Jim_Iain – Silhouette Live Post April 8, 21, 30 - B3B - TransAtlantic, Portugal Spain, France and the Norwegian Fjords

[Redking]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

LOL   -  she wasn't disappointed. 

I'm glad she wasn't 😉

[helen haywood]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

LOL   -  she wasn't disappointed. 

The joke is “What’s worn under a kilt?”  “Nothing, lassie, it’s as good as new.”

[Redking]

Just now, Redking said:

I'm glad she wasn't 😉

Maybe I should qualify that by saying as a Scot that's what I would expect 🤣

[Redking]

@Jim_Iainoff topic, but did you ever do your Azamara cruise to Africa? I'm guessing a small pandemic put paid to those plans?

[Jim_Iain]

23 minutes ago, Von & John said:

 

Jim  --  My sister was a professional Genealogist, now retired...

She still does the work - but now just for our family, her husbands' family & if something truly interesting comes along...

There may be someone out there who could assist w/ your search!

 

Genealogy can be quite an addiction and incredible what you find.    My father was adopted and taken from the Navajo Reservation when he was 2.    His birth certificate had been sealed for 70 years.   I finally got it unsealed and found his mother who is 100% white and the guy listed as the father was White also.   Hmmm... By DNA he was originally shown as 1/8 American Indian but in recent years it was revised to Native Mexican Indian.  

 

Via DNA I was able to find his 1/2 brother (different father).    His father is still a work in progress but I have found his 2nd Great Grandmother on the paternal side.   She was Native Mexican Indian with Spanish and Portuguese.    I've been able to trace her to entering what is now the U.S. in the 1880's along with a daughter and 2 sons.   Due to poverty her son's had to move on to find work and she lost contact with them.   It is believed I'm on one of those lines.   Been working with some Genetic Genealogists and we have all ended with a brick wall.

[Jim_Iain]

8 minutes ago, Redking said:

@Jim_Iainoff topic, but did you ever do your Azamara cruise to Africa? I'm guessing a small pandemic put paid to those plans?

We are Celebrity Virgins and have never sailed anything but Celebrity.    I would love to do Africa so we may break ranks in the future.

[Redking]

1 minute ago, Jim_Iain said:

We are Celebrity Virgins and have never sailed anything but Celebrity.    I would love to do Africa so we may break ranks in the future.

I could swear you were once contemplating a breakout🤣 I am known for just making things up😱

[Jim_Iain]

48 minutes ago, Redking said:

I could swear you were once contemplating a breakout🤣 I am known for just making things up😱

I was thinking of that but shot dead in the planning due to a bankruptcy of the Cruise Line.  

[Oville]

Jim and Iain, wishing you another wonderful cruise and looking forward to following along.  Katie

[Redking]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

I was thinking of that but shot dead in the planning due to a bankruptcy of the Cruise Line.  

Ah yes, I remember now!

[TPCRUISER2]

Soo looking forward to following your Great adventure Jim! Enjoy!

[raudacruise]

On 4/3/2022 at 6:26 PM, Jim_Iain said:

We have the same CS for the first 2 cruises and a RS next door for the Norwegian cruise.   The RS was just such a good deal when I booked it I couldn't resist.

So excited to follow another Jim_Iain adventure!  Your reviews are always the highlight of my day. Will be very interested in your take on Norway.

 

Someday I hope to do a B2B2B…

 

I ended up moving 3 times during my first (Silhouette) BTB. CS to the next door RS for a few days, then 2 different cabins in the Red Zone.  (No maintenance available for jammed sink stopper.) 

[vickykay]

Jim, thank you for the information about the Azores.  Safe travels.

 

Vicky

[awhfy]

On 4/3/2022 at 11:09 AM, Jim_Iain said:

You have me chuckling.    I just pulled out some Gloves and my winter coat.   Now have to figure out whether I have to wear the coat or whether there will be room left to pack it.

 

While I have never been to Norway and their Fjords I suspect it may be like Alaska so planning accordingly. 

Layers are your friend (& much lighter). A pair of silk longjohns, a hooded rain jacket, a fleece vest, warm hat & gloves (maybe a scarf), SmartWool socks. You’re good to go

[Bo1953]

19 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We both have Kilts -  I'm a Cunningham and he is of the Johnston Clan.   We use to always bring them for Formal Night but with weight restrictions it would be difficult to travel with them now.   

 

I will have to share a story with you.    We were at a group table (prior to Luminae and Blu) and on Formal night were dressed in Kilts.    During the meal we noticed a flash and a table-mate had stuck her Camera beneath the table saying she always wanted to know what one wears under a Kilt.  

... and were you?

 

OR shall we scour the internet to find those photos??? 🤣

 

Have a safe trip and bon voyage

[Jim_Iain]

8 hours ago, raudacruise said:

So excited to follow another Jim_Iain adventure!  Your reviews are always the highlight of my day. Will be very interested in your take on Norway.

 

Someday I hope to do a B2B2B…

 

I ended up moving 3 times during my first (Silhouette) BTB. CS to the next door RS for a few days, then 2 different cabins in the Red Zone.  (No maintenance available for jammed sink stopper.) 

