Bimmer09 Christmas Cruise to Mexico on the Diamond

[Bimmer09]

33 minutes ago, L11 said:

You're quoting Bob Dylan again. Love it.

 

Thanks for your writings and pictures! I especially loved the sunset in San Diego. I look forward to your next GSJ.

 

Linda

Well spotted Linda! Bob Dylan's Dream from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. A favorite song.

Norris

[PurpleTraveller]

Thank you for a wonderful and entertaining account of your cruise. I thoroughly enjoyed following your travels. I look forward to reading your next account of your Apex cruise. Happy sailing! 🛳️

Allison

 

[Marvy Mare]

Thanks for another entertaining review Norris. I’m already looking forward to Iceland and your impressions of the Apex. 

[DLSHS_Mom]

Many thanks for your wonderful cruise review.  We are currently booked on the Diamond for March 2024 and your review was very helpful, again thanks Norris & Carol

[Bimmer09]

After Carol's very poor corned beef and cabbage dinner at the Field in San Diego before the cruise, she got to choose tonight's dinner venue-a Persian restaurant called Safad. It was only 6 p.m and there were no customers in the restaurant, but we were here and hungry.

 

We both shared vegetable samosas

 

and an order of falafel

 

5 people of middle eastern origin  came in for dinner  which helped the ambiance

 

Carol's fine looking plate of grilled chicken, veggies and saffron rice

 

and my "koobideh kabob" -a mix of ground lamb and beef, with tomatoes cooked on an open flame.

 

A satisfying but belly-busting' feed for $75 before tip

 

We intended to walk back to the Omni but after a block or two on busy sidewalks decided to summon a Lyft. We were picked up in about two minutes.

 

The driver had to make some detours as there were some street closures and Police on foot escorting a massive group of green shirts people marching in the street. 

 

When we got within sight of the hotel there was a massive group of green shirts people on the sidewalk in front.

We stopped the car so the driver could U Turn and get out of the area and made our way through the crowd and into the hotel. "They're a marching band from Oregon" was the answer to my question at the Reception desk.  As well as the crowd on the street there was about 50 of them, including cheerleaders in uniform in the reception area and maybe 20 of them in the elevator lobby. All told there were 250 teens in green staying in the hotel. 

In the Hard Rock hotel across the street there was another marching band- I had seen tour buses disgorge people with marching drums and  trombones earlier before dinner. They were apparently from North Carolina as there was a Football Bowl game next afternoon in the Padre's baseball stadium. There would be a parade also. We hoped that wouldn't jam up traffic on our way to the airport.

 

We had an early night and when I woke at 7 a.m the hotel was still standing. These could not be normal teens! They had been very pleasant and respectful of others  when I rode in the elevator with them last night.

 

Norris 

[Bimmer09]

The Oregon band assembles

 I have my first cup of coffee to go-standing outside the hotel at 7.30 and the band members begin to trickle out....

 

The trickle becomes a stream

 

the stream becomes a flood and they gather at the side of the hotel

 

some of the younger members of the squad

 

 

some folks brought the wrong uniform

 

back inside there's the Mascot

 

It's time for us to go to breakfast..

 

[Bimmer09]

If it ain't broke...

We had a great breakfast at the nearby Breakfast Company before our cruise so it made good sense to turn there before our flight.  As it was a cool morning we sat inside this time.

 

Carol had her latte and apple juice

 

She ate the same cornmeal buttermilk waffles as previously 

 

while I had the steak and scrambled eggs

 

Our waiter returns with the check

 

We would definitely like to sail from San Diego again. What we saw of the city really appealed and if we do come back we already know where we can get a great breakfast with excellent service!

 

Next the Parade then the airport...

[cruisingrob21]

1 hour ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

We would definitely like to sail from San Diego again. What we saw of the city really appealed and if we do come back we already know where we can get a great breakfast with excellent service!

 

It helps that the proximity of San Diego airport to the cruise port is perhaps the most convenient for a port of embarkation on the west coast, followed closely by Vancouver.  On a nice day with only a rollerbag, I once had a very pleasant walk from the cruise terminal to the airport.

[Bimmer09]

Who doesn't love a Parade?

We're back in  our room on the 11th floor of the Omni

 

 

We're finishing our packing

That's a ship belonging to Dole, bringing fruit to San Diego

 

 

Down below is the Parade

 

 

 The "Omni "band...

