Tag: Cheryl&steve

Inside Out on Utopia

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We recently sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas and because it was a fairly last minute decision to sail on a brand new ship, we decided to be economical and book an interior cabin.

Our thought process on booking cabins is this – if we are sailing with friends / family, are on a short trip with no sea days, or are sailing on a new ship, we generally book an interior room figuring we won’t be spending much time there. It essentially becomes a place to shower and sleep. If we are sailing for a longer period, one with sea days, and / or on a ship we’ve explored before, we typically go with a balcony or higher.

As this was our first sailing on Utopia (its 8th revenue sailing overall, I think) we knew we wouldn’t be spending time in the cabin very often. There would be lots to explore on this new ship. But when we got an email to RoyalUp and noticed the virtual balcony had a very low minimum bid, we decided to bid low and if we got it, score – it would be the first time we got to try it. If we didn’t, no big deal.

Three days before the cruise, we were notified that our bid of $40 per person had been accepted and our cabin was upgraded. For a total of $80 we were getting to see what the fuss about the virtual balcony was all about.

One of the first things we noticed while making our way to the cabin was its location. It was located fairly close to the elevator in the center of the forward of the ship, which turned out to be a rather quiet area. As it wasn’t part of the main hallway system, we didn’t have people walking by our door very often unless they, too, had a cabin in the area. Unlike the main hallways which tend to be used by people in search of the elevators, this area seemed to be traveled almost exclusively by those staying there.

Our lovely view!

The second thing we noticed was the parking lot. No, seriously. When we opened our cabin door, our first view was the parking lot! As the view used on the virtual screen was actually the view streamed via live feed from a camera on the outside of the ship near the bridge, it had a view of the parking lot. During the cruise itself, we often had water views or views of another ship while docked in port, but that initial image was amusing.

The overall effect of the virtual balcony was to open up the room and make it brighter and feel less confined. The screen has curtains as if it were a real balcony, and it was possible to close them in order to darken the room, which could become quite bright in the early morning.

As Steve might tell you, I can get a little “freaky” when it comes to having a balcony cabin. It weirds me out to have the curtains open when I’m inside, especially when we’re in port across from another ship. But honestly, I feel a little exposed if I’m partially clothed even if it’s just ocean outside the window. So the thing that took some getting used to was remembering that although I could see the couple across the way drinking coffee and the young girl sitting on her balcony taking selfie after selfie, they could not see me.

Utopia only does 3 and 4 days sailing, alternating between 3-day weekend and 4-day weekday cruises. As such, our weekend cruise definitely had a party vibe. The celebrations often went into the wee hours of the morning according to the Cruise Compass, Royal Caribbean’s activities guide for each sailing.

I have to assume they actually did go into the wee hours. As I’m not a night owl and need more beauty sleep now than ever, I rarely make it past 11 p.m. (and often even earlier). But with music, dancing, and even sporting events that could go late, there was potential for a lot of noise. We never heard any of it. It was truly a quiet part of the ship.

Bottom line, the price was right, the location was fantastic, and the virtual balcony made an interior room feel more open. If you’re looking to economize for reasons such as ours or one of your own, or for some other rationale such as not wanting access to an open railing, this really was a great room.

Although it isn’t one I would likely use too often, if I found myself in one again, I would be OK with it. It certainly brought the outside in or the inside out.

Until Next Time,

Cheryl & Steve

© 2024  First Time for Everything with Cheryl and Steve  All Rights Reserved

Slow Dancing with Sid

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There are countless reasons why I love to travel – history, architecture, nature, culture and the list goes on. But there’s another, less common rationale that ranks higher on my list than most typical tourists – critters.

This might be related to a migratory nesting place (such as when we traveled to Iceland and saw the puffins) or something on a smaller scale such as finding a honeybee collecting pollen in a random blossom. And as much as I love the soft, cuddly creatures, I’m also fascinated by the ones many people find unappealing. I’m that weirdo that gets excited when she spots a snake or a spider. What can I say? I’m a tomboy at heart.

When we booked a cruise that included the Honduran port of Roatán on its itinerary (technically an island), my one Must Do was to hang out with the sloths. I have long been enthralled with sloths and their sweet faces and slow-paced lifestyle (and have been pestering Steve about how I neeeeeeeded to interact with one for years now – can’t you just hear him rolling his eyes right now about all my incessant whining?).

