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My Allure Trip Journal- 5/27/12: There IS No Reader's Digest Version!

OklaCruiserMom
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OklaCruiserMom

OklaCruiserMom

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Thanks you guys!!! I am so tickled that my report is getting such great feedback. And I admit it- I can't seem to stop writing. I'm at work right now, but my work situation is such that I'm basically sitting in a huge empty completely quiet building all by myself with no boss except God to watch me sitting here goofing off and getting paid for it, and I CAN'T GET BUSY!! I just finished writing Part 4, and here it comes....

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OklaCruiserMom

OklaCruiserMom

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(Due to my wordiness, I'm having to break this up into more pieces than I thought, but apparently that's ok with you guys. :D Thanks so much. Read on....)

*

 

We arrived at the MDR (Deck 4, if you’re interested) a little early and there was a crowd waiting for the doors to open. I had seen pictures of this phenomenon on… ahem…a different line’s board, but I didn’t realize it happened on Royal. I don’t know why I thought this- maybe I had just never heard people mention waiting for the doors to open at dinner. It wasn’t the ‘waiting for the doors to open’ part that made me feel a little disconcerted, it was the crowd. Here was an example of one of those supposedly few moments on the Oasis class where you felt the crowding. But it should be noted that this only occurred on the first night. (I’m assuming on that night everyone wanted to be on time, and also that perhaps more people went to the MDR on the first night than on subsequent nights.)

*

Anyway. Once the doors opened, the crowd dispersed pretty quickly and we went to our table (#403, if you’re interested. Our waitstaff: Head waiter- Cesar, Waiter- Dalton, Assistant Waiter- Silvestre). It’s kind of a funny thing, but we ended up in the same places at the table every night. We automatically sat every evening in the same spots we did on the first night. So we met the aforementioned Dalton and Silvestre, and they were really nice. Dalton was very friendly and chatted, especially with my son, calling him My Boy every time he talked to him, giving him the Fist Bump every time Adam shared some fascinating bit of information with him. On later evenings when The Boy was displaying his usual tendency toward occasional surliness, Dalton was very engaging with him and usually managed to get him to smile.

*

Of course, I had already scoped out the menu ahead of time and I knew I was definitely interested in trying the Vidalia Onion Tart as an appetizer. The kids didn’t bother with appetizers, of course. I enjoyed the tart, but it wasn’t quite as Wow-inducing as I expected. It seemed just a little bland. Again, I did like it, but after reading about it for so long, I was underwhelmed. (Please note, I am the farthest thing from a food snob there could ever be- you surely can’t get to be as overweight as I was, with a picky, discriminating palate. This is in no way a huge criticism of Royal’s food. I ate it, I enjoyed it, and my WW weigh-in proved it. But I will admit to being less than impressed with the tastes and flavors I tried during the week. Again, I would not rate them as low as other people I’ve read from my sailing. They just weren’t as amazing as I expected.)

*

Ok, enough of that. Daughter S. and The Boy both had the pasta selection from the Alternative Menu Selections and Daughter J. chose the grilled chicken. Remember I said they were all about habit and repetitiveness when it came to food? This was the beginning of a trend that would continue throughout the week. The Boy mixed it up a little, but if we were in the MDR, Daughter S. was having pasta! Yes, I am a little chagrined that they aren’t more adventurous about trying new foods and acquiring new tastes. I was hoping they’d be more open-minded on this trip, but alas. Indeed, I originally planned that I would order for everybody every night so that I could try it all myself, and if they didn’t like it, there was always Sorrentos. The WJ buffet, however, would later come to play an important role in their dining experience later in the week!

*

For dessert I had the sponge cake, which was good, and The Boy tried the chocolate cherry cake, which he quickly dismissed as being bitter. (He’s from Oklahoma and he’s 11- his appreciation for chocolate comes solely from Hershey. What can you say, right?) I don’t think the girls bothered with dessert either, although J. might have had some sherbet or vanilla ice cream.

