bellemiche

Yes, that is sort of why Hubby and were frustrated with them last night. Hubby kept asking them why they couldn’t manually remove the one night. Anyhow, hopefully we get a resolution to that today. I don’t want that to cloud the good day it’s going to be! La Bamba!! First I need the rest of them to wake up and get moving. Shopping first, then La Bamba! 

Also, I just realized that I took a page out of @OCSC Mike’s playbook and got super long winded with that post about our hotel troubles. Sorry, I went on a rant lol. I just need to go sleep. Lol

That luggage will increase once hubby buys his own flowrider board and has to start taking it 😂

Thank you! I will be thinking of you, and your family lots this week! The loft shower has me worried though. Curious minds want to know, if you are docked next to a ship, are you giving others a shenanigans show? Lol

Everything looks good so far. Full flight. They started checking carry on bags for free. That is all a good sign that we are leaving shortly. Boarding in 15-20mins. 🤞

Hubby and I were talking last night about excited we are for this surprise La Bamba visit and I was telling him how I think I missed it. I have always know they have locations scattered over South Florida. I also knew from before that the 17th St. location is the most southern location, and the rest are North of it. I forgot about the west though and that’s the Plantation location. Anyhow, so thankful it was brought up! Hubby and D17 are so ready for their Queso! 

There was a thread recently by @Smokey79 recently where booking Chef's Table and Hibachi ahead of time was discussed. This is a topic that has come up frequently in other forums as well. I have mentioned here, and in other places, that I have never booked Hibachi ahead of time when sailing star, and this sailing remains no different. We don't do Chef's Table ever so I cannot comment on that. Not our scene.
Anyway, we have always waited for the Genie to book us into Hibachi, even when we had 10 in the Villa last year on HM. We have always been able to secure a time in our usual dinner slot (around 6:30/7pm). This time was no different. I asked Andrew and Lisa if they wanted to do Hibachi together this time, better than being stuck at a table with strangers. Between our two families we have 7 people and Shane was able to secure a 7pm time for us together without any issues.

So it's the day before we leave.....
The packing situation has improved slightly. I only have last minute toiletries items left. Hubby was up until midnight last night packing. I have no idea what his status is. D17 has made her list but has not packed a thing. 
Off to run some last minute errands shortly.
And of course, most importantly before a cruise, getting a mani/pedi with the girls once they get home from school.🙂
 

Were you on HM on the March 11th, 2023 sailing? We were on that one. I agree. HM used to be my favourite ship. I loved that sailing, the cabin and being with my sister and parents. We have such treasured memories from that trip, but the food definitely was not as good as on other ships.
We seriously cannot thank you enough!!!
Hubby was like, "How did you miss that location?" I don't even know lol, I am just so thankful you came to our rescue! Fried Ice Cream here I come! 

However…what is weird is that while we were discussing this over dinner, the kids said, “What if it’s not as good as the 17th St. location?” and I sort of feel like we are cheating on the 17th St. location. 😂 But Hubby said we were all being silly and we are going! This is our first time going to another location. 

I sense a great restaurant AND potential RC show for the future! 🤣

Is it weird that we are all just as happy as you are that you get to eat at La Bamba on this trip 😂😂

OMG! @AGSLC5 How did I not know this?! Obviously, we will have things to discuss at dinner tonight!

Awesome! A joint blog! Even better!
I hear you. That pretty much sums up all my cruises since Odyssey. But I always remind myself, and my family, to live in the moment.
Me too! It looks like @WAAAYTOOO is doing that these days. That's what I want to be when I grow up lol
Packing is going bad this time! 😣
Here's the status:
Hubby 0%
D17 0%
Me 70%ish
and in a surprising turn of events...
D15 100%
Why is this surprising? Because D15 is literally Hubby as far as life organization goes. Probably worse. We are all speechless. She has been completely packed since Sunday.
I don't know whether to laugh, or to cry at that comment. It definitely was not a deal. Not even close. This was a hard one to make final payment on. It hurt a bit. Well, if you ask Hubby, it hurt a lot. But if you compare it to current RLS pricing, then I suppose it was a deal. lol
Thank you to you and @WAAAYTOOO for asking about my Dad. The last few months have had their ups and downs, but he is stable and getting the treatment that he needs. He is still able to spend time with his family and friends, and for that we are grateful.

