Jim_Iain - First Non-Celebrity Cruise in 22 year - Ponant vs Celebrity Comparison

[DaKahuna]

11 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Thanks --- I was really tempted but decided to hold off until we see if Ponant is a match.   It really looks like a nice room.  

 

Unfortunately I think I am with a couple of others here that are not fond of the small passenger count ships.  That's kept us away from river cruises and looks like that will keep us away from Ponant. 

 

 

[miched]

A lot of  my relatives lived in Racine and Milwaukee WI.  One of the staples for breakfast was Kringle. They always had 3 or 4 different varieties stocked in the house. It is a Danish Pastry.  It is very good and I highly recommend trying it if you spend any time in Milwaukee 

 

it is the State Pastry

 

https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/wisconsin/food-agriculture/kringle#

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[phoenix_dream]

49 minutes ago, miched said:

A lot of  my relatives lived in Racine and Milwaukee WI.  One of the staples for breakfast was Kringle. They always had 3 or 4 different varieties stocked in the house. It is a Danish Pastry.  It is very good and I highly recommend trying it if you spend any time in Milwaukee 

 

it is the State Pastry

 

https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/wisconsin/food-agriculture/kringle#

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Kringles are amazing! The best places to get them are in Racine where they have several bakeries that specialize in them. My personal favorite is the almond.

[phoenix_dream]

On 9/1/2023 at 6:01 PM, Jim_Iain said:

Ok -  First up I will post the Itinerary .

 

 

An interesting itinerary! We’ve traveled to Milwaukee many times as we live less than 2 hours away. If you like German food, check out Mader’s.  Awesome. And I’m sure you’ve already booked a room if you’re flying in early, but if not look into the Pfister downtown. 
I’ve been to Mackinac a couple times but it’s been awhile. I actually won 2 nights at the Grand Hotel in a radio contest years ago. It was really cool to stay there. The first time we went we rented bicycles and rode all over the island. It was a lot of fun. If you have a sweet tooth check out one of the multiple fudge shops, they are known for that.

[champagnecruiser]

Hi Jim, excited to follow along with your new adventure! 

I enjoyed your crossing and European travels this summer. Almost like being on vacation 😂 

 

We sailed on Beyond from Rome in July. Our first trip on an Edge Class ship. We had some reservations regarding dining, infinite verandahs etc but we had a wonderful time.  We are booked for B2B in November for 19 nights on Equinox to hopefully enjoy some winter sunshine!

 

Hope you & Iain have a wonderful time!
 

[Mark_T]

7 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Unfortunately I think I am with a couple of others here that are not fond of the small passenger count ships.  That's kept us away from river cruises and looks like that will keep us away from Ponant.

Perhaps we've been lucky, but having done several smaller group cruises now including the Mekong, Yangtze and Rhine, and also Regent Navigator (490), we've not found a problem.

 

I certainly understand the concern, we've just never encountered a problem that couldn't be handled comfortably as even on these very small ships there is still space to separate from any less congenial guests and group dynamics tend to moderate problem behaviour anyway. 

Edited September 4, 2023 by Mark_T

[thebutlerdidit]

I’m a Michigander who has lived at “the tip of the mitt” for 30 years. We don’t always visit the more touristy spots that are in our own backyard, but I’ve been to Mackinac Island many times over the years. I know you and Iain love to walk, and that’ll most likely be your plan when you get there. I’ll point out a few places you might want to make a point of seeing as you wander. Maps and more info can be found at mackinacisland.org
 

- Fort Street runs alongside Fort Mackinac to the interior of the island. A highlight at the fort is that they shoot a canon off several times a day. Even if you don’t choose to buy admission to the fort, you may still take note of that happening.
- The Governor’s summer mansion is to the left at the top of Fort St. The views are to die for.

- There’s a tiny cave called Skull Cave that people like to visit. It’s not very impressive as caves go, but the second graders who visit for their end of the year class trip get a big kick out of the fact that bones were found inside, and it’s a sort of pilgrimage to visit every time you’re on the island.

- There are 3 cemeteries on the island, all along Garrison Rd. It’s a beautiful scenic  area, and we always liked to wander through them. 
- I know you’ll want to seek out the Somewhere in Time Pavilion! I understand that it can be an adventure to find it, but it’s on the other side of Fort Mackinac.

