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HAL, Princess, Celebrity, Azamara
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Beyond- still beyond creaking and clicking
81Zoomie replied to Dylan0474mac's topic in Celebrity Cruises
We were in the aft/corner MC SS on Edge (10176) for 21 days. Very quiet in calm seas. Average in moderate seas. In rough seas, with wind blowing directly toward the cabin it was a creaking, clicking, noisy mess. We had at least 4 bad sleep nights. The greasing of the slider helped a bit, but the popping noises did not cease. We sailed in a same location on deck 8 on Apex in the Caribbean with zero noise issues. -
Not quite home yet, but back to reality π. Economy class it is! Holding our precious new grand for the first time π!
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The flight from HNL to LAX was only 4.5 hours. Easy peasy! OK, so reality was postponed for a few hoursπ. The wine and nuts were so good, as was dinner. I had the pumpkin and cauliflower. DH had the ribs. Both were surprisingly good. Loved the taro rolls π When we arrived at LAX the workers were shutting down the gate area. At one point an automatic shutter closed off the corridor we were exiting through π³. Our bags came quicklyβ€οΈπβ€οΈπ. Then it was somewhat like rats ππ in a maze finding the exit and the shuttles. Our heads hit the pillow at 2:30am. We finally made it to Apr 15!!! It took 27 hours from hotel checkout in Sydney to checkin in LA. Today feels a bit like Groundhog Day π€ͺ. Itβs 9:30 am and we are back at the airport for our flight to SLC. I think itβs Monday πππ. Admittedly , I am tired π΄π£ and a little cranky after less than 5 hours of sleep. LAX and Drlta have digital ID. Itβs awesome π ππ. TSA takes your pic π·, and through you go. No ID or boarding pass required! Our pampering is over as we will be back in the cheap seats πΊπΊ. Iβm hoping to be asleep before we take off π«!
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We thought the ability to stretch our legs in HNL would be a good thing. Hindsight being 20/20, maybe the long skyhook flight from SYD to LAX isnβt such a bad thing. Our inbound aircraft has gone around twice π«π«. Thankfully, it is finally on the ground! Our departure is delayed again π°οΈ. Arrival in LAX now projected at 1:20 am π€ͺ. I suppose itβs good that our body clocks β° are in a confused state π€π€. Analyzing the times, we expect to have about 7 hours at the hotel before we have to leave for the airport again ππ«π. We may be napping as much as our new grandson when we finally get there π€πΆπ€. 20 hours in compression socks 𧦠is not doable for me. Off with the tight socks and on with my tropical travel socks πΊπΊ. They make me happy π. Plenty of time to get all charged up for the flight. There is a USB port in the A330 business class. No wifi though π’. A cocktailπΉand macadamia nuts π°π° once we board are sounding better and betterβ¦.
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πΆβ¦does anyone really know what day it is?β¦πΆ. After a 10 hour flight we arrived in Honolulu earlier than we took off in Sydney! April 14 will be about 37 hours for us πππ₯π£. Our flight from Sydney on Hawaiian πΊ was lovely. DH was nearly asleep before takeoff. And, he actually slept π³π³π³. Shocker as he never sleeps on planes except for a few cat naps. So glad we sprung for the lay flats. It cost about as much as the 12 night cruise, but I slept about 7 hours π΄π΄π΄. So the early dinner and skipping the first airline meal was a good strategy this time! Our breakfast was actually pretty good. We had the French toast. We were very happy with our on time arrival and the service on this flight. Howeverβ¦ my contentment took a detour after that. We walked for a mile after getting off the jet to get to immigration. Immigration, however, was an exception at HNL. It was quick and easy with facial recognition πππ. Baggageβ¦ we waited and waited for our 4 bags. All tagged priority and we checked in very early at Sydney. Our final bags were among the last off the carousel π§³π§³π§³π§³. βAloha, recheck your bags at the transit counter.β This is normal protocol for flights back to the US. In a FAIL ππ π for Hawaiian, we were greeted at the transit bagger counter with, βIt is closed. Take your bags to Terminal 1.β π. βWhy?β I ask nicely. βIt closes everyday about this time.β π³π±π³π± Well, if you like the kabuki luggage transfer dance at JFK, you would be right at home in HNL on Hawaiian. So, out we trekked in the rain π¦ to walk to terminal 1. π§³π§³πΆπΌββοΈββ‘οΈπΆπΌββοΈββ‘οΈπ§³π§³. I am not certain how this would go if you are mobility impaired. We saw no porters, wheel chairs, or transport vehicles. We finally located a mainland baggage check line we then had the pleasure of waiting in. Off to TSA where there was one agent to process everyone π«£. My daughter used to live in HI, and I know some things donβt work as smoothly here as on the mainland. This transit through HNL was tedious for us, but I kept wondering about the first impressions foreign visitors might have of the U.S πΊπΈ. Off to our gate. On a positive note, the new domestic portion of the terminal 2 is very nice, big, open, and airy π₯°. It is a huge improvement over the older spaces! Itβs a good think we have room to spread out because our flight to LAX is delayed by ~2.5 hours. π°οΈ This is due to the cascading affect of weather and air traffic delays on the east coast. Our aircraft is arriving from JFK has not landed yet. While we slept well for an airplane, I am a little foggy. I did walk into the menβs room instead of the ladies π³π€ͺπ³. And, I walked right by my go to Dunkin and missed it. Off to Starbucks for an $8 coffee. Iβve been so conditioned about the .6 A$, it took a while to sink in it was an $8 USD coffee βοΈ. We are comfy in an empty gate watching the rain βοΈ. Our devices are all finally on the correct day and time. The late departure from HNL will insure we get to experience all 37 hours of Apr 14!!! Dinner will be on the plane. It will be our second day of two meals π±π± ππ. Calorie reduction in progress!! We will watch the calendar flip to Apr 15 as we expect to arrive at LAX on Apr 15 at 1am π€π₯±π€.
