CruzOnBye

If you change your mind, I'll be following in preparation for my Dec cruise. 🙂 

If you change your mind, I'll be following in preparation for my Dec cruise. 🙂 

I got a marketing email last week telling me that an Internet package would make my Labadee excursions more enjoyable! 

At the very least, I'll have a post-cruise report, just may or may not have many pics.

Based on @Ampurp85’s live blog from last week, it better be the deepest cleaning in cruise ship history. 😬

Meanwhile there's a travel agent wondering where the hell that package is.

I got a FedEX package this morning filled with cruise brochures. It looks like a travel agent kit. I have no idea how or why it was sent to me and there was no letter or explanation included. I am not complaining - it has a full guide to all the ships, deck plans & cruises for the 2024-2025 season. I am, however, taking it as a sign that I should be doing more cruising... 😀

If you change your mind, I'll be following in preparation for my Dec cruise. 🙂 

@CruzOnBye JR, MDR, the WJ, Solarium and Park Cafe were the only places open for breakfast. ELF at the Wipeout Cafe was 11-5ish everyday.

Last night was the first time the passport scan worked for me! It's never worked and always had me input the digits so I usually skip that piece as well. However it was easy peasy since it scanned quickly. We always take our headshots too, a couple days after check-in, but every.single.time. the gate agents rescan us. I'm like helloo.....that was a fabulous kitchen picture of myself 😭 Instead they make me take off my baseball cap and it's #cruisehairdontcare

Interesting! I'll give that a shot this go around..use a picture saved on my phone. Thanks for the tip. And you're right, it's not a big deal since the pic process at the port takes seconds, but still...if I have the option to skip an in-person photo shoot, why not? 🙂

Last night was the first time the passport scan worked for me! It's never worked and always had me input the digits so I usually skip that piece as well. However it was easy peasy since it scanned quickly. We always take our headshots too, a couple days after check-in, but every.single.time. the gate agents rescan us. I'm like helloo.....that was a fabulous kitchen picture of myself 😭 Instead they make me take off my baseball cap and it's #cruisehairdontcare

Maybe it's because I always use pictures saved on my phone rather than selfies/new pics but somehow we have never ever had to have ours re-taken.
I've read sooo many people say they always have to re-take theirs at the port. I don't know what's so special about what I do, lol. (Also not remotely a big deal just odd).

Click on naturalization papers and skip the passports.  Once the app works you can edit the document to the passport.  If you forget😬the gate agent will scan the passport for you.

I had my 45 day check-in at midnight for Allure in Dec. Scored a 10:30am check-in window! Then I got way too excited to go back to sleep, I was already thinking of my packing list. 🤪

I had my 45 day check-in at midnight for Allure in Dec. Scored a 10:30am check-in window! Then I got way too excited to go back to sleep, I was already thinking of my packing list. 🤪

I keep seeing more and more posts like yours, issues with check in and the app. That's what kept me from sleeping last night for my checkin. I didn't have an alarm set, I just tossed and turned until midnight lol. I don't normally stress too much over it, I've waited days and still gotten 10:30-11am slot but I don't know if it's the fact that the ships lately have been packed/fully booked or if it's a combo of that and just tech issues. I did mine last night on the app, but I had it open on the web browser also in case the app crashed. I took screen shots once they were in my apple wallet too because someone above said their time changed on its own and that scared me.
Happy you still got before noon, but if you're like me, I want to be onboard asap! Cheers to a 45 day countdown to our cruises! 🥳

Last night I received the concierge email and activities/entertainment started to populate into the app. Still no menus. The headliners are a juggler, adult comedian, and a singer in addition to the usual Encore ice show, Saturday Night Fever broadway show, and In the Air production show Liberty always has. There will be a family Halloween party at 8pm in the Star Lounge and an adult Halloween party at 10pm in Studio B.
Today I'm getting my hair done - I went from purple to magenta with blue lowlights after Allure, and I'm wanting to go back to (what I think) my natural brown is with burgundy ends. We'll see how it turns out. Also need to pick up prescriptions, grocery shop for Friday's classes, and keep the laundry going. Is it just me, or does laundry seem to multiply in the days leading up to a trip?

This past April when we went on Allure, I thought it would be a good idea to squeeze in just one more wedding before we went on vacation, and I delivered a cake the morning that we left town. Then we got back and I had a wedding 4 days later. We tried to do all the things on the bigger ship. Not going to lie...our genie was an enabler who kept getting us access to all the things too.😆 That whole vacation felt rushed and stressful. 
This time, I am doing it right. I'm done with deliveries and consultations until we get back, and the emails are under control. I am making the kids do school this week (we homeschool), but DS has worked ahead in anticipation and has a very light week. DD needs to work on her time management skills, so she still has a full week. We have our homeschool co-op on Friday, but I am only teaching two classes this semester. DD is taking a logic class that will require her to work a little bit while we are out of town, but the homework and test can be turned in online and should only take 30 minutes or so each. I already feel much more relaxed than our last trip. DH won't start to relax until we are seated on the plane - we're flying Southwest.
I pre-packed the kids yesterday and once again they decided to grow since our last cruise. Today I'll be updating DS's t-shirt collection, and, thanks to DH's 6'4" genes, DD needs some longer athletic shorts. Time to start the final cycles of laundry and drag out the ironing board. The only time it makes an appearance at our house is when we pack for a cruise. 
I forgot to mention our other pre-cruise purchases. We all have the refreshment package and will use our D vouchers and the suite lounge happy hour for adult beverages. MTD - I made reservations for 7:15 each night. DH and I are doing Chef's Table on night 3 of the first leg. Photo packages and internet have been bought as well. I'm sure we'll hit up Johnny Rockets for lunch one day. Since we sailed star class in April, we haven't tried the new menus yet, so the plan right now is the MDR for all our other dinners. 
We decided to stay at the Embassy Suites in Deerfield Beach about 40 minutes north of Ft. Lauderdale. The hotel was cheaper than the Embassy Suites in FLL, and it is right on the beach. We plan to Uber/Lyft to the port the morning of the cruise. 
 

