mking8288

OK Google - let's map it St. John's, Antiqua - arrived @ 7:40 am local time (AST) & docked about 10 minutes to the calls of roosters around town.

Good results on 5 Ghz WiFi 4 with the Google Pixel 7 Pro - can't get the Galaxy S22+ to match or beat it.

FWIW - reason given was someone at NCL did not want to tender 4,000 passengers ashore at St. Lucia. This is what I learned, could be urban legend ... and if there will be 4,700 onboard 🫣

@trbarton If you are Sapphire or higher, you can go to the CruiseNext desk in the atrium to sign up for Dining with Officers and it is free, being in the MDR - wines & sparkling water are complimentary. Refer to the Latitudes guide section on ... Welcome Abroad Shows are typically 45 minutes ... haven't gone to one in over 15 years, can't tell you more about it ...

Tonight's MDR menu w photos - these are like the old "Cooking Lite" menu but even lower calorie counts with the petite serving size or portion. No worries gaining weight if you stick with choices like rainbow trout ... haven't seen salmon as entrees for dinner yet. Getting late, ship's speed just above 10 knots, waves 4.9 ft. - sailed 70 nm from Dominica and 60 nm remaining to St. John.

BTF was good, just 1 hour long & ended about 8:50 pm, later than expected. We noticed only 2 musicians playing like being 3, 1 of them moving back & forth to play different instruments. Somebody with a good memory from 2022 or before COVID, the usual size of the band, wasn't it 3 or 4 ... DW said I am being too critical looking at those tiny details. Tonight's late dinner at Savor was fine, everyone at much faster speed since it was 9 pm & they close at 9:30 but when we finished & left at 10 pm - still about 1/3 full with diners. Walked up to the casino to change $100 into smaller bills, they have plenty of newly printed $1 bills, in numerical sequence. Much busier tonight than lately but our CAS friends said the slots are extra tight, very bad payouts & he's not going to keep feeding those machines - expensive cartons of water plus tipping the beverage runners.

Sea days do not have port fees, port of calls meant port fees & charges collected up front and ...

North wind at GSC - Berry Islands, forecast in the morning worsening, wind at 20 gusting to 27 knots & waves at 3 to 4 ft. and swell, not safe to send passengers & crew ashore, returning to the ship via tender ... even worst. Imagine a vertical movement of 3 to 5 ft. on that floating platform that you must step on & off. This, IMHO, strictly a safety call by NCL.

Tonight's Burn The Floor - disorganized, long lines backed up past O'Sheehan's, human traffic jam converging into 2 staff checking in those with show reservations. Not what it used to be ... Didn't start opening the door until 7:20 pm and bar runners still taking orders at 7:45 pm. Lights not yet dimmed Grade - Failed (just cannot let them get a passing score)

Turtles06 - Bon Voyage & wishing you a successful cruise ahead & return (B2B) Sailing closer along the coast should be the smoother & better ride with sea state, wind & waves.

Doing a 180 turn, starboard side to head out to sea ... beautiful scenery 😎

Pier Runners Club update - seems like everyone made it, although quite a few - 2 dozens were behind the 5:30 pm cutoff. The last few late ones heard from ship security on the pier. Ropes released & we are pulling away at 5:50 pm, 10 minutes early. All abroad. Bye, Roseau 👌

Local ambulance was at the pier as we returned, didn't see anything else. Late lunch at OSH, shower & power nap. Going to see Burn The Floor at 7:30 pm & then late dinner.

Not the reason either. According to our taxi driver-tour guide, simply b/c they rather not have a mega ship packed with 4,000 people tender ashore - logistics, safety, etc. Yes, line at Shorex Desk was 1/8 mile long ... they updated options for Roseau & refunded those for St. Lucia as noted in the letter to all guests. You are most likely correct, I am only the "messenger" to warn folks that the upcoming sailings are 110% to 120% double occupancies but within legal capacity based on # of berths & lifeboats. Upgrade bids will be much tougher to win.

Morne Bruce Garrison scenic mountain overlook @ 2:45 pm. ... returning to the port / ship next

Giant tree that fell during the 1975 hurricane on top a school bus, empty ... fortunately

More pictures - Sulfer Springs 20230126_134808.mp4

Waterfalls at the Viewponis & Sulfer Springs were next stops

Long & winding road, some of it quite steep and required carefully driving slow & easy with low speed, low gear - Boiling Lake Trail & Ti You Gorge.

Heading out to the mountain top rainforest

Roseau highlights for 3 hours, 5 stops - $40 p/p in air conditioned minivan for up to 10, ready to leave shortly with 8 Passed by St. Lucia last night after 10 pm, port side ... still not clear reasons for skipping the island. Read somewhere that political instability & safety being the main reasons for the change, unconfirmed & not facts checked, just rumors & strictly speculations. Weather is absolutely not a consideration, calm seas & fair weather, low 80's , mainly sunny & some clouds.

Going ashore now, checking out the tourism info ... independent 3 hours tour of the area, taxi dispatch right off the pier, museum across the street. Google Fi 4G LTE data coverage, included in my data plan

@trbarton Dine with Officers is an "earned" perk for Platinum members that reached Sapphire & higher status, not for others. Once signed up for, they arranged dining time & date for different evenings, as there are quite a few on this sailing.

Good morning, Day 7 - docked at 7:30 am at Roseau, Dominicia A very short walk from the pier to the waterfront

Tonight's Featured Complimentary Entertainment are Levity Comedy & Syf Norman's Tribute to Rumours. Plus, Dune at 7:30 pm in the GA Theater, PG-13 Movie 😳 Broadway Unplugged, 7 pm at the Illusionarium, reservations required ... Splash Academy opened until 11 pm, with late night fun zone from 11 pm to 1 am. Garden Cafe promptly closed up @ 9:30 pm & entrances roped off while I got there just in time to get some fruits Today is the $29 Laundry Special. Doing our free bag tomorrow instead, on Day 7, midpoint of this cruise. Found a perfect fit & use for one of the photo studio bag, as a sturdy liner or insert for the thin & flimsy paper bag - rolled tightly & stuffed the bag full, about $100 worth itemized with the downsized bag. We'll do a 2nd bag later but for 12 nights cruise, only get 1 bag free each - same as a 7 nighter. The bag isn't all that big as you can probably see 🙈 That's all from Day 6, Roseau, Dominicia in the morning ... cruising just under 19 knots, small waves at 4.9 ft. & strong tail wind, 100 nm to go, should reach the port around 7 am, on time to be there from 8 am to 6 pm.