Spring 2023 - Day 10

 We had first off the ship becuase of being in a suite and we took advantage of it by going to the suite lounge and the Concierge Mar simply walked us right through security and off the ship first.

It was easy to find our luggage and while the porter took it to the curb we located an Uber car to take us the 45 minuites to the Los Angeles Airport.

As we have the Clear screaning process, we were in the airport and inside the gate area in less than 30 minites.

We had an hour to relax in the Delta Lounge before it was time to board out 4hr and 15 minuite flight to Atlanta.

The flight was uneventful and we landed in Atlanta right on time.

This time we had almost 3 hours before the Bloomington flight so we had plenty of time to ear, drink and relax in the Delta Lounge before boarding.

The flight to Bloomington was on time and we arrived at 10:30pm after a long day travelling.

It was a fun trip; however, cold with only 2 days of real warm weather.  We made some new friends and saw old friends in the casino and had fun eating several times with one wonderful couple from Arizona.

As always, it was good to get away and great to be back home.

                                                        Ready to go home

                                        Michael's Club - the Suite Lounge

                                            The entrance to Michael's Club

                                        The bar at Michael's Club

                                        Mar the Concierge at Michael's Club taking us off the ship

                                        Heading for the Los Angeles Airport

Spring 2023 – Day 9

We are in San Diego and the port we have really been looking for to being at because we are going to the San Diego Zoo, supposedly one of the best in the United States.

Today, the weather was warn, but we still had to wear slacks so it was just ok.

As we were in a suite, we were able to leave the ship with the first group at 10:00am and we immediately took an Uber to the Zoo.

We walked around for an hour and then we had a driver with a golf cart take us on a 1-hour tour of the zoo.  It was fun and informative.

After our tour, we ate at a nice sit down restaurant inside the zoo and had a good lunch.

Then we continued to walk the zoo until 4:00pm when it was time to get back to the ship.

We had time to change and then to the suite lounge for a drink with new friends before we went to the show.  The show was a music show with the cast and it wasn’t that good, just ok.

We have met a lot of nice new people on this trip, including 2 couples that we sat next to several time at dinner.  We just about closed the restaurant talking with a great couple from Arizona who have traveled extensively – nice people.

Then it was onto the casino where Barb broke even and Ed won just a little.  A good, not great week in the casino and it is always nice to bring home more money that we started with.

Having a suite with a butler and all the extra services that we had was an amazing experience and we hope we are lucky enough to do it again on a future cruise.

We leave first off the ship at 7:30am, drive to Los Angeles Airport for an 11:00am flight to Atlanta and a 3 hour layover.

From Atlanta we take the last flight to Bloomington arriving at 10:36pm.

Thanks for following us in our blog.

Night and hope to see all really soon.  We miss family.

                                            Going to the Zoo

                                        Breakfast at the zoo

                                                A tall legged family

                                Barb's traditional last night dress as we go out for the last evening

                                    Ed, Sol the Casino Manager, Barb and Anele the Casino Host

Spring 2023 – Day 8

We are back as sea and heading north for our final port of San Diego before arriving back at Los Angeles

Today, the weather was sunny; however, not warm enough to be outside so we slept in for a little bit.

Lunch was in the Ocenview Café inside and then we went on a ships tour.

The tour was 2 hours long and included the crew’s quarters, the laundry, the kitchen and the bridge so it was fun.

At 6:00pm we went to the lounge to have a drink and it was Chick Night – the replacement for the formal nights.

We spent about an hour with 2 couples who we had dinner with and just enjoy talking about where each was from.

The show in the theater was a show called “Boy Band Evolution” and it traced the history of male groups from barbershop to present time and they was very, very  good.

We had another great dinner in Luminae and then finally we went to the casino where Barb won and Ed  also won, but not as much as Barb!!

Night and tomorrow is the port of San Diego and we are going to their famous Zoo for the day and of course we hope for great weather.

A couple of more nights and we will be home!!

Night from the Pacific Ocean

                                                     Ready for the day

                                                      Part of the kitchen

                            The three top chefs for the main dining room

            Just one of many storerooms.  They use up to 5,000 pounds of rice each 7 day trip and

                    3,000 dozen eggs!!

                                            The engine control room

                                                    The bridge

                                                Ready for the evening's activities

                                                   Trout as an appetizer for dinner

Spring 2023 – Day 7

Well, we made it to Mexico and the port of Carbo San Lucas, Mexico.

When we opened the door to the deck and looked out, it was clear and warm – 75 degrees – WOW or WOW!!

We have never been here before and we had set up a Downtown Food and Tacos Tasting Experience at 11:00am.

The ship was anchored out in the harbor leading to the port so we had to take a tender from the ship to town.

This is truly a tourist down with the waterfront lined with hotels and lots and lots of tourist shops.

The location to start the food tour was about 30 minutes in to the city so we decided to walk and it was fun.

We met the guide and two other couples at a restaurant in town and spent the next 3 hours walking around the center section of town and away from the tourist area.

We sampled all kinds of authentic Mexican food at 6 stops and the tour was wonderful.  Also the last stop was tasting 5 kinds of tequila!!

We got an Uber to take us back to the dock at 2:00pm as the last tender left at 3:00pm.  After the driver left us off, Ed turned wrong and all of a sudden we were where we didn’t want to be.  We got turned around and were able to hustle to the correct dock, with not much time to spare!!

