cruisin_cutie216

Cameron Diaz twin and brazillian muster mother/daughter...I love it!! had me cracking up and in tears!!!

Some more photos of our day in St. Thomas!

Chapter 9 cont'd: Rain Rain Go Away, Come again on a sea day;

Today was the day that we would dock in St. Thomas. I was super excited to get off the ship and explore the island. Rob and I had planned to meet up with the family to go to the island of St. John for the beautiful white sand beaches that I had heard so much about.

Buut of course, mother nature decided to put a damper on things. Literally.

When we awoke that morning, it was rather gloomy and overcast outside. Was going to complicate some things a bit when it came to taking photos. The girls had already gotten up super early and were out of the room already. Rob and I met up at our usual meeting time and decided to head to Windjammer for our breakfast. We were still coming into port so we were able to catch a glimpse of the charming harbor and the boats in the water around us. It was a very pretty site.

Time for more food porn! I had yet to take a picture of my meal in the WJ and now seemed like as great a time as ever. The breakfast buffet at WJ did not disappoint and it was constantly kept clean and stocked. Sea Days are the best time to come for breakfast a little bit later as everyone is on the lower decks close to the gangway levels in order to be first ones off and not be caught in the traffic jams. Another good tip, if you purchased the soda package at the beginning of your cruise and have your drink mugs with you at breakfast, fill those with beverages at the beginning (the Freestyle machines are at the entrance to WJ) and then snag a table and use the cups as a seat holder for when you return with your food,

We were able to snag a table by the window and frankly this became a bit of a competitive game to see who could snag the best window seat. Rob knew how much I enjoyed the picturesque view plus it made our casual meal a little bit more romantic.

We went through the buffet and chose our options. I chose a modest smorgasbord of sausage, bacon, potatoes, Frosted Flakes, milk, and some other offerings. Very filling and tasty meal!

This particular morning I opted for chocolate milk rather than my usual Dasani sparkling water.

After our breakfast, Rob and I had arranged for some much needed relaxation in the spa. We had stopped by the night before to inquire on what specials they would have for port days.

***HUGE TIP: If you're going to spa, do it on a port day. These days fill up last compared to sea days and they tend to have some specials that are cheaper than any other days in the sailing***

We elected to do the couples relaxation package with massages, facials, and then hand and foot treatments. We arrived at the spa around 9:20 for our 9:30 appointment and after filling out a spa "survey" we were led to our treatment room by our maseuses and the relaxation began. We had a couples suite with subdued lighting and very relaxing music.

Some critique about the spa: It was set up nicely, but I was a bit disappointed in the couples suite. I was hoping for an ocean view massage suite but nope, no ocean view. Bummer.

The massages were WONDERFUL. They seriously felt like heaven and apparently we both had quite a few knots to be worked out. I joked with my massage therapist that each knot was for each naughty thing our dogs do in a day.

The facials felt pretty nice. Rob sweared that he wasn't going to have cucumbers on his eyes but I'm pretty sure he got them. I wanted to lift mine and get a glimpse at his "diva tastic" look and have a chuckle but was far too relaxed to care.

Hand and foot massages were okay. My foot was questionable due to the fact that the surgery site was still very aggitated. None the less, the spa experience was relaxing.

It got a bit awkward at the end. Our treatments were complete and our therapists wanted to give us some time to relax and enjoy the moment.I remember a rather awkward "THWACK!" sound as our massage therapists tried (emphasis on try) to make us have a couple-y moment by having us awkwardly hold hands. They then left the room.

...............

ooookaaaayyy......

Not really knowing what else to do, Rob and re clothed ourselves and waited for our massage therapists to return. Now this is the one part of our experience that I DID NOT care for but should have expected. They proceeded to give a sales pitch about products that we "needed" to have for our skin. Mind you, I had been using dermatologist recommended/prescribed soaps and such for years and not had a single problem with my skin. We were less than pleased with the sales pitch and decided to pass on the options politely.

I managed to grab a few shots of the spa before we exited

We then decided to head to the gangway and off the ship to explore St. Thomas. I headed back to the room to grab the beach bag and other essentials on the way to the gangway. Wanted to into how the gangway and debarkation at ports works:

1. On port days, there's a dock time as of to when the ship is docked at port and guests can leave. This is announced on the PA and can be found in the cruise compass.

2. Make sure you have a watch that is on SHIP TIME. Obviously the crew will be using this as a way to keep track of port time. Don't want anyone left behind.

3. When ready to get off the ship, proceed to the level that's the gangway (on the elevators there's a button with a star that says "GANGWAY". Once at the gangway, there will be signs that direct you to kiosks where you scan your SeaPass card to get off the ship [its cool to watch because your picture pops up on the screen].

Thats it! Simple as that.

Once off the ship, Rob and I explored St. Thomas a bit. I wanted to get a souvenir from just about every port of call we visited and couldn't resist the fact of there being no tax.

Because it was a bit of a walk from the ship to the shopping, we had to take a taxi from the dock to the town. The taxi ran us about 18 bucks for the both of us one way. I was a bit concerned for my life due to the fact that the sides of the taxi were open. Ziggy was a bit scared and was holding on for dear life.

