NYC - Spendor, 10th June blog. (full day by day blog will incl pics.

[sailorJo]

So you checked the Scotstranslate too

 

:o:D

[sailorJo]

Wow, great pictures! What a great start!

 

Okay, so that's "the broony":cool:. It's looks something like the Leonardo Di Caprio/Kate Winslet "I'm-the-king-of-the-world" type of thing. I get it....I think :confused:

[cruise luvr]

Loved reading your blog! I was on this cruise as well. I was at the meet and greet but didn't get the chance to meet you.

 

Great picture of Victor. He was such a great sport! There were a great group of people on this cruise. Very fun!

 

Gary - the Assistant Cruise Director - I laughed as I read your frog comment. He really does need to liven up.

[Cyber Kat]

What fun! Reading this is almost as much fun as being on the cruise!

 

We were also on this cruise and had the privilege of meeting "Happy," Kaye and Stuart!

 

Wish I'd known that ice cream shop in Nassau was so good. I LOVE ice cream! I saw it and thought about checking it out, but my sister has a list of shops she wanted to visit. Most of the shops were too hot and too crowded for me. I got a great pair of earrings for $10 in the Fiesta Place (or whatever it was called :p ) at the pier - I was happy.

 

I was also the early bird in our cabin. I'm a curious Kat and I'd hear things or see the sun coming up and I had to check it out. All the activity sailing into Nassau was so interesting and the sunrise was great!

 

I got woken up by the pilot boat coming into NY, so I saw that sunrise and all the good stuff sailing back in!

 

Hope your last 2 days in NYC were fun!

[bangzoom6877]

Once again, enjoying your thread!!

 

For Carnival Legends, which other celebrities did they portray in addition to Frank Sinatra? I love to sing and be on stage and would love to participate in this but I'm curious which celebrities are included.

 

Looking forward to karaoke as well. My 8-year-old son wants to sing with me at family karaoke. He has been taking private singing lessons for 2 years and loves being on stage too!

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for taking the time to write and post a review of your cruise. Nice pictures too.:)

[HappyChappy]

Once again, enjoying your thread!!

 

For Carnival Legends, which other celebrities did they portray in addition to Frank Sinatra? I love to sing and be on stage and would love to participate in this but I'm curious which celebrities are included.

 

Looking forward to karaoke as well. My 8-year-old son wants to sing with me at family karaoke. He has been taking private singing lessons for 2 years and loves being on stage too!

 

Elvis, Neil Diamond, Shania Twain, Tina turner, Beyonce was done by Marcello the Cruise director, Garth Brooks, Cher canny think of any others.

[cathyoo]

Happy Chappy, I hope you enjoyed your cruise half as much as I enjoyed it. I hope we get to hear more of your post cruise adventures in New York and your travels home. My grandfather came to the states when he was 21. I always loved listening to him talk. He also was the first person I knew with a tatoo. He had an American Flag on his left arm and a Scottish Flag on his right.

 

thanks again for sharing your voyage.

[bangzoom6877]

Elvis, Neil Diamond, Shania Twain, Tina turner, Beyonce was done by Marcello the Cruise director, Garth Brooks, Cher canny think of any others.

 

That sounds great!!! I will have to see if I can participate. Do you know how selection works?

[HappyChappy]

That sounds great!!! I will have to see if I can participate. Do you know how selection works?

 

1st of all I apologise for not posting updates but with being chocca in NY and hardly being in the hotel room I have neglected my duties.

 

As for selection there are auditions and karaoke around the ship. when you go to one make it known you would like to participate and see what they say.

 

Thats us back home in Scotland and had a couple of hours kip.

I will finish the blog and post over the weekend.

[HappyChappy]

Day 11. Disembarkation and NYC

Well alarms set for 6.30 as we are due to arrive in NYC around 8am. The highlight of the cruise is just around the corner, the Sail

past the 'Old lady' Oh Man, it was wonderful. We were on the port side of the ship so the ol girl was just standing there waving at

us as we sailed by. Considering when we past her going the other way it was pouring with rain, it was lovely to see her in all her

glory. A special moment. A real special moment. (Dont know why cause she means nothing to me but I just really enjoyed the moment)

 

After my 'special moment' it was back to work as room service. Had a quick wander round taking a couple of pics of the Manhattan

skyline but they were spoiled by the low early morning sun. Despite my best efforts to use the facilities on the camera.

