Explorer B3B 5-28 April 2024

[SweetPea]

4 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

We went to see Freedom Ice and truly enjoyed it.  When they came to the finale and they began “In Your Eyes”, I thought immediately of @Ampurp85.  Not a particularly stellar version of the song, but it is what it is, and I know it is one of @Ampurp85’s favorites.

On to the MDR tonite for Italian night (I think).  Chicken parm again ???  Hmmmm….

@Ampurp85, i did not know this was one of your faves too . I agree with you @WAAAYTOOO. Hard to find a good version of that live by someone not named Peter Gabriel!

And thanks again for your perspective. We keep flirting with early retirement, and like you, will probably stick where we have most of our loyalty points. If we can't afford the Haven, i may be able to talk Batman into 'Haven Lite' + a mini suite (because even i cannot do without a walk in shower ).

Anyone else thinking WAAAYTOOO can have a YouTube channel to pay for cruises? You have amazing tips and know policy inside and out from all perspectives. I know you probably don't want to, but you could! I worked with a girl half my age who left a stable job to do just that. She's got a ridic 2M+ subscribers. I'm not sure how, because, TBH, i think her content is pretty boring (but niche), but she didn't need to work anymore and has been invited to the White House (not that that's any great honor), but it's crazy how much you can make. 

[Ampurp85]

Just a point, I love Peter Gabriel, so "Red Rain" and "In your eyes" are my jams..........I also love every ice show except the one on Oasis. That Hans Christian themed one is so boring. 

But @WAAAYTOOO has a wealth of knowledge. I also agree that as I cruise more, the suites aren't really a draw. I am okay with interiors because I am usually solo in them. Plus, I can use the money at the casino or specialty dining. 

[fireclan]

15 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

It was either adjust my expectations or find another hobby.

Wait a minute here...last year when I told G- that I wanted cruising to be my retirement hobby, he said, "T-, cruising can't be a hobby!"

Apparently, I've been misinformed.  Seriously misinformed.

[Lovetocruise2002]

16 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

This was me !  Dan has never cared about being in a suite.  He would always have been happy in an inside room, but not me.

Reality has a way of changing your perspective !  I have slowly come around to realizing that “regular” rooms aren’t so bad, after all.  . It was either adjust my expectations or find another hobby.

In fairness, turning Pinnacle has also a lot to do with my “relaxed” accommodations mindset.  There are many Pinn perks that make non-suite rooms much easier to accept.

This is me too! Suite or bust, and Hubby doesn't care. He has high hopes that when we make it to Pinnacle (hopefully eventually) that we can go back to our standard balcony cabins. Time will tell lol

[OCSC Mike]

5 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

He has high hopes that when we make it to Pinnacle (hopefully eventually) that we can go back to our standard balcony cabins.

Hopes or wishful thinking?

[Lovetocruise2002]

Just now, OCSC Mike said:

Hopes or wishful thinking?

I refuse to make any promises to Hubby at this moment. 

[Sweety]

I feel the same way. My cruising style is going to change.

[OCSC Mike]

I guess I was the only one cheap enough to change far in advance. We downgraded from balcony to interior when we hit Diamond, lol.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Pretty quiet couple of days here on Freedom.  Today is the last day -sea day.

Nothing much to report except that we did our second BOGO tonite at Gios Kitchen.  I was determined NOT to order chicken parm again so I pursued the menu and decided to try the muffaletta (sp ?).  Poor choice on my part, I guess.  It wasn’t too great.  It was a very dense blob of questionable meat(s) wrapped in a breaded coating and deep fried.  In fairness, this is exactly what the server told me it would be (sans the “blob”) but I tried it anyway.  Oh well…I will keep trying.  There has to be something more for me than chicken parm !

Home tomorrow for 2 WHOLE nights and then boarding Wonder on Sunday.

[OCSC Mike]

19 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Wonder on Sunday.

 Hope you don’t have blog fatigue.

[GregD]

On 5/1/2024 at 9:58 AM, Lovetocruise2002 said:

This is me too! Suite or bust, and Hubby doesn't care. He has high hopes that when we make it to Pinnacle (hopefully eventually) that we can go back to our standard balcony cabins. Time will tell lol

This is @TheBoss518 as well We have a long way to go to get to Pinnacle. We will reach our first crystal block milestone when we are on Alure together this year though!

[Lovetocruise2002]

36 minutes ago, GregD said:

We will reach our first crystal block milestone when we are on Alure together this year though!

