Nassau, Bahamas // First port on Oasis of the Seas

We booked the Eastern itinerary even though two of the ports were repeaters because the stops were far preferable to Western. The first stop was Nassau in the Bahamas on Day Two of the itinerary.  Unfortunately, ships of this size are a bit limited in their itineraries. Not all ports can handle that magnitude and having to tender 6,200 guests might be somewhat of a logistical nightmare. No matter. We were ready for our day in the Bahamas! This happened to be the port we had yet to visit so we were excited! Unfortunately, it's a very brief stop with all aboard being 1:30 pm. Best make the most of our time!

I didn't even consider any of the Royal Caribbean sponsored excursions because none of them appealed to me. I wouldn't mind checking out Atlantis at some point but for what they were charging and the amount of time in port it just wasn't worth it. I'm accustomed to planning DIY ports anyway so I accepted the challenge!

I had printed out a walking tour of Nassau from Frommer’s but there were only a couple sites we were actually interested in visiting. We marched our hot, happy selves through the hockers at the Straw Market and headed off to find the Queen’s Staircase…..in the wrong direction. We walked through some pretty sketchy areas but it was a quiet Sunday morning and I wasn’t really worried about running into trouble.

Eventually, we reached our destination. I didn’t bother to stop and listen to the history of the staircase, although I suppose I should have because I can’t tell you a darn thing about it. It’s old and pretty neat looking though. There are locals who will stop you and say, “Let me tell you a story”. They give you some history (maybe) and then demand a tip. Pass on that!

The light in the middle of the picture is the top of the staircase

We hiked up the stairs. Screaming memories of European stairwells in my quads! At the top, we found Fort Fincastle. It’s a small historic fort. Why? Beats me! 

My dad would be so proud that I was really soaking in all that history. But, it provided gorgeous views of the ship and port area.

4 ships in port that day!

Off to our next stop! Heading down was a welcome respite from the hike up. I had asked the gentleman collecting my dollar to visit the fort for directions to Graycliff Manor which is where I thought we’d find the rum distillery I wanted to visit. Well, we followed his directions explicitly and found neither Graycliff Manor nor the distillery.

I pulled out a map that had been forced upon me in port and luckily, there was an ad for said distillery, with an address. We were nowhere near it. But, it was sort of in the direction we needed to go anyway to get back to the ship.

Onward!

We made it down to Front St. and started to see signs for our promised land. Eventually and sweatily, we landed at John Watling’s Rum Distillery!

They make all their rum on the premises and offer free tours daily. We hopped in about 10 minutes late but that was okay. It was a short, small tour anyway and we were in need of refreshment. Refreshment of the rum variety. We are in the Bahamas, right?

During the tour we tasted their 3 types of rum and then moved on to the bar area to make our selections.

John ordered a mojito and I got adventurous with a Rum Drum, kind of a sour lemonade drink. His mojito was so fresh. The Rum Drum was just okay. Sour isn’t really my thing. 

Then, we split a pina colada. Now, that’s more like it! This was the absolute freshest pina colada I have ever had. No mix from a bottle here, no sir! The drinks were $8.00 each, in case you're wondering.

Since it was a short port day, we headed back to the ship at this point stopping in a few shops along the way and bargaining at the Straw Market for a straw grass bowl that we liked. We are terrible at buying souvenirs on vacations and we were determined to remedy that on this trip. So far so good!

This was a nice little morning in Nassau but if we went back, I'd probably book a snorkeling excursion or maybe just make it a beach day. You also have the option of taking one of the many taxi tours around the island. You'll find these right away when you get off the ship because there are about 25 guys standing there shouting, "Tour of the island?" "Twenty five dollar tour" "See Nassau!"

We deemed our Nassau day a success and were ready for the next stop after a day at sea!

Recipe Reblog: Clean Eating Spaghetti Pie

Does that recipe title make you a little nervous? It shouldn't. To eat clean means to eat little to no processed foods and focus on whole foods. It's better for you and healthier too.

