mandyleighflies

5 minutes ago, mandyleighflies said:

We have this card also and had the same questions! Where do we redeem the points? Is it on the BOA site or the RCCL site? If we use this card as our sail and sign, do we receive additional perks? 

A simple google search answered my question LOL 

One of the options listed is a cabin upgrade for 5k points. Is that a for sure upgrade or a "bid" like RoyalUP? We have two upcoming sailings in JS, would that upgrade for 5k points get us a GS? 

We have this card also and had the same questions! Where do we redeem the points? Is it on the BOA site or the RCCL site? If we use this card as our sail and sign, do we receive additional perks? 

RCCL has a great mocktail menu! They can also make most of the frozen drinks virgin but you have to make it very clear with them you truly want a virgin drink. They have Heinkein 0.0 for NA beer and unsure if they have other ones yet. Our last sailing was in December and I know the NA market is growing fast so hopefully they add more options soon. If you purchase the refreshment beverage package it covers all soft drinks, mocktails, specialty coffee's/teas (not starbucks) and bottles/cans of water. That package does NOT cover Heinkein 0.0 however. 

We treated Nassau like our own “day at sea” as we have all been there several times and preferred to stay onboard. 
 

I took advantage of an amazing Black Friday deal on deck side casita’s so we booked one of those for the day. 
 

Winds were gusting 29 mph and our aft balcony was like a wind tunnel. Don’t put anything out to dry on these decks if you can help it. 
 

It started as a beautiful albeit windy day. 
 

We weren’t alone in port for sure. Allure was off our bow. 
 

Summit pulled in after awhile. Celebrity is in our future as the kids get older. 
 

We had Casita 6 right next to The Lime and the Coconut. 
 

It all started very well but soon clouds moved in and we were freezing so we chose to call it a day and head to indoor activities. 
 

It said 75 but it for sure did not feel like a 75 I was familiar with. 
 

We cleaned up and headed to our favorite cruise activities…trivia and lounging about the Schooner Bar. We didn’t do too bad!! 
 

Dinner wasn’t bad. It was Caribbean night in the MDR and after Giovanni’s kitchen the night before, well we were ruined. Nothing will ever be that great. 
 

We had an onboard moment with Rover and headed to our cabin to pack and get ready for our early departure. 
 

Bye until next time Nassau! 

21 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

 

Congrats on reaching Emerald.  

Thank you!! It feels like a lot of work 😆 

After our Perfect day, we cleaned up and got ready for elegant night and dinner Giovanni’s kitchen. 
 

I received my Emerald pin last night! It is so pretty, 11 points from Diamond…next cruise is looking tempting for a sailing this summer. 
 

This one just explains it all. 😆😆😆 

The drink of the evening was apparently Espresso Martini’s…I had to join. Delicious and also dangerous. I had one during Trivia. Daisy the trivia host has been one of our favorites. 
 

Dinner at Giovanni’s kitchen..best meal I’ve ever had on a ship. Totally worth every penny. Valentina was our server and she was incredible. Lots of energy. Great food selections. Awesome all around. 
 

Just do it. Book Giovanni’s kitchen. We couldn’t touch our desserts. The kids did lol 

This meal put us to bed 😆😆

Perfect Day at Cococay….

….and it truly was 🌴☀️🌊

Rocking the new “waterproof” fanny pack. We shall see 😆 (fast forward to it IS waterproof until some some moron (me) opens it in the wave pool and a wave fills it) 

Long time no see Allure 

We rented a poolside cabana. Now I know this has been a controversial subject with pricing. We got a good deal and to us it was worth it as it also included tickets to Thrill water park. The only cabana class that included this perk I believe. 
 

The cabana included this couch, a comfy side chair and this storage table. One side was an empty cabinet and the other was a lockable safe. 
 

We had Cabana 34 by the wave pool which was perfect for us as my son spent most of his time in there. The sun loungers with shade were wonderful. 
 

The Menus. 
 

We walked around the island for a bit. Cococay is lovely as even with two large ships in port, it’s hardly crowded. 

Our room is circled. 
 

