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Join your Host John Shallo as we learn all about Hamburg Cruise Days 2019 from Randy Warren of Cruise Addicts. He recently returned from a visit to Hamburg, Germany where he was able to attend Hamburg Cruise Days 2019. He was also able to visit Seatrade Europe to see all of the latest advances in cruise ship interiors and other areas.
“We are very pleased to announce that Carnival Corporation’s projects in the Bahamas are full speed ahead,” said Prime Minister Minnis. “These developments and the significant investment in world-class tourism and hospitality operations are such a boon for our initiatives for national prosperity and economic stability.”
“This is an exciting day for all of us involved with these two extraordinary development projects,” said Israel. “We have been working with the prime minister and his staff for some time with a shared vision for our design plans, and we want to extend our sincere gratitude for their collaboration and partnership. Our collective goal is to maintain the reputation of The Bahamas as one of our most popular and welcoming destinations for years to come, and it is very rewarding to see our joint vision finalized with today’s agreement.”
The two developments will allow Grand Bahama and Little San Salvador to welcome guests from the cruise industry’s larger ships, such as Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, which will debut in August 2020 as North America’s first cruise ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Mardi Gras will also be Carnival Cruise Line’s largest and most innovative ship.
The winner of Porthole Cruise Magazine’s Best Private Island award for the last 18 consecutive years, Half Moon Cay on the island of Little San Salvador is well known as one of the region’s most beloved ports, visited by guests sailing with Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line. The current development on the western side covers less than 3% of the 2,400-acre island and includes a tender marina. The new addition will be on the northern part of the island and include a pier able to accommodate larger ships. The beautiful beaches of Half Moon Cay will continue to be a main attraction.
Together, the development of the new port expansion and existing facilities on the island of Little San Salvador will account for only about 10% of the island, leaving the remainder of this pristine paradise natural and untouched, as committed to in the original purchase agreement to maintain the vast majority of the island as a nature preserve and wild bird sanctuary.
In both developments, Carnival Corporation and the government of The Bahamas have established several key objectives, with a high priority on protecting the local environment, using renewable energy, significantly reducing or eliminating single-use plastics and other items, and similar environmentally friendly initiatives, as well as working with local business interests to create jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for Bahamian residents. In addition to these developments, the company is also further exploring opportunities to deepen its involvement in the community and local cultural events, activities and organizations.
Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays received little impact from Hurricane Dorian, and the return to regular sailings is an important step in national recovery efforts in support of the country’s tourism industry and its vital economic impact on local businesses and people.
Carnival Corporation and its cruise line brands operate nine global ports and terminals, including Barcelona in Spain; Savona in Italy; Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic; Puerta Maya in Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Turk Cruise Center in Turks and Caicos Islands; Mahogany Bay in Roatan, Honduras; Long Beach in California; and Santa Cruz de Tenerife terminal in the Canary Islands. Carnival Corporation also operates two private island destinations in the Caribbean, Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay, and has a joint venture in Dubai for the future operation of two cruise terminals. Additionally, through a joint venture, Carnival Corporation is a 50/50 operator with MSC Cruises of a terminal in Marseille, France. In total, Carnival Corporation cruise ships visit over 700 ports of call around the world.
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Reaffirming its longstanding commitment to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, Carnival Cruise Line has announced that it will raise its pledge to a total of $33 million by 2024.
The announcement was made this week at the St. Jude campus in Memphis, Tennessee, during Carnival’s seventh annual Day of Play where patient families enjoyed a variety of fun activities hosted by the line’s team members. The Day of Play was held in conjunction with the cruise line’s hotel directors conference, where the leaders responsible for the guest operations on Carnival’s 26 ships traveled to St. Jude for business meetings and a tour of the hospital.
At the event, Carnival announced an additional $15 million pledge to the hospital over the next five years after achieving its initial fundraising goal early. Since the partnership began in 2010, Carnival has raised more than $18 million in support of the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.®
“Because of the generosity of our guests and team members, we are able to increase our fundraising goal and look forward to continuing to support our friends at St. Jude,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line and member of the St. Jude Professional Advisory Board. “For the second year in a row, we have brought a group of shipboard leaders to St. Jude to see the work being done first-hand and to help incorporate the mission in meaningful ways with our guests, team members and travel agent partners. I know our hotel directors will leave Memphis inspired to do more for the kids and the health professionals who take care of them as we look for new ways to integrate our support into our shipboard and shoreside activities.”
