DunkelBierJay

Thanks, Jay !  Glad to hear that the Event didn't cause any issues for you.

This is a recap, and not a highly detailed live blog. If you have questions, please let me know in the replies
 
October 31 & November 1 — Pre-Embarkation
We flew from our home near Nashville to Miami on a late flight and were one of the last arrivals of the day. 
This presented a problem with getting a ride share to take us to the Mercury Hotel in South Beach as it is quite a distance. 
One Uber and two Lyft drivers bailed on us. While annoying, it is understandable. We ended up taking a taxi and ran into construction traffic on I-95 delaying our arrival. We entered our hotel room at about 12:30 am. 
We stayed at a quirky Art Deco hotel a block west of Ocean Drive near 1st Street. 
for brunch, we at at a Popular Cuban restaurant called Puerto Sagua. I highly recommend it. It was an easy walk to Collins and 7th where it is located.
After brunch, we walked along the shoreline to the southernmost ended of South Beach and watched Navigator sail away. You can see a time lapse on my Instagram at:
 
I got my dunkel bier fix for dinner at the Bavaria Bier Haus in Bayside Marketplace right on the water by the marina next to Port Miami. See the first attached pic for an incredible sunset effect by the surrounding skyscrapers. 
November 2 — Embarkation
We had breakfast at a local eatery called Big Pink, checked out and took a Lyft to Port Miami. MacArthur Causeway was closed and traffic was being routed to the Venetian Causeway and to I-195 to the north. Our Lyft driver was astute and chose the latter. While I missed driving opposite cruise ship row that morning, our driver did a great job with the circumstance. When we made it to Dodge Island, we dealt with the effects of getting to Terminal A caused by the construction of the Norwegian terminal next door.
Soon, were we curbside at the terminal and entering the building. A couple of months ago, I cancelled the Key due to reviews. I didn’t realize that the icon was still on my SeaPass in the app, and when I showed it, we were ushered into the Key line and found ourselves bypassing waiting guests and were on board immediately  it took five minutes  when I realized what happened, that somehow we still had the Key, I chose not to take advantage of the other perks it offered for the duration of the cruise.
We ate lunch at El Loco Fresh, and were set up for the rest of the day  our CP balcony room was ready right at 1:00 pm, and we were unpacked by 1:30 pm  my wife had a manicure in the spa scheduled for 1:45, so I did the slides on board starting with the Ultimate Abyss.
We chose My Time dining, during sail away. We watched Hairspray in the theater that evening. The cast was incredible. 
November 3rd & 4th — Sea Days 2 & 3
Readers of these boards will have varying styles of cruising on sea days. I love sea days because of the relaxation available.
Hi lites:
-we purchased a thermal suite package and started using it — very nice, however, the weight room in the fitness center is above the spa, so there are related sounds and bangs
-we ate dinner at Chops on Day 2. It was execellent
-Day 3 was the same with dinner at Izumi Hibachi — it was fun as always
November 5th — Day 4 — Sint Maarten
We chose to make this an easy beach day and took the water taxis from the port to the middle of Philipsburg for $7 round trip. We got off the water taxi after a five minute ride into the middle of the town. We turned right, headed toward the Lazy Lizard and rented two beach chairs and an umbrella for $20. It included a bucket of six beers or two cocktails. Lunch was extra for about $13 a plate. I had the curry chicken with voodoo shrimp appetizer. It was...BY FAR...the best meal I have had on a cruise vacation anywhere. We chose the Lazy Lizard because of reviews on Trip Advisor. Photos attached.
That evening, we watched 1977 in Studio B. The drones and the skating did not disappoint. 
November 6th — Day 5 –  San Juan, PR
I have been dying to get to this port for a while. We did the standard walk up the hill to Castillo del Morro and walked around absorbing some of the history of the magnificent place. We chose not to go to the other fort, and instead walked down the hill on the west side and and toured Casa Blanca where Ponca de Leon lived. The grounds were beautiful and the house was incredible considering how people of that time lived. 
We ate at the famous Barrachina restaurant near Cristo Street. I tried the mofongo combination with chicken, beef and shrimp along with a piña colada. It’s a little touristy, so it won’t be my choice for my next visit to San Juan. We did some shopping and headed back to the ship for a thermal suite session.
We watched Hiro in the Aqua Theater and were mesmerized.
Flowing Hiro, dinner was at Wonderland, an experience Royal Caribbean cruisers should experience once in a lifetime.
November 7th — Day 6 — Sea Day
- we lazed around and ended the evening watching Flight in the Main Theater  
November 8th — Day 7 — Perfect Day at Coco Cay

