OCSC Mike

New machine (for me at least) in the SL on Wonder last week. Was very easy to learn. My favorite so far b/c you can increase the size of your beverage by hitting a +1 button. Setting a cappuccino (my drink of choice) to +2 fills it to the top of the paper to-go cups. Even my technically challenged in-laws learned how to make their plain coffees without my help. Only issue was the grounds tray would throw a “needs to be emptied” error often (the grounds pile up in one spot & trigger the sensor before it’s actually full) but that’s an easy fix you can do yourself. Just open the door, dump the basket in the trash, and replace it. Didn’t get the chance to check but hoping/assuming the DL has the same machine as suite access is the exception not the rule for us.

I never even considered Alaska, it was 100% my wife’s idea & she spent a year planning it with the aid of an outside company (since it was a very special 18-day vacation for us). I’ve been thanking her for 5 years.

Very long review of our 2018 Alaska trip in my signature if you’re interested. We did 10 days on land then a 7-night cruise southbound. There’s WAY more to do than just look at how pretty it is. Yes, you want to do excursions. Sailing the Caribbean is for enjoying the ship. Go to Alaska to see & do things unique to Alaska. TBH, I’d just as soon do it again without the cruise, but of course cruising is a pretty affordable way to see places. Look up historical weather for June-August. It gets much warmer than you have in your head. I’ll leave you with one example… we crossed the arctic circle after arriving in Fairbanks (nowhere near where you’d cruise)… and it was 60-65 in June.

First, you’re welcome. Focus on the word “options” b/c there are many, without spending a Penny extra. Obviously we ate in CK a lot, and most meals there were very good, but when my wife & I sail alone, it’s in an interior with maybe 2 specialty meals during the week. I’m actually looking forward to eating at mostly included venues on our next 2 sailings. Always been a Park Cafe fan for both breakfast & lunch, I enjoyed the tacos at El Loco Fresh, WJ is hit & miss but there’s always something, we’ll pay for Mason Jar brunch again b/c it was that good, and we loved Playmakers on Indy so we’ll likely have burgers there one night (there’s a fee, of course, but it’s not exactly Chops). Sorrento's is usually just a late night snack for me but even their pizza was better than usual (very thin & crispy) and my wife had one made for lunch one day (she orders it sauceless & crispy so it’s more like cheesy bread). Never even tried The Dog House which has been hit & miss on other ships. Another option, if the menu is appealing, is having dinner at Solarium Bistro one night. It requires a reservation but it’s free. My wife is too picky for it but she went with me one night a long time ago & I thought it was pretty good. Some unique Mediterranean options for sure. I know I’m ignoring the MDR, which is a staple for most people not doing lots of specialty dining, but we haven’t been fans since way before covid or new menus so the negative comments don’t phase us. The few dishes that were sent up to CK seemed fine, not great & not horrible, which is kind of how we always viewed the MDR. Just one man’s opinion, of course, but as someone who gains 7-10 lbs. on a 7-night cruise, I wouldn’t worry about the food.

Bar Code Trick for future reference (and anyone unaware)... Method 1. If you have an Apple device, add your set sail pass to your Apple wallet. Numbers will now appear under your bar code. The numbers after the dash represent your cabin. Method 2. Scan the bar code with a QR scanner from another device and that should also show you the numbers. NOTE: If you see "GTY" instead of numbers, you truly haven't been assigned yet. One tip off is that if you don't see a muster station on your set sail pass then you almost definitely don't have an assignment yet.

I didn't have the patience to caption them so just ask if you want to know what something is. The ones that look like milkshakes (some have chocolate chips on top) basically are chocolate milkshakes with a shot of banana liquor... custom made for my non-drinking, big kid of a wife by our amazing SL bartender, Ajit. My wife brought him the chocolate chips from the waffle topping area in the WJ at breakfast. Later on she also brought him actual bananas from WJ.

