(Slightly less so) Cheapo dad's trip report on Independence of the Seas

[harryfat1]

So who is ready to take a digression break? Tired of looking at the beach and water of the Caribbean? How about some rock pictures from Arizona from our summer road trip?

 

In essence those are rhetorical questions as we are heading that direction regardless how you answered it. Guess you can just skip this next post or two if rocks don’t interest you but the ADHD in me is looking for something non cruise to talk about.

 

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Standing in line waiting to decent down to the canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SenatorsFan]

Those colours. Those rocks. Just beautiful! :)

Heather

[harryfat1]

 

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

Those colours. Those rocks. Just beautiful!

Heather

 

Haha, I knew you would be the first (if not only) person to comment on these rock pictures.

 

Yes, the place is amazing. It's pretty funny as when everyone first goes in, they all have cell phones and cameras and they all try to take pictures of the area but they don't know to take pictures above or below or in front them. It's not just one spot to focus on. It's all around you. Maybe a 360 pano picture would have been better.

 

Typical reaction on what picture to take:

 

 

 

 

Steep stairs

 

 

Last one from here. Climbing out. Yes, that is the actual exit from the canyon below. You squeeze through this opening to come back

 

[SenatorsFan]

Someday I hope to see this for myself; it's just breathtaking. I also liked the picture of everyone's feet at Labadee.

Heather

[cruisemeister8]

For me, this is THE PICTURE of the cruise. I like the picture of the ship from a higher perspective in the hills.

So this is it. Front page picture. I'm sure by the end of this trip report, others will disagree that this should be front page picture.

 

I agree. Front Page Picture. I LOVE these shots, too. We've always been so busy at Labadee, we've never been out to that front end of the peninsula to see the dragon's breath rock. #travelgoals I've gone up the hill in the middle to get The Front Page Shot back when the ships anchored in the bay. Since that's the only high spot I knew of, it worked to capture Allure at the dock, too. These places make for such beautiful ship shots, I've got my pictures enlarged and framed on the wall! Now I'll have to try to get out on "Harry's hill" when there is a next time at Labadee. Thanks for the inspiration! (And yes, I think the new letters are cute, too. I like both photo angles: with and without!)

 

You had another picture with comfy looking loungers out in that area. Is that another one of those suite-class areas? Surely they wouldn't let us lowly riff-raff sit on anything with padding.

[cruisemeister8]

 

 

I've seen this before, somewhere????? Isn't there some famous photograph of this sun streak that's supposed to be a ghost or something?? Maybe I've just got sunstroke from our virtual day at Labadee, and I'm not thinking right. But do tell. Where is this place in Arizona again?

[Dixie1337]

Would love to know where this canyon is in Arizona!

[JamesEM]

I've seen this before, somewhere????? Isn't there some famous photograph of this sun streak that's supposed to be a ghost or something?? Maybe I've just got sunstroke from our virtual day at Labadee, and I'm not thinking right. But do tell. Where is this place in Arizona again?

 

National Geographic, can not recall this issue at this time.

[harryfat1]

I've seen this before, somewhere????? Isn't there some famous photograph of this sun streak that's supposed to be a ghost or something?? Maybe I've just got sunstroke from our virtual day at Labadee, and I'm not thinking right. But do tell. Where is this place in Arizona again?

 

Would love to know where this canyon is in Arizona!

 

The place is lower antelope canyon in Page Arizona. Google it and you will find thousands of pictures. It's about 300 miles outside of Las Vegas. I have more pictures of other sights from the area to show later in the trip report (shameless preview of upcoming attractions).

 

As for the light, they show it as a rare occurrence in the tour books where you get the perfect light through some holes above the canyon and if you throw some sand dust on it, it's like a column of light from God shining down on you. They have photography tours during the non summer months where they take people there and they set up their tripods waiting for the perfect sunlight angle for those magazine cover shots.

 

Can't get those in the summer months where you have tens of thousands of people coming through non stop. That was the best light I was able to capture on our tour.

[harryfat1]

I agree. Front Page Picture. I LOVE these shots, too. We've always been so busy at Labadee, we've never been out to that front end of the peninsula to see the dragon's breath rock. #travelgoals I've gone up the hill in the middle to get The Front Page Shot back when the ships anchored in the bay. Since that's the only high spot I knew of, it worked to capture Allure at the dock, too. These places make for such beautiful ship shots, I've got my pictures enlarged and framed on the wall! Now I'll have to try to get out on "Harry's hill" when there is a next time at Labadee. Thanks for the inspiration! (And yes, I think the new letters are cute, too. I like both photo angles: with and without!)

 

You had another picture with comfy looking loungers out in that area. Is that another one of those suite-class areas? Surely they wouldn't let us lowly riff-raff sit on anything with padding.

 

I have no idea who is supposed to sit in those loungers. They were "just there" as we walk by coming back from the hill taking "the picture". Not a single person nearby. Maybe I should have at least sit on it to say I was part of the elite class for 2 seconds...

[BillOh]

We then headed over to the water front area where they had built the new “Labadee” sign. Well, new to us. It wasn’t there back in December 2014. I’m sure someone will chime in with the exact date it was built. It reminds of me of the Disneyland/California Adventure style lettering.

 

It was there late April of 2015.

[jimbri]

The photos of Arizona are amazing! Thank you.

[bobmacliberty]

Same as our visit from last time, the gate to the end of the road is closed. I assume that gate has not been opened for many years? Anyone ever been on the other side?

