It is Day 2 onboard the beautiful Odyssey of the Seas. Immediately was a sea day on the calm Mediterranean as we make our technique to The Holy Land!
We’ve got sea days each right this moment and tomorrow earlier than reaching Cyprus for sooner or later after which three full days in Israel.
I’m utilizing these two days to get a lot of sleep, take it simple and drink a ton of water. After loads of wine and cocktails in Paris and Rome, I need to keep somewhat extra hydrated earlier than our huge tour days in Israel!
Our morning began late after Angie and I each slept in. I knew I wanted to get some relaxation after the final 5 days of touring and exploring; so, I’m very grateful that we’ve got these two sea days to chill out earlier than the busy port days come up.
In terms of these longer itineraries, having just a few sea days scattered all through is important for me to reset.
After a restful night time’s sleep, we determined to strive brunch within the eating room at 11am. This brunch was served till 12:30pm, which was one thing new to us! Usually, we discover the Windjammer to serve the most recent breakfast possibility, often till 11am on sea days; however we had been happy to seek out this brunch possibility out there till 12:30pm.
The menu had an assortment of breakfast and lunch choices – a lot of the choices I acknowledged from the conventional foremost eating room breakfast menu.
Angie and I had the French Toast whereas mother and pop each had omelets. I additionally loved my morning latte utilizing one in every of my each day drink vouchers. All the pieces tasted good to us.
Bumper Vehicles
After we completed breakfast, mother urged we head as much as the Seaplex to check out the bumper automobiles. We thought that may be a enjoyable technique to begin the day for the reason that line was quick.
As we walked in, we form of laughed to one another at how everybody was using in a circle – going quite slowly – as an alternative of truly bumping into one another.
There have been solely two automobiles left within the subsequent group so we determined to trip collectively within the two automobiles. Angie obtained behind the wheel, as did my dad, and I introduced my digicam for weblog content material.
To start out, these little suckers go quicker than they seem!
Angie thought it might be an excellent concept to run into our dad and mom at full pace, which was a horrible concept. She slammed into mother and pop’s bumper automobile in a head-on collision!
Mother and I had the wind knocked out of us and exclaimed some not-so-family-friendly phrases. I additionally jammed my knee towards the dashboard! I feel mother and I took the brunt of the hit since we didn’t have our arms on the wheel to melt the blow.
Listed below are just a few live-action stills from the video I took – mother’s face says all of it!
After we scolded Angie for her lapse in judgement, she changed into Driving Miss Daisy and we prevented contact with each automobile till the tip of the session. It was a enjoyable expertise but in addition considerably of a bust given the collision that was completely preventable!
We laughed about it later however I positively have a burn from the seatbelt and I’m fairly optimistic I’ll get up with a sore neck tomorrow.
Now, it is sensible why everybody was driving in a circle and NOT partaking in a lot of bumping.
After we recovered from the bumper automobile trauma, I made a decision to return to the stateroom and eventually unpack my suitcase. I at all times unpack my suitcase and retailer it underneath the mattress. No matter how lengthy a cruise is, I put every thing away as a result of I hate dwelling out of a suitcase.
Our suite has tons of area to unpack comfortably with six massive drawers and a closet with about 20 hangers and a shoe rack. We additionally introduced a collapsable, mesh hamper to make use of for soiled garments and this suits completely within the closet.
Icon of the Seas Reveal
Final night time once we returned to our stateroom, we discovered an invite to an Icon of the Seas reveal social gathering for loyalty members.
As laborious working gals of Royal Caribbean Weblog, we knew we would want to take a look at this occasion within the Royal Theatre! Upon coming into, there have been servers with tons of various snack choices. I used to be searching for any free cocktails that may be served (in fact), however we obtained there proper because it began so possibly there have been some however they ran out.
I loved a chocolate lined mousse ball whereas Angie had some strawberry whipped dessert because the presentation began.
We watched the primary two episodes of Making an Icon after which they launched the brand new episode that unveiled Icon of the Seas! Wow – it seems beautiful!
Solarium Afternoon
As soon as the Icon of the Seas reveal occasion was completed, we made our method upstairs to the Solarium.
It was sadly fairly busy in right here, however we had been capable of snag a desk and chairs close to the aspect entrance. Mother and pop performed cribbage whereas Angie tried out the Massager Taster occasion.
