DDaley

After my nap I wondered for a bit. I started at my deck, the card room was popping with vintages.
A quick note they had to put a note on the Living Room saying it was 14-17yos. Yesterday I saw several adults in there, possibly hogging the games.
 I went to the Crown Lounge but stopped to take photos of the library. It was well stocked but nobody there. Crown Lounge wasn't busy and I actually got my prosecco. Dudley, possibly spelling his name wrong, is the concierge. He is very personable.
Side rant. There are actually two....... I'm eating dinner and they are doing the stupid dance thing. Which imho affects service.
There is a lack of cleanliness missing that was prevalent before all the price hikes and changes. I mean it's also the pax fault but man are things dirty. I touched a railing🤢🤮 because I almost slipped on a cookie on the stairs.
But back to the regular program.
I walked the track on deck 5, I was able to do two laps and then head to the Amber theater for Blue Planet, Home. How would I describe it 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 Weird as hell......yes the Book levels of Weird but with a ever so slightly more cohesiveness. It was definitely not everyone's cup of tea as several families left. I enjoyed the dancing but imho they all were dancing harder and faster than the sings required. Song choices were mostly good......the sun singing Beyonce "naughty girl/girls run the world " was the only odd choices. The sun was also the only spicy one. I also thought the main character was lacking something because I rarely focused on her.
Overall I enjoyed it. I would watch it again. I personally think Royal does originals pretty well on bigger classes. I waited to everyone cleared because I knew it was going to be too congested. Several people had no spacial awareness and stopped to make plans, talk and just block the walkways.
I have to say I didn't care for my servers this evening. They rushed me, took my food before I was done eating and brought the wrong items. I only asked for the aracini, chicken parm and ice cream. I also got a minestrone soup I didn't ask for and the chocolate hazelnut cake instead of chocolate ice cream. I asked specifically for a can of Coke and they brought me a glass of fountain.....which was apparently a miscommunication. I will say the food isn't bad but I might start factoring in room service for my sorter sailings when the UDP isn't worth it. I wished the WJ had more food to my liking because I would avoid the MDR altogether. It's only partially the food. It's the long waits, service and that dancing.
I popped in the casino for a peach daiquiri and poked my head into the love and marriage game at Studio B but it was too cold, so I went back to my room after peaking at the Caribbean night festivities on Deck 5.
I will read my book until I fall asleep. Tomorrow is my third PDCC.
Despite there being tons of children and vintages, no medical calls have been made......knock on wood. Also despite the wind and speed I have felt nothing being aft......we could be going slow but I did feel some rocking in the theater.
 

I took a nap after all the early morning stuff with my grandmother. I just woke up in time to see sailaway. My brother would have loved the warm weather and sun.
I'm getting ready to leave and possibly walk the deck until the casino opens and I can get my daiquiri 😋

The ship model is on Deck 14 aft. It's massive.

I love the cute little details.



 

Hubby has chimed in with feedback for the slides here at Thrill Island. He loves them. He said they are pretty much replicas of the ones from Thrill Waterpark on PDCC. In fact, he even said that if we sail Icon class again, there would be zero reason to buy tickets to Thrill Waterpark at PDCC. You might be missing some of the adrenaline from daredevil’s slides on the island, but is that worth the extra ticket cost? Personal choice, but his vote would be no. 

i love staring at that production booth with all the lighting design 🤩 equipment 

Wizard of Oz tonight. Expectations are high, we have heard nothing but good things about this production. 

Day 2 swag
 

Random sail away photos. Fireworks were a nice touch, longer than I expected. But you could not see them well because they did not (or maybe could not) wait until it got dark. 

As promised, here is the Panoramic Suite; category VP. Will reserve thoughts on this suite for later this week. 
 

Finally caught up on this blog after a ski trip to Mammoth last week! I have to tell you I had a wild dream when we were up there where I was in a tiny rowboat, I was putting along in a channel and saw the docked Allure! I looked up and thought to myself “I gotta get a pic of this for @Ampurp85, she’s on board!” 🤣  Which is wild because I left on the 23rd and you were still on Wonder, which means my subconscious remembered your S2S2S itinerary. 
The amount of shenanigans you and your brother witness baffle the mind. I think I must be living in a constant bubble to never notice anything like you do! 

