What happens on a RCL Blog group cruise...stays on the group cruise? (Icon of the Seas, June 29 - July 6, 2024)

Notes from Coastal Kitchen…

My CK waiter tells me many people do MDR on day two.  They have the beef tenderloin tonight as well as lobster  in the MDR.  
 

Yesterday and today including during breakfast my CK views look over the aqua dome theater where there have been workers present every time I’ve been in CK.  This morning I saw them lift out a massive hydraulic piston or ram.  Sitting here at dinner they are still at it.  My waiter isn’t sure the show will go on. 
 

@CGTLH evening drink of choice. No judgement...maybe just a little

Just now, AshleyDillo said:

@CGTLH evening drinnk of choice. No judgement...maybe just a little

What a better way to try something new, especially when there is no additional cost 

You order champs one time in the Suite Lounge and you are Team Bubbles forever. I blame @asquared17.

1 minute ago, CGTLH said:

What a better way to try something new, especially when there is no additional cost 

I definitely subscribe to this philosophy... for both drinks and food.

11 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

You order champs one time in the Suite Lounge and you are Team Bubbles forever. I blame @asquared17.

Team Bubbles.  I like it.  
 

You are now Bubbles to me.  

24 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

You order champs one time in the Suite Lounge and you are Team Bubbles forever. I blame @asquared17.

HUZZAH!!!!!!!

The suite lounge: Where double fisting is underachieving.

For those keeping score at home…

@AshleyDillo, @CGTLH, and @twangster, since today is a sea day, how do the crowds feel?

@AshleyDillo and @CGTLH compared to the inaugural we were on?

14 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

@AshleyDillo, @CGTLH, and @twangster, since today is a sea day, how do the crowds feel?

@AshleyDillo and @CGTLH compared to the inaugural we were on?

It was pretty hot and humid outside so I didn’t go out after my 360 photo session early morning.  So I can’t speak for the pool deck.  Inside I never once thought it was crowded.  

After Wizard of Oz I tried to elevator my way up.  Normally I just don’t leave an event and try to elevate, not on Oasis or Quantum.  It was a short wait, my elevator arrived, it wasn’t jammed like an OA ship would be outside the theater after a show.  The destination elevators work well with respect to crowds.  

So far it doesn’t feel like 7,231 guests are on board.  

Look! It’s on sale!

Wear Your Best night so the Pearl is popular.  Despite that it doesn’t feel overly crowded on the promenade.  

31 minutes ago, twangster said:

The destination elevators work well with respect to crowds.

Those elevators are the best thing ever! Most definitely a game changer. 

Mmmm..balls.

Elevators are really the only place I'm feeling the crowds. Sometimes it takes quite awhile for the elevator to come and then they are crowded.  Still better than the alternative on other ships though..no riding up to go down.

@AshleyDillo What room did you guys RUB to?

1 hour ago, twangster said:

So far it doesn’t feel like 7,231 guests are on board.  

It really is an amazing thing that no matter the size of the ship, even pushing max occupancy ships never feel crowded.

Got my booze package next month on icon for $76. 

CK food porn

Burrata

Artichoke Soup

Salmon 

Creme Brûlée 

Excellent meal.  

It’s the only night for the Ribeye and Crème Brûlée.  After a filet last night and another today at CWAO, I needed some fish.  My waiter suggested the Ribeye was a prime cut, not a garden variety Ribeye   I was tempted.

The Salmon was huge and cooked perfectly.  

So far the CK dining plan is working out well.  

Starburst Elemental in Absolute Zero.  Pretty great show.

I'm sure you saw all this previously so I'll be brief.

10 minutes ago, twangster said:

My waiter suggested the Ribeye was a prime cut, not a garden variety Ribeye

Oddly, in my very limited CK experience, the ribeye was one of the only misses when I had it. It was not like any ribeye I had ever seen nor did it taste like one.

BTW, serious lack of food/drink porn in this blog… thanks for doing your part!

That would really suck.  

Fortunetly his clothes fit me perfectly. JK.  They don't fit that well. 

So this just happened:

Almost paid for my parking at the Miami cruise port.  

44 minutes ago, twangster said:

So this just happened:

Almost paid for my parking at the Miami cruise port.  

NICE!!! 

Hey All!

I think I am going to get an F for my contributions to the blog this time... I am pretty much doing similar things to @AshleyDillo but will try to get some interesting pictures. I just might actually get off tomorrow in Cozumel .

Also, someone asked earlier if the majority of the pinnacles were in our group, yes, we counted like 8 or 9 in the group of the 12 total.

Thanks!
- Ashley

3 hours ago, mashley1021 said:

I think I am going to get an F for my contributions to the blog this time

Post some food and drink porn and you immediately get at least a C from me! 

I've been eating healthy since we disembarked Wonder on June 9th and we go back in 13 days. I'm starving! Going to break the diet for July 4th food with family this week at least.

We have arrived in Coz.  

Oh look!  A baby cruise ship!

They are so cute at that size.  

Enchantment.  

Water in the pool is a good sign.  

Recently in another thread the attributes of Starlink were discussed as it relates to location aware services.

Since we turned the corner around Cuba sometime last night our Starlink gateway city has switched from Miami to Mexico City.  

What this means is that the ship's Starlink terminals are now connected to the internet using Mexico City as the satellite downlink and place where we connect to the internet.  This is done to keep latency down and because Mexico City is closer than Miami.

Basically we now appear to be located in Mexico City.  This can trigger alerts from some services like my email provider.

Since I understand why I appear to be in Mexico City I can ignore this alert.

However if you are trying to get some work done from the ship be aware your employer may have similar geo-aware systems that will see that you are out of the country.

My last cruise (Aruba, Curacao) Starlink got routed through Colombia.

5 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

My last cruise (Aruba, Curacao) Starlink got routed through Colombia.

Yep, same when going through the Panama Canal.  

I made it to breakfast today.

Holy frittata!

Any chance of an RCL Blog group photo?  

2 minutes ago, Debstr66 said:

Any chance of an RCL Blog group photo?  

Got off in Cozumel today, bought some magnets, got back on. Somehow my magnet boards didn’t have Cozumel (despite having a couple hundred magnets and 90 plus cruises, guess I just never managed to buy one here until now). Anyways, picture of Icon and her baby:

What ship is next to you?  Looks like a wee little one (next to Icon, anyways).

Just now, WannaCruise said:

What ship is next to you?  Looks like a wee little one (next to Icon, anyways).

Enchantment of the Seas

8 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

Post some food and drink porn and you immediately get at least a C from me! 

Here is a food dump from the first 2 days: 

Night 1 CK:

Arancini:

Filet:

Praline Tart:

Day 2 Pinnacle Lunch:

half eaten ravioli:

Key Lime Pie with a missing bite: 

Izumi Sushi Day 2 Dinner:

Crispy Chicken Karage:

Shrimp Firecracker Spring Rolls:

Chicken Teriyaki (sans the veggies lol):

Chocolate Lava Cake:

Donut in CK for breakfast this morning:

Thanks! Hopefully this gets me at least a C+

1 minute ago, mashley1021 said:

Here is a food dump from the first 2 days: 

Night 1 CK:

Day 2 Pinnacle Lunch:

half eaten ravioli:

Key Lime Pie with a missing bite: 

 

Izumi Sushi Day 2 Dinner:

Donut in CK for breakfast this morning:

Thanks! Hopefully this gets me at least a C+

C+ and rising!