We will celebrate that milestone with some Patron!

[OCSC Mike]

2 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

We will celebrate that milestone with some Patron!

I didn't even realize I earned mine when I did and got no notice in our cabin, let alone someone to drink Patron with, lol.

I got to call C&A when I got home and wait 6-8 months for it to be shipped. I got my paperweight though and that's all that matters... I think.

[SweetPea]

 You know you need at least one post from Wonder. I think you need to do that for the record for most cruises blogged in one blog!

[GatorCruiser]

It’s tough sledding chasing points now with these insane prices.  Suites are getting harder to stomach unless you book 2 years out. 

[WAAAYTOOO]

So, I will continue with this thread for the fifth and final leg of this saga.  We boarded Wonder today (5-5).  This is our Pinnacle cruise.

Drove up from Port St Lucie.  It’s about an hour and fifteen minutes’ drive.  Got to the terminal right at 9:00, which is precisely our target for terminal arrival.  Getting into the parking garage was the same madhouse that it always is.  After about 10 minutes of inching along we finally got to the luggage drop area and then circled around to the parking lane.  There, our luck got better as we immediately found a handicapped parking space right by the elevators on level 2.  

We were the first in line for the Suites/Pinn line and entrance into the terminal area began at 9:45 sharp.  We waited a bit in the Suites/Pinnacle lounge area and boarding began at 10:15.

We did our muster drill as soon as we boarded and then went straight to deck 8 to retrieve our Seapass cards from the door.  They were there !  We had a heck of a time getting to deck 17 !  The elevators wouldn’t go up to 17.  There must be a secret of which I am not yet aware.  We finally went to 16 and switched elevators which finally took us to 17.  Then we had to trek around to find the entrance to the SL/CK.  It’s 180 degrees backwards from the design of the other SL/CK !

Finally….seated in the SL, we waited for the CK maitre’d to show up so we could make dining rezzies.  SO glad we did that first thing b/c by 11:00 the maitre’d kiosk at the SL was a madhouse !

We got all of our rezzies the way we wanted them so all is well.

We are going to Mason Jar for lunch in 5 minutes !  Woohoo !

[JohnK6404]

17 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

We are going to Mason Jar for lunch in 5 minutes !  Woohoo !

So jealous! I can't believe they did not put a Mason Jar on Icon. Enjoy lunch! 

[Ampurp85]

I hope you enjoy Mason Jar. The best thing, well the only good thing, about port Canaveral is they have embarkation day down to a science. We were onboard by 10:15 each time, easily.

[Sweety]

I am going to Mason Jar on Utopia. Can't wait for your review. Have a relaxing cruise.

[Sweety]

On 5/4/2024 at 11:27 AM, GatorCruiser said:

It’s tough sledding chasing points now with these insane prices.  Suites are getting harder to stomach unless you book 2 years out. 

I am booked until March 2026.

[SweetPea]

Welcome back aboard!

[WAAAYTOOO]

MJ lunch was great.  I had the chicken sandwich; Dan had the shrimp po-boy.  We shared a cinnamon roll. OMG, so delicious !  I had the tater tots which were kinda bland but not terrible.  Dan had the Cajun fries.  They had cut my chicken breast in half ( thank goodness) b/c it was such a fatty but it made the sandwich so much easier to eat as I removed half of it.

Dinner tonite is in the CK (filet night).  The only dinner we have scheduled in the CK.  We may pop in for lunch randomly and I assume we have breakfast there (I forgot to ask an about breakfast).  I guess I need to confirm that…

Tonite we have inTENse at 10:45.  Hopefully I’ll still be awake for that !

[OCSC Mike]

8 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

MJ lunch was great.  I had the chicken sandwich; Dan had the shrimp po-boy.

You know we love MJ brunch... but I haven't gotten to a sandwich yet b/c I love too many of the breakfasty items, lol. I will be trying the po' boy next month even if it kills me. I've had the chicken, just in other forms... so good. My wife got it without the bread last time with some sides.

Glad you're keeping the blog going!

[Ampurp85]

That shrimp po'boy was so good, I think I had it twice on Wonder.  I am craving Mason Jar now

[WAAAYTOOO]

Just got back from dinner at the CK.  The apps were really good.  I had the smoky tomato soup and pork belly.  Dan got a Caesar salad with a lobster tail on top.  He said his filet was good but mine was only ok.  I had a gristly end piece and that ruins the entire piece of meat for me.  But I was so full from the apps that I didn’t care about the filet anyway.  We shared a peanut butter  crispy bar and a piece of cheesecake.  I am now miserably full.

