Middle Aged Drama Queen Goes BIG: Solo & Last Minute on the ALLURE!!!

[KansCocoa]

Here are the Cruise Compasses for Day #5:

(And wasn't that just fast??!! I got smart and sat down the other night on the cold, tiled floor - and scanned everything in at one time...much faster that way!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sunny AZ Girl]

 

After the show, I was done in…so I headed up to my cabin…along the way, though, I came across everyone’s favorite cruise buddy…bonus points for who can tell me his name???!!

 

A Cruise Critic Celebrity!

 

He was pretty shy tonight, as you can see – but I was tickled to see him…sometimes, he can be elusive.

 

That's HENRY! :D

Edited March 27, 2013 by Sunny AZ Girl

[KansCocoa]

 

Here are the Cruise Specials for Day #5:

 

 

 

 

 

[voyager89]

Gosh, I'm Mexican and that food made my mouth water! I think ill have some enchiladas or flautas for lunch haha

[KansCocoa]

That's HENRY! :D

 

Ding, ding! We have a winner!

 

I love Henry...he's so cute. :)

[KansCocoa]

Gosh, I'm Mexican and that food made my mouth water! I think ill have some enchiladas or flautas for lunch haha

 

It was really good...not too spicy, but not bland, at all...just the right amount of seasoning! (Now, my Hubby would say it was too bland - but he's the one that eats the hot sauces all the time. Ugh.)

 

Dang. Now I've made myself hungry for Mexican - which is my favorite food, actually...now I, myself, may have to have tacos or something for dinner!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Ding, ding! We have a winner!

 

I love Henry...he's so cute. :)

 

Do I win a cupcake!!!???:D

Edited March 27, 2013 by Sunny AZ Girl

[KansCocoa]

Do I win a cupcake!!!???:D

 

As long as you don't mind if it was dropped on the floor.... :D

[Tkriger]

Thank you! Ugh...sticky. It was AWFUL! And I had no wipes...no water...to wash off with...so, I had to improvise. ;)

 

 

 

See...you saw first-hand evidence of my Directionally-Challenged Self, and you will always bring that up!

 

And to think...I was on my BEST behavior on that trip, with my young, impressionable daughter in tow. Which is why you didn't see me drinking any of the rum punch on the bus...altho I was soooooooooooo tempted. ;)

 

 

Dont feel too bad about spilling the rum. The same thing happened to me with the little bottles of multi-colored Curacao liquor we bought from the factory tour on our first cruise on, well Curacao. It leaked in my luggage though, not on my lap.

[akcruz]

Absolutely loving your review. Making me want to take a solo trip so I can go visit a rum factory and not worry about anyone else tagging along, but I'll pack some wipes :cool: :D .

[Sunny AZ Girl]

As long as you don't mind if it was dropped on the floor.... :D

Will it be rum soaked? If it is, I don't mind.:p

[janeyzee]

For the fiesta, you don’t order off the menu. It’s a pre-fix menu, and it is served ‘family style.' This means it’s set down in the middle of the table, and everyone dives in. It’s a Mexican FEAST! All for $10.

 

Sounds yummy. Did they bring one plate for that whole table or one plate for the four of you? And did they replenish the food if it's all gone and someone wanted more? We are debating going to the Fiesta, but we don't want to dance all over the ship, we just want to eat. Did they insist that you dance? We're such wall flowers :o

[evoni]

Loving your review, it's just fantastic!

 

We had signed up for the tour you did in St. Maarten before you posted this so it's great to know in advance what to expect. While I'm normally not in to shopping but for some reason mixing my own perfume along with drinking rum and eating makes up for the selling end of things. I'm really glad to find out that we get some time to spend at the beach looking around.

 

BTW, is that a clock I saw in one of your photos between the two iPod/Iphone docking stations on the desk? If so, no need to bring a little alarm clock onboard Allure?

Edited March 27, 2013 by evoni

[mr&mrscruiselover]

Sherri,

 

Where do you get your Cruise Comfy, and pretty too, dresses?

[fldogmassage]

Do you know how much Steve and Amy paid for their rental car and which company?

 

Thank you for taking the time for such an awesome review.

[knittinggirl]

Thank you! It shall continue... :)

 

 

 

Yes...but keep in mind, there are a couple of different dining packages to choose from...I got the Central Park Dining Package - which switched out Izumi for 150 Central Park, but also had Giovanni's and Chops. I thought $2 for Wonton Soup wasn't too bad...and it was a generous portion, for sure!

 

And thank you - I'm glad you like it. :)

Normally, I'd agree with you that $2 isn't bad for Wonton soup. But, I'm also adding in the $5 cover charge that covers gratuity, but we also paid $12 a day for gratuities.

