The ODYSSEY and the ECSTASY Live Oct 23-31

[bobmacliberty]

54 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I have never had an Old Fashioned either. Will you be having more? ie. Did you like it?

 

If you will be drinking Old Fashioneds, you have to try @Sea Dog's recipe.  He posted it in Dani's thread.  It's better than any that I've received in a restaurant or bar, and has become my go to cocktail at home.

[Sea Dog]

2 hours ago, h20skibum said:

I had to try a classic old fashioned, since it is something I never tried.  

 

So glad you tried one. What did you think? Looks like the first stage was the simple syrup then the bourbon. Some cocktail purists will say never put a cherry in it just an orange peel. I say do whatever you like.

 

 

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I have never had an Old Fashioned either. Will you be having more? ie. Did you like it?

 

It can be on the sweet side. I am a big fan.

 

 

1 hour ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

If you will be drinking Old Fashioneds, you have to try @Sea Dog's recipe.  He posted it in Dani's thread.  It's better than any that I've received in a restaurant or bar, and has become my go to cocktail at home.

 

 

Thank you Bob. I am partial to my recipe. Made one last night as we grilled some steaks. For those who are interested here is my recipe

1/2 Oz Orange Oleo Saccharum Syrup (I used to make this by hand now I use "Proof Syrup" but you can use and simple syrup)

1oz  Bourbon

1/2oz Meletti Amaro

1 Orange Peel

Pour over ice (I like to use a big cocktail ice ball)

Enjoy and Cheers!

[h20skibum]

@Ocean Boy

@bobmacliberty

@Sea Dog

These are the ingredients they use onboard, at least at Schooner Bar.  They must not make many, because the bartender kept referring to her cheat sheet. 

 

This one wasn’t too sweet.  It hasn’t been one of my favorites so far, but not everyone has the same tastes. 

 

[h20skibum]

A sign in our hallway on the way back to our cabin.  Good words to live by. 

 

Our first towel animal appeared. 
 

 

 

[mo&fran]

17 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

A sign in our hallway on the way back to our cabin.  Good words to live by. 

 

Our first towel animal appeared. 
 

 

 

Each of the decks must have their own message. Ours was "into the jungle"

[island lady]

15 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I was thinking that same thing!

 

Me too.   "voucher size" drink.  😉 

[island lady]

Thanks for taking us along!  Great review so far, and loving the pictures.  

 

Our turn is end of January!  🥰

[dani negreanu]

18 hours ago, Luckynana said:

Beautiful pictures!

I was waiting for them, Mark!  I knew you would deliver!!!!

 

On 10/24/2021 at 6:09 PM, h20skibum said:

My “Big Lake” sunrise picture of the day. (Those from Dani’s thread will get this)

 

Mark,

 

Thoroughly enjoying your review, thanks for taking the precious time from your vacation.

 

"Big Lake" v. "just" lake --- let's make a "deal" .... 3 weeks "just" lake, 1 week -- "Big Lake" pictures 😁

 

[SilkySal]

1 hour ago, h20skibum said:

This one wasn’t too sweet.  It hasn’t been one of my favorites so far, but not everyone has the same tastes. 

 

 

Tom likes the cherry flavor in his for a sweeter taste.🍒 Cheers!

[bobmacliberty]

2 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Thank you Bob. I am partial to my recipe. Made one last night as we grilled some steaks. For those who are interested here is my recipe

1/2 Oz Orange Oleo Saccharum Syrup (I used to make this by hand now I use "Proof Syrup" but you can use and simple syrup)

1oz  Bourbon

1/2oz Meletti Amaro

1 Orange Peel

Pour over ice (I like to use a big cocktail ice ball)

Enjoy and Cheers!

 

Aren't you missing 1 oz of Rye?  I've been making mine with a shot of bourbon and a shot of rye.  Maybe that's why it tastes so good.  🤪

Edited October 25, 2021 by bobmacliberty

[Sea Dog]

6 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Aren't you missing 1 oz of Rye?  I've been making mine with a shot of bourbon and a shot of rye.  Maybe that's why it tastes so good.  🤪

Ooops Good catch Bob. Yes 1oz Bourbon and 1 oz Rye. My bad. I'm sorry everyone.

[h20skibum]

Was up before sunrise this morning, and made our first trip to Starbucks.  This was their posted menu for drinks. 

 

Ordered two tall Carmel lattes and paid with the app.  This was the total bill for the two of them. 

 

 

Not sure if they are using Royal’s fuzzy math, or if it just cost extra to beam them over from Symphony, but I couldn’t figure them out to get to that amount. 🤷

[h20skibum]

Speaking of sunrise, we had one this morning. 

 

 

And if anyone is missing those wake views, this one is for you. 
 

