Carnival Liberty 11/24!! Diary and Review

[CruisingSoon88]

Thanks for your review! I am really enjoying it. I just wanted to ask your thoughts as we are considering the Liberty and the Half Moon Cay itinerary. I'm not sure how old all of your children are, but I did see that you have a 7 year old? We have a 7 year old and a 4 year old. They have been on 2 cruises on the Dream so far and we are going on the Breeze in April. I would love to go to Half Moon Cay thus the need to change ships. My concern is that my kids will be disappointed with the smaller water works and slides on the Liberty. Anytime that you ask them what they liked best about our cruises, they always say the slides. I understand that you went on a kidless cruise, but did you think that your kids would have liked the Liberty as much after going on the Dream? My husband and I went without the kids on the Valor, but thats been a few years and before the 2.0 upgrades. I feel that I pick a specific cruise for different reasons at different times. Sometimes its for the destinations and sometimes its for the ship. I'm just not sure that a day at Half Moon Cay will make up for what the Liberty is missing versus a Dream class ship. I would appreciate any thoughts that you may have. Again, thanks for your time on this review!:)

[cakerbakermom]

Hi CruisingSoon88

We were on this same cruise with our children ages 6 and 8. Mind you, this was their first cruise and thus no comparison to other ships. However, they were very happy! My 6yo never went down slide but 8yo loved it. As for the pool, we never played in them.....either too crowded, closed, or just didn't fit into our schedule. We would never let them go in alone, unlike other parents :/

My kids LOVED this itinerary. They loved Camp Carnival, loved going to the ocean at HMC and Grand Turk. I took too many little toys, so this was good and kept them entertained at the beach. Bring along buckets, shovels (a must!), water rings -- those were the best purchases. Kids had snorkel sets they played with, minus the flippers (they were space hogs so we left at home). Grand Turk had a great swimming pool, wishing we had spent more time there than the beach. Perfect for kids!

[MIZZ_K]

[quote name='Catrin'][SIZE="3"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][/COLOR][/SIZE]
Hello Everyone..... We have been home for almost a month now.. and I am so late writing this review. Coming home on December 1st.. and back to work in the middle of the Christmas Season is not easy! So.. finally... I am taking advantage of a snow storm in the Northeast to start my review. This review will be a day to day diary of our trip... I do this for very selfish reasons, as it is fun to read years later!!! Please be patient, as it may take a few days for me to complete.

My husband, Steve and I (Cathy), sailed on the Carnival Liberty on November 24th. This was our 20th Anniversary Cruise. It was our 13th cruise, all on Carnival... our first being our Honeymoon 20 years ago on the Ecstasy! This was our first cruise since 2005 without our kids! We were looking forward to doing... well... NOTHING on this cruise! It was a week to unwind, relax, sleep, chill out and to avoid Camp Carnival at all costs!
Booking...
We booked this Cruise last November, more than a year out. This was the LONGEST we have ever waited to cruise! The reason why we booked so early is that Steve really wanted to have a Corner Aft Balcony room. This was one of our special treats to ourselves (and boy was it!). We booked Early Saver and originally booked Deck 6, as the two cabins on Deck 7 were booked. We chose the Liberty because of the itinerary... we really wanted to go to Half Moon Cay and Grand Turk, two places we had never been in our 12 previous cruises. We had been on the Liberty once before, in 2008 - and it had been a favorite ship. The Conquest class is my favorite class of ships - tons to do, but not as crowded as the Dream, which we went on in 2011.

Planning....and making new friends...
Booking so early, I immediately joined the already established roll call. This roll call,quiet at first.. really took a life of its own early in 2012. Many of the members ventured over to the "Social Media Website that shall not be named". Here, we were able to chat daily and people started making plans for meet and greets, etc. I found getting excited for our trip with a bunch of strangers was fun!

