Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[harryfat1]

Seems like eon ago when I last write about my Disney trip.  Got too excited about sharing my Oregon trip and went down the rabbit hole. Let’s try to get back to the report. We last left over at Day 5 standing over the Balboa Pier and deciding if we want to do an pre/post excursion to Orange County with the Navigator of the Seas cruise.

 

Now that we have looked North and South, time to head West toward the Pacific Ocean. This is not the longest pier in the area but there’s a reason why we are here (shameless tease for future posts…)

 

 

 

People fishing

 

 

 

You can sit at one of the benches and chill out for awhile

 

 

Here is what you’d see. If you can zoom in, you will see the other pier that’s part of the Newport Beach duo – aptly named Newport Pier

 

 

 

There’s a place to grab something to eat at the end of the Pier

 

 

Time to go to another spot as we head out the pier – one last shot

 

[harryfat1]

If you look at the Balboa Pier area on the map, you will see it’s a Peninsula.  On the north part of the Beach area is the small fun zone/boardwalk area with a mini Ferris wheel.   Not nearly as big as the one at CA Adventure that we will ride the next day

 

North of the Fun zone is where Balboa Island sit and that’s our next destination. To get there you have 2 choices – either drive there via a bridge or take a ferry.  The ferry is much more scenic and special and that’s what we will do. So heading few blocks from the end of the pier is where you will board the ferry.

 

 

 

Many of the schools in Orange County (OC) started going back to class that week so the area is pretty quiet for a weekday without families.  It’ll be bustling with people on a weekend in July.

 

So the fee is $1.25/pp one way.  The interesting part of the mini ferry is that it also carries cars on its small platform.

 

 

After passengers get seated, the car(s) come next

 

 

 

My son said it felt like we were on a cruise in doing a “tender” to a port

 

 

 

 

Speaking of cruise, just like an excursion, you can join a boat ride around the harbor

 

 

[harryfat1]

Welcome to Balboa Island.

 

 

Lots of quaint Mom & Pop shops.  No national chain stores on the island

 

 

They are famous for the frozen bananas.  Hence the longest line is the dessert store. But my kids compared the offering and preferred another store down the block.

 

 

 

 

Can't go wrong with a name like "Dad's Original"

 

 

Pick one.  Any one…

 

 

[harryfat1]

4 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I have thought of that and I may do it. I really want to do a good review but I also don't want to work so hard at it that I don't have any fun. Decisions....decisions.

 

Wait, What? You are supposed to have “fun” writing cruise trip reports?  I don’t recall the term “fun” being referenced in my 108 page contract with CC for my terms of service.  Better call me lawyer in the morning to rewrite a new contract…

 

It’s easy to write cruise trip reports – As Dani and Biker pointed out, all you need to do is just throw in some pictures of ship’s round bottom and some lines and throw in a Sir Mix A Lot video and you are good to go…😜

 

 

 

I like them big and round...

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by harryfat1

[Bailey & Sophie]

1 hour ago, harryfat1 said:

People fishing

 

 

 

What kind of bait do you use if you want to fish for people?

(I might have had too much wine.)

[harryfat1]

34 minutes ago, Bailey & Sophie said:

 

What kind of bait do you use if you want to fish for people?

(I might have had too much wine.)

Money and alcohol? Not necessarily in that order...

Edited August 26, 2021 by harryfat1

[grapau27]

60°F and cloudy this morning.

We had a lovely meal last night.

[dani negreanu]

9 hours ago, Luckynana said:

Dani, how long was your compulsory army service, and at what age did you have to serve?  

Also, what kind of Winter do you have in Israel? 

 

20 months for girls, 36 for boys.

 

Assuming you don't go to officer's or special training. Then you have to extend your service, but you receive a nice salary for the additional period. For example, DS1 became an officer, and had to sign an additional year (beyond the 3 years compulsory), for which he was paid a salary.

 

Age is 18, but it varies depending on the education you have and the service you're supposed to do.

 

I'm born in March, but my service date was October. For example, girls with a high school diploma are due to enter service either in July, October or November. That's it.

 

If you want to call it winter.... Nov-Dec through March. Just rains in a good year.

 

Snow -- very rare and mostly in the few mountains we have. Jerusalem gets snow once in a few years. It rarely stays on the ground.

 

Where I live, the last snow we had was 1951...

 

I'm OK with that -- hate cold.

 

 

[sgmn]

44 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

60°F and cloudy this morning.

We had a lovely meal last night.

Pauline looks very elegant,  she has some lovely clothes.  You go to some nice restaurants 

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by sgmn

[grapau27]

17 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Pauline looks very elegant,  she has some lovely clothes.  You go to some nice restaurants 

 

Thanks Sue.

[BonTexasNY]

We made it to Bristol, Va on our first leg back to TX. Very scary yesterday when an hour from Bristol we encountered rain and wind so strong we had to pull off the highway and wait it out as many motorists did. You could hardly see anything driving but shadowy images of tree branches flying every which way. It was like a tornado or hurricane hit. Lasted about 20 mins and when Jack could see out of the windshield we drove on. We did some heavy praying.in that car.

