Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 11 Author #201 Share Posted January 11 1 hour ago, ljhershey said: Gorgeous photos! Could you please comment on how the messaging service in the app functioned... specifically Does the sender know if the message has been sent or received? Does the recipient get a notification/tone/vibration when they receive a message? Is internet access required for messaging? Thanks so much for your thorough coverage of your trip. I can only say one thing for certain- internet was required via Medallion Net/Airplane mode. Ashore we used our Verizon plan. I don't recall getting tones or vibrations. I carried my phone on a belt holster. I have the sound turned off. I only knew if the message had been received if I saw an answer to my text. Norris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhershey Posted January 11 #202 Share Posted January 11 2 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said: I can only say one thing for certain- internet was required via Medallion Net/Airplane mode. Ashore we used our Verizon plan. I don't recall getting tones or vibrations. I carried my phone on a belt holster. I have the sound turned off. I only knew if the message had been received if I saw an answer to my text. Norris Thx very much. I shall continue to enjoy your journal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deck Chair Queen Posted January 11 #203 Share Posted January 11 (edited) 1 hour ago, Bimmer09 said: I can only say one thing for certain- internet was required via Medallion Net/Airplane mode. Ashore we used our Verizon plan. I don't recall getting tones or vibrations. I carried my phone on a belt holster. I have the sound turned off. I only knew if the message had been received if I saw an answer to my text. Norris Actually we did not use the Medallion messaging so I don’t know about the notifications or internet requirements. We used regular iMessage SMS texts using the ship wifi and Verizon in ports. For full access to your wireless data plan (unlimited data in our case) you pay $10 per day per device with a Verizon Travel Pass. $5/day for Canada and Mexico. Edited January 11 by Deck Chair Queen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhershey Posted January 11 #204 Share Posted January 11 12 minutes ago, Deck Chair Queen said: Actually we did not use the Medallion messaging so I don’t know about the notifications or internet requirements. We used regular iMessage SMS texts using the ship wifi and Verizon in ports. For full access to your wireless data plan (unlimited data in our case) you pay $10 per day per device with a Verizon Travel Pass. $5/day for Canada and Mexico. Thanks for clarifying. As an Android user, I am hoping WhatsApp will work similarly for us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 11 Author #205 Share Posted January 11 The view from breakfast at Sabatini's Sabatini's The usual starters, drinks and a hearty entree We are still climbing up through the locks as we eat. Each lock lifts us 27 feet Carol tells me. 3 locks then we'll emerge into Gate Lake. Santa will be visiting the Piazza at 9.15 a.m. So we'll be going there next for a look-see. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 11 Author #206 Share Posted January 11 THE ARRIVAL OF SANTA! 7027AC55-92F1-43B2-9660-62772EF8F47F.mov 01C86CF4-CCF2-404A-8636-21EB2B7A9CE0.mov 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 11 Author #207 Share Posted January 11 Hosted by CD Natalie with a silent assist from Stanley the bear. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 12 Author #208 Share Posted January 12 1300 passengers were tendering ashore this morning on excursions. Not us. That would leave 1900 aboard in Gatun Lake. The canal is just over there (pointing) but we'll wait here Da Vinci is open for lunch as this is seen as a sea day. Crab Shack is a pop-up in the Crown Grill from 12- 1.30 also. We'll pop along to Da Vinci for a nice relaxed lunch. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 12 Author #209 Share Posted January 12 Before we get to the food this lunchtime here is the gang who serve us or just want to get into our videos. Our waiters are Kevin and Rizza-the rest just want to get into showbiz.... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 12 Author #210 Share Posted January 12 What's for lunch? My country style lentil soup Carol's Thai Spring Roll -veggie forward which is her style My dull as dishwater Monte Cristo sandwich Carol's Fried Chicken with Collard Greens which lacked ham in the cooking. Kevin warned Carol but she went ahead and regretted it. Chicken off the bone and NOT deep fried. Big fail. My yummy overloaded ice cream sundae! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellipooh Posted January 12 #211 Share Posted January 12 How did you know how many pax went ashore? I couldn’t discern anything from the accompanying picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MustangGT Posted January 12 #212 Share Posted January 12 @Bimmer09 That is the worst looking Monte Cristo sandwich I have ever seen! