Oasis of the Seas 7 Night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day
April 11, 2023 – Thursday – Travel Day
Time for some cruising. Sadly, Mom and Dad won’t be joining us as planned due to Mom not feeling well and on the advice of her doctor. Since our flight to Houston departs at 11:59pm, today officially begins our travels! Our Uber to the airport had to detour a bit due to a closed road. Then at SeaTac there was a huge amount of arrivals traffic, but very little departure traffic once we could get in those lanes. Our flight took off right on time.
April 12, 2023 – Friday – Travel Day: Seattle, WA to Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The relatively smooth flight to Houston landed early at 5:38am. Since our flight to Ft. Lauderdale didn’t leave until just after noon, Pat picked up a coffee and we found a quiet place near the departure gate to settle in for the morning. Another on-time flight, take-off and landing, that was mostly smooth. Our one checked bag had caught an earlier flight from Houston and was waiting for us. We got an Uber to Embassy Suites where we had a room on the 3rd floor on the front of the hotel. There is a tiny balcony that we could stand on but we look right into the tops of palm trees. The swaying palms are nice to look at but next time we’ll try for a higher floor with a better view. After settling in we headed down to Happy Hour. It was the most crowded Happy Hour we had seen over the years, but we waited in line for our free drinks and appetizers, and found a table outside. The temperature was about 80 with sun, a light breeze, and less humidity than usual. It was wonderful after Mukilteo’s long string of cool, cloudy days. Relaxed and satisfied, we walked over to Total Wine to buy wine for our cruises. With deals on Laurie’s account, we were able to purchase 4 bottles that usually would cost $50 for about $18! Then we picked up Five Guys, splitting a regular bacon cheeseburger and Cajun fries (sharing a regular burger instead of getting 2 little burgers saved us $7-8 and it was still plenty of food.) The evening was spent watching TV and dozing, talking to M&D, and turning in early. A VERY long day.
April 13, 2024 – Saturday – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Today’s was a repeat of yesterday’s pleasant weather. We were at the buffet shortly after it opened at 7:00 to enjoy a delicious breakfast (by 7:40 it was pretty much filled up). We hung out in our room until it warmed up around 11:00 to go relax on the patio by the pool (Laurie in sun and Pat in shade). It was around 80 with a breeze which varied between warm and just a tad cool. Very refreshing! We were visited by geckos, iguanas, butterflies, various birds. Then it was back to the room to shower and relax watching TV. We hit a momentary lull during Happy Hour and were able to get our drinks and snacks quickly. Again it was a lovely evening to spend poolside. Laurie was full from the snacks but we walked over to Publix to share a pre-made salad. Our evening was spent watching CNN as Iran was firing on Israel in response to an earlier Israeli attack on Iran.
April 14, 2024 – Sunday/Day 1 – Miami, FL – Departure Day
Another pleasant day but lots of clouds which tapered off as the morning progressed. Again we were one of the first people at the buffet, finishing up by 7:30. We relaxed in the room and packed up to leave about 10:30. The Uber driver to Miami was very nice, despite the GPS initially sending him to a nearby cafe instead of our hotel. We also ran into a lot of traffic near the port (with the main road blocked off just before we got there), so it was about noon before we were processed through check-in by Royal Caribbean to board the ship. We sat on a bench in Central Park to people watch, and Laurie went off to make reservations for our BOGO dinners, tonight at Izumi and then 150 Central Park in a few days. Our room opened at 1:00 and we settled in. As we were heading out to explore we saw our luggage down the hallway so went back to unpack. Our room 8500 is at the very front of the ship overlooking the helicopter pad, and Alejandro is our stateroom attendant. The room is a little extra long and has a big picture window. A few more drawers would have been nice but we managed fine. We checked in at our muster station, stopped by Voom to get Pat’s Royal app working, then hung out in the Schooner Bar enjoying our own Happy Hour. We didn’t even notice when the ship left port! Then we explored a little while and then went up to deck 15 to be outside before heading back down to Izumi for our BOGO dinner. All the food was delicious and different from what we usually eat. Stuffed, we made it back to the room to turn in early. (The cruise director is Eric and the activities director is Shannon.)
