I Belize in MAGIC! MITSUGIRLY revisits the Western Route. My Novel.

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

I really would like to spend some time here at the port some time in the future. It really does look like a great place to hang out. Maybe next time we come it will be with NCL and they will stay longer and we can spend a half a day here and check out the bird aviary and bridges and everything else there. I know it's a tourist trap and probably pretty expensive, but they have done a really good job at enticing someone to come here and stay.

 

 

For some reason, they had the orange dividers up and down the walk way this time. I guess to help direct traffic? Do they not have the people movers that they used to have here that was like a train on wheels? I did not see them at all today.

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

We were back on the ship at 1:20pm and decided to head straight to the water slides for some more fun...since we were already wet and this day was still early.

 

[BettyPC]

Great review enjoying all the detail!!

[ILCruzr]

You are going to get comparisons from here on out because the change in this port just blew me away! I could not believe the difference since we were here last in 2013.

 

This used to be the entrance. None of the props, bar and so on was here last time. The color scheme was different too. Before it was like stucco at the entrance and now it's like metal.

 

Before:

 

 

Now:

 

 

The "streets" looked a little fuller than it did before and more lush.

 

 

Last time we were here, everything was so colorful from bright yellows to reds to blue and pink. Now everything was more rustic looking.

 

Here is what the tower used to look like:

 

 

Now it looks like this:

 

 

What a big difference!

 

 

 

 

I was blown away by tthis port too! I went there in Feb. 2013 on Carnival and we were there until 5 actually. We did the Chacobbean ruins (which were a waste)....but when we walked off the ship this go around we were like WOW! Like you, I was in shock with the changes. It was like a completely different port. It used to look so dumpy! But thats what these cruise lines do. I bet La Romana looks much nicer now that when I went in 2011. It used to be a kwanza hut surounded by barbed wire fence. I need to go back to see what Carnival did to that port.

 

Luckily I had my camera that I used on that cruise with me and had the pictures even on it of the original port. I was showing the pics to everyone haha. It was really trippy!

[tropicaledrink]

I haven't been to Costa Maya since July 2007 - about a month before the Hurricane leveled it. It has grown a ton based off my pictures from then. I need to get back there. I'm (finally) getting back to Belize in 3 weeks for the first time since 2007 as well! :)

 

Great review as always. Kam and Sakari definitely have a family resemblance going on!

[LuCruise]

mitsugirly, I was just browsing and was excited when I saw one of your reviews. You give the best reviews and I often use your reviews when looking at places for our port days (we went to Coki beach and Blue Lagoon because of you and loved them both!). We even have a cruise with the same ports...and thinking of Paradise Beach and Blue Kay as options for those ports. Thank you for this one too. Such amazing pictures.

 

You have a lovely family, and it's nice seeing Sakari grow up through your various reports. She amazes me with her swimming. And congrats to her art school acceptance! That's amazing.

 

Thank you for sharing. We've never been on Carnival but it certainly looks like a great option too.

[johnt83]

@mitsugirly: I have to say that this is one of the best reviews I've ever read on Cruise Critic! Truly appreciate the level of details and pictures you've shared -- thank you! I haven't yet been on any of the newer Carnival ships but I am definitely excited to try out the Magic one day in the future along with the Breeze, Horizon and Panorama! I've only been on Sensation, Paradise and Destiny (now Sunshine) which is actually where I proposed to my girlfriend, wife now of 5 years :)

[I Luv Crusin]

They were very good! I guess I had never heard of them before. It still tasted like a roast though. lol

 

.

 

Yes, they do taste like roast because they are beef, not pork. They do make good pork ribs, too.

[scuba_ninja]

Just to be clear I have never had ear problems, going up or down. They just automatically pop when I swallow and never hurt. But for some reason, just this one time when I was trying to see the eel, it just wouldn't pop. This is my first experience with any problem with my ear.

 

Yea, I've read and been told about the sudafed. I have never tried it before though. I do use nasal spray (but that's my everyday normal life in order to breathe and that's been since I was very young).

 

Sorry, Didn't mean to be preachy in any way. Clearly this isn't your first rodeo.

 

I was reading on mobile and must have misread, I thought you mentioned your husband was going up and down because of his ear problems.

