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melmar02

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Everything posted by melmar02

  1. Our guide for the tour in Columbia was also a history professor, so he was very knowledgeable and gave lots of interesting information. We arrived back at the port where they have a free aviary.
  2. It was delicious! I agree on the small ducks. The flamingo we found was in the hall to Optix, the teen club. In the mornings they use the space for the open play for toddlers. Columbia Took the kids to WJ for breakfast, then met in the theater again to wait for our excursion - Deluxe Cartagena and Fortress. Fortunately the experience was quick again today, and we were on a bus after just a few minutes of waiting. Out first stop was San Filepe del Barajas, the large fort in town. Our guide warned us about the street vendors, and in the next breath said there was water on the bua for us (as in don't buy any because we have it). DS didn't catch all that, and as soon as we stepped off the bus, we were all swarmed by street vendors. The first one was selling water and beer. DS took one and we moved across the plaza with the mass of our group before we realized he was holding a bottle we didn't bring with us. Of course thr vendor chased him across the plaza, and we promptly handed it back to the vendor. Lesson learned for DS - listen when the guide is talking. The fort was very reminiscent of El Morro on San Juan as they were both Spanish. It was It was interesting being able to compare the two - we went to San Juan on our first cruise. The walk up is very long and steep. Once on top, we went through some of the tunnels, and had a little free time to explore. We wish it had been a little longer at this stop. Next up, dungeons turned into shops. DS got his keychain, DD a patch for her guitar case, and I got our ornament. Back on the bus. Next we stopped at San Pedro Claver, a catholic church. ...then the inquisition museum. Very short and sweet, with only 5 or so replicas on display, but lots of information. Our last stop was the emerald museum and this may have been our favorite stop...because it was air conditioned! We then had about 30 minutes of free time. There is a restaurant right next door, and we went in for some lemonade. I got regular, DD pepermint, and DS Cherry. It may have been thr best I ever had, of course that could be the humidity talking.
  3. Once back onboard, we were exhausted from the humidity, and rested the remainder of the afternoon. We decided to try the CL one more time and it was practically empty! I guess everyone else was too tired to go. Dinner in the MDR was Taste of the USA - baked potato soup and shrimp cocktail appetizers; bourbon glazed salmon, fried chicken, and beef short rib entrees (with a lobster mac and cheese for the table); and apple cobbler, chocolate cake, key lime shortcake, and cheesecake for dessert. We planned to go to the production show after dinner, but we were too tired, and we went to bed...except for DS who went to the teen flowrider time.
  4. Panama Because our excursion meet time was so early, we decided room service was the way to go. I think the kids ordered one of everything - this was just DS's food. Like good passengers, we arrived early for our meeting time, maybe 7am? The process was quick in Costa Rica...no so much in Panama. We waited in the theater for almost an hour and a half for our excursion to be called, but we eventually made it onto a bus that drove us about an hour and a half or so to the Pacific side of the country for the Metropolitan National Park Hike and Panama Canal tour. There were two busses on this tour and the other blew a belt. We stopped, and our driver had a spare and had it changed in about 5 minutes. Why does my mechanic take all day? This was a real hike on a mostly gravel path that lasted 2 hours and had an elevation change of 492 feet. It definitely earned the "strenuous" activity designation. At the peak, we could see the canal to the left and Panama City and the Pacific Ocean on the right. Along the way we saw turtles, leaf cutter ants (DS was thrilled!), and more sloths and birds. After the hike we boarded the bus and they handed out turkey sandwiches (not listed in the excursion description) and we drove to the Agua Clara locks...where it promptly started to pour. Our tour group rushed in to see the English version of the movie about the building of the locks, and then we tried to catch a glimpse of a ship going through. There was a ship in the middle lock when we arrived and it was still there 30 minutes later. We all agree the the hike could have been shorter followed by more time at the canal so we could see more of the process.
