Review of Silhouette Nov 2016 Transatlantic

[tweetylori]

Thanks Kaye! We did not book a future cruise while on board. We don't know yet when we can do another one nor where we want to go. I'm a bargain-travel kinda gal who loves the most bang for the buck. This cruise had such a wonderful itinerary with a great rate for a balcony. It was also a time of year where we were able to make it work to be away for that long. We both have the kind of jobs where people have to fill in for us while we are gone, so we don't like to inconvenience them any more than we have to.

 

We are also not tied to one particular cruise line, although Celebrity is certainly the nicest line we have been on. But we have had terrific other cruises including a 7-night Alaskan on Royal Caribbean, a 6 night Canada & New England on Norwegian, and a 7 night Pacific Northwest on Norwegian. We even enjoyed a 4-nighter on Carnival to Cozumel and Key West.

 

So excited for you that you have the Silhouette to look forward to in February, and how wonderful that you won at bingo! I might have some more winning coming up myself. ;)

[senorbanda]

Attention senorbanda, you have a question!

 

Thank you Lori. Yes I did make a deposit for a future cruise to basically secure

the perks that were offered for a limited period of time. I also like you, thought about going to the fitness center. For some unknown reason never quite made it there. :)

[tweetylori]

Thank you Lori. Yes I did make a deposit for a future cruise to basically secure

the perks that were offered for a limited period of time. I also like you, thought about going to the fitness center. For some unknown reason never quite made it there. :)

 

 

Check out several posts back senorbanda. raymac46 posted a question for you!

[tweetylori]

With apologies for work interfering with my posting, here we go with Day 12. This is the 6th day at sea, the 4th day of the Atlantic crossing! A few raindrops start the day again:

 

 

And where in the world are we on this day? Getting dangerously close to the US! :(

 

[tweetylori]

But there's still plenty of fun to be had! Choices choices!

 

 

 

 

[tweetylori]

Can you believe it took me this long in the cruise to realize we had musical choices on our tv in our room? Who knew man could live off something other than Top Chef? :eek:

 

[tweetylori]

So let's talk breakfast. By now we had fully intended on trying room service. The cabin next to us got it almost every morning (if not every one). I only know that because I could hear the knock and one morning saw the gal balancing everything in her arms.

 

But the choices for those of us in regular cabins is fairly limited. You could pay for upgrades. Like steak & eggs. I just couldn't quite get over asking someone to walk all the way back to our sunset veranda. I know that's silly. We're on Silly to be wined and dined, but well we were okay with doing the walking ourselves. Goodness knows we needed every step of exercise we could get to balance out the eating and drinking!

 

Anyway we also really liked the variety in the Oceanview Cafe. Plus that's where Arnold was! And on this day he made sure I had another spectacular omelet:

 

[tweetylori]

We both knew where we were going on this Wednesday (Nov 16) morning. Yes, another date with our interesting History Professor, Lisa Didier in the Silhouette Theatre with "Portugal, Age of Discovery". Now, I know I know that doesn't sound like oh my gosh I'm on a cruise what can I do for fun? But, let me tell you, she is fascinating. And she makes history fun!

 

[tweetylori]

Afterward, more ship art:

 

 

 

And this, my fave again, only with a description this time:

 

 

[tweetylori]

And then I wasn't going to miss Melinda Bates' A Walk Through the White House! (even convinced Husband to go)

 

Once again another fascinating presentation!

 

 

 

[tweetylori]

As good as Melinda's presentation was, this was the only time it was scheduled at NOON. :eek: Yes, lunchtime. Which meant everyone who was in that giant theater all got up to go to lunch at the same time, after 1:00.

 

We had already peeked at the Main Dining Room lunch menu:

 

 

 

We also knew that the Main Dining Room lunch was over at 1:30, so we did what the other millions did and went up to the Oceanview. OMG this was the most crowded EVER. You would have thought none of us had had a meal since the Canary Islands. :eek:

 

Somehow we landed at a table and I made my only really bad buffet mistake:

 

 

Yes, my pasta-craving-self got a meatball with the sauce from the meatballs. I had them add some peppers to it and it sure sounded awesome. But it was not good. The meat in the meatball was gristly and the sauce itself had a bizarre sticky texture. I tried to eat it. Couldn't do it. Had to waste food. Sorry. Other pasta sauces I had at the buffet were just fine. This was not one of them. Oh well. Poor me, there was no more food to be found on this ship. :rolleyes:

[tweetylori]

So sometime later on this day it was drink time:

 

 

And it was always quite often this time:

 

 

Note, even art in the bathrooms!

