Viva Live 21 days, Rome to Miami, plus a few days in Rome

[JIMESOPUS]

Last evening in France, Chicken Cordon Blue for dinner. 

[Sugar Magnolia]

3 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Correct, he is right and all others are wrong, maybe something new?

 

It sounds arbitrary and capricious. I plan to have my own fun conversation with him next week.

 

[cruiseny4life]

8 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Last evening in France, Chicken Cordon Blue for dinner. 

 

 

 

Are THOSE mozzarella sticks???????? 

[cruiseny4life]

7 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

It sounds arbitrary and capricious. I plan to have my own fun conversation with him next week.

 

Hehehe....oh to witness this conversation! Please record it for all of us to laugh through. 🙂

[JIMESOPUS]

9 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Are THOSE mozzarella sticks???????? 

Cheesey mashed potatoes croquettes 

[JIMESOPUS]

some numbers tonight

300+ PAX on the b2b

$59 refund per PAX showed up today, refund for port tax, not sure what port

$20 bus transfer to Barcelona city center

[JIMESOPUS]

Time to be a critic - music at the bars is too loud, unable to hear Carol who is sitting next to me.

[schmoopie17]

On 11/6/2023 at 9:53 AM, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

I must eat 3-4 pasteis de nata each day I am in Lisbon. If you are unable to make it to Belem, the tarts at Manteigaria are just as delicious, and there are several locations around Lisbon. The Manteigaria I visited recently was a 15 minute walk from the port. Enjoy!

 

Mrs. Schmoopie found a couple of recipes for these on Pintrest. The ones she made were "almost" as good as the ones we had in Lisbon.

[schmoopie17]

On 11/8/2023 at 2:44 AM, JIMESOPUS said:

@cruiseny4life @Sugar Magnolia No hash browns here on the Viva, ship is too upper class for those little hockey pucks

I prefer to call them by their proper name...grease sponges. Ick...

[schmoopie17]

9 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Oh no! Let us know how the ship handles a boatload of people staying indoors...at least I think most will probably stay on the ship since the weather is being a bit prickly. 

If it's anything like the Prima, the answer is...not very well.

[Sugar Magnolia]

10 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Time to be a critic - music at the bars is too loud, unable to hear Carol who is sitting next to me.

 

I remember that issue from the Prima, especially at the Metropolitan Bar.

 

[ColdCruise]

11 hours ago, JIMESOPUS said:

@cruiseny4life Most went upstairs again, something about a buffet almost like a moth to a light. We did see Matsi today, he has 22 cruises this year, thought us being at 7 was something. 

 

I almost envy Matsi - all that free time to cruise but then think how potentially dangerous his working life is. BUT …. 22 cruises! Half a year!!

 

looks like your enjoy this week on Viva @JIMESOPUS can’t wait to join you and the rest of those 300 Lucky B2Bers next week!

[JIMESOPUS]

Off the ship by 800, Hop on and wait bus, ran out of time to see everything. Another 10K+ step day, thought this was a holiday? Did someone say shopping?

Some of the photos taken today, re-hydration at the Hard Rock.

Laundry back already, 1 day turnaround

Edited November 10, 2023 by JIMESOPUS

[schmoopie17]

We've been to Barcelona and we did our own walking tapas tour in the Gothic Quarter. Didn't do anything else, other than Las Ramblas. No real interest in any tours of churches, museums, etc. Would you not recommend the hop-on-off bus for people who just want to kill some time seeing the highlights? (Based on your hop-on and wait comment...)

[bluesea777]

A tip, please .... when you start your day's review with photos, please state what port ... I have had to look up cruisemapper to see what port you were reviewing with pictures. 😉

 

FYI (to the others), the latest is Barcelona.

 

 

[JIMESOPUS]

1 hour ago, schmoopie17 said:

We've been to Barcelona and we did our own walking tapas tour in the Gothic Quarter. Didn't do anything else, other than Las Ramblas. No real interest in any tours of churches, museums, etc. Would you not recommend the hop-on-off bus for people who just want to kill some time seeing the highlights? (Based on your hop-on and wait comment...)

They, the hop off bus company over booked their system, we waited for 4 buses before we got on, standing for over half the route. We jumped off at the next to last stop and walked back. The time we lost waiting for the bus was over 45 minutes.

[JIMESOPUS]

Dinner tonight at Q - they just kept on asking if I needed anything else.

Eggs, Chicken, Brisket, Steak Fries, Ribs and a chocolate cake.

[cruiseny4life]

Thank you for the info about the hop on/hop off. I was thinking about getting tickets for it. If they're so overbooked, probably not! 

[kwokpot]

20 hours ago, schmoopie17 said:

Mrs. Schmoopie found a couple of recipes for these on Pintrest. The ones she made were "almost" as good as the ones we had in Lisbon.

After having lots of them last year at multiple ports of call in Portugal I have come to the conclusion that I prefer the Cantonese version better since the custard is way less sweet. Photos for comparison Lisbon (Manteigaria) vs Taipei,Taiwan Dim Sum restaurant (along with radish cakes). Since I'm Chinese American I may be A BIT biased, lol.

Edited November 10, 2023 by kwokpot

[JIMESOPUS]

47 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Thank you for the info about the hop on/hop off. I was thinking about getting tickets for it. If they're so overbooked, probably not! 

Need to check how many ships are in port that day, stop #5 was near a cruise terminal, there had to be hundreds of folks lining up from the MSC ships. 

[Vegasvolfan]

Lovely pics of can’t wait to get on board on 16 th this week is really dragging!

[ColdCruise]

Thanks for the photos and the details  @JIMESOPUS photos are pretty crisp!

[JIMESOPUS]

Ibiza, plan for today is nothing. Took a 2.5 mile walk into the town, stopped at the hand and walked back.

 

 

Hope to get into one of those pools on deck #8.

For those who have taken the taxi in St Thomas, here in Ibiza they have a water taxi to town, wouldn't want to be the guy in back with his butt hanging over the back of the boat.

[mking8288]

9 hours ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Need to check how many ships are in port that day, stop #5 was near a cruise terminal, there had to be hundreds of folks lining up from the MSC ships. 

 

Just catching up - that's a long 2.5 mi walk toward city centre in Palma.  NCL, I'm sure runs their shuttle except it wasn't free then, $15 round-trip (shorex credits "not accepted") with waterfront dropoff near the cafe, shops & stores, ferry piers, etc. 

 

When we did Epic TA, HOHO bus was a great option but didn't always worked for us - other TA ports en route, despite different tour bus operators ramping up their fleet of buses and available drivers - several thousand "frugal" cruisers from different ships hopping around town just overwhelmed their finite capacity.  Just as described, if nobody get off, it was impossible to get on - full to capacity & already standing room only.  Uber wasn't an option for islands like Palma and taxis for hired, hard to find & the fews around town - interested in doing chartered tours only.  The alternative to over-priced NCL shorex is to walk ... plenty of cardio exercises, memo - bring bottled water for hydration.  

 

Got a feeling that 4 of us will use a taxi next week in BCN when possible, after getting out of the port/cruise terminal on these "shuttle" or HOHO buses.  BTW, very sharp & clear pictures taken.  Have a great afternoon.  

[www3traveler]

Question for mking8288: What are your plans for 2024?  Any chance that you and your ladies will be on the Transatlantic for the Aqua in late March?

 

Mandy