The year is 2013 and well it has taken 3 years to get back on a ship. Royal Caribbean took all the ships from the West Coast of the United States.
Royal Left
Yes, Royal pulled up and left the west coast. Saying it was profitable and not a lot of demand. Now, what do we do? I know let’s try Carnival, and that is what we did.
Carnival Cruise Line
We wanted to take a trip in 2013 since we haven’t been in a while. We decided to go to Disneyland and a five-day cruise. We booked an inside room since that is what we could afford at that time.
Carnival called me up one day and said for $500 more we could upgrade your cabin to a balcony. I thought, there is a catch right. So I said is this $500 a person, I asked like three times. Nope, this is for everyone. I jumped on that offer. We went from an inside cabin to a balcony. I liked that option. I was going to keep it a secret and surprise my wife and kids. But I told my wife, she was asked to man questions. Then she told the kids a week or so later.
Inspiration
When it was built in 1996. it cost $270 million. That was a lot back then. There were I think about 24 of these balcony cabins 16 good ones in the middle. We had one in the middle. (the Video down below will have some pictures of the ship)
It was only a 5-day cruise and we left from Long Beach port the Oueen Mary was there and I call it the dome. That is where we boarded the ship at.
We boarded the ship on a Monday Morning, the Best Western we stayed at was offering a Cruise and stay program where you stay and you can leave your car there. Which was nice. It was secured for 5 days. We got on the shuttle they offered and went to the ship. We got there and we got a mix-up and we went and checked in on the Queen Mary. But since we were part of the “elite Group” we had to go back outside the dome and there was a little shack where we picked up our badges and had some water or Lemonade, oh and we got to board first. I got a good deal.
Got on the ship and went and ate since the room wasn’t ready. After a while, we were able to go to the room and this is what my kids did first.
Pictures of that first day
The first stop was at Catalina Island.
Catalina Island
Here is a map of where we left and where we arrived.
We went out and circled in the ocean for the night.
We rented a golf cart and drove around the island. It was fun.
This building was on the island.
Glad it was rebuilt after this issue
Not the best video, but the only one I could find.
Ensenada
The next day, a Wednesday we arrived in Ensenada, Mexico. Where we walked and explored the city. We bought some hats for the kids
Here are some shots of the city
Thursday (Thanksgiving)
We went over Thanksgiving break and we were at sea for the day. There was a ship tour you could go on for 75 dollars, a little too much for me. But, my wife ordered and I went. I couldn’t film or take pictures on that tour. It was interesting to see parts of the ship that we weren’t able to see. I even got to go to the bridge and look at that. I walked around. I just wish I was taking video.
We had a Thanksgiving meal that night topped off with Pumpkin Pie.
Friday
We disembarked and Best Western picked us up and we went and picked up the car and headed to do other things we had planned to do before heading to our hotel by Disneyland so we could finish up that part.
My Thoughts
For being the second one I went on, I am getting to like this thing called cruising. Yes, the Inspiration wasn’t as big as the other ship, but we still had fun. I didn’t find any free cookies. But the buffet always had some and some ice cream. It was a fun trip and I enjoyed it.
Yes, it wasn’t as big as the Mariner of the Seas. But it was still fun.