Ziggy was so excited about exploring that he almost ended up running for the wrong ship.

I promptly snatched him back into the taxi before he fell off and got lost. He was a bit defeated when he couldn't go on the HAL ship [i will never understand his logic].

The taxi ride was about 15 minutes into the town. There were tons of shops and boutiques to check out. Walking down the street I saw my favorite color blue and then lo and behold.....

TIFFANY'S!!!

I couldn't run there faster. Another woman in front of us said "outta her way! she sees a Tiffany's!"

Now you would think that after all the commotion I caused that I actually went ahead and bought something from there....NOPE! My budget consciousness and my wallet knocked some sense into my head and I did manage to keep my self control and leave the store with nothing.

I should point out that Rob has a thing with watches. Every watch store he has to go and look. We went into one watch store with these super fancey watches on black pedestals. Rob was so intrigued that he wanted to touch one. No sooner had he reached for it... POOF. It disappeared into its pedestal to reappear again.

O_oooo

That's a neat way to be secure but a bit to odd for our taste.

After our adventure through downtown, the haze starts to get thicker and soon the rain began. We decided that we weren't going to make it to St. John to the beach as we didn't want to be soggy and wet and covered in sand and rain. So cutting our visit short, we caught the next taxi back to the ship.

Getting on the ship is much like going to an airport. They have security check points and screening. I really liked knowning this because it made me feel so much more safe getting on and off the ship.

We were fortunate enough to get back on the ship soon enough to be able to use the coveted escalator (for those of you whom have seen Gambee's review, he posted a photo of the escalator) that leads back into the ship. Not alot of foot traffic was coming on board so this made for an easy descent.

I wanted to head back to the room to nap for a bit by myself before we headed to lunch at WJ so Rob went to his room to nap and I headed back myself. We agreed to meet up in an hour for lunch.

More to follow soon!!!

Great video! Where did you get the stuff on your door, it was so cute :)

I will be on the Oasis in May, can't wait...

Hobby Lobby! The fish, palm tree, and flip flops are wooden pieces that came pre fabricated and I took a fine point sharpie and wrote the details on them. The flip flops were flip flops on a fishing line that I took them off and wrote letters on each flip flop (it spelled out BEACH BEAUTIES) and then on some of the extra ones I wrote out each port of call that we were going to visit. I had plenty of flip flops left so I could make replacement letters and such in case some of ours grew legs (which two of them did; not to worry, I made more!).

The print outs I got from cruise critic and the one towards the bottom of the door I had made on the DIS boards by a lovely lady named Amy [DIS name: M_I_C_K_E_Y] and she did a wonderful job. I had a bunch of other signs that she had made but for some reason I got paper piles mixed up when we were packing and I forgot to pack the rest of them *head desk*

As far as getting them to stay on the door I used tape on the backs of the flip flops and then adhesive magnet squares for the wood fish and the palm tree. Originally, all the magnets were on our door but Holly moved them to the inside of our stateroom so that they wouldn't be stolen (smart cookie!).

So glad to see some new faces and critters!!

KansCocoa: Welcome!! Thank you for the wonderful compliments!! I'm really enjoying seeing your review on the same ship through the eyes of a solo traveller (not to mention, the towel animal adventure gave me a chuckle as well!!)I really did want to try Izumi while I was onboard (I'm a HUGE sushi freak. Cali King and Avocado/Cucumber rolls are my favorites) but never got the moment or time. The "free" options caught my eye many a time. Yes, I can't tell you how happy I am to be out of the boot! I broke my left foot and had a titanium pin put in to repair a ruptured tendon (my the scar is just lovely) and boy does it hurt on many an occasion! None the less, very happy the doc approved no boot cruisin!

Cybil: Same reason I take Ziggy. I nanny for a few families and the kids like seeing where he goes and guessing along with mom and dad. Makes it fun for them!

Chisusie: Elliot is adorable!!! Such a cute critter. No worries on being late to the party! This party never stops!! *does very awkward yet seemingly appropriate party-esque dance*

So friends, you've all waited long enough! Time for another installment (now availible in Technicolor!)

Chapter 9 [i think] Rain Rain Go Away, Come Again on a Sea Day!

Not to worry friends, things didn't get 'series of unfortunate events' bad, just got a bit uncomfortable and inconvenient. Being seasick is absolutely no fun and honestly, I wish I had headed my mother's warning pre cruise about the very good possibility of this happening. I get the motion sickness from my dad. The strange thing about is that I didn't start to develop it til my adulthood.

Being the wonderful boyfriend he is, Rob headed to the bathroom to retrieve my motion sickness pills. We picked up the chewable kind from the airport back home and the were the most convenient thing. We decided to have a bit of R & R before dinner time` and when the rest of the bunch would return back to the room. We took the opportunity to explore the television a bit.

