Seawind Magazine - April 2017, #1 by Seawind Magazine

PG# SHARE

Island Spa Catalina

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Contents From The Bridge .......

Savor The Flavor ........

Introducing “Seawind” a different kind of cruise magazine

Curtis Stone & Princess Cruises introduce SHARE Above - Carnival Cruise Famous Warm Chocolate Melting Cake

Cruise Ship Makeovers .. California’s Sister Ships Get Fun Ship 2.0 Upgrade

Sheri, CruiseTipTV

Divas

Descano Beach

Disney Cruises

Cruise Tips Corner

Sheri opens up her suitcase

Port of Cal Catalina Island, Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exclusive resort island

Theme Cruises

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Finding a specialty cruise that scratches your itch!

Beyond The Sea A cruise fiction serial by Cobie Daniels

Welcome to Seawind - the first ever digital magazine specifically designed for cruising enthusiasts! In January 2014 we launched the first episode of The Cruise Dudes Podcast dedicated to celebrating the cruising lifestyle. Throughout the years we have reached a large audience of fellow passionate cruising enthusiasts who are always seeking out more information about the cruising industry. This magazine will not only be sharing articles written by us, but also adventures from fellow cruisers. Seawind is an open platform for cruising enthusiasts to contribute their fascinating nautical stories and experiences in articles, photographs, and other forms of media. Benefits of Seawind, the digital magazine: • Seawind can be downloaded and read anytime or anywhere on smartphones, tablets, laptops or desktop devices. • Audio and video files are embedded in the magazine, making Seawind a unique, rich, and engaging interactive experience. • Articles are linked with social media, allowing readers to interact with the authors

Seawind cover photo was taken by Tom Allison on the Ruby Princess at Sunset in the Mexican Riviera, 2016

www.seawindmag.com seawindmag@gmail.com Instagram @seawindmag Twitter @seawindmag Facebook - Seawind Magazine

Our family history encompasses a total of 60+ years of cruising around the world from sailing on the historic Queen Mary to megaships like the Allure of the Seas. We’ve experienced around-the-world cruises, Arctic adventures, Caribbean vacations, Mediterranean & European journeys, the Mexican Rivera, California Coastals, Alaska’s Glaciers and so much more. Cruise with us on our new adventure, Seawind! Scott Andrews & Tommy Allison Editors and Publishers of Sewind

Catalina Island: California’s Exclusive Island Resort

Carnival’s California’s Sister Ship Makeover

Chef ’s Table: Not To Miss Experience

Fine Dinning At William Wrigley Jr. Summer Cottage Mt. Ada 5

n late 2015, Princess Cruises removed Sabatini’s restaurant from the Ruby Princess to make room for its new restaurant, SHARE, which is also currently on the Emerald and Sun Princess. Award-winning chef Curtis Stone has teamed up with Princess Cruises to create an exciting and breath taking restaurant that can only be found on Princess Cruise line ships. With a six-course meal awaiting your palate, each item on the menu is personally selected, sourced, and delivered to the ship. Then, every onboard chef is personally trained by Chef Stone on how each plate needs to be prepared. Chef Stone and Princess Cruises have left no detail out to give each guest a fantastic dining opportunity at sea.

My meal at SHARE started with a Charcuterie Platter consisting of Jamon Iberico, Salami Finocchiona, Chicken Liver Parfait, House Pickles and Epi. Along with Charcuterie Platter I received an appetizer of “Cavatelli” Beets, Castelmango, Sun Choke, and Brussel Sprout. I was surprised to find even though I am not big fan of liver, The Charcuterie Platter was smooth and pleasant to the palette. Upset about Sabatini’s being gone? The next appetizer dish will put your mind at ease. This Italian style appetizer was sweet, bitter, and savory all in one on a bed of perfectly cooked gnocchi– it melts in your mouth.

With any meal wine is a must. Our host recommended a Blend by Ridge Lytton Spring, 2013. As a wine maker myself for nine years, it’s something I would not have chosen. However, the host was spot-on; the wine complemented every dish being served. SHARE has a wide range of wines available to best match with your meal. The waiters at SHARE are helpful and knowledgeable which adds to the style and experience of what the restaurant brings to the table. The menu, just like in Curtis Stone’s land based restaurants, will be changing every six months. The change in menu options gives new and return cruisers fresh choices to explore and enjoy each time they take a cruise on the Ruby Princess, Emerald Princess, and Sun Princess ships. On that note, the meal I shared with you in this article might already have been changed and replaced with a new option for you to enjoy. SHARE is a specialty dining option and there is a cost of $39.00 per person. If unsure of trying SHARE, Princess Cruises has made available a small selection of Curtis Stone’s menu in their dining rooms at no extra cost. The main course of the evening was the Twice Cooked Duck with Fennel, Bacon Jus and Parmesan Crumb. The Twice Cooked Duck was perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The Duck was so tender I was able to cut it with a fork. Another main dish sampled was “Beef Cheek Pie”. The meat and mushroom pie had a flakey crust with a hole in the center. Our waiter poured hot creamy gravy into the center of the dish at table, which kept the pie piping hot. It was incredible to say the least. The sides chosen were the Melted Leeks, a Confit Egg Yolk with Brioche Breadcrumbs, Braised Kale, and Potato Gratin truffles in cream. All are excellent choices. The Leeks were hot, the Confit Egg was runny, the kale was sweet, and the Smoked ham served with the Crispy Shallots was an excellent combination. For dessert I had the Dark Chocolate Cremeux – toasted hazelnut feilletine, burnt vanilla bean ice cream and the Ricotta Fritters – spiced pear rum compote and Crème Fraiche ice cream were served. Perfect in size, flavor and presentation - a fantastic ending to a wonderful meal.