Some random drink pics…

What happened to the 210 point block? 280 should be your 3rd (140, 210, 280). Also, FWIW, my in-laws received their 1st onboard Wonder last week and it was the old style. I expected the new style.

Hope you can! I've never had a bad cruise and we often go back on the same ship later that summer after one of these family trips to do things our way (just couldn't this time). Wonder isn't THAT different from other Oasis class ships, especially if not in a suite, but the stuff that was new to us (Mason Jar, El Loco Fresh, a couple of the shows, huge enclosed Solarium, etc.) is making me more look forward to our next 2 Wonder cruises even more. CK was great but it's not the Hobbit-lifestyle. 😁

Likewise. Hopefully it will be released this week. I know I saw something about possible news Wednesday.

They have "casitas" by the pool that are kind of like big day beds. They're more expensive during sea days than port days... I want to say in the $200-300 range but don't quote me... and who knows how far prices will continue to rise for so many things.

Started taking two pills/day instead of just one, no idea why I wasn't doing this all along. Got home today with almost zero swelling.

Back home by 10am after the suite concierges took us down from the SL around 8:30 and a routine hour or so drive home. We've always found disembarkation at PC to go very smoothly (and usually that's via self-assist, not b/c of the suite perk). I'm going to end the report here. Nothing too exciting happened on day 7. The CK staff brought my MIL an entire chocolate birthday cake at dinner even though we just asked for a candle in her dessert. The crew up there could not have been nicer, more accommodating, or excellent at their jobs. We truly got to know the manager, Vinet, our server, Jimmy, and our favorite bartender, Ajit... to the point of hearing stories of their lives and seeing pictures of their families. As I mentioned, my wife and I only sail in suites if my FIL is treating, but even if we did, I can't imagine ever matching this experience. I get a bit disoriented after a cruise and have some real life stuff coming up on my mind, but I still plan on posting some photos, just not sure when that will be. I appreciate those who took the time to read my long-winded, picture-less ramblings. Questions are still welcome.

Day 6 -This one will be brief for a change. -We did the escape room at 1pm. Our group of 8 & 4 others. It’s held in a room with blank walls in Adventure Ocean. As the entertainment staff member running it explained, it was originally all decorated in Chinese and so when Wonder never made it there they stripped the room. She said it was supposed to be redecorated but hasn’t happened yet. Anyway, the puzzles were incredibly challenging and it took all 12 people working on different parts simultaneously. We managed to solve it & “escape” with one second left (you’re given 35 minutes). She told us we were only the 5th group in 115 sessions this week to solve it. -We took pictures on the Promenade then had dinner in CK. It was lobster night & they serve a poached lobster dish rather than the lobster in the MDR & it was very good. Across the table I think we covered every entree & many thought it was the best meal of the cruise. -We saw Effectors II after dinner and most everyone enjoyed it, especially my nieces. I’m not a broadway guy, haven’t actually seen a single broadway show on any cruise. I thought this was a good mix of broadway type singing/makeup/dancing along with some special effects. -As usual this cruise has flown by. Very much looking forward to going back on Wonder with just my wife to enjoy the aspects that don’t fit with my family’s preferences (not a complaint, I’m very thankful & the suite neighborhood is great, we just do things differently). Waiting until next March is the hard part. -NOTE: I may have a photo dump, mostly of food & drink, that I would post after we get home.

