The Trip Begins- Cartagena-Lima- Fort Lauderdale on the Nova

[Abuckett]

1 minute ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

So you owe David a drink too!  😉

Nah!

[Brad1185]

That’s pretty bad if SS can’t give you a couple chocolates each evening. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Uh oh, we're back to when Crystal eliminated the paper doilies in the waste baskets...

[ronrick1943]

45 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I asked DW if she would like a Vespa tour of Rome [two Vespas, each of us riding pillion].  She said that was a bridge too far, even if her driver looks like Gregory Peck...

 

[mixed movie metaphors, but you gotta do what you gotta do...]

I wouldn’t do that either- even if I was paid.

[ronrick1943]

21 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Uh oh, we're back to when Crystal eliminated the paper doilies in the waste baskets...

No, but candy is different.

[ronrick1943]

23 minutes ago, Brad1185 said:

That’s pretty bad if SS can’t give you a couple chocolates each evening. 

worst than that today they ran out of lettuce with a salad bar, really how can you run out of lettuce.

I think after to many questions to the staff from people, I think they run over to the Dawn and borrowed so lettuce as It appeared about an hour later.  It was kind of funny to see a salad bar all set up with everything including dressing-but no salad  lettuce of any kind.

[Host Jazzbeau]

22 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

worst than that today they ran out of lettuce with a salad bar, really how can you run out of lettuce.

I think after to many questions to the staff from people, I think they run over to the Dawn and borrowed so lettuce as It appeared about an hour later.  It was kind of funny to see a salad bar all set up with everything including dressing-but no salad  lettuce of any kind.

We are so used to being able to get every fruit and vegetable all year long, we forget that it wasn't so until very recently – and still isn't in many parts of the world.  Try to get a salad in Norway!  And I doubt that they grow lettuce in the Caribbean.  Maybe go for 'local culture' and have a fruit salad?

[drron29]

2 hours ago, Abuckett said:

We were booked on a Silversea cruise of Cuba some years ago but then someone (not to be mentioned here) said we couldn’t do that!

We went on the SilverSea cruise around Cuba as someone couldn’t tell us what to do. But just over 60% of the passengers were on a Captain’s Choice cruise and they thought they had first choice of everything. However I reached my breaking point on the classic cars tour when they were taken to the front of the queue. I became known as the leader of the Group of 19.

 
To placate me they sent a member of the Expedition staff in our car who spoke Spanish so we learnt a lot. Rojaan asked the driver if he was appointed President for a day what would be the first thing that he would change.

 

His answer- everything. 

[gnome12]

8 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I asked DW if she would like a Vespa tour of Rome [two Vespas, each of us riding pillion].

I did this twice in Vietnam, once in Hanoi and once in Ho Chi Minh City. (I also did a motorbike tour in Hanoi.) I had never been on a Vespa or a motorbike before (although I do ride a bicycle) but I very much enjoyed the Vespa rides in particular. (The motorbike was a little less comfortable because I didn't really have anywhere to put my feet; on the Vespa at least my heels could go on the running board.) It is worth trying.

[ronrick1943]

30 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

I did this twice in Vietnam, once in Hanoi and once in Ho Chi Minh City. (I also did a motorbike tour in Hanoi.) I had never been on a Vespa or a motorbike before (although I do ride a bicycle) but I very much enjoyed the Vespa rides in particular. (The motorbike was a little less comfortable because I didn't really have anywhere to put my feet; on the Vespa at least my heels could go on the running board.) It is worth trying.

In Vietnam, I didn’t even want to cross a street myself.  Even the small bus we took was an unbelievable ride.  You are much braver than me.

[ronrick1943]

6 hours ago, drron29 said:

We went on the SilverSea cruise around Cuba as someone couldn’t tell us what to do. But just over 60% of the passengers were on a Captain’s Choice cruise and they thought they had first choice of everything. However I reached my breaking point on the classic cars tour when they were taken to the front of the queue. I became known as the leader of the Group of 19.

 
To placate me they sent a member of the Expedition staff in our car who spoke Spanish so we learnt a lot. Rojaan asked the driver if he was appointed President for a day what would be the first thing that he would change.

 

His answer- everything. 

We actually booked the car tour on line before we left for Cuba.  Everything worked out perfect with the cars waiting about 100 feet from the dock area.  The couldn’t come to the ship.  

[ronrick1943]

Last night we had dinner at SALT.  We started with a fried dough cheese bread, it was OK but nothing special.  After that we had the soup, it was so good we asked for the recipe.  Next we had the Fish of the day (halibut) with vegetables and a side of mexican corn.  The halibut was a bit on the tough side and luke warm at best, both the vegetables and mexican corn was cold.  The bread they service excellent with garlic flavored butter.  The dessert was a custard and nicely done.  I guess one or two bad meals isn’t bad considering we been on the ship for about 18 days now.  Like a told you at the beginning of this journey I tell you how we see it………

[ronrick1943]

The BEST and the Worst on Nova………..

