Stem to Stern

7 hours ago, abbydancer2003 said:

assuming on 2 of our three upcoming cruises we get Go Green

Last week when I was on board I asked our stateroom attendant to confirm our Go Green registry.  He did not have us down as Go Green and suggested I visit Guest Relations.  Guest Relations confirmed no Go Green, so the young lady made a note in her diary to register us for it.  We shall see when the points post.  This would be a first snaffu for us with this program.  This is also the first time I did not receive the email invite for the PUPs webinar.  But I see here that I am far from alone.

3 hours ago, 1Virgo said:

Thought there d be more about the Fijords, not the hype about Celebrity  Cayo island thing.    Just watching that segment was a turn off about it

What is Celebrity Cayo?  I must have missed that part.  I hope it’s not another private island of upsells.  No PUPs email received here either.  Received two other Celebrity emails today.  I just watched it for both of us just like last time.  Last time DH did not get his PUPs but I received mine.

We quickly arrived at the entrance of Hato Caves for the first leg of our afternoon excursion.

 

We were turned over to our cave tour guide for a brief introduction.  
 

 

Then he began to lead us on the climb up the stair steps to the cave opening.

 

 

 

 

 

These caves were a bit different than most in the fact that they are above ground level giving visitors zero reprieve from the Southern Caribbean summer heat.  But there were a number of standing fans that helped when we were fortunate enough to stop in front of one while on the walk.

 

 

 

The grounds of the nature park offered restroom facilities, a place to purchase cold beverages, and excellent views of the Caribbean Sea.

 

 

 

The landscape is desert like here, but overall much greener than Aruba or Bonaire.  
 

 

After one last long stare at the beautiful water and once we were all loaded back on the bus we headed back into Willemstad via the Queen Juliana Bridge which dropped us back into the Punda side of town.
 

 

But not before catching a few glimpses of the ship.

 

QJB is the tall modern looking bridge seen in the distant background of many shots of Willemstad.  

 

And not to be confused with the older, more notable, floating Queen Emma Bridge also known as “Swinging Old Lady.”  Here she is in the swung position which was a first for us.  In the past we have arrived to find her in the crossable position.

 

 

 

 

 

Here was the opportunity a couple of fellow tour-goers took to ditch the tour.  They ducked down this walking street.  I’m sure they saw cold beverages in their futures.

 

But we persevered as our guide filled our heads with more local historical facts.

 

Next we came upon Swinging Old Lady in the swung position to allow the passage of this ginormous oceangoing vessel.  DH in the foreground getting his shot.😂

 

 

Our guide walked us down the block into the parking lot of the Governor’s Palace and Fort Amsterdam.  I am not sure if this was intentionally part of the tour or an unintentional detour because of the inability at that moment to cross the Queen Emma.
 

 

 

I don’t like pictures of parking lots, so here is my cropped pics of the Fort and a license plate.😂

 

 

Back to the bridge where our guide seemed to confer with local park bench occupiers.  These idle moments gave us the opportunity for more pics.  The resulting consensus was that there was more water traffic coming and the old lady wasn’t going to be swinging back into position anytime soon.

 

So, off we went to the alternative waterway crossing method, the free ferry.  Okay, I took the extra 500 steps in stride since this would be a new experience on this island we love and enjoy so much.

 

 

 

As soon as we were on board the ferry and asea I admired the colorful buildings painting themselves on the water.

 

 

Once off the ferry our fearless guide stuck with the group and escorted them by the lovely Restaurant & Café Gouverneur de Rouville and back to the ship.  
 

 

We knew the way.  We made a super-brief stop for this obligatory postcard snap and high-tailed it back on board.  Thank you, Curaçao!!

 

 

This was a Wednesday after all, hump day for us working folks, but mid-cruise day for those of us on this cruise.  If this party was half over at this point, then I thought we best be getting (spoiler alert) our groove on.

 

 

A quick happy hour bar hop around the ship included a moment here to text my mother another pic of her favorite “stupid” art on board.  In a later text exchange I learned that it wasn’t the elephant that she thought was stupid, but the human holding up the elephant.😂

 

Dinner was at one of the four main dining rooms.  Which one seems to escape me, but with starters being served between 7:45 and 8:00 (Thank you, iPhone timestamps.) I know we were enjoying a leisurely paced meal.  We were definitely not scheduling ourselves properly for the long list of shows and activities I was facing with mild FOMO.

