CruzOnBye

Anybody notice the random one date for Star…possible test on Royal’s end? 

Anybody notice the random one date for Star…possible test on Royal’s end? 

Anybody notice the random one date for Star…possible test on Royal’s end? 

We're doing same itinerary but starting the 8th! I'll be watching for updated cruise compasses now that the short cruises on her started...I like to know what's going on. I go with the flow...but I like to know what's happening still, and in advance 😁  Hope you have an awesome trip! Love that you booked it last minute, countdown has begun!

I didn't look at Miami, that post was only about Ft. Lauderdale. Thanks. If I wasn't driving there for Oasis class I'm sure as heck not driving there for Indy.

Final thoughts - 
Liberty is starting to show her age in a few places, especially in hard to reach parts like the superstructure. I probably would be too after 16 years in the water, and we could look past the few blemishes. The crew was out painting throughout the sailing. The sports court was closed for the entire 6 days of the first leg because they were resurfacing it. All of the aft balconies need the same TLC - I believe they are covered in the same material, and there are major pock marks in the floor from the chairs.
Laundry - We sent out 2 Wash and Fold service bags the first leg since it was more than 5 days, but we had to specifically ask for the right forms. DH also sent out a couple of things on the second leg. Our D discounts were applied without us having to ask. Everything came back just fine except for our socks. They had all shrunk. None of the other items - t shirts, polos, undies, pants... just the socks. They stretched back out and fit fine, but it was comical just how much smaller they were.😆
  
 
Jayson, our concierge was amazing. We mentioned to him in passing that we elected to get an Uber and not wait on the turnaround day excursion bus to go to Miami airport before dropping us off. He casually asked how much our Uber was - $11 and change. The next day we had a $20 credit to our account. It certainly wasn't necessary, and it was a nice gesture. I don't think I have ever had anyone smile at me so much and it feel genuine. I hope we can sail with him again in the future.
Crown Lounge - I poked my head in a few times, and never did see the concierge. 🤷‍♀️
Flowrider lessons - worth it. To us anyway. My kids are at that age where Splashaway Bay isn't quite as cool, and they are ready for the next big(ger) thing. We have done the Flowrider in the past, but it was very nice to have dedicated instruction. We plan on taking what we learned and practicing here at home before our next sailing as we have access to one about 45 minutes away. 
Perfect Day - My kids continue to surprise me, especially DD who is on the spectrum. Before this trip Thrill Waterpark would have felt like a waste as they would have spent most of their time in the wave or adventure pools. We bought it on last year's Black Friday sale for just under $50 per person. Both kids went on multiple slides, some way outside of their comfort zones. For the right price, we would definitely go again. DS and I think they should add a few Flowriders to the island, but outside of the waterpark. It was nice to have 2 full days there so we could experience things outside of the waterpark.
Ship size - I still think the Freedom/Voyager class is the sweet spot for our family, but with only one experience on an Oasis class, and that being in Star class, it's hard to say that for sure. Our next cruise is on Harmony, so we will get a better idea then. 
Drink package - I think we are going to try to go with no drink package at all this next time. We dropped to only the refreshment package when we hit diamond and it has worked out fine for us, but DH and I are starting to drink less and less  as we get older so our Diamond vouchers are pretty much covering us. Instead, we'll get the 24 water package for the next one and save $600 on pre-cruise purchases. Well, maybe not save... I have my eye on an excursion or two in the spring.
Photo package - I will continue to pre-purchase a package. I use the images we get plus the pictures we take and make photo books. I have no baby albums for my kids, but cruise books, you betcha!😆 I usually get the 100 images so I don't have to think. The past several years it has been on sale for about $125 on Black Friday. This year's sale though has it over $200. I think I'm going to get the 50 image package instead which is $179 right now.
Crystal block - Jason had one waiting for us on day one, it was the old design. Brought it home in my carry one and it was not flagged at FLL as anything weird that needed inspection. 
Overall, our family loves to cruise, and we have 3 more on the books - one every 6 months or so. I don't see this changing anytime soon, especially now that we are expanding our itineraries. The three we have booked are all connecting balconies which will be different for us as we have only sailed in the 2 bedroom suites with the kids. I think current pricing is going to keep us to balconies instead of suites unless we drop to 1 a year, and right now I think we want to keep our current pace. We will turn D+ on the last night of our fall '24 cruise. 🥳
Thanks for following along!

