Skigoofy

Cruising today! Had some time to kill at the Egan Center so wanted to provide information about trace l from Anchorage to Seward.
We purchased train tickets for the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Seward through Royal Caribbean for $125/pp. We we were told to report to the Egan Center in downtown Alaska by 11:30 AM and that they open at 8:00 AM.
 
We decided to get here early because we thought we could get our train seats since they are 'first come, first serve". This was not accurate!
We arrived at the Egan Center around 8:30 and were one of the first one's there. Signs direct you to a large room where they take care of checking your luggage, check passports, Sail Pass and credit card. Since we were early we got through this pretty quick and was straightforward. We got train tickets #6 & 7, not sure if that's just so they know how many altogether OR if is used to prioritize seating...guess we'll see when we get to train depot.
  
I was able to temporarily check my heavy backpack while we went around the corner to Kaladi Brothers for a latte and oatmeal cranberry cookie. It's two blocks away on the corner of G and 6th Ave.
After my latte we went around the corner to check out a huge mural behind city hall. From Kaladi's walk across 6th on G and make a left right after City Hall. When you get to the parking lot look back over your right shoulder you'll see the mural which outlines the history of Alaska. Thanks go to Howard, our Uber driver from the hotel to the center, for telling us about the mural!
  
We were back at the center by 9:30 and typing this as we wait for our 11:15 shuttle to the train depot.
At the center they have stations to recharge devices, free wifi, water dispenser and tables and chairs where you can wait (and update your blog). The folks from RC and Alaska Railroad are here to answer questions and are really, really nice people!
Next update will be from the ship!!

After walking back to the hotel I had just under an hour to prepare for the first Royal Caribbean Blog Alaska Group Cruise event - a 5pm meet up that included pizza.

Here I met several familiar online names and avatars but was able to put real names and faces to them.  

Chihuly Garden and Glass
I booked this as a combo with the Space Needle online the day before.  It had me select a time for the Space Needle but Chihuly was available to walk in anytime.  During the purchasing process it appeared Chihuly by itself was sold out but it was available to book as a combo for $44 plus tax. 
The two are located right next to each other.

I had printed my ticket at home and it was a simple matter of following the signs and going straight to have it scanned without needing to stop at any ticket office.
I took a lot of photos and it's been hard to narrow it down.  It's getting late and I'm tired so I just going to dump the photos in this post and give it more thought another day.
Ticket scanned you are quickly presented with your first exhibit.

There are eight interior areas and then the outdoor gardens. 

This next section is the "Sea Room".

There is the main piece in the center with smaller pieces around the outside of the room, each with intricate details.


This leads to a whimsical corridor with a number of glass pieces overhead.  There were hundreds of pieces each with intricate detail.

The next room was incredible. 


What struck me was the detail in all aspects of every piece.





This leads to the boat room with two boats filled with more pieces.





Next up is the Chandelier Room.


Following this is the Macchia Forest.





Through the indoor sections it was time to move outdoors.









There is a "Glass House" that was closed on this day for a private event.

It's been hard to narrow down the 200 photos to these which is already more than I should have added.  It's just hard to capture and present it trying to do it justice without going overboard with photos.

After we checked in we went to the Market which is a few blocks away from the hotel. It is a neat place but a little too chaotic for my liking. We pre-purchased City Passes which allow you to visit 5 attractions for a lower price, now $89. We went to the aquarium today. It is small but laid out nicely.  It takes around an hour to check everything out. We were also going to do the harbor cruise today but the timing didn't work out for us.  We have 9 days to use the passes so we will add it to the list of things to do after the cruise.

 

I've been waiting for a while. Sometimes, I wondered if I would ever get there. Watching everything about the Symphony launching while I was stuck doing a lot of work that I hate and working through the difficulties of life in miserable Scottish weather. Finally, it is nearly here. 10 days until I board the Symphony of the Seas!!!!!!

I am Joe. I have enjoyed following Royal Caribbean Blog for a while now and have been posting on the forum for around a year now. This is my first time doing a LIVE blog, having been inspired by CruiseLifeRick when he did his CC LIVE thread on Symphony's inaugural in April. I am also going LIVE on CC, but ultimately would love to share my adventures with the RC Blog as well, especially as many of you are US based and may wish to hear about either the Med or Symphony herself when she arrives to Miami in November.

I come to you from Glasgow, Scotland, a city well known for it's friendliness:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpnUurJvGWs (disclaimer: Don't watch if you have no sense of humor, take things too literally or hate any use of strong language). 

