laurieal

Hello and thank you for joining me 😊 I have a luggage that’s pretty awesome. I can attach it to the back of my wheelchair and carry it around easily. It’s not the exact same, but it looks like this. Since Terminal C is a smooth and even surface, it was easy carrying it from the Mears bus to the train station. Then, I checked it as soon as I arrived at the train station so I didn’t have to worry about it until I arrived in Miami. There, I picked it up from the Guest Service counter. The Metromover station was very close to the train station and it was flat, so it was easy to carry it up to there. And then my hotel was also super close to the other Metromover so it was no problème carrying my suitcase to there. I think it’s an amazing piece of luggage for people who use a wheelchair and travel alone. It really shines on flat, smooth surfaces like airports or train stations. It’s a bit more difficult on carpet or out on the wild.

We are still here!

Hey, Odyssey! 👋 Have a great cruise!

I’m staying in an interior stateroom on deck 6. So far the stateroom looks like it’s going to be pretty good for my needs. I’m a bit bummed that the door doesn’t open automatically, but it’s fine, I can open my own door. I will also miss having outlets on both sides of the bed and USB ports, but again it’s not a big deal. My luggage isn’t here, yet, but my backpack is all unpacked and I’m lying down a little. I’m definitely not napping, nope, not me, but I’m just going to close my eyes for a moment.

Crown Lounge letter

Shows The only one I’m familiar with is Jennifer Singer since she was on the 2022 Wonder TA. Is there anyone in there you think I shouldn’t miss?

Day 1 Compass

Thank you! I will make sure to visit the Trellis Bar. Any drink in particular you enjoy there?

Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it. I’m so sorry your wife caught Covid. I wish her mild symptoms and a speedy recovery. The Solarium Bistro is also one of my favourite spot on ships that have it. Definitely not as chaotic as the Windjammer.

I was now fed, but I still needed to get hydration. There was only one place to go for me: deck 16. I practically lived there on the Wonder. I grabbed a Lime & Coconut drink from the Lime & Coconut bar. It’s one of my favorites, so a perfect way to start the cruise. One Lime & Coconut turned into two and also a bottle of water with ice just appeared on my table, so I’m going to stay here for a little bit even if the staterooms are ready.

Next up was muster and I had to report to station A2. It was at the other (pointy) end of the ship, so I went up to the Promenade to avoid having to roll on carpet. Then I went up to deck 6 where my muster station was. Good job getting me into the spa and fitness center, Royal. Well played. Since I had taken care of all the embarkation day business, it was time for lunch in Central Park. Park Café it was for a kümmelweck sandwich. I accidentally joined the line for the salad station, which was a bit traumatic. Thankfully someone pointed me in the right direction.

I was on board at 11:08. Here’s my first look at the Promenade as I came in. My first mission was to head to Izumi and take care of my dining reservations. Because I’m, well, me, I got the ends of the ship mixed up and I ended up in the front when I wanted to be in the aft. Or the opposite. To be honest I’m still not 100% sure. But because of my mistake, I ended up having to go through the casino, so enjoy some empty casino pictures. Once on the right side, I found Izumi pretty easily. There were only two people ahead of me when I arrived, one of which was the guy who is organizing the sailaway meetup for the solos on this cruise. On the one hand, meeting people is good and it’s fun to run into them afterwards during the cruise, so I was planning on joining. On the other hand, new people are absolutely terrifying so I was also planning on bailing. Now that I’ve met one person, I think I’m good to go. We’ll see 😂 But let’s not focus on how people make me anxious. Let’s focus on the food! I had previously booked Giovanni’s for tonight at a very good price during the International Pizza Day sale. I was hoping to use that for my Diamond Plus BOGO, but they couldn’t do it because they usually have to charge the most expensive restaurant. I decided to keep Giovanni’s as an independent reservation for tonight. For my Diamond Plus BOGO, I booked 150 Central Park and Chops for nights 2 and 3. Then, I also had the 3 nights dining package and I booked 150 Central Park, Chops, and Izumi Hibachi. I also confirmed that I will be able to bypass the stairs to attend the Sushi and Sake lunch I have booked. By the time I was done, a pretty large queue had accumulated. If you have an early check-in time, I recommend making your reservations as soon as you board.

It was absolute madness coming into the port, but that could have been because there were still people getting picked up. I was expecting to wait up to 1-ish hour for an accessible taxi, but by taking a regular one I ended up here earlier than expected. I caught my first glimpse of the Oasis while stuck in traffic at 9:45 I was dropped off at 10:10 I got into the line for the 11:00 check-in people at 10:13 And I was let into the terminal at 10:26 Check-in and security were a breeze and I’m currently sitting in an area with other mobility challenged people, one of which is a comedian. He used to do stand up, but now he has to do sit down (he uses a scooter - ba dum tss). I have the 3 nights dining package and the Diamond Plus BOGO, so I’m kind of last minute trying to figure out when/where I want to eat. I’m on the fence about the Hibachi, so I’ll head to Izumi once on board and see what they have left.

It’s Cruise Day! Thank you for all the pictures of your pets. They bring joy to my heart on this chaotic morning. There is at least a two hour wait for an accessible taxi, so I’m trying to get a regular one. The problem is I’m a bit of a Goldilocks. The vehicle can’t be too small or my wheelchair won’t fit in it, but it can’t be too big or I won’t be able to get on it. A vehicle is here. Wish me luck!

