Summit "Live" 9/21/13 Havana Daydreamin in a Northern Latitude

[sjf]

I jst stumbled across this thread today and have read it from start to finish. Thanks so much for your report and the wonderful photos. Can't wait until you get to Quebec!

[Bleon9]

What a great job you are doing. I am also on the Oct. 5th cruise and this is such a great preview. I was just wondering if you can order off of the MDR menu in Blu? I am also in Aqua Class and would like to order shrimp cocktail. Hope the rest of your trip is wonderful and healthy!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I am also in Aqua Class and would like to order shrimp cocktail.

 

Yes, you can order shrimp cocktail in Blu.

[Havana Daydreamin]

Great review and pics. I could not believe how clear it was at Peggy's Cove. Been there twice and both times it was foggy.

 

Dress question...how dressed up are passengers for dinners on formal and casual nights?

 

Have seen a few tuxes in Blu on formal. Mostly, jackets and some ties on the men. Women were dressed long dresses or dressy pantsuit type of wear.

[Havana Daydreamin]

Oh, I want to hear about your "Heart of the Island" tour. We're signed up for that one. The reviews I've read of the Highland Village say it's very hilly, but it looks to me like there are stops along the way, not just one continuous long hill. Is that correct?

 

Thanks,

Kathy

 

My wife is still having some knee issues from a fall several months back and she navigated it just fine. Just watch your step on the graveled trail and you will be fine. They take you to the top and you don't have to walk too much for steep hills.

 

I think you will be fine. We saw what we wanted and did not have to rush at all.

[Havana Daydreamin]

After the ship was cleared we left for our excursion on the Heart of the Island tour which would take us to Iona on the Bra’s de Or Lake and the Highland Village.

 

It was a one hour ride there through some very nice country side and along portions of the lake.

 

We had roughly 1 hour 10 minutes to explore the history of the immigrants from Scotland with a replica of a home from Scotland through the years to more modern times. There are many wonderful vistas to enjoy at this village. I include a few.

 

At the beginning of the tour with a replica of a home from Scotland with rock walls and sod/grass roof we took this picture.

 

 

I was just in the midst of my very best Mel Gibson imitation “They may take our lives, but the will never take our freedom” when smack came out of nowhere telling me to QUIT!:D

 

 

Another funny story was one of the homes had this fireplace going and the smell of the wood was so good, I asked the costumed narrator what she was cooking. Her reply....I KID YOU NOT.....was “Not a damn thing!” I inquired whether that was a Gaelic saying. She laughed!

 

One of the biggest mosquito type bugs I have seen for awhile coming from a drought area of southwest Kansas

 

 

We had no bug issues.

 

It was also pretty warm when we were there. Took off the fleece and walked the tour in short sleeved shirt and was comfortable.

[Havana Daydreamin]

I like churches, hence several of the church at the top of the village.

 

I include a few more of the pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I tried to do some work on the wifi in the terminal, but I believe so many people were connecting as I could connect but never navigate any websites. So we came back on board and enjoyed a sunny afternoon on the Sunset Bar with a nice Julius Caesar from the 2012 Cigar Family Charitable Foundation event.

 

We are preparing for our evening out on the ship at this time.

 

Tomorrow is a sea day and we are really looking forward to its relaxation as we make our way down into the St. Lawrence seaway toward Quebec City.

[ny cruisequeen]

I think that bug is a Praying Mantis. I just Love the photo of the church with the stone wall leading up to it! Fabulous!

[CPT Trips]

I think that bug is a Praying Mantis. I just Love the photo of the church with the stone wall leading up to it! Fabulous!

 

Nope, it's a visiting representative of the Maine Air National Guard ;).

[JMG]

Nope, it's a visiting representative of the Maine Air National Guard ;).

 

Now that was good! LOL!!

[MEcruzr]

"One of the biggest mosquito type bugs I have seen for awhile coming from a drought area of southwest Kansas"

 

It's a crane fly. Quite common in this corner of the world. They don't bite like mosquitoes.

[Havana Daydreamin]

"One of the biggest mosquito type bugs I have seen for awhile coming from a drought area of southwest Kansas"

 

It's a crane fly. Quite common in this corner of the world. They don't bite like mosquitoes.

 

 

Thanks for clarifying. I knew it was not a mosquito, but sure looked like a giant one at first glance!

 

You have been a wealth of great info on what I have no idea about!

 

Dinner was great and tomorrow is a sea day.

 

Maybe I can take some down time and work on the ship pictures and get something done in Quebec City.

 

Time moves back one hour tonight and will stay that way back to Port Liberty.

 

Best Regards to all!

[mommo6]

Thanks for clarifying. I knew it was not a mosquito, but sure looked like a giant one at first glance!

 

You have been a wealth of great info on what I have no idea about!

 

Dinner was great and tomorrow is a sea day.

