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Thursday, September 17, 2026

Diamonds are Forever- Day 4

Hooked… on Sea Days
Sea Day #2
July 7, 2026 


Morning
We lost an hour as we traveled east to the Bahamas and I woke up thinking it was 7AM but it was actually 8AM. I think the entire ship also thought the same because the Windjammer was not at all crowded, even for 8:30AM ship time. I met my friend Keener at the Windjammer and we had breakfast together to tried to catch up from 7 years of not seeing each other even though we live less than 10 miles from each other. LOVE AND MISS YOU KEENER!

Lido Beach Pool- The calm before the Sea Day storm! 

The Royal Caribbean Top Tier event was on this morning and we love getting to feel special and celebrate our cruising milestone… Especially this voyage as this was our maiden voyage of being a Diamond Crown and Anchor member. TIP- Diamond level of Crown and Anchor means you have 80 cruise points. Typically you get 1 point per cruise night but you can earn DOUBLE points by staying in a suite and during special rare “Double Points” booking sales. During the COVID shutdown as cruising was trying to re-boot, Royal Caribbean offered up to 4x points per night and 8x points per suite booking. This is how so many people become Pinnacle and beyond. We have seen people with 4K+ Cruise points. That is a lot of nights at sea. 

I loved the Symphony High Seas Orchestra! This is my new retirement plan... Play my saxophone on a cruise ship!

We have FINALLY made it to Diamond!

These seemed like smaller than expected numbers for a summer cruise! But we are proud to be in the 343 Diamond members !

The Captain came and gave us a great speech about the vessel and thanked us for sailing on Royal Caribbean!


We spoke to this guy a lot in the Diamond lounge and he cruised dozens of times in the Covid shut-down reboot to accumulate all these points. He cruises 2x/ month but initially it was with the 4x points (then 8x in a suite) bonus!

We met the Cruise Director and the Captain during this event and it is always one of our favorites. Jaime was the CD and we LOVED him. We initially sail with him on our Back 2 Back Jewel of the Seas 25 and we fell in love! He is hilarious! Natalie was even able to meet up with another cruiser who knew the ins and outs of the Search for Nations and she was able to get dozens of signatures for her page. 

We LOVE Jaime!


He certainly is a hoot! 

After the Top Tier event, Luke and I went to the Solarium hot-tubs and Natalie went to the gym. Chris opted for a nap since we lost an hour of sleep. Luke and I really enjoyed these candelabra hot-tubs but there were lots of kids and unfortunately, my teacher voice came out a few times. Sorry… Not sorry! I really wish more parents would actually… parent their kids! 

The picture perfect Central Park on a sea day!

Our initial 20 minutes or so was very peaceful and not at all crowded!


We all met in the Royal Promenade for the Anchors Aweigh Parade. This is such a neat event Royal Caribbean has on their Oasis Class ships. Natalie was able to get lots of signatures here as well. TIP- Look for this event on sea days aboard Oasis Class ships! The kids will LOVE IT!


Afternoon
We had reservations at Hooked Seafood for lunch and it was absolutely INCREDIBLE. TIP- Hooked Seafood was added to the Symphony where the upper level of the Solarium is on other Oasis class ships. It is a specialty restaurant and costs extra to dine BUT you can get much better prices if dining at LUNCH and especially if you pre-book online before your cruise. We only paid $18/ person for our lunch and it was WELL WORTH it. Book lunch times for the very end of the lunch hours; typically 1-1:30PM as the service will be much quicker as they try to reset before dinner starts. 

The menu is extensive- even for lunch.

The "Cheddar Bay" biscuits were delicious!

Clam Chowder Chris, Natalie & Luke- 5.0+ The kids just went to Boston this summer with my parents and say it rivaled the local chowder in Boston! Well done, Royal Caribbean!

Oysters Rockefeller Kellie- 5.0 The kids were not a huge fan but would order again!

Oysters on the Half Shell (The kids had never tried) Kellie- 4.5

Fish and Chips Natalie- 4.0

Atlantic Salmon Luke- 4.5 (This kid could eat his weight in salmon- and he is on a growth spurt)

Steak and Lobster Chris- 4.5 and Kellie- 5.0

Lobster Roll -5.0 by all The waiter brought this over to us as I was debating on this- no extra charge!

Lobster Mac and Cheese Side 4.5 by all (needed more lobster, though)

Coconut Cream Pie Chris & Kellie-4.5 This could rival some Baptist church old ladies... just sayin'!

Chocolate Brownie Luke 4.0

Apple Pie Chris- 4.5+

I love getting to have these special meals with my kids! I am trying to cherish EVERY MOMENT!

Family Selfie #1 of the day!

This was a WINNER... Cannot wait to get back on Symphony and try it again!

After lunch the kids went back to the hot-tub and Chris and I went to the Schooner Bar for afternoon trivia and live music. We love the Schooner Bar but this location on Deck 6 and the lack of good live music had us missing the Mariner of the Seas.  


