Category Archives: cruise

Champagne brunch cruise!

Even though our 15th anniversary was on Wednesday, in the usual fashion of stretching out holiday/birthday/special occasion type things, we went on a champagne brunch cruise on Sunday. Sometimes it is nice living in a touristy area because there is always something going on.

Here are all the cruise boats waiting to go out:

Sunday was cool and gray, so really a nice day to be inside in a boat! We were on the Lac du Saint Sacrement. En francais everyone!

We were led right to a reserved table for 2 by the window.

Note we were still docked here LOL!

John and I cleaned up nicely for the day just for fun.

This is John’s pumpkin colored sweater, which I love.

We set sail:

The buffet had a lot of nice items on it. There were lunch type dishes, an omelet station, hot breakfast dishes and a fruit/pastry section.

My first plate. Lots of fruit! Plus some potatoes and a little bacon. I was somewhat protein lean today, but that was by choice.

Then came around the champagne!

Happy 15th anniversary!

The water was a little choppy, but we barely felt it.

I then got an odds and ends plate.

I ate about 1/3 of this bagel. I don’t care for untoasted bagels, so I didn’t want to eat the rest. And more fruit! I totally fruited out today

Then the server brought around some cheesecake for dessert:

I am not a huge fan of cheesecake, so I had a bite of John’s and went and got another muffin/cinnamon roll.

After we ate, we walked around the boat and looked at some of the memoribilia.

We went to the outside deck, having to pass through a bunch of smokers. They were all huddled outside… cough, cough.

It was really windy. Of course being on the boat is windy, but then it was also already windy. Silly us being at the front of the boat, too.

Lovebirds:

It really hurt to brush my hair later, I have to say.

There was a music group playing inside. Lounge music anyone?

The back of the boat was much nicer outside. Less wind!

Then we came in to watch the view from our table again. I had another mini muffin, too!

We passed by the Sagamore. A really expensive resort near Bolton Landing.

There was a wedding party taking pictures. The hotel is huge:

It was so peaceful riding home, too. Or fairly so on a busy boat. I loved just looking at the waves from the boat.

All too soon we were back at shore. It was a 2 hour cruise (are you singing??). Very enjoyable, too!

A lot of eating out and rich food this last week, I have to say. It will be good to get back to normal again.

Cruise fitness and chocolate and musings

The cruise was very nice and we would probably do another one at some point. We did one 10 years ago, so I guess in another 10? 😀 One of the things that was very different on this cruise versus 10 years ago was the fitness system available on the ship. I did post some pics of the gym a few days ago, but here are some more.

Here is the locker area:

And the sauna:

I actually never used the outdoor track on one of the upper decks except for a 1 mile walk on one night. It was pretty windy, and the deck was wet in the mornings when I wanted to run, so I just did the treadmill. Let me tell you, running on a moving boat on a treadmill is weird. We hit some rougher seas, but the ship really barely moves because it has giant stabilizers in it. Occasionally you can feel a ‘leaning’ sensation, which you get quite used to as the days go by. The other morning we had gone through a storm and the boat was moving a little more than usual when I was on the treadmill. If any of you have run across a field or grassy area probably can relate to how it feels. You are going along and it will take a shorter or longer time for one of your feet to hit the surface because it is uneven and you can’t really see that. Same thing running on the boat.

John went with me or met me a few times in the gym.

There were a good number of people using the fitness center, which was good to see. I did a good amount of exercise, and I give myself a grade of A for that. Foodwise it was more like a C. I ate too much. While it was not anywhere near what I would have eaten in the past, it was still more than normal and I have some puffiness on the scale today. I can’t imagine what it would have been without the exercise 😯 No worries, though – that will come off. While it is easy to eat healthy on the cruise choice wise, it is also very difficult to eat healthy at times just because of the availability of food. I tend to fall prey to that. It’s just my nature as a food lover 🙂

The last cruise we too, we actually enjoyed the ports of call the most. This time, we were actually disappointed with our return to Cozumel. It changed so much in 10 years. We wanted to go to Chankanaab, which is the National Park in Cozumel. Last time, we went there and enjoyed the beach and nature and did snorkeling. When we got there, the base admission fee was $19 per person, which included a tshirt (??) and a beer (??) The view they must have of tourists…. Plus admission to ‘shows’. We didn’t want to see hokey shows, we wanted to see the natural beauty! It’s so weird because in the US, national and state parks may have a fee for a car to drive in which isn’t much, but if you walk or bike, it’s free entrance and you go there to see nature. It was like the Mexican government was trying to turn it into a theme park or something. Just weird.

Also at the entrance of the park was this sign.

At the entrance of a national park you can pick up antibiotics, muscle relaxants, or steroid inhalers. I stood with my mouth open for several minutes looking at this sign. Gotta love it. I was infuriated about this because this leads to antibiotic resistance. There are reasons why certain drugs are prescription only. Sorry about that rant….

Let’s sweeten it up a bit. The chocolate buffet. It was actually part of the lunch time buffet, which was different. It used to be a midnight buffet. At least we didn’t have to stay up!