 

I took a picture entering PA where we had perfect weather and hardly any traffic

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by BonTexasNY

[BonTexasNY]

11 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

The more I “talk” to people on CC the more I find that we have in common.

There is a guy who posts on CC who has the same first name as me.We both live in LI.Through the course of conversation I found out that we both lived in the same part of Brooklyn after getting married.Through further communication I found out that we know several of the same people.

Just from the people who post on this thread,Bonnie went to a Staten Island Day camp for 10 years and I worked at the camp during one of those years.My wife and I met for the first time at Clove Lake Park where you and Marietta went .

6 degrees of separation.

[bobmacliberty]

9 hours ago, harryfat1 said:

Your comments got me searching the YouTube for videos of ships going into the Bay.

 

This reminds me of the Boats vs Haulover YouTube channel.  Someone here on CC first pointed it out to me.  I don't know what I find it so fascinating.  

[h20skibum]

3 hours ago, grapau27 said:

60°F and cloudy this morning.

We had a lovely meal last night.

I would much rather have that meal than my Mexican meal last night.  Looks delicious 

[Lionesss]

10 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I just wing most of my reviews😉

And I must admit, love your reviews!!!!!!

 

Hint, hint, when is your next cruise?

 

Thanks ahead of time.

 

Safe travels.

[island lady]

15 hours ago, Keksie said:

If everything works out (Sept 17th)- meet the newest member of my family.

 

Awww...so cute!  A heart melt for sure!!  I love...love brown Tabby cats!  I miss mine something awful.  Enjoy your new sweetheart!!  Much more pictures please!!  🙂 

[island lady]

14 hours ago, Keksie said:

Yes.  She won't be ready until September 11th and the earliest I can get there is the 17th.  The kitten is in Texas and we are in Florida.  It is about a 9 hour drive so I will drive over on the 16th and pick her up on the 17th.  She is super cute and I have been trying to get a Maine Coon for quite awhile.  Like houses they are in short supply.

 

And a Maine Coon cat at that??!!  Should have noticed the cute tuffs on her ears...sure mark of a Maine Coon.  Aww...total swoon!!  🥰 Love those!  All of my Tabbies have been female as well.  (Seem to have less health problems).  Maine Coon cats do get large!!  Need big kitty box!!  😄 

 

Here in Maine...I have only seen one Maine Coon cat.  The farmer who inherited her when he bought the place, did not even know what that breed was.  I had to tell him. 😉 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by island lady

[island lady]

13 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Probably because we're not furry

 

Lose your razor...you will fluff out!!  😄 

[Keksie]

16 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

And a Maine Coon cat at that??!!  Should have noticed the cute tuffs on her ears...sure mark of a Maine Coon.  Aww...total swoon!!  🥰 Love those!  All of my Tabbies have been female as well.  (Seem to have less health problems).  Maine Coon cats do get large!!  Need big kitty box!!  😄 

 

Here in Maine...I have only seen one Maine Coon cat.  The farmer who inherited her when he bought the place, did not even know what that breed was.  I had to tell him. 😉 

 

 

 

 

 

I have wanted one since my father told me about one he saw on a trip before I was born.  He was amazed by the size of the cat.  One of my friends has one and he is awesome.  Right now the only females in the house are my English Bulldog and myself.  One of our cats -not a Maine Coon is 20 lbs so we already have large boxes.  We use totes that we cut a door into.  Helps keep the litter contained from over digging.  LOL  I update pictures as I get them or once she is in my arms.

[DaniDanielle]

3 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

We made it to Bristol, Va on our first leg back to TX. Very scary yesterday when an hour from Bristol we encountered rain and wind so strong we had to pull off the highway and wait it out as many motorists did. You could hardly see anything driving but shadowy images of tree branches flying every which way. It was like a tornado or hurricane hit. Lasted about 20 mins and when Jack could see out of the windshield we drove on. We did some heavy praying.in that car.

 

I took a picture entering PA where we had perfect weather and hardly any traffic

 

Safe travels

[ownedbypets]

14 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Dogs show their age too...

 

Mine are showing their age. Grey hair, arthritis, and no more counter surfing. I miss it.

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

This reminds me of the Boats vs Haulover YouTube channel.  Someone here on CC first pointed it out to me.  I don't know what I find it so fascinating.  

Might of been me. I'm a big fan.

[ownedbypets]

13 hours ago, George C said:

Captain Kate on Celebrity has a hairless cat that stays with her on the Edge.

 

I love Bug!

[island lady]

16 minutes ago, Keksie said:

I have wanted one since my father told me about one he saw on a trip before I was born.  He was amazed by the size of the cat.  One of my friends has one and he is awesome.  Right now the only females in the house are my English Bulldog and myself.  One of our cats -not a Maine Coon is 20 lbs so we already have large boxes.  We use totes that we cut a door into.  Helps keep the litter contained from over digging.  LOL  I update pictures as I get them or once she is in my arms.

 

Can't wait to see the new pictures of the adoptee!!  🤗  Congrats! 

[George C]

4 minutes ago, ownedbypets said:

 

I love Bug!

We definitely wanted to see Bug, we didn’t realize until after that captain Kate brought her to trivia game last month and winner got a picture with Bug 😁.