Below the Salt on Seashore again. Essiesmom sails 6/23-6/30, 2024

[Essiesmom]

I usually sail Fantastica but this time there was no choice.  Booking an OV cabin gty only offer was Bella.  On checkin day I was assigned a balcony, midship deck 13.

   So let’s get this started.  It’s a 280 mile drive so I leave the day before and stay the night on the road, usually on 1-95 at St. Augustine.  Which is where I am now.

  Weather and traffic gods were not kind today.  There is a pesky low pressure system off the coast which has caused occasional showers.  It had rained just before I made my morning walk, but I was able to get in my 1.3 miles dry but with high humidity.  
   I didn’t leave home until just after noon, and was sprinkled on a few times as I took the back roads until I joined I-95.  Did I tell you I hate interstates?  Turns out I should have crossed over I-95 and picked up US 17.  I could have taken it all the way to JAX.  
  I pick up 95 at exit 48/49…I can never remember which it is.  Things were fine until a sign just before exit 34 said Crash…Be prepared to stop.  Well, stop we did.  Stop, crawl, stop.  Repeat.  The next exit is 29…it took 1-3/4 hours to go three miles.  And the kicker is that when we cleared, you couldn’t tell where it was.  Nothing.  
   I took the bypass in Jax and thought traffic would be light as it’s a Saturday…but no.  Some more crawling.  Finally made it back to 95.  I had stopped for gas at exit 7 in GA…I usually fill up before I leave, and then have to refill on the way home.  But this time I decided to fill up in Ga on the way down so I wouldn’t have to stop on the way home.

  I checked into the hotel 1-1/2 hours later than planned, then headed straight to Cracker Barrel for supper.  Nothing exciting, just the roast beef dinner.  I considered going to the Ford Garage again, but you need to go there with a group.  Just too big portions.
  Hotel room is standard Hampton Inn, but it was freezing when I opened the door.  Temp 62.  Much too cool for my old bones.  I reset the thermostat and when I got back from supper it was up to 69.  Hopefully it will warm up a bit more, as I didn’t pack any long johns.  Now watching TV, Olympics swim trials…not much on that interests me.  No baseball.  It will probably be an early night.

  My checkin time tomorrow is 12:30-1300.  
if you have any questions you would like me to research, please ask them here.  Remember I will not be anywhere near the Yacht Club.  EM 

Edited Saturday at 11:48 PM by Essiesmom

[Match Game 72]

I hope you have a wonderful trip. I'm looking forward to tagging along!

[morpheusofthesea]

50 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

if you have any questions you would like me to research, please ask them here.  Remember I will not be anywhere near the Yacht Club.  EM 

I pass the MSC baton on to your capable hands and look forward to your entertaining insights.

[Sailor75]

Love Cracker Barrel, I always order the Chicken Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes both with sawmill gravy.

[Essiesmom]

Up early, usual less than perfect hotel bed.  I’ve had worse.  Out to walk, got 25 of my 30 required minutes.  I get lots of walking on the ship, but it is short spurts and the watch often ignores the.  Does give me the steps, though.  Usual hotel breakfast.  Now to hang around until a reasonable time to leave/arrive.  Don’t went to get to the port too early.  Yeah, as diamond they would let me in, but I like to wait until the worst of the rush is over.

[SailorfromBrazil]

32 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

as diamond they would let me in, but I like to wait until the worst of the rush is over

Hi! What would be you preferred boarding time? 

 

[Mommapadraig]

Thanks for taking us along again! We’ve only cruised on MSC  once and it was on the seashore. We were in the YC but spent a lot of time throughout the ship. Absolutely loved it. . 

[mica178]

Looking forward to this review as we'll be on Seashore in 6 weeks, albeit in YC. We do leave YC to participate in trivia and generally stretch our legs, so I like to read about the rest of the ship.

 

Cracker Barrel is our go-to sit-down meal on road trips. I personally love the country ham with fried okra and turnip greens. Put a bit of ham on a biscuit, wash it down with some iced tea. Salty southern perfection.

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

13 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

I usually sail Fantastica but this time there was no choice.  Booking an OV cabin gty only offer was Bella.  On checkin day I was assigned a balcony, midship deck 13.

   So let’s get this started.  It’s a 280 mile drive so I leave the day before and stay the night on the road, usually on 1-95 at St. Augustine.  Which is where I am now.

