First X Cruise:SILHOUETTE JAN 17 2016

[Bimmer09]

... Hoping we cross wakes sometime in the future! This has been delightful entertainment.

 

Jane thanks for reading along all this time. Almost done.

 

I'm sure there is an M Class voyage in our future (I am a Connie fan of several years thanks to Beyondships.com) and Panama Canal is on the bucket list.

 

I'm glad you have enjoyed!

 

Norris

 

[AngelKappie]

Kathy- 12 noon until 8 pm.

 

Norris

 

Thank you! you are the BEST!!! :D

[Bimmer09]

We have never flown home immediately after leaving a ship and we never will.

That seems like too much of a slap in the face welcome back on land.

 

So we stay a day later in the USA or two in Europe.

 

It's considerably warmer when we arrive at the Marriott than it was on pier 25.

 

The first time we stayed in Ft. Lauderdale was on January 13, 2012. That night will be remembered by the Costa Concordia who has met this sad end....

 

 

(Genoa, October 2015)

 

The hotel we stayed in wasn't a disaster but wasn't ideal due to the busy noisy traffic on 17th Street at the foot of the bridge. When we checked google for waterfront dining the Marriott Harbor Beach came up and a nice lunch in the restaurant Sea Level was enjoyed as we watched cruise ships sail out. We liked the Marriott. We cancelled our disembarkation booking at the Renaissance on 17th street and have been happy with the Marriott ever since.

 

We are back at Sea Level and it is warm enough to sit outside wearing our jackets.

 

 

A guitar player who sings and plays keyboards does his best Elton John on the wooden outdoor patio while we tuck into our vittles like starving badgers.

 

My Blackened Grouper Reuben

 

 

Carol's Fish Tacos

 

 

The food is always yummy. If you have a big appetite (Badger plus or small bear cub) then start with the Crab Salsa and thank me later. Crab lumps you can see!

 

There's no place like Florida on a hot sunny day but this wasn't one of those, alas.

At least there was no snow but the beach was out of the question and ditto the pool.

 

As some of you have shown an interest in this hotel I'll include some photos later to give you more of an idea of how it looks.

 

Right now we are sitting by one of the fire pits burning some wicker furniture to stay warm. My mind drifts back to the Silhouette and to something that has been bothering me-"why didn't I include that video I shot in the panoramic elevator? People who have never sailed an S Class must be wondering why I raved about it so much-how it showed you rooms on the ship that you might otherwise miss"

 

This one...

 

[YOUTUBE]lmdiiohAd7E[/YOUTUBE]

[wallie5446]

In a way I understand why you had not 'shown' us this one before! :D:rolleyes:

[Bimmer09]

In a way I understand why you had not 'shown' us this one before! :D:rolleyes:

 

wallie, if you're suggesting this is not as riveting as say the latest Star Wars movie then I take umbrage! LOL.

 

My crew (me) and I spent a long time shooting this-at least two minutes. You must at least have enjoyed the Voiceovers? Some of Hollywood's biggest stars loaned their dulcet tones to bring the piece to life.

 

Cheers,

 

Norris

[wallie5446]

wallie, if you're suggesting this is not as riveting as say the latest Star Wars movie then I take umbrage! LOL.

 

My crew (me) and I spent a long time shooting this-at least two minutes. You must at least have enjoyed the Voiceovers? Some of Hollywood's biggest stars loaned their dulcet tones to bring the piece to life.

 

Cheers,

 

Norris

 

The voice overs were most 'marvelous" :o!

I did find myself riveted on pins an needles, for you to ask exactly what else her Father had taught her! But, being the total Gentleman you are! In all truth and honesty, I would have preferred your commentary on the subtle lighting changes from deck to deck. :D

EW

[cruisexlife]

I completely LOVED this review! Your pictures were great, such great quality. I want to thank you for all of the efforts you took in documenting the cruise, as in all of the pics and videos, and then the review on top of that. That is a lot of work, thank you so much for doing it. I plan on reading some of your other reviews as well!

 

Quick question, I just got a GoPro Hero 3+. Any tips for videoing? Any accessories that are good to have?

 

Thanks so much!

