All cruise posts are now updated

All of the cruise posts have now been updated with photos - including the underwater pictures. There have been new pictures added to EVERY post. Can't believe it has taken almost a week to get it all done! And, for your convenience, here are the cruise posts in order:

Day 1: Our journey to Tampa

Day 2: Boarding The Carnival Legend

Day 3: At Sea

Day 4: Grand Cayman (swim with the stingrays and Coral Garden Snorkel)

Day 5: Cozumel, Mexico (swim with the Dolphins at Chankanaab Park); and Cozumel part 2

Day 6: Belize (Lost World Canopy Zipline tour)

Day 7: Isla Roatan, Honduras (Coral Cay Snorkel adventure); and Roatan part 2

Day 8: Last Day at Sea

Carnival Legend - last day - At sea

Well my child that does not need sleep was once again the first to wake up…at least this time it was more like 9:15, rather than 7:15. We managed to pull ourselves out of bed and we went upstairs for breakfast. Katie and Madalyn having just discovered the cereal are enjoying that wonderful treat. We don’t do sugared cereal at all…in fact most of what we buy is Kashi or Product 19…so they were quite thrilled with their froot loops and Lucky Charms. Madalyn also discovered her favorite sunshine muffins again.

The girls decided that they needed to spend time with their new friends in the pool…so Michael kept an eye on them (half an eye…maybe just a presence) and read his book. Now, Michael is not a reader…unless you count the newspaper or Sports Illustrated…but I convinced him that he needed to read one of the books from my 888 challenge list: “I hope they serve Beer in Hell” by Tucker Max. He has almost finished it…and says it’s “disgusting, crude, socially unacceptable, politically incorrect…and yet totally hilarious.”

While my family was basking by the pool…I went to the debarkation talk…just in case things were different from my other cruises…nothing is different. The only thing I did not find out is when we have to be out of our room on Saturday morning. After the talk, I went to get my bucket of quarters that I still had not managed to lose in the casino…and I managed to win more than I was planning to spend – I cashed out with $53.

Then I walked over to the photo gallery to see how our formal night photo turned out. Once again…the quality was horrible. I suppose that if my only complaint about this cruise is the photo quality…it’s a minor issue!

I went up to the Lido deck to try and locate my family – and I found them just coming out of the café with their lunch. They sat down to eat - and we were entertained at the same time by the ice carving demonstration. Afterwards we went to check out the chocolate buffet. The girls were not in an adventurous mood…so they stuck with chocolate swans – which is puff pastry surrounding a scoop of chocolate ice cream. We left Michael feasting and I took the girls back to the room to shower and change for our afternoon events.

At 3 we had 7 rounds of Bingo. The guy hosting – Allen Price – was great. He did a lot of the trivia games we participated in. He was making fun of Carnival’s prizes. Our first game of Bingo was for $100…and the next jackpot was $110 (he said “it’s a billion dollar company…and we have the huge jackpot of $110!)…The second round had to be split by four people! Madalyn was thrilled that several people recognized her from winning a few nights ago! We didn’t even come close!

Following Bingo was the galley tour. We did this on our last cruise…and it’s so interesting to me to have the Q&A before hand. The wait staff on board work for 6-9 months at a time…with NO days off…for about 70 hours a week…all for gratuities. I cannot imagine keeping up with a schedule like that.

After the galley tour…I kicked Michael and the girls out so that I could pack. What a process. Who knew that we could accumulate so much stuff?! The girls went swimming again…which meant another round of showers before we could dress for dinner.

Before we could eat dinner…we had to go to another trivia contest…and this time it was Michael’s favorite…music trivia. Allen was our host again…and Michael won…getting 24 out of 30 questions correct…and he got his own, much coveted, 24 carat gold plastic ship on a stick.

On the menu tonight:
Appetizers: We all ordered escargots. Katie and Madalyn’s friends had convinced them that they were good. I suppose you need another kid to verify this…as they did not take my word for it…that snails are delish! I actually ordered two! When the arrived, Katie wanted Madalyn to try hers first…Katie did not realize that they would look like they do. Finally Madalyn agreed to try the first bite…and she LOVED it. Katie worked up the courage to try hers…and she liked it…but thought the texture was strange…not that that stopped her from cleaning her plate. Madalyn even had Phillip bring her another dish! Michael also ordered lobster cake for an additional appetizer.

Main course: Madalyn and I had the Neptune platter – which had fried shrimp, fish, and calamari. My girls LOVE calamari. I don’t suppose a lot of 6 year olds would eat snails and squid for dinner! Katie had the grilled chicken over fettuccine with mushroom sauce. Michael had Salmon with dill sauce.

