Fairlynew

A week after we booked our October cruise (on Vision) for a guaranteed interior, friends of ours decided they wanted to come along.  They booked a guaranteed interior as well.
The reservations are not linked, but we ended up literally across the hall from each other.  7151 and 7153.  Kinda cool.

I think you can also transfer a booking to a TA and have them handle it, but that takes a few days, maybe longer with all that is currently happening.  

Thank you for taking the time to share this.   

I just checked my March Oasis sailing and it is down to $57.  Except for the $18 glitch, which I did nab, that is the first time I've seen it below $61.

I leave my Kindle and a bag (taking anything else of value). I also don't go too far because I will get violent if someone takes my book/ereader

We were in a Grand Suite and loved it.  My husband and I will also be in a Grand Suite on Oasis in March. I have considered trying to upgrade to a Crown Loft Suite, but frankly, I sort of like the exercise I get by using the stairs.  I feel less guilty about the food and drinks when I have climbed the stairs to get them!  

This review is long over due.  Once I got home, life got in the way.  This review is not very detailed.  As I warned before I left, I am a relax and read sort of girl on vacation.   Warning, you may find this boring-I did not do much and I did not take any pictures.  
We met at the Orlando airport, rented a car and headed to Canaveral.  We drove straight to the port area to watch the Saturday ships sail off.  The upper deck at Fishlips was perfect.  We were about level with the upper decks of the two ships: Carnival Breeze and Disney Fantasy.  It was obvious from our vantage point that the Breeze was in need of some maintenance.  Afterwards, we purchased sunscreen and checked into the Radisson at the Port.  It was fine, but I would not recommend it.  The rooms open onto a breezeway and the only elevator we found was very inconvenient.  Our suitcases did not roll well over the uneven pavement of the breezeways.  In addition, when we checked out the next morning, the lobby was jammed with people waiting for the shuttle.  It did not appear to be very organized. 
We drove the beach looking for a place for dinner.  We went to Banos-a truly amazing Italian restaurant.  If you are in Cocoa Beach and want Italian, I highly recommend it.  We had different dishes: chicken picatta and chicken parmesan-both were excellent.
The next morning, we checked out the hotel breakfast and realized that it was really expensive.  We went to the McDonald’s across the street to grab something light and some coffee.  We knew that we’d be getting plenty to eat during the coming week. 
We returned our rental car to Alamo around 9:30.  There was some confusion about the shuttle.  The front desk told us we could go on the next shuttle.  The driver told us that he had to leave right away and could not wait for us to turn in the keys and load our luggage.  He said that company policy was to only pick up from the port until 10:30 and not to take any passengers to board the ship until that time.  While he was explaining this, I was loading our luggage into the van and my friend was enlisting the aid of the front desk.  We got on the shuttle and got to the port at a little before 10.  Check in was quick and easy.  There was no line at all for the suites check in.  We were in the suites waiting area within 10 minutes of getting out of the shuttle at the port and were on board the ship by around 10:30.
We had decided that we would get a drink at the first bar we saw-we planned to take full advantage of the drink package.  We walked in right at the Rising Tide bar and grabbed a glass of champagne to celebrate.  They were still setting up the bar area but were very kind to us. 
We wandered around the ship for a while, enjoying exploring, then headed up to the suites lounge and grabbed another drink there.  I did use the drink package in the suites lounge because my favorite sparkling wine is only in the MDR, but I requested that they stock in the suites lounge.  We had fun people watching, then had lunch in the CK.  I know the general opinion is that the lunch menu is not great, but we both had a wonderful meal.  I had herb encrusted chicken and my friend got salmon.  We shared the margarita flat bread for an appetizer and I had something chocolate for desert.   For you foodies out there, I am sorry, this is the only meal I remember what I ate.
After lunch, our room was ready.  We checked it out and then further explored the ship (and the bars).  We got a drink at the robot bar, and both of them were so awful, we didn’t finish them.  When we got back our luggage was there, so we unpacked and got ready for dinner. 
We ate each night in the CK.  Our reservations were between 6 and 6:15 both nights.  We usually headed to the lounge around 5 and had cocktails with a delightful family that we met up there the first night.  I had requested a table by the window and that request was honored almost every night.  The main thing we had not wanted was one of us with our back to the window, and that was never an issue.  We quickly discovered our favorite servers and were in their section each night.  We had either breakfast or lunch in the CK every day and dinner each night.  Three meals a day there would have been too much, so we varied it.  For breakfast, I loved both the French toast and the waffles.   For those that are wondering, I know that Junior suite guests were able to eat in the CK at least part of the time because we met one couple in there who were in a junior suite.  We saw them at least three different evenings.
I will also post details in the dining section, but we were able to have desert in Wonderland one evening, even though we did not have the dining package.  
The ship is large. We certainly did not experience all that it has to offer. I did go to the fitness center most mornings; it was very nice and I never had an issue finding a selection of equipment to use, even on sea days.

We had the drink package and managed to try out most of the bars, at least once. My only "complaint" was the heavy pours. I had to specifically tell the bar tenders to put less alcohol in my drinks. They routinely put a double shot in all mixed drinks-a single shot is plenty for me! Others may find that a positive.

I had breakfast in the Vitality Cafe twice, before working out. It was a very good, light breakfast. We also had lunch in the Park Cafe one day-very good, at Mini-Bites one afternoon-less good but not terrible and Sorenttos. The pizza was much better than expected. I really liked it, although I like most anything that I don't have to cook. We also went to the MDR for lunch one day. It was good, but it was very crowded and the atmosphere was hectic.


We saw Grease-very good, The Fine Line-a little odd, but we enjoyed it and both ice shows. My favorite show was I-Skate, but I enjoyed them all.  We liked the suite seating for all of the shows.  At the Fine Line, they tried to turn us away after scanning our sea passes because we did not have a reservation.  I politely explained that we were told that we did not need them since we were sky class.  He immediately pointed us in the right direction.  I mention this merely to let you know that there can be a disconnect between the pass and scanning it. 
We did not do any excursions.  We sat on the beach at Coco Cay for a while, but it was VERY hot.  We then went to the pool area, which seemed more comfortable, although it was still really hot. 
At St. Maartens, we took the water taxi to the beach and grabbed two chairs, an umbrella and a bucket of 6 Heinekens for $20.  It was more pleasant there than at Coco Cay.
In San Juan, we explored both forts on our own.  It was very hot, and we rested a while in the lobby of a very neat hotel across the street from a church.  The hotel used to be a convent, and has a serene bar area right in the middle of the courtyard.  We were tired that day-we walked over 9 miles.

Other than that, we generally just sat on the suite sun deck or in the suite lounge and watched people and read. A big advantage of the suite lounge and deck is that we really got to know some of our fellow passengers, which I really enjoyed. With one or two exceptions, everyone was warm and friendly. The concierges, Jeremias and Mohammed were fabulous, as was the CK manager, Ace and our waiter, Laurence.

The pools were exceptionally crowded. We never really went near them, but could see the crowds. We did enjoy the hot tub on the suite deck.
We did not have any issue with crowds, perhaps because we only took the elevator once the entire week. We were on deck 7 and found that walking up to deck 17 was a good way to get hungry for the great meals we enjoyed!  We might have found the crowds more intrusive had we not had access to the suite areas or if we had not been fit enough to take the stairs. The suite areas were very quiet and relaxing.
For most of the trip, Central Park was too hot to really enjoy-not unexpected in August.  The Boardwalk area had more of a breeze.  Our balcony was pleasant when the ship was moving and it was shady.  When the sun was shining our way or the ship was still, it was very hot.  I know I have mentioned being hot a lot-it was August, and I expected it.  I am not complaining, just sharing information for others.  I am from NC, so I am very used to heat and humidity.  If that bothers you, August might not be the best time for you to cruise.