*

During the dinner itself, we got our first big taste (pardon the pun) of the feeling of the ship’s movement and the beginnings of seasickness. We didn’t feel sick, exactly, (except for Daughter J.- I ordered her a Sprite with her dinner) but we definitely just felt loopy and drunk. The Boy enjoyed laughing about that, and pretending that he was, in fact, drunk. (Don’t worry- he doesn’t actually know what it feels like.) We all had a few giggles. Finally, we ended the meal and said goodnight to Dalton. Before we left the table, The Boy expressed to me that we definitely needed to leave Dalton a tip, because he was a lot of fun. I skimmed over the whole ‘ship’s gratuities’ tradition, and promised him that we would most certainly give Dalton a tip at the end of the cruise. The Boy can be so sweet at times like these. :p

*

My recollection of exact events gets a little blurry here. Probably what happened was that the girls went back to the room for a bit and The Boy and I went exploring again. (Or possibly I went exploring by myself) but in my actual journal from the trip it says that I walked the decks, walked the walking track, checked to see if OceanAria would still be on, and found that it was. I collected the kids from the room, and we went to our first cruise show- OceanAria! It was really amazing. The athleticism and grace of those performers is so incredible. We enjoyed the Funny Guy who got the crowd warmed up at the beginning. He is supposed to look all clumsy and silly, but he’s probably one of the best athletes in the show. Note here: I agree with previous reviews I’ve read that there is absolutely no perceivable story-line to this show, just a sort of a theme of a primitive, underwater society. (That happens to spend a lot of time diving, bouncing, and swinging on things that hang from the sky.) It still rocks, and it’s worth watching.

*

After OA, we went back to Boardwalk (again!) and they rode the carousel (again!). I think this might have been the first time I rode it with them. Then we went back to the room for a bit, and Daughter J. and The Boy took full advantage of the Dreamworks programming on TV (another of their trends for the week) and Daughter S. and I- well, I took my daughter clubbing. Because of a variety of indoctrinated religious and parental stuff, I did feel some slight sense of guilt or ambivalence about this, although I really enjoyed it. By the way, if you happen to follow the link to my blog in my signature, I am posting these reports there too, but this particular section will be mysteriously missing from that forum, because I am a complete phony and don’t want to share this particular experience with some of my real life friends who might read my blog, like my preacher.

*

We had planned on hitting up what is billed in the Compass as the Traffic Light Singles Party, where you get a cool little glow-y glass with the color that reflects your relationship status- Green = single, Red = unavailable, and Yellow = It’s complicated. This party was held in Blaze, and we finally found it, went in, sat down, and discussed what beverage we wanted. We decided on Virgin Margaritas. I went to the bar, ordered them, and received… no glow-y glass! L Oh well. Such is life. We sat there and watched the dancers and sipped our drinks. I don’t think she liked hers all that much. (Later she would discover a flavor that she found “de-lish-us, fo’ rizzle!” Yeah, she just talks that way sometimes, I dunno.)

*

So since both of us either a)can’t dance worth a flip (me) or b)wouldn’t show off our groovy, quirky moves in front of strangers if our lives depended on it (her), we finished our drinks and split. I was interested in checking out Jazz On 4, and so was she, so we did. It was a really cool, vibe-y little venue that would have made a great place to hang out and chill, but unfortunately we found the woman singer’s voice to be… um… not particularly pleasing. (Ok, we thought we could have sung better and if we had to listen to her very much longer, we might stick forks in our ears. I just didn’t want to say it like that.)

*

So we left after about 3 minutes, and grooved on down to the Karaoke Club. Success!!! We had found our Mother Ship! We sat there and watched and enjoyed the atmosphere as we listened to the performers. There was one girl who we thought seemed totally cool and talented (an African-American girl with short braids- we said hi to her later and told her we were big fans.) We really love the idea of singing karaoke (in fact, we had a big K party for the girls’ 18th b-day in November, and it was too much fun) but in this instance we were too shy to give it a go, and in any case it was almost closing. Among other memorable attempts, we watched the guy who sang Sexual Healing and ended up on the Cruise DVD, and after the final performances we went back to the room and she crashed while I got ready for our port stop in Nassau the next day.

Up next, Nassau.... and hopefully soon, some pictures!

Thanks again, everybody! I Heart U!

