My adventure on the Viking Cruise Line longship Alruna and Tialfi.  Yes, yes I actually had the pleasure of being on two longships while cruising the Rhine River.....well almost cruising.....

So this is how the story goes.  I was notified that because of low water levels on the river I would be bused a little bit.  This did not discourage me as I am a traveler, I wear this title proudly and every trip I take is another adventure full of laughs and memories.  I was also notified upon arrival in Basel, Switzerland that I would be boarding the sister ship Alruna to my original ship Tialfi, and that I would indeed be on the Tialfi in a couple days.

As I landed in Basel I was met by a representative of Viking who escorted me to the bus I was to take to Breisach, Germany.  I would miss Basel completely however, since Breisach sits on the edge of the Black Forest I was not inconvenienced one bit.....remember my title is TRAVELER.

A very comfortable ride I can assure you.






Ahhhh, here she is.  Yes a tad foggy, but
doesn't that add to the allure of the Black
Forest?  Yes I think so.

I chose to unpack and explore the longship instead of walking around the town.  I had a very nice light lunch in the dining room.  The briefing was at 6:00 pm and I was not going to miss hearing about all the cool things I was going to do. 

Meet Bob, when I looked across the Rhine River (onto the beautiful landscape of France!) I noticed several swans.  One began swimming over to my french balcony and proceeded to squawk at me.  I decided his name was Bob, or her name whatever, and we had quite a nice chat about how cold the water was which didn't seem to bother Bob.

The longboat was decorated quite festively and the staff was amazing.  The 'port talk' was very informative and as I was traveling with 7 other friends we had a fun time at dinner with lots of laughs. 

Until tomorrow..............

Royal Caribbean - Anthem of the Seas

Hello beautiful !

Today, Saturday April 29th I embark on the Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas for a Seminar at Sea.  I leave out of Bayonne, New Jersey - Cape Liberty Cruise Port.  I will have to admit right now that some of the photos you will see are stock from Royal Caribbean, as much as I wish I was a good photographer I'm not 😇 so I will 'borrow' some for your pleasure. 

 

 

                                       

                                      

This is the gorgeous Anthem of the Seas.  (This is a stock photo).  This cruise terminal is one of the easiest to depart from.  Parking is convenient and staff is very friendly. 

The process of embarkation is extremely smooth.  I always recommend going online prior to the cruise to complete and print your Sea Pass and any insurance documents you may need.  Of course if I help you with your travel arrangements I will do this for you.  I will make sure you have all documents and any shore excursion and/or dining reservations you may want ahead of time, I will also print and laminate your luggage tags complete with zip tie to keep them secure.

Staterooms are usually ready around 1:00 pm, after dropping off my carry-on, I always proceed to the "Lido Deck", I just love saying that, it reminds me of the Love Boat tv show which is the reason I love cruising today. Didn't miss an episode.  Here is a nice view of the New York skyline from the Lido Deck (pool deck).  I'm a sucker for the 'drink of the day', probably way too many calories but what the heck, I'm on vacation right?   Oh no wait I'm not, I'm on a Seminar at Sea which means I will have to be in classes this week.  Ah well could be worse. 

 My stateroom was on deck 8, #8718. Balcony cabin.

It is in the rear or "aft" of the ship and it was a very smooth ride.  Again I'm using stock photos here as I can never get a great shot of the rooms.

Plenty of storage, two closets, a bank of drawers and nice makeup/worktable.  The bathroom was great, round shower with a nice swing out door.  And thank you Royal Caribbean for putting in a foot rest so I can shave my legs without hitting my head on the opposing wall. LOL  The only thing you have to remember is to put your key card in the slot above the light switch, if you don't you will be in the dark, hahaha.

A few statistics for you:
She was 'born' in 2015.  Holds 4,905 passengers.  There are 16 decks.  The registry is Bahamas.  Gross tonnage is 168,666 whew !  Length is 1141 feet. Average speed is 22 knots which is 25.31 miles per hour.  

There are 519 inside staterooms, 1571 outside staterooms (includes oceanview and balcony).  There are 1,500 crew members.
There is one indoor pool, a solarium and one outdoor pool.  I will be showing  you photos of all this as the week goes on, I don't want to overload you with information hahaha.
There is a spa, gym and casino.