- St. Anne’s Catholic Church is nice, and there’s also a charming little church (aptly called Little Stone Church) on the road leading up to the Grand Hotel. 
- Yes, there are carriage rides available, but there’s also a riding stable for the adventurous. The riding stable that I know of is on Market Street (it runs parallel to the Main Street where the docks are located). 
- Arch Rock is a must see. 
 

I’ve admired your photography skills and look forward to seeing Mackinac Island through your lens! 

 

[gfkcruiser]

42 minutes ago, thebutlerdidit said:

I’m a Michigander who has lived at “the tip of the mitt” for 30 years. We don’t always visit the more touristy spots that are in our own backyard, but I’ve been to Mackinac Island many times over the years. I know you and Iain love to walk, and that’ll most likely be your plan when you get there. I’ll point out a few places you might want to make a point of seeing as you wander. Maps and more info can be found at mackinacisland.org
 

- Fort Street runs alongside Fort Mackinac to the interior of the island. A highlight at the fort is that they shoot a canon off several times a day. Even if you don’t choose to buy admission to the fort, you may still take note of that happening.
- The Governor’s summer mansion is to the left at the top of Fort St. The views are to die for.

- There’s a tiny cave called Skull Cave that people like to visit. It’s not very impressive as caves go, but the second graders who visit for their end of the year class trip get a big kick out of the fact that bones were found inside, and it’s a sort of pilgrimage to visit every time you’re on the island.

- There are 3 cemeteries on the island, all along Garrison Rd. It’s a beautiful scenic  area, and we always liked to wander through them. 
- I know you’ll want to seek out the Somewhere in Time Pavilion! I understand that it can be an adventure to find it, but it’s on the other side of Fort Mackinac.

- St. Anne’s Catholic Church is nice, and there’s also a charming little church (aptly called Little Stone Church) on the road leading up to the Grand Hotel. 
- Yes, there are carriage rides available, but there’s also a riding stable for the adventurous. The riding stable that I know of is on Market Street (it runs parallel to the Main Street where the docks are located). 
- Arch Rock is a must see. 
 

I’ve admired your photography skills and look forward to seeing Mackinac Island through your lens! 

 

Haven’t been up there in a while.  We would rent bicycles and ride around the island.   

[raudacruise]

17 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I was amazed as his fluency last year when on a B3B.   The Maitre'd, Laurent who is french and previously worked on Cunard was a real treat.    They would banter back and forth in French every evening for a about 4 weeks. 

 

She was so sweet.   When she found I had tested positive for Covid, she called the room to let us know her concerned and asked us to call her if we needed anything.

She did the same for me when I was shipped to Covid Jail.  My favorite maitre d’.

[raudacruise]

17 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

It appears the only tour they have is a carriage ride tour of the island.   Will have to see if we will be able to get into the hotel... I wasn't aware they are restricting it now.

 

 

 

 

 

I tried to make a dining reservation.  Thought maybe you could sneak in for lunch or afternoon tea.  Nope.  Have to be a guest.  Looks lovely.

[Jim_Iain]

15 hours ago, floridatravelersforlife said:

We were on the Summit cruise  that you were on, and both me and my wife had Covid, the day after we got off at Reyklavik.   Also, there were three really sick people on stretchers hauled off before first debarkation. Our  waiter in Luminae did not look good during the cruise,  and the last two days he was gone from Luminae.  It was definitely rampant in the crew population.  

s

I hope you recovered quickly.     We both had a really mild case.    The night before the B2B I self tested for peace of mind and was negative.     Next morning a 7:00 Am I tested positive.   I thought it was a false positive as I had no symphtoms except a slight scratchy throat.    Next day I self tested and was Solid Positive in less than 10 seconds.     We each tested positive for 11 day.

[Jim_Iain]

14 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

 

There is a thread on the Silversea forum which already has 54 pages, over 56,000 views, and 1400 replies -- and the OP does not even sail for another 3 months!  (Admittedly it is for a world cruise, and not for a one-week hit and run). 

 

I think earlier you said either here or on the Ponant forum that you were anticipating 50,000 or so views, so I suspect you will do more than break a record (and we will of course do our best to help you get there) 🙂

 

I think I said that I wanted to be respectful of the Ponant board as SOME of my post extend to over 50,000 views and 100's of reply.    I really don't think this one for a 8 day cruise will run that long.  

