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Mrs. RoyalMoyal

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  1. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to TheHobbys in Royal Caribbean Visa Rewards   
    We should have some good OBC, for our upcoming cruise June 6th ... There's OBC from Royal, our TA and some from our RCL card.  Here's what we cashed in.  Didn't have enough for the $500 OBC, but was able to do the $250 + $150

  2. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to WAAAYTOOO in When is it OK to switch travel agents?   
    Changing stylists is easy as long as you switch salons at the same time !  The awkward-ness happens when you go to see a new stylist in the same salon where your old stylist still works.  No thanks !
  3. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal got a reaction from Matt in When is it OK to switch travel agents?   
    I was really happy to be connected with Sharla when I used the link to MEI from this site, our agent retired a few years ago, and while booking on my own is fine, it leaves everything up to me, and with other family booking the same week as us, I don't have to work out their details for them.  Priceless!  
    But switching agents is like switching hairdressers, it can feel awkward! 
  4. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal got a reaction from Baked Alaska in When is it OK to switch travel agents?   
    I was really happy to be connected with Sharla when I used the link to MEI from this site, our agent retired a few years ago, and while booking on my own is fine, it leaves everything up to me, and with other family booking the same week as us, I don't have to work out their details for them.  Priceless!  
    But switching agents is like switching hairdressers, it can feel awkward! 
  5. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal got a reaction from tiny blonde in When is it OK to switch travel agents?   
    I was really happy to be connected with Sharla when I used the link to MEI from this site, our agent retired a few years ago, and while booking on my own is fine, it leaves everything up to me, and with other family booking the same week as us, I don't have to work out their details for them.  Priceless!  
    But switching agents is like switching hairdressers, it can feel awkward! 
  6. Love
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to twangster in Ovation Goes North, Way North to Alaska! 11 Nights, May 13, 2019   
    The cruise ship terminal at the pier in Sitka has shops for those last minute typical souvenirs.

    It's an active boatyard for servicing the smaller fishing boats and it's been quite busy with a number of boats being lifted out of the water and maintenance performed on the hulls.  

    Back in my cabin I looked down to see this guy walking around with some king crabs.  

    Basking in sunlight I thought it might be an opportunity for some photos given how overcast much of the day had been so I headed up.

    Bumper cars were going with a small line as bumper car lines go.

    No line for the North Star so why not?




    Soon after our sail away commenced and we started to see the landscape we missed in the morning due to the heavy cloud cover earlier.

    Pictures don't do it justice.  It's simply breath taking views everywhere you look.



    Some flowrider action.

    Plus some instruction going on in the iFly.

    It was Diamond happy hour so I happened across the North Star bar.

    The North Star bar has been a favorite place to get a drink and soak up the views.  

    Looking back towards downtown Sitka on the lower left.






    Our position as we turned into the Pacific to head North towards Hubbard Glacier.

    I really enjoyed this call at Sitka.  The presence of the largest ship to ever visit was the talk of the town.  Extra buses were brought in and anyone who had a commercial driver's license was engaged to keep guests moving.  Our bus driver on the return shuttle to the ship lives in Juneau for the summer but was flown over to work in Sitka for the day to make sure the shuttle lines between the ship and town were never too long.  After we leave he'll fly back to Juneau where some of us will see him driving a bus there.
  7. Haha
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal got a reaction from RWDW1204 in ? What Will The Oasis Get During Dry Dock ?   
    Cats = 3 hours of free time for something else! Anything. 
  8. Haha
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal got a reaction from DublinFC in ? What Will The Oasis Get During Dry Dock ?   
    Cats = 3 hours of free time for something else! Anything. 
  9. Haha
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal got a reaction from WAAAYTOOO in ? What Will The Oasis Get During Dry Dock ?   
    Cats = 3 hours of free time for something else! Anything. 
  10. Love
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to twangster in Ovation Goes North, Way North to Alaska! 11 Nights, May 13, 2019   
    Day Four - Icy Strait Point
    My day starts with an excursion booked through Royal Caribbean called Glacier Bay Flightseeing.  Originally $399 but offered on sale for $319. 
    The meeting point was inside the first building at the end of the pier where many excursions depart from. 

    It's very well organized with large displays that matched the number printed on my ticket.

    We boarded a bus for the 10-15 minute ride to the Hoonah airport.

    Our chariot to Glacier Bay on this occasion.

    The right seat or copilot's seat was offered so I jumped at the chance.

    On the taxi out to prepare for take off our pilot spotted a couple of deer.


    Soon we were airborne with a great view of the town and local marina.

    Not long after I spotted Icy Strait Point with the profile of a familiar ship in the distance.

    Hard to miss North Star.

    Our pilot made the turn and we headed off towards Glacier Bay. 

