Cruise
Diva's CRUISE DIARY
Carnival Miracle
February 29-March 1, 2004 ~ Inaugural 3-Night Cruise
by Linda Coffman
Part Two
Nick
& Nora's
Tucked into the base of
her funnel is one of Carnival Miracle's finest features—Nick
& Nora's supper club. It's a chic and sophisticated restaurant with an elegant ambiance
and, best of all, serves superb meals!
Our server greeted us
with a tray displaying the evening's entrees... anyone familiar with
big-city steakhouses will recognize such a presentation. All steaks
are hand selected, USDA Prime, and dry aged for 30 days to insure
perfection. In addition to huge New York strip, Porterhouse, and Filet
Mignon steaks, other choices included Alaskan King Crab Claws, Chilean
Sea Bass, Broiled Free Range Chicken, Grilled Lamb Chops, milk-fed
Broiled Veal Chop, Lobster Tail, and Surf & Turf.
I began with a selection
of starters—escargots baked in
brioche, wrapped in rice paper, and classic Bourguignonne style,
followed by a creamy lobster bisque, and classic Caesar salad. The Surf
& Turf, a petit filet and lobster tail were exquisite—succulent
lobster and meat that didn't require a steak knife. A trio of crème
brûlée was the perfect dessert. Each course was served with a
flourish on unique china and the presentation was worthy of one of the
best meals I've been served on any cruise ship. Dinner in Nick &
Nora's is a must-do and the nominal cover charge is a
steal. For an added touch of romance, live music provides the
opportunity to dance between courses.
For once, after dinner I
skipped the stairs. The clear treads on a winding staircase were just
a bit intimidating to negotiate in high heels.
The decor on Carnival
Miracle is "themed" (as are all Carnival ships) and, while
the theme is based on famous fictional icons, a secondary theme could
be music—it's everywhere on board!
A Day
at Sea
More accurately, a half day
at sea as
Carnival Miracle sailed for Jacksonville at noon.
Whatever
problems plagued room service the previous day were resolved and my
fresh fruit and coffee arrived promptly as ordered. It was a lovely
morning to enjoy the balcony and simply relax. Later there would be
time for trivia, pool games, dance lessons, the passenger talent show,
and more, but the early morning meant tranquility and solitude.
After we set sail, I
chose the poolside Grill for lunch. With burgers and fries in hand, I
had no trouble finding a shaded table with a view overlooking the
stern. That meant passing through the length of Horatio's Restaurant,
but the area adjacent to the Orpheus Pool is quieter. I discovered
afterward that the music of 'Total Eclipse' (playing at the Ulysses
Pool) invaded my quiet balcony so I grabbed my book and found a comfy
chair in Gatsby's Garden, the delightful enclosed "winter
garden" forward on Promenade Deck. I found myself staring out to
sea... My mystery novel wasn't terribly compelling so I decided to
check out the activities inside.
In the post-9/11 era,
Bridge tours are seldom offered on cruise ships, but I found a tour of
Carnival Miracle's galley listed in the Carnival Capers. Wow! It
positively gleams! No wonder the ship scored 97 (out of 100) points on
the Vessel Sanitation Program inspection conducted by the United
States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Afterward, there
were so many things to choose from that I peeked in on a few (Win,
Lose or Draw, a spa demonstration, and Win a Cruise Bingo!) and when I
passed through Jeeves Lounges, I noticed the pastry cart and lingered
for tea.
With so many things to
fill the day, I missed the cruise director's Debarkation Talk;
however, I caught the
taped session on television while in my cabin preparing for dinner. I was pleased to learn that I could
leave the ship early since I could easily carry (or roll) all my own
luggage off.
That's
Entertainment!
Packed and dressed, it
was time for a final, festive dinner in the Bacchus Restaurant. I was
struck once again by the festive decor and attention to detail—and
how good the food was. In the spirit of a true bacchanal, our
Maitre 'D broke into song and the waiters and their assistants
weren't far behind.
For a grand finale, I
attended "Ticket to Ride," a tribute to the Beatles in the
Phantom Show Lounge. It was uncanny how well the singers and Miracle
Dancers captured the spirit of the Fab Four, considering most of them
probably weren't even born when the Beatles burst onto the music
scene!
A last stroll on the
indoor Promenade Deck, with stops to say 'bye to the White Rabbit in
The Mad Hatter's Ball and Frankie in Dr. Frankenstein's Disco, and I
was off to dreamland.
Debarkation
If I had one complaint,
it was that my cruise was too short. I didn't have long to wait after
a made-to-order omelet for breakfast in Horatio's and it was time to
leave.
Porters were plentiful
in the terminal for those who needed assistance. I didn't need much
help with my suitcases... but they did have to keep an eye on me so I
wouldn't sneak back on board!
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Miracle Cruise Diary (Part 1)
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