Our amazing trip to Bermuda on the Summit: pictures, tips, guides, and opinions

[Viva_la_Vida]

Friday, June 6th Continued

 

One correction from post #128. We did NOT have to pack yet on formal night, that was the next night. Oops!

 

On to dinner pleasantries. I had a kale salad and an amazing and rich blue cheese souffle, one of the best apps all week. Marc had the scallops which were presented inside a shell with breadcrumbs. It was beautiful and tasty. He also enjoyed the prosciutto salad. I was stuck between the lobster and beef wellington, but the latter won out. I did try Marc’s lobster and it was good. He said it was tasty but tough. I love that they come by with extra melted butter. For dessert I skipped the baked Alaska in favor of the cheesecake with passion fruit topping paired with my espresso.

 

We headed to the Rendez-voux lounge to see “Are You Smarter Than Ships Officers” played. It was very funny. I wish I could have been up there playing! It was definitely a rigged game though, and the passengers ended up “winning”.

 

After that, we were excited to go see “Liars Club”. We saw it advertised on the daily Celebrity TV show featuring Ken (cruise director) and Luigi (activities director) It really helped sell the activities and we enjoyed hearing about the featured events more in depth. The premise of this is kind of like NPR’s “Says You”, but just keeping it to vocabulary. The three panelists are given a word and two bluff definitions and one tells the truth. The audience has hand held clickers they use to vote for which they think is telling the truth. That is at least how it was explained. What actually happened was a bit different!

 

The panelists were Captain Dimitrios, Ken, and Martin Fowler, the British Food and Beverage Director. Before I tell you to stop reading if you don’t like spoilers I need to warn you that this was a very racy show. We LOVED it, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for kids and it would be really uncomfortable for most people to sit in with their teens even. Actually, I would have been uncomfortable sitting with my own parents, ha! Marc told me to tell you that this was one of the most fun things he did on the boat. We are big comedy fans.

 

Now. . ***IF YOU DON’T WANT THE FUNNY THINGS SPOILED, DON’T READ UNTIL THE NEXT PARAGRAPH*** The words the panelists were given were double entendres, for example “Oxpecker” was the first word. Each of the panelists would put their own cultural and mostly sexually suggestive spin on each word, so Ken’s would always be something southern, the Captain’s something Greek, and the F&B Director something British. They went way long winded and so inappropriate with it, but in a hilarious way. So it wasn’t really so much about winning or losing, just about who could be the most outrageous. You could tell how much fun they were having with it, especially the Captain. Marc and I were very curious whether the show was very rehearsed or if most of it was improvised. We think it was a lot of improv and I’m curious to know how the show turns out for other passengers in later sailings. After all, we were just the second cruise where this particular staff was put together. Luigi moderated the whole thing. This was a 10:30pm show in the theater and I did see a few maybe younger teens in the audience, clearly with parents. I kind of felt bad for them! Anyway, I hope I haven’t scared you away. Give it a try and if you’re not sure, sit in the back so you can sneak out ;-) At the end, they did make fun of a lady in the front row who was fast asleep, so beware of the front seats if you tend to nod off after dinner.

 

That night we headed to the buffet for a midnight snack. They had cold cuts/cheeses and breads out along with the pizza. All were great! We loved grabbing a snack and taking it out to the sunset bar.

 

Coming up next, fun on our last day.

[Viva_la_Vida]

Saturday, June 7th

At Sea

 

6-7 front by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

6-7 Middle by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

6-7 schedule by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

6-7 Back by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

We went up to eat at the buffet just before 9AM. I had an “American” breakfast sandwich that had Canadian bacon, ha! I loved the pre-cut grapefruit and the waffles were outstanding and quick to get.