We went up to the SL for a drink around 5:00 and I have to say - I am impressed (in a good way) with the SL/CK on Wonder.  The view is so different from the othe O class ships.  We really enjoyed sitting there and having a drink.  That’s not something that we normally do (HH at the SL).

After that we strolled down Central Park and recounted how our previous cruise on Wonder had been so different from this one.  On our last Wonder cruise we were in a CP balcony and did not have access to the SL so never went there.  I must say, when you can enjoy the SL/ CK it is a completely different experience.

We then went to deck 4 and popped into the smoke-free casino where we both came away winners on the Dancing Drums.

Then, back up to the CK for dinner and now back to the room.  I had intended to go back to the casino but now I’m full, sleepy and tired so maybe an early night ?

[WAAAYTOOO]

Ugh.  Never mind.  I forgot we have an AT show at 10:45.  I’ll never make it…

[OCSC Mike]

8 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

had a gristly end piece and that ruins the entire piece of meat for me.

Sorry you got a bad one even though I know you are/were full. That’s exactly why my wife only eats filet or hamburgers, nothing in between. There can’t be any fat for her.

8 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I am impressed (in a good way) with the SL/CK on Wonder.

I have very little to compare it to (just Harmony) but we felt the same way.

Sounds like a great start (minus a fatty filet).

[Lovetocruise2002]

11 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

 I must say, when you can enjoy the SL/ CK it is a completely different experience.

Yes!!!

I really like that area on WN as well. Seems a bit more separated than the first 4 OA class ships, and way better than the SL/CK on IC.

[WAAAYTOOO]

I am surprised how quiet and empty the CK was this morning for breakfast.  I guess lots of folks are getting off today (PDCC).  It’s nice to have a “new” breakfast menu.  We’d been eating at Giovanni’s and/or Chops for over a month now and those menus never changed.  While the CK breakfast menu isn’t really that much different, it IS different in a few minor ways.  Dan was so excited to be able to get his flatbread eggs !  It’s kinda like breakfast pizza with an egg on top.  It’s actually better than it sounds !

[WAAAYTOOO]

Surprisingly, we are at PDCC alone.  I was certainly expecting another ship to be here as this is a "traditional" 7 night cruise, leaving port on Sunday.  To my surprise, nope.  Just us here.  I guess the new mix of shorter cruises has provided a schedule of PDCC stops that no longer revolve around Sat/Sun departures.  I suspect that this is no accident....I personally believe that the new shorter cruise schedule is designed to intentionally bring the ships to PDCC throughout the week.

Since we (or at least, I) will not be getting off today, it is a nice, quiet day onboard.  Dan had hinted that he might want to go snorkeling, but once I agreed to go with him to the Suites' Sun Deck, which we will do later this afternoon, I think he was appeased and so he may or may not go ashore.

After breakfast I agreed to go and play putt-putt with him.  This is NOT something that I actually enjoy, but he likes to pretend to play so I agreed.  It is, after all, his vacation, too !    I am a notorious putt-putt cheater and today was no different.  It is a fun course, though, and I had to admit (after it was over) that it wasn't all that bad.  Beware, if you play putt-putt on Wonder that the first "hole" has a treacherous starfish, which will devour your ball !  My shot went through, but Dan's got "lost" in the starfish.  I suspect that there is a bounty of balls in the belly of the starfish b/c there were only about 4 balls available when we started playing.  There are now 3.  I imagine the rest of them are forever lost in that treacherous starfish's belly !

The elevators continue to be the biggest headache on this sailing.  I ran into a new Pinn "friend" when I left the SL for the first time (more on my merry journey, later) and he said he'd been waiting for an elevator for 20 minutes !  Holy cow !  Now....this was right at the peak time for the hordes to be disembarking but still....that's a little ridiculous.  I left Dan in the SL where he was dutifully translating an investment document for one of his mining stocks (this is an obsession of his which I rarely discuss as it bores me to tears) from Danish to English.  