 

Thanks again for all the awesome details and pictures. I'm considering buying the TG-5, mostly because your pictures are so good.

Edited December 5, 2017 by scuba_ninja
misformatted

[GotMINI]

@mitsugirly: Thank you for your posts! My family will be on Magic in March 2018 and I have been reading all your comments about this trip and it's helping me in our planning.

 

Could you possibly add some commentary about the West Bay beaches on Roatan? If you mentioned it already, I apologize I must have missed it. In particular I'm wondering what we do specifically when we get off ship - find a taxi and have him take us to West Bay or to a particular beach? Do you know how much the taxies are? I couldn't figure it out on their website, but it looks like $20pp/each way, which seems a bit steep to me so don't know if that's correct. Regarding the beaches, do we just walk along and see which one we like best? Seems beaches are free, but would like to go to one where we can rent chairs, use facilities and eat at their restaurant. With that, generally how is pricing done. I've seen people write it costs about $10 to rent a chair, but then I've also seen where you can get a cruiser's package for about $35 which would include RT transportation, and the beach chair (and maybe a welcome drink). Do you know if that's just standard at all the locations, or is it particular to say Bananarama or Infinity Bay?

 

Also, for Costa Maya, I have similar inquiries. Sounds like there are taxis and shuttles. Taxis are cheaper at $2/pp and take you where you want to go, vs the shuttle at $3/pp that has others on it and makes stops along the way. Am I missing something - why would people take a shuttle over the taxi??? I read that you were trying to find out the rate for Blue Kay...did you ever get an answer if it was $5, 6 or 7, or even something else? I'm assuming that includes a beach chair, or no? Is this a location that we should know specifically which beach we want before we get there, or can we just walk along the Malecon until we find the one we seem to like the best? Generally for us, we like activity, but prefer for it to not be too crowded with wall-to-wall people (chairs).

 

We are looking for nice beach days, maybe some off-beach snorkeling, at both of these locations. How would you compare the two (Roatan vs Costa Maya)? They seem a bit similar in terms of the experience we would have those days.

 

Thanks!!

[mitsugirly]

Great review enjoying all the detail!!

 

Thanks!

 

I was blown away by tthis port too! I went there in Feb. 2013 on Carnival and we were there until 5 actually. We did the Chacobbean ruins (which were a waste)....but when we walked off the ship this go around we were like WOW! Like you, I was in shock with the changes. It was like a completely different port. It used to look so dumpy! But thats what these cruise lines do. I bet La Romana looks much nicer now that when I went in 2011. It used to be a kwanza hut surounded by barbed wire fence. I need to go back to see what Carnival did to that port.

 

Luckily I had my camera that I used on that cruise with me and had the pictures even on it of the original port. I was showing the pics to everyone haha. It was really trippy!

 

Yea, I'm still wondering when they did this. There doesn't seem to be anyone out there that knows for some reason and I can't believe there were all these changes and even the people there at CM couldn't tell me anything. Weird.

 

 

I haven't been to Costa Maya since July 2007 - about a month before the Hurricane leveled it. It has grown a ton based off my pictures from then. I need to get back there. I'm (finally) getting back to Belize in 3 weeks for the first time since 2007 as well!

 

Great review as always. Kam and Sakari definitely have a family resemblance going on!

 

Yippee for heading back to Belize in 3 weeks. Have an AMAZING time there.!

 

Thanks for the comments.

 

 

mitsugirly, I was just browsing and was excited when I saw one of your reviews. You give the best reviews and I often use your reviews when looking at places for our port days (we went to Coki beach and Blue Lagoon because of you and loved them both!). We even have a cruise with the same ports...and thinking of Paradise Beach and Blue Kay as options for those ports. Thank you for this one too. Such amazing pictures.

 

You have a lovely family, and it's nice seeing Sakari grow up through your various reports. She amazes me with her swimming. And congrats to her art school acceptance! That's amazing.

 

Thank you for sharing. We've never been on Carnival but it certainly looks like a great option too.

 

Aww shucks...thanks. I'm glad you like them. I'm even more glad that you enjoyed Coki beach and Blue Lagoon. I think Paradise Beach and Blue Kay are excellent choices. :D

 

Thanks for the congrats. Much appreciated.

