Jim_Iain Live!!! - B2B Summit New England and Bermuda Jun 5 & 16th

[Jim_Iain]

We decided to walk down to The Breakers which is a comfortable 2 1/2  mile walk.  The cost of the Breakers is $26 each but upgradable for 8.00 for a second mansion.  

 

Our first stop along the way was Trinity Church. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really interesting.  The aristocracy had private boxes and each individually decorated. 

 

 

[bunnyette]

Rather surprised that at this time of year, Celebrity did not realize that fog is something that is common to New England ports...

[Jim_Iain]

Next up was the Breakers.   We had a leisurely self guided tour of the mansion.  Absolutely a must do. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FlorenceItaly]

Beautiful day in Newport.  We have been and toured the Breakers.  I wish our June 16th cruise stopped in Newport.  Steve spent some time there as a child and has very fond memories.

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2019 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

We next walked along mansion row.   So many mansions, so little time. 

 

The Rhododendrons were in full bloom.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2019 by Jim_Iain

[gerelmx]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Daily from Day 1

 

Jim thank you for doing the live review, can you post the officers page?

Gerardo

Edited June 6, 2019 by gerelmx

[Jim_Iain]

We next visited the Marble Mansion which was about 1/2 mile away.  Again a very comfortable walk with so much to see. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2019 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Now the smartest way thing we did all day was to go to the tea house at the Marble Mansion.   

 

Just as as we sat down there was a torrential downpour.   It was gone by the time we finished off our snack. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Daily for Day 2

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Wow.    Finally caught up.   

[Jim_Iain]

On 6/5/2019 at 10:34 AM, barbette165 said:

Have a good trip - always enjoy your blogs.

 

Although people do commonly park in the UK on the wrong side of the road, it is actually illegal. It just isn't actually enforced very much.

 

By the way Jim, I recall in a previous blog you commented about how it would take you much longer to clear UK immigration compared to Iain (using his British passport). This should now be a thing of the past as you are now able to use either the e-gates or the "UK and others" line. And you no longer need to complete the landing card.

 

https://www.heathrow.com/arrivals/immigration-and-passports

 

Link is for Heathrow but it applies to all airports.

Thanks for the information.  I saw it a couple weeks ago.  Hopefully the U.S. will do the same for British Passport holders.  What i see is foreign visitors have really long ques at U.S. Immigration.  I understand that it is also coming to a number of other European Airports like Barcelona.

 

I was also reading that in the near future U.S. Passport holders will be required to obtain a visa waiver similar to what the British have to obtain for a U.S. visit.

 

[LorraineP]

Were there any happy hours at bars on the 1st night?

[Jim_Iain]

On 6/5/2019 at 5:56 PM, silkismom said:

So exciting, we came home from an RV trip with no wifi, now that the laundry is done I have something fun to read everyday and look forward to, we'll be in the same area in Oct 2020, but will keep track of ideas for then. 

Really enjoying the trip and sure you will also.    New England is such a beautiful area and one that you immediately get a feel for the historic background of the area.    I'm especially excited as I am a real Genealogy buff and a member of Son's of American Revolution.  

[hcat]

11 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Wow.    Finally caught up.   

Glad you had a great first day...including a healthy and scenic walk.  Very historic area and seems your family is  a part of it!

Edited June 6, 2019 by hcat

[Jim_Iain]

20 hours ago, Oville said:

Any Sky Suite pix?

Hopefully we have some readers here that are in a Sky Suite and can post some pictures.   I have a bid in for the next cruise for an upgrade but not feeling confident as we are getting within 2 weeks of sailing and no word yet.

[Jim_Iain]

20 hours ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

Am enjoying your live review and had to post when I saw this comment.  We (from Canada) were in Holland a few weeks ago and noticed the same thing...drivers parked left or right wheels to curb on two-way streets and it also made me think twice about whether we were on a one-way or two-way street.   In Canada, you have to park right wheels to curb (unless on a one way street) or face a costly traffic ticket. Glad I'm not the only one confused by foreign parking lol!!!  

 

Keep up the great work on the review!!

 

The U.S. is the same.   If you were to park in the wrong way you would definitely be ticked.    California has a strange law that is especially enforced in SF.  You are required to curb your wheel when parked even on a flat street to prevent runaways.  

