoyed the emptiness of the ship. My friend went ashore. She said the town was nice and clean. She enjoyed her tour, Cabo by land and Sea.

Disembarkation

This was slow of course because of having to clear immigration. The usual waiting for your color to be called seemed endless at the time. Since we were not traveling home until the next day we were in no hurry. It was orderly and seemed to go smoothly. Once off the ship we took a bus to LAX to call a shuttle to our hotel.

Monday, November 5, 2007

My Review - Carnival Liberty

Recently I sailed on Carnival Liberty from Fort Lauderdale Florida. Carnival Liberty is one of Carnivals Conquest Class.
110,000 tons
952 feet in length
116 feet wide
Passengers: 2,974
Crew: 1,160
Registry: Panama

In my humble opinion this ship is stunning. Her decor is a toned down version Carnivals usually splashy decor. She was elegant in some places and showed signs if whimsey in others. I was fascinated with the light fixtures throughout the ship. The central atrium was topped with a huge chandelier in black wrought iron with hundreds of lights with ever changing colors. The public areas were very comfortable. The lido offered many menu choices from burgers, hot dogs and fries to a full buffet line. All that and Oriental, Deli and Taste of Nations daily. On deck 10 above the lido there was also Fish and chips offering seafood daily. That is not to be missed.

Embarkation, Port Everglades - Confusion reigns outside where you unload your luggage. Cars and shuttles and busses all trying to get a spot to unload. From there it is an easy trip to the parking garage. The walk back to the terminal is easy as the garage is next to it. Embarkation was fairly easy. We got in line and were checked in fairly fast. then we had to clear several checkpoints and of course have our pictures taken. In all it took about 45 minutes from luggage drop off until we were on Lido enjoying lunch.

Food - As always when I have sailed with Carnival I found the food to be very good. I did not go to Harry Winston's Supper Club. talking to those that did I hear it is excellent in food and service. This ship has a seafood station up above the Lido buffet on deck 10. This is not to be missed. The food there was wonderful.

Service - Most service was very good. Our waiter was not experienced and we had some waits for courses at times. Later in the week he was replaced and things improved. Room service was weak also. I ordered and the wrong things were brought and no utensils were with it. when I called back for utensils they never arrived.

Cabin Steward - My cabin was clean and neat all the time. I rarely ever saw the steward at all. There was always fresh ice in my ice bucket.

Entertainment - I went to several shows and really enjoyed them. I found the formal night entertainment to be very enjoyable. Stayed up one night and went to see the adult comedian. He was funny without being disgusting.

Clubs - Since I am not much of a drinker I did not go to many clubs. I did go to the Piano bar and found the pianist to be very good. Stopped in to the disco for a few moments one night and enjoyed that also.

Casino - I spent a fair amount of time there. It had a nice variety of slot machines in denominations from .02 cents to $5.00. As for the tables those in my group that did play them seemed to be enjoying them

Lido Pools - The central pool was nice but very busy most of the time. Most of the pool activities went on in this area. .One thing I did note was that there were no kids in the hot tubs when I was up there.
The aft pool was generally quieter and more relaxing to be there. It had a retractable roof that is nice when it rains.

Activities - With Carnival there is always something to do. So much going on all the time. Bingo games and many passenger participation events. I usually enjoy these as I find people to be very funny. These games are always good for a few laughs. People say and do the darndest things!!

One feature I loved on this ship was the seaside theater. The large screen up on Lido. There was something showing every night. One night there was a Bee Gees concert. I really enjoyed that. I was up there several evenings. During the day it was not used for much except the "Morning Show" which was a talk show by the Cruise director.

Shore Tours - A great variety of shore tours are offered for every port. tours from the very sedate to the very active. We did a white water rafting tour in Costa Rica. I would recommend this to anyone. The company, Rios Tropicales is very good at what they do and I felt safe at all times. Once done on the river you are transported to a place for lunch. A very good lunch of local dishes is served.

Disembarkation - This seemed to go fairly well. there were 3300 passengers on this ship and it took time but it seemed to go fairly smooth. I was off the ship and to my car by 10:00 am .