  5. Ok. I have a little catching up to so! Costa Rica I got up early and met DH in the Crown Lounge to grab coffee.We took the kids to WJ and headed to our excursion meeting place in the theater. Instead of meeting on the pier somewhere, all excursions are meeting in the theater or Studio B then being shuffled directly onto their bus. We met at 8 and only had a short wait until our group number was called for the Rainforest Walk, Tortuguero Canal, & Limon Countryside. After a short drive, we were at the canal and all boarded a boat for the 30- 45 minute ride where we saw sloths, monkeys, iguanas, crocodiles, and a variety of birds in the trees lining the canal. When the boat portion was complete there were individual containers of watermelon and pineapple waiting for us. In case you didn't know, it is crazy humid in this part of the world (like soak your clothes with sweat walking from the bus to the boat humid) so the snack was appreciated. Then we started our Rainforest Walk which was a 15 minute walk on a paved path at the same location. Lots of foliage, a couple of bats, and crabs were seen on this part of the tour. After the walk, we drove to an organic banana plantation and learned about the banana production process. They also had bunches of bananas that we could pick one off and eat. I maybe have two a year, so it tasted like a banana to me, but the kids said it was really good. Then we headed back to the ship. We stopped by Cafe Promenade for a quick bite then got cleaned up for the evening. We skipped the Crown Lounge and decided to go to trivia at the Schooner Bar where DS found a turtle even smaller than the earlier flamingo. DD has found an actual duck, but I think she rehid it. This was Taste of Mexico night in the dining room, and we all decided we would prefer something quick to eat after thr humid day, so we just went to WJ then called it a night as our meeting time for the excursion the next day was 7:15am. Meet Harry Elefante.
  6. Yesterday we all went to the CL where we saw a tanker in the distance and I of course said "look kids pirates" as any parent would. Then after we saw the rainbow DH said the pot of gold at the end of it must be deblumes. Ha, we were meant for each other. We headed to the WJ for breakfast and you all were right - it is an angel. I will forever see an ant though. My apologies to the artist. DH and I went to a salsa dance class, and fortunately it was being taught by the dancs cast, and not the activities crew. It was on the stage, so pretty warm, and we got a good workout in. The ship was starting to rock, so it was interesting. I will say, once we had the steps, the rocking didn't bother us much. Only the bigger waves through us off a little. It was interesting to get a little insight into how they perform when the ship is rocking. The kids were finishing up pizza from Cafe Promenade when we got to the room, and DS and I quickly changed to get some more flowrider time in. We had good runs, bit only stayed for two turns because the line was so long. They really should have split the flowrider with the divider. That's OK, the extra time gave me a chance to shower before the afternoon ice show. On this ship the theme is the the different seasons. It was a good show and we all enjoyed it. Only a couple falls. After the ice show we tried to go to the CL and again it was packed, this time before 5pm. We're giving up. Then we went to dinner in the MDR - Italian night. The arrinci was the best I have had on a ship. I also got the polenta fries which were tasty. DH had minestrone then we both has chicken parm and the coffee pot de creme. The texture was off a little bit. We're thinking maybe they were made ahead and frozen? Not sue, but he said the creme brulee was like that too and runny. Kids had carpaccio, a strip steak, lasagna, a lemon tart, and apple cobbler. Service was on point tonight and we were out of the dining room in an hour. After dinner the kids hit the teen club, and we gave the casino some of our money. Maybe tonight we will have some of @JustMeJoe's luck!
  7. No problem! That's awesome! Congratulations! I wish we had done as well last night in the casino!
  8. We enjoyed it. Plus if you need to buy wine, they have a liquor store right out front.
  9. The weather has been pretty good. We has about 30 seconds of rain yesterday morning that sent walkers indoors, but it produced a lovely rainbow. We were in the CL at the time. If I had been on the top deck, the photos would be better. Chess game - we took a picture of the board, and plan to come back later to finish the game. I taught him how to play, but he's a master strategist. He has taken a chess class at our co-op a few times, and has been playing againt older kids for a few years. He will kick my tail.
