Semi-Live, Dawn - Canada & New England 5/11/2019, our old favorite

[Arzeena]

The Asian food looks so delicious! Is Bamboo still a free restaurant?

I wish there was a good "real" Chinese restaurant on the Escape.

[mking8288]

Tender ticket #1 just called about 5 minutes ago @ 12:15 pm. Going to take a while to get 1,000 pax ashore as each tender has a capacity of about 100, plus boarding & getting off once ashore.

 

Cajun shrimp salad ...[emoji106]

 

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Group 2 called for tendering at 12:45pm ... hmmm. 

 

Group 3 at 12:52 pm.

Edited May 17, 2019 by mking8288

[jaja]

WOW...not great disembarkation !!   Thought I was safe booking a 1:00 shorex.!! 

[mking8288]

Gang of 8 [emoji847] joined the end of the line for group #6, on the tender now at 1:35 pm.  Ready to launch ashore, a bit windy.

 

Almost at the dock.

 

Jaja - Right Whales season.

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by mking8288

[jaja]

Was there a reason for delay...?? Thinking of canceling my 1:00 excursion now.

[dexddd]

58 minutes ago, jaja said:

Was there a reason for delay...?? Thinking of canceling my 1:00 excursion now.

He mentioned doing 23 knots but he also mentioned captain said they slowed down for whales in a certain area.  I took that to mean they had to slow down previous and then they tried to make up some of the time?  Maybe they will adjust accordingly for future trips and get ahead of schedule before the whale zone?

[NYcruzzer]

No tender tickets required for Platinum/Platinum Plus ? 

[mking8288]

Arzenna & Dexddd ... here, we found one, why buy - just do a time share.

 

Starting to rain, getting back on tender back to the ship.

 

Ship was late due to mandatory slow down to avoid striking Right Whales sighted along the coast. We had plenty of time for the distance & average cruise speed. It still took a full hour to set up the platform, drop the lifeboats & get OK to start shore ops to tender.

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Newport - 

Edited May 17, 2019 by mking8288

[jaja]

AHH!!!  the whales !!  Had our Quebec cruise cut short by an overnight because of migration near St Lawrence river.  

[jaja]

36 minutes ago, NYcruzzer said:

No tender tickets required for Platinum/Platinum Plus ? 

On my last trip (Gem)..was told no tender tickets needed (I am Plus)--said my key card would be my ticket for any tender. 

[seadog67]

Enjoy your day in Newport Mking! Thanks for the updates and info on the weather, really helps in our packing as I was a bit unsure of what to expect this time of the year. We are pushing 80 today in southern NJ, but seems a good bit different even in Newport. 

 

Thanks again for all the updates throughout your cruise!

[mking8288]

@NYcruzzer - Correct, at least for Newport, RI - Gold, Platinum & Plus (don't believe there are any Ambassadors onboard) - no tender ticket neede (those given out at the Bliss Lounge @ 10 am this morning, not ahead & not via App or interactive TV screen) 

 

We leisurely finished our lunch @ Venetian after 1:15 pm & just flashed our Guest Keycards to join the END of the line on Deck 7, down the stairs to the gangway on Deck 4 Portside for the next tender (group #6 - not sure how many boats had gone ashore already, as each lifeboat has a max capacity of 110 as tender) and it was close to 2 pm when we got ashore, the actual trip was timed at almost 15 minutes - 2 boat ramps ashore for use.  Newport security was checked for valid photo ID AND Guest keycard to match.  

 

As for Bar Harbor, Maine - it was also tendering but since one can be delayed from CBP face-to-face inspection, Platnium/Latitude status didn't matter at all by itself, but those booked with NCL ShorEX seemed to get to be called early ... it was fairly quick once you get into the designated location for the screening on the ship.  All of the CBP officers were finished with their tasks, despite the ship paging for about a dozen pax not yet reporting, and hopped onto our tender as we're going ashore, sometime after 10 am (with the ship on schedule & starting the screening 30 minutes early.)

 

@jaja - there's no much anyone can do about marine life and the mandatory USCG regs about protection for the Right Whaes, as you knew & experienced before.  Have a great cruise next week & just share the news and possible delays with the rest of the Roll Call ... I am pretty sure some of them are following this blog/semi-live closely as I only realized that we are the inaugural for the Dawn's return to NY after a 9 years hiatus AND doing the first run on the Canda & N.E. route this season, after we booked last minute ... so, figured that it won't hurt to do a Semi-Live.  

 

Last time, we couldn't get to use WhatsApp either for voice calling, whereas it worked earlier in the week at sea ... that is the nature of satellite WiFi onboard, the Dawn's hardware apparently not as dynamic & updated as the Breakaway, Escape & the Gem, unfortunately.   As a result, 45+ minutes of airtime was wasted on 2 evenings, unable to upload pictures or do anything else, except to check emails & catchup on news sources.   Thankfully, Plan B worked with Google Fi & T-Mo once we're docked or anchored off-shore, and 4G LTE is a lifeline to keeping the posts "current" - got about 30 unused minutes remaining, going to give it a 3rd try tonight to see ... not going to make a big fuzz about the "free" minutes given.  