Early Saver....
The price of our cruise kept going UP AND UP all year... until 3 weeks before our trip. Then, little by little, we saw drops. Others kept on commenting on terrific On Board Credit deals.. and eventually our Corner Aft room saw some reductions as well.... the last one with only a week to sail. It was not much, but we were able to board with $100 from Future Cruise Certificate and $110 for a Cabin Price Reduction. If you know exactly when you are cruising and are set on that date.. Early Saver is the only way to go!!

So.. that is our background!!
Hang tight flights, hotel in FLL and DAY ONE!!
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322749989/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8214/8322749989_be148fb39f.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322749989/]IMG_1477[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr

Catrin[/QUOTE]

I love The Liberty, just sailed her in August with my granddaughter and sailing her again solo in February for my 50th birthday.

[BlondeCruiser24]

Your review just keeps getting better! Love the pictures! As I mentioned before we sail out on the Liberty this weekend...woo hoo! We unfortunately will not be visiting Half Moon Cay, we are going to Nassau instead...but hopefully I can visit HMC another time because it looks wonderful! Can't wait to read more!

[Georgiagolfer]

Catrin, really nice review. DW and I have sailed Liberty 2X and she is our favorite CCL ship. As for HMC, it is just beautiful. We have been several times, but yet to book a Cabana. Just can't seem to justify spending the $$$ for this.

Looking forward to the rest of the review.

[KirkWN737]

Loved your review. The Liberty is a wonderful ship.

[Catrin]

[quote name='CruisingSoon88']Thanks for your review! I am really enjoying it. I just wanted to ask your thoughts as we are considering the Liberty and the Half Moon Cay itinerary. I'm not sure how old all of your children are, but I did see that you have a 7 year old? We have a 7 year old and a 4 year old. They have been on 2 cruises on the Dream so far and we are going on the Breeze in April. I would love to go to Half Moon Cay thus the need to change ships. My concern is that my kids will be disappointed with the smaller water works and slides on the Liberty. Anytime that you ask them what they liked best about our cruises, they always say the slides. I understand that you went on a kidless cruise, but did you think that your kids would have liked the Liberty as much after going on the Dream? My husband and I went without the kids on the Valor, but thats been a few years and before the 2.0 upgrades. I feel that I pick a specific cruise for different reasons at different times. Sometimes its for the destinations and sometimes its for the ship. I'm just not sure that a day at Half Moon Cay will make up for what the Liberty is missing versus a Dream class ship. I would appreciate any thoughts that you may have. Again, thanks for your time on this review!:)[/quote]

Hi there..
My boys have been on 9 cruises, and my 7 year old, 7. They have loved all ships, with exception of the Pride. They have been on the Liberty in 2008, The Victory in 2007, The Triumph in 2003, 2004 and 2009 and the Glory in 2010. The kids area on the Dream was our favorite... because it was so big. We loved the location of Camp Carnival and the Club o2 and Circle C rooms. But I think if they came with us, they would love the Liberty too. They have always loved the slide... and woudl have loved Guys Burgers, etc.
Half Moon Cay would have been a fund day with them. We would have done a few things differently, however. If we had a Cabana, we would have picked 6-9 - as it is a bit closer to the action. They would have had fun watching the beach olympics, etc. All the kids on this cruise, although few, all looked happy!
We had to make the same choice once.. we decided to go on a "Smaller" ship.. the Inspiration, after going on the Liberty in 2008. But, they loved it nonetheless. Kids have a way of finding the good in any situation!
Catrin

[Catrin]

Back to the Review!

We returned to the ship.... relaxed and exhausted at the same time... it is amazing what a day at the beach can do!! We had enough time to settle back into our cabin and watch us sail away from the wonderful Half Moon Cay. Before we knew it, it was time to get read for dinner!

Dinner was not formal night this night, which was a change for us. Usually, we had been on cruises where Formal night was the second night.. so this cruise Day2 and Day3 menu were switched. I had my favorite soup, French Onion, the every day Spring Rolls and Jerk Pork Loin. This ended up being one of my favorites all week. I usually do not like spicy food, but I felt it was done just right!

