XPCDOOJK will Not be doing a LIVE on the Harmony beginning Saturday!

[xpcdoojk]

That title ought to bring out some folks who just adore me!🥰

 

Our trip is upcoming at 3:30AM when our friends have a limo service picking us up at that happy time in the morning.  😂. Our first flight to Charlotte departs at 5:25AM, we have a couple of hours to kill in the Amex Centurion Lounge at Charlotte.  Our next flight gets us into FLL at about 12:30PM.  We are traveling with friends for the first time since pre-covid.  One couple has travelled with us a lot over the last 30 years.  They are 8 and 14 years older than us… so who knows how much longer.  The other joining us is a nurse who works with my wife, and this is her third cruise with us.  So, she will be turning Platinum after this cruise.  🤪

 

I love these 8 night sailings at this time of the year, because the kids are still mostly in school, and I like the extra day.  We traditionally seek out longer itineraries because for me it makes the pain of air travel to be worthwhile.  Even on a lot of our 7 day sailings I have combined them with a week or more doing a land vacation.  We did this with this same 5 some in 2018 flying to Alaska and renting an RV for a week to visit Denali and other bits of Alaska before a cruise to Vancouver.  

 

This one goes to Aruba, Curacao and Labadee.  I booked the Dragon thing on Labadee, so for the first time I am actually going to get off the ship there.  Normally, I just ride the FlowRider and watch the activities from deck 16.  We are doing a ATV adventure on Aruba that I booked thru Viator (first non-cruise line tour I have booked since Covid).  We are just going to wander around Willemstad, Curacao.  Been there several times.  We are eating Dinner in Aruba at Wilhelmina which is supposed to be really good.  Last time we did a cruise to Aruba, we had too much Sex on the Beach (alcohol drink by the yard… what did you think I meant😆) at Carlos and Charlies.  Afterwards walking back to the ship around midnight my wife fell off the sidewalk onto the cobblestones below, and was caught by a friend, but twisted her left foot, breaking a bone.  She was giggling and wanting to cry at the same time.  I piggy backed her thru security, fortunately they just figured she was drunk not injured, and in the middle of the night she couldn’t sleep with the pain.  We spent the next morning in the infirmary, getting a wrap, wheel chair and crutches.  On the upside, it helped a lot getting thru the airport in San Juan after the cruise.  Is there a bar in Aruba on the way back to the ship pier that can replace Carlos and Charlies for some silly adult drinking?  I need advice on this.  I may plan on piggy backing her again, just to make sure we don’t repeat.  

 

We have dinner tomorrow at the Boatyard.  We are debating if we want to do a water taxi loop after dinner.  

 

I will not be posting all of the time on this thread.  I will read everything, because I can on my phone while standing in line for the next ride on the FlowRider.  Since I will waste 8 hours a day in this line.  I spend most of my time making sure I attend to my DW’s every need so I can repeat the same 8 hour activity the next day.  So, not a lot of time to post.  

 

Please follow along.  I am sure there will be some fun and silliness to occur that I will manage to share.

 

jc

[DaKahuna]

 Can't wait to hear the highlights of this cruise.  We are on the same itinerary in February. 

 

[Tree_skier]

26 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

That title ought to bring out some folks who just adore me!🥰

 

Our trip is upcoming at 3:30AM when our friends have a limo service picking us up at that happy time in the morning.  😂. Our first flight to Charlotte departs at 5:25AM, we have a couple of hours to kill in the Amex Centurion Lounge at Charlotte.  Our next flight gets us into FLL at about 12:30PM.  We are traveling with friends for the first time since pre-covid.  One couple has travelled with us a lot over the last 30 years.  They are 8 and 14 years older than us… so who knows how much longer.  The other joining us is a nurse who works with my wife, and this is her third cruise with us.  So, she will be turning Platinum after this cruise.  🤪

 

I love these 8 night sailings at this time of the year, because the kids are still mostly in school, and I like the extra day.  We traditionally seek out longer itineraries because for me it makes the pain of air travel to be worthwhile.  Even on a lot of our 7 day sailings I have combined them with a week or more doing a land vacation.  We did this with this same 5 some in 2018 flying to Alaska and renting an RV for a week to visit Denali and other bits of Alaska before a cruise to Vancouver.  