Clean Eating Spaghetti Pie: I had really high hopes for this recipe. The crust is formed from spaghetti "noodles" that are actually spaghetti squash. If you've never had spaghetti squash, TRY IT! It's super easy to make. Just poke holes through the skin, roast for about an hour at 375 - slice in half, scoop out seeds and then drag your fork over the flesh to pull out the strands. Do this part ahead of time. Squash strands get mixed with ricotta an egg and some seasoning. Then, ground turkey is browned and tossed with your favorite jarred pasta sauce. Layer it, bake it, serve it. YUM! I will say that she recommends using a 9 inch pie plate. Well, my squash was 4 lbs and I had to use a 9x13 pan. This made a LOT, which was okay by me. If you're trying to eat clean or cut back on refined carbs, this is the one for you! It really does seem like you're just eating spaghetti and noodles. 

What's not to like?

Oasis: Neighborhoods

Something totally unique about Oasis of the Seas is the division of various neighborhoods. They are whole separate areas that take you away from the sea and into a different world. We've already talked about the Royal Promenade although I neglected a couple eating spots here.

If your sweet tooth strikes, you can head over to the Cupcake Cupboard.

For a fee, you may try several different flavors of cupcakes throughout your week on board. I didn't feel it necessary to pay for these.

There's also Sorrento's, a pizza place. The pizza was just so so but it was pretty handy to pick up a slice and head across the way to enjoy a pint at the Globe & Atlas Pub.

You can also pick up sandwiches, cookies, and drinks at the Cafe Promenade. But, lots of ships have a Royal Promenade. Let's move on to new and exciting, yes?

On Deck 6, you'll find the Boardwalk. We already talked about that a bit but I wanted to show you more things there to enjoy in addition to the carousel, aqua theatre and rock climbing wall.

If fried shrimp is your thing, look no further than the Seafood Shack. Eating here is an extra charge and they also have a party here once during the week that you can pay to attend. John and I looked at the menu but were not interested in the fried offerings they listed. Not a fresh piece of fish among 'em. It still had cute decor though.

This is an overhead view of the Boardwalk from Deck 15 (I think.) Those are all balcony rooms overlooking the Boardwalk. They are cheaper than an oceanview balcony and in some cases, cheaper than an inside room but allow you to see daylight. Technically, the view doesn't change like it would over the ocean but they probably provide good people watching.

This was my absolute favorite part of the Boardwalk. It's the Donut Shop! Every day, they offered 6 different (free!) varieties of donuts. They also had specialty coffee drinks for purchase but I wasn't going for that. To prove to myself that I was trying to be healthy, I mostly only ate the top halves of the donuts I selected and threw away the bottom. Half the calories!

The Boardwalk also had several different stores such as a candy store, toy store, clothing shop and so on. I didn't purchase anything on the ship. PRICEY!

While the Boardwalk is full of fun, let's move on to some place a bit more serene.

Down on Deck 8 is Central Park.

 Yes, a park -- at sea. It's totally open air so when it's raining, it also rains in the park. Our stateroom was a balcony overlooking the park from Deck 11, Room 11185. It was the best deal with the best incentives I could find outside of paying for a lowly inside room. While I missed looking out at the ocean and seeing when we had docked in port, I thought the Central Park room balcony was quite serene. I read out there and had wine out there. It was lovely.

Here I am in the park at night. They lit it up all pretty.

In Central Park there is an art gallery (free champagne!), a Coach store, the Park Cafe (good for breakfast and lunch and a nice change from the buffet) the Trellis Bar, Vintages Wine Bar, specialty restaurants and the top stop for the Riding Tide Bar.

Oh! I forgot to tell you about the Rising Tide Bar during the Promenade section. You hop on a giant open-sided elevator of sorts....complete with a full bar, tables and chairs. Then, in about 18 minutes, you travel up 3 decks and get out in Central Park. Pretty swanky, right? These fountains are what happens down below when it's on the way up. I don't have a picture of the bar itself. Sorry!

Here we are at Vintages. This was my favorite spot for a drink. It has a great wine menu and a very attentive staff. You can also pay extra for tapas but we didn't do that.

There are 3 specialty restaurants in Central Park that you pay a flat cover charge to eat at. (Are you noticing a trend about the added fees?) We received a complimentary meal from the travel company. and made reservations for the steak house, Chops. Well, the night prior to our reservation, we decided to splurge and try the Italian restaurant, Giovanni's Table.

