Live Ovation of the Seas Alaska May 17-24, 2024 with Kmom

[ninjacat123]

31 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

@edspec yeah same about fear of committing to something and then having to follow through even if I regretted it.
 

I never went that far into the process and I wasn’t interested in engineering or a highly desired major so I won’t ever really know how it would have played out. I can do math to some degree but I kinda hate it. Never had any interest in health professions.

 

But I scored well on both the ASVAB and ACT and a recruiter (for enlistment, not ROTC) called me a couple days before I moved into the dorm, incredibly trying to seriously talk me out of plans that had been laid over the previous year. I think he was Army if memory serves but could have been any branch.

 

I don’t have many memories that clear from 40 years ago so I guess the question will never leave me.

My DH and I have discussed a bit the mandatory 2 year stint in the military that some countries require.  I'm not saying I would have jumped for joy if I had needed to do this at 18 but I can see the value of it.  

[Lazonia]

On 5/12/2024 at 7:01 AM, KmomChicago said:

A word on tone. As a child watching The Love Boat, it honestly seemed like an impossible dream to ever take even one cruise in my entire life. 
 

While my bucket list has since been filled and far exceeded, deep down I still marvel at my incredible good fortune to be able to travel like this at all. 
 

Twenty years ago almost to the day, I lost a college friend, Carol, after a battle with cancer, when we were both in our late 30’s. That loss changed me on a visceral level and informed my attitude on everything going forward. 
 

In being true to my personal values, I really try to avoid nastiness, pettiness, and disrespect. On every cruise some crew member or port employee or mix up or experience gets on my nerves. Sometimes multiple times. Travel is just like that. Stuff happens. Fish is overcooked. Purchases feel like a poor value (aka ripoff). 
 

I can’t handle reading reviews that are relentlessly negative (this whole cruise my group of 17 agreed that food onboard was consistently inedible).

 

Maybe I am a Pollyanna or just a total fool, but as long as the ship doesn’t sink, I typically have a broad sense of humor about the things that go wrong, like I have landed in a farce of a Broadway play. Because the world’s just a stage anyway and we merely players. So I embrace the performance and I know those moments are the ones I will remember and laugh hardest at later. 
 

Maybe not while they are actually occurring right in front of my face, but definitely later. 
 

So you may see both the grumbling in the moment and then me trying to turn it into a fun anecdote for that standup routine I’m working on. 

 

In other words, let’s be nice even if something goes off the rails. 
 

She types, hoping her White Pass Railroad excursion in Skagway does NOT literally go off the rails. 
 

What a spectacularly good attitude; you are my kind of travel companion! 

[KmomChicago]

1 minute ago, Lazonia said:

What a spectacularly good attitude; you are my kind of travel companion! 

Thanks. I try to maintain this but I have my grumpy moments as well.

[Lazonia]

You have to have a little grumpy to make sure everyone really appreciates the sunshiny attitude the rest of the time. 

[KmomChicago]

So one thing really bizarre about this ship: stateroom numbering scheme. 
 

Some designer decided to make interior cabins odd and exterior/balcony even.

 

That may not be exactly right either as it looks like a handful of interior rooms might be accessed on the exterior side of corridors. Can’t verify without a major survey of the deck plans. 
 

Anyhoo this means it’s there’s no easy way to learn if your room is accessible from the port or starboard corridor. Obviously you either figure it out or sleep in the Solarium, but it definitely feels like the Mad Hatter came up with the strategy. 

[KmomChicago]

Mostly planning a lotta nothing today. De stress is the goal.

[Glide_Path]

30 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

Mostly planning a lotta nothing today. De stress is the goal.

Did you have a chance to try "Fish and Ship" ?
 

[KmomChicago]

1 hour ago, Glide_Path said:

Did you have a chance to try "Fish and Ship" ?
 

We don’t like fried stuff so we skipped it. 4 of the options are free and a couple are up charges. 

[KmomChicago]

So Royal up did happen today after all. 
 

 

Included beverages 

 

First course tuna tartare

[KmomChicago]

This was a weird deal. It never showed up as a reservation in the app but we got a call in the room that we were late but could come now, so we ran down. My teen’s having tummy troubles today so we put a lid on the filet. 
 

The whole booking process for this seemed off. Apparently it is separate from the official Royal Up in Chops as we ate in Wonderland today. 
 

