Showing posts with label cozumel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cozumel. Show all posts

Monday, July 13, 2026

The Suite Life of Chris and Kellie- Day 4

Pins and Needles
Cozumel, Mexico 
June 16, 2026 

Morning
Chris had a really tough night with his neuropathy and was in a lot of pain. We were awake as we pulled into to Cozumel and got dressed for the day quickly. We have been to Cozumel over 20 times and opted to stay on the ship for a empty ship experience. 

Hello Tuesday! 

We went to the MDR for breakfast just as soon as they opened at 8AM. The service was better than the first sea day but not by much. Royal Caribbean likes to completely fill up a section of tables and then start taking orders. Some people order "fruit and granola" appetizers that then come before all the main entree's even if tables like ours did not order anything. This whole process makes the service feel less personable and take much longer. Chris says the Breakfast Burrito was "worth the wait" but I am not really sure. Our breakfast experience on this day took over 45 minutes, which was longer than any night in the MDR thus far! 


The Breakfast Burrito- 4.5+
(Not quite as good as a Whataburger Taquito but still really good)

After breakfast we went to the Mariner Dunes Mini-Golf on the 13th deck. We have a tradition of playing mini-golf on nearly all of our cruises and once again, Chris WON! And it was not even close this time as he won by 3 holes. (I have decided I need a warm-up round as I am always better on the back half.) This truly is one of my favorite traditions! 


It is a tradition... 


After 30 cruises, we have had 29 games I have only won a handful! 
(MSC did not have a mini-golf course) 


This course was a lot of fun to play with lots of obstacles! 


It was a HOT day!

Check out the Mariner Dunes Mini-Golf

We then went to the Solarium to enjoy a completely empty pool and hot tub. We had the MASSIVE hot tub to ourselves for nearly 30 minutes until a lovely couple from Whitehouse, TX joined us. Oddly enough the husband was a New Caney HS graduate and we talked New Caney for nearly an hour. 


Port days in the Solarium are MY FAVORITE! 

Afternoon
Chris and I enjoyed the Solarium hot tub, pool and general ambiance for over 3 hours before showering and getting ready for an afternoon aboard the Mariner of the Seas. We went to Sorrento's and grabbed a few slices of pizza before going to Playmakers to watch more of the World Cup. I think Playmakers on a College Football weekend would be INCREIDBLE! We decided to order the Jalapeno Poppers and they turned out to be very good and worth the $8 in my opinion. Slowly, more and more passengers started getting back on the ship and it was time for us to enjoy a nap. 

Check out the Royal Promenade on a Port Day (3PM) 



The Jalapeno Poppers- 4.5
These were $7.99 and well worth it in our opinion! 

After our brief nap we went to the Vitality Spa for Chris's acupuncture appointment. Dr. Ling started right away putting needles all over Chris's feet. She eventually placed over 40 needles into his feet, legs, hands and even his scalp. She also informed Chris that he has neuropathy as well as tendonitis in both of his feet as well as his left hand. This would actually explain why sometimes it is more of cramping feelings in addition to the nerve pain. She placed a few wires around the needles in his feet and set up an electric session for around 30 minutes. Chris said he could feel the pulses the whole time. Dr. Ling came back and took out all of the needles, except the two in his scalp that we noticed about 30 minutes later. 


These needles and electric wires were CRAZY to watch! 

Dr. Ling advised an additional session, but of course, but offered a discount (eye roll). The whole acupuncture process of 2 60 minute sessions were $497 with gratuity. This seemed outrageous but just 2 weeks prior we met with a chiropractic offering "full healing" with new soft-wave technology for only $10K. TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS... So to be honest, this $500 seemed like chump change. And even after this first session, Chris was walking better than I had seen him walk in 5-8 months. I had real hopes! 

Check out the Vitality Spa on Mariner of the Seas 


After the acupuncture session we went to the Schooner Bar for afternoon trivia but we did not win. We opted to watch sail-away from our balcony but it did not last long as we were fully in the sun and it was HOT! 

Evening
We got dressed for the evening and then went to Playmakers to watch more of the World Cup and hopefully The College World Series as Texas was playing and I love watching saxeT lose! We decided to try another appetizer from Playmakers, the nachos, and they were incredible! We will definitely be ordering these on our upcoming Symphony cruise with the kids!

The Playmakers Nachos- 5.0
We opted to add chili and it was $12.99 and we enjoyed these very much! 