April 15, 2024 – Monday/Day 2 – Nassau, Bahamas
The string of great weather continues. Laurie headed down to the Crown Lounge (aka Diamond Lounge) about 5:15 am, and Pat followed about 6:20. We had our first coffee of the day and spent time reading. We went up on deck about 8:00 and relaxed there before going to Windjammer for breakfast. At one point we tried to go to Windjammer but the lines to get in were long so it was back to the deck. On our next try we were successful in getting in with only a short wait and found a table for 2 just being cleaned. Our breakfast was good then we headed back on deck, and finally back down to our stateroom to get caught up on the news and snooze a bit. Tonight is a formal night. We decided to try out the Crown Lounge for Happy Hour, which is limited to Diamond Plus and above from 5:00-8:00 because of the large number of Diamonds onboard. We found a good waiter (Gede from Bali) who made some generous singles. We had originally requested 8:00 dining in the main dining room, however when we went to the dining room we noticed that our dinner was instead assigned to My Time Dining at 6:45. They got us a table for 2 and are working on getting us a permanent table for the rest of the cruise. On the way back to our stateroom we strolled through Central Park, picking up some cans of Coke to take back to the room.
April 16, 2024 – Tuesday/Day 3 – Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Bahamas
Mixed sun and clouds. Another early start in the Crown Lounge. Since Laurie wasn’t hungry Pat grabbed a light breakfast from the spread in the lounge. About 10:00 we went ashore to Coco Cay, finding some lounge chairs that gave us a view of the water and the docked ships, Oasis as well as Freedom.We enjoyed the sun for about an hour then Pat opened the umbrella by us so she could lay in the shade. The sun was pretty hot and the shade was a bit cool and there was a stiff breeze. We had lunch at Chill Grill, a short stroll away, which served a wide variety of casual food and some fantastic French fries. We walked back to our chairs along the beach and soon decided it was time to head back to the ship for showers and rest. Gede in the Crown Lounge once again provided us with generous pours and we rewarded him with a generous tip. Dinner tonight was in Windjammer which was Mexican themed. All the various foods were pretty good. On the way back to our room we ducked into the Music Hall to listen to the band performing for a few minutes. Then we strolled through a very breezy Central Park and went to our stateroom for the night.
April 17, 2024 – Wednesday/Day 4 – Cruising
Mixed sun and clouds, low 80’s and a little more humid. Started in the Crown Lounge with coffee and reading, then went to Windjammer about 8:00 and it wasn’t crowded for our breakfast. Then it was time for more reading on the deck in the alternating sun and clouds with a nice breeze at times before we went down to our stateroom late morning. This morning was the Top Tier Event which they showed on TV in the afternoon. The number of people for each level onboard are: Gold 1,396, Platinum 280, Emerald 181, Diamond 310, Diamond Plus 194, and Pinnacle 105. The top cruiser onboard is Super Mario. They said he’d be on through the Transatlantic crossing and get off in Barcelona. After Happy Hour, we tried our assigned table at 6:45 on the My Time Dining Level 3. Since Mom and Dad sadly won’t be joining us on the next 2 cruises (Mom still isn’t feeling great and her doctor is trying to adjust her blood pressure medication), we’ll be requesting a table for 2 for those cruises. After dinner we watched the One Sky show in the theater, which was singing and dancing. It wasn’t so great so we left before the end and turned in early.
April 18, 2024 – Thursday/Day 5 – Falmouth, Jamaica
The day began early in the Crown Lounge again, then we went up on deck to read in the fresh air and take in the beautiful shades of the water around us. It’s warmer and more humid here than previous days. We tried the Windjammer for lunch at 11:30 enjoying their variety of food. Everything was very good. More reading in the room. Due to a maintenance issue we were without water for a couple hours. We went to the Crown Lounge a little later than usual, then had a delicious dinner at 150 Central Park on a BOGO (PK had Lobster Thermidor, Laurie had Halibut; Chocolate Tart and Fried Cheesecake for dessert). Service was slow but food was very good – we’d still go back again.
April 19, 2024 – Friday/Day 6 – Cruising
(Originally we were scheduled to stop in Labadee, Haiti, but it was changed to a sea day because of the unrest and violence in Haiti, mainly the capital.) After our usual Crown Lounge start we had a very good breakfast (complimentary) at Johnny Rockets sitting outside near the Aqua Theater and the carousel on the Boardwalk. Breakfast was followed by reading time on deck 15 where it was breezy. Early afternoon we decided to get some sun so we changed, greased up, and headed back up to deck 16. We found the wind had increased and we only made it about half an hour before it got annoying. Back in the stateroom we spent some time online, watched some TV, read, sipped wine, and got showered and dressed for a “Dress Your Best” dinner in the dining room – Lobster! First, we stopped by to pick out our 2 free photos at the gallery. Then we went to the lounge for Happy Hour and had a nice conversation with another couple from Florida, Tony and Debbie. The lobster dinner was delicious. Pat had 2!
