I'm at LIBERTY to review her. April 29 sailing!

[wolfganghowell]

This review can’t solve PCD but it can alleviate a few of the symptoms.

 

The deets – 27th cruise, 4th Liberty cruise, Diamond Plus, evil suite dwellers. (I say evil since I tend to enjoy the threads here where the D+ people complain about the suite people and vice versa. Last but not least, Club Royale “members”. Age range - AARP eligible but not Medicare.

 

 

We have a few pre cruise traditions. We could change them but other than a few tweaks, they pretty much remain the same for Galveston cruises. We endure the drive from Dallas on Friday and generally get to the lovely and majestic Hotel Galvez around 3:30. It just wouldn’t be Galveston without staying there. I highly recommend it if it fits your budget. We lucked out and got an amazing room. Room 515 is a corner and it is rated as a city view room. However, since it’s a corner you can see the cruise ship from one side and the beach and Pleasure Pier from the other. Greatness! I plan on requesting this beauty every time. Plus it’s the haunted floor!!! Sorry – no sightings or eerie noises to report.

 

Our first stop is ALWAYS The Poop Deck. Here’s the thing. The place is a dive. Seriously. But it’s got a character all it’s own. It famously remained open during Hurricane Ike. Even more astonishing – it survived. The clientele is a great mix of locals, bikers and tourists. Sit out on the balcony and stare at the Gulf. You feel it? Yep – that’s relaxation kicking in. Now drink that nice cold beer and put your feet up. Aah….

 

From here, we head to Rum Shack. This is one of the venues collectively known as The Spot. We’ve chosen this since it opened – it’s upstairs, adults only and it’s got the whole island vibe going. And so begins the “eating of the junk”. Yeah, you can be healthy on vacation and do all the right things – eat smart, exercise, sleep late. Umm….we don’t do that. A large sampler of fried things? Yes please. For those that are younger than us, they have live music starting around 9 pm. For those of us that remember seeing astronauts walk on the moon, ok we were back at the hotel and watching Dateline by 8 pm. Sue me, it’s stressful to get work covered, pack and get up at the crack of dawn to drive 6 hours.

 

Day 2 – Pre Cruise Day still to come…..

[ace1zoe2]

I’m in. This will be enjoyable while waiting the 27 days until we fly out for our Alaska cruise.

 

I love your writing style. We also meet you age demographics and I just may have to steal that line for my Alaska trip report.

 

 

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[wolfganghowell]

Steal away! Alaska is on the bucket list - probably 2020. It's hard to get me away from a beach.

[CruisinMama2003]

:D I was hoping you would do a review! Had a great time on Liberty last Aug.

[wolfganghowell]

Day 2 – Pre Cruise Day still to come…..

 

Saturday morning. Yay! A day where we literally don’t HAVE to do anything. Wait – there is one thing I have to do. I have to go to the spa and get a massage. YAAAASSS! Our breakfast place of choice is Millers. Here’s why – we can walk there from the hotel and waddle back. Their breakfast is HUGE. I mean huge. And yummy. And the homemade biscuit is ginormous. As an added benefit, for the husband’s benefit, they have a large supply of his addiction of choice: Cholula. Yes, he’s THAT guy. I think the only stuff he doesn’t pour that sauce on are desserts and cereal. Everything else is fair game. And for those keeping score, we have to pack 3 of the smaller bottles to last him the week. And he’s not good about sharing. Our new cruise buddies this week should feel honored that he liked them enough to share with them. Most people pull back a bloody stump if they reach for it. But I digress.

 

After breakfast it was spa time for me. Hotel Galvez has a lovely spa. What a way to transition from hectic real life and get onboard with island and ship life. (See what I did there? ) By the time I was back from the spa, it was early afternoon. This is also a Galveston tradition – heading to Kroger on the Seawall to get whatever it is that we forgot. I know some people have it down to a science and you would think after this many cruises, we would too. But no – there’s always something missing. Thank God for Kroger. And if you forget important clothing items, thank God for Target!