“The Carnival Day of Play is always an unforgettable and fun event for our patient families, but today was especially meaningful as we celebrated an incredible milestone and Carnival’s expanded commitment to support our lifesaving mission to find cures for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “We’re so grateful for the wonderful partnership we’ve built with Carnival, their remarkable team members and their generous guests over the years, and we look forward to continuing our collective efforts to ensure that families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.”
As the Official Celebration Partner of St. Jude, Carnival hosts events at the hospital and raises money through a variety of fundraising initiatives, both on board and ashore, including the Groove for St. Jude dance party and Build-A-Bear Workshop at Sea where kids can create their own St. Jude-themed keepsake bear. Carnival Horizon also boasts a stunning three-deck-high “Dreamscape” LED atrium sculpture that displays artwork from St. Jude patients while guests on Carnival Vista can satisfy their sweet tooth with a Brownie Buoy, a delicious ice cream concoction designed by the children of St. Jude with all profits donated to the hospital.
Duffy also announced that Carnival’s new ship arriving next year, Mardi Gras, will feature a sculpture and other artwork designed by St. Jude patients. Mardi Gras is a highly anticipated ship that will boast a number of groundbreaking features and experiences, including BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, the first seagoing restaurant from famed New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse, and six themed zones offering a variety of food, beverage and entertainment choices. Mardi Gras will also be the first ship in North America powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), part of Carnival Corporation’s “green cruising” platform.
Currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, Mardi Gras is slated to enter service in Europe on Aug. 31, 2020, before repositioning to New York for a series of voyages then shift to Port Canaveral for year-round seven-day Caribbean cruises beginning in October 2020.
To learn more about Carnival Cruise Line, visit Carnival.com. For reservations, contact any travel agent or call 1-800-CARNIVAL.
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American Queen Steamboat Company has appointed Ares M. Michaelides as President of AQSC and Victory Cruise Lines (Victory). In this role, Michaelides will lead the strategic growth plans of the AQSC fleet (American Queen, American Empress, American Duchess and the highly anticipated American Countess) and the Victory fleet (M/V Victory I and M/V Victory II and the M/V Ocean Victory scheduled to debut in 2021).
Michaelides will lead each brand’s business strategy to continue to develop and innovate AQSC/Victory’s unique product offering – AQSC is a leader in US river cruises and Victory a leader in Great Lakes cruising – and elevate the vacation experience for its guests. Michaelides has 25 years of experience in the maritime and cruising industry and will build upon past success at various entities to optimize AQSC/Victory’s strategy and brand offering.
“American Queen Steamboat Company’s legacy is rooted in our ability to offer time-honored traditions on our river cruises from dining, to Broadway-caliber entertainment and top-tier shore excursions,” shares John Waggoner, Founder and CEO of American Queen Steamboat Company. “As we continue to progress, we’re confident that Ares will tap into his long history and success in the industry to help continue the growth of the company.”
Prior to his role with AQSC, Michaelides most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Ship Supply International, a leading global supplier of goods and services to the maritime industry. Prior to that, over the course of 10 years, he held executive positions (Interim CEO, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer) with Starboard Cruise Services, the world’s largest cruise retailer. Previously, Michaelides spent over a decade in executive positions with the world’s largest cruise companies including Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Celebrity Cruises Inc. and MSC Cruises USA.
“I’ve been very fortunate that my cruise experience has allowed me to have a hand in managing all aspects of the business, from understanding the economics of the cruise sector to retail innovation and execution to managing logistics for the world’s largest cruise lines,” said Michaelides. “I am honored to be a part of the American Queen Steamboat Company/Victory Cruise Lines team and look forward to leading a strategic vision that elevates the company to the next level and continues its success.”
Michaelides holds a Master of Science and Master of Arts degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Bachelor of Arts degree from Drew University and a Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Born and raised in New York, Michaelides now resides in Louisville, KY.
For additional information, please visit www.
