MisterMet

12 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

Ooops, sorry we missed this early question. 

 

As noted in the OP, we've sailed 80+ weeks at sea since 2008 (and none 2020-December 2023). We used the Infinite Veranda "more" than all of the balconies on all of the other cruises on all of the ships combined.

 

We're thinking aloud as to why?

 

PROS

 

We used the IV essentially "in lieu of" the sofa and sofa area.  Since we favor the bed by the glass towards the ocean, the sofa area is sort of a 'staging area' for our clothes from the day, new clothes, and dressing. When one showered and dressed the other would read the Kindle or the d-News, Sports, Politics (Ugh) in the IV.

 

Felt like more space.

 

If ready early for the night, we'd stick to our plan and sit in the IV and have a glass of champagne and/or pinot noir.

 

When I would go for a daily 1-1.5 hour walk on the track DW sometimes choose to read in the IV. Again, especially on those 'sea days'  or 'other factor days' where the Solarium would be packed and 'toweled up' and we weren't going there.  Those were "let's tour the ship" days!

 

There was NO ~

 

~ smoke (pick a type 😲) from other balconies.

 

~ noise from other balconies.

 

~ bugs and such (mostly at ports was the concern).

Thanks for that great detailed response. I really like how you felt you utilized the space because of the bed next to the window. We are really looking forward to our cruise on Beyond.  Thanks for a great review.

22 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

Yep, it is certainly awesome and we too wish we were still on board.

 

It was only our 2nd post-pandemic cruise, our first Edge Class and the cruise was special.  The demographics of the passengers on Celebrity (did Silhouette in December '23) and on this cruise appear to trend to a good balance of cruise passengers with regard to courtesy, demeanor, respect and consideration (and friendliness). The design of this ship class, especially the significant number of venues and seating arrangements, we believe contributed to social interaction with other couples and groups quite a bit. Met a lot of really decent people, sat together for hours, waved and chatted upon sight around the ship thereafter and welcomed to sit (for lounge social or dining) regularly.

 

We tried for 3-days during the cruise to get on the ship (stay on the ship) for this week also and nothing opened up at all down at the future cruise desk or online. 

Thanks for this review. Excellent insights and pics. Never been on Edge class before.  Sailing Beyond in August so this is truly helpful.  Tell me more why you liked the Infinite Verandas so much?

2 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

Thank you Trip!

11 months to go before our next cruise but we have Germany to plan for. Have you sailed HAL?

When do you sail next?

Norris

We are trying to work out this plan:  August 3-10 on Enchanted Princess to Eastern Caribbean, and Celebrity Beyond August 10-18 to ABCs.  I haven’t  been on a Royal Class ship yet(Pam has) and neither one of us has been on an Edge Class ship yet.  Mini Suite Club Class on Princess, and Infinite Veranda on Beyond.  Figure we have to see if the IV is something we will like(something about contempt prior to investigation keeps popping into my head).  We have some nice benefits on both lines (Pam is Platinum on Princess and we both are Elite on Celebrity).  We’ll be able to pop on lots of onboard credit to both sailings via branded credit cards as well.
 

I think we can swing it if we get someone to watch our Golden Retriever Graziella (Grazie) for those two weeks+.  We may also have committed to a trip out west to Idaho/ Yellowstone, but may push that off a couples of years.  Never done side by side before and the ships are intriguing. It also gives me a chance to do some comparative reviews for CC.
 

Pam sailed Holland America about 30 years ago, but hasn’t recently.  I have yet to sell Holland America.  We haven’t really looked into them yet.  We love Celebrity, and think Princess is very good too..  Perhaps we should look into HAL as well?  I think part of the reason we haven’t looked at HAL yet is that Pam wasn’t in their demographics when she sailed with them.  Now we’re both in their target market.  I am looking forward to hearing what you think about HAL.

I’ve truly enjoyed being on the journey you and Carol have brought us all on  during this review.  Judging by the comments on these pages, so have many others!

Give the cats a scratch from us,  Travel safely to Germany.

Trip and Pam

4 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

December 31 2023 and we are up at 5 a.m and at breakfast by 7. A nice quiet table in an alcove. The restaurant is called Riva and has a buffet plus a menu to order from.

We choose the menu. Standard and hearty American breakfasts with yogurt, toast, bagels, eggs, fresh squeezed OJ and drinkable but not great coffee.

 

Our flight boards at 11.30 so we are in a Lyft at 8.30 as we take no chances. A new batch of ships are in port but I don't stop to take photos. We check our luggage curbside at United and pass through a busy security using our TSA Pre line. We trudge to the United Club which is so packed we can't sit together. There are a number of kids in this too small club  but luckily after 45 minutes of making their presence known they are on a flight to Pittsburgh and sanity reigns again. 

