Our Azamara Journey Cruise

Our trip began on Tuesday February 23rd. Arrived at the airport a bit after 10 for a 12:05 flight. We went up to the Continental counter and presented our documents. The gentleman, Major Washington, took care of us. As he printed our luggage tags he asked if we had paid, we said yes. He told us next time do not as Continental does not charge military for their bags. He then proceeded to get his supervisor and proceeded to affect a refund for our bags!!!!
Arrived at the gate in plenty of time. Still reveling in the baggage refund, the flight counter personnel began to announce the boarding call. They announced pre-boarding for their Elite members; and then to my surprise they announced, “military personnel may board at this time.” Wow a super gesture by the airline.
Once aboard our little puddle jumper, our flight attendant, Fernando, proceeded to make the standard announcements. He was great. Very entertaining and very efficient. He made the flight!
Our flight was uneventful. Arrived Miami 15 minutes ahead of schedule, way to go Continental. Taxi from the airport to our hotel, the Holiday Inn at the Port of Miami, cost us $23. A quick 20 minute drive at rush hour.
Check in at the hotel was a breeze. The room, not the Hilton, but very nice. Free Wi-Fi!!!! The room was clean, and had some very nice amenities; soaps, lotions and shampoos; iron and ironing board and a safe.
Right across the street, Biscayne St, was the Bayside Mall. Very nice. Several restaurants, tons of shops right on the bay. We chose to eat at Lombardi’s Ristorante. Very good meal and generous portions. A caution here, check your tab, they apply a 18% gratuity. I didn’t check and gave an additional 15%, I am sure Orlando the waiter was very happy!!!!
Morning found us with a very leisurely wake up. Check out was 11am. We checked out on time. A cab was parked across the street just waiting for us!!!!! Took about 5 minutes to the port and gave the cabby $8.
Up to this point out trip was basically flawless with surprises.
At the terminal, baggage porters greeted the cab with luggage tags. After handing off luggage we proceeded to the terminal. All personnel were very cheerful and accommodating. Went through the security stuff, filled out our H1N1 questionnaire and then to the check in desk. Okay, we have cruised many times and are very experienced at this. All our documents in hand and ready. Oops I forgot to sign two documents, darn it. Oops again, the credit card I originally listed had been deactivated by the credit card company in January with a new card issued. I failed to make the change on our online documents. Again my screw up.
We spent a total of 5 minutes checking in. We were then directed to a seating area. We sat maybe 10 minutes when they announced we could board. We were aboard by 11:30. An area was set up to check hand carried luggage/items which were immediately delivered to your cabin. Lunch service began at noon. We proceeded to the Windows buffet. Sushi to die for, yum. After lunch we walked around the ship. The ship is small, can get to any where aboard in 5 minutes or less. So our tour of the ship lasted ummm, 5 minutes!!!!!
Announcement that cabins were ready came about 1:30 so up to our cabin we went. Very very nice cabin. Roomy and nicely laid out, we were impressed. I’m guessing that around 1:45 our cabin phone rang, it was one of the gals my wife met on the Cruise Critic forum. She asked if we would like to meet them in Windows for lunch. Although we already ate, we obliged.
Probably sat and visited an hour. The girls then went off to library, The guys went to the cabins. When I got to our cabin one suitcase was at the door. I proceeded to unpack. About the time I was done with suitcase 1, suitcase 2 showed up. By the time Lee got to the room everything was unpacked and suitcases stowed under the bed.
Mandatory lifeboat drill and sail away. So far great!!!! No rowdy kids, well no kids at all! No college “drink til we puke” kids either! I’m thinking I’m really gonna like this cruise.
We had dinner with our new friends in Windows. Very nice menu, lots of great Sushi, yum-o.
After dinner we headed to the casino. Very small and very empty. So we made our donation and headed to bed.
Thursday, a laid back get acquainted sea day. Had an impromptu get together with folks we met on the Cruise Critic forum. Did Broadway trivia and won a book mark for knowing the most popular YouTube download. In case you don’t know, I Dreamed A Dream, by Susan Boyles!
We then attended the Cruise Critic party sponsored by Azamara. I’m guessing 30+ folks showed up. The Captain was there as well as several other ship staff. They served wine and more wine and you could order what you preferred. The party was wonderful, delicious snacks and no hurry to rush us out. Lee recognized the Captain from our first Celebrity Galaxy cruise. We had the distinct pleasure of being invited to his table on that cruise. We introduced ourselves and lo and behold that evening when we got back to our cabin we had an invitation to dine with the Captain again.
Thursday eve we dined with friends in the Aqualina restaurant. Lee had broiled Chilean Sea Bass and I had broiled lobster. Along with appetizers and dessert we were full as a tick. The remainder of the evening found us in the casino, nope didn’t win!
Friday, another day at sea. I can honestly say we are enjoying the quiet of the ship. Met up with new friends and really didn’t do much of anything. Adjusted our reservations for Prime C so we could dine with friends. The Prime C was so good. Appetizer was Ahi Tuna Sushi for me while Lee had a traditional shrimp cocktail. Lee opted for the roasted tomato soup while I had the arugula salad. We both ordered the filet mignon, hers medium well, mine medium rare! Both steaks were prepared to perfection. Not sure what we had for desserts as several were ordered. However, the recommendation was the home-made doughnut holes, they were awesome they were served with three different dipping syrups, chocolate, vanilla and caramel. Needless to say we were stuffed.
