"LIVE" from Symphony of the Seas - Sept. 29, 2024 (B2B)

[Radio]

3 hours ago, HelenaCruiser2012 said:

Hi Radio, we've been following along and love your reviews.  We're scheduled to join you tomorrow!  Have you heard anything about a potential itinerary change next sailing due to the weather in the Gulf expected to become a hurricane and threaten FL and the Bahamas when Symphony>snip<

>snip<

Hi HelenaCruiser2012. I haven't heard a thing but I have been thinking about it a lot. I have been following weather forecasts just like you. Other passengers on board have been talking about it as well. The unofficial word is that one of two things will happen. #1. We may alter our Bahamas itinerary, and maybe skip Canaveral and possibly have an extra sea day coming back to Cape Liberty. 

#2 Others have suggested that we may go north to Boston and Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

 

You can count on me to post what I find, when it is official. There is always a third choice. #3 Maintain our current itinerary as usual if the forecast models do not create a hazard. We shall see. . . Thanks for your support. 

 

Radio

.

[HelenaCruiser2012]

6 minutes ago, Radio said:

Hi HelenaCruiser2012. I haven't heard a thing but I have been thinking about it a lot. I have been following weather forecasts just like you. Other passengers on board have been talking about it as well. The unofficial word is that one of two things will happen. #1. We may alter our Bahamas itinerary, and maybe skip Canaveral and possibly have an extra sea day coming back to Cape Liberty. 

#2 Others have suggested that we may go north to Boston and Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

 

You can count on me to post what I find, when it is official. There is always a third choice. #3 Maintain our current itinerary as usual if the forecast models do not create a hazard. We shall see. . . Thanks for your support. 

 

Radio

.

Thanks so much for the reply, we appreciate you passing along any updates.  At this point DH and I are trying to decide if we head to the port tomorrow or cancel the cruise and drive up to New England for the week (we called Royal and yes it's too late to cancel but thankfully we took the insurance when we booked with them, they also had no updates yet on the itinerary).  Two very different vacations!  I'm worried about the potential winds and rough waters next week but DH says that of course the cruise line would take every precaution to keep everyone safe.  That said, it would be nice to know if we're packing for summer or Fall... Honestly we would be just as happy making this a New England/Canada cruise but we would sure pack differently.  Thanks again Radio, appreciate your insights and always love seeing pictures of our favorite ship - that we hope to see in person tomorrow!

[Radio]

Hello everyone and good evening. Today was a pretty good day at sea. We had lots of sunshine, with warm temps (74F) for most of the day.

It's a bit cold now, and a little windy. Time to wear my thermals and hoodie. The shops have been busy all day, with products spread throughout the Royal Promenade. 

 

The outside decks were busy as well, with many passengers trying to get in the last swim and their last tanning session.

Passengers and crew have been very pleasant for the whole week with little  exception.
 
Tomorrow morning, this ship will be filled with 6400 new passengers. I am sure they will board the ship with the same feeling that I had when I boarded. A big smile, and happy thoughts for the next 7 nights.

 

There has been some discussion going on with others that are sailing next week with me. The forecast for Tropical storm Milton may be coming from the Gulf of Mexico through Florida into the Atlantic. Again this is just a forecast model. It has been suggested that TS Milton may be heading to the Bahamas by next Thursday.  

I don't expect there to be any official announcement of any itinerary change at this point.

 

Royal Caribbean will not take this ship to any danger areas. I'm sure that Miami, RCI, and the Captain will hold passenger safety to the highest level. 

 

If any changes are announced, I will report it as it happens. We should be docked tomorrow morning by 6:30.

 

Thanks for tuning in. 

 

Radio

 

Today Royal Offered a Veterans Salute.

 

 

 

Lots of shopping today 

 

 

 

There were gifts for all age groups

 

 

 

Central Park with beautiful today. 

 

 

 

I love it here. It makes you feel calm.

 

 

 

Umbrellas are available to borrow while in Central Park. 

 

 

 

 

I decided to pass on Bingo 

 

 

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[Radio]

**Breaking News**

 

Email from Royal Caribbean for 
October 6, 2024

 

Radio

 

About Your Upcoming Travels

Dear Guest,

 

Along with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, we are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Milton, expected to become a powerful hurricane as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico, reaching the west coast of Florida on Wednesday. In order to safely avoid the storm, and its widespread impacts, along with the Captain, we have decided to skip our visit to Port Canaveral, Florida, and enjoy a Sea Day instead.

 

Additionally, we’ve replaced our stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas, with visits to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic on Day 4, followed by a day in Labadee, Haiti, on Day 5.

 

We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather – your safety is our top priority. Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because our ship can quickly move out of the way of any inclement weather.

Feel free to use this information for insurance purposes. Our updated itinerary is below.

 

 

 

.

Your Time at Sea

 

Symphony of the Seas has you covered for adventure and relaxation! Our thrill seekers can set their lasers to fun as they take part in Laser Tag: Battle for Planet Z and zap their way to the top of the scoreboard. Get your heart-racing and take the plunge on our dual waterslides, The Perfect Storm™. If relaxing is number one on your to-do list, take a stroll down beautiful Central Park, lined with over 12,000 living trees and plants. Your Sea Day has no limits!

 

Your Day in Puerto Plata

 

Puerto Plata is the Dominican Republic's oldest northern city and a tourism pioneer. Nestled by the ocean with a mountainous backdrop, the city offers a lively pier, colorful shops, and opulent homes from the 1800s. The city is famous for Parque Independencia, a park fringed by royal palms and Victorian architecture. Take a cable car to the very top of the mountain for panoramic views. Hungry for local cuisine? Order a nice plate of La Bandera, a meat stew with rice, beans, and fried plantains. No matter how you spend your day in Puerto Plata, we know you’ll have a memorable time!

