LIVE #queensonthehighseas Rhapsody of the Seas 12/29: A New Years Cruise Extravaganza

[cruisinfromtampa]

Hello All!

 

Welcome to my LIVE(ish) Review/Trip Report/New Years Extravaganza!  To say that I am looking forward to this trip would be a huge understatement. The last 10 days have been absolutely BRUTAL.  I spent 4 days in Chicago with 100 high schoolers (and 17 of their parents, who require more supervision than the children), landed at midnight Sunday, got them all reunited and home, got myself home for 5 hours of sleep before leaving for Christmas with my in-laws early Monday morning, followed by a flight to Central PA for Christmas with my family.  I landed back home in Tampa 2 hours ago, and am basically a souffle at this point...borderline on the verge of collapse.  BUT!  We sail away tomorrow, and there's a full night of sleep in my future...assuming I get all of the laundry done, and the suitcases changed over from winter to cruise in a timely fashion.

 

What to expect from this thread: 

 

1. Information.  I'll try to make everything as informative as I can.  Please ask questions if you have them...I'll do my best.

2. Pictures.  Lots and lots of pictures.  My iPhone is primed and ready to go...I just with my selfie light came in so I can look like a Kardashian in them.  *Additionally, I will be posting a lot to Instagram.  You can follow us there for more escapades, @queensonthehighseas

3. Food.  I go on cruises for 2 main reasons - to eat, and to nap.  You don't want to see pictures of me napping,  so I'll go overboard with pictures of food instead.

4. Sparkles.  Let's be real 2 gay guys and it's New Years.  Things that sparkle are a must.  This year: Sparkly shoes.  Both of us.  *jazz hands

5. A good time.  If nothing else, you should laugh, either at me or with me.  If not, you're not trying hard enough. 😉

 

Things I'm excited for:

1. Food.  See above.

2. Naps.  Also see above.

3. Our balcony.

4. FINALLY cruising out of Tampa without one of my students on the sailing with me...that I know of.  Seriously...every single one I've had a kid on it.  It's always great when you're standing somewhere, feel a tap on your shoulder, and turn around to a, "Hi Mr. J****!"...as you're holding your 4th martini of the day in your hand...at 10am...It makes for a wonderful conversation, and lots of bribery/blackmail.  Here's hoping this one bucks the trend.

 

 

A little bit about us...We are both career educators.  I'm a middle school band director (yes, I know, I'm a Saint...Can you believe some of us actually choose to teach those little monsters?!? Some days I still can't believe it....), and DH is a high school administrator.   We started cruising regularly 2 years ago.  My parents took the kids and their spouses on everyone's first cruise in 2014.  In November of 2015, we were at the Florida Aquarium, and Brilliance was leaving Port.  I turned to DH and told him we should go on another cruise.   We agreed to look when we got home, and ended up booking a 7-nt on Rhapsody for December of 2016.  It was our first cruise alone, and we fell in love with it.  It's the first vacation where we actually disconnect from thinking about school.   Over the last two years we've sailed frequently (at least by our standards), and aren't showing any signs of slowing down.  We're pushing to that 114 night around the world grand voyage for retirement....in 2045.

 

It is only fitting that 2 years after the journey began, we're making Diamond on the ship that started it all.  We've been sailing Royal exclusively during that time, and have been very happy.

 

Joining us on this sailling will be my parents, my aunt, uncle, and 2 cousins (16 & 19).  Between us we have several different categories of staterooms, and I hope to get pictures of each to post here.  DH and I will be sailing in a corner aft JS, and the wrap-around balconies on this ship are amazing.  If you haven't seen them before, just you wait, just you wait (name that musical).

 

Ports of Call are: Cozumel & Costa Maya, Mexico, Belize City, Belize, and Roatan, Honduras. We currently have excursions booked in Costa Maya and Cozumel...still deciding what to do in the others.

 

That's it for now...off to the airport to pick my parents up, because them booking the same flights as us would have just been too easy.

 

I hope you enjoy what's to follow!

[scorpluvsdolphins]

I’m sailing also. I have an aft cabin on deck 7. Is your corner aft on deck 7?  I’m a high school teacher. 30th year!!!!

 

[cruisinfromtampa]

1 minute ago, scorpluvsdolphins said:

I’m sailing also. I have an aft cabin on deck 7. Is your corner aft on deck 7?  I’m a high school teacher. 30th year!!!!

 

 

My parents are in a corner aft on 7.  We're on Deck 8.  I'd venture to guess we're directly above you, since M&D are the opposite corner from us.

[sara mom]

Can’t wait for your review!   Going on the same ship in April.    Have a great time!

[scorpluvsdolphins]

28 minutes ago, cruisinfromtampa said:

 

My parents are in a corner aft on 7.  We're on Deck 8.  I'd venture to guess we're directly above you, since M&D are the opposite corner from us.

I’m just in an Aft cabin, not corner aft. 

See you on board. I’ll slum (lol) and come to the diamond lounge. I’m usually in the concierge lounge. 

Terri

[Trinam2]

Excited to follow your review! Have a blast!

