Cozumel report on 8/4/05 Carnival Sensation cruise

(WITH UPDATED & CORRECTED INFO)

This is my second cruise (Carnival's M.S. Sensation) and my parents' first.
This is virtually the same exact 4 day itinerary as my first one almost
exactly two years ago on Carnival's M.S. Holiday. The only difference this
time is that Sensation now stays in Cozumel for an extra hour until 5:00 PM
for the 4 day cruise.
Pictures from the entire cruise
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat...val_sensation/

I booked the cruise again mainly to enjoy my favorite local New Orleans
cover band The Chee-Weez ( www.cheeweez.com ) and another local favorite,
The Topcats ( www.thetopcats.com ). Over 500 people or ¼ of the passengers
on board the August 4, 2005 cruise to Cozumel from New Orleans are Chee-Weez
and/or Topcats fans. The cruise was a virtual sellout for months so there
were no upgrades offered. The Chee-Weez played on the first night or
actually early Friday morning from 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM in the Fantasia Lounge
as we just left the mouth of the Mississippi River and entering
International Waters. Pajama attire was recommended but not necessary. This
was the first of two private events that was only open to passengers who
booked with the two bands' official travel agency. The rule was strictly
enforced.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/the_chee-weez/05/ (link valid thru August 31,
2005)
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/the_c...s/2005/aug/05/ (use this
link after August 31, 2005)

I woke up at 5:30 AM on Saturday morning to see Space Shuttle Discovery
docked with the International Space Station fly over and to my surprise we
were already docked at the Puerta Maya Pier!
Sunrise in Cozumel!
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02331.html

I think this makes up for last time when we were 2 hours late and still had
to get back to the ship by 3:30 PM for the 4:00 PM departure.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc05008.html

Many passengers said that we arrived before 3:00 AM. I got to the front of
the Sun Deck just in time to see the Space Shuttle already separated from
the ISS which happened about 2 hours earlier. The reason why we got to
Cozumel so early was a rumor that a passenger had a heart attack and was
dying so Infirmary staff asked the Captain to hightail it to Cozumel which
was still hours away. This must have been why the ride was so rough (rocking
back and forth and starting to make me seasick) at such a higher rate of
speed when I was in Club Vegas Casino at around 11:00 PM. It was also why
Security ordered The Topcats to cut their 2 hour private concert show by 30
minutes before it was supposed to end at 3:00 AM in the Fantasia Lounge. I
wish I had gotten back to the top decks and checked my "Poor Man's" GPS
connected to my laptop's USB port to see how fast the ship was actually
moving. I was told that the passenger was on the third step of a stairway
and suffered a massive heart attack. She fell on the glass of wine that she
was drinking and broke the glass which embedded into her face. She was taken
down to Infirmary and the medics tried in vain to revive her. Unfortunately,
the passenger expired about 45 minutes before the ship made it to the
emergency stop in Cozumel. I was told that the emergency stop was not the
Puerta Maya Pier. Many of us wondered if her remains returned to the ship
for travel back to New Orleans.
The "PM's" GPS device (Earthmate GPS LT-20 with Street Atlas 2005) I used
sporadically throughout the cruise.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02167.html

We stuffed ourselves on breakfast at the Lido Deck before getting off the
ship for the shore excursion. Puerta Maya pier still had some visible damage
like buildings with damaged roofs but otherwise most if not all of the shops
in the tourist trap shopping mall are up and running.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02331.html
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat..._2005_116.html

The Bird Men of Papantla show is not running because the top section of the
pole where the men sits is missing.
Pictures from 2003
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc05091.html

Otherwise, most of the island appears to have sustained only minor damage
and many citizens of Cozumel volunteered in cleanup efforts by what another
taxi driver told us. The cruise ships returned the very next day after
Hurricane Emily made landfall. A taxi driver told us that some of the roads
on the eastern side of the island have been washed out and are still
inaccessible. Playa Mia (formerly Playa Sol) is back in business albeit
missing the big roof and a temporary tarp is being used. I should have
walked to the pier to get a better picture of the columns that once held the
big roof. I didn't take a boat to get there this time around so I could stay
at Playa Mia a lot longer than 90 minutes. We chose the $10 per person basic
package (no drinks and buffet) with the $15 taxi ride. I suggest riding with
others to split on the flat $15 fare in automobile taxis to from Puerta Maya
Pia to Playa Mia.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02356.html
Compare with pictures from 2003 when I took the Fiesta Party Boat shore
excursion.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc05050.html

