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Dan Curtis

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  1. Like
    Dan Curtis got a reaction from PhillyLady in I cut the cord (Extras)   
    First off, I don't blame Royal or any cruise line making money, but threw the years even before covid, they started cutting little things, used to get a couple of chocolates on the bed, ball caps, etc. I still think cruising is less expensive than a normal vacation because off food, entertainment included.  We have never ate at special dining, we enjoy main dining room, we met people from other states, countries, now have friends from California, who we now visit each other, KY to California, the 4 drink a day for diamond is fine with us, we use royal credit points for on board credit and use toward excursions, we do an excursion at ever port, mostly to get off ship and see other parts of the world, it is always up to the individual as to how to spend their own money, we fill blessed to be able to cruiuse, I'm sure you will have an outstanding cruise.
  2. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to JohnK6404 in We've Come Full Circle - Wonder to Wonder! 1/7/23-1/15/23 (8-Night)   
    DAY 1:  Embarkation Day (Port Canaveral)
    Hi everyone! Wow, busy first day as usual! Everyone else has hit the hay except for me. 
    I’m sitting outside on our CP balcony and enjoying the light breeze that’s passing through Central Park. CP is still busy on this first evening. The musicians stopped playing less than an hour ago and many folks are still enjoying the park. I love the evening since the balconies are more private since there are no balcony lights. I do not see a single person out on their balcony across the park from us. Maybe many of them are going to the ballon drop.
    Now back to this morning… we ate breakfast in the hotel and checked out. We booked the shuttle to the port through the hotel. It completes the loop of terminals on our side of the port. First we stopped at the Carnival terminal to drop folks off for the Mardi Gras, then we headed to Terminal 1 for our sailing. I believe the final drop off for this shuttle was the NCL terminal for the Escape.
    Just some random shots heading to the terminal…


     
    Let me tell you this was the easiest boarding we’ve ever had to date! The shuttle bus dropped us off and the baggage porters immediately greeted us as we exited the bus to collect the luggage. We arrived at the terminal about 20 minutes early around 10:10am. We have the Key and we also selected the earliest boarding window of 10:30am-11:00am.
    At the entrance there was signage for the Key guests. We entered the “line” (only us, no other passengers ahead of us) and promptly went through security. Next, we were directed to lines dedicated to the Key for Royal’s check-in process which literally took about 3-4 minutes. The waiting area is adjacent to the check-in and we were told to walk to the Key waiting area. As we approached the area, they had already started boarding the suite and Key guests so they directed us to just walk right through and board. We never had to wait on a line and were on the ship and in the promenade at 10:20am before our scheduled boarding time! Literally, 10 minutes from baggage porter outside the shuttle bus to entering the Royal Promenade! Very good timing and very smooth process for sure!
    We headed to the Key check-in desk located at Deck 4 of the MDR. Checked in and dropped off our carry-ons for delivery to our stateroom. The Key lunch was scheduled from 11:00am-1:30pm. Since we had some time to kill, we headed up to Central Park and stopped in Chops Grille to make our specialty dining package (3-night) reservations. So easy… no line once again. We booked Hooked for tonight, 150 Central Park for Day 4, and Giovanni’s for Day 5. We may book Izumi for lunch on the last day… we’ll see!
    Our friends had to take care of something at Guest Services, so we all agreed to meet back at the MDR for the Key lunch at 11:30am. Lunch was the typical Key menu…

     
    I ordered the Wild Mushroom soup, Angus Filet Mignon, and Mac & Cheese and Mashed Potatoes. For dessert, I ordered the cheesecake.



