This time, we start off from Barcelona with a transatlantic cruise to Florida on the Vision of the Seas. This is then followed by a Caribbean cruise on Harmony of the Seas and then Adventure of the Seas. Our itinerary is on the right:
Vision: Oct 16 – Oct 31
Harmony: Nov 3 – Nov 10
Adventure: Nov 10 – Nov 18
October 15, 2018 – Monday – Seattle
And we’re off! A smooth travel day for everyone! We had breakfast and coffee in SeaTac’s Red Carpet Club then took off on time (8:17 am) on a clear, sunny day. Puget Sound and the mountains looked gorgeous. We arrived in Dulles where we met up with Mom and Dad a little early, much to Mom’s relief who worried we’d miss our connection. We joined them in the Red Carpet Club where they were already enjoying drinks and snacks. We had some time to do the same before our flight to Barcelona departed. Another smooth flight arriving early Tuesday morning in Barcelona. We lost 9 hours since taking off from Seattle!
October 16, 2018 – Tuesday – Barcelona
We had a very long wait going through customs before we were able to catch the free hotel shuttle to Ciutat del Prat. Luckily they had rooms ready right away since it was still pretty early. After settling in we went to L’Express for coffee and pastries, then wandered around the neighborhood. It’s not a tourist area so it was a chance to see average life in Barcelona away from the crowds (and high prices). We picked up water and wine at a little grocery store before returning to the hotel to rest. Cocktail hour was a complimentary drink in the hotel lounge where we chatted for a while. Dinner was a short walk away at Cafetería La Tertulia where we had a bottle of wine and more delicious tapas than we really needed – all for only 34€. We were all beat after many hours traveling and turned in early.
October 17, 2018 – Wednesday – Barcelona
Breakfast at our favorite breakfast spot – L’Express. The ladies there remembered our coffee preferences from yesterday and we ate a few different pastries. Fueled up we again walked the neighborhood, checking out Lavaxpres where we plan to do laundry in between cruises next Spring. Another afternoon of resting. We enjoyed dinner so much yesterday at Cafetería La Tertulia that we headed there again. We had a pitcher of Sangria along with slightly different tapas. We were amazed that tonight’s bill was only 24€! It was a pleasant evening so we sat on a bench to visit and people watch before returning to our rooms.
CRUISE 1: Vision of the Seas Transatlantic
Captain: Michael Lindberg
Cruise Director: Steve Davis
Activities Director: Talita Leoni
Waiter: Melanie
Ass’t Waiter: Gede
Maitre D’: Jin
Cabin Attendant: Donna
October 18, 2018 – Thursday – Cruise Day 1 – Bon Voyage! (74 degrees, sunny)
Our usual start at L’Express, where they again remembered our coffee order, before taking a taxi to the port. We had a great driver who was also a bit of a tour guide explaining some sights we passed. There was no wait to check in at the Royal Caribbean counter but then about a 45 minute wait to actually board the Vision of the Seas. The Windjammer opened at 11:30 where we had a delicious lunch before getting into our cabins at 1:00. We rested in our cabins with our luggage arriving just before the muster drill so we had to wait until afterwards to unpack. Before we knew it it was cocktail time! M&D brought drinks out of the Diamond Lounge to us in the Schooner Bar where we had staked out a table. After some great conversation and not getting a single answer for a TV theme music trivia game, we went over to Chops. As always we had outstanding steaks – and everything else! We were full and tired so turned into our cabins.
October 19, 2018 – Friday – Cruise Day 2 – Cartagena, Spain (71 degrees, mostly cloudy)
A beautiful, sunny day despite a forecast for mostly cloudy. Windjammer for breakfast followed by the Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle. We played a fun game to get acquainted. Pat won a RC baseball cap and fold-up bag in a raffle. 
Around 11-11:30 we docked in Cartegena. As with so many of the ports, various hilltops had ruins which we could see from the deck of the ship. It seems the Romans were all over the Mediterranean. We walked into town where we explored Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The impressive city hall building was the predominant building but all the architecture was interesting. There was some type of health-related festival going on with many women dressed in elaborate costumes. The plaza led into Calle Mayor, a shopping walkway also with a lot of fantastic architecture, many buildings with unique balconies. We had a light lunch in Windjammer, followed by naps in our cabins, followed by cocktails and trivia in the Schooner Bar. Had our first dinner in the dining room with Melanie as our waiter and Gede the assistant waiter. Both are nice but Gede is especially personable and always smiling. We called it a day after watching a late show called “The Beatles, a Musical Celebration”. The music was excellent and a couple of the guys even looked a little bit like the Beatles.