The entire dining experience from appetizer to dessert lasts around two hours. It is well worth your time to enjoy and savor the flavors of Curtis Stone’s excellent food choices. This is a “not to be missed” experience; make reservations before boarding or once you arrive on the ship. Lastly, Chef Curtis Stone is acclaimed by publications ranging from Time to Travel + Leisure, his first resteraurant, Maude, named “2015 Best Restaurant in L.A” by LA Weekly, is among Los Angeles’s most coveted reservations. Exclusively for Princess Cruises, SHARE presents his world-class dining as a deliciously distinctive six-course meal unlike anything on sea. – Scott Andrews

“Sharing what you like, and reflecting on your adventures during the day. It’s these moments that create memories we treasure forever.“ “Curtis Stone” 7

Carnival Cruise Lines Fun Ship 2.0 Upgrades

California’s Fleet Is Complete

arnival Cruise Line’s sister ships, have returned back home to their Long Beach dock with a completely new makeover. The Carnival Inspiration and Carnival Imagination are now enhanced with brand new Fun Ship 2.0 upgrades. Also, the current ship in port, the Carnival Miracle has also been upgraded to Fun Ship 2.0. Let’s explore what enhancements have been made to these newly refurbished cruise ships.

serving hand-crafted burgers and fresh-cut fries enjoyed amidst a décor that celebrates the chef’s California roots and love of car culture. BlueIguana Cantina, a complimentary poolside Mexican eatery where guests can enjoy authentic, freshly made burritos and tacos on homemade tortillas, as well as an elaborate toppings and salsa bar.

Guy’s Burger Joint, a free-of-charge poolside venue developed in partnership with Food Network personality Guy Fieri

For the Child in You

Cherry’s On Top & Seuss At Sea

Alchemy Bar, a “cocktail pharmacy”-themed lounge where mixologists “prescribe” concoctions from different elixirs and ingredients with creative monikers like Forty is the New Twenty and The Restorative Basil Drop. RedFrog Rum Bar, a poolside watering hole offering the quintessential Caribbean vacation vibe with refreshing Caribbean rum-based frozen drinks and beers, including Carnival’s own private label draught brew, ThirstyFrog Red

FUN SHIP 2.0

Carnival Cruise Lines announced Fun Ship 2.0 in 2011. It started as a $500 million initiative to dramatically transform the Carnival Cruise Lines vacation experience by introducing New Bars, Lounges, Dining Choices and Entertainment options. Besides the areas we have touched on in the article. Carnival has also added the Punchliner Comedy Club Presented by George Lopez, The Hasbro game show, a new larger-then-life interactive stage show cruisers take part in. Or my favorite, Dr. Seuss at Sea, I loved the Green Eggs & Ham breakfast. The shows, R&B Motown and more… Fun Ship 2.0 has taken a long time to fully roll out among the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. However, it was well worth the wait. I can’t wait to see what is next for the corporation as a whole in the future.

BlueIguana Tequila Bar, a fun and festive outdoor bar offering a laid-back Mexican-themed atmosphere and tequila-based frozen drinks and beers, perfect for chillin’ by the pool. Cherry On Top, the “sweetest spot on board” which celebrates the joys of simple indulgences with bins of bulk candy, fun fanciful gifts and novelties, custom apparel and more.

he Carnival Inspiration’s layout of Cherry On Top is a little different then the Carnival Imagination. The biggest difference is the location of Cherry’s on Top. The store on the Inspiration is located toward the Atrium side of the casino. On the imagination the store is larger and located next to the Dream Bar, which gives it more foot traffic. 98

Alchemy Bar’s month RX-Drink “The Deal Closer” Best advice this side of Dr. Whoever

he Carnival Imagination came out of dry dock in September of 2016 and included other improvements featured around the ship; for instance, the pools were redone. The flooring at WaterWorks and around the pool was replaced with a 3/8 rubber flooring in the color of blue. Only three ships were given this softer flooring and the Imagination was one of them. Also, all upholstery was changed along with the majority of carpet. A lot of “behind the scenes” was also completed.

id you know the Carnival’s ship Imagination has been voted 1st or 2nd best in customer satisfaction over the past 11 months within the entire Carnival Fleet? They must be doing something right! Now let’s dive deeper into some of the ship’s new features.

he Alchemy Bar experience. Did you know they tore the entire old bar out on the Imagination including the walls and started just from the studs? The Alchemy bar is not just a Martini Bar, but it also serves Craft Cocktails. All the ingredients all always fresh. It’s nice to see cocktails made by the mixologists fresh rather than poured from pre-made mix. The Alchemy Bar is a great spot to just hang out during a relaxing day at sea. Carnival did move the TV’s out, so if watching sports are a must, games are usually being played at the Coffee Bar mid Ship.

uy’s Burger Joint. Need I say anything else? With all the toppings and the four ways to make your burger, it’s Burger Heaven. I would recommend trying all four burgers into one. Yes with four meat patties. It was incredible (during my last cruise they named it The Cruise Dudes Special!). Ask for it by name. Also ask for a plate of onion rings, add chili, onions and bacon from the toppings counter and you are set. For the vegetarian, Guy’s has a Veggie Burger option - just ask and they will make it.

he Chef’s Table, a dining experience. This makes up for not having a sit down dining restaurant experience (such as Carnival’s SteakHouse on other Carnival ships). Chef’s Table Is a one-of-a-kind culinary experience. The evening starts with a select group of 10-16 guests enjoying champagne and hors d’oeuvres. The chef then takes the group on a personalized tour of the galley in operation. During the tour the chef offers unique hors d’oeuvres to try, complementing the flowing champagne throughout the tour. The tour concludes in a private reception area where exquisite multi-course private dinner is held, hosted by one of the line’s master chefs. The cost for this experience is $75.00 per person. Because there’s such a large demand for this unique and one-of-a-kind experience, ships on an individual basis are looking at hosting two offering per cruise. Cruisers must signup while filling out the required information prior to the cruise. Read details before committing. It’s a dining experience not to miss. The approximate time from tour to dessert is around 2 1⁄2 hours. Enjoy!