This will be my 13th & 14th cruise; my 6th & 7th Oasis Class cruise and 2nd B2B. This will also be my 5th & 6th cruise around the Med and my 4th & 5th from Barcelona. There will be one first - my first time on Symphony! Having sailed all 3 sister ships, I am very excited to see everything new that Symphony will have to offer. I am hoping to try both Playmakers (wings!) and El Loco Fresh which are new dining venues on SY. Please give any other suggestions of things to try. All welcome.

I'll be back with more soon!

I know there will already be great live blogs from Matt and Twangster but I thought I would add my daily 2 cents since I am doing some different excursions at the ports.  I am arriving in Seattle the day before the cruise and flying out the day after so I got a City Pass to check out some of what Seattle has to offer.  Tomorrow I plan on going to the aquarium and doing the harbor cruise.  I am traveling with my 19 year old niece and figure those things will be far more interesting to her before we get on a big ship and possibly see some of the wildlife during the cruise.  I will be writing from my phone so please excuse all the typos that are sure to take place and be missed.  I can't wait to share my experience with you.

T minus 2 days.
Bags packed.  Boarding pass printed.  SetSail pass printed.  Luggage tags ready.  Check, check, check and check.  I think I'm ready. 
Amazingly I don't feel like I forgotten anything, which means in about 10 hours at 35,000' I will remember exactly what I forgot.  Such is cruising.
For the flight to Seattle tomorrow I have a 6am departure.  I had plenty of choices of flight times all day but I chose 6am so I could visit something in Seattle I've always wanted but haven't been able to yet.  The Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit at the base of the Space Needle.  I'm a sucker for blown glass so I'm looking forward to this as a pre-cruise excursion.
I'm flying with Delta, my favorite airline since I am heavily vested in it's frequent flier program.  At 13,500 Skymiles this may be the cheapest round trip flight I've booked using frequent flier miles.  A direct flight was available departing later and arriving at nearly the same time but at several thousand more miles so I chose a connection in Salt Lake City given the early time of day plus day before cruise booking.  Connections don't bother me since I've flown a bunch.  Loyalty pays - I've been upgraded to first class on both segments.  Not bad for an 'award' ticket.
My son is joining me on this cruise flying in from the East coast.  With a Friday to Friday cruise itinerary it meant an extra day of vacation for him so another day on top of that to fly in the day before was a problem.  He doesn't get that much time off at this point in his career.  He elected to fly in the day off the cruise, something I tend to avoid.  Flying from the East coast the time change is working in his favor.  Fingers crossed.
I booked my cruise through MEI Travel and added the official hotel for the Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise when it was offered oh so long ago.  Time flies, it's almost cruise day!   Shout out to Jacki York at MEI Travel for proactively checking each and every sale over several months to verify I had the best price.
Our cabin on this cruise is an interior with virtual balcony.  A full balcony cabin was nearly twice the price, per person of course.  I did an Alaskan cruise last year on Celebrity with a balcony.  One Alaska lesson I learned last year was that good excursions can be pricey.  Alaska excursions are well worth the price in my opinion to experience Alaska however adding up the total cost of a vacation experience on my second Alaska cruise I chose to spend money favoring excursions that were my second choice from last year over the cabin so interior virtual balcony it is.  Basically by booking an interior cabin we got our excursions 'included' compared to the cost of booking a balcony.  
Excursions this time around:
Juneau

Skagway
(The description read much better when I booked it!)

Victoria

Booked during various sales it definitely pays to book excursions early and watch sales.  Most of them have increased in price over the months since booking.  I booked our excursions with enough time for us to self explore before or after as weather permits.  Alaska here we come!
With that it's time to close my laptop and pack it, else I might forget it in the morning at oh-dark-early when my ride arrives to carry me to the airport.