  Weather and traffic gods were not kind today.  There is a pesky low pressure system off the coast which has caused occasional showers.  It had rained just before I made my morning walk, but I was able to get in my 1.3 miles dry but with high humidity.  
   I didn’t leave home until just after noon, and was sprinkled on a few times as I took the back roads until I joined I-95.  Did I tell you I hate interstates?  Turns out I should have crossed over I-95 and picked up US 17.  I could have taken it all the way to JAX.  
  I pick up 95 at exit 48/49…I can never remember which it is.  Things were fine until a sign just before exit 34 said Crash…Be prepared to stop.  Well, stop we did.  Stop, crawl, stop.  Repeat.  The next exit is 29…it took 1-3/4 hours to go three miles.  And the kicker is that when we cleared, you couldn’t tell where it was.  Nothing.  
   I took the bypass in Jax and thought traffic would be light as it’s a Saturday…but no.  Some more crawling.  Finally made it back to 95.  I had stopped for gas at exit 7 in GA…I usually fill up before I leave, and then have to refill on the way home.  But this time I decided to fill up in Ga on the way down so I wouldn’t have to stop on the way home.

  I checked into the hotel 1-1/2 hours later than planned, then headed straight to Cracker Barrel for supper.  Nothing exciting, just the roast beef dinner.  I considered going to the Ford Garage again, but you need to go there with a group.  Just too big portions.
  Hotel room is standard Hampton Inn, but it was freezing when I opened the door.  Temp 62.  Much too cool for my old bones.  I reset the thermostat and when I got back from supper it was up to 69.  Hopefully it will warm up a bit more, as I didn’t pack any long johns.  Now watching TV, Olympics swim trials…not much on that interests me.  No baseball.  It will probably be an early night.

  My checkin time tomorrow is 12:30-1300.  
if you have any questions you would like me to research, please ask them here.  Remember I will not be anywhere near the Yacht Club.  EM 

You pack light... Very impressive!

[Essiesmom]

That is actually as 25” roller…I usually only carry a 22”.  But since I’m driving to the port…next trip I’ll be flying so back to the 22”.  This time I left the Surface Pro and iPad at home, just brought the iPhone SE 3 a few iPad mini 4.  EM

Edited Sunday at 02:23 PM by Essiesmom

[Essiesmom]

1 hour ago, SailorfromBrazil said:

Hi! What would be you preferred boarding time? 

 

Any time after noon.  Even better if you can wait until after 1:30 when cabins are ready and the buffet empties out.  EM

[ebeluga]

Following and learning the ropes from you, @Essiesmom 🙂

[DaKahuna]

14 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

then headed straight to Cracker Barrel for supper.  Nothing exciting, just the roast beef dinner.

 

Breakfast is my favorite Cracker Barrel meal --- "Grandpa's Country Fried Breakfast" has always done well by me.  Can often skip lunch after having this.  

[pirate4me2]

Looking forward to tagging along on your review. Thanks for taking the time from your vacation to do this. 

[Cruzinforpeace***]

No Essie?

[Mommapadraig]

4 minutes ago, Cruzinforpeace*** said:

No Essie?

I know..wonder where she is?

[morpheusofthesea]

Writer's block. It happens to the best.

[Essiesmom]

Essie cHose to stay home this trip.  
It’s been a busy day.  I was up early and did most of my daily walk.  It tried to sprinkle at the end.  I had the usual hotel breakfast, then sat around until 1030 when I hit a the road.  Traffic was average.  I decided that since I had ample time, I would take the opportunity to stop at Bucees.  Folks on the  arrival board rave about it on the way to Galveston, and those coming down from NJ expound on this one at Daytona beach.  I decided it was my civic/touristic/bounden duty to stop ina and report.

O. M. G. That’s one heck of a big truck stop convenience mall.  I took some pictures, but they do t do it justice.  It’s a destination in itself.   Nearly 50 gas pumps, probably not enough electric charging stations.  People driving around looking for parking spaces.  It was hard to take pictures with so many people wandering.  I even had them take my picture with Bruce…probably the only picture of me you will see in this journal.

