Liberty of the Seas, 26 Sept 2024: Semi-Live or Not ... Times-a-changing, perhaps. Return to RCL after 10+ years

[NE John]

7 hours ago, mking8288 said:

One of the unwanted task when traveling, cruising included, is repacking to go home - spent the morning doing that. 

 

Noon report from the bridge, doing 17 kn and about 70 miles SW of Hyannis, MA (Cape Cod) expecting to arrive at 7 AM after meeting the pilot at 5, sunrise is just before 7.

 

 

Before we know, it's lunch time ... 

unlike NCL, menu today is different

 

 

 

Wow, packing…it seems your cruise just started!

 

 

Edited yesterday at 12:27 AM by NE John

[mking8288]

All our bags are packed and ready to go ... (except, we are not) leaving on a jet plane ... and we know we are coming back again .... ,🎼🎶🎵🎵🎼🎶🎶

 

 

 

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

5 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Did you see the posts about Sky's itinerary in Europe being changed, hopefully none for the TA ... aside, possibly, from skipping a port or changing times. 

 

Yes I saw the changes on the 11/4 Sky itinerary. Fortunately, there was only a minor change on the TA...moving one hour back at one port without losing any port time or having any surprise sea days popping up.

 

This is now my mindset when sailing on NCL....here, please take my money and just surprise me later where I will be porting.

 

[bedfordmom]

Good to see turkey dinner is still on the menu for the last night. I used to call it the Reintegration back into society meal.

[mking8288]

I do have an important health advisory to post, embargo'd for last 48 hours as it spread ... all 6 of us had our annual flu shot, but ...  I suspected something was up with the other clan member mid-week already as we sit together nightly for dinner, etc. The following day, rapid test showed a faint but visible line. DW remained negative but expecting a change by the time we get home to self-isolate.  We masked up and seeing a minority doing the same, try our best to maintain social distancing and used the stairs when possible vs. the packed elevators.  Didn't go ashore into Saint John !  As the 3rd cabin also tested 50% positive the following evening. 

 

Cruising has risks, we recognized and accepted the challenges and personal responsibilities, doing fine with prior immunity. Take precautions and just be prepared.

 

We are driving home ourselves and will isolated, but it's airborne and invisible, will just have to live with and deal with it.

 

 

[mking8288]

19 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

....my mindset when sailing on NCL....here, please take my money and just surprise me later where I will be porting.

Book it when the Price is Right, the mystery cruise to somewhere. 

 

Got that right, that's why we booked that March NCL cruise to go south, hopefully warmer and decent ride going & coming.  Since TA is paying the $20 pp-pd DSC, will just enjoy our Diamond "perks" etc.

[Sugar Magnolia]

@mking8288 I am glad you and clan will be able to leave the ship tomorrow to comfortably rest and recover at home. 

 

You know I have said this before (jokingly but not really)...I wish I could catch it now and get it over with before my next three TAs. My shots are all up to date, but even that was not enough for the past two October surprises.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

12 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

we booked that March NCL cruise to go south

 

Is that for the first week of March?

 

[mking8288]

4 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Is that for the first week of March?

Si, feel free to make a surprise appearance, prices dropped last month and TA got it repriced. Published port times are longer than usual and you know those ports. 

[mking8288]

Tonight, Voom-Starlink is slower, struggling under load as probably more users logged in ... below is the best results that I see

(still better than NCL 🫢 )

 

 

GigSky LTE is doing better & faster than the RC-Voom connected WiFi

Edited yesterday at 02:17 AM by mking8288

[mking8288]

Your RC TV channels on Liberty

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Media Player - plug in your USB drive with preloaded music/video content to play or HDMI output - input to Samsung TV

No universal remote needed. 

[mking8288]

Room Service Menu for $7.95 per delivery

 

[mking8288]

3 hours ago, NE John said:

Wow, packing…it seems your cruise just started!

😆 LOL maybe we'll flag down the QM2 that just left Brooklyn's Red Hook Pier ... 