 

 

@mitsugirly: I have to say that this is one of the best reviews I've ever read on Cruise Critic! Truly appreciate the level of details and pictures you've shared -- thank you! I haven't yet been on any of the newer Carnival ships but I am definitely excited to try out the Magic one day in the future along with the Breeze, Horizon and Panorama! I've only been on Sensation, Paradise and Destiny (now Sunshine) which is actually where I proposed to my girlfriend, wife now of 5 years

 

Aww thanks so much for the compliment. Have you read any of my others? I'm a pretty "winded" person. LOL Definitely give the Breeze a try! She's amazing! Aww how nice (the proposal to the gf now wife). That's awesome!

 

 

Yes, they do taste like roast because they are beef, not pork. They do make good pork ribs, too.

 

Ahhh...haha. You can tell I don't eat meat a lot.

 

 

Sorry, Didn't mean to be preachy in any way. Clearly this isn't your first rodeo.

 

I was reading on mobile and must have misread, I thought you mentioned your husband was going up and down because of his ear problems.

 

Thanks again for all the awesome details and pictures. I'm considering buying the TG-5, mostly because your pictures are so good.

 

Oh no no no! No need to be sorry at all. See sometimes I hate the internet and the tone it can put off. I welcome any suggestions anyone has. I was just explaining my side. I think me being tired is that I'm a fluffy girl that needs to get into shape (I say as I set here eating Twizzlers lol). ;p I get worn out easily.

 

 

 

My husbands ear problems isn't that he can't get his to pop. He CAN'T pop them like normal people because he has no eardrum and it will flood his ears with water. He doesn't have any pain or anything scuba diving. He just plays it safe diving just being afraid of getting water in his ear.

 

If you decide to get another camera, I would highly suggest the TG. It's just amazing.

 

@mitsugirly: Thank you for your posts! My family will be on Magic in March 2018 and I have been reading all your comments about this trip and it's helping me in our planning.

 

 

Could you possibly add some commentary about the West Bay beaches on Roatan? If you mentioned it already, I apologize I must have missed it. In particular I'm wondering what we do specifically when we get off ship - find a taxi and have him take us to West Bay or to a particular beach? Do you know how much the taxies are? I couldn't figure it out on their website, but it looks like $20pp/each way, which seems a bit steep to me so don't know if that's correct. Regarding the beaches, do we just walk along and see which one we like best? Seems beaches are free, but would like to go to one where we can rent chairs, use facilities and eat at their restaurant. With that, generally how is pricing done. I've seen people write it costs about $10 to rent a chair, but then I've also seen where you can get a cruiser's package for about $35 which would include RT transportation, and the beach chair (and maybe a welcome drink). Do you know if that's just standard at all the locations, or is it particular to say Bananarama or Infinity Bay?

 

Also, for Costa Maya, I have similar inquiries. Sounds like there are taxis and shuttles. Taxis are cheaper at $2/pp and take you where you want to go, vs the shuttle at $3/pp that has others on it and makes stops along the way. Am I missing something - why would people take a shuttle over the taxi??? I read that you were trying to find out the rate for Blue Kay...did you ever get an answer if it was $5, 6 or 7, or even something else? I'm assuming that includes a beach chair, or no? Is this a location that we should know specifically which beach we want before we get there, or can we just walk along the Malecon until we find the one we seem to like the best? Generally for us, we like activity, but prefer for it to not be too crowded with wall-to-wall people (chairs).

 

We are looking for nice beach days, maybe some off-beach snorkeling, at both of these locations. How would you compare the two (Roatan vs Costa Maya)? They seem a bit similar in terms of the experience we would have those days.

 

Thanks!!

 

Thanks and I'm glad it is helping you out with your planning.

 

 

Well, this time I did not really use the beach on West Bay and last time we were there we were taken there by a local vendor after ziplining.

 

 

Bananarama is who we booked our scuba with and they provided the transportation round trip for $20/pp. Actually I did look up pricing to just do a taxi on our own and it was going to cost a lot more than that round trip.