[h20skibum]

Now for useful (or useless) bits of information #5

 

FITBIT vs APPLE WATCH 

 

I wear a Fitbit Charge 4 fitness tracker, and my wife just switched to an Apple Watch 6.  This first day at sea, we noticed some huge differences between the two during an early morning walk on the track.   

 

The Fitbit seems to track fairly consistent, except for floors which are always off at sea.  Around 8 am, these were mine from Fitbit. 

 

My wife’s Apple Watch was close with the steps, but the miles were crazy.  It had her at 8.6 miles by then, and said she was doing 3 minute miles while walking the track.  

 

 

So file this away if you have either one.  Just know they will not be accurate. 

 

[SilkySal]

I always get my specialty coffees from the Promenade Cafes since they are included in the drink package and Starbucks is not. Does the Odyssey have a similar cafe?

[Ocean Boy]

23 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

Now for useful (or useless) bits of information #5

 

FITBIT vs APPLE WATCH 

 

I wear a Fitbit Charge 4 fitness tracker, and my wife just switched to an Apple Watch 6.  This first day at sea, we noticed some huge differences between the two during an early morning walk on the track.   

 

The Fitbit seems to track fairly consistent, except for floors which are always off at sea.  Around 8 am, these were mine from Fitbit. 

 

My wife’s Apple Watch was close with the steps, but the miles were crazy.  It had her at 8.6 miles by then, and said she was doing 3 minute miles while walking the track.  

 

 

So file this away if you have either one.  Just know they will not be accurate. 

 

Maybe the distance travelled by the ship got factored in?🤔

[bobmacliberty]

16 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Maybe the distance travelled by the ship got factored in?🤔

 

I think this is definitely true.  I noticed the same thing while walking with my Apple Watch.  I think it uses GPS to determine distance and the GPS measurement was probably screwed up by sometimes walking in the same direction as the ship, and sometimes in the opposite direction.  Although you'd think that they'd cancel each other out.

[BonTexasNY]

7 hours ago, h20skibum said:

 

Yes it was a small cup.  It seems like many things are getting downsized. 

New and improved = More expensive and smaller

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

I think this is definitely true.  I noticed the same thing while walking with my Apple Watch.  I think it uses GPS to determine distance and the GPS measurement was probably screwed up by sometimes walking in the same direction as the ship, and sometimes in the opposite direction.  Although you'd think that they'd cancel each other out.

I think changing direction does not cancel distance. If it did then people who walk or run on tracks would essentially register zero distance travelled. 

[Ocean Boy]

3 minutes ago, BonTexasNY said:

New and improved = More expensive and smaller

All in order to enhance your cruise experience.

[mo&fran]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

I think changing direction does not cancel distance. If it did then people who walk or run on tracks would essentially register zero distance travelled. 

A gps will be recording your movement across the earth, not the ships deck.  Even if you are walking in the opposite direction as the ship movement you will have been transported that distance the ship traveled.

[bobmacliberty]

58 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I think changing direction does not cancel distance. If it did then people who walk or run on tracks would essentially register zero distance travelled. 

 

Sorry...I was talking about changing direction relative to ship motion.  If you're walking in the same direction as the ship is traveling, walking from stern to bow on the starboard side would make your watch think that you walked further than you did.  You walk 200 yards, the ship travels 500 yards, your watch thinks you walked 700 yards.  Walking against the ships direction down the port side would then look like you walked -300 yards.  Combine them together though and 700-300 still should equal the 400 yards that you actually walked.  I'm giving this way to much thought.  Time for another cruise.

[h20skibum]

Well, after all that walking, running, transporting, it was time for a Windjammer breakfast 

 

Speaking of transporting, saw this worker walking up the North Star while we were under way. 
 

 

 

[h20skibum]

This morning we got together with a few fellow CCr’s to have a slot pull in the casino.  

 

I think we had 26 playing, and had $470 to cash out at the end of the spins.  We cashed out of that machine and played it all on black at the roulette wheel.  So we doubled the payout from the slots, and everyone came away $16 to the good, plus a t-shirt. 

 

A lot of fun for all, and special thanks to @laskoske (Ernie and Sharon) for organizing it.   Here they are with the stack of cash winnings. 
 

 

 

[mo&fran]

56 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Sorry...I was talking about changing direction relative to ship motion.  If you're walking in the same direction as the ship is traveling, walking from stern to bow on the starboard side would make your watch think that you walked further than you did.  You walk 200 yards, the ship travels 500 yards, your watch thinks you walked 700 yards.  Walking against the ships direction down the port side would then look like you walked -300 yards.  Combine them together though and 700-300 still should equal the 400 yards that you actually walked.  I'm giving this way to much thought.  Time for another cruise.

Walking in the opposite direction, you still move 300 yards in the same direction as before, there will not be a minus sign, you will have moved 1000  yards , 700 yards in the ships direction, then 300 yards in the ships direction.

AS engineers, we can't let this go.