'Twas the Cruise Over Easter - 9 Day Southern Caribbean - March 29 - April 7, 2024

[bajae]

5 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Notice how pretty, inviting and innocent Ms Wang looks?

It does, I'm thinking about trying it but I know I'll regret it with the first sip. 

[High Flyer]

3 hours ago, POA1 said:

To clarify - if you want something in the Retreat, just ask. They've been good about getting things you ask for.

 

If you are expecting the rigid pool amenities scheduled like you'd have at the Four Seasons, this won't be it. It's also a fraction of the cost of the Four Seasons, an important consideration.

 

These photos were taken from Deck 14, the Sky Deck, looking down.

 

The photos start at the lowest numbered cabana (1) and continue clockwise to the highest cabana (22.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of these photos look over exposed. Did you use a flesh attachment? 

[POA1]

33 minutes ago, bajae said:

It does, I'm thinking about trying it but I know I'll regret it with the first sip. 

In the grand scheme of things, it's not a really strong drink. It's just sneaky. I drink a 90 proof bourbon on the rocks. It's honest. It tastes strong. It has a burn to it. If it suddenly starts going down like water, you know that it's sending a signal. ("Pull up! Abort!") It's those devious, tasty cocktails you gotta watch. The ones that go down all smooth and fruity are the worst.

 

One minute you're sitting in your seat sipping away; next thing you know, you're on stage with the band, wearing a grass skirt and a coconut bra, belting out an off-key version of Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," until security drags you down to brig.

 

No, thank you!

[POA1]

13 minutes ago, High Flyer said:

Did you use a flesh attachment? 

Flesh attachment? That's rather personal. 😁 No, all I do is resize them. I did lighten the photo of the cabana amenities sheet, but most everything else is straight from the Google Pixel cameras (both mine and my wife's) shooting in HDR. Some low light images get a longer exposure, but that's all done by the software. Nothing is filtered.

[julia]

12 minutes ago, POA1 said:

 

One minute you're sitting in your seat sipping away; next thing you know, you're on stage with the band, wearing a grass skirt and a coconut bra, belting out an off-key version of Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," until security drags you down to brig.

 

Oh, damn... we HAVE sailed together!!

😲🍷🥃✅️🍸🍾🍹🎶🥂🍷😲

[Haljo1935]

18 minutes ago, POA1 said:

...One minute you're sitting in your seat sipping away; next thing you know, you're on stage with the band, wearing a grass skirt and a coconut bra, belting out an off-key version of Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," until security drags you down to brig.

 

No, thank you!

That reads like the voice of experience - not saying if it's chair-in-the-audience-watching-the-show-go-down experience or grass-skirt-wearing-Pat-Benatar-wanna-be-on-the-stage experience, but experience no less 🤔🥺

[POA1]

We ate lunch up in the Retreat today. We had salad and a sandwich, so no food photos. We did order drinks from the Crow's Nest bar though. Michelle had a Mai Tai. I was intrigued by the Paper Plane. It's 3/4 ounce Angel's Envy Bourbon, 3/4 ounce Aperol, 3/4 ounce Amaro Nonino Quintessential, and 3/4 ounce lemon juice. Michelle had a sip of it before I could take the photo, but talk about a he-man, lumberjack-looking drink!

 

 

It was pretty good. The Mai Tai was scratch made and good as well.

 

 

 

Edited April 5 by POA1

[Huskerchick]

2 hours ago, 57redbird said:

How did Poohby Joe get his name?

I have a vast collection of pooh bears and they all have names and stories as to how they came to be. My first one probably from 1970ish is old pooh bear and my grandmother bought him for me on our first trip to Disney Land. I had a thing for the color red and he spoke to me and it was love at first sight 😂 I then have winter pooh bear that my late FIL bought for me and then there is big Pooh bear that I got as a gift  and then along came poohby Joe. His name just sort of popped out and it stuck. He is the only one that gets to leave the house 

[POA1]

@kazu

 

We originally started the caviar thing when we were sailing on ships with dedicated Pinnacle Bars. We'd have them set up in the bar which kept us out of the way of the restaurant patrons.

 

The PG on the Nieuw Statendam embraced the concept the most so far.

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

 

 

 

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

..................................One minute you're sitting in your seat sipping away; next thing you know, you're on stage with the band, wearing a grass skirt and a coconut bra, belting out an off-key version of Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," until security drags you down to brig.

 

No, thank you!

 

Just a very minor correction for the institute: More than likely dragged to the main galley where you will be made to peel potatoes for 12 hours under the supervision of Schatzie, a former DDR shot-putter under Erich Honecker. There are no longer brigs on the dam ships! There used to be, usually on A-Deck all the way forward by the paint store, for various aroma purposes. A one person, padded affair with a single bed, all painted in "calming" light mustard. I have a pic somewhere; will attempt to drag it up for trivial purposes 😉 

[POA1]

28 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

There are no longer brigs on the dam ships! There used to be, usually on A-Deck...

