Carnival Paradise Cruise - Celebrating Birthdays!

Monday, December 6, 2010

Carnival Paradise Cruise - Dec 2010
My former co-worker, Helen, and I went on the 3-Day Carnival Paradise Cruise (Long Beach to Ensenada) to celebrate our birthdays! I'm turning 40 tomorrow, and Helen celebrated her 50th-ish on the trip. It was our first cruise for both of us, and we had a great time. Lots of laughs and fun...and we were sober (unlike 90% of this party boat). I brought along Tuxedo Sam (Sanrio's awesome penguin character who is perfect because he is wearing a sailor's hat!) and he, as you can see in the photos, had a good time too. Hee hee!

During the cruise, I didn't have internet access and felt a bit of Twitter withdrawal. So, here is my post...all in 140 or less character Twitter posts that I would have sent had web access not been so bloody expensive.

CarnivalCruise1
  • Eating on a cruise is like dining and dashing...only legally
  • Our safety talk is conducted by a Northerner (England) #helenishomesick
  • There ARE adequate lifeboats aboard. #notthetitanic
  • It's been an hour and we haven't eaten #letsfixthat
  • I need a nap. I need a snack. I need a nap. I need a snack. #cruiseissues
  • Prohibition ended Dec 5, 1933. Cruise lines celebrate this day I'm sure.
  • Cruising is part Frat party, part Summer camp, and part Las Vegas.
Picnik collage
  • We're eating at the bar to watch the Chelsea football game, and guys are already drinking. It's 8 am.
  • Our excursion was the "Behind the Scene" tour. Met captain & crew, saw the recycling center, laundry and galley. #geekyawesomeness
  • Walking the I-95 area on "Behind the Scene" tour was like being in a Discovery Channel show. #socool
  • We figured out how to avoid most of the smoking areas.
Carnival Paradise Cruise 2010 #3
  • We went to the Menorah lighting ceremony. Got a dreidel and had some latkes and challah. #diversityrocks
  • I worked out everyday on the jogging track...and ate everything to wipe out that progress. 
  • Stairs are getting harder to go up. Must be the weight we are gaining.
  • The Friends of Bill W. meeting is held in "America Bar" 8th level. #seriously
  • The Captain and Officers are Italian #hothothot 
If you want to see more photos, here is my Carnival Cruise Flickr set.  - mary the food librarian

P.S. I bought myself a new point-and-shoot camera for my birthday. It is the Sony DSC-H55 and I really like it. Easy to use, pretty good in low light, automatic macro setting (when you get close up), and you can easily set the white balance (All these photos are taken with my new camera, and I mostly used the "automatic" setting).
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16 comments:

Miri said... [Reply to comment]

heh heh! TuxedoSam (awesome link btw) looks like he had a blast!

Jules Someone said... [Reply to comment]

Woo hoo! Happy happy birthday. I love cruising. How can you beat the built in restaurant/hotel combo.

CB said... [Reply to comment]

Love all the pictures! That blue penguin was such a great guide through your cruise. Happy Birthday!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Happy Birthday, Mary! Looks like you had fun on your trip. Great gift idea to yourself.
Love your little penguin friend.

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Thanks for sharing the pics Mary! My husband and I love cruising so we always enjoy cruise photos. Glad you had such a good time :)

Darlene said... [Reply to comment]

Happy Birthday, Mary! Sounds like a wonderful birthday eating celebration.

Katrina said... [Reply to comment]

What a fun post, and darn cute lil penguin. I've been on two cruises, both the same cruise, Royal Carribbean to Ensenada, MX--both fabulous, because what could be better than as you put it--dining and dashing.
What great birthday fun for you!
Enjoy your last few hours of 39. ;)

Damaris @Kitchen Corners said... [Reply to comment]

have a happy happy birthday tomorrow. your post was awesome. come to food blogger camp with me in cancun, we'd have a blast.

Sue said... [Reply to comment]

The Tuxedo Sam pictures are so cute! Happy Birthday~ :)

CaSaundraLeigh said... [Reply to comment]

I've always wanted to go on a cruise--looks like such a fun time! :-)

Nutmeg Nanny said... [Reply to comment]

What a fun trip! I would do anything to be where it's warm right now. I look outside it's freezing....

I love the penguin. He seems like a nice travel companion :)

Mary said... [Reply to comment]

Happy Birthday! Am I a dork if I love looking at food pictures of food other people ate on cruises???!!!

DPLK said... [Reply to comment]

Happy happy Birthday, Mary! I hope you have an AWESOME day!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Mary, you gave me the most smiles all day today. I love you!!! You rock!!! Thanks for sharing the cruise highlight tweets with all of us. LOVE IT!!! xoxoxo P.S. Happy Birthday, dear friend! xoxoxox Racheal

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

This cruise looks like a lot of fun. I'm glad you had such a nice time.

I didn't know that you were a Chelsea fan. I love the blues!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

happy belated birthday! omg, how funny! i have that same Tuxedo Sam from 20+yrs ago (though mine is a bit shabby)! i just celebrated my 40th but still planning a 40 n friends cruise trip w/ my other 40s friends. ha!

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