Rags1

Our guest arrived at 5:30!  After a tour of the suite, and a few selfies, we shared a meal of sushi and learned much more about Lusi. She is an amazing, gracious lady who loves to talk and laugh. 
After his other guests were accommodated we met Jay for our last dinner here at Giovanni's. Another fun hour grilling him for dirt!😂. Learned a lot more of his past experiences and future goals. He's a gem for sure. Melissa received another birthday cake tonight with the correct name on it😂

It's official. My blog will be a bedtime reading sleep aid after this nonstop 🥳!
Huge congrats on your amazing news!!

Well it’s not been an uneventful day. Four of us have arrived safely in Galveston and the fifth should be arriving in about an hour. More on that tomorrow maybe.  I’ll begin the Galveston report with our transportation. It was awesome. It was a hoot!  We booked with Rock the Ride Galveston. Private van from Hobby Airport.  Our driver was Monty. Used to be a prison warden. Knows EVERYTHING there is to know about Galveston. But this guy was not just a driver. He had more entertainment in his van than you’d find in the Aqua Theater!  Karaoke. Digital trivia screens. Phone and tablet chargers everywhere. A basket of props for different karaoke tunes. Guitars. The best singer in our group by far!  Courtesy stop at Buckeys. Offered to stop anywhere we wanted. Cost was $95 for five people. When we arrived in Galveston he said he’d be happy to show us some sights if we wanted. 2 1/2 hours later we really felt that we’d toured the town!  This guy was amazing. Corny jokes but a book of knowledge. If you want a different transportation experience, well you just hook yourself up with Monty!  He’s even going back to the airport tonight to pick up our straggler. 

Two days and counting!  I spent the day buttoning up the yet to be approved restaurant. I’ve spent several weeks in the kitchen experimenting with our menu. Today I decided to try and use most of the product I have on hand before leaving. So pizza day it was!  Since we’re a small town I know most all of the other business owners. Pizzas were delivered to our local fire department, gas station, ice cream shop, cactus store, feed and novelty store and a tire shop.  The reviews have been good!  I like Sorrento’s but I do believe that Just a Small Town Grill’s pizza is better!
 

A few of the details.  We’ll sail September 10-17 on the Allure in the Royal Loft, 1740.  It’s the third sailing in a row in that particular suite so I guess we’re in a pretty good rut!  It’s an awesome suite that we’ve been spoiled to sail in. This trip will be our “core” sailing group of my bride Stacy, the nurse and restaurant owner, Katie the Nurse Practitioner, and Taylor the preschool teacher.  Joining us this trip will be someone who would legally be described as a close friend but in reality is another daughter, Melissa who works in retail and hospitality.  She sailed with us about six years ago on our very first Star Class voyage in the RL and we’re excited she’s joining us again this year!  
I received the generic Star Class survey right about 60 days out. I filled one out and seriously don’t even remember my responses. We’re all convinced it’s hit and miss on if they’re read or not. We do communicate often with the Genie we sailed with last year.  Several weeks ago he returned from vacation and I messaged him saying we would love to sail with him again. He responded and told me to please ask for that in the survey!  Oops. So I submitted a second one. I don’t recall my exact answers on that one either but they were something like this:
Who is sailing with you?  Jay.
if you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?  Jay.
Are you a morning person or a night owl?  You’d have to ask Jay.  
You get the picture for the rest😂
I received the email from our Genie at 31 days out. We were somewhat shocked, but thrilled, that we’ll be sailing this year with Royal Genie Jay!  Our family had such a great time with him last year. I don’t believe we have ever laughed as much or had such amazing spontaneous memories as we did sailing with Jay. He’s fun. An example is our schedule he provided to us. Note the travelers names on the top.
 

Somehow after a very late night I actually made it to the cupcake decorating class at 10 am.  (None of the other hard partiers answered the bell😂). Lusi taught us how to make a dog.  I actually could have used the hair of the dog!  Here’s my cupcake dog next to Lusi’s.  Not hard to guess who’s is who’s!
After class I met Stacy at, sit down now @Lovetocruise2002, the Windjammer for a bite. Then we met the kids at Sabor for some guacamole. Enjoyed watching all the little ones at the final day family party on the boardwalk.  Then down to the Promenade to buy an Allure shirt for me and get Starbucks for the girls. Now a little chill time until 5:30 when we may have another guest up for a little sushi😎
Dinner tonight at 8 back in Giovanni’s for the “last supper” before our return to reality. Speaking of reality I received an email from the County requesting I submit documents that I sent them a long time ago. I just said no.  Check.  Your move.  Thursday morning I received approval to open!