    Everyone gets a window seat!

    Alaska is quite beautiful.

    As we flew North and the peaks increased in altitude so did the amount of snow.

    In the distance I could make out the ice fields that feed the glaciers. 

    We were in the mountains now at an elevation of around 7,000 feet.

    The ice fields are massive.  It's hard to appreciate the scale but it's basically a sea of snow.

    What's amazing about this excursion is not only to see some glaciers, but to fly above and behind them, to see the ice fields that feed the many glaciers in this area.   

    Climbing still we head towards some of the highest peaks in this region. 


    You can see how the snow has deformed from it's own weight pushing down slope beginning the multi-decade process of moving towards the face of a glacier. 


    Flying in close proximity to the peaks and seeing this with your own eyes is incredible.  

    Pictures don't do this justice.
    Again you can see the snow where it has advanced downslope from it's own weight, like a land slide, compressing the layers below it into glacier ice and squeezing oxygen out in the process.

    At this point we are flying above a valley of snow and ice with peaks on both sides.

    In the distance another valley of glacial ice is approaching from the opposite direction.


    Flying beside these rock peaks is an incredible experience.  They are so beautiful and experiencing them up close like this will stay with me when I see a peak way off in the distance.

    More evidence of motion in the sea of snow and ice below us.


    We are literally flying around these peaks, not above them.

    As we descend along with the valley of glacial ice below us we begin to see signs of melting with pools of turquoise blue water on the surface.

    Turning around one more peak...

    We are presented a magnificent view of the John Hopkins Glacier as seen from the glacier.

    You can clearly see the moraine or dirt trails on top of the glacier.


    With a banking turn so both sides can see the glacier below us you somewhat appreciate how wide this glacier is but it's hard to fathom the scale of all this.

    At this point more peaks are right beside us.

    Then we turn to follow the channel of water, the John Hopkins Inlet.

    Turning the corner the scale of this all suddenly becomes clear when a tiny ship appears.

    Originally looking small next to the rising sides of the valley (and the highest peaks are well behind us) I realize it's the Norwegian Bliss.  The Bliss is pretty much the same size as Ovation being slightly smaller than Ovation by a narrow margin.  In other words it's a pretty massive cruise ship, the largest to visit Alaska until Ovation arrived on this cruise, yet it seems so small in the vastness of the space. 

    Seeing something familiar, a large cruise ship, set the scale for what we had just seen and it blew my mind just how big all of it really was.

    Continuing our flight down Glacier Bay I spot another glacier.  The Lamplugh Glacier, something the folks on the Bliss will reach soon after our flyover.




    Next is Reid Inlet and Reid Glacier.


    We continue to fly South back toward the entrance of Glacier Bay park and with the peaks of the mountain range behind the snow capped peaks of these smaller mountains give way to lush green vegetation below the snow line at lower elevations.

    It's all still very breathtaking and I could have taken many more pictures.

    A suspended frozen lake in a bowl on the side of this mountain.



    Our pilot does a fantastic job bringing us safely back towards Hoonah.

    In the distance to the South I spot the North Star.  Not that North Star...

    Ovation's North Star and Icy Strait Point.

    Our pilot spots a whale excursion boat so we bank overhead in time to see a whale surfacing near the excursion boat.  No pictures of that one, had to see it live.
    With the lush green land near Hoonah below us we gently land from where we had departed. 

    Back in our van and heading to Icy Strait Point my mind raced to process all that I had seen.

    Our driver dropped us off near the entrance to Icy Strait Point by the old cannery. 

    I chose to walk back to the ship along the shore.


    Here is this excursion compressed into a 7 minute video made from clips I took in between taking photographs.
    At the 3 minute mark is the John Hopkins glacier and around the 5 minute mark you can see Ovation at Icy Strait Point. 
    It's hard to put into words everything that I experienced on this excursion.  At $319 it was the most expensive excursion on this trip but I have to say it was well worth it.  I've heard naturalists and others countless times talking about "The Ice Fields" but now I've seen them first hand.  I can visualize the process of snow falling, compressing, hundreds of feet deep turning into glacial ice, having oxygen squeezed out and turning blue then slowly creeping it's way down a slope to the eventually find itself on the face of a glacier where we get to watch it calve countless years later.  
    Pretty awesome experience and I look forward to seeing Glacier Bay by ship now that Royal can begin sailing there in future years.  When I do all this will come flooding back to me having seen this same area from high above it and from the opposite perspective.
  11. Love
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to twangster in Ovation Goes North, Way North to Alaska! 11 Nights, May 13, 2019   
    When ever I sail on Quantum class I drop by the SeaPlex and take a picture of the activity times.  While they may be listed in the cruise compass, you only learn those the day the cruise compass is left in your cabin.  Sometimes it's good to know days ahead when each activity will be so you can leave time for them as the cruise progresses.
    While these times are unique to this 11 night cruise, this should give you an idea of when these activities are planned.









