Leaderboard

OK, my friends and my wife are tucked in for the evening (in their respective cabins, LOL!)... early rise tomorrow for Labadee, but let me see if I can catch up to today! Yesterday, SUN (5/19/19), we elected to take the port shuttle coordinated through the hotel... fortunately, we were the only pickup and made it to the port in short time. We got off of the bus and they unloaded and handled the checked baggage from the drop off point at the terminal. Now, this is where we all really got annoyed... the people at the port are mostly clueless about the Key! We were able to quickly get through security, but when we got to the next area and had our SetSail Pass scanned, we had to basically go through the entire check-in process again. We had already uploaded our pics using the app, added our credit card, and scanned our passports. However, she still completed the entire process (except for the credit card info) all over again... We were finally directed to the boarding waiting area, that’s where they really dropped the ball. We all had printed out our SetSail passes and had the app open, but because the SetSail pass did not clearly state we had the Key (only listed Expedited Arrival), a couple of the port employees would not let us advance to the suite and Key waiting area to board. These employees did not have the ability to scan our SetSail passes to confirm what we were stating. Even after we showed them a printed copy of our Cruise Planner purchases that clearly showed we purchased the Key, they escorted us to another waiting area and told us we had to wait there with everyone else. When they started boarding other C&A members after they cleared out the suite and Key guests, we got a little more insistent and tracked down another port employee. He finally let us by and allowed us to board the ship! We made our way to the Amber Theater and checked in with the crew member coordinating the carry-on drop-off... that was flawless. They took our carry-ons and tagged them and moved them into another area to be delivered to our cabin. We mentioned the problem we had in the port and she basically smiled, apologized and indirectly confirmed that there are issues (assuming educating/ training these port employees). ... and off we went to Chops to take advantage of our Key complimentary embarkation day lunch. We only had to wait a few minutes before we were seated. Despite all of the unnecessary confusion and stress at the port, it only took us 45 minutes from the time we arrived at the port to the time we were seated at Chops. We all went with the filet mignon which everyone enjoyed including my friend who is very picky about his steak. Service was excellent and as expected for a specialty restaurant. Here are shots of the Key lunch menu, my steak (no sides on plate yet - not a great shot!), the delicious wild mushroom soup, some of our desserts, and a shot of my wife, Christine. . While we were there, we received the announcement that the cabins were ready... we went to the cabins and all of our luggage and carry-ons were there. We unpacked and then started to explore the ship. We stopped at the Trellis bar in Central Park and we started to break in our drink packages! My first, based on many of your recommendations, was a Lava Flow! We later had our muster drill in Studio B... by the time we made our way to the upper decks, the ship had already left port and was passing the beach and entering the Atlantic. Missed leaving port somehow... the ship was so smooth and we lost track of time so none of us knew she had already left port! Wandered over the the Sun Deck and the bridge wings... We explored a little more of the ship and went down to the MDR for our 6:00 PM, My Time dining... we had made all of our reservations months ago in the Cruise Planner. Here is the first night’s MDR menu... Although it’s only been 2 evenings, we absolutely love our waitstaff (Waiter: Kadek, Asst: Oleksandr & Beverage: Jose) and our window table for 4! Here is the view from my seat! I had the the French Onion soup (decent, not the best), Maryland Crab Cake (okay, not great) and the Chicken Marsala which was very good... everyone was overall very happy with their selections. We headed over next to the Amber Theater to see Mamma Mia for the 8:00 PM show. We arrived 15 minutes before showtime and just had to show our SeaPass, which had the Key sticker affixed from the start, and we were directed to the reserved section. Our seats were two rows behind the booth... loved the seats! A little less than 10 minutes before showtime, they started opening up the reserved section to general admission. We all thoroughly enjoyed the show! After the show, we wandered around a little more and the wives retired to our cabins. As a side note, we booked adjoining CP balcony cabins and they were able to remove the partition (about 1/3 the length of the partition can be removed) allowing us to walk between the two balconies. Pics to follow later I’m sure! My friend and I headed to Casino Royale and played some single deck blackjack for a couple of hours and finally retired after midnight... he won a little, me not so much! Not too bad though... ? OK... time for me to get to bed or I’ll be a zombie tomorrow! I’ll try to catch up as the week progresses!

