Fabulous Food

Many people already know that the food is included in your cruise with Royal Caribbean. The last cruise I was on was 12 years ago and I can still remember the food like it was yesterday!

Food options are abundant on the Allure of the Seas. Do you want to sit with only your family, enjoy the company of a large group or maybe you don't want to sit in the main dining room at all.

Here are some of the highlights I've found on the Allure of the Seas:

Main Dining Room:

Elegant and large, the main dining room is exquisite. Choices abound here and you can find rich delicious dishes as well as healthy options. If your traveling with children you can choose My Family Time dining and let the kids eat first then they are escorted to to Adventure Ocean Youth Program. Gone are the days of scheduling dining, with the My Time Dining option you can choose the time you will eat each day.


Specialty Resturants:

You can reserve your spot at a specialty restaurant before you even board the cruise ship. The restaurant food is still included in the price of your ticket, but seating is limited and reservations are encouraged. Alcoholic beverages are not included in the dinner but are available for an additional charge. (There may be a fee to reserve your table, I have not confirmed this as of yet).

Restaurants Available on the Allure of the Seas include: Chops Grill-Steak House,
Portofino- Mediterranean, Giovanni's Table, Solarium Bistro and 150 Central Park.

Character Dining:

The Allure of the Seas is a Dreamworks inspired ship. You will find the Dreamworks characters visiting morning breakfast buffets and the main dining area.

Mystery Dinner Theater:

Enjoy a multi-course meal while you take part as the cast of a murder mystery. Diner is full of laughs and mystery.

Cupcake Decorating Classes:

Visit the cupcake shop and sign up for free cupcake decorating classes. Of course, you get to keep your masterpieces when you are done with them!

Other Dining Awesomeness:

Starbucks, do I need to say more? Well if caffeine is not your cup of tea, try the Solarium Bistro, where you a feast under the stars. Vini d'Italia for seasonal Italian food and wine. Try Cafe Promenade for a late night snack including pizza or even cappuccino. A family favorite, Johnny Rockets, where you can enjoy classic hamburgers and malts. For pizza lovers, try Sorrento's. The best breakfast buffet can be found at the Windjammer Cafe.

Room Service:

Let's not forget the joy of ordering a pizza and having it delivered directly to your stateroom! Or order 4 pizza, what the heck. A large menu of available foods is listed in your stateroom and can be ordered free of charge to your room.

Beverages:

Coffee, tea, milk, lemonade and punch are provided for FREE. As well as top water.

Are usually part of your responsibility. But now Royal Caribbean has beverage packages available to purchase before your cruise. Soda packages, bottled water and specialty juice packages are available. Beverage packages are $6/day for adults and $4/day for kids

And let's not forget about the unstoppable Ice Cream flow that is available in several locations throughout the Allure of the Seas. Yes you can grab a quick Ice Cream cone at any hour of the day or night! Yum!

As you can tell, the food choices on the Allure of the Seas are next to nothing you will find on the seas. This Childhood Cancer Cruise is going rock our belts right off!

Getting in Shape for the Big Cruise

So you have decided to join us for the Childhood Cancer Cruise. We are 400 days away from that dreaded swimsuit!

Whether you have 50 pounds to lose or just want to tone up before the big event. We have the tips and tricks to get you to your goal before the big day!

Today's tip:

Cut out the Soda

Anyone who knows me knows I absolutely love a nice cold coca cola. I don't drink diet, I don't drink the zero calorie. I drink the old fashion high calorie Coke!

Well we have all heard the facts about soda drinking. It contributes to obesity, tooth decay, caffeine dependence and weakened bones :( Wow when you put it that way my ice cold Coke does not sound all that great.

So what is it that draws me/us to these beverages over and over? It's a combination of the carbonation, sugar and caffeine. The carbonation helps me burp, which helps my acidic stomach (or so it feels like). The caffeine gets me moving when I don't want to move. The sugar is just a general diet flaw I have. Put the three together and you have a recipe for added weight gain, caffeine lows and sugar fueled eating.

Changing from soda to water can drastically change your life. This includes diet sodas too! Yes even diet soda contributes to obesity and tooth decay (caffeine addiction unless you drink caffeine free).

So I challenge you today. Stop your soda drinking in preparation for this big cruise. See what it changes for you and your body. If you cannot totally cut out soda from your diet, try cutting your normal consumption into half, then down to one per day. Do what you can to make this small change on your road to a healthier you in 2011.

I'm off to drink an ice cold glass of water :) Let me know your progress on the soda reduction in your life!

This boat is so NEW...

This boat is so NEW...The Allure of the Seas has no official media pictures available yet from Royal Caribbean. WOW...

This boat is so NEW... the first official sailing has not taken place yet!

This boat is so NEW... only reporters and travel agents have been allowed on board yet.

But here are some videos from the boat courtesy of Royal Caribbean:







Click on these links to view Kathy Lee and Hoda from the Today Show!!!!



Check out this great MSN video: Royal Caribbean’s ‘alluring’ fare

Check out this great MSN video: Cruising for cocktails

Check out this great MSN video: ‘Alluring’ activities are fourth-hour fun

Planning of the Biggest Event EVER!

Soon after my son, Armstrong, was diagnosed with brain cancer I started to learn about the world of social support online. Unfortunately I was not able to totally master this availalbe support until near the end of my son's life. But when I did it was amazing.

Amazing that people who I have never met would send me a dollar to help pay my power bill.

Amazing that a woman I had only met one time would organize a vacation for my whole family when we did not get to go on our Make-A-Wish trip. (Thank you Mimi Avery!).

Amazing that when I could not bear to talk about Cancer and decided to build a well in Africa in my son Armstrong's name... I was able to do it!

And now...after participating as part of the 46 Mommas I am here... Trying to organize the biggest event I have ever been part of. I know I will need help... I know I will need support... and I know I can do this!!