Cruise 2001 Sailing the Exotic Western Caribbean aboard the new Carnival Spirit, was a wonderful experience. We set sail out of Miami on an eight-day adventure with a group of our closet friends and we are still friends after the 8days on a ship together! The ship itself is a work of art. From the decadent eight story atrium with glass elevators to the three story auditorium, there was certainly no lack of creativity. On the seventh floor there is even a glass staircase that takes you out over the atrium and up to the ship's own exclusive restaurant. The restaurant boasts award winning chefs, and it's worth every penny of the additional $20 per person fee to dine there. It is a must and reservations are necessary. Most of the cabins on this ship have balconies and we highly recommend them! When we sent sail, we cracked open a bottle of champagne and toasted the sunset as we pulled out of the port of Miami. A few of us left the door open at night to relax with the salty breezes while others used the privacy to do a little sunbathing sans clothing. From the time you set foot on the ship you are fed extremely well. There is an abundance of delicious goodies at any hour of the day or night. There is even a 24-hour pizzeria that serves up any type of pizza from pepperoni to goat cheese and portobella. If, after dinner you still have a lingering hunger, the midnight buffet is always an option. After all that food, it is time to head off to the gym for a good workout. The gym is fully equipped with an array of weight equipment, Stairmasters, treadmills and elipse machines. There really is something for everyone. If working out is not your thing, a walk on the outdoor track to watch the sun rise may be just the thing to get your day going. The Spirit has one of the best full-service spas afloat today. They have such a wide array of treatments that it is almost a chore to select! The showers in the spa are a special treat however, with jets from all directions; it is a truly enjoyable and relaxing experience. This is a beautiful ship with more than enough to do. The casino is always full when the ship is at sea and it was very lucrative for our group! And when you win big head down to Fashion Blvd to snatch up a few souvenirs. There are always daily specials from watches to colognes to gold and silver chains. There are plenty of deck chairs calling your name to just lay by the pool and enjoy the sun or you can get in a game of volleyball or shuffleboard. Our first port was Belize City and there were many shore excursions to choose from. Annette's group opted for the cave tubing down the Silburn River, While Michelle's group took off to swim with the rays and sharks. Annette and her group boarded a bus and first took a tour through Belize City before heading off to the River down some very rough roads. They had to cross a river by foot which took about 30minutes hiking with their innertubes through jungle-like terrain. When they arrived at the site there was an incredible sparkling river. The many formations in the caves were so amazing. To think they have been shaped over thousands of years, some from the ceiling like organ pipes. The caves are also home to many bats, but they did not disturb anyone. The Maya believed the caves were home to the gods. Michelle's group was whisked off to Shark- Ray alley to snorkel with the rays and sharks. The water was so crystal clear that all the fish were visible from the boat! The guide was ambitious and adamant that every person that wanted to touch a ray or shark be able to do so. He actually caught the fish by hand and brought them to everyone so they could see what they felt like. He also had names for some of them! After the delightful experience the group was shuttled over to Ambergris Cay for a lunch that is local to the Belizeans and it was remarkably good. Back on the ship, a day at sea and we were in Limon Costa Rica. Our entire group elected to do an aerial tram through the rainforest. Prior to our arrival, Costa Rica had endured eight days of non-stop rain. That morning it was also overcast and raining. About an hour and a half into our bus trip, it stopped raining and the sun came out. Costa Rica has many banana and pineapple plantations and the way they are cultivated is intensely laborious. We were also fortunate enough to see an active volcano spewing in the distance. The bus driver stopped for us to see a monkey in the jungle when we nearly ran into a mudslide that happened just minutes before. Arriving at the rainforest, we were transported on the aerial tram for a 60-minute breath-taking journey, 60 to 180 feet through the rainforest and over the canopy, seeing a dark world of overburdened limbs dripping with mosses, ferns and orchids. The only wildlife we saw were a few Toucans but we were all awed over the amazing beauty of the rainforest. Sailing just overnight, we docked in Colon, Panama, which is where we did all our duty free shopping, and we did a lot. There is shopping right there at the port when you get off the ship, but we took a taxi into the downtown duty free area. This is not recommended unless you have someone with you that truly speaks Spanish without an American accent. We had three people from Spanish speaking countries in our group and all had traveled extensively throughout Latin America or we would not have opted to leave the central shopping area. We found incredible bargains there and even stopped to watch a man rolling fresh cigars. A few people in the group took a tour around the Panama Canal, which they just marveled at. They actually took a boat through some of the lochs and were amazed at the miracle that had been built so many years ago. The scenery was beautiful and weather sunny and about 80. Colon was our last port. We had 2 days at sea returning to Miami. We just relaxed, sitting on our balcony and enjoyed sailing the big beautiful blue ocean of the Caribbean. The vastness is always overwhelming; no matter how many times you cross it! We certainly hope that your next cruise is as exciting and wonderful as ours was! Bon Voyage, Annette and Michelle