Icon901

18 hours ago, imescaping said:

I find the air flow from the AC vent is often minimal, i attached magnet hooks to the metal vent cover & hung the fan from them.  My travel alarm has a thermometer it was avg 5 degrees cooler than when the fan was on the night stand. I didn't hang a battery pack just recharged the fan the next day.

Nice Idea!  

Hang at the vent to Draw more of the cool AC air from the vent if you're looking to actually decrease the temp in the room.

Hang over bed if you're looking more for the ceilingfan-like downward breeze / white noise effect. 

 

On 11/26/2019 at 10:18 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Still a lot easier to just use your A/C control.

The AC works but often doesn't get the room cool enough in caribbean cruises. Also many like the cool breeze and sound that a fan provides and the AC doesn't, necessarily. 🙂
 

On 12/11/2019 at 3:07 PM, clo said:

I LOVE IT! Not hanging from the ceiling although we were prepared to do that. It's on the nightstand and has made me so much more comfortable. Thanks a mil.

On 12/14/2019 at 2:14 PM, clo said:

Oh, I'm so glad this thread showed up! We got this but decided it wouldn't help ME - who is always too hot - hanging from the ceiling. So I have it by the bed and LOVE it. It's SO quiet and keeps me nice and cool. I'm thinking about buying them for our daughter in Seattle and her family. Typical of SEA their older home has no AC. I think they'd like it. Thanks so much for sharing.

 

So Glad you enjoy!

I've used the fan in many places. On a trip to Cuenca, Ecuador the fan helped me sleep at altitude (increased air in face at night), and also was invaluable during our Smoked BBQ Rib presentation on stage at a grilling festival. It was difficult to get fires hot enough at altitude, but the little fan aimed at the firebox vent stoked the fire and provided enough oxygen to run appropriate temperatures. 🙂  

One of the advantages to hanging it was it blew on both of us, and you felt it even if you rolled over... much like an overhead fan. 

On 11/25/2019 at 9:55 AM, RocketMan275 said:

Do you  have recommended headgear if this fan comes lose while  you're in bed?

It’s VERY firmly attached. The ship would  sink before this shook loose 😉 

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

 Sorry -  the “absolute pedantic nit” is the one who insists on calling something “free” because he got it for a good price.  

 

 Do you believe that you got some “free” tires because the dealer threw them in with your car?

That's a horrible example.

 Here's a better example: If I need/intend to purchase four tires and a store offers a deal to buy 3 and get one free, I'm guessing you'd argue that tire wasn't free, right? I was going to spend $1000 but ended up only having to spend $750 to satisfy the need/want. 

If so, we'll call it a agree to disagree.  Cheers! 😉 
 

Advantages of many Credit Cards:
- Travel Insurance 
- 3x Points on Travel Expenses
- Baggage Insurance
- No concerns over Holds
- No foreign transaction fees
- Less risk if lost/stolen

They are numerous... No way I'd personally use a debit card for a cruise. 

17 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

IMO - you're overpacking.

For 7 days w/self serve laundry for multiples of 7-10 days:

Respect! I just like having a fresh dress shirt for dinner each night, but I agree it's not necessary. I can't bring myself to wear a Polo to dinner. Purely preference, I agree. 🙂 

In the Caribbean I sweat a good bit (active + Big guy w/ boston blood) so re-using cotton/poly T shirts isn't an option. Performance fabric shirts hold up a little better. Others who aren't as active or in as atypically warm environment prob can get away with re-using Tees. 🙂

In cooler climates I'm definitely more efficient. Did 2 weeks (half business half pleasure) in Europe last November(Germany, Netherlands, UK, and Ireland) with a carry on suitcase and a backpack. 
 

16 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

There are a lot of posters on CC who insist on saying that, when the fare they pay includes a drinks package, they get “free drinks” - I believe that people who think that drinks they have payed for in advance are “free” are likely to also believe it when some fast-talking shill refers to cheap reproductions as collectible art.

While I agree that nothing is technically free... Drink packages can most definitely cost average drinks downward, or provide "Free" drinks to heavy drinkers (Depending on your preferred accounting method). 

