Jim_Iain - Live from Oceania Regatta - September 14 Vancouver to Los Angeles

[Jim_Iain]

Well cruise day at last. 
 

Flight check - On Time and Aircraft  the gate

 

 

 

 

inbound. 

[cluso]

Nice luggage tags!

[Jim_Iain]

Uber was the cheapest today and a car was 3 minutes away

 

 

 

For Silicon Valley the roads are empty. 

Edited September 14 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

1 minute ago, cluso said:

Nice luggage tags!

Love the luggage tags.  We are using the flamingo Nd totem pole. 
 

Are you already in Vancouver?

[cluso]

1 minute ago, Jim_Iain said:

Love the luggage tags.  We are using the flamingo Nd totem pole. 
 

Are you already in Vancouver?

Yes, since Wednesday.  😎

[bbqoug]

Regatta arriving in the distance.

 

[Jim_Iain]

Best laid plans. - Glitch 1

 

We got stuck behind a major accident.  When we got to the airport the airport was mobbed.   When we went to check luggage the machine jammed.    We missed the 1 hour check in by 30 seconds so they had to book us on next flight.    Even the supervisors couldn’t override. 
 

We are now getting in at 1 pm.  Oh well.  Just goes to show that flying in a day early is worth it. 
 

We are now camped out at United’s Club. 
 

 

 

[JDPCruisers]

23 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Will really look forward to your reports on Vista.    Our next Oceania cruise will be in Fall of 2025 on Vista.   We will be doing Istanbul to Barcelona and will connect with Celebrity from Lisbon to Buenos Aires (with stops in Brazil).    I hope that the Celebrity one actually sails as it has been cancelled the past 2 years.

Your fall Oceania/Celebrity itinerary sounds like a great one. Definitely one to look forward to!

[Jim_Iain]

15 hours ago, CTCruiser76 said:

Happy cruising!!!

 

We are doing the same as you, albeit we are not zenith but rather just Diamond/Elite by only sailing Royal/Celebrity.

 

Our first Oceania cruise will be next July to Bermuda on the Insignia.

 

Looking forward to your comparison review!!! 

Hope you enjoy the planning as much as I have.  I know some hate planning- I thrive on it. 

[Jim_Iain]

22 hours ago, mhdesno2 said:

Jim, this is off subject and I know you would figure it out but when you get on the ship and you initially log in the Oceania wifi, if you use a VPN, you need to turn it off. You can turn it back on once you're logged in. I've only done 2 Oceania cruises so far, both with Starlink on board, but turning back on the VPN seems to enable streaming. I'm really not sure why.

Thought I would add.  I’m very unstructured and nothing is off topic.  

[Jim_Iain]

16 hours ago, calicakes said:

You are brave, flying in the day of the cruise.  

Rule number one.  Listen to @calicakes

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, Jazzbo said:

Jim — sorry to go off-topic, but would you mind posting a link to the thread where you and another CC member (maybe more than one) discussed VPNs? I tried using the VPN that comes with my McAfee in the DR recently, but it doesn’t give me specific locations in the U.S., only “U.S.” as a choice.

On topic — really looking forward to another Jim_Iain Live and to the comparison with Celebrity. Bon voyage!

I use NordVPN and have used Express VPN.  With both of these services they allow you to search for a city or country.   I’m not familiar McAfee.   They also allow you to use about 6 protocols.   
 

I’ll see what I can find out about McAfer

[Jim_Iain]

15 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

Your fall Oceania/Celebrity itinerary sounds like a great one. Definitely one to look forward to!

It also has one bonus.   We are taking Cunard from New York to Southampton instead of flying 

[Oceangoer2]

34 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Best laid plans. - Glitch 1

 

We got stuck behind a major accident.  When we got to the airport the airport was mobbed.   When we went to check luggage the machine jammed.    We missed the 1 hour check in by 30 seconds so they had to book us on next flight.    Even the supervisors couldn’t override. 
 

We are now getting in at 1 pm.  Oh well.  Just goes to show that flying in a day early is worth it. 
 

We are now camped out at United’s Club. 
 

 

 

So sorry to hear about the 'glitch'...which you took in stride...I don't think anything ever bothers you!  👍 Will enjoy your O 'live from'....following also the X one.