 

 

 

The gate wasn't there on our first visit to Labadee in 2010. I'm guessing, same as the previous poster, that someone got hurt and now no one can get out there for safety reasons. Here's what it looked like in 2010.

 

 

 

[Canadian1]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the kind words and following along another trip report. Glad I am able to help again.

 

The cold is getting better slowly. Hoping to kick all the symptoms by Monday but you know sometimes these things just lingers. Thanks for caring.

 

The cruise director's name is Mark. Don't know his last name but I am sure someone will chime in soon enough. Think I heard him saying on the morning TV that he will leave for the Symphony?

 

They have that list where they tell you all the important people's name in the daily compass but I tossed mine before coming home. Only brought home the daily compass as typically people ask about those but since our cruise is a super special cruise, it's an unicorn cruise for the Indy and nobody that will sail on Indy cares about it.

 

 

Have a great cruise next month.

Thanks for the downlow.... according to another poster he seems to be leaving at the end of January. I'll have to see if I can find the website that lists which director is on what ship. We had a really good one one the Freedom last January so I'm hoping my luck holds out on this class of ship!

 

Also, it's Monday so I hope the cold is mostly gone now [emoji106]

[momoftwo11]

Harry, thank you so much for taking us along on your voyage. Love your writing style! All pics are wonderful (including the canyon) but I vote for the feet picture! Would even make a nice photo card for next holiday. Thanks again!!

 

 

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[joand452]

Love, love, love your Grand Canyon photos, Harry! I’ll have to look at our photos of our first trip to Labadee in 2005, when it was a tender port. I’m pretty sure we walked out to the dragon rock. I’d love to find the path you took.

 

There have been a few cruises where we haven’t even gotten off the ship in Labadee. We typically cruise in early spring, so the water has been chilly for these two old bodies. We can get some prime seats in the Solarium then!

 

 

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[harryfat1]

I agree. Front Page Picture. I LOVE these shots, too. We've always been so busy at Labadee, we've never been out to that front end of the peninsula to see the dragon's breath rock. #travelgoals I've gone up the hill in the middle to get The Front Page Shot back when the ships anchored in the bay. Since that's the only high spot I knew of, it worked to capture Allure at the dock, too. These places make for such beautiful ship shots, I've got my pictures enlarged and framed on the wall! Now I'll have to try to get out on "Harry's hill" when there is a next time at Labadee. Thanks for the inspiration! (And yes, I think the new letters are cute, too. I like both photo angles: with and without!)

 

You had another picture with comfy looking loungers out in that area. Is that another one of those suite-class areas? Surely they wouldn't let us lowly riff-raff sit on anything with padding.

 

I also like this picture but this is "easy picture" as you didn't have to do anything to get the picture. Just walk up. I somehow cherish the picture(s) that we had to do a little more work to get it.

 

Yeah, by all means, walk up there and take a picture in the afternoon. Totally dead up there. We didn't see a single person at the hill.

 

 

Or this one at a slight angle is interesting as well

 

 

Or maybe the one from San Juan. This picture would be cool if taken 2 hours later with a darker background

 

[harryfat1]

It was there late April of 2015.

 

Thanks for the info. Good to know.

 

Speaking of Disney's CA Adventure, here is a picture of what I was referring to. Had to go WAY back to 10+ years in the archive to find this picture.

 

As in all things Disney, they do things on a grand scale. Look how big the letters are

 

[harryfat1]

The gate wasn't there on our first visit to Labadee in 2010. I'm guessing, same as the previous poster, that someone got hurt and now no one can get out there for safety reasons. Here's what it looked like in 2010.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the pictures. It would have been cool to walk out there and be close to the rocks. Unless they re-open the area, you have one of the more rare picture down the road

[harryfat1]

Thanks for the downlow.... according to another poster he seems to be leaving at the end of January. I'll have to see if I can find the website that lists which director is on what ship. We had a really good one one the Freedom last January so I'm hoping my luck holds out on this class of ship!

 

Also, it's Monday so I hope the cold is mostly gone now [emoji106]

 

Thanks for following up on the cold. It's 98% gone, just that lingering cough every once in awhile.

 

I believe Mark is leaving for Symphony so you will have someone else on your cruise.

[harryfat1]

The photos of Arizona are amazing! Thank you.

 

Harry, thank you so much for taking us along on your voyage. Love your writing style! All pics are wonderful (including the canyon) but I vote for the feet picture! Would even make a nice photo card for next holiday. Thanks again!!

 

 

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Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it. Words like this keeps me going onto the next chapter.

[harryfat1]

Love, love, love your Grand Canyon photos, Harry! I’ll have to look at our photos of our first trip to Labadee in 2005, when it was a tender port. I’m pretty sure we walked out to the dragon rock. I’d love to find the path you took.

 

There have been a few cruises where we haven’t even gotten off the ship in Labadee. We typically cruise in early spring, so the water has been chilly for these two old bodies. We can get some prime seats in the Solarium then!

 

 

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We don't cruise often so every port is important/valuable to our vacation. Maybe someday when we have been there enough times, we will stay on the ship as well.

[harryfat1]

Think everybody is tire of seeing Labadee. Especially the veteran cruisers. So even though I have more pictures, I will cut back on how many more to show:

 

 

 

 

 

 

MUST HAVE WASHY WASHY!!!

 

[harryfat1]

 

 

Walking back to the cabins, saw these folks' decoration for their doors. WOW