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LIVE from San Juan and Adventure of the Seas - 2/22 to 3/2!


KLA

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Yesterday in St Maarten was quite an experience - all around an awesome day  

We started the day slowly with breakfast in the main dining room, featuring Crab Benedict. For our day, we had planned a third party tour with Bernards SXM Tours. I can not recommend this tour enough - it was absolutely excellent. For $40 (tour 1) we had a Air conditioned van taking us all over the island, with a cooler of beer, soda, and rum punch provided. Our tour guide was the Mailman, and he was AWESOME. Incredibly nice and knowledgeable. 

The thing that appears to be the most marked difference is that the theme of the tour became less about the island, and more about the damage sustained from irma. There is still evidence of damage everywhere, particularly on the French side. One of the stops was Orient Bay Beach, and it looked like the entire thing was still covered in the rubble of old buildings. Most places you go on the island, you will be seeing mangled metal and piles of debris. It was incredible to see and learn what these people went through. All of this said, don’t be deterred from going. Take this tour, see the island, learn their story, and spend some money on souvenirs if you can. This island is reliant on tourism, and due to how insurance works on the French side it sounds as though it will still be quite some time before most of it is built back up - probably another year. 

Kind of an afterthought, but I wasn’t a huge fan of Maho Beach. It struck me as a bit of a tourist trap with kind of a Senior Frogs vibe. 

After our tour, we enjoyed another dinner in the dining room, happened upon some additional luck in the casino, and went to the silent disco in the VCL - don’t miss that late night event! It was a blast. 

We are currently docked in St Kitts after having spent a morning poolside with mimosas! We will be headed off shortly for a quick afternoon excursion. 

Thanks for following! Here’s a photo dump. 

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48 minutes ago, KLAconQueso said:

 

After our tour, we enjoyed another dinner in the dining room, happened upon some additional luck in the casino, and went to the silent disco in the VCL - don’t miss that late night event! It was a blast. 

 

Thanks for sharing the pics! That is one thing I wish I took more of - but I left my phone/ camera in the room most of the time on accident!

The Silent Disco was my favorite!! I had so much fun looking like a fool dancing on my own. haha.

Have you had a chance to go to the Imperial Lounge for any of the gameshows yet? Those were a riot and we enjoyed them the most out of everything! It might be worth checking out at least one night :)

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2 hours ago, BrandonOwen said:

I'm very late to the party, but I don't recall seeing a report on the first drink.  Inquiring minds want to know!

I am sorry to share - I went with a Corona against all advice. We had a prank going against my in laws - long story, but a beer worked bette for it!

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8 hours ago, HLWIser said:

Thanks for sharing the pics! That is one thing I wish I took more of - but I left my phone/ camera in the room most of the time on accident!

The Silent Disco was my favorite!! I had so much fun looking like a fool dancing on my own. haha.

Have you had a chance to go to the Imperial Lounge for any of the gameshows yet? Those were a riot and we enjoyed them the most out of everything! It might be worth checking out at least one night :)

Actually sitting in the Battle of the Sexes game show now!!!

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21 hours ago, KLAconQueso said:

Kind of an afterthought, but I wasn’t a huge fan of Maho Beach. It struck me as a bit of a tourist trap with kind of a Senior Frogs vibe. 

Thank you! I think it's worth going to see one plane land, but I cannot imagine being there all day (or going back again).

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12 hours ago, KLAconQueso said:

I am sorry to share - I went with a Corona against all advice. We had a prank going against my in laws - long story, but a beer worked bette for it!

As someone who really only drinks beer and wine, I approve of your first drink choice! I love Corona :)

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Hey cruise friends!!! The last couple of days have been absolutely jam packed so I will definitely need to follow up more extensively once I get back - but here’s some highlights: 

- Island History and Rum Tasting tour in St. Kitts is not worth the money through the cruise line, but Fairview house is gorgeous  and Dorine there is wonderful 

- Valley Church Beach in Antigua is so worth the visit. $16 round trip per person from the cruise port, and reasonably priced beers. Food is expensive. 

- Drink card showed up today for $75

- Shows are all great! Food in MDR is awesome! Am happy. 

- Stone IPA showed up yesterday 

- Today they sold out of Stone IPA

Photo dump to follow... now! 

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On 2/25/2018 at 6:18 PM, KathyC said:

I bought a 2 device package as I have to college aged boys with me and they need to be connected to the girlfriends back on dry land.  Hope it is worth the money! 

I have no complaints on the VOOM - according to the speed test there wasn’t a ton of promise but aside from maybe some slower upload times it’s been perfectly sufficient! 

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13 hours ago, KLAconQueso said:

- Stone IPA showed up yesterday 

- Today they sold out of Stone IPA

 

Come on Royal - take note!  Moreee IPAAAAs!

