Carnival Victory Cruise, No, not that one

Less than a week ago I was able to exit relatively unscathed from the annual guy trip that many of my best friends were able to take aboard the Carnival Victory.  Prior to the trip there were multiple jokes and warnings from co-workers about the recent ... ummm ... hiccups that Carnival has had.  Luckily, I was able to arrive back home with some stories and very few complaints.  

We decided on the Carnival cruise that went over St. Paddy's Weekend and took us through a couple great locations.  We also met some great Spring Breakers and fun-loving sea goers on the trip.

Our first stop was Key West, FL. where the beautiful weather and plethora of bars made for a great day of walking and hopping among the local establishments.  The options that Key West provides include local trolley tours, self-done scooter touring, eclectic shopping, and lively local watering holes.  Our group opted largely for the last option (surprise, surprise).  Our tour including dancing on stages, entering into chants, and hitting some of the famous Key West spots. 

Key West, despite its tropical feel, proved to be eerily similar to Martha's Vineyard in my opinion.  The hard to get to town thrives on visitors and providing a vacation experience to all.  Local establishments are based largely on providing a show and uniquely Key West experience.  We were able to bounce around and explore the town with ease.  A great cruise destination due to the tourism options.

Following Key West we headed back to sea to head southwest to our next destination.  Cozumel, Mexico, an island south of Cancun which shares the same clear seas and hot winter weather.  Our tour of the island included an ATV adventure in the jungle, a stop at the beach where many forms of sea life were present directly on the shore, and a stop at a Mexican restaurant to test out the local tequila and beer.  Cozumel is the only piece of the trip I would have done different.  The ATV tour, while fun for the hour your rode, took over four hours to complete including a large amount of static time and a large push to purchase additional options above the price of the excursion.  The overall cheesiness of being a captive audience that is constantly being sold to was a deal-breaker for rating it a 5-star experience, however the tour of the island itself was a welcome addition to the trip.  After getting back and experiencing the beautifully temperate night it is definitely a place I'd choose to visit again to get a more in-depth tour of Mayan Ruins and to enjoy the tequila in the non-devil's shot form (addition of Tabasco sauce).

                 

After working the karaoke and club floors for the following night, we had a day at sea planned on our cruise.  It was also St. Paddy's!  The day included the option to dye anything green on the whole boat, chill in the hot-tub, and dance on the main deck.  We had a friend enter the hairy chest contest and subsequently get robbed out of a top-3 place (it may have been to his somewhat poorly understood dog bark).  All-in-all it was a great way to end a cruise, spending the day at sea with very little land in sight throughout the whole day with the sun shining.  

In the end, Carnival did a great job with offering a variety of food and drink options, the best of which are available nightly at the formal dinner, and the DJ was often spot on in the opinion of this 27 year old.  Be careful when you pick excursions, and make sure your flight home leaves earlier than later to avoid a long day waiting to get home.  

Bon Voyage!