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Drink number two of the cruise, classic Lavaflow with Kraken

Quick photo room tour of a Grand Suite. Check out my Periscope feed for the video version. Two random tidbits, WOW bands don't list the muster station and you can pick any color. Old magnetic signs for "Do Not Disturb" and " Clean Up Room"

Why is the moon cuddling with your better half? And why do you seem OK with this? ?

Lol...we have at least 15! Gotta get these kids through college first... it's taking away my travel money lol. Jane

Morning all, packing backup the various chargers and such. Didn't get a chance to grab a shot of the breakfast spread, just my breakfast. Looked out the windows and saw my home for the next 7 days... Wait, wrong ship... Ahh, here we go. There she is hiding in the background! Next stop, Terminal 18. Sure I'll be leaving the hotel in the next 30 minutes or so.

Not much to report for today other than I made it to Ft. Lauderdale. Was on the road from around 7:30 am until 5:30 pm. Checked in the hotel, Embassy Suites on 17th. As in May, booked on the "Premium Suites" floor. For the most part all I can tell is it gets you access to a vending machine with drinks (water, orange juice, Sprite, Coke, and Diet Coke) and snacks. Cost to upgrade wasn't that much, maybe 5-10 dollars. Bit of advice, get the snacks early. Just check out the photos taken a few hours apart. Another nice this about Embassy Suites is their happy hour with drinks and snacks. Then again, don't think I've really ever heard of the brands of spirits used. Few other advantages of Embassy Suites is the shopping center right behind it, wound up having a burger a Gilberts. If you happened to need a few bottles of wine to take aboard there is a Publix and Total Wine. Also nice having the port right around the corner. Just a few shots of the inside and outside...

Any deck with aft-facing chairs; grab a plate of cheese, crackers etc from the WJ, glass of wine, and sit and watch the wake.

Outstanding review!! You sure did get a lot more ship pictures than I did this cruise. It's funny, in all the cruises I've never had "people" in my shots. But this cruise I have more of those than the ship! Special thanks to taking all the quest shots on my camera too. And no, I didn't know I had the bra upside down! hahahah!! It was so great meeting you, until next time!

I love seeing Royal Caribbean ships doing things like this...sorry for the image quality...basically, Navigator provided diesel to this sail boat in the open ocean when their rudder broke and weren't able to navigate by sail, but could using their motor. The problem was they were over 1000 nautical miles from shore.

Do you even Cere Bro?

Glad to get that muster drill over with.

I'm going to assume it is my level, never heard of a "Choice Diamond Plus". At the same time, never heard of a Choice tier level. Guess I'll need to roam down to the casino sometime today.

I've now entered the world of confused... On Harmony and just got my card. Shows my C&A status plus what I'll assume casino tier. What has me confused is the level is one I've never seen mentioned, Choice. I would imagine it is in between Select and Prime (using USDA beef grading logic). Didn't see any letters, was booked with the Club Royale folks.

A for effort.

Look out! It's the new RC Blog grammar/punctuation police! ?

If allure does a chef's table, that would be a super experience to add on! Jane

Time line of events.. 9:55 doors opened, 10:00 scanners opened, 10:10 sitting here pecking this post out.

One day I might find out what its like to have a suite...................................

Watching the ocean go by in 270 during the day on Anthem of The Seas...

+100

Thank you for this blog and answering my questions. I learn so much from your posts!

Thanks! We're on her next April - I can't wait! We haven't sailed on something that small since the mid 90s. ?

They really need to remove that question off the survey. It serves no valued-added at the consumer level.

<?> To the left! To the left! To the left! To the left! To the right! To the right! To the right! To the right! </?>

It was hysterical, as we were walking around, I could see her in my peripheral vision...... it sort of turned into a game..... we walk 3 steps, she walks 3 steps, we go to the right, she goes to the right........ crazy..... never again.

Diamonds International is a tourist trap. Don't waste your time.

You've been counting too much lol! I've been teaching since I was 21, no joke. By the time I am eligible to retire, I will have put in 32 years into teaching. That is enough. I will not be hanging around the classroom until 65. That's rubbing it in for @JLMoran and I who do have eternity! lol Umm.. small chance that I'm wrong, but I would say they are more than friends!

Only 14?!? What's retirement age in Canada? I've got 16 years, 7 months, and 12 days to go if I have to go all the way to age 65. If I find a way to swing it at 59 1/2, then I'm looking at another 11 years, 2 months, and 12 days. Not that I've been counting for a while now or anything... ?

