perfect match

Thank you very much for sharing your experience with the 6:30 dining time experiment. I’m wondering what time you were usually done with dinner? I think the 6:30 time slot might work well for us, but that would depend on how well it coordinated with show times. 

On 3/16/2024 at 2:03 PM, opshannon said:

We just returned from a day in Nassau and did the Eco-Glide Adventure tour with our group of ten which ranged in age from 70s to teen. It was a great tour. We all highly recommend it. Google it for more information. 

 

Thanks! Glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour. I had seen it on one of the tour consolidator websites. Don’t remember which one. Think I’ll go back and look at this again. We’ve done quite a few similar tours and always enjoyed them. 

On 2/11/2024 at 8:07 PM, Meram said:

Sounds wonderful, and I really wanted to do the combo snorkel and heritage tour

However, the site says the max age for the snorkel is 64 (no exceptions)! I am truly shocked. My husband and are in our late 60s but are experienced snorkelers. This is the first time I’ve ever seen these kind of restrictions. 
Anyone else experienced something like this. 
 

Unfortunately, we have run into age restrictions on snorkel tours all too often. I have had fewer problems when booking privately than through the ship. The Clifton Heritage National Park. tour is sadly a private tour that does have age restrictions. I would book it in a minute if I could. 

On 3/27/2024 at 2:58 PM, SMLCH said:

Well I've found a way to quickly get rid of the "cruise pounds" found on the Constellation. Both my husband and I tested positive for Covid Sunday and the desire to eat has disappeared. In the few days we've been home we've both lost the weight we gained on that lovely (except for Friday's rocking/rolling/foghorn) cruise!

I wonder who else came home with Covid?

I’m sure that’s not the souvenir you had planned to bring home from your cruise. Definitely not the best way to lose weight either.
Hope you’re feeling better soon. 🤗

We just got Coco Beach Club for our May 3 Allure cruise for $80.99 per person.
 

When it first opened I wasn’t interested in paying for it at all. With all the people they’ve packing in onto Coco Cay I decided to give it a try. The price dropped on our cruise last week too. 

6 hours ago, Gracie115 said:

April 29th Allure now going to Nassau instead of Labadee.

Thank you. We’re on that sailing. Nothing in my email yet. I just finished checking there a few minutes ago. I’m glad that they didn’t forget about us. Fighued it would be either Nassau or Coco Cay. Guess we’ll be spending our two sea days going in circles in the Bahamas. 
 

It’s ironic that I chose this sailing because it was going to Cozumel, not the Bahamas. Then we were switched to Labadee due to a berthing conflict in Cozumel. So, where do we end up? The Bahamas! 😂 Go figure! Going to check my cruise planner now. 
 

Update: My cruise planner still shows Labadee. Guess they’ll change it eventually.🤷‍♀️

9 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

We always select My Time Dining for our cruises.  I made reservations for dinner each night at 7pm when it opened. We can always change individual days if we need to. My reservations appear in my calendar on the app.  However, when we got to the dining room at 7pm last night they told us we actually had a fixed dining seating at 6:30pm. 

 

Sure enough, that was listed at the bottom of the sea pass.  I had checked the sea pass when I got it to see the muster station # and to make sure the name and cabin were correct--but I ignored the rest. Oops!

 

I have no problem with the time or having a fixed seating, It is a little less flexible, but it will not make or break our cruise. I double checked my cruise invoice, and it says My Time Dining. [a first world problem] HaHaHa However, they make such a big deal about their app.  Everything is accessed from the app and we are told to check the app every time I turn around.  Well, I did!  But it was not correct. 

 

I felt badly for our wait staff that we were 30 minutes late for dinner.  The waiter seemed very nice.  We had very quick service. He told us that today [1st sea day] would be a brunch in the American Icon restaurant beginning at 8:30am. He said the lines will be long and the service will be slow due to the large numbers.   He recommended we go to the Solarium Bistro for breakfast. 