[FetaCheese]

40 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Best laid plans. - Glitch 1

 

We got stuck behind a major accident.  When we got to the airport the airport was mobbed.   When we went to check luggage the machine jammed.    We missed the 1 hour check in by 30 seconds so they had to book us on next flight.    Even the supervisors couldn’t override. 
 

We are now getting in at 1 pm.  Oh well.  Just goes to show that flying in a day early is worth it. 
 

We are now camped out at United’s Club. 
 

 

 

Sorry to hear.  2 bright spots:  later flight , with space, available from SFO.  Waiting in Club Lounge.

 

We have some nice stories about day of travel to cruises.  (Not this cruise!)

 

See you soon.

[cluso]

48 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Best laid plans. - Glitch 1

 

We got stuck behind a major accident.  When we got to the airport the airport was mobbed.   When we went to check luggage the machine jammed.    We missed the 1 hour check in by 30 seconds so they had to book us on next flight.    Even the supervisors couldn’t override. 
 

We are now getting in at 1 pm.  Oh well.  Just goes to show that flying in a day early is worth it. 
 

We are now camped out at United’s Club. 
 

 

 

Oh no, Mr Bill!

[JDPCruisers]

23 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

It also has one bonus.   We are taking Cunard from New York to Southampton instead of flying 

Cunard is one I've always wanted to try as I think of glamour and high-level of service (the old movie fan in me from the Golden Age). Though, not sure that is truly the case nowadays. 

[Jim_Iain]

On the way.    departing 10 minutes early.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Oceangoer2 said:

So sorry to hear about the 'glitch'...which you took in stride...I don't think anything ever bothers you!  👍 Will enjoy your O 'live from'....following also the X one.

 

Had time for a coffee and snack. We are now airborne and should touch down in 2 hours. 

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, FetaCheese said:

Sorry to hear.  2 bright spots:  later flight , with space, available from SFO.  Waiting in Club Lounge.

 

We have some nice stories about day of travel to cruises.  (Not this cruise!)

 

See you soon.

today was incredible.    I’ve never seen so many cars at the departure terminals.   
 

They changed our gate and terminal 4 times after we checked in.  Luckily we were sitting comfortably in the lounge. 

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, JDPCruisers said:

Cunard is one I've always wanted to try as I think of glamour and high-level of service (the old movie fan in me from the Golden Age). Though, not sure that is truly the case nowadays. 

same here.  We booked with a Xmas sale and the fare in Queens Grill was less than Business Class.  
 

We are also sailing Cunard in October.  We get to UK 2 Weeks before the TA.    We will be doing a road trip to Scotland and visit Iain’s family. 

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, FetaCheese said:

Sorry to hear.  2 bright spots:  later flight , with space, available from SFO.  Waiting in Club Lounge.

 

We have some nice stories about day of travel to cruises.  (Not this cruise!)

 

See you soon.

I’m sure my forgetting my passport and sending Iain along without me.    I was luckily able to book a SJC- YVR-FRA-FCA. Leaving 1 hour after booking.   Luckily Iain had the luggage.  
 

I arrived 2 hours after Iain.    Luckily we were staying at airport. 

[billc23]

52 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Had time for a coffee and snack. We are now airborne and should touch down in 2 hours. 

I'm glad it worked out OK! Very stressful to be in a situation where you may be delayed too long to make it to the ship on time. I am really looking forward to your thoughts on Oceania. Thanks for taking your time to entertain and educate the CC community!

[AMHuntFerry]

20 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Surprised to hear that.    I suspect that you disembarked at one of the old wooden piers.

 

They have a new James R Herman Cruise Terminal that is very modern and up to date with both Embarkation and Disembarkation facilities.

 

Yikes... I've never been to Astoria so I have no idea what to expect.  

jonthomas and I have widely differing opinions on SFO and Astoria. Yes, in Astoria there were a few people who were apparently homeless/transient along the Riverwalk/trolley, but we encountered no aggressive panhandling or interaction of any sort (e.g., no signs asking for help)...just a person hanging out with an abundance of items.

Astoria is a lovely little town. The only "con" is that it can easily be a cancelled port due to the tricky entrance/exit. We enjoyed the maritime museum with a tour of a USCG light boat. Since you like walking, there is a walk to the Astoria column that may get you to your 20k steps. If history is your thing, I found a couple of walking tours (https://www.oregon.com/recreation/historic-astoria

)

[calicakes]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Rule number one.  Listen to @calicakes

Sorry I jinxed you.