melmar02

I don't recall any sort of air freshener or scent ever being used by the cruise line, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. You should probably ask about the detergents used on the sheets and towels too. I would start with [email protected] As far as what you should use, I would bring a product that you know works for you, or skip just skip it all together so you know you are safe. You certainly don't need to bring everything on someone else's packing list of "extra stuff to take with you on a cruise."

The covid test anxiety is real, y'all. Spring comes early in Texas, and although we had snow a few days ago, our trees started to bud a couple weeks ago. Of course along with that comes allergies for all of us. With every sinus headache and sniffle DH and I panic just a tad. We're planning on taking at home (un-proctored) tests today, assuming we can find some, just for the peace of mind.

Kids Sail Free

I would love to see KSF again. Sadly one of mine has aged out of it over the shutdown.

Makes sense - isn't wave season coming up soon?

Wow, what a hassle! Glad it was negative though and congrats on prime!

Yes, you will get the soda cups with the deluxe package.

Went through the kids' clothes. The last time we really did any clothes shopping was for our last cruise 2 years ago! Took DD to get a pair of black flats for formal night today and she came home with a new wardrobe! Also checked and renewed the travel meds and first aid kit. DH pulled out some clothes this morning to make sure he's got something to wear. Just had to order him a new swim shirt. Thank goodness for Amazon! I've got a lot of laundry to do over the next few days!

I have 11 on Liberty next weekend.

@KristiZ You caught me. I try to keep work and school separate, but yeah, sometimes buttercream gets on a math quiz! Pre-cruise plans Since we’re just north of Dallas, we drive down to Galveston. We are taking an Alaska cruise this summer, and to prep the kids for the flights, we thought we would take the short, 1 hour flight to Houston this time. DD and I would fly down while DS and DH drove. Then we would switch for the return trip so they could at least get a taste of the process (more important for DD to know what to expect). We changed those plans with Omicron and will see if we can transfer the flights to visit MIL in a couple months. We usually stay in the Clear Lake / NASA area, and are keeping with that plan. We’ll be staying at the Homewood Suites in a 2 bedroom which we’ve stayed at a few times before. We like it because of the extra room in the suite and the kids love a free breakfast that includes a waffle maker. It’s a 30ish minute drive to Lighthouse Parking in Galveston from there. Lighthouse is a raised lot (not that we have to worry since it isn't hurricane season), and they offer covered and uncovered parking, although the covered parking is just a roof, not a garage. They have a shuttle and have always been quick to drop us off and pick us up from the terminal. We toyed with going to the Aquarium in downtown Houston the day before the cruise, but because of Omicron, I think we’ll take our time driving down and just go to the hotel, pick up something to eat, and try to call it an early night. We've scheduled our covid tests at CVS for Friday afternoon. The kids and I will leave from our co-op to test, and DH will get his after work. I'm going to schedule back up tests at Walgreens for Saturday morning as soon as the appointments open up.

We checked in over 30 days ago. I was able to update the app (android), and add my son's card yesterday.

I think capacity. They closed the sailing for new bookings a few weeks ago.

The pups may be loving the snow and ice we got in Dallas, but this girl's ready for something a little warmer. Single digits - 9 days to go!

No, they are still not sailing at full capacity. Liberty only has about 1500 guests on it this week while her double occupany is 3800.

I love the birthday sushi! I've seen the desserts, but that one is new for me.

Right now it looks like CK is open to both.

@JohnK6404 Thanks! Food Glorious Food! We love My Time Dining, and when we originally booked this cruise, MTD still had options as early as 5:30 in the Cruise Compass. I think Royal had started to push that to later on Florida sailings, but the new, later start time had not yet hit Galveston. The earliest time is now 6:45, and we really want to be closer to 6pm. So, we switched to early seating. We love several dishes in the Main Dining Room, so we will eat there most nights. We are contemplating Chef’s Table, but have heard the location is loud on Liberty – it’s in the MDR on the back staircase landing between a couple of the decks. Maybe we’ll save it for Radiance in June. Day 2 is Valentine’s Day, and Chops is offering a special dinner. It showed up in the cruise planner the day before the Black Friday sale began at $64.99, then jumped up to $79.99 the next day for the big sale. In addition to the regular menu, each guest gets an individual bottle of champagne and an amuse bouche. A “celebratory” lobster tail is listed in the seafood section. The dessert menu has petit fours and a raspberry mouse cake plus all the Chops standards. Also, the seafood tower is listed as being available on this menu and I can't find an additional charge in the terms and conditions beyond the extra cost of the special meal. Maybe it will make a comeback! While we might eat at Chops or Giovanni’s one night, we are not purchasing the Valentine’s dinner. It just doesn’t really jump out at me as being that much above and beyond the regular menu for the cost. Besides, that’s duck night in the MDR! I’m sure we’ll have lunch at Johnny Rocket’s one day, and I know we’ll have our share of pizza at Sorrento’s. We’ll order room service once or twice too. We’ve never actually taken advantage of the full dining room menu room service that’s available to suite guests, so maybe we’ll try that one night if we’re too tired to get out. Other purchases We purchased the deluxe beverage package with Voom ($57) and the refreshment package ($18) for the kids. We also bought the 100 picture digital or print photo package ($124). These were all purchased during a Black Friday sale a year and a half before the cruise.

@NC350 I am so sorry that your son had to experience a total lack of compassion from that lady. I know I would have lost it if someone went off on my Autistic daughter like that. Very glad Guest Services was able to help and showed the right attitude in the situation. Can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!