Case Study (Round numbers for simplicity - Water is $5, Drink is $10) 

- Bob buys an $70 drink package. 
- Bob drinks 5 bottles of water and 10 cocktails per day. 

Unless you're an absolute pedantic nit, It's feasible to make the statement that Bob got 3 "free" cocktails and 5 "free" bottles of water (saving $55/day) due to the package. 🙂 

On 5/28/2019 at 7:00 AM, navybankerteacher said:

Why do these “art dealers” do so well on cruise ships?  Perhaps because they know that cruise ships are full of gullible people - you know: the kind of people who pay an add-on to the basic fare because it gets them FREE DRINKS.

😄 Wha does this mean? 😄 

Are you used to sleeping with a cool breeze of a fan blowing down on your face, or perhaps like the soft audible hum of a fan? 

WHAT YOU NEED: 
Strong Magnetic Hook (What I used) 
Small but Efficient USB Powered Fan w/ rotating arm (What I used)
USB Power Supply 4000mah or larger (What I used)

HOW IT WORKS: 

1. Place a magnet hook on the ceiling over your heads
2. Open stand/arm of fan and hang from hook, adjusting so fan points at desired angle
3. Place battery in overhead storage and plug in fan (if no overhead storage, use magnet or gaffer's tape to affix battery to ceiling/wall)
4. Turn fan on or off using button on fan

That fan provided a great breeze each night and a soft hum of white noise. That battery pack probably provided ~50hrs of use... an easy half dozen evenings of sleep. Take it down to recharge during the day as needed. Worked much better than just setting on a bedside stand. 

I swore I took a picture of the setup but apparently I didn't. It's fairly unobtrusive and very effective. Our steward even commented on it being a good idea. 

Cheers 🙂 

We brought 3 suitcases, a suiter, and two backpacks on our first cruise. 
Text time it will be 1 suitcase each + a suiter. 

For me for an 7nt Caribbean cruise: 
2 Swimsuits (Suitcase)
3 casual/nice shorts (Suitcase)
2 pair nice pants (mix/match nightly) (Suiter)
7 nice button down shirts (dinner nightly) (Suiter)
4 nice short sleeve shirts (polo/button down) (Suitcase)
6 T-shirts (Suitcase)
8 pair boxer briefs (suitcase)
7 pair dress socks (for dinner/evening only)
1 pair each shoes (dress/casual/flops) (Suitcase)

Backpack: Electronics (Chargers/etc), toiletries, travel docs, change of shirt &  swim-trunks

- Suitcases fit neatly under the bed.

- Drawers held most stuff

- Closet held hanging stuff nicely (use cheap metal wire hangers for shirts in suiter so you have extra hangers in the room). 
- Metal Magnetic Hooks worked for hanging travel clothesline, hanging shirts in bathroom while showering to de-wrinkle, hanging attire in room while getting ready, etc. 



 

If you haven't read it elsewhere, it deserves mentioning that while it's a low risk, you MAY be left behind by the ship if your tour runs late (traffic, poor planning, breakdown, etc). If you're on a Ship-organized tour the ship WILL wait for your group to get aboard. 

Many tours have you back at the port WELL in advance of all aboard, some can cut it a little close. 

Short Version: Fishing with Pedro was a huge success. We booked the 36' Tres Hermanos for a full day (~6hrs). We were greeted at the dock at 7:30am promptly by the captain (not Pedro, for this day), and two mates. We boarded, and took off for deep water immediately.

We paid $475 +tip for the day and found it to be worth the money. Full disclosure, some charters at the pier claimed to be charging $350. Not sure they would have provided this experience. 

The vessel was in great shape and is a functional fishing ship. If you're looking for posh accomodations, this is not the charter for you. These guys have their eyes on the prize... catching fish. The vessel reflects that. The on board head is a nice plus, though using it in big seas can be entertaining 😉

We ran with 6 lines out (two outriggers, two downriggers) and trolled the deep waters between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen for a while. We got a couple hits but lost both unfortunately. After ~2 hours we headed toward shore and began working the shallower waters off Playa del Carmen. Immediately we began landing small/midsize fish one after another, Mostly Barracuda (~2-3ft) and Bonito. 

