2024 Feb 4-10, Five-Day Carnival Valor Cruise to Cozumel and Progresso, Mexico

 Sunday, Feb 4, Travel to Slidell, La.

Stopped at Jack's for breakfast gravy, sausage, and biscuit. We stopped at Murphy's in Petal, MS to fill up with gas.

We stopped at McDonald's for a couple of pies and to use the restroom.

We checked in at Hampton Inn by Hilton Slidell, LA, room 213, and then went to eat dinner at Texas Roadhouse. I ordered grilled chicken, and a baked sweet potato, with rolls. Hubby ordered Caesar salad, steak, and baked potato.

Grilled chicken, and baked sweet potato

We returned to the hotel where we met a man unloaded his car. He asked us if we were cruising with Carnival. I think he saw the Carnival luggage tag on my carry-on baggage. He and his wife were from Birmingham, AL he said they had been cruising since the 90s. They had been on about 30 different cruises on different ships. We saw them leave the next morning.  

Monday, Feb 5, Travel to New Orleans 

Ate breakfast at the hotel with 2 waffle rounds with whipped cream, sausage, and cranberry juice. 

Checked out of the hotel and headed to New Orleans around 10 AM. 

Paid for parking at Erato St Cruise Terminal $125

Parked the car walked to the elevator down to the boarding process. For lunch, we ate at Guys Burgers 

and ordered a cheeseburger and fries.  Our room 6434 was ready by 1:30 PM. 

The ship left port around 3:30 P M. Let the party begin. 

It was too cold on the Lido Deck so everyone met in the American Lobby. 

the Crimson Trio 

We listened to the Crimson Trio in the American Lobby. 

We ate dinner in the Lincoln Room. I ordered a shrimp cocktail, a crawfish strudel(savory baked phyllo, sweet corn remoulade), Szechuan Shrimp,(scallions, garlic, angel hair noodles, peppers, and bok choy), and Cheese Cake with strawberry sauce. 

We sat next to a couple from the State of Washington. Said they lived on an island and watched cruise ships come up the Pacific Ocean. 

We also sat next to a mother and daughter from Columbus, Mississippi. 

Tuesday, Feb 6, Sea Day 

Watched the sun come up from my balcony. 

sunrise

At the Omelette Station, I ordered a loaded omelet made to order, with bacon and chocolate milk for breakfast.

9:00 AM made two necklaces at Creativity at Sea in the American Lobby. 

We went to the Fun Ashore Giveaway at 10:30 in the Ivanhoe Theatre but didn't win anything. 

Lunch was at the Mongolian Wok, where I ordered a shrimp stirfry with veggies.

Mongolian Wok Asian flavor your stir-fry bar with rice noodles,  veggies, sauce, and shrimp (double) cooked in unique culinary creations. 

Met a woman from Louisiana who loved Mongolian food. She had several bowls of food for crew members because they did not have the time to wait in line.

Took a long nap.

Dinner in the Lincoln Diner where I ordered Herb-crusted salmon with asparagus, sweet potatoes beurre shrimp cocktail, and Carnival's Chocolate Melt Cake with Ice cream. 

We once again sat next to the mother and daughter from Columbus, Mississippi. 

We went to the V IP Show at 7:00 PM in the Ivanhoe Theater 

Wednesday, Feb 7, Cozumel 

Breakfast in Lincoln Dinner ordered waffle, omelet, sausage, and water. 

Went ashore in Cozumel around 9:00 AM.

We walked around to several shops and bought Ron a pair of Crocs. 

Took several pictures. Walked up the street to Margaritaville where we ate lunch. 

We ordered 3 tacos, 1 Pepsi, Sunrise Margarita. We Walked back to our port area stopping to take several pictures of the Coral Reef display. 

Stopped to take pictures in front of a couple of donkeys at the 3 Amigos. 

Dinner in the Washington Dining Room where I ordered a Shrimp cocktail, Chicken, Veggies, and chocolate melt cake with ice cream. 

We listened to the Crimson Trio in the American Lobby 

Chac Mool ("Red Claw") 

Thursday, Feb 8, Progresso 

Breakfast Omelet bacon, pastry, and Chocolate milk. 

All-inclusive Shore Excursion at 9 AM to Mi Casa Es Su Casa Private Beach your way. 

Back on the ship by 3:30 PM 

Lunch avocado dip, chips, Pina cola, and coke. Watched our host make an avocado dip using Mangos, and tomatoes. Cilantro, salt, pepper and avocados.

