October 22, 2016- Live from the Royal Princess- Our teeny, tiny cruise to Mexico

[TracieABD]

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Sea Day! Sea Day! Sea Day! (Insert Monster Truck Voice here)

 

Good morning, friends-

 

So I am up and moving at 5 am. Bradley is still sleeping- so I crept up to the fitness center, in my jammies, to grab the fitness schedule, as I am interested in attending yoga. Yes, these would be the same "lucky-game-changing jammies" from January 2015. I always think that I will just sneak somewhere in my jammies and no one will notice, but of course, I always get busted. This morning it was by the world's most cheerful woman...

 

I returned to the room to don my walking gear- very quietly- in the dark- so as not to wake Bradley. I hiked it back up to the 18th deck to walk the track. It was a couple of guys and the deck crew and me. Nerd Alert! Nerd Alert! Nerd Alert! Sometimes when I am walking and listening to music, I like to practice my sign language skills. I am not fluent, but have somewhat passible skills- and it is like anything else, you have to practice. So I do this as I listen to music. And this works great- if I get the right song(s)- Like Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are". But this morning on my random shuffle I got Sir Mix-A-Lots' "Baby Got Back"; and Bare Naked Ladies "One Week". There are just so many ways to sign gluteus Maximus and there is so fast that I can sign. So for the entertainment of the deck crew- and without the crew hearing the music for reference, I must have looked like a big old amusing hot mess of a person! Arms flailing- face contortions- visible thinking--- I can only imagine. Oh well...

 

Two observations on the track-- one was this was the first time in four cruises on the Royal, I saw a large amount of soot. Certain puddles of water were black with soot- as the deck crew squeegeed it off of the deck. Ruh Roh! I am hoping that those in the aft cabins are not getting a lot of soot on their balconies. I have twice been in aft cabins on the Royal without noticeable soot- but there is a conspicuous lack of breeze this morning.

 

The other observation is the Walking/ Jogging directional words and arrows have been removed from the track. The lanes are still visible, but the words are not--- I was so confused! (OK- I am just kidding- I was not confused at all--) I am pretty sure you can walk or jog in either lane. The jogging police will not arrest you if you wander into the opposing lane. I walked my 3 miles and headed to the International Cafe.

 

... And this is where I encountered the first minor problem of the day. Forgive me if you have heard this before- but this is my truth- I don't drink. I don't smoke. I am careful with what kinds of food I put in my body. I don't gamble. My one vice is coffee. It is my only vice and I am super picky about how my coffee is prepared. (Let me add here- I complete recognize the difference between coffee and espresso-based drinks--- I use the word "coffee" universally- as I lazy and there are less letters in coffee than espresso) So I go to the IC to order my first non-fat iced latte of the day. This is one of biggest pet peeves- what in the world would ever possess someone to pour hot espresso over ice???? Seriously, people! All you get is a big, sloppy, lukewarm, watery mess. To make a decent iced latte- you pull the espresso- add the milk (skim, in my case)- and then add the ice. It's simple physics.

Not this morning though- so I actually asked them to remake it-- I caught a bit of attitude from the barista- and tried to joke it off by saying "Hey, at least you are not married to me". Nothing. Nada. Zip. But I did get my coffee made the way I like it, so I guess that counts for something. I will also have you know that I took one for the team and tried the Norman Love Nutella doughnut. Ummmmm... Not so much. It was the chewiest doughnut with a 1/4 cup of straight-up Nutella in center. I made it through 3 bites- It was just not my thing. But I tried it- and now I know- and now you know.

 

So I have now made my way to Deck 6 for a breakfast of fruit and yogurt- and then it is off to yoga. And you know what all of this feels like??? Yep. You guessed it! Vacation!

 

I guess I will cut here and turn my attention to my lovely little fruit boat with my hard-earned iced non-fat latte (made the right way!).

 

More later-

Tracie-Lynn :)

[CruiseKing]

Great Live From, thank you.We're on the 10 day after you. I almost hate to ask but will anyway:rolleyes: any chance on a list of the senior staff? TY

[Steelers0854]

Love your live froms Tracie, have a great time!

 

5 days on a cruise is always better than 5 days at work.

Edited October 23, 2016 by Steelers0854

[john_galt]

Great thread! We tried our first 5-day on Celebrity and flew to FFL a day early to make it a 6-day vacation. The extra pre-cruise day took all the stress out of embarkation day. No more getting up at 3:00am to make an early flight and arriving onboard thoroughly exhausted. We liked it so much that we did it again this year and scheduled a 6-day on the Crown for next April. The pre-cruise stay will make it a 7-day adventure without the beat-down of traveling on embarkation day.

[CATGUY7]

Enjoying this so much! Thank you!

