Jim_Iain - B2B Sydney - Honolulu - Vancouver

[wrk2cruise]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Well we are getting back to normal -   I had a big surprise in the Mail --- Got summoned for Jury Duty on the week of May 20th... ugh.

 

I had accidentally tossed it in the  junk mail stack, luckily Iain went through the stack and said ---you've got mail.

 

 

 

I also have jury duty on May 20.  Just glad it doesn't interfere with any cruise plans.

[MamaFej]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I have to share the joy of getting back to California.   Due to the went winter and spring the wild flowers are in full bloom and much more abundant than normal.

 

Due to our usual drought conditions many homes have natural landscape and are incredible.

 

 

 

 

Fabulous!!

 

We were gone from 8 January to 1 April, then 3 April to 13 April. Down here in SoCal, we also have amazing and unusual blooms. 

 

Heading up to our camping club in our RV, we saw chapparal in bloom that I never realized had flowers in 34 years of going there. 

 

It has been pretty awesome seeing all the green. I dread when things dry out, though. 

[Gracie115]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Our main decision is related to the food in Luminae.   While they have the same menus we get the feeling the meals are being made banquet style and were often over cooked, missing items or cold in the middle of numerous entrees.   On the M and S class ships they cook all dishes to order -  there may be a slightly longer wait time but was very pleased with all meals I've ever had on M and S Class ships.

 

The other thing we don't like is the sheer number of additional people.   While it usually doesn't affect Suite Passengers --- Disembarkation at some ports cold take 2+ hours and even leaving the ship as a Suite Passenger with escorts was delayed and of course the glares you get as you are escorted to the front of the line can be uncomfortable.

 

The other thing we don't like is that all of the specialty restaurants are open air (no walls) and very noisy.    Finally there is not Tuscan Specialty or Murano.     Final Cut's just doesn't do it for us.

 

These are also many of the things we don't like about "e" class ships @MyView.  We were very disappointed in our last 2 X cruises, both on the Apex.  Luminae was nearly always very crowded, noisy and the food nowhere near the quality on the S or M class ships. As I said our sailings were on Apex and I know that Beyond & especially Ascent have an even larger Luminae with more suites...so the wonderful ambiance that the smaller, older ships have is completely lost in that environment.    Just our "2 cents"

 

 

[hcat]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Our main decision is related to the food in Luminae.   While they have the same menus we get the feeling the meals are being made banquet style and were often over cooked, missing items or cold in the middle of numerous entrees.   On the M and S class ships they cook all dishes to order -  there may be a slightly longer wait time but was very pleased with all meals I've ever had on M and S Class ships.

 

The other thing we don't like is the sheer number of additional people.   While it usually doesn't affect Suite Passengers --- Disembarkation at some ports cold take 2+ hours and even leaving the ship as a Suite Passenger with escorts was delayed and of course the glares you get as you are escorted to the front of the line can be uncomfortable.

 

The other thing we don't like is that all of the specialty restaurants are open air (no walls) and very noisy.    Finally there is not Tuscan Specialty or Murano.     Final Cut's just doesn't do it for us.

Agree  with many of your comnents about E Class....Our biggest disappointment in finally cruising in RETREAT class ( BEYOND) was LUMINAE..  Cold food, squishy shrimp, disappearing bread  server, uninspired menu .Dark environment.

 

On Ascent, we were happy back in AQ class with BLU.  We did enjoy EDEN and othe specialty venues but found the ship crowded... too much sports during the day in indoor spaces and the roof garden ..loud music  at  the outdoor pool. Fewer calm and quiet areas 

 

WE are looking forward to Silhouette..Hopefully, .maybe more like the orig X experience.

Edited May 9 by hcat

[hcat]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I have to share the joy of getting back to California.   Due to the went winter and spring the wild flowers are in full bloom and much more abundant than normal.

 

Due to our usual drought conditions many homes have natural landscape and are incredible.

 

 

 

 

totally awesome!

things just popping here on LI...NY

[abbydancer2003]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Well we are getting back to normal -   I had a big surprise in the Mail --- Got summoned for Jury Duty on the week of May 20th... ugh.

 

I had accidentally tossed it in the  junk mail stack, luckily Iain went through the stack and said ---you've got mail.

