First X Cruise:SILHOUETTE JAN 17 2016

[landj999]

Too bad you're missing Nevis with Smoothie driving a bus at least 50 years old.

It was the longest 5 hours of my life!

[Bimmer09]

Too bad you're missing Nevis with Smoothie driving a bus at least 50 years old.

It was the longest 5 hours of my life!

 

Yikes- 5 hours in a 50 year old bus?!! I'll pass on that.

 

I live to drive on the German Autobahn so dawdling is not for me.

 

You've just added 5 hours to my life and I thank you!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

I'll mix in a few photos while I am waiting for youtube to upload the next train video.

 

On board the train which looks like it has 5 carriages not 8 as I said earlier.

I've told myself a million times-don't exaggerate!

 

 

At the station just about to leave

 

 

The carriage behind is gaining on us!

 

 

We are soon on the coast. HOORAY!!

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

Here is the second video from the train. This one will feature the trio of lovely girls with angelic voices who move from car to car. It's someone's birthday on board....

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Norris

 

[jagoffee]

We docked in Basseterre at 10 a.m and I think our excursion had us getting off the ship at 11.30. Back on board time was 5.45 p.m.

 

Before our much anticipated Sugar train and catamaran ride I was up by Sunset taking a few pics...

 

Eclipse- I noticed their lawn area doesn't have the Alcoves, hammocks and Giant Adirondack chairs. Also their grass looks like a herd of bison stampeded through.

(see ROWSE review on the ship)

 

The Royal Clipper comes into view

 

 

 

 

I'm not getting much of a Wi Fi signal back in our cabin so I pop down to the Internet center to see if there is anyone working. Short answer=No.

 

See you there.

 

Norris, my wife (yellow shirt) and partial me (orange shirt) on in your first Clipper Picture. We are on the Deck 12 S1 balcony (first passenger deck).

 

I also had some issue with the Internet at that time. I thought I might have been picking up the Sihouette signal instead of the Eclipse. I was on the Sihouette in November. It was better when I went inside.

 

You are lucky. I have been to St. Kitts at least 5 times and this day was the first time I recall seeing the top of Nevis. I did your excursion once as well.

 

Enjoying your report.

[jagoffee]

The Evacuation sign on the cabin doors is for a crew emergency excersize. We had this done on our last Celebrity cruise.

 

Same on ours, but the sign would have only been there around the drill time which I know the Sihouette did a cruise drill when they arrived in St. Kitts.

Edited February 4, 2016 by jagoffee

[Bimmer09]

Norris, my wife (yellow shirt) and partial me (orange shirt) on in your first Clipper Picture. We are on the Deck 12 S1 balcony (first passenger deck).

 

I also had some issue with the Internet at that time. I thought I might have been picking up the Sihouette signal instead of the Eclipse. I was on the Sihouette in November. It was better when I went inside.

 

You are lucky. I have been to St. Kitts at least 5 times and this day was the first time I recall seeing the top of Nevis. I did your excursion once as well.

 

Enjoying your report.

 

Yes I see you in that shot. Was there noise from the outdoor buffet deck above?

 

Glad you are following along!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

 

A very pretty island but what you don't see is the trash that is driven out to the countryside and dumped by the road/railway tracks....mattresses, old fridges, clothes, newspapers etc. Same thing I saw in Roatan and Belize. Some back yards looked like an overturned dumpster and I saw old rusty cars that had been overgrown by weeds poking up through the engine.

 

Shame.

[Bimmer09]

 

A bridge too far

 

 

Carol loves trains, steam in particular, which sadly this isn't.

 

 

A cooling breeze wafts from the sea

 

 

 



 

[Bimmer09]

Here's another train video featuring the singers. This is the last one they show up in.

