Live from the Beyond! May 18, ABC Sailing

[chrismch]

Love the look of the baked brie and short ribs - something I would order as well. Looking at all the rocks around that beach area I was wondering if the swim area also had a rocky bottom. I always bring swim shoes with me just in case.

[AbbyCruiser45]

2 hours ago, chrismch said:

Love the look of the baked brie and short ribs - something I would order as well. Looking at all the rocks around that beach area I was wondering if the swim area also had a rocky bottom. I always bring swim shoes with me just in case.

Yep, it pretty rocky! I also always bring swim shoes. Today’s beach was fine and Sorobon beach tomorrow is too but I still wear them. 

[CarolCoupon]

DePalm Island was the only excursion we booked through Celebrity this cruise.  Our account today shows 3 excursion refunds of 24.99, 15.75 and 3.66. Will have to ask about that. 

 

[AbbyCruiser45]

41 minutes ago, CarolCoupon said:

DePalm Island was the only excursion we booked through Celebrity this cruise.  Our account today shows 3 excursion refunds of 24.99, 15.75 and 3.66. Will have to ask about that. 

 

I have 2 $26.40 refunds also. Potentially because the water slides were out of order and that’s supposed be included? We thought about going to the shore excursion desk about it but decided it wasn’t worth the fuss. Maybe someone that went decided to and they refunded everyone? I’ve heard of it happening before.

[hcat]

2 hours ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

Yep, it pretty rocky! I also always bring swim shoes. Today’s beach was fine and Sorobon beach tomorrow is too but I still wear them. 

what beach were you at in the posted photos?

Edited May 22 by hcat

[AbbyCruiser45]

5 minutes ago, hcat said:

what beach were you at in the posted photos?

That’s the Avilla Beach Resort in Curaçao! Incredible option for a beach day. I’ll post more pictures and share more soon. 

[CarolCoupon]

Thanks Abby, that must be it!

We went to cook with the Caribbean Chef today, Helmi Smeulders. We originally booked this through Celebrity over a year ago and it was cancelled in June. So we tracked her down on Tripadvisor. 

We were the only 2 from either ship in port, the other 13 "chefs" were vacationing in Curacao. We recommend it if you like to cook (or are open to trying it, no expertise needed as her team helps you along if you need it) and want to learn about and taste locals foods. We were responsible for the papaya cake with lime cream. There were 8 or 9 other dishes including lionfish ceviche and papaya salad (using green papaya which is used like a vegetable vs the orange papaya we pureed for the cake.)

I was a little concerned because I don't eat seafood, but I had nothing to worry about. Nice people and yummy food! A short cab ride from the pier and a great experience. 

[hcat]

1 hour ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

That’s the Avilla Beach Resort in Curaçao! Incredible option for a beach day. I’ll post more pictures and share more soon. 

thanks..sorry for jumping the gun!

def saving that for our next ABC cruise.. pvt booking or thru X,

[AbbyCruiser45]

I’m a little behind on updates! We had the perfect beach day in Curaco yesterday. We went to the Avila Beach Resort which was only $15 per person. That only includes access to the beach, pool, and chairs but that’s still a steal. Every chair you see was open for anyone to take and there were plenty to go around. Two ships in port also, but still pretty quiet. There were two beaches, one was choppier than the other. There was also a decently big pool but I did not get a picture. 

We had lunch there and it was decently priced. If you pull up the menu online, everything in NAFL currency so about half the price in USD. This lunch of Dutch croquettes, fries, and coleslaw was $11 USD. Drinks weren’t horribly priced, but we passed on that. 

If you’re into snorkeling, you can bring your own gear and there were some rocks and fish, but if that’s your main goal don’t go here. 

The hotel is *technically* walking distance but that walk is 35-40 minutes from the ship to the hotel. It was very hot and I’m not sure I’d do it again. It’s about a 10 minute drive from port and about $20. On the walk over though we were able to the floating bridge go out and all the sites of downtown! So maybe walk there one way and taxi back. 

Overall though incredibly solid day pass especially for the price. I’d go there again and also something else like the Mangrove Park. Since it’s only $15 USD I wouldn’t feel bad leaving after only a few hours. 

[Arzeena]

16 hours ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

I have 2 $26.40 refunds also. Potentially because the water slides were out of order and that’s supposed be included? We thought about going to the shore excursion desk about it but decided it wasn’t worth the fuss. Maybe someone that went decided to and they refunded everyone? I’ve heard of it happening before.

You are right. Someone on your excursion may not have been happy and reported. Hence the refund.

When we went to Tobago on the Silhouette last November, we did a ship excursion to Pigeon Point Beach. We had no complaints, but many people did complain about a lot of things per the shore excursion desk. Everyone was refunded the whole amount.

