"LIVE" From The Brilliance of the Seas with Trainman-2 & Judith

[Trainman-2]

A comment on Chops from the first night.

 

But first, as you walk into the Schooner Lounge, there is a seating area on the left and the bar is on the right. Chops is on the right before the bar and Giovanni's Table is on the right after the bar.

 

The bar in the Schooner bar supports both restaurants for mixed drinks.

 

Judith wanted a glass of White Zinfadel but it was not on the Chops Wine List and they" couldn't get it for her." The Chops Wine List was more expensive wine, mostly sold by the bottle.

 

Last night I bought her a glass of White Zin at the Schooner Bar and she carried it into the restaurant with her.

[Trainman-2]

I mentioned earlier that I had to log in the the Wi-Fi system with internet explorer, minimize it, and then open Google Chrome where all of my Book Marks are.

 

When I open Internet Explored I get a warning that "unsecure" stuff was not displayed. I have to over ride this warning for RCI's log in page to come up.

[Trainman-2]

Day 4 - Thursday - Docked in Cozumel

 

Good morning everyone,

 

We are due in Cozumel at 8:00 am and the "All Aboard" time is 5:30 pm.

 

The forecast for today is a high temp or 78 degrees with scattered showers.

 

As I type this, there are lots of white caps outside and the ship is rolling gently. Wind in Cozumel is predicted to be 10-20 mph.

 

We have had a following wind since we left Key West but I am predicting strong winds across the deck for the trip home tomorrow.

[drarill]

Day 4 - Thursday - Docked in Cozumel

 

Good morning everyone,

 

We are due in Cozumel at 8:00 am and the "All Aboard" time is 5:30 pm.

 

The forecast for today is a high temp or 78 degrees with scattered showers.

 

As I type this, there are lots of white caps outside and the ship is rolling gently. Wind in Cozumel is predicted to be 10-20 mph.

 

We have had a following wind since we left Key West but I am predicting strong winds across the deck for the trip home tomorrow.

 

Good morning Trainman, have a great day in Cozumel. I'm enjoying your live review so much!! Thank you!:)

[Trainman-2]

We are planning to go ashore for lunch at "La Choza" which is an excellent restaurant well off the beaten path.

 

I tried to go to their web site but the ship is blocking it for malware problems.

 

This Page Cannot Be Displayed

 

Based on your organization's access policies, this web site ( http://www.lachoza.com.mx/ ) has been blocked because it has been determined to be a security threat to your computer or the organization's network. Malware has been found on this site.

 

If you have questions, please contact guest relations and provide the codes shown below.

 

Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2013 06:06:21 EST

Username:

Source IP: 172.27.18.255

URL: GET http://www.lachoza.com.mx/

Category: Dining and Drinking

Reason: BLOCK-MALWARE

Notification: MALWARE_SPECIFIC

 

 

Malware or not, they have great food!

 

Any cab driver can take you there and drop you off. When you are ready to return to the ship, they will call a cab for you!

[Trainman-2]

Judith and I are both disappointed with the ship's TV selections.

 

There is no "Bridge Channel" which on other RCI ships rotates between a bridge cam and map views of the Caribbean showing the ships course and current location and weather radar.

 

There is no FOX News

 

CNN seems to be more "talk programs" than headline news

[debshomespun]

Today's Compass does not list the Park Cafe as being open for lunch!

 

I finally found it listed under "Snacks" from "noon till 6:30 pm" and wondered why it was not open for lunch and what "snacks" are.

 

So I checked the place out and what RCI calls "Snacks" is what us regular cruisers call "Lunch!"

 

The have the famous Roast Beef Sandwiches and hot soup along with a number of prepared and sealed sandwiches, salads, and nice deserts. They have a Panini Bread Roaster/Smasher and will toast any sandwich upon request.

 

They also have a "custom made" salad bar where they are prepared by a salad expert for you. There were so many people around it that I couldn't get in for a close-up photo.

 

 

 

 

I had a roast beef sandwich with gravy, horse radish, and mustard and a bowl of fantastic potato-leek soup.

 

 

 

I am sooooo glad to see they have the Black Forest Cake! It is one of my favorites! I can't wait to board the Legend on Jan. 24 for our 21 nights! I plan to have most all my lunches at the Park Cafe. I love this little cafe.

 

Thanks again for all your photos . . . . they really help us until it is "our turn" to cruise! :D

 

Enjoy your lunch in Cozumel!

Edited December 19, 2013 by debshomespun

[Lady Hudson]

Judith and I are both disappointed with the ship's TV selections.

 

There is no "Bridge Channel" which on other RCI ships rotates between a bridge cam and map views of the Caribbean showing the ships course and current location and weather radar.

 

There is no FOX News

 

CNN seems to be more "talk programs" than headline news

 

Has there been a change as to tv coverage? I can't remember from our last trip, and more people seem to be commenting on this.

 

And enjoying your reports -- I board EX on 12/29. Thanks for taking the time to do this for all of us "addicts":)

[Clarea]

Has there been a change as to tv coverage? I can't remember from our last trip, and more people seem to be commenting on this.

