Cruising the Southern Caribbean - Carnival Valor - Day 3 - Sea Day

Today was a sea day, so after another boozy night and a sleep in I headed for a quick buffet breakfast to get me through the morning, before meeting up with the girls for brunch (which was actually lunchtime when we went).

Buffet breakfast - standard

 

Here I just had a bagel with bacon and boiled egg and some breakfast potatoes.  I love bagels (and only ever eat them when I'm in the US or Canada).

 

After lazing in the sun on deck for awhile, I headed to the dining room for Brunch.  Always feels fancy when you are seated by waiters who carefully drape the napkin over your lap.  We started with these little heavenly bites. Popovers.  Something new to me.  Actually it's similar to a yorkshire pudding. Those popovers easily popped into our mouths!

 

 

popovers

Hungover and seeding, the extensive menu had to many things to choose from.  I didn't particularly want 'breakfast' brunch so I opted for the steak and eggs options, that came with grilled tomato and onion rings.  This was a huge serving.

Steak and eggs

 

The eggs were sunnyside up and perfectly cooked (for a change) and the steak was perfectly medium rare and juicy.  The onions rings were crispy and golden and the chimmichurri sauce on the side was tangy and bitey.



Bacon mac' cheese

 

I also asked for a serve of mac n' cheese with bacon. Yes I was being a glutton (and was proven once again that I cannot eat huge portions anymore)...and it wasn't exactly what I expected. I thought the bacon would be chopped up through it and it unfortunately tasted like it came out of a Kraft box.

So what doe's on do one do on a sea day? - drink cocktails on deck and the open seas of course!  This was the day's special a pomegranate something or other.  We spent a lazy afternoon on the top deck away from the buzz and chilled out.  Hanging out with new friends is fabulous!

 

cocktails in the day

 

Tonight's random tasting menu is from Scarletts Steakhouse (which is on our ship the Carnival Valor, and I have a booking for later in the week).  Pumpkin Bisque with sour cream and short ribs croquettes with chipotle aioli, guava and tomato relish.

 

 

Pumpkin Bisque and Short Rib Croquettes

 

the soup is creamy and velvety and very soothing and the short rib croquettes aren't overly potatoey and the richness of the short rib shines through. I'm really looking forward to my special dinner here later.

It's formal night number 1 and everyone is dressed up to the nines.  I've met the captain and his team, taken a few formal photos and head to the dining room.  Gusti is happy to see me again and I'm seated next to a few couples that I have chatted to before. Always lovely to catch up with others.

I start with spicy alligator fritters served on tropical tomato salsa.  They aren't very crispy and far to greasy for my palette, but now I can say I've eaten alligator.

Spicy alligator fritters

 

To maximise the flavour sensations, I have started to order two entrees (don't judge, some people order two mains on top of entree and dessert).  My second entree is sake stewed beetroot carpaccio with grapefruit, gorgonzola and baby arugula.  The beetroot is paper thin and punchy with sake flavours.  I really love this dish.  Simple and flavourful, it's colour bursting on the plate that grabs me!

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Sake stewed beetroot carpaccio

However, it's the main course that is the special of the night (being formal night). Broiled (grilled) maine lobster tail and jumbo black tiger shrimp (prawns in our language!) with yukon gold potato mash and roasted broccoli florets (for the token vegie).  The lobster is soft and tender and dipped in the warm drawn butter it's a mouthful of scumptiousness! I only have a mouthful of potato and brocolli

broiled lobster tail with jumbo black tiger prawns

 

I'll admit I really can't fit in dessert but feel if I don't try the special dessert I'm missing out.  Cherries Jubilee (apparently it's a Carnival must have (along with the Bombe Alaska that seems to be on every cruise!).  I love fresh cherries and these are pretty tasty.

Cherries Jubilee

After dinner, I meet up with the girls again for cocktails in our favourite Paris Hot lounge and then the boys found us and invited us to a comedian show.  So we headed over for an hour of laughs. In this lounge they had a different cocktail menu and I decided to try the Miami Vice.  Pina colada and Strawberry Cola swirled together.  OMG! This was the drink of choice for the rest of the trip (side note - any of the bars can make it even if it's not on the menu!)  Icy, creamy, coconuty and very refreshing.

Miami Vice (not so Don Johnson!)

Another perfect day at sea. Drinking and dancing the night away again just seems to be our night time activity and I'm loving it!