Saint Greg's Mardi Gras - LIVE - August 28th-September 4th 2021

[Saint Greg]

On 9/3/2021 at 1:13 AM, SNJCruisers said:

How much were they?

 

I believe it was 12.95 which is about what they've been on other ships.

[Saint Greg]

On 9/3/2021 at 1:05 AM, SNJCruisers said:

Did not think they were included with Cheers...

 

I don't think they have been on other ships. My guess is since they put in the new soda system and integrated it with BB and Cheers on this ship, they were able to include the self-pouring beer station as well.

[Saint Greg]

On 9/3/2021 at 4:43 AM, SNJCruisers said:

No special roped off area for Diamonds and Platinums?

 

Nope not that I saw. just suites.

[Saint Greg]

Interesting. Heard a rumor that Mardi Gras is currently stuck in Roatan. Some kind of technical problem. 

[blarko]

1 hour ago, Saint Greg said:

Interesting. Heard a rumor that Mardi Gras is currently stuck in Roatan. Some kind of technical problem. 

Rut row 

[Saint Greg]

5 minutes ago, blarko said:

Rut row 

apparently it did leave sometime after 9pm. No word on why.

[Saint Greg]

I finally have all of my accompanying video clips posted so here they are:

 

Boarding

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTZ4JFLFB3F/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Fun Squad Intro

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTo-fOHlQJN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Chris Williams' Nations of the World

 

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTpyBRSFPmK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Center stage band plays all night long....well they don't play all night long, they play all night long....they don't play all night long they.....just click the link.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTwqevdFGxk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

 

 

Time Lapse sail away San Juan

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTmcWnal_0p/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

 

Time Lapse sail away Amber Cove

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTUxbEblKGa/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

 

Time Lapse sail away Nassau

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkOeyLFK6A/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

 

Bathroom door

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTb9wO8lRPP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Bolt

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTerAjMlR2U/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Brass Magnolia

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CThDXmeFYjc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

 

Carnival Magic backing in at Amber Cove

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTUfvUplftd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Carnival Magic at Amber Cove

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSSdE8FnZP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Chuck Wagner sings new york new york.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTuMIZLFjNG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Center stage band plays footloose

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTy3ZUrFpXP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Jeff the jerky juggler highlights

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT4aSCklW7I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Adult family feud

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT7BPnol_lQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Adult family feud fast money

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT9e6EVF5eT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

End of Flying Scotsman show

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUADRQxldnr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Electric Violins

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUC5Shvhack/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Celestial sTrings

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUHsvxxlSuN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

More celestial strings

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUK8Jw8Fyti/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Amber Cove Zip line

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUFPLwglEcx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Fortune Teller bar drink made with smoke

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUNFddgldkc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Seafood Bisque in Rudi's

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT1p86clOm1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

 

 

Circular staircase at Castillo San Cristobal San Juan

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUPno4Tl-h3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Mardi Gras in Nassau

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUSAiZYlbOx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

More Mardi Gras in Nassau

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUVFUfBFfSY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Water through the grand central window

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUXRfbcFEnD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Last night waiters singing in Cucina

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUZ6xYylEr5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jamman54]

Great stuff Greg! Thanks!!! 

[JaniceB]

Thanks for sharing all the clips.

[SNJCruisers]

Looks great, thanks

[Pellaz]

Thanks for this fantastic and detailed review.  Sailing on the 9th and I feel like I've already explored the entire ship and won't need to explore it just after boarding!

--Nahh, who am I kidding?  I'll still explore.  😄  

 

It sounds like the Mardi Gras and future Excellence-class ships have the following "deltas" (areas for improvement), as we politely say at work:  

 

• more capacity for YTD patrons, OR just make the three "free" specialty restaurants permanently free...at least for YTD folks.   Seems like the Flamingo Dining Room is already too small to handle YTD...and that's at reduced capacity. 😮 
• More late-night dining options.  Every ship in the fleet, apparently excepting Mardi Gras, offers late-night snacks or sandwiches after 11 pm (when the Deli closes).  Sometimes at a station in the Lido buffet, sometimes as an expanded menu at the pizza place ("Pizza Pirate Plus").   If it truly is limited to just pizza -- and maybe caesar salads? -- after 10pm, that's a huge disappointment for a ship otherwise known as a target-rich food environment.   
• those finger-touch door buttons.  Seriously?   Just have them open with a sensor like every other ship in the fleet.  ESPECIALLY during the pandemic; it's just silly to require someone to touch them with a finger.  
• better signage for the public restrooms, reminding people to use the sensor inside to close AND LOCK the door 🙂  
• have a $15 Bolt ride include two laps (at least), not just one.  

