Live on board Silhouette for a quick cruise to the Norwegian Fjords

[Jim_Iain]

On 4/30/2022 at 12:57 PM, MDTrip said:

Jim - did you get any indication of how many positive cases there were on the ship?

None.  They are keeping it really quiet.   FB Group for our cruise is reports back from many that they tested when getting home and were positive. 

[Jim_Iain]

18 hours ago, groryjm said:

I managed to pack one of my jackets rather badly and the amazing Nelson whipped it away

 

 

Surprised that Nelson is behaving himself.   He was also our  Butler.   In FLL I asked to have our dinner Jackets Pressed on boarding and he in a somewhat snarky way say You don't get Free Same Day service.    I told him I don't care.      Of course we were never charged.

 

I'm glad he is out of Quarantine and will be interest in his service.   We are not high maintenance and I would say on the lower side of average.   

[groryjm]

32 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

But I am a Guinness and Boddingtons (Bitter) drinker .......can I ask you if you can find any on your cruise?

@JeanieC,Aston I'll ask. I seem to remember on the UK staycations Guinness was available but that was with many stops in Ireland

[Jim_Iain]

17 hours ago, groryjm said:

 

we returned to the room an there was NO BREAKFAST HANGER.... first world problem I know but at 10.30 one does not want to wake the hard working staff to order breakfast. I headed back to the retreat and the poor barman was the only one left to asuage my wrath. he headed to Guest relations and a breakfast hanger was soon sent to our room but a slight blip on an another wise perfect first day on board. Tomorow wee lose an hour so an early up for all... night night 🤣🤣😎

 

Now I don't feel guilty about my comment above.   We had the same trouble and finally asked for breakfast menus for the complete cruise instead of trying to track him down daily.   Just a little thing but shouldn't happen in any class cabin. 

[groryjm]

3 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Now I don't feel guilty about my comment above.   We had the same trouble and finally asked for breakfast menus for the complete cruise instead of trying to track him down daily.   Just a little thing but shouldn't happen in any class cabin. 

But he did get uds a coffee machine and for that I would forgive a lot🤣

[JeanieC,Aston]

1 minute ago, groryjm said:

@JeanieC,Aston I'll ask. I seem to remember on the UK staycations Guinness was available but that was with many stops in Ireland

Funnily enough I sailed Iceland/Ireland from Dublin on Reflection 3 years ago and NO Guinness.

I did ask a F/B manager last week why no Guinness or Boddies,,he said’There is no call for them in the US’…..I said ‘have a look at your map mate’

When asked a Bar Manager he said ‘we have Nookie Brown that’s the same as Guinness’

My heart sank,,,,and he is a bar manager.

[groryjm]

13 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Surprised that Nelson is behaving himself.   He was also our  Butler.   In FLL I asked to have our dinner Jackets Pressed on boarding and he in a somewhat snarky way say You don't get Free Same Day service.    I told him I don't care.      Of course we were never charged.

 

I'm glad he is out of Quarantine and will be interest in his service.   We are not high maintenance and I would say on the lower side of average.   

back in 24 hours no mention of a charge.

 

 

Didn't need it for tonights Chic though as these are what I plan to wear this evening

 

 

[nunuc2000]

4 minutes ago, groryjm said:

back in 24 hours no mention of a charge.

 

 

 

Didn't need it for tonights Chic though as these are what I plan to wear this evening

 

 

Well that looks like a fun ensemble!! Please do take photos of you wearing it and holding one of your magical cocktails!! 

[sgmn]

7 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

 

7 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

I did ask a F/B manager last week why no Guinness or Boddies,,he said’There is no call for them in the US’…..I said ‘have a look at your map mate’

Exactly, gin and slimline is my go to drink. I can't afford wasted calories,  I just look at a cake and put on a kilo!

It's a popular drink in UK, I hope they got a good stock of slimline tonic on turnaround day

[groryjm]

A very pleasant lunch in the Porch today, surprisingly quiet and only one tiny glitch.

 

 

 

 

 

On one of our cruises last year I asked in the Porch for my usual Campari soda. What arrived took me a few sips to realise was actually cranberry juice and soda. Well I mentioned the mistake and the lovely waitress sent off for a replacement and low and behold another cranberry juice and soda. Three more attempts and eventually it came back right. We nearly cracked up laughing on each return.

 

This cruise as always I asked for a Campari soda and the perfect Campari soda arrived. So went a different waiter from the first asked if I wanted another of course I just said yes… you guessed it. A Cranberry juice and soda🤣

 

Cranberry juice and soda

 

 

and Campari soda

 

 

 

[groryjm]

8 minutes ago, sgmn said:

 

Exactly, gin and slimline is my go to drink. I can't afford wasted calories,  I just look at a cake and put on a kilo!

It's a popular drink in UK, I hope they got a good stock of slimline tonic on turnaround day

I will confess when I make cocktails at home i usually use Monin sugar free syrup 😉

[sgmn]

5 minutes ago, groryjm said:

I will confess when I make cocktails at home i usually use Monin sugar free syrup 😉

Mmmm interesting, would this syrup plus sparkling water or soda work as a substitute for slimline tonic ?

 

Edited May 1, 2022 by sgmn

[raudacruise]

On my last Equinox cruise (pre-pandemic) I ordered a Caipirinha at the pool bar. First asked the bartender if was familiar with it. (Not every bartender is.) “Sure. Do you want vodka, gin or rum?” After explaining he needed cachaça, to make the drink he put ice in a tall glass, filled it to the brim with cachaça and handed it over.