Dinner Stuffed mushrooms, Fried Mississippi Catfish(cornmeal-crusted) spinach, mac & cheese and tartar sauce, and a banana split. 

Excursion to a Private beach with around 40 people took the bus with 2 children. A nine-year-old named Sabrina. Our host cooked us lunch Mexican Avocado dip, chicken tacos, etc. We had a bartender who mixed drinks. I ordered a Pina cola, and my hubby a margarita both virgins. 

I walked along the beach the water was cold. Monday a storm had come through with 50 MPH winds so the water was a little choppy and dirty. Not many people went into the water. Most everyone sat in beach chairs and some under umbrellas. Lunch was served around 10:30 AM. 

Around 10:30-11 We heard a mother call out  Sabrina where are you?

She was nowhere to be found. Everyone joined in the search for Sabrina up and down the beach, inside the house. Going from one neighbor's house to another.  A neighbor called the police. Five showed up at the beach. A detective went along the beach circling Sabrina's footprints. Neighbors called their friends and several said they saw a small girl walking up the beach crying. 

She had walked about 1 1/2 to 2 miles up the beach to the nearby hotel. When they found her she said "I thought my family had left me so I was walking back to the ship. You could see the ship from the beach. 

They took her to the hospital to be checked out for dehydration. 

The family was brought back to the beach house where everyone enjoyed the rest of the day eating and drinking. 

Everyone was so proud to see the little girl Sabrina.

I overheard the mother ask Sabrina about her adventure but she just said I don't want to discuss it. 

The mother's feet were covered in scratches from running through the thickets looking for Sabrina. 

Everyone loaded back onto the bus and began our journey back to the ship. Thank God we were able to return with everyone. 

We were back on the ship by 3:30 PM. The ship's time to leave was 3:30-4 PM but we didn't leave until almost 5 PM because a bus full of people was running late getting back from an excursion. 

The bus drove straight up to the ship, letting people off right at the boarding area. This was a very eventful day. 

Welcome to Yucatan

Friday, Feb 9, Sea Day 

Breakfast with Doctor Seuss Cat & the Hat, thing one, thing two in the Lincoln Dining room.

Hubby ordered Green eggs with ham and funny Belgian Waffles. I just ordered Funny Belgian Waffles with Moose Juice.

In the Ivanhoe Theater, we made a bulldog, and an elephant out of towels and bought the Towel Art Book. 

Lunch was #6 Cuban Mixto: roasted pork, ham yellow mustard, Swiss cheese sandwich, 3 cookies, and vanilla ice cream. 

Bought Build-A-Bear for St Jude on the Lido Deck. 

Hubby took a long nap while I watched TV

Ate a salad for dinner. 

We watched 90s music and We Are the World in the Ivanhoe Theater. 

We did the Debark process in the Carnival App.

funny Belgian Waffles

Saturday, Feb 10, Travel Home

Breakfast Lido Deck 9 Omelets, chocolate milk, pastry. 

Waited for our app to tell us when to embark. 

Went through the immigration process, loaded our car, and started for home. 

We stopped in Petal, MS to fill up with fuel. 

Stopped at Welcome Center  for a break

Ate lunch at Cracker Barrel in Meridian MS

I ordered Fried Shrimp, Pinto Beans, cornbread, chow, and tartar sauce. 

Bought some chocolate candy and hubby a shirt. 

It began to rain in Russellville and rained all the way home. 

 

2023 April 25-28, AMTRAK Trip to New Orleans, LA. from Tuscaloosa, Al

Day 1:Travel 

We dropped off our bags at the Amtrak station, parked the car in the public parking, and walked several blocks back to the Amtrak Station. 

At 2:00 p.m., we loaded onto the train and began our trip.

 We took the Amtrak in Tuscaloosa and traveled through several cities stopping in Laurel, Hattiesburg, and Meridian, Mississippi picking up or letting off passengers.

I did not buy any food on the trip to New Orleans. I had brought a Sprite Zero and a couple of Granola bars. 

We arrived around 10:00PM and took the local taxi to The Marque Hotel 144 ELK PL., New Orleans. Room 1910. Reservation #380VR.

Our room had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, 2 balconies, and a window in my bedroom to see the City of New Orleans, located on the fourteen floors. 

It was late I took a shower and went to bed. 

Day 2:

We walked down Canal Street stopping at IHOP for breakfast. Our waiter was new and I ordered a Belgian waffle it was cold and plain. 

We decided to buy a day pass to ride the Trollies. 

We saw the Mortuary Haunted Mansion and walked around in several Cemeteries. (St Patrick Cemetery)

We saw people loading onto the Ferry Boat and the Riverboat.

