Xpedition - Cabin facilities

[drfun48]

drfun48

 

We took your advice for our upcoming trip (two weeks!!!). We took out what we thought we needed and then put a little less than half of it back. If it wasn't for all the camera paraphenalia, we could almost do this in our wheeled carryon pieces!!!! As it is we are well below one full duffle case. :D Thanks for the advice.

My advice comes cheap,but I'm sure you'll find it valuable. My sentiments have been echoed by almost all who have returned.Further,I plan to follow it when I return in December.I am more excited about the return trip than I was about the first one last July because I know how fabulous it was.

I know you'll find it incredible too. It's a sure thing. Make sure you post fully when you get back. All of the "alumni" love reliving the experience and we are particularly anxious to hear about the new stops.

AND don't forget to ask for the Chocholate milk shake at the bar,the iced lattes, and the Bartender's special Caipirinha-a rum like,lime and sugar potent potable! ENJOY!!

[amyr]

Dr Fun - I think we're going a few weeks before you, and I want to thank you for the reports and your advice. I think you just gave me the best advice of all - there's a yummy rum drink? It sounds a bit like a Mojito - does it taste like that? If I wasn't excited before, I am now:D

[drfun48]

Dr Fun - I think we're going a few weeks before you, and I want to thank you for the reports and your advice. I think you just gave me the best advice of all - there's a yummy rum drink? It sounds a bit like a Mojito - does it taste like that? If I wasn't excited before, I am now:D

 

Here's the recipe

 

caipirinha.jpg (44512 bytes)

 

1 lime

 

2 ounces of cachaça-a spirit distill from sugar cane in Brazil-similar to rum

 

Sugar to taste

 

Ice cubes

 

Wash the lime and roll it on the board to loosen the juices. Cut the lime into pieces and place them in a glass. Sprinkle with the sugar and crush the pieces (pulp side up) with a pestle. (We have a long, wooden one from Brazil, made specifically for this purpose.) Just enough to release the juice, otherwise it'll get bitter. Add the cachaça and stir to mix. Add the ice and stir again. It is delicious and potent!

 

You can also make a pitcher of caipirinha. Figure out how many people and multiply amounts. If you can't find cachaça where you live, use a good vodka. The drink will then be called caipiroshka. No vodka? Use white rum and you will have a caipiríssima. Caipirinhas made with sake are all the rage in Rio now! Try one...

[Roland4]

We experienced Caipirinha's for the first time on a Rio sailaway. Very smooth but powerful. As our Rio tour guide put it;

 

One caipirinha, you can dance the Samba

Two, and you can speak Portugueses

Three, you speak Portuguese FLUENTLY

Four, you sleep well, but finding the bed could be a problem.

(It rhymed the way she said it, but you get the picture)

 

I have since had to give up alcohol, but my Other Half still likes an occasional caipirinha when we cruise and can find a barkeep who knows how to make one properly.

 

drfun48

 

Be assured a full report will be posted. It's the least we can do for all the great advice we have received from those, like you, who have been there. I know the "new" stops were to start June 6, but our tickets still show the "old" itinerary. It will be interesting to see which one we get.

[janesm]

Hi Spengle,

 

One of your posts mentioned an Xpedition board. Where can I find this? Thanks.

[SheilaNC]

Janesm,

the best info that I've found is to go the Xpedition Roll Call board and read some of the older threads....several include words like 'back from Xpedition' or something like that. The ones that I learned most from and posted to were dated January through summer 2005. Hope that helps

[cruisePRN]

My advice comes cheap,but I'm sure you'll find it valuable. My sentiments have been echoed by almost all who have returned.Further,I plan to follow it when I return in December.I am more excited about the return trip than I was about the first one last July because I know how fabulous it was.

I know you'll find it incredible too. It's a sure thing. Make sure you post fully when you get back. All of the "alumni" love reliving the experience and we are particularly anxious to hear about the new stops.

AND don't forget to ask for the Chocholate milk shake at the bar,the iced lattes, and the Bartender's special Caipirinha-a rum like,lime and sugar potent potable! ENJOY!!

 

Although I loved this cruise I wouldn't go back until I've experienced some other exotic places. I'm interested to know what made you decide to go back. It was beautiful and the ship was friendly and all but there's so little time and SOOOOOO many places i want to see before i repeat a cruise. Please share your thoughts on this with me.

[drfun48]

Although I loved this cruise I wouldn't go back until I've experienced some other exotic places. I'm interested to know what made you decide to go back. It was beautiful and the ship was friendly and all but there's so little time and SOOOOOO many places i want to see before i repeat a cruise. Please share your thoughts on this with me.

We do cruise a lot and my experience has always been that the second time to a location has always been better than the first.You're smarter about what to bring,how to budget your time,what can be skipped and what must be experienced in more detail.

One thing I did do since my last trip was to take an intensive crash course in Spanish. I'm sure this will also add to my enjoyment.

Don't you find you do things better with time?I hope so.

My first kiss was thrilling,but not as good as later ones.

I also would like to bring members of my family to share the experience with them.

Yes,there are many exotic places to see,but I don't feel like I have a check list or am in a competition to experience every last squre inch of planet earth.

Quality days,rather than variety of days are my preference. If that's not for you,I have no problem with that. Whatever floats your boat.

[cruisePRN]

We do cruise a lot and my experience has always been that the second time to a location has always been better than the first.You're smarter about what to bring,how to budget your time,what can be skipped and what must be experienced in more detail.

One thing I did do since my last trip was to take an intensive crash course in Spanish. I'm sure this will also add to my enjoyment.

Don't you find you do things better with time?I hope so.

My first kiss was thrilling,but not as good as later ones.

I also would like to bring members of my family to share the experience with them.

