Celebrity, Silhouette, November 1, 2014 - Transatlantic

[stjohn1]

If we win the lottery you can come and house-sit for us because we're going on a round the world cruise :)

 

Can't wait to come back to PS. It is the BEST! Unfortunately, we are unlikely to be back before this cruise. We are doing a two-week in the Caribbean in February (can't wait to get out of this deep freeze!) and then have some family from Europe joining us at our cottage, north of Toronto, in the summer. Then there is that work thing….UGH!

 

So probably our holiday time is going to be pretty filled up for this year…unless of course we win the lotto…in which case we'll be there buying a house in the blink of an eye!

 

Cheers,

 

S

[torjen]

Can we come too if you win the Lottery? Lol

 

T

[torjen]

Scott,

 

Yes I will very happy to add you after Jan's birthday and until then we have to communicate here.

 

My partner and I are in aqua Class this year deck 11

 

Usually for concierge class but not this time.

 

Very much looking forward to blu and the heathy choices.

 

We are flying back from the US to Europe first as an upgrade with miles still bloody expensive because you have to pay for all the taxes.

 

So you have the balconies that you can see from the outside restaurant area ... At the back of the vessel... Since we are mid ship we are far away from each other. Lol.

 

Hugs from Germany.

 

Torsten

Hi Torsten:

 

 

 

Great to meet you. Thanks for the warm welcome! Yes, probably best not to join the Facebook group just yet. Too bad!

 

 

 

No, did not go for a suite. Just a very nice verandah on the hump with one of the hugest balconies, one of the sweet 16. We always try to snag one of these and managed to for this cruise. Suite would be GREAT, but I think we'd rather spend the extra $s on some good wine :)

 

 

 

Plus, we are going to spend a few days in Venice pre-cruise, and are flying over from Canada first-class. Seemed a better way to go!

 

 

 

What about you? What did you end up booking?

 

 

 

I've heard that TAs are REALLY fun, so really looking forward to it. LOVE meeting new fun people--a lot--and we also really like sea days….so this will be perfect!

 

 

 

 

 

Best,

 

 

 

Scott

[TorontoSailor]

Actually, we are mid-ship, deck 8, I think it is, right where the angled balconies are. We've had them before and there are easily more than double the regular ones. The first and the third on the slant are the very best. Really huge and great value. If you get the ones slanting toward the back of the ship wind won't mess your hairdo :)

[torjen]

once we are connected on FB you will see I don't have much hair - you will have to show me that extra large balcony. :)

Good night from Berlin

 

Actually, we are mid-ship, deck 8, I think it is, right where the angled balconies are. We've had them before and there are easily more than double the regular ones. The first and the third on the slant are the very best. Really huge and great value. If you get the ones slanting toward the back of the ship wind won't mess your hairdo :)

[Turtles06]

Hi everyone!

 

Starting to look like a fun group.

 

I have booked this cruise as a surprise 40th birthday gift for my partner, who doesn't have a clue that I have…….so shhhhhhhh! (If I can pull off keeping it secret until his birthday in July, it will be a miracle. Have to really try, though…so will not post names just yet….LOL!)

 

We are two professional guys from Toronto, 39 and 54. We are really fun, both have great senses of humour, enjoy good food and wine, and really enjoy meeting new people.

 

We have been together 11+ years.

 

Very much looking forward to this cruise. Have done others on Celebrity before, but this will be our first TA. Always wanted to do one, and this itinerary looks great.

 

Very pleased that we are shaping up to be a really great group! Looking forward to meeting everyone and to staying in touch pre-cruise.

 

Welcome Scott (and Jan)!

 

Eileen and I were married in Toronto, so your city holds a special place in our hearts (as does your country, which is light years ahead of ours).

 

That's a great surprise you are planing for Jan, I hope you can keep it a secret until the big day. :)

 

We are also in an angled balcony on the hump; it will be our second time in one of these cabins. What a great location, and of course there's the super large balcony. (Our cabin is on the forward part of the hump, so we'll be the ones with the bad hair. :))

 

Looking forward to meeting on board....

 

Judith

Edited January 10, 2014 by Turtles06

[TorontoSailor]

Great to meet you and Eileen on here, Judith.

 

That is so cool that you were married in Toronto! FANTASTIC.

 

Really glad to hear that you have such a connection to the city.

