Showing posts with label Celebrations at Sea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celebrations at Sea. Show all posts

Thursday, August 10, 2023

The Allure of Royal Caribbean- Sea Day #2

Fireworks in the Royal Promenade 
Tuesday, July 4, 2023 
Sea Day #2 


Another PERFECT DAY at sea! 

Morning
We both slept so much better than the night before- Thank you Vian! I woke up earlier than planned and Chris was still sleeping so I got ready in a hurry and then went to sit in the aft and just be at peace! I've said it before but this truly is where I am most happy and most at peace! The aft view can truly heal my soul. 


Seriously... I should just sleep HERE! It is peaceful and almost as comfortable as the bed! 


Thank you JESUS for this gorgeous creation. The crystal clear blue waters truly have powers to heal my soul and give me a peace! 


We are hundreds of miles from land and here is a boat... It was weird! 

After taking some time in the aft, I made my way to the Boardwalk Donuts to grab a light breakfast, TIP- These donuts were SO GOOD. I was seriously shocked how good and fresh these were, plus very fast service. Be sure to check this out at least once on your sailing. 


Seriously... THESE WERE AMAZING! 


The Aqua Theater ready for July Fourth! 

Chris woke up and messaged me on the app letting me know he was going to the Windjammer. I met him around 9:45AM and got a few small samples of the breakfast at Windjammer. There was not an omelet station, that I could see, and both sides of the buffet offered the same stuff. 

After breakfast, we made our way down to the Aqua Theater for the "Top Tier" Event with the Captain and other Allure of the Seas officers. TIP- This is an invitation ONLY event for Platinum and Above Crown and Anchor members. Crown and Anchor is the loyalty program with Royal Caribbean and you will accumulate nights/ points for every cruise. This was our 2nd cruise being Platinum on Royal Caribbean but the first time we were invited to the Top Tier event (due to cruising with our "gold" kids in February). WOW... This event was AWESOME. We got free drinks and a preview of the Aqua Show- OceanAria. We really lived it up during this event and afterwards we got to meet several of the higher officers and even the Captain. This will be a MUST ATTEND for us from now on. Thank you Royal Caribbean. 


They rolled out the Red Carpet just for us! 
THIS WAS SO COOL! 


Welcome drinks on the Boardwalk! 


I feel so lucky to have this invitation! 


We have FINALLY made it! We feel so bougie! 


Yep... I feel so special! 


Cast members from the OceanAria Aqua Theater show. 
Wow... This was really impressive! 


The full cast from the OceanAria show! 


The numbers of the Crown and Anchor members on board this sailing! 


The TOP cruisers from our sailing.. #Goals!


Hello Captain! 
This was so cool and it's been several cruises since we have been able to get a picture wtth the Captian! Thank you RCCL! 


The Brass Big Band set up in the atrium of the Boardwalk! 
This group was REALLY GOOD! 

Afternoon
After this event, we went to the Schooner Bar to listen to some live music before getting lunch at the Park Café on Deck 8. We loved this option for sea day lunches especially since it was less crowded and a much lighter fare option. After our lunch we strolled around Central Park and the Boardwalk before going to the Royal Promenade to do some shopping. We then made our way to the On Air Sportsbar for the Around the World Trivia. We thought this was about world trivia but it really was all about where Royal Caribbean sails and explains all of the world cruises and destinations they offer. We did not do too well but it was still fun. 


My favorite part of Park Cafe is the made to order SALADS! 

After this trivia, we stayed at On Air for the Anchors Aweigh parade in the Royal Promenade. This allowed us to have a front row seat for this really cool parade. TIP- This is a free event and kids would love it since it offers HUGE floats and props and even pirates! It is usually on one of the 1st 2 Sea Days and is scheduled during mid-afternoon. 


It's time for the Anchors Aweigh Parade. 


These crew members really get into character and it makes for a great way to spend an afternoon. 


We loved this! 

We then decided to take a ride on the Rising Tides Bar. This was a really cool bar that raised and lowered between the Royal Promenade on Deck 5 to Central Park on Deck 8. It was a neat experience but in reality it was just a gimmick! However, be sure to do this at least once while you're on the Allure of the Seas. 


