One of the best kept secrets on Carnival cruises isn’t a secret at all. It’s right there in the daily Fun Times schedule on sea days – Afternoon Tea. It sure seems like a secret if you attend though. It’s like an intimate little tea party compared to the amount of people on the ship.
Most passengers probably just skim right over afternoon tea on the daily program without really noticing it’s there, or they’ve never gone and have no idea what they’ve missed out on. It’s not just a cup of tea, though they do offer a nice selection of teas to choose from since it is a tea after all. Everyone selects the type of tea they prefer, and gets a little silver teapot of hot water.
Then they bring around the goodies. Sometimes on a rolling cart, sometimes carried in on trays. Tasty little treats you don’t see anywhere else on the ship or at any other time. Some of the best sweets we’ve ever had on Carnival ships have been at afternoon teas. They also may serve little tea sandwiches.
The last thing people on cruise ships need is more food of course, but it is a vacation so have fun. Afternoon tea is one more way to relax and enjoy what the ship has to offer. They seat people around large tables in the order they arrive, so it’s also a great way to meet new people and socialize with other passengers on the ship.
The whole afternoon tea experience is a delight, not just the food – and it’s free! You can take as much or as little of the food offered as you want.
2016 update – Carnival no longer offers flavored teas unless you want to pay extra for them so it’s a good idea to bring your own stash of tea if you want something other than plain Lipton.
Maybe there would be a larger crowd if it was called “Afternoon Coffee”? Personally, I am a tea drinker. Those pastries look delicious.
Unrelated: how’s your elbow?
Afternoon coffee just wouldn’t go with the whole European tradition of afternoon tea. I suppose if somebody were to order coffee rather than tea they would probably serve it to them. Those pastries were delicious.
Unrelated: I started physical therapy today and didn’t get far because when the splint came off I got vertigo and diaphoresis again. I’m fine so long as the arm is immobilized, but as soon as it isn’t the rest of me is.
Anyone wondering what this is about can get the whole story here: https://mycruisestories.com/2014/03/18/my-lame-adventure/ and here: https://mycruisestories.com/2014/03/28/the-things-we-take-for-granted/
That’s rough. I’m not the praying type (12 years of Catholic school in my youth made me an atheist), but I send positive thoughts your way. I sincerely hope you’ll soon be able to make progress with the PT and eventually, a full recovery.
My husband spent a couple early grade school years in Catholic school and nuns rapping on kid’s knuckles with rulers and things did not endear the Catholic church to him either.
If I could bend the elbow a few millimeters without nearly passing out that would be a tremendous improvement.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to be able to bend it sooner than later.
Some of those nuns back in the day really belonged in a psych ward, not a convent and certainly not teaching small fry.
I am so sorry that your arm is still causing you such pain. I hope that you can get relief, soon.
Not sure if you saw my latest answer to your Kindle Highlights issue …… so I’ll paste my comment, here:
I found it on my Fire (hurray!) but you are right …. the directions I found left out one important point, which made this almost impossible to find.
You are to tap the top of the screen for settings WHILE YOU ARE INSIDE OF A BOOK. Ahhh! Makes all the difference in the world. 🙂 Just tap the top of the screen, and THEN settings (should be included with the font size) … and now you will see the “other” and find your way to the popular highlights.
Hope this helps!!
As long as the splint stays on the arm is not in dire pain or anything, but when they take it off I get dizzy. So it’s better to have the arm useless than to just be completely useless I suppose.
Thanks for thinking of me and putting the answer here, with so much going on I hadn’t gone back to look. I still couldn’t get it to work though 😦
I like tea once in a while but I like coffee all the time. I would enjoy afternoon pastries with either one though.
What time frame is this service offered on the ship?
Usually around 3pm on sea days. They don’t have flavored teas anymore unless you want to pay for them, but you can bring your own teabag if you want. Unflavored tea is still free.
Does anyone have the recipe for the scones and clotted cream that are served on Carnival Cruises? I prefer the ones on Carnival over the ones on Princess. Thanks!
If you ask the dining room staff for a recipe they are usually pretty helpful in getting it for you so you might try that next time you take a cruise.