October 20, 2018 – Saturday – Cruise Day 3 – Malaga, Spain (66 degrees, scattered showers)
Our day started with a leisurely breakfast in Windjammer. We had a torrential downpour outside while we ate. The weather was predicted to be showers/thunderstorms so we decided to stay onboard. The bad weather never materialized but we enjoyed our day wandering the ship, reading, and resting until Happy Hour. We decided to try Windjammer for dinner and all the food was very good with a huge selection. Tonight’s show we had seen on the Spring crossing so we turned in early. (1st time change – 1 hour back.)
October 21, 2018 – Sunday – Cruise Day 4 – At Sea (77 degrees, partly cloudy)
Another Windjammer breakfast followed by Enrichment Talk #1 – The Forensic Investigation by forensic expert Jim Adcock. We saw this series on a prior cruise. He presented some 
interesting information but speaks in a monotone that tended to cause us to doze off at times. Early afternoon we met up in a meeting room with some other Cruise Critic members to play a game called Left-Center-Right. The most you can lose is $3 but Mom was the winner of this game walking away with $36! We had a light snack in Windjammer and then returned to our cabins to rest. (We’re getting really good at resting/relaxing with all the practice we get!) We dressed up for formal night and had our pictures taken before dinner in the dining room. This evenings show was singer Gary Williams. He had a good voice and sang some great songs: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elvis, Frankie Valli, etc.
October 22, 2018 – Monday – Cruise Day 5 – At Sea (77 degrees, partly cloudy)
A repeat of yesterday – Windjammer breakfast followed by Enrichment Talk #2. More resting and reading until it was time to meet up for the second game of Left-Center-Right which Mom won again! We had ice cream and coffee on the deck then went back to our cabins until Happy Hour. Tonight’s 6:30 show was “Rhythm and Rhyme” – a very high energy show with outstanding singing, dancing, and also music by the Vision orchestra. We had another fabulous Chops dinner. (2nd time change – 1 hour back.)
October 23, 2018 – Tuesday – Cruise Day 6 – At Sea (77 degrees, partly cloudy)
A repeat of the prior two mornings – Windjammer and Enrichment Talk #3. Mom and Pat attended the “Meal With an Officer” lunch and sat with the Vision’s head of human resources. It was a delicious meal with good conversation with fellow passengers. Game three of Left-Center-Right where we contributed our dollars to another winner this time. We sat on deck eating ice cream and sipping coffee until a chilly breeze and light showers came in. There were some big swells today so we swayed a little bit all day long. We headed to our cabins but got sidelined looking at future cruises and talking to a reservations representative. After our afternoon rest we met up for Happy Hour before going to this evening’s show by Steve Rawlings. He was a comedian who performed various visual acts. We looked at photographs in the gallery before having dinner in the dining room. At 10:15 we had a good time at “The Love and Marriage Game Show” with the longest married couple coming away as the winners.
October 24, 2018 – Wednesday – Cruise Day 7 – Ponte Delgada, Portugal (68 degrees, showers)
We had a relaxing breakfast in Windjammer, eating and discussing future cruises. There are lots of showers around but since the last 3 days were at sea as are the next 5, we wanted to get off the ship for a bit. We walked along the pier with it’s many shops and some cover from the showers that popped up. Mom had a nice conversation with Nina in front of a whale watching excursion shop. She had visited the east coast of the US and said she’d like to move to the US but it was too expensive. Hit Windjammer for snacks and coffee before going to our cabins. We visited Next Cruise to look at possible cruises for Fall 2019, then off to Happy Hour! Tonight’s entertainment was “The Magical Mayhem of Neal Austin“, a comedic magician. It was a good, high energy show. We had dinner in the dining room this evening. (3rd time change – 1 hour back.)