The suite sun deck actually impressed me..tons of room and a second level where you can look down at the poors 😂
There's some shade depending on where the sun is, too.


 

And here is proof that I did in fact eat in the WJ. 😂 I would eat here more often if every WJ meal was like this! 

Rooms were ready when we boarded..they were giving out complimentary champagne in the Promenade.  We went to drop off our carryon in the room..and swag and C&A amenities were on the bed.

I believe this is true. 🤣 either I'm invisible enough that people don't care how they behave or I put people at ease enough for tomfoolery.

Yep, I mentioned the same thing.  @Ampurp85 conceded that it is often casino folks... but I think she's also just a shenanigans-magnet. 🤣

Finally caught up on this blog after a ski trip to Mammoth last week! I have to tell you I had a wild dream when we were up there where I was in a tiny rowboat, I was putting along in a channel and saw the docked Allure! I looked up and thought to myself “I gotta get a pic of this for @Ampurp85, she’s on board!” 🤣  Which is wild because I left on the 23rd and you were still on Wonder, which means my subconscious remembered your S2S2S itinerary. 
The amount of shenanigans you and your brother witness baffle the mind. I think I must be living in a constant bubble to never notice anything like you do! 

It’s been a busy afternoon! We checked into the Intercontinental around 2:30pm and we scored a free upgrade to a loft! Can’t get one on Icon; but got one here lol. I usually never book this room because it doesn’t face the Bay. But this room is valued a whole lot higher than the Bay View King rooms that we usually book. Hubby actually had an opinion this time and said well take it. He said we can look at the water on Saturday 😄
This loft consists of two floors, and 1.5 baths. The lower level is a powder room, no shower. 



 

Finally caught up on this blog after a ski trip to Mammoth last week! I have to tell you I had a wild dream when we were up there where I was in a tiny rowboat, I was putting along in a channel and saw the docked Allure! I looked up and thought to myself “I gotta get a pic of this for @Ampurp85, she’s on board!” 🤣  Which is wild because I left on the 23rd and you were still on Wonder, which means my subconscious remembered your S2S2S itinerary. 
The amount of shenanigans you and your brother witness baffle the mind. I think I must be living in a constant bubble to never notice anything like you do! 

I was today years old when I found out Fiona from Shrek was Allure's godmother.
But I have notice a sad trend. Solo folks on Oasis class short sailings aren't treated well. The first time in the Crown Lounge I asked for a Stella, they were out and waiting on them to be stocked. I saw them get stocked and the server didn't come back. On the second day I asked for prosecco, they didn't have so I asked for a glass of water while I decided. 20min past and nobody came back.
I was sat in the MDR the first night, they got my drinks and rushed me for my order. I had my entree before I received bread. Despite sitting in between/very close to other tables that were getting served constantly and consistently. Water and drink refills were nonexistent. On last night I ordered no apps, just an entree. I got the bread and my entree before a head waiter came and filled my water glass. Then the assistant came at dessert to ask if I wanted a beverage. In both instances the parties around me were be checked on frequently.
When I went to the bathroom I found a casino voucher for $30 and some change. I was going to return it to the casino host but it's like money. There's no real way to verify who it belongs too without it being in another form of evidence like a wallet or bag. So I'm $30 richer.
I looked at a bit of the Aqua show in passing and I'm not regretting my decision to skip it the first night. Dazzles had jazz going on and I was shocked at the turnout on my way back to my room. My steward made me a cute bullfrog.
I have been up since 6am, I watched our arrival to Nassau. Funny enough I have never gotten off at this port, none of the excursions ever called to me. And the many bad reviews left me turned off. But I may get off just to clear my head. My 82yo grandmother had her checking account hacked and I spent most of the early morning setting up a new one and helping her dispute everything.
I was able to get a little breakfast during the chaos. The WJ only had one side open.
I have blue planet at 7, which I am really looking forward to. I missed out on the last showing in October.
I have been trying to get a peach daiquiri since last Allure sailing and I finally got one. The casino has the mix, so i now have another reason I can't wait for it to open. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
 