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC1950 Posted January 12 #213 Share Posted January 12 9 minutes ago, MustangGT said: @Bimmer09 That is the worst looking Monte Cristo sandwich I have ever seen! Trust me, it tasted far worse than it looks! I ordered it in the MDR for lunch on my Grand Princess New Zealand cruise last month. One small bite was more than enough. Yuk! I had to have a scoop of icecream to recover my tastebuds. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 12 Author #214 Share Posted January 12 11 hours ago, Ellipooh said: How did you know how many pax went ashore? I couldn’t discern anything from the accompanying picture. There were many announcements over the PA to muster those with excursions as they didn't have specific tender times-the Canal Authorities were in control of the timings. The CD said over the PA that 1298 people had excursions and that those people should listen for their tours being called. Norris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 12 Author #215 Share Posted January 12 We're going back through the canal We left the lake behind The tug draws us in The ship will be secured to some of the yellow bollards once in position The sheltered bow on deck 8- a superb Grand Class feature I went back to our balcony to get a shot of the tug at the stern 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 12 Author #216 Share Posted January 12 Freight train, freight train, going so fast 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Marvy Mare Posted January 12 #217 Share Posted January 12 (edited) Pete Seeger and the earlier Beautiful Morning song from Oklahoma. Edited January 12 by Marvy Mare 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 12 Author #218 Share Posted January 12 Colon 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 12 Author #219 Share Posted January 12 I shot some video of the canal process some of which might seem like a paint-drying video but we were surprised how fast each lock was filled or emptied. I'd say 40 minutes or so in each lock. Once we are free of the locks the Captain heads for the Atlantic Bridge, pedal to the metal and leans on the horn while passing under it. He said this was his 50th time in the canal and he was pumped! 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1emerald1 Posted January 12 #220 Share Posted January 12 Thank you so much for getting up so early to take these incredible photos for us!! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 12 Author #221 Share Posted January 12 1 hour ago, 1emerald1 said: Thank you so much for getting up so early to take these incredible photos for us!! Thank you for reading along. Glad you enjoy the photos. It was worth getting up early for! Definitely one of my best days on a cruise ship. Next Christmas Day we'll be in Aruba on the HAL Rotterdam. Norris 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 13 Author #222 Share Posted January 13 Colon at sunset All those excursions return to Colon to rejoin the ship. The ship waits for 3 hours or so and anyone who wants can get off and look around. That's what I should have done. I would definitely have taken photos of the ship lit up at night. Next time-yes we will be back through the canal at some point. Maybe a Los Angeles to Ft Lauderdale trip. There are no ship excursions to be taken there. Just walk off get a beer or a snack or a walk to the huge shopping mall at our feet. It's a ship nerd's heaven! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 13 Author #223 Share Posted January 13 My dad was a cargo ship's Captain so I have been witness to docks and ships and cranes coming alive as darkness falls since I was 6 years old and sailed with my dad to ports like Liverpool and Preston in England. So I get excited when the sun goes down and the lights come on. I reach for the camera. One last look to the marina and the little park The supermarket roof. It just rained the way tropical places rain-a deluge for just 5 minutes. This is where you can get get off and have a drink, a snack and do some shopping. Pretty impressive from deck 16 of the Ruby. Lots of families were on the quay admiring the ship all lit up. and we sail away 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare perfect match Posted January 13 #224 Share Posted January 13 I loved the canal pics, Norris! Thank you! The Panama Canal is one of my bucket list trips. I will get there, hopefully soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted January 13 Author #225 Share Posted January 13 (edited) A very festive but poorly focused greeting at Da Vinci my butternut squash soup Carol's seafood salad I looked forward to lobster thermidor. Small lobster. Kevin offered to bring me more but I declined. That tells you something. another small salad for Carol Carol's entree-ham, veg and mashed potato underneath. Culinary excellence ? My English Christmas "pudding" was tasty enough but not what it said on the menu, which was the case with some dishes. It was a tiny piece of dry fruit cake with some luke-warm custard. The Exec Chef (an Indian) would do best to steer away from claiming regionality for his dishes as he's often off the mark geographically somewhat. Edited January 13 by Bimmer09 spelling 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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