October 25, 2018 – Thursday – Cruise Day 8 – At Sea (77 degrees, partly cloudy)
Mostly a repeat of parts of previous days. Breakfast in the Windjammer. Fourth Forensics Enrichment Talk. Lunch in the dining room for the first time to enjoy their Tutti Salad – an offering of numerous ingredients of choice put in a large bowl and turned into a chopped salad. We all lost at Left-Center-Right again but it was still fun. Relaxed in our cabins then Happy Hour. Spent a little time in the Centrum where we talked to Komi from Bali who is with Housekeeping. She gave us a little insight into staying in Bali and spoke about her marriage to a fellow crew member. We had seen the pianist (Brooks Aehron) twice before who was performing this evening so we decided not to attend. A delicious early dinner and dessert in Windjammer then we turned in early. (4th time change – 1 hour back. Now only 5 hours ahead of Seattle).
October 26, 2018 – Friday – Cruise Day 9 – At Sea (77 degrees, partly cloudy)
Leisurely breakfast at Windjammer since there was nowhere we needed to be until 11:15. At that time we participated in “The Royal Mystery” where we divided into groups of 4-6 to solve team puzzles that led to the final conclusion of which person(s) should be arrested for a crime. Our team of 6 lost but it was fun. We hung out watching Bingo until it was time to play Left-Center-Right, another game we lost but had fun playing. Back to our cabins until Enrichment Talk #5 – “Investigating Cold Cases”. Another happy Happy Hour followed by a show with the comedy of David Naster. He was very funny and we enjoyed his show. Tonight we had dinner at Giovanni’s. Our waiter, Ali from Turkey, provided excellent service. The food was all delicious and, as usual, there was too much! Bedtime.
October 27, 2018 – Saturday – Cruise Day 10 – At Sea (77 degrees, partly cloudy)
Our day started at Windjammer then back to our cabins for a bit. We played Left-Center-Right again and Pat won $27 this time! We sat and chatted in the Schooner Bar for a while then rested in our cabins until Happy Hour, at which time we had some of our usual wonderful conversation. Showtime tonight was Mark Preston who performed an outstanding show. He had a wonderful singing voice singing some classic, older songs with a some humor between songs. We ate in the dining room and then went to bed. (5th time change – 1 hour back.)
October 28, 2018 – Sunday – Cruise Day 11 – At Sea (79 degrees, partly cloudy)
Another delicious, filling Windjammer breakfast. We returned to our cabins but Mom and Dad went out a bit later to watch the Egg Drop Contest. We met up for our game of Left-Center-Right, which we again did not win. Then up on deck to get some ice cream and coffee before heading to the theater to wait for the 2:30 Adult Guest Talent Show. All 8 performers, the Brazillian Dancers (guests), and the Vision Guest Choir were all entertaining. A return to our cabins until Happy Hour. We decided we wanted to see the 8:30 show instead of the 10:15 show so we ate an early dinner in Windjammer. The performer was James Stephens III, a self-proclaimed one-man show, a comedian/actor/impressionist/musician. It was a good show. (Final time change – 1 hour back. Now on Florida time and the usual 3 hours back from Seattle.)
October 29, 2018 – Monday – Cruise Day 12 – At Sea (73 degrees, sunny)
Today we were welcomed by Halloween decorations in the Centrum. Halloween is being celebrated today since we’re in port tomorrow and get off the ship Wednesday when it’s actually Halloween. A Windjammer breakfast. At 10 AM there was a show by David Naster called “You Just Have to Laugh” about using humor to make it through some of life’s hard times. We again lost at our last game of Left-Center-Right. A short time later we watched the Vision’s Got Talent Crew Talent Show which was fun. Time for a little rest then Happy Hour before watching “Boogie Wonderland” in the theater. It was a great disco-themed show with all the singers and dancers working extremely hard to put on an outstanding performance. Dinner one last time (at least this cruise!) in Chops. Lots of yummy food! Time to collapsed in our beds!
October 30, 2018 – Tuesday – Cruise Day 13 – Nassau, Bahamas (81 degrees, sunny)
Windjammer. We walked into town. There were mobs of people as 4 cruise ships were docked side-by-side. From the minute we got off the dock there were locals pressing everything on us including taxis, hair braiding, tours, and tons of souvenir items that said Nassau and/or Bahamas on them. We walked along Bay Street which is full of stores, especially jewelry stores, and again there were people trying to persuade us to go into their shops. Going through security to return to the ship, Mom and Laurie didn’t have photo ID. They had to go through a special security check, then were led by an armed guard with other ID-less people out onto the dock. The whole episode took about 45 minutes. Despite this, Nassau is beautiful with palm trees, turquoise waters, and white sand beaches. We imagine if you want to get away from the madness of town by the pier, it would be a lot more enjoyable farther out. We returned to the ship around noon and went to Windjammer for iced tea and a light snack. Time to start packing 🙁 Revived from the sadness of packing with Happy Hour! Then we went to the Farewell Show with pianist Brooks Aehron and singer Mark Preston. It was our last dinner on the ship so we ate in the dining room. We said good-bye to Melanie and Gede, our waiters, and Jin, the head waiter, and passed out gratuities. Then it was time to close up our luggage and park the suitcases in the hallway for pickup overnight.
