On this new episode we take a panoramic view of the brand new Carnival Panorama. In part one, we begin to take a deep dive into the ship, starting with the outdoor public areas, indoor public areas, the spa, and the brewery. Scott shares his best tips and hints about the SkyRide as well! Also on this episode we have a great interview with Carnival brew master, Collin. He shares all about the beer brewing techniques aboard the ship. Uniquely, the Carnival Panorama is one of three Carnival Vista class ships, in the world, that have their own beer breweries on a cruise ship. Cheers! We hope you will enjoy the show! Tommy & Scott P.S. We appreciate it when you Visit Amazon.com
Please don't forget our interactive digital magazine, Seawind!
Our digital magazine can read on either your mobile phone or tablet. Interactive features include video, audio, websites, and webcam links (these features require an Internet connection, but you can still read and enjoy even offline). It is our desire to give you valuable information about cruising, destinations, food, activities and so much more.
Thank you for listening and sharing our show with your family and friends - we really appreciate all of your support of our podcast and our digital magazine, Seawind!
The Cruise Dudes Podcast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate
advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and
linking to amazon.com.
Welcome to episode #141! Cuba is back in the news and we have some thoughts and interview with Scott's friend, Mark. Mark just got back on one of the last cruises to Cuba on the Norwegian Sky. He had a awesome time on the cruise ship and his visit to island. Mark shares his interesting experiences and insights into the Cuban people and their culture. Also, don't forget about the Carnival Panorama coming to Long Beach, California start her inaugural cruise season on the West Coast! Join us on our Facebook Group here >>> Carnival Panorama December 21st, 2019 Cruise Finally, we want to THANK YOU for all your kind words and support! You are the best audience ever!
Please don't forget our interactive digital magazine app, Seawind!
Our digital magazine can read on either your mobile phone or tablet. Interactive features include video, audio, websites, and webcam links (these features require an Internet connection, but you can still read and enjoy even offline). It is our desire to give you valuable information about cruising, destinations, food, activities and so much more.
We want to thank you in advance for supporting us. Please consider leaving a review at the App Stores. This will help our ranking and bring more visibility to the app. Also, please share this app with your cruise friends and family. Consider giving it as a gift to your favorite cruiser! We would really appreciate it.
Thank you for listening and sharing our show with your family and friends - we really appreciate all of your support of our podcast and our digital magazine, Seawind!
The Cruise Dudes Podcast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate
advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and
linking to amazon.com.
It is always a pleasure to have Sheri from CruiseTipsTV.com to come on to our show! On this new episode, we hear about her cruise to the Mexican Riviera on the Carnival Miracle cruise ship. She and her family had a wonderful experiences, including a two day port stop in beautiful Cabo San Lucas. We also hear about her pre-cruise hotel visit in Long Beach as well. Long Beach is a great place to visit and explore. So many neat things to see and do, especially the Aquarium and, of course the Queen Mary. Of course, Sheri has many tips and ideas about her cruise, so you might want to take some notes. We always learn something new when she comes on the show. You can find Sheri and CruiseTipsTV all over the Interent here: YouTube: www.youtube.com/cruisetipstv Twitter: www.twitter.com/cruisetipstv Instagram: www.instagram.com/cruisetipstv Facebook: www.facebook.com/cruisetipstv Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/cruisetipstv
* * * * *
Please don't forget our new interactive digital magazine app, Seawind!
Our digital magazine can read on either your mobile phone or tablet. Interactive features include video, audio, websites, and webcam links (these features require an Internet connection, but you can still read and enjoy even offline). It is our desire to give you valuable information about cruising, destinations, food, activities and so much more. We want to thank you in advance for supporting us. Please consider leaving a review at the App Stores. This will help our ranking and bring more visibility to the app. Also, please share this app with your cruise friends and family. Consider giving it as a gift to your favorite cruiser! We would really appreciate it. Here are the direct links to the app: Seawind - Apple App Store Seawind - Google Play Store Thank you for listening and sharing our show with your family and friends - we really appreciate all of your support of our podcast and our digital magazine, Seawind! Keep On Cruising! Tommy & Scott
The Cruise Dudes Podcast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate
advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and
linking to amazon.com.
Welcome to episode 99! It's "Dockside Discussion" time on The Cruise Dudes Podcast. We jabber all about the much need refurbishment and remodeling of the Queen Mary in Long Beach. They want to spend 100's of millions of dollars to restore the ship - is it worth it? We share our thoughts. Plus we talk about the new technology coming to the Celebrity Edge and MSC's "MSC for Me" wearable tech.