A note on the food overall in the Dining Room. Food was HOT. And done perfectly each night. We were very pleased this cruise, after an "OK" experience on the Dream last year. I think it had to do with the attendance on this particular cruise. While the dining room was full, it was not overcrowded with kids and large groups. I think that makes a difference!

After dinner, there was a Juggling Show with Maneul Zuniga. We had seen him years ago and had plans to go again.... but at 9pm something happened. I hit a wall. I am not sure what happened, but I became lethargic and had a hard time keeping my eyes open! I actually felt strange. I am not sure, but I think the combo of Bonine and Ginger Pills was making me very sleepy... I usually take them first thing in the morning, but did not take them until we were leaving Half Moon Cay. So lesson be learned... I ended up in bed at 9:30 - early night!!

[Butterbean1000]

i so love reading Liberty reviews. We leave on her 2/23/13.

[Catrin]

Oh terrific.. I just wrote the entire Day at sea and hit the wrong button and lost it all....

Let's try this again...(this time I am going to write it in Word and save it first!).

Be back soon, I hope!!

Thanks for the feedback so far, it is great to know others are enjoying this. If there are any other questions please let me know!

Catrin

[FunShipFan]

Loving your review. I was on this itinerary on the Liberty and stayed in the same room you did! I also had a cabana on Half Moon Cay. Reading your review is like re-living the cruise. Thank you!

[Catrin]

[U][SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Monday November 26th – Day at Sea[/FONT][/SIZE][/U]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]We really did not have a lot of plans this day (surprise! surprise!) except a planned Slot Pull with the CC Roll Call Group. Our goal was to just enjoy the ship, relax, hang out, do nothing. Perfect Day! [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I woke up feeling terrific. It is amazing what a good night sleep on those wonderful Carnival beds would do!! Crazy as I am, I got dressed for the gym. I am a 6-7 day a week gym person lately, and I had not been on an elliptical in five days, so I was due! Now, the gym is at the front of the ship.. which is Danger Zone for me. I did take my Bonine and ginger, just in case. Luckily, I was able to find an elliptical that was facing a wall, rather than the windows. Going on an elliptical, seeing the seas going up and down….. would have been a nightmare!! So… 45 minutes with the Foo Fighters and I had a great workout. The gym has plenty of treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, free weights, etc. It was not that busy when I got there, but by the time I left, all machines were taken.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]By the time I got back to the room, Steve was up and dressed. I got ready for the day and we went to the Lido Deck for breakfast. There are many lines for omelets on the Lido Deck, so do not get in a line before you check out the others! Egg White Omelets with toast and bacon today… cooked perfectly! We always like breakfast on the Lido Deck.. some days we are just happy with cereal, and others eggs etc. Something for everyone here! [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]After breakfast… Steve wanted to go to Serenity. That sounded perfect to me, so I went back to the room to grab my Kindle.. and the plan was to meet Steve back there. But… well… I lost him!! I could not find him, so I found a couch in the shade at Serenity and I read my terrific book. I kept looking out for him, however.. but no such luck! At 11:45 I decided to go to the shopping talk in the main lounge to hear what they had to say about St. Thomas and San Juan… but .. 10 minutes into it I realized it was still a marketing gimmick and I had heard it all before. So I went back to the room. In the room??.... Steve, fast asleep!! He went to the SECOND LEVEL of the Serenity Area to the Hottubs!! I never even looked there. Well, by this time, it was a little after noon time, and I realized we were late for the slot pull! To the casino![/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]The Slot Pull was an organized event from the CC and FB groups. For $10.00 entry fee, each person got to pull 3 times on a $1.00 Wheel of Fortune Machine with 3 credits. When everyone was done (over 60 participants!) the pot was split and the person getting the largest score won the extra dollar fee. In the end, we got back $8.00 each … so for $2.00 it was a lot of fun cheering everyone on and meeting some more people from the roll call group! [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]The slot pull took quite a while… and by time it ended we were ready for lunch! We had our coupons for the free drink that is given to past guests, so with 20 minutes to spare, we decided to try the Punchliner Brunch. If we did not have that free drink, most likely we would have grabbed something from the buffet, or even another Guys burger.. but we decided to try it. We were seated immediately, as there was hardly anyone there. The menu was quite different…. We certainly wanted lunch and not breakfast. I had the tomato soup and mac and cheese. The soup was terrific, but I did not like the mac and cheese. Steve ended up with some kind of Mexican egg dish that he really liked. Now for the drink… we got Bud Light. One for Steve with his lunch and one not opened for him for later! Beer would not have been our first choice, but the price of beer was out of control this cruise compared to our past cruises. It was actually more for a beer than some mixed drinks! [/FONT][/SIZE]
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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322785437/]IMG_1513[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323844830/]IMG_1514[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Something happened during lunch, which got our full attention. During lunch, we heard chimes to signify and announcement was going to be made. Whatever those chimes were, they got the attention of every waiter in the dining room and everyone stopped. The Captain came online and started to tell all passengers and crew that the ship was experiencing propulsion problems and that we were going to go straight to San Juan instead of St. Thomas. We thought “well that explains it” as we knew we were going slower than normal. We just looked at each other and said.. Oh that stinks! and that was that. We knew there was nothing we could do, and while disappointed, we were still on a cruise and that is all that mattered. We were lucky, because we had been to St. Thomas three times before…. I do feel bad for those who had special plans or who had booked The Liberty just for St. Thomas. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]So, with lunch done… it was already well into the afternoon. We were having a great day doing nothing!! We went back to our cabin and I grabbed my Kindle, my pillow, a towel and laid out on our deck reading. Perfect relaxation. During this time, I missed going to Tea, which I was looking forward to. It is amazing how time just flies on Sea days. We love just doing nothing all day!![/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Before we knew it, it was time to get ready for Elegant night. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[navybaby1113]