**For those whom are first timers onboard the Allure, this one is for you guys!**

The stateroom televisions onboard Allure and Oasis are interactive when you turn them on. On the screen you have some options:

Stateroom Account View: View account balances for yourself and others in your stateroom. (great way to keep track of OBC spending in families or for your self.) This saved the headache of having to run about finding an empty kiosk that worked or waiting in the guest services line.

Safety Video: If you didn't really catch it the first day during muster, they kindly offer you a refresher throughout the cruise.

Inbox: Messages about specials, departure information, surveys, events, etc.

Room Service Order: Order breakfast for the next day or order room service through out the day. WONDERFUL system!

Show Calendar/Reservations: View personal calendar of show reservations for yourself, others in your stateroom, and make reservations for shows that you weren't able to book pre cruise or the first day onboard. (**TIP:while everyone is crammed in line at Studio B the first day on board, once your stateroom is open and ready, go to the television in your room and book the shows there. leaves you more time to explore the ship and have fun)

Feeling a smidge hungry, Rob and I decided to order something light from the room service menu. Let me tell ya, room service was complimentary (until about 3AM then there was a charge) and wonderful! Rob ordered a bowl of garlic soup and I ordered a simple caesar salad. We placed the order on the TV and was quoted a wait time of 30 -45 minutes. For one bowl of soup and a salad!? Eh, I wasn't complaining, I was on vacation.

No sooner had we placed our order (about 5 minutes after), our stateroom phone rang and it was room service confirming our order and that we would be in the room for delivery. We settled on the couch and watched some of "The Captain's Log" while we waited for our food. Soon enough, our food had arrived (in 15 minutes, not bad).

So nicely presented on its lovely tray. We noticed that we had 3 plates but had only ordered two things. Curious, I opened the topmost plate with the note on it and found some lovely deserts.

Compliments of the room service staff. This girl never says no to a free desert. Not knowing what was in them, I erred on the cautious side and left the cookies for the girls to have once they returned back to the room. Rob and I immediately began to eat our food and it was simply delicious! The caesar salad was perfectly crisp with croutons and shredded cheese. The dressing was packaged caesar dressing but it was still very tasty. Rob really enjoyed the soup and was pleased with the flavor. It was the perfect way to hit the spot before dinner.

Now here's where things got a bit "worse". Rob and I had done alot of walking that day and I had participated in the flash mob dance class, but me being stubborn and having so much fun didn't bother to take a look at my bad foot. It was swollen and the site was a bit angry looking. Immediately, Rob grabs some ice from our ice bucket and places it in a ziploc bag on top of my foot. My foot was a bit warm to the touch and I was worried about the possibility of infection. I decided to let it rest until dinnertime, and take it easy tonight.

Tonight was a casual dinner night so dressing up wasn't going to be necessary. We all got dressed and headed down to dinner for our usual seating. I was extremely excited because they had some favorites of mine on the menu tonight and I wanted to give them a try.

For the appetizer I ordered the Caprese Salad and Rob had the garlic soup (of course). The Caprese was simply wonderful! I loved the vinagarette that came with it and the mozarella complimented it nicely.

I decided to switch it up a bit tonight, and ordered two appetizers. In addition to my salad, I ordered a chilled strawberry soup with a mint garnish in the middle. It was very yummy and tasted a lot like a strawberry mint smoothie. So good that I was surprised that it wasn't a desert!!!

Now came time for the main course. I noticed tonight in the dining room that they were a bit slower than usual. Made a mental note but it didn't deter my experience so much that I didn't enjoy the meal. For the main course I had the chicken marsala and it was good. I'm used to the marsala not being breaded but grilled to a point so it was done a bit differently than I was used to. Not a huge fan of asparagus or cherry tomatoes so I kindly set those off to the side. The mashed potatoes however were delicious.

During our meal, there was a very interesting soundtrack of music played during main course service. Quizzically, I asked what was going on. Our assistant waiter informed us that it was a signal to the dining staff that they have to prepare for a special performance. I'm thinking 'Oh man! Dinner and a show!'. They did a song and dance to some italian song (I forget which one it is) and boy did the napkin swinging ensue. Hey, I know the restaurant it nice but we're on a cruise and I can be whimsical if I wanna!!! It was quite the show and rather entertaining!

Once the main course and the show were over it was time for desert. I really really wanted to have the Tiramisu and it was one of the deserts on the menu tonight that I was "allowed" to have. This is where I was a bit disappointed. The tiramisu was not the best. I've had quite a few and none of them tasted like this one. It was SWIMMING in espresso. So much so, I couldn't really appreciate the flavor of the cake itself. Didn't end up finishing it...

Once dinner was complete, we went back to the room to change for the 80's dance party at Dazzles. I am a HUGE 80s fan and I really wanted to see Dazzles and go dance to some awesome 80s music. Rob isn't a huge fan of dancing and says he has two left feet (and he does!) but was willing to go with me to check it out. I brought some really cute black paint splatter shorts that my mom bought me and paired it with a hot pink tank top and some electric orange otritch hair feathers and a side pony, I was good to go!

