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APRIL VACATION 2005

SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE ON THE CARNIVAL DESTINY

ALONG FOR THE RIDE: Kate, Tony, Connor, Bill and Shirley

04/15/05 Decided to drive to JFK today and spend the night at the Ramada at the airport. Mom and Dad had come up on Wednesday, so we headed out as soon as Connor finished school. I had abraded my cornea on Monday and had ended up missing work all week and was still suffering today. Stopped in New Haven for pizza at Pepe’s and got to the Ramada around 9:00 pm. It was a mob scene. There were about 100 people waiting to check in. Took Tony about an hour to work his way through the line.

04/16/05 Got up around 7:30 am and had breakfast at the VERY pricey buffet. Headed to the airport around 11:00 (check out time) for our 5:00 pm flight. Hung out only to find out that our plane was having trouble with the door and we were delayed two hours taking off. After much ado, the flight was very pleasant and uneventful. Landed in San Juan around 11:00 pm and took a cab ($20 for 5 people and 7 bags) to our hotel (The Diamond Palace). There were some issues with our reservation, so we ended up with a suite with a great balcony and a view of the ocean.

04/17/05 EMBARKATION Woke up around 7:00 am. Connor and I got dressed and headed out for a stroll on the beach since it was only a block away. Came back and we stopped and had the complimentary continental breakfast. Putzed around the room and Connor went swimming in the pool. Chcecked out and caught a cab to the pier ($20 again). Got to the pier at about 12:00 noon breezed through check-in. Hit the duty free store and stowed three bottles in our carry-ons. They started letting people on at about 12:30 or so. We were dropping stuff off in our room by 12:50 pm. Connor and I headed to the pool deck, where I found us some great chaises in the shade. Hung out all afternoon while Connor swam with a new friend. Came back, unpacked all of our stuff and went to dinner. Tonight was open seating. When we boarded we were given a piece of paper “inviting” us to dinner at 5:30 pm in the Galaxy Dining Room. Was a very nice dinner of chicken satay, fresh fruit, NY sirloin, and sweet and sour shrimp. Tonight we have the Camp Carnival orientation at 8:00 pm, muster drill at 9:35 pm, and sail away at 10:00. Then I am hitting the sack!!!

04/18/05 ST. THOMAS DAY Connor woke up at 4:00 am projectile vomitting from the top bunk…YUCK!! I thought he was motion sick so I had Tony set him up on the balcony with a blanket and pillow and get him Dramamine while I cleaned the room up the best I could without cleaning supplies. After we docked in St. Thomas he was still throwing up so I took him to the infirmary. He wasn’t running a fever but the doctor figured it was a virus. They gave him an anti-emetic suppository and syrup and children’s tylenol (total trip to the infirmary $90.77, not bad!). Because of Norwalk concerns he was quarantined to the room for 24 hours after the last bout of vomiting. Tony and I took turns during the day getting out of the smelly cabin for a couple hours at a time. Because we were stuck in the room we could order off the dining room menu for dinner. Connor slept for most of the day (thanks to the meds), and woke up at 5:30 pm feeling much better. But, of course, he was stuck in the room until 11:00 am the next morning. Since we couldn’t leave the room until 11:00 am, we had to try and return our excursion tickets for a credit since it left at 10:15 am.

04/19/05 DOMINICA Hung out in the room and had room service for breakfast. Left the ship at 11:00 and shopped the open air market at the dock. Not much to do in Dominica without an excursion, so we got back on board and putzed around the ship. Connor swam and went to the kid’s club. Completely back to normal although his appetite isn’t back yet. Tony, Mom and I went to an art auction where, of course, we bought stuff. Connor spent the evening at Camp Carnival and the adults enjoyed a nice dinner.

04/20/05 BARBADOS Got up this morning and met Mom and Dad for breakfast in the dining room. Then Tony, Connor and I caught a cab to the Boatyard. What a great beach. They have chairs, water trampolines, an iceberg, a rope swing, a restaurant, and bar. Cab ride was $3/person each way….entrance fee was $12/adult (with $5 returned in tokens) and $5/child. We had a great time, it was a very comfortable beach. We stayed for 4 1/2 hours, then took a cab to downtown for shopping then it was back to the shp before Connor took off for the night at 5:00 pm. He’s doing a special over night thing that runs from 10:00 pm to 3:30 am and they escort the kids back to their cabins.

04/21/05 DAY AT SEA Well Connor got back safe and sound in the wee hours of the morning. Slept late, and enjoyed coffee on the balcony while Connor continued catching up on his zzz’s. Didn’t do much today, got pretty burned yesterday, so I didn’t want Connor and I getting too much sun, since Aruba is coming up tomorrow. Connor hung out with the kid’s club today and I ambled around the shp while Tony played cards with the Schwartzes.

04/22/05 ARUBA Caught a cab to the Moomba Beach from the pier where we met up for our excursion with the Jolly Pirates. What a great trip….very well organized. Was approximately a four hour trip on a schooner for two snorkeling stops. Then we stopped in a quiet cove for a BBQ lunch. The crew untied the rope swing and the kids (and some adults) had a great time swinging off the boat into the water. After we got back and cleaned up, Tony and I headed back in town to Carlos and Charlies while Mom and Dad napped and Connor ran amok.

04/23/05 BACK AT SAN JUAN Going through immigration this morning was VERY slow. However, because the line leaving immigration and the boat were all jumbled up (poor planning on Carnival’s part), we just wandered right off well before our tag color was called. When we got back to the hotel we discovered that we couldn’t check in until 3:00 pm!! No ifs, ands, or buts!! So we took a cab to El Morro and walked around the fort, it was very cool and the views were great. We ate lunch at this nice little restaurant in Old San Juan. Just hung out for the rest of the day getting ready to head home tomorrow!!