BEAUTIFUL SILHOUETTE - East Caribbean - Photo Video Trip Report 3/1/15

[FRMPEI]

Duh ... just realizing you sailed out of FLL. Was thinking time seemed a bit off somewhere. Yes fingers crossed :)

 

So I won't tell you that our friends Norma Jean and Ken left from Halifax late and didn't get on ship until 4:00 PM. Okay?

[poffles]

So I won't tell you that our friends Norma Jean and Ken left from Halifax late and didn't get on ship until 4:00 PM. Okay?

 

LOL ... of course you won't ... wink wink. I actually read about the one group from Halifax left late and didn't land in Miami until 4pm and was supposedly not due to a storm so it would seem it's a crap shoot.

 

I think the charter would be more enjoyable and less risk of hold up if they had the flight arrive the day before. I have to just tell my self to chill, the plane waits so all good. Just hoping not to have to run with our bags and not have any time to settle a little before it pushes off.

[FRMPEI]

 

Day 1 FLL - Sail-a-Away

 

So here it is already past 3:00 PM and we are just boarding and we are all hungry. Michele was the only one able to round up a welcome glass of champagne. We quickly drop off our carry-ons in our rooms and head up to Oceanview. Of course this is when the seasoned cruise organizer, me, realizes that he screwed up picking the rooms. Donna and I like our bed arrangement like Michele and louis's room 1095(pic below) but we got the opposite. Like I mention at the start of the trip report the pole in the middle is also in the wrong spot. No big deal but I have also carried this mistake forward into our 2016 and 2017 bookings. Maybe I should fire myself as the self proclaimed cruise organizer?

 

 

So we rushed up to Oceanview and barely were able find some pizza and other snacks because everything was closing down for muster drill. We had reservation at Tuscan at 6:30 PM so we really did not want to fill up on too much. The bars were already closed and I couldn't even get a can of Coke so I settled for lemonade. Muster was at 3:30 PM since officially Nolan and I were in 1091 and Adam and Donna in 1093 which also happened to be also the dividing line between muster B1 (photo gallery) and A3 (theatre). So off Nolan and I go to the photo gallery which IMO is a terrible spot to watch listen to the muster drill videos. So Nolan and I park ourselves directly behind the counter and the cash register/terminal. After the video while the Good Looking Captain was giving his PA announcement I could not resist the POS Terminal in front of me. The Terminal was in a locked logged out screen so I figured I would try a password combination voila I am granted access. Logged out and confirmed that just not any combo would work so I logged back in. Nolan and I were also able to guess at two more of the passwords. Of course we did nothing just looked and logged out. Muster is finally over so Nolan I rushed back up to deck 10 to get ready for sail-a-way. The others from A3 muster decided to get some drinks and were a few more minutes getting back. I had no way of getting into 1093 and luckily our room attendant meet me in the hall were he let me in and opened up the two balcony dividers. (this is only time I remember meeting him during the week) This is definitely not going towards the master plan I had in my head. I need more time to set up my cameras and tape the three flags to our balconies. The A3 muster crew arrives back and are able to help me tape up the flags.

 

 

Ships in with us today at Port Everglades:

HAL Nieuw Amsterdam (4 PM)

Regal Princess (4 PM)

HAL Eurodam (4 PM)

Carnival Conquest (4 PM)

RCL Allure of the Seas (5 PM)

 

Picture below of Regal Princes and HAL before they left before us.

 

 

So why all the flags?

 

We wanted to be noticed by the Port Everglades Web Cam. We had friends back home watching the feed hoping to see us. Last year on Equinox we were able to catch a webcam wave which was a big thrill for us and were hoping for the same this year. This year I sent another e-mail to the Port Everglades web site requesting a wave giving them our location and that we would be sporting a Canadian Maple Leaf. Didn't mention the PEI flag or Nova Scotia flag because only us Canadian would know what they looked like.

 

That Good Looking Captain (that's what I am calling him from now on) was right on time with pulling away from the dock at 4:30PM. Geez! I am panicking... I am not ready and I don't have all my cameras set up. Mounted one of the Go Pros on suction cup and stuck to balcony divider but, it later decides to fall off. You can see in the pic below where I had the Go Pro Stuck it to the divider.

