Thoughts, impressions, and observations for the World Cruise.

[CSHS1979]

3 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Thanks...we have suite/Pinnacle escort...so hopefully that helps.  🙂 

 

Only around 900 getting off, should not be a big deal

[suzyluvs2cruise]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

Well at least Super bowl is not being played in LA.    And by Sunday, I should think everyone going to Las Vegas is already there and not clogging the traffic in LA.  😉  Will be an interesting ride to the airport.  

Your ride to the airport should be fine. Sunday a.m. traffic in the LA area is usually good and it's a little bit less than a 20 mile drive. We live in So. Cal. and saild out of San Pedro port frequently. 

[Jimbo]

35 minutes ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

John's tour was awful. His group was just unlucky I guess.

 

Sorry to hear that, thought Royal would step it up a bit to make up for missing  MP.

[island lady]

2 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

Only around 900 getting off, should not be a big deal

 

Wow...more than half the current population though!  😮 

[island lady]

Another Brazilian singer tonight.  Or is it the same one...🤔   They will run out of them at some point I assume.  😉 

 

 

[island lady]

Finally enjoyed my first Pisco Sour....but we are already leaving Peru.  😵

 

Our favorite bartender in the Concierge Lounge..., Agus.... was able to get his hands on the Pisco liquor.  It was yummy!  

 

Bucky tried it, but still preferred his hand crafted Margarita.  😉 

 

 

 

Edited February 2 by island lady

[island lady]

Funny thing is...we normally never do the lounges...be they Suites Lounge, Concierge Lounge, or the newly named Crown Lounge for our happy hour.  Though I do use them for my early morning coffee. We always prefer the Viking Crown lounge or other various lounges around the ships. 

 

On this ship...for the first couple of weeks, we stuck to the circle bar in the VCL......but by 5 pm...it got so busy and so very loud, we opted to transfer to the Concierge Lounge, which was much less busy and blissfully more quiet.  Tried the Schooner bar, Vintages, and the R bar...worse.  Very loud and more busy.  

 

We have access to the Concierge Lounge only due to being in a full suite.  Access is for full suite (GS and above) and the 41 Pinnacles that are on the full world cruise only.  No others invited.  So, when we re-board in Barcelona....as we could not get upgraded to a full suite this next time...no access after that...but no big deal.  If we have to pick up our drinks at one of the bars...and find a quiet corner somewhere...that is what we will do.  😉  And will not even try to cross that line.  

[xpcdoojk]

9 hours ago, pstone1 said:

Jim just read that the there is a huge (estimated at 22K) population of Manta Rays off the coast of Ecuador!  Some have wing spans more than 20 ft.!  Will be watching for those this afternoon too, as we are sailing north!  Honestly, who would have thought - Manta Rays off of Manta, Ecuador!  🤣🤣

We dove in Australia at Heron Island on the GBR and there were 3 Mantas, at a minimum of 20+ feet wing span circling around us. truly amazing.  I tried to get the DW to snorkel there a few days later but a small thunderstorm popped up on our excursion and it went to Hades.  No mantas, and I am lucky to be here telling you the story!🤣

[xpcdoojk]

9 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Have never cruised out of LA before.  Not sure what to expect.  Apparently LAX is about 20 miles away...which could take 2 hours in traffic?  😬  Our flight is 12:45 pm.  May be tight?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sailed out of San Pedro about 20 miles south of LAX near Long Beach on the Mariner in 2010.  If you are sailing on a weekend not a big deal.  Kind of a cool sail away, Played at Trump National Golf course a few years later just west of the port.  Crazy golf course on a cliff overlooking the Pacific.  I played like crap.  Still a great memory.

[pstone1]

13 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

We dove in Australia at Heron Island on the GBR and there were 3 Mantas, at a minimum of 20+ feet wing span circling around us. truly amazing.  I tried to get the DW to snorkel there a few days later but a small thunderstorm popped up on our excursion and it went to Hades.  No mantas, and I am lucky to be here telling you the story!🤣

Wow!  That is truly an adventure!

 

We spent the afternoon, and even ate dinner on our balcony watching the ocean, but we did not see any Mantas!  The ship is still not quite at the Equator yet!  We are keeping an eye on the TV so we can take a picture of 0 degrees south position!  At the rate we’re traveling, it might be midnight!  😉

[Waynetor]

Princess has announced they are by-passing the Suez on their w/c.  They are skipping some Australian ports. and all the southern Asia ports on their 121  night voyage. After Perth they go to Africa, make 2 ports and they head up Africa's west coast to the Med. Sea.  They are also re-working a w/c departing in April from Australia to miss the Suez.  HAL is doing similar changes

[Jimbo]

51 minutes ago, Waynetor said:

Princess has announced they are by-passing the Suez on their w/c.  They are skipping some Australian ports. and all the southern Asia ports on their 121  night voyage. After Perth they go to Africa, make 2 ports and they head up Africa's west coast to the Med. Sea.  They are also re-working a w/c departing in April from Australia to miss the Suez.  HAL is doing similar changes

Pretty much means Royal will follow what the others are doing..........just a matter of time I would guess before they make the call. Better off to do it sooner then later in this case.

