VISTA / FIRST LIVE / FIRST SOLO - Nov. 1-8, 2019

[bnbeyer]

At the airport bar now, paying $17 for a Captain Morgan and diet coke double. What the hell, vacation has started!

 

The picture is right side up when I took it and selected it, but  it shows sideways. Why?

 

Edited November 1, 2019 by bnbeyer

[SenatorsFan]

Love the nails and the ring! Have a good flight.

Heather

[MEUB1112]

2 hours ago, bnbeyer said:

At the airport bar now, paying $17 for a Captain Morgan and diet coke double. What the hell, vacation has started!

 

The picture is right side up when I took it and selected it, but  it shows sideways. Why?

 

You said it was a double. Have a great cruise.

[blarko]

Another tribe member checking in and following along! Enjoying everything so far. Looking forward to the rest....enjoy your cruise!

[bnbeyer]

I'm at the Days Inn hotel for the night. You get what you pay for, that's for sure! Certainly not worthy of a picture. My Uber driver was nice though. He's picking me up at 11am to take me to the cruise.

 

Ready for the adventure to begin!

[grandmarnnurse]

6 hours ago, bnbeyer said:

I'm at the Days Inn hotel for the night. You get what you pay for, that's for sure! Certainly not worthy of a picture. My Uber driver was nice though. He's picking me up at 11am to take me to the cruise.

 

Ready for the adventure to begin!

After a bad experience with a Day’s Inn years ago, I make it a point to avoid all Days Inns. You are correct, you get what you pay for. That is why my hubby is no longer allowed to choose a hotel for us, as he is always going for cheaper is better. I, for one, go for the best experience, even if it means $300+ a night, even for just one night in a hotel, if that is the going Rate in hotels near our port. It’s great when I can get a great lower price on a fabulous hotel! With all that said, as a retired couple living on a retirement budget, we can only book inside cabins when cruising. It’s just very important to me to stay in a good hotel pre-cruise. I hope you did a thorough bed bug check before bringing your luggage in and climbing into bed! 

[bnbeyer]

3 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

After a bad experience with a Day’s Inn years ago, I make it a point to avoid all Days Inns. You are correct, you get what you pay for. That is why my hubby is no longer allowed to choose a hotel for us, as he is always going for cheaper is better. I, for one, go for the best experience, even if it means $300+ a night, even for just one night in a hotel, if that is the going Rate in hotels near our port. It’s great when I can get a great lower price on a fabulous hotel! With all that said, as a retired couple living on a retirement budget, we can only book inside cabins when cruising. It’s just very important to me to stay in a good hotel pre-cruise. I hope you did a thorough bed bug check before bringing your luggage in and climbing into bed! 

 

I did!  I wasn't sure what I was looking for since I haven't experienced bed bugs, but I did pull back the sheets and look for anything showing up on the white sheets. The good news - the bed was very comfortable, and I slept well.  And the shower was good and hot and strong.  The carpeting was ugly and questionable, however, so I wore socks or shoes the whole time.

 

Getting ready to head out.  The uber driver will be here in 75 minutes, so plenty of time to relax and catch up on email and stuff.

 

[bnbeyer]

Something I find myself thinking about now and then.  Daylight savings time ends tonight.  I LOVE that I get an extra hour on my cruise!  I'm going to remember this feeling next time I book a vacation. It's one thing to dread losing an hour in the spring and enjoy gaining an hour in the fall. It's another to enjoy gaining that hour while on your vacation!

 

[Saint Greg]

4 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

After a bad experience with a Day’s Inn years ago, I make it a point to avoid all Days Inns. You are correct, you get what you pay for. That is why my hubby is no longer allowed to choose a hotel for us, as he is always going for cheaper is better. I, for one, go for the best experience, even if it means $300+ a night, even for just one night in a hotel, if that is the going Rate in hotels near our port. It’s great when I can get a great lower price on a fabulous hotel! With all that said, as a retired couple living on a retirement budget, we can only book inside cabins when cruising. It’s just very important to me to stay in a good hotel pre-cruise. I hope you did a thorough bed bug check before bringing your luggage in and climbing into bed! 

 

I stayed in a lot of them when I was a kid but now I avoid them as well. Also any hotel that has a number in the name. On the lower end I have had good luck with La Quinta and Comfort.