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LIVE Norwaylady escape the winter on Equinox B2B 23.03-11.04.24
81Zoomie replied to Norwaylady's topic in Celebrity Cruises
Thanks so much for your review. We certainly enjoy following your travels and experiences. Glad you got home safely! -
We had dinner on The Rocks at Caminetto. Our vegetarian pizza, seafood pasta, and Aussie Shiraz wine were ideal for dinner. Yes, we skipped lunch π€£. Reality is setting in. Dinner with no dessert π±. As luck would have it, we had a view of Edge from our table. Our day room worked out very well. We were able to shower and change after dinner. Then it was a quick Uber ride to the International Airport. As I am washing my hands in the ladies restroom, a lady approached me saying, βOh my God, I donβt believe it.β It was our assistant waiter whose contract ended today. It was such a surprise to see her! If you are lucky enough to be served by Alina in the future you will be in for a treat! We are waiting for our aircraft βοΈ to arrive. Itβs funny crossing the dateline π . Itβs 8 pm in Sydney and we will arrive at 11pm in LAX on the same day after flying for 14ish hours! On Monday we will travel on to Utah. I hope to have some final thought and a recap sometime this week! For startersβ¦ we certainly had a wonderful vacation β€οΈπβ€οΈπβ€οΈ.
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Before I forgetβ¦. I did spend some time in the Casino last night π°π°π°. The game @Jim_Iain wrote about looked interesting and I gave it (or one similiar) a few pulls. I didnβt have the same luck as he did and was down a little. It was entertaining π! When cashing out I noticed new casino offers and thought some of you might be interested. Sorry they are a bit fuzzy. They were on one of the rotating screens at the cashier. No rewards for me, but others might get lucky πππ. The instant cruise rewards began a couple of weeks ago.
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I never sleep well the night before disembarking. We were up early as well. Being on the starboard side we were adjacent to the pier. The beep beep beep of the forklifts backing up and the banging of the luggage bins were a natural alarm clock. We had our last breakfast in Laminae. No pics, but we each savored one last frosted caramel croissant π₯. These are just sooo good πππ. We picked up our last few items and waited near Cafe Al Bacio until it was after 8. Our luggage was waiting and we called an Uber XL. We have a day room at the Rydges in the CBD. Itβs not the Ritz, but perfectly suited for our needs. Our flight out isnβt till almost 10 pm tonight π. We decided naps are not an option, so we walked down to Circular Quay. The ANZAC Memorial was quite moving and very well done. Then we walked through Hyde Park to the Botanical Gardens. We ended up at the Opera House and spent some time sitting on the steps and exploring the architecture. We couldnβt miss the bridge, and of course Edge! It is a stunning day in Sydney and lots of people are out and about! We walked through the market at The Rocks. It was quite lively as well. We walked over 6 miles, so we didnβt feel bad about taking the train back to the hotel! Our plan is to eat βdinnerβ about 4 pm to try and begin to get our body clocks in the change mode. If all goes well, we hope to be tired on the way to HNL. We donβt get to LAX until 11 pm π¬π₯±π΄.
