There's less than 99 days until Royal Caribbean's brand new Harmony of the Seas debuts and we're counting down each day with a brand new blog post all about this amazing ship. Check into the blog every day for something new to read about Harmony of the Seas.
Welcome to another fun-filled day on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas! Today is our second sea day and it was a combination of relaxation and trying new things.
We decided to do what most parents do and let the kids be the alarm clock. Oddly, they decided to wake up before 8am so our hopes of sleeping in were dashed.
After getting the troops ready, it was time for breakfast in the Windjammer.
Surprisingly, no lines this morning despite rolling in around 9am. I suppose others had better luck sleeping in.
After breakfast, we headed back to the room for some playtime for the kids and an ealy nap for our youngest. The older one went to Adventure Ocean.
I took the opportunity to try something completely new, a ride on the zip line.
On Allure of the Seas, the zip line is complimentary and the lines were fairly short.
It was a quick process to get signed in and suited up and I was feeling good until just before I got to the launch platform.
As I approached the go-point, I started to get nervous but figured I had gone too far now to back up. The crew member directed me to sit back in my harness and go and it was a really fun ride the other side of the deck.
I ended up riding three times in total and once you are suited up, it is fairly easy to ride again because the lines were for guests getting suited up. I managed to knock out three rides in about 20 minutes.
Following zip lining I collected my daughter from Adventure Ocean and got her lunch from Wipeout Cafe.
My wife let the kids run around our room while I headed down to Izumi for lunch.
I was privilidged enough to have Chef Travis Kamiyama indulge me in a special meal, as he boarded the ship yesterday. Chef Travis is the man that literally invented Izumi and is responsible for its rapid spread and success across Royal Caribbean.
As many of you know, I really love Izumi because I can never get enough sushi and Izumi serves up some fantasic options.
Following lunch, the family and I headed down to the Boardwalk for a group cruise meet up, where we enjoyed the many treats of the Boardwalk.
We tried different snacks and experiences on the Boardwalk and really had a great time exploring this amazing area.
We followed it up with a cabin crawl, where members of our group allowed us all to see their stateroom.
The highlight was the one bedroom AquaTheater suite , which was terrific. It was great seeing the various staterooms and seeing some new options.
The rest of our afternoon was spent relaxing in our room and letting the kids nap. By far the best thing parents can do is let their kids take naps if you want even-keeled behavior later on.
Tonight was our second formal night and we dressed up for the occasion and took some photos around the ship. We even found Alex the lion in Central Park posing for photos!
Our evening plans were simple: feed the kids and drop them off at Adventure Ocean and the nursery, followed by dinner at Izumi and our first visit to the Prohibition party.
After dropping the kids off, we spent some time in the Boardwalk exploring and enjoying a really fun water fountain show in the AquaTheater.
The water fountain show was a complete surprise, but something really fun and different. I really loved the musical selections.
Dinner was at Sabor, and despite eating there a few times earlier this week, this was the best Sabor meal of the cruise.
We tried a lot of foods and the food across the board was really quite good.
I think the the tuna tacos are not only the best tasting food on the menu, but an excellent value at only $5 for three tacos.
I tried for the first time on this cruise the tortilla soup and mole short rib.
The tortilla soup was great (and had a good spicy kick to it), while the short rib was missing that great flavor I was expecting. In my opinion, it is tacos or bust when it comes to entrees.
And for those keeping score at home, the key to excellent guacamole at Sabor is tied to the amount of lime you get. The more, the better.
We also indulged in a tequila flight, which offered a number of different tequilas to taste. All of them are smooth and I dare you not to feel really good a few minutes after trying them.
I will post a full review of Sabor later, but I really liked dinner here and I think we all loved the experience. The food was really tasty and I like many of the menu options.
After dinner it was time for the Prohibition Party.
The Prohibition Party is basically a music event that includes alcoholic drinks for $35 per person.
You arrive, get a "password" to get in and are seated to enjoy the festivities.
Most, if not all, the guests dressed up in 1920s garb and it was really a very fun and different event.
What I like about the Prohibition Party is it was something really different and I think anyone that thinks the idea of getting dressed up in their best flapper outfit combined with lots of drinks sounds good, this is the event for you.
