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Bit of a (surprise) Blog – Freedom of the Seas – Western Caribbean – 17th March 2013

NorbertsNiece
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NorbertsNiece "Live from...." Rare

NorbertsNiece

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Hi.

 

It's me.

Again.

 

Long story.

Loads more to follow.

 

Suffice it to say that I had co-conspirators whose names will be revealed in due course.

 

My friend Patty received the surprise of her life!!

 

Have to go to Muster now.

 

I have the questions from ticktoneer's thread.

Throw as many at me as you want!

 

aka 'Dave'

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Nvtitan89

Nvtitan89

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Hi.

 

It's me.

Again.

 

Long story.

Loads more to follow.

 

Suffice it to say that I had co-conspirators whose names will be revealed in due course.

 

My friend Patty received the surprise of her life!!

 

Have to go to Muster now.

 

I have the questions from ticktoneer's thread.

Throw as many at me as you want!

 

aka 'Dave'

 

 

Huh? When did this happen? I didn't think you had a cruise coming up :confused::confused:?!

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Elizanessie

Elizanessie

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Hi.

 

It's me.

Again.

 

Long story.

Loads more to follow.

 

Suffice it to say that I had co-conspirators whose names will be revealed in due course.

 

My friend Patty received the surprise of her life!!

 

Have to go to Muster now.

 

I have the questions from ticktoneer's thread.

Throw as many at me as you want!

 

aka 'Dave'

 

Hope you have a great cruise Linda and I am glad you were able to surprise Patty :D Can't wait to hear all the details and I hope you got pics of the surprise :D

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NorbertsNiece "Live from...." Rare

NorbertsNiece

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Following my return from Adventure back in December I started to get the post cruise blues (don’t we all) and began to look ahead for the next adventure. I had my eye on a B2B on Legend for 2014; I know, I know, I know. Those who know me know that I have my heart set on a Baltics cruise but there are more Islands in the Caribbean to set foot on, I want to go back to Barbados and Nevis and then there’s my friendship with Patty and Scott. Then there’s the Far East…. I digress….. So we’re back to how come this is a surprise for all of us.

 

My BFF Patty is attending a wedding for some friends in Florida followed by a cruise… this cruise. Back in the middle of January, with the snow falling and temperatures below freezing, laid up with a slipped disc, so pretty miserable, I got a good price on an inside cabin on Deck 10. I decided to book the package through a TA as the more I looked into flights from the UK with transfers to Port Canaveral the more frustrated I got. I noticed the prices inching up and wanted to firm something up asap. I would get transfers and the first night in the Doubletree Hilton Orlando Airport included with RCCL at a price I could afford.

 

It has been extremely frustrating lurking on the roll call to see what people are up to and what arrangements are being made for excursions. Equally saying nothing to Patty (we speak daily online) or here on the boards when appropriate comments have been made and I haven’t assisted or responded as I’ve not wanted to give the game away. I’ve said nothing on Facebook or to friends who may say something publicly online if they knew, albeit inadvertently.

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NorbertsNiece "Live from...." Rare

NorbertsNiece

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Jamaica and Cozumel will be new ports for me. Will likely take tours with RCCL; not interested in beaches so may visit the Bob Marley house on Jamaica and check the Mayans out on Cozumel. Not sure whether I will go ashore on Grand Cayman. I really need a rest!! If Patty has a tour arranged with space available I may jump in there. Am not used to being this fluid….. whilst not a total organisation freak going with the flow takes some doing at this level….. would still like to make best use of the expense….

 

Here’s my plan. Patty and Scott will board early, lunch in WJ; head to their room; unpack / stake out at the Pool Bar. Predictable maybe but it helps with my mission. My intention is to get a bar steward / crew member to take a gift bag / box with my pink boa over to them at the pool bar….. maybe with a cryptic message attached….. that should do it…. Hopefully I can be in a location to watch. Now if the upgrade fairy were to visit and pop me in a PR room (at time of writing a PR is now cheaper than an inside but in any case still dearer than I paid) I could set them on a trail and watch!!! (did that with DD1 first time on Adventure ;)) I’ve not cruised in an inside before so this will be something else that is new.

 

Later….

