Jax

Random Thoughts - Crowds
Despite being over 100% capacity with almost 2000 kids or something, we didn’t have any significant issues other than that one night at WJ when we were in port late. I was even taking the elevators which I rarely do b/c for whatever reason they weren’t nearly as crowded as usual. We really got that “where is everybody?” feeling. Obviously I know how well Oasis class can handle crowds but that’s still a lot of people. I’ve hypothesized in the past that sailing with a bunch of kids b/c of my wife’s teaching schedule wasn’t the worst thing b/c they congregate where we don’t (like the pool deck) so maybe that’s it. Some venues were obviously busy but nothing really felt painfully overcrowded. If I had to complain about anything it would be trivia/game shows in Spotlight Karaoke & the Schooner Bar being standing room only at times. I prefer On-Air to Spotlight Karaoke.

I'm showing my age!
 
 
 

Happy that everyone seemed to enjoy the blog so much. Also happy that I accomplished my goal of more shorter posts with pics.
That said, I'm still a work in progress and I may have been posting a little TOO frequently. My goal in June will be to mostly emulate this one but save some posts for later (as opposed to closer to real-time) when we're truly not doing anything for a while so that I'm not on my phone so much during short breaks in the action. Obviously I enjoy sharing everything with you guys... but I don't want to take anything away from enjoying the time with my wife. I know there's room for both, I just have to find the happy medium.
For so many obvious reasons... I'm feeling very fortunate knowing that we'll be back on Wonder in exactly 10 weeks... and then 5 weeks after that one ends.

You've come to the right place ... i can help you with that. 
Follow me for alcohol tips. I'm a professional. 😆 🍻 🍸 🧉 
Follow @asquared17 for non-alcoholic tips. We all know what happens when she's only had one drink 🤣 and reverts to using vouchers for 💧 (I'm sorry, A, too soon? 😁)

maybe you should trust us when we recommend things…. 😎 
jk jk 😂 i am so happy to hear it worked out!!

Walked right off as usual, home by 9am… and the local news is already taunting me…

Last breakfast in Solarium Bistro. 😭Chocolate donut for @Ampurp85. Need to have more donuts next time.

That’s probably it for now. I have a handful of random thoughts to share but I’ll post them from home. We’re doing self-assist in the morning with no real plan as far as timing other than sometime after I have one more morning of CL cappuccino & stuff myself one last time.
Thanks to all who followed along & contributed (especially @GatorCruiser of course).

Rest of Mason Jar story…
Pretty sure I mentioned that my wife ran into the very friendly & excellent server we had with the family last June on day 1 while I was getting a drink from the bar. Anyway, she was our server for brunch on day 3 and we got to know her a bit more. The plan was to go back that night and my wife was going to get a milkshake. When we did, our server wasn’t there & someone told us she wasn’t feeling well & had to go to medical. Naturally we were concerned.
Fast forward to tonight when I went there for a drink… my wife saw her and I think she’ll be fine but we went back to our cabin to get her some OTC meds to leave with her. She was very appreciative & even got my wife her favorite dessert (Gone Bananas) to go at no charge.
I don’t want to share specific details and that stuff isn’t important anyway. I’m just happy to report that we’re still having many of the experiences that have always made our cruises so great. Sure the WJ has a bit less variety, the MDR may not be as good as it once was (you know I’m not even a huge subscriber to that one), our bed was only made once/day, etc. but our overall enjoyment hasn’t really diminished.

Dangit I would have loved to see y’all one last  time to say goodbye.  @Matt the community he’s created on this board brings people together if even temporarily. That’s powerful human connection and he should be proud. I guess I’m getting contemplative because im nostalgic and I’m sad about this cruise being over. 

I must have just missed you. Will add to story later.
Riverboat Float b/c I’m a big kid & don’t drink whiskey like you.

Went to Mason jar bar. Met a dude from my old college town of Gainesville. Had a no smoke joke and coke or something like that made with buffalo trace. It’s like a smoke rings from wonderland. 

Y’all’s MDR dinner looked great @OCSC Mike
Our final dinner was CK. Service was over the top good. Not sure if they were angling for extra grease or 10/10 on the survey. Food was great. Nevertheless the staff everywhere works their arses off and what make Cruises so good. Pics below 
 

MDR Bon Voyage Menu
Mediterranean Tapas

Steak - Again, surprisingly edible

Apple cobbler

Exactly how I feel on the last night of every cruise. Usually have more regrets about not doing/eating enough of certain things but think I did better this time. I definitely had my fill of ELF, lol.
#1 goal before our next cruise is to learn to drink more so vouchers don’t go to waste.

Back in the Solarium which is now very crowded but we’ve had our loungers since this morning so all good. Wife went back to the cabin after WJ to grab something & said the glass elevators were shut down.
I was pretty cold after sitting in the wind tunnel of ELF so I followed @GatorCruiser’s lead. Figured the jalapeño might warm me up. Same as the Goalpost margarita from Playmakers just in a pool deck friendly plastic glass.

WJ shrimp & ribs for lunch. Really not bad by WJ standards.

 
Now sitting in a very windy & empty ELF for perhaps my last tacos of the cruise. 😭

So this happened right after I posted the radar
 

 

Current situation 
I imagine @jbrinkm is getting a taste if this as well 

Views from our balcony 

Lost internet for a little while. Storm seems to be letting up but now the Solarium has become a mild flood zone, lol. Not sure where the water is coming from but there’s almost inch-deep water flowing in front of our loungers by the windows. Saw at least one flip flop float by.

Really storming now. I can’t even hear the music above the sound of the rain & thunder. Lots of lightning too. Don’t think I’ve actually sailed through a thunderstorm before.

Appreciating the enclosed Solarium today. It’s completely overcast with thunder rumbling, some lightning, & periods of rain. Ship isn’t rocking though & it’s nice & cool in here now so we’re content. Not sure what families with tiny humans will be doing if the main pool deck is out.

Waiting for wife to finish her last morning walk. Today will be a repeat of yesterday. Will have actual breakfast after she showers then camp out in our same corner of the pool deck as yesterday & leave for a couple trivias & food runs throughout the day. Going to see the adult comedy main theater show tonight since we enjoyed one of the comics & they usually change up their sets a bit.
We did wind up seeing Effectors II for the 2nd time last night btw. For some reason I didn’t really like it this time. Costumes & special effects are still cool but it felt a lot slower this time until the end scene for whatever reason. Don’t mean to be negative, everyone should see it once, especially if they have kids.

Pre-breakfast of champions… or one pre-vintage at least…