 

I wonder if my Royal Dining package has two top sellers one not so good seller. I'm interested to see how they work it when we purchase Isumis as part of a package. People won't be too happy with purchasing the package then paying additional at Isumis. So, I hope the Isumi package includes some credit at Isumi, and not just the cover charge.

Edited March 27, 2013 by knittinggirl

[celebrity]

Sherri, true confession time: I NEVER log onto CC when I am at work. I have a very demanding job. However, I needed a break from the drama so I figured a quick peek wouldn't hurt. Lo and behold I see you updated your review. As I was reading through your St Maarten excursion, I literally busted out laughing when I saw the rum factory. My boss wanted to know what was so hilarious. I confessed and he read it as well and we laughed together.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am a big fan of your "Adventures" blog and of course your cruise reviews.i booked a Med cruise for September based on your wonderful review with your DH and Klingons.

Keep up the great work and please consider writing a novel. The only authors that make me laugh as much are Janet Evanovich and Sophie Kinsella.

Edited March 27, 2013 by celebrity

[knittinggirl]

What type of camera do you use? Do you need release waivers from the people you shoot? You must copyright them so you have no worries about people using your photos w/o permission. I'm asking this, because I took a shot of a woman carrying a ice chest on her head in Roatan, and felt very guilty about snapping it before asking permission.

 

I really enjoyed your rum adventures! Even DH was laughing. Sorry the bottle wasn't sealed. It's interesting how our mental pictures of the excursions don't often old up to what we all see.

 

Please keep you Europe review in your signature. We booked a TA/Europe next year, and I want to study it.

[Sea Viewer]

Oh. My. That's a FACTORY???!!

 

 

I can't believe you were there, we found this ourselves last time we were on the island, I just finished the last of the rum this weekend! (it was hidden and not for general consumption - far too good for barbarians!)

 

I'm really enjoying your review, I feel like I'm there with you! Like you I didn't think I would enjoy the big ships but after seeing them each weekend I decided to try them and love them!

 

The Europe review was great, I was at most of your ports but did not have most of the experiences you did. I did search for the perfect gelato though.

 

Hope you get the sinuses "fixed" and keep travelling, I love reading about your adventures.

 

Mary

[ShellDil]

 

So, by 11:00, we were on the road to the French perfumery – also known as Tijon. Along the way, Gabriel again pointed out the sights…and while he was talking…I noticed that my lap was getting…wet. This is curious. I’d been holding the bottles of rum I’d purchased at MaMaDoux in my lap, and when I started investigating, I saw that the bottom of my paper sack was soaked.

 

Uh oh. This does not bode well.

 

I opened the sack, and noticed that the lid on the banana rum bottle had not been completely sealed, and I now had a puddle of dark, sticky liquid in my lap. Oh, joy. I quickly sealed the bottle, but I’ve now got rum ALL over my fingers…REALLY sticky, sweet rum…and the only way to deal with it is to begin licking my fingers. Cuz' I HATE sticky on my fingers....a lot. It's one of the (many, sigh) textures that I can't stand. Sticky. Shudder. I had to get it off - and I had to get it off NOW. So I began licking...and licking...and licking....I’m sure I made quite the sight to my fellow cruisers – the lush lady who is licking and slobbering all over her rum-soaked fingers at 11:00 am in the morning…it’s no wonder she’s traveling SOLO. Not to mention – I now REEK of rum…and we’re heading to a perfumery.

 

We’re greeted at the door of Tijon by John, the owner, who transplanted here from Minnesota after one-too-many harsh winters. John greets everyone as they enter, and I’m sure he’s a bit taken aback by the lady who’s got rum on her pants and rum on her fingers…I always make SUCH an impression when I travel.

 

The first few minutes was spent with John giving us a brief spiel on how they blend their perfumes…

 

There’s also a perfume quiz here…winners get free bottles of perfume!

 

John then said that he could custom-blend a perfume for us in their workshop, if we were interested. I was interested. I was VERY interested.

 

As I said, I LOVE perfume. LOVE it. And one of my most favorite EVER perfumes was recently discontinued, and I haven’t been able to find it since. It’s a unique blend of chocolate with cherry…(there’s that food, again…I am always enamored by food!). I asked John if he could recreate that blend for me, and he took me over to a wall where there were hundreds of tiny vials, each labeled, with about every imaginable scent…you can choose up to three for your own perfume, so I quickly chose chocolate and raspberry…as I wasn’t happy with the cherry scent.

 

John took me back to his workshop, where he quickly began putting together different combinations of the scents, and asked me to rate them:

 

 

It didn’t take long before he had the perfect combination, and I was extremely happy. He then bottled it up, and asked me to name my creation, so he could label it.

 

Well. This caught me off guard, as I hadn’t realized I’d have to name my own creation. But I’m up for the challenge. I’m creative. (I think I am, anyway). And I’m a word master (I think I am, anyway). Surely, being the creative word master that I am, I will be able to produce the BEST PERFUME NAME EVER IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND. It will be EPIC.

