Woke up this morning a little before my alarm and decided to get up and start my day on Quantum of the Seas.  It's amazing how easy it is to get out of bed when you're on vacation compared to just another day back home.

I went to the gym around 8:30am and it wasn't overly crowded.  Unlike yesterday, I decided to do my own workout instead of a class and had no trouble finding machines that I wanted to use.  The gym wasn't empty but there was usually one or two treadmills or elipticals available.

A few minutes into my workout the ship's captain made an announcement that we would be able to dock in San Juan earlier than expected.  Thanks to a combination of great weather and good time, we will be docking around 12-12:30pm tomorrow instead of 4pm.  So we will end up with roughly 12 hours in San Juan, which is great news!  

Now I just need to figure out what I want to do in San Juan.  I was previously planning on just walking around and then having dinner but now we have much more time so I'll need to research some ideas for things to do in Old San Juan.  Any suggestions?

For breakfast I went to Two70 and found a nice bagel bar, where you can have your bagel toasted and then pick from a good array of choices.  There's various fish, cheese and other toppings for your bagels and it's a neat little option.  Plus it's great to take your breakfast and enjoy it in Two70, which has a wonderful view.

After breakfast, I essentialy wandered the ship to see what was going on.  In the Royal Theater, they were showing Penguins of Madagascar in 3D, in Two70 there was a cooking demonstration and on the Royal Esplanade there were a few sales.  I stopped by each to get a little taste of each and it's fun to find so many activities to choose from.

Given the fact the sun is out and the temperatures are rising, today the pool deck was packed.  It's not really a surprise but if you roll out to the pool deck at 11am, don't expect ample seating.  

I was able to find seats inside the indoor pool, which had their retractable roof open and there was a wonderful breeze.  As long as I have somewhere to lay back and enjoy a few boat drinks, I'm good with it.

Lunch today was at the Windjammer.  In fact, it's the first time since embarkation day I've eaten at the Windjammer so it felt odd not to have been there more often.  I sampled a little of everything but the highlight for me was eating in the rear of the Windjammer outside.  WIth the weather warming up, it was a great spot to enjoy lunch.

A little after lunch we had our next Royal Caribean Blog group cruise meet, which was the Most Civilized Bar Crawl. We began in the Schooner Bar and slowly started picking people up that we ran into.

The idea behind the bar crawl was to sample drinks from a few different bars and enjoy it without it becoming a booze fest (also we insisted on pinkies up when we drank).  I think we accomplished our goal and it was fun checking out the various bars.

We ended up drinking at Schooner Bar, Bionic Bar, Michael's Genuine Pub and Two70.  We liked the prices and deals at Michael's but the atmosphere of Two70 won for its great layout and view.

Around this time, the ship's captain made an announcement that the gastronomic virus known as Norovirus was aboard the ship and advised everyone to be a extra vigilant about washing your hands to protect yourself.

I'll be honest, the news was a bit jarring for everyone.  It's definitely not something you want to hear on any cruise. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt like there wasn't a lot we can do and to just make the best of the situation.  Washing your hands is onboard a cruise is always a good idea but with something like this, you just have to be extra careful and opt for washing instead of maybe just using the hand sanitzer.

Following our bar crawl, I went up to the Solarium to enjoy the sunset.  There were too many clouds to get a really good sunset view but the sky was quite beautiful and I am such a sucker for sunsets in general.  So when you combine the sun going down, a warm breeze and the colors of the ocean at this latitude, it all makes for a great moment.

Dinner tonight was at the specialty restaurant Wonderland.  We invited everyone that booked into our group cruise room package to be the guest of our partner MEI-Travel and enjoy this fun restaurant.

I had eaten at Wonderland on my 2-nighter in November but I think it was even better this time around.  The show aspect is always wonderful but the food, especially the entrees were really good.  I think we all found something we particulary enjoyed (the beef for me is amazing).  It's still worth noting the menu at Wonderland favors someone who is fairly adventurous in their eating or is at least willing to try new foods.

After diner I went back to the casino for redemption but sadly did not find any.  I did stay afloat longer than any other time and had a good time but in the end, I walked away a poorer man.  I've said this everytime I've left the casino but I think I mean it this time, I'm going to to stay away.

At 10:30 was the Love and Marriage game show, which is a Royal Caribbean entertainment staple and it's something I try not to miss.  It's always the same questions but it never ceases to entertain me and I really enjoyed it.  It always helps when the contestants are good sports and we had a good group this time. 

