YVRteacher’s dad is on a cruise! Live from the Jewel Aug 19- Sept 2, 2024

[YVRteacher]

Let’s get this Live started off right! Beer for dad, Mai Tai for me.

 

My dad and I are on the NCL Jewel for the next two weeks.

 

I said goodbye to Emotional Support Ostrich this morning. She was in a bit of a slump; it happens to the best of us!

 

I am trying a different brand of bubbles this time! So far I am thrilled with the texture and long-lastingness.

 

Right now we are sitting on deck 13 in loungers in the Vancouver summer sun which really means clouds.

 

 

 

I just realized we don’t have drinks and turned to my dad and said “hey, we don’t have drinks!”

 

He said “You didn’t say you wanted a drink!”

 

Me: “it was implied!”

 

A family in matching shirts with personal statements just walked by. Their shirts say things like most likely to be celebrating a birthday, most likely to be caught shopping, most likely to be cold.  
 

I asked my dad what his shirt would say.

 

He replied, “most likely to be complaining.”

 

 

[GALSews]

Love following your cruises. I was the first one to follow. Do I get some kind of award?

[ceilidh1]

YAY! Virtually waving you off from the office in East Van...

[YVRteacher]

Our plan for today was for me to go to my dad’s place at 10:00am to help him pack then take a taxi over the Lions Gate Bridge to the port. When I called my dad this morning he sounded excited and said he had started packing and, according to dad, was almost done.

 

I arrived at his place (the manager is letting me park my car there for two weeks) to see his packing job. Dad had selected his bathing trunks, his beach shoes, his winter flannel pyjamas and his binoculars. He had also taken every pair of socks he owns and lined them up on the bed. I love how he thought this was complete and that he was all set for our Alaskan adventures.

 

I keep a list of everything I pack for him so it was on my phone and I started asking him to get the items he needed.

 

Me: please get your hairbrush.

 

Dad: I don’t have one. I don’t use that.

(Dad is obsessed with his hair!)

 

Me: please get your toothbrush.

 

Dad: I don’t have one. I don’t use that.

 

(ugh. Of course he does.)

 

Me: please get your shorts

 

Dad: I don’t have shorts

(he has great shorts! Tilley shorts!)

 

Me: please get your Tilley hat

 

Dad: I know where that is!

 

We can see where Dad’s priorities are!

 

 

 

 

[YVRteacher]

8 minutes ago, GALSews said:

Love following your cruises. I was the first one to follow. Do I get some kind of award?

This teacher gives you not just one gold star but the whole box!

[YVRteacher]

4 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

YAY! Virtually waving you off from the office in East Van...

I looked for you at Canada Place today. I loved that time you came to wave farewell!

[GALSews]

1 minute ago, YVRteacher said:

This teacher gives you not just one gold star but the whole box!

Oh, thank you. Bon voyage.

[ceilidh1]

4 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Our plan for today was for me to go to my dad’s place at 10:00am to help him pack then take a taxi over the Lions Gate Bridge to the port. When I called my dad this morning he sounded excited and said he had started packing and, according to dad, was almost done.

 

I arrived at his place (the manager is letting me park my car there for two weeks) to see his packing job. Dad had selected his bathing trunks, his beach shoes, his winter flannel pyjamas and his binoculars. He had also taken every pair of socks he owns and lined them up on the bed. I love how he thought this was complete and that he was all set for our Alaskan adventures.

 

I keep a list of everything I pack for him so it was on my phone and I started asking him to get the items he needed.

 

Me: please get your hairbrush.

 

Dad: I don’t have one. I don’t use that.

(Dad is obsessed with his hair!)

 

Me: please get your toothbrush.

 

Dad: I don’t have one. I don’t use that.

 

(ugh. Of course he does.)

 

Me: please get your shorts

 

Dad: I don’t have shorts

(he has great shorts! Tilley shorts!)

 

Me: please get your Tilley hat

 

Dad: I know where that is!

 

We can see where Dad’s priorities are!

 

 

 

 

I feel like I had an identical conversation with my 13 year old yesterday!

 

Me: Can you grab your raincoat

13yo: Where is it?

Me: In the closet, under your sister's raincoat

13yo: It's not there

Me: I literally just put it there yesterday

13yo: It's not there

Me: It is. Look under your sister's raincoat

13yo: It's not there

Me: (stomping down the stairs to the closet). IT'S RIGHT THERE!

13yo: Oh. I didn't think you meant on a hanger. I was looking on the floor under the raincoat.

Me: sigh

[YVRteacher]

I just went to write something funny but I forget what it is.

I am two Mai Tais in now.

[YVRteacher]

We left my dad’s place at 11:50 am and were eating lunch in the suites/Haven restaurant, Cagney’s, by 12:30.

 

Because I spent the first five weeks of summer travelling on Princess

I had to check in for this NCL cruise while on a cruise ship in the North Atlantic. I secured us a later than normal port arrival time then received several emails from NCL saying port arrival times would be strictly checked

 

No one checked. I did not submit the medical and special needs Access Desk form this time. I forgot. I was too busy scouting icebergs in Greenlandic fjords, gallivanting through the British Isles, buying a dress in Paris and getting a tattoo in Iceland.

 

The port was pretty smooth. The Vancouver port staff were friendly and organized so I was impressed and not at all embarrassed on behalf of my city.

