Itchy&Scratchy

we love going to the Blue Kay beach club. It's not all inclusive, but it does serve drinks and all that. This is what we got there in 2019: "Since we were there as well, I'll tell you about our drinks: for $12 per adult we got 2 (any) drinks each. DH opted for mojitos - very good (we also had mojitos there in December), I got a hand made frappuccino (super-duper delicious, and exactly what I needed for my headache - sweet and caffeinated, with swirls of hot fudge chocolate in it). They said "made it special for you", and, boy, it certainly was special. We bought a Fanta for DS $2.50 and then spent one of the drink allowances on a Coke for him, because DH didn't want more than 2 alcoholic drinks. A gentleman next to us got a Miami Vice (strawberry, coconut and pineapple) and he liked it as well. We didn't order any food (brought potato chips and doritos for DS from the ship), so the total for the day was: $8 taxi each way $24 for chaises and 4 drinks $2.50 for a Fanta $5 tip Free Wifi at the Blue Kay bar was very good and strong. Ask your attendant for the passcode." We were there a couple of times over the years and we were lucky not to have any seaweed (December and March). The beach itself was very nice. You can find more info here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/102-costa-maya/

Royal for family/teen/young adult activities and great entertainment. Princess for food.

I am going to write this one off as "hopelessly lost in translation."

well, I don't know. People will always find something to be unhappy about, no matter how trivial or serious.

it's a beef sammich at the Park Cafe on Oasis class ships. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not. It really depends... Comes with a choice of condiments - horseradish, au jus or plain. I've had good ones, DH had some bad ones...

steak Diane is NY strip steak but with a different sauce, per our waiter. I think it was cognac-mushroom sauce. I hated the sauce. I usually hate all the sauces/gravies on steaks, tenderloins and prime rib, if that helps you. I like herbed butter on RCI's NY strip. NY strip is available every day, so if there is nothing you like on the menu, you can always try it. Stay away from beef stroganoff as I already mentioned in my previous post. Tenderloin is great. Since you are on a cruise, why not try them all? They are not all served on the same day, you know.

you will be able to reserve the shows as soon as you board, using the app. This is how it's done now.

it's not about the size. It's about texture. It's like the lobster - sure, it looks like a large shrimp, but it's very different texture wise. And, yes, we can definitely tell the difference between bison and beef.

But OP's kids are 11. They are nowhere near high school age. Being able to navigate a ship isn't really a question here, is it? My child is better at navigating the ship than my geographically challenged mom, but that doesn't mean I am ready to let him roam the ship on his own, while my mom is allowed to do so.

they are not prawns. They are shrimp. Do order double, though. Don't miss Peach Shortcake with strawberry-lime sauce. Exquisite. DO SKIP the beef stroganoff. Unless you like pickles in your beef and pasta dish... I usually love risottos and especially anything with mushrooms, but I hated their Wild Mushroom risotto. It was more like an awful tasting goo. Do try everything else. It's an adventure!

it did say Lavazza on our last cruise (Allure), but their free coffee was undrinkable. We drink Lavazza at home - theirs was not Lavazza. It was awful. We are not coffee connoisseurs and like regular drip coffee like Gevalia, Community Coffee, Dunkin, Caribou, Lavazza, Starbucks blonde roasts, etc. We actually had to bring Nescafe instant coffee with us on our last cruise, because it was much better than the bitter stuff they served. P.S. I like a Mocha CreamIce on Harmony at Cafe Promenade, but hated it on the Allure. It was much more bitter on the Allure.

I am not Lucas, but we didn't hear it at Breezy Bay.

WJ milk will work just fine. Harmony's fridge was cold enough. 🙂 We loved Harmony! Enjoy your cruise! ETA: depending on which deck you are on and the location, you could get milk at WJ, Solarium cafe, Park Cafe, Promenade Cafe, and maybe even Bites (don't remember their schedule).