Seas were as smooth as a glass before sunrise. It was a beautiful and surreal experience walking onto deck 15 to see a Carival ship lit up as she passed by our starboard. A little later, a Norwegian ship sailed across our wake. They looked close enough to touch and were beautifully lit up.Sadly, I was dealing with condensation on my camera lenses, and didn’t have time to get a really cool photo.
-we found loungers behind the swim up bar  on Coco Cay and lazed around until lunch at the Snack Shack where we had the popular crispy chicken sandwich with fried mozzarella and marinara. It is a big step up from the standard fare from the old Coco Cay. The transformation of the island is mind blowing. 
November 6th — Disembarkation 
-I booked a late flight out of FLL, so we took our time getting off the ship
-we had breakfast in the main dining room and left the ship by 9:00 am
-we took a cab from the terminal to Miami Brightline on NW 1st in downtown Miami for $15. We bought Select tickets which gave us lounge access in the very nice, new train station

- the ride from Miami was about 30 minutes and included beverages and snacks served by an attendant in our carriage. The train experience on this line is as a good as any I have had in Europe. It was excellent. I was sad to have to get off in Fort Lauderdale.
-tickets may be pre-purchased online or at the station  — the process is pretty seamless  
-FLL is 3.5 miles from the Fort Lauderdale Brightline station, so a quick ride share will get you to/from the station and airport
-overall —> this short experience far surpassed dealing with a cab or ride share up I-95  — if you are flying out of FLL on a later flight, or if you are coming from a location near a Brightline station elsewhere in Florida, Orlando (future station planned) for example...THIS is how I would get to Port Miami, or Port Everglades — it is well worth it, especially considering the net cost was about the same as a cab would have been and a little higher than a ride share. I will be figuring other ways to use this service while in Florida in the future  — included are pics of the Fort Lauderdale Brightline Terminal and the inside of a carriage
 

Thanks. Somehow the pics didn’t post with the original submission. They should be there now. Lots more pics on my Instagram accounts with more to follow — jay_spiegel_ and highseasnomad. 

This is a recap, and not a highly detailed live blog. If you have questions, please let me know in the replies
 
October 31 & November 1 — Pre-Embarkation
We flew from our home near Nashville to Miami on a late flight and were one of the last arrivals of the day. 
This presented a problem with getting a ride share to take us to the Mercury Hotel in South Beach as it is quite a distance. 
One Uber and two Lyft drivers bailed on us. While annoying, it is understandable. We ended up taking a taxi and ran into construction traffic on I-95 delaying our arrival. We entered our hotel room at about 12:30 am. 
We stayed at a quirky Art Deco hotel a block west of Ocean Drive near 1st Street. 
for brunch, we at at a Popular Cuban restaurant called Puerto Sagua. I highly recommend it. It was an easy walk to Collins and 7th where it is located.
After brunch, we walked along the shoreline to the southernmost ended of South Beach and watched Navigator sail away. You can see a time lapse on my Instagram at:
 
