Our Odyssey 2 years in the making! January 29th, 8 Day Southern Caribbean on Odyssey of the Seas with a toddler!

[danp2482]

Day 6: Curacao!

 

We've never been to Curacao so we were excited for this port! Just like Aruba, our original ship sponsored excursion was cancelled by the operator but at least this time we were able to find a decent second choice! Originally we had booked some type of beach day but after the cancellation, we booked a cave exploration that included some beach time as well.

 

The little one was starting to feel the effects of all the fun and excitement. Usually she's getting us up but we got her up just as we were starting to send lines to shore. I think she was excited to be getting off the ship as well!

 

 

 

We opted for in room breakfast this morning as we had to get to the excursion desk by 8:15. I believe this was a requirement because we were traveling with an unvaccinated child. Once checking in there, they sent us on our way down to the gangway and off the ship we went.

 

We typically don't do many ship sponsored excursions but have done a few. I forgot how organized it all is! They had everyone lined up and organized to board the busses. No confusion or chaos at all. There were announcements in the port are to wear masks while in the port area. When we boarded the bus, the staff was all in masks and they sanitized our hands as we boarded the bus as well.

 

Once onboard the bus, the guide provided all kinds of information about Curacao on the way to the caves which was about 20 minutes away. She talked about the government, the infrastructure, education, public safety infrastructure, healthcare, retirement system, different neighborhoods, etc... It was really interesting and I enjoyed finding out all that info about the island. I had never had that type of experience before. When we arrived at the caves, we exited the bus and the guide said we could take our masks off!

 

The Hato Caves are a popular tourist attraction for Curacao and were very interesting to tour! They're located close to the airport,   We usually do beach or snorkel excursions so the experience was very different than what we usually do. The guide had some decent knowledge of the caves but I did feel like he rushed our group a little compared to the other groups that we saw touring. Just luck of the draw! This is the view from the entrance to the cave.

 

 

As we entered the cave, we were given some history and then informed we could only take pictures in certain places. I had already snapped a few pics before that though.

 

 

I guess one of the big reasons for no pictures is the fact that there are bats in the cave (which we did see) and they don't want flashes causing the bats to become aggressive.

 

This was one of the allowed rooms. Thats the hole that the bats exit and enter in the evening when they go to feed. The rest of the pics are randoms from around the cave.

 

 

 

 

 

The entire cave tour was about 25 minutes give or take. We ended up back where we began and headed back down for the bus.

 

 

[danp2482]

Day 6 Continued:

 

Once back on the bus, we headed for Mambo Beach. This trip took us around to the other side of the island and our guide continued the informative tour about Curacao. This time she included information about other neighborhoods, the religion on the island and talked about the defunct refinery that was massive but not in operation due to poor management. She really included info about everything!

 

On our way to Mambo beach we had to go over the Queen Juliana Bridge which gave great views of the Odyssey and downtown Willemstad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made our way through some more neighborhoods and ended up at Mambo beach where we would have around 2 hours of free time to explore, lounge, shop and swim.

 

 

Mambo Beach BLVD was actually really cool and I would've loved to spend the entire day there! There was a couple of really nice cove style beaches, tons of shops, a few different beach clubs and bars. We had an area set aside for us which we were required to sit in but once we picked loungers, we were able to go anywhere we pleased.

 

 

 

 

 

After a few great hours here, we headed back to the bus and were headed back to the ship. Something interesting we noted was a family of 4 with 2 unvaccinated children was missing. Nichole and I were curious if they chose this excursion to go to the beach and then go missing when it came time to go back to the ship. Being unsure of what kind of accountability was waiting back at the ship, we were curious to see what would happen.

 

The guide gave more information and tidbits about the economy, immigration and other things. It was really informative! The ride wrapped up at the port and was we exited the bus, we headed to the ship. I grabbed a few shots of her before we got on.

 

 

 

 

I will say I wasn't thrilled when I first saw the big writing and was disappointed that the wonder would have it as well but it really grew on me!  We headed back onto the ship for lunch and some pool time!

 

 

[CityChickCruising]

Really enjoying your review! So glad you were able to make lemonade out of the cancellation lemons you were handed - the beach looks beautiful. I am also curious about what happened to the folks that dipped out. Pretty brave move! 

[danp2482]

Day 6 Continued:

 

One thing I forgot to mention, when we got back to the ship it was business as usual. There wasn't a head count, we didn't have to do any type of special check in and no one was looking for the family that was missing. It kind of struck me that once you're off on the ship excursion, it's the honor system coming back. Not saying that for sure but seemed that way. Either way, I wouldn't recommend chancing some type of trouble for a few extra hours on shore.