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We opted for a final cruise cocktail in the Retreat lounge. It was quite busy up there! Will Martin was making the rounds and chatting with guests. I highly recommend the spicy Margarita if you want to add a bit of kick to your drink πΆοΈ! Then it was time for our final Luminae dinner for the foreseeable future. DH had the tuna tartare and linguine vongole π¦ͺπ¦ͺ. I had the pear and radicchio salad and the mushroom cafreal. All were tasty. My favorite was the salad π₯. It is a must try. The blend of flavors was very tasty! I have to say, we are quite βfoodedβ out at this point. If we were continuing on, we would probably decrease to 2 meals a day or one course at each meal. Same for the alcohol. We will definitely be practicing moderation when we go home! We didnβt need any menus for dessert. Who could resist the chocolate sphere??? πππππππ₯π₯π₯ We will be off the ship π³οΈ in the morning. I will add a few more details and recap as time allows. Tomorrow is going to be a very long day as we make our way back to the west coast of the US. We wish all those going home safe travels βοΈππ! Normally we would be a bit sad at this point. Walking of the ship is never as joyful as boarding. However, we have a brand new grand baby πΆ we canβt wait to meet and hold! So while our cruise is ending, we have something very exciting to look forward to π!ββ IMG_7393.mov
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Packing goes a lot smoother with a cocktail on hand π₯ππ. We are both done except for the few final dinner and gym clothes. I hope we are under 50 lbs! I brought an extra backpack for our family gifts. HAL actually places step on scales in the elevator foyers on each deck the last day. It is a really nice gesture, I wish X would pick up on this best practice. It takes the guess work out of packing and helps avoid hassles at the airport. I laid out clothes for the morning. I do this very carefully. As I said before, my Dad once packed his pants and had to wear a pair of my Momβs off the boat ππ³π. We booked a dayroom at a hotel for tomorrow, so we can shower and change before our late night flight. We can also rearrange and swap between suitcases π§³π§³π§³π§³ if needed. With packing behind us we enjoyed a nice lunch in Luminae. DH had the burger and I had the flatbread. Both were just the right size and tasted great. DH then selected the chocolate lava cake for dessert. As usual, I held out for ice cream at the OV. The line was really long, but it was worth it! Coconut sorbet and guava lime frozen yougart drizzled with chocolate sauce! It was soooo good ππππ. We enjoyed watching the passengers versus officers volleyball game. Itβs a bit windy and there is a hint of chill. There were more people watching with clothes πππ§’ rather than bathing suits ππ©±πon. Everyone who was wet ran pretty quickly for the towels!
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Day 9 - At Sea - Tasman Sea Well, they saved the best for last on our final day #21. Wow, itβs a beauty! We had a light breakfast at the CC buffet in Tuscan. I have an interesting coffee observation. For me, the Cafe Mocha in Tuscan is the best! It is not overpowered by STRONG coffee like in Luminae. So, depending on your tastes, you can find what suites your liking! We decided to divide and conquer this morning. Each of us would pack in solitude. π§³π§³π§³π§³ Itβs much easier since the cabin is not that large. And, the closet arrangement in the MC SSβs is strictly one person at a time. We have 2 more stops before we get home, so itβs not as easy as throwing everything into the suitcases ποΈππ and sorting it out later. We have all day in Sydney π¦ tomorrow, followed by 14 hours of flying π«£. We RON at LAX. On Monday we are off to Utah for a bit. Then, finally back to home π π΄π π. I came up to the retreat to grab one of my favorite caramel filled frosted croissants. They have become my new favorites β€οΈβ€οΈ. The sundeck is lovely this morning. It has a little breeze, bright sun, and cool temps. I have not seen anyone in swimsuits up here, yet! All the same, my favorite pose β€οΈβ€οΈ Hopefully DH will be finished packing soon. I would like to be finished packing before lunch so that the pressure is off. Perhaps I will swing by the Retreat bar before I head downstairs. A little libation may make packing a somewhat easier πΉ. After all, I am still on vacation πππ
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Tonight was a causal dinner for us. We had had a long day. No table by the water tonight, but we had our usual waiter who has been great!πππ. DH ordered the salmon appetizer and I had the asparagus. We were chatting with our Kiwi neighbors, so I didnβt grab a pic. None of the entrees grabbed our attention, so we both ordered filets with vegetables.π₯π₯¦π« The amuse bouche was a crab ball. It must have had soy, so I received raspberries. The streaks were very good and we were happy to have veggies! DH commented it was one of the smallest baked potatoes he has ever seen π We had already sampled most of the dessert menu, so went with our go to crΓ¨me brΓ»lΓ©e β€οΈβ€οΈ. We had already seen the magician, so we zeroed in on the casino. The daily said there was a Couples Slot Tournament at 8pm and it was 8:15. We wandered into the casino and it was not open. There were a couple of dealers and we asked when it would open. The answer,10:30 or 11 ish. Really??? π£π’π£. There was no change in our itinerary and we sailed on time. Just an observation, but it appears they just repeat the agenda, update the shows and all aboard times, but donβt change anything else to reflect weather conditions or local regulations. It has been a bit frustrating at times. We popped up to the Retreat where the silent disco was in full swing, but it was poorly attended. While we were there we picked up our previous cruise card. As @Norwaylady reported, this can be a bit like a scavenger hunt. We were on attempt #4 to get our card back. Yea, successβ¦ we got the cards ππ. When we got back to our room we noticed the Retreat just made us new cards because I do was wither missing or wrong. At least we have something with the correct dates to put on our circle of old cruise cards π³π³οΈπ³π³οΈ. I know this may sound trivial to some, but for us itβs a souvenir that is easily packed ππ§³π.