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So.......drum roll.............
 
I did it!!!!!!!
 
I'll get into more post trip. But the psychological effects of many bad hard tight years vs the long anticipation vs reading too much of people's opinions vs the build-up vs the need for it to be perfect after a really long time, etc. Well it made the perfect storm. If it wasn't perfect it at least could have been in my head. Not living up after a decade of not being able to go anywhere was terrifying. You could right a book on it. 
 
Lots to say. Nothing bad. Will be updating. 
 
Wasn't planning on buying internet and broke down an hour ago and did. 
 
Didn't want to deal with the real world (and the cost), but it's hard to not look at your phone. Who sang that song that goes.........etc was driving me crazy. Little things like that get to you.
 
Unfortunately, the real world came with an issue. The pet hotel left a message that my little 9lb boy is not eating. He gets like that. We told them. 2 pages of typed information and instructions. They know where we are and said they understand if we can't call but they are looking for ideas to get him to eat. We are trying to figure out if with T Mobile and wifi ( if and how ) we can call and potential cost? At sea now. St Thomas tomorrow. DH is messaging with T Mobile rep right now. 
 
OK he is telling me rep is saying to download whatsapp and we can call over that via wifi and not accrue any costs. This sound right to anyone?

Looks like a very reasonable dish. Gives just enough for a taste and allows room for other dishes to be consumed. But the real question is, how did it taste? 

I was on the Voyager last October and I vented on this board about the "fit-n-finish" of the trip.  No chardonnay at one bar, but available at another (same with Buffalo Trace).  Tired looking costumes for the shows.  The Cupcake Cupboard that did not server cupcakes during the sailing and only served what seemed like stale leftovers from the MDR/Windjammer. Coffee stations with empty urns during morning hours.  No bar service/waiter in the MDR several of the nights.  
Many keep making excuses for RCL about pandemic issues.  But now ships are sailing at full or near full capacity (and have been for nearly a year now) so it is time for RCL to tighten up.
We are doing the Quantum in 30 days. They have already switched a show time on us that now conflicts with dinner (and it is sold out).  Cancelled the Skagway stop and moved port days to different dates (I had to cancel and move some independent excursions we had booked).
After that, we have a HAL trip on the Rotterdam in August. On paper, the Rotterdam is now a much better value.  We'll see about the actual sailing but I am not hearing the same chatter about HAL on other boards about a "slip" in service.
I do believe that the Royal Crew wants you to be happy.  Just not sure RCL management is giving them the tools to provide a stellar service that we once enjoyed.

OP had a bad sailing. I fell like it was a pile-on. They didn't like the ports, the things they paid extra for and then started noticing other things.
I notice that one bad thing is easy to get over, two in the same day might ruin that day but I can rally the next. But if all the things I were looking forward to, didn't happen. I find myself only focusing on the negative.
I do think service and the offerings has decreased. I am not a fan of any the Mexican ports as there isn't much to do.....but for me the ports from the US sailings are always a meh to me. But I can't blame a cruise line for that.
 

just doubled checked and our dinner reservation is at 6:45, not 6:15. 
WELP. 
we will def be late to the aqua show. 
but that means you know what time it is now while we’ve got time to kill… 
 

CHAMPAGNE LOBSTER ROLL
Blanched lobster, avocado, daikon sprouts, soy wrap, Champagne sauce, dried chili thread
 
SPICY CRISPY TUNA ROLL*
Spicy tuna & asparagus flash-fried in panko bread crumbs, unagi sauce, roasted sesame seeds
 
These were my favorites 😋
 

Odd she wanted to stay on a cruise in this circumstance. 
Lawyers wants a jury trial.  Smells like a money grab. 

Not to be morbid.........but I have talked to plenty of people in the casino who hope to die on a cruise. That basically means there are people who are sick and cruise to enjoy what time they have left. 

There was a beautiful burrowing owl on board Symphony in January.  SOOOO cute.