 

I will take a moment to talk about Qsine here. There was a table set up outside the buffet at least 2-3 days, definitely on a couple of the port days. They were offering discounts to Qsine I think around 25%. We originally booked and told the person working the table that we would check our schedule to confirm. Once we took a look at the Hamilton ferry schedule, we called back within a half hour cancel. They told us they would have to charge us a $25 cancellation fee - what? We explained we had just booked and they waived it, thank goodness. So just be aware that if you book and cancel or don’t show, they may charge a fee. Has this actually happened to anyone? Saturday morning at breakfast we were again approached by the same person offering the same discount for that evening, but we declined. Is this a new marketing push? Is it because Qsine is not doing well on the Summit? I don’t remember ever being offered a discount or seeing tables set up on the Reflection for any of the specialty spots. I’m curious if this is a new thing.

 

We went to hear the Captain’s navigational talk at 10:15. This was Marc’s choice, but I was game to tag along. We got seats in the theatre early and ordered mimosas from a staff member circling to take orders. It was a very popular talk and most seats ended up full.

 

This picture was taken before the area got filled.

IMG_5763 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

The Captain was just as charming as ever. It ended up being a very interesting talk, and focused mainly on the many safety mechanisms Celebrity incorporates on their ships. He made a lot of jokes. Most interesting I though was the slide of the Titanic superimposed on a picture of the modern day Oasis of the Seas. The Titanic is so small in comparison!

 

IMG_5769 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

[Viva_la_Vida]

Last sea day continued

 

After the talk, we went to al Bacio to hear Jordan Peterson play solo for the last time on our sailing. It was packed, and we were happy we were early. Stephen Aubrey (guitar/vocal) was scheduled to play at the same time. I wish that Celebrity would schedule them apart because I think they appeal to a similar audience. We loved his playing as well. After that delightful interlude, we went to the Oceanview to get lunch. I didn’t really care for their desserts all week, but that day made up for it. The featured item was crème brûlée in all kinds of flavors and varieties. My favorite was the nutella one. It’s a must try! For real food, we had carne asada, lamb skewers, chicken curry, and Marc tried the pork belly. He says don’t do it, it was gross. We also sampled the panini. It seemed that only the bread was pressed and not the ingredients in the bread because the cheese wasn’t melted.

 

After lunch we spent basically the rest of the day at the pool. The officer’s volleyball game took place and was very popular to watch. It usually takes place on the way to Bermuda but had been rescheduled due to the rough waters. We did play some Bingo and took advantage of captain’s club coupon for three free Bingo cards. It was kind of expensive, but I think I prefer it over the casino. I would probably play again. We also used another captain’s club coupon for two free gelatos. They were tiny, but very good.

 

Oh, I almost forgot. The night before or that morning, this flyer advertising the “All In” special was popped under our stateroom door.

 

All In by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

I was already planning on booking our next cruise on board, but that really helped make the decision easy. Pre-paid gratuities + Classic Beverage Package + OBC, I’ll take it! There was no line at all at the Future Cruise Office, a big change from the Reflection. I walked right in and the process took all of six minutes. The only thing I worry about with the “All In” is that too many people will choose Select Dining. Since X pays gratuities, it’s automatically one of the options along with early and late seating. Maybe I’ll get lucky and the prices will drop enough after final payment for us to try Aqua. That’s definitely something we want to do.

 

We had early reservations for dinner so we could get back and pack before we had to have our bags out at 11pm.

 

Marc enjoyed Steak tartare and said it was very good. He also had gumbo (pretty good) and veal cordon bleu for the entree. I had the veal as well and it was OK, a bit tough. I had a good salad and a great spinach turnover. For dessert, more chocolate cake and espresso for me.

 

After packing, we went out to the lido deck to watch the sunset. It was a bit crowded, so we opted to go up one more level. Most of these were taken from the 12th (top) deck.

 

DSC_0926 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

DSC_0926 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

DSC_0933 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

DSC_0938 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

DSC_0942 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

[Viva_la_Vida]

Here are more from our final evening at sea.

 

DSC_0944 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

DSC_0958 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

DSC_0959 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

DSC_0974 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

[Viva_la_Vida]

Saturday, June 7th Continued

 

I loved seeing the ship at this time of day.

