CrimsonCruiser

My mom and I stayed at the Galveston Inn & Suites in 2019 and I remember liking it well enough. It was just for the one night before the cruise and I remember it being pretty comfortable. A good size for 2 adults, clean and friendly. Complimentary continental breakfast (with waffles).
I will say, it wasn't really close to a lot of stuff so we ordered delivery for food and basically just chilled in the room.
Can't comment on parking as we flew in and didn't see a reason to rent a car.

aww...and this was gonna be the year I tried to go to the suite lounge more than once per cruise lol

I think you're right with the extra selective comment -- I don't see any discounts of more than a couple of dollars on my cruises. 

Time for a clean start...

 
 
 

Someone in a Facebook group posted something like “my inaugural on the Odyssey will be in December”
I think I will take that perspective.  As far as I’m concerned, my first sailing on the Odyssey will be MY Inaugural.

Odyssey of the Seas has arrived and I had a front row seat.
From my location I first spotted her through the trees.

I was strategically located in Jetty Park to get as close as possible once she was in the port.

Water cannon salute from some tugs and local fire fighting vessels.




At last a close up view.

With horns blaring and crowds waving it was time to say hello.



She is a beauty.



SkyPad and iFly.

She was well watered on her way in.

Once she reached the mid-port turning basin she did a turn so she could slip into the Royal Caribbean terminal.



Finally, Odyssey has arrived.
Let the cruises begin.

My younger daughter, who many of you know as “the artist”, just submitted a short manga (Japanese comic book) to an art competition, and she has shared the link to view it. She’s been working on this for months, and I just had to share it here.
When you click the link, you need to enter passcode “chessisfun” to open the book reader. Also, be aware that as a manga it’s read from right to left, top to bottom.
https://share.clip-studio.com/en-us/contents/view?code=bbe0e579-8849-4e99-a96c-8c464fc89713&at=1617498438
If you look up the user “Bubblegumkin” on Instagram, you can see a higher resolution version of the full chessboard. She meant for that to be a 2-page center spread, but wasn’t able to make it span the pages; you definitely want to get a closer look at it, the detail she put into it is incredible!

Pretty typical of Royal in my opinion. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.  These changes get made and it's like they don't fully think out all of the different places they need to make the changes, or the timing is taking too long for the changes to be updated across all the different areas.  
You for sure won't be able to get an answer from the front line customer service reps. They really can't see more than we can on the consumer website and I don't think they get these updates pushed out to them.  A lot of the times you will know of a change before they are even aware of it.

http://crew-center.com/cruise-ship-security-discovers-69-pounds-cocaine-during-vessel-inspection
Apparently it was found by Royal Caribbean security while the ship was at Port Everglades, any idea which ship it was??

Henceforth a group of ships shall be called a Gang.

Thanks! That's not too far away now. I'll just chew my nails down to the cuticles praying nothing changes. A successful test cruise is the last thing I want done before I really feel some kind of confidence in my cruise sailing.

I just really hope it's not the honor system....the honor system is bunch of bull.
But I also have to wonder if people will fight the staff on the cruise like they do in stores or on public transit...here in Chicago, most bus drivers and train operators have decided it's not worth their personal safety to enforce the FEDERAL mask mandate because people get nasty about being told to do it...
I hope not...the crew is already putting up with so much...
 

Thanks! That's not too far away now. I'll just chew my nails down to the cuticles praying nothing changes. A successful test cruise is the last thing I want done before I really feel some kind of confidence in my cruise sailing.

Sorry, I get emails directly from CC, and it was in there. When I did go to the website there was nothing.
other ships - Freedom - Test Cruise Date: June 20-22, 2021; First Passenger Sailing: July 2, 2021.
Grand Classica - Test Cruise Date: June 25-27, 2021; First Passenger Sailing: July 2, 2021
Disney Dream - Test Cruise Date: June 29-July 1, 2021; First Passenger Sailing: August 9, 2021
MSC Meraviglia - Test Cruise Date: July 17, 2021; First Passenger Sailing: August 2, 2021
Allure - Test Cruise Date: July 27-29, 2021; First Passenger Sailing: August 8, 2021
Mariner - Test Cruise Date: August 1, 2021; First Passenger Sailing: August 23, 2021
Symphony - Test Cruise Date: August 1-3, 2021; First Passenger Sailing: August 14, 2021
Independence - Test Cruise Date: August 11, 2021; First Passenger Sailing: August 15, 2021
He also listed 2 Carnival ships but there going to be fully vax so no need for test cruises.
article by Aaron Saunders, updated June 8, 2021

I still see it on CC
https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=6171

Hi all!
Jumping on the wagon now that my Sept 11 from Indy was shifted to Odyssey (wooo!).
Anyone see any further word on her test cruises or what's happening with that? I can't find anything concrete anywhere and I've been burned enough by rumors and assumptions that I only trust concrete stuff lol.

I can't speak for the exact room (as I don't remember which one we had back in 2015) but I do know we were also directly underneath the pool deck and I don't remember hearing a thing ever. I was often in the room late into the morning (not an early riser) and in middle of the day at random times.
And I am fairly sensitive to bumping and thumping after years of poorly insulated apartments.
 

it’s not really “My Time Dining” anymore if you can’t eat until 7pm or later ……. Especially if you take it thinking you can eat at 530 or 6 like before and then don’t find out until you get on the ship that your earliest choice is 7pm 
 

I laugh whenever they put a wristband on me anywhere.  "I can totally get out of this", I tell them.  And I can. LOL

@CruiseRoyalDad Not to go off topic but I agree about the health aspect as well. My only issue is the outcome of enforcing whatever criteria. Just be respectful to the people servicing you. It is not their fault what a company mandates. If RCG requires a different set of rules for vax/unvax, don't get mad at crew members for enforcing it.

I just really hope it's not the honor system....the honor system is bunch of bull.
But I also have to wonder if people will fight the staff on the cruise like they do in stores or on public transit...here in Chicago, most bus drivers and train operators have decided it's not worth their personal safety to enforce the FEDERAL mask mandate because people get nasty about being told to do it...
I hope not...the crew is already putting up with so much...
 

I just really hope it's not the honor system....the honor system is bunch of bull.
But I also have to wonder if people will fight the staff on the cruise like they do in stores or on public transit...here in Chicago, most bus drivers and train operators have decided it's not worth their personal safety to enforce the FEDERAL mask mandate because people get nasty about being told to do it...
I hope not...the crew is already putting up with so much...
 

Yes, your refund would be in an OBC if cancelled onboard ……. Just make sure you are farther out than 48 hours to port arrival when you cancel or you won’t get any refund:
 

Here's how my day went in hotel quarantine.
 
I cannot wait to join the ship tomorrow!
 
 

I am taking a friend on her first ever cruise. She paid her half of an interior. Little does she know I upgraded to a junior suite because I am a suite snob. I bet she will be broke forever. Haha