Trish Berry

 

Robert Louis Blouse (Medium), Amazon Flare Pants (Medium), Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Scarf, Modified Walmart Flip Flops

What is the AquaTheater: A highly intense water show with high divers, slackliners and 3D aerialist divers who all have Olympic skills and perform incredible feats.

This group of skilled athletes and dancers fill the arena with drama, action, very high energy, and super fun.

The beat of the 80s music has you squirming in your seat, as you want to get up and dance, but you don’t. You sit back in wonder and watch, watch magic be performed for you.

You laugh a lot. You sucked your breath in with shock at the skill before you.

You are in awe at the unique performances of these skilled young people.

Like creating art, or writing a book, it takes hours and hours and hours of concentrated work to achieve a level of success.

These young athletes (both men and women) have worked hard to perform before us.

You can’t miss seeing the AquaTheater on the Oasis Class and Icon Class ships (largest ships) of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. It is unbelievable.

Book your reservations as soon as possible because the shows held during the week are filled quickly.

Reservations are difficult to make. At times, you can’t make a reservation from home on your app.

The AquaTheater is that good, that popular. Word of mouth or having seen it in the past, we all know it is a show you don’t want to miss.

The best luck we have is to make our reservations as soon as we board the ship. Most times, we still can’t get reservations.

So, we just go about 30 minutes before the show is scheduled to start and stand in line on the Boardwalk with other people who were also unable to get reservations online.

We ALL are able to go in and see the show.

So don’t get discouraged when you can’t get a reservation. Just show up. You will get in to see this spectacular show.

The above is a highwire walker equal to a Wallendas family member. Superior balance.

The back of the ship there, right above ‘Utopia of the Seas,’ is where you get to see the AquaTheater. Inside, of course. It’s located right down from the Boardwalk on the mega ships.

Gap Pullover Top (Size Medium), Loft Shorts (Size 8)

This is me standing at the top of the AquaTheater during the day. It’s empty and roped off.

That tarp-covered water behind me is the water stage that is a performer along with the humans. I will tell you about the water below.

Later in the day, venture out there and you might be lucky enough to see some of the performers practicing.

We have done that and have seen athletes skilled in aerial performances (much like Pink does during her concerts) practicing.

When going to see this death-defying show, I recommend ear plugs.

It is loud. It is rambunctious. It is glorious. You have to see it.

In years past, the show was called Aqua80. The newer version is called Aqua80too.

Aqua80 was so loved by cruisers that the newer version was created. And, wow, the creation takes your breath away.

(We were lucky enough to see ‘inTense’ (all female performers). That was very very intense. You felt your heart thumping in your throat at the music and the abilities before you.)

The above photo was taken before the show began. People milling about, getting settled in their seats.

Handsome men, athletic bodies (very strong muscles), dancing to the beat of a loud drum. Nothing better.

We met the young guy with the curls elsewhere on the ship while he was not performing, the guy there in the front of the stage, and, oh, what a nice young man he is. He’s all smiles, yet humble when we lauded him with praise.

Well, I don’t think I can do the above, but this aerialist did. I just held my breath. Such focus, coordination and physical fitness. Remarkable.

The above photo shows some serious muscles and determination. They have their routines down pat.

The above shows the choreographed art of their performance. Not a misstep. Altogether as one united performer. Graceful!! Unique! Synchronized with their music, and lights that sear the night sky with subdued light that lights up the entire stage or focuses on one performer.

Above, see the muscles. These are serious athletes.

The stage where the AquaTheater is held is a piece of art as well.

The pool has hydraulic lifts in it. Water nozzles shoot the water up to 65 feet high, which enhances the performance.

Robotics can be used. The curved screen shows the details of the performance.

You sort of have sensory overload at times because there is so much to take in and admire. The performers, the lights, the sounds, the water. What do you focus on most?

In my case, I focus on the performers. Remarkable performers. As I said before, these are Olympic-type divers, aerialists and performers. You can’t miss this show.

I recommend, though, that you avoid sitting in the first three to four rows, as you can/WILL get wet.

Royal Caribbean provides towels on the first two rows for attendees to use. But if you are further back, like rows three and four, you are on your own. It’s still worth it getting wet. You are close to the action. You feel the thump of the music and breathe the action.

Cute Towel Origami on our Bed

There is nothing snail-paced about the AquaTheater. It is something you will talk about during the entire time you are on the ship. And off the ship.

It is truly unforgettable.

Make every effort to see it.

Safe travels!! Smile broadly and the whole world will smile with you!!

Wear what you want, when you want. Eat what you want, when you want.

Make sure you see the AquaTheater.

Don’t forget your local SPCA. Donate some dog food or cat food or old linens. Like children, these solemn, alone animals need our help. The SPCA does all they can, but just a can of animal food will help provide food. Foster an animal, if you can. I can’t. I would become the crazy old cat lady living down the street from you. I wouldn’t be able to return an animal once it crawled into my heart.

Dushi – Warmth and affection to everyone.

Be happy! It is proven that if you smile, it does something to your insides and elevates your mood. Elevate that mood. Think happy thoughts, recall the things in life that made you the happiest. If that doesn’t work, eat chocolate.

Many hugs to everyone!!!!

 

 

Trish Berry

J. Crew Shirt (Medium), J. Crew Shorts (Size 10), Jellypop Tennis Shoes (Size 9)

The above is me at home before we leave for the port. I dress comfortably because the port we are leaving from today is 2-1/2 hours from our home. I wear the compression stocking on my leg where I had the blood clot. Anytime I sit in one place for an extended period, I wear a compression stocking to be safe.

I recommend compression stockings for anyone sitting at a desk all day long, anyone on a long flight, or anyone on a long drive.

Traveling for any period of time calls for relaxed, loose clothing, and compression stockings.

This is me at the port, with my leg propped on our carryon. I might get stares, but I get them less frequently now because athletes are bringing them into fashion. Maybe someone will mistake me for an athlete!!!

At times, we shorten the drive by spending the night at our son’s home in Orlando. We get to enjoy his company for the day and night before we depart, and it lessens the drive for us, as he lives only an hour from the port.

We plant our feet and tell him that we are ready to move in with him, stay with him forever, simply because he lives closer to Port Canaveral so our drive would be shorter. Our faces are very serious and very determined.

We watch as his eyes get very large, much like a cat that has been startled, and then the slow smile that moves across his lips, much like rigor mortis is setting in. He slowly says, “Wellllll, that’s greeeaaat, Mom and Dad. You knoooow you are weeelcome to liiiive with me forever!!”