As soon as I was able to, I booked an excursion to Daniel Johnson’s Monkey & Sloth Hangout. [The shuttle ride over was less than ideal; when the 6 and 9 year olds had to turn sideways to get on and off the bus, you know it was tight. This body had to do some serious maneuvering (and by maneuvering, I mean squeezing… a LOT of squeezing) to get through the “aisle”, and I use that term loosely (ironic given the non-existent “space” between the seats). I would have done almost anything to get to those sloths, though, and I think the shuttle company knew it!]

A sanctuary for the animals (and birds), the hangout was everything I had hoped from the experience. My one “complaint” was that it didn’t last all day! I could have been there for hours. That being said, we never felt rushed and the staff did their best to ensure that we spent a fair amount of time with the animals.

Although I tell anyone who will listen that “I got to hold a sloth!”, it was more that he held onto me. When interacting with the sloth, the staff have you stand and put your hands together like a sort of sling. They then place the sloth on your hands while it hangs onto you. (They mentioned something about how we were the sloth’s tree and I kept repeating in my head to “be a tree… be a tree…”.) We were told to stand still, but I’ll be honest, I couldn’t help swaying a bit (sort of like one does when holding a baby) but I rationalized it. Trees sway in the breeze, don’t they? Yeah… that’s it. I’m a tree in the wind. So I swayed, we danced, and I was in my glory.

While Sid (Sid the sloth! – I know… I know!) hung onto me, he slowly looked around at everything going on around him and even went nose to nose with me at one point. All the while, I grinned and smiled and teared up and made horrible “I can’t believe this moment is finally happening” faces. Clearly I was there for the experience rather than the Instagram moment, because I guarantee, those photos were not exactly social media worthy. I posted them anyway, goofy expressions and all, because it was a noteworthy moment even if it wasn’t an ideal photographic one. And although Steve was not as keen on this experience as I was, he enjoyed interacting with Sid all the same.

After the sloth encounter, our group removed any extras from our pockets and our persons that weren’t securely attached (purses, necklaces, keys, etc.) because we were headed into the capuchin monkey cage and those suckers are little pickpockets! Nothing was safe from their curiosity and we had heard tales of people being injured (having an earring ripped out) or robbed (who wants their wallet lifted by a teeny, tiny hand?) so it was safest just to remove as many temptations as possible. We did keep our cell phones and cameras but were warned to hang onto them!

We gathered in the large cage while the monkeys jumped from person to person – heads, shoulders, arms, nothing was sacred. They were fascinated by Steve’s tripod and camera and had zero respect for personal boundaries, slipping their hands into pockets to discover the treats the staff had snuck in a moment before.

We ended the experience in the macaw cage where a half-dozen or so of the colorful birds were hanging out. We got to interact with Froot Loop (or maybe it was Skittles… I don’t remember) who sat on our forearm while he (or she) waited for a treat. At one point the treat had been eating but s/he decided to see if my knuckle tasted as good. (I’m sure it didn’t.) Despite the expression on my face, which was one of delighted surprise rather than pain, it didn’t hurt.

For those of you who may be concerned about the animals’ wellbeing, please know that the Hangout is a sanctuary first and foremost. These are creatures that would otherwise likely not make it in the wild for whatever reason, and their health and welfare are top priority. These encounters help fund their care, and despite my personal desire to “hug a sloth”, I would not have participated in anything that endangered them.

Bottom line, if you, like me, have a thing for the furry, scaly, and/or feathered creatures, in general, or sloths, specifically, you may want to add Daniel Johnson’s Hangout in Roatán to your bucket list. It was worth the squishing and wedging it took to get there. I will forever remember my time with Sid fondly (sorry, Steve).

© 2024  First Time for Everything with Cheryl and Steve  All Rights Reserved

Nassau’s Little “World Famous” Corner

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If you’ve cruised more than once in the Caribbean, odds are fairly high that you’ve had a stop at the port in Nassau. With nearly 4.5 million passengers being welcomed to port last year, this small island in The Bahamas has certainly seen its share of tourists.

For those who have visited the stop more than once, it may start to lose its appeal. It did for us. After numerous sailings that included Nassau on its itinerary, we had gotten to the point where, unless we were traveling with others who had never been, we often stayed on board the ship to enjoy a less-crowded day.