I may have mentioned the tiny smalls but wow are there a lot. I'm at Giovanni's for lunch and only maybe 4 out of the 20ish tables are childless. Most are well behaved but the family behind me doesn't understand inside voices and is screaming about getting an iPhone 16. It is almost completely full, which I have yet to see, so good for the crew........which look how I remember them. Everyone is smiling and cracking jokes. The guy who sat me asked if I was single and could he join. My server Jenhy is smiling ear to ear. Two of the servers we had in October stopped by to say hi and where's the family.
I may have to amend my stance. The food at Giovanni's kitchen wasn't great on Wonder but it has been amazing on Giovanni's Table on Allure. I got the minestrone, garlicky prawns and a small bolognese. Everything was hot and seasoned perfectly. Also the soup was great, I've never had a good minestrone, that wasn't made by my brother. To eat like he does, he has to be able to cook🤣🤣🤣😃. This one was tasty, I could have made a meal of the soup.
They have olive and plain ciabatta bread along with cheese breadsicks. They will make pizza bites for tiny ones. A family from Wonder is also on this sailing and offered me to sit with them and wear pink on Thursday. I said thanks but no thanks to lunch with tiny smalls
I got pastachio and vanilla ice cream for dessert. They served my Moscato in a dirty glass. I requested a new one. Jenhy was prompt. I only ate in the MDR once on Allure way back in 2021, I'm hoping the food is as decent as it was on the Mariner.

Stray thoughts, observations, and shenanigans........ continues
Re: my sick feeling. I am pretty sure the lack of vacuuming and smoke from the casino was my issue. I cleared right up when I got to the hotel
This was the first time I had to get new seapass cards. I got caught up and only earned my brother 2100 points on the Allure cruise, those vintages threw me off, so I earned his remaining points on Mariner. He had a sticker to begin on Wonder. He was so upset that he needed to get another prime sticker, but I pointed to his card that said prime and he was shocked 🤣🤣. The casino points posted 3 days after the sailing was over and the C&A point exactly on Friday. Guest services were always empty when at port and packed on sea days and port evenings. They also have an "ask" button the app where you can contact guest services. But I heard it doesn't work well. 
All of the events like 70's night, parades, etc. were heavily populated. It rained quite a bit, so people were always maxxing out trivia and scavenger hunts, even ice skating was popping. It seems like the aqua show never had a full iteration. On day 7 there was a 5:45pm there was an exhibition with the incoming cast. But rain or wind caused cancellations, reschedules or abbreviation.
Also, people came to slay for formal and dress your best night.
We did not step foot in the MDR. MTD was on deck 4 of this ship and sometimes the line would be at the casino doors. Hopefully the food was good. The tables at the WJ are butt to butt imho. 
Wonder has doors that keep the casino smoke in... for the most part and an escalator on deck two that deposits returning port guest on deck 3. 
They were really pushing the surveys in specialty dinning. They kept saying give them 10s but put negative reviews in the comment section 🙄🤨.
Now on to the shenanigans
We have established my brother is tall and to some a looker. ........He was being solicited by cast members, staff and pax. This was either at the gym or WJ. On rare occasions I would go with him to the WJ and get liquids. There was a vintage couple of besties interested in him. When I tell you these ladies turned their chairs to stare daggers of death in me, it was hilarious. I later saw them in the casino, and they told me I better hold on tight because someone would steal my man with the quickness. This was day 5, my brother said when he went to the WJ on day 6th they hunted him down and said they saved him a seat.
He said he would go for something light and then a cast member would sit next to him, and he would have a crowd chatting it up. Because they knew he would bring in the "good-looking" folks, he said there was 3 or 4 creepers would actively seek him out, sadly the worst one will also be on the Quantum Alaskan cruise in sept. 
On the first sea day my brother got invited to a sex party. Also he learned there are secret areas on deck that people go to hook up. I was sort of in disbelief but when we left Mason Jar we walked from aft deck 15 to forward, we had someone come from the shadows and ask what we were looking for.
I mean it could have been for drugs but the way they were looking at us.........
We were offered drugs a lot, I have no idea how they got them on but also offered drugs in ports.
We were also stared at a lot, sometimes they would ask if we were related other times they assumed we were a couple and were down.
This involved the worst creeper. The second sea day I went to the casino early. I sat at this jalapeno game, a couple was behind me. He turned and just stared at me. Originally, I thought he was just watching my screen. But he followed me when I went to another machine. I saw them a couple of times and my brother noticed his weird staring. Then we had brunch at Mason jar and he and his wife sat at a table to my right. They proceeded to have the most insane conversation, quite loudly. She accused him of booking cruises to cheat and always looking at other women. He started gaslighting her, bringing up her "dry cooter," lack of job, and how he pays for these cruises and all the bills. She brought up him breaking her bass. He asked for a break, she said no breaks because he uses them to cheat. He said it's because her "cooter was dusty." She threatens to kill herself. He said not to do it on this cruise. She started crying, didn't eat her food and left. He sat their trying to make eye contact with me for 5min, until my brother said something. He found out we were on the same sailing, by butting in on my brother's conversation with some standby castmates who will also be on that sailing and asked for contact info. I found this out because I saw him in the Crown lounge and he said "see you in September" and I was like he couldn't be talking to me.......but my brother told me about him being a nuisance at the WJ.
A man requested a 100% refund because he didn't know the "jews" would be taking over venues. He was so rude, he cursed that poor guest rep out. I mean she was all types of B words, I would have removed him from the ship, I mean hopefully they did because it was unnecessary. 
The last two involve nudity.
I mentioned how the Italians would just occupy space and be a hinderance. Well three pre/vintage women were in the bathroom on deck 5 by the theater blocking everything. Getting naked and swapping dresses on the first formal night. Only one had on stockings, so it was just full genitalia on display. They acted if nobody else was there. A woman and her daughter came in and screamed, mind you the doors are touchless and open wide.
The second was at the ice show. For someone reason people think it's okay to just climb the rows instead of walking through. I watch families and children do this. This lady in the shortest dress came in, we were sitting at the tables closest to the exit. There were two very nice vintages sitting next to us on my brother side. She told her extra vintage husband/sugar grandpa, there was two seats right here. She, in the shortest dress, hiked her leg up and showed everything while climbing over. The ladies next to us screamed, "sweet lord take me now" Then pulled out her thong to put on, climbed over to get drinks and did it again coming back.
. I would sail Wonder again but not pay for specialty dining. Just hit up Playmakers a la carte. 
The casino has the Little shop Of Horror game and the songs are stuck in my head. 