Dining:  
Main dining rooms are The Grand,  Silk, American Icon and Chic.  They all hold a little over 400 guests.

I will detail the specialty dining and Windjammer Cafe in the following days.

After enjoying my drink of the day and a little exploring I captured a beautiful sunset.  I will have to admit there are sunsets and then there are sunsets, off a cruise ship they just seem more peaceful.

Galveston and the Tremont House

Good Morning everyone,

I thought that while it's fresh in my head - and you all know how fast things come in and go LOL - that I'd let you in on a nice little find.

My husband, Dan is in Galveston for a business conference and he texted me a few photos from the Tremont House where he is staying.

Of course I'm excessively jealous...why?  Just look at this view.

This is his view from the rooftop bar of the hotel.  Tremont House is a Wyndham Property now that has a bit of history.  It is the 3rd hotel bearing the name.  The first was built on Postoffice & Tremont Street.  The firm of McKinney & Williams  was commissioned to design the what was to be a magnificent hotel.  It was two stories tall and opened April 19, 1839 with a Grand Ball to celebrate.  Tickets cost $50.00 or $25.00 in gold.  Quite expensive for the day.  In June 1865 the hotel was devastated by a great fire.

A group of  Galveston citizens decided to form a company by the name of : "The Galveston Hotel Company"  was built on a half block of land at  Tremont, Church and 24th Street.

Tremont House opened it's doors in February of 1872.  The architect Nicholas Clayton produced elegant plans for the 'new' Tremont House classified as one of the grandest hotels in the nation.  It boasted a barber shop, billiards room, saloon and European Styled Grand Lobby.  They even had a steam powered elevator.

 

Alas, in 1900 the hotel was again in tragedy, hundreds of people took refuge in the ruined hotel after the Great Galveston Hurricane, having winds of 145mph, making it a Category 4.  The hotel was later condemned and demolished in 1928.  

George & Cynthia Mitchell (George was a native of Galveston) loved the island and were sad to see it so faded from it's former glory, they secured funding from local foundations and have to date saved approximately 30 historic buildings. In 1981 they purchased the Leon & H.Blum Building which was once a ry goods importer. 

Tremont House was opened in 1985 and today has 119 rooms, the boutique hotel is romantic and grand.  15' high ceilings, luxury linens, hardwood floors, some rooms with wrought iron beds and all the charm of the Victorian Era.

 Gorgeous Lobby and dining area

 Very cool rooms.

 




 But the most fun part is this key.  Looks like an old fashioned room key right?  In fact all you do is put it in the lock and it acts like a key card, no lock turning just green light for go !
                        

They allow pets up to 25 lbs.  They have a shuttle to the port for our cruisers!  It's a must stay and do while you are there.  There are museums, antique shopping, restaurants and beaches.  See.....plenty to do so I suggest you fly in the day before your cruise and take part in all Galveston has to offer.  Now, when do you want to go? 

 

 

2nd Day at Sea.....SPA TIME !!!

Copyright of Carnival Cruise Lines

Spa day, Spa day, Spa day......Some of you know that I'm not a fan of massages, or spa treatments involving water.  BUT when I saw that they had "Wrinkle Remedies" offered I just had to try it.  I do admit to being a fan of  Botox, I've used it twice in my 56 years.

So I made an appointment with Dr. Berry and I was not disappointed.  I had Dysport injections for my frown lines in between my eye brows and Restylane to even out the 'cowardly lion' lines as I call them but I think the technical term is marionette lines.  The treatment was priced the same as I would get at home and Dr. Berry was very knowledgeable and kind.  So if you are leery of treatments on board don't be.

After treatment  hit the adults only area knows as Serenity !

*Copyright of Carnival Cruise Lines*

Carnival Sunshine went through a refurbishment and a redesign in 2013 at a cost of $155 million.  She was originally the Carnival Destiny.

The "Serenity" is a triple deck of adults only fun.  It's a retreat within a retreat. The best thing is it's FREE to use.  It has a triple-height waterfall ending in a plunge pool.  There are hot tubs of course, cabanas and bars.  You must be 21 years or older to enter, and for those of you that want to "get away" from children screaming in delight at all that this cruise ship has to offer this is the place for you.

