Boarding Royal Caribbean Radiance

The next morning, we play in our yurt, get packed up again and head

out to the meeting spot as if we’re going on another tour with Major Marine but just happen to have all of our bags with us. He stops at several little campsites and RV places and we pick up people and are able to get into town, check our bags with the hotel again and stroll around town to get breakfast, complete Oscar’s Junior Ranger badge for Kenai Fjords National Park and then make our way on foot to the dock. We’re pulling our luggage with us, which John knows I hate, but it’s not raining,

there are sidewalks all the way out and it’s not that bad a trudge. Even better, when we get to the port, there is no one else there checking in practically. Royal Caribbean had set up times for everyone to check in and while we’re a little early for our check in time, there is no one in line. So, we walk right in, show them our passports, our negative tests, get our room assignment and get on the ship. And it’s time to get into the rooms at the time we get one. Oscar is astounded. This is his 4 th cruise,

but he doesn’t remember the first three because they were in 2018 and before. He thinks this ship is “class”, “first class” as we walk through the atrium, down to our state room, past guest services, and get Oscar signed up for kids’ club. We check out the pools, went to the cinema and watched Big Miracle which made us all cry. We keep getting all these intercom messages about people needing to check in with their muster stations and I’m a little appalled at how many and why people

   are not wanting to just get this done. Have they seen Titanic? Do they know what happens when you take safety at sea for granted? We’re up on the promenade deck for sail away, but no one else seems to be there….probably because it’s raining again. The party is going on in the atrium where it’s warm and cozy and it’s a dance party for a pretty much over 60 crowd. Oscar takes the dancefloor though and is the only one out there trying to give the dance instructor some help. He gets asked to give his name on over the microphone and feels like a rock star. Everyone thinks that he is “living his best life” because he doesn’t care that he’s the only one out there. I join him occasionally when there is some dance song that is good, but otherwise, he would stay out there all night on his own. So, a good first night on the ship.