My wife and I had a blast at the Prohibition Party and only regret it was not a bit longer. Nonetheless, we collected exited the event and got our kids from Adventure Ocean and all went to bed.
Tomorrow we are making our last port stop in Cozumel, Mexico.
Stray Observations
Royal Caribbean released today its 2017-2018 Alaska season cruise sailings.
Crown and Anchor Society members are getting a 24 hour head start at the available sailings before the general public.
Sailings are open for cruises on Explorer of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas, departing out of Seattle and Vancouver.
In addition to the new sailings, Royal Caribbean is offering a Seek & Save deal, where guests can get 30% off their 2017 cruise along with free upgrades.
The Seek & Save deal must be booked between February 16 and Apri 3, 2016 and is valid on sailings departing on or after Mar. 16, 2016.
Offer includes 30% off the standard cruise fare for all guests in a stateroom; all stateroom categories.
In addition, for new sailings deployed during the Offer Period that depart on or after May 1, 2017, the Offer includes a Free Upgrade within the stateroom meta-category (for example from a D8 to a D1, interior to interior, or ocean view to ocean view).
Free Upgrade refers to booking a stateroom for the price of the lowest available category within the same stateroom meta-category type.
Upgrade offer excludes Panoramic, Family, and Suite staterooms.
Offer is combinable with Crown & Anchor discounts, NextCruise offers, and Shareholders benefits. Any dollar off discounts or promotions, such as Crown & Anchor discounts, are applied first, followed by Offer, which is applied to final balance. Offer is not combinable with restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military) or any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, weekly Sales Events, Net Rates.
Offer excludes all China departures.
Offer available to residents of the United States and Canada.
Dancing with the Stars fan favorite Carlos PenaVega will be onboard Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas to host celebratory activities when the ship launches in May 2016.
Grease is the headline show onboard Harmony of the Seas and the all-new, never-before-seen stage production, specially adapted by Royal Caribbean Productions, will boast a soundtrack of crowd favorites such as “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” “Born to Hand-Jive,” “Beauty School Dropout” and more.
As part of PenaVega’s partnership with Royal Caribbean he’ll lead a number of Grease-inspired special activities onboard Harmony of the Seasduring inaugural events in Southampton, England. These include teaching guests the hand jive, presiding over a dance competition, giving an exclusive performance of “Greased Lightnin’,” and more.
Today is our second port day of the cruise, and we are visiting Falmouth, Jamaica.
Allure of the Seas was not scheduled to dock in Falmouth until 10:30am, so we had some time to sleep in and get ready.
We got the kids ready and went up to the Windjammer for breakfast.
The Windjammer after about 8:30am usually has lines to get in and this morning was no different, although the lines do move quite quickly.
I was surprised to find there is no omelette station in this Windjammer. I asked a crew member and was told there was none, and that was odd to me considering there is an omelette station on all other Royal Caribbean ships' Windjammer that I have been to.
Nonetheless, breakfast as good and coincided with arriving into Falmouth, right alongside Independence of the Seas.
We had booked a shore excursion prior to our cruise, Blue Waters Beach Escape. We booked it because it was close to the port (10 minute drive), offered what looked like a beautiful beach and the cost was not terribly high.
We met our group in the designated spot, signed waivers and boarded a bus. It was really hot out but luckily the bus had great air conditoning.
I will do a more formal review of Blue Waters later on, but the experience is essentially what the description lays out.
It is a great beach for someone looking for an excursion with a short drive, nice looking water and a psuedo-all inclusive feel.
Unfortunately, two factors soured my experience (and neither were something that could be fixed): my kids were both in bad moods from lack of sleep and it ended up being really windy.
We made the best of our time there, with the highlight being both children sleeping.
There were regular buses back to the port area, which was quite nice to not be locked into a particular schedule.
Back in Falmouth, we did a little shopping but went back to the room to shower. I opted to delay that and take my oldest daughter for a swim in the pool.
We had not gone for any swims yet, so figured this was a good opportunity to jump in. The kids pool area is quite large and a lot of fun for kids.