Hello from the Rising Tides Bar! 

After our ride on the Rising Tides Bar, we went down to the Casino on Deck 3 to try our luck at Blackjack. TIP- Allure of the Seas offers one of the only NON-SMOKING casinos at sea. This area of the ship is on Deck 3 Forward and in a very small room near the Comedy Live venue. It offered about 4 tables, including Blackjack, Roulette and others, as well as about 15-20 slot machines and their own cashier. We played Blackjack in this non-smoking area for about 2 hours and both came out AHEAD. Chris was up $130 and I was up about $30. (Of course, if I would have stopped about 6 hands earlier, I could have been up over $200. But that's how they get you. "just one more hand")
The blackjack table minimum was $15. 

Evening
We then went back to the room to take a brief nap before getting ready for dinner and all of the July 4th events happening on board. We made our way to Vintages for our pre-dinner wine and cheese tapas. We LOVED this tradition and especially loved getting to talk to Roger and several other couples we met throughout the week. 


It's time for my favorite part of the day...  Vintages! 

We left Vintages early to go to the Aqua Theater to try and get standby tickets for the OceanAria aqua show. We have tickets for the 6th day but the seas were SO CALM so we opted to at least try in case the weather is bad in a few days! We got there at 6:45PM and unfortunately, there were not ANY seats. We went to deck 7 near the rock wall but we still did not have a great view! We will try on our actual ticket day on Friday. We then went to Dazzles to listen to the Brass Big Band! TIP- We loved this venue on Deck 8 Aft and the seating was GREAT! 


If you like LIVE music, Royal Caribbean does it SO WELL and this is one of the best venues we have experienced! Be sure to check out the music in Dazzles on your Allure of the Seas cruise! 

Our All-American dinner was in the Main Dining Room and was a special menu featuring All-American food such as brisket and cheesecake. The food was surprisingly good and the service was once again phenomenal. 


The Special July 4th menu in the Main Dining Room. 


The Classic Caesar Salad-4.5
It never disappoints!


Baked Potato Soup-4.5
This was really good and creamy. Both Chris and I enjoyed it! 

Jambalaya-4.0
This was surprisingly good and very Cajun flavorful! 


Beef Brisket-4.5
We're from SOUTH TEXAS and this was still impressive! 
I mean not a TOP TEN in TEXAS but surprisingly good! 


Strawberry Shortcake-4.0
This was light and flavorful. 

We went back to the room to take meds but of course we fell asleep and missed the ventriloquist show in the Main Theater. Although, we made sure to get up and hit up one of my favorite events that Royal Caribbean hosts... The 70s Disco Inferno in the Royal Promenade. TIP- Be sure to check this out. Royal Caribbean does this so very well and we dance the night away. Next time we will get costumes or at least wigs, it is just SO MUCH FUN! 



Getting ready for the July 4th Balloon Drop on the Royal Promenade! 


Steve, our CD from Canada, DID THIS SO WELL! 


We love the 70's Disco Inferno! 
Sweating to the oldies... WE LOVE IT! 

After the 70s Inferno, our Cruise Director Steve (from Canada) had a HUGE July 4th party with a red, white and blue balloon drop, the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and so much more! I truly got goosebumps singing the National Anthem alongside at least 1,000 other guests belting out the words and singing with pride. We loved this event! 

We then went back to the Schooner Bar to see Matthew and Iputu for our nightly cocktails and piano bar singing. In fact, on this night we shut the bar down after 1AM. We then went and got a few slices of pizza from Sorrento's before going to bed near 2AM. 


Its 1:37AM and we are still going strong! 
I guess that is what 2 naps do to you! 

This was a GREAT Sea Day and another AWESOME way to spend the 4th of July! 

Up Next- Coxen Hole, Roatan, Honduras

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Adventure of the Seas- February 2023




 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 



Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Saturday, March 4, 2023

20 for 40- The Carnival Breeze September 2022

20 for 40- Happy 40th Birthday, Kellie 
Carnival Breeze 
September 2022 


The Carnival Breeze in Costa Maya, Mexico

It's hard to believe but we have been on TWENTY cruises and this cruise was a BIG one as Kellie celebrated the BIG 4-0 onboard the Carnival Breeze. With the cruising industry back in full swing and the requirements and standards for cruising continuing to go back to what we would call "normal", we decided celebrating Kellie's 40th on a cruise ship seemed PERFECT! 

