ENCORE- 12/08/19-12/15/19

[ReaderDame]

Just got home yesterday from a week on the AMAZING new Encore.  I'm not going to write a review because I couldn't top Sid's review from the prior week; and am still too tired.  However, for those of you that have questions about the cruise in general, I will try to answer.  The shows and entertainment on board were fantastic!  The food was good!  Booze Good!  And the loungers in the Observation Lounge were awesome!  (Despite the nappers and bare feet!)  For all of you questioning how people can sleep in public... I dare you to sit in one of those, stare out at the beautiful ocean; and NOT SLEEP???  I swear, there is some sort of sleeping dust sprinkled in 15 minute intervals in that lounge!  The most peaceful place on the ship... and yet an active, rowdy crowd, always at the bar... from Age 18-99 at any given time!  (Complete with our favorite bartender from the Escape:  "Lovely", and her sidekick "Ida"... who she brought along from their most recent job on the Bliss)  My husband and I discovered what the "Mini-Beer" fuss is all about... ALL WEEK LONG!  When you have this team running things at this bar; who needs to pay $200 extra bucks to have their own private bar to escape to?

 

The Jost Van Dyke excursion on the Rebel Yell was the absolute best day ever... and the PainKillers at the Soggy Dollar were great too!  I have the Freestyle Dailys from the week, so if you all have any questions, will try to answer them.

[david_sobe]

Is Kinky boots only available 2 days and both at the end of the cruise?

[Maleficent's Dad]

Okay, I’ll bite - what’s the “mini-beer” reference?  The best I could guess is “micro brew?”  As in, craft beers?  🍺

Genuinely interested!!!

[ReaderDame]

30 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

 

 

30 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

Is Kinky boots only available 2 days and both at the end of the cruise?

Kinky Boots showed on 2 different days / with two different shows on each of the 2 days (Early Show 7:30 - Late Show 10:30pm)

for a total of 4 chances to see the show.  The shows were on Thursday & Friday nights

Edited December 16, 2019 by ReaderDame

[ReaderDame]

29 minutes ago, Maleficent's Dad said:

Okay, I’ll bite - what’s the “mini-beer” reference?  The best I could guess is “micro brew?”  As in, craft beers?  🍺

Genuinely interested!!!

The  Mini Beer is just that- a shot that looks like a mini beer. Made with Licor 43, a smooth Spanish liqueur comprised of 43 secret ingredients, and a dash of cream to add the “foam head,” this fun shot is perfect for parties, tailgating and more!  There isn't any beer in this shot... it just looks like a little beer.  Have never had this liqueur before, but have read about this shot on lots of the C.C. posts.  It is absolutely delicious!

[NoobCroozer]

12 minutes ago, ReaderDame said:

The  Mini Beer is just that- a shot that looks like a mini beer. Made with Licor 43, a smooth Spanish liqueur comprised of 43 secret ingredients, and a dash of cream to add the “foam head,” this fun shot is perfect for parties, tailgating and more!  There isn't any beer in this shot... it just looks like a little beer.  Have never had this liqueur before, but have read about this shot on lots of the C.C. posts.  It is absolutely delicious!

Thats the only thing my wife will drink other than Prosecco (Licor43)....good stuff.

 

Good to know!

[Maplemoose]

How is the crowd at the Cavern Club? How much in advance do you need to go to get a seat and when you do, do people stand in front of you? What about the waterfront seating for listening and viewing? Thanks. 

[sid_9169]

10 hours ago, Maplemoose said:

How is the crowd at the Cavern Club? How much in advance do you need to go to get a seat and when you do, do people stand in front of you? What about the waterfront seating for listening and viewing? Thanks. 

People start lining up about 45 minutes prior to the show. It gets filled to capacity by the time the show starts. There is a standing room only area around the back wall in one section. You can't watch it from the waterfront.

[DW09]

How long were you on the beach for at Jost Van Dyke?

We are taking this excursion. The 8:15 group. I'm glad to hear it was the best day ever! Can't wait! 

Thank you~

[bkrickles1]

4 minutes ago, DW09 said:

How long were you on the beach for at Jost Van Dyke?

We are taking this excursion. The 8:15 group. I'm glad to hear it was the best day ever! Can't wait! 

Thank you~

I'm sailing Encore 1/19/20 and have the 8:15 group scheduled for JVD too.

It's a 5 hour excursion and the catamaran back and forth shouldn't be longer than 45 minutes each way, so I'm hoping for 3 1/2 hours of White Bay.

And I'm interested in both the Soggy Dollar bar and Hendo's hideout, which are right next to each other.

Glad to hear that it was a great day!

[DW09]

Thanks for the info bkrickles1! I will be on the Redel Yell with you! I am on the same Encore sailing and excursion as you.

So looking forward to it!!

