Jill

My first cruise was a 3 day Bahamas cruise in September 1998 on the brand new and largest cruise ship at the time,  the Disney Magic. I remember it just towering over the other ships in Nassau. Funny how it looks so tiny compared to today’s modern cruise ships. My sister and brother in law got engaged on the top deck late at night in Nassau. My friend and I followed them as they walked around the deck so that we could capture it all on video. They are currently on a Mediterranean cruise celebrating their 20th anniversary. 

1989 DISKO - Russian cargo ship converted to carry passengers all of 2,097 GT.
Cruising down Søndre Strømfjord in Greenland was breathtaking and probably what got me hooked.  It was smooth as glass and a lot of my friends were drinking a fair bit.  I was soaking it all in. 
Once we hit the North Atlantic several hours later it was very rough.  I tried to sleep but with passenger beds in the very bow of the ship my head was lifted off the pillow with each wave.  My friends regretted drinking so much and all became green with seasickness.  I did pretty good but eventually the sound of dry heaving all around me caught up with me.  The return voyage was much smoother thank goodness.    

We cruised Monarch in her inaugural year then again in 1994. Both times to the Southern Caribbean. I remember thinking how “large” she was. Lol We just returned to the Southern Caribbean this past March on Freedom. 

My first cruise was a shakedown cruise on a brand new warship, USS Biddle (DLG/CG 34)

U.S.S. Yosemite, 1974-1978.

Our first was a 5-Night on Navigator of the Seas in November 2009. (Miami>Labadee>Ocho Rios>Miami) We intended to go on another sooner, but, "life" kept getting in the way.
We didn't get back into it until we got a pair of free flight vouchers for taking a voluntary bump in Vegas in 2016. While trying to decide where to go with the vouchers, we both got the simultaneous idea to take another cruise since the free flights helped absorb the cost.
We took our next on Rhapsody in January 2017 and wondered why we hadn't been doing this more/sooner. We decided then that we were gonna take a cruise every winter. So that's what we've been doing ever since. A week away from the cold Michigan winters and the stresses of life. NO  VOOM  PACKAGE! Just be unplugged, live in the moment, and enjoy all that cruise life has to offer.

Mine was Liberty of the seas  in 2015 and I have been hooked ever since.  

So jealous.  My dream is to have enough money and time (after I win the lottery) to do a 7 day Park trip and when I'm sad at leaving, go on a 3 day Disney cruise!  Jane

SS Norway, March 1985. Loved this ship. We ate at the Captain's table with the Captain and several officers every night! First legal beer at 18 (turned 18 on the cruise), first opportunity to blow my money at the slots, first time eating so many gourmet foods, especially at the Captain's table. Such an opportunity that I didn't understand at 18 years old!
https://www.cruisehabit.com/billys-favorite-ships-story-ss-norway-aka-ss-france

Our first cruise was on the Disney Wonder back in June of 2004 for our honeymoon. My wife and I had never gone on a cruise before and did not know what to expect. We decided on the Disney Land & Sea package and spent 3 nights on the Wonder and 4 nights at the Polynesian Resort in WDW. Needless to say, we had an amazing honeymoon and we caught the cruise bug!  

I just came across the history of the ship of my first cruise in 1987! College spring break aboard the Emerald Seas. This was a fascinating history as she wasn’t originally built to be a “cruise” ship. 
https://nickscruisecorner.blogspot.com/2012/02/emerald-seas-another-on-of-my-favorite.html?m=1

Gosh I feel like an Oasis snob! Lol ? 
Still deciding on what Mediterranean itinerary to do. 2 friends just did Oasis this summer and raves about the trip. 
I’m torn because this is a trip about the ports but I LOVE Central Park and everything Oasis Class. But there’s very little time on the ship. 
Just did Freedom in March after 3 sailings on Oasis and I really missed the Oasis offerings. 
Doing Symphony May 2020. What I really need is a 10 night Mediterranean on an Oasis class so I can get my ports AND sea days. ? I’m afraid I’m becoming a high maintenance cruiser! ?

