Jim_Iain - 9/5 and 9/17 Equinox B2B - Come along for a Live Blog

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, SonuvaBeach said:

We are more than ready...look for us at the Sunset Bar at sailaway  on  9/17!

Will do.   If look like your profile picture, I'll  have no trouble finding you.  LOL

 

Edited September 13, 2021 by Jim_Iain

[Benthayer Gonbak]

16 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

GRANDEUR has been there for quite some time.  Wonder what ROYAL’S plans are for her?

Grandeur sails Nov 5 from Barbados.  We are on the Late January trips.  The reason I know the start date is because currently Barbados has a 24 quarantine for even ship passengers. I’m waiting to see if it starts sailing or I get to add two more cruises to my cancelled list.  She used to sail from Baltimore and I wanted one last sailing with her. 
 

 

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, durangokid said:

Yikes!  On our November 7 cruise we are on the 6th deck...unless they move us between now and then.  

 

Things are so fluid I  wouldn't even worry about it.   Hopefully by November we will have peaked from the recent surge and get back to the new normal.

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, Benthayer Gonbak said:

Grandeur sails Nov 5 from Barbados.  We are on the Late January trips.  The reason I know the start date is because currently Barbados has a 24 quarantine for even ship passengers. I’m waiting to see if it starts sailing or I get to add two more cruises to my cancelled list.  She used to sail from Baltimore and I wanted one last sailing with her. 
 

 

 

Wow. good luck.    The new 24 hour quarantine was  the reason they cancelled Barbados on this cruise.   She is look a little rough right now but they werer actively doing repairs and painting.

[taylortime05]

Jim, I hope I am not asking a question you already answered.  How would you compare this cruise to pre-covid?  

[Benthayer Gonbak]

7 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Wow. good luck.    The new 24 hour quarantine was  the reason they cancelled Barbados on this cruise.   She is look a little rough right now but they werer actively doing repairs and painting.

She’s always been a bit “rough” but I like her better than the Enchantment that has been returned to Baltimore.  Perhaps not fair the Enchantment but they cut out too much public space per person and we started with engine trouble on our cruise on her.  Dining room lines went through to tail ost the rooms!   
 

Our main reason for this next trip is to pick up a few ports we haven’t been to.  It was last century when I was in Trinidad, but there are others I haven’t reached.  Our normal winter cruise is from a driving distance port but we’ve been there done that as to the ports and they are normally fillers.   Our next trip would have been Africa had it not been cancelled!  So getting back to sea is part of our plan, just wish things were a bit more predictable. 

[h20cruzer]

7 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Agree 100% and make sure you get the cinnamon packet to go with them.   We were on a tour and the driver had a back door entrance so he got some for everyone on the tour to avoid the long line.  There had to have been 100 on line.

 

They are SOOOOOOO good.

they are so so good, also the building is very historical.

 

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, taylortime05 said:

Jim, I hope I am not asking a question you already answered.  How would you compare this cruise to pre-covid?  

Not at all.   I would say it is about 80% the same.   Main differences are fewer passengers but you don't feel like you are on a ghost ship.     All buffet items are served instead of self help.   Each cruise is different  but on this one everyone seems to dine early and most nights at 11:00 the ship is pretty dead.

 

One night they had a disco  in the front lobby blasting music but the whole foyer was empty.   On the other hand two nights ago they had a Mama-Mia sing along and the Foyer was packed.

 

Also maybe 10-20% of people wearing masks.    Also big change is the number of ports with restrictions of curated tours.    

 

None of this has decreased our enjoyment.    On the positive side the food throughout the ship has been better than pre-covid and the service level is about 120% better than any cruise. 

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, h20cruzer said:

they are so so good, also the building is very historical.

 

True ---- we also had a visit to the Museum close by.   I love  Lisbon.   The tour was to the Pena Castle in Sintra.    I'm glad we did the ship tour as he got us into the Castle and had tickets before the  ticket booths opened up allowing us to  get in front of the HUGE crowd. 

[taylortime05]

2 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Not at all.   I would say it is about 80% the same.   Main differences are fewer passengers but you don't feel like you are on a ghost ship.     All buffet items are served instead of self help.   Each cruise is different  but on this one everyone seems to dine early and most nights at 11:00 the ship is pretty dead.

 

One night they had a disco  in the front lobby blasting music but the whole foyer was empty.   On the other hand two nights ago they had a Mama-Mia sing along and the Foyer was packed.

 

Also maybe 10-20% of people wearing masks.    Also big change is the number of ports with restrictions of curated tours.    

