Thanks for following along on this 8-day Eastern Caribbean cruise on Carnival’s Mardi Gras! So far the cruise has been excellent and for those wondering how I’m “surviving” in an inside stateroom for the week… I have to say, it’s not that bad! I did have my qualms about being in a room without windows or a balcony, but I made it a point to use the room just for sleeping.
With a ship the size of the Mardi Gras, there are plenty of spaces inside and out where I can find a quiet spot to get work done, or just chill out – activities I normally would do on my balcony. Even with more than 5,600 people onboard for this cruise, unless you’re trying to get a lounger at the main pool, there is abundant space and chairs to find elsewhere. One thing about the Excel class ships is that you don’t feel cramped. Even on sea days, you’ll be hard-pressed not to find a chair on an outdoor deck.
The only challenge can be finding a spot to sit in the smoking area!
And speaking of smoking. You may recall that during last month’s Carnival Celebration cruise out of Miami, I mentioned several times in my daily reports about the smell and blatant marijuana use around the pool and in the smoking areas. Well, four days into this cruise out of Port Canaveral (Orlando) and I haven’t smelled or seen anyone smoking weed at all.
Hey, Miami… I see you!
Day 4 has us docked at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic. Located in the northern part of the Dominican Republic near Puerto Plata, Amber Cove is owned and operated by Carnival Corporation and since 2015, has become a port stop for not only Carnival Cruise Line but some of the other brands under the corporate umbrella as well.
Built to accommodate two ships at once, we were lucky enough to be the only ones docked here today.
Visitors to Amber Cove will find a large pool area with a swim-up bar, water slides, private cabanas, and a variety of shops, restaurants, and bars that showcase local flavors and crafts. Beyond the port, you can take an excursion to the resort city of Puerto Plata, the 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua, or the Amber Museum, which houses a collection of amber specimens from the region. For those interested in more adventurous activities, there are opportunities for zip-lining, snorkeling, horseback riding, and off-road safaris.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to spend any time exploring Amber Cove except a quick walk through the main area that’s filled with shops, of course, and the obligatory duty-free. My Dominican day was to be spent visiting my company’s office about an hour inland to meet our team of programmers that I normally see in our weekly meetings via Google Meet.
I was picked up around 9 am out in front of the terminal (FYI, the public does not have any access to Amber Cove, and that includes private rides – you need to walk out of the port to be picked up or dropped off) and got a pretty scenic ride to Santiago De Los Caballeros. The area around Amber Cove isn’t developed so you’ll see farms, farm animals, and small villages with residents selling food and goods from carts and their homes.
I quickly realized traffic laws don’t apply here and that scooters are the popular mode of transportation and each rider risks death every second they’re on the road. Dominican drivers put New York City cab drivers to shame! It took us about 50 minutes to encounter the first sign of civilization – a traffic light.
As we approached Santiago, signs of more modern life appeared – McDonald’s and a supermarket! Traffic police at one intersection were checking scooter drivers and pulling over a few for weaving in and out of traffic. Meanwhile, a few feet away one scooter was underneath the bumper of a truck. Ouch!
We arrived at the office, met with the team, and headed back as all aboard was at 3:30 pm and I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t miss the boat! On the way back to the port, we made a detour to a cigar factory where my fellow co-worker is friends with the owner. Bales of tobacco were sitting on pallets waiting to be hand-rolled and packaged for a bunch of different brands.
Down the street, is a brand that many cigar smokers is familiar with – Swisher – has a factory. Dotting the roads are reminders that this is tobacco country and a prime source of income for the country.
I made it back to the ship with a half hour to space, my OCD was put to the test for sure! And of course, just as I got out of the car it started to storm. So I had to rush back to the ship in order not to end up getting my laptop soaked, so I didn’t get to take any photos of the area around Amber Cove, but I’m sure I’ll be back in the next few weeks/months.
Back onboard, it was sail away in the rain and then off to get ready for the evening. Tonight’s show in Grand Central was a tribute to the ship’s name – Mardi Gras! New Orleans decor, costumes, and music are part of the entertainment complete with a small Mardi Gras parade. Once those festivities concluded, the show carried on with some southern rock before transitioning to another New Orleans theme – Voodoo.
While the Mardi Gras part of the show was energetic and fun, the second half fell flat. One female vocalist was the central performer with more southern rock set in a Louisiana bayou atmosphere brought to life on the huge video wall. The show dragged on going from high energy to downright boring. I ended up walking out about ten minutes early.
It was a little before 8 pm and I attempted to get a dinner reservation at Fahrenheit 555, the ship’s steakhouse. Since boarding, I have not been able to make dinner reservations through the Carnival HUB app. I can check in for dinner at one of the complimentary restaurants, but I can’t make a reservation for a specialty one.
I went to the podium, explained that I can’t make a reservation and showed that 8 pm and 8:30 pm were still open timeslots, and asked if I could have a table. The host brushed me off and said, “Please go to the bar and sit. I will call you.” So I went to the bar, had a drink and waited.
And waited.
The 8 pm timeslots were gone, but 8:30 pm was still available.
I asked again if I would be able to get a table. “I’m seating reservations now, please wait.” I once again showed him on my phone that I can try to make a reservation, but it doesn’t go through.
I waited at the bar until 8:45 pm when I finally went up and flat out said to him, “You’re not getting me a table are you?” He pointed over to an 8-top and said, I will clear that one in 5 minutes.
I laughed and walked away.
My next stop was to Guest Services to see if they can figure out why I can’t make a reservation. They troubleshot the app, we updated it, we restarted the phone, we checked into the main dining room, we tried to make reservations at all the specialty restaurants and they would not go through. So, the issue remains a mystery. I also explained what happened at the steakhouse, was offered a complimentary meal there, and politely declined.
I walked over to Rudi’s Seagrill where I explained to the host that I was unable to make a reservation and asked if I could have a table. I was immediately taken to a great spot in the corner of the restaurant and had fantastic service for the entire dinner.
I started off with the Wild Caught Tuna which was light and had a little kick to it thanks to the onions and kimchi. Overall, a nice starter.
Next up was the Cioppino, a traditional fish stew that was fantastic when I had it on the Carnival Celebration and was equally delicious. The savory broth was loaded up with clams, mussels, white fish, heads-on prawns, and a lobster claw. Could have made a meal out of this.
For the main course, I went with the Crab Stuffed Lobster Tail Imperial which featured a good amount of crabmeat stuffed into about a 6oz tail. Excellent as well.
Finally, for dessert, the White Chocolate Bread Pudding was recommended and was fantastic. It came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a bourbon sauce, and the bread pudding itself had chunks of milk chocolate melted inside. A great finish!
After dinner, I decided to try my luck at the casino again, and needless to say… I fell flat.
While the experience with the steakhouse was disappointing, it’s not going to be a spot I’ll be reviewing on this cruise. After all, first impressions are important.
We’re currently headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico where we are expected to dock around 10 am. San Juan is my favorite stop in all of the Caribbean so I’m definitely looking forward to spending the day there.
Fun Times for Day 4:
Currently not available.
The Fun Times for May 16, 2023 can also be downloaded as a PDF by clicking here.