Jim_Iain Live Blog - Infinity B2B - Carribbean and East Bound TA

[Jim_Iain]

The dreaded luggage tags have arrived.  Today is our last port. 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2019 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

 

 

Some May type of May Day celebration including communist flags.

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cruise47]

Jim_lain, Thanks you for that awesome review with all those outstanding photos.

 

Edited May 5, 2019 by cruise47

[Von & John]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

The dreaded luggage tags have arrived.  Today is our last port.

 

Jim & Iain  --  Nothing quite signals the end of the trip like the arrival of the luggage tickets...  Feel your pain!

Thanks for taking us on an amazing cruise with you  --  the pic's have been spectacular!!

[Jim_Iain]

All packed up and ready for drinks and final dinner.   For this trip I purchased a portable luggage scale and found it to really be good   One of our suite cases is 1 Kg under maximum of 23 Kg (50 Lbs). 

[Jim_Iain]

We had a lot of OBC left over and decided to use the Extra Tip form from the Front Desk

 

I'm sure many of you have gotten conflicting information about whether tips or pooled or go directly to the person specified.    Wim, our MCC told us that if we designate it to and individual it will go to them and they will not have to put it into the pooled gratuity pool.    When I asked the same question at the front desk I got the opposite answer.

 

At the officers party I checked with the F&B Director and the Suites Manager and they said if you put the person's name down and Position the tip would go to the individual.   They also said they would discuss with the front desk personnel.   The suite's Manager said she knows for sure because she is the one that enters the information the the employees payroll.  

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We had a lot of OBC left over and decided to use the Extra Tip form from the Front Desk

 

I'm sure many of you have gotten conflicting information about whether tips or pooled or go directly to the person specified.    Wim, our MCC told us that if we designate it to and individual it will go to them and they will not have to put it into the pooled gratuity pool.    When I asked the same question at the front desk I got the opposite answer.

 

At the officers party I checked with the F&B Director and the Suites Manager and they said if you put the person's name down and Position the tip would go to the individual.   They also said they would discuss with the front desk personnel.   The suite's Manager said she knows for sure because she is the one that enters the information the the employees payroll.  

Thanks for the definitive answer from the Suite Manager.

[Jim_Iain]

Monday May 6

 

Disembarkation was a breeze.  The called walk offs at 6:45 and Group 1 and 2 at 7:00.  

 

Wim escorted Ted us to the terminal at 7:15 and we were curbside by 7:20.  The broke up passengers into two lines. EC and Non-EC.  For non-EC they had 3 agents and a quick passport check and stamp and we were on our way.  

 

We booked a car and the driver was waiting outside terminal for us.  We he trip to airport took 20 minute.  

 

We we are flying KLM and they restrict check in until 2 hours before flight. 

 

Checkin took about 30 minutes and Security about another 10 minutes.  

 

We are. Sitting in Starbucks getting a fix of caffeine. 

 

 

 

[FlorenceItaly]

This has been a perfect trip!  Have a wonderful visit with family.

[wendyam76]

Jim

Thank you so much for your review AND all your helpful tips. I hate that KLM restricts you to two hours before for check in - sometimes feel like saying to them you try and get an 85 year old through check in and security and multiple bar code reader things! I would love to spend time at the shops! 

Enjoy Scotland!!

Wendy

[Bo1953]

Thank you very much for allowing us to tag along with you Gents...

 

Continued safe travels and look forward to the next one!

 

bon voyage

[hcat]

A very enjoyable live review.  Thank you!

Hope you  have  wonderful and lasting  memories !

[Aralim]

Thanks for the live blog, @Jim_Iain! Looks like you had a fantastic time.

 

When you get a chance, not any rush: What airline are you taking back to the states from Scotland? Was it booked through Flights By Celebrity, or on your own since it’s well past cruise end? If it’s not one of the major American lines, what were your reasons for choosing that airline besides price?

[MikeMary4449]

Thanks, Jim, for taking us along on your great TA.  We've taken

notes along the way and plan to use the information in the future.

Look forward to sailing with you soon.

