Carnival Elation 7 Day Eastern Caribbean Ports of Call: Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, Nassau

January 2023

We have been to all of these ports more than once prior to this trip. We did not book any excursions this time, and you can find more information about any of these ports by clicking on labels of interest at the bottom of this post.

 Carnival Elation in Grand Turk January 2023 

Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos: 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM

You are supposed to have had COVID-19 vaccinations to disembark in Grand Turk. We received a letter the day before our arrival, saying that we needed to go to guest services to show our vaccination cards, if we wanted to go ashore. This information was then linked to our sail and sign cards that are scanned when disembarking. When we disembarked, people in the line next to ours were not being allowed off because they had not done this. This caused a brief holdup in that line while they were taken out of line to return to guest services or stay on the ship. Different passengers on shore told us they had not received the letter, and that they had not shown proof of their vaccination to anyone. They said they are vaccinated, so I am not sure if this had been taken care of by their travel agent, or another way, and they just did not recall it.

Carnival Elation in Grand Turk January 2023

Our experience in Grand Turk was peaceful, and we enjoyed it more than prior visits. We walked on the beach on both sides of the port, and not one person tried to rent us overpriced chairs or umbrellas. There is no charge to use lounge chairs at the cruise center or Margaritaville. You can find more information about this in my posts from February 2020 and 2022. The beach area to the right after you get ashore is less crowded; however, the swimming area on this side is also stonier, than the busier area on the left. You can read about the Junkanoo Party Bus, Rum Mixology & Beach shore excursion that we took last year in the February 2022 blog post.

Carnival Elation at Half Moon Cay January 2023

Activities in Jekyll Island, Georgia

January 2023, weekdays, Tuesday - Friday

Views from observation platform at information center
Bridge in distance in bottom photo is the bridge to Brunswick

I discovered this island purely by accident while researching another area nearby. We visited during off-season, so our experience is likely different than during busy times. Overall, we had a great visit, and I am sure we will visit again. The information center at the island entrance is more of a gift shop than a place for information. We were unable to get trail maps, or any better maps than the ones shown online. If you want printed maps, I suggest printing the online maps before arrival. There is a nice observation platform beside the information center, and there are restrooms inside the building. As I mentioned in my previous post, there is an $8 entrance fee to drive out to the island. I assume the entrance fee does not apply to bikers and walkers, as the only fees listed at the gate are for vehicles. We observed many people on bikes every time we arrived or departed the island.

Jekyll Island trails and signs on south portion of island

South Jekyll Island hiking, biking, beaches

The main island roads (Riverview Dr. and Beachview Dr.) go pretty much around the perimeter of the entire island. There are hiking trails in the center of the island between the roads. We stayed at Hampton Inn & Suites, and spent two days hiking the south portions directly from the hotel. 

St. Andrews Beach Park entrance and Wanderer Memory Trail

Jekyll Island, Georgia: Hampton Inn & Suites

January 2023, weekdays, 3-nights

February 2026, weekend/weekday, 3-nights

Tree outside our balcony in Hampton Inn Jekyll Island guestroom 404

Reservations, arrival, diamond perks

I booked a king standard guestroom with Friends of Jekyll Island promotional rate, which was less than the AAA rate. Before check-in, I received several notifications to upgrade to a larger balcony room for $16 more per night. I did not really want to spend another $50; however, we decided we definitely wanted a balcony guestroom, so I paid for the upgrade. My advice, if you are a diamond member visiting during off-season--do not pay for the upgrade! The cost is worth it when visiting during the busy season; however, since the hotel was mostly empty during our stay, I was quite upset with myself for this extra expense. Also, this was after just finding out about the $8 daily fee to be on the island (more info about that at the end of this post). The Hilton app check-in process did not work at this hotel, and it took about 15 minutes to complete check-in at the front desk after we arrived (two different systems, apparently). I received two bottles of water and two snacks.

Hampton Inn Jekyll Island king guestroom 404

Indialantic, Florida: DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Melbourne Beach Oceanfront

 February 2022, weekdays, 3-nights

Sunrise from our bedroom balcony DoubleTree Melbourne Beach suite 913

We had an amazing stay at this hotel booked totally with points. The service was great, the guestroom was comfortable, and the food was amazing. The hotel is located between the Atlantic Ocean and intercostal waterway. We enjoyed ocean sunrises from our bedroom balcony, and sunsets over the waterway from the table in the living room.

Sunset from living room area in DoubleTree Melbourne Beach suite 913

Arrival, check-in, diamond perks

We arrived quite early before check-in time, and opted to wait for a top floor guestroom. We walked on the beach, and settled in at the pool area, expecting to wait a few hours for our room. We were surprised when we received a text before noon telling us our room was ready. I received two bottles of water, and $30 per day food and beverage credit. There are only three types of guestrooms at this property, unless they have hidden rooms, so there was no opportunity for an upgrade.

