SpeedNoodles Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 2 hours ago, Matt said: Did run up for a few shots between servings at dinner. THIS is dedication! Mike P and Matt 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefly Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 All these beautiful pictures make me wish our Brilliance cruise wasn’t so far away. 293 days and counting. Paradise Beach looks gorgeous and so relaxing. The day our cruise stops in Cozumel it looks like we will be one of 8 ships in port, so I’m a bit nervous about crowds making the day less enjoyable. We are planning on purchasing the DX drink package so the idea of just staying on the ship and enjoying a quiet day on board is our current plan. Beautiful beaches just might lure us off if the day ends up looking beautiful weather wize. You don’t need to make reservations ahead for Paradise beach, correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraodonnell86 Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 On 2/15/2019 at 4:00 PM, Matt said: I spotted popcorn for sale at pool bar. $2 per bag. Popcorn for sale onboard has been something I’ve seen here and there over the years. On Freedom last month, we saw popcorn for the first time ever on a cruise. They mainly had it in the theater for shows. Even though it's crazy to pay that much, my husband loves popcorn so we bought it a few times. Who cares? We're on vacation! JennyB and Matt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 2 hours ago, Firefly said: All these beautiful pictures make me wish our Brilliance cruise wasn’t so far away. 293 days and counting. Paradise Beach looks gorgeous and so relaxing. The day our cruise stops in Cozumel it looks like we will be one of 8 ships in port, so I’m a bit nervous about crowds making the day less enjoyable. We are planning on purchasing the DX drink package so the idea of just staying on the ship and enjoying a quiet day on board is our current plan. Beautiful beaches just might lure us off if the day ends up looking beautiful weather wize. You don’t need to make reservations ahead for Paradise beach, correct? I would agree the more ships in port, the more likely Paradise Beach could be crowded. Nice thing is you could scope it out before committing to it. No reservations needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 35 minutes ago, lauraodonnell86 said: On Freedom last month, we saw popcorn for the first time ever on a cruise. They mainly had it in the theater for shows. Even though it's crazy to pay that much, my husband loves popcorn so we bought it a few times. Who cares? We're on vacation! At first I balked at the idea of paying for it, but the more I thought about it, the more I would have gotten it. The $2 cost is so insignificant and like your husband thought, YOLO! lauraodonnell86 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 Good morning from day 4 on Brilliance of the Seas! Above all other days, I hate to lose out on time onboard when it’s your last day so I forced myself to get up and going. The good news is it was all worth getting up for the amazing start to our day. I ventured to the Windjammer for breakfast this morning, for one reason and one reason only: the outdoor seating! The radiance class ships offer outdoor Windjammer seating and it is a must do! I also noticed sign for alternative milk options, which pops up here as a question occasionally. I also noticed this dress code sign at entrance to Windjammer. Intriguing, but highly doubtful it’s renotely enforced. Guy Gadwa, Lovetocruise2002, The Cruise Junkie and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike P Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 @Matt thanks for all the great pics and info! Enjoy your last day onboard! This makes me really consider Brilliance and since Tampa is so close, that makes it seem like a great choice! Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 11 minutes ago, yzfmik said: @Matt thanks for all the great pics and info! Enjoy your last day onboard! This makes me really consider Brilliance and since Tampa is so close, that makes it seem like a great choice! I can’t say enough good things about being able to enjoy a weekend getaway cruise just to mix things up and be a good buffer between true vacations. Really helps in the notion of “getting away from it all” for a bit. Sweety, Mike P and Jedi Jason 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiganlovessun Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 13 hours ago, Matt said: Paradise Beach, yes they do serve food. Fairly extensive menu. A copy of the menu is here: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2018/07/25/excursion-focus-paradise-beach-cozumel Oops............I didn't realize my comment auto corrected. I was asking about the PUB on the ship, not public. Does the pub serve pub style food? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjac Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 49 minutes ago, Matt said: I can’t say enough good things about being able to enjoy a weekend getaway cruise just to mix things up and be a good buffer between true vacations. Really helps in the notion of “getting away from it all” for a bit. One more very good reason why I want to move to Florida! Firemanswife2, Matt and KLA 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweety Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 Just now, rjac said: One more very good reason why I want to move to Florida! I know. I am thinking about it myself. Or at least buy a condo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 28 minutes ago, Michiganlovessun said: Oops............I didn't realize my comment auto corrected. I was asking about the PUB on the ship, not public. Does the pub serve pub style food? Thank you! Ohhh. Nope, no food at pub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 This just in: cruising is awesome. Love sea days like this twangster, JLMoran, Sweety and 6 others 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpoole3 Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 21 minutes ago, Matt said: Ohhh. Nope, no food at pub The only time I've seen food in the pub is during Super Bowl. They had tables set up of hot dogs, burgers, etc. But I would like to see finger foods added to the pubs across the fleet. People have no problem paying at Playmakers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Jason Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 I think @Matt‘s live blog has convinced me to seriously look into this cruise as an option for a short getaway for just the wife and I. Living in Orlando makes this an attractive alternative to the Bahamas weekend cruise or any other short vacation. SpeedNoodles and JennyB 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 15 minutes ago, Jedi Jason said: I think @Matt‘s live blog has convinced me to seriously look into this cruise as an option for a short getaway for just the wife and I. Living in Orlando makes this an attractive alternative to the Bahamas weekend cruise or any other short vacation. You gotta try it. Find a sailing that’s reasonably priced and go for it. If you book more than 9 months in advance, prices are usually very low. Jedi Jason 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 