Showing posts with label Miami. South Beach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miami. South Beach. Show all posts

Monday, December 9, 2024

Sailing from South Beach- Sea Day #2

The Royal Caribbean Keychain
June 5, 2024
Sea Day #2


Our Independence is coming to an end and soon we will be back to full-time "Mom and Dad" and going 100 mph. Let's enjoy these last few moments! 

Morning
After a late night we slept in a bit and didn't wake up until after 8:30AM. We got ready and then grabbed a quick and light breakfast at the Windjammer since we planned on eating in the Main Dining Room for lunch. Even at 9AM on a Sea Day, the Windjammer was not packed and the food was great. We then went to the Plaza Bar to get the specialty coffee "Haute and Steamy" from Chops the night before. Unfortunately, it was not the same but we enjoyed it. Then we got our traditional freshly squeezed orange juice with our Deluxe Beverage Package to end our morning in the WJ. TIP- Reminder, you can get the freshly squeezed OJ everyday at the Plaza Bar FREE with the drink package. Usually priced at $4.75, this is WORTH IT! Trust me! 

We then went to the Schooner Bar for morning trivia. Alison was our bartender and he made several random concoctions for us that we both enjoyed. We stayed and LOST two separate trivia sessions before walking Deck 4 and getting our steps in. We walked over a mile and then ended on the very windy Helicopter Pad at the front of Deck 5. TIP- This is such a unique offering that RCCL has on Voyager, Freedom and Oasis class ships. Be sure to check it out on your next cruise! 


"Shut up and Drink" made by Alison. I have no idea why I liked this so much, it was toasted marshmallow syrup and LIMES. Sounds gross- but it was good! 


We love the Helicopter pad- even on a windy day! 


A view of the bridge from the Helicopter pad! 


It doesn't matter where on the ship- this is my HAPPY PLACE! 


Check out Deck 4 on Independence of the Seas. 

Afternoon
We then made our way to the Main Dining Room for the Sea Day lunch. This used to be my favorite part of Sea Days as I loved the menu options and pre-Covid, the Tutti Salad Bar. I especially loved this experience on the Liberty 2018 cruise.

We enjoyed our lunch in the MDR but the service was as we expected, very slow and inattentive. It took about 70 minutes to get in and out of the MDR for lunch, which is laughable considering our dinner times have been right at an hour (or less). I think RCCL needs to fix this! 


I love the THREE DECK Main Dining Rooms on RCCL! 


The Sea Day Lunch Menu 


Shrimp Risotto- 4.0 (Chris 3.5)
This was not as good as the Tomato and Seafood Risotto from previous lunch menus but this was very good and full of flavor. 


Mozzarella Sticks- 4.0 (Chris- 3.0)
These were very good but we both felt the cheese sticks from Coco Cay were slightly better. 


Chicken Quesadilla- 3.5
There was nothing too special about this but I enjoyed it! 


Spaghetti- Chris 2.5
This was lacking... A LOT! 


Apple Pie Crumble- Chris 4.0
I loved the crumble on this cobbler. 


White Chocolate Strawberry Mousse- 4.0
This was not as good as I remember but still very good flavor and texture. 

After lunch we walked around Deck 4 a few laps before finding some chairs and propping our feet up to watch the ocean sail by. Chris got up after about and hour to take a nap and I stayed and just enjoyed the peace and serenity. 


This is the BEST feeling in the world. Calm seas and a calm heart at sea! 


It does not matter the ship, cruise line or my overall mental health... I am the MOST HAPPY when I am right here! 

Around 3PM I decided to get up and go to Deck 12 and check out the Lido Deck. I got up there just in time for the "Sexiest Man Contest" and this was a lot of fun to watch as a 88 year old man danced his heart out. We then met up at Viking Crown Lounge for a small bit before going back to Schooner Bar for afternoon trivia. 


This Sexiest Man Contest and Mr. Winston was so funny! 


Alison did it once again... These were so PRETTY and delicious! 