The food and service were incredible. We had amazing mozzarella and prosciutto bites, crab and corn ravioli and the most delicious steak. After the tiramisu and cannoli, we rolled ourselves out of there. Then we decided we were a couple of fat kids and had already had what would probably be the same steak as the next night and we ended up cancelling our Chops reservation. We both decided we could feel our arteries constricting. Sometimes, that healthy voice wins.

I know there are parts of the ship I'm neglecting but would you believe I'm tired of this tour? Let's go to an island instead!!

Oasis: Entertainment

OK, so we've eaten....again. Let it be known that you could never ever go go hungry on a cruise ship. Even the room service is included (although we did not take advantage of that this time.

Anyway, down on Deck 4 is the Entertainment Place!

Here is Studio B!

You can ice skate here if you want but I have weak ankles (not an excuse, just ask) so we were not interested in skating. If you want to skate, you have to wear long pants....just FYI.This is also where Quest takes place later in the week. If you haven't attended a Quest....just GO! You will laugh like you've never laughed before.

We did watch the ice show 'Frozen in Time' one time. It was cheesy but some of the jumps were impressive.

Also on Deck 4 is Casino Royale!!! Let the record show that I won $10 on penny slots. Unfortunately, John lost $20 on black jack so we did not come out ahead. But, it was a good way to kill a half hour. I wish I were more adventurous with gambling. Playing roulette for a couple hours would be fun....

High roller!

If you're looking for a laugh, look no further than Comedy Live! We made reservations for this show and it did not disappoint. I love comedy clubs! Some poor old lady was falling asleep in the front row. She was ridiculed big time. Sit further back if you don't want to be heckled.

Every night there is a show in the Opal Theatre that you should reserve ahead of time. They have the Broadway show 'Hairspray' which I LOVE! It's such a fun show. But, they also do other Royal Caribbean shows (boring) and the Love & Marriage show (Hilarious!)

Last but not least, a jazz club called Jazz on 4. Jazz is my least favorite music so we never went here. But....it exists if that's your thing.

You think you've been entertained? You ain't seen nothin' yet!

Oasis of the Seas, Part Two

When we last spoke, I was taking you on a tour of the biggest ship in the world! Let's press on, shall we?

There are several pools on the Oasis of the Seas - main pool, beach pool, sports pool, kids pool and the Solarium. Lots of hot tubs too, if that's your thing. There are plenty of lounge chairs but if you want a seat close to the pool, you'd better get there early. Likewise, if you think you're going to snag an umbrella at the beach pool, waking up with the sun is probably a good idea.

This is the only picture I got of the Beach Pool area. See the neat umbrellas? They gave a little shade which was nice. Otherwise, the chairs are in full sun. John will kill me for showing this picture of him chowing down on a fro yo cone. That's what he gets for not reading my blog.

This is part of the Kids Pool. Isn't it rad? There's also a mini lazy river in the back and water canons too. This ship was fun as an adult but it would be awesome for kids. Since we sailed in October, the kid number was lower than normal.

This is the Solarium. It's 16+ only so no kids running around being noisy. Although some of the drunk adults are just as loud as kids. All Royal ships have a Solarium and they're fabulous.....except for a big time flaw on this one. It's far too enclosed by glass. The others have a retractable glass roof and get plenty of air flow. This one does not retract. It was like a sauna in there!

Fruity drink overlooking calm seas on the most gorgeous day ever? Check!

We spent lots of time each day at the pool. You ARE in the Caribbean after all. But when we weren't swimming, I was being adventurous. Let's head over to the Sports Deck!

There are basketball courts, ping pong tables, two rock walls, a miniature golf course (That we never had time to play, dang it) and.....a ZIP LINE!

Look at my zip!

It's a short ride over the boardwalk a few decks below. 10 seconds or less and I was landing on the other end. The lines for this can be long. I would suggest getting there when their hours start for the day and you'll be zipping in no time.

The larger ships all have a Flowrider. Oasis has two! The Flowrider shoots water up at an incredible rate of speed and then you can surf on it or boogie board. I did neither. While I was waiting in line, I gathered tips from my fellow riders. They all assured me it was so easy, even the old fat man said so. The 60 year old woman in front of me did an awesome job. I had lots of confidence.