I was growing thirsty so I found a solution to the problem. At a local bar... That solved my thirst issue but with a growing hunger I needed to find some food. This was solved at the Sitka Hotel. Fish and Chips. Plus a local porter to wash it down. From here I set out to self explore Sitka on my own. It's a very nice town with a population of 8,900 making it the 5th largest town in Alaska. It's very easy to walk with numerous sign posts such as this one to help you find your way around. The airport is on an island accessed by this bridge. The site of Baranof castle that has long since been lost but this was also the site where the purchase of Alaska was concluded when America bought it from Russia. Finally back to the visitor's center downtown to queue up for the shuttle back to the ship. The line moved quickly with a number of buses ready and waiting to bring us to the ship. Sitka is only accessible by air or sea. The total road available is 14 miles.

Day 5 - Sitka My excursion was a visit to the local Raptor center and a nature walk. We boarded a bus with three guides who took turns speaking to various aspects of Sitka from it's history to the economics of the area. The Raptor center had it's own guides who were knowledgable about the birds and operations of the center. Our first stop was to an area where birds who will be reintroduced to the wild were kept while they recover from what ever reason brought them to be rehabilitated here. Their cage is very large and open to the outside with slats so that the birds feel the outside as much as possible. There are one-way glass that is camouflaged so the birds can't see us. It's heavily darkened glass and very difficult to take pictures through. The point is to minimize exposure to humans. Through that part of the center to the outside area there are birds that cannot be released for what ever reason. For example this Peregrine Falcon has a wing that can't be fixed. A number of owls are residents at the center. A Golden Eagle. A female Bald Eagle has built a nest. While she can't reproduce she still has breeding instincts such as nesting on eggs so the center slips in other eggs that allow her to perform her natural instincts. Two of the other Bald Eagle residents were still sleeping. For this reason you might want to time a visit here mid or late morning versus this first tour of the day.

Never saw an RCL ice show that wasn't super impressive. 1977 is no exception. CD Mike came out at the end and gave some amazing details. The system that controls the drones is so sophisticated that if the wind blows one out of place, all the others adjust their positions to avoid crashing into each other. As Mike put it, "90 seconds cost us a million dollars..it's how we do things here" Costume designer did Hamilton on Broadway. Choreographer did the Salt Lake City winter Olympics Seems like everyone is doing quick change acts these days. Personally, I never get tired watching them, but seeing it on ice with a woman spinning around while parallel to the ice was spectacular. Sorry, no pic of that. I just have a big file video (even when compressed). Regular pictures do it no justice anyway. I am not @JLMoran or @twangster or @spiralqueen

The next phase of the guided walk moves to the area's history once being a Russian possession. We move to a boardwalk along the coast with the town growing closer. The interaction of the Tlingit and the Russian companies that were trading in fur was explained, as well as the role of America further down the coast. We spotted a juvenile Bald Eagle in a tree above us. Fishing is a large part of the local economy. Another visitor dropped in to listen to our guide. We walked through town to the Russian Cathedral. This was lost to a massive fire that consumed much of Sitka in 1966. It was rebuilt based on plans since it was on the historic register. Inside the cathedral is very ornate and beautiful. This was all saved from the fire by a human chain of towns people who saw the fire advancing and hand carried as much as they could including these doors to safety. At this point the guided walk was over and we were free to explore Sitka on our own. It was several hours and a lot of walking but very informative and I learned a lot about different economic, cultural and historical aspects as well as information about the flora and fauna of the area.

