Celebrity Solstice - 12/22/2023 - Thailand & Vietnam - Live(ish) Report

[hcat]

following.. so far so beautiful!

[Miaminice]

Celebrity Solstice - December 2023 - Day 2 - At Sea

We are on our way to Thailand, making our way through (warm) rain and rough seas.

The night was pretty rocky and Birgit didn’t feel well - which is unusual. AndeEven I’ve had better mornings. Our way to cope with it was to only have a light breakfast at Blu.

 

Birgit decided to sleep it off and went back to our stateroom. I took the chance to take a few pictures of Solstice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Miaminice]

 

[Miaminice]

During the day the sea calmed down a bit and we are hoping that this will continue until tomorrow. Since our next stop Koh Samui is a tender port, there have been rumors that it might be cancelled. Optimists that we are, we are still assuming our visit is a go until we are told otherwise 🤞. 
 

Around noon Birgit surprised me with the suggestion to stop by at the Oceanview Cafe. Who am I not to listen to my dear wife?! 😉 As usual our dessert was a drink at Al Bacio. 

 

The afternoon went by quickly by writing some emails and a workout at the gym. If only to soothe the bad conscience of already looking at the Blu menu on the app.

 

You know the saying: we come as guests - and we leave as cargo 🤷🏻 Mmmhhh, talking about it.. we haven’t tired the Escargot yet 😉

[Miaminice]

Just a heads up… it’s still dark outside but it looks like we‘ll make it to Ko Samui 😁

 

Feels much calmer and we weren’t tossed around in the shower.

 

Merry Christmas 🎄 

[Miaminice]

Merry Christmas!

 

[Miaminice]

So close… but no cigar!

 

We had breakfast while sailing towards Ko Samui where we actually stopped. Just when we were about to leave our stateroom to meet our party an announcement was made that tender operations would be unsafe. So we’ll continue sailing towards Bangkok. 
 

[Miaminice]

I guess it’s a sign… 😢

 

[Miaminice]

Ok, so it’s got to be something about us and elephants… in the past few years all of our tours which involved visiting elephant sanctuaries have been cancelled. So in case someone elso on board reads this - blame it on us 😉

 

On the other hand we also learned that guests on the Diamond Princess - she’s just behind us -  are going through the same process. She also cancelled her call on Koh Samui.

 

Anyway, there’s nothing we can do and we’ll just continue to enjoy our trip. However, this morning was a perfect example to me that sometimes things are not as they seem. When we had breakfast, and even when we were just about to leave our stateroom, the sea looked calm from “up here”. So when the announcement was made, my first thought was: “you’ve got to be kidding…”. Clouded by disappointment, briefly a bit of anger flickered up in my mind. Then I went out on the balcony and saw a ferry boat ploughing through the seas. The bow digging deep into the waves and the ferry covered by the sea’s spray. Unfortunately I didn’t take a photo. I realized then how much harder it would be for a small tender boat to make it through the waves and to tie up to the ship. Plus, I am trying to keep in mind that they have to consider the weather throughout the whole day… not an easy decision for sure.

 

Announcements were made that they‘ll add a show in the afternoon, that they will change the opening times of the venues and that a new today paper with the revised schedule will be printed and delivered to the stateroom. I can imagine that none of the staff are bored right now but all are doing their best to make up for something that’s out of their hands. So I am trying to be grateful rather than to be disappointed. 

[mchell810]

You make an excellent point about the decision to cancel a port.  It's easy for passengers to get caught up in disappointment, forgetting the captain has to be sure to get passengers into the port and out again hours later.  Best to be safe.

[hawkesbaynz]

Following too. Really appreciated your TR on Japan tour cruise &tours

 

We were in Blu in November on same itinerary. The South African ass. MD was great. She had an amazing memory for names (unlike mine). Wonder if she still remembers our Labradors name😀

 

How do you seem to manage to eat so much food but still look so trim? I wish my wife would be as adventurous as yours with oriental food. 
Roger

[Miaminice]

2 hours ago, hawkesbaynz said:

How do you seem to manage to eat so much food but still look so trim? 

Haha, thank you! We only eat that much on vacation. Enjoying and trying different food is part of the experience for us.

The problem is that it took me two or three weeks to get back to my normal weight after a trip when I was younger. Now it’s more like months. 😁

[Miaminice]

Well, what was to be an adventurous day in Thailand now turned out to be a day at sea. So we made the best of it, enjoyed Solstice and relaxed. And yes, had more food 😁 before we took advantage of the Persian Garden. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Miaminice]

We celebrated Christmas Eve with a fabulous dinner in Blu.
 

 

 

 

and then listened to the Christmas Caroling of the Solstice Officers. It was fun and everyone enjoyed the spirit. The kids also loved getting a gift from Santa 🧑‍🎄.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After this joyful event we had a drink at the Ensemble Lounge and listened to Christmas songs played by the acoustic duo. When we went back to our stateroom we stopped by at the theater and watched the Christmas show for a few minutes. I have to say: a really good mix!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Miaminice]

Good night, Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all!
 

 

 

[CardowMD]

Great photo in front of the tree! Hoping weather improves for the rest of the journey!

[Jim_Iain]

I'm along for the ride.   Look forward to reading of your experience.    Loving the photos of Singapore. 

[Ciaranaman]

What a wonderful Christmas picture of your both!  Such beautiful smiles!  A treasured memory, for sure!

Merry Christmas!

~Bernadette

[MISTER 67]

Will you be stopping in Nha Trang when you cruise to Vietnam, spent a year of my life there way back in 1968, I understand it’s quite a destination these days.

[Miaminice]

1 hour ago, MISTER 67 said:

Will you be stopping in Nha Trang when you cruise to Vietnam, spent a year of my life there way back in 1968, I understand it’s quite a destination these days.

yes, we will 👍

[MISTER 67]

34 minutes ago, Miaminice said:

yes, we will 👍

Enjoy your time there, the beach is great.

[Miaminice]

🎄 Feliz Navidad! 
 

 

 

[Texed]

3 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

Will you be stopping in Nha Trang when you cruise to Vietnam, spent a year of my life there way back in 1968, I understand it’s quite a destination these days.

 

And I was in Cam Rahn Bay.  We did stop in Nha Trang when we visited Viet Nam on a cruise.  😊

[abbydancer2003]

Boarding the Solstice in Singapore in March for our ride to Vancouver, so following.  You do great pictures.

[Miaminice]

2 hours ago, abbydancer said:

Boarding the Solstice in Singapore in March for our ride to Vancouver, so following.  You do great pictures.

Thank you! We are just on the way back from Bangkok. Another beautiful day!