I think we headed to the casino to drop a few nickels before we headed to the Looking Glass lounge for the Champagne Request hour. You basically put a name of a song in a bucket and if your song was picked the band played it and you got a glass of champagne. The band and the DJ were very good. Not totally the music we prefer, but we managed to dance several dances. After this event we headed back to the casino, hmm it was closed and it was only 12:30am. Next day I learned the casino policy; if the tables are idle for 30 minutes they close the casino!!!!
Saturday, St Croix day, we slept in, not sure why, but we didn’t get up til about 10:30. We took our time and probably got off ship around noon. St Croix was nothing to write home about. We walked around the little town, bought a few souvenirs, drank some local beer and headed back to the ship. It was so hot. We cooled down and headed to lunch. Grabbed our books and found a quiet little niche and vegged for a couple of hours. I opted to head back to the cabin and nap, while Lee found a tucked away lounge chair, where she tried to read, but ended up napping. This is Captains Dinner night, so we had to clean up and dress. Great part about this line is no formal wear. I did put on a sport coat. Lee as usual was stunning. We began the evening in the Cova Café lounge where pre-dinner drinks of your choice were served. Can’t have a Captain’s dinner without a photo shoot. We all gathered on one of the elegant staircases and pictures were taken by the ships photography staff. Escorted to the Discoveries Dining Room, we were seated at the Captain’s table. Our drinks were brought to the table. The wine of the evening was introduced, both a red and a white. Lee had red, I had white. Both were very wonderful wines. The dinner was outstanding, far too much food for one seating, but we managed. Well heck, we didn’t want the Captain to feel as if we did not enjoy it!!!!!
We ended the evening in the Looking Glass where Karaoke with the band was the venue for the evening. We had a ball. Danced a few dances, got up as a group and sang Friends In Low Places, what a hoot.
The last singer of the evening happened to be Jordan Bennett of Les Miserables. Yes he was fantastic and what a treat for us.
Sunday found us in Marigot, Saint Martin. Very disappointing as it was Sunday and nothing was open, go figure! So we grabbed a cab and headed to Philipsburg on the Dutch side. Well not too much better over there either. Only one ship was in port and not much was opened, but more than in Marigot. The girls shopped. We stopped for lunch at Taloula’s café. Lee had a burger and I had a grilled mahi-mahi sammie. Visited the Guavaberry Emporium, tasted a few of their samplings and headed back to Marigot. Prior to catching the tender we went to Sarafina’s Bakery. A nice French style bakery. Had an afternoon snack, boarded the tender and returned to ship. Spent the rest to the afternoon doing laundry and prepping for dinner!
Dinner in the Discoveries Dining room, sadly it was a disappointment. The appetizer was good, however, the remainder of the meal was not so great. Lee had chicken and it was not good at all, overcooked and cold, as was the baked potato. My wine braised baby back ribs were, well, at some point in life I am sure they were ribs! Not good, so I am pretty sure we will not dine there again. The buffet, Windows by day, Breezes by night, has been very delightful. Every evening sushi is served and every evening the Sushi chef prepares a special sushi.
After dinner we headed to, where else other than the casino. Still donating at this point, I have faith the slots will loosen up eventually. After a few minutes there we headed once again to the Looking Glass for the big Country Western night!!!!! I got yanked onto the floor to assist the activities person in learning/teaching a line dance. Thankfully I wasn’t up there alone, Lee and a few others came to my rescue. All in all we had a fun evening.
Monday found us in Gustavia, St Barths (pronounced Barts). Although a very nice little island town, being French and being they use the Euro we found it very expensive. Most folks we spoke with said the same thing. We met up with a few other couples and had lunch alongside the marina. Seven beers, one coke and two pizzas ran us $61 Euro, which came close to $100 USD with tip!!!!
All in all a good day with the entire evening ahead. Plans this eve include a group dinner, five couples, topside for the Island Party.
The Island party was fun, lots of food and dance. Lee got so hot in port that when we returned to ship she had her hair cut. Short and cool!!!!
Tuesday found us on the island of St Lucia. We took a tour with a private little touring company Cosol tours. The owners brother, Yellow Bird, led our tour. Ten of us boarded a very nice air conditioned mini bus and headed out. The tour included unlimited cold drinks, and a local lunch which consisted of fried chicken, fired fish, Johnny Cakes, fritters, fruits and desserts. The chicken and fish had their own special dipping sauces, which included a local favorite, banana ketchup!!! Nope I didn’t try it.
We headed to I assume the other side of the island where we stopped at a beach nestled below the Piton Mountains. We observed the volcanoes of Sulpher Springs, climbed to fresh water falls where several of our group waded in the cold waters while others jumped in!!!! COLD!!!!! Yup you guessed it, I did not get in the water. On the way back Yellow Bird stopped for an afternoon snack of freshly baked bread and mild cheddar cheese, a local favorite, it was soooo good. The tour lasted about six hours and needless to say, a fun time was had by all.
