PandaBear62

Hi, this is the phone case. Not super cheap, but also not super pricey either. LAMEEKU iPhone 13 Pro Wallet Case, RFID Card Holder Shockproof 6.1 Inch - Black https://a.co/d/6UPnmMJ I bought it last summer so it’s been on maybe 4 or 5 cruises and still looks pretty new. I also liked it had a strap and not a chain…I don’t like chains (just my personal preference). With so many cruise lines using apps and with having the camera it’s great for a cruise.

Hi, I often post my packing lists but I don't always share how it worked out. For this one, I didn't post pre-cruise, so am sharing a "how it went post" and "things I might do differently". My cruise was a 7 day NCL Caribbean cruise on NCL out of Miami. A big advantage of NCL is not having any formal nights (you can dress up, but no requirement to do so. This cruise was chosen as I was volunteering in Orlando the week before. So, I had essentially three travel days, 2 "free" days in Orlando, 4 days volunteering and then a week cruise. When I volunteer at the large arena, it is ALWAYS freezing. Same with flying (I am always cold on planes). Packing List: Clothes 5 sleeveless dresses 2 very lightweight cardigans in taupe and navy blue 2 pairs Athleta Brooklyn style pants in taupe and navy blue 4 sleeveless tops (essentially mix and match with both pants) 1 nightgown 2 one piece swim suits 3 shoes: one skechers slip on (not sneaker style), one pair Teva sandals (blue color, a little dressier than the rainbow style) 7 pairs underwear 3 bras 5 no show socks 2 very lighweight slip shorts in taupe and navy 1 packable hat Misc 8.5 x 11 wet bag packable tote phone case crossbody Skipbo 2 decks of cards Sea to Summit small toiletry bag quart bag for liquids kindle iPad large portable battery small purse size portable battery quart size bag of electronic cords and misc birthday magnets for cruise door small crossbody purse Good Luck gifts for our team small square soft cube of OTC meds, sleep meds, bonine, etc I packed in a Travelpro 22" suitcase and a Kipling backpack. Because I planned to ship through my luggage both ways, I packed a small cube with my nightgown, pair of underwear, 2nd top and the lightest weight dress I had. I wore a pair of slacks, top, cardigan and skechers on the plane. I wasn't really worried about losing my luggage, but still like a "just in case" cube. At worst, I can use the cube the first might of I don't want to totally unpack. My carryon also had the electronic cords, iPad, kindle, wet bag and good luck gifts for the team (I tried to make these small but did have 8 sets of juggling balls, so it took a bit of room) I was missing a pair of flip flops. I ordered a pair of crocs from Amazon, but the size was too small. So I ended up buying a pair in Orlando (I planned this knowing there are crocs stores there). What I didn't plan was one pair was $34 and there was a sale for 2 for $40, so I actually bought two pairs. I also went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast the first day and bought 2 dresses from Cracker Barrel. As an aside, I LOVE Cracker Barrel. We have none in my area and only two (I think) in CA. So whenever I go somewhere that has a Cracker Barrel I have to go. In this case, I found two dresses, both on sale. One was one I saw in March when I visited my mom and actually had buyers remorse for not buying it (A navy blue tee style with an embellished anchor-so cute for cruising) and the other, a pretty ombre colored dress). I did not wear these on the cruise, because they are too warm for the Caribbean. but they will be cute for cruises, especially from the CA ports where the weather isn't so humid. The amount of clothes was almost perfect. I meant to bring enough underwear for 9 days (the days of the cruise plus travel time) but miscounted (oops!). So I handwashed two pair one day, not a big deal. I was a little cold in the gym, but actually layered both cardigans one day and was fine and luckily, the other days were warmer. I often freeze in dining rooms on a ship on other cruises, but was fine on this one. The cardigans were the perfect accessory. My dresses all had blue in them, but were different styles and patterns. For example, I had a navy blue maxi dress with big rose colored flowers with a crinkle style fabric. Then I also had a navy and taupe with kind a floral pattern intermixed with geometric patterns. Then a very "flowy" almost chiffon type dress that had a very tiny floral print, so seemed more navy. I didn't wear the hat much, but that was in part because I traveled with my 87 year old mom, so did very little excursions. I wear a lot more when dh and I travel and would continue to bring it. I loved the color scheme. Navy blue and taupe seems very "nautical" and because I had very different styled clothes, I didn't feel like I was wearing the same thing again and again. It really helped in reducing shoes. I used to always have black as a base color and will probably still do so for cold weather trips, but loved it for summer! I appreciated two suits. We didn't necessarily go in the pool every day, but it was great not to have to put on a damp suit. I don't think I'll ever only take one again! The no show socks are great for my feet while wearing skechers and take up no room. I am very happy with my crossbody phone case. I can keep a credit card or room key in it, or small bills for tips. Its great for cruising and taking pictures. I wasn't worried reaching my phone out to take phots, because if I dropped it, it would just fall around my neck. This goes with me on every vacation where I am taking a lot of photos. My electronics kit has become a dumping ground for lots of cords, chargers, etc/ I really need to clean it out-I was way too may unneeded items, Same with my OTC meds bag. I packed it for a 16 day cruise and had way more items than I needed, especially considering I was "on land" for over half the trip. Because I travel a lot, I am realizing I need a large and small of many items, like my electronic bag, my OTC meds bag and even my toiletries. Because I'm lazy.....I like to have it ready to go and not repack these items each time I'm gone. This is the second cruise I took cards and didn't need them, because you can get them on the ship. I probably need to leave them off in the future on cruses. When I travel with my mom and sister, we play a lot of cards. Finally, I am plus sized (1x or 2x and size 18/20). So my clothes aren't small. I hope this helps someone who may want to pack lightly for a cruise (If you don't tha';s okay! This is just my style)