We spent the entire evening in Playmakers before it was time for our 8:30PM dinner in the Main Dining Room. Yet again, we were the only table in our waiter's section and the service was phenomenal! The Taste of Mexico menu... not so much! This was awful and the ONLY redeeming grace was the tres leche cake as a dessert. We will be booking a specialty restaurant during this menu in the future. 


The Taste of Mexico Menu 


Tortilla Soup 
Kellie- 4.5
This reminded me of the Chili's enchilada soup and was very flavorful!


Escargot 
Kellie- 5.0
This is a MUST ORDER at least once on every Royal cruise. 


Pulled Pork Enchilada
Kellie- 2.5
I wanted to like this but it was not the Tex-Mex style I enjoy! 


Tres Leches Cake 
Chris-4.5 and Kellie-5.0
This is the redeeming factor for the entire menu! 

After dinner we went to take a brief nap and to finish watching Texas lose from our stateroom. Then we went to Boleros before going to Studio B for The Quest. This adults-only scavenger hunt is one of our favorite activities on Royal Caribbean and Lauren, the cruise director, did a fantastic job with this event. I suggest every adult attend this event once... It can get a little risqué but it is hilarious! 


One time a cruise... Espresso Martini! 

After The Quest we went to the Pub for live music and loved singing along with the guitarist. We called it a night near 12:30AM as we were tired! 

Let's Talk Ship... Day 4 Recap 


Up Next... Our last day aboard Mariner of the Seas! 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
MSC Seascape- April 2026









 


Carnival Conquest- 2006

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

Sunday, May 24, 2026

Lost Shaker of Salt- Day 6

1990's Spring Break Vibes
Day #6- Cozumel, Mexico 
April 9, 2026 


Cruise #29 means Cozumel visit #24! 
It truly is our "Caribbean home away from home" 

Morning
We woke up a little bit later than usual since we stayed out until the early morning hours the night before. However, this allowed for a less crowded breakfast since most people had already gotten off the ship in Cozumel. We decided to have Butcher's Cut again for breakfast since it was FREE. The service was just average for this meal and I am not sure if that is due to the later arrival (9:45AM instead of opening time) or another reason. The food was good but not "blow you away" type of meal. Both Chris and I opted to try the Steak and Eggs and the steak was paper thin and incredibly chewy. The Biscuits and gravy were flavorful but the biscuits were hard; in fact, I wonder if they were stale. It was a mediocre meal (at best) but was about par for our cruise, to be honest! 


Greetings from our Home Away from Home! 


I loved the crafted Ice Latte's in literally EVERY bar.
This was delivered in Butcher's Cut and it was great! 


The omelet Chris and I shared was nothing impressive! 
Kellie- 2.5 & Chris- 1.5

We finished breakfast and got off the ship around 10:30AM. The MSC Seascape was docked at the Punta Langosta- the Downtown Pier. Carnival and Royal Caribbean both use the southern piers so it had been many years since we had ported at this pier. The island has really built up this pier and I was impressed with the overall design and structure. TIP- However, the construction is not yet complete so you will have a bit of an issue getting back across the street getting back to the ship. While I enjoyed the upgrade terminal, I still prefer the International Pier (Royal Caribbean) the best of the three Cozumel piers. 

We made our way through the terminal and I was able to find a "Fish Spa". I have always seen these and wanted to try it out and this allowed such an opportunity. It was a 20 minute "fish eating" session for $35 total. The 100+ fish started eating at my dead skin immediately- it was really weird. With the tip, this cost $43 total and I am not sure I would do this again, despite it's uniqueness! 


I have always wanted to try these and today was the DAY! 


My feet were left very soft but overall, it was a memory made for sure! 


My Fish Spa experience... YOLO! 

We then ventured into Senor Frogs and immediately the MTV Spring Break vibes started flowing. Chris and I got a drink and really enjoyed the dance videos and theatricals from the workers. I had not been to Senor Frogs since my HS Senior Trip to Cancun in 2001 but this really hit the spot! Oddly enough, the restaurant was full of Generation X 1980s babies just singing along to Alanis Morsette! Next time we will get food! 


We opted for the 20oz instead of the YARD and it was perfect! 
$18.99/ each and the Yard was $27.99! 

Hello from Senor Frogs... This was a GREAT day in Cozumel! 

Afternoon
We got back on the ship and went to the buffet for lunch and it was still just not for us. The food offerings were substantial and offered something for just about anyone but overall the food was just Food Court standard in our opinion. 


Chris's neuropathy was giving him fits so we opted to get a bicycle shuttle back to the ship!
The best $15 tip EVER! 


