Share Your Perfect CARNIVAL Cruise Day

[MtnSeaGirl]

NOTE: Had to repost using the word CARNIVAL CRUISE.  Sorry about that. I was floated away.  My bad ( insert shame face ) 

 

Tell me/us about  your perfect day on a Canival cruise. It can be what HAS happened or just the dream of a perfect cruise day.  You may be winning big in the casino, at Bingo, or getting engaged.  Whatever your perfect day may entail.  

 

Mine is super easy.  We wake up while it is still dark. We make our way to upper decks.  Maybe, just maybe the coffee if already out.  If not, it will be soon. DH is hoping the tea is out already  LOL.  We stand together waiting for the first pinks or whatever color we will be blessed with today. We watch the sun come up seeing the water change colors as the light beings to make the water sparkle.  We do our laps around the track, some stretches, maybe dare to try the exercise stops out on the deck ( Horizon had those last time ) Breakfast is at Blue Iguana for me.  DH hits the fruit, bacon or maybe an omlett.   

 

It is then time to grab a good book and head to a nice lounger to take in some Vit D. We try to read but the water in front of us is far too mesmerizing and calls our attention.  We laugh and remember past cruises, talk about the kids, etc.  After several hours, we find a hot tub or maybe the pool for a few minutes.  Then, back to the sun to dry out before heading down to make that lunch salad or grab a Guys Burger.  Now, it is time for some shade so I don't become a lobster.  The book is a bit more interesting at this point. But.....my eyes become droopy as my tummy is full and the sun is warm.  I finally surrender and go to the cabin to take a little nap in AC comfort. My cabin was cleaned early morn in anticipation of my needed siesta in the early afternoon.

 

Up and time for a shower and mosey around the ship.  Maybe do the stairs up and down to work off the dinner I anticiapte this evening.  We may catch a trivia contest or just find a quiet spot to reflect, to rest, just to be.  Soon it is time to change for dinner.  What's that?  The sun is beginning ot set.  Gotta get in on  that magical time of the day!.  Good Night, Sun.  The My Time Dining apl has signaled our table is ready , and we have 8 minutes to arrive.  I am thrilled to see that my fav West Indian Pumpkin Soup is on the menu.  Thai chicken is also one of the appetizers of the evening.  I like coffee WITH the meal, not with desert. My coffee is being poured with cream on the table.  Entree....hum.....this is a hard one.  DH will have Spaghetti Carbonaro for sure.  I will have....maybe the Jerk Pork Loin.  Dessert - DH will have his Choc Melting Cake or a scoop of butter pecan ice cream.  None for me please.  I will take just a bite of his.   

 

Now time for a last stroll around the deck, some star gazing, maybe have the little drink at Bonzi Sushi I like...Tokyo Sangria or something like that ( heavy drinker here LOL  ).  DH has his drink.  Soon it is time to be gently rocked asleep so we are up early for the next sunrise.  

 

Pretty boring maybe, but the perfect day for me. 

[Guest]

Share my perfect Carnival day?

 

One where I don't have to witness a fight because someone looked at someone the wrong way. One where the food is better than a quick-service restaurant. One where I'm not trampled and pushed in line to get a medicore burger from a Food Network celeberty or an non-customizable omlette from the buffet. One where I'm not stampeeded trying to buy a t-shirt in the gift shop by hordes of people demanding free alcohol samples.

[MtnSeaGirl]

16 minutes ago, Afttastic said:

Share my perfect Carnival day?

 

One where I don't have to witness a fight because someone looked at someone the wrong way. One where the food is better than a quick-service restaurant. One where I'm not trampled and pushed in line to get a medicore burger from a Food Network celeberty or an non-customizable omlette from the buffet. One where I'm not stampeeded trying to buy a t-shirt in the gift shop by hordes of people demanding free alcohol samples.

Was this your experience on a single cruise or did it happen on more than one?

 

[MtnSeaGirl]

8 hours ago, Afttastic said:

Share my perfect Carnival day?

 

One where I don't have to witness a fight because someone looked at someone the wrong way. One where the food is better than a quick-service restaurant. One where I'm not trampled and pushed in line to get a medicore burger from a Food Network celeberty or an non-customizable omlette from the buffet. One where I'm not stampeeded trying to buy a t-shirt in the gift shop by hordes of people demanding free alcohol samples.

Whether it was only once or more than cruise, I am really sorry that happened to you. We all want great cruises. We had one cruise in which things just seemed off from the food to the vibe in general.  We even saw a difference in the second leg of our B2B last year but it was not bad-bad just saw a difference.  I hope your next cruise will be all you dream it will be.  

