IOS Review 2/10/13 - 2/16/13

[BettyPC]

I'm sorry - no pictures - not good at pictures - but wanted to write a quick overview of our cruise.

 

Had a fabulous time! I thought IOS was beautiful - plenty big for us.

This is our 2nd RCCL cruise - we have sailed w/Carnival twice. Last year we were on Adventure of the Seas from PR. That was a great cruise also.

 

We were prepared to wait on line (having experienced AOS from PR). We flew in to Ft Lauderdale at approximately 11:45 and were at the terminal at about 1:00 p.m. There was no line???!!!!

 

We just walked in - we dropped our stuff in our cabin 7286 balcony and went to Schooner bar for a drink of the Day! We then headed to Royal Promenade and had snack at the Sorrento's. We didn't try the pizza but enjoyed their antipasto with mozzarella balls, pate, prosciutto rollups etc...

 

This was our first cruise as a couple. I am 58 & Bill is 62 -our last cruises were w/family or other couples. I enjoyed this cruise as it allowed us to

be totally free - we decided where, when & how we would do anything. I found it was way easier to connect with our ROLL CALL!!!

 

We met great people and met at 3:00 for drinks at pool bar (deck 11). The following day we did a cabin crawl with a poker draw! FUN.

 

I found all our dinners in the MDR were very good. We signed up for MTD and prepaid the tips. The first evening we went to dinner and ran into 3 other couples from our Roll Call and enjoyed dinner w/them. I had a lot of the Indian food - as I really enjoy it.

 

Welcome aboard show was fun - then went to bed as 2 plane trips is a bit much for me.

[ticktoneer]

Neat little review - thanks !

[BettyPC]

Today we ordered breakfast for 7:00 a.m and got a call warning us it was on its way. We did this most mornings as I like to have a coffee to get jump started.

 

I went to 3 Trivia's today and won nothing. My DH read his book in the solarium. This was our cabin crawl day & poker run. I enjoyed seeing the Inside and the Window cabin as I think I would be happy w/o a balcony &

could perhaps go more often. We saw different suites -Ben & Jerry and also a Grand Suite! Fabulous.

 

DH & I went to the movies and saw the New "Total Recall" - I think popcorn would be a good idea. We enjoyed our first movie at sea.

 

Tonight was CHOPS. We had a reservation for 8:30 - the only one I could get online at home before we sailed. I called them at about 7:30 and they said to come - no worries. The restaurant was not very busy. I didn't care for our server - I didn't see his name tag. He was not friendly. DH ordered the petite fillet & I ordered the Braised short ribs. I had to send it back - hard as a rock.... Not tender at all. Disappointed - I had them give me a petite fillet and that was wonderful.

 

We had the Red Velvet cake for dessert - YUMMM.

[BettyPC]

Went and shopped in Grand Cayman - we got ourselves a couple of anniversary gifts. I got a diamond wedding band & DH got (from me) a Stainless bracelet w/a couple diamonds - he liked it a lot - since he picked it out ;). We had run into a couple who we were friendly w/from the roll call & we all shopped together & then went to lunch at WindJammer.

 

After lunch the 4 of us hung out in solarium - had some sprinkles ice cream and went in hot tub. We were there a while & our friends had early dining - so we said goodbye.

 

We checked out the Sushi in the Windjammer which they put out at 6:30 - it looked OK - but we

headed to the MDR. I started w/Scallop Risotto - it was ok - but the Lamb shank was great -DH had chicken masala and he liked it. After dinner the waiters brought out a cake & sang Happy Anniversary to us. It was very nice!

 

We went to the 8:00 trivia and lost again. Later that evening went to Quest game show - it was funny! Destiny should have won!

[BettyPC]

Yesterday - I forgot to mention that we went to the Excursion Desk and booked ourselves on the "Taste of Jamaica" tour to Good Hope Plantation.

This was a Royal C. tour - thank heavens!

 

Our tour met at "The Parking Lot" at 11:45. We went out earlier and tried to figure out exactly where "The Parking Lot" was.... There were a couple of parking lots - but we located where we thought it was - then headed back to the ship to get ready.

 

Loads of shops & vendors in the port - no one hassled us - as has been mentioned here.

 

Good Hope Plantation is about 20 minutes away - took a bus - with the "High Tea" excursion folks. (I have never seen so many people who had no idea what tour they were on...)