Wow.. that sounds like a real disappointing end of your cruise.   While I'm sure it's not everyone's choice we will probably be masking up much of the time we are out of our cabin  unless to around others.  Where we live it is pretty much the norm and has become part of my life. 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, awhfy said:

Layers are your friend (& much lighter). A pair of silk longjohns, a hooded rain jacket, a fleece vest, warm hat & gloves (maybe a scarf), SmartWool socks. You’re good to go

 

Thanks for the advise.  Sounds like you are planning for a summer visit to San Francisco.  LOL.   Just kidding, but living in the bay area we pretty much wear things in layers as the temperatures can really vary within a 3 mile radius.

 

The only thing we haven't packed so far are the Silk Longjohns.    We do have some from a winter visit to Amsterdam and will have to hunt them down today.     I bought our rain jackets on Amazon and returned them for a larger size after trying them on over a puffer.   They have waterproof hoods as well as Velcro to securely cover the zippers.  

 

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Bo1953 said:

... and were you?

 

OR shall we scour the internet to find those photos??? 🤣

 

Have a safe trip and bon voyage

 

As  good Scotch we are traditionalists.   

[mac_tlc]

13 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

Jim,

 

i have given the Retreat Manager and Host a warning that the two of you are on the way. 

Actually, Daniel will be your Retreat Manager.  He’s been trained by the young lady who was the Retreat Manager but will be departing in Lisbon, her home.  
 

Is Houssain on board in Retreat Lounge? When we had him on Edge in the Fall he said he was headed to Silo. 

 

mac_tlc

[TFree]

20 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Wow.. that sounds like a real disappointing end of your cruise.   While I'm sure it's not everyone's choice we will probably be masking up much of the time we are out of our cabin  unless to around others.  Where we live it is pretty much the norm and has become part of my life. 

 

 

We might end up doing the same - spending a lot of time with masks on.  I had a Covid scare a couple of weeks back - conflicting negative and positive test results, but with no PCR positive on which to obtain a Certificate of Recovery.  I figured it was a case of some false positives, although a physician on these boards said that it could have been an extremely mild case, cleared out of my system rapidly because of my vaxxed and boosted status.  Anyway, it has caused us to reflect on the fact that taking 3 cruises in a row (two Celebrity B2B followed by a river cruise) puts us at risk of having the trip ruined in the middle by picking up an infection.  This didn't bother us so much last October, when we took a cruise and land tour, but that was before the current highly contagious variants.  

 

Tom & Judy

[DaKahuna]

9 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

Is Houssain on board in Retreat Lounge? When we had him on Edge in the Fall he said he was headed to Silo. 

 

mac_tlc

We have not encountered anyone with that name. 
 

The Retreat Managers are Joanna, who will be leaving in Lisbon, and Daniel.

 

The Retreat Concierge are Edrilyn & Javier. 
 

[Jim_Iain]

T-Minus 1 day before we fly to Florida. 

 

Yesterday was a busy day and we both had to run around and pickup the dry cleaning and running to pick up last minute prescriptions.   We use Kaiser as our health care provider so have to pick up our prescriptions at Kaiser facility (or have our them mailed to us).  My doctor changed one of my prescriptions and didn't call it in until yesterday afternoon. 

 

Luckily there is a Kaiser clinic in Mountain View just across the street from my Starbucks which is the halfway point of my daily walk, so was able to pick them up.  

 

As many of you know I'm an avid walker and trek 10 miles daily.    Silicon Valley is very walk and biking friendly and there are numerous dedicated paved  bike and walking trails.   While much of my walk is adjacent to a major highway I feel like I'm in forest.   

 

 

 

 

[Redrobo]

20 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Just released,now showing on the App,,,,,,Antigen test req at least 2 days before our cruise ex Southampton on the 21st,,,,,I expect you will get tested on board Jim.

 

Hi Jeanie,

Where did you find this information?

I am unable to find anything on the Celebrity App, could you point me in the right direction.

Nev

[Jim_Iain]

6 minutes ago, TFree said:

We might end up doing the same - spending a lot of time with masks on.  I had a Covid scare a couple of weeks back - conflicting negative and positive test results, but with no PCR positive on which to obtain a Certificate of Recovery.  I figured it was a case of some false positives, although a physician on these boards said that it could have been an extremely mild case, cleared out of my system rapidly because of my vaxxed and boosted status.  Anyway, it has caused us to reflect on the fact that taking 3 cruises in a row (two Celebrity B2B followed by a river cruise) puts us at risk of having the trip ruined in the middle by picking up an infection.  This didn't bother us so much last October, when we took a cruise and land tour, but that was before the current highly contagious variants.  

 

Tom & Judy

 

The contact tracing is a real threat to all of us consecutive cruisers and unfortunately even if masked up can be tagged if within 6 feet of a positive passenger for over 15-20 minutes. 

 

We were pretty comfortable on our October cruise and felt pretty safe.  

 

I was looking at the Covid Cases in Portugal and UK yesterday an looks like they have peaked on the current outbreak.    

 

 

[JeanieC,Aston]

1 minute ago, Redrobo said:

 

Hi Jeanie,

Where did you find this information?

I am unable to find anything on the Celebrity App, could you point me in the right direction.

Nev

Hi Nev

Ive been told it’s the old protocol issued in the US…for Americans.

I though maybe Celebrity just copied the US one to the UK website.

just clicked on the UK website on the App.