[h3rjp]

I'm enjoying reading this! I like your writing style. [emoji3]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Mom33]

I like the spunky way you handled the airline agent. Kudos to you.

 

DD tried boarding a plane with a stroller when the gate agent tried to gate check it. My DD said she would put it under her seat. The agent told her it would never fit. DD and her DH made short work of closing it up and ended up with a back pack on his back.:D

They enjoyed the agents expression as they proceeded on the plane.

 

Enjoy your lattes the way they should be made.:) I have sent back a couple of mocha frappes because they were too watery.

 

Enjoy your vacation!:D

[#1Nanna]

I always enjoy the exciting, fun way you share your trips, thanks for taking the time to "bring me along".

We absolutely loved our 10 days on the Royal this past January!

Enjoy your cruise!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[spyro1952]

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Sea Day! Sea Day! Sea Day! (Insert Monster Truck Voice here)

 

Good morning, friends-

 

So I am up and moving at 5 am. Bradley is still sleeping- so I crept up to the fitness center, in my jammies, to grab the fitness schedule, as I am interested in attending yoga. Yes, these would be the same "lucky-game-changing jammies" from January 2015. I always think that I will just sneak somewhere in my jammies and no one will notice, but of course, I always get busted. This morning it was by the world's most cheerful woman...

 

I returned to the room to don my walking gear- very quietly- in the dark- so as not to wake Bradley. I hiked it back up to the 18th deck to walk the track. It was a couple of guys and the deck crew and me. Nerd Alert! Nerd Alert! Nerd Alert! Sometimes when I am walking and listening to music, I like to practice my sign language skills. I am not fluent, but have somewhat passible skills- and it is like anything else, you have to practice. So I do this as I listen to music. And this works great- if I get the right song(s)- Like Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are". But this morning on my random shuffle I got Sir Mix-A-Lots' "Baby Got Back"; and Bare Naked Ladies "One Week". There are just so many ways to sign gluteus Maximus and there is so fast that I can sign. So for the entertainment of the deck crew- and without the crew hearing the music for reference, I must have looked like a big old amusing hot mess of a person! Arms flailing- face contortions- visible thinking--- I can only imagine. Oh well...

 

Two observations on the track-- one was this was the first time in four cruises on the Royal, I saw a large amount of soot. Certain puddles of water were black with soot- as the deck crew squeegeed it off of the deck. Ruh Roh! I am hoping that those in the aft cabins are not getting a lot of soot on their balconies. I have twice been in aft cabins on the Royal without noticeable soot- but there is a conspicuous lack of breeze this morning.

 

The other observation is the Walking/ Jogging directional words and arrows have been removed from the track. The lanes are still visible, but the words are not--- I was so confused! (OK- I am just kidding- I was not confused at all--) I am pretty sure you can walk or jog in either lane. The jogging police will not arrest you if you wander into the opposing lane. I walked my 3 miles and headed to the International Cafe.

 

... And this is where I encountered the first minor problem of the day. Forgive me if you have heard this before- but this is my truth- I don't drink. I don't smoke. I am careful with what kinds of food I put in my body. I don't gamble. My one vice is coffee. It is my only vice and I am super picky about how my coffee is prepared. (Let me add here- I complete recognize the difference between coffee and espresso-based drinks--- I use the word "coffee" universally- as I lazy and there are less letters in coffee than espresso) So I go to the IC to order my first non-fat iced latte of the day. This is one of biggest pet peeves- what in the world would ever possess someone to pour hot espresso over ice???? Seriously, people! All you get is a big, sloppy, lukewarm, watery mess. To make a decent iced latte- you pull the espresso- add the milk (skim, in my case)- and then add the ice. It's simple physics.

Not this morning though- so I actually asked them to remake it-- I caught a bit of attitude from the barista- and tried to joke it off by saying "Hey, at least you are not married to me". Nothing. Nada. Zip. But I did get my coffee made the way I like it, so I guess that counts for something. I will also have you know that I took one for the team and tried the Norman Love Nutella doughnut. Ummmmm... Not so much. It was the chewiest doughnut with a 1/4 cup of straight-up Nutella in center. I made it through 3 bites- It was just not my thing. But I tried it- and now I know- and now you know.

 

So I have now made my way to Deck 6 for a breakfast of fruit and yogurt- and then it is off to yoga. And you know what all of this feels like??? Yep. You guessed it! Vacation!

 

I guess I will cut here and turn my attention to my lovely little fruit boat with my hard-earned iced non-fat latte (made the right way!).

 

More later-

Tracie-Lynn :)

 

I just disembarked from the Royal yesterday after the 2 wk TA and the baristas in the am are the worst. Not friendly, don't speak, stand there doing nothing as the lines snake down to Passenger services. I stood there for 10 mins one morning at 5:30 am waiting for someone to come out from the back - no apology nothing. Although this is not the only ship I've encountered this problem, but consistent on Royal.