 

We have a smooth flight home

 

 

about 2.5 hours later the scenery changed

snow on the rooftops

 

 

 

The jet bridge was so cold compared to the Florida one. A Chicago winter-welcome slap in the face. Luggage arrived safely and briskly and soon we were in a swift taxi to downtown Chicago and home where two cats were about to get a surprise.

 

 

 A massive feast of Asian food (Chinese and Thai) was ordered from a restaurant called Big Bowl and after scoffing some of that we celebrated our return to the cats and the coming of the New Year.

 

Next day I went down with Covid!

 

Next cruise journal Jan 1 2025. HAL Rotterdam Christmas Cruise to Southern Caribbean December 20 to 29. Our first Holland America cruise. Neptune Suite

 

Thanks to everyone who read and commented!

Norris and Carol

Brilliant as always!  Stay warm.  Looking forward to the next GSJ as well as your HAL experiences.  Hi to Carol.

On 1/16/2024 at 8:02 PM, Bimmer09 said:

Back to the ship

 

 

a quaint little town that smells of success

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love downtown Georgetown.  We like to snorkel at Eden Rock Dive Center right in tow.  Great place to snorkel with excellent views of the ships at anchor.   

On 1/16/2024 at 7:21 PM, Bimmer09 said:

 We ate up in that open air section of the Boathouse Grill. It had a huge indoor area too.

There was a little dog under someone's table who went postal when we walked in to take our table. I think his name was "Little Yappy" and he was all bark and no trousers as they'd say in Yorkshire, where the puddings come from.

 

The view from our table

 

There's only one thing that can make this view pop even more.....

 

some good crusty bread and a baked head of garlic while we wait

 

Food was ok-think Applebee's level. Location and view great. I would return. 

 

My needs are always simple.  Fish and chips

 

and Carol's mahi mahi (sorry for repeating myself) fish tacos

Norris,

We ate at that spot on my first cruise back in 2005 on my first cruise ( Carnival).  I don’t know if it’s the same restaurant, but I vividly remember that view. Location, location, location.  Too bad the food wasn’t on par with the view

On 1/12/2024 at 11:01 AM, Bimmer09 said:

We're going back through the canal

 

 

We left the lake behind

 

 

The tug draws us in

 

 

The ship will be secured to some of the yellow bollards once in position

 

 

The sheltered bow on deck 8- a superb Grand Class feature

 

 

 

I went back to our balcony to get a shot of the tug at the stern

 

 

 

Man Norris!  This looks so cool!

3 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

I recall saying adios to the bartenders at Tradewinds before dinner

Lester and Sanjay

 

and walking down our beloved Promenade Deck

 

After dinner we wound up in Club Fusion which is two decks below our cabin for another exciting heat of the Voice of the Ocean

 

The Bar

 

We heard a singer tonight with great potential. Nick from Boston. After a slow start Alejandro managed to scrape together 10 singers to entertain and amuse us.  Bed by 10.30 as we had a canal to gaze at in the morning.

Looking forward to the canal pictures.  The Canal cruise is definitely on my bucket list!

On 1/7/2024 at 8:22 PM, cruzintiger said:

Thank you! We are 3 pts from Elite and sail the end of May! Hopefully there will be an opportunity before then,

Probably like 3 or 4 chances to get the required points.  The laundry perk is great.  The others are ok.  Also try the Elite Breakfast.  Nice and relaxing.

1 minute ago, Bimmer09 said:

It's a tale of two cities unfortunately. The Miami style residential areas and the gritty poverty and trash heap-town for those less fortunate. I'll have some out the bus window shots during our excellent excursion coming up next. 

The divide between rich and poor is a very wide one. These white towers are all from the past 25 years and far be it from me to suggest that drug money might have been  used in their purchase. 

Great comment!

Norris

Thanks for the description.  Looking forward to seeing your great photos.  Well done as always.

40 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

EYE CANDY

 

 

 

 

 

MORE...

Norris,

It seems that Cartagena has a Miami vibe to it from the looks of all those high rises?  They seem to be right on the water, kind of like the sail out from Port Miami past Miami Beach.