 

I did have to use my teacher voice on the concierge. I asked for an escort through the port just because my dad can not handle confusion or long lines. She had absolutely no idea what to do and kept giving me incorrect information. She was literally making up things that were not true. At one point I told her she needed to stop and listen to me. After her third error where I again told her how to get through the port she apologized to us.  She eventually called a butler who did a great job whisking us through the port and onboard. The butler said the concierge is new and just transferred to the Jewel from the Breakaway. I am already missing Armando and of course Rumi. Both are on vacation.

[Mommapadraig]

Thank you so much for deciding to take us with you! Bon Voyage!

[www3traveler]

I hope you folks have a wonderful cruise.

 

Two of my favorite people are on board: F&B Tyson Pinto and Executive Chef Peter D Costa.

[YVRteacher]

We were able to drop our carry on only luggage in the suite before heading to lunch. This is a different cabin but it looks the same so my dad thinks we are in the same cabin! 

 

In Cagney’s the Maître D, Sheila, came and hugged us and welcomed us back. 
 

I kept things simple and ordered off the menu but I combined my two items, mushroom flatbread and crudités, before taking a photo.
 

First meal on board:

me

 

dad

 

 

Dad said he needed to do six deck laps after his soup and shrimp Louie. We both enjoyed our food. I had ordered dessert when I ordered the food but our waiter forgot. He brought us a dessert menu and I reminded him I had ordered one Banana Banoffee to share. 
We waited and waited.

 

Then we got up and walked out.

 

Edited August 19 by YVRteacher

[YVRteacher]

Dad reached his room before I did.

 

Me: what did you do to your pillows?

 

Dad: I shuffled them around a bit!

 

Look what a good job he did unpacking.

 

Also, look at this tie. When I checked in with the concierge where my dad lives she told me my dad had come to her this morning to ask her to help him tie his tie. He couldn’t remember and she didn’t know how. When we packed the tie I kind of picked it up and looked at it. My dad said, “one of the other inmates tied it for me!”

 

Inmates!!

 

 

my room

 

Balcony views while at Canada Place

 

 

Reading material

 

Edited August 19 by YVRteacher

[YVRteacher]

This is my first cruise as an NCL Ambassador.

The captain sent treats but he doesn’t know I am a vegetarian.

 

Someone sent wine. I gave it to the room steward.

 

 

Good grief.

 

 

[YVRteacher]

Let me tell you about two interactions this afternoon.

 

My dad and I went to the spa to buy thermal suite passes for the week.

 

Me: hello, we would like to buy thermal spa passes for the week.

 

Spa receptionist: did you already buy the passes online?

 

Me: no, I just said I wanted to buy spa passes

🙄

 

Despite the stupidity, we did manage to buy spa passes. The next interaction was worse. We went to the Cruise Next desk to book all the Latitudes benefits.

 

There was a rep helping a couple and a rep doing nothing. He asked us what we wanted. I told him and he said the other person would be with us soon. He continued to stand there doing nothing while we waited for 15 minutes. Finally I said to the silver spiked hair guy, “this is ridiculous service. Can we please just put our names down on the sign-up pages?”

 

He did scribble down our activities on a piece of paper. At no time did he say “hello” or “welcome aboard” or anything. This was one of the worst Cruise Next “welcomes” I have ever experienced. It’s not like I’m expecting a ticker tape parade, confetti and marching band but a “hello” would have been nice.

 

Both my dad and I left shaking our heads.

 

So far, we have received abysmal service from the concierge, the waiter, the spa receptionist and the Cruise Next guy.

 

Nonetheless, we are happy to be on a cruise.

[JGmf]

Hello and thanks, as always, for the Live report @YVRteacher!

 

Say, did you ever do the wrap-up opinions and observations about Princess v. NCL?  Did I miss it?

[Tyskie]

40 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

I hope you folks have a wonderful cruise.

 

Two of my favorite people are on board: F&B Tyson Pinto and Executive Chef Peter D Costa.

We have cruised multiple times with Chef Peter Costa

he is extremely accommodating - take any culinary needs directly to him

 

[YVRteacher]

16 minutes ago, JGmf said:

Hello and thanks, as always, for the Live report @YVRteacher!

 

Say, did you ever do the wrap-up opinions and observations about Princess v. NCL?  Did I miss it?

No

i had 11 days at home and I was busy living life. I’ll do it when I can.

[YVRteacher]

Bar line ups for sailaway

 

 

Disney Wonder left before us.

 

We now have a fruit bowl. No peach this year.

[mking8288]

Woohoo, bon voyage ... off to a great start, no matter what - on a cruise and vacation at sea again.  I cross-checked our Alaska ship schedule and was hoping that perhaps, at one of those crowded ports, that the path of the Jewel and the Queen Elizabeth will cross ... nope, can't and won't - not even if there's a slim chance that we can wave across balconies.  Oh well, have a great 2 weeks and look forward to updates since we are sort of "raiding" those ports behind you ship's wake.  

[Maleficent's Dad]

Thank you, Yvonne for doing yet ANOTHER live report!  This summer has been great reading about your travels.  Hoping this one goes well with your dad! 🍻

[gerry1.10]

Hi Yvonne

 

Have a great cruise with your dad. Looking forward to your reports. Just make sure Dad does not forget his shorts this time!!! LOL

 

Can you kindly find out when is Rumi, Chef Baiju and Amando coming back from their vacations please?

 

Thanks

Edited August 20 by gerry1.10

[mimi'sgirl]

Following and ready for another adventure! Have a wonderful 2 weeks and enjoy every moment with Dad! 

[SenatorsFan]

I'm glad you're doing another report! I'm looking forward to following you and Dad. Have fun. 😊