I mean I guess I get it... they're more expensive than Bud and Fosters and the rest of the mass produced stuff.  I'd take the hit on a drink package price increase if it meant a wider selection of beers.  I mean, geez I've usually broken even on my drink package by noon :P

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Ugh....I am  so ready for my cruise! I had my heart set on going on Harmony in December, but Hurricanes Harvey burst that bubble.

Adventure of the Seas in May...counting the days! Thanks so much for the reviews and photos.

Edited by Suzanne
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On ‎2‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 10:56 AM, KLAconQueso said:

As an update, I'm just about done packing and forced myself down from one checked back and a rolling carry on and backpack to an extended checked bag and a backpack. 

Also, a digital luggage scale was a great investment. 10/10 highly recommend.

We have a digital luggage scale and love it. It has saved us more than once, well worth it!

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You can weigh your luggage on the ship or hotel room or wherever is convenient and it saves showing up at the airport and weighing your luggage and finding out 1 piece is over weight, so you either pay the fee or you take your luggage back and move stuff from suitcase to suitcase until the weight is right, IMO, that is what she is referring to.

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11 minutes ago, tiny260 said:

You can weigh your luggage on the ship or hotel room or wherever is convenient and it saves showing up at the airport and weighing your luggage and finding out 1 piece is over weight, so you either pay the fee or you take your luggage back and move stuff from suitcase to suitcase until the weight is right, IMO, that is what she is referring to.

I agree - it's likely for the flight... Those 50 lb. limits are pretty darn strictly enforced, and the fees aren't cheap!  I don't think there are any weight restrictions on bags going on the ship... or if there are they aren't enforced very well. We usually drive to the port and I swear my wife puts concrete in those bags sometimes!

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9 hours ago, Suzanne said:

Ugh....I am  so ready for my cruise! I had my heart set on going on Harmony in December, but Hurricanes Harvey burst that bubble.

Adventure of the Seas in May...counting the days! Thanks so much for the reviews and photos.

When are you on Adventure? We're on May 18! 

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Guys - St. Lucia might be my favorite island I’ve visited. It is such a beautiful place  

Through the Cruise Line - Jeep Safari & Beach Break was AWESOME! Extensive island tour in an open aired Jeep followed by about two hours of beach time at Pidgeon Hill. Our tour guide was “Taurantula”, and he was awesome. He’d randomly stop the Jeep to pull spices like bay leaf and cinnamon off of the trees, and even cracked open an actual cocoa pod for us to check out! At the beach, beers and drinks were readily available for purchase, including a gentleman with a boat full of fruit who would sell you a hollowed out Pineapple and rum as well as fresh mangoes. Evidently, it is currently mango season in st Lucia and these tasted like candy! 

If you’re a craft beer fan, make sure you swing by Antilla brewing taproom inside the port area.  Great beers! 

Sorry for the short updates! This might become a little live-ish - keep the ship questions coming! I know I owe an update on at least coffee/card inclusion  

Photo dump -

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9 hours ago, KathyC said:

Any Kummelweck-type roast beef sandwiches show up as a treat in Cafe Promenade?  I've read varying reports of them showing up one day on non-Park Cafe ships. 

I don’t believe I’ve seen them featured! 

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13 hours ago, KLAconQueso said:

He’d randomly stop the Jeep to pull spices like bay leaf and cinnamon off of the trees, and even cracked open an actual cocoa pod for us to check out!

That's awesome! We had a guide on a tour in Bermuda do something similar.  It's incredible to smell these spices like that.

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3 hours ago, Matt said:

That's awesome! We had a guide on a tour in Bermuda do something similar.  It's incredible to smell these spices like that.

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer, but can one legally bring a few bay leaves back to the states.

 

Please...don't judge me for my stupidity.

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6 minutes ago, Floski said:

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer, but can one legally bring a few bay leaves back to the states.

 

Please...don't judge me for my stupidity.

Dried spices are ok but fresh spices are considered produce and not allowed.  I've brought spices back but made sure they were in a legit container that was labeled.  

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1 hour ago, melski94 said:

Dried spices are ok but fresh spices are considered produce and not allowed.  I've brought spices back but made sure they were in a legit container that was labeled.  

That's what I figured.  Man, my spaghetti would be so much better with some of those fresh-off-the-tree bay leaves!!

 

Thanks to rjac for not making fun of me (I lived in New Bern as a kid, so we have that).

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Officially earning the title of worst live blogger ever - I am so sorry for not staying up to date. This is officially live-ish and I will be absolutely leaving official reviews on everything we did by Sunday evening. That said - Good Times Catamaran in Barbados is officially my favorite excursion I’ve ever done. 

That said, we are currently abusing the last of our drink package in the pub and I’m maybe not entirely sober. 

Cheers! 

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