 

[lele100]

6 hours ago, Pellaz said:

Thanks for this fantastic and detailed review.  Sailing on the 9th and I feel like I've already explored the entire ship and won't need to explore it just after boarding!

--Nahh, who am I kidding?  I'll still explore.  😄  

 

It sounds like the Mardi Gras and future Excellence-class ships have the following "deltas" (areas for improvement), as we politely say at work:  

 

• more capacity for YTD patrons, OR just make the three "free" specialty restaurants permanently free...at least for YTD folks.   Seems like the Flamingo Dining Room is already too small to handle YTD...and that's at reduced capacity. 😮 
• More late-night dining options.  Every ship in the fleet, apparently excepting Mardi Gras, offers late-night snacks or sandwiches after 11 pm (when the Deli closes).  Sometimes at a station in the Lido buffet, sometimes as an expanded menu at the pizza place ("Pizza Pirate Plus").   If it truly is limited to just pizza -- and maybe caesar salads? -- after 10pm, that's a huge disappointment for a ship otherwise known as a target-rich food environment.   
• those finger-touch door buttons.  Seriously?   Just have them open with a sensor like every other ship in the fleet.  ESPECIALLY during the pandemic; it's just silly to require someone to touch them with a finger.  
• better signage for the public restrooms, reminding people to use the sensor inside to close AND LOCK the door 🙂  
• have a $15 Bolt ride include two laps (at least), not just one.  

 

Agreed 100% 

[kwokpot]

6 hours ago, Pellaz said:

better signage for the public restrooms, reminding people to use the sensor inside to close AND LOCK the door 🙂  

NO ONE, literally no one knew how to operate those handicapped switches. The thing is you have to WAIT until it it opens the door, then wait again until it closes it on it's own. You can't rush it, obviously it's timed that way to allow a wheelchair enough time to get in and out of the stall.  Once it closes on its own, you have to touch the switch to actually lock the door. This Is the step no one knows you have to do. If you don't touch to lock it anyone on the outside touching the switch will open the door;furthermore, when you go open the door when you're done you will actually be locking it, since you forgot to lock it after entering. So in that case you have to touch the switch a second time and WAIT for it to open. Touching it rapidly multiple times, which many people do, only makes things worse. 

[lele100]

I found this    

 

 

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, lele100 said:

I found this    

 

 

Perfect video exactly as I described.

[KmomChicago]

On 10/1/2021 at 2:24 AM, Pellaz said:

Thanks for this fantastic and detailed review.  Sailing on the 9th and I feel like I've already explored the entire ship and won't need to explore it just after boarding!

--Nahh, who am I kidding?  I'll still explore.  😄  

 

It sounds like the Mardi Gras and future Excellence-class ships have the following "deltas" (areas for improvement), as we politely say at work:  

 

• more capacity for YTD patrons, OR just make the three "free" specialty restaurants permanently free...at least for YTD folks.   Seems like the Flamingo Dining Room is already too small to handle YTD...and that's at reduced capacity. 😮 
• More late-night dining options.  Every ship in the fleet, apparently excepting Mardi Gras, offers late-night snacks or sandwiches after 11 pm (when the Deli closes).  Sometimes at a station in the Lido buffet, sometimes as an expanded menu at the pizza place ("Pizza Pirate Plus").   If it truly is limited to just pizza -- and maybe caesar salads? -- after 10pm, that's a huge disappointment for a ship otherwise known as a target-rich food environment.   
• those finger-touch door buttons.  Seriously?   Just have them open with a sensor like every other ship in the fleet.  ESPECIALLY during the pandemic; it's just silly to require someone to touch them with a finger.  
• better signage for the public restrooms, reminding people to use the sensor inside to close AND LOCK the door 🙂  
• have a $15 Bolt ride include two laps (at least), not just one.  

 

 

I too must agree.  Considering how many things they are trying, this is a pretty short list of issues.  I would say the YTD issue is probably the least of the concerns, and anyway, keeping Chibang! and Cucina and P&A all comp for dinner is a brilliant value-add for the passengers that is basically already baked into what is typically a somewhat higher base cruise fare for the biggest newbuilds. 