April 20, 2024 – Saturday/Day 7 – Cruising
A very different start to the morning with the loud general ship alarm briefly going off just after 5:00 am! It stopped a short time later and soon the captain came on to announce that it went off in error. Laurie was already up but it kept Pat from another hour of sleep. We had coffee in the lounge followed by an 8:00 breakfast in Windjammer, then read on the deck for a couple hours. We spent the afternoon in our stateroom reading, watching TV, napping, and staying cool. After picking up a drink in the Crown Lounge we went to Spotlight Karaoke Spotlight to watch a “Guess That Commercial” game. It was just okay and we left after a short time. We stopped at the casino to use our $6 slot credit since it was the last day to do so. Laurie didn’t have much luck on the machine he choose, but Pat walked away with just short of $50! We then headed to the Windjammer (Mediterranean themed night) where the food was very good – especially the baklava we had to end our meal! Again we were in our stateroom early to relax, digest, etc.
April 21, 2024 – Sunday/Day 8 – Turnaround Day – Miami, FL
We started docking in Miami sometime between 2:00-3:00 am accompanied by lots of banging, thumping, and revving of engines for a while, interrupting our sleep. We both ended getting up earlier than our usual time. We had our coffee in the Crown Lounge and Pat had a light breakfast to avoid the crowds in other areas. Then we went back to the stateroom to pack before returning to the lounge. Consecutive cruisers met in the theater at 8:45 to get our new Sea Passes and wait for them to lead us off the ship. We waited a while in the theater, then in a hallway in the terminal after leaving the ship, then waited down in the baggage claim area. The delays were due to several stragglers that did not get off the ship by 9:30 like they were supposed to. These individuals had to walk by us 151 consecutive cruisers that were waiting because of them (they received a loud round of “boo’s” as they went by). Finally they led us back to onto the ship much later than it should have been.
Oasis of the Seas 14 Night Spain & Transatlantic
April 21, 2024 – Sunday/Day 1 – Miami, FL – Departure Day
Now back onboard for the beginning of our second cruise! Our new room wasn’t ready so we went to our old room and dug our sunning clothes out of our suitcases and headed up on deck which was nearly empty of people. Pat went to Windjammer and brought back a salad and cookies and said it was very crowded in there. When we went back down our new room was ready and we unpacked before going to meet a woman Laurie had shared internet with. We relaxed in the room until going to Happy Hour about 5:30. We had some lively conversation with Janice and John from Sacramento, CA. She was an extremely bubbly, talkative, high energy person, while he was quieter and more laid back. Then it was off to Giovanni’s where we both had delicious calamari and petite filets served by our very good waiter (Joel). Glad to crawl into bed after a long day.
April 22, 2024 – Monday/Day 2 – Cruising
On waking shortly after 5:00 we saw some lightning off in the distance out our window. It looked like the helicopter pad was wet but it wasn’t raining the moment. The Crown Lounge for coffee this morning was a bit of a different experience than last cruise due to a very large number of Diamond tier and up people. There were more people in the lounge earlier, and there seemed to constantly be a line of 7-8 people waiting to use the coffee machine. We’ll see if they address the issue in the next day or two. (We later found out that these were the numbers for the different tiers: Gold 911, Platinum 616, Emerald 341, Diamond 1,082, Diamond Plus 1,024, and Pinnacle 282.) We had an early breakfast in Windjammer then went to the Solarium to read. This Solarium is not fully enclosed which made it really windy so we soon moved to a spot in the pool area which was less windy and had a nice view of the water. Back in our room about 12:30 we found our room still hadn’t been cleaned so we spent time getting that corrected. Turns out we have a new room steward named Karla who was having a mixed up day but will give our room early cleaning starting tomorrow. After relaxing the afternoon away, we had a drink in Blaze, the comedy club across from the packed Crown Lounge, before going up to Windjammer where a Passover Seder was being held by a Rabbi Aryeh.
There was a bigger turnout than they expected with 80+ people. There was matzah, Seder plates (one per couple), Haggadahs and wine waiting on the tables. The Rabbi lead a very interesting service dispensing a lot of information and encouraging questions. The Seder lasted almost two hours until 9:30. Many people were expecting a dinner to be served afterwards (ourselves included) but none was planned, and by that point most food venues were closed. We ended up with apples from Cafe Promenade.
