Live from Millennium Panama Canal East-to-West April 21 - May 6, 2023

[DaKahuna]

6 minutes ago, njsmom said:

This looks delicious. What exactly is in it? I love cucumber-flavored drinks. They're so refreshing. 

That is a long island ice tea made by Luis, the lead bartender in the Retreat Lounge. 

This is a Hendricks Cucumber Martini from the martini bar

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by DaKahuna

[Moochi]

51 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

I think the two seats together make a larger table.  We may try lunch tomorrow out on the balcony but most likely we’ll do lunch on the Retreat Sundeck. I plan to go check it out shortly.  We’ve yet to make it up there. 
 

Go up there and order a drink at the tables, and see how you like it there. I find it very warm and sunny. The wind is not terrible.

[DaKahuna]

We walked up and just looked around.  My plan is to have lunch up there tomorrow when we are in port at Cartagena. 
 

The wind is not too bad once you get behind the glass shields. 
 

[Fly and Sail]

4 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

@Fly and Sail I think that it is a combination of two things, full guest capacity in Suites and Aqua class and a limited number of speciality restaurants.  With only Tuscan and Sushi on 5 there are not many other alternatives available. 
 

We did note that Luminae was relatively empty after about 7:30 pm and talked about changing our routine to eat later rather than earlier.  We can always use the afternoon snacks in the Retreat to tide us over.

 

Maybe you could take a look at how Blu is later in the evening as well.

 

 

BLU is overwhelmed, and there is a lot of brand new staff. Tried to step in to just get some Orange Juice and a smoothie this morning, walked out after 15 min - without any juice.

 

I'll probably do SO5 and Tuscan a few times, plus Oceanview. I have two more cruises in the next two months and always eat well at home, makes no difference to me if I do BLU or not. I just wish I hadn't paid the premium.

[Barwick Cruiser]

10 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

BLU is overwhelmed, and there is a lot of brand new staff. Tried to step in to just get some Orange Juice and a smoothie this morning, walked out after 15 min - without any juice.

 

I'll probably do SO5 and Tuscan a few times, plus Oceanview. I have two more cruises in the next two months and always eat well at home, makes no difference to me if I do BLU or not. I just wish I hadn't paid the premium.

If you’re just looking for juice and a smoothie you might have better luck at the Spa Cafe…lovely light breakfasts and lunches. 

[DaKahuna]

Lunch Food Porn 

 

My DW ordered the salmon 

 

 

and also a cobb salad, which we shared

 

 

I went ‘lite’ with the roasted turkey gyro but ordered truffle fries instead of potato chips

 

 

Of course a glass of Pinot noir was appropriate so I went with the Cherry Pie

 

 

We did not order dessert instead decided to venture up to the OVC ..  what a mad house.  Since we were already there we got into line behind 17 others and got a bowl of ice cream to enjoy back in our room.

 

 

mine was a scoop of Butter Pecan and a scoop of pistachio.  My DW went with a single scoop of pistachio.

 

While enjoying our ice cream the phone rang and it was the Cellar Master informed me that our 2 pm Food & Wine pairing was starting in 5 minutes.  He ended up saying he would reschedule me for another time. 

[DaKahuna]

17 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

BLU is overwhelmed, and there is a lot of brand new staff. Tried to step in to just get some Orange Juice and a smoothie this morning, walked out after 15 min - without any juice.

 

I'll probably do SO5 and Tuscan a few times, plus Oceanview. I have two more cruises in the next two months and always eat well at home, makes no difference to me if I do BLU or not. I just wish I hadn't paid the premium.

I agree with @Barwick Cruiser try the Spa Cafe or if you are Elite or higher then try the Elite Breakfast.  They have good smoothies and orange juice as well.  We’ve not been to either yet but it is only day 3. 
 

I am very thankful we have alternatives to the OVC, that place was a mad house and I doubt we could have even found a seat if we had been looking for one. 
 