I would not hesitate to book this ship again. I really enjoyed this trip.

Friday, November 2, 2007

I Love To Go To Sea............You See?

I love to go to sea you see.
To see what I can see, you see?
And when I go to sea, you see.
I'd love to take you with me. You see?
And when we go to sea, you see.
To see what we can see, you see
We'll have a lot of fun,you see
Would you like to go to sea with me?

Laura E Berry

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Suggestions?

So far I have been writing about my adventures in cruising. I love telling my stories. I do hope that my readers have been enjoying them. I strive in my writings to keep this a fun and interesting place to visit. I have a few ideas running around in my head for future articles. My original plan when I started this was to write stories of my travels and articles about cruising. To write hints and tips to help others with their cruise plans. So readers, if you have ideas as to what you want to see please feel free to tell me about them. Some of the ideas I have are to write about the different ports I have visited.To give cruisers ideas as to what to do and see there. Maybe you want to see articles about beaches at different ports. Maybe you want to see articles about the different tour offerings in different ports. How about questions and answers? If you have a question please ask. I will do my best to answer them for you. This blog is written for your enjoyment. I would like to write what you want to read.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Cruising- It Has Changed My Life

My first cruise back in 1983 was the vacation of a lifetime. Little did I know that this vacation would make such a huge difference in my life. I returned back to reality and went about my life living in New Hampshire and working in a factory. In a few days my traveling friends called. They wondered if I would be interested in going on a cruise the next year. YES!! YES!! YES!! Then she asked me to do the work of researching and finding a ship for us. Oh yes, perhaps I had other friends that might want to go. That was before I had computer and internet service. I rushed out to the travel agency and brought back a stack of brochures.I spent hours every night after work poring over the brochures.
By this time I had driven all my friends crazy with my endless cruise talk. I invited the original ladies back to my home to discuss the possibilities I had come up with. It was also a chance for the ladies I had already traveled with to meet the other ladies. Suddenly, after being somewhat of a loner I had a social life. As winter became spring and then summer the social whirlwind began. Everyone was planning a gathering so we could discuss the endless details of our up coming cruise. We had settled on The Mardi Gras. We were going to Ocho Rios, Jamaica St Maarten and Cozumel, Mexico. The group had grown from the original 6 to 10. We were never tired of this, the conversarion always turned to cruising. No matter where we were or what we were doing. We planned shopping trips to buy formals and summer clothing. Surprisingly the year went fairly fast and we were sailing again.
From then on it fell to me to research and do the planning. The next year we decided to go go Hawaii. For some reason we did not choose to cruise. We did a 10 day tour. Of course It again fell on me to make the plans. I did so eagerly and soon had a ton of brochures in my home. Again the social whirlwind began and then we were off to Hawaii for another great vacation. The next year the travel agent invited us to go on a group cruise his agency was doing. We decided to do this tour with him. The ship was Home Lines brand new Homeric. We sailed from New York to Bermuda. It was a wonderful 7 day cruise aboard a brand new ship. Bermuda is a gorgeous gem of an island to visit. I was sad when I heard that Home Lines was going out of business. That cruise was wonderful and the service and food were superb. Homeric was sold to Holland America to become the Westerdam. Holland America dry docked her and expanded her size by adding a section to her mid section. A few years ago she was replaced by a brand new Westerdam. I do not know where this ship is now.
For me life went on in NH. I was still working in the factory and still planning trips for myself and friends. I planned a trip in 1989 on Carnivals new ship Celebration. My companions were 2 other ladies I had known for years. the 3 of us had a grand time on this trip. Celebration was brand new at that time. We thought she was huge. By todays standards she of course is not. The next year I was invited by one of my original "cruise buddies" on a cruise on the Celebration. I had enjoyed the Celebration the year before so I did not hesitate to accept the invite. We were a group of 6 by the time we sailed.
Here I was 7 years after my first cruise. I was still enchanted by cruising and still eager to do all the research I could to make the next cruise happen. I went on working in the factory. In the early to mid 90's my Mothers health had failed. I suspended traveling to be with her. The owners of the factory had sold out to one of the major stock holders. They were making life difficult for everyone. I stood the new ownership for about 6 years. One night I decided I had enough of that. After 21 years with this company I left. I had planned to retire from there. Part of the truth was that I longed to try something different. I did, I went to work for a grocery chain. It was work that was very different. Along the way I found an ad for a training school to teach me how to sell cruises. I signed up and took the course. I learned a lot from this agency. I contacted a local agency and went to work with them as an "outside agent" I was doing ok with this and building a modest client base. It was never enough to live on but it was an interesting and fun sideline. In 1997 my Mother had passed away and my life changed drastically. About 18 months after her death I moved away to a larger city. I changed jobs again too. I started wotking with the developmentally disabled. Work that I still love to do. At the time I was not selling cruises. Off and on I worked at cruise sales.
In 2002 I was contacted by a friend who asked if I would like to go on a cruise with her.I accepted. We booked Carnival Spirit for an 8 day cruise from Miami in March of 2003. Shortly after my return from that cruise I discovered a website that is devoted to cruising. I joined and have been an active member since. This website is CruiseMates. CruiseMates website is full of fun and interesting cruise information. It is populated by some very nice people many of whom I have met. Some that I have been on a cruise with. Some of the members of this site meet occasionally for dinner around Florida. I have been to 2 of these dinners and have had a wonderful time both times. Another dinner is coming up very soon. we will be welcoming a member from Amsterdam, Holland. One day on the site there was a posting for an upcoming cruise on Carnival Glory in September of 2005. I decided to go along We sailed out of Port Canaveral. It was so much fun to meet the members of this site.
Early in 2007 I made the decision to move to Florida. Most of my family was gone from New Hampshire. I had family in Florida and decided I wanted to be closer to them. So in June of 2007 I packed my car and drove away from New Hampshire. The trip was ike a small vacation that just eneded in a different place.I found a place to live and a job and have settled in happily. I work again with the developmentally disabled. I also work at home part time selling cruises and travel for an agency in Maitland Florida. Most of my social life centers around the people I have met on the cruising websites.
So from the very beginning cruising has made major changes in my life. I was a factory worker in small town NH. I barely had a social life and just a few friends. I discovered cruising and suddenly I was the "cruise planner". I had a social life with my cruising friends. I was going places and doing things I had never dreamed of. The computer introduced me to a whole new world of cruise people. Now that I live in Florida and I am getting to know many people who are interested in cruising.I just returned from a cruise on Carnival Liberty with some cruise friends. This cruise was a group planned by the people at another cruise site, The Mariners Cabin. For me cruising really is the way to go.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Cruising - Restful or Adventurous?

