B2B on Indy ~ Dec. 1 & 7 ~ My Diary

[maxs mom]

Thursday ~ Dec. 5th ~ Labadee

 

Coffee ......CL

Breakfast.....MDR

 

We docked in Labadee around 9:30. The Explorer was already there. Ugh! Not looking forward to sharing the island with another ship. It was also blocking my view!!!

 

 

 

 

We met Al, Phyllis, Bryce, Helen and Sue in the CL with all our beach gear and off we went to Barefoot Beach.

 

 

 

We were guests of Helen, so we easily got a golf cart ride over to the beach.

 

[CRUISEMAMI]

Tobyhilda, nice to hear from you! You will cruise again: just keep saying that, and some day (hopefully soon) you'll find your selfs on a ship!!!

I know exactly how you feel: I was in the same situation, just few months ago!

And now, we are cruising again! We just booked the NYE on Liberty, just out of the blue, while cruising on the first leg of our B2B!!

Keep the faith!

I want to wish you a very Happy Holidays, and a speedy recovery to Mr Mel!!

Keep in touch.... Maybe we will meet real soon!!

Franca

[ATTACH]296322[/ATTACH]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[maxs mom]

Love this beach!

 

 

We all got set up with nice chairs in the shade. Everybody was happy!

 

 

We spent a very relaxing day reading, swimming, eating. It was great. The weather was fantastic, although it was a little windy. I hardly noticed the wind, but they grounded all the jet skis and the zip line for the day. This was our first time in Labadee with two ships and I didn't like it. They handled the crowds all right, but it was just too crowded for me. Others say they don't mind it, but it was a big deal to me. We're there again next week with just one ship, so we'll see how that compares. Still......it was a beautiful day and we enjoyed it.

 

 

 

 

[maxs mom]

Hi Jane. Glad to see another's review! I've been keeping an eye on the message board in anticipation of it. Brings back great memories of my Indy cruise with my daughter. She loved the light up bridge too :)

Happy holidays!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Hey Tyler! Nice to hear from you! Thanks for stopping by!

[CRUISEMAMI]

Tobyhilda, nice to hear from you! You will cruise again: just keep saying that, and some day (hopefully soon) you'll find your selfs on a ship!!!

I know exactly how you feel: I was in the same situation, just few months ago!

And now, we are cruising again! We just booked the NYE on Liberty, just out of the blue, while cruising on the first leg of our B2B!!

Keep the faith!

I want to wish you a very Happy Holidays, and a speedy recovery to Mr Mel!!

Keep in touch.... Maybe we will meet real soon!!

Franca

[ATTACH]296322[/ATTACH]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

 

Sorry, I didn't realize that was not the Dec 7 thread! Didn't mean to steal the post.... :(

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[The Big Booper]

Thursday ~ Dec. 5th ~ Labadee

 

Coffee ......CL

Breakfast.....MDR

 

We docked in Labadee around 9:30. The Explorer was already there. Ugh! Not looking forward to sharing the island with another ship. It was also blocking my view!!!

 

 

 

...>>>SNIP<<<...

 

 

...>>>SNIP<<<...

 

 

In the first of this photo group it appears that the ships are about to touch. The third is the view normally seen, where we have two giant slabs somewhat close together.

 

We've never been to Labadee with two ships.

 

We always go to Columbus Beach all the way at the end.

[Ocean Boy]

Last March when we were on Indy Explorer was supposed to be in Labadee with us but never made it because of a storm. I am sure that I would not like it with two ships as I thought areas were pretty well packed with just Indy there.

 

RCI should really re-think this scheduling.

[maxs mom]

Raj made his visit out to us to make sure we were OK.

 

 

 

 

 

One nice thing about the two ships in port.......Franca was able to visit with a friend that was on the Explorer.

 

 

Love Barefoot Beach.

 

[maxs mom]

Soon it was time to eat. This was the line! Ugh!

 

 

We visited with our friends while we waited.

 

 

 

I love the lunch on Barefoot.

 

 

We were able to find a table so we could sit all together.

 

 

Soon, it was back to our chairs for more relaxing.

 

[maxs mom]

Ahhhhhhhh.........

 

 

We did not have a cabana this week, but we will have one next week.

 

 

We enjoyed the floats and being in the water.......be sure and bring water shoes to Labadee!!!!!

 

 

 

 

[maxs mom]

We stayed out here until around 2 o'clock, then headed back to the ship. It was a great beach day!

 

 

Back on the ship, we showered and napped for a while. Later on, I watched the Explorer leave from our balcony.

 

 

 

 

 

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

You must have been sitting close to us in the dining room because Nelma was in our section that week. I was also in the CL every morning early. I've never seen so many folks eating breakfast in there before as on that leg.

 

You are right......Raj is very good at his job. Nothing rattles him. He is one talented concierge!

 

You must have been in My Time Dining around 8:00 each night. Or maybe not. I suppose Nelma worked that area the entire evening.

 

You are right about the CL being unusually busy in the AM. I had to hustle to be sure to get one of my beloved bran muffins before they were gone. They were so fresh each day...perfect. At least we could get a seat in the AM.

