We’re again with a brand new reside weblog and this time it is on Odyssey of the Seas for an 8-night Southern Caribbean cruise.
With the Thanksgiving vacation being every week off of faculty for my youngsters, it is all to tempting a time to e-book a cruise. We’ve carried out Thanksgiving cruises prior to now, and determined to as soon as once more give it a go this 12 months.
Our cruise visits:
- Labadee
- La Romana, Dominican Republic
- Aruba
- Curacao
Odyssey sails from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, so we drove down from Orlando the evening earlier than and stayed in an Airbnb previous to boarding immediately.
Arriving at Port Everglades, Odyssey was docked at Terminal 18, however parking is at Terminal 19. I dropped the children, spouse, and baggage off first on the port, after which drove to the car parking zone. It’s a really brief stroll again.
Check-in may need been the quickest check-in I’ve had in Port Everglades ever. We bought by the check-in course of in minutes with no wait in any respect.
We waited maybe 10 minutes after which boarding started.
Once onboard, we headed as much as Teppanyaki to make eating reservations. Any specialty restaurant can e-book every other specialty restaurant.
We have the limitless eating package deal for this crusing, so with any eating package deal, you need to wait to make a reservation till when you get onboard.
I picked Teppanyaki because the restaurant to go to for making reservations for 2 causes:
- The hibachi reservation system all the time appears extra contrived than others, so being within the restaurant helps
- It’s on deck 14, which meant it could not be as busy because the specialty eating places nearer to the boarding space.
Sure sufficient, there was nobody there and I used to be capable of e-book eating reservations for on daily basis of the cruise with loads of seating occasions out there. If you’ve gotten a eating package deal, it is necessary to make reservations as quickly as you board the ship for optimum occasions.
Next up was lunch, and the children wished to go to Playmakers.
Since it was early, we have been among the many first folks there and had no bother getting a desk.
Food was nice, and we have been capable of cowl our meal with the $20 per grownup eating credit score my spouse and I had.
After lunch, I noticed there was badminton within the SeaPlex, so I took my youngest daughter to play. She wants tons extra follow, nevertheless it was enjoyable to hit just a few volleys.
The cabins have been prepared proper round 1pm, so we headed there subsequent.
For this cruise, we’ve connecting balcony cabins on deck 11. Connecting rooms are all the time our alternative for cruising with youngsters as a result of we get separation from the children and the additional lavatory makes an enormous distinction.
After doing just a few cruises on older ships, it is so good to be again in a cabin that has numerous cupboard space and loads of retailers.
Our subsequent cease was Adventure Ocean to register the children. My oldest daughter has begun to really feel she’s “aged out” of Adventure Ocean, however even she admits the brand new Adventure Ocean on the brand new ships is fascinating.
We then took the chance to go as much as the pool deck to get some recent air and a cocktail. While cloudy, the air temperature was very comfy so it made for the proper really feel for being open air and never sweating profusely, which is a uncommon incidence in Florida.
Sail away wasn’t till 5pm, so we went again to the room to unpack. Luckily, all of our baggage was ready by the door.
Dinner was at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, which is the up to date model of the specialty restaurant. This means it not solely has a special look than different eating places, nevertheless it encompasses a new menu as properly.
My youngsters actually favored this model once we sailed on Wonder of the Seas, so that they have been excited to return.
The meals didn’t disappoint, and we bumped into the identical waiter I had at Giovanni’s on each Wonder and Odyssey inaugural sailings. It’s nice once you see crew members that you just keep in mind from previous cruises and so they keep in mind you.
I benefit from the mixture of pizzas, pastas, and varied entrees to select from on this menu. Having all these decisions makes it a greater expertise.
After dinner, my spouse and I went right down to the on line casino for just a little bit earlier than assembly up with mates for night drinks.
We began off within the Diamond Lounge after which migrated to the pub to see the guitarist this week.
I did not acknowledge the guitarist from different sailings, so we’ll see what his model is like performing.
Tomorrow is a sea day.
Stray Observations
Our complimentary water for being Diamond Plus friends is clearly leftover water provide from Europe.
No Starlink but on Odyssey, nevertheless it had the sooner Voom to start with, so no main loss both.
Captain advised us we’d be delayed about half-hour leaving Port Everglade resulting from further time wanted to tackle provisions and baggage.