[Arzeena]

1 hour ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

I’m a little behind on updates! We had the perfect beach day in Curaco yesterday. We went to the Avila Beach Resort which was only $15 per person. That only includes access to the beach, pool, and chairs but that’s still a steal. Every chair you see was open for anyone to take and there were plenty to go around. Two ships in port also, but still pretty quiet. There were two beaches, one was choppier than the other. There was also a decently big pool but I did not get a picture. 

We had lunch there and it was decently priced. If you pull up the menu online, everything in NAFL currency so about half the price in USD. This lunch of Dutch croquettes, fries, and coleslaw was $11 USD. Drinks weren’t horribly priced, but we passed on that. 

If you’re into snorkeling, you can bring your own gear and there were some rocks and fish, but if that’s your main goal don’t go here. 

The hotel is *technically* walking distance but that walk is 35-40 minutes from the ship to the hotel. It was very hot and I’m not sure I’d do it again. It’s about a 10 minute drive from port and about $20. On the walk over though we were able to the floating bridge go out and all the sites of downtown! So maybe walk there one way and taxi back. 

Overall though incredibly solid day pass especially for the price. I’d go there again and also something else like the Mangrove Park. Since it’s only $15 USD I wouldn’t feel bad leaving after only a few hours. 

Very nice pictures!

We love the Avila. We crossed the bridge over to Punda and took a cab from there. Also took a cab from the hotel to the pier.

Enjoy the rest of your cruise. Looking forward to pictures.

[OceanCruise]

Also on this cruise in the Retreat. Service and food in Luminae have been great. Retreat lounge is never crowded and staff there is helpful. Room steward is just ok but the butler has picked up the slack for our minor requests.  There has been a low level sewage smell near our room throughout the cruise. Entertainment has been great and varied at night. Game shows have been fun and the activity staff is very engaging. Some minor cutbacks we noticed— the slippers provided in Sky Suites are no longer the plush terry ones. They are thin and cheap. Also, this is the first time that at the Retreat officers party a photographer was not present. In the past we had always received a nice complementary large photo from this event. There is no longer a large live Celebrity orchestra. The most live musicians at the evening shows has been 6. As always, lots of activities consist of sales talks for shops and spa. There have been some scheduled pool activities and at least 4 daytime trivia sessions daily.  As others have noted, you need to get to the theater, club and Eden early in order to get a seat for shows as they do really fill up. All in all a great cruise so far.

[hcat]

2 hours ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

I’m a little behind on updates! We had the perfect beach day in Curaco yesterday. We went to the Avila Beach Resort which was only $15 per person. That only includes access to the beach, pool, and chairs but that’s still a steal. Every chair you see was open for anyone to take and there were plenty to go around. Two ships in port also, but still pretty quiet. There were two beaches, one was choppier than the other. There was also a decently big pool but I did not get a picture. 

We had lunch there and it was decently priced. If you pull up the menu online, everything in NAFL currency so about half the price in USD. This lunch of Dutch croquettes, fries, and coleslaw was $11 USD. Drinks weren’t horribly priced, but we passed on that. 

If you’re into snorkeling, you can bring your own gear and there were some rocks and fish, but if that’s your main goal don’t go here. 

The hotel is *technically* walking distance but that walk is 35-40 minutes from the ship to the hotel. It was very hot and I’m not sure I’d do it again. It’s about a 10 minute drive from port and about $20. On the walk over though we were able to the floating bridge go out and all the sites of downtown! So maybe walk there one way and taxi back. 

Overall though incredibly solid day pass especially for the price. I’d go there again and also something else like the Mangrove Park. Since it’s only $15 USD I wouldn’t feel bad leaving after only a few hours. 

Great photos.. we are considering a land based stay there.   looks great!

snorkeling is not our main focus anymore..

[AbbyCruiser45]

Alright catching back up! We had drinks in Eden yesterday evening and listened to the solo guitarist I had an Aperol spritz and still do not see the appeal 🤣 it was fine, there are just better drinks out there. Also, we have two sea days left so please send along your favorite cocktail recommendations. 

For dinner, we were in Tuscan again. I had the pumpkin salad, which is my favorite salad so far. I also had the spinach turnover which was fine. For my entree, I had the flank steak which was excellent but a tiny portion. I think only 3 of those slices. It was cooked perfectly though. Luckily I also got the 4 cheese gnocchi which is always great. 

We ended the night watching the lights of Curaçao at the sail away. Currently lounging on Sorobon beach waiting for lunch. This is my favorite beach. I’ll update on where we went and prices later today or tomorrow!

 

Current view:

 

[AbbyCruiser45]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Great photos.. we are considering a land based stay there.   looks great!

snorkeling is not our main focus anymore..

I think it would be a great resort to stay at. The neighborhood had a lot of restaurants and easy access to the main downtown area. Of course I didn’t see the guest rooms, but all the public areas were very nice. 

[depplep]

We're doing this cruise in July. I appreciate the food reviews. What was the drink you posted the other day?  

[CTCruiser76]

Awesome...thanks for the tip on Avila, we just made our reservation. We are on the June 15th Beyond cruise and are enjoying your live blog. 