1 hour ago, Deck Chair Queen said:

<< It seemed like a shanty town backin 1986.>>

 

Carol here, aka DeckChair Queen. I’m here to speak up for Ocho Rios in the sixties. I am officially half Jamaican as my mother hailed from Kingston born of many generations of Jamaicans. It’s a long story but many Spanish and Portuguese Jews ended up in the West Indies in the diaspora. I have relatives buried in the Falmouth cemetery, my cousin tells me. I spent all my childhood and teenage summers in Kingston in the fifties and sixties visiting my grandmother and relatives. We would often rent a house near Ocho Rios for a beach vacation. I remember fondly the incredible natural beauty, great street food, and the warm and funny inhabitants. My biggest disappointment about our cancelled excursion was missing a chance to eat homemade Jamaican food at the Great House near Falmouth. Seeing the lovely Konokos gardens compensated to some extent (they were too far from Falmouth but changing ports made them accessible). By the way, I don’t have Covid yet but it’s nearly inevitable that I will—impossible to isolate in a loft. 

Carol,

Must be great to get back to an ancestral home every now and then.  Got to Ireland twice.  Still need to get to Slovakia (I know, a horrible combination😆😆)

Love it when we get to hear from you too for your thoughts.  

4 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

 Good question.

I read many of the cruise boards to keep in touch and because I am curious. We have already sailed 3 lines that we like (and will sail again). I am keen to add another while we are in cruise-mode.

I watch a lot of videos from cruisers, having my own favorites, some professionals like Gary Bembridge and others who are folksy couples who like cruising (Cruising Canucks, Paul and Carol Brits) many more..

HAL has a lot of positive reviews and when ti comes to food many glowing ones. Stunning variety especially in Far East cuisine. Plus the Dutch food angle too. All the usual Anglo and European dishes.

 

The have 3 new ships within the past 5 years which caught my attention. We are already booked on the Nieuw Statendam in June 2025 for 14 days from Rotterdam to the Arctic Circle and back via Scotland.

That gets us back to Amsterdam for 4 days.

 

Their entertainment isn't as varied or traditional song/dance as Princess but they have a great piano bar, a BBKing Blues Club and a Rolling Stone Rock Room, some classical strings now and then and a state of the art 270 degree 4K screen set up for dance acts enhancement, lectures and presentations. They have a fantastic Crow's Nest with panorama windows looking over the bow and giant interactive screens for planning your destination visits. Plus the usual bars and eateries all over the place incl a very popular Dive In burgers bar, made a la minute.

 

Big Boon-each ship has a retractable roof over the pool. I'm tired of wearing a coat in the Caribbean.

 

Gorgeous decor, lots of art (Like X) comfy cabins, many Philippine staff. 150 years experience at sea.

In short -a lot that we like for less than Celebrity.

For Christmas we are booking a suite that has about 700 sq ft balcony space wrapping around the back and the side. Private restaurant for breakfast and dinner. Free booze and snacks in a concierge lounge-like Michael's on Celebrity.

 

It's a well-researched leap of faith just like we once did with Princess, then with X, then with Azamara.

YouTube is my friend.

Norris

Thanks for the insight.  Pam has sailed with HAL many years ago.  Said the demographic wasn’t for her.  Now that we’re in that particular demographic, it might be time to try them (again in Pam’s case).  

36 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

Trip I would hate to miss the Beyond to the ABCs. You read my Apex GSJ-impressive ship especially Eden and Gateway Destination (Home Runs).

We have pencilled in a HAL Rotterdam that hits Aruba on Christmas Day 2024. Would be our first HAL and are looking at an aft Neptune Suite.

Where would the land vacation potentially be?

Oh- 2nd Covid for me, both after cruises/flights/packed hotels

Norris

Might go to see our former next door neighbors.  They moved back to Boise.  Might turn into a Yellowstone visit.  Pam is the ultimate arbiter.  So far I’ve been lucky only having C-19 once.  Guessing my turn in the barrel will come soon 😕😕

The HAL thing intrigues me.  What brought you to that?  Interested to hear.  Hi to Carol

33 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

Trip, bless me barnacles! Welcome.

Glad you could join us on this as I want you to see the canal especially! That's a few days away- we got on the ship on a Wednesday and I didn't see the canal until the Monday after. Hang in there.

I got a delivery of Paxlovid today and it's a 5 day course so I should be well out of the Covid weeds by Monday.

Good to have you aboard!

Norris

Norris

Sorry you have the crud again.  How many times now?  Pam and I always enjoy hearing of yours and Carol’s adventures.  We THINK we will be doing our first side by side this summer on Enchanted Princess (7 nt) to the Easter Caribbean and The Beyond (8 nt) to the ABCs.  Might ding one of them for a land vacation.  
 

We’ll be following along closely.  We hope that you and Carol will have a healthy and happy new year. Feel better my friend..

Trip

On 1/1/2024 at 3:29 PM, Bimmer09 said:

Le Menu

For those of you unfamiliar with my Gentleman's Seafaring Journals, or Gerbils as AI would have it, I have a full range of delights in store There's always;

FOOD PORN. Each meal is photographed lovingly and the food is identified and critiqued.