 

And enjoying your reports -- I board EX on 12/29. Thanks for taking the time to do this for all of us "addicts":)

Yes, there has been a change in the TV channels carried. We noticed it on Legend this past October.

[beej]

We noticed the same thing on the Oasis and Allure this past October. Certainly has gone down hill. Even the movies were lacking

[Trainman-2]

Sailing in to Cozumel earlier this morning.

 

The tall tower had stings of red lights that make it look like a giant Christmas Tree!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No "PC-ness in the Trainman Family! We don't do Winter Holidays! We still do Christmas Holidays!

 

 

Merry Christmas Everyone!

[Trainman-2]

My Breakfast in the Windjammer this morning.

 

 

 

 

Sometimes, when it is crowded, I will hold a table and order our drinks while Judith gets her breakfast! So when I get back with mine, Judith is almost finished. That is why sometimes there is only one breakfast photo.

[KroozFoolz]

There is no "Bridge Channel" which on other RCI ships rotates between a bridge cam and map views of the Caribbean showing the ships course and current location and weather radar.

 

When we were on Brilliance in mid-November, there was a channel showing the bridge cam all the time. One channel below, iirc, was the channel you described above. I don't recall the specific channel numbers but I believe they were toward the higher end of channel numbers.

 

Enjoying your reports and pictures - helps us relive our 7 days and nights on Brilliance last month.

[Beachin2]

Judith and I are both disappointed with the ship's TV selections.

 

There is no "Bridge Channel" which on other RCI ships rotates between a bridge cam and map views of the Caribbean showing the ships course and current location and weather radar.

 

There is no FOX News

 

CNN seems to be more "talk programs" than headline news

 

In October, channel 40 was the "map, course & speed" and either 39 or 41 was the bridge cam.

 

Was no FOX or real CNN on then either.

[wolfcathorse]

I have a Park Cafe question. Do they use Au jus or gravy? Allure and oasis used Au jus and Enchantment used gravy. My hubby was disappointed with the gravy. I can give him a heads up before New Years on what to expect.

 

Thanks!!

 

Kelly

 

I just got off EN last week and they only had a tureen of the au jus available for my roast beef sandwhich (besides the mustards and horseradish). So perhaps they heard your complaint!

[negc]

In October, channel 40 was the "map, course & speed" and either 39 or 41 was the bridge cam.

 

Was no FOX or real CNN on then either.

 

We had the same experience on the Brilliance Transatlantic. Both the view from the bridge and a channel giving location, speed, temps, wind speed and direction were available so that must be something new. For me,at least, the absence of FOX would be a plus and a much better situation than we experienced a year before when, on the TA, CNN and other channel were sometimes not available, but FOX was constantly shown.

[mo&fran]

We had the same experience on the Brilliance Transatlantic. Both the view from the bridge and a channel giving location, speed, temps, wind speed and direction were available so that must be something new. For me,at least, the absence of FOX would be a plus and a much better situation than we experienced a year before when, on the TA, CNN and other channel were sometimes not available, but FOX was constantly shown.

We have seen the same thing on TAs and concluded they were coming from RC and transmittted over the same system the internet and other ship to shore communications use, not satelites that commercial TV uses,

[Shar27]

Has there been a change as to tv coverage? I can't remember from our last trip, and more people seem to be commenting on this.

 

And enjoying your reports -- I board EX on 12/29. Thanks for taking the time to do this for all of us "addicts":)

 

I was on the Explorer a few weeks ago and the TV was just as Trainman described it.

 

No bridge channel and no Fox news. Disappointing.

[Shar27]

 

 

That's all for tonight everyone.

 

Cozumel tomorrow with lunch at LaChoza

 

Love this picture!!

[Trainman-2]

We had a great lunch at La Choza's and met some friends from CC there.

 

Here are the menus. Sorry but they have always been hard to photograph because of a reflective plastic coating on them.

 

 

[Trainman-2]

And the food...

 

 

 

 

 

[laseiber]

No more Fox News on any RCCL ship did not renew contract. Also on our Exployer cruise on Dec 2 we did not get any pictures from web cam on front of ship like before only the position of ship. Would have been nice to have outside temp when showing ship location.

[goouchjac]

Judith and I are both disappointed with the ship's TV selections.

 

There is no "Bridge Channel" which on other RCI ships rotates between a bridge cam and map views of the Caribbean showing the ships course and current location and weather radar.

 

There is no FOX News

 

CNN seems to be more "talk programs" than headline news

 

Hi Jim,,enjoying your review as usual...wondeing why they don't have Fox news,,my hubby will be very upset if he can't get his nightly O'Reilly....:eek:

[baggal]

Just curious: what is the peso/dollar conversion rate?

[ryano]

Just curious: what is the peso/dollar conversion rate?

 

If you are talking about the menu, I think if you just move the decimal to the left once, thats the US price. So the 120.00 chile relleno would actually be 12.00 USD.

 

Someone will certainly correct me if Im wrong. :)