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Legend on a shoestring - May 6 cruise

Katoo

By Katoo,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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Katoo

Katoo

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The Friday night miracle.

 

After dinner and a walk around with vodka tonics, John was pretty tired and wanted to go to bed early, but I was hyper. Because we at this point were well under budget, I took a 20 dollar bill down to the casino and thought I'd play a little bit of video poker. Third hand in, I DREW a straight flush. Banked the winnings, and then loaded another $20. I played until the luck went south and turned that $20 into $460 over Friday night and Saturday afternoon. This was pretty much in 20 minute increments and very sporadic. I probably played 2 hours total over a two day period. At one point, I got 3 4 of a kinds, pretty much right in a row. I've never had luck like that and probably never will again. You should have seen my husband's face on Saturday night when I cashed out my account after dinner. Unbelieveably, we walked off the ship with more cash then we walked on with. So that was exciting.

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Katoo

Katoo

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Saturday. Are you kidding me? It's almost over?

 

What can I say? It's a day of lasts. It's bittersweet. Packing up is awful. Hearing the waiters sing THAT SONG is awful. I find myself wondering if people who do B2B's feel that weirdly sad after a SECOND cruise.

 

On Saturday, we tried to do stuff we had been telling ourselves we'd do all week but had never gotten around to. We played miniature golf in the wind. We ate lunch in the dining room. We even swung on a hammock in the Serenity area.

 

And sighed. A lot.

 

We bought an FCC. We bought some booze to take home. I finished my third book of the week. Hey, I read fast. Our final bill was under $100. My winnings covered it and the FCC and still had money left over.

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Katoo

Katoo

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Sunday. It's Mother's Day and you are kicking me off the ship? The NERVE!

 

To me, the very minute I leave the room for the very last time, I don't feel like I belong on the ship anymore. Sitting on the Lido, waiting for your number to get called, and you feel like you are homeless. Luggage is long gone, and your carrying just your carry-on around and wondering how it's possible that a week has flown by so fast.

 

As is my usual habit, as I leave the terminal I glance down at the line of people waiting to board and feel intensely envious that it is all in front of them...and behind me.

 

I'll post a few final thoughts and some links to some videos in a while. I need to take a break.

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Katoo

Katoo

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Some final thoughts:

 

When we first realized we needed to stay within a strict budget, I thought it was not going to be as much fun as usual. What is a cruise without DOD's, expensive excursions, the spa, the steakhouse, and on and on.

 

Well. I was wrong. We had a wonderful time, as good, if not better, than any of our cruise experiences. We had a very relaxing time, and saw wonderful things in the ports, ate well, slept great, it was romantic, it was pretty doggone perfect for us. If you looked at my pictures, you will see that I am always grinning.

 

I'm not a Carnival cheerleader, but Carnival is enough for us, at least for now. Despite the cutbacks both from Carnival and from our own finances, we still had a wonderful balcony room, wonderful steward, wonderful waitstaff, the sound and beauty of the ocean, interesting experiences, and a variety of ports to see. Those things won't go away and those things are the "why" of why I love to cruise.

 

In spite of doing it on the cheap, we tipped for room service, left our autotips in place and tipped our steward extra, because it's the right thing to do.

 

I feel very strange to not have a cruise booked, and I won't have another booked for a long time. We cruise every two years, and the 2014 schedule for past April is not out yet.

 

Cruise Critic has been important to me while I have had a cruise booked, and I imagine I'll be not here as frequently for a while.

 

But I'll be back. I hope you enjoyed my review and I am happy to answer any questions.

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GeorgiaMomof4

GeorgiaMomof4

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Kate -

 

I absolutely loved your review. You have such a great outlook and seem to look at a lot of things the same way I do. My family and I are going on the Legend in October and I believe you and John should take some of those winnings and come join us on the Legend again! We would have a blast!

 

I'm trying to budget also, but with bringing 4 kids along I'm not doing so well! I'm trying though!

 

We are trying for a 3rd time this August to make it to Roatan too - hopefully the 3rd time will be a charm for us as well!

 

Once again - loved the review - thanks for taking the time to do it.

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grealock

grealock

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I loved your post. This year is our 15th anniversary and we were suppose to go to Paris (my dream city) but budgets and life happens. We are taking our girls (6 and 11) on their first cruise on a budget, and your blog really show the importance of the trip is to just relax and have fun. Thanks!

 

Beth

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wrigley80

wrigley80

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Great Review. I was on the Legend in December with the same ports of call except we went to Grand Cayman first and it looked like you guys went on your second to last day.

We also went to Victor Bodden's for the day in Roatan. I really enjoyed Roatan and I would definitely go back there again

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