Oh, we laugh so hard. It is so much fun to tease your adult children. They love you. They will do anything to help you. But 24/7, that’s a bit too much for anyone.

But the reason why we hate driving that 2-1/2 hours to Port Canaveral is because of the traffic. Awful, awful traffic on Interstate 4, the road that goes from east to west across the central section of Florida (Tampa to Daytona Beach).

It is bumper-to-bumper traffic almost daily (except for Sunday mornings), and is a nightmare road, like Big Sur in California, downtown Manhattan, or commuter hours for Los Angeles, California.

Between our house and our son’s house lies Fantasy of Flight.

Then Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs).

Then Universal Orlando Resort, which has Universal Studios of Florida, Islands of Adventure (Wizarding World of Harry Potter), and also Universal City Walk.

And you can’t miss Sea World Orlando and Aquatica.

There’s also Gatorland.

And there are many little independent entertainment spots for the traveling family in that same area.

Well, just imagine all the vehicles headed to those vacation destinations. It is brutal.

Back to first day of cruising and less complaining about traffic:

The first day of going on a cruise involves some planning.

• If you fly to your port, plan on flying in the day before and spending the night. The hotel will have transportation available for you to your scheduled port of departure. After you’ve returned from your cruise, check times to make sure you can make it to the airport in time for your departing flight on day of disembarking from ship. Schedule your flight for late in the day. Or, spend the night and fly out the next day. These are plans that should be made before you schedule your cruise.

 

• If you drive to your port, you might choose to park your car in the parking garage provided at the terminal. There is always off-sight parking available with transportation to the port. Check the prices. Many times, it costs less to park in the parking garage of the port. These garages are usually covered so your vehicle is protected from the sun. And your vehicles are very very very secure during the time you are gone.

 

• Once you are at the terminal, you will go through various lines to check in. You will need your documents from your cruise line that were sent to your home, and a passport or birth certificate. I always recommend a passport because it saves time going through the process of boarding the ship and makes it easier when getting off the ship.

 

• Eventually, you will be sent to the terminal waiting area and wait until your designated boarding time. The ship has just come in from another cruise so the staff onboard has to have time to prepare the rooms for the new guests boarding.

 

• You don’t spend much time in the boarding area. It is a large room with many chairs so there’s lots of room. The row you are sitting in will be called and then you show your documents again before getting on the ship.

As you can see below, the terminal is huge. My camera cannot take in a full photo of the terminal seating.

Once you’re on the ship, follow the rules:  Check in at your Muster Station. One of the most important things you do while on your cruise. Muster Station, pronto!!

Denim & Co. Beach Coverup (Large), Royal Caribbean Flip Flops (Size 9)

In the photo above you will see a tiny Muster Station sign to the left. It’s green. Muster Stations are usually located on the fourth or fifth deck. They are easily found, with arrows pointing you to your location. Because I was on the top deck, that sign is small. Most people are not on the top deck when seeking their Muster Station. This was days into our cruise, but I couldn’t find another photo of a Muster Station sign on my phone.

There are huge signs on the lower levels, where the Muster Stations are located, that indicate where you should go.

The Muster Station is where you will go if there an emergency on the ship. You will be told by the captain on the loudspeaker to go to your Muster Station if there is an emergency with the ship.

The ship will not be allowed to leave the port until all passengers have checked in at their Muster Station. (Your cruise documents, including your phone app, will tell you where your Muster Station is located.)

Dressing attire for the first day depends on what you are going to do once you get on the ship. Many people wear swimsuits under their clothes because they are headed to the pool. They just remove their clothing, stuff it in a carryall, use the carryall as a pillow on a lounge chair and lounge the day away until the rooms are ready at 1:00 p.m.

The photo above was taken on the afternoon we were departing port. Lots of people go directly to the pool first thing. They haven’t even been to their staterooms yet.

If you have your children with you, let them enjoy all the amenities created for the children. Your children will remember that vacation forever. Let them wear their swimsuits under their clothing, the same as you.

Watch your children carefully. In the pool, make sure they have on their life saving devises. Toddlers need special watching. They can dump themselves over in a second.

Lifeguards are always around the pools watching, but lifeguards are not as good as parents. The parents know their child’s head, their clothing or swimsuit. Parents are the best trackers in the world of their little ones. Most parents do not need an Apple Tracker on their child.

I never expected someone else to take care of my son, when he was young, to watch over him, when he was in a pool. I was right there with him. I know you will be there with yours or your eyes will follow his/her every move.

Our children, especially when they are young, need us to watch over them. Not hover, but be there with your eyes, even those eyes in the back of your head. And always listen to your gut about your children. A mother or father’s gut is very intelligent. Listen to your gut, heed your gut.

See, the little children, see how much fun they are having??  I love to see that.

Appropriate swimwear is required for the children. Children have to be of a certain age and properly trained before they are allowed in the pools.

The above is a photo of a shower that you and your children are to use before entering a pool. Use the showers. You don’t want to give your cooties to anyone else, and you don’t want to get their cooties!!

Above is a sign that shows the rules of the pool. Follow them.

Again, you are the guardian of your child. Watch that little head, see where it goes, if that little hand is not in yours.

There are a lot of lounge chairs. For a while, people would put their belongings on the pool chairs first thing in the morning and return to their stateroom or go for a meal. This is called ‘reserving’ your lounge chair. This is not allowed. Staff will remove your items to a safe place and give them to you when you return.

But you cannot reserve your lounge chair and walk away for hours. It is not fair to the other cruisers.

Towels are available in the pool area, free of charge. If you do not return the towel, your stateroom will have a charge for the towel on it.

You can see above Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ blue towels that will be issued to you. No reason to pack your own beach towels.

Others forego the pool and explore the ship, eat at whatever dining venue they choose and wait until their room is ready.

Children are not interested in the Promenade until later in the week(s).

Style & Co. Top (Medium), Bandolino Long Shorts (Size 8)

The above photo of me in the Promenade was taken after we received our luggage in our stateroom. I changed clothing because I was hot. The Promenade is kept at a very comfortable temperature, as is all of the interior of the ship. You can set the temperature in your own stateroom to the Arctic level and snuggle.

If a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship has a Promenade on it, there will be an antique car on display. For us old folks, we remember when those antique cars were driven on the streets. My husband has seen a car on display that his family actually owned back in those old days.

That’s my cute dude of 55 years in that yellow tee shirt above!! Lucky girl!!