Back on ship we chilled for a bit, showered and readied for dinner. We went to the buffet and then headed to the lounge for swing dance lessons, followed by the ships band tribute to Glen Miller. Then it was off to the casino to deposit our daily donation.
Wednesday: Dominica, first time here we opted to do a Caribbean Cooking tour. Got in a van and were driven maybe 30 minutes from the pier. Up, up, up, I mean like up into the mountains to our hosts home. Once you see the pictures you’ll understand the up up up part. We prepared a main course, a salad, and a dessert, along with a side dish and a drink. The main course included a fish dish of Marlin! The end result was fantastic.
Back on ship we basically bathed and headed for dinner. Ate again in Prime C and it was okay, my fault, I ordered a NY strip. Wasn’t the best, but the company was great!
Off to the casino. Still no luck. The casino was holding a ticket drawing. The casino floor manager handed us tickets at the last minute. Lee won a massage, drink vouchers, match play vouchers, a casino t-shirt, a bingo card and $50! A few minutes later my number was called. I got all the stuff Lee got except for the massage voucher, my voucher was for 50 minutes internet time. Yee-haw! Dropped our nickels and headed to bed.
Thursday found us in Antigua. From our balcony we could see the tenders, The sea was rough, the tenders bounced around like a rubber duck in a bath tub. We decided not to go ashore. We spent a leisurely day not doing much of anything. Played several trivia games and played on the Wii for the first time, we bowled, it was a lot of fun.
Off to dress for dinner. We all gathered in the buffet for another Island Party. One of the best dinners served. After we headed to the casino. On the way we stopped at the ship stores and received a raffle ticket for a drawing. Dumb luck, we won a $25 gift voucher!!! Spent a bit of time in the casino and headed for bed.
Friday we hit our last port of call, Virgin Gorda. We had breakfast aboard and headed for the tender. Off ship we stayed in the tender area. Only a few shops, but the girls managed to find a few items they just couldn’t live without. Headed back to ship, Lee had a 2 o’clock massage.
We met again for Wii bowling and again I was the champion!!! Stayed for the afternoon trivia and bingo, didn’t do well at either.
Met four other couples for dinner in the Discoveries dining room, we sat the Captain’s table, sans the Captain. Had an okay meal, the prime rib was delicious. Lots of “lack of attention to detail.” But the fellowship far outweighed the latter. Again off to the casino, opted in on the Roulette tournament, but did not do well at all. Went to our first show, not the best we’ve seen. Back in the casino I actually hit a $90 jackpot, woo-hoo.
Clocks go back an hour, an indication we are heading West for home!!!
Rough seas tonight due to a weather system that passed through earlier. A bit of rain, but no big storms. The seas were rough enough that the drawers in the vanity were opening and closing banging in each direction. Just one reason carrying a roll of packing tape is a good idea. I taped the drawers shut!!!
Saturday, only one more day to before we are on our way home to Arkansas. We’re really missing our cats and dog. Twelve days really seemed to be much longer, we are ready to be home.
This morning the ship staff sponsored a military veteran meeting and a Cruise Critic coffee. Both were very nice.
I can say that on this ship, it being so small, the ship’s staff including the Captain have been very visible and very personable. The staff were featured in a little function called “Waves.” Here the staff officers and many of the crew members were introduced along with the country they represented. Basically this was a farewell, thus “Waves,” they waved good-bye with hopes we would chose Azamara again. Immediately following “Waves” the Officers served a BBQ lunch on the pool deck.
Not much going on today, the ocean is pretty rough and the ship is really rocking. A lot of folks wearing those motion sickness patches behind their ears. You can really feel the ship moving. Sleeping last night was a bit rocky, figure tonight will be the same. A lot of vibration and a lot of rocking.
I did laundry while Lee played trivia, she came back with winnings, a couple of leather bookmarks and a couple of luggage tags. Woo-hoo!
Dinner in the buffet and then off to the casino and then to bed.
Sunday found us still rocking and rolling on the high sea. At some point we’ll pack. Luggage must be outside the door by 11p.m. Oscars tonight as well.
Last dinner onboard. We all, eight of us, gathered on the pool deck outside the buffet area and enjoyed a last dinner together. We shared champagne and wine and toasted the cruise. After dinner several of us hit the blackjack table, we all lost. We then settled down to watch the Oscars. The ship’s staff set up very nice finger food trays in the casino lounge area so folks could watch the Oscars and snack.
Oscars over, we headed to bed. Last night onboard:(
Monday morning we awoke alongside the pier. Off to breakfast, sat, chatted and said our good-byes. Always sad to have to leave, but there is always another cruise in the future!
All in all we had a great time. Were there negatives? Yes, but nothing so dramatic or disturbing that it affected our cruise. If you are expecting a five star cruise, you are going to be disappointed. If you are expecting a very quiet laid back cruise, with good food and good service, you’ll have a good time.
Will we cruise Azamara again? It could happen! Hope you enjoyed the review and if you have specific questions, ask away.