 

 

Could be worse.  You didn't get 5 letters from the IRS saying we owed them more money.  Apparently there's a missing 1099R from my financial company indicated that taxes had been withheld on a disbursement of my mom's IRA. They're now working on it.

[baytraller]

Jim could you please list upcoming cruises

 

Hope to read reviews of other Cruise Lines

 

Will reviews be on Celebrity or Cruise Line you will be sailing

 

Have enjoyed your great review all the best

 

Cheers

 

Peter

[rinshin]

11 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I have to share the joy of getting back to California.   Due to the went winter and spring the wild flowers are in full bloom and much more abundant than normal.

 

Due to our usual drought conditions many homes have natural landscape and are incredible.

 

 

 

 

We are finally warming up after long wettish spring.  Can keep the afternoon wind though.  

[DaKahuna]

@Jim_Iain I warned you and now you are to blame .. We just finished with our appointment with the Future Cruise manager in the Retreat Lounge and are now booked on Solstice, April 19, 2025 - Sydney to Honolulu.  Now I have to start looking at flights and hotels on both end of the 17-day Transpacific cruise.  

 

 

[MamaFej]

6 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

@Jim_Iain I warned you and now you are to blame .. We just finished with our appointment with the Future Cruise manager in the Retreat Lounge and are now booked on Solstice, April 19, 2025 - Sydney to Honolulu.  Now I have to start looking at flights and hotels on both end of the 17-day Transpacific cruise.  

 

 

Enjoy! 

We did that itinerary in both directions in 2023 (Eclipse and Solstice). I hope you like sea days as much as we do. 

[Jim_Iain]

7 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

@Jim_Iain I warned you and now you are to blame .. We just finished with our appointment with the Future Cruise manager in the Retreat Lounge and are now booked on Solstice, April 19, 2025 - Sydney to Honolulu.  Now I have to start looking at flights and hotels on both end of the 17-day Transpacific cruise.  

 

 

Fantastic -- I think you will enjoy.    The only downside is the long flight to Sydney.

 

[Jim_Iain]

16 hours ago, baytraller said:

Jim could you please list upcoming cruises

 

Hope to read reviews of other Cruise Lines

 

Will reviews be on Celebrity or Cruise Line you will be sailing

 

Have enjoyed your great review all the best

 

Cheers

 

Peter

 

Oceania Regatta - 9/14/2024  - 12 Night Alaska Cascadia

Cunard  QM2 - 10/25/2024 - East Bound Trans Atlantic

Silhouette - 11/16/2024 - 13 Night Trans Atlantic

Oceania Vista - 11/09/2025 10 Night Med

Cunard QM2 -  10/30/2025 - East Bound Trans Atlantic

Equinox - 11/21/2025   15 Night Portugal to Buenos Aires

 

I also have them updated in my Signature.  

 

I haven't figured out yet how I will post.    I will probably do a comparison Live Review -  possibly split it up so don't abuse the CC policies of staying on subject of the thread.  

Edited May 10 by Jim_Iain

[gordylad]

just missed you guys on the November transatlantic as we are booked on the Equinox leaving 21 November......this will be the latest transatlantic we will have taken but we are hoping some xmas decorations will go up while we are on.

Edited May 10 by gordylad

[gordylad]

Jim, you mentioned Iain loves mince n tatties [no wonder]......my mother wasn't much of a cook as both my parents worked long hours so my older sister introduced me to to Spaghetti Bolognese [in Glasgow in the 70's I was a teenager] so this new food was something else having been brought up eating spam, steak pie [made by the local butcher], liver [sorry but I could not face that now]...however I don't know when Iain left Scotland but ask him if he remembers Vesta Curries......a curry in a bag thing whereby you added the mixture to hot water....this came before the boil in the bag curries.........those were the days

[Ex-Airbalancer]

42 minutes ago, gordylad said:

just missed you guys on the November transatlantic as we are booked on the Equinox leaving 21 November......this will be the latest transatlantic we will have taken but we are hoping some xmas decorations will go up while we are on.