Carnival Entertainment Shows always deliver top-notch entertainment from start to finish and the shows on the Carnival Imagination are no exception. From interactive shows such as Hasbro Game Show to well-performed musical shows like Divas, these shows give cruisers an experience they won’t want to miss. (click on the picture to the right for a backstage look). The hours cast & crew put into every show makes a difference. The show Epic Rock was a blast from the past with music from the 80’s and 90’s. Recommendation for the best viewing experience is to sit on the lower level. Also, read the descriptions before all shows to determine which show is best for you; all of the shows are excellent, however everyone has different tastes in entertainment. Use the Fun Times Brochure to stay informed of all entertainment and activities onboard. From the beginning with the Sail Away Party to end at The Punchliner Comedy Club, there is something for everyone. So much to do with so little time. Even though I’ve already taken two cruises on the Carnival Imagination, I still did not have enough time to do it all. I guess I must book another, darn. With Carnival Imagination always in the number 1 or 2 spot for Customer Satisfaction among the fleet, it’s no wonder why I will be returning again. and again.

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Divas Cast with Seawind Editor Scott

Divas

Sheri’s Cruise Tips Corner

Who is Sheri? Sheri started CruiseTipsTV in 2013 to share her love for cruise travel and adventure. She's traveled on 20+ cruises with 5 different cruise lines. Her YouTube channel CruiseTipsTV has over 1.8 million views with over 200 videos on topics from full ship tours, daily trip vlogs, packing tips, and more… Now it’s time for her cruise tip of the day.

Packing Tips

Vacations and packing go hand in hand and can be overwhelming. Cruise line websites give some general guidelines on what to pack, but for myself, I didn’t really know what “resort wear” and “formal wear” meant in the context of a cruise. Would I be overdressed if wore a dress to dinner? Should I leave my jeans at home? How many shoes should I pack? Aah, the decisions! Over the years, I’ve learned to enjoy packing, as part of the overall anticipation of cruising, and I apply some of the same tips, cruise after cruise.

- Making a packing list does NOT make you a #cruisenerd. Or maybe it does, but who cares. Not sure what to pack? Start by heading to Pinterest and searching “cruise packing list”. You’ll find dozens of checklists to get you started. Once you find a list you like, you can start adding to it. No need to get fancy. It;s as easy as starting a note on your smart phone - Packing cubes are your friends. If you’ve never tried packing cubes, try consider investing in a few sets. Not only do they organize the packing process. Cubes can also help keep your stateroom organized and clean once onboard. Cruisers can use them to pack by person or by day. Cubes are an “early packers” dream. I start filling the cubes weeks before my adventure to asure I don’t over pack my days. Shop online at places such as Amazon.com, some sturdy great brands include Shacke and Eagle Creek. The following links to videos were filmed before our last cruise as I packed for my family. See how my family utilized the cube. Part 1: Packing for me https://youtu.be/X8GIxAtdnSM Part 2: Packing for my husband and 7 year old son https://youtu.be/TPc-8oLT4PQ

- Leave your uncomfortable shoes at home. If you don’t mind walking several football field-lengths to get to dinner in stilettos, ignore my advice. I, however, get blisters every time I LOOK at a new pair of shoes, so after learning the hard way over and over, I no longer pack new, stiff, or “they look awesome but hurt” shoes on a cruise. Just trust me on this one. 14

- Most ships have laundry facilities or a service. Now that being said, overpacking isn’t the end of the world. Its okay if you don’t perfectly calculate the number of t-shirts and socks you’ll need on your cruise. I would rather over-pack (a little) than run out of something. So, grab that extra swimsuit and relax, it’s YOUR vacation! Want more packing tips? Here are a few (well, 19) videos to get you packing like a pro. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL CLybRxC0VFJRBf7B0Y6lBFUAHTPwEs3o See you on the high seas! Sheri, CruiseTipsTV Follow “CruisetipsTV” Webpage: http://www.cruisetipstv.com/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CruiseTipsTV Twitter: https://twitter.com/cruisetipstv Instagram: https://instagram.com/cruisetipstv Facebook: www.facebook.com/cruisetipstv Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/Cruisetipstv

Catalina Island

Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Exclusive Resort Island Free Birthday and More... 15

hat’s better than the gift of Catalina Island for your birthday? The free stuff Catalina businesses give away on your birthday! Let’s talk about, what kind of giveaways Catalina Island businesses have for you on your birthday. The first saving I want to talk about is the Catalina Express. The Catalina Express has a birthday promotion offering a free round-trip ticket to Catalina on one of their Catalina Express boats running to the port of Avalon or Two Harbors. What’s the catch? You have to travel on your birthday. However, you don’t have to come back for up to 30 days after your birthday – a savings of $74.00. To receive your trip, visit the Catalina Express website at www.catalinaexpress.com and fill out your information and download your certificate. Next, all you need to do is call to set your birthday trip. Be sure to read all the details listed on the website to make your travel date easy and fun. This promotion is ongoing until Catalina Express decides to end the program.

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My next tip is to go to The Catalina Chamber website at www.Catalinachamber. com. From here you can click on “Specials & Packages’ and then “Birthday Island! – Extended”. Just print this page out and start researching your Birthday trip. There are over 50 different activities to choose from where to stay, where to shop, what to do, and where to dine. Just choose the birthday deals that will work best with you and create your ideal day!

