Royal Caribbean Cruise Scorecard - A Review

It has been over a week since Chris's Retirement Cruise was completed and think it is time to do some critical reviews of the cruise and ports of call. I need to get these thoughts out for other travelers and to record what I remember about the various portions of the cruise.

The comments below relate to my experiences sailing with Royal Caribbean on Allure of the Seas from August 26 - September 2, 2018. the ship departed and returned to Port Everglades, Florida, near Ft Lauderdale.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Pre-Cruise Support - A

 Calling the cruise line is recommended if there are changes or when looking for pricing improvements. The agents on the phone are knowledgeable and helpful. Sometimes the process takes a long time, but in the end they worked to help us get the best deal. This was a complicated trip given that there were four cabins and family units involved. And there were changes. The agents handled the changes and were able to keep the cruise on track for everyone. I was a bit sad that given we were reserving four cabins that we were not offered an upgrade.

Boarding Process in Ft Lauderdale - A

  It was smooth and efficient. I think it took less than 20 minutes from when the taxi dropped us off with our luggage until we were on the ship and ready to cruise. The process was smooth and efficient. It really helped that we had completed all of our required paperwork beforehand. The addition of the picture submission during the pre-arrival registration process made the boarding process smoother.

Royal Caribbean Web Page 

Royal Caribbean Web Site - C

  The site is complex and not user friendly. It was easy to get lost in the site and not complete the proper forms. That written, the site is comprehensive and contains nearly everything to ensure a successful cruise. There are some things that the site does not make clear enough, especially the need to make reservations for shows on the Oasis-class ships. While there is no cost, the need for reservations for some activities needs to be clearer.

Smartphone App

Royal Caribbean Smartphone App - C

  The app has so much promise, but it just doesn't get the job done. I did not purchase wifi for the cruise, but the app was supposed to work despite that. It did have some basic functionality, but it did not display my daily activity and reservations and the ships activities differed from those actually provided.

Debarkation in Ft Lauderdale - F

  On September 2, 2018, this was a disaster. I am sure that there must have been a problem with the computers that Customs was using, but our projected departure time was delayed from 8:45 AM until 10:30 AM. The real problem was the lack of transparency in understanding the problem. The boards just continues to move the projected debarkation times back without explanation. I assess that Royal Caribbean may need to separate domestic from foreign travelers because once we actually got out of the lines and into the baggage and customs app it took only a few minutes to clear and be outside ready to head off to the airport. There apparently was a problem processing international returnees. Mind you, everyone got on the ship in Ft Lauderdale. How hard can it be?

Will I Sail with Royal Caribbean Again?

 Definitely! Overall the experience was great. I have sailed on three other cruise lines and from four other ports so I do have a small basis for comparison.

Upcoming:

I will review the ship and each port of call during the next few days.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - September 10, 2018

1. It is the second Monday of September, already. What happened to August?

Friends Sharing a Milkshake
at Zinburger, Columbia
September 7, 2018

2. I am not sure that I am ready for the 50 degree temperatures that have arrived in the region. I had to put on a pair of jeans yesterday and a long sleeved shirt to stay warm.

3. What do friends do when they go out for Happy Hour? Well, they share a milkshake, of course. What did you think they do?

4. Isn't it scary when a former President makes a statement about the situation in the country and the sitting President thinks it is about him? I was reminded of the Carly Simon song, You're So Vain.

Firefighters struggle to contain backfire in the
Pollard Flat area of California in the
Shasta Trinity National Forest
 on September 6, 2018.
Josh Edelson, AFP/Getty Images

5. I wish there was a way to send some of our rain to California to quench the fires. It rained here all day yesterday and we do not need the rain like California.

6. The Orioles have the dubious distinction of being the first MLB team to reach 100 losses this season (41-102, .287). The team is on track to lose 115 games but the good news is that they can lose no more than 121 games with only 19 games left on the schedule. Mercifully, the season will be over soon. We are already planing our Spring Training trip.

7. For the first NFL weekend the results for the family favorites are:

      Ravens -    W (1-0) 47-3 over Bills
      Redskins - W (1-0) 24-6 over Cardinals
      Cowboys -  L (0-1) 8-16 to Panthers
      Steelers -  T (0-0-1) 21-21 with Browns

8. September is prostate cancer awareness month. By some reports 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. The American Cancer Society estimates that for 2018 that 164,690 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and that 29,430 men will die from the disease. Why doesn't the NFL wear light blue during September for prostate cancer awareness month? They wear pink during October for breast cancer awareness month. Step up for Blue!

