Live from the Regal - July 2-23 - Med Cruise - R/T Barcelona

[Ken the cruiser]

Since we slept in this morning, we went up to the buffet for breakfast and ate out in the aft area, the same thing we did when we were here July 10. I also took the same pictures and it was interesting to compare those to the ones we took this morning.

 

July 10, at roughly the same time of today. Notice the blue sky around the building on top of the hill.

 

Then today’s picture. Notice the light brown haze around the same building. 

 

 

Also, on July 10 the Celebrity Beyond, put in service in 2021, was docked next to us.

 

 

 

Today the MSC Bellissima, put in service in 2019, is in that slot. Personally, the Beyond looks like a much cooler ship to cruise on. 😁

 

 

Here’s a tidbit that most of you probably already know how to use. It’s called Blue Tooth! I’ve heard about it, but never really knew it’s true value until the other day when my DW showed me how to transfer pictures in a matter of seconds between my iPhone and iPad! I know, who knew!! 😂
 

I take a lot of pictures with my iPhone when I’m not in the cabin. Then when I would get back to the cabin and have access to Wi-Fi, I would edit them, and subsequently upload them to my CC thread with accompanying text. But, the iPhone is small and kind of a pain to type long winded text like I sometimes tend to do. 😂

 

But with Blue Tooth I can now simply transfer the “raw” pictures to my much larger iPad once I get back to the cabin, and do all the editing and subsequent posting from it!! Technology, you’ve got to love it!! Well, that is once you figure out how it works!! 😂😂

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[insidecabin]

Its Bluetooth   one word,  like Southampton is one word but many American call it South Hampton.

 

[Ken the cruiser]

13 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

Its Bluetooth   one word,  like Southampton is one word but many American call it South Hampton.

 

So many things to learn, so little time. 😂😂

[Esprit]

Not a sight I’m used to seeing outside a bank back in the U.K.😂

[RNRcruisers]

Great pictures of Mt Etna! We were supposed to have an excursion to Mt Vesuvius back in January 2015 but it had snowed that morning and the driver couldn't make it up the mountain to where we would hike further up. Supposedly that never happens. Bummer but we went to Pompeii and Positano instead.

[Esprit]

Filming on board is now becoming tedious. Or do I just sit in the coolest places!😎

Edited July 21, 2022 by Esprit

[Esprit]

So we have two Princess Italian Captains aboard. This one purely for filming purposes and on board for just six weeks.🙄

[NIkkiGR]

9 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Yes, we got this one. Didn’t even know we got it until you mentioned it. It was in the back on the top shelf in the closet.

 

Oh great thanks. Looks like they have changed them up a bit. 

[NIkkiGR]

7 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Since we slept in this morning, we went up to the buffet for breakfast and ate out in the aft area, the same thing we did when we were here July 10. I also took the same pictures and it was interesting to compare those to the ones we took this morning.

 

July 10, at roughly the same time of today. Notice the blue sky around the building on top of the hill.

 

Then today’s picture. Notice the light brown haze around the same building. 

 

 

Also, on July 10 the Celebrity Beyond, put in service in 2021, was docked next to us.

 

 

 

Today the MSC Bellissima, put in service in 2019, is in that slot. Personally, the Beyond looks like a much cooler ship to cruise on. 😁

 

 

Here’s a tidbit that most of you probably already know how to use. It’s called Blue Tooth! I’ve heard about it, but never really knew it’s true value until the other day when my DW showed me how to transfer pictures in a matter of seconds between my iPhone and iPad! I know, who knew!! 😂
 

I take a lot of pictures with my iPhone when I’m not in the cabin. Then when I would get back to the cabin and have access to Wi-Fi, I would edit them, and subsequently upload them to my CC thread with accompanying text. But, the iPhone is small and kind of a pain to type long winded text like I sometimes tend to do. 😂

 

But with Blue Tooth I can now simply transfer the “raw” pictures to my much larger iPad once I get back to the cabin, and do all the editing and subsequent posting from it!! Technology, you’ve got to love it!! Well, that is once you figure out how it works!! 😂😂

 

Going to have to try this as we are on this Cruise 21 days Rome to Rome & bringing iPhone and iPad. Now I will have to google how to do this before we leave. Thanks for the tip

 

[coo359a2]

2 minutes ago, NIkkiGR said:

Oh great thanks. Looks like they have changed them up a bit. 

We were on the Emerald in March and received the regular blue tote bag we have always received.  The bag in the picture was used for trivia prizes pre pandemic.  I have seen the cruise director's staff, who host various games, use these gray bags as a small backpack to tote around trivia or other game supplies/prizes.  Some cruisers have said they use them as shoe bags.

[lynn2002]

1 hour ago, Esprit said:

So we have two Princess Italian Captains aboard. This one purely for filming purposes and on board for just six weeks.🙄

How long are they filming for?  We board in 3 weeks time.

