Good morning! Today is a sea day and the last day of the cruise. Unlike yesterday the wind conditions are such that I was permitted to go out on the secret deck and take pictures this morning.

Here is today’s schedule of events.

I’m going to stop by Havana and see if I can get a few pictures before anyone wakes up and starts using it. That’s the exclusive area only accessible to people who book Havana cabins.

Another exclusive area is the Family Harbor lounge. This is reserved for guests who book rooms in the Family Harbor section of the ship which is deck 2 aft.

After capturing the pictures of the exclusive areas I headed back to the room to shower. I set off the smoke detector again. I was still in the shower when the phone rings. I get out and answer. “This is the uh navigation uh bridge uh.” They needed to send someone down to check it out. I told them give me a minute to get dressed since I was in the shower. As soon as I hang up the phone. Door knock.

Apparently with this room layout you have to make sure the bathroom door is closed when you take a shower otherwise you will set the smoke alarm off. That is the third time I’ve set the smoke alarm off this week.

When I got pictures of the casino earlier this week I didn’t get table games. Here they are.

I’m heading down to the coffee shop when I hear a familiar voice behind me “Good morning Greg.” I turn around and it’s Raunak getting his morning coffee.

I’m trying a white chocolate caramel mocha today. I didn’t ask for the whip cream but this coffee lady likes to do it so she can sing “watch me whip.”

I mistakenly told the hostess the wrong table number and I ended up being seated at this huge table. But I like it because for once they won’t seat people in my lap.

That bacon isn’t crispy like I asked for. Other than that it’s all great. This is the skillet cake with a side of bacon and hash browns.

After breakfast I headed up to the plaza bar for a black coffee. I wanted a large but I guess I’m just misunderstood today. I think I asked for a large regular black coffee. Maybe she thought I meant regular size.

After coffee I headed down to the atrium bar for a bloody mary.

I took it into the Liquid Lounge for the morning show.

Comedy host Joey (right) tells the same story that someone told on Panorama about a guest allegedly mistaking the room safe for a microwave. This may be like the coffee cup holder (CD) story from the military. So many people told the same story.

I stepped out to peek at the 2 for 20 T-shirt sale. It’s almost totally port specific shirts. Most of them are ports we didn’t go to. I heard multiple people saying “they’re all small or medium.” It was the same deal on Panorama. Apparently they don’t have many small or medium people on Carnival.

I stepped back into the Liquid Lounge for the end of the morning show.

After the morning show was a Q&A with the Cruise Director.

Someone asked about her break. She expects to go on break in February and return to this ship in April for six months but that has not been confirmed.

The next person asked about camera coverage on the balconies. If you’re near the balcony railing you’re on camera.

Someone asked if she would want to go to Mardi Gras to replace Mike Pack. It definitely sounds like she wants to stay in Texas. Jubilee is her goal. But she may want to get experience on that class first. She also is interested in doing Europe on the Pride.

Now that the Cruise Director Schedule is out and Mike Pack has announced his promotion to Fleet Cruise Director, I can tell you she is going to get her experience on the Mardi Gras in March. Lee Mason is going to be CD but she is going to be on the ship to learn the ropes. Then this summer Chris Williams returns to the Mardi Gras and Donkey is onboard like Kyndall was. It’s a good bet this is the group of cruise directors we’ll see on Mardi Gras, Celebration, and Jubilee in the future.

I wanted to get a drink from the server in here. I’ve always been at the bar when I’ve been in here so I never get to tip the servers that are walking around.

When the Q&A was over they were going into debarkation briefing. I grabbed my empty Bloody Mary glass and hit the aisle. 

Kyndall says “I know everyone is going to try to leave and get a bloody mary but this will only take 15 minutes.”

I froze and looked at my glass. Is she talking to me?

My last bit of laundry has been delivered. It’s just a short stack.

The great thing about the platinum and diamond laundry benefit is you can take that stack and put it in the suitcase with yesterdays stack and what’s left of the other stack from earlier in the week. Then you’re almost totally packed with clean clothes.

I stopped by the Plaza bar for another bloody mary.

Then I headed down to the dining room for lunch.

This is the cantina burger which is my favorite burger on the ship.

After lunch I headed up to the lido deck for a Pina Colada at the Red Frog Rum bar.

Groove for St. Jude is happening now.

I headed up to the Serenity bar for a Caribbean Colada.

I decided to try a piece of cake. Today is the chocolate extravaganza in the buffet.

The guy with the cake knife and the paper hat says chocolate coffee cake is most popular so that’s what I’m trying.

It’s very good.

After cake I headed outside to the Tides bar for a Shiner Bock.

Or two.

It’s time for the Diamond and Platinum party in the Liquid Lounge.

All of the alcohol is free. Since I have Cheers it isn’t that big of a deal for me.

I did get a Funship Special.

I left the party early to make it to the alchemy bar opening. Raunak made me a strawberry cream drink with chocolate.

A walk-up orders something. I didn’t hear what it was. Raunak says “Ice Water!”

Raunak is singing the leaving on a jet plane song–Not because we’re going home tomorrow…because he’s going home tomorrow.

This is Ruanak’s Pina Colada. It’s very good.

This was a cherry drink from Raunak.

This is a mint coconut drink from Raunak.

For those that are cruising on Vista soon, Raunak isn’t going to be back here until March. But Nichole has been making a lot of these mint chocolate drinks tonight. They look good.

I asked for a spicy bloody mary. Raunak made me one with habanero vodka.

Raunak asks “Is that spicy enough? I didn’t make it very spicy.” He’s gotta be messing with me. This is spicier than anything they’ve made on the ship. 

I’m getting a snickers drink before dinner.

Fortunately….platinum diamond party drinks don’t count 

Steak and Ale Cheddar soup.

This is my first time getting fried shrimp in the dining room. They are very good.

Short Ribs

Baked alaska

I don’t know if this is a product of how bad she’s been or what but the crowd for the Dana Moon adult comedy show is pretty bad. I want to say the early adult show the last night of the cruise is usually packed. Then the later one isn’t.

Side note comedy host Joey is dating Cruise Director Kyndall Fire.

Dana Moon. She was better than when she was in character the other night but she’s still not very good.

I tried to catch the Ocean Plaza band because I’m never back there at night but they went on break right when I got there.

Studio VIP is happening in the Liquid Lounge.

I was coming down the hallway and this guy was standing out in front of his room barefoot wearing pajamas. He asked me how I was doing. I said “well I have shoes so better than you.”

He said his girlfriend is in the casino and he got locked out of his room. I said “that stinks” and continued to my room. After I set my things down I went back to get his room number and ask if I could call guest services for him but he said someone was on their way to open his door for him.

I’m heading to bed. Tomorrow is debarkation day.

• Carnival
• Carnival Vista
• Vista