 

Anyway onto disembarkation and apart from sitting in the theatre for around 45 mins waiting on our number being called it went

quite quickly. We were Off the ship and on the street with our luggage in around 15 minutes. Much quicker than Miami last year.

But then again everything in New York seems to done in a hurry. We walked the 5 min walk to our hotel and dumped our bags

before heading into the madness.

We had plans to do this and that and the next thing and we ended up doing heehaw!! Empire State Building on Wed afternoon was

our whack!!

Leaving the hotel full of plans was our biggest mistake. Better just go with the flow and see where it takes you.

After spending an hour or so wandering around we bought a Grey line bus ticket and done a cracking uptown tour. All the way

around the city out 7th Ave past Central Park West, the Dakota Building and out towards George Washinton Bridge before

heading out to Harlem. Well I imagine its the bits of Harlem they want you to see. I would have loved to have seen more.

Then back down 5th Avenue and we got off at the corner of Central Park and West 59th Street. Took a couple of pics then headed

into a place we didnt dare tell Stuart we were heading to, FAO Shwartz.

Well have you ever seen an excitable kid on Christmas morning. Well this was the definition. I honeslty thought he was gonna

self combust!! I had to tell him so many times to calm down to the extent it was almost 'Stuart Calm the FK down or we are

heading back to the hotel' Seriously unimaginable excitement. So we bought him a few toys to take home and then on the way out

came the headshot! The one moment I have been trying to achive all my life and thought I had on occasion. But I soon realised

I failed. Kay clocked the FAO Schweetz and had a multiple multiple orgasm!! A real 'When Harry met Sally' moment!!

In that moment I felt a failure as a man! The woman I love and have been married to for 26 years showed she preferred chocolate

to me! I was crushed, downtrodden and demoralised but like any sensible man (and we are sensible girls) I put my hand in my pocket

and gave her my wallet. Fill yer boots darling, buy yerself some nice sweets and get a sugar rush and some fine chocolate.

I didnt dare mention that it might make her arse bigger than it already is.

That ladies, is called being tactful in face of adversity and coming out the victor at the end of the day.

 

So after an hour or more in Shwartz we head out loaded with goodies and sweetz we head along 5th Ave for some shopping.

A bottle of after shave for Craigiebhoy as prev mentioned out of the Abercrombie and Fitch shop.

Now is it a shop or is it a nightclub thats open during thr day and sells clothes. I could not tell you.

What I could tell you is that its incredibly dark and ridiculously loud. To be honest you could buy something thinking its

green and discover its blue. The lighting was poor and the prices were mental. $80 for a polo shirt $60 for a tee shirt. Bite me!!!

Bought the aftershave and bolted right out the door.

A wee wander in and out some other daft designer shops. Ladies a wee heads up. See these $500 handbags or purses. You are giving

someone around $490 right in their tail to sit in a fancy island somehwere laughing at you as it costs arond $10 to make in a sweat

shop in some poorer part of the world. Stop being ripped off to suit yer own ego. - wee note to self - Stop ranting big fella!!

 

Anyway on we trek and end up at the Rockerfeller Centre, Right lets grab a bite to eat then we can head up the top. Oh wait the rain

is on. Right Bills Burger joint in the Centre itself then we will head up. Well when we were in eating our wonderful burgers we

noticed the rain was gettin heavier and heavier. Finshed our munch then out. It was pouring. Absolutely chucking it down.

Where the F did that come from!! The cloud was so low it would be pointless heading up. Ach well manjana manjana!!

Right its now around 6pm lets flag a taxi and get to hotel get changed and head out for dinner. Wrong!!! Very very wrong.

1st of all we could not get a taxi. 2nd of all it rained and rained and it was like mini golf balls chucking down.

Only 1 thing to do. Hike. Kay packed up with sweets and stuffed after her burger decided she needed a brolly. Me, a brolly?? Geez peece!

I am Scottish, A wee bit of rain wont do me any harm. Anyway its only 5 blocks along 48th Street. 5 long blocks.

By the time we reached the hotel we were like droont rats.

