Middle Aged Drama Queen's Eastern Carib Review: Fun on the FREEDOM!!!

[cruzinlady1947]

Sherri, I am really enjoying your second "novel". Or should I say short story. :p I noticed you haven't finished reading "Explosive Eighteen" yet. Unless you finished reading it while on board the Freedom. You know her next book, "Notorious Nineteen" comes out on Nov. 20th. I really don't know how you get any reading done with all the writing you are doing to keep us glued to CC. BTW, when is your next adventure? Will be looking forward to it. I guess I will have to follow you on your blog.

 

Thanks again for all your time and effort to entertain us. You are definitely doing a darn good job. :D

 

Gwen :)

[KansCocoa]

Sherri, I am really enjoying your second "novel". Or should I say short story. :p I noticed you haven't finished reading "Explosive Eighteen" yet. Unless you finished reading it while on board the Freedom. You know her next book, "Notorious Nineteen" comes out on Nov. 20th. I really don't know how you get any reading done with all the writing you are doing to keep us glued to CC. BTW, when is your next adventure? Will be looking forward to it. I guess I will have to follow you on your blog.

 

Thanks again for all your time and effort to entertain us. You are definitely doing a darn good job. :D

 

Gwen :)

 

Hi, Gwen! Gosh - you are so right about me not finishing #18 yet. I have it in paperback...and it's the book I bought at the airport shop before leaving for our European adventure. I do that book swap thingy - where you buy the paperback, read it, and return it at the next airport and get 50% back on the book. I meant to finish it so I could swap it in Ft. Myers when I came home from Florida - but you're right; with all of my writing, I didn't finish it. I HOPE to finish it and swap it by my next trip - which is in October - back to Florida. I've been reading my Kindle books lately late at night, but I DO need to finish that paperback - before November, apparently!!!

 

I'm laying low on "planned" adventures for awhile until I get through the height of hurricane season. I have to leave my schedule open the next few weeks in case the Red Cross calls and I get deployed...so no trips for me. It's one of those, "I have to stay available - but I HOPE I'm not needed...as that would mean someone is in trouble."

 

I do have a solo trip to Walt Disney World coming in November - I take a solo trip every year to just soak in the ambiance and smell the roses (and eat the food!).

 

It's a rainy day here in KC today, so I've got the perfect opportunity to get more done on this....Thanks for tagging along. :)

[KansCocoa]

 

Our luggage hadn’t arrived yet (in fact, it wouldn’t arrive until right before our 7:30 dinner reservations), so we decided to head back out and explore more of the ship. Our first stop was down to the Royal Promenade, as this was still a new and foreign concept for us.

 

Our first stop was the Café Promenade, to get some of those delicious (and free!) cookies! This was an excellent place to just sit and watch the people this first day…

 

Cookies...and Chai Tea...does life get any better???!!

 

 

 

4:00 pm was fast approaching, which meant it was almost time for the Muster Drill. Mickey and I got caught up in the early sweep of crew members who begin herding the passengers to their stations well before the official time…so, shrugging, we headed into the Pharaoh’s Club. We were fortunate enough to arrive early and so we sat down in one of the super-duper comfortable chairs. This was a stroke of luck on our part, because as soon as the chairs were all filled, the still-arriving passengers were then taken to the back of the room and told to stand…while more passengers lined up front of them. This went on until almost the entire club was filled with passengers standing in rows like soldiers.

 

 

Now. I’m a bit claustrophobic…and it’s not “tight” spaces that do me in, but the feeling of being trapped, with no escape. If I had been one of those poor passengers standing in the very back of that room – while hordes of other passengers are now crammed in front of me – blocking my supposed “escape” – I would have been having a major meltdown. Seriously. I was having a bit of an anxiety attack just THINKING of those people stuck way back there while we waited for the drill to conclude. So – here’s a tip: GO EARLY if you don’t want to be standing…and trapped…and hot. It HAD to be hot back there behind those piles of people. If you go early - you might get a super, duper comfortable seat. With air circulating around you. And an escape, if needed.

 

 

While we waited…and waited…and waited…for the drill to conclude, we chatted with the family who was sitting next to us. Darcy (from Dallas) and her family consisted of two sons who were about the ages of my own sons, which made me a bit homesick for my OWN boy Klingons. This family became THAT family. Remember? THAT family - the family you will inevitably forever run into everywhere on the ship? Whether it was in the dining room, or at the gym, or along the Promenade – there would be Darcy and her family.