You can access this area at any time, but there will only be bar service from 8:00am to 10:00 pm, they also close the whirlpools at 10:00pm generally.  There are very plush lounge chairs and you can either get a ton of sun, or relax in their shaded areas.  They also play a variety of music.

 After relaxing I decided to hit the gym.  And I was not disappointed...I seem to say that a lot about this ship don't I?...Their machines were of good quality and plenty of them.  I went to the gym at differing times during the day and it was never crowded.  Hmmmm, maybe everyone was at the buffet.  Sorry I just had to say that.

Another great feature of the gym are their treadmills.  You can either watch tv while walking/running or you can look out the vast windows and watch the water.  I do not recommend this for those of us who are balance challenged.  It was a feat not to fall off.

 Now it's 1:00pm and time for the Harry Chest Contest at the pool.  Yes they still do these crazy contests, but it's fun to watch people let loose and have a great time.  After all that's what cruising is all about right?  Right !  There is something going on every hour on this ship, from Port Shopping talk, Art Lovers Market, Walking seminar, Trivia, Bingo, Dance classes, Arthritis and Back Pain seminar, Arts & Craft time for adults and Bean Bag Toss.  So see ? You can only be bored if you choose to be.

Main Dining room for dinner tonight because it's just so good.  Afterwards it's a comedy show, main theater variety show,  and then at 10:15pm it's the BlueIguana's Mexican Fiesta.  Now let me tell you this was a party.  Crew handed out sombreros, mini pinatas, little stuffed bulls, and the fancy drinks were great!  

 

 

Photo compliments of Cruise Critic

And yes it does get this crazy.  I want to thank Cruise Critic for their amazing photos because I am such a horrible photographer.

Our First Sea Day, Carnival Sunshine

Each night while you are out of your Stateroom having dinner and exploring the ship while making new friends your cabin steward is hard at work cleaning your room and leaving you little towel animals. haha,   Also he or she leaves on your freshly made bed a copy of FunTimes which is your go to pamphlet for the day, it explains what can be expected and the times for same.

 Tonight's Attire is Cruise Elegant, they list each night's theme on your FunTimes so Caitlin and I dressed up and took advantage of the ship photographer by sitting for a few formal portraits.  This is a tradition for us, one which the family loves because let's face it our lives are so very full that we don't always think to have portraits done, or we can't get everyone together at the same time.  So from the time Caitlin and I started cruising together when she was very young we have enjoyed this little tradition (and yes if you are wondering we leave hubby at home because someone has to work)

              Here's the other side you you can sort of see that there is just way too much fun to be had.






So what just is fun day at sea?  Well it's a day for you to experience everything the ship has to offer you, for instance you can play bingo, watch the "Morning Show" live in the Liquid Lounge (which gives you an overview of the day), take a ballroom dance class, shop for watches and jewelry, listen to a 'port talk' about the town in which you are going to stop in the next day, play trivia, twice! and listen to a Caribbean shopping show which gives you tips for where to go if you like shopping.   And that's just the morning !  Oh of course I left out having breakfast, lounging by the pool, taking advantage of their amazing spa, go to the gym (and yes I went every day).

        This is the Steakhouse Farenheit 555 where today at 12:00pm you can attend the cooking demonstration.  Or you can play trivia, slot tournament, watch a jewelry premier, guess that 50's and 60's song, see the art auction preview complete with champagne, there are pool games to watch or participate in, 50's dance class, bingo, etc.  And today at 2:30 is the Murder Mystery where they give you clues throughout the week and who ever guesses (like the game Clue) at the end of the trip wins something !

                               Ahhhh this is what Sea Day is all about for me.  If you look closely (because I'm a creature of habit) to the left you will see a semi-circle roof.  That is the RedFrog Rum Bar, my favorite bartender Mary works there during the day so I camp out in the chairs right in front and I have a great view of the pool games and if I need to cool off a quick dip is a short walk.