I have heard other people comment about the cruise director, Dennis.  I did not really interact with him-I thought he was a little overboard at some of the shows, but it didn’t bother me.  I did find him very offensive at the suite sail away party.  I might not have mentioned here had several other passengers not also commented on it.  He began speaking about how suite guests and pinnacle members are the top 1% of all cruisers and are the crème of the crop for the cruise industry.  Then he asked us if we didn’t feel sorry for all of the poor people down below.  I found this comment to be in exceptionally bad taste, and I was not the only one.  The woman beside me asked if she had heard it correctly.  The couple behind me was appalled as well.  In the suite lounge later, two other people mentioned how much it bothered them.  First of all, I don’t feel sorry for anyone on a cruise ship (except maybe the crew sometimes).  Secondly, all of us on the ship were spending what we could afford.  I would not have been in a suite had I not gotten an incredibly good deal, very close to the sail date. I did tell him that his comment bothered me because I don't think it is fair to complain about something that someone does unless you are willing to say it to them directly.  He apologized.
Couple of notes on sky class: beach towels are provided on the suite sun deck, but they make you scan your card at other places-a major pain.  The suite lounge is awesome, and I loved having the reserved seating for the shows. 
All in all, we had a wonderful time!   If you have any questions, I will gladly try to answer them.

This review is long over due.  Once I got home, life got in the way.  This review is not very detailed.  As I warned before I left, I am a relax and read sort of girl on vacation.   Warning, you may find this boring-I did not do much and I did not take any pictures.  
We met at the Orlando airport, rented a car and headed to Canaveral.  We drove straight to the port area to watch the Saturday ships sail off.  The upper deck at Fishlips was perfect.  We were about level with the upper decks of the two ships: Carnival Breeze and Disney Fantasy.  It was obvious from our vantage point that the Breeze was in need of some maintenance.  Afterwards, we purchased sunscreen and checked into the Radisson at the Port.  It was fine, but I would not recommend it.  The rooms open onto a breezeway and the only elevator we found was very inconvenient.  Our suitcases did not roll well over the uneven pavement of the breezeways.  In addition, when we checked out the next morning, the lobby was jammed with people waiting for the shuttle.  It did not appear to be very organized. 
We drove the beach looking for a place for dinner.  We went to Banos-a truly amazing Italian restaurant.  If you are in Cocoa Beach and want Italian, I highly recommend it.  We had different dishes: chicken picatta and chicken parmesan-both were excellent.
The next morning, we checked out the hotel breakfast and realized that it was really expensive.  We went to the McDonald’s across the street to grab something light and some coffee.  We knew that we’d be getting plenty to eat during the coming week. 
We returned our rental car to Alamo around 9:30.  There was some confusion about the shuttle.  The front desk told us we could go on the next shuttle.  The driver told us that he had to leave right away and could not wait for us to turn in the keys and load our luggage.  He said that company policy was to only pick up from the port until 10:30 and not to take any passengers to board the ship until that time.  While he was explaining this, I was loading our luggage into the van and my friend was enlisting the aid of the front desk.  We got on the shuttle and got to the port at a little before 10.  Check in was quick and easy.  There was no line at all for the suites check in.  We were in the suites waiting area within 10 minutes of getting out of the shuttle at the port and were on board the ship by around 10:30.
We had decided that we would get a drink at the first bar we saw-we planned to take full advantage of the drink package.  We walked in right at the Rising Tide bar and grabbed a glass of champagne to celebrate.  They were still setting up the bar area but were very kind to us. 
We wandered around the ship for a while, enjoying exploring, then headed up to the suites lounge and grabbed another drink there.  I did use the drink package in the suites lounge because my favorite sparkling wine is only in the MDR, but I requested that they stock in the suites lounge.  We had fun people watching, then had lunch in the CK.  I know the general opinion is that the lunch menu is not great, but we both had a wonderful meal.  I had herb encrusted chicken and my friend got salmon.  We shared the margarita flat bread for an appetizer and I had something chocolate for desert.   For you foodies out there, I am sorry, this is the only meal I remember what I ate.
After lunch, our room was ready.  We checked it out and then further explored the ship (and the bars).  We got a drink at the robot bar, and both of them were so awful, we didn’t finish them.  When we got back our luggage was there, so we unpacked and got ready for dinner. 
We ate each night in the CK.  Our reservations were between 6 and 6:15 both nights.  We usually headed to the lounge around 5 and had cocktails with a delightful family that we met up there the first night.  I had requested a table by the window and that request was honored almost every night.  The main thing we had not wanted was one of us with our back to the window, and that was never an issue.  We quickly discovered our favorite servers and were in their section each night.  We had either breakfast or lunch in the CK every day and dinner each night.  Three meals a day there would have been too much, so we varied it.  For breakfast, I loved both the French toast and the waffles.   For those that are wondering, I know that Junior suite guests were able to eat in the CK at least part of the time because we met one couple in there who were in a junior suite.  We saw them at least three different evenings.
I will also post details in the dining section, but we were able to have desert in Wonderland one evening, even though we did not have the dining package.  
The ship is large. We certainly did not experience all that it has to offer. I did go to the fitness center most mornings; it was very nice and I never had an issue finding a selection of equipment to use, even on sea days.

We had the drink package and managed to try out most of the bars, at least once. My only "complaint" was the heavy pours. I had to specifically tell the bar tenders to put less alcohol in my drinks. They routinely put a double shot in all mixed drinks-a single shot is plenty for me! Others may find that a positive.

I had breakfast in the Vitality Cafe twice, before working out. It was a very good, light breakfast. We also had lunch in the Park Cafe one day-very good, at Mini-Bites one afternoon-less good but not terrible and Sorenttos. The pizza was much better than expected. I really liked it, although I like most anything that I don't have to cook. We also went to the MDR for lunch one day. It was good, but it was very crowded and the atmosphere was hectic.


We saw Grease-very good, The Fine Line-a little odd, but we enjoyed it and both ice shows. My favorite show was I-Skate, but I enjoyed them all.  We liked the suite seating for all of the shows.  At the Fine Line, they tried to turn us away after scanning our sea passes because we did not have a reservation.  I politely explained that we were told that we did not need them since we were sky class.  He immediately pointed us in the right direction.  I mention this merely to let you know that there can be a disconnect between the pass and scanning it. 
We did not do any excursions.  We sat on the beach at Coco Cay for a while, but it was VERY hot.  We then went to the pool area, which seemed more comfortable, although it was still really hot. 
At St. Maartens, we took the water taxi to the beach and grabbed two chairs, an umbrella and a bucket of 6 Heinekens for $20.  It was more pleasant there than at Coco Cay.
In San Juan, we explored both forts on our own.  It was very hot, and we rested a while in the lobby of a very neat hotel across the street from a church.  The hotel used to be a convent, and has a serene bar area right in the middle of the courtyard.  We were tired that day-we walked over 9 miles.

Other than that, we generally just sat on the suite sun deck or in the suite lounge and watched people and read. A big advantage of the suite lounge and deck is that we really got to know some of our fellow passengers, which I really enjoyed. With one or two exceptions, everyone was warm and friendly. The concierges, Jeremias and Mohammed were fabulous, as was the CK manager, Ace and our waiter, Laurence.