We returned to our stateroom for a shower and while the girls got ready, I opted for some "pre-dinner". I tried to Izumi but it was not open yet, so I went to Sabor.
Say what you will about Sabor on Allure of the Seas, one big benefit of an a la carte menu is I can drop in for a bite without a large investment.
I got my favorite dish, the tuna tacos and at only $5, it is a tremendous value.
I did a little walking on the ship as I made my way back to the room and noticed the Guest Services staff were in the "island mood" and even stopped for a character photo.
We dropped the kids off at Adventure Ocean and Nursery and I headed down to Central Park for dinner with some RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers at 150 Central Park.
This was my first time at 150 Central Park, and it is the signature restaurant onboard that is designed by celebrity chef Michael Schwartz.
Our meal consisted of six courses that were all prepared by the chef and I really found the entire experience intriguing and really tasty.
I will post a full review of 150 Central Park later, but rest assured it is a great meal for anyone looking for a fabulous dining experience with exquisite service.
Following dinner we decided to check out a show at Jazz on 4 that starred the cast of Mamma Mia!.
Essentially, the show was each cast member going on stage to sing various Broadway songs and my wife absolutely loved it.
We swung by Adventure Ocean and the Nursery to pick up the kids, went back to our rooms and all got ready for sleep.
Tomorrow is a sea day and we have some really fun things planned!
Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas is getting closer and closer to launching and we are counting down the days until she is here with a new blog post every day about this new ship.
Harmony of the Seas will offer two shows in the AquaTheater, the distinct high diving, acrobatic performance space introduced by Royal Caribbean with the Oasis class of ships, that feature two 10-meter high platforms and the hydraulic-floored pool, the largest and deepest freshwater pool at sea, below will serve as podiums for high-diving, hair-raising aerobatics that AquaTheater audiences have come to love.
Both of these AquaTheater shows are brand new to Royal Caribbean and will follow in the tradition of offering some really fun and tantalizing entertainment.
A journey from extreme to extraordinary, The Fine Line is the AquaTheater redefined with high-flying feats, mind blowing stunts and physically demanding acrobatics brought to life by the world’s best extreme-sport athletes. Designed as a 360° immersive entertainment show, revelers will be wishing for eyes in the back of their head to take in all the action happening around them.
A dive into hilarious escapades, guests will steal some laughs and experience amazing wows with Royal Caribbean’s new comedy dive show, Hideaway Heist.
This action packed comedy aqua show jumps into the world of a swanky 1950’s holiday resort where guys ‘n’ dolls take the audience on a frolicking escapade in, on and around the pool as an undercover detective, playing the part of a high-rolling vacationer, pursues a crafty burglar. Guests can expect plenty of family-friendly fun and awe-inspiring performance tricks as the staff of the Hideaway Resort solve the crime of a century.
Royal Caribbean Productions brings unmatched entertainment onboard their ships. Meet Christi Coachman-Orengo who began as a dancer onboard Royal Caribbean and now leads the production team to bring this award-winning entertainment to life.
When it comes to planning a Royal Caribbean cruise, nearly all of us have a budget in mind. Being independently wealthy is more elusive than ever, so saving money on our cruises means we have more money to spend onboard or for another Royal Caribbean cruise.
This week, I am sharing with you some tips and strategies for saving money on common cruise expenditures, such as alcoholic drinks, specialty dining, internet and more. I hope many of you will be able to spend less on your next cruise, so you can have more money to book another.
Today is our first port stop, and it is at Royal Caribbean's private destination of Labadee.
I really love Labadee because of its natural beauty and enjoyable beach activities. I also realized my wife has not been back to Labadee in a number of years, so we were all looking forward to a fun day at the beach.
Allure of the Seas docked at 8am, as any parent knows, getting your kids dressed, ready for the beach and fed is no easy task.
We had breakfast at Park Cafe today and it is great for a quick breakfast without much fuss.
Park Cafe is in Central Park and offers egg sandwiches, a bagel bar, cereal, various coffees and plenty of pastries. It is good for grabbing a cup of coffee and a bagel and getting on your way.
