CruiszBug

Phoebe has CP (cerebral palsy). On a pre-covid cruise we ran into two young women (18-19 yrs old) from another cruise ship while enjoying breakfast in San Juan. One of the girls wanted a picture of Phoebe because her disabled sister was never allowed to travel. She seemed quite shocked that Phoebe does frequently. Her plan was to show her father a different view.

Yes! She's seen them on the phone. Going to hook it up to the TV so she can see it better. When we were waiting to go into Studio B down by the Deck 3 Conference Room she knew we were going to go ice skating. She was very excited!

Thank you! I'm no Sea Dog but I tried to capture some clips for Memories Sake...

@Sea DogPhoebe Skates (Short Version)

Phoebe Skates

Yes you are! How cool is that? You truly were and congrats on your winnings! We loved the slot pull. Such fun! I love laundry! So I saved if for today. Started Load 1... Indeed it was! What a wonderful tribute. I made it through all of the posts with maybe a moist eye here and there. And then this... full out tears, Miss Sue! You touched our hearts as well. Let's keep in touch.

Hi! I forgot to say how much I enjoyed meeting you and Stephen (Steven?). Looking forward to seeing him in June at the Riviera Resort. He was so nice to Phoebe and she enjoyed the Olaf waves! Please tell him we said hi if he is not on the CC Boards. This is all I managed from your list! Tom did the Bourbon mixed drinks. I think I got a few more off of John's list (Peach Daquiri; Espresso martini). Also had several champagne cocktails (a favorite). Need to try the Cape Codder, though! Oh, Sue! I forgot to look. We were over by Harbor Beach for most of the day. I would say 10 AM might be late based on the entire parking garage being full by 10:45-11:00AM? But this was Spring Break so may not be the norm? When we were leaving Parking Garage A at 7:45ish... there were half a dozen people driving in to park. We were one of the lucky ones who got the last few spaces on the roof. Not a HA space but we got Phoebe out and then parked. Yes, I remember East Greenwich. The drive to school was a long way and we went through several towns it seemed. Nixon closed the bases in 1973 I think because we got transferred back to Florida. Loved Florida when I left. Not so much when I had tasted the schools in RI... amazing education system up there! Luckily I was at the SL Concierge Desk when I mentioned my card opened doors, but would not play in the slots? Got a new card. EPIC is not necessarily a quantity when you have such quality! 😛😉

Can you imagine what it would have been like if it WAS our day for disembarking??? NIGHTMARE!!

We have two rooms on hold, too! Waiting to find out from Phoebe's nurse if she can fit it in her social calendar? LOVE that it is going from PC which is only 2+ hours from home! Plus haven't been on the Wonder since the 2022 EB TA last May.

I forgot to add that we followed the signs leaving the Port via the tunnel. Then signs directing us toward 95N via I-395. As soon as we saw the Express Lanes sign we got in the left lane and booked it for home! Thank you, SunPass!

That's what I said before getting and staying in the Express lanes. By the time you know you need it, it's too late! 😭

Smack my head! They directed us to sit in the back on the far starboard side.

Phoebe's nurse Brittany is an 80's gal!

Yes! You would follow the 12A exit which is the FL Turnpike to the left leading to Alligator Alley. Or you could continue a little farther North and take I-595 West to Alligator alley which is also I-75 at that point.

😲 Wow! When we exited the parking garage the GPS kept directing us to the Turnpike. I saw a sign to I-95 North and said, let's get in the Express Lane. Glad for that luck and sorry you got caught in it. Wishing you well! I caught an Uber from our hotel at 7 AM on embarkation morning to head to Mass. Went to the next one available at 7:30 AM which was St. James in North Miami. It was in Creole! Loved the experience. Return trip I had the driver drop me at Starbucks to pick up breakfast sandwiches and coffee, which I brought back to the fam who were dressed and ready! This resulted in us leaving a little later than planned and getting stuck in that Biscayne Blvd madhouse, lol! Felt like I was driving in NYC with all the honking! Your pictures and description convinced me to try next trip! You had me at the Tri-fecta of "Tenderloin-Shrimp Cocktail- Key Lime Pie"! Love that area! So beautiful (and convenient). Ditto! We actually met Owen twice out and about. Once was on the elevator with his buddies. Brain fog, but I'm trying to remember if it was the one with the piano player? Very friendly and a natural conversationalist. Glad you made it home to those two beauties. This our first cruise without our lovely little chihuahua, Munch. OW! I feel your pain. Bad way to end travel. We had a few episodes near Miami where the GPS directed us onto the Turnpike. Only to return us to 95 South... With the Express Lanes on I-95 I'll not do the Turnpike again until 95 is closed. That was kind. As are you. I noticed every time you spoke to Phoebe she smiled at you. She knows things. I must say the experience was unexpected. Totally different than Phoebe's first cruise on Oasis where they were the ones suggesting it to us. I paid attention to how it was operated then. Hoping it was an oversight in training due to Covid shut-down and will be rectified for future. Glad the NYC subway system is a better alternative for Phoebe. We've used metro and buses in Philadelphia with mostly good results. Only had one incident in Philly where the people would not vacate the seats where the wheelchair must go. I did not hold it against them because they probably ride that bus every day and consider it their spot. I know, right? We felt the same when we stopped for gas. Immediately put heat on when we got back in the van.