150 Central Park Simply put...the best meal we ever had on a ship! Atmosphere, food, service all top notch. First off a toast: Cheers to @Lovetocruise2002 for recommending the garden martini. Yummy! Here's Eduardo making it at our table and the drink. Garlic Loaf Eduardo making ceasar salad tableside Pumpkin Bisque (to die for) Pork Belly Appetizer Scallops Beef Tenderloin (they did it for one) Veal Medallians Peanut Butter Chocolate Tart (also to die for) Cheese Platter

I'm sure whatever price I set, it would be undercut by fraudulent autographs created by @monorailmedic

Think I've discovered the answer to Portside BBQ location! Ref: http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Oasis/19067374_OA_Amplified_Infographic.pdf

Actually, I think the old Portofinos was the best of them all but those have been gone for years. Too bad really

From here we began the nature walk portion of this excursion. We walked a short way down the road to the Sitka National Historic Park. Our group was broken into three with each getting a guide from the bus. As we walked the trail with her she explained the ecology of the area and the types of vegetation in the region. It's a beautiful park with well established trails. This river is close to the mouth of the ocean and late July would be loaded with Salmon returning to spawn. Our guide talks about the different kinds of Salmon and the different life cycles. Some new salmon immediately make their way to the ocean while others spend a year growing up in the river before heading to the ocean. This sign talks to the lifecycle of the Pink variety of salmon. The trails continue and our guide talks about the types of trees. This was the second oldest tree in the park that broke during a wind storm last year. The park contains a number of totem poles that were brought here in the early 1900's, provided by a number of native tribes in the region. This is a replication since the original poles are made of wood that weathers and breaks down over time. The trails continue and we make our way to the coast as we head towards downtown. Historically these poles are painted once at inception and from that point are not touched up. Here is a section of an older totem pole that has been removed from it's original pole to keep it from deteriorating. The forest service has a visitor's center located here. Each pole tells a story that belongs to the tribe that contributed the pole. Out of respect the story is not told by other's, only that tribe can tell the story.

Day 5 - Sitka I was up early hoping for a sunrise but it was overcast with low cloud cover. Sitka is the only Southeast Alaskan Coastal town that is on the Pacific ocean, most are located along the inside passage. At this point we were still in the Pacific before approaching the Sitka area. For the Pacific these were very calm seas. To reach Sitka we have to sail through a series of small islands that were shrouded in fog. The despite the cloud cover it was quite beautiful to sail through them. Finally we approached the pier we would use today. This area is actually 7 miles from the downtown area. There is no pier near downtown, ships that go there have to tender. In our case free shuttle buses operated all day long to carry guests to town and back. Since I was booked on a Royal excursion we met in the theater where we were given a numbered sticker based on our excursion. Excursions were then called by number to be escorted off when transportation for that excursion was ready. Key guests were also offered priority debarkation for self exploring.

Yaaaay! I’m so happy you are live-blogging this! Hopefully this will help soften my post cruise withdrawal symptoms.

I apologize in advance for being a slacker on my first blog attempt! I’ll start off with the abbreviated synopsis... I have a new found admiration for all of the live bloggers out there! ? We have been so busy these last couple of days! I’m also trying to be respectful of our traveling friends that do not necessarily share the same level of enthusiasm for blogs, etc., as we do! Cruise Details: Allure of the Seas, 7-night, Western Caribbean itinerary (Labadee-Haiti, Falmouth-Jamaica & Cozumel-Mexico) Out of Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale 5/19/19 - 5/26/19 Cabin Details & Cruise Planner Stuff: Central Park Balcony (Deck 11... Port side of ship) Purchased the Key Selected My Time Dining Purchased the Deluxe Beverage Package Purchased Labadee Over the Water Cabana (Nellie’s Beach) Purchased admission to the Prohibition Party Miscellaneous Stuff: Flight on Southwest Airlines out of Islip/MacArthur Airport on Long Island (NY) on 5/18/19 to Ft. Lauderdale Airport Traveling with good friends from the Orlando, FL area in adjacent cabins... they decided to drive to Ft. Lauderdale Our first experience on an Oasis class ship (our traveling friends were on Oasis 2 years ago) I think that’s it for the synopsis... I apologize if I’m all over the place going forward. We’re having an amazing time and it’s only the first full day! Will be working on catching up to today... we have to start to get ready for our first formal evening shortly! ?

Mango lava flow (free with refreshment package) with shot of Kraken (8.99+).