 

DSC_0975 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

DSC_0976 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

DSC_0978 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

This is the last picture I took on the Summit. Our balcony, 6028 is the one with a shirt and towel hanging on the chair.

DSC_0982 by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

I went down to the balcony to sit and write about our day. The sunset just kept going and going since we were chasing it, headed NW. It was a perfect way to enjoy the balcony. We went back out and enjoyed the casino a bit more. I had a dark ‘n stormy and had to ask for less rum. ***TIP: If you like your drinks heavy-handed and/or are not on a beverage package, go to the Casino bar. The bartenders all seem to pour larger, stronger drinks there. I noticed it multiple times.**** We enjoyed sitting and listening to the DJ/Drum Duo outside the casino until they packed it up. We lost more in the casino and then bid farewell to nightlife on the Summit.

 

Thank you to everyone who has said a kind word or two or given encouragement. I've thoroughly enjoyed writing this review. Please stick with me for my last few posts, especially if you're looking to spend some time in NYC before or after you sail. I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

 

Next up, disembarkation, reflections on our trip, and my local-geared guide to some non-traditional things for tourists to do in NYC.

 

 

[redcc55]

VLV....

Just have to say that this has been a spectacular review. We are boarding Summit and leaving on June 29, this Sunday.

 

And your words and photos have gotten us so psyched!!!

 

Have taken lots of notes.

 

Thank you. Rich and Bonnie

[Seatbelt_Bag_LOVE]

Your review is getting me so excited for my cruise! Less than three weeks to go. It makes working long & extra hours much easier! I do have a couple questions. Is the 123 go deal available for destinations besides Bermuda? I thought I saw a flyer about a month ago that had the 123 go offer available all year at sea? Did you enjoy your cruise on the Reflection? We are thinking of booking the Reflection for January. The prices are really reasonable. What kind of camera do you use? Your pictures are beautiful. I especially like the ones of the sunset! Thanks again for all your hard work composing this comprehensive review. :)

Edited June 24, 2014 by Seatbelt_Bag_LOVE
Added another question!

[Gaynors]

Thank you so much for your awesome review... I am reliving our cruise through your excellent log... I still haven't even downloaded my pics yet :eek::(.. so I am really enjoying yours :D.

 

It was nice to have met both of you and I'm glad you loved your sweet sixteen as much as we did... I hope you get that price drop and maybe can score another one next year :).

 

Someday I'll have to get my act together and write my review since we were traveling with our kids.

 

Also, I enjoyed your "rant" on the formal attire. It is so true that there are now so many options for those who don't want to participate in formal night. However, we wouldn't miss it...our kids don't even grumble when it is time to get ready for dinner.. even the 13 year old :eek:.. he gets his suit and tie on with no complaints .... and we have some wonderful photos through the years all decked out...

 

 

Penny

[J&B in GA]

Last sea day continued

 

Oh, I almost forgot. The night before or that morning, this flyer advertising the “All In” special was popped under our stateroom door.

 

All In by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

I was already planning on booking our next cruise on board, but that really helped make the decision easy. Pre-paid gratuities + Classic Beverage Package + OBC, I’ll take it! There was no line at all at the Future Cruise Office, a big change from the Reflection. I walked right in and the process took all of six minutes. The only thing I worry about with the “All In” is that too many people will choose Select Dining. Since X pays gratuities, it’s automatically one of the options along with early and late seating. Maybe I’ll get lucky and the prices will drop enough after final payment for us to try Aqua. That’s definitely something we want to do.

 

 

VLV,

Really have enjoyed your review and photos. From my signature, you'll see we were on the first Bermuda sailing this season in May, our first sailing to Bermuda, and also enjoyed it very much. We were in a Sky Suite, so enjoyed Blu several times for breakfast and once for dinner. Also ate at QSine, as it was included once for suite guests.

