Who would have thought that continuing legal education could be so much fun? When we heard about CLE Cruise Lines we thought that it could be a great to get away from the office while sailing the Caribbean on a cruise and getting a full 12 hours of CLE credit including, 2 hours of ethics and professionalism.
Monday - Embarkation
Late Monday morning we entered the Port of Miami and a few minutes later we boarded the luxury cruise ship Carnival Imagination. After lunch at the buffet in the Horizon Bar & Grill we went to our stateroom to unpack and relax. Dinner was at 6:00 pm in the five-star Spirit Dining Room and was delightful with a wonderful dessert. Not only were the servers friendly and helpful, they also provided entertainment by dancing every night. It was a nice way to enjoy dinner. Later we went to the evening entertainment show at about 10:00 pm in the Dynasty Main Lounge. The Carnival Singers and Dancers performed for about a half an hour and then we went to the standup comic show at 11:00 pm in the Xanadu Lounge that lasted for about a half an hour. After the comic show we had made to order pizza in the pizzeria in the Horizon Bar & Grill, and then it was off to bed in our stateroom.
Tuesday - Key West
On Tuesday we arrived in port at Key West, Florida at about 8:00 am and after our breakfast buffet in the Horizon Bar & Grill we went ashore to see the sights of the southernmost point in the continental United States. We shopped and ate on the island and then returned to the ship before class in the afternoon. At 2:30 we had our first class and covered “Understanding the US Supreme Court,” “Rules for Practicing Before the US Supreme Court,” and recent US Supreme Court cases on attorneys' fees, civil procedure, and civil rights. At 5:00 pm we wrapped up for the day and then dinner was at 6:00 pm in the Spirit Dining Room with a wonderful entree and a delicious dessert. Tuesday was the evening for the elegant dining so we dressed up for a semi formal dinner. After dinner we had our family portrait taken in the Imagination Promenade. Later we went to the evening entertainment show at about 10:00 pm in the Dynasty Main Lounge. The Carnival Singers and Dancers performed an award-wining show entitled “Living in America” for about 45 minutes and it was an amazing display of talent! Then we went to the standup comic show at 11:00 pm in the Xanadu Lounge for about 45 minutes of hysterical jokes. After the show we had made to order pizza in the pizzeria in the Horizon Bar & Grill, and then it was off to bed in our stateroom.
Wednesday - Cozumel
On Wednesday, after our breakfast buffet in the Horizon Bar & Grill we started class at 8:00 am and finished civil rights and covered criminal procedure, and economic activity. We finished at 12:00 pm and arrived in port at the breathtaking island of Cozumel, Mexico at about 1:00 pm. We took the afternoon and evening to go shopping, dining, and saw the sights of the island. We returned to the ship at about 9 pm and went to the evening entertainment show at about 10:00 pm in the Dynasty Main Lounge. This time we were treated with the amazing balancing act of Ludo. It was incredible to see what one person can balance on themselves with nothing more than their hands, feet, and head. Then we went to the standup comic show at 11:00 pm in the Xanadu Lounge for about 45 minutes of non-stop laughs. After the comic show we had made to order pizza in the pizzeria in the Horizon Bar & Grill, and then it was off to bed in our stateroom.
Thursday - Day at Sea
On Thursday after our breakfast buffet in the Horizon Bar & Grill we started class at 8:00 am and finished economic activity, and covered Federal rules of criminal procedure, Federal preemption, the First Amendment, and judicial power. We broke for lunch at 12:00 pm and because the Dynasty Main Lounge was just a few feet away we had a leisurely lunch and dessert before continuing class at 1:00 pm. We finished judicial power, and covered interstate regulation and Title IX. At 1:45 we began the ethics and professionalism section and at 4:00 pm we completed our classes, received the certificates of completion, and completed the course evaluation. After class we had a party in the lounge next to our conference room for our group to celebrate with an open bar until 5:00 pm. Dinner was at 6:00 pm in the Spirit Dining Room with another wonderful entree and a new and delicious dessert. Later we went to the evening entertainment show at about 10:00 pm in the Dynasty Main Lounge. The Carnival Singers and Dancers performed for about 45 minutes one last time and the pulled out all the stops. We saw another award-winning show and this time it was called “Shout” and was a Rock ‘n Roll medley with songs from every era from the 50’s to the 90’s, After that we went to the standup comic show at 11:00 pm in the Xanadu Lounge for about 45 minutes. After the comic show we had made to order pizza in the pizzeria in the Horizon Bar and Grill, and then it was off to bed in our stateroom.
Friday - Disembarkation
On Friday morning we arrived in port at Miami, Florida at 8:00 am after our buffet breakfast in the Horizon Bar & Grill we left the ship, entered the Port of Miami, and a few minutes later we were on our way to the airport to return home. It was a shame to leave the beautiful Carnival Imagination with its friendly and helpful staff that was always there whenever you needed anything. The stewards made sure we were comfortable in our staterooms and even made animals out of towels every day. The entertainment staff made sure there was never a dull moment and the serving staff provided us with world-class service in a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Camp Carnival
During class the kids were having fun at Camp Carnival which was run by Carnival Cruise Lines' professional staff. It’s just like summer camp but it starts in the morning and goes well into the evening. We didn't even have to pack the kids a lunch. They gave us special phones so we could check up on things just by calling them or, if the kids needed something the staff or kids could call us directly. We were always just a few feet away so we could drop in any time. We got a clue about how much the kids liked the program because they would rush us off in the morning to join their new friends and the counselors. Camp Carnival made the cruise enjoyable for the kids and a breeze for us!
We Can't Wait Until Next Time!
During the days at sea while we were in class our wives and husbands had plenty of time to shop in the Carnival shops, try their luck at the casinos, and just hang out on the Lido Deck enjoying fun in the sun. It was really rough for them! The shows were top-notch Las Vegas style entertainment and the food was excellent. The pizzeria was always open and the pizza was ready 7 minutes after it was ordered. Even the room service was free 24 hours a day. The whole family can't wait for the next CLE Cruise!
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