 

I’ve now spilled the beans to a friend I met on CC and hooked up with on FB. She is heading off soon on a B2B on Adventure and on her return hopefully she can help me scheme…. Helps to have someone to sound ideas off of. I’ll confess here that I’m nervous about travelling BA economy. For those of you new to my background I had hip revision surgery just over 2 years ago and slipped a disc after Adventure last year. I try and use Air Miles to upgrade to Business so I can put my feet up but there was no availability for this trip.

 

Some time later. I’ve done something to my knee….. the other leg…. Sat on a London Transport bus and wrenched it. Now I’m fearful of sitting in Economy. Upgraded to Premium Economy. Cannot spring for Business. At least I will have more leg room.

 

Even later……

 

I’ve emailed Javia Shaw on Jamaica (knowjamaica.com) to see if I can join a tour that Patty has booked for a group of people. Had to let him in on the secret as I don’t want the beans spilled…..

Edited by NorbertsNiece
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NorbertsNiece "Live from...." Rare

NorbertsNiece

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Trying to figure out what to do in Cozumel. One excursion offered on the website states : Dates, times and prices are subject to change and may vary by sailing. Shore & Land excursions must be purchase in the same currency as your cruise ticket purchase or Alaska Cruisetour reservation.

 

There’s a ferry ticket for £1267.50 Got to love the RCCL website.

 

I’ve just read a lovely review of this itinerary by jkskrap. Not sure what to do about Cozumel now.

 

So. I have a new conspirator on CC who asked if there were any questions for his friend Dave posting a live review from FoS. ;) Thanks to ticktoneer, breezy, emmy, elizanessie and ckrobyn for being ‘out there’ for me!! Call me Dave. Lol.

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NorbertsNiece "Live from...." Rare

NorbertsNiece

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Gaynors : Is there anyway your friend could get the Adventure Ocean dailies. We would be interested in the Voyagers (Age 9-11) and the Tweens (Ages 12-14). I have the sheets they give out after checkin; hope they will suffice….. will scan on my return.

 

Nutty nurse Gladys : We are considering the premium drink package and understand that bottled water is not included - but the question is are bottled mixers included? eg gin and tonic I like to have a bottle of tonic, so is this included in the package or is it just pump soda? Will find out.

 

Can someone who wants to propose on board email the CD. Will find out.

 

Dread pirate : waits for MTD. Didn’t seem to be much of a wait today. We went straight in…. 9 of us with no warning…. We had individually requested the same but not as a group.

 

Firts : IF POSSIBLE,, CAN HE GET A PICTURE OF THE BEER SELECTION FROM THE PUB ? Thanks so much.! Also Is the water in the pool freezing as I have heard on CC. Done. Pool very busy today. Will give it a go ;) . Plenty of people in there this evening.

 

DrD : time arrived at terminal. Time boarded. Arrived 1pm boarded 150pm ish. Patty arrived 11 and was in WJ at 1115.

 

RCI_Loving_ Brit :How many Freestyle soda machines ? 6. 4 in WJ and 2 on the Prom Deck.

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NorbertsNiece "Live from...." Rare

NorbertsNiece

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9 hours on a packed plane with way more children on board than I had anticipated. I keep forgetting that Orlando is the home of the Mouse. The children were incredibly well behaved. Gluten Free on BA hasn’t improved and I am left hungry and disappointed. The crew were stressed and service was below par. Maybe the difference between Club and Traveller Plus is the thing…..

After a flight where I have slept for about an hour I am not in the best of moods. The Captain has advised us to keep our luggage with us and not to use the service whereby the collected cases are taken for us to the main building and rather take them ourselves on the transit as there are staffing issue (45 minutes wait for them to be received at the far end apparently). I am grilled by the Immigration lady…. And then pulled aside for an agricultural inspection. Having heaved my case and carryon, found the RCCL rep and then a 40 minute wait for the transfer bus to the hotel I am becoming even more frazzled. And then I look outside at the sun and the palm trees and I think…. Chill….. look where you are…. Look what you left….

 

I am disappointed to realise on arrival at the hotel that I appear to be the only one who tips the lady bus driver…. She has heaved all our cases into and off the bus. Just felt really bad for her.

 

The hotel is welcoming (Doubletree Hilton Orlando Airport). I have a nice room up on the 5th floor overlooking the car park. Free internet. No room safe. I head out for a meal…. I am so hungry!