     
    The soup was excellent as usual. The filet was good, but not as good as in the past. This is our third time with the Key. First, back in 2019 (Allure) when it was actually held in Chops. That of course was the best experience all around. Back in FEB 2022 (Odyssey) we had it for the first time in the MDR, but were wowed and felt it was just as good! This time, the filet was not quite hot enough (had cooled before serving)… the waiter brought broccoli instead of mashed potatoes and the mac & cheese was luke warm to cool. We believe the waiter was relatively new and there also was somewhat of a language barrier as he had difficulty understanding most of us. The cheesecake was excellent of course! Overall, most of the group’s food was good, but I was not overly impressed this time around.
    During lunch, we completed 2 of the 3 steps for the muster drill. After we finished eating we headed to our muster stations to check in and complete the drill. We headed back to the Royal Promenade to walk round and kill time before the staterooms were ready. Around 1:00pm or so, the announcement was made and we headed back to our staterooms. Our Key carry-ons were on the bed waiting for us, but our luggage had not been delivered just yet. Eventually, they were delivered to our deck, but the bags were left about 10 cabins away down the hall.
    Some random shots…



     
    Some pics taken from our CP balconies on Deck 11 above Giovanni’s and across from the Park Cafe…



     
    After unpacking we headed to the aft of the ship, had a few drinks from the Wipeout Bar, and waited for sail away. Some more shots from our vantage point including the port, Grill’s Restaurant (where we had lunch yesterday) and the Carnival Freedom, NCL Escape, and Disney Fantasy heading out… the Mardi Gras was on the other side and departed before us…








     
    With the setting of the sun, I need to go to bed as it’s now 1:00am! The lights in CP just dimmed to the overnight light levels.
    We’re getting up very early tomorrow… Christine is going to the gym with her friends. I may wander the ship and try to complete Day 1 tomorrow morning!
    Have a good night if you’re still awake like me!  😆
     
  3. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to JohnK6404 in We've Come Full Circle - Wonder to Wonder! 1/7/23-1/15/23 (8-Night)   
    Just woke up!  She’s here!  😀
    https://www.portcanaveralwebcam.com

     
    Cropped shot through a dirty hotel window… sooo close!

     
  4. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to JohnK6404 in We've Come Full Circle - Wonder to Wonder! 1/7/23-1/15/23 (8-Night)   
    So, our SW flight was delayed until 8:50am and we arrived at MCO at 11:25am. Could have been worse so we can’t complain!
    Everyone waiting to board…

     

     
    My wife is not a good flyer… she hates takeoffs and landings! So, her vacation officially began the moment we safely touched down in Orlando!  😀
    We parted ways with my wife’s uncle and GF as they are heading to WDW for the day. Our friend scooped us up from the airport and we headed to the hotel to check in. We found out that we’re staying at the Marriott Residence Inn in Cape Canaveral (our friend booked the rooms). Nice for our purposes and so close to the port (practically across the street).
    Our traveling group of 5 is now 6! Our friend was having a hard time finding someone to share her cabin, but over the last couple of weeks was able lock someone down that we also know! Starving, we all decided to go to Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar right next to Terminal 1…

     


    Indy was in port and apparently undergoing some work of some kind. A crane was loading multiple large wooden crates up to the top decks… of course no signs of passengers this afternoon so I’m assuming it must be temporarily out of service. She needs to depart to make room for Wonder tomorrow morning!  😆


     
    Jewel and Mariner were also in the port today… 


     
    We’re back at the hotel… Christine is napping… playing the rest of the evening by ear!
     
  5. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to WannaCruise in I cut the cord (Extras)   
    We don't do a lot of extras.
    We stick to MDR as we like the experience and same waiter, same table each night.
    We don't get internet as we like to disconnect.
    If DBP is cheap enough, then we will get it, but I think those days are long past.  Last time we got a coffee card which worked well for us so will purchase for our next cruise (2 cards).  Otherwise, we purchase drinks a la carte.
    We don't purchase many excursions.  The exception is the Thrillpark at CoCo Cay if it's within our budget (it wasn't initially but we went ahead thanks to Black Friday).  We booked one additional one for our cruise in March but that's it.
    We also tend to book basic rooms...2 connecting rooms when with our kids if it works.  But with the new ships, even then we stick to lower category stateroom or even all of us in one room again for one of them.
    Between airline and the cruise itself (and cruising 2x a year), it's pricey but we still get basics to enjoy....and we still have an amazing time!
     