The Day Begins

e recommend taking the first boat out around 6:30 a.m. to beat the traffic and enjoy your entire day. Check-in is fast at the terminal in Long Beach. Forgot to book an excursion? There’s a counter with all the adventures listed with someone to help you make reservations. If you’re the type of person who takes their time - no worries! Just grab a brochure and call during the trek across the channel. Hungry? Don’t bother eating breakfast at home. The small eatery at the Catalina Express Terminal is a perfect place to get a bite to eat; I recommend the quesadillas.

Catalina Express

After about 45 minutes of cruising to Catalina I arrived on the island. Right off the ship are all the adventure outlets waiting to help. I went strait to the Visitor Center located about 1⁄4 mile away on the Green Pleasure Pier to grab the Catalina Island Map & Directory. You can’t miss the pier, and yes, it’s green. After gathering my map, I began my journey around Catalina Island. My first stop was to Catalina Coffee & Cookie Co. for my FREE coffee. It was well worth it. A savings of $4.00. Try one of their famous cookies, it was not free but, well worth it.

Descano Beach

rom there it was off to get my Birthday massage. The massage cost $95.00; on my birthday it was $79.00 - a savings of $16.00. Did I forget to mention the SPA is called Massages by The Sea? The massage was done in a private cabana at the Descanso Beach Club overlooking the beach and ocean - what a fantastic view! After my massage I was off to get my free ice cream from Descanso Fresh - a savings of $5.00. If you are adventurous, they offer an alcohol blend ice cream. Of course, I had to have a cocktail at the Beach Bar while I was there. It’s always “Five O’clock Somewhere” while on vacation. It was not free, but after picking up a coupon from the visitor center, I was able to get another discount.

After all this adventuring around the island I started getting hungry; it was time for my free lunch! I went to a restaurant called the Buffalo Nickel and the food was incredible. The only way to get there and back was by tram. The tram to reach Buffalo Nickel Restaurant is located next to the Catalina Express dock. I had my Free Birthday meal: a burrito and chips - wow was it good (the margaritas weren’t so bad either)! From there it was time to hit the beach. I grabbed my free snorkel gear from Scuba Luv and hit the ocean. After a few hours of swimming, I packed it in and for my last free item for the day, I was off for another dessert at Lloyd’s of Avalon for another free scoop of ice cream.

Next it was time for a miniature golf game at Golf Gardens Mini Golf. Again, the cost for this game was free for a savings of $10.00. Now on to Bowling at Three Palms Avalon Arcade. Yes, it’s bowling on Catalina, well kind of bowling. It’s a giant Skeeball game and it’s free for your birthday. Another savings of $5.00.

Let’s switch gears and talk Buffalo Burgers. Eric’s on the Pier is located on the Green Pier and has been owned and operated by an Avalon Family for 76 years. It’s a great place for a small patty buffalo burger. Now, for that to die for burger it’s at the Santa Catalina Island Company Avalon Grill right across from the green pier. (I suggest the Blue Buffalo Burger with Maytag, Arugula and this Maui Onion Marmalade sauce; yes, it’s to die for). 17

fter talking with locals I was directed to one of the best restaurants on Catalina for dinner; “The Lobster Trap” (visit www.catalinalobstertrap to learn more about this great restaurant). The locals were right! The seafood was outstanding. The head chef at The Lobster Trap has been cooking at the restaurant for 35+ years. I let the chef choose what I would be eating that evening and he picked the halibut. The halibut flaked with a fork, and the creamy clam chowder had clams in every bite. No spices were necessary for this dish; it was seasoned to perfection. And the poke... WOW! All seafood is caught “daily & locally” if they can’t catch it, or it’s out of season they’ll fly fresh seafood in daily from The Santa Monica Seafood Company which has also been family owned since 1934 (www.santamonicaseafood.com). If Lobster is what you’re looking for, the owner brings it in daily from his many traps on the south side of the island. There is always a wait to get in, even during off season, so go early and plan to stay late. The food does take time to prepare, sit back, relax, and have an appetizer, a drink and enjoy the ocean view and atmosphere. A visit to The Lobster Trap is worth your time! The tours on the island resemble other island resort ports of destination as those in Mexico or the Caribbean. From parasailing to

golf, zip lines to scuba it’s all there for you. But the difference is... it’s here in California. The Zip Line tour consists of 5 consecutive lines, at heights up to 300 feet and speeds to 45 miles an hour. The views were breath taking! The zip line tour is owned and operated by the Santa Catalina Island Company. The Santa Catalina Island Company runs other interesting tours on the island for all activity levels. See their website at www.visitcatalinaisland.com As always, we suggest to plan ahead for your birthday or cruise excursions. Feel free to contact the Catalina Chamber at www. catalinachamber.com for the “2017 Official Visitors Guide” or check your cruise line’s excursion list for more information.

Green Pleasure Pier

Parasail Catalina

One way to see breathtaking views of Catalina Island is by Parasailing. Why should drones have all the fun? Parasailing tours on Catalina Island will fly you close to 400 feet above the ocean. Not to mention the pictures or video taken while flying like a human drone. Parasailing is a fun, safe excursion cruisers can book on or off the ship. One company, Parasail Catalina, is just a short walk from the dock. Parasail Catalina will match the same rate cruise ships have for the excursion. Better yet, if cruising with Carnival, they will charge the entire excursion on your Sail & Sign card. What a deal. The excursion was an hour-long boat ride with other adventures tagging along. At first I was apprehensive when taking off from the boat, but when soaring above the ocean at 400 feet, I was hooked. In fact, I parasailed again before the day was out. An added bonus of

parasailing with Parasail Catalina is the company offers to take pictures of you while soaring in the air (for a small additional fee). It’s well worth the price. At the end of your excursion the SD card with all the pictures is yours. And, if flying single is a problem. Not to worry, flying double is an option. A few things to remember when having your own parasailing adventure. Wear a bathing suit, you might get wet. Next, taking pictures is a must but, don’t ask the company to use your camera to take pictures. Not because they can’t but, if the phone or camera falls into the water or is dropped the company does not want the liability. To learn more about Catalina Parasail, visit their website at www.catalinaparasail.com Click on the photo above this article to see the video.