Tomorrow, we'll be in San Juan, Puerto Rico!

Observations

• The indoor pool seems to be the last refuge of open lounge chairs on busy sea days.
• In terms of motion, I've barely felt movement.  Around 10pm or so we started getting our first good swayings but it's still nothing I wouldn't sign up for.  Plus, ,I like a little ship movement when I'm going to bed.
• In terms of Norovirus prevention, not a terrible amount has changed.  There are more hand sanitzers, crew members are using gloves more and in the casino, you have to go sanitize your hands before cashing in money.
• Ever wondered where service dogs do their business? Deck 5 all the way forward is this little area
  
• Not sure I've mentioned this before but in terms of alcohol prices, beer is fairly priced, with most about $5-7. Mixed drinks, however, are signifigantly more expensive. I had a bloody mary at the North Star bar this moring that cost me $12.  
• I don't have any firm plans for San Juan. I think I'll just wing it and wander!

You can also follow my adventures as I'm experiencing it live on Twitter and Facebook! And feel free to post your comments and questions in the comments below! I read 'em al!

I woke up this morning by chance because my phone battery died overnight and so the alarm wouldn't have worked.  Luckily, I somehow decided to check the time about ten minutes before I was supposed to and all was okay.

Having slept in an interior stateroom for the first time in a while, I loved how dark it gets when you turn the lights and virtual balcony off.  With just a slight movement of the ship, it was the formula for a great night's sleep.

I got up and went straight to the gym for my flywheel class.  This was my first time trying flywheel, and it's essentially just like spin class where you ride a stationary bike.  There's a large monitor that tracks the progress of everyone and the instructor guides you through a "course" of hills and sprints.  

I gave it my all and finished but I really had to slow down towards the end because I was just exhausted. I finished second-to-last but there's no denying it's a good workout.  Upon leaving I thought I'd try it again tomorrow but then I realized each class was $25 and to do this every day would add up quite quickly.  I think tomorrow I'll just try something on my own.

After showering and resting a little while, I headed to the SeaPlex for our blog meet up of the day.  We had planned to do bumper cars but unfortuantely no bumper cars today so we figure we will try to do it another day.

With the extra time, me and a couple of us from the blog decided to try our luck at the casino. The table games did not open until noon so I tried a few slot machines and quickly lost my money without much to show for it.  Alas, I cut my losses sooner than I usually do so I was okay with it.

Slot machiones accept SeaPass cards or WOWbands for player tracking

Some of the folks that are on the group cruise with me decided to meet up for Izumi for lunch.  We showed up a little before noon and were able to snag a table for eight.  For lunch, there are no reservations, so it's just first come, first served.

As many blog readers know, I absolutely love eating at Izumi and the real question is not if I will eat there but how many times. 

The lunch menu at Izumi seemed larger than the lunch menu at Izumi on Navigator of the Seas, which was a pleasant surprise.  There is no cover charge for Izumi but you do pay for each item a la carte.  Miso soup and edamame are complimentary.

I went with a couple of rolls and some nigiri.  All were excellent and I was happy with my choices.  I'll have a more formal review of Izumi in the coming weeks.

Following lunch, it was time to try my hand at Ripcord by iFly.  This is the sky diving simulator and for guests, you can reserve a complimentary 1-minute flight.  Let's just say my flight was 1 minute too long.

When you arrive for your class, you will sign in and accept any waivers that are necessary.  After everyone arrives, you watch a short instructional video and then it's time to get suited up.

You cannot wear any jewelry or accessories and your pockets must be empty.  In addition, you have to wear shoes that can be laced up.  

D'oh!

I volunteered to fly first and all I can say is I discovered I lack any real coordination.  I gave it my best and I was doing okay for a little bit but somehow ended flipping over and crashing into the ground.  I'm laughing about it now as I write about it but I'm fairly certain that will be the last time I try it.  I'd recommend it for anyone that wants to have fun and is more in control of their body than me. 

After embarassing myself in the air, I rushed over to the Royal Theater to check out the Broadway musical Mamma Mia!.  The show is based on the music of ABBA and I had never seen the show or the movie before.

I found myself really enjoying the show.  We arrived very close to show time so we had bad seats in the upper balcony all the way to one side.  So be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes early to get a better view than I had.

