SailorJack

We just booked this cruise for April of next year and appreciate the comments.

Jack

Just got back from our first Seabourn cruise. The caviar event was held on Sir Bani Yas Island in the UAE and was one of the highlights of our cruise.  Huge tubs of caviar were placed on surf boards and the crew waded the boards out in the Gulf with enough caviar to feed an army.  Other crew members then waded out with never ending bottles of Champagne. Warm Arabian Gulf water, bright sun, caviar and Champagne - it doesn't get a lot better than that!

Just got back from Dubai.  What an amazing place! Thanks for all the help on this thread - it helped quiet a bit on our visit.

Jack

2 hours ago, Isklaar said:

 

The laundry on Encore is situated on deck 5 too.

photos at post #24 on this thread :

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2431287-soon-to-be-live-from-the-encore/

 

Great. Thanks for the quick reply.  Jill is already packing and this helps her decide on what to take. Good photos also!

Jack

On 9/26/2019 at 3:48 PM, raphael360 said:

There are 2 laundry rooms, one on each side of the hallway in deck 5.  Very hard to find...

 

Does anyone know if the Encore has the same facilities? Thanks.

On 10/3/2019 at 10:49 AM, Baatman said:

 

 

What board is the review on?

It is going on the Seabourn board.

Jack

7 hours ago, Jayayeff said:

 

No need for anything other than ‘normal’ clothing around the city but if you plan on visiting any mosques than ladies are required to wear full sleeves and either trousers or a long skirt plus a scarf or shawl as head covering.... No need to tuck all hair away, the scarf/shawl can be worn loosely over her head and shoulders....

 

Anne...

Thanks!  That is going to help with the packing.  We will be there in about 6 weeks.

Jack

Wife wants to know about head coverings while visiting Dubai. I assume it is necessary if visiting religious sites, but how about just around the city? Must all hair be covered? Scarf/  Shawl?

Thanks

On 8/28/2019 at 9:36 AM, SailinC2C said:

Very funny. i really enjoyed reading your review. That transatlantic is on our list for when we retire. Norway we hope to do in the next couple of years. 

We just got back from a three week trip and saw your post - sorry for the delayed response.😊 Glad you enjoyed the review - Norway is really quite beautiful - it will be well worth the wait.  Enjoy!

Jack

On 8/20/2019 at 6:33 AM, Host Clarea said:

 

I believe some here use FlickR.

Thanks for the heads up re FlickR. I had totally forgotten about them. Now, along with John&LaLa's suggestion I have a couple good alternatives to Photo Bucket!

Jack

On 8/20/2019 at 6:30 AM, John&LaLa said:

 

I'm happy with CC storing them.

I did not know that you could do that on CC.  It would certainly make it a lot easier!  I will have to find out more about their capability.  Thanks.

Jack

On 8/22/2019 at 8:39 AM, truffles2 said:

 

Sorry to report that he passed away a few months ago.  He had a running yearly blog over in the float away Lounge.

I am sorry to hear about Trainman.  He was an asset to CC and will be missed.

Jack

On 8/19/2019 at 11:08 AM, truffles2 said:

Just got an answer and they said it was Photobucket!🙄🙄

Oh, dear...

LOL.  But thanks for looking.  I really enjoyed Trainman's posts but haven't seen any recently.

Jack

On 8/12/2019 at 8:52 AM, truffles2 said:

I feel like I have to say this....

your pictures are wonderful, but the photobucket atomic bomb in each one is an abomination!  Disgusting.  They could make it a bit smaller and place it not right smack in the middle.

I don't know what was going on with photobucket.  It only happened for the last few photos that I posted. I probably won't be using them again.  I need to find another site that I can use to post and download photos.

Jack

On 7/20/2019 at 10:24 AM, yukongold said:

I have enjoyed your review.  We are looking at sailing on the Serenade next year. You covered the ports on your review but didn't say much about the ship and I was wondering what you thought of the ship itself.

Glad you enjoyed the review.  I normally do not say much about the ship in my reviews because so much of it is subjective.  The food, the entertainment, the condition of the ship, etc. For example, on one cruise we noticed about halfway through the trip that the deserts seemed (to us) to be better.  We later learned that the pastry chef had changed at the last port. Our travel partners said they didn't notice a change - a example of the subjective nature of things.

