Thoughts, impressions, and observations for the World Cruise.

[CSHS1979]

8 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Nice area for this, beats the usually smaller card/game room by Main Dining. In past know Adventure Ocean would take Kids in there to eat for Lunch & Dinner this just 4 months ago Along with Crew, Entertainment and Shop workers were also eating their Dinners in there

 

Card room still outside mdr

Usually a puzzle going as well

[CSHS1979]

George Clooney is on the ship😉

Saw George Lucas a few weeks ago

[island lady]

8 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

They've sealed the opening from WJ to keep out diners

 

Yup, hence why I posted they locked the door and have a sign on it sending pax to the other entrance.  Which also has a sign with the posted hours of it being a card/game room on the wall.  

[island lady]

8 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

George Clooney is on the ship😉

Saw George Lucas a few weeks ago

 

Have you seen Sam Elliot around the ship...I have...I am sleeping with him.  😄 

[island lady]

Just as I feared from the weather report I had been reading the last few days....our visit to Falklands cancelled.  It is rougher here than when they cancelled Devil's Island.  Not sure why he even tried to make it here...but alas...he did try.  Captain also mentioned, even if we DID try to tender...would not be a guarantee that we could make it back to the ship...should it get worse.  I don't want to become a new citizen of the Falklands either.  😮 

 

Sooo this is as close as we will get to the Falklands, on this adventure anyway.  

 

 

[island lady]

Celebrity Eclipse is also here, having arrived earlier than we did.  She has cancelled the port visit as well.  Though I think she got in closer, as she was trying to chase down that rainbow.  😉 

 

Actually already getting rougher and more windy now.  Sadly...that is Mother Nature who makes those decisions...good or bad.  

 

 

[island lady]

Celebrity turning around to continue to chase that Rainbow...but realized it had come to see us to spread the love.  😉 

 

 

[Ocean Boy]

20 minutes ago, island lady said:

Just as I feared from the weather report I had been reading the last few days....our visit to Falklands cancelled.  It is rougher here than when they cancelled Devil's Island.  Not sure why he even tried to make it here...but alas...he did try.  Captain also mentioned, even if we DID try to tender...would not be a guarantee that we could make it back to the ship...should it get worse.  I don't want to become a new citizen of the Falklands either.  😮 

 

Sooo this is as close as we will get to the Falklands, on this adventure anyway.  

 

 

Unfortunate.

[Ocean Boy]

8 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

You can buy out any venue on any ship anytime. Just gotta pay the price

Well I think that is ridiculous. 

[pstone1]

We’re sad but certainly understand.  Our Penguin excursion to Seal Bay was not cancelled so we were all packed up and looking forward to it this morning!  
 

I guess I’ll just have to book another cruise with the Falkland Islands on the itinerary!  😉

[CSHS1979]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

Just as I feared from the weather report I had been reading the last few days....our visit to Falklands cancelled.  It is rougher here than when they cancelled Devil's Island.  Not sure why he even tried to make it here...but alas...he did try.  Captain also mentioned, even if we DID try to tender...would not be a guarantee that we could make it back to the ship...should it get worse.  I don't want to become a new citizen of the Falklands either.  😮 

 

Sooo this is as close as we will get to the Falklands, on this adventure anyway.  

 

 

 

Disappointed we didn't take the time to sail around the islands for a bit

[ILCTCRUISER]

2 hours ago, pstone1 said:

We’re sad but certainly understand.  Our Penguin excursion to Seal Bay was not cancelled so we were all packed up and looking forward to it this morning!  
 

I guess I’ll just have to book another cruise with the Falkland Islands on the itinerary!  😉

Visited Stanley earlier this month while on Regent Splendor.  If you make it back someday, yes, book an excursion to see penguins.  Others booked an off-road adventure which they enjoyed for the scenery.  That being said, there’s not much more to see/do in Stanley.