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Southeast Asia is one of the most popular regions in the world when it comes to luxury cruises. This is unsurprising considering the gorgeous islands, interesting cultures, and low costs of living. There is a huge wealth of possible routes, with thousands of islands to explore.
Those are all factors in why people spend long trips on various islands there. Visit these luxurious villas in Phuket Thailand if you do want to stay for a while. But whether or not you are staying, there are certain things to keep in mind when traveling in Southeast Asia.
Be aware of the following 3 things.
It is amazing going to a new place and trying their local cuisines. There is something incredibly satisfying about buying a cheap meal on the side of the road that tastes better than food you would get in a fancy restaurant. However, there are risks involved.
There is far too high a chance that you will get food poisoning when eating at street food outlets (or cheap buffets, for that matter). People who eat from them daily are far more immune to the conditions in which the food is made. I’m not saying that the food is unhealthy, but someone who only ever eats food made in a sanitized kitchen is all too likely to have a bad reaction.
I do recommend trying local dishes, but it is best if you do so at a restaurant.
If you’ve got a lot of free time in a particular place, it is a good idea to hire a driver to take you around. You’ll be able to find drivers at really cheap prices in Southeast Asian countries. Then, rather than stressing about getting to a certain place on time, or the possibility that you won’t find your way back, you’ll always have your driver waiting for you.
Drivers also know a lot about the place, and will make excellent recommendations. Since they live there, they have a far more extensive experience of the place than a Western blogger who puts together a top 10 list.
Ask the organizers of your cruise if they can put you in touch with a driver – they’ll help you find someone who won’t try to take advantage of you.
Not all locals will speak English. In some places, very few will be able to understand you. But when you are around English-speaking locals, such as a driver or waiter, spend some time chatting with them. This is the best way to learn about the culture. You’ll feel a lot more fulfilled than if you only speak to fellow foreigners.
Don’t be too concerned about “bothering” them, either, if they’re in the service industry, in any case. English-speaking locals often want to practice their English, and they may well be proud of their home and its accomplishments. The worst that can happen is that they shrug you off, so you might as well give it a go!
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We woke up this morning and found MSC Seaside was already docked in Port Miami. The beeping of forklifts and the activity of the port could already be heard from below our balcony. Our cruise was coming to an end but, the experience will remain in our memories forever. It was wonderful taking our first MSC Cruise and having the chance to meet the Captain, Hotel Director, Cruise Director, and Executive Chef during our cruise. I know I have said this many times already but, the ship is beautiful inside and out and we loved the design. We never felt crowded, the buffets often had no lines. I wondered and even asked if the ship was only partially full during our sailing? No, It was at normal capacity. This made our cruise much more intimate and extra special.
As we all woke up and readied ourselves for the day. We exited our cabin for the last time and went to have breakfast at the Buffet. We all enjoyed our breakfast and before long our number was called and we made our way down to deck 5 and excited the ship.
Once inside the terminal, we found a sea of bags sorted by numbers. We had some difficulty finding a few of our bags. We used a Porter and after some deeper searching, we found our bag. A couple cruising with us had a similar problem as well. Normally all the bags are right next to each other but, this morning added some extra excitement to our day. In the end, we found everything. The Porter loaded our bags on his cart, and we then went to Customs. At Port Miami, the Porter’s have an Express Lane to Customs so this made things even quicker for us. It is so nicethat you don’t have to fill out the customs declaration slips, as you did in the past. We were told you only have to fill them out if you are bringing back a lot of money or certain items you may have purchased. The whole process was very smooth and enjoyable.
Our Porter brought us and our bags out to the pick-up area where the parking shuttle would be picking us up. As we looked at the time and the number of people crowded around us, I started thinking of a Plan B. The parking shuttle would stop doing pick-ups soon and there were a lot of people crowded around us. We also had a lot of luggage with us. So I took it upon myself to call a Lyft driver to help make this easier. Before long the Lyft driver showed up and I walked out to his car. A few minutes later he dropped me off at the parking garage and I took the elevator to the floor my car was parked on. I found my car and drove it out of the garage and to the port. I pulled up to the girls and began loading the bags in the car. This made things much easier. As you may recall, I dropped the bags and the girls off at the terminal before parking the car on embarkation day. It sounds like a lot of but, in the end it simplified things for the whole group.
