Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[Sea Dog]

8 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

The kids are over celebrating Sharon's birthday 🎂 They made her a homemade German Chocolate cake, her favorite.   And they brought her a bouquet 💐 of flowers from the best florist around 😃

Happy Birthday Sharon. Can I come over? I love German Chocolate Cake. Beautiful flowers for a special day. 

[Ozark_Kid]

I just noticed the Notre Dame football game is being played in Dublin Ireland. 

[Ozark_Kid]

2 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Happy Birthday Sharon. Can I come over? I love German Chocolate Cake. Beautiful flowers for a special day. 

You are always welcome!  They say it is a challenge making German Chocolate cake.   Sharon on likes it homemade. 

[lenquixote66]

18 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Thanks, I’ll have to try those.

I eat 5 a day,every other day

[Sea Dog]

1 minute ago, Ozark_Kid said:

You are always welcome!  They say it is a challenge making German Chocolate cake.   Sharon on likes it homemade. 

There is a bakery here in KC that makes a killer German Chocolate Coffee Cake. It’s so good. My favorite donut shop also makes an incredible German Chocolate Long John. Yummm.

[grapau27]

8 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

You are always welcome!  They say it is a challenge making German Chocolate cake.   Sharon on likes it homemade. 

Happy birthday to Sharon.

[grapau27]

Good evening.

It has been a nice sunny 68°F day.

We went out for dinner but I only photoed the lamb.

[Ozark_Kid]

9 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

There is a bakery here in KC that makes a killer German Chocolate Coffee Cake. It’s so good. My favorite donut shop also makes an incredible German Chocolate Long John. Yummm.

My SIL told me that on their way to Lakeside they stopped at a place that was serving German Chocolate cake milk shakes!  He got one and thought it was good but said he didn't think about it having pieces of coconut in it.

[DaniDanielle]

42 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Happy birthday to Sharon 💐

 

The flowers are beautiful 

From me also🎉

[akcruz]

1 hour ago, Ozark_Kid said:

The kids are over celebrating Sharon's birthday 🎂 They made her a homemade German Chocolate cake, her favorite.   And they brought her a bouquet 💐 of flowers from the best florist around 😃

 

Happy Birthday Sharon 🎉🥂🎂

[Etta1213]

44 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Good evening.

It has been a nice sunny 68°F day.

We went out for dinner but I only photoed the lamb.

You have such super restaurants!

[Sunshine3601]

5 hours ago, helen haywood said:

I had a disturbing experience last week.  I cashed out a matured CD.  Was told by the bank that a wire transfer costing me $25 was my only option.  OK, filled out paperwork.  Got a call the next day asking if my bank had another routing number as the wire wasn’t going through.  Hmm.  Nope, just the one I typed on the form.

 

I asked if there was any other way to get the funds.  Oh, yes, we can mail you a check.  Fine, let’s do that and I’ll pay to overnight it.  Oh, that’s not necessary, we’ll send if FedEx.  Hmm.  If overnight no cost to me was an option why was I told only $25 wire transfer possible?

 

So, later Tuesday I receive four emails from FedEx.  My package has been initiated…my package has been acquired…my package is on the way…my package will arrive tomorrow.  All four emails have the tracking number and my address on it.  Wednesday I receive an email telling me my package has been delivered…but to a totally different address, not just a transposed street number…or anything nearby…ten miles away!!!

 

I call FedEx and initiate an investigation.  This package contained a very large check.  When I call FedEx back an automated voice tells me my case has been closed.  If I’m not satisfied with the outcome I should contact the sender.  If I am the sender I should review my contract with FedEx.  
 

I request to speak to an actual person.  He tells me my package has been reacquired and will be delivered by 8 pm.  I don’t consider that “case closed!”  Case closed means the package is actually in my hands.  (Would I like to remain on the line and take a brief survey about my experience?)

 

DH says next time I should request a signature on delivery.  I said I had!  It was signed for by an S. Iblett (not my name…)  
 

Glad it worked out in the end but I had a totally wasted day and angst I would rather not have had!

Sorry you had to go through all that angst.   FedEx is the worst nowadays.   

We have issues with them almost every time someone sends us something via FedEx at work.    

We currently have a claim in process for some missing parts that were delivered to a church and left on their front steps, per photo we have from their tracking site.   

The church is an old historic site that only does services on Christmas and Easter so noone ever called us back about our missing pkg.  Guess someone stole the pkg.  

Glad you finally received your pkg.  Scary with what could have happened to it.

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Ozark_Kid said:

The kids are over celebrating Sharon's birthday 🎂 They made her a homemade German Chocolate cake, her favorite.   And they brought her a bouquet 💐 of flowers from the best florist around 😃

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sharon🥰   hope she enjoys to the fullest.    

Those flowers are gorgeous.

