Below the Salt on Magnifica after Essie and Essiesmom crash the party on Valiant Lady

[Match Game 72]

On 7/17/2024 at 10:17 PM, Essiesmom said:

It always frustrates me when my pics don’t load in the order I intend them to.  (Try to diagram that sentence).

  I forgot to say I was freezing in the cabin though the cabin wasn’t cold…I couldn’t take a bath, no tub and I probably wouldn’t be able to get out of it anyway.  Would love to soak feet in hot tub, but no bathing suit.  Then I realized all I needed to do was go sit in the sun, which I did. Problem solved.

I remember diagramming sentences. That's a skill I never used after high school. And I can report that it is no longer taught.

[Essiesmom]

I’m in the Royal theater waiting for the second show to start.  I got a short nap with HGTV running and periodic announcements for laggards to report to their muster stations.  I went to the solos meeting…there were about 8 of us, all ladies.  There was free punch and champagne.  I left there to go to dinner. Times are 6 & 8:30.  I have 6, table for 8, by the window.  There was a Hispanic couple there when I arrived, and the husband has no English.  We were joined by another Hispanic couple.  Finally a non Hispanic couple arrived…from Ohio.  We had a nice chat.  I had the Greek salad, prime rib and chocolate ice cream.  The rib was much better than last month on Seashore.  I finally got into the app and checked the menus for all three nights.  I regret that the three day rotation does not include the app of eggplant parmigiana.

   More later.

[Essiesmom]

   There are a lot of young families with multiple children on this cruise…being only 3 days.  Some really young ones.  Most cruise lines require babies to be six months to sail, but after I saw a baby I knew wasn’t that old, I scoured the MSC website and could not find any lowest age limit.  
   After dinner I wandered a bit, then went to karaoke until time for the show.  I e seen this show before on another ship, I think costumes and set were some different but songs the same.  Still enjoyable.  The cruise director Endrigo from Brazil was on Seaside last year…I think.  
   My mind is drawing a blank, so maybe it’s time to go to bed.  EM

[Essiesmom]

I slept pretty well, up just before 0800.  We didn’t dock at  Key West until 0900, so when I went up to the cafeteria it was crowded.  But not bad.  I ate, then set off to cover the interior decks with camera.  This ship unfortunately has a smoking casino, and you have to pass through it to get to the theater on deck 7.  
  The theater performance was poorly attended last night…maybe  not a big attraction on a short cruise.  Maybe the early show was better.  But with the first night slowness, hard to make it at 1930.

  Weather is wonderful.  I have no intention of going ashore.  I wandered through some of the shops last night, nothing I need.  This ship has an almost wrap around deck on deck 7.  It goes inside at the bow, but dead end at the stern.  No chairs or loungers but places are wide enough for them.  Lots of conversational lounges.  My pictures are syncing to the cloud in the opposite order from which I took them…last ones first.  Let’s see if I can post some.

 

[Essiesmom]

And some more

 

[DaKahuna]

20 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

 I regret that the three day rotation does not include the app of eggplant parmigiana.

 

 I wonder if you could ask your wait staff to order it for you for the next evenings dinner? 

 

5 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

My pictures are syncing to the cloud in the opposite order from which I took them…last ones first.  Let’s see if I can post some.

 

Loving your pictures.  

 

 I am amazed at how you manage to catch so many beautiful pictures without any humans in them on crowded ships.  It seems there is almost always someone in the pictures I take no matter how how I try and avoid it. 

 

[Essiesmom]

You have to go early for pictures, or when everyone is off the ship.  I spent the day quartering the ship and taking pictures.  But the Wi-Fi has been iffy. None in the sports bar, and now I can get on with my iPad, but the phone says no connection and that’s where the rest of the pictures are.  
  I found the Venchi between the pools on deck 13.   It no cones, only little cups.  But the did have stracciatela.  I picked my u through the buffet…a veggie spring roll, piece of garlic bread, slice of pizza… and I had a Diet Coke…on the rocks with a twist of lime.  I like to go first class…sometimes.  I went to the welcome party for Voyagers Club at 5pm.  There as live music and what I think was a tango by the dance instructors.  They brought up the senior officers for the toast, but strangely, didn’t introduce them.  I had a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres.  I’m sure I murdered that spelling.  Now I am in the MDR waiting for my starter of stuffed mushrooms.

[DaKahuna]

5 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

You have to go early for pictures, or when everyone is off the ship.  I spent the day quartering the ship and taking pictures.

 

 Thank you.  That is what I thought you might be doing but was not sure so I asked. 

 

 Glad you are enjoying your cruises.  We do not sail until September. 

