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Quantum- Semi Live, Family Perspective

Peewee14

By Peewee14,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Peewee14

Peewee14

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The time was now getting to about 5-6pm and when we headed out together now it was so much busier, I could tell Michaela was a little daunted by it all especially with Diana with us in her buggy, Since then of course we have been out all day today in the city and like me she is now comfortable and has seen the difference during peak and off peak times, so my top travel tip is try to get outside and get a feel for the place during off peak times, and not in the rush hour, then once you are used to it its fine even in the busiest periods.

 

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We took a similar route to that I had took previous across to 5th then up and back down Broadway, the problem we now faced was so much choice and also being totally un prepared, it was great fun walking around and just feeling the energy of the place but we soon decided to find somewhere to eat or get a drink and we just failed! We hadn’t done any research and we did feel, admittedly, a little out of our depth

 

The conversations went a little like this

 

“what about there”

“That looks to dark and gloomy”

“what about that one”

“that looks like to much of a main chain, I want somewhere more authentic”

“ok what about this one”

“that doesn’t look kid friendly”

“this one looks ok”

“no I don’t want Pizza”

 

and so on and so forth, I think you get the idea!

 

On top of all this Diana was being a little monkey so we found ourselves heading back to the hotel and decided that tonight we would eat at the hotel.

 

I am so glad we did, I couldn’t quite believe it, but the food here is outstanding! Along with the service, I had a NY steak, and it really is one of the best steaks I ever had! Michaela had chicken with purple mash! Whats all that about! Purple mash! It was yummy though, and Diana had chicken tenders. Dinner complete we retired to the room early and I decided we needed to get organised and have a plan for the week!

 

So without boring you all too much, we simply made a list of what we wanted to do in order of priority, we then googled family friendly restaurants and diners in new york, then we planned our days with each activity and using google maps picked out the places to eat. We spent a while booking all the places online and buying our tickets.

 

I am so glad we did, today has been absolutely brilliant, and I cant wait for tomorrow!

 

So the plan as of Monday roughly was

 

Tuesday (today) : Carnegie Deli, Central Park Zoo, Central Park, FAO Shawrtz Toy Store

Weds: Empire State Building, both observation decks, Macys and shopping

Thursday: 911 Memorial

Friday: Top Of the rock then the xmas spectacular show at Radio City Hall

 

With food places all noted nearby each.

 

Sat & Sun yet to plan

 

We have also bought HOHO bus tickets with Grayline for every route, after chatting with the man selling the tickets we got a 4 day pass for the price of 2 days, so we plan to use that a lot now between all our events.

 

More will be added as we go but we felt we needed a basic structure to our week.

Today was great, Carnegie Deli was fab! Even though at first Michaela was like “where the hell have you brought us” We did a horse and carriage tour of central park, the zoo and the 4D theatre Rio show, followed by FAO Shwarz. But I will do more of a review on todays events later.

 

Diana fell asleep in her buggy on the way back and we have spent a night relaxing in the room which has given me chance to catch up on this while Michaela watches more American TV!

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ksg

ksg

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Thank you for your review. I've enjoyed it. As a native NYer (born in Brooklyn) it's always nice to see NYC through the eyes of someone visiting for the first time.

 

When you're downtown at the 9/11 Memorial, you might want to check out Chinatown for lunch. It's pretty interesting. Just eat anywhere that's crowded.

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transam84

transam84

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Having spotted this in our cabin earlier and with the excitement of New York we headed to the cabin early as I really wanted to be up at 4.30am to be on top deck for sail in, I cant describe my excitement at this point, I really wanted to get Diana up with me at that time to share it but Michaela talked me out of it, and explained she wouldn’t be getting up at that time either, so after a few minutes figuring out what time it was we went to be at about 10pm and set my alarm.

 

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After Diana had watched Starwater she decided to give us a little performance of her own before bed

 

http://vid1295.photobucket.com/albums/b640/Pete_Ashcroft/Quantum%20Of%20The%20Seas/IMG_0316_zpsixbgwpj9.mp4

 

 

I couldn’t sleep, it was a nightmare! The room for a change was perfect, no rocking no banging perfect sleeping conditions, but the excitement was just too much, I was tossing and turning all night, in fact at one point at about 1am I almost gave up and just got up, but I persevered! And wouldn’t you know it when the alarm did go off and wake me from what was now a deep comfortable sleep I didn’t want to get up and almost changed my mind.

 

I didn’t though, I got dressed rather noisily I was later informed and with a warm jacket headed up top, it was quiet at about 4.45am but from 5am it filled up fast. I spent my time on Deck 15 in the open air and then deck 14 trying to find space to see everything, it was great, I don’t know if my goose bumps were due to the cold or the excitement! We sailed under the bride then passed by liberty, it was still dark but dawn was about to break.

 

 

sorry not great pics

 

 

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Thank you so much for your wonderful review and picture, and they are great! It was fun, balanced and honest.

I was on shore under the bridge taking pictures of you all as you all as you came through! Did you hear me yelling "HI QUANTUM, HI FELICIA, WELCOME TO AMERICA!" I am probably in your picture but you can't see me, lol! It was certainly a grand entrance. It was one of the most amazing sights for me. My pictures of you from shore are on shutterfly in the link in my signature. Not professional but heartfelt. I hope you are enjoying NY! We sail next week. Thanks again.

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Peewee14

Peewee14

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Hi Laura, thanks for you reply, just been looking at your pictures, great to see it from a different perspective! i didn't realise how much she was lit up!