 

Out of curiosity I went back to look at my last Live Post  - but that was 3 cruises and a week in Amsterdam.

 

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Unfortunately I think I am with a couple of others here that are not fond of the small passenger count ships.  That's kept us away from river cruises and looks like that will keep us away from Ponant. 

 

 

John,

We have been similar up until now.     Iain was interested in a river cruise but after seeing a couple on our last cruise agreed they were probably too small.

 

I love flying in a 777 but would never turn down a trip in a Gulf Stream.  

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, miched said:

A lot of  my relatives lived in Racine and Milwaukee WI.  One of the staples for breakfast was Kringle. They always had 3 or 4 different varieties stocked in the house. It is a Danish Pastry.  It is very good and I highly recommend trying it if you spend any time in Milwaukee 

 

it is the State Pastry

 

https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/wisconsin/food-agriculture/kringle#

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

Thanks for the recommendations.   I had never heard of one but now on my list to track some down for either snack or breakfast.

 

The look incredible.  

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

Kringles are amazing! The best places to get them are in Racine where they have several bakeries that specialize in them. My personal favorite is the almond.

I'm learning all kinds of new things, I had never heard of Racine.     I'm guessing we won't make it to Racine as it is an 8 hour walk one way (24 miles).     

 

Almond would be on the top of my list.  

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

An interesting itinerary! We’ve traveled to Milwaukee many times as we live less than 2 hours away. If you like German food, check out Mader’s.  Awesome. And I’m sure you’ve already booked a room if you’re flying in early, but if not look into the Pfister downtown. 
I’ve been to Mackinac a couple times but it’s been awhile. I actually won 2 nights at the Grand Hotel in a radio contest years ago. It was really cool to stay there. The first time we went we rented bicycles and rode all over the island. It was a lot of fun. If you have a sweet tooth check out one of the multiple fudge shops, they are known for that.

 

I did book already.     I chose Residence Inn.    While we really love old hotels like the Pfister but our preference is either an AirBnB or an All Suites Hotel with two rooms and a kitchen.     We don't always use the kitchen but it's nice to be able to stay in and have an oven to heat our Kringles.  

 

We are flying in on Saturday - 2 days prior to the cruise.   We wanted to have some time to explore Milwaukee and also assure we are not affected by flight cancellations or delays.

 

Earlier this year we got stuck in DFW for 1 1/2  days when all flights were cancelled by FLL being flooded and under water. 

Edited September 4, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, Mark_T said:

Perhaps we've been lucky, but having done several smaller group cruises now including the Mekong, Yangtze and Rhine, and also Regent Navigator (490), we've not found a problem.

 

I certainly understand the concern, we've just never encountered a problem that couldn't be handled comfortably as even on these very small ships there is still space to separate from any less congenial guests and group dynamics tend to moderate problem behaviour anyway. 

 

I like that.     I remember on our last cruise in Luminae's Huge dining room there was this one lady rather drunk with a REALLY LOUD Winy Voice and just very annoying even though we were 5 Plus tables away.   The next night I asked the Maitre'd to seat us as far away from her as possible.    At first he said which lady and then smirked and said .... Ahh.. I know who you are talking about. 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, thebutlerdidit said:

I’m a Michigander who has lived at “the tip of the mitt” for 30 years. We don’t always visit the more touristy spots that are in our own backyard, but I’ve been to Mackinac Island many times over the years. I know you and Iain love to walk, and that’ll most likely be your plan when you get there. I’ll point out a few places you might want to make a point of seeing as you wander. Maps and more info can be found at mackinacisland.org
 

- Fort Street runs alongside Fort Mackinac to the interior of the island. A highlight at the fort is that they shoot a canon off several times a day. Even if you don’t choose to buy admission to the fort, you may still take note of that happening.
- The Governor’s summer mansion is to the left at the top of Fort St. The views are to die for.

- There’s a tiny cave called Skull Cave that people like to visit. It’s not very impressive as caves go, but the second graders who visit for their end of the year class trip get a big kick out of the fact that bones were found inside, and it’s a sort of pilgrimage to visit every time you’re on the island.

- There are 3 cemeteries on the island, all along Garrison Rd. It’s a beautiful scenic  area, and we always liked to wander through them. 
- I know you’ll want to seek out the Somewhere in Time Pavilion! I understand that it can be an adventure to find it, but it’s on the other side of Fort Mackinac.