Day 3 — Allure at Sea   I woke up to watch a nice sunrise with a plan to lie around and eat all day while doing next to nothing with a couple exceptions...     All Access Tour   Bring your long pants if you book a ship tour. I had the slip resistant shoe thing down, so it created the need to sprint from the Silk dining room which is aft all the forward to my stateroom and grab a pair. I made it back in time for the start which included chocolate dipped strawberries and champagne  we started in the galleys, moved to the storage areas around deck 2, the engine control room, I-95 hallway up to the entrance to the crew mess and then waaaaaayyyyy down into the bowels of the ship (I saw bilge signs —> that’s when you know you’re way down there) three decks below the water line...there’s deck 2, deck 1 (water line), deck 0, TW (tween deck), and HW (I think —> I can’t remember what it stands for) where we saw some incredible laundry facilities. The scale of it is staggering.    Mid-Day   We spent some time on the pool deck before hunger set in and I tried a coney on the Boardwalk followed by a burger, fries, a cookie and some pudding in the Windjammer...then some ice cream on the pool deck. That held me over till dinner. One nap later, I felt the need to burn some calories, so I headed to the gym for 45 minutes prior to the aqua show, Ocean Aria which was delightful.   Immediately following Ocean Aria, I went back to my room to grab one of the CP balcony perks of a bottle of wine, and we proceeded to 150 CentralPark. It was an excellent meal and experience, and AI really enjoyed salting the butter. I liked all of the flavors, Alaea (Hawaii), Sel Gris (Mediterranean gray sea salt), Murray River (Australian), Sel de Mar (French Med), Salish (Washington State —> love it or hate it, it’s like a campfire...really), and then Kala Namak (if you like sulphur, you’ll like this. Me? I’ll just say that I needed to cleanse my palate)   Following dinner, we headed to the Amber Theater and watched the Love and Marriage game show. It’s pretty much the same every time...lots of laughs and embarrassing moments...I was ready for bed afterwards, so I retired.    (Photos are uploaded randomly...more on IG @dunkelbier_jay)

Well to say that we are extremely grateful is an understatement!  Hubby had a heart attack this past Thursday, heart cath on Friday to find what the doctors call the "widow maker" with the main artery in his heart 99% blocked.  They were able to fix it with a balloon and stint.  We came home on Saturday and other than being very sore is feeling pretty good. He has to take it easy for a few weeks.  I asked the doctor about flying for our Alaska cruise and he said he could fly in 4 weeks.  We were 2 days shy of the 4 weeks and the doctor gave his blessing.  I did have trip insurance but thankful that he is still here and to be able to still go.  Hubby is very active and that was in his favor too. 

We sail on our first cruise this Friday from Seward, AK to Vancouver aboard the Radiance of the Seas. I plan to bring the laptop and since I didn't see a live blog for Radiance I thought I'd give it a try.
We travel to Anchorage from Philadelphia on Wednesday. The flight gets in late so we traveled a day early to rest up before cruising. We're flying American through Phoenix. With two 5-hour flights we'll also have another first - flying 1st Class for at least one leg (Philly-Phoenix) and on standby for the upgrade from Phoenix to Anchorage. Flights were arranged using points on my AA account.  
We'll have all day Thursday and Friday morning in Anchorage before we head to the convention center to get a shuttle to the train depot where we'll meet my sister-in-law and her husband (they are doing Denali) to take the train from Anchorage to Seward. I was able to use points for 2 nights at the Crowne Plaza in Anchorage. Any "don't miss" attractions/restaurants in Anchorage?
Pre-purchased: Voom for 2 ($22.38/day); Refreshment package for 2 ($297.36 for 7 days).
We also got the RC credit card and used it to pay off the cruise and other purchases (excursions, refreshment package, etc.). Accumulated 30K+ points so converted it to $300 OBC!
Here's the itinerary with excursions we purchased. We go the best deals in March - 3 months before sailing - on the excursions.:
Day 1 (6/22)  - Leave Seward, AK 8 PM
Day 2 (6/23) - Cruising - Hubbard Glacier
Day 3 (6/24) - Juneau
Discover Juneau’s natural splendors as you board a waterjet-powered catamaran in search of whales before exploring the massive Mendenhall Glacier. Enjoy complimentary binoculars and snacks and pass snow-capped peaks and islands dotting picturesque Stephen’s Passage. Look for humpback and orca whales, sea lions, and bald eagles while learning about their behaviors from your guide. Explore the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, where you can visit with Forest Service Rangers, enjoy interactive exhibits and roam nearby trails. JU40
 
 
Day 4 (6/25) - Skagway
Discover Skagway’s rich gold mining history along the scenic White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, viewing historic landmarks, panning for gold, and savoring a scrumptious buffet. Travel via vintage rail car, passing picturesque vestiges of the Klondike Gold Rush. Meet vivacious pioneer characters at Alaska 360 Dredge Town, where you’ll engage in gold panning. Relish a tasty menu of salmon and barbecue ribs while relaxing at Taiya Inlet’s Pure Gold Buffet. SK62
 