SHIP PORN.  I roam each vessel and show you the rooms I get to. One might be your hideaway...

SKY PORN.   I was the guy you saw getting excited over a sunset or a cloud formation.

EXCURSION PORN. We are not "ship stayer-onners". We get off and go see something .

SHOW PORN. We go to the shows and watch comedians and karaoke singers

PHOTO PORN. I take lots of photos of where we are and what we are doing.

CANAL PORN. I was especially happy to see this canal and take photos of it.

VIDEO PORN. I spent a small fortune on a 4 K Sony camcorder and you are the first to see the pics/movies.

 

Everything is chronological. We'll get to the Ruby when we board. I will answer questions if asked  and comment freely Good Bad or Ugly on anything we experienced.

As always I am guided by the note keeping of the trustworthy Deck Chair Queen.

 

As always there is a cyber all you can drink fully stocked bar (top shelf-no crap). My prices don't change with the wind, like a Celebrity Drinks Package, but are free. You're welcome.

 

Norris

 

Along for the ride as always!

Trip

1 hour ago, Bimmer09 said:

Hi, my latest review is now underway on the Princess Board

Hope you can pop over and say Hi

Norris

See you there my friend!

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Well it is time to wrap up this Live Post.

 

I wanted to thank each and everyone that have been along for the Journey.   I've enjoyed our conversations and enjoyed hearing from many that contact me directly.  

 

I often hear from folks that are uncomfortable posting on Celebrity due to the attacks and remarks from some posters.   I hope my live reviews feel like a safe place where any and all polite comments are welcomed 

 

We arrived yesterday around 9:00 AM to beautiful Blue Skies and mild temperatures.  

 

I did get 8  hours sleep on the plane but was still suffering jet lag.   I took a 1 hour nap around noon and barely stayed awake until 9:30 PM.  

 

I came down with "Cruise Cough" the day before the end of the cruise and it only got worse during the flight home.     I knew it was a matter of time before we caught  it as people were hacking and coughing throughout the ship and on all the excursions. 

 

I took a TheraFlu (Nighttime) before dead and was in shock when I awoke and looked at the clock.   It was 10:30 AM.      Iain of course greeted me with "Good Afternoon",   I was going to check if you were still breathing,    He then confessed he had not awaken until 10:00 himself.  

 

I did my short walk (5 miles) this afternoon as I didn't want to push it.    I'm feeling really loopy and disorientated but that is common of Jet Lag.   

 

I wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas  and Happy New Year.  

Jim

What a great adventure and review.  Hope you and Iain have a Great Holiday Season and New Year.

Trip and Pam

18 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

At the end of sound Edge did a 360 at Stirling Falls.   Incredible!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gorgeous 

On 12/17/2023 at 12:42 AM, Jim_Iain said:

Olveston House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iain looks like he’s ready to move right on in!  Great pics Jim.

19 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Really no comparison so far.   They are both unique in their own way.   Australia and many of the city are so much larger than those of Australia.

 

I was saying today that Sunnyvale is almost 3 times the population of Napier but Napier is much more commercially developed while Sunnyvale has a very high density.

 

 

Thanks Jim

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Looking forward to Napier.     Our tour is suppose to include a "Drive Through" the Art Deco area.     We took a ships excursion because of such a short stop --  10:30 AM to 3:30 PM. 

 

Looks like a beautiful day with a high expected of 73 F.     Nice blue skies and the winds have subsided.

Jim, now that you and Iain have been to both Australia and New Zealand, do you prefer one to the other or are they so different that there’s no comparing the two?  Just wondering.  Have enjoyed following along with this great adventure.  Thank you for taking all of us along with you and Iain.

Trip and Pam

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Did a short video of our Royal Suite.  Some how a couple other shot also were loaded. 
 

My first use of iMovie on my phone. 
 

 

Wow

On 12/3/2023 at 3:34 AM, Jim_Iain said:

Geeze ======The toilet just started gurgling and sputtering and water shooting in the air.   Thank goodness no one was sitting on it would bring new meaning to a Bidet. 

 

Just called room attendant to disinfect the wash room.  At least in the CS it is a different room than the rest of the bathroom.   

 

Iain was in the shower at the time and I yelled in What the Hell are you doing...  LOL

I would’ve yelled the same thing😲

On 12/2/2023 at 6:47 PM, Jim_Iain said:

I mentioned the monitors on the bus.  
 

I like that idea.  Pam and are are both short.  We miss all the parades unless we’re in them😆😆