Time to catch up a bit.  Melissa and I got off the ship at Cozumel and just spent time in the port area. Did the tourist thing and had some tacos and guacamole at Margaritaville.  Weather was nice enough so we spent some time on the balcony.
Dinner at chops.  Had the filet and whole lobster.  Both very good but the Sabrina Special in CK is still the best.  Show last night was in the aqua Theater.  Always amazed with the athletic skills of those men and women.
After the show we headed up to the suite to once again spend some time with our friends, MO5AIC.  Happened to be Heath’s birthday so we celebrated with a cake, some snacks and of course some drinks. Jay knows them well so he popped in also.  Just like last year it was two hours of laughter!  Just before 11 the guys and girls decided to go to Quest.  Stacy and I said we’d stay in the suite and let the younger ones party.  Shortly after they left I found a cell phone belonging to one of the guys. I texted Taylor and she asked if we could bring it down.  We went and found the group and went back to the room.  NOT.  I Think I was set up. Sometime around 3 am we said ourgoodnight and headed back to the suite.

REALLY uuuuuuge!  Gotta reverse the direction the cash has been flowing!

I’d Love to cruise with your family!

Somehow after a very late night I actually made it to the cupcake decorating class at 10 am.  (None of the other hard partiers answered the bell😂). Lusi taught us how to make a dog.  I actually could have used the hair of the dog!  Here’s my cupcake dog next to Lusi’s.  Not hard to guess who’s is who’s!
After class I met Stacy at, sit down now @Lovetocruise2002, the Windjammer for a bite. Then we met the kids at Sabor for some guacamole. Enjoyed watching all the little ones at the final day family party on the boardwalk.  Then down to the Promenade to buy an Allure shirt for me and get Starbucks for the girls. Now a little chill time until 5:30 when we may have another guest up for a little sushi😎
Dinner tonight at 8 back in Giovanni’s for the “last supper” before our return to reality. Speaking of reality I received an email from the County requesting I submit documents that I sent them a long time ago. I just said no.  Check.  Your move.  Thursday morning I received approval to open!

Time to catch up a bit.  Melissa and I got off the ship at Cozumel and just spent time in the port area. Did the tourist thing and had some tacos and guacamole at Margaritaville.  Weather was nice enough so we spent some time on the balcony.
Dinner at chops.  Had the filet and whole lobster.  Both very good but the Sabrina Special in CK is still the best.  Show last night was in the aqua Theater.  Always amazed with the athletic skills of those men and women.
After the show we headed up to the suite to once again spend some time with our friends, MO5AIC.  Happened to be Heath’s birthday so we celebrated with a cake, some snacks and of course some drinks. Jay knows them well so he popped in also.  Just like last year it was two hours of laughter!  Just before 11 the guys and girls decided to go to Quest.  Stacy and I said we’d stay in the suite and let the younger ones party.  Shortly after they left I found a cell phone belonging to one of the guys. I texted Taylor and she asked if we could bring it down.  We went and found the group and went back to the room.  NOT.  I Think I was set up. Sometime around 3 am we said ourgoodnight and headed back to the suite.

REALLY uuuuuuge!  Gotta reverse the direction the cash has been flowing!

Somehow after a very late night I actually made it to the cupcake decorating class at 10 am.  (None of the other hard partiers answered the bell😂). Lusi taught us how to make a dog.  I actually could have used the hair of the dog!  Here’s my cupcake dog next to Lusi’s.  Not hard to guess who’s is who’s!
After class I met Stacy at, sit down now @Lovetocruise2002, the Windjammer for a bite. Then we met the kids at Sabor for some guacamole. Enjoyed watching all the little ones at the final day family party on the boardwalk.  Then down to the Promenade to buy an Allure shirt for me and get Starbucks for the girls. Now a little chill time until 5:30 when we may have another guest up for a little sushi😎
Dinner tonight at 8 back in Giovanni’s for the “last supper” before our return to reality. Speaking of reality I received an email from the County requesting I submit documents that I sent them a long time ago. I just said no.  Check.  Your move.  Thursday morning I received approval to open!

REALLY uuuuuuge!  Gotta reverse the direction the cash has been flowing!

I second @WAAAYTOOO congrats on approval to open. I am so happy for you guys and I know your hard work is going to pay off in the end.

Congrats on approval to open.  That’s uuuuuge.

In the words of @asquared17, "I CAN'T EVEN...." LOL
And in the words of @SweetPea, "I really want to cruise with you guys!"
 

Somehow after a very late night I actually made it to the cupcake decorating class at 10 am.  (None of the other hard partiers answered the bell😂). Lusi taught us how to make a dog.  I actually could have used the hair of the dog!  Here’s my cupcake dog next to Lusi’s.  Not hard to guess who’s is who’s!
After class I met Stacy at, sit down now @Lovetocruise2002, the Windjammer for a bite. Then we met the kids at Sabor for some guacamole. Enjoyed watching all the little ones at the final day family party on the boardwalk.  Then down to the Promenade to buy an Allure shirt for me and get Starbucks for the girls. Now a little chill time until 5:30 when we may have another guest up for a little sushi😎
Dinner tonight at 8 back in Giovanni’s for the “last supper” before our return to reality. Speaking of reality I received an email from the County requesting I submit documents that I sent them a long time ago. I just said no.  Check.  Your move.  Thursday morning I received approval to open!