 

We took his suggestion. The solarium bistro was a small version of the windjammer.  It had all of the typical American items--even an omelet station. 

 

Around noon we decided to catch the end of the brunch hours [8:30am-12:30pm] for lunch.  We prefer to be seated and served for our meals.  It just makes it easier. Here are the lunch items on the brunch menu:

 

 

 

 

 

That’s not the Brunch menu we’ve had in the past! No breakfast items! I am not an early riser but I love breakfast food, so Brunch on our all or our post pandemic cruises were perfect for me. If they’re going to serve lunch, then call it that, but 12:30 is pretty early to end lunch. 
 

Do you know if they actually served breakfast foods at 8:30 when they first opened? If they did, and at some point switched from breakfast to lunch, do you happen to know what time they switched? 
 

Brunch was a very favorite thing for me. I know it’s probably not a big deal to most people but I can’t begin to tell you how disappointed I will be if the later times that they’re calling Brunch are actually lunch. 
 

Yes, I know, first old problem and I know I won’t go hungry. It was or maybe 🤞🏻 still is one of those little things on our last few cruises that made my cruise feel special.

Rant over. Thanks for listening. 
 

on the other hand, I think I’d love the 6:30 dinner time. Unlike me, DH is a morning person. The older he gets, the earlier he’s ready to call it a day. I’m having to rearrange our usual dinner and show schedules so he will be able to enjoy our evening.

I put in lowball bids for an upgrade from a JS to a GS on both legs of our upcoming Allure B2B. I did a self upgrade once from a JS to a GS when the GS price dropped so we’re already spoiled! 😂 

I do not have high hopes that my lowball bids will be accepted but like. @joepeka said “ you can’t win if you don’t play”.

1 minute ago, Denversail said:

Our excursions this trip will be a resort pass to Margaritaville in Nassau. We are doing the Beach Club @ Coco Cay. You will notice a theme. This is my 3rd time in a row doing the Beach Club. I really enjoy it. It creates a relaxing day for me. 
 

We won’t need to be to the airport until 2 pm on Monday. My plan so far is for us to take our time getting off the ship and head over to Disney Springs. I thought we would be able to do some shopping and get some lunch. 

I hope that Mr IT will take plenty of pictures of the Beach Club! I initially had no plans to spend the extra $$$ on it but the price dropped enough that I decided to go ahead and give it a try. Besides, Coco Cay was really crowded the last time we were there and I like the idea of going someplace we’d feel less like canned sardines than we did that day. Oh, the food looked good, too!

Glad your pups are doing better. There were a lot of us who were concerned about them on your last trip.

You’ll have to admit that having Dupable and her ducks around does keep things interesting. I’ll be thinking of her if I find any ducks on our upcoming Allure B2B. However, I have no plans to hide any ducks of my own.

@DragonOfTheSeas, I’m glad to hear that your husband is well enough after his fall to be ready and willing to go on your cruise. That walker you mentioned may come in handy with all the walking that you will be doing on the ship so I think it’s a good idea that you brought it along. 
 

I hope that you, your husband and your daughter have a wonderful time on Anthem.

So how are the dogs doing now? Both your dog and your son’s dog were having health issues during your last cruise. I hope they’re both doing better. 
 

Is Dupable coming along this time? I thought that she wasn’t but then I started wondering if she had decided to come along. 🤔

I’ll be following along closely since we will be boarding Allure 3 1/2 weeks after you. I can’t wait until it’s our turn!

Thank you for another great review! I’ve enjoyed following along with you and your mom on this cruise. Hope you’re sailing again soon! 🛳️

Thank you for sharing your photos. I enjoyed seeing them.

Congratulations on your 41 years of marriage and your 7 months of recovery from cancer surgery.

We’ll be on Allure in about 4 weeks. We’re doing a B2B to make it a seven day cruise. 🛳️🛳️
 

I’m sorry we’ll miss you, but I’ll definitely be glued to your review. 😀
 

9 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

Brownie Sunday.

