An awesome vacation on IOS Mar.15-21

[B&Lmom]

We just got back from sailing IOS... cruising Mar.15-21 on the six-day.

It's official... I am now suffering from post-cruise-depression.

My daughter said today.... I wish I could pop down to deck five and get pizza and some toffee cookies. I said... I wish I had someone cleaning my room twice a day and putting out fresh towels. When my husband asked where we wanted to go have lunch (since we had NO food in the frig)... my daughter said "I want to go to Nachi Cocum for guacamole!". We all just sat in the car silent... sighing and trying not to tear up... I passed around tissues.... big sigh..... :(can you feel my pain? I knew you could... thanks for the empathetic vibes.

 

If anyone has any questions... ask away.

 

I'll do a review if anyone wants the details!:p

[DanielleRB]

If anyone has any questions... ask away.

 

I'll do a review if anyone wants the details!:p

 

I would LOVE to hear a review! We are on the countdown clock ourselves for the transatlantic crossing on 4/14...I totally know what you mean about being post cruise sad. We always do!

 

So a couple questions:

 

1. How was the kids programming staff? I am assuming we will have a simliar group.

 

2. Any secret finds worth sharing?

 

Thanks!

 

Dani

[B&Lmom]

I would LOVE to hear a review! We are on the countdown clock ourselves for the transatlantic crossing on 4/14...I totally know what you mean about being post cruise sad. We always do!

 

So a couple questions:

 

1. How was the kids programming staff? I am assuming we will have a simliar group.

 

2. Any secret finds worth sharing?

 

Thanks!

 

Dani

 

Dani- we didn't use the kid's program/adventure club. We were sailing with two teenagers, 14 and 17. Someone said that because it was spring break, we had over 1000 kids on the ship... and usually they have 200-300. I'm not sure if that number is only elementary age or if it includes high school age too? Anyway... lots of families sailing, kids, parents, grandparents...

 

I'll have to think on the "secrets worth sharing" part....

I'll get back to you on that!

[Nano]

B&LMom - I feel your pain. My best friend and I were on the Voyager's 3/1 sailing and we are STILL suffering from PCD! It seems like every time I go on a cruise it gets worse. Oh well, you know the only cure don't you? Start researching and book your next cruise!! :-)

[GSRDPM]

I would LOVE to hear a review! We are on the countdown clock ourselves for the transatlantic crossing on 4/14...I totally know what you mean about being post cruise sad. We always do!

 

So a couple questions:

 

1. How was the kids programming staff? I am assuming we will have a simliar group.

 

2. Any secret finds worth sharing?

 

Thanks!

 

Dani

 

Dani, Our family had 4 kids in four different age groups. My Nephew (5) went to Adventure ocean about three times during the week and seemed to enjoy it. He had never been on a cruise before and he is usually pretty clingly to family. At one point during an afternnon on the pool deck, he ran up to his mom and said, " I want to go to my group now!"

 

Seven year old Niece went once and didn't go back, though I think this was more due to her than any shortcoming withthe program.

 

My 10 Year old Daughter would have been there the whole cruise if we would let her. She throughly enjoyed everything she did there and kept telling us about all the new friends she made each session.

 

My 13 year old son enjoyed the DJ classes and sports competetions. THe 12-14 and 15-17 age groups are less structured and the kids are free to come and go as they wish. THey have a couple of lounges where they can hang out and where adults are generally not permitted to enter!

 

Both my kids have participated in AO during our last cruise a few years ago and enjoyed it back then as well. The IOS has extensive youth oriented facilities.

[GSRDPM]

As far as secret finds, I don't know about you B&Lmom, but I was wishing I discovered the usefulness of the outdoor walkways on deck 4 earlier during the cruise. It seems to get forgotten after the muster drill on embarkation day. THere seems to be nobody there most of the times and it is the quickest way to get fore and aft across the ship - especailly handy when trying to get between the dining room and the theatre. When everyone leaves the theatre at once, they all seem to heard through the maze like passages in the casino or flood into the royal promenade. Instead take one of the sliding doors right outside the 4th floor theatre exit - go outside and bypass the crowds. Its also refreshing to hear the ocean slipping by so close- especially at night....OK...I wish I was back....

[DanielleRB]

Dani, Our family had 4 kids in four different age groups.

 

tom,

 

Thank you so much for the info! Our 6 year old is very social and usually loves the kids programs...even when we cruise less kid friendly ships. That is why we are so excited about this trip. It will be our first that really focuses on the kids fun (which secretly will be our fun too but don't tell our kids).

 

Our oldest is a whole other story, but ultimately, we have to "go with the flow" when it comes to him...never can quite explain his disabilities correctly without scaring the cruise programming, so we just go and take him to meet them...and 90% of the time they fall in love and want to help us have a nice vacation.

 

Did you guys use in room babysitting at all? Wondering what you thought of the people who did that if so?

 

Thanks!

 

Dani

[cruizer4life]

We will be on FOS same time next year so would like to know what the weather was like please. Thank you.

[uksimonusa]

I would LOVE to hear a review! We are on the countdown clock ourselves for the transatlantic crossing on 4/14...I totally know what you mean about being post cruise sad. We always do!

 

So a couple questions:

 

1. How was the kids programming staff? I am assuming we will have a simliar group.

 

2. Any secret finds worth sharing?

 

Thanks!

 

Dani

 

I hope the 4/14 TA was a typo, Indy leaves FLL for S'ton on 04/12, you don't want to miss the boat:D:D:D

[Janice M]

We just got back from sailing IOS... cruising Mar.15-21 on the six-day.

It's official... I am now suffering from post-cruise-depression.