Was looking at a past cruise compass while preparing for an upcoming cruise and noticed this advisory. 

Is this something new, or have I just never noticed it before? And, more importantly, anyone have a good animals-on-board story? 😄

Day - 4 - Mystery Island
Today is the first of our 2 visits to Mystery Island, we are back in 2 days as our original Port Vila stop was cancelled due to a recent tropical cyclone.
Coastal Kitchen was open from 7am to 9am today so we got up at 7:30 and headed up there for breakfast. It was not to busy and our regular server Chao gave us great service.
After breakfast we met up with Hailey who came, her hands full,of towels, for our time on the Island. She got us straight onto the tender where we waited for others to board. Close to the ship the water was very choppy so it was a bit of a mission getting everyone on as the gap between the tender and the ship was highly variable. The sea was much calmer once we headed towards the dock. Disembarking the tender was easy and we were soon ready to start exploring.
Mystery Island itself is a small uninhabited island, the locals come over from the mainland when ships are scheduled. It is mainly a beach day although there is a small market and a grass runway built by the Americans during WWII. There is only one place to eat so most people go back to the ship at lunch time.





The locals accepts Australian and US currency as well as their own. The island does not have power so do not expect to see an ATM.
When we landed we were greeted by some locals singing a John Denver classic near the markets. We wandered through the markets but did not purchase anything. I think because it was Good Friday not all the stalls were open. The market consisted of the usual products, brightly coloured shirts and dresses, hair braiding which was popular with children, pictures with small lizards, and various small decorative jewellery items.
There were also plenty of local tours available, mainly with trips to the mainland for snorkelling, glass bottom boats and chances to see turtles.
Before heading to the beach, we opted to have our picture taken in the cannibal pot for fun. In NZ during these woke times this kind of self mockery would be frowned upon, but to us it was just silly fun.

The beach waters were crystal clear and we spend about an hour there before we decided to head back to the ship.


As it was around lunch time the queue for the tender was long but it moved relatively quickly and within 20 minutes we were back on a tender. It was certainly easier getting off the tender than it was getting on. While waiting in the queue we heard John Denver again and it seems like they do the same 5 songs on repeat.
Back in the suite, as usual Hailey had organised lunch for us but also organised a wonderful surprise. As we were recently married she had organised some decorations as well as a lovely cake. Hailey is just so thoughtful, we love her to bits.


While in our cabin my Dad also had a bit of a turn and ended up being sick. This is where having her around made so much of a difference. She organised the bathroom cleanup, a wheelchair to get him back to his cabin as it is such a long walk from our cabin. Later on she rang my Mum in her cabin to make sure everything was okay and showed genuine concern for my Dad. (He is okay again now). Just having that one point of contact make a stressful situation so much easier to handle. Special shout to Rohan and Reynan as well.
Once the situation with my Dad was sorted Hailey had organised for us and Anita’s family to see Starwater in the 270 lounge. She organised the best seats in the house and had drinks waiting for us at our seats.
The show was fantastic and we had blast and will try and do it again with my parents.



After the show we had dinner at Jamie’s Italian where we had first time waiter Melvyn (Sexy Melvyn) who was such great fun. He will be an hit with all the guests served by him.
After that it was time to call it a night.
Tomorrow is another port day, this time Noumea.
 
 
 

10 days to go!
 
A little clothing drama to go with the @Ampurp85 and @asquared17 blogs. I ordered a new swim suit since one of the two that fit me last season was way too big now. I was busting out of the other one last year, and it now fits well. I'm usually a tankini girl since I'm only 5'1", and I can get a top that's big enough without all the extra length in a one piece. One piece shopping is usually very unproductive for me because by the time I find one big enough for the top part to fit, I have a good 3 inches of extra material hanging from my bum. However, my plan is to do the flow rider with my son, so I need a one piece for this trip.
I found a cute one at a place that offers cup sizing and ordered my new smaller size and a skirt to go with it for the pool and beach. The suit was purple ombre that turned navy toward the waist with ruched fabric crisscrossing the front, and the skirt I ordered to go with it was navy with adjustable side ties. I was really excited about this swim suit, and when it came in on Saturday evening, the length looked perfect...but there were giant holes in it and the criss cross fabric was unfinished and not attached everywhere. It really looks like someone took a pair of scissors to it. The back has matching cuts.