William Wrigley Jr. Summer Cottage-Mt. Ada

t. Ada is located at the once home of William Wrigley Jr. and his wife Ada, hence the name of the restaurant. Lunch is available with outdoor or indoor dining options. Our recommendation is the outdoor seating; the view of Avalon is breathtaking from the property. Mt. Ada offers a lunch for $48.00 a person. Lunch includes a starter, entrée, dessert and your choice of juice, soda, coffee or champagne, mimosa, wine or beer. The lunch menu features American cuisine that offers a fish, vegetarian, or meat entrée. My personal favorite was the Buffalo Burger. Executive chef Matthew Alleshouse

Mt. ADA Balcony

William Wrigley, Jr Summer Cottage

has created a menu for every restaurant goer. Mt. Ada can accommodate parties of up to six people. We recommend making a reservation a few days in advance to ensure a table can be held. The only way to get to the Cottage is by taxi, golf cart or a 45-minute walk. The taxi is approximately $15.00 without tip. The Cottage is available for overnight stays in any of the six bedrooms. We give Mt. Ada for view, food, price and atmosphere our rating of nine out of ten ships; it is a must-see and do experience when visiting Catalina.

“Key Lime Tart” |Farmstand Rasberries | Raspberry Sauce | Fresh Whipped Cream | Micro White Chocolate Pearls.

Deck View

Island Spa Catalina Santa Catalina Island Company

Pool Side

sland Spa Catalina, a beach front Spa on Catalina. The Spa is a wonderful escape while in port on Catalina. From the treatment rooms to the pool and jacuzzi. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well worth the time. The treatments are reasonable. They are With the CafĂŠ located within the SPA why would you go anywhere else. Make your appointment directly. We recommend 9:30am to spend the entire day at the SPA. Or, take a Zipline adventure and SPA after. I will be returning in the future during a cruise port day. Or, just because.

The vast amount of blogs and discussion boards about cruising can be overwhelming for a person to read. The Cruise Dudes have discovered using a passive medium, a podcast, they can reach people on their daily commute, lunch breaks during work or play. The podcast is easily downloaded and can be listened to on phones, tablets, media players, computers and more. The Cruise Dudes Podcast has been sharing the Cruising Lifestyle through the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dudesâ&#x20AC;? perspective all over the world since 2014. Giving listeners the best information to help them make informative decisions about where to cruise, exploring ports, what to wear, travel necessities, excursions, and more. The Cruise Dudes share the latest cruise news, theme cruises, interviews and their (sometimes hilarious), commentary and opinions. Press on The Cruise Dudes picture below to hear the latest Podcast.

Podcast: www.thecruisedudes.com Twitter: @thecruisedudes Instagram: thecruisedudes Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/thecruisedudes YouTube: www.youtube/thecruisedudes Facebook: www.facebook.com/thecruisedudes

Press on the picture above to see the Carnival Inspiration Fun Ship 2.0 enhancements done in 2016, narrated by the Hotel Manger. 23

Theme Cruising

ick your favorite theme, there is probably a cruise for you. Do you like rock & roll or cats? There’s a cruise for you. When booking a cruise vacation, always ask if there is a theme cruise scheduled during it. This is the best way to ensure a theme cruise scheduled is not going to encroach on your planned vacation. Or, if you’d like, you are able to join the scheduled activities while onboard! Here’s some short examples of theme cruises. Partial-Theme cruises book a very small portion of the ship. Usually these groups are small enough to just book rooms for their themed activities. Full-Ship Theme cruises are scheduled for everyone on board. Cruisers can participate in theme activities. Just make sure the theme cruise is appropriate to one’s taste. Not everyone is into Goth at Sea. 24

A Cruise-Theme trip is a different story. These cruises are usually advertised as a theme sailing. These cruises will have activities that are scheduled by the cruise line going on throughout the ship. Finding a theme cruise is as easy as just doing a Google search or contacting your favorite cruise line to find an adventure. Here’s a few:

“Disney Theme Cruises” 2017

• • • • • • •

Star Wars Day at Sea Independence Day Halloween Marvel Day at Sea Thanksgiving Christmas New Year’s Eve

Listen to The Cruise Dudes Podcast and learn about the latest and sometimes the strangest theme cruises out there. Get ready to join in the fun!