  12. Haha
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to twangster in Ovation Goes North, Way North to Alaska! 11 Nights, May 13, 2019   
    Luggage delivered by 2pm.  I quickly unpacked and went to explore some more.  I'll find a less busy time to take some pictures around the ship.
    I dropped by guest services to see if I could swap an old Wow! band I brought with me.  They took my old E1 Muster band from Anthem and gave me a new A4 Muster band without any fees.  
    Muster at 4pm. Muster stations here on Ovation, like Anthem and other Quantum class are all indoors. 

    They didn't use the Oasis class spy safety video like they did on Anthem.  This video was more focused just on the safety aspects without trying to turn it into a mini-series. 
    At the assembly drill the Captain announced our 8pm departure with a bridge time around 8:20 - 8:30pm depending on traffic.  
    It was kind of nice having 4 hours to do stuff before sail away.
  13. Love
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to twangster in Ovation Goes North, Way North to Alaska! 11 Nights, May 13, 2019   
    After an hour or so to decompress in my hotel room I made plans to head downtown using the local transit system.  My hotel is in between two Canada Line light rail stations.  Using the transit feature of Apple Maps it calculated my route to my destination.   This included walking to a train station, transferring to a bus and then walking about a mile.
     
    Walking a mile?  Well yes, given that my destination was the Prospect Point lighthouse through Stanley Park which is loaded with trails for biking, jogging, strolling, etc.
    After sitting all day in planes a walk was perfect. 
    At the train station I purchased an "All Day" Compass Card for ~$16 CAD which ended up on credit card at ~$12 USD.  This would get me there and back to my hotel so all in all a pretty decent fee for a day pass.
    Stanley Park is beautiful and you could easily spend a day exploring it.  I was on a mission to reach the lighthouse so I'm hardly doing it justice with these simple photos.

    First glimpse of the Lions Gate Bridge that separates Vancouver Harbor from Burrard Inlet and passages towards the Pacific Ocean.

    I timed my arrival for low tide which today was 6:41pm.  Actually I was a little early so I could explore the area before the main event and the real reason I made this journey.
    With tides on the way out I could see much more beach exposed compared to high tide.

    The original Prospect Point Lighthouse was built here in the late 1800's.

    Long before the bridge was built in 1938 the original lighthouse was in response to numerous shipping incidents like the SS Beaver that ran aground on the rocky shores in 1888.

    These narrows have tricky tidal currents that I could see as the tide went out.  Looking out under the bridge there were patches of smooth water and areas with strong currents marked by swirling water and waves.

    Interesting sea life including these purple sea stars.

    Some seals playing or feeding in the water.

    The large difference in tides is apparent and you can see the high tide mark along the wall.  Where I'm standing would be over my head at high tide.

    This is important because technically there isn't enough height over water for Quantum class ships to pass under with the standard safety margins that are required for safe navigation.  However using the tides to their advantage the extra 12 to 15 feet of tidal differences allows ships like Ovation to pass under the bridge if they time it just right.
    Before Ovation can arrive and dock at Canada Place, the cruise terminal in downtown Vancouver, a few ships need to get out of town.  This included the Star Princess and two Holland America ships, Westerdam and Noordam.


    The area is popular with the outdoor type folks and the backdrop of the bridge made for a popular selfie station.  If you look along the waterline to the far left you see a tiny ship on the horizon.  Ovation of the Seas! 

    A cargo ship also had to enter the port just before Ovation arrived.

    As I waited the sun was moving lower on the horizon making pictures in this direction challenging so I used the lighthouse to block the sun and I hid in it's shadow as Ovation approached.

    One thing I noticed was how the currents had settled down, the rippling and waves were gone, the water was smooth.  This too is important so any ship can stay within the narrow channel and pass under the bridge at it's highest level.


    Ovation continued it's approach with a tug at the ready just in case.

    Closer, inching closer...

    Success!  Clearing under the bridge with a large safety margin North Star was under.  I could hear the roar of the crowd on the ship all cheering and celebrating which is rather ironic because it marks the end of their journey.

    The bigger challenge was the funnels and aft part of the ship.

    Also under with plenty of clearance.


    Woohoo!  My cruise can continue as planned!

    To be honest it was a bit anti-climatic.  I expected her to be closer to the bridge.  I was confident she would fit, they wouldn't risk the bridge or the ship but I feel like Anthem passing under the Verrazona-Narrows bridge in New York is tighter.