We shopped at Riverwalk Mall and ate lunch at Pei Wei Asian Restaurant. I ordered two egg rolls, shrimp, chicken, and noodles. 

Could not eat it all I took the rest with me.

We walked through the park at Riverfront where we saw the Holocaust Memorial. 

We saw Woldenberg Riverfront Park a dedicated memorial to Malcolm Wolodenberg who prospered in New Orleans and left a Legacy of caring and of confidence to the City of New Orleans. 

Alongside was his statue with a young boy.

On Canal Street, we saw many murals depicting the City. 

We saw the Shops and Canal Place with Mardi Gras statues in front.

Dr. John's statue in front of "The Shops and Canal Place" 

We took the Trolley up St. Charles Street where we saw historic homes, stores, The Auduban, the Zoo, and the Loyola College.

We saw a lot of homeless people, and trash everywhere, at the overpasses and sidewalks. 

We stopped at a chicken restaurant to use the restroom and sitting outside was a homeless young man asking me to buy him some chicken, I said we'll see. I went inside to use the restroom. I remember that I had a plate full of leftover food with me so when we went outside I gave the homeless man the food. It also had a fork inside. 

He was thankful for the food. I was glad that I had helped one of the homeless. I had heard a man on the trolley say the government had sent money to help the homeless but the money was not used for that.

We rode two different trollies most of the trolley workers were jolly and friendly.    

We headed back to the hotel. 

We had spent the day hopping off and hopping on the trolley, and we walked several miles.

Day 3:

We walked down to Canal Street and bought a day pass to ride the trolley. We rode to the French Quarters.

We walked to Cafe Biegnite, where we both ordered Beignets. (A square of fried dough eaten hot and sprinkled with powdered Sugar). They come with 3 Beignets and mine was drizzled with Chocolate.

Beignets with Chocolate 

It came up a thunderstorm while we were eating and people flooded inside. They had a large roll-up door opened and when the rain started to blow inside they closed it. It was blowing hard and several of the employees got wet.

After the rain subsided but was still sprinkling we left and walked toward the Riverfront Mall. 

We heard several Laughing Gulls and we rode the ferry across the Mississippi.

We walked to the Riverwalk Mall and shopped. I bought a shirt and a pair of shorts at Gap. 

I returned a top I had bought the day before. It was too small and swapped for a larger size. 

The cashier/manager said all their clothes were coming in smaller. 

We walked back to Canal Street and took the trolley up St Charles Street.

Meet a family from Vermont a journalist from Denmark and a couple of women looking for the Military Museum. We also met a couple looking for the French Quarters and I told them they would have to take the red trolley # 49 to get to the French Quarters.

There were a lot of people taking the trolleys today. 

We got off the trolley and walked along St. Charles Street looking at old homes.

Historic Home on St Charles St

We ate lunch at New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood LLC.

New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Restaurant 

I ordered Shrimp Tacos with Onion Rings. My friend ordered a shrimp Poor-Boy with fries.

We also ate a complimentary Vanilla Ice Cream in a cone.

 We rode the trolley back to Canal Street and stopped at CVS for a couple of Sprite Zeros and a bag of candy.

There were no Diet Cokes or Sprite Zeros in the cooler so I asked the manager if they had any.

We walked to the back of the store and the manager loaded several Sprite Zero and Diet Cokes into the cooler. 

I paid for my merchandise and walked back to the hotel.

We packed our bags for tomorrow we will be leaving.

Day 4: 

Finished packing and ate my last Beignet called the Taxi and said he would be there around 8AM.

We walked downstairs and my friend got a cup of hot coffee and we waited for our taxi.

Selfie Station at The Marque Hotel 

We arrived at the train terminal and waited to load the train at 9:00 AM.

It was going to be a full train so we were told if we were traveling with someone to sit with them.

Went they announced the dining car was open we walked down. 

I ordered a bagel and drank my Sprite Zero. My friend ate her leftover Poor-boy.

We arrive at the train depot around 5PM.

Walked inside the depot to use the restroom and put everything inside our luggage.

We began our walk to the parking deck.

It was a lot harder walking uphill pulling our luggage. We finally arrived at the parking deck.

Loaded our luggage inside and began our trip home. 

We stopped at Jacks for supper and after we finished I bumped my right hand and it tore the skin. 

It would not stop bleeding so one of the workers placed a couple of bandages on my hand.

We stopped again at CVS to use the restrooms and get more bandages.

We arrived at my friend's home and my husband picked me up.