Our kids like to set up a zoo area in our cabin to collect them for the week. We'll put a sticky note next to each animal with their name on it....you know cause those cute creations need names. Our SAs have not removed any when we did this and we've even received a couple bonus animals, I think we wound up with 9-10 on one 7 night sailing. Not sure if that is because the SA did it for the kids or being in a full suite. Our first two cruises were in jr suites without the kids and we definitely received far fewer animals on those sailings.

Cabin We’re suite snobs and need to have room to move. DH needs a place to go in the mornings when everyone else is asleep so someone doesn't hurt him. It's me...I'd hurt him. He’s also 6’4” so the extra space, while not vertical, helps. DD is on the Autism spectrum (Asperger’s) and needs a place to skip around and stim. She processes all the stimulus of the day by moving around in a safe space and reciting the events/conversations of the day to herself. At home she does this just before she goes to bed. But in a different environment with additional stimuli, that’s usually early afternoon/evening on a cruise which conveniently is about the time we get ready for dinner. We have sailed in the 2 bedroom grand suites a couple of times, and it’s a great layout for our family and needs. The kids get their own room, and DH can quietly move to the living room in the mornings without having a book thrown at his head. DD can move freely for 15 minutes or so in the living room while DS is in the shower before dinner, and it resets her for the evening’s activities. This time, we selected aft 2 bedroom grand suite #8714. We stayed in the same stateroom category just one deck up on our last Liberty sailing in November 2019 (and on Enchantment February 2020) so the cabin will feel like home. And the double wide aft balcony can't be beat. Excursions We’re sticking with Royal excursions this time around. Belize – We were planning on the Ancient Ruins of Altun Ha. The homeschool mom in me wanted to use this one as a field trip with a unit study on the Mayan culture in the weeks leading up to the trip. We have recently decided to stay on the ship instead, although we may tender to the tourism village to get a t-shirt and ornament. Even though masks are required in Belize right now, we didn't want to be in a confined space for the hour long bus ride to get to the ruins. Costa Maya – Mexican Salsa Experience and Beach Break. The description for this excursion says you make 2 kinds of salsa, learn a little salsa dance, and get a little beach time. DD is a picky eater and may even be a super taster. She’ll eat salsa though, and she is excited about making it herself. DH and I met through competitive ballroom dancing, so that part is purely for us. This excursion is 3 hours long and starts at 1:30pm. DH doesn’t know that this excursion ends at 4:30 with a 5pm ship departure. That’s going to make him a little nervous, but since it’s a Royal excursion I’m not worried. Cozumel – Dolphin Swim & VIP Experience All Inclusive. We kept this one a surprise for the kids until Christmas, and wrapped up stuffed dolphins as one of their gifts. DD wants to be a marine biologist, and loves the thought of getting to interact with the animals. I think DS will have a good time exploring Chankanaab after the swim. This excursion is 3.5 hours long, and this is the only one where I had a choice of start time. I selected the earliest available at 10:30. The excursion includes lunch, and since it ends at 2pm we’ll have plenty of time to get ready for our second formal night.

We missed out on the $18 DBP, but we were on her in September 2019. That seems so long ago now!

What is a no-see um? Like jellyfish?

Finally, after 732 days on land, we will be embarking on Liberty of the Seas out of Galveston on February 13! DH has been on the fence about going due to Omicron, but he booked his covid test and our hotel yesterday, so I think I finally nudged him to go. Ok, I might have pushed him off that fence while holding a pitchfork, but a girl can only stay at home watching the FCCs pile up for so long! We originally booked under a Kids Sail Free promo (remember those?), and our lift and shift froze pricing for our daughter who has aged out of the kids’ pricing during the shutdown. We really got a steal on our cabin, and we’ll turn diamond on this cruise thanks to the double points promotion. I really did not want to cancel this one! Like everyone else’s rescheduled cruises, how we got here is kind of a convoluted story. 2 years ago (almost to the day) we took my MIL on her first cruise, which was Enchantment in February 2020, for her birthday. We get along great and always have fun together, so we headed to the Next Cruise office and booked another family cruise with her for the next year. We found a real gem – 7 days on Jewel from Galveston going to Perfect Day! Little did we know that covid would shut everything down for so long, and our trip was lifted and shifted to Liberty visiting Cozumel, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman. Of course, two of those ports have changed, and we are now stopping in Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Belize. That’s fine with me as long as I can still get a lava flow on the pool deck or a habanero grapefruit daiquiri in the Schooner Bar! A little about us: Me - longtime homeschooling mom who runs a wedding bakery from home. I’m either grading papers or covered in icing. DH - engineer who likes naps. I’m the night owl who likes to sleep past the sun rising, whereas DH is a morning person who naturally wakes up early. 5am is sleeping in for him. DD – 13 and is starting those fun (ahem…awkward) teen years. DS – 9 and is your typical bouncing boy. The kid literally has no off button. Unfortunately, due to some ongoing health issues, MIL decided a couple months ago to not come along. This is our fifth cruise, and the kids’ third, all on Royal. Cabin details coming soon...

It doesn't matter who's name the device is in. Your Voom package determines the number of devices which can be logged into Voom at one time. Whatever device you want to use, you just login. We have used what's app when sailing on ships without the messaging feature. It worked well and didn't cost anything above the wifi package we had already purchased.

I do both, but prefer paper. With two kids that don't have a phone, but are old enough to hold their own paperwork, I prefer they carry their own.