Also on our sailing is Rover, she is a 5 month old Golden Retriever and the CEO’s dog. I am guessing he is possibly onboard? Idk. We were more interested in the dog 😆 

We returned to the Cabana for some lunch. Each cabana also comes with bottled water and lots of it. I had the Greek salad with grilled chicken and mozzarella sticks for lunch. My mom and Ethan had the burgers and Ava the tuna wrap. Dessert was cookies, brownies and funnel cakes. We all enjoyed our meals thoroughly and brought them home with us. 
 

We returned to the ship around 3pm to get cleaned up for “elegant night”. We caved and have dinner at Giovanni’s kitchen tonight. 
 

We had a TIME last night 😆😆. 

We watched sail away from our balcony and I enioyed a glass of vino (or two 😆) 

Once out to sea we made our way to the legendary Schooner bar for trivia night. We made a bunch of new friends and indulged in more drinks. 
 

It was a little rocky last night and my mom was feeling it. The wait staff in the MDR was so kind! They brought her green apples and ginger ale. The waves calmed down around 10pm. 
 

Dinner was excellent! 
 

I had the prime rib. 
 

Then the Boston Crème Pie cake

We closed out the night at karaoke in the Viking Crowne followed by the 70’s night festivities in the promenade. 
 

Yes. Drink package is worth it. 😆😆 

This sailing we are in a 2 Bedroom GS. We are obsessed with the space so far. My mom and Ethan are sharing the master bedroom and Ava and I the interior. 
 

Cabin 8714 at the back of the ship. 
 

Long hallway. Interior room to the right. 
 

Main living space. 
 

Master Bedroom 

Master Bath. 
 

Treats!! So very sweet and unexpected. 
 

Interior room 

Interior Bathroom 

We are onboard!!! Suite perks rock. 
 

The suites departure lounge is lovely. We went through a quick security inspection, greeted by someone to check us in and on the ship in under 10 minutes.
 

The kids clearly weren’t excited 😆 

It’s a beautiful day to sail away from Miami. The storms have cleared but it’s still windy, we all took meds just in case. 

2 hours ago, DeerJod said:

We were in the self assist line by 7:15 and off the ship through customs at 7:30.

 

Took an Uber to the airport, checked 2 bags, through TSA and at the gate currently 8:20 am local time!

We are enroute to Freedom now!! Have a great flight home and thanks for sharing your sailing with us! 

Cruise morning! 
 

We had a nice albeit pricey breakfast and are now on our way to the ship!! 
 

Our first ship sighting ❤️

7 hours ago, Husky1987 said:

 

While I'd prefer a little more char, that looks like really good pizza.  What was the name of the place?

It’s called Piola, located in the lobby of the Hampton Inn South Beach.  

51 minutes ago, SteelCityCruiser10 said:

So much excitement so far!

 

Can i ask , Where did you get your Stanley mug with the ships on it?  Are you filling in the ship names as you sail on them?  
 

Hope you guys have an awesome cruise! 

Cheers 🍻 Mark

I actually got it on an Etsy shop! I had no plans to add ship names but that’s a great idea. The shop name is Pinsoftheseas on Etsy! 

LONG day but we made it to the hotel. 
 

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Brightline. Not only was it a beautiful and convenient service, the staff were all wonderful. 
 

Our Train Hostess, Gina, she was lovely. She kept the cart coming around and talking to everyone. I told her that my son was very into trains and train travel. She said if they had time, when we got to Miami, the conductor and engineer would be able to talk to Ethan. I told her that would be amazing, it would literally make Ethan‘s whole trip. 
 

Sure enough, when we disembarked in Miami, they both were there and happy to show Ethan Around and answer all of his questions about trains. 
 

Shawn and Brandon were wonderful. I am for sure. Going to find a way to get them the kudos they deserve. Sean spent an additional 20 minutes with us when his shift was over just to take the time to show Ethan around. We could not be more thankful and grateful. This will definitely be experience he will be talking about forever.

My mom booked the hotel. She booked us at the Holiday Inn, Miami Beach. Apparently, when she booked, there was a cruise shuttle available. When we checked in, come to find out, there is no shuttle. We will have to take a third Uber tomorrow morning. It is what it is. Ubers have been running us $20-$30 for four people with our luggage.  
 

there’s not much to say aside from it’s a Holiday Inn. It’s pretty clean, definitely showing its age. The staff have been nothing but helpful and friendly so that’s great. 
 