Despite the seats, the show was great and I really enjoyed it much more than I was expecting.  It's a fun show and while I'm not an ABBA fan boy, I did find myself often thinking "Oh, this song is by ABBA too"?  And of course, it's hard to deny that tickets to this show on Broadway or even on tour would set me back a couple hundred dollars so it's a great value.

After the show I walked back to my stateroom and overheard a crew member at Bionic Bar saying on Anthem of the Seas, the Bionic Bar would be the same concept but the robots would be an upgraded model that is also smaller than what we have on Quantum of the Seas.

Eating at The Grande tonight, I had to get the formal wear together and so went back to the staterroom to get dressed. Interestingly enough, I saw a sign outside The Grande saying gentlemen had to wear jackets, which is definitely not the rule on formal night on other ships.  Heck, not even in most specialty restaurants.  I even saw some men walking out and handing back a borrowed jacket to the restaurant.

I had some time to burn between getting ready for dinner and dinner itself so I walked around the ship a little bit, exploring to see what's new and different.

I decided to stop back into Michael's Genuine Pub because suprisingly I had not had any alcohol to drink yet today and because I really like the vibe fo the pub.  It's great for people watching, good drinks and a real bar atmosphere.

I went for a stout because I really enjoy Guiness and this was the craft beer closest to it.  It was great and even more "Guinessy" than Guiness! I do believe I will be back for more this cruise.

At last, it was time for dinner at The Grande. On my 2-nighter, The Grande stood out as my favorite restaurant so I was excited to get back here.  And judging by how crowded the restaurant was, so was everyone else.

We arrived a few minutes before our 7:15 reservation and waited in a short line.  We could tell the restaurant was packed and later learned the second night is evidently the go-to night for The Grande.  

We waited perhaps 5-10 minutes and then were seated.  Walking through the Grande, we saw the place was full.

Looking over the menu, I found more and more selections I wanted to try because everything sounded so good.

Like all restaurants I eat at on this cruise, a more formal review will be coming soon but I really enjoyed my meal here.  I loved the atmosphere with everyone dressed up and everything I ordered was a hit.  When can I go back?

After dinner I spent some time in the casino (again) and lost (again).  Pretty sure I need to limit my expenditures to drinks and not gambling based on my performance this cruise.

In terms of weather, it's warm enoough today to go outside with a t-shirt (but pants are still needed).  A few souls were in the main pool but I expect that to change tomorrow.  Seas have been calm and it's quite welcome!

Tomorrow it's another sea day (get used to them, there's plenty more where that came from). 

Stray Observations

• I finally met my room attendant this morning. Peter from Indonesia!
• Last night I came back to my room and couldn't find the souvenir cup I had gotten from sailaway.  Turns out my room attendant threw it away because he thought it was trash!  We both laughed about it and he said he could get me another one.
• Thus far, the internet speeds have been great. I've used it across phones and my laptop and been solid.  For unlimited use over the week at $109 it's a steal.
• For those keeping score at home, I bought only one drink today.  I was too busy doing activities to drink.  Tomorrow we're having a bar crawl meet so the universe will be evened out.
• If you want to wait in no line whatsoever for something on Quantum of the Seas, I recommend getting there right when that activity/venue/restaurant opens.  Lines build quickly but arrivng just before opening is usually a safe bet.

Here's tomorrow's cruise compass

After years of waiting, my cruise vacation on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas is finally here and today begins with getting onboard.  

Embarkation day is always a combination of joy, trekking, indulgence and satisfaction.  I woke up right at 9am and got my things together before departing the hotel for Cape Liberty.

Ready to hop aboard #quantumoftheseas

A photo posted by Royal Caribbean Blog.com (@royalcaribbeanblog) on Mar 21, 2015 at 8:21am PDT

The entire embarkation process could not have been faster or simpler.  Dropped the luggage off, parked the car and checked-in all within probably 15 minutes (I parked a long walk from the terminal). Once inside the terminal, at around 11am, we were able to get onboard immediately.

Royal Caribbean did assign boarding times as part of the online check-in but these times seem to be suggestions more than requirements. We boarded well before our time and others were doing the same.  

Once onboard the ship, I naturally went to my favorite spot onboard, the Windjammer.  It appeared a lot of other people had the same idea and the place was packed.  Many Quantum of the Seas veterans will advise to eat at Two70 Cafe or Devinely Decadence as less-crowded alternatives but I wanted the Windjammer experience and after a few minutes of searching, we found a table.