Unfortunately, I don't think so. We did not rent a car this time. We looked into it but the car rental that is close to the hotel does not open on Sundays for returns. It was just going to be too much of a hassle to return the car so we decided it was not worth the cost. So anyway, in answer to your question, sadly, I don't think that we will make it to La Bamba this time around.
On Friday, because we are stuck on that afternoon flight, we don't land until 4pm (assuming it's on time), and then on Saturday, the kids want to go to Sawgrass Mills and that is nowhere near a La Bamba location. However, we, or should I say I, because I am the Home Genie, found an interesting place for us to try for dinner this weekend.
I am counting on you to take over the live blogging on 3/17!
Winner, Winner!
This is why we have to do. Not sure how many more times we can round up all 4 of us that doesn't fall on high season pricing. And even with low season pricing, SC is becoming more and more out of reach these days. Not that we got a bargain at all on this cabin, but we are going to do it now while we still can. Because it might literally not happen again.
There's always gotta be one in the group lol
We don't come across the shenanigans that some of you do lol, only cancelled flights 😬 but thank you, hoping for smooth travels and sailing all the way through!
It's not the ATS this time, but there quite a few ATS in the future. I have to leave room to add on more freeloaders possibly, omg, I cannot believe I am even admitting that.
 

Other dates…
We never received our survey for this sailing. Our track record to date is about 50/50 for this survey.
Shows were released 32 days out for this sailing.
Shane, our Genie, reached out about 6 weeks ago.

Who’s Going?
Me, Hubby, D17, D15 (aka, the freeloaders)
Flight
Delta from DTW-MIA; booked through Air2Sea.
Flying in two days early again on the 8th. Flight pricing was also terrible for this sailing. Originally, when flights were first released, it was $943pp (economy) round trip! We did toss around the idea of driving but ditched that idea rather quickly. I saved a bit by moving our outbound flight to an afternoon flight (now slightly regretting it), and over time, was able to price this flight down a couple hundred per person before final payment. Still more than we usually pay for March break flights, but better than the original cost.
Pre-Cruise Stay
Well, we are flying to Miami, and cruising from Miami, so you all know where we are staying right?
Itinerary
08 MARCH Arrive Miami, FL
09 MARCH Miami, FL
10 MARCH Miami, FL (Cruise Day!)
11 MARCH Nassau, Bahamas
12 MARCH Perfect Day at CocoCay
13 MARCH At Sea
14 MARCH Labadee, Haiti
15 MARCH Falmouth, Jamaica
16 MARCH At Sea
17 MARCH Miami, Florida (Go home)
Cabin
I am sure you have a guess by now what this is as well lol