We met Alison again and he continued to provide great service and unique drink options while we suffered through 2 more losses of trivia sessions. I really felt we could win the TV Show Theme Songs but they were very tricky! Then the decades trivia also proved to be more than difficult. However, during the "General Knowledge" trivia we had a come-from-behind victory! We actually WON a trivia! Well, Chris did! 


WE WON... WE WON! Hey kids, want to know your souvenir?
This was a lot of FUN and I actually learned a few things! 

We sat at the bar for a few more hours just talking to the crew members about their life onboard before meeting another young cruising couple, whom we talked to for a while. We then got up and decided to be responsible and pack our suitcases for tomorrow's disembarkation day. TIP- Cruisers can opt to have "luggage assistance" and place their bags outside their stateroom at 10PM the night before OR take their luggage off themselves on disembarkation morning. Since we had a late afternoon flight out of MIA, we opted to use luggage assistance. 

Evening
After we got most of our items packed we ventured to Deck 4 for our last night in the MDR. Service was just as good as previous nights and we enjoyed a beautiful sunset from our table. 


Night #5 Caribbean Menu in the MDR 


Coconut Shrimp- 4.5/ Chris 5.0
Chris liked this so much he asked for seconds, then the waiter brought him THREE MORE! 


French Onion Soup- 4.0
It really is THAT good! 


Classic Caesar Salad- 3.5


New York Strip Steak- 1.5
This was the BIGGEST disappointment of the MDR. Why did I even try to order a steak after a night in Chops Grille the night before. Classic mistake! 


Caribbean Pork- Chris 4.0
Chris LOVED this and all flavors that went along with it.


Caribbean Chicken Leg- 4.5
Chris opted to try both Caribbean dishes and liked the chicken more. 


Pineapple Sunshine Cake- 2.0
This did not do anything for me personally but it was presented well. 


Royal Chocolate Cake- Chris 3.5
Chris really enjoyed this but it was VERY RICH! 


It's hard to believe it is almost over... tomorrow they kick us off the ship! 


God sure does paint a pretty picture! 


A sunset and the wake of cruise ship create the most PERFECT thing ever! 

After dinner we finalized our luggage and placed it outside our stateroom door before making our way to Vintages for our last evening aboard the Independence of the Seas.

Near 10:30PM there was an 80s dance party in the Royal Promenade and we were able to watch it all from Vintages. We loved singing along and dancing (sorta) from Vintages. We called it a night shortly after midnight with a pit-stop at Sorrento's. 

Our last day onboard was a very light day but we came home with a Royal Caribbean Keychain so that's a win! 

UP NEXT- Our travel day home back to God's Country!  

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Carnival Radiance- February 2024






 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 

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Sailing from South Beach- Travel Day Home

 God Bless Texas
June 6, 2024
Disembarkation Day 


It's so good to be home... We are tired! 

Morning
The dreaded alarm went off at 6:45AM and our phone had finally switched back over to EST after having been in CST when we docked in Cozumel for 2 days. We got ready for our day and then made our way to the Main Dining Room for breakfast. I love the slower pace of breakfasts on disembarkation morning. I think I just don't want to get off the ship so I just try and drag it out as much as I can; but either way, I love having our last breakfast in the MDR. The service was slow, as expected, but the food was not near as good as I remember from the Adventure- February 2023 or the Allure- Summer 2023. 




The Main Dining Room Breakfast Menu 


Breakfast Burrito - 3.5 
This was AMAZING last time but somewhat disappointing this time! 


Eggs Benedict- Chris 4.0
This is always a winner for Chris! 

After breakfast we went back to our room to ensure we had everything. We used the "luggage assistance" program and left our suitcases outside our stateroom the night before and only had backpacks and 1 carry-on bag. Since our flight was so late, we tried to stall in our stateroom but the crewmembers knocked on our door 2 times asking us to exit. We ended up leaving our stateroom at 8:45AM and we got off the Independence of the Seas right at 9AM. 


A view of Terminal V (the Virgin terminal) near Terminal G. Maybe one day we can cruise on this ADULTS ONLY cruise line! The terminal looks "legit". 


The Royal Caribbean headquarters at the Port Miami! 