That stinks that you missed St. Thomas. Good for you for having the right attitude about it though!

[Catrin]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]We got ready for Elegant night pretty early. Having early dinner, we knew we wanted to people watch on the Promenade Deck for a bit before dinner. We also love the atmosphere here, meeting the Captain, Cruise Director, etc. While we do miss the Captains cocktail party, it is still nice to see everyone gather before dinner. Dress that night was all across the board. Most people looked wonderful.. in everything from casual dresses to evening gowns. We were dressed in between… a suit for Steve (I think it is the first time worn since last cruise!) and a dress for me. Not as dressed up as we used to get, but still nicely dressed for a lovely dinner.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri][URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323844658/"]IMG_1518[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri][URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322784815/"]IMG_1519[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Dinner was great as usual. Lobster and Prime Rib for Steve, Prime Rib for me. Both cooked perfectly. I had Spaghetti Carbonara for an appetizer… I love those pasta dishes in a smaller serving for a starter. And although I planned on a few desserts, I could not resist one of my favorites the carmalized apples on pastry. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]After dinner, we had picture taken. Notice I said picture, and not pictures! Steve HATES having those formal shots done. Just a guy thing, I think! The deal is ONE picture with a plain background. And that is what we did. We had a terrific photographer, who got it. In and out in five minutes, and a perfect picture. We loved watching others take pictures, however! Some of those poses that people are told to make look uncomfortable!! [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]We decided once again to skip the show…. I was just not in the mood to be in the front of the ship, and we had seen that production twice before. We found ourselves sitting at the Casino bar listing to the band, Music Asia. A typical cruise cover band, we thought they were great!!! They played softer rock, until it was time for a break. Then one of the most fun events happened of the week, the Motown sing along! Karl with a K and his team, passed out trivia sheets and had a Motown trivia contest. Then, while going through the answers, it became a full forced sing a long with everyone in the casino area and Promenade Deck singing. It was SO MUCH FUN!! As soon as the singalong was over, there was a HUGE Crowd, and Music Asia returned with Party Music! It was one of those things that was perfectly choreographed and achieved what it was supposed to do. It took a quiet promenade deck with people just walking to and from dinner into a party. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Let me say something here about Karl with a K, our Cruise Director. In 13 cruises, he has got to be the most visible, energetic Cruise Director we had seen. He was EVERYWHERE, talking to people, always smiling, doing what he needed to do to keep people happy. We loved him and would cruise with him any time!! [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]We ended our night at the Piano Bar with Ben again. He was gathering quite a following and it was late, so the noise was loud and alcohol flowing. People on Carnival, of all ages, were having a great time. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]We ended our night by coming back to our room .. with the nightly towel animal welcoming us. We brought one of our daughters friends with us and took its picture nightly!! She loved the shots we took for her! [/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri][URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323843962/"]IMG_1525[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr[/FONT][/SIZE]