 

Well, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere and The Poop Deck is still there. Our so called lazy afternoon stretched out – we got to talking to other people there and between cold beer and fun conversation, the afternoon passed. By now, our breakfast seemed so long ago that dinner seemed a good idea. The winner this time was The Original Mexican. Tex Mex – why can’t we just live on it?

 

Other recommendations even though we didn’t do them this time – Gaidos for a great seafood meal, Tremont House Rooftop bar for cocktails and a view of the port. On Saturday, you can watch the Carni ship leave and if the wind is right, you can hear the muster drill and the announcements. That’ll get your motor running.

 

After dinner, we headed to the Strand for a brief walk and a sidewalk beer. If you grew up with Leno on the Tonight Show, you can wander around to several bars and live music venues. If you grew up with Carson on the Tonight Show, you probably want to turn in semi early so you can be well rested for the cruise. I think we’ve already established I’m on Team Carson. For that matter, I’m Team Letterman. Leno’s a hack.

 

Beddy bye – excited to know that when we wake up we can see Liberty!

[wolfganghowell]

Sunday Funday

The Galveston port is much improved in the last few years. We could sit around the hotel playing on our ipads or we can sit at the port playing on our ipads. We chose the latter. Hotel Galvez does a good job shuttling guests to the port. You sign up for a time, show up, get loaded and you’re off for the longest 10 minute drive of your life. 15 if you have to stop to let the carnivores off to get on their rust bucket (I kid, I kid.) Once there, it’s the usual chaos of tackling a porter and then getting in the door. We were through security and checked in with zero wait. We got there around 9:30. Once upstairs, we nabbed two front row spots so we could jostle to be among the very onboard. The seating areas are by levels with Pinnacle and Suites closest, followed veryclosely by Diamond Plus.

 

Part of my cruise fun is the anticipation. I tend to engage on roll calls and social media since no one in my real life wants to hear me obsess about a cruise. Oddly, fellow cruisers DO! While getting stuck on Candy Crush, a fellow cruiser who was also posting here and various places recognized me and the giant next to me from descriptions and introduced herself and her husband. Well, we hated each other so much that we hung out ALL WEEK LONG. And the really crazy part is they live 5 minutes from us and we’re having dinner together tomorrow (the Friday after we got back from the cruise.) This is part of the charm of cruising. If you want to meet people, you can. If you want to have a quiet getaway and stick to your group, you can. Be as wild or as boring as you want. After about 2 hours, it was finally time to board.

 

The next tradition is the mandatory pinacolada at the Pool Bar. This is a requirement and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Unless you’re under 21. Then you can’t. nanner nanner nanner. We had great pool bartenders this trip. Fortunately, we usually do. The guys at the pool bar really have to be outgoing and relaxed or they will be utterly miserable. They did not disappoint. We headed to the Jammer for lunch. A great benefit for suites is being able to have embarkation lunch in Giovanni’s. If you’ve been on a Royal cruise, you know what a cluster the Jammer is the first day. If you haven’t, imagine a horde of sheep wandering aimlessly from station to station since they haven’t figured out that the food on the right side is the same as the left. Jammer food is fine. You’re not going to starve but you’re not going to give it a 5 star review on yelp.

 

Rooms open at 1 pm. We’ve had incredibly good luck with luggage arrival. This one was Numero uno. It was sitting outside the room at 1 pm. SCORE! I love getting the room done and unpacked asap because then I feel I am ON VACATION. While I do this, the thing I married takes an opportunity to lie on the bed and look at the inside of his eyelids. Once this is accomplished, it’s back to pool bar for some happy time. We sneak back to the room pre muster because we like to time it so that we’re not the first ones there and standing around for 30 minutes. We’re not late, we just prefer to wait for the signal and then slowly make our way from deck 10 to deck 4.

 

Sailaway was great weather. I do miss having the live band at sailaway but I can live with the DJ. We managed a quick change so we would be Suite Lounge presentable and headed upstairs. The SL on Liberty is quite nice – large, all windows with a nice seating area outside as well. We enjoyed some pre dinner drinkies with the new BFFAW (best friends for a week) and then headed to Sabor. So….much….food. I enjoy their presentation and I find the venue on Liberty wonderful.