9. On this Day in History. On this day in 1897, a 25-year-old London taxi driver named George Smith becomes the first person ever arrested for drunk driving after slamming his cab into a building. Smith later pled guilty and was fined 25 shillings.

Headlines

China Is Detaining Muslims in Vast Numbers. The Goal: ‘Transformation.’ - The New York Times

How the Anonymous Op-Ed Came to Be - The New York Times

No long-range missiles, North Korea military parade features floats and flowers - Reuters

Titans vs. Dolphins Longest Game in NFL History After 2 Weather Delays - Bleacher Report

Interstate 5 remains 'unsafe' for travel as Delta Fire rages in northern California - USA Today

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

We have no territorial ambitions. We occupy no countries. We build no walls to lock people in. Americans build the future. And our vision of a better life for farmers, merchants, and working people, from  the Americas to Asia, begins with a simple premise: The future is best decided by ballots, not bullets. 
  -- State of the Union address, January 25, 1984


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Summer Turned Off

It happened this weekend.

Recovered Pool
September 8, 2018

Just as I returned the pool to swimmable conditions after the algae attack, summer ended.

Yesterday was cool and rainy. Last evening, sitting around the fire pit I could see fog coming off the pool surface because the pool was much warmer than the air.

Dawn in Elkridge
September 9, 2018

This morning, the rain continues and the temperature is 57 degrees! 

Summer has ended. The 90s of last week have broken and autumn, which is officially less than two weeks away, is already making its presence felt.

I long for the sunrises of my recent vacation. Clear skies with clouds to reflect the morning rays. Instead there is nothing but gray! The sunrise out my window was almost invisible with the dark of morning giving way to the gray overcast. The image is a color image, by the way, there are just no colors to show as they are absorbed by the pervasive grayness.

Sunrise from Port Everglades
September 2, 2018

Unlike last weekend when I was arriving in port after a week sailing the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, the scene is very gray. There is no golf. There is no fall youth baseball. There are few outdoor activities. I have to wear a coat and jeans. 

It is a fitting start to the NFL season. 

Autumn is arriving, too soon!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Bring on the Towels

Towel Animal
Allure of the Seas
August 27, 2018

One of the things that both Chris and I look forward to when away on a cruise is the creativity of our cabin stewards with respect to the towel animals they create for our enjoyment.

Towel Animal
Allure of the Seas
August 29, 2018

On the big ships we have travelled, generally, the towel animals appear on the 2nd, 4th, and 6th days. We have been on other ships where they appear more frequently, but on the bigger ships we have been told that the number of extra towels that get used for animals is a significant drain on the supply.

This year we were surprised by the final of the three towel animals, it was a bat. We have never seen a bat in previous cruises. We thought the bat was very creative and cute. Almost cute enough to take home, but we didn't.

Towel Bat
Allure of the Seas
August, 31, 2018

It is funny the things that we begin to look forward to as cruises progress. Some people are all about the formal nights, or lobster feast, but I enjoy the towel animals and relaxing on the deck by the hot tub. Last year I visited a hot tub on three occasions--all on our cruise. This year's cruise saw me in the hot tub twice, and those will likely be my only forays into a hot tub for the year.

The towel animals provide some comic relief and also remind us of the pets we have left in the care of others while we are cruising the high seas. They provide a connection to the familiarity of home while we are away on a much appreciated vacation.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Under the Sea - Three Stop Snorkel Adventure, Roatan

Star Fish in Roatan
August 30, 2018

Coral in Roatan
August 30, 2018

I can hardly believe that last Friday I was lounging on a Mexican beach as part of Chris's Retirement Cruise with the family enjoying the sand, surf, and sun. 

Sunken/Grounded Ship Snorkel
Roatan
August 30, 2018

The memories are still so fresh and now that things have returned to normal around the house with the communications and the pool, there is time to dig into the images of the trip.

One of the most enjoyable days was the snorkeling adventure we did on Roatan, Honduras. It was a three stop snorkel adventure. I was reminded of how hard it is to snorkel in a large group, but the day was fun and the grandsons had a great time. There was plenty of coral to see, but I felt that the fish were largely absent.

Sunken/Grounded Ship in Roatan
August 30, 2018

The first stop was primarily a short check to snorkel to assess the ability of the 30 or so people on the boast to swim and snorkel. That was actually important as it turned out that a number of people were not experienced snorkelers. I was able to image a few starfish  and enjoyed paddling around. 

