Voyage #2 - night #10, 1/16/23

Cruise no. 2 started off quite well. As I had mentioned before, it's my first time doing a b2b (back to back) cruise, meaning you do one cruise that is an entire vacation for most, and then get on the same ship and go out on an entirely separate cruise. In my case, I am doing two seven day voyages, on the same ship, the Carnival Celebration!

I booked the 2nd week too late so my first stateroom was unavailable for week two, but in a happy little surprise, I got a call from the "upgrade fairy", another cruise industry term. Typically she visits a few days to few weeks prior to sailing but mine came while on the ship. I requested it, and received a move from an interior room, to a forward facing balcony.

So while I was looking forward to my first trip in an interior room, I most certainly was not going to turn down a balcony. Let me tell you, a forward-facing balcony in an entirely new perspective on cruising.

Yes, you definitely feel a bit more motion at the front of the ship, but for all of you aft balcony cabin fans, I challenge you to try a forward balcony.

Here's a few shots of my interior room. It was surprisingly large, and would have been absolutely content there.

But you can see, the forward-facing balcony is absolutely stunning!

Tonight is Formal Night, the first of two on this sailing. I don't really participate. Dressing up is not my thing at home and it's definitely not my thing on vacation. I mean, it's cute to see other people do it, but traveling solo it seems unnecessary and it also saves a lot of room in the luggage to not have to bring all of that extra gear.

I sit here in the Golden Jubilee Bar, typing away. Visiting with Jason, my favorite bartender on the ship and watching people live a life they probably don't usually live either...

Signing off for tonight.

-Cole