​During my cruise on the Carnival Elation, I visited Half Moon Cay. HMC is the private island owned by Carnival Corp located in the Bahamas and visited by Carnival and Holland America. It gets its name because the shoreline is shaped like a half moon. This, like many private islands, does not have a pier so you take a tender boat over from the ship. The ride was only about 8 minutes and was pretty smooth. 

​You arrive at the island and dock at an arrival area full of shops and information booths. I of course stopped and got my magnet before heading to the beach. It’s a pretty short walk to the beach but if you want to hang out at the pirate ship bar, you will have about a 10 minute walk if that. 

Once you are on the beach, you are met with probably the softest sand I have ever felt and crystal clear water. And when I say crystal clear, its like swimming in a pool. The beach is lined with lots of lounge chairs and some with covers for a charge. I did not go over to the island until around 10 AM and the ship was cleared at around 8:30 so lots of people had a head start. Plus, a rare situation happened where another ship, the Carnival Pride, was in port with us. Princess Cay, their scheduled stop, had a fire the day before so no ships were visiting that island. So the Pride joined us at Half Moon Cay which did make it very crowded. But normally you would have only one ship on so the crowds would be a lot less. 

There are a lot of activities to participate in on the island from just sitting on a chair, swimming or even water toys like kayaks, float mats, paddle boards, water bikes and more to rent. I have uploaded a copy of the pricing but remember, they are subject to change. 

The most crowded area is over by the On the Rocks Bar (pirate ship) which is actually a bar with seating down stairs and upstairs. In addition, they have a DJ playing and activities like tug a war, musical towels and the men’s hairy chest contest are held here. There are bathrooms and also a station to rent the water toys. 

A short walk away from the beach is the Barbeque area where you can grab a burger, some chicken along with sides and desserts. The area is really open so its easy to get in and out and the line moves pretty quick. Scattered in the area are picnic cabanas with picnic tables so there is plenty of seating even at the businest time. I had a burger and some fruit along with a couple of cookies and it was awesome. To me there something about having a burger on a beach day that just makes your day. 

After lunch, I spent a little time on the beach watching the games and swam a little despite the water being a little cool. Could not resist the beautiful water. I did some snorkeling but unfortunately my waterproof  camera stopped working before I left for the cruise so no underwater pictures. I did see a few fish but I think I was in an area with too much activity to see a whole lot. My understanding, the snorkeling is outstanding at Half Moon.
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Around 2 o’clock I headed back to the ship and there was no line for the water shuttle. The line for the pride was long so this was one of those times I felt the benefit of a smaller ship.  

There was so much to do on Half Moon Cay on top of what I have mentioned. Stingray experience, bike tours, kayak tours and more. A suggestion would be is once you are on board, talk to the shore excursion desk and get some suggestions so you can make the most of your day on the island.
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Such a great port of call and I cannot wait to go back. Next time I will have a working underwater camera and explore a lot more. Be sure to watch the video below for a brief view of the Half Moon Cay

Fans of Carnival Cruise Line were excited yesterday as they released new information about Mardi Gras set to sail in 2020. First, let me back up a little. Mardi Gras is a new cruise ship from Carnival that will sail from Port Canaveral This will be the first cruise ship in North America to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Plus, they announced back in December it will have a roller coaster called Bolt. So .If the name sounds familiar, it should, the first cruise ship Carnival operated was called the Mardi Gras in 1973.

Yesterday we learned a little more about what features the Mardi Gras will have for the guest. A little bit of new and little bit of the old or should I say current. First, the ship will be divided into zones. Grand Central, French Quarter, La Piazza, Summer Landing, Lido Deck and the The Ultimate Playground. 

Grand Central  (Decks 6-8 Midship)
I am pretty excited about this area because of the views. Grand Central will consist of the atrium so of course it will be the entrance to the ship. Spanning 3 decks with floor to ceiling windows, you will have a fantastic ocean view. In this area you will also find some fan favorites, Bonsai Sushi, Bonsai Teppanyaki and a dedicated Punchliner Comedy Club. This will be a place you can sit at the bar, socialize and enjoy the great views.

French Quarter (Deck 4, aft)
The next area I will talk about is the French Quarter which I believe is a great fit for a ship called Mardi Gras. Here you will find new bars and eateries, a two deck high promenade and close by, a jazz club. Plus in the coming months there will be a collaboration with a Celebrity named. 

La Piazza (Deck 8, Midship)
La Piazza brings Italy to the ship with cuisine from Cucina del Capitano, 24 hour pizza from Pizzeria del Capitano and a new Mediterranean Seafood dining venue to be named later. This area will also feature a cappuccino bar during the day and a bar serving Italian cocktails at night. Reminds me a little of the Piazza on the Regal Princess. 