We also welcome back Grace and Stanley for an interview about their cruise on the Carnival Inspiration and a beer tour they took in Mexico. It was fun interview, because Tommy recorded it at Disneyland on the Mark Twain Riverboat. Check out their video here:
Please don't forget to sign up here for our new and upcoming digital magazine app: www.seawindmag.comWe will be releasing private preview copy of the magazine that will only be available by invitation. Sign up today! Also, follow our new Instagram feed here: Seawind Magazine IG Thank you for listening and sharing our show with your family and friends - we really appreciate all of your support of our podcast! Happy Cruising! Tommy & Scott
The Cruise Dudes Podcast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate
advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and
linking to amazon.com.
Welcome to episode #74! Hey cruisers we are back with jam-packed show of cruising goodness made just for you! In this new show we share with you some of our favorite food discoveries in Seattle, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria. We found some new places, and revisited some favorites from past trips. Do you have a favorite spot to eat at these port stops? We would love to hear about them. Also on this show, we have an interview with the hotel Maitre D' ofthe Ruby Princess, Silvio Zampieri. He oversees all the restaurants and the waitstaff, with energy and passion and a hilarious sense of humor. He is a wonderful host who cares about the guests and their experience while aboard. We appreciate him and thank him for taking such good care of us and our family on this cruise!
Also on this show, we have cruise news, theme cruise of the week and our Amazon purchase of the week!
Finally, please continue to share us with your family and friends - it really helps to expand and grow our show through word of mouth and the various social media outlets we use. We appreciate you - you are the best!
The Cruise Dudes Podcast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate
advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and
linking to amazon.com.
We have another new and exciting show
for you! Scott just returned from a 3 day cruise to Ensenada, Mexico on the
Carnival Inspiration during the Valentine's Day weekend. The ship was recently
in dry dock and had some improvements and upgrades. It is now a "Funship
2.0" ship! Scott shares about his experiences and there is also an
interview with ship's Hotel Manager.
Be sure to check out Scott's new video and see all of the new things on the
ship:
We also have some cruise news, theme cruise of the week and our Amazon purchase
of the week on this new episode. It's a big show with lots of great
information. We hope you enjoy it!
Have you made plans for a cruise this summer?
Don't forget, we would love for you to join us this summer for our
"Cruise With The Dudes" cruise! July 25th - 29th, 2016 on the newly
renovated Carnival Inspiration! Details can be found here: www.cruisedudesevents.com
Finally, please continue to share us
with your family and friends - it really helps to expand and grow our show
through word of mouth and the various social media outlets we use. We appreciate
you - you are the best!
The Cruise Dudes Podcast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate
advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and
linking to amazon.com.
Cruise Dude Scott and his wife, Pam decided to take a post summer 3 day cruise to Ensenada, Mexico on Carnival's Inspiration cruise ship to get away from it all. So on this show, Scott tells us all about his cruise, the water slide, the food, his excursion tour in Mexico and so much more. Besides enjoying the cruise, Scott did some Periscope videos while on board and in Mexico. These videos are archived and you can view them here: www.katch.me/thecruisedudes
Also on this episode we cover the cruise news, cruise chit chat, the theme cruise of the week and a Cruise Dudes exclusive, a statement from SpongeBob SquarePants regarding his contract break-up from Norwegian Cruise Lines. We appreciate your support of our show! Please continue to share our show with your family and friends. Thank you! Tommy & Scott
* * *
Carnival Inspiration
(9/11-13/15)
“Short Review”
By Scott Andrews, www.TheCruiseDudes.com
3-Day Baja Mexico
This California 3-Day Baja Mexico cruise sailed from the Port of Long Beach. The Cruise Itinerary; departing Friday at 5:30pm, arriving Saturday at 8am in Ensenada, Mexico departing 6pm. A Fun Day at sea on Sunday, returning to Long Beach at 7am.