 

After hitting cafe 270 for lunch, we headed to the pool for some swimming, cocktails and ice cream for the little one! I literally lost count how many she had during the trip! It's amazing how quickly the afternoon drifts away and dinner time sneaks up on you when you have the 5:30 seating. After spending the rest of the day at the pool, we head downstairs to get ready for dinner.

 

Dinner night 6 was again in the main dining room. Juan, May, Ericsson and Michael were all waiting for us and it was another great experience as usual!

 

Nichole had a salad for her appetizer and I had the poblano soup which was very good!

 

 

 

For my entree I had the short rib. Which was also very good. Very tender with good flavors. I can't recall Nichole's entree.

 

 

Dessert was a chocolate creme for Nichole and Creme Brûlée for me. I thought Nichole's Chocolate was too rich. Creme Brûlée was good but average.

 

 

 

After dinner we head to Schooner for 90s trivia and of course to see some of our favorite bar tenders on the ship! We played trivia but didn't even come close to winning. After trivia we headed to Tap Factory at the request of the little one.

 

Tap Factory was ok but not any of our favorites. The performers again were talented, just not our thing. Not story line, no speech at all just tapping and lots of percussion. I'm not saying it wasn't impressive or entertaining but not something I'd rush to see again. Little one was tired as well and didn't seem to enjoy it as much as other shows.

 

 

 

 

 

After the show we head back to the room where we had another new friend! Little one insisted we keep this guy for the rest of the trip!

 

 

Next up Day 7: Sea Day

 

 

[danp2482]

6 minutes ago, rikkimiller said:

Really enjoying your review! So glad you were able to make lemonade out of the cancellation lemons you were handed - the beach looks beautiful. I am also curious about what happened to the folks that dipped out. Pretty brave move! 

Thank you for following along! So glad to hear that others are reading and viewing! I included it in the next post but no idea what happened to them. We saw them again the next day so I know they made it back and weren't removed but as I said, I wouldn't want to chance trouble for a few extra hours!

[DaniDanielle]

Great review and pictures.  The little ones make the cruise experience very special, I think.

[RoyalFan509]

Following along and headed on Odyssey in April with an almost 2.5 year told. We love cruising and were are Loyal to Royal!! We splurged on an AFT balcony so we can enjoy time when she heads to bed. Any advice you can give my way having a toddler on board? TIA Did you have to ask for towel animals each night?

 

[ChickonRules]

Great review! We will be on the Odyssey at the end of March. It'll be our first time with our one year old. 

 

Did your daughter sleep in a play pen? If so, do you have any pictures of how the play pen in the cabin? Is the mattress in the play pen sufficient for sleeping? TIA!

[danp2482]

1 hour ago, RoyalFan509 said:

Following along and headed on Odyssey in April with an almost 2.5 year told. We love cruising and were are Loyal to Royal!! We splurged on an AFT balcony so we can enjoy time when she heads to bed. Any advice you can give my way having a toddler on board? TIA Did you have to ask for towel animals each night?

 

Great plan to splurge on the aft balcony! The balcony was definitely a place where we unwound a bit when she was napping or sleeping! We basically agreed that we wouldn't sail with her without one. You're going to love Odyssey! Gorgeous ship, although we didn't explore nearly as much as we usually do! Our little one was treated like royalty the entire trip! Every crew member knew her and as we walked around the ship, many called her by name! We even bumped into the Captain one day and he stopped to say hi to her!

 

As for towel animals, we only got 3 for the whole sailing. That being said, our stateroom attendant was definitely on the bare minimum side. We had to ask for compasses after we didn't get them for the first 2 days. He was pleasant but definitely didn't go the extra mile like others. If you want them every night, you might have to mention it.

[danp2482]

49 minutes ago, ChickonRules said:

Great review! We will be on the Odyssey at the end of March. It'll be our first time with our one year old. 

 

Did your daughter sleep in a play pen? If so, do you have any pictures of how the play pen in the cabin? Is the mattress in the play pen sufficient for sleeping? TIA!

Thank you for following along! Odyssey is a beautiful ship! Our daughter slept on the converted sofa bed so I can't help with the play pen logistics. Please feel free to ask any questions you have!