MSC Cruises’ continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. I do suggest you consider an MSC Cruise if you haven’t cruised with them already. Your first step should be taking advantage of MSC Cruises’ Loyalty Status Match Program. If you are aalready a loyalty program member of hotels, cruise lines or tour operators? You can join MSC Cruises’ loyalty program for free and maintain all the privileges you’re used to. You will be assigned an MSC Voyagers Club level, from Classic to Black, guaranteeing you a 5% discount on any cruise and a similar or higher privilege status than your current loyalty program. MSC Cruises’ is regularly running specials, so now is a great time to experience an MSC Cruise. It may be your new favorite? For more information on this program Click Here.
Stay tuned for plenty of more coverage coming out over the next couple of weeks about our seven-night Family Cruise aboard MSC Seaside. My first cruise was aboard Chandris Fantasy Cruises in 1989. It made a big impression on me. Fast forward to today, MSC Seaside really is special with such a cutting edge design and innovations. Her guest-centric features make for an exciting and pleasant cruise experience.
The entertainment aboard MSC Seaside was thrilling each and every night. It was so special and unique and brought us coming back. The crew aboard MSC Seaside were very nice and made our family vacation extra special.
Thank you very much for reading these posts day after day and allowing me to share my families cruise experience with you. As a parting gift, I want to share with you our MSC Seaside Ship Tour & Review we produced. In this video you will see the interviews I conducted and exactly what we experienced during our cruise.
We hope you enjoyed our daily trip reports and video reviews of our MSC Seaside cruise. Please let us know by giving this article a like and comment below. Please subscribe to my Cruise Addicts YouTube Channel and give us a comment on this video. Thank you again for following along on our journey.
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Today we will be visiting our last port of call in the Nassau, Bahamas. We woke up early so we could be on time for our shore excursion to Atlantis’s Aquaventure Waterpark. Our group has been looking forward to this and excited the day is finally here. First, we have to get some breakfast before heading out. We headed up to the buffet and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast. It still amazes us all how uncrowded the buffet area is on this ship. On most ships, the buffet can often be borderline chaos at most times. Not on this ship. It has been a pleasure all cruise long. The best part, the food is very good and fresh too.
A picture tells a thousand words, so take a look:
Cruise Addicts and ResortForADay.com once again worked together so that I could report back to you on our experience. Once we left the ship we took a short taxi cab ride to the area where guests with Atlantis Aquaventure day passes. I had seen big lines in the past visits but, the check-in experience was quick and easy for us. We simply showed them the printed reservation from ResortForADay.com and before long we were on our way with our new fancy wristbands.
Atlantis Aquaventure is our one-of-a-kind, 141-acre water park. Purchasing a Day Pass allows you access to this one-of-a-kind aquatic playground. It features over twenty million gallons of water, magnificent Atlantean-themed towers housing high-speed water slides, a mile-long river ride with rolling rapids and wave surges, 20 swimming areas, a spectacular kids water-play fort, and 11 swimming pools. Aquaventure is set within a lush, tropical environment that is immersive. It is great for guests of all ages young and old looking for a relaxing day or extreme fun. Whatever your aim, this is such a unique experience and opportunity we highly recommend it. You could spend days here with so many choices of activities and rides. To sum it up, it is really beautiful. The prices of Day Pass does vary on what season you are visiting the resort. Want to book this Day Pass for yourselves? You can view and reserve the Atlantis Day Pass options by clicking here.
Our group was mixed with people of all ages. Some of us wanted to do extreme water rides while others wanted to relax by the pool. This was my families first to Atlantis beyond the front gates. We all were so impressed once we were allowed beyond the front facade you can only see from the lobby.
The Atlantis Aquaventure is beautiful. We never felt crowded or rushed. Everyone we came in contact with was very helpful and friendly. The lush landscape was so relaxing. I do suggest you bring some water shoes so you can protect your feet from when walking on the hot pavement. This was was an issue for several of us. You might not be able to go down the slides wearing or even holding your shoes but, you can have them walking between rides or getting back to your lounge chair.
I noticed all the pools and water slides were staffed by very visible and attentive lifeguards at all times. The different areas were nicely divided so you didn’t have little ones getting trampled by the older kids or adults. If your child is not a good swimmer they have free lifejackets available throughout the park.