The pools were exceptionally crowded. We never really went near them, but could see the crowds. We did enjoy the hot tub on the suite deck.
We did not have any issue with crowds, perhaps because we only took the elevator once the entire week. We were on deck 7 and found that walking up to deck 17 was a good way to get hungry for the great meals we enjoyed!  We might have found the crowds more intrusive had we not had access to the suite areas or if we had not been fit enough to take the stairs. The suite areas were very quiet and relaxing.
For most of the trip, Central Park was too hot to really enjoy-not unexpected in August.  The Boardwalk area had more of a breeze.  Our balcony was pleasant when the ship was moving and it was shady.  When the sun was shining our way or the ship was still, it was very hot.  I know I have mentioned being hot a lot-it was August, and I expected it.  I am not complaining, just sharing information for others.  I am from NC, so I am very used to heat and humidity.  If that bothers you, August might not be the best time for you to cruise.

I have heard other people comment about the cruise director, Dennis.  I did not really interact with him-I thought he was a little overboard at some of the shows, but it didn’t bother me.  I did find him very offensive at the suite sail away party.  I might not have mentioned here had several other passengers not also commented on it.  He began speaking about how suite guests and pinnacle members are the top 1% of all cruisers and are the crème of the crop for the cruise industry.  Then he asked us if we didn’t feel sorry for all of the poor people down below.  I found this comment to be in exceptionally bad taste, and I was not the only one.  The woman beside me asked if she had heard it correctly.  The couple behind me was appalled as well.  In the suite lounge later, two other people mentioned how much it bothered them.  First of all, I don’t feel sorry for anyone on a cruise ship (except maybe the crew sometimes).  Secondly, all of us on the ship were spending what we could afford.  I would not have been in a suite had I not gotten an incredibly good deal, very close to the sail date. I did tell him that his comment bothered me because I don't think it is fair to complain about something that someone does unless you are willing to say it to them directly.  He apologized.
Couple of notes on sky class: beach towels are provided on the suite sun deck, but they make you scan your card at other places-a major pain.  The suite lounge is awesome, and I loved having the reserved seating for the shows. 
All in all, we had a wonderful time!   If you have any questions, I will gladly try to answer them.

This review is long over due.  Once I got home, life got in the way.  This review is not very detailed.  As I warned before I left, I am a relax and read sort of girl on vacation.   Warning, you may find this boring-I did not do much and I did not take any pictures.  
We met at the Orlando airport, rented a car and headed to Canaveral.  We drove straight to the port area to watch the Saturday ships sail off.  The upper deck at Fishlips was perfect.  We were about level with the upper decks of the two ships: Carnival Breeze and Disney Fantasy.  It was obvious from our vantage point that the Breeze was in need of some maintenance.  Afterwards, we purchased sunscreen and checked into the Radisson at the Port.  It was fine, but I would not recommend it.  The rooms open onto a breezeway and the only elevator we found was very inconvenient.  Our suitcases did not roll well over the uneven pavement of the breezeways.  In addition, when we checked out the next morning, the lobby was jammed with people waiting for the shuttle.  It did not appear to be very organized. 
We drove the beach looking for a place for dinner.  We went to Banos-a truly amazing Italian restaurant.  If you are in Cocoa Beach and want Italian, I highly recommend it.  We had different dishes: chicken picatta and chicken parmesan-both were excellent.
The next morning, we checked out the hotel breakfast and realized that it was really expensive.  We went to the McDonald’s across the street to grab something light and some coffee.  We knew that we’d be getting plenty to eat during the coming week. 
We returned our rental car to Alamo around 9:30.  There was some confusion about the shuttle.  The front desk told us we could go on the next shuttle.  The driver told us that he had to leave right away and could not wait for us to turn in the keys and load our luggage.  He said that company policy was to only pick up from the port until 10:30 and not to take any passengers to board the ship until that time.  While he was explaining this, I was loading our luggage into the van and my friend was enlisting the aid of the front desk.  We got on the shuttle and got to the port at a little before 10.  Check in was quick and easy.  There was no line at all for the suites check in.  We were in the suites waiting area within 10 minutes of getting out of the shuttle at the port and were on board the ship by around 10:30.
We had decided that we would get a drink at the first bar we saw-we planned to take full advantage of the drink package.  We walked in right at the Rising Tide bar and grabbed a glass of champagne to celebrate.  They were still setting up the bar area but were very kind to us. 
We wandered around the ship for a while, enjoying exploring, then headed up to the suites lounge and grabbed another drink there.  I did use the drink package in the suites lounge because my favorite sparkling wine is only in the MDR, but I requested that they stock in the suites lounge.  We had fun people watching, then had lunch in the CK.  I know the general opinion is that the lunch menu is not great, but we both had a wonderful meal.  I had herb encrusted chicken and my friend got salmon.  We shared the margarita flat bread for an appetizer and I had something chocolate for desert.   For you foodies out there, I am sorry, this is the only meal I remember what I ate.
After lunch, our room was ready.  We checked it out and then further explored the ship (and the bars).  We got a drink at the robot bar, and both of them were so awful, we didn’t finish them.  When we got back our luggage was there, so we unpacked and got ready for dinner. 
We ate each night in the CK.  Our reservations were between 6 and 6:15 both nights.  We usually headed to the lounge around 5 and had cocktails with a delightful family that we met up there the first night.  I had requested a table by the window and that request was honored almost every night.  The main thing we had not wanted was one of us with our back to the window, and that was never an issue.  We quickly discovered our favorite servers and were in their section each night.  We had either breakfast or lunch in the CK every day and dinner each night.  Three meals a day there would have been too much, so we varied it.  For breakfast, I loved both the French toast and the waffles.   For those that are wondering, I know that Junior suite guests were able to eat in the CK at least part of the time because we met one couple in there who were in a junior suite.  We saw them at least three different evenings.
I will also post details in the dining section, but we were able to have desert in Wonderland one evening, even though we did not have the dining package.  
The ship is large. We certainly did not experience all that it has to offer. I did go to the fitness center most mornings; it was very nice and I never had an issue finding a selection of equipment to use, even on sea days.

We had the drink package and managed to try out most of the bars, at least once. My only "complaint" was the heavy pours. I had to specifically tell the bar tenders to put less alcohol in my drinks. They routinely put a double shot in all mixed drinks-a single shot is plenty for me! Others may find that a positive.

I had breakfast in the Vitality Cafe twice, before working out. It was a very good, light breakfast. We also had lunch in the Park Cafe one day-very good, at Mini-Bites one afternoon-less good but not terrible and Sorenttos. The pizza was much better than expected. I really liked it, although I like most anything that I don't have to cook. We also went to the MDR for lunch one day. It was good, but it was very crowded and the atmosphere was hectic.


We saw Grease-very good, The Fine Line-a little odd, but we enjoyed it and both ice shows. My favorite show was I-Skate, but I enjoyed them all.  We liked the suite seating for all of the shows.  At the Fine Line, they tried to turn us away after scanning our sea passes because we did not have a reservation.  I politely explained that we were told that we did not need them since we were sky class.  He immediately pointed us in the right direction.  I mention this merely to let you know that there can be a disconnect between the pass and scanning it. 
We did not do any excursions.  We sat on the beach at Coco Cay for a while, but it was VERY hot.  We then went to the pool area, which seemed more comfortable, although it was still really hot. 
At St. Maartens, we took the water taxi to the beach and grabbed two chairs, an umbrella and a bucket of 6 Heinekens for $20.  It was more pleasant there than at Coco Cay.
In San Juan, we explored both forts on our own.  It was very hot, and we rested a while in the lobby of a very neat hotel across the street from a church.  The hotel used to be a convent, and has a serene bar area right in the middle of the courtyard.  We were tired that day-we walked over 9 miles.

