LIVE from Jewel May 15, 2024 - 27 nights

[jeb1990]

Thank you both for your amazing photos, stories and insights!  This region wasn't on my travel bucket list, but it is now!  Reflecting on your cruise destinations over the years, how would you rank this experience?  If you had to choose your top five cruise itineraries, what would they be? 

 

After spending many years cruising the Caribbean, I ventured on a B2B Mediterranean with extra time in Venice and Rome last year and have a Transatlantic booked for Spring 2025. I appreciate your suggestion of Gate 1 travel Hoopster.  There are so many amazing places a cruise ship won't take you....including the Arctic Circle after this year. 

[twangster]

Expecting a pilot pickup very early overnight for a lock transit at 2am-ish.  

 

Should be on time tomorrow in Amsterdam.  

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, jeb1990 said:

This region wasn't on my travel bucket list, but it is now! 

The thing is, you might already be too late - RCI's ability (port ship limits) and willingness to offer itineraries such as this one may quite limited or non-existent in the future.

 

Biker, who sailed it due to the threat of not being able to do it in the future (on RCI).

[twangster]

For those looking for the Cruise Compass as a single file containing all days, here they are:

 

Cruise 1 - 15 Nights UK and Iceland

 

JW May 15 15 Nts British Isles and Iceland Cruise Compass.pdf

 

Cruise 2 - 12 Nights Norway

 

JW May 30 12 Nt Norway Cruise Compass.pdf

 

[twangster]

12 minutes ago, jeb1990 said:

Thank you both for your amazing photos, stories and insights!  This region wasn't on my travel bucket list, but it is now!  Reflecting on your cruise destinations over the years, how would you rank this experience?  If you had to choose your top five cruise itineraries, what would they be? 

 

Both of these cruises were bucket list for me and very great cruises but not the top of my cruise experiences.  They were great cruises but it's going to very difficult to top cruising to the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica with a luxury expedition style cruise line on small ships.

 

For the price, both of these cruises on Jewel were fantastic so it's not an apple to apple comparison.  Yet Antarctica was just stunning, worth every dollar on SilverSea and an experience that will be difficult to ever surpass on a mass market cruise line, no disrespect to Royal intended.

 

You can find both of my SilverSea live trip reports in the SilverSea section on CC.

[twangster]

Almost forgot a photo from lunch in the WJ today.

 

[island lady]

45 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Both of these cruises were bucket list for me and very great cruises but not the top of my cruise experiences.  They were great cruises but it's going to very difficult to top cruising to the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica with a luxury expedition style cruise line on small ships.

 

For the price, both of these cruises on Jewel were fantastic so it's not an apple to apple comparison.  Yet Antarctica was just stunning, worth every dollar on SilverSea and an experience that will be difficult to ever surpass on a mass market cruise line, no disrespect to Royal intended.

 

You can find both of my SilverSea live trip reports in the SilverSea section on CC.

 

 

Thanks...good to hear on Silverseas.  I am actively looking at their various itineraries to fill a hole end of 2025 into early 2026.  Just did the WC in Antarctica...agree...fantastic!! 

 

Would like to do it again, this time on Silverseas.  Saw one of the newer ships of that sister line next to us in lower South America (can't remember which port) and thought it was a beautiful ship...just the right size too.  🙂 

[Hoopster95]

2 hours ago, jeb1990 said:

If you had to choose your top five cruise itineraries, what would they be? 

 

There are so many amazing places a cruise ship won't take you....including the Arctic Circle after this year. 

 

You’re very welcome! its awesome To hear value coming  posts like my old days of reviewing… Thx to twangster for allowing me to join this thread.

 

Next for me is the Amazon and back to Peru, then Cambodia (Angkor Wat) + Vietnam… no cruises even on my radar until December.

 

As far as my own personal top 5 cruises… the Royal ones aren’t being repeated and I don’t think ever will, but if you can match ports on two Or three itineraries the. It would be great!

 

1. Oceania - French Polynesian & Marquesas

2. Oceania - 12 night Rio to Buenos Airies, 9 ports + land trip at both ends + the absolute MUST MUST MUST see Iquazu Falls.

3. RCL - Serenade 2014 from Rome visiting all the very best ports in one cruise incl. Malta, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Venice overnight, Santorini, Salerno

4. RCl - Ovations very first Alaskan sailing ever in 2019, 11nights included Hubbard and Tracey Arm. 
5. Rhapsody - just last year b2b2b included ABCs, Grenada, St Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago, St Licia, Dominica

 

honourable mentions:

Jewel + Brilliance - British Isles circumnavigation

Jewel - b2b western then eastern Med

Celebrity Constellation - Istanbul home

Port overnight to Ephesus, Bodrum, Marmaris + 5 Greece ports.

 

Take note that no one … ever… says their favorite most memorable cruise destinations is on Oasis Class. Unless you’re favorited place to go in the entire world is Nassau or CocoCay.

[Biker19]

@twangster or @Hoopster95 - I couldn’t get a clear pic through the rain soaked window of the helo drive by - did you?

[twangster]

23 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

@twangster or @Hoopster95 - I couldn’t get a clear pic through the rain soaked window of the helo drive by - did you?

No.  We were too busy watching for you at the arranged meeting time 🤣

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, twangster said:

No.  We were too busy watching for you at the arranged meeting time 🤣

Biker’s work day extended further than planned. 

[twangster]

As the cruise comes to a close we have what has become a rare sunset.  
 

 

[island lady]

Thank you all for taking us along on your wonderful adventure!  🙂 

[njkruzer]

28 minutes ago, twangster said:

As the cruise comes to a close we have what has become a rare sunset.  
 

 

Beautiful.   Looking forward to our trip in August.

[FionaMG]

Thanks to all for sharing. It feels like it's ended too soon.

Safe travels home.

[Jimbo]

14 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

What the aveage number of people that dies each year taking that hike?

[patattack]

Thanks to both of you for taking us along on such a great vacation.  I saved this to review when I get the chance to cruise these itineraries.  Such fantastic pictures and commentary.  

 

Pat 

[twangster]

At 2:30am we were entering the canal that leads to the lock.

 

 

At 5am we were back in Amsterdam nearing the terminal.

 

 

 

 

 

[twangster]

My flight is 1pm so I have some time.   
 

Time for one last Chops breakfast at 6:30am followed by self assist departure.   
 

Light rain but radar doesn’t show anything heavy heading our way so my current plan is to take the train from Centraal station to AMS.   
 

 

Edited June 11 by twangster

[Ozark_Kid]

Thanks for sharing the cruise.  We enjoyed the pics and videos so much I may just go through them again!

I hope you have safe travels home. 

[twangster]

Uber pricing before the surge 

 

[twangster]

6:06am and some early self-assisters are queueing.  
 

[twangster]

As suspected our Starlink gateway city remained Berlin for all of cruise #2

 

Chops has always provided the best results and today is no exception.  
 

 

It has been pretty good most of the time but isn’t perfect, yet.  Every week more satellites go up and soon the full v2 satellites will fly.  It’s been pretty good and the numerous videos posted to this thread are a testament to that.  
 

Not perfect but not bad at all.  

[twangster]

6:38am and from Chops I see self assist are streaming off.  That’ll be me soon.  Sigh.  

[twangster]

Argh!   Rain.  
 

Hoping it stops soon. 
 

Might have to Uber.