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Thread: A Little Bit Of Vitamin Sea With A Twist

  1. #1

    A Little Bit Of Vitamin Sea With A Twist

    Hi all! I just got back from SB weekend in Vegas and was almost successful in doing a completely NON gambling trip, as I have a big upcoming trip and wanted to save my bankroll for it. My family and I are headed to NOLA for a weekend, by way of a day & night in Baltimore, before departing on an 8 day cruise.

    Really looking forward to relaxing and focusing on what’s important ( family). Airfare was absolutely ridiculous out of any airport in NY and I had watched prices since September...I refused to pay $4300 for 4 economy tickets. Happened to find seats on a SW flight out of BWI for $400 each and snagged them up. To save over $2K, I have no issue with the 5 hour drive to Baltimore. Booked a hotel near the airport and will fly out the morning of 2/16.

    I booked a comped room in NOLA at Harrahs. I plan on giving them about 4 hours of play a day because of the February Fever promotion. They are doubling all tier credits earned in February, so it’s a really great way to earn Diamond status fairly quickly and hopefully for a lot less money. I “think” I’m going to have them send a limo to pick us up from the airport on 2/16 as I think my 8 & 10 year olds would get a kick out of it.

    On 2/18, we board Carnival Dream. I used my free cruise for 2 voucher from Palazzo and are staying in an Ocean Suite mid ship. I don’t think the rooms or ship are as nice as the Royal Princess, but there are some great restaurant options, and most importantly, tons of onboard activities for the kids. Waterslides, Dr Seuss at Sea, and kids clubs. We bought silly attire to wear to the big Seuss breakfast. They have a whimsical menu with red velvet pancakes, decorated waffles, and of course green eggs and ham. It was only an additional $5, so why not?

    We will be visiting Montego Bay,Jamaica where I have a simple excursion to Margaritaville. Jamaica isn’t somewhere I was thrilled about going and decided to just spend time on the beach there, as they have lots of activities on the water for customers. Mom and Dad can have drinks while the kids swim. Easy and inexpensive.

    The next stop will be Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. I booked an excursion on a catamaran. It will take us snorkeling at a coral reef, then to the Sand Bar to swim with sting rays and get photos, and then to a beach for the rest of the day. A lunch of island fare and open bar is included. The reviews were really good and the stops all looked beautiful.

    The last stop will be in Cozumel. I think Cozumel is absolutely beautiful. It’s funny as when you are on a cruise, unless you book excursions, you don’t get to spend any time swimming in the ocean. That’s my and my children’s favorite part. So I booked an all inclusive day on Paradise Island. My kids love playing in the sand and body boarding, so it will definitely be relaxing and entertaining for all of us.

    Plan on gambling in the evenings at the onboard casino. I’m going to start out cautiously, as so far my experiences have been that cruise ship casinos are really tight. If I find I’m winning, I’ll increase my bets. The casino can’t be worse than on Princess, so hoping for a better slot and VP selection. I may even attempt a shoe of BJ with my brother. My brother and his wife also booked the same cruise. So looking forward to spending time with them.

    We have 2 formal nights and I booked anytime dining. I’ll decide after eating in the main restaurant the first night, if I will go back. There are some great casual options like Guy Fieri’s Pig n Anchor BBQ and his Burger Joint. The sushi restaurant ( Bonsai?), I think it’s called looked good and of course they have an Italian restaurant and a steakhouse for additional money. I know there is a Mongolian Wok, Captains Pizza, and a Mexican restaurant that there is no doubt I will frequent. I’m obsessed with tacos. Then every ship has a buffet where I can allow my kids to waste as much food as they want! Lol

    Anyway, I have a busy next 10 days, so wanted to get this started. I’ll update frequently before we board the cruise ship, and whenever I happen to have free WiFi once on the ship. I’m not buying the WiFi package this time, as last time it was expensive and a complete waste of money. Hoping to win big in NOLA for some extra cruise ship casino bullets. If anyone is in Baltimore, New Orleans, or happens to be on this same cruise, please let me know! Would love to say hello. Any recommendations for a nice seafood dinner in Baltimore would also be appreciated. So ready to get my dose of Vitamin Sea!
    Last edited by Hoofy7; 02-06-2018 at 04:14 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Elf70's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2015
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    South Carolina
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    Have a wonderful trip Hoofy. I’m looking forward to your updates.

  3. #3
    Have a great trip Hoofy, your plans sound wonderful.

  4. #4
    Senior Member zeus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Charlotte, NC
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    24,319
    Sounds like a great trip! Only three stops on an eight day trip, that to me is fantastic because I love the at-sea days. Swimming with the stingrays in Grand Cayman was a blast! But that was many years ago for me.

    Have a wonderful time with your family! I know you will miss New York in the winter.

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    I will be checking your report. Good luck gambling and enjoy the family cruise. Hope your husband is doing fine and healthy

  6. #6
    Have a great cruise!

  7. #7
    Wow, you have a little bit of everything planned. Sounds wonderful. Have a great, safe, fun, and profitable trip!

  8. #8
    I look forward to the cruise updates!

  9. #9
    What a wonderful relaxing fun filled family vacation it sounds like you have planned. I'll be watching for updates too. A five hour drive to save 2K sounds like something I would do too.

  10. #10
    Thank you everyone. @LuckyLinda, yes my husband is doing better. For those who don’t know he has an aortic aneurysm and they are monitoring him closely. His is measuring a 4.9 and at 5.5 they have to operate immediately. They check him monthly for any increase in size. It’s scary and really an eye opener on how precious life is. This is a really great group of people who seem to have genuine camaraderie and it’s refreshing. You all know how bad I suck at trip reports, but I promise to give this one a valiant effort. Lol

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