Ferramc

Only 10 months to go!  It may sound crazy but we’re already talking about the food we’re going to eat.  I’ve been sharing stories and pictures with my family from this site - it has the most amazing info thanks to so many bloggers.  Now my family is anxiously anticipating the often referenced ‘food coma’ ?.  You are all greatly  appreciated. ??
 
 

Only 10 months to go!  It may sound crazy but we’re already talking about the food we’re going to eat.  I’ve been sharing stories and pictures with my family from this site - it has the most amazing info thanks to so many bloggers.  Now my family is anxiously anticipating the often referenced ‘food coma’ ?.  You are all greatly  appreciated. ??
 
 

Just a small update ..... we booked the Coco Cay overwater cabana!  It will definitely be an extravagance, but with 7 adults chipping in we figured it would be worth it!  
I know we’re a long way off, so I’ll keep checking the price to see if it goes down. 

Ok, so it’s a week early but I’m starting while I’m thinking about it. Looking at the Adventure sitting in port getting ready to head off on its last sailing before mine doesn’t hurt either.
I’ve lost track of how many cruises I’ve had canceled but earlier this year I booked the Grandeur for December thinking it might be my best chance to get on a ship next.  Little did I expect to see the Adventure sailings announced (or just how fast things would start up from the US).  Almost didn’t book since I’m not a fan of cruising in the summer, but after some internal fighting… YOLO.  Was sorely tempted by the first week, but in the end decided that if I’m going to book something for the summer why not just spend my birthday on the ship with no responsibilities and a drink package?
This cruise marks a couple of firsts for me, first time on a ship embarking outside of the US and the first time flying in the day of a cruise.  The latter one worries me a bit…but I’m using Air2Sea and have the first flight out at 5am, connecting in Charlotte and landing in Nassau a little after 10am.  Hopefully this gives me enough leeway for the inevitable delays.  Worst case, I guess I’m swimming to Freeport and meeting the ship there.  Fine, sure, they have flights into Freeport but what fun would that be.
To be clear, I don’t recommend doing this!  Life conspired against me making it my only option, how dare it give me exciting new opportunities.  I started a new job a couple days ago and other obligations are keeping me away from home until Thursday.  Figured it’d only be nice to give my new boss a few days of work before showing her where my real priorities lie.  Oh, yeah, and give myself time to do things like pack, finalize moving plans, etc.  What idiot thought it'd be a good idea to try and fit starting a new job, taking a vacation, and moving to a new city/state all into a month?  Don't answer that.
Ok, preamble done.  If you made it this far you have my sympathies for how bored you must be.  Let’s set some proper expectations, here’s a few of the things you can’t expect:  quality, coherence, any sort of vague adherence to a schedule, good pictures, dressing in formal wear on formal night, and socks.  To not leave you completely high and dry though you can absolutely expect: alcohol, plans to change on a whim, inebriated answers to questions, sometimes even the ones that are asked, and sandals.  Feel free to google "tuxedo swimsuit", but I'm not sure I'm mean enough to inflict that sight on the other guests.  Maybe just for a Christmas card photo.
As of now I have few plans:
Friday 7/9 - work, pack, check in to flight, stay at hotel airport.
Saturday 7/10 - Flight to Nassau, mani-pedi, lots of beverages.
Sunday 7/11 - Freeport - Drink, read, repeat
Monday 7/12 - CocoCay - Beach Club
Tuesday 7/13 - CocoCay - Beach Club and the Helium balloon
Wednesday 7/14 - Sea Day - Sushi and Sake lunch
Thursday 7/15 - Cozumel - Cozumel Bar Hop
Friday 7/16 - Sea Day - Doing inappropriate things, or reading
Saturday 7/17 - Sadness, depression, flight home.  Maybe some beverages too.
 
I’ve got the UDP, no idea what I’ll schedule for that.  To be honest I could easily subsist on random rolls/sushi/sashimi from Izumi all week but I’ll likely do a night at Chops and Giovanni’s.
Things left to do:
Pack.  I wonder how small of a bag I can use for this one… PCR test on Monday Verifly stuff Royal Health Questionnaire

Same here!  We’re going star class on Symphony next year and treating them all the way!  We were very financially challenged for much of their childhood years, so I feel very fortunate to be able to share travel experiences with them now.   

Same here!  We’re going star class on Symphony next year and treating them all the way!  We were very financially challenged for much of their childhood years, so I feel very fortunate to be able to share travel experiences with them now.   

Same here!  We’re going star class on Symphony next year and treating them all the way!  We were very financially challenged for much of their childhood years, so I feel very fortunate to be able to share travel experiences with them now.   

I love being able to treat my adult offspring.  Seeing them happy is my greatest joy.  Maybe it’s not right but it’s how I feel.  And they are happy to make me happy ? 

I’m really hoping everything works out for you and you get to go -also really looking forward to hearing about your experiences!  

I’m really hoping everything works out for you and you get to go -also really looking forward to hearing about your experiences!  

I’m really hoping everything works out for you and you get to go -also really looking forward to hearing about your experiences!  

Just a small update ..... we booked the Coco Cay overwater cabana!  It will definitely be an extravagance, but with 7 adults chipping in we figured it would be worth it!  
I know we’re a long way off, so I’ll keep checking the price to see if it goes down. 