I simply went to the Promenade cafe and got coffee cups with lids. This way we didn't have to bring them with us. I also filled them with milk right there at the promenade cafe for the before-bed night cap. ETA: On Harmony @Honeyroastedmelnutcan also run over to the Park Cafe for a cup of milk (they have the coffee/tea station there and fancy coffees as well). Since they serve cereal as well, they may have prepackaged milk, but I didn't look last time to check. Sorry, I only have a meme handy for a visual representation.

that's what they would book it, but when it comes to sleeping the adults could be in one cabin and the three kids can sleep in the adjacent cabin.

we use a bunch of cute magnets to decorate the door. Somebody stole one of them on our latest cruise...

honest answer: nope. We have worked from home since the pandemic started. I go out shopping about twice a week, always wearing a mask. We got vaxxed as soon as our age was eligible. It took some time to convince my parents to get vaccinated, because they thought themselves immune forever after having original covid in May 2020. I got through to them because by that time it was clear that the immunity didn't last forever. DS went to school online for a year and in person last year, masks were required through mid-November of 2021, but he wore his until the school ended in May. We got lots of exposure notifications that bus riders were positive but DS didn't ride a bus. DS has participated in outdoor sports, but not ones with super close contact. We only got take out or ate outside on the patio. Never in a crowd. We ventured out on a cruise last November, many wore masks unless actively eating or outside, and planes were fully masked. We didn't get covid that time and we felt safe - so, I booked the May cruise. Turns out, it was completely different from Nov cruise, and we got covid. Now my DH doesn't really want to go on Nov 2022 cruise because he thinks we'll get it again and it wasn't light enough for the two of us to just brush it off like some posters did. My BFF went to a conference in Vegas last summer - thousands of people in a theater/arena setting, no masks, lots of audience hyping activities, singing and dancing. Many participants got covid and some died. BFF and her entire family had covid shortly before the conference so she was relatively safe (they vaccinated after getting covid). 2021 covid deaths of two of my (unrelated to each other) cousins who lived their lives like covid was just a cold only reinforced my efforts to protect myself and my family.

I am afraid I don't understand you. OP said she wanted the parents and their kids to be in adjoining cabins. You asked why they had to be in connecting cabins. I said to keep a close eye on the kids of that age. Your reply didn't make any sense to me. Are you saying they should ALL be in the same cabin? Are you saying the 5 of them should be in the same cabin?

probably because the boys are 8, 10 and 12. I'd rather keep a close eye on the kids at that age. Heck, our 11 yo cruises in the same cabin with us.

Wonder of the Seas is so darn expensive at this time. We've thoroughly enjoyed Oasis class. Especially, Harmony which has both water and dry slides in addition to everything else Allure does (as an example). Allure doesn't have slides.

that's what I'd always thought until we sailed on NCL. I am an omnivorous glutton and even I was not able to enjoy or even find much of the food choices acceptable on the NCL ships. I do have to give props to Jade's crepes - they were heavenly, but since the ship broke down on day 3, we only enjoyed them for 3 days.

I hope she is ok. Wishing her a speedy recovery! When my dad had the original covid, his oxy also fell below 90 several times.

thanks to vaccinations. Plus, I had more than cold symptoms. but people rarely die of colds. There is no cold pandemic, is there?

it's not about the public utensils... We brought plastic food service gloves with us and used them in the buffet. However, you are sitting literally a foot away from other unmasked strangers in both the WJ and MDR. And during the shows as well. We wore masks indoors at all times, unless actively eating - we got up from the table to get more food and put the masks and the gloves on, and we still got covid on the cruise (May 28 Allure sailing). The waiters at MDR pulled down their masks to talk to us all the time. Same with our cabin asst. If you are willing to forgo eating at WJ and MDR and all the shows - you are good to go. Although, that would eliminate most of the joy we derive from cruising. Good luck! I hope you don't get sick.

I'd use the waterproof matt pad in a combination with a diaper at night. Unless you WANT to bring an inflatable mattress. DS started cruising when he was 3 - we didn't even bother with the pad. At 3 he was still wearing a diaper at night - size 6 in Luvs.