Live Blog Splendor 2/25

[jeb_bud]

18 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

What a great evening.  I hope we have one...

 

Photos - I have to figure how to get the photos easily from my iPhone (11 Pro) to my computer and am working on this!!  Any tips gratefully accepted.  Cruisin7 - how do you do it?  Your photos are wonderful.

What kind of computer do you have?  If a MacBook transferring is easy. If a Windows computer it’s a bit more complicated. 

[crusin7]

6 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

How warm was the sea at Grand Cayman??  It looks idyllic!!

 

Be prepared for much cooler weather when you get to SD tomorrow!  We are here now, grey skies, around 14°C going up to around 16° tomorrow.  Chances of rain.

The sea was a bit cool when you first jumped in but we warmed quickly.  Today is foggy so the horn is blasting frequently.  It scares the  bejeebers out of you if you are on the pool deck.  

When we returned from lunch the dreaded suitcases were on the bed!  I hate that.  We heard 200 guests have canceled your cruise.  Maybe I can stow away!

[Hambagahle]

4 hours ago, jeb_bud said:

What kind of computer do you have?  If a MacBook transferring is easy. If a Windows computer it’s a bit more complicated. 

jeb_bud - I have an iPhone 11 Pro and a MacBook air...  thanks!  Gerry

[Hambagahle]

1 hour ago, crusin7 said:

The sea was a bit cool when you first jumped in but we warmed quickly.  Today is foggy so the horn is blasting frequently.  It scares the  bejeebers out of you if you are on the pool deck.  

When we returned from lunch the dreaded suitcases were on the bed!  I hate that.  We heard 200 guests have canceled your cruise.  Maybe I can stow away!

Why not stow away?  You could sleep on the chaise longue on our balcony!!!

[crusin7]

Holy Smokes Gerry I hope you and Ken get home safely!  Our dear friends from Germany will not be able to make the April 1 Splendor cruise.  They are so disappointed.  

Our last appetizers 

 

 

We had dinner in Compass Rose.  Everything was delicious.  Jim had Weiner Schnitzel.  He had them add the egg.  It was the best he had.  

 

 

 

I had one of my favorites,  spaghetti puttanesca.  It was a bit salty but fabulous!  A perfect last meal. 

 

 

We also had some of last nights Baked Alaska.  Yummy!

 

 

 

Our Fabulous Compass Rose Staff

 

[Hambagahle]

Great photos as usual - not sure though about the egg on the schnitzel!!  And lovely staff.

I booked flights on Air Canada from FLL to ZRH via Toronto (you might have seen this on our new blog...) for when we get off in Miami.   That is the "backstop".  We still want to fly Swiss of course but if people are not allowed to come to the US from Europe, airlines won't be flying from the US to Europe.   So we'll do what we must.   

 

Anyway - I want to say thank you for your posts and photos.  Your cruise has been lovely.  And what you have done to take us along is really appreciated!!  Travel home safely.   When I see the Splendor tomorrow morning I will send you a wave!

Gerry

[crusin7]

Thank you...waving back!  Have a wonderful cruise. 

[williewatson]

7 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

Great photos as usual - not sure though about the egg on the schnitzel!!  And lovely staff.

I booked flights on Air Canada from FLL to ZRH via Toronto (you might have seen this on our new blog...) for when we get off in Miami.   That is the "backstop".  We still want to fly Swiss of course but if people are not allowed to come to the US from Europe, airlines won't be flying from the US to Europe.   So we'll do what we must.   

 

Anyway - I want to say thank you for your posts and photos.  Your cruise has been lovely.  And what you have done to take us along is really appreciated!!  Travel home safely.   When I see the Splendor tomorrow morning I will send you a wave!

Gerry

Gerry,  you are an amazing planner.   My first thoughts were of you when the ban was announced.  I look forward to meeting you Soon.     And thanks to cruisin7.   I am not certain we would have stuck with the plan to sail without your blog and encouragement.

[crusin7]

Thanks all for the kind words.  Pulling into San Diego now.  Will recap later.  I wish you all good sailing!

 

[Mudhen]

Thank you for taking the time to take us all along! Enjoyed it so much! Safe travels home!