There is a menu. My mom and sister had the wraps and they liked them. I had a hot dog. There are obviously other choices….hamburgers, etc. Maybe 8 menu items? I’ll try and take a picture today.

I’ve sailed to Alaska twice on Princess and was very happy. They have a large quantity of educational programs….naturalists, educators, etc. Last year a man from one of the local Alaskan tribes carved a totem pole over the course of the season. It was wheeled out multiple times and he talked about his upbringing, history, etc as he carved the totem using traditional methods. I’m excited to see what NCL will do.

Back to the Haven for dinner. I blew it and forgot to take a picture before I ate but these are lobster deviled eggs. Delicious. The lobster tail and filet were amazing. The lobster was stellar. I forgot to add, my brother decided he wanted to go to Alaska. So now I have to go to the Cruise next desk AGAIN and meet with Bruno. I am seriously setting embarrassed by how many times I’ve been there! So my mom, brother and sister will share a 2 bedroom and dh and I will get a different room. We played cards after dinner until 11 and then turned in.

Friday My sister and I were up and ready by about 8:30 this morning to do a spur of the moment excursion. I absolutely wanted to see the spider monkeys at Monkey Island and that was our only agenda. We found our way to the monkeys and arranged to be part of the 9:40 group. It was a fantastic experience. The guide was wonderful. He took pictures with his camera (which you can buy) as well as with yours. You basically have a half hour with the monkeys. The first part is structured, with the guide doing pictures and the second part is you just getting to be with the monkeys. It was $25 to do it. A monkey jumped in my hand immediately in front of my phone and I was essentially snapping “monkey selfies”. Seriously, best day ever! We got 41 photos that the guide took and you pay by the number of people. We paid $35 for the two of us. A family of seven paid $80. After visiting the monkeys we walked to a pool in yhe vicinity that had a big pool and lazy River . There is also a larger pool a little closer to the ship but doesn’t have a lazy River. They are free, you just purchase food or drinks. But no one is monitoring and there is no minimum. I’m sorry I didn’t even think to take pictures. It was really a fantastic day. After walking back to the ship we cleaned up and walked to the brewhouse again before the 6:30 comedy show with Flip. I love the brew house and all the beer choices. The comedy show was hilarious and clean (the family show). At the end he brought on a guy who does the dueling pianos and the audience suggested a music genre and popular movie. For example, Home Alone and rap. He made up a song about Home Alone in the style of rap. He did this with three movies and it was hilarious.

My mom is having a great time! She and my dad cruised a lot, as well as traveled in Europe quite a bit. She can no longer travel alone, so my sister and I take her on a vacation every March (when my sister, a teacher, has spring break) and every summer. We’ve done lots of different things, but now will stick to cruising. She enjoys it so much and in some ways, it’s easier than a land based vacation (although more expensive, lol).

