IT'S ANOTHER HOLIDAY ROAD

[JAGR]

18 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Well here is something new this cruise. On this our first sea day at12:30 to 1:30 is a Food Sampling Tour. FREE.Easily overlooked in the daily planner that the CD Dave came on the PA system to remind passengers of this culinary treat. The tour this time was attended by about 250 guests starting at one of the specialty restaurants for a demonstration and samples, followed by all the other specialty restaurants on deck 8. At each station there are several staff selling the specialty restaurant packages available.

Wonder if the CD came from Carnival.  They were famous with the cooking demonstration and tasting along with the hard sell on making reservations for the specialty restaurants.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, JAGR said:

Wonder if the CD came from Carnival

Actually he comes from Mexico.

[morpheusofthesea]

Appears that a few of the staff the we had occasion to talk to said that they hope to be transferred to the Seascape because they do not speak Portuguese, since the Seashore will be repositioned to Brazil. Had the opportunity to bump into Captain Corey of the Youtube vlog Midships on board this morning. Very approachable and nice person. We compared notes on our love of the Seashore. He had no complaints about the food in the MarketPlace buffet. Actually he felt it was better than Carnival. Left DW talking to him while I walked back to our cabin to retrieve a chocolate ship to give to him for all the enjoyable posts we view of his between cruises.

[morpheusofthesea]

Been at sea for 2 days. Weather has been nice, sunny and breezy. Should arrive to San Juan at 5 pm. Only show today will be "Gravity" at 3 pm. No shows nor Cabaret this evening. Dinner starts at 5:30.

[morpheusofthesea]

After lunch, fish and chips, we 'scouted out' the Cabaret Rouge for a special presentation of Mr. Shea at 2 pm. Caught him practicing his act at 1:00, an hour before his show. Chatted with the production manager of the Cabaret Rouge. We were hoping to see the singing and dancing of "Women in Art" or Picasso this and Van Gogh's that. Found out their contract ended and won't be back. She mentioned another group is in the planning ??? We wonder what they did with all the costumes?

[morpheusofthesea]

10 hours ago, JAGR said:

Wonder if the CD came from Carnival.  They were famous with the cooking demonstration and tasting along with the hard sell on making reservations for the specialty restaurants.

As it just happened we ran into Moustafa the specialty restaurant director whose idea it was for the sampling tour of the specialty restaurants. Asked him if he came from Carnival. He came from RCCL.He is opening the new Europa and his Assistant is opening Seascape.

[morpheusofthesea]

Tonight there is another full moon over San Juan out on the pool deck buffet and party. Beautiful, breezy. Photos to follow when we get back to cabin.

[morpheusofthesea]

Where else does one have a 'conga line' around the pool deck to the tune of "Volare".?

[alohayall]

Too bad about the Van Gogh shows. I was going to ask about times for them. In December, the times listed in the daily program didn’t give a completely understandable timetable of acts within a broader posted time.  TMI, probably, but thanks for the update.

 

Ah, yes, the nearly full moon. That should be lovely over the island.

[morpheusofthesea]

Pulling into St. Thomas this morning.

[morpheusofthesea]

Two of the main restaurants. One is a deck above the other. All the main restaurants have the same menu. Manhattan, we were told was for large groups.

[morpheusofthesea]

This afternoon at 3 pm is a Madison Theatre production called "Butterflies" an adaptation of "Madame Butterfly". As of this mornings post below there are still over 700 seats available.

[jcathers1]

Perhaps a dumb question, but the free covid testing that's performed at the pier is accepted by MSC to fulfill their pre-cruise testing requirement? You are given the results and documentation  right away?

[morpheusofthesea]

19 minutes ago, jcathers1 said:

Perhaps a dumb question, but the free covid testing that's performed at the pier is accepted by MSC to fulfill their pre-cruise testing requirement? You are given the results and documentation  right away?

That was the impression I was given. Now I was only looking for a parking spot and had left DW at the terminal with luggage and porter tip. I was rushing to get back for check-in., having paid $169 pp 48 hrs prior to getting to port. Now the advertised "free" covid test might have caveats attached ? Like is one indigent ? Insurance ? So this information is applicable to those searching for a last minute test before getting on board a ship. That it is available. No dumb question, I thought the same after pulling away.

[morpheusofthesea]

The impression we get about these covid test result documentation is that they are not standardized. All the ship checkers are taking photos of are the words "Negative" somewhere on any piece of official 'looking' printout and the date of results. People are coming to the port and standing in line coughing and hacking with these 'negative' pieces of paper and getting on board all the times we have gone.

[morpheusofthesea]

Most everyone is off the ship this morning. We have this super yacht like feel on the pool deck. Attendants just standing around waiting for a raised arm. One need not even get off ones lounger.  We have the advantage of being so many stories up that the this deck captures a beautiful Caribbean breeze. It is just so difficult not to doze off. zzzzzz

[jcathers1]

Are there still drinks/snacks in the new YC waiting area?

[wcook]

Loving this thread. Keep it coming. 

[JAGR]

6 minutes ago, jcathers1 said:

Are there still drinks/snacks in the new YC waiting area?

Didn't happen to look at the bottom photo on post #14, by any chance, did you? 😉

[bac513]

6 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Pulling into St. Thomas this morning.

Havensight or Crown Bay?

[jcathers1]

26 minutes ago, JAGR said:

Didn't happen to look at the bottom photo on post #14, by any chance, did you? 😉

Ah, there it is. Thanks for pointing that out. It does appear to be a smaller selection than I recall, but perhaps it's just the photo/angle. 

[morpheusofthesea]

40 minutes ago, jcathers1 said:

Are there still drinks/snacks in the new YC waiting area?

See post #14 second photo. Meager.

[morpheusofthesea]

15 minutes ago, bac513 said:

Havensight or Crown Bay?

Havensight.

[morpheusofthesea]

Tonight is lobster night. The Madison theatre production is "Coast to Coast', one of the not to be missed shows on the Seashore. In February and March it garnered standing ovations from the entire audiences in both seatings (went to both). By May the audiences became complacent and many were walking out before the grand finale to the point that the CD had to make an announcement before the shows that there was a surprise at the end of the show. (Of course, there was no surprise, just a great finale).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

Learned something today about future bookings while onboard. One should, at the present time when considering a B2B cruise, book them separately with different booking numbers while onboard. Up to $500 each cruise obc, double points, a bottle of liquor (Suites) for each cruise, 2 chocolate ships (Diamond) each cruise. A B2B with one booking number is considered only one cruise.