An elevator finally arrived and we both boarded.  My destination was deck 14 where I had been told by one of the Suites Concierges (I still do not know any of their names.  I need to get that info.) that there was a library on deck 14 where I could access laptops.  Well, guess what.  No, there isn't.  There IS a card room there, but no computers.  So, totally miffed, I reboarded one of the elevators (after a fairly lengthy wait) bound for deck 17 only to find that the Suites' access doors were now secured.  Now please understand....I do NOT mind that they are secured.   AaMoF, I think that they should be secured ALL the time, but now I was stranded outside, b/c my freaking SP card would not work to open the doors.  DRATS !  Luckily, there is a "call" button above the sensor, which I depressed, and was given access, remotely.  My first stop was to inform Dan that I had utterly failed in my computer quest and then I strolled over to the Concierge to register my gripes.  #1, why the F'K wasn't my card working to gain entrance, and #2, where are the F'N computers !  His answer to #1 was...I will check into it.  I'm not sure what will or can be done.  I guess time will tell on that one.  Actually, I have -0- confidence that anything will change.  That's ok.  As to #2, he quickly informed me that there were NO [public] computers on this ship, save the 2 in the Crown Lounge.  Just about that time, the Concierge who had provided me with bogus gauge, showed up and was embarrassed that he didn't know that the computers had been removed on Wonder.  He apologized profusely, while backing up.  I guess he thought I might make a "move" on him.  HA !  I may have a "mouth" on me at times, but I am not a threat !  LOL   He had recently moved over from Harmony, where (apparently) they still had the computer area.  I guess we both learned something, today !

So.....I rested up for my long journey forward, to the CL, then set out once again, on my quest to find a laptop.  Eureka !  I finally got to the 'puters and here I sit, pecking away.

[OCSC Mike]

1 minute ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Surprisingly, we are at PDCC alone.  I was certainly expecting another ship to be here as this is a "traditional" 7 night cruise, leaving port on Sunday.  To my surprise, nope.  Just us here.  I guess the new mix of shorter cruises has provided a schedule of PDCC stops that no longer revolve around Sat/Sun departures.

Wonder is oddly often alone on PDCC. I will be or have been alone there on 4 separate Wonder cruises spanning 14 months. When looking at the port schedule to pass the time (and because I'm a nerd), for the upcoming months it's alone every other week or so. Those other Mondays it's there with a Celebrity ship. By dumb luck, we managed to book the solo weeks (we enjoy spending the day there so it matters more to us obviously).

7 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

The elevators continue to be the biggest headache on this sailing.

That is about the only negative I can think of to say about the ship, especially if you're on deck 17. It's less of an issue if you only have access to the commoner decks and don't mind taking the stairs. The elevators were unusually not that bad for us in March though and I have no idea why.

Sorry about all the snafus with the lack of computers, sea pass not working, etc. Hopefully your good luck will continue in the casino to offset this random bad luck with other stuff.

And needless to say, I'm glad you found a computer to keep the blog going.

[Sweety]

I am looking forward to MJ on Utopia. We had to get the dinner. I am not missing the seafood spread on day one!

[Ampurp85]

Wow at that puter fiasco.

Maybe because the crew members are so green and not staying as long for their contracts, a lot of the information is lost in translation. 

But also, because this is a continuation of so many cruises .........Pins can go to CK for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Or are you staying in a suite? I read deck 8 and assumed balcony. But if this is the case on Oasis class ships, it makes me really want to get to Pin .

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

5 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

Wonder is oddly often alone on PDCC. I will be or have been alone there on 4 separate Wonder cruises spanning 14 months. When looking at the port schedule to pass the time (and because I'm a nerd), for the upcoming months it's alone every other week or so.

So my Symphony cruise this month still shows being at PDCC on the 19th with Indy.  HOWEVER, Because of the Labadee fiasco Royal changed our schedule and WE are now joining Wonder on the 20th!!  That is TWO Oasis size ships together!  Both arriving at 7am!  Cruise mapper has not updated the Symphony schedules!  
Oh and we will also be with Wonder on the 19th all day in Port Canaveral…but I believe that is their turnaround day.  Royal is bringing us there from 7a-6p.  
We will be with Allure and a few other ships in Nassau (our replacement port ) on the 21st.

Edited May 6 by PPPJJ-GCVAB
Added info

[SweetPea]

5 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I suspect that there is a bounty of balls in the belly of the starfish b/c there were only about 4 balls available when we started playing.  There are now 3. 

Imagine being the poor crew member who has to find a way to retrieve those lost puppies!

 

5 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I may have a "mouth" on me at times, but I am not a threat ! 