The BEST beside Service is the pasta, no matter if your at dinner or the lunch buffet you can’t get better pasta.  I don’t know how they do it but they never fail you when ordering pasta.

 

The Worst-how far away the bathroom rooms are from any restaurant on the ship. (with the exception of The Marquee).

[Host Jazzbeau]

32 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

The Worst-how far away the bathroom rooms are from any restaurant on the ship. (with the exception of The Marquee).

I just looked at the Deck Plans for Nova and Ray, and I don't see ANY public restrooms anywhere – hopefully that's just a failure to show them, since I don't even see the ones you mention near The Marquee.  Surely there are some near the Pool...

 

Anyway, good thing the cabin I selected on Ray is fairly close to the aft elevator, so it will be a quick run back to my cabin!  

[ronrick1943]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I just looked at the Deck Plans for Nova and Ray, and I don't see ANY public restrooms anywhere – hopefully that's just a failure to show them, since I don't even see the ones you mention near The Marquee.  Surely there are some near the Pool...

 

Anyway, good thing the cabin I selected on Ray is fairly close to the aft elevator, so it will be a quick run back to my cabin!  

It’s really a walk over 300 meters from La Terrazza.  The other night (true) a lady was running from inside the Salt restaurant, well maybe walking really fast.  You’ll be surprised how far they are away when you have the need.  And the doors an electronically, you need to open with a hand wave—and it opens slowly.  Good Luck!

[dawntrdr]

6 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

It’s really a walk over 300 meters from La Terrazza.  The other night (true) a lady was running from inside the Salt restaurant, well maybe walking really fast.  You’ll be surprised how far they are away when you have the need.  And the doors an electronically, you need to open with a hand wave—and it opens slowly.  Good Luck!

And my DH noticed that the men's room outside of the Salt Bar is set up so that when the door opens -slooowly - you get a full view of all gentlemen using the facilities.  We called it the P-N-C restroom.  At least that's how it was in November.

[ronrick1943]

1 minute ago, dawntrdr said:

And my DH noticed that the men's room outside of the Salt Bar is set up so that when the door opens -slooowly - you get a full view of all gentlemen using the facilities.  We called it the P-N-C restroom.  At least that's how it was in November.

And if you use a handicap restroom and the door doesn’t lock, you’ll be sitting in full view when the door opens.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Gives a new meaning to 'all-inclusive' 

[DavyWavey70]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Anyway, good thing the cabin I selected on Ray is fairly close to the aft elevator, so it will be a quick run back to my cabin!  

There are tablets you can get for that these days.

[Lois R]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I just looked at the Deck Plans for Nova and Ray, and I don't see ANY public restrooms anywhere – hopefully that's just a failure to show them, since I don't even see the ones you mention near The Marquee.  Surely there are some near the Pool...

 

Anyway, good thing the cabin I selected on Ray is fairly close to the aft elevator, so it will be a quick run back to my cabin!  

Hi Jazz, there are public restrooms on deck 4, just down  from the Arts Cafe. Kind of hard to tell on the deck plans but they are there. But to be honest, that was a complaint I heard quite often when I sailed her in November......."Where are the public restrooms" ?  There are none outside of Terrazza.........that is a mistake in my opinion.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, DavyWavey70 said:

There are tablets you can get for that these days.

The problem comes from the tablets I take already!  HCTZ.  If I don't take them, the blood pressure meds make my ankles swell.  It's no fun getting old, but I'll still take it over the alternative...

[ronrick1943]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Gives a new meaning to 'all-inclusive' 

But if you go fast you could be OK😂😇or not…….

[ronrick1943]

2 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi Jazz, there are public restrooms on deck 4, just down  from the Arts Cafe. Kind of hard to tell on the deck plans but they are there. But to be honest, that was a complaint I heard quite often when I sailed her in November......."Where are the public restrooms" ?  There are none outside of Terrazza.........that is a mistake in my opinion.

You think!🤗

[ronrick1943]

I didn’t post a few pictures at the cooking school in Cartagena.  So here are few of the local dishes we did.  The green doos is The Sky Kitchen Cooking School.  Most was too much work for the dish.  The little pockets, one with chicken and one salsa.  The other dish was a shrimp dish and the fish dish was wrapped in a leaf, like a banana plant leaf-but it’s from a water lily and grill fish.  Dessert really was a waste of time, Ice cream.

The next day at the Port that have a bird sanctuary.  We spend the day people watching, however they have flamingos, parrots, toucans, Koi fish, turtles, squirrels, and even some monkeys.  The monkeys were really cute however, looking close at their face they look scary and mean.. if you had any food, any of the animals were brave enough to come up to you and take what they wanted. I have a few pictures I’ll include later.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Looking at the stern of Silver Nova, I see a first for Silversea:  aft-view verandas.  But they are quite recessed from the actual stern, and there is a public area below with a white roof.  Do you (or anyone) know if that detracts from the usual super-appeal of aft-view verandas?