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OklaCruiserMom

OklaCruiserMom

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Thanks again to all who have commented so far. Just wanted to add here that I hope you'll be proud that I decided to include the 'clubbing' section in my personal blog after all. I figure I'm supposed to be a grown-up and one of the attributes I've been chasing for a few years now is that of being who I am with no apology. So- parents, high school friends, church friends, preachers- like it or not, this is me. :D

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Familygoboston Great Review Rare

Familygoboston

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I love all your little details! It isn't easy travelling or (living with) kids with special needs, especially alone, so God Bless you for doing it with such good humor and grace!!

 

I know if I came across your quartet giggling in the MDR, I would find it delightful, and anyone who didn't needs to be ignored...no room for that kind of judgement in this world. ;).

 

OK, and I just have to add...I know I'm from those Godless northern states, but what on earth could be wrong with going to a dance club on a cruise ship with your 18 yo?? ( if she were not welcome the age would be enforced 21 +, as they are later in the evening) You even set a stellar example for her by showing you can have fun without the alcohol. I don't want to touch off a big religious debate, but what God could look askance at a mother teaching her nearly adult daughter about how to conduct herself properly in a fun public place ( now if you were doing jello shots and teaching her pick up lines, even we Godless northeners might get a bit judgey!

 

Looking forward to the rest! I'm interested! ( yes, even in table numbers and cab fares)

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CleveRocks

CleveRocks

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I am SOOO loving your review, and even SOOOO MUCH MORE thankful to you for writing it. We're crusing with our kids (ages 12 and 9) at the end of summer, and have never cruised before.

 

You and I have similar writing styles, which makes this so easy and enjoyable to read!

 

Two quick questions:

1) You mentioned something about your 11-year-old and a wristband. What's that all about? I ask for obvious reasons, having kids 12 and 9.

 

2) You mentioned a few of you changed into swimsuits. Was your cabin ready, or did you have suits in your carry-on and you had a place to change???

 

THANKS!

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Familygoboston Great Review Rare

Familygoboston

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I should mention too, that forgetting to get maps at check in is not just a newbie mistake, I'm a diamond diansoaur and many times I've sailed right through and not picked one up. So now, I remember to ask at the checkin desk "may I have a Weekly Planner (this is the highlights of what you find on each days Compass all on one page for the whole week) and ship map?" Most times they look at me with an irritable look that says "I was just about to hand you one! " but I dont like to be with out it, so I always check now!

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OklaCruiserMom

OklaCruiserMom

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I love all your little details! It isn't easy travelling or (living with) kids with special needs, especially alone, so God Bless you for doing it with such good humor and grace!!

 

I know if I came across your quartet giggling in the MDR, I would find it delightful, and anyone who didn't needs to be ignored...no room for that kind of judgement in this world. ;).

 

OK, and I just have to add...I know I'm from those Godless northern states, but what on earth could be wrong with going to a dance club on a cruise ship with your 18 yo?? ( if she were not welcome the age would be enforced 21 +, as they are later in the evening) You even set a stellar example for her by showing you can have fun without the alcohol. I don't want to touch off a big religious debate, but what God could look askance at a mother teaching her nearly adult daughter about how to conduct herself properly in a fun public place ( now if you were doing jello shots and teaching her pick up lines, even we Godless northeners might get a bit judgey!

 

Looking forward to the rest! I'm interested! ( yes, even in table numbers and cab fares)

 

You know, I'm really not even sure about what God himself might think... I just know that with my upbringing and my parents who would still feel guilty if THEY did things like that around ME... I just have a natural tendency toward a moment of uneasiness where I ask myself, is this right? And unfortunately, I have developed a habit of saying "What the he**, I'm having fun- if it's wrong, I'll worry about it later!" :D So it's really just a moment where I question it, and I know that certain people in my life would not at all approve, but then I blow it off and do it anyway.

 

Thanks so much for the encouragement! I appreciate all comments and questions! My next installment will probably inspire a flood of them. You'll see why.

 

Jello shots and pickup lines... now that's funny!

 

 

I am SOOO loving your review, and even SOOOO MUCH MORE thankful to you for writing it. We're crusing with our kids (ages 12 and 9) at the end of summer, and have never cruised before.

 

You and I have similar writing styles, which makes this so easy and enjoyable to read!

 

Two quick questions:

1) You mentioned something about your 11-year-old and a wristband. What's that all about? I ask for obvious reasons, having kids 12 and 9.