Then......I wiped out twice before I could even get down to the actual wave part. A staff member had to come help me. Actually, I was irritated he didn't help me from the start. It was clear I was struggling.

He suggested I try it on my stomach, which I didn't even know was an option. Sorry these are blurry. The lens fogged up in the humidity. But, I did it! Sort of.

To make wiping out all the more embarrassing, there are bleachers where other people can sit and watch all the Flowrider fun. That's where John took these shots from. Also, I recommend wearing a shirt and probably shorts if you have a two piece bathing suit. If you're a man, tie up those trunks. I saw a lot more crack than necessary on one of the guys. Not cool.

I'm glad I did it but I don't think I need to try the Flowrider again. I came away with bruised knees and bruised other areas too. That thing beat me up and also nearly drowned me. After my performance, John decided he'd stay dry.

OK - now that we swam and sported, let's eat!

On decks 4 and 5 you have the main dining room. I emailed Royal Caribbean ahead of the cruise to request a 2 person table. Typically, you will be paired with a table full of strangers. This can turn out fine, as in the case of our honeymoon cruise. We had wonderful tablemates and great conversation nightly. On our second cruise however, we had a bunch of duds. Our request was granted and we found ourselves at table 212.

Nice tan lines!

The service was impeccable but the food was just so so. The menus have been revamped in recent years but there were several nights we struggled to find something we really wanted to order. One of the standouts was Thanksgiving dinner on the last night. THAT was tasty. All the soups we tried were good as well. We had the late seating at 8:30 pm and while dinner can take awhile if you have a large table, we zipped in and out of there since it was just the two of us. Our servers knew what was up.

After you've stuffed yourself silly, it's time to go have some more fun right?

Right.

But I think that's a story for another day.

Recipe Reblog: Butterfinger Popcorn

Raise your hand if you still have candy left from Halloween? I erred on the conservative side in the amount of candy I purchased in case we didn't have many trick or treaters. We ended up with 35 kids! That's pretty good for our little house that's tucked all the way back in the neighborhood and for the weather being terrible. Still, we had 15 Butterfingers leftover and I did not want to sit there stuffing my face like a fat girl.

Enter.....

Butterfinger Popcorn: This recipe comes from Six Sister's Stuff and it was GOOD! Chopped up mini candy bars, although I suppose you could use regular size too. Microwave popcorn, melted butter and marshmallows. I ended up pressing it into a 9x13 pan and we all grabbed chunks as we liked. It never hardened and held a rice krispie treat-esque consistency. Luckily, we had John's parents in town to help us eat it because I would have eaten the entire pan. DELICIOUS!

Bad Monkey

Source

I needed a beachy read that didn't take much thought so I picked this up at the library before we left for the cruise. Yes, I could have loaded it on my Kindle but I didn't think the beach/pool would be very Kindle-friendly. Plus, it's hard to read in the sun.


Good Reads' Synopsis: "Andrew Yancy--late of the Miami Police, soon-to-be-late of the Key West Police--has a human arm in his freezer. There's a logical (Hiaasenian) explanation for that, but not for how and why it parted from its owner. Yancy thinks the boating-accident/shark-luncheon explanation is full of holes, and if he can prove murder, his commander might relieve him of Health Inspector duties, aka Roach Patrol. But first Yancy will negotiate an ever-surprising course of events--from the Keys to Miami to a Bahamian out island--with a crew of equally ever-surprising characters, including: the twitchy widow of the frozen arm; an avariciously idiotic real estate developer; a voodoo witch whose lovers are blinded-unto-death by her particularly peculiar charms; Yancy's new love, a kinky medical examiner; and the eponymous Bad Monkey, who earns his place among Hiaasen's greatest characters with hilariously wicked aplomb."

What I Thought: This was just okay for me but it was exactly the kind of mindless read I needed between people watching and enjoying some rays up on the pool deck. If you're a Hiaasen fan, you'll probably like this. It has his typical humor and likable protagonist. If you've never read him before, probably best to start elsewhere.



Rating: * * 1/2