Live From Oasis of the Seas 2/18-2/25!

[exlondoner]

5 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

 

Have yourself a merry little Christmas 🎄 🎶 

One of the saddest songs ever written.

[exlondoner]

I fear you are failing to get a grip on cruet comparison. I have only seen one pair so far. Have they been the same in all restaurants? Got to keep abreast. 😀

[colesc15]

9 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

Peanut butter tropic 

 

 

 

Tiny dancer 🎶 

I'll have to give this drink another chance. I vaguely remember trying it a few months ago and wasn't crazy about it but I'll give it another go. 

[BillOh]

On 2/15/2024 at 3:17 PM, jam19872016 said:

For anyone who did not read my last review, I've been on a weight loss journey that started in August 2021 when I hit 300 LBS. I've always been big, but that was a pretty startling number to see staring back at me from the scale. I'm also not getting any younger and am becoming more aware of the looming health problems if I don't take control of the situation. Especially as I see how my mother struggles with back pain and knee problems that impact her ability to travel comfortably for any length of time.

 

Good luck with that,  when my wife and I started cruising We were both around 300lbs. That was Voyager in 2006.  

 

When we board Wonder this spring I will be 200 and she is 140. 

 

I think I gained 13 pounds that first cruise.  You can still watch what you eat and have a great cruise. Good luck going forward, it can be done!

[jcarter4551]

9 hours ago, perfect match said:

The down side of my staying out of the casino is that I’m never going to get an offer for a free casino cruise.

“Free” - you’ve probably saved yourself thousands in losses lol. I’ve been getting “free” cruises for years on Virgin and RCL and I think it’s cost me more in losses than paying for all those cruises. The upside is when you do lose in casino you don’t feel as bad because you chalk up the free cruise to the win. 

[jam19872016]

Good morning everyone.

 

I feel a little better this morning than I did thos time yesterday but the excess food and drink is certainly impacting me in more ways than just the scale.

 

I shall push on.

 

Labadee today and I want to get in a walk on the island but will probably grab lunch at portside first. That opens at 1.

[jam19872016]

10 hours ago, perfect match said:

You’re a real glutton for punishment in that casino! 
 

I learned a long time ago that I never win anything and I get really bored really fast when I don’t win anything. That is enough to convince me to stay out of the casino! I figure I’m way ahead because I still have all of the money I didn’t lose. 😂 

 

The down side of my staying out of the casino is that I’m never going to get an offer for a free casino cruise. 😕

I get bored too. This has felt like work at times 😆. 

 

It's an investment is how I look at it. This will net me at least two free seven day cruises, and if I'm lucky, some weekend trips too.

 

Never free, just prepaid 😁

[jam19872016]

6 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Good gracious,  what is a priority elevator? How many passenger elevators altogether on your giant ship?

Suite guests can over ride the elevator if I'm not mistaken. 32 elevators and for the most part they have not been too hard to get, with a few exceptions. I've been on smaller ships with more elevator crowding. In fact just the last one on Celebrity felt like winning a lottery when you got an elevator immediately. 

[jam19872016]

6 hours ago, exlondoner said:

One of the saddest songs ever written.

I was so happy to hear a Christmas song I didn't even pay attention to the lyrics. Would you believe I have not heard a single Christmas song in over a month?? 

 

6 hours ago, exlondoner said:

I fear you are failing to get a grip on cruet comparison. I have only seen one pair so far. Have they been the same in all restaurants? Got to keep abreast. 😀

I'm derelict in my duties and no doubt they have noticed and taken advantage of me not holding them accountable. 

 

I forgot in Chops, but last night there was actually none on the table 😲. Another reason to give Izumi a pass.

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

I was so happy to hear a Christmas song I didn't even pay attention to the lyrics. Would you believe I have not heard a single Christmas song in over a month?? 

 

I'm derelict in my duties and no doubt they have noticed and taken advantage of me not holding them accountable. 

 

I forgot in Chops, but last night there was actually none on the table 😲. Another reason to give Izumi a pass.

The original first verse, and this in a movie realised for Christmas 1944:

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas

It may be the last

Next year we may all be living in the past.

 

Judy Garland did say they would have to change it as she couldn’t sing it.

[jam19872016]

4 hours ago, colesc15 said:

I'll have to give this drink another chance. I vaguely remember trying it a few months ago and wasn't crazy about it but I'll give it another go. 

It was likely an accumulation of all my drinks, but my goodness it snuck on me. I was fine one second and ready to pass out the next. Proceed with ⚠️ 

 

3 hours ago, BillOh said:

Good luck with that,  when my wife and I started cruising We were both around 300lbs. That was Voyager in 2006.  

 

When we board Wonder this spring I will be 200 and she is 140. 

 

I think I gained 13 pounds that first cruise.  You can still watch what you eat and have a great cruise. Good luck going forward, it can be done!

Thank you and congratulations! I know forst hand how hard it is. I watched what I consumed when I first started losing cruising and trying to lose weight. I did indeed only gain a few pounds on each of those first cruises, but I know I can get back on track after the cruise so allow myself the deviation from smart choices 😀.

 

This week was full of bad choices with the dining plan.

[exlondoner]

7 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

I was so happy to hear a Christmas song I didn't even pay attention to the lyrics. Would you believe I have not heard a single Christmas song in over a month?? 

 

I'm derelict in my duties and no doubt they have noticed and taken advantage of me not holding them accountable. 

 

I forgot in Chops, but last night there was actually none on the table 😲. Another reason to give Izumi a pass.