[CruisingSoon88]

[quote]
Hi there..
My boys have been on 9 cruises, and my 7 year old, 7. They have loved all ships, with exception of the Pride. They have been on the Liberty in 2008, The Victory in 2007, The Triumph in 2003, 2004 and 2009 and the Glory in 2010. The kids area on the Dream was our favorite... because it was so big. We loved the location of Camp Carnival and the Club o2 and Circle C rooms. But I think if they came with us, they would love the Liberty too. They have always loved the slide... and woudl have loved Guys Burgers, etc.
Half Moon Cay would have been a fund day with them. We would have done a few things differently, however. If we had a Cabana, we would have picked 6-9 - as it is a bit closer to the action. They would have had fun watching the beach olympics, etc. All the kids on this cruise, although few, all looked happy!
We had to make the same choice once.. we decided to go on a "Smaller" ship.. the Inspiration, after going on the Liberty in 2008. But, they loved it nonetheless. Kids have a way of finding the good in any situation!
Catrin
[/quote]

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm sure that I'm overthinking things and they would enjoy any cruise. Its just our fault by spoiling them on the Dream and Breeze for their first cruises! LOL

[Catrin]

A Couple of random thoughts before I continue on to San Juan....

Missing the Port - We had announcments throughout the day giving us updates of our situation. Finally the Captain did let us know that we were indeed going to miss St. Thomas completely. The plan was to arrive in San Juan at 5PM. They were going to try to fix the ship and let us know the plans from there. We were amazed by the comments made from other passengers. Some were just like us .. it was a "bummer" but they were not going to let that disappointment ruin the week. Others were irate and were demanding to speak to the Cruise Director, Captain, etc. I heard one person in the elevator saying he was going to sue. I guess most passengers do not read their contracts - and most do not realize the ports can be changed or deleted for ANY reason.

Taste Bar and Late Night Snacks - We tried both these new dining adventures a few times. The Taste Bar was set up on the Promenade where the Sushi used to be. Each night there was a tiny cup of soup, or a small plate of something.. each day highlighting a different area - from the Burrito Bar to the Steakhouse, etc. I think if we had late seating, this would be a good snack around 6PM - but not right before dinner.

Late Night Snacks were housed in the aft pool area on the other side of the Pizzeria. In addition to the 24 hour Pizza, they had Buffalo Chicken Sandwhiches and Grilled Ham and Cheese.. with cookies and brownies. Twice we picked these up and had a quick late night snack. Sure is different from the Midnight Buffets 20 years ago - but we thought these items hit the spot!

Pizza - Yes, it was very different than our previous cruises. Thin crust now.. handmade. I did not like it as much as the previous versions.. yet Steve liked it better.

Photo Solicitation - WOW... I think Carnival may be feeling the pinch in this area. We saw very agressive salesmen and ladies trying to get people to pose for photographs all week. Yet we did not see the mobs of people looking for pictures the last day or all week. With high quality digital cameras these days, is getting that perfect cruise shot a thing of the past?

