cruisestuff

Rather doing yet another trip blog since there have been a couple of really good ones already, I'm just going to do a photo dump in this thread to showcase the newly amplified Oasis of the Seas.
I've got a couple of weeks of photo ops to gather my collection of pictures so over the next little while I'll update this post with different areas around the ship.  I may bounce around a little but that's just the drink package effect.
Without further delay, here is the new Oasis of the Seas fresh off a $165M makeover.

Also, does anybody else fill out their room service hanger while eating their late night snacks from Cafe Promenade and Sorrentos, or is that just a me thing?
Always gotta think ahead or you might starve on a cruise ship..just sayin'.

Annnnd my mom's motto for Star Class

??? 

Lies, pure lies.  All that is around the bend is an awesome place to watch the wake.

For the record, at no point will I be using this jogging track for its intended purpose.

Well done.  I usually remember as I finish the last bite... "I should have taken a picture of that..." 
This alone has caused me to join #teamDX many times.  I think they do it on purpose.  
When the label reads "Aged in the finest aluminum tanks that are painted in an oak like color for a minimum of 24 days" you know it's the good stuff.

Drat.  Now there are at least two that are better than me.  

She's a wee bit rusty...

Ahhhh..much better view

Someone is on my balcony! ?

He's struggling quite a bit with it but won't let me help. ?‍♀️
Guess my pasty whiteness offended my neighbors and they called maintenance to take of it.

So last night was windy.  Yes, the Solarium sun deck is windy when the ship is sailing..very windy.  The clamshell covers are flapping in the breeze.
I meandered and eventually went to bed at a respectable hour.  Noticed a special delivery in my cabin from the cavity fairy:

So I Labadee'd today.  Scrubbed all the fun off of me and am now fueling up to bring this blog up to date.
This post is brought to you by Johnny Rockets.  I was in no way compensated for this post.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

JR has always been reliable in that it's a good place to go during that inbetween meals time when all other options are closed from lunch and preparing for dinner.
Personally, Johnny Rockets is my preferred place for a burger over the Playmakers burger.   I felt this same way on Symphony when I ate burgers at both places.
JR is also a better value..for the same price as the Playmakers burger you get the burger, fries, onion rings, fountain soda, and dessert!  It may not make sense with a larger party as you're sharing all the fries and onion rings, but definitely does when you're solo.

How am I gonna fit all this in my mouth?!?!
They were allowing drink package folks to come in and order shakes without paying the per head cover charge.  But as always your mileage may vary.

"You kids get off my blog!" ??

Went down to guest services to reprogram my WOW band and to ask for a comment card of some sort. The Guest Services desk told me that they no longer do them and that you are supposed to put the comments in the survey that you get at the end of the cruise.
Well 9 times out of 10 I never receive the end of the crew survey so I want to make sure that TAPAN from India gets the recognition he deserves.  I shot off an email to [email protected] and I will definitely comment in the survey and look for any way to commend that young man.

I got off the elevator and decided that the least I could do was help guide him all the way to the act of this ship to Windjammer. I asked him if he minded me walking with him to the Windjammer and he took my arm and we trekked all the way across the pool deck. He told me he had paid extra to have a wheelchair and assistance but that someone complained about it? I didn't really quite understand the story and didn't really ask for clarification. 
He said he took a 16 day cruise and he's going to Africa in April.  Pretty amazing travels he has done.
We got to the Windjammer where I asked the greeter if he minded helping my new friend.  The greeter was amazing and he took his arm and started asking him what he was wanting to eat and helped him to the handwashing station.  I didn't think to catch his name tag but as soon as my room service is delivered I am popping back over to Windjammer to get his name so I can fill out a WOW comment card for him.

This morning I went adventuring to take some specific recon photos for someone.  Nothing exciting and blog worthy..just some hallway photos. 
As I was leaving my room I realized I only had my phone and forgotten (in the name of research, of course) my room key.  I did have my Digital Key enabled phone with me and again it just blinked green and didn't want to actually unlock the door.
So I did my photo recon which led to being asked to take more photos..I swear one good deed...I don't mind really and it gives me something to do when I am avoid the sun and interacting with people.
Of course since I don't sleep in my WOWband and didn't have my room key or working digital key I had to People of Walmart it down to Guest Services in my PJs.  

So 7am Ashley wonders WTF 1am Ashley was thinking eating sushi right before bed.
Woke up on my own before the room service scheduled for 8am.  It's 7:49am so they aren't early like yesterday
But good morning Labadee!