MSC desserts were "low key" delicious! 
(Sorry... I am trying to be a cool blogger) 

We got changed into our swimsuits and then went to the Infinity Pool once again for a beautiful afternoon. It was very windy and since the infinity pool is not very deep, we were not in here for very long as we just got too cold! We showered and got dressed for the evening and then made our way to the Loft Cafe for mid-afternoon snacks and drinks. This was a moment we were both enjoying the Wi-Fi that came with our Premium Package. It felt a little weird to be playing games and scrolling social media on a cruise but we enjoyed the communication availability! 


The Infinity Pool around 2PM- It was the perfect way to spend the afternoon!


MSC version of the "Ranger Cookie" from Royal Caribbean... Not near as good! 

We spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening in the Sports Bar for the 2nd Round of The Masters. As I mentioned in a previous post, I LOVE The Masters and being able to watch it for hours in this expansive Sports Bar was literally priceless. I am already thinking about how to take off work next year and watch it from a cruise ship sports bar! We were also able to see the MSC Seascape push off from Cozumel and begin making our way home from Deck 8 just outside the Sports Bar! 


I am ready for CARIBBEAN Attire night! 
Gotta Love Shein... Only $11!


This is where we spent the majority of our afternoon! 
This Sports Bar is LEGIT!


Goodbye Norwegian Prima... We will see you in Galveston in 2 days! 


The Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas and the Carnival Dream also docked in Cozumel! 


Adios Cozumel... See you in TWO MONTHS! 

Evening
We went to our favorite bar, The Cocktail Bar, as it opened at 6PM and had another wonderful conversation with Ashish Rao, the bartender. We were also able to talk with a fellow quest who was an elementary principal about the "joys of education". This was a very enlightening, albeit curse-filled, conversation. We also strolled through the Captain's Court Specialty Restaurant Lounge. 

Check out these AWESOME areas around the ship: 


Liberty Plaza and Duty Free Shopping (Deck 8 Midship) 


Captain's Court- Specialty Restaurant Lounge 
Deck 8 Midship (going towards Aft) 


Uptown Lounge (Deck 8 Aft)

We made our way to Deck 8 for a gorgeous sunset and then dinner in the MDR. The Mexican Themed menu was not terrible and on the same level as the Carnival and Royal Caribbean Mexican menus. 


THIS is why I cruise... These sunsets are GORGEOUS! 


I still cannot believe we got THIS view from our MDR table! 


Hello Table #430.. You are FOREVER my favorite! 


The Mexican Themed Menu aboard MSC Seascape! 



French Onion Soup 
Kellie-1.5
There is a reason Royal Caribbean is FAMOUS... This was a pass!


Quesadilla 
Chris- 3.0 & Kellie-2.5
This had a LOT going on but was flavorful! 


Brisket 
Chris- 2.0 & Kellie-1.0
WHOA... This was so NOT GOOD! 


Sorbet 
Kellie 1.5
I always have to have an "Ice Cream" night and this was it! 

After dinner we went back to the Cocktail Bar before they closed at 9PM and then to the Casino to try our luck but we were not successful so we made our way to the Casino Bar to talk "Beagles" with one of our favorite bartenders. It started to get busy around 10:30PM so we went back to the Sports Bar for more live music with Christo De Rey, the Classic Rock guitar performer! 


Our beagle, Rockefeller, for reference! 
2.5 years and he thinks he RULES THE WORLD! He is a MESS! 

Let's Talk Ship- Day #6


It's ALWAYS a good day on a cruise! 

We called it a night right before midnight after a great day spent in Cozumel and onboard this gorgeous ship! 

UP NEXT... Our last day spent onboard the
MSC Seascape! 

 God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

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








 


Carnival Conquest- 2006


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

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Living in Harmony- Cozumel

 A Tough Entry But Good Times
February 20. 2026 
Cozumel, Mexico 


We LOVE Cozumel. 

Morning
We all got up by 7AM and we went up to the Windjammer for breakfast and we were already parked in Cozumel at the International Terminal. The boys decided to eat in the Windjammer but it was a little too crowded for my liking so the girls went to Park Cafe in Central Park where the vibe was much less hectic and the food was just as good. 


Hello Friday... And hello Mexico! 


Breakfast with my girl on a cruise ship... doesn't get much better! 

We grabbed some coffee, water bottles and Powerade from Cafe Promenade and then got off the ship shortly after 8AM. We made our way through the terminal and got a taxi to Sunset Beach just 5 minutes away. TIP- The taxis have standard and consistent fares to locations all over the island and are reasonably priced. This taxi ride was only $8 ($10 with tip) for all 4 of us. 