 

 

When the Muster Drill concluded, Mickey and I headed to the Cupcake Cupboard…as we’d seen a little blurb on our stateroom TV about the decorating classes, and we wanted to sign up. HOLY MOLY! It’s a good thing we went to sign up when we did; who’d ever have thunk that cupcake decorating would be so popular??!! We snagged two of the very last available slots – so here’s a tip: GO EARLY ON EMBARKATION DAY TO SIGN UP! In fact, by Sunday evening, the entire week of classes were sold out. You can sign up for the children’s class – or as Mickey and I did, the adult class. I believe it cost $22 apiece – but it was well worth it.

 

 

At 4:30 pm, we headed upstairs to the Pool Deck for the Sailaway Party…and here’s where my lack of Cruise Critic friends really hit me (cue sad violin music, please.) Boo hoo hoo – a party just isn’t the same when it’s just two of you.

 

We did take a self-portrait of us at the Sailaway Party:

 

It was windy...Mickey was worried that I was going to let the camera blow out of my hands and go overboard...she really doesn't have much faith in me, does she??!!

 

 

 

At 5:15, there was a FlowRider demonstration, so we headed up to watch. While waiting, a kind soul took our photo:

 

 

 

 

Soon, the sports staff came out and not only explained how the FlowRider works, but then did a great demonstration:

 

 

 

THIS is where you need to watch your expensive camera equipment. This guy was like Shamu at SeaWorld – deliberating sending huge splashes to the sides of the viewing areas. It was comical to watch people run and take cover so they wouldn’t get soaked.

 

 

 

 

During the week, we’d wander back here occasionally to watch the passengers play on the FlowRider…although we never saw anyone as good as THIS guy, there were some pretty darned talented surfers. I TRIED to talk Mickey into doing this, but she watched a few wipe-outs and decided this wasn’t for her.

 

We still had some time before our 7:30 My Time Dining reservation, so we wandered the ship, making more reservations. Our first stop was Guest Services (on Deck 5 – but I went to Deck 4, out of habit…argh!) to sign up for the All-Access Tour. This cost $150 per person, but I had read some great reviews on Cruise Critic, and thought it would be money well-spent for research purposes. The lady at Guest Services rang up our Seapass cards, and then handed us an envelope that included a waiver (to be signed and returned later) and additional information about the tour. At no time did she really explain what the guidelines were for the tour, which would come into play later.

 

 

We then wandered to the gym, where I signed up for Boot Camp. Um. Why did I do this? I guess because I had been intrigued with it on the Serenade of the Seas, but due to time constraints, couldn’t fit it in. I’m an active person – I’ve been running 5k’s for quite a while, and it’s my hope to work up to a 10k in a few months, with a half-marathon being my eventual goal. I also work out with weights about every other day. So what could be so hard about boot camp, right? When I signed up, I met with the trainer, Jayla, who tells me she’s going to work me hard and take no excuses. I should have heeded her warning right then and there – but I didn’t. And I would pay the price.

 

 

After leaving the gym, we head up to the spa, because we have an emergency on our hands. Due to chlorine and copper issues with our pool in Florida, Mickey is now sporting some really, really green hair. Yup. Lime green in places. It’s actually kinda’ pretty, but to a 12-year old, it’s horrifying. The spa ladies take a look at it, and after trying to convince her that she’ll fit right in with the girls walking around with purple or blue hair, they offer us a free consultation later in the week with a hairdresser. I’ve tried to convince her she looks very Martian-ish, but she’s not buying it.

 

 

At 7:00 pm, we head to the Welcome Aboard Show in the Arcadia Theater. Here’s where we meet our Cruise Director, Graham Seymour, for the first time.

 

It’s love at first sight.

 

Really. This guy is AWESOME. We love his humor; we love that he gives us information as to what is happening on the ship; and we love that he doesn’t make biting remarks about us – the guests. We can tell we’re going to have a great time on this cruise. The entertainment tonight was Artur & Letitia, who do “Aeria Artistry” – think Cirque du Soleil…and they’re good. Very good.

 

There’s also a comedian, Bruce Gold, but…we have to sneak out of the show early, as it’s time for our dinner…so we miss Mr. Gold. Sorry, Mr. Gold.