[dlphn501]

My perfect Carnival cruise day is one which I am on a Carnival cruise 🙂  Not getting up to an alarm for work, not scooping cat litter, not making lunch the just the right amount of mayo scraped onto the bread, not worrying about what to make for dinner, and lastly not doing the dishes from said dinner!!

Finding a sun lounger near a pool/waterslide and a bar is a bonus.

[Frank12]

9 hours ago, Afttastic said:

Share my perfect Carnival day?

 

One where I don't have to witness a fight because someone looked at someone the wrong way. One where the food is better than a quick-service restaurant. One where I'm not trampled and pushed in line to get a medicore burger from a Food Network celeberty or an non-customizable omlette from the buffet. One where I'm not stampeeded trying to buy a t-shirt in the gift shop by hordes of people demanding free alcohol samples.

39 Cruises on Carnival and I've never experienced any of these things.  You must have terrible luck.

[Warm Breezes]

My Perfect Cruise Day was October 21, 2021 onboard the Carnival Mardi Gras.  It was our 33rd wedding anniversary🥰 on a sea day.  We started out the day with mimosa's🥂 and room service breakfast on our aft balcony.  Then we spent a little time in the casino🎰 before going up to the lido for some lunch at the salad bar🥗 in Serenity and hanging out up there for a little while.  Then DH went to our room for an afternoon nap😴 out of the sun while I went down to get our free bingo card that we won playing Deal or No Deal a few days before. 

 

I found a seat back in Java Blue, the place was packed and I was lucky to find a place to sit. I had to watch the television screens for the numbers because I could hardly see the stage. The first game got started and I was trying really hard to keep up because I had number after number that were being called.  After just 7 numbers were called I realized that I already had 4 numbers in a row and I had to stand up.  Just as I stood up they called the last number in my row and I yelled BINGO🤑!  I was the only one with a winning card and I had won $875💰  

Our lucky number is 21.  21 is our anniversary day (10/21/88💍) as well as the day we had our first date (6/21/85).  The date was 10/21/21.  This was our 21st cruise🛳️.  My bingo board had 21 on it.  I took the attached picture and sent it to my kids at home. 

 

I went back to our room after all the bingo games were done and woke my husband up to tell him I had won.  I had to show him my bingo card to get him to believe me.  By then it was time for us to get ready for our anniversary dinner in Rudi's.  We had a table at their outdoor dining area  and watched a beautiful sunset🌅, with a hint of a rainbow, while eating a delicious meal with my favorite crab cake🦀 and his favorite surf🦞 and turf🥩.  We ended with evening with a show and well, you know🥰.  It was our anniversary after all😉.

 

P.S.  I ended up buying a puppy🐕‍🦺 for my husband with my winnings.  Pebbles has been a joy to us ever since💗.

 

Edited March 27 by Warm Breezes

[sparks1093]

@Warm Breezes Pebbles is just the cutest! Thanks for sharing!

 

As for me every day on a Carnival cruise is a perfect day for me. From an early bite to eat at Lido, waking DW with a Mochaccino that's been freshly made, to a sea day brunch with DW and whatever family members have joined us on the sailing, to a leisurely day playing trivia, grabbing some sun on Serenity, to participating in Groove for St Jude (wearing one of the t-shirts right now), to dinner in the MDR and the night time entertainment whether it's a show in the theater or the comedy club, all topped off with a nightcap on our balcony.  

[Butterbean1000]

You sound a little sour.  Maybe Carnival or sailing not for you. 

22 hours ago, Afttastic said:

Share my perfect Carnival day?

 

One where I don't have to witness a fight because someone looked at someone the wrong way. One where the food is better than a quick-service restaurant. One where I'm not trampled and pushed in line to get a medicore burger from a Food Network celeberty or an non-customizable omlette from the buffet. One where I'm not stampeeded trying to buy a t-shirt in the gift shop by hordes of people demanding freesamples.

 

[Butterbean1000]

Our day starts with room service coffee as our alarm.  Sit on our balcony to have coffee and watch the ocean.   Into our "breakfast " clothes and head to lido.  Blue Iguana?, buffet? Blue Java?  That's a game day call.  Back to cabin to change and off to Serenity with a book.  Then to spa to enjoy thalassotherapy pool, stone lounges and shower.  Lunch, some kind of drink and roam the ship to looked for something to do.  Back to cabin to change for dinner and decide where to eat.  Have a pre-dinner cocktail at Alchemy, dinner and probably a show and then some people watching.  Stroll on the outside decks.  Back to cabin for a glass of wine on the balcony.  Good night

 

[ninjacat123]