 

None of this has decreased our enjoyment.    On the positive side the food throughout the ship has been better than pre-covid and the service level is about 120% better than any cruise. 

Thank you!  I'll feel great when we are onboard with our 1st cocktail.  It does sound nice not to have a full ship.  I have 2 ship excursions booked for Aruba and Curaca. For Bonaire we have a cruise & snorkel with Woodwinds.   

[Arzeena]

Jim,

What port is next?

 

[amevola]

13 minutes ago, taylortime05 said:

Thank you!  I'll feel great when we are onboard with our 1st cocktail.  It does sound nice not to have a full ship.  I have 2 ship excursions booked for Aruba and Curaca. For Bonaire we have a cruise & snorkel with Woodwinds.   

 

We loved Woodwinds!   We sailed on her in January 2020 The crew, the snorkeling site, the delicious food all added up to my most favorite island excursion ever.

 

I hadn't been that physically active for a steady period of time in forever.  I fell asleep as soon as we arrived back on the ship and fell asleep again at dinner.  Have fun!!!

[taylortime05]

1 minute ago, amevola said:

 

We loved Woodwinds!   We sailed on her in January 2020 The crew, the snorkeling site, the delicious food all added up to my most favorite island excursion ever.

 

I hadn't been that physically active for a steady period of time in forever.  I fell asleep as soon as we arrived back on the ship and fell asleep again at dinner.  Have fun!!!

Thank you!  I'm so looking forward to cruising again.  It's been too long.  Are you on the Equinox 9/17 sailing? 

[amevola]

1 hour ago, taylortime05 said:

Thank you!  I'm so looking forward to cruising again.  It's been too long.  Are you on the Equinox 9/17 sailing? 

 

You're welcome!

 

No, but I will be on Reflection at the end of November.  I hope to get back to the ABC islands someday soon. 😊

Edited September 14, 2021 by amevola

[CruiserRob]

1 hour ago, taylortime05 said:

Thank you!  I'll feel great when we are onboard with our 1st cocktail.  It does sound nice not to have a full ship.  I have 2 ship excursions booked for Aruba and Curaca. For Bonaire we have a cruise & snorkel with Woodwinds.   

Woodwinds is the best.  I book Bonaire cruises just to do that excursion.

[Sascol]

Those cabin rug colors in post #1196 do not look like the post revolution color schemes do they?

Edited September 14, 2021 by Sascol

[funatseascott]

Foodie pics.  We had Le Petit Chef at Qsine tonight.  The menu was the 4 chef’s competition.  Insiders tip, they are prepared for any of the 4 to win but 2 of them have better “shows” for the winner. After dinner, latte and hot chocolate again.

[funatseascott]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Also maybe 10-20% of people wearing masks.    Also big change is the number of ports with restrictions of curated tours.

Agreed on these numbers.  I would add, it was probably closer to 5-10 to begin with but we are noticing more people as the cruise goes along.  I think when others saw people wearing masks and not being looked at funny, more became comfortable to wear theirs.  

[Lovecelebritycruises]

Hey Jim thanks for all the details been great.  Question for you if you know.  We heard that with Luminae if you can’t find something you like on the menu they will make it for you.  Or you could maybe even request it beforehand?   If so ever heard of being able to order OG Qsine items like disco shrimp, lava crab or the sliders?   We really miss that restaurant.
 

 

[hcat]

9 hours ago, amevola said:

 

You're welcome!

 

No, but I will be on Reflection at the end of November.  I hope to get back to the ABC islands someday soon. 😊

Hope you will post about your Reflection experiences.

 

We are set to make final payment for a Jan cruise  from Port Everglades. It is a lift and shift from a Constellation cruise. 

 

If all goes well, we will book something on Equinox while on Reflection  if there are any good onboard booking offers.

[MartinsCruise]

12 hours ago, taylortime05 said:

Thank you!  I'll feel great when we are onboard with our 1st cocktail.  It does sound nice not to have a full ship.  I have 2 ship excursions booked for Aruba and Curaca. For Bonaire we have a cruise & snorkel with Woodwinds.   

 

We'll be having our first drink at the Sunset Bar so stop by if you see us. 

[Jim_Iain]

9/13 Dinner

 

We both started out with the corn soup.   For mains I had the Vegetarian Lasagna and Iain had the Lobster Ravioli from Main Dining room. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Another Helipad invite.   This time Suite guests. 
 

[peony1]

Hi, can you just refresh my memory.  We are going on the Septemeber 26 cruise, which was suppose to be the same.  How many days prior did they change your itinerary.  Thanks for all your information!