[cruisinfromtampa]

10 minutes ago, scorpluvsdolphins said:

I’m just in an Aft cabin, not corner aft. 

See you on board. I’ll slum (lol) and come to the diamond lounge. I’m usually in the concierge lounge. 

Terri

Oops. I missed that. We were in 7660 two years ago. We loved it!

[cruisinfromtampa]

Day 1:

 

Our Uber picked us up around 10:30. We were to the port and on the ship by 11:15. It was the quickest, most efficient boarding we’ve been through. Terminal 6 was a mess the last time we went through it. They’ve since figured it out. Very impressed. 

 

Once on board, our first stop was the bar for our traditional lemon drop martini (me) and amaretto sour with a splash of diet (him). We start every cruise this way, and it hasn’t steered us wrong yet! 

 

 

 

After our toast, we confirmed our dining reservations in the MDR and Giovanni’s before heading up to WJ for lunch. It was crazy crowded, and it took us 3 laps to find a table. 

 

From there, Schooner Bar for a moment before heading to our rooms once they were ready. We are staying in a corner aft JS, and this balcony is worth EVERY penney! Pictures and a video below. 

 

Entrance 

 

Bed and seating area 

 

Bathroom

 

 

[cruisinfromtampa]

Here’s the video of the wrap around balcony. It’s an incredible space, and excessive for two of us, but we’ll suffer through. 

 

Edited December 30, 2018 by cruisinfromtampa
Video posted twice.

[cruisinfromtampa]

After baggage arrived and we unpacked, the rest of our group boarded and we took my cousins around the ship. They have a great gingerbread house display up. 

 

 

We went back to the room to relax before dinner and decided to decorate our door. Nobody is really going to see it because we’re almost down a hallway, but we’re happy. When writing on the sign, I quickly realized I was going to run out of room, and had to adjust my letter size. Several martinis didn’t help. 

 

 

The dinner menu is below. I had mushroom soup, crab cake, prime rib, and warm chocolate cake. All we’re good, although service was slow, and I’m talking slow for Night 1.  They were already lined up at the door for the second seating when we left, and we didn’t hang around. 

 

 

 

 

After dinner, we wanted to relax before the welcome back show. We all know how that goes...DH is sawing logs on the bed, and I’m posting on CC in my underwear. 

 

That about wraps up Day 1. I’m going to sit here and take my hair out...I’m letting it grow long for my end of year concert with my students, and to let them shave off if we have a successful fundraiser, and I got it braided. My regular stylist wasn’t available, so she sent me to her friend...who didn’t do a great job. I can usually get 3 days out of it. It has been 20 hours and I can’t take the Bobby pins poking me anymore. I’ve pulled four out, and can feel more in there. 

 

I’m  posting the compass below. Also, don’t forget you can follow our shenanigans on Instagram @queensonthehighseas

 

Until tomorrow. 

 

 

[cruisinfromtampa]

Cruise Compass:

 

 

 

[cruisinfromtampa]

Oh! I forgot one very important thing...

 

WE’RE STILL IN TAMPA! 

 

There’s fog at the mouth of the bay, and the port has been completely shut down. I know it’s not abnormal at this time of year, but it’s the first time I’ve experienced it on a ship. So at the dock we sit. If it clears before morning, we’ll leave. If not, we sit and wait until it burns off tomorrow. No clue on what the impact will be to our itinerary. Costa Maya is supposed to be Sunday so we’ll have to wait and see. 

 

Im just glad we’ve got the downtown view. My parents are looking at a phosphate plant. 

 

A day on a cruise is still better than a day a day at work!

[Merion_Mom]

@cruisinfromtampa

[Merion_Mom]

Ok, that didn't work.

 

I'll just try again.

 

What time did you finally set sail?

[cruisinfromtampa]

2 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

Ok, that didn't work.

 

I'll just try again.

 

What time did you finally set sail?

 

We still haven’t left. 

[cruisinfromtampa]

Departure Update: We haven’t. 

 

Waiting for the fog fog to burn off at the mouth of the Bay. Two ships still in port, 3 waiting to get in. Woot!

[Miss Studio]

Hope you get to leave the port soon!  

[torpeedo]

I think they're on their way!  I see the Port of Tampa webcam and two ships sailing out!! BonVoyage!

[MrFunInTheSun]

Thanks for bringing us along. Glad to see you have now set sail. 

[cruisinfromtampa]

We’re on our way!!!! #finally 

 

Costa Maya has been cancelled, and we’re heading straight to Belize. Unfortunate, but it is what it is. 

[EeyoreRN]

Bon voyage!  I'm following your extravaganza!

[Miss Studio]

Is Elvis Pinto the Cruise Director?

[Merion_Mom]

23 minutes ago, Miss Studio said:

Is Elvis Pinto the Cruise Director?

Yes.

[Miss Studio]

1 hour ago, Merion_Mom said:

Yes.

We love him!  We had him as the Assistant Director on the Vision a few years ago.  We will be sailing on Rhapsody in January.  I hope he will be onboard then!  

Edited December 30, 2018 by Miss Studio

[FMZ]

Oh I love me some sparkle!!! Following along, y'all sound fun!! 😁 Love the door decos btw.