Here are two pictures taken formal night.. one in the Dining Room and the one I made Steve pose for. We purchased 4 pictures total - and saw many more go in the recycle bin.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322871177/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8355/8322871177_ddf49d0dea.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322871177/]2012 Cruise3[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322871391/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8361/8322871391_5a6c08e65c.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322871391/]2012 Cruise[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr

[NHNEV2003]

Missing St. Thomas was disappointing but it still was a great week for us-- just like you guys.

I'm glad we didn't hear from any irate people-- if you cruise there is always the possibility of missing a port-- last year we couldn't get into Grand Cayman-- disappointing, yes--- grounds to sue??

Grow up!

Love this review!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Catrin]

[U]Wednesday St. Thomas.. ummmm.. make that San Juan.[/U]

Today turned into a bonus sea day for us. The Entertainment Staff filled the day with Trivia, games, art auctions, excercize classes, etc. We were due to arrive in San Juan at about 5PM.

I just looked at the Fun Times for this day... and besides going to the gym.. and we did not do too much! We really enjoyed hanging out by the Aft Pool. I parked myself in a lounge chair and Steve went into the pool and hot tub.

Lunch was Fish and Chips ..... I love those Calimari Fritters... BUT>>> they do not love me!! About an hour after our lunch, I was not feeling well, at all!! So, I went back to the room for an afternoon nap.

We started to approach San Juan quite early... we love sailing into this beautiful place and we took some amazing pictures of El Morro and the port.
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[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323843194/"]IMG_1539[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr
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[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322783489/"]IMG_1541[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr

We did not have any plans tonight...at the time, we did not know if the ship was staying in San Juan overnight or if we were going to leave. If the ship was fixed, we would stay overnight and have all day in San Juan on Thursday. If they could not fix the ship, we would leave tonight for a slow journey to Grand Turk.

We decided to get off the ship and walk around.... and go to Senor Frogs for a drink or two. We were off late afternoon... the port area was very crowded, as there was a Holland America ship as well as another ship arriving.
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322783175/"][IMG]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8216/8322783175_6d72af68b2.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322783175/"]IMG_1548[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr

[Catrin]

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323835306/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8212/8323835306_30bfffbd0e.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323835306/]IMG_1550[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323842574/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8216/8323842574_19885e4bca.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323842574/]IMG_1552[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr

We walked around a bit... and laughed at everyone going into the very crowded CVS for sodas, snacks, shampoos..and everything they forgot to bring!! There was another ship in port and one arriving after us. There were an abundance of taxi drivers very agressivly offering tours. We did not want to do much here and we were hoping that we would have all day tomorrow to explore. We ended up at Senor Frogs, which was PACKED! We decided just to get a few drinks and hang out here for a short while. We could have stayed for dinner... but why pay for expensive dinner here, when we could go back to the ship and have dinner for "Free!".
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323842358/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8212/8323842358_8821976f1c.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323842358/]IMG_1556[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322782571/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8220/8322782571_1f043be854.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322782571/]IMG_1558[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr

We did make it back to the ship shortly after 6, changed in record time and made it to the dining room about 6:15. I felt bad for being late, but many arrived after us. The dining room was about half full tonight. This is the night we really got to know our servers. We had the best service.. I think I took one sip out of my water glass and it was being filled again... Just like service used to be!!

After dinner... it was time to go have some fun... with a game of 80's music trivia!! Ok.. I am an 80's music nut. And I have a slew of trophies from previous cruises from music trivia games! We went to the main lounge at 8:30. Because we were in port, there were only games scheduled in the main lounge this night, and no shows. 80's trivia was fun! The questions were difficult.. yet I knew many answers! They asked who had more than 10 and about 10 people stood up. They asked who had more than 13 and 3 stood up. Then they asked who had more than 15 and I was the only one standing.. I WON!! So, another Plastic Ship on a Stick to add to my collection... success!
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841902/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8323841902_55d35730c3.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841902/]IMG_1563[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
After trivia, we went back to the cabin for a quick rest.. then ended up going to the Blue Iguana Mexican Fiesta on the Lido Deck. What a blast. Karl with a K and his team led line dances, a huge conga line and the DJ played fun music. We had a late night snack of nachos at the Blue Iguana bar area.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322782197/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8357/8322782197_e6dcfdc28f.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322782197/]IMG_1567[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr

[mephistoles]

[quote name='Catrin'][URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323835306/"][IMG]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8212/8323835306_30bfffbd0e.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323835306/"]IMG_1550[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323842574/"][IMG]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8216/8323842574_19885e4bca.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323842574/"]IMG_1552[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr

We walked around a bit... and laughed at everyone going into the very crowded CVS for sodas, snacks, shampoos..and everything they forgot to bring!! There was another ship in port and one arriving after us. There were an abundance of taxi drivers very agressivly offering tours. We did not want to do much here and we were hoping that we would have all day tomorrow to explore. We ended up at Senor Frogs, which was PACKED! We decided just to get a few drinks and hang out here for a short while. We could have stayed for dinner... but why pay for expensive dinner here, when we could go back to the ship and have dinner for "Free!".
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323842358/"][IMG]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8212/8323842358_8821976f1c.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323842358/"]IMG_1556[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322782571/"][IMG]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8220/8322782571_1f043be854.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322782571/"]IMG_1558[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr

We did make it back to the ship shortly after 6, changed in record time and made it to the dining room about 6:15. I felt bad for being late, but many arrived after us. The dining room was about half full tonight. This is the night we really got to know our servers. We had the best service.. I think I took one sip out of my water glass and it was being filled again... Just like service used to be!!

After dinner... it was time to go have some fun... with a game of 80's music trivia!! Ok.. I am an 80's music nut. And I have a slew of trophies from previous cruises from music trivia games! We went to the main lounge at 8:30. Because we were in port, there were only games scheduled in the main lounge this night, and no shows. 80's trivia was fun! The questions were difficult.. yet I knew many answers! They asked who had more than 10 and about 10 people stood up. They asked who had more than 13 and 3 stood up. Then they asked who had more than 15 and I was the only one standing.. I WON!! So, another Plastic Ship on a Stick to add to my collection... success!
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841902/"][IMG]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8323841902_55d35730c3.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841902/"]IMG_1563[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr
After trivia, we went back to the cabin for a quick rest.. then ended up going to the Blue Iguana Mexican Fiesta on the Lido Deck. What a blast. Karl with a K and his team led line dances, a huge conga line and the DJ played fun music. We had a late night snack of nachos at the Blue Iguana bar area.
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322782197/"][IMG]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8357/8322782197_e6dcfdc28f.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322782197/"]IMG_1567[/URL] by [URL="http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/"]catrin0917[/URL], on Flickr[/quote]

We sailed the Liberty in August 2012 and I, too, am an 80s music fanatic and also won a ship on a stick for a perfect score. When the contest was over, a lady came up to me and asked me if I was a DJ. LOL. We also had Karl with a K as our director and I agree that he was one of the nicest guys around. Looking forward to the rest of your review.

[Catrin]

We really like how they take advantage of the Lido Deck area at night now. Before on many cruises, this area would be dead all week, except for the one night late party. On this cruise, there was entertainment there and always something going on. The 2.0 improvements were most noticable in this area.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841522/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8075/8323841522_ea3a455111.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841522/]IMG_1568[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841344/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8359/8323841344_d4a92efab5.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841344/]IMG_1571[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr

Everyone had to be back on the ship, and by midnight we had not moved. When we woke up, we did not know if we would be at sea or still in San Juan. It was very early in the morning when I realized we were still docked in San Juan. The ship had been fixed by the crew that had been flown in. We would be spending the day in San Juan as scheduled and would resume the normal schedule.

We had breakfast delivered to the room this morning..... The one thing I brought from home was Craisins.. as I love the in my Special K! Room service arrived right on time! Nothing like eating breakfast out on my deck enjoying the morning in San Juan.

