Carnival Eastern Caribbean Cruise, March 11-16, 2023

Carnival Sunrise is a huge maze and it took quite a while for us to figure out where everything was.  There is a buffet, gym, fancy restaurant, bar, stores, arcade, various clubs and bars and more.  3,000 guests can stay on the ship, along with 1,000 staff.  

We spent some time walking around the ship and figuring out where things were. 

We went to the pool for a while and Carly fell asleep on the balcony.

There is a ropes course where you get to balance on a rope and walk out to a plank.  Carly and I did it and loved it.

Lloyd enrolled us girls in a $200 jewelry shopping spree.  Unfortunately, it was $200 off when you pay $600, so we didn’t stay.

We got some beautiful views of the sunrise and sunset.

We took the opportunity to take some pretty pictures.

That evening, we went to formal night at the fancy restaurant.

Our first stop was Turks and Caicos.  The Turks and Caicos has an elected government similar to the structure of the United Kingdom, with the title of Premier being the highest local elected office. As a British Overseas Territory, King Charles III is head of state, and is represented by a Governor appointed by the United Kingdom Crown.

We went on a Duck Boat where they showed us the first national hero James Alexander George Smith (Jags) McCartney.

We drove around and saw donkeys, the government building, library, and lighthouse. 

The rest of the day, we swam in the crystal blue water.  

Camilla loved the pink Starbucks.

We also tried the famous, “Conch Fritters”. Conchs (pronounced: konk) are gastropods known as sea mollusks or snails.  This was at a bar called Jacks Shack and we saw 18 year old twin boys walking around with G Strings.

Carly collected a lot of shells.

During our stay, our housekeeper made so many cute animals out of towels and placed them on our bed.

Our next excursion was Half Moon Cay.  This island is completely owned by Carnival Cruises.  The island has a population of 35.  We took a water taxi from the ship to the island.  

When we went swimming, we found a little turtle swimming around.

Our last stop was Nassau, where we swam with the pigs.  Take in its stunning natural beauty and wildlife as you bask on the beautiful white-sand beaches or sample some local Bahamian dishes and exceptional drinks. Tour the Lighthouse with stunning views of the surrounding seascape. Round off your day by cruising on a kayak or standup paddle board, and let the current gently sway you as you explore the island’s shores.

Nassau’s northern coast is home to Pigs Beach, where beach where we met, fed, and yes, and swam, with the local indigenous pigs. 

After our encounter with the pigs, we spent what’s left of the day lounging in the sun, back at Pearl Island.  We also visited the lighthouse on the island.

We also went shopping in Nassau.  There was a plethora of colorful local arts, crafts, gifts and edibles. Its close proximity to the cruise ship docks, Live Junkanoo musicians lend an even more festive air on certain days, usually when cruise ships are in. They interact with shoppers and provide photo opportunities.

 The finest local artists and crafts people keep booths here, making it a great destination.  We also bought coconut and lobster.

There was even a Gucci store.

After dinner on the ship, Camilla and I finished the evening off with a bit of karaoke.

My main takeaway of this cruise is how big the world is.  Looking out on the water every day and seeing it go on forever is a breathtaking experience.  Also, the people that live on these islands are very poor and need tourists for their survival.  Unless you are Eddie Murphy, Oprah, or Tiger Woods, it is extremely hard to live in the Bahamas.  I loved how everything was taken care of us on the cruise.  All we had to do was wake up and get to wherever we wanted to go.  Last but not least,  I think 75% of people on this cruise were fat.  I am assuming that they are from Florida and New Orleans.  We are not used to seeing this many obese people.  This is a TRUE vacation!