Thursday I’m starting to feel a little bummed as we just have three days left on our cruise! My mom and sister got up and went to breakfast. I was the last one out of bed today and as I was getting up they wanted to leave and walk around the port area. I didn’t care much at all, except to to tell them to ask at the shops if anyone sold stamps. If so, I’d head out and write some postcards and then hop back to the ship. I went to the restaurant and just asked for a latte to take to the pool area. I’ve eaten so much this week, I just wanted a coffee. Yes, I could have used the Nepresso in my room or coffee by the pool, but really wanted a latte. I stopped by the concierge and ordered a cake for my moms birthday. Her birthday is actually Monday, but next week was not a good week for me to sail. So we’ll celebrate on Saturday. I also picked a half dozen cruising ducks my sister made to distribute around the ship. She made a bunch and hadn’t hidden very many, so wanted to do something for her. So as soon as I finished my coffee I was off. I basically walked the public decks of the ship, hiding ducks in pretty easy to find spaces and checking out what’s around the ship. We’ve really only been to our specialty dining, the show rooms like the theater and comedy club and then hanging out in the Haven. As I think I’ve mentioned, we’re booking two more NCL cruises. One in March out of Galveston and one in June to Alaska. We are seriously considering “downgrading” (lol) to maybe a suite or balcony but honestly, when I was out and about I was overwhelmed by the quantity of people and I think my mom could not handle the noise, the large amounts of people, etc. My sister? Yes, absolutely. My husband and I? Yes, we’ve cruised a lot and typically book an obstructed view (one step above an inside cabin, because my husband likes natural light). But my mom? Unfortunately, I think she’d go crazy. She has just lost that level of tolerance and adaptability. I realized this when I returned to the Haven pool. The temperature must be 15 degrees or more less than on deck! And so much quieter! No loud music, not tons of people. However, I will admit that even the Haven is not without issues. The other day, a staff member obviously told a child to stop the splashing (they were being very disruptive to everyone, not just playing in the pool) and he just told her “no”. She then talked to what I assume are the parents and they said there was nothing wrong with what he was doing. However, it is still miles quieter than the other pools (please not, I’m not saying it’s bad….I enjoy the music and people around….it’s just that my mom couldn’t handle it) We ate lunch by the pool. My mom and sister had the chicken Caesar wraps and me, the hot dog. We spent an hour or two in the hot tub. It’s not super hot, more like bath water, which was great for the current temperature. There were kids in pool playing and I realized the issue isn’t them playing, it’s the high pitched screeching. It was quite funny listening to them decide and change the “rules” of whatever game they made up. A thoughtful mom came over and reminded them not to scream. Not too successful, but I did appreciate the effort! After awhile I went backto the room and then to book our next two cruises. We decided on a 2 bedroom Haven for my dh, mom and sister. We will sail out of Galveston in March and then from Seattle to Alaska in June. For Galveston we had a few cabin options but for Seattle there was one left! While I was doing that my sister and mom cleaned up and wandered out in the ship. I met them at Syds Pourhouse and we met up with two couples who were on a mission to try every drink in the menu. They were obviously feeling no pain and were fun to chat with. We then went to La Cucina for dinner. It was not that great. After 90 minutes we still didn’t have our entrees. We were asked if we wanted a second glass of wine but didn’t arrive until we finished eating. Caprese salad Beef tenderloin Even the vibe was kind of negative. The waitstaff was very disengaged and it just wasn’t that fun. I would have rather eaten in the Haven. It was quite a disappointment after the fantastic experience at LeBistro. We went to the late night comedy show featuring both comedians. Definetely adult rated but there were also kids in the show (I think they weren’t supposed to be there). We headed to bed to be rested for the DR tomorrow

I’m not sure what the Waterfront” is, however, the outside tables are just basically outside Le Bistro and across from Headliners.