For lunch I'm wandering over to Guy's Burger Joint (borrowed the photo from cruise critic) which is on the same side of the pool deck that I happen to be sitting on !  Imagine that.  And yes the burgers are as good as they look in the wonderful Carnival commercials. You have many options for lunch from Cuban Bites in the Havana Bar to the Lido Buffet, light lunch in the Taste Bar, Mongolian Wok, Bonsai Sushi, Pasta Bar in Cucina del Capitano and the BlueIguana Cantina (which is on the opposite side of the pool deck)

So by now you can imagine I'm relaxed, warmed by the sun, refreshed from Mary's fabulous drinks and in need of a nap.  Besides it's getting late so time to shower for dinner.

Since tonight is Cruise Elegant night we have decided to eat in the main dining room the "Sunset Restaurant"
very delicious food and I don't need to remind you that if you order something that you just don't like OR if you are still hungry after your entree you are more than welcome to order another dish.  But don't stuff yourself or you wont have time for dessert which is always amazing.

Now you think you are done after dinner, nope, why not drop by the Havana Bar, they are open until 2 am and there you can catch up with your new friends and talk about your fantastic day by the pool. (and they have music too)



Hop on over to the RedFrog Pub where they are having quizes and prizes.

                                                      

All throughout the ship there is entertainment where you least expect it, music can be heard from everywhere and it's good too.  Of course you will run into Matt our Cruise Director who by this time of night I have no idea where he gets his energy because he just does not stop!!!

As my energy wanes I wander back to my Stateroom and I'm greeted by another little towel animal. Aaaaand my night is complete.  See you in the morning for YES! another Fun Day at Sea, I'm planning a visit to the spa.  Good night all.

Carnival Sunshine

Hello everyone, I had the pleasure of sailing on the Carnival Sunshine in February/March of 2016.  She is a most beautiful ship with great entertainment and food.  Some of the photos I will post are file photos from Carnival Cruise Line site as my picture taking skills leave a lot to be desired.

Day 1 =  Sunday February 21, 2016

Embarkation (to board a vessel or aircraft) was a breeze.  Arriving at Port Canaveral which is only 45 minutes east of Orlando with plenty of time prior to sailing.

As you can see this isn't a rinky dink port.  Carnival, Disney, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian all sail from here.  So you are saying "well that's a lot of ships it must be a nightmare".  Nope, they really know how to handle multiple ships and thousands of guests every week.

And also here you see that the signage is very easy to follow ensuring you reach the correct pier and parking garage for your chosen line.

                                                                              

And when I say thousands of people I mean it, but look here, plenty of agents to help you speed right thru.  We all know part of the process is being screened like you are in the airport (but really much easier) and then the fun begins.  Step up to the counter and you are greeted with a smile, confirm your reservation and you are handed that little piece of gold known as your "sign and sail card" or stateroom key.

With Stateroom key in hand I make my way down the gangway and it's always that moment when I reach the deck and step across the threshold and I just have go say "ahhhhhhh".  That is my first enjoyment of many more to come every time I cruise.

 This beautiful Balcony Stateroom is my new home for 13 days.  Plenty of room for two people (my daughter sailed with me)

 This is the closet, no need to even store the
empty luggage there as they fit perfectly under the bed.

                                Typical bathroom however quite spacious.

A view of the room
from the balcony facing
the door.






Stateroom is perfect, carry-on dropped in the room (because you know of course that the luggage will be delivered to your room sometime after sail away).  Now it's time to explore this fabulous ship.

This is the lobby the hub of the ship.  It's the Sunshine Atrium.  It's a meeting place before and after dinner, in the late afternoon when you just can't take one more minute of sun and need to cool off, before and after the shows, etc.  We had tons of fun here every day.

This is our cruise director Matt Mitcham.  He is truly the life of the party.  If you get a chance to sail with him you wont be disappointed.  So many times we have had Cruise Directors that just didn't bring anything to the job.  Either they were never around or just not interested.  Matt brings a new life to the ship.  He recognizes you and greets you every day.  He gets the crowd pumped up, he let's himself be silly which brings out the silly in you.

And this leads me to...ta ta ta......the Sail Away Party.  Ours was at 4:30, this is when everyone meets on the Lido Deck (I love to say that) by the pool and we dance while our ship is pulling away from the dock and headed out to sea.  If you have not attended one shame on you.  Next time I put you on a ship you are going to the party. !!!!