I took my time at lunch and then headed to my stateroom to drop off my stuff and see my home for the next eight nights.  

I booked an inside stateroom with a virtual balcony.  It was a larger inside stateroom and this was my first time staying in a stateroom with the virtual balcony. I'm looking forward to waking up and turning the balcony on to enjoy the view.

Wi-Fi prices

Platinum coupons

The room itself has a good amount of space.  I could see two to three people (one kid) having no problem and I like how there are two comfy chairs included with the room as well.  So far, so good!

After dropping my stuff off, grabbing my WOWband and looking around the room, I decided to do some exploring around the ship. I headed up to the pool deck and walked around.  Given the temperature outside is around 40 degrees, the pool was empty but the indoor pool and Solarium were a balmy 70-80 degrees and a few folks were already swimming.

I also took an opportunity to tour the spa and fitness center. I had not seen either on my two-night cruise and the facilities were quite nice.  I did not se anything I haven't seen on other ships with perhaps the exception of the couples massage room, which had a shower.

The fitness center is really quite large and the equipment is in top-notch conditiion.  I took the liberty of signing up for a spin class tomorrow morning.  I hope I can stay hydrated this time around!

All around the ship, other passengers were exploring as well, taking in the sights and it's fun to catch parts of others conversations where others talk openly about how impressive some aspect of the ship is.  Needless to say, everyone seems quite excited to get this vacation underway.

UPDATE 5:00pm: Muster drill for this cruise was in Silk restaurant, which is also the restaurant I'll have dinner later this evening.  Nothing unusual but I did meet someone who has a job of going on cruises to assist with dialysis machines.  From the sounds of it, I think I need to seriously reconsider my professional career choices.

For sailaway, I braved the brisk March air and went up to the Sky Bar for a quick meet up with other Royal Caribbean Blog readers.  It was great to formally say hello to everyone and put names to faces.  The next meet is tomorrow at bumper cars!

I also realized around this point I had not yet had a drink to officially kick off my cruise so I had to quickly remedy the situation.  One of the waiters, Ricky, helped me with my "problem" and hooked me up with the drink of the day.  Honestly, I don't know what it was but it looked like the perfect drink and it came in a souvenir cup that changes colors when it's cold!

After some drinks and enjoying sailaway, I headed back to my stateroom to change for dinner.  My luggage was waiting for me at the door, which was good to see because I and many other guests noted the RFID luggage tracking feature in Royal Caribbean's app was not working (it would report you have no luggage to track).

Dinner tonight was at Silk, which on my 2-night cruise was a bit of a disappointment. It was disappointing in I love Asian food, especialy Indian food and it didn't really live up to what I expected. Silk, and all the compimentary restaurants onboard have since undergone a menu update so I was hoping for a better experience.

Our dinner reservation was at 5:30pm and we were able to walk right up to the Silk entrance and check-in with nearly no wait. We were seated immediately at a table by the window and we were off to a good start.

The new Silk menu appears to be expanded from what I remember and it also included some of the Royal Caribbean classic options, like steak, chicken soup, pasta, etc.  

I started off with the vegetable spring rolls and chicken noodle soup (I know, not Asian at all).

They were both good, not the best I've ever eaten of either but okay.

For my entrees I went with the chicken tikka masalla and a vegetable curry.  I figured I would double down on my favorite dish.

Both curries tasted fine but they had no spice at all and frankly, not a lot of flavor either.  I had two curries in the Windjammer at lunch that were wonderful but I felt like these dishes lacked some character. 

My tablemates went with Chinese dishes and they looked good and they reported their dishes also tasted good too.  Perhaps my curry love needs to be relegated to the Windjammer.  

I also should note service was great.  There's now an assistant waiter to help and I brought my bottle of wine with me that they were all too eager to pour and store for my dinner tomorrow night.  

Making sure to end on a high note, I wrapped up dinner with strawberry ice cream. Awesome!

After dinner we headed over to Michael's Genuine Pub and I was quite happy to see them offering buy one, get one free on Michael's Genuine Beer.  Clearly Royal Caribbean really, really loves BOGO deals.

We enjoyed drinks, chatted and had a great time.  It was not too busy in Michael's at this point so it was nice to be able to just sit around and talk without too much noise.

I was wrapping up drinks when a fellow blog reader came into the pub to tell me there was an unannounced comedy show that was about to go on so I decided to check it out. One of the benefits of cruising solo is late night entertainment is tough with kids because it's bed time.