  Back on the road, I was a bit behind schedule and pulled up to drop off my bag about 1:30.  Then into the parking garage.  Now they have drive through where you can just tap your card.  I drove around until I found a nice spot on the third level near the elevator.  I don’t understand why people back into a space in the garage.  You have to get the luggage out of…and back into…the rear of the vehicle just because it is easier to just pull out of the space.  
  Anyway, I got my roller out and took the elevator down.  It had seemed like there was still a lot of luggage wing dropped off.  When I went to enter the terminal I was asked my appointment time, and I said 12:30-1pm, but I’m diamond.  He said go right up.  There was a lot e for security that snaked around, but not too slow.  The family in front of me had three kids and that was a pain.  I just shows passport and boarding pass in my apple wallet.  Through security and on to the ramp.  Which was at a standstill.  We inched along.  They opened a second ramp, some YC groups were escorted by us.

Finally onboard, we were told to go to our  cabins, get our cards and go directly to our muster station, then watch the video and call 881.  So I did, except there was no directly about it.  The elevators.  They would come full.  
 Card hangs on the doorknob in a light cardboard envelope with a pull tab to open.  I explored my cabin, took some pictures.  I pa led a few things from the carryon.  Then went down to the Shine Bar and got counted. Back up to the cabin, I met my cabin steward, Ed.  He didn’t know I was diamond, so I need washclo5s, a robe, slippers,toilet paper..just kidding.  
  I took a short nap, rhen was out on the balcony to see Carnival Vista sail away.  I will be on her Sept. 29.  Then it was unpack my checked bag and go to supper.  My assignment this time is 5pm in Manhattan MDR.  I am at a 4 top with a lady from Florida on her first. SC, and a man who is annoyed because the two excursions he booked the cruise for have been cancelled.  The meal was a disappointment.  The Greek salad was great, grandma’s chocolate cake food, but the prime rib was tough.  After dinner I went to the show, which was pretty good, one I have t seen before, different singers from December.

  I wandered around and smelled smoking in the main casino.  It seems there is a posted small section on the rear corner for smoking. You can particularly smell it when you are heading for the slots corner.

  Back in my cabin to get my bottle to fill with iced tea, I met my steward again.  He had my washcloths and robe, but said because I am Bella, I can’t have slippers.  Which I okay, I gave the previous ones to my niece.  I brought. My own.  Now I am up by the kiddie pool writing this.  I am going to add pics, but probably add. Ore as many are on my phone and haven’t pzopzuiated to this iPad mini.

[Essiesmom]

One more different thing is that there are no more paper daily programs. You have to use the app. Don’t know if the front desk will have copies for Luddites. Personally I like the app, but I am having trouble getting it to work for me this time.

  Now I will try to add pics of Bucees for those who haven’t been. And another try at the envelope for the cruise card

[Essiesmom]

Activity sheets and menus 

 

[ebeluga]

@Essiesmom Thanks for the run down. Just curious if they have any 2-tops available in the dining and if so, what does one have to do to get assigned one?

 

Also, do you mean that if you have fantastica experience, you will be provided slippers since you are diamond?

 

Thx!

[Mommapadraig]

On our last (and first with MSC)trip we were able to get the paper daily planner but we found the app was much easier to use for daily events.I doubt we’ll ask for the paper next time. Looking forward to your first full day on board. Thanks for taking us along.

[Essiesmom]

9 hours ago, ebeluga said:

@Essiesmom Thanks for the run down. Just curious if they have any 2-tops available in the dining and if so, what does one have to do to get assigned one?

 

Also, do you mean that if you have fantastica experience, you will be provided slippers since you are diamond?

 

Thx!

Yes, there were two tops in the dining room.  And as fantastica I got the slippers.  But I never wear those slippers, anyway.  
we are docked atOcean Cay,  thin clouds with hints of blue sky, calm ocean.  Time to get out and walk some.  

[Essiesmom]

Okay, I’m getting the hang of the app…it has changed a lot since my December cruise.  But I am a little concerned…it tells you to scan the code to get to daily planner.  But what do you do if you only have one device?  The code is on that one screen…how do you scan it?

  Anyway, this morning they were showing menus through Thursday, including lunch and the kids menus.  And todays planner.

    Went up to Marketplace buffet for breakfast.  I thought it would not be too crowded as it was 9am.  But I guess a lot of people slept in.  The longer I sat, the busier it got.  I saw and tried some interesting things I have not seen before.  I realized that with the exception of the eggs to order station in the aft, everything is available in maybe six different places.  No need to have a long line at the first one you come to.  Lots of kids onboard, lots of Spanish.  I was in line yesterday behind a family speaking French, but they were from Canada.

 I have visited the bathroom and lost my train of thought, so will add more pictures.

 

[purpleally]

Note. Bucees is not a truck stop.  In fact semi trucks are not allowed.