Maybe not having cruets is authentically Japanese?

[jam19872016]

1 hour ago, jcarter4551 said:

“Free” - you’ve probably saved yourself thousands in losses lol. I’ve been getting “free” cruises for years on Virgin and RCL and I think it’s cost me more in losses than paying for all those cruises. The upside is when you do lose in casino you don’t feel as bad because you chalk up the free cruise to the win. 

It helps when you travel mostly solo. My gains are double plus I got double points in the loyalty program. Got me to D+ very quickly. Pinnacle is still so far off however 😆. 

 

It's certainly still not free though, prepaid is how I like to look at it  🤣. 

[jam19872016]

2 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Maybe not having cruets is authentically Japanese?

Perhaps 🤔. I also had to ask for a fork. The sushi and vegetables were fine, but I can't eat rice with chopsticks. Years beyond my chopsticks skillset.

[exlondoner]

Just now, jam19872016 said:

It helps when you travel mostly solo. My gains are double plus I got double points in the loyalty program. Got me to D+ very quickly. Pinnacle is still so far off however 😆. 

 

It's certainly still not free though, prepaid is how I like to look at it  🤣. 

Oh dear, I’m going to have to ask about the different loyalty grades. I do hope the system is not as difficult as Celebrity’s. But given the co-ownership, I imagine it probably is.

[jam19872016]

Much simpler if just slightly less straightforward as a simple one point per night scheme.

 

 

One point per night.

One extra point per night in a junior suite or above.

One extra point per night if you are soli in a room meant for double occupancy. 

 

Real perks kick in at diamond. As diamond plus some of my main perks include five free drinks a day, two days free internet, bogo on specialty dining, the two bottles of champagne delivered to my room (one on shorter cruises) and a bunch of other things that are nice but that I don't always use.

 

Cheers with an officer, which is a nice luncheon with the officers in attendance. Free bag of laundry. Free photo. The plate of snacks u posted earlier, the bottles of water delivered to my cabin. Many others in probably forgetting.

 

Best loyalty program at sea and I was matched to Elite automatically on Celebrity.

 

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

Much simpler if just slightly less straightforward as a simple one point per night scheme.

 

 

One point per night.

One extra point per night in a junior suite or above.

One extra point per night if you are soli in a room meant for double occupancy. 

 

Real perks kick in at diamond. As diamond plus some of my main perks include five free drinks a day, two days free internet, bogo on specialty dining, the two bottles of champagne delivered to my room (one on shorter cruises) and a bunch of other things that are nice but that I don't always use.

 

Cheers with an officer, which is a nice luncheon with the officers in attendance. Free bag of laundry. Free photo. The plate of snacks u posted earlier, the bottles of water delivered to my cabin. Many others in probably forgetting.

 

Best loyalty program at sea and I was matched to Elite automatically on Celebrity.

 

That’s pretty good. It would bankrupt Cunard, given that so many of their passengers would be the equivalent of D+.  The bar takings would plummet.

[jam19872016]

9 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

That’s pretty good. It would bankrupt Cunard, given that so many of their passengers would be the equivalent of D+.  The bar takings would plummet.

I'm amazed at how many drinks they must give away. Granted, the cost is much lower than what we pay, but the unrealized revenue must be tremendous. 

[jam19872016]

+5.2 

 

[jam19872016]

Oh yes, also comes with access to the crown Lounge, formerly diamond lounge,  but diamonds are sometimes excluded now during happy hour based on number onboard.

 

 

 

Comes with a self serve espresso machine and snacks during the day as well as hors d'oeuvres during happy hour.

 

And a nice quiet place for me to enjoy my coffee.

 

 

Edited February 22 by jam19872016

[jam19872016]

I was wrong earlier, only 24 elevators. Still not too bad of a wait most times. 

 

It's warmed up nicely, not too bad in the shade though think I will eat outside today.

 

[jam19872016]

Moved inside it was a little too noisy out there.

 

 

[jam19872016]

Fantastic BBQ. 

 

I'm waddling my way off the ship now to check out Labadee. 

[colesc15]

1 hour ago, jam19872016 said:

It helps when you travel mostly solo. My gains are double plus I got double points in the loyalty program. Got me to D+ very quickly. Pinnacle is still so far off however 😆. 

 

It's certainly still not free though, prepaid is how I like to look at it  🤣. 

That's exactly how I view it as well, prepaying lol. I'd gamble regardless, so it's nice to get something in return compared to land based casinos. Sometimes, if luck is on your side, it's even better. Example, two weeks ago, I did a 4 night cruise. Earned enough for an instant reward certificate that had Icon on it and I booked that. When the 4 night cruise ended, I was actually slightly ahead with money, so I made a little, drank for free and got a cabin on icon for may that's selling for nearly $4,000 a person right now. Love the casino program and love it even more when you occasionally win. Just have to go into it expecting to lose though and if you beat the odds, even better! 

[danielnm]

4 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

That's exactly how I view it as well, prepaying lol. I'd gamble regardless, so it's nice to get something in return compared to land based casinos. Sometimes, if luck is on your side, it's even better. Example, two weeks ago, I did a 4 night cruise. Earned enough for an instant reward certificate that had Icon on it and I booked that. When the 4 night cruise ended, I was actually slightly ahead with money, so I made a little, drank for free and got a cabin on icon for may that's selling for nearly $4,000 a person right now. Love the casino program and love it even more when you occasionally win. Just have to go into it expecting to lose though and if you beat the odds, even better! 

How much total would you say you played in order to get these perks?