Cruise #3 - Great News

Well, maybe good things to come to those that wait!

We have just been notified by Carnival that they are upgrading us to a Grand Suite for our 3rd cruise, the Transatlantic crossing. There are only 12 of these Grand Suites and we have been given one of them because someone cancelled at the last minute and they took a look at everyone on the ship and gave us the upgrade. What an honor!!!!!  Maybe doing back-to-back-to-back-to-back cruises made brownie points with them.

Anyhow, here is what is in store for us on the Transatlantic Cruise:

• Day 1 - Depart Barcelona, Spain
• Day 2 - Palma De Mallorca, Spain - This is our second time in Palma De Mallorca. This time, visit the small village of Valledemossa. WE will visit La Cartuja, an ancient Monastery originally built as a royal hunting lodge, later inhabited by Carthusian monks, and eventually used as lodging for travelers. We will get a chance to see a collection of furniture including a piano where Frederick Chopin composed some of his masterpieces.
• Day 3 - Fun Day At Sea
• Day 4 - Malaga, Spain - Today, we will visit our last port in the Mediterranean. We intend to visit the charming little village of Mijas, which is one of the jewels of the Costa del Sol. We will explore the narrow cobblestone streets lined with tiny whitewashed houses decorated with grill work  and covered with bouganvillea and jasmine.
• Day 5 - Fun Day At Sea - As we go through the Straight of Gibraltar, we begin our journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
• Day 6 - Las Palmas, Canary Island - We are going to visit Gran Canaria, with its beautiful villages, have a lunch of Canarian Specialities. Lying off the coast of the Western Sahara, this is our last stop before leaving the African coast and heading east to the states.
• Day 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, & 12 - Fun Day At Sea - We now have six days in a row before we encounter land again. If we are going to go stark raving mad, it will be during these six days.
• Day 13 - Grand Turk Island - Land again! After our great Dolphin Encounter in August, we plan on trying it with Stingrays on the uninhabited island of Gibbs Cay.
• Day 14, 15, & 16 - Fun Day At Sea - Well, we have four more days at sea as we go around Florida and head for Galveston, TX, our final destination in the US.
• Day 17 - Galveston, TX - After 40 days, we finally are back to the United States. Our cruising is not finished, but more on that another time.