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, bnbeyer said:

Something I find myself thinking about now and then.  Daylight savings time ends tonight.  I LOVE that I get an extra hour on my cruise!  I'm going to remember this feeling next time I book a vacation. It's one thing to dread losing an hour in the spring and enjoy gaining an hour in the fall. It's another to enjoy gaining that hour while on your vacation!

 

 

I lost an hour on my Breeze cruise and hated it. Now if I'm cruising in March I make sure I'm back before the time change. I'll get back the day before we spring forward next year.

[bnbeyer]

I'm on the ship now!  The traffic was nuts because of a big motorcycle event, but I left the hotel at 11am and was at the port in time for my checkin appointment at 12. It went very smooth, and I headed up to JiJi for lunch.  Much less crowded than the Lido buffet and restaurants and a great day with a view!

 

[bnbeyer]

Lunch arrived. Spicy!

 

[bnbeyer]

I had a little trouble with my room key not working, but the steward let me in to drop off my stuff before I went to stand in line at first services to get a new key. It didn't take long.

 

 

[bnbeyer]

I checked into the slot tournament. I play round one tomorrow at 11:40am.  They have gifts for us. And I ordered a fun ship sink at the casino in the bar. 

 

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, bnbeyer said:

I checked into the slot tournament. I play round one tomorrow at 11:40am.  They have gifts for us. And I ordered a fun ship sink at the casino in the bar. 

 

 

Is that a sugar straw? If so is it flavored? How is it holding up? Do they have regular straws available?

[bnbeyer]

18 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

Is that a sugar straw? If so is it flavored? How is it holding up? Do they have regular straws available?

No. They didn't offer me a straw nor did I ask. I have some straws in my purse that I brought along.

Edited November 2, 2019 by bnbeyer

[bnbeyer]

Muster drill is over and we're on our way. Here's a Pic of the casino bar funnel and some pics of our sail away from my balcony. People were shouting and waving, so I waved back.

 

 

Edited November 2, 2019 by bnbeyer

[bnbeyer]

I had dinner on my time dining. I ever in the app that I would be willing to sit with other people and ended up sitting by myself at a table for 6. I the waiter felt bad for me, but I didn't really care. I just read my book and enjoyed my meal. I can't eat so much food though so I felt bad leaving half my Mahi Mahi behind. It was really good. For appetizers I had the tomato soup and ceasar salad. And strawberry ice cream for dessert.

 

 

[bnbeyer]

Between muster and dinner I was on deck and noticed the sky ride was going, so I decided to make my way up there. I waited about 15 minutes in line and then had my turn. It was FUN!!!  

 

I couldn't take pictures during the ride, but I did get some pics of the boy who was in line after me, as well as a few others. It was a lot of fun, and I hope to do it again latest this week.

 

 

 

[bnbeyer]

I also got some not-quite-sunset pics. I love how the sun shines on the water.

 

 

[MeganGC1983]

10 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I lost an hour on my Breeze cruise and hated it. Now if I'm cruising in March I make sure I'm back before the time change. I'll get back the day before we spring forward next year.

The last night of our next cruise is “spring forward” night, but it’s our 8 day... looking at it as 23 bonus hours. 😂

[Saint Greg]

19 minutes ago, MeganGC1983 said:

The last night of our next cruise is “spring forward” night, but it’s our 8 day... looking at it as 23 bonus hours. 😂

it was the last night of mine as well but they chose to do it early...on a sea day. 

[TrqoisWtrs]

19 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I lost an hour on my Breeze cruise and hated it. Now if I'm cruising in March I make sure I'm back before the time change. I'll get back the day before we spring forward next year.

 

I just got off the Splendor 24 day to Singapore.  You would have loved it. ha 😄 We were changing clocks at least every few days if not every night.   And on Oct. 13 we crossed the Int'l dateline and completely skipped the 14th.  Hub app was completely confused 😕 [ship's time:  unavailable]  and it took almost an entire day to get that correct.

[Saint Greg]

2 minutes ago, cruisin*tigger said:

 

I just got off the Splendor 24 day to Singapore.  You would have loved it. ha 😄 We were changing clocks at least every few days if not every night.   And on Oct. 13 we crossed the Int'l dateline and completely skipped the 14th.  Hub app was completely confused 😕 [ship's time:  unavailable]  and it took almost an entire day to get that correct.

By the time I’m able to do a 24-day cruise I’ll

be so old I won’t know what day it is anyway. 

[CRUISERMOMX3]

So looking forward to your live review. I leave Dec 2nd for my second solo and I’m so excited! Keep the pictures and tips coming and have a great time.