Essiesmom sails Seashore Dec. 7-17. A Live From from Below the Salt

[Essiesmom]

Okay, on my TMobile hotspot so can post a ton of pics.  I hope I am not duplicating...

 

Nassau, Seashore and Eurodam, Christmas tree in the new market area:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

Arrival at Ocean Cay

 

 

 

 

 

Lighthouse Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my purposes this time was to photograph the showers on the outside of the bathroom buildings.  They are only on one side, and they are freshwater, not salt.

 

 

Recycled oil drums?  Wonder if they were part of the site cleanup?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bilge Rat 2]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

 

    He also gave me a box of tissue!  .  

 

MSC???   Bilge knows! Luck is changing maybe. But Bilge is coming?  Song playing.        Bilge Rat

[Essiesmom]

Beaches.  I did not stray far from the paths, no intention of actually visiting the beach.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Lighthouse Point

 

 

 

 

 

Staircase, if you wish to climb the tower

 

 

 

 

 

I think they should make everyone shower before reboarding.  Can you imagine how much beach sand ends up in the carpet?  You can follow the dandy footprints down the corridors...

Salad lunch yesterday

 

 

All for now until I take some more.  Have hardly any of ship interior.

 

 

[Essiesmom]

4 minutes ago, Bilge Rat 2 said:

MSC???   Bilge knows! Luck is changing maybe. But Bilge is coming?  Song playing.        Bilge Rat

Maybe it's a new diamond perk.  EM

[Essiesmom]

I went aft to get the elevator to the buffet but both were not available, so I just went into the MDR.  I had the Express Breakfast:  scrambled, bacon/sausage, toast.  I got grapefruit juice but again, it is very watered down and tastes as though they have sweetened it.

 

 

 

 

 

The menu looks really abbreviated.

 

I discovered yesterday that they have loaded all the menus for the next week into the app.  And it appears there is only one Gala night.  

  We B2Bers were to meet at 1000 in the Tribeca MDR, so I had time to spend, so I wandered around taking pictures  Prepare for another photo dump.  

[Essiesmom]

Jungle pool area

 

 

 

 

You do realize all the greenery is fake.

 

 

 

 

 

There's probably the third one there but I missed him/her.

 

Up to deck 18

 

 

These are some of the more comfortable chairs I have found

 

 

 

 

 

Terminal 10

 

Legos

 

 

 

 

I think this is what they call the Walkby Pool...

 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

Hall of Games.  The bowling is a travesty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

Still on deck 18, I think this is Pirate's Cove.  I didn't make it up to 19 today

 

 

 

 

Kiddie pool drained

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking over the wall into kids area

 

 

End of the really big slide that starts...somewhere else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neighbor.  Carnival Vista

 

 

Aft pool Deck 18

 

 

 

 

 

From there I took the glass elevator down to 8

 

 

[coscab]

Have you noticed any ping pong tables or dart boards?

[Mark_T]

44 minutes ago, coscab said:

Have you noticed any ping pong tables or dart boards?

 

At least part of your answer ...

 

2 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

 

 

 

 

[coscab]

Great pic, thanks!  We bring our own stuff, didn't want to lug it if no tables.

[Essiesmom]

It's been a busy day, but I did find time for a nap until the safety drill announcements.  My cabin is noisy at times, like now.  There is a loading door right below me, and right now they are loading pallets of Acqua Panna.  Essie has been glue to the window all day watching this.  I think she wants to make sure all the beer is loaded.

    The B2B process was something of a cluster...  We met about 1000 in the Tribeca MDR.  They had coffee, tea, and pastries available.  All hot stuff and carbs.  Finally someone brought out bottles of water.  We checked it at the front desk, there was a woman there at a computer with a list of everyone.  She checked our cards to make sure we had the correct ending date.  People who booked as two cruises and had to change cabins had to get a new card, and some hadn't done so.  I asked how many of us there would be, and she said 181!  

    People waited until the last minute to show up, and of course, people waited until the last minute to leave the cruise.  Finally they marched us out, clocked off the ship, back down the gangway, down the ramp to the departure hall.  Then we had to stand and wait a long time.  Apparently there were four or so people who should have been with us that weren't.  When they finally rounded them up we quickly went through facial recognition except a few with birth certificates.  Then we retraced our steps up the ramp and back onto the ship.  By this time they had starter boarding new guests.

   I went up to the buffet and made a salad.  Rested awhile, and then made the trek out to the parking garage.  I needed a second USB cable for my Apple stuff and had a couple in the car.  I am parked on deck 5 in the garage, and it was quite empty, so I moved my car to a space closer to the elevators.  No reason to try and find a space on a lower deck, I'll have to take the elevator anyway.  

     Then it was back to the cabin to put everything on charge.  

Deck 8 Infinity pool

 

 

Infinity Bar

 

 

Venchi Gelato

 

 

Uptown Lounge.  They do karaoke here

 

 

 

 

 

Cocktail Bar

 

 

Teppanyaki

 

 

Spa and Gym

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tribeca Restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

Table decorations

 

 

All for now.  Off to dinner.

 

 

 

 

[windlicht]

On 12/8/2023 at 11:31 AM, Essiesmom said:

 

They offer food at the Wine Cellar and Cocktail Bar?

 

[Essiesmom]

4 hours ago, windlicht said:

 

I have no idea.

First night of new cruise and the line was endless outside of the Central Park Restaurant...of people who wanted to change their dining assignment.  Those of us who knew our table just threaded our way through.  There was a table set up on Deck 6 in Times Square for people who wanted changes, but I guess a lot missed it.