Hoping to see the decorations in Lisbon, Funchal and Tenerife

Celebrity will probably start the decorations once we start the seaday on the crossing 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, gordylad said:

Jim, you mentioned Iain loves mince n tatties [no wonder]......my mother wasn't much of a cook as both my parents worked long hours so my older sister introduced me to to Spaghetti Bolognese [in Glasgow in the 70's I was a teenager] so this new food was something else having been brought up eating spam, steak pie [made by the local butcher], liver [sorry but I could not face that now]...however I don't know when Iain left Scotland but ask him if he remembers Vesta Curries......a curry in a bag thing whereby you added the mixture to hot water....this came before the boil in the bag curries.........those were the days

Iain is cooking up a batch now.    He always makes a big batch and then we freeze it for future meals.   This one I thin he used 4 lbs of Ground Turkey.     We have been eating the poultry version so long I now find the Lamb version far too rich. 

 

Iain remembers the Vesta Curries but was never and still is not a curry fan.

[Maui4us]

Really glad you guys aren't in Hawai'i right now. We have a Winter Storm Warning for Mauna Kea & Mauna Loa with up to 6 inches of snow and wind gusts over 70 mph. The whole state is under flood warnings. Can't wait to see all of our blooms after the rain! Our Rainbow Shower Tree will be gorgeous!!

-Kelley

[upwarduk]

18 minutes ago, Maui4us said:

Warning for Mauna Kea & Mauna Loa with up to 6 inches of snow and wind gusts over 70 mph

Snow in Hawaii??🙈

[Maui4us]

2 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Snow in Hawaii??🙈

Those peaks are over 13K feet high ❄️

-Kelley 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, Maui4us said:

Really glad you guys aren't in Hawai'i right now. We have a Winter Storm Warning for Mauna Kea & Mauna Loa with up to 6 inches of snow and wind gusts over 70 mph. The whole state is under flood warnings. Can't wait to see all of our blooms after the rain! Our Rainbow Shower Tree will be gorgeous!!

-Kelley

 

It is incredible when those Winter Storms hit...   I'm sure many are amazed that they get Snow on the peaks....

 

Hope you get a nice show of colors from the rains.

 

[DaKahuna]

7 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Fantastic -- I think you will enjoy.    The only downside is the long flight to Sydney.

 

 

 I hear you on that one.  I am very tempted to fly to Honolulu, spend a day or two, then fly to Sydney.  Coming from the East Coast - going direct to Sydney would be one heck of a travel day, or should I say two days.  14 hours non-stop to Japan was bad enough.  We’ll just have to see how flights and schedules work out. 

 

[DaKahuna]

@Maui4us @Jim_Iain

  

 The big island of Hawaii — snow skiing in the morning, surfing in the afternoon. Or vice versa - you often have your choice most any time of the year. 

 

 

[Beachlover1989]

On 5/6/2024 at 12:24 PM, Jim_Iain said:

Iain got the dreaded SSSS

 

You have been selected for special screening.  Pat downs numerous times.   Residue scans of hand baggage etc.  

 

 

Despite having Global Entry, this has happened to me twice. I dread those four letters.  The worst was in Barcelona and they took me to the basement in a small concrete block room. They left me in there for 10 minutes before finally coming in for a thorough check of me and my suitcase 🤨.  Both times I was flying on two separate one way tickets (we had sailed Amsterdam to Barcelona in this case and one flight was booked with miles), and I'm convinced that's what caused it.

[Jim_Iain]

15 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I hear you on that one.  I am very tempted to fly to Honolulu, spend a day or two, then fly to Sydney.  Coming from the East Coast - going direct to Sydney would be one heck of a travel day, or should I say two days.  14 hours non-stop to Japan was bad enough.  We’ll just have to see how flights and schedules work out. 

 

 

That would indeed be a long trip.     I guess the question is do you just bite the bullet and do it in one huge trip or spread it out over a couple days.     I usually find the hardest part is to get my head around it pre-flight but once on board just buy an internet package and carry on.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Beachlover1989 said:

Despite having Global Entry, this has happened to me twice. I dread those four letters.  The worst was in Barcelona and they took me to the basement in a small concrete block room. They left me in there for 10 minutes before finally coming in for a thorough check of me and my suitcase 🤨.  Both times I was flying on two separate one way tickets (we had sailed Amsterdam to Barcelona in this case and one flight was booked with miles), and I'm convinced that's what caused it.

 

I think I got the same treatment once coming through JFK.   It was a connecting flilght so got the treatment both in San Francisco and then again at JFK.    In my case at the entry to the plane the took me aside to a screened off area to do the secondary. 

 

I have a feeling that even with Global Entry it is just random.   On this one Iain got it and I didn't.  We have never both been tagged on the same trip.