[island lady]

3 minutes ago, ILCTCRUISER said:

Visited Stanley earlier this month while on Regent Splendor.  If you make it back someday, yes, book an excursion to see penguins.  Others booked an off-road adventure which they enjoyed for the scenery.  That being said, there’s not much more to see/do in Stanley.

 

We have a tour to visit the Penguins on Magdalena Island out of Punta Arenas Chili.  Looking forward to it.  🙂 

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

Disappointed we didn't take the time to sail around the islands for a bit

Never been there either, but it looks like the smaller ship(Ms Expedition) got in there this morning and was able to dock.

 

Guess the Captain was afraid of tendering everyone in and not being able to get you all back onboard safely.

 

Still thought it might happen tendering from just north of the airport  kind of in that cove area(less wind, less waves) but I guess he just didn't want to bother trying.

 

Guess he sailed there just to take up time before your next port since I guess he has to sail somewhere, just doesn't want to sit somewhere and wait it out for your next port.

 

 

 

Edited January 15 by Jimbo

[DragonOfTheSeas]

5 hours ago, island lady said:

....our visit to Falklands cancelled.  It is rougher here than when they cancelled Devil's Island.  Not sure why he even tried to make it here...but alas...he did try.  Captain also mentioned, even if we DID try to tender...would not be a guarantee that we could make it back to the ship...should it get worse.  I don't want to become a new citizen of the Falklands either.  😮 

DH and I were on a cruise that stopped in Grand Cayman a few years ago with Celebrity.  We decided to stay onboard to use the Persian Gardens since we got to use it free for one port day.  I love the heated loungers and do not like tendering.

 

It had been a very nice, hot and sunny day until just about an hour or so before we were due to leave the island when a storm blew in.  Tendering slowed down because it was more difficult to get pax back on the ship, etc. People had to wait in the rain for tenders to return and pick them up.  The last tender of the day was a group of women on a Celebrity sponsored trip.  [around 20] Their tender tried to get to the ship, but the swells were higher.  So, the small tender went back to the shore and the women were put on a larger tender.

 

They were drenched, cold and scared by this point.  One of them refused to get on the new tender.  They told her this was the only way she was getting back to the ship.  So, all boarded the new tender and were told to put on the life vests.  They said they were dirty and in very poor condition and the ride to the ship was bumpy.  They were half pulled into the ship from the tender.  X gave them each a bottle of wine.  I think of this every time we have to tender somewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 15 by DragonOfTheSeas

[cruiselvr04]

It’s always disappointing to lose a port of call.

[island lady]

1 hour ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

DH and I were on a cruise that stopped in Grand Cayman a few years ago with Celebrity.  We decided to stay onboard to use the Persian Gardens since we got to use it free for one port day.  I love the heated loungers and do not like tendering.

 

It had been a very nice, hot and sunny day until just about an hour or so before we were due to leave the island when a storm blew in.  Tendering slowed down because it was more difficult to get pax back on the ship, etc. People had to wait in the rain for tenders to return and pick them up.  The last tender of the day was a group of women on a Celebrity sponsored trip.  [around 20] Their tender tried to get to the ship, but the swells were higher.  So, the small tender went back to the shore and the women were put on a larger tender.

 

They were drenched, cold and scared by this point.  One of them refused to get on the new tender.  They told her this was the only way she was getting back to the ship.  So, all boarded the new tender and were told to put on the life vests.  They said they were dirty and in very poor condition and the ride to the ship was bumpy.  They were half pulled into the ship from the tender.  X gave them each a bottle of wine.  I think of this every time we have to tender somewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had one of those experiences once while on little ship Majesty when Coco Cay was a tendered port.  Big storm came up, we fortunately saw it coming as we were sitting at the far other end of the island on "the point".  Quickly walked back to jump on a tender to get back, and then all "H" broke loose.  Just can't predict when Mother Nature wants to unleash her fury.  😮 

[island lady]

58 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

It’s always disappointing to lose a port of call.