Hopefully for those(May 9th sailing) really  where the change in itineary is really bad  for them they give them an out to make other plans.

Edited February 2 by Jimbo

[Jimbo]

2 hours ago, pstone1 said:

Wow!  That is truly an adventure!

 

We spent the afternoon, and even ate dinner on our balcony watching the ocean, but we did not see any Mantas!  The ship is still not quite at the Equator yet!  We are keeping an eye on the TV so we can take a picture of 0 degrees south position!  At the rate we’re traveling, it might be midnight!  😉

Looks like from where you are at now it still might be little over 2 more hours(closer to 1:45 am) from now until you are at 0 degrees.

Edited February 2 by Jimbo

[taznremmy]

3 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Looks like from where you are at now it still might be little over 2 more hours(closer to 1:45 am) from now until you are at 0 degrees.

This one is for you ….

[sgmn]

10 hours ago, Waynetor said:

Princess has announced they are by-passing the Suez on their w/c.  They are skipping some Australian ports. and all the southern Asia ports on their 121  night voyage. After Perth they go to Africa, make 2 ports and they head up Africa's west coast to the Med. Sea.  They are also re-working a w/c departing in April from Australia to miss the Suez.  HAL is doing similar changes

Think it's all of Carnival family of shipping lines including Cunard and P@O.

Was thinking of booking SIN to DXB on Serenade but waiting to see what's happening 

[CSHS1979]

10 hours ago, pstone1 said:

Wow!  That is truly an adventure!

 

We spent the afternoon, and even ate dinner on our balcony watching the ocean, but we did not see any Mantas!  The ship is still not quite at the Equator yet!  We are keeping an eye on the TV so we can take a picture of 0 degrees south position!  At the rate we’re traveling, it might be midnight!  😉

 

Never realized Galapagos are right on the Equator until now

[island lady]

11 hours ago, pstone1 said:

Wow!  That is truly an adventure!

 

We spent the afternoon, and even ate dinner on our balcony watching the ocean, but we did not see any Mantas!  The ship is still not quite at the Equator yet!  We are keeping an eye on the TV so we can take a picture of 0 degrees south position!  At the rate we’re traveling, it might be midnight!  😉

 

Bucky talked to Joss after the show...and asked if we were doing anything to call attention to crossing the equator...he told him they already did that on the way down.  Huh?  Couldn't the captain at least sound the horn as before when we crossed going south?  There may be pax that came on from down under that are crossing north for the first time!  Oh well, I was sleeping anyway.  😉 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 2 by island lady

[Jimbo]

4 hours ago, taznremmy said:

This one is for you ….

Curious,what time was this picture taken? Don't see it on the picture you took?

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, sgmn said:

Think it's all of Carnival family of shipping lines including Cunard and P@O.

Was thinking of booking SIN to DXB on Serenade but waiting to see what's happening 

I wouldn't think they would want to affect that sailing too, I would think they would go off as planned.

Edited February 2 by Jimbo

[jakeil7]

3 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

I wouldn't think they would want to effect that sailing too, I would think they would go off as planned.

If things get worse, the Strait of Hormuz might be almost as bad. I am REALLY hoping that is not the case though. 

[pstone1]

59 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Curious,what time was this picture taken? Don't see it on the picture you took?

It was 3:09am on our photo.  Long night!  🤣

[pstone1]

1 hour ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

Never realized Galapagos are right on the Equator until now

I didn’t either!  I looked yesterday to see how far west they are - about 672 miles west of Manta!

[island lady]

Already 82 degrees outside at 9 am.   Seas choppy, but not rough.   Upper tier event this morning at 10:30, and then lunch at Izumi is on our schedule.  🙂 

 

Picked up another good book from the library, and there are actually two of them...the new one on 12 and the old traditional one next to pool tables on 6.  Plenty of relaxing time on days at sea to read in the cabin....plus making sure I keep an eye to the sea for our sea friends when they say hello.  

 

Current position:

 

 

[pstone1]

5 hours ago, taznremmy said:

This one is for you ….

Thanks!  Seemed like it took forever!  Jim reset his alarm multiple times!

 

[island lady]

2 minutes ago, pstone1 said:

I didn’t either!  I looked yesterday to see how far west they are - about 672 miles west of Manta!

 

The Peruvians call their Ballestas islands the "Galapagos of Peru"....but there are many birds varieties on the Galapagos that are totally unique to that set of islands.  Our cousins have been there many times, but we have not been there yet.  Still on the bucket list, and would love to see them someday.  🙂