[Charles4515]

55 minutes ago, hcat said:

Do you know if they served Prime Rib in the mdr on Night 1?

 

They did. That is what I had. Dinner was good the first night. 

[Jim_Iain]

20 hours ago, Fjcpooh17 said:

We just got off Summit this morning after spending 10 days in a Sky Suite. First time sailing to Bermuda, Boston and Bar Harbor, absolutely loved it! Enjoy your cruise!!! 

Do you happen to have any photos of your room. There was just a request by   @Oville

Edited June 6, 2019 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

20 hours ago, RodPat said:

We just got off Summit today.  Can't wait to see what you think of the changes.  We usually take a suite but this time we took a C 1 aft cabin.  Looking forward to what you think of the Retreat.  It looked much brighter in there than when we were there last. We have about another year to become Zenith so congrats on that accomplishment.  Qsine got fresh Lobsters when we were in Bar Harbor and were selling them for lunch and dinner the next day so be on the look out for that special.

Pat

 

 

It is amazing how quickly time will pass and you are initiated into Zenith.    I have really enjoyed Retreat so far.   Hopefully Celebrity will modify some of the changes as they get negative reports on them.    The small tables and munchkin chairs are really a  miss.    We just had afternoon tea at the Retreat and fitting 2 small plates, a couple cups and a tea pot were challenging even after we moved the decorative plants and other cups with holes in them.    There was only one other couple in having tea so was very relaxed.   

 

I rather like the new self service selection of scones, sandwiches and sweets.   It frees up the butlers to serve the coffee and tea and the selection is really more than enough.

[Jim_Iain]

18 hours ago, ecslady said:

 

Wow!  I know Warren and have been to Watching Mountains many times, especially the look out area, in my  younger days.  You are probably better off keeping your memories, as all of Central Jersey has changed over the years.

 

I do have some memories but not many.    My parents moved about every year and I had 4 different High Schools.   While I official graduated from Watchung Hills Regional High School I began University about 4 months before graduation day and received my diploma in the mail.  

 

I guess we all have seen so many changes to where we grew up.  

[Jim_Iain]

17 hours ago, SuzeCruz1 said:

I'm enjoying this blog.  Thank you, and enjoy your trip.  

To revisit the pink sand storyline from earlier, here's a pic from the east end of Horseshoe beach.  This is about as pink as the sand gets and is most noticeable just at the tide line.  

 

 

Looks beautiful.   Getting excited already.

 

8 hours ago, goldsmip115 said:

Glad you arrived safe and sound. We’ll connect soon.  Trish

 

Sounds good Trish.   We are in 9077 look forward to meeting.

 

8 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

YAY, you're back!  Thank you.   I love the refresh.  Also, I think the Retreat(aka Michaels Club) looks great.  We have only sailed in a suite once, on the Infinity, and I think the refresh is great.  IMO, the M class is long overdue for the refresh.   We have been on the M class many times.  Our most recent was the Summit last October, and Infinity, in December.  This IS a marked improvement.  Are there misses, yes, but, imo, the positive outweighs the negative.    I am very excited to board on the 16th.  

 

I agree with you 100%.     I'm really not usually complaining but trying to point our the misses and hopefully some of them will be changed over time.   I hear that some of the Revolution was truncated due to the accident at the ship yard.   Whether true or just a rumor I don't know.

 

We have probably been on more M-Class sailing than S-Class and like the size of the ship.   My real only complaint is they removed the French Style Restaurant.    

[Fjcpooh17]

19 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Do you happen to have any photos of your room. There was just a request by   @Oville

In post 152 I uploaded a quick video of the sky suite we stayed in. 

[FlorenceItaly]

Jim, how are you feeling about the AQ stateroom, or is it too early to tell?  Are you missing the cabin space of the suites?  Or, is the savings worth a bit of space sacrifice?   Just curious.

[Fjcpooh17]

29 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Hopefully we have some readers here that are in a Sky Suite and can post some pictures.   I have a bid in for the next cruise for an upgrade but not feeling confident as we are getting within 2 weeks of sailing and no word yet.

 

I found out 3 days before the cruise that we won the move up bid. Fingers crossed for you!