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AquariusOne

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    “Cruise With Confidence”- cancellations up to 48 hours before sailing

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    Here is my concern. We sail on Aug 7th, few days after the announced date. Why are we not covered? Policy should be extended to the end of 2020 sailings. My bigger concern is Final Payment date. TA wants full payment for the cruise, 100 days prior to sailing. That is next month. Even if I am willing to wait and see about what happens to this situation, by August, I am forced to make a decision by next month. If there is no change, from cruise line about the final payment date, I am afraid, I will be canceling. Why not extend the final payment date to 30 days, instead of dealing with a lot of cancelations. 

    • Like 1

    Downgrade from full frame to crop?

    in Photo & Camera Discussions

    Posted

    Interesting discussion. I started out with Nikkormat FTN, with 50mm lens (1970). Went all the way to Nikon F3 with waist level finder and many prime lenses. Most of that I still have. With that, I added Bronica Medium format with few lenses. That too I still have. Then I put all that in boxes and didn’t shoot any pictures for Next 15 years. Then 4 years ago, I bought my first DSLR full frame Nikon D610, plus couple of lenses. NOW I have another body (D750) and Nikon Lenses from wide angle to 200-500. Plus Sony p&s RX 100iii. Took all that equipment to shoot in South Africa, Namibia, Canadian Rockies etc. 
     

    Now you may ask, where I am going with this? Recently took a tour Of west coast, mostly around San Diego costal area. I exclusively shot with my iPhone SXMax. I was really impressed with the image quality, ease of editing and uploading to any social media platforms. 
     

    As some posters have pointed out above, about downsizing, I am really thinking to get rid of all that camera equipment, that I have been hoarding for 50 years or so and pair it down to just a few useful item. 
     

    Hard part is to decide what to keep and what to let go. 

    Tequila!

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    So, Siliver would be the lowest interms of againg. Here is some more information on Tequila Grades, from another website:

     

    Blanco 

    Other Aliases: Silver, Plata, White

    Blanco tequila never sees the inside of an oak barrel. Without the influence of the wood, blanco tequila provides the purest expression of the agave’s natural flavors and clearly captures the terroir of the region where the blue agave was grown. Some producers choose to rest the tequila in steel tanks for less than two months to let the flavors settle a bit across batches before distributing it into individual bottles. But even this slight delay leaves most of the vivid, young, fiery flavors intact. 

    Blanco tequila is often hotter than its mellowed, aged peers and blasts the palate with raw vegetal agave, grassy herbal notes, various types of citrus, black pepper and other spices, and even some natural sweetness from the agave itself (think agave nectar). This strong profile makes blanco tequila great in cocktails as the bold flavor can go toe to toe with any mixer you throw at it. By the same token, blanco can be a bit harsh for some palates. If you’re considering straight shots,  like Los Azulejos Silver (which layers on a smoky aroma) or Don Julio Blanco (full of citrusy grapefruit notes) for a complex taste without the harsh burn.

     

    Reposado 

    Other Aliases: Rested, Aged

    After pounding shots of blanco tequila on your, you still have a few lessons to learn in the ways of agave. Patiently waiting for good things to come is the first of those lessons, which is immediately evident when sipping a reposado tequila. To make reposado, distillers take blanco tequila fresh from the still and store it in American or French oak barrels. Legally, reposado sits between blanco and añejo on the aging spectrum and must rest in the barrel for between two months and one year, which gives it just enough time to develop a unique flavor profile without losing younger notes from the original agave juice. 

    During its time in the barrel, the tequila darkens to a subtle gold hue as it pulls tannins from the wood to create the warm flavors of caramel and honey. The tequila’s natural citrus and spice flavors don’t decrease but tend to round out as the tequila ages, which creates complex notes of dry chocolate, chilies, vanilla and cinnamon. Some producers opt for used barrels that previously housed or wine, which contribute even more flavors to the tequila’s evolution. Some reposados are hardy enough to support cocktails while subtler expressions are best sipped neat or over ice.

     

    Añejo 

    Other Aliases: Extra Aged, Vintage

    If you leave tequila in the barrel for longer than a reposado, it becomes an añejo. Aged one to three years, añejo tequila takes on even more character from the wood, proving that true distinction comes with age. The size for añejo tequila is limited to 600 liters, so every drop gets a decent amount of interaction with the wood. 

    That extra time intensifies the colors and notes of a reposado, darkens the tequila even further and produces a richer taste. Often, añejos move beyond the intense—and occasionally harsh—bite of young tequila when acidic tones are replaced with sugary, caramelized ones. That’s not to say añejo can’t have some edge. For example, we love  with Riazul Añejo because of its distinct funky notes of nuts, coffee and honey.

     

    Extra Añejo 

    Other Aliases: Ultra Aged

    If the producers leave tequila in the barrel a day more than three years, it qualifies as extra añejo. This ultra aged spirit category was established in 2006, making it a relative newcomer in the. Extra añejo must be cut with water to temper the proof, which smoothes out the final product even more. While the extensive aging and occasional peatiness elicits comparisons to well-aged scotch, no age statement is required on extra-aged agave. Given the added prestige that comes with longer barrel time, many extra añejos fetch top dollar.  