Wednesday We were up and going late today. We were at the Haven for breakfast about 9:15 and people came after us so a lot of people were waiting. There are LOTS of people in the Haven and LOTS of kids. We have had a couple of meals with crying kids. I 100% understand crying cranky kids (I have three kids) but I don’t really understand not removing them a little faster. My moms tolerance for this (unfortunately) is quite low. It was a little frustrating because there were lots of people and everyone was getting seated but us. But I assumed they were choosing to eat outside and I had asked for inside. The final straw for me was I got in line 40 minutes later and was chatting with the men ahead of me. (We talked about our dinner experiences the night before-ours was wonderful at Le Bistro and they didn’t have a good night at Cagneys). They then seated the group of three men and I tried to ask about my table and was rather abruptly told that our table was being set and we’d be next. When we walked in the men were at an inside table. So I went over and asked them and yes, they had just walked up. So I went to the hostess and asked why we were the absolute last group seated (and there were many empty tables) and she told me everyone that was seated was ahead of me which was just an absolute blatant lie and when I called her on it she then said she called our name and room number and we didn’t respond. But we were there the whole time. So we were in breakfast at 10 and I left the table and went down and talked to the concierge. I was pretty mad (and you have to understand, I seldom confront anyone about anything). The concierge talked to the restaurant manager and he ended up talking to me and asking for “my side” of the story. I very calmly explained and he said he would follow up and to ask for him when we came again to make sure there were no issues. I realized I should have asked for him but I honestly wasn’t even thinking there was a a manger and the concierge was the only place I thought to go. I actually ran into the dad (of the trio) in the bar a little later and he asked me what happened after we talked. He told me he did see and hear what she said and how she acted and I wasn’t imagining things. So I did feel better about that. So we chatted a bit about that and other things and went our separate ways. I met up with my mom and we played cards while my sister was in the room with a migraine. We played for quite awhile (to give my sister peace) and went to the room about 2:45. She woke up and I left to find a mail box and mail some postcards and she and mom used an escort with a wheelchair to get out to the meeting place for our excursion. I went out and used a shuttle to the post office. They have these shuttles that will take you around by e shipping area…you just tip. I asked the driver if he could take me back and he said he had to go in his lunch. I told him no problem, that I appreciated him getting me there so quickly and I could walk back. He immediately told me he would wait and shuttle me back. I had initially shared shared that the reason I wanted to go to the post office was I mail a postcard to a neighbor of mine who is 97 and I send her postcards everywhere I go. He appeared to be quite moved by this and dropped me off at the ship. I tipped him generously to thank him for his time! In the meantime, my mom (with my sister) was wheeled out to the meeting place for our excursion. The organizers of the sunset cruise arranged for a car to take her to the actual boat (just amazing). They went around giving wristbands and there were two colors (red and green). They asked you about your group so you would be in the same boat. When I said I was with the lady who needed the ride over, she immediately gave me a green band, because that’s what they had. I walked over with everyone and we boarded the boat. My mom and sister were already on. I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this excursion. I talked with all three crew and they were all wonderful. As with most excursions they accept tips and I did so generously. They were great to me, went out of their way for my mom and deserved every penny. It was lovely sailing and I ended up talking with a variety of guests on the boat and just had a great time. At the ending the trip the captain told us he called and asked for a shuttle to bring my mom back. Apparently there were some issues (a flat tire, confusion over who was coming, etc) and the head of security for the shuttles/pier came and got us in his SUV!!! He apologized for the wait and we told him we hardly waited at all! He was lovely and so kind to my mom. I was so impressed. He encouraged us to return to St. Thomas and I told him after how well we were treated today we absolutely planned to do so. When we got to the pier we were able to get a wheelchair to take my mom back to the Haven and once again, we were able to board quickly due to being in Haven. It was really nice. We went to the room and my sister went to bed again and my mom and Into the Haven for dinner. I had the consommé again and crab cakes. Then we shared the cheesecake for dessert. The manager came to see us which I thought was very nice and much appreciated. I was very intentional in saying that what happened this morning was over, it was addressed and we moved on. And I truly meant that. I ran to see the Rumours show and caught the last 3 songs. I arranged for my mom to use the Haven escort to the theatre and I waited in line to watch the first 20 minutes or so in Syd Normans Pur House. The show was the entire Rumours album. I’ll then run out, race to the theatre and watch the comedy show with my mom. In general, this trip is all about my mom…what she wants to do and where we go. This is my little time….Rumours was one of the first albums I ever had and I just really wanted to see the show. It was so good! So I watched the first 23 minutes and literally ran forward and down one deck to race into the theater and join my mom. The show in the theater was both comedians: Flip Schultz and Warren Hall. Both are really good comedians. It was definitely an adult show. If you don’t want the adult jokes I suggest you attend the family or PG-13 shows. After the show we headed back to the room. I was cautiously optimistic I might have a good night and fingers crossed it’s true. Tomorrow is Tortola from 6am-1pm and I doubt we will leave the ship. I haven’t yet even made it to the pool and that is my goal for tomorrow!

I use Magnesium creme and I’ve found another big issue is dehydration and lack of exercise. I’m pretty good at home (I keep a water bottle by me, put on magnesium creme at night and go the the YMCA for water aerobics 4-5 times a week, but on vacation, it all falls apart.