 

From dinner, it’s just a short roll into the casino. Yep, we’re fools. And we remained relatively foolish all week. Don’t judge. We happily spent the rest of the night donating to the Symphony of the Seas building fund.

 

Still to come – Sea day. The first sea day just might be my favorite day of every cruise.

[nascargirly]

I am enjoying your review! We sail on the Liberty may 20. Love your writing style!

[wolfganghowell]

Thanks for the nice responses. I was thinking I was talking to myself. wouldn't be the first time. ;)

[Yorkvillain]

I was thinking I was talking to myself. wouldn't be the first time. ;)

 

 

Oh I'm following this Wolfie. I'm following.

[wolfganghowell]

Ah, the villain arrived. I thought of you every time I walked through the Schooner Bar and they were doing trivia. :)

[wolfganghowell]

Day 2 – Sea Day

 

Here’s the thing. I like sleep. I didn’t get the nickname Slumber Queen in college from studying. But no one wants to sleep through a cruise. Unless it’s a Pinnacle but those people live onboard so they can afford the sleep. And no – that’s not a dig. I’ve met some lovely P’s. But dang they cruise a LOT. So were up and at breakfast around 8:30ish. Another great suite perk – breakfast in Giovannis. Tranquil, peaceful and relatively quick. Although it remains a mystery how Royal Caribbean cannot actually make toast. A hard piece of bread is not toast. Weird. From breakfast, I generally head to the solarium for some quality reading time. Too much noise so I headed up to my new quality reading time spot – the outer area of the suite lounge. Nice comfy chairs to stretch out and no one to bother me. Oh yeah, the husband was up there but he worked on his computer in silence. Good boy. I rotated between in and out – get hot, go inside, get cold, go outside. It worked and I felt like I got my exercise too.

 

Noonish is when we head to the pool bar. Hanging there is the ultimate relaxation. Absolutely nothing to do but listen to the band, people watch, banter with the bartenders, stare at the ocean and laugh at the idiots who get conned into World’s Sexiest Man. Soon enough, it’s time to clean up for the night. Pre dinner drinkies in the SL. Tonight we shall be dining at Giovanni’s. Since there were 4 of us, he brought out multiple appetizers and pastas. Three of us had the filet. I like mine medium. I can see the steak experts recoiling in horror at this travesty. Sorry. I thought mine was quite good, the others felt there’s were a little too done. But they admitted they ordered them medium and could have sent them back. This took a good 2 hours so by now, it’s time to donate to the Ship Building Fund. Maybe those free drinks in the casino will take the pain away from the machines not paying off and the UTH table being incredibly cruel to the man who keeps pulling money off our sea pass card. Schooner Bar is attracting a pretty decent crowd – Phil Anderson is the performer there and he has been a fixture on Galveston cruises for many years.

 

Tuesday coming up - Cozumel

[wolfganghowell]

Tuesday – Cozumel

The ship docks at 7 am. We are up EARLY. Like by the dawn’s early light. With a billion ships in port, the husband is determined to get to Mr Sanchos before everyone so he can pick the perfect spot. And we’re close. No cab line – that shows you it was early. We are probably among the first ten at Sanchos. He found his perfect spot and we rotate between our loungers and our table. Soon enough, it’s time to get in the water. And so another day of hedonism – drinking, eating and doing absolutely nothing. I’m really good at doing nothing. All cruisers should be this good. We visit the pool too. The bartender at the pool bar actually remembered us from 6 months ago. I am always amazed how the beach club and cruise workers can remember people – they see 1000’s. And then more 1000’s. I think it helps that the hubster is over 6’5. I can’t lose him no matter how hard I try so people tend to remember him. Lovely day – perfect weather. (Let me interject here that the weather was freaking perfect all week long. Even a brief shower in Cayman was okk by me.) We left around 2 and stopped my Margaritaville in the port. Nice, big but no wild party action. Don’t know if the party was at Senor Frogs but the last few times we stopped there it was dead too. I miss the wild days of laughing at people making fools of themselves. I blame social media.