First out was cruise director Ken Rush, who I had never seen before.  Ken was funny and gave a good introduction to the show we were about to see.  

The comedian was Steve Shaffer and he was amusing.  I was afraid he would tell the stereotypical cruise jokes but his jokes were all over the place and really never talked about the ship.  He did a 40 minute set, which is impressive and I laughed at a few jokes. Can't ask for much else.

I wandered around the ship a little more after the comedy show but it was getting near 11pm now and I have some morning plans tomorrow.  I stopped by Music Hall, which had a band covering a lot of different hits, which was fun.  They had a good crowd there listening and dancing.

All in all, a good first day and I'm excited for my first full day onboard tomorrow.

Here is tomorrow's Cruise Compass.

Stray Observations

• I haven't met my stateroom attendant yet.  I think it's because without kids, I'm barely here.  
• The captain announced we should have good weather and smooth sailing.  At first I assumed he probably always says this but someone at my muster drill, who was on the cruise last week, said the captain announced the rough seas they experienced so hoping no issues this week!
• On my first day I only paid for two drinks so far, which is no where near what the drink package would need to "break even".  Let's see what a full day holds for me.
• Being in the Atlantic, there's just enough rocking of the ship to put me to sleep perfectly!

Today begins my Quantum of the Seas adventure but Mother Nature certainly did not make it easy.

I had made my plans weeks ago the night before my cruise, I would stay close to Cape Liberty in the Newark Airport area and that way I would have no trouble getting to the port bright and early to get onboard Quantum of the Seas.

Clearly I was underestimating the likelihood of snow in New Jersey in late March (on the first day of spring, in fact). 

Earlier this week the meteorologists started predicting snow for today and go figure they were exactly correct with their prediction for this storm.  Right around noon it started snowing and would keep snowing all day and evening.

Driving from Connecticut, it would mean I would have to traverse the uber-busy New York City metropolitan area on a Friday and in the snow.  For those not familiar with the travel conditions in this area, it's akin to passing Mordor.  One does not simply walk into Mordor and one does not simply get through New York City on a Friday in the snow.

So right around 4:30pm, I was able to leave work and hop on the highway and give it my best.  I was prepared for an epic journey at no faster than 4 miles per hour.  I was prepared for the absolute worst.

Luckily, the snow forecast scared off enough people that I was able to get to Newark in a relatively good amount of time.  Less than two hours with the conditions I mentioned above is grounds for a Noble prize in breaking the laws of physics.

My GPS got me right to where I was going, the Marriott Hotel at Newark International Airport.  And when I say at the airport, I mean it's right in the middle of the airport.  Don't let the location fool you; It's a beautiful hotel built around business travelers and that means it is no dump.

To get to the hotel, you drive like you are going to park at the airport and you will find an exit for the hotel right before the parking area.  Check-in was super simple and many of the rooms have been recently refurbished.  My room on the fourth floor was one of them and it feels, smells and looks like a brand new room.

The room has two double beds and a regular sized bathroom and shower.  Considering it's been recently refurbished, it's great for what I need.

Unfortunately, the hotel does charge a hefty $25 daily parking fee along with a $15 internet charge. Alas, nothing is perfect, right?  The hotel is about 17 minutes from Cape Liberty and tomorrow there should be next to no traffic.

The snow forced me to have dinner at the hotel restaurant, the Aviation Grill. It serves New American cuisine and it really was not bad at all.  A little on the pricey side ($17 for a burger) but I was not about to drive to find something else and there aren't many convenient options in the area even if the weather was perfect.

I'm looking foward to getting some sleep and then boarding Quantum first thing in the morning!

We will have a lot of updates in our live blog here but also on Royal Caribbean Blog Twitter and Instagram.  Please feel free to post any questions you may have about Quantum of the Seas, I'm happy to answer as much as I can while onboard.  Follow along and then get the whole summary here tomorrow.  

Hi everyone, I'm really excited to announce our next live-blog experience as we get ready for a cruise aboard Quantum of the Seas for an 8-night Caribbean adventure.

It is my hope to provide to our readers a daily look at what this cruise will be like and share our experiences with you.  This means I will try to post photos every day along with a written report of how things are going (internet permitting).

If you're new to our live blogs, check out the live blogs we did for Navigator of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas for an idea of what's in store for you. I'm hoping to give our readers a daily look into what we did that day, what was good/not good and what we have planned for the next day.  