October 31, 2018 – Wednesday – End of Cruise – Miami (82 degrees, mostly sunny, humid)
We were all up early and decided to have breakfast in the dining room. We departed the ship a little after 8AM. There was a long wait going through customs, then Dad was further delayed because of the passport he lost 2 years ago. This will likely continue to happen until his passport expires in 2026! We took an Uber from Miami to the Quality Inn in Hollywood ($65 + $7 tip) where we had to wait about 3 hours to get a room. We initially hung out by the pool and had free coffee but then moved into the lobby where it was cooler and they had CNN on TV. (Very nice after only getting Fox on the ship.) There are lots of bright green iguanas on the property, most about 1 -1/2 feet long but some smaller and a several larger. There were also tiny geckos scurrying around, and we saw different types of unusual birds. The hotel is very worn but the rooms seem clean, there’s a free breakfast, a free shuttle to the port, a washer and dryer, and nearby restaurants and a Kmart. However, the hallways and laundry areas (which are exposed to the outside) weren’t so clean. Also, our shower didn’t work and they weren’t able to fix it. We probably would not stay here again. 
After resting in the afternoon we walked about 1/2 mile to the Moonlight Diner for dinner. Inside and out resembled a 50’s diner. Today they had a special where you get a hamburger plus fries, and a milkshake for $11. Basically it was like getting the milkshake for free. The burgers were massive (could have easily split one between two people) and everything was delicious. It was a nice evening to stroll back to the hotel, then turn in for the night.
November 1, 2018 – Thursday – Hollywood, FL – (85 degrees, sunny, humid)
We were up early so we went walking around until Kmart opened at 8AM so we could buy some laundry detergent and dryer sheets. We all went to have the breakfast about 9AM. They had a good assortment of biscuits and gravy, make-your-own waffles, instant oatmeal, fruit, pastries, and sausage and egg patties that you could put on the various breads to make a sandwich. They also had coffee, tea and juice. It was very pleasant sitting poolside while we ate. Then we began doing laundry, 2 loads per couple. There were 2 laundry rooms each with 1 washer and 1 dryer so we commandeered both for a while. For less than $13 we did all our laundry – about $20 including supplies. We relaxed for a while before heading out for dinner at a place called Sweet Tomatoes about a 1 mile walk away. For $10.80 each we had their buffet. The salad bar was huge, there were 5-6 soups, various pastas, chili, baked potatoes, and an assortment of bread. There was also a dessert bar with soft serve ice cream with many toppings as well as some other desserts such as cobbler, rice pudding, and chocolate mousse. Everything was fresh and tasty. We originally thought we’d take an Uber back but M&D were real troopers and easily made the return walk back. Time to unwind before bedtime.
November 2, 2018 – Friday – Hollywood, FL – (87 degrees, mostly sunny, humid)
Met up for breakfast at 9AM and again sat poolside eating and chatting until late morning. We relaxed in our rooms and visited through the connecting door. We walked across the street to Chipotle to pick up their huge, made-to-order burritos (each of which can feed two). We ate poolside and sipped wine with our dinner (leftover from our flight). Then, once again, it was time to pack. Turned in early.
