Prima TA Semi-Live 11 Days to NY from Spain, 4+ days @Barcelona from JFK ... land/cruise early Thanksgiving vacation

[mking8288]

Continuation of yesterday tour photos - from the lower elevations of the blue lake, with the cows roaming free ... 

 

 

 

 

Time for restroom break, coffee & beer stop and light snacks (lunch) before resuming - saw Portuguese tarts here, but wasn't appealing to us 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer months picnic area

 

[mking8288]

Last batch of pictures from the private lake tour as we head back to town ... 

 

 

 

 

These are the historic aqueduct system built ?? before the Portuguese arrival, discovering the islands 500 years ago. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the smaller volcanic lake with dark soil equally rich in minerals

 

 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by mking8288

[GALSews]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

Last batch of pictures from the private lake tour as we head back to town ... 

 

 

 

 

These are the historic aqueduct system built ?? before the Portuguese arrival, discovering the islands 500 years ago. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the smaller volcanic lake with dark soil equally rich in minerals

 

 

 

 

 

Lovely photos. The mountains seem to be using that special epoxy for clouds.

[mking8288]

3 hours ago, Rockyhill said:

Henry is there an exit to the outside there from Belvedere bar? Starboard?

Tom, it's apparently designated as fire/emergency exit only & otherwise crew use only. Just had dinner at nearby Cagney's - the bar isn't open until 4 PM daily, foot traffic is light in the morning unlike the popular Metropolitan one deck up. Stairs & elevators are just behind those white space, past the bathrooms & casino toward midship ... semi-secluded.

 

More rain tomorrow for us on a sea day, again - time to spot for more alternate assembly station. 

[mking8288]

59 minutes ago, GALSews said:

Lovely photos. The mountains seem to be using that special epoxy for clouds.

We took many in both extra/ultra HD vertical & landscape modes, great for wallpapers - will compose a video slide post-cruise.

[mking8288]

Day 3 - George, our driver-guide dropped us off in town near the ship as asked, time for a late & light lunch, quickie shopping  before getting back onboard before 3:30 PM - a 15 minutes walk thru the side streets first.

 

 

 

 

 

Above: General Store & a favorite among off-duty ship crews to shop for necessities - wide selection of iPhone & Samsung cases and accessories, etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our floating home away home  - secret shorter return to the ship, keep right going toward the terminal building.

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by mking8288

[laudergayle]

Eat Mo’ Chickin.  

Chick Fil-a

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by laudergayle

[debenson0723]

6 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

Eat Mo’ Chickin.  If you’re not from the South…well this makes little sense.

 

Outside the south, Google Chick Fil-a.

Chick Fil-a is nationwide. 

[laudergayle]

20 minutes ago, debenson0723 said:

Chick Fil-a is nationwide. 

Lol. Yeah…I googled it snd was shocked they had 3000 stores in 48 states.  I edited…but not before you caught my error.  Now, if In-and-Out would expand east.

Edited November 26, 2023 by laudergayle

[mking8288]

Cagney's dinner tonight - 2 using Dining package and 2 using Platinum voucher, 1-1-1-1 with the only difference, package get 1 extra side 🙄😳😲 

 

Not a big deal, it was fine to share 6 sides between 4 of us.  DW only asked her 8 oz. filet mignon to be cooked well-done, but it appeared ... well, let some of you to be the judge & draw your own conclusions. 

 

 

 

Maybe, we should've gone to  - - - - -  instead 😉 just not sure how we end up grading tonight's overall dining experience vis-a-vis expectations. 

 

Spacing between tables & chairs bring fairly tight, easy to have a conversation with strangers and offer advice to the next table listening to the chats 🙄 

(FN #5D - for post-cruise review)

[bedfordmom]

Interesting about Cagneys in February the platinum voucher got us 1 app OR salad 1 main and 2 sides and 1 desert. This time we got 1 app 1 salad 1 main 2 sides and 1 desert for platinum We were so surprised not sure which salad or soup to get. It was same for FAS. 

[debenson0723]

14 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

Lol. Yeah…I googled it snd was shocked they had 3000 stores in 48 states.  I edited…but not before you caught my error.  Now, if In-and-Out would expand east.

I have 3 In and Out within a 5 mile radius of where I live.  I will be happy to give you one, LOL.

[mking8288]

Prima Theater - tonight: The Price is Right Live @ 9:30 PM.  Doors opened starboard side (Deck 7) around 9:05 with maybe 50 to 75 in front of us. By the time we got inside, the theater is already about 60% plus - full ... yes, priority seatings, via special entranced, I told our friends - just like access to/from the crew only area. 

 

 

 

 

Improv & Syd'Nor were both packed full as we walked by, as was the atrium area ... Starbucks appeared to be doing well.

I will stick with my jo using private labels. Coffee water in the buffet, DW commented that, has the burnt taste to it ... oh, no - that can't possibly be true. 

[laudergayle]

3 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Prima Theater - tonight: The Price is Right Live @ 9:30 PM.  Doors opened starboard side (Deck 7) around 9:05 with maybe 50 to 75 in front of us. By the time we got inside, the theater is already about 60% plus - full ... yes, priority seatings, via special entranced, I told our friends - just like access to/from the crew only area. 

 

 

 

 

Improv & Syd'Nor were both packed full as we walked by, as was the atrium area ... Starbucks appeared to be doing well.

