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Truffle salt: baked potatoes, pizza, basically any carb is elevated with truffle salt. I'm not saying it's guilt-free, but i am saying it makes it any carb more worth the calories ....
Also, i cannot eat eggs, but I'm told truffle salt is also amazing in omelets, quiches, etc

I agree wholeheartedly that paying for suites, I expect a certain level of service. That's part of .....well the main reason I won't pay with Royal. Hearing and reading about all the cuts but still raised prices, makes me weary to do anything but RUB to a suite.
Also I would love a potato donut. Those fries look amazeballs 😍🤩. I just decided I'm having fries for dinner.

Back in my happy place while being a Flowrider widow lol

We have a Celebrity cruise over Valentine's Weekend 2025. A surprise gift for Hubby.

With the continuous inconsistency across the Royal Fleet and prices continue to increase, it's becomes more to explore other options.
I did 2 Celebrity cruises recently and honestly thoroughly enjoyed it.  With status match, perks were great and large OBC to use, cruise actually was cheaper.  
Some things i refuse to sacrifice when cruising, but each has to decide what's best for their family when it comes to cruising on ship size and offerings. There is never a perfect cruise out there, but none of us want to feel like nickel and dimed when this could be your only cruise for the entire year.
It doesn't matter whether you cruise once a year or numerous times, you want a rewarding experience without stupid nonsense from cruise lines with inconsistency being told NO but other ship does it which could leave a bad "taste" over the situation.  In the end, cruising is about all of us, friends, family, new friends and the memories we make.
 
 
 

Back on the ship now and Hubby has gone off to do the Flowrider. Not sure what the kids are doing. Hubby left his phone behind so that I could filter through some of the pics on his phone. Here are some more random pics to show what we have been up to today. 
Walking off the ship earlier this morning and headed to the Holy Donut. 


Stops along the way from the Trolley tour. We booked this tour online through Portland Discovery Land and Sea Tours. 








When we reached Portland Headlight, they gave us about 30 minutes to get up and stretch and take photos. 

After the tour, as I already posted, we headed to Duckfat for lunch. 

Another great day in port today! These port intensive tours have a different vibe. We get up earlier than usual for a cruise, walk a lot more, eat a lot less on the ship, but they are fun. We are having some great family moments ❤️ 

After visiting the lighthouse, the trolley returned us to Long Wharf on Commercial Street. From there, we walked about 10mins to a place that I have also waited 3 years to try. Back when we had this sailing booked in 2020, I had already scoped out Holy Donut and this place to eat at.
Duckfat is well known in Portland and they have amazing reviews because, like the name says, they use duck fat to make their food. And it truly makes a difference! They are well known for their poutine. Our meal was so good!!! Crispy with great flavour. And @asquared17 and @SweetPea, that ketchup was truffle ketchup!!! Another fantastic eating day in Portland. 
 

Ok, I am going to sound like a suite snob here, so apologies and scroll on if anyone doesn’t want to hear my vent. I should not have to pay a ton and sail in a suite, and have to bring my own kettle. That is just simply annoying and it’s the principle of it all. Never mind the fact that I don’t have space in my luggage for a kettle. That is why this whole situation bugs me. 
 
I think so. I have seen quite a few kettles on the naughty table in the past.
 

We’ll get back to the kettle talk later. 😂
First some photos of our next stop…Portland Headlight. Got here by trolley. Beautiful! I put a video clip on IG. The photos did not really do it justice. 

Been waiting 3 years to try this place! Delicious! We got cinnamon sugar, chocolate cinnamon sugar, vanilla sprinkles, and coconut. 




 
Making sure that we all get a bit of each 😉

The last two hours or so since we have been back on board, kids and Hubby went to do the slides and FlowRider. This is the first “nice weather” day we have had since Wednesday in NYC. It was steady rain both Thursday and Friday and cold too. 
We are switching it up tonight. Going to see “Encore! An Ice Spectacular” at 7pm and then keep it casual and have dinner in the WJ afterwards. No one is hungry right now anyway. We had a great eating day in Boston! 

Back on the ship now and I never realized how close the airport is from the cruise terminal here in Boston. I can literally see the planes on the runway from our balcony. Pics aren’t great but I put videos on IG. 

After Quincy Market we headed over to the Paul Revere House. D15 requested to go here.


From there we walked our way over to Mike’s Pastry. I have heard so many awesome things about this place, I just knew that if I ever made it to Boston, if would be a “must stop”. 
Reviews said that lines were always long  and cash only, so we can prepared. All of that was true, and so were the reviews that this place has the best cannolis ever!!! They were so delicious and huge! 
I just told Hubby that the highlight of my day was the Lobster Rolls & Mike’s Pastry. Sure beats WJ & MDR any day! 

More from the day so far…
Videos from the Duck tour are on IG. It was well worth it! 

Technically I went to school in Boston, but it was only kindergarten.  I guess it doesn’t count. 

Our next ride…🦆
 

After dinner we caught the last half of the production show, In the Air. It was typical of what you would see on Freedom class ships. Going to call it quite tonight and settle in for bed. Our plan is to get off the ship asap tomorrow morning as we self booked an excursion and the meeting time is 9am for that, at the New England Aquarium.  Fingers crossed for good weather tomorrow as it looks like it might be touch and go with the rain.

Most of our day has been spent chilling and being lazy. We’re ok with that because our next 4 days will be very busy.
Kids spent the afternoon trying to chase some free rope bracelet. It’s one of those “attend the seminar and get a rope bracelet at the end” things. Except they just want the bracelet. It’s like a scavenger hunt for them. They started yesterday and there are 8-9 to collect or something like that. Hubby took a nap and went to the gym, and I just took some “me” time. 
Now at one of my favourite places on any ship, the suite lounge. 😊
 

Lunch time 

Hallelujah! 😂
Lorena is awesome. 

Ok, going to vent on the first day. 3 things. 
1. There was no kettle in the room today. I ran into the suite concierge first and told her. Then I told the room attendant later. Both are telling me that they no longer provide kettles in suites and they were removed about 6 months ago? What??! 
2. There were visible, decent sized, rice cracker crumbs all over the chair in the second bedroom. Not a bit deal. We just dusted it off. Willing to overlook that. However…..
3. Not able to overlook that as Hubby was looking for space to unpack his stuff, he found underwear that was not any of ours in one of the bottom drawers. Hmmmm…..

It’s a rainy sail away. 

Happening now 😬 lol

I love this. I work across the street from Madison Square Garden  and worked in Times Square before that and never have been. I go nowhere. lol. Occasionally I'll go in for a show but only when a friend wants to drive in.