Solar Eclipse : A pictorial review of the Exotic Southern Caribbean

[scubacruiserx2]

Anybody for Sushi ?

We were and with a quick change of clothes and cameras we were back with our 20% off coupon in hand to a nearly empty SO 5 .

We knew exactly what we wanted and pounced on it .

Chicken Ginger Gyoza

And Kobe Beef Slider on Ramen

And a bottle of Plum Wine

[scubacruiserx2]

Sorry for the delayed response but I was out shooting some wide life photos this morning . Can we finish lunch first before we open the mail ? :confused:

[scubacruiserx2]

The BBQ Pork Ramen bowl was what they made at the demo , and Pat loved it

I tried the Lobster Ramen bowel which was a little briny for my taste . But the sweet plum wine provided a nice counterpoint .

On to the roll and a piece of Bluefin tuna which wasn't listed on the menu .

And with it fresh Wasabi root grated at the table

We didn't know much about Bluefin tuna except what we read on Cruise Critic and what we heard at the demo and so we thought that we would try it . We didn't care for it . It was chewy like a piece of fish jerky . And afterI read this article and we won't be having it again soon .

Sushinomics: How Bluefin Tuna Became a Million-Dollar Fish

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/01/sushinomics-how-bluefin-tuna-became-a-million-dollar-fish/282826/

 

 

 

We don't wish to leave this on a bad note and we did enjoy our lunch at SO 5 , and returned for a second lunch there later . Just no more Bluefin for us .

[scubacruiserx2]

Yes, we are planning on staying for a few days.

 

 

That sounds great and we still haven't written off the TA as way to get to Dublin . But we want to spend some time in Ireland and maybe Switzerland which we haven't seen yet , before the May 10th & 20th cruises .

[scubacruiserx2]

This thread is making it even harder to wait for our Equinox cruise this May! We were on your itinerary on the Eclipse last year and absolutely loved that ship! Am so much enjoying your writing. And the pics!!!

 

It won't be much longer now , and you will probably be finished with your cruise before I can finish with this thread ! :rolleyes:

[scubacruiserx2]

Love all your photos; what camera and what was the process for uploading etc...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Thank you . I use a Canon and a Sony camera and download them to my home computer . I use the free Google app Picasa 3 to edit and then upload to Photobucket . From there I cut and paste the IMG to CC .

[scubacruiserx2]

Our small, small world may cross paths some day! Thank you for the photos of your trip to Ireland. It gives me even more incentive (like I need any) to plan this trip.

 

 

Planning is half the fun and much cheaper than the execution ! :cool:

[Gracie115]

That sounds great and we still haven't written off the TA as way to get to Dublin . But we want to spend some time in Ireland and maybe Switzerland which we haven't seen yet , before the May 10th & 20th cruises .

 

 

Hope you decide to sail with us on again on the TA, that would be fun!:)

 

So from your pictures I gather there are quite a few choices at Sushi on 5 which are NOT raw fish products....I never really looked at the menu when we are on Equinox last year....I am intrigued now and suspect we will give it a try next year.

[scubacruiserx2]

Hope you decide to sail with us on again on the TA, that would be fun!:)

 

So from your pictures I gather there are quite a few choices at Sushi on 5 which are NOT raw fish products....I never really looked at the menu when we are on Equinox last year....I am intrigued now and suspect we will give it a try next year.

 

In looking at the menu I think that 4 of the starters and the 4 hot pots are cooked . And the shrimp tempura is fried from the Sushi section .

[nursedibdob]

You're going to love Iceland. It was our first experience of the cruise life & I will remember waking up & seeing that mysterious coastline with steam rising from the cliffs for the rest of my life & the sun sitting on the horizon all night giving us the joy of a constant sunset

 

 

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[benjaminhuf]

Great sushi pix! Thanks.

[scubacruiserx2]

You're going to love Iceland. It was our first experience of the cruise life & I will remember waking up & seeing that mysterious coastline with steam rising from the cliffs for the rest of my life & the sun sitting on the horizon all night giving us the joy of a constant sunset

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

What a beautiful photo and experience to have on your first cruise ! ;)

 

But with more than a year to go for that cruise we have put it on the back burner for a while . We did have a TA cruise on Princess that went there with Mic and his wife Rosie but we had to cancel when my DW broke her kneecap into 3 pieces just 3 weeks before the cruise . We were so glad that we had trip insurance ! !

[scubacruiserx2]

Great sushi pix! Thanks.

 

 

Thank you , are you having a Yen for Sushi ? :)

[scubacruiserx2]

Sunset was outside of our balcony and as we prepared for dinner at Q sine I took a couple of photos one with and one without a filter . Which one do you like best ?

Warning: You are about to see some graphic photos of food Porn taken with flash and if you are a waiter who may become annoyed , have or experience food allergies , or are offended in any way , Please don't view these images !

We arrived at 6:30 for dinner

The room was bright and fairly empty except they were filming a live promo in the opposite corner .