Going through the terminal at Miami was a breeze- literally. The facial recognition software for those passengers with passports made the Customs nightmare a thing of the past. TIP- I would HIGHLY recommend everyone get a passport if you travel frequently; if for no other reason but the ease of the embarkation and disembarkation process. The luggage was on an airport style turntable, which was unique, but we were able to find our luggage easily and were outside getting at Uber by 9:07AM. 


A view of Port Miami Terminal G - June 2024. 


In our hurry to get on this shuttle, this is the ONLY picture that I took. But this group had 3 shuttles and were right outside Terminal G. (I would assume they offered shuttles at every Terminal) 

As we were getting the Uber, Chris noticed a transportation service offering $10 trip to MIA airport. We got on the bus and within 20 minutes it was full of people and we were on our way. We were the first group of people to be dropped off at the MIA airport around 10AM. This service, with tip, was only $27 and the Uber we had pulled up was priced at $34 (before tip). It is a shared shuttle transportation service but if saving money is important to you, this may be a good option. 

Once at the airport, we rearranged some of our suitcases to ensure our carry-on bag had the regulated items for our flight. Then we got in the security line. TIP- The MIA airport is notorious for having a VERY long security line and this proved true for us as well. We were in line around 10:15AM on a Thursday and we had to wait about 35 minutes to get through the line and the AC seemed to not be working so it was pretty miserable. 

Once through security, we made our way through this MASSIVE airport to find our gate and hopefully a restaurant or place to sit for an extended period of time. We found a Cuban Cafeteria near our gate and we ended up getting another Cuban sandwich and staying here for about 3 hours. TIP- The Miami airport is TERRIBLE with phone chargers. The restaurant we were at DID NOT have plug ins and each gate only had 1 large tower than housed about 6-8 charging ports. We used our phone batteries waiting for the flight so we stepped on to the plane with less than 50% batteries. Be sure to bring battery packs if possible for this airport. 


The Cuban Sandwich- This was not near as good as the "local favorite" from our 1st day in Miami! 


OMG- I am SO TIRED and so uncomfortable. I just want to get home, this flying home is for the birds! 

Afternoon
Our plane was delayed in getting in but we were able to board the plane quickly and departed just 7 minutes later than planned. The flight was boring and we did not have any issues. Chris and I both had an aisle seat which was nice but my row had 2 ladies (and myself) all of "husky" size. We were shoulder to shoulder the whole flight and packed in like cattle- but the flight was easy and no crying babies, diaper changes or iPad baring the whole flight like the previous two California trips- Carnival Radiance- February 2024 and Los Angeles- April 2024. 

Evening
We landed around 6:30PM Central time and IAH was crowded with summer travelers. It took about 45 minutes to get our luggage then we had to wait for the Parking Spot shuttle to get us to our car. We were in our car at 7:45PM and on our way to get Rockefeller from our dog sitter. Around 8:20PM we were in our neighborhood with our precious Rocky in hand and unloading the car. 

This cruise was a great cruise and we loved sailing from Miami; however, we did not like having to wait to fly home from our cruise. We both really love having a cruise port just 80 miles from our home and within 2 hours of being off the ship, we are home and laundry is started. The long afternoon in the airport really did me in and I am not sure if it was "worth it" for our travel style. Maybe we are just spoiled with Galveston. 

However, in the end- we saved OVER $200 with this cruise compared to a 5 night cruise out of Galveston. This was booked somewhat "last minute" and summer prices are ALWAYS high but to think that we paid for flights, hotel (2 nights), food and activities in Miami and STILL saved $200, is baffling to me. The cruise industry really knows that Galveston brings in the money and they are working this port, really well. With the addition of a BRAND NEW SHIP of the Carnival Jubilee as well as Mega Ships like Harmony of the Seas home ported in Galveston is raising the prices as well. 

We are going to continue to cruise wherever the best VALUE and overall experience is for our family. I personally LOVE Royal Caribbean but I also really like Carnival and all they offer, especially the loyalty perks! It really doesn't matter to us- we just LOVE CRUISING! 