 

Your Day in Labadee

 

We can’t wait for you to buckle up for an exciting ride down Dragon’s Tail Roller Coaster, one of the best ways to get a spectacular view of Labadee. Or, if you’re looking for a more relaxing retreat, melt the stress away on the beach with Labadee’s signature drink “the Labadoozie”. And don’t forget to take a leisure stroll through Artisan’s Village, which has tons of local souvenirs, crafts, and paintings. Whatever you do, we’re sure you’ll get a great perspective on this beautiful and secluded destination.

 

Shore Excursions

 

Any pre-paid Royal Caribbean International shore excursions booked for Port Canaveral, Perfect Day at CocoCay, or Nassau will automatically be refunded as an Onboard Credit. These credits can be used anywhere onboard, and any remaining, refundable amounts at the end of our sailing will be reimbursed to your card on file in up to 14 business days from final disembarkation. Feel free to visit the Royal Caribbean App and select the icon or pass by our Shore Excursions Desk on Deck 5 so our destination experts can help you plan your time in port.

 

Thanks for your understanding. We can’t wait to welcome you onboard Symphony of the Seas!

 

Sincerely,

 

Aurora Yera-Rodriguez

AVP | Guest Experience

Royal Caribbean International

 

.

Edited 13 hours ago by Radio

[Radio]

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟭 𝗼𝗳 "𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘" 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀.(Week 2)

 

Hello everyone, and good day. The Sea is Calling.

 

Well, it's time to do this thing all over again. Except . .  This time our itinerary will be changed from the Bahamas to the Caribbean. I am very happy about this. 

I love Labadee, and I love Puerto Plata. . . This is a very exciting itinerary. The options and excursions have not yet been announced and I'm sure that after the changeover from Week 1 to Week 2, all passengers will be notified and our Royal Caribbean app will be updated. 

 

We passed under the Verrazano bridge around 5:45 and we were approaching the pier slowly around 6:45. 
Debarkation will begin around 7:30 am, and all passengers should be off around 9:30- 10am.

 

The consecutive cruisers will meet in the MDR at 9:15 with our passports and Set Sail pass. When Symphony of The Seas reaches a "passenger Zero Count" we will be escorted off of the ship for processing, and then we will come right back on. 

 

New Passenger boarding should begin directly after we reboard Symphony of The Seas. 

Here are a few pics from this morning.

 

Thanks for tuning in.

 

Radio

 

It's Cruise Day (Week 2)

 

 

 

 

 

We pass under the Verrazano Bridge 

 

 

 

 

Exit here for Debarkation 

 

 

 

The Debarkation area was set up at 5:00am.

 

 

 

The priority section for debarkation right next to the Debarkation station.

 

 

 

Norwegian Breakaway passes us as we back into Cape Liberty 

 

 

 

Symphony of The Seas approaches the pier slowly 

 

 

 

Passengers gangways

 

 

There are a lot of supplies needed

 

 

 

Washy , Washy

 

 

 

.

[Radio]

I'm happy that it's a sunny day for the first day of the cruise (Week 2)

 

Radio

 

.

[jerseyjjs]

I'll be coming onboard next Sunday.  Can you swing by Playmakers around noon and take a pic so I can get an idea of how big of a crowd to expect?  TIA.  🙂

[ecslady]

11 hours ago, Radio said:

**Breaking News**

 

Email from Royal Caribbean for 
October 6, 2024

 

Radio

 

About Your Upcoming Travels

Dear Guest,

 

Along with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, we are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Milton, expected to become a powerful hurricane as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico, reaching the west coast of Florida on Wednesday. In order to safely avoid the storm, and its widespread impacts, along with the Captain, we have decided to skip our visit to Port Canaveral, Florida, and enjoy a Sea Day instead.

 

Additionally, we’ve replaced our stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas, with visits to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic on Day 4, followed by a day in Labadee, Haiti, on Day 5.

 

We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather – your safety is our top priority. Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because our ship can quickly move out of the way of any inclement weather.

Feel free to use this information for insurance purposes. Our updated itinerary is below.

 

 

 

 

.

I'd be happy with that itinerary too.  Enjoy Week 2 of your cruise!

[Sea Dog]

Have a great 2nd week!

[DaKahuna]

On 10/3/2024 at 9:01 AM, Radio said:

MSC Seascape, and Carnival Conquest are also scheduled to be with us here today. 

 

Yes, were were there on MSC Seascae the last two weeks the same day Symphony was there. 

 

 

[DaKahuna]

12 hours ago, Radio said:

Puerto Plata is the Dominican Republic's oldest northern city and a tourism pioneer.

 

Radio -  we were just in Puerto Plata twice on our MSC Seascape B2B, the first time to avoid Helene and the 2nd time was scheduled.  A fellow cruise who was there the week before us nicked named it Puerto Hella and I gave it the name Puerto Sweata .. It was very both there.  It's an interesting little port and we never left the port area.  A lot of people reported having fun riding the free innertubes on the 'lazy river'.  There are a lot of typical Caribbean gift shops in the port area that were fun to look around and window shop.  

 

 I took a few pictures if you'd like me to post them here .. nothing super interesting or spectacular though. 

 

p.s. My Daughter, SIL, their youngest son, his girl friend, their daughter, my wife, and I are doing this cruise in June 2025.   Be our first time back on RCCL since Harmony in 2023. 

Edited 33 minutes ago by DaKahuna