For the evening we went to the suite Lounge and had drinks and talked to some people we knew about their day and ours.

We went to the show which was the music of Broadway by the cast and it was very good.

Of course, our last stop was the casino where Barb lost a little and after being up and down a little, Ed stopped at even and we went to bed as it has been a very tiring day of almost 14,000 steps.

Tomorrow is a day at sea, our last sea day and we plan to sleep in and hope for great weather.

Night for no

                                                   Boarding the tender to do ashore

                                  Our ship - identical to the ship we are taking the family on in July

                                                      The menu at the first stop

                                       Barb's first meal, we also had heart and tongue at this stop

                 This street cart sold the best Ceviche .  We had to get there on time or they would run out

Ceviche - wow was it good

                                                         Dessert

                                                        Tequila tastings

Going out for the evening

Spring 2023 – Day 6

Today is our second day at sea and when we woke up the sky was mostly sunny and it was finally WARM!!

We had slept in so we finally made it out to the pool deck at about 10:00am and it was a little cool but warmed up quickly.

At 12:30pm we went into the Ocenview Café for lunch and then back on the deck where it was very hot and very sunny. 

We might have stayed out a little too much as we were red when we came it.  But all-in-al it was wonderful to have great sun.

We knew the Casino Manager from previous cruises and she asked us to have coffee with her and so at  4:00pm we met her in the casino and then went to the to have a drink and relax.  She is from Venezuela and is very nice.

The show tonight was a piano player/singer who was quite good.

Afterwards in the casino Ed had a terrible run at a table alone and moved to another table and made it all back plus a nice profit.  Barb had a small loss at the slots.

Tomorrow is Carbo San Lucas and we have a food tour that should be fun.

Night from the Pacific Ocean and warm weather.

                                        Finallly - hot weather and it;s great to be out in it.

                                            With the Casino Manger -  Sol (which means sun)

                                                     Going out for the evening

                                        Tuna for dinner and it was very good

Spring 2023 – Day 5

This is our first day at sea and the good news is that we are heading south.  The bad new is that it is still not warm enough to be outside sunning ourselves in the warm weather.  It’s close but not close enough.

So, we slept in and eventually left the room at 11:30am.  After walking around for a bit, we went to the Ocenview Café for a relaxing lunch.  Can’t sit outside, might as well eat!!

In the afternoon there was a blackjack tournament where Ed came in 8^th to qualify for the tournament; however, they only took the top 7 to the finals.

While Barb played slots and didn’t do well, Ed won at Blackjack and while he was waiting for Barb won a nice amount at roulette

We then went back to our room to get ready for the evening which was the first Chic night.

As is our usual evening we:

Went to the lounge for drinks for a while before the show and then we went to the show which was a

theater production show called Broken Strings about friendships, laughter and music and it was very good.

We then had another great dinner in Luminae.  The quality of the food and service in this restaurant is certainly much better than the other restaurants on the ship.

Then finally we went to the casino where Barb lost a little and Ed had a very large win.

Night and tomorrow is another sea day and we hope for great weather.

                                            The morning view from our balcony

                                        Ready to go eat lunch

                            See the little pitcher -  the Butler refills it every day for Barb's Kahula drinks

                                Now that is exceptional service!!

                                            Ready for the  evening

                                            Halibut for dinner - it was very good

                                                            and finally desserts

 

 

Spring 2023 – Day 4

The good news is that when we woke up there was sun!!  Our first sun since we started our trip and a perfect time to start the good weather.  It was chilly enough that we need to wear a jacket for Ed and a cover-up for Barb but the sun felt really good.

After breakfast we took the tender to the town of Avelon on Catalina Island.

This island as an amazing history as in 1919, William Wrigley Jr (Cubs owner) bought the entire island.  From 1921 until 1951, the island was the spring training headquarters of the Chicago Cubs!!

The Wrigley’s donated the island to the Catalina Island Conservancy organization in 1975.

We walked up the hill a little to go to Saint Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church at 9:00m.  A lovely little church that was built in 1951.

Catalina Island is a very small island of 76 square miles with only 4,000 permeant people.

After church we walked around the downtown area which surrounded the port.  Lots of boats and they also have shuttle boats that take people from Long Beach.

We then took the tender back to the ship, walked around the decks outside and then when in to the Ocenview Café for a late lunch.

The afternoon was uneventful and soon it was time to get ready for the evening.

We went to Michaels Club for a drink and then on to the show.  The show was a singer who sang Whitney Huston songs who was not very good.

Then it was time for dinner and we had a delightful time meeting 2 new couples

Of course, after dinner we went to the casino where Barb broke even and Ed lost a little.

For the next two days we will now be heading south almost 1,000 miles to Carbo San Lucas, Mexico before turning around and heading back.  It should be a fun, very relaxing next few days at sea.

Night from heading south.

                                                    Ready to go out to see the island

                                Mar the Retreat Concierge leading us to the tender to go ashore

             Built by the William Wrigley, Jr to hold the first theater to show talking motion pictures

                                        Church

                Our cabin is the corner witht he wraparound deck and porthold window on the 7th floor

                            Some after lunch desserts!!  It was Greek day in the Ocenview Cafe

                                        Time to go our for the evening

                                        Having late afternoon tea and a snack

                             Joseph our waiter brought Barb a special Crab Martini