Up Next
 We have Alaska Booked for Natalie's 16th Birthday and Luke's 13th Birthday in May 2025. We are also hoping to throw Harmony of the Seas in the mix for our February 2025 Spring Break but waiting for Band schedules to drop in August/ September.  

Thank you so much for following along! I hope I have been able to help some of y'all plan a cruise or just enjoy ours! 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Carnival Radiance- February 2024






 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 


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Friday, December 6, 2024

Sailing from South Beach- June 2024

  Sailing from South Beach- Independence of the Seas
June 1-6. 2024
Miami, FL


We loved sailing from Miami!

It's hard to believe this was my TWENTY-FOURTH cruise but here I am... Killing it on the HIGH SEAS! While 24 cruises may seem a little extreme, this is our favorite way to travel and the easiest for our family. This was also our 1st cruise that sailed from the cruise capital of the world- Miami, FL and we LOVED IT! 

 We have cruised 13 previous times with Carnival, 7 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 Independence of the Seas as well as a highlights from our travel days getting to Miami and our time at South Beach as well as specific details for our return to Coco Cay and our home away from home- Cozumel, Mexico! 

Throughout the blog posts, we will also share the lots of tips, tricks and insiders knowledge about cruising out of Miami, FL, information about Perfect Day at CoCo Cay as well as great information about Independence of the Seas. 

Check Out our Cruise: 

Travel Day & Miami- Why We Always Fly in Early

Day 1- A Sail-away for Cruise LOVERS

Day 2- Perfect Day at CoCo Cay

Day 3- Trivia Losers

Day 4- Chops Grille Never Disappoints

Day 5- The Royal Caribbean Keychain

Day 6- God Bless Texas

Once again, thank you for following along and support our business! I hope this will help someone planning a cruise on the Independence of the Seas (or sailing from Miami, FL) 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... ALASKA with the kids for 13th and 16th Birthdays! 

Anthem of the Seas- May 2025

WE CANNOT WAIT!

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Carnival Radiance- February 2024






 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 

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Saturday, June 29, 2024

Sailing from South Beach- Miami

A Sail-Away for Cruise Lovers
June 1, 2024
Miami, FL 

An Embarkation Day and Sail Away for the memory books! 
BEST SAIL AWAY EVER!!! 

Morning
It was not the best night's sleep as I was sick a lot of the evening with severe dehydration. But I was up early to get ready for my favorite day... CRUISE DAY! Unfortunately, there was not any hot water at 6AM and I was forced to wake up real fast with a stone cold shower. We got ready and then went to breakfast as soon as they opened at 7:30AM and there was quite a long line. But Embassy Suites handled the crowd well, as they did the previous morning, and we were in and out of the breakfast area before 8AM. We then went back to the room to finishing packing and fight the elevators to get back to the lobby for our 9:30AM shuttle to Port Miami. 

TIP- Embassy Suites offers a shuttle for $12.50/person to the Port Miami. This is scheduled for 3 separate runs staring at 9:30AM. It seemed like EVERYONE in that hotel was headed to the shuttle and Port Miami and it was nothing short of a HOT MESS. In fact, we waited for a while and wondered if we should just call an Uber and we finally got loaded into one of the 7 shuttles. If I had to do this again, I would just pay for the Uber as the cost would be very similar. Also, you will need to pay for this upon check-in at the hotel OR pay the shuttle driver. I was under the assumption that it was added to the room total but it was not. Luckily, Chris had cash and we were able to pay and tip the driver. 


This was a HOT MESS express... But, we made it! 

We arrived at Port Miami around 10AM and we were the 4th group to be dropped off as we were at Terminal G (the northern most terminal). Once we were dropped off we walked to the semi-long line to get into the terminal and as soon as we arrived in the line, it started moving into the terminal. We then got checked in within 7 minutes and were waiting in the terminal waiting room at 10:20AM. TIP- The terminal workers had us sit lined up in the order we arrived and this meant less chaos when it was time to board this ship. I really liked this as it was very organized- but I am glad we were early rather than late! 


A view of Port Miami before entering the tunnel... 


Carnival Magic- Been there, done that! 
(Although, I really liked the Carnival Magic- 2015)


A very brief view of Terminal G at Port Miami! 