- St. Anne’s Catholic Church is nice, and there’s also a charming little church (aptly called Little Stone Church) on the road leading up to the Grand Hotel. 
- Yes, there are carriage rides available, but there’s also a riding stable for the adventurous. The riding stable that I know of is on Market Street (it runs parallel to the Main Street where the docks are located). 
- Arch Rock is a must see. 
 

I’ve admired your photography skills and look forward to seeing Mackinac Island through your lens! 

 

 

Thanks for all of the recommendations.    I just copied it and sent to myself via E-Mail so I can pull it up easy when in Mackina. 

 

I think we will try to hit everything on your list.

[Jim_Iain]

9 hours ago, champagnecruiser said:

Hi Jim, excited to follow along with your new adventure! 

I enjoyed your crossing and European travels this summer. Almost like being on vacation 😂 

 

We sailed on Beyond from Rome in July. Our first trip on an Edge Class ship. We had some reservations regarding dining, infinite verandahs etc but we had a wonderful time.  We are booked for B2B in November for 19 nights on Equinox to hopefully enjoy some winter sunshine!

 

Hope you & Iain have a wonderful time!
 

 

Glad you enjoyed.     We booked an Infinity Veranda room for Iain's Sister and BIL and was the first time I have not only visited one but had the opportunity to play around with the windows, drapes etc.  

 

I do have to say it really gives the room more space and light.   

 

I think my favorite part of the E-Class is the two level walking/jogging track.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, gfkcruiser said:

Haven’t been up there in a while.  We would rent bicycles and ride around the island.   

 

For some reason you have me chuckling imagining Iain on a Bike or even a horse.  

 

LOL

[Jim_Iain]

57 minutes ago, raudacruise said:

She did the same for me when I was shipped to Covid Jail.  My favorite maitre d’.

 

She truly is.    I was watching her handle a guest at a nearby table.   She was very upset and berating the waiter about how terrible the food was.    She came over and asked about the problem.    The lady said the food  was terrible and all she wanted was just plain 'ol English Food and none of this rubbish with sauces and ingredients I don't like. 

 

She politely empathized with her and said what exactly would you like and I will have the Chef make it for you.     The lady immediately calmed down and the conversation became friendly and not another complaint out of her for the remainder of the cruise.

[Jim_Iain]

55 minutes ago, raudacruise said:

I tried to make a dining reservation.  Thought maybe you could sneak in for lunch or afternoon tea.  Nope.  Have to be a guest.  Looks lovely.

 

Wow ... thanks much.    I can understand how they might have to do that with all of the tourists.  

[Jim_Iain]

BREAKING NEWS - 

 

I booked a East Bound TransAtlantic on Cunard last night in Queens Grill. 

 

Many of you know that they cancelled our Barcelona to Buenos Aires cruise for November 2024.   We were stuck with a Mediterranean 1st half of B2B but luckily Celebrity allowed us to change it to a TA keeping all our onboard perks and no fees.

 

I was looking for a replacement European with Silverseas, Azamara etc that would mesh up with the TA --  Nothing was available that I could find.

 

Last night I decided to look at Cunard.   I of course have no experience with them so surprised to learn they don't run week or even bi-weekly TA during October/November.    I did find one that will get us to Europe about 2 weeks before our cruise.   The prices are really much better than I could have hoped.  

 

I floated the idea by Iain and he said go for it.    We want to visit his family in Scotland and possibly a week at the great place we rented in Lymington across the river from Southampton. 

 

Queens Grill Suite - 

This morning my agent came back with

My rate to you is $8197.00 with $500 on board credit, per cabin.

 

Cruise deposit $2215.00 per cabin.

 

NO BRAINER -   I JUST WROTE BACK ------BOOK IT.

 

[Jim_Iain]

I was just sitting here chuckling -    I was thinking it feels like After I cheated on Celebrity after a long monogamous relation for 23 years I decided I LIKE IT. 

 

Will Couples Counseling work and a reconciliation or will we agree to an Open Marriage.   

[miched]

Almond was also my favorite Kringle flavor.   I don’t think anyone ever heated or warmed it up.  They were kept in the bag at room temp the same as many pastries.  I guess heating would be worth trying 

 

Happy cruising. 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