Cruiser Formerly Known As Cheapo Dad's Trip Report on Odyssey of the Seas Sailing to A Minus B Plus C Plus H Islands

[harryfat1]

While the fam looks over the photo selection, I meander over to the Schooner Bar next door

 

 

I have never had a picture taken next to the wheel.  Need to remedy that on the next cruise

 

 

[harryfat1]

As we are close to wrapping up the cruise, people have also decided on whatever souvenir they wanted to buy as many waited until the last port to see what that port had to offer before making the final decision on what to buy from the ship.

 

Today must be “family day” as many people were visiting the uncle in prison upstairs as well as visiting crazy aunt (aka shopping) with long lines downstairs.

 

[harryfat1]

As it’s 8 PM, time for dinner at the MDR. Typically I associate the lobster night with the second formal night but for this sailing, they had the formal night on day 6 and the lobster night is on day 7.

 

Since this Loabter night, EVERYONE from our section showed up.  On some nights, these are empty tables but not tonight as they have the cooking staff do their one circle around the dining area.

 

 

As I mentioned previously, I missed the traditional MDR from Voyager/Freedom/Oasis class ships where they would just have everyone by the staircase. 

 

In the Odyssey, it's hard to figure out where everyone is - finally found them at the front entrance on the lower deck

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

 

For me, this is what makes cruise vacation special as you don't get this from a normal land-based restaurant. I know some party poopers on CC dislikes this but I enjoy it

 

[harryfat1]

Anyway, here are pictures from tonight’s dinner

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

 

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

There was supposed to be a guest performer at 10 PM tonight for the late seating.  However, at dinner time, the cruise director made an unusual announcement over the PA system saying the 10 PM show had been canceled (no explanation given) but apparently, he performed for the earlier seating so something must have happened to him during/after the first show that he couldn’t perform for the second show.

 

OK, no formal entertainment so we just walked around and took some pictures.

 

As tonight was the lifeboat drill, they still had the green lights all over the hallway as if there was an actual emergency.  I have never seen these lights lid up before

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

OK, at 10:45, time to go to our favorite place – you guessed it, back to 270 for the biggest dance party on RCI, the 70s’ Dance Party.

 

We have never missed this event since we have been sailing with RCI.  The whole family loves this event. 

 

If you don’t like the '70s dance party, come back in 2 days as I have tons of videos and pictures from this event since it’s our favorite event on any sailing next to the belly flop.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 6 by harryfat1

[harryfat1]

OK, the dance party started with the classic Bee Gees song that was at the beginning scene of the Iconic Disco movie.

 

Oh, by the way, Capital One brought back Travolta this past Christmas to reprise his famous movie opening with a modern-day twist.  Pay special attention to the gal in the video as she was from the original movie

 

 

What's in your wallet/vacation?

[harryfat1]

As with the other dances, my wife and the boys were on the dance floor while I was upstairs so y'all get 2 perspectives again:

 

 

 

KC telling people how he likes things:

 

 

[harryfat1]

Ricky is all into it - you must give a ton of credit to all these cruise directors as they have these 70s dance parties weekly and the energy they display is incredible

 

 

 

 

They could fill the stage twice the size as you see many people standing by the side but can't get on the dance floor.

 

Donna Summer:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

 

 

Village People:

 

 

The Simpsons Version:

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

OK.  My wife and the boys finally were able to squeeze onto the dance floor:
 

 

Look how fit Ricky is

 

 

 

 

 

The boys on the left

 

 

 

[rncruiser]

43 minutes ago, harryfat1 said:

There was supposed to be a guest performer at 10 PM tonight for the late seating.  However, at dinner time, the cruise director made an unusual announcement over the PA system saying the 10 PM show had been canceled (no explanation given) but apparently, he performed for the earlier seating so something must have happened to him during/after the first show that he couldn’t perform for the second show.

 

OK, no formal entertainment so we just walked around and took some pictures.

 

As tonight was the lifeboat drill, they still had the green lights all over the hallway as if there was an actual emergency.  I have never seen these lights lid up before

 

 

 

We found out that the guest performer was a singer who lost his voice about half way through the first show that evening. 

[alishac]

Ricky was the cruise director on our July 2023 cruise on the Wonder, and the seeing him dance at the 70's party was a highlight. He really went all out. I've never seen another cruise director actually become part of the show. We loved him. 