 

It was a bumpy ride but very pretty - saw a Jamaica Raindeer.... (Goat - according to our driver). When we arrived we saw the gift shop & then were taken on the tour. Very pretty location - took some beautiful pictures of the scenery. The FOOD though was the highlight.

 

Curry chicken, Jerk Chicken, beans & rice, baked yucca and plainains. Some fish. They also had a Lemon grass Ice tea which my DH enjoyed. Dessert was a banana bread mini muffin w/some cream cheese frosting - very tasty.

 

The staff seemed in no hurry - so we were still sitting around at 3:15. All aboard the ship was 3:30 - so needless to say we were late.

 

Some ladies wanted to shop when we were dropped off at "The parking lot". One of my only "negatives" was that our excursions didn't give us enough info on where to go... Dinner is being served here - so I will be back!

[BettyPC]

When we got back from Jamaica - I went to "Where in the World am I?" trivia - our team came in third. I have to mention that I met many fun and smart people at trivia - people are very friendly and invite you to sit w/them - if you come in alone.

 

DH & I went to main dining room today about 7 and he had Fillet of Sole and thought it was pretty good. I went for the Vegetable Vindaloo which was fabulous!! We have decided that our favorite dessert was tonight - the Lemon Merangue (sp) Tart. Very good.

 

Our next stop was the Men vs Woman contest (we missed the first part as our Cabin crawl happened at the same time) and later was the Love and Marriage Game. 1 man uses his sock as a napkin. and 1 man hadn't said "I love you" to his wife since December... Not good.

 

Off to bed!

[BettyPC]

Haiti! this was Valentines day also. We rented a Cabana from RC today and we weren't scheduled to get to port until about 10:00. Coffee and then breakfast in the Windjammer. I always got a "made to order" fried egg and it was very good.

 

At 9:15 I went to a trivia and we WON!!! A wallet - cool - success. Won another wallet later - at 10:00 trivia - gave it to a pal who we went onshore with. 10:30 - got right off the ship and headed for the long walk to our cabana on Nellies beach. Once again - I found the lack of signs a little disconcerting. I had never been there - so we weren't sure exactly where they were. Finally got to the correct area & got #7. We did a long climb up

hills and finally reached it.

 

Anyone with any sort of disability that doesn't allow them to be a billy goat - might want to figure out how to get a lower cabana. It was nice - pretty view and the cabana was nice - sat 6 - 2 lounges out in the sun. Didn't appeal to our friends or ourselves. I found our attendant had trouble with English once I asked for 1 more bottle of water...

 

Lunch was good -shrimp skewers, hotdogs, strip steak, hamburgers, salads etc... The Labadoozie drink was very yummy! Came in a special yellow Labadee cup w/straw and cover.

 

After that food - I wanted something light so we went to Windjammer and I just had some soup. Bill enjoyed whatever he had. Big variety.

 

Went to Vintages after dinner for a glass of wine - neither Bill nor I really liked what we picked out to drink - but what the heck - its wine! We chatted w/the bartender - Steven I believe- from Peru. We told him we had signed up for wine tasting on Friday (last day) and we were looking forward to it. He mentioned he was doing the MARTINI Tasting at 4:30 after the wine tasting (which was at 2:00 p.m.).

 

A good day was had by all! I am not sure I would rent a cabana again - at least not #7. We were able to find a different way down - and we also took the tram back to the main dock - so it wasn't as long a walk back to the ship.

[BettyPC]

We ate breakfast this morning in main dining room. It was OK. I like the Windjammer better as I like to walk around & see whats up.

 

One funny thing (to me) was the miso soup that I saw each day for breakfast in the Windjammer. I didn't try it - too far out of my comfort zone. I didn't see anyone else try it either...

 

Guess where I went at 9:30 - you guess it Trivia - won a Royal Caribbean cap!! I didn't do anymore trivia today - as I had gotten the grand prize.

 

Today we watched Mirror Mirror - I think I typed it in yesterday - which was wrong. Then Lunch in Windjammer - - time to get ready for Wine tasting (lol) water...

 

Wine tasting was good - cheese, fruit etc.. I liked the wines. We then tried to eat a bit & drink water getting ready for our Martini tasting!

