Hijinks on the Liberty of the Seas

[wak648...Bill 94]

Why is it that when you get home from a vacation, things always seem to get out of hand and there is never enough time to relax and reflect on the good time that you just had? As usual when we got home this was the case. Between kids activities, our work schedule, family obligations, and getting ready for the holidays, I now have a chance to attempt a trip report. We at least I can try.

A little back story on this trip, last year the wife and I got to go on a 4 night cruise for our 15^th anniversary. Yes we were able to go sans kids, a novelty when you have 3 that claim every second of being awake as theirs. Ever since then, they have been demanding we take them on a cruise. One of the reasons we camp is that our DD 10 has severe food allergies. When we camp, we can cook and not worry about cross contamination or someone not paying attention to the ingredients. This is also why we love Disney so much as they do an excellent job taking care of her dietary needs once we mention she has food allergies.

With that being said, we called our favorite travel agent, Rhonda, to see what options we had open to us. Rhonda informed us that Disney and Royal Caribbean we the top two in her opinion for dealing with food allergies and priced out cruises on both. We decided to go with Royal Caribbean as we could do a 4 night cruise with 2 balcony staterooms for the same price as a 3 night cruise with 1 ocean view room on Disney. This trip was also planned around DD 10^th birthday as she always complains that we never go anywhere for her birthday.

Day one:

After getting into Fort Lauderdale Airport late the night before, we had some time to kill before we could head to the port to embark on our voyage.

Here is the main cast Huey, Dewey and Louie.

After breakfast at the hotel we loaded onto the resort bus for the short ride to port.

Here is the first glimpse of our home for the next few days

Embarkation was and soon we were exploring all the ship had to offer. We could not access our staterooms until after one so we explored the decks, went and had a lunch, and then down to our staterooms.

They boys really enjoyed the view, watching all the ships and boats coming and going from the port, and the Coast Guard Station across the waterway.

Like I said when I started this report, there is not enough time to the day. I will be back after I go run the kids to their activities.

[Keren 4]

Yeah....this sounds like an exciting trip report. I have never been on a cruise before.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Oooh can't wait to read more!!!!

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

I am in too.

[Total Joker ... TJ 203]

:pc: :pc: :pc:

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Looking forward to this one, Bill! I will be very curious to see how it all went, because if we ever do another cruise again I want to price out different lines compared to DCL. Sounds like the price difference was huge.

[Beckers 1,136]

I'm so in. You had me at food allergies!

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

Looking forward to this one, Bill! I will be very curious to see how it all went, because if we ever do another cruise again I want to price out different lines compared to DCL. Sounds like the price difference was huge.

We also went on a RCI cruise and as much as I wanted to be able to go on the DCL I just couldn't justify the extra cost. We only got one room on our cruise the family ocean view. I saw pictures a friend had on the DCL Fantasy of the family ocean view and honestly like the layout of the RCI one better.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

I am in!

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

oooooh ahhhhh... maybe i can make the first page of something again.

Either way, I'm in. Can't wait to hear more. :jumpforjoy

[CKCK 45]

We'll be on the Freedom in May, so I can't wait to read this one

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

You had me at hijinks. I'm in! Page one baby!

TCD

[kampfirekim 260]

Yay! A TR from the high seas!!!

[wak648...Bill 94]

Yeah....this sounds like an exciting trip report. I have never been on a cruise before.

Oooh can't wait to read more!!!!

I am in too.

:pc: :pc: :pc:

Thanks for joining on the voyage, I will try and get an update done today, but it snowed last night. When ever it snows the idiots come out and it gets super busy at work.

Looking forward to this one, Bill! I will be very curious to see how it all went, because if we ever do another cruise again I want to price out different lines compared to DCL. Sounds like the price difference was huge.

There is a difference in price, but on Disney you can have 5 in a cabin, were on Royal you are limited to 3-4, unless you get the fmily suite. We liked the idea of 2 bathrooms and having our own room to sleep that we could stay up and chat once the kids went to bed. The bigger draw for us was the extra night.

[wak648...Bill 94]

I'm so in. You had me at food allergies!

We also went on a RCI cruise and as much as I wanted to be able to go on the DCL I just couldn't justify the extra cost. We only got one room on our cruise the family ocean view. I saw pictures a friend had on the DCL Fantasy of the family ocean view and honestly like the layout of the RCI one better.

We looked at the family suites, but the oceanview family suite was very slight cheaper than 2 connecting balcony rooms. We opted for the balcony and decided that is a must from now on.

I am in!

oooooh ahhhhh... maybe i can make the first page of something again.

Either way, I'm in. Can't wait to hear more. :jumpforjoy

Welcome aboard

We'll be on the Freedom in May, so I can't wait to read this one

You will have a blast

You had me at hijinks. I'm in! Page one baby!

I know imagine a fiend goes on a trip and there was hijinks. Who would have thunk?

TCD

Yay! A TR from the high seas!!!

Just take your motion sickness pills, I dont want to clean up any vomit

[wak648...Bill 94]

Lets try and get the ship sailing.

After the mandatory life boat drills, we grabbed a couple of drinks and headed back to our staterooms to watch us sail away.

Once we were clear the channel we watched the pilot boat come along side and pick up the pilot who had safely guided us out to sea

Then we just sat back, relaxed and watched the sun set over the beautiful city of Fort Lauderdale until it was time for dinner.