 

 

 

So did we get a wave? You already now the answer if you read all my replies to the comments.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

Day 1 FLL - Port Everglades Wave

 

The answer is... Yes! we got our wave. We were in phone contact with Norma Jean and Ken back home and they told us that the webcam actuallly spent some time on us. Ken sent us this screen capture.

 

 

This past Sunday I went over to the site to purchase the video but, their purchase site was under construction and not available. I will get it later. Here is a link to the Port Everglades web cam web site if you don't already have it. Ken and I spend lots of time watching this "slow TV" web site.

 

Port Everglades Webcam

 

I actually captured the the person living in the Web Cam apartment out on the balcony taking pictures. I understand that he also sell these pictures which I would be interested in purchasing.

 

 

 

Adam capturing a few photos of Fort Lauderdale beach as we pull away from the shore.

 

 

A Go Pro picture of Adam being a daredevil. Scary I know.

 

 

Picture of Regal Princess and Hal Nieuw Amsterdam which left before us.

 

 

I am going to try to edit my first video for this trip and put together a short sail-a-way video and post it up here.

 

Up next our first of five specialty diners. Tuscan Yum! My Favourite.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[atlgants]

Loving it! Can we see more scans? We leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow for FLL (long drive from Atlanta), then on the beautiful Silhouette on Sunday!! Hope we didn't make a mistake choosing late dining. I was relieved to see the show was @7pm Day 1! The previous scan I saw showed 10:30 Show for the late dining, but I think it was Superbowl Sunday. LOVE the pictures pulling out. Always such an exciting time!!!

[mpace58]

This is definitely not going towards the master plan I had in my head. I need more time to set up my cameras and tape the three flags to our balconies. The A3 muster crew arrives back and are able to help me tape up the flags.

Regards,

Kevin Reid

Seems you need to take along a crew of grips, gaffers & gofers. :)

 

Just another excellent job so far!

[Hshag]

Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to post your cruise vacation. I will be taking the same cruise on 1/31/16. You have been very helpful. I'm looking forward to your future post..

Harry Shaughnessy

Edited March 27, 2015 by Hshag

[mom for life]

Thank you for taking the time to post your review! We leave on this same charter/cruise from Moncton in 2 weeks with my parents who are both in their 70's. I will be sure to take snacks with us since lunch will be late in the afternoon! Had I not read your review, I would have assumed that we'd be on the ship by 1:00 or a bit later and not brought snacks! Really enjoying your review :)

[FRMPEI]

Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to post your cruise vacation. I will be taking the same cruise on 1/31/16. You have been very helpful. I'm looking forward to your future post..

Harry Shaughnessy

 

Hi Harry,

 

Thanks for your comments. It is great when other readers are able to pull helpful stuff out of my Trip Reports. Stay tuned lots more to follow.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[Rocking rev]

Again Rockin_Rev makes yet another cameo, its as if he knew that a PVTR would be done on CC.

 

I am excited to be reliving the awesome times.

 

Rocki Rev

 

Scott

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Of course this is when the seasoned cruise organizer, me, realizes that he screwed up picking the rooms. Donna and I like our bed arrangement like Michele and louis's room 1095(pic below) but we got the opposite. Like I mention at the start of the trip report the pole in the middle is also in the wrong spot. No big deal but I have also carried this mistake forward into our 2016 and 2017 bookings. Maybe I should fire myself as the self proclaimed cruise organizer?

 

You still have time to fix this. Don't beat yourself up.

 

[FRMPEI]

Thank you for taking the time to post your review! We leave on this same charter/cruise from Moncton in 2 weeks with my parents who are both in their 70's. I will be sure to take snacks with us since lunch will be late in the afternoon! Had I not read your review, I would have assumed that we'd be on the ship by 1:00 or a bit later and not brought snacks! Really enjoying your review :)

 

Hello,

 

So glad that I was able to provide some useful information especially when you arrive in Miami. Biggest word of advice I can offer to you and your parents travel as light as possible in the Carry-on department. If you take a carry-on be sure it has a set of wheels like the the one I have pictures of earlier in my Trip report.

 

Have fun and enjoy your cruise.