We headed off to Dazzles for the party and I know I should have expected an older crowd but it was fun! the music was a bit of a disappointment as I wanted more 80s dancey music and it was an odd mixture. Plus, Dazzles didn't have a lot of actual "dance" space so we ended up awkwardly dancing in the walkway leading to the dance floor in front of other people's booths.

After about an hour of that, I decided to call it a night and head off to bed. The next day was St. Thomas and I was super excited to be going to the beach. Really hope that it doesn't rain on our parade. None the less, Rob and I had some super special things planned for our anniversary tomorrow and I could hardly wait.

And that was my

<3 Missy <3

P.S. As promised, here's a video tour of our stateroom and some other stuff on our deck too!! Forgive my camera skills and commentary. Enjoy!!

Ship - Allure of the Seas

Deck - 10

Stateroom # - 593

Stateroom Category – C2

Starboard or Port Side - Middle I believe...

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) – Yes! Super quiet!

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? - yes, we connected with some family members whom were next door.

Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – yes, it was a beautiful view of Central Park and it was gorgeous. No obstructions and it was a rather peaceful sitting spot for reading or having lunch. People watching wasn't too bad either. The balcony had a conjoining divider that the stateroom attendant could unlock so we could have a conjoining balcony with our family next door.

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Normal sized. First balcony I've stayed in.

Was wind a problem? - We found that if we had the balcony door open and we went to shut the door to the stateroom, it would cause the door to the stateroom to slam.

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? -

Any specific problems with this cabin? - The spacing would get a bit tight when the sofa bed would be pulled out and during the morning and at night. Other than that, it wasn't too bad.

Any other comments? - I was very impressed with our cabin in Central Park, it was only a matter of going downstairs two decks for food. It also made for a rather peaceful get away for naps and for just having a quiet moment on the balcony mid day.

Oh goodness, your dishes from Chops look simply yummy! Wish we would have eaten there on our cruise (we walked by it, thought about it, didn't do it.) as it smelled delicious when I walked by it.

I can sympathize with the broken foot, I had surgery on my foot back in December and was still recovering during my cruise experience and it had some pretty painful points ( I had a pin placed in my foot to repair a damaged tendon and when we cruised the pin still hadn't set all the way just yet). Kudos to you for doing it too! Really enjoying the review and the photos *drool*.

Good evening everyone! I am back! So incredibly happy! I am doing a lot better since a few days ago but still taking it easy as far as what I am able to eat (I got my craving back for potato chips and some other yummy things I picked up for once I'm better so I think that's a good sign). Thank you all so much for your concerns and thoughts. They mean so much to me and really put a smile on my face when I was blue. :)

scf18: omg that is Olive Garden!! We eat there all the time. Your critter is too cute! And compact, Ziggy was quite impressed.

jhnsfamily: thank you for the words. Congrats on being booked for June 2014! You are going to love it, will that be your first sailing on Allure?

lakelorain: thank you! definitely a cruise addict now. Once I was off the ship I was literally trying to figure out how to get back on the ship. Our cabin steward suggested I hide under the bed, he promised he wouldn't tell anybody ;)! *Sigh* if only that would have worked. I do have another sailing on Allure planned for November with my mom. She hasn't cruised in 20 years and I want her to have the same adventures I did. I thought it'd be special to share it with her! And then another one (hopefully) in september as well! I've caught the cruise bug (the good and the bad if you think about it! :P).

BillOH: YES! That pork chop was yummy! I am a huge pork chop can and I consider myself to be the conosuer of my family (lol) and I thought it was simply delicious!

I've also deemed that spot our traditional sailaway spot from now on on Allure. Next time we sail her, I want to get a picture of us there as well. I think someone actually may have had a sign that said "our toilets work, do yours". I chuckled silently but shook my head... my oh my.

aalden: Thanks for reading along! It was an amazing trip and I seriously cannot wait to do it again.

akcruz: Ouch! Big bummer to your friends who were in Disney. My doctor says that its going around with those who travel during this time of the year. He was surprised that it took so long to manifest itself in me. He would have thought that I would have been sick either on or right after the cruise. None the less, noro is a strange thing. A strange and icky thing! Thank you so much for the kind words.

jakesmom: Thank you! It'll be good to start writing again, I did miss it a bunch while in bed. Just didn't have the energy for it :-(.

cruisegirl79:Yes, Ziggy did keep me company! He insisted on wearing a mask in some instances (this may have happened at some point, I live with a nurse so anything is possible) but after I told him that he's already been exposed, he gave up the hysterics! He likes our room better than the dashboard of my car! LOL for secret cruise research! Hope you enjoy Princess! I've wanted to try them out, Rob's done them before and he liked it a lot.

Shilky: Thank you for the prayers! They came through!

Arizona Laura: Almost did need IV fluids at one point (was scared to drink anything) but I decided to wise up and give it a shot (under Rob's watchful eye). It got scary to the point that Rob would leave a key so that way if EMS had to be called, they could get into the apartment and be able to help me. I was a bit scared and I didn't really realize how bad I was. Very glad that a visit to the doctor was what I needed.