 

We also pre-booked a Future Cruise on-board for this fall in the Caribbean on the Celebrity Connie, but were not offered anything like this, only a choice of 1 of the 3 perks plus a reduced deposit and $150 OBC for a verandah cabin. :( Did you also get the add'l $150 OBC ? We chose the Classic Bev. pkg. If they had made this offer on our cruise, we would have been all-in too for a return to Bermuda next year. :D

 

Looking forward to your post cruise review, we spent disembarkation day in lower Manhatten exploring the WTC and Battery park area. Unfortuneatley the 911 mueseum wasn't open to the public yet, only survivor families, police and firefighters. It was still very interesting and moving to see the two large fountains, with all the victims names engraved. Last time we were in NYC was just after 9/11, so the whole area was off limits and still smoldering.

[ITD]

Hands down, one of the single best reviews I've read about anything, anywhere.

 

We just booked our very first cruise for 7/13 to Bermuda. This post has given me so much info and I'm terribly excited now! Thank you for your effort!

Edited June 24, 2014 by ITD

[Viva_la_Vida]

Your review is getting me so excited for my cruise! Less than three weeks to go. It makes working long & extra hours much easier! I do have a couple questions. Is the 123 go deal available for destinations besides Bermuda? I thought I saw a flyer about a month ago that had the 123 go offer available all year at sea? Did you enjoy your cruise on the Reflection? We are thinking of booking the Reflection for January. The prices are really reasonable. What kind of camera do you use? Your pictures are beautiful. I especially like the ones of the sunset! Thanks again for all your hard work composing this comprehensive review. :)

 

 

123 Go seems to be available for a lot of cruises, at least according to many TA websites and X's website but I *think* if you book while on board it's always available. The "Bermuda All In" was just for Bermuda sailings and was just unveiled the week we were on the cruise. The future cruise sales representative did tell me that the "All In" was available online, but I think she was wrong as the fine print says it can only be booked on board.

 

I highly recommend the Reflection. We found her to be absolutely stunning, especially the huge open atrium with a live tree. We loved the design. She is a big ship, but we never felt crowded except by the pool. There are more specialty restaurants from which to choose as well, if you're into that. We loved the lawn and the sunset bar.

 

Thanks for the compliments, I'm glad you've enjoyed! The cameras we use are a Nikon D3000 with a standard 18-55 mm lens and my iPhone 5c. The sunsets were all done with the nikon.

 

Enjoy your trip and let me know if you want more specifics about the reflection.

[Viva_la_Vida]

VLV,

Really have enjoyed your review and photos. From my signature, you'll see we were on the first Bermuda sailing this season in May, our first sailing to Bermuda, and also enjoyed it very much. We were in a Sky Suite, so enjoyed Blu several times for breakfast and once for dinner. Also ate at QSine, as it was included once for suite guests.

 

We also pre-booked a Future Cruise on-board for this fall in the Caribbean on the Celebrity Connie, but were not offered anything like this, only a choice of 1 of the 3 perks plus a reduced deposit and $150 OBC for a verandah cabin. :( Did you also get the add'l $150 OBC ? We chose the Classic Bev. pkg. If they had made this offer on our cruise, we would have been all-in too for a return to Bermuda next year. :D

 

Looking forward to your post cruise review, we spent disembarkation day in lower Manhatten exploring the WTC and Battery park area. Unfortuneatley the 911 mueseum wasn't open to the public yet, only survivor families, police and firefighters. It was still very interesting and moving to see the two large fountains, with all the victims names engraved. Last time we were in NYC was just after 9/11, so the whole area was off limits and still smoldering.

 

Hi J&B,

 

It's too bad you just missed the "All In"! According to our future cruise rep, it was just unveiled on our sailing. We did get OBC as well, but I just booked an OV so it was less. You still got a great deal with the beverage package on Connie though.

