Serenade of the Seas picture heavy fun review–12 day Med cruise incl DIY port trips!

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

10

:)getting a little more aquainted with the new camera...at least we seem to communicate in the same language now --- just my photo tech vocabulary needs to be pimped. "Weißabgleich", "Iso" and "Shutter Geschwindigkeit" do still confuse the heck out of me....but I'm working on it. Our poor neighbors were afraid we wanted to sell our house, since they caught me taking "practice pictures" of it yesterday:D. We assured them, that we wouldn't go anywhere and all was good again:rolleyes:.

 

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

9

 

:Dwhoohoo, down to the single digits:D!

 

Stef

[kirian]

9

 

:Dwhoohoo, down to the single digits:D!

 

Stef

 

SINGLE DIGITS!!!!! It's getting super close now! I think we are all "almost" as excited as you are....lol!

 

Melissa

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

8

 

:)running around grinning like a maniac.

[Irish Cath]

SINGLE DIGITS!!!!! It's getting super close now! I think we are all "almost" as excited as you are....lol!

 

Melissa

 

8

 

:)running around grinning like a maniac.

 

yep, I for one am so excited I had to go and start my own review just to keep my mind occupied until you get back.

 

Just think, tomorrow week you'l only have one more sleep until your there :D

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

7

:ponly one more week:p!

 

doing laundry as if I'm planning for a world cruise...no way I can take all of those clothes with me. But only 4 shoes like Irishcath was limited to (poor you)for her 12 nighter....not happening! Gotta snatch some room from Tarik's trolley again:rolleyes:.

 

Stef

[xxHadleyxx]

One week! Now THAT is a good feeling!

[denisey]

7

:ponly one more week:p!

 

doing laundry as if I'm planning for a world cruise...no way I can take all of those clothes with me. But only 4 shoes like Irishcath was limited to (poor you)for her 12 nighter....not happening! Gotta snatch some room from Tarik's trolley again:rolleyes:.

 

Stef

 

This will be good practice for Tarik for when he is married!

 

I can't wait to hear about your adventures and I hope you find some Pandas in Scotland to show us!

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

6

 

lol -- have no fear, I believe the Panda density in Scotland and or Ireland ain't that high:D. But who knows what else we'll find....I almost burst from all the excitement:D. Tanja told me yesterday she'll start packing her stuff today. She ...NEVER!!! ... packs before the last possible day...so I guess she's getting more and more excited as well:) Usually I end up doing most of her packing:rolleyes:. As long as her new enthusiasm doesn't interfere with MY packing I think that's pretty cool:).

 

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

5

 

last two full days of work today and tomorrow, then only half a day on saturday and then I don't have to work for three weeks in a row. :cool:Yeah:cool:!

 

:oPoor Tanja still has to work on monday...but it's getting oh so close as well.

 

...if only I could find those -lost in the universe- seabands, argh! But I haven't given up yet!

 

Stef

[denisey]

5

 

last two full days of work today and tomorrow, then only half a day on saturday and then I don't have to work for three weeks in a row. :cool:Yeah:cool:!

 

:oPoor Tanja still has to work on monday...but it's getting oh so close as well.

 

...if only I could find those -lost in the universe- seabands, argh! But I haven't given up yet!

 

Stef

 

Poor Tanja!

 

The best way to find a lost item is to buy a replacement! That happens to me all the time!

 

I can't wait to hear about your adventures!

[Cruisie Girl]

Stef, check your suitcases for the sea bands, it is where I usually find the "lost" travel items since it is usually the last place I look after buying replacement items.

 

Love this review of your Serenade cruise. I will be on her for a transatlantic from Boston to Copenhagen April 2015 followed by a Sept 2015 Explorer Med cruise with many of the stops you made on this trip. Best of both worlds for me.

 

I enjoy reading your family stories and I especially love that you tell your travel mistakes and how to correct them. I am taking notes since my travel companions and I will most likely be doing our own thing at most ports just like you did.

 

Have a wonderful vacation and I look forward to reading all about it. Ireland and Scotland are beautiful.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Cruisie Girl

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

4

 

Tarik is my hero! He gave me HIS seabands, since he says he doesn't need them anyway (my little sailor:):p). Mine stay lost in a black hole (yep, also checked the suitcases)...

 

I also seem to have stashed away all of Tarik's boxer shorts:eek:...so he'd be sure to have his favourite ones for the cruise...there comes a time in a kid's life where regular undies just don't do it anymore I guess:rolleyes:.....and now I cannot for the life of me find those already laid aside boxers...All three of us searched the whole house yesterday....I'm convinced we have a black hole now. Loosing a whole pack of boxers is otherwise unexplainable:o...Today we're off to buy new boxers...Sigh!