For this cruise, I'll be driving to Cape Liberty, New Jersey on Friday, March 20 to start our adventure.  I live close enough to the port to be able to drive there on the day of the cruise, but I'm too excited to stay away and I like the idea of kick starting my vacation a day early.  

As many of you know, this cruise was planned as a group cruise among readers of Royal Caribbean Blog and I cannot wait to meet up with everyone onboard the ship and share in exploring Quantum of the Seas together.  Ever since I planned the group cruise, I've thought the idea of cruising with other Royal Caribbean fans would be a lot of fun.

I'll be leaving for my hotel near the port, Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott, right after work on Friday and I should get to the hotel in the evening (no thanks to the New York City rush hour traffic I will be running into). I picked this hotel because Newark airport hotels are as close to the port as you can get and because of the high level of business travelers, these airport hotels are also typically quite nice.  The next day, I will board Quantum of the Seas as early as humanly possible and start the real fun on March 21st!

This is actually my second time on Quantum of the Seas, having taken a two-night sampler cruise(read the live blog from that cruise here) back in November.  From the day Royal Caribbean announced Quantum of the Seas, I've been infatuated with getting onboard and my two night experience was merely a tease for the real thing.  The Quantum-class in general is a new direction for Royal Caribbean and there's just so much onboard to see, do and eat.  In addition, this will be my first solo cruise, so going on a cruise alone will be an adventure in of itself, but then again I'll be with other Royal Caribbean Blog friends who I'm hoping to see a lot of onboard.

In addition to the ship, the itinerary we are on will bring us to two ports of call.  Our itinerary has been changed a number of times but we will be sailing to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Royal Caribbean's private island of Labadee. I've been to both ports but am looking forward to each for different reasons.  San Juan is a beautiful city, with tons to do and this time we will be there in the evening, so I am looking forward to exploring the San Juan night life.  With Labadee, you never have to twist my arm to go back there.  I love what Royal Caribbean has done with this piece of paradise and it's among my favorite spots for pure relaxation (and Labadoozies).

Of course, I hope you will be joining for me on this cruise virtually. If you have any questions for me while I’m onboard, comment in the post below, email or twitter me, and I’ll do my best to answer. 

Who is going

Matt (me).  That's it. Just me. No one else. Seriously.

Our itinerary

Next update should be on my pre-cruise arrival day, Friday, November 20.  Stay tuned for all of our live blog updates right here.

Recently TechCrunch got a tour of the IT never center behind Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas.

The tour looks at how Royal Caribbean manages to provide a 600 Mbps connection with a satellite and provide Wi-Fi access across the ship for everyone.

I'm happy to welcome back guest blogger Don & Heidi from EatSleepCruise.com! They've got another really interesting blog post to share with everyone today about what I consider to be one of the coolest features on any Royal Caribbean ship. Enjoy!

Inside cabins, by their nature, can sometimes feel claustrophobic. While we almost exclusively stay in interior cabins, as a cost saving mechanism, we admit, they do sometimes feel closed off from the rest of the cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean must have heard our pleas when designing the Quantum of the Seas. To enhance the experience in these interior cabins, and bring travelers one step closer to the ocean, this innovative ship offers “virtual balconies”.

Yes, those staying in interior cabins can now have a real time view of the outside world. These virtual balconies are really 80" 4K LED Sharp Aquos screens that pan floor to ceiling, and through the use of technology, project real time video and sound. There are even curtains on the side of screen to complete the effect.

What are these technological wonders like you ask? Well, we recently spent 8 days sailing on Quantum of the Seas and can give you a detailed description of our experiences with these new portals to the outside world.

Day 1-- Embarkation Day

Yes, the virtual balcony is on as soon as you enter your inside cabin. We stayed in room 10-207, portside. This meant that our virtual balcony was actually displaying the view from the starboard side of the ship. Getting on the ship at Cape Liberty, NJ, the view is not too spectacular. But, it was pretty cool to step into your cabin and be able to watch the action outside.

Day 2 and Day 3-- At Sea

Waking up to an ocean view is one of the reasons travelers love to cruise. Now with the virtual balconies, even those in an inside cabin can wake up to the waves in the ocean and the sun. It was our first full sea day that we appreciated the resolution of these screens; the colors of the ocean and sky were crystal clear. It was also great to wake up and get a feel for the weather outside. On Day 3, our second full day at sea, we were able to tell that the weather was much nicer than on Day 2.