 

 

 

Time to go and we called a Lyft to take us to the airport and told him about the parade which he was unaware of, and avoided any traffic holdups. Cost was $18.

I'll see you there...

Norris

[Bimmer09]

 

The airport had a long line for Security (shocker!) but luckily we had TSA Pre w which helps smooth the process. Exactly an hour after leaving our hotel at 11 a.m we were sitting in the United Club.

 

It was high above the concourse level between gates 47 and 48

 

Our flight left on time

 

It was uneventful except for the screaming baby in the row in front of us  and a bawling baby in the row behind

Adios San Diego

 

and hello Chicago

 

That was December 28th. We landed at 8.15  right on time. After baggage claim and the 18 mile drive home in a taxi we arrived at 10p.m to be greeted by cats. All was well.

I think it was New Year's Day that we both began coughing all day long and had very low energy.

We had unpacked our Covid test kits and both tested positive. A week later we finally both tested negative-what a relief. However the coughing and lethargy still remain-hopefully for not much longer .

 

We took masks with us on the cruise and wore them in elevators and tenders. Carol even wore hers to the MDR. We are  both vaccinated twice and with 2 boosters, yet after dodging Covid for almost 3 years we eventually ran out of luck. 

 

So thanks to all who read and commented  kindly when I struggled each day, somewhat in what Carol calls a "brain fog" to post something remotely worth reading. I hope to be in better shape in June when we fly to Rotterdam!

 

Cheers!

Norris
 

[jwattle]

Thank you for posting a wonderful GSJ, especially finding it was done with Covid. You're both in our thoughts, and we wish you a speedy recovery! 

[Walt fan]

Oh wow thank you for this review Norris; even more so being sick while you did it! Hope you and Carol are doing much better. Thank you for taking us along on this Christmas cruise; can't wait for your next cruise!

[CruiserRob]

Norris, thanks for another entertaining GSJ although I am sorry to hear about both of you contracting Covid.  Hopefully all of your symptoms are gone by now.

 

Robert

[perfect match]

Hi Norris! If you’ve cruised since restart prior to this cruise, I haven’t found it. I was just on YouTube and there you were so here I am. I most definitely have some catching up to do! I’m excited to finally be able to catch up with you and your travels!

[spingal]

Unfortunately Covid is still very active on the ships!  My sister, her family and I got home on 1/7 from the Discovery Princess NYE cruise.  I knew something wasn’t right when I got home so I tested and was positive.  Then the rest of the family tested too.  My sister and nephew also tested positive.  Luckily my case was very mild and my sister and nephew had zero symptoms.  I ended up on Plaxlovid for 5 days since I am over 65.  We are all negative now but I have a lingering annoying cough.

 

Norris, glad to hear you and Carol are now negative!  Hopefully your cough and lethargy resolve soon.
 

I always love your reviews!

[LC1950]

G'day Norris mate.  Thank you for another very entertaining entry into your Gentleman's Seafaring Journal.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

As for your brain-fog ... yep can relate to that as DH and I both contracted the dreaded virus after our October/November '22 cruise.  Fortunately now in January we're both back to normal ... or as "normal" as we will ever get but it took time for us 2 old fogies to get over it completely.  Hope you and Carol both fully recover completely very soon.

[perfect match]

I never expected to get through all 11 pages when I started reading earlier tonight, but once I started reading I was hooked and couldn’t stop! I’m keeping this page open so I can come back later and catch up with you and Carol on the rest of your travels. 
 

There’s way too much for me to try and comment on everything in this wonderful review, so I’ll cut straight to the cats 😻. First of all, my condolences 💐 on the loss of your beautiful Snowy. I’m glad you found not just one, but two new cats to rescue and offer to them a wonderful, loving home.

 

I’m so glad you and Carol are still cruising and still traveling the world. I’ll definitely be looking for you at the end of June (or will it be July, I didn’t count the days) on the Celebrity board. 

[Southern_Roots]

10 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

The airport had a long line for Security (shocker!) but luckily we had TSA Pre w which helps smooth the process. Exactly an hour after leaving our hotel at 11 a.m we were sitting in the United Club.

 

It was high above the concourse level between gates 47 and 48

 

Our flight left on time

 

It was uneventful except for the screaming baby in the row in front of us  and a bawling baby in the row behind

Adios San Diego

 

and hello Chicago

 

That was December 28th. We landed at 8.15  right on time. After baggage claim and the 18 mile drive home in a taxi we arrived at 10p.m to be greeted by cats. All was well.

