MotleyCruiser

They are backing in to the dock now...I wonder how fast they will get it turned around and back out to sea...Anyone know???

QUICK NOTE ON MY OVER PLANNING TENDANCIES Flights: We are booked the day before to arrive in Miami around noon. We will be renting a car and staying at The Regency Hotel near the airport for a few reasons. 1. We have stayed here before and it is a great hotel, 2. We have many friends staying here as well, 3. There is going to be a huge pool/cocktail party with other fellow cruisers during the afternoon. 4. It is in close proximity to The Magic City Casino.... where there will be an official MORC function....a pre- cruise concert featuring a few of the acts listed above. (In fact, they do this for two night BUT we needed to save a day of PTO and the Mother-in-Law watching baby Zander back in San Antonio...The MIL will be joining baby Z and us on an NCL cruise TomAndDanCruise.com the following week out of Port Canaveral) cost breakdown: Cruise GOLD VIP 2 bedroom Suite - cabin 9694 - AFT Balcony $3,570.00 ....our portion divided 8 ways! I will get double C&A PTS for this bring me just shy of Diamond!!! Group rate at the Regency $159.00 one night 1 day Budget Car rental $64.88 Pick- up at Airport drop off downtown Miami shuttle or LYTF to port after luggage and wife drop

Explorer had the in early Sept day 6

@Jody Lewis....Yes, same company and this will be my 7th MORC. You will have a blast. RCCL DOES offer the soda package ($12 a day pp) but TYPICALLY NOT the traditional Ultimate Drink Pkg. OTB sometimes sets up a Drink Voucher system that lately has NOT been a bargain. The cruise websites are rarely updated with any of that information. You are better off looking at that Facebook page for updates. Make sure to bring two bottles of wine with you though...they do allow that.

Agreed!!...It is quiet a different experience. NO Bingo, NO 70's party, NO Cruise Director, NO shopping guide person, NO Captains Formal night, NO ice skating (They cover the ice and make it a concert venue :() There is NO dress code in the MDR, NO $10 sale on the promenade, minimal photographs running around. NO motor scooters or wheelchairs The concerts and experiences start roughly 10 an and run until 2am.

Howdy folks!! It is that time of year for our annual trek to Miami for the Monsters of Rock Cruise out of Miami Florida. In past years the event has been held on Brilliance and Navigator. This year it was originally sold as being on the Navigator again, BUT shortly after booking opened it was changed to the newly refurbished Mariner Of The Seas!! This year, like in years past, the cruise will be a 5 day action pack event featuring over 40 bands and solo acts from the heyday of hard rockin' 1980's Itinerary is Day -2 Pre-cruise party at magic City Casino, Miami, Fl.... Bands to be announced Day -1 Pre-cruise party at magic City Casino, Miami, Fl.... Bands to be announced<<<<<<<we are arriving this day!! DAy1 Miami, Fl Day 2 Day at Sea Day 3 Ocho Rios Jamaica 8am - 5pm Day 4 Private Isla of Labadee 10am - 6pm - band to be announced Day 5 Day at Sea acts onboard the ship!! Tesla Tom Keifer of Cinderella EXTREME Queensryche Saxon Skid Row U.D.O Y&T VIXEN KIX KINGS X RICKIE KOTZEN DANGER DANGER NELSON D-A-D THE QUIREBOYS FASTER PUSSYCAT PAT TRAVERS BAND PINK CREAM 69 THE WILDHEARTS ECLIPSE SOTO ROSE TATTOO JOHN CORABI VAIN BULLETBOYS BLCK N BLUE KIP WIND=GER Tora Tora killer dwarfs Brighton Rocks tuff MIKE TRAMP of white Lion FEMME FETALE LIES, DECIET, & TREACHERY JETBOY MITCH MALLOY MICHAEL GRANT AND THE ASSASSINS MATCH 22 GUS G JOEL HOKSTRA - TSO NEIL ZAZA TONY MACALPINE HOSTED BY EDDIE TRUNK LUC CARL, NIKKI BLACK, DON JAMIESON, & JIM FLORENTINE This will be a live/not-so-live blog about this crazy vacation crammed in to 5 days. More to come...

we'll be on July 13!!

It's my understanding Virgin is going to be on the west end cap of the island.

The port webcam finally showed a close up of the new terminal I'm Miami. I've been wondering.... What are they building just to the west of the terminal?

Looks like we both will beat Labadee on the 27th!!

We are staying at the Regency near the Airport and have a Pre Cruise Concert at the Magic City Casino.

Are you getting to MIA a day early??

With the position I work at, the last two weeks have been extremely slow ((to the point that my new Samsung Smart Watch claims I was asleep for 3 hours on Wednesday!!)). @Matt, coming here and reading and listening to this blog has been my saving grace...as it is every time I am stir crazy at work. What is it about reading the Live Blogs, that is sooo stimulating, that you feel like you are on the cruise with them. Is it just me??

Doing this Itinerary in July. Looking forward to following along!!

So strange that your Night 3 and Night 1 menus are swapped from the traditional format on other ships

FYI on Monsters of rock We were supposed to be on Navigator but changed right before booking open to Mariner because Nav's first cruise out of dry-dock is Feb 24th....embarkation day...too risky. Last year the powers that be canceled our day in Falmouth Jamaica due to the 'unrest' and we ended up on CoCo Cay and Labadie as our two ports. My guess is they wanted to avoid the same situation this year hence the stop at Ocho Rio. @twangster do you go on the MORC??

I always feel sweaty from the extreme humidity while being on the ocean and welcome any AC that is working properly.

Bringing my 8 month old on his first cruise on Explorer in Sept.. 1yr old in the pic.

I'll be in 9694 for the Monsters of Rock Cruise in Feb. Sooo looking forward to getting away!!!

Andrew, any post cruise notes or observations??

Look at deck 12. there is only half a deck plan. I always though that the officers lived on that deck in full size staterooms

When you get on board go straight to Chops to make all your reservations...then Park Café for lunch.

there and the Solarium on Brilliance are my favorites!!!

Fantastic blog so far!! I love it when the crew interacts positively with my little one! Makes my day to see him happy!!

Just 283 day for me :(