When it was time we headed up to our assigned dining room and met our wait staff. Someone was HUNGRY!

Our head waiter was from Romania and had DS7 curious when he said he grew up in the shadows of Dracula’s castle. This is where we had our first issue with allergy issue. We had Rhonda note on our account that our daughter had food allergies and what the allergies were. We were assured they would be able to accommodate the allergies. We were instructed to make sure it was noted on our reservation when we checked in and we needed to meet with the Maître D’ to make sure they were set. We did all that and were again assured that they would have no problem meeting our needs. When they gave us the menus, we again inquired and were told that there was not much they could do for her tonight as all the food is prepared in bulk, but they would give us tomorrows menu after dinner, so they could prepare what my DD wanted separate. After going back and forth with the wait staff, the Maître D’, and the kitchen, we were finally able to get something for my daughter to eat other than a hamburger or hot dog.

She had the pasta with shrimp, scallops and clams

and both boys had mac and cheese

for dessert I had some type of chocolate cake with ice cream, which DS4 decided he wanted and then stole from me.

After dinner we explored the ship some more, signed the kids up for the kids clubs, and reservations for my daughter’s birthday present at the ships spa. She decided she wanted a haircut with an up do and a mini mani/pedi. I also purchased a rose for my daughter, which became a point of contention at the end of the trip. After that the kids wanted to go to their individual kids clubs and ditched us. So what were two abandoned parents to do?

Go to the wine bar and have a drink. This BTW became our favorate place on the ship.

After a few samplings, we picked up the kids, and went back to the stateroom and put them to bed

While the kiddos were fast asleep, we sat out on the balcony and just chilled and enjoyed the sea breeze and the moon over the water.

We turned in to get a good nights sleep for our first full day at sea.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Love the sunset pics.

Sucks you had to haggle over food even though you did everything you could do ahead of time.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Anchors Aweigh!

The ship is moving!

Great installment.

Sorry about the food allergies hassle. I'm sure that isn't how you wanted your cruise to begin.

That bunk bed makes me nervous- I wouldn't want to sleep under it.

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

This is a great picture! That's a look of pure joy...typical of a kid who stole Dad's dessert. :rofl3:

What you have shown so far of the food looks good. That mac n cheese looks pretty delicious, and I'm not a mac n cheese fan.

The bunk looks just like the one on the Dream, and my kids said it was pretty comfortable. I put my weight on it and it seems very strong.

The wine contraptions look exactly like those at this wine bar in my town that friends of ours dragged us out to one time. Stick your card into the slot and it dispenses a taste, 1/2 glass or full glass. You can rack up quite a bill just playing with the cool machines.

[wak648...Bill 94]

Love the sunset pics.

Sucks you had to haggle over food even though you did everything you could do ahead of time.

Anchors Aweigh!

The ship is moving!

Great installment.

Sorry about the food allergies hassle. I'm sure that isn't how you wanted your cruise to begin.

That bunk bed makes me nervous- I wouldn't want to sleep under it.

TCD

It was more of a hassle than a headache. I can become very assertive (for lack of better description) when it comes to protecting my kids and making sure there basic needs are satisfied. Especially when it comes to my daughter eating something that we were assured would not be an issue.

This is a great picture! That's a look of pure joy...typical of a kid who stole Dad's dessert. :rofl3:

What you have shown so far of the food looks good. That mac n cheese looks pretty delicious, and I'm not a mac n cheese fan.

The bunk looks just like the one on the Dream, and my kids said it was pretty comfortable. I put my weight on it and it seems very strong.

The wine contraptions look exactly like those at this wine bar in my town that friends of ours dragged us out to one time. Stick your card into the slot and it dispenses a taste, 1/2 glass or full glass. You can rack up quite a bill just playing with the cool machines.

Yes that is a very haha look, as my wife says he is my minnie me, which is not a good thing.

As for the wine dispensing machines, at least I get something out of them when I put money in, unlike those damn slot machines that just take my money.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

As for the wine dispensing machines, at least I get something out of them when I put money in, unlike those damn slot machines that just take my money.

Oh yeah, I forgot about onboard casinos. That would probably make the cost of a non-Disney cruise escalate substantially for me.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Oh yeah, I forgot about onboard casinos. That would probably make the cost of a non-Disney cruise escalate substantially for me.

That's my (Rick's) issue with other cruise lines. We (he) would more than make up for the cost difference with the donations to the casino.

Also, you can bring your own beverages on a Disney Cruise. It was much nicer sipping on a drink from the fridge on our luckily awesome balcony, than having to go to the bar every time.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

That's my (Rick's) issue with other cruise lines. We (he) would more than make up for the cost difference with the donations to the casino.

Also, you can bring your own beverages on a Disney Cruise. It was much nicer sipping on a drink from the fridge on our luckily awesome balcony, than having to go to the bar every time.

Carol, that's what these are for: http://www.rumrunnerflasks.com/sneak-alcohol-on-cruise.aspx

[Big Kahuna aka John 71]

I'm in...... As an aside.... come on folks were fiends ! We can do better to break the rules when it comes to alcohol on board...You get a large mouthwash bottle, empty and wash it.... Add vodka and 2 drops of green food coloring.... pack in suitcase ... you end up with great breath and a buzz.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

... you end up with great breath and a buzz.

Oh, tag fairy?