Here I sit on a cold rainy day in December, after weeks of procrastinating I'm finally going to sit down and enter my thoughts about cruising on the Carnival Spirit to Belize.Costa Rica and Panama November 11,2001. Yes as you can see I've put it off for quite a while. I am a very successful procrastinator indeed. Well let's begin this attempt at deathless prose by saying we booked our own air because we had vouchers we had to use. This meant we had to get our own hotel and provide our own transportation. No problem there and we were able to get to the ship at 12 sharp what a zoo some people getting off and some trying to get on. We ended up about 4th in line and got our boarding documents taken care of pronto, then came a short wait for the ID cameras to set up and we were aboard by 12:20 and heading up to the lunch which I must say was a better first meal than we have had on any Carnival ship so far. This being our seventh Carnival cruise I would say that the food has really improved. We were very pleased through out the entire cruise. Seems that as food has gone down on RCL, at least on our cruise in Aug. over in the Baltic it's gotten better on Carnival. Of coarse I'm no gourmet and don't really like the English style of cooking. Food taste is an individual thing and any criticism should be taken that way. Both good and bad depends on the person.

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We then went looking around the ship and much to my surprise Diane and I liked the interior decor. This is not usual because we usually find Carnival ships to be gaudy and over done with neon and mirrors. Some how we found the gilded look very pleasing just subdued enough for us. We have always preferred RCI ships ever since the Sovereign of the Sea came out in the 80s. I thought the windows at the stern in the dining room were very attractive and the atrium bar was nice although the mural was a little flat faced for me. But then I know nothing about art as my taste is all in my sox I guess.

Wow I got called away and days have passed since I started. In 90 hours according to my count down program we board our flight for Manaus Brazil to sail down the Amazon so I really must finish this masterpiece of probably useless information. The ports of call not on the main line of tourist destinations and it shows with the facilities that are in place so far in Belize. We had hoped to take the tour over the rain forest but were disappointed to learn it was sold out in less than an hour after the shore excursion desk opened. They only had transportation set up for forty people and over two hundred wanted to go. If you want this on you better be Johnny on the spot in the excursion line. We took the trip to the Mayan ruins, which entailed about a twenty-mile bus ride each way. You get a guided tour on the way there over a fairly rough one-lane road that serves as one of the main highways to Mexico. Due to a recent hurricane the road was in poor shape in many places and work crews caused the bus to use the shoulder often to get by. The temple ruins themselves are only partially excavated. But are very interesting just the same, made more so if ones been to Talum or Chickenitrza. On the return trip we went through the city and there seemed to be little of interest. People who took the city tour were really dissatisfied with the cost. The kayak and river trips were canceled due to really high water from the hurricane. Many people who took a tube trip came back saying it was dangerous and badly supervised. Belize has a ways to go in their organizing for cruise ships.

In Costa Rica we took the banana train to a Dole owned town and bused back. If you want this trip be sure to get a seat facing the front going up and if you bus first get on facing the rear going back to the ship. There is a native flea market on the dock for those who must shop a little and a small one in the Dole town but no other stops are made.

The last port was Colon Panama where many took the canal tour and were very pleased. We have been through the canal four times we went to Porto Belo instead which was interesting but limited to a few old ruins of forts from the pirate strong hold. Also a stop is made at a village where the Black Madonna is enshrined. Over priced shops are located at the pier. Over all we had a great time on the Spirit and thought it was the most pleasant Carnival ship so far.