[floridalover5623]

I just disembarked from the Royal yesterday after the 2 wk TA and the baristas in the am are the worst. Not friendly, don't speak, stand there doing nothing as the lines snake down to Passenger services. I stood there for 10 mins one morning at 5:30 am waiting for someone to come out from the back - no apology nothing. Although this is not the only ship I've encountered this problem, but consistent on Royal.

 

Do you recall any particular names?

[spyro1952]

Do you recall any particular names?

Yes, but I would not post an employee's name here given confidentiality and yes I did have a conversation with the F&B manager about it.

[floridalover5623]

Yes, but I would not post an employee's name here given confidentiality and yes I did have a conversation with the F&B manager about it.

 

Between the food & bad service for coffee it sounds like the cruise wasn't all that enjoyable.

[bvm49]

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Sea Day! Sea Day! Sea Day! (Insert Monster Truck Voice here)

 

Good morning, friends-

 

So I am up and moving at 5 am. Bradley is still sleeping- so I crept up to the fitness center, in my jammies, to grab the fitness schedule, as I am interested in attending yoga. Yes, these would be the same "lucky-game-changing jammies" from January 2015. I always think that I will just sneak somewhere in my jammies and no one will notice, but of course, I always get busted. This morning it was by the world's most cheerful woman...

 

I returned to the room to don my walking gear- very quietly- in the dark- so as not to wake Bradley. I hiked it back up to the 18th deck to walk the track. It was a couple of guys and the deck crew and me. Nerd Alert! Nerd Alert! Nerd Alert! Sometimes when I am walking and listening to music, I like to practice my sign language skills. I am not fluent, but have somewhat passible skills- and it is like anything else, you have to practice. So I do this as I listen to music. And this works great- if I get the right song(s)- Like Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are". But this morning on my random shuffle I got Sir Mix-A-Lots' "Baby Got Back"; and Bare Naked Ladies "One Week". There are just so many ways to sign gluteus Maximus and there is so fast that I can sign. So for the entertainment of the deck crew- and without the crew hearing the music for reference, I must have looked like a big old amusing hot mess of a person! Arms flailing- face contortions- visible thinking--- I can only imagine. Oh well...

 

Two observations on the track-- one was this was the first time in four cruises on the Royal, I saw a large amount of soot. Certain puddles of water were black with soot- as the deck crew squeegeed it off of the deck. Ruh Roh! I am hoping that those in the aft cabins are not getting a lot of soot on their balconies. I have twice been in aft cabins on the Royal without noticeable soot- but there is a conspicuous lack of breeze this morning.

 

The other observation is the Walking/ Jogging directional words and arrows have been removed from the track. The lanes are still visible, but the words are not--- I was so confused! (OK- I am just kidding- I was not confused at all--) I am pretty sure you can walk or jog in either lane. The jogging police will not arrest you if you wander into the opposing lane. I walked my 3 miles and headed to the International Cafe.

 

... And this is where I encountered the first minor problem of the day. Forgive me if you have heard this before- but this is my truth- I don't drink. I don't smoke. I am careful with what kinds of food I put in my body. I don't gamble. My one vice is coffee. It is my only vice and I am super picky about how my coffee is prepared. (Let me add here- I complete recognize the difference between coffee and espresso-based drinks--- I use the word "coffee" universally- as I lazy and there are less letters in coffee than espresso) So I go to the IC to order my first non-fat iced latte of the day. This is one of biggest pet peeves- what in the world would ever possess someone to pour hot espresso over ice???? Seriously, people! All you get is a big, sloppy, lukewarm, watery mess. To make a decent iced latte- you pull the espresso- add the milk (skim, in my case)- and then add the ice. It's simple physics.

Not this morning though- so I actually asked them to remake it-- I caught a bit of attitude from the barista- and tried to joke it off by saying "Hey, at least you are not married to me". Nothing. Nada. Zip. But I did get my coffee made the way I like it, so I guess that counts for something. I will also have you know that I took one for the team and tried the Norman Love Nutella doughnut. Ummmmm... Not so much. It was the chewiest doughnut with a 1/4 cup of straight-up Nutella in center. I made it through 3 bites- It was just not my thing. But I tried it- and now I know- and now you know.

 

So I have now made my way to Deck 6 for a breakfast of fruit and yogurt- and then it is off to yoga. And you know what all of this feels like??? Yep. You guessed it! Vacation!

 

I guess I will cut here and turn my attention to my lovely little fruit boat with my hard-earned iced non-fat latte (made the right way!).