Other than that, we generally just sat on the suite sun deck or in the suite lounge and watched people and read. A big advantage of the suite lounge and deck is that we really got to know some of our fellow passengers, which I really enjoyed. With one or two exceptions, everyone was warm and friendly. The concierges, Jeremias and Mohammed were fabulous, as was the CK manager, Ace and our waiter, Laurence.

The pools were exceptionally crowded. We never really went near them, but could see the crowds. We did enjoy the hot tub on the suite deck.
We did not have any issue with crowds, perhaps because we only took the elevator once the entire week. We were on deck 7 and found that walking up to deck 17 was a good way to get hungry for the great meals we enjoyed!  We might have found the crowds more intrusive had we not had access to the suite areas or if we had not been fit enough to take the stairs. The suite areas were very quiet and relaxing.
For most of the trip, Central Park was too hot to really enjoy-not unexpected in August.  The Boardwalk area had more of a breeze.  Our balcony was pleasant when the ship was moving and it was shady.  When the sun was shining our way or the ship was still, it was very hot.  I know I have mentioned being hot a lot-it was August, and I expected it.  I am not complaining, just sharing information for others.  I am from NC, so I am very used to heat and humidity.  If that bothers you, August might not be the best time for you to cruise.

I have heard other people comment about the cruise director, Dennis.  I did not really interact with him-I thought he was a little overboard at some of the shows, but it didn’t bother me.  I did find him very offensive at the suite sail away party.  I might not have mentioned here had several other passengers not also commented on it.  He began speaking about how suite guests and pinnacle members are the top 1% of all cruisers and are the crème of the crop for the cruise industry.  Then he asked us if we didn’t feel sorry for all of the poor people down below.  I found this comment to be in exceptionally bad taste, and I was not the only one.  The woman beside me asked if she had heard it correctly.  The couple behind me was appalled as well.  In the suite lounge later, two other people mentioned how much it bothered them.  First of all, I don’t feel sorry for anyone on a cruise ship (except maybe the crew sometimes).  Secondly, all of us on the ship were spending what we could afford.  I would not have been in a suite had I not gotten an incredibly good deal, very close to the sail date. I did tell him that his comment bothered me because I don't think it is fair to complain about something that someone does unless you are willing to say it to them directly.  He apologized.
Couple of notes on sky class: beach towels are provided on the suite sun deck, but they make you scan your card at other places-a major pain.  The suite lounge is awesome, and I loved having the reserved seating for the shows. 
All in all, we had a wonderful time!   If you have any questions, I will gladly try to answer them.

This review is long over due.  Once I got home, life got in the way.  This review is not very detailed.  As I warned before I left, I am a relax and read sort of girl on vacation.   Warning, you may find this boring-I did not do much and I did not take any pictures.  
We met at the Orlando airport, rented a car and headed to Canaveral.  We drove straight to the port area to watch the Saturday ships sail off.  The upper deck at Fishlips was perfect.  We were about level with the upper decks of the two ships: Carnival Breeze and Disney Fantasy.  It was obvious from our vantage point that the Breeze was in need of some maintenance.  Afterwards, we purchased sunscreen and checked into the Radisson at the Port.  It was fine, but I would not recommend it.  The rooms open onto a breezeway and the only elevator we found was very inconvenient.  Our suitcases did not roll well over the uneven pavement of the breezeways.  In addition, when we checked out the next morning, the lobby was jammed with people waiting for the shuttle.  It did not appear to be very organized. 
We drove the beach looking for a place for dinner.  We went to Banos-a truly amazing Italian restaurant.  If you are in Cocoa Beach and want Italian, I highly recommend it.  We had different dishes: chicken picatta and chicken parmesan-both were excellent.
The next morning, we checked out the hotel breakfast and realized that it was really expensive.  We went to the McDonald’s across the street to grab something light and some coffee.  We knew that we’d be getting plenty to eat during the coming week. 
We returned our rental car to Alamo around 9:30.  There was some confusion about the shuttle.  The front desk told us we could go on the next shuttle.  The driver told us that he had to leave right away and could not wait for us to turn in the keys and load our luggage.  He said that company policy was to only pick up from the port until 10:30 and not to take any passengers to board the ship until that time.  While he was explaining this, I was loading our luggage into the van and my friend was enlisting the aid of the front desk.  We got on the shuttle and got to the port at a little before 10.  Check in was quick and easy.  There was no line at all for the suites check in.  We were in the suites waiting area within 10 minutes of getting out of the shuttle at the port and were on board the ship by around 10:30.
We had decided that we would get a drink at the first bar we saw-we planned to take full advantage of the drink package.  We walked in right at the Rising Tide bar and grabbed a glass of champagne to celebrate.  They were still setting up the bar area but were very kind to us. 
We wandered around the ship for a while, enjoying exploring, then headed up to the suites lounge and grabbed another drink there.  I did use the drink package in the suites lounge because my favorite sparkling wine is only in the MDR, but I requested that they stock in the suites lounge.  We had fun people watching, then had lunch in the CK.  I know the general opinion is that the lunch menu is not great, but we both had a wonderful meal.  I had herb encrusted chicken and my friend got salmon.  We shared the margarita flat bread for an appetizer and I had something chocolate for desert.   For you foodies out there, I am sorry, this is the only meal I remember what I ate.
After lunch, our room was ready.  We checked it out and then further explored the ship (and the bars).  We got a drink at the robot bar, and both of them were so awful, we didn’t finish them.  When we got back our luggage was there, so we unpacked and got ready for dinner. 
We ate each night in the CK.  Our reservations were between 6 and 6:15 both nights.  We usually headed to the lounge around 5 and had cocktails with a delightful family that we met up there the first night.  I had requested a table by the window and that request was honored almost every night.  The main thing we had not wanted was one of us with our back to the window, and that was never an issue.  We quickly discovered our favorite servers and were in their section each night.  We had either breakfast or lunch in the CK every day and dinner each night.  Three meals a day there would have been too much, so we varied it.  For breakfast, I loved both the French toast and the waffles.   For those that are wondering, I know that Junior suite guests were able to eat in the CK at least part of the time because we met one couple in there who were in a junior suite.  We saw them at least three different evenings.
I will also post details in the dining section, but we were able to have desert in Wonderland one evening, even though we did not have the dining package.  
The ship is large. We certainly did not experience all that it has to offer. I did go to the fitness center most mornings; it was very nice and I never had an issue finding a selection of equipment to use, even on sea days.

We had the drink package and managed to try out most of the bars, at least once. My only "complaint" was the heavy pours. I had to specifically tell the bar tenders to put less alcohol in my drinks. They routinely put a double shot in all mixed drinks-a single shot is plenty for me! Others may find that a positive.

I had breakfast in the Vitality Cafe twice, before working out. It was a very good, light breakfast. We also had lunch in the Park Cafe one day-very good, at Mini-Bites one afternoon-less good but not terrible and Sorenttos. The pizza was much better than expected. I really liked it, although I like most anything that I don't have to cook. We also went to the MDR for lunch one day. It was good, but it was very crowded and the atmosphere was hectic.


We saw Grease-very good, The Fine Line-a little odd, but we enjoyed it and both ice shows. My favorite show was I-Skate, but I enjoyed them all.  We liked the suite seating for all of the shows.  At the Fine Line, they tried to turn us away after scanning our sea passes because we did not have a reservation.  I politely explained that we were told that we did not need them since we were sky class.  He immediately pointed us in the right direction.  I mention this merely to let you know that there can be a disconnect between the pass and scanning it. 
We did not do any excursions.  We sat on the beach at Coco Cay for a while, but it was VERY hot.  We then went to the pool area, which seemed more comfortable, although it was still really hot. 
At St. Maartens, we took the water taxi to the beach and grabbed two chairs, an umbrella and a bucket of 6 Heinekens for $20.  It was more pleasant there than at Coco Cay.
In San Juan, we explored both forts on our own.  It was very hot, and we rested a while in the lobby of a very neat hotel across the street from a church.  The hotel used to be a convent, and has a serene bar area right in the middle of the courtyard.  We were tired that day-we walked over 9 miles.

