Neaxan

Finally got some pictures of the lights.
We had our "pool school" yesterday, and the system was taken out of service mode. We had lots of fun playing with the led lights and turning the jets and waterfalls on and off from an app on our phones. The plaster is still curing, so no heat for a few more weeks. We really won't need it until the end of September anyway. 

Wow.  Let's dust this one off.  It looks like this cruise actually WILL sail and they did not shortened it....and at this point it doesn't look like they will.  It was in hibernation for a VERY long time and I thought for sure it was doomed.  What they HAVE done, unfortunately, is completely re-do the itinerary which is a much less interesting itin than it was.  We are now going to Nassau, St. Thomas, St Maarten and St. Kitts.  So no more Aruba and Curacao...which completely sucks but I will just be happy to be back on a cruise, so I will make the best of it.
I am very, very disappointed that I will not be cruising with @Lovetocruise2002and her family.  We planned this one together and now we will have to go alone.  I will miss sailing with you, but we have other cruises planned together for later on, so I will just have to look forward to those !!
As most all of you already know, Dan and I are not taking the COVID injections so we will be among the unvaxxed on this cruise.  I think it will be of benefit to present this live blog from the unvaxxed perspective, providing information for any who are interested in what the unvaxxed "rules" and experiences will be.  It is NOT my intention to debate the virtues (or vices, as it were) of the injections.  I will not respond to any discussion relating to the injections or our decision not to receive them.  This is about our cruise experience and how it may differ from cruise experiences we have had in the past. I hope that respondents will respect that and allow this blog to live.  Thank you for that.
Just to be up front about everything, there are still a couple of situations that could derail (I guess I should have said "sink" LOL) this cruise for us.  In addition to not being injected, we also refuse the deep nasal swab...so if we are not able to find a PCR test that will satisfy the pre-boarding requirements, we will not be able to go.  We also need to find out for SURE that they are not mandating the deep nasal swab at the pier or onboard.  Those are questions that our Genie can answer for us (hopefully) so we are moving forward with plans to sail until we have information that would have us do otherwise.  The good news is, if we decide that we cannot cruise due to vaccination requirements/restrictions, we will get a full refund for this cruise...so it's kind of a no-lose situation for us.
Royal has made it clear that there are certain situations/locations where unvaxxed will not be welcome.  We still do not know what those places/activities are but again, our Genie will be able to help us with that information, I'm sure.  Short of not being allowed in the casino (which would also be a deal-breaker for us) we will comply without complaint.  Even if we aren't allowed off the ship at the ports of call (due to ports of entry requirements, for example) that will be a-ok with us.  We likely wouldn't get off at any of the new destinations anyway.  Once I have some intel on what restrictions will be in place, I will be sure and provide that information.
And speaking of Genies, we have not yet been contacted.  It's been so long since we sailed that I cannot remember exactly how far ahead of time they reach out !  I can't remember if it is 30 days or 60 days.  Of course, I suspect there will be many things that are different now from what they were 16 months ago, so nothing will surprise me, truly. Today is 57 days out and we still are not able to check in but I understand that many people are unable to check in for their cruises at 90 days right now.  Won't panic about that.

Who doesn't love a balcony cabin?   It seems a lot of people do because balcony cabins are one of the most popular types of cabins offered to cruisers.  What could be better than reading a book, eating breakfast or enjoying a favorite beverage on your very own balcony overlooking the ocean?
Budget minded cruisers can't always afford the extra cost associated with a cabin that includes a dedicated balcony exclusively for that guest.   Enter the obstructed balcony.
Cabins with obstructed views are nothing new to the cruise industry.  For decades cruise ships have had oceanview and balcony cabins in places where ship equipment or superstructure ends up blocking the view.  The obstruction could be a lifeboat, window washing equipment or structural pieces that are required in various places around a ship.  
Quantum class ships feature a design where the lifeboats are stored near the level of deck 5 for quick access in the event of an emergency.  Their location while optimal for quick and easy access in an emergency it does mean they obstruct some views for select balcony cabins on deck 6.
The good news is these deck six cabins are offered as obstructed balconies at a discount perfect for budget minded cruise guests who are willing to accept an obstruction in the name of saving money. 
It's pretty clear when selecting these cabins they are obstructed so no one should be surprised the first time they walk into their cabin.

 What isn't clear when selecting a particular obstructed balcony cabin is how obstructed one cabin may be compared to another in the same category.  Not all obstructed balcony cabins are equally obstructed.
Lifeboats are supported and lowered into the water by davits.  Davits are very strong structural towers that can raise or lower a fully loaded lifeboat.  The davits that support lifeboats themselves are an obstruction that also block the views for some deck 6 balcony cabins on Quantum class ships.  Davits can block more view compared to a lifeboat since davits are taller than the lifeboats they support.  
Consider this picture of Ovation of the Seas.

The deck 6 obstructed ocean view cabins within the green area in the picture merely have to look over the lifeboat which sits close to or just below the height of the balcony railing.  A few cabins in either direction the lifeboat davits impose a much greater obstruction.  The cabins highlighted in yellow may be partially blocked by a davit towards one end of the balcony.  
For someone picking a cabin on a deck plan it isn't immediately evident which obstructed balconies have less obstruction versus cabins that have greater obstruction.
Now we get to the whole point of this post.  Here is a preliminary guide to which cabins have davits in front of them and are therefore more obstructed.  

