scubacruiserx2

 Some sights from Grand Turk

The beach that we went to

  My understanding from CC is that ashes go free .

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/scattering-ashes-at-sea-10-common-questions-answered#do-i-need-permission-from-the-cruise-line-to-scatter-ashes-at-sea?

 But that skeletons go for 1/2 price in your cabin during Halloween . 😁💀

  This is why we like Grand Turk so much . Our lunch after diving .

Conch Fritters , Lobster , Shrimp and a local brew

These are called Horse Eyed Jacks because of their large bulging eyes .

22 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

 

 Thank you for your service at a time when this country was divided over Vietnam . We saw a very good movie last night called Hacksaw Ridge . I had flash backs during of the movie but boot camp in the Navy was different . Our Company Commander was a Machinist Mate ( Engineman ? ) and I was in charge when he was gone called RCPO . He only spent the first night in boot camp to teach me what to do .

 We have heard good things about the Yacht Club from our TA . But we're still gaga over the suite on NCL and the cruise to Antarctica .

   This is our suite on our upcoming cruise .

  And this was our Suite on the NCL Star in January

 In addition to the best cabin , we our best CC meet and greet ever held in the French dining room .

 If you would like a free trip to Antarctica on the NCL Star the review is here .

10 hours ago, KruisinKath said:

Ooh, good tip re: the drapes!  Also, you probably figured, but our trip is 2025 not 2925, Lol. Sorry for not noticing/correcting!

 I did notice but you may be like me . Some people like to plan or book early . 😊

20 minutes ago, KruisinKath said:

Is this 7132? If so, that’s mine for our July 2925 Alaska cruise, with sis on one side, aft facing, and mom on the other side, port (?) side. We’ll open the balcony dividers and meander at will!  

 Yes it is . When we met our Grandson at Fort Lauderdale we had booked 7130 next to us and had the doors opened between balconies .

 He could use our balcony unless our drapes were closed meaning we wanted privacy .

5 hours ago, BSR said:

Thanks so much.  Video was very helpful.  

 You're welcome

39 minutes ago, Heartgrove said:

 

We had a great time with Mega Adventures. I was in the Coast Guard late '60's to early '70's and was an Engineman. We have been sailing on MSC and they also offer 5%+5% discounts. Their Yacht Club is great!

 Thank you for your service at a time when this country was divided over Vietnam . We saw a very good movie last night called Hacksaw Ridge . I had flash backs during of the movie but boot camp in the Navy was different . Our Company Commander was a Machinist Mate ( Engineman ? ) and I was in charge when he was gone called RCPO . He only spent the first night in boot camp to teach me what to do .

 We have heard good things about the Yacht Club from our TA . But we're still gaga over the suite on NCL and the cruise to Antarctica .

On 4/22/2024 at 6:35 PM, BSR said:

Looking to book my first Neptune Suite on N. Amsterdam. Is there any difference in the cabin size on decks 6 or 7? I see that the cabins on deck 7 are near the lounge. Also, I have a choice of aft cabins on decks 5, 6 or 7. Are these cabins larger inside or is the balcony huge? Trying to decide which one to pick. Any suggestions?  Thanks.

 We would recommend aft wrap 7 . We spent 3 weeks in it and here's a video .

  A big mistake on my part . The tittle should read 7 Day Tropical Caribbean on the Nieuw Amsterdam .

5 hours ago, Heartgrove said:

Something your grandsons might enjoy. We were on the Carnival Venezia in November and had a port call in Puerto Playa, DR. Our ship excursion was with Mega Adventures. We rode around the area in the back of 6x6 ex-Army trucks. They also offer zipline excursions.

 Thank you . We will run it past the kids and grandsons . One great thing for our son , DIL and 3rd grandson is that 2 of them are native Spanish speakers and our Son is fluent . DIL is from Peru . We speak survival Spanish and Russian . Were you in the Navy ? I was  a Corpsman in the early 70's . HAL gives a $ 100 credit but when we went to Antarctica on NCL this year they gave a 10 % price reduction on our Suite which is HUGE .

1 hour ago, 0106 said:

The beach at Grand Turk is beautiful.  The younger folks may appreciate the excitement at Margaritaville.  However, I walk about 10 minutes down the beach to Jack’s Shack.  I’ve also done private snorkeling tours with Blue Water Divers.

 

Don’t hold your breath with Key West. It is frequently cancelled.

 Thanks , we did charter a boat for snorkeling for everyone . We have 3 SCUBA divers but they may get bored watching us so we're all snorkeling @ Blue Water divers . There are a of couple nice places to eat lunch near there .

