twangster

I went to the main theater but while the singer was good, it wasn't my era of music so I left from the back of theater standing room only area. It was packed. Seas have settled down quite a bit and checking the radar it seems what's left of Michael is straight off our port side several hundred miles away. Seas were quite normal and what you might expect on any cruise. It's hard to capture in the darkness but there is really nothing to show. To the pub where once again I finished off the Kraken. Where is @Matt when you need him? (or his disappointed, rejected mug?)

The Top Tier event line was longer than it was for the ice skating show the night before. Deck 3 cabins are to my back, the MDR to the right past the stairs and Studio B seemingly 3 1/2 miles to the left. I've never seen a Top Tier event attended like this one. A few minutes before the posted time they opened the door and we proceeded inside. I always like when Top Tier is in Studio B because it means the skaters will do a quick routine for us. Tonight was no exception. It starts with a fun skit with a couple in what appears to be a French restaurant with the girl tipsy with wine while her companion tries to keep her on the straight and narrow. Pulling her back at times, spins, twirls and a bunch of skating routines I don't know the proper names for while she shrieks with 'drunken' joy. Very well done. Next up an individual skater doing some more amazing skating moves. At one point she is skating backwards and does a full backflip. Nailing the landing like she did the night before. This is a very small sheet of ice. It's no where near what we see in the competition skating or the Olympics. Very well done. Next the Senior officers are presented ending with the Captain who a does short speech. I was a bit surprised when 25-30% off the people got up and walked out once they sensed his speech wrapping up. Indeed this is a strange cruise. The Captain offered there are over 10 million Crown and Anchor members now. Time for Top Tier numbers. Gold 685 Platinum 406 Emerald 225 Diamond 630 Diamond Plus 499 Pinnacle 78 That amounts to 1,838 Top Tier with 1,207 vying for Diamond Lounge access. Top cruiser 1,975 nights.

Day 5 - Dinner I decided to eat dinner in the MDR after looking at the menu. MTD reservation set for 6pm off I went arriving at about 10 minutes before my 6pm reservation. My section from a previous night full they put me in a new section. While the wait staff were friendly and well suited for the job service was slow. Possibly the slowest I've experienced in any MDR on any ship. A full twenty five minutes after being seated they came to take my order. First course arrived after another 30 minutes. To put that in perspective as a solo traveler I've frequently been out of the MDR in under 60 minutes. French onion soup Australian Bass I was careful to ask if this was a fresh water Bass or a Sea Bass. Sea Bass I was assured. For those that don't know I am not into super fishy tasting seafood. What most restaurants pass off as SeaBass is often pretty mild and I've had it numerous times. This was pretty fishy tasting. I know it's good for you and I tried, but two bites in I was done. This is what I like about cruising. Try something. If you don't like it, order something else. On this night thought I was already an hour into the meal and I knew the Top Tier event would be a zoo. I'll grab something later, dessert please! Next up, Sugar free Cheesecake. Gobbling that down off I went straight out of the deck 3 MDR into the line for Studio B and the Top Tier event.

I've done both. On Anthem I tried "getting with the program" and letting the power go off and it worked out fine. I mean that's the purpose right? To save energy. So I'd suggest trying it and if it works out for you stick with it.

With enough money you can rent whole ship so I suppose anything is possible.

Simple extensions are also banned. I've managed to get some on board most cruises (but not all). My European power adapter was questioned in San Juan and almost confiscated. (Yes Billy, I bought it at cruisehabit.com). When they asked if I was from Europe I said "Yes!" so I was able to keep it.

Just try to sleep tonight, I dare you! Enjoy your cruise!

Following!

I looked far and wide and the most dramatic TWC (The Weather Channel) moment I could find was this lounger that tried to liftoff at some point. Most outer decks remain closed. Pool deck is open as is the sports deck, but no one is up there. With a small stagger to my step I figured I might as well have a pint to justify the stagger so I went to the pub. I noted they put take-home bags for the dining room near the stairs. They must be planning on feeding us well tonight. While in the pub the ship became very smooth again. I ventured out to fog and the fog horn protocol activated. Since then, a few hours later, it's gotten even smoother and the fog has lifted quite a bit. Still raining lightly. The sky is looking distinctly brighter. Back to normal ocean conditions and smooth sailing. i suspect what we sailed through isn't related to Michael and likely just the North Atlantic being the North Atlantic. All in all the ship behaved very well and I didn't see any guests upset by the subtle rocking we experienced. Off to dinner, top tier event at 7:15pm. I suspect I better show up an hour early to get a seat.