 

2) You mentioned a few of you changed into swimsuits. Was your cabin ready, or did you have suits in your carry-on and you had a place to change???

 

THANKS!

 

Thanks for reading! Glad you're enjoying it.

 

1) All kids under age 11 have to wear a wristband indicating their muster station for the duration of the cruise. Just makes it easier for staff to take care of them if there were some emergency.

 

2) It was after 1 by that time and our room was ready, so we changed in there when we first went to go find it. Due to my ineptness, we had all our luggage with us the whole time, but we also had the swimsuits in one carry on, which was the only piece of luggage I had INTENDED to have with me. Ah well, live and learn.

 

 

I should mention too, that forgetting to get maps at check in is not just a newbie mistake, I'm a diamond diansoaur and many times I've sailed right through and not picked one up. So now, I remember to ask at the checkin desk "may I have a Weekly Planner (this is the highlights of what you find on each days Compass all on one page for the whole week) and ship map?" Most times they look at me with an irritable look that says "I was just about to hand you one! " but I dont like to be with out it, so I always check now!

 

LOL! That's good to know. I think I assumed that the maps would be handed out to everyone. In fact, the first person I asked for a map directed me to the Guest Services desk to get one particular form that basically just showed which stuff was on which deck, but not really how to get there. They said that the big fold-out maps were only for Travel Agents. Huh?? I went to someone else and they snatched one up and handed it to me immediately. :)

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OklaCruiserMom

OklaCruiserMom

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And we continue...

 

*

*

 

I got up at 7am, took the stairs up to deck 5, and walked the walking track as far as the turn-off to Boardwalk. I grabbed a couple of doughnuts from the case and took them back to the room as, shall we say, Wake-Up Incentive! :D The kids shared the doughnuts, but didn’t like the Magic Shell-like consistency of the chocolate coating. (I know, kids can be so weird.) But the doughnuts had achieved the intended result- the kids got up, and we got dressed, collected our “port stuff” and went to the Windjammer Buffet for breakfast. It was fine- I don’t remember what we all had, but I’m sure eggs, bacon, sausage, and Danishes were all involved. We had an enjoyable breakfast (I guess, because I described it thus in my original journal: It was good. And fun.) I’m assuming it was a bit of a zoo, but we wandered far enough that we found a seat. The trick, I think, is to hover nearby until a party of your size leaves their table and then swoop in like buzzards and sit yourselves down while the waiter is still wiping away the previous occupants’ crumbs!

 

*

 

Anyway. My original desire was to get off the ship as early as possible, take a walking tour of all the government buildings and the immediate area, and then hit the Pirates Museum, Ardastra Zoo, and end up with Junkanoo Beach. But then, sadly, I realized that 1) it was vacation and the kids were not going to be thrilled about getting up with the chickens every morning, and b) they didn’t give two hoots about seeing government buildings, and d) I had zero confidence in my ability to maneuver around the city in such a way as to make what we were seeing coherent and interesting. ‘Directionally challenged,’ you recall. So I decided we’d get off the ship just in time to walk directly to the Pirates museum, arriving there shortly after opening. We’d tour it, then catch a cab or bus or something to Ardastra Zoo and Gardens, arriving just in time to see the only scheduled Flamingo Show we’d be able to catch, maybe the Parrot feeding, see a few monkeys and other wildlife, and then go to the beach for a couple of hours before getting back to the ship.

 

*

 

The plan went well, as far as it went. We were off the ship in a fairly timely manner. The chaos at the port was pretty intimidating for a first-timer- all the touts for cabs and hair braiding and so forth. From watching YouTube videos, reading tour books and looking at walking maps, I was fairly sure I could find my way to the Pirates Museum, but I think somebody saw the confused look on my face, and after asking if I needed a taxi and being refused, asked where I was trying to get to, and I told them the Pirates Museum and they pointed me in the right direction. I actually was already on the right track though, for once. :D

 

*

 