 

20 days at sea out of the 5 weeks, conditioning ourselves for longer and/or more cruises on different lines in 2025 ? 

 

Edited yesterday at 03:36 AM by mking8288

[mking8288]

Good morning, back inside NY harbor ... going to breakfast next

 

 

07:00 engine stopped, ship has come to a full stop at Cape Liberty.

Edited 18 hours ago by mking8288

[JIMESOPUS]

Welcome home, time to rest before the next great adventure

[mking8288]

 

 

 

07:57 still hasn't called the Express Self-Walk Off and Priority 

 

08:00 Tags getting called now. 

 

Brother & sister-in-law using WC assist disembarkation, go to check & wait by 8. Our number is 21, will be a while.

Edited 17 hours ago by mking8288

[mking8288]

Bonus pictures while we wait on Deck 4, exit to gangway, Starbound side

 

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

10:05 AM, back in Queens, dropped off brother-in-law, hearing home next.

 

Very smooth disembarkation, called about 8:30 and quick exit via MDR to security by AFT gangway, 2 elevators and 2 down escalators, into luggage hall with bags sorted by number tags, got a porter within 3 minutes, thru CBP via easy facial recognition, off to shuttle area, bus over to get our cars, return to get the other w bags waiting. Loaded up for 45 minutes drive thru Holland Tunnel, Canal Street to WB to BQE for Queens/airport. 

 

Edited 14 hours ago by mking8288

[Arzeena]

Enjoyed your review and pictures, as always. Thank you.

Feel good and stay safe.
Don't forget to keep in touch via email.

[mking8288]

Farewell dinner evening dance from the Liberty - 

 

 

dining teams - HD video 280 MB size

 

 

 

 

[dexddd]

On 10/4/2024 at 7:35 AM, JIMESOPUS said:

We are returning to MSC this January, the first one was great, a upgrade to YC suite made it very special. This time will be a YC interior, under $200 per day per person, if we can survive ten days with this type of cabin we may never return to NCL after the Aqua TA. Unfortunately, MSC has only 7 day cruises in January 2026 out of NYC

While I've complained about Prima Haven not having a covered or movable roof, MSC slow to the party for YC yet they do have The Jungle pool with movable roof.

 

Have a great time.  If you like Mexican they had ayce $17 there for lunch or dinner.  We were on one year ago with great weather.

[dexddd]

Truth in advertising, those plantains definitely twice fried.

 

I have to say their French onion soup looks good, another line used to have similar like a dozen years ago, now just broth with maybe one crouton, for your convenience, of course.  MORE now lets you order three, sodium and sustain.

Edited 12 hours ago by dexddd

[mking8288]

Ice Show - HD video clip 30 seconds (90 MB size) that we couldn't upload over Voom or GigSky LTE while at sea 

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

4 hours ago, dexddd said:

Truth in advertising, those plantains definitely twice fried.  I have to say their French onion soup looks good, another line used to have similar like a dozen years ago, now just broth with maybe one crouton, for your convenience, of course.  MORE now lets you order three, sodium and sustain.

Honestly, plantains that might've left in the deep fryer a bit too long, looked too dark but still fine.  French onion soup definitely matched well against Cagney's classic on that other line, complimentary vs. specialty, RC's filled with plenty of cheese over a slice of thick bread & rich broth.  Mrs. tested positive this afternoon, now that we are home, not surprised at all, resting - took OTC med - and said, we need another vacation soon (just 3 months to the Odyssey OTS, south to the tropical Caribbean) to sail & sustain ourselves.  
 

Should I dig more into (just saw another spam email) from dirty Harry, this "More $$$ to cruise at Sea" tied to our upcoming reservations.  Gossips, rumors and headlines over at the other board is mostly negative and more surprises for our inconvenience to boost dissatisfactions, depressing and sad to read & skim thru, let alone add my 2 cents to counter  diehard pom poms.  DW actually asked, are we still outside final payment windows and free to cancel, to which I affirm.