Gambee: Yes! Purell, Purell, Purell! I cannot tell you enough how important that stuff is. That and just handwashing period. I did the whole "sit in the bathroom and listen to how many do and do not wash their hands". So shocked during my cruise at how many did NOT wash their hands (I did all the time. It was so shocking to me how many did not). I realized now you're probably set sail on your next adventure. Have so much fun, cannot wait to hear about it!

Lioness and Sunny AZ Girl: Thank you guys for the thoughts as well! Very appreciative of them all. Sunny, yipes! That sounds like some scary stuff! Glad that you're okay after that, I can only imagine how that must have been. I would have probably been terrified had it been me (but then again I get scared about a lot of things).

Lloyd: YES! another convert to the cruise critter society! Do it! Its tons of fun! You don't even have to take them everywhere (for example, Ziggy, NEVER went with us to the MDR. I toyed with the notion of taking him on one formal night as I had a bow tie for him to look fancy but left him in the state room to hang with the towel animals.) and plus they fit easily in a totebag while in port and make for good photos and conversations. Sometimes the cabin stewards will do some cute surprises with them too. I think there's a lady that did a review here on CC with some Angry Birds on her carnival cruise and it was an absolute RIOT! If I can find it I'll link it, or better yet, if any of my CC friends know which review I'm talking about, please share it here. I was in stitches over the shenanigans and places the birds were!

This post was kinda lengthy but I wanted to take the time to thank each and every one of you for all the wonderful thoughts and prayers sent my way. I am so appreciative of you all for coming along with me on my journey down memory lane of my cruise and for being so wonderful while I was under the weather. There shall be more to come as soon as I get it all laid out and ready to go! Once again, thank you!!

<3 Missy <3

Hello friends,

just to give you all an update on what's been going on, I awoke yesterday with severe nausea, headache, dizziness, dehydration, and vomiting. I was (and still am) very weak and lethargic. Went to the doctor who did some tests and confirmed that based on my symptoms (I was unable to keep down water) that I have a nasty strain of norovirus quite possibly picked up on the cruise. On a liquid diet restriction and am still feeling pretty crappy. Luckily, Rob's a nurse and will be taking good care of me (lets hope needles aren't involved!)

Once I'm 100% again, I will proceed with the review. I hate to put it on hold.

Thank you all for being so concerned. I really appreciate it.

Missy

thank you everyone for the feedback! I'll be posting more soon hopefully (having a medical emergency and may be needing to go to the hospital).

Gambee: noro scared me too! I got a mini Purell that hung off my purse and I carried it with me throughout the cruise and it came in really handy.

e01061: thank you! its been a wonderful memory refresher for myself as well! glad I could bring back the wonderful memories from your cruise as well.

rednancy: welcome and thank you for the wonderful feedback! I plan on writing many more reviews after this one! its been very fun plus its been a great way for people to experience what I did through my eyes.

Missy

Chapter 9: Surfs Up!

After a brief nap in the room, Rob decided to give the FlowRider another try and we went to scope out the line at the Pool and Sports Zone [Deck 16]. Considering the time of day, the wait was maybe about 4 or 5 people long but it moved relatively fast. I had yet to muster the courage to try the flow rider but Rob, being the strong willed and fearless one out of the both of us, stepped up to the challenge. He actually did very well! I was very impressed!!

[side note: this was taken in Port Everglades on our first day on the ship. Rob wanted to try this immediately. The video is here purely for a reference]

For those unfamiliar with how the FlowRiders are set up, there are actually two surf simulators on the deck. One is a stand up version that is very much like classic surfing on the ocean (its actually a bit more advanced as well. Its designed for individuals 52 inches and taller. Sorry little tykes!). The second is a lay down/kneeling simulator that is more or less boogie boarding and is a bit easier for beginners or those looking for a gentler experience. On sea days, it can get a bit crowded due to everyone being on the ship but it makes for an amazing ocean view while boogie boarding.

After our boogie boarding adventure, we decided to head down to Cafe Promenade to grab a light snack before dinner. Cafe Promenade is open 24 hours and offers finger sandwiches and some very yummy deserts (specifically cookies and brownies). I opted for a ham and cheese croissant with an olive on top, chocolate chip cookies, and a brownie. Rob had the chocolate brownie and a chocolate chip cookie. The sandwich was quite tasty and made for a wonderful light weight snack. The cookie was soft and yummy and the chocolate chips melted in my mouth. Same with the brownie,perfectly moist and yummy!

After our light snack, we had some time to kill before dinner and I decided to snap a few photos in the Royal Promenade. It was a bit more calm than previous evenings so it made for getting the perfect shots.

the rising tide bar. This really cool bar would depart from the Promenade every 15 minutes. It would then rise upwards to Central Park and hang out there for 15 minutes. After that, it would let more guests on and then repeat its cycle. It looked super cool at night and during the day but we never rode it/ordered a drink on it.

I really "flipped" over these guys! XP.

Ah the very adorable cupcake cupboard! Wish I had purchased a cupcake from here!