 

 

And as we head to dinner…we’re wondering…will our as-yet-unknown wait staff be as good as the wait staff on Serenade? We had LOVED our wait staff, Peter & Pascal, on the Serenade…and we know there’s NO POSSIBLE WAY anyone could be as good. Or better. Or…could they?

 

And what about the food? The Serenade had a tendency to push out overcooked food…will the Freedom be the same???

 

[truffles2]

Enjoying your review. I was "sucked in" by the title and knew we were kindred souls when you talked about "leaving breadcrumbs":D.

[tahqa]

Soon, the sports staff came out and not only explained how the FlowRider works, but then did a great demonstration:

 

 

 

 

It's Jackie Chan! Seriously, that's what the sports deck staff call him. :D

 

 

I met him on Oasis in May, 2011, and then when I went on Freedom last November he was there and remembered me! That's one of the things that make Freedom my favorite ship (besides it being practically in my back yard!) -- I think the Sports Deck staff on Freedom are the best in the fleet. :)

 

 

Anyways, loving your review and looking forward to more. :D

[jewelinthesand]

Hee hee...love it. :D

 

obviously micky doesn't read your reviews or she would have seen all the times you mention the freedom cruise during your serenade review. :D

[lalabee79]

Anyone know what little hidden treasure is? On Deck 3? By the karaoke bar?

 

Granted, it's been 4 years since I sailed the Freedom, but aren't the Karaoke booths down there? We discovered them halfway through our cruise, and that's the moment I truly realized that I'm an awful singer.

[KansCocoa]

Enjoying your review. I was "sucked in" by the title and knew we were kindred souls when you talked about "leaving breadcrumbs":D.

 

Seriously...! :p It's true, right?!

[KansCocoa]

It's Jackie Chan! Seriously, that's what the sports deck staff call him. :D

 

 

I met him on Oasis in May, 2011, and then when I went on Freedom last November he was there and remembered me! That's one of the things that make Freedom my favorite ship (besides it being practically in my back yard!) -- I think the Sports Deck staff on Freedom are the best in the fleet. :)

 

 

Anyways, loving your review and looking forward to more. :D

 

Jackie Chan was AWESOME!!! He was amazing on that board...he made it look so darned easy, but I knew better....;)

[swwake]

Oh my goodness, I am in the middle of your Med review (which I just found last week) and taking notes like a madwoman. And now you have already started your Freedom review!

[KansCocoa]

obviously micky doesn't read your reviews or she would have seen all the times you mention the freedom cruise during your serenade review. :D

 

Hee, I never thought about that! No, she didn't start reading the Serenade review until we finished the Freedom cruise...THEN she decided she wanted to read what things I might be saying about her....!

[KansCocoa]

Granted, it's been 4 years since I sailed the Freedom, but aren't the Karaoke booths down there? We discovered them halfway through our cruise, and that's the moment I truly realized that I'm an awful singer.

 

BINGO! We have a winner!!

 

Yes...the Karaoke booths...OMG. Mickey and I are the Worst Singers Ever, but we had so much fun in those booths! (I prayed to the Singing Gods that those booths were really sound-proof, because I know we sounded awful!) We didn't discover them until Day #5 of our cruise - I wish we'd known about them from Day 1!

[KansCocoa]

Oh my goodness, I am in the middle of your Med review (which I just found last week) and taking notes like a madwoman. And now you have already started your Freedom review!

 

Keep up! :D

 

Glad you found this one, as well...I promise, no more reviews for awhile. When you finish this one, you'll be caught up. :p

[KansCocoa]

So…off to the Galileo Dining Room we went, which was on Deck 5 (because we’re doing MTD). We check in, and a minute later, we’re taken back to our table, a table for two. We would have preferred to sit with other people and perhaps make friends, but I’ve noticed with MTD that they very seldom seat you with “strangers.”

 

Our waiter is Sunil, and our assistant waiter is Vincent. Both are from India. They ask us our names, and we will be addressed by our names now for the rest of the cruise; these guys do NOT forget. Vincent will also always have a Diet Coke waiting for me. I like him already.

 

Vincent comes over with the overflowing bread basket, and begins the usual RCI bread spiel. As he’s touting the magic of each of his breads, I interrupt him (as I know that Mickey will eat one bread and one bread only), and ask, “Do you have the Savory Bites? Because that’s all she’ll eat.”

 

He looks at me a bit suspiciously, as if I’m a top-secret bread spy or something, and says, “Yes….how did you know???”