We traveled in a group during this cruise and part of our group went exploring late in the afternoon. As we watched the time tick closer to when we felt comfortable leaving, our friends never showed up. I soon was busy texting, Facebook messaging and even calling. I didn’t want to have to leave our friends. We waited and waited without them showing up or replying. So we hesitantly packed up our bags and made our way to the lobby hotel lobby where the taxi had dropped us off. Be certain you remember where this is, as the resort is huge. Also, give yourself plenty of time to get to the lobby, hail a cab and get back to the ship. We were only in port for about six hours and it was enough time but, you could truly spend days at this resort in just the Aquaventure area. My whole family loved this experience and would do this again.
So my family and I made our way back to ship I received a text that our friends were right behind us. They teased me the rest of the cruise that we “ditched them”. We did it out of sheer necessity. Getting back too late and missing the ship is NOT a cruise adventure I’m ready to experience. What a nightmare that would be. The costs and even worse if you didn’t have passports. Needless to say, we were very relieved and happy to know our whole group was safely back on the ship with plenty of time before the ship eventually sailed.
Once we were all safely back on board we enjoyed a sail-away drink as enjoyed a picture-perfect goodbye of Nassau. I have been here many times but, this was probably one of my favorite visits. The weather was beautiful and visiting Atlantis’s Aquaventure made the day so very special. We made a point of getting some packing done early and put our bags out early. There is nothing worse than staying out too late the last night and having to pack up a whole family. So we try to get this out of the way a much a possible.
On our last night, we ate in the Main Dining Room. Everything was very nice and we bid our friendly waiters goodbye. The highlight of the night was the production show, Michael. This high-energy show of music, dance was the perfect ending of a phenomenal week of entertainment.
I hope you’re enjoying our journey aboard MSC Seaside. Let me know by giving the article a like and comment below. Please subscribe to my Cruise Addicts YouTube Channel and give us a comment on the videos. Thank you very much for following along on our journey. We love hearing from you.
Stay tuned as we share each day of our cruise with you. Follow the links below to our previous coverage:
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If you are a gambler at heart and love traveling then these cruise ships will give you the time of your life. The infrastructure in the modern-day cruise ships allows you to experience the luxury of any in-land casino onboard the ship. Here is a list of the top ten best cruise ship casinos provided by https://roulettegambler.co.uk/real-money/.
This exotic ship is based in Miami and has a capacity of more than 4,000 guests. The casino is located within the ship and has plenty of games including approximately 300 slot machines. The table games are open to any adults and bets begin from a mere $5 though there is a place for high rollers in the VIP section.
The casino also has numerous tournaments which involve games such as Blackjack, Texas Hold’em and slots.
This cruise ship offers one of the best casinos offering a wide selection of games including Baccarat, Roulette and Blackjack. The casino is so luxurious that it is often likened to the casinos found in Vegas. The casino also has a bar on board which means that you don’t have to go outside when gambling.
This cruise ship belongs to the Royal Caribbean International lines. It has a great casino which is almost 18,000 square feet and more than 450 slot machines. The casino also comes with approximately 27 gaming tables ensuring that gamblers have enough space and quality to enjoy their traveling experience.
This 1083-foot-long cruise ship comes with a big casino offering a wide range of games including blackjack and Bingo. The casino is designed for a casual look so relax and enjoy your ride while you gamble.
The ship offers an elegant casino which is quite similar to the in-land casinos found in Monte Carlo. The casino has more than 100 slot machines and offers a wide range of games such as Roulette, Craps, and Three Card Poker.
This is also one of the ships belonging to the Royal Caribbean International liner and has a great casino designed in a style similar to the casino royale in Las Vegas. The casino has approximately 19 gaming tables and more than 250 slot machines.
The casino found within this massive ship offers a wide variety of games including Crap, Roulette, and Blackjack. It also has hundreds of slot machines and the elegant atmosphere found within the ship’s casino will definitely make it a great gambling experience.
All the ships belonging to the celebrity cruise liner have great casinos with a variety of games such as Three Card Poker and Roulette. The ship’s casinos also offer video poker and have regular slot tournaments which give you a chance to win big. The bets at the casinos can begin from as low as $5 which means that anyone above the age of 18 can participate.
