h20skibum

Yeah, online and the app need to still sync, I think. The points showed under past cruises yesterday, but the point total didn’t update till tonight. I think they just need to go through another cycle to update the D to D+. Didn’t know you needed minus points to get there. 🤣🤣

Well done by the grandkids. Congratulations.

Anyone know the most reliable way to inform them of an allergen that is not listed? Call them, or inform wait staff on the first night. On Celebrity, they knew at specialty restaurants once we informed wait staff on first night. Thanks for this hint. Just updated my preferences.

Ours that ended 9 days ago have partially updated. The points were just added tonight, but the change from D to D+ still hasn’t updated. Probably another day for that to catch up. Maybe I will log out of the app and back in tomorrow to see if that updates that part.

Just an FYI. Those outrageous numbers for Coco Cay never came down on Black Friday, and they are still triple what we paid Black Friday for our cruise this month. Still looking for Coco Cay drops for our August cruise.

I still get that. Several times when my wife and I have been out to eat, a waiter has walked up behind me and asked what you ladies would like today. Then, they walk a little more and see my beard and go Oops. I have a few stories about traveling in the south with a couple fraternity brothers during my college days, and the “reception” we got in some places. Different times!

Windchill of-9° this morning, but a cloudless, sunny sky. Hope everyone is doing well. @dani negreanu Dani, good to see a few reactions to posts, so I assume you are doing ok, under the circumstances. I am always thinking of you and your family. Plans for Summer of Fun 4.0 are underway. Just booked our week in Myrtle Beach this summer, and got our flights booked. Flight booking was not without a glitch. After entering names, birthdates, etc. for Susan and me, our California grandson, our daughter and her two kids, it tells me I can’t have multiple bookings for the same person. For some reason, it would change her kids names to hers, so I had to go back and enter the kids names again. Next, I start entering gift cards. By the time I entered 4 of those, it logged me out before I hit the purchase button. Dang, I have to log back in and start everything over again. At least I knew the name glitch this time, and watched as it changed the grandkids names to my daughter’s name so I could correct it this time. Fortunately, it didn’t say my gift cards had been used, which was my fear. So, flights booked, and an oceanfront suite booked for all of us. A couple weeks after that, and we will all be heading out on Utopia, so I need to look at Florida flights soon. Now I have to see if Daryl plans to come along on these trips.

I seem to remember reading that the lower level would be used as a more formal and relaxed dining area, but I can’t find that again. One of the other levels would be used for those who wanted to get in and out quickly, and the other dining level for somewhere between the two. Hopefully it will become clear soon.

You are right that in warmer days, Hollywood Beach can get crowded. We have been renting beach houses near the Ft. Lauderdale area to celebrate family time over the holidays for several years. For Christmas 2019, we rented in the Hollywood Beach area, so all of what you were seeing and doing is quite familiar. I remember pulling up to valet parking for Margaritaville restaurant, and getting that look from the valet as 11 of us got out of my SUV. I think it was my clown car moment of how many people can you fit in that. Yeah, not seatbelts for everyone, but grandkids were much smaller then. So yes, the beach is crowded on a warm, sunny day.

Agree we will never see deals like they were after the startup, at least not until the next pandemic. Can always get good group rates, but there were also other sweeteners like Celebrity including premium drinks, or other things. I think even the days of decent group rates will be gone, if people keep booking at ever higher prices.

Ok, probably a crazy thing to ask on a cruising site, but has anyone seen any outstanding wave season deals yet? Maybe I am longing for some of those “good old days” deals where I would say that I just had to book it. Not seeing it yet.

Great pictures of the family. I like those.

We did a 3 night on Allure just after the first of the year. Although the app listed one night as formal initially, they changed it to casual. Some people did dress up a little, but I think it was just to have some photos taken. A small minority on this cruise.

We don’t sail her till next January, but we have one of the cabins on the sphere.

I use a trimmer at home for my beard. The one I use is made by Wahl. Little known fact. I entered the Wahl “Man of the Year” contest in 2010 in their search for the best beard in the US. I won the Pittsburgh region and advanced to the national competition with 11 other individuals. Sadly, I didn’t win the Grand Prize, but did win First.

I have had my beard since 1978. Shaved it off once, but my wife wanted me to grow it back asap. It turned gray when I was 30. That was the year my first child was born. I think there may be some correlation. 🤔

I don’t remember, and I don’t have a photo of that area. My wife thinks she remembers one on that side. We didn’t use those plugs. We have this, that we use to charge all of our devices, and we kept it on the desk. Here are a few other photos of the cabin. Of course, the fridge is usually empty, but we were storing some voucher drinks. We were on in December. (If you want to know what is up with the llama, you will need to read my live review.

Maybe even doubtful on the sphere. Photos are screen grabs of the video from the shipyard in December

3 at the desk 1 by the nightstand.

I like those port intensive itineraries in the southern Caribbean from San Juan.

You will usually find us at the Springhill Suites before our cruises. I think this is a nice area to stay. Dania Point was nicely decorated for Christmas. A couple of our “go to” places to eat are within walking distance from here. Rustic Inn Crabhouse is a couple of long blocks to the north, and Jaxson’s Ice Cream is to the east. They are both about a mile away. Although, do not follow Google’s walking directions to Rustic Inn, unless you want to add a couple miles to your trip. Instead, walk west to Anglers Avenue, then north. Maybe google doesn’t want people crossing that railroad track.

Exactly that, plus I have perfected the “packing with hangers” method so that things come out wrinkle free. As I go through my checklist, I move clothes from our closets to our cruise packing staging area (also known as a spare bedroom). Maybe I should make a YouTube video of it and monetize it to support my cruise habit. Something to think about before my next cruise.

And here I am on this cold day, just looking at the new builds for the next two ships we have booked. I always find their shipyard videos fascinating. One of the ships was doing sea trials this week and has it’s maiden voyage in 25 days. I have to start looking at one that I can actually sail soon to escape some cold weather. Hope everyone is staying warm. Windchill of -2° here.

In the UK and the Med, you will see many more dressed for formal night than you will on a typical Caribbean cruise. Granted, I haven’t done the Med since 2019, but more were dressed formally than those who were not. Our cruise on Symphony last month in the Caribbean had a higher percentage dressed for formal night, but I attribute that to the large number of families wanting nice photos for the holidays. That said, I saw no one else with a tux other than me.

Just watched some live weather reporting from Hamburg, which isn’t far from the stadium. It looks pretty nasty there. My son lived a few blocks from the stadium in Orchard Park for a while, before he moved to Williamsville, not far from the Buffalo airport. After living in three areas of New York that are always competing for the worst winter weather, it is no wonder he prefers California now.