CRUISE 2: Harmony of the Seas Caribbean
Captain: Johnny Faevelen
Cruise Director: Abe Hughes
Activities Director: Alex Green
Waiter: Sanjay
Ass’t Waiter: Alein
Cabin Attendant: Wayne Thompson
November 3, 2018 – Saturday – Cruise Day 1 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL (hot, humid, cloudy)
We had an 8AM poolside breakfast before getting ready for the hotel’s free port shuttle. After a 20 minute ride to the port we were able to check-in immediately at the RC desk. Then we waited 1/2 hour before we could board Harmony of the Seas about 11:30. We headed right up to Windjammer and ate a fabulous lunch. The buffet was extensive and everything was delicious. Then we sat on a bench in Central Park until our cabins were ready at 1PM. Central Park is in the middle of the ship with balconies of staterooms looking down on it. The top is open to the sky and elements. There are 12,000 plants on the ship including the many trees and plants in this area. What a beautiful, contemporary cabin. So much more modern than other ships we’ve been on. Even the shower has plenty of room. And now we have balconies with ocean views! We’re on deck 8 which is the same deck as Central Park, Park Cafe, (morning coffee and quick snacks), as well as several specialty restaurants and bars. We had muster drill before leaving port. M&D went to the relatively small Diamond Lounge but there’s not many Diamonds and up on this cruise so it wasn’t crowded. We went back to our room and unpacked since our luggage had now arrived, then met M&D for Happy Hour. They brought drinks out of the lounge and we went up one deck and sat in the Bolero Bar. Dinner tonight was at 150 Central Park. ($106 including tips for the 4 of us with M&D’s 2 BOGO deals.) What an outstanding meal as well as service by Andre! We all had beef tenderloin and all agreed it was the best we ever had. All the sides and desserts were fabulous as well. We rolled out of there and went to the Fine Line Aqua Show where extreme sport athletes performed “high-flying feats and mind-blowing stunts” as well as dancing in and out of water. A very long, wonderful day!
November 4, 2018 – Sunday – Cruise Day 2 – At Sea (hot, humid, partly cloudy)
We had an early breakfast in Windjammer before heading to Dazzles Lounge for the Cruise Critic Meet & Mingle. There weren’t very many people there but Pat won a bottle of white wine in the raffle. We went our separate ways until Happy Hour. We watched the Captain’s Welcome Aboard/Top Tier party in the Aqua Theater and stopped in a shop to buy a magnet of the ship to add to our collection. We returned to the cabin to nap before meeting up with M&D. As we did last night, we took drinks to the Bolero Bar to visit. Our first night in the dining room with waiter Sanjay (India) and Alein (Phillipines). M&D had some chewy beef but everything else was very good. We went to the theater a bit early to wait for “Grease” to being. This gave M&D a chance to catch a quick catnap. The show was very entertaining with great singing and dancing. It was over at midnight so we were all more than ready to turn in.
November 5, 2018 – Monday – Cruise Day 3 – Labadee, Haiti (hot, humid, partly cloudy)
We ate in Windjammer but tried to keep it light since we anticipated eating a BBQ lunch on shore. Late morning we got off the ship. Labadee is mainly for beach lovers with many beach areas with lounge chairs but there was also a children’s’ water play area, and a zip-line that went from the mountain top across the ocean to the beach. Mom and Pat took 
a shuttle to the market area but didn’t see anything worth buying. The BBQ provided by RC didn’t look very good so we headed back to the ship for a Windjammer lunch with lots of iced tea to re-hydrate after the extreme heat of Labadee. Back to our cabins to rest for the afternoon. We hoped to get a little more sun today but it clouded up. However, the clouds with the setting sun provided a spectacular, always-changing show. We observed from our balcony with Laurie experimenting with his camera. Met M&D for Happy Hour then had dinner in the dining room.
November 6, 2018 – Tuesday – Cruise Day 4 – Falmouth, Jamaica (90 degrees, humid, sunny)
Breakfast in Windjammer which was very crowded at 9AM. We returned to our cabins to find more of the beach towels given by RC as gifts (now have 4 towels for each cabin!), and M&D had earned a beautiful crystal block with the Harmony of the Seas ship and name
etched within. About 11AM we headed off the ship to the pier where there are lots of shops, especially jewelry stores. Most shops seemed to sell similar over-priced items so we only visited a few. The Harmony was docked right along side the shopping area and loomed high above us. Returning to the ship we sat in Central Park to sip iced tea and lemonade. In addition to piped in bird sounds in the background, there were some cute little yellow-breasted birds around hunting for crumbs. Back to our cabins for afternoon siestas. Happy Hour was again in Boleros. They were playing an interesting assortment of music and there was a couple dancing gracefully and skillfully on the small dance floor. Dinner in the dining room then back to our cabins for the night.
November 7, 2018 – Wednesday – Cruise Day 5 – At Sea (hot, humid, mostly sunny)
We walked around the ship early this morning exploring areas we hadn’t seen before. We stood on a glass platform that looked down 15 decks to the water! Very freaky! Another delicious Windjammer breakfast. Then we looked at some of the Promenade shops but anything of interest was overpriced. We returned to our cabin, resting and catching a little sun on our balcony. Our usual Happy Hour followed by dinner in the dining room, then bedtime.
