Living in Harmony- Harmony of the Seas February 15-22, 2026 Galveston, TX (Roatan, Costa Maya & Cozumel)
We loved the Harmony of the Seas!
After 27 cruises, we are in love with Royal Caribbean and are pretty much "Loyal to Royal" (although we wills sail on any line and usually go with the best VALUE) and especially love their MEGA SHIPS. We found a bargain for this sailing about 16 months prior to embarkation day for only $750/ per person for a 7 day sailing (inside cabin) so we booked it over our Winter Break. About 9 weeks prior to sailing we found a price change and adjusted our overall costs to $540/ per person which is unheard of for Royal Caribbean, especially out of Galveston! We're so glad we were able to have the kids experience a true MEGA SHIP- I think they are hooked!
We have cruised 13 previous times with Carnival, 11 times with Royal Caribbean, 2 times with Norwegian and 1 time with Princess.
This blog will contain entries of our day-to-day life aboard the Harmony of the Seasas well as a shore excursion details, port tips and tricks and so much more. We will also share a way of cruise tips- VLOGGING!
Throughout the blog posts, we will also share the lots of tips, tricks and insiders knowledge about cruising out of Galveston, information about cruising to the Western Caribbean as well as great information about Harmony of the Seas.
We LOVED The Harmony of the Seas and the kids thoroughly enjoyed the MEGA ship vibes!
Up Next... The Mariner of the Seas (our SUITE LIFE to achieving Diamond)... But BEFORE that a VERY LAST minute sailing on the MSC Seascape out of Galveston! A new cruise line and a last minute STEAL- It is going to be awesome!
Coming Soon:
MSC Seascape- April 2026 Mariner of the Seas-June 2026 Symphony of the Seas- July 2026 Liberty of the Seas- December 2026 Freedom of the Seas (Graduation Cruise)- June
Cruise Like a Davis- Our Cruise Travels 2006 to present
RCCL Anthem of the Seas 2025
Chris and I took our very first cruise in Summer 2006 shortly after we were married in March. His parents gifted us this cruise with his family and we loved traveling via a cruise ship. Almost a decade later after having our two kids, Natalie and Luke, we decided to go on another cruise out of Galveston, TX and the rest is HISTORY- We were hooked! We have now been on over 29 cruises and this form of travel will remain not only our favorite but our kid's favorite as well. It has also proven to be the most economical way to travel with kids in our most recent experience traveling via LAND and SEA.
We have sailed FIVE of the biggest (and BEST) cruise lines in the world and we love comparing and contrasting each ship and cruise line as we sail. We have tried to highlight each cruise with our trip details, pictures, tips, costs and more.
Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures: 33- Natalie's Graduation European Cruise (Mariner) June 2027
32- Liberty of the Seas Christmas 2026
31- Symphony of the Seas July 2026
30- The Suite Life of Chris and Kellie (Mariner) June 2026
What started as a way to share our trip with my grandma, has now grown into a well followed blog and I am so grateful for all of you who continue to support us by following along on our travels!
Platinum Pacific Style February 19-23, 2024 Long Beach, CA
We loved you Carnival Radiance!
It's hard to believe this was my TWENTY-THIRD cruise but here I am... Killing it on the HIGH SEAS! While 23 cruises may seem a little extreme, this is our favorite way to travel and the easiest for our family. This was also our 1st cruise, besides Alaska, that departed from a home port other than Galveston and we LOVED IT!
We have cruised 12 previous times withCarnival, 7 times withRoyal Caribbean, 2 times withNorwegian and 1 time withPrincess.
This blog will contain entries of our day-to-day life aboard the Carnival Radianceas well as a highlights from our travel days getting to Long Beach as well as specific details of our 2 new destination ports.
Throughout the blog posts, we will also share the lots of tips, tricks and insiders knowledge about cruising out of Long Beach, CA, information about Platinum perks from Carnival as well as lots of pictures and videos of our family trip!
Once again, thank you for following along and support our business! I hope this will help someone planning a cruise on the Carnival Radiance(or sailing from Long Beach/ Southern California)or planning to get back to cruising after the pandemic... Or even a first time cruiser! Feel free to reach out with any questions!
Up Next... our return to Coco Cay... This time for PERFECT DAY!
Monday, February 19, 2024 Embarkation Day- Long Beach, CA
Embarkation Day is the BEST DAY!
Morning Our alarms went off at 7AM and we were up and ready for Embarkation Day aboard the Carnival Radiance. Chris recently switched some of his medications and he did not have a great night so we were a little tired but we were not going to let anything RAIN on our parade. Except... the actual rain! It started raining around 7:30AM and it never really let up.
Rain or Shine... We are ready to get on that ship!
A view from our Balcony at the Pacific Inn.
We made our way to the 3rd floor of the hotel for the continental breakfast, which was surprisingly bountiful and pleasant. Once we finished breakfast the front desk called to let us know that the shuttle was in traffic but a LYFT had been called to take us to the Carnival Cruise terminal in Long Beach, approximately 20 minutes away. Our Lyft driver was not necessarily the brightest and got lost 2 times before she even picked us up and her vehicle was questionable at best. There were times in the drive we even questioned if we would make it to the terminal.