This was my 20th cruise and Chris's 19th cruise! We have cruised 11 previous times with Carnival, 5 times with Royal Caribbean, 2 times with Norwegian and 1 time with Princess. 

This blog will contain entries of our day-to-day life aboard the Carnival Breeze with lots of tips, tricks and insiders info for cruising on the Carnival Breeze and after the pandemic. Thank you SO MUCH for following along! We appreciate your support and clicking of our blog! 

Check out our trip:

Day #1- Last Day of "Thirty Something"

Day #2- Forty is the New Twenty

Day #3- So This is What Forty Feels Like

Day #4- The Joe Biden of Resorts

Day #5- Enjoy One Last Day

Debarkation- 90 Miles an Hour from the Sunrise

Once again, thank you for following along and support our business! I hope this will help someone planning a cruise on the Breeze or planning to get back to cruising after the pandemic... Or even a first time cruiser! Feel free to reach out with any questions! 

Up Next... The kids get back to cruising! 
Adventure of the Seas- February 2023

WE CANNOT WAIT! 




Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , ,

Saturday, October 15, 2022

20 for 40- Sea Day #2

Enjoy One Last Day
September 7, 2022 
Sea Day #2


Carnival Breeze and gorgeous Caribbean... So perfect! 

Morning
I woke up shortly after 7AM and quietly went to the balcony to enjoy the calm seas and beautiful views. Chris woke up about an hour later and we went to get coffee from Blue Java Coffee Bar before going to Sea Day brunch in the MDR. 


A view from the Cove Balcony... I swear this is the most perfect cabin EVER! 


Another view from the balcony! 


A view of the Lido Deck main pool area around 9AM. 


A view of the Waterworks area as it opened at 10AM. 

We decided to be CRAZY on this brunch and we each got a few really weird things from the menu; like fried cheese sticks from the kids menu and a salmon Caesar salad. This was really fun to try but there were no big winners for us! 

We then went and played our traditional putt-putt golf game on the Carnival Breeze Sports Deck area on Deck 12. I was ahead for several holes but in the end, Chris won! AGAIN... Gosh, I have to win one soon! Maybe on the Adventure of the Seas? This is always such a fun tradition for us and despite it being a Sea Day it was not crowded at all.  


Time for mini-golf! 
C'mon Kellie... Try to win one! 

After our golf fun we went to the Atrium Bar to play cards and try and relax as we knew once we got off the ship on the following day, it was literally right back to work and being parents. We enjoyed our drink package again and played some trivia in the Atrium. We tried to do well on the Carnival 50th birthday trivia but some of the opponents were using their phones to get answers and we were not able to win. We played a few other trivia with a large group and Chris was able to help his team with the "Wheely Big Trivia" and earned another Carnival Medallion. 

I was very excited to be able to play FRIENDS trivia yet again and hopefully get a perfect score and get an additional Carnival Medallion but that was not the case. Unfortunately, for the first time in 5 Carnival cruises and 7 cruises overall, I was not able to come up with a W on the FRIENDS trivia! It was fairly depressing but this was a legitimate trivia and the winner deserved the medallion! I only scored 17/21 questions but these were TRUE Friends fans questions. I wish I would have written them down because I think even some of my best friends who are FREINDS geniuses would not have done well on these questions! 

After the FRIENDS Trivia fail, we went to the Main Theater to check out the Q&A session with Jasper. As I mentioned before, we were NOT a fan of our CD, Jasper,  but we love a good Q&A with the CD. We were hopeful this would be a "good" one but it was anything but that. Once again, Jasper turned this into a chance to just talk about himself. We were disgusted with the questions that were being answered but more so by the "just one little story" answers he was replying with.