The Bow of the Sunken/Grounded Ship
August 30, 2018

The second stop was a reef snorkel and included a long swim which got people ready for the third snorkel stop which was the sunken/grounded ship. There was plenty of coral and beautiful ocean to admire on the second stop. I enjoyed paddling around and as always on a snorkel tour, the stop was too short for me. 

Coral in Roatan
August 30, 2018

The best of the three stops was without a doubt the sunken/grounded vessel. The ship was not particularly large and the boiler and part of the superstructure are still visible above the surface. The rusted remains below the surface are covered with corals and some fish. Of course, the large group essentially drove the fish away, but it was a fun snorkel and I enjoyed looking at how the wreck was transforming into a reef. 

From what I could see, the ship ran aground on the reef and has been slowly decomposing ever since. 

It was a fun adventure and I was able to capture some good images from my trusty GoPro!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Out the Stateroom Window - Allure of the Seas, August-September 2018

Solitary Flyer
Cozumel, Mexico
August 29, 2018

I enjoy writing about what I see outside of my hotel window when I travel. There is something I personally enjoy about pulling back the curtains and looking to the world beyond. During my recent cruise, I had the opportunity to see changing scenes from the balcony of my stateroom on The Allure of the Seas.

Pelican in the Morning
Cozumel, Mexico
August 29, 2018

I enjoy the changing scenes and that is one reason that when we cruise, Chris and I choose a stateroom with a balcony. Opening the curtains and watching the world beyond increases the enjoyment of getting away and seeing the world. There is so much more to the world than the ship, the decks, and the port.

Despite late hours of activities on the ship, I get up early to enjoy the sunrise, especially when the ship is sailing into a port. 

Sunrise off Roatan
August 30, 2018

The changing scenes as the ship is sailing are generally best illuminated by the golden rays of the morning light. On our recent trip, I was able to capture some memorable scenes in the early light of day as the ship was porting. Sometimes the images don't work out quite the way my mind sees them, but, usually, I am able to find my memory in the captured scene.

Moon over the Gulf of Mexico
August 28, 2018

Although I enjoy sunrises the best, on our recent trip I captured an image of the moon over the Gulf of Mexico. It took four tries to get everything the way that I saw the scene in my mind. 

Whether sunrise, sunset, moon, or birds and wildlife being able to stand on the balcony outside my stateroom is far more enjoyable than clamoring to the upper decks of the ship to attempt an image. And if it happens to be sunrise, well, I know that my morning coffee will soon be delivered by room service and I will be able to sit on the balcony and enjoy the developing scene in relative solitude while sipping my favorite morning beverage.

There is a lot to see outside the stateroom window. I'm glad that I took time to enjoy the view.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Most Appreciated Person

Last evening, I discovered the identity of one of the most appreciated people with whom I have met during the past few weeks.

It was the Verizon repair technician!

Being back from vacation for 48 hours in a house without TV, internet, or phone is frustrating. Boring. 

I felt cut-off even though I could still both talk to people and access the internet via my cell phone. The lack of TV for news and entertainment was distressing. Maybe it would not have been so difficult had the pool been in swimmable shape, but even that is still recovering from the vacation. 

It was eerie to ask Alexa for something and hearing the response that there was no internet connection. Come on, all I wanted were the lights turned on! I wasn't asking for the news or the weather.

Having the time display return to the cable box was the first indication of success. From there, it was all good as the wireless devices around the house began to "wake-up." A few needed to be manually rebooted, but for the most part the restoration of internet and TV service happened automatically. 

We even received a phone call on the landline last evening in a final confirmation of the success of the repair.

I was vindicated in my assessment that the problem lay outside of the home in the external equipment. In fact, the technician reported that the jumpers providing service to my house had been disconnected up the street in the main service box. I wondered about how that happened and the technician postulated that they may have accidentally disconnected during another repair. 

At last service is restored! Life, post-vacation, can begin to resume some sense of normalcy. I can begin to process some of the images from the vacation. At last count the family had shared 637 images from our week together!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - Labor Day 2018

The Pool When I Came Home
September 2. 2018

1. Happy Labor Day! It is the unofficial end of the summer season. My summer will go on, however until its very last dying breath as the leaves fall from the trees. 

2. Chris and I returned home after a week away on a fantastic vacation to a green pool and no phone, internet, or television. It is very quiet in the house without the TV and none of our voice activated applications work, either.