April 23, 2024 – Tuesday/Day 3 – Cruising
A slightly rocky night and morning, with our early coffee in the Crown Lounge as usual. By about 6:15 the line started forming for the coffee machine. The Windjammer wasn’t too busy at 7:30 where we found plenty of “okay for Passover” food to eat. We went back to our same somewhat sheltered oceanfront spot as yesterday to read where Rabbi Aryeh happened to come along. We had a nice chat with him and learned he’ll also be leading Shabbat services during the cruise. The wind and rocking increased and we stayed out on deck (Pat wrapped in towels) until a rain squall came through dropping the temperature at least temporarily. (The temperature didn’t make it out of the 60’s and it was windy all day.) People were leaving the poorly designed, partly open-roofed Solarium to escape the rain! Back in the room we were warm and dry – great for relaxing and napping. We enjoyed a drink during Happy Hour and went to the dining room for what we thought was our assigned time/table at 7:45 but it turned out our time and table had been changed to an earlier time and we missed our spot. They fit us in at 8:00 where we had a very good dinner of Butter Chicken and Salmon. (It begins: we moved the clocks ahead 1 hour at 2:00 pm. One change down, 5 more to go.)
April 24, 2024 – Wednesday/Day 4 – Cruising
The Captain had announced during Happy Hour yesterday that we were going to have to stop in Bermuda due to a medical emergency onboard. The ship increased it’s speed and we got there around 2:00 am and stayed until about 5:00 am, with lots of sleep-interrupting noises and vibrations throughout that time while the ship docked. Our usual start with coffee in the Crown Lounge followed by breakfast in the Windjammer. Both places were much less busy than usual – probably due to the time change. It’s another mostly cloudy, slightly cooler, breezy day. We ended up reading in the Schooner Bar and stopped by Next Cruise to check out brochures. We saw a couple cruises for fall 2025 that we wanted to get prices on but since they were so busy we went back to our stateroom to look it up ourselves. On the way we checked out our new dining table 6:45/381 which is a table for 2 right at the window – very nice! Due to our disrupted sleep last night it was time for a nap and some relaxing. Happy Hour was in Blaze again since the lounge was packed. We dined in Windjammer and turned in a little early. (Another time change – 4 more to go. +5 hours from home time.)
April 25, 2024 – Thursday/Day 5 – Cruising Happy Birthday Dad!
Our usual Crown Lounge and Windjammer start to the day. We spent the rest of the morning in the Schooner Bar, mostly reading. At 11:15 there was a “Salute to Heroes Veterans Tribute” in the Promenade at which we had a front row view of from the Schooner Bar. It started with the Oasis of the Seas Orchestra playing some Big Band music. Then the cruise director led a program which included recognizing the branches of service, playing of the national anthem, a veteran reading a poem for the fallen, the playing of Taps, and further military branch music by the orchestra. It’s another cool, mostly cloudy day so we headed back to our room rather than outside. A good choice as some rain came through at times and sometimes you couldn’t tell where the sky ended and the water began. Our usual Happy Hour these days is picking up appetizers in the packed Crown Lounge and then going across the way to the Blaze lounge. The atmosphere in the Blaze is quieter and darker, almost dungeon-like, and our wonderful waiter Gede comes through there for our drink orders. We finally made it to the dining room and table 381 on deck 3 which is right up against the window for a view of the water rushing by. Our waiters, Rahmat and Dolridge, were very good and we’re happy with them. Since our dining time is 6:45 we finished up and had time to digest a bit before going to sleep.
April 26, 2024 – Friday/Day 6 – Cruising
Partly cloudy today, a bit cool (60’s), and pretty windy. Crown Lounge coffee and Windjammer breakfast to start our day, followed by reading in the Schooner Bar. We hung out in the room doing computer stuff (Beaver and our blog) and watching news. We had a short Happy Hour and went to dinner in the dining room. Afterwards we called Dad (and Mom) to wish him a happy birthday, we watched a little TV and read before going to sleep. (Time change – 3 more to go. +6 hours from home time.)
April 27, 2024 – Saturday/Day 7 – Cruising
The weather is a repeat. Our sunning days on deck may be over, at least until we reach Spain. Crown Lounge, Windjammer, Schooner Bar. We watched an exercise class one deck down from the Schooner Bar on the Promenade, then returned to our room. Happy Hour was again in Blaze. We’ve kind of given up on finding seating in the Crown Lounge and Blaze is quiet and relaxing. We do pick up a few appetizers in the lounge first, though. We had a delicious dinner in the dining room and our waiters are very good. During dinner the Captain announced that there was another medical emergency which would require us to stop at the island of Horta in the Azores to drop off the passenger about 7:00 am. (Time change – 2 more to go. +7 hours from home time.)
