Californiacruizers

My kid age 15 and 5 dressed up every night for dinner. I spent weeks( which I enjoyed) coordinating matching formal attire for each of us for professional pictures each evening. After dinner the kids and I would change and continue on with our evening.

We have some amazingly beautiful pictures from the experience and I am so glad we dressed up.

So, to answer your question, yes this can be done.

I was able to snag FTTF 2 months ago for my December 2018 cruise. I stalked the website every day until it opened up. I will never sail without it!!!

Vista!!!

Read my detailed review with tons of photos in the search box type "Viva La Vista"

More people dressed up than not, yet wasn't a big deal. No one singled out anyone for not dressing up. Elegant nite is the perfect opportunity to take nice photos so many take advantage of it.

I sailed the Vista in April. We arrived at the port around 10:30. Since we had FTTF we walked right in, visited the customer service desk and was seated in the FTTF section in less than 10 minutes. We waited about an hour to actually board. A man died on the Vista a week prior to our cruise so there were bringing his body off as we were waiting to board. Platinum passengers and a wedding part board 1st and FTTF right after.

My goal was to try all of the specialty restaurants.However we never made it to the Italian restaurant which was located right across from Jiji’s.

On the evening of our last sea day I decided to check out the Sea Food Shack which is located at the back of the ship near the aft pool. It’s kinda tucked away in a corner and easy to miss. Langston decided to watch a movie under the stars somewhere on the lido deck. I ordered 1lb of garlic shrimp, 1lb of cajun shrimp, and 2lbs of snow crablegs both were sold at “Market Price” my total was $64.00. Ellington and I then trekked through the buffet to the lido deck to look for Langston.

Since I walked out of the buffet area several people saw my two plates of sea food at rushed to the buffet assuming that was where I’d gotten the seafood.

I finally found him having walked all over the lido deck with these huge plates. We sat on the top deck watching a movie under the stars and enjoying our last meal at sea.

I just wanted to say i have really enjoyed reading your review! You have a beautiful family!

 

 

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Thank you!!!

What a great review. I am enjoying it very much. I feel like I am there with you and your family. You family is wonderful!

You are so kind, thank you.

I am loving your review. Do you write for a living. I feel we are with you. A beautiful family

I am a Human Resources Coordinator. I have always dreamed of being a writer. In fact my son is named after my favorite author Langston Hughes. Perhaps I'll cultivate my craft someday.

What a wonderful review!!! It seems your family is just precious! This is the first I am hearing about picking the seasoning for your steak at the steakhouse. I can’t wait for that! I am also happy to see your food review of the BBQ. I am a true southern girl myself with a husband and brother-in-law that cook award winning competition BBQ. For that reason, I don’t eat BBQ our very much. It never lives up. However, I have heard how good the BBQ is on the ship (until this review). Now, I think I will skip that and head to JiJi’s on embarkation day lunch.

 

 

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Please try it and let us know what you think!!!

Question on Grand Cayman Bus. Did you have to pay everytime you hopped on or off or is it for the route? Thinking of taking taxi to turtle, Hell and back. Thx.

 

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Yes, we had to pay each time we got on. It was only $2.50 USD per person each way. The drivers have USD change of needed.

Lastly, my room Stewart was Made. He introduced himself to us on the 1st day. He asked if we wanted service twice and day. I declined and asked for service in the morning only. The room was cleaned daily and he wrote a cute birthday message to Langston on this mirror the morning of this birthday. One the last evening I called housekeeping and asked that they send Made right away. He arrived to the door nervous that something was wrong. I handed him a tank you card with a crisp $100.00 bill in it. He was so thankful. I was glad he was able to see the fruit of this labor, beyond the standard gratuities. Speaking of which there was a LOOOOOOOOg line at the customer service desk towards the end of the cruise once the gratuities were added to each account. People waited till the very end to settle their accounts many were demanding that the gratuities be removed. Service is service. Someone came into your room and cleaned your nasty toilet for 6 days and that alone is not worth $12.95? Anyhow to each his own.

I am going to pause for a break. I will come back in a day or so to add all the fun times. I hope you enjoyed my 1st review. Please excuse all the typos as I was using voice type. Unfortunately, I am unable to go back and edit anything. I promise the next review will be much better.

Red Frog Pub

This area was mostly empty. I only saw one family here playing games on the last sea day. It was a ghost town the entire time.

The atrium funnel did not bother me. On elegant nites it was very fancy looking.

Had a few drinks at the atrium bar

Here is a Twilight Zone

My son attached to my hip

Laundry

I always pack my own pool towels, since all the other towels look alike and I do not want to risk being charged for loosing one. I washed our towels and swim suits as needed. The nearest laundry room was on deck 2 aft near the entrance of the Family Harbor area. You can buy powdered soap for $1.50 using your sign and sail card and the washers and dryers cost $3.00 each. They do not sell fabric softener only dryer sheets. I used the laundry room to iron my son's dress shirts each evening. On both elegant nites it was a long wait as husbands were sent to iron their shirts and slacks. Laundry is popular so it was hard to get an open washer at times.