Summer Landing (Deck 8, Aft)​
According to Carnival, this is designed to be the ulitamte chill spot. Plenty of loungers, a pool and if you get hungry a poplular food option. Summer Landing will feature the Guys Pig & Anchor smokehouse and brew house and they have added the lunch counter so you can enjoy the barbaque for lunch or dinner. They will also continue to offer the ParchedPig creft beers brewed right on board. 

Lido Deck (Deck 16,17,Aft
This expanded Lido will feature favorite food venues like Blue Iguana Cantina, Guys Burgers and the Seafood Shack but will add some new concepts to be announced at a later date. To note, it does not mention the Red Frog Rum Bar or Blue Igana Tequlla Bar which are staples on Lido now for Carnival so maybe something new or just not a mention, we will see. 

The Ultimate Playground (Deck 18-20, Aft)
Here Mardi Gras will feature an expanded WaterWorks Aqua Park, an expanded SportsSquare plus the first roller coaster at sea, Bolt. 

Gotta be honest, I am really excited about the debut of this ship. At the time of writing this, there was no information on when the itineraries and bookings would be available but I am surely anticipating it. I will keep you informed as soon as I hear. 

Your choice of stateroom can be an important decision.What type of cabin do you get? Where on the ship do you want to be? My goal today is to help guide you through those questions and provide some advice. Now this will not be extremely in depth to cover every stateroom type since every cruise line has their own variety but I will do my best. 

Stateroom are broken down into 5 different types. Interior, Ocean View, Balcony, Junior Suite and Suite. Within those of course are differnt levels and as I said, can very by cruise line and ship. Lets start to break these down. 

Interior Stateroom
The interior or often referred to as inside staterooms are typiclly the least expensive. These cabins do not have a window so there is no natural light coming in. For the most part, they are the same size as an ocean view but that can depend on the ship.
As I said earlier, within these stateroom types, there are a variety of options depending on the ship. For example, Norwegian Cruise Line has Solo Staterooms on their Breakaway Class ships. They are smaller but are less expensive for the solo traveler. Royal Caribbean have cabins that are interior but they have a view of the promenade. These are usually on the Voyager or Oasis Class Ships.  There are times when you will get lucky and the stateroom is considered interior but only because of a fully obstructed view. In this case, you have the natural light coming in just no view of the ocean. 
Check out my tour of an interior stateroom on the Regal Princess. 

Ocean View Stateroom
For most people this would be the ideal choice if the interior is just not your thing. The ocean views will have a window or port hole and are some times a little bigger than the interior. For the most part, the amenities are the same as an interior but these cabins are often on lower decks. 

You will find variety in these as well. Carnival Elation has staterooms they added in 2017 that have floor to ceiling windows located at the very front of the ship. The Dream and Vista Class ships on Carnival have deluxe ocean view cabins that have the split bathroom, a sink and tub/shower in one and shower and toilet in the other bathroom. These are great for families when its time to get ready for dinner. 

Balcony Staterooms
Balconies are the most popular stateroom you will find on a cruise ship. All of the new ships are built with the largest percentage of staterooms having a balcony. These staterooms have a door out to a balcony usually with chairs and sometimes a table and maybe even loungers depending on the size. This allows you to get some fresh sea air without having to go out on deck. Another great feature is if you are traveling with friends or family and they are in an adjacent stateroom, the dividers between the balconies can be removed by the cabin steward. They are mostly located on the higher decks and can be in the very back, the side or even on the front. Personally, I want to sail in a balcony stateroom with a view of the back of the ship and the wake. 

The varieties in balconies range quite a bit. There are wrap around balconies and extended balconies on some newer Carnival Ships. The Oasis Class ships on Royal Caribbean have balconies that face interior over either Central Park or the Boardwalk. Carnival and Disney even have Cove Balconies. these are a cutout of the hull of the ship but its still a balcony. Just not as open. Celebrity introduced the infinity balcony on the new Edge. This is a section of the stateroom where the windows open and have the benefits of the balcony. 
Check out my tour of my balcony cabin on the Carnival Glory.

Junior Suite
A step up from the Balcony Staterooms are the Junior Suites. These are larger cabins with upgraded features like the bathroom and more storage space. Most will have a fridge and some have a mini bar. These cabins have a balcony, usually larger than the balcony staterooms, have a sitting area and are located in more ideal areas. 

Suites
These are top of the line for staterooms on really any ship. They can range to just a larger room or have multiple bedrooms The balconies are much larger and everything is upgraded. They come with benefits like on Carnival priority embarkation, robes plus more. 

The cruise lines are really trying to one up each other when it comes to suites. Royal Caribbean has their Royal Loft Suites on the Oasis Class Ships at over 1500 square feet and 2 decks high and offering a balcony over 800 square feet. Princess will introduce the Sky Suite on the new Sky Princess this year. It will be located on the top deck with a wrap around balcony where you can dine and even watch movies under the stars. 

