A Canadian takes on a S2B2B on Oasis 1/2/22, Odyssey 1/9/22 & 1/15/22 (hopefully)

[JessyCruises]

Looking forward to trying this! 
 

[NSnewcruiser]

6 minutes ago, JessyCruises said:

Looking forward to trying this! 
 

 

See if they will make it with Grey Goose 🙂 I did enjoy the new Caribbean Mule they came out with last year, 

[JessyCruises]

13 minutes ago, NSnewcruiser said:

 

See if they will make it with Grey Goose 🙂 I did enjoy the new Caribbean Mule they came out with last year, 

Will do!!

[JessyCruises]

Dinner on Day 1 was at 150 Central Park. Our reservation was at 6:30.  We arrived about 10 minutes early and we’re able to be seated - there were only 2 or 3 other parties there while we were dining.

 

While the food was good, I do not think we will go back this week. I am really not a fan of the entrees on the menu.  
 

 

 

The cucumber martini was delicious and the bread was yummy.

 

 

 

 

For an appetizer, I had the scallops.  Paul had the scallops and short rib.

 

 

 

Paul ordered the Lobster Thermidor and I had the tenderloin.  They are not serving it tableside for 2 anymore because of covid so I was able to get it.  It is really the only thing in the entrees that I will eat but I am not a huge steak lover. Paul said the thermidor was very good but was glad he had gotten 2 appetizers.

 

 

We do not normally do dessert, but wanted to try the deep fried cheesecake so we ordered one to share.  When the server brought it out, she let us know it normally only comes with 2 but they gave us 3 because we were sharing.  It was very good!

 

[JessyCruises]

I was not aware they turned On Air on the Promenade j to Spotlight Karaoke. I like the change!

 

 

[JessyCruises]

We ended the evening in the Casino where I had a nice hit on Heidi’s Bierhaus when I was down to $1.60 and got the bonus with 62 free spins and some well placed wilds.

[JessyCruises]

Cruise Planner Day 2

 

 

 

 

[JessyCruises]

Entertainment Schedule

 

 

[JessyCruises]

Day 2 lunch was Johnny Rockets.  
 

 

 

I had the chicken club on sourdough toast

 

Paul had the rocket double.

 

We are eating dinner at Izumi Sushi tonight.  

[JessyCruises]

Today is a Perfect Day at Coco Cay.  We are coming here next week on the odyssey so decided to stay onboard today and play crib in the solarium.  Odyssey is here with us.

 

[JessyCruises]

Not sure why, but it appears all of the Casitas are empty!

[JessyCruises]

On 1/2/2022 at 3:24 PM, RoyalC said:

The health and safety sheet says it is closed for dinner.

 

On 1/2/2022 at 3:28 PM, JessyCruises said:

I am thinking that sheet has probably not changed since the restart.  I will scope it out later and confirm 🙂

 Casino is still non smoking and WJ is open for dinner 🙂

[nocl]

On 12/29/2021 at 12:57 PM, JessyCruises said:

TESTING

We ordered proctored antigen tests from Switch Health to use to fly and board the cruise.  We used these same tests when we cruised on the Allure and had no issues.  They are $79 CAD for 2 tests.  We will be taking the tests on New Years Eve.  We fly to Florida on Westjet on the 1st.

 

On 12/20/21 Royal announced it would no longer be providing PCR testing for international guest that needed it to fly home for cruises leaving after Jan 5 and that we would need to find our own PCR test either at the terminal, or another venue.  I tried to get the cost of the testing at the terminal, but RCL was unable to provide me any information.  I ended up buying some RT-LAMP tests which are proctored online like the antigen tests but they are accepted by Canada for re-entry.

(https://switchhealth.ca/en/partners/aeroplan/#collectionKits).  I only ordered 2 to start so my husband and I would have them before we leave this weekend in hopes we would be able to get more information on the terminal tests while onboard before the others had to pay for tests.  The cost of the tests was $149 CAD per test.  I ordered them the same day Royal made the announcement which I believe was a Monday and received them by Wednesday.  They do not expire until July.

 

On Sunday 12/26/22, Royal came out with additional information.  They are now providing the in terminal testing for cruises departing 1/5/22 to 1/31/22 at no cost to passengers.  For cruises after January, guests will need to pay $105 USD for antigen or $210 USD for PCR.  These are starting prices and will fluctuate based on the port.  We will be saving those RT-Lamp tests we bought for one of our other cruises this spring and using RCLs testing for this cruise.  If the pricing at the ports is going to stay that high, we will continue to order the tests through Switch health for future.  $210 USD x 5 = about $1365 CAD.  That is a lot of unexpected expense, so I am glad RCL decided to grandfather us January cruises in.  Results should be received within an hour and our flight on the 23rd is not until noon so if we get off early, that should leave us plenty of time to get our results and load them onto the ArriveCAN app in time.

 

These is lots of speculation about why RCL is no longer providing the tests.  I am assuming it is a combination of 3 factors:

1) To save $$ for the cruise line by reducing testing costs

2) If the test is not given onboard and a guest test positive, that guest and their party would no longer fall under the cruise line’s responsibility (ie quarantine hotel, flight home, food, etc). 

3) I assume since the guest is no longer onboard when they get tested, RCL may not be required to report the positive tests to CDC?

 

I may not like it, but I guess all these reasons make sense to me.  To combat #2, we are bringing some rapid antigen tests with us.  We are planning to test the 5 of us onboard on the 22nd.  If any of us are positive, then we will report it onboard on the 22nd and request a full test from the cruise line.  We would then fall under their positive covid policy.  Paul and I will have been onboard a ship and in RCLs hands since Jan 2 with testing for our S2S and B2B, so if either he or I get Covid and test positive on that last cruise, it will be pretty clear we got it on their watch.