We all take a vacation from time to time. We need to get away from our everyday lives to refresh ourselves. Everyone is different some want to take vacations where relaxing is everything. For others action and adventure is everything. I have done both.I have taken cruises where my shore tours consist of nothing more than a simple walk. Sometimes just to stroll through a port and have lunch or a drink is enough. I purchase a few souvenirs take a few pictures and head back to the ship. In that time on the ship when most everyone is gone ashore. I take advantage of the empty hot tubs and just relax. For my last cruise I spent a lot of time researching shore tours. I had months to wait so I read the cruise lines offerings over and over. Something I had always wanted to do was white water rafting. I had never done it because I could never find anyone to go with me. There it was offered in the cruise lines website for my cruise. The place was Limon, Costa Rica. I kept the idea in my head for a while. then one day I asked my group mates what they thought. To my surprise several people said they were planning to do just that. I decided to book this tour. Finally the day came that we were in Limon, Costa Rica. Off we went to find the bus to take us to the white water tour. I was nervous. What if something happened? Suppose I fell off and hit my head on a rock? All these last minute worries were running rampant through my head. We were taken to the place where we boarded a bus to the river. The bus was a rickety old school bus. The road to the river was steep, bumpy and very narrow. On the way down it looked like we were going to slide off the road and crash on the rocks below. Finally we made it to the river. We got our rafting gear, life jacket, helmet and oar. The guides gave us instructions and we boarded the rafts. We paddled when told to and off we went. we hit the first rapids. Water splashing over us. We were all screaming and laughing. When we got to the bottom of the rapids the water was smoother and we paddled some more. We did this through several rapids. Our guide was very experienced in this and I felt comfortable that he would get us there safely. At the end of every rapid the guide had us raise our oars and clap them together and yell "puta rita", that is what it sounded like to me. It was sort of a white water version fo the "high five". After doing this for a while the rafts all went to the side of the river for a rest period. Back on the river we hit the rapids again and were again all screaming and having fun as we rode down the river. I watched as the raft in front of us disappeared down a narrow passage between high rocks. Our guide was taking us toward the same passage. We missed the passage and bounced off a rock. One of our raft mates went over backward and slid off the raft. He came up and grabbed the rope on the side of the raft. Other raft mates held him. The guide came and got him safely back on the raft. He assured us he was alright. Off we went again into the rapids. We did several more rapids and clapped our oars together yelling "puta rita" after each one. Finally we reached the point in the river where we had to end our adventure. We pulled to the side and got out. We made our way to the bus that was waiting for us on the road above the river. The buss took us back to the place where we could change and dry off. There was a nice lunch of local dishes waiting for us. Black beans and rice and a meat dish and a salad. We could purchase beer and alcoholic beverages if we wanted to. Along the trip down the river the photographer took pictures and we could buy a cd of our trip. Later we were transported back to our ship. Everyone I talked to said that they had a great time. All said they would do it again in a heart beat. I have to agree, it was fun and I really had a good time that day. I have to agree with the others. I would also do this again. I highly reccommend this tour. It was fun and energetic. Definately worth the price.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

