Jim_Iain – Silhouette Live Post April 8, 21, 30 - B3B - TransAtlantic, Portugal Spain, France and the Norwegian Fjords

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Airbalancer said:

Have they been giving any deals on specialty restaurants before Covid it was pretty easy to get 40% off 

on a Holy Land Cruise every night was 50% off 

Unfortunately I don’t know as we get unlimited specialty dining.  I would expect they would cut a deal.   When we din Tuscan there were only 2 other couples.  
 

They haven’t been out flogging the specialties like the once did. 

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tigrou]

2 hours ago, Airbalancer said:

Have they been giving any deals on specialty restaurants before Covid it was pretty easy to get 40% off 

on a Holy Land Cruise every night was 50% off 

Not that I’ve seen. On 2019 WBTA they were constantly around the ship pushing discounts to get bookings.

 

I thought maybe they didn’t need to this cruise but this evening I went to Lawn Club Grill and for the first 30 minutes was the only diner which was even weirder than eating solo elsewhere. Around 8 crew and just me! Admittedly it was chilly from it being so windy, and one couple did come in then leave because it was so cold. When I left there were 8 diners.

 

I’d expected it to be fairly popular tonight whilst in port and thought it a good time for me to go, that I wouldn’t feel quite so ‘solo’. So much for that idea! Another one for the list of things not to do again.

[TFree]

@Jim_Iain: you take great photos.  Is this with your iPhone?  My older iPhone never took pictures that looked as vibrant as yours, or those that Judy takes with her Samsung.  I have since upgraded to the iPhone 12 Pro, and I am hoping that that phone does a better job than my prior phone (an iPhone 6, as I recall).  

 

Tom & Judy

[Ex-Airbalancer]

7 minutes ago, TFree said:

@Jim_Iain: you take great photos.  Is this with your iPhone?  My older iPhone never took pictures that looked as vibrant as yours, or those that Judy takes with her Samsung.  I have since upgraded to the iPhone 12 Pro, and I am hoping that that phone does a better job than my prior phone (an iPhone 6, as I recall).  

 

Tom & Judy

My wife’s 11 , take way better pictures and movies than my 6 

a 12 pro must be amazing 

[dani negreanu]

@GeorgiaPeach51

 

Joanie,

 

Pls. add Ruth Ware to the list, thanks,

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, CruiseNYC said:

Hi Jim 

 

Sorry for off-topic question but I seem to recall that you were on the Equinox - maybe last year?

I'm looking to book a B2B next year and I'm trying to find your Equinox review.  Where would I find that?

 

Again, apologies for such a random question.  Loving your current trip!!  

 

Thank you for your help and forbearance.

Carole

Welcome Carol -    No apologies needed.   You will see we go off topic most of the time.   LOO.   Here's a link to the Equinox Caribbean 9/5 and 9/17.   We really enjoyed the ship and the crew.

 

 

 

[upwarduk]

Just had a thought, you are now probably on BST ( UK time) as I believe Portugal is the same time as us. 

[Jim_Iain]

7 hours ago, Airbalancer said:

Weird , you would think since you already docked in Azores that would cover mainland Portugal 

 

What was weird to me was we didn't need a Passenger Locator for the Azores.   Then as much as they went on about having a copy to be scanned in the terminal we were never asked for them.    I guess they checked to see if everyone on the ship had applied -  You have to fill in you Ship and Cabin # on the form. 

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, Tigrou said:

On the Silhouette 2019 WBTA they had them in the buffet on ‘Taste of Portugal’ day and they were delicious. I was hoping for some this time, especially with port calls in Portugal, but haven’t seen any. In fact there’s only been one ‘Taste of’ (Caribbean) listed in the planner, on day 2. In 2019 it was a different one each lunchtime.

 

 

We have only been to Ocean View once while in the Azores and like you saw nothing special.   When on Equinox they had a different specialty each day -   I especially loved the British day -  They had the best meat pies and Beef, Chicken or Lamb Pot pies.

[franco2]

Good morning Jim

Could you tell if there is still social distancing in the main dining area and ocean view cafe.

[Alushar]

Thanks for the pictures of Lisbon @Jim_Iain one of our favourite cities and first visited on the Silhouette!

 

Hope to be joining you for next 2 legs subject to tests tomorrow! 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, 5waldos said:

Yes- looks gorgeous but 52 degrees F and high wind watch (aka Coastal Event) might make sail away a bit rough. Perhaps I'm happier with just the pictures!

 

We are currently off the coast of Porto and the winds are howling at 35-45 Knots.    We missed sail away as we didn't get underway until 11:15 pm.  

