Showing posts with label Spa Day at Sea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spa Day at Sea. Show all posts

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Lost Shaker of Salt- Day 4

 Costa Maybe... YES!
MSC Day #4 
Costa Maya, Mexico 


White Night aboard the MSC Seascape! 

Morning
We woke up and neither of us was feeling 100%. I did not sleep well due to the stuffiness of the room and Chris was having terrible neuropathy pain all night but we got dressed and ready for the day because ANY day onboard a cruise ship is better than a day at home. We went back to Hola Tacos because the breakfast was really good! 


Hello to the NEWEST SHIP IN THE WORLD (at the time) Norwegian Luna! 
It was gorgeous and I would LOVE to sail on her but I thought she would be a little bigger! 

Just 7 weeks ago, we were unable to dock at Costa Maya due to the weather and had to miss this port on The Harmony of the Seas- February 2026. 

Seriously... Hola Tacos is where it is at on this ship! 
I now wish we would have tried the lunch/ dinner options becasue this seriously was the best food we had the entire cruise! 


Hola Tacos for FREE Breakfast was SO GOOD! 
It was EASILY the best food we experienced on this sailing! Do not skip on this one! 

After breakfast, while the majority of the passengers got off the ship to explore Costa Maya, we opted to go to the Infinity Pool in hopes of enjoying this area a little less crowded than a seaday. This worked out well as we had the Infinity Pool all to ourselves for about an hour before more passengers arrived. The bartenders at the Infinity Bar were wonderful and kept the drinks flowing nicely. Unfortunately, there was ZERO sun coverage at the Infinity Pool but we kept the sunscreen applied and we did not burn at all. TIP- The first port day is usually the PERFECT time to enjoy a nice quiet ship and this is almost always the day we enjoy the adults-only areas of the cruise ship. 


The Infinity Pool at 9:30AM on Port Day #1.


We literally had the whole thing to ourselves! 

We stayed at the Infinity Pool area for nearly 4 hours before getting out and going to lunch! 

Afternoon
After our massages we were hungry so we went to the Marketplace Buffet for lunch. While this buffet had countless things to offer, the food was still just "mid" and I was reminded, I am just not a buffet person. This is one thing Carnival does INCREDIBLY well with Guy's Burgers, Blue Iguana and Shaq's Chicken. Even Royal Caribbean offers Cafe Promenade and Sorento's Pizza as quick lunch and mid-day options. MSC only offered the Marketplace Buffet. 

We played some trivia in Times Square but did not win, unfortunately. We also made a visit to Venchi Chocolate and Chris was able to enjoy a "Chocolate Tasting" for $40- which included 10 chocolate pieces. He really enjoyed this but it seemed way overpriced to me! 


This is a really cool place on board... Especially if you like chocolate! 

We then went and laid out in the Jungle Pool area for a while before it started to get really humid since the roof was open! We decided to go to the Loft Cafe on Deck 8 to get an afternoon coffee followed by a cocktail. Then we began heading back to the balcony to enjoy the sail away. There were a few late arrivers but no real pier runners. However, we did learn there was a medical emergency and a passenger had to be transported off the ship. It was terrible to watch and I pray for her and her family. TIP- Always get Travel's Insurance. Even a small policy can cover expenses for a medical emergency. We use Alliance Annual plan and it is not that expensive and covers quite a bit. We pay $350/ year for ALL FOUR OF US! Thank God we have never had to use it- but I will always reapply annually because you never know when you may need it! 

Our balcony was in the sun for sail away but this also meant we were able to enjoy the sunset and it was gorgeous on this evening! 


Goodbye Norwegian Luna & Enchantment of the Seas!


Sail away from a balcony is one of my favorite things on a cruise. 

Evening
It was "White Night" on MSC Seascape and I believe at least 95% of the ship was dressed in White. We have been on 29 cruises but I have never seen a set of passengers get this excited about a theme night! I truly enjoyed this vibe! 


I love a sunset on a cruise ship but seeing it from your balcony is PRICELESS! 


White Night and a gorgeous sunset! 


Sunset Selfie! 


Sunset on a cruise ship Balcony is PRICELESS! 

Dinner in the MDR was good as the service was once again phenomenal. Our Head waiter and his team did a great job of balancing the two larger party tables and our small table. We were in and out of the MDR in 50 minutes. The food was still only Applebee's level (if that) but there were a few dishes that were memorable. 

