Odyssey Inaugural....3 years later....8 night Southern Caribbean Nov 25 - Dec 3 2023

[LandstromCruise]

Flowrider lesson this morning for wife, uncle, and me. Uncle got his blue wrist band yesterday. He’s getting the hang of it. Wife and I were both able to stay up today without the rope, but not able to get up ourselves yet. Wishing I would have booked the lesson earlier in the cruise to have more practice time. Guess it’s a reason to book another cruise . I feel that once I’m up I can stay up ok, but has soon as I want to get fancy and start moving around I really struggle. It was a ton of fun though. 

[asquared17]

i am constantly wowed and amazed by everyone who does the flow rider. 

my number one fear is that i would lose my bathing suit, no matter how tight the swimwear was on me or what precautions i had taken ahead of time.

[OCSC Mike]

16 minutes ago, asquared17 said:

i am constantly wowed and amazed by everyone who does the flow rider.

Me too. I watched my wife do it a long time ago. She was a college athlete, we were fairly young at the time... and I still remember the bruises she got from wiping out.

Since hobbling around a giant ship would cut into more important activities (like eating), I decided to pass. If I tried it now I fear I'd wind up with an alpha call for a torn knee ligament or something.

[Lovetocruise2002]

35 minutes ago, asquared17 said:

my number one fear is that i would lose my bathing suit, no matter how tight the swimwear was on me or what precautions i had taken ahead of time.

That is a valid concern. We have seen many tops go missing 

One piece bathing suit is the key for the flow rider. A one piece that is modest lol

[LandstromCruise]

59 minutes ago, asquared17 said:

i am constantly wowed and amazed by everyone who does the flow rider. 

my number one fear is that i would lose my bathing suit, no matter how tight the swimwear was on me or what precautions i had taken ahead of time.

My wife did about loser her bottoms today

[Jax]

1 hour ago, asquared17 said:

my number one fear is that i would lose my bathing suit,

Me too!! We booked a private session for our cruise later this month so I hope I am not reporting a swimsuit malfunction or my blog could take an interesting turn  

Note the recommendations of swimwear. Lol

[asquared17]

too many cautionary tales here!!!!!

i will continue to admire from the sidelines

[LandstromCruise]

Well I was able to get up on my own this afternoon on the flow rider. Wasn’t stable enough for them to give me the blue band, but hopefully tomorrow. Next cruise I will start day 1 trying to get it. After that since they wouldn’t let me try again I decided to go to the casino. Let’s just say that was a good decision. 
 

now waiting in line for some bumper cars. Yes I’m over 40 and I don’t care that I am in line before children

[SweetPea]

6 hours ago, asquared17 said:

i am constantly wowed and amazed by everyone who does the flow rider. 

my number one fear is that i would lose my bathing suit, no matter how tight the swimwear was on me or what precautions i had taken ahead of time.

Many valid FlowRider concerns.  Mine is going viral when some clown films me and i wind up on TikTok, shorts bunched up in an extreme wedgie, muffin top hanging out, looking like a wet mop head as i not only wipe out, but i manage to go over the side and land face first on the deck itself. The end. 

 

This is why I'd stay on the sidelines and watch with @OCSC Mike  He can eat while i have a beer ...

[LandstromCruise]

Bumper cars was so much fun. Some of the group thought I was nuts for wanting to stand in line to do bumper cars. Yes we had to get there early, but we were the second group to go and everyone had a blast. You’re never to old to crash a car into somebody you know

[Lovetocruise2002]

3 hours ago, LandstromCruise said:

Well I was able to get up on my own this afternoon on the flow rider. Wasn’t stable enough for them to give me the blue band, but hopefully tomorrow.

Keep trying! You’ll get there. It took Hubby a while to get the blue band as well but now he’s got the hang of it. That’s when I became a FlowRider widow, that’s what a friend of mine calls it

1 hour ago, LandstromCruise said:

You’re never to old to crash a car into somebody you know

Totally agree! I have loved bumper cars my entire life. Still do! 

[LandstromCruise]

Lobster night in the main dining room tonight. And now getting ready for headliner Jeff Tracta 

[asquared17]

i’m sorry but i thought they’d done the baked alaska to look like a VW bug. 

i swear i am sober. 

i was scrolling too fast and apparently am delirious

(please tell me someone else sees this???)

[LandstromCruise]

Getting ready to back into PDCC with Freedom coming in right behind us 

[asquared17]

my favorite!! have a great day!!!

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

 

9 hours ago, LandstromCruise said:

Lobster night in the main dining room tonight. And now getting ready for headliner Jeff Tracta 

 

 

 

Those lobsters, in my opinion, look a bit sad.  Quite skimpy with the meatiness!  I love lobster but their version is more typical of an appetizer size…not a meal!  Guess that’s why we get to order another meal along with it! 

[LandstromCruise]

10 minutes ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

 

Those lobsters, in my opinion, look a bit sad.  Quite skimpy with the meatiness!  I love lobster but their version is more typical of an appetizer size…not a meal!  Guess that’s why we get to order another meal along with it! 

Yeah very true. Luckily for me my wife doesn’t eat lobster so I had her order it plus whatever she wanted and I got her lobster

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, LandstromCruise said:

Yeah very true. Luckily for me my wife doesn’t eat lobster so I had her order it plus whatever she wanted and I got her lobster

That's our plan although I have always found the lobster very overrated. Still edible though.

