Live from the CB (Aug 24 - 31)

[Casshew]

Hi everyone, I am live from the CB if anyone has questions.

 

We boarded yesterday in Brooklyn, getting to the port was a breeze, security, checkin and boarding were basically instant. We arrived around noon and we onboard around 12:15pm.

 

We are in the family suite, it is PERFECT for our party of 4, 6 or 8 would be pushing it I think.

 

People who say the balcony is unusable and windy are NUTS. The balcony is wonderful, not windy at all, nothing but sun and gentle breeze even at 17 knots. We were out on it all day today (a sea day)

 

Food is typical, anytime dining is a nightmare... really, a long long wait and lots of unhappy people. 1 hour wait last night for dinner and about 25 minutes tonight.

 

Tomorrow we are in Halifax, I will check in so ask if you have questions...

 

:D

[Sandytoes]

 

Food is typical, anytime dining is a nightmare... really, a long long wait and lots of unhappy people. 1 hour wait last night for dinner and about 25 minutes tonight.

 

:D

Hi

Casshew ~

 

Guess you didn't make reservations...;)..:D

Maybe tomorrow....:p

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Hey, have you heard about the candle fire?

On the Emerald Deck, E120,E202

Any updates?

[Casshew]

Internet access sucks.

[Colo Cruiser]

Enjoy and do say Hi to Sam the asst CD for me, Keith. She is the best!! :D

[NeurosurgeryNP]

Thanks for the update! Have a great time. Looking forward to hearing from you again. I was waving to you from the Belt Parkway Park as you all passed.

[LUV THE SEA]

Was tonight your formal night..did you make a reservation...what did they serve for dinner tonight...who is the cd...so many questions we will be on the same cruise 9/21...anything you can tell us wowuld be great. Thanks

[Clutterlady]

Hope you have a wonderful cruise :)

[WWCJR]

Thanks for doing a live from for us all. We will be were you are in two weeks. Can't wait to hear more about this cruise. I hope that you have a great cruise.

 

P.S. I believe the fire was in E220.

[margeg]

Hi Casshew, Thanks for your valuable time!!!:)

 

Any mechanical problems? Read a review from August saying they had engine problems.:eek:

 

How is your cruise director? Looking forward to your posts this week.

[Starz723]

I hope you have a great cruise. Im interested in hearing about the ports.

 

I miss the CB. I had such a great time.

 

If you like rock music, dont miss the band Wavelength. They are excellent musicians.

[Casshew]

Hi

Casshew ~

 

Guess you didn't make reservations...;)..:D

Maybe tomorrow....:p

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Hey, have you heard about the candle fire?

On the Emerald Deck, E120,E202

Any updates?

Did not hear about a candle fire :eek: Did not make reservations last night.. tried for tonight (called last night) and they had nothing available for either dining room for the entire week.

 

The CB is sailing full, every venue looks packed all the time, buffet, dining room, pizza/burgers grills and specialties dining - line ups all over the place including the pursers desk and shore excursion desk, honestly I have never been on a ship that felt so crowded. No seats by the pools, even the card room was full - every table taken.

 

 

 

Internet access sucks.

 

Paul is that you? yes internet access sucks - It was not working this morning and then every time I went to the internet cafe or library all the computers were taken and there was a line waiting.

 

Was tonight your formal night..did you make a reservation...what did they serve for dinner tonight...who is the cd...so many questions we will be on the same cruise 9/21...anything you can tell us would be great. Thanks

 

Formal dinner was filet of beef, bow tie pasta with veal and mushrooms, rock cornish game hen, - sorry that's all I remember seeing. There was a seafood buffet at Caribe Cafe.

 

Sugar free desserts are very good, last night was a chocolate cake and tonight a semolina tart - tasty, you wouldn't know it didn't have sugar.

 

Coffee is good in the dining room and horrid in the buffet

 

Today was a our meet and greet in Skywalkers. Laura from our roll call arranged it and we had a fun gift exchange. The CB Hotel Manager was in attendance and was very gracious in answering all our questions.

 

He talked about the new Ultimate Ship's Tour that will take place on the Ruby. He discussed the changes for CB in the upcoming dry dock and most importantly he discussed Cruise Critic - which he personally reads - and he recognized many of our member names (from our name tags) including mine which he said was 'very familiar'

 

He prints off reviews and roll call posts on occasion and lets other staff members read them if he feels they should. He personally reads all the comment cards and 'you made a difference' cards from each week's sailings.

 

According to him there is no problem with the air conditioning - no matter what people post :D just that the Caribbean climate is very hot in summer and the ship's a/c can't keep up.

 

The meet and greet was well attended. in fact the most well attended in months - the hotel manager was impressed.

 

That's all for now, I have to get to bed we are in Halifax in the morning... calm seas all day today, warm breezes and sunshine - it was like a Caribbean cruise. Sailaway from NYC was breathtaking - sailing past Lady Liberty under blue skys and the under the verazano narrows bridge.. wonderful.

 

Paul - if you are reading ILYT and I'll call in the morning.

[Casshew]

Hi Casshew, Thanks for your valuable time!!!:)

 

Any mechanical problems? Read a review from August saying they had engine problems.:eek:

 

How is your cruise director? Looking forward to your posts this week.