 

I then explain that we had just sailed on the Serenade the week before, and Mickey was a creature of habit…and she would pretty much only eat the Savory Bites…or “Savory Rocks”, as our waiter on the Serenade called them.

 

The news that Mickey and I had just been on a RCI sister ship tickled our wait staff to death. From then on out, they wanted to know how THEY compared to our wait staff on the Serenade…and how did the FOOD compare? The drinks? Etc, etc. It was almost amusing, watching the lengths that these guys would go to, to ensure they “beat” their counterparts in service. Sunil had the most unique laugh I’ve ever heard – almost a girlish giggle – that would get me to giggling every time I heard it. It was a contagious giggle for sure, and I got to the point during the cruise where I would do silly things on purpose, just to get that giggle out of him. I wish…WISH…I had recorded it, as it would be sure to bring a smile to my face, even now.

 

Sunil, Vincent and Edwin...Prince Charmings in our book....

 

 

 

Mickey chooses her beloved Savory Bites, and I then ask if he has any gluten-free bread (this is what I ate exclusively on the Serenade). Immediately, I see Vincent rush over to the waiter, Sunil, as well as our Head Waiter, Edwin, and whisper something. From then on out – to the end of the cruise – I am now labeled “gluten-free” – although I tried to explain to Edwin that I CAN have gluten; I just have to have it in moderation. Didn’t matter. These guys were now on a mission, and that mission was to prevent a drop – a granule – a proton or even an electron – of gluten to touch my lips.

 

I ordered the pork medallions for dinner – which is exactly what I’d had on the Serenade…in fact, for most of the cruise, I tried to order the same thing I’d had on the Serenade, (for the sake of comparison), as long as the Gluten-Free Gods (and Edwin) allowed me to. In every single case, the food on the Freedom was better. Huh.

 

I don't do food pics very often...but here ya' go. And that delicious (said with sarcasm) gluten-free bread is up at the top of the pic, in case you're interested.

 

 

 

In general, the meat was always tender and juicy and not overcooked; the rice was not dry; and the seasoning was either good or beyond good. I had to honestly tell Sunil that yes, the Freedom wins with regards to the food. And Sunil would giggle. Which led me to giggle.

 

 

For dinner that first night, Mickey had a green quesadilla, which matched her hair, so of course I had to take a photo of it:

 

She REFUSED to let me take a picture of the green in her hair. Sigh. I told her it was for documentation purposes and would help my review, but no go. So - just imagine this color...of HAIR!

 

 

 

At the end of dinner, Edwin walked over with the menus for the next evening…and thus began my “routine” at dinner each night. I would peruse the menu and tell him what I wanted for each course; he would approve – or disapprove – based on the gluten issue…making notes in his little notepad. He became the most “hands-on” Head Waiter I’ve ever had…but he was personable and funny and friendly. We loved him.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

And then there was Mr. Amazing, otherwise known as "the guy with the shots." His name was Ricardo, but I called him Mr. Amazing because of his sales pitch. He’d come around every night and sell me an over-priced shot of liqueur (but I’d get to keep the glass, woot!) with promises of it being “Ah-MAZ-ing!” Well…how can you say no to something that is amazing? I now have a lovely collection of multi-colored RCI shot glasses, which I'm SURE will be valuable one day.

 

 

 

We ended up loving all of our wait staff…once again, their service and attention to details were amazing. They treated Mickey and I like the queen and a princess, and we looked forward to our dining room experience each night.

 

 

The Love & Marriage Game Show was being held tonight at 10:30, but we didn’t go. We wanted to unpack and then get some rest, because Day 2 was CocoCay. And we had BIG plans.

 

 

 

[Tkriger]

The Love & Marriage Game Show was being held tonight at 10:30, but we didn’t go. We wanted to unpack and then get some rest, because Day 2 was CocoCay. And we had BIG plans.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, we had big plans for CocoCay as well...still a little bummed we didnt get to go on the jetskis, it toook forever to convince my girlfriend she would like it, plus we had never been to CocoCay before.

Edited August 14, 2012 by Tkriger

[lalabee79]

BINGO! We have a winner!!

 

Yes...the Karaoke booths...OMG. Mickey and I are the Worst Singers Ever, but we had so much fun in those booths! (I prayed to the Singing Gods that those booths were really sound-proof, because I know we sounded awful!) We didn't discover them until Day #5 of our cruise - I wish we'd known about them from Day 1!