Afternoon 
We went to get a late lunch at Guy's Burgers and then went back to the Casino Annex Bar. We really enjoyed this during the day time as it was the only place that offered EPSN on the ship. While we were sitting at the bar, we met the Hotel Director for the Carnival Breeze and were able to talk to him for a while. He was so very nice and even gave us a "drink on the house" which was very hospitable.


Trying to stay hydrated today! Water is definitely the KEY! 

Afterwards, I ventured back to the actual casino but was once again, not successful. This time on Roulette. I was able to go back up about $50 but opted not to stop and then lost it all again! "That's how they get you"! 

Chris went back to the room to take a nap and I went up to the Lido deck in hopes of finding a deck chair in the shade. I was able to find one and spent a few hours just watching the ocean sail by and it was absolutely GLORIOUS!  

I made my way back to the stateroom to start the packing process. In our later cruises, we have decided it is actually easier to NOT carry off our luggage and instead place it outside your room the night before disembarkation. We have noticed MORE AND MORE people are doing the self-assist disembarkation and that means a long wait so we opt to do the regular debark and we got off just as fast, if not faster than most. That means you have to have ALL your bags packed and outside your room by 10PM so you have to pack it up before dinner. It is SO depressing but really works for us! 


The COVID hallway on Deck 2 forward. 
(I learned this is a customary location on ALL Carnival ships). 

After I got our luggage packed, we just chilled on the balcony so we could catch the sunset at 7:15PM. It was STUNNING! It just doesn't get much better than a sunset on your balcony of a cruise ship! That is simply PERFECTION! 


Sunset on a cruise ship... It is one of my favorite things EVER! 
And this one was so clear and near perfect! 


Another view from our Cove Balcony! 


The seas were smooth and calm! 
This was about 4 minutes from the sun actually setting and disappearing into the horizon! 

Then we took a quick shower and went to another PG comedy show in the Comedy Club. This comedian was just not as funny but we enjoyed having a clean show. We then went to our last dinner aboard the Carnival Breeze. We gave our servers our tip and gift and told them thank you. One of our servers was going to go home in 2 more cruises so we were so happy for her! 


Soup and salad for the healthy win! 
I wish I could make salads like this at home! So fresh and so healthy! 


Of course, it was all followed by Baked Alaska so it was a wash! 
Haha... I am so glad Carnival has brought this back for their 50th Anniversary Celebration menu! 

After dinner we went back to Alchemy Bar for another round of drinks before getting in line for the last adult comedy show of the cruise. We were able to get in line and then get in the Comedy Club to get fairly decent seats for this final show. The Comedian was hilarious and we enjoyed this show very much! Then it was time to go back to the room and get to bed so we could face reality in the morning. 

This day and this cruise had been AMAZING but all good things must come to an end! It's been real Carnival Breeze! Until Next time! 

Up Next... Debarkation of the Carnival Breeze!




Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Friday, October 14, 2022

20 for 40- Cozumel

The Joe Biden of Resorts 
September 6, 2022 
Cozumel, Mexico 


Hey Mexico... It's been too long!

Morning
We woke up to our first alarm of the cruise at 8AM. We quickly got ready and then went to the MDR for the port breakfast, which was FAST and delicious. These servers in the MDR were TOP NOTCH and were working SO VERY hard to get us all in and out and on our way to our excursion! Thank you, Carnival! 

We ate quickly and then went back to the room to get our backpacks and towels for our day at Del Mar Resort. I really wanted to have an all-inclusive beach day but I really did not want to make the 15 minute taxi drive to our usual's of Mr. Sancho's or Nachi Cocum Beach Clubs so I found this resort which was "walkable" from the cruise terminal. Well... It WAS walkable but once we realized how far it really was (.7 mile away from the Carnival cruise terminal) we opted to take a quick 3 minute taxi for $8. 


Hello Liberty of the Seas... EASILY my favorite ship EVER! 
Currently wishing I would have booked her ONE more time before she leaves TX in November 2022. 


And a view of the Carnival Breeze! 


A view of the Puerta Maya and International cruise terminals from Del Mar Resort! 