Now in some of the photos you can see those wonderful purell hand sanitizer dispensers. Well, we just so happend to have a few cases of norovirus on our sailing and that prompted the RCI staff to put out the sanitization stations for our health and well being. Apparently the virus was being spread and this was a method to kind of keep the spread under control. [we received a note in our stateroom on the 3rd day notifying us of the outbreak]. Not to worry, no one in our party caught the virus and we all were able to return home healthy. None the less, this was a cause of concern for me. Rob is a nurse back home and he reassured me that noro is a common cruise illness. So many people in one space = spread of sickness one way or the other. I guess its unavoidable sometime.

Now I forgot to mention that my evening got a little interesting. I had forgotten about the potential for becoming seasick even though my parents and darling boyfriend had warned me that this could happen. I did come armed with motion sickness meds in the event that I should need them and BOY did I need them! The ship was a smidge rocky and creaky and made me so very ill. I was miserable. It made just being awake for any sort of activity miserable. Feel as nauseated as I'll get out, we made our way back to get some motion sickness medicine before dinner. I certainly didn't want to be green in the photos nor feel so miserable that I wouldn't be able to enjoy my meal. I didn't know what to do and I hoped that it would pass.

Little did I know, things were only going to get a bit worse for me.

Coming up next: Rain Rain go away. Come again on a sea day!

Are chicken tenders available on the Triumph? Looking into sailing her in September and even though we're 20-somethings, the boyfriend and I still are kids at heart and enjoy our chicken tenders!

when I read rum jumbie I thought of the Rum Baba desert in the dining room during the cruise. Dunno why but my brain went there!

Oh gosh guys! I feel like I neglected the review a bit! I've been a bit busy with work and such that I totally did forget to check in and update yesterday!! I'm sorry for that!

Thank you to those who've given their suggestions on where Ziggy and I should go next! The feedback as been wonderful. Still welcoming suggestions from anyone and everyone!

clwnmt2: Clay lump sounds fun!!! That's so similar to what I'm doing (or trying to do any how) with Ziggy. Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback and so glad you've been enjoying it!

topanga49er: hmm... I had no idea that NCL had the ropes courses and waterslides....that sounds like fun! Definitely something to consider.

Relator at Sea: I have been DYING to cruise the Jewel after reading another fellow CC'ers review about her recent sailing on the Jewel and she seems like a beautiful vessel with a more intimate setting than that of the Oasis classes of ships. always willing to give it a try. The Jewel looks simply gorgeous so I just may not be able to pass up the opportunity....

reney and horseymike: Absolutely!!! I'm working on the next installment as we speak!

wnycruisefamily: that's exactly how I was before I sailed. I was going back and re-reading reviews on CC and getting so excited before I left for my cruise. Certainly did help pass the time before we left for the airport. Made the excitement so much more exciting.

Thank you all so much for the feedback and suggestions once again. I cannot say it enough! you all have been so wonderful so far and more is yet to come!

I'll have another trip review post tomorrow morning, hang in there and never fear, this is far from having a fizzle!

Be safe tonight and Happy St. Patricks Day (just sent the boyfriend off to work for the night and kinda panicked a bit due to the fact that there are so many drunk drivers on the road tonight or the potential for them to be on the road is there). Please please be careful CC friends! Whether you're on land or sea, don't let a drink be the last thing you see.

<3 Missy <3

I raise service dogs here in MI for Leader Dogs for the Blind. I am very glad that I found this thread! Love reading the information that's presented here and its so informative and helpful.

Roz: I know exactly how you feel about the black hair! I raised a black lab for Leader Dog (my first one) and I'm STILL finding black hair everywhere (and she went back last September)! Can't wait to hear about your upcoming cruise!

Missy

I'm really enjoying your review! Good to see the review through the eyes of another whom was also on the same sailing! Keep it coming!

Get well soon Sherri!!! Your CC family misses you :-)

Lovin' your review and great photos. Looking forward to seeing more from you. Makes me wish my Allure cruise was just around the corner!! Want to be there now! You got to be on her and are now writing a fun review. I am jealous ... as Ziggy's pals would be, if they knew where he had just been!

 

OH that is too funny!!! Just the laugh I needed this morning!!!

Welcome to any new readers and welcome back to everyone!! I have a question for my cruise critic family, I'm looking at planning a solo cruise for myself and being that I work part time in retail and am a college student, funds are a smidge tight but I'm looking to cruise again as a solo on a short trip and write another review (plus want to take Ziggy on another cruise as well!) I know its off topic, but what cruise line would you like to see me on with Ziggy next?

1. Smaller Royal Caribbean Ship (Jewel, Navigator, etc.)

2. Holland America Line

3. Carnival

4. Princess Cruises

Let me know throughout the review!

Should have some more posted later this morning or this evening (gotta go to this thing called work today)

<3 Missy <3

I am loving this review. Your enthusiasm and enjoyment of your cruise is infectious! We don't leave for 5 weeks yet and now I really, really can't wait.

 

What do you do with the pineapple once the drink is gone? Do you cut it up and eat it or does it become to mushy? I'm gonna get my mitts on one of those.