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s To Come

San Deigo

In The Next Issue

Is Incredibly

Breathtaking Alaskan Adventure “Sign up now for Seawind magazine at the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and join us as we explore Alaska, take a California Coastal cruise, learn another Cruise Tip, sail away with Cobie Daniel, and so much more!”

www.Seawindmag.com

Letter to the Readers

Dear Reader, I flew for the very first time when I was sixteen years old. You could say that, at that moment, I was bitten by the travel bug. Once you leave the familiarity of home in exchange for experiencing new cultures and having new adventures, you open your life up to so many other possibilities. One of the aspects of cruising that I love are the unique experiences you get to have both at sea and in ports of call. Cruises provide the perfect back drop for that romantic getaway with a loved one or, in the case of our story, an exotic destination wedding. I’m so excited to bring you Beyond the Sea, a new romance series I’ve created just for Seawind Magazine. Written in more of a short story format, this fun and romantic tale will come to you in exciting quarterly pieces. Complete strangers Jace and Isadora are unknowingly about to turn each other’s lives upside down on a fourteen-day cruise. Sometimes love and second chances come when we least expect them. I hope you enjoy reading their story as we uncover where the winds of life carry them on their journey. Welcome Aboard,

Cobie

Chapter 1 JACE As he did nearly every morning for the past twenty years, Jace met the rising sun with a ten-mile run. Today his backdrop happened to be the beautiful cliffs and beach of El Matador State Park in Malibu. The perks of your best friend being a big-time movie star, he thought. Doing his yoga stretching and breathing as he cooled down, he looked up and could see Ridley’s home perched high up on the hill, overlooking the ocean. Whenever he came back from a tour, Jace had to visit his best childhood friend and now famous Hollywood actor Ridley James. They’d known each other since junior high as both their fathers had been stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia. Ridley’s father was Commanding Officer, and Jace’s was Executive Officer. The boys had certainly grown up military brats and were thankful that both families finally put down roots in one place after moving so much during their elementary and middle school years. When each school year was done, they could be found all summer long building forts in the back yard, riding dirt bikes, and reading comic books. It wasn’t until Ridley was forced to be in the Easter church production where he played a very convincing Judas that he realized he wanted to be an actor when he grew up. So, it didn’t surprise Jace at all that, the summer when he decided to become a lifeguard at the beach, Ridley immersed himself in the local theater community. He was in the annual Shakespeare festival that drew thousands to the resort city each summer. After most performances, long after the sun had gone down, you could find both on the beach, around a bonfire as Ridley played guitar, doing his best to impress all the young ladies in the group invited to hang with them. Jace had picked up guitar as well, but preferred to play when he was alone and more contemplative. Not that he minded seeing all the cute girls with their long, sun-drenched hair and skin of bronze, but, compared to Ridley, Jace was the wallflower. There wasn’t a day that went by the summer of their senior year that Ridley didn’t remind Jace that, as soon as he graduated high school, he was moving to L.A. There was never a doubt in Jace’s mind that his closest friend in the world would make it on the big screen. It took ten years and a lot of bit parts until a little indie movie came along and changed everything. Ridley literally became an overnight success, earning a Golden Globe award as well the Oscar. Jace smiled, remembering all the years that seemed to have flashed by from then to now. Done stretching, he stood and focused on his breathing as he overlooked shimmering flecks of gold sun, dusting the water, thinking back to their senior year. More frequently than he wanted to acknowledge, Jace would find himself recalling those days filled with optimism and hope all those years ago. The recurrent recollections were starting to annoy him but didn’t stop the barrage of memories of their school year. The year that came to a crashing halt on that Tuesday in two thousand and one. Newly mounted televisions in the classrooms allowed them to tune in to the darkness of that day. All the innocent people who woke up that morning as if it were any other day, went to work, only never to come home. The first responders who ran into the falling buildings to save perfect strangers, never thinking twice about it. That day Jace knew he was no longer going to be heading off to Virginia Tech to become an engineer. He had to help, be a part of the solution, find the bad guys, then stop them from ever doing this again. He knew that day he wanted to enlist in the Navy to become a Seal. Being an engineer was the safe option, but their world was no longer safe, and, like the comic books he grew up reading, someone had to step up and stop the bad guys.

Being a lifeguard gave him the foresight to take his diet and exercise seriously so that if, God forbid, he ever had to rescue someone out of the ocean, he was in shape to do so. If he was going to make it through the entrance exam and physical fitness test to get into the special school for Seals, he knew he had to start preparing immediately. Only the elite made it, and he knew he couldn’t wait until boot camp to ready his body. As soon as school let out he ran home and told his parents. While proud, they asked, or in his mother’s case begged, him to sleep on it for a week as emotions were running high for everyone in the country. He remembered word for word what he said to his mother: “I don’t need to sleep on it, Mom. Everyone’s life changed today; I know what I must do.” Brought back to the present, he closed his eyes and kept them shut, listening to the breeze as it blew the morning sun in from the east. Will there ever be a day where I can close my eyes and shut my mind completely off? he wondered. It had been a long, hard tour; the older he got, the less easy any of it became. Especially after this tour, he was feeling the call of civilian life even stronger. He opened his eyes and turned to walk to his truck as he contemplated what in the world he would even do as a civilian. There was still hardly any traffic on the Pacific Coast Highway for the drive up the hill to Ridley’s house. Once he got to the top he punched in the code to the large iron gates. As they carefully swung open, he pulled up and was greeted by a mammoth Bull Mastiff that answered to the name of Zeus. “Good morning, handsome.” Tail wagging uncontrollably, the giant beast turned into a giant slobber puss as Jace bent down to greet him. “There’s a good boy. As usual, it looks like we’re the first ones up; let’s make some breakfast.” Ridley did have a cook who came in, but that wasn’t usually until nine because he’d never been a morning person and considered anything before seven a.m. uncivilized. Jace knew he would never make it that long, so, as he’d done for the past few mornings, he rolled into the kitchen and started making his high protein breakfast of eggs, bacon, and turkey sausage links, being sure he added one extra link for his four-legged friend. After garnishing his eggs with a good measure of goat cheese, he sat down at the raised counter with his plate and juice. As he reached for his fork, he saw a flash of light and noticed the slight tremble in his left hand. He placed the fork down and forced himself to take a deep breath. The doctors had told him not to be discouraged when these moments happened. His brain was still recovering, and there would be times during recovery that these tremors might show up. It was his brain’s way of processing the trauma. He must have stayed in his meditative state longer than he realized. When he slowly opened his eyes, Jace realized that the dog’s head was now resting on top of his upper thigh. “I’m going to pretend that is a look of concern and not begging.” He reached for the extra link on his plate and spoke, “Easy, Zeus.” The dog obeyed and removed the link from his fingers more gracefully than he’d expected. “Good Boy. Now, that’s all I have.” On queue Zeus turned and walked to his oversized cushioned thrown by the large bay window. Looking back at his fork and plate, Jace held both hands up and observed to see if the tremors had passed. Satisfied by the resumed steadiness, he lifted the fork and began to eat as if nothing even happened. Once he finished his shower, he returned downstairs, grabbing his newly acquired copy of Thomas Aquinas and decided to utilize the fancy bungalow that sat by the pristine pool. Stepping into the kitchen, he could smell the coffee pot brewing and a second breakfast being cooked.