So after seeing how others here have RFID blocking sleeves / bags, and having seen them offered for a while now, I decided to do a bit of research on this. Found this article from 2017 written buy a guy who's a computer security expert and, per his bio linked from the article, has been in the security industry since the late 80s. His key point is that, yes, it's very easy to "sweep" for RFID info from credit cards and passports, but the reality is that there have been zero recorded instances of actual RFID crime, either credit card or passport, in all the time since the exploit was first described. His other key point is that while it's relatively easy to do from a technology standpoint, it's expensive and criminals have much easier / better / cheaper ways of getting your credit card or passport info if they really want it. In addition, second-generation credit cards with RFID now do encrypt the information, where the older gen did not, so it's that much harder to actually get useful data out of anything picked up in a "sweep". It was definitely an interesting read, and worthwhile. I'd personally say that if you've already invested in one of these, by all means go ahead and keep using it; an ounce of prevention and all that. For myself, since I don't yet own one I think I'll pass on buying any backpack or wallet that costs more simply because it has that as a feature, and carry my passport and any credit cards like I always have, in an inside pocket of my backpack.

Going overtime at Playmakers

Sorry for some duplicate pics above. Here's the restaurant and menu.

I also sell "Cuban" cigars.

Remember the crowds at El Loco Fresh and the pool on Sunday? Port day on the ship doesn't get any better than this...and the sun is now out.

At least, Giovanni's Table sounds like an Italian place. Jamie Oliver.....not so much.

I’m hoping the slides are more like Navigator and less like Harmony. The Navigator slides were a big step up.

Day 4...St Kitts (cannot believe it's day 4 already..feels like we just got here). SIL and friend are on the Thenford Grey tour. Since this is our 3rd time here we just walked around the pier shops (yup, DW bought more jewelry) and came back to ship. Very cloudy now, way more than this morning's picture below. Hopefully will improve. We are the only ship in port. Wish a small ship was next to us to really appreciate how big Symphony is. I think there will be 3 with us in St. Thomas tomorrow.

Im back on Mariner next weekend, will advise.

I think the entirety of the Oasis Class is perfection in its current form. Adding $168m in upgrades to an already amazing ship can only be a huge win for everyone!

What about dropping your rental car off at the Port Canaveral car rental office (instead of bringing it back to Sanford) and taking the free car rental shuttle over to the ship? All the major car rental places are represented at Port Canaveral and all have free shuttles that run every 15 minutes or so. You can arrange a one-way, one-day rental for the trip back to Sanford, too. Same thing- take the car rental shuttle to the office, pick up the car and drive to Sanford (about 1 hour away). You can send one person ahead to get the car and swing back to pick up the others at the Port, or all ride the car rental shuttle to the office.

Passed by Diamond Lounge..SIL is Diamond...went in to grab a picture. Will be a long time before I can go in legally.

Booked Allure for Jan 2020. Wanted to book Oasis because we Knew she would be amped by then but because we could not be assured that cats was no longer going to be playing at that time. Booked a different ship just to avoid Cats lol.

AND WILL CONTINUE!!!! LOL Although we Downgraded ourselves on Summit last week! Went from Celebrity Suite to Sky Suite. Don't ask!?

I don’t recall a comedian on our 8 night Anthem sailing.

I guess I’m the only one who just doesn’t care ! I let my wrinkles fly ! Who cares ? You’re never gonna see these people again ! If they don’t like my wrinkles they can avert their eyes and look elsewhere !

Yippee ! I am not a fan of Jaimie’s. Not a huge fan of Giovanni’s but it’s better than Jaimie’s !

It sure seems like they are not going to get Hooked, which is a very big disappointment to me. BBQ is so “meh”. I agree that putting in a bionic bar is a big waste of Prime real estate. I love the Champagne bar right next to the dining room. I do like the idea of a concert hall. I loved that venue on Anthem. I never ever stepped foot into Dazzles so that is a good move, IMO. Also, no mention of Wonderland, which is a GOOD thing. So, a mixture of good and bad. I just hope it’s ready for my 1 Dec cruise !