 

Bad Ziggy! :( Alcohol is for adults and you look to be a bit young yet! :rolleyes:

 

Again, thanks for sharing this great review with us, I'm loving every post and looking forward to more. :):):)

 

OWD

Thank you! and yes Ziggy felt a smidge ashamed after drinking the forbidden beverage.

With the pineapple, mine was a bit too mushy once the drink was gone because it took me a bit to finish it. I should think that you could be able to get it cut into slices if you'd wish to consume it later.

I DEFINITELY recommend having the pineapple drink! It was supper delicious and had just the perfect balance of alcohol and slush. It was heaven!

Just taking a check, is everyone still around!? *gets into the crows nest and looks outward*

Happy Cruisin!

<3 Missy <3

P.S. Have a solo cruise coming up AND another cruise this fall! So excited if all goes well!! :D

Because it wouldn't fit in the original post, this is the roast beef sandwich from Park Cafe!

Thank you for doing this review - it is ver good. Love it!;)

Thank you so much! Its been such a fun adventure writing the review.

Too funny....I get cruise fever with regularity all year long in between cruises!!!!!

 

I've got it really bad right now for our next one....I absolutely cannot wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have PCD so bad today! Its gloomy and cold out here in the mitten and I really want to be in the Caribbean in St. Maarten so much!!!

Good afternoon friends!! Having a bit of a down day and what a better way to make me smile than to continue my review! Here we go!

Chapter 8: Check out my pineapple!!!

Today was our first actual full day at sea. I had looked forward to a sea day since we boarded the ship in Fort Lauderdale and it had finally come!

We had planned a relaxing afternoon by the pool and I was in luck, I would get to chill for the day in the Solarium. Sleeping in was bliss and I felt well rested and ready to get a jump on the day.

Sea days are wonderful because it gives you time to explore interesting facets of the ship. Also a great day to meet fellow cruisers as well. Now I had a bit of an uh oh moment that morning. The Cruise Critic meet and mingle was the morning of our first sea day and was scheduled for 9:30 AM at Dazzles dance club. Unfortunately, my bed in the stateroom was extra comfy this morning and as a result I slept in missing the meet and mingle (hey you can't win 'em all).

Not letting that get me down, Rob and I headed down to the Solarium to meet up with the boyfriends, sisters, and rest of the family. We were able to snag two beach chairs in order to join them on the deck. The weather was PERFECT! Nice and sunny and the ocean sparkled so beautifully.

After getting spots at the Solarium we decided to head to the Boardwalk to check out the drink of the day. Being the one to want to do the most touristy things on the cruise, I vowed to do two things

1. Get a coconut drink. Drink said drink out of the coconut.

2. Get a pineapple drink complete with an umbrella and drink said pineapple drink out of the pineapple.

The heavens opened up on the Boardwalk!

The drink of the day....was a pineapple. WITH AN UMBRELLA!!!!

I HAD to order one. It looked too delicious to pass up.

The pineapple came filled with your choice of delicious slush (they had several different choices) and rum (once again several different choices). I chose mango slush and citrus rum (yummy!). They loaded it into a cute pineapple complete with an umbrella and a straw. Total drink cost about $9. Totally worth it.

Happy as a clam and beaming, I literally frolicked back to the Solarium. Rob muttered several times about me being a typical tourist but I payed him no mind. I had a pineapple drink!

My super delicious pineapple drink!

I was so ready to enjoy this day. The sun was shining and I had a pineapple drink. Life couldn't get any better.

**TIP: when in the Solarium, grab seats early on a sea day. They fill up quick! Admittedly, we didn't make it any better by being a rather large group of 14 on one deck but that's bound to happen at some point.**

Some shots in the Solarium:

View from my chair.

HAD to take one of these pictures to send home to the family.

After about an hour of relaxation, it was time for lunch. Since the Solarium had its own cafe, it made lunch today a breeze.

The Solarium Cafe typically serves super delicious and super healthy options. Since this was the case (and being that most kids that were at the Solarium had to be accompanied by an adult) there were very rarely any children in the Cafe so it made for getting through the buffet pretty easy (especially during the lunch time rush).

I decided to have a grilled chicken wrap with fresh spinach and carrots, steamed seasoned broccoli, fresh fruit, and grilled chicken breast. All were very tasty and did not disappoint. Definitely a must do on my next cruise!

Rob had hummus and pita bread for a snack and he thoroughly enjoyed it. I highly recommend the cafe to those looking for a light lunch by the pool.

It was getting close to 3 and I had read in the Compass that morning that there was going to be a Flash Mob dance class on the Promenade and I really wanted to give it a try! Rob and I said goodbye to the family and made a brief stop at the room for me to drop off the beach bag and head to the dance class. While I was re doing my hair in the bathroom, I caught Ziggy taking a swig of my drink......

That pesky Ziggy! So that's where the last little sip of my drink went!!!