View out the front of suite 913 DoubleTree Melbourne Beach

King guestroom 913

This room is set up almost exactly like an Embassy Suites. The entrance door opened into a spacious room with a small table and 2 chairs, and a sofa with left arm facing chaise. A flatscreen TV, small fridge, microwave, and beverage items (coffee/ice bucket) were on the large countertop/armoire across from the sofa. I do not have pictures of this area; the photos on the hotel website match this guestroom.

Shower in suite 913 DoubleTree Melbourne Beach

The bathroom was located between the living room and the bedroom. The large vanity was along the hallway area on the right, and the shower and toilet room were on the left. Several good quality towels and washcloths were provided, along with bath amenities. There was a door that could be closed to the bathroom, and one for the bedroom.

Orange Beach, Alabama / Grand Pointe Condominium #605 through Liquid Life

November 2018, 7-nights, Unit 605

View of gulf and pass from unit 605

This unit has the same 3-bedroom floor plan as unit 601 where we stayed in 2017, and it is located on the same floor with a view of Perdido Pass. I had contacted the manager for the unit we stayed in the prior year, and did not hear back from him before we decided to try a different unit. The cost for unit 601 in 2018 was higher than it had been in 2017, and the cost for this unit was similar.

One of the amazing sunsets from the beach at Grand Pointe

Reservation process with Liquid Life

I liked that we were able to do everything online for this rental, including the deposit payment and making the final payment. Additionally, we did not need to send in a security deposit. The contract we signed said that if there was any damage, our credit card would be charged, and evidence/photos provided. The only uncertainty with this process, is that we did not know when they had completed checking the unit after our stay. We did not damage anything; however, there were a few minor damages and some wear when we arrived (wall gouges/damage, carpet stains, cracked fridge shelves, etc.). Since we have not had much experience with property rentals, I am still unsure what to expect. When we rented unit 601 through Alabama Getaway in 2017, we had to mail in a security deposit check, which was returned after our stay. We also had to mail in the payment, and we preferred paying online by credit card.

Alabama Recreation: Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and Gulf State Park

November 2018, weekend and weekdays

View from platform overlooking Gator Lake and
Little Lagoon in Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

We only visited a small portion of Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, which is HUGE! Specifically, 7,157-acres located in five separate units in Baldwin and Mobile Counties, United States, directly west of Gulf Shores, Alabama on the Fort Morgan Peninsula.

Start of Pine Beach Trail near parking lot

We hiked Pine Beach Trail, which starts at Fort Morgan Road and runs between Gator Lake and Little Lagoon out to the gulf. It is beautiful! The trail is a fairly easy hike of less than 4 miles round trip. Only a small portion of the trail is beach sand near the end.

We saw an eagle in the swampy area near the start of the trail before reaching the lake and lagoon. Unfortunately, I did not get any good photos of the eagle. Following are a couple more trail photos.

Carnival Fantasy Cruise ~ 6 - Day Western Caribbean [Cozumel Plus] from Mobile, Alabama

November 2018

This was our first experience on Carnival Fantasy, and our first time cruising out of Mobile, Alabama. You can find additional pictures and information about Carnival Fantasy in my Facebook album. 

Carnival Fantasy atrium steps and elevator behind bar.

Pre-cruise

This cruise was kind of a last minute decision for us. We initially thought we would rent a condo in Orange Beach, Alabama for two weeks; however, the cost was quite high. We rented a condo last year for a week, and my husband said he wanted to go for two weeks this time to make the drive from Michigan worth it. I am the one who usually does all our vacation research; however, he found this cruise! The cruise was a much better value than booking the condo for a second week. 

View of Carnival Fantasy in Mobile showing location
of cabin E244. Click photo to enlarge it.

Western Caribbean Ports of Call from Carnival Magic: Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, Costa Maya

February 2018

With the exception of Costa Maya, we have been to all of the ports in this post more than once, ranging from 2003 to the present. You can find additional port and shore excursion information from our previous visits by clicking on the labels at the bottom of this post, or links within this post. I started this blog in 2010, so information prior to that is not provided. That information is probably outdated, anyway! I also have more photos posted in the Western Caribbean Facebook album.

Carnival Magic in Cozumel port Puerta Maya

Cozumel

Cozumel was our first port of call, and our ship was docked there for most of the day. We arrived before the scheduled 9:00 AM arrival time, and we stayed until 6:00 PM. We have visited Cozumel in 2014, 2011, 2010, 2005, and 2003. You can find information about the Deluxe Sail & Snorkel Tour that we took in 2011 in my Carnival Glory blog post. We did not book an excursion in Cozumel this trip.

The Carnival Magic docked at the farthest out dock at the Puerta Maya pier. I thought there were two other ships docked at Puerto Maya (Triumph, and I do not recall the other one); however, the port schedule website only lists two ships for the day we were there. A couple more ships were also docked at the pier next door, across from Royal Village Shopping Center.

Shops at Puerta Maya pier in Cozumel

Orange Beach, Alabama / bike trails, restaurants and happy hours, boating, beaches

November 2017 - December 2017

Lakeshore Trail ~ One of the prettiest loops in Gulf State Park!

