Halloween Panorama: Day 1

By
Saint Greg

November 5, 2021

I had heard that even though Platinum and Diamond guests aren’t currently being offered early access to their rooms, they are allowed to drop their bags off in the room.

After boarding I headed directly to my room. I came upon an assistant room steward in the hallway and asked if he minded me dropping my bags. He told me my room was ready and I could have full access to it now.

I’m sure the main reason everyone is here for is to see if I actually brought back the napkin from Mardi Gras.

Here is today’s schedule of events.

Since I am using my onboard credit to purchase items I normally purchase ahead of time such as cheers and internet, I will need to purchase those items onboard. I’m heading to the Red Frog Rum bar to purchase cheers and get my first drink.

This is my typical embarkation day drink (until Alchemy opens at least), The Funship.

Now that I have a beverage I can take care of my muster drill. They will cut you off after two drinks if you haven’t reported to your muster station. My muster station is A4 which is in the theater. The muster drill is really easy now. You learn how to put a life vest on and it’s over.

Next on my list is lunch at JiJi’s. The theater is deck 4 forward and JiJi’s is deck 11 aft. I’m going to walk to the back of deck 4 and take the elevators up to deck 11.

As I was walking through the casino it looked totally different. Then I realized it was the missing bar. In their attempt to reduce the number of people who come to the casino strictly to smoke, Carnival removed bars from their Vista class ships and put slot machines in that space. That would be the circular area up ahead.

After the casino is the Hero’s bar. Now this is a bar where real sports watching can take place. This was a big bonus being on this ship during football season.

But my Fun Ship is empty. I stopped that the Tides bar on deck 10 for a refill. Everyone is surprised I have my card now since we aren’t supposed to get them until 1:30. They probably all think I’m some rule breaking American jerk.

Up to deck 11.

The JiJi lunch menu isn’t the real JiJi menu. It’s basically just a Mongolian Wok lunch. I’ll stop by for the real menu one night at dinner.

While I was here I logged into the Fun Hub app and purchased my internet plan and my ticket to the Rhythms of the Night excursion in Puerto Vallarta.

I stepped downstairs to the buffet to look for dessert.

This is the Funfetti Cheesecake.

It looks like I need to head back over to the Tides bar.

This is what I like to call the budget Havana Balcony.

I am at the Hero’s bar now. I need another drink.

There is a couple at the bar from New Orleans decked out in LSU gear. The guy is pretty ticked off that LSU isn’t on TV. I see this a lot. Carnival has changed their TV plans a few times since I started cruising with them and some people expect them to get the same channels they did on their last cruise three years ago.

The bartender is explaining to them that the only channels they get are ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and SEC Network. And they have all of those channels on the TVs in the bar right now. The LSU guy is saying he likes Vista better because he was able to get some Fox Sports channel on Vista.

I jump in and explain to the LSU fan that Carnival changed their package a couple years ago and these are the stations that are on all of the ships now. I pulled up the LSU game on my phone and let them watch some of it.

I headed to the Atrium for my next drink. This is Patches. They have one on each ship during the month of October.

I just remembered Alchemy opens at 2pm on embarkation day now so I’m going to head up there.

I think this blonde on the elevator was into me. She was laughing at my jokes. I noticed a couple glances. Then I realized I missed my deck so I just acted like deck 8 was my deck. Then I went down to 5.

The Alchemy is full. There is one empty seat but it has a placeholder drink.

I headed down to Guy’s Pig & Anchor.

It’s a college football Saturday and they just have soccer on their one little bar TV here.

But in the back I found a hidden gem. The UFC fight you have to subscribe to ESPN+ for. And it’s just about to start.

I got a Porter.

I’m going for Italy.

I tried to get another beer and they told me they were closed for 30-45 mins and there would be an announcement. I tried to go to the Alchemy but it was still full. I headed down to the Hero’s Bar where I was able to get a beer and catch the end of the fight.

They did an audio safety briefing covering things like sitting on railings and smoking areas. I don’t know if this is a new deal or punishment for the 200 that didn’t show up for their muster drill. But they closed bars for it. I don’t recall any bars being closed for a safety briefing when I was on Mardi Gras.

After that I made another attempt to get a spot at Alchemy. But it was full again. The same seat that was empty with a drink place holder last time was empty with a different drink this time.

I headed up to the deck party on lido. Red frog line was long so I headed back to the Tides Bar. I ordered a Bloody Mary and watched sail away.

I don’t always pay attention to the drink making. But that was a double shot of Grey Goose. There’s a female bartender there I need to make note of. She’s known my name since my first drink there.

What container ship problem?

That’s a Princess ship off in the distance.

I’m making another attempt at the Alchemy. They’re leaving everything to hold their place this time.

This seat seems empty but the two people on each side are in a serious conversation.

Look at their feet on that stool. I can’t jump in there.

They definitely made the right move eliminating sports bars on the excel class. There’s no interest here at all.

I had to stand for awhile to get a beer. They have no servers.

The only place to set a beer is the Purell station.

That’s good advice.

I vacated my sanitization station to get another beer.

I just realized it’s already 7pm. I was planning on making a 7pm Steakhouse reservation but forgot. The app says 8pm is the earliest time you can book. I walked up and got in.

I ordered a Watermelon Martini. You get a free bottle of house wine here on the first night. I don’t need it since I have cheers so I gifted my bottle to the next table which is a group of six that are drinking wine.

I prefer the round bread. But this other one and the pretzel ones are both pretty good as well.

Compliments of the chef.

Risotto.

I tried to get the table next to me to order Art at Your Table for dessert. It’s a minimum two people so I never can order it. It doesn’t sound like they’re going to do it though.

This one lady at the table of six next to mine recently coupled up. She said she took all the negative comments her new guy got from Angie’s list and she shredded them and told him she loved more things about him than Angie ever could. And she made a candle and when it burned it was the same colors of his bedroom and she made more of those candles and gave them to him.

I wish I had picked a different table for the wine gift. She didn’t need any more.