WVHillbilly

7 minutes ago, MorganClark said:

 

I think I read somebody post that the filet at Giovanni's was better than Chops!

I had heard that too, guess I'll have to throw a dart to make a choice.  Also thanks for the live review.

5 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

The Osso Bucco is quite good there!

Good to hear I was planning on trying that one.

16 hours ago, Akina13 said:

It was one of the entrees. It was Luke warm. It was …ok. It wasn’t bad but not something I would go out of my way to order again. I don’t eat a lot of meat do that has a lot to do with it. It wasn’t bad. Just wasn’t overly good either 

Thanks for the info, we have the 3 night dining package and have never eaten there before, know I'll have the steak at Chops, just not sure what I want at Giovanni's.  I was thinking that ordering pasta and a entre was a lot of food.

2 hours ago, Akina13 said:

Just popping in to post our formal night pics at Giovanni’s. It was ok….hubby liked his steak. My pasta was ok..i would probably skip this the next time but the dessert was really good. I also liked the Royal coffee. 

Hi I have a question about Giovanni's .  Do you order a pasta and an entree or is it one or the other? Thanks

I was able to log in using Chrome on my ipad; not able to use IE or Google on my PC.

1 hour ago, HBCcruiser said:

Yes. Every night.

Thanks, that's good to know, we like to dance a little in the evenings.

Question for those aboard.  Have you noticed people dancing at Bolero's or the Imperial Lounge?

I believe Cozumel requires a mask at all times except when eating, drinking or in the water.

We were on Harmony Feb 2020 and had an ocean balcony room 6668.  It was basically across from the aft elevator lobby and entrance to The Boardwalk.  We never heard any noise once inside the cabin, wouldn't hesitate to pick this room again.

We had a great pre-cruise dinner at 15th Street Fisheries.  Upstairs was a more upscale restaurant but we ate downstairs it's more casual.  Get the gator bites they were tasty.

@BirdTravels Thanks for the wonderful pics and reviews.  What is the check-in and check-out times for the British Colonial Hilton hotel?

I almost always give an extra $1 per drink, It makes the bartender/waiters remember you and get prompt service.

Here's a little example of how i think tipping that extra $1 helps.  A couple days into the cruise, Schooner was pretty crowded and i saw a couple setting at a table with a couple empty chairs.  So i asked if we could share their table, the lady said yes but if you want something to drink you'll have to go to the bar, saying they were slow.   We just smiled and said okay, a minute later our drinks were delivered, the lady had this shocked look on her face.  We had actually ran into one of the waiters we had before when we first walked into the bar.  He took our order and said go ahead and find a seat and I'll find you.

My TA said that Big Mama's was a good service, haven't decided on ours yet.  

if you find the nearest cabin with a connecting door, the one on the left will be by the bathroom and the one on the right will be by the balcony.  Just continue down the hallway as they alternate bath then balcony, etc.

I'm hoping three times a charm, was booked for a cruise/tour for June 2020 and canceled for medical reasons (pre-covid) and rebooked for June 2021.  Cruising is to iffy for this year so cancelled that one and rebooked for June 2022.

Was up on Skyline Drive this past Saturday trying to take a sunset timelapse.  The clouds were not cooperating as the sun began to set the clouds descended to below my elevation, but I did get this one.

1. Grandeur 3/26/21

2. Grandeur 3/26/21

3. Princess Grand Princess 6/21.  Not devastated but deeply disappointed as this cruise was cancelled from 6/20.

No email, but I checked our booking and it now shows the Grand with the same cabin we had on the Star.  Hoping that cruising resumes before then.

A pic of an old barn against the Blue Ridge Mountains near Luray, VA

We are also doing a land/cruise tour in June 2021.  I plan on carrying my camera gear in a padded camera backpack, wife will have a carry on for meds, raingear, and binoculars.  I haven't decided whether her's will be a backpack or suitcase.  I'd also be interested in how others have managed their carry on's especially traveling between lodges.

Ship -  Harmony of the Seas

Deck -  6

Stateroom # -  6668

Stateroom Category –  4D

Starboard or Port Side -  Starboard

Quiet Stateroom?  –Yes, even though it was directly across from the elevator/stair lobby we never heard any noise.

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? -  No

Balcony View - No obstructions.

Balcony Size? -  Normal sized balcony, two chairs and foot stools and end table.

Was wind a problem? -  No

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? - No

Any specific problems with this cabin? -  None

Any other comments? -  This cabin was booked on our very first cruise at Next Cruise, the DW wanted to be close to the elevators/stairs.  I worried about noise and considered changing rooms but we stuck with it and would book this cabin again.  We never heard any noise coming from the elevator/stair lobby and it was very convenient to Schooners and one floor down was Cafe Promenade and Boleros.

I tip an extra $1 per drink, for the DW and I it adds maybe an extra $10 per day.  I found that the waiters remember you and you never wait for a drink.  I've even had them see me coming into the bar take my order and say go ahead and find a seat, I'll find you.  

Good to see that they are starting to open things up.  While the death rate is troubling and good to see it is falling; the dropping of the infection rate as we continue to return to normal is of the greatest interest. 

Here in my part of the world they have really ramped up the testing.  They have begun offering testing for people without symptoms and without doctors orders and the turn around for test results have been greatly reduced.  Several weeks ago the turnaround for results was 5 days or more; this week my mother had to take the test because she had to have a procedure done at the hospital and her test came back in a day.

If the infection rate drops to less that 1%, perhaps we can really feel like cruising will return and the ports start opening.

We are booked on the Grandeur to NE/Canada leaving September 3, not a 100% convinced it will sail or if it sails that the itinerary won't be changed.  31 days till final payment so will have to make a decision whether cancel, make final payment and hope for refund or FCC.  My other dilemma is rebook at cheaper rate and lose my $18 DBP or keep what I have.

USMC Airwing:  Noobies would be sent for the keys to the aircraft or sent for 50' of flightline.  They were also subjected to "hammer qualifications".  This consisted of being able to strike the head of a nail with a hammer,  once the had hit the nail several times and feeling confident, they would be blind folded and told to hit the nail.  Their freshly starched cover (hat) would be placed over the nail.    

We too have been satisfied with the MDR, this past February we sailed on Harmony and purchased the 3 night specialty dinning package mainly to try out Wonderland.  We ate in Chops, 150 Central Park and Wonderland.  My steak in Chops was very good and he service was great; I had the venison tenderloins in 150 Central Park and i was spectacular and the service at 150 Central Park was the very best of the three we dined in.   We really enjoyed Wonderland, the appetizers were amazingly different and we enjoyed the flavor; the main course was good but the two deserts {The World and the Forbidden Apple) were the best and worth going there again just to have them.