Lovetocruise2002

Our last two sailings (Utopia in March 2025; Freedom in June 2025) we did not receive the questionnaire via email, or get the option in the app to complete it. They also did not ask us anything at the port.

I've been watching our sailing every day for months now. All July SY sailings out of Bayonne have disappeared off the website almost two months ago. The 7/4 sailing popped back up a few days before it departed (while we were on FR), then the same thing happened to the 7/13 sailing. A few days ago, as I mentioned in @Robert M's blog, the 7/20 sailing came back. Our sailing, 7/27, has yet to make a reappearance on Royal's website.
Hubby however is breathing a sigh of relief this morning. Yesterday, despite the 7/27 sailing appearing "sold out", there was a flurry of activity on our sailing's FB page because a few people won their Royal Ups at 10 days out, proving that yes, you can still win a bid if the sailing is "sold out". Most were going from Boardwalk Balcony to ocean view Balcony but I am going to take that as a sign that my bid might be a lost cause this sailing. Nevertheless, I am still super excited for our trip in a week from today!

darn. Just got notification my Royal Up didn't get picked, now 0-2 in attempts.

in a Cruise God Intervention. Wife and daughter are on the road to take the dogs to my mother in laws ! weather went south last night so they decided to head out this morning instead of adding 4hrs tomorrow to the trip, plus they can spend some time with here instead of us just rushing out tomorrow, about 98% packed...last minute meds to add to backpack tomorrow and picking up some sort of candy for our room attendant, What should we tip for a 7 Night?

I've never seen it with strawberries. Usually they end up using blueberries and it's a more purple drink. There's a Japanese Strawberry drink on the menu too..maybe they mixed those up.
Sake is often called rice wine, so your palette may be more refined than you think. 

I find this is one drink that varies so much between ships in the fleet. Sometimes it’s so flavourful, and other times so bland and watered down.

When in Rome… err… Japan… err off the FL coast?
Unless it’s something like whiskey/bourbon I know I don’t like (i.e. peach tea) I try not to change something on the first try (applies to food too).
Vodka is a good call for whenever next time is, thanks. That said, the sake in mine wasn’t overpowering. Still not 100% sure what straight sake tastes like but I tasted fruit flavors & it didn’t seem like a strong drink. Kind of had a bit of a wine taste (says the non-wine drinker).
 

From the pic it looks a bit light in colour compared to others I have had in the past. I also usually get it with vodka. Not a fan of sake, I find it overpowering for that drink. 

I find this is one drink that varies so much between ships in the fleet. Sometimes it’s so flavourful, and other times so bland and watered down.

I didn’t have enough earlier, lol. Have I mentioned UDP credits are ridiculous?

Last towel animal for a while. Gonna do some packing. Trying to enjoy the final night before a long dry dock is rough but I’ll do my best. Dinner & drinks should help.

Grabbed another peach tea and some ranger cookies to take home tomorrow before going back to the cabin to change. 


We were gonna go in the hot tub but my wife wound up making yet another friend, talked for a while, and it got warmer & pretty crowded in the solarium so we nixed that idea.
Also decided to skip Love & Marriage earlier so not a whole lot planned besides dinner at Mason Jar & 10:15 adult comedy. May not make it to Playmakers tonight b/c the show won’t end until they close at 11. Outside chance we sit in the back & bail after the 1st comedian b/c we saw one last leg & saw the other in the past. We’ll see how stuffed I am from MJ by 10:30.

After lunch we went up to GK Wine Bar. The Pesky Parrot bartender we met yesterday who was super nice mentioned it was her birthday today and at some point was telling us how bad the crew mess was and how their pizza is so bad she really liked Sorrento’s. She said she liked veggie so we wanted to get her one from the wine bar but they said then could only do the 4 pizzas specifically on the wine bar menu (I’m sure someone could have made it happen but we didn’t want to make a big deal about it, we were just trying to do something nice).
So my wife went to Sorrento’s to get her a veggie pizza there (she said the woman was really touched even though we told her we’d bring her a pizza).
I figured I might as well use a credit at the wine bar at least once since I was already there (again, like I really needed more food). We split the dessert & I didn’t finish the stromboli.
Stromboli (good snack IMO, not as heavy as getting a whole pizza, and I think they should call it something else b/c that’s not what most people picture when they see “stromboli” on a menu)

Go bananas

Izumi lunch
She’s a Geisha

Ginger salad from hibachi side after wife asked for basically lettuce & ginger dressing

Gyoza dumplings (was going to get the firecracker spring rolls but I love dumplings)

Udon noodles with chicken

 
Chicken teriyaki (wife will ask for white meat next time, all she’ll eat)

Chef’s selection (basically the nigiri I’ve been getting everyday from the window but it’s my go-to sushi)

Tempura lobster roll (I prefer nigiri but had to try something interesting & this was very good; lots of different flavors & a little spicy)

Chocolate lava cake (wife liked this one better than the Chops version; it had more cake)

Green tea ice cream

Forgot to post our leg 2 refund…

Almost $20 for the two of us, $25 last leg, and wife won $80 with our free play… every little bit helps.