Day 4-- San Juan, Puerto Rico

Seeing the Port from your virtual balcony is really quite impressive. The 4K, high definition view gives you a level of detail that is eerily life-like. When we arrived to San Juan, on day 4, there were already two ships in port, and it felt like we could reach out and touch them on our virtual balcony. What was even more amazing was getting to see one of those ships, the NCL Gem, sail away. This is something we would have normally missed on a typical inside cabin, but we were able to experience everything via our virtual balcony.

The virtual balconies are always on (if you so choose), so even at night there is something for you to see. During the overnight we had on Day 4, we got to witness the other ship in port, the HAL Westerdam, turn on its exterior lights at dusk. With the resolution of these screens, you can actually see people walking around the other ship.

Day 5-- San Juan, Puerto Rico

It’s a new dawn, a new ship, and we are feeling good. This morning, we awoke early to see that Disney Fantasy was parked where the NCL Gem had been yesterday. HAL Eurodam also pulled in to port a while later. None of these changes would have been apparent to us if it weren’t for the virtual balcony, or a trip to the top deck.

Day 6-- Labadee, Haiti

Seeing another ship sail away is one thing, but watching the real time sail-in to a port from the virtual balcony is an entirely different experience. During this cruise, we got to watch Quantum of the Seas dock in Labadee, and it was quite the show. We were able to get a few minutes of the sail in on video. While the video does not do it justice, it does give you a sense of how “real time” the displays are as you are able to see the ship’s position in relation to the land as she is being docked.

It was not until day 6 that we learned there is a remote control to turn the virtual balcony on and off. All along, we had been treating the virtual balcony like a real balcony and pulling the curtains closed at nighttime to block the view. But, it was here on day 6, when we returned from Labadee, that we first heard sound. Yes, the virtual balconies have sound, at least when it works. When we arrived back in our room after our outing in Labadee, we could still hear the music from the performers on the dock. After sailaway, we could also hear the sounds of the ocean.

At this point, we realized it might be difficult to sleep now, so we asked our stateroom attendant if there was a way to turn off the sound. Apparently, we were missing our remote control all long that allows you to control the images and sound, a simple on/off and mute function.

Days 7 and 8-- At Sea

On Day 7, we slept in a bit, but when we awoke, we turned on the virtual balcony and were greeted with beautiful sunshine and the sound of the waves. The sound really gives the virtual balcony a much more authentic and realistic experience. Later that day, we returned to this beautiful moonlight night, but noticed that our sound was no longer working. Guess the technology hasn’t been perfected yet.

Day 9-- Disembarkation

Like all good things, they must come to an end. Even when arriving back at port, to begin the trek home, the Quantum of the Seas virtual balconies were there to show us what it was like outside, complete with a trace snow cover. Even though this was our good-bye, the virtual balcony was now ready to greet some new guests and provide real-time views for those more economical cruisers!

Takeaways

While I would not replace the virtual balcony for a real balcony, if you are looking to save some money when sailing on a Quantum class ship, the virtual balconies are a really nice enhancement. We are not sure that we would pay more for a virtual balcony, if there were additional costs down the line, but for the time being, these high tech additions make your cruise more enjoyable and are a definite WOW. We are sailing on Anthem of the Seas in 2016, and we are looking forward to our virtual balcony views on that new ship!

We've received reports that Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley announced to a group of travel agents aboard Freedom of the Seas that the company's ambitious Dynamic Dining program will be augmented with a new rotational dining program.

Under the new program, guests will dine at different complimentary restaurants each night of their cruise based on their rotational schedule.  At each restaurant, guests will have the same wait staff and table mates each evening.

The new rotational dining program will begin with Anthem of the Seas, but there is no indication yet if it will spread to Quantum of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and/or Allure of the Seas.

Back in March 2014, Royal Caribbean had previously announced its Quantum-class cruise ships would usher in a radically new dining program called Dynamic Dining, where there would be no main dining room and instead would offer a combination of complimentary and specialty restaurants for guests to choose from.  

Then in August 2014, Royal Caribbean announced Dynamic Dining would spread to Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

When Quantum of the Seas launched in November 2014, there were a great deal of negative reports from cruisers that Dynamic Dining was troubled by long lones and poor service.  Then in December, Royal Caribbean postponed Dynamic Dining on Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas indefinitely.