Chocolate orange cake:

Chocolate cheesecake:

Chocolate torte:

Chocolate pear cake:

Diet raspberry cake (their words)

Pink marshmallows, mini donuts, jellied fruit.

Mini espresso paniers, candied nuts and biscotti.

Raspberry hazelnut torte.

Check this out – looks like sushi, but it’s all sweet! Dessert sushi. The rice is sweetened and it’s topped or filled with fruit:

I loved this. 😀 I think I was irritating people because I was taking pictures and they wanted to fill their plates

Hope you enjoyed!

Time to go watch the Superbowl – Geaux Saints!!

Gratuitous Cruise Food

Back in the USA! And back at home. Phew. We arrived safely home with no flight delays, thanks to a fortuitous choice by John to choose to fly through Chitown instead of Baltimore on the way home. Thank you, John!

Internet was costly on the ship, or I would have posted more and responded to comments. It was 75 cents a minute, so it was pretty much create the post with LiveWriter, log on and send.

So, I thought I would do a post (or 2) on some randomness of the trip and the food that didn’t get talked about or posted. Most people seem to ask about the food

The nice thing about Carnival is that they have lots of options for dining, from casual buffet to sit down dining. There were also small dining options of a grill where you could get a burger and fries (or even a veggie burger!). There was an Asian inspired area open at times that had stir fry made to order, and a sushi bar.

From the buffet lines:

Broiled Mahi Mahi. Done to order, which is amazing on a ship of 2500 people! You just had to ask.

From the deli for lunch, grilled pesto/tomato/mozzarella and arugula sandwich.

All that broccoli, you know that was my plate! California roll sushi (I don’t *ever* eat raw fish).

Available 24/7 is pizza, soft serve, and frozen yogurt!

We did 2 sit down dining room meals. One was dress up night:

Starting with a wonderful salad with feta cheese and crisp grilled foccacia:

John had a crab cake:

My entree was prime rib. I normally don’t eat corporate meat out, but I bent the rules a little on the cruise. Plus, the only vegetarian option on this menu was eggplant (ick).

This was surprisingly good. And way bigger a portion than I expected, as most portions on the cruise are small (or normal) in size. I only ate maybe 1/3 of this. With a little spinach casserole on the side and a baker.

Dessert was a grand marnier souffle with vanilla sauce:

I love the little individual desserts they serve. The service in the dining room was impecable, too. It felt very posh and upscale. This is the dining room empty:

I’ll do another post on the chocolate buffet and more of the ship, as this one is getting long!

Day at sea

Woke up pretty early. The boat was out in the middle of the Gulf by the time morning rolled around.

I hit the spa/gym and ran for 5 miles on the treadmill. I was going to use the outdoor track, but it was wet and hadn’t had a chance to dry yet, so with safety in mind, I did it indoors. John came up and met me there, and we headed out to breakfast. We chose to eat on the Lido deck. I was such a happy camper, because they had oatmeal available!! I made up a plate of toppings to go with: peanut butter, blueberries, and almonds. With fresh fruit on the side and a little bit of scrambled eggs for protein.

The view with breakfast:

Then it was relaxing time! On the deck:

John is ready for napping:

Don’t worry, I have 50 SPF sunscreen! Wouldn’t want to burn those pasty legs 😀

It’s funny how there can be 2500+ people on board and it doesn’t really feel crowded. The ship is just so big. Here is a view down our corridor for the stateroom:

It looks like one of those fake perspective things with a mirror – but it really goes all the way down there! This is just one level, too.

Main atrium:

One of the 5 or 6 bars – called the Big Easy or Oyster bar. Those are oyster shells embedded in the walls:

With a cool piano bar to sit at (no it doesn’t play – I tried)

The casino open 24/7 while at sea.

There is a coffee house here:

Espresso drinks are not included in the food package. I may have to get a latte later in the week. The food is good on the ship, but the coffee is pretty much swill. Although the coffee is available 24/7 – which is nice.

The cafe also showcases a bit of food art:

That’s all chocolate. Plus this cool dragon.

This is the gym, or some of it. Stationary bike area:

Nice view, eh? Treadmills are the same way, although each of them has a personal TV. This is the free weight area (taken in stealth so I wouldn’t get anyone working out.

The gym also has a sauna and steam room. I took a steam and it was heaven. Funny how in summer I complain about heat and humidity, but I willingly went into the room and enjoyed it. The room was scented with eucalyptus, too. I was sooooo relaxed after I got out. I am going to do a couple more steam room times this week!

Lunch buffet line:

Interesting food available. I am dying for some strawberries, though. Not a one to be had on the boat! The fruit is all long lasting kinds like melons, apples, pears, and bananas.

Plenty of desserts available!

Some Mayan ruins on the agenda, then a day of beach time in Cozumel 😀

From shore to boat

Our last morning in N’awlins! We did a run along the Riverwalk and a little through the French Quarter, maybe 2.5 miles or so. Then stopped at Croissant D’Or patisserie, one of our favorite places. It’s a very old building.

I love how it is full of subway tile, ornate molding, and stained glass:

Had an almond croissant, and then we split a piece of King cake. Croissant D’Or does them a little different. They are more flaky pastry, rather than yeast cake:

We then spent the morning taking in the sites and just enjoying the Quarter before boarding the cruise ship. There was a jazz group playing in the streets, which is very common.

