Escape New England-Canada Sept 10-17, 2023 updating Semi Live rev 3.0

[mking8288]

Fort Wadsworth on S.I. with the historic Battery Weed that guard the NY harbor ... Northern end of Hyland Blvd to the right in the photo, terminating at water's edge ... no signs of PistolPete

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by mking8288

[Steelers0854]

Day 6 Sea Day 2

 

Last night we finished it up by going to Wheel of Fortune. It was a lot of fun even though it was clearly a cash grab. Minimum buy in was $25 to play along. It wasn’t a terrible cost but even without paying we still enjoyed ourselves. There was one question I didn’t think they were ever going to answer but finally one of the constants got it.

 

We got up this morning in enough time to see us sailing into the harbor thanks to the extra hour of sleep. We headed to the MDR for breakfast, DW didn’t preorder but she only wanted oatmeal and bacon, which was no issue for them. I got the breakfast sandwich which was delicious, I would have preferred a fried egg and maybe they would have done it if I had asked, but it was excellent.

 

 

 

We headed right up to the jogging track to work off a bite or two of breakfast and enjoy the beautiful view as we sailed in. It was legit cold with the wind so glad I was sporting pants today.

 

We got ready and went to the buffet to relax for a bit. It’s the only place to sit with any level of comfort. So we sat and read here for a couple of hours until lunch. DW wanted pasta and loves it with just simple olive oil. This was no issue they cooked her up some GF pasta with garlic, peas and olive oil and she was tickled pink. The chicken on the buffet had soy sauce and she didn’t feel like asking for one to be cooked so she just stuck with the pasta and salad.

 

 

I picked up a compilation of items, the hits today were the seafood quesadillas and the veggie fritter with Asian bbq sauce. They were both excellent. The chicken tikka was also excellent.  They also had cannoli’s today and they were excellent!  Nice and crunchy, perfect consistency and the right flavor profile. 

 

 

 

After lunch we headed down for some Harry Potter trivia.

[MsTabbyKats]

1 hour ago, Steelers0854 said:

I would disagree, I don’t see them needing to do anything to compensate us. They have no control over the weather, everyone knows what they are getting into when they book a cruise during hurricane season.  Any compensation they offer is over and above what they should do. 

I understand that....but other cruselines are more generous.  

[mking8288]

Today's pillow presentation from our room steward ... Compiled the last 3 days together, subtle and creative, using what's there & not extra towels or sheets, etc. 

 

 

 

[bluesea777]

LOVE the different pillow presentations by your wonderful room steward!! 

 

Enjoy your final day!

 

 

[SuzyKyu81]

Hi Everyone! I really appreciate the live posting for this. I’ll be on the October 15th sailing. It's my second cruise ever and first time solo (My first cruise was way back in 2011) and was starting to get nervous sailing during Hurricane Season. Reading your daily adventures (especially how Lee is impacting the cruise) is really putting me at ease.

 

Thanks again!!!

[mking8288]

35 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

LOVE the different pillow presentations by your wonderful room steward!! 

Not sure if other stewards are doing this. He also kept us well supplied with coffee pods, creamer & sugar, extra clean towers & facial tissues.  

 

Most definitely going above & beyond, will fill out a vacation hero card to recognize his efforts, in addition to a little extra appreciation, directly.

 

 

That's lunch, simple & will hold us until La Cucina tonight at 5:30 PM ... 😋

[mking8288]

Arrrrrh, this is the part we hate ... but, details with instructions 🫣  This Sunday's embarking pax eager to see us disembark soon.

 

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

10 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Arrrrrh, this is the part we hate ... but, details with instructions 🫣  This Sunday's embarking pax eager to see us disembark soon.

 

Such sadness 🥲

 

[PhillyTravelBug]

10 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

Such sadness 🥲

 

It definitely is a depressing feeling of reality nearing.

[JetsetCruiser]

59 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Arrrrrh, this is the part we hate ... but, details with instructions 🫣  This Sunday's embarking pax eager to see us disembark soon.

 

 

So are they letting you stay on the ship all day Saturday?

[meadowlander]

5 hours ago, SonomaMist said:

As for the ships already in in port, here are their next scheduled sailings:
Jewel of the Seas: not scheduled until Sept 28 - must have interrupted a one way itinerary from NJ.
 

Jewel was scheduled for a 14 night round trip Greenland cruise departing yesterday.

[mking8288]

1 hour ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Such sadness 🥲

 

1 hour ago, PhillyTravelBug said:

It definitely is a depressing feeling of reality nearing.

 

Not to worry, checking the countdown clock for our next cruise with a land stay prior, just about 2 months out ... This "short" 7 days cruise was going to be warm-up for the Fall (and, perhaps Winter) - get our annual medicals done, dental work and then - start packing 😁 

 

DW said, it's a shame she'll have to resume cleaning our co-op apartment, laundry & other odds & ends.  I have to worry about provisioning, cooking and taking out the garbage, etc.  When you are on a cruise, it's someone else's "problems" for the duration.  

[Sugar Magnolia]

3 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

 

Not to worry, checking the countdown clock for our next cruise with a land stay prior, just about 2 months out ... This "short" 7 days cruise was going to be warm-up for the Fall (and, perhaps Winter) - get our annual medicals done, dental work and then - start packing 😁 

 

DW said, it's a shame she'll have to resume cleaning our co-op apartment, laundry & other odds & ends.  I have to worry about provisioning, cooking and taking out the garbage, etc.  When you are on a cruise, it's someone else's "problems" for the duration.  