April 28, 2024 – Sunday/Day 8 – Cruising
We were in the Crown Lounge for a little while then decided to go up to deck 15 at the front to see what was happening with the unplanned stop. The island looked pretty with a mountain that had a ring of clouds around it with the summit peaking out. It was cold and windy so we didn’t last too long. We ended up in Windjammer just as it opened at 7:00. After breakfast we went to the Schooner Bar but soon decided to go back to the room which, unfortunately was not cleaned yet. After speaking to our room steward, we found a little wedge-shaped space that had about a dozen chairs and half as many tables that looked down on the Promenade towards the front of the ship. (Schooner Bar is near the back.) Judging from the people coming in to try to find a seat, a lot of people know about this space. We were lucky to get seats today – at 12:15 we had great seats for the Anchors Aweigh Parade with the Oasis Entertainment Team one deck down on the Promenade. It had a wide variety of colorful costumes, props, dancing, and loud music. We finally had our first ever milkshakes from Johnny Rockets which were delicious but very sweet. They were included with our Diamond Plus drink credits. We snoozed a bit and read before going to Happy Hour and then the dining room.
April 29, 2024 – Monday/Day 9 – Cruising
Same weather but with some showers around, and pretty much the same routine to start. In the afternoon we watched The Hustler, an old movie, on TV. Although it was a formal night, we opted for dinner in Windjammer which was very good but a bit loud. We had time to relax and digest before bedtime. (Time change – 1 more hour to go. +8 hours from home time.)
April 30, 2024 – Tuesday/Day 10 – Cruising
Low 60’s with off and on sun. We started the day in the lounge, then had breakfast in Windjammer. Most of the day we spent in our room doing odds and ends and reading and watching news – probably the laziest day yet. We went to Windjammer for dinner, which was followed by ice cream being served from a cart going around the room. We also grabbed some mini cannolis which we can eat later this evening after Passover ends. Sunset is at 9:27! On our walk through Central Park back to our room it was just starting to rain a little bit. (The last time change! We are now +9 hours from home and remain at that until we get on a plane on May14th.)
May 1, 2024 – Wednesday/Day 11 – Seville (Cadiz) Spain
A cool, dark, rainy start to the day. We had our early coffee in the lounge, breakfast in Windjammer, and read in the Schooner Bar. By mid-morning it had stopped raining and the sun was peeking out so we decided to go ashore. May 1st is Labor Day (Workers Day) in Spain and most people have the day off, so we shared the sidewalks with the locals. We also walked alongside a small parade with a marching band and people carrying “CCOO” flags which is the number 1 trade union in Spain. First we walked to the most outstanding feature on cityscape which was the Cadiz Cathedral.
From there the water was just behind the cathedral and we began our long walk back to the ship mostly following the coastline, which is most of the “yellow route” on the tourist map that they handed out at the port. Some of the points of interest along the way were Castillo de San Sebastian, Castillo de Santa Catalina, Genoves Park, and La Candelaria Bastion, not to mention beautiful gardens, sand beaches, and turquoise waters. We covered about four miles. It was great to stretch our legs after 9 days at sea but also good to get back to our stateroom to relax afterwards. We went to Happy Hour a little later since we had 8:15 reservations at Chops to use our second BOGO. Both of us had fabulous filets with wine sauce, sides, with Key lime pie and cheesecake for dessert. Our waiter, Yogi, provided great service and even topped off our wine. We were very full and tired after a long day.
May 2, 2024 – Thursday/Day 12 – Malaga, Spain
We had coffee and breakfast in the lounge and went to Schooner Bar to read. Returning to our room we saw that it was sunny, breezy, and still cool outside and Malaga looked beautiful. It’s a long 40 minute walk to town, or you can pay to take a shuttle. Since we had a long walk yesterday and plan to do a lot tomorrow, we decided to stay onboard today. We spent some time in our room, then went up to deck 16 to get some sun and read in one of the wicker “bubbles” on that deck. The surrounding water was gorgeous shades of blue and there was a pleasant breeze. On the way back down to our room we stopped at Park Cafe for one of their delicious Kummelweck roast beef sandwiches (with a choice of 3 sauces), both of us going with horseradish. The Park Cafe is in Central Park so we ate at a table outside in the sun surrounded by greenery, flowers, and even a few birds. At Happy Hour we sat with a couple from Lincolnshire, IL, named Robert and Ruthie. We talked about travel and the Chicago area – especially pizza! It was interesting but we had to leave for dinner before they did. We ate in the dining room before turning in.
May 3, 2024 – Friday/Day 13 – Alicante, Spain
A glorious day in Alicante! Sunny and 70ish. We had our coffee in the lounge, grabbed breakfast sandwiches at Park Cafe, did a bit of computer work, and were on our way into town mid-morning. We wandered around Barrio Santa Cruz, Alicante’s Old Town, on the slope of Mount Benacantil so there were tons of stairs. Our plan was to take the elevator at the Santa Barbara Castle next door to the top and then walk over to top of the barrio, but when we got there it was packed with a really long wait. So, instead we walked down the street to a taxi stand and took a taxi up to the highest point in the barrio, Ermita Santa Cruz Church, for 5 euros. The idea was taxi uphill, then walk our way down, but we still took many stairs up as well.