GAP Pull Over Blouse (Size Medium), Loft Shorts (Size 8)

Another first thing that we do (after Muster Station) when first on the ship is go to the Main Dining Room to verify our reserved table and then walk into Main Dining to locate our table.

We always request a table for two because one of us is immunocompromised.

The above is a sign from the Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbeans’ second largest ship in the world.  It’s a beautiful Main Dining Room.

Once the loudspeaker tells you that your stateroom is open, you can proceed to your stateroom.

Outside your stateroom door, to the right or left side, you will find a slot that holds the keys to your stateroom. They are flat and look like a charge card.

The card that opens and shuts your stateroom door can be tapped on some ships and inserted into a slot on the stateroom door on the older ships. The more modern ships use the tap system.

That card, that special cruise ship sea pass, is what you will use on your cruise to get in and out of your stateroom and charge items to your stateroom account. We rarely charge anything to our stateroom account, but many do because they are on vacation and want to buy this, that or the other.

Luggage might be waiting outside your door or your luggage might not be delivered to you until 6:00 or 7:00 at night.

We have always found that on the mega ships, the luggage is usually waiting outside are stateroom door once we get to it. On the smaller ships, the luggage tends to be delivered at a later hour. We don’t understand this. We just accept it.

Acceptance on a cruise ship is an important thing while cruising. Don’t get frustrated. The cruise ship company we always sail with, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, always does everything possible to make our trip as pleasurable as possible.

If there are ever any kinks, as there is in everyday life, just accept it. No frustration allowed while on vacation. Just happiness and relaxation.

Anything can be fixed if you have a problem on a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship.

I’m trying very hard to remember any kinks we’ve had over the past five years, and I can’t think of any.

We’ve been lucky.

We were never delayed in returning to our home port because of fog, which can happen.

Any room attendant we’ve had was always professional, courteous and helpful.

We have never had food that we could or would complain about. The food is exceptionally good, no matter where you dine.

Royal Caribbean tends to treat you like royalty.

The worst thing that has happened to us on a cruise was to hear ‘alpha, alpha, alpha,’ meaning a medical emergency for someone onboard. You never want to hear those words because you don’t want someone else’s cruise to be ruined by a bad fall, heat exhaustion, heart attack, or an appendix that needs attention. (You also don’t want to hear ‘oscar, oscar, oscar’ on a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship because that means man overboard.

The above photo shows how Royal Caribbean called ahead and had emergency vehicles in place for an ill passenger. We were returning to Port Canaveral. The person in need of assistance would be transported to a hospital.

Medical staff on a cruise ship can only treat so many conditions. If you aren’t seriously ill but still need more medical treatment, then you are taken off the ship and sent to the nearest hospital at your return port.

If you are seriously ill, the ship will divert its course and take you to the nearest land area where you can receive appropriate treatment.

If you are in need of surgery, like an appendix extraction, you could be air lifted off to the nearest hospital by helicopter.

Surgeries are not performed on cruise ships. The medical staff can do many things, but they do not do surgeries.

(Always, always, always have travel medical insurance when you cruise. Emergencies can come up. No American insurance will be accepted in a foreign country unless that country is a territory of the United States.

Get your travel medical insurance before you go. We use GeoBlue, but there are numerous medical insurance plans that will fit your particular needs.)

Yes, we’ve been lucky. We know that.

We know we are lucky to be able to go on these cruises. We have so much fun. We meet new people, make new friends. We have someone else cook and clean for us during the entire time we are onboard.

If you are prissy, as I am, you get to dress up each evening and dine in a beautiful room.

The photo below shows the Main Dining Room of the Utopia of the Seas, the newest mega ship for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

The chandelier above looks like it’s made of metal, but I could not find out from anyone how it was made. This photo does not do it justice. You walk into the dining room and see this. It is huge. It is impressive. Great genius went into designing it.

On the Utopia of the Seas, there are three levels for Main Dining. Above is one side of the Main Dining Room areas.

The above is another view of the Main Dining Room areas. So clean, so beautiful, and the food is always fabulous, with the service unbelievably attentive. You want it, you get it.

Travel!! Have fun!! Take your children (get their passports now and renew them when they are close to expiring)!!!

Always smile wide!! Laugh aloud!!

Life is to enjoy. We only have one life. Make each and every day count!! Great pleasure in life does not need to be found on a cruise ship!! It can be sitting in the chair next to you at home, the flower you see out the window, the clouds overhead, the gentle rain outside!! Realize those pleasures, pay attention to those gentle, everyday pleasures, and love every moment.

Wear what you want when you want!!  Be you!! Love yourself!!

(P.S. Animals are like little children. They need tending, love and care. Donate a can of dog food or cat food or some kitty litter to your local SPCA. Even an old garage towel will help them!!)

Dushi — Warmth and affection to everyone!!

Huge hugs and a great big (and probably unbecoming) smile, but a genuine smile, to everyone!!

 

Trish Berry

 

Karen Scott Dress (Medium), Ann Taylor Sweater (Medium), Walmart Flip Flops (9)

Central Parks on Royal Caribbean Oasis-class ships are groundbreaking and a novel neighborhood of nature, usually located on Deck 8, that runs down the middle of the ship, the heart of the ship.

Oasis Class Ships include:

• Oasis of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Icon of the Seas

Utopia of the Seas (Oasis-class ship), is currently (2025) having its maiden voyages out of Port Canaveral, Florida. It is the largest ship in the fleet right now, but the largest ship ever for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, the Star of the Seas, will be sailing within a few months (2025).

For the first year a new Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship sails, it is sent on short three- and four-day cruises. We just got off the Utopia last week, but we had been on it for two weeks because we did the back-to-back cruises, where we stayed on the ship over and over after it came back to Port Canaveral and went out again.

When we cruise, we like to stay at sea for eight days or more, mostly for 12 days when we cruise down near South America. You get the full benefit of a cruise (and a ship) by staying on it a good length of time.

You get to go to new locations on the older ships because they can slip into the smaller ports without using tenders. We prefer the older ships, the smaller ships, but like to test the new ships as they come out.

The below photos and article are about the Utopia of the Seas and its Central Park.

This is the sign located at the entrance to Central Park.

Since it’s on the interior of the ship, some staterooms overlook Central Park. We have stayed in a stateroom that looked out over Central Park in the past. I watched little wrens that flew around from tree to tree.

Once land birds are detected in Central Park, food is left out for them, and they are not approached. They are accidental cruisers. They flew in and forgot to fly out before the ship left port. They are there for the duration of the cruise.