 

 

Bananarama is a place you can go and rent chairs and use their facilities and eat at their restaurant. A lot of the beach club there you have to have a reservation or with the cruise line to go. I'm not real familiar with all of them or what their specifications are. You might have better luck posting on the Roatan board.

 

 

As for Costa Maya. The taxi and the shuttles are the same price. They are $3/pp to the malecon and $2/pp on the way back to the port. It's never made any sense to me why they charge $1 more to get there and $1 less back. But that's been their system since I have been going there since 2011.

 

 

Anyhow, if you take the shuttle, you walk right outside the port and purchase your "ticket" and jump on the shuttle. Then it will go to various places and drop people off. If you want to go straight to where you are going, you'll walk a little further up the road and just get a taxi...for the same price.

 

 

The answer to the pricing on BK was in the review. Either $6 or $7 based on the time of year. Yes, it includes a beach chair and $2 of it goes toward a blue mat for the chair and the rest is applied to your bar/restaurant bill...so you basically get it back.

 

 

Yes, you can just go up and down the malecon and pick a place you want based on what you see or like. Only a few take reservations I believe.

 

 

I would say Roatan is where you definitely want to snorkel. Costa Maya is more of a lazy beach day. (Just Blue Kay happens to have some decent snorkeling there).

[JinxyB]

I was in Costa Maya in May 2016, March 2017, and Nov 2017.... I was shocked at how it looked when I went a few weeks ago! A major upgrade for sure! I loved all the old cars and decorations! I definitely don’t remember it looking like that in 2016, and they may have been doing work on it when I was there in March. I’ll have to check out my pictures!

 

I don’t know why Carnival has such a short stop there while NCL stays until 5? Makes no sense to me but I’m sure it’s all about fuel costs and $$.

 

Enjoying your review!!

[batchbunch55]

So, once your finished or have a moment I have a question about bags for you

 

You seem to carry a good handful of things off the ship with you and I’ve only really read about the mermaid bag.

 

Do you have any tips/tricks to this?

 

We will be cruising with our own snorkel gear and two kids (6&3). We beach it up all the time here in FL but not getting off a boat, taking a car, and going through security.

 

Just interested in how you organize that.

 

Thank you for all your hard work!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Cruisefanatic71]

Really enjoying the review. I am especially enjoying the snorkeling reviews. I have always wanted to get certified to dive but unfortunately I cannot due to a lung condition. However, I am able to snorkel and really enjoy it. Definitely getting great ideas on where I can go snorkel while the rest of the family has something else to occupy their time.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

[luvcruzing]

Kim, taxis to Mahahual have been $2 since I first went to Costa Maya in 2012. I was last there in April., so it might have gone up since. I even remember responding to you in one of your first reviews on Costa Maya where you mentioned taking the $3 shuttle to the malecon, and I wrote in that the taxis were only $2.

[GotMINI]

Thanks for your response earlier. I have another question, which really has more to do with Carnival than this Western Caribbean destination, but thought you would know and hopefully have good advice. How do you (and your family members traveling with you) carry their S&S cards, cabin keys, or whatever you want to call them? I've traveled on RC before and there many attached their cards to a lanyard after having it hole-punched by someone at one of the service desks (the kiddie areas was best place to find a hole-puncher!). Plus we used lanyards with a break-away clip at the end, so could easily take the card off the lanyard as you were paying for things or going in/out of your cabin. I wasn't sure how accessible the card needs to be with Carnival. Can you give some advice on what you have found works well?

 

Also, what's the deal with lights and electricity turning off in cabins when no one is there and there's no card in a slot? I get the need to conserve, but stinks if you are trying to charge something in your room when you are out and about, and especially if you are trying to keep the refrigerator closed.

[mitsugirly]

So where was I?

 

Oh yea, it was time for some water park fun! We even managed to get Billy out there on the slides.

 

 

The hubby hung out in the shade most of the day. He claimed he had had enough water for the day. Psshh, there's no such thing in my book.

 

 

 

Kendra and Billy headed up to the top. We would all rotate going down each slide over and over while the other would watch Kam.

 

 

 

When we first took B on his first cruise, it would be the last sea day that he finally decided to go down the little munchkin slide. I made a comment that it would probably be the same way for Kam. Well, she beat his record and went today FINALLY! Then you couldn't get her off of them! Over and over and over.