We walked down to the pizza place down the street and had a couple awesome pizzas. 
 

Since the kids are teenagers, and we need some space, we booked two rooms. My mom and Ethan in one room and Ava and another. Ava and I are currently in our beds. Watching 90 day fiancé, enjoying some junk food. We are off to bed and will be checking in in the morning. Tomorrow morning is cruise day!!! 

Just now, Another_Critic said:

Did you submit your resume for a Conductor job?  😄

*orders another round and asks for a pen*

All complimentary with our ticket. 
 

I am ruined. I can never fly on a plane again. 

We are on the train! 
 

It is BEAUTIFUL. Easy boarding process. Clean interior. Comfy seats with multiple outlets. 
 

Outlets in the seat and also on the back of the seat in front of you. 

Lavender scented towels. 
 

We are happy Sailors. Drinks and snacks coming soon. 

Hello from the West Palm Brightline station. 
 

Flight was uneventful aside from some minor turbulence, and no beverage service. It happens. We made it safe and on time. Happy fliers here. 
 

We had a quick lunch at PBI and Ubered to the Brightline station to catch the 1pm train to Miami. 
 

Uber ride was $15-25 (depending on size of vehicle) and MAYBE 10 minutes from PBI. 
 

The station is new and very clean. Quick scan of our tickets on the app and a small security screening and we are in the departures lounge. 
 

For an additional $30 Per person I choose the premium cabin option. I’ll screenshot the benefits and add them at the bottom. One of the benefits is this “private” departure lounge with self serve beer and wine. Coffee, infused water and light snacks. It’s not bad, I’ll never complain about included wine and food. 

Basic Fares include. 

Premium Fares come with the following 

Everyone has their priorities. Mine is space, comfort and to feel pampered on vacation. I’m happy to pay more for this. 
 

My son is thrilled to just be on a train soon 

We always love an admirals club moment. Little early for a mimosa for me but stay tuned!! 
 

Getting ready to board our plane to PBI. 
 

Ready to leave the cold gloom of DC for the windy warm gloom of south Florida 😆✈️

3 hours ago, perfect match said:

Wow, @mandyleighflies! I’m exhausted just reading about your recent adventures! Anniversary cruise, dead battery, spider bites, coordinating the family including kids, all the packing and unpacking so you can do more packing, managing life in general - phew! 😅  To top that, you’ll be coming home just in time for Christmas! 🎄 I’ll be happy to live vicariously through following along with you here! 😎

 

Thank you for taking the time to share your cruise with us. 🤗

 

 

 

Thank you Perfect!! It’s been a HECK of a week that’s for sure. It will be a fun week ahead also, we are an entertaining group 😆❤️

It’s travel day!! 
 

When you’re the one up at 0415 because you need to get yourself ready first. Teenagers can take care of themselves but do require some level of “supervision/time management” when leaving the house by 0530. 
 

Flight to West Palm is at 0813 and we are a pre-check household. However, the lines have been nuts the last few weeks and I am not a risk taker. I plan to be at the airport by 0615 just in case. We are Admirals club members…if all goes well we will go and “rot” in the club (or the Clurb as the kids call it) for awhile. 
 

Anyway, time to get myself together….at least partly 😆

Twas the night before flying out and all through the house…chaos is stirring. 
 

Worked back to back trips at work. Nothing much to report there. However, mom did come with us on our flight home this evening. The first time I’ve had her on one of my flights in over 9 years. I also happened to be working with two of my best friends. 
 

Yes we planned the earrings and headbands. Awesome way to start our holiday. 
 

The weather is what it is. Flight is on time for West Palm tomorrow morning. Bright line tickets purchased and hotel is all set in Miami. 
 

The night before leaving home and of course my teenage son said “these shorts fit last week” 🙄😆. He will be wearing sports attire this week and he’s not upset about this at all. Mom and I were dying over his short shorts. 😆 

Watching the Lions continue to play with our hearts then off to bed. 
 

We have 0430 alarms set. 

2 minutes ago, DeerJod said:

Ship is in great shape, service has been excellent I’m sure you guys will have a great time.

I am more or less talking about the situation with the weather lol thank you for the update. I’m sure she’s beautiful. 😆❤️

We are sailing on freedom on Monday. I’m going to be following your journey closely to see how things are going.