  6. Love
    Dan Curtis reacted to Sweety in I cut the cord (Extras)   
    Cruising is a personal decision. I respect everyone else’s opinions and choices. I have been teaching for 32 years and have 300 hundred sick days. I value my downtime and love cruising with my grandkids. Now I cruise through their eyes.
  7. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to Bowen in I cut the cord (Extras)   
    This is how we cruise and we like it a lot. We always purchase internet/soda for the two kids, but we don’t book excursions except in rare cases, same for specialty restaurants, and we only drink on our Diamond vouchers. We always have a great time and we really enjoy getting to know our MDR waiters. I hope you have a great time!
  8. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to BennyandBo in I cut the cord (Extras)   
    Well, I did it. I cut the cord so to speak. Royal has made menu cuts, housekeeping cuts, and who knows what's next since I booked my Wonder and Icon sailings. So I canceled all my purchases for my May trip. I'm up almost $2k and Royal is SOL. Lol. No drinks, no beach club, no excursions, no specialty restaurants. Zip. I'm going old school in May on Wonder and going to see if what's included is good enough. The amount I'm getting back is amazing and so far I can't really say I have any regrets. Might make for an interesting report come June on Wonder on the cheap. Time will tell.
  9. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to JohnK6404 in We've Come Full Circle - Wonder to Wonder! 1/7/23-1/15/23 (8-Night)   
    All checked in for our flight!  ✅
    Health status questionnaire just completed on the app!  ✅
    OK, just fussing with the app again for a few. I know it may not be accurate, but which evenings do you think are the formal evenings? Things that make you go hmmmmm....  🤔
    I'll confirm once we board when we're making our specialty dining reservations. I know they won't be on sea days since they fall on Day 4 and Day 8 (last day).
    The MDR menu, as posted, suggests (IMO) Day 2 (Nassau) and Day 6 (Dominican Republic). Day 2 is Beef Tenderloin, Day 3 is Prime Rib (CocoCay) and Day 6 is Lobster Tail... 
     
  10. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to JohnK6404 in We've Come Full Circle - Wonder to Wonder! 1/7/23-1/15/23 (8-Night)   
    We’re getting there!
     
     
    Love to see this as it means we're sooo very close!  😎

     
    The packing is mostly done. The dogs of course sense that something is up! They have been extra needy the last couple of nights. Now we need to pack all of their food/snacks/toys as we’ll be dropping them off at my sister’s house this evening. She really enjoys taking care of them while we’re away and we feel relieved that they’re in good hands with their “aunt and uncle”. We just fear that it won’t only be us putting on the dreaded cruise weight… she has been known to give them a few too many treats!  🤣
    OK… have to post a couple of pics as usual! Jake (5) is the larger boy and Bella (10) is the smaller female. Christine insists on putting them in Christmas pajamas every year!  😱

     
    So, we’re getting up around 4:00 AM tomorrow morning... We’re meeting up with my wife’s uncle and GF at the airport to make our 7:15 AM flight out of Long Island Islip/Macarthur (ISP) to Orlando (MCO). It’s only about 8 minutes or so from our house and we have a resident parking permit which is nice. Hopefully, no hiccups with Southwest tomorrow morning considering that holiday disaster! Usually, it’s a pleasure to fly out of Macarthur especially when you’re on one of the first flights of the day and the airport is still really quiet!
    I'm off from work today (Christine had to work), so time for me to be productive before she adds more things to the to-do list!  😂
  11. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to Lovetocruise2002 in 🎊⚓Shining, Shimmering, Splendid! NYE SY 12/31/22 – 01/07/23🎊⚓   
    Ah…finally back on board. 6 ships in port today. SY, LB, FR, plus 3 Carnival ships. Way too crowded for my liking. But all is good now. 😊

  12. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to DonR in These people are the worst I have ever dealt with   
    I have always booked directly, I have done it online, over the phone, and at Nextcruise. 
    I have always had confirmation of my transactions within a few minutes and if there were any discrepancies I called at that time to make sure everything was SAT. 
    When I work with RC over the phone I always make sure I can access my email and look at my confirmations before I end the call. Some of the things look weird on the confirmations so I have them walk me through it. Kids sail free always looks weird on the receipts as does our drink packages on cruise planner.  
    There have been occasional errors, and each time I could trace them to my own mistakes. Rebooking trips canceled during the shutdown was multiple levels of headaches and I made sure to watch each line item. 