[Bimmer09]

I completely LOVED this review! Your pictures were great, such great quality. I want to thank you for all of the efforts you took in documenting the cruise, as in all of the pics and videos, and then the review on top of that. That is a lot of work, thank you so much for doing it. I plan on reading some of your other reviews as well!

 

Quick question, I just got a GoPro Hero 3+. Any tips for videoing? Any accessories that are good to have?

 

Thanks so much!

 

Thanks for the compliments on the review and welcome!

 

I'd be happy if you read some of my other reviews ( I endorse all of them and have paid for this message). They have grown as time has passed and new cameras came onboard. I dread to think what would happen if we did a World Cruise or lived in Ft Lauderdale and were retired.

 

Yes it is a lot of "work" but once people start responding it gets easier and easier.

It's good to have a motivation to write every day.

 

The GoPro was a last minute decision a week before we sailed when I thought of the Segway ride. Both hands needed to steer so regular video cam not feasible.

They don't have a flexible lens-it's wide angle or nothing. No zoom. However they are robust, waterproof, simple (only 3 buttons) and HD quality.

 

I got a whole bunch of cheaply made attachments to mount it. The ones that were needed were the Tripod one (to mount it on the selfie stick)

the wrist one which I used on the Segway. I used the headmount one on the catamaran but on playback it was at an angle due to the wind. I would use the chest harness next time. For the long videos sailing out of PE and into San Juan I bought a seperate Gorilla flexible mount by Joby for $30 and wrapped the 3 legs around the balcony railing where it remained for days. Superb.

 

I bought a GoPro remote to operate it but have returned it since it failed to perform the first time I tried it in situ. Instead I downloaded the GoPRo app so I was able to work it and monitor the picture through my phone with the GoPro in wireless mode. That I like.

 

I am happy with the camera and looking forward to using it on a future cruise.

 

It doesn't pick up sound well when the waterproof case is in place so I would switch to the non-waterproof case during the Segway ride.

 

Tips for videoing? Let it run and edit it later (I use iMovie)

 

Hope this helps.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

With the temperature not being the best for sitting outside we eventually moved into the warmth of our room. Walking along the beach to photograph the ships leaving as is my custom was out of the question as I wanted to be "toasty" more than anything.

 

A nap? Why yes! A capital idea!

 

When we woke the ships had sailed and so we never saw the Silhouette again.

It was dark

 

 

With a tripod and a full one second exposure....the same scene

 

 

We are now looking forward to a slap-up feed in the Hotel's 3030 Ocean restaurant where we ate 8 days ago when we arrived in Florida. We had checked out a place called Coconuts that sounded good but I preferred going to the restaurant in an elevator rather than a taxi.

Let's get straight to the food

 

When there are big shrimp (an oxymoron?) on the menu I am ordering them even if they cost $6 a tail. These were magnificent specimens. Maybe not the brightest sea creatures....out for a swim...hey what's that? Looks sort of net-like. Let me take a closer look...and now I am squeezing lemon over them and opening the mini bottle of Tabasco.

 

Carol orders the same 3 shrimp dish. Then my entree follows later. Mahi Mahi with golden beets, red beans and broccolini .

 

 

When in Florida I tend to order fish. It's right by the sea! In Chicago I order red meat.

Carol in Florida has one thing on her mind-Stone Crab claws!

 

 

More...

[G&Gcruisers]

Hi. Norris,

We have really enjoyed your post and photos and want to say thanks for taking us on a virtual cruise.

I have a question fron your post #848:

Effects shots (fisheye and miniatures) are done in the camera.

Did you post a miniature photo? Did I miss something?

That effect is fascinating in some ports.

Margie

[SharC]

Thank you so much for this great review. I enjoyed reading every page. It is probably the only review that I have read all the way through and looked at all the pictures. As you can see my first cruise was on the Song of Norway in 1984. I spent a week on that cruise and it has only gotten better. Thank you again for taking the time to do this and I hope one day we will meet you on a future cruise.

[Bimmer09]

Hi. Norris,

We have really enjoyed your post and photos and want to say thanks for taking us on a virtual cruise.

I have a question fron your post #848:

Effects shots (fisheye and miniatures) are done in the camera.

Did you post a miniature photo? Did I miss something?

That effect is fascinating in some ports.

Margie

 

Margie I only did two miniatures photos but used neither of them.