 

More later-

Tracie-Lynn :)

 

Tracie-Lynn, we were pleased to meet you today at the M&G - love your detailed adventures onboard.:D

[TracieABD]

October 23, 2016

The Other Half of the Day at Sea

 

Hi Friends-

 

Guess what??? I am in terrible shape! I went to yoga this morning and struggled through the whole class. It was not a particularly challenging class- I am just sort of really soft around the middle parts. This stands as clear signal that I need to get off my duff and do something about it. I am certainly not getting any younger or fitter on my current plan. With this said, I plan to go to yoga tomorrow and the final sea day. That should be a pretty good jumping off point. Now it will be a matter of sustaining this when I get home.

 

I found Bradley in the Sanctuary. He was "sanctuating". Yep. That his his new word, mantra, philosophy. Sanctuate as much and as often as possible. So we sanctuated until around 11 when we returned to the cabin to shower and dress. We met Vickie (of Vickie_Bernie fame) for a nice lunch in the MDR. I had a salad and the carbonara (which was more like an Alfredo with bacon), Bradley had the same, and Vickie had the Chicken Korma-- with all of the condiments! We all skipped dessert. Bradley escaped and

 

Vickie and I continue our chat in the IC over coffees. At one point Bernie joined us for a bit. It was wonderful to catch up with them. This has been one of the best outcomes surrounding all of this social media... I have met people who I will probably know for the rest of my life on these and other boards. Big bonus!

 

Somewhere along the line, I think I passively talked her into the Meet and Greet. We were the first ones there- and I was so grateful to have a buddy. It's time for Fun Facts About Tracie: You may find this strange- but I am an introvert- who has to try to be an extrovert. Some times social situations are pretty challenging for me. Having Vickie, who is a super extrovert, there was a total godsend. No one opted to send letters to the cruise staff- so no officers attend- which was just fine. We had 21 members of our roll call present which was a pretty good number. We did have a nice chat- Thanks to Vickie for being the ultimate ice-breaker.

 

I left after about 30 minutes to wander around and poke my nose in the shops. And guess who I ran into poking his nose in the shops?? Yep. Bradley. We grabbed a coffee and headed back to the room. After a bit, I returned to the Sanctuary to sanctuate some more. I had a little tea, had a little sammich, had a little scone-- then fell asleep. I woke at 5 a little disoriented- and a little panicked.

 

Tonight was formal night, and I was nowhere close to being ready. Fortunately, I had done my hair earlier- and did not wake up with any weird hair lumps. Whew. I have terrible hair. It is not straight. It is not curly. It is naturally lumpy. And it is lumpier on one side more than the other. It is easier to get it straight than to get it to be evenly curly- so my flat iron is my bestie. I quick run-over with the flat iron- and it was back to being reasonably presentable. I dressed in a blouse and a water colour silk skirt- and then discovered that Bradley "forgot" to pack a jacket, long sleeve shirt, or a tie. Now, I know that this is a short Caribbean cruise, but I still like to stick to the rules. So Bradley put on his best Tommy Bahama shirt and some Dockers and we headed down to the MDR to see if we would be run out on a rail.

 

Nobody said a word. Nobody even stared. Fortunately, we are in the back of the bus- in a corner. Yes. I put Baby in a corner. And I have to say, there were a lot of suits, even a few tuxes. Oopsie- We ate and slinked (slunk?) out as inconspicuously as possible. Honestly, with the exception of Bradley, the men were actually better dressed that some of the women. (And that should get me in a little trouble).

 

After dinner, we wandered the ship, but did not light. Finally, we returned to the room- to participate in "Jammie time"! Bradley watched a movie and I messed around on the iPad. The Internet is abysmally slow- so we shall see if I can get this little ditty posted. Then it is off to bed for me!

 

No Formal Night Pictures for us,

Tracie-Lynn

[Colo Cruiser]

Slunk!

 

 

[freshair8]

really enjoying your blog Tracie.... thanks so much!

[Lucky TGO]

Good luck and have a great cruise. :)

Tony

[FraudBroad]

Imagine my glee when I check CC this morning and found your "Live from" thread....Whoopee!!!! So excited to hear all of your escapades!!!

 

Do think about the Royal TA next year from Barcelona to Lauderdale....would love to actually meet you in person!

 

Have a great trip doll!

 

Regards,

Natalie

[TracieABD]

October 24, 2016

Costa Maya, Mexico

 

Hi Friends, from not so sunny Mexico!