 

 

Norris

[nursedibdob]

Wanted to stop by once again to thank you for giving me your posts to look forward to every day while in stuck at home with my broken arm. Your Emerald review is brilliant & its helped make some decisions for our September Western Med on Eclipse. Thinking Florence in a day will be s bit much for my mum in her 80s so Cinque Terre wins!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Bimmer09]

 

We come to a small town. Some horses are tethered in gardens. We love horses! (despite the neigh-sayers....sorry this is what is at the bottom of my joke barrel. I'm expecting a fresh delivery of puns later today.)

 

 

 

We're near the end of our 3 hour adventure on the train.

 

St Nevis standing tall

 

 

The train is back where we started and ready to board a new group of passengers.

 

 

We wait for our minibus and driver to come and pick us up and drive us to the harbor where the Catamaran awaits. We tipped Ernestine for her stellar service and the sugarcane snacks and hope the tips are pooled by the excellent, friendly crew. Great ride!!

 

 

Here's the short last video clip...

 

 

See you on the water?

 

Norris

[landj999]

Thanks. That's a train report straight from the horses mouth!

[daydreamer16]

 

We come to a small town. Some horses are tethered in gardens. We love horses! (despite the neigh-sayers....sorry this is what is at the bottom of my joke barrel. I'm expecting a fresh delivery of puns later today.)

 

 

 

We're near the end of our 3 hour adventure on the train.

 

St Nevis standing tall

 

 

The train is back where we started and ready to board a new group of passengers.

 

 

We wait for our minibus and driver to come and pick us up and drive us to the harbor where the Catamaran awaits. We tipped Ernestine for her stellar service and the sugarcane snacks and hope the tips are pooled by the excellent, friendly crew. Great ride!!

 

 

Here's the short last video clip...

 

 

See you on the water?

 

Norris

 

Really enjoying your pictures and commentary! Going to St Kitts in a couple of weeks---was the train part of a ship's tour?

[Bimmer09]

Wanted to stop by once again to thank you for giving me your posts to look forward to every day while in stuck at home with my broken arm. Your Emerald review is brilliant & its helped make some decisions for our September Western Med on Eclipse. Thinking Florence in a day will be s bit much for my mum in her 80s so Cinque Terre wins!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Sept. Western Med on Eclipse-boy does that sound good!

 

Glad you made it through the Emerald review-thanks for the compliments!

Our Florence trip was exhausting-a lot of walking through crowds indoors and out.

 

Cinque terre was great despite cool weather but the walk down to Manarola and then on to the ferry is a steep one-but so exhilarating.

 

You'll have a trip to remember.

 

The broken arm will be a fading memory.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Really enjoying your pictures and commentary! Going to St Kitts in a couple of weeks---was the train part of a ship's tour?

 

It was-Sugar train and catamaran....or Island train and sail-something like that. There's a train and bus one-but that would be less fun.

 

Glad to hear you're reading along and enjoying. Thank you!

 

Norris

[jagoffee]

Yes I see you in that shot. Was there noise from the outdoor buffet deck above?

 

Glad you are following along!

 

Norris

 

We were not really bothered, but we heard some moving of chairs at times. No people noise. We are early risers. We really like this deck because of the large overhang. We like to spend a lot of time on the balcony and we do not like to sit in the hot sun. We have booked this same cabin for two more cruises. Deck 10 and 6 would be the two decks to avoid on the Eclipse IMO.

[Bimmer09]

We were not really bothered, but we heard some moving of chairs at times. No people noise. We are early risers. We really like this deck because of the large overhang. We like to spend a lot of time on the balcony and we do not like to sit in the hot sun. We have booked this same cabin for two more cruises. Deck 10 and 6 would be the two decks to avoid on the Eclipse IMO.

 

Thanks. We reserved the same cabin for our next X-if it ain't broke...

 

Deck 6 because of the Tuscan Grille below? What's the issue with deck 10? Is that where the window washer is kept?

 

You're not daft-if you sail aft.

 

Norris

[buck7]

No drinks at Molecular alas. I really just drink beer during the day and wine with dinner-that's why you won't see Martinis in my reviews although they add a nice splash of color. I drink dark rum and cokes and Mojitos from time to time, usually in somewhere warm. I never do shots. I like Bailey's on ice to sip.