 

Maybe I can take some down time and work on the ship pictures and get something done in Quebec City.

 

Time moves back one hour tonight and will stay that way back to Port Liberty.

 

Best Regards to all!

Have a nice restful day tomorrow. You deserve it! You are working as hard as some, or most, of the crew onboard the ship! By the way, we guess we can consider you a neighbor since you are from Kansas, and we are from Missouri. Judy & Bill

[upwarduk]

replica of a home from Scotland with rock walls and sod/grass roof

 

The picture of the home, looks as though it was transported from Shetland Islands (N.E. Of mainland Scotland)

Edited September 28, 2013 by upwarduk

[bama4cruisin]

Your photos are great! We are on the Oct 5 sailing and have booked the Heart of the Island excursion, and your notes and photos confirm we made a good decision. Thanks.

[Havana Daydreamin]

After a very nice afternoon, we beheld this view of the rays of the sun while it was getting closer to sundown.

 

 

The following were the evening menus at MDR and Blu.

 

 

 

 

[Havana Daydreamin]

We had wonderful choices for dinner. We enjoyed seafood ceviche, cucumber soup, proscutto, duck breast, and lamb shank.

 

 

 

 

 

For dessert there was cannoli and chocolate cake. I had the chocolate cake, but take a peek at this cannoli!!! It was WONDERFUL!

 

[Havana Daydreamin]

Sea Day September 28th

 

My plans were to enjoy sleeping in this morning. That just did not work. Morning called!

 

And what a beautiful morning greeted me! I would expect that we are somewhere in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I have not turned the tv on as of yet to check position. (Sometimes I really wish I had a mapping GPS....maybe next cruise vacation.) Anyway I do see land in the distance off the starboard side.

 

I am really looking forward to going into the river portion as the seaway narrows toward Quebec City.

 

 

 

 

The orb of the sun appeared and I spent some time with different settings to capture what the naked eye could enjoy. I hope I did it some justice. How cool to see the orb.

 

 

The Captain’s Club Celebration is today. I believe we will likely go to experience it for a bit. Former NFL referee Bob McElwee is on the schedule for today which I know I want to go listen to. I spoke briefly with him and his wife. They are quite delightful people! His topic today is “Inside Comic Moments in the Sport.”

 

My whale watch was not fruitful this morning. Maybe later in the day. Our first sea day, during lunch, there were a group of dolphins very close to the ship that we viewed from the dining room window.

 

Speaking of sea days, we love going to MDR for lunches on the sea days. Again, mostly because we do so much service in our vocation, it is nice to relax and be served for a bit.

 

Note on the “Noro”.....yesterday they said they are getting less cases showing up in the medical office. There are a variety of “Do Not Disturb” signs out which I wonder if those are the quarantined folks.

 

The protocol care that the crew is doing has been wonderful, but it does seem like it is their first time! Examples are this: The other day when you “bing” off the ship...the security officer is wearing a glove BUT THEN HANDLING EVERYONE’S CARDS AND GIVING IT BACK TO YOU!!!! Also, they require you to sanitize before coming back on board, BUT THEN HAVE YOU TOUCH THE BOWLS EVERYONE ELSE HAS TOUCHED TO PUT YOUR POCKET ITEMS THROUGH THE SCANNER.

 

I don’t know if they heard me making comments (my prideful thought for the day) but they now have you insert your own card on leaving and entering the ship. Also, yesterday I noted that they were wiping down each of the bowls for the scanner as well as the hand scanner machines they were using. So they are trying hard!

 

As for number of cases, I do not know. Have heard the gossip mill offer a variety of numbers. The last somewhat official number from a crew member a couple days back was in the 90’s. That said, we did hear the horror stories of individuals tossing their buffets (one experience of a fellow cruiser was at the coffee station in Oceanview) and you know it has happened because of the steam cleaners we saw around yesterday.

 

Personally, we have not observed anything like that though we are acquainted with some that have had the “Noro.”

 

It does sound as if they really sanitize the cabins well as I eavesdropped on a lady whose husband was afflicted and she told about how they steamed the pillows, floors, etc., changing the bed skirting along with all bedding, of course.

 

Bring plenty of personal sanitizer for yourself. Use some common sense hygiene. Avoid touching too much and then touching your eyes, nose, mouth.

 

So far so good, on our part and I pray that our good blessing of health continues.

 

Well that is about it for thoughts this morning.

 

Today’s Celebrity Today will follow.

[Havana Daydreamin]

 

 

 

 

 

[kayehall]

HAVANA...Your pictures are wonderful. I have a Canon EOS. Which camera is a better one? I think that maybe you could get some of these published. Either with the Chamber of Comm. or a magazine that specializes in NE travel. 2 pictures that I think are fantastic are the lighthouse with the ocean and the sun shining between the clouds and the white church sitting on the hill with the fence. I am enjoying New England thru the eye of your camera!!!