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Snow in Arkansas

Well here we are sitting in the house looking at the snow and ice. Monday was surely an unexpected day. The snow came down and down and down. Now don't take me wrong I am in no way complaining. Heck the little we got here wouldn't amount to a small snow pile compared to what the East coast has gotten (and getting).

What amazes me are the number of people that have the "I can do it attitude." Now I am was born and raised in New England, so snow is nothing new to me. But, I know that if I am not equipped to venture out, the best place for me is at home.

I watched one gal trying to get up the street. We have slight incline to road that seems to go on forever! Here she is in a small compact car, light jacket on, no headgear, no gloves, no boats. Just sweats!!!!! Okay first off if you are going to challenge the elements you need to be prepared. So here she is full open throttle, going sideways and then no where!!!! So she gets out kicks a little snow away from the back tires and tries it again. I guess I watched for 20 minutes or so, she got maybe 200 feet, I got bored!!!!

Next day the roads (main) cleared a bit, but hey it's still like 27 degrees out there. Water freezes at 32!!!!! Oh and the southerners have no idea what is meant by "black" ice. So off in the ditch they go.

My travels have been limited to necessities only. You know things like run to Office Depot for a print cartridge, take the dog to the groomer etc; you get the picture:)

I can honestly say I am a very defensive driver. I drive 400 feet ahead of myself so I have time to react. These folks that are out there are absolutely whacko. No idea of safety, ice, or another car spinning out. It is very entertaining to watch. And the guys with big 4-wheel drive vehicles are the worst, and that's why we see a lot of 4-wheel drives off the side of the road. Really, in case you didn't know, 4-wheel drive vehicles cannot go everywhere and no they cannot do any better on ice than any other vehicle.

And you just have to love those people that clean off their car before they hit the road. Clear a 6"-8" strip across the windshield and off they go!!!! Not realizing that as soon as the interior of the vehicle warms up and melts the bottom layer of snow on the roof, the first time they hit the brakes they are blinded by the avalanche of snow coming off the roof!!!!! And they really do expect the windshield wipers to work!!!!!

Just gotta love it. Thank you Mother Nature for adding a touch of entertainment for us!!!

Christmas Cruise Aboard the Carnival Fantasy

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This Christmas, just as last year, found us aboard a cruise ship. This year we chose the Carnival Fantasy. Our cruise was a bit special as we brought along Stan's mom and older sister, their Christmas gift from us.

Arriving at the Port of Mobile went without a hitch. The embarkation process was smooth and quick. Aboard ship around noon we went directly to the lunch buffet. Then we proceeded to our cabins. Our cabins were adjoining, first time we ever had adjoining cabins. The cabins were rather roomy as was the head (bathroom). Usually the heads are small closets with very little maneuver room. The rooms were equipped and laid out nicely, no complaints.

Surprisingly our luggage arrived within an hour of getting to the cabin. So we emptied our suitcases and awaited the mandatory life boat drill. We toted our life vests up to the muster station as we were always instructed to do so. We were the only ones there with vests!!! We were told life vests were not required and had we read the in cabin instructions we would have known this!

The weather in Mobile was cold and very overcast with a forecast calling for rain. So after the drill we headed to one of lounges, found a window, and settled down to watch our sail away. We were to sail around four in the afternoon. The time passed and were still alongside the pier. Five o'clock, six, six-thirty passed. Finally an announcement stating Mobile was under a severe weather alert and the Captain decided to wait out the storm. About six-forty the storm hit. Oh my gosh, the rain, wind, lightening, and thunder came with a fury. A tug pulled alongside the ship, bow pressing against the Fantasy at wide open throttle, holding the ship against the pier so the wind would not do damage! What a way to start a cruise. We finally sailed around eight p.m.

Christmas Eve aboard the ship was rather exciting. Lots of children running about; many adults in ridiculous holiday garb! Figured they knew they'd never see any of us again so what the heck.

The ship was decorated very nicely for the holiday, I'll post a link to photos at the end of the review. I did not take a bunch of photos, never even took pics of our cabin. Sorry!

We spent the first night exploring the ship. My sister wanted to particiapte in Karoke so we hung out to endure that!!! Actually she did rather well. We donated a few nickles to the casino and then finally around midnight headed for bed.

The ship was fairly easy to navigate, only a few decks were tricky. The dining rooms were very nice. We chose traditional sitting and did late dinner (8:15) in the Jubilee Dining Room. The menu was okay, nothing to knock your socks, but nothing to complain about either. Our server seemed overwhelmed and a few nights got our orders out of sync and they ended up being less than hot. Still nothing that one doesn't experience in a local retaurant from time to time.

Breakfast in the Celebration Dining Room was superb, as was lunch. The Lido deck buffet was rather difficult. Too many different venues. On the outside they served burgers and hot dogs as well as freshly prepared meats, i.e. ham, roast, chicken etc. By the time you got through the line and made your way inside to sit, the food was less than hot. Inside housed the salad bars, the ethnic buffets, pizzaria, desserts etc. Eggs/omlets/waffles/pancakes to order in the mornings were also offered here. Again, the food was good with a very nice menu to choose from. The wait staff were great. Coffee and juice carts being pushed around refilling your needs.

The cruise staff were terrific. The activities were great. We participated in several activities. We walked away with 100% genuine fake gold plated trophies worth "far less than one thousand dollars," along with several medallions. Mom won a rubber bracelet inscribed with "Carnival Funships." She was so proud. As we were disembarking, Lewis, one of the staff, yelled, "Lee come back and see us." An indication of how many activities we participated in.

Bingo was a bust, I think mom managed to get three numbers on her card.

The weather in Cozumel was great, probably mid to high seventies. We piered at the far away pier so a cab to town was necessary. The line was so long we opted to take a horse and buggy. My bad, I should have negotiated price prior to us getting on. When we got to the city dock and got off, I asked how much, ugh $40. No sense to argue, like I said my bad! Headed to Pancho's Backyard for lunch and then shopping. Mom hung in there very well, but by three she was getting tired so we made our way back to ship.