     

    Joven 

    Other Aliases: Gold, Oro

    This smaller category of tequila can be tricky to navigate in your local liquor store. Gold tequila often refers to mixto tequila, which is made by adding sugar, colorings, flavorings, oak extracts or glycerin in order to emulate aged reposados and añejos. Because these tequilas aren’t made with 100 percent agave, the entire category tends to demand lower prices than honestly aged tequila. 

    On the other hand, is made by blending a majority of blanco with a smaller cut of aged tequila without the added sugars and flavorings commonly found in Gold. Combining several types of tequila produces a nuanced product reminiscent of blended scotch. Joven is particularly adept in cocktails as it provides the bright citrus of blanco and the vibrant character of rested tequila all in one neat package. Give joven a try if you happen upon a bottle, but chances are slim that your local corner shop will stock this relatively rare variety.

     

     

    • Like 1

    Prices Holding Firm

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    I have been watching my summer 2020 Alaska price fluctuations, not much movement. Not many cabins available, prices are staying firm. It may well be deliberately controlled, not to creat panic. 

     

     As one poster noted above:

     My guess is that Celebrity have turned off (or substantially limited) the algorithms that adjust prices based on occupancy and rate of sales (My guess is that Celebrity have turned off (or substantially limited) the algorithms that adjust prices based on occupancy and rate of sales (orcancellations).

    • Like 1

    Tequila!

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    21 hours ago, markeb said:

     

    It sounds interesting. It's won some medals. Pepe Zevada is headquartered in Austin (Keep Austin Weird!), but of course the tequila is from Jalisco.

     

    Anejo is kind of like Scotch. The wood, the cask, the aging, and time will all give it a different flavor profile. From caramel to vanilla and in between. Reposado "tends" to be more consistent, as the six months really smooths it out, and there are certainly different flavor profiles from one to another, but not generally as radical as there can be in Anejo or especially Extra Anejo or Super Anejo (aged well over a year). When you venture into Anejo, you're getting into the difference between a Highland single malt and a Islay single malt; they're both Scotch Whiskies, but there's very little similarity! I've had Anejo that you could (and I have) had as a dessert drink, for instance. The Z Tequila Anejo says it's aged 24 months (that's pretty long) and has notes of vanilla and maple. Sounds interesting. Haven't seen it in Virginia.

     

    Anejo is kind of like Scotch - I agree. A good Anejo is a pleasure to sip, like Single Malt Scotch. These are two of my favourite drinks, plus Red Wine. A lot of people don't like Tequila, for that matter, Scotch also. But once you get over the 'mixed' suggery drinks, you really appreciate the true taste of these two spirits. 

     

    Tequila!

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    I was on Equinox in November last year. No bar on the ship had Anejo tequila. I had a Premium package for 2 reasons only. Single Malt Scotch or Blue Agave Anejo Tequila. I don’t like mixed or sweet drinks. However,  this was not the case in previous years on Celebrity, as we have only sailed Celebrity. I developed a taste of good tequila when I visited town of Tequila, near Guadalajara in Mexico. Did a tour of one of the oldest distillery That produces Tequila by name of HERRADURA. That is where I learned that Silver (or Blanco I think) is bottled right after production, Repssado (rested) is aged a bit longer and Anejo and extra Anejo are ‘old & extra old. We will be back on Celebrity again in the summer, hopefully we will find a bottle of single malt scotch or Extra Anejo Tequila. My last (3rd) choice was Red Dry wine. Drank that exclusively, In absence of Good sipping Tequila or Single Malt Tequila. 

    • Like 1

    Astro photography while on board

    in Photo & Camera Discussions

    Posted

    Yes I see two problems, you may not find a totally dark/black area on the ship, any stray light on time exposure would ruin your image. Second would be movement of the ship. Timed exposures would not have proper focus on moving ship. Besides that, for shorter exposures (5-10 seconds) you are going to need a very sharp wide angle lens  1.4, 1.8, 2.8 etc.

    iPhone attachments for Alaska Cruise

    in Photo & Camera Discussions

    Posted

    Interesting discussion. To date I have only shot still with DSLR. I would like to use the iPhone, every now and then, including shooting some video clips with iphone. So here are my options:

     

    Upgrade to iPhone 11 Pro, it has 3 lens combo built-in (right now I have iPhone XS Max to trade in.)

     

    Buy a set of 4 used Sandmarc lens (being offered locally at a very good price, 50% off of new)

    Buy one new Moment Lens wide or tele, as they are expensive.

     

    So, some guidance or input would be helpful, to deceide which way to go.

     

    Thanks

     

     

     

     

    Tripod use on ship?

    in Photo & Camera Discussions

    Posted

    Very nice pictures. If possible to shoot some long exposure, do take a tripod on the ship. We are heading to Alaska this summer and I am planning to take my tripod with me, just to shoot some nice long exposure shots on the ship. Otherwise I will be using Monopod for my NIkon D750, only becaues a 200-500 lens might get difficult to carry around. Plus another body with wide lens. 

    • Like 1
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