My View: A Symphony of Gratitude (Live Thanksgiving Week)

[APDMOM]

My Favorite View: End of day 6 - Curaçao:

 

Thankful to see "God is love" in my native tongue❣️  If you have ever lived in a foreign country, hardly ever hearing or seeing your language, you will understand... This is why I try to learn how to say 'thank you' in different languages.  The joy you see on the face of a waiter from Philippines when you say, "Salamat" is priceless. 🙂

 

[APDMOM]

Cruise Compass: Day 6 - Curaçao

 

cruisecompass 2.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

[Morecruisesplz]

20 minutes ago, APDMOM said:

TIP: If you don't have reservations for the Aqua Theater Shows, there is great seating/viewing on deck 7 by the rock climbing wall.  

 

Even though we had reservations, we opted to sit there so that I could take pictures from a different angle without interfering with the view/enjoyment of anyone behind us.  The space we used is marked in red below:

 

 

TIP: There is also a 'secret balcony' on Deck 7 -  If you don't have a balcony but would like to pretend you have one - find this spot by the rock climbing walls: 😉

 

Not secret anymore!

[amby6063]

Are there stairs from that deck 7 balcony area down to the boardwalk?

 

edit - just see the stairs now in the pics, thanks! 

Edited November 27, 2023 by amby6063

[ericrz]

16 hours ago, APDMOM said:

My Favorite View: End of day 6 - Curaçao:

 

Thankful to see "God is love" in my native tongue❣️  If you have ever lived in a foreign country, hardly ever hearing or seeing your language, you will understand... This is why I try to learn how to say 'thank you' in different languages.  The joy you see on the face of a waiter from Philippines when you say, "Salamat" is priceless. 🙂

 

 

This is so incredibly true.  My sister in law is Filipina and the crew from her native country love getting a chance to talk to her!!  (Side note, we also found a great Filipino restaurant in Aruba on this trip).

 

Loving this review, @APDMOM.  We were also on this cruise and your review is helping me remember things as I make notes!  Not sure if I'll write a full review or just a pros/cons list, but I'm loving yours!  We might have crossed paths at Chobolobo, we were there for an 11AM (10AM ship's time) tour on Thursday!

[Cruise a holic]

We will be sailing on the Symphony this summer with our son his spouse  and their three year old daughter.  We will all be in suites.  Can the 3 year old use the suite lounge?  Probably won't really be interested, but can she?

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

Can the 3 year old use the suite lounge?

Yes, but be considerate of other passengers in there.

[Cruise a holic]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Yes, but be considerate of other passengers in there.

Of course!  She, thus far, is very well behaved!

[APDMOM]

6 hours ago, ericrz said:

 

This is so incredibly true.  My sister in law is Filipina and the crew from her native country love getting a chance to talk to her!!  (Side note, we also found a great Filipino restaurant in Aruba on this trip).

 

Loving this review, @APDMOM.  We were also on this cruise and your review is helping me remember things as I make notes!  Not sure if I'll write a full review or just a pros/cons list, but I'm loving yours!  We might have crossed paths at Chobolobo, we were there for an 11AM (10AM ship's time) tour on Thursday!

We were there at 9:30 ship time, so we missed you by just a bit... maybe our paths will cross on a future cruise 🙂

 

[APDMOM]

My View: Day 7 - At Sea... Another spectacular sunrise!  Worth those early morning walks!

 

 

[APDMOM]

A couple of Boardwalk Views:

 

 

[APDMOM]

We had a fun, eventful day - starting with mini-golf after breakfast:  

 

TIP: The mini-golf was not very busy before 9 in the mornings... it got quite busy during the day.

 

TIP: Across from the mini-golf is the pickle-ball area.  It was VERY popular.  It opened at 8 AM.

 

 

 

We did the Ultimate Abyss as soon as it opened - did not have to wait long, since the line moves quite fast.

 

 

This was probably the BEST blessing of the week... the BIG smile on our son's face.  As a 'quirky' young man, he does not have many natural facial expressions, but THIS took the cake!

 

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by APDMOM
clarify

[APDMOM]

Aqua Nation: The day-time diving show - no reservations required.

 

 

Spot the diver...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[APDMOM]

Veterans' Appreciation:

Grateful for the sacrifice of our military members and the allied forces.  ❤️🇺🇸

 

 

 

 

 

[APDMOM]

Captain's Corner:

 

TIP: If you are like us and enjoy geeky facts, don't miss this event.  The captain and CD answer questions from the audience.

 

 

With Captain Angel and our Cruise Director, Dennis:

 

Based on many great questions from the audience, Captain Angel shared some of the following interesting information (for us geeks 🤓):

 

The worst weather Symphony had in his experience was 30-foot waves off the stern.  The ship was not even impacted - everyone was still out and about enjoying the ship.

 

Symphony has a chief meteorologist onboard.

 

There are two jail cells on the ship that are rarely used - only when the person is truly a threat.  Otherwise, they are confined in their cabin. Rarely, they have to put someone in the custody of local authorities.  

 

The bridge team rotates every 4 hours - there is always a fist officer, a second officer and a quarter master on the bridge.  The captain is on the briedge during weather threats, high traffic, and always for port arrival and departure.

 

The max speed for Symphony is 22 knots, but if they hit a current, they can move as fast as 25 knots.

 

It takes the ship 1 mile to go from 22 knots to a full stop.

 

[APDMOM]

The handout from Captain's Corner:

 

 

[APDMOM]

Sea Day Views from the Balcony = BEST!

 

[Morecruisesplz]

8 minutes ago, APDMOM said:

Sea Day Views from the Balcony = BEST!

 

This view on 5 aint bad either.

[APDMOM]

Hairspray:

 

This was the debut of the show for the current cast.  It was done with EXCELLENCE!  An amazing cast, with outstanding voice talent and acting skills.  Probably too many pictures, but the set was so good...

 

TIP:  It is a LONG show with no intermission - about 90 minutes.  So, if you have kids who may need a potty break, be sure to sit at the edge of a row, or in the back of the theater.  My favorite spot was in the back row of the lower deck,  next to the sound booth - there is space behind the seats to stand without interrupting the experience of the viewers behind you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TIP: If you sit in the front 6-7 rows, you will find the streamers shooting down on you.  😄 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by APDMOM
Streamers comment

[APDMOM]

5 minutes ago, Morecruisesplz said:

This view on 5 aint bad either.

I agree!  If a balcony were not such a great value for 3 people (with diamond discount it works out about the same or sometimes cheaper than interior), this would be our regular spot.  😄 

[APDMOM]

My View: End of Day 7 - At Sea:

 

Grateful for aft views and the sound of the wake.  I love being out 'in the middle of nowhere' with only the ocean to see.  

 

 

 

[gizbug]

37 minutes ago, APDMOM said:

Aqua Nation: The day-time diving show - no reservations required.

 

 

Spot the diver...

 

 

 

 

 

 

you got my son and I  in the Aqua Natuon picture lol

[APDMOM]

Cruise Compass: Day 7 - At Sea:

 

PDF for download:

 

cruisecompass.pdf

 

Screenshots:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FionaMG]

7 hours ago, APDMOM said:

The handout from Captain's Corner:

 

 

 

What time did they have Captain's Corner, please?

[APDMOM]

16 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

 

What time did they have Captain's Corner, please?

4:30 PM in the Royal Theater. 🙂