One day I decided to seek out a laundry room on a higher floor. The kids and I walked in all the washers were occupied and we proceeded to walk out. This older lady with the creepiest of voices said, " I know you..." I turned and around, smiled and said, "Really?" She said yes from the FB group. I said, " Oh Hey" and gave her a big hug. I never met a stranger the entire cruise. Everywhere we went someone "knew" me from the group.

Well that basically sums up our wonderful trip. Here are a few tips, notes and observations.

Guys Burgers

Everyone Raves about Guy's burgers. The location is strategically placed in an area where you can smell the burgers anywhere on the lido deck. The line for guys was always long. As I was sitting and people watching I noticed and people were being handed a plate with their burgers and fries from one of the chefs. They then turned to the topping bar, used the tongs to load up their burgers and then proceeded to pick up and bite into their burgers with the same hands that touch several of the thongs from the toppings bar. There was no hand sanitizer nor hand washing station near the toppings bar. I watch this almost daily as my daughter swam in the pool near Guys. My son found that you could actually order your burger with the toppings already on it. Armed with this tidbit I got in line for Guy's one day and saw one of the chefs open a box of frozen beef patties and tossed them on the grill FROZEN. I was always taught to thaw out meat properly because cooking frozen meat leads to a mix of hot and cold areas that bacteria likes to grow in.( or something like that). Eventually I had a bite of one of the many burgers Langston ordered and it was okay. I would categorize it along the lines of perhaps Five Guys, The Habit, and maybe even Wendy's. It does not come near an In N Out burger nor a "Mc Mama's"( a burger your Mama makes at home). I think the hype is psychological, unlimited burgers that someone else cooks. I think the smell is the biggest draw.

One last shot of the giant pool

There were taxis waiting the entire time so no worries about getting back in time. Paradise Beach was not crowded at all and it was one of the best days ever. I am planning to go back in December.

I have to admit I was very disappointed with the food. COME ON it's Mexico what happened to authentic Mexican food? Where is the carne asada? Where is the Menudo? Not even a glass of agua de jamica? Instead what was served was a Tex Mex nacho and quesadillas and burritos. Not a deal breaker it's just my inner fatness was expecting more.

We ordered the nachos

And quesadillas

One of the two bar areas

I tried a Mexican Gatorade

Taco Truck

Grumpy because I made him take Ellington into the water while I sat in the shade sipping lemonade.

The entrance price was only $3.00 per person and all they ask is that you please spend at least $10.00 in food and drink.

There are showers, changing areas, and lockers

There is a HUGE panorama pool with a swim up bar.

Lots of shade and loungers on the beach. There is no extra fee for loungers or umbrellas.

There are beach toys for an additional fee of $21.00 since the toys require you to be a strong swimmer to even reach them I only purchased access for Langston.

Finally Cozumel !!!

I am so excited to share this part of the review. Spoiler alert this was truly Paradise. Based on my research the plan for Cozumel was to take a taxi to Paradise Beach. Mostly everyone from my count down group were going to Mr. Sancho's the raved about it and tried to convince others including me that it was worth the$59.00 per person since all food and drink were included. To which I replied, " No thanks Mr. Banks". The port area in Cozumel is really pretty. I was very impressed. There were stores like Diamonds International. By the way Diamonds International is at every port. We navigated our selves out of the port area and found the taxi stand. There were signs that listed excursions and prices. The taxi area was very organized. I told the dispatcher where I wanted to go. He said the price would be $15.00 each way. We were loaded into a small SUV with a female driver and off we went.

When walking from the ship you must past through this area, it is a store that sells everything; diamonds, cigarettes, perfume,candy, and lots of liquor. Once you make it out you have to go through a check point. Security checks your bags for fruit and drugs. There are also dogs to sniff out the contraband.

The port shopping area

The taxi area

The road to Paradise Beach. Note most resorts and beach clubs are on this road, they are all literally right next to each other.

The drivers get paid a commission if they take you to certain beach clubs. They will tell you that the club they recommend is better than any other club. I simply said no thank you and she left it alone. I made small talk with her is Spanish along the way. She was really impressed by my Spanish and insisted that I was from the Dominican Republic. The entire ride Langston was texting me saying the driver was going to kidnap us, the road was most likely not the rode to Paradise Beach, and if we needed to jump out of the taxi we needed to be mindful to tuck and roll. After 15 mins or so we pull into Paradise Beach. Langston let out a deep sigh or relief. Geeez son trust me. We've been safe thus far right?