Tuesday We started our sea day a little later….I was up and about about 8:30. As I think I’ve mentioned above, I have pretty bad insomnia and was up until about 3:30. This is also why I’m good all day but start getting tired by 9 or 10. Breakfast in the Haven again….I tried the eggs Benedict (single Benedict and half portion of potatoes) and staff did exactly that, which was appreciated. Perfect amount of Hollandaise sauce-enough for flavor but not so much it was everywhere. The French press coffee is so good too. My mom and sister went to the room to get ready for the day and I relaxed in the lounge. They joined me and we ended up chatting with the people sitting near us until 10:45 when we went to the meet and greet. Sadly, it was poorly attended but the people who did attend were delightful. The venue was the Brewhouse which was so much fun. Three ships officers came. I was chatting with the cruise director and sharing how much I liked the choice of beers (not just all IPA’s) and how much I liked the one I was drinking. He brought over the Beverage Manager as it was a new beer to the venue, just starting with our cruise. He called the General Manager over and asked me how we were enjoying the Haven and both gave me their cards and told me to contact them if we needed anything. Wow! There was even a musician at the event. I was so glad we went. I then headed to talk to the Future Cruise desk while my mom and sister watched the presentation on the new ships and itineraries. We have basically decided on a cruise next March and next June. March either sailing out of Galveston or SoCal and June for Alaska. We just have to decide Suite or Haven. The Haven is amazing, but a suite can be half the price and my mom is getting better on her electric chair. I figure we could do a suite, speciality dining and thermal spa for much cheaper than the Haven. We’ll make our final decision soon. We headed to the Haven for lunch. My mom had the butternut squash soups which she enjoyed. I tried the chicken consommé because I enjoyed the onion one so much for dinner last night and the Brie burger. The consommé wasn’t bad, but not nearly as good as last night. The Brie burger was quite good and we had the banana dessert (can’t remember the name) which was awesome. I then headed back to the Future cruise desk to ask a few more questions and while my mom and sister went to Bingo, I went for a nap. I was up 4ish and after dressing for dinner we made our way back to the lounge to play cards, have a drink and wait for the Captain's cocktail party at 7. No Captain at the party but lots of managers. It was funny because my guy at the Future cruise desk was there and he saw me and came over and we chatted. Of course, he joked about coming by because he missed me so much and he met my mom and sister. (He was helping at the event). It was nice but crowded and after you went through the line to meet everyone it was kind of done. So we headed to LeBistro for dinner. My sister and I have the specialty dinner but not my mom (she’s third person in the room) so we’ll pay a la carte for her. The restaurant is cute with the outside tables like a Parisian cafe but we asked for inside because it was noisy outside for my mom. Our waiter, coincidentally, also is in the Haven restaurant for other meals. I did the French onion soup and endive salad and both were delicious. Dinner was the beef filet. While there is a $10 up charge, if you don’t do the foie gras the up charge is removed. It was all quite delicious. I had a glass of a red blend ($3 upcharge). They offer Prosecco as part of the dining package when you arrive and my mom and I paid the up-charge for Veuve Clicquot. It was lovely. I won’t do this all the time but this was special. It’s a $14 charge. My mom ordered the escargot for her appetizer and soup for dinner. She really doesn’t have much of an appetite anymore and that’s what she wanted, so she could also have dessert. I had the chestnut mousse for dessert and my mom some ice cream. The obligatory food pictures: Escargot French onion soup Salad Endive salad Lamb chops Chestnut mousse Beef When our waiter brought our bill he very kindly told us he talked to the manager and he waived the charges for my moms meal. Was it because we were in the Haven? Because we also ordered drinks and paid an upcharge? Because we were nice and chatty with all the staff? Because she really only ordered a few sides and not an entree? I have no idea but it was an unexpected nice gesture. We left a good additional tip for him. After dinner we got in line for the comedy show. Grateful we had reservations…..the standby line was long! We got in, got seats, got drinks and waited for the show, chatting with those around us. Then, big thrill….three of the guys from Choir of Man came to watch the show!!! I went over to tell them how much I liked the show and how talented they were. They were very gracious and shared how much they enjoyed performing the show. My dh and I have season tickets to our local Broadway touring company (we live in the San Francisco Bay Area and have tons of Broadway tours) and their show is right along with those. We watched the comedy show (which was definitely 21+). If you’re unfamiliar with NCL, on our cruise, there are three comedy shows multiple nights through the cruise….family friendly, PG-13 and adults only. And while tonight’s show had sexual content it was nothing at all like another cruise we sailed where all the comedian did was drop F bombs and extremely vulgar sexual content (like we walked out). This was funny without going there. We were back to the room about 11. I took a bath to try and relax my back and then I headed to bed

Yes it is! He’s wonderful.