Using various videos and photos from Odyssey of the Seas during her construction and conveyance I've estimated which balconies are more likely to have a greater obstruction.  Since no guest has actually sailed on Odyssey when this post was written this is a preliminary version until guests can begin boarding and provide feedback with respect to these obstructed balcony cabins.
Since this is a preliminary guestimate follow through with your own research to make sure you pick the best obstructed deck 6 cabin for your needs.
Note that each ship within this class has slightly different variations of lifeboats and where davits are placed.  In addition there are at least four different types of lifeboats used on each ship.  Consequently you need to be careful drawing conclusions based on guest feedback from other ships within this class.
The image above may be a little blurry from web page compression so I am also including a PDF version that should be easier to read.
Odyssey Deck 6 Obstructed Balcony Guide.pdf
Obstructed ocean view cabins are a great way to enjoy all the benefits of having your own balcony while saving money if you don't mind an obstructed view.  If you book early you can often enjoy your pick of cabins within this category all at the same price.  By selecting carefully you can enjoy a much less obstructed view while saving hundreds of dollars that can be put into beverage packages or shore excursions.  

My Odyssey September 19th 2021 has just been cancelled.
According to the e-mail, Odyssey will NOT be homeported in Civitavecchia, but in Haifa instead and will only allow Israeli residents.
At least we were eligible for lift & shift and have just switched to Odyssey October 7th 2022.

You can feel it, though I think it's less noticeable compared to smaller ships. Feeling the pitching was nothing compared to seeing the real extent, especially on the jogging track looking back to the Aqua Theatre.

That was our choice too. See you on Odyssey ?

Thank you for the help. Our TA is lifting our cruise to October 7th as we speak (fingers crossed). We had a really low price so glad of this opportunity. 

Apparently we're the only ones affected who are happy with the decision ? Our September 19th (Holy Land) cruise has been cancelled, but that gave us the opportunity for a lift & shift to October 7th 2022 with a waaay better itinerary. Keeping our old price is amazing as we've just saved about 1900 euros (2300 $) - that's UBP, UDP and  a few shore excursions ?

Royal has made their Odyssey conveyance video public.
https://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/video/1178/odyssey-of-the-seas-conveyance-vinfographic-/
Good explanation of the process.
 

Apparently we're the only ones affected who are happy with the decision ? Our September 19th (Holy Land) cruise has been cancelled, but that gave us the opportunity for a lift & shift to October 7th 2022 with a waaay better itinerary. Keeping our old price is amazing as we've just saved about 1900 euros (2300 $) - that's UBP, UDP and  a few shore excursions ?

Apparently we're the only ones affected who are happy with the decision ? Our September 19th (Holy Land) cruise has been cancelled, but that gave us the opportunity for a lift & shift to October 7th 2022 with a waaay better itinerary. Keeping our old price is amazing as we've just saved about 1900 euros (2300 $) - that's UBP, UDP and  a few shore excursions ?

Apparently we're the only ones affected who are happy with the decision ? Our September 19th (Holy Land) cruise has been cancelled, but that gave us the opportunity for a lift & shift to October 7th 2022 with a waaay better itinerary. Keeping our old price is amazing as we've just saved about 1900 euros (2300 $) - that's UBP, UDP and  a few shore excursions ?

Apparently we're the only ones affected who are happy with the decision ? Our September 19th (Holy Land) cruise has been cancelled, but that gave us the opportunity for a lift & shift to October 7th 2022 with a waaay better itinerary. Keeping our old price is amazing as we've just saved about 1900 euros (2300 $) - that's UBP, UDP and  a few shore excursions ?

Apparently we're the only ones affected who are happy with the decision ? Our September 19th (Holy Land) cruise has been cancelled, but that gave us the opportunity for a lift & shift to October 7th 2022 with a waaay better itinerary. Keeping our old price is amazing as we've just saved about 1900 euros (2300 $) - that's UBP, UDP and  a few shore excursions ?

Apparently we're the only ones affected who are happy with the decision ? Our September 19th (Holy Land) cruise has been cancelled, but that gave us the opportunity for a lift & shift to October 7th 2022 with a waaay better itinerary. Keeping our old price is amazing as we've just saved about 1900 euros (2300 $) - that's UBP, UDP and  a few shore excursions ?

Apparently we're the only ones affected who are happy with the decision ? Our September 19th (Holy Land) cruise has been cancelled, but that gave us the opportunity for a lift & shift to October 7th 2022 with a waaay better itinerary. Keeping our old price is amazing as we've just saved about 1900 euros (2300 $) - that's UBP, UDP and  a few shore excursions ?

My Odyssey September 19th 2021 has just been cancelled.
According to the e-mail, Odyssey will NOT be homeported in Civitavecchia, but in Haifa instead and will only allow Israeli residents.
At least we were eligible for lift & shift and have just switched to Odyssey October 7th 2022.

My Odyssey September 19th 2021 has just been cancelled.
According to the e-mail, Odyssey will NOT be homeported in Civitavecchia, but in Haifa instead and will only allow Israeli residents.
At least we were eligible for lift & shift and have just switched to Odyssey October 7th 2022.

The two bridges are usually the most iconic spots. Friesenbrücke Weener will be first, followed by Jann-Berghaus-Brücke Leer at noon. The dam (Emssperrwerk) is too late (0.30 am) and the shipyards lock is just too early (4 am).

Last ones and finally some sun 

VID-20210227-WA0001.mp4

Live ?

It's a pity this won't be the event it normally is. We had planned to have a short vacation and watch the conveyance on the spot. Sadly, overnight stays are still forbidden, even in our own RV - and it's too far for a one day trip. German public-service broadcasting offered a live stream for the Spectrum conveyance, but I guess that's out of the question for the Odyssey conveyance as everybody is trying to keep the date quiet.

It's a pity this won't be the event it normally is. We had planned to have a short vacation and watch the conveyance on the spot. Sadly, overnight stays are still forbidden, even in our own RV - and it's too far for a one day trip. German public-service broadcasting offered a live stream for the Spectrum conveyance, but I guess that's out of the question for the Odyssey conveyance as everybody is trying to keep the date quiet.