Finally, we were on our way to the flash mob dance class and the turn out wasn't too bad. We learned some basic dance steps and found out that there would be an actual flash mob on board the ship ( I don't want to give away too much because it was oodles of fun!) with the crew and some of the passengers on board. This was also an awesome way to meet other cruisers too. I made tons of friends!!! And had lots of fun in the process!

Doing all that dancing sure made me work up an appetite (yet again) so we headed to the Park Cafe. I was wanting to try the famous roast beef sandwhiches that I had heard so much about.

The sandwich was okay. Had a little but too much fat on the meat and was swimming in gravy so that made the bread a bit soggy. The chips, of course, were pretty tasty!

Not wanting to push it, I headed back to the room solo to get a nap in before the rest of the day's activities (I know, I get full and then want to sleep. Happens like clockwork with me!).

Up Next: Cafe Promenade and a surftastic adventure!

<3 Missy <3

I only saw the dog I posted and a cat or two. Not the black lab or pittie. Did you get bugged by the vendors as well at Bikini? Did you stay there all day or just part of a tour?

we spent a good chunk of the afternoon there and we went on our own. we did the jetskiing they had there and ordered drinks/food from the restaurant that was there. food wasn't too bad.

the vendors were around but left us alone for the most part. This was DBF and I's favorite port on the cruise and our most relaxing. It was perfectly warm and wonderful out.

DBF and I were at Bikini Beach!! We LOVED it. Did you happen to see the black lab and the pit bull mix dog walking around the beach? Precious!

Precisely why I ended up taking a much larger suitcase in the end! Thought I would be a space saver and take a smaller bag but really glad that I didn't cause I was able to bring back souvenirs cause I had the room. Oh my I needed lots of clothes! It always helps to have enough.

Since I have a moment, thought that I would share some helpful tips for visiting ports of call on the cruises. Since we've covered the Bahamas so far I think I'll start there. I want to try and include these as a filler between trip entries to kinda keep the flow and keep things going.

Nassau, Bahamas

1. On a typical week day [even though it may be a tourist town], the shops open at around 930 or 10 AM depending on the venue. Depending on when your ship arrives in port (Allure had docked in the wee hours of the morning), disembarking early can put a damper on early morning shopping. But, it does offer an opportune time to explore the island. Its not very big and if not a whole lot is open, you kinda run out of options rather quickly.

2. Hair Braiding; In my honest opinion, just don't do it. They generally charge $3 per braid and they can put so many braids in your hair without letting you know how many and at that point you could have easily spent well over $100! Not to mention there's always the fear of picking up hair critters and the potential for tools and hands to be not so clean going from head to head all day long. Avoid if possible (and yes, they are all over the ports waiting for the opportunity to style you!)

3. Shopping: For first time cruisers to Nassau or the US Virgin Islands, there is this beautiful thing of no taxes on items that is truly a blessing while cruising. It made souvenir purchases so much easier and I wasn't having to carry around coinage all vacation. If you're looking to purchase COACH, MAC makeup, or even that cute little Fendi bag you've been wanting, Nassau's got it (in addition to the Coach store being available on board)! Use this port to snag some cosmetics that you weren't able to find at home if MAC is youe forte. Also, there is an open air mall where some vendors have stalls set up and you can purchase bags, hats, shirts, and other novelties. Some of them don't mind negotiating and you can occasionally purchase a souvenir for a cheaper price than advertised.

4. Keep and eye on the time! This is probably the most important tip of them all and rang out through each port we visited. By doing this, you can make it back to the ship with decent time to spare and not have the constant worry of being left behind or hearing the ominous blow of the ships horn alerting you to run faster or be left behind. I had a watch programed to the ship's time so I could rely on that while in port if I was going to be a ways away from the ship.

5. Earlier is sometimes better. We learned that in the Bahamas we were able to get into the stores and down the streets early and not have to battle the throngs of our other fellow cruisers whom had started to flood the streets at about 11AM. This also made it super convenient getting back on the ship to enjoy the pool or even snag a bite to eat with little to no wait at all. We were even able to grab the coveted Windjammer Window Table (if you've cruised on any ship with a buffet that has window view tables, you know what I mean!). Much more quiet in the buffet plus peaceful.

Those were a few helpful tips for the Bahamas that I picked up on my sailing. If these are well received I will continue to post them. As always, feedback is greatly appreciated!

<3 Missy <3

Missy...

oh girlfriend where to begin..your enthusiasm and talent for adjectives makes your stories all the more fun. I am venturing on the allure May 5th of this year and im so excited I literally think I wont be able to sleep the whole week before. Thanks for making such complete and detailed posts. After all the research and videos of the ship, your post have gave me more insight than any other thing I have read! Hope to see more soon! I too am a military fiancé :) He just came back from Afghanistan this month, so were ready for a vacation!

thank you so much! I couldn't even sleep two weeks before the cruise I was so excited. I cannot wait til the day I cruise again on Allure (crossing fingers for this November), it was truly an experience in itself.

Thank your fiance for me! Mine was in Iraq from 2010-2011 [pre our relationship]. You guys will definitely enjoy your vacation. Truly very relaxing. what's your itinerary for your cruise? is this your first?