 

 

There is a generator that will be replaced in drydock in October...it is the size of a school bus - they have to cut the hull to get it out and put a new one in, also it was the middle generator - so they have to remove two other generators to get to it. It will be a big undertaking... This comes directly from the Hotel Manager who met with us today:)

 

The ship's speed is affected - but the Canada New England itinerary is okay because the ports are so close together. Ship is cruising at around 17 knots comfortably - you would not know anything is wrong.

[Love Boat Dream]

 

He prints off reviews and roll call posts on occasion and lets other staff members read them if he feels they should. He personally reads all the comment cards and 'you made a difference' cards from each week's sailings.

 

According to him there is no problem with the air conditioning - no matter what people post :D just that the Caribbean climate is very hot in summer and the ship's a/c can't keep up.

 

Thanks for the live posts!

 

I'm glad to hear that the hotel manager reads CC and he takes up seriously!

 

I was in a HOT room on the 7/1 cruise and I think saying the a/c can't keep up means that there IS a problem with the a/c! The ship sails half the year in a hot climate, it needs to keep up!

 

Enjoy the rest of your trip!

[Sandytoes]

Did not hear about a candle fire Did not make reservations last night.. tried for tonight (called last night) and they had nothing available for either dining room for the entire week.

 

:eek:

This is very surprising....Usually they have tables available in the Palm. Hopefully you'll have better luck.

 

 

According to him there is

no problem with the air conditioning - no matter what people post

L:D L

Very Funny

it was like a Caribbean cruise.

Sailaway from NYC was breathtaking - sailing past Lady Liberty under blue skys and the under the verazano narrows bridge.. wonderful..

Yes it is breathtaking isn't it....

What surprises me is that here you live in Canada and your cruising to Canada. What a Riot!!!! :p..:D You truly are a cheerleader....;) Love It!!!!

Have a great cruise, enjoy the weather, and all of us are looking for your next post.

[Solara]

Thanks for the live posts. I love the CB. Is James Deering the Passenger Services Director?? He is wonderful, we sailed with him twice. Have a wonderful cruise.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Can you tell us more about the changes in the works during the drydock? Our sailing will be in May - after the drydock. Hopefully it will help with the crowded conditions! I'm glad we have Traditional Dining.:D

[shancan911]

Thanks for your time! We'll be sailing CB on 10-5. Looking forward to our first trip to New England. If you wouldn't mind...keeping an eye out for daily spa specials? I love the ginger and lime scrub/massage. RCI normally puts that on special one day during their cruises. If it does, I'd like to book the appropriate day. Enjoy your journey!!!

[2good2b]

Thanks for the live updates! We will be on that cruise on Oct 5th. When in Oct will the ship be in dry dock for repair? Give us your thoughts about the entertainment. I've read some bad reports. We didn't book a tour in Halifax, we've been there before and went to Peggy's Cove (BEAUTIFUL). I would love to hear how you spent your day there. Looking forward to reading all of your posts. Thank you!!:)

[cruiserdru]

Can't figure when it can go into drydock in October. There are NE/Canada cruises on 10/5, 10/12, and 10/19. Then I thought it was headed south.

 

Hope they aren't thinking of canceling one of those :eek: Especially since I am on the 10/19 and it is also sold out.

 

Last I heard drydock was scheduled fo February of 2009.

[Mike A]

The CB will go into Dry Dock in early January. My daughter will be on one of the first cruises after the dry dock on February 1, 2009

[e050377]

Thank you for the update. We're sailing in 2 weeks and are very excited!!

[luv2swim]

Thanks for taking the time to share with us. Especially interested to hear that someone is monitoring these boards. I think that's a good thing.

[magsis]

Thanks for the live info! DH and I will be on the 10/19 CB cruise also. It is a relief to hear that assumptioms were correct and the broken generator will not affect the port times. If the Hotel Manager said the AC was not affected why were there so many complaints previously. There were a lot of posts about how hot the elevators were. What are you experiencing on that? Not that AC in the elevators is all that important but it might give us a frame of reference since it's the one AC problem that EVERYONE agreed apon on prev posts.

 

Someone posted that Bert Stratton was still on board yet I had read a while ago he wasn't cruising anymore. Just curious on that one.

 

Was the dining room open on the first day? From other posts it seems sometimes it is and sometimes not.

 

 

Thank You so much for taking time out for us. I hope you are having a wonderful time... then again you are on a cruise ship, how could you not?!?!!!

[Bob Winters]

Hi Cass and thanks for taking the time to write. I told you that you would love all the Suite Perks. Outside of the internet, you haven't mentioned any. Was I correct or not? We miss you and look forward to cruising with you in the future.

Bob Winters

[Avatar345]

I'll be sailing on the ship December 7th on a S Caribbean itinerary (San Juan/Puerto Rico, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Antigua, Tortola, Saint Thomas, San Juan/Puerto Rico), and the whole engine situation is giving me pause. Any folk experienced with the ship issues and itinerary have insight into whether the port times and/or ship experience would be compromised in any way? I'm considering the Adventure of the Seas instead for the same timeframe since I'm within cancelation, but thought I'd solicit some opinions.