Our sailing was at 132% capacity. I am not even really sure how Royal does this all the time but we could definitely feel all 6,888 passengers on this day. There were people and KIDS everywhere. It was a summer cruise and it was summer cruise "vibing". That didn’t bother us and for the most part this was the only day we felt the crowds but it made for a very anxious day with so many people EVERYWHERE! One of my only complaints for the Symphony is the lack of lounge chairs in the shade. After looking for 30 minutes I finally found a handful outside of Hooked Seafood on Deck 16 forward. The outside Promenade of the Mariner and Independence class is probably my favorite area of any cruise ship! 

A good sunset on a cruise is all I need to change my mindset!

We all met up at On Air for a Generation Showdown gameshow and we loved it. We were too shy and didn’t play but we should have! Be sure to look for this one on the Cruise Compass as it is really fun to watch! 


As the crowds died down for dinner, we opted to go to the Pub to play cards and we had a blast teaching the kids Blackjack and Spades. Then the Crown Lounge was calling our name for Happy Hour drinks and appetizers. The appetizers were not as good as the previous night but we did love the Italian vibes that matched the upcoming MDR menu. 

Casual Night vibes!

The Kids Formal Pictures


This girl is a SENIOR... Where has the time gone? 


All of my heart... in one picture! 
They are growing up TOO fast! 

Evening
Dinner in the Main Dining Room was one of our favorite menus- Taste of Italy. The kids love pasta and really enjoyed this menu. Plus the service was second to none and we loved our waiters. 

The Taste of Italy MDR Menu 


Arancini Balls 
Luke- 4.5, Kellie- 4.0 and Chris- 3.5


Caesar Salad 
Luke-5.0 and Kellie- 4.5


Lasagna 
Luke- 3.5
(He said it seemed a little dry) 


Mushroom Risotto 
Chris- 4.0 and Kellie- 4.5


Tiramisu 
Chris, Natalie & Kellie- 4.0


Hazelnut Cake 
Luke- 3.5 and Natalie- 4.5

After dinner we enjoyed live music at Boleros while the kids played ping-pong and then we all enjoyed the 70s Disco Inferno on the Royal Promenade. Even the kids were dancing and singing along- despite not wanting to do it at first! 

Don't let the picture fool you... She was having fun!

It was a great day spent aboard the Symphony of the Seas but we were ready for Nassau and the kid’s first visit to the Bahamas. 

Did you miss a day? Check them out: Day #1- Click HERE Day #2- Click HERE

Day #3- Click HERE


Up Next- Swimming with the Pigs in Nassau.


God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Mariner of the Seas- June 2026










 


Carnival Conquest- 2006
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Diamonds are Forever- Day 3

Semi-Sub Fun Cozumel, Mexico July 6, 2026 

Cozumel is our "home away from home" and it never disappoints! 

Morning
It was 7AM and Chris did not sleep very well so I grabbed Luke and we went up to the Lido Deck to watch our approach into Cozumel. We have been to Cozumel so many times but the arrival in the sunrise is one of my favorite things to do. 

Mondays SUCK... But not on a cruise ship! 


Hello Cozumel! It's been... well, less than 2 weeks! 


Me and my guy! 


The peace of early mornings are my favorite! 

Once we arrived into Cozumel, Luke and I went down to the Vitality Spa to get some fresh orange juice and some Gatorades for our day in Cozumel. TIP- The Vitality Spa is one of 2 places onboard to get the Fresh OJ: 1- Vitality Spa and 2- Windjammer. We went back to the stateroom to make sure Natalie was awake and then we all met at Park Cafe for breakfast. TIP- Park Cafe is one of my favorite places for port day breakfasts as it allows a much faster and less crowded start to your day. They offer grab and go breakfast sandwiches, fruit and pastries. I LOVE a good omelet and a fresh hot plate but sometimes the convenience of “grab and go” is more important. Be sure to check it out on your busy port days. 


We got off the ship around 9:45AM and made our way to the Margaritaville Restaurant to check in for our Semi-Sub Tour. We purchased this from Royal Caribbean for only $55/ person and it was a phenomenal excursion. In fact, we were not crowded at all and the tour was not even sold out. Once we got checked in to our tour we enjoyed the fans and the free Wi-Fi before boarding our semi-submarine. We walked straight to our submarine from the restaurant and were able to all spread out to one side of the boat which allowed incredible views of the water below. 

We love the walk from the ship to the shore. And there is ALWAYS time for a Ship Selfie!

Family Selfie #1 of the day!


Before the boat even started the tour we were able to see a nurse shark swimming right off the pier. It was incredible and the kids absolutely LOVED it. We were able to go to the Cozumel National Reef and see all kinds of marine life including 3 nurse sharks, a large eel, sting rays and a crazy amount of gorgeous coral. The tour lasted right at 90 minutes and was an incredible value- even for a Cruise Line shore excursion. I would HIGHLY recommend this tour to anyone visiting Cozumel. Keep in mind... It was a little claustrophobic but we all survived. 

Within minutes of boarding the ship... We see this nurse shark!

Hello from our Semi-Submarine!

Another GORGEOUS coral near the Cozumel National Marine Park!

