Ecstasy November 18 - 23, Live

[jessencaitly]

9 hours ago, Mliddon said:

We are headed out over Christmas!!!  Thank you for taking the time to post reviews!!!  We are living vicariously through you this week!!!

 

Us too! I'm bringing 3 first timers,  so I'm having them follow this as well.

[indygirl76]

17 minutes ago, jessencaitly said:

 

Us too! I'm bringing 3 first timers,  so I'm having them follow this as well.

I don't know if I'm a good tour guide for rookies, since I mostly drink and avoid the sun, but I'll do my best. 😂 😂 

[indygirl76]

This is the sneakiest whiskey cocktail I've ever had. I asked Zoran to surprise me, and he made me a Jameson cocktail with peach bitters and lime juice. I'm going to be half tipsy by the time we get to dinner. Not sorry. 

[jessencaitly]

5 minutes ago, indygirl76 said:

I don't know if I'm a good tour guide for rookies, since I mostly drink and avoid the sun, but I'll do my best. 😂 😂 

It's helping them seeing your pictures and stuff too... they're all nervous about everything being all fancy-schmancy. I keep telling them I'm bringing them on Carnival because it's smaller and more fun. 

They're old bikers,  fancy-schmancy isn't going to work lol..

[indygirl76]

17 minutes ago, jessencaitly said:

It's helping them seeing your pictures and stuff too... they're all nervous about everything being all fancy-schmancy. I keep telling them I'm bringing them on Carnival because it's smaller and more fun. 

They're old bikers,  fancy-schmancy isn't going to work lol..

So I've got that going for me, which is nice. 😂 You can tell them that we're wearing casual ish dresses like I would wear to my office job. And even on formal night, we're in the top ~15% of fanciness. 

[jessencaitly]

10 minutes ago, indygirl76 said:

So I've got that going for me, which is nice. 😂 You can tell them that we're wearing casual ish dresses like I would wear to my office job. And even on formal night, we're in the top ~15% of fanciness. 

 

Actually,  the other couple that's going with us is stoked for formal night (well she is,  lol)

She's calling it prom night,  and is going all out.

This cruise is counting as my honeymoon,  so we'll probably dress up some as well and get some nice photos. 

Sounds like you're having a great time, keep it up!

[boomhower]

7 hours ago, indygirl76 said:

It's been three whole hours since we ate, so clearly it is time for lunch! Normally, I can't stand the crowds on Lido, and never go. But this ship never feels crowded?? We were able to get a table immediately. Karen snagged some comfort food from the American buffet - really solid pot roast and mashed potatoes. I opted for Tacos from Blue Iguana. For some reason, passengers on this sailing are allergic to tacos. There's a ginormous line for burritos and literally no one for tacos? I thought at first they had combined the lines, but the taco man saw me looking and waved me into the empty line. Glorious. 

 

It’s been like that on all my cruises. Want a burrito be prepared to wait 20 minutes.  Tacos are a walk up affair.  🤷🏻‍♂️ 

[indygirl76]

11 minutes ago, boomhower said:

It’s been like that on all my cruises. Want a burrito be prepared to wait 20 minutes.  Tacos are a walk up affair.  🤷🏻‍♂️ 

People are weird, news at 11, I guess! 🤷‍♂️ 

[indygirl76]

Dinner tonight was kind of underwhelming, tbh. My clam chowder was a weird grainy consistency; Karen had the chicken soup that was fine but unmemorable. We both had crab cakes (very underwhelming - lots of filler, and I had a #reviewfail bite before I took the picture!) and prime rib, fine. But Igor and Co remembered our names and drink orders from last night, so that was awesome. (I would never expect that, per se, but it's a nice plus when they do.) Chef's Table is tomorrow, so we told Igor and Lester we would see them Thursday. 

 

Check out the "Main Lobster" on the menu. I assume that's different from the auxiliary lobster? (diction joke, sorry) 

 

A word about evening entertainment... We normally spend a lot of time in the piano bar. I went last night for fifteen minutes. We will probably not be back this cruise. And that's all I have to say about that! 

 

Now we're off to the Alchemy bar for a drink or two before the 10:30 comedy show. Talk to you - tipsier than I am now, which is considerable - in a bit! 

 

[indygirl76]

Alchemy round #??? today. 😁 Karen ordered water and got "sexy water" with mint for her stomach, and I ordered "whatever you feel like making." This is a nom grapefruit something with Grey Goose? No idea. Love the point in the cruise when I can blind order, and know it will be good! Love even more, how early that point came this time - Richard and Zoran are SOLID. 

