Showing posts with label ship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ship. Show all posts

Sunday, February 11, 2024

2024 Feb 4-10, Five-Day Carnival Valor Cruise to Cozumel and Progresso, Mexico (5 Day Crusie)

 Sunday, Feb 4, Travel to Slidell, La.

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

We stopped at McDonald's for some pies and used the restroom.

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

Grilled chicken and baked sweet potato

We returned to the hotel, where we met a man unloading 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 following day.  

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 A.M. 

Paid for parking at Erato St Cruise Terminal $125

We parked the car and walked to the elevator 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 P.M. 

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 A.M. 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 won nothing. 

Lunch was at the Mongolian Wok, where I ordered shrimp stir-fried veggies.

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

I met a woman from Louisiana who loved Mongolian food. She had several food bowls for crew members because they did not have 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 sat again next to the mother and daughter from Columbus, Mississippi. 

We visited the V IP Show at 7:00 P.M. 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 three tacos, one Pepsi, and a 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. 

I had 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 Excursions are at 9 A.M. and will take you to Mi Casa Es Su Casa Private Beach your way. 

Back on the ship by 3:30 P.M. 

Lunch was an avocado dip, chips, a pina colada, and coke. We watched our host make the dip using Mangoes and tomatoes. Cilantro, salt, pepper and avocados.

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

Excursions 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, and 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 A.M. 

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 coast, 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 walked back to the ship. You could see the boat from the beach. 

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

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

Everyone was so proud to see the little girl, Sabrina.

I overheard the mother ask Sabrina about her adventure, but she 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 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 P.M. The ship's departure time was 3:30–4 P.M., but we didn't leave until almost 5 P.M. because a bus full of people was running late getting back from an excursion. 

The bus drove straight to the ship, letting people off 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. 

I bought some chocolate candy and a shirt for Hubby. 

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




 

Thursday, October 19, 2023

2023 OCT 5, Trip to Mobile, Kathryn Tucker Winham Museum & the Clarke County Museum

 Day 1: Thursday

On our way to Mobile, we made several stops.

We stopped in Thomasville to tour the Kathryn Tucker Museum (Storyteller). The curator walked us through the museum and told us about Mrs. Windham's history.

Mrs. Windham was famous for her ghost stories about "Jeffery the ghost," who took up residence in Mrs. Windham's home.

Kathryn Tucker Windham T-shirt with Jeffrey's Ghost on the Front. 

The story about how Kathryn got her first camera!

A sculpture of Kathryn by her good friend
 "Charlie Lucas"

Kathryn's life story is told in a quilt.

Reserved for Ghost Jeffery 

We thanked our guide, and she said if we liked the museum, we should stop at Clarke County Museum Grover Hill, Al.

Clarke County Historical Museum with Pioneer Village in back.

The museum was having some issues with the inside of the building, so many of the displays on the ground level were in disarray. 

French Bed 

We walked upstairs to see a bedroom with a French Bed. This bed was made in 1825 from French walnut. It came from the plantation of Samuel Barnes, which was located in the once-thriving town of Suggsville in eastern Clarke County. The bed posts are hollow so that a canopy can be added. The bed was donated by Mrs Donald Mills of Montgomery, Barne's great-granddaughter.


Josiah and Lucy Martin Matthew Cabin 
This structure was donated to the Clarke Co Historical Society to its present site. 
Restored in 2008.

We learned that Clarke County was home to 3 salt works during the Civil War. These Springs were also used by the Native Americans. 

We also learned salt prices escalated so quickly during the Civil War that workers were paid in salt. Prices rose from $1.25 per bushel of 50 pounds in 1861 to $50 by the end of the Civil War. 

When the rumor circulated that Mobile was captured, everyone scattered, ending the widespread use of the works.  

Salt-making kettle 

At the Clarke County Museum, Pioneer Day 2023 will be October 28, 9-3. 

Pies, cakes, and other homemade baked goods will be available. The famous Gee's Bend quilters will demonstrate quilting and sell some of their beautiful handiwork. Winky Hicks and friends will be playing bluegrass music, and storyteller Deborah Rankins will be on hand to tell local tales.


We thanked our curator and began our final journey to Mobile. 

We will stay at the Battle House Renaissance Hotel, room 5242, another historic site. 

The hotel is connected to the completely new and impressive RSA Battle House Tower. The RSA Hotel is stories tall in the state 40 stories tall. 

Original opened in 1852. The Franklin Hotel was on this site before burning down in 1829.

Andrew Jackson set up headquarters in 1812. The first Mardi Gras Ball was held in the Crystal Ballroom in 1852.

Elvis Presley stayed the night he was kicked off the fairgrounds in 1952 for doing the "Shake."

It has a Whispering Arch, the Six Flags of Mobile.

1702-1763 French Flag

1763-1780 British Flag

1780-1813 Spanish Flag

1813 -1861 1st US Flag 

1851-1861- Antebellum Period 

1861-1864 - Alabama Confederate Flag 

1964-present 2nd US Flag 

In the whispering arch ceiling area, you can see Louis XIV, George Washington, Ferdinand V, and George III.

Whispering Arches

The Grand Ballroom 

We walked up the street to Loda Bier Garten for dinner but were stopped by two men from Chanel 10 Fox News, one with a camera and the other with a microphone. One asked us if we were going on the Cruise ship out of Mobile, and we said yes. So he interviewed us, and we were on TV that night. 

Several people on the Carnival Cruise Ship Spirit said they saw me on TV. 

This was the first ship out of Mobile for over a year. The bay had to be drugged so bigger vessels could dock.

We continued our journey to the Bier Garten, where we enjoyed a hamburger, fries, and fried mushrooms. 

It had been a long day, so we returned to the hotel, took a hot shower, and climbed into bed. 

We wanted to be rested before we began our journey on the Carnival Spirit Cruise Ship to the Bahamas. 

Fried Mushroom at Lola's Bier Garten in Mobile 



Trip to San Antonio Feb 16-22, 2025 Diamonds in the Rough

  Day 1: Sunday, Feb 16, Everyone meets at the Club bus, which arrives at 7:30 A.M., and we leave for Texarkana, AR, at 8:00 A.M. We stopp...