 

Making the reservation was kind of strange....but once they finally got back to me on the whats ap, the communication was good. 

 

Hope you continue to have a good time and keep up the live posts...we appreciate it. 

[horseymike]

5 hours ago, OceanCruise said:

Also on this cruise in the Retreat. Service and food in Luminae have been great. Retreat lounge is never crowded and staff there is helpful. Room steward is just ok but the butler has picked up the slack for our minor requests.  There has been a low level sewage smell near our room throughout the cruise. Entertainment has been great and varied at night. Game shows have been fun and the activity staff is very engaging. Some minor cutbacks we noticed— the slippers provided in Sky Suites are no longer the plush terry ones. They are thin and cheap. Also, this is the first time that at the Retreat officers party a photographer was not present. In the past we had always received a nice complementary large photo from this event. There is no longer a large live Celebrity orchestra. The most live musicians at the evening shows has been 6. As always, lots of activities consist of sales talks for shops and spa. There have been some scheduled pool activities and at least 4 daytime trivia sessions daily.  As others have noted, you need to get to the theater, club and Eden early in order to get a seat for shows as they do really fill up. All in all a great cruise so far.

May I ask what deck your cabin is on ?

[AbbyCruiser45]

17 hours ago, depplep said:

We're doing this cruise in July. I appreciate the food reviews. What was the drink you posted the other day?  

Was it this one? A drink from the sunset bar, the Dill-Icious. It was a little weird but good! I’ve also had the Beyond Signature from there and it was really good. The Mediterranean G and T was horrible 😂 the bartender said she didn’t like it when we ordered, so she made us a taster. It was in fact not good. 

[depplep]

Well, not at all what I was expecting. Very unusual. I might give that a try. Thank you for doing the review, love all the photos on the islands.

[AbbyCruiser45]

Good morning everyone! I’ll share my thoughts about Bonaire over coffee. Bonaire is now my favorite spot as I’ve visited Sorobon beach twice now. The taxi ride there was $5/person. They do charge more if it’s just a couple, I believe $25. Typically you can share a taxi there easily since it’s a decently popular spot. Our driver pointed out some flamingos on the way also! 
 

There are a couple different beach clubs to choose from at Sorobon including Sebastian beach which we went to last year, Jibe City, and the Sorobon Beach Resort. We chose the resort this year. Beach beds were $15/person or $40 for a two person cabana. Only access to the beach and the chair is included in the price, but there is a restaurant on site. 

 

We basically spent all day in the water. I always bring a little blow up hammock float and that makes it easier to sit in the water without sitting on the sand. This particular bay had the most stunning blue water once you walk past the lanes of protect sea grass. For about as far as you can see, the water only went to maximum waist level deep. So we just walked out pretty far and floated back in with the wind. 
 

Protected sea grass:

 

 

Jibe City: 

 

 

The beach is typically pretty windy so the it’s known for windsurfing. The wind was actually pretty mild yesterday, but Kaleb already had reserved lessons in advance at Jibe City. It was $50 for a group lesson which included 1 hour of instruction and 1 hour of practice. There were only two other people in the lesson so it was a small group. 

 

We had a pricey lunch there of a large burger which was about $22. In the future I would probably just order a small snack and then grab something on board. 

After we got our fill of the beach, we headed back around 2pm. But we did something fun before getting on board! Right next to the ship is a dock you can swim off of. The water is super deep and crystal clear. It was such a memorable experience. 

 

View of the swimming dock from the buffet: 

[AbbyCruiser45]

3 minutes ago, depplep said:

Well, not at all what I was expecting. Very unusual. I might give that a try. Thank you for doing the review, love all the photos on the islands.

If you have the drink package, one of the perks is trying weird stuff! I would never order that on land if I was actually paying $12-17/per drink. 

[depplep]

We do have the drink package, so I will give it a try. I'm usually just a wine/champagne/beer drinker but that looks refreshing. Saw a lot of people drinking Aperol spritz on our last cruise, I wanted to try that but I'm not a fan of fruit so I'm sure I wouldn't like it. 

[RK-NC]

On 5/23/2024 at 12:03 PM, AbbyCruiser45 said:

Also, we have two sea days left so please send along your favorite cocktail recommendations. 

 

We were on Beyond in April and it was great except for our creaking and popping stateroom😠  I enjoyed Beyond Signature, Orange Crush (The Club), Tito's Punch (Craft Social), Toffee Apple (martini bar). I missed having a passionfruit martini but have heard it's a good one. I also missed out on the Junglebird at the pool bar. Had a mudslide one afternoon 😋 I like sweet drinks 😉 

 

Have you been to theater shows? The production show Arte was outstanding. Enjoy the rest of your cruise!

[chrismch]

RE: MDR DINING... Do I understand correctly that if you dine in any of the 4 restaurant options that you can get the daily specials from any of the other 3 and mix and match as desired?