We made it to the museum, met the enterprising “Pirate” gentleman at the entrance, and went into the shop to buy our tickets. (3 Adults + 1 Child = $42 if you’re interested.) We toured the museum, and it was mildly amusing, but it was hard to enjoy for two reasons: One, Daughter J. has serious issues with dark places with spooky noises coming out. She kept hanging onto me and cringing, even though the lady at the entrance had promised us that "Nothing touches you, nothing jumps out at you." I guess J. didn't believe her. And Two, The Boy wasn’t as into it as I had hoped, once we passed the areas with the figures and recreations, and he kept nagging at us to “hurry up, come on, let’s go!” (Maybe that was payback for when he tried to show me the fish, y’think?) Anyway, we finished the tour, took the obligatory pics with our heads in the stocks, and exited through the gift shop where I bought a few post cards and little parchment treasure maps, or something like that. I’m not even sure. I was just beginning to exhibit the symptoms of Crappy Souvenir Buying Syndrome.

 

*

 

We asked for directions to the zoo, and proceeded to attempt to follow them, but I think we basically circled the block before noticing a taxi stand and procuring taxi transportation to the zoo. The fare was $17 with tip, which struck even me as a little ridiculous, but we paid it. If I remember correctly, Daughter S. began to be rather aghast at my complete helplessness at this point. My attitude toward her was something along the lines of “Geez, my Girl Scout days were many eons ago, cut me some slack, how ‘bout?” But we made it to the zoo, took in the flamingo show (which was short, but pretty funny) and the parrot feeding, looked at a few other animals, got pictures made with a safari hat with a bird on our heads, also pictures with the one bird giving us a kiss on the nose, bought some much needed cold drinks, and hot-footed it out of there.

 

*

 

Before I leave the tales of the Zoo, I have to relate the story of Daughter S. stalking the flamingos after the show was over, determined for them to stay still long enough for her to get a close-up picture with them. She basically succeeded in this endeavor, and we have some really cute pics of her imitating their stance and the looks on their faces. I know, it takes a certain amount of talent to imitate the look on a flamingo’s face, but still, she managed. She and The Boy were really cute feeding the parrots too. I have pictures of them standing there with birds on their arms and heads, holding out their little apple slices. They really enjoyed it, I think. Then those pics I mentioned before- the flamingos’ drill sergeant is stationed near the exit of the zoo, with a well-trained bird (NOT a flamingo!) perched on a safari hat for people to have their pictures made with, for a small donation. They also found some other parrots on perches in that same area, that would do little tricks for you and talk to you. One of them was really funny- it would copy you if you stood in front of it and moved your head side to side. You move, he moves, you move, he moves. It was so cute!

 

*

 

So then we asked for directions to where we could catch the bus, and we managed to get there, despite some uncertainty that we were actually going in the right direction. ( I SWEAR, I need some kind of medical treatment for this condition, really!) We found a bus stop, right near some guys who seemed to be grilling conch or something, and also, much to my great happiness, a security officer, or someone who was posing as a security officer, who seemed to be functioning to protect tourists from the guys grilling conch on the corner, and also to stop the bus for helpless chickens like us, who would never have managed to brave that busy street to catch the bus if he hadn’t been there. I don't know for sure who or what he really was, but I didn't care, because the bus came after just a few minutes (Number 10, fare $1.25 pp, if you’re interested) and he told helped slow traffic so we could run across the street. We gratefully climbed on, flopped down, and tried to take in some brief glimpses of the beach through the windows as we sped back to the ship. And that is the story of how I went to the Bahamas for the first time, and didn’t go to the beach. Bummer for me.

 

*

 

When we got back to the ship, a not-so-great thing happened. I was dawdling, taking pictures, and the kids were outdistancing me on the walk back from the drop-off area to the security area, but I had the girls’ IDs in my wallet. They came back to get them from me and told The Boy to wait there for them, but when we got to that area, Guess Who had completely disappeared! We asked security if they had seen him and they said to go to the Gangway and see if he had been scanned onto the ship. Sure enough, the little monster had already gotten onboard. The girls headed to the room to either see if he had already made it, or to be there when he did show up, and I started combing the decks looking for him.