 

In some ways, we are ahead. In some ways we are WAY behind….have you been following our Mayor Rob Ford, aka Mayor Crackhead?

 

Ay carumba!

 

He's a low-life. Like watching the first season of The Wire, if you ever saw it. And people are now saying he might even be re-elected, which is even stranger than fiction.

 

Can't wait to meet you both in person.

 

We'll do our best to keep this trip a secret until July 27…Jan's Big Four 0 !!!!! Hope I can pull it off.

 

I had been seeing what a fun bunch you all were on here, as I watched over the holidays and couldn't resist jumping aboard. Much better…even if the secret somehow gets out, which I am hoping it will not.

 

Shhhh!

 

Cheers,

 

Scott

[Oliver2309]

Oops didn't mean to send such a short welcome.

 

Fingers crossed that you manage to keep this a secret ... So I won't invite you to join the Facebook group just yet.

 

From experience I can say that TAs are a lot of fun and that the groups are usually awesome. I am still I touch with most of the people that I met on cruise one and cruise two.

 

What cabin group did you choose for his birthday? A suite? (-:

 

Welcome to the group and happy chatting until departure day Nov 1, 2014

 

 

Torsten from Berlin

 

Hi Torsten...I would love to join the FB page :)

Russell

[stjohn1]

If we win the really big one we'll charter the whole ship!

 

Can we come too if you win the Lottery? Lol

 

T

[stjohn1]

We're in an aft balcony on deck 10. I think a progressive cocktail party would be a hoot. Start at the aft and work our way forward. Stop midship for dinner then continue forward with after-dinner drinks.

[Turtles06]

Great to meet you and Eileen on here, Judith.

 

That is so cool that you were married in Toronto! FANTASTIC.

 

Really glad to hear that you have such a connection to the city.

 

In some ways, we are ahead. In some ways we are WAY behind….have you been following our Mayor Rob Ford, aka Mayor Crackhead?

 

Ay carumba!

 

He's a low-life. Like watching the first season of The Wire, if you ever saw it. And people are now saying he might even be re-elected, which is even stranger than fiction.

 

....

 

Cheers,

 

Scott

 

Yup, the Rob Ford stuff is amazing. But I won't tar a whole country with one bad Mayor!

 

We are huge fans of The Wire. I think the first season was one of the best things that's ever been on television.

 

 

We're in an aft balcony on deck 10. I think a progressive cocktail party would be a hoot. Start at the aft and work our way forward. Stop midship for dinner then continue forward with after-dinner drinks.

 

Sounds like a good plan! :)

 

Judith

[TorontoSailor]

Progressive.

 

Cocktails.

 

Two of my favourite words!

 

Great idea! We're in!

 

Scott

[torjen]

When do you think we would be too drunk to continue... ;-)

Sounds like a sweet idea though - keep your staterooms tidy at all times you might never know when the progressive cocktail party might come through.

 

Have a great weekend everyone !!!

 

Torsten.

 

 

We're in an aft balcony on deck 10. I think a progressive cocktail party would be a hoot. Start at the aft and work our way forward. Stop midship for dinner then continue forward with after-dinner drinks.

[stjohn1]

Since we're going to be on the ship for such a long time (pity it couldn't be 2 weeks longer), what say we stretch it out - maybe 2 balconies on one night, another 2 balconies another night, etc.? We'll host the first one!

 

Too bad we don't have a really big balcony. On the Navigator we had a corner aft balcony that was enormous. The last night of the cruise we had a cocktail party for 12 and could have had 8 more comfortably.

[Oliver2309]

Hi Torsten...I would love to join the FB page :)

Russell

 

oops....russell4005@GEEMale.com Thanks!!

[torjen]

oops....russell4005@GEEMale.com Thanks!!

 

 

Russell I saw that you found the group without me sending a link! ;-)

Welcome to the group!

 

Smiles.

 

Torsten

[TorontoSailor]

Spreading the "crawl" out a bit is a good idea. Our livers will thank us. We have one of the larger hump balconies, so can definitely fit a few out there for a glass of bubbly :)

 

Just booked the last leg of this trip last night: Flight from Venice to Rome, so it is all falling into place. Now have flight from Toronto to Venice (via Frankfurt), hotel in Venice, flight to Rome and hotel in Port for night before.