The ship was very clean and the entire very friendly. Disembarkation was a breeze, we did the self assist, we were in the car on the way out of the parking deck by eight-forty-five.

Worse part of the trip was Lee losing an earring that Santa gave her Christmas morning:(

All things considered it was a good cruise. The weather did not totally cooperate as our first day at sea was windy and cool with eight foot sea. Our sea day from Cozumel greeted us with terrible rain storms and six foot sea. Surprisingly the ship maintained a fairly smooth balance. Did not observe anyone really suffering from sea sickness, however bags were provided at every elevator. Probably a good idea.

Will we do this venue again? You betcha!!

Christmas Aboard the Fantasy Album

Thanksgiving aboard the Norwegian Spirit

We opted to drive to New Orleans from Little Rock, Arkansas. An easy 8 hour drive. We spent the night in New Orleans. Got up Sunday morning and had breakfast at Mother’s Restaurant. Took our time, really, getting to the terminal.

Mr GPS brought us to the Erato Street terminal, however, brought us to the old terminal. No problem we had plenty of time. We followed the signs to the terminal. A few signs were confusing, but nonetheless we made it. It appeared there were two lots you could opt to park, an open lot to the right of the terminal and the parking deck. Not sure how much the open lot was. Prior to entering a security guard checked the vehicle to ensure it was safe, no hidden explosives etc!! The deck cost $112 for the seven day cruise. We had been told on the boards that the parking was a cash only affair. Turned out we could use a credit card.

Once in the parking deck we proceeded, we were stopped by a gentleman who informed us to drop our luggage, park on deck 4 or 5 and then take the elevator down to the second floor. One of the easiest drop offs we have done.

Off on the second floor we went through security, were given a number, one, and were directed to the waiting area. I’m thinking we were in the terminal by eleven a.m. We waited but a few minutes when our check-in number was called. We went up to the Lattitudes check-in desk and within probably three minutes were ready to go. Sign and sail cards in hand.

We waited another thirty minutes before they started boarding. Boarding went in accordance to the number you were holding. So we pretty much were the first ones to board. Lots of staff greeting you, however, no one told us what to do. So that could have been a bit confusing to first time cruisers. We just figured we’d head to lunch. So up to Raffles. Very clean and the food offered was very nice. The roast beef was delicious!!!!

After lunch we walked around and familiarized ourselves with the ship. Right at about two, we headed to our cabin deck. The doors were opened as we arrived so we proceeded to our cabin, 9122. Wow were we surprised. Excellent cabin. Nice balcony, bathroom was spacious and clean. Safe was left open in the locked position so we had to call the reception desk. Within minutes security arrived and reset the safe.

We figured we would put our valuables in the safe and head out to a lounge. A knock at the door? Hmm, guess it’s our cabin steward, nope it was our luggage!!!!! Our luggage arrived to the cabin around two-thirty. That is the quickest we have ever gotten our luggage. So we proceeded to unpack and put stuff away. Empty suitcases fit under the bed with room to spare.

The abandon ship exercise was held at four-thirty. We sailed shortly after.

We ate dinner at Windows, one of the two main dining rooms. The other is the Garden Room. Dinner was good, as were all the meals. Our wait staff was very personable. Food arrived hot and very good. The second night we ate in the Garden Room, sadly the service lacked the charm of sailing. And we felt a bit enclosed in the Garden Room, so that was the only meal, other than the Mystery Dinner, we ate there.

Windows is a much nicer, open area dining room. First day at sea we opted to actually get up early and go to Windows for breakfast. Breakfast was very disappointing. I ordered poached eggs which came out hard boiled. I also ordered corned beef hash, one of my favorite things to order on board. The hash was just that, diced up little pieces of meat, tossed with diced potato and I think celery. Needless to say, we did not do the main dining room for breakfast anymore.

Raffles probably has the best breakfast. Made to order eggs, perfect every time; Belgian waffles and wonderful French toast. Although busy, Raffles was always clean and very organized. One thing I did notice in Raffles and the main dining rooms, there were no bar personal trying to push drinks of the day or to take a dinner meal cocktail order. Our last night, we ate in Windows and ordered dinner cocktails from our waiter. So drinks were available on request.

The food we experienced was very good. The staff very professional and for the most part attentive.

The Blue Lagoon had the best wings and best burgers hands down. The fish and chips were pretty good as well. The Blue Lagoon operated 24/7, and was very conveniently located. Maybe too convenient. Those late night stops!!!!!! Walking back to our cabin we would walk through and yep, the aromas always got us. So at two in the morning, we’re sitting eating wings!!!!! Yum-O!

All the lounges were clean and the entertainment was good. Arwin and Emily, a duo, played at Michael’s Champagne Bar nightly and were fantastic. Fusion Wave, a band, played in the Galaxy most nights and were great. We were a bit disappointed with the Spirit Show Band, they played mostly Latin/Salsa, so dancing was limited.

The Quest and Second City were absolutely outstanding. There was a toga party we missed, a Hot White dance party, a Why Wait til New Year’s party which was fun. All the entertainment we saw was on par, not outstanding, but not bad.

The highlights for us were the Mystery Dinner and the Enchanted Dinner.