Now these are examples of some of the best suites offered on select ships. Some ships will offer multiple suite types and can be chosen based on your party or family size.

With many ships, there are specialty areas with most of the stateroom categories discussed. The Havana Area on the Carnival Vista Class ships or The Haven on Norwegian or MSC Seaside in the Yacht Club. They will come with areas only those staying in these staterooms have access to and upgraded amenities. Carnival even has an area on several of their ships for the spa enthusiast. These rooms are right next to the spa and provide amenities you would usually need to pay for not being in those cabins. 

So as you can see, staterooms are a pretty big topic and choosing one can be challenging. but follow these four criteria, in no particular order, and it will be easier. 

1. Location. Where do you want to be on the ship?
2. Type. Do you need a view or balcony?
3. Budget. How much do you have to spend on this vacation? 
4. Family Size. How many people are going and what size cabin will be comfortable for you?

Please let me know if you have any questions or need assistance with your next cruise. 

As someone who has been on multiple cruises, I have never thought it would be fun to jump from the cruise ship. According to an article from Cruise Radio, one person thought it was a good idea. 

While docked in Nassau Bahamas, someone decided it would be a good idea to jump from their balcony on the 11th deck of the Symphony of the Seas. He even had friends record it and posted it on Instagram. Well he survived and was picked up by a boat that was in the area. 

He arrived back at the pier and was promptly told by Royal Caribbean to collect his items and leave the ship along with his friends. Because of his stunt, he is now banned from Royal Caribbean for life.  According to the article from Cruise Radio, he wrote “my plan was basically to swim to shore but when I got back to the dock, they told me I need to get my stuff and leave the ship.”

I chose not to post the video directly on this blog but you are free to visit his Instagram @naydev91 if you would like to see the video. It needs to be understood, this was a dangerous and stupid stunt. This young man could have been seriously injured or killed. To be honest, I am surprised he was not arrested but at least he had, I'm sure, very expensive plane ride home to think about it.

This comes at the heals of another incident that did not turn out with a good ending. According to the Sun Sentinel, On January 11th, Laurent Mercer lost his balance and fell from the Harmony of the Seas. The report states he did not have his key card so he tried to access his balcony from the adjacent room when he lost his balance falling to the pier below. He soon died from his injuries. The ship was docked at their private island, Labadee Haiti at the time of the incident.

Be safe when cruising by not climbing on the railing, its there for a reason. 

​Embarkation day can be exciting and sometimes a little stressful. So I have provided some tips to make that day easier.

My last tip is you're finally on vacation so relax and have fun. Time to leave the stress behind and look forward to all the adventures ahead. 

If you have any questions or even your own tips, email mike@freedomtoroamtravel.com

​For all your cruise needs
Mike Miller - Travel Adviser
Call or Text
(904) 534-4318

On my cruise on the Regal Princess I has the opportunity to eat some great food. While Regal does have 2 outstanding up charge restaurants in the Crown Grill and Sabatinis, I stuck with the complimentary options. These are 3 of the complimentary options I enjoyed on top of the dining room.

Tridents Grill
Located on Lido is Tridents Grill . Here they serve Hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled chick sandwiches and more. I at there twice for lunch and had a burger both times. to be honest, not the same as Guys on Carnival but outstanding none the less. 
Hours
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM 

International Cafe
One of my favorite places on the ship was the International Cafe located on Deck 7 in the Piazza. The offered a variety of sandwiches, side items and deserts available at no additional cost. This included Ham & Cheese, Cuban Sandwiches, which I had both, and more.Deserts included pastry's, cakes and pies. 
No matter what time of day you visited, the sandwiches and deserts were always fresh. You could also get specialty coffees there for a cost.
Hours
24 Hours

Alfredo's Pizzeria
Now Alfredo's is located on Deck 6 overlooking the Piazza and is named after Princess Cruise Lines Master Chef Alfredo Marzi. This is a sit down venue offering pasta dishes and hand tossed personal panned pizzas. There is even an open kitchen where you can watch the pizzas being made. I ate there twice during my cruise, the first night having pasta and the last night having pizza. the pasta was ok, but the pizza was amazing. Thick crust, fresh ingredients and not greasy. I have mixed feelings on whether I should have had the pizza the first night because if I had, I might have eaten there every night. So good. 
Hours
11:00 AM to 11:00 PM

There are several more complimentary dining venues on Regal Princess including Horizon Court which is the lido buffet, main dining room and Prego Pizzeria. So you will have plenty of options when sailing on Regal Princess. 

For all your cruise needs
Mike Miller - Travel Adviser
(904) 534-4318