As you can tell from my salutation, the weather here is all over the place. It's sunny. It's hot. It's windy. It's cloudy. It's drizzling. It's side-ways raining. However, it is not snowing or icing- so all is good! And no matter the weather, it beats the heck out of work. :)

 

We may have a little "neighbor" problem... The neighbor we share an alcove with is not in chill mode to say the least. On our first night, she was in the hallway screaming (no, I am not exaggerating)-- screaming for a robe. "I paid for this cruise. I paid for a robe. I want a robe and I WANT IT NOW!" Okey, Dokey Veruca Salt. Most times ya' don't get a robe until day 2. It is just too hard to get them all laundered on Turn-Around Day. But no matter- she screamed at our steward, the other stewards. Oh! And the door slamming. Epic level - Joan Crawford-would-be-proud door slamming. Last night, we heard the husband demanding (really loudly) to separate the beds- and 9:45 pm. Oy. And this morning more door slamming and yelling. Holy Volume Control! This is the only reason that I am grateful this is a 5 day cruise.

 

So, needless to say, we may have woken a little cranky ourselves. But we are not yellers. We are those really low talking, over enunciators. If you did not know us, you probably would not be aware that we were off kilter. So we laid in bed and made a conscious decision not to following in the steps of the Bickersons. I hate that those kinds of moods can be contagious. I sort of wish they had a vaccine for that.

 

It was too rainy to go for our morning walk so we went to the buffet for breakfast. I had COW (Cream of Wheat- or fondly known below the Mason-Dixon Line as "Yankee Grits") and a latte. Bradley had a bunch of pineapple and bran muffins. He headed to the room and I went to yoga.

 

I did not do any better today in yoga than yesterday. I am not sure what's up with that, but I am taking this a clear signal that I need to be doing more to ensure good health as I get older. My flexibility is gone- and I have no balance- and let's not even start with my upper body strength--- Yikes. I have to believe that I can fix this shape I have allowed myself to get in...

 

After yoga, we packed it up to go to shore. I need to send you a little warning--- In the two years since we have been here, the port has changed drastically. The actual port area is so built up and commercialized. It is also a little like the Hotel California... It is super hard to find an exit to the street (and where the taxis are). If you do stop there- look for the green evacuation signs to get out of the touristy area. You can catch a cab almost anywhere on the coast for about $2 per person.

 

We really enjoy going to a small resort about 1.5 miles from port called the Tropicante. It is owned by Steve Uhl and it is one of the most chill places ever. Steve is an American ex-pat who decided to put out some beach chairs and make a little food for his guests. It has grown over the years, but still has that really personal feel. You feel like you are visiting a friend. The food and beverages are reasonably priced. For example, Bradley had the hugest platter of shrimp ceviche for about $16 US. He loved it, but there was no way that one person could eat all of those shrimps. Oh. And this was the small size... There is no fee for the chairs. They will bring you an umbrella and little tables. And you can get a decent 1 hour massage (al Fresco) for $30 US. We stayed for the entire gamut of weather, but after about 3.5 hours, decided to head back to the ship- just as the skies opened up. Good call.

As we were arriving back to the Hotel California of ports- the Carnival Magic was just arriving and disembarking their passengers. There was quite a fray of the Princess passengers return to ship and the Carnival passengers trying to eke some sun out of the day. I was glad to return to the ship as I was greasy and sandy and really wanted a shower.

 

Once we showered, I started the laundry. I have a ginormous pet peeve about people who leave their laundry in the the laundry room. No, I will not remove it from a washer or dryer to prove a point, but I can work up a bit of resentment against those who do. So I sat in the laundry and worked on my blog. Bradley returned to port to go find street tacos with carnitas. And why did I not use the Elite laundry privilege? On a five day cruise, there is just not enough time.

 

Speaking of Elite, here is the passenger break-out:

Total passengers: 3595

Blue: 1704

Gold: 569

Ruby: 302

Platinum: 683

Elite: 223

 

Kids under 18: 101

 

Most Travel Passenger: 1396 days

MTP Cut-off: 400 days

 

Also, I learned that helicopter was filming a commercial for Princess. They have been filming on board too- with a full on film crew. They spent the majority of the day filming in front of our stateroom yesterday. Something to do with the steward's cart. (Nope. Not kidding). The film crew is every where.... I guess we will have to be on the lookout for a new Princess commercial! I have been filmed professionally (twice) and have never seen a get-up quite like this- so many cameras and so much equipment. It is kind of exciting!

 

Another thing I have learned- someone else mentioned that behind the glass part of the mailboxes there are new gold colored panels. We asked a crew member what these are for, and he told us- sometime in the future, the mailboxes will be converted to touch screens. These panels are protecting the wiring that is in the walls. How Star Trek is that? I hope this actually pans out- as it would be a cool new touch.

 

I think this is where I will cut it for now-

 

Thanks for holding the umbrella whilst I type!

More later-

Tracie-Lynn :)

[FraudBroad]

You summed up Steve and Tropicante perfectly. Once of my favorite places to visit!