 We are the only ship on that date as we were in 2023 . Here we are at Mallory Square in Key West .

 This is where the locals gather to watch the sunset . We had a couple of late people that almost made us block the sunset which is why the natives get restless .

 We did move in time and it was a good one .

 Key West and the DR is where we mainly need some ideas . and help .

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

Welcome to HAL!

You will automatically get CO with your Neptune Suite. 

 Thank you , but it's for the rest of the family .

4 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Get a villa on HMC. Fun splurge for a group like yours.

 We did book that along with a butler like we  had on the NCL Star in Antarctica . He was great . We saw them when they were being built in 2012 .

  It will be our Family holiday for the first time on HAL . Us , 3 kids and their husbands , wife and 3 grandsons ages 13-21 . HMC ,Grand Turk , Dominican Republic and Key West . Any ideas especially for the Grandsons ? All are Club Orange except us in the Neptune Suite .

29 minutes ago, 0106 said:

I figured out the night of the Morimoto pop up by looking at reservations for Tamarind.  The night there are no reservations available in the Tamarind will be the night of the Morimoto pop up.

 

My DH loves osso buco and was very happy when Canaletto started offering it every night!

  We look forward to that and it makes planning meals easier . We also tracked down the Morimoto dining option . It was premiered on the NA and is a permanent option every night on the NA . It is a pop up 1 night on the other HAL ships that have the Tamarind .

17 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

All of this would depend on the nights that are dressy nights. So, if the dressy nights are not the second night and the next to last night, that would move the nights you are asking about.

  I'm not sure what you mean . Days at sea are # 3 and # 6 .

 Does anybody know what night Osso Buco is served at the Caneletto and what night Morimoto's pop up night is in the Tamarind on a 7 day cruise ?

  Heading to the backside of the Grand Cascade we headed toward the lower gardens where the whipping wind caused a spray rainbow of Samson .

All of the running water moved us out toward the rest rooms where these school kids had just been . In the distance behind them and to the left of the fountain , was the Chessboard  Hill cascade with 3 dragons spitting water .

  Above the Grand Cascade and the Grand Palace is the Upper Gardens . 

The focal point of the Upper Gardens is the Neptune Fountain which was made in Nuremberg , Germany in 1650 but required too much water to operate . Russia bought it in 1782 but it was stolen by Germany in WW II . It was tracked down in Germany and returned to Peterhof in 1956 .

 We had parked on the other side of the street near the Peter and Paul Cathedral .

 Thank you everyone for your help and responses . The link from @cbr663 was especially helpful but personal experiences from people on the NA are very beneficial . Thanks again .

 The anthem of Saint Petersburg was fully recognized on May 13, 2002, when the initial version approved by the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg on April 23, edited and then signed into law by the Governor of Saint Petersburg .  Wikipedia

 It is called Hymn of the Great City by Reinhold Gliere , and it played when they turn on the fountains and when you arrive at the train station in Saint Petersburg . It was also played for Princess Diana when she visited Saint Petersburg , before it was fully recognized .

We told you that it would be crowded with cruise ships in port 

 So we will use photos from other visits when ships were not in port 

 The view from the palace looking toward the dock where our boat came in .

 Samson opening the jaws of a lion in which Samson is symbolized as Russia defeating the lion which symbolizes Sweden , from whom Russia defeated to take the swamp land which became Saint Petersburg .

  The view of the hydrofoils from our cruise in 2019 .

Note some people hanging out of windows of the Meteor  # 247.

 It's a long walk down the pier and through the park to see the fountains being turned on .

  What are the current costs and benefits of Club Orange on the Nieuw Amsterdam ? We plan on taking our family of 7 or 8 others with us . Thank you .

 Having spent a couple of hours looking at the countryside on the train from Moscow , we wanted to go into the countryside instead of the city . We had purchased a Saint Petersburg City card that gave us a free hydrofoil ride to see the fountains of Peterhof and free or reduced prices at other places .

We have been there in a car with a guide , but never alone on the boat . It's a 57 minute ride in the car but only 30 minutes on the boat .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterhof_Palace

 We boarded the boat near the Hermitage but we had to cross a dinner cruise board to get onto the hydrofoil .

One of the hostesses on the boat spoke English . 

We didn't pay for 1st class up front , but sat in the free seats . It's a diesel engine that was loud , smoky and stinky .

We past by the cruise port and saw a HAL ship in the port so it was going to be crowded .