 
 
Day 5 (6/26) - Icy Strait Point/Hoonah. We're doing separate excursions: I'm going birdwatching while my wife is cooking....
Explore the avian diversity of Hoonah’s lush temperate rainforest and its surrounding tidal waters with a local expert — the only dedicated birding tour in Alaska offered to cruise guests. Your guide will show you the best places to scope for seabirds, ducks, gulls and bald eagles, then lead your small group down a trail through mixed forest and grasslands to find a wealth of passerines. Binoculars, rain jackets and the highest-quality spotting scopes will be provided. Whether you are an avid birder or a casual birdwatcher, your guide will help you get the most out of your Alaska experience. What’s more, a portion of the proceeds for this tour go to the Juneau Audubon Society for research and development of birding in the Hoonah area. IC44
 
 
Capture the essence of real Alaskan flavor by experiencing a fresh seafood meal the local way. Participate in a festive tasting session in a rustic setting, hosted by an engaging, experienced Alaskan fisherwoman and wilderness chef. Discover what sets the region’s seafood apart, including local fishing, preserving and cooking techniques; watch an expert filleting demonstration, and grill your own catch-of-the-day sample over a custom-made wood grill. IC36 
 
 
 
Day 6 (6/27) : Ketchikan
Explore Ketchikan's illustrious history while viewing historic landmarks and enjoying coastal scenery onboard a Coast Guard-certified vessel that doubles as a bus and a boat. Journey on land via bus, as you pass the antique clock in Whale Park and Ketchikan Creek's salmon ladder. Drive straight into Tongass Narrows channel for a dynamic boat ride, where you'll see fishing canneries and charming waterfront communities. You might even spot bald eagles, whales, and other native animals. KE29
 
 
 
Day 7 (6/28) - Cruising
Day 8 (6/29)- Arrive in Vancouver at 7AM
From Vancouver we are renting a car and heading to Seattle, WA for 2 nights (Holiday Inn using points) before heading back towards Vancouver. We still have a night to book between Seattle and Vancouver before taking a red-eye home (Vancouver-Chicago, Chicago-Philly).
Now to start packing!!

Intro   As my kids are getting older at age 23, 20 and 18, we are doing what may be the last vacation all together as a family. We’ve been looking forward to it for quite a while.  We are sailing to Nassau, Cozumel, Roatan and Costa Maya on a Western Caribbean itinerary. I am using my phone for this live blog, so enjoy the inevitable typos.    Getting to the Port   We flew in the day before our sailing and stayed at the Spring Hill Suites in Dania Beach, about 12 minutes to Terminal 18 where Allure docks.    I tried an off site rental car company called Sixt for the first time. They advertise high end cars at lower prices than conventional companies,. As of the writing of this blog, it has been pretty good. The only caution is that getting to the company’s shuttle stop across from the terminal and from baggage claim on no sleep can be challenging. I went ahead of my family to get the car to avoid schlepping. I met them later with the car outside baggage claim. Prior to arrival, I received an email asking if I wanted to make a dollar bid online for additional money, sort of like a blind auction, to secure a Mercedes for the rental. I thought it was a little strange, but I didn’t end up using it. We rented a BMW X3 SUV which is brand new...nice. If you liked Sprockets on SNL, you might like this experience as you move like Dieter to the techno music being played in the rental office while waiting in line.    We are glad for the car because we had to make an unscheduled prescription run the night before embarkation.    I was also able to go to Dr von D Mizzell-Eula Johnson State Park to see Billy Hirsch’s @CruiseHabit scoping spot for myself. Seeing  those sail aways in person is incredible, It was great hanging with Billy despite what Matt may say. And I see you @BigDogRon...:p   We will get to the terminal a little before 11:00 am this morning and I can’t wait to share more.    Photo 1 — Spring Hill Suites, Dania Beach Photo 2 — Sixt Rental Office Photo 3 — Billy Scoping Photo 4 — Big Dog Ron — I’m crushed ?



Feel free to check out my IG @dunkelbier_jay for more pics and little videos. 

