I LOVE Comedians with Guitars......You didn't tell me that part...

[jenseib]

Stole my line! I love crab dip, even the cheap stuff from the local deli is good for me, so I'm thinking the dip on the cruise must have been wonderful!


We'll know when she starts confusing the 2, She'll write of Claire drinking a rum drink and Lisa playing in the kids area.

You are so right. I am already having issues.

 

[jenseib]

Sept 25, 2012, Day 5

The Navigators for today.

This one scanned weird and would only scan half a page at a time for some weird reason.

Today I woke with a phone call. UGH! It was room service at 5:45 letting me know our food was on its way. Why did they call so dang early? I think I had it set for somewhere around 6:15 – 6:30. I had my alarm set to wake up accordingly, but I guess they want you to know it’s coming. So we got up and didn’t do much, expecting food to be here at any minute.

I went out to the balcony and took some pictures. Ok, A LOT of pictures of the sunrise.

Still no breakfast, so we started to get dressed and ready.

Look there is land in sight.

Finally we got a knock at the door. The guy was very friendly and apologized for running behind. He said it was a crazy morning for room service. It arrived pretty much at the time we had it scheduled for, so no complaints about that.

We dug in and ate and then I went up top to watch us get closer to port. Of course I took more pictures.

As we got closer, I also took some more pictures around the ship.

 

[jenseib]

I just love watching us pull closer to port from the top of the ship. I am always amazed how empty it is too. Sure there are others up there, but not many.

I can just make out a Carnival ship in the distance.

My land shots are not that great, but it didn’t stop me from taking them.

And while walking by the basketball court I felt the need to get a shot of that.

Playing around with the camera now.

More shots while walking around.

These comfy chairs were just outside of the Quiet Cove. Mary’s girls loved this area and usually snatched some chairs here each day. They would never leave them either. It was funny. They would take turns eating and going to the bathroom so they wouldn’t lose the beloved seats.

The hair braiding station. I’m gonna let you in on a secret…..I LOVE hair braiding. Now not the full head look, but the headband look. I have loved it for years and I had it down when I was in the Bahamas many years ago. I also used to have 2 different friends who could do this and I would often have them do my hair. I think it’s long out of style, but I still love it.

Lisa and I were often confused with the trash cans. We weren’t sure if some things were paper or plastic, or a bit of both. We often just threw things in one or the other. I wonder if they sort this trash out later? I can’t imagine we were the only ones confused.

Here was a restroom I had not spotted earlier.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Just got caught up after being away four days. As always, your pictures are amazing, even the ones that you consider to be not-so-good.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

I used to do the braided hairband thing also. I was in high school, which was in the mid 60s. I was the first in my high school to do hair this way.

 

[jenseib]

Just got caught up after being away four days. As always, your pictures are amazing, even the ones that you consider to be not-so-good.

Thats OK, I am still working at catching up with yours. I have all these demands at home, like feed me, take me to school, talk to me...and it is interfearing with my catch up time.

I used to do the braided hairband thing also. I was in high school, which was in the mid 60s. I was the first in my high school to do hair this way.

I just love the look and it's so easy to wash and go. You will see how much I love it in a few days.

 

[brookelizabeth]

Cuba was watching us?! I remember sitting at Topsiders (with Carolyn maybe???) and we wondering that same thing!! Several planes and helicopters all around us. Where did you hear they were watching us? How strange! Disney boat - scarrrrrrrrry....

Wonderful sunrise and early morning shots! I just LOVE the sunrise and sunset over the ocean. Sigh. I am ready to cruise again right now!

 

[jenseib]

I did a little more exploring, making my way back towards our room.

Lisa and I packed what we needed and headed off to our meeting place for our excursion, which if memory serves me right was Diversions.

As we walked down I got a quick shot out the port hole.

We found some seats and settled in.

Not long after we got there, Brook showed up as well. It was just the 3 of us going on this Port Adventure. We checked in and they announced that they were selling water bottles out in the hallway, so I ran out and got the 3 of us each 1. Of course I was trying to hurry and the guy in front of me was slow as can be, pulling out his phone to calculate a tip as this was all done on paper and not the computer. Im sorry, but if they can't have it automated, they don't need a tip for water .....but I will tell you I never left one, but one was calculated in on my bill when I checked it later.

Soon we were heading off the ship. In Grand Cayman you have to tender to port. They don't allow the ship to get too close because of their coral reefs. If you had an excursion planned, you were taken right to a tender. If you did not, they had a meeting spot set up to get tickets to tender off till a certain time in the morning. I don't think they want a mad rush of people trying to get off at the same time.
We were the Minnie group, so we followed the Minnie sign out to the tender.

Brook wanted a picture with the ship behind her.

Seeing the ship out here in the middle of the ocean really makes you realize just how big she is.

Without seeing her compared next to the Dream, I didn't think she looked very small at all.

We found some seats and soon we were off.

