Nothing says winter break like a five day cruise to the Caribbean! Seems like half of the state of Georgia thought the same thing, as we were surrounded by families also enjoying their break from school. We boarded our Carnival Fun Ship in Tampa, heading for warmer weather in Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
Cruising is always a fun way to travel; offering good food, fun entertainment and exciting ports of call. We have been on several different cruise lines and Carnival rates in the family friendly economy line of cruises. While they aren’t as posh as some of the other cruise lines, their food is quite tasty and their casual fun makes for a great trip. We were on one of the mid-size ships, Carnival Paradise, with about 2,000 passengers. One unfortunate feeling we had was that there was always a line for food, drink, deck chairs, etc. Improvements to the flow and availability of amenities would have improved our experience. That being said, we still had a fabulous time! As with any travel experience, it is what you make of it. We went with fun in mind and were not disappointed. We took advantage of all of the entertainment offerings, soaked up the sun and even came home with a coveted “ship on a stick” trophy for our trivia prowess. The food didn’t disappoint either, especially the Guy Fieri burgers and fries, the tacos at BlueIguana Cantina and of course we ate our weight in ice cream! I highly recommend downloading the Carnival app so that you have access to the entertainment schedule, floor map and even a quick check on how much money you have been charging.
Grand Cayman
After our first day at sea, the first port of call was Grand Cayman. We boarded the tender which transported us to the port, from there we didn’t have anything specific planned so just decided to wander the streets of George Town. We did some shopping, had a drink at Margaritaville (if you stop here, pack your bathing suit and enjoy their in restaurant water slide), admired the beautiful stained glass inside Elmslie Memorial United Church, and finally enjoyed a delicious lunch at Paradise Seaside Grill. The nicest part of our lunch spot was it’s breathtaking view of the blue water. If you are feeling more adventurous you can enjoy a side trip to Seven Mile Beach or swim with the stingrays at Stingray City. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you allow for enough time to catch your return tender back to the ship.
Cozumel
Next stop, Cozumel, Mexico. After a very frustrating debarkation, with a nearly 40 minute wait, we hurried off the ship for our excursion. We booked a snorkeling trip on our own, not through Carnival, which turned out to be a highlight of our trip. The small, family owned Cozumel Cruise Excursions won major points on the service meter when they waited for us after we were 30 minutes late for our scheduled departure. We booked the tour online, where only a deposit is paid, upon arrival the remaining balance due is paid in cash, so be sure to plan accordingly. Our party of five joined another group of four for an intimate, very personal snorkeling adventure. The four-hour tour included three snorkeling stops to explore reefs and then a stop at a beach area where our boat captain prepared fresh guacamole and cut up pineapple. I’m not sure how he made guacamole in the middle of the ocean but it was delicious! After our snorkeling adventure, we explored some of the shops that Cozumel had to offer before returning to the ship.
Our final day was spent at sea as we sailed back to Tampa. The boys enjoyed one more day of fun on the 3 water slides, they even talked Grandma into it! We played a few more rounds of Trivia, lost a few dollars in the casino, and sang late into the night at the piano bar (Warning: piano bar is not kid friendly). We did a quick check on our account balance on the Carnival app, and after yelling at the 12 year old for spending $50 at the arcade, we were pleased to find that we guessed correct in not purchasing the drink package. At $52/day per adult we would each have had to drink 6-7 drinks a day, even the days where we were off the ship for most of the day, and for our casual drinkers it just wasn’t worth it. The last night of the cruise also means you have to pack, we found that we overpacked, as we were putting clean clothes back into the suitcases. If you want your luggage carried off and waiting for you in the terminal you will have to pick up luggage tags with timed departure windows, they appeared to be first come first served so if you don’t get your tags early you may find yourself waiting around most of the morning. We decided to carry our own luggage off so that we could be first off the boat. Customs was a breeze and before we knew it we were back in the car heading north, back to the cold and rain in Georgia. Goodbye sunshine, until our next adventure!