Check out "Let's Talk Ship" for Day #4 

We love a day on an "emptier" ship and this one did not disappoint! 


Our view at dinner was worth the mid-level food! 


Vegetable Rolls
Chris -3.0 & Kellie- 2.5
These were crispy but not a lot of flavor. 


Stuffed Mushrooms
Chris- 4.5 & Kellie 4.0
These were the best appetizer thus far. 


Barramundi
Kellie -3.5
This was actually good for our experience thus far. It didn't have anything on Babin's Seafood (one of our favorite restaurants in our neighborhood) but it was really good for MSC food. 


Coconut Cake 
Kellie- 3.0
Light and moist but a bit too coconutty!

We went to the Cocktail Bar once again after dinner and thanks to the food not being great, we didn't even have to stop and take a break between dinner and cocktails, which was nice. We loved Ashish Rao, the bartender, and we were really able to make a relationship with him during our cruise. I have always joked that when I retired I am going to bartend (it's great money) and he is one I would like to mimic... He was incredible! 


This reminded me SO MUCH of the Alchemy Bar (Carnival). 
We LOVED this bar and shut it down nightly! 


The Bee's Knees... SERIOUSLY so good! 
This is a $16 cocktail so I had to pay an additional $2 (plus gratuities) with each order but it was WORHT it. All of the ingredients were made FRESH every day and this really made all the difference! 

We shut down the Cocktail Bar at 10PM, (they close SUPER early) and then went to the Sports Bar to enjoy more live music with Christo De Rey. We made our way up to the Main Pool on Deck 18 for the White Night Party of which we had heard so much about. But this was a sleeping Carnival Party to say the very least. Lots of people but they were all much like us... just swaying side to side and looking like a fool. I enjoy the Carnival Deck parties or the Royal Caribbean Promenade parties were EVERYONE is umping up and down and literally shaking what their mama gave them... Breaking a sweat! This was not that... We still had fun but I was expecting a more "College Spring Break" vibe. 


This was the White Night Party atmosphere about 10 minutes after it started! 


It was not what we were expecting but we still had fun! 


We didn't care... We don't like the crowds as much so this was fine- it just wasn't what we were expecting! 


Gelato from the Marina Pool. 
This was $3.95 plus gratuity but there was a lot in here! 

We went to the Late Night Adult Quest in Uptown Lounge and we really enjoyed this vibe. I think the smaller venue really allowed for more people to participate. Chris even threw in his shorts. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT- The Quest is an Adults- Only scavenger hunt on most cruise lines. This asks for things like belts, socks with holes in them (just a normal sock) and then things like "5men's pants tied together" of which Chris participated in. I also give them a "thong"... one of my flip-flops! It is a lot of fun but be forewarned it can be a little raunchy! 


We have yet to win any trivia but the cruise is now OFFICIALLY a success... We have taken a picture with the Cruise Director! 

We closed down the Uptown Lounge Bar around 1AM and then called it a night! It was a great day spent on the MSC Seascape! 

Up Next... Roatan, Honduras!

 God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Harmony of the Seas- February 2026








 


Carnival Conquest- 2006

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Saturday, June 21, 2025

The Last Frontier- Day 4

 A Mile Pulled by a Sled Dog
June 2, 2025 
Skagway, AK 


I love this little town that is Skagway! 

Morning
We woke up at 7AM to get ready for the day. The kids and Chris ate in the Windjammer while I went and got a few lighter items in Café 270. TIP- Cafe 270 offers breakfast sandwiches, tacos, bakery items as well as fresh fruit and made to order bagels. In addition, they have a Starbucks (included in all Drink Packages) and fresh Orange Juice. The lines are usually not long and the service is quick. I much prefer this over the madhouse that is the Windjammer. 

After breakfast we all went out to Deck 15 to watch the approach into Skagway. We booked an excursion through Royal Caribbean- Sled Dog Musher Camp Experience. This was $179/pp and $159/ under 12 and provided transportation into an Alaskan Husky musher camp within a mountain neighboring Skagway. Our tour was 9AM to 12:30PM and we were to meet in the Main Theater by 8:20AM. We have not booked an excursion through the cruise line for years and within 5 minutes of being in the Main Theater with the mass chaos of people I was reminded why. Cruise Line excursions offer reliability but usually that is all. These tours are usually VERY crowded with lots and lots of people as well. 