I had a long post typed up but it disappeared.
Disembarkation was super smooth for us. We were the last ones on our side out of our room at 8:25, we caught an empty elevator to deck five. FYI we kept our bags, deck 5 was a congested mess of people just being lost. We walked off and never stopped walking until we got to the shuttle area. My shuttle to the hotel was there and so was a GoPort bus. My brother waited until my shuttle departed and then walked to check-in and get on the coach. He is such a sweet, wonderful brother 🥰. I caught the shuttle with a couple we rode down with. They weren't fans of Royal after this. This was their first time on Oasis class and their 4th cruise with RCG. They had a lot of issues, which I sort of had as well. I was at the Country Inn by 8:45 and it was a madhouse, no rooms were ready, so the kind girl let me enjoy breakfast, I had raisin brand because I was craving cereal. She said because it is Sunday everyone often checks out late so I will get a room after noon. 
Stray thoughts, observations, and shenanigans........
Once a day cleaning only works if the steward is thorough.  I don't think our room was vacuumed at all, in fact all he did was make the bed and refill towels. Yall know my brother can eat and this isn't his first rodeo. He would pile the plates and put the garbage in a plastic bag. This was not removed, neither was the actual trash, in fact he didn't come the first night and then didn't bother to empty the trash the next either. We had to pile it outside our door for the roaming cleaners to remove, we find this to be uncouth and trifling. 
I will edit this as my room is ready early.

It's disembarkation day.
I'm heading back to the same hotel and my brother is heading to the Airport to go home. He said he could have done with one more week 🤣😍.....or he should have come on the Allure sailing. But the bosses are ready for him to finish his project. With my casino work we scored a B2B2B on Freedom in May. He will bring his work with him then.
He is using GoPort to get to the airport and I am taking the hotel shuttle back. If I only have to pay $20 to check in early I will, otherwise I will just hang in the lobby until then. I will book the shuttle to the port for tomorrow as $8 is cheaper than rideshare.
This is the view.
Also that last picture was the cheeseburgers Majarie from Playmakers made me. I sat them in the fridge and I have my all day hotel food.