 

More to come

It was easy for them to say that they would cover testing for country entry requirements after the cruise, when there were not very many people traveling internationally.  Now that the number traveling have gone up, along with their costs, not so easy.

[JessyCruises]

Dinner on Day 2 was at Izumi Sushi. I was really looking forward to the Ramen and Paul wanted firecracker shrimp but neither were available due to “shortages”.  It was still delicious!

Edame

Kirin and Tiger Beers

 

Miso Soup

 

Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna

Hibachi Fried Rice

 

Futomaki Roll

Champagne Lobster Roll

Baked Snowcrab Dynamite Roll

 

Chicken Teryaki Bowl

Edited January 4, 2022 by JessyCruises

[JessyCruises]

We met someone yesterday who mentioned to us that RCL will take

care of our transfer to Port Everglades next weekend.  We stopped at guest services this morning to ask about getting out S2S test set up and seeing if there is was a shuttle available to Port Everglades. The rep told us it was already taken care of and we would get a notice in our room in a few days.  If so that is awesome and is a nice savings we were

not expecting!

[Maitaivegas]

On 1/1/2022 at 10:44 AM, binro01 said:

Safe flight! I would avoid the cheesecake factory as well. Just order it in on door dash. 

That’s what I’m doing when I reach Miami. Haven’t had Cheesecake Factory in 4 years, so I already checked and they deliver to my hotel. 
Can’t wait.

Safe cruising.

[Maitaivegas]

9 hours ago, JessyCruises said:

Day 2 lunch was Johnny Rockets.  
 

 

 

I had the chicken club on sourdough toast

 

Paul had the rocket double.

 

We are eating dinner at Izumi Sushi tonight.  

How was the chicken club? Love club sandwiches.

I am reading your report at midnight and all these beautiful food shots are making me so hungry.

[Maitaivegas]

4 hours ago, JessyCruises said:

Dinner on Day 2 was at Izumi Sushi. I was really looking forward to the Ramen and Paul wanted firecracker shrimp but neither were available due to “shortages”.  It was still delicious!

Edame

Kirin and Tiger Beers

 

Miso Soup

 

Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna

Hibachi Fried Rice

 

Futomaki Roll

Champagne Lobster Roll

Baked Snowcrab Dynamite Roll

 

Chicken Teryaki Bowl

How are they out of Ramen? It’s pork, noodles, broth, vegetables and an egg and green onions. Day 2 and they are out of food?

Edited January 4, 2022 by Maitaivegas

[perfect match]

Looking forward to following along with you on all these cruises! 😎

[JamesEM]

Thanks for you reports, looking forward to more reviews, I have 3 FFC burning a hole in my pocket and I'm trying to decide when to book.

[NSnewcruiser]

5 hours ago, JessyCruises said:

We met someone yesterday who mentioned to us that RCL will take

care of our transfer to Port Everglades next weekend.  We stopped at guest services this morning to ask about getting out S2S test set up and seeing if there is was a shuttle available to Port Everglades. The rep told us it was already taken care of and we would get a notice in our room in a few days.  If so that is awesome and is a nice savings we were

not expecting!

That would be awesome. I heard they do it but wasn't sure.Would be nice as we have to do the same in March going from Freedom to Wonder.

[JessyCruises]

8 hours ago, Maitaivegas said:

That’s what I’m doing when I reach Miami. Haven’t had Cheesecake Factory in 4 years, so I already checked and they deliver to my hotel. 
Can’t wait.

Safe cruising.

We stopped at the Aventura Mall location on the way from the airport to the hotel and ate in.  It was at around 3:30 or so and it was not super busy so we felt comfortable doing it.  

[JessyCruises]

8 hours ago, Maitaivegas said:

How was the chicken club? Love club sandwiches.

I am reading your report at midnight and all these beautiful food shots are making me so hungry.

It was good but I ended up take out the center piece of bread because i ate too many onion rings and I did not want to over fill myself 🤣

[JessyCruises]

8 hours ago, Maitaivegas said:

How are they out of Ramen? It’s pork, noodles, broth, vegetables and an egg and green onions. Day 2 and they are out of food?

 

I did not really fully understand what they meant but I was under the impression it was a general supply shortage and not specific to this sailing.  We are heading back later this week so I might try to order it again and see if I get a different answer.

[JessyCruises]

Unlike most people that just started working from home since the world shut down in March 2020, I have been working from home for a fortune 500 company for 10+ years so the pandemic did not change my job or how I do it at all.  While I miss the friendships I developed and socializing while working in the office, there is something about working in leggings and being able to do laundry whenever you want.  The best part of telecommuting, however, is that you can do it from wherever you want - including a cruise ship!

 

We will be working full time for the first 2 cruises Mon-Fri from 8:00AM - 4:30PM EST.  I took the last cruise off because we will be joined by family for that one.  

 

We are using Surf & Stream.  I do not do video calls in my job, just audio.  Paul does video (he is on one now).  He says the audio is great.  The video is a bit laggy from time to time but it is not bad enough to be a real complaint.  I am about to hop on a conference call and do not expect any issues.  I have worked from cruise ships several times on Empress, Freedom Class, Oasis Class and Quantum Class.  I have never experienced any issues that would prevent me from doing it again.

 

We will be heading to lunch after my conference call is completed.  We are finally getting to try Port Side BBQ.  I am really looking forward to those Burnt Ends!!!