I think it was New Year's Day that we both began coughing all day long and had very low energy.

We had unpacked our Covid test kits and both tested positive. A week later we finally both tested negative-what a relief. However the coughing and lethargy still remain-hopefully for not much longer .

 

We took masks with us on the cruise and wore them in elevators and tenders. Carol even wore hers to the MDR. We are  both vaccinated twice and with 2 boosters, yet after dodging Covid for almost 3 years we eventually ran out of luck. 

 

So thanks to all who read and commented  kindly when I struggled each day, somewhat in what Carol calls a "brain fog" to post something remotely worth reading. I hope to be in better shape in June when we fly to Rotterdam!

 

Cheers!

Norris
 

We were on the Christmas Celebrity Summit cruise and came home with Covid as well. Glad to hear you guys are doing better! 
I have to say I throughly enjoyed your review, I love your wit and writing style! Looking forward to our first Princess cruiser out of Galveston this March! 

[Marvy Mare]

Thanks again Norris and Carol for the entertaining review. So sorry to hear that you contracted Covid. No matter how careful you are crowded places are a risk. Fortunately you didn’t get sick until you got home. Take care and hope you are both feeling chipper soon. 

[Nee Nee and Biddy]

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I'm looking forward to hearing about your next cruise in June. All of your reviews are so well written and entertaining. 

My husband and I also came home with Covid after our Alaskan cruise in June.  On the plane ride home I suddenly couldn't smell anything and I knew we were in trouble! Oh well. As the days go by, you will continue to improve.  It took us about 6 weeks to feel 100% again.  

[Bimmer09]

12 hours ago, jwattle said:

Thank you for posting a wonderful GSJ, especially finding it was done with Covid. You're both in our thoughts, and we wish you a speedy recovery! 

Thank you for your kind thoughts!

I hope to see you in my next GSJ/review/ramble  June 22  on the Celebrity Board.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

11 hours ago, Walt fan said:

Oh wow thank you for this review Norris; even more so being sick while you did it! Hope you and Carol are doing much better. Thank you for taking us along on this Christmas cruise; can't wait for your next cruise!

Thanks to you for reading along!

Although we are not testing positive anymore the effects are still with us but we don't have any travel in our plans until 5 weeks from now-New York weekend for Wagner Opera so hope to be better by then.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

11 hours ago, CruiserRob said:

Norris, thanks for another entertaining GSJ although I am sorry to hear about both of you contracting Covid.  Hopefully all of your symptoms are gone by now.

 

Robert

Thanks Robert. It's just a matter of time before it clears up. The psychological jolt of testing positive and my 101 degree temperature is behind us, so better days are ahead.

Norris, back in the saddle on June 22

[Bimmer09]

11 hours ago, perfect match said:

Hi Norris! If you’ve cruised since restart prior to this cruise, I haven’t found it. I was just on YouTube and there you were so here I am. I most definitely have some catching up to do! I’m excited to finally be able to catch up with you and your travels!

We did cruise the Med in November 21 when Covid protocols were very strong and we had 5 tests in 2 weeks. Here's the link to a cruise we enjoyed despite some major hiccups at the start.....

I hope you can find time to read it-we went to some cool places.

Hope to see you June 22 on the X Board!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

10 hours ago, spingal said:

Unfortunately Covid is still very active on the ships!  My sister, her family and I got home on 1/7 from the Discovery Princess NYE cruise.  I knew something wasn’t right when I got home so I tested and was positive.  Then the rest of the family tested too.  My sister and nephew also tested positive.  Luckily my case was very mild and my sister and nephew had zero symptoms.  I ended up on Plaxlovid for 5 days since I am over 65.  We are all negative now but I have a lingering annoying cough.

 

Norris, glad to hear you and Carol are now negative!  Hopefully your cough and lethargy resolve soon.
 

I always love your reviews!

Thank you spingal. 

We were lucky in that it hit us after we got home-it could have done that on day 2  and we would have been quarantined and at the mercy of Room Service in our cabin for the whole cruise.

We got to enjoy the cruise and then suffer at home so are grateful for the timing.

I read a lot of CC reviews on various boards and feel for the people who have to spend their cruise in their cabin while the whole amazing cruise experience happens beyond their cabin door.

Thanks for your kind thoughts!

Norris