 

 

She no longer cared about the water in her eyes. Big girl status!

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

Sakari easily adapts to any situation, big or small, any age. She obviously can hang with the big kids and do everything they do and also with the little kids. She don't care and she's easy to please and more than willing to play with a 3 year old if that makes her happy and not cry for Kendra.

 

 

I ran down stairs to get a pop from the bar, but some how ended up with these. I'm not sure how I ended up with a plate in my hand from the opposite side of the pool deck. wink wink

 

 

 

B decided to join in on the fun, only Kam really only wanted to go down the slides racing Sakari. You know, that brother sister sibling love-hate relationship.

 

 

 

The sun was starting to set.

 

 

 

 

We stayed at the water park until 5:25pm and decided to pack up and head back to the room for showers and dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

[LNNLNNLNN]

Thanks for your response earlier. I have another question, which really has more to do with Carnival than this Western Caribbean destination, but thought you would know and hopefully have good advice. How do you (and your family members traveling with you) carry their S&S cards, cabin keys, or whatever you want to call them? I've traveled on RC before and there many attached their cards to a lanyard after having it hole-punched by someone at one of the service desks (the kiddie areas was best place to find a hole-puncher!). Plus we used lanyards with a break-away clip at the end, so could easily take the card off the lanyard as you were paying for things or going in/out of your cabin. I wasn't sure how accessible the card needs to be with Carnival. Can you give some advice on what you have found works well?

 

Also, what's the deal with lights and electricity turning off in cabins when no one is there and there's no card in a slot? I get the need to conserve, but stinks if you are trying to charge something in your room when you are out and about, and especially if you are trying to keep the refrigerator closed.

Am wondering about the card thing also...what kind of card is needed???

[mitsugirly]

I wanted to go to the MDR again. I'm trying to get the hang of this, but I knew from our previous experience that we would need at least a party of 3 right? I ask Sakari if she wanted to go to the kids dinner or with us and to my surprise, she wanted to go with us. Great! Perfect!

 

Kendra had other ideas. She wanted to get family pictures and had brought dress clothes for everyone. So, that's what she would be doing.

 

 

However, Kam was not having it. She didn't want her picture taken and Kendra said that they were trying to get pictures of just Kam and B and remember that love-hate relationship? Well the photographer tried to get her to sit on B's leg and then again to hug. She wasn't having it. AT ALL!

 

Kendra had to jump in and try to save the photo...she still wasn't impressed. Kendra went back and forth about whether or not she wanted to even buy this one and only picture she got with Kam in it. I told her to do it...years later she would be able to look back on it and show Kam how their first picture session turned out and laugh.

 

 

So it would be a night of just the guys getting 2 pictures taken.

 

 

 

Meanwhile...we arrived at the MDR at 6:15pm and was seated. I must have been so hungry that I completely forgot to take pictures of the menu.

 

We ordered at 6:33 and our starters came out at 6:37.

 

 

Our main dish arrived 7:03

 

 

The waiters came out and started dancing. I have heard about the dancing waiters on every cruise but have never seen them. I can honestly say that they looked like they were having a good time during the song, there was really no routine and the guys on the tables...well I'm sure their previous life involved a stage and possibly a pole.

 

After the "show" there was a magician that walked up to the table and I thought they were going to show Sakari some magic tricks. Instead they went to the table next to us to an "older" couple who seemed less than enthused about the card "tricks" he was doing. They couldn't even remember the card they picked. I sighed like really? You know a kid would have enjoyed that more!

 

At 7:26pm I ordered desert and decided to get the chocolate melting cake and hubby got the cheese platter.

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

After eating, Sakari agreed to go to the kids club. She knew that since she didn't have to eat with the kids, then she wouldn't get stuck going to the "baby" club with Kam. However, she didn't realize that Kam wasn't even there to begin with.