That was game over. Wash change and sit and watch tele and get a pizza delivered. Rain kept up till 9ish. Ach well manjana!!

[Sassy5]

I've really enjoyed reading your review (even though a couple of times I had to reread a sentence or two to figure out exactly what you were saying, i.e. brolly - I'm thinking that means umbrella). Thanks for entertaining us with your humor.

 

My family and I are sailing on the Splendor this coming Wednesday, June 26th. I'll have to let my husband know that he is supposed to bring me breakfast in bed every morning!! lol

 

Thanks again for a fine review.

[nodogkisses]

You are so adorable, HappyChappy!

[I <3 To Cruise]

I'm traveling with Sassy (above) and her daughter and husband in a few days! And I agree! He should bring her breakfast in the mornings...and then take a trip down the hallway to our room and bring us some too! LOL! Just kidding! Anyways, I really enjoyed your review and I can't wait to board the Splendor on Wednesday and be blown away by the crazy pink decor!! :eek:

[Crusin Karen]

Oh, I am about falling off my chair I am laughing so hard. SORRY you had such horrid weather in Manhattan. LOVE your attitude and you are "spot on" with all your observations too. Hope Kay enjoyed her chocolate! :p:p

[HappyChappy]

Well after getting home around 12.30 yesterday (Fri) afternoon I had a kip for around 2 hrs on the settee, headed out to play some bowls then grabbed a chinese meal then back home.

By 11pm I am out cold in my favourite chair.

So the Hobbit wakes me up and I struggle up the stairs to bed. Next thing I know is its 11.45 on Sat morning. Some kip that. And my wee dug Buzz, came upstairs with me and never left the bed till I got up in the morning (or dinner time as it was)

Will finish off blog soon.

 

We completely unrelated pic.

Buzzdog - Mans best friend.

The best bit about coming home was seeing my wee pal and giving him a cuddle.

[bjinouno]

Thank you for the Great vacation, We all felt we were right there with you and your family, Happy you made it home safe and sound! now you need a vacation! of sleeping late ! can't wait to see more photos of the ship and ports! we have to wait another 52 days for our turn

[HappyChappy]

Day 12 NYC 2nd last day.

Went to meet a friend we meet on our last cruise today. He stays down in Chelsea so we got a cab down. Went for a wander with him

and for an hour, ended up in Greenwich village. Lovely quaint wee place. Gat our pic taken outside the Magnolia Bakery. Apparently its

got something to do with Friends the TV show. Was lovely to meet him again. So next we had our experience of the NY Subway!!

Well experience was the word. We walked down the stairs and there were 4 platforms. Which one was ours. What way are we travelling.

Never fear our hero of the story saved the day. Eeny meeny many mo pick the line we want to go etc etc ended up pointng at the

orange line so we jumped on that and it took us out at 34th St Next to Penn St Station. Or maybe it was Penn St Station. I dont know

Any way we walked up the stairs there in front of us was the Empire State Building.

Plan! now remember our plans never work out. Up the ESB down the ESB Macy's for some shopping then Top of the Rock!! Yeah No prob.

Wrong. Im starving says Stinky Stuart, So am I the hungry Hobbit adds. Im not! Im cool. Im ready to climb the ESB, the last thing on

my mind is food. Let me tell ye if I go up there with a full stomach some poor sod is gonna get covered in puke. I dont like heights.

Let me repeat that in easier terms 'I am sh*t scared of heights but I am in NYC so I am going up the ESB'

Mon we can munch when we come down! says I. NAW!! say them 2! Fk sake says I! NAW!! say them 2. We can munch when we come back down

NAW!! say them 2. OK I give in. So we wander along 34th looking for somewhere to grab a munch. Plenty of places wee sandwich shops

Stalls on the street Wendy's ''NAW!!! McDonalds!!'' Whit! We have to go to McDonalds before we go up the ESB. You can go to fkn

McDonalds anytime. There is one about a mile from our house FFS!!!..... McDonalds!! or we are not going up!!! OK I lost that battle

McDonalds it is! Im not hungry but I do order a wee plain cheeseburger. Kays has a burger meal and Stu has chicken nuggets and fries.

And an ice cream. I eat my cheeseburger and to be fair its much better than the crap we get out McDonalds. Its a sweeter nicer

tasting burger and a def fresher roll. Was very nice actually.