Our first evening will be casual as some people may or may not have even checked their room to see if they received luggage.  So needless to say a few people snack by the pool or enjoy dinner in the Lido Marketplace aka buffet.  Now stop snarling up your nose.  I happen to love Cruise Line Buffet's.  This one even has a PYOB station.  Yep Pour Your Own Beer.  How cool is that!

The activities went on well into the late evening, but did we care?  No! Why? Because I'm on a cruise ship, I don't have to do anything I don't want to.  I can stay up late and sleep in all day, and tomorrow is our "sea day" which means no ports to stop in so Comedy Late Show it is for me!  And by the way the comedians were great.

HAHA and here it is, the first of many towel animals yet to come.  I was pleasantly surprised that on my very first night I was greeted with this little guy after the comedy show (and it was very late).  For those of you who don't know me.....Hi I'm Beth, I'm a cruise ship towel animal freak!  They always bring a smile to my face.  Time to hit the hay, sit back and relax, watch a movie and look forward to tomorrow.....full day at sea !!!

Sun part 2

The Reflections dining room, all meals are served here. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.  If you prefer a light meal in the Lounge (living room) they have for breakfast some pastries, scrambled eggs, potato cakes, yogurt, muselix, smoothie, meat and cheese with of course coffee and tea.  There is a really cool cappuccino machine that makes lattes, espresso, hot water for tea, hot chocolate.  For a light lunch they serve BLT's, soup, meat and cheese, pasta salads, salad.  Have not checked out the light dinner yet but will before we leave.

Their wine collection is extensive, plus the cool thing is if you are a beer or wine drinker they have selections from the town you are in that day !   They also have a 'midnight snack', tonight it's Goulash soup.  But I digress. 


The staff is very concerned with you not wanting for anything, if you don't like your selection no problem, they bring you something else.  The food has so far been so very tasty and appealing.  Absolutely no complaints.

Halibut atop veggies with cream sauce.

 



Chicken wrapped in bacon with glazed carrots and polenta
 

This is the rooftop deck for alfresco dining



 ok, you have to see this.  The pool, is enclosed so you can use it during the winter months.  There is a glass roof that they open in the spring and summer.

There is a little bar for drinks AND.....tatataaaa
the coolest thing is that they cover the pool at a certain point at night and pull down a screen for MOVIES !!!  Plus they have popcorn and drinks while watching.  I'll take a photo of it tonite when we watch our movie.

And if for whatever reason you are missing your ocean cruise towel animals, look no more.  Every night you get something special.

This is what we all call lovingly the "Living Room", for it is here that so much happens.  It's the main 'bar/lounge', plus this is where you can have a light breakfast, lunch, dinner.  Late night snack.  24 hour cappuccino, latte, hot chocolate, tea machine.  There are daily newspapers put out for your information.  Every evening before dinner you get your "port talk" which tells you what's coming up for the next day.  But don't worry if you miss it, you will get a 'daily' in your room every night just like on an ocean cruise.  It's where everyone gathers after dinner to talk about their day, joke, play cards, board games or just relax.

I have to tell you our funny but not so funny story, I'll make it short.  Caitlin and I traveled on the same flight, but her luggage didn't make it from Amstedam onto the connecting flight to Budapest on the way over.  BIG problem haha.  So they said they would deliver it to the ship after the last flight came in at 11:00pm.

 Well don't think for one minute that Caitlin wasn't calling the airport directly at 11.  They assured her it would arrive.  We were in our robes by that time and after 30 more minutes they said it would be to the ship by 1am.  So we decided we needed to stay awake despite the jet lag so we went to the "Living Room' in our robes and slippers to get wine.  At 12:30pm we didn't think anyone would be up right???  NOT - there were about 10 people sitting and telling jokes.  So they immediately see us and yell "ROBE TIME"!  We laughed and explained our situation and they were like "come and sit with us we will keep you company till it gets here".  This is the type of people tat River Cruise, kind - friendly -  helpful.  ! 

I know I'm a couple days behind but there is just so much to see so tomorrow's post will be about our first day in Budapest......say tuned.