Morgan3701

Thank you for such an interesting review.. You have a talent for words and photography. Safe travels... We go to Barcelona in May 2018 and just beginning the research process. Thank you again.

You can expect lots of photography options. It is a good time to have a formal picture taken to document a special event. (Birthday) Lines are usually not long and lots of background choices for no sitting fee.. Easy :)

Enjoy your vacation.. Read and plan.. that is half the fun for me.

Do plan for fog. I love sailing out of Galveston but coming back into port to car or shuttle can be delayed by fog conditions

Hilton Rose Hall is wonderful. We stayed at the all inclusive but when cruise passengers came in there was plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the water. It has beach, beautiful gardens and Lazy River.

Usually the day you board is casual in the MDR.. That would be the best way to get your cake.. It is far more relaxed for everyone. Buffet has variety and usually easy to find things that appeal to everyone. My one pet peeve though is the amount of food people waste on the cruise vacation. MDR has more reasonable portions but very time consuming.

We were in Mahogany Bay Jan 13 - 15 and used Jolly Roger Roatan Catamaram Sailing and Snorkeling excursion with Carnival. It was amazing. We had the best Snorkeling ever. We saw so many varieties of coral and sea life. I felt like we were given more time in the water than the usual Catamaran trip. They were very helpful to our needs, served a lunch and drinks after we were finished snorkeling. I would highly recommend this group. After the excursion we still had time to shop and use the beach near the cruise port.

We loved this evening. The music was great very good. dancing and costumes were authentic. The show had humor and with a smaller crowd we really felt entertained. We enjoyed the food. I enjoyed being out on the lawn in Jan.

We are considering renting a car for one day. Are there turn outs or off road parking for photograph or nature observations. Is parking a problem at beach areas, light house, etc. Thank you.

We stayed at Holiday Inn Port of Miami It was very comfortable. A CVS is one block away to get liquor and supplies. We enjoyed their restaurant for breakfast buffet. We went to Bayside Market Mall for supper and drinks the night before we set sail. They had a band and people were dancing and enjoying themselves. It was only $12 cab fair to the cruise ship. Easy!

Pilots are working endlessly to get passengers where they need to be. Even if the storm does not go as predicted there will be back-ups and delays. We always fly in a day or two early to allow time to drive if the weather is unreasonable. I'd drive south and arrange for hotel in Miami. We always get insurance too.

I would get live entertainment from local performers at the ports we are visiting. It might be possible to use performing art schools for bands and vocalist to entertain on the lido deck, especially on sea days. I always enjoy listening and singing with piano bar muscians and watching people dance.

I would continue MD meals with table cloths and business casual or formal attire required. It is a must for those who appreciate nice dining. Other options are available in the pizza area or buffet.

We did it Jan 2013 with no problem. Yes, luggage was bulky but we had few fellow passengers so we had plenty of space. We stayed at Holiday Inn POM and had a two block walk to the hotel.. No problem and saved money to waste at Bayside Market later that evening. It depends upon how pampered you want to be treated and how much physical activity you are used to.