[medsed]

You summed up Steve and Tropicante perfectly. Once of my favorite places to visit!

 

It's one of our favorite places!!!

[cruiseintoheaven]

October 24, 2016

Costa Maya, Mexico

 

Hi Friends, from not so sunny Mexico!

As you can tell from my salutation, the weather here is all over the place. It's sunny. It's hot. It's windy. It's cloudy. It's drizzling. It's side-ways raining. However, it is not snowing or icing- so all is good! And no matter the weather, it beats the heck out of work. :)

 

We may have a little "neighbor" problem... The neighbor we share an alcove with is not in chill mode to say the least. On our first night, she was in the hallway screaming (no, I am not exaggerating)-- screaming for a robe. "I paid for this cruise. I paid for a robe. I want a robe and I WANT IT NOW!" Okey, Dokey Veruca Salt. Most times ya' don't get a robe until day 2. It is just too hard to get them all laundered on Turn-Around Day. But no matter- she screamed at our steward, the other stewards. Oh! And the door slamming. Epic level - Joan Crawford-would-be-proud door slamming. Last night, we heard the husband demanding (really loudly) to separate the beds- and 9:45 pm. Oy. And this morning more door slamming and yelling. Holy Volume Control! This is the only reason that I am grateful this is a 5 day cruise.

So, needless to say, we may have woken a little cranky ourselves. But we are not yellers. We are those really low talking, over enunciators. If you did not know us, you probably would not be aware that we were off kilter. So we laid in bed and made a conscious decision not to following in the steps of the Bickersons. I hate that those kinds of moods can be contagious. I sort of wish they had a vaccine for that.

 

It was too rainy to go for our morning walk so we went to the buffet for breakfast. I had COW (Cream of Wheat- or fondly known below the Mason-Dixon Line as "Yankee Grits") and a latte. Bradley had a bunch of pineapple and bran muffins. He headed to the room and I went to yoga.

 

I did not do any better today in yoga than yesterday. I am not sure what's up with that, but I am taking this a clear signal that I need to be doing more to ensure good health as I get older. My flexibility is gone- and I have no balance- and let's not even start with my upper body strength--- Yikes. I have to believe that I can fix this shape I have allowed myself to get in...

 

After yoga, we packed it up to go to shore. I need to send you a little warning--- In the two years since we have been here, the port has changed drastically. The actual port area is so built up and commercialized. It is also a little like the Hotel California... It is super hard to find an exit to the street (and where the taxis are). If you do stop there- look for the green evacuation signs to get out of the touristy area. You can catch a cab almost anywhere on the coast for about $2 per person.

 

We really enjoy going to a small resort about 1.5 miles from port called the Tropicante. It is owned by Steve Uhl and it is one of the most chill places ever. Steve is an American ex-pat who decided to put out some beach chairs and make a little food for his guests. It has grown over the years, but still has that really personal feel. You feel like you are visiting a friend. The food and beverages are reasonably priced. For example, Bradley had the hugest platter of shrimp ceviche for about $16 US. He loved it, but there was no way that one person could eat all of those shrimps. Oh. And this was the small size... There is no fee for the chairs. They will bring you an umbrella and little tables. And you can get a decent 1 hour massage (al Fresco) for $30 US. We stayed for the entire gamut of weather, but after about 3.5 hours, decided to head back to the ship- just as the skies opened up. Good call.

As we were arriving back to the Hotel California of ports- the Carnival Magic was just arriving and disembarking their passengers. There was quite a fray of the Princess passengers return to ship and the Carnival passengers trying to eke some sun out of the day. I was glad to return to the ship as I was greasy and sandy and really wanted a shower.

 

Once we showered, I started the laundry. I have a ginormous pet peeve about people who leave their laundry in the the laundry room. No, I will not remove it from a washer or dryer to prove a point, but I can work up a bit of resentment against those who do. So I sat in the laundry and worked on my blog. Bradley returned to port to go find street tacos with carnitas. And why did I not use the Elite laundry privilege? On a five day cruise, there is just not enough time.

 

Speaking of Elite, here is the passenger break-out:

Total passengers: 3595

Blue: 1704

Gold: 569

Ruby: 302

Platinum: 683

Elite: 223

 

Kids under 18: 101

 

Most Travel Passenger: 1396 days

MTP Cut-off: 400 days

 

Also, I learned that helicopter was filming a commercial for Princess. They have been filming on board too- with a full on film crew. They spent the majority of the day filming in front of our stateroom yesterday. Something to do with the steward's cart. (Nope. Not kidding). The film crew is every where.... I guess we will have to be on the lookout for a new Princess commercial! I have been filmed professionally (twice) and have never seen a get-up quite like this- so many cameras and so much equipment. It is kind of exciting!

