Jim_Iain Apex Key West, TansAtlantic and British Isle with a Week in Amsterdam

[Scottishclover]

Another great report. Thank you to you and Iain. I especially liked your photos and have to say it was lovely that Evelyn and Alec agreed to be your models too. They looked like they were fun travelling companions. I appreciated your report in Amsterdam. We love going to cities and staying more local away from the main tourist areas. My favourite reviews are ones like yours which have a big focus on the ports. 

[Cruising Is Bliss]

Safe travels home. Thank you for taking us along!

[Sarah1974]

@Jim_Iain Thank you for another fabulous trip report; I've loved following along.  Looking forward to following your next adventure

[Norwaylady]

Safe travels❤️

fingers crossed the rest goes easy😇

 

It’s a pleasure to follow your adventure☺️

[Jim_Iain]

20 hours ago, abbydancer said:

Nice.  Do you need a ride from the airport at home?

Thanks for the offer.  We grabbed an Uber.   Took 2 minutes to arrive.

 

We arrived around 11:15 PM and were home by 12:45.   Have to say we were worn out.

 

Immigration was a breeze using Global Entry.    The terminals at SFO work a little different and it just takes a picture and then says clear.   You then just pas through an agent in a booth that says Welcome Home - your cleared.   I noticed he has a monitor on his desk and shows a picture of those that have clared.

[Jim_Iain]

18 hours ago, geneandjoe14 said:

Jim thanks for the fantastic trip report, safe travels home! We’re on Apex in July for the best of Scandinavia cruise, it also ends in Rotterdam. We have a car service reserved at 7:30 to take us to AMS for a noon flight. Is 7:45 the earliest you were able to disembark? Thx!

 

They started walk offs right at 7:00 AM and 7:15 called Suites and Groups 1, 2 and 3.      I believe that according to the letter last numbers were 8:45.    Even with us having to wait until 9:00 (for Off Peak Service) we were at the terminal by 9:45.   Our flights weren't even list on the board yet.

 

Except for the huge line for those getting Celebrity Shuttles there was absolutely no crowds at all.    From what I could see Car Services were meeting passengers right at the door out of the terminal.

 

Maybe one of those on the Transfers can shed some light on the reasons for delay.

 

Edited May 26, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[haynesra]

We walked off Apex at about 6:40 am, got our car rideshare right out of the front door of terminal and took about little over an hour to get to AMS. We were thru check-in and security and waiting for flight before 9 am. I will say AMS was a little confusing (we flew Delta) but finally found a nice KLM representative to explain everything to us.

[rwf1]

1 hour ago, haynesra said:

We walked off Apex at about 6:40 am, got our car rideshare right out of the front door of terminal and took about little over an hour to get to AMS. We were thru check-in and security and waiting for flight before 9 am. I will say AMS was a little confusing (we flew Delta) but finally found a nice KLM representative to explain everything to us.

 

We will be flying Delta as well. Would you mind saying what you found confusing? Do you check in at KLM instead of a Delta counter? Appreciate any info. Thanks!

[Laurab23]

On 5/16/2023 at 3:55 AM, Jim_Iain said:

I think my favorite for RS and Penthouse is the M class.   for ships themselves I think our sweet spot is S-class

We had to leave our PH yesterday. OMG. We were blown away by the cabin and the attention our butler and the crew gave us. That cabin was on my bucket list so that is now checked off.

 

Laura

[geneandjoe14]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

They started walk offs right at 7:00 AM and 7:15 called Suites and Groups 1, 2 and 3.      I believe that according to the letter last numbers were 8:45.    Even with us having to wait until 9:00 (for Off Peak Service) we were at the terminal by 9:45.   Our flights weren't even list on the board yet.

 

Except for the huge line for those getting Celebrity Shuttles there was absolutely no crowds at all.    From what I could see Car Services were meeting passengers right at the door out of the terminal.

 

Maybe one of those on the Transfers can shed some light on the reasons for delay.

 

Thanks for the info Jim, appreciate it! Glad you guys made it home!

[TPCRUISER2]

Wow! Did you feel it as much as I did that your trip came to a quick halt? Thanks again! Enjoyed your adventure. Happy Belated Birthday to Iian!

[TommyD3]

Jim,

Wondering what your total flight delay was.

I know you left several hours late and then had to stop in Washington DC (probably adding an extra 4+ hour delay).

Glad you finally made it home !!!

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, TPCRUISER2 said:

Wow! Did you feel it as much as I did that your trip came to a quick halt? Thanks again! Enjoyed your adventure. Happy Belated Birthday to Iian!

I think we were both ready to get home. 

 

It is nice being home -  everything is in full bloom and the temperatures are mild;

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, TommyD3 said:

Jim,

Wondering what your total flight delay was.

I know you left several hours late and then had to stop in Washington DC (probably adding an extra 4+ hour delay).

Glad you finally made it home !!!

Started with a seal problem on a cargo door.  Watched them doing the repair.  The repairs were completed and the cargo and luggage loaded.   The delayed seemed to center on the fact that they were waiting for the documentation from maintenance to be completed.   Why it took 2 hours is baffling to me.

 

Due to the delay the flight crew would not be legal for the length of the flight.   The captain said their options were to either cancel the flight or fly us to DC and then turn the flight over to a fresh crew.    They went for the second option. 

 

When we got to DC we were further delayed because the new crew were dead heading form JFK and their flight was delayed.   Ugh.   The cockpit crew left the aircraft but the flight attendances had to remain with us until the new crew arrived.     Once the flight crew and cockpit crew boarded we were airborne within 15 minutes.