[danp2482]

Day 7: Sea Day

 

We awoke for another day at sea and started the day like others. Nichole and I came up with a plan to trade off for the next 2 seas days. Knowing that we wanted prime real estate for the pool for the day at sea, one would go to the pool and get chairs and one would stay with the little one till she woke up and bring her to the pool. Nichole went first and got the same chairs we'd spent the week in. The only reason we really wanted to be in those chairs was because that was Ericsson's aka trouble's station. Once the little one woke up, we headed up and I brought her to the chairs. I then went and caught a workout and when I finished, we all headed to grab a quick breakfast.

 

We didn't stay away from the chairs long, staff was clearing the towels and belongings of those that were trying to reserve chairs for extended periods of time. Just before heading to breakfast, we sailed into a rain shower. I was bummed because I was really hoping for good weather the last 2 days so the little one as well as mom and dad could spend as much time in the sun as possible before heading back to the cold. Ironically, after about 40 minutes of clouds and rain, the skies brightened up and the day might have been the pick of the week.

 

We spent the entire day at the pool, Ericsson took great care of us, the band and DJ both had great sets as well! The vibe from the crowd was awesome as well, everyone was in a party mood and enjoying both sets! At some point during the day, the little one got hold of the water camera and kept herself quite busy "taking" pictures throughout the day! After sorting through and deleting a hundred or so pictures, there were some actual keepers as well!

 

 

 

As the day wore on, little one needed some rest so mom took her down for a nap while MIL, Bert and I stayed up at the pool. The DJ ended another great set and we all had one more round before heading downstairs to get ready for dinner!

 

Next up: Day 7 continued

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by danp2482

[danp2482]

Day 7 Continued:

 

We got ready for dinner and headed down to the main dining room. Night 7 was the second formal night. Night 3 was the first formal night. Night 3 was actually called formal night but 7 was called dress your best in the compass. The cruise director was still calling night 7 formal night during his announcements. We chose to treat night 2 as a second formal night and the whole family dressed for the occasion.

 

We arrived at the main dining room and our team was waiting for us once again. Other than the first 3 cruises we did on Disney, we usually do my time dining and have a different server each night but I really enjoyed having the same team each night during this cruise. We got to know them and they got to know us. All of the dining room teams on all of our cruises have always been pleasant but the level of service is on a whole different level when you have the same team every night!

 

Night 7 was lobster night and you guessed it, thats what we had. Nichole started with a caprese salad and I had a quiche like appetizer which I really enjoyed.

 

 

 

Then the lobster tails! 2 Caribbean lobster tails with vegetables and a baked potato!

 

 

We finished off dinner with dessert. Baked Alaska for me and Nichole had the molten chocolate cake!

 

 

 

I forgot to mention, I never really mentioned the little ones dinner because she did the Spaghetti Bolognese every night! She loved it and could not get enough of the bolognese sauce! Dessert for her changed up some but stayed mostly consistent between cookies and brownies.

 

After dinner, we headed to the schooner bar...again. Why mess with success!? To be honest, Nichole and I really enjoy the schooner bar no matter the ship or sailing. In fact when cruising was shut down, I constantly would say "I just want to sit at the schooner bar, drink cocktails and listen to the piano player". We spent so much time at schooner on this cruise because we really enjoyed the bartenders there and it was one of the only non vaccinated bars on the ship. We had a pre-show cocktail and then headed to the theatre for The Effectors. 

 

The Effectors is the signature production on the Odyssey. The claimed it to be the most technologically advanced production that they've ever done. The cast was very talented, the show was entertaining and there was a bit of a story line which tied it all together. The technology involved in the show was pretty impressive! We enjoyed it and he little one did too before she started to fade!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You guessed it!! After the show, we headed back to the room for some rest. 9pm feels so much later when you eat dinner at 5:30! I hope I haven't lost my cruising edge! We settled in and got some sleep after another busy day at sea!

 

Next up Day 8: Last Sea Day

 

 

[danp2482]

Day 8: Last Sea Day

 

We awoke for our last day at sea. To be honest, I actually really enjoy sea days! For me, the ship is the destination and the ports are just a bonus! This trip technically being 6 sea days didn't bother me at all!

 

Nichole and I traded off with our plan for the last day. I headed upstairs to grab chairs and Nichole stayed back at the room. Once the little one woke up,  Nichole brought her to me at the chairs and then went and caught a workout and when she finished, we all headed to grab a quick breakfast.

 

I managed to snag the same chairs in Ericssons area. We'd been doing the same thing all week, couldn't change it up now! I noticed a few separate times throughout the trip where towels and belongings of people reserving chairs were cleared by crew members. Sometimes we saw people come back and throw attitude that their stuff got moved. I say good for the crew! I've never been one to hold a chair for more than 20-30 minutes. I don't grab chairs unless I plan on being in them or at least at the pool.