I will stick with my jo using private labels. Coffee water in the buffet, DW commented that, has the burnt taste to it ... oh, no - that can't possibly be true. 

We found that Port side on Deck 6 was a perfect (less known) entrance AND the bar was right inside.  Let me know if this works well for you for future theater events.  If so, I’ll share our disembarkation tip at Manhattan terminal.

[mking8288]

Prima's photos as taken in Ponta Delgarda 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a DIY shore excursion, walk down these stairs make a right turn & follow the building toward the ship terminal entrances ... NCL tours returning directly via buses were dropped off closer to the left or bow of the ship - lines were much longer resulting in what we saw ... true when we did the eastbound Epic TA in late April 😉

[cruiseny4life]

4 hours ago, laudergayle said:

We found that Port side on Deck 6 was a perfect (less known) entrance AND the bar was right inside.  Let me know if this works well for you for future theater events.  If so, I’ll share our disembarkation tip at Manhattan terminal.

That's what we do. It's been used as the Haven access area, but many others have used the entrance. It's a much better way of accessing the theater. We were almost middle of the stage last night, arriving at 640 to an already packed theater!

[mking8288]

Useful info - tips, question & help on how to log in and out, especially FAS WiFi minutes, now that Starlink is up & running on the Prima.  For less savvy tech gadget users, this question came up at our CC Meet & Greet - stop by the iCafe onboad, right next to the "main" Starbucks on Deck 7 Fwd elevators & stairs ... you can pickup this handy card with the QR code ( ... oh, no - what's that ? ) as another shortcut instead to log in/out - be sure the red minutes meter counting on what's used & remaining is shown. 

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Good morning, approximately half way between Ponta D. and Dockyard, Bermuda cruising, calm sea state, at 18 knots - ocean depth 4,000 meters here (10,000+ ft.). We flew at 35,000 ft at nearly 600 miles in the other direction. 

 

 

 

 

Best deal & lowest within last 2 days - see below

[mking8288]

Satellite (Starlink-based on the Prima now) WiFi plan upgrade options - at the beginning of the cruise, our trade-upgrade pricing was offered, same as the pre-cruise savings shown - no difference whatsoever, except you cannot use any non-refundable OBC to offset it.  Once onboard, you can do that to reduce the net cost - for just 1 person in the cabin, not both (2 person) in the cabin - our 20% Sapphire discount cannot be combined or stacked.  

 

Wait until after midnight, past embarkation, save 1 day's worth of upgrade or $30 for the basic unlimited plan ($40 for the streaming "premium" plan) - no apparent different in "superior" or faster speed, just unblock VPN and certain http "ports" as in udp/tcp port configurations.  I will share a little insiders CC secret here only & will not repeat this again or elsewhere - watching Youtube works just fine on my Google Pixel 7 Pro.  And, tethering the hotspot to share the connection with 3 devices at the same time.  No need to logout & login from another device to access inTERnet at sea.  Do not ask elsewhere nor will I further explain the details. Works for me and YMMV - retired, I do not "depend" on this for business.  But, I am reasonably comfortable that Skype and Zoom sessions can be done on my Linux (LMDE) laptop now - uptime has been 95% (interrupted or briefly lost for less than 5% of the time while at sea on this sailing)

 

*** Additional savings - the upgrade/discount savings for Mrs. M's line/account with the other 150 free minutes (FAS) has not been used, as I use either our iPhone or backup Pixel 4a 5G to access & use the free inTRAnet access onboard, to review account charges posted, and check our dining & show reservations, join the Virtual 

 

 

[mking8288]

More photos from Google Pixel 4a 5G - as we set sail 2 days ago leaving the Azores over sunset 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here comes the pilot boat escorting us out of the sheltered harbor channel into the Atlantic Ocean

 

 

 

 

Lighthouse and MSC Seaside up ahead

 

 

[mking8288]

Garden Cafe / buffet at 9 AM was 80% + capacity, difficult to find seating for large party of 5 or more, Food Republic is open for surge seating ... counter stations are far fewer than the older midside & *Away class ships, not ideal with colder climate & poor weather that result in limited outdoor access. 

 

Plans this morning, in cabin continental light breakfast, prep for another full load of free laundry from the ship, and online time ... then, check out the Indulge Food Hall.

 

Seas at 8' waves, wind from the north & temps in the mid 60's per the Captain's 10 AM briefing from the bridge, signing off as in "out"   ... Roger, 10-4 👌

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life is simple & good, another year of blessing at Thanksgiving to good health & happiness 😊 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Indulge FH closed, can't even get water or coffee or tea, or a clean glass, etc. until 12 noon when lunch service begin ... 

 

 

[mking8288]

Outside, a busy waterfront and the hogs with the blue pool towels apparently claimed at least 1 nice prime semi-private spot.  

 

Great Stirrup Cay ... 

 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by mking8288

[bedfordmom]

Didn’t you used to enjoy breakfast at O Sheehan. ( aka The Local) Have you eaten there this trip?

[mking8288]

Just now, bedfordmom said:

Didn’t you used to enjoy breakfast at O Sheehan. ( aka The Local) Have you eaten there this trip?

We do, full this morning and didn't feel like waiting - besides, DW didn't want to go down 1 floor ... 😁

 

Port side, sunbathers are out in force ...