Disembarkation at Labadee is super simple, and we went from ship to shore in just a few minutes. I was also pleasantly surprised to find no lines getting off the ship (for the elevators or the gangway).
We had rented an over the water cabana at Labadee at Nellie's Beach. We reserved it so we could have a "home base of operations" for our kids where they could relax somewhere in the shade as well as take a nap.
The cabana offers a lot of nice to have extras, such as
The cabana is a total splurge, but it is something I really enjoy having. I cannot say from a value proposition it is a slam dunk deal, but it is great having a lot of sand-free space to enjoy. And the views are pretty amazing too!
We spent the day swimming, laying around and repeating as necessary.
We also got together as a group to enjoy one of my favorite drinks, the Labadoozie!
For lunch, they drove us to the buffet and the beach buffet is never my favorite meal by any means, but we made the best of it.
We had absolutely perfect weather with barely any clouds in the sky. Temperatures were in the 80s and it was great for swimming!
Fast forward to about 2:30pm, we asked for the cart to come get us to bring us back to the ship. Luckily, not much of a line to get back and we were quickly back onboard showered, changed and napping.
I was a bit hungry given that I did not eat a whole lot on Labadee, so decided to indulge in some "pre-dinner".
I was surprised to find that Sabor was open on the Boardwalk a good 45 minutes earlier than it was listed to open. Nonetheless, I headed down there for a snack.
I kept it simple this time: tableside guacamole and tuna tacos. Fabulous and really tasty!
Feeling better now (Sabor makes everything better), I went to meet a friend that gave me a tour of the Diamond lounge.
The Diamond Lounge is for guests that are at least Diamond level in Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society and it is a special spot for them to congregate and enjoy time in at their leisure.
There is complimentary drinks and food available as well.
The Diamond Lounge on Allure was quite large and I was impressed by its size. After this cruise I will turn Diamond, so I am looking forward to enjoying these sorts of perks.
We dropped my youngest daughter off at the nursery next and then took my older daughter to the AquaTheater to check out OceanAria.
OceanAria is essentially a show that showcases aerial stunts that involve diving into a pool and some of physical feats are truly impressive.
I liked the pacing of OceanAria, which never stuck with one scene too long (some of the ice skating show routines can linger a bit longer than I prefer) but the show itself was not exactly my favorite just because it is more a spectacle than anything and has very little in the way of story.
All that being said, it was a well-performed show and I really was impressed by the performances.
After the show, we took y daughter up to the Windjammer for dinner. We had a great little Royal Caribbean moment there, when I inquired about where I could get her a hot dog and seeing as there were none, a manager made an immediate call to get some for her from elsewhere on the ship. Not even five minutes later, two hot dogs were delivered to us. Wow!
We dropped my oldest at Adventure Ocean and headed to the main dining room for Italian night.
I really like the menu here, especially the lasagna. It was a great meal that did not disappoint!
Following dinner, I was really feeling wiped. I think a couple of days of going at full-steam and a full beach day have finally caught up with me so I decided to get some sleep. My brain loves the idea but my hear is yearning for at least 3 more activities today. Oh well!
Tomorrow we will be in Falmouth, Jamaica and taking an excursion I have never done before.
Thank you as always for following and please let me know if you have any comments or questions in the comments below!
Stray observations
We're counting down the days until Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas debuts, with our 99 days of Harmony countdown. Each day we will post something about this amazing new ship.
Cruisers love balconies on their Royal Caribbean cruise for the fantastic views but sometimes the price is just a little too high. Royal Caribbean came up with a way to bring the balcony experience to inside staterooms for a fraction of the cost of a real balcony stateroom.
Virtual balcony staterooms are inside staterooms with an 80-inch high definition LED screen attached to a wall that delivers views outside of the ship, just like a real balcony stateroom.
The screen stretches from floor to ceiling and will show you exactly what you would see if you had a real balcony. Using high definition cameras, these virtual balconies give you a glimpse of what's outside.
Guests can turn the virtual balcony off at any time, especially at night when sleeping but it's available anytime they want.
There's even natual sounds that are piped into your stateroom to provide as authentic an experience as possible.
Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we celebrate 99 days of Harmony!