Back to room after lunch to find 

To finish last night now before our sea day begins. We had dinner in Coastal kitchen. Service was great food was wonderful.
filet was perfect  melt in your mouth. My favorite go to on day 1.

smoked tomato soup
 
 

escargot

 
butterflied filet

On ship having lunch
 

We got back to the ship too late for the MDR.    So we ate in the Windjammer.   They had multiple beef and chicken selections.  Used to be they called the steak, minute steaks.  Tonight they were somewhat thicker, and every bit  as good as the best steak I've had in the MDR.  I also had BBQ chicken, which was quite perfectly delicious.🤩

Cabo photos...
We stayed in the Port area and took in all the amusement we could handle.  It is 6PM and we just got back on the ship.
We did the glass bottom boat tour.  It was a bargain at 15 bucks each.
 

The goodies keep coming.
 

We often come back to our cabin to find treats.

Early start.  Already signed into muster, ate lunch, got Voom installed and have started making our cabin our own.

Day 7 - at sea
Reality, cloudy, and colder temps are setting in as a woke up this morning with the sliding door open. After coffee in the room we headed to the Windjammer, not a bad crowd...washy, washy, washy. I found the slices/samples of cheese and everything omelettes, so you can get a taste but not commit to the whole omelette. Sausage, biscuits and gravy appeared which was nice with some nice freshly made over easy eggs at the kids station.
We had a medical evacuation from Deck 15 by the USCG Helicopter right above our cabin. What a coincidence that i was in the USCG, its Veterans Day, and literally right over us. Hope the person is doing well..
We napped and listened to the neighbors yell at their kids until late lunch at the MDR. I like that they have different themes. We were assigned the "Chic" for dinner but had lunch in the American Icon Grill MDR.
Dressed for Dinner at Jamie's. Sun finally came out just for sunset..still 53 degrees..ugh.
Very impressed with Jamie's really felt the love behind the food. Trish had a special of Lobster, clams, scungilli, and shrimp w/pasta. I had the braised ribs with Penne Cabonara..really amazing. I can see the attraction to specialty dining. It does get a little old every waiter we encountered today asked to give them a 10 on the rating/review.
Going to the "Battle of the Sexes" and getting some sleep. Suppose to be going under the Verrazano around 5:30a and then a 8:30a disembark time.
Thanks for all your comments and what an amazing trip for the both of us..This trip will put us into Platinum..on our way!
Take care
 
 
 
 

Day 6 - Sea Day - Got up for a run during the sunrise and hit the gym. Cafe Promenade is open 24 hrs with coffee, so nice at 6am. Coffee in the room and relaxing. Love the breeze and sound of the waves in the room. Nice salad to go from the Windjimere..They have hand washing stations as you enter and singers with guitars singing “Wash your hands, Wash your hands thoroughly” Very entertaining and the tune will be with me for a while..
Haven’t been back to Flowrider got a pretty good scrape on my shoulder from surfing and line is crazy long with kids for the boogie board. 75F and Sunny. Pool deck is packed and could here the sexiest man completion going on. I keep forgetting to download the cruise compass of the QR code from the TV so I can forward it. We’ve been getting paper ones every night…really nice for planning the next day. We do like the location of the ship TV channel with speed and course pretty cool. Lobster night at MDR, I love French Onion soup but I couldn’t do it a third night so, I went with Tortellinis. Lobster was great.
In our RCL account it has my birthday listed, but everywhere we went MDR, Bar, CocoCay they would congratulate me on my birthday but never on the actual day..lol It was hysterical. They sang to me in the MDR on the 6th and you can’t say right during the candle and singing its the wrong day so we just went with birthday week. Yesterday the Bartender said happy birthday and the whole bar was singing..lol. On my real birthday the table next to us at the MDR had a birthday, but I couldn’t say me too, cause we already had mine..haha 😂
 

here she is waiting for the next load 

Well she got her wish! 

Yes it’s Cruise day!!! We are wide awake. Now to hurry up and wait.  Getting ready early and gonna get breakfast at the hotel, hopefully Renee gets a Texas shaped waffle.

So we have arrived in Galveston safely after 13 hours on the road today.Received emails that boarding will be delayed because of Coast guard inspection. Boarding will begin at 12:00
This sailing I will have my sister  Renee with me. This is her first time on Harmony . Also her first time in Galveston.
We will have an Aqua theatre suite. Wendy is our genie. Ready to relax and get ready to board tomorrow.

Harmony tied up in Galveston.
Fun trip. Many good things, few bad things. Excited to come back in February 2025 with an even bigger Star Class group.