 

One was of houses in a small village with the horses in St Kitts and the other was all the little boxes for sale outside the Serendipity store. The people around the table were all nicely blurred but the photo didn't thrill me as a whole. I got the effect I wanted on The Emerald when I shot a lot of containers in Civitavecchia.

 

I'll get the shots I am looking for on my next X cruise. I don't use all the photos I shoot as I take so many multiples knowing there will be errors- when I shot the ships coming into PE on the morning of embarkation I took about 60 shots and only used 8 or 9 in the review . Taking photos in pitch dark with a 30 mph wind and ships moving at 7 knots across the lens on an undulating sea is a challenge!

 

Thanks for asking.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Thank you so much for this great review. I enjoyed reading every page. It is probably the only review that I have read all the way through and looked at all the pictures. As you can see my first cruise was on the Song of Norway in 1984. I spent a week on that cruise and it has only gotten better. Thank you again for taking the time to do this and I hope one day we will meet you on a future cruise.

 

Sharon, thanks for the compliments on the review and for reading it in detail.

 

You missed me on the wonderful Song of Norway: I was on her August to November 85 and again March to November 86. A fun ship but bare-bones compared to todays floating resorts.

 

Yes If you ever see me on a ship please say hi. I like to talk to new people when I am cruising.

 

Norris

[MGnut]

Norris, I'm still here! Another great job on the review and photos, but are you so serious all the time? :rolleyes:

 

I'm looking forward to the comparison of X and Princess. Everything on X looked pretty good - until you got to the MDR dinner. Since we mostly do the MDR, with only one or two specialty dinners, the MDR dinners are very important to us.

 

Thanks, again,

 

Howard

[Bimmer09]

You may have noticed we have no problem eating the same food frequently so you'll never hear me saying I am bored with a menu on cruise ships. If I find something I like I can eat it over and over.

 

Take this Key Lime Pie with coconut ice cream and toasted coconut. The best KLP ever and Carol doesn't like coconut which means half of this is for me! Hooray!

 

 

Although I love a nice glass of wine usually in the $40 to $70 range per bottle and like dry crisp non-fruity whites and smooth rounded Malbecs and Bordeaux tonight I am pairing my seafood with something that just goes with everything and gives me that foamy mustache that wine fails to do. Let a heavenly light shine down and cue the singing angels....

 

 

A very fine and satisfying dinner but twice the price of Murano. You have to pay through the nose for Stone Crab, which doesn't sound that hygienic, but it's Stone Crab and nothing else tastes so good. $28 a claw.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Norris, I'm still here! Another great job on the review and photos, but are you so serious all the time? :rolleyes:

 

I'm looking forward to the comparison of X and Princess. Everything on X looked pretty good - until you got to the MDR dinner. Since we mostly do the MDR, with only one or two specialty dinners, the MDR dinners are very important to us.

 

Thanks, again,

 

Howard

 

Howard the MDR experience wasn't good but I (can't speak for Carol) will try it again on our next X. I have eaten about 40 MDR meals on Princess and really look forward to them.

 

I'll do one earlier in my next cruise so there's no "end of cruise blahs" creeping in from the staff.

 

Glad to see you still here in the final stages. I have decided to try the comparison review on the PCL board-just have to collect my thoughts.

 

Norris

[Lin336]

Norris,

 

Mike & I have very much enjoyed your review, commentary and photos as well as your Princess reviews. Thank you again and we are looking forward to your next travelogue.

 

Linda

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

 

Mike & I have very much enjoyed your review, commentary and photos as well as your Princess reviews. Thank you again and we are looking forward to your next travelogue.

 

Linda

 

Linda and Mike, thanks for popping in as we near the end.

 

I'm glad you have read this AND the Princess reviews-some very happy cruises under our belt and hopefully many more to come.

 

Nice to see you here again!

 

Norris

[emelle]

Well Norris, I am still here :) and sad that the end is near, the second time around.

 

However, I have followed almost every day and looked forward to your humor, photos and dialog. Since we are going to Alaska this summer for the first time on the Coral Princess, I have read that review by you with great interest.

 

I've also checked out portions of your reviews of Italy. Many of your Rome sites, cafes and hotels are very familiar to me and bring back great memories. Thank you for taking the time to do such sparkling reviews.