 

 

 

I appreciated the presentation of the corn soup and the scrumptious flavors of the pumpkin burrata salad.  Yum!😋 

 

We missed the comedian Ralph Harris, but eyewitness accounts hedged that he was hilarious.  He did an adults-only show later in the cruise.  Oops.  We missed that one, too.  We found ourselves on another bar hop starting out in a seating pit in the Grand Plaza where a bunch of reveling new cruise friends had gathered just after 10:00.  I think we were one staircase down from Deck 4 and one staircases up from Deck 3.  So, does that mean we were on Deck 3.5?  I was still learning the lay of the ship.😂

 

 

Next up was ‘80s Flashback at The Club.  There was a big crowd and the DJ was playing all of my new wave faves.  But there was one first world problem.  No music videos!  I wanted my MTV, Celebrity!

 

 

I left DH alone on the dance floor at The Club very briefly to duck over to the Decadence show in Eden to see what we might be missing.  I nearly stumbled into these boys getting their jig on.

 

 

And these boys popped out of no where.  Video may follow.  
 

Back to The Club for a little more dancing and another exciting day on board Celebrity Beyond was in the books.😎

 

 

 

 

 

Day 5 Curaçao continued

 

We booked our Caves and City excursion through the cruise planner one year in advance when a flash sale was going on.  After stopping on Curaçao twice previously I figured Hato Caves was a decent option for something we have not seen before and it only set us back $55.98 for both of us.

 

We arrived on the pier early and decided to duck into the shade under the trio of pavilions and peruse the endless array of magnets, keychains, holiday ornaments, and “local” art before it was time to line up for the tour bus cattle call.

 

 

 

 

 

The stroll to the air-conditioned motor coach was short.  Once we were all loaded in the bus the tour guide started her spiel and we were on our way to Hato Caves passing some of the beautiful architecture and wall murals of the Otrobanda neighborhood of Willemstad along the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe not the best place to ask this, but since Grandma mentioned The Patio….

 

Questions about dining at The Patio:

 

We enjoy Al fresco dining, but ours is an Iceland intensive on Quest in July.🥶

 

Is The Patio open for dinner?

If so, is The Patio heated?

 

Wondering about our first dinner on embarkation day out in the middle of the Irish Sea.  Thinking chances of dining al fresco will diminish as the cruise progresses.

 

Also wondering about the possibility of having lunch at The Patio on our only sea day on day 2 in the North Atlantic en route to The Faroe Islands.  Is this doable with the proper attire or are we likely to freeze our trousers off?😂

 

Just trying to keep our options open although it is great to read the above comments about good experiences in the MDR.

On 9/7/2024 at 4:35 AM, fruitmachine said:

There is an (imperfect) work around:

 

Go to the summary page on Seaware, and change the word "summary" in the URL to "invoice".

I tried this as instructed above, but it said no reservation found and quickly flipped back to the summary page.  
Did anyone else find this happening?

I am in the US on a Mac desktop in Safari browser.

 

Day 5 Curaçao started out a little something like this….

 

 

With an afternoon excursion scheduled and our morning free from any other scheduled activities, I thought we would take advantage of the empty decks and spend some quiet time up top in the shade.  
 

All was fine and dandy until DH decided he was in the mood for a cappuccino.  Not long after he left to run downstairs I received a text message with this photo!!

😳🥲

 

Wow!  Talk about a chance meeting with Captain Kate!  The entire encounter lasted all of about twenty seconds.  She has clearly done a countless number of selfies before.  She asked, “Do you mind if I drive?”  Tim handed her his phone.  She knew where the best light is and then quickly takes three shots from three different angles.  
 

Needless to say I turned a bit ripe with jealousy.  She is no doubt out and about all around the ship.  I guess I just have to stop  leading such an elusive on board lifestyle.😂

 

 

9 hours ago, mkcurran said:

Odd question, did they have a variety of cocktails or just the pre-mixed punches? 

Was everything orange juice based or did they have other stuff?

We could order whatever we wanted at the Sunset Bar if they had the ingredients.  No, everything was not orange juice based.

 

But you bring up a good point about all of the pre-mixed solutions they use.  For example, I had one nasty cosmo made with two of the pre-mixed juices presumable lime and cranberry.  I watched her make it.  Not enough vodka and too much triple sec, lime, and cranberry.  Yuck!  Way too sweet.

Day 5 Curaçao paperwork

 

 

 

 

 

 

44 minutes ago, styles27 said:

Wondering what the avg age of the passengers is…we’re 58 & 60 and expect our age group will be well represented 😉

You would be correct.  Celebrity caters to a broad range of ages from 20-something to 80-something and beyond.  Sea what I did there?😂

 

We only saw a couple of infants and a few toddlers.  Most school age children will be in school in January, so I highly doubt you will see many.