[Jim_Iain]

42 minutes ago, TFree said:

@Jim_Iain: you take great photos.  Is this with your iPhone?  My older iPhone never took pictures that looked as vibrant as yours, or those that Judy takes with her Samsung.  I have since upgraded to the iPhone 12 Pro, and I am hoping that that phone does a better job than my prior phone (an iPhone 6, as I recall).  

 

Tom & Judy

Yes.   I'm using an iPhone 13 Max Pro.    I really like the Wide Angle and the Telephoto lens.

[Jim_Iain]

Just now, upwarduk said:

Just had a thought, you are now probably on BST ( UK time) as I believe Portugal is the same time as us. 

 

Yes.  We are now on the same time as you.   We were talking to  Laurence from Luminae last night about the next cruise.   She said it will be interesting because we switch back and forth 3-4 times on between BST and European Continent.  (Spain and France are of course CET)

[Jim_Iain]

We have the B2B meeting this morning at 10:00 am (about 20 minutes from now)

 

We are to be tested tomorrow morning at 8:25 (Iain's not pleased as he is not a morning person)     Out of an abundance of Caution I did a pre-test this morning

 

Solid negative 

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Winds currently about 45 mph and bumpy. 
 

 

[Tigrou]

1 hour ago, franco2 said:

Good morning Jim

Could you tell if there is still social distancing in the main dining area and ocean view cafe.

Oceanview definitely no, unless you do it yourself. Tables spaced close together, same as pre-covid, no seats blocked.

 

MDR supposedly but not really. Tables very close especially the 2-tops and they seem to fill them in order without leaving one empty in between even if not busy. Tables in fixed dining area on Deck 3 look to be more spread out than on Deck 4 anytime dining.

No shared tables, policy is you should only eat with members of your travelling party. However, they didn’t stop a man moving to sit at my table uninvited one night, when I was partway through my meal and had confirmed on arrival that I was dining alone. Even after I raised the issue, they didn’t stop the same man trying it again another night - this time I managed to politely but firmly tell him he wasn’t welcome before he could sit down. Of course with the 2-tops being so close, in his assigned seat it was only like him being diagonally opposite on a 4-top.

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by Tigrou

[kasijab]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

We have the B2B meeting this morning at 10:00 am (about 20 minutes from now)

 

We are to be tested tomorrow morning at 8:25 (Iain's not pleased as he is not a morning person)     Out of an abundance of Caution I did a pre-test this morning

 

Solid negative 

 

Can I ask pls are they charging for the tests ?? I have had some people say they are and others say they are not .. so to hear it from someone going through it would help 🙂 

[wrk2cruise]

B2B sailings on the same ship no charge.  B2B on ships in the RCG family no charge.  B2B with another brand there is a charge.

[Jim_Iain]

Just now, kasijab said:

Can I ask pls are they charging for the tests ?? I have had some people say they are and others say they are not .. so to hear it from someone going through it would help 🙂 

 

For B2B's no charge -   

 

For those that aren't on a b2b or b2b with a different non-rcl line - or flying home

 

I believe that it depends on when you booked your cruise.   I don't recall the dates  but I'm sure some of the others here have the details.    If I recall that if you booked by a certain date and sailed by a certain date and flying home within 1 day of the end of the cruise it was covered by celebrity

 

For testing to go home -

 

Today they had an announcement that those needing a proctored test they have a supply of them for SALE and Guest Relations.   They cautioned that supplies were limited. 

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

 

 

This is a special edition for @jetblue   -  This is what dinner should have looked like.   For those who aren't following his quarantine journal please stop by and give David and Steven a Virtual hug and shout out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[Ex-Airbalancer]

How many time changes between Azores and Lisbon ?

on our Apex TA we go from Azores to Brest to UK to Le Havre 

so will that forward , back, forward 😵‍💫

 

[Jim_Iain]

As a description of dinner.  
 

first they had a cauliflower pana cotta (yuck wasn’t really good)

 

For starters Iain had the Cauliflower soup and I had the Lamb Balls. (Both Yum)

 

For mains.  I had the Carbonara which I enjoyed

 

Iain had the Fluke which he said was a disappointment. 
 

For Desert.  Iain had the deconstructed cheese cake and I the Apple Tart Tatin 

 

they also had a pallet cleanser of peach and sauce. 

 

 

 

 

[CruiseNYC]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Welcome Carol -    No apologies needed.   You will see we go off topic most of the time.   LOO.   Here's a link to the Equinox Caribbean 9/5 and 9/17.   We really enjoyed the ship and the crew.

 

OMG Jim!  I forgot that it was 93 pages!!!  I'm in the office today but I'll have a nice read on the subway going home.  Very quick question:  it was your first cruise after pandemic shutdown.  Did that, in any way, make you more inclined to love everything.  We're looking at about 2 weeks on the Equinox, which is what you and Iain also did.

Thank you very much!!