I'll Be There For You
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Sea Day
We LOVE Sea Days!
Morning
It was a rather rocky night despite the very short distance we had to travel from Long Beach to Catalina Island (14 nautical miles). This proved that the change in the itinerary was warranted as the sea conditions were in fact not favorable.
It was a rather rocky night despite the very short distance we had to travel from Long Beach to Catalina Island (14 nautical miles). This proved that the change in the itinerary was warranted as the sea conditions were in fact not favorable.
I got up around 7AM and noticed the boys were already gone. I used the "Chat" in the Carnival HUB app and found out they were on the Lido Deck. TIP- Carnival offers a chat option within their app for only $5 per person. This allows you to chat with anyone in your party throughout the cruise. This is a GREAT option for families. It was still raining pretty hard so we knew the morning would be spent INDOORS on the ship. Chris decided to go back to the stateroom and get a morning nap in while Luke and I roamed the ship. I got a Blue Iguana breakfast burrito and Luke got a massive plate of the Blue Iguana watermelon. Then he and I went down to Deck 3 Atrium to listen to some music. We sat there until Chris came to meet up around 9AM. Chris and I then sat at the Atrium bar for the next few hours while Luke decided to go to the hot tub.
Luke is starting his own buoy tradition!
I love being with this guy and roaming the ship with him!
Time for a soda!
We were in the SPLASH ZONE for the pool refill on this rough day!
Luke and I LOVE walking on the Promenade Decks
(TIP- Most Carnival ships this is on Deck 3
Once Luke got back to the room to change, Natalie woke up and got ready for the day. She grabbed some breakfast on Lido and then got herself an iced coffee from the Java Cafe. TIP- The coffees are NOT included with the Bubbles package. The Bubbles package is strictly sodas and juice. This is slightly disappointing as Natalie really enjoys specialty coffees.
We all decided to go to the General Knowledge trivia in the Red Frog Pub at 10:30AM. Our family LOVES trivia's and this venue was PERFECT for this. Chris decided to go and check on Luke and there he was still in the hot tub with his new friends. Chris grabbed a Blue Iguana and came back to the Red Frog Pub on deck 5 aft.
I am ready for morning trivia!
Me and my mini-me enjoying the Red Frog Pub!
We didn't win (or come close to winning) the General Knowledge trivia but we decided to stay and test our luck at the All About Nothing trivia. By then, Luke had changed and joined us in the Red Frog Pub. TIP- The Carnival Radiance has the larges Red Frog Pub we have seen on our 10+ Carnival ships. It is so spread out and can host anything from trivia's, live music and even karaoke. However, the bar does not open until 12PM even on sea days so you have to get a drink from the pool bars or the Atrium bar.
The Red Frog Pub on Carnival Radiance- Easily the largest RFP we have seen on any Carnival Ship!
We then meandered back down to deck 3 to try and get the cards that Guest Services pass out. Unfortunately, Carnival stopped giving away cards to guests and now you have to buy them in the gift shop. We were late to this party and since it was a "rainy cruise" the cards were all sold out!
Afternoon
As it was still raining pretty hard the Red Frog Pub was getting full of people so we opted to go to the Hero's Bar on deck 5 forward to try and watch games in the sports bar. TIP- The Hero's Bar is a hidden gem on the Carnival Radiance. There was never a crowd and the service was always reliable and fairly fast. Chris and I stayed in Hero's Bar for a while before meeting up with the kids, who were roaming around the ship, for lunch around 12:30PM.
As it was still raining pretty hard the Red Frog Pub was getting full of people so we opted to go to the Hero's Bar on deck 5 forward to try and watch games in the sports bar. TIP- The Hero's Bar is a hidden gem on the Carnival Radiance. There was never a crowd and the service was always reliable and fairly fast. Chris and I stayed in Hero's Bar for a while before meeting up with the kids, who were roaming around the ship, for lunch around 12:30PM.
We went back to the room and found my laundry ready!
TIP- As a Platinum cruiser, you get TWO bags of laundry FREE on 3-6 night cruises. You get THREE bags on 7+ night cruises!
Luke enjoying a "Shirley Temple" in Hero's Bar!
Friends' Trivia was at 1PM and I knew it would be busy so Natalie and I opted to skip lunch for now and get a spot at the bar for the trivia. This proved to be a good idea as by 12:45, it was packed in the Red Frog Pub. I have been a winner of Friends Trivia for the past 4 cruises and this one was much of the same. I had to win it on a tie-breaker question and even then, there were 2 winners. TIP- There are 236 episodes of Friends. I only scored a 19/20 and I will now never forget the picture frame answer of Albert Einstein.
We are ALL ready for Friend's Trivia! (Even Luke got a decent score)
I WON... I WON!
It is a MUST on every Carnival Cruise!
5 cruises in a row... Friends Trivia winner! I'll Be There For You! I was so excited for the win that I completely embarrassed BOTH of my kids and maybe even Chris but I brought home a "24 karat plastic gold piece of SHIP on a stick". You're Welcome!
Natalie and I then went up to Lido Deck to try out the Shaq Attack sandwich at Big Chicken. Chris and Luke had tried this sandwich the day before and spoke highly but they did not truly sell this awesome sandwich. If you have ever been on a Carnival cruise and remember that "First Taste" feeling of how it felt to taste Guy's Burgers for the first time... This was much like that. It was hard to believe this was on a cruise ship. The chicken was cooked to near perfection and all the extras were on point. This was literally some of the best cruise food I have EVER had in 23 cruises! It left me speechless (and very full). Of course, not too full to grab a quick Guy's Burger on our way back to the Hero's Bar.