Check-In
Check-in is between 1-4pm. My advice is to beat the crowds and check in as early as you can. Let your cruise begin. The pool, buffet will be open. My cruise day started pulling into the parking structure at the dock. The cost of parking is $19.00 a day. Just remember this while putting a budget together. There are taxis and Ubers around that might make the cost cheaper over a longer cruise. Check-in will take some time. There are two types of check-in, Priority passengers proceed to the Captain’s Lounge located in the plaza and all other passengers proceed to General Check-In inside the Dome (formally the Howard Hughes Spruce Goose Hanger). Remember, 2,000 of your soon to be “close friends” are also checking in. Expect a little controlled chaos. All the lines were open and the very helpful Carnival staff direct passengers. It can take 15 minutes to an hour to check in before you step foot on the ship. The number one thing I saw holding up check-in was how individuals were arguing with staff about taking drinks, such as bottled water and other alcohol, onto the ship. Every passenger over the age of 21 may bring one bottle of wine. Passengers are still permitted to bring on sodas as long as they are in a can. Even with the politeness of staff explaining the policy many people tried to sneak beverages on in their carry on luggage. The new policy of not bringing bottled water I believe is a good policy to have. It cuts down on the screening of liquids at check-in. Not to mention the affordable $2.99 12-pack of water that can be purchased online then delivered to your room before the cruise begins. This also includes sodas that can be purchased and sent to your room so it is waiting for you when your cruise begins. Once at the check-in station staff was very polite and helpful checking in passengers.
The Ship
The Carnival Inspiration launched in 1996 part of the 8 ships in the Fantasy class. With the passenger capacity of 2,056 and a crew of 920 this ship is the ideal size for a 2-5 day cruise to Baja California. I had an inside room. I love the inside rooms on such a short cruise. Sleeping in complete darkness is nice. The room was the standard 185 square feet. The room steward, Ida, who took care of our room was excellent; he was always there cleaning rooms and keeping passengers happy. The hallways were kept cleaned and tidy.
Dining
The ship has different food options throughout the cruise included in the price. There is a Sea-day Brunch, 2 Dining Rooms, the buffet at the Lido Restaurant, Pizza Pirate, The Taste Bar, 24-Hour Room Service, Mongolian Wok, Swirls, and more. If you are looking for more, Inspiration also offers for extra cost The Coffee Bar and favorites like Lobster any night from the Steakhouse Selection. I chose the anytime dining starting at 5:45pm until closing instead of having a set time. With 600+ seats in each dining room the wait was only a few minutes each time. The menu included appetizers, soups, and salads. The desserts were excellent, the Hot Melted Chocolate Cake was to die for. Everything I had was hot and tasted great. The prime rib was cooked perfectly to my preference. My favorite appetizer, escargot, was on the menu and yes I had two. The dining room was spotless. Wait staff were always there assisting passengers with selections until the lights dimmed and the wait staff went into dance mode getting passengers up and dancing. It was very entertaining. It was also nice to see hostess staff enforce the nightly dress code turning passengers away for coming to the dining room in inappropriate attire, i.e. sports shorts, sleeveless t-shirts, etc.
Activities/Shows/Excursions
There are so many activities, shows, and excursions to choose from while on board. There is the Casino for the adults and the kids have their own programs and areas to hang out in too. The nightlife also includes the Rock n’ Roll nightclub or great productions like Motor City, with the sounds of the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s or Studio VIP, which brings back disco. Both shows are very entertaining to watch. During the day on the pool deck you can play fun adult themed games to watching crew making large ice sculptures and if you dare the water slide. If you want to get away from it all there is the Serenity Deck for a bit of peace and quiet for adults only. There are so many other things to do while on the ship. I found myself constantly on the move enjoying every second. I would actually need a longer cruise just to do it all.
On Saturday the ship docked at Ensenada giving passengers a window between 8am to 6pm to enjoy what the city has to offer. I chose, with the help of listeners, to take the Mexican Craft Beer Tour. It was great, we went to The Grumpy Goat where we were treated to a behind the scenes tour and tasting with the brew master, Juan. I am now “broken”, I tasted the best Irish Red Ale I have ever had, it’s not sold in the states as of yet, ahhhhh! From there we went to the Wendlandt brewery right on the coast and was given another tour and tasting. There I had the Farmhouse Ale that’s aged in old French oak wine barrels. Our last stop was Hussongs; it’s the oldest bar in Ensenada and is the true spot where the first margarita was born. Our tour guide, Stefano, was awesome. He talked about the region and the history Ensenada as we were driven through the beautiful scenery of Mexico.
Future
What’s happening to the Inspiration in the near future? The last dry dock of the Inspiration was November of 2013. The next dry dock will be taking place in January of 2016, with the first set cruise Super Bowl weekend. All I can say is more Fun Ship 2.0 elements are coming soon. I would love to see a Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint or the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar or Cantina. I guess we will just have to wait and see. I am looking into returning for another cruise on the Inspiration in February when she is launched once more from dry dock. For more information about the Inspiration or what is Fun Ship 2.0 go to the Carnival.com website. Until next time, “Keep On Cruising!"
The Cruise Dudes Podcast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate
advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and
linking to amazon.com.