The panoramic views from the church out over the city were expansive and beautiful. The area has many picturesque narrow, winding walkways (with lots of stairs!) decorated with colorful pots of flowers and brightly colored doors and window frames on the whitewashed homes jammed up against each other. It was fun and tiring at the same time. Back on the ship we headed right up to Windjammer for iced tea and a nosh before relaxing the rest of the afternoon. After Happy Hour in Blaze we had a yummy lobster dinner in the dining room. Then it was on to the Aqua Theater where we saw the Aqua 80 show. It was a very high energy dance and aqua show done to the music of the 80’s. There were dancers, high divers, aerial acrobats on wires, etc., with the setting sun as a backdrop. It was a very good show. It was a long, wonderful day.
May 4, 2024 – Saturday/Day 14 – Valencia, Spain
Coffee in the lounge and breakfast in Windjammer followed by some reading time on deck in a “bubble lounger”. Then back to the room for computer time. It’s a sunny, near 80 degree day in Valencia. We covered a lot of ground here on a prior trip and the shuttle seemed high at $25 each so opted to stay onboard and enjoy the relative quiet. Had Happy Hour in Blaze, then ate dinner in the dining room minus dessert. It was Greek night in Windjammer so after dinner we went up to eat some of their baklava!! After picking up the free photos we had ordered at the gallery, we went to the Royal Theater to see a quartet of singers called “4ever”. They had good voices and sang a variety of songs that we enjoyed. Since it was the last night of the cruise we saw luggage in the hallways on the way back to our room. Not for us, though!
May 5, 2024 – Sunday/Day 15 – Turnaround Day – Barcelona, Spain
A partly sunny day in the 60’s with a little bit of fog in the early afternoon. We started in the lounge with coffee and a light breakfast from their offerings, then it was back to our room to relax and wait for the consecutive cruisers meet-up in the theater. There are about 500 consecutive cruisers staying on for the next cruise! Very long, slow lines. It took about 1.5 hours from the time we left the lounge and were herded off the ship and through immigration, and then returned to the ship. Unlike some other cruises where every single passenger has to leave the ship before continuing cruisers are let back on, Barcelona doesn’t have that requirement but it still took such a long time.
Back on the ship we recovered with coffee, cookies, and reading in the Crown Lounge before returning to our stateroom for the start of our new cruise and a relaxing afternoon. After the high number of Diamond and up people on the transatlantic, it was back to normal for Happy Hour today. Just the Crown Lounge was open today (not Blaze which handled overflow before) and they even had open seats the time we were there. Then it was on to Izumi for a lot of delicious sushi.
May 6, 2024 – Monday/Day 2 – Palma de Mallorca, Spain
A pleasant, sunny morning to start the day but clouds moved in around noon with a temperature near 70. We enjoyed our coffee and read a while longer than usual in the lounge before going to a very busy Windjammer for breakfast. We parked ourselves in one of the wicker “bubble loungers” on deck 16 until early afternoon to sip coffee, read, relax, and enjoy our view of the panoramic Mallorca coast.
The Palma Cathedral was visible to the far right, Castle de Bellver was in the middle perched on a pine forest covered hill, and ruins of a fort were off to the left. The shoreline was full of highrise buildings on the land and marinas on the water.
Another relaxing afternoon in our stateroom followed by Happy Hour in the lounge and dinner in the dining room. We have the same wonderful table for two right by the window, but our new waiters are Anthony and Subrata who seem very good.
May 7, 2024 – Tuesday/Day 3 – Marseilles, France
Today we explored Marseilles for a few hours after coffee and a light breakfast in the lounge. We lined up just after 9:00 to be among the first people off the ship. It was about a 15 minute walk from the ship to get to the free shuttle which took us on a 20 minute drive into the city. (The ships shuttle would have been $20 each but may have involved a little less walking.) Highlights of our walk included the massive and magnificent Cathedral de la Nouvelle Major along the waterfront. Walking inside we were amazed at the size inside – including immensely tall ceilings with everything stunningly and ornately decorated. All the windows were colorful stained glass.