The Harmony of the Seas once had a pair of burrowing owls that boarded the ship and stayed mostly in Central Park and took a transatlantic voyage from Florida to Spain. Photos of the pair were seen on TV in the US.  Some friends of ours were on that cruise. It was an added novelty to their cruise.

(The owls were humanely trapped when the ship arrived in Spain and returned back to the US port from where the ship had departed. They were at sea for about a month. They survived!)

There is only one Rising Tide Bar, but my photos makes it look like two (bad photo). The one closest in the photo is a reflection.  You enter the bar on the Promenade Level (usually Deck 5 or 6). The glass-enclosed bar slowly rises and lowers, and you get to see views of the different foliage.

The above photo shows the Rising Tide Bar on the Promenade Deck. Very beautiful! And plush!!

People stroll and look at the greenery, but they are also looking for the famous hidden rubber ducks. We all act like mature adults on a treasure hunt (ha!!), and that’s what the duck hunt is about. Seek, find, crow!!

The Park is the length of a football field and about 62 feet wide. It goes up six decks.

Central Park opens to the sky. See the grassy area in the middle. Just beautiful.

Central Park is filled with lush greenery. There are thousands of live plants that are tended to. You never see a wilted plant in Central Park because of the attendants who care for it. It has underground watering. The attendants also plant seasonal flowers so there are always blooms on some of the plants.

Above, on the right side, you see one of the living walls covered in vines and different ferns. Cool, soothing, peaceful. You can see part of the Rising Tide Bar.

Kim Rogers Blouse (Medium), Banana Republic Shorts (Size 8), Walmart Flip Flops (Size 9)

Natural light  and fresh air flows on a breeze through the park. Some refer to this unique interior as a ‘canyon,’ but it is an oasis of nature, to me. It is green. It smells of flowers. It is beautiful.

The above is a giraffe wood sculpture made of poplar wood. It is much more beautiful when it’s right there in front of you rather than in a photo.

The giraffe is made by The Carousel Works. They also create all the horses on the carousel that you find on the Boardwalk of the Oasis-class ships, shown below.

You will find horses in different stages of the art involved in making them as you enter the Boardwalk. I had photos of them, but can’t find them now. Will publish them next month.

We are going out on the Wonder of the Seas in a few weeks from now (2025) so I will get some new photos then.

The intricate work in designing and creating any wood sculpture is mindboggling.

Above is a view of that Rising Tide Bar. We might go on it at some time and maybe get a non-alcoholic beverage just to see what the floating experience is like.

The above is the two of us while walking around Central Park, walking off the Main Dining food! This outfit I have on is totally appropriate for casual night in Main Dining, even the flip flops.

Winding walkways go around and through Central Park. There are benches to sit on, and it has many impressive wall accents.

If non-paying birds are not on the ship, that’s okay. Subtle nature sounds, like birds chirping, are played through hidden speakers. You really feel like you are in a nice nature park.

Jessica London Striped Top (Medium), Tommy Hilfiger White Jeans (Size 8), Crown & Ivy Hoodie (Large), Jellypop Tennis Shoes (Size 9)

In the evenings, there is soft lighting for good photos.

The above is another poplar wood sculpture by The Carousel Works. He is as large as he looks in the photo. A pretty hippo, with intricate detail. This one you can pet. Hippos kill approximately 500 people per year. Mosquitoes kill more people each year (750,000 to 1 million annually) than any creature, and have for centuries.

There are many dining venues in Central Park. Some charge to your sea pass as they are considered ‘specialty’ restaurants.

Chops Grille is a restaurant on Central Park where you will have to use your sea pass to charge to your stateroom account.

150 Central Park Restaurant is another restaurant that you will need to use your sea pass to charge to your stateroom account.

Izumi, with the bright red lettering, is another restaurant where you will use your sea pass to charge to your stateroom account.

Park Cafe is a wonderful restaurant with wonderful food. There is no charge to your stateroom account if you eat here. It has cute tables outside, and the attendants (waiters/waitresses) are skilled at their jobs.

Park Cafe is complimentary dining. They offer deli foods. They have an excellent reputation because of their famous Kummelweck roast beef sandwich. I’ve never tried it, but my husband loves it.

Soft lighting doesn’t show all the wrinkles of an old lady cruiser. Me here, 76 years old. Candlelight is really the best as we age, if we want to hide from our age.

I don’t try to hide from my age. I hope you don’t try to hide from your age.

Every wrinkle on our face, on our body, comes through living a laughing, energetic life. Live life to the fullest each and every day that you have. Like me, be grateful for each morning you wake up. We are the lucky ones. We have lived. We are still living. Yes, we are the lucky ones.

Nature’s rain does fall on Central Park. Big, big umbrellas for your use. Watch out for slippery floors when it’s raining.

There are numerous bars in Central Park:

• Trellis Bar
• Rising Tide Bar
• Vintages Wine Bar

We have never been in them so can’t give you a recommendation.

You can have high-end retail shops in Central Park. I veer away from those. Too much temptation.

At times, there are horticultural tours of the park, but this differs with each individual ship. If available, I would recommend this tour.

Central Park on an Oasis-class Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship is much smaller than Central Park in Manhattan, which is 843 acres. But you are much safer in a Central Park on a cruise ship than you are in Central Park in Manhattan.

This is the door through which you enter Central Park. Enter it. Go there. Take a deep breath of peace and beauty.

(On the restaurants listed above, where fees are charged to your stateroom, just a note:  We are frugal cruisers. The most we’ve ever had charged to our stateroom was $10.00 for a Royal Caribbean scarf a few times on different cruises and $3.77 for a hat. Bargain items are available in the Promenade. We do not eat at the expensive restaurants. If you cruise once a year, those restaurants might be the thing for you. We cruise more often so we forego the expensive excursions and restaurants.)

Hubby in Main Dining for Tropical Night, A Cutie

Safe travels!!! Be happy!!  Smile!! Have fun!! Wear what you want, what you like, and you will be beautiful!!! Always!!

Many smiles and warmth and affection to everyone!!!!

(P.S. Donate a can of dog food or cat food or kitty litter to your local SPCA. Even your old towels in the garage. They need all the help they can get!!  Help save an animal!)

Trish Berry

My Great Hubby of 55 Years

On Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Utopia of the Seas, breakfast is free at Johnny Rockets from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. All the Oasis Class Ships of Royal Caribbean have the free breakfast at Johnny Rockets.

After 9:30 a.m. you will pay for any foods ordered and eaten at Johnny Rockets.