Day 4 conclusion

 

 

We shlepped back on board and to dinner.  Based on the lack of pics I snapped I was either extremely tired or disinterested with food at this point - which is highly unlike me.😂

 

I believe we went to Normandie where I had this pastry-wrapped mushroom and chicken dish.  

 

Dessert for me was this Bananas Foster which obviously did not win any awards for presentation, but it was yummy.  
 

We did not make it to Antonio Salci’s 9:30 show.  I think we may have retired early.

Back on board Beyond we wandered the decks making an obligatory afternoon stop at the Sunset Bar for two more Dill-icious cocktails.

 

 

We took a bit of a rest in our cool stateroom before it was time to herd onto the pier for our second excursion of the day.

 

Destination Highlight:

Sunset Cocktail Cruise

$73.98 for the two of us.

Regular $67.99 per person.

 

Sound familiar?

Well, just wait until what happens next!

But first a description of the excursion from the app.

 

 

We began our second pilgrimage of the day toward the catamarans tied up a short distance away from the ship.

 

 

Lo and behold I spot my new favorite sailing crew including my new favorite bartender who decided to change into his whites for our adults-only booze cruise…

 

 

…and my new favorite sailing Captain who remained in his more casual company-logoed deck attire.

 

 

So, we boarded the same boat with the same hard-working crew as our incredible morning sailing and snorkeling excursion.  This should be good.

 

So, here we go.😃

 

 

 

And again the turquoise color of that water, but now highlighted with the warm orange reflections of the sun.
 

 

 

Yep, that sun was blazing for sure.  And with that moment in the history books, my new favorite bartender cranked up the Caribbean rhythms and we sailed back toward the ship.

 

 

Aruba really is One Happy Island…

…and Beyond.🤩

 

 

 

 

 

I booked two excursions in Aruba (sounds like a busy day in port, but it really wasn’t too crazy) directly through Celebrity’s cruise planner while there was a 45% off flash sale way back in September 2023.

 

Let’s look at the first one.

 

Destination Highlight:

Sailing and Snorkeling Tour

$73.98 for the two of us.

Regular price was $67.99 per person.

Here is the description from the app.

 

 

The excursion was to start at 9:15.  We met our traveling companions in Cafe Al Bacio and walked off the ship together.  We assembled on the pier (We were docked at the furthest pier.) and then we made the short walk to the sailboat tied up between the two piers.  The walk gave us a good opportunity to admire the exterior of the ship in its entirety.

 

We heard a lot passenger griping and moaning that morning and throughout the day back onboard that we were docked at this pier causing longer walks to the excursion sailboats and into town.  Let it be noted this excursion is rated as “strenuous.”

 

 

Our Red Sail Sports catamaran came with a Captain and two mates one of which was the bartender.  They all did a phenomenal job.

 

 

We headed out on the water passing by the ship.  Now that is a long ship.

 

 

This vantage point reminded me of the long walk to and from the Sunset Verandah.  My friend timed her walk from SV to aft elevators as about two minutes.  It really seems longer than I remember on the Solstice-class ships.  Hallways are very monochromatic gray and perhaps a bit narrower.  These characteristics may be contributing to the seemingly endless treks.  But I digress.😂

 

 

When we reached our snorkel site, three of the four of us geared up and jumped in.  I stayed on board and kept the bartender company.😇

 

Someone was excited to show off his coconut swim trunks and use his underwater camera with attached wrist strap floatation device.  Best invention ever, or at least since the Magic Carpet anyway.😂

 

The color of the water just takes my breath away.  We were pretty near the California Lighthouse.

 

 

I watched Tim and the other snorkelers swim around.  He captured some great photos with his camera.  Again, the water color!!😎

 

 

Meanwhile I had a lonesome bird sighting.  Such a beautiful morning.

 

 

We eventually started heading back towards the ship.  But wait!!

 

 

Before long Tim’s baseball cap goes flying off of his head and into the water behind us.   The Captain granted Tim permission to jump back into the water and swim after it.

 

 

Finally on our way back to the dock we spotted this beachgoer trying to stay cool, but I think it might make been a lost cause.😂

 

 

A morning to remember.😉

 

 

 

Day 4 ~ Aruba paperwork

 

We arrived back home from Port Everglades a few hours ago.  One load of laundry complete and plenty of chin scratches and temple rubs for Ziggy the Cat to reassure him that we still love him after leaving him home alone for 8 days.  
 

Poor cat sitter “Uncle” Michael reassured us while we were gone that Ziggy was not out sorts in the least - still ignoring his uncle as he always does when he arrives for his daily feline renourishment visits.

 

So, let’s try to catch up….