So finally here we go the ESB. We do the Skyline helicopter thing 1st and its brill. My stomach is in bits at the film and I still

have to go up the tower. Out go. The skyline video was brill by the way. Well worth it. and join a wee line for a min or 2 then into

a lift. A small 8ft by 5ft space that is gonna throw me over 1000 feet in the air. Lift door opens but its a false dawn. Sadistic gits.

We have to go another lift to take us up the other 6 floors. Talk about prolonging the agony. So 86th floor and out I pop into a small

corridor with a mirror on one side a glass window on the other.

No matter which way I look I can tell I am up up UP and my stomach

is going down down DOWN. My god I am bricking it. Honesety!! As I write this 3 days later my stomach is still turning knots.

But I brave it and out I go. Look straight ahead. FFS dont look down. Under no circumstances look down or some poor sod will be

covered in the remains of a cheeseburger and some of my breakfast. Well I soon clamed down a bit (only a bit mind) and wandered around

the top looking all around and even took some pics. I dont think I did look down. I always looked ahead at best maybe 45degrees down

but no more than that. Stuart had to be told to stop climbing by the security guard. All he was doing was standing on the base of the

magnifying glass things so he could see what was behind the wall.

The question is what can you see from the top of the Empire State building.

The correct answer is 'Forever'

As we looked east towards the Atlantic ocean I knew that if I just kept going I would find my way home. Mt house is over there!!

I was in America and yet looking east knowing it was only that 'pond' between us and the River Clyde I actually felt a moment of quiet

comfort. I am not far away from home. It was a strange feeling. We live just over there. 4000 miles over there but still just over there.

 

It was one of the most scintillating experiences of my life and despite being sh*t scared I loved every minute of it and would go up again

in a heartbeat.

 

Now from one of the best experiences of my life to one of the worst. Macy's I hate shops, I hate shopping and I hate shoppers.

All 3 in the largest store in the world was my idea of hell.

We wandered around looking at stuff for Jack. (remember the son we left behind in Scotland) and got him a couple of Tee shrts.

Now here is another problem. We got him S size cause he is just a slip of a boy but they will be too big. Guarantee it.

Kay had a look at shoes and I looked at some polo shirts but as I already had bought a good few to take with me I could not justify

spending more money. Esp at some of the prices. (Incidently the Greg Norman range was decent priced and had some superb shirts)

We were in there for nearly 2 hours. At one point I had to visit the loo as my stomach being so low due to me being so high up it had

to come out so I needed to go. I mean NEEDED!! Big time!!!

So it was now almost 7pm. we were shattered and still had to do the top of the rock. Didnt we. 'Kay I want to do the top of the rock'

WE DONT!!!! AArrggghhhhh That was my worst moment. The realisation I was not gonna get to the top of the rock. The best view in NYC

had just been ripped from my grasp. It was approaching dusk. It would have been perfect time to go but all I got was 'we canny be arsed'

What a pair of killjoys. I had a moan at them but to no avail. Its too far, its too late and the worst one of all its near tea time!!!

Fkn Tea time. ye had a McDonalds an hour ago!!! granted it was almost 4 hours ago but thats not the point. They had eaten today.

We can get something later on. But no!! They both wanted to go BACK yes BACK to Planet Hollywood. Back to a place we were at 10 days

ago rather then go to a place we had never been to. A place where we were so close to yesterday but due to bad weather we decided not

to do and to do today!!

So as we walked up 7th Avenue I was a broken man. Not interested in watching what was going on around me. One of the highlights of my

trip had been wrenched from my grasp because of Planet Hollywood. I hate to Stallone and Schwarenegger and Willis and whoever

decided to set up Planet Hollywood. Bur I have a devious plan!!! I know where it is and I bet they dont. Its off of 46th Street which is

not far from 50th Street but I am 2 blocks to the left. Could there be a chance I can walk past 46th Street and they might not notice it

and get to 49th or 50th then turn right towards 'The Rock' Lets see shall we!! Its not far sys I up here a bit cmon keep walking its up

here, just a bit further. Still daylight and now past 46th. We get to 48th and the terror child shouts out ''DAD we are away past it''

Pesky kid!! Just another 2 streets up and I would have made it. My cunning plan almost worked. He know that we stayed on 48th and that

we had walk up the streets to get to 48th. The Hobbit would not have had a Scooby Doo. (See what I did there)

So my cunning plan foiled by a pesky kid (done it again) and into Planet Hollywood and not to the Top of the Rock.