 

Has anyone sailed out of Civitavecchia before? Where are people staying? I decided on the San Giorgio, mainly because of its proximity to the ship and because they have a handy shuttle from airport to hotel and from hotel to port.

 

In Venice, we're going to stay at the Hotel Canal Grande, which was recommended to me.

 

Can't wait! Have been to Italy (one of my fave places) before (Rome, Florence, Tuscany), but never to Venice.

 

Have a great weekend, all!

 

Scott

[torjen]

Wow. And you can do all that without bursting out to your partner? I would go crazy not to be able to tell him everything about it.

I can't help with port recommendations in Civitavecchia as we just arrive on the day of the sailing and just take the transport over to the ship. When I departed there in 2009 it was a tent - very rustic but charming I wonder if they built something yet.

I am eager to see the large balconies you are talking about. I have to

Look at pictures of the shop to locate them.

Enjoy your weekend.

 

T

[TorontoSailor]

There are some good pics on one of the Eclipse boards. They are basically the same ship. All the Solstice ships, as you know, were made in Germany, and they are BY FAR the best ships I've ever seen. The Germsn craftsmanship and quality is so apparent.

 

Yes, damn near impossible to keep my mouth shut. (I'm a yakker!) Very tempting to pull it out as a combined Valentine's Day/Birthday gift, but we shall see. That would mean I'd have to get some other thing for actual birthday--which would suck. I'm not a bank :)

 

Scott

Edited January 11, 2014 by TorontoSailor

[torjen]

I know the feeling about not being a bank --- even though I work for one and handle billions of euro and dollars every day it's difficult to fulfill all my dreams at the same time...

is it still freezing cold in Toronto or are you getting a break?

It's still very mild and warm in Berlin. They say because it's so sold in America the mild weather remains in Europe.

Do you live in Toronto or in one of the many surrounding communities? When we visited in May 2005 we enjoyed staying soooooo very much. One of the best holidays!

 

Torsten

[stjohn1]

You'll love Venice. You may encounter the "aqua alta" but the hotel should provide you with boots if necessary. The first time I was there was october 1982 (we took the Orient Express from London to Venice). There was some water around San Marco but it wasn't bad. The next time was April 2004 and ther was no flooding.

 

I'm thinking about the San Giorgio too. I like the proximity to the ship and it looks like a nice place.

 

 

Spreading the "crawl" out a bit is a good idea. Our livers will thank us. We have one of the larger hump balconies, so can definitely fit a few out there for a glass of bubbly :)

 

Just booked the last leg of this trip last night: Flight from Venice to Rome, so it is all falling into place. Now have flight from Toronto to Venice (via Frankfurt), hotel in Venice, flight to Rome and hotel in Port for night before.

 

Has anyone sailed out of Civitavecchia before? Where are people staying? I decided on the San Giorgio, mainly because of its proximity to the ship and because they have a handy shuttle from airport to hotel and from hotel to port.

 

In Venice, we're going to stay at the Hotel Canal Grande, which was recommended to me.

 

Can't wait! Have been to Italy (one of my fave places) before (Rome, Florence, Tuscany), but never to Venice.

 

Have a great weekend, all!

 

Scott

[stjohn1]

I know the feeling too. I settle estates (dead people's law). I keep hoping someone will leave me a large bequest :)

 

I know the feeling about not being a bank --- even though I work for one and handle billions of euro and dollars every day it's difficult to fulfill all my dreams at the same time...

is it still freezing cold in Toronto or are you getting a break?

It's still very mild and warm in Berlin. They say because it's so sold in America the mild weather remains in Europe.

Do you live in Toronto or in one of the many surrounding communities? When we visited in May 2005 we enjoyed staying soooooo very much. One of the best holidays!

 

Torsten

[stjohn1]

BTW, is anyone an opera fan? I'm now watching Anna Bolena from the Metropolitan Opera's streaming website. Anna Netrebko is singing Anne B.

[torjen]

My partner is a huge opera fan... I usually leave the room. ;)

[TorontoSailor]

Got a good chuckle out of those last two posts! I'm an opera fan! Jan is a little, though not as much as I am :) We go though, and, of course have been to The Met many times. Have seen some greats. Love Vienna, too.

 

Hope the aqua alta stays down during our trip--although it certainly would make for an interesting experience in Venice. Still, one I personally could do without. Not a giant sludge fan :)

 

Scott