It’s been a while since I posted a cat update, but I thought the sitter’s pictures were particularly cute tonight so I have to. I’m glad she’s keeping up with her hunting training while I’m gone. Since nothing exciting will be happening for the next 12+ hours, I’d love it if you shared pictures of your own fur babies to give me something cute to wake up to.

I’m staying at the YVE Hotel in Miami. The recent reviews were very meh, but it’s right in front of Bayfront Park and very accessible by Metromover. I booked it via Priceline, because I thought the price was pretty good for Downtown Miami. It did say I was booking an accessible room, but since it was only for one night I didn’t contact the hotel to confirm they would be assigning me an accessible room. You can probably guess where I’m going with this. The receptionist (who lived for 18 years in Quebec - how random) checked and they had no accessible rooms available for tonight. He was very apologetic, but I assured him it was fine and I went up to my non-accessible room. I feel like maybe if I were taller I would be able to see the cruise ships off to the side. I did hear one as it was sailing away, though. I burst out laughing when I saw the bathroom. That has to be the smallest bathroom I’ve ever seen. But the best thing is, because it’s so small I can actually reach the sink and the toilet from the door frame. The least accessible feature of the room has to be the bed. It’s so high! I told myself I had to bring all my bits and pieces with me because once I was in bed there was no way I was getting up until the morning. So of course I forgot my pyjama. But that’s fine, I can sleep in my underwear. I also forgot to use the toilet. Damn it. But now I’ve really got all my bits and pieces with me and I’m all settled in bed. I successfully set up a VPN on my laptop, because there’s a show on Crave I’m obsessed with and I’m hoping I’ll be able to keep up with it on the ship. Tomorrow we’re going on a cruise! It still doesn’t feel fully real.

I’m so glad you did! What did you think?

According to the voice on the train, we arrived in Miami 12 minutes late. From the platform, I could see part of a Virgin ship. I got slightly lost. I had to take an elevator down from the platform to the mezzanine and then a different elevator from the mezzanine to the ground floor. Picking up my checked bag took no time at all and off I was to look for the Metromover station. The Metromover is a free mode of transportation in Miami and it serves the Downtown and Brickell area. I always try to find a hotel close to a station when I’m staying in Miami since it makes it so easy to get around. The elevator was across the street from the Chick Fil-A that’s close to the Brightline station. It was only a three stops ride to the First Street station, which is the one closest to my hotel. From the station, it was only a five minutes walk on flat terrain.

The red button is to lock/open the bathroom door. It turns green when unlocked. The bottom one had a bell image on it, so maybe something related to an alarm? Not even sure if that one is also a button since I didn’t try pressing it. Perhaps I should have… 👀

Hijacks are always welcome, especially when they contain pertinent information. Or pet pictures. Or dad jokes. Or food porn. Sounds like a terminal to avoid. That’s too bad, because what I saw looked super shiny. The empty seat is the only one in the “wheelchair nook” and it faces the back of the seats in the next row. A person who stays in their wheelchair for the trip could travel with a companion who would be sitting in the empty seat. They would be sitting next to each other and would both be facing the same direction (the back of the seats in front). Not sure how it would work for someone in a wheelchair but who prefers to transfer to a train seat and who is travelling with a companion. In the premium car, the aisle seemed wide enough that they could just roll to a different row and maybe they could park the wheelchair with the oversized luggage or in the wheelchair nook if unoccupied.

Brightline train update! We are now departing Aventura and heading to Miami. It has been a very pleasant ride. My only issue, which isn’t an issue at all, is that the snacks guy is making his rounds way too often. After the sandwich tray, I got another cocktail. Then, a bag of snacks, followed by some water and some gummies I had spotted some potential dinner spots in Miami, but now I’m full. Here’s a picture of the restroom closest to my seat. I really enjoyed the my experience with Brightline and wouldn’t hesitate to travel with them again. If you’re thinking of purchasing a ticket, I recommend subscribing to their mailing list. I have received a few offers from them, some of which were very interesting like a coupon code got a cheaper fare or a BOGO. I also find it reassuring that they have so many trips each day. It makes me feel like I have a backup of something ever goes wrong.

On the train, now! I wish I had a table like the Via Rail trains have, but there’s a little tray in the seat in front of me that I can use. Someone went by with snacks and drinks and since I couldn’t choose between sweet or savoury I got both. My drink is vodka with strawberry lemonade and it’s delicious and I’m already feeling it. I had barely gotten started on my popcorn when the guy came by again, this time with sandwich trays (I got Italian) and a mini dessert (strawberry).

You made it! Yay! Squee is an appropriate response to seeing the Falcon for the first time (or the fifth time).

Did anyone else have issues logging in their RCI account? Both browsers and app completely refused my password (which was saved and correct) and I had to change it to the exact same one. Bit strange, but now my checkin is complete and I can start looking at all the activities in the calendar. What do you think? Should I go to the 7am abs class?

I am travelling Premium today. I got a coupon code that brought the price down and since there’s a checked bag included in Premium that’s how I made it make sense. There’s an area where you can purchase food or gifts as well as a bar. Those are accessible to everyone. And here’s the premium lounge. I wasn’t able to complete an order for a complimentary glass of Pinot Grigio because the camera didn’t recognize me as human. It’s fine. My feelings aren’t hurt or anything. Someone got me a glass from the bar, so all was good. They also have some complimentary food available. Some crudités, salads, cheese, meats, and a dish of tortellini with garlic bread.