We also visited the Memorial des Deportations which is a memorial to the presence of the German military in the city during WWII. The Memorial is an effort to pass on the history and memory of all the people arrested and deported (and then often executed) by the Nazi’s for various reasons. It was very interesting. On a lighter note, we then walked on to the Vieux Port (Old Port) which was loaded with sailboats and surrounded by old buildings. The towering Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde is on a high hilltop and looks over the port. There was a lot of activity along the shore of the port with a heavy police presence. Sound stages, massive lighting and sound systems, and cameras were all in the process of being set up. We later found out that the next day the Olympic Flame was going to arrive in Marseille with a huge event taking place (including the President of France in attendance). After Marseille the flame will travel around France, go to other countries, and end up in Paris which is hosting the next Olympics. We then wandered through the various twisting narrow streets of Le Panier (Old Town) to arrive back at the waterfront to find our free shuttle ride back to the ship. We probably covered over 5 miles. After a filling lunch and re-hydrating in Windjammer, we made it back to our room to have a good nap and rest. We were still full at the start of the evening so we skipped Happy Hour, but eventually made our way to Windjammer after 8:00 to have a light dinner.
May 8, 2024 – Wednesday/Day 4 – La Spezia, Italy
Our usual routine of coffee and breakfast, then we went up on deck 16 to relax and read on this mostly sunny, warm day. We ended up not taking the shuttle into La Spezia as we were tired from yesterday’s adventure. Our last time here we took a shuttle for the 2 hour round trip trek to Pisa (Another option would be the 4 hour round trip trek to Florence). The city does have a castle to visit but that’s about it. Maybe we’ll hit it next time we’re here. We were in the room most the afternoon. After a late Happy Hour we had dinner in the dining room and turned in a little early.
May 9, 2024 – Thursday/Day 5 – Civitavecchia, Italy
We had early coffee and a light breakfast in the lounge along with some reading. By about 9:00 we headed off the ship to take the free shuttle to the Civitavecchia city center. This city is known for being Italy’s largest cruise port. Today there were 5 cruise ships! We wandered around the coastline as well as some residential areas away from the water. Some highlights were Fort Michelangelo (1508 AD), the Porta dell’Archetto which leads to Piazza Saffi where you can see ancient city walls, and the San Lorenzo Market where locals shop for all kinds of food, clothing, household goods, and much more. It was sunny and in the 70’s so it was a pleasant day to be out walking. Upon return to the ship we picked up Frappuccinos to rehydrate and cool off before going to our room. We spent Happy Hour in the lounge, then went to the dining room for dinner to end our day.
May 10, 2024 – Friday/Day 6 – Naples (Capri), Italy
Out our stateroom window this morning, we had a view looking out across the Bay of Naples at Mt. Vesuvius!
Crown Lounge coffee followed by breakfast sandwiches at Park Cafe, before making the 15 walk into the town center. There were lots of people, lots of traffic, lots of construction/restoration going on, and Naples seemed kind of dirty, but there was also a lot of interesting architecture and statues. First we visited Castel Nuovo (1279 AD) right by the port which is one of the main architectural landmarks in Naples. It was 6 euros each. Although impressive from the outside, the only thing worthwhile on the inside was a large art gallery that had a glass floor with ancient Roman ruins (including skeleton bones), underneath. There was a school going on for young people and as we ascended the stairs to that area, we were greeted with “bon giorno” by the many students on the staircase. Then they bid us “arrivederci” on the way down – very cute!
We then visited the main square of Naples, Piazza del Plebiscito, which has the majestic Basilicia Reale Pontificia San Francisco da Paola at one side. Across the piazza is the Pallazo Reale de Napoli (Royal Palace of Naples) which is a palace and museum which we wandered around. On the side facing the piazza there were niches with a series of statues of prominent rulers of Naples since the 12th century.
We also saw the Galleria Umberto I which is a large shopping center covered by a very high architecturally-interesting roof. Heading back to the ship we walked some back streets many of which seemed dirty with garbage around. All in all, Naples was interesting although rough around the edges. Back onboard we hit Windjammer and rested back in our stateroom. We had time for a short Happy Hour (with our new found waiter Kevin) before we had an early outstanding dinner at 150 Central Park. Our waiter Indie was excellent and remembered us from a Transpacific cruise we took on Ovation. Our food was so delicious last time, so we ordered the same entrees of halibut and lobster thermidor along with appetizers and fried cheesecake for dessert. We’re already thinking of when we can return to this restaurant!
May 11, 2024 – Saturday/Day 7 – Cruising
We need a relaxing day after several straight days of ports. Sadly, we have to pack today. We finished up our coffee in the lounge early to go back to our room to call Gloria in Australia. We had a wonderful conversation with her, catching up on family – it was great to talk with her. Then we had breakfast in Windjammer and went to the Schooner Bar to read as it was very windy and a bit cool outside. We did what packing we could, then went back up to Windjammer to grab some cookies (and a nosh!) to take off the ship with us tomorrow. Had our last Happy Hour served by Kevin before heading to the dining room for a yummy last dinner of tenderloin and shrimp. Said good-bye to or our great past waiters (who were working in the adjacent area) as well as our present waiters.
