From a Nova novice

[canderson]

5 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

For Chili flake lovers,  check out Flatiron Pepper Co.  

 

@jollyjones Thanks for allowing the hijack . 😃

 

Loving all your posts.

Yup.  They're based right down in Arvada, and the local Proto pizza joints sell it retail.

[Lonedaddy]

4 hours ago, jollyjones said:

Today's observation is how grateful I am that the SALT bar has been raised from the dungeons of Deck 4 up to the rarified air and expansive views of Deck 10.

I did once enjoy a delicious cocktail in the SALT bar on the Dawn and would have liked to repeat the experience, but the room was just too small, dark and crowded for me - it induced stirrings of claustrophobia.

Now I can enjoy Interesting Drinks and a wonderful Panorama which is a big bonus because the Panorama lounge ain't wot it used to be - more about that on another day.

 

 

That sounds great I loved their "Most Wanted" and ask for it at some other bars with better views, they had to call salt bar and ask how to make it.  Now I can enjoy with a view when we go.  Thanks for sharing.

[jollyjones]

For Dr Ron - walking two lengths - ie stern to bow to stern - of each of the four passenger decks plus the stairs in between comes to about two and a half thousand steps.

That's according to my phone, not sure I entirely trust it, I'll probably pace out one length and count it manually.

Decks 8 and 9 are slightly shorter but only by a few paces.

 

And for rojann - while I seldom eat meat, on my first dinner in La T I indulged in lamb chops - the plate held three plump juicy tender and delicious chops - you would have loved them! Even the spinach underneath them was cooked al dente rather than the usual slightly slimy overcook.

 

La T being down on Deck 4 is slightly less bright and cheerful than it is on other ships up on Deck 7, but otherwise I have found it to be excellent. I eat lunch there often and have had dinner twice so far and am looking forward to more - so far everything I have chosen has been well cooked (or well presented for the raw stuff), and has been of good quality and delicious.

I'm guessing flyers, whose experience differs, chooses different dishes - I am not vegetarian but choose mostly fish or vegetarian options because that is what I prefer. I don't eat beef, so much of the general angst that I read about the quality of steaks or burgers completely passes me by.

I haven't made it down to Atlantide for dinner yet so can't comment on the relative merits vis a vis La T.

 

Now I must bring my attention back to today - we are just approaching the entrance to the Canal, passing Colon to port, I'm looking forward to an interesting, albeit very warm and humid, day!

 

 

Edited April 22 by jollyjones

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

@jollyjonesAs a Viking fanatic I'm reading your thread in rapt attention. Love everyone's observations how they experience & enjoy different lines & ships. I'm looking to venture into the luxury lines, Silversea is my first choice.

Edited April 23 by Myrtle Ave. Mayhem

[jollyjones]

There is one thing that keeps niggling at me - I assume it's just on the Nova, it certainly wasn't on the Dawn in February.

And that is the new uniforms for the suite attendants.

The men wear navy blue trousers - docker style - with mid-blue checked not-exactly-gingham but very similar short sleeved shirts. Very much 'civilian' clothes - I have seen pax wearing almost the same outfits.

The women wear long sleeved navy blue tunics and trousers of a style one might expect in the spa. The tunic could be considered to be a descendant of hospital scrubs but is more fitted and fastens down the front. The outfit is plain navy blue but with mid blue trim around the neckline and down the front.

This seems a rather discordant design choice - I think that all members of the same team should have uniforms that don't need to be identical but should fall within the same design theme. It's almost as if the designer thought men and women should not look at all alike.

It's just a small niggle to my costumier's eyes, and the crew say they are very happy with them, they are very comfortable, so this is really just an idle observation that I post as I await the 11am departure for my little bus tour here in little Golfito, Costa Rica.

 

PS the butlers are unchanged - black tailcoats and white gloves - although they ditch the coats in the morning in favour of gold coloured waistcoats.

 

 

 

[A Tucson Guy]

2 hours ago, jollyjones said:

There is one thing that keeps niggling at me - I assume it's just on the Nova, it certainly wasn't on the Dawn in February.

And that is the new uniforms for the suite attendants.

The men wear navy blue trousers - docker style - with mid-blue checked not-exactly-gingham but very similar short sleeved shirts. Very much 'civilian' clothes - I have seen pax wearing almost the same outfits.

The women wear long sleeved navy blue tunics and trousers of a style one might expect in the spa. The tunic could be considered to be a descendant of hospital scrubs but is more fitted and fastens down the front. The outfit is plain navy blue but with mid blue trim around the neckline and down the front.

This seems a rather discordant design choice - I think that all members of the same team should have uniforms that don't need to be identical but should fall within the same design theme. It's almost as if the designer thought men and women should not look at all alike.

It's just a small niggle to my costumier's eyes, and the crew say they are very happy with them, they are very comfortable, so this is really just an idle observation that I post as I await the 11am departure for my little bus tour here in little Golfito, Costa Rica.

 

PS the butlers are unchanged - black tailcoats and white gloves - although they ditch the coats in the morning in favour of gold coloured waistcoats.

 

 

 

Interesting comment. I never noticed their clothes and for me, I could care less.

[jollyjones]

One really excellent feature of the Nova is that the gangway can be rigged from Deck 2, 3 or 4 so the tremulous tiptoe down or breathless struggle up a gangway pitched at a steep and alarming angle is no more. 