If you haven't been to Q sine yet , click this link for a more elaborate review : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2213388&page=22

We started with bread

 

 

[Gracie115]

I like the first sunset picture better...very nice....:)

[keithm]

The Itinerary

This was an anniversary cruise and it included 5 new ports and 2 once visited ports . The Eclipse left from Miami , but not before the boarding process . We had been promoted to a Select Member status and this was a chance to hopefully expedite the boarding process and get on board quickly as we had done on our recent Princess cruises . But we weren't alone .

Our line

led to this line .

We were on the Jan.22 cruise. Great cruise overall. We were disappointed in the food quality in the MDR, however. The chefs were actually sent into the dining room by Bogdan, the maître D. to address the complaints. The food did get better later in the cruise, but no where as good as 2015. I attribute it to inexperienced chefs. We're both in the food industry & see this happen frequently. We hope the Eclipse will be back to it's standard next Jan. for our next cruise. That being said the cruise was outstanding overall. As a suggestion to those on the next few cruises: When overnighting in Aruba, make dinner reservations at "Chalet Suisse". This IS an outstanding restaurant near Eagle beach. Easily the best meal we ever had at a shore side rest. while on a cruise. For those who live near Boston, I'd say it's very similar to dining in the Gourmet room in the "Café Escadrille".Price wise, "Soup to Nuts", incl. wine, it came out to just over $100 for 2 people. For those who would complain "Oh! That's way too expensive!" Really?? I mean you're on a cruise that wasn't exactly cheap. As "Auntie Mame" would say: "Live! Live! Live! Life's a Banquet & most poor suckers are starving to death!"

[scubacruiserx2]

I like the first sunset picture better...very nice....:)

 

 

Thanks Gracie , we also prefer the one without the filter .

[scubacruiserx2]

We were on the Jan.22 cruise. Great cruise overall. We were disappointed in the food quality in the MDR, however. The chefs were actually sent into the dining room by Bogdan, the maître D. to address the complaints. The food did get better later in the cruise, but no where as good as 2015. I attribute it to inexperienced chefs. We're both in the food industry & see this happen frequently. We hope the Eclipse will be back to it's standard next Jan. for our next cruise. That being said the cruise was outstanding overall. As a suggestion to those on the next few cruises: When overnighting in Aruba, make dinner reservations at "Chalet Suisse". This IS an outstanding restaurant near Eagle beach. Easily the best meal we ever had at a shore side rest. while on a cruise. For those who live near Boston, I'd say it's very similar to dining in the Gourmet room in the "Café Escadrille".Price wise, "Soup to Nuts", incl. wine, it came out to just over $100 for 2 people. For those who would complain "Oh! That's way too expensive!" Really?? I mean you're on a cruise that wasn't exactly cheap. As "Auntie Mame" would say: "Live! Live! Live! Life's a Banquet & most poor suckers are starving to death!"

 

 

Thank you for the recommendation . We also found a place that we liked which we be reviewing later .

[Gracie115]

Thanks Gracie , we also prefer the one without the filter .

 

 

Hope you don't mind but it's now my background pic on my computer....needed something different have been looking at a shot I took on the Equinox last fall for too long......

[scubacruiserx2]

Hope you don't mind but it's now my background pic on my computer....needed something different have been looking at a shot I took on the Equinox last fall for too long......

 

 

Of course not Gracie , enjoy ! :) :D

[scubacruiserx2]

Our first main course in Q sine was M's favorites

The second main was a sampler from India

They were both very tasty and for desert - a Silver Bullet

A very nice meal , the highlight of our day at sea .

[MicCanberra]

Loving all the photos of Miami and the surrounds (along with a bit of the history).

[perfect match]

So Joe, at Epcot on Friday I kept taking pictures with the SeaLife that seemed more than a bit fuzzy. I deleted a lot of them right away I just couldn't figure out what the problem was..... :confused:

 

I'll bet you already know! :D

 

I took a closer look at the camera today while I was downloading the surviving pictures and....

 

Did you guess I was in UNDERWATER MODE? I had absolutely no idea that I was in underwater mode. I do know that underwater mode doesn't work very well for land pictures! :rolleyes:

 

I guess that is why it is so important to play with a new camera at home first, before I take it on vacation. Lesson learned!

 

I also have some lovely videos of the ground when I didn't realize I was shooting video! :eek: I figured that one out right away though, unlike the underwater mode thing.

[perfect match]

I really liked both versions of the aft view picture. The first was far more dramatic, but the second one had a really happy vibe to it for me. I just can't wait for October and our aft cabin on Koningsdam when I'll be enjoying those views off my own balcony. :D

 

I have food allergies. They're a pain when we go out to eat, but I do still enjoy food porn - even of foods I can't eat! I don't get an allergic reaction from food porn so I can enjoy my allergens in pictures! I will say for sure I would have made short work of that plate of bread!

 

Silly question here, but we haven't cruised Celebrity yet - what is in the Silver Bullet? It looks cold, so I'm thinking ice cream of some sort since you said dessert.

[MicCanberra]

The photos of Ireland took me back to our tour there in 2010. Very beautiful countryside.:D