We got on board the Independence of the Seas at 10:43 and done with our Muster Station meeting before 11AM. It may not have been as smooth and carefree as our Allure Embarkation Day but it was very easy to say the least! We were sitting in Playmakers and enjoying our first cocktail by 11:15AM. 


It's SATURDAY.. I love this! 

We are on board with drink it hand... Let the cruise begin! 


Playmakers Bar on Deck 4 on Independence of the Seas. 
This was a new addition when the Indy got amped up in 2018. We really liked the countless TVs showing all kinds of sports and the arcade games as well. Playmakers offers food to order (think nachos, wings and etc.) but we never order any of these. 

Afternoon
After we explored Playmakers on Deck 4 and then the Royal Promenade on Deck 5, we made our way to the Windjammer Marketplace Buffet for lunch before the crowds arrived. The Windjammer was not at all packed and the food was on par for Royal Caribbean buffet food. I am not a fan of the Windjammer but this first day was not awful. 


The Royal Promenade on Independence of the Seas! 
I'll be honest... I MISS THE TEXAS FLAG! 


The Royal Promenade as seen from the Deck 8 AFT elevators! 


Chris's Windjammer plate... He loved the BBQ. 

After lunch we walked all over the upper decks to get a feel for the Independence of the Seas. We really enjoyed the aft area of the ship where the Sports Deck, Flowrider and Waterslides were housed. While we did not spend much of our 5 days in this area of the ship, I know our kids would have LOVED this area. TIP- I really appreciated the covered seating area for watching the Flowrider. 


This was a picture perfect moment! 



My traditional buoy picture... PRICELESS! 


I absolutely loved sailing from Miami! 


Independence of the Seas- Deck 12-13 AFT 
(Sports Deck) 


Independence of the Seas Sports Deck 

As we arrived on the front of Deck 13, we noticed very few people at the Golf Course so we opted to play our traditional game of mini-golf. For the first 5 holes, I was actually in the lead and then Chris got a HOLE IN ONE and it was all over. I never came back to tie or beat him and once again, Chris won our match. That is 6 cruises in a row. 


I was all smiles at this time because I was in the lead... 


But, once again I AM THE LOSER! 

By this time it was after 12PM and it was HOT and HUMID on the open decks and we opted to go inside for a few afternoon drinks. We landed at the small Champagne Bar at the start of the Royal Promenade. We stayed here for nearly 2 hours before grabbing some Sorrento's and then going to our stateroom to try and get settled for cruise. 


Royal Caribbean really does this well and the service was AMAZING all week! 

Stateroom #8323
We booked this cruise in a traditional Interior stateroom on Deck 7 but put in a bid for several different categories on the Royal Up program. We were hoping to get the large interior or large forward-facing Oceanview stateroom with our bids but we landed with a Promenade View Interior Room. We bid $125/person ($250 total) for this upgrade and while the cabin was decent, I would not book or even bid on this cabin in the future. It was oddly shaped and laid out and there was a lot of wasted space. We did not use the Promenade View window as we were almost ALWAYS actually IN the promenade enjoying the dances and parties. It is a cool option to have had ONCE but I would not book it again! 


Promenade View Interior Stateroom #8323

Once in our stateroom, we unloaded the carry on bags with our toiletries and Chris's medicine but unfortunately, our large checked suitcases were not delivered as of 2:30PM. Chris took a nap and we were woke up to a knock on the door from our steward delivering my suitcase around 3:45PM. I tried to start unpacking but we wanted to ensure we had a good view of the sail away from Miami as this would be the first time we have ever sailed from Miami and our 23 previous cruises. 

We grabbed a drink from the Skybar and then went to the front of the ship on Deck 13 near the mini-golf to watch the sail away. We assumed we would push off real quick but it took nearly an hour before any ship pulled out. The Carnival Sunshine took off before we did but we were the 2nd ship to leave Miami and that meant we would be able to see the impressive Icon of the Seas at Terminal A as we passed through the channel to get to the Atlantic. This may have been the best part of the entire sail away. This ship is MASSIVE and it is really hard to truly understand her size until you have seen her live! I am not sure if I would want to sail on this MASSIVE ship carrying 8-10K people but she was a sight to see! We also passed the Carnival Magic and the MSC Seascape on our way out to the Atlantic. 