 

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[wildcrazyatver]

Hey Kevin

I was wondering how the heck you managed to put your flags on your balcony without line

I aways had to tie mine and the wind blew it everywhere

[FRMPEI]

 

You still have time to fix this. Don't beat yourself up.

 

 

Hello and thanks for following along. You know us men we hate to admit when we mess up. I just hope Celebrity will allow me to change rooms without changing the rates or perks we already have booked. Our 2016 and 2017 cruises are already much more $$$ than we what we booked at. The CDN$ has taken a dive since we booked.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

Hey Kevin

I was wondering how the heck you managed to put your flags on your balcony without line

I aways had to tie mine and the wind blew it everywhere

 

The pic below shows all the items that I took along with me in my carry-on. In the lower right hand corner there is a small roll of clear packing tape. The trick is to carry this in your carry-on and not your checked luggage because you might not get your luggage in time.

 

 

My Canadian Flag is a cheap $2 dollar store flag that I purchased around Canada Day 2013 knowing exactly that I would be using it for sail-a-way on Equinox. It is a very flimsy light flag and perfect for taping to the inside of your glass balcony. You will need your travel partner's help when you are taping up... one to hold while the other places the tape on the corners etc. We spent a whole $15 on our PEI and Nova Scotia Flags. When taped on the inside of glass you don't have to worry about wind. I kind of chuckle when I watch sail-a-way videos of people struggling to hold their flags for the web-cam just bring some packing tape with you. Dollar store packing tape.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

Edited March 28, 2015 by FRMPEI

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Hello and thanks for following along. You know us men we hate to admit when we mess up. I just hope Celebrity will allow me to change rooms without changing the rates or perks we already have booked. Our 2016 and 2017 cruises are already much more $$$ than we what we booked at. The CDN$ has taken a dive since we booked.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

 

I can't think why they wouldn't as long as you move to the same class cabins. Tell them you messed up and need to fix it. I have found that when I admit I messed up on something, people are willing to help me fix it. Good luck!

 

[FRMPEI]

 

Day 1 FLL - Sail-a-way Video

 

I have my first video of this trip report to share with everyone. It is only 2:25 minutes long so please give it a click and look. My videos are hosted at my Vimeo Plus account so no annoying commercials like YouTube. Video is edited on my iMac using Final Cut Pro X. Thanks to Nolan for providing the music.

 

When leaving from Port Everglades we now prefer to book a cabin on the port side of the ship for this reason... Port Everglades Web Cam. We find that our balcony is the best place to experience sail-a-way rather than up at the Sunset Bar or along the packed railings of Deck 14.

 

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[scd_cosprgs]

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[tbmrt]

Thanks so much Kevin!

[poffles]

What a great video. Made me feel like I was sailing away with you. Nothing like the start of a cruise.

[laurieal]

Fantastic video, Kevin! Thank you for sharing. If possible, I am now even more excited for my upcoming cruise and sail-away.

[FRMPEI]

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks so much Kevin!

 

 

Thanks for the comments on the video.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

What a great video. Made me feel like I was sailing away with you. Nothing like the start of a cruise.

 

Fantastic video, Kevin! Thank you for sharing. If possible, I am now even more excited for my upcoming cruise and sail-away.

 

Sail-a-way is exciting because it is just the start of your cruise adventure. Like I said we used to crowd up on Deck 14 but your balcony is so much better IMO.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

Day 1 FLL - Daily Insert

 

Before I give the run down on our first specialty dining at Tuscan I did say that I scanned everything that came into our stateroom. This may interest some if not just scroll on by.

 

Shore Excursions Booklet

 

Shore Ex Cover

 

Shore Ex Inside Cover Left

 

Shore Ex Page 1 Inside Right

 

Shore EX Page 2 Inside Left

 

Shore Ex Page 3 Inside Right

 

Shore Ex Page 4 Inside Left

 

Shore Ex Con't next Post.

[FRMPEI]

Day 1 FLL - Celebrity Today Insert

 

Shore Excursions Booklet Cont'd

 

Shore Ex Page 5 Inside Right

 

Shore Ex Page 6 Inside Left

 

Shore Ex Page 7 Inside Right

 

Shore Ex Page 8 Left Inside

 

Shore Ex Page 9 Right Inside

 

Shore Ex Back Cover

 

Shore Ex Cont'd next Post