Laughing at the looks you are getting from that luggage photo 😂

Putting a bit more effort into voucher usage since it’s the last day. Need to try one of the sake drinks with lunch at Izumi so that’s another and I’ll of course have more MJ drinks tonight since we have dinner there.

One mediocre dinner at Hooked & we’re already switching it out for the family cruise in March. Since we didn’t really like Hooked & the fam isn’t big on Japanese, looks like a lot of GK, MJ, and Chops. We may still go there for one dinner and/or possibly a lunch (I’d try a sandwich or something).
I’m not even sure they’ll want to go to every full specialty meal we have reserved (they obviously don’t eat like me). I could see a couple lunches turn into Johnny Rockets (younger niece lives off their hot dogs) and/or Playmakers, especially since we have beach club food on the PDCC days.

Catching up on random stuff after watching OC blow their 2nd match in 5 days.
I had been seeing “cabin discount” in the CP recently for different items. Just checked on the March family cruise & under my reservation (interior) & my SIL’s CP interior reservation, the UDP is back to 40% off (what my in laws paid already). If I go in through their reservation (Sky Jr Suite) it’s only 35% off. Not sure of the logic but I guess the “cabin discounts” are a real thing.
Anyway, wife is showering after walking 5 miles then joining me for a bit to rehydrate & cool off. No real plans until Izumi lunch at noon. After that debating Love & Marriage at 2pm or skipping it and just spending all afternoon relaxing. No strong opinion here, my wife can decide.

Last full day…
We didn’t get up crazy early. Wife decided to walk 5 miles so I grabbed our spot in the Solarium, went to CL for coffee to go & grabbed a few small items in WJ. Always liked the fruit bread (toasted) & I really like these kids section mini muffins. The muffins are a good cabin snack too since they’re small & not messy, kinda like cookies.
Currently watching the rest of the OC match since I crashed during the 1st half after Playmakers last night. Pleasantly cool in the Solarium again. People trickling in but still mostly empty. Would like one more salmon omelet but not sure I should eatanything else before lunch. We’ll see.
Wife feels stuffed & is skipping breakfast. She knows she shouldn’t order something like garlic parm fries at 10:30pm just b/c I’m being stubborn & getting food. I told her to just try the cookie but it’s hard to accept that you just need to “waste” some credits & only eat when you’re truly hungry.

I have been watching Royal’s site daily for the July SY sailings. All of them disappeared and showed sold out weeks ago. Last week, a few days before the 7/13 sailing, it popped back up. This morning, your 7/20 sailing popped back up. Balcony available. My 7/27 one, still gone.

I have been watching Royal’s site daily for the July SY sailings. All of them disappeared and showed sold out weeks ago. Last week, a few days before the 7/13 sailing, it popped back up. This morning, your 7/20 sailing popped back up. Balcony available. My 7/27 one, still gone.

The UDP is ridiculous. That is all.
Chocolate bubble cone (last one, double sushi for me going forward)


Late night Playmakers


Like we really needed this at 11pm. I debated new stuff then realized if I’m going to overeat late at night, I might as well get the burger I know I love. I’ll try other stuff or go back to crunch rolls tomorrow and/or in March.
One more day then back to reality (and a lengthy dry dock unless we add something unexpected). 😭 
Looking forward to Izumi lunch and MJ dinner… assuming I’m hungry again in 12 hours.

Sorry, would have taken one tonight. It was a plain one with a thin layer of chocolate on top but then had a piped peanut butter flower/dot/whatever on top of the chocolate. I asked my wife why she couldn’t just scrape off the peanut butter & she said she did but it still tasted like peanut butter (stupid question on my part).
BTW, she eats peanut butter on almost anything (crackers, bread, apples, Reese’s pb cups) but apparently it doesn’t belong on krispie treats. 🤷‍♂️

Definitely going to try this advice from @WAAAYTOOO. I am not much for seafood but I’m really looking forward to a change in food options on Wonder. I get bored with the same menus.