 

This one goes to Aruba, Curacao and Labadee.  I booked the Dragon thing on Labadee, so for the first time I am actually going to get off the ship there.  Normally, I just ride the FlowRider and watch the activities from deck 16.  We are doing a ATV adventure on Aruba that I booked thru Viator (first non-cruise line tour I have booked since Covid).  We are just going to wander around Willemstad, Curacao.  Been there several times.  We are eating Dinner in Aruba at Wilhelmina which is supposed to be really good.  Last time we did a cruise to Aruba, we had too much Sex on the Beach (alcohol drink by the yard… what did you think I meant😆) at Carlos and Charlies.  Afterwards walking back to the ship around midnight my wife fell off the sidewalk onto the cobblestones below, and was caught by a friend, but twisted her left foot, breaking a bone.  She was giggling and wanting to cry at the same time.  I piggy backed her thru security, fortunately they just figured she was drunk not injured, and in the middle of the night she couldn’t sleep with the pain.  We spent the next morning in the infirmary, getting a wrap, wheel chair and crutches.  On the upside, it helped a lot getting thru the airport in San Juan after the cruise.  Is there a bar in Aruba on the way back to the ship pier that can replace Carlos and Charlies for some silly adult drinking?  I need advice on this.  I may plan on piggy backing her again, just to make sure we don’t repeat.  

 

We have dinner tomorrow at the Boatyard.  We are debating if we want to do a water taxi loop after dinner.  

 

I will not be posting all of the time on this thread.  I will read everything, because I can on my phone while standing in line for the next ride on the FlowRider.  Since I will waste 8 hours a day in this line.  I spend most of my time making sure I attend to my DW’s every need so I can repeat the same 8 hour activity the next day.  So, not a lot of time to post.  

 

Please follow along.  I am sure there will be some fun and silliness to occur that I will manage to share.

 

jc

Have a great trip JC, I'm looking forward to following.  Hopefully you'll have time for a few pictures and maybe a video of you on the Flowrider.  We have Harmony scheduled for next December.

Edited December 8, 2022 by Tree_skier

[George C]

Looking forward to your review we also have her booked for next November right after she arrives in Galveston.

[xpcdoojk]

21 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Have a great trip JC, I'm looking forward to following.  Hopefully you'll have time for a few pictures and maybe a video of you on the Flowrider.  We have Harmony scheduled for next December.

I bought a new Insta X3… so I might have some videos that will make you want to puke.  I am not sure I am smart enough to edit those pictures.  3D tech is weird.

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

We debated doing the UDP and ended up deciding to not do it.  So, for the first time a a long long time we are going to eat every meal in the MDR at MTD.  I am hopeful that the food, is not as someone posted this week.  We have split time the last two cruises post covid, between MDR and specialty dining on the Allure and Adventure, and we found the food to be pretty good to better than good in the MDR.  I was bored by the repetitive nature of specialty dining on the Adventure where we ate about half the time in Chops and Giovannis.  The food was good, but the same menu on a 14 day cruise, became a cause of meh.  

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

Just got dinged to do the health thing on my Apple Watch…. Doing that now!!!!!

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

Done, yes, yes, no, no

 

jc

[Ozark_Kid]

3 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

I bought a new Insta X3… so I might have some videos that will make you want to puke.  I am not sure I am smart enough to edit those pictures.  3D tech is weird.

 

jc

I just got the X3 in this week. Shoot now, frame later.  It is challenging to edit.  Have you had it awhile? This  is helping me. 

 

 

 

It would be cool to see a video riding the Dragon.  We just did the same itinerary on Allure and I was tempted to do the Dragon.  

Have a great cruise! 

[h20skibum]

Ok, you got me following along.   We were supposed to do this same itinerary on Harmony next month, but that was one of the five we had to cancel, and you know why.

 

So with a tear in my eye, I will be helping our technology challenged friends check into that cruise, tomorrow night. (I know, they are late and will probably get a boarding time just before sail away)

 

We were looking into renting a 4x4 in Aruba, instead of doing Eagle Beach again, because there is more to explore there.

 

Have a great cruise, and get some good flow rider time in.  

[Ocean Boy]

Ok, I'm here. Doing this same itinerary on Odyssey in January. Have a great week.

[John&LaLa]

20 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

Done, yes, yes, no, no

 

jc

 

Sure you're not pregnant?

[mil76]

Always good to bring a bunch of people along to keep the Flow widow occupied.  

 

I really want to do this itinerary.  Haven't been to Aruba/Curacao since the pre-Flowrider days so this one is on my wish list.

[xpcdoojk]

17 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Sure you're not pregnant?