One Of My Favorite Places

In the course of my day I visit many websites. A lot of those sites are cruise related. One of my favorites is a site called The Mariners Cabin. www.themarinerscabin.com This website is in its infancy and has a small membership. The members communicate daily on the message boards. In the short time this site has been in existence the members have bonded and become friends. Recently we had our first group cruise together. We sailed on Carnival Liberty for a wonderful 8 day cruise. Some of us had met on cruises before and at local dinners around Florida. We all came together at a restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale the night before we sailed. What a joyful evening that was. Meeting for the first time,hugging one another. It was a time for joy and laughter and yes, a few tears. The next day we sailed out of Ft. Lauderdale on our way to Cozumel Mexico, Limon Costa Rica and Colon Panama. We had the most amazing journey. We consider that our first ever group cruise was a smashing success. Already we are making plans for another cruise. Members of the site are voting on cruise lines, itineraries and dates for our next cruise. C'mon over join up and get in on the fun. We usually manage to get good rates on the cruise package along with a few fun and interesting "perks". If you are looking for a friendly website that offers good advice on cruising and friendship then come on over and meet us. Everyone is welcome. You wont find a lot of advertising here, just friendly people waiting to say "Welcome Aboard"

Saturday, October 27, 2007

I just heard............Florida Cruise Port Parking Rates On The Rise

Miami...Those of you that are planning to drive to the ports be aware of the changes in parking fees. Miami is raising it's fees to $20 a day. This is up from $15 a day.

Ft. Lauderdale...I recently cruised from Ft Lauderdale and the fee was $12 a day. I have not heard of it going up but I would not be surprised if it did.

Port Canaveral...$12 a day and full payment must be made at check in.

JaxPort...$12 a day

Port of Tampa...$12 a day must be paid upon entering. Rates subject to change at any time.

How It All Began!