In October I'm booking through Hertz and staying at and dropping the car off at the Residence Inn at Cape Canaveral, Hertz is in the same parking lot as the Residence Inn. Then taking a shuttle to the port the next morning, the port appears very close. This was recommended by @WAAAYTOOO

Can't wait for March 2020! Looks like great upgrades! @Matt any word on Cats leaving?

Portside BBQ will be an up-charge restaurant https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-dining/portside-bbq

There we go - https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/05/21/royal-caribbean-announces-oasis-of-the-seas-165-million-amplification-details

Love hearing that, thanks!

The bow is a crew only area. It's not unusual for off duty crew to use the bow at various times but particularly at notable times like arriving in port or at a glacier. Deck 13 above the bridge is the lower level of the solarium. There are two bridge wings that are open from 6am to 6pm. There is a 0.8L kettle in my cabin.

No issues with noise or vibration, etc... We’re on Allure sitting on our CP balcony right now... we often forget that we’re on a ship... nice soft, cool breeze coming through Central Park right now. Only evidence of the mechanical azipod issue is noticeable when looking at the wake... starboard side (left when looking at the wake)... EE8CB739-FE7A-4A85-A8C5-A6D5E6B56840.MOV GH010032.MP4

The Royal Caribbean website can be challenging to work with, especially when trying to book multiple rooms. I never used a travel agent before listening to the Royal Caribbean Blog podcast, but boy oh boy I’m glad I found it. We just used Michelle with MEI Travel to book connecting staterooms on our next cruise. It was so easy, she is wonderful and so helpful. The rooms we booked were not showing on the website, and we also had similar issues with trying to find multiple rooms on the same deck. Michelle was able to not only find connecting rooms, but gave us multiple options to choose from. Do yourself a favor and try a travel agent! You only stand to benefit from it and you’ll be so glad you did. You can still use the cruise planner and plan out your entire vacation, the TA just takes all the hard work out of it so you can focus on the fun stuff ??

Time for the Izumi Hibachi update. This time around no captions, just let the photos do the talking. Passed on dessert Most of the show was centered around the preparation of the fried rice. Primarily the egg used in the rice. I had ordered a two protein combination, wasn't charged anything extra and the bill was $0. Don't know if this was due to the social media reach out or not. At the same time, also overheard what I think was the same zero bill explanation to the party next to us for having the UDP. Didn't try getting anything extra from the sushi side or even starting off/ending on that side. Still on the fence trying a to-go order after visiting another venue.

First activity I have seen presided over by CD Mike was today's belly flop contest. As you can imagine, the pool was packed. At the end, he said that this was the best one he's seen since 2001. I must agree. Bonus...first one I've seen with a female contestant (didn't win, but an A for effort. The blond in the white shirt is Katy, the activities manager. She is very bubbly and personable. Ended up with a 4 person "flop off" and then, with still a tie, the last two had a simultaneous final flop. Mike declared them both winners. Mike is a winner also!

First picture is a piece of art work at the deck 5 Windjammer entrance. Second picture is the same piece when you stand in front of it. It is not a reflection..you are actually put into the picture. Pretty out of proportion, but cool!

I would cancel* my cruise if there was no tutti salad (*This is not a legally binding promise)

Drink waiters

LMAO My husband and I have nicknames for each other. You can see my moniker is PIMA. He gave me that nickname 25 yrs ago during a fight. I called him anal, he responded if I am, than you are a Pain in My A... Not only does my husband have blue folders for everything in our life, but different blue folders for each aspect. 1 for our monthly bills due, 1 for paid, 1 for tax deductions, 1 for our DDs wedding, 1 for our cruise (planner to be left with our son while we are away), 1 for cruise docs (excursions pd., etc). I blame this addiction on the Air Force

No different to anywhere else in the world, you just have to be more alert and streetwise.

Honestly I wouldn’t even take them off the boat in Rome or Barcelona. Just carry a copy. Unless that’s where you’re boarding...

Closure for now, got a phone call saying yes the Hibachi is covered and they would call down to make sure it was noted correctly. He made the claim that maybe the person misunderstood what package was trying to be used. He provided a name and number to call if any issues arise.

My attaché (wife) carries all of them.. im not to be trusted with anything important lol