I just came across the history of the ship of my first cruise in 1987! College spring break aboard the Emerald Seas. This was a fascinating history as she wasn’t originally built to be a “cruise” ship. 
https://nickscruisecorner.blogspot.com/2012/02/emerald-seas-another-on-of-my-favorite.html?m=1

Gosh I feel like an Oasis snob! Lol ? 
Still deciding on what Mediterranean itinerary to do. 2 friends just did Oasis this summer and raves about the trip. 
I’m torn because this is a trip about the ports but I LOVE Central Park and everything Oasis Class. But there’s very little time on the ship. 
Just did Freedom in March after 3 sailings on Oasis and I really missed the Oasis offerings. 
Doing Symphony May 2020. What I really need is a 10 night Mediterranean on an Oasis class so I can get my ports AND sea days. ? I’m afraid I’m becoming a high maintenance cruiser! ?

I just came across the history of the ship of my first cruise in 1987! College spring break aboard the Emerald Seas. This was a fascinating history as she wasn’t originally built to be a “cruise” ship. 
https://nickscruisecorner.blogspot.com/2012/02/emerald-seas-another-on-of-my-favorite.html?m=1

I just came across the history of the ship of my first cruise in 1987! College spring break aboard the Emerald Seas. This was a fascinating history as she wasn’t originally built to be a “cruise” ship. 
https://nickscruisecorner.blogspot.com/2012/02/emerald-seas-another-on-of-my-favorite.html?m=1

I just came across the history of the ship of my first cruise in 1987! College spring break aboard the Emerald Seas. This was a fascinating history as she wasn’t originally built to be a “cruise” ship. 
https://nickscruisecorner.blogspot.com/2012/02/emerald-seas-another-on-of-my-favorite.html?m=1

I just came across the history of the ship of my first cruise in 1987! College spring break aboard the Emerald Seas. This was a fascinating history as she wasn’t originally built to be a “cruise” ship. 
https://nickscruisecorner.blogspot.com/2012/02/emerald-seas-another-on-of-my-favorite.html?m=1

LOL! ?
Harmony is not even 3 years old (only Spectrum and Symphony are newer and Ovation also launched in 2016 w/ Harmony). Oasis and Allure are going in because they will be 10 years old when they are Amped (in 2019 & 2020 respectively). Unlike Oasis and Allure, Harmony already has all modern decor, water and dry slides, WOW bands, bionic bar, escape room, some of the newer specialty restaurants, etc. It's still a baby in the fleet ?! I guess it will have the usual routine maintenance dry dock in a couple of years (maybe a coat of paint, a new restaurant), but I would assume it won't need any major upgrades like Oasis and Allure for at least another 5-8 years. We just booked Harmony for APR 2021!

There is a chance she'll do Med sailings during summer 2021. Also a chance that she'll head to another homeport and Harmony will do the Med runs. If this is the case, Harmony might go into dry dock after the season (like Oasis) or before the season (like Allure). And for what it's worth, I don't view a ship that will be only 5 years old ship as "tired."

I just came across the history of the ship of my first cruise in 1987! College spring break aboard the Emerald Seas. This was a fascinating history as she wasn’t originally built to be a “cruise” ship. 
https://nickscruisecorner.blogspot.com/2012/02/emerald-seas-another-on-of-my-favorite.html?m=1

Hi @Jill.  The decision to have the track at the pool deck seems worse after the Freedom and Voyager class upgrades during the last cycle. They added the panoramic rooms on deck 12 and significantly cut down the track distance by about 40 percent. Not that I am complaining because those are my favorite rooms. 
I am also a runner and walker so I do the deck 4 and 5 walk.  I also walk some interesting routes on different decks. Get creative and find different loops all over the ship. Enjoy!!

Just wanted to follow up my question with my actual experience with disembarking Freedom of the Seas this past Sunday in San Juan.   We chose early departure and went to the deck 4 dining room around 6:15am-6:30am.   At 7:00am we were allowed to begin leaving the ship.  We carried our own luggage to an empty line at customs, then out to a cab by 7:15am.  From there, we were driven to the airport, went through an empty line at agriculture in terminal 4, checked 2 bags on jetblue (empty line), went through TSA security (empty) and were at our gate by 7:45am (for an 11:06am departure).  Spent the morning relaxing eating breakfast and drinking coffee at an airport cafe near our gate.   Yay for self-disembarking!!!!

Anyone know if it will be different? My Black Friday says only 7 more hours left. Is cyber Monday starting tomorrow, Sunday? And will the discounts be different? 
Does the  WOW sale (around Christmas) historically have better deals? 
Sailing Freedom in March

As of today, September 25, Southwest was showing through April 7.  We just booked our air from Orlando to San Juan for our March 31 cruise on Freedom. $399 round trip.  We had travel funds though from canceled flights to NC during Hurricane Florence, so all we had to pay was $40 for our cruise flights.