Live From Pride 9/19 - (eMed) Testing, Cruising, Vacationing!

[Steelers0854]

15 hours ago, Jim and Monika said:

Thank You,

Any chance you can get any pictures of the liquors at the bars? Just so we can see what is offered.

Jim

here you go. From the lobby bar. 
 

 

 

[Steelers0854]

1 hour ago, cruisewiththekids said:

Enjoying your review.   A couple questions. 

 

We sail on 10/17 and our itinerary says depart Baltimore 5:00.   I assume that's incorrect, it's later?    Do you know the earliest and latest embarkation times?

 

Regarding Bimini,  am I understanding there are 3 beaches on the tram route; 360, Resort World and public?   

 

All aboard was at 6pm when we departed and we left at 7pm. No clue when the earliest boarding time was but considering all pax are off the ship by noon I can’t see them starting to board before 12:30/1pm. 

 

yes, technically it’s just 1 Long Beach but the 3 sections are roped off to make it 3 distinct sections. They go in that order from closest to the ship to furthest. 

 

[Steelers0854]

1 hour ago, BroadwayGirl said:

The late sailing was only supposed to be for the first few cruises and they got a letter . The letter did not include 10/17 (I’m on that one too) or the one before. Not that it couldn’t change but so far so good.

im mot entirely sure how this would be possible unless your itinerary is different than ours.
 

We left Freeport at 1pm and have been running at 24 knots, essentially pedal to the metal, and we don’t even arrive back until 10am. 

[luc122]

Hi. Just a question about the emed test 

since you get an email with the results, do I need to also download the NAVICA app, or will the email be enough proof to board?  
 

thank you

[cruisewiththekids]

Re Bimini, I know the public beach is free and 360 is the Carnival shore excursion.  Do you know if they offer a day pass to Resorts World?

[Steelers0854]

1 hour ago, luc122 said:

Hi. Just a question about the emed test 

since you get an email with the results, do I need to also download the NAVICA app, or will the email be enough proof to board?  
 

thank you

just the email will work. No need for the app. I will saw it’s easier to read if you have the app vs showing them the an email attachment. But I’m guessing you will print it out in which case that works great. 

 

1 hour ago, cruisewiththekids said:

Re Bimini, I know the public beach is free and 360 is the Carnival shore excursion.  Do you know if they offer a day pass to Resorts World?

Yes, it’s $40pp and allows you to use the pools, beach and may possibly include food and drink but I can’t remember what the couple said when we were talking with them. 

[Steelers0854]

For those coming on board tomorrow. The crew hasn’t had shore leave since they boarded in July. Amazon takes about 4 weeks to reach them. The CD commented how much they have appreciated people bringing aboard toiletries for the crew, it’s been a huge help. Tomorrow is their first day of shore leave and they only get a couple hours so many crew many not be able to stock up. If so you choose you may want to bring aboard some items for them. That’s all the info he gave us, I don’t know anything specific about what kinds of items etc. 

 

we also learned from the CD during a Q&A he hosted:

 

-About 110 people stayed on board during the pandemic to keep the ship running. 
-They will be allowed to get off at HMC starting next week for the first time since they started back

-all staff were paid 1 months salary when they shut down after they left to return home. 
 

 

[WhiteOptima]

Thank you so much for your review and for taking time out of your vacation to answer questions!
 

[IntrepidFromDC]

9 hours ago, newpherchris said:

Hi @Steelers0854, I have one more question before we sail tomorrow: do you happen to recall the time we will be let into our cabins? We have a 2:30 boarding time, so we're assuming we'll be on board by 3-ish. I'm only bringing a carry-on but may still choose to check it if we have to wait too long for access...Don't want to be hauling it around when I am waitng for a Guy's Burger 😛 

 

Thanks again for all of your helpful posts this week...

 

9 hours ago, Steelers0854 said:

we boarded at 2pm and our room was ready.

FWIW, we boarded at 1230pm on the 9/12 sailing and our room was ready with room key in the mailbox.

[bobbismith]

Good evening,

How was the casino? Thank you for all the information and photos.

Bobbi

[BroadwayGirl]

9 hours ago, Steelers0854 said:

im mot entirely sure how this would be possible unless your itinerary is different than ours.
 

We left Freeport at 1pm and have been running at 24 knots, essentially pedal to the metal, and we don’t even arrive back until 10am. 

This was the letter sent….7 pm departure thru 10/7.  No one beyond that has gotten a letter delaying yet. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

Steelers has been kinda quiet on this last full day of cruising.  I'm guessing he received his "Dear John" letter and is dabbing tears with his towel critter.  😁 🏴‍☠️

[mondello]

10 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Steelers has been kinda quiet on this last full day of cruising.  I'm guessing he received his "Dear John" letter and is dabbing tears with his towel critter.  😁 🏴‍☠️

B2B baby, its the only way to go. I'm gonna order a bunch of duty free booze. If they deliver it to my cabin at the end of the first leg, I'm gonna open an after hours Club and sell $5 drinks the second week.

The Pirates Lair.

Edited September 26, 2021 by mondello
Add

[IntrepidFromDC]

24 minutes ago, mondello said:

B2B baby, its the only way to go. I'm gonna order a bunch of duty free booze. If they deliver it to my cabin at the end of the first leg, I'm gonna open an after hours Club and sell $5 drinks the second week.

The Pirates Lair.

Be thar with me doubloons as fast as me peg leg can go.  Arrrr.

[Mcdonaldbam]

@newpherchris

They still want you out of your cabin by 9am the last day.

 

[Jim and Monika]

Thank You for the pictures, they helped. There are still some missing Liquor that is available on the Mardi Gras. Maybe it's just for that ship, or at different bars.

Edited September 26, 2021 by Jim and Monika

[Steelers0854]

8 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Steelers has been kinda quiet on this last full day of cruising.  I'm guessing he received his "Dear John" letter and is dabbing tears with his towel critter.  😁 🏴‍☠️

Yea. I was hoping if I didn’t post about it it wouldn’t be true. Lol. So much for that!
 

 

10 hours ago, bobbismith said:

Good evening,

How was the casino? Thank you for all the information and photos.

Bobbi

the casino was busy the entire cruise. Just about everyone wore masks unless they were taking a drink or smoking. That’s about all I can tell you as I try and in through the casino as fast as possible, smoke wreaks havoc on my allergies. I do know someone won $9,000 at the slot machine. 

[Steelers0854]

The Last Day 😩

 

Well it finally arrived. The day we all dread. We had pretty spotty internet as well today. 
 

as promised our last lunch was at Guys. 
 

 

 

they also had the chocolate extravaganza at the buffet. Pretty good spread including the chocolate fountain which they do for you. 
 

we relaxed on our balcony all afternoon. The weather was beautiful!  Almost down right chilly. 
 

MDR Menu for tonight at the bottom. 
 

DW got a salad, the chicken tender appetizer and a chicken breast for dinner. She said the tender appetizer was delicious. I missed the picture of the entree. 
 

 

I got the fried shrimp (delicious but I wish they were a little crispier), the beer cheese soup (next to the steakhouse steak probably the best thing I ate all cruise) and the chicken tenders which were delicious. for my entree I got the pork chop which was good, nothing great. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Dessert tonight was the baked Alaska and DW got a fruit plate. 
 

MDR Night 7.pdf

[Steelers0854]

We got up this morning and got ready. Hit the MDR for breakfast by 7:30. Love the MDR breakfast on the last day. So quiet and relaxed compared to the nightmare the buffet is. Menu down below. 
 

DW grabbed hash browns, sausage and bacon. I got the cracked egg breakfast sandwich and some sausage. The sandwich was good, the eggs were cooked to death but the bread was delicious. 
 

 

MDR breakfast last day.pdf

[Steelers0854]

After breakfast we got our bags and headed down to deck 2 Taj Mahal. It’s one of the holding areas and will be a direct path to the gangway. We got here about 8:15 and no one was here. We could stay in our cabins til 9 but wanted to get out for our steward and so we could get a seat on deck 2. 
 

we actually arrived at the port just before 8. They still said we would start disembarkation until 10. So we are just waiting and relaxing. 

[sammee]

How's it looking on 2. I'm on 4 waiting for my daughter to finish packing. Are they letting us hang there?

[cruisewiththekids]

Any idea why you can't debark until 10 am?   Seems really late.   Is that standard for Baltimore?

[sammee]

22 minutes ago, cruisewiththekids said:

Any idea why you can't debark until 10 am?   Seems really late.   Is that standard for Baltimore?

They are waiting for clearance, if it happens earlier, they'll adjust. I'm also here on 3 waiting. It used to be earlier. But that pesky covid changed it up.   Just got the okay. Deck one is leaving now.

Edited September 26, 2021 by sammee
Add info

[Steelers0854]

So they started the process at 9:15 and by 9:40 they had called express walk off up to deck 7. In 10 minutes we walked off the ship, through customs and were ready to start the trip home. Easy peasy. 

[cruisewiththekids]

So if you wait in the holding area Taj Mahal on deck 2, can you be one of the first to debark, or do you still need to wait until your stateroom deck is called?