Other than that, we generally just sat on the suite sun deck or in the suite lounge and watched people and read. A big advantage of the suite lounge and deck is that we really got to know some of our fellow passengers, which I really enjoyed. With one or two exceptions, everyone was warm and friendly. The concierges, Jeremias and Mohammed were fabulous, as was the CK manager, Ace and our waiter, Laurence.

The pools were exceptionally crowded. We never really went near them, but could see the crowds. We did enjoy the hot tub on the suite deck.
We did not have any issue with crowds, perhaps because we only took the elevator once the entire week. We were on deck 7 and found that walking up to deck 17 was a good way to get hungry for the great meals we enjoyed!  We might have found the crowds more intrusive had we not had access to the suite areas or if we had not been fit enough to take the stairs. The suite areas were very quiet and relaxing.
For most of the trip, Central Park was too hot to really enjoy-not unexpected in August.  The Boardwalk area had more of a breeze.  Our balcony was pleasant when the ship was moving and it was shady.  When the sun was shining our way or the ship was still, it was very hot.  I know I have mentioned being hot a lot-it was August, and I expected it.  I am not complaining, just sharing information for others.  I am from NC, so I am very used to heat and humidity.  If that bothers you, August might not be the best time for you to cruise.

I have heard other people comment about the cruise director, Dennis.  I did not really interact with him-I thought he was a little overboard at some of the shows, but it didn’t bother me.  I did find him very offensive at the suite sail away party.  I might not have mentioned here had several other passengers not also commented on it.  He began speaking about how suite guests and pinnacle members are the top 1% of all cruisers and are the crème of the crop for the cruise industry.  Then he asked us if we didn’t feel sorry for all of the poor people down below.  I found this comment to be in exceptionally bad taste, and I was not the only one.  The woman beside me asked if she had heard it correctly.  The couple behind me was appalled as well.  In the suite lounge later, two other people mentioned how much it bothered them.  First of all, I don’t feel sorry for anyone on a cruise ship (except maybe the crew sometimes).  Secondly, all of us on the ship were spending what we could afford.  I would not have been in a suite had I not gotten an incredibly good deal, very close to the sail date. I did tell him that his comment bothered me because I don't think it is fair to complain about something that someone does unless you are willing to say it to them directly.  He apologized.
Couple of notes on sky class: beach towels are provided on the suite sun deck, but they make you scan your card at other places-a major pain.  The suite lounge is awesome, and I loved having the reserved seating for the shows. 
All in all, we had a wonderful time!   If you have any questions, I will gladly try to answer them.

This review is long over due.  Once I got home, life got in the way.  This review is not very detailed.  As I warned before I left, I am a relax and read sort of girl on vacation.   Warning, you may find this boring-I did not do much and I did not take any pictures.  
We met at the Orlando airport, rented a car and headed to Canaveral.  We drove straight to the port area to watch the Saturday ships sail off.  The upper deck at Fishlips was perfect.  We were about level with the upper decks of the two ships: Carnival Breeze and Disney Fantasy.  It was obvious from our vantage point that the Breeze was in need of some maintenance.  Afterwards, we purchased sunscreen and checked into the Radisson at the Port.  It was fine, but I would not recommend it.  The rooms open onto a breezeway and the only elevator we found was very inconvenient.  Our suitcases did not roll well over the uneven pavement of the breezeways.  In addition, when we checked out the next morning, the lobby was jammed with people waiting for the shuttle.  It did not appear to be very organized. 
We drove the beach looking for a place for dinner.  We went to Banos-a truly amazing Italian restaurant.  If you are in Cocoa Beach and want Italian, I highly recommend it.  We had different dishes: chicken picatta and chicken parmesan-both were excellent.
The next morning, we checked out the hotel breakfast and realized that it was really expensive.  We went to the McDonald’s across the street to grab something light and some coffee.  We knew that we’d be getting plenty to eat during the coming week. 
We returned our rental car to Alamo around 9:30.  There was some confusion about the shuttle.  The front desk told us we could go on the next shuttle.  The driver told us that he had to leave right away and could not wait for us to turn in the keys and load our luggage.  He said that company policy was to only pick up from the port until 10:30 and not to take any passengers to board the ship until that time.  While he was explaining this, I was loading our luggage into the van and my friend was enlisting the aid of the front desk.  We got on the shuttle and got to the port at a little before 10.  Check in was quick and easy.  There was no line at all for the suites check in.  We were in the suites waiting area within 10 minutes of getting out of the shuttle at the port and were on board the ship by around 10:30.
We had decided that we would get a drink at the first bar we saw-we planned to take full advantage of the drink package.  We walked in right at the Rising Tide bar and grabbed a glass of champagne to celebrate.  They were still setting up the bar area but were very kind to us. 
We wandered around the ship for a while, enjoying exploring, then headed up to the suites lounge and grabbed another drink there.  I did use the drink package in the suites lounge because my favorite sparkling wine is only in the MDR, but I requested that they stock in the suites lounge.  We had fun people watching, then had lunch in the CK.  I know the general opinion is that the lunch menu is not great, but we both had a wonderful meal.  I had herb encrusted chicken and my friend got salmon.  We shared the margarita flat bread for an appetizer and I had something chocolate for desert.   For you foodies out there, I am sorry, this is the only meal I remember what I ate.
After lunch, our room was ready.  We checked it out and then further explored the ship (and the bars).  We got a drink at the robot bar, and both of them were so awful, we didn’t finish them.  When we got back our luggage was there, so we unpacked and got ready for dinner. 
We ate each night in the CK.  Our reservations were between 6 and 6:15 both nights.  We usually headed to the lounge around 5 and had cocktails with a delightful family that we met up there the first night.  I had requested a table by the window and that request was honored almost every night.  The main thing we had not wanted was one of us with our back to the window, and that was never an issue.  We quickly discovered our favorite servers and were in their section each night.  We had either breakfast or lunch in the CK every day and dinner each night.  Three meals a day there would have been too much, so we varied it.  For breakfast, I loved both the French toast and the waffles.   For those that are wondering, I know that Junior suite guests were able to eat in the CK at least part of the time because we met one couple in there who were in a junior suite.  We saw them at least three different evenings.
I will also post details in the dining section, but we were able to have desert in Wonderland one evening, even though we did not have the dining package.  
The ship is large. We certainly did not experience all that it has to offer. I did go to the fitness center most mornings; it was very nice and I never had an issue finding a selection of equipment to use, even on sea days.

We had the drink package and managed to try out most of the bars, at least once. My only "complaint" was the heavy pours. I had to specifically tell the bar tenders to put less alcohol in my drinks. They routinely put a double shot in all mixed drinks-a single shot is plenty for me! Others may find that a positive.

I had breakfast in the Vitality Cafe twice, before working out. It was a very good, light breakfast. We also had lunch in the Park Cafe one day-very good, at Mini-Bites one afternoon-less good but not terrible and Sorenttos. The pizza was much better than expected. I really liked it, although I like most anything that I don't have to cook. We also went to the MDR for lunch one day. It was good, but it was very crowded and the atmosphere was hectic.