The Mystery Dinner: you gather in the Stardust theater for a briefing and an intro of the crime. You are broken into groups of eight and handed an information packet. Each player in the group becomes a character and you play that part. After a brief intro of all the players you are escorted to the dining room (Garden Room) for a special dinner (you can order off the regular menu if you choose, however you still pay your $20 per person). The leader of your group then opens scene one, follow the instructions, dine, have fun, through scene four. A pretty good time was had by all. And no, no one solved the crime!

Enchanted Dinner: $65 per person, wine is unlimited and the dinner absolutely awesome. The setting is in the art gallery. Tables are set in a very intimate layout, providing you a bit of romantic privacy. There were ten couples to participate, I doubt there is room for more then maybe twelve tables. So if you are interested sign up early. Some folks were dressed to the nines, most were in very nice resort casual. The wait staff were fantastic. The Executive Chef prepares this dinner himself. Ship staff, to include the Captain, pop in to greet you etc. Again, this is probably one of the best things we have done on any cruise. Think of an elegant restaurant at home, what you pay for a dinner which includes personal service, appetizers, salads, main course, dessert and after dinner cordials, and did I mention unlimited wine? $65 becomes moot!!!! Go and enjoy.

We were disappointed with the Lattitudes parties. The first party introduced the Captain and his staff. The drinks of course were passed around, the usual mimosa, red birds, champagne and I think wine. This was the first time that when I asked for a beer instead of all the sweet stuff, I was refused. They said I could buy a beer, but did not offer any substitutes to what was being served. At every repeaters party I have ever attended I have always been allowed beer. Oh well, no big deal, just don’t expect a substitute beverage. I think it is very nice that the cruise lines continue to do the repeaters party. The second party, which was for Silver and above, was held in the art gallery and I do not remember seeing any staff except for the Lattitudes liaisons and they were enthralled with two passengers. They spent the party with those two, never did mingle. So that was sorta of a bust. Paul the cruise director answered our questions. BTW for those of you that collect Lattitude pins, NCL has done away with the program. Paul told us to drop by and see one of the Lattitude folks and they probably could get us a pin. We did and we did get pins for the Spirit.

We were told there were over six hundred children aboard. Yikes!!! For the most part children were behaved. Some kids were absolutely rowdy, mis-mannered, and destructive.

We were walking up one stairwell where two little boys were wrestling with the banister fennel. Wrenching it back and forth, mom standing within a few feet of them, never said a word. Late night, maybe one in the morning, young kids, probably ten to twelve years old, jumping up on bar stools demanding a soft drink!!!

I don’t like to deprive anyone of having fun, but these kids were terribly out of control and at one in the morning, where are the parents? I think all cruise lines should institute a policy that after ten p.m. children under thirteen need to be accompanied by an adult. No exceptions.

I also think that when an event is labeled “adults only, eighteen years and older” anyone younger should be required to leave. And the rules should not be relaxed to appease an upset parent. Rules are rules, period.

The Mystery Dinner was labeled adults only, one group came in with three children, young children, the staff person informed them it was an adults only event. Probably after ten minutes of discussion, the staff person gave in and allowed them to stay. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

I had previously read on the boards that the disembarkation process in New Orleans was terrible. To be totally truthful I don’t see anything NCL could do to make the process any simpler. I think the New Orleans terminal personnel have the embarkation/disembarkation process down to a fine science.

I’m sure I missed a few things. I did not address the ports of call on purpose. Most of you have been to them and not much has changed. If you have a specific question feel free to ask.

Bottom line, the cruise was all we expected it to be and maybe a little more thanks to the Enchanted Dinner.

Alaskan Vacation

I will tell you before you even start, this is lengthy!! I have included links (in blue) to points of interest and a link to our very condensed album titled "Alaska Adventure 2009" at the end of the blog.

We departed Little Rock on July 25th en route to Anchorage Alaska. We flew this time and arrived around 11 p.m. Alaska time. Slight baggage screw up, one bag made it, three did not!

Traveling with us are our best friends Ron and Lynn. Lee's brother, Pat and his wife Suzanne's, house is our base camp.

Monday was a lazy day for us. We walked and shopped the downtown area, explored Kincaid Park and Flattop Mountain. On Tuesday we headed for Homer to do some halibut fishing.

We lodged for two nights at The Beary Patch Bed & Breakfast. The first night we dined at The Homestead restaurant. Outstanding food and great atmosphere. The second night we dined at Cafe Cups. The food here was good. We all concurred that The Homestead was a bit better.

We had fishing reservations with Big Bear Charters. Captain Brandon and his deck hand Ty were the crew for the day. Weather wise the day was pretty lousy. We would have fished for Lingcod as well as halibut, but, the weather did not permit us into Lingcod water. So halibut it was. Lynn was the first to have a fish on, however, it ended up being a spiny dog shark!!!! Quite a few of these sharks were caught.

By days end we all caught our limit of two fish per person. The biggest fish being probably 40 - 60 pounders. If ya'll think this type of fishing is easy, it isn't. We fished in 200 feet of water with a 2 - 3 pound weight. Just pulling up line to check bait was tiring. Now add 20 - 30 pounds of combative fish. No easy task for any of us. However, everyone prevailed and by days end we were bushed!