 

I was also on Equinox for the infamous “Lime-Gate.”  No limes to be had on the ship. Don’t remember if it was the entire cruise or just most of it. Sure crimped my style.

[mchell810]

7 hours ago, groryjm said:

@Redking The Lillet Rose and Blanc I brought on as my 2 bottles of wine, I also brought a bottle of Angostura bitters and a small bottle of sugar syrup. I requested a bottle of cognac and a bottle of Cointreau. I also asked for Oranges and lemons along with a suitable knife to cut them with. We also have Champagne, Coke Zero, Club soda and Red stripe in the fridge 

 

The Boston shaker, Hawthorn strainer, sieve, jigger, citrus press, peeler and NaCl I keep in my travel bar roll. bringing ones own bar tools might seem a bit odd but I enjoy making a quick drink in the room to have while we dress for the evening. Technically the Lillet is an aromatised wine but I reckon it counts as the two bottles of wine we are allowed in the room.

 

With everything I have I can  make a Brandy and soda, Lillet and soda, s side car ( cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice), an Alabazam (similar to a side car but with less Cointreau and lemon but the addition of 10ml of angostura and 5ml of sugar), brandy and coke, a mimosa, a champagne cocktail (champagne, cognac, bitters and sugar) or just a Cointreau over ice. So my in suite bar menu is quite extensive. 😎

 

Wow!  A travel bar set up -- I thought I had arrived when I started traveling with my wine opener.  I would really love a chance to share a cocktail or two with you, but I am very sure I wouldn't be able to keep up.  😉

    Hope your trip continues to be good.

[sgmn]

@groryjmif you have find out, can you post how busy this cruise is and how busy the next one is expected to be?

Thanks 

Sue

[MrCruzdoggie]

If you get time could post some of the daily planners?  Thanks Great Stuff you are postings!!!!

[helen haywood]

6 hours ago, raudacruise said:

 

I was also on Equinox for the infamous “Lime-Gate.”  No limes to be had on the ship.

I was on Equinox during a world wide shortage of limes as well!  I forgot the complete details but the regular lime crop from _____ had failed and replacements had skyrocketed to 500% $$$ more.  Think Celebrity just decided not to pay that astronomically high overage temporarily…

[groryjm]

The perfect way to spend a sea day relaxing in a hot tub on the balcony. Watching the North sea slide by with a lillet and soda in a cloud of scented steamy bubbles.😎🥂

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

16 hours ago, groryjm said:

back in 24 hours no mention of a charge.

 

Ahh... that explains it.    We needed our jackets pressed for the first Chic night which out of FLL was the day out of departure and I didn't send it out until that morning.

 

I was watching with joy that you made your first Port of HAUGESUND, NORWAY.   

 

I'm so jealous.   Did you do an excursion?    

[Mcrlyons]

I too will be waiting to see if they serve Boddingtons on board as we are taking my dad on his first cruise and that's his drink. I enquired with Celebrity and they said I will have to wait until European sailings to start as they don't require it for any other part of the world. 

[groryjm]

Last night I made two sidecars to have with our shrimp plate while we dressed for dinner and watched the sun over the sea. Mine with a sugared rim and my Gastrgnomes without

 

 

 

Then off to the retreat lounge for a drink before dinner. Ananas The Retreat Barman had found some Amaro Nardini and made me his version of a Paper Plane. Normally it would be Equal parts Woodford Bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol and Lemon Juice but he couldn't find any Nonino so substituted with the Nardini. A very plesant drink which My Gastrognome actually thought better than the one I had in the World Class Bar yesterday.There was also an ecelent selection of nibbles available. The big difference from our last time on Silhouette was that one could help ones self where as last Summer it was all selected and serve for you.

 

 

 

 

[groryjm]

17 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Ahh... that explains it.    We needed our jackets pressed for the first Chic night which out of FLL was the day out of departure and I didn't send it out until that morning.

 

I was watching with joy that you made your first Port of HAUGESUND, NORWAY.   

 

I'm so jealous.   Did you do an excursion?    

 We arrived at about 6.30 this morning . A bit of a grey day but wonderful to be back in Norway.

 

[delondin]

57 minutes ago, groryjm said:

The perfect way to spend a sea day relaxing in a hot tub on the balcony. Watching the North sea slide by with a lillet and soda in a cloud of scented steamy bubbles.😎🥂

 

 

 

 

They used to have Santal 33 toiletries in the higher suites. Is this a new change?

[JeanieC,Aston]

2 hours ago, Mcrlyons said:

I too will be waiting to see if they serve Boddingtons on board as we are taking my dad on his first cruise and that's his drink. I enquired with Celebrity and they said I will have to wait until European sailings to start as they don't require it for any other part of the world. 

Hi Mcrlyons

In that case they shouldn’t include the drinks on the Classic list if they have no intention of stocking them.

Where they listed on cruises from the US during the last 6 months?
I haven’t seen the list change for USA or Europe in years.

 

Hope your dad gets his drink,,it makes the cruise much more enjoyable.

[Jim_Iain]

5 hours ago, groryjm said:

Ananas The Retreat Barman

Tell Ananas we are sorry we disappeared so quickly.   He is really a good  barman and we chatted with every night.  

 

5 hours ago, groryjm said:

 We arrived at about 6.30 this morning . A bit of a grey day but wonderful to be back in Norway.

 

 

 

Looks like the weather in Southampton, but I'm sure it's probably  warmer here.