We saw Grease-very good, The Fine Line-a little odd, but we enjoyed it and both ice shows. My favorite show was I-Skate, but I enjoyed them all.  We liked the suite seating for all of the shows.  At the Fine Line, they tried to turn us away after scanning our sea passes because we did not have a reservation.  I politely explained that we were told that we did not need them since we were sky class.  He immediately pointed us in the right direction.  I mention this merely to let you know that there can be a disconnect between the pass and scanning it. 
We did not do any excursions.  We sat on the beach at Coco Cay for a while, but it was VERY hot.  We then went to the pool area, which seemed more comfortable, although it was still really hot. 
At St. Maartens, we took the water taxi to the beach and grabbed two chairs, an umbrella and a bucket of 6 Heinekens for $20.  It was more pleasant there than at Coco Cay.
In San Juan, we explored both forts on our own.  It was very hot, and we rested a while in the lobby of a very neat hotel across the street from a church.  The hotel used to be a convent, and has a serene bar area right in the middle of the courtyard.  We were tired that day-we walked over 9 miles.

Other than that, we generally just sat on the suite sun deck or in the suite lounge and watched people and read. A big advantage of the suite lounge and deck is that we really got to know some of our fellow passengers, which I really enjoyed. With one or two exceptions, everyone was warm and friendly. The concierges, Jeremias and Mohammed were fabulous, as was the CK manager, Ace and our waiter, Laurence.

The pools were exceptionally crowded. We never really went near them, but could see the crowds. We did enjoy the hot tub on the suite deck.
We did not have any issue with crowds, perhaps because we only took the elevator once the entire week. We were on deck 7 and found that walking up to deck 17 was a good way to get hungry for the great meals we enjoyed!  We might have found the crowds more intrusive had we not had access to the suite areas or if we had not been fit enough to take the stairs. The suite areas were very quiet and relaxing.
For most of the trip, Central Park was too hot to really enjoy-not unexpected in August.  The Boardwalk area had more of a breeze.  Our balcony was pleasant when the ship was moving and it was shady.  When the sun was shining our way or the ship was still, it was very hot.  I know I have mentioned being hot a lot-it was August, and I expected it.  I am not complaining, just sharing information for others.  I am from NC, so I am very used to heat and humidity.  If that bothers you, August might not be the best time for you to cruise.

I have heard other people comment about the cruise director, Dennis.  I did not really interact with him-I thought he was a little overboard at some of the shows, but it didn’t bother me.  I did find him very offensive at the suite sail away party.  I might not have mentioned here had several other passengers not also commented on it.  He began speaking about how suite guests and pinnacle members are the top 1% of all cruisers and are the crème of the crop for the cruise industry.  Then he asked us if we didn’t feel sorry for all of the poor people down below.  I found this comment to be in exceptionally bad taste, and I was not the only one.  The woman beside me asked if she had heard it correctly.  The couple behind me was appalled as well.  In the suite lounge later, two other people mentioned how much it bothered them.  First of all, I don’t feel sorry for anyone on a cruise ship (except maybe the crew sometimes).  Secondly, all of us on the ship were spending what we could afford.  I would not have been in a suite had I not gotten an incredibly good deal, very close to the sail date. I did tell him that his comment bothered me because I don't think it is fair to complain about something that someone does unless you are willing to say it to them directly.  He apologized.
Couple of notes on sky class: beach towels are provided on the suite sun deck, but they make you scan your card at other places-a major pain.  The suite lounge is awesome, and I loved having the reserved seating for the shows. 
All in all, we had a wonderful time!   If you have any questions, I will gladly try to answer them.

This review is long over due.  Once I got home, life got in the way.  This review is not very detailed.  As I warned before I left, I am a relax and read sort of girl on vacation.   Warning, you may find this boring-I did not do much and I did not take any pictures.  
We met at the Orlando airport, rented a car and headed to Canaveral.  We drove straight to the port area to watch the Saturday ships sail off.  The upper deck at Fishlips was perfect.  We were about level with the upper decks of the two ships: Carnival Breeze and Disney Fantasy.  It was obvious from our vantage point that the Breeze was in need of some maintenance.  Afterwards, we purchased sunscreen and checked into the Radisson at the Port.  It was fine, but I would not recommend it.  The rooms open onto a breezeway and the only elevator we found was very inconvenient.  Our suitcases did not roll well over the uneven pavement of the breezeways.  In addition, when we checked out the next morning, the lobby was jammed with people waiting for the shuttle.  It did not appear to be very organized. 
We drove the beach looking for a place for dinner.  We went to Banos-a truly amazing Italian restaurant.  If you are in Cocoa Beach and want Italian, I highly recommend it.  We had different dishes: chicken picatta and chicken parmesan-both were excellent.
The next morning, we checked out the hotel breakfast and realized that it was really expensive.  We went to the McDonald’s across the street to grab something light and some coffee.  We knew that we’d be getting plenty to eat during the coming week. 
We returned our rental car to Alamo around 9:30.  There was some confusion about the shuttle.  The front desk told us we could go on the next shuttle.  The driver told us that he had to leave right away and could not wait for us to turn in the keys and load our luggage.  He said that company policy was to only pick up from the port until 10:30 and not to take any passengers to board the ship until that time.  While he was explaining this, I was loading our luggage into the van and my friend was enlisting the aid of the front desk.  We got on the shuttle and got to the port at a little before 10.  Check in was quick and easy.  There was no line at all for the suites check in.  We were in the suites waiting area within 10 minutes of getting out of the shuttle at the port and were on board the ship by around 10:30.
We had decided that we would get a drink at the first bar we saw-we planned to take full advantage of the drink package.  We walked in right at the Rising Tide bar and grabbed a glass of champagne to celebrate.  They were still setting up the bar area but were very kind to us. 
We wandered around the ship for a while, enjoying exploring, then headed up to the suites lounge and grabbed another drink there.  I did use the drink package in the suites lounge because my favorite sparkling wine is only in the MDR, but I requested that they stock in the suites lounge.  We had fun people watching, then had lunch in the CK.  I know the general opinion is that the lunch menu is not great, but we both had a wonderful meal.  I had herb encrusted chicken and my friend got salmon.  We shared the margarita flat bread for an appetizer and I had something chocolate for desert.   For you foodies out there, I am sorry, this is the only meal I remember what I ate.
After lunch, our room was ready.  We checked it out and then further explored the ship (and the bars).  We got a drink at the robot bar, and both of them were so awful, we didn’t finish them.  When we got back our luggage was there, so we unpacked and got ready for dinner. 
We ate each night in the CK.  Our reservations were between 6 and 6:15 both nights.  We usually headed to the lounge around 5 and had cocktails with a delightful family that we met up there the first night.  I had requested a table by the window and that request was honored almost every night.  The main thing we had not wanted was one of us with our back to the window, and that was never an issue.  We quickly discovered our favorite servers and were in their section each night.  We had either breakfast or lunch in the CK every day and dinner each night.  Three meals a day there would have been too much, so we varied it.  For breakfast, I loved both the French toast and the waffles.   For those that are wondering, I know that Junior suite guests were able to eat in the CK at least part of the time because we met one couple in there who were in a junior suite.  We saw them at least three different evenings.
I will also post details in the dining section, but we were able to have desert in Wonderland one evening, even though we did not have the dining package.  
The ship is large. We certainly did not experience all that it has to offer. I did go to the fitness center most mornings; it was very nice and I never had an issue finding a selection of equipment to use, even on sea days.

We had the drink package and managed to try out most of the bars, at least once. My only "complaint" was the heavy pours. I had to specifically tell the bar tenders to put less alcohol in my drinks. They routinely put a double shot in all mixed drinks-a single shot is plenty for me! Others may find that a positive.