We were escorted to Choir of Man and all I can say is “don’t miss it”. It was amazing. The energy, the music, the voices….it was a treat. My sister waited with my mom to try and be escorted out at stage level (how we came in) rather than climbing all the stairs. I was at the Haven restaurant about 8:30 and again a wait. I was hoping the wait wouldn’t be the 40 minutes like last night and I was rewarded. It was only a couple of minutes. However, our waiter last night said we could ask for him and I forgot to until I was walking in the restaurant and I swear the hostess was mad at me. It was probably because it made it unbalanced for the servers but oh well. We really enjoy our waiter (Nelson) and I think he enjoys serving us. I had the onion consommé tonight and it was amazing. It’s so simple yet the broth was so rich and flavorful. It arrives with just the Pearl onions in the bowl and the consommé poured over at the table. I will definitely order again. For dinner I tried the prime rib again and I think the chefs idea of prime rib and mine vary. It wasn’t bad, just not what I would call prime rib. I tried the kale salad tonight and it was fine. Not outstanding, but fine. I love the baked potatoes….they’re small but you can add cheese, bacon and chives (you can also add sour cream but I don’t like sour cream). I don’t love the Havens dessert menu, so I tried the lemon sorbet and it was a nice light dessert. I’m talking with Nelson, he shared I could arrange to have Indian food one night, such as butter chicken and some kind of curry. So that will be nice as I love Indian food. I also hope to try lunch in the Haven tomorrow. I also tried the NCL red blend and it was an improvement over the Cabernet in the basic drink package. Yes there was an up charge but I’ll pay an up charge for a better glass. Dinner ended after 10. My mom and sister decided to go to the shops. I made my way to the Haven bar where my arm was twisted to have a double amaretto rather than a single pour. The older I get (I’m 61 now) I enjoy a little down time and I was happy to have some alone time before they returned to the room. On deck for tomorrow: a meet and greet at 11, a champagne meet and greet with the captain at 7 in the Haven and 7:30 dining reservations at Le Bistro.

I haven’t been around the ship a lot so far….will have a better idea after tomorrow (the first sea day). O’Sheehans was almost full about 2ish today.

Monday I slept great last night and woke up and headed to the Haven restaurant for breakfast. I ordered a skim milk latte (that’s how they refer to it, rather than non fat latte) and had some lovely Boursin cheese and prosciutto on a roll and then tried one of the almond croissants. I really liked the size….not too large. It is deserving of its good reputation. We then went back to get what we needed for Great Stirrup Cay and went back to the lounge. We waited in the lounge until the tender was near and we’re taken down by Irvin to the line. Wow, that was nice! We were able to ask for a sand wheelchair to take my mom down the beach, which was very helpful and appreciated. We experienced a little frustration in trying to rent a clamshell or umbrella and finally gave up. I was sent round and round and was becoming aggravated (and I didn’t want to feel that way). We ended up with two loungers kind of in the shade of a tree, near the Bacardi Bar. We went in the water and it was lovely. The water was packed but if you went past the throngs of people where it was a little deeper and it felt like the water was all yours. I’m from CA and our beach water is cold! My mom grew tired and so I walked her back to the lounger and let my sister stay in the water longer. Well, I underestimated the effort it would take to get her on the dry sand….it’s a little of an incline and the sand is squishy and let’s just say, I am so very grateful a woman dipping her feet in the water lent a hand so she had support on both sides. I went to get in line at the Bacardi bar to get mom a drink. It was a bit of a line (the people around me and I joked it was the ships way of keeping consumption down) and she enjoyed her “very light on the Bacardi” drink. There was a young boy (maybe 9 years old) dancing to the music and he was good! It was fun to watch him. By this time my sister was out of the water and she and my mom decided to go back to the ship and I went back in the water. Had a lovely conversation in the water with Kim (who works in education like myself) and then made my way to my lounger about 1 to head back to the ship. I did forget to say that NCL totally changed the itinerary around and informed folks as they were boarding the ship (even though the decision was made at least 3-4 days before we sailed and when people called, some were told absolutely no changes and others were given the revised itinerary-very poorly handled, IMO). We were only at Great Stirrup Cay until 3 and all aboard is 2pm. Anyway, the line was long to get on the ship. Really long. Super long. And Irvin had told us to walk more to the front of the line and there he was, with his paddle, to the front of the line. Then, when we got off the tender, someone was right there with a tender paddle to take us back to the Haven area. Wow, that was so nice. I showered up and went to O'Sheehan's bar and grill with my mom because I was hungry (why eat at the beach when you can be in the water?). I had the sausage sliders which were quite yummy and shared an order of the pretzel bites (which were also good). We went back to the Haven lounge and played cards until about 6:15. We were seeing the Choir of Man show at 7 and plan dinner for after. More later.