Wake up to room service coffee, yogurt and muffins (hopefully chocolate).  Scare room service server with my ricky racoon mascara eyes as I take the tray and hand over tip money. Sip coffee on balcony then go to the gym (in gym clothes and cleaned up eyes) for a quick workout.  Change into swimwear and set up camp on Serenity.  Read book on phone till DH shows up.  Decide to get Blue Java coffee.  Glad I already worked out since I am now getting a Caribbean Coffee (booze).  Grab a breakfast burrito from Blue Iguana and head back up to Serenity. Spend first part of day getting too hot and cooling off in shower on Serenity. DH gets us Guy's burgers for lunch. An Aperol spritz is so refreshing and well, I already worked out. Decide to leave Serenity and try Trivia.  Realize we will never win "ship on a stick" (who are these people with 20 out of 20 correct?) and we get cleaned up in our room. Thanks for the cute towel buddy (sometimes I don't know what the towel thing is) room stewart! Alchemy is packed already so we grab a cocktail at the atrium bar and listen to some jazzy duo.  Man, I would love to have DH and I be a jazzy duo on a cruise ship...daydream over.  Head back to Alchemy, yay we grab two empty seats!  I have my favorite "Fiery Passion Tropical Martini" and DH has "Caribbean Manhattan" both no longer on Alchemy's menu but the mixologist knows how to make them. Go to dinner at JiJi's (I know, not on every ship, it should be!) then go to a stand up comic's show.  Laugh our butts off then head back to our balcony where we sip a last glass of champagne looking out at the stars.  Before going to bed, clear off space for tomorrow morning's room service and set out tip money.😉

[carohs]

Ooh, this is fun! 

 

Well, since you said perfect, some of this may not be entirely realistic.

 

I wake naturally, no loud bangs or other startling noises, after a wonderful night's sleep. The coffee is piping hot and delivered a few minutes thereafter. I then walk outside to the balcony discovering to my delight that the sun is just about to rise and I am able to take pictures and have several moments of mindfulness, enjoying the view and grateful that I get to experience this. DH is somewhere in this picture, too. We walk to lido, where we find the last person in line has just finished being served at Blue Iguana, and we get our breakfast burritos with no wait. We go back to the stateroom and get ready to go to the Spa. We get a relaxing couples massage then I grab my book and find an open thermal lounger to sit down, relax, and enjoy the view. 

 

In the afternoon we grab lunch, where we snag a table by the window, and get chocolate chip cookies and soft serve. Then we head to Serenity for drinks and the hot tub. In a perfect world, the tub is mostly empty but we make new friends with our fellow passengers there. 

 

In the evening, we head back to the stateroom for a shower and a nap. After we get ready for dinner, and head out for pre-dinner cocktails. In a perfect day, there's no line again, and the singing group is really good. We people watch and then head to enjoy a 3 course dinner, served by the friendly wait staff. After dinner, we head to the comedy showcase, grabbing two cocktails on the way. On the way, we also happen to walk past the casino when a whim slot spin lands on the Jackpot. Score! After comedy, I convince DH to take me dancing. We dance until my feet hurt, and then crash back in our rooms, looking forward to doing it all again the next day. Or maybe changing it up depending on my mood. 

[JMAE]

Easy, a day at sea, enjoying the ride!!!

[Honolulu Blue]

I liked reading all these posts.  Keep it up!  I'll split this into two posts - one with a near perfect experience I had on a charter cruise that WAS NOT on Carnival, and one a combination of perfect experiences I've had on Carnival.

 

OK, about that near perfect day on that charter cruise:

 

• Breakfast at the trough that's elevated from Carnival standards
• Hanging out somewhere quiet doing whatever
• Watching a concert by the pool stage around 10
• More hanging around or retreating to the cabin
• Watching another concert either in the main theater or by the pool around noon or 1 PM
• Power nap if I have time
• Watching yet another concert by the pool either at 2 or 4 PM
• Sneaking in a simple dinner of a burger and fries.  This part would be perfect if it were Guy's, but it's not.  This wasn't a Carnival cruise, remember?
• A final concert in the main theater (or watching the main theater feed from my room) pumping out some more hot tunes from my youth

 

 

[mfs2k]

14 hours ago, carohs said:

I wake naturally, no loud bangs or other startling noises, after a wonderful night's sleep. The coffee is piping hot and delivered a few minutes thereafter. I then walk outside to the balcony discovering to my delight that the sun is just about to rise…

And  thought I wake up early on a cruise…

😂😂😂

[Honolulu Blue]

Assembling some perfect experiences on Carnival cruises:

 