I had breakfast in the Vitality Cafe twice, before working out. It was a very good, light breakfast. We also had lunch in the Park Cafe one day-very good, at Mini-Bites one afternoon-less good but not terrible and Sorenttos. The pizza was much better than expected. I really liked it, although I like most anything that I don't have to cook. We also went to the MDR for lunch one day. It was good, but it was very crowded and the atmosphere was hectic.


We saw Grease-very good, The Fine Line-a little odd, but we enjoyed it and both ice shows. My favorite show was I-Skate, but I enjoyed them all.  We liked the suite seating for all of the shows.  At the Fine Line, they tried to turn us away after scanning our sea passes because we did not have a reservation.  I politely explained that we were told that we did not need them since we were sky class.  He immediately pointed us in the right direction.  I mention this merely to let you know that there can be a disconnect between the pass and scanning it. 
We did not do any excursions.  We sat on the beach at Coco Cay for a while, but it was VERY hot.  We then went to the pool area, which seemed more comfortable, although it was still really hot. 
At St. Maartens, we took the water taxi to the beach and grabbed two chairs, an umbrella and a bucket of 6 Heinekens for $20.  It was more pleasant there than at Coco Cay.
In San Juan, we explored both forts on our own.  It was very hot, and we rested a while in the lobby of a very neat hotel across the street from a church.  The hotel used to be a convent, and has a serene bar area right in the middle of the courtyard.  We were tired that day-we walked over 9 miles.

Other than that, we generally just sat on the suite sun deck or in the suite lounge and watched people and read. A big advantage of the suite lounge and deck is that we really got to know some of our fellow passengers, which I really enjoyed. With one or two exceptions, everyone was warm and friendly. The concierges, Jeremias and Mohammed were fabulous, as was the CK manager, Ace and our waiter, Laurence.

The pools were exceptionally crowded. We never really went near them, but could see the crowds. We did enjoy the hot tub on the suite deck.
We did not have any issue with crowds, perhaps because we only took the elevator once the entire week. We were on deck 7 and found that walking up to deck 17 was a good way to get hungry for the great meals we enjoyed!  We might have found the crowds more intrusive had we not had access to the suite areas or if we had not been fit enough to take the stairs. The suite areas were very quiet and relaxing.
For most of the trip, Central Park was too hot to really enjoy-not unexpected in August.  The Boardwalk area had more of a breeze.  Our balcony was pleasant when the ship was moving and it was shady.  When the sun was shining our way or the ship was still, it was very hot.  I know I have mentioned being hot a lot-it was August, and I expected it.  I am not complaining, just sharing information for others.  I am from NC, so I am very used to heat and humidity.  If that bothers you, August might not be the best time for you to cruise.

I have heard other people comment about the cruise director, Dennis.  I did not really interact with him-I thought he was a little overboard at some of the shows, but it didn’t bother me.  I did find him very offensive at the suite sail away party.  I might not have mentioned here had several other passengers not also commented on it.  He began speaking about how suite guests and pinnacle members are the top 1% of all cruisers and are the crème of the crop for the cruise industry.  Then he asked us if we didn’t feel sorry for all of the poor people down below.  I found this comment to be in exceptionally bad taste, and I was not the only one.  The woman beside me asked if she had heard it correctly.  The couple behind me was appalled as well.  In the suite lounge later, two other people mentioned how much it bothered them.  First of all, I don’t feel sorry for anyone on a cruise ship (except maybe the crew sometimes).  Secondly, all of us on the ship were spending what we could afford.  I would not have been in a suite had I not gotten an incredibly good deal, very close to the sail date. I did tell him that his comment bothered me because I don't think it is fair to complain about something that someone does unless you are willing to say it to them directly.  He apologized.
Couple of notes on sky class: beach towels are provided on the suite sun deck, but they make you scan your card at other places-a major pain.  The suite lounge is awesome, and I loved having the reserved seating for the shows. 
All in all, we had a wonderful time!   If you have any questions, I will gladly try to answer them.

This review is long over due.  Once I got home, life got in the way.  This review is not very detailed.  As I warned before I left, I am a relax and read sort of girl on vacation.   Warning, you may find this boring-I did not do much and I did not take any pictures.  
We met at the Orlando airport, rented a car and headed to Canaveral.  We drove straight to the port area to watch the Saturday ships sail off.  The upper deck at Fishlips was perfect.  We were about level with the upper decks of the two ships: Carnival Breeze and Disney Fantasy.  It was obvious from our vantage point that the Breeze was in need of some maintenance.  Afterwards, we purchased sunscreen and checked into the Radisson at the Port.  It was fine, but I would not recommend it.  The rooms open onto a breezeway and the only elevator we found was very inconvenient.  Our suitcases did not roll well over the uneven pavement of the breezeways.  In addition, when we checked out the next morning, the lobby was jammed with people waiting for the shuttle.  It did not appear to be very organized. 
We drove the beach looking for a place for dinner.  We went to Banos-a truly amazing Italian restaurant.  If you are in Cocoa Beach and want Italian, I highly recommend it.  We had different dishes: chicken picatta and chicken parmesan-both were excellent.
The next morning, we checked out the hotel breakfast and realized that it was really expensive.  We went to the McDonald’s across the street to grab something light and some coffee.  We knew that we’d be getting plenty to eat during the coming week. 
We returned our rental car to Alamo around 9:30.  There was some confusion about the shuttle.  The front desk told us we could go on the next shuttle.  The driver told us that he had to leave right away and could not wait for us to turn in the keys and load our luggage.  He said that company policy was to only pick up from the port until 10:30 and not to take any passengers to board the ship until that time.  While he was explaining this, I was loading our luggage into the van and my friend was enlisting the aid of the front desk.  We got on the shuttle and got to the port at a little before 10.  Check in was quick and easy.  There was no line at all for the suites check in.  We were in the suites waiting area within 10 minutes of getting out of the shuttle at the port and were on board the ship by around 10:30.
We had decided that we would get a drink at the first bar we saw-we planned to take full advantage of the drink package.  We walked in right at the Rising Tide bar and grabbed a glass of champagne to celebrate.  They were still setting up the bar area but were very kind to us. 
We wandered around the ship for a while, enjoying exploring, then headed up to the suites lounge and grabbed another drink there.  I did use the drink package in the suites lounge because my favorite sparkling wine is only in the MDR, but I requested that they stock in the suites lounge.  We had fun people watching, then had lunch in the CK.  I know the general opinion is that the lunch menu is not great, but we both had a wonderful meal.  I had herb encrusted chicken and my friend got salmon.  We shared the margarita flat bread for an appetizer and I had something chocolate for desert.   For you foodies out there, I am sorry, this is the only meal I remember what I ate.
After lunch, our room was ready.  We checked it out and then further explored the ship (and the bars).  We got a drink at the robot bar, and both of them were so awful, we didn’t finish them.  When we got back our luggage was there, so we unpacked and got ready for dinner. 
We ate each night in the CK.  Our reservations were between 6 and 6:15 both nights.  We usually headed to the lounge around 5 and had cocktails with a delightful family that we met up there the first night.  I had requested a table by the window and that request was honored almost every night.  The main thing we had not wanted was one of us with our back to the window, and that was never an issue.  We quickly discovered our favorite servers and were in their section each night.  We had either breakfast or lunch in the CK every day and dinner each night.  Three meals a day there would have been too much, so we varied it.  For breakfast, I loved both the French toast and the waffles.   For those that are wondering, I know that Junior suite guests were able to eat in the CK at least part of the time because we met one couple in there who were in a junior suite.  We saw them at least three different evenings.
I will also post details in the dining section, but we were able to have desert in Wonderland one evening, even though we did not have the dining package.  
The ship is large. We certainly did not experience all that it has to offer. I did go to the fitness center most mornings; it was very nice and I never had an issue finding a selection of equipment to use, even on sea days.