 

[indygirl76]

Late night comedy show from Merl Hobbs was totally inappropriate. He is going to hell in a handbasket. And he is HILARIOUS. 

[indygirl76]

I tried the $5 Hub app pizza delivery, you know, strictly for review purposes. ~20 minutes later, the lady was knocking on the door. I estimate the line on lido at 20 minutes, minimum, so not having to stand in line + already comfy in my pj's in the cabin = well worth $5 (plus tip). The pizza was hot af too, and clearly straight from the oven (or conveyor toaster for the purists). 

[tkportersat]

Enjoying the review, it is keeping me occupied at work 🙂

[indygirl76]

Good morning from Half Moon Cay! This picture is the closest we'll get to the island - we did it last year, and can take it or leave it. So we're playing cards on a mostly empty Lido deck. Blue Iguana tequila isn't open until 3p (sob) so we're working on rum somethings from Red Frog. 

 

The breakfast buffet this morning was the first truly terrible food of the cruise. There was something that looked like a mini chicken burrito, but tasted - just being honest here - like cat food wrapped in a soggy tortilla. *shudder* 

[indygirl76]

Zoran from Alchemy is slumming it at the Lido bar, so our day-drinking just improved significantly. And in case you were wondering, "slumming it" doesn't really translate to Bosnian, lol. 

 

The lunch buffet today was supposed to be French, my favorite! It's Caribbean, which is my least fave. (trombone) Guy's it is! 

Edited November 20, 2019 by indygirl76

[lottiegreen56]

Did you all get the cheers package and/or have free drinks in the casino? If so, I highly recommend getting a kiss on the lips with half the mixer. You have less to drink but same amount of alcohol and you can drink 3-4 of them in half an hour and feel really good! Can't think of a better way to have fun with an empty ship.

[indygirl76]

We have Cheers, but I'm not really into sweet - I'll have Karen guinea pig that one. 😄

[bonstersd]

So loving your review!  Thanks for sharing!

[indygirl76]

17 minutes ago, bonstersd said:

[sorry, I didn't mean to quote and I don't know how to make it go away - #internetfail] 

Up from the afternoon nap and ready in time for a trip to Alchemy before the Chef's Table! Another basil drop and Karen Ginger Drink. 😂 

Edited November 20, 2019 by indygirl76

[indygirl76]

Chef's Table was wonderful! I totally failed on the picture taking - it was too nice of a setting. But if you like food, the art of food, you should definitely go. It's well worth the cost. 

 

Currently ensconced at Alchemy; Karen crashed early. Nassau tomorrow, and the plan is to wander up the street shopping until we get tired, then find somewhere nice for lunch. 

[simplelife]

Loving this review. We are booked on Ectasy Feb 29th. 

Have been on this ship before, but this will be our first time out of Jacksonville/

[indygirl76]

15 hours ago, simplelife said:

Loving this review. We are booked on Ectasy Feb 29th. 

Have been on this ship before, but this will be our first time out of Jacksonville/

Thanks so much! 🙂

 

First order of business in Nassau was shopping. T-shirt for my father and rum cake for the manfriend, acquired! 

 

Then we got sucked into Shenanigans Irish Pub, thanks to the hilarious ~60 year old dancing leprechaun pitch man. Drinks were tasty and very(!) strong - they were two for one, and Karen made it about halfway through her first and only one. Murphy's Martini for her, and two Jameson sours for me, and I was feeling pretty good by the time we left. 

 

The bartender and the (hostess? manager?) have a gorgeous baby daughter, and were playfully bickering with each other. They had us cracking up, and not just from the whiskey. We tipped accordingly. 

[indygirl76]

Next up was a very brief stop at a place that shall remain unnamed. We "made a donation to the local economy" (aka paid for overpriced, terrible sugarbomb drinks that we left on the table), and venue shifted to Athena Cafe. 

 

Athena was *excellent* and not horribly expensive (for Nassau - we're not in Belize, folks). Giant platter of the best cracked conch I've ever had, grilled lobster, and four very well made cocktails, $120 including tax and auto tip. The bar top has glass display cases, including some amusing... art... that must have washed up on the beach. 

[cruisingguy007]

Really enjoying this! Great photos of all the food and drinks, very helpful. Seems like you are having a great time and are truly embracing "the fun" on the fun ship! Party on! 

[indygirl76]

2 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

Really enjoying this! Great photos of all the food and drinks, very helpful. Seems like you are having a great time and are truly embracing "the fun" on the fun ship! Party on! 

We are having so much fun, I don't know what day it is! 

 

(Just kidding, mostly...)