 

On the way to the kids club, there was a couple that was wearing an outfit that had Carnival pins all over it. I inquired about the pins and he proudly announced that he was a "diamond" member, which I'm not even sure how many cruises that means but I do know diamonds are a girls best friend so therefore it sounded pretty darn impressive to me from the get-go, and that he had over 300 days of cruising with Carnival. I did mention to him that I was staying down the hall from a couple that had a sign that said over 60 cruises. He was impressed with that. So, I started immediately calculating a cruise of 7 days and he had done 300 days...that's about 40+ cruises under his belt...or suspenders I should say. Very nice. I have about 20 to go to catch up. (Of course not with Carnival but just in general). Actually Sakari has about 22 or so to catch up. I think she'll be able to achieve that goal in about 7-8 years at the age of 16 or 17 years old. #lifegoals #iwanttobemychild

 

 

We headed to the comedy club after dropping the munchkin off. Tonight was a guy that they said was on t.v. in the past...possibly desperate housewives, but I was a dedicated viewer of that show and I don't remember him at all.

 

After the show, we headed to the casino for about 30 minutes to donate some money and I just wasn't feeling it so we left and picked up Sakari early.

 

We headed to pixels to find our photos to put in our file and then off for a little bit of shopping. I managed to buy a tee shirt with Carnival Magic on it (as I do with ever ship we sail) and some magnets that that said Cozumel on them and was a Christmas ornament. I desperately tried to find something to buy in Costa Maya to bring home for some of my patients, but nothing really struck me. So, I figured I would buy these and just fake it that they were "bought in Cozumel where I hand picked the sand dollar and had a lady on the beach paint them and make them into an ornament for me while I frolicked in the ocean while waiting". Good one yes? They believe it, trust me.

 

 

They were also setting up tables and putting out other tee shirts on them and when we went to go look, they told us NO because they were shirts that would be for sale the following night. It was the discount clearance gotta make room for the same tee shirts for next weeks discount clearance shirts sale.

 

I ended up buying two of them I really liked the following night. 2 for $10. I'll go ahead and show you the picks now since I decided to take a picture of all 3 shirts together for this review.

 

 

When we returned to our suite, Sakari had a dinosaur with a flower butt.

 

 

I showered because I was a little cold for some reason and we watched a movie and went to bed.

[mitsugirly]

Ok, time for questions. Round one...go...raise your hands and not everyone at the same time.

 

 

 

I was in Costa Maya in May 2016, March 2017, and Nov 2017.... I was shocked at how it looked when I went a few weeks ago! A major upgrade for sure! I loved all the old cars and decorations! I definitely don’t remember it looking like that in 2016, and they may have been doing work on it when I was there in March. I’ll have to check out my pictures!

 

I don’t know why Carnival has such a short stop there while NCL stays until 5? Makes no sense to me but I’m sure it’s all about fuel costs and $$.

 

Enjoying your review!!

 

Thanks so much for confirming I'm not crazy about the changes. Yes, please do look at your pictures and let me know. This is driving me crazy that no one seems to know when this was done. I looked at posted pictures on TA and it shows people posting pictures of the "new port" back in 2015 I believe. So it had to have been done between 2014-2015.

I did notice the entrance to the port was orange in 2013:

 

 

And by 2014 they had already changed the entrance to this:

 

 

 

I didn't even notice that back then. And of course it has changed once again.

 

 

So, once your finished or have a moment I have a question about bags for you

 

You seem to carry a good handful of things off the ship with you and I’ve only really read about the mermaid bag.

 

Do you have any tips/tricks to this?

 

We will be cruising with our own snorkel gear and two kids (6&3). We beach it up all the time here in FL but not getting off a boat, taking a car, and going through security.

 

Just interested in how you organize that.

 

Thank you for all your hard work!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Hmmm, bags. LOL Well I carry one, the hubby carries one and Sakari carries one. I'm not really sure there's a trick to it.

I have a large brown bag that I put all of our beach towels rolled up in, our ID's/ship cards in the side pocket for easy access, and our money and folder in it with our plans.

The hubby used to carry a bag too but usually mid-way during the cruise he'll have a bit of a sunburn on his shoulders and carrying a bag on your shoulders that are burned can get painful. So, he has switched to a bookbag, over both shoulders type of bag and it carries our snorkeling equipment in it.

Sakari just carries her mermaid bag with her morphing necessities in it.

