Ok, onto the Cons.  DO NOT GO ON CARNIVAL FOR THE FOOD. We consider ourselves to be foodies and the offerings on Carnival were mediocre most of the time.  Yes, we had some great appetizers in the dining room and yes there was that really good slice of pizza at Pizza Pirate we had on Day 1, but overall it was just ok.  There is a sushi bar at one end of the casino which only serves you two rolls, one piece each, from about 5:30-8:00pm (the whole endeavor was cute, but clearly an afterthought).  The great food came from Mr. Z’s in Key West and Casa Denis in Cozumel.  Also, expect lots of smokers and more smoking approved areas than normal.

We just have to put this out there: our room was not made up when we arrived, possibly because no one stayed in it on the previous voyage.  We’re pretty easygoing and don’t really need special accommodations.  If it was just the fact that there was no newsletter in the room, who cares?  But, there was a pair of underwear on the floor and you could see the ship’s age (13 years) in the not so fresh coverlet and in the shower.  Did we mention there was a pair of ladies underwear on the floor?!  Yeah.

Finally, the whole operation could be described as inefficient and the staff as lackadaisical.  The safety drill really took much longer than it should have and we had to stand on a very long line to get back onto to boat in Key West while standing in the rain.  They also decided to paint one of the pools after we set sail from Key West so the jacuzzis next to it were basically unusable due to paint fumes.

Did we have fun?  Yes.  Did we meet some great people?  Yes.  Did we enjoy the ports of Key West and Cozumel?  Yes.  Will we ever go back on a Carnival ship again?  Oh, we don’t think so.  Anyway, thanks for reading and here are some of the pictures that we took!

Le Ship

Towel Animals and Chocolate equal fun!

Painting a pool when people want to use it

Front Pool Area with said pool

Ernest Hemingway’s favorite bar

Another popular watering hole

Our personal favorite

Key West-opoly, anyone?

The completely Disney-fied port where our ship docked in Cozumel

Our delicious Yucatecan lunch at Casa Denis, Cozumel

It was REALLY windy, but beautiful on Cozumel’s main shopping road.

The Celebrity Reflection is an absolutely gorgeous ship.  Everything is brand new and very modern.  When we walked onto the ship, we could immediately see a Gelateria and a Tea/Coffee/Pastry Bar.  There was also a bar with a top made out of ice and another bar making “molecular” drinks.  Riding the elevator up through the Atrium, one could see a huge tree propped up by metal supports right in the middle of the ship.  Go up to the top deck and you’ll find a large lawn with real grass that contains hammocks, cabanas, over-sized Adirondack chairs, a place to play croquet, a few casual restaurants and an art studio!

Our AquaClass balcony stateroom was very spacious and comfortable and included a couch.  Enjoying complimentary champagne on a lounge chair watching Miami go by is not a bad way to spend some time!  I was surprised by how much storage space there was, especially in the bathroom, although you can still count on the usual tight fit in the shower as is the norm on every cruise boat.

Overall, the food was very impressive.  Celebrity has always had a reputation as having some of the best food amongst the cruise lines and the Reflection certainly lived up to this.  Our two dinners in the main dining room were well-received by everyone at our tables.  Highlights for me included a just-creamy-enough cream of mushroom soup and a mouth-watering Chateaubriand.  Our only complaint was that there were fixed seatings for dinner and we were forced to eat quite late.  Also, the show times didn’t exactly line up with dinner.

We were also extremely lucky to be invited to a panel discussion at Blu Restaurant which is only available to guests staying in the AquaClass rooms.  The panel included Scott Hocker, the Editor-in-Chief of Tasting Table, Jeff McInnis from Top Chef Season 5/Miami’s Yardbird Restaurant, representatives from the Celebrity culinary team, a food writer and someone from the James Beard Foundation.  Our lunch at Blu, which serves healthier fare, included mushroom and pea risotto, a perfectly-cooked sea bass and the most wonderful Valrhona chocolate dessert with coffee accents.

Not to go on too much, here is a collection of photos to give you a taste of what we experienced.  Click on the picture to make them larger.  Stay tuned for February when Global Itineraries sets sail on the Carnival Victory!