However, I will point out our favorite place on the ship:

This was our favorite place to hang out.  We would come down here early in the morning and watch the ship wake up.  The chairs were really comfortable and it was fun to watch people stagger down for their morning coffee at the coffee station (in the background)! 😁 People in bathrobes, hair in curlers, slippers, barefoot, sweatshirts and pajama bottoms - it was a very unique parade.  Of course the officers and spa staff would be stopping by also.  The roles, donuts, and assorted pastries were also an enticement. 

My personal opinion is that the IC on Princess was a little better, but this was pretty good as well. I know you will enjoy this part of the ship as well. It is located right next to the "future cruises" desks. I forget which deck - probably 6 or 7.

Jack

On 8/1/2019 at 9:35 PM, geospyder said:

We're doing this itinerary in three weeks.  Thanks for the fantastic review and positive attitude.

I envy you! We don't often repeat cruises, but this was such a great one that we are looking at booking it again next year.

Glad you enjoyed the review -  - hope you do one as well.  It would be fun to see another person's perspective.

Bon Voyage

Jack

On ‎7‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 12:06 PM, 7leagueboots said:

 

 

We were on the Serenade last year and enjoyed it, but it is starting to show its age - 15. I heard that it might be scheduled for dry dock and referb, but can't confirm it.

The ship may be showing a little aging, but that is only to be expected as its maiden voyage was fifteen years ago.  However, I think it had its last refurb in 2012 so it will probably be a while before it has another one. It is still a very nice ship.

Jack

On ‎7‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 10:42 AM, Baatman said:

 

 

This must be the purest water on earth! You can buy it on the internet for $35 A BOTTLE! This is one of the priciest gifts I have heard of a ship giving. Good for them. Makes a terrific souvenir from Greenland. 

Hard to imagine water selling for that price, but it is unique.  The brochure that came with the bottles said that the water was thousands of years old and that the water in these bottles probably fell as rain or snow during the reign of Cleopatra in Egypt!

Analysis of the water shows that TDS is less that 5 parts per billion - which does makes it the purest water on Earth.

That said, we don't know what to do with it. How do you drink something that is as old as Cleopatra? It is sitting in our fridge aging even more!

Jack

When we came back aboard the ship after our visit to Greenland, we found these bottles in our cabin.  The note next to it said that this was the purest water on the planet - as it came directly from the Greenland Icecap  - the second largest one on the planet.

Typically...what is in the minibar?

Thanks.

On ‎6‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 12:06 PM, DavyJoneses said:

Still having trouble uploading?  Anything I can do to help?

I appreciate the offer, but I really am all thumbs when it comes to the computer.  Jill's mother is in hospice now and she is on the way home for a brief visit before heading back to CA. I should be able to post shortly.

Thanks again.

Jack

On ‎6‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 1:16 PM, jagsfan said:

I was cruising when you wrote this so I’m late to the party. 

I met poutine when skiing at Mont Tremblant in Quebec in the late 80’s. Served at lunch in a large paper cup: french fries, cheese curds and a tasty brown gravy. Delicious!

Several years ago we saw it on the menu board at a Wendy’s in Alberta, and now there are several restaurants in Jacksonville Fl that offer their versions. 

Poutine is slowly taking over the world!

Hope you had a great cruise!  This poutine thing is quite incredible.  I went all my life never hearing of the stuff until our last cruise and came to find out that it is one of Canada's national foods. Now you tell me that they are serving it in Florida!

I guess it sort of makes sense - most Canadians spend half there life in Florida during the winter months  - or a trailer park in Yuma. Arizona.

I forwarded your post to Jill in California and she is threatening to take your last line and put it on a T-shirt.

Jack

On ‎5‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 1:40 PM, DavyJoneses said:

It has been a while since you posted any photos...have you signed off?  If so, thanks for the tour!

You are welcome. I do have one more "cool" picture to post but I have trouble uploading it.  When Jill gets back from California I will see if she can do it (she is our designated computer expert) and then post it.

On ‎5‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 12:49 PM, Tom47 said:

There are some in Georgia.  See my review of a biography of a former slave who built cbs in pre civil war Georgia.       https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2UW9DG0X1R2XZ/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0820326267 

Interesting review!  It mentions the covered bridge at Stone Mountain - which is just down the road from us.  We have put that on our "to see" list.  With its historical significance I can't believe we have not seen it on any of our previous visits to Stone Mountain Park!

Thanks so much for the tip.

Jack

On ‎5‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 6:08 AM, pacruise804 said:

We have quite a few covered bridges in Pennsylvania too if you are interested in a southbound road trip.

I have to admit, Tom has piqued my interests in in covered bridges, but I don't think a trip to PA is in our immediate future.