 

9 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

Heavenly sin on a plate. So delicious. I finished my mom's for her as she wasn't as crazy about it as I was. 

That brownie sundae is one of my favorite desserts! To me, some calories are worth the calories I’m consuming when I eat them even though I know I’m going to have to pay the price working them off later. 
 

2 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

Here to reach out and touch some hands...only with consent of course.

 

 

 

We saw Robert Neary at Busch Gardens, Tampa about a month ago. We both loved his show! We would love it if he showed up on our upcoming Allure cruise

13 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

Welcome back 😃

Thanks. Glad to be here. Looks like Celebrity did a good job celebrating St Patrick’s Day! 
 

I loved the drunks McDrunkerson sign and the Guinness Chicken in the buffet! 😂

I’m glad you made it home safely. Love the plane seats. I might even be convinced to start going places that require a plane flight again if I knew I was going to be in a seat like yours were. 
 

Thank you again for another great trip report. I know I’m not the only one here who is grateful that you’re always willing to take us along with you. 

I guess I’ve fallen behind with the busy week we’ve had at our house. I’m finally caught up now and am planning to stay current for the rest of this sailing! 

13 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Don't expect any Beastie Boy stuff from me. Think Cat Sevens, Elton John, Simon & Garfunkel, and Gordon Lightfoot.

I’m there for that concert, @Ocean Boy! 
There will definitely not be a piano in our room though. 😕

10 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

I’ve lost 25 pounds since my last cruise and haven’t consumed much alcohol this sailing. I wonder if both of those factor into the nice results this sailing. 

When I first started reading this review I thought both you and Lisa had lost some weight. You’re both looking good.

That concert in your cabin was amazing! 
 

It sure looks like you, Lisa and Owen had a great cruise. Thank you for taking all of us along with you. Hope you have a safe and smooth trip home.

14 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

Way way back in September we booked a cabana at Chiil Island. The prices as we all know were just foolish. In the last 4 months we took advantage of 4 price drops which made it reasonable. 
 

We also watched the floating cabanas at the beach club the entire time chuckling. Well Sunday a week before we were to set sail we noticed a huge price drop and things got serious. They were now a few dollars more than what we originally booked Chill Island for. We cabana-upped. Look at us spending money in this case. 😁🤦‍♂️

I love ❤️ your cabana-up! Looks like it was a great move to me. Great food. Great view from the cabana, From my personal point of view an even better view under the cabana. That’s where my underwater camera and I would be. 🐠🦈🐟🐡😎

@harryfat1, I hope you and your family have a great time in NYC. It’s an amazing place. 
 

@h20skibum, DH and I live about 45 minutes from WDW. As local Annual Passholders, our touring style is a bit more relaxed than most people coming in for a vacation because if we don’t get to do something we wanted on one day, we can always come back another day. We still haven’t ridden Guardians of the Galaxy or Troon because we don’t want to deal with the whole process one must go through to even get in line to ride them. We’ll get to them eventually.

I have a couple of tips for you. Restaurant times often open up at the last minute. By that, I mean a couple of days before you plan to eat there. We don’t plan way in advance but can always find somewhere we want to eat. If you can’t find the time you want, book as close to that time as you want, then keep checking to see if you can adjust the time to what you really want. You’d be amazed how often that has worked for me.

Plan some down time into your days. The Florida sun is hot. 🥵 The air is humid. All the concrete reflects the heat and makes it feel even hotter. Hydration is essential. I’m sure you already aware of this, but I see lack of rest and cool down breaks and lack of hydration catch up with people every single time we visit any of the parks. 
 

The lightning lane all day option is a great choice if you’re willing to spend the extra $$$$. The lines really do move quickly, and if you book your next attraction fairly close to where you already are and maybe enjoy an attraction with a short wait time before your next ride time opens up you really can fit a lot into your day. 
 

One of my favorite planning resources before moving down here was www.disboards.com. 