We hope that you enjoy some of the pictures from our trip, and please tell us where you are watching the leaves turn this year!

On Hunter Mountain, the leaves were changing…

…and the beer was flowing!

Some of the animals currently residing in Forsyth Park

A view of the Mid-Hudson Bridge from the Walkway Over the Hudson

OMG, we couldn’t get enough of Brian Kane’s art piece in Albany International Airport

Thanks for reading!

Highs: Baby’s Coffee, Flying Monkey’s Saloon, Happy Hour at Alonzo’s Oyster House, Mr. Z’s, the amazing people at Fury Water Adventures, key lime pie at Blue Heaven

Lows: The Day’s Inn Key West, being on a catamaran in a rain storm, dinner at Kelly’s Caribbean Bar & Grill

Part of the fun of going to Key West is the drive down.  There are so many things to see and all of the Keys look a little bit different.  If your legs need a break from driving, stop at The Rain Barrel in Islamorada which is a funky artisan’s village.  You can’t miss it from the road as there is a GIANT lobster in the parking lot to greet you.  Stop again about a half hour outside of Key West at Baby’s Coffee.  We may have just had the best frozen mocha ever.

Don’t stay at the Day’s Inn Key West.  Our last experience at the Travelodge was a good one and you usually can’t go wrong with a national hotel chain.  WRONG!  The room felt really dirty with a lot of mysterious stains on the rug, chair, etc.  The comparably priced Lexington Hotel next door looked so much nicer.  At least it came with free shuttle bus service to downtown Key West every 15 minutes, but there was no free breakfast – only juice in the lobby every morning and coffee/tea/hot chocolate anytime.  Also, don’t eat at Kelly’s Caribbean Bar & Grill.  You may be tempted because it’s in the old Pan-Am building.  You may be tempted because it was once owned by Kelly McGillis of Top Gun.  You may be tempted by their happy hour.  Don’t be fooled!  The routinely run out of beer and everything we had was either cloyingly sweet or too salty.  Just don’t do it.

I have to give a HUGE shout out to the people at Fury Water Adventures.  We embarked on what was supposed to be a Rum & Reggae Snorkel & Sunset sail.  It was already cloudy out at 5:00 so the chances of seeing a nice sunset were already slim.  There was reggae music and an affable crew on the way out and then an abbreviated snorkel due to the impending storm.  After seeing a lot of fish, including a barracuda(!), it was back on the boat for a quick getaway back to the dock.  There was reggae and there was rum.  There was also a big storm that soaked the entire catamaran before we could make it back.  Despite the rough conditions, Captain Tony never made us feel unsafe.  The crew was in great spirits and everyone had as much beer, wine and rum punch (did you know they still made Hawaiian punch??) as they wanted.  If you want a to go on any kind of water adventure with a capable crew, definitely go with Fury!

Ok, ok, you’re probably wondering about all of the great things to do in the heart of Key West.  See the entire island from the very fun (but somewhat bumpy) Conch Tour Train.  Take a picture at the Southernmost point and the end/beginning of U.S. 1.  Go to the beautiful Hemingway House to learn all about the author’s time in Key West, take in this historic home and see all of the six-toed cats.  Then grab at drink at his favorite bar, Captain Tony’s, just of Duval Street.  Finally, experience the beautiful sunset in Mallory Square with all of the tourists and eccentric vendors (when there isn’t a Tropical Storm, that is!).

Best Happy Hour?  Hands down, it’s at Alonzo’s Oyster Bar on Front Street below the A&B Lobster House.  The entire bar menu plus all drinks are half price from 4 to 6:30 everyday and you’re sitting right on the water!  You cannot find a better deal, and our peel n’ eat shrimp and conch fritters were delicious.

Best Bar?  Well, there’s just too many to choose from, but at least half of the bars on Duval Street give away 2 for 1 drink cards.  Ask the concierge at your hotel!  You will save a lot of money.  Do not be tempted to follow the masses to Fat Tuesday’s.  You’ll see a lot of people walking around with their insulated bottles, but the frozen drinks are far better at Flying Monkeys which is attached to Fogarty’s.  The drinks are strong, cold and delicious.

