Birthday 2013 - My Birthday

I had decided to start this day with the early morning flow-rider session. So I kept waking up in the night with my excitement to try it. At around 6, I just went ahead and got up. I wandered the ship for bit, and then went to have my usual breakfast in the MDR. My usual breakfast is the Classic Breakfast: two eggs, bacon and hash browns (little stack of griddle fried ones). I usually supplemented this with some the hash browns (triangular type) and the bacon from the hot buffet area. I did always start with the chocolate donut from the bread basket brought around as well.

I was near a window at breakfast as we docked, and could see some of the workers coming in.

It was fun how they would wave at the passengers as they went by the ship.

So then I went to the flow-rider. This was the Labadee day, even though I had decided I had no interest in going to the island. I just didn’t want a lay around the beach day for my birthday. So there was only this one person there for the advanced stand-up session that morning. In case you’ve ever wondered, the difference between advanced and not, is that for advanced you have to be able to get yourself going. For the regular, they help you onto it and let go when you get reasonably stood up and balanced. While the advanced time went by, I walked around some at the top.  The island was quite beautiful.

I did 4 tries at it. For the first I just have pictures that the other guy took for me.



First try didn't last very long, but the falls don't actually hurt much  at all even when they look bad.

For the subsequent tries, I realized I could set-up my camera on the 2nd level of the seating, so I have videos of these 3 even though the one of them is really blurry.  I compiled the videos into one.

I then went back to the room and the mom, who had already went and had breakfast by this time. We had pre-arranged this meeting plan. We went for a quick snack in the WJ as I was hungry after my flowriding efforts.  While there we watched them testing the lifeboats.



You can also see the waverunners in the top right corner of this photo.

We then back up to the sports deck to try the putt-putt. I did catch this photo of someone doing para-sailing.

We had a fun time doing the putt-putt.


I think this is one of my favorite picture of mom on the trip.

The putt-putt was much harder than I would have thought. The course takes all these turns and has some hard slopes to it. We actually decided that if we hit the metal on the cup, then that counted.  It was fun though, even though it was really hot out there too.

We then went down to deck 4 I think, and just relaxed and read in a lounge to cool off. I think I took a short nap here as well.

We then went for my planned birthday lunch at Johnny Rockets. It was fun and great.

This was one meal where mom indulged. We started with the fries and onion rings, and the waiter made the ketchup smiley face. I had the double cheese burger, and mom had boca burger (still behaving some even while indulging). We both then had hot fudge and oreo sundaes.



Notice the beauty of Labadee behind us

We had originally planned to use our C&A coupon for a BOGO shake for each of us, but we were both so full after the meal that we didn’t have it. We had intentions of returning to have it later in the cruise, but we never did.

We then went for relaxing some in the solarium. The ship was filling up with people again by this time. So we eventually decided to go back to the room for a nice birthday nap.

I then went to try the boogie boarding. Mom went with me this time, and took pictures and a video.

Due to the sun position, she couldn’t really see the screen for the video, so I’m only on screen some of the time.

I was surprised to find that I like stand-up surfing better. The boogie boarding was just more of a ride, and one that was somewhat painful to the legs. Whereas the stand-up surfing, you’re actually having to do something for it. I just find it more fun.  Maybe next year if I can manage to get up to my knees while on it, then I might like it better.
We then got dressed in our dinner clothes and went to the Crown & Anchor event with announcements about Quantum. Here I had my first drink of the night. Not sure what it was, but it was pretty good. And I really enjoyed hearing about the newly announced features of Quantum. I most likely won’t be able to afford a cruise for a number of years, but it looks great to me.

Between this event and dinner we went to the helipad briefly.  Someone had thrown up on the helipad, so they didn't let us stay long as they were closing it down for cleaning.

We then went for a walk around the outer edge of the ship along deck 4.

Then finally it was late enough for dinner.  For dinner, we asked for different waiters yet again and preferably near a window for my birthday. And we finally got a good waiting team.



This is Sudhan.  I forgot to get a picture of Florentina until the last night when I only had my iPhone with me.

We were pretty sure they were good just after arriving. Almost every night, I would go to the Freestyle machines before dinner and get caffeine free sodas for each of us. I had forgotten to on this night with having just done the walk around the ship. Florintena, our wonderful main waitress, had Sudhan, our assistant waiter go to the freestyle machine for me. I wasn’t expecting or asking for this. I had just been explaining why I didn’t the other drink options because of their caffeine. I actually tried to say no, when she was sending him. She insisted. We asked to have them for the rest of the cruise and did.


I loved my view for my birthday dinner.

For the appetizers, it was shrimp cocktail again for mom and the spinach dip for me. For entrees, shrimp goza for mom without the ponzu sauce (no trouble with special ordering).  She had had all the shrimp she wanted for a month though after this night. I tried the pork dish but only liked the crab on top, so I then had the lamp chop instead, which was very good. No luck with the sugar free dessert for mom. I just wasn’t good so she only had like a bite. I ordered both the warm chocolate cake and the meringue kiwi-strawberry, cake had 3 candles and came with the singing of the birthday song by several waiters.

The cake was okay, but the meringue (not pictured) was very good.

Next up was the Drew Thomas Now You See It show. We loved Drew Thomas on AGT, and he was even better in person. He did some of the same tricks as he had on the show. For the most part, even though I was on the front row with a great view, I had no idea how 90% of it was done. So in summary, it was a very awesome show.

It was a very good birthday and I was now thoroughly tired out and headed off to bed to find a new towel animal, a rabbit