 

Sherri all I can say is that I thought I was doing so much wonderful justice to Michael Jackson's "Rock With You", until the playback. At least the backgrounds they offered were lots of fun!

 

I hope the booths were sound-proof too! If you happened to get funny looks from passersby, that might've been a sign that perhaps they didn't work as they should. Would cool karaoke be a selling point for Hubby Mike?

[Steppy08]

Poor Mickey and her green hair!

 

I had peacock blue streaks in my hair two years ago, but it was on purpose. ;)

[gubby]

Thanks again Sherri. I am enjoying this review and as we are sailing on the Adventure TA in early November, it is good to have some idea of what to expect from RCL. We have only been on one RCL ship, the Enchantment, and that was about 7 years ago. We have sailed on X and Princess and welcome a comparison. Please explain what the Savoury Bites are. My downfall is cruise ship bread. I hardly ever eat bread anywhere else but crave it on a cruise dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We will also show up early for the muster drill as I have the same issue that you do.

Nikki

[gypsyrose]

The after dinner shots look yummy. Were they different each nite and were they good? I know they were overpriced, but just how much were they?

Keep it coming...loving every minute.

Have also saved your blog to start reading. Love your writing style.

[bgyoshi]

BINGO! We have a winner!!

 

Yes...the Karaoke booths...OMG. Mickey and I are the Worst Singers Ever, but we had so much fun in those booths! (I prayed to the Singing Gods that those booths were really sound-proof, because I know we sounded awful!) We didn't discover them until Day #5 of our cruise - I wish we'd known about them from Day 1!

 

Awwww!!! We sailed Freedom 2 years ago and didn't know about them! I would've had plenty fun (providing people really can't hear me so I don't end up with tomatoes thrown at me)...I'm a sing in the shower type of gal...and that's where the singing shall remain.

[KansCocoa]

Yeah, we had big plans for CocoCay as well...still a little bummed we didnt get to go on the jetskis, it toook forever to convince my girlfriend she would like it, plus we had never been to CocoCay before.

 

I had big plans to be a Beach Sloth... :( I've never been there, either, so I was looking forward to it. I guess this is an excuse to book this cruise again, huh?!

[KansCocoa]

Please explain what the Savoury Bites are.

Nikki

 

I never had one, but they look like donut holes...only they're bread. Maybe someone else reading this has a better idea of what they are?? All I know is, Mickey LOVED them! She wouldn't try any of the other breads, no matter what they tried to tempt her with!!!!

 

 

The after dinner shots look yummy. Were they different each nite and were they good? I know they were overpriced, but just how much were they?

 

They would be "slightly" different each night, but for the most part, were a combination of Kahlua, Bailey's Irish Cream, and another liqueur...such as Butterscotch Schnapps. They were pretty good, if you like those combinations! I think they averaged about $9.50 a night - which included tip - but not tax. I DID like the shot glasses...each night it's a different color, like turquoise, red, green, purple, etc.

 

 

 

Awwww!!! We sailed Freedom 2 years ago and didn't know about them! I would've had plenty fun (providing people really can't hear me so I don't end up with tomatoes thrown at me)...I'm a sing in the shower type of gal...and that's where the singing shall remain.

 

I don't THINK anyone can hear you, because we didn't get any really weird looks - and our singing would have killed cats, trust me. They were SUCH a hoot! I'll share some photos later of what it's like....if you ever sail FOS again, you HAVE to try these out! (There's two of them).

[crusinpeg]

Just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying your review..we will be on the Freedom in less than 5 weeks and it's really getting me pumped up!!!

 

Where did you eat your breakfasts?

[swwake]

Enjoying your review so far! (I still have to get caught up on the Serenade review. I'm stuck in Turkey and I have to wait until I'm home from work to read more.)

 

I love your impressions of Freedom, as she's the sister ship of Liberty OTS, which is our very favorite ship in the whole wide world. We've been on Oasis and Liberty is still our favorite.

 

I do have a quick question. What kind of tricks do they not allow any longer?

There are wooden benches circling the Flowrider to relax and observe the fun, but be careful…if you take an expensive camera, there’s a reason it’s called the SPLASH ZONE....!!! Because of some recent incidents, they don’t allow tricks anymore on the Flowrider – by staff or passengers – so be forewarned.