 

*

 

I went up to the pool area first, figuring that would be his immediate destination. I guess I am a stress eater, and when I saw the Wipeout Café, I remembered the reputation of the Pretzel Dogs from that establishment and figured this might be my only time to have one, so I zipped through the room, plated one, then left the plate and ate it as I continued my search for He-Who-Was-Now-In-Huge-Trouble. (The pretzel dog was really good, btw. I wish I’d had a chance to get another later, but I never did.) And here, I have to say, I realize this is going to sound like a horrible thing, but I figured he was on the ship and pretty safe for the most part, and at some point in here I found a phone and called our room, and he was already there. But I can’t remember if it was before or after I knew he was in the room, that I stopped at the pool bar, I believe it was, and ordered a Strawberry Margarita and continued walking. I remember thinking, “Great, I can’t believe this- Day 2 and I’ve lost one of them! I need a drink!” So I hope it doesn’t make you abandon reading my review, but he was fine and the drink wasn’t all that great, and we roll on.

 

*

 

I returned to the room and gave The Boy the required lectures about safety and dangers and so forth. It turned out that a staff member had seen him and asked him if he needed help and accompanied him to our room. We decided that he could be forgiven of this lapse in judgment as long as he was aware that he would NOT be allowed to roam alone after that, no matter what.

 

*

 

So Daughter S. wanted nothing but to shower and nap, but the other two were hungry, so we went to the buffet, where they had hamburgers and hot dogs and French fries, Oh My. I had a little lo-mein and curry, neither of which was particularly mind-blowing. I took them back to Boardwalk and they rode the carousel again, and Daughter J. finally got to get her picture taken with some characters. (I forgot to mention that the whole family had our picture taken with King Julien on the Promenade the night before, but this was her first solo picture.) The Madagascar Penguins were down there doing their thing, and the picture we got turned out quite cute. Then we went to the pool deck where The Boy enjoyed the Lazy River and Daughter J. sampled several of the different pools.

 

*

 

I found a shady chair and journaled a little. My unfortunate tendency toward negativity was rolling over me, and I was thinking and beating myself up about the Weight Watchers Failure I was becoming and the times so far I had already been cranky with the kids and said mean things that I obviously couldn’t rewind and un-say, and so forth and so on. Then I got drowsy and put the journal down and relaxed a little, and I was determined that tomorrow being a Sea Day, I would find some time for ME so that I could be more of who I wanted to be for THEM.

 

*

 

Up Next: Formal Night Festivities

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BearBear69

BearBear69

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I know you have many complements going here.....and i just have to add in that this is BY FAR the best and most real review i have read thus far!

 

I too went on the ALLURE with 3 other kids and myself....2 were mine and one a friend of DD's.......different perspective not necessarily having other "adult" conversation for 7 days!.....in fact, the freaking elevators were filled with non English speaking travelers and i felt all alone at times :(

 

You are so fun to follow and i thank u for taking the time and detail!

 

Cheers!

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jarz85

jarz85

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Please can we have some pictures to go with this great review! I need faces for the names...I'm using my imagination but it's not the same!

 

Even if you can't get them on CC a link would be fine.

 

Or the opposite, if you're not comfortable putting pics of you and your family on here I understand, but I am craving some pics! :cool:

 

I was reading you're latest post whilst on the train home from work and actually laughed out loud when you were looking for your son but detoured for a pretzel! Needless to say I got some weeks looks on the train!

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OklaCruiserMom

OklaCruiserMom

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And we continue...

*

In my actual journal from the trip, after I put the journal down in the above post, this is what it says: “Ok- after the previous- I totally forget what happened. We got ready for formal night.”

*

I wore my beloved yellow dress I bought on eBay and worked my a$$ off to make sure I fit into for this trip. And naturally I fidgeted with it all night! After going back and forth on whether we were going to “do” formal night and how fancied up we were going to get, we ended up bringing the formal wear, but honestly- neither I nor my girls are “girly-girls.” None of us wear makeup regularly in everyday life, none of us curl or straighten or perm or color our hair regularly (although since I am approaching 40, the “Great Battle of the So-Called Sparklies” has begun, and I do try to cover some evil grays from time to time.) So it turned out that none of us did much with our hair. I convinced the girls to at least wear foundation to even out their complexions, and I put on a little Bare Minerals and some mascara. After being all enthusiastic about bringing his suit and getting it all pressed and cleaned, The Boy was in the middle of a really sleepy spell when it was time to get ready for dinner, and had to be, shall we say, coerced, to get up and get dressed. Therefore he sat at table in his little suit, half asleep like an old Grandpa after Thanksgiving dinner, and had to be prodded awake to give old Dalton his order. Sigh!!!