  All of the original 6 were back at our table tonight, plus we added a new couple who are relatively local to PC, have cruised other lines but not MSC.  The menu was some of the usual first night stuff, and some additions.  I had onion soup and the prime rib.  I forgot pic of the onion soup...

 

 

After dinner I went to the show.  It was variety, the often first night presentation of the singers and dancers, juggler, acrobat, magician...It was okay..  The magician has the stage tomorrow so maybe I will try to find the Cabaret Rouge...

  I spent a little time in the Sports Bar where they had had NFL all day, and now had Sunday Night Football.  A little odd to see it without the usual musical intro.  I didn't stay long, went walking about, heading for Venchi and my straciatella cone.  The piano duo had just finished their set, so I didn't stay long after finishing.  It was time to come back to the cabin anyway, as my watch needed charging.  

  A few more pictures from port and around the ship.  Ocean Cay tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Times Square

 

 

 

From level 5 of the parking garage, looking at Wonder of the Seas, and at Seashore

 

 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

Just in case anyone is interested, here are the kids menus in the app.  I haven't blown them up to see if anything is different each night, but I suspect they offer the same things just with a different description to fit the theme:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All for now

[Essiesmom]

Good morning.  I’m thinking we may miss Ocean Cay today.  There was a lot of activity with the thrusters, and I could see the island and channel markers.  But after another thruster session, we seem to be full steam ahead.  Supposed to be here overnight so maybe try later.  

[Essiesmom]

Update…we made it!

[jinpasco]

Essiesmom.....did you get  the mattress topper ?

[Essiesmom]

1 hour ago, jinpasco said:

Essiesmom.....did you get  the mattress topper ?

Yes I did. It is still not perfect but much better. I think he might have put it on upside down, with the smooth side up but I’m not about to deconstruct the bed to find out. My current problem is with the a/c  .  It is too cold and when I set it for higher I come back to the cabin and the thermostat is back to the bottom. And humidity is up to 73. Ali says he doesn’t touch it. 66 in the cabin this morning. He will talk with a/c people

[Essiesmom]

On the one hand, I did nothing today.  But I actually was quite busy.  For another forum I follow and document cruise ships in the Panama Canal through webcam captures, and sometimes bridgecams.  There were three today.  The two from the Pacific side were early, but Marina from the east took her time.  
  I had cottage cheese and fruit in the buffet for breakfast.  It was crowded but folks were already going ashore.  It was breezy and when I was out on deck 8 I thought it was cool.  
  Ali and the electrician came by my cabin and said the problem is that you can set the thermostat warmer, but once you take out your card and leave the cabin it reverts to the previous temp, which sometime in the past must have been 66.  They told me to go to GS and ask for an extra blank card to leave in the slot.  Which I did.  They gave me no argument.

  Then I went up to the buffet to have a salad and fill my bottle with iced tea.  Then it was back to the cabin for a nap.  Supper tonight was interesting.  I was the only one at the 8 top.  There is a table next to ours that had an older couple and a younger woman.  One empty chair and two highchairs.  Tonight those three were filled with dad and two toddlers.  The youngest was a little gretzy to start.  It’s a shame they weren’t there last night as the wait staff would have had snacks ready to keep the kids happy.

   I was not much hungry.  I had the guacamole with chips, rotisserie chicken, and cheesecake.  The chicken was going to be my go to when nothing looks good, but my goodness, it was half the chicken. It was food but I did not do it justice.  Now I am on deck and just realized the singer finished her set.  Time to find some more entertainment.  
 I’m having trouble getting pictures to load 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Essiesmom

[Essiesmom]

Finally on my laptop and can load the pics:

 

That's a lot of good guacamole for three chips.  Have bread or breadstick handy

 

 

 

 

Another atrium background.  You can't see the big snowflakes floating down

 

 

I went to karaoke again.  I get the feeling some of these performers sang with garage bands when they were much younger.  There are a few young people, but most are grandparent age.  

  Drifted through Sports Bar with Monday Night Football.  Place was packed.  Listened to a guitarist in Times Square,  went out on deck 8 to see the light show.  Had to get more walking minutes in so rambled around.  Now it's time for bed.  

 

 

[KennyFla]

Really enjoying your review.  Thank You. 

[Essiesmom]

Up early, went to Central Park Rest. for breakfast.  Eggs Benedict, breakfast potatoes and grilled tomato.  Did not take picture as there were others at table.  Had a shared table with quite experienced cruisers.  Enjoyable conversations.  Did not see him, but know Hangman had been to breakfast, as several of the waitstaff were sporting ducks.

   Had two ships in the canal today, but they waited until i was finished with breakfast.  Carnival Glory in the new locks, and Regent SS Splendor in the old.  

 

 

 

Went to the seating area around the Seashore Bar/Atrium while I waited for the ships to come into the cams.  Then went up to deck 6 to read CC and watch activity ashore.  There was a new display on the wall that was a continuous circle of winter images.  In front of the railing they were gathering groups of crew, giving them Santa hats and packages to hold, and doing a short video.  I didn't capture any of that but I did try with the display...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went back down to deck 5 and had my first drink of the cruise:

 

I sat and chatted with several groups of people.  Then it was time for people to start lining up for lunch in the MDR.  I came back to the cabin, time to charge my watch, and catch up here.  Through the brid(g)e cam I watched them loose the lines, and us move out.  In the last pic you can see the line of channel markers ahead of us.

 

 

Essie was supervising

Abandoned beach wheelchair

 

 

 

 

Time to get in line for lunch.

[Todd320]

Thank you for the pictures!

 

Could you take a pic of the daily planner.

Thank You!