Mardi Gras: Amber Cove
Good morning! We are in Amber Cove today. I was here in December 2019 and toured Puerto Plata in Christmas Magic: Amber Cove . I also have good coverage of the port area in my Amber Cove Cruise Port Guide. I may get off of the ship for a little bit but since I’m on the new ship I will probably spend most of the day here.
I’m a little concerned about the way the roof of the Sky Bar looks from here. If I get off of the ship, a picture from there would be my top priority.
I have been keeping the snoozing sign on my door all the time except for when I want it cleaned which has been at dinner time. I left it off when I went out this morning anticipating the laundry I sent out yesterday being delivered. It was.
When I was at Emeril’s for breakfast last time I took a peek at the plates of a couple that was at another table. The Citrus Pain Perdu looked good so I decided to come back and try it myself.
Citus Pain Perdu
Okay I wasn’t happy about what happened at Emeril’s. The server asked if I wanted something to drink. I said just water. She says you’re on cheers so I will just give you a big bottle of water. I have had them do that in the MDR before. No problem.
When the bill comes I see they charged me $4 for the water then gave me a 99 cent discount on it. They were surprised I was surprised. I only had a few sips. I wouldn’t have gotten that if I knew I was paying $4 for it. Cheers covers water. Why would I want to pay $4 for a big water when I get the regular ones for free? “But you got a discount. And you can take it with you.” I don’t want to take it with me. She definitely implied it was included with cheers. They say they’re going to refund it and I’ll see it on my account.
After that I headed to Della Rosa for a mocha.
Carnival Magic is backing in.
For reference I’m on Mardi Gras deck 8 which is the promenade and I’m looking across at Magic deck 5 which is also the promenade. But Magic disembarks on deck 0 and we do on deck 3 so it may be a numbering thing.
I stepped back inside for my second mocha.
Apparently the Pig & Anchor bar doesn’t open until noon on port days. A couple ladies sitting next to me also came here for Pig & Anchor drinks. A server from The Watering Hole bar outside came in and took our order.
This is not very good. I don’t know if they didn’t stir it or what but I can’t taste tomato at all. It’s either watered down or they poured all of the alcohol on top and didn’t stir it.
I think that’s better
I think they have the Grand Central screen down too much during the daytime. If there isn’t a show going on they should have the screen up so we can see out the windows.
That Bloody Mary still tastes a little watered down. I wonder if she let the drinks sit at the bar outside in the hot sun and the ice melted. It was a long time and the ladies at the bar noticed well after she took our order she was walking around outside taking other orders. Probably while our drinks sat up at the bar.
I am on deck 17 which is one deck above lido on Mardi Gras. This is looking down on deck 12 Magic which is two decks above lido
I don’t know what time Street Eats opens on a port day but it’s after 12 and they aren’t open yet. They were closed when I came by at 2pm yesterday. Surely they aren’t just changing the signs and not opening.
I stopped by Sea Dogs. This is a polish sausage on a pretzel bun
It’s noon so the Pig & Anchor is open and I can get a decent Bloody Mary.
I got a porter beer.
Street Eats are still closed but I had my eye on Uncle Jerome. She says “It’s a spicy one that good for you?” I say it’s great for me.
I do like their breakfast fries better than their lunch fries but they’re still pretty good.
I received my invite for the Platinum-Diamond party. Normally that party includes unlimited free drinks. I noticed this invite mentions one glass of wine per guest. It seems this change is something that’s only happening on Mardi Gras right now. It doesn’t impact me because I have Cheers but it could be a big deal for someone who doesn’t.
I’m at the Tiki Bar now where I’m going to try a Matte Black beer.
I’m heading off of the ship. The rumor is they aren’t letting anyone off of the Magic due to a COVID-19 situation.
If you don’t want to walk down the pier you can get a ride.
They have a lot of retail stores here.
This is very disappointing. You can get great pictures of the ships from up at the Sky Bar. I knew it didn’t look right from the ship earlier.
They do still have the zip line open which is also up here. That’s $20 for a day pass.
This is someone coming down the zip line.
This is the restaurant and pool area. The pool has a swim up bar.
They have two water slides here.
There aren’t a lot of kids on the ship and I think they have to go on bubble tours since they’re unvaccinated so the kids area is empty.
This is a quick look at some of the ocean cabanas. That’s the bar on the right.
I’m going to head back on the ship.
They are letting some people off of Magic now. But it’s 3pm so most of the day is gone. I heard one of them saying they aren’t allowed to leave the port area.
When I got back on the ship Street Eats was open. The Buffalo tots are my favorite from this group.
I headed up to the Tiki Bar to get a Pina Colada from Maria. I forgot my straws so I’m using a sugar straw.
I retrieved my straws and got a Blue Hawaiian
Another Blue Hawaiian. Bruno joins Maria behind the bar.
Caribbean Colada
I had too many sweet drinks so I’m going to balance it out with a spicy Bloody Mary.
The guy next to me sees my Bloody Mary and orders one for himself. After the drink is delivered he says he needs an even number of olives in his Bloody Mary. I don’t know if he’s really serious or if he was just trying to snag an extra olive. It would’ve been funny if she took one out.
After that I headed back to the room to shower and change clothes.
I stopped by the Punchliner to see a Manny Oliviera show but I was late getting there
Here is a look at the table games action in the casino.
This is the non-smoking side.
This is the smoking side.
I headed to Emeril’s for dinner. I didn’t really want to go back so soon after my issue with them this morning, but this is the day it fits best into my schedule.
Natchitoches (Nah-cadish) meat pies
Red beans and rice. I really thought for $3 it was going to be a little side dish, but this could’ve been dinner.
Jambalaya. That was way too much food. Red Beans and Rice or Jambalaya would do it. Both was too much.
The circus is in town.
After dinner I stopped by Grand Central to catch some of Celestial Strings. They just added this show to this ship so this is the first performance of it on Mardi Gras.
I guess the piano man is off tonight.
There’s a pretty good line to get into the comedy show. Having the piano bar closed probably doesn’t help.
That green door is actually a good way to slip out of the club if you’re sitting back here. I’ve done it. Beat the crowd out or sneak out during a show. The night I decided to leave the Thea Vidale show to listen to the band in Grand Central…That’s the door I used.
I returned to the comedy club for Manny Oliviera’s 10pm show. It was standing room only.
The earlier shows I was able to get in after it started and find a seat. But after that 10pm show it was just 15 mins until the next show so I got in line. The repeat of celestial strings is happening. I’m pretending to take a picture of that but I’m really showing you that the circus is in line behind me
The circus is in the front row. Manny is going to have fun with that. That is the comedy club manager Adam on stage.
As expected he spent almost the entire show talking to the circus people. I like impromptu shows like that because a repeat is never a repeat. The show changes as the audience changes.
Java blue has a lot of free food items like empanadas and sandwiches.
Then they have some additional charge items as well.
Between the comedy shows I snagged a late night snack to stash in the room again. This was turkey bacon Swiss from the Java blue
I tried to watch my recording of this week’s Big Brother episodes while I ate my sandwich but my YouTubeTV no longer works. It did work the entire cruise on Panorama pre-covid. But I had problems with it in Mexico this summer.
Tomorrow is a sea day. Good night!