The Shaq Attack at Big Chicken- Easily the BEST sandwich I have ever had!
We kept watching the weather on our phones and looking outside and finally the rain stopped and within minutes the kids were changed and going down the waterslides on Deck 10. They went down the slides many times while Chris and I spent the majority of the rest of the afternoon in Hero's Bar on deck 5 forward.
Towards the end of the afternoon when we were all getting tired and needing a nap, we knew we needed a change of pace so we all went to play our traditional game of mini-golf on the Sports Deck. Unfortunately, the rain had come back and it was still misting but that did not stop us from having a good time. Once again, Chris won the family match by 2 holes. One of these days, I will get a win under my belt!
Winner Winner...
Luke came close to a tie with Chris but fell short!
Natalie was just along for the ride!
Family selfie # (?)- I don't know, I lost count!
Despite the weather, it was a GREAT day at sea!
We were wet and headed back to the room to get ready for formal night when we noticed the Alchemy Bar was open and there was NOBODY in line so we got a few drinks and even a fancy non-alcoholic drink for Natalie before showering and getting ready for the evening. TIP- If you love the Alchemy bar as much as I do, be sure to get there right when it opens at 5PM.
She loved the VIRGIN Cucumber Sunrise!
(TIP- The real one is AMAZING)
Evening
We all got ready in our what I am going to call "relaxed formal wear" and then made our way to Deck 4 aft for the PG comedy show at 6:30PM. We had to wait outside for about 15 minutes before getting let into the venue but we were able to snag 4 front row seats for the comedian. At the beginning of the show, the host asked if any kids would like to tell a joke and oddly enough Luke (who is usually shy and reserved but is coming out of his shell recently) went on stage and told a joke. He ended up getting a Carnival Whale Tail medal for his humor! Way to go Luke!
We all got ready in our what I am going to call "relaxed formal wear" and then made our way to Deck 4 aft for the PG comedy show at 6:30PM. We had to wait outside for about 15 minutes before getting let into the venue but we were able to snag 4 front row seats for the comedian. At the beginning of the show, the host asked if any kids would like to tell a joke and oddly enough Luke (who is usually shy and reserved but is coming out of his shell recently) went on stage and told a joke. He ended up getting a Carnival Whale Tail medal for his humor! Way to go Luke!
We love Formal Nights!
TIME NEEDS TO STOP- My babies are no longer babies!
They are growing up SO FAST!
A cruise ship is always my HAPPY PLACE!
Family Selfie #???
Mr. Funny himself showing off his medal!
This comedian was funny and we enjoyed her, maybe even a little too much. Remember our story of how this whole trip start out with Natalie losing her phone in the ocean? Be sure to catch up on that day HERE. The situation was still infuriating but we had reached the point where is was a little funny. Enter the comedian...
Comedian- Do any of you teenagers have a phone? (Waits and calls out a few people)
Comedian- What about you? Do you have a phone? (points to Natalie)
Chris (rather loudly)- Go ahead, tell her Natalie what happened.
Natalie- Umm... I was running in the ocean and I lost my phone.
Comedian- No way, really? (Whole audience is dying laughing) How do you just "lose your phone" in the ocean. Hello pockets...
Natalie- Yeah, I do not know what happened. It was in my pocket and then gone.
Comedian- slow pause and then a long and loud "WOW, YOU'RE DUMB"
Mom and Dad with jaws dropped- Burst into laughter.
Natalie took it all in stride and was laughing at herself by the end of it. We were excited to sit at the front for a PG show as we knew (from past experience) the comedian would pick on the kids. However, we had no idea this comedian would point blank call Natalie out like that and had no idea it would so brutal. But we got a good laugh!
After the comedy show, we made our way to the Limelight Lounge for the Beatles show. This was a great show and we loved the interactive instrumentalists. TIP- There were 2 shows but this 7:30PM show as WELL attended and you will need to get there early if you want a good spot.
Waiting for the Beatle's Show to open!
We loved this show!
We had to the leave the Beatles show early to get to our Formal Night Main Dining Room time of 8PM in the Sunrise dining room. We knew the MDR would be full and slow since it was formal night but we had not idea it would be this slow. The service was amazing on night one and almost as if they forgot about us, the service for this formal night was some of the worst we can remember in our Carnival cruises. The food was delicious but barely worth the wait. It took over 2 hours to get in and out of the MDR on this formal night.
It wasn't our best family formal picture but it will have to do!
It's FORMAL NIGHT and what else do we have to do while we wait for our atrocious service besides take MORE PICTURES !
14 going on 25! Seriously, where has the time gone?
I really wish I would have purchased this professional portrait- She looks gorgeous!
We went back to the room to change and then we all planned on going back out as there was a party in the atrium. However, Luke had other plans, he came back to the room and changed and then sat on the bed. That was the end of his story. He crashed hard and was asleep within minutes. Natalie, too, opted to call it a night shortly after 10pm. Chris and I went back to the Atrium bar for some live music but we noticed we were tired too and called it a night early before 11PM.
Despite the rain, our one and only sea day aboard the Carnival Radiance was FANTASTIC and we checked off all of our boxes. Including the TROPHY thanks to my Friends Trivia win!
Stay tuned for a glorious day at a new port!
Up Next- Catalina Island, Avalon
God is Good... ALL THE TIME!
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The Norwegian Breakaway- November 2018
Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas- 2018
Carnival Legend- ALASKA- 2016
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