 

Are you ready for this???!!!

 

I named my chocolate and raspberry creation:

 

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Choco Berry

 

Don’t judge. Apparently, I may be a creative word master – but NOT when I’ve been guzzling – oops, I mean SIPPING – rum all morning. On an empty stomach.

 

Imagine my reaction later that evening, when I was a bit more…um…sober…and I came across my souvenir bottle…

 

“Choco Berry???!! What the HECK???!!! What, was I naming CEREAL??!!"

The scent is beautiful. The name…eh…not so much.

 

Anyway, after creating and naming and bottling my masterpiece, I had a bit of time to shop in the store…there are lots of pretty displays of both womens’ and mens’ scents:

 

 

 

We had about 30 minutes total here…so if you want to custom blend a perfume, just have an idea of what (up to three) scents you would want…I didn’t write down what I paid for the perfume – imagine that, in my rum-induced haze – but it was reasonable.

 

Speaking of writing down…I WAS making notes, as usual…but check this out. This is one of my notes from the perfumery that I wrote down in my book:

 

“Guy from Minn whoo eps here now.”

 

?????????

 

Oh, geeze. Anyone have a CLUE as to what I was trying to say here? It’s no wonder that I try to stay away from alcohol. Hiccup.

 

 

Soon, Gabriel was rounding us all up for our next stop…the Caribbean cooking class. Oh, thank goodness. I needed some food. Soon.

 

 

Your entire review is fantastic, and has made me want to jump right onto the Allure - after our Med cruise this summer of course....but this post here has me almost in tears laughing at my desk. You truly have a way with words! Thank you for sharing your vacation experiences and I'm so glad you have several more cruises planned! :D

[S.A.M.J.R.]

What type of camera do you use? Do you need release waivers from the people you shoot? You must copyright them so you have no worries about people using your photos w/o permission. I'm asking this, because I took a shot of a woman carrying a ice chest on her head in Roatan, and felt very guilty about snapping it before asking permission.

Just so you know, a copyright won't prevent someone from using a photo w/o permission.

And as I understand it, whoever takes a picture automatically owns the copyright.

Last but not least, at least in the US, if you take a picture of someone in public, you can use that picture for any non-commercial use. You just can't make money from the picture. If you want to sell it, THEN you need permission.

 

That's my understanding at least.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Just so you know, a copyright won't prevent someone from using a photo w/o permission.

And as I understand it, whoever takes a picture automatically owns the copyright.

Last but not least, at least in the US, if you take a picture of someone in public, you can use that picture for any non-commercial use. You just can't make money from the picture. If you want to sell it, THEN you need permission.

 

That's my understanding at least.

 

Yes, any time you are out in public you are "public property". And I doubt if you need permission to sell a photo of someone else. If you did, the paparazzi would be out of business. You DO need permission to publish a copyrighted photo. If it does not have a copyright it is public domain. That is how I understand it, too.

 

Whenever you are in a location that is a tourist mecca just remember to smile. You are probably part of someone's permanent vacation memories.:)

Edited March 28, 2013 by Sunny AZ Girl

[Steppy08]

Do you know how much Steve and Amy paid for their rental car and which company?

 

Thank you for taking the time for such an awesome review.

 

Coastal Rent a Car, right at the pier. After taxes and all it was $50 for the day (we had a Hyundai Elantra, a new one). Definitely the most comfortable and economical way for 4 adults to see the island.

 

We had previously stayed on the island for a week so we knew our way around pretty well (it's not that big!) and were used to driving, and more importantly- parking- in St. Maarten.

[knittinggirl]

Just so you know, a copyright won't prevent someone from using a photo w/o permission.

And as I understand it, whoever takes a picture automatically owns the copyright.

Last but not least, at least in the US, if you take a picture of someone in public, you can use that picture for any non-commercial use. You just can't make money from the picture. If you want to sell it, THEN you need permission.

 

That's my understanding at least.

I listened to a fascinating video at kelbytraining.com on Copyright. Basically, you're right that we own the copyright as soon as we snap the picture. But if you find one of your shots published by someone else, then having a copyright registration would be nice if you want to sue. They also said that if the photo is on a site that's behind a password, then it's still not considered published. Not sure if that's the Photographer's personal site, or if it's a site like cruisecritic's forum. But keep in mind, a lot of parts of the forum can be viewed w/o a password. Copyright is $35, but you can copyright a batch of photos in under one title.

Edited March 28, 2013 by knittinggirl

[PCWalton1]

Looking forward to Rita's it looks like a lot of fun, we have it booked the same night night on our cruise. Though we will not be able to stay for the full two hours as we have reservations for the Prohibition Party at 10:30 that night and we need to get into costume for that party. :D

 

Bill