Time to catch up a bit.  Melissa and I got off the ship at Cozumel and just spent time in the port area. Did the tourist thing and had some tacos and guacamole at Margaritaville.  Weather was nice enough so we spent some time on the balcony.
Dinner at chops.  Had the filet and whole lobster.  Both very good but the Sabrina Special in CK is still the best.  Show last night was in the aqua Theater.  Always amazed with the athletic skills of those men and women.
After the show we headed up to the suite to once again spend some time with our friends, MO5AIC.  Happened to be Heath’s birthday so we celebrated with a cake, some snacks and of course some drinks. Jay knows them well so he popped in also.  Just like last year it was two hours of laughter!  Just before 11 the guys and girls decided to go to Quest.  Stacy and I said we’d stay in the suite and let the younger ones party.  Shortly after they left I found a cell phone belonging to one of the guys. I texted Taylor and she asked if we could bring it down.  We went and found the group and went back to the room.  NOT.  I Think I was set up. Sometime around 3 am we said ourgoodnight and headed back to the suite.

Loved Sitka!! As @deButler mentioned, getting off and to town was rough! Mostly because of my lack of shuttle tickets, but we made it finally around 12 after being fully ready to disembark at 9.
Sitka was so gorgeous! Mist sitting on all the tree tops, some snow still on the mountains. Critter tally jumped up to 3 eagles, 2 otters, 10 harbor seals and countless grey and humpback whales on our tour. We went deep into Sitka sound on a hunt for bears but I missed the rough outline of a mom and cubs some were able to spot. 
Driving into town from the cruise pier.










We were ablento walk the Totem trail in Sitka National Historic Park before our tour, seeing the lush natural rainforest was lovely. 



Looking back at the bridge from an earlier photo.

 

The salmon were jumping everywhere! 

Captain Gary was able to drop us back off at the dock where Quantum was parked, so we didn’t have to wait in the shuttle line to come back which was nice. I missed seeing the downtown, we will have to come back! That Russian church looks so picturesque. 😍
 

Disembarkation was SUCH a mess!! We went in to the Raptor Center and really enjoyed it. Getting transportation though from downtown was a real challenge however. Took 30+ mins to finally hail a cab after just missing the local bus. Evidently there is also only 1 Uber/Lyft driver and she’s a nurse and didn’t get off work til after 10:00. We caught her on our return to downtown from the Raptor Center after she dropped off another fare. REALLY enjoyed seeing the church downtown as well. 

Somehow after a very late night I actually made it to the cupcake decorating class at 10 am.  (None of the other hard partiers answered the bell😂). Lusi taught us how to make a dog.  I actually could have used the hair of the dog!  Here’s my cupcake dog next to Lusi’s.  Not hard to guess who’s is who’s!
After class I met Stacy at, sit down now @Lovetocruise2002, the Windjammer for a bite. Then we met the kids at Sabor for some guacamole. Enjoyed watching all the little ones at the final day family party on the boardwalk.  Then down to the Promenade to buy an Allure shirt for me and get Starbucks for the girls. Now a little chill time until 5:30 when we may have another guest up for a little sushi😎
Dinner tonight at 8 back in Giovanni’s for the “last supper” before our return to reality. Speaking of reality I received an email from the County requesting I submit documents that I sent them a long time ago. I just said no.  Check.  Your move.  Thursday morning I received approval to open!

Lovely cruise into rainy Sitka!!! Made a GRIEVOUS travel error by not reading the digital compass yesterday and missing we needed shuttle tickets as if this were a tender port. uuuughhhh you’d think I would’ve known! Everything I read always just said take the free shuttle, not prepare a day ahead and get a ticket for said shuttle! Whoooops. #33, currently calling #14, 15… loong wait to go ashore is killing me! 
Pilot boat after he dumped his cargo:


Came in alongside HAL Eurodam.

Not trying to disparage anyone, but I would be willing to bet that the ones that got all of the answers correct had played that same game before.  Trivia players are notorious cheaters !  (JK).  I've seen it too many times....the same players playing the same game on consecutive cruises.  Of course they won !  🥹

Time to catch up a bit.  Melissa and I got off the ship at Cozumel and just spent time in the port area. Did the tourist thing and had some tacos and guacamole at Margaritaville.  Weather was nice enough so we spent some time on the balcony.
Dinner at chops.  Had the filet and whole lobster.  Both very good but the Sabrina Special in CK is still the best.  Show last night was in the aqua Theater.  Always amazed with the athletic skills of those men and women.
After the show we headed up to the suite to once again spend some time with our friends, MO5AIC.  Happened to be Heath’s birthday so we celebrated with a cake, some snacks and of course some drinks. Jay knows them well so he popped in also.  Just like last year it was two hours of laughter!  Just before 11 the guys and girls decided to go to Quest.  Stacy and I said we’d stay in the suite and let the younger ones party.  Shortly after they left I found a cell phone belonging to one of the guys. I texted Taylor and she asked if we could bring it down.  We went and found the group and went back to the room.  NOT.  I Think I was set up. Sometime around 3 am we said ourgoodnight and headed back to the suite.