 

Another thing I have learned- someone else mentioned that behind the glass part of the mailboxes there are new gold colored panels. We asked a crew member what these are for, and he told us- sometime in the future, the mailboxes will be converted to touch screens. These panels are protecting the wiring that is in the walls. How Star Trek is that? I hope this actually pans out- as it would be a cool new touch.

 

I think this is where I will cut it for now-

 

Thanks for holding the umbrella whilst I type!

More later-

Tracie-Lynn :)

 

I read this post over the course of 3 or 4 stop lights on my way home.....you have such a fun way of bringing us all along with you! Regarding your neighbors.....oh my word.....reminds me of a few years ago, we met up with a couple and had instant rapport - I'm Italian and know how to deliver a dead fish or horse head when needed, and they were the epitome of upstate NY Italians ( I can say this as I am/was one). Things were fine until "Frank" started ripping at his tux on formal evening and griping about the whole GD formal night to his wife "Linda" and then proceeded to narrate a list of former friends and business associates that were "dead to him" etc. The following morning we received a frantic call in our cabin from "Linda" saying Frank had gotten off the ship without her, and taken her ID, cruise card, wallet....we were tasked with finding "Frank" and arranging an airing of the grievances and makeup session. We opted not to hang out with them much after that.

 

Anywho, thanks for the live from.....very enjoyable read!

[Host CJSKIDS]

Tracie, so glad you are having such a great time!! Enjoying tagging long with you!

 

Next time let me know when you will be in Fort Lauderdale, I would have come up!

Edited October 25, 2016 by cjskids

[Sadebud]

Hi Tracie,

 

I have been following your blogs for a while now (just coming out from lurking as they were all binge readings...this is my first LIVE live), I love your style and commentary! I was happy to sign on yesterday and see your latest and wanted to thank you! Your blog is helping me pass the time till we board the Crown in January down in Rio.

 

Incidentally, you are one of the reasons we chose the Crown around South America. DH and I were booked on the Grand in January for Hawaii, just the two of us, when my parents decided to book the Crown and go around Cape Horn (bucket list for Dad) and asked us if we'd like to join them. Well, it is a bucket list for me too, and I had just finished reading your "last hoorah cruise" and subsequent Panama Canal Christmas cruise, and we decided that we should (and we WANT to) cruise with my parents while they (and we) are still able to. Because you never know. We have done 4 TAs with my parents, and they have all been great trips...we are just adding one more! Thank you for reminding us. And FWIW, I am sorry for the loss of your Mom.

 

Sadebud (aka Tracy too)

[TracieABD]

October 25, 2016

Cozumel, Mexico

 

Best. Day. EVER!

 

Hi Friends-

 

Let me finish up where I left off last night. Once I finished the laundry, Bradley and I headed back off the ship to find street taco's (for him) and churros (for me). Bradley one the day... Me? Not so much- That is fine- It is probably 500 calories that I can live without.

 

He found a little street taco stand and ordered a couple of tacos con carnitas. They were good, but we have a pretty authentic place close to our house in Charlotte- and I guess they were similar. The churro place was all out- but I could have a doughnut? Nope. I was chasing the churro- but to no avail.

 

After that, we headed back onto the ship and went right to tea on Deck 6. We had a couple of little sandwiches and a scone- with all the fixin's. I know that some have said that Princess tea is not "genuine", and to be honest- I would not know the difference. But I like it. I just love me an afternoon snack.

 

I went to meet with some friends, and Bradley returned to the room to watch movies and sort of recoup. At 5:30, we headed down to dinner. I had the beef satay, a salad, and the surprisingly fabulous Curtis Stone Chicken and Leek pie. It was stand-out good! Bradley had the satay, a salad, and a seafood soup/stew thing- that he enjoyed- but said it was a bit lukewarmish. Of course, he enjoys his food scalding- both in temperature and in spice. We both had the frozen praline parfait- and it was delicious- especially the almond brittle garnish.

 

Last night they also opened the EFFY boutique. You could not get near it- I am serious, people ere spilling out into the common areas of the Atrium, just chomping at the bit- so to speak. We did not even attempt.

 

We ended the day by watching old episodes of Love Boat- Bradley had never seen it before- and whilst he initially poo-poo'd the idea- he was soon hooked, just like the rest of us. Last night, Loretta Switt regaled us with a thick Russian accent- as she slinked it up to catch the eye of Dr. Bricker. As I have said before, these people have the morals of unruly bunnies. Wow! Seriously, people- go on at least 3 or 4 dates before you get to the deed. Really now. My latest hobby is making "sleeve puppets" (pull your long sleeves over your hands to make a sock-like puppet). You have two sleeve- two puppets!!!! This morning I did a brilliant sleeve puppet reenactment of the conversation between "Annushka and Adam" for Bradley's edification. I am pretty sure the other 50 or so people in the Atrium think I am plain nuts. But just in case you are curious, it goes like this:

Adam: <gazing into Anya's eyes> Anya, I have never met a woman like you.

