Cruise
Diva's CRUISE DIARY
Carnival
Glory
July 14-19, 2003 ~ Inaugural 5-Night Cruise
by Linda Coffman
(Part 3)
A
"Fun Day" at Sea
 |
|
Pierside
in Cozumel,
Mexico |
Carnival Glory
alternates Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings and our maiden
voyage was unique with two ports of call in Mexico and two sea days.
Our final day at sea began with a
trip to the spa and gym and the hours ahead offered an array of
choices. From a galley tour to active and not-so-active games and
activities, we could play trivia, Bingo, and Shipboard Survivor (which
unlucky passenger would end up "overboard"?), participate in
a Scavenger Hunt, attend an art auction, watch the Marriage Show, or
enjoy a classical concert. I attended some of the indoor pursuits
while Lori spent time enjoying the antics on the Lido deck.
One thing we agreed upon
sharing was lunch in Fish & Chips where the menu includes not only the
namesake cider-batter fried fish filets and traditional chips, but
also fried blue point oysters, bouillabaisse, calamari with Maui onion
fritters, tiger shrimp, and cold appetizers and salads. Delicious! A
nice touch during peak serving times in the buffet areas are waiters
circulating with a beverage cart for drink refills.
With so many things to
fill our day, Lori and I missed the cruise director's Debarkation
Talk; however, when we met up in our cabin to prepare for dinner, we
watched the taped session on television. We were quite pleased to
learn that we would be able to leave the ship early since we could
easily carry (or roll) all our own luggage off. We planned ahead to
pack light and use our airline's online check-in system, which we
accessed from the Internet cafe on Carnival Glory to print our own
boarding passes. We saved a lot of time and the hassle of waiting in
lines by doing so and the early debarkation meant we could catch the
first bus to the Orlando airport.
Pleased with our plans,
we packed and dressed for a final, festive dinner in the Golden
Restaurant. Once again, we were struck by the understated decor—particularly
the lovely Japanese-inspired cherry blossom murals—and how good the
food was.
For a grand finale, we
attended "Rock Down Broadway," the second of two new shows
created especially for Carnival Glory and premiered during our
sailing. The performers were even more
striking than the costumes, scenery, and special effects... Lori and I
turned to one another and asked, "Why don't they have recording
contracts?" Really! With their extraordinary talent, they ended
our cruise on a high note.
Debarkation
As smooth as the sea had
been throughout our voyage. "Walk-offs" were called at 8:15
am and by 9:00 am we were on our way to the airport.
Bon Voyage!
More --> Take the Carnival
Glory Photo Tour
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Glory Cruise Diary (Part 1)
Carnival
Glory Cruise Diary (Part 2)