 

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

thanks Denisey and Cruisie Girl!

 

Can't wait for our adventure to start now. Just back from town with new boxershorts:o. Also got gifts for two ghosts:D (lol -- wait to hear about it in the new review:D).

 

Stef

[kirian]

 

I also seem to have stashed away all of Tarik's boxer shorts:eek:...so he'd be sure to have his favourite ones for the cruise...there comes a time in a kid's life where regular undies just don't do it anymore I guess:rolleyes:.....and now I cannot for the life of me find those already laid aside boxers...All three of us searched the whole house yesterday....I'm convinced we have a black hole now. Loosing a whole pack of boxers is otherwise unexplainable:o...Today we're off to buy new boxers...Sigh!

 

Stef

 

Maybe things like bills will start falling into the black hole and you won't have to pay them.... wouldn't that be awesome :D

 

Melissa

[crvng4mr]

Maybe things like bills will start falling into the black hole and you won't have to pay them.... wouldn't that be awesome :D

 

Melissa

 

:D I want that kind of black hole at my house!!!!

[windjamming]

:D I want that kind of black hole at my house!!!!

 

Just as long as it's a black hole and not a wormhole. I adore Stef and her crew, but I draw the line at having her bills (and Tarik's boxers) dropping suddenly into my living room.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Just as long as it's a black hole and not a wormhole. I adore Stef and her crew, but I draw the line at having her bills (and Tarik's boxers) dropping suddenly into my living room.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

:D:D:D that made me almost spill my coffee :D:D:D Still laughing like crazy imagining strangely familiar flying boxershorts in your living room halfway around the world. Lol -- I believe I'll be runnning around grinning all day now. Thank you!

 

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

3

 

today is my big house cleaning day... just 2 hours of vet work left and then I want to get this place presentable for my poor parents who'll take over the house together with all the animals once we`re gone. Housecleaning isn't really my most desired pasttime, but with Windjammings fun comment in mind, at least I can get it done with a grin on my face:).

 

Stef

[kirian]

Just as long as it's a black hole and not a wormhole. I adore Stef and her crew, but I draw the line at having her bills (and Tarik's boxers) dropping suddenly into my living room.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

:D that made me almost spill my coffee :D:D:D Still laughing like crazy imagining strangely familiar flying boxershorts in your living room halfway around the world. Lol -- I believe I'll be runnning around grinning all day now. Thank you!

 

Stef

 

I love it when someone besides me mentions a wormhole in casual conversation. Half the time, I don't think my friends actually know when I'm talking about but just play along as if they have a clue what the heck a wormhole is :eek::D

 

Melissa

[Irish Cath]

3

 

today is my big house cleaning day... just 2 hours of vet work left and then I want to get this place presentable for my poor parents who'll take over the house together with all the animals once we`re gone. Housecleaning isn't really my most desired pasttime, but with Windjammings fun comment in mind, at least I can get it done with a grin on my face:).

 

Stef

 

Hope the cleaning went well. Just wanted to take a moment to say how lucky you are to have such wonderful parents to take over the running of things. My parents do something similar when we go away and I often wonder what would we do without them ! Not everyone is as blessed as us.

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Hope the cleaning went well. Just wanted to take a moment to say how lucky you are to have such wonderful parents to take over the running of things. My parents do something similar when we go away and I often wonder what would we do without them ! Not everyone is as blessed as us.

 

Hey Cath,

 

the cleaning didn't really advance the way I planned to. We pretty much spent all day getting the electric fence for the sheep to work again. Will still have some "farm" stuff to do today...Argh, that leaves only monday for the housecleaning since we'll be busy packing on Tuesday and then are off to a last minute birthday party. I can't wait to be on the cruise and start relaxing.

 

and you're sooo right. I definitely adore my parents for helping us out....otherwise there would be no way for us to go on ANY vacation whatsoever. And they really have a load full of our critters to take care of. Here's a big Hoooray for all the great people who help out when needed just because they love you. Cheers to all of you! You rock!

 

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

2

 

oh my god -- so close I'm close to hyperventilating

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

:eek:1:eek:

 

okay folks, I'll take my leave now, since there's so much stuff still to organize. Have fun while we're gone and I hope to see you all after we return. I'll post a link here to get to the new review then.

 

over and out -- Stef

[Wriggler]

Hi Stef

 

I know you won't see this til you're back but just to let you know I hope you all have an amazing time.

 

I've just caught up with all the posts after coming back from our trip on Independence. It was a great holiday, as ever - and hope you have an equally great time.

 

Take care

 

Carol x