You use your sea pass always when paying for anything you purchase on a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship. Through your sea pass (the card that allows you to get in your stateroom) items purchased on the cruise ship are charged to your account on the cruise ship.

No cash is exchanged or used on a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship.

We always take cash with us for buying souvenirs in a foreign country and to tip any staff onboard who has done an exceptional job for us.

Gratuities are automatically charged (approximately $18.00 a day per person (2025)), but sometimes someone does something so exceptional that you want to reward them beyond that usual gratuity. Cash is the best way to help them.

The crew members are away from their homes, their families for approximately seven months out of the year.

They are able to Zoom with their families. They watch their children grow up on Zoom.

But the cruise industry has provided a way for them to make a good living for their family back home, sometimes a third-world country, where poverty is the way of life.

Always fill out your survey that you receive in email and mention the name of the person(s) who helped you during your holiday. They will be rewarded with an extra day off after they have received ten mentions.

Johnny Rockets is usually located on Deck 6, out on the Boardwalk where the carousel is located.

The Sea Pass is in the Lanyard around My Neck

Most food venues are free, but some do cost money. Check your Cruise Compass to see which restaurants are free and those that require payment (usually the specialty restaurants).

The Cruise Compass is a paper, two pages, that tells you all the information you need to know about the ship. You can download the Cruise Compass to your phone. The printed Cruise Compass is put on your bed each night (if you have nightly stateroom cleaning), or put in the slot outside your stateroom door.

Stateroom cleaning:  Most staterooms are cleaned once a day on Royal Caribbean ships. Your Room Attendant will vacuum, clean the bathroom, dust, leave fresh towels and make your bed. You can choose either morning or evening to have your stateroom cleaned.

(Higher level staterooms (suites, etc.) get cleaned twice a day.)

We’ve cruised so long with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines that we remember when all staterooms were cleaned twice a day. Twice a day is/was unnecessary.

Back to Johnny Rockets:

At Johnny Rockets, you can sit al fresco, outside at one of the tables, and feel a fresh breeze on your face. Relax, enjoy the quiet. Maybe feel like you are in Paris.

There are very few people about during the Johnny Rockets’ breakfast hours. There is no extended wait time for your food like you might find in the Windjammer, or any other eatery on the ship.

As always, those who work at Johnny Rockets are smiling, kind, and people who want to make your dining experience as enjoyable as possible.

The above is a partial copy of the breakfast menu offered at Johnny Rockets:

• Eggs
• Breakfast Sandwiches
• Pancakes
• French Toast
• Sausage

Other side dishes are available (hash browns, muffins, pastries) on the free breakfast menu.

There are other choices for breakfast at Johnny Rockets where you pay with your sea pass. This includes the more elaborate omelets.

My husband eats at Johnny Rockets for breakfast occasionally. I do not. Johnny Rockets does not have a vegetarian menu.

Whether my husband is in the Windjammer, Main Dining, Park Cafe, or Johnny Rockets, this is his favorite breakfast shown below. These particular food items are offered at all Royal Caribbean food venues, but there are many more items available. Many, many!!

French toast, sausages, syrup and iced tea. He’s not a coffee drinker or a hot tea drinker.

My husband with his friend at Johnny Rockets. If anyone from Johnny Rockets sees him during the day, they yell out to him. A great group of people.

The crew members of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line do become your friends in an instant.

The crew is trained to make sure the cruiser is happy. The crew is exceptional at doing this.

While eating, the staff of the restaurant will entertain you by singing and dancing. They are a joy to watch.

Johnny Rockets has a 1950s vibe, possibly early 1960s. Do we all remember going to the malt shop after school during high school for a milkshake? Those days are gone now in most cities, but you can find that good ole feelin’ at Johnny Rockets.

Johnny Rockets has the best milkshakes I’ve had since high school.

After breakfast and during the day, Johnny Rockets also has the best onion rings, hotdogs, and chili in the world.

You sit at the counter and remember what it was like to be young as you listen to the old tunes. Good memories and the music make you tap your feet.

Johnny Rockets has restaurants all over the United States and is adding international sites each year. They were founded in 1986 and have become very successful because of their quality of food.

Have fun!!  Safe travels!!  Don’t forget to buy that extra can of dog food or cat food to donate to your local SPCA. Or your old linens!! Anything will help them!!

Great big smiles to everyone, with warmth and affection!!

 

Trish Berry

 

Flirty Pink (designer) Dress (Medium), Royal Caribbean Scarf

We all hate hearing Alpha Alpha Alpha on a cruise ship. We know it means a health emergency.

We have been on over 35 cruises with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and have never heard the most dreaded words of a cruise ship or any sea vessel come over the intercom — Mr. M.O.B., meaning man overboard, or Oscar, also meaning man overboard. We hope to never hear those words.

A lot of cruise lines have adopted the Overboard Detection System, a recommendation for all cruise lines.

The Overboard Detection System uses modern technology:

• Laser Technology  – this software can tell the difference between environmental factors and a human fall

 

• Motion Detection – along the perimeter of the ship are sensors that detect movement

 

• Radar and Micro-radars – these continually monitor the area around the ship for the size and shape of a human body

 

• Thermal Cameras – cameras that can identify the heat signature of a body in the water. This is especially helpful when the incident occurs at night or during foggy or bad weather conditions.

 

• Video Analytics/Intelligent Software – cameras are all over a cruise ships. Anything you do on a cruise ship is shown on this intelligent software. When a human goes overboard, this software can tell the difference between a human, birds, sea spray or debris.

 

• Sensor Stations – sensors are also everywhere on a cruise ship. These sensors use a combination of the things I’ve told you about above to detect man overboard.

 

Once man overboard is detected (or seen), emergency steps are taken.

The sensors automatically trigger alarms on the ship, and the words “Mr. M.O.B.” (or the code word for ‘man overboard’ for any cruise line) are heard throughout the ship over the intercom system on a cruise ship.

After a man overboard is detected, the GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude) are noted as to the exact location of where the person went overboard. This is vital information because it takes a while for the crew to get to the rescue boats and get them in the water. But they are fast and work with urgency.

The GPS coordinates pinpoint exactly where the incident occurred.

Some of the systems provide instant video footage to show how the incident occurred.

Thermal imaging is used to follow the man overboard in the water.

If a man overboard incident occurs, all the information provided through the various technologies listed above will help in the investigation that will automatically begin, whether or not the person(s) is safely retrieved from the ocean.

In 2010, the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 was created. In the U.S. it mandates that passenger vessels operating in U.S. ports use current technology for locating and rescuing that man overboard.