November 8, 2018 – Thursday – Cruise Day 6 – Cozumel, Mexico (hot, humid, sunny)
Breakfast at 9AM in Windjammer. Then we took about a 15 minute taxi ride to The KaoKao Chocolate Factory which is off the beaten path here. They do a 90 minute lecture/tour ($25 each) exploring the history of cacao, the chocolate making process, the plants and varieties, etc. It also included several different chocolate samples and we got to make our own Mexican chocolate disk from scratch to take home to make hot chocolate. The small factory is in a bright colored, Mexican decorated building with lots of plants. A young girl in training did a lot of the lecture but was joined by the owner, Eduardo, who helped us make the chocolate disks and finished up the tour. Of course there was a store with their products but we managed to get away without buying anything. Overall it was an enthusiastic and informative tour. After taking another taxi back to the ship we lunched in Windjammer then went to rest until Happy Hour. Tonight we ate in Windjammer which included a Mexican themed buffet in addition to the usual seemingly endless choices. We watched the musical “Columbus” which was somewhat entertaining with good music, dancing, and a little bit of humor.
November 9, 2018 – Friday – Cruise Day 7 – At Sea (84 degrees, humid, mostly sunny)
Breakfast in Windjammer. We made a trip to Guest Services and the casino to settle up our accounts and cash out our on-board credit. We went to our cabin to get most of our packing out of the way. Today we decided to try the lunch buffet in the dining room which had a large salad bar, a made-to-order pasta bar, many hot entrees, and a huge dessert bar including a chocolate fountain with a variety of items to dip in it, many cakes, small cups of various desserts, and ice cream with a wide assortment of toppings. Back to our cabins to digest. We rested until Happy Hour. While sitting in our usual spot in Bolero’s we had front row seats to a parade in the Promenade featuring holidays throughout the year. Tonight was our last dinner in the dining room. We had to say our goodbyes to Sanjay and Alein and their fantastic service. Time to pack a last few things and put our suitcases in the hall.
CRUISE 3: Adventure of the Seas Caribbean
Captain: Krzyszthof Szymkarczuk
Cruise Director: Bill Brunckhorst
Activities Director: Magic Marvin Wilson
Waiter: Roberto
Ass’t Waiter: Yuling
Maitre D’: Marek
Cabin Attendant: Richard
November 10, 2018 – Saturday – Ft. Lauderdale/Harmony Cruise Day 1 (hot, humid, sunny)
The Harmony cruise ends and the Adventure cruise begins! First up was a light breakfast in Windjammer which was packed with people. After packing up our stuff in the cabins we headed to the theater to wait for our disembarkation number to be called. We picked up our luggage and observed a long, snaking line to go through passport control. Luckily, Laurie had loaded Mobile Pass on his phone for all 4 of us so we breezed through with no wait! We had to wait about 45 minutes for a shuttle over to the Adventure of the Seas where we quickly registered, got on board, and went to Windjammer while waiting for our cabins. We moved to a table out by the pool and our cabins were soon ready at 1:30. Our luggage was ready very soon after so we unpacked and rested until the 4:30 muster drill. We met up with M&D for Happy Hour in the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 14 which is also where the Diamond Lounge is. The lounge has a fantastic sky-high view of the pool area and the vast surrounding ocean. We ate in the dining room with Roberto (from India) as our waiter and Yuling (China) our assistant waiter. A delicious meal and good service. Bedtime after a long day. Tonight we have a time change of 1 hour ahead as we sail east.
November 11, 2018 – Sunday – Cruise Day 2 – At Sea (82 degrees, sun & clouds, breezy)
Breakfast in Windjammer in our usual spot at the back of the dining room/ship. A great feature was an omelet station with buzzers you take with to get notified when your omelet is ready! We attended Cruise Critic’s Meet and Mingle where we didn’t win any raffle prizes this time. There weren’t too many attendees but a few more than on Harmony. Back to our cabins. We decided to catch the afternoon showing of “Mission Impossible: Fallout”, which M&D opted not to see. It was an action-packed movie but lasted a bit too long at 2-1/2 hours. Time to get dressed for formal night and meet up with M&D for Happy Hour in the Viking Crown Lounge. We enjoyed great conversation while watching the sun go down and the lights come up on the pool deck below. After another wonderful dining room dinner, we slowly made our way through the Promenade to the front of the ship where our cabins are located. Basically, our cabins and the theater are at the front of the ship, dining and the lounge at the back.