I really tried to take pictures of the ship as we pulled away, but it was impossible. Too many heads or poles in the way.

We saw the Carnival ship parked not too far from us.

Good bye Magic.

Hello Grand Cayman.

This couldve been a cool shot if there werent poles and people in it.

It didn't take long and soon we were at the dock.

We were told to gather at the wall with our Minnie sign guy.

While we waited, I took a few more pictures ......imagine that.

And then we started a walk through town.

Look how tall that guy in the blue is .....Wow!

 

[jenseib]

Cuba was watching us?! I remember sitting at Topsiders (with Carolyn maybe???) and we wondering that same thing!! Several planes and helicopters all around us. Where did you hear they were watching us? How strange! Disney boat - scarrrrrrrrry....

Wonderful sunrise and early morning shots! I just LOVE the sunrise and sunset over the ocean. Sigh. I am ready to cruise again right now!

I think it was on Cruise critic if I remember right. I think they said that a little boat came out too and sort of unofficially escorted us past the island.

I am ready to cruise again too. I think it's my new addiction.

 

[CurtisB]

Loving your trip report! We actually head out on the Magic this Saturday. Your TR is getting me even more excited!

That helicopter was actually a MH-60 helicopter, a US one! It was probably out of Guantanamo Bay.

 

[mousetravel]

I finally got caught up again!! Loving your pictures!!
Now, off to your new TR!!!

 

[jenseib]

Loving your trip report! We actually head out on the Magic this Saturday. Your TR is getting me even more excited!

That helicopter was actually a MH-60 helicopter, a US one! It was probably out of Guantanamo Bay.

Interesting. That could be.

Have fun! it was a really fun cruise and I wish I could go back right now.

I finally got caught up again!! Loving your pictures!!
Now, off to your new TR!!!

Thanks!

 

[BEARCATS07]

All caught back up!! We are leaving on the 8th of December and this is getting me excited!!

 

[dizneeat]

So fun to come along with you!
I really need to take notes of your excursions for our summer cruises. Does tendering take up a lot of time? We have never had to do that, so I don't know if I am going to like it.
Cannot wait for more!

 

[mom2rtk]

Confused by the trash cans, huh? LOL. Sounds like something I'd have trouble with!

Sunrise definitely looks like the time to be on deck. Just gorgeous. So glad you took ample shots for us to enjoy!

 

[jenseib]

All caught back up!! We are leaving on the 8th of December and this is getting me excited!!

How exciting. I wish we could just take one over Christmas or over Claire's B-day in Dec (10). My husband can be a killjoy, but some day we ARE going to ...right after I win the lottery.

So fun to come along with you!
I really need to take notes of your excursions for our summer cruises. Does tendering take up a lot of time? We have never had to do that, so I don't know if I am going to like it.
Cannot wait for more!

Tendering itself is probably not much longer than walking down the long piers, but waiting for the boat and laoding and unloading does make it take a little longer. We had pretty good luck though this trip. They had a lot going back and forth.
Which ports are you going to?

 

[jenseib]

Confused by the trash cans, huh? LOL. Sounds like something I'd have trouble with!

Sunrise definitely looks like the time to be on deck. Just gorgeous. So glad you took ample shots for us to enjoy!

Yeah, the Dreams are not like that. I understand being green, but we were thoroughly confused.

I never saw a sunset since we were at dinner, but the sunrises were beautiful too.

 

[dizneeat]

Tendering itself is probably not much longer than walking down the long piers, but waiting for the boat and laoding and unloading does make it take a little longer. We had pretty good luck though this trip. They had a lot going back and forth.
Which ports are you going to?

We are doing the Eastern and Western itineraries on the Fantasy and I know some of the ports require tendering. I still haven't made any "in depth" plans for that trip, as I need to get my February vacation sorted out first.

 

[jenseib]

We are doing the Eastern and Western itineraries on the Fantasy and I know some of the ports require tendering. I still haven't made any "in depth" plans for that trip, as I need to get my February vacation sorted out first.

Oh yeah....thats right. It's not bad, but it gives you less control and you rethink going back to the ship for a quick trip. Though some of the piers are so long you rethink walking those too.

 

[jenseib]

We had to walk through a bit of a vendor area and then out some gates.

Even though it was early, they were already trying to get us to buy their goods and direct us to shuttles and taxies that would take us to the beach, but we had our own plans and kept walking. I don’t get why they try to sell things to people who are obviously in a group with an excursion. Do they seriously think we are going to stop and leave the group to buy their things at that moment?

The walk wasn’t too far, but for those who have trouble it might be a little bit far for you. There was actually a guy that had braces on his legs and he seemed to have a bit of trouble keeping up and took a break once or twice, but he never complained one bit.

Of course the whole time we were walking I was taking pictures to the left and right. Not much thought in framing or how they would turn out, just pointing and clicking.

We saw this ship and a little boy told his parents that he could tell that was a “real” pirate ship.

Looking back from where we came.