Ecstasy Review 2/7/05 (LONG)

[costpenn]

Thanks so much for the in depth, well written, factual review - the best I've ever seen on these boards. In hindsight,which dinner seating would you have preferred (taking into account the time of year?) We're going on March 3 - seems current pricing/cabin availability indicates the ship is not going out full - did it feel crowded to you? Thanks !!!

[TXRoo]

Thanks costpenn. The ship never felt crowded to me...There was always something to do and people spent alot of time in different areas. I took the 8:30 seating. It gave us plenty of time to do as we wished and after dinner we weren't rushed out to get another seating in...we were able to sit and converse with the wonderful people at our table. :)

 

I hope you have a great time!!! Remember the aft pool and hottub for privacy. ;)

[karenh1127]

I live about 40 minutes from Galveston and I can tell ya that the water will be cold to me too!! I usually wont swim until mid summer. I can imagine that those that live in real winter places will think the water is great but not to us Southerners! Brrrrrr! Now I am really sulking over the ice tea thing! No one has answered my question yet about bringing my own small 4cup coffee maker to do my own tea?? Anyone??

[dwell]

I live about 40 minutes from Galveston and I can tell ya that the water will be cold to me too!! I usually wont swim until mid summer. I can imagine that those that live in real winter places will think the water is great but not to us Southerners! Brrrrrr! Now I am really sulking over the ice tea thing! No one has answered my question yet about bringing my own small 4cup coffee maker to do my own tea?? Anyone??

 

I have to agree with TXROO, the water was cold.

 

In answer to the tea question, they do have hot water on the Lido deck, although I only used it to make Hot tea not cold.

[SK8DAD]

Thanks for the review TxRoo. We're on the Ecstacy 3/21/05. Our room is on the Empress deck fairly close to the atrium. Was that area noisy? By the way, how did you decide on your username? Are you an Austin College grad?

[TXRoo]

Hi SK8Dad...we were on the Verandah deck right next to the entry to the elevators. We did not hear anyone but not many people came up there unless your room was specifically up there. We could barely hear the elevators and that was it. If you're at the entrance to the Empress deck, then you might hear some noise from people passing by your room to go to the other rooms. We never heard even our neighbors in the next rooms.

 

My nick is because I live in Texas and I work with Basenji Rescue and the little buggers don't bark...they BAROOooo ROO ROO! :D

[SevenVII]

My nick is because I live in Texas and I work with Basenji Rescue and the little buggers don't bark...they BAROOooo ROO ROO! :D

 

Aha, I went to pick up my German Shepherd from the kennel and it was late at night. I'm friends with the lady tht runs the place so she doesnt mind if I come after hours and just grab them if nobody is there....and all of a sudden I hear this strange sound, and its exactly as you described. Those little buggers wouldnt shut up and it was the strangest sound I have ever heard from a dog :D

 

Being from CO, the water was above normal to me. So it really is a matter of opinion, but being that most of you are from Texas, I would heed her advice about water temp.

 

And as for the hot tubs....there was only 1 out of all of them that was working :( It was the most forward one near the lido pool. I thought it would be awesome to go sit in the tub near the aft, but alas, that water was cold....im talking like 60s or so. On the other hand, the only hot tub that was working never really filled up (with people) so I could always find room when I wanted.

 

We also had the late dining roo, which table where you at?

[TXRoo]

Oh wow SevenVII, we went aft a few times to the Verandah deck area and every time we were back there the hottub was working. I'm not sure about the water temp in it since we didn't indulge.

 

We were in the Wind Star dining room at table 152. Near the back and middle. :)

 

Senjis are the coolest...they look so neat but they are little demon cats in dog's clothing. :D

[SevenVII]

Yeah, they were all filled with water. But the only one I would consider that was warmer than the pool water was the one I mentioned. I saw people sitting in the others, so I hopped in, and was like....this is the pool with bubbles, no thanks! I did do the slide, and although I was about 10-15 years older than any of my fellow slidemates, I had a great time.:o

[Stircrzy]

Ecstasy, March 3rd sailing...are my family of 11 adults the only passengers?

 

Roll Call

[SevenVII]

I can be in Galveston by the weekend, still time to take me with ya Stir!