November 12, 2018 – Monday – Cruise Day 3 – Labadee, Haiti (very hot, humid, sunny)
Windjammer breakfast. Back to the cabins. We were in Labadee last week with Harmony where it was extremely hot and humid, the BBQ was not good, and it was geared more towards beach lovers. We decided it wasn’t worth getting off the ship again. We ended up going out by the pool to get some sun, then moved to the covered Solarium to stretch out on lounge chairs, read and take a quick nap. Happened upon M&D when we stopped by the Windjammer so we had a quick snack with them before returning to our cabins. Our usual Happy Hour followed by dinner in Chops. All the food we had was delicious and we found everything a bit better than previous Chops we ate at. We took our stuffed tummies to the theater to watch the Love & Marriage Game Show. The show was very funny with the newlyweds winning the game.
November 13, 2018 – Tuesday – Cruise Day 4 – San Juan, PR (84 degrees, humid, partly cloudy with passing showers)
Windjammer breakfast. We didn’t arrive in San Juan until 1:00 so we read, relaxed, and ultimately napped before going off the ship. (Mom felt a little under-the-weather so she and Dad stayed on the ship. She thought it might have been her steak last night.) We walked along the waterfront observing the Old Town walls built by the Spaniards to protect the city. We also saw the Raices Fountain by San Juan Bay which represents the roots of the Puerto Rico culture. It was like walking in a sauna so we were glad to return to the ship and iced tea. After Happy Hour we dined in Windjammer so we could see a 9:15 show. The show was “Hello, A Night with Adele Starring Amy Jo Slater“. She did a outstanding job singing Adele’s songs with her powerful voice. By the show’s end at 10:00 we were ready to drop into bed.
November 14, 2018 – Wednesday – Cruise Day 5 – Philipsburg, St, Maarten (82 degrees, humid, cloudy, chance of showers)
Mom is feeling mostly better 🙂 Windjammer breakfast. To get into town it’s a long walk to a water taxi that takes you there. It seems the main thing to do in town is shop so we opted to stay on board – relaxing, reading, and napping. We all went to Windjammer in the afternoon for a snack and to visit. We met a bit early for Happy Hour so we could see the 7:00 show of “Ronn Lucus, Ventriloquist” which was hysterical. Time for dinner in the dining room, but not before the “Tums incident” while waiting to get in. Mom and Pat will know what it’s about but all 4 of us ended up uncontrollably laughing to the point of tears. Another great day.
November 15, 2018 – Thursday – Cruise Day 6 – Basseterre, St. Kitts (84 degrees, partly cloudy)
Windjammer breakfast. We went off the ship late morning right into Porte Zante, a huge area of shops where we looked in a few shops but again didn’t buy anything. The other side of this area we saw the Circus traffic circle anchored by a green clock tower, the Victorian-style Berkeley Memorial Clock. This roundabout was inspired by London’s Piccadilly Circus but is very tiny, crumbling, and sad looking. Once out of Porte Zante the city was disintegrating with broken, uneven sidewalks, streets, and buildings. They drive on the left side here with some steering wheels on the right. Returning to the ship we immediately went to Windjammer for iced tea and a snack. Rest time until Happy Hour at 5:30. M&D were sitting with a couple (Mark and Cindy) from Toronto so we joined them to chat. Tonight’s show at 7:00 was Citizen West, a group of 3 tenors and a piano/guitar player. They had wonderful voices and sang some great songs backed by the Adventure of the Seas Orchestra. Dinner in the dining room and an early night.
November 16, 2018 – Friday – Cruise Day 7 – At Sea (84 degrees, humid, partly cloudy)
Another day started with breakfast in the Windjammer. We stopped by the photo gallery to check out the few pictures we had taken so far. Time to relax in our cabins. Eventually we made our way up top to recline in the sun for a while. Although there were some isolated showers around and even a beautiful rainbow, we never got rained on and ended up mostly being in sunshine. A very happy Happy Hour! We were having such a great time chatting we decided not to go to the 7:00 singing and dancing show. While sitting there, a woman hesitantly approached Mom saying she looked like someone she had seen many years ago in Skokie, IL, and she had to find out if she was right or not. Turns out she was (and still is) a hairstylist in the Old Orchard shop arcade where Mom worked at Easy Travel over 25 years ago! She lives in Glenview. Amazing! We made our way to the dining room for another delicious dinner and were able to be in our cabins before 10:00 again which was nice.
