Caribbean Carnival

We met new friends singing around the piano bar; laughed in George Lopez’s comedy club; performed karaoke; and danced at Liquid Disco. And that was just the first night of our eight-day Carnival Breeze Eastern Caribbean cruise.  Once you cross the threshold, you enter the party zone! Breeze cruisers will never be accused of being in suspended party animation. Multitudes of partygoers danced to poolside bands on sea days and a Latin duo — suspended several feet over the Breeze Bar — packed the atrium nightly. Our embarkation at Port Miami went smoothly for the 4,800 revelers — it was obvious the cruise line had become proficient at this. Frequent cruisers who had achieved Platinum or Diamond status bypassed long lines. The regal boat felt like a small city.

The jamboree began at the Lido Marketplace on Deck 10 where a seemingly endless buffet was located. A few mini-restaurants with tasty ethnic edibles complemented the conventional fare. The 24/7 Pizza Pirate served a delicious four-cheese pie; Guy’s Burger Joint cranked out thousands of patties with chef Fieri’s secret sauce; Burrito Bar offered more than a dozen hot sauces; New York-Style Deli featured hot-pressed Reuben sandwiches; and Indian Tandoor dished out a mouthwatering chicken tikka masala. Why was the Indian restaurant the most flavorful?  It’s more than a coincidence that the ship’s chef de cuisine, Porvin Mario Gama, grew up in Goa, India. He told Travel Squire that the beef kebab was prepared with house-made garam masala — a mixture of hot spices including cinnamon, turmeric, star anise, black cardamom and coriander.

The ship’s tropical décor and trendy, pastel appointments transplanted us to the West Indies. Our balcony stateroom and bathroom were similar in size to other cruise lines; however, with a bit less storage space. Higher-level Cloud 9 Spa cabins — situated near the spa — feature Elemis skin care products.  All balconies have been smoke free since October, 2014.

Carnival is quite proud of being “for the masses,” and we met all sorts of people, including urban professionals, IT consultants, accountants, lobbyists and physician’s assistants. Many chose “the floating city” for its value and cruising schedule of three times a year. The average age was 42. Hotel director Pierre B. Camilleri told TS: “We cater to a different crowd — which includes families and those of a specific income average. We’re proud of our market. We have more fun, more spaces, and more options. This cruise had 4790 guests and 1338 crew members comprising 61 nationalities and 14 religions.”

The summer cruise attracted a considerable number of families. A green-eggs-and-ham breakfast with The Cat in the Hat captivated the little ones. The two killer slides in the WaterWorks aqua park — The Drainpipe and the 320-foot-long Twister — entertained children of all ages. The Power Drencher — a huge, yellow bucket that methodically filled up with 300 gallons of water — turned over every 90 seconds and soaked everyone in sight. Family-friendly comedy was also popular.

The entertainment from Playlist Productions — introduced at the ship’s inception — was similar in creativity to Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour. The slickly-produced live shows — The Brits, Divas, Motown and Latin Nights — featured eight performers who sang and danced to background music. High-resolution LED screens replaced backdrops and props in the revues. The psychedelic colors in The Brits! transported us back to the ’60s.

A Cloud 9 Spa pass was required for guests not staying in a spa cabin. Tranquility, a thermal suite, was well suited for relaxation and rejuvenation. It consisted of two dry heat chambers — Tepidarium and Laconium — and two steam baths — Oriental and Aroma. The Laconium was set at a sweltering 131° F — the intensity was palpable. People were staring at each other and wondering who could stay the longest; we lasted about 90 seconds.  The thalassotherapy pool was surrounded by large windows looking out to sea — it felt like the outdoors. What a contrast to the dark, boiler-room like spaces that house therapeutic pools on other cruise ships.

The DIY Scrub Bar Experience was divine — we tried the delicious chocolate peppermint while showering. The well-equipped, complimentary gym was accessible by walking through the spa. When we were in the mood for fine dining, the quality and selection of beef at Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse ($35 surcharge) were overwhelming. We savored the rib-eye steak with the chef’s four-spice rub and the cowboy cut (bone-in rib eye) — both on a par with New York steakhouses. Cucina Del Capitano ($15 surcharge), a family-style Italian restaurant, served a complimentary lunch. We loved the bruschetta and pasta with marinated, grilled chicken.

The Itinerary

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

After three days at sea, we reached our first port of call, Philipsburg, the capital of Sint Maarten. The renowned Dutch shopping mecca was a short walk from our anchor. We ate lunch at Taloula Mango’s Caribbean Café on the boardwalk. The crispy Haitian Voodoo Wings with secret sauce were addictive, and the Angus steak — grilled rare — was surprisingly thick and juicy.

Marigot, Saint-Martin

On the French side of the island, people frolicked about in the glistening sand at clothing optional Club Orient. A nude sunbather saw our camera and raised a fuss thinking that we had photographed him. He then urged the security guard to delete the image. The burly bouncer let us move on after realizing that we’d taken a picture of the parasailers.

Charlestown, Nevis

Pinney’s Beach on the Caribbean side of the diminutive island was laid-back. People go to Nevis for solitude — there were only a handful of tourists, and no vendors lurking on the horizon. We stopped by the celebrity hangout, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, where Britney Spears, Roger Daltry and Debra Messing have joined the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” Sunshine dished out his homemade hot sauce on a silver spoon.

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Candy-colored buildings lined the narrow streets of Old San Juan. We climbed steep inclines searching for The Gallery Inn. There were no visible signs anywhere — the 22-room, boutique hotel subsists on word of mouth. Atop the north wall, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, we met up with the charming artist-owner, Jan D’Esopo. Her inn has appeared in many films and hosted its fair share of celebrities, including Matt Damon, Benicio Del Toro and Ricky Martin.

Cockburn Town, Grand Turk

Lo and behold, Cork Tree Beach in the Northwest. We realized that we were on a tropical island, but something didn’t jive. The pale-blue sky and ocean felt cool in appearance, almost icy. The cloud mist further enhanced the dream-like atmosphere, and no one was in sight. Scattered about were patches of radiant-green mangrove shrubs — the contrast was surrealistic and stunning.

When it came time for our final disembarkation, it was also a “breeze” — methodical and well orchestrated. Passengers were assigned numbered buses to their prospective airports. Some with later flights signed up for tours of Miami. We went straight to Fort Lauderdale airport, sadly ending our wonderful journey.