After an hour and change of landing fish after fish, the captain came down and cut up one of the Bonito to make a delicious sashimi dish using white onion, Jalepeno, and soy with some spices. VERY good. He's apparently a chef by night. 

After eating, we headed back out to deep waters to go after bigger fish. The captain spotted a school and began making passes back and forth when suddenly 3 reels began screaming. The mates (who worked their butts off, and were awesome guys) leapt to action...setting hooks and handing off poles.

My father was in the chair, my brother off to the right and I was to the left. The mahi mahi on my line leapt 3 times and managed to spit the hook. He was a beautiful specimen that the Mates estimated at 5+ feet. I hated losing him, but picked up the camera and got footage of Dad and my brother working their lines in. 

Dad's Bull was on board first, coming in around 4'. Sadly they didn't have a scale aboard. My brother landed his female a min or so later and she was over 3' as well. Since we were having to board the ship we gave the Bonito and Mahi to the crew as a bonus over the cash tip. 

I can't recommend Fishing with Pedro enough. Anet is excellent at communicating before the excursion. The captain did a great job of putting us on fish. The Mates were both extremely hard working, friendly, and were awesome about offering us beers, waters, etc as needed. 

I'll say I'm glad we booked the largest vessel. The deeper waters off Cozumel can be pretty rough, with 6-10' swells pitching even this good-sized heavy vessel pretty well at times. If you're sensitive to sea sickness I do suggest non-drowsy Dramamine on hand, at least... if not taken preemptively. My brother who lives in Florida and fishes a good bit got sick later in the day. 

Bottom Line: If in Cozumel or Playa del Carmen, I highly recommend hooking up with Fishing with Pedro. 

Confirmed.. Martini Bar was jammed last night. $5 held out with my seapass and nice gentleman behind the bar Immediately came over and made our martinis. He also immediately served me two other times that evening when we stopped by the bar after the show. Other folks were definitely waiting both times. 
 

Later in the evening I wanted to thank the gentleman behind the bar in ensemble lounge for taking good care of our group so I tipped him $5 midway through our stay there (watching a band play). On my next pour he made eye contact and kept pouring telling me to let him know when to stop. I told him to pull up the bottle at approx a triple pour. My next glass (on the way out for the night) was the same size. 
 

If you’re looking for quicker service or better drinks taking care of your bar staff definitely goes a long way... at least aboard the Celebrity Equinox so far this week 🙂 

Random question : 

We have a party of 6. 
3 are going Wahoo Fishing with Pedro, 3 are heading to Mr Sanchos. 

We're planning on having Pedro drop us with our catch at Mr Sanchos around 1ish to hang for a bit (possibly cook up our catch) before heading to the ship at 2:30pm for 3:30 all aboard. 

I assume there is a dock of sorts to hop off our boat (36')? Or will we need to hop in the water and wade to shore (not the end of the world). 

Will Mr Sanchos allow us to sit with our group for an hour or so and order a drink or two? 

Finally: What is a realistic transit time from leaving Mr Sanchos to get to the Ship? We have an All Aboard of 3:30. 

Thanks!

1 hour ago, TTEllis said:

Hey Einstein make sure we get a review when you get back. Your fishing trip sounds awesome!!

Thanks Todd

 Thanks man! We're cautiously very optimistic at the price point. Hope the weather is solid.

Absolutely will take a ton of pics and post a thorough review when we return. Thus far they've been excellent at communicating. 

On 10/25/2019 at 3:17 PM, jelayne said:

We always check our Order History in the Cruise Planner to make sure our purchased or perks are showing.

 

If you have a beverage package that will show on your Xpress Pass - CALL for Classic Package and PALL for premium.  

Odd... mine says PALL, CALL and my GF's says CALL, PALL.... Is that normal? 

33 minutes ago, clo said:

My faves are dive bars rather than "fern bars."  🙂

I love a good dive bar as well, but many in Manhattan (Back in the heyday of the Village Idiot, one of the best in America) or good dive bars in most college towns tend to be 3-4 deep the full length of the bar.