[Jimbo]

4 hours ago, Arzeena said:

I don't know the restaurant, but I want these garlic rolls !!!!!!!!! Yummm!

https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g34571-d514250-i118147041-Flanigan_s_Seafood_Bar_Grill-Pompano_Beach_Broward_County_Florida.html

[Momof3gurlz]

1 hour ago, Ozark_Kid said:

The kids are over celebrating Sharon's birthday 🎂 They made her a homemade German Chocolate cake, her favorite.   And they brought her a bouquet 💐 of flowers from the best florist around 😃

Happy Birthday to Sharon!  Absolutely gorgeous flowers. 

[Tree_skier]

Just thought I'd drop a quick little review of Navigator right here if nobody minds. This isn't going to be a complete or exhaustive review, just a quick synopsis of last week with a few pics and I don't want to start a whole thread for that.  Especially since most of this will be the tale of getting to the cruise ship and not as much the actual cruise.

 

Just got off a 4 day on Navigator and we had a great time.  This was a unique cruise.  It was Papa (me) and my three Grandkids. (14F, 17M, 20F).  DW was spending the week with DD so they could spend some time together without the kids getting in the way of their Mommy/Daughter time.  

 

The plan was to meet in Santa Clarita right next to Six Flags.  DD and the kids were coming from home, just a little north of Fresno and we were driving from Phoenix were I had been working.  As Hurricane Hilary approached I started to get nervous.  Sunday, in between two speaking events I was glued to the weather.com app.  It was looking dodgy.  I was supposed to head out Sunday night, stay overnight in Palm Springs and finish the drive to the meet up Monday morning. I really questioned my intelligence when I decided to brave the drive.  There were all kinds of warnings and watches and dire predictions. My thought was I'm originally from Vancouver.  I can drive in the rain better than any Californian.  

 

God smiled on us.  The drive in was a piece of cake.  All along I 10 all we had was a little wind and the odd sprinkle and I congratulated my wise decision to strike out as planned all the way up until I got to the exit we took to our pre cruise hotel in Palm Springs. The highway was closed and everyone was being diverted off.  Rain was now coming down in buckets and there was a hint of flooding along the sides of the road.  Thankfully our Hotel, a Best Western Plus, was just off the interstate at that exit we were being forced onto.  Surely it will all be open and fine in the morning.  It was a brand new hotel, very nice room and we were fortunate because there wasn't a room to be had anywhere in the city apparently. Some areas had already been cut off and the and Hotels you could get too were completely sold out.  We were fine though and so at 12:45 am I laid my head down on the pillow and went to sleep with visions the Windjammer, the Promenade and the Bamboo Club in my head.

 

I got up early, showered and dressed quickly and by 7am we were on the road.  It was a mess.  Streets were flooded traffic was blocked all over and nobody could get anywhere, certainly not the interstate anyways.  We followed some truck traffic along a road that parceled the highway that had been flooded it looked like but the water had subsided.  Unfortunately, we could see off in the distance the highway was still closed.  As we got to the turn where you would turn to get to the interstate I saw three semi trucks, coming from the opposite direction,  turn onto the I 10 on ramp.  I took a chance and instead of heading down the side road that all of us had been creeping along to who knows where, turned towards the overpass and the onramp.  When I got there there were still cones there but someone had moved  a couple of them and you a single truck or car could pass through.  I took a chance and pulled down it.  For 5 miles it was all glorious.  Then we ground to a halt...  We sat and waited... I cursed my stupid decision to follow those trucks... But a few minutes later we started to creep ever so slowly forward.  I had no idea what lied ahead but we were westbound heading the right direction at 3-4 miles per hour in-between frequent stops.

 

Eventually I could see the obstruction. This must be what closed the highway last night.  I'm so thankful I wasn't driving in that.  A flash flood and completely shut the freeway down but even now with the water subsided the freeway was barely passible.

 

 

Once we cleared this we ran into a couple of other spots but nothing this bad.  It slowed us but didn't stop us.  They must have got things shut down again at the onramp after we and those few trucks came through because there was only a few dozen vehicles behind us.

 

We made it to Santa Clarita.  I traded a wife for three grand kids and we struck off for San Pedro,  

 

I had received an email the day before letting me know not to come to the port until 12:30. We had had a 10:30 checkin time but all of that had been scrapped because of Hilary.  When we got there, at about 12:15 there was a very long line waiting to get into the security tent and beyond to the check in point but to their credit they moved it along very quickly.  We were on board by 12:55.   

 

 

 We must have been in the first 25% to board because, except for the Windjammer, the ship felt empty.  Vacation had begun and life was good.

 

It was MDR every evening for us.  Lunch was Windjammer Day 1, MDR Day 2, Catalina Island Day 3, El Loco Fresh Day for Day 4.

