Jim_Iain - 9/5 and 9/17 Equinox B2B - Come along for a Live Blog

[canderson]

30 minutes ago, Sascol said:

Jim, how did you make reservations for Chef’s Table? We’ve been looking for this online and it is not available and when we called Celebrity over the weekend they said it was not able to be done on the phone either. Can we make the reservations once we board? Thank you in advance.

Booked ours for Nov using online planner on PC.  Believe I found it at the very bottom of dining options.

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, Sascol said:

Jim, how did you make reservations for Chef’s Table? We’ve been looking for this online and it is not available and when we called Celebrity over the weekend they said it was not able to be done on the phone either. Can we make the reservations once we board? Thank you in advance.

Yes you can make it on-board by speaking to any of the Retreat Staff or any of the Restaurant Managers.   They may originally have one planned but if the wait list grows they offer additional ones.  On Equinox they had at least 3

[funatseascott]

35 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

I originally heard their were no children on the ship but at the first port say one child about 18 month old.   Really cute little girl and was wearing a mask. 

 

 

I was sitting in the retreat sun deck and the child was having an activity in the basketball court.  Playing basketball, soccer and chasing bubbles.  I felt sad being the only child but was having fun AND wearing a mask outdoors in the heat without a complaint.

[SonuvaBeach]

29 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Yes you can make it on-board by speaking to any of the Retreat Staff or any of the Restaurant Managers.   They may originally have one planned but if the wait list grows they offer additional ones.  On Equinox they had at least 3

We LOVE Chef's Table..what was the charge? We have done it before and it was so reasonably priced that I don't recall.

 

[Arzeena]

21 hours ago, funatseascott said:

I 2nd this.  I’m on the cruise and I look forward to seeing and hearing about the journeys.  Great pics and great info!!

I third this. I am enjoying Jim's pictures and reveiws.

[Arzeena]

4 hours ago, funatseascott said:

 

 

 

That looks to die for! OMG!

Edited September 15, 2021 by Arzeena

[brockmom]

Have you met some bar servers from Jamaica named Damien and Melbourne? We have been so fortunate to meet some outstanding crew…and these two kept us smiling and laughing with their wonderful sense

of humour( and of course good,service )

is Santa Clause on this sailing ? He would be around the sunset bar…singing let it snow let it snow….lol

just curious.

Thanks !

cheers !

Roslyn

[Covepointcruiser]

Ten people sitting at that small table would certainly put us off dining at the Chef’s Table.   Do they always crowd the table that much?    Would be comfortable for eight or maybe six, but ten is too much for that small table.

[Sascol]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Yes you can make it on-board by speaking to any of the Retreat Staff or any of the Restaurant Managers.   They may originally have one planned but if the wait list grows they offer additional ones.  On Equinox they had at least 3

Thank you Jim. Enjoy your cruise. 

Edited September 15, 2021 by Sascol

[Jim_Iain]

This is what extra tip form looks like.  I just filled in my info at top and wrote the work location, persons position, name and amount on back.   Just dropped it off at guest relations and they simply said perfect and thanks

 

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, brockmom said:

Have you met some bar servers from Jamaica named Damien and Melbourne? We have been so fortunate to meet some outstanding crew…and these two kept us smiling and laughing with their wonderful sense

of humour( and of course good,service )

is Santa Clause on this sailing ? He would be around the sunset bar…singing let it snow let it snow….lol

just curious.

Thanks !

cheers !

Roslyn

I've not seen them.   The crew is mostly Mexican, Philippians's, Eastern Europe and some others.   Some crew are finding it difficult to get vaccinated and visa's to join the ship at this time.    At the Sunset bar there is a Juan and lady I forget her name. 

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Ten people sitting at that small table would certainly put us off dining at the Chef’s Table.   Do they always crowd the table that much?    Would be comfortable for eight or maybe six, but ten is too much for that small table.

Scott -  can you answer the table size and price, since you just had the dinner.    We got a confirmation but had not reserved it so called and cancelled.  

[DaKahuna]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

We haven't booked anything so far.    We have  a B2B2B booked for Silhouette March through April.  

 

I hope you don't mind my asking but we are on the Silhouette March 28 and am curious if you and Iian will be on that as part of your B2B2B?  (I am hoping the answer is  yes) 

[Jim_Iain]

Another thing we always do around mid-cruises is drop off a letter recognizing staff that has made our vacation special.    They send the compliment to each department head and they are usually recognized at morning staff meeting and given a gift card. 

 

We have already been thanked by many for our kind words.     They say personal recolonization is more valuable to their career advancement than a tip.   We give both.

[maggie.1008]

Jim, I just asked you this on another tread but can you please find out any information about the Apex Transatlantic? The Silhouette TA canceled today because of 14 day quarantine. 

there are 1700 people booked on the Apex TAcruise. I am on the November 4th cruise and trying to figure out if the TA will cancel or the Apex TA. 
thanks so much for letting us follow along on your fabulous cruise 🚢

[maggie.1008]

Sorry I meant Apex TA or  Apex November 4th canceled 

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

I hope you don't mind my asking but we are on the Silhouette March 28 and am curious if you and Iian will be on that as part of your B2B2B?  (I am hoping the answer is  yes) 

 

If I'm not mistaken the  cruise is on 4/30 for the Silhouette Norwegian Fjords Cruise.  Yes we will be on that cruise and look forward to meeting you.  I have my cruises in my signature but need to expand to see.   

 

We haven't started booking too far in advance yet.

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, maggie.1008 said:

Jim, I just asked you this on another tread but can you please find out any information about the Apex Transatlantic? The Silhouette TA canceled today because of 14 day quarantine. 

there are 1700 people booked on the Apex TAcruise. I am on the November 4th cruise and trying to figure out if the TA will cancel or the Apex TA. 
thanks so much for letting us follow along on your fabulous cruise 🚢

 

I'll see what i can find out.    That would really be a disappointment if they were to cancel that cruise.

[Benthayer Gonbak]

1 minute ago, Jim_Iain said:

Another thing we always do around mid-cruises is drop off a letter recognizing staff that has made our vacation special.    They send the compliment to each department head and they are usually recognized at morning staff meeting and given a gift card. 

 

We have already been thanked by many for our kind words.     They say personal recolonization is more valuable to their career advancement than a tip.   We give both.

 

I agree!  On the first leg of a B2B I noted that for the Azamara it was extremely hard for crew to seem to outshine others!   However, that cruise was the first time I had all the requested items in my cabin upon arrival!  That’s tough to do for a turnover and distilled water and extension cords etc always show up at turndown which was fine.   At the beginning of the second leg both room stewards profusely thanked me for my comments, repeatedly!  I got the impression they were read to the staff!   
 

We’ve been repeatedly told that names on a comment always helps pay and promotions and the competition for Azamara is already a bit fierce!   We try to be sure to list everyone that made us feel extra special and those who did things that weren’t their specific jobs!  I’ve even mentioned head of housekeeping a couple of times because they excelled at “take action” often themselves.  

[DaKahuna]

4 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

If I'm not mistaken the  cruise is on 4/30 for the Silhouette Norwegian Fjords Cruise.  Yes we will be on that cruise and look forward to meeting you.  I have my cruises in my signature but need to expand to see.   

 

We haven't started booking too far in advance yet.

 

 

You signature is showing cruises for 2021.  I was thinking the 3/28/2022 Silhouette 11 Day ABC curise. 

[funatseascott]

14 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Scott -  can you answer the table size and price, since you just had the dinner.    We got a confirmation but had not reserved it so called and cancelled.  

We actually didn’t do what they call the Chefs Table, but the Executive Chef allowed his chef’s under him to make off menu items for just my wife and I that they also made for the crews dinner.  This allowed us to have Malaysian/Balinese food served to us in our private table, but the same food was also served to the staff.  This allowed the chefs to make a large portion of the items for us and the staff.  We loved knowing the staff also got this special meal and some stopped us today to thank us for ordering it.

[Jim_Iain]

Captain just came on  and said one passenger has tested positive and contact traces (no number given) have been confined to their cabin for testing. 

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

You signature is showing cruises for 2021.  I was thinking the 3/28/2022 Silhouette 11 Day ABC curise. 

You are correct about my signature -  Thanks.   I have updated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

You signature is showing cruises for 2021.  I was thinking the 3/28/2022 Silhouette 11 Day ABC curise. 

I'm brain dead.  Just noticed you are on the March 28th  Cruise.... dughh.... Light Bulb goes on.   We will be boarding the day you get off the ship.  

 

It's amazing how being on a long cruise you loose track of time.    It's wonderful.

[stunned]

59 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Another thing we always do around mid-cruises is drop off a letter recognizing staff that has made our vacation special.    They send the compliment to each department head and they are usually recognized at morning staff meeting and given a gift card. 

 

We have already been thanked by many for our kind words.     They say personal recolonization is more valuable to their career advancement than a tip.   We give both.

This is excellent info to know, thinking back there were so many that made our cruises special that we tipped extra, but will definitely also write letters for extra recognition in future. Thanks for this knowledge.

Judy