“Oh, good morning, Mr. Jace.” “Good morning, Marta.” She already had a coffee mug out for him. “May I pour you a cup?” “That would be great, thank you. Where is our lovely movie star this morning?” Marta blushed as she searched for the right words to try and remain respectful of her boss. “Oh, he had a guest stay over in his room last night. I am told he will be down shortly.” “A guest, did he?”Just then he heard giggling coming from the hallway on the other side of the kitchen door. Marta cleared her voice and went back to work. Jace stepped over to the window where he drank his coffee looking out over the manicured gardens and pool. He didn’t even want to think about the last time he’d been with a woman. Shaking that thought out of his head, he heard what he thought was the front door shutting and looked up in time to see Ridley walk into the kitchen. “Ah, Mr. Ridley, I have your breakfast ready in five minutes. Here is your coffee.” “Thank you, Marta,” Ridley responded. Then, looking over at Jace, he smiled. “She had a friend, you know, but you never answered your phone last night.” “Yes. I ignored the call on purpose.” “Well that hurts. What if I’d been in trouble?” Jace rolled his eyes. “You had two body guards with you.” “Well you’re no fun. You just came back from a tour; surely you must need to blow off some steam.” “Not looking for that right now, and I prefer to blow off steam on a golf course.” “I can help you there too, but I have a conference call in an hour, shouldn’t be very long. Can we go afterwards?” “Sure. I just have to be back at a decent time; I need to head back to San Diego tonight to pack for this god-awful Panama Canal Cruise with my family.” “Oh. That’s right. Your brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law wanted an exotic destination wedding and decided to drag their closest family members and friends along.” “Many of those friends have sent gifts with a regretfully decline, but when you’re the best man, you’re kind of stuck.” “Well, it could be worse?” “Worse? Oh, you mean the fact that not only am I stuck on a boat for fourteen nights during my time off, I will be surrounded by people I don’t know and don’t want to know. So, yeah, I have the market cornered on worse for the next two weeks.” Ridley laughed. “I’d rather know you’re on a cruise ship than getting your ass shot at by some terrorist.” Jace nodded and tipped his mug toward his host as he headed out to the pool for an hour, joking with his friend as he left, “Ah, see that, you do love me.” Ridley rolled his eyes as he sat at the table and dove into the breakfast plate that Marta placed in front of him. Jace opened the door with an invitation, “Come on, Zeus. Let’s go get enlightened by our friend Thomas.” “By the way, don’t let my assistant forget to give you your brother’s gift from me,” Ridley said, mouth half full of eggs. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” 33

Chapter 2 ISADORA Izzy thought she heard knocking and a voice; she’d even heard Brody barking, but she was too distracted trying to reach the shoe shoved under her bed that was just out of arm’s length. “Izzy, where are you? I’ve been calling you all morning and...what in the world happened in here?” On her knees, Izzy popped her head out from behind the giant pile of clothes on her bed to see her sister wide-eyed and brow-furrowed. “Packing for this stupid cruise that I don’t want to go on.” She pulled herself up and blew out of her eyes the stray piece of hair that had escaped from her ponytail. “Why are you packing so much? Can’t you do laundry on the ship?” “I’m sure you can. I mean, fourteen days on a giant bathtub, surely there must be a way to wash your unmentionables. God, did I mention how much I’m dreading this and don’t want to go?” Her sister leaned her shoulder against the doorframe and rested her opposite hand on her hip. “If you feel that strongly about not going, then why are you going?” Izzy, who was now in her walk-in closet loading up her arms with heels, sandals, and a pair of kicks, let out a sarcastic laugh as she walked them over and dropped them all on the bed. Using her hands to talk, she then located that tone that drove her sister crazy. “How in the world do you tell your best friend since middle school, who has been planning this wedding for two years, that she has to find another maid of honor?” Now folding her arms, Izzy looked at her sister like a petulant child demanding an answer. “Just tell her the truth.” Izzy rolled her eyes at her big sister, always the calm, level headed, practical one. Maybe these qualities were why she was in a loving marriage that had produced the most adorable daughter on the planet and had a career in interior design with creativity that rivaled any one of those shows on the home and garden channels. Izzy realized she needed to take a deep breath. “Josie, I don’t know what anything is anymore, much less the truth. I thought I was living the dream for the past three years with Derek, but apparently, I wasn’t.” Izzy plopped down on the end of the bed and rubbed her temples. Her oversized hoodie matched her yoga pants and sandals that she’d thrown on in hopes of surviving the day of packing. Her sister came and sat down beside her. “Look, you need some good in your life, and while I know this cruise is happening at a really crummy time, if you change your attitude just a little, it may turn out to be just the thing you need.” Izzy couldn’t help the tears that rolled down her cheeks, as crying seemed to be her new norm for the past six months. “God, this whole situation has made me someone I don’t recognize.” Josie put her arm around her. Though Isadora was Josie’s baby sister, she was anything but a baby. Tall just like their dad, she never met a sport she didn’t dominate. She lived for a challenge and people telling her no, just so she could prove them wrong. Loving athletics and medicine, she thought the best way to marry those two was to become a physical therapist. In the past fifteen years, she worked diligently to build her practice and reputation, so much so, the who’s who in San Diego, Anaheim, and even Los Angeles sports community sought her out. There wasn’t an injury or surgery rehabilitation too tough for her. 34