 

1. C+
2. B
3. C-
4. B

 

Entertainment was good and mediocre.  The Ice show was great as usual ( we went two different nights) and the welcome aboard show was good.  They had the orchestra do a few numbers then a comedian.  He was funny and family friendly.   The house band who we sat and listened to a couple of times were very average.  We didn't go to the showgirls or ball room dancing show.  Ive been and am not a fan so usually skip them on this ship. 

 

Other evenings entertainment consisted of Karaoke.  There was some real talent on board and some very funny talent but it was great each night.         

 

Catalina island we did the Semi-submerged tour.  I've done but not with the kids.  They loved it so I loved it.  Ensenada we didn't leave the ship.  I booked a Casita  and we roamed back and forth between minigolf, the arcade, the waterslides and the Flowrider.  

 

There was some Papa only time in the Casino on Day 2 and then the evening of day 4.  I lost about $200 for the cruise.  An acceptable amount that allows me to say I was worth it because I had fun. 🙂 

 

The youngest granddaughter did the Spinkletime  cup cake decorating.  She had a lot of fun and enjoyed it.  She said it was worth the $35 but then it was my $35 and not hers so that might have biased her review. LOL. 

 

Pro tip...  Don't get any of that icing from the cupcake on anything or else be prepared to bleach it.  That stuff is almost indelible will nearly not come off your skin with soap and water and is nearly toxic on clothing.

 

 

A few random pics to follow...

 

We'll start with a room tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just over 100 days until we board Harmony for our first B2B

 

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Tree_skier

[Sea Dog]

@Tree_skier Thanks for your he review Dave! I’m glad you had a great time with Grandkids. 

[BonTexasNY]

5 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

 

So sorry to hear about you friend.

 

Thanks, Renee!

5 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Mystic Seaport is hosting a firefighters day. They have fire boats doing demonstrations....

 

 

 

 

Mystic Seaport was always a favorite day trip when we lived in NY.

2 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

The kids are over celebrating Sharon's birthday 🎂 They made her a homemade German Chocolate cake, her favorite.   And they brought her a bouquet 💐 of flowers from the best florist around 😃

Happy Birthday Sharon!  Beautiful flowers and yummy German Chocolate cake make it extra special.

[Arzeena]

Happy Birthday to Sharon! Hope you all hvae a wonderful celebration and post a picture or two.

[TravelGirlinDallas]

6 hours ago, helen haywood said:

Glad it worked out in the end but I had a totally wasted day and angst I would rather not have had!

Yikes!! That is VERY odd. Let us know when you actually receive it!

[TravelGirlinDallas]

6 hours ago, Arzeena said:

I would love hear your thoughts on the Adventure. We have booked a Jan sailing.

 

We sailed Adventure last Thanksgiving in 2022, back when it sailed out of Galveston. I honestly had pretty low expectations since the ship was smaller and older. It ended up being one of my favorite cruises. The ship was in great shape - much better than I had expected, the food was good, the shows were good, we went ice skating, we had a fantastic time. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[helen haywood]

16 minutes ago, TravelGirlinDallas said:

Yikes!! That is VERY odd. Let us know when you actually receive it!

I did receive it on Wednesday.  

[TravelGirlinDallas]

1 hour ago, Tree_skier said:

Vacation had begun and life was good.

Wow, so glad you made it! Your cabin looked spectacular. I was interested to see how nicely they had made up your bunk beds. Andrew had bunkbeds on Allure in July, and they just threw the bedding on there in a pile, even after I asked them to make his bed, the steward just kept doing that. Oh well, it didn't ruin our cruise. But it did make me wonder what the usual bedding protocol is for bunks.

[Luckynana]

2 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

The kids are over celebrating Sharon's birthday 🎂 They made her a homemade German Chocolate cake, her favorite.   And they brought her a bouquet 💐 of flowers from the best florist around 😃

Happy Birthday wishes for Sharon!🌹

Those flowers are gorgeous!!

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Tree_skier said:

Just thought I'd drop a quick little review of Navigator right here if nobody minds. This isn't going to be a complete or exhaustive review, just a quick synopsis of last week with a few pics and I don't want to start a whole thread for that.  Especially since most of this will be the tale of getting to the cruise ship and not as much the actual cruise.

 

Just got off a 4 day on Navigator and we had a great time.  This was a unique cruise.  It was Papa (me) and my three Grandkids. (14F, 17M, 20F).  DW was spending the week with DD so they could spend some time together without the kids getting in the way of their Mommy/Daughter time.  

 

The plan was to meet in Santa Clarita right next to Six Flags.  DD and the kids were coming from home, just a little north of Fresno and we were driving from Phoenix were I had been working.  As Hurricane Hilary approached I started to get nervous.  Sunday, in between two speaking events I was glued to the weather.com app.  It was looking dodgy.  I was supposed to head out Sunday night, stay overnight in Palm Springs and finish the drive to the meet up Monday morning. I really questioned my intelligence when I decided to brave the drive.  There were all kinds of warnings and watches and dire predictions. My thought was I'm originally from Vancouver.  I can drive in the rain better than any Californian.  