Dessert: Katie and I had warm chocolate melting cake; Madalyn had cappuccino pie; Michael had Grand Marnier soufflé.
When we finished dinner…we walked over to Follies for the last Bingo of the cruise…the one to win a cruise. Madalyn kept trying to decide which of her friends she would bring with her if she won…and Katie just assumed Madalyn would win again and kept trying to convince her to bring her own sister! We didn’t win…but Katie and I each only needed one more square! So close…and yet so far!

The last show of the night is the “Legends” show…where guests audition to participate. They were auditioning for Elton John, James Brown, Elvis and others. Katie was most upset that they did not have a Hannah Montana in their repertoire. And when we heard the performances…oh…they were bad. Really bad! I had read that this was a great show. Maybe if you know someone in it. Maybe we just had really bad singers on our cruise. I’m not sure…but it was rather amusing in a train wreck kind of way!

And then the show came to an end…along with our vacation. We got the rest of our luggage packed and set outside our door…and kids off to dreamland…where we can dream about doing this all over again…

Isla Roatan, Honduras - Carnival Legend - part 2

We got back on the boat about 1:15 – an hour before the ship was scheduled to leave – and we went up for lunch. Any guesses about what Madalyn ate? I had to take her picture – telling her that I want to remember what she looked like before she turned into an actual cheeseburger.

When we finished, I wanted to watch the ship leave the port. There are these “things” (another scientific name for you – “yellow-striped thingus”) in the water that the ship is tied to – and I wanted to see how we are untied. The girls went to the slide…and about 2:20 I went to see…and nothing doin’ yet. I look down at the pier and there are TONS of people still boarding. If that was me, I’d be a paranoid mess coming that late to the pier. 2:30…people still moseying along. 2:45…still seeing stragglers. At 3pm, they finally pulled up the gangplank and started letting the ropes go. I watched with my “train wreck” mentality…almost hoping to see someone running down the pier yelling “waaaiiitt!!” But it appears that everyone got on board. I heard from another passenger that we lost two in Cozumel. (Isn't Roatan gorgeous?! Look at that water!)

Katie was done with swimming, so we went back to the room to shower and change while Michael and Madalyn stayed by the pool. While Katie was in the shower her new friends (Kelly and Rachel – the ones she met ziplining in Belize) called and asked if she wanted to go to the arcade with them. I knew that Madalyn would be jealous…but I sent Katie…and just a minute later Michael and Madalyn came back to the room. I tried to tell Madalyn that Katie was just running an errand for me…but she was relentless in her pursuit to know EXACTLY where she went! Somehow we all survived the drama…and she got cleaned up…and took a nap. Katie got home shortly after Madalyn fell asleep…and I had her rest/read in her bed. I actually took a nap myself…and was so surprised when Michael woke me up about 7:20 to get ready for dinner!

On the menu for tonight:
Appetizers: Madalyn had fruit cocktail (she would only eat the grapes…said the rest was contaminated by the pineapple juice! Such a strange child)Katie wanted shrimp cocktail…but said that three shrimp were not enough…so I told her to order two. She had no idea that you could do that! She got two! I had lobster bisqueMichael had langistino etouffe.
Main course: Katie and Michael had Grilled Tiger shrimp in a garlic butter sauce; I had chateaubriand; Madalyn had…guess what? Not a cheeseburger. She had the hotdog and baked potato!

Dessert: Katie once again had warm chocolate melting cake; Michael had amaretto cake; I had baked Alaska; Madalyn had brownies.

"Showtime" tonight was all the waiters (and Katie) doing the YMCA. Notice that Katie has a napkin on her head. She wanted to fit in with the strange head gear.

After dinner we went over to the lobby staircase to get another family picture (which I went to find today – and again – it’s blurry!). Then we went back to the room to change clothes. Michael took Madalyn for her own trek to the arcade while Katie and I read. At 11pm we went back out for the picture taking part of the Gala Buffet. We got really lucky in that the show was still going on in the Follies lounge, so there was no wait to go through the line…and there were some amazing creations. When we were walking out…the line was huge!

I took the girls back to the room and Michael went to the midnight, adults only hypnotist show. He said it was hilarious…and definitely not a family show!

Do you know what the above picture is of? Each night after dinner, we would come back to our room to find it made up. The towels picked up and replaced. Our beds turned down. A towel animal waiting to make us smile. The capers for the next day. And silver wrapped pieces of chocolate. Do you know why the pile is this big? Because the girls hadn't discovered them. Do you know why the girls hadn't discovered them? Because...they thought it was butter. BUTTER! Yes...my children are blonde.

Katie fell asleep quickly – she had not taken a nap and was really tired. I had to convince Madalyn to go to sleep – that long nap really energized her! We all slept with dreams of living forever on this ship…