Bimmer 09 sails APEX to Iceland June 2023

Beachlover1989 · July 4, 2023

Norris, did you ever find the need for bug spray in Iceland? I read something about midges (?), but was unsure.

Bimmer09 · July 4, 2023

2 hours ago, Beachlover1989 said:

Norris, did you ever find the need for bug spray in Iceland? I read something about midges (?), but was unsure.

No midges where we were.

Carol always carries Deep Woods Off! wipes if we need them. No pests!

Norris

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

Lest we forget....some photos that were getting left behind

Carol on Dynjandi

Eden leaving Liverpool

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

Shawna introduces Phil Tag- I eventually got it processed in Youtube. As some of you reading this are going on the Apex soon here's a taste of Shawna.

bunnyette · July 5, 2023

Your visit with your family was touching, I have some lovely cousins in England but last time we got together was 2010! I’ve been 3 times since…2 land tours, one cruise. Thank you for sharing that part of your cruise with us. We stopped off in Belfast last year on a cruise with another line. We did the hop on hop off bus as it took us to certain areas we wanted to see. Lovely enjoyable day, with hot& sunny weather!

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

Tonight's entertainment after leaving Liverpool

Very appropriate programming!

Two things are immediately noticeable- the Beatles bass drum logo is copyrighted so they have to elongate the L instead of the original T. Also the Beatles' faces are copyrighted and blurred.

Next faux-pas-the band doesn't travel with a Ludwig drum kit in black oyster pearl finish we are all so familiar with. Instead an electric Roland kit that sounds lame and is used by other bands around the ship. A soft drum sound with no attack.

Shawna introduces of course

I can't recall the first song. She loves you? From me to You?

I referred to Carol's notes "One song and some patter and I fled the room..." they read. Yikes!

I thought they made a decent effort with the harmonies but they lost my goodwill by trying to be funny in the breaks between songs. That was a Beatles hallmark thanks to John's general irreverence to the showbiz traditions but it fell flat as the band tried to be the Beatles. Just play.

So I stayed on. I didn't shoot video as I thought beforehand that YouTube wouldn't use it due to copyright.

No black and white Rickenbacker 325 guitar for John. No stage amplifiers, let alone Vox, possibly unattainable as we are talking a band from almost 60 years ago. Fair enough.

Lots of digital backdrops

More...

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

I've seen a good Beatles tribute band on one of my X cruises-prior to this that was 2 on Silly and one on Reflection but I can't recall which and they are all long reviews. That time the band did a journey through the Beatles various stages from Merseybeat to Sgt Pepper with costume changes and guitar changes as the years went by.

Captain Nicolas was always in attendance

Eventually I had to leave early too.

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

LAST SEA DAY

June 16 and we're halfway between Liverpool and our last port of Dover. Not much to see as we are far out to sea so I'll get some indoor shots today before I run out of time.

I got my morning coffee in the buffet.

To deck 5 to greet the day

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

I've been telling Carol all week of my desire to have lunch at Le Grande Bistro. Today will be the day although Carol isn't so keen. There's a $30 cover but that's not going to stop me. I'll go alone if need be.

We end our cruise on Sunday in Rotterdam and it's already Friday. 12 days is our longest cruise ever and with 4 Amsterdam days our 16 days away from Chicago is a new record. As it's a sea day and our last of those we have breakfast in Eden Cafe for the last time.

Carol will retire to the Eden window ramp to read and I will go on a photo ramble. First she has to get her latte with an extra shot ($7.80 if I recall) from Cafe Il Bacio whose name is mispronounced by all the staff. Ba-chee-oh (NO). It's bah-choh. Italian for kiss.

These delicious pastries are free with your Bacio coffee purchase !

Right I'm gonna take a walk with the camera

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

Changing digital billboards near the elevators. Deck 4 I think.

EFFY shop

iLounge for Apple products

cool store

You've got to stay hydrated!

I need a beer...

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

I ordered a Moretti as....you've guessed it...they are now out of Heineken a beer brewed in Amsterdam.

Again I was the only customer at Sunset Bar. Warmer than Iceland now but still windy which doesn't encourage me to sit a spell.

While I am sitting I can tell you that Eden no longer has the acrobats with dinner in the evening. No mimes walking around. Customer feedback said "enough already"

Later in the dinner period there will be music on the floor above-on this cruise a guy playing guitar and singing (good) and I think the same guy with a girl playing keyboards (also good) Silent Disco some nights.

I can also tell you that since Belfast and its sunny day the hitherto closed Rooftop Garden Grill is open for dinner. Hooray! We'll go there tonight. We loved the Lawn Club Grill on Silly and Reflection. We haven't considered the 3 other S class ships as they lack it.

I can also tell you that Carol has enjoyed our Sunset Verandah since it's been warm enough to enjoy since Belfast. A little funnel soot doth fall but no biggie.

Carol took a nap at 11.30 and I texted her when I was heading for Le Grande Bistro just before 1 p.m.

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

Le Grand Bistro

French Bistros are my jam. If I had to name my favorite food, which I could live on, everyday I would have to go with steak and chips (fries) and when I think of a bistro Steak Frites is what I am going to eat for my first visit. I have yet to visit Paris which is ridiculous as I am a huge Francophile. Loved our time in Nice and Avignon on our last Azamara cruise as I got to use my French vocabulary.