I didn't have time to return and wait for a new one as delivery took about 2 weeks the first time around. We had plans with my MIL that night, but I did manage to make it into one store that evening only to be disappointed in the options. The next day, Easter, I couldn't go look for anything as the stores were all closed. I scoured the internet Saturday night and Easter Sunday trying to find something local that was in stock, and at this point I figured I was out of luck. DH didn't understand that I needed to mourn the loss of this article of clothing, so I turned to cleaning. I started with that stupid swim suit drawer and decided to throw out all the too big sets. Buried in the bottom of the drawer was an old swim team style suit I haven't worn in for-ev-er. I quickly tried it on and low and behold it fit (with only about an inch of baggy-ness at the bottom). I was planning to wear jogging shorts that have a draw string over the new suit for the flow rider, so I'll wear them over the old suit and it will be fine. Crisis averted for the flow rider, and I could purchase my go to tankini top to go with the cute new swim skirt that arrived undamaged. Whew! 
I know this was such a first world problem, but swim suit shopping is traumatic for us ladies. Adding the time restriction to get a replacement definitely put me in a mood for a couple of days. 
 
Since I have stuff strewn all over the house, our pups have realized something is up. DH, last minute packer that he is, hasn't started trying on clothes yet. 
They always know! The little one has been extra clingy for a few days, and the black one has been extra grumpy...like his mama shopping for swim attire.😆


 
 

I'd never imply or say anyone is a victim but I also don't dismiss other people's worries. If that's not what you mean then great. 

Pretty sure it doesn't happen to "everyone" - I say this as someone with a physical disability. My friends and family never talk about getting strange looks from people yet it happens to me on the daily on vacation. 
 
to the OP - enjoy your vacation. Don't let anyone take away your joy. Personally I don't wanna see too much full frontal or butt on anyone so as long as bits are covered, who cares. 

All the above posts should give you an idea as to how we all roll... If you are cool and not a jerk you are ok. If you are hot even better...lol

Look, if I were to see someone wearing non-gender conforming swimwear, I would a) mind my own business or b) compliment them because they probably wear it better than me. Do what you want. There are always going to be people who think their way is the only way, no matter where you are. Most of us, however, don't care what you wear. 
 

On my first Caribbean cruise in 2006, one of our travel party was fluid, Miss Brad.  They wore a leather bikini bottom to the hot tub one night.  Everyone loved Miss Brad, even the conservative couple from Georgia at our MDR table.  It is just as much your holiday as everyone else’s so enjoy yourselves.  Happy cruising!   

Welcome to the boards.
Your partner can wear what they would like as long as all the appropriate bits are covered. They may get some stares depending on how long the cruise is and what ship/port they embark on. I sailed out of LA and Miami and saw plenty of humans not in gender conforming clothing, no one bothered them. A good time was had by all. 

Ending tonight with a bit of drama for @Ampurp85 and @asquared17 😉
This is a screenshot from our FB roll call group. 
 

We are blessed in that we all live fairly close to each other back at home. And by close I mean a 10 min drive. However, life is busy and I still don’t get to see my family as much as I would like. This cruise gives us more of those moments. 

Lunch brought 7 of us back Izumi again and 3 had Jamie’s delivered to the room. 
 

 

Kids, Sis, and Hubby went rock climbing after breakfast. There was SC priority here but they were only allowing one climb per person. 
 

PTL!! 🙌 It’s Monday and I am not at work! Lol
 

I think it’s shrinking. 😬😂

Love, love, love ❤️  that dress