I would think that is a smart decision. Would presume less people at the water park that day. Obviously weather could play a role. Might watch that as it gets closer and switch if need be. We did the water park back in January and it was about 60 degrees and windy. I had booked a cabana so I made those kids go on those slides no matter how cold they were while I sat in the cabana in a sweatshirt and blanket over me 😂😂😂….yep father of the year right here 

Being from Dallas, we love sailing out of Galveston because it is relatively close to home – a 5 hour drive, a day in Houston at a museum or Space Center, then a short drive to port the next morning. But to say itineraries are limited is an understatement. We were looking for something a little different this time, and DH found a 6 day followed by a 4 day on Liberty sailing from Ft. Lauderdale. This was a no brainer for us as Liberty is our favorite ship, we get 10 days instead of our usual 7, and while we do go back to Cozumel and Costa Maya, which are on every Galveston sailing, we also get to visit two new ports for our family - Nassau and CocoCay…twice!  
It will be the usual suspects: myself, DH, DD 15, and DS 11. We are staying in our favorite cabin, the 2 bedroom Grand Suite 9708. The 2 bedroom suites face aft on the Freedom and Voyager classes of ships, so we have a partially obstructed view with the superstructure. That doesn't bother us, and the extra living room and balcony space makes up for it.
We will hit 140 points on embarkation day, so we should be receiving our first crystal block. This is also our first back to back. We booked an excursion through Royal on turnaround day, so I will make sure to report how that process goes.
 
Here are the itinerary and excursion details:
Sunday 10/29 Fly from Dallas to Ft. Lauderdale
Monday 10/30 Ft. Lauderdale – Beach? Surf lessons as a Flowrider warm up? Nap all day in the hotel? We haven’t decided yet.
Tuesday 10/31 Embarkation – The kids have their Halloween costumes ready to go.
Wednesday 11/1 Sea day
Thursday 11/2 Costa Maya – No plans. Maybe the aviary to stretch our legs.
Friday 11/3 Cozumel – Save a Sea Turtle Experience
Saturday 11/4 Sea day
Sunday 11/5 Perfect Day. No plans. 
Monday 11/6 Turn around day / Ft. Lauderdale – Everglades Airboat Ride
Tuesday 11/7 Sea Day
Wednesday 11/8 Perfect Day – Thrill Waterpark
Thursday 11/9 Nassau – Queen’s Staircase, Fort Fincastle, and Pirate Museum on our own
Friday 11/10 Debarkation

the way i have always wanted to do a B2B and a double run of PDCC!!!!!!
you are living my dream!!

Looks like we are in for a windy week on the first few days of our cruise. We are officially in packing mode and overly exited to head down to Orlando. There’s also a Starlink launch apparently Saturday night and DH is super exited to see that. 
 
Also if anyone is interested, these were our Royal Up bid prices. I did have a number in my head I’d be willing to throw at a junior or even grand suite, but these unfortunately were a bit over what I felt was worth it. One day I’d love to experience a grand suite at least. The suite neighborhood looks fantastic on Wonder. 

Checked in online early this morning for our 12-8-24 Freedom sailing (~3:00 AM so not as soon as it opened for check-in) and the earliest was 11:30.  Not sure if earlier times had been available but I really doubt it.  Also, another bad experience with the app.  As always seems to happen lately, the app would not work AT ALL.  I ended up having to go online and do the full check-in with passports, etc.  How much do I hate the app......

Check-in update: 
Fell asleep at 10pm. Woke up at 11:15pm. Fell back asleep. Woke up at 12:01am and jumped up to do the check-in! I was like a kid waiting for Santa! Check-in didn't open until 12:10am...longest 9 minutes of my life ☠️ but we scored 10:30am port arrival! 🥳
Room: We originally booked this cruise when we were on Odyssey last December, for a really good deal. We booked it through Next Cruise and transferred to my TA at MEI Travel, as an Interior GTY. We generally have booked 99% of our cruises as Interior GTYs and never expect anything other than a blacked out Interior room, which we are always content with. Anyway, after check-in last night, the room was not assigned, however Deck 7 was, along with an assigned muster drill station. I remembered reading on here about the barcode trick...so I gave a shot. Based off the deck # and last 4 digits of the BC, it seems we got bumped up to a Boardwalk View Interior! I think that is super cool. I read online, it is one that fits 3+ people (lol I had to be sure) and this specific room had a lot of great comments and videos online (yes I never went back to asleep last night, I was too excited!!) 
Just thought I'd share because I haven't heard of these "bumps" happening much anymore with GTYs, but it seems it is still possible! Royal Up hasn't sent any emails yet but the ship seems pretty sold out. I wouldn't RU anyway after this "bonus".
I am keeping this nugget of info to myself and making it a surprise to the boys 🙂