Carnival Inspiration, Day 2 - Avalon, Catalina Island

Now, Catalina Island is a mere 26 miles off of the coast of Los Angeles. So, although technically we were sailing...we were not going very far.

But before we take a tender onto the island, breakfast.

Carnival's Dining Room Breakfast Menu. Typically the same every day (except for Sea Day Brunch, which I will get to). However, this is the updated version, which Carnival was testing on our ship. Items like Avocado Toast, Breakfast Board and Breakfast Bowl are all new to the fleet. And, since we were on the Best Coast, a Masala Dosa.

Breakfast done, and after a bit of lounging around the ship for a bit, Nathan decided that 10 a.m. was late enough for a drink at the Red Frog Rum Bar.

Believe me, Nathan was happy that they had a bar that was dedicated to rum. Very, very happy.

We headed ashore at 11 or so, and wandered around the beachfront in Avalon, walking down to the Casino and back.

Of course, Nathan had to find a tiki bar. And in Avalon, Luau Larry's is where you go. Got a drink and a few oysters. You know, the usual.

Despite the cocktail, Nathan's blood sugar was low, so we headed to an overpriced ice cream shop for Nathan to get a cone. Out on the beach, this guy was eyeing Nathan's cone. Look at that side eye...

We got back on the ship at about 3 - the tender boats in Avalon have gotten much bigger over the years since I had last been to the island, and they took about an hour to load and unload. So, despite the fact that I was missed food and drink trivia, we had just enough time to shower and get ready for Formal Night.

Formal Night on Carnival coincides with their American Feast menu in the main dining rooms. Carnival, unlike other lines, gives you the option of having set dining (set table and time each night) or anytime dining (like going to a restaurant, sans reservation). Personally, I like set dining - you get the same wait staff every night, and they get to know you (and vice versa) over the course of your cruise. It makes for a more personable experience, and something that you really do not get on dry land. Here above is a picture of the appetizers. I had the crab cake and the Kale Caesar. Both great.

Prime rib for my main. About an 8 ounce portion, just enough. The grill selections are similar every night. Entrees usually have one pasta, one vegetarian, one Indian vegetarian, one fish, one meat, etc. They are happy to accommodate most dietary restrictions. And, there's the buffet if you would rather not dress up.

As for dressing up...after our last experience on Norwegian where NOBODY dressed up for anything, boy was I shocked to find out that my vintage dress and Nathan's polo shirt and slacks were slightly under dressed for what I thought was a 4 night booze cruise. Everyone dressed nicely and nobody acted poorly. Note to self - only sail from the West Coast.

We spent the evening just meandering the ship, which has long been one of my favorite activities. It is so nice to be able to easily stroll from one area to another, pop out on deck and smell the clean ocean air while looking up at the night sky.