On the Splendor BtoB Dec 3 -20

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Thanks for posting the photos of the Christmas decorations!  I like them.  Wish we had had them,  but am glad you do.

[cwn]

7 hours ago, lincslady said:

The decorations look lovely - to me - but they are very 'tasteful', and therefore maybe not as jolly as the more usual reds and silvers and golds.  I for one would prefer these ones, but each to their own.

I like the word tasteful as a description…they do fit the ship’s decor. I just like a bit more color. Need to get our suite decorated with the green and red that I craned in the suite cases.

[cwn]

4 hours ago, kjbacon said:

I’m really enjoying your report. We will be on Splendor in February so thank you for helping to build the excitement!

 

The buggy trip looked like fun. What port was that?

Thank you, Georgia Peach did the same for me. Hope I am helping future cruisers with the excitement in some little way.

The buggy ride was in the Dominican Republic. I always look for this kind of tour. Dick really enjoys the activity and all I have to do is just sit enjoy the ride! There was one in San Juan but we couldn’t do it as 70 was the max age. Bummer!

[cwn]

We are in St Barts today. Before we get out, I want to post some pictures from the first few days. Now on I will try to do a better job at a daily report.

Start with sai way and cut the tie with the tug, 

[cwn]

More of Dominican Republic

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by cwn

[1982CruzStart]

Thank you for the gorgeous photos.  Greatly enjoying your ongoing adventures.  I am so appreciative of cruisers that take the time to bring us along.  Continue having a fun trip. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

22 hours ago, cwn said:

Wendy we order hot tea every night with dessert, herbal for me and either that or an English tea for Dick. They bring a pot of scalding water and the teas…..Same with Room service. Guess I am not s tea purist as I think it is fine and have to wait till the water/tea cools a bit before drinking.

Thanks, good to know. For purists, it's got to be scalding when you brew the tea, not when you drink it, ha ha.  I'm not a huge tea drinker, but I would have a cup in the morning if the Illy could make it.  I'll probably opt for decaf coffee instead.

[RELS]

Full moon over Ste Barth’s with luxury yachts.

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by RELS
More dramatic photo

[CruiserFromMaine]

Following along, and enjoying the thread. We’ll be on next momth! 

[cwn]

Today was St Barts….a new island for us.

After rocking and rolling all night and the “boys” clambering for their bed belts, we woke to a beautiful day. We had canceled our tours for both yesterday and today. I am having some problems walking so we just opted by a sea day both days. 
Dick is finally getting a routine and doing his thing…. Up early, coffee some where and then breakfast finally showing up back at the room 9:30ish just as I  am waking up. I have room service breakfast on the balcony, then we plan our day. 
Today was a tender port so we caught the noon tender and just walked around the cute town. Lots of big boats and cute houses built up the hillside. I got my granddaughter a pretty pearl bracelet for a reasonable price but things were really expensive basically….38€ for a cotton t-shirt…. Passed on that one. We tried to get something to eat but they would not take credit cards only €s. Took the tender back to the ship and by 2 was settled on the balcony with a wonderful room service lunch and my book …. I was asleep up 2:30! Dick went to the pool grill for lunch and also napped.

The ship had a 30th anniversary party at ;5:30 but we skipped that and when to Sette Mari again.

I am posting the daily program for those interested and some pictures during the day.

Rels posted a great picture of the moon!

We also  got the Regent 30th anniversary gift on our bed. More importantly I got the grey box with all our laundry pressed and folded! I feel like a queen tonight…a clean IRONED nightgown! Bliss.

 

[cwn]

[Kwaj girl]

@cwnahhhh.. the coasters!  Quite nice.  

[Kristal Blade]

Lovely photos again!

Did you know in advance that there was going to be a 20s themed event? We have 3 nights designated as formal on our cruise but no indication of a theme.

 

Thanks for keeping us up to date with your days, well done on taking it easy and enjoying life at your own pace.

[kirtihk]

On 12/3/2022 at 3:58 PM, zipcruise said:

We will embark December 20th, and im thankful for any information about the ship.

Nice to see you here!  In 2 days our countdown starts!

 

Mikhail

[cwn]

Planning something is the best way for the plan to go south. We were trying to pack light haha so we didn't bring all the camera stuff we have in the past to report and post pictures. I was taking pictures with my phone and posting them...doesn't require extra stuff, Dicks idea. He got a message about my usage last night, and he has cut me off from picture posting. He usually researches all this before we leave but it has been a while now...blame it on old age!

 

I will post the best of the pictures when we get back to Miami on the 13th, meanwhile I will just do s report of what is going on and try to answer any questions.

 

We were in St. Lucia yesterday docked in what must be the older pier. It is about a mile from town, there was a big ship at the pier right in town.

 

Most of the tours involved lots of activity,,,ziplinig, water activity or time at a beach, so we did the Trolly around town. It was a "one man" activity starting from the pier! Visited the Cathedral built in 1899 and rode across town to a small well kept beach for a rum punch. A fine short tour until they didn't bring us back to the pier where they picked us up. They dropped at the Market and it was hike back to the ship. For most that wasn't a, but some of us it was. By the time a couple of us made it back to the ship the Trolly had pulled in front of the ship again! Oh well.

 

We went to the pool grill last night. They were setting up for dancing under the stars as we were in port until 11 and it was a beautiful night.

 

Back at the room there was a big post about not reserving the loungers....it is not allowed. The staff must be hearing all the complaining going on about the books and hats and no people on the loungers. We will see what happens next as I don't think this will do any good.  

 

 

[cwn]

On 12/8/2022 at 12:48 AM, Kristal Blade said:

Lovely photos again!