I have probably eaten less on this cruise than usual but not by much. This will probably be my only meal for today and it was substantial, more than I could handle.

[KmomChicago]

Parker House rolls and some kind of amuse bouche.

 

 

Risotto second course.

 

 

Filet and spicy shrimp main course.

Fried cheesecake dessert.

[KmomChicago]

My mom texted my teen while we were at lunch because she tracked location and it told her I (or at least my iPhone) is in Sydney, same as it’s telling me.

 

This ship just repositioned from Oz recently so I assume that’s related somehow?

[edspec]

18 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

My mom texted my teen while we were at lunch because she tracked location and it told her I (or at least my iPhone) is in Sydney, same as it’s telling me.

 

This ship just repositioned from Oz recently so I assume that’s related somehow?

I think it means your next adventure is Sydney 🙂

[BecciBoo]

4 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

My DH and I have discussed a bit the mandatory 2 year stint in the military that some countries require.  I'm not saying I would have jumped for joy if I had needed to do this at 18 but I can see the value of it.  

Our remaining child has already served 13 yrs, seems like she recruited yesterday!, My Grandson, other dd's has been in 6 yrs already, both have performed well and garnered their share of honors so will retire with some bucks and then who knows, both sides of our family all military, Navy, Army Special Forces and my hubs Air Force.  I can think of no better place to be than the service for any kid.

[mil76]

Usually my phone will think I'm in Wichita, Kansas when I am in airplane mode using Voom and try to see my location in Google maps, including the past 2 years on Ovation in Alaska.  Royal used to have a call center in Wichita, so maybe there's still a server there or something.  They probably are still linked to a server in Sydney since the reposition.

[RoperDK]

8 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

At the rescue where I volunteer, I and other volunteers have tamed several former ferals. It’s amazing the first time they choose to push their forehead up into your hand for one of those scritches you’ve been pushing on them. 😻

 

My orange cat at home comes when I call him (meowing “coming mom” as he trots through the house). He’s surprisingly doglike except he sure doesn’t like the leash!

I've been surrounded by animals my entire life. I had horses before I got too old to safely ride.  I trained and showed dogs.  I've always had cats, too.  My most satisfying memories have been when a feral cat has finally decided to trust me.  

[KmomChicago]

On the way out we had 2 checked bags, 3 carry ons and 2 personal items. One checked bag was 35 pounds (50 is allowed on Alaska) and the other was lighter than that. Mostly this is due to the loft of all the warm clothes. The carry ons were all very light.
 

I managed to get 2 of the carry ons (fully crammed) into the 2 checked bags and I think we’re probably still fine on weight. If not they’ll slip back out with just a little zipper action at the terminal at SeaTac.

 

If it works we’ll only be dealing with 5 bags tomorrow instead of 7. We didn’t pick up many souvenirs and everything we keep in the rooms tonight will easily fit in the remaining carry on and tote bags. 

[KmomChicago]

7 hours ago, ExpressoMama said:

KMomChicago, I was wondering please if you might have a chance to check at the Brass and Bock bar for me if to see if they have Daura Damm beer.(black bottle, red label) I’m gluten free and in the past RCCL have had this offered in the pub. We sail on Ovation on the 31st and have been enjoying your report immensely. Thank you!!

 

Our pub is Amber and Oak: is this the venue you mean?

 

 

Edited May 23 by KmomChicago

[KmomChicago]

Welcome to Canada! Victoria BC for four hours tonight.

[KmomChicago]

Crown Princess is here ahead of us and must be our friend Celebrity Edge here behind. 

[KmomChicago]

[KmomChicago]

Better pic

[KmomChicago]

Awww someone waived at me from their infinite veranda.

[KmomChicago]

I’m up on the aft deck behind Windjammer on 14, not in my room on the virtual screen. Tonight I will watch for pier runners!

[KmomChicago]

While I had good signal here in port in Victoria, I posted a celebration of life message in the blue social media site on behalf of the cat rescue. She was a sweet hospice cat beloved by everyone who knew her, and her passing while I was away was no surprise.

 

The feeling that I would rather have been with her than where I was, is really the biggest reason I plan to reduce my travel. I used to hate my life and couldn’t wait to get away. In spite of the stress and challenges, I love my current life and miss it when I leave it.