Game over. Defeat admitted and a dream ended!!

Spent some time around times square then headed back to hotel. Shattered, physically due to the walk and mentally due to family.

Anyone want to buy a smartarse child and a hungry Hobbit.

[HappyChappy]

Half Moon Cay

 

Bahamas.

 

You are kidding if you think this is anything but tacky.

 

Showtime with the Dancing Waiters in the Gold Pearl Restuarant.

 

The Splendor and another wee boat in Grand Turk

[clairentommy]

awwww so sad you never got to go to the top of the rock....we thought the views from there were better than the ESB.....next time make it a must. can't wait to go again in December when the tree will be up :)

[HappyChappy]

Some mad folk doin The Broony

 

Start with Drago the Maitre' D

 

Camp Carnival staff.

 

Random folk Game for a laugh

 

 

Seconds befor this they were arguing, seconds after they were kissing.

The magic of The Broony!

[bjinouno]

Is the Broony your thing? or is it a Carnival...? I guess we will all have to continue it,,, Keep on posting LOVING it all!

[HappyChappy]

Is the Broony your thing? or is it a Carnival...? I guess we will all have to continue it,,, Keep on posting LOVING it all!

 

The broony is a tribute to a Scottish footballer Scott Brown.

It's his celebration. It basically means I'm the man!!!

[HappyChappy]

Day 13 NYC and homeward bound.

Last day in New York. Sad? yes but will be happy to get home to see my wean!! No not Jack!! Buzz!! My wean. Jack is just my son

Buzz is ma baby. My bestest pal.

OK will make this quick cause you are probably bored of me by by now.

Check our 11am head into Times Square as usual and into the maddest shop I have ever been in. The M&M Store. How is it possible

to make a whole 3 story high store out of 1 kind of sweet? Well it is and it is magic! What a cracking shop. Without realising it

we had spent over an hour wandering around looking at sweeties, T shirts with sweeties on them, Jammies with sweeties on them and

lots of other crazy stuff with sweeties on them. As I said it was a cracking big shop.

Well out of there another we wander and time for a quick bite to eat before we head to the airport.

Guess where hoddit and doddit want to go. Yes thats right - McDonalds. My answer is simple AWE FFS!!!

So McDs it is (again) then hotel, and an hour and a half later we were at JFK Airport for our flight home. Another BA747 jumbo

awaits, But guess what? It has been nearly 4 hours since we last had a munch and you will not believe what they have in

Terminal 7 departures in JFK? Yes another McDonalds. This time only Stinky wants one. Kay has a sandwich and I have a small

pizza. Wll you never know what kind of crap you will get on the plane. Airline food is IMO notoriously bad.

So it tata NY. An uneventful and surprisingly quick 5 and a half hour flight and we arrive in LHR.

Up into Terminal 5 and after sitting a while andh having a wander and a wee quick taster of a malt whiskey its time to board

our flight to Glasgow. That seems to go by in minutes as all 3 of us slept on that flight and then taxi back home arriving

back home at 12.40.

Buzz went mental when he saw us. He was all excited and jumping up and down it was brilliant to see him too. He needs a

haircut. So in we go dump the bags and flop into chairs. Steart is right on his XBoX and Jack saunters in just after 1.

Not like a hello or did you enjoy your holiday! 1st question What did you bring me back. A litre of Grey Goose Vodka

A T shirt. a Polo shirt and some sweets.

I lay down on the couch and called Buzz up beside me. He would not come up. He actually went into a huff with us.

After the initial welcome home he hardly came near us for a couple of hours. Huffy wee bugger.

Not a thing in the hoose for eating so its Chinese for tea. A quick game of bools at the club, pick up the grub from

the best Chinese in the district and a heavy munch.

End of holiday, end of blog!

 

 

Hope you enjoyed it.

[cathyoo]

Happy chappy.. thanks taking us on your adventure. Hope you are planning another adventure very SOON.

 

It was very nice to meet you and your family virtually.