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NorbertsNiece "Live from...." Rare

NorbertsNiece

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Body clock has me awake way too early local time.

 

Thought occurred to me last night that I didn’t bring the USB connector for my camera. Sigh. My USB mobile phone connector is a different shape. If I can’t pick up a cable this morning somewhere I will have to use my phone camera and I don’t want to take my phone off the ship. Seems like no matter how many times I check my packing list I’m just not specific enough…..

 

The hotel has a shuttle service to run guests to where they want to go in a 1 mile radius. Whilst waiting for the van this morning I get talking to a couple from Norway travelling in a group of 16 to Freedom also. All of their luggage, that is ALL of their luggage has failed to arrive. I’ve given them the number for RCCL CS as their flights were booked with them. Nightmare. I got fed up waiting for the shuttle and walked to Wargreen’s. They have a photo shop but no cables. Buy a couple of bottles of water. 2 for $3. A smaller bottle is $2 out of the vending machines in the hotel. Walk back. The Norwegians have been taken to Walmart and now I am told the shuttle is too busy to run me to Walmart or Radio Shack which is further away where I think I stand a better chance of getting the cable. They open at 10 and it’s just gone 8.

 

Bit the bullet. Took a cab to this HUGE Walmart and bought an awesome kit with various USB adapters. Still only 915am and we’re not being picked up until 12.

 

Spend the rest of the morning chilling.

 

We’re picked up in a large bus a bit early if anything and the ride to port was around 45 minutes. One very straight long road. The cases are taken off and then we are allowed to join the queue to check in. 1pm. One long queue into the building which turns into 2 long queues inside the building to get our bags scanned. Head upstairs and get checked in straight away. C&A status has its merits. I decide to head straight to the Royal Caribbean Online area to sort out my log ins. The elevator doors open on deck 8.

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NorbertsNiece "Live from...." Rare

NorbertsNiece

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Patty. And Scott her husband. And Crystal, her daughter. Time stopped. What were the chances?! Their rooms aren’t on this floor…. They just happened to walk up a deck before deciding to take the lift. She looks at me. Freezes. I return the look…. Nowhere to hide. You had to be there. Two blubbering women in a lift full of strangers. We let the lift go and had a few moments of incredulity. I gave her the stuff I had prepared to be sent to her. A card with a picture of two men discussing a blog; a postcard of the British Union flag; some pink feathers.... and the front page of my edocs.....

 

We’ve done a load of catching up. And drinking. And eating.

 

Muster. I am in deck 4 dining room. Nice to be sat down.

 

The ship is in great shape. There are some wonderful things involved in the revitalisation and I will try and get pics of them when I come across them. I particularly like the interactive information boards.

 

Skyfall is going to be shown on the outdoor screen tomorrow night. Awesome. Only seen it 3 times so far..... :rolleyes:

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MrFunInTheSun

MrFunInTheSun

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Wow, what a day you had! To be a fly on the wall and see the look on her face when she saw you! I could feel the energy and excitement through your typing. Everything happens for a reason and the chances of that were just meant to happen!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Please excuse any typographical errors.

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NorbertsNiece "Live from...." Rare

NorbertsNiece

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Thanks guys. You know how much I love doing this!!

 

Played in the slot tournament. Came 7/8. Sigh. Chuckle.

 

Something has worried me and I want your advice. I was discussing my Gluten Free options with our waiter. He brought tomorrow’s menu for me to choose from and they would make them GF. Then he commented on my selection saying that he didn’t think they COULD be made GF. So I replied that I was happy enough to choose from the GF options as listed on the menu at the time as I had done today. He said that I could trust him when he said that those items weren’t necessarily GF at all. I think a conversation with the Head Waiter is called for. What do you think?

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MrFunInTheSun

MrFunInTheSun

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So I replied that I was happy enough to choose from the GF options as listed on the menu at the time as I had done today. He said that I could trust him when he said that those items weren’t necessarily GF at all. I think a conversation with the Head Waiter is called for. What do you think?

 

I'd say a visit to the head waiter is certainly in order. " Those items weren't necessarily GF at all". That's crazy, I truly hope he had a language barrier issue and that's not what he really meant. GF person eating food not GF can cause issues, can't it?

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Please excuse any typographical errors.

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