My daughter said today.... I wish I could pop down to deck five and get pizza and some toffee cookies. I said... I wish I had someone cleaning my room twice a day and putting out fresh towels. When my husband asked where we wanted to go have lunch (since we had NO food in the frig)... my daughter said "I want to go to Nachi Cocum for guacamole!". We all just sat in the car silent... sighing and trying not to tear up... I passed around tissues.... big sigh..... :(can you feel my pain? I knew you could... thanks for the empathetic vibes.

 

If anyone has any questions... ask away.

 

I'll do a review if anyone wants the details!:p

 

We did a B2B on the Freedom in Feb. I agree I would love to go to Sorentos for pizza. We only had it twice in 2 weeks. The week goes by way to fast to do all you want. I do feel your pain, but we get to again in April.

 

Jan

[dwillis43]

We just got back from sailing IOS... cruising Mar.15-21 on the six-day.

It's official... I am now suffering from post-cruise-depression.

My daughter said today.... I wish I could pop down to deck five and get pizza and some toffee cookies. I said... I wish I had someone cleaning my room twice a day and putting out fresh towels. When my husband asked where we wanted to go have lunch (since we had NO food in the frig)... my daughter said "I want to go to Nachi Cocum for guacamole!". We all just sat in the car silent... sighing and trying not to tear up... I passed around tissues.... big sigh..... :(can you feel my pain? I knew you could... thanks for the empathetic vibes.

 

If anyone has any questions... ask away.

 

I'll do a review if anyone wants the details!:p

 

I feel your pain! We were on the eastern leg the week before you and I am still going through withdrawls!

[B&Lmom]

I've never done a review before- so here goes.

First off- we had a fabulous time!! traveling with husband, son (17), and daughter (14). We had a balcony cabin on deck 8 and the kids had a promenade cabin. We were on the starboard side and last cruise we were on port side... ok, that caused us to have major confusion on which way to turn "to eat or see the show". Our cabin steward would always joke with us when we walked out into the hallway with a confused look.... he would say "are you going to eat or going to the show"? So, it got to be a joke with the kids!

 

Pre-cruise: We flew into West Palm airport (because of the price from DFW) on Saturday, rented a car and stayed at the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, FL. Awesome hotel!!

 

Embarkation day: Left for FLL, where we returned the rental car to Thrifty. We SHOULD of returned it to the Thrifty location by the port... but didn't know about it till later. We tried to get on the rental car shuttle at the airport, but were denied boarding because we hadn't rented from Alamo, National, Hertz, and one other. We were told to take a cab because Thrifty and Budget do not participate in the shared ride to port. Well, as we were looking sad.... someone helped us out.... I won't go into details, so that he doesn't get in trouble.... but THANKS!! and he got a big ol' tip out of it!!

We got to the ship about 1pm. No lines for anything... we were right on the ship in no time flat!! Since it was after 1pm, we went straight to the rooms and dropped off the carry ons.

Our room steward was awesome. One of our pieces of luggage was missing. Four pieces arrived, no problem, by 5pm. One piece, however, went AWOL. Lambert said that he would call his supervisor and go looking around for it. My husband went down to deck 2.... apparently home to all lost luggage. He was greatly amused by those who were having their luggage searched because of alcohol.... "what the heck... how did all that vodka get in my luggage??";) Better luck next time buddy.

To make a long story short..... missing piece turned up around 10pm... trying to hang out on deck 7... we laughed and said maybe it found a better family maybe?

 

More details to come.... and I'm going to try to figure out the photo attachment thing....

[B&Lmom]

Ok, let me continue to avoid working and continue my little review....:p

 

How we spent our days:

At sea days-- had breakfast in the main dining area, then went on the hunt for a deck chair. My DD and I found the perfect location back behind the flow rider at the back of the ship. Not crowded and the perfect place to sit and watch the ocean and read and run down to grab a drink or snack from the Windjammer.

 

Ports:

Belize-- Went on the RCI excursion to Lamani. Had a great time!! We met in the theatre at 7am and were on the first tender out. It took the entire day and had about 45 minutes of port shopping time before needing to catch the next to last tender back. I talked more about this trip in the Belize boards section.

 

Costa Maya-- Walked through the port area and avoided the spring breakers from other ships docked there.... who had obviously set up camp in the port pool and bar area.... wild and crazy.... party on.....

We took the bus into town.... using the word "town" lightly. We walked up and down the boardwalk area. My DD bought a little carved turtle from a guy who said his "grandfather" made it and had also made those Mayan masks made out of some kind of stone?.... uh huh.... yeah.... We had a great laugh and didn't want to burst his bubble that we had seen his "grandfather's" work EVERYWHERE!!.... in Belize and later in Cozumel... wow.. that Grandfather is AMAZING! Anyway, we had lunch on the beach and enjoyed our Corona beach moment.... We were begged by people to buy stuff or eat at their establishment... but a polite no thanks always worked and we were never given a hard time.

 

Cozumel-- We went to Nachi Cocum.... all I can say is.... get there as fast as you can... now.... drop everything and go... Well, ok... book some airfare first... It is beautiful and the food is delicious. I wrote more about it in the Cozumel board area. The taxi was $15 each way for 4 people. Saw scooter wreckage being picked up on the road on the way back to port. Graham the CD WARNED us about those.. my son said. The taxi driver was really friendly on the way back and showed us pictures of his family and of some hatching sea turtles in a HUGE album.... it was really sweet. Random, but sweet... as my teenage daughter said!

 

OK.... more later.... more random thoughts to come... stand by...

[B&Lmom]

We will be on FOS same time next year so would like to know what the weather was like please. Thank you.

 

Our weather last week was perfect while actually on the cruise. Weather in Fort Lauderdale was rainy on the day we went home. But at the ports... it was beautiful... we have the sunburns to prove it!!:p