Peddler

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Confirmed: Carnival to Send Brand-New Cruise Ship to Texas (11:30 a.m. EDT) -- Texas has officially landed a sea monster. The 130,000-ton, 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic -- due out in May 2011 as the second in Carnival Cruise Lines' brand-new Dream class -- will homeport in Galveston, following its maiden season in Europe. As we previously reported, the then-rumored and now-confirmed move will provide a massive boost to the mid-size Texas port, best known for homeporting "mature" hardware with a minimum of 10 years service at sea. Notably, though Carnival Magic is the largest ship to sail from the port year-round, it's not the largest ship, tonnage-wise, ever to grace Galveston; that title belongs to Royal Caribbean's 137,308-ton, 3,114-passenger Voyager of the Seas. John Heald, Carnival's Senior Cruise Director and rascally blogger, broke the news last night via a video post, and Carnival Cruise Lines filled in the itinerary information this morning in a press release. "It's a beautiful day here in the U.K.," Heald said into the camera. "And I just got off the phone with our super spy, PA007. He ... or she ... came out their cubicle to tell me that tomorrow there will be an official press release about the homeport for your Carnival Magic, and I'm breaking the news to you now, that it's going to be ... Texas. Congratulations Galveston." Heald went on to announce the homeports for three other ships (before telling viewers that he had to go change his infant's diaper). Carnival Magic will operate a season of seven-night cruises out of Galveston beginning on November 14, 2011, and the ship will sail both Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries through April 2012. The Western Caribbean cruise will stop in Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel; the Eastern Caribbean cruise will visit Nassau, Freeport and Key West. Before that, the ship will debut in May 2011 with a full season of seven-, nine- and 12-night Mediterranean cruises out of Barcelona, followed by a 16-night transatlantic, Barcelona to Galveston, scheduled for October 28, 2011. Also headed to Galveston for year-round service is the 102,000-ton, 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph, which currently calls New Orleans home. Triumph will sail year-round four- and five-night Caribbean cruises from Galveston beginning on October 6, 2011. Between the two ships, Carnival will carry some 450,000 passengers from the port annually. To make way for Magic and Triumph, the 110,000-ton, 2,974-passenger Carnival Conquest and the 70,367-ton, 2,052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy, both currently stationed in Galveston, will move to New Orleans, where they will offer a series of four-, five- and seven-night Caribbean cruises. This will return the line's capacity in the Big Easy to pre-Katrina levels. --by Dan Askin, Associate Editor

What to do? ... enjoy yourself. What not to do? ... worry about what to do. Excursions? ... any ship sponsored for the first cruise.

Hmmm ... a parking ticket is in the future?