"CRUISE BIG, OR GO HOME" – OA 3/10/2024-3/17/2024

There once was time, many blogs ago, where I said, “Dreams…that is how many things begin; that is how this adventure began.  But with every dream that comes true, there is always a journey.”
Anyone remember that blog? It was the one where many claimed I corrupted them (I’m looking at you @GregD lol); it was also truly a dream come true for us. Since that 2019 sailing, we have been blessed beyond measure, and we never take any sailing for granted.
But in the midst of all this, there was also a greater dream, a greater wish, that started way before 2019, or even 2016 (when Royal started their Royal Suite Class program) for that matter. This was a dream that began over 14 years ago, in December 2009, when Hubby and I sailed on Oasis of the Seas for her maiden voyage, and I realized that there was a cabin, way up on Deck 17 (this was my pre-suite snob days), corner starboard side, that I wanted to be in one day…#cruisegoals
The journey to get to this sailing, in this cabin was a long one. I know I have said it before, but we were not always suite snobs. We have done our share of interiors, ocean views, balconies, etc. Even when I turned into a suite snob, this particular cabin was always out of reach for us. Either financially, or the pandemic took it away, or it wasn’t available, or @Rags1 would not adopt me. What I am trying to say, is that it is not lost on me the road it took us to get here, and how grateful I am that we now have this opportunity, and how this likely will be the only opportunity for this cabin. We are committed to treasuring every moment of this.
I have tracked the price of this room over many years. For the times of the year that we can sail (March, July, August, December), March is always the best price for this room.
This sailing is also beyond bittersweet. It is more than being able to check off a cruise bucket list item for us and the journey it took us to get here. It’s our final March Break sailing with our oldest. We have been sailing with the girls over March Break for years and there will never be another March Break sailing with all 4 of us together. This is it. That is the main reason why we had to take the leap and do this now. I knew back in December 2009 when I first heard that such a room existed, that I wanted to do it, but not without both kids. With D17 graduating this June, and the uncertainty of her university and life schedule (she will not have a March break that is for certain), it really is now, or likely never.
Like a wise @Baked Alaska recently said, “Time is like a thief.” Life is too short; it’s about seizing the moments we have, it’s about not having regrets, and we never want to look back and say, “We wish we would have done it.”
With that in mind, Hubby and I decided that YOLO, it’s going to be now, to “Cruise Big”, really big, and then go home.

Okay!!
Correct
Preaching to the choir here.....I will be talking about that in the survey...
Thank you, but wait there is more to finish!!
As @asquared17 said, I was busy making memories!

@Lovetocruise2002and I got soaked once on the Oasis and we weren't in the Splash Zone!
Thanks for the blog. We're on Harmony in July in the 4 bedroom villa. We've never left from Galveston before. Looks like you had a wonderful experience and trip!

How did you know? 😂

More Maya Chan. 
 
Lunch and beverages are included, and are very tasty.
The have a taco bar set up. You have a choice of homemade flour or corn tortillas. Fillings include skirt steak, chicken, a slow roasted citrus pork, and a fish, which was sea bass. There is rice, beans, cheese, pico, guacamole, and a selection of homemade salsas. If you leave hungry, you are doing it wrong.
This was plate #2….i was too busy shoving tacos in mouth on the first round to remember to get a picture. 

 
After lunch, we continued to make full use of all their included activities. There are glass bottomed kayaks, multiple floats, paddle boards, sand toys. 
 

I love this picture of Lydia and Livi. 


We also tried to make a new friend…he wasn’t exactly cuddly.

Us adults got massages as well….they were just okay. 
 
Eventually we had to head back to the ship. The staff there come around after lunch and ask you what time you want to return, and they arrange your ride. They then give you a ten minute warning so you are prepared by the time your ride comes. 
 
Dan and his family were so happy with their experience I lost track of how many times they talked about how much fun they had. 
 
 

📸 credit Lydia…..current situation 

Today we are hitting our first port, Roatan. We are using Victor Bodden again. We will be visiting with sloths etc, and doing the zip lines. After, we will be playing it by ear. 
 
Our friends are also with Victor Bodden, but doing some different activities. We are all meeting at CK for breakfast. Berty said that they could walk off with us when we get off the ship which we thought was very nice of him.
Other random thoughts from last night. Our friends were really grateful for being able to watch the show from the balcony. It’s also not lost on us that we are fortunate enough to be able to do these things ourselves. Their kids (and ours) had a blast. Earlier in the day, we had heard that Livi had been wanting chocolate covered strawberries this whole trip, so of course we had to make that happen.
 
This is her first big trip away from her parents so she has frequently been getting homesick. To see her eyes light up and truly enjoy herself last night made my night. Sure star class is amazing with the beverage package and all the dining etc, but it’s the intangibles that really do it for me. To be able to make someone’s day with just a simple text message is what it’s all about.