My regular haunts locally always result in my drinks being delivered immediately upon being seen, over the heads of people who had been waiting longer. I hate waiting for drinks when I could be socializing with my friends.

I put myself through college as a bartender and I usually had half a dozen folks pretip when it was going to be a very busy night. They always got served immediately no matter how long the wait was. They'd usually include assorted tips along the way. There's not a better job in college than slinging drinks!  

Not sure what a fern bar is. 

On 4/12/2019 at 7:45 AM, leaveitallbehind said:

Oh OK - got it.  We do just the opposite - we unpack everything, store the suitcases under the beds, and then each day put our clothes worn that day into the suitcase(s).  By the last night we're 90% packed.

I like this!

16 minutes ago, clo said:

I'm in my 70s and have spent many, many hours in bars and have never given tips before I closed out my tab.  And seem to almost always get very good service.  YMMV.

Depends on the bar and the crowd. If you've never had to wait for a drink due to crowds then we're likely going to different bars (I strong suspect we are anyway ). 

If the service is slow at the Martini bar, I'll make an attempt to speed it up.

If it's not, I'll reward good service on the back-end. :) 

Easy peasy ☺️

1 minute ago, AquariusOne said:

Yes, we are on the same cruise as you are. Love to sit down with you and share a drink. Also share stories with you about our tequila excursions into Mexico, where it all started. Let me know when & where we can meet on the ship.

Sounds great. Feel free to DM Me on here and we can exchange contact info. 

20 hours ago, AquariusOne said:

Hello icon901,

I will be very interested in learning about Bourbons, from you, on our next cruise. Will be joining you soon. My background is Scotches, Single Malt etc.. lately tequilas anejos etc. I know nothing about Bourbons and yet I hear a lot of good things about quality bourbons. I do have a premium package.  

Excellent! Are you on embarking on Equinox coming up this weekend? If so I'd be happy to have a drink one weekend to chat whiskey. Can even share a pour from my personal "stash". :)

I know very little about scotches but would love to learn more about the styles. I do enjoy Ryes and some Irish (Redbreast) and Japanese (Hibiki) whiskeys as well. 

I'm just dipping my toes in the tequila waters, but am developing a taste for them as well. My good friend is a bit of an aficionado for them and has been widening my horizons. 

Going on a cruise with my family. Brother and I (separate rooms) are considering splitting a Surf for 2 Devices. Is this possible? We'd both sign up our personal cells. 

Also, has anyone had luck tethering their laptops to their phones while the phone is on the network? 

Thanks!

EDIT: Nevermind! Found a thread that says they are logins that can be shared between folks as long as only 1 (or 2) are online at the same time. 

Feel free to delete :) 

9 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

OMG, brace yourself.  You have just turned a tipping thread into a bribing thread.  😀😀

Lol!
 

Anyone turned off by the idea of folks giving money to bartenders to obtain better service obviously hasn’t spent much time in a busy bar. 😄 

My .02: 

1) NOBODY should feel obligated to tip over what's included. You've done your duty IMO. 

2) Anyone reducing the auto-gratuities is a bad person unless you've seriously attempted to remedy the issues through Celebrity service staff and received unsatisfactory results. 

For ME: I'll likely tip bartenders I receive good/great service from. If I find staff overwhelmed at certain spots (like Martini bar) that I will be frequenting... Rather than endure long waits, I'll likely tip $20-30 when I sit down with a request to "please keep an eye out for me" during my time there.

It works on land. I figure I'll see similar results at sea. We'll see :) 

I am a pretty big bourbon aficionado. I keep about 150 bottles of bourbon on hand at the home bar with about 2/3 open... including some pretty good stuff (1970s/80s dusties, Pappy 12 & 23yr currently, etc).

I have the premium beverage package booked for an upcoming sailing, and I'm perfectly fine with drinking makers neat all week if that's what they have. That said, I will also be bringing aboard a couple rum runners of good stuff for a treat here and there. 

Anyone expecting allocated bottles to be available on the ship these days is expecting a little too much IMO.