 

Too bad about the 911 museum not being open. I haven't made it down to that area since I lived near the seaport in 2006. Everything was walled off at that time. When I was at NYU, I was a nanny for a family that lived in the west village and had a spectacular view of the downtown skyline. Over the years I worked for them, I saw a couple of buildings around the site come down and then the Freedom Tower slowly climb up the skyline. I remained very close to the family even after graduating and so got to see almost a ten year span of this. After moving back to Georgia, I didn't get the weekly sight and so seeing it again after a couple of years was shocking. The last time I was in NYC, the Empire State Building was still the tallest building; now it looks tiny in comparison! Needless to say, the memorial and 911 museum are at the top of my list when I return next.

[Viva_la_Vida]

Thank you so much for your awesome review... I am reliving our cruise through your excellent log... I still haven't even downloaded my pics yet :eek::(.. so I am really enjoying yours :D.

 

It was nice to have met both of you and I'm glad you loved your sweet sixteen as much as we did... I hope you get that price drop and maybe can score another one next year :).

 

Someday I'll have to get my act together and write my review since we were traveling with our kids.

 

Also, I enjoyed your "rant" on the formal attire. It is so true that there are now so many options for those who don't want to participate in formal night. However, we wouldn't miss it...our kids don't even grumble when it is time to get ready for dinner.. even the 13 year old :eek:.. he gets his suit and tie on with no complaints .... and we have some wonderful photos through the years all decked out...

 

 

Penny

 

Thanks, Penny! I am VERY impressed with your 13 year old. Can you move up a couple of counties so he can attend my school? I find that polite and well-dressed teenage boys are sometimes difficult to come by, ha! ;)

 

I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your summer. Get the kids on downloading those pics for you, girl! I think a lot of people would be interested your perspective as a parent with kids on board.

 

Valerie

[Viva_la_Vida]

Sunday, June 8th

Disembarkation

 

Hi All, sorry for the long delay between posts. I've been taking advantage of the beautiful summer weather here in Georgia (between rain showers, that is). :cool:

 

We were assigned group 6 to disembark, and our time to meet in the Rendez-Vous lounge was 8AM. We had put our bags out the night before, and just had our one backpack with important items we chose to keep with us. After waking up and spending a little time on the balcony, we headed up for breakfast in the Ocean View. It was more crowded, but not too bad. I savored my delicious waffles with fresh fruit. It was kind of a sad meal. Had we not had a fun few days with friends ahead of us, it would have been even more sad. I had one last stop at Bacio before back down to the room to do a final sweep and get our stuff. We took a last look at 6028, our home for the week, and left for the lounge. The elevators were already a mess at that point, and we took the stairs. I still didn’t have ground transportation figured out yet, but was hoping to snag a cab or shuttle into Manhattan on the fly after getting through customs. We got one of the last two seats in Rendez-Vous and waited for no more than 10 minutes before they announced that group 6 could leave. We followed signs, which led to the elevators. That was the worst part, waiting for the elevator. It was packed. It wasn’t clear whether or not we were allowed to use the stairs, so we just waited. This should be made more clear by Celebrity and more stair use should be encouraged.

 

***Mini Rant/Tip**** And I apologize if I’ve written this already. I could not use the stairs right after getting my ankle cut open and even the next day, it was just too painful to have it bend down/up repetitively. We got multiple nasty looks and even under-breath comments from people on elevators when we would take them 1-2 floors. I am all for stair usage by the lucky able-bodied, but you can never tell who is able and who isn’t just by looking. It’s really rude to assume laziness and even more rude to make comments or faces. I hope those people felt bad when they saw me limp off the elevator. My tip is to use the stairs when at all possible.

 

I will say that nobody ever really checked what group we were in, so we could have probably disembarked whenever we wanted up until a certain time as long as we were out of our cabin (they did check that). BUT, knowing how hard and fast the staff has to work to get the ship ready for the next lucky bunch of passengers, I would never do that. It’s best just to get off the boat and let them do their jobs. It’s really amazing that the turnaround time is so fast.