3. It is a very hazy beginning to the holiday outside. Humidity is the name of the game and there is no wind. 

4. It is tough to write my blog without internet connection. 

Flamingos in Puerto Casa Maya
August 31, 2018

5. Now that September has arrived, we have plans to begin some significant renovations in the house.

6. I cannot believe the President’s inappropriate tweet from Saturday about running for President once and winning. Some of the greatest people in American history never served as President: Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, George Marshall, Robert McNamara—to name a few. What was the point? 

7. Clearing customs yesterday at Port Everglades was a distinctly different based upon citizenship. Foreign passport holders were in a line that seemed to be hours long while US passport holders, once recognized, cleared customs and immigration in 10 minutes.

8. I believe that the President has a personal vendetta agains Federal workers by denying them a pay raise for the coming year. I wonder who he believes does the dirty work of keeping our Republic running while at the same time foregoing rights to which other citizens are entitled?

Headlines (I am limited to headlines from the print copy of the Sunday, September 2, 2018, The New York Times due to internet issues)

Extolling McCain at Funeral, Two Presidents Stand Apart from a Third - The New York Times

A Day of Mourning for Washington, a Day of Golf and Sour Tweets for Trump - The New York Times

Executive Privilege is Cited to Keep Records Sealed - The New York Times

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

Yes, America is still a symbol to a few, a symbol that is feared and hated, but to more, millions more, a symbol that is loved, a country that remains a shining city on a hill. Delivered to at the Annual Convention of the American Bar Association, July 8, 1985

Note: This blog was written on Labor Day, but not posted until Tuesday due to internet issues at home.

— Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Lighthouse - Nassau, Bahamas

Lighthouse Nassau, Bahamas
August 27, 2018

I have seen quite a few lighthouses. I tend to take many images of the one in Jupiter, Florida, because it is everywhere on the landscape. This lighthouse , however, sits alone on a spit of land guarding the channel into Nassau, Bahamas. I have seen it and imaged it before, but on my recent cruise I was lucky to be awake as the ship was sailing into the channel and caught the sky behind the lighthouse as the sun was rising.

This image was one of the memorable images from the trip. It was taken the first morning onboard The Allure of the Seas and it started the trip off in great fashion.

As an update, I am still without landline phone, internet, or tv. Monday Musings were written on my laptop but did not get published because the library was closed and I could not get an internet connection. I will publish Monday Musings-Labor Day 2018 when I get internet back. This edition was written on my phone, which lacks some of the formatting and other capabilities that my laptop provides.

Chris and I pulled out some blu-rays and watched two movies yesterday for entertainment. Thank goodness we found something in our lives that does not depend upon the internet.

— Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saying goodbye is hard to do

The Allure of the Seas
Puerto Casa Maya
August 31, 2018

Chris and I and the family walked down the gangway of The Allure of the Seas this morning for the last time officially ending the retirement cruise. It was sad. We had experienced a fantastic week aboard the grand ship and visited four fun ports of call. We were blessed with good weather, fair seas, and light winds. Amazingly, there was no rain and the sun shone brightly on us all week until our return to Fort Lauderdale this morning.

The Allure was a majestic and fun-filled ship. The food was very good, the entertainment was fabulous and the libations flowed freely.

I resisted the urge to purchase a gaudy, large watch that I do not need. But the shopping was fun.

In the coming days I will bore you, my readers, with stories and images, both still and video, of the family's adventures of the past week.

August turned into September while we were away and that means that summer's end is drawing near. Sadly. It is Labor Day weekend. Tomorrow is a holiday for me to recover before heading back into day-to-day life.

Looking back on the week, I loved sitting on the balcony of our stateroom enjoying the sunrises or just looking at the ocean as it raced past the ship. At night we were often treated to bright stars and lightening on the horizon. We did not get to enjoy any sunsets as they happened during dinner time and we dined in the middle of the Grand Restaurant in the aft portion of the ship.

The trip was even more special, however, because the entire family had the opportunity to sail with us. We were a bit apprehensive about how it would work out, but it was great! It was good to be with our children, their spouses, and our grandsons for an entire week. I believe we all bonded together and overcame the fractures caused by the daily grind. It can be tough getting 10 people to all head in the same direction and so we allowed plenty of alone time for the individual families.

And now I am winging my way home to Maryland.

Soon this week will be a distant memory, but our family will always be closer for having spent the time together.

Thank you Royal Caribbean and Allure of the Seas for a memorable voyage.

— Bob Doan, writing from 35,000 feet over the Carolinas