We were pleasantly surprised by the amount offered at this "continental breakfast" at The Pacific Inn.
We are on the LYFT and it's GO TIME!
WHOA... Hello California! I better start saving now for our GAS BILL for our April California trip! YIKES!
But a las, we arrived around 9:40AM for our 10AM arrival time. This terminal was fairly small and seemed VERY chaotic upon first arrival. There were porters on both sides of the drop off area and we were not sure if they were to help those passengers getting OFF the ship or those of us getting on. We reluctantly gave our bags (and a healthy tip) to a porter who ensured us he would get them on the ship and made our way in the pouring rain to the Check-in Line. We got in line shortly before 10 and within minutes we were told to go into the terminal.
This terminal was so cool... Both inside AND outside!
I loved all the air and space decor!
As a PLATINUM cruiser, I was able to have BOTH of staterooms get the priority treatment for check-in. However, that "priority" came to a screeching halt when grandpa was particular about the passport and documents. This was super irritating as I wanted EVERYTHING to go smooth for this embarkation since it was my first time to enjoy the Platinum benefits. I was a little annoyed with this geezer, but it turned out to be a good thing as he checked in Luke TWICE for the cruise and never checked in Chris. Since they both are labeled David Davis on the cruise documents, it was an easy oversight. Grandpa marked Luke boarding pass with "JR" and after about 15 minutes, we were pushed on to the main waiting area.
We LOVE Embarkation Day photos!
Once inside this oddly shaped dome terminal, I asked where the Platinum passengers wait and was surprised to find the Captains Lounge area where all Platinum passengers could wait. This very secluded and cute area was so COOL. I do not remember Galveston having an area as nice as this for it's premium guests. Chris and Luke were in a different cabin than me so technically they were NOT platinum and were not supposed to get these benefits. However, I just marched right in there with them in tow. TIP- The worker at the entrance of the Captain's Lounge stopped us and said that usually it does not work but since this voyage did not have very many Platinum and above guests, she would allow it. This was a very interesting ordeal but I am so glad the boys got to tag along with the fun.
Wow... I have FINALLY made it to the TOP! This was so cool!
Look at all these low-lifes enjoying MY Platinum benefits! Haha, just kidding!
I'm the REAL winner of the group!
We waited about 20 minutes before the first announcement was made at 10:31AM. Shortly after they started boarding with the MASSIVE wedding party first. Then the diamond guests and then Platinum guests around 10:46AM. We were onboard the Carnival Radiance and heard the first ding at 10:50AM.
Luke "I see it. I see our ship" I love the excitement that comes with the gangway walk to the ship!
It was a very rainy and stormy day but that did not rain on our parade.
DING- We are ON BOARD!
Our experience of Embarkation Day in Long Beach!
We immediately went to the atrium bar and got our Bubbles stickers for the kids. TIP- Carnival offers a "bubbles" package of unlimited soft drinks for $6.99/ day per person. This is a good deal since each 12oz can of soda costs $3.49. Carnival only serves Pepsi products and does not offer Dr. Pepper.
After we took care of the logistics, we went up to the Lido deck to Blue Iguana Bar and got a few Mai-Tai and then made our way to the Cucina de Capiano - Pasta Bar for lunch. The kids were SO excited to try the pasta but Chris was more excited about the Big Chicken so he grabbed a sandwich and met us on Deck 10. The service was fabulous in the Pasta Bar and the food was good as well. We then all made our way to the Guy's BBQ on Deck 10 aft to get our BBQ fix. TIP-This was probably the biggest disappoint of the entire cruise as far as food goes. The meat was dry and the flavor was missing.
They were SO excited about the Pasta Bar!
I am excited to relax and enjoy the drink package!
Luke was so hungry and he ate a LOT!
It's LUNCH TIME!
A walk through of the Lido deck during the lunch rush on Embarkation Day!
Afternoon
Shortly after our lunch(es), we made our way to our Muster Station get checked in on Deck 5. TIP- Carnival (like the other major cruise lines) are still offering the Muster Station check-in instead of the actual meeting (pre-Covid times) and this means you watch the video on your phone/app or in your stateroom and then get checked into your Muster Station. This is SO MUCH easier than actually meeting and crammed in like cattle. Thank you Carnival for keeping this new Muster Station tradition!
After we checked into the Muster Station, I went and dropped off our carry-on bag in our stateroom then we went to the Atrium bar for live music while the kids explored the ship looking for venues and etc. The kids LOVED having this freedom and even with Natalie not having a phone, they checked in with us each hour.
Natalie and Luke were ready to EXPLORE!
We are already LOVING the Carnival Radiance!
Family Selfie #1...
It's CRUISE TIME!
Luke stopped for some Big Chicken!
I decided to go to the Main Dining Room to check our dinner table and I am so glad that I did as we were originally scheduled for a table of 10. We are not a fan of sharing a table as we want to spend our vacation TOGETHER and not with strangers. Many people love sharing a table but it is not our thing. The Maitre d' moved us to a private booth at the front of the dining room and I was so happy with this change.