I hope it’s not that way all week as well, although honestly, it was fine last night. I was figuring everyone was eating at the same time, no one had speciality restaurant reservations and we have three large groups. Large groups often take longer to eat and they often stay after they are done. So maybe that was why.

I guess we were lucky. We did book early (last November). After I booked a handicapped access room, NCL contacted me asking for specifics. I actually called them and was very upfront and honest. My mom (at the time) used a wheelchair, but can walk and stand for short periods of time. What we really needed was room for a wheelchair and a walk in shower with a shower stool Or chair. I didn’t want to use a handicapped room if I didn’t need it, but I was assured we met the criteria. As it turned out, my mom has declined since November and now has a motorized chair rather than the wheelchair.

We wandered back to the Haven and we’re happy to get in our room. We have a handicapped room. My mom can walk, but also uses an electric chair. It’s nice because it has a much smaller footprint than a scooter and it also means my sister and I don’t need to push a wheelchair! I thought the Haven would be good because so much is in close proximity. She also needs a walk in shower with a bench or chair. I was told that we wouldn’t have a tub, which I understood, but luckily, we do! As I mentioned above, my leg cramps are funky and can be very very painful (like me crying and screaming in pain). I get leg cramps that are actually in the front of my shin and on the top of my foot, so stretching out my leg is useless. So while I hope not to use it, I’m glad I have it. We have a king bed (no two twins) and my mom chose the sofa bed that turns into a bed because it was lower. She would have needed a stool to get in the bed and we would have been worried about her falling. I don’t know if you can tell from the above picture, but there is a long “hook” you can use to pull the rod down to access it from a wheelchair. Lots of closet space! This is the Nespresso machine (it uses the older pods) There is also tea If I wasn’t specific enough…..wow! Our room is awesome. We received lovely little sandwiches….just the right size and amount. I thought I took a picture but oops…nope. We went out to the pool area and played cards. The Haven pool area was covered so it was so comfortable despite the heat. We headed back to the room to unpack and our butler came by. A very nice man named Reynal. We asked a couple of questions and I asked for an extra blanket. I don’t get cold, but I sleep under a weighted blanket. He asked us to activate the button if we were out of the room so we could make it up. Other than that, no requests from us. We went to the comedy show (family friendly) and laughed and laughed. I don’t remember the comedians name (I’ll look him up later, but it was funny). It was great to see my mom laugh and laugh. After the show we headed for the Haven dining room. No availability so we were asked to go to the lounge and we would be called when a table was ready. We had a drink and waited about 40 minutes and our name was called. Our waiter was Nelson and he was super nice. I asked for suggestions for wine and took his advice and was poured a generous glass. I had the slow roasted pork belly as an appetizer and wow, it was good. My sister had the lobster deviled eggs which she really liked. No appetizer for my mom; she tried my sisters. I ordered the prime rib but was brought something like a New York strip steak. It was not prime rib. The baked potato was good-not too big but big enough. I ordered a side of the creamed corn rather than seasonal vegetables and that was good as well. For dessert I had the coconut mousse. It wasn’t what I would call a mousse. It was more gelatin based. It was okay, but I won’t order it again. We asked our server (Nelson) if we could request him all week and discovered we could. So that’s our plan. We reserved tickets for the comedian at 10:30 but I bailed. I had been a volunteer all week in Orlando for US Twirling national championships and I am tired. I didn’t sleep well most of the week (In general, I have terrible insomnia on a good day. Add in the time change and yikes!) and just wanted to collapse in our room. So I headed to bed and my mom and sister headed to the comedy show. More tomorrow. Good night.