 

Raj showed Hubby a trick no concierge has ever taken the time to show us. Maybe they didn't know it themselves. He showed Hubby how to program the coffee machine to make a double espresso without having to push the button twice. Hubby is a caffein-freak, so he was really pleased. I'm too hopped up already. I surely don't need a double espresso, black. :)

 

My son and DIL told us about a new (to us) treat in the Sorrentos, empanadas. I became immediately addicted to the beans and rice empanadas, but you never know what kind will be available. My son and Hubby loved them all. They are so popular that you have to time your arrival very well because they get snapped up as soon as a plate comes out of the oven. It can take half an hour for a new batch to be ready. Honestly I was tempted to take the entire plate back to the room but somehow restrained myself for the sake of other hungry cruisers who love empanadas.

 

Your review is very interesting and enjoyable. I love the photos. I wish I could figure out to post some of my I-pod photos and Hubby's photos. Kind folks here have told me how, but I got confused at the act of uploading my photos to one of the photo web sites. That is my new year's resolution...join the 21st century and learn some technology so I can write better reviews.

 

Keep your great reviews coming. They bring back such happy memories.

[maxs mom]

You must have been in My Time Dining around 8:00 each night. Or maybe not. I suppose Nelma worked that area the entire evening.

 

You are right about the CL being unusually busy in the AM. I had to hustle to be sure to get one of my beloved bran muffins before they were gone. They were so fresh each day...perfect. At least we could get a seat in the AM.

 

Raj showed Hubby a trick no concierge has ever taken the time to show us. Maybe they didn't know it themselves. He showed Hubby how to program the coffee machine to make a double espresso without having to push the button twice. Hubby is a caffein-freak, so he was really pleased. I'm too hopped up already. I surely don't need a double espresso, black. :)

 

My son and DIL told us about a new (to us) treat in the Sorrentos, empanadas. I became immediately addicted to the beans and rice empanadas, but you never know what kind will be available. My son and Hubby loved them all. They are so popular that you have to time your arrival very well because they get snapped up as soon as a plate comes out of the oven. It can take half an hour for a new batch to be ready. Honestly I was tempted to take the entire plate back to the room but somehow restrained myself for the sake of other hungry cruisers who love empanadas.

 

Your review is very interesting and enjoyable. I love the photos. I wish I could figure out to post some of my I-pod photos and Hubby's photos. Kind folks here have told me how, but I got confused at the act of uploading my photos to one of the photo web sites. That is my new year's resolution...join the 21st century and learn some technology so I can write better reviews.

 

Keep your great reviews coming. They bring back such happy memories.

 

Oh.....those bran muffins are my very favorite also!!

 

Yes.....Raj showed me all kinds of tricks with the coffee machine.....very cool!

 

I'll have to look for those empanadas next time. I love Mexican food, but John hates it. We never go to Sorrento's or Café Promenade for food.

 

Uploading photos is very easy......you can do it!!

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Thanks for the encouragement about the photo uploading. In the meantime, I am very much enjoying your photos. Keep them coming.

[pkexton]

Just started reading your review. We met Bryce on a cruise to Bermuda and sat at the same table for dinner. He had us all laughing at some of his Scottish sayings :)

 

Pat

[dolita22]

Yay! Thank you so much for your awesome review and pictures. My new husband and I will be on the Indy for our honeymoon in February, so we're soaking up all the information we can now. Glad you had a great vacation!

[mikechass]

Always love your reviews..

Sadly, I have a million things to do these next couple days, but I am saving my space and planning to sit here with a HUGE mug of Timmy's coffee and hunker down for a big read through on Boxing day

Have a WONDERFUL holiday season

Chass

[Borgcruiser]

Just started reading your review. We met Bryce on a cruise to Bermuda and sat at the same table for dinner. He had us all laughing at some of his Scottish sayings :)

 

Pat

 

That was a fab table and cruise

[knittinggirl]

Interesting review! Didn't know Independence had a Diamond Breakfast section in the MDR. Was it also there on the Dec 7 sailing?

[pkexton]

That was a fab table and cruise

 

Bryce - our next cruise is the Quantum -can't wait for that. Have you looked into that yet?

 

Reading all these great reviews makes the wait a little worthwhile - love looking at all the pics &reading about all the other ships I haven't been on yet.

 

Pat

[mszmek]

Great review! We are doing the 6 night cruise on the Independence in February 2014, I can't wait!

[maxs mom]

Interesting review! Didn't know Independence had a Diamond Breakfast section in the MDR. Was it also there on the Dec 7 sailing?

 

Yes.....they are on almost every ship.....every one that we've been on except the Freedom. They have had this going on for several years now. One of our favorite perks!

[maxs mom]

Always love your reviews..

Sadly, I have a million things to do these next couple days, but I am saving my space and planning to sit here with a HUGE mug of Timmy's coffee and hunker down for a big read through on Boxing day

Have a WONDERFUL holiday season

Chass

 

Same here with those million things!! I hope to be able to chip way at this so you'll have some entertaining reading on Boxing Day!!

[maxs mom]

So it's formal night again! The CL was very crowded this evening!

 

 

We enjoyed visiting with Lars and Eva and Al and Phyllis.

 

 

Our bar server always took care of us. This was her last week before vacation.

 

 

 

 

[maxs mom]

We had dinner tonight again with Al and Phyllis and it was very good. I had the Fisherman's Platter and John had the Prime Rib.

 

 

 

 

 

We strolled the promenade after dinner and had a picture made at the Christmas tree.

 

 

John went back to the cabin and I thought I would try my luck in the casino again. Good thing.....because just as I was about to leave....I hit something good and came out a winner!