Mike and Mary

Edited May 6, 2019 by MikeMary4449

[Lindagop]

A Big THANK YOU! What an entertaining, wonderful review. Cannot believe you are already in Europe. I will miss your daily check in. Hopefully you will post from Scotland. Greetings to you both and enjoy family time.

[Von & John]

Jim thanks for taking us along on your fantastic trip!!!   Wishing you an amazing time w/ Iain & his family in Scotland...  Travel Safe

[ryansmousehouse]

Jim... What car service did you use in Barcelona.. Not sure if that was discussed in a previous post.. Thanks.. Getting on the infinity next week...

[CTSandy]

Sad to see your cruise end, enjoyed the blog so much!  Your pictures were beautiful - thank you for sharing!

 

[Carnevale]

I am SO going to miss this post....

[Jim_Iain]

18 hours ago, Aralim said:

Thanks for the live blog, @Jim_Iain! Looks like you had a fantastic time.

 

When you get a chance, not any rush: What airline are you taking back to the states from Scotland? Was it booked through Flights By Celebrity, or on your own since it’s well past cruise end? If it’s not one of the major American lines, what were your reasons for choosing that airline besides price?

 I had a difficult time finding a nicely priced flight in Business Class.   Originally the lowest i could find was over $5,000.  I started checking on ChoiceAir various European Cities to SFO.   I eventually found a Non-Stop from Frankfurt for $1,300.  To get to FRA I've booked a pair of BA flight GLA-LHR-FRA.  

 

The main reason for selection was price but I'm a Million Mile traveler on United so use them extensively.   I have to be honest to say that in the past 3 years we have flown almost exclusively Delta due to pricing and am very pleased with their service and equipment.

[Jim_Iain]

15 hours ago, ryansmousehouse said:

Jim... What car service did you use in Barcelona.. Not sure if that was discussed in a previous post.. Thanks.. Getting on the infinity next week...

 

 

I booked with a service I had never heard of or used before -  google search result.   The company is called ZipTransfers.com   ( https://www.ziptransfers.com/en )

 

We exited 15 minutes earlier than booking and the driver was standing there is a nice suite holding a sign with my name on it.   He was driving a nice Black Mercedes and was attentive and very efficient.  

 

You reminded me that I had not posted that when we came out of the terminal they were loading buses 1 & 2 and there were probably 20 taxi's or more available with no lines.   

[CulverCityCruisers]

Thank you for your time and allowing all of us to enjoy your travels via the internet.  Safe flight home.

Are you going to be following the Equinox "revolution" and posting pictures from your "connections" that you seem to have??

 

Well, it has been an amazing journey and thank you again!!

 

[Aralim]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 I had a difficult time finding a nicely priced flight in Business Class.   Originally the lowest i could find was over $5,000.  I started checking on ChoiceAir various European Cities to SFO.   I eventually found a Non-Stop from Frankfurt for $1,300.  To get to FRA I've booked a pair of BA flight GLA-LHR-FRA.  

 

The main reason for selection was price but I'm a Million Mile traveler on United so use them extensively.   I have to be honest to say that in the past 3 years we have flown almost exclusively Delta due to pricing and am very pleased with their service and equipment.

 

Thanks for the info! I hope I don’t have similar difficulties finding a reasonably priced flight out of DUB or Shannon (don’t know the code for that one) for August 2020. Did a mock booking for the same time of year in 2019 on Kayak and found Aer Lingus to be the best price (not really surprising when it’s the “home court” airline), so may see if Flights By Celebrity has anything with them once that opens up. Never flew with them, but I can’t really afford to be picky with family of four and all the money we’re already spending for that cruise, excursions, and planned extended stay in Ireland.

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, CulverCityCruisers said:

Thank you for your time and allowing all of us to enjoy your travels via the internet.  Safe flight home.

Are you going to be following the Equinox "revolution" and posting pictures from your "connections" that you seem to have??

 

Well, it has been an amazing journey and thank you again!!

 

I will try to find what I can on the Equinox when we get home in about 10 day.   Will be interesting to see what they do to her.