• Breakfast at the trough that includes bacon.  A no bacon day already takes the shine off perfection, IMHO.
• Arriving into port no earlier than 8 AM.  Earlier stops are not good for me, I've found.
• On sea days, a Morning Show that's filled with prizes and easy-to-answer questions
• Music trivia with selections that seem to come straight off my playlist.  Music trivia from the 80s and 90s seems to be my jam.  If you see me approaching, beware. 😈
• (Journeys cruises only) Horse racing.  I think this is fun to watch, even though I've never laid a bet down.  But then, I like horse races on land.
• (Journeys cruises only) The social media lecture.  It's always interesting to see the lecturer's spin on this - from building a better blog, to being an intermediate FB user, to social media security... these always seem to be unique from cruise to cruise
• Ribs ribs ribs - Short ribs, prime rib, or BBQ ribs for dinner (wherever) is always a winner with me
• Winning a few bucks on those games of chance
• Coming back from wherever I've been to find the room perfectly cleaned and made up

 

[vwgolf2]

On 3/26/2024 at 2:41 PM, Guest said:

Share my perfect Carnival day?

 

One where I don't have to witness a fight because someone looked at someone the wrong way. One where the food is better than a quick-service restaurant. One where I'm not trampled and pushed in line to get a medicore burger from a Food Network celeberty or an non-customizable omlette from the buffet. One where I'm not stampeeded trying to buy a t-shirt in the gift shop by hordes of people demanding free alcohol samples.

One where the whole cruise revolves around me...

[carohs]

5 hours ago, mfs2k said:

And  thought I wake up early on a cruise…

😂😂😂

I really don't actually 😅 DH does and takes all the beautiful pictures, but I'm not a morning person at all. He always shares the pics with me, but in a perfect day, I feel like I would get to see it for myself and not be grumpy, tired, or otherwise annoyed to be awake. 

[ninjacat123]

25 minutes ago, carohs said:

I really don't actually 😅 DH does and takes all the beautiful pictures, but I'm not a morning person at all. He always shares the pics with me, but in a perfect day, I feel like I would get to see it for myself and not be grumpy, tired, or otherwise annoyed to be awake. 

Same!  When I have to go to work or just get up at home, it's a struggle.  I'm on a cruise...woo hoo, let's go!!💃😸

[vwgolf2]

1. Wake up when nature wakes me up, not an alarm.

2. Go for a sit down breakfast and perhaps chat with fellow diners which invariably consists of conversations about previous cruises and where my accent is from.

3. Grab a book, shades and towel and find somewhere on deck to sit and read.

4. Take part in a quiz 

5. If it's gone midday, have a beer or two.

6. Lunch - Guy's burger with lots of toppings.

7. Back to the deck to continue reading. More beer.

8. Return to cabin and fall asleep on the balcony

9. Get ready for dinner and eat too much. Probably have the same conversations as at breakfast.

10. Check out the entertainment: is there a comedian? Does the band sound good? Is the show worth watching? Tell my wife for the 100th time that no, I don't want to dance.

11. A cocktail, whisky or G&T. And then another.

12. Quick flutter at roulette.

13. Am I hungry? Looks for snacks.

14. Bed 

[carohs]

59 minutes ago, vwgolf2 said:

Tell my wife for the 100th time that no, I don't want to dance.

😂😂😂😂😂

[cacruisin]

Mine is similar to many of the others but needs to include...

 

NOT go to work

NOT clean my house

NOT do laundry

NOT cook

NOT make my bed

NOT run errands

[Butterbean1000]

23 minutes ago, cacruisin said:

Mine is similar to many of the others but needs to include...

 

NOT go to work

NOT clean my house

NOT do laundry

NOT cook

NOT make my bed

NOT run errands

Actually  I do make my bed, habit.

[nybumpkin]

Sea day, combined over 20 years of Carnival cruises:

 

Wake whenever. Probably wouldn't be much later than 8:00 - but then, DH and I aren't late night people.

 

Breakfast. Either the dining room or the buffet. If the dining room, I'm having eggs sunny side up (dippies!), white toast (got something to dip in the eggs😃), and bacon. DH gets an omelet, either in the dining room or at the buffet.

 

After breakfast, we settle in on the promenade deck for rounds of cards and coffee from Java. Maybe play a round of trivia.

 

Lunch: Probably the buffet. I'll opt for Guy's or fried clams if the fish place is open. Love the clams.❤️ If I see something I like elsewhere, I'll head there. (Maybe Chinese?)

 

Afternoon, we'll find some entertainment - or if the weather's good, we'll head for a pool. (Definitely a pool if we're in Havana.❤️)

 

Dinner: Probably the dining room. I've never had much to complain about in the area of food. Favorites? For appetizers, just about any of the soups (Carnival has always done soups right for me). Dessert? Creme brulee. 

 

After dinner: Maybe a show if we're interested. If not, we'll go for a band in one of the lounges (maybe Red Frog?)

 

End of day. Next day? Repeat.