 

I was saying to Michaela that the strange think about a TA is you don't get to see the ship from the outside, when your doing ports you see it getting off and on, but obviously on a TA you don't!

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Peewee14

Peewee14

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Hello Again!

 

We have just got back to the hotel room after a great meal at hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, probably not a choice I would have made but Michaela really wanted to go.

 

Needless to say we are having a great time, however as much as I love Diana to bits her behaviour has been a bit on the naughty side this last couple of days. I suppose its only to be expected with such a long and tiring holiday so we are making a few exceptions. Where is adventure ocean when you need it!

 

We are struggling in the evenings, which we did expect, all 3 of us are usually shattered by about 7pm , Diana gets a little grumpy and our patience with her is not the best at this stage so we retire back to the room to watch movies and relax. its working out well so far as it means we are up early and getting a really good full day in, and this way with early nights we are keeping as close to the time zone in the UK as we could.

 

On Tuesday we had a small exception, with the exhaustion of Monday we had our new schedule and list of things to do and places to eat, we allowed a little lie in until about 11am and then we headed out.

 

we had come with thick winter jackets expecting the cold, but the weather was glorious! We had missed breakfast and decided on a late breakfast/early lunch and we headed North up Broadway.

 

I could see straight away Michaela was a lot more comfortable with the streets a little less crowded and we strolled up broadway grinning like cheshire cats!

 

A friend at home had told me about a place called Carnegie Deli, and as we had planned that day to be in and around central park, we saw that the deli was on route!

 

on exiting the hotel we saw a chap selling tickets for the grayline hop on hop off buses and after a bit of negotiation we got tickets for all the routes, 4 days for the price of 2.

 

We decided though that today we would walk

 

We got to Carnegie Deli and Michaela's face was a picture, I think she said something like "you are not making us eat there are you!"

 

It had neon lights outside of which only half worked and the other half flickered! I had to drag her in!

 

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it was tight in there and obviously very popular and busy, especially the take away area, which when we left had people queuing down the street!

 

it was busy inside and Michaela was really worried about taking the stroller in, but they where great, asked us to take Diana out and stored it for us.

 

We didn't get a choice of seats, we were seated at a table for 6 which already had 2 people dining, again Michaela's face was something else! The great thing about it was that Diana was a bit overwhelmed with it, which was great because it kept her a little subdued and on best behaviour.

 

When the waiter came I asked for the kids menu...... the whole place went silent and everyone looked at us.....

 

 

..... no seriously I am just kidding.

 

The Place is full of pictures of famous people, and the atmosphere in it was fantastic! This is what we had come to NY for, and Michaela had suddenly started to enjoy it also and was saying how wonderful it was.

 

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The Menu was a bit overwhelming also and we had no idea what to go for, the waiter recommended the Woody Allen which was a huge sandwich full of meat! and Michaela went for the MeatMania which was like roast beef and gravy.

 

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We spent the next 10 minutes admiring the plates of food in huge portions being scurried about by the waiters! and just generally loving the feel of the place.

 

Our food arrived, and it was delicious, and the ladies at our table had a natter with us also and were very friendly

 

My Woody Allen

 

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I am afraid it beat me!

 

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With full bellies we paid the bill and managed just about to get out with Diana and the stroller,

 

Off to Central Park!

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F27TW

F27TW

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With full bellies we paid the bill and managed just about to get out with Diana and the stroller,

 

Off to Central Park!

 

 

Wait ... you didn't take ANY Cheesecake with you ?! :eek: You have to go back there before you leave NYC !! I'm serious .. its UNBELIEVABLE !!

 

So happy you are al having such a great time in NYC ... and that our weather has been pretty nice for you too!

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Peewee14

Peewee14

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We continued North and got to Central Park, we had tickets for the Zoo and decided we would explore central park first, we spotted a line of horse & carriages and I went over to talk to one of the drivers, we had a chat and I asked where about the entrance to the Zoo was, we eventually agreed on a 40 Minute carriage ride around central park and he would then drop us off at the Zoo!

 

Perfect!

 

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This really was amazing!! and I can't recommend it enough, I think we saw the park in the perfect season the colours and the leaves and the fantastic sunny day, it was just perfect! Our driver was great, we did what I think he called the big loop at a leisurely pace, and he pointed out carious sights and building, the building from Ghostbusters!! the fountain from friends, Strawberry fields, the list went on and it was really great to just feel a part of all the things you see on TV which don't feel quite real when in a place so far from home.

 

I have since downloaded Home Alone 2, and Ghostbusters to watch on the iPad while we are here, yea big kid I know!! but i want to watch them again now i have seen and been to the places!

 

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Peewee14

Peewee14

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a few more pictures

 

I couldn't see the Marshmallow Man, but I know I am beginning to feel like one!

 

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What a fantastic way to see a lot of the park, especially when you have a lot to do in a short amount of time and with a little one!

 

We got dropped at the zoo as promised,for which we had booked tickets online. Just a heads up about this, I have noticed that some places, the Zoo in particular, if you book online you HAVE to take printed copies of your tickets, on a phone is not accepted. So make sure you have the means to print! Lucky for us the hotel has a business centre which we used free of charge to print out all of our tickets for the week.

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Peewee14

Peewee14

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Wait ... you didn't take ANY Cheesecake with you ?! :eek: You have to go back there before you leave NYC !! I'm serious .. its UNBELIEVABLE !!

 

So happy you are al having such a great time in NYC ... and that our weather has been pretty nice for you too!

 

I am loving NY cheese cake, and on your recommendation we are going back for some tomorrow!

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