 

A little cabin relaxation, chilling on the balcony, then clean up for the evening. After the SL stop, we and the BFFAW just decided to grab some pizza. It’s fine – just time it so that it’s fresh. If memory serves, this was the night of In The Air. I had wanted to see this show for a few years now and finally made it. I found it nicely done. It’s no Cirque du Soleil but then again, it was free and C du S is upwards of $100 a ticket so I’m good. The performers were very talented. Back for more abuse in the casino. However, I think this was the night I played Three Card Poker and earned a little bit back. About time.

 

Next up – Grand Cayman

[MomtoCCC]

Steal away! Alaska is on the bucket list - probably 2020. It's hard to get me away from a beach.

 

Alaska is wonderful! You've got to go! Loving your report, can't wait to hear more

[John&LaLa]

What, no pictures?

 

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[vistapat]

This review can’t solve PCD but it can alleviate a few of the symptoms...

 

Why is it that when the cruise is just three days away, PCD is worse than when it was months away? We're leaving Sunday on this same itinerary, also in a suite. One question, please? When you say that a great suite perk is lunch in Giovannis's on embarkation day, but you also say you went to the 'Jammer, do you mean you got your food at the 'Jammer and ate it in Giovanni's, or that lunch was served in Giovanni's? Either way, I'm all for avoiding the first day crush!

 

Pat

[aprilcruisers]

Loving your review!

 

We’ve done this itinerary many times and love hearing your perspective.

 

And to answer Pat. You get your food in WJ, and eat in Giovanni’s.

[wolfganghowell]

Pat, not sure if Carlington or Jorge will be your concierge. Carlington told us he is leaving for Navigator and Jorge will move back to the SL. Either way, you are in good hands. Both guys are awesome - fun to talk to and will do whatever he can to make your trip special. Have a great time.

 

April's right - you do have to thread your way around the stations in the Jammer and take your food to Giovannis. But...you can drop your bags in there, get the food and come back to peace and quiet. Plus since suites board first, you can go straight in to eat and beat the crowd.

 

I'll continue tomorrow.

[kandj05]

Love your sassiness in your writing. Keep it up. [emoji1]

 

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[Ladysilver]

I'm enjoying reading your review! :D

[boxkite]

Great review and observations!

 

We too love Mr Sancho, been there several time.

 

We board Liberty July 1st so keep the ship in tip top shape.

 

Keep the review going, we all want details!

 

Steven

 

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[MrSnarkyPants]

We're Nachi people... but you can't cruise out of Galveston without having a rum drink on the swing upstairs at Side Yard (upstairs at The Spot).

 

I can't talk my wife into drinks at the Poop Deck, but we always go to The Spot. Breakfast at Sunflower Cafe. We love our local island. :)

[SciFiGuy1960]

Great review, loving it.

 

The bartender you talk about at the pool bar wouldn't happen to be Virgilio by any chance? (Excuse my ugly mug in the pic)

I'm hoping he'll be there in August when I'm back on board. Great guy. I found all the bartenders there to be great and started calling them the A-Team.

 

[wolfganghowell]

SciFi - no the pool guys were Mauricio and Gaston aka G Man.

 

Snarky - tell your wife the Poop Deck is not as scary as it looks. And the bathroom is surprisingly clean. I've seen those swings at Sideyard - next time I'll steal your spot.

 

I shall continue this review later today after a brief word from our sponsors. That's code for I HAVE TO FREAKING WORK. But I'll be back - promise. Thanks for following and thanks for your patience.

 

John - someday I will learn how to post pictures here. But then Bella will have to compete with Taco and Tamale for "cutest dogs left at home while we cruise".

[slvrbllt]

Thank you for your review :) It'll have to do for the next 37 days until I can get on the ship. I'm just upset that Phil's leaving before we get there, but hopefully the new guy won't be as bad as Herman Harper II was on Navigator many moons ago!

[reallyhooked]

Excellent.