The MSC Seascape- She is coming to Galveston in November 2025 and after passing by her on our way out of Miami... I would sail on her! 


The NCL Terminal at Port Miami!


Our first view of the Icon of the Seas... Good grief, she is massive and GORGEOUS! 


Just look at that aft... 


Sail away selfie! 


Goodbye Miami... We'll see you in 5 days! 

After sail away we walked around Deck 11 to view the sail away party before going back to the Royal Promenade to get some light snacks at Café Promenade before our late seating dinner. 


Café Promenade is loaded with light snacks/ sandwiches and cookies all day long! Plus- free and specialty coffee and teas! 

Evening
I made a pit-stop at the stateroom hoping the other suitcase was delivered but it was not so we went to Vintages for predinner drinks and wine. This was our favorite part of our Allure- July 2023 cruise and we were excited to continue this pre-dinner trend on the Independence. 


My favorite place on a Royal Caribbean ship! 
(Although, I learned I do like the more isolated placement of Vintages on the Oasis class ships. It is a little nicer and less noisy.) 

Once 7:15PM rolled around we made our way to dinner in the Main Dining Room. Our waiters, Cris and Mario, were literally the best team we have EVER had in 24 cruises across 4 cruise lines. We were in and out of the MDR in less than an hour on EVERY SINGLE night of the cruise... Even Formal night! The new Royal Caribbean menu options were on point and we enjoyed the MDR in every aspect. 


Night #1- Welcome Aboard Menu 


Royal Crab Cake- 4.5 (Chris 3.0)
This was light and very flavorful 


Royal Shrimp Cocktail- Chris 3.5

Roasted Tomato Soup- 4.5
Royal does soups VERY WELL and this was spot on! 


Prime Rib- 3.5 (Chris 4.5) 
The taste was EXCELLENT but I was just not feeling it. 


Boston Cream Pie- 3.5 (Chris 4.5) 
This was VERY RICH- but oh so good! 

After dinner we walked around the outside Deck 4 hoping to get a good sunset at 8:15PM but clouds did not allow that. We took some pictures before going back to the room to find all of our luggage. I was able to ask our Steward for a mattress topper since the Royal beds are notorious for being hard as a rock and he was accommodating. TIP- Be sure to ask for this as soon as you see your steward as most ships only have less than 100 of these. 


A view from the Helicopter Pad on Deck 5 forward. 
TIP- This is such a cool offering on most Royal Caribbean ships. Be sure to check this part of the ship out, especially at sunsets and sail away! 


Even with the clouds, God sure does paint a pretty picture! 


Sunset selfie! 

I unpacked all of our bags and got settled before we made our way to Studio B for the Freeze Frame Ice show. TIP- This is one of the BEST things Royal Caribbean does. This show is offered on Voyager, Freedom and Oasis class ships and is one of the coolest shows on the high seas. Be sure to locate the show times EARLY and if possible go to the 1st showing as it is not as crowded since nobody knows about it! 

This show was awesome and we enjoy it on every ship. We then went back to Playmakers to watch a little of the LSU Super Regional baseball game before heading off to the Welcome Aboard and Comedy Show. This was a good show with the live jazz band but the comedian was lacking, to say the least. TIP- This is an area where Carnival completely outweighs Royal Caribbean. They really know how to do comedy well and Royal... DOES NOT! We ended the evening at Vintages where we met the cork-master and learned all about some of the specialty wines onboard. We stayed at Vintages until it closed and then grabbed some pizza at Sorrento's before calling it a night shortly after midnight. 

It was a great day onboard the Independence of the Seas and we absolutely LOVED sailing from Miami! 


That's a wrap for Day 1- Stay tuned for DAY 2! 

Up Next... Our return to Coco Cay but this time for PERFECT DAY @ Coco Cay! 

Be sure to following along for EVERYTHING you need to know about Royal Caribbean's private island! 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Carnival Radiance- February 2024






 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 

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