Caribbean Cruise & Hollywood, Fl Jan/Feb 2017 Part 6
2/2/17 9:45pm
I am sitting on a cushioned wicker couch on one of the sides of the Lido Deck. This section is one of the two designated smoking areas, but no one is smoking here now. The couches are cool and it’s irksome that they are given to the smokers, but are not anywhere else on the ship.
It is dark in every direction except for behind us, which is just a sprinkling of tiny lights on the horizon. The breeze is cool and somewhat strong as it washes over the main deck, but not in the spot where I am sitting thanks to wind screens. I could fall asleep here and now. In fact, I am slipping further and further down on the cushions as I write and will likely find myself laying down sooner rather than later.
Here follows my attempt: As I went in search of a bathroom to change in, I came across these guys:
The one guy was pounding a drum while the other three put their feet in the fire and then pranced around hooting and shouting and leaping. It was cool.
I did not see any actual ruins or temples on this trip, but there was a mini temple in the port market. This picture became my most favorite picture of the trip.
I found a bathroom and changed into my swimming trunks, then went to meet up with the excursion group: Catamaran Sail, Snorkel, and Beach Break.
We stopped not far from the cruise ships and were told we had 40 minutes to snorkel. I jumped off the catamaran with flippers and camera in hand. There were hundreds of fish!
A few times, I tried to swim deeper to take a picture of a fish that was 20 or so feet below by the coral. My ears would fill with pressure almost as soon as I angled my face downward. I couldn’t get further than five or seven feet down, anyway. It took multiple tries just for me to figure out how to swim down. I have a headache now and I wonder if doing that had anything to do with it.
We were warned that there are several catamaran excursions in their fleet and they all go to the same private beach. So, when they have a busy day (such as today with seven cruise ships in port!) the private beach can become crowded. However, when we reached the beach, there were no other catamarans there and no others came during our time there.
I had a very light beer and went on a paddle board. It took me about five minutes to get the hang of it and I almost fell off a few times. I saw someone else doing a lot better than me, so I copied what he was doing: putting his feet square in the center of the board instead of one before the other like on a skate board or snow board. Once I did that, I was able to balance and I started paddling around faster with confidence. They told me to stay within the buoys which were only about twenty or thirty feet from shore. So, I didn't get to go out too far (although, I went outside of the buoys once because I couldn't turn fast enough).
After a while, I was hungry. So, I paddled back to the beach and got a burger (Red Meat Count: 4) and another beer.
The crew invited everyone to the front of the catamaran and started a dance party! First, it was the Cha-Cha Slide, which I did not partake in -- I was tired and my feet were sore from walking around all day and I decided I would just watch everyone else having fun for a bit.
Then, the Cupid Shuffle started and I couldn’t not participate.
I drew the line at the chicken dance, which came next, and so I went back to sitting down.
However, The Wobble came on next and I was back in. I honed my wobbling skills at the Mega Deck Party last night, so by this time I was a pro. Dancing on a moving Catamaran is challenging because the boat is bobbing up and down on the waves like this:
So when you hop, which is part of the Wobble, you may end up air born a little longer than you may have expected, which is insane and exciting and just plain awesome! At some point, whilst laughing out loud at myself, I realized that I was having the time of my life and that this moment may, in fact, be one of the highest highlights of my existence. It was certainly the most exhilarating.
It was nice to have dinner with people (not that I dislike dining alone) one night on the cruise. Grace was said. Then we talked about our excursions, cruises, kids, cities, and a little about jobs.
The dining room staff broke out into a dance routine to "I Got a Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas.
"I got a feeling... that tonight's gonna be a good night
Tonight's gonna be a good night
Tonight's gonna be a good, good night"
For dessert, I had a key lime mousse and a side of vanilla ice cream. I’m on vacation!
I think I am going to have cheesecake tomorrow night. I have been walking by the cheesecake displayed at the coffee bar multiple times a day and I’ve been really good about healthy eating before and during the cruise. I knew that I was going to treat myself to cheesecake at some point during this trip as I was using that as a sweet reward for all the hard work of exercise and eating right. As such, it's been a long time comin'. Official countdown to cheesecake: T-Minus 23 hours.
The cool breeze seems to be getting cooler and I’m getting closer and closer to falling asleep on this couch… and I have to pee…
I had thought about going to the dance club tonight, because I’m dressed up (for the second elegant night, of course), but my feet hurt way too much and I’m truly exhausted -- a good exhausted, though.
Lido Deck, Carnival Conquest, Caribbean Ocean
I am sitting on a cushioned wicker couch on one of the sides of the Lido Deck. This section is one of the two designated smoking areas, but no one is smoking here now. The couches are cool and it’s irksome that they are given to the smokers, but are not anywhere else on the ship.
It is dark in every direction except for behind us, which is just a sprinkling of tiny lights on the horizon. The breeze is cool and somewhat strong as it washes over the main deck, but not in the spot where I am sitting thanks to wind screens. I could fall asleep here and now. In fact, I am slipping further and further down on the cushions as I write and will likely find myself laying down sooner rather than later.
Today was really an amazing day and I don’t think I can even express how amazing in words.
Here follows my attempt: As I went in search of a bathroom to change in, I came across these guys:
Fire dancers?
The one guy was pounding a drum while the other three put their feet in the fire and then pranced around hooting and shouting and leaping. It was cool.
I did not see any actual ruins or temples on this trip, but there was a mini temple in the port market. This picture became my most favorite picture of the trip.