Hello again, Norwegian Joy! 


Greetings from Skagway- we have arrived! 

Our group was called around 8:50AM and we walked off the ship to crazy winds but made our way to our bus with only 24 people total. This was unexpected but so nice. Alan, our tour guide, drove us about 40 minutes away into the Daye Mountains to our Musher Camp. Once at our tour site, we immediately moved into the 4X4 "Muk-Muk" that would then make the trek into the actual dog sled area. This was a very unique off-road vehicle that seemed like a BMW made for the woods. 

Greetings from our Muk-Muk! 


This was our Muk Muk... It was so cool, although I would not want to be the driver! 

After a 15 minute ride up the mountain we got to the sled dogs and immediately got into our golf cart to be pulled by the team of huskies for over a mile. This was such a cool experience and the kids LOVED it. The dogs made a stop about halfway through the trail to get a quick rest but they were ready for the ride. Typically in an Iditarod type race, these dogs would travel MUCH further everyday but with less weight so this 1 mile was "nothing for them". Once the ride was complete we got to meet and pet each of the dogs individually and we loved them so much! I think Merlin and Birchwood were my favorites while Luke and Natalie loved Taco (a husky mix). 


We're all buckled in and ready for our RIDE!

Let's do this... We are ready! 

These poor dogs were working SO HARD! I kinda feel bad for eating that extra pancake! 


These dogs loved Luke almost as much as he loved them! 


Luke's favorite was TACO- He was only 10 months old and still a Puppy! 


This was NORTH, the Handlers dog. She was easily the prettiest of the dogs but she was VERY dramatic! 


Natalie liked Birchwood and Taco (pictured here). 


Luke loved the lead dog Merlin as well. 


But Taco still remained his favorite! 


The Davis Family Sled Dog Pull- Skagway, AK! 

After our sled dog pull, the 4X4 began the trek back down the mountain with a stop at Eagle Lookout overlooking the Skagway area and Alaskan mountains. This was some of the most picturesque areas we saw the entire cruise. 


It doesn't get much better than this!


Skagway, AK from Eagle Lookout in the Daye Mountains! 


These kids are growing up TOO FAST! 


I am so grateful we were able to give them this opportunity to see Alaska like no other! 
This view (and this trip) were nothing short of amazing! 


#CruiseLikeaDavis

Once back at the Musher Camp, we were able to hear all about the Iditarod and then meet and hold puppies for nearly 45 minutes. We were able to meet 11 week old puppies laying around and then hold 9 week old puppies just up from a nap. We LOVED Snickerdoodle and Cannoli. But the highlight of the puppies were the 10 day old puppy whom we got to hold for the first time ever. They didn't even have their eyes open. The kids absolutely LOVED this part of the excursion and honestly, so did we! 


The 11 Week old puppies were LAZY and wouldn't even get up and play. 
The worker had to pick them up... that didn't stop Luke from petting them! 


Luke and Cannoli... She loved him! 


And Luke loved her so much! 


Natalie and Snickerdoodle- "Can we take her home?" 


This was Cannoli and she just couldn't stop licking Luke! 


And now time for the 10 DAY old puppies... They were SO TINY! 


And so precious! 


We all loved holding these puppies so much! 

As we ended the tour we were able to walk around the Musher Camp a bit and then indulge in an Alaskan "treat"- Sitka Spruce needles. We all tried these but Luke actually enjoyed them- "Free Food" he said! 


The Musher Camp within the Daye Mountains! 

This tour lasted nearly 4 hours and was a great choice for kids and teenagers. Even with the higher price tag of $700 for a family of four, we feel we got our money's worth! 

Then we began the 40 minute trip back into the town of Skagway. Natalie and I opted to be dropped off in town so we could do some exploring and shopping while the boys took the bus back to the ship to eat lunch. 


Welcome to Skagway... We love this little town! 