    My cruises have always been overall to my satisfaction and enjoyment. even when there were itinerary shifts and port cancelations. 
    Some will say "I shouldn't have to put that much work into a vacation" to which I respond by referring  you to the Travel agents referenced above who will happily do every bit of the foot work I have described for you.  They might even save you some money or be able to throw in some extra perks. 
    I simply like to do it myself at my own pace. 
  13. Like
    Dan Curtis got a reaction from Neesa in These people are the worst I have ever dealt with   
    I guess I have been lucky or had good agents, we have did 20 cruises, 21 in the books and called Royal directly every cruise with very minor issues, we even do a three way call  at times to book the same time as our out of state friends. Hope I didn't jinx my self with our next booking. I know most on here use an agent. 
  14. Like
    Dan Curtis got a reaction from deButler in These people are the worst I have ever dealt with   
    I guess I have been lucky or had good agents, we have did 20 cruises, 21 in the books and called Royal directly every cruise with very minor issues, we even do a three way call  at times to book the same time as our out of state friends. Hope I didn't jinx my self with our next booking. I know most on here use an agent. 
  15. Like
    Dan Curtis got a reaction from FloatyBoaty in These people are the worst I have ever dealt with   
    I guess I have been lucky or had good agents, we have did 20 cruises, 21 in the books and called Royal directly every cruise with very minor issues, we even do a three way call  at times to book the same time as our out of state friends. Hope I didn't jinx my self with our next booking. I know most on here use an agent. 
  16. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to Lovetocruise2002 in 🎊⚓Shining, Shimmering, Splendid! NYE SY 12/31/22 – 01/07/23🎊⚓   
    Dinner Night 4
    Chicken soup for all tonight! It’s good stuff!
    My other favourite from this meal is the Cauliflower Fried Rice. It’s a super light dish but so needed after eating so much over the last few days. 
     