As requested, a few photos from the mini golf course The Cruise Junkie, Skigoofy, Guy Gadwa and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjac Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 47 minutes ago, Matt said: If you book more than 9 months in advance, prices are usually very low Royal has a really good sale going on now. Jedi Jason and The Cruise Junkie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 More photos from around Brilliance! First up is the movie theater on deck 6 near the pub Speaking of the pub, here it is. SpeedNoodles, The Cruise Junkie, Skigoofy and 4 others 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 It’s time for Who wants to feel like a millionaire! SpeedNoodles, Guy Gadwa and The Cruise Junkie 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 31 minutes ago, Matt said: It’s time for Who wants to feel like a millionaire! Hate to say it but this event was pretty bad. It was quite cheesy, extremely low production value. Don’t get me wrong, it was basically a fun trivia exercise but compared to other events, it was quite underwhelming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 Pub drink menu Guy Gadwa, Mike P, ThyriC and 5 others 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 A ride on the elevator! 82FEA66E-3BDA-4AF4-81A9-A045E2751A2A.MOV Mike P 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 3 minutes ago, Matt said: A ride on the elevator! 82FEA66E-3BDA-4AF4-81A9-A045E2751A2A.MOV I loved the outside-facing elevators on Jewel! It’s going to be hard for another class of ship to win me over. But I'm going to let them try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Another beautiful evening Guy Gadwa, Lovetocruise2002, JLMoran and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Where's the fog? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 28 minutes ago, twangster said: Where's the fog? https://media2.giphy.com/media/c20UV66B7zCWA/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c6a063b524963714102fd30 twangster, JLMoran, SpeedNoodles and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Sadly friends, this live blog must come to an end. Not because I want to end it, but because I am being forced to vacate this ship. Thanks for reading and following along. I have to admit I really enjoyed this format of live blogging, and I’d love to do it again. It’s certainly a lot simpler approach compared to my other live blogs. Thanks again and hope you enjoyed it. So long, and thanks for all the fish. betatke1480, melmar02, twangster and 14 others 9 5 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Matt said: I have to admit I really enjoyed this format of live blogging, and I’d love to do it again. I think the interaction with those that are landlocked makes this a better experience as well. Matt and JennyB 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGTLH Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 2 hours ago, Matt said: I have to admit I really enjoyed this format of live blogging, and I’d love to do it again. It’s certainly a lot simpler approach compared to my other live blogs. Was wondering how you felt about this format. I do agree it allows much better interactive experience. Did a great job and I do look forward to more of these casual live blogs. Matt and JennyB 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Keeble Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 I agree, really good blog matt! I enjoyed the more personal touch and some of your own thoughts. not all necessarily good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 3 hours ago, Matt said: I have to admit I really enjoyed this format of live blogging, and I’d love to do it again. It’s certainly a lot simpler approach compared to my other live blogs. I find that it is way easier to update throughout the day rather than sit down at the end of day and re-think of all that has happened. Great job on your first "message boards" live blog! Thanks for taking us along I don't feel bad for you though, your dry dock is less than 30 days lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefly Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 On 2/17/2019 at 8:52 AM, Matt said: I would agree the more ships in port, the more likely Paradise Beach could be crowded. Nice thing is you could scope it out before committing to it. No reservations needed. The more I thought about 25,000+ cruisers in port on the same day, I realized I just needed to bite the bullet and book all inclusive. Just booked Nachi Cocom and now we can rest easy knowing we have a place to sit and won’t be over crowded. We also have Maya Chan booked two day earlier for the same cruise, so it will be fun to enjoy and compare the resorts. Thanks again for all the great information you share on the blog & boards , it makes cruise planning so much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cruise Junkie Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Thanks For The Great Blog @Matt Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Thanks for breaking with tradition, @Matt, and giving a more-interactive live blog for us to enjoy! Really liked the photos, bot quality and quantity! coneyraven, SpeedNoodles and Matt 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlowBro Ty Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Hey Matt Thanks For The Great Blog. I Really Enjoyed It. Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 21 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: I find that it is way easier to update throughout the day rather than sit down at the end of day and re-think of all that has happened. Totally agree. Less of that feeling of "oh gosh, I have to recall everything we did up until now." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 48 minutes ago, Matt said: Less of that feeling of "oh gosh, I have to recall everything we did up until now." That's where the Notes app on the phone comes in really handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGTLH Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 23 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: I find that it is way easier to update throughout the day rather than sit down at the end of day and re-think of all that has happened. 1 hour ago, Matt said: Totally agree. Less of that feeling of "oh gosh, I have to recall everything we did up until now." Only problem is this format really opens you up to PWI... Trust me I've had a hair trigger and really had some deep thoughts of posts. Luckily just a smidge of sanity still existed before I hit "Submit Reply". Then again the "P" portion doesn't apply to just message boards, rather any real time form of communication... Lovetocruise2002 and JLMoran 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle_cardinalsfan51 Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 On 2/15/2019 at 4:52 PM, Matt said: New dart board in the pub. It got replaced shortly after we sailed in September. This is a happy surprise! My buddies and I are going on a cruise in April and we play league darts so I have a hunch we will be there often. Do they have decent bar darts there or should we pack our own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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