bluewater1298

The pound cake looks like the same ones they had in the Al Bacon display. I wonder if they swiped a few from the cart this morning?

2 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

I'm left with a half eaten mess on my table. I'd throw it in the trash but then I would have a dirty spoon sitting on the counter. Maybe I will put a tissue down

Glad you didn't waste calories on something you didn't like. Not a fan of most gluten free stuff. You should treat yourself to a tart now. 

6 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

How is this for messy plating. 

 

Not so appealing now

1 minute ago, jam19872016 said:

 

I keep explaining to my mom she needs to say for here, not to go because they shove it in a bag otherwise.

Thanks!! I'm drooling 🤤🫠

If by chance you make a stop by Al Bacon today, would you mind taking a picture of the display case? I think there are several of us following along that wouldn't mind drooling over the selections.

Thanks for the replies! I think Divi will work best for us. Price is good and the beach looks beautiful on the webcam. We'll plan to get off the ship early and beat the crowds. Then maybe do the shopping afterwards.

The last and only time we were at this port was over 20 years ago, so I don't have a very good memory of it except I didn't care for the stop. I have avoided it in our itineraries ever since. Having no choice this time, I'm hoping for a good experience. A lot of people seem to be happy about the change in our itinerary so hopefully it will be a good day. 

Trying to stay positive because I really love Labadee. It has always been my favorite stop. I feel really bad for the people who live there.

Wow! Thank you for the other webcam. Great comparison!

Thank you for the webcam link. That will give me an idea. You've been very helpful. I appreciate it.

Thank you, PORT ROYAL for the link! That was a good review. It sounds cheap enough. My only concern is having three cruise ships in port and how crowed it will be. I just saw Little Bay as an option for being less crowded. I'm not sure which one is better.  

How bad does Great Bay get when there are several big ships in port?

I just found out we will be in St Maarten instead of Labadee. I've always enjoyed Labadee as a free beach day. That was the plan for this trip. Now our stop has changed to St Maarten and I'm searching for a nice beach with lounge chairs and umbrella. I'm not concerned with drinks, food or extra activities. Just a pretty beach with clear blue water that is inexpensive. We didn't plan on spending any extra in Labadee so our budget is limited with this stop. Any help would be appreciated.

1 minute ago, jam19872016 said:

First time trying the lemon. Like everything else here, very tasty.

Those were my favorite but I love the chocolate as well. Wish Royal had desserts like these. I may have to book another Celebrity cruise just for the food.

4 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

Not as nice as yesterday's spread, but still a nice lunch. I'm about saladed out though. 

 

Desert time at al bacio.

 

You're killing me with tarts! My favorites

40 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

Dessert will probably be at al bacio, those looked really good.

 

I love their lemon tarts! Cafe al bacio has the best desserts!

I would ask for an egg crate or some sort of mattress topper and different pillows. I know most ships have a selection of pillows if you don't like the ones you have. And I've ask for an egg crate before on Royal and received one. You don't want to spend the next 11 days on an uncomfortable bed. 

Thank you for doing this. I feel like I'm sailing along! So exciting!

You sound so depressed. Hope it goes better than you think. Two reason to do the buffet on first night - top deck view of sailing under the bridge and eating stir fry while watching the sunset. Your mom will probably like that idea and she can have the dining room 11 other nights. 

21 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

I'll admit Tampa has never really been on my radar. As I prefer newer ships typically and Tampa has size restrictions, I haven't really given much consideration to it. I am kind of winging it and hoping for the best. Driving in morning of (about 3 hours give or take according to Uncle Google) and parking at the port. Not terribly expensive for pork parking, looks to be about $15 a day. Since I am already coming from so far away I want to avoid the extra time a shuttle will take, but I am sure there are cheaper options out there.

 

I am looking forward to sailing under the bridge though! I think we will likely be at dinner as my mom enjoys an earlier dinner. So do I, but I would rather see us sail under the bridge.

 

Any questions you have about the Tampa experience, ask away as I am not really sure what to look out for since I am flying by the seat of my pants here 😂

Thanks for following along 🙂

 

Thanks! We usually add a week at the beach before we cruise and I prefer the Gulf side. Especially in Clearwater area. So I thought a cruise out of Tampa might be nice. But I'm like you, I usually prefer the bigger newer ships so we haven't ever sailed out of Tampa. Hoping you have a good experience and change my thinking. 

I'm so excited! I love following along! I've been looking at a few cruises out of Tampa, so this will be good to see their port. Hope you and your mom have a great trip. Thanks for taking us with you!

I have been looking this morning as well. I don't think it has shown up yet. I have read that sometimes it's a day or so later than the first of the month. Our cruise is Oasis on April 7th.

Thanks for a great review! Look forward to your next cruise review. I've tried following a few other live reviews but they don't compare to yours. Love how you give lots of details. It feels like we're sailing along. And thanks for answering all my questions. Take care!

Safe travels home. Enjoyed following along! I'm sad it's over. Looking forward to our cruise in April. When is your next cruise?

32 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

That was a coconut custard cake. I got it because it was the best option open that late but it turned out to be pretty tasty.

 

The desserts (and sandwiches) at Cafe promenade are going to be the closest thing to those yummy options at Cafe al Bacio, but even on their best day, they are not as good. 

Thanks for the info! We'll probably be doing more Celebrity cruises just for the food. 

Enjoying your posts! Looking forward to your Coco Cay adventures!

11 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

Casino taking their money back too quickly. Cashed out for the night and getting a late night snack from Cafe promenade. 

 

Coming out of lurk mode again.😉 What is the slice of dessert on your plate? Lemon something?? I'm still craving the desserts they had on deck 5 of Celebrity Reflection. We loved their lemon and chocolate tarts. And their cakes. Anything like that on this ship?

23 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

Just show up. Follow the signage and you will be ok, lanes seen to go every which way and it is a bit confusing but the signs will yell you exactly which lane for Terminal B and which lane to be in for parking.

 

Street view

 

 

Follow the road towards A. You are walking against traffic.

 

 

When you see the royal logo you are going the right way.

 

 

There is no crosswalk when you reach Terminal A but there was no traffic to compete with. 

 

Total distance between terminals from the street level of parking garage.

 

 

I think two pieces of luggage will still be manageable but will depend on your own stamina level. Maybe you could drop off your bags with a porter first and then park if you think checked bags will be too heavy.

Thanks for the info!! Yes! Hubby can drop me off and go back to park. Doesn't look as daunting as I thought. Thanks again! You're the best!

Glad you made it there without any problems! A couple of questions:

Did you have to make a reservation for terminal B garage or just showed up?

You said the walk was easy. I know you only have one piece of luggage. Would it be easy with two?

Thanks for your information!!