We had a very simple plan for today. We were going to take advantage of the Free Trolley that I had read about during my research. The Trolley offers a free loop from the ship ports to El Morro Fort and Back. There was also a loop that went around the shopping areas in Old San Juan and back. We walked backwards.. to the last stop that is actually BEFORE the cruise ports. We had about a 15 minute wait before the trolley arrived. Good thing we went backwards, because at Stop 1 at the cruise port, the trolley was full and many had to wait for the next trolley.

The trolley had a recoreded video tour included. What a great deal for FREE!! We past the Government Buildings as well as many other sights, including the amazing coastline. Before we knew it, we had arrived at El Morro. The Trolley drove right up to the main entrance!
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841172/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8360/8323841172_2b651bdfda.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841172/]IMG_1572[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841034/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8359/8323841034_cbfd64401d.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323841034/]IMG_1573[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322781347/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8211/8322781347_3bcba8d6b7.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322781347/]IMG_1575[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322781089/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8503/8322781089_925aec86f1.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322781089/]IMG_1576[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr

[Catrin]

[quote name='mephistoles']We sailed the Liberty in August 2012 and I, too, am an 80s music fanatic and also won a ship on a stick for a perfect score. When the contest was over, a lady came up to me and asked me if I was a DJ. LOL. We also had Karl with a K as our director and I agree that he was one of the nicest guys around. Looking forward to the rest of your review.[/quote]

Well, I did not get a perfect score.... but people were amazed that I actually knew Billy Idol's real name!!!

I play music trivia weekly online.. and I have facts in my head that I really should not know. Especially the 80's!

[Catrin]

The entrance fee to El Morro was $3.00 per person. There was no time limit.. you could explore as much as you wanted.. it was a self guided tour. This fort was amazing. Full of little nooks and cranies everywhere and it was HUGE. The views from all sides were amazing. It was a hot day, we were glad we had waters with us. But there was a breeze so touring was bearable. The picture of the lighthouse I waited to take for about ten minutes... but that man there would not move! Finally, I took the picture with him there. Whoever you are, you are now part of the background!
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323840486/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8211/8323840486_d1ee172b56.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323840486/]IMG_1579[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322780785/]IMG_1581[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323840208/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8224/8323840208_8f7a669139.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323840208/]IMG_1583[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323839956/]IMG_1585[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322780217/]IMG_1587[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323839570/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8078/8323839570_5695eeac12.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323839570/]IMG_1590[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr

[mephistoles]

[quote name='Catrin']Well, I did not get a perfect score.... but people were amazed that I actually knew Billy Idol's real name!!!

I play music trivia weekly online.. and I have facts in my head that I really should not know. Especially the 80's![/quote]

Truth be told, I was a huge fan of the 80s brit invasion (as we called it back then)...when MTV actually played music videos and all that good stuff. Now, had there been a 90s trivia game (or current music game), I would've tanked...LOL

[Catrin]

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322779909/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8077/8322779909_390797c50e.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322779909/]IMG_1595[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8322775757/]IMG_1596[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323839240/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8496/8323839240_f9e3783aef.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323839240/]IMG_1598[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323839066/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8354/8323839066_88a334e9e3.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/91642930@N05/8323839066/]IMG_1599[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/91642930@N05/]catrin0917[/url], on Flickr

As soon as we were done, there was a Free Trolley waiting at the entrance.. perfect timing!! We ran into Sally and Jack who were heading back as well! It was great to catch up with them to see what they had been up to. The ride back continued the video tour. All together, this fantastic day cost us $6.00!! Best Bargain ever!

One thing about San Juan... we had phone service. So, for 1 1/2 days, I was able to text, call home, check online on my Iphone and Ipad. If we had known we were going to be there for that long, I may not have gotten an internet plan on the ship!
We went back to the ship and we had a late lunch - at the Burrito Bar (with Guys Fries!). Make your own Burritos are awesome..... you can make them with Chicken, Beef or Shrimp and add whatever you like. Little by little, the crowds started coming back, as our 24+ hours in San Juan was coming to a close.