2014 Group Sea Cruise

Cruise Line: Carnival
Ship: Carnival Paradise
Port: Tampa
Duration: 5 Days 4 nights
Departs: July 12th
Returns: July 16th
Route: Cozumel, Mexico and Cayman Islands

Owners participating:
Jim, Lisa and family (total 5) Booked
Pat and Terry Jacques and family – Booked
David and Nilsa Dorbat – Booked
Ronnie and Terryann – Booked

Day 1 (links to downloads, all photos and instructions on how to download at the end of each day)

Pre meeting at David’s house.

We got an early start so we could get something to eat along the way

Our cruise mascot

Pat and I self parked a block away (note to self, valet park next time)

I’m not on the boat for more then 10 minutes and I get yelled at for taking pictures while the on-board “photo team” is taking pictures……. grrrrrrr

Waiting around for the safety meeting (You don’t have to wear life vests anymore during these meetings)

On our way out of the port of Tampa

Under the bridge and into the gulf of Mexico

Towel animals and our cruise mascot.

Our first dinner

– You can view the complete set of images of Day1 via my flickr account, click here
– Instructions on how to download individual images via my flickr account, click here
– Download the complete set of images here

Day 2 (full day at sea)

Hanging out on the back of the ship

Ronnie spent most of this day trying to figure out how to get into the engine room…

This was also our formal dinner night.  My wife bought us car matching ties.  Ronnie customized his with war stripes

The kids table

Food was very good and our kids showed us how to order more then one appetizer and main courses.

It was a few days early….. Happy Birthday  Terry Jean!!

We spent a few night in what we called the library.  It’s more or less a card/board game room.  We played Apples to Apples

We also spent some time in a club called REX

Where we learned that some of the significant others as well as the owners could dance rather well.

Time for bed, we had to get up early on day 3 for our excursions in Grand Cayman.

– You can view the complete set of images of Day 2 via my flickr account, click here
– Instructions on how to download individual images via my flickr account, click here
– Download the complete set of images for day 2 here

Day 3 (Grand Cayman)

Starting the day early as we pull into Grand Cayman

Because we can’t dock at the island, we had to take the water taxi over.  Seas where very calm and the water was just amazing.  The group split up with David and family, Brook, Pat’s daughter and my family heading to see the sea turtles and stingrays. While Pat, Terry, Ronnie and Terry Jean hitting the beach and shopping

Nicole excited to see the turtles but not as excited as my wife (security had to escort her out of the turtle pool…

I was amazed at how many large turtles they had.  They had them separated by age. Below was only a small section of the larger grown up pool, breading area.

Lisa about to get into trouble… DO NOT TOUCH….

We then moved on to the baby tanks, where you could actually get into the tank and hold the baby sea turtles.

 

 

 

 

After finally getting Lisa out of the turtle tank, we set off for a quick pit stop at the local liquor store…. I mean gift shop then onto HELL

There is a small town on the island called HELL, where you can buy post cards and then mail them home or to people you wish where in HELL with the post mark from “HELL”.  Behind the post office and three small gift shops was a HELL like rock formation.

After this stop, we where on our way to our final destination.  A boat ride out to a sand barge to swim and interact with the sting rays.

Because we where in chest deep water, I did not take my camera with me.  However I did have my gopro mounted to a chest harness.  After I get the other days up, I’ll edit and add the video below.

After the boat trip back from the stingrays, we really didn’t have much time other to stand in line and head back to the ship

I also have video of another night at the REX night club I’ll post after getting the rest of the days posted.

– You can view the complete set of images of Day 3 via my flickr account, click here
– Instructions on how to download individual images via my flickr account, click here
– Download the complete set of images for day 3 here

Day 4 Cozumel Mexico

The group again split up, Pat and his family along with me and my oldest daughter, Nicole took the 2 hour each way boat/bus ride to see the ruins at Tulum. While Ronnie, Terry Jean, David and family along with Lisa, Kristen and Chris hit the local mall and shops for local deals

This board ride to main land Mexico was in a much larger, better equipped boat then the day before.

No they where not locked in the hull of the boat.  I ventured up on the top deck to see if there where any photo ops.  The boat ride was about 30-45 minutes across the canal/bay/harbor

Arriving in main land Mexico

After one police check point and a 45+ minute bus ride we stopped at the large tourist gift shop on the way to Tulum.  We had a great tour guide with tons of knowledge of the  Aztec’s their language and the actual ruins.

All said and done, it took us a good 2 hours plus to get to Tulum.  with a 5 – 10 minute walk from where the bus dropped us off (at the parking lot with more gift shops and restaurants) we where actual on the site of the ruins

Click images for full size. The above image is a pano of the Tulum ruinsClick images for full size. The above image is another pano of the Tulum ruins

We saw more wild Iguana then we could count

These ruins are built right on the cliffs overlooking the ocean and most people visit the site for the beach alone.

After Brook and Nicole took a quick swim, we head up the most dangerous stair case I’ve ever seen.  We dried off and headed back to the parking lot. I paid $10 for that hat and it was well worth it.

Oh look more iguanas

And finally down the last few stairs that are not built to US code…..

– You can view the complete set of images of Day 4 via my flickr account, click here
– Instructions on how to download individual images via my flickr account, click here
– Download the complete set of images for day 4 here

Day 5 – Returning home, all day at sea

What an amazing time and we wish the others could have made the vacation with us.  We truly had and amazing adventure and enjoyed each other;s company more then we could imagine.  The wife’s are already planning next years cruise as well as other events much closer to home. We can’t wait to see very one back home at the local cruises to tell our stories and encourage the new owners to join us in the future.

David and his son up on the top deck

taking some pictures around the ship

This is where the kids and adults spent most of their time

Look who I found trying to hide from me taking their pictures

Normally on these cruises you would expect the lemonade, orange juice and ice tea to be watered down. Hell no you had to at least mix it with 50% water

Oh and all the ice cream you can eat

Well that was it, a wonderful and short 5 day cruise.  I’ll have the video of the stingrays up soon as well as the scanned pictures we all purchased on board the ship

– You can view the complete set of images of Day 5 via my flickr account, click here
– Instructions on how to download individual images via my flickr account, click here
– Download the complete set of images for day 5 here