  17. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to ChessE4 in MDR vs Windjammer for breakfast?   
    I agree seating better in MDR but for me food still lukewarm and unsatisfying. I prefer going to WJ by 730.
  18. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to chy in MDR vs Windjammer for breakfast?   
    I prefer the WJ for breakfast. The main difference is the WJ has more selection than the MDR, as well as you don't feel weird asking for another plate in the WJ. My partner is a big guy who eats lots, so its always good to start the day in the WJ so he can get his 3 or 4 plates and start the day off full
  19. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to Pattycruise in MDR vs Windjammer for breakfast?   
    Had the worst service in the MDR on Enchantment the beginning of the month.  On our first day our food took 1 1/2 hrs to arrive and some orders were wrong.  I don’t typically eat there.  That experience was enough for me, I won’t go back.  I wonder if that was their plan.,
  20. Like
    Dan Curtis got a reaction from WAAAYTOOO in MDR vs Windjammer for breakfast?   
    MDR never been our favorite either, for some reason we tend to go there on departure morning, it takes forever to get a simple coffee refill, but to each their own, we just don't care for it for breakfast.
  21. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to WAAAYTOOO in MDR vs Windjammer for breakfast?   
    We visited the MDR for breakfast on our latest OA cruise (12-22-22) and were immediately reminded of why we hadn't set foot in a MDR in over 5 years.  It reinforced our feelings about the MDR in general.
    They did sit us at a private 2-top.  That was the one and only positive thing.
    Service was slow, the food was cold and they got both of our orders wrong.  Never again.  I should add here that we also did not step food in the WJ the entire 11 days.  We ate our breakfasts [after we were no longer Suite guests] either at the Solarium Bistro (which is basically a small WJ...very good and surprised me !) or El Loco Fresh, which is Dan's favorite.  For me, not so much for breakfast.
    Bottom line - the MDR is dead to me.
  22. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to dr martini in Freedom for parents of two under two!   
    We are past final payment and now all checked in for a four day on Freedom of the Seas January 23, 2023!!  It will be the first time away from the babies (both under two) for me and my wife for more than a night but, as I told her, we deserve it and at some point we just gotta do it (very fortunate to have some awesome nearby grandmas to help).  It's a cruise of many firsts, we are fortunate to have cruised a fair amount, we will pass into Emerald status on this cruise with a goal of being Diamond in a few years, this will be our first time in a Junior suite as well as first time with Ultimate Dining and first time at Coco Beach Club.  I have done almost all of the Voyager class earlier in younger days on family trips and together we've done two Symphony cruises and a Navigator (the most recent Symphony was during spring break of this past year which was unfortunately not a great time with the crowds, lack of activities, pretty poor service level overall compared to previous voyages and yes a cruise is better than no cruise, yes spring break is always busy but we were limited by teachers and school aged children in the group of family we had with us, so that's a whole other conversation, but looking forward to things being somewhat more normal and not have to worry about the testing drama for a large group, masks, blah blah blah) so while we don't have the time or budget for a big 7 day cruise every year we are very much looking forward to a getaway as the two of us and splurging a bit as our Christmas gift to each other.
    I have been getting free interior and ocean view stateroom Casino Royale offers on all of these Florida based 3/4 nighters as well as a variety of older/smaller ship 7 nighters since before the shutdown and not being able to take advantage of them yet due to the babies and work commitments had been killing me!  We were on one of the very last cruises in Feb 2020 just before the shutdown to check out Navigator in her newly amped state as well as the brand new south beach and other additions at PDCC so this is a bit of a retread in a way, but hey, we know what we like and this ship appealed to us the most.  I say that because we really preferred Navigator over Symphony - I totally understand and respect of course that different folks like different things and Wonder looks amazing, lots of fun things to do, but for me the size and access to most areas, the connection to the ocean, the price, the familiarity to get around the ship easily .....that 2020 trip made Navigator our favorite of any ship we've been on and so that led us to being very keen to see Freedom in her relatively fresh state having been amped and then empty for two years.  We likely won't be onboard any Oasis class 7 nighter again until we can afford to truly go all out, stay in a suite, get ultimate dining etc to fully take advantage of all the things those ships can offer.  Being in a 'normal' non suite room on Symphony (without access to my favorite part of the Voyager class, the Viking Crown) and without doing specialty dining etc just created a lot of FOMO if that makes sense?  The base level approach was not for us, I don't think I would recommend it for other seasoned cruisers but would love to try Odyssey and will try to keep an open mind - we're all different and clearly Royal knows they had some challenges on the service end with the recent news about the main dining room menu etc and I applaud them for acknowledging that, but there's plenty of chatter about that elsewhere.  At the end of the day we are well aware of the business model, if you want more than the basic experience be prepared to spend more to get it and so on this particular four nighter we can afford to do just that.  It's good marketing and Royal clearly knows what they're doing, I'm fine with that.
    Through a great travel agent we've used in the past we paid a very reasonable upgrade fee on top of my casino royale offer to get ourselves into one of the brand newly built out Junior Suites on Deck 11 (thanks @Matt for the tip in a previous live blog of Freedom).  Final price was a third or less per person than what they have been going for in recent sales.  We both have DBX with Wifi at a great black Friday rate (imo the key is a very expensive, unnecessary clump of word salad for any experienced cruiser who is organized even a bit) we grabbed Ultimate dining for the first time as well as a Coco Beach Club day pass for $89.  
    We're flying into Miami from Ohare around noon the day before using American Miles and staying with Hilton points I've racked up at work (can't tell you how much I love having 99% of this entire trip already paid for aside from the cash we'll bring onboard).  Have yet to choose the exact hotel but we will stay on Miami beach so we can escape winter and start vacation mode as soon as we land!  Checkin is all set for 10AM Monday to take full advantage of our time aboard.  In the mean time, I'll be lurking around here and taking in as much content as I can to survive a busy stretch at work and get through the holidays.  I know we will miss our baby girls at times, but it's just a few nights and without them I will have time to review and be a blogger wannabe, looking forward to some time to play with my Nikon D5200 and various lenses, will link to my Flickr if necessary.  40 days and counting, happy holidays to everybody here and thankful for all I've learned so far.
     
