Magical Mystery Tour – Review

Finally… I’ve recovered and caught up on all the things I should have been doing while I was “playing hooky.” Now that I’ve paid for my sins, I can get this review out to you… and then start dreamin’-n-schemin’ on my next adventure.

Before I get going, I want to tell you I had tons of fun on this cruise. The big reason… nights in the piano bar (PB). In particular… Ben Gentry in the PB. I booked this cruise only because he was the PB entertainer, and this was my last chance to cruise with him for several months. If he hadn’t been in the PB, I wouldn’t have booked this cruise.

So… it was a blast! I wish I could have this much nighttime fun on every cruise. But… rather than just giving you glowing reports on the Piano Bar, as I always promise you, my posts will tell you of the “good, the bad, and the ugly.”

Since I’m writing this as a review rather than my usual day-by-day “live from,” I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I decided to break it up into three segments. I’ll let you decide what you want to read. I’ll give you a quick synopsis here, and you can click into the part for the details you want to read. Or perhaps you’ll just click “goodbye.” (Goodbye takes you to a Ben Gentry Youtube Video.)

Each part, except goodbye, links will open in a new tab.

So there you have it. Of course I will cruise with Carnival again. I already have the Piano Barbarians cruise booked for next January. I don’t care where the cruise is going because I’ll be with friends and the great PB entertainers. AND… I’m already eyeing my next cruise with Ben Gentry… I may not get off the ship on that one.

Magical Mystery Tour – The Good

Just in case you didn’t get here by clicking through the top-level “review,” I want to tell you how phenomenal the Piano Bar (PB) was.

The PB entertainer was Ben Gentry. He is recognized in the “Carnival PB world” as one of the premier entertainers. Sure, Carnival has many good entertainers, but most can’t do what Ben does. Somehow he makes friends with everyone who sits around his piano. It doesn’t matter how young or… ummmmm… not so young they are. A couple of songs after you sit down, you are his friend.

Oh the things Ben gets people to do… how does he do it? Standing room only.

Even more, after an evening with Ben, Continue reading

Magical Mystery Tour – The Ugly

Hummmm… I’m not sure there’s ever any ugly on a cruise. I mean… if your overall experience on a cruise, or any adventure, is good, then can anything really be ugly. And I did have a blast on this and all but one cruise I’ve ever been on. But, as always promised… here’s what I think is as close to ugly as it gets.

(Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to other parts of the review. )

Progreso

 I don’t understand why Continue reading

Magical Mystery Tour – Recovery Begins

I’m back from the “Magical Mystery Tour.” I’ll post a full description in a bit. For now, this post is just a quick note to say I’m alive and well… but I need a day or two to recover before doing the full write-up. It was that much fun. You know you had tons of fun when you have to go back to work to rest up.

Most of you who know me have figured out by now I was on a cruise. At least I left you with a couple of hints. This time it was with incredible piano man Ben Gentry. I booked this cruise specifically because Ben was the PB entertainer. Even though the cruise was on the Dream, I chose the word “Magical” because when Ben is in the piano bar, it’s always magical.

And, “mystery” because who shows up is always a “mystery.” This cruise, we had Continue reading

Barbarians on the High Seas

Those of you that know me, know I spend all my kids would be inheritance on cruises. Writing the books and such is just an excuse to go on more cruises. But… there are one or two special cruises every year I don’t need an excuse for. I’ll share a bit of that with you.

Every year a hoard of Barbarians descend upon coastal areas and board a ship heading to the high seas. It’s happens often in Florida, but New Orleans has also become a Barbarians’ favorite. They arrive ready for wickedness and debauchery.

NO… Not those Barbarians…

Continue reading