Best Late Night Dinner/Snack?  No question, it’s Mr. Z’s.  Really, I think the cheesesteak we just had was better than the ones we had in Philadelphia which is a strong statement!  The blend of meat, melting cheese, onions and mushrooms on a roll was just perfect.  The roast beef sandwich was good too!

Best Key Lime Pie?  Totally debatable, but we had a very good piece at Blue Heaven restaurant off of Whitehead street.  Admittedly, the huge pile of merangue on top is probably not for everyone, but the tart pie was perfectly balanced out by the sweet graham cracker crust.

On our drive back, we stopped at the lovely Schnebly Redlands Winery.  It’s off the beaten path in Homestead, FL, but the grounds are beautiful, the staff is nice and the fruit wines are very interesting.  Dinner was at Scully’s Tavern in Miami, which was featured a few years ago on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  Thumbs up to the Incrusted Dolphin Sandwich and Judge Judy on the tv.  The famed Scampi Wings were tiny and somewhat dried out.  Oh well – that’s another travel adventure for the books!

Baby’s Coffee

The Southernmost Point in the U.S.

Mile Market 0, a.k.a the end of U.S. 1

The Old Pan Am building

An adorable six-toed cat at the Hemingway Home

A slice of Key Lime pie at Blue Heaven

Serenity at the Schnebly Redlands Winery

All photos courtesy of Global Itineraries

The Hilton Naples – What a fantastic hotel!  Clean with great amenities.  We told the front desk that it was our one year anniversary and they gave us free access to the Executive Lounge on the fourth floor AND a free box of delicious chocolates from a local shop called Norman Love.  I don’t know how people usually get access to the Lounge, but it was a real treat.  We received a complimentary Continental Breakfast in the mornings and complimentary hors d’oeuvres in the evening.  Coffee and tea seemed to always be available outside for anyone with key card access.  We also enjoyed the hotel gym and the gratis water/juice and cookies that appeared in the lobby every afternoon.  The hotel also provides a complimentary shuttle service to the beach complete with towels, chair and water.  Bring your earplugs, though, because the walls are thin!  Here are pictures of the exterior, the pool and those chocolates:

Naples Zoo – Naples has a small, but very nice zoo that can be seen in 2 hours or less.  This is not a place to spend all day, but is certainly worth a trip as they have a nice variety of animals.  Do not forget to bring sunscreen and water during the summer months!  You will be outside the entire time and it was HOT when we were there.  Make sure to see the Feature Show, which takes place at 11am and 3pm daily.  Zookeepers bring out animals you can’t see on display, such as a two-toed sloth and an ocelot.  The monkey islands boat ride is also something worth checking out.  Otherwise, just walk along the main path and you may just come across this guy:

Silverspot Cinemas – Naples has gotten on the bandwagon of the luxury movie theater and has done a pretty nice job.  The seats in this theater were basically over-sized easy chairs and were so comfortable that you felt like you were in your own living room.  Pros: you can enjoy wine and other drinks at your seat and choose your seat ahead of time so that no one else sits in it.  Cons: The price.  $16 for one adult ticket to a regular (not 3D) movie).  Also, it didn’t seem like you could take the gourmet food inside the theater with you; instead you must eat it in the cafe in the lobby.  Don’t know what drink to order?  They did have some interesting promotions:

What to eat? – I have to say we were somewhat underwhelmed with the food we ate in Naples.  The much-heralded Simply Southern BBQ, very incognito in a strip mall, was just ok (but boy was that mac n’ cheese good…), and the Roy’s Hawaiian outpost at the Bayfront offered beautiful views with very inconsistent and generally underwhelming food.  We still don’t know what Hawaiian fusion is!   Similarly, we didn’t understand all of the buzz about Adelheidi’s Organic Sweets on Fifth Avenue.  It’s laudable that they use organic, natural ingredients, but the gelato was really nothing out of the ordinary.