    Cheers
     

  23. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to Lovetocruise2002 in 🎊⚓Shining, Shimmering, Splendid! NYE SY 12/31/22 – 01/07/23🎊⚓   
    Today in Roatan we did the Gumbalimba Preservation Park tour.
     
    D14 really loves nature and animals and we thought this might be something that she would enjoy. 
     
    Tickets were left in our cabin on boarding day and the instructions were to meet on the pier. Our suite concierges, Mohamed and JJ did offer expedited service to the gangway. This means that they bypass the stops on the elevator from Deck 17 down to the gangway. 
     
    After we got to the pier, we hopped on a bus with a tour guide. The bus had a capacity of about 20 people. This forms the tour group for the morning. 
     

    The way to Gumbalimba Park takes you through the main road here in Roatan. It’s winding and the posted speed limits are merely a “suggestion”. If you are prone to motion sickness, it’s best to take something before you get on the bus. 
    After we got to the park, it was strongly suggested that we lock up our belongings in lockers. This was my first hint that this excursion is not for me lol. Apparently, the monkeys are quite smart and could rob you should you have anything out. 
     
    After locking up our belongings. We headed to an insectarium. I assumed that it would be fairly dry, but I was interesting to see some of the biodiversity on the island. 
     




    After the Insectarium, we headed to Coxen’s Cave, a “museum like” area dedicated to telling Roatan’s history. It was here that our guide briefed us on the upcoming monkey area. He told us that the monkeys roam freely and not to panic if one jumps on you. He also noted that monkeys have been known to unzip belongings or even take glasses and belongings from people. That was enough for me. I think others thought I was joking when I asked where I could wait if I did not want to see the monkeys lol. For those who don’t know me well, I am not an animal person. I don’t even like dogs, monkeys is way too much of stretch for me. 


    From Coxen’s Cave we headed across a suspension bridge to visit the park’s macaws. There was an opportunity here to take photos with the macaws. Park staff took photos that could be purchased but many were using their own cameras as well. 

     




    After visiting the macaws, it was time to head to the monkey area. We were once again reminded to stow all lose items, get rid of our water bottles, and not panic if you encounter a monkey. Hubby and the kids went ahead and I stayed behind in the macaw area to wait for them to loop back around. As bad luck would have it, I encountered a monkey while waiting for them. I watched from a safe distance while the monkey dived into the recycle bin, took a Gatorade bottle, unscrewed it, and drank the leftovers like any normal person would. At that point, a trainer came by to scare monkey away and I breathed a sigh of relief.  
     
    Hubby and and girls came back around with the group and we made our way back out of the park. But not before stopping to look at some iguanas. As we walked to see the iguanas, some people from group informed me that I was smart to hang back. Apparently monkeys stealing your belongings is not the worst problem. You might want to bring a change of clothing after the monkey encounter as well. I will let you all make your inferences here 😉


    The tour takes you in a loop back to where you started. From this point you have the option to remain and use the beach or pool, or head back on a bus to the ship. We decided to head back because they need 20 people to fill a bus before they will go back to the ship. We did not want to get stuck there too long so we opted to head back right away with a few others from our tour group.
    Overall the family enjoyed this excursion. It’s about three and a half hours long with 40 mins of that being travel time (20 there and 20 back). On board pricing is $64.99pp but we got it for $49.99 on the cruise planner with the Black Friday sale. 
     
     
  24. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to Lovetocruise2002 in 🎊⚓Shining, Shimmering, Splendid! NYE SY 12/31/22 – 01/07/23🎊⚓   
    Good morning from Roatan, Honduras!
     

  25. Like
    Dan Curtis reacted to Lovetocruise2002 in 🎊⚓Shining, Shimmering, Splendid! NYE SY 12/31/22 – 01/07/23🎊⚓   
    Night 2 in CK. Service and quality excellent again. 
     


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