 

Glad to hear another cruise is in the horizon for you. I have two TAs coming up so I am also busy with the checkups and the tuneups. 😅

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

30 minutes ago, meadowlander said:

Jewel was scheduled for a 14 night round trip Greenland cruise departing yesterday.

 

The NCL Jewel is still in Alaska. Is it another Jewel ship?

EDIT: Ah, never mind, I just noticed Jewel of the Seas.

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Sugar Magnolia

[mking8288]

40 minutes ago, JetsetCruiser said:

So are they letting you stay on the ship all day Saturday?

As passengers onboard, AFAIK, we have not been advised otherwise that the ship is docking at Pier 88 overnight (early Saturday morning as someone commented on an earlier post) ... perhaps, it's a choice and option for some.  The rest of us, do not have plans to disembark earlier ... despite home being a quick 30 minutes from Pier 88 via taxi, car service, Uber/Lyft, private pick-up or park at the cruise terminal's rooftop lot, etc. 

 

This cruise vacation is 100% paid for, getting a bit of OBC issued plus the 10% FCC to be used for each of us ... got no pets (dogs or cats) to worried about and our houseplants doing just fine - home security cameras reporting all systems being normal.  Nope, we are going to stay on the ship until Sunday - unless there is additional "incentives" for us to go early, then - DW & I will reconsider 😄  😄  

 

We will make a quick stop at the Latitudes Desk to ask for our priority luggage tags & see if they have anything new or different to tell us.  Not a word thus far from the ship's captain or CD, etc. 

[mking8288]

5 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

I have two TAs coming up so I am also busy with the checkups and the tuneups. 😅

LOL, ours is a TA and B2B ... (NCL or another line) unless you are not on the roll call (yet) - don't think we will be sailing on the same "new"er ship, as that would be fun.  Got another CC on ours and "Jim"esopus is on the other & their ship will  be sailing first on the southerly route.  

 

Going to continue to travel with the lighter Chromebook as the HDMI output is usable, and I figured out the "override" options for the newer LGTV currently used on the Escape.  Sea days are great and with the choice to cast offline video content of choice, that is backup entertainment on the go - with the smartphone, tablet and/or iPad/iPhone.  

[bluesea777]

The Jewel of the Seas was supposed to leave Bayonne yesterday to go out to sea to begin the 14-day cruise to Greenland and back vis some NE and Canadian ports, but it went up river to Manhattan instead so that the pax can enjoy NYC for the day today.

 

It'll be Escape's turn tonight to dock at MCT so her pax can enjoy NYC tomorrow!

 

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by bluesea777

[mking8288]

Oh no, sorry folks to break the news, latest from NHC ... Tropical Depression #15 has been formed & could be a problem for those cruising - Bermuda bound - next week and - Nigel will be the name, appeared to the clear of the East Coast.  

 

Like we said, this is the peak weeks for hurricane during the season - always have insurance & coverage, accept the risks and have options, ride with the wave and go with the flow, sail with wind - pack patience and maintain that sense of humor.  Tune to the NHC for the latest updates & forecast.  

 

Ready for La Cucina next - after a big power breakfast & light lunch, catching up with cybernews and emails, etc. etc. in the afternoon - with a nice nap. 

 

The Seven Seas Mariner has the tug boat Discovery Coast help maintaining her position, just ahead of us at anchorage (looked it up on Marinetraffic) - we can see them on ship's live webcam. 

 

Schuylkill is the name of the tug boat keeping the Escape at anchorage, port side. 

Edited September 15, 2023 by mking8288

[Sugar Magnolia]

5 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

LOL, ours is a TA and B2B ... (NCL or another line) unless you are not on the roll call (yet) - don't think we will be sailing on the same "new"er ship, as that would be fun.  Got another CC on ours and "Jim"esopus is on the other & their ship will  be sailing first on the southerly route.  

 

I am on the Getaway in October and on the Viva in November. I think Jim is on the Viva. Should I feel foolish enough, I might sneak in the Gem TA in December.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

4 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Oh no, sorry folks to break the news, latest from NHC ... Tropical Depression #15 has been formed & could be a problem for those cruising - Bermuda bound - next week and - Nigel will be the name, appeared to the clear of the East Coast.  

 

Like we said, this is the peak weeks for hurricane during the season - always have insurance & coverage, accept the risks and have options, ride with the wave and go with the flow, sail with wind - pack patience and maintain that sense of humor.  Tune to the NHC for the latest updates & forecast.  

 

Seems like Bermuda has been cursed this year. I sailed on the Getaway 5-day cruise to Bermuda in early February, knowing it could be challenging in the winter. Due to high winds, we ended up docking at everyone's favorite port of Nassau in the middle of the night instead. And I think several cruises before and after my sailing either canceled or curtailed their call in Bermuda.

 

[www3traveler]

1 hour ago, meadowlander said:

Jewel was scheduled for a 14 night round trip Greenland cruise departing yesterday.

As of right now (2:26 P.M. PDT), The Jewel is docked in Skagway, Alaska.  She is scheduled leave Seattle, WA on Tuesday October for Japan and Her Winter Season in Southeast Asia.

[Sugar Magnolia]

2 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

As of right now (2:26 P.M. PDT), The Jewel is docked in Skagway, Alaska.  She is scheduled leave Seattle, WA on Tuesday October for Japan and Her Winter Season in Southeast Asia.

 

The post was referring to the RC Jewel of the Sea, not the NCL Jewel. I had made that mistake initially, too.

 

[JIMESOPUS]

Carnival Venezia inbound, everyone plays nice now 

[js]

Im sorry you are all in this predicament. 
 

I wasnt aware of what was going on and took this picture this morning from my office.