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, NIkkiGR said:

Going to have to try this as we are on this Cruise 21 days Rome to Rome & bringing iPhone and iPad. Now I will have to google how to do this before we leave. Thanks for the tip

 

We found under Airdrop under the General settings, we had to select the “Everyone” setting rather than “Contacts Only” if the owner of the iPhone/iPad you were trying to link with was different than the name you have in your Contacts. For example, my son had “Dad” in his Contacts for me and my iPad obviously had a different name. The same was true for him in my Contacts. Once we both setting the Airdrop setting to Everyone, the process worked. 

[Ken the cruiser]

We are in our way! Next stop Barcelona day after tomorrow. 
 

 

[Steelers36]

6 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We are in our way! Next stop Barcelona day after tomorrow. 
 

 

 

 

A day to pause and reflect before it's all over.  Enjoy the sea day.  I appreciated having a preview of our voyages to come in October (actually 25 nights then).

[ROWSE]

On 7/20/2022 at 8:43 AM, phabric said:

Were you giving a choice of times to  choose from?

Regarding the Scavi tour, I believe we gave them dates we possibly could and they sent times with tour space..  It has been a long time ago,  but we did book way ahead and then booked our Vatican entry time to work with that.   

[dickinson]

2 hours ago, coo359a2 said:

We were on the Emerald in March and received the regular blue tote bag we have always received.  The bag in the picture was used for trivia prizes pre pandemic.  I have seen the cruise director's staff, who host various games, use these gray bags as a small backpack to tote around trivia or other game supplies/prizes.  Some cruisers have said they use them as shoe bags.

When we cruised in February of this year they were still giving these out as prizes for trivia.  At that time there was a thread on here about the lack of blue bags.  Some people got them but some didn't.  We got them.  I think it is just a supply chain issue.

[Ken the cruiser]

Today we took an afternoon PCL excursion to Herculaneum which was quite fascinating. Unlike Pompeii, Herculaneum was completely covered with ash and pumice (or hot mud, according to our archeological guide), from an eruption from Mt Vesuvius back in 79 AD. 
 

But first we stopped by a cameo factory which actually used shells to create the various cameos they sell, at quite a pretty price I might add.

 

Notice the 2 layers. The cameo is cut from the white rounded side with the darker part of the shell used as the background.

 

 

 

Then after stopping to acknowledge the local wildlife

 

 

We headed to Herculaneum. BTW it was quite hot and humid this afternoon, so we tried to find shade whenever we could! 😁

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the kitchens

 

 

A bed

 

 

An indoor watering area fed by a nearby cistern

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s interesting about this “future” excavation area is that it’s under a bunch of houses which are owned by folks that don’t want to leave, and the powers that be have no power to make them move other than to offer them money which they so far have refused. Supposedly, there is another site the size of this one we just visited under these houses.

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[Adventures ahead]

Awesome that you're having such a great time! Brings back a lot of memories.

I'm also amazed that you've taken so many tours (on buses... back seats, yes) and have managed not to get covid! Good for you guys!

[Ken the cruiser]

This evening after a tasty surf and turf with lobster and Beef Wellington, with escargot and tomato bisque as appetizers, we headed to watch the production show, Sweet Soul Music.

 

 

 

Then afterwards they had a brand new game show in Princess Live called Hollywood Hiccups where the entertainment staff performs various movie skits and then we had to answer 3 questions after each one.
 

 

CD Dan was the emcee and it was a big hit! Here’s some pictures from some of the skits.

 

Titanic

 

 

Ghost Busters

 

Jaws

 

 

The Karate Kid

 

 

Dirty Dancng

 

 

Frozen

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[coo359a2]

Hollywood Hiccups is the funniest game show and full of laughs.     The Karate Kid or Frozen was not not included in the shows we have seen.  It is one game show not to miss seeing.

[Ken the cruiser]

Day 21 - Jul 22 - Our last sea day

 

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

31 minutes ago, Adventures ahead said:

Awesome that you're having such a great time! Brings back a lot of memories.

I'm also amazed that you've taken so many tours (on buses... back seats, yes) and have managed not to get covid! Good for you guys!

Thanks and thanks for mentioning the back of the bus. I forgot to load the one on today's excursion and the shot of Mt Vesuvius on the way to the ruins.
 

I really think for us just hanging out by ourselves, whether it’s on the ship or on an excursion has helped us avoid getting sick, regardless of the illness, on our various cruises since it started back up … so far … and hopefully it continues. 😁

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Billish]

5 hours ago, NIkkiGR said:

Oh great thanks. Looks like they have changed them up a bit. 

Given where Ken found it, I wonder if it had been there for a year or two !

We didn't get one on our cc minisuite 8 weeks ago !

[Ken the cruiser]

16 minutes ago, Billish said:

Given where Ken found it, I wonder if it had been there for a year or two !

We didn't get one on our cc minisuite 8 weeks ago !

That could be a possibility. It was definitely shoved way back there behind the paper laundry bags and totally out of sight.

[Ken the cruiser]

5 hours ago, lynn2002 said:

How long are they filming for?  We board in 3 weeks time.

I could be wrong, but I heard they’ll be done at the end of this leg which ends in a couple of days.