  14. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to twangster in Ovation Goes North, Way North to Alaska! 11 Nights, May 13, 2019   
    Something else I forgot to mention...
    Normally the SeaPass cards on ships that use RFID can't be punched because you could cut the antenna embedded into the card.  Here on Ovation the RFID cards come pre-punched in the lower left corner.  This means traditional lanyards are back in play.

    This is the first I've seen this, granted my last RFID ship was back in November.
  15. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to spiralqueen in Allure of the Seas May 12-19 Eastern Caribbean - First attempt at Live Blog!   
    Oh and I forgot to mention, my parents are both in LOVE with Coastal Kitchen (as am I) and my mom has already requested I look into the pricing of a Junior Suite for our Jan 2021 cruise on Anthem. You know....the 11 night one. Just seriously considering upgrading from an interior to a junior suite. Like you do. This restaurant will be dangerous for our wallets! 
  16. Love
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to Cindy Leslie in Allure of the Seas May 12-19 Eastern Caribbean - First attempt at Live Blog!   
    True statement! I was born in Baltimore and spent many summers on the shore crabbing with my Poppop! My Mommom made the best crab cakes! Can’t replicate them. I’ve given up ordering them anywhere else...not worth it.
  17. Love
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to spiralqueen in Allure of the Seas May 12-19 Eastern Caribbean - First attempt at Live Blog!   
    Omfg I just stumbled across this in the Royal app when I was going to see what was for dinner at Coastal Kitchen tonight. I didn’t realize it, but somehow reservations were made for us for the rest of the week at our ideal time of 6pm except for the night we have reservations at Giovanni’s. I have no idea how this happened but I am THRILLED about this as it takes away a stressor and guarantees excellent food for the trip. ( @Lovetocruise2002) 

    6D158295-7F86-4DF2-9A93-72B98437ECAF.MOV
  18. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to Brenda Landry in Sailing out of Miami   
    When we out of customs. One came in ten minutes
  19. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to Vanessa77 in Advice for a rotten situation   
    @CGTLH @Matt thanks for confirming re: drinks package. This was very helpful! 
    @Mrs. RoyalMoyal this information is perfect! Thanks so much for sending it to me! We already have the cruise booked and deposit paid for through a TA, so if we go down this rout I’ll speak to them. 
    @RTripp I actually hadn’t even considered that at all. We are from, and the cruise departs from Australia, so gratuities are always included in the cruise fare and I had actually forgotten that this was even a thing. If I end up cruising solo I’ll be sure to pursue a refund for this also. Thanks for your help! 
  20. Haha
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal got a reaction from SpeedNoodles in The End To Future Cuba Cruises!!   
    Or fit in the St. Lawrence Seaway Locks in Massena, NY?  Quebec City to New Orleans.  That would be cool.
  21. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to SpeedNoodles in The End To Future Cuba Cruises!!   
    I wonder if they'd fit under the Duluth Harbor Lift Bridge?  (I'm still pushing for cruises out of Minnesota/Wisconsin).
    #agirlcandream #ibelieveinme
  22. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to Hoski in I'm all packed and so excited   
    I needed to share my joy with someone so here seems like the place.  We leave Sunday on the Allure just hubby and I to celebrate 25 years of marriage then on the 27th we board the Empress with our three children for a family cruise.  I'm so freaking excited even though we just cruised in December.  I cannot wait to be without the kids for a vacation and I'm also excited for Cuba. 
     
  23. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal got a reaction from asquared17 in Sint Maarten / Saint Martin - Private Driver - Leo Brown   
    We hired Leo Brown on "Easter Saturday", he is fabulous.
    When we met him, there was another group of 4, the "mom/wife" was Marion. I am Mary Ann..... well, I booked with Leo via text, Marion booked with Leo's wife via text... so the Canadians and the New Yorkers spent the day on Leo's entire island tour, I think we saw everything. 
    It worked out just fine with the double booking,  we all had a good laugh, then he tried to charge me less for the day.
    It was a lot of fun, our family will hire him again.
    He is a safe, friendly and knowledgeable driver.
    But if he gives you beverages before noon, and you need to ... tinkle, just let him know!  LOL

  24. Like
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal got a reaction from SpeedNoodles in Sailing out of Miami   
    I just booked a solo cruise on Oasis! For this trip, flying into MIA is less than FLL. I want to rent a car after the cruise because my flight does not leave until 3:30. Is there a rental company that will pick me up at the port? I've looked at Enterprise Airport location and Budget - with Budget the car pickup is Miami Downtown, then drop off at the airport.
  25. Haha
    Mrs. RoyalMoyal reacted to CGTLH in LIVEish, 3 Days on Harmony (5/9/2019 or 9/5/2019 better yet May 9, 2019)   
    Our room looks similar to @Matt

    Ohh wait....

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