 

Once on the elevators, we joined the queue to swipe our seapass for one last time. We joined another small line for buses back to the terminal. once in, the luggage was in very organized lines by boarding group. We found our two bags right away and were through customs in 5 minutes. The very sweet customs worker even gave me a stamp for my new passport when I asked for one.

 

There were signs pointing towards ground transportation/parking that were easy to follow. It was quite a rude awakening being back in Bayonne. We were approached by a car service that quoted us $100 to get to the upper east side. No way, we wanted to keep it under $60 if at all possible. We ended up going with a shuttle service that would take us to Penn Station/Madison Square Garden (34th and 8th) for $23 a person. We did have to wait about 20 minutes for them to collect enough passengers, but it was a great deal since we could catch a cab from there for about $15 or take the subway. I don’t remember the shuttle company’s name, but when you exit, go right towards the cabs and they have two-three queues on the right hand side. They also have shuttles that go to Newark and to Laguardia. I don’t know about JFK. They only take cash, but they did stop at an ATM for us on the way into the city.

 

Up next, some insights on non-touristy things to do in Manhattan.

Edited June 30, 2014 by Viva_la_Vida

[Tudy]

Just want to add my appreciation with all the others who have said what a great review you have done! Very Good. I loved your straight forward style and the way that you kept the happenings and the editorializing separated. I really appreciated your editorials after I knew what happened.:)

 

Looking forward to reading what you did in Manhattan!

[Viva_la_Vida]

A (former) local’s guide to Manhattan

 

I LOVE New York City. The way it puts every sense on overdrive is the best, so when visiting, I love to just soak it in as much as possible. There are too many things that I miss about living in NYC to name all of them here, but a few of them are; 1. Diverse foods 2. Happy hour and no DD needed 3. Museums and cultural activities. Hopefully you can take advantage of at least a couple of those while in for a visit. If you’ve been to NYC before, you’ve probably already hit a lot of the tourist places and there are ample guides that will help you figure that out. I do encourage you, whether it’s your first time or tenth, to get out of the touristy spots and experience the city as locals do. I lived in NYC for six years and lived/went to school in four different neighborhoods, so my perspective comes from that. While I did explore lots of other neighborhoods and other boroughs, I couldn’t see everything. The neighborhoods I lived in were the East Village, Financial District, and Hell’s Kitchen (midtown west). I went to undergrad at NYU, which is in Greenwich Village. That’s where most of my guide will focus. That being said, most of my friends moved to Brooklyn, so I’ll do a guide to that as well. I will also warn that I haven’t lived in NYC since 2010, but visited frequently while in grad school as NYC was just a cheap and (mostly) quick bus ride from Boston. I will check to make sure all of the places I recommend are still in business, but double check before going as things can change.

 

GENERAL TIPS

 

PHONE APPS: I use hopstop almost exclusively to plan my transportation while in the city. Urbanspoon is also great for meal-planning. I’m sure others have apps they can recommend, but those are the two I use most.

 

MUST HAVES:

1. either a transportation app like recommended above, or a good old fashioned folding map of the subway. http://www.mta.info

2. Comfortable shoes

3. Money, some small cash for food vendors but note that all NYC Taxis take credit/debit cards.

4. Navigational ability. Most neighborhoods above the village are easy to figure out as the streets/avenues are in number order, but a map is needed below the village as the streets are more confusing.

 

FOODS:

Here is a list of the top food items that I think New York does best. I try to get them every time I go

1. Hummus http://www.hummusplace.com/ or http://hummuskitchen.com/

2. Halal food otherwise known endearingly as “Chicken and Rice” Halal Guys food cart http://53rdand6th.com/

3. Pizza by the slice It’s everywhere and it’s all good, but I like to keep it simple with a small local shop. Typical cheese slices go from 99 cents to $2.50. DON’T YOU DARE GO TO SABARROS!! If you can get it in an airport, why waste your precious time and dollars on it in NYC?