Carol arrives and loves the window seat. We order. Few other diners...

For Madame Carol the French onion soup

One legitimate quibble- they chopped the onions up fine (diced) Zut alors! Should be rustic long slices.

For Monsieur Norris (which is a name of French origin) the lobster bisque

Creamy with small chunks of lobster under a pastry shell. Delicious but scalding hot.

Carol's tuna salad croissant

and my steak frites

As anticipated! Cleaned the plate.

For Carol the Madelines and Financier which I don't even see on this menu

When I see the word Profiteroles on a menu I react the same way a dog would to the word "walkies?"

As we are now sold on the E class (bar the Infinite Verandahs) we will seek out Le Grand Bistro on future cruises. Cool decor too...

In the evening the room is darkened as it becomes Le Petit Chef

39august · July 5, 2023

Does the Eden breakfast menu include some form of eggs, please?

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

2 hours ago, 39august said:

Does the Eden breakfast menu include some form of eggs, please?

I think only in panini form with cheese and a protein. For eggs in all variations I would use Cosmopolitan or the buffet. If anyone knows differently, please chime in.

Norris

DUTRAVEL · July 5, 2023

Here's a menu for Eden's breakfast from January 2023.

Eden-Cafe-Breakfast.pdf

Bimmer09 · July 5, 2023

More rooms from my walk

Some Silent Discos happened here

Vast space

Another enticing store nearby

Help yourself excursions

Or talk to someone in a nice uniform

Cafe al Bacio on deck 4, Martini Bar deck 3

One of the many things I had planned to do on this ship was sit at the Martini bar and order a martini. I did that on Silhouette. That was I could have a front row seat at the incredible juggling that goes on. Didn't do it this time. Next time (hold me to it!)

Live bands played in the bar each night including one that was an all girl band. Good.

The days of me making sure I recorded all the bands on a ship are in the past but next cruise I will make a point to include them (hold me to it).

My mother is writing a note that will explain everything.

Norris

Bimmer09 · July 6, 2023

Not a planned "Show" but I was walking by....

Walt fan · July 6, 2023

Love it when you stroll the ship and take pics but then your meal pics arrive and I get hungry (especially the sweets and desserts), even though I just had a large plate of July 4th leftovers; sitting with my glass of wine this evening and enjoying every minute

vickykay · July 6, 2023

Do you have along and review of your Azamara cruise? Would love to read that. Thanks.

Bimmer09 · July 6, 2023

2 hours ago, vickykay said:

Do you have along and review of your Azamara cruise? Would love to read that. Thanks.

here it is

Norris

Bimmer09 · July 6, 2023

Maybe a dozen diners here at 8 p.m as we made our way to Dover. Some of the women who had worn off the shoulder dresses were huddled in blankets.

Unlike the Lawn Club Grill on the S Class there were no overhead electric heaters to kill the chill.

I had come up 30 minutes prior to gauge the temperature. I believe we were both dressed in puffy coats.

Unlike the LCG on the S class there was no make your own salad bar.

There was no overhead camera above the grill stations where you could watch the chef's work.

There was none of this... (Silhouette)

We had a good fun waiter called Nural from Indonesia and ordered some food which we often do in a restaurant.

For Carol a Caesar salad

I had 3 Pulled-Pork sliders which were yummy but very filling.

Carol's entree-a big ribeye steak with Mac 'n Cheese and creamed corn as her sides

and I, wanting something lighter, enjoyed a grilled Branzino with a baked potato and sautéed spinach. A good choice as I hadn't eaten much fish all week.

A good meal. I would come here more than once if on a warm weather cruise. A cool wind doesn't make for a leisurely dining experience. They need heaters plain and simple.

The sun worked its way towards the horizon.

All photos iPhone

Stuffed we declined dessert but according to Carol's notes Nural said he would send a cookie to our room. Only she knows if it arrived.

Bimmer09 · July 6, 2023

We had our final excursion this morning- a 4 hour drive through Kent and Sussex then a ride on a steam train with afternoon tea before returning to Dover by coach. meet up was in the Apex theater at 8 a.m so we had to be up by 6.30 if we wanted breakfast. We wanted breakfast. Off to Cosmopolitan...

Carol

Corned beef hash Norris

We miss those breakfasts!

Bimmer09 · July 6, 2023

Approaching Dover

The pilot

The ship traffic in the English channel is bonkers-ships going in all directions, passing Dover and leaving and entering the port. No traffic lights!

Bimmer09 · July 6, 2023

There will follow over 40 photos taken from a moving bus as it wends its way from Dover, Kent to Bodium, Sussex where we will meet our steam train for a one hour ride.

I lived in London for a total of 15 years beginning when I was 18 and had a job as a rep for an American company called ARA Services for 7 years. I sought the job as it came with a company car and got to travel all over the south of England and knew intimately most of the towns that will appear on the roadsigns. Bodium wasn't one of them. On weekends I used the company car to get myself and my drums to gigs within a 70 mile radius of London. I lived well on two incomes.

As with all bus window photos they can be hit or miss as you whizz along between 50 and 70 mph. Have eliminated most of the misses. I want you to see the beauty of the English countryside of Kent (the "Garden of England") and the lush pastures of Sussex. You'll see some lovely quaint houses along the way (or your money back)

The sprawling town of Ashford, Kent