After a short wait, we were led a short distance to a pier and waiting catamaran. Once on board, we were given a quick description of what we would be doing before setting off to a snorkeling spot.
We stopped not far from the cruise ships and were told we had 40 minutes to snorkel. I jumped off the catamaran with flippers and camera in hand. There were hundreds of fish!
The water was much deeper here than at the barrier reef in Cayman. The coral was about twenty to thirty feet down. But, as I said, there were hundreds of fish here! And they swam right up to me. At times, I was in the midst of a school of cool looking fish. Most of them were white and yellow with black stripes (Bumble Bee Zebra Fish?) But there were others too.
I tried to get a picture of each type of fish I saw. At times, a fish or two swam within inches of my mask. I tried to take a selfie with a fish in front of me, but they wouldn’t cooperative when I took the picture.
Even so, most of the time, they were so close I could touch them. I didn’t touch them, of course, because, why would I want to freak out a random fish who was just doing it's thing? It was just really cool to be so close to so many of them.
A few times, I tried to swim deeper to take a picture of a fish that was 20 or so feet below by the coral. My ears would fill with pressure almost as soon as I angled my face downward. I couldn’t get further than five or seven feet down, anyway. It took multiple tries just for me to figure out how to swim down. I have a headache now and I wonder if doing that had anything to do with it. 
There were a couple times when I saw a fish randomly start chasing another fist. They were like cats. It was kinda funny.
At the end of the forty minutes, we all returned to the catamaran. The sail was raised and drinks were handed out.
I had a very light beer and went on a paddle board. It took me about five minutes to get the hang of it and I almost fell off a few times. I saw someone else doing a lot better than me, so I copied what he was doing: putting his feet square in the center of the board instead of one before the other like on a skate board or snow board. Once I did that, I was able to balance and I started paddling around faster with confidence. They told me to stay within the buoys which were only about twenty or thirty feet from shore. So, I didn't get to go out too far (although, I went outside of the buoys once because I couldn't turn fast enough). 
After a while, I was hungry. So, I paddled back to the beach and got a burger (Red Meat Count: 4) and another beer. 
Then, I went and laid in a hammock for a bit before our hour and a half beach break was up.
The sun came and went for most of the beach break.
Once everyone was back on the catamaran, the sail went up and the motor turned on and the music started. Beer and margaritas were handed out again (I declined) and the party started.
Once everyone was back on the catamaran, the sail went up and the motor turned on and the music started. Beer and margaritas were handed out again (I declined) and the party started.
The crew invited everyone to the front of the catamaran and started a dance party! First, it was the Cha-Cha Slide, which I did not partake in -- I was tired and my feet were sore from walking around all day and I decided I would just watch everyone else having fun for a bit.
Then, the Cupid Shuffle started and I couldn’t not participate.
I stood up and started to shuffle to the left and then to the right. If there is one thing that I can do well, it’s following directions in dance songs. You should have seen me “walk it” by myself. I looked like this:
Kelly and Jim’s friend filmed me and later sent me the video. I took some screen shots from the video.
After Cupid, was the Macarena and I thought to myself, “I can’t believe I’m doing the freaking Macarena on a moving Catamaran in the Caribbean ocean…”
I drew the line at the chicken dance, which came next, and so I went back to sitting down.However, The Wobble came on next and I was back in. I honed my wobbling skills at the Mega Deck Party last night, so by this time I was a pro. Dancing on a moving Catamaran is challenging because the boat is bobbing up and down on the waves like this:
When I had first gotten on the catamaran, they took my picture. I bought the picture as the Catamaran was pulling up to the pier. I tipped the crew as we deboarded (I don’t think this is actually a word…).
With a smile on my face, I walked back through the port and passed through a long gift shop where I ran into Kelly and Jim and their friends that were on the catamaran with me (Carl and Sandra? Maybe…) and they invited me to dinner again. 7:30pm.
I went back to my stateroom and was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't freezing!
I quietly stated, "yay" and then stripped down naked before passing out on my bed. The power nap I took was incredibly fulfilling.
I awoke with enough time to shower, dress (somewhat elegantly), and meet my new friends at the Renoir Dining Room.
I quietly stated, "yay" and then stripped down naked before passing out on my bed. The power nap I took was incredibly fulfilling.
I awoke with enough time to shower, dress (somewhat elegantly), and meet my new friends at the Renoir Dining Room.
It was nice to have dinner with people (not that I dislike dining alone) one night on the cruise. Grace was said. Then we talked about our excursions, cruises, kids, cities, and a little about jobs.The dining room staff broke out into a dance routine to "I Got a Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas.
"I got a feeling... that tonight's gonna be a good night
Tonight's gonna be a good night
Tonight's gonna be a good, good night"
I ordered filet mignon (Red Meat Count: 5), medium (although it was easily medium-rare, if not completely rare in the middle, which really isn't a problem for me). It was good, but not nearly the best filet I have ever had.
For dessert, I had a key lime mousse and a side of vanilla ice cream. I’m on vacation!
 |
| (Debarkation?! But I don't wanna go!) |
The cool breeze seems to be getting cooler and I’m getting closer and closer to falling asleep on this couch… and I have to pee…I had thought about going to the dance club tonight, because I’m dressed up (for the second elegant night, of course), but my feet hurt way too much and I’m truly exhausted -- a good exhausted, though.
More people have found the cushioned couches and it’s becoming somewhat lively here. Definitely time to call it a night.