Did you know in advance that there was going to be a 20s themed event? We have 3 nights designated as formal on our cruise but no indication of a theme.

 

Thanks for keeping us up to date with your days, well done on taking it easy and enjoying life at your own pace.

There are no formal optional nights on this 10 day cruise. It was just a cocktail thing for a short while in the Atrium. It was the Pearl Anniversary Party.  A few women had sparkly tops, but really couldn't tell much difference from a regular evening. In my time on Regent, I don't remember a costume party. St pat's Da we were encouraged to wear green, Easter Sun...Easter hats which we made on board with supplies from the ship.                                 

[Kristal Blade]

Thanks cwn,

I am going to pack sparkly, Christmasy clothes, hubby has a new Christmas bow tie to wear too.

 

Dont worry about the pictures, your descriptions are great and you are keeping us well informed about cruise etiquette with the loungers! 

[mrlevin]

4 hours ago, cwn said:

Planning something is the best way for the plan to go south. We were trying to pack light haha so we didn't bring all the camera stuff we have in the past to report and post pictures. I was taking pictures with my phone and posting them...doesn't require extra stuff, Dicks idea. He got a message about my usage last night, and he has cut me off from picture posting. He usually researches all this before we leave but it has been a while now...blame it on old age!

 

I will post the best of the pictures when we get back to Miami on the 13th, meanwhile I will just do s report of what is going on and try to answer any questions.

 

 

If your phone is on ship's wifi it should cost. ZERO to post pictures.  You are not using your data or your cellular or your wifi.

Edited December 9, 2022 by mrlevin

[kjbacon]

Yes, as Mr Levin says, it is free on the ship to use all of the functions of your phone because there is free wifi. Just be sure that you have roaming turned off and you’ll be good. You can take pictures in port with the roaming turned off and then when back on board, you can post them.

 

Terrific report, thank you!

[-Lew-]

On 12/6/2022 at 11:23 AM, Wendy The Wanderer said:

So the Illy machines that I am looking at on their website do not seem to have a pod system, so I can understand that you can't just set it to produce boiling water by leaving the pod out, like a Keurig.

 

This photo of the illy coffee machine was posted on the Splendor Transatlantic 04/05/22 roll call...

 

 

I found it on Amazon here.  The manual can be found here.  I suggest you download it to you portable device in the event you need instructions.

 

I'm thinking it can function without a pod for hot water.  If not, a used pod that has been cleaned could trick the machine into thinking it's making coffee.  According to the manual there's a cleaning cycle that should also provide hot water.

[cwn]

7 hours ago, kjbacon said:

Yes, as Mr Levin says, it is free on the ship to use all of the functions of your phone because there is free wifi. Just be sure that you have roaming turned off and you’ll be good. You can take pictures in port with the roaming turned off and then when back on board, you can post them.

 

Terrific report, thank you!

Thank you both. I thought that was the case. I got roaming off now and will try it.

As for the tea files, I will ask a friend that cruises a lit if she thinks that will work. Since we travel in steerage so I know nothing about the Lilly machines🙂
We had a nice day with a good tour and guide. Bedtime right now will report tomorrow.

[Kristal Blade]

12 hours ago, -Lew- said:

I'm thinking it can function without a pod for hot water.  If not, a used pod that has been cleaned could trick the machine into thinking it's making coffee.  According to the manual there's a cleaning cycle that should also provide hot water.

Lew,

that is a very good idea. I think you have cracked the tea problem. We will have tea bags with us and can make the tea in a mug.

Thank you very, very much for going to the trouble to add the instruction manual. I did read through it and will hopefully be able to post a picture of our tea when we board…. In 10 days!

[Zqueeze1]

Are the illy pods the same size as a Keurig pod or are they unique in size?  If so, you maybe able to by a Keurig k cup reusable pod in Amazon. 
 

BTW , we are very much enjoying your adventure.
 

Z and TB

[Kwaj girl]

2 hours ago, Zqueeze1 said:

Are the illy pods the same size as a Keurig pod or are they unique in size?  If so, you maybe able to by a Keurig k cup reusable pod in Amazon. 
 

BTW , we are very much enjoying your adventure.
 

Z and TB

 

The Illys are smaller pods.  MyK-Cup will not fit in there

Edited December 10, 2022 by Kwaj girl

[cwn]

And the tea files continue……

It is so easy to get lost in time when you are cruising! Yesterday was a really nice day again. We were in Dominica, according to reports the youngest of the islands….but that is relative!

It is another new island for us, so we did a tour….Island Safari. It was in an open bus, no windows but a top so we were out of the sun and nice for picture taking. It was about 31/2 hours and we had a really nice woman guide. She was funny and informative without talking us to death. Made three actual stops that we got off the bus for a walk around for pictures and lots of slow downs for costal shots. Went out to the ismuth  between the Caribbean and the Atlantic …..for a change the Caribbean was rough! It had been all the night before also. Then we stopped for a restroom break, Chruch and another beach area. Final stop was a view of the port from a high vantage point and a drive though the Botanical Gardens.

We are really being lazy the rest of the time…Dick goes to LaVeranda for breakfast and lunch, I am ordering room service for both meals, then naps!!! We are also having snacks and cocktails on the balcony each night before dinner. We order the cocktails from room service also…. No waiting!

We got a return to Chartreuse last night by showing up at the door at 6:30….they seated us right away! I was calling dinning reservations every night including yesterday, only to be told nothing was open and no luck on the waiting list either. I will remember that!

 

As far as the loungers are concerned, they have put the no saving request in Passages twice now and talked about no saving on the morning show, but last night serval couples were complaining about the situation in the afternoon..