[harryfat1]

23 hours ago, rncruiser said:

We found out that the guest performer was a singer who lost his voice about half way through the first show that evening. 

Yeah, I figured something must have happened to him during the first show such that he can’t perform in the later show.

 

The magician guy offered to do a day show on day 8 as a makeup for people that didn’t have a show on day 7 but since we had already seen his previous show, we didn’t feel compelled to go again.

[harryfat1]

9 hours ago, alishac said:

Ricky was the cruise director on our July 2023 cruise on the Wonder, and the seeing him dance at the 70's party was a highlight. He really went all out. I've never seen another cruise director actually become part of the show. We loved him. 

Everyone loves Ricky and his energy.  My boys rate him the best cruise director they have sailed with.

[harryfat1]

Years ago on my first cruise with Holland America cruise, the cruise line known for catering to old people and their parents, at the main theater entertainment, when the music conductor asked if the audience loved the “big band” era, a thunderous applause responded. 

 

Big band era?  Really? The Beatles is as far as my music history goes back – not cunting classic music.  The big band is way before my time.  I just chalk it up as that cruise line is just for senior citizens and they don’t play my type of music.

 

Fast forward to the present day with RCI having the 70s and 80s dance parties on their sailings.  Which is more in line with my musical taste – but does that mean I have gotten old enough that the cruise lines are playing my era of music? Is that considered to be a good thing?

 

Will the current generation of cruisers think of the 70s and 80s music as “my parents' music”?  Judging from the large number of younger cruises, it’s not just old folks on the dance floor. 

 

RCI is certainly a lot more lively than the Princess cruise dances at their promenade area where their version of the 70s and 80s dances meant the people dancing were in their 70s and 80s.

 

 

Maybe in another 10+ years, would I end up being on the Princess cruise dance floor? 

 

I doubt it, as when I get older, I will just have my grandkids push in a wheelchair to the edge of the dance floor and when they do the YMCA song, I will just keep my arms up at the Y position as by then arthritis will have set in and my arms will lock up at the upper motion part. 

 

So my version of the song will be Y-Y-Y-Y as I will just remain in the Y position until the song comes back and everyone else is doing the Y again.  Similar to a broken clock is right some of the time…🤪

[harryfat1]

Speaking of YMCA, here’s the granddaddy of all the dance songs.  It’s the most popular because it’s the easiest to do so even your average non-dancer can follow along.

 

In my video, pay attention to the 30-second mark where all of sudden, the big dude sitting in front of me jumped up like he got jolted by an electrical charge and started doing the YMCA. And his wife next to him was all in as well.

 

The entire dance party up to that point, this middle-aged couple was just sitting there enjoying their drinks and not moving much but when the Village Epopple played this song, they were up and dancing like a 20-year-old down on the dance floor.  Glad I wasn’t sitting next to him as he’s a pretty big dude, he would have easily crushed me…😜

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

 

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

Ricky started the Love Train:

 

 

I spotted my younger son in the train (white arrow) but don't know where my older one is

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

Earth, Wind and Fire

 

 

 

My older son moved to the front stage

 

 

 

 

Here's the last video (you thought I would never end, huh?)

 

 

 

  

[harryfat1]

At 11:45, the dance party was officially over and they were supposed to have a virtual firework show immediately afterward but after waiting for 15 minutes, they announced that due to technical difficulties, they couldn’t run the software.  Oh, well, time to go back to the cabin via the secret door.

 

 

The last picture of the night shows that at 12:48 AM, we are sailing 17 knots heading back to Florida.

 

 

Since we had a lot of loud dancing songs tonight.  Let’s wrap up the evening with some calm classical music with the famous River Flow In You piano piece. 

 

For some unknown reason, I have been a fan of classical piano music lately on YouTube…🤪

 

 

 

 

This concludes day 7 of the trip report.

 

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Many thanks to those still hanging around.  We are coming down to the home stretch.  Almost done here as the Fat Lady is getting ready to come onto the stage.

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[Coralc]

32 minutes ago, harryfat1 said:

 

 

At about a minute, 20...what is the cowboy removing from the bottom of his pants legs and handing to the stage hand? Just curious. That is kind of odd. And then he takes a bow with his hat. 

You are a super fan of the 70's show Harry. ☺️