 

The public restrooms do need signage which is a quick and easy fix - it's like they want people to go back to their cabin for their personal needs so they are keeping the public ones secret.  But let's face it - these doors are an epic fail. I really question if more than maybe 10% of passengers will figure them out during a 7 day cruise. 

 

Bolt is just a little bit too $$ to feel like a good value so yes to what you said. They could also offer discounts maybe at low demand times, if there ever is such a thing? Or some kind of pre-booked package with one ride per day, or multiple rides certain times or something.

 

To me the biggest issue of all these is the LATE NIGHT FOOD!  I am a morning person, y'all and always was and back in the day I stayed up for the MIDNIGHT BUFFET (of course this was before there were lots of buffets all the time).  You know when they held that event? After 11pm!  You know why they used to do that? Because people loved it! 

 

Ya wants ya guests to spend on the drunkie and the gambly until the wee hours, ya gots ta feed 'em!

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, KmomChicago said:

 

To me the biggest issue of all these is the LATE NIGHT FOOD!  

Ya wants ya guests to spend on the drunkie and the gambly until the wee hours, ya gots ta feed 'em!

That's one of the best things about NCL on their Breakaway and Breakaway  Plus ships.   The Local, a 24 hour sit down restaurant whose menu fluctuates with the time of day.  Think it's kind of busy about 1230-100 AM?

[Pellaz]

On 10/1/2021 at 10:32 AM, kwokpot said:

NO ONE, literally no one knew how to operate those handicapped switches. The thing is you have to WAIT until it it opens the door, then wait again until it closes it on it's own. You can't rush it, obviously it's timed that way to allow a wheelchair enough time to get in and out of the stall. 

 

I've seen some reports that, after entering the restroom as soon as you wave your hand in front of the sensor, the door immediately starts to close.   Which would make sense, since you've indicated that you are now inside the restroom.  

[Jamman54]

Greg, on your upcoming Panorama cruise will you be spending any time in LA or Long Beach pre or post cruise? Just curious. 😎 

[Saint Greg]

5 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Greg, on your upcoming Panorama cruise will you be spending any time in LA or Long Beach pre or post cruise? Just curious. 😎 

Nah I’m really pushing it to squeeze in these two 7 days with the vacation time I have left. I almost booked the 5 day Breeze instead of Panorama. It’s really hard to think about going back to 5 days so I’m stretching it. 
 

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by Saint Greg

[Saint Greg]

I do happen to have plans to be in New Orleans the two days prior to my Vista out of Galveston so I’ll probably cover that in my Vista thread. Then for Sailabration on Glory I’m going to have to get there at least a day early because it’s gonna be crawfish season. So I’m going to have to find a boil. 

[Jamman54]

5 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Nah I’m really pushing it to squeeze in these two 7 days with the vacation time I have left. I almost booked the 5 day Breeze instead of Panorama. It’s really hard to think about going back to 5 days so I’m stretching it. 
 

 

I remember those days when I had to count the vacation time down to the hour. Eventually you'll be at the point where you won't. For us, the adventure starts tomorrow when we fly out to LA. 😎

[Saint Greg]

13 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

I do happen to have plans to be in New Orleans the two days prior to my Vista out of Galveston so I’ll probably cover that in my Vista thread. Then for Sailabration on Glory I’m going to have to get there at least a day early because it’s gonna be crawfish season. So I’m going to have to find a boil. 

Did I mention my friend from the Cozumel trip recently booked my Vista cruise? Yeah…so that’s going to be….interesting. And I have to figure out the logistics of trip A with friend 1 who doesn’t know about trip B with friend 2 that starts the day trip A ends. 

[Jamman54]

8 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Did I mention my friend from the Cozumel trip recently booked my Vista cruise? Yeah…so that’s going to be….interesting. And I have to figure out the logistics of trip A with friend 1 who doesn’t know about trip B with friend 2 that starts the day trip A ends. 

Sounds like algebra to me! 😁

[KmomChicago]

18 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Did I mention my friend from the Cozumel trip recently booked my Vista cruise? Yeah…so that’s going to be….interesting. And I have to figure out the logistics of trip A with friend 1 who doesn’t know about trip B with friend 2 that starts the day trip A ends. 

Exactly what kind of "friends" are you "picking up" I mean "meeting" on these ships?