Day 5 -Usual morning, wife went walking, I got an egg sandwich from Park Cafe & my SL cappuccino. Then we met up with the nieces & my BIL to watch the ship dock in Roatan from deck 16 forward above the Solarium. Took a while with the smaller pier there. Solarium Bistro was again crowded (note: there are tables outside the Bistro in the Solarium that look like a good option). It was strawberry smoothies this time so I poured a few into larger cups with a couple ice cubes & brought them back incase my wife wanted one. -Rest of the morning involved CK breakfast (I had a bagel with salmon) & the suite deck. Not being one to lay out a ton, I cut it short around lunch time. My wife decided to join me on my lunch wandering. WJ was too appealing so we moved on to Park Cafe. Apparently they rotate the paninis now and the Cuban (my old favorite) was back. Unfortunately it replaced the standard 3-cheese, which of course the only one my wife eats. So she ended up texting the fam who were in CK to order her something while I had my Cuban & a kummelweck. Both were good as usual. I hung out for a bit before heading to Spotlight Karaoke to hold seats for a 2:00 word puzzle/rebus type trivia called Dingbat Trivia. -Ran into an older gentleman who grew up in the Philly burbs as I did & attended a HS not far from mine whom we played in sports. He was decades ahead of me of course but small world. The trivia itself was pretty challenging for a cruise & puzzles are a strength of mine but we go our butts kicked. -Rest of afternoon was random. Watched the 9-year-old try the rock wall after I grabbed a Goalpost Margarita from Playmakers. It was similar to several I had on Indy in July & October but this bartender left so much pineapple in the bottom that I was eating a fruit cup once the drink was done. Also decided it’s a better drink while sitting inside Playmakers rather than outside in the heat. I still recommend it if you like spicy. -Made a taco & grabbed some tortilla chips & cheese from El Loco Fresh at some point. The cheese was bland, the taco was fine. My final recommendation is to just make tacos or nachos there (minus the guac or nacho cheese). I decided to stop by a couple more times over the last two days. -Moving ahead… dinner in CK. I again asked for whatever Indian dish was being made special & it was chicken tikka masala. Most others ordered the short rib. Both were excellent. The 13-year-old actually loves spicy food and tried mine & liked it so I shared with her & she gave me the rest of her short rib. The short rib was so soft you could cut it with a fork. -Nothing to share until the four 40-somethings went to adult comedy at 10 while my wife’s parents watched the girls. Steve Thomas went 1st and was so-so. I think he would have been funny if he ditched the generic cruise jokes. Jokes about eating a lot on a cruise or cabins being small should be banned. Paul Orgata, however, was freaking hilarious! Much of his act was improvised as he interacted with the crowd (always our preference at any comedy show, at sea or back home). I could easily see him more than once & we probably would if it was just me & my wife. -The Quest was going on when comedy ended so we wandered in to watch for a bit. We used to go to it every cruise back in the day but started skipping it as time went on. It was pretty much just as we remembered. That ended our night & now way too much of the cruise has passed.

I just opened it. It’s the old style.

Best wishes to your mom on a speedy recovery! Hope she’s able to go one way or another.

Common one is Diurex. I mentioned using it earlier in the thread. I don’t cruise without it. Day 5 on Wonder right now & only a little swollen. Works well for me.

No worries, I already know the answer. Yes, it’s free, but you have to make reservations & a couple upgraded items have a fee. We tried it once a while ago knowing it’s too Mediterranean for my picky wife (so we went early & hit the WJ after). It’s worth trying since it’s free, IMO. I liked the apps & dessert more than the mains. And thanks!

My in laws received their 1st block onboard Wonder yesterday. I asked if it was old or new, they haven’t opened the box yet. 🤣

Just to be clear, I meant recommendations for anything on the ship to do, see, eat, or drink, not for Mason Jar.