Once we arrived at Del Mar Resort, we were showed to our lounge chairs and then asked to wait as the resort did not open for another 20 minutes. We walked around and quickly noticed this was a very older and run down resort. It offered a VERY large and practically 50% covered pool and an open bar, but beyond that, it was nothing to write home about or even look at. 

We waited and then shortly before 9AM they gave us our all-inclusive bracelets and gave us our first drink. Chris ventured down to the ocean to try and swim but the entrance was VERY rock and down right dangerous. I opted to just sit and chill with my mojito and book in hand. Once we got in the pool, we remained there the rest of the day with drinks and snacks continuously refilled by the servers. 


A view of the restaurant area of Del Mar. 


The bar and restaurant area! 


The pool... This is where we spent the majority of our time at Del Mar! 


A view of the cruise terminal area and the boat ramp at Del Mar. 
The water was GORGEOUS with various shades of turquoise and blue! 

This resort was definitely the Joe Biden of resorts. The pictures online looked much better than in real life and promised so much more than what was actually received. The resort was old, worn down and showing signs of digression. But it was cheap... It did save me money, on the front end for sure! The Del Mar resort was $38 per person for unlimited drinks and snacks from their a la carte menu. This is about $20 less than the more popular resorts on the east end of Cozumel island. But you get what you pay for! 


The Del Mar Resort drink and food menu! 
TIP- Try the fresh guacamole It was fabulous! 

Afternoon
We enjoyed many rounds of drinks and some delicious coconut shrimp and guacamole snacks. As the afternoon began to creep in and the rain clouds started to form, we decided to make our way back to the Puerta Maya cruise port to get back on to the ship! We stopped at the port area to grab some gifts for Dan and Jackie and the kids before we got back on  the Carnival Breeze around 2PM. 


Even after 17 years... I still love you Chris Davis! 


A view of the WEST side of the Del Mar Resort. 


In front of Del Mar Resort looking back at the Cruise Terminals. 

Time to go back to the ship...


It was raining as we walked back to the ship. 
Still such a GORGEOUS ship! 

Once back onboard, we were feeling the much stronger drinks of Mexico and decided to try and sleep it off with a nap. We woke up about an hour later still bloated and feeling our choices. We went up to the Lido deck to get some pizza and split a burger in hopes that it would help but we were still bloated and feeling the many rounds we had at the Joe Biden resort! Ooops... It happens to the best of us! And besides, you only turn 40 ONCE! 

We went back to our Cove Balcony and tried to catch some pier runners... Which we DID! There were MANY pier runners on this day. Many of whom did not make it back to the pier until after the 4:30PM all aboard time. In fact, there were 2 sets of people who were running down the Cozumel pier after 5:15PM. The lack of respect for the cruise industry by these drunk and stupid people astonishes me every time we watch them stumble back onto the ship. We actually thought we left some people but upon asking the following day, all passengers made it back onboard. 

Evening
We took another nap and woke up feeling refreshed and ready for another evening onboard the Carnival Breeze. We went back to the Alchemy Bar for live music before going to the comedy shows. This evening show was both comedians doing PG shows and they were not near as funny as the adult shows but MUCH CLEANER! We enjoyed both comedians and then made our way to dinner in the MDR. Once again, the food and service were phenomenal. 

Carnival's caprese salad... Order it! Trust me! 

After dinner we checked out the 80s Rock and Glow party with Jasper and the Fun Squad on the Lido Deck. This was fun but not near as entertaining as Kyndall Fire 80s Party on the Vista! 


I've got my Rick Astley 80s shirt ready to go! 

We planned on going to the adult comedy show in the Comedy Club but despite arriving 30 minutes prior to the start of the show, it was standing room only. We opted to go to the Piano Bar with pianist Orlando instead and we LOVED singing along to great 80s songs! We also planned on going to the midnight "chips and salsa" buffet offered at Blue Iguana but we were SO bloated from the day of Mexican drinks and more food onboard so we passed on that. We were so very tired and worn down so we opted to go to bed early at 11:30PM. 

This was a GREAT day in our Caribbean home away from home. 

Up Next- Our last day on board the Carnival Breeze and Sea Day #2

God is Good... ALL THE TIME!  

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Carnival Vista- July 2022



 


Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)