Azamara Quest - Mediterranean Cities, October 28-November 4 2021

[Bimmer09]

It's 6 o'clock in Nice and not raining. There is a dramatic sky.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

I love the buildings lit up at night. My little bar has already closed. Probably not a lot of customers now that the ship is leaving. Monday might be a slow night anyway.

 

 

[Tyskie]

11 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

There are so many Princess people who used to follow me and the link I put on Princess is being seen by very few of them.

 

I do think the Princess people are following - not all comment on blogs.  But, it does seem to be on the first page of the Princess thread.  CC is slow to recover after covid - as more and more people start to travel - your travel reports will be welcomed!

[Bimmer09]

NICE-IT'S TIME TO GO

"Aye-aye Bosun, full speed ahead!" (song lyric but who?)

 

Adieu!

 

 

 

Between taking photos I was recording video. That comes next.

[Bimmer09]

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, NICE

[LT Hambone]

22 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

"Aye-aye Bosun, full speed ahead!" (song lyric but who?)

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by LT Hambone
Resized photo

[Bimmer09]

21 minutes ago, LT Hambone said:

 

NOW THAT'S HOW YOU ANSWER A SONG QUIZ!  Prize on its way to you in the mail. Oh, Post Office just called-they've lost it! Easy come....

[LT Hambone]

3 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

Oh, Post Office just called-they've lost it!

 

[Bimmer09]

DINNER IN DISCOVERIES

Tonight's World Cuisine is Indonesian

 

We both started with the Soto Ayam-chicken, ginger and lemongrass soup

 

Carol followed with a mixed greens salad

 

and I had the escargot/snails

 

we both enjoyed the Daging Rendang-beef in ginger and lemongrass with Nasi Putih which is steamed Jasmine Rice

 

and we both had the Sarang Semut for dessert-Caramel Cake and Cocos Cream with coconut flakes

 

Another very interesting and satisfying dinner from the Discoveries galley! Kudos team. Alex was our waiter again.

[Bimmer09]

NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE HOUSE?

I notice Belfastman and Laganlady02 "thumbing up" some of my posts and of course my niece Treacle Scone (her married name) has just joined us. All we need is CC member and Az sailor Norn Iron to join and we have a 5 a side football (soccer) team!

 

Welcome all of you who know what an Ulster Fry and a Pastie Supper are.

Feel free to comment or ask questions if you haven't already.

 

"'Bout ye?"

Norris from Portavogie

 

[mchell810]

4 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

It's 6 o'clock in Nice and not raining. There is a dramatic sky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dramatic night skies in Nice indeed!  Just beautiful!

[Jellifer]

Hi Norris (if I may be so familiar?)

 

Long time lurker and admirer of your GSJs, I’ve enjoyed many over the years. I’m loving your recollections and pictures of the Quest, I was on her ‘Myanmar Mysteries’ trip Halloween 2019 and you’re bringing back some lovely memories. 
 

I thought about you back in September when I was on a U.K. Staycation cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette. Not just because of your excellent review but also as we stopped in Belfast. Really pleased to have found this review! 
 

As you were....

[dickinson]

I am one of the Princess people following your wonderful vacation.  🙂

[QueenP]

We were supposed to be sailing on the Oct 10th sailing last year also....I was going to come and say hi, as I knew exactly where on the ship to find you! Alas, it was not to be, but I am enjoying your trip vicariously🙂

[CruiserRob]

On 11/13/2021 at 7:47 PM, Bimmer09 said:

"and the wind began to howl"

Since nobody else mentioned it.

All along the watchtower.

Bob Dylan or my favourite version Jimi Hendrix

 

Just caught up as the last few days Cruise critic boards were not working on my phone.  Back home on my laptop and everything is fine.

 

Once again a spectacular GSJ Norris.  Looking forward to more.

 

Robert

[Belfastman]

4 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE HOUSE?

I notice Belfastman and Laganlady02 "thumbing up" some of my posts and of course my niece Treacle Scone (her married name) has just joined us. All we need is CC member and Az sailor Norn Iron to join and we have a 5 a side football (soccer) team!

 

Welcome all of you who know what an Ulster Fry and a Pastie Supper are.

Feel free to comment or ask questions if you haven't already.

 

"'Bout ye?"

Norris from Portavogie

 

Bout ye Norris.

I have been enjoying your journal about your voyage and especially the photographs which reminded me a lot of the places I have been. We spent several land vacations in Nice as well as boarding ships there. Pity you didn't get to the flower market as I am sure there would have been many photographs taken. I heard there is a cruise in 2024 on Onward which you could try (155 days) imagine the photographs from that!

Keep telling your current wonderful stories for us all to enjoy.

[Bimmer09]

1 hour ago, dickinson said:

I am one of the Princess people following your wonderful vacation.  🙂

Yes,  indeed, a familiar name and I am glad to have you aboard. Any cruises taken or planned?

Norris

[Bimmer09]

26 minutes ago, CruiserRob said:

Since nobody else mentioned it.

All along the watchtower.

Bob Dylan or my favourite version Jimi Hendrix

 

Just caught up as the last few days Cruise critic boards were not working on my phone.  Back home on my laptop and everything is fine.

 

Once again a spectacular GSJ Norris.  Looking forward to more.

 

Robert

Rob,

Knowing me-knowing you, aha, I knew your keen pop sensibilities would get that reference.