Gulf State Park bicycle trails and Beach Bike Rentals

We had taken our own bikes with us to Orange Beach; however, our son visited for a couple of days via plane, so he rented a bicycle one day when he was there. Beach Bike Rentals is located on Perdido Beach Blvd. next to the Hotel Indigo and Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail - Rosemary Dunes Trailhead. It was $25 to rent a 3-speed cruiser for the day. A bicycle lock and helmet is included with the rental. Another bike rental store is located inside Gulf State Park in the picnic area of Lake Shelby. I do not know the details of their rentals, as we did not compare costs.

Inside Gulf State Park next to trail

We bicycled through the park on two different days, and we walked inside the park one day. We saw alligators, an armadillo, tortoise, snakes, a bald eagle, other birds, and butterflies. I am sharing a few photos we took, although I do not have room to include them all.

Orange Beach, Alabama / Grand Pointe Condos through Alabama Getaway

November - December 2017, 1 week

One of the amazing sunsets from the beach at Grand Pointe

Choosing a property

After viewing many properties, we had our desired property narrowed down to a few: Grand Pointe, Caribe Resort, Phoenix VII, and Turquoise Place. We liked Caribe and Turquoise for the resort atmosphere and luxuries; however, the cost was much too high for only two people. We actually had a difficult time finding a condo with a good rate for only two people, as most of the units in this area have more than one bedroom. The prices are great, if you are looking for something with more room. Some of our criteria: A balcony with a view of the water, and access to the balcony from the bedroom and living area. We also wanted a heated whirlpool tub onsite, preferably outside and open all year.

We did not like the layout of the one bedroom condos we found because the bedroom was located by the entrance instead of the water and balcony. We then started to look at two and three bedroom condos. Something else we had to take into consideration, is that the add-on fees, taxes, and such, were higher than what we had paid when we stayed in Panama City Beach, Florida a couple of years earlier. After much time searching, we were very happy with the end result.

One of the murals on the inside wall at Grand Pointe

Grand Pointe Condominium amenities

We absolutely loved this property! It is peaceful, well maintained, and we liked the location.

Mexico - Riviera Maya Excursions

January 2017, Monica Rendon private tour - Sac Actun Cenote, Tulum Ruins, private beach, local taco stand

We initially thought we would take the bus (colectivo) to the ruins, and then I happened across information about an amazing private tour guide operator. I contacted Monica via email to make arrangements. You can find more reviews for her on TripAdvisor, and she has a Facebook page titled SOY La Pesera. Our excursion was a bit unusual, as we had friends who happened to be staying at a resort in Cozumel at the same time we were staying at Luxury Bahia Principe Sian Ka'an. Monica picked up our friends at the ferry dock in Playa Del Carmen, and then she picked us up at the resort for our day.

Meeting, transportation, etc.

Our friends had no trouble finding Monica at the appointed time and location when they disembarked at the ferry dock. I had provided Monica with our stay information, and she was able to enter our resort to pick us up in front of the lobby. The vehicle/van had two seat rows behind the driver's seat, which easily seated 2 to 3 people in each row. The vehicle was clean and comfortable. Monica had a cooler in the back for us filled with cold Corona and bottled water. She spoke good English, and she assisted us perfectly with our day's activities. She exchanged our cash for pesos, negotiated and made our purchases for us at each stop, provided information about the best restrooms, beaches, food, and more.

View from Tulum Ruins

Tulum Ruins

Our first stop was at the ruins, which was just a short drive from our resort. It was not too busy when we arrived before 9:00 a.m., although it was quite busy with a few tour groups by the time we left. 

Visiting Savannah, Georgia & Tybee Island / Historic Squares, Forsyth Park, Downtown, Savannah Bells Ferry, City Market, Fort Pulaski, Tybee Beach, and more!

November - December 2016, Weekdays

We spent four nights in Savannah, Georgia at the Homewood Suites. I am sharing information from our experiences to assist future travelers to the area. One the first bits of information I want to share is about parking. All of the hotels downtown charge rates of $20 or more per night for parking. You can purchase a 24-hour parking pass from the city for $8, and you can purchase a 2-day pass for $14. More information is available in my Homewood Suites blog post (link above), and at the City of Savannah website. We purchased two 2-days passes, so our total parking cost was $28.  Much better than the $104 we would have paid at our hotel (not counting valet tips). We did not have any difficulty finding a parking spot in Bryan Street parking garage located directly behind Holiday Inn Express, or in Whitaker Street garage.

View of City Hall from Johnson Square

Savannah Historic Squares, Colonial Park Cemetery, Forsyth Park 

There are many narrated tours available to learn about Savannah history--trolley tours, walking tours, group and private tours. There is also considerable information available online and elsewhere, if you want to visit Savannah Historic Squares at your own pace, which is what we did. Here are a few online resources to assist with planning: Visit Savannah's Historic Squares, free Visitor's Guide, Historic Squares with descriptions, and my favorites: Squares and Parks and Self-Guided Walking Tour. I had prepared a rough draft of our walking tour plans before our trip, and then I left the folder of maps and info at home! We easily got new maps and information from the Visitor's Center  on E. Bay Street, our hotel concierge, and from various booklets around town.

Wright Square