Carnival Conquest 12/06/2009 Western Caribbean. We live fairly close (250 miles) to Galveston, so as in the past cruises, we have driven. The traffic is relative comfortable and on the heavy side in Houston. We drove down on Saturday and stayed at the Hampton Inn and then parked at the EZ Cruise Parking. The parking lot has a shuttle bus that delivers you and picks you up at the terminal. The cost is $50 for a 7 day cruise in a secure parking area. I should know as I forgot to lock the car and all was well on our return. We arrived at the dock at approx 11AM and was checked in and on the ship by PM...we couldn't get our room but were able to drop off our carry-on thanks to the steward and was through lunch and sightseeing by a little after one. The lifeboat drill was a little better in my books as we didn't or were not required to wear the life jackets. The muster went smoothly and we were under way by 4PM. Sunday and Monday was a little cloudy and not as conducive to laying out but some did anyway...we are really not sun people, so all was OK as far as we were concerned. Tuesday the sun was in full effect albeit windy as it was Sunday and Monday. The temps were in the upper 70s to lower 80s and really nice as we left a cool, cloudy and damp Waco on Sat. Wednesday ... we arrived in Montego Bay, Jamaica W.I. ... the weather was warm and sunny ... we took a shopping and highlights tour and although the highlights had something to be desired...the shopping was OK and the driver and tour director was great ... we had a rowdy bunch on the bus and must have laughed for 3 hours... Thursday ... George Town Grand Cayman Is. ... With Kathy and I not beach and water people, we disembarked and did some independent shopping along the coast road at Margaritaville, Hard Rock Café, Harley Davidson and a few other shops and then returned to the ship in time for lunch in the buffet. Very nice weather again. The tender boats were good and we had the number one anchor position so we were directly in front of the pier. Friday ... Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico ... We have been to Cozumel 7 time in the past and have never been to the East side of the island so this trip we booked a Highlights and shopping tour that traveled from the ship port to the Southern tip, around the Eastern shore and then back across the island to San Miguel. This tour went to Discover Mexico ( a really neat of scale attractions like Mayan ruins), El Cedral, and a Tequila factory. Disembarkation was very easy...we did the self assist and was through customs and in the car by 8:45am and home by 1 PM. We have sailed Carnival now 5 times. We have heard of drastic cuts and trimming ... we saw nothing outstanding ... some things were missing like a past guest pin, the Capitan's meeting was in the lobby thus no free drinks, dinning was where we say a slight re-adjusting of the menu with the main course coming with sides and not a personal choice althoughanything could be added. There was really none of the cut backs that affected us all that great. The food was good as always like the Flat Iron Steak, Ribs, Salmon, Filet's, etc ... the deserts were very good and were up to Carnival's standards and fattening as always. Would I recommend Carnival and the Conquest?...YES Would I Do the cruise again?...YES Can I go now (sadly) no. Later Jim & Kathy

Just picked up a new sports coat yesterday ... will go with kacki, green black or stone ... a couple of different color shirts and good to go.

No suit or tux on my next cruise ... just a sport coat and dockers. Less to pack.

I would say a Holland American ship like the Westerdam.

Voyager of the Seas ... had a chance this next cruise to do again ... opted for the smaller Carnival Conquest.

Likewise

Our first was Cozumel on the Carnival Ecstasy ... shopping at Puerta Maya pier and then a party boat ride to Senor Frogs (before Hurricane Wilma)

Welcome back ... Bout time LOL

We have made all of them ... we're usually some of the first as Kathy don't do stairs, so I grab the life jackets and meet her in the correct place...They're not bad if you have a big enough drink (or multiples). Later Jim

I'm an early riser, so as to not bother the wife, I go to the (Believe it or not) Lido deck, grab some coffee and chill by the pool or a sea overlook table and read....not many people up at 5:30 or 6 and if they are most are walking. During the day I find a couple of the lounges are quite and good for reading as long as one can turn you back on the populace and face outward.

Smart Alec maybe....

Cheryl .. you do much like we do except I print mine on regular paper ... cut the excess and fold over ... I then take them to Office Max and have them laminated ... 3 tags per sheet at $1 per sheet ain't bad ... Then punch a hole and use a zip tie. Later Jim

Lots of photos and shot glasses with the place we visit on them.

Carnival Dream Pretty good looking row boat

Very good review ... It pays to do research.

Hopefully to answer your question. Yes I find cruise reviews helpful just as I would product reviews from Amazon or Best Buy. I balance the good with the disappointed. Some people don't like anything and unless someone is stuck directly up their behind to do their bidding they aren't satisfied. On the other hand those that find NOTHING wrong are mostly oblivious to their surroundings and haven't a clue of what's happening. I can enjoy this with a lot less pomp and ceremony than most. I'm easier to please and see things mostly thru the eyes of a poor stiff that's trying to do the work on the ship as the room steward or the waiter. The way some react to some issues, I wouldn't blame the personal to tell them to GTH. Most people put their shoes on one foot at a time and if you treat stewards and waiters with the same respect that one demands for themselves , one can watch the service just gets better. Later Jim

The old girl (Ecstasy) is showing her age though...She is, so I've read in several palces, going for an extensive dry dock of about 4 weeks ... That's a long time this day and time. She has had some continuing propulsion problems and hopefully these will get repaired and well as the many, many, many upgrades that they are doing. Later Jim