[Havana Daydreamin]

HAVANA...Your pictures are wonderful. I have a Canon EOS. Which camera is a better one? I think that maybe you could get some of these published. Either with the Chamber of Comm. or a magazine that specializes in NE travel. 2 pictures that I think are fantastic are the lighthouse with the ocean and the sun shining between the clouds and the white church sitting on the hill with the fence. I am enjoying New England thru the eye of your camera!!!

 

Thank you! You are so very kind!

[Havana Daydreamin]

I have quickly learned today that IF I want to see whales, I am going to have to be with Barbara.

 

I found her on the Sunset Bar and there were two whales NOT 50 yards off the port aft of the ship!

 

I RAN to get my camera! I know...who would believe I would leave it behind....but I had my mind on breakfast.

 

I did see the whales with my own eyes and caught this blow spout some distance behind the ship.

 

[mommo6]

Sea Day September 28th

 

My plans were to enjoy sleeping in this morning. That just did not work. Morning called!

 

And what a beautiful morning greeted me! I would expect that we are somewhere in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I have not turned the tv on as of yet to check position. (Sometimes I really wish I had a mapping GPS....maybe next cruise vacation.) Anyway I do see land in the distance off the starboard side.

 

I am really looking forward to going into the river portion as the seaway narrows toward Quebec City.

 

 

 

 

The orb of the sun appeared and I spent some time with different settings to capture what the naked eye could enjoy. I hope I did it some justice. How cool to see the orb.

 

 

The Captain’s Club Celebration is today. I believe we will likely go to experience it for a bit. Former NFL referee Bob McElwee is on the schedule for today which I know I want to go listen to. I spoke briefly with him and his wife. They are quite delightful people! His topic today is “Inside Comic Moments in the Sport.”

 

My whale watch was not fruitful this morning. Maybe later in the day. Our first sea day, during lunch, there were a group of dolphins very close to the ship that we viewed from the dining room window.

 

Speaking of sea days, we love going to MDR for lunches on the sea days. Again, mostly because we do so much service in our vocation, it is nice to relax and be served for a bit.

 

Note on the “Noro”.....yesterday they said they are getting less cases showing up in the medical office. There are a variety of “Do Not Disturb” signs out which I wonder if those are the quarantined folks.

 

The protocol care that the crew is doing has been wonderful, but it does seem like it is their first time! Examples are this: The other day when you “bing” off the ship...the security officer is wearing a glove BUT THEN HANDLING EVERYONE’S CARDS AND GIVING IT BACK TO YOU!!!! Also, they require you to sanitize before coming back on board, BUT THEN HAVE YOU TOUCH THE BOWLS EVERYONE ELSE HAS TOUCHED TO PUT YOUR POCKET ITEMS THROUGH THE SCANNER.

 

I don’t know if they heard me making comments (my prideful thought for the day) but they now have you insert your own card on leaving and entering the ship. Also, yesterday I noted that they were wiping down each of the bowls for the scanner as well as the hand scanner machines they were using. So they are trying hard!

 

As for number of cases, I do not know. Have heard the gossip mill offer a variety of numbers. The last somewhat official number from a crew member a couple days back was in the 90’s. That said, we did hear the horror stories of individuals tossing their buffets (one experience of a fellow cruiser was at the coffee station in Oceanview) and you know it has happened because of the steam cleaners we saw around yesterday.

 

Personally, we have not observed anything like that though we are acquainted with some that have had the “Noro.”

 

It does sound as if they really sanitize the cabins well as I eavesdropped on a lady whose husband was afflicted and she told about how they steamed the pillows, floors, etc., changing the bed skirting along with all bedding, of course.

 

Bring plenty of personal sanitizer for yourself. Use some common sense hygiene. Avoid touching too much and then touching your eyes, nose, mouth.

 

So far so good, on our part and I pray that our good blessing of health continues.

 

Well that is about it for thoughts this morning.

 

Today’s Celebrity Today will follow.

 

Thanks again, "neighbor," for your STUNNING pictures! About the "noro," I spoke to a lady this morning at Celebrity, and she said that they plan on doing a deep cleaning of the Summit after it gets back to N.J. and before the new guests board. This is due to the "noro" that is currently on the ship. She said that she was just on the Summit a month ago, but she didn't say if there were any "noro" cases on her sailing. I am excited about the possibility of seeing whales on our cruise. That would be cool! Have a good day! Judy

[bbappel]

Thank you for the narrative and the photos. It is quite an experience, even simply following along with you. We will be on this cruise in 2014 - same bat time, same bat channel - if you remember what I mean. ;)

 

Why don't you also join us on the January 11, 2014 Caribbean cruise on the Eclipse? I know we don't know you, but I'm a fellow mid-westerner (though I've been a New Yorker for 48 years) but the Ohio still runs deep in my veins.

 

Beth

[Lin336]

We are loving your review & can't wait for more!!!! Thanks