If the reports are true, it appears the flow of negative reviews online and to Royal Caribbean have forced the company to try something different from Dynamic Dining that is more like traditional dining.

UPDATE: Video of Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley announcing the rotational dining option called "Classic".

Video by Gina Smythe

Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, has a lot to see and do but as Royal Caribbean fans know there's always tips and tricks to getting the most out of your cruise.

We present here a list of our best Quantum of the Seas secrets to help you have a better time.  Enjoy!

Best uncrowded spot for breakfast: Cafe @ Two70

If the Windjammer or American Icon Grill is just too crowded for your taste, a lesser known breakfast spot to check out is the Cafe @ Two70.  It rarely fills up like the other places and offers some tasty options too!

Least crowds for North Star: port days

North Star is always in demand so lines seem to be long all the time but if you want to check it out without the long line, try to go on North Star on port days.  

In addition to there being less people onboard to compete with on port days, when Quantum of the Seas is in port, North Star has more limited movement and can only go up and down and not over the side of the ship like it does on sea days.  Because of this, the North Star rides are shorter and thus, the lines will move faster.

Best spot for sailaway: bridge wings

Leaving Cape Liberty will result in a crowded pool deck because of the amazing views of New York City and the surrounding area.  If you want a less crowded spot, check out the bridge wings, which are accessible from the Solarium on either side at the very front.

Best spot for sailaway for suite guests: Suite sun deck

If you're lucky enough to be in a suite, there's a special sun deck that is accessible from the pool deck just for suite guests.  It's usually empty and offers great views of the Verazanno Bridge and New York City.

Best day for bumper cars: embarkation day

Just like the pools and hot tub, the bumper cars have the shortest line on embarkation day.  Head there on your first day onboard to be able to smash into your fellow guests without a long line.

Book RipCord online in advance

As you might imagine, lots of passengers want to check out RipCord by iFly because it's the kind of experience lots want to try.  Royal Caribbean allows you to book in advance complimentary sessions so you don't have to worry about long lines.

Try to make reservations early in your cruise, so you can get in before others who have not signed up to reserve times.

Speaking of iFly, you cannot bring a camera into iFly, so if you don't want to spend money on buying photos, make sure someone in your party not scheduled to fly at the same time is available to take pictures.

You need your SeaPass card in port (even with a WOWband)

Royal Caribbean's new RFID bracelets, WOWbands, are pretty nifty but when your ship is in port, you will need to bring your SeaPass card too to use as proof of being a current cruise guests to return to the ship.

Catch the RoboShows on sea days

The amazing new robotic screens in Two70 will start performing on sea days starting at 12:30pm on the hour (more shows at 1:30pm, 2:30pm, etc).  These are fun to watch, especially when the weather outside is not so great.

Discover some hidden gems onboard

It's easy to overlook these rooms, but the Library (rear of Two70) and The Workshop (an arts and crafts room) on deck 6 are two nifty little locations.

Easiest place to get a drink: Michael's Genuine Pub

If you just want a quick drink without any crowds, try Michael's Genuine Pub in the Royal Esplanade for a quiet spot with quick service.

Best spot for deck chairs: Near the FlowRider

Getting a deck chair on sea days when the sun is shining is never an easy task, especially at the height of the day.  A good spot to snag a deck chair are on the back of the ship, port side.  You will find it's a good spot to grab a chair and catch some rays, even late in the day.

Use the Coca-Cola FreeStyle Machines

If you get any soda package, you can use the Coca-Cola FreeStyle machines.  There are three of them: Sorentos (deck 4), Windjammer (Deck 14), and SeaPlex (Deck 15).

Best time for Bionic Bar: Later afternoon on sea days

We think the Bionic Bar is a bit of a gimmick but there's no denying it is a really cool concept.  If you want to be able to "belly up to the (bionic) bar", try for late afternoon on sea days.  There will be less people around before the bar starts to get crowded again at night.

Last night Royal Caribbean rolled out new menus to four of its complimentary restaurants onboard.

Reports from cruisers aboard Quantum of the Seas this week say that new menus debuted at Chic, The Grande, Silk and American Icon Grill.

There's speculation that these menu changes are part of a new effort to improve the Dynamic Dining experience overall.  Just last week Royal Caribbean dropped the cover charge at Devinly Decadence to add more complimentary restaurant capacity.

Credit to Debra Hirsh and Daniel VanDam for the photos of the new menus.