Working in a factory in cold wintery New Hampshire in 1982 I thought often of warm tropical places. I would dream of living somewhere warm. One early spring day I overheard a conversation that changed those dreams into reality. The conversation was about a Caribbean cruise. Ladies that I worked with were discussing going on a cruise. I commented that it sounded like fun. One of the women, Jenny L. asked if I would like to go. I told her yes, and asked for more information. She invited me to her home for the next Saturday afternoon. A local travel agent was coming to speak to them about cruising.
Saturday afternoon I arrived at the home of Jenny L. There were women there, some I knew and some I was meeting for the first time. We had coffee and discussed where we would like to go. None of us really knew much about the Caribbean. None of us had ever been there. Tom, the travel agent arrived. He was loaded down with brochures for us to look over. Eagerly we pored over the brochures. We were excited and ready to go. Tom spoke to us of different ships and cruise lines. He spoke of the warm places with soft sandy beaches. We were all picturing ourselves sitting on those beaches sipping tropical drinks and enjoying the sun. Our winter break from the cruel cold climate in NH. Eventually we narrowed the brochures down to one. Now to choose the ship and itinerary. We decided on Carnival Cruise Lines TSS Festivale. The Festivale sailed to Nassau, Bahamas, San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
At that time Festivale was the flagship of the Carnival fleet. At 38,000 tons Festivale was the largest of the Carnival fleet. Carnivals fleet at that time consisted of four ships. TSS Festivale,TSS Mardi Gras, TSS Carnivale and Tropicale. A far cry from Carnivals fleet of today. At last count it was around 22 ships.
We booked the trip for February 25, 1983, we had nearly a year to wait. What would we do to make the time pass? How could we stand the wait? I took home a brochure and put it on my bedside table. I pored over that brochure nightly. I think I could recite every word in it. By the time I cruised the brochure was worn and dog eared. Spring slowly came to NH and we thawed out. We made plans to get together often to discuss our upcoming cruise. We had cook outs at each others homes. we planned shopping trips and outings just for lunches. Of course we all carried our worn brochures with us. We discussed "shore excursions" and what we would like to do in each port. Eventually the weather turned cool then cold and the snow began. I think it was the first time I did not mind the snow and cold. Winter meant that my cruise was coming soon.
February 24th 1983, today we were flying to Miami for our cruise. We were all traveling to Logan Airport in Boston together in a van. One of the ladies husbands was taking us. We arrived in Miami all excited and found our way to our hotel. We spent the after noon exploring the area around the hotel. It was the first time any of us had ever been to Miami. We had dinner that night in our hotel restaurant. Too excited to sleep we spent most of the night in our rooms talking.
Finally!! The big day arrives. We were up early and dressed and ready to go. We went to breakfast and took our time as we watched the hands of our watches crawl along. Finally it was time to go. We found the busses to transport us to the ship. Excitedly we looked out the windows taking in the sights of Miami. We arrived at the port and looked for our ship. There she was!! I was so excited tears were forming in my eyes. At that point I was addicted to cruising. To this day I still get weepy when I see "my" ship for the first time. We piled out of the bus and claimed our luggage which we promptly turned over to the porter. We watched as they loaded out suitcases on to the conveyor belt. In those days the ships had conveyors from the pier to the belly of the ship. If you were lucky your luggage made it in to the hold. some luggage fell off into the water. That system seems to be gone now and luggage is loaded in to containers then transported by forklift into the ship. Knowing our luggage was safely in the ship we went up the stairs to Carnival check in.
Check in was a huge room with a few chairs here and there. We were given forms to fill out for immigration. This done we made our way to the check in lines. I got into the line for people with last names begining with A-C. surprisingly this did not take very long. Soon we were all crossing the gangway to the ship. We finally made it! We stepped on to the ship and were welcomed aboard then we got in line for our boarding pictures.
We were here finally, after the months of anticipation and waiting. It was cloudy that day in Miami. We stood on deck and watched everything. The Goodyear blimp was up floating around over the port. Sail away came and we had brought confetti which we tossed as the ship slid away from the pier. Music was playing, people all around us were laughing and dancing. It was everything and more than I had imagined all those months I had waited.