 

Look forward to your comparison of PCL and X. Since I am now lurking on the PCL board, I'm sure I will see it when it appears.

 

My husband is doing well, post Segway-shoulder dislocation and surgery and is finally driving again! He sends his best and says he might even try that Segway again, since he had the "hang of it!" He is reading along too.

 

Hope to see you on a cruise again someday...will know you by your cameras and "dancing shoes shirt."

[Bimmer09]

After dinner in the Marriott we retired to our chambers and watched the return of the X Files on TV before hitting the hay.

 

I was up and awake again at 5 and went outside with the cameras. I wasn't expecting any ships but there were 3 out at sea and heading my way. Taking pics of them would keep me busy until the Starbucks opened at 6 a.m.

 

Too dark to tell anything but the cruise line and later research by my team of boffins has only returned 2 names-Serenade of the Seas and Zuiderdam.

 

 

I can read the name on this one-Independence of the Seas which means the first must be Serenade.

 

 

And then Zuiderdam

 

 

 

I might as well hang out for the sunrise

 

 

[Bimmer09]

Well Norris, I am still here :) and sad that the end is near, the second time around.

 

However, I have followed almost every day and looked forward to your humor, photos and dialog. Since we are going to Alaska this summer for the first time on the Coral Princess, I have read that review by you with great interest.

 

I've also checked out portions of your reviews of Italy. Many of your Rome sites, cafes and hotels are very familiar to me and bring back great memories. Thank you for taking the time to do such sparkling reviews.

 

Look forward to your comparison of PCL and X. Since I am now lurking on the PCL board, I'm sure I will see it when it appears.

 

My husband is doing well, post Segway-shoulder dislocation and surgery and is finally driving again! He sends his best and says he might even try that Segway again, since he had the "hang of it!" He is reading along too.

 

Hope to see you on a cruise again someday...will know you by your cameras and "dancing shoes shirt."

 

Great news about your husband! He did have the hang of the Segway indeed.

 

I'm glad you are reading the Coral review as a resource. We did some amazing (and costly) excursions there thinking that Alaska would be a one time thing as Carol had never been on a cruise ship before. She loved every second so we returned a year later on the Diamond and kept our excursions on the ground not in the air. So you might want to read that one too. It starts in Vancouver.

 

I've already started listing things to talk about in the comparison review. There are a lot of things on PCL missing from X but I am sure the balance will be addressed once I get to my X page. I am afraid it will be long though and not something that can be said in one paragraph. I'm not looking for a "winner" as I love both and will sail both but there will be enough info and pics/video to fill in the blanks for those who sail exclusively on either line and have misconceptions about each line. I remember responding to a post on this board that said the Princess decor was gaudy and had neon...my photos showed otherwise.

 

There are unique things about each line that will be easy to point out. Things like food and service will be simply my opinion for I can't speak for anyone else.

 

Thanks for reading along all this time.

 

I have to drive to Michigan today (and back) but I should still manage to finish the review.

 

Cheers,

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

The hotel remodeled during the 12 months between our Ruby Princess and Silhouette cruises. It always looked good-cosy and comfortable seating. Now it has a more modern streamlined look.

 

Reception desk on the left

 

 

Entrance straight ahead. There is parking available but it's pricey- over $30 a night.

 

 

 

3030 Ocean is the restaurant we ate in

 

 

You can work on your computer at this high table

 

 

It has a big mirror if you want to fix your hair or make-up

 

More...

[winncruiser]

Norris-check out The Lago Mar in Ft Lauderdale. We love it there. Sadly no king crab legs for Carol though.

[Mickey22]

Norris,

 

I have loved following your review each day, the pictures are wonderful and it sometimes felt as if you were taking us all with you. We will be on the Silhouette for the first time in August for the British Isles. I am looking forward to the lawn club and wondering if it will be to cold for an alcove.

 

It sounds as though you both had a great trip and I really look forward to your comparison with Princess. Now I will go back and read your past reviews!

 

Thanks for a great read

 

Jane

[Nashna]

Norris...you really should be doing this type of review in a professional venue. I would pay to have this type of valuable visual information prior to choosing a sailing. I was a travel consultant for over 30 years and composed and read a huge number of reviews. You are in a class all by yourself.