*

The girls didn’t really do anything with their hair or jewelry, or even their shoes, but we didn’t really care that much after a while. We looked pretty good, and we were only in pursuit of Experience. So we went to our table, and I enjoyed pointing out other people’s pretty outfits to the girls, i.e. “Hey, look at that dress- that’s gorgeous!” And also, “Look out, that chick’s dress is so short, she’s fixin’ to moon us!” I had the antipasti, garlic soup, chicken marsala, and tiramisu. It was all very nice, but I began to feel guilty again, this time because poor Dalton would give us his little recommendations pitch every night on what was supposed to be extra good that night, and we never seemed to take them!! I think he got a complex, because he seemed fairly quiet and not so there the next few nights.

*

After dinner, we went and had a few pictures taken and then in true redneck fashion, we ditched our fancy clothes and went swimmin’! I felt pretty awkward waiting for the elevator in our swimsuits and cover-ups when there were tuxes and gowns and bling everywhere, but I got over it. :D Tonight was a memorable moment in the trip. I went to the towel station to get us some towels, and the attendant, Andres, had a notebook on his desk where he had been drawing. I struck up a conversation about his art and how Daughter S. is an artist. She draws anime and would die to go to the Dallas Art Institute and become an animator. She thinks Avatar is the pinnacle of movie magic, and she also would love to do the voices for her own cartoon show. (Just a little networking there, sorry.) So I went back and told her all about him, and we went back and they talked, and we said she would bring her notebook down there either that night or the next night and show him her work. Unfortunately, we got busy doing other things and she never did go back that night. I’ll get back to this story when she did go back…

*

After swimming, we took The Boy and Daughter J. back to the room, changed clothes again, and then Daughter S. and I went to see Chicago. Now I have to say here, that I have never seen a real Broadway show, never even an “Off-Broadway” show. The closest I have come to that has been my local Little Theater group and Lone Grove High School’s esteemed productions. With regard to Chicago itself, I have only seen the movie and my little sister’s Humorous Duet of vignettes from Chicago in competitive speech, (which was a RIOT, btw) so I can’t say how good or not good the show was in quality. But I enjoyed it a lot, and I loved the music. I especially enjoyed the performance of “When You’re Good to Mama.” I don’t remember the actress’s name, but she definitely blew the roof off, and got a great round of applause. :cool:

*

Here was another of the best moments of the cruise as far as time spent with one of the kids, because S. and I got a severe case of the giggles. It went like this: I jokingly told her I was never going to cruise with them again, but then I said I’d definitely cruise with her, and I told her she could take me on a cruise to Alaska when I was old and departed. I meant to say decrepit, but we both cracked up at the idea of her taking my urn full of ashes or my coffin on a cruise to Alaska and touring with it. What can I say, we’re sick and twisted. :D It was pretty late by the time the show ended, so after Chicago, we went back to the room and went to bed.

*

A note about the show content: You all know the story of Chicago- sex, betrayal, murder, etc. It’s not for kids, and the language is all there, but if you or your teenage children (I’d say at least over 14 or 15) are not sensitive or easily offended by such, OR if you have a relationship where you can talk about what you’ve seen and share your beliefs and thoughts, then feel free to take kids over the age of 15 or so, depending on the kid. I wouldn’t have wanted The Boy to be exposed to it, although he has watched many movies I probably shouldn’t have let him watch, and Daughter J. was recently baptized and is very church-y at this point, and wouldn’t have appreciated it anyway. Just FYI. And also, it was VERY cold in the theater. Daughter S. was wearing shorts and she was ready to pull her knees up under her shirt before it was over.

*

Up Next: First Sea Day!

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cmoose

cmoose

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Posted

This is my first time posting on this board, though I have been lurking for months.

Such a great review. You sound like an awesome mom to me, with a very full plate. Any mom who would take her 3 kids on the biggest ship in the world, by herself, even though those said kids might be a bit of a challenge from time to time and even tough she might not have the best sense of direction, which would cause many people not to ever travel alone, and for the sake of her kids put herself in a situation that may temporarily derail her weight watchers journey. That mom gets an A+ in my book, in case your interested!!

Can't wait for the rest.

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