 

Day 8 was similar to day 7! The band and the DJ had great sets. The weather was good but you could already feel it cooling down as we sailed north towards Florida. The vibe at the pool was a bit different for day 8. The crowd was definitely not as pumped up or active but everyone was still having a good time. We spent the entire day at the pool. We only left for lunch.

 

When DJ Markus' ended his set at 4pm, I went over and told him how talented I thought he was and that he may be the best open format cruise ship DJ I've seen. I asked if he was playing at RED which was at 270 that night and he said yes but not to expect too much. I've been to so many RED events on Royal and they've all been really disappointing. RED is sold as the night club experience but I don't know of any night clubs that play all the gimmick dance songs that I've heard at RED. This got me thinking, I wonder if Royal requires the DJ to stick to a strict format for RED. DJ Markus did explain that the venue is awesome and the equipment they give him is awesome but the crowd makes it and it all depends. I wanted to check it out and see for myself but one other issue was, why is RED a late night event on the last night!? It's usually a night before a sea day so those that go can recover. I'm not sure if this is a change because it's not popular or what.

 

The girls headed down to get ready for our last dinner and went to the sunshine bar in the solarium for one last poolside cocktail. Man I wish I saw more of that solarium! I headed down, got ready and we made our way to the main dining room.

 

Next up: Day 8 continued

 

 

 

[danp2482]

Day continued:

 

We arrived at the main dining room and as usual, Juan, May, Michael and Ericsson were waiting to take care of us!

 

 I started with the coconut shrimp and Nichole had a salad. We both then had the turkey dinner.

 

 

 

I finished with a puff pastry and I think Nichole had strawberry shortcake but I can't be positive.

 

 

We wrapped up dinner with cappuccinos and espresso martinis and then said goodbye to a team that provided excellent service and took great care of us throughout our entire vacation. Juan surprised the little one with friend before we left!

 

 

The last day of a cruise is always sad. No one wants vacation to end but it's more than that. I tend to be a friendly person and really get to know the crew members that I frequently see, be it a server, room attendant or bartender (although those seem to be the ones I get to know the best). They take great care of you for your entire trip and sometimes even create great memories. When you leave, it feels like you're leaving a friend behind. They see so many people and may not remember you but I have also returned to ships and seen crew members that immediately remembered us like old friends!

 

We said our goodbyes and headed to.......

 

Schooner bar!!! One last night cap! Here we chatted with 2 other crew members that worked above and beyond to provide a high level of service to us! They even remembered the little ones name (who am I kidding, more crew on that ship knew about her than us!) We finished up our drinks said some more goodbyes and headed upstairs for bed.

 

Next up: Debarkation day and final thoughts

[danp2482]

Debarkation Day:

 

I never sleep well the night before debarkation. I am just restless and wondering, are we back yet? Are we back yet? Finally our alarms went off, we got up and got cleaned up. We pack throughout the week as things get dirty and that way its not a panic pack in the morning. That way we can just do our own luggage and there is no delay getting off or chaos at the port.

 

I love the fact that Royal has the windjammer open for a full breakfast on debarkation day! It makes it feel a little less, "thanks but get off!" We headed to the windjammer for a quick breakfast and then did self assist off the ship. Nichole, the little one and I were heading straight to the airport for our flight home.

 

I believe we were supposed to have an 11am flight and we were off and at FLL by 8:45. That was with a shuttle ride to get MIL and Berts truck and drive to the airport. Not saying that it always happens that smooth but it did for us.

 

Final thoughts:

 

The Odyssey is a beautiful and modern ship with tons to offer regardless of your style of cruising. The health protocols were not intrusive nor were they overbearing at all. I am a person that wouldn't mind if they went maskless tomorrow but it didn't affect the mood of our vacation or our experience at all! The requirement to book a ship excursion with an unvaccinated toddler was a bit silly. Once we were off the ship, she interacted with people and in spaces the same as if we had brought her off ourselves.

 

All the food was good! There were things that stood out and things that were just average but nothing that I would say "I would never eat that again". Other ships have a much more impressive kids splash area if that is an amenity you would want when traveling with kids. The crew onboard treated our little one like a princess! Even though she is on the shy side, it was a wonderful experience to see so many crew be so nice to her. All and all, this was a wonderful cruise! Cruising in a post pandemic world is still a great experience and will only get better! If you have any reservations about the current state of cruise travel, don't give it another thought!

 

I hope you've all enjoyed this review. If you have any questions or there was something specific that I didn't cover or answer please feel free to ask!