Good question,  I haven’t been to the doctor since May, and I am a little bit bigger in the belly….

 

 

[xpcdoojk]

31 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

I just got the X3 in this week. Shoot now, frame later.  It is challenging to edit.  Have you had it awhile? This  is helping me. 

 

 

 

It would be cool to see a video riding the Dragon.  We just did the same itinerary on Allure and I was tempted to do the Dragon.  

Have a great cruise! 

I have had it a month, but only used it to record a bike ride, and editing it made my head spin.  I have a bunch of different toys with it.  Hopefully, I get a chance to use them….  I think the editing is going to frustrate me a lot.  

[xpcdoojk]

Can I take these things on the dragon?

[xpcdoojk]

3 minutes ago, mil76 said:

Always good to bring a bunch of people along to keep the Flow widow occupied.  

 

I really want to do this itinerary.  Haven't been to Aruba/Curacao since the pre-Flowrider days so this one is on my wish list.

True this

[Sea Dog]

Following along! Have a great time. Drink a Kraken Colada for me!

[wolfganghowell]

We were on Harmony for Halloween.  Very good crew.  Jamie's was really good if you want to hit a specialty. Sadly, Sabor's was horrid. Have a great time.  We'll be back on her next November when she comes to Texas.  

[h20skibum]

44 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

Can I take these things on the dragon?

l would make sure you had it tethered to you, so you don’t drop it in the water.  I filmed with an iPhone, in a waterproof case, with a lanyard around my neck. 
 

It surprised me how slow it seems, until you hit the springs at the bottom.  

[NateUpNorth]

"See you" on board if I am at the flowrider the same time as what appears to be a mini cooper with a union jack on the roof. 

Hitting the Queenston/Lewiston bridge in an hour to head to Buffalo airport...... Fort Lauderdale here we come!

I am also leery of some of the food reviews in the last week..... but whatever they're serving can't be worse that the regular fare at home!

[Ozark_Kid]

44 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

Can I take these things on the dragon?

I am not sure but I would think if you had something to attach it to your body like a wrist, head, or shoulder band it wouldn't be a problem.  I didn't get any of those.  If it was me I would I wouldn't ask. I would have it on a collapsed stick, start it before getting on and once started I quickly extend it and hold it up.  Then trim it later.

 

Or if no stick you could try a video with it in your mouth 🙃.  It's actually a "thing".

[xpcdoojk]

28 minutes ago, wolfganghowell said:

We were on Harmony for Halloween.  Very good crew.  Jamie's was really good if you want to hit a specialty. Sadly, Sabor's was horrid. Have a great time.  We'll be back on her next November when she comes to Texas.  

Wolfie I am not a fan of Sabor….  We have much better Mexican food on almost any street corner here.  The margaritas were fine, but nothing else makes me regret not eating there.  

 

Sea Dog I rarely drink a pina colada kraken or otherwise.  Will they make me a Kraken mai tai or something?  I am usually only drinking after a full day of FlowRiding, which means, I just want something easy.  Mostly that is Gin and Tonic.  Then dinner and wine, then after dinner and Gran Marnier.  😂  Then sleep….   Repeat

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

9 minutes ago, NateUpNorth said:

"See you" on board if I am at the flowrider the same time as what appears to be a mini cooper with a union jack on the roof. 

Hitting the Queenston/Lewiston bridge in an hour to head to Buffalo airport...... Fort Lauderdale here we come!

I am also leery of some of the food reviews in the last week..... but whatever they're serving can't be worse that the regular fare at home!

Cool.  The MINI is in the garage.  I ordered it from the factory in 2002, and the dealer picked us at the Airport on March 17, 2003 took us to the dealer and we brought Tiki Home.  We were returning from 24 days to New Zealand, a cruise to Hawaii, and a flight home.  Hence my MINIs name, Tiki.  It has about 90K on it, and I am probably going to part with it in the next year or so.  Just don’t have time to play in it.  Fun little car.  Love country roads.

 

I will be easy to find at the FlowRider because I always have my little camera at the bottom of the wave or on the glass wall filming the wave.  This trip I will have the Insta X3, and one of my friends will probably be filming me and others with the 10 foot selfie stick.  I will have a floppy hat on and blue and white sandals, and I always wear long sleeve rash guards for sun protection.  Plus I talk nonstop to everyone in the line.  🤣

 

jc

[Luckynana]

Following!!!  Bon Voyage!!🛳️