ashleyhaugh

On 6/21/2019 at 5:09 PM, karatemom2 said:

Surprising kids? YES! Surprising wife? NO! I'm glad you told her - some things just require planning, especially for the Mom. 

 

But this does remind me of the time we tried to surprise our kids with a Disney cruise out of Florida. We live in Southern California and so a flight was required. Being young they had no concept of time and we took a red-eye so they were sleeping most of the trip. We had told them we were flying to Las Vegas - a place we had visited before and seemed like a good decoy. So we arrive in Florida in the early hours, catch our shuttle and drive to the port. Both kids were sleepy and didn't really know where we were so we made the big announcement as the driver pulled in to drop us off and they could see the ship sitting there in front of them. We were so excited - certain they would be ecstatic. My son was mildly enthused - my 6 year old daughter however burst into tears and was incensed that we didn't go to Las Vegas. Apparently a born gambler just like her Dad! She is 19 now and we still give her a hard time about that one!

I surprised my son on our first (only so far) cruise... We're in San Antonio, and left out of Galveston. My sister is in Houston, and had just had a baby. We let him think we were going to visit his cousins and meet the new baby. His teacher had let it slip he'd be gone for a week (we went during the school year), but he thought we were just spending longer with them. My sister and the kids drove us to Galveston, and once he realized/we told him what was going on, he burst into tears because he thought he was going to get a week with his cousins  He was 8.... he got over it quickly, and had a blast though

I'm doing a Canada/NE cruise next June too, but we're using RC. My son will be 12.5 by then.

I booked through Ebates and expedia (cruise was dec 2016, can't remember how long before we booked it, but I think I paid it off at tax time). They said I wouldn't get the cash back til after the cruise, (it was 10%!), but I got it back after the cruise was paid in full, well before we sailed. There wasn't an issue with making payments

I don't drink coffee, and I don't do keto, but Trader Joe's sells shelf stable heavy whipping cream in 8oz cartons, if you have one around, that might be an option

Hi, we're looking into our next cruise, and my mom really wants to go to Cuba. I was looking on the Royal Caribbean, and they have absolutely no information on shore excursions! I called, and the guy I talked to couldn't find any info on excursions in either of those cities.

Does anyone have any information on what kind of excursions Royal Caribbean offers in Cienfuegos and Santiago De Cuba? I'm looking in March of 2019, if that makes any difference.

Thanks!

We went on our first cruise in December, and loved it! Unfortunately, my budget says it'll be a few years til we can go again. I booked a place holder while on board, since they don't have the itineraries out yet, so I could make payments.

Anyway, what is your favorite itinerary? we're in San Antonio, and cruised out of Galveston this time, but it seems that only Caribbean itineraries leave out of there, is that right? I was looking at a transatlantic, those seem amazing, but I'm only seeing them in what would be during the school year. My son will be old enough then that I would worry about taking him out of school for 2+ weeks

we were on the liberty in December, and my 9 year old loved the kids club, he got upset if I picked him up early, lol. we were on MTD, so we didn't do the family dining, or whatever it's called when they pick the kids up early. They also did a couple of kids dinner nights, but we didn't do those either. I had made a deal with him that if he behaved in the main dining room for dinner, and ordered off the adult menu (lots of stuff he liked!), the we would do pizza or burgers, or other junk food for lunch. He did great, and our assistant waiter was amazing with him.

we did snorkeling in cozumel, and it was amazing. Beautiful, and so much fun. My mom is in her 50s, and not in the best of health, but she got in the water for a little bit at each of the 3 stops before getting back onto the boat. It was an RC excursion

They had them as we were getting off each day

We were on our first cruise on Liberty at the beginning of December... our waiter was Remedios, and he was great, but his assistant waiter was AMAZING!!! I for the life of me can't remember how to spell his name. He doted on my son, brought him fruit plates while we were waiting on our food, asked about his adventures after port days, talked to him when we ran into him in the Windjammer and other places.

We were on MTD, and after the first night requested their section. There were 2 nights where they were full, but we were sat in a nearby section, and they served us anyway.

How do you find out if someone is working on another cruise?

that's awkward, lol

that's what I needed to know, thanks!

a newby question- how long does dinner usually take? we're set up for MTD, but I want to make sure we go early (or late) enough to see the shows we want to see

I'm headed onto the Liberty next week, yay! and I've been looking around at the menus and such (y'all are awesome for posting everything!) and I had a question about ordering for breakfast...

how much is a portion? say we're ordering bacon (and I know we will, lol) are when it asks for the quantity, is that how many slices we want? or is it like how many 2 slice portions or whatever?

Thanks for the review! First time cruiser leaving on the Liberty next week!!!!!!

I was OK pretty quickly after my lap band surgery, after the first few days of post op pain, but 2 weeks after surgery, I ended up in the hospital for a week getting my gall bladder out, and pancreatitis that nearly killed me from what I was told. Apparently gall bladder issues are a common post surgery complication/issue/problem, whatever you want to call it.

If the doc says its fine though, and you feel fine, and comfortable going on a trip, have fun, and just be cautious :)

We applied Saturday 10/1, received them Thursday 10/20. So just shy of 3 weeks, with weekends and a holiday in there

We got our birth certificates back the next day :)

I'm also a single mom, going on my first cruise with my 9 year old in December. I just wanted to say thanks, because I never would have thought of getting a letter from his dad before we left. I have one now though, so all is good.

Thanks again :)

my sister is a car seat tech- very car seat aware, her stepdaughter was harnessed until she was 7 or 8 I think. Anyway, she used a bubble bum, even while her daughter was still harnessed in her car, to carry to school in her backpack to use on the days when her mom was picking her up (my sis and her hubby have primary custody if his daughter). She felt it was a pretty good booster. If your kid is big enough to be in a low back booster (physically and emotionally, not just legally), it works as well as any other low back booster.

My son and I went and applied for ours on October 1st... Still not here, and the status check online says processing, but hopefully they'll be here soon. We still have 7 weeks until we leave, so that's plenty of time.

We applied Saturday 10/1, received them Thursday 10/20. So just shy of 3 weeks, with weekends and a holiday in there

My son and I went and applied for ours on October 1st... Still not here, and the status check online says processing, but hopefully they'll be here soon. We still have 7 weeks until we leave, so that's plenty of time.

I didn't like grits for years, as an adult, I realized it was because my dad like sweet grits (butter, and sugar ir jelly) , and I prefer mine savory, usual with cheese and garlic... yum :) born and raised Texan, both of us, but I don't know what the "norm" is here, lol.

Are there any toiletries provided on the Liberty? WE're not in a suite, I assume that makes a difference. getting ready for my first cruise in December :)

 

If you have that money to spend, a better idea for it might be to take her to the NextCruise office. After booking, explain you hope that will be your honeymoon, then drop the rock!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I love that idea

I emailed RCI, and was told it would be open from 7-9.... Wont help us, but maybe it will help someone else :)

I guess DS is coming to the dinner theater