 

I used to think of martini's as what James Bond had - - but we made a Chocolate Martini, the 2nd one was the James Bond martini, a Lemon Drop Martini and finally a Cosmo. They were GREAT (not the James Bond one) but the rest were great. I tried not to drink them all - since I did need to walk...

 

Some folks from our roll call were there and also a couple we met from Canada - so we had a blast.

 

Last dinner was in Dining room. Met 2 other couples from the Roll call and had a great time. Exchanged info to keep in touch.

 

We signed up for the Luggage Valet - since our flight was on Delta and was after 11:30. It was $20. each person for the service & I felt it was worth every penny. You get your boarding pass in your cabin & your luggage tags for the flight. Your luggage goes out before 11:00 p.m. outside your room & you see it when you arrive at the airport at home.

 

It worked perfectly.

 

Fort Lauderdale security line at the airport was quick. Last year after AOD - in Puerto Rico - the security line was SCARY. So many people with so few lines for the TSA screening.

 

I enjoyed everything on this cruise. Food was good, drinks, our room steward Rafael was fabulous. I didn't see any drunks, mean people, there were no smokers in the balconies around us. We signed up for a Future cruise on RCCL and will get an on board credit when we decide where/when to go.

 

I'd love to see more of PR - and liked AOS - but after experiencing the quickness of Ft. Lauderdale - I am not sure I want to put up w/PR again.

 

Any questions - please ask. I'll do my best to answer.

[didicruiser]

Thank you for the great review. I'll be on her in less than 3 weeks :)

[Councillady]

I am going on the NOS out of New Orleans this Saturday! Can't wait! I haven't cruised on RCCL before and your review was great! :D

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[gelo7]

Nice review.

[kikiw]

Wonderful review.. sorry I didn't get a chance to meet with you all. I fell asleep in my room after lunch.. a 3:30am wakeup time + good lunch = nap time :D

 

It was a GREAT cruise, wonderful weather all around. Just perfect.

[kikiw]

Also wanted to share the various sunsets we had enjoyed on the IOS :D

 

[kruzerci]

I am going on the NOS out of New Orleans this Saturday! Can't wait! I haven't cruised on RCCL before and your review was great! :D

 

Have fun!!! We did that cruise in December and it was fantastic :)

[dappledumpling]

Hi Betty,

It was wonderful cruising with you.. this was a very nice cruise critic group

2 caveats for you

#1- if you head to the information building in labadee a golf cart will come and drive you to your cabana (the attendant will call when you want to leave and they will shutlle you right back)

We had a on the beach cabana on nellies beach and loved the location.. did not need to be a billy goat to access

 

#2 martini class. The second martini was an adaptation of a vespar martini (the james bond classic) which as a martini drinker I enjoyed.. but since no else with me did I enjoyed a few too many (ok way to many)

 

For those of you worried about pier 29 (I was one of the people saying the first 6 day cruise in december was off and the pier a disaster) they appear to have resolved the issue and it was a breeze getting on and off the ship.. in fact I have booked her again

After this trip she is a close second to the jewel as my favorite ship

 

Rick

[BettyPC]

Kiwi - great pictures - thanks for posting! Sorry we didn't get to meet.

 

Betty

 

Also wanted to share the various sunsets we had enjoyed on the IOS :D

 

[BettyPC]

Hi Rick - thanks for helping with this! I had no idea about the golf cart....

 

It was great meeting you & Heidi. This was a fabulous trip and I'd go again tomorrow - if I could!

 

Betty

 

 

 

Hi Betty,

It was wonderful cruising with you.. this was a very nice cruise critic group

2 caveats for you

#1- if you head to the information building in labadee a golf cart will come and drive you to your cabana (the attendant will call when you want to leave and they will shutlle you right back)

We had a on the beach cabana on nellies beach and loved the location.. did not need to be a billy goat to access

 

#2 martini class. The second martini was an adaptation of a vespar martini (the james bond classic) which as a martini drinker I enjoyed.. but since no else with me did I enjoyed a few too many (ok way to many)

 

For those of you worried about pier 29 (I was one of the people saying the first 6 day cruise in december was off and the pier a disaster) they appear to have resolved the issue and it was a breeze getting on and off the ship.. in fact I have booked her again

After this trip she is a close second to the jewel as my favorite ship

 

Rick