TravelBluebird

@OCSC Mike the breakfast sandwich was quite good! And thank you! Looking forward to hugging the DH and patting the cats.

The Royal Caribbean arranged shuttle was also a breeze. $34.99. You walk out with your luggage, and there is someone with a (small) sign off to the left a tiny bit, right in front of the buses. There is a sign-in deck where they have your room number (no tickets necessary). The give you the banner color in front of your bus (green), you give them your luggage, you board, and that is it! It left pretty promptly too, I was on the first bus that filled up. One caveat—the bus driver really doesn’t have any info on which Terminal for which airport. He stops only at B (Delta, I think American) and if you are A (United) you need to walk across Terminal B to get to A on the THIRD floor (I emphasize this because the driver told the United people Second floor, and that was wrong. Anyway, you arrive at the terminal, wait for the shuttle people to take out all the luggage, collect your luggage and that is it. I was at the airport by 9:30, and this was the shuttle for “flights leaving after 2pm” My flight is at 2:15.

Just wanted to note that at the beginning of the week, no one was having breakfast at Park Cafe. By the end of the week, everyone had found it and it was harder to get a seat outside in Central Park, but getting your food was quick.

Disembarkation was a breeze! I woke up at 7:20 (which is like EARLY for this night owl), threw on my clothes, put the PJS and toothbrush etc in a plastic bag in my carry-on, and went down to Park Cafe for a final breakfast (and settled for the regular coffee to make life easy). Had the Egg, Ham and Cheese breakfast sandwich (they make them to order, you get a little round thing that rings when its ready) with coffee and juice. Need to fortify for a day at airports! Went to the Main Dining Room on 5 to wait for my group to be called. That was a little disorganized; no group loudspeaker announcents. When someone at the door called 47, I was group 45, so joined the queue to disembark. It was a long line of people getting off the gangplank and down the walkways to get the luggage, but it moved quickly. Found mine right away, put the plastic bag with the overnight things into my main luggage, and then did that wonderfully easy biometrics thing where you look in the camera and BOOM you are done with customs etc.. Don’t even have to fill out a customs form or take out your passport! I know some people don’t like it due to invasion of privacy, but gosh it makes life easier when you travel! I wonder if some camera somewhere caught you leaving Diamonds International with multiple shopping bags if you would be stopped at the biometric camera when disembarking? 😂

@BecciBoo Well that was part of it; by the time I had a free lunch (Saturday) it was game day and that place was PACKED. if the Vols were playing I would have done it though!

@princess76021 I will! I am at the airport awaiting my flight home. Currently at the Delta Sky Club because I have over 3 hours. Stupid cost of $50 (with my Delta Platinum card) BUT if you figure espresso coffee $7, Lunch $25 and water bottle $4, that’s $36 right there, not including boredom shopping in the terminal, so it’s like spending $14 extra dollars for peace, quiet, a plug, and a good internet connection.

And finally tonight, with great apologies to the original lyricist (John Denver) of Leavin’ On a Jet Plane: All my BAGS ARE PACKED 😭 I’m (not) ready to go. I’m standing here, right near my door. I hate to leave this cruise, and say goodbye! But the cruise is ending, there is no more. Real life is waiting, I’m feeling forlorn Soon I’ll be so landlocked; I could cry! So read my LIVE! And smile for me I’ll read yours when you’re on the sea On Cruise Critic, our cruise passion really shines! I’m leavin’ on a jet plane! Two months ‘till I can cruise again. But still, I hate to go.

I loved the ice show! Beautifully staged, and I’m in awe of skaters that can flip and lift and spin in the air like that! Went upstairs to find a spot to contemplate the ocean, but was unsuccessful, although the pool deck was good and empty and I enjoyed the breeze…then it started to rain again (brief tropical sort of rain). Luggage lining the halls…such a sad sight!

Thanks @Hogladyrider its been a pleasure to have you all along! There were times the ship felt crowded, and times it did not. But there were a couple of times I as well aware that every single person in the town where my husband was born could fit in this ship! With room for a couple hundred more! My next is Carnival Celebration the end of November, then HAL cruise to Antarctica and South America in January, and Carnival Jubilee in March.

I wanted to go to Playmakers tonight (my final specialty restaurant). I….just…couldn’t…eat…another bite! @OCSC Mike Will have to save that Campfire Cookie for next time!

Hibachi was just OK. Had the Beef Tenderloin and lobster. Expected a better included appetizer than just salad. MeT and lobster good quality and well cooked. Roy our chef was fun, but we had 2 small children at the table which I think affected the whole experience//not as raucous as Hibachi usually is. End of meal was slow..had to ask for desert and “check” to be brought so I could get to ice show on time. And they brought the wrong desert first so you’re getting photos of two! Evidently forgot a photo of the beef.

Tidbits from today! There were 6,507 passengers this week An Alpha Alpha Alpha was called for Deck 16 this afternoon (medical emergency) Never made it to Playmakers—only Specialty Restaurant I missed this week. Well I didn’t do Chef’s Table either.

@princess76021 Sitting here ready for the Ice show, my last on/calendar activity. Def not ready to disembark!

Bags are packed! Ran around the ship to look at a couple things I missed. Off to my dinner at Izumi Hibachi, and then to the Ice Show. Sigh.