I did not see the Fiesta Party Boat this time around. Any idea where it
went?
Pictures from 2003
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc05011.html
and
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc05048.html

After Playa Mia, we went to Carlos 'N Charlie's and met up with most of The
Chee-Weez. The cab fare was $20 from Playa Mia.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02361.html
We took a taxi van with other passengers back to Puerta Maya Pier for $6.

I've noticed more ways the locals and Carnival are trying to making the
extra bucks since my last visit in 2003.
There are now pedal taxis to/from the ship (no charge but tips are
suggested) to/from the end of the pier - we gave him $10 (3 people = 600
lbs) to bring us to our ship otherwise you have to wait in line to go thru
the duty free hall on the pier.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02390.html
Other things I've noticed is that Carnival is now telling passengers not to
drink the water in Cozumel so 1.5 liters of bottled water is offered for
sale as you exit the ship from 3rd deck. There are also more photo (money
making for Carnival) "opportunities" as you get off the ship to the Puerta
Maya Pier that wasn't there in 2003.

We got back around 3:30 PM and ate some late lunch and watched Ecstasy leave
the pier at 5:00 PM and we shortly followed.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02401.html
I was so tired after dinner that I fell asleep at midnight and missed the
Mexican Buffet and partying on the Lido deck this time around. I got 9 hours
of sleep and for the first time sufficient sleep since two nights before the
cruise.

We are told on the last evening that we virtually wiped out all the booze on
board the ship for the first time ever in Carnival's history. Me and my
parents didn't drink that much except the welcome aboard drinks in the
plastic souvenir hurricane souvenir containers on the first day. We'd rather
be sober than drunk and prone to seasickness.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02128.html

On the final late seating dinner we enjoyed a short acoustic set from
Chee-Weez members Kris and Dan in the Fantasy Dining Room grand piano.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/the_chee-weez/07-1/ (link valid thru August
31, 2005)
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/the_c...2005/aug/07-1/ (use
this link after August 31, 2005)

I missed the previous night's acoustic set in the Fantasy Dining Room grand
piano in which the spur of the moment idea ended up outside into the Grand
Atrium grand piano and people started crowding on all decks to watch the
unscheduled show. Unfortunately the Head of Security showed up and stopped
Kris and Dan from completing one song. What a party pooper! He wouldn't even
entertain the idea of an event that was not in the Carnival Capers schedule
unless if it was a private event. The crowd on all levels of the Grand
Atrium was chanting "Let them play!" over and over.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02162.html

I went back to my cabin after dinner and took a shower and realized about
the possible encounter with Carnival Conquest that left New Orleans around
6:00
PM. I missed the opportunity two years ago on M.S. Holiday so I wanted to
make sure that I didn't miss it again. I rushed to get dressed and got up on
the Sun Deck just in time to see Carnival Conquest in the distance
approaching us. When both ships finally got as closest as possible on the
Mississippi River, people on both ships started shouting across and taking
pictures. There were so many people shouting and whistling from Carnival
Conquest that I couldn't really pick out any discernable phrases so I assume
they probably couldn't discern my voice either.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02475.html

I whipped out my "PM's" GPS device and saw that the encounter with Carnival
Conquest took place near Venice, LA at 11:30 PM on Sunday night. If you are
going on 4 day cruises on Sensation you may want to remind yourself to make
this cool event on the Mississippi River. The encounter also happens on the
5 day (Saturday-Thursday) cruise. Sensation is sailing downriver and
Carnival Conquest is sailing upriver on Saturday night.
Carnival Conquest passengers should check Sensation's schedule to find out
if the encounter with Sensation happens on the first day (Sunday night) or
the last day (Saturday night) of the cruise.

