Carniaval Splendor Cabo Again

It is our second day in Cabo. Last night the ship pulled anchor and  and went out to sea, as required, so Carnival could open their casino and duty free shops. We arrived back in Cabo early and the tenders began to take people ashore. We made an unorthodox decision and stayed aboard. Some might think we were missing the action but quite to the contrary we had wonderful fun. Imagine a world class fitness center, spa, pool and wonderful food service designed for over three thousand people serving only the intrepid few who remain aboard. We hit the fitness center and rode the stationary bikes with televisions built in to the handle bars. We really did not need the T.V.; the view from the fitness center is dramatic, high up on the ship with stunning views of Cabo San Lucas beaches. I pumped a little iron (very little) and then we went to  breakfast.  Gosh knows we were hungry, it was almost eleven hours since we ate!

Breakfast Carnival Splendor Lido Buffet

After breakfast we cleaned up and wandered the ship. I love to shoot photos and it has rubbed off on my wife. Cabo is a dream for photos.

Photos Taken on Carnival Splendor Cabo San Lucas

Scenic Photos Carnival Splendor Cabo San Lucas

Boats seen from Carival Splendor Cabo San Lucas

Father and Son Stroll on The Carnival Splendor

Lunch Lido Deck Carnival Splendor Cabo

We headed off to bask in the sun and swim in the pool. So relaxing. I could do this on a daily basis. Back to the cabin to enjoy a shower and nap time. Another meal awaits. Cocktails in our favorite little bar with a tropical theme. We pass the Red Carpet Disco and Avril decides to pose with the naked men outside.  We keep it safe for family viewing.

Cocktails on The Carnival Splendor Cabo

A Cover-up Carnival Splendor Red Carpet Disco

At dinner we find out the other couple who were assigned to our table have decided, for unknown reason, not to eat in the Gold Pearl for the rest of the cruise.  Darn that means a romantic table for two, say it isn't so!  We play  footsie under the table, life is good!

Dinner Gold Pearl Dining Room Carnival Splendor

We are off to see the evening show "Latin Fever!" I wish I could have taken pictures or video but these shows are copyrighted and I respect that. Tonight's towel animal creation is a bunny!

Towel Animal Carnival Splendor

As the evening ends we are already cruising to our next port, Puerto Vallarta.

Carnival Splendor- The Food- The Fun!

It was departure time and we were excited! Carnival asked us to arrive between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. to begin our embarkation process. This process involves going through customs, providing passports, cruise documents; being issued a card that is used as a room key, credit card and boarding pass. There are so many variables involved that I have found it impossible to predict how long embarkation will last. On this trip it took an hour and fifteen minutes from the cab stand to being on-board. I would recommend that you pack light unless you want to practice being a Sherpa. Porters meet you at the entrance and will take your bags and deliver them to your cabin door.  Hold on to a backpack/carry-on with your valuables and medications.  Avril and I each carry a twenty one inch carry-on from eBags and a backpack with cameras and computer gear. The use of Space Bags has allowed use these small bags for up to eleven days. We met a young couple, with a small child, that had carried huge luggage on public transportation to arrive at the ship, skipped the bag check and had to haul everything by themselves - not my idea of a fun time. Once on the ship we hit the room, dropped our backpacks and headed for the food! There is a huge selection of food, we chose to keep it simple and grab a tasty, cooked to order cheeseburger.

Carnival Splendor Cheeseburger on Lido Deck

After lunch we explored the ship and attended the mandatory evacuation drill. It seems like an imposition to interrupt the fun but it could come in handy if, God forbid, something happened. They show you were to go in the event of an emergency (muster stations) and how to use the life jackets. It is best to be prepared. Guess what? It was time to get ready to eat again! We choose the early dining time (6 p.m.) because it is similar to our regular schedule.The Splendor has a sushi bar open each night before dinner with little offerings of sushi most nights and tapas on others. I had a vodka martini and Avril had a Cosmo to go along with our sushi. A band played as we enjoyed our cocktails. In the past we had been seated at tables for six to ten and always enjoyed meeting new people at the table. On this trip we were seated with only one other couple at a table of four. We felt quite comfortable. I had flat-iron steak and Avril had the sweet and sour shrimp shrimp.A Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc went well with both

Dinner Carnival Splendor Gold Pearl Dining Room

For dessert we split a cheese plate and finished with coffee.

Cheese Plate Carnival Splendor Gold Pearl Dining Room

Towel Animal Walrus Carnival Splendor

We attended the welcome aboard show with a live band, dancers and comedians. It is hard to believe that it all (except for alcohol) is included in the price!  Back at the room our walrus towel animal greets us.

Creative Overload

The Carnival Splendor Cruise

We searched the internet for a great buy, saved for a long time and finally we cruised! We are back and I am trying to sort out the overload of fun we packed into ten days. This is the first of several posts I will devote to our fun trip.
We took the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Emeryville to Los Angeles. It is an inexpensive, fun and scenic way to travel. We travel often by train and have honed some of the logistics involved in traveling. It is a twelve hour train ride so we pack food, books and videos for entertainment on board. Food is available for purchase on the train but often we grab a Subway Sandwich and have the toppings packed in a separate plastic bag so it stays fresh. We bring an insulated bag that folds flat and cool it with ice cubes in a zip top bag. We bring re-sealable drinks from home and snack items like apples, nuts, and dry jack cheese. Amtrak does not allow coach passengers to bring adult beverages, so at cocktail time we buy wine and enjoy the view.

Clouds near Paso Robles seen from Coast Starlight

When we arrive in Los Angeles I have a local car service ( Go Sedan) pick us up and take us to Long Beach about forty minutes away. I know it sounds fancy but after a couple of scary cab rides, I found this service. The price is about ten dollars more than a cab ride but the cars are clean, safe and the drivers are great. We stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn on Queensway in Long Beach. On this trip we added an extra day before the cruise just in case there was a delay or problem. Long Beach is a great place to spend a day!

Marriott Residence Inn Queensway Long Beach, Ca.

Long Beach Harbor

Our Cruise begins!