I got my dunkel bier fix for dinner at the Bavaria Bier Haus in Bayside Marketplace right on the water by the marina next to Port Miami. See the first attached pic for an incredible sunset effect by the surrounding skyscrapers. 
November 2 — Embarkation
We had breakfast at a local eatery called Big Pink, checked out and took a Lyft to Port Miami. MacArthur Causeway was closed and traffic was being routed to the Venetian Causeway and to I-195 to the north. Our Lyft driver was astute and chose the latter. While I missed driving opposite cruise ship row that morning, our driver did a great job with the circumstance. When we made it to Dodge Island, we dealt with the effects of getting to Terminal A caused by the construction of the Norwegian terminal next door.
Soon, were we curbside at the terminal and entering the building. A couple of months ago, I cancelled the Key due to reviews. I didn’t realize that the icon was still on my SeaPass in the app, and when I showed it, we were ushered into the Key line and found ourselves bypassing waiting guests and were on board immediately  it took five minutes  when I realized what happened, that somehow we still had the Key, I chose not to take advantage of the other perks it offered for the duration of the cruise.
We ate lunch at El Loco Fresh, and were set up for the rest of the day  our CP balcony room was ready right at 1:00 pm, and we were unpacked by 1:30 pm  my wife had a manicure in the spa scheduled for 1:45, so I did the slides on board starting with the Ultimate Abyss.
We chose My Time dining, during sail away. We watched Hairspray in the theater that evening. The cast was incredible. 
November 3rd & 4th — Sea Days 2 & 3
Readers of these boards will have varying styles of cruising on sea days. I love sea days because of the relaxation available.
Hi lites:
-we purchased a thermal suite package and started using it — very nice, however, the weight room in the fitness center is above the spa, so there are related sounds and bangs
-we ate dinner at Chops on Day 2. It was execellent
-Day 3 was the same with dinner at Izumi Hibachi — it was fun as always
November 5th — Day 4 — Sint Maarten
We chose to make this an easy beach day and took the water taxis from the port to the middle of Philipsburg for $7 round trip. We got off the water taxi after a five minute ride into the middle of the town. We turned right, headed toward the Lazy Lizard and rented two beach chairs and an umbrella for $20. It included a bucket of six beers or two cocktails. Lunch was extra for about $13 a plate. I had the curry chicken with voodoo shrimp appetizer. It was...BY FAR...the best meal I have had on a cruise vacation anywhere. We chose the Lazy Lizard because of reviews on Trip Advisor. Photos attached.
That evening, we watched 1977 in Studio B. The drones and the skating did not disappoint. 
November 6th — Day 5 –  San Juan, PR
I have been dying to get to this port for a while. We did the standard walk up the hill to Castillo del Morro and walked around absorbing some of the history of the magnificent place. We chose not to go to the other fort, and instead walked down the hill on the west side and and toured Casa Blanca where Ponca de Leon lived. The grounds were beautiful and the house was incredible considering how people of that time lived. 
We ate at the famous Barrachina restaurant near Cristo Street. I tried the mofongo combination with chicken, beef and shrimp along with a piña colada. It’s a little touristy, so it won’t be my choice for my next visit to San Juan. We did some shopping and headed back to the ship for a thermal suite session.
We watched Hiro in the Aqua Theater and were mesmerized.
Flowing Hiro, dinner was at Wonderland, an experience Royal Caribbean cruisers should experience once in a lifetime.
November 7th — Day 6 — Sea Day
- we lazed around and ended the evening watching Flight in the Main Theater  
November 8th — Day 7 — Perfect Day at Coco Cay

Seas were as smooth as a glass before sunrise. It was a beautiful and surreal experience walking onto deck 15 to see a Carival ship lit up as she passed by our starboard. A little later, a Norwegian ship sailed across our wake. They looked close enough to touch and were beautifully lit up.Sadly, I was dealing with condensation on my camera lenses, and didn’t have time to get a really cool photo.
-we found loungers behind the swim up bar  on Coco Cay and lazed around until lunch at the Snack Shack where we had the popular crispy chicken sandwich with fried mozzarella and marinara. It is a big step up from the standard fare from the old Coco Cay. The transformation of the island is mind blowing. 
November 6th — Disembarkation 
-I booked a late flight out of FLL, so we took our time getting off the ship
-we had breakfast in the main dining room and left the ship by 9:00 am
-we took a cab from the terminal to Miami Brightline on NW 1st in downtown Miami for $15. We bought Select tickets which gave us lounge access in the very nice, new train station

- the ride from Miami was about 30 minutes and included beverages and snacks served by an attendant in our carriage. The train experience on this line is as a good as any I have had in Europe. It was excellent. I was sad to have to get off in Fort Lauderdale.
-tickets may be pre-purchased online or at the station  — the process is pretty seamless  
-FLL is 3.5 miles from the Fort Lauderdale Brightline station, so a quick ride share will get you to/from the station and airport
-overall —> this short experience far surpassed dealing with a cab or ride share up I-95  — if you are flying out of FLL on a later flight, or if you are coming from a location near a Brightline station elsewhere in Florida, Orlando (future station planned) for example...THIS is how I would get to Port Miami, or Port Everglades — it is well worth it, especially considering the net cost was about the same as a cab would have been and a little higher than a ride share. I will be figuring other ways to use this service while in Florida in the future  — included are pics of the Fort Lauderdale Brightline Terminal and the inside of a carriage
 

Icon was a joke Michael Bayley played on the crowd...
the actual announcement is the 2020 President’s cruise which will be sailing on 10/25/2020 on Allure to the Med, the week before the transatlantic. 
 