The entrance to boarding our submarine. Literally at the foot of the ship... It was SO EASY!

After the tour we were dropped off right at the Cozumel sign overlooking the International (Royal Caribbean) pier. This is a GREAT place to get some pictures and even take a swim and snorkel right at the foot of the pier and ship. After some pictures, the boys left to get back on the ship and Natalie and I stayed around to do some shopping and get her hair tinsel that she likes to get in Mexico. TIP- This area by the Royal Caribbean Terminal proved to be much cheaper this cruise than our Harmony Cruise in February. I am not sure if that is due to more people in the summer cruises or what but her hair tinsel was only $20 and in February it was $40. 

Greetings from Cozumel... our home away from home!

I love my family!

This area is PERFECT for FREE swimming and even snorkeling. Be sure to check it out next time you're in Cozumel.

The Symphony of the Seas at the International Terminal.

It is her Mexico tradition... Hair Tinsel!


Afternoon
Natalie and I got back on the ship shortly after 12:30PM and grabbed some lunch. I decided to go back to the Park Cafe for a “Salata” type build your own salad and Natalie met the boys at the Windjammer. Chris went to take a nap and the kids and I went to the hot-tub outside the Solarium but we only lasted less than an hour since it was SO HOT. The temperature in Cozumel on this day was 98* and it was so very humid. The kids were able to ride the Waterslides at this time with minimal wait and enjoyed all the open slides. The yellow slide was still under repair/ maintenance during our sailing.
Quiet and peaceful lunch by myself in Park Cafe!

A quick stroll through the Solarium!

We all took showers and got ready for the rest of the day on board the Symphony of the Seas. We met in the Pub to play cards while the ship began getting full from people coming back onboard. The Pub offered the World Cup games on a small TV and was a hidden gem throughout the cruise for sporting events. TIP- I highly recommend packing cards for your cruise (especially with kids) as Royal does not give away decks of cards for free (since Covid). If you purchase these in the store they are $6-10 per deck. Grab those at the Dollar Tree before you get onboard. We played together for a few hours and then went to the Schooner Bar for afternoon drinks. 


Evening
We got ready for White Night and then went to the Promenade Deck to watch the sail away from Cozumel. I think sail away and arrivals are one of my favorite parts of cruising. We then went to the Crown Lounge to enjoy Happy Hour. On this night they had several small hot appetizers and the bacon-wrapped scallop was incredible and the best option they had during this sailing. 
We are all ready for WHITE NIGHT!

These Bacon-wrapped scallops were TO DIE FOR! 
Thank you Crown Lounge... We earned these and they were delicious! 

The early evening was spent in On Air for The Friends and Office Trivia's. I was able to win (tie) for the Friends Trivia but we did not place in The Office trivia but these are always some of my favorite things to do on a cruise ship. 

It's time to WIN some Trivia!


After the trivia's we went to Studio B to watch the USA vs France World Cup Game and the vibe was incredible. The entire venue was PACKED and the fans were crazy excited. It almost felt as if I was at the game! We loved this and it was a surprise hit to our evening. 

This was a HUGE hit and I loved being on a ship (two ships - Mariner and the Symphony) during the World Cup!


We had reservations at Izumi at 7PM so despite the game being close (at first) and the vibe being so cool, we had to leave before halftime to get to Izumi. TIP- Izumi is a specialty restaurant that is NOT included in your cruise fare. It costs about $40-50 per person but can be purchased prior to your cruise a discount. We paid $37/ per person about 3 weeks prior to our sailing. Izumi itself was amazing and it always proves to be one of our favorite specialty restaurants. The service was a little slow compared to our experiences in Izumi recently but the food made up for it as it was easily our favorite meal of the cruise. 

Izumi is always a hit!

Sunset on a cruise NEVER gets old!

Miso Soup Luke & Chris- 4.0, Natalie & Kellie- 3.0

Dumplings Kellie- 4.5

Luke's Sushi He gave it a 5++!

This kid LOVES sushi!

Chocolate Dessert Chris- 4.5

This is always one of our favorite meals and the kids LOVE Izumi!


We then went to the Love and Marriage show in the Royal Theater with the kids. TIP- The Love and Marriage is an “adult” show but honestly it’s not that bad on Royal Caribbean. This time, it was especially lame but still funny. 


After the Love and Marriage show the kids went to play Ping-Pong on deck 16 while Chris and I went to the Adult Comedy in the Attic on Deck 4. This show was terrible and easily the worst comedy we have been to on any cruise line, in a LONG time. The comedians were NOT funny and cursed every other word to make up for it. Then in the middle a few teenagers came in and started being dumb which ruined the vibe as well. 


We met up with the kids and they went to bed while Chris and I enjoyed live music at Boleros until midnight and then we called it a night.

Check out our day in Cozumel:

 

It was a great day spent on board the Symphony of the Seas and in Cozumel. 


Did you miss a day? Day #2- Click HERE Day #1- Click HERE


Up Next… Sea Day #2.

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Mariner of the Seas- June 2026










 


Carnival Conquest- 2006
at No comments: