Onboard Riviera Jan. 4

[jazznruby]

35 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

We are partial to Seghesio Zinfandels from Sonoma County. IMO, any of their estate Zs would qualify as the “gold standard” for California’s baby.

Quick story: Having failed retirement #1, I took an offer that couldn’t be refused and spent almost four years (commuting monthly) to upstate New York for a job that involved a lot of social obligations with local politicos. On one occasion at our home, we diplomatically served a mix of CA, NY and foreign wines. Once things got underway, I got a call from our area State Senator saying he’d be late. When he finally arrived, I asked what I could get him and he replied “Zinfandel.” When I brought him a glass of Old Vine Seghesio, his remark was “Oh, I thought I asked for Zinfandel.” 
If you know wine in the slightest, you know what he was expecting.

Actually, I do know wine in the slightest (not as much as my husband however) and we know Seghesio, and I understand what he was expecting. All I can say is if you like Sonoma zins, Seghesio in particular, you'll love Hartford (also Sonoma). There are currently 6 (all Old Vine) on their web site, rated 94-96 by WS. And their chards and pinots are outstanding. Long standing members of their club.

[ORV]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I assume that many of us are now in Miami.

I gotta ask: Is anyone else shocked at the lack of masks and social distancing here? Even at the Intercontinental Hotel, it’s so surreal! Only a few weeks ago, we were at the SF Intercontinental (event in the City) and the situation was a 180 degree difference. It’s also bizarre to hear many unmasked folks here answer “I’m vaccinated” or “you’ve got a mask on” when you ask them to please not join you on the elevator. 
Unbelievable - particularly when you think about how many folks in this area near the port will be boarding cruise ships in the days to come. 
 

Welcome to the South. You should come to where I live, same deal with about 30% vaccination. My wife & I are both double vaxxed and boosted, with Moderna, about as good as you can get, yet she tested positive last week. I tested neg, but I think I'd already had a light case before she got it. 

49 minutes ago, jazznruby said:

Check with ORV. He said it's a thing. Again, we usually purchase bottles which is why we'll be fine with that list in all venues. Assuming the sarcasm in your White Zin remark, thanks we'll pass. But a red zin you might want to try is from Hartford, and it's on the O list. Actually anything from Hartford is a big winner!

OK, I'm sorry for the confusion. I actually was making a joke about the O Club wine that all Oceania club members get on each cruise as a loyalty gift. Have you had that? 

 

I think we should probably take the wine & OBC discussion to the wine thread and maybe stop hijacking Nymich's great thread. 

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, ORV said:

Welcome to the South. You should come to where I live, same deal with about 30% vaccination. My wife & I are both double vaxxed and boosted, with Moderna, about as good as you can get, yet she tested positive last week. I tested neg, but I think I'd already had a light case before she got it. 

 

Sorry to hear MS T got  covid in spite of your best efforts 

sometimes I wonder about the tests 

Feel better soon

 

I got the joke on the wine  😉

 

[jazznruby]

7 minutes ago, ORV said:

Welcome to the South. You should come to where I live, same deal with about 30% vaccination. My wife & I are both double vaxxed and boosted, with Moderna, about as good as you can get, yet she tested positive last week. I tested neg, but I think I'd already had a light case before she got it. 

OK, I'm sorry for the confusion. I actually was making a joke about the O Club wine that all Oceania club members get on each cruise as a loyalty gift. Have you had that? 

 

I think we should probably take the wine & OBC discussion to the wine thread and maybe stop hijacking Nymich's great thread. 

Was waiting. Sorry, no more from me. ☺️

[jagoffee]

3 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I assume that many of us are now in Miami.

I gotta ask: Is anyone else shocked at the lack of masks and social distancing here? Even at the Intercontinental Hotel, it’s so surreal! Only a few weeks ago, we were at the SF Intercontinental (event in the City) and the situation was a 180 degree difference. It’s also bizarre to hear many unmasked folks here answer “I’m vaccinated” or “you’ve got a mask on” when you ask them to please not join you on the elevator. 
Unbelievable - particularly when you think about how many folks in this area near the port will be boarding cruise ships in the days to come. 
 

We are also at the IC.  From our observations the staff are always properly wearing masks when inside.  
I agree that the mask usage by guests is significantly lower.  I would say that when masks are optional, most people take the option of not wearing masks.  I live in Illinois and there has been a mask mandate since summer, so it feels strange. .  It does seem a little bizarre that many people from heavily mask mandated states (and support it) come to Florida and chose not to wear a mask. I do not really understand the logic.

 

We walked around outside today, visited the CVS, and the Bayside shopping center.  Some people are certainly choosing to wear masks.(not required outside in IL)

 

I would hope that those boarding cruise ships are masking, I know we are.

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, jazznruby said:

Actually, I do know wine in the slightest (not as much as my husband however) and we know Seghesio, and I understand what he was expecting. All I can say is if you like Sonoma zins, Seghesio in particular, you'll love Hartford (also Sonoma). There are currently 6 (all Old Vine) on their web site, rated 94-96 by WS. And their chards and pinots are outstanding. Long standing members of their club.

Good to know. 
We only belong to two winery clubs (after much research (I.e., “enjoying the grape”)).

Our sole Sonoma membership is Martin Ray (I consider him to have been the Sonoma equivalent of Napa’s Robert Mondavi). In Mendocino County, we love Navarro in Phylo.

[jagoffee]

Regent’  Splendor backing out to make space for us.

[jazznruby]

17 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Good to know. 
We only belong to two winery clubs (after much research (I.e., “enjoying the grape”)).

Our sole Sonoma membership is Martin Ray (I consider him to have been the Sonoma equivalent of Napa’s Robert Mondavi). In Mendocino County, we love Navarro in Phylo.

Love Navarro. Been a club member for 30 years.🍷Enjoy your cruise.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, jazznruby said:

Love Navarro. Been a club member for 30 years.🍷Enjoy your cruise.

We’ve only been Navarro members for 20+ years. But, I did buy a stereo system from Pacific Stereo 40 years ago (Ted Bennett’s pre-Navarro business).

 

[Nymich]

I wanted to do a thread on what is it like to be on the first O cruise since the CDC told us "don't do it.:

 

I tried to lay out paperwork, protocols and facts so we could get O's side of the story so to speak.  I think we did that.

 

I spent the majority of this cruise NEXT DOOR to a quarantined cabin.  I never even knew how many were in that cabin.

Perhaps that would freak a few people out and I wondered how I was able to have a nice time and not be worried.  I think the answer to that is O was being proactive and putting their protocols in place.

 

It was great to see so much interest and actually a zest to know what's going on?  It was fun but this cruise is over.

Host Jazz perhaps you can lock this thread down as it's pretty easy for things to get away from the spirit of what this long thread was about.

I have no more reports and this will be my final post on this thread.

(I am sure you can all like or thanks that!)

Night all......thanks for a great cruise!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thank you again Nymich. You accomplished everything you set out to do, and you provided extremely helpful and useful information to so many CC readers - especially to those of us who are joining you on the Jan. 14 cruise.  And you did it with grace even when the thread went off topic and got contentious.
 

You deserve a gold star, and since no one else can respond (because I followed your request and locked the thread), I hereby give it to you on behalf of all your grateful readers:  🌟