May 12, 2024 – Sunday/Day 8 – Barcelona, Spain
Laurie had his coffee in the lounge and brought back coffee for Pat so we could get an early start with our self-assist departure. We left the ship at 6:15, got a taxi, and were at Ciutat by 6:45! No lines or crowds at all. We sat on a comfy couch in the lobby area reading until around 8:00 when we walked through the mostly closed-up neighborhood to find a place for coffee. We ended up at a place called “365” right near the park. (The former place we used to go to had closed up.) We split a potato omelet sandwich and we each had an Americano coffee for a total of 5 euros. Then it was back to the hotel until our room was ready at 10:15. The hotel had remodeled the lobby area as well as the rooms and everything was very nice. The old tub that used to have a high step-in tub was now a large walk-in shower, and the bathroom had a huge trough style sink. We settled in and relaxed. We snoozed a bit, watched TV, and read all afternoon. Towards 6:30 we headed out for some yummy tapas (patatas bravas, fried anchovies, grilled shrimp, and tomato bread) and sangria for dinner in the neighborhood at La Tertulia which was 37 euros. It was a pleasant evening to stroll back to the hotel.
May 13, 2024 – Monday – Ciutat del Prat, Barcelona, Spain
A warm, mostly sunny day in Barcelona. We started our day with a call to M&D to wish Mom a Happy Mothers Day and catch up with them. Our breakfast was coffee, tea, and pastries in the room to fuel up for an almost 4 mile walk. We headed east through a residential area taking in the locals going about their daily routine as well as the wide variety of small businesses. We ended at a huge park with pickleball courts and lots of walking paths. The area seemed to be mostly industrial so we headed back the way we had come, then relaxed the afternoon away in our room. Most places to eat close around 4:00 and don’t open again until 8:00. We had coupons from the hotel for a free drink so we went to the bar about 7:15 and had our glasses of cava (champagne) in the lobby before walking to Pizzeria Brasseria for dinner. It’s a little hole-in-the wall place where no one spoke English but we had a delicious carne barbacoa pizza along with cervezas for Laurie, and a huge glass of sangria for Pat. The total bill was only 17 euros. We agreed that we’d go back again.
May 14, 2024 – Tuesday – Travel Day! – Barcelona to Home!
We had an early start taking the hotel’s free shuttle to the airport at 7:00 am, getting briefly rained on while we waited. We arrived at the airport about 7:20 but unfortunately the check-in didn’t open until about 8:20. Then it was time to go through the nightmare of security. We were right behind a couple young girls who had lots of not-allowed liquids – so security had to go through all of their stuff. Then it turned out that they needed all electronics to be separated out from our carry-on stuff and we had to separate all of that and send them through the security scanners again (but at least we didn’t have to go to the back of the line). Then it was time for immigration but that went fast. We had planned to go to the United Lounge for breakfast and coffee but it turned out the lounge is now run by the airport instead of United and consequently is only for business class travelers.
We made our way to the gate to wait for our flight. Laurie got Pat coffee and we had a breakfast of biscochos brought from home and cookies from the ship. Before long it was time to board which required going down an escalator, boarding a packed bus on the tarmac which took us to the airplane. Going from the bus up the stairway to the plane’s door we all got poured on! Laurie’s shirt was so soaked – so he pulled a wrinkled shirt out of his carry-on and changed into that at our seat. Both of us had heads of dripping wet hair. We took off on time and it was bumpy until we got up over the clouds into the sunshine. It felt good to relax on the plane, have some snacks and wine, and then some lunch (pasta) and more wine. We watched the Barbie movie which we could have done without.
We arrived at Dulles where we claimed our checked luggage, rechecked it, then went through security, and then through immigration. The NEXUS card worked well and saved us from waiting in a long line! Then it was on to the United Lounge where we settled in for several hours as our flight to Seattle was delayed about 2 hours. The lounge had a great hot and cold buffet, and an abundance of drinks including coffee, soda, and bar drinks – all complimentary. Finally we boarded and had a smooth flight, landing in Seattle after 9:30 where we collected our bag and quickly caught an Uber home. We were welcomed home by Daniel and chatted with him before heading up to bed leaving the luggage to deal with in the morning. The long day brought an end to our month+ adventure. Time to enjoy being home and with family for a while!