RCL - ODYSSEY

04/14/23 - 04/22/23

DAY 1

Day 1 - Our flight was scheduled for an early 7:20 AM departure. We always like to get one of the first flights out, as it is less likely that your flight will be delayed due to traffic or a late inbound aircraft. Today, we weren't so sure! FLL had been closed the previous day due to flooding and was not officially opening until 9:00 AM. Luck came our way, as the airport reopened and we departed on schedule. In just under 3 hours, we arrived in South Florida and headed directly out of the airport (if you can do carry-ons only - it saves so much time!). A quick Uber ride and we headed straight to the pool deck for lunch and a swim at the beautiful W Fort Lauderdale. After a little bit of relaxing, we headed up to our room, where we were surprised with an awesome sweeping balcony room (Upgrade!) with amazing views of the beach! A little unpacking time and then it was off to a local Italian restaurant that little Michael picked for a fantastic first dinner.

DAY 2

Day 2 - We woke up to a bright, sunny day and decided to have breakfast on our large balcony. As the sun rose, it warmed up quickly, so we headed to the hotel's quiet pool in the back of the hotel. We were first in and had the entire pool to ourselves for a little bit. When we needed a little break, we walked on the beach for a bit and picked up some snacks and drinks for our cruise stateroom. After our walk, big Mike checked out the main pool, but with a concert in town, the hotel was hosting a party and it was a bit wild! Think DJ and free sample shots! So, we returned to the quiet pool bar for lunch! More our speed! After a bit more outside time, we headed to the room to relax and organize all our stuff for tomorrow's big adventure! We ended the night with Mexican take-out from El Vez, the hotel's signature restaurant, and enjoyed it while watching the sunset.

DAY 3

Day 3 - It's almost sailing time! Today, we board one of Royal Caribbean's newest ships, the Odyssey of the Seas. During your online check-in process days before, we obtained a ship boarding time of 12:30 PM, so we enjoyed some more time at the hotel in the morning. Karen and little Michael found a great bakery for our last breakfast on the balcony and then the two Michael's headed to the main pool for a final swim! Around check-out time, we headed to Port Everglades and checked in. Check-in was super easy and before we knew it, we were exploring the ship, which was amazing! We checked out some of its main decks, got lunch, and even did the "North Star" which is a 300-foot raised capsule that gives you a bird's eye view of the entire ship! Now, it was time to join the sail away party and start our exciting journey South.

DAY 4

Day 4 - Our first full day was a planned "Day at Sea". The ship was sailing about 500 nautical miles south to Georgetown, Grand Cayman. After breakfast at their main buffet, we hit the pool deck for some outside time! This ship holds over 6,000 people including guests and crew and never really felt crowded (outside the main pool deck). Luckily we found a nice spot to sit for the morning. Then it was time to explore. The ship had everything from a rock climbing wall to bumper cars to an arcade to a sports bar. It was massive. Little Michael enjoyed the unlimited pizza! Food and drink are definitely plentiful on a cruise! Around 3:00 PM, it was BINGO time and a visit to the Bionic Bar, where a robot bartender prepares your drink! What will they think of next? We headed to the main dining room for dinner tonight and enjoyed dinner while reviewing our amazing first day!

DAY 5

Day 5 - So today, we made it to Grand Cayman! ...but maybe not. When we woke up we were in beautiful Georgetown Harbor. As we headed to breakfast the captain came on the PA warning of potential delays getting off the boat. In Grand Cayman, there is no dock for large cruise ships, so you take a small boat from the ship to shore. Unfortunately, due to a storm the previous night, they could not "tender" in, so the stop was eventually canceled. A bit of a disappointment, but to RCLs credit, they announced an additional day at sea and had all the amenities, (bars, restaurants, pools, etc.) open by 10 AM. We hung out by the pool viewing a very funny belly flop contest, checked out the arcade, took in another game of Bingo, and of course got some pizza! They made the best of it!

DAY 6

Day 6 - Today, we arrived in Falmouth, Jamaica. A port with a major dock! Yea! Originally we had planned a beach day at Grand Cayman, but with the cancelation of that port stop, we shifted our plans to Jamaica. The shore excursions desk helped us with planned transfers to a local beach about 15 minutes from the port. After breakfast, we headed off the boat, did a little shopping in the port area, we like to pick up local Christmas ornaments from all our trips, and then were on our way to a local beach. We grabbed some chairs and enjoyed the Jamaican sun, water, music, and food! After a few hours, we returned to the ship for a quick beer at the sports bar! At departure time, we had some drinks and snacks on our room balcony and watched the shoreline fade away as we left Jamaica behind.

DAY 7

Day 7 - Today was the 2nd planned "at sea" day. We were now sailing from Jamaica to a private island in The Bahamas. Before the cruise, we had signed up for a comprehensive ship tour starting at 9:30 this morning. We met our group and tour guide at the shore excursions desk and were given a thorough 2+ hour walkthrough of the ship. It was really amazing. We saw the bridge, (where the ship is steered), the engine room, the kitchen, laundry, recycling rooms, and even a main staff pathway, appropriately named I-95. You would not believe how much food they have stored and how much technology is running the ships day to day operations. After the tour, we hung out on the pool deck for a few hours and had a planned Italian dinner at Giovanni's, one of the ship's specialty restaurants. It was delicious!

DAY 8

Day 8 - Today was our planned "Perfect Day at Coco Cay"! Coco Cay is a private island in The Bahamas owned by Royal Caribbean. It's really impressive. It houses acres and acres of beaches, pools, outside grills, and in the center a thrilling water park. There was one additional RCL ship in port with us, so we started early and hit the water park first. We all enjoyed the crazy slides, especially the ones you ride together in a giant family raft. After the slides, we explored the wave pool, the main pool (party vibe), and a few of the beaches. RCL did a great job with this island and even with nearly 10,000 people using it, it never felt very crowded. Around 4 PM, everyone was to make their way back on board. It was so much fun, we may have been convinced to stop by the "Next Cruise" desk on board! Stay tuned!

DAY 9

Day 9 - Our fun-filled cruise has come to an end! By 6:00 AM the ship was docking back in Florida. Due to the very quick turnaround for the next cruise, they ask that you are off the ship by 9 AM. We run pretty early, so we woke up, grabbed some breakfast, and did our final packing up and were heading off around 8 AM. Exiting the ship was pretty simple as well. Just scan your ID card one last time and you are back on land! Our flight wasn't until late, so we decided to get a room at the Le Méridien Hotel near the airport. It worked out great. They let us into a room super early and we had a place to enjoy the pool, eat lunch, shower and relax before the flight home. This hotel also offered a free shuttle to the terminal, which was very helpful! By 5 PM, it was time to check in for our flight, and a few hours later we were back in Boston! Let the countdown to the next cruise begin (RCL Icon 04/2025)!