 

 

[tweetylori]

Nothing, and I do mean nothing else matters when you come back to your cabin to this:

 

 

I would go out on the balcony, breath deep and just hold the moment. I am so grateful for the pictures I took so I can do that now. Because I would give anything to go back and be there again.

[tweetylori]

So at some point it, way too quickly, it was time to eat again! With apologies for the blurry pics these were the choices:

 

 

 

This must have been Husband's Wild Mushroom Barley Soup:

 

 

And the Spinach Artichoke Dip was quite nice:

 

[tweetylori]

Also on this night (when Husband had his soup) I chose to try the Onion Soup off the left side menu and it was quite good:

 

 

 

Iskandar wasn't too keen on my choice of Seafood and Lobster Papparadelle

 

 

Despite his concern, I chose to order it, and well, he was right. I didn't care for it. At all. This was the only time I asked for something else instead. Got the Coq u vin instead and it was so good!

 

 

 

From the look of this pic, I do believe Husband must have gone with the usual steak from the left side:

 

[tweetylori]

These were the right side dessert choices of the night:

 

 

BUT, we had a special dessert instead. Our friends next to us were celebrating their anniversary and they were kind enough to make sure we each got a piece of their celebratory cake. So sweet of them!

 

[tweetylori]

Tonight's main entertainment was the second of 3 big production shows:

 

 

Very cool!

 

[tweetylori]

 

 

 

[tweetylori]

So what to do after an awesome show like that? Well, if we were at home we would get in our car and drive home, walk the dog and go to bed. But here, well, we walked ourselves. Up and out. Mesmerized once again by the decks and their beauty.

 

 

 

 

 

[tweetylori]

So this day had already been full with enrichment speakers, wonderful food and drinks, a fabulous main show, and beautiful scenery but it wasn't over yet. We enjoyed more of the fabulous Meeting Jazz Quartet:

 

 

 

When our eyes couldn't stay open any more and we couldn't hold on to the day any more we headed back to our cabin, only to be greeted with THIS

:eek:

 

 

Say it isn't so! I don't want to see anything that indicates I will be going home soon. Can I please have a towel animal instead?

[tweetylori]

But we still had this:

 

 

And I intended to enjoy every last second of what was still left!

 

[vickykay]

So enjoying this review! Yes, the worst part of cruising is when those luggage tags show up.

[tweetylori]

So enjoying this review! Yes, the worst part of cruising is when those luggage tags show up.

 

Thanks vickykay! I've never had them show up days early before, but then again I had never been on a 15-night cruise before. :o

[tweetylori]

All too soon it was Thursday November 17th. Otherwise known as Day 13, the 7th day at sea, and Day 5 of the Atlantic crossing. Time was flying by and I was ignoring that fact plus those darn luggage tags that had arrived. :( Not to mention the customs declaration form. I didn't want to even look at any of that stuff!

 

We took it easy this morning, then headed up to the Oceanview again for yet another tasty breakfast. Arnold helped me out with another over-easy egg on cheese toast. Yum!

 

 

Then it was off to the Silhouette Theatre for the 10:15 Beyond the Podium Speaker. Our favorite Professor Lisa Didier was back with another interesting topic: History of Forensic Science 1 & 2.

 

[tweetylori]

After yet another fascinating presentation, we did what we had done the past few days, go to the casino to check the winning lotto numbers. I had bought a $2 ticket. Now mind you, at home I am in a lottery group of ten at work where we all chip in money every week to play Powerball, Mega Millions and some scratch-offs. We are very much used to a five dollar win every now and then, but not much more.

 

On this day, we looked at the night's before numbers:

 

 

And then I looked at my ticket. And I looked at the numbers, and I said to Husband: "I think I just matched three numbers". I had him check behind me, and sure enough, I had 52, 34 and 50. :eek: What did that mean?

 

 

We went up to the cashier and I said, I do believe I just matched three numbers on lotto, and she said, I've been waiting for you, we had three people who did! :D She took my ticket. Typed whatever into a computer and started counting out $100 cash! :eek:

 

Now that was super cool! And very much appreciated!!!