We love the Flowrider and it's Priority 1 when we book a cruise (we are crazy, I know). So I'm worried about what we will or will not be able to do on Allure in Oct. Not that we do big tricks, but we sure have had a lot of fun on Flowriders.

[KansCocoa]

 

Day #2 of our 7-night cruise…today is Monday, July 16th, and we’re porting in CocoCay, Bahamas today….CocoCay is somewhere I've never been, so I'm looking forward to it...although I'm NOT looking forward to tendering. Bleh.

 

 

I’ve pre-purchased an RCI shore excursion for Mickey…it’s the $49 Teen Adventure Pack, which is a 3-hour excursion in CocoCay, where she will not only snorkel, swim and slide down the giant water slides, she will hopefully meet other teens. That was my MAIN objective - to get her involved SOMEHOW, SOME WAY with other kids her age. This excursion is perfect...she'll not only be having fun, but she'll be meeting others - and it's all so stealth-like. She won't even REALIZE I've set her up. She's not due to meet up with the excursion, though, until 9:15, so we have plenty of time in the morning to do other things.

 

So...back to Monday...July 16th.

 

We wake up around 6:15 am to the sound of thunder…oh, snap. That can’t be good. I hop out of bed and peek out our window, and this is the view:

 

On our way...to CocoCay...a rhyme!

 

 

For all you sharp-eyed readers, you probably have realized I've used this photo before in this review... but this WAS taken this morning on our way to CocoCay…so I’m using it again. So there. You can see the rain up ahead, but it looks like if we just turn to the right a little or turn to the left a little...we'll be away from the rain. Right? If I were steering the ship, that's what I'd do. That's what I'd tell the Captain, if he were to consult with me. But he didn't. Anyway...we’re not due to port until 7:00 am, so hopefully the clear skies I can see up ahead will push the clouds on out. I hope.

 

 

At 7:00 am, Mickey and I head to the gym, since this is still the beginning of the cruise and we are still full of Good Intentions; the personal trainer, Jayla, is teaching the (free!) Vitality Stretch Class. There are a whopping FOUR of us in class this morning – woot! I guess not too many people wanted to stretch this morning, huh? Or they stretched as they rolled over and went right back to sleep.

 

 

 

At 7:30 am, we stayed on for Jayla’s (free!) “Fab Abs” class. Holy six-pack, Batman…this was a KILLER class, especially for those of us who have had three C-sections and have NO abdominal muscles to speak of. My jelly belly was a-quiverin’ when it was all over, and it was NOT jiggling out of happiness. About this time, the skies are getting darker – rather than lighter – as we can see in this photo below:

 

Where did THIS come from? All the Captain had to do was turn to the left...or turn to the right....sheesh. What's the point in being a front-cabin driver, if he doesn't consult with me??!!

 

Wait...is that RAIN I see on my window? Ack. Liquid sunshine, my a$$. That's rain. Hmmm….it’s not looking so good for my plan to be a Beach Sloth while Mickey snorkels and slides and (stealthily) meets new friends. Let’s re-think what we should do in the meantime….I know! Let’s eat! Because what else does one do on a rainy morning on a ship in the Caribbean?!

 

 

We feel justified in going to the Main Dining Room for breakfast, since we just put in a 60-minute workout in the gym. Yes...as you can see, our Good Intentions are quickly going by the wayside. It's time to refuel and put some food in my quivering jelly belly, as THAT will make it happy.

 

 

Arriving in the MDR, we are seated with an older couple, Horace and Doris. Let me say that again…Horace and Doris. I kid you not. Horace and Doris. Kinda' like Chester and Lester. Maude and Claude. Sherri and Harry. Sorry - I'll stop now. I had to giggle when I was introduced to them, and they said they get that reaction all of the time, so it's not just me and my warped sense of humor. Anyway, they were a delightful couple who have sailed pretty much all over the world, on a variety of cruise lines, so we spent a wonderful morning sharing our world travel experiences. Every so often, Captain Grimstad would break in on the intercom with announcements on the weather…which was getting increasingly worse, instead of better. Drat.

 

 

By 9:00 am, the Captain has made the executive decision to NOT stay at CocoCay…he wants to head south and get out of the storms. Unfortunately, about 25 passengers have already tendered in to CC, so it’s now a matter of getting them back OUT of CC and onto the ship…this takes awhile, per the updates from the Captain. I bet THAT was a fun tender ride. By 9:20 or so, we are on our way to our next port…and we now have an unscheduled extra day at sea. Lovely. The Captain promises us an extra 3 hours in St. Thomas since we've lost out on CocoCay...woot.