 

@seadog67 - happy to contribute to the community at CC.  We are coming off in the morning, joked about doing a B2B but got other plans ... passing the torch to you to continue, left plenty of areas not covered.  

 

Weather is what is it ... we packed smartly for 3 seasons, including rain gears ... as if we are heading to Alaska.  Happy to to put away our outerwear and ready for temp's in the 60's coming home to NY.  

 

Going need to pack, fill out some Vacation Hero cards, mainly for some of the exceptional dining room crew members, and get ready for early dinner ... then to catch a 7 pm show (Magic & Aerialists) 

 

@Arzeena - yes, Bamboo is free, complimentary - but reservations are a must, we got luck & booked onboard for our gang of 8.  It doesn't compare to what we can find in Flushing's Chinatown these days but adequate & for something a little different - and, those shrimps are FREE, no upcharge.  We're surprised that Teppanyaki wasn't fully booked last night, only 2 tables of 8 occupied (and not full) plus empty chairs for 16 more - for anyone unable to book Specialty ahead, wait & just do it once on the ship, they had to override Moderno to book a table of 8 for us.  

 

Once we get home & re-condition our sea legs for land, I will do a summary & write-up of some of our observations, findings & impressions, etc. 

 

That's it for now ... more later before we sail, if necessary - and, when possible, if satellite WiFi is restored this evening, somehow, late update at sea.  Otherwise, will wait till we sail near/under the VZ Bridge in the morning and/or up the Hudson.

 

Disembarkation should be quick & easy, just US Customs declaration or border inspection for ID's are completed ... the next Canada/NE group waiting to board should be able to get on with minimal delay, fingers crossed.  

 

(This long blog/multi-quoting replies possible while tethering on T-Mobile 4G LTE signals while we anchored in Newport, RI's harbor.) 

[bluesea777]

6 hours ago, Arzeena said:

The Asian food looks so delicious! Is Bamboo still a free restaurant?

I wish there was a good "real" Chinese restaurant on the Escape.

 

Hopefully NCL will think of putting one on the Encore … all the breakaway class ships lack real Chinese/Asian restaurants. The Noodle bar is noodle bar and does not count.

 

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by bluesea777

[trex-de]

Are you able to book Bamboo in advance on ship or only day of?

[mking8288]

21 minutes ago, trex-de said:

Are you able to book Bamboo in advance on ship or only day of?

In advance, NCL online doesn't offer reservation for Bamboo, nor the App ... we can only book it on the ship, done on day 2.

 

6:25 pm and we are doing a turn & sailing, on the way home.

 

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Venetian MDR - prime rib served & ordered. 

[Arzeena]

Going to miss the "MKing Dailies".

Perhaps you will spring out of a corner and surprise us on June 2 on board the Escape. Mrs K says she is already packed LOL!

Edited May 17, 2019 by Arzeena

[mking8288]

Arzenna & Dexddd,

our BIL already paid in full on MSC this Fall, so ... never knows.  Especially if the last minute prices are good & her cruise bugs hit again.  Will see, LOL.

 

Dessert was good, as land fades away.

Edited May 17, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

All is quiet onboard, bags are packed & picked up. Not ready for disembarkation but it's ending. 

 

On a 230 heading, about 15.5 knots, 125 nm to NYC, should be at VZ Bridge by 5 to 6 and sail up past SOL, at the Pier around 7 am or sooner. Ship is in great shape overall. Seas are calm & wind at usual. 

[mking8288]

Looking good for early arrival & on time.

Edited May 18, 2019 by mking8288

[amygutman]

MKing - 

This was a wonderful forum - again, can't thank you enough. 

Very much appreciate the tips and details, and the time you took out of your vacation to make a bunch of fellow travelers happy. 

 

Random question - on the Gem, we were able to buy an arcade pass for our son which saved us a ton of money. Do you know if that option is available on the Dawn? It is not listed on the website as a purchase option under "activities" - that is where we found it for the Gem. My son is becoming a table hockey maniac, and at 2$ / game, this adds up quick!

 

Thank you so much, and safe travels home! Amy

[mking8288]

Good morning all, coming up the NY Lower Bay, 4G LTE signal and to us, almost home.

 

A snapshot of how we managed our WiFi satellite minutes at sea. More chats later, getting a few extra zzzzz's before we get up for breakfast.

 

BTW, a good # of crew going home as we saw 4 large carts of luggage on Deck 4 late last night so there will be some turnover.

 

Plenty of time to pre-book our Carmel car service to get us home, once we leisurely disembark mid morning.😁

 

Edited May 18, 2019 by mking8288

[seadog67]

Good Morning Mking! Welcome home. Glad you had a great week and thanks again for entertaining us all week. Looks to be a beautiful sail up the Hudson as we await you on the cams.

 

Thanks again!