On the agenda today is to get off the ship at some point.  Ride the Dragon's Tail Coster with my All Day Access.  Most likely decide all day access means "once" and feel justified in knowing I caught the All Day Access for $25 at one point and later saw they were selling single rides for $34.99.
Then probably a bit of meandering to check Labadee out as I have never been.  I won't lay out in the or go play in the water as those words aren't in my vocabulary outside of social situations. 
Then I will find some shade and sit and contemplate eating for free on Labadee followed by contemplating going back and eating for free on the ship.  Both will require some walking and effort so this will be a dilemma that I will work through in my mind until I get bored.  I will walk somewhere (likely in the wrong direction) and get hot and gross and annoyed with that, curse the sun and go seek air conditioning.

Swung back by the room and noticed I now have a roommate.  I better still get double points for this cruise, though.  Good thing I have the ability to control the TV with my phone since he's a total remote hog.

He stills owes me a free beer from several years ago so you're doing quite well.  

Hmm..so where did I leave off last night...last thing I remember was robots taking jobs away from service workers

RIP Champagne Bar.  At least at this bar you don't have to feel shamed for not tipping in cash on top of the 18% gratuity for your drink?  Service is pretty slow anyways.
At that point it was pushing 9:30 and I was at the point where if I wasn't actively doing something I was going to fall asleep sitting up.  The only options then were passive activities (watching music).  The first night promenade balloon drop at midnight is always fun, but I knew I wouldn't make it that long without a nap.  
I went back to the cabin intending to take a nap so I could go watch the balloon drop.  Spoiler alert: I didn't end up seeing the balloon drop.

Just kidding..floor porn.

And bathroom..that IS a new backsplash.

And somehow I rated fancy tube stuff!

But as a back-up plan I have

Standard balcony room set up. Couch by the balcony.

Couch looks and feels like it wasn't replaced.

However the carpet is actually very clean, new and plush feeling under my toesies.  (No photos of that, creepers).

PRO-TIP: Before settling in to sleep at a hotel, check to make sure the prior hotel patrons have not set the desk clock alarm to go off at a way, way too early time.
I mean it's still CRUISE DAY and all..but it's still early!
Guess I might as well make sure the ship is still there ??
It is..and it has been joined by another Royal ship, Explorer of the Seas as you.can obviously tell here and not have to look up on the port schedule website.

For those following along closely, #currentkindlestatus:

So I debated starting this, but I'm sitting in my hotel room in Miami, it's 10:45pm and I can't sleep.  Why??  BECAUSE TOMORROW IS CRUISE DAY!!!!
And here we go...I will try to keep this going as I'm spending the next 7 nights on Oasis of the Seas for my 2nd Thanksgiving in a row at sea.  I managed to snag surf & stream VOOM for $11.99/day which I thought was reasonable enough, so I will be connected on the ship.  Sprint also has cell service at the ports (Labadee, San Juan, St. Thomas) which is included in my cell phone plan, so I won't be forced to disconnect at all. That means I can talk about, read about, and write about cruise stuff while I'm doing cruise stuff!!!
Last year I spent Thanksgiving on Symphony of the Seas (which also left from Miami) as part of the Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise.  It was my first group cruise and I got to meet so many awesome folks from the different social media channels involved with the group.  I also spent that cruise in a category A1 room (Spacious 2-BR AquaTheater Suite with Large Balcony) which was absolutely my favorite cabin I've ever been in.  Symphony was also my first Oasis class ship.  It was Star Class and then combined with it also being the group cruise I felt like every single moment of that cruise was scheduled for me.
This time around I feel like I'm slumming it in an oceanview balcony room.  But I paid a pretty awesome price for it as a solo cruiser as they weren't charging the solo supplement.  I originally had a CP double balcony room (cabin numbers ending in 229 and 629) but the price dropped so much after final payment (we're talking as low as $650 all-in solo with Diamond discount and FL resident discount) that the oceanview balconies ended up being cheaper than I had paid.  My terrific MEI travel agent said they wouldn't give me any money back but she got me moved into an oceanview balcony at no extra cost, cabin 8594.
So that means I'm by myself in the room, I get double points, and I get to make my own schedule, right?  WRONG...my mother decided to invite herself along.  Of course she's also after the extra points, so she went and booked her own cabin so I will have a little bit of space and solo-ness still.
 

I've been vlogging around the ship today. You's guys are going to love my Oasis ship tour video. Almost finished editing.

Just arrived! Waiting to sign-on the ship.