Sorry if my post was confusing...

Icon was a joke Michael Bayley played on the crowd...
the actual announcement is the 2020 President’s cruise which will be sailing on 10/25/2020 on Allure to the Med, the week before the transatlantic. 
 
Sorry if my post was confusing...

“It’s going to be really awesome.”
-Michael Bayley
 
now, for the real announcement...really...the 2020 President’s Cruise will be to...
”Just because you vote, it doesn’t mean we are going to do it...”
-Michael Bayley
“We have five options for you  some are pretty crappy because we want to steer you a certain way...”
-Michael Bayler
option 1 — 2 day Empress repositioning (toilets will be flushing)
option 2 — 30 day MSC Cruise with 29 sea days
option 3 — 7 night Ovation Alaska (Aug 7) — “Empress is still winning.” - Michael Bayley — good crowd response
option 4 — 7 night Oasis from NYC (August 4) 
option 5 — 7 night Allure Mediterranean (after amplification) — good crowd response 
Coin Toss by Super Mario — Allure of the Seas Mediterranean in August (I believe)
California itineraries — “maybe” in 2021 — no commitment
 
Michael Bayley is a hoot, btw...

Icon was a joke Michael Bayley played on the crowd...
the actual announcement is the 2020 President’s cruise which will be sailing on 10/25/2020 on Allure to the Med, the week before the transatlantic. 
 
Sorry if my post was confusing...

MEI does a GREAT job.

MEI does a GREAT job.

MEI does a GREAT job.

Make sure you are comparing apples to apples. What I mean, is do both quotes include taxes, fees, gratuities, insurance? MEI tends to include that by default, whereas others do not.

Guys, I'm 5 subscribers away from 400!
 
If you haven't already, smash the subscribe button, and keep up to date with all my work on a cruise ship vlogs!
 
www.youtube.com/ChristopherWongVLOGS
 
Thank you again for all the love so far!
 
We're just about to leave Port Canaveral, ready for yet another busy cruise. I spent today in Publix buying lots of essentials. This is how I typically spend my turnaround day.

Another interesting point about The Key on my sailing on Symphony on 11/2...I purchased it originally at $19.99 and later cancelled it to use the money for more specialty dining...when I looked afterwards, it was showing as sold out. Now, today, it is for sale again at $29.99...it had hit a high of $34.99.
I wonder if they added capacity for it or if people are cancelling it leading up to the sailing.
With the prospect of Chops/Jamie's embarkation day lunch being in in the MDR, it isn't interesting to me any longer. I wonder if it's the same for others.

Found this interesting.....we were coming back into Miami Thursday on Empress and saw Vision of the Seas there.  Just came in from transatlantic.   That ship seems to be a world traveller, all over the place so I thought it was an unusual sight to be there....I know I've never seen it before.

From Port Miami, if you're flying out of MIA, 11:00 to be safe. If you're flying out of FLL, noon to be safe.

Here Are Some Night Time Photos On Harmony Of The Seas. Hope You Enjoy!!

More To Come!!

I always do a one-way rental...Hertz and Budget are competitive. Cheaper than a couple of Ubers.

He was recently interviewed on Independence by a Youtuber...very interesting...
 
 

My first cruise was a four nighter on Enchantment of the Seas one January. I left the cold of Tennessee to find myself watching the ship anchor at Coco Cay early in the morning while the sun rose. What an amazing experience! Then, spending time on the beach soaking in the warmth of the sun that time of year was fantastic.
The next day was in Nassau and involved a tour which helped me identify what to do and not to do regarding excursions. It wasn't the best experience in itself, but gave me confidence to branch out in a Caribbean port.
The last day was a choppy sea day which ended up with some rolling and the feeling of sea sickness for the first time. Yuck. I figured out that where you are on board has an effect on how you feel, and to stay hydrated and eat green apples. I remember leaving the theater after the last performance thinking that I will be back on another ship asap. It was a little over a year, and the addiction was fully set with a seven night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard Freedom. I love cruising on Royal Caribbean, and all the people I have met in this forum and on the one group cruise we were able to go on.