Dinner that first night was fun for us. I was enchanted by the ice sculptures in the dining room. Every night was an adventure in dining for us. All those new and exciting foods we tried. To this day I do not think I ever chose anything that I did not like. We ate most of our meals in the dining room that cruise. Back then the Lido was not as it is today. They would just set up tables on the deck and put out salads and sandwiches and desserts. Very lite fare on deck back then.
Nassau. It was a rainy day in Nassau the day we were there. We took a city tour and toured a fort. I do not remember the name of the fort after all these years. On the way back to the port the driver offered to let us off to shop the famous "Straw Market" If we left the cab we would have to get back to the ship on our own. We elected to get out and shop. One of the group protested that we would get lost and be late for sail away. We could plainly see the ship from where we were. We spent time in the Straw Market and browsing the other stores. Finally in the rain we walked back to the ship.
San Juan Puerto Rico. I again took a city tour and saw the sights of San Juan from a bus. We stopped to tour the fort again. I really enjoyed this tour. It was a sunny day and there were places in the fort to explore on our own. Again on the way back to the ship we were given the option to leave the tour or be taken back to the ship. We opted to shop. We were dropped in "Old San Juan" We toured many shops and were offered complimentary cocktails. The ship would be in port until 2:00 AM. Some of our group went to a show at one of the hotels that evening. I decided to explore the shops in the port building. Alone I went off the ship and down the stairs to the shops. I looked around and bought some souvenirs and gifts for friends. As I left the shops and walked back to the stairs a man was walking behind me. I began walking faster and faster. Still this man was behind me. by the time I reached the stairs I was nearly running. I went up the stairs and was relieved when the I spotted the crew by the gangway to the ship. The man behind me turned back and ran down the stairs. I boarded the ship. I learned a lesson that night. I will never again leave a ship alone to go walking in a strange area.
St Thomas. Charlotte Amalie is a busy place. full of the visitors from the 3 ships that were in port that day. We went into town in the morning and shopped. So many wonderful stores. There were beautiful courtyards between the buildings. Many cool shady places to sit and relax a while. We went back to the ship for lunch and then off to the "Kon Tiki" tour. We were taken to an isolated beach where we swam and relaxed in the sun. I spotted a woman that looked familiar. I realised that she was Mamie Van Doren, an actress that was famous in the 50's. She sat there talking to her son. Finally I asked her if she would mind if I took her picture. she was gracious and posed for me and gave me her autograph also. On the way back to the ship they offered free rum punch. Many people took advantage of the offfer and the party began. Lots of lively caribbean music and limbo contests. I quietly watched. It was a fun afternoon.
Back on the ship we prepared for sail away. It was a sad time for me as I knew we were headed back towards Miami and home. To this day I still get sad leaving the last port of the cruise. We still had 2 lovely fun filled days at sea. We participated in deck games by the pool and went to shows and other events around the ship. Back in Miami we prepared to leave the ship and make our way to the airport for our flight back to Boston.
That is where it all began, my first cruise. I fell head over heels in love with the cruise vacation. Within a week of getting home I was booked for the same week the next year on Carnivals Mardi Gras.
Over the years I have seen many changes in the cruise industry. Carnival which focused on partying in those days has turned around and now focuses on a family vacation with lots of fun things to do. I remember in the early days there were a lot of pool contests that centered around drinking, all that is changed now. There used to be waiters pushing alcoholic beverages. Not so much anymore. To be sure, alcohlic beverages are always available for those that want them. I love the turns this company has taken. I am finding the cruises to be more relaxing and offering something for everyone. From the sedate shore tours to the adventurous ones. The lido has expanded over the years to feature menus to suit every taste. everything from a burger and fries to ethnic varieties of food. If you are looking for a great vacation that has it all, try a cruise. Everything is there for you. Food and room all included in the price. Lots of fun activities and great shows. For me that first cruise aboard Carnivals TSS Festivale opened up a whole new world for me. That cruise was where I became an incurable cruise addict. I have not cruised as many times as I want but I cruise every chance I get. I now live in Florida. I moved here to be near family. I am also near the ports and can drive there when I cruise. Many of my cruising friends that I got to know on cruise related websites live here. Some I have met at various dinners. some I have met when we cruised together in groups. They are all good friends.