 

Ehh...we always expect it.  As I always say..."poop happens".   You expect these deviations...and are happy when things actually do work out.  Take it as it comes.  😉 

[island lady]

Since we did not get to enjoy a lunch on shore, we went to Giovanni's for lunch.  1/2 price special, and 40% off a bottle of wine.  Invited new dear friends Kim and Fred to join us, and had a fantastic time!

 

Best thing was the ship had invited many crew members, including officers, and the entire medical team to have lunch on them.  90% of the restaurant were crew members.  I was so impressed, I stood up and made the announcement of how happy the ship did that for them...to a nice round of applause.  🥰

[Sea Dog]

40 minutes ago, island lady said:

Since we did not get to enjoy a lunch on shore, we went to Giovanni's for lunch.  1/2 price special, and 40% off a bottle of wine.  Invited new dear friends Kim and Fred to join us, and had a fantastic time!

 

Best thing was the ship had invited many crew members, including officers, and the entire medical team to have lunch on them.  90% of the restaurant were crew members.  I was so impressed, I stood up and made the announcement of how happy the ship did that for them...to a nice round of applause.  🥰

 

Good for you you for doing that. I know they appreciated that.

[Luckynana]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

Since we did not get to enjoy a lunch on shore, we went to Giovanni's for lunch.  1/2 price special, and 40% off a bottle of wine.  Invited new dear friends Kim and Fred to join us, and had a fantastic time!

 

Best thing was the ship had invited many crew members, including officers, and the entire medical team to have lunch on them.  90% of the restaurant were crew members.  I was so impressed, I stood up and made the announcement of how happy the ship did that for them...to a nice round of applause.  🥰

Wonderful, perfect gesture, Patricia!  I love it when crew members are appreciated, as well they should be!!!!!  I would've loved to do the same!!

[lovesthebeach2]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

Since we did not get to enjoy a lunch on shore, we went to Giovanni's for lunch.  1/2 price special, and 40% off a bottle of wine.  Invited new dear friends Kim and Fred to join us, and had a fantastic time!

 

Best thing was the ship had invited many crew members, including officers, and the entire medical team to have lunch on them.  90% of the restaurant were crew members.  I was so impressed, I stood up and made the announcement of how happy the ship did that for them...to a nice round of applause.  🥰

I love that Royal does things like this for the crew ❤️ 

We did a B2B on Radiance and ate at Giovannis for lunch on each leg. The server we had for the first lunch wasn’t serving us for the second lunch, but he was so sweet he brought me a rose in a wine glass. When the crew feels they’re appreciated by Royal or guests, it shows in these ways.

[drjohn4]

Welcome to page 100 on this thread!  Any guesses as to how many pages when Serenade arrives back in Miami?

[meg1021]

6 hours ago, island lady said:

 

We have a tour to visit the Penguins on Magdalena Island out of Punta Arenas Chili.  Looking forward to it.  🙂 

So sorry to hear that you couldn't visit Port Stanley due to weather conditions,  We did the South America itinerary last January on Oceania's Insignia, and were told that the Falklands are frequently cancelled because of weather.  Fortunately, we were able to tender in on our designated port day, but tender service had to be suspended at one point, because of conditions.

 

On the plus side, you will love the excursion to see the penguins on Magdelena Island.  Be prepared for very windy conditions, and a somewhat rocky ferry trip over to the island, even in "good" conditions, but it is well worth it.  You can walk up to the lighthouse via a roped off path, and you will have very close access to the penguins, although touching them is forbidden, and they have "right of way', if they decide to cross the path in front of you.  The tour is just a great opportunity to see penguins in their natural habitat.  There will be many photo opportunities!  Have fun and keep enjoying your cruise!

[doghog]

14 minutes ago, drjohn4 said:

Welcome to page 100 on this thread!  Any guesses as to how many pages when Serenade arrives back in Miami?

My Magic 8 Ball says, "cannot predict now". 🎱