[lizk17]

Thanks for the great review and pictures!  I am on the 2/20 Odyssey and your review got me even more excited to see everything in person!

[xtremegk]

Thank you for your great review! Has us even more excited about bringing our little guy on his first cruise next year!

[danoconnl]

So where was your "spot" on this cruise for laying out by the pool.  I'm trying to figure out what will be a good spot for us.  On Freedom and Voyager class ships(only ones we've been on the since our honeymoon) we've staked out the solarium for the comfy chairs, very near bar, and adult only pool(really don't care that much about the adult only part).  I'm thinking for odyssey we'll be up around the track since there seem to be so few chairs in the sun around the pool.

 

Also will depend on crowds, at the end of match, I'm expecting a pretty full ship.

 

Thanks for the review.

Dan

[cindyscruise]

Thank you for the great review and taking us along on your vacation

 

[danp2482]

15 hours ago, danoconnl said:

So where was your "spot" on this cruise for laying out by the pool.  I'm trying to figure out what will be a good spot for us.  On Freedom and Voyager class ships(only ones we've been on the since our honeymoon) we've staked out the solarium for the comfy chairs, very near bar, and adult only pool(really don't care that much about the adult only part).  I'm thinking for odyssey we'll be up around the track since there seem to be so few chairs in the sun around the pool.

 

Also will depend on crowds, at the end of match, I'm expecting a pretty full ship.

 

Thanks for the review.

Dan

 

Im with you there! Thats why we always went to the solarium too! Comfy chairs and close bar! The adult only thing didn't matter as much. I actually think the solarium is a bit too quiet sometimes. The solarium on Odyssey was gorgeous though so if you can, spend some time there. If you're talking about a new spot, I am guessing you may have some younger ones in tow.

 

Our spot was on the main deck, just under the overhang, edge of the pool starboard side. I always insist that we go out into the sun areas but Nichole likes the mix of sun and shade as the sun moves around. Here is a picture. Keep in mind, the furniture isn't laid out like this right now. I think less chairs to promote some distance.... The circle on the pic is exactly where the 5 chairs were, under the upper deck..

 

[Abr155]

So happy I found this review! We sailed on Anthem in 2019 which sounds fairly similar to Odyssey.  I just booked a NCL cruise for February 2024 (long way away, I know, but wanted to make sure DD was potty trained).  DD will be just over 3.5 at the time of the cruise (exactly how old was Lily?), so reading about your sweet Lily's time on board was very helpful.  We are booked on a 10 day out of NYC (4 total sea days, 2 at beginning with Bermuda in between and 2 back to back on way home). Stops include: Bermuda, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Puerto Plata DR, & Turks & Caicos.  My question will all be toddler specific haha

 

1. We also booked a balcony. Sounds like DD was comfortable on the convertible couch? Did opening and closing balcony doors while she was sleeping wake her?

2. Did she nap everyday?

3. How much did you rely on other adults in your party to help with DD - we are going just us 3, so no extra hands?

4. COVID restrictions aside (hope is everything will be "normal" by 2024), would you have been comfortable taking her to specialty restaurants?

5. Saw where you did Adventure Ocean for at least one later night dinner - how did that work? We'd likely use NCLs Splash Academy a few times for some mommy / daddy dinner dates? Did she play the whole time, or fall asleep?

6. You mentioned grabbing cocktails after dinner and shows, was DD with you, i.e. are little ones allows in/near bars?

7. Did you bring umbrella stroller for walking around ship/ports? Any other "must have" items?

8. I assume in 2 years time my DD will have used a shower, lol, currently still baths.  Did DD have any problems with the shower?

9. Did she need booster seat at restaurants (do they even have them lol)?

10. Can you give typical sea day schedule for DD?

11. Any problems with DD getting motion sick? 

Sorry for bombarding you 🙂

 

[Biker19]

11 minutes ago, Abr155 said:

I just booked a NCL cruise for February 2024

To ensure the poster is notified quote the person or use the @danp2482 call out. Feedback from an RCI cruise may not apply to an NCL cruise - you may want to ask there as well.

[Abr155]

10 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

To ensure the poster is notified quote the person or use the @danp2482 call out. Feedback from an RCI cruise may not apply to an NCL cruise - you may want to ask there as well.

Whoops, thought I quoted - thank you! And started a post over on NCL as well 🙂

[sandc4e]

Loved reading your report.  We are cruising Odyssey this weekend and can't wait.  Looking forward to seeing all the differences with this being our first time on Quantum class.

[Roybthered]

A great review, thanks for taking the time to let us all enjoy your trip!