The law exists, but is not used by all cruise lines.

Most cruise lines have man overboard systems in place that are the equivalent of the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010, so they are not required to use the most current technology available, believing their current systems are adequate. Their current technology has been approved to be good enough by authorities.

We need good enough. We need everything available to find a man who has gone overboard.

The ocean is huge. There can be rough seas. The ship is going along at a good clip. If there is not an immediate response when a man goes overboard, that man will be lost forever.

While in different ports, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines practices rescue drills, as shown in the photo above.

Cruise ships are constructed to prevent a person from going overboard. You would have to leap over a very high wall to get into the sea. You would have to drop someone off a cruise ship.

There is no good reason for a person going overboard.

Safety first on a cruise ship.

The cruise line believes that and works toward that end.

We, the cruisers, do not want to go overboard so we don’t do dangerous things.

A tidbit of information — Different cruise lines use different code words for emergencies or concerns:

• Alpha – Medical emergency
• Bravo – Fire on board
• Oscar – Man overboard
• Delta – Damage to the ship or flooding
• Charlie – Security threat
• Sierra – Stretcher team needed
• Papa – Environmental hazard or pollution
• Echo – Imminent collision or ship drifting
• Mr. M.O.B – Man overboard

Be safe!! Follow the rules!! Don’t do things that are dangerous and could cause you harm!

Safe travels. Many big smiles to everyone!!!

Trish Berry

Honeyme Sleeveless Top (size Small)

Well, what’s a girl to do? She’s vegan/vegetarian, and the Windjammer has stone crab claws for dinner the last night of the cruise on the Utopia of the Seas.  Horrible dilemma.

On the last evening of any cruise we are busy enjoying parts of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship we are on at that time, so we forego eating in the Main Dining Room and eat at the Windjammer, that decadent buffet that has every type of food you can imagine.

I have not had stone crab claws for about 30 years. The last time was at Joe’s Stone Crab, an award-winning restaurant located in Miami Beach, Florida. The James Beard Foundation awarded it the America’s Classic Award  in 1998.

Joe’s Stone Crab made around $50 million in sales in the year 2024. It is that popular and has been since it was founded in 1913.

Stone crabs are called stone crabs because their claws are much like stone – impenetrable. It gives the crab good protection, and those stonelike claws can easily crush any adversary.

I’m getting off track. Back to my dilemma.

They looked delicious. They would be easy to break apart because a saw mark was located at each section where the crab meat was to be found.

The amount of stone crab claws on my plate (2-3 pounds) would cost $149.99 on Amazon or at other markets that sell them (2025).

As soon as the pile of stone crab claws diminished, more were added. People came and went with plates of stone crab claws.

Yes, I put a serving on my plate and sat at the table.

I pondered. I thought. I looked at what was on my plate. I took yoga breaths. Should I or shouldn’t I?

Being a vegetarian is not difficult for the most part. BUT, there are those times when you come across one of your favorite foods after you have stopped eating things that have faces. A stone crab has a face.

Putting on my glasses just made the vision before me more appetizing. The claws still looked as appealing as before.

I began to giggle at my indecisiveness. Do I? Don’t I?

Fresh stone crab claws are available from October 15 until May 15 during the legal catch period. At other times during the year, frozen stone crab claws are served, and they are just as tasty.

Many restaurants around the world serve stone crab claws, with Florida being the state with the most restaurants where fresh stone crab claws are offered on the menu.

It is illegal to harvest claws from female stone crabs with eggs. The eggs can be easily seen. The female crab has to be returned to the ocean immediately.

Stone crabs are usually caught in a baited crab trap. Usually, only one claw is removed from the crab, and the crab is returned to the sea to rejuvenate and grow back the claw that was removed.

It takes approximately three years for the new claw to be of legal size, which is 2-7/8 inches.

Stone crab traps are required to have an escape hatch so undersized crabs and other creatures can escape. Only the larger crabs are forced to stay in the trap.

Bait that is used to attract stone crabs is strong smelling, something offensive in odor, like fish heads.

Professional stone crab fishermen place their traps in offshore waters, not far from a coast. The stone crab traps are placed in a line for easy retrieval, much like the Deadliest Catch TV series showed when they were crabbing for king crabs in the Bering Sea.

Great care has to be used when removing the one claw. It has to be broken cleanly at the joint. The diaphragm has to be left intact. The crab then seals the wound and begins the growth of a new claw.

If a stone crab claw is removed improperly, it can cause the crab to die.

Legally, both claws can be removed if they are of the correct size, but this leaves the crab without any defense mechanism in a large sea where predators abound.

There are professional stone crab hunters and then there are recreational stone crab hunters.

Recreational hunters (over age 16) need to register their stone crab traps online and are given a registration number that has to be displayed on their traps and buoys.

Recreational stone crab fishermen gather the crabs by hand while snorkeling or scuba diving. Stone crabs like to hide in rocky edges in the sea so the stone crab hunter knows where to go for his prey.

Acquiring meat, either from the pasture or the sea or the chicken coop, is a brutal job. When broken down into steps, as I’ve shown you about the stone crab claw hunting, it is brutal.

Those are all happy pictures of me above because I’m a happy person. But the stone crab claws made me nervous.

Did I eat the stone crab claws?

No.

I decided I would continue to get my protein from plants, and I did.

My husband ate the stone crab claws.

After getting home and reading about the process of taking a claw here and a claw there, it sounded like yanking off a hand.

If you eat meat, that’s great. I’m too old for it to matter whether I eat meat or not, but it’s just a choice I made about 25 years ago. Mainly, to maintain my weight and control cholesterol and my love of animals (anything with a face).

Safe travels to you!!  Good eating to you, whether it had a face or not!!

Do only the things that make you happy. Eat only the foods that make you happy. Wear only the clothes that make you happy. Your happiness will spread and bring smiles and happiness to others.

We all have only one life, and the days go by quickly.

Be happy!!!  Have fun!!! Sail away to that happiness!!

Hugs

(P.S. Donate a can of dog food or cat food to your local SPCA. Throw in some kitty litter or old towels and old linens. Each item helps them care for the animals. Foster a few kitties. I could not foster, as I would soon have 100 cats in my house and be known as the old cat lady living down the block!)

 

Trish Berry

Gap Blouse (medium), Loft Shorts (size 8)

There are some things that cause introverted adults to act wildly, to behave as children rather than a mature person.

That thing, in my case, is finding my first cruising duck EVER on a Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship, the Utopia of the Seas.