 

I don't go to bars in real life. One regret is not going to the Martini Bar with the camcorder to capture the skills of the bartenders there-that's like a great Circus act. Next time!

 

Norris

 

Hi Norris,

Loving your review! I woke up early this morning irrationally disappointed that you hadn't stayed up all night posting more! That's not obsessive is it?:D

 

Just to add my two cents, I was just on the Silhouette in December with the premium drink package and had many drinks at Molecular Bar and Martini Bar and everything was included. Single malt scotch was also included in the Ensemble Lounge.

[Bimmer09]

 

While the Catamaran/Horn battle video is in the oven I'll go on with the photos part of the tale.

 

We all have to remove our shoes to enter the catamaran and assemble in the big cockpit for a safety briefing and introduction to our crew of three, all of them witty and friendly. There was a bathroom downstairs FYI.

 

Once we were ready to cast off I went on deck to sit outside as did half a dozen others, while Carol stayed inside. It was less windy in there but some passengers had to sit with their backs to the window so it wasn't scenic unless you twisted around to see out the back. There was a lot of chatter and noise from those not engaged in the scenery or experience so Carol did not enjoy the ride back to the port.

 

 

Outside it was a great ride. Free drinks were poured and Island Music (Bob Marley notably) was playing. X needs some of that on the ship in these waters.

 

 

 

Somewhere, over the rainbow

 

 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

Our 45 minute ride is coming to an end and we pull into a marina to disembark. I happened to meet a CC member out on deck during the trip and enjoyed talking to Summit 01164

 

 

 

 

We collect our shoes-mine have gone but there is a pair of ladies high heel shoes

with glittering sparkles and luckily they fit so we walked back towards the dock area, my hips swaying in a hypnotic samba.

[Jasperdo]

Really enjoyed your St. Kitts videos and photos, especially the one out the window of the bus. Those are always a favorite of mine, since I'm always glued out the window when I'm in a new country. Seeing how the locals live, their homes, where they shop and get gas, what their roads are like. To me, that's one of the best parts of travel. Thank you for always including some of those in your reviews.

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris,

Loving your review! I woke up early this morning irrationally disappointed that you hadn't stayed up all night posting more! That's not obsessive is it?:D

 

Just to add my two cents, I was just on the Silhouette in December with the premium drink package and had many drinks at Molecular Bar and Martini Bar and everything was included. Single malt scotch was also included in the Ensemble Lounge.

 

Hi and welcome. Thanks for the kind comments!

 

Alas I didn't visit any of those bars. In the evening I only drank wine at dinner.

 

I walked through Ensemble so many times-often good bands playing in there but I never parked in a chair.

 

I was awake probably more than any other passenger- 5 a.m to midnight mostly and even with all those hours there were things I didn't do or see on the ship.

I always have a "Next time" list to work on. Life's too short. Ships are too big. There's too much to see and do!

 

What a great problem to have!

 

NEXT TIME- the Stop and Smell the Roses cruise!

 

Cheers,

 

Norris

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 

We collect our shoes-mine have gone but there is a pair of ladies high heel shoes

with glittering sparkles and luckily they fit so we walked back towards the dock area, my hips swaying in a hypnotic samba.

 

Got photos ( preferably a video ) ?

[Bimmer09]

Really enjoyed your St. Kitts videos and photos, especially the one out the window of the bus. Those are always a favorite of mine, since I'm always glued out the window when I'm in a new country. Seeing how the locals live, their homes, where they shop and get gas, what their roads are like. To me, that's one of the best parts of travel. Thank you for always including some of those in your reviews.

 

Glad you enjoyed Jasperdo. If I had more time off the ship I would wander the streets away from the port to see the real Basseterre-the barber shop, the auto garage, fruit and veg stalls for local consumption etc.

 

In some places of course I could return to the ship without my cameras and wallet...

 

Norris