  10. Mornings in the CL have been interesting. There have been just a trickle of people until the food is set out, then it is like everyone has set their watch to 7am, and there is a rush on the lounge. We walked by the Solarium on the upper deck yesterday maybe, and it was packed, but there was a water aerobics class going on too. DS was doing a teen club scavenger hunt, and was told to make sure he behaves by a lady on the Promenade as he walked by her with a friend. He was, but I found that funny. I promise food pics are coming - it may be one big photo dump at the end though.
  11. There has to be a plaque somewhere showing the artist and title. We'll try to find it. DS really wants and ant farm, and I keep telling him no. It may just be on my brain. We headed to the Crown Lounge for pre dinner snacks, and at 5:10, it was packed! We wound up in the Schooner Bar just in time for trivia - Brittany vs Whitney. Again, we were terrible. Service seemed slow in the MDR, but I think the service was extended because DS ordered 2 appetizers and they came out separately. DH and I ordered a second entree to share, but it came at the same time. Then the kids ordered a second entree after they finished their first. Anyway French night - onion soup and escargot, beef tenderloin, beef bourguignon, and the Indian lamb dish. The food was all good, and we were there about 90 minutes. DS has all of the photos. Now that he is walking around with a camera in his pocket, he wants to use it all the time. After dinner we changed into comfy clothes and parted ways with DS who went to the teens club. DD, DH, and I went to the production show called Invitation to dance which was a ballroom based show. It was a pretty good show, but a one a done for us. We had planned on staying for the late night comedy, but sleep was calling. Next up, another sea day.
  12. This multi level hanging sculpture outside of the Windjammer has caused some debate in my family. I say it's a giant ant! I think the food has been really good, but so far we have only had WJ, Giovanni's, and Cafe Promenade. I'll report back on the MDR tonight. Seems like a pretty good mix of people, there were fewer kids in line at the flowrider, but DH and I are certainly not the youngest adults. We sucked at trivia again the headed to Cafe Promenade for second breakfast. DS and I then headed to the flowrider for a few hours and had pretty decent runs. He can nail about 4 continuious spins while seated, and I get 2 in one direction immediately followed by 2 the other direction. I'll post videos to my Instagram later. My light blue rash guard now has a lovely purple ombre effect down the back thanks to my dye job. I completely forgot that new one at home which is black. While we were gone DH took a nap and read on the balcony and DD crocheted - she's planning on hiding her creations instead of ducks. The kids and I went for lunch at Cafe Promenade, and I had a delicious tuna and pesto sandwich. I should have had two! DS is off to the teen club and we are starting to get ready for formal night. Thanks @JustMeJoe for posting the stats!
  13. Good morning from Cuba! Well just off the shore of Cuba - you can just barely see land in the distance...if you squint. Our D+ amenity was delivered late last night. This morning we gained an hour and DH and I went to the Crown Lounge for coffee. He's a pro and can load the machine with beans and empty the grounds. We had issues with internet and chat in the app yesterday, but today it is working perfectly. Kids wanted Windjammer for breakfast so we went by the room to get them, then off the eat and explore the ship a little before morning trivia. DD just found our first duck along the way. We're planning on a quick lunch then DS and I are headed to the flowrider.
  14. Sailaway was a rainy affair, and we horn battled with Symphony as we passed her. There were 9 ships in port today. We decided to try welcome aboard trivia. We thought we would do well, but didn't. At least the lavender daiquiri was yummy! After trivia we changed for dinner then went to the crown lounge for pre-dinner drinks and snacks. They were checking people at the door and turning away diamond guests. We headed to Giovanni's and way overate. We all shared the meat and cheese board, the kids ordered the carpaccio, dh had the minestrone, and I had the eggplant parm...just for appetizers. Entrees were osso busco for dh and myself, seafood linguine for dd and the filet for ds. Dh and I also split the mushroom risotto. Desserts included Panna cotta, tirimisu, and chocolate hazelnut cake. DS is excited to be able to take pictures so some are on his phone still. The kids headed to the teen club and we went back to the room to complain about how stuffed we are. We stopped by the casino on the way to scan the code for instant certs. We need something in 2026, and there is nothing from Galveston that is really appealing to us. We're calling it an early night, and ds and I are hoping for clear skies for the flowrider tomorrow.