You can tell below how very precious that duck is to me.

Jellypop Tennis Shoes

Rubber duck hunting is very popular on RC cruises. Duck hunting is not shooting off the bow of the ship at some innocent duck.

These rubber ducks are hidden by adults, by children, by the cruise line, by Effy Jewelry. If you see someone walking around running their hands through an artificial plant, or looking behind a garbage bin, you know they are on the HUNT!!

Van Heusen Top (medium), Kim Rogers Coverup (large)

It’s like an Easter egg hunt, except you want a duck(s). In the above photo, you can see that I was very lucky on this cruise. Not only did I find my first duck, but I found a lot of ducks.

It’s a treasure hunt. Your bounty is a duck.

 

Duck hunting began about five years ago. People hide ducks, then people find ducks.

There are Facebook apps for the ship you are on to show photos of where ducks have been located and where ducks are still available.

The app is a little like cheating to me, so I didn’t participate in the app.

I got out and hunted for my ducks.

You have at-sea days where you sail from one destination to another. Many activities on the ship to keep you entertained, and duck hunting is one of those activities.

You have to beware of the children. They are very good at finding ducks.

You hope to get to a duck before a child does because children are clever. Adults tend to walk around in a happy daze soaking up the sun, looking at the plants in Central Park on the ship for their beauty, or fiddling with their clothes.

Children are observant of their surroundings. Their eyes latch onto a duck, and then that duck is in their hand. You’ve lost your duck to a clever child.

If you find a duck and a child is nearby, the adult (mature) thing to do is to give the duck to the child, whose eyes are looking at your forlornly.

I did that. I gave a duck away to the forlorn looking child. Do I regret it? Just a little, but not much. Games, such as duck hunting, are games for children mostly.

But being on a cruise ship sort of turns me into a child. So many things to see, do and different places to visit.

If I had it to do over again, I would still give the duck to the child. The great big grin I received back gave me a great feeling.

At times, it’s better to give things away that you know will bring pleasure to someone else.

You can see from the photo above that I found a lot of ducks. I will take those ducks with me on my next cruise and hide them for others to find. I will also seek new ducks.

The smaller ducks pictured above will not be used by me. At one time, I was the mother of a small child. Small children tend to put things in their mouths. Those small ducks are dangerous, to me.

Most of the small ducks are hidden at a higher level than a young child’s line of vision, but some are not. Those small ducks are dangerous to a curious child, a child whose natural instinct is to put something small in their mouth.

I will only take the larger ducks with me and hide those.

Duck hunting is so popular on RCCL that you can buy them in bulk at Amazon or any toy store.

Be safe. Get the larger ducks.

As always, I will be on the hunt for the Effy Jewelry ducks. I would like the glittery silver one, but I’m not picky. I will take the glittery one or the green one.

Safe travels!!  Good luck duck hunting!! If you find an Effy Jewelry duck, I will envy you for life!!

I hope to see someone in such an ecstatic condition after they’ve found their first duck, just as I was.

We don’t look very dignified, more like an adult with a puppy, but it is great fun.

Take care!!

Hugs

 

Trish Berry

 

Van Heusen Blouse (medium), Talbots Skirt (medium or old size 6), Big Feet (size 9)

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has many different types of staterooms to choose from:

• Interior Stateroom -small room, budget friendly, no window to look out and are located on the interior part of the hallway. (We’ve stayed in an interior room before, and the experience was just as wonderful as having a balcony or being in a suite. We are not hard to please people.)

 

• Oceanview Stateroom – you have a view of the ocean through a porthole. Larger than the interior stateroom. A very nice-sized room.

 

• Balcony Stateroom – a private balcony, as the one shown above. This is what we usually stay in. Plenty of space in room. (If you open the doors to the balcony, the air conditioning automatically shuts off. Cool — conserving energy.)

 

• Balcony Stateroom facing inside of ship – the balcony looks out over the interior of the ship. This room can overlook the promenade (noisy) or Central Park. We would never stay in an interior balcony stateroom over the promenade because of the noise. There are many parties that go late into the night. We would stay in an interior balcony room overlooking Central Park because of the tranquil view out the very large window and all the greenery below. It’s soothing.

 

• Suites – are luxury. Large rooms and cost more money.

Suites have different categories:

• Sea Class – junior suites (larger rooms and usually has a bathtub

 

• Sky Class – Uptown cruising. Concierge service, all-day access to the Coastal Kitchen (a rare dining experience of the highest level), free VOOM, and access to the Suite Lounge and Sun Deck. You are apart from the normal people!

 

• Star Class – the very highest level in rooms. Private butler (Royal Genie), free drinks, special dining. Very costly, extravagant choice in staterooms.

If you are taking a cruise once a year or once every couple of years, I would suggest you opt for one of the suites. If you travel often (8-12 times during the year), I would suggest you opt for an interior, balcony, or interior balcony.

As long as you are on the ship, going places, who cares what type room you choose to stay in.

Each room has a safe where you can put your important documents and jewelry. Your passport should always be kept in the safe when you don’t need it with you.

The bottom of the safe is dark in color. Below I show you how I put tissues or a hand towel in the bottom of the safe so things are easier to see and less likely to be left behind.

On most Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships there is a cooler in the room. It is not a refrigerator, but will keep things cool.

The cooler has a door in front that you just pull open.

 

The cooler is not deep. A plate or a saucer or cereal bowl will not fit in the cooler. When we receive something, like chocolate-covered strawberries, that I want to keep cool for a few days so they do not spoil, I put a napkin on the lower shelf and put the items on the napkin.

The cooler is not tall but there are compartments on the inside of the door where you can put bottles of water.

Life vests are in all rooms. Locate your life vests. Listen to the safety app before boarding the ship. Follow directions on what you are required to do during an emergency.

If you have traveled with Royal Caribbean for many years, nice bathrobes are provided to you. We never use them. Too bulky for us, but they are there if we need them.

You can request a fan from your room attendant. There are only a limited number of fans available so ask your room attendant for one as soon as you have access to your stateroom.

Small fans can be brought in your luggage, battery operated. Amazon sells these travel fans.

If ear plugs are not for you, you might find a floor fan will help block out any noise.

There is very little noise on a cruise ship after a certain hour. Some go to bed early and find that a fan helps block out any noise.

Heavy-duty curtains are in every room. They block out any sunlight that could cause you to wake early in the morning. Sometimes, the curtains don’t quite fit together in the middle. We always use two coat hangers to clip the curtains together.

Hair dryers are not allowed in your luggage.