Should I delete those 12 accounts I created yesterday? Just kidding... Congrats!

I suspect the terms and conditions on board (which look like they were copied from a residential ISP) are very old, possibly from before Voom existed and they had the old satellite system with per minute plans. I have purchased (or obtained Surf and Stream for free from being in Sky class) on every sailing. I've streamed and made VoIP calls. No lawyers knocking on my cabin door or loss of outright privileges. On Serenade I was in the top 10 of users on board, consuming several gigs of data but I wasn't in the top 3. They did slow me down to a snails pace and I couldn't stream any more. I complained and proved it was my account by having the Voom specialist log into my account on her phone. She refunded my plan since other users weren't being throttled. It was out of her control and being implemented by Speedcast, their satellite internet provider. So try it day one but if you can't stream by mid-voyage find the Voom specialist and complain.

Just one person 'buys' it. It comes with two loungers. Sort of like the Voom 2 device plan, only one person buys it. They are standard loungers with a clamshell for some shade. 'Is it worth it?' is a personal decision.

A revised Day 5 cruise compass was found outside my cabin door.

3pm is showing as all aboard time so it doesn't look promising ?

Noon update from the Captain. Not much has changed as we slowly poke along at around 10 knots. Winds are expected to reach 40-45 mph max. Stabilizers are extended. Seas of 12-13' expected or up to 4m. We are hugging the Nova Scotia coast just far enough out I'm sure to be in international water. If anyone has been on a bus driving down an interstate and walked back to use the restroom that is sort of like what it's like. Not that bad at all. Not very good visibility but they aren't sounding the fog horn. Perhaps when it gets dark they will. First beer of the day tasted very good. It tasted like "more". A band is playing Caribbean music in the Promenade. I suspect Windjammer seating will be scarce. Time to find out.

Not yet. Strong winds, cool temps and rain make for a poor sports deck day.

January is the dry dock date. I've got her booked on the first cruise post-dry dock in February. Be aware that Scotch available for pre-order is a 375ml bottle, not a full size bottle you might expect. Plus it's Johnnie Walker Red. https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/royalgifts/onboard-delivery-product/packages/johnnie-walker-red-and-coca-cola-package-copy/ Slides are open on port days but not all day. Typically later in the day, or afternoon when some guests might begin to re-board. They consume energy and have to be staffed so running them when only 1 or 2 guests might use them isn't a good use of resources. Cruise compasses from past guests are a valuable resource to look for times such as this: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compass Wait until March and you should start to see some Navigator cruise compasses post-dry dock with slides.

My son is allergic to peanuts and shellfish. I've cruised with him a couple times on Royal. He is an adult now but that doesn't lessen the concern. Even when I cruise alone without him it's very common for MDR wait staff to ask "Any allergies?". They take it very seriously. Upon boarding I would visit the dining room and ask to speak to a chef about your allergies. They will discuss it with you. When you sit down for dinner mention it to the head waiter (sometimes assistant waitstaff are in training and you are better to mention it to the head waiter). They know to listen for the keyword "allergy" and that usually means they get a chef from the kitchen to come out and talk to you. They'll tell you what menu items are a go and no-go. The Apple Pie is a no-go for dessert for example. I'm on Adventure as I write this. I was on her in May and did a galley tour. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/6297-adventure-5-nights-5518-repositioning-san-juan-to-bayonne/&do=findComment&comment=68165 Mid-way through I mention how they have distinct cooking stations to keep foods separate to avoid cross contamination. Chicken at one, beef at another, shellfish somewhere else, etc. Waitstaff are not allowed to enter very far into the galley to avoid them introducing cross contamination. They are very aware of allergies and do their best to avoid issues. I'd also call Royal and ask them to document it. Carry more than one epi-pen just in case, just as you should at land restaurants and on airplanes. They can't stop other guests from eating peanuts or any other food that someone might have an allergy to.