 

God smiled on us.  The drive in was a piece of cake.  All along I 10 all we had was a little wind and the odd sprinkle and I congratulated my wise decision to strike out as planned all the way up until I got to the exit we took to our pre cruise hotel in Palm Springs. The highway was closed and everyone was being diverted off.  Rain was now coming down in buckets and there was a hint of flooding along the sides of the road.  Thankfully our Hotel, a Best Western Plus, was just off the interstate at that exit we were being forced onto.  Surely it will all be open and fine in the morning.  It was a brand new hotel, very nice room and we were fortunate because there wasn't a room to be had anywhere in the city apparently. Some areas had already been cut off and the and Hotels you could get too were completely sold out.  We were fine though and so at 12:45 am I laid my head down on the pillow and went to sleep with visions the Windjammer, the Promenade and the Bamboo Club in my head.

 

I got up early, showered and dressed quickly and by 7am we were on the road.  It was a mess.  Streets were flooded traffic was blocked all over and nobody could get anywhere, certainly not the interstate anyways.  We followed some truck traffic along a road that parceled the highway that had been flooded it looked like but the water had subsided.  Unfortunately, we could see off in the distance the highway was still closed.  As we got to the turn where you would turn to get to the interstate I saw three semi trucks, coming from the opposite direction,  turn onto the I 10 on ramp.  I took a chance and instead of heading down the side road that all of us had been creeping along to who knows where, turned towards the overpass and the onramp.  When I got there there were still cones there but someone had moved  a couple of them and you a single truck or car could pass through.  I took a chance and pulled down it.  For 5 miles it was all glorious.  Then we ground to a halt...  We sat and waited... I cursed my stupid decision to follow those trucks... But a few minutes later we started to creep ever so slowly forward.  I had no idea what lied ahead but we were westbound heading the right direction at 3-4 miles per hour in-between frequent stops.

 

Eventually I could see the obstruction. This must be what closed the highway last night.  I'm so thankful I wasn't driving in that.  A flash flood and completely shut the freeway down but even now with the water subsided the freeway was barely passible.

 

 

Once we cleared this we ran into a couple of other spots but nothing this bad.  It slowed us but didn't stop us.  They must have got things shut down again at the onramp after we and those few trucks came through because there was only a few dozen vehicles behind us.

 

We made it to Santa Clarita.  I traded a wife for three grand kids and we struck off for San Pedro,  

 

I had received an email the day before letting me know not to come to the port until 12:30. We had had a 10:30 checkin time but all of that had been scrapped because of Hilary.  When we got there, at about 12:15 there was a very long line waiting to get into the security tent and beyond to the check in point but to their credit they moved it along very quickly.  We were on board by 12:55.   

 

 

 We must have been in the first 25% to board because, except for the Windjammer, the ship felt empty.  Vacation had begun and life was good.

 

It was MDR every evening for us.  Lunch was Windjammer Day 1, MDR Day 2, Catalina Island Day 3, El Loco Fresh Day for Day 4.

 

1. C+
2. B
3. C-
4. B

 

Entertainment was good and mediocre.  The Ice show was great as usual ( we went two different nights) and the welcome aboard show was good.  They had the orchestra do a few numbers then a comedian.  He was funny and family friendly.   The house band who we sat and listened to a couple of times were very average.  We didn't go to the showgirls or ball room dancing show.  Ive been and am not a fan so usually skip them on this ship. 

 

Other evenings entertainment consisted of Karaoke.  There was some real talent on board and some very funny talent but it was great each night.         

 

Catalina island we did the Semi-submerged tour.  I've done but not with the kids.  They loved it so I loved it.  Ensenada we didn't leave the ship.  I booked a Casita  and we roamed back and forth between minigolf, the arcade, the waterslides and the Flowrider.  

 

There was some Papa only time in the Casino on Day 2 and then the evening of day 4.  I lost about $200 for the cruise.  An acceptable amount that allows me to say I was worth it because I had fun. 🙂 

 

The youngest granddaughter did the Spinkletime  cup cake decorating.  She had a lot of fun and enjoyed it.  She said it was worth the $35 but then it was my $35 and not hers so that might have biased her review. LOL. 

 

Pro tip...  Don't get any of that icing from the cupcake on anything or else be prepared to bleach it.  That stuff is almost indelible will nearly not come off your skin with soap and water and is nearly toxic on clothing.

 

 

A few random pics to follow...

 

We'll start with a room tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just over 100 days until we board Harmony for our first B2B

 

 

Glad you were able to make to the cruise port and have a wonderful cruise with your Grandkids😃