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, twofit said:

What camera did you use for the stunning photos? 
My inside cabin looked much the same as yours, minus the veranda - I was really pleased. The shows were top notch

I use an iPhone 15 Pro Max.  I do spend some time cleaning up the photos a bit.  Thanks.

 

We were very pleased with the stateroom.  There was plenty of storage space.

I brought hooks for the backs of the stateroom door and the bathroom door.

I moved the robes out of the closet and onto one of the hooks.

 

We enjoyed the shows we went to.

As you are aware the shows were scheduled back-to-back.

It was just too much for us to go to all of them.

I do not want to be quite that busy on a rest-and-relaxation cruise.

5 hours ago, mac_tlc said:

 

I see we will be meeting a lot at Cafe alBacio! My wife and I are there every day, often more than once. 
 

Look forward to sailing with you ! 

We will definitely see each other there.

I loved the expanded seating areas of Cafe Al Bacio on Beyond.

 

Looking forward to sailing with both of you as well.

On 9/13/2024 at 8:21 AM, DaKahuna said:

 

 

 I believe others have commented that they may be glued in place.  

 Form over function - a trade mark of the Hoppenized ships. 

 

 

The coral on the corner shelf was not glued down.  Neither was the tissue box holder as I originally had thought.  There is a sticky substance on the bottom of tissue holder that might be meant to keep it in place.  But I got it to move.

2 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 

I am a little fond of the spicy margarita but I prefer Patron or Tito’s for my Tequila.

 

Loving your review as always.  Thanks for taking us along on your journey.  

 

Thanks John.  Tim enjoyed the spicy margarita.  It definitely had a kick.

 

This was meant to be a restful and relaxing cruise, but admittedly I am exhausted as I lay here next to my slumbering husband.

 

The ship is absolutely stunning, but the non-stop activity, buzz, and sensory overload has kept my mind racing all week long.  

 

We decided to call it a night early tonight.

More recaps and (spoiler alert) Captain Kate sightings in the next few days.😳

 

Just like after every cruise, tomorrow we will be driving home grateful and content.

Day 3 conclusion

 

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves on this second sea day.  So much so that I failed to snap much of the food at our visit to our third main dining room.

 

 

The decor of Cypress is understated elegance with touches of gold metals and plush velvets.  We dined with our traveling companions at a four top.  One side had a maroon velvet loveseat which DH and I volunteered to share.

 

 

Lamb shank 

 

 

Charity Lockhart brought the theater-goers to their feet with her Aretha Franklin tribute as well as her sharp wit.  She graciously posed for photos outside the theater after the show.  Charity also held a matinee performance dedicated to Whitney Houston later in the cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3 ~ Sunset Bar

 

 

I returned to my newly discovered favorite spot with DH in tow for a noon-time refreshment….

 

 

 

… or three.😜

 

 

Sunset Bar Cocktails Menu

 

 

Dill-icious 

 

 

Name your poison.

 

 

I was transported to another place by the design and decor of this space.

Day 3 paperwork

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up was a bit of early morning ship exploration.  I spotted a crew member on deck admiring this scene and snapping a pic.  So, I thought I would snap one too.

 

 

I wandered around the lovely Rooftop Garden.  
Yep, I finally made it up there on day 3.

 

 

 

Next it was time to find a private and scenic spot to enjoy a bit of nosh from Oceanview Cafe and another cafe mocha.

 

 

The Sunset Bar turned out to be just the perfect place.  And lo and behold here comes the sun.

 

 

Well, Nate Berkus you’ve done good work here.  This is one of my favorite spaces on board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3 ~ at sea

 

Any day at sea for us begins here….

 

I am loving this soft turquoise color palette throughout many parts of the ship.

No more ugly brown coffee cups.

Beyond’s Bacio service team is stellar.

 

Cafe Mocha

 

 

Yum!!😋
 

 

Pastry smorgasbord 

 

Cafe Al Bacio as it turned out was also one of the venues of choice for rude feet-on-chairs people.  This bad behavior was witnessed all over the ship this week as documented below.

 

 

4 hours ago, DallasCruiseCouple said:

Did they have the volleyball game with the Officers? Wishing you a beautiful last sunset!!

Twice on this cruise.  
Thank you for the well wishes.  

We have had a few phenomenal sunsets on this cruise.

13 hours ago, DennysDad said:

Thanks for the food porn. Keep them coming. Love all the photos. Picture of pool deck/crowd would be great!

Today is Saturday, the last sea day.

Quick walk around the pool deck in the early afternoon showed loungers available in the sun and shade.  One just can’t be too fussy about location.  After lunch we found a pool attendant collecting used towels from abandoned loungers and we snagged a couple of padded loungers in the shade.