No telling how many fish were actually caught as many were tossed back in because bigger fish could be had. Back at the dock, the fish were unloaded, washed and hung up for photos and then they were filleted. The end result was 114 pounds of fresh halibut. We had them flash frozen and shipped via FedEx back to Ron's and put in his freezer at home. FedEx was on time and fish made it without problem.

Many of the local folks suggested we eat at Crabbies. So we stopped there prior to heading back to Anchorage. Sadly, the food nor the atmosphere equalled the previous dining experiences. Crabbies ended up being a disappointment.

On the way out of Homer we stopped and visited the Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center. A very educational experience.

Back in Anchorage for a day before we head to Talkeetna. We dropped the girls downtown to shop and we headed to view spawning salmon. Stopped first at Ship's Creek, saw a few fish and a few fisherman. We then headed to Campbell Park where the Alaska Game and Fish have a few viewing areas set up. We saw a few fish, but nothing to speak of. So Ron and I made our way to West Marine. Yeppers we visited the northern most West Marine Store, didn't buy anything, but hey we were there!!!!

We then headed into town to meet up with the girls. The girls had lunch at Sack's. One of those nice little foo foo kinda places girls like to go. Ron and I had reindeer sausage from a street vendor!!!! After lunch we headed to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson. Here the story of Alaska is told. Many many great exhibits and wonderful art.

Friday we headed to Talkeetna. Took our time getting started and really took our time getting to Talkeetna. Along the way we stopped in Palmer, walked through the local farmers market and had lunch at Vagabond Blue's. Then onward to Talkeetna. Well actually a little place named Sunshine where we stayed at the Fireweed Station Bed & Breakfast. I could ramble on for days about this place, check out the link and spare the rambling. Tom and Hobb's are host and hostess of this wonderful place. We brought fresh caught halibut for dinner and Tom prepared it. He is a fantastic cook. We spent Friday and Saturday evening here. After breakfast on Saturday we took a short hike to pick berries and see the Yak's. The Yak's are used to pack in camping supplies for hikers conquering Mt McKinley. The rest of Saturday was a downtown Talkeetna day. Talkeetna consists basically of one main street. We had lunch at Twister Creek a busy little place. Reindeer soup was a hit with us as were the huge burgers. One thing that can be said about Alaska, the meals are not skimpy!

Later on that evening we chartered Talkeetna Air Taxi for an aerial tour of Mt McKinley. What an absolutely awesome experience. The planes had not been able to land on the glaciers due to weather for several days or so. We were informed that the flight before us was successful at landing, as were we! Yep, the plane landed on the glacier. I guess I already used the word awesome, but I have to use it again. The glacier experience was beyond awesome!!!!! It was so cool walking out on the glacier and experiencing first hand what a crevasse looks like.

Upon returning to Talkeetna we met Pat, Suzanne, Tom and Hobb's at Mountain High Pizza for dinner. I guess we ordered dinner a few minutes after nine. Being that the sun stays up so long in Alaska it's hard to gauge the time. We had an early Sunday morning meeting time with the iFishAlaska folks some forty-five minutes from Talkeetna. We originally were to meet at five-thirty which was plenty early for us; the meeting time ended up being four-forty-five, yes a.m.! Here we are choking down pizza trying to finish up dinner so that we could get back to Fireweed and catch a few hours of sleep.

Second Week: Sunday morning alarms went off at three-thirty and we were on the road at four. We arrived at the Deshka River Landing in Willow on time and met with our fishing guide, Pat. We loaded our gear onto the boat and headed out. A very cool morning to say the least. We made our way up river to a hot spot, that turned out to be warm rather than hot. The limit for Silver Salmon is three per person. Ron and I caught our limit with Pat, Lee, and Lynn catching one each. Made our daily catch at nine, six fish short of a full limit. At any rate we all had a great time, saw a few eagles and lots of jumping fish. Filleted out, I venture to say our catch rendered probably 40 pounds or so of fresh Alaskan Silver Salmon! These were packed up in a fish box and carried home.

Very tiring drive home, but it was well worth it. Monday was a lazy day, well laid back day. We all decided we could do "nothing" at home. We ended up going to the Anchorage Zoo. Have to laugh, because we have been moose-less so far. When we got to the moose enclosure, we had to ask one of the workers to point out the moose!!!! We should have visited the zoo the first day here. The "bad moose karma" was finally broken. Pics of this trip are included in the Anchorage album.

Tuesday morning was a rise and shine early day as we were taking the train to Whittier and then taking a glacier sight seeing cruise. Both the train and the cruise turned out to be fantastic. Can't tell you how many glaciers we got to see, I think they said twenty-six. Along with the glaciers we saw eagles, otters and harbor seals. And we were fortunate to witness a glacier calving. Calving is when a piece of the glacier breaks away and falls into the ocean!

On our return train ride, we saw moose in the wild. First a cow and her calf, then a young moose that was on the track. The train probably followed this moose for a half mile or so before it jumped to safety. We also saw a big bull with a large rack of antlers. Also spotted a small group of Dall Sheep frolicking on the rocks.

Wednesday found us at the Aviation Museum where the history of Alaska aviation and bush pilots is displayed. Then we had a moment of sheer impulse. The museum is located on the shore of Lake Hood, the worlds largest float plane base. So yep you guessed it, we decided to take a float plane tour with Ellison Air. From the plane we saw moose, elk, bison, eagles, seals and Beluga whales(the little white amoeba looking things). How fun to take off from and land on water. Pics of this trip are included in the Anchorage album.