We are sailing the Norwegian Escape out of Miami starting July 16. We have a Haven handicapped room. I’m hoping this can be at least “semi-live” as I did purchase the internet package and expect to have a bit of “down time”. To back up, we booked this cruise specifically because of the date and location. I sailed on NCL in 1991 on my honeymoon but nothing since. So I am a huge novice. I have sailed on many other lines. Since Covid, I’ve sailed Disney, Princess, Celebrity and Carnival. Prior to Covid, also Royal Caribbean and Holland America (plus the previously mentioned lines). So I’m not a cruise novice, but rather, a NCL novice. I chose Haven because I thought it would be beneficial for my mom, who is almost 87 and has mobility issues. I thought the smaller area would be helpful. She really enjoyed the smaller, personal dining room when we sailed HAL, so I thought the Haven seemed like a perfect idea. Typically, my dh and I sail in an obstructed view stateroom, so this is HUGE upgrade. We arrived in Miami on the 15th. My mom and sister flew in and were the last plane to land before weather (thunderstorms). The luggage handlers couldn’t be on the tarmac because of lightening (obviously) so the luggage was delayed almost 2 hours. Luckily they flew in on an early flight, so they did land and then made it to the hotel with no additional issues. While I’m from CA I was in Orlando the week before the cruise. I booked the Flix bus from Orlando to Miami and felt it was a good deal. While the seats were close together, they had plugs for charging and 5G wireless. I paid $35 for my seat, plus $5 to choose a specific seat and $4 handling charge. We left Orlando at 3:25 and I was in downtown Miami just before 7. I ubered to the hotel, got my room, went down to their small (but functional!) bar area and bought a beer and went to bed. We stayed at the Aloft Brickell. I was not impressed at all. I can say it did what it needed to do. The room set up was crazy. The beds were very tight and then there was a huge open empty space. My other little “pet peeve” was that on the receipt for the beer, there was a line for gratuity. However, I was automatically charged 18% gratuity. If the line had said “additional gratuity” I wouldn’t have cared but I felt that was rather depeceptive. On the plus side, there was very warm water for the shower and bath. This turned out to be fortuitous, as I can get horrific leg cramps and the only solution can be sitting in hot water. So, after going to bed, I was up around midnight running a bath. Luckily it worked and I was back in bed and up by 8. We ubered over to the port for a 9:30 check in. We zoomed through and were in the Haven waiting area very quickly. They had coffee, tea, water and orange juice, fruit, little sandwiches and pastries. We sat and had a bite to eat and watched the remaining passengers depart. We quickly were guided on to the ship and into the Haven. We had a little talk by our concierge (Sanja) who seemed quite sweet. We were offered lunch in the American Grill and we chose to do so. Before I go further, I need to say, I don’t think of myself or my sister as high maintenance or picky. We’re thrilled to be on the ship and can generally be fine with anything. My mom can be a little more difficult but we will work to keep her under control this week! I say this only for anyone reading this to take it with a grain of salt. You won’t hear from me critiquing every meal and every action and sharing what isn’t “up to snuff” because I won’t notice. Anyway, we went to the American Diner and enjoyed our lunch. We had the shrimp and lobster roll as an appetizer. There were two and we shared them. They were good! It said spicy but it really wasn’t, just flavorful. We all enjoyed our lunch. My mom had the fried chicken, my sister the seafood platter and I had the shrimp and grits. Now, I wouldn’t pay for it separately or with a dining credit but it was wonderful for a free lunch. More to come.

Thank you everyone! I haven’t sailed NCL or Out of Miami since 1991, nor ever sailed in the Haven (or any concierge type room) ever and don’t want to do the wrong thing!

We are sailing tomorrow out of Miami and just realized we have two different check in times for the three of us. One has a 9:30-10 time and the other two, 10-10:30. Can we all go earlier or do we need to all go later? We are in the Haven, if that matters. I’m assuming it’s a “go through security” time and not boarding time? Any input is appreciated.

Thank you! That clarifies it for me….it has to do with the same versus different departure and arrival ports.

So I tried to book a back to back cruise for October. Cruise 1 is Seattle to Vancouver, with a stop in Victoria. Cruise 2 is Vancouver to San Francisco with no ports. I could not book them back to back. I understand this is because of the Passenger Vessel Services Act (right?) but I don’t quite understand why. Can someone explain it to me? i understand you have to go to a foreign port. But I thought that was just for cruises that originate and end in the US. The agent said Canadian and Mexican ports don’t count? If the cruises are together as one, meaning departing and returning to a US port, then Victoria is the “foreign port” . If this doesn’t count, how does it work with the weekend Mexican cruises that go only to Ensenada? I'm not trying to argue about it, I just don’t understand and want to. thanks!

I use mine a lot, but as a shawl I just throw it over my shoulder. In terms of nicer ones, that you’d wear with a nice outfit, that’s wear I’m lost. The Hello Mello is great, but it’s definitely utilitarian…I wouldn’t wear it with a nice outfit to dress it up. So in my mind two different types of shawls!