Thanks @Arzeena!

Thank you @princess76021!

And I got my first video from the ship up! It’s basically my first 2 days on the ship in video form; going to do 2 more (already taped) days 3 and 4, and days 5-7. I always struggle with getting videos up while on the ship; I would rather experience the ship and then do the videos later. But here it is!

Well, I got to use the Aqua theater for a GREAT morning activity today! They had the Zumba class there this morning! Right up on the stage!! First of all, Zumba is my exercise of choice. Second, I got to exercise looking at the ocean. It was breezy and shaded on the stage, so the weather was fine for Zumba! They had the two “dance fitness” classes in the Boleros bar, I DO wish they would do these Zumba classes more often, and on the Aqua stage too! No photos, as I couldn ‘t carry the phone with me for exercise. Directly afer I had fruit, juice and lovely, fresh Brioche, egg, cheese and mushroom breakfast sandwich. Then NO line at Cafe Promenade for my dry cappuccino. Yay! First time I got one that was not dry, but they immediately re-made it for me. Then its been packing, finishing up a video, and a little swag shopping. got my ship model for my video “studio” and a really soft blue shirt with the Wonder logo. Just 2 small pieces of crispy pizza for lunch and my freestyle Diet Cherry Dr. Peppr. I do love that I can get that on the ship! More work on video this afternoon; early dinner at Izumi Hibachi, then the moved ice show.

@BecciBooSo true! The cold mashed taters came with my second lobster, and I decided I probably shouldn’t eat them anyway, so I didn’t ask. Good to know about heating up the rolls!!

After dinner we went to the Mason Jar to hear the Country Trio. They are just so good. Very cramped in there as far as dancing goes though, but do love that bar in the evening! Then I saw Effectors. I really liked it. Of course, I had my ear plugs in this time, and GOSH this was another loud show, so I was glad for that. I think they executed the entire SuperHeroes//Comics theme beautifully. Big Cast! Great costumes and makeup! Some original music, and I liked their selections of Pop-Music. Sure, a weak plot, but at least it was a PLOT. LOVED the drones and other special effects. This show, like the Aqua show, live music doesn’t make sense so I get using tracks. After that the Disco Party was starting on the Promenade. I went. I really wanted to dance. It is SO crowded; its a thoroughfare, and then they stick that stage right in the middle creating a bottleneck (the CD and other dancers are in the balcony). NO room to dance, blaring music. The parties have let me down on this ship. I left and finally got that 1 Chocolate Martini at Schooners (it was good) and then back to the room. Last day tomorrow already! 😭😭😭 How does it go so fast?

Well I sort of disappeared after my time at the Solarium. Went to Johnny Rocket’s for lunch. Very nostalgic; hadn’t been at one for years. Met another solo diner in line and we lunched together; turns out she worked for Royal in finance for 5 years, and has cruised a TON, so she was an interesting lunch companion! Had the chilli cheese fries and the #12 burger, plus a diet coke. Then worked on my video (its finished and I’m going to upload it in the morning!). While I was at the Giant Country Hat where I met Tyman, I met a lovely engaged couple. We bonded over some terrible line dancing. When I went to dinner at the MDR on 4 (which is HUGE) that very same couple was sitting right next to me! So I ended up having some pleasant dining companions, That, plus my Internet being in and out when I’m not in my room today, delayed my sharing of the meal. I had the melon and avocado salad, the French Onion Soup, and 2 lobster tails (yep, paid for the second; I tried to get a lunch reservation at Hooked after my dinner there but none was to be had. I still think $16.95 is an outrageous price for the extra lobster, and I didn’t have the steak. Lobster, however is MUCH larger than the ones Carnival has been serving of late. I mean, like 3x larger. My lobster on Carnival was so thin. All food served was hot (except the mashed potatoes). Good lobster, but not as good as at Hooked. It was properly cooked. I thought the French Onion Soup was good, the “salad” was a little weird. It was JUST melon and avocado, and both were not ripe enough. The breads on the table were cold and hard and disappointing (just as well so I didn’t waste calories on them). There’s actually a photo of me at dinner thanks to my new friends! The Baked Alaska for dessert was DIVINE and always a treat to have. Everone has been ask

@TYMAN I love the extra crispy pizza too! First time I had it it was OK; last night I had 2 slices of cheese and someone must have ordered an extra crispy because it was SO much better! Didn’t know you needed to order it that way; good information to have! Was nice to finally meet you today! And CONGRATS on the hand pay!! I tried to see if I could get some casino money to play with, but the machines I tried were super tight, so I saved most of my gambling budget for my Ultra gambling cruise on Celebration next month. I’m quite sure I didn’t even gamble enough for casino offers of any type from Royal, sadly.

Oh no! ordering medium rare and getting well done is always such a disappointing experience. Especially twice. And then raw! Definitely a new Chef. I had a very good meal at Hooked, but it was all seafood. Perhaps the coating was a llittle heavy on the Soft Shell Crab, but that is a little quibble.

I met @TYMAN! I was supposed to be working on my video—we’ll I was—and then I went to Bolero’s to get a Blueberry Nojito to help me work—and there was the country trip playin at the hat, so I stayed to listen to the set, and he recognized my hair! It was nice to put the face to the name.