14 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

Easy now, one is far superior to the other.  The difference between the two is simple, even though as you note, they can be considered cousins.  

 

Cranberries are associated with great things like Thanksgiving. They go with turkey as a complementary side dish to a celebrated holiday.  The pilgrims didn’t go wrong.
 

On the other hand pilgrims crossing the ocean accepted scurvy over raisins. Raisins are complimentary to things like oatmeal and carrot salad, things on a cold winter morning or a consumed at a family reunion. That’s where raisins belong, they are the kissing cousins of the dried fruit world. In some locations it’s acceptable but not in my house.

Andrew, I haven’t laughed so hard in quite a while! Your reply was right on point. I expected no less from you. 
 

Just so you know, I’m not a big fan of raisins. There are none in our house, but unlike you I have been known to eat them on occasion. Just not in recent memory.

6 hours ago, harryfat1 said:

The cruise itself was expensive but we all knew that Christmas cruises are never cheap.  Especially now with all sailings being more expensive than even pre-pandemic.  But even for an accountant, sometimes you can’t put a price tag on a family vacation as the kids get older and as we get older, you never take for granted there will always be more of these trips later on.  Don’t let the expensive price tag dissuade you from going on family vacations. 

 

Just cut back on what you do while on the ship if you are on a tight budget but still cruise with your family whenever you can.

Harry, thank you very much for another awesome trip report! I really appreciate that you and your family are willing to tale us along with you on your vacation. 
 

When I read the paragraphs I quoted above all I could think was how true your words are. The memories that we make with those close to us are so very precious. DH and I value our memories as much as you do yours. 
 

Speaking of memories we really enjoyed Cirque du Soleil Bazzar! Every performer in every segment of the show was excellent, the costumes and music were pure Cirque du Soleil magic. Since you’ve wrapped up your review, I’ll leave you with a few pictures. 
 

On 3/8/2024 at 9:28 AM, jam19872016 said:

Only if I can make it happen with my free play 😅. Other than that I will only be in the casino this time if my mobile bar needs a refill.

 

Tampa has a lot of unique itineraries that help make it more attractive. They do tend to all be during the winter season though as during the summer most of these ships sail off to Europe.

We drove into St Pete on Saturday and the drive from where I-275 splits off from I-75 when approaching Tampa from the north was insane! When we left St Pete after the event we were attending we decided to go home the long way. We drove south out of St Pete and over the Sunshine Skyway bridge to I-75 and headed north from there. We even saw a cruise ship out a short way past the bridge. I couldn’t tell who it was because I was driving and thought that even though traffic was light it would be a really good idea to keep my eyes on the road.

After our drive through Tampa I was seriously rethinking my plan to look for a cruise out of Tampa. I like the idea of a stay, park, and cruise hotel with round trip transportation to the port. We’ve done that when we cruise from Ft Lauderdale or Miami because the drive to either of those two ports tends to take a lot longer than the 3+ hours it is supposed to take. Stay, park and cruise makes for a far more enjoyable first day of the cruise than driving down the day of the cruise does. 
 

I do wish that the ships sailing out of Tampa would hang around in Tampa for a little longer in the spring and come back earlier in the fall. We like to cruise during the late spring and early fall and there aren’t options for those times out of Tampa.

Before I forget, I want to congratulate you on all of the progress you’ve made in your weight loss journey. Don’t go too crazy on the cruise so you won’t have to lose any of that same weight that you’ve already lost! 
 

Good luck 🍀 earning enough money on your free spins to cover your Panama Canal excursion! I’m not at all lucky in the casino. If you figure out how to make those free spins work for you please let me know how you did it and maybe I’ll give it a try. 😂

Sounds like you had a great first day on Oasis! I was wondering about those delicious dried cranberries though. Aren’t they cousins to your favorites, raisins? Didn’t sound like something like I’d expect you to be saying. 🤔😂

I’m glad you not only saw the rainbow 🌈 but also caught it in your video. 🥰