The Azamara Journey offers a great casino that features a lot of slot machines and a selection of games including roulette and blackjack. The casino also has a bar right next to it and smoking is also allowed. This makes it a great place to relax and unwind while traveling.
The ships belonging to this liner are elegantly decorated and come with great views of the ocean which allow you to enjoy your game while admiring the ocean. The casinos are also located close to bars which makes it a convenient place to spend the evenings. The casinos offer various games including roulette, blackjack, and poker.
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Today will be the last sea day of our cruise. I’ve woken up early this morning to take a walk all-around the ship to take some photos. When I first began cruising I was given some advice. When cruising you should kiss the ship good morning and goodnight. Try to get up early and walk the ship’s decks just before sunrise. You will find the ship is very quiet and you will feel like you almost have the ship to yourself. Grab a cup of coffee and get ready to watch the sunrise. You can also get a great vantage point as the ship docks in port during the early morning. In the evening you can do the same but, gaze at the stars or even the moon. Find a quiet spot on an upper deck and snuggle with your someone special. With the wind washing over you, enjoy the moment and being one with nature on the open sea.
As I made my way around MSC Seaside I took many photos and explored her different areas. I enjoyed the peace and seeing the spaces empty. As I mentioned before, it is really nice to walk around the ship in the early morning. On this morning I stopped and had a nice cup of coffee and watched the Sunrise and thought about the day ahead.
MSC Seaside is a beautiful ship both inside and out. One of our favorite places to visit on board was the Seaview Lounge. During the evenings the lights were turned down and a Jazz Band played here. It was the perfect place to unwind over a nice drink after dinner.
Before long it was soon Lunch Time. We ate from one of the two Buffets more than we normally would on a cruise. I think because they were so convenient for any meal. The food was always fresh and we never waited in any line. I know, this almost doesn’t seem correct. A buffet without a line.
Here is some of what you can expect aboard MSC Seaside for Lunch:
How could I sail aboard the ship with the longest zip-line at sea and not take a ride. To be precise the zip-line is 345 feet long. So me and my daughter Meagan walked down to get signed-up and pay the small fee for single rides. You can purchase an unlimited rides pass for alittle more. We then made our way up to where the Zip-Line started and Meagan went first. To be honest, I was alittle concerned. I had never ridden on a zip-line before and as they are strapping gear and connecting you to the line I had to wonder to myself? Was this a good idea?
Before you know it, your soaring above the ship and you remember the instructions to lift your legs at the landmark point and it is over. It was wonderful! Such a smooth and enjoyable ride. I highly recommend it to everyone. Well worth it all around.
On our last night aboard I wanted to try the Asian-fusion restaurant by Chef Roy Yamaguchi. The restaurant is beautiful and we really enjoyed the warm ambiance and attentive service.
A real treat was the Asian ribs, they amazing and everyone enjoyed their entree’s. It was a unique experience we all enjoyed. Our foodie family likes to try new things and this was a highlight of our cruise.
As our Dinner came to an end we made our way to the Metropolitan Theatre for the evening’s show. Here is a taste of what we experienced:
I hope you’re enjoying our journey aboard MSC Seaside. Let me know by giving the article a like and comment below. Please subscribe to my Cruise Addicts YouTube Channel and give us a comment on the videos. Thank you very much for following along on our journey. We love hearing from you.
Stay tuned as we share each day of our cruise with you. Follow the links below to our previous coverage:
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The White Party last night kept us all up late but, we had a chance to rest. Today we will be visiting Cozumel, Mexico which is an island located in the Caribbean Sea along the eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula. The island is located 12 miles from the mainland and is 30 miles long and only 9.9 miles wide. It has always been one of my favorite places to visit and I have never had a bad experience here.
MSC Seaside docked at the Punta Langosta pier, which is located right in downtown San Miguel. We are planning to spend the day at the Allegro Cozumel All-Inclusive resort. A Day Pass currently costs $60 per adult and $30 per child. This is a great overall value in my opinion. When making your reservations you place a deposit through the website to reserve your day pass. On the day you arrive at the hotel you check-in and pay the front desk the balance due.