#Twinsies

[OCSC Mike]

3 minutes ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

So my Symphony cruise this month still shows being at PDCC on the 19th with Indy.  HOWEVER, Because of the Labadee fiasco Royal changed our schedule and WE are now joining Wonder on the 20th!!  That is TWO Oasis size ships together!  Both arriving at 7am!  Cruise mapper has not updated the Symphony schedules!  

That's not ideal. At least Hideaway did add some capacity to PDCC.

The Symphony cruise that overlaps mine doesn't appear to have Labadee on the original itinerary so hopefully I'm safe for early June. There weren't many ships scheduled for Labadee anywhere near when I'll be on PDCC so I was cautiously optimistic about being there alone.

[SweetPea]

2 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

That's not ideal. At least Hideaway did add some capacity to PDCC.

The Symphony cruise that overlaps mine doesn't appear to have Labadee on the original itinerary so hopefully I'm safe for early June. There weren't many ships scheduled for Labadee anywhere near when I'll be on PDCC so I was cautiously optimistic about being there alone.

Right, only the 8 night cruise (May) and the 9 night (August) out of NJ included Labadee when itineraries were released!

[OCSC Mike]

5 minutes ago, SweetPea said:

#Twinsies

Someone from Jersey "has a mouth at times"? No way!

I say that lovingly coming from the Philly 'burbs, of course... and my wife doesn't exactly speak like a kindergarten teacher when off the clock, lol. She has quite a few novelty gifts alluding to her... umm... let's go with potty mouth.

[WAAAYTOOO]

49 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

Pins can go to CK for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Or are you staying in a suite? I read deck 8 and assumed balcony. But if this is the case on Oasis class ships, it makes me really want to get to Pin .

Sorry, I should have put my cabin info in earlier.

Yes, we are in an OVB on deck 8, so no suite.  This is a 100% comped cruise since it is our Pinnacle award cruise.  We won’t receive any C&A points for it, but it cost us nothing other than taxes, port fees and grats, so we’re ok about the points. Too bad they don’t follow the casino “rules” about comped cruises still getting C&A points.

According to the CK Maitre’d, there are only 36 Pinns on this sailing (Dan laughed and said that’s b/c they are all on the Ossis crossing !) so all Pinns have full access to the SL and CK for all meals. I fully expected to have to eat breakfast at Chops but that’s not the case.

We spent a nice afternoon up on the Suites Sundeck and I have to say, “WOW” !  What an incredible place.  I felt like we had a private pool (it’s actually just a big hot tub and boy was it HOT), bar and comfy day beds.  I really fell in love with this sundeck.  Unlike the other O class sundecks, it is located right in the same location as the Suites, CK and SL (deck 18) and not way up forward like it is on other O class ships.  I had read about it before but never realized how awesome and different this area is !  It really sets Wonder apart from its older sisters.  I have some photos that I will share when I get them synched.

Yes, making Pinnacle has made a huge difference in our cruising life.  We now get to enjoy everything that we love about sailing in suites except for the big cabins.  I’m sure there will be times when we have some access(s) limited, but those have been, up until now, very rare.  I’ll take it !

[Sweety]

4 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Sorry, I should have put my cabin info in earlier.

Yes, we are in an OVB on deck 8, so no suite.  This is a 100% comped cruise since it is our Pinnacle award cruise.  We won’t receive any C&A points for it, but it cost us nothing other than taxes, port fees and grats, so we’re ok about the points. Too bad they don’t follow the casino “rules” about comped cruises still getting C&A points.

According to the CK Maitre’d, there are only 36 Pinns on this sailing (Dan laughed and said that’s b/c they are all on the Ossis crossing !) so all Pinns have full access to the SL and CK for all meals. I fully expected to have to eat breakfast at Chops but that’s not the case.

We spent a nice afternoon up on the Suites Sundeck and I have to say, “WOW” !  What an incredible place.  I felt like we had a private pool (it’s actually just a big hot tub and boy was it HOT), bar and comfy day beds.  I really fell in love with this sundeck.  Unlike the other O class sundecks, it is located right in the same location as the Suites, CK and SL (deck 18) and not way up forward like it is on other O class ships.  I had read about it before but never realized how awesome and different this area is !  It really sets Wonder apart from its older sisters.  I have some photos that I will share when I get them synched.

Yes, making Pinnacle has made a huge difference in our cruising life.  We now get to enjoy everything that we love about sailing in suites except for the big cabins.  I’m sure there will be times when we have some access(s) limited, but those have been, up until now, very rare.  I’ll take it !

I will have over 600 points after this year. I  can't wait.