Since I’m an adjunct teacher (along with running a blog and my different company job), I needed to get some grading achieved for sophistication. I can’t complain in regards to the workplace view although and the Wi-Fi onboard has been fairly good thus far.
Angie got here again from the Therapeutic massage Taster occasion together with her new favourite cocktail – The Lime & Coconut Cocktail!
I used to be impressed to move to the El Loco Recent once more for a fast snack, which consisted of cheese and hen quesadillas with bitter cream. I completely love this little place on the pool deck for lunch and it hit the spot, once more!
Because the solar was beginning to set, we went again to our cabin to prepare for formal night time. The sundown tonight was so beautiful from our balcony that we needed to take some footage.
I additionally realized that our balcony has very nice furnishings in comparison with a typical balcony with a plushy seat, again assist pillow and padded footrest. I’m positively going to be spending a while tomorrow on the balcony having fun with the calm seas.
Tales of a Misplaced SeaPass
Whereas heading out the door for dinner, I searched all over the place for my SeaPass card to no avail. I knew I should have left my SeaPass (on a lanyard) within the Solarium throughout our afternoon go to.
Earlier than going to dinner, I made my method again to our chairs to seek out that every thing was already cleaned up. I requested the gentleman sitting if he had seen my SeaPass, and he mentioned no.
I then made my technique to the Solarium Bar and requested the bartenders if anybody had handed in a misplaced SeaPass card. They mentioned no and to test with the towel attendants, as that’s the place left-behind gadgets go on the pool deck and Solarium.
As I rushed to the towel stand, I noticed in all my years of cruising that I’ve NEVER misplaced my SeaPass card! Strolling as much as the towel station, I noticed a handful of misplaced and located gadgets. Low and behold, my SeaPass was there in my lanyard.
Though I knew they may simply make me a brand new SeaPass card if the important thing was actually misplaced, it was a reduction to only get it again and transfer on.
Coastal Kitchen for Dinner
We made reservations yesterday to dine at Coastal Kitchen tonight, as junior suite company can dine right here on a per-availability foundation. We had been instructed that reservations can solely be made every day given the variety of Pinnacle company onboard.
I’ve heard from some folks that they love Coastal Kitchen as a result of it is an excellent, elevated eating possibility for suite company; then again, I’ve heard from others (like our very personal Matt Hochberg) that Coastal Kitchen isn’t essentially something particular or definitely worth the hype.
After tonight’s expertise, I’d must agree with Matt that Coastal Kitchen isn’t one thing I’d rave about.
On a optimistic observe, our waitress was very candy and the eating area is actually beautiful with flooring to ceiling home windows. It was good to be in a extra intimate eating atmosphere and take a look at one thing new. Nevertheless, the meals wasn’t something particular although we had expectations that it might be higher than the eating room.
For dinner, dad and I ordered the rib eye steak whereas Angie ordered a pasta dish and mother ordered a seafood dish. The rib eye was wonderful and Angie loved her pasta. Mother wasn’t wowed by her fish or her lobster salad starter both. Dad and I did not love the potatoes or ratatouille served with the steak and Angie felt her soup starter lacked taste.
Dessert consisted of a chocolate bar, cheesecake, creme brulee and apple blossom – most of those can be found within the eating room.
Throughout dinner, all the room felt somewhat too quiet and possibly even too stuffy for our liking. For reference, we’re a fairly loud household so we do not ever really feel like we have to hold it down with the commotion of the principle eating room.
Everybody in Coastal Kitchen had their Pinnacle pins on; we joked that we have to order pretend Pinnacle pins off Ebay so we are able to slot in higher subsequent time! Our eyes widened as we heard one couple say how they e-book two separate junior suites for cruises to allow them to earn 4 factors per night time of their cruise – and so they’ve taken 62 cruises. One other couple responded, “You’ve ONLY achieved 62 cruises?”
As my mother said, maybe we’re simply extra meat-and-potato of us. We’d want to present Coastal Kitchen one other strive relying on the completely different menu choices, however we had been sadly not tremendous impressed tonight with the expertise.
Tomorrow we’re eating at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, which is new to all of us! We’ve dined on the outdated Giovanni’s Desk and Jamie’s Italian, however haven’t tried the reimagined Giovani’s Kitchen.