There is a lot to having a nice bowl of ice cream on your balcony.  Especially sailing in some of the smoothest seas we have traveled.  In a strange way it reminds me of a few times in the Tonkin Gulf. 
 

[DaKahuna]

Don’t you wish all your cruises had waters like these?

 

 

 

This what us sailors think of when we say ‘smooth as glass’ 

 

[aring75]

18 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

Don’t you wish all your cruises had waters like these?

 

 

Gorgeous. 

[Fly and Sail]

2 hours ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

If you’re just looking for juice and a smoothie you might have better luck at the Spa Cafe…lovely light breakfasts and lunches. 

Spa Cafè is chargeable though. Will try the 600 Pax “Elite” Breakfast tomorrow. 😁

 

I have to say though that the quality of the lunch in OVC is excellent. And another huge plus of this sailing: NO KIDS! At least I’ve seen none so far.

[DaKahuna]

6 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

Spa Cafè is chargeable though. Will try the 600 Pax “Elite” Breakfast tomorrow. 😁

 

I have to say though that the quality of the lunch in OVC is excellent. And another huge plus of this sailing: NO KIDS! At least I’ve seen none so far.

I keep forgetting what’s chargeable and what’s not.

 

I saw a lady with a baby in a chest carrier in the OVC.  Only under 21 individual I have seen so far. 
 

[cruisestitch]

There are six children on board.  

[DaKahuna]

3 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

There are six children on board.  

Thank you.  I wonder if any of them are school age? 

[thebutlerdidit]

16 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

I keep forgetting what’s chargeable and what’s not.

 

I saw a lady with a baby in a chest carrier in the OVC.  Only under 21 individual I have seen so far. 
 

I was on the previous cruise, and Captain Pierre said his wife and 18 month old were coming aboard. It’s his son’s first cruise. 

[davekathy]

12 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

There are six children on board.  

My kinda cruise. 

[Fly and Sail]

14 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

There are six children on board.  

That reminds me, since when did the solarium become a kids zone with “family hours” during specific times?

 

IIRC it was always advertised as adults only.

 

 

[mahdnc]

@DaKahuna, could you kindly post the front page of the Celebrity Today, but only if the opportunity and convenience arises?  I don't think I missed it this time!

[DaKahuna]

46 minutes ago, thebutlerdidit said:

I was on the previous cruise, and Captain Pierre said his wife and 18 month old were coming aboard. It’s his son’s first cruise. 

This baby was much younger than that.

 

22 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

@DaKahuna, could you kindly post the front page of the Celebrity Today, but only if the opportunity and convenience arises?  I don't think I missed it this time!

 

My apologies

 

[cruisestitch]

46 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

That reminds me, since when did the solarium become a kids zone with “family hours” during specific times?

 

IIRC it was always advertised as adults only.

 

 

I have usually seen that sign in cold weather Cruises, going back many years.

 

So it’s adults only unless they make an exception.😵‍💫

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, Fly and Sail said:

That reminds me, since when did the solarium become a kids zone with “family hours” during specific times?

 

IIRC it was always advertised as adults only.

 

 

Was that picture taken on this cruise? 
 

[Stem to Stern]

On 4/22/2023 at 9:46 AM, DaKahuna said:

There is no way we could get a chair between the couch and the railing on ours. 
 

I think you were in what has now been reclaased as AquaClass Sky Suites .. 

Maybe the designer meant for this to be a fainting couch where you put your feet up on the cushion and sprawl out like a celebrity would.😂She really had no clue.

[The Colonel_Cruises]

43 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

Was that picture taken on this cruise? 
 

I saw that on this cruise and was also surprised. I have seen two babies and boy who was 10 or 11.

[Stem to Stern]

I don’t believe this Solarium children’s time is anything new.

[Fly and Sail]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

Was that picture taken on this cruise? 
 

 

Yep, yesterday.

[hcat]

49 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said:

I don’t believe this Solarium children’s time is anything new.

been in place for a few yrs, in cool weather areas,  but with so few children on board shoukd not be an issue.  we swim early   and leave when it gets crowded