 

[dawntrdr]

@jollyjones, do remember to tell us about the Panorama on the Nova.  Do they still positively cram it for trivia?

[jollyjones]

39 minutes ago, dawntrdr said:

@jollyjones, do remember to tell us about the Panorama on the Nova.  Do they still positively cram it for trivia?

 

Yes, they do.

They also put all the other activities in there that in the Muse class ships would be in the Dolce Vita which, until the bar opens at 6pm, is an absolutely desolate desert.

I have made a note to myself to try and check out Panorama as a lounge in the evening when there is nothing particular happening - I mostly gravitate to the Dusk bar (if it's not raining) or the Shelter for my pre-dinner drink.

And today - a sea day - they have given the prime 10am lecture slot to a future cruise talk about the Galapagos (in which I have no interest) and the actually interesting lecture by Prof. David Drewry about Volcanoes and Earthquakes is at 6.30pm!!

So a slight rearranging of usual drink plans will be required - could be a good day to test the Panorama.

If I remember.

A twenty three day cruise with lots of sea days is making my brain go and lie down somewhere, I'm not quite sure where I left it.

 

 

[jpalbny]

8 hours ago, jollyjones said:

A twenty three day cruise with lots of sea days is making my brain go and lie down somewhere, I'm not quite sure where I left it.

 

What a luxury! Enjoy every minute of it.

[drron29]

On our 2 cruises since October 2023 the bar in Dolce Vita has been open from 2pm. I would never be any good at the putting without sourcing my double G&T there.

[Host Jazzbeau]

38 minutes ago, drron29 said:

On our 2 cruises since October 2023 the bar in Dolce Vita has been open from 2pm. I would never be any good at the putting without sourcing my double G&T there.

I happened to notice the list of included spirits on Atlas Ocean Voyages today.  There are only 2 included gins:  Tanqueray No 10 and The Botanist.  Not too shabby.  Would probably improve your putting...

[drron29]

Can't remember all the gins I had to help my putting but there were at least 10. I do suspect I went through some of the premium labels as well. I remember Tanqueray, Bombay sapphire, aviation gin and Roku gin.

[jollyjones]

 

The Nova is the most accessible ship of the SS fleet - all doors in public areas are automatic, either they automatically open as you approach them or they have a sensor that you wave at to open them.

The sensor is green when at rest and turns red when you activate it and it opens the door - this amused me as a landlubber because it seemed back to front - in most land based applications green means 'go' and red means 'stop' whereas these doors are green when it's 'stop, I'm shut' and red when it's 'OK, I'm open, now you can go".

However, I was at dinner last night at a table including the Staff Engineer who explained that in nautical convention green means 'all doors shut' and red means 'something is open' so is a warning that the ship may not be fully seaworthy.

So now I know!

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, jollyjones said:

 

The Nova is the most accessible ship of the SS fleet - all doors in public areas are automatic, either they automatically open as you approach them or they have a sensor that you wave at to open them.

The sensor is green when at rest and turns red when you activate it and it opens the door - this amused me as a landlubber because it seemed back to front - in most land based applications green means 'go' and red means 'stop' whereas these doors are green when it's 'stop, I'm shut' and red when it's 'OK, I'm open, now you can go".

However, I was at dinner last night at a table including the Staff Engineer who explained that in nautical convention green means 'all doors shut' and red means 'something is open' so is a warning that the ship may not be fully seaworthy.

So now I know!

 

Interesting.  My reaction was that the light referred to the sensor itself:  green means it is powered and ready for your command; red means it is in use.

[jollyjones]

Another little point of interest to some - the walking / jogging track.

It definitely exists on Deck 10 and has a specific marking on the floor; it goes round the funnel, past the Marquee, through the Dusk Bar, and back to its beginning. It is 8 laps to a mile and is pretty dull.

However, I have found that it is perfectly easy to do a full circuit of Deck 10 which is more interesting (I'm a bit of a people watcher), and two to three times as long.

You do need to traverse the Observation Lounge for the full circuit but with the automatic doors this is barely an impediment.

There's no need to worry about disturbing other pax in the Observation Lounge, the bridge players do that without any assistance from walkers.

 

However, like so much else on Deck 10, I fear my enjoyment of this walk may be reduced now that we have passed the mouth of the Gulf of California and are well into the cold California Current. 

Outside air temperature has plummeted and is much closer to 60 than the 70s and 80s to which we have become accustomed around Central America.

So, I assume, there won't be many sunbathers but who knows? Maybe there will be plenty of people wrapped in blankets reading or snoozing.

 

I ate in the Marquee last night (as I do every night when I'm not in La Terrazza) in the said cold temperature.

The place has surprisingly efficient space heaters but they can only work properly if there is some sort of wind break on the port side (the starboard side already has clear panels) and some form of ceiling cover.

I don't see how they can easily enclose the ceiling as even if there was a retractable (or fixed) roof cover, the space is two storeys high and is open all around on the Deck 11 level.

IMO this is the biggest design flaw in this ship which is a great shame as the Marquee is by far the most charming place to eat. Proofing it against cold and wet weather would probably remove much of its charm, but otherwise it's wasted space for anything but warm weather itineraries.