The resort is located on the shores of San Francisco beach. It is only a 15-minute cab ride away from the pier. We have booked this on our own through ResortForADay.com and Cruise Addicts has worked with them to share our experience with you. Since transportation is not included we made our way off the ship and hailed a cab at the end of the pier. It was super easy to do and before long we were on our way to the Allegro Cozumel Resort.
As we arrived at the front lobby of Allegro Cozumel our group was very impressed. We all checked-in and were given a map of the property and welcome information. We noticed how the resort is very clean and everyone we met was very friendly. The lush tropical landscape with the beautiful beach as a backdrop made us feel like this was paradise.
We made our way to the pool area and picked out some lounge chairs. A waiter soon arrived and took our drink order. Does it get any better than this? As I waited for our drink orders to be filled, I began exploring the resort further.
Here are some photos I took during our visit to the Allegro Cozumel All-Inclusive resort:
One thing to keep in mind when planning a Day Pass experience is many all-inclusive resorts do not allow children or they may even have an age restriction like (16+). So do your homework and find one that best suits your needs. This resort allowed children since my youngest is ten years old. So this resort was very family friendly.
We liked how the food in the buffet area was diverse for the adventurous adults in our group and also the kids who may not want to try the authentic Verde salsa or shrimp ceviche.
As our drinks arrived we took the opportunity to just relax and enjoy the day. Soon it was lunchtime and we enjoyed the buffet-style lunch with American and Mexican dishes. We liked the fresh fruit, ceviche, and grilled meat selection. They also have some wonderful fresh chips and a nice selection of salsas. Just be careful, some of them were hot. The kids loved the soft-serve ice cream. Here are some photos of our visit to the centrally located buffet, only steps away from the pool.
Our Resort Day Pass included the following:
We took a moment to enjoy the beach and the water was really refreshing. The day seemed to pass too fast for me because it was soon time to get ready to leave. The drinks, fellow guests and resort itself made for an amazing day. Looking back it was a real highlight of our vacation.
I have become a real fan of the resort day pass experience. A benefit for me knowing what the costs are up-front before we even leave for our cruise. It also has shown to be a great value compared to traditional shore excursions. I recommend you watch the time closely and plan on maximizing your day at any resort. So far we have done several of these and I like how you get to experience the local foods and culture in a much more personal way. Want a Day Pass for the Allego Resort for your next cruise? Just visit the Allegro Resort page on the ResortForADay.com website.
Our group made our way back to the Hotel Lobby and we climbed into a waiting cab that would take us back to the pier. As we exited the cab we took a moment to do some last-minute shopping and get the girl’s hair braided.
As we made our way back to the ship. We continued to look at the many different shops and even enjoy listening to a Mariachi Band playing right at the pier. I really enjoy this authentic music. Cozumel is one one of the friendliest places I have visited and I could easily spend more time here. Here is a short clip of the Mariachi Band playing:
As we left the band and walked further up the pier we noticed the Cruise Director and along with many different MSC Seaside crew members were welcoming us back from our day ashore. Everyone was dancing and having a great time as they welcomed each guest back onboard.
As we returned to the ship and got cleaned up after a beautiful day at the Allegro Resort, we relaxed for a while after a full day in the sun. We then made our way to the Buffet for a relaxing Dinner. We watched the production show and stopped at Venchi’s Chocolate for our post-show drinks. We really love the staff here who have been treating us like family during our cruise.
During our time here, we were treated for a performance by Ken Jose and his brother. One thing I enjoy the most about cruises is the live entertainment. I don’t get a chance to get out like when I was younger, so the chance to hear live music during a cruise makes the experience extra special to me.
Here is a moment I captured of Ken Jose playing on stage in the Piazza Grande stage near the seating area of the Venchi Chocolate and Coffee Bar.
Tomorrow we will be enjoying another Sea Day. We had a long day ashore and the evening was packed with entertainment once again. How am I going to adjust when I have to go home and watch re-runs of Mighty Ships?
I hope you’re enjoying our journey aboard MSC Seaside. Let me know by giving the article a like and comment below. Please subscribe to my Cruise Addicts YouTube Channel and give us a comment on the videos. Thank you very much for following along on our journey. We love hearing from you.
Stay tuned as we share each day of our cruise with you. Follow the links below to our previous coverage:
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