Thursday brought us to Alyeska Resort in Girdwood. There is a wonderful tram that takes you to the top of Alyeska Mountain. Sadly the clouds were so heavy that once on top we couldn't see anything. We had lunch with hopes the clouds would clear. No such luck, so that plan basically bombed.

From the resort we decided to head to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Here they have rescued animals living in a protected environment. More moose, elk, bison, black bear, caribou, and a few other species. Good weather and good experience.
Finally heading back to Anchorage. Already planning Friday's activities of last minute shopping, packing, returning the rental car and getting to the airport to catch a one-thirty a.m. Saturday morning flight. While at the conservation center Lee overheard someone saying there had been a fatal accident on Seward Highway and that the highway was closed. Not sure exactly where the accident was, we drove towards Anchorage. Needless to say we only got about fifteen miles when we came to stopped traffic. Lee's brother sent a text informing us the highway would be closed until five-thirty. Ron had already decided to turn around and go back to one of the creeks where we could park and view salmon and watch folks fish.

The real Alaskan adventure begins. As we watch the salmon and fishermen in Bird Creek, someone yells "bear!" Holy cow, yes a bear, doing some fishing of it's own. From the bridge we frantically snap pictures. The Ron decides to make a move off the bridge to get closer. I follow.
I guess I could go on and on about this encounter, but pictures are worth thousands of more words then I could possibly write. After returning to the bridge, a second bear appeared. As I watched the second bear, it all of a sudden jolted back into the foliage. Come to find out, Ron and Lynn had gone hiking and found themselves directly above the bear on a ridge. As Ron states, it was one of those "holy crap" moments!!!

Headed back to the bridge we encounter a wild squirrel!

I can tell you honestly that this days experience is probably the best wildlife adventure we have ever had!!!!

Friday we prepare to leave. The girls went off to do last minute shopping and to turn the car in. Ron and I stay home and relax.

After dinner at Carlo's Mexican restaurant, we head back to the house and pack our salmon. Then it's off to the airport to catch a 1:30 a.m. flight home. The flight long and uneventful. We arrive home in Little Rock around 4 p.m. Oh the comfort of sleeping in your own bed!!!!!!

Our album: Alaska Adventure 2009

Summer in Arkansas full bloom!!!

Well here we are mid July with temperatures hitting the 100 mark. Even though we spend a lot of time at the lake, that does not offer any relief from the heat. This past weekend is evidence of that. The water temps are those that we normally experience in August. Jump off the boat into the water and it feels like you're taking a header into your bath water!!!!

At least we are getting a few showers now and then. Stormed last night with all the effects. Thunder, lightening and torrential rain!!!! The grass, flowers and weeds really loved it. The birds and squirrels must have enjoyed it as well, as they were raiding the bird feeders this morning. Opened the door to let the dog out and squirrels and birds scattered everywhere.

Am I complaining? Nope! Cuz in just a short few months Fall will be upon us followed by Old Man Winter! And we'll be wishing for summer once again!!!!

Are we never satisfied!

Summer Has Arrived

And sadly in more than one way you can tell. Gas prices have shot up from just over $2.00 a gallon to $2.70. And of course it depends upon where you buy. Here in Little Rock regular ranges from $2.60 to $2.81. Plus is like $2.88 or so, which I have to use in accordance to my vehicle specs. No I don't own a go-fast performance car. I have a VW Passat Wagon and for some reason it requires the higher octane. The upside is great gas mileage, I average about 25mpg in the city and 31mpg+ on the open road!

Funny though. Went to Hot Springs yesterday and I got gas for $2.59 a gallon. That was at only one station. All the other stations were posting a $2.44 - $2.45 per gallon price. Plus at one station was $2.83.

I just don't understand why the prices go up, I guess it's because they can. The oil guru's know we are going to pay for it regardless. That fact was proven when gas hit the $4.00+ mark.

Go anywhere and you can smell the barbecue in the air. Backyard grills are running full speed ahead.

Pools are filled with happy screams of children and the commanding screams of parents, "don't do that," "no running in the pool area," "don't go in the deep end," and of course the panic scream of "wheres your sister?"

Traffic and shopping malls are horrid. It seems like every kid out of school has a car. Not sure whats worse, the kids behind wheels or school buses!

Temperatures climbing, morning lows are mid 70's. Highs getting to hit high 90's with heat indices over 100. Electric bills climbing due to the cooling of living and working spaces.

Another wonderful sign is the not so green grass. Why is it that weeds continue to grow no matter how dry it gets! Yeppers, all the rain we complained about in April and May have become a memory. With the hopes that we could get some of that rain back!

I remember a marquee at one of the local churches when I first came to Arkansas some fifteen years ago. The month was August, temps of high 90's, low 100's had been beating the state up for about two weeks. The marquee read, "don't pray for rain if you're going to complain about the mud!"

Funny!

Boating weather is upon us, the lake is getting warm, and soon taking a dip will have no more cooling effect then jumping in your bath water!!!!

Life is good. Staying cool is a must. Don't forget your outside friends. Birds could really use a bubbling bird bath. And don't forget your furry friends. Be sure to have cool water for your cats and dogs and to provide a shelter for them to get out of the direct sunlight.

Stay safe, stay cool and enjoy summer, before you know it, it'll be gone!!!!