After the encounter with Carnival Conquest, we caught the tail end of an
Adult Comedy Show and the Karaoke show called "New Orleans Idol" followed.
The judges were band members from both The Chee-Weez and The Topcats. Also,
the comedian from the comedy show stayed to be a judge. Ten members
volunteered to sing a song and the top 3 winners receive prizes. First Place
winner would receive an electric guitar! The show was a bit boring at first
but when a contestant did "Oops! ... I Did it Again" by Britney Spears, she
wowed the crowd and made Kris fall over backwards in his chair. I even heard
that 2 other people who filmed the Karaoke show sent thir tapes to America's
Funniest Home Videos. Heck, maybe I should also send my copy to AFV. But the
really funny **** was the final contestant who dressed up as Shrek. At first
they cued up the wrong song and it took a few minutes for them to get the
correct song "With Arms Wide Open" by Creed. When it was cued up, Shrek
started singing like an uneventful amateur but when he did the parody "With
Legs Spread Open" and adlibbed most of the rest of the lyrics, the entire
audience just laughed uncontrollably. When Richard (a.k.a. "Paw Paw") gave
him the penis shaped green balloon, he just made it even funnier. To make it
short, he won First Place by virtual default.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/the_chee-weez/07-2a/ (link valid thru August
31, 2005)
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/the_c...005/aug/07-2a/ (use
this link after August 31, 2005)

"Paw Paw" was also in the Hairy Chest Contest and he won Second Place again
just like in 2003.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02432.html

I didn't go to bed until 4:30 AM. The cruise was almost over and according
to my "PM's" GPS we were in Chalmette and less than 30 minutes from docking
at the Julia Street Cruise terminal. I woke up three hours later, bought
some more pictures and the cruise DVD from the Photo Gallery, finished
packing and left the keycards on the table. Before disembarking the ship, we
went up to the Lido deck and ate breakfast in the Seaview Bar & Grill. Rob
from The Topcats, his wife and the comedian from the Adult Comedy Show came
by and sat next to us for breakfast and we commented about the crazy Karaoke
show. We also talked to "Paw Paw" who made a "Thank You" balloon bouquet to
one of the staff (a lovely lady of course) in the Seaview Bar & Grill.
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat.../dsc02532.html

After I got home, I just had to go to the Port of New Orleans website and
see Sensation again on their webcam until it left after 5:00 PM for the 5
day cruise.
http://www.portno.com/cruise_term.htm

That's all the highlights I can think of my fabulous 4 day cruise. I know
that I made this cruise experience better than my first cruise 2 years ago
and hope to top it with The Chee-Weez and The Topcats once again on M.S.
Sensation on Thursday, August 3, 2006. I'll most likely not go to Playa Mia
again so I can do something else different for a change like the Dolphin
Encounter, Atlantis Submarine or maybe introduction to SCUBA!
http://www.myvipcruises.com/


--
Andy P. Jung
Metairie, Louisiana U.S.A.
(Home of Senator David Vitter)
http://www.JungWorld.com/

To reply via e-mail, please visit my web site.

"Andy P. Jung" wrote in message
news:_EfMe.4790$TR.4208@lakeread08...
(WITH UPDATED & CORRECTED INFO)

This is my second cruise (Carnival's M.S. Sensation) and my parents'
first. This is virtually the same exact 4 day itinerary as my first one
almost exactly two years ago on Carnival's M.S. Holiday. The only
difference this time is that Sensation now stays in Cozumel for an extra
hour until 5:00 PM for the 4 day cruise.
Pictures from the entire cruise
http://public.fotki.com/apjung/vacat...val_sensation/

It's so hard to post a perfect report without any typos or omitted info so
I'm just posting what else I can think of in the Carnival Cruise Blog.
http://carnivalcruiseblog.com/blog/a...nsation-cruise


--
Andy P. Jung
Metairie, Louisiana U.S.A.
(Home of Senator David Vitter)
http://www.JungWorld.com/

To reply via e-mail, please visit my web site.