Afternoon
Natalie and I explored Skagway for nearly 2 hours before getting back on the ship around 2:30PM where we went to the Windjammer for a late lunch. After lunch, Natalie went to the Sea Plex to play with Luke while Chris and I enjoyed an empty hot-tub in the Indoor Pool area. TIP- During the early afternoon on a port day (any port) is some of the best times to be in a hot tub or pool as they are usually not crowded at all as most people are in port or just got back on and are eating. 


Anthem of the Seas as seen from walking back from town! 


We really did LOVE this ship! It's our new favorite! 

While in the hot-tub, the spa set up a table with a "Port Day" special for massages and after asking a few questions, Chris and I booked a massage for 4PM. We got out and took showers before heading to the spa. The kids had signed up for Open Play Volleyball and Luke was play Xbox so it worked out. This was a $149 75 minute massage with 1 addition. Chris chose the facial and I chose the extended Lymphatic massage. TIP- We book all of our cruises with Cheryl at Cruises Only and we usually get onboard credit for booking with them. Since we booked 2 cabins, we had $300 OBC. In addition to that, we were reimbursed for the North Star Cancellation and they would not actually reimburse to the credit card so we knew we had to spend it on board. We opted for the spa day and it was GLORIOUS! Even with the additional tip, we did not pay for these massages. Thank you Cheryl! 

Evening
After our massages we met up with the kids at the Music Hall for a trivia before going to the Bionic Bar before our Laser Tag reservation at 7:30PM. TIP- The Anthem of the Seas has a Bionic Bar that has robots that make all kinds of drinks for you. It IS included if you have the Ultimate Drink Package and can be purchased separately. They also offer NON ALCOHOLIC drinks but you have to be 18 years old to order so Chris and I had to order for the kids. The Bionic Bar on Anthem had a track record of not being open but it was open about 4 out of the 7 nights on board. 


This is a very unique experience! Be sure to check it out! 

After the Bionic Bar we made our way to the Sea Plex for our Laser Tag reservations. TIP- The Sea Plex offers a lot of activities but many require a reservation so be sure to check the app and reserve the time or activity you want. The Laser Tag was SO MUCH FUN with inflatable mazes and a cool theme. Luke and I were against Chris and Natalie's team and our team won with Luke scoring the most points. We really enjoyed this 20 minute FREE activity! 


Who will win? Natalie and Daddy or #LuketheDuke and Mommy? 


I was not looking forward to this but it was SO MUCH FUN!

After Laser Tag we went to 270 to watch the sail away from Skagway. We left a little late for whatever reason but the views did not disappoint. Midway through sail away we made our way to the MDR for our 8:30PM dinner. This dinner was a menu on Royal Caribbean we have not tried- Taste of Asia. The menu offerings were GREAT and we all loved it. The service was exceptional and we were in and out of the MDR within 60 minutes, which is crazy! The MDR was not well attended since all aboard time was 7:30PM and sail time was 8PM. 


270 Starboard side as we sailed away from Skagway (8:15PM) 

Time for dinner in the Chic MDR. 


Spring Rolls- 4.0
Pan Seared Dumplings- 4.5
Both were seasoned exceptionally well and cooked to perfection! 


Teriyaki Salmon- 4.0
The flavor was spot on and the salmon was flaky and delicious! 


Shrimp Pad Thai- 4.0
This was really good and VERY flavorful! 


Royal Cheese Plate- 4.0
This is a must order AT LEAST once per cruise but this one was much better than I remember it being on our last cruise- Independence of the Seas- 2024


A view sailing from Skagway around 9:30PM. 

After dinner we went to take our meds and then we all planned to go to the Silent Disco Party. Natalie and I left to go to 270 for the Silent Party expecting to see the boys but they never showed. I started to get a little anxious as Luke was not answering the iMessages we sent and Chris was not answering the texts or app messages. We waited and I went looking before calling the room. They had both accidentally fell asleep. Natalie and I laughed it off and enjoyed the rest of the Disco Party before calling it a night around 11:30PM. 


Natalie really liked the Silent Disco! 


I am so glad for my Nattie Grace! 
I love doing things like this with her- she is SO MUCH FUN! 

We really enjoyed Skagway and LOVED getting to hold and pet the Huskies! 


Day 4 was AWESOME... We loved Skagway and the Husky Musher Camp! 

Did you miss Day 3? Check it out HERE!

Up Next... Dawes Glacier and Juneau! 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Independence of the Seas- June 2024







 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 

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