Depends on the ship. Vintages, Schooner, Pub, Champagne In other words *bar

Hi All, I just created an account to add a little bit to the topic. My family and I just returned from a cruise on the Jewel of the Seas. While talking to a member of the staff (someone who would receive tips) about extra tipping and such, this person stated that they were less concerned about an additional tip and emphasized that they much prefer that we give highest marks on the customer survey post cruise. They stated that the survey provides a ranking based on feedback as to the number of guests that they will tend too. So for instance an assistant waiter in the main dining room who has higher customer satisfaction will get more tables/guests which equals more pay. Now they did not say that tips are pooled and I didn't think of it at the time but this persons comments would lead me to believe that they are pooled and people in customer service are vying for bigger pieces of the pie. Purposely not stating which staff member due to repercussions they could face if for some reason they could be tracked down.

Thanks everyone for following along. Just wanted to report I've made it to the halfway point, Orlando.

Which one?

Hey...that one on my right shoulder looks like he's throwing you a kiss, Danno.

I took all those cruises to...hey, you've got a monkey on your back WAAAYTOOO! LOL. Upcoming cruises Grandeur - June 30, 2018, Grandeur - October 6, 2018, Grandeur - December 22, 2018, Jewel - March 13, 2019, Grandeur - September 5, 2019 Past cruises Carnival Fantasy - October 2000, NCL Sun - December 2002, Grandeur - December 2007, Carnival Victory - October 2008, Adventure - December 2008, Carnival Triumph - May 2009, Liberty - December 2009, Grandeur - April 2010, Allure - December 2010, Radiance - December 2010, Radiance - April 2011, Oasis - September 2011, Jewel - November 2011, Serenade- December 2011, Jewel - May 2012, Freedom - September 2012, Jewel - December 2012, NCL Epic - February 2013, Grandeur - August 2013, NCL Dawn - December 2013, Adventure- December 2013, Navigator - May 2014, Explorer - November 2014, Oasis - January 2015, Freedom - May 2015, Liberty - October 2015, Allure - February 2016, Freedom - June 2016, Navigator - December 2016, Harmony - February 2017, Grandeur - May 2017, Grandeur - September 2017, Harmony - September 2017, Allure - November 2017, Allure - April 2018

Welcome to the blog, Dan. It took long enough !! ??

I booked through Royal, I was booking a pre and post cruise hotel with pier transfer, I stayed at the Hilton Diagonal Mar, about a 10-15 minuet taxi ride to the port area and Las Ramblas, very nice hotel, clean and well appointed. There was a mall across the street that had a super grocery store (IE super Walmart or Target), and several restaurants that we ate at. Probably about a 5 minute walk to a public beach. If you want to be in the center of things Royal has several hotels they recommend around Las Ramblas, Las Ramblas basically starts at the water front where the pier is. This Sea food restaurant was exceptional, it was down by the water front. Their Paella was the best I've ever had.

It makes especially "wrong" if the general public giving the extra gratuity isn't aware of this -- Deceiving is the word that comes to mind.

This could be a policy put in place so the head steward gets a piece of the pie. This practice is popular in the restaurant and casino industry.

Full Access Tour of the ship.

Great idea! Cozumel: Nachi Cocom Costa Maya: Maya Chan Nassau: Bites of Nassau Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tour

First step on their new virtual cruise program ... ships are getting too expensive, so just sit down in the virtual reality machine and enjoy your virtual cruise ;)

Bayonne tip: Other people in the FB group reported Uber/Lyft prices in the $50-58 range to EWR. Those 1st off snagged it for $12. My brief delay caused me to pay $21 but that's a lot better than those 30 minutes or an hour after me. It pays (or saves) to get off early.

I keep looking out the peep hole but so far he isn't looking my way, yet.

Top tier event. This is when I miss my Nikon. The dancers were great but this is where iPhone photography falls short. With my Nikon this photo would be clear: None the less they were very good when seen live. It could have been the drinks that kept flowing as we waited for the Captain, but the numbers flew past pretty quickly. Over half the ship were C&A members, I think I heard 232 Diamond and 131 Diamond Plus. Ron beside me kept on yacking in my ear so I missed the rest. (Just kidding Ron). Captain Shawn and a few of the Senior Officers: The top cruisers with something like 1328 points (+/- 25) were called up and gave a short speech when they called upon @mpoole3 to re-gift their bottle of Champagne to him. I think he was shocked.

Blasphemy!!!! Matt who? :lol: ;)

6 months to forced retirement. After 32 years getting kicked out, they want me to move to Illinois. I'd only needed 2 more years there but the cost would out weigh the benefit. So after working almost 50 years, I've had enough. Guess its time to give up the balcony and move to an inside room by the prop.