[SweetPea]

If it's any consolation re: .  Norwegian's lobster quality took a nose dive as well. Same in size and quality based on these pics. Unlimited lobster is available in the Haven restaurant and we never bothered due to the overwhelming complaints. Apparently the lobster was fine on days 1 and 2, but petered out by the end of the week. 

[Sweety]

16 hours ago, LandstromCruise said:

Lobster night in the main dining room tonight. And now getting ready for headliner Jeff Tracta 

Woohoo red velvet cake.

[LandstromCruise]

Went to WJ for breakfast. Then at 10am was another chance to learn to standp up on flow rider for my blue wrist band. The first try I was able to get up did pretty well. But couldn’t do it twice in a row so didn’t get my wrist band . Then headed off ship to walk around and show those traveling with us the island since they haven’t been here. Just came back to ship and deciding if going to pool or casino. 

[LandstromCruise]

Oh and we did the Northstar after breakfast as well. 

[asquared17]

wow nice shots of hideaway beach!! 

hope they get it together real fast as the time is soon approaching… 

[LandstromCruise]

Might be the worst day of my entire life

[asquared17]

this is so depressing

[LandstromCruise]

Getting off the ship this morning was pretty painless. Luggage was ready at pick up, got a porter right away, he loaded us up and the in laws and wife and I grabbed a cab to FLL. Started to walk off the ship around 8am and at 9:15 was sitting at the gate. Flight is 10:55 so plenty of time. While I didn’t ever get my blue wristband, I did have a good final night in the casino and walked off the ship up money while also getting a free cruise!!  Guess it’s time to book and plan another trip. 

[asquared17]

this is a real disembarkation success story!! 

i do remember walking off odyssey being pretty painless. i’m glad you guys had such a fast exit process

[SweetPea]

On 12/2/2023 at 2:26 PM, LandstromCruise said:

Oh and we did the Northstar after breakfast as well.

Inquiring minds need to know if they weighed you before NS?

 

[Ampurp85]

27 minutes ago, SweetPea said:

Inquiring minds need to know if they weighed you before NS?

 

If you are too fluffy, they pull you to the side and weigh you. I was weighed on odyssey when I did north star. Its discreet in a sense because nobody but the crew member manning it can see you weight. 

[LandstromCruise]

They did not weigh us. There was also only 11 people so it wasn’t full at all. Not sure if that plays a role. 

[LandstromCruise]

The wife’s work got in the way log me booking the free cruise that I wanted. There was a 7 night on navigator that was appealing, but we already have too much other vacation planned for 2024 so she doesn’t have enough vacation days. So instead booked a 3 night on Allure for March 1. Takes the sting away a little knowing I have another cruise in less than 90 days!! 

[asquared17]

58 minutes ago, LandstromCruise said:

Takes the sting away a little knowing I have another cruise in less than 90 days!! 

this is the ONLY thing that keeps us going when we get off the ship for our annual december cruise; knowing we will be back in about two months. 

life is grim without cruising!

[CrimsonCruiser]

On 11/15/2023 at 4:34 PM, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Coming from the Detroit area, I know you will get me. Don’t you hate when your options for boarding the plane are in your winter gear and look super out of place when you arrive in Florida, or board the plane in your Florida gear and freeze en route to the airport? Lol

Also, another pet peeve is having to leave my winter coat and gloves in the car for when I return

My tip is ~*~LAYERS~*~ I do a pair of jegging-like leggings, tall socks that I can bunch down later, good gym shoes, a tee under a (zip up) hoodie then my lighter fall jacket (instead of the winter one). That way I can throw that jacket into my checked bag once we hit airport.

Recently, we did the leave the coats in the car thing and that wasn't too bad because we had a shuttle from the hotel we park at so there was very little time in the chicago winter.

 

On 11/26/2023 at 8:44 AM, LandstromCruise said:

A few pictures of the silent dance party and fireworks forgot to post earlier. 

 

I love the screens here! Most definitely did not have this going when I was Odyssey. So smart! Really does make it look like you're getting an epic view

 

On 11/26/2023 at 11:20 AM, LandstromCruise said:

Had 1 person reach pinnacle this cruise. He was a younger guy. Probably early 20’s.

I have to imagine he was sailing with his parents from baby age to make it that fast! Some people have all the luck!

 

On 11/26/2023 at 5:26 PM, LandstromCruise said:

So small gripe. The picture guy came and took our pictures at the table before food came which was great.  However, then he comes back trying to sell the pictures while we have only gotten our appetizers. I asked if the pictures were available at the photo desk and part of the photo package as I bought a 100 package, and he said those photos weren’t part of the package. Seems dumb that they wouldn’t be.

THIS! This happened at Jaime's on Harmony for us last year. We turned the pictures down because they did not look good at all, but I was so upset they weren't going to be in our package and were an extra cost...like...WHY?!

Also, side note...a local mexican restaurant did this as well and when I saw the roving photographer I had to do a couple double takes out of the window cuz I thought I forgot I was on a cruise

 

On 12/2/2023 at 5:47 AM, LandstromCruise said:

Lol Freedom looks so intimidating here for some reason

[JLMoran]

Thanks for this blog, @LandstromCruise! I'm sailing on Odyssey from NJ in January of next year, was good to see some of the venues and food from a live passenger experience. The carefully crafted / timed pictures and video done for ship tours are helpful, for sure, but it's always good seeing what it's like when people are there.