We love Cozumel and the International Terminal is our favorite! 

We had pre-purchased a snorkeling shore excursion from Shore Excursion Group, through our Travel Agent at Cruises Only. This was a 1 hour shore snorkel with all the gear included and then time on your own at Sunset Beach. We paid $35/ per person for a total of $140 for all four of us. The kids have never snorkeled and we were slightly worried how Luke would do but at this price we decided to give it a try. 

Once we arrived at Sunset Beach we got checked in, put on a lot of sunscreen and then made our way to the snorkel entrance. Just as we were trying to enter via the rocky shoreline, the Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas was arriving at the International Terminal and passing right by our beach. This meant the waves were very choppy. We wanted to wait but our guide said we would have to get in or may not be able to get in for a while due to the waves. Chris was the first to try and get in and it was a struggle to say the least. We all had our life vests on but not our flippers and as Chris was entering the water the waves pulled his swim trucks down. Thank goodness for the life vest having a strap between your legs or he would have LOST his swim trunks. The Mexican guide and helpers were helping him get up and laughing saying "Blanco, Blanco". The poor guy survived but it was a very rough start. But now we have memories and can laugh about it for years to come! 


Sunset Beach, Bar and Restaurant between the International and Punta Langosta Cruise Terminals. 


The Harmony of the Seas... We were SO CLOSE! 


We are ready for our Snorkeling Excursion! 


The Independence of the Seas coming into Cozumel. 
Been there, done that... Check it out- Indy Cruise 2024

Luke also had a rough start as he was just not comfortable with breathing through his mouth. The mask fit him well but he just could not get the hang of it at first. He was panicking for about 10 minutes and I tried to calm him down but then the guide came back over and helped him and he finally got the hang of it. The rest is history as he LOVED every minute of it; we all did. 

We were able to see a ship wreck, a statue of Jacque Cousteau and countless fish. We swam around and snorkeled for about an hour before heading back to shore. Our guide was phenomenal and we all loved this tour so much. It was WELL WORTH the $35 and I would highly recommend. 


20 minutes into the excursion, he was LOVING it! We had to drag him back to shore! 


The kids really enjoyed this excursion! 


Check out this incredible excursion! Best overall VALUE in Cozumel! 

After the tour, we opted to get a massage right on the beach while the kids played in the sand and enjoyed fresh Nachos from the restaurant and bar. The massage was $45 for 40 minutes and was very aesthetic. Even with the tip and massages for both Chris and I, we only spent $115 after our snorkel tour. Overall this excursion cost $275 with the food, tips and taxis included; which is honestly a very cheap excursion in Cozumel for a family of four! 


This was $90 well spent... It was glorious! 


Luke enjoyed the nachos and lounge chairs as well! 


It will be an excursion and outing we will surely not forget! 


Sunset Beach entrance... They loved the swings while waiting for our taxi! 


It's been real... Until next time! 

We opted to take a taxi back to the International Terminal but we should have walked as it was not too hot and very close to Sunset Beach. Once in the terminal, the boys got back on the ship and Natalie and I did some more shopping. Natalie decided to get shimmer "braids" in her hair and we got some T-shirts to commemorate our trip. 


Still making memories... one Uber (or Mexican Taxi) at a time! 


POV- In the cruise capital of the World! 

Afternoon
We were all four back on the ship around 1PM and enjoying the empty Solarium hot tubs. We all took showers and then ate a lunch. The boys went to the Windjammer and Natalie and I went back to Park Cafe for Make Your Own Salads and it was delicious. 


A view of the Main Pool around 2:30PM. 
This is always a great idea to come back to the ship early to enjoy a fairly "empty" ship! 


The World's Largest Cruise Ship- The Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas. 
She had to skip Costa Maya (Costa Maybe) and then had to make a medical stop in Cozumel. 
She is literally MASSIVE but so impressive! 

Chris napped most of the afternoon while the kids played table tennis and enjoyed more of the Ultimate Abyss and I laid out in the Solarium. The kids and I also took a trip on the Rising Tides Bar so Natalie could enjoy the trip! We all met up at the Attic on Deck 4 for Friends Trivia and I WON! I got a Royal Caribbean highlighter! 


The Rising Tides Bar is such a fun experience! 


It's always one of my favorite activities on board! 

We opted to go to the Boardwalk for more people watching and were able to get some hot dogs from the Dog House and some cotton candy. TIP- The Dog House offers traditional hot dogs and Bratwurst as well. The times vary from day to day but are included in your fare and are really good. The cotton candy was $3.95 but made fresh and the kids loved it. 