[Cap_D]

Thanks for sharing your journey with us! 

[awhfy]

Jim & Iain, my favorite parts of this trip report?  Everything!  Thanks so much for taking the time (& such great pictures) through your journey(s). So when is the next trip??

 

fyi, we used to live on Grape Ave in Sunnyvale!  Melody

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, awhfy said:

Jim & Iain, my favorite parts of this trip report?  Everything!  Thanks so much for taking the time (& such great pictures) through your journey(s). So when is the next trip??

 

fyi, we used to live on Grape Ave in Sunnyvale!  Melody

 

Next cruise will not be until September when we do our first non-Celbrity Cruise on Ponant.   Will probably be more of a comparison of two very different cruise products.

[awhfy]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Next cruise will not be until September when we do our first non-Celbrity Cruise on Ponant.   Will probably be more of a comparison of two very different cruise products.

We’re doing our first HAL in Oct 24.   I’d be interested to see how you like Ponant

[SEAGURRL]

Thanks for another great trip report!  I picked up lots of good tips for both Amsterdam and the cruise ports and really appreciate the time you spent updating us all.

[maggie.1008]

I am also interested for your comparisons on another line. We have cruised on 12 other cruise lines and they all have something we like. Only problem is we are at Elite Plus and will never make Zenith. Cheers, Heather 

[Jim_Iain]

7 hours ago, maggie.1008 said:

I am also interested for your comparisons on another line. We have cruised on 12 other cruise lines and they all have something we like. Only problem is we are at Elite Plus and will never make Zenith. Cheers, Heather 

 

I guess it is all a balancing act.   The main reason we chose to start looking at other lines is Celebrity's decisions to strip all the benefits  which for Zenith's Traveling in Suites previously got for free and now only offer all inclusive pricing.  

 

While we won't be abandoning Celebrity we are interested in seeing what other lines like Ponant, Seabourn and Silver Seas have to offer and see if there is a fit.   Also some of the itineraries offered by the smaller premium lines are of great interest --- especially South Africa.

[chemmo]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I guess it is all a balancing act.   The main reason we chose to start looking at other lines is Celebrity's decisions to strip all the benefits  which for Zenith's Traveling in Suites previously got for free and now only offer all inclusive pricing.  

 

While we won't be abandoning Celebrity we are interested in seeing what other lines like Ponant, Seabourn and Silver Seas have to offer and see if there is a fit.   Also some of the itineraries offered by the smaller premium lines are of great interest --- especially South Africa.

Firstly, thanks again for another wonderful vicarious cruise.

 

I must say we looked at some of the smaller lines itineraries a couple of years ago. Much as we like the Celebrity product cruising is about itinerary too and, as you say, some of the smaller lines offer itineraries in the South Pacific, Indian Ocean, Africa and the Far East that the mainstream lines simply can not match.

 

I will be interested in your views as you try new lines. We had two sets of friends independently book Silver Seas just before covid…One couple loved it and have further cruises booked, the other couple enjoyed the itinerary but disliked the ambiance on board and wouldn’t book again. Sometimes you simply have to try something new to see if it suits you…

Edited May 28, 2023 by chemmo

[terrydtx]

9 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I guess it is all a balancing act.   The main reason we chose to start looking at other lines is Celebrity's decisions to strip all the benefits  which for Zenith's Traveling in Suites previously got for free and now only offer all inclusive pricing.  

 

While we won't be abandoning Celebrity we are interested in seeing what other lines like Ponant, Seabourn and Silver Seas have to offer and see if there is a fit.   Also some of the itineraries offered by the smaller premium lines are of great interest --- especially South Africa.

We are also looking at other lines for itineraries as well. The 18 day Oceania cruise of South America in March 2025 was so much better than what Celebrity is doing for only 14 days. The August 2024 Volendam HAL cruise of NE and Canada has an itinerary and small ship that Celebrity and even Oceania can match, so we are straying too, After making Elite with Celebrity and no longer wanting to cruise the Caribbean after next week, we find Celebrity's itineraries are getting too boring and repetitive. Also Celebrity has too many shorter cruises unless you pay more and do B2B cruises.

 

I hope you will comeback here and do a comparison of Celebrity to Ponant.

Edited May 28, 2023 by terrydtx

[hcat]

19 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Next cruise will not be until September when we do our first non-Celbrity Cruise on Ponant.   Will probably be more of a comparison of two very different cruise products.

Is there a CC Board for that?

Hope you will post a link on Celeb Bd...

 

Such a shame Celeb is willing to let Zeniths move on..esp ones who have a big  presence with an on line following!  Even some  who  are not Zeniths like Gen X have tested the waters elsewhere! 

 

 We have  2 "X " cruises booked but are no longer frequent cruisers...just relaxing alot in Fl during the season and enjoying 3 seasons here in NY. Granchilden!!

[jaapie]

11 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

While we won't be abandoning Celebrity we are interested in seeing what other lines like Ponant, Seabourn and Silver Seas have to offer and see if there is a fit.   Also some of the itineraries offered by the smaller premium lines are of great interest --- especially South Africa.

If you visit South Africa, instead of flying from Johannesburg to Cape Town, for a wonderful experience be sure to take the Blue Train from Pretoria to Cape Town (Pretoria is not far from Johannesburg's international airport). Then when in Cape Town stay at the Mount Nelson Hotel.