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!!