My first cruise was a four nighter on Enchantment of the Seas one January. I left the cold of Tennessee to find myself watching the ship anchor at Coco Cay early in the morning while the sun rose. What an amazing experience! Then, spending time on the beach soaking in the warmth of the sun that time of year was fantastic.
The next day was in Nassau and involved a tour which helped me identify what to do and not to do regarding excursions. It wasn't the best experience in itself, but gave me confidence to branch out in a Caribbean port.
The last day was a choppy sea day which ended up with some rolling and the feeling of sea sickness for the first time. Yuck. I figured out that where you are on board has an effect on how you feel, and to stay hydrated and eat green apples. I remember leaving the theater after the last performance thinking that I will be back on another ship asap. It was a little over a year, and the addiction was fully set with a seven night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard Freedom. I love cruising on Royal Caribbean, and all the people I have met in this forum and on the one group cruise we were able to go on.

My first cruise was a four nighter on Enchantment of the Seas one January. I left the cold of Tennessee to find myself watching the ship anchor at Coco Cay early in the morning while the sun rose. What an amazing experience! Then, spending time on the beach soaking in the warmth of the sun that time of year was fantastic.
The next day was in Nassau and involved a tour which helped me identify what to do and not to do regarding excursions. It wasn't the best experience in itself, but gave me confidence to branch out in a Caribbean port.
The last day was a choppy sea day which ended up with some rolling and the feeling of sea sickness for the first time. Yuck. I figured out that where you are on board has an effect on how you feel, and to stay hydrated and eat green apples. I remember leaving the theater after the last performance thinking that I will be back on another ship asap. It was a little over a year, and the addiction was fully set with a seven night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard Freedom. I love cruising on Royal Caribbean, and all the people I have met in this forum and on the one group cruise we were able to go on.

My first cruise was a four nighter on Enchantment of the Seas one January. I left the cold of Tennessee to find myself watching the ship anchor at Coco Cay early in the morning while the sun rose. What an amazing experience! Then, spending time on the beach soaking in the warmth of the sun that time of year was fantastic.
The next day was in Nassau and involved a tour which helped me identify what to do and not to do regarding excursions. It wasn't the best experience in itself, but gave me confidence to branch out in a Caribbean port.
The last day was a choppy sea day which ended up with some rolling and the feeling of sea sickness for the first time. Yuck. I figured out that where you are on board has an effect on how you feel, and to stay hydrated and eat green apples. I remember leaving the theater after the last performance thinking that I will be back on another ship asap. It was a little over a year, and the addiction was fully set with a seven night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard Freedom. I love cruising on Royal Caribbean, and all the people I have met in this forum and on the one group cruise we were able to go on.

My first cruise was a four nighter on Enchantment of the Seas one January. I left the cold of Tennessee to find myself watching the ship anchor at Coco Cay early in the morning while the sun rose. What an amazing experience! Then, spending time on the beach soaking in the warmth of the sun that time of year was fantastic.
The next day was in Nassau and involved a tour which helped me identify what to do and not to do regarding excursions. It wasn't the best experience in itself, but gave me confidence to branch out in a Caribbean port.
The last day was a choppy sea day which ended up with some rolling and the feeling of sea sickness for the first time. Yuck. I figured out that where you are on board has an effect on how you feel, and to stay hydrated and eat green apples. I remember leaving the theater after the last performance thinking that I will be back on another ship asap. It was a little over a year, and the addiction was fully set with a seven night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard Freedom. I love cruising on Royal Caribbean, and all the people I have met in this forum and on the one group cruise we were able to go on.

My first cruise was a four nighter on Enchantment of the Seas one January. I left the cold of Tennessee to find myself watching the ship anchor at Coco Cay early in the morning while the sun rose. What an amazing experience! Then, spending time on the beach soaking in the warmth of the sun that time of year was fantastic.
The next day was in Nassau and involved a tour which helped me identify what to do and not to do regarding excursions. It wasn't the best experience in itself, but gave me confidence to branch out in a Caribbean port.
The last day was a choppy sea day which ended up with some rolling and the feeling of sea sickness for the first time. Yuck. I figured out that where you are on board has an effect on how you feel, and to stay hydrated and eat green apples. I remember leaving the theater after the last performance thinking that I will be back on another ship asap. It was a little over a year, and the addiction was fully set with a seven night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard Freedom. I love cruising on Royal Caribbean, and all the people I have met in this forum and on the one group cruise we were able to go on.