Day 4 -I was already getting that “I’m eating too much” feeling so I skipped an actual pre-breakfast while wife went walking with our 13 year-old niece who was up early. I decided to wander through the WJ & Solarium Bistro just to see if there was anything interesting. WJ really doesn’t change for breakfast but I passed some streisel bread (basically raisin bread), which someone turned me onto a while ago, so I asked for a couple slices to be toasted, added butter, and had a pre-breakfast snack. When we’re actually having breakfast in the WJ I have some most mornings. Moved on to the Solarium Bistro & it was actually more crowded than WJ. Small venue, sure, but for the longest time many people have advised going there to avoid WJ crowds. Not sure that advice applies as much on Wonder but it likely varies. It’s El Loco Fresh that seems to be the empty breakfast spot. Anyway, they had some fancier looking sausage & blueberry smoothies, otherwise it’s basically the usual spread. I grabbed a smoothie & went on my way (I do like their premade smoothies in tiny juice glasses). If they have one that’s especially good I’ll take a few & pour them into a bigger cup with a bit of ice. -Caught up with my wife via text. Somehow she lost her sea pass card putting our niece’s phone in herr pocket & moving things around. I told her no big deal, just get a new one, which she did. -Had a feta & spinach frittata in CK with the family. I try to order stuff I can’t get elsewhere on the ship since we’re so rarely in suites. It was good, never had feta with eggs before, only in Greek salad/pitas mostly. -Rest of the day was mostly spent between the suite deck & trivia with the nieces. We won some drink coozies playing scattergories & some highlighters for finishing 3rd at logo trivia. RC is getting generous with the cheap prizes. -We had lunch in CK specifically b/c they had sticky pineapple & rum ribs. We had them on Harmony & thought they were one of the best things we tried all week. Large, no fat, and fell off the bone. Same experience this time. Sadly, they’re only on the menu once. We had them twice last year. I also went to check out the WJ after (should have ordered more ribs). Not crowded, still a bit limited but enough that someone should be able to find something. I had some chicken curry (Indian food is always good on my experience) & tried a Philly burger (burger of the day with grilled onions & provolone) b/c I had heard the burgers had improved (they used to be pretty bad imo). This one was indeed much better. I’m not saying it’s amazing (go to Playmakers for a great burger), but it’s another option at least. -Back on the suite deck, I dozed off for a bit in the afternoon in one of the the day beds, woke up at 3pm or so, and went to get ready for pictures and dinner. My SIL is picture crazy & has the 100 photo package so we need to take pictures for her. At least she bought it during Black Friday for $149. -Dinner in CK again & it was my turn to try ordering from the MDR b/c they had butter chicken on the menu, my favorite Indian dish. My BIL followed my recommendation & ordered the same. So as it turns out, there’s at least one Indian family eating dinner in CK nightly & the chef (who is from India) has been making them their own Indian dishes nightly. So our butter chicken didn’t actually come from the MDR, it came freshly made from the CK chef & it was one of the best dishes I’ve ever had on a RC ship. We relayed how much we liked it & appreciated it. The CK manager said he’d let us know for the rest of the cruise what the chef was making for the Indian family in case we wanted it. I’m not very knowledgeable about Indian food but if it sounds good, I’ll likely be trying some more. -Some of us saw Tap Factory while others went to bed. I wasn’t a fan but it’s again not my type of show. It got mixed reviews from others. I’m looking forward to Effectors II, our only show left besides comedy, since I’ve heard good things. -Day 4 ending is when I start to feel the cruise flying by. I’ll try my best to try stuff I haven’t yet & revisit favorites before it’s too late. One thing definitely on my list is to try a couple signature drinks from Mason Jar. Recommendations are welcome.

Ah, ok, I remember reading about the helipad party before. Sounds nice but I’m assuming it’s not happening, at least on Wonder right now. I’ll certainly report back if it does. Off to see Tap Factory if other family members can stay awake. It was really hard to schedule shows knowing they wanted to eat at 6pm & we’ve talked so much the meals haven’t exactly been quick (our own doing of course.)

Since I don’t know what a suite party is, I guess not. 🤣 To be fair, I might not invite us either.

If everyone is ok with basic breakfast buffet items (plus cook to order omelets) and outdoor seating, check out El Loco Fresh during breakfast hours. There’s nothing really Mexican about it unless the bowl of salsa counts. They have eggs, bacon, hash browns, waffles w/ toppings, pastries, etc. and it’s been almost completely empty when I’ve passed by. WJ has more options but if you find it crowded, just a thought.