Westward Ho on Carnival Radiance

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4 Day Baja Mexico Cruise From Los Angeles

We headed west to Long Beach, California for a short Carnival Cruise on the newly enhanced (and renamed) Carnival Radiance. Although it wasn't a brand new ship, we were excited to check out the modifications and report back to our readers. 

About Carnival Radiance: 

Carnival Radiance is a Destiny-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. She became the last of the three Destiny-class ships to undergo a refit and rename. The ship's refit was completed in October 2021, and she resumed service on 13 December.

Carnival's 50th Birthday Celebration

Milestone events only come once in a lifetime and you don't want to miss this one.  This is a great time to sail on Carnival Cruise Line. Carnival's 50th Birthday celebration kicked off in March 2022 – the company's birthday month – with a series of commemorative sailings that featured special entertainment and itineraries and continuing all year long, culminating with Carnival Celebration's arrival in November. 

A sister to the line's first XL-class ship, Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration will debut with an inaugural 14-day Carnival Journeys cruise Nov. 6, 2022, followed by the launch of year-round service from PortMiami Nov. 21, 2022. 

The addition of Carnival Celebration to Miami will maintain PortMiami's position as the top embarkation port for Carnival Cruise Line.

Many of Carnival Cruise Line’s 50th Birthday merchandise items, which have proven popular with sailing guests, are now available for purchase online, as well as select other offerings at shop.carnival.com.

We will write more about our Carnival Radiance cruise in additional posts.   Join in on the fun of Carnival's 50th Birthday by contacting us to plan your dream cruise vacation this year.

 

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Celebrating Australia Day

At the conclusion of our 13 Day Sydney Australia to New Zealand Cruise, we extended our trip in Sydney staying an additional two nights.  This allowed us to spend more time seeing the sights of Sydney and surrounding area.  The highlight of our stay was participation in the Australia Day festivities which were being held at Sydney Harbour.  

Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port Jackson in New South Wales. In present-day Australia, celebrations aim to reflect the diverse society and landscape of the nation and are marked by community and family events, reflections on Australian history, official community awards and citizenship ceremonies welcoming new members of the Australian community.

In contemporary Australia, the holiday is marked by the presentation of the Australian of the Year Awards on Australia Day Eve, announcement of the Australia Day Honors list and addresses from the governor-general and prime minister. It is an official public holiday in every state and territory. With community festivals, concerts and citizenship ceremonies, the day is celebrated in large and small communities and cities around the nation. Australia Day has become the biggest annual civic event in Australia.

Indigenous Australian events are now included. However, since at least 1938, the date of Australia Day has also been marked by Indigenous Australians and supporters mourning what is seen as the invasion of the land by the British and the start of colonization, protesting its celebration as a national holiday. 26 January is referred to as Invasion Day, Survival Day, or Day of Mourning. Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage to groups that lived in Australia before British colonization. They include the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia.

Australia Day festivities in Sydney lasted the entire day.  They started with Lord Mayor's Citizenship Ceremony followed by various acts on the Tallawoladah Stage, Ferrython, Salute to Australia, Tug & Yacht Ballet, In the Sky, Harbour Parade, Tall Ships Race, Australia Day Regatta, and concluded with Australia Day Live including various entertainers, concluding with an amazing  fireworks display.

We'll post some more information and videos.  Meanwhile, see our Australia Day photo album.

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Tiny Chefs EdgeCiting Meal

How does Celebrity Cruises prepare such fabulous meals? The secret is out - they employ Tiny Chefs who prepare your food tableside.

 

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Le Petit Chef™ 

The world-renown artists of Skullmapping ™, presented by TableMation™ have reached a true pinnacle of their custom 3D table animation art form. This dining experience is beautifully choreographed with an elegant menu created by our Michelin Star Chef. Le Petit Chef ™ offered on Celebrity Cruises® is simply one of the most unique dining events in the world.

 

What's the best way to celebrate a birthday? 

Birthday Celebration - Celebrity Edge

Regardless of your age, you'll enjoy a meal with these Tiny Chefs at Le Petit Chef on Celebrity Edge.  Your dinner table becomes the stage for this entertaining meal.  The production starts out with an introduction of the chefs, followed by the assembly of the meal, one course after another.   

There is a set menu, which parallels the video projected onto your dining table.   You can substitute items if you choose, but the video will not change. It consisted of Marinated Tomato Salad, Truffled Five Cheese Ravioli, Steak Frites, and Green Tea Matcha Cake. Because it was my birthday, the wait staff sang to me and brought a piece of chocolate cake with a candle. 

See our Le Petit Chef photo album for some pictures and watch the videos on our YouTube Channel. Watch this video for a taste of tonight's performance by these masterful tiny chefs.  

Le Petit Chef Playlist (YouTube) 

Even if it isn't your birthday, you will enjoy your meal at Le Petit Chef

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Making Birthday Memories

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Celebrity Edge + Sunset Veranda Cabin + Bubbly + Family + Sunset = Perfect Birthday Memory

After a fun day exploring Key West Florida, we got ready for my birthday dinner just as the sun was starting to set.

There's nothing better than enjoying a glass of bubbly on your private balcony as the ship sails away from port.  To make it perfect, add in a sunset, someone you love, and an aft Sunset Veranda cabin.

This Western Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Edge occurred during my birthday week.  Our cabin steward collaborated with my husband to decorate our cabin.  He also put a bottle of champagne on ice.   Mother Nature provided the sunset - making my birthday perfect.

The icing on the cake, for my birthday celebration, was dinner at Le Petit Chef™. That deserves its own blog post, so stay tuned for more on that later.

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Sunset Veranda Album

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