Yes,there are many exotic places to see,but I don't feel like I have a check list or am in a competition to experience every last squre inch of planet earth.

Quality days,rather than variety of days are my preference. If that's not for you,I have no problem with that. Whatever floats your boat.

 

It was a question please don't take offense.

 

I'm sure you will have a fabulous time your second go round on Xpedition. it was a great ship. I'm going to the Antartic in January to see the "non tropical" penquins which I hope proves to be as interesting as the ones in Galapagos. Someday I may go back to the Galapagos but I've a few adventures I'd like to see first. Have you been to the Amazon?

[drfun48]

It was a question please don't take offense.

 

I'm sure you will have a fabulous time your second go round on Xpedition. it was a great ship. I'm going to the Antartic in January to see the "non tropical" penquins which I hope proves to be as interesting as the ones in Galapagos. Someday I may go back to the Galapagos but I've a few adventures I'd like to see first. Have you been to the Amazon?

No offense taken.

Amazon is a definite no. My wife has an aversion for the shots, and bugs feast on me like no other. A good friend on that trip recently told me the insects were literally licking the bug repellantoff her as an appetizer.

[gooch47]

I agree about knowing more about the place making the second visit more enjoyable. We'll know which places to skip (the Interpretation Center) and which ones to concentrate on.

 

We have taken "eco" tours on cruises over and over again and have always been disappointed. It would be hard to come even close to the Galapagos adventure no matter where we go.

 

And we're also going at a different time of year next time. We talked with a woman who had been there 21 times. She said it was somewhat different each time she went.

[cruisePRN]

When I did the Amazon on princess there was not a single bug. they told us it depends which side of the river you are on because half is acidic and they stayed away from that side. I took along AVON skin so soft repellant and didn't use it at all. Maybe it was the time of year. The yellow fever vaccination was not a problem, I had no adverse reaction to it.

It seemed to me that the people who loved the nature and beauty of the Galapagos may also be the people who like other natural beauty like the Amazon, just a thought.

[drfun48]

When I did the Amazon on princess there was not a single bug. they told us it depends which side of the river you are on because half is acidic and they stayed away from that side. I took along AVON skin so soft repellant and didn't use it at all. Maybe it was the time of year. The yellow fever vaccination was not a problem, I had no adverse reaction to it.

It seemed to me that the people who loved the nature and beauty of the Galapagos may also be the people who like other natural beauty like the Amazon, just a thought.

Karyn 8,I don't think you're getting the picture. There ARE bugs in the Amazon... billions X 10 to the n th. But it doesn't matter,if there were only a thousand ,they would all find me...no matter the side of the river,the time of year,or whatever toxic poison I choose to douse myself with.

In high school my summer job was to rent out at parties as a "living bud light".

When the insects would land on me my partner would slap them dead.

Later,during college,I worked for the New Jersey Mosquito Commission to aid in the collection of vast quantities of mosquitos so they could test various poison sprays on them.

The downside risk of what might happen in the Amazon is just not worth it.

[drfun48]

I agree about knowing more about the place making the second visit more enjoyable. We'll know which places to skip (the Interpretation Center) and which ones to concentrate on.

 

We have taken "eco" tours on cruises over and over again and have always been disappointed. It would be hard to come even close to the Galapagos adventure no matter where we go.

 

And we're also going at a different time of year next time. We talked with a woman who had been there 21 times. She said it was somewhat different each time she went.

Excellent point about the different seasons. I heard that too. Many have asked what is the best time and even the Naturalists disagee. I guess it depends what you like.Perhaps the only bad time would be during the rainy season..Last July we particularly enjoyed the activity of the Albatross landings and I am looking foreward to seeing the newborn sea lions in December.

[deec]

will there be babies of any species in mid Novemeber?

[gooch47]

Two naturalists, the Cruise Director and the lady with 21 visits all recommended October. There are lots of baby birds then. The baby sea lions are born in December, but there will be plenty of young ones. They are hysterical! They were in the "terrible twos" stage when we were there in April. They would zoom around you when you were swimming or snorkeling and one actually stole one woman's mask and snorkle! When a Zodiac would pull up to the beach, you'd see half a dozen or more sticking their heads out of the water wanting to play.

[frankpc]

Here's a good link for an activity calendar in the GPS:

 

http://www.galapagosislandsdiscover.com/calendar.htm

 

We visited in late Sept/early October and some sea lions were in labor/birthing at that time. While the islands are fairly barren at that time of year, it does make animal spotting easier. Our guides did say that many folks visited twice -to experience variations that occur with the seasonal changes.

 

 

Frank

[deec]

thanks for the great link

snorkelling should be great fun...

 

I have asked previously but if there are any new readers....has anyone done a dive excursion or only snorkelling?

[frankpc]

Celebrity arranged a dive trip on our tour. It is an extra cost, not sure how much.

Water temps can be surprising cold and variable.

 

Frank

[deec]

thanks, for the info.

I guess we will wait until we are onboard and see how many might be interested and the cost...as well as an answer to Will we see more with a dive than we will with snorkelling which everyone says has been outstanding....

[Kittycat]

I'd call them a window. They weren't a one foot diameter port hole or anything like that. They were square. Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures of the cabin. We were in 304, by the way.

 

Hi gooch47, we're just about to book cabin 304 for September 2007 - we thought that we wouldn't be in the room that much and therefore didn't need a balcony, we would be pretty much midships, although I'm sure there'll be a bit of rocking on such a small ship, and we would be neither near the anchor or public areas. How did you find that cabin?

[SheilaNC]

kittycat,

We were in 302 and loved the location. Very convenient to everything (although nothing is very far from anything on this ship). No rocking noticed. We slept like babies every night - partly because we were so active all day every day. Still think about that wonderful trip and tell everyone about it.