[Stircrzy]

You'd fit right in with my kids and their significant others!!

 

PS...your wife is a cutie, too!!

[karenh1127]

SevenVII...............We have a German Shepherd too! She just turned 1 years old last month! What a handfull she is! She is so smart I cant psych her out to do anything like I can my kids! Now she digs holes in the backyard! EEK! Worst then having kids! We also kennel her when we travel. We use our vet and our 5 day cruise is going to cost a fortune to kennel her. They always charge more for bigger dogs. I cant wait for our cruise!

[Ranger1]

TXRoo: WE WERE ON THE SAME CRUISE AS YOU AND I REMEMBER THOSE KIDS AT THE ELEVATOR. (PAIN IN THE BUTT) YOUR REVIEW WAS PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT WE THOUGHT. WE WILL SAIL THE ECSTASY AGAIN. MOMOFFOUR, DONT WORRY, YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT TIME. THIS WAS OUR FIRST CRUISE AND WE LOVED IT. CANT WAIT TO GO AGAIN.

[TXRoo]

Some pics of our cruise and the V23 obstructed balcony.

 

I hope this works...

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/txroo

[TXRoo]

It worked! I will post more pics later of Xcaret and stuff. :)

[sherrintxs]

Roo, thanks for the great review and posting your pics.

[Stircrzy]

It worked! I will post more pics later of Xcaret and stuff. :)

 

Roo, is that your butt? It looks nice, but now that we've seen hubby...where's your face?!?:D

 

Great review and photos!

 

I wondered what Mezcalito's looked like!

[SevenVII]

Heh Roo, I ran into your husband...never talked to him but I saw him at least once. Maybe you too, but since I have been married my wife told me I can no longer use a posterior view to remember/reference women by :D

 

Karen, I am extremely lucky when it comes to kenneling. Usually if I board both our shepherds, she only charges the rate of 1, since they share a running pen. And she only charges me $5 a day, and takes them for walks, plays with them, etc...

 

I ended up leaving my Male dog at my mother's farm, but I now regret it. Although I came home to a happy dog, my entire trip I was worrying that some farmer would shoot my dog, run him over, he would run away, etc... Next time it will be safe and sound at the kennel again. The female was in heat, so there was no question...she had to goto doggy jail :D

[TXRoo]

SevenVII, easiest way to fix that is spay/neuter. Can you tell I work for a rescue??? :D

 

And yes, you funny jellybeans! That IS my butt. :p

 

If you click out of that album and go to the family album on the first page, you will see me with the hubby in our formal pics. :D

[SevenVII]

I agree, but I lost my first German Shepherd (which was my entire life) when I had her spayed laster year.....so I am extremely leary to do it again. I know the odds are unlikely it will happen, but it still haunts me.

[TXRoo]

Oh man! I am so sorry to hear that! That is terrible...we try to spay them before they have their first heat. Usually around the 8 month mark. It's easier for basenjis since they normally only have one heat a year vs. multiples on other breeds.

[SevenVII]

She was a great dog, so I at least wanted to breed her once. I had people that were already interested in puppies from her long before we actually bred her. So I waited till she was 2 and let her have a litter, then we got her fixed a couple months after. We kept the male from the litter, luckily, so we still have a part of her with us :)

[TXRoo]

That's cool...just a real quick link, since it is my duty as a rescuer...

 

http://www.dog-play.com/ethics.html

 

I didn't realize so much of this before I was in rescue...now I do and I realize the impact of it all. So I try to help and educate as much as possible.

[SevenVII]

Thanks, I have read many of those sites before I started breeding, just to get an idea of what I was getting myself into. I agree there are tons of people out there who just try to mate their dogs as much as possible, and dont care about anything except making a buck or two.

 

But I had a home for up to 9 puppies, many months before my female was even bred. We only had 6, so I had to tell a few people sorry....but those 5 that did leave all went to great homes, I even email the owners every couple months just as an update :D I love dogs too much to ever want the guilt that would come had I known puppies I helped bring into this world would end up sheltered, homeless, etc... But I agree, the spreading of knowledge is a good way to help prevent the unethical breeding that is so prevalent these days.