Anya: <with a very thick Russian accent> Adeem, call me Annushka. In Soviet Union, that is the way you say my name with love. <Tone is pretty demanding>

Adam: Annushka, leave the Soviet Union. Join me here.

Anya: I cen't leaf my beloved Soviet Union. I am high renking Commander. Your government is too proletarian.

Adam: Annushka, If I were to get married for a fifth time (5 times??? Commitment issue much????) It would be to you, my love.

Anya: So long, Comrade.

 

Of course, in my rendition- my Russian accent is the same as my Spanish accent, my German accent, or my Scottish accent. All bad. None are even close to the mark.

 

... And that friends is how we began our morning- with me regaling Bradley with Love Boat sleeve puppet vignettes. Oh. Throw in a Spanish frittata (isn't that like mixing metaphors?) and a latte or two- and that is what it looked like.

 

Speaking of lattes, I did have to gently offer instructions once again regarding not pouring hot espresso over ice. Even the guy next to me in line was like, "Really? You have to tell them that?" I said, "Yep. This is day two. His comment was,"More than once- shameful.". I agree. Completely. Also, this is a pretty cheerless batch of people. It would not kill them to muster a smile. Just a little tiny smile...

 

Today, we broke our cardinal rule about ship's excursions. Because this was such a last minute cruise for us, we did not have a ton of time to research. So we selected the Fury Catamaran Snorkle and Beach Adventure. And then almost canceled it 853 times. Just the thought of wearing the orange sticker of shame makes me shudder. But we did not have to have the sticker of shame!!! We were told to get off the ship- find the tour number- and go. We did just that, and were directed to walk about a 100 feet and board the Fury 2. The crew of the cat were really into it. The drinks (margaritas, beer, soda, and water) were all included in the price. Our first stop was snorkeling, There are such pretty fish- and while we have our C-Cards- we don't dive much anymore. In Cozumel- you can see plenty from the surface- so diving is not necessary. We spent about 45 minute to an hour in the water- and then the cat came to us. Boarding was super easy- all-in-all, it was a lovely snorkel.

 

Once we were all aboard, we headed about 25 minutes away to their section of a private beach. Once again, the drinks were included, but the only food available was freshly grilled burgers with potato salad and macaroni salad. It was $11 US. Before we tucked into lunch, we used the complementary floaties, the stand-up paddle boards (well, that was just me- my balance is a bit better than Bradley's), the kayaks, beach chairs and hammocks. The have a super fun inflatable bouncy water playground- we did do that, though it can be a bit challenging to get up on the different apparatus. Bradley had to help me get up on one of the platforms so we could go down the slide together. I have the lightly skinned knees to prove it. Another couple was attempting at the same time, but the wife just could not do it. Instead of helping her, the husband berated her by saying, "You are embarrassing me!". Dude, chill- it is a water playground- not your job evaluation. I felt bad for her. She looked sad.

 

You can also have a massage, rent jet skis, ride horses, etc- all for an extra fee. We did decide to split a burger and have macaroni salad (very bland). We skipped the potato salad for obvious reasons- (you only have to mayonnaise-related food poisoning once- Right? Can I get an Amen here, people?

 

Before we knew it, it was time to get back on the catamaran to head back to the ship. On the way back, the sun was shining, the drinks were flowing, and the music was playing. The couple sitting next to us- I shall call them "Bust-A-Move" got up and started to perform some serious Latin dance. They were actually good- and that, my friends, got the whole party started! We sang and line-danced and laughed- all the way back to port. Once we docked, Bradley and I looked at each other and utter words that I NEVER thought would come out of my mouth..."I wish this had been longer". No matter, they threw us off the ship. We wandered around the Port of Cozumel, but just could not get down with the hard-sell. We returned to ship and immediately headed up to the beloved Sanctuary. We ordered a mess of food, then swam- or maybe it was the other way around. Finally, Bradley headed down to nap- and I stuck around to write and have tea.

 

Let me just add a word or two about tea in the Sanctuary- Wow! Perfect! This was the second time- and Wow! Perfect! And as if scones were not enough (Because it's all about the scones, 'bout the scones, with jelly-- sing to All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor-- really it works, today they had lovely chocolate macaroons. And sun. And sea. And a scooshy chair with my name on it! What could be better?

 

And now I am back in the room- getting ready to scrub the sunscreen of the day off myself- in order to get ready to go... eat again!

 

Anyone want to join us for dinner?

More later, friends!

 

Tracie-Lynn :)