4. Bagels I like to get them from a local place or deli, not a chain.

 

 

Guide to the Financial District and Brooklyn Bridge Walk

 

This will be my most traditionally tourist guide as many of the things to do in this neighborhood are historic in nature. This was my least favorite neighborhood to live when I was put in an NYU dorm across from South Street Seaport. It was a very nice dorm with a view of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, but the neighborhood was pretty dead on the weekends and after 8pm, hence my least favorite place to live neighborhood-wise.

 

My family did stay once at the Club Quarters on Wall Street. If you have access through a business or affiliation, it’s a very nice and affordable place to stay.

 

There are three main sites/stops that I think are great in this neighborhood. I’ve labeled them all on the map below with stars.

 

Three Sites by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

Start out at the World Trade Center 9/11 Museum/Memorial. I haven’t been able to go yet to the new museum, but I still think everyone should see it. This is easily accessed from the Cortlandt St. Station or the World Trade Center station. It’s also a little walk from the Fulton St. Station.

 

From there, I would take a stroll around Trinity Church. http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/

It is a beautiful gothic-style church that was once the highest point in New York. It’s a National Historic Landmark and really is worth a quick walk around. They have a full performance schedule as well, so I recommend timing it so you can relax and listen to some wonderful music.

 

A few blocks up from Trinity is Century 21 Department Store, a different kind of sanctuary, some might say! http://www.c21stores.com/ I used to love this store for getting my mom items around Christmas. It’s a good place for a nice souvenir.

 

If you’re not weighed down too much with shopping bags, a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to Grimaldi’s Pizza is a fantastic way to spend 2-3 hours. http://www.grimaldis.com/

 

Century 21 to Bkln by stancil.boehm, on Flickr

 

The walk itself is not bad. Everything in this area is totally flat, so even though it’s technically almost a 2 mile walk, it’s scenic, easy, and one you’ll never forget. I did this walk many times and it was never an issue. ***Just make sure you start well before dark.*** The area just over the bridge on the way to Grimaldis can be a bit deserted, so daytime is the best time to go if you’re unfamiliar with the area. Here’s a guide already written that will help you with the specifics if you choose to walk to Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. http://www.everytrail.com/guide/brooklyn-bridge-walk-new-york-city IT IS SO DELICIOUS.

 

A lot of people go to South Street Seaport. It’s really nothing that special, aside from:

1. the awesome fireworks show they do around the 4th of July.

2. Beautiful view of the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge

 

If you’ve done the Brooklyn Bridge walk, I would skip it. It’s essentially a mall with really expensive restaurants and a Pizzeria Uno. Again, why waste time and money on something you can get at home?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BLAMBKY]

I am really loving this!!! We were with you on this cruise and it is really great seeing our cruise through your eyes! You are doing a wonderful job! We were at the cruise critic meeting and on the crawl--we were the inside room where the bed wasn't made yet!! But I gave out chocolate! LOL We definitely saw you guys around the ship and did a little wave or nod but I guess we never got to talk again. I think I remember you guys looking a little queasy in the solarium on that rainy day.

 

In fact I am in your picture of that incredible deck 7 family veranda.

We had a wonderful time and I am agreeing with everything you are reporting. Although we had better luck with the select dining. We really never waited at all--table for two but we pretty much tried to eat after 8:15 every night. Yes we liked the rail better also. They always brought us to the right side (walking in so I guess it really was the port side) of the dining room and we had Gedde for a waiter--Excellent!

 

Really looking forward to more!!

Thank you

 

 

Here I am in your picture:

 

I am in research mode, thoroughly loving the review but I cracked up laughing when I read this post! My first cabin crawl I did not warn my steward & my inside bed was not made either! :eek::D Oh well....not my house! And everything else was tidy. :p Back to the review...

[BLAMBKY]

You packed a lot in that review....well done! And now I am off to see if the mom w/kids ever posted one. Thanks again!:)