I woke this morning to see Matt's post and we also booked it. However by the time we got to book it there were no Junior Suites available & all that was left in the Suite Class was Grand Suites and above.  A Grand Suite was coming in at €13,778.00 in total. We felt that was outside our budget so we booked a Ocean View Balcony
We booked April 18, 2019 - 16 Nights Barcelona to Dubai Via the Suez Canal

Last night I got home late and saw @Matt's blog post about Spectrum of the Seas
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2018/06/11/royal-caribbean-reveals-first-look-spectrum-of-the-seas
YOLO!  Booked it!
Given that it is just released the website is acting strange.  I couldn't book a suite, it would return me to the main page as I stepped through the pages so I grabbed a studio balcony as plan B.   Steerage here I come.
The website would allow me to enter my C&A number for the balcony discount but when I tried to pay the deposit it reported my C&A number was invalid.  Given the website weirdness with Spectrum and the late hour I booked her without my C&A number.  A quick call to the C&A desk this morning solved that and they re-priced it with my C&A discount.  That saved me $56 for a 4 night studio balcony and $93 for a 9 night studio balcony on the B2B.
Booking are refundable so why not!  YOLO!
Looks like the current plan for her initial sailings is:
April 18, 2019 - 16 Nights Barcelona to Dubai VIA the Suez Canal May 4, 2019  - 14 Nights Dubai to Singapore May 18, 2019 - 3 Nights Singapore to Malaysia May 21, 2019 - 4 Nights Singapore to Malaysia May 25, 2019 - 9 Nights to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Shanghai By this point she has reached her home port of Shanghai where she begins regular service for several months.
I'm booked on the 4th and 5th sailings, May 21 and May 25. 
Deck plans are interesting.  While it is not immediately clear which areas are suite only, the forward areas of the higher decks are very different compare to other Quantum class ships.  Decks 14, 15 and 16.  The jogging track now wraps around NorthStar where on other Quantum ships the jogging tracks approaches the front of the ship around the indoor pool and the spa treatment rooms which now appear to be suite cabins.   
Several new areas on decks 14, 15 and 16 forward.  The big question is, which of these are suite only?
There appears to be at least two levels of suites.  Silver and Golden.  Each has their own dining areas.  Junior suites are available in both Silver and Golden. 
No Diamond or Concierge lounges that I can find on the deck plans.

 

Pop quiz...  who thinks Royal's website is totally awesome? 
For those who doubt why a travel agent can be a great resource, how did you answer the pop quiz?  What makes you think the best price is always displayed on the totally awesome Royal website that you think is so great?
Here is an example of one of the three cruises I just booked with MEI travel.
Using my D+ C&A balcony discount for a 6D balcony the Royal website the total is $2,122.85.  That doesn't include gratuity and no OBC is offered.

I though this was going to be the price of this cruise. 
Jacki York with MEI responded to my request for a quote for the same cruise, same 6D aft balcony.  I asked her to include gratuity.

The total is $1,471.35.
That's $651 cheaper and it includes prepaid gratuity plus $50 OBC.  YOLO!  Book it!
Seriously if you have ever had issue with or grumbled at the Royal website, why would you trust it so much booking your own cruise?
If I had booked this on my own using the Royal website, I would be paying $2,122.85.
What did it cost me to save $773?  Zero.  MEI doesn't charge fees for their services.
This doesn't happen on every cruise I book, but since I book a lot of cruises I've seen enough examples to know the value of a free quote from MEI Travel.

She works and you can go back to doing....whatever it is you do.  Based on what I've observed, Jacki will free you up to post more on the message boards, buy new camera lenses and come up with new nicknames for @Lovetocruise2002

Cruise summary
Grandeur or "Lady G" as she is sometimes affectionately referred to is a fine ship with a great crew.  You can often find great deals on her.
Service in the My Time MDR was superb and I enjoyed it every night having not purchased any specialty dining.   
I realize that my photos have missed significant areas of the ship.   I've also completely neglected all entertainment and shows in the theater so I guess i better book another cruise on her to fix that.
It isn't a large ship by today's standards and it doesn't have bumper cars, or zip lines or ice skating but it does offer an intimate cruise experience with a great connection to the sea.
The Baltimore cruise terminal is small but easy.  My Lyft ride from the cruise port to BWI was $24 including a $2.50 BWI imposed fee. 
Would I sail her again?  Absolutely. 

Our itinerary included an overnight stay in Bermuda which allowed me to take some long shutter exposures and get some night shots of the ship in port.  I didn't bring a tripod with me so I had to get creative to hold the camera still.

Luggage arrived quickly and I unpacked it to minimize wrinkles then explored the ship before muster.



Viking Crown Lounge.  Through the window you can see the other parking lot on the other side of the terminal.


Izumi is located 1/2 deck above the Viking Crown Lounge.