Edited December 17, 2019 by DW09

[dshefter]

22 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

I'm sailing Encore 1/19/20 and have the 8:15 group scheduled for JVD too.

It's a 5 hour excursion and the catamaran back and forth shouldn't be longer than 45 minutes each way, so I'm hoping for 3 1/2 hours of White Bay.

And I'm interested in both the Soggy Dollar bar and Hendo's hideout, which are right next to each other.

Glad to hear that it was a great day!

We are also on this excursion. Cost of drinks at Soggy Dollar Bar?

[bkrickles1]

29 minutes ago, dshefter said:

We are also on this excursion. Cost of drinks at Soggy Dollar Bar?

I don't know but we'll find out together. Lol 😂. Go to their website. It might be on there. I keep reading that hendo's is also great and has better food. It's to the left of soggy if facing the water and Gertrudes is to the right. And there's more past Gertrudes. It's going to be a great day! 

[dshefter]

14 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

I don't know but we'll find out together. Lol 😂. Go to their website. It might be on there. I keep reading that hendo's is also great and has better food. It's to the left of soggy if facing the water and Gertrudes is to the right. And there's more past Gertrudes. It's going to be a great day! 

Looks like $6 for drinks based on menu posted on Yelp.

[david_sobe]

18 hours ago, ReaderDame said:

 

Kinky Boots showed on 2 different days / with two different shows on each of the 2 days (Early Show 7:30 - Late Show 10:30pm)

for a total of 4 chances to see the show.  The shows were on Thursday & Friday nights

Thanks. Just thought it was unusual that the shows happen so late in the week and only 2 days/4 shows.  But I guess that's enough for everyone to see it.

[awinte2]

Did you find the pool deck overly crowded.

[DW09]

2 hours ago, DW09 said:

Thanks for the info bkrickles1! I will be on the Rebel Yell with you! I am on the same Encore sailing and excursion as you.

So looking forward to it!!

 

[bkrickles1]

2 hours ago, DW09 said:

Thanks for the info bkrickles1! I will be on the Redel Yell with you! I am on the same Encore sailing and excursion as you.

So looking forward to it!!

I'll be with my wife and 19 yo daughter and we're super excited. We love pretty beaches and white bay looks like a great one. 33 days! 

[dshefter]

6 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

I'll be with my wife and 19 yo daughter and we're super excited. We love pretty beaches and white bay looks like a great one. 33 days! 

Will also be with my wife and 16 yo daughter. Excited about seeing JVD for the first time. Last time in Tortola we visited The Baths on Virgin Gorda. Also a worthy excursion.

[DW09]

5 hours ago, bkrickles1 said:

I'll be with my wife and 19 yo daughter and we're super excited. We love pretty beaches and white bay looks like a great one. 33 days! 

Will be my husband and myself. We are heading to Miami on a red eye from Vancouver, Canada on Jan 16th - A couple of nights early. 30 days till we get out of the cold rain. We actually watch the Soggy Dollar web cam every morning with a cup of coffee before we head to work...I love staring at that pretty beach, it gets us through the day..haha! Can't wait!

[rtkenmore]

8 hours ago, david_sobe said:

Thanks. Just thought it was unusual that the shows happen so late in the week and only 2 days/4 shows.  But I guess that's enough for everyone to see it.

Got to remember there are four more shows over two nights for Choir of Man as well...  and then one night was an early show with The Yesterday Beatles with a late show from a comedian in the main theater...  so total of 10 shows over five nights in main theater. 

[swmichigan cruiser]

8 minutes ago, rtkenmore said:

Got to remember there are four more shows over two nights for Choir of Man as well...  and then one night was an early show with The Yesterday Beatles with a late show from a comedian in the main theater...  so total of 10 shows over five nights in main theater. 

Also first night of the cruise they have a show that showcases all of the entertainment for the week. And the Encore has a late night leaving San Juan every week  so that night they don't show Choir of Man or Kinky Boots. Just personal preference but I really enjoyed Choir of Man.

[ReaderDame]

17 hours ago, david_sobe said:

Thanks. Just thought it was unusual that the shows happen so late in the week and only 2 days/4 shows.  But I guess that's enough for everyone to see it.

There is also another main show:  Choir of Man during the week (2 showings on 2 nights) so that is why … they both take place in the main theater.  Both have major staging; so they show the 4 Choir of Man earlier in the week, and then change out the stage for the 4 shows of Kinky Boots

[ReaderDame]

16 hours ago, awinte2 said:

Did you find the pool deck overly crowded.

Yes, Very Much So... Sid's pictures showed exactly what it looks like!

[ReaderDame]

18 hours ago, dshefter said:

We are also on this excursion. Cost of drinks at Soggy Dollar Bar?

I paid $7.00 for the Pain Killer.  Their drinks looked to be standard bar costs....