Good morning! I slept 10 hours like it was nothing. That’s a lot for me so I probably needed it. This room was extremely quiet last night. I hope it remains that way the entire cruise.

These cruises go by faster and faster. It feels like just yesterday I boarded this ship.

It’s time to take care of the glow in the dark life jacket sign.

I guess I could’ve put the chair in front of it. Of course then the steward probably moves it and I have to keep moving it back.

That’s one thing about these larger 4Js you may get a chair and table with them.

I noticed this yesterday. There is no card and the lights still work. Maybe they have that “feature” disabled now.

That comes off too easily. We have to fix this.

That’ll hold.

The room was extremely quiet. It may be in part due to the fact that my closest neighbors are pretty far down on both sides.

I hate that. Hopefully it’s not up for most of the cruise.

Excursion tickets were delivered last night or this morning.

Here are today’s Fun Times.

I finally met Deddy. He chased me down the hallway and around the corner.

Who’s your Deddy?

I was walking downstairs and this carpet caught my eye. It’s the multiplex.

This came out Thursday in theaters.

This came out the Thursday before.

There used to be a bar down there but when they cracked down on smokers in the casino a couple years ago, they removed the casino bars from this class of ship. Bonus for them is more slot machines means more money.

Can’t go outside here.

The next door was open.

Neither of these coffee lines look like good options.

That took 20 minutes.

I took a seat in the Havana bar.

On my way down to the atrium I saw people sitting in the stairwells waiting for their brunch table. Hopefully it’s better now.

Georgia is Cruise Director. She was on the inaugural Mardi Gras Fun Squad in 2021. That was a good group. I think 4 or 5 of them are CDs now.

I’m grabbing a screwdriver to take to brunch.

They really don’t want me to forget about that rental car in Aruba.

This is what I’m used to with Carnival. We didn’t have this on Carnival Spirit, Regal Princess, or Norwegian Jewel.

Basically none of these people have an assigned table. They’re all waiting for a table and blocking the entrance while doing so.

I fought my way though the crowd and got to my table.

Flaming tomato soup

This is a busy plate. I ordered skillet cake, crispy bacon and hash browns. Then I changed the hash browns to brunch potatoes. He gave me both and all on the same plate.

I’d prefer the sides separate. I don’t like that sauce from the brunch potatoes getting on my skillet cake. At least they put the tomato soup in a separate bowl I guess.

Augusto was the waiter. I thought he was good. He took my order quick. I got the food quick. He didn’t try to sell me the juice.

I said I’m going to try to remember to get in their Cuban coffees on sea days.

It’s tough because they open at 10am. But I got a late start today so this is my second coffee.

This is cortadito which is what the bartender recommended. This is not the same as Little Havana. There they whipped brown sugar. Here he’s scooping regular white sugar out of a jar.

You can tell the 10am coffee drinkers are amateurs. Remember they had equally long lines earlier.

I heard a couple by the elevator. He said let’s go to the Havana bar. She said you have to pay extra to go there. Just so there’s no confusion. The inside bar is for everyone. The outside bar/pool area is for Havana guests.

This is a paper airplane competition in the atrium. 

Caribbean shopping show.

I picked up my VIFP stuff and made my usual ornament purchase.

There’s a poor guy at the atrium bar in a spa suite on a casino offer. He’s upset that drinks on us doesn’t include drinks everywhere and he can’t buy cheers without everyone in his room buying it. He told the bartender he’s never cruising again.

I also got the impression that he isn’t the gambler, his friend is. He said his friend told him he would be able to buy the full drink package onboard. He can but his friend would have to buy it as well and he doesn’t want to. That’s the impression I got.

I’m glad I looked at my excursion ticket. In Curacao I have that walking tour in the morning and the excursion at 12:30. Well the ticket was for 8:30. They switched it for me. They did say if they don’t have enough people they will combine tours. If that’s the case they will send me a letter and I’ll have the option of a refund.

A spicy bloody mary from John Wick.

Brewmaster Don.

Here is an internet speed test.

Live entertainment is starting up.

Here are the locally brewed beers they have on tap this week. They have the beer glass cleaning device but I’ve noticed some bartenders use it and some don’t.

This is the Smokey Dark Amber. Definitely the darkest Amber I’ve had. I’d almost say it’s not Amber…

Dark Side.

There was a couple walking in front of me. The guy stops to take a picture. The girl keeps walking. She says “honey is that the coffee shop?” Then turns and looks back. “You’re not honey.” No but I can be on a temporary basis.

Trivia

Zhonggou cai he yi da li cai

Decent views.

I want to see if this steak bowl is like the one I like in Chibang on the Excel class ships.

Let’s try a green tea martini as well.

I thought this sounded like the wide noodle steak lunch I like at Chibang and it is.

I don’t know why people are complaining about this menu. I like these bowls better than the Mongolian Wok. The pineapple pork I had yesterday was good.

This is the green tea martini.

Everywhere you go on this ship there are hidden messages to the gamblers.

I got this green tea cake from the buffet. It seems to fit the theme. 

This is what they had in the buffet.

They have free cookies in the elevator. Shouldn’t a down escalator be called a descalator and a down elevator be a delevator?

I thought I’d take a chance in the sports bar. They do have your playoff hoops covered.

And the hallway for overflow.

That’s Carnival Kitchen on Panorama. Also on Panorama the multiplex is a trampoline park, the Skybox Sports bar is the Hero’s bar, and there is no bar in the main dining room. Those are the major differences.

The Library Bar

I thought I’d check out Serenity but it’s closed due to wind. 

He’s a good boy.

Red’s Rum Treasure. Usually it’s in a different glass with cinnamon and a cherry on top but hey I’m not a bartender.

Lido Wifi speed test

I stopped by the room to shower and change clothes before heading to the alchemy bar.

I’m 15 minutes late but it looks like I got a spot.

Saowaluk made these with the instructions rum or vodka. Not sour but not too sweet.

Dalibor made this with the same instructions 

This is the best of the drinks I’ve had here so far. Dalibor aka “The Big D” made it. This definitely has coconut in it.

I think I have one of the three amigos next to me.

Extra dirty martini.

This is drink number 15. The deal closer. I’m heading to JiJi’s for dinner.

Compliments of the chef. If you like cheese sticks, you’ll like this.

Spring rolls. I’m skipping dessert for an extra appetizer. I’ll do it every time for these.

All I need is chili sauce. I need to remember that.

You can tell there’s a quality difference between these dumplings and what they have at Street Eats and Chibang .

Short rib

On the way out the manager tried to get me to take a dessert. But I was stuffed.

Havana bar

Boy was I surprised to hear karaoke in Ocean Plaza. Horrible stuff.

I’m off to bed. Good night!