There were some food highlights, however.  We had a lovely dinner at Citrus Seafood Restaurant on Fifth Avenue.  We were able to sit outside as the sun went down, watching the crowds walk by.  The owner is obviously passionate about all things seafood and made us excited to eat there.  I will say that our trio of ceviche appetizer was just ok, but both the Maine lobster tower and the fish tacos were perfectly prepared and full of flavor.  Similarly, we had a nice lunch at The Cafe, tucked away just off Fifth Avenue on 8th Street.  They have delicious sandwiches and salads and many drool-worthy items in their bakery case.

Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about another restaurant in Naples that we had dinner at last summer called Cracklin’ Jacks.  It is a down home Southern restaurant if we ever saw one with things like alligator and fried catfish on the menu.  Go for dinner and they will literally fill your table with bowls of vittles:

Thanks for reading and happy traveling!

In a collegiate frame of mind?  Check out the University of Washington’s beautiful campus.  As you’re enjoying the scenery, don’t forget to look up.  You’ll see some of the coolest gargoyles staring back at you!

If it’s a nice day, Gasworks Park is a great place to spend some time because it gives you an amazing view of all of Seattle’s fantastic houseboats!

There’s a fantastic restaurant right near the park if you’re feeling hungry.  It’s called Ivar’s Salmon House.  Not only do they have great food, but the interior was modeled after a traditional Native American longhouse.

If you have the time, make sure to hop on a ferry to Bainbridge Island.  The ride is short with some beautiful views.  Once you get there, you can rent a bike, walk around or just indulge in some ice cream from Mora Iced Creamery – yum!  It’s right near the ferry terminal.

Feel like seeing some art?  Head downtown and walk into the lobbies of some of the buildings like Benaroya Hall.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see the work of Dale Chihuly everywhere!

Seattle is a great city to visit, just be sure to bring your umbrella.  Happy Travels!

Auction House – Head to the Upper East Side for this non-traditional bar that looks like a living room in an old    mansion/castle.  www.auctionhousenyc.com

Brinkley’s – A great pub and restaurant in SoHo.  Yes, this adorable bear is their logo!  www.brinkleysnyc.com

Central Park – The one and only.  We’re looking forward to a Mother’s Day picnic here, weather-permitting!

City Hall Restaurant – The site of the wedding!  Can’t wait for our first visit to this TriBeCa favorite!  http://cityhallnewyork.com

El Castillo de Jagua – A Lower East Side favorite for Cuban food.  It may be a dive, but they have fantastic lunch specials including Cuban sandwiches and chicken with rice and beans.  http://www.yelp.com/biz/el-castillo-de-jagua-new-york-2

 
Lower East Side Tenement Museum – One of the most amazing museums in NYC.  This National Historic Landmark is open to the public for tours and tells the stories of real immigrants who lived at 97 Orchard Street from 1863-1935.  www.tenement.org

Wo Hop – A Chinatown institution.  This greasy spoon is 24 hours and is an infamous place to go for cheap Chinese.  Make sure to dine in the basement and not upstairs, order the roast duck chow fun and pick up a t-shirt before you leave! www.wohopnyc.com

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse – Can’t get into Peter Lugar’s in Brooklyn, arguably the best steak restaurant in town?  Then head over to Wolfgang’s where a former Peter Lugar’s chef now works.  www.wolfgangssteakhouse.net

Yes, the NC Division of Tourism has made it easy for you to plan this trip.  At the bottom of the article is a link to a bare bones 4-day itinerary as well as 12 places to go to really experience the movie.  However, if you’re looking for a more detailed, custom itinerary for your vacation then drop us a line and we’d be happy to plan your ultimate Hunger Games getaway.

If you’re spending the holiday in New York City, Boston, London or South Florida, drop us a line at info@globalitineraries.com or visit our Facebook page if you would like to some tips on what to do!

Finally, if you happen to be spending the holiday in Chicago, make sure to take a picture of yourself next to the Chicago River which is dyed green every year for the occasion.  Want to know how this originated and how they do it?  Follow this link: http://greenchicagoriver.com/story.html.

Slainte!

On our travel plates for this year: a weekend in Washington D.C. in February, another trip to NYC in May and hopefully a wine tasting tour of France in early summer.  Let us know where you’re headed in the coming months and how we can help.  If you haven’t visited yet, check out the Global Itineraries fan page on Facebook for daily posts about travel.  Happy New Year!