So, I’ve been anxiously waiting for this one year countdown to begin!  We were supposed to be cruising star class last year, but then this wretched little bug started going around.......???
As one who looks for silver linings, I will say that I got a better cabin (4 bedroom villa) at an even better price for this cruise than I had for the cancelled one!  And there will be much more room for all of us (we went from 5 to 7 travelers since we had the extra bedrooms)!  But I’m really hoping that roominess in no longer an issue and that the term social distancing is a very distant memory by then ????  
So, here’s to the countdown!  May the days go fast and the ridiculously out of touch CDC go ....... well, I really don’t care where they go as long as they let cruising resume! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I have this room January 16, 2022 but on Harmony!  Can't wait to be able to compare our experiences!

I’m using this room January 22, 2022. 8 adults. I may post some experiences.
Great work getting this room. Make the most of it 

So, I’ve been anxiously waiting for this one year countdown to begin!  We were supposed to be cruising star class last year, but then this wretched little bug started going around.......???
As one who looks for silver linings, I will say that I got a better cabin (4 bedroom villa) at an even better price for this cruise than I had for the cancelled one!  And there will be much more room for all of us (we went from 5 to 7 travelers since we had the extra bedrooms)!  But I’m really hoping that roominess in no longer an issue and that the term social distancing is a very distant memory by then ????  
So, here’s to the countdown!  May the days go fast and the ridiculously out of touch CDC go ....... well, I really don’t care where they go as long as they let cruising resume! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

So, I’ve been anxiously waiting for this one year countdown to begin!  We were supposed to be cruising star class last year, but then this wretched little bug started going around.......???
As one who looks for silver linings, I will say that I got a better cabin (4 bedroom villa) at an even better price for this cruise than I had for the cancelled one!  And there will be much more room for all of us (we went from 5 to 7 travelers since we had the extra bedrooms)!  But I’m really hoping that roominess in no longer an issue and that the term social distancing is a very distant memory by then ????  
So, here’s to the countdown!  May the days go fast and the ridiculously out of touch CDC go ....... well, I really don’t care where they go as long as they let cruising resume! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Well, I am now officially re-employed !  Here's the ultimate irony.  It seems I am going to have to fly back to DC to get the badges and equipment I will need to work from Florida.  We threw all of the ideas around (for trying to do it from here) and it just seems that you can't get there from here....so after the first of the year, I will be going BACK up there to get everything formalized...then fly back home and actually start doing the routine stuff.
Since I've essentially been off the job since Feb I am ready to go get back to work.  The nice thing is, I will pretty much be able to work when I want to with a few structured requirements (meetings, etc.).  I will still be doing the travel that I love so it's totally win-win.  It took far longer to get the paperwork done than I had thought it would, but I've been in no hurry so it's all good.  YIPPEE !!

Please add Symphony of the Seas.  May 14, 2022.  Thank you!

Please add Symphony of the Seas.  May 14, 2022.  Thank you!

Please add Symphony of the Seas.  May 14, 2022.  Thank you!

We like May the best - nice weather, not over crowded with kids since they’re still in school (our kids are adults now ? ) and it’s our wedding anniversary month.  I can also usually find great deals.  I typically luck out booking in the same year as the sailing, but knowing I really, really, wanted the villa I knew I had to book as soon as the sailings opened up.  
Since I knew we wanted the Caribbean and a newer ship (our ‘kids’ haven’t been on a cruise in over 10 years and we want to make it special) I picked the May date with the best itinerary for us and when the room showed open, I immediately booked.  You should have seen me running downstairs from bed to go get my credit card!   I could only book 4 of us on line and didn’t believe I really got it until I spoke with a royal rep to add the 5th person as soon as they opened.  I added the 6/7 people a couple of days later when we confirmed that the funnest couple in our extended family could join us! 

This will be first time star class for us and we all can’t wait. We worked our way up from the tiniest interior, lower deck cabins to our first grand suite over a 25 year period.  We also had about a 10 year pause in cruising in that period until 2 years ago - the teen years were difficult and there was no way would we all have survived in one cabin.  Now we’ll have 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. No privacy or space issues as there are 3 couples and 1 single ☺️ And all the food and drink necessary to keep everyone extremely happy!
 
I hope you get to travel next May. 

I locked in one for January 2022 the day the itineraries released last time..for 4 people it's at about $10.5K but the additional person rate is locked in at only $750 more to add up to the total capacity.

By the way - we will be happy to host a cabin get together for blog members who book the same cruise (assuming Royal doesn’t cut that offering post Covid). 
 
Just 536 days to go!  Bet you can’t tell I’m excited!  And in desperate need of a cruise! 

We like May the best - nice weather, not over crowded with kids since they’re still in school (our kids are adults now ? ) and it’s our wedding anniversary month.  I can also usually find great deals.  I typically luck out booking in the same year as the sailing, but knowing I really, really, wanted the villa I knew I had to book as soon as the sailings opened up.  
Since I knew we wanted the Caribbean and a newer ship (our ‘kids’ haven’t been on a cruise in over 10 years and we want to make it special) I picked the May date with the best itinerary for us and when the room showed open, I immediately booked.  You should have seen me running downstairs from bed to go get my credit card!   I could only book 4 of us on line and didn’t believe I really got it until I spoke with a royal rep to add the 5th person as soon as they opened.  I added the 6/7 people a couple of days later when we confirmed that the funnest couple in our extended family could join us! 

This will be first time star class for us and we all can’t wait. We worked our way up from the tiniest interior, lower deck cabins to our first grand suite over a 25 year period.  We also had about a 10 year pause in cruising in that period until 2 years ago - the teen years were difficult and there was no way would we all have survived in one cabin.  Now we’ll have 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. No privacy or space issues as there are 3 couples and 1 single ☺️ And all the food and drink necessary to keep everyone extremely happy!
 
I hope you get to travel next May.