 

 

Surprisingly, for a sea day, the Royal Promenade was pretty deserted….

 

Hey...where IS everyone? This sailing is sold out...so I know people are hiding somewhere....

 

 

This is odd. Where IS everyone? It’s almost 10:00 am…is everyone sleeping in? Unable to figure it out, I head down – a bit late – to the Schooner Bar, for the 10:15 Trivia game in the Schooner Bar. And that’s where I find about 25% of the passengers. At the Schooner Bar. Yikes. It is PACKED with people, all looking for something to do on a rainy morning, like winning valuable Royal Caribbean Rubbish. Not seeing anywhere to sit, I decide that a cookie sounds better than trivia anyway, so on to the Café Promenade for a (free!) cookie. Drat. My waistline is going to be cursing those (free!) cookies before this cruise is over, I can just tell. Good Intentions are REALLY getting pushed onto the back burner by now.

 

 

By 11:15, it looked like the worst of the storms were behind us, so I headed out to the pool. And THAT’S where I found the other 75% of the passengers. Holy Chair Hogs, Batman!!! These were hardy souls, indeed – they weren’t going to let a bit of wind, rain or clouds frighten them away from their pool time. The Solarium? Packed. The entire bottom floor of the pool deck? Packed. I immediately went into Full Land Rush mode – trying to grab a chair that was 1. Close to the pool, 2. Close to the Sky Bar, and 3. Close to a restroom. Priorities, you know.

 

 

I managed to get two chairs on the 2nd deck that faced the big screen, and I settled in with my towel, my Kindle, and my Seapass card. That’s about all you need to become a Pool Sloth. Mickey soon joined me, and we were quite happy, reading our Kindles and soaking up the burgeoning sun. Soon, a very lovely waiter came around, selling the famous CocoLoco drink…and since this was as close to “Coco” as I was going to get – I got one. It was a little sweet – but nice and refreshing, as the sun is now starting to break through and it’s starting to become a steam cooker, albeit a bit windy. One sip of that CocoLoco, and Good Intentions were all but forgotten. Gone with the Wind.

 

 

Heading down to the pool for a little dip, I take my giant, delicious CocoLoco with me, as it's become my new BFF…and as I climb over the little wooden bench to get into the pool…I do the unthinkable. I knock my CocoLoco over – and it spills…completely….into the pool.

 

:eek:

 

 

Yes. There was a lid on the plastic mug. But the lid knocked off when it slammed into the pool deck. No more CocoLoco. Sigh. Coco was just not meant to be today…I first miss out on CocoCay, and I now miss out on my CocoLoco. (Cue sad violin music here.)

 

 

At noon, a movie begins playing on the giant screen…”Chimpanzee”, a G-rated flik about a little orphan chimpanzee, Oscar, who attempts to survive on his own. Narrated by Tim Allen, I found it just…odd. :confused: I’m sure they meant to gear movies towards families – but 99% of the children were over at the OTHER pool – the H20 pool – and so we have a bunch of adults, slurping alcohol, in the hot Caribbean sunshine…watching a documentary about a monkey. It’s not that I was expecting a movie like “Girls Gone Wild” or anything…but ANYTHING would have been better than a monkey movie. Why not "Pirates of the Caribbean"??? A little Johnny Depp would have eased the pain a bit of a spilled CocoLoco....

 

 

Around 1:30 or so, I head to the Jammer to grab some lunch…bad decision. It was crowded, with the usual after-Thanksgiving Walmart crowd, with nothing really amazing to offer. It’s sustenance – that’s about it. Mickey went for some Sorrento’s pizza, which looked to be the better choice.

 

 

Eventually, we both headed back to the room, where we decided to rest up a bit and then get ready for our first Formal Night….because it’s exhausting, you know, dressing up in fancy dresses. We need our beauty rest. Not to mention, I needed to sleep off the depression invoked due to my spilling my CocoLoco into the pool. (Can you tell how upset I was at myself for this tragedy?!)

 

 

Soon…it will be time to head downstairs for dinner…and tonight is when we FIRST encounter the dreaded BTG…..how did we miss it before???!!! And how will dinner be tonight....? Will it be as good as our first night?