J&L

[flossie009]

Thanks for the blog - safe travel home 😎

[RJ2002]

Enjoyed your reports.  Safe travels home!

[Mr Rumor]

Loved your blog, Crisy--thank you!  But you did me no favors with all those terrific food photos! I think gained five pounds just ogling them (and then hitting the refrigerator)!

 

Rich

[jeb_bud]

17 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

jeb_bud - I have an iPhone 11 Pro and a MacBook air...  thanks!  Gerry

 

That should make it easy.  Just use Airdrop to move photos via Bluetooth or wifi. If you have iCloud set up on both devices the photos should sync automatically. 

[Hambagahle]

Thanks!!  I did that and my photo of Splendor sitting here in San Diego is now on the thread.  I do have iCloud and my photos move from my phone to my iPad but not, strangely, to my Mac.  Plus for another strange reason I cannot post on CC from the iPad - only from the computer.   Lots for me to learn...and thanks for your help!!

[boblerm]

cruisin7, I would like to register a complaint-

Your excellent reporting was getting me so excited about the next Splendor cruise, it made it all the more painful that I had to cancel it!😰😰😰

 

Seriously, great job , I will just have to contain the excitement that you and Mr Rumor have helped create until my Splendor cruise next year.

 

Bob

[crusin7]

Holy Smokes!  I already have withdrawals.  Our oldest son braved the rain and left Santa Barbara at 4:30am to haul us back home.  On the way home I called our other son who is a chef and asked him to bring us dinner.   We just had to decide on which soufflés we wanted tonight.  Where is Manu???

 

 

 I have already unpacked our beautifully folded clothes ... thank you laundry service! I will organize my thoughts tomorrow.   I hope I can sleep tonight without my hideously comfortable Regent bed.   Thank you all for your kind words. I enjoyed doing the blog.   I’m very much looking forward to the next chapter.  Crisy 

[crusin7]

Pre cruise Hotel The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne

What’s not to love??  It’s a Ritz Carlton on the beach!

 

 

 

 

Our only problem was the morning breakfast buffet had long lines.  We waited about 15 minutes to be seated.   We checked in with Regent when we arrived at the hotel. We were given a bus number for departure the next day.  It was done well.

[crusin7]

Embarkation & First Impressions

Because we are in a named suite we were in a separate line for check in.  We waited about 15 minutes.  I’d say the regular check in line probably took 10 minutes longer.  Remember we all got off the bus together...some from a different pre cruise hotel.

The ship is beautiful.  The colors are muted and soothing.  It looks brighter than Explorer.   As we walked through the ship we stopped by coffee connection and grabbed a cookie.   Who knew that this would indicate a new level of service?? What is it you ask?   A cloth beverage napkin!   It was only there that afternoon but I was so impressed I kept it and put it in my journal.   Did anyone else notice this?? 

 

 

Food

As I already showed you most of my foodie pics you know we loved most of it.   We weren’t as impressed with Chartreuse.   We only ate there once and perhaps we just ordered incorrectly.

 

Service

The service was excellent but especially excelled in Compass Rose.  It was by far the best group we have had led by Joey and of course Manu!

 

Butler

Our Butler was a disappointment. He was a very nice man but should not have been servicing master suite.  We talked to Ronny, the head Butler, and face of theRegent Suite.  (We love Ronny).  We have been lucky enough to have him three times Butler before the Regent Suite.  Things improved slightly.

 

Ronny

 

 

 

 

 

 

[crusin7]

Excursions 

We skipped  Nicaragua and Guatemala because of the heat.  We loved the cliff divers in Acapulco.  Sorry it won’t let me delete the bazillion videos.

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by crusin7
Boo Boo. Oops

[cruisealert]

On 2/26/2020 at 5:40 AM, crusin7 said:

Living Room

 

 

Couch...tight squeeze with coffee table and TV

 

Have 

[cruisealert]

Just now, cruisealert said:

Have you stopped posting? Last entry was Feb 29We are supposed to board April 1 and we are debating.

 

[crusin7]

59 minutes ago, cruisealert said:

 

I continued the blog.  We got home yesterday.

[ronrick1943]

Thank you for all the post, glad to hear you got home safe.