Live - Allure Simulation Cruise July 27, 2021🛳

[John&LaLa]

I think being so on the go has caughten up with me. Currently exhausted 😴 

 

Dinner tonight is tepanyaki, need to recharge by then 

[helen haywood]

4 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Here's Bella

 

She does seem happy

She’s going to expect two day cruises to be the new norm!

[John&LaLa]

4 minutes ago, dswallow said:

 

I recommend... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0915T91JN

 

I'll give it a shot. Arrives Tuesday. I bought one that attached to phone and the input connection jammed up. Plus it made phone to bulky. This looks interesting. Thanks forvthe recommendation 

[StanleyandGus]

Thank you John, for taking us along! 

[cruizzing]

15 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

FWIW, an empty ship isn't as fun as you think

Thanks for trying to lessen the "FOMO" and for letting us live vicariously and tag along 🙂.

[emeraldcity]

4 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Here's Bella

 

She does seem happy

That is one very happy dog. Some people say dogs don't smile ... they're wrong.

[Vera/Lee]

I enjoyed your live review. Thanks for sharing it with us! Congratulations to Laura for winning in the casino. I'm going to give the dancing drums a spin or two, but I really love the quick hits. We sail in two weeks on Odyssey. I added a small magnetic clip to my luggage for hanging our masks by the door. That's a great idea! Thanks again, Vera and Lee

[John&LaLa]

5 minutes ago, Vera/Lee said:

I enjoyed your live review. Thanks for sharing it with us! Congratulations to Laura for winning in the casino. I'm going to give the dancing drums a spin or two, but I really love the quick hits. We sail in two weeks on Odyssey. I added a small magnetic clip to my luggage for hanging our masks by the door. That's a great idea! Thanks again, Vera and Lee

 

I only forgot mine once, but didn't get far.

 

That doesn't count the time Laura took it back to ship while I was in pool

[John&LaLa]

Speaking of pool, found this on FB.

 

Rare sighting of yours truly, you can see my less than graceful entry into pool after the slides

 

https://www.facebook.com/migdalia.sanchez.927/videos/165195638914521/

 

Look around 30 second mark

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by John&LaLa

[birdylady]

As others have said, thank you for taking your precious and long awaited cruise time to share your trip with us.   It definitely helped feed the addiction we are all sadly missing.  Hopefully with this sailing, we will all be able to get back on board sooner.

 

Thanx,

Erika

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I love your door magnet! And your dog is so adorable! I love seeing her photos.

P.S. I must say that I am very partial to bearded dogs. Bearded ladies are the best! I may get a bearded dog magnet for our next cruise as well. Maybe, this one:

 

 

We are doing a group cruise in 2023 on Oasis 

 

I'm making a group door magnet. This was a field test of the actual magnets. Need beeter glue

[John&LaLa]

6 minutes ago, birdylady said:

As others have said, thank you for taking your precious and long awaited cruise time to share your trip with us.   It definitely helped feed the addiction we are all sadly missing.  Hopefully with this sailing, we will all be able to get back on board sooner.

 

Thanx,

Erika

 

You are very welcome. I was just trying to lessen the fears of draconian meadures some felt we would be put through. 

 

I think I can confirm the sky is not falling

[John&LaLa]

Found the boarding picture.😷

 

Wine bag around my neck

Edited July 29, 2021 by John&LaLa

[Itchy&Scratchy]

39 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

We are doing a group cruise in 2023 on Oasis 

I've just realized that you are doing a Harmony cruise a week before us in November.

 

P.S. Oh, and until today I thought your dog's name was LaLa. Duh!

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

4 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Free internet helps 😉

 

But I didn't mind paying for it to bring you all along.

 

We are ever so grateful to you and Laura for sharing your time and keeping us informed.  We really appreciate it!  I bet you'll sleep good tonight.

[Blizzard54]

Thanks for all your postings about the cruise.  I am now more prepared.  We will board the Ovation for it's test cruise tomorrow.

[Lorey2007]

6 minutes ago, Blizzard54 said:

Thanks for all your postings about the cruise.  I am now more prepared.  We will board the Ovation for it's test cruise tomorrow.

Will you be posting a live review? Please post lots of pictures of Ovation. 

[RFerrington]

39 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Found the boarding picture.😷

 

Wine bag around my neck

I hate those woodpecker masks like Laura has.  None of them are particularly flattering but those are the worst !

[twangster]

I feel like this cruise flew past faster than any cruise I've been on.   It was a great cruise and I got to try a number of things at CocoCay I've always missed for one reason or another.  

 

From a test subject perspective I was asked to do... nothing.  I basically went on a cruise except it was on a seemingly empty ship visiting a seemingly empty destination but I had to wear a mask at times.  

 

I managed to do all the slides of daredevil's peak without ever meeting another stair climber in the process and I had to stop a few times to catch my breath.  My legs are still killing me.  Coco Beach Club - check.  Zip line - check.  Up, Up and Away - check.  Waterpark - check.  I'm exhausted.  

 

I do get the sense it was more of a shakedown cruise where the crew were able to put into action all the training they've been subjected to getting ready for the restart.  You can do a lot of computer training, watch videos, get instructions in a team meeting but actually doing it while doing their job is another matter.  To that end the crew will be better prepared for revenue cruises to start.  

 

I do feel like I have now observed firsthand that cruising can be done safely as many of us thought.  I'm not a fan of masks but it wasn't that bad having to wear one to get from here to there.  The experience leaves no question in mind that cruising is safe even in the midst of a surge with one variant.     

 

When is the next one?  Ready, willing and able to be a test subject again.  I was invited to Indy's test cruise but the additional costs of flights, ground transportation and a hotel for a four night cruise changes the math.

 

[Sea Dog]

@twangster I did not see any pics from you. Did you take your camera gear?

[twangster]

5 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

@twangster I did not see any pics from you. Did you take your camera gear?

 

I did but I never had a chance to open my laptop or go through any pictures.   

 

Boarding day flew by and then we were at PDCC, then back on the ship and then debark.  A three night cruise is too short.  A two night cruise?  It had to be done so they can get their certificate to sail and for that I'd do another to help the cause but a two night cruise flies by so fast.

 

I may go through my pics this weekend and post some.  

[Sea Dog]

6 minutes ago, twangster said:

I may go through my pics this weekend and post some.  

Yes I figured it was too short of a cruise and you want to make the best of it. Taking good pictures does take some work. I would be very interested in seeing anything you decide to post. Glad you had a great time. My legs and knees would have been toast too if I tried to climb all those stairs.

[twangster]

Here's a little tease of what I might post this weekend

 

 

[Ocean Boy]

4 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I was surprised as well.

 

My next obstacle is either adding a battery pack or getting a new phone.  

 

My S9+ is losing power and my 64gb of memory is maxed. Thanks Alexa.

My S8 is starting to do some quirky things that make me think its getting tired and the battery is definitely weakening. However, I'm going to try to hold out for the S22 release. I hope I make it.

[twangster]