The Quest was something I thought Phoebe would enjoy (it had been awhile since I had been) and I wasn't wrong! It was a scream! Such high energy! Ran into some Bella Cruisers and told them about the lift. We ended up being on Team 6 and I believe the Bella's were Team 2? They were waving at us from across the way, lol! Well, once again we get to the door of Studio B in advance and were told they don't have a wheelchair lift! What? Lol! Didn't we just do this dance yesterday? So I asked them to call Darwin to see. He responds, Yes, we are ready for Phoebe. So off we go! Everything is going just great... UNTIL? Phoebe is heading down the stairs, but a crew member sees that the end railing as been removed (as it must be for the lift to operate) and he puts it back! So Phoebe and Brittany bump into the railing which shorts out the lift and they are quite literally stuck! For about 20 minutes... Electricians and techs are working to free them. Eventually they disassembled part of the lift so Phoebe could be lifted out. After that repairs were quick and now more people know about how that system operates. So maybe... for the future - another guest will be able to sit down front and not be told this doesn't exist. Because for sure at least a dozen people know about it now, lol! And this is important for Team 6 because Phoebe generated points for our team for being the only person dressed head to toe in white for Dress your Best night!! (But conversely... I was pre-occupied with Phoebe being stuck and didn't run over to show my green underwear... which apparently I was the only one to have 'em on or fess up about it...so Team 6 got Zero points for that Quest, lol!) 😜

So fun fact! In Studio B there is a lift that will take a wheelchair and an attendant down to ice level or row 1 on the left side as you walk into the ice theatre. We arrived 30 minutes early with a reservation for "Frozen in Time" ice show only to be told that there is no "lift" and she had to sit in the back up top. I had Chantelle the SL concierge with me, but she had no idea either? So I said not only is there one I will show you where it is... So we walked over and there it was covered up in a vinyl dust cover and lucky for us, someone had a walkie talkie and called Darwin (the hero of our story) who came over and said yes, we can take her down to the wheelchair seating area. He actually had a few people watching him and learning how to operate this awesome device! Later I found out he has only been on Oasis for two months! Prior to getting Phoebe down there I walked down and realized they had taken off the Wheelchair companion signs on the adjoining seats, so I asked if people would mind moving over one seat and they were very gracious. Tom and I sat behind Phoebe in the 2nd row. Marco plays the "Emperor" in this production of Frozen in Time... and he is a King to me, for sure!

Missing the pub so we are making Dublin Iced Teas to ease back into real life…

A few images from the week with Phoebe... Silent Disco Fun! Laser Tag Team Winners! Stand-Up Comedy Show. The first comedian was hilarious!

Same here, Greg! Missed having more opportunities to chat with you and Linda. There were so many interesting people to talk to it was hard to make the rounds, lol! We would be honored if you would use some of her pictures. I am fixing to post a few more. While I was packing apparently she made an appearance at the Silent Disco in Bolero's and the Dark Haired Bass Player from Bon Jovi tribute band commented on her dance moves in the Music Hall by saying "Hey, I remember you!"

We are home! Finished packing at 2 AM, just as we were arriving into Miami. Got up 3 hours later to get ready to leave. Lovely SL Concierge, Chantelle met us at the elevators on Deck12 and to keep us and our 21 bags together. We were quickly off the Oasis and up to the top level of the parking garage to jenga-pack all our luggage into the mother ship for our journey home. I'd say we were on the road about 7:45 AM and home by 12:30 PM after one gas stop to fill the tank ($2.97/gal) and one for Wendy's to fill our tanks. First time we have left the ship hungry but we were on a mission to not get stuck anywhere in downtown Miami, especially after the embarkation traffic episode! We are unpacked. Laundry can wait until tomorrow. Just enjoying the mellow after-math of an EPIC week with Bella Cruisers! Want to thank everyone who were so very kind to us and our daughter, Phoebe! She was smiling all week. Little gifts like the blinky light ring from Laura at the Bon Jovi concert in the Music Hall. The golden Bella and the plush Bella from John were lovely and Phoebe kept little Bella tucked into the front strap of her wheelchair all the way home! Thinking you know someone from the boards is so very different then meeting the real people onboard a cruise. These people are smart and funny and kind and caring and talented and beautiful. Thank you for sharing your lives with us this week. Shout out to Ken - thank you for the cool playing cards, Sue (awesome Slot Pull organizer) - thank you for the door prizes and the gifts - even for the cheerleaders, John - thank you for the door magnet, the hand-crafted name tags, and the limoncello tasting (a first for us!). Plus the entire Cruise Critic group we had a chance to have time with at Schooner's and around the ship! Also wanted to send hugs to the people who were under the weather during our cruise. I am just now finding out about most of them since I could not keep up with the posts during the week. Yikes! Hope everyone is on the way to feeling better sooner than later. If it is okay I would like to post a smattering of pictures of what we did during the week, even though it is now at a close? Otherwise I can start a new short thread? Good Travels Everyone!

What a wild and wonderful week! This afternoon we capped it all off with ice skating for Phoebe! The crowd clapped when she got on and off the ice! Thank you to Chantelle, the Suite Lounge Concierge, Michelle the ice captain, and Marco who danced her around the ice. Long live the “Emperor”!

Heading to early dinner before the Ice Show… but we are ready for the 70’s party!

Off the ship in Roatan today! Phoebe enjoyed people watching and a taste of Miami Vice in a pineapple!

My dad was stationed at Quonset Point! Did you go to North Kingstown High School? That was a fantastic place to be a kid in the 70's! Loved it!