Hair dryers are provided in each room. They are good hair dryers and do the trick.

If you pack a hair dryer, it will be confiscated.

If you pack a curling iron, it will NOT be confiscated. When packing your curling iron, just wrap the cord tightly around it.

When suitcases are examined, you are less likely to be questioned if you don’t have a cord snaking through your garments.

Wrap the cord around the curling iron!!

Each stateroom has a television, telephone, private bathroom with shower or bathtub, safe, daily cleaning service, vanity area, and your personal thermostat.

If you need something or have questions, just ask your assigned stateroom attendant.

Each stateroom has everything you need to have a good time while at sea. Enjoy it!!

Just think:  A week or longer without cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, answering the telephone or answering the front door. You can’t find anything better.

You step out of your room, walk right or left. At one end is endless entertainment. At the other end is endless food.

I can’t recommend cruising, especially with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, more highly for a great vacation.

Have fun!!  Smile!!! Always donate to your local SPCA — food or old linens, doesn’t need to be money.

Safe travels!!!

Hugs

 

Trish Berry

Kim Rogers Linen Top (medium), Kenar Linen Pants (10), Seta Soie Silk Scarf

I love books. I love art. Writing and painting are forms of creative genius. I’ve read art. I’ve seen art.

You can walk down a main sidewalk in Curacao and never glance down the alleyways. I glance down those alleyways and discover hidden beauty.

The alleys in Curacao are wide enough to drive a large truck through. Most of the alleys’ roadways are paved bricks, just as the main roads are.

While we were in this alley that had all this art, only one person was in the alley with us, and he was there temporarily. He brought trash out from the rear of a store and then went right back in.

It was just my husband and myself and art. A beautiful moment.

Not all the huge art on the walls of the alley had an artist’s signature. The beautiful 3D mural of the colorful parrots was unsigned, so I cannot credit the artist.

The artist who created this beautiful piece is probably very famous. I hope he sees his work here and contacts me so I can give you his name.

The colors are as bright and bold as my photos show. Intricate detail was applied to all aspects of the art.

The beautiful 3D mural yellow and black bird above, I think, is a hooded oriole. I’m not sure. (Again, no artist signature.)

In French, trompe poeil is the technique for 3D art, meaning deceive the eye.

To create a 3D mural, the artist must outline the item he/she wishes to design. Many measurements are needed.

After the outline, a joint compound is applied. The artist chooses his compound that he has excelled in using in the past.

This compound could be wall putty or spackle for a small project.

A project as large as the parrots and the bird would require a more sturdy compound than putty or spackle. The artist perhaps used a plastic polymer. Only a 3D artist with expertise in 3D art of this size would know.

After the application of the compound, the painting begins.

Below is cute artwork on some of the walls in Curacao. They are not masterful pieces of 3D art, but they are adorable and make you smile.

Really cute art painted directly onto the wall.

A lovely lady painted directly on the wall.

Paint applied directly to the wall. Curacao is hot. The ice cream made you realize how hot you were.

Paint applied directly to the wall. Iguanas are part of Curacao.

Art makes you smile. Art makes you appreciate all the hard work and creativity that went into creating the art form that we are lucky enough to see.

There were no alley cats in the beautiful alley, but I looked.

I would not recommend going down alleys in foreign lands. The alleys we were in in Curacao were like streets and very safe. Think safety first when visiting a foreign country.

Smile!! Be happy!! Think of all the beauty created in the world by artists!! Support them!!  And support your local SPCA by donating your time, dog food, cat food or old linens.

Be safe!!!

Hugs

 

Trish Berry

Robert Louis Flowing Top (medium), Amazon Palazzo Pants (medium), Walmart Modified Flip Flops (9)

A back-to-back (B2B or BTB) cruise is when you schedule one cruise and stay on the ship for the next cruise the ship is leaving on.

Two separate cruises, one ship.

You do get off at the originating port to be checked through Customs before going on the second cruise to go through Customs and then are walked back to the ship.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line does it very efficiently.

• You print your luggage tickets off at home for both cruises so you can switch out your luggage tags
• You will receive written information on your bed the night before your first cruise ends and the second is to begin
• The information sheet tells you where to meet on the ship along with the other B2B cruisers

We were instructed to meet in the Main Dining Room.

There were very few people, less than 100, who were doing a back-to-back cruise on the Utopia. The Utopia holds 7,600 passengers but you never feel crowded because the ship is so large. We sat in the dining room, waiting for instructions. We talked amongst ourselves about the fun we had already had on the ship and the multiple places that were our favorites.

We were escorted off the ship (Utopia) by a leader. It was fast. No delays.

The above shows us walking through the empty port to get to the Customs entry.

The above shows the empty port terminal where we were taken. No hassles, no lines. This terminal is usually filled with people waiting to board their cruise ship.

Above shows us going through the Customs line. A quick shot of our face and we were headed back to the ship.

The above photo shows us walking back to the ship after we have been cleared by Customs.

Back-to-back cruisers are issued new sea pass cards that have a blue dot on them that indicates you are a B2B cruisers. If you are staying in the same room, as we were, you could return to your stateroom. We did not have to pack our luggage, just left things as they were in the stateroom. But if you have been assigned a new stateroom and will be moving to another room, you pack your luggage like you are going home. The room attendant will see that it is taken to your new room so you do not have to drag it around with you. Because we were staying in the same room, we could go freely to our room without waiting until the usual 1:00. Those who switched rooms would not have access to their new statement room until 1:00. We went to our room and took a nap.

The above photo shows the empty dining room where we were escorted to partake of a special lunch for B2B cruisers once we returned to the ship.

The above is a photo of the menu for the special back-to-back cruisers. I had scallops, Ron had a salad. We both had spaghetti. Neither of us had dessert. We were not thrilled with this menu so we headed to the Windjammer to see what they had.

WELL, what did we find at the Windjammer but lobster tails, shrimp, clams and mussels. And any kind of fish you could want.

We did not eat this fabulous food because we had already eaten from the special menu for the B2B cruisers. Our mistake.

Shrimp salad, more lobster tails, clams, mussels.

Lesson learned. The next time we go for a back-to-back cruise, we will head to the Windjammer if we are on the Utopia of the Seas. I know lobster tails are not served in the Windjammer for lunch on the first day on other Royal Caribbean Cruise ships.

We were treated extremely well by our escort. There was never any confusion. We followed directions, followed the line.

It is an easy process to do a back-to-back cruise.

Have fun!!  Safe travels!!  Hope to see you soon!

Hugs!!