The Centrum





Palladium Theater






 
Adult only Solarium


Flash forward to today and having now sailed Radiance class I see where much of that design evolved from looking back at these pictures and reliving this cruise.

Lovely photos!
I need to consider doing more post-processing on my photos, but when I'm on a cruise....

Day 7 - Sea Day
Our final day at sea was a very beautiful one. If only we had started with weather this nice. The wind is almost nonexistent, the seas are glass, the sun is out. What an awesome ending to our cruise. 
Windjammer breakfast was followed by browsing on the promenade, followed by a second lunch at Chops Grill. Another great way to spend the last afternoon. 
Of course packing brought home the reality that all good things must come to an end. 
The Farewell show was our final appointment for the night. 
Overall the three biggest highs of the cruise  in my opinion were:
*The Cruise Director Chris Brown and his staff
*Chops and Izumi
*Our Wait staff in the Main Dining Room
The lows:
* Water pressure in the stateroom (sink took forever to get hot water when I shaved and rinsing the razor  was next to impossible)
* Dated shows.  I really miss the Oasis shows
* The weather for the first half of the cruise. The gamble we take when booking so far in advance. 
I would for sure go on the Adventure again, although I still have so many more ships to explore. Current plans are the Anthem in November, Navigator in December, Serenade next June. 

So the update is that we woke this morning from an email from Royal to find out we have been upgraded to a Crown Loft Suite. ??

They put a new access point outside my room and I now have coverage in the room. 

Getting ready for our day in Mexico. Wanted to post some photos in the meantime until I can post on the previous few days. 

Day 6 - Sea Day
Today was a mostly quiet and relaxing sea day. We had breakfast in the Windjammer then browsed the on board shops for a while. A bit of extra calories burned walking decks four and five then it was lunch time. 
Even with this being my fourth Royal Caribbean cruise, we had not yet tried Izumi so we decided a few rolls for lunch would be nice. It was a great break from the normal cruise fare and I will definitely be going back again at my next opportunity. Even though my wife is ver particular about her sushi, she gave it two thumbs up. 
More lazing around then the second formal night in the Main Dining Room. I haven’t said it yet, but My Time Dining is a really nice feature. It’s even made better when you get to keep your wait staff the whole cruise like we did. 
After dinner, the next on the agenda was the production show Can’t Stop the Rock. After the Oasis and Independence I really miss the Broadway style shows. The rock shows don’t have the same quality and appeal. 
80s Dance Party in Studio B filled in the time before the Quest Game Show. This is definitely a lively and crazy show for the adults, not for the prudish or for the shy. I tend to be on the quiet side, but you can’t help but participate and help take your team to victory. For the first time in almost twenty years my bald head was useful. Our team won, but the participants are really the show here and it would have been fun even if we lost. 
Tomorrow is our final sea day. ☹️

Day 4 - Coco Cay
This was my first visit to Coco Cay.  My wife and son headed off to the theater for their parasailing excursion while I took the regular tender to wait for them to finish. There were very few people on the tenders this early so I was able to walk right on. After a short wait to allow a few more people on, we headed over to the island. The new pier construction is well underway and will make access so much faster. We unloaded and after a short wait the tender with the first excursion group pulled in. Amazing enough, I had beat them by at least five or ten minutes!
Sadly the parasailing was canceled due to weather, the wind won again. My wife grabbed a lounge chair and my son and I went to pick up the snorkeling equipment. The water was about the perfect temperature but the wind was kicking up waves so the deeper sections were closed to snorkeling. We headed out to the floating platforms and took in the underwater sights. In addition to the standard sunken boat and plane, we were lucky enough to see some nice schools of fish and quite a few sea slugs. 
When we had our fill of swimming and drank plenty of sea water we decided to head back to the ship for some spa time,  lunch at the Windjammer and then an afternoon nap.  
Dinner in the main dining room was great as usual and service was excellent.  Our waiters brought extra appetizers and desserts “just in case” again and were sure to ask my son if he needed any more food. He is a skinny nineteen year old, but I never thought he looked under fed. 
The ice show for the evening was “Cool Art, Hot Ice”.  The doors opened at 7:30 for the 8pm show but by the time we got there at 7:15 there was already a huge crowd waiting for a seat. We were lucky to get good seats, but the seats filled up fast. The show was as good as I expected, and it’s easy to see why this is such a popular event on board. I still find it amazing these performers can put on a show while the boat is moving. 
Next up, Nassau Bahamas.