By this time, the staterooms were ready and we were ready to get into these connecting staterooms and get unpacked. Tip- We absolutely LOVED these cabins. They are a "sideways" interior cabin found on Dream class ships (on deck 6) and Vista class as well. They are MASSIVE and have a LOT of space. We also loved the connecting cabins (one for adults and one for kids) and we may never cruise any other way!
Seriously, these cabins are THE BEST! The space is incredible and they are the same price as regular interiors!
As soon as we got into the room we noticed a letter stating that the order of our port days and sea days had changed due to severe weather and rough sea conditions. TIP- Since Catalina Island was a tendered port, this meant the chance we could actually miss the port. We didn't care about the order of ports, we just want to be able to get to them all. Especially since we FLEW to get here!
We were originally supposed to do the following route: Day 2- Catalina Island Day 3- Ensenada Day 4- Sea Day
Now this was the new itinerary: Day 2- Sea Day Day 3- Catalina Island Day 4- Ensenada
Natalie and Luke changed into swim suits and went to the hot tubs and Chris and I took a quick nap. Our luggage arrived around 2PM and I got the suitcases all unpacked while Chris and the kids went to Guy's Burgers. We all met up to explore the ship together and try to watch us pull out of Long Beach! The rain was light and heavy at times and it made for a nasty Embarkation Day but we didn't care! We were on board and nothing was going to steal our joy!
Cruise Like a Davis VIFP cards! Next cruise- Chris will be Platinum and Luke will be gold!
And family selfie #2 with the Queen Mary!
Our traditional buoy picture!
OMG, it's the Titanic... Well, sort of! The Queen Mary stays in Long Beach and currently is a museum and hotel.
I am so excited for this cruise!
The weather was so bad (and cold- It was 55*) that the main Lido deck pool was emptied!
A view of the Long Beach Cruise Terminal next to the Queen Mary!
I love this guy so much and I LOVE that he loves cruising just as much as I do!
The Carnival Radiance Sports Deck and Ropes Course on Deck 11 in the aft of the ship! (This is also where Guy's BBQ is located)
Then it was time to set sail. Unfortunately, it had been raining all afternoon and the rain continued so the sail away party had to be relocated to the Atrium. As soon as we arrived we saw the Fun Squad and took a picture before the deck party in the Atrium. After the party we got a great picture with Pauly the Cruise Director and this was the soonest in a cruise we had ever gotten our CD picture. Pauly was SO MUCH fun and full of energy and we enjoyed him all cruise!
Cruise Like a Davis and the Carnival Radiance FUN SQUAD!
Our traditional Cruise Director Picture- We love you Pauly!
This was such a fun sail-away! Even inside! Thanks Pauly for making our sail away SO MUCH FUN!
Evening
It was now about 5:30PM and we still had not set sail from Long Beach. We never got an answer as to why we were delayed in setting sail but we only had to travel about 100 miles (or less) to Catalina Island so it really did not matter. Chris and I spent the evening in the Hero's Bar on Deck 5 just waiting for our dining time in the MDR at 8PM. TIP- Hero's Bar was a great little sports bar connected to the casino and the service was fabulous all cruise.
I did a quick round of shopping on deck 5 with Natalie and she got a Pandora bracelet with her spending money. We then went back to the stateroom to get ready for dinner and just chill for a bit. Luke opted to make a stop by the ice cream machines before getting back to the room and changing for dinner.
I love our back-of- shirt numbers! How can this be my TWENTY-THIRD cruise... I am NOT that old?
We made our way to the Deck 3 forward dining room only to find out there was some weird water damage from the previous cruise and we had to enter the dining room through the back. Due to the build of Carnival ships, this meant we had to go up to Deck 4 and then make our way to the back entrance since Deck 3 does not go through the middle of the ship. We got to the back of the Dining Room and finally got to our table through the chaos of people.
Night #1 in the Main Dining Room!
I love getting to share all of this with my kiddos!
Our dinner was FABULOUS! The food and the service were seriously outstanding and we were impressed. The kids LOVED being able to order additional appetizers and entrees and trying out foods they would not normally try.
We quickly made our way to the Welcome Aboard Show after dinner and had to sit at the very top of the theater due to so many people being at this single show for the evening. Overall the production shows were not as impressive but we still enjoyed them.
We ended the night after 11PM and the kids decided to go back to the stateroom and go to bed while Chris and I were still jet-lagged (believe it or not) and decided to continue the fun at our favorite... The Alchemy Bar. This place NEVER disappoints with the intricate details of ingredients and flavor. We finally called it a night shortly after midnight.
The Forty is the New Twenty- I LOVE this one!
But the Painkiller is my absolute favorite!
Overall it was a GREAT Embarkation Day aboard the Carnival Radiance and out of Long Beach. The kids loved the freedom of exploring the ship by themselves and we loved getting to enjoy the whole experience together!
Up Next... Our one and only Sea Day aboard theCarnival Radiance!
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