I looked at page 1 of this today just to see what people are seeing using a phone. I see you can't click on the phone and get the pic bigger as it's much smaller than this 24 inch monitor hooked up to my MacBook. Who knew?

How was Florida? I keep forgetting to look at he Ft Lauderdale webcam on the weekends. Miami too as the Quest will be there on the 26th.

Cheers!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

 After dinner of course I was up on deck 9. Precautions had been taken for a rough sea with the deck furniture restrained. A nightly occurrence on the big Princess ships but on Azamara the furniture usually stays put in my experience.

 

 

[CruiserRob]

19 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

How was Florida?

Norris, we were just in Florida for a few days.  We started in LA for a 15 night Panama Canal transit on Emerald Princess.  On the day we disembarked we went on the Celebrity Edge for a  night Western Caribbean and then 5 days in Fort Lauderdale and a 4 night Celebrity Millennium Western Caribbean. All of the cruises were great with passenger loads 30-35%. 

We really missed cruising!

 

Robert

[Bimmer09]

3 hours ago, Belfastman said:

Bout ye Norris.

I have been enjoying your journal about your voyage and especially the photographs which reminded me a lot of the places I have been. We spent several land vacations in Nice as well as boarding ships there. Pity you didn't get to the flower market as I am sure there would have been many photographs taken. I heard there is a cruise in 2024 on Onward which you could try (155 days) imagine the photographs from that!

Keep telling your current wonderful stories for us all to enjoy.

I'm not too bad. 'Bout yourself? (N.I. speak)

Thanks for being part of this ramble. People commenting keep me going at a good pace and I'm happy when I see people from N.I. enjoying the cruising life. My elder sister and her husband (and their daughter Julie) are all cruisers. My sister mainly NCL's big ships and P & O and Julie sails X and Disney and maybe more.

 

Flower market- yes I would have been there. I have about 20 albums on Flickr taken in the Chicago Botanic Gardens which is the biggest and best we've ever seen. We go every Sunday from March to November..

 

155 days on a cruise I would go bonkers when I got home from withdrawal symptoms. Too much for me all at once. A couple of weeks a year is fine. I did 240 days straight on a ship (Royal Caribbean) but as a drummer and the time passed quickly even though we went to the same 4 ports over and over (Labadee, Georgetown, Cozumel and Ocho Rios)

 

We also love land holidays, driving around Western Europe and the Western states of the USA. Driving and photography are my passions. Driving in Germany in particular-best roads ever and sensible drivers/roadworthy cars.

 

Thanks for the comment!

Norris

[Laganlady02]

17 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE HOUSE?

I notice Belfastman and Laganlady02 "thumbing up" some of my posts and of course my niece Treacle Scone (her married name) has just joined us. All we need is CC member and Az sailor Norn Iron to join and we have a 5 a side football (soccer) team!

 

Welcome all of you who know what an Ulster Fry and a Pastie Supper are.

Feel free to comment or ask questions if you haven't already.

 

"'Bout ye?"

Norris from Portavogie

 

Fame at last!  Northern Ireland gets a reference and a title in red in your GSJ.

We too were  due to sail on Pursuit for the 'Sisters Meet' and I'm sure we also would have met. The number of N.I guests on Az may be small but we are unforgettable.

It is a delight to read about your travels and I can't wait for the next instalments.

 

B from Belfast

 

 

 

 

[Marvy Mare]

21 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

NICE-IT'S TIME TO GO

"Aye-aye Bosun, full speed ahead!" (song lyric but who?)

 

Adieu!

 

 

 

Between taking photos I was recording video. That comes next.

Yellow Submarine? Beatles. 

Edited November 17, 2021 by Marvy Mare
Edit

[Bimmer09]

14 hours ago, CruiserRob said:

Norris, we were just in Florida for a few days.  We started in LA for a 15 night Panama Canal transit on Emerald Princess.  On the day we disembarked we went on the Celebrity Edge for a  night Western Caribbean and then 5 days in Fort Lauderdale and a 4 night Celebrity Millennium Western Caribbean. All of the cruises were great with passenger loads 30-35%. 

We really missed cruising!

 

Robert

Robert you sound like Odysseus! Don't fly too close to the sun! (I told you all I was terrible with names)

So much cruising in a month! The passenger loads are great for the pax, brutal for the lines but it's a start and I'm thankful for it. Panama Canal on our bucket list. Any difference between PCL and X in handling Covid?

Did you get the song title I laid at your feet? 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

23 hours ago, Kitekat said:

We liked it so much that we booked a couple of cruises B2B around South America in 2023 and claimed it for ours again!

 

Only our second time on Azamara (previously in 2018 on Quest) but stayed for B2B2B with this one our last. Italy was frustrating with their restrictions but we took excursions would not have done otherwise. Loved every last minute. 

However, this is the first line where I have (more or less) liked the coffee, although it did seem to vary day by day. Regent, X, P&O - yeuk!

Italy was frustrating it's own folks with the cruise ship pax restrictions. Our Rome in Limo drivers are not doing the Private ship passenger tours from the ports which is a big part of their business. No problem for any of us to land in Rome and mingle with the unmasked majority in the streets. Indoors all Romans were masked. Same in France, Spain and Dublin. The Med countries are doing better than the Germanic ones currently which is a surprise. Our next planned trip to Europe is to Germany our most visited country. It's 10 months away so I trust them to get things in better order long before then.

 

We also did excursions that we hadn't planned and they worked out well too.

Thanks for the comment!

Norris