November 17, 2018 – Saturday – Cruise Day 8 – At Sea (82 degrees, humid, partly cloudy, chance of afternoon showers)
Our final day before then end of the cruise and our journey home after being gone since October 15th! Windjammer was packed for breakfast at 9AM. Afterwards we went to order our 2 free photos courtesy of M&D. Time to get most of the packing done then take it easy. It’s mostly cloudy so not a good day to lay out in the sun. Mid-afternoon we made a quick trip to the casino to cash out remaining on-board credit and stopped by the Promenade Cafe to stock up on cookies for our flights home. Our last Happy Hour 😥 Again we were having a good time so didn’t go to the farewell show. Dinner in the dining room and time to say good-bye to Roberto and Yuling. Yuling was really taken with Mom and kept hugging her. She said Mom reminded her of her grandmother. Last of the packing then the luggage went out in the hallway for pickup.
November 18, 2018 – Sunday – Ft. Lauderdale, FL (80’s, humid, partly cloudy)
An early (7AM) quick nosh in Windjammer. We were off the ship about 8AM and breezed through passport control, got a taxi, and were at the Embassy Suites by 8:45. We enjoyed their great complimentary breakfast buffet which included eggs/omelets made to order. Then we had to wait until 2PM for our room to be ready. Mostly we sat by the pool but eventually moved inside when it started to get too sunny in our spot. We relaxed in the room and later opened the bottle of 2.50€ red Catalunya wine that we bought in Barcelona at the beginning of our adventure. This bottle traveled with us on all 3 cruises! It was pretty good for the price. For dinner we headed to Five Guys which ended up being closed for remodeling. We settled on La Bamba, a busy Mexican restaurant in the same shopping center. The food was good, reasonably priced, we didn’t have to make it, and we didn’t have to clean up! We then watched some CNN before going to bed early.
November 19, 2018 – Monday – Homeward Bound (Seattle/Chicago)
We had an early breakfast at the Embassy Suites buffet before ordering our Uber about 9AM for the short trip to the airport. M&D got us into the United Red Carpet Club where we had coffee and a snack. Our flights were only about a ½ hour apart and our gates were right next to each other! All our flights were on time or early and we took a Lyft home where we arrived about 7PM. So glad to see the kids!
Our trip has been a real adventure! We can’t say enough what a wonderful, fun time we had with M&D. They were always looking out for us and we tried to do the same for them. We spent a month together and never ran out of good conversation, got tired of each other’s company, or became bored. We’re greatly looking forward to more future travels together!
Some takeaways from this trip:
We are now Diamond with Royal Caribbean! After many cruises with M&D bringing drinks and snacks out of the Diamond Lounge for us, we will now be able to join them in the lounge. Thanks M&D for supporting us in achieving this goal!
All the ports in the Caribbean seemed to look the same. All were crowded and filled with over-priced jewelry and souvenir stores, and many hawkers trying to sell whatever they could. However, the beaches and surrounding scenery were gorgeous. The Caribbean is definitely for beach lovers who like heat. Labadee also has a very nice beach if sunbathing is the goal.
After traveling on and having a chance to compare the three different ship sizes, we all found that we liked the smaller to medium ships (such as Vision and Adventure) better. They are easier to get around to enjoy all they have to offer without being overwhelming (such as Harmony).
Lastly, we had two different length cruises – the 13 night transatlantic, and the 7 & 8 night Caribbean cruises. We found that we enjoy the longer transatlantic much better. One reason is the duration gives you more time to get to know the layout of the ship, as well as time to get to know other people better (staff as well as passengers). Also, there are more sea days which are much more relaxing…
The other reason we enjoy the longer cruises is the demographics of the people on-board. The longer cruises have more “mature” passengers and very few children resulting in a more relaxing cruise. The shorter cruises were loaded with younger families including many with young children and lots of huge strollers. There also was more of a loud party vibe to the cruise and there seemed to be huge crowds and lots of noise everywhere. Returning to the quiet of our cabins throughout the day was wonderful.
Looking forward to many more voyages to come!