  15. We found our luggage in the hall and it was dry, which is a blessing. It's been raining off and on all day. While unpacking our water was delivered. Diamond plus pins and luggage tags were in DH and my room, not the kids, so we'll get them a couple from the Loyalty Ambassador. We have a bonus diamond pin in our room for a different guest, maybe from the previous sailing? We'll turn it in to the LA. Our loyalty wine is not here yet, I'm sure it will show up over the next few days. Off to explore before dinner and get a boat drink or two.
  16. They made the announcement that cabins were ready right at one. We gathered our carry on bags, and my heart dropped. My purse was not with our bags! Fortunately I remembered that I hung it on the back of a bar stool in Dizzy's. We rushed into the next room, and a couple ladies saw the panicked look on my face. They asked if I had lost a purse and said they gave it to the bartender. He was helping a couple so I patiently waited for him to finish their drinks while my blood pressure rose exponentially with each pour he made. Once he finished their order, he asked what he could get us, and when I said we were looking for the purse the ladies in the corner had turned in, he said that it was at guest services. Apparently they are supposed to turn over lost and found items to guest services as soon as they are turned in. Makes sense - it's not like they have any extra room in the work spaces, and it's a consolidated place to collect things. We decided to split up - DH and the kids went to the rooms, and I rushed to deck 5. They had it and had me check it before I left the desk for missing items. Some of the stuff was moved around, but that could have happened if it was turned upside down. Of course all the cash I just got at the bank was in my purse, and the big bills were all there. I recounted in the room, and I think it's all there - we've spent a little since we left Dallas, so if anything is missing it's maybe $20. We'll keep an eye on our accounts just in case. I can't blame this one on lack of sleep, but I will blame menopause brain fog. Ugh! Anyway, connecting balconies 8306 and 8308. They have a chair, no couch. Our last connecting balconies on Liberty had couches. The cabins seem smaller overall. Even the drawers are smaller than any ship we have been on, including Radiance and Enchantment. There is bulkhead on both sides of the kids balcony, but I don't think the balconies open anyway on this ship.
  17. They started letting us on the ship at 10:50. We quickly took care of muster then headed to the Windjammer for lunch. The doors were still closed, but there was a specialty dining table set up, so we booked our bogo at Giovanni's for tonight as the Welcome Aboard menu is our least favorite. Doors to the WJ opened shortly after, and it was relatively uncrowded considering that's where most people head when they get onboard. Prepare for 11 days of food pics. We stopped to pick up the kids drink cups drink cups and an ice cream cone, then headed up to the Crown Lounge where we are waiting for cabins to open. They were setting out happy hour placards on the tables at Dizzy's, the bar on deck 14.
  18. We ordered an XXL Uber this time and a Suburban arrived to take us to the port. We made a new friend while we waited for the cat, but he was in a hurry to get somewhere else so this is the best picture of the peacock we got. There was a bit of traffic and took about 35 minutes to get from the hotel to the ship, but we finally had our first glimpse of our home for the next 11 days. We got out of the Uber at 10:03 and were upstairs in the waiting area by 10:22. Hopefully they will let us on shortly.
  19. My MIL just texted us. She's getting emails today from Royal to make sure she arrives at the port at her selected boarding time. She cruised with us once pre-covid, so fingers crossed this is as far as the IT mix up goes. We'll make sure points are posted correctly after the cruise.
  20. Kids and DH went down to the free breakfast while I stayed in the room to get ready. They said it was the usual Hikton freebie fare - scrambled eggs, sausage, fruit, waffles, muffins. We're contemplating when to leave the hotel. There's a little rain this morning and we don't want to be standing outside in it, but we're ready to be onboard!
  21. Y'all, I just reread my previous post with the police activity, and we sound nuts! Who would leave kids in that situation? I added some details (short version is we felt totallyvsafe), and learned that I am not allowed to post when short on sleep!
  22. Our only complaint, being from Texas, is that there were beans in the chili in the nachos.
  23. Cute dress! Or is it a jumper? Either way!
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