Many times these street groups are so good, you just can’t believe it. This is Royal St, which is full of antique shops and upscale boutiques. This road is barracaded off during the day for the shoppers, which is why the groups set up in the street.

Time for lunch and had another New Orleans staple – Jambalaya!

Rice with chicken, shrimp, andouille sausage and tomatoes. This was really good.

Before picking up our luggage, we stopped at CC’s coffee and had some chickory cafe au lait and a praline!

Time to board the boat!

Pictures just cannot show how enormous and vast this ship is. The boat holds 2800 people. Huge line to check in Surprised :

Finally on the boat. We have a really nice cabin. We actually have a window!

And a couch:

I was soooo happy to see this for dinner!

I was dying for fresh fruit and veggies! I love the food in New Orleans, but it is very difficult to find fruits and veggies on any menu (at least in the Quarter). Just can’t eat that rich food for very long any more.

I filled up my plate with all the fresh goodness.

Of course, I had to have a little dessert to go with:

Then we checked out the fitness center on the boat. It’s really nice and includes a sauna and steam room, plus a bunch of equipment and free weights! Yay!

That was a busy Monday, that’s for sure! Tuesday is a day at sea before we get to Progreso (Mexico, not the soup). I’ll showcase more boat photos then.

Cruising food plans

Another busy day on tap here at casa java! I got some more great sleep. I’ll do a more informative post on the 5HTP hopefully this week. Think it is doing me some good! Today was a run day. One thing about my job in transcription is that there is sometimes medical information given that I find applicable to my daily life! One doctor was treating a patient for a stress fracture caused by treadmill running. The doctor said that treadmill running can cause a stress fracture in your foot bones because your stride never changes and the repetitive motion can cause the fracture. So, a good reason for intervals or changing up the speed on the hamster wheel! So that’s what I did today. I did 4 miles (on my taper plan this week) in 44 minutes with speed intervals during miles 3 and 4. It really felt great! It went by so fast only doing 4 miles instead of 6 (did I really say ‘only’???). Even John commented that I got back early from the gym. 😀

I was ready for waffles! This will be the last of the protein waffles this week as there isn’t enough cottage cheese to make any more.

Doesn’t today look much better than yesterday?

It’s amazing what a little sun does for mood!

Lunch was a BBQ chicken pizza made on a Joseph’s pita bread. I used BBQ sauce, cooked chicken breast and a little mozzarella and popped it in the toaster oven:

Served with an unpictured kiwi. Yum!

John is sitting on a jury this week, so I have been entertaining myself during breaks from work. Tried to get Pixie involved in picture taking with me:

She wasn’t all that interested….. 10 pics later and I finally captured a decent one:

So regarding the cruise/vacation eating plan. We are getting into New Orleans on Saturday late afternoon, and our boat leaves on Monday after lunch. I will say that all bets are off for the short time in New Orleans. The food there is fabulous and we are going to take advantage of that. There will be pictures of beignets, chargrilled oysters, probably some pralines. It’s really hard to go wrong there.

The cruise itself is another matter. One thing about cruise lines is that there is always food available. 24 hours a day. Did you know this ship has a complimentary sushi bar? 😯 Not to mention complimentary room service. Some people rave about ship food, but I found it to be a little institutional, if you know what I mean. Not that it is bad at all, though. They are cooking for 2000 people, so that is some bulk cooking! It’s not really gourmet food. It’s probably better than most people are used to, and there is plenty of it. The sit down dining room meal portions were actually ‘normal’ size portions, and I think that is due to the fact that they have to feed so many people and it isn’t cost effective to serve portions that won’t get eaten. More restaurants should take note of that…..

Our ship (Carnival) also has an a la carte area to eat on the Lido deck, and that is where we ate the majority of our meals last cruise and what we plan to do on this one. We are very informal and getting dressed up for meals with a server bringing food is not high on our list. I would rather get a casual meal and sit on the deck and look out over the water. There are actually plenty of healthy choices available if I choose to make them. I am going to try and eat what I would normally eat during the day, and a couple special dinners. Plus the chocolate buffet 😀 . Gotta partake in that. There will be plenty of exercise to be had on the ship. There is a workout room, or the outside track to run on (which is my choice).

The only variable here is the port of call places. We are stopping in Cozumel and Progreso. I don’t know what type of food is available there, and I certainly want to sample local cuisine.

The bottom line is that this cruise is not about the food. It’s about relaxing and enjoying time with my hubby. I am going to indulge some, but not overdo it. Yes, there may be some weight gain, but I am very okay with that.

So, let’s see how well I actually stick to that plan, shall we??

Dinner tonight was an omelet stuffed with a Laughing Cow wedge. Why have I not tried this before? It was sooo good!

That’s the last of the strawberries this week!

I am off to my rental house to do the last few things like hang closet doors and replace some baseboard. 2 open houses this week.

Question: When you vacation do you eat whatever or try to have a plan?

Finding Radiance

Trying to live a fit life loving food, cycling, gardening and everything in between!