We had the drink package and managed to try out most of the bars, at least once. My only "complaint" was the heavy pours. I had to specifically tell the bar tenders to put less alcohol in my drinks. They routinely put a double shot in all mixed drinks-a single shot is plenty for me! Others may find that a positive.

I had breakfast in the Vitality Cafe twice, before working out. It was a very good, light breakfast. We also had lunch in the Park Cafe one day-very good, at Mini-Bites one afternoon-less good but not terrible and Sorenttos. The pizza was much better than expected. I really liked it, although I like most anything that I don't have to cook. We also went to the MDR for lunch one day. It was good, but it was very crowded and the atmosphere was hectic.


We saw Grease-very good, The Fine Line-a little odd, but we enjoyed it and both ice shows. My favorite show was I-Skate, but I enjoyed them all.  We liked the suite seating for all of the shows.  At the Fine Line, they tried to turn us away after scanning our sea passes because we did not have a reservation.  I politely explained that we were told that we did not need them since we were sky class.  He immediately pointed us in the right direction.  I mention this merely to let you know that there can be a disconnect between the pass and scanning it. 
We did not do any excursions.  We sat on the beach at Coco Cay for a while, but it was VERY hot.  We then went to the pool area, which seemed more comfortable, although it was still really hot. 
At St. Maartens, we took the water taxi to the beach and grabbed two chairs, an umbrella and a bucket of 6 Heinekens for $20.  It was more pleasant there than at Coco Cay.
In San Juan, we explored both forts on our own.  It was very hot, and we rested a while in the lobby of a very neat hotel across the street from a church.  The hotel used to be a convent, and has a serene bar area right in the middle of the courtyard.  We were tired that day-we walked over 9 miles.

Other than that, we generally just sat on the suite sun deck or in the suite lounge and watched people and read. A big advantage of the suite lounge and deck is that we really got to know some of our fellow passengers, which I really enjoyed. With one or two exceptions, everyone was warm and friendly. The concierges, Jeremias and Mohammed were fabulous, as was the CK manager, Ace and our waiter, Laurence.

The pools were exceptionally crowded. We never really went near them, but could see the crowds. We did enjoy the hot tub on the suite deck.
We did not have any issue with crowds, perhaps because we only took the elevator once the entire week. We were on deck 7 and found that walking up to deck 17 was a good way to get hungry for the great meals we enjoyed!  We might have found the crowds more intrusive had we not had access to the suite areas or if we had not been fit enough to take the stairs. The suite areas were very quiet and relaxing.
For most of the trip, Central Park was too hot to really enjoy-not unexpected in August.  The Boardwalk area had more of a breeze.  Our balcony was pleasant when the ship was moving and it was shady.  When the sun was shining our way or the ship was still, it was very hot.  I know I have mentioned being hot a lot-it was August, and I expected it.  I am not complaining, just sharing information for others.  I am from NC, so I am very used to heat and humidity.  If that bothers you, August might not be the best time for you to cruise.

I have heard other people comment about the cruise director, Dennis.  I did not really interact with him-I thought he was a little overboard at some of the shows, but it didn’t bother me.  I did find him very offensive at the suite sail away party.  I might not have mentioned here had several other passengers not also commented on it.  He began speaking about how suite guests and pinnacle members are the top 1% of all cruisers and are the crème of the crop for the cruise industry.  Then he asked us if we didn’t feel sorry for all of the poor people down below.  I found this comment to be in exceptionally bad taste, and I was not the only one.  The woman beside me asked if she had heard it correctly.  The couple behind me was appalled as well.  In the suite lounge later, two other people mentioned how much it bothered them.  First of all, I don’t feel sorry for anyone on a cruise ship (except maybe the crew sometimes).  Secondly, all of us on the ship were spending what we could afford.  I would not have been in a suite had I not gotten an incredibly good deal, very close to the sail date. I did tell him that his comment bothered me because I don't think it is fair to complain about something that someone does unless you are willing to say it to them directly.  He apologized.
Couple of notes on sky class: beach towels are provided on the suite sun deck, but they make you scan your card at other places-a major pain.  The suite lounge is awesome, and I loved having the reserved seating for the shows. 
All in all, we had a wonderful time!   If you have any questions, I will gladly try to answer them.

^^^ It's comments like this that make me a @WAAAYTOOO fan, lol

....or might act like a flame thrower and incinerate everyone within 25 feet !  Either way, it will be exciting !

James Van Fleet Tweet this morning:
 
 
 

Someone on one of my Facebook groups is on Empress and posted this letter about a Bahamas aid drop..thought it was prettt cool to get the passengers to write notes for the hurricane victims.

Just received an email from Royal that the cruise leaving Saturday will change itenary from a day at sea Monday to take supplies to,Grand Bahamas. Royal is really doing as much as they can to help,out. I don't mind missing a sea day in an effort to help so many people that need support at this time.

I’m not a sophisticated computer user and couldn’t figure out how to quote the post on Dorian missing coco cay but here is my response:
Honestly, I’d rather see it centered on a currently uninhabited island!  Vacation structures can be replaced over time.  People and their dwellings not as easily.  N.C. is not a tropical paradise but we still have homes with tarps a year after a relatively minor hurricane flooded our eastern area.  Please show some compassion for the humans suffering in this horrific storm and stop worrying about coco cay. 

I’m not a sophisticated computer user and couldn’t figure out how to quote the post on Dorian missing coco cay but here is my response:
Honestly, I’d rather see it centered on a currently uninhabited island!  Vacation structures can be replaced over time.  People and their dwellings not as easily.  N.C. is not a tropical paradise but we still have homes with tarps a year after a relatively minor hurricane flooded our eastern area.  Please show some compassion for the humans suffering in this horrific storm and stop worrying about coco cay. 

Thank you so much rjac! We really appreciate the advice as that was more helpful than anything Royal has told us so far. We’ll plan on 10:00 am! Thank you again!
We will be arriving in Fort Lauderdale a few days early, and we are very excited! It will be our first Royal Cruise, but we’ve sailed with many other lines before. 

Last major thing that rolled through our area was Katrina and by the time it hit here it was officially listed as a tropical storm.  Due to the heavy amount of rain that had happened leading up to the storm hitting us there was a astronomical amount of downed trees that in return caused downed power lines.  It was absolutely crazy here for about two weeks until they got most of the power grid back up.  That being said that was just a tropical storm, God forbid we have a Cat 5 storm hit us, I would hate to imagine the impact, which in turn makes my heart go out to all those people in the Bahamas that have to put up with this thing as it stalls over the area for 24-36 hours.  I know that it is going to be absolutely UNBELIEVABLE the damage that it is going to cause that area.  

I hope it turns out to sea.   Eastern N.C. is still suffering from the hard hit it took last year.   The flooding was truly devastating.

We need to remember as well that RCI has its headquarters in Miami, so people working there are probably concerned not only with others people's vacations, but about the safety of their families and homes.  I understand the stress this is causing but try to remember that many people have worries beyond their vacation and trust that RCI will find a solution, even if not immediately.

We need to remember as well that RCI has its headquarters in Miami, so people working there are probably concerned not only with others people's vacations, but about the safety of their families and homes.  I understand the stress this is causing but try to remember that many people have worries beyond their vacation and trust that RCI will find a solution, even if not immediately.