 

Thank you for the clarification! I'm definitely going to behave now. While it's a great upper body workout, I'm not a fan of KP.

 

[cruisemom42]

8 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Notice how pretty, inviting and innocent Ms Wang looks?

 

So nice they named her twice.

[julia]

6 hours ago, Huskerchick said:

😂  and then along came poohby Joe. His name just sort of popped out and it stuck. He is the only one that gets to leave the house 

Holy hell.... can you EVEN imagine the stories he tells when he gets back home??! 😲 😂

[POA1]

 

Good morning, Cruise Critic confidantes! We're almost to Half Moon Cay. The bow cam shows the Nieuw Statendam already there.

 

 

[Haljo1935]

33 minutes ago, POA1 said:

 

Good morning, Cruise Critic confidantes! We're almost to Half Moon Cay. The bow cam shows the Nieuw Statendam already there.

 

 

So happy you get to enjoy beautiful HMC. Last year, we only got to wave at her as seas were too rough for tendering.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures.  Enjoy!!

[Haljo1935]

22 hours ago, POA1 said:

A little Grand Turk photo action. Ever since the Salt Museum closed, I've been at a loss for what to do here. 😉

 

 

 

I think Turks is very pretty - great beaches and when you're blessed w/good weather, as it looks like you were, every picture is a postcard. 

The lighthouse does provide nice views.

We enjoy seeing the "locals."

[Huskerchick]

I'm happy to report that the PG was able to hook me up with escargot last night from the MDR which was tasty. B will post pictures later but it was a nice meal not one of our best but it was good

[Vict0riann]

22 hours ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

Perhaps a breakfast poutine with peameal bacon and chelsea buns on the side?

 

Moosages?

[POA1]

Pinnacle Grill Dinner -

 

We started with a Yuzu Margarita for Michelle and a Maker's Mark Old Fashioned (2 cherries, so we wouldn't fight over them.) No drink photos, but by this point in the trip, I assume you can take it on faith that there were cocktails.

 

Escargot for Michelle, paired with a glass of Famille Perrin Côtes du Rhône Reserve Blanc. (French snails, if they could talk, would insist on French wine.)

 

I began with the Lobster Bisque.

The wine was Sokol Blosser Evolution Pinot Noir.

 

Michelle then had the Wedge Salad with Gorgonzola Dressing. It buddied up with the Benziger Sauvignon Blanc.

 

I had the Beef Tartare with a different Pinot Noir, the Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster.

 

We then split the Clothesline Bacon.

During our PG lunch the previous day, we heard a guy refer to this as "The Meat Curtain." No wines here. It was catch up time.

 

Michelle had the Filet Mignon with Lobster Ravioli. Both our entrées were paired with Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Michelle had a baked potato.

 

We shared the Beets with Blue Cheese and the Asparagus with Hollandaise.

 

I had the Strip Steak.

 

In a move that surprises no one, Michelle had the Chocolate Soufflé and a cappuccino.

 

I went with the Baked Alaska and a double espresso.

 

After that, they moved us, by forklift, to the BB King Lounge, where the Chocolate Extravaganza was about to begin. We did not really participate in the chocolate extravaganza, but people around us seemed to enjoy it. It was kind of like the previous day's On Deck for a Cake event, with 10 pieces of chocolate replacing the 3 slices of cake.

 

We were there for the mudiy, which followed shortly after the cocoa-fest.

 

Edited April 6 by POA1

[POA1]

That should say we were there for the music, but I bet the mudiy was fun, too.

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

We were there for the mudiy, which followed

 

[POA1]

Swedish Pancakes by madame continued our International Breakfast theme this morning. I had traditional Eggs Benedict which has Canadian Bacon (not from Canada) and an English Muffin (not from England.)

[Huskerchick]

It's a beautiful day here at Half Moon Cay and one of my favorites. We are in port today with the NS but when we went over about 10 there were still plenty of chairs

 

 

[POA1]

If you happen to be in Half Moon Cay with the two largest ships in the fleet, head down past the pirate ship for more chairs. The ship has a bar and restrooms, which come in handy if you want to take liquid in or let it out.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 6 by POA1

[Haljo1935]

16 minutes ago, POA1 said:

That should say we were there for the music, but I bet the mudiy was fun, too.

 

I was gonna ask, but didn't want to publicly confess to not knowing, lol.

[Haljo1935]

12 minutes ago, Huskerchick said:

It's a beautiful day here at Half Moon Cay and one of my favorites. We are in port today with the NS but when we went over about 10 there were still plenty of chairs

 

 

Oh gosh - you are having perfect weather for HMC!!