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We were in cabin 8168 a corner aft. We are in our mid fifty’s. This was our 15th cruise 10th on RCCL.
Embarking: We drove to Boston from New York. Arrived about 12:00 PM, dropped the luggage with the porters and went to park. Indoor garage about 2 blocks away. They say to park on 4th level. The cost is $15 per day, payable by credit card when you leave. Went to the ship picked up our sea pass cards and on we went. We were eating by 12:30. Rooms were not ready till 1:00PM as usual.
The ship: It is in excellent shape, and we love the Radiance class ships. It is very easy to get around. Love the glass elevators looking at the water.
Room: Was a standard D1 aft cabin. The balcony is very wide, with a little wrap around. But to get to the end you have to climb over a support pole, it was a very weird set up. There were two chairs and two loungers, with a small table. Our cabin steward Floyd did a good job, we got towel animals a few nights (I still like coming to the cabin and finding them, what can I say). Every time he saw us he said hi and called us by name.
Food: Windjammer was the usual fare, everything was good but the selection gets repetitive after a few days (breakfast and lunch). Seaview Café- we ate here a few times. The hot dogs and burgers are better than the windjammer and the onion rings are very good. DW had a Reuben sandwich and ate it so it must have been OK. Main dinning room- we ate all our dinners here. The food was good but again not as much of a selection as I remember from the past. Some nights there was not much to pick from and other nights there were 2 or 3 things I liked (but that’s just me). The service was excellent and very entertaining (Ayham and his assistant Lorenzo, Head waiter was Diane). Ayham was very relaxed and would joke around with us. We had a table for 12 by the window, though only 10 of us showed up. We had a blast with this group. We were always the last ones out of the dinning room having so much fun.
Room service- we only use this for breakfast a few times. Everything came right on time and correct.
Shows: This time we didn’t go to most of the shows. After a while the singers and dancers lose their appeal. Shows seem to be the same ship after ship. We did go the welcome aboard show. The comedian Tony Daro was very funny. So we went to his late night adult show because I liked his short bit at this show. It was very good.
Bingo: We only played on the last day 2 times. In the afternoon section was the snowball jackpot. Bingo is getting way to expensive to play all the time and the payouts are getting smaller. Snowball jackpot was only $2700. I think RCCL is taking a larger cut of the pie here.
Casino: We went there every night after dinner. Blackjack was OK, up and down as usual. There was a real Texas hold-em table (10 player and dealer) just outside the casino in the sports bar. The entire week we never had enough players to open it. We were disappointed, as we like to play poker. Craps had it usual single odds except 2 nights (I think) were double odds. There were the usual blackjack and slot tournament on the sea days.
Cruise Director: Dan Whitney, was very good. He even came to our Meet and Mingle party. The rest of his staff was OK.
Internet: was horrible, everyone was complaining. Couldn’t get logged on and so slow when you did or got bumped off.
Meet & Mingle: It was held on the 4 day of the cruise. It was held in the Hollywood Odyssey bar. They use this room as a cigar bar in the evenings, so I always had a lingering odor.
Diamond Event: It was also held in the Hollywood Odyssey, so see above comment. There was no food only bar nuts if you asked for them. We went there the first few nights to check it out. There were never more than 8 people in the room when we were there. Never checked out the continental breakfast, as it was unnecessary to go there.
Ports: Portland- we did the Casco Bay Line mail boat route 3 hours for $15 per person. It was a nice time with some pretty scenery, unfortunately the trees had not reached peak yet.
Bar Harbor- We did the Bar Harbor Whale Watching Co.- Lighthouse and Arcadia Park tour. Viewed the park from the water (we had already been into the park on another trip). Then moved around on the water to view a few lighthouses. It was very cold on the water, especially when the boat was moving. Then walked around town had a lobster roll for lunch, it was very good.
Saint John- We went on a tour organized by one of the Cruise Critic couples (thanks Mike and Pam) there were 10 of us. Used Freedom tours, they met us inside the terminal Went out to a waiting small bus. Went to the Reversing falls at slack tide, the sea caves (really cool). A word about the sea caves, you have to cross some water to get into the caves, maybe about 10 feet wide up to mid calf. Perhaps we weren’t there at the lowest tide. Our friends took off their shoes & socks and went through (they had water shoes). They said it was the coldest water they ever felt. The beach is made of smooth rocks that look like they have been polished. Then we went to the market and ate a lobster roll again. Then back to the reversing falls, what a difference, the water was foaming and running like mad. Overall we had a good tour, too bad it rained most of the day.
Halifax- we had to take a shuttle bus from where we docked to the pier 21. We rented a car from Alamo, it was about a five minute walk from where the bus dropped us. Car was ready and off we went. First out to Peggy’s Cove. I love taking pictures of lighthouses this one was very pretty, sitting on the rocks. The whole area is rock as old as time. They are all smooth and very interesting to see. You have to be careful climbing on them and figuring out your route around. Went into the gift shop (what a shock, a gift shop, right there LOL). We then went the Fairview Cemetery to see the Titanic graves. Then drove up to the Citadel. We did not go in, I just took a few pictures there. Next we made a quick stop at the Public Gardens (nice but not much to see at this time of year). Then back to the waterfront area for lunch. Returned the car and went back to the ship.
Disembarking: no problem here. Walked off when our color was called, got a porter, took bags to curb, went to get the car (no damage to the NY car) LOL and on our way home. (I hate this part).
Here are a few random thoughts.
It was cold all week, glad we had heavy jackets, gloves etc.
When sailing between ports you do not see land, most of it is done at night but even on sea days you didn’t see much. I was on lookout duty for lighthouses. LOL
We did turn the clocks forward one hour the night we left Bar Harbor, then back when we left Halifax.
The foliage was a little disappointing. If we were not going to see perfect color we could enjoy this cruise more when the weather is warmer (Sept).
I really miss the concierge club, as we have met some really nice people here in the past. Also there were no mints or C & A gifts.
We went to the Welcome back and the Diamond cocktail parties. These turned out to be fifteen minute commercials and sales pitches for the Oasis of the Seas. They are really pushing this ship.
Between our dinner people and the cruise critic people we had a blast on this cruise.
Formal nights were the second and sixth day, strange as these were both port days.
The day at sea back to Boston was rotten, high winds, rough seas and pouring rain all day.
Overall it was a very good cruise (what else is new). Looking forward to our next one.
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