I am sure the cruise director staff are very busy creating activities and planning them now. Obviously the cruise compass was printed and delivered last night so it won't be updated. I'm sure they will make PA announcements about activities soon. They've been through this before and they have a selection of things they can put together fairly quickly. We are somewhat at a disadvantage because the pool deck is not something we can take advantage of but I'm sure they'll find things, perhaps a movie in the theater, trivia, bingo, etc...

Day 5 - Sydney, Nova Scotia Sea Day I woke to take in our arrival to Sydney. Sunrise was supposed to occur at 7:11am although with the rain and overcast conditions it wasn't going to be a visible sunrise. All the upper decks were closed due to high winds but I found the sports deck was open. I ventured towards the Windjammer for it's 6:30am opening. Early I had some time to kill so I took some pictures of Giovanni's. The Windjammer opened a few minutes early and I enjoyed a custom made omelet and some fruit. The sky was beginning to brighten and I could see we were well off shore for a 7am arrival. I sensed something amiss. I walked trough the Solarium and planned to take some pictures out a window since the upper deck was still closed. The hot tub looked very enticing given the cool and wet conditions outdoors. Those city lights barely visible on the horizon are the lower tip of Cape Breton. Our progress so far: I checked the marinetraffic.com app and it confirmed my suspicions. Sharp at 8am the Captain made an announcement. Winds up to 40mph at the pier. Pier closed. Port officials offered anchorage which didn't make sense. We gain a sea day and plan to keep our scheduled call into Halifax tomorrow. As the remnants of Hurricane Michael approach us we are expecting 35-40 mph winds and 12' seas but with our slower speed towards Halifax the Captain predicts very little ship movement. At the moment there is very little movement. Once in a while you feel a little side-to-side shimmy, much like a really smooth subway train ride or if riding in an airplane and you feel just a little bit of bumpy air. It's barely perceptible.

A family friendly comedy show is often not listed in the advanced reservations because it is typically held in the main theater which has proven large enough to hold enough people based on past showings. It is typically the last night of the cruise, or has been in the past. Allure is an exception. For some reason it has the family show (in the theater) bookable in advance. With this exception, all showings in the normal comedy venue are adult only, even the early vs. late ones, although I have seen some comedians go easier in the earlier showing because they assumed it's family. Comedians change frequently, they fly in mid-cruise sometimes so they can change mid-cruise. If you are Sky or Star Suite class it's quite easy to attend multiple shows. Past cruises compasses for your ship may help: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compass

On board: Royal Caribbean International Wi-Fi Access Terms and Conditions You may only use the shipboard wireless Internet access (the "Service") supplied to you, a guest of Royal Caribbean International ("Cruise Line" "We" or "Our") by accepting the following Terms & Conditions. By using the wireless network you are acknowledge that you have read all the terms and conditions of this agreement, understand them, and agree to be legally bound by them. Onboard Wi-Fi is primarily intended to be available for the accessing of emails and low volume use of the Internet. To facilitate our ability to provide a great experience for all, we may block access to certain video streaming websites or otherwise restrict or set limits on your use of the Service. The promotion of 'face to face' communications (Google Hangouts, Skype) also seems to violate the agreement on board, unless you get written permission first: You will not use any type of voice application (including, without limitation, voice over Internet protocol) without written permission from Cruise Line.

Day 4 - 70s Party Like other ships with a Promenade, Adventure has a 70s party.

Day 4 - Ice Skating "Cool Art, Hot Ice!" 7pm and 9pm I showed up outside Studio B to find the doors opened early and a packed house at 8:20pm. I managed to find a single seat while it was standing room only not long after I arrived. Very good show but I'll let the pictures do the talking. Another 'don't miss' skating show.

Day 4 Sail away to more rain and overcast. The typical rolling hills that PEI is known for. Fall color is getting more intense. Day 4 dinner menu. I went to the Windjammer again. I wanted a quick dinner to try to catch the skating show at 7pm. Scandinavian Night. @Sweety, this photo is for you. All the Red velvet Cake you can eat. At 6:15pm I headed down to deck3 when stepping off the elevator I encountered the longest Studio B line I've ever seen. At 45 minutes before show time it stretched from Studio B all the way into the MDR. I guess with a rainy day and many folks not leaving the ship they were anxious for something and they all came to Studio B. I'll try for another showing...