That all changed one day about a year-and-a-half ago when we met a couple at one of the cruise ship’s bars following one such “stay on the ship while in Nassau” days. We were chatting about how we had spent the day when this couple told us something that changed our typical Nassau plans. “We usually get off just to visit Marshall.”

Intrigued, we wanted to know more. “Hmmmmm…. Marshall? Who’s that?”

Turns out Marshall is of “Marshall’s World Famous” fame. Marshall’s is a little drink shack on Junkanoo Beach, currently painted yellow, where the owner has been serving up adult beverages for 17 years from the same location. We were dubious about the “world famous” part but after hearing that he makes some of the best frozen cocktails in Nassau, we vowed that we would go look for him the next time we were in port.

We have since discovered that Marshall mixes up not only the Bahama Mamas for which he is notorious, but several other tropical delights, including the most incredible Banana Colada we’ve ever had! His drinks certainly pack a punch, too, as Marshall doesn’t skimp on the rum.

More than just his delicioust cocktails, though, Marshall himself is reason enough to go. He’s a character – sort of a Caribbean Soup Nazi (extra points for those of you old enough to recognize a Seinfeld reference). So when you go, don’t be timid about what you want to order; decide what you want before you get up to his open air window. And don’t ask too many questions, either. Doing either will likely earn you a bit of razzing.

To be fair, so will ordering one of the more “difficult” drinks. I often get scolded by Marshall when I order something with mango. That’s part of the charm. No matter how he ribs his customers, there are many like us who return again and again. He’s like that cranky uncle who is still way cooler than your other relatives because you know he doesn’t mean it and he’s really kindhearted underneath it all.

Whatever you order, know it will be fresh, delicious, and strong! Everything is made to order with fresh ingredients so don’t expect the transaction to be completed in 30 seconds. Take that time to chat with Marshall. He enjoys talking and can tell you about the history of the island, as well as its current events.

Things you should know before you go:

  • Marshall’s is roughly a 15 minute walk from the ship depending on where you’re docked. His shack is beachside of Bay Street, sort of diagonal from the Holiday Inn Express (you can see it on the lefthand side just past his place).
  • Bring cash. Marshall doesn’t take credit cards.
  • Frozen cocktails will typically run you from $12 to $16 per drink but you can also purchase bottled water, soft drinks, or beer.
  • Read the menu board out front for the drink options before ordering.
  • Seating is limited. There are only a few mismatched chairs outside his service window.
  • There are lounge chairs and umbrellas for rent on the beach in the front of his shack, if you want to stay for awhile.
  • Use caution. The Marshall’s experience can become addicting.

So the next time you’re in Nassau and are looking to simply get off the ship and get some exercise, take a stroll to Junkanoo Beach and say hello to Marshall. Tell him Cheryl & Steve sent you!

Who Are Cheryl & Steve?

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Born and raised in New England, we both relocated to Orlando, Florida at different times. Married since 2022, we have made a conscious effort to see as much of the world as possible. And we’ve gotten off to a great start! In the past several years we have been all around the Caribbean, Iceland, Amsterdam, the Grand Canyon and beyond, and have upcoming trips to the Mediterranean and Scotland and Canada… there are just so many places on our Travel Bucket List. We definitely keep our travel agent on her toes! [Shout out to Kathy Geiger of MEI Travel – she’s the BEST!]

We know trying something for the first time can be intimidating and you might wonder if you can even do it. I (Cheryl) wasn’t sure I would like cruising. I had visions of “old people” playing shuffleboard and fears of motion sickness. And as much as I enjoyed watching The Love Boat as a kid, I wasn’t sure that was the kind of vacation I wanted. Steve convinced me to try it, likening the experience to a moving hotel where you could visit more than one destination, but only have to unpack once.

Like me, maybe your hesitation to try something you’re not accustomed to could be that you don’t know where to start or that you think you’re too old, too shy, too inexperienced… whatever. We’ve been there (well… mainly me because I’m kind of a late bloomer in many ways).

Let me put some of those fears to rest; we’re not professionals (or even experts), so if we can do it, you can too! We are just an average couple doing all kinds of things for the first time and we want to share the experiences with others in the hopes that they will also expand their horizons and experience more of what life has to offer!

Travel (of any type, but especially cruises!), experiences, foods – there are so many adventures waiting in this world, each an opportunity to try something unfamiliar, yet exciting! We want to share some of our first time experiences so you know what to expect.

There’s a first time for everything… so, let’s go!

Cheryl (& Steve)