YOLO- spend the $4 and get the cotton candy! 

We watched sail away from the aft of the outside Promenade Deck and were able to see a beautiful sail away and sun set before dinner. Since we were in Cozumel, we hoped to see some pier runners but all of our passengers were responsible and were already on the ship. The Harmony of the Seas set sail back to Galveston shortly after 5PM. 


We love a good sail away from Cozumel and this one did not disappoint! 


A view of Sunset Beach and our snorkeling area. We actually went within 10 feet or so of the roped off area in this photo! 


Goodbye Cozumel... All four of us will be back in July! 
Chris and I in just a few weeks... And then again in June! 


A view of the MSC Seascape... This was a sign. 
We try to see all ships in port and guess which one we will be on next. We saw the Seascape when we sailed out of Miami on our Indy 2024 Cruise and jokingly said we would be on her when she sails from Galveston. I guess it may not have been a "joke". 


This... This is why I sail. This view and the peace it provides is awe inspiring! 

Evening
We went to Boleros for US State Trivia and came in 3rd thanks to Luke and his crazy random knowledge. We also tried the Family Karaoke in On Air but it was too loud for us so we opted to go get ready for Formal Night #2. We had told our steward on day 1 we wanted evening service for our room but it seemed he was always in our room when we wanted to shower or change. I really miss the twice daily room cleaning but our steward was amazing! 

Once ready for dinner we went to the Royal Promenade for pictures and so did all of the other 6K passengers it seemed. We did not notice all the people on the first Formal Night but this seemed like people were everywhere. The kids were over it before we even got to take our pictures. I tried to explain that I used to make Chris go to every single booth on our first few cruises. But you live... and you learn. Now I just make sure I take a good picture to use my Emerald discount for a free picture. 


My "not so little" guy and I were enjoying the evening trivia! 


Picture Time in the Royal Promenade! 


My FREE picture (digital download) with my Emerald C&A Rewards! 

We made our way to the MDR for dinner and the lines were very long and the staff was running late from the first seating. We finally got seated after waiting for 15 minutes but the service was still really good. Once seated, we were in and out of the MDR within 1 hour and 20 minutes which is still remarkably fast for a cruise ship. In our recent experience, Royal Caribbean has the overall best (quick) MDR service. 


We are ready for dinner in the Silk Dining Room! 


They are all smiles tonight! 


Night #6- Formal Night 
The Royal Night Menu 


The Onion Tartlet 
Kellie- 4.5, Natalie-4 and Chris-4.5

The Lobster (only allowed ONE) 
We all enjoyed this very much and gave it a 5.0!


The Cheese Tortellini 
We all also enjoyed this very much! 4.5 or 5 from all! 


Strawberry Shortcake 
Kellie 4.5 and Natalie 5.0

After dinner Natalie and I did a little shopping in the Royal Promenade and then met the boys in Dazzles on Deck 8 for the High Seas Horns Big Band hour. This was one of my favorite things on our Allure of the Seas 2023 cruise and this was just as good if not better. We arrived a little late so we had to stand but that didn't matter. I swear, I am going to play my saxophone on a cruise ship before I die... What a life! 


Natalie Grace loves Formal Night on a cruise ship and getting dressed up! 
But time needs to stop... She is growing up SO FAST! 


The High Seas Horns were INCREDIBLE! 


Me and my mini-me were loving the live music! 


Another Bar Crawl video- Although, not my best, we still LOVE Dazzles! 
You've gotta check it out! 

Chris and I ended the night in Studio B at "The Quest", the adult scavenger hunt. This time it was not near as risqué as usually and maybe a bit "boring". TIP- This is a great fun event for adults but it can be a little naughty. Some of our best memories are from The Serenade of the Seas 2015 when Chris was a chosen player and our 2nd Liberty of the Seas 2019 when we played with our friends Julie and Nate! 

After The Quest, we grabbed some late night pizza and then called it a night right around midnight. The kids had already gone to bed as they were worn out from our day in Cozumel! 


A day in Cozumel NEVER disappoints! 

Did you miss Day 5- Costa MAYBE?

It was a great day in our "Cruise Home Away from Home" and we cannot wait to come back (in a few weeks, actually). Stay tuned for our last Sea Day aboard the Harmony of the Seas.

Up Next... Sea Day #3.  

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Jewel of the Seas (B2B Part 2)- July 2025








 


Carnival Conquest- 2006


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