“You know I love you and would love five minutes in a room with Derek and no witnesses, but you are ultimately going to have to find a way out of this place. I’m not saying you don’t get to be sad or angry; you get to decide how long that season is, but don’t let yourself buy the lie that you can’t get past this. This cruise may be the last thing you want, but, as I said, it could be just the thing you need.” Josie kissed the top of her sister’s head, stood up, and pointed her finger in circles to the disaster on the bed. “Why don’t you take a break from all of this and come have some girl time with your big sister. Blake’s mom has Carly for the day, and I need some adult conversation and maybe even an adult beverage.” Izzy brushed the tears from her eyes and looked at the pile. “Are we going to that fancy place that serves wine and has the world’s best cheese plate?” “We can.” Izzy looked at the laundry and shrugged her shoulders. “I’m in.”

Chapter 3 JACE The round of golf had proven to be just the thing Jace needed to help him mentally prepare for the brief trip back to San Diego. After collecting his brother’s wedding gift from Ridley’s assistant, he drove home to spend one night there. That gave him a chance to check on his condo, pay a few bills, check the status of a few properties he had invested in, respond to any necessary emails, and pack. His brother and parents would be landing any time now, three whole days before the cruise, as would his brother’s fiancé and her family. The plan was to visit the mouse in Anaheim, spend a day in Hollywood, and then relax a day at Ridley’s house in Malibu around the pool. Ridley would be out of the country shooting his next film, but he told Jace, mi casa es su casa. He figured that Jace’s family would love to rub elbows with movie royalty, well at least the items in the house of movie royalty. Jace knew his condo was too small to host them all, so the landing point for the entire party was the J.W. Marriott in the heart of L.A. As he zipped up his bag and grabbed his tux, he thought about how he hadn’t seen his family in almost a year. Using his phone, he looked up a florist, deciding to have flowers sent to his mom and soon-to-be sister-in-law. Through another connection he’d managed to get his hands on some nice Cuban cigars for his dad and brother. He needed to see his family; he needed to hug his parents and harass his kid brother who was now a doctor and soon to be a husband. This time he would hug them a little tighter and maybe a little longer. They’d always been a close family, but being stationed on the other side of the country, never having long enough leave to go back east to have a substantial visit was always the reason he had given them and himself for being so distant during his breaks. Well, that would never be the situation again. He would never allow excuses like that to keep him from seeing his family for a year at a time. His phone chimed, and he laughed. The text from his mother simply said, “We just landed,” There was a smiling emoji that accompanied it with three exclamation points. He wanted to send back an emoji response that communicated an expression of snark but decided not to spoil his mom’s fun. “Great! Can’t wait to see you! On my way to meet you at the hotel.” He grabbed his keys, wallet, and black ball cap off the counter as he walked out. He turned to close the door and did one more visual scan of the room. He may have been dreading this cruise, but he was a man ready to see his family. 35

Chapter 4 ISADORA She’d managed to pack only two suitcases for the cruise and an overnight bag for the couple of nights at the hotel. The day with her sister, each getting a mani pedi, was the perfect distraction that she’d needed to regroup and focus on the fact that her best friend was getting married, and she needed to put her big girl panties on and turn the focus off of herself. She was leaving her office in great hands with her colleagues and was leaving her beloved dog Brody with her sister while she was gone. Nothing to worry about, time to live in a bubble for the next two weeks and be reminded that life was still full of adventures she needed to experience—and that she didn’t need a man to have fun. The sad part was that she knew this: she’d always been the strong, independent one, who never had time for relationships, much less love. That is probably why, when she met Derek, she was completely surprised that she had fallen so quick and so hard. It also didn’t hurt that he was amazing in the bedroom, but she had connected with him unlike any other. At least she thought she had—that whole concept left the day he came home and gave her the it’s not you it’s me speech. Looking in the mirror, she pulled her hair up in a ponytail and added a touch of mascara and lip gloss, just enough to show she put some effort into herself, but nothing over the top. Looking at her watch, she saw she had a couple of minutes to spare as everyone was meeting downstairs at the hotel restaurant for the welcome dinner. She checked her outfit one more time in the full-size mirror. The sand-colored linen pants and flowy, white linen shirt accented by yoga sandals with a gold ring in the center of them, matched the simple gold hoops in her ears. The small details pulled it all together as far as she was concerned. She gave herself a reassuring nod and took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s do this.

To Be Continued… About the Author Cobie Daniels lives in the Tidewater region of Virginia with her husband Sam, three Norwich terriers and two miniature donkeys Bob and Bill. When she is not writing, she is doing one of the following three things: hosting The Cobie Daniels Show podcast, training for her next runDisney half marathon or saving the world one password at a time. For more information about Cobie Daniels, visit her website and/or follow her on Twitter or Instagram, like her on Facebook, or listen to her current or past podcasts. Stay close to Seawind, her next chapters from Beyond The Sea are coming soon. https://twitter.com/cobiedaniels https://www.facebook.com/cobiedaniels www.cobiedaniels.com authorcobiedaniels@gmail.com Also by Cobie Daniels Dream a Little Dream of Me Available for Kindle, iBooks, Kobe, and Nook 36