 

[Essiesmom]

It’s been a frustrating half day. I couldn’t gat the internet to work. Sometimes on the mini but not the phone. Pictures won’t sync. Phone says no internet connection. I went all over the ship trying to find a signal. Trying to send pictures to Shutterfly. I upgraded to browse and stream hoping that would help but it was only for one device so I am shut out of the iPad. This morning phone works fine. 
  I am up waiting for my meds to digest so I can go up for breakfast. We are docked at Ocean Cay. I have the bridgecam on watching the dredger and various other craft. The angle of this cam does not give me the lighthouse. 
  I went to the photo place last evening and found my boarding pictures. There is actually only one pic but printed on three backgrounds. I picked the one I preferred and took it to the counter. $25 for it and the others were free. Essentially three for $25. But I got 40%  Voyagers club discount so &14.99.  I should have a picture from the diamond reception last evening but last time it was free. 
  Went to dinner and had the stuffed mushrooms… they look like escargot but stuffed with spinach. Figured that would count as a vegetable.   Then the coq au vin chicken, and grandmas chocolate cake. My English speaking dinner companions again arrived at 6:30 so dinner ran late. They saw my cake and immediately ordered it with double vanilla ice cream. 
  They had the introductions of the culinary staff and wait staff at dessert time and some sang a song and danced, which we couldn’t see. And paraded around the room twirling napkins. A la Carnival. If they are going to do this they need to go to the Carnival school of  dining room entertainment. 
I am going to pause here and add a bunch of pictures to break it up

 

[Essiesmom]

I left dinner and found entertainment in the atrium until time for the show  in the mdr there didn’t seem to be many people observing White Night but outside they appeared. But I think the short cruises attract many new cruisers who don’t know the traditions. In the theater I saw one plus size lady wearing what could have served as a wedding dress…or in a smaller size, first communion.

  The show was Cameo, supposed to be memories from movies. There were times it was a bit strange. There are times you are glad the shows are only 35 minutes. Now if Endrigo would keep his opening remarks a bit shorter…. I spoke with him at the reception and he was on both of my Seashore cruises last year. 
   After the show I wandered around looking for WiFi without luck. There was live music in nearly every venue. Finally ended up back in the cabin watching TV until after midnight. 
 More pictures. There will be a couple or more dumps. 

[Essiesmom]

More pictures

 

[Essiesmom]

Well, the internet has been mostly down and quirky.  After breakfast in the buffet I went down to guest services about the Internet. They sent me to the info point and someone was to open there at 1100.  They/he was late, and there were a few of us. It is a problem with the satellite.  I did get them to cancel my upgrade and restore my 2 device plan.  Then I went ashore.  
    I took the shuttle to South Beach and walked across the bridge and halfway down Notth Beach and looked over at Bimini Beach.  I had never been that far before.  I crossed back over to South Beach and caught the shuttle back to the ship.  Came up to the cafeteria and had a swirl cone.    My tags have come so now it’s time to pack and nap.  

[Essiesmom]

I have left my last Magnifica supper and am sitting in the atrium listening to wonderful piano music.  The engines are revving and we will shortly leave Ocean Cay.  There are ropes up and Entry/Exit signs apparently to direct traffic as there will be an opportunity to take selfies with the officers.  Which officers I don’t know.

  I will go to the second show of Circus.  I expect it to be a lot of aerial, tumbling, juggling, etc.   Might take a seat where I can leave early unobtrusively.  I have lots of pics of Ocean Cay but they are in my phone which is not cooperating.  
  There is a really big group onboard, really big family reunion.  There are about six tables of 8 or so and each table had a different color T-shirt.  One lady seemed to be their official photographer with big fancy camera.  
 

[Essiesmom]

Just a few have come through

Serious lines forming at Guest Services

 

[Essiesmom]

They just announced a medical emergency and I think he said death, which has delayed our departure from Ocean Cay.  I remember a page during dinner to a cabin on deck 12.  I couldn’t understand what code they called, presumably MSC has their own codes, maybe in Italian.

[Essiesmom]

Selfie with the officers.  I have no idea which ones, or if one was the captain.

 

[awatt]

Thats a great picture!

[Essiesmom]

1 hour ago, awatt said:

Thats a great picture!

I think I’m beginning to look like the late Queen…without her makeup artist.

its 11pm and we are still at Ocean Cay dealing with the medical emergency.  Doubt it will affect our Miami arrival, as we could crawl there.

the show was much like I expected, but better.  Aerial acts, trampoline, skaters, juggler, unicycle, etc.  They closed with We are the World, with members of the crew from many countries coming onstage.  Always moving.

  My bag is outside the door.  They gave me #1, but I don’t plan on getting off that early.  My flight isn’t until 2pm.  I

 

[Essiesmom]

[Essiesmom]

We finally left OC at midnight.  I see lightning ahead on the bridge cam 

[Essiesmom]

[Essiesmom]

It is 0530 and we are just following Allure otS into Port of Miami.  Looks to be a lovely day.

[Match Game 72]

Thank you for taking us along on your trip.

[DaKahuna]

@Essiesmom  Thank you very much for yet another wonderful and picturesque review.  I enjoyed following along on both of your cruises.  

 I hope you had an uneventful disembarkation and a safe and comfortable journey home.  Look forward to following along on your next adventure. 

 

[awatt]

I always enjoy your reviews, thanks for another one.

 

I would be interested to hear your impressions of both cruises, what you liked about each.