Thanks about it. There's nothing to going through security. You just walk on the ship and put your bag on the belt to go through xray and walk through the metal detector and pick up your bag on the other side. :D

Really enjoying the review. I am especially enjoying the snorkeling reviews. I have always wanted to get certified to dive but unfortunately I cannot due to a lung condition. However, I am able to snorkel and really enjoy it. Definitely getting great ideas on where I can go snorkel while the rest of the family has something else to occupy their time.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

 

 

 

So sorry to hear about your lung condition preventing you from diving. At least you are able to snorkel and still see part of the under world. Glad to hear you are getting ideas.

 

Kim, taxis to Mahahual have been $2 since I first went to Costa Maya in 2012. I was last there in April., so it might have gone up since. I even remember responding to you in one of your first reviews on Costa Maya where you mentioned taking the $3 shuttle to the malecon, and I wrote in that the taxis were only $2.

 

Really? Do I have it backwards then? $2 to the malecon and $3 back maybe? I'm pretty sure I have been over paying getting there and these taxi drivers must really love me with such a "huge" tip. That would have been an extra $7 on top of the fare AND tips from both me and Kendra on top of that. Wow!

Thanks for your response earlier. I have another question, which really has more to do with Carnival than this Western Caribbean destination, but thought you would know and hopefully have good advice. How do you (and your family members traveling with you) carry their S&S cards, cabin keys, or whatever you want to call them? I've traveled on RC before and there many attached their cards to a lanyard after having it hole-punched by someone at one of the service desks (the kiddie areas was best place to find a hole-puncher!). Plus we used lanyards with a break-away clip at the end, so could easily take the card off the lanyard as you were paying for things or going in/out of your cabin. I wasn't sure how accessible the card needs to be with Carnival. Can you give some advice on what you have found works well?

 

Also, what's the deal with lights and electricity turning off in cabins when no one is there and there's no card in a slot? I get the need to conserve, but stinks if you are trying to charge something in your room when you are out and about, and especially if you are trying to keep the refrigerator closed.

 

 

Actually, I have never been a lanyard fan. You'll see just about everyone using them on the ship however. I have (in the past) had my card hole punched in the casino and they put this little round springy thing on it that has a clip at the end and I've used it before...only because I don't want to risk forgetting about my key card in a slot machine. Normally I just carry a small purse with them in it and my camera and phone.

Just stick a dummy card in it and they'll stay on. Our room steward actually already had one in our key slot for the lights and it stayed in there all the time. I just made sure I turned everything off as I left.

The refrigerator stays on all the time. No worries.

 

Am wondering about the card thing also...what kind of card is needed???

 

Any card. Use a grocery points card or anything like that.

[mitsugirly]

Last day on the ship...sea day

 

 

 

It was my day to sleep in. No plans, no appointments, no ports to get up for. My internal clock had me up at 9:20am. Grrr. Kendra called me within minutes of me waking up to say that she was going to the Dr Seuss breakfast. We hadn't signed up for it and we have been so many times but I knew that Sakari mentioned that she wanted to go and I knew that Kam would enjoy it. But still, we didn't sign up.

 

Kendra said she did a "walk-in", which I didn't know that you could do. I told her I would meet her down there and we hurried and got dressed and off we went.

 

Sakari would leave another friendship rock out along the way.

 

 

We found her and was immediately seated with just our family.

 

 

They gave us the menu and I just love how they describe everything on the menu. It's so cute and they make it look like a Dr Seuss book.

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

They also pass out mini-books to the kids with activities inside and an autograph page on the back.

 

 

Only this time would be the first time they did not do autographs like before. I wonder why.

 

Half melted some-what-of-a Cat in the Hat head.

 

 

 

 

 

Because she has to have a picture with every.single.prop! sigh

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

For some reason they had already came around and passed out the deserts prior to us arriving. Like before the meal...which is odd. We never did get one but I didn't bother to ask about it either because I was full by the end of the meal.

 

 

Sakari and her green eggs & ham.

 

 

 

This was my sugary goodness for the morning. That should wake me up and get me going. I never really realized what these were for with the red and blue dots. I just thought it was a way of decorating them. However, a friend pointed out they were tic tac toe.

 

 

Kam played it safe with cereal