LIVE from Jewel May 15, 2024 - 27 nights

[Sinders99]

@twangster what a shame they take the first sea pass card off you. I like to keep ours as souvenirs 😔 Thanks so much for sharing such detail on change over day. It really helps put my mind at ease for our change over day in July. Am still undecided on whether to stay onboard or go ashore. We have the unlimited dining plan on our second cruise, so staying onboard would mean we get first pick at reservations before the other passengers start boarding.

But being in a foreign port, far from Australia, an extra 4 or 5 hours in Amsterdam would come in mighty handy for restocking snacks and seeing some more sights. 

[twangster]

New cabin a few cabins aft of where I was last cruise.  
 

 

Consecutive cruiser lunch was a typical MDR meal.    
 

I snuck into my cabin earlier and unpacked so I’m basically ready to cruise at this point.  
 

My new seapass card was expired.   Found that out at muster.   Apparently once they granted Concierge Club access this morning they had to re-make cards for everyone who has access.  
 

The Melitta repair man was on board to do maintenance on the Crown Lounge coffee machine.  Three hours later he is still working on it but it looks promising he says.  
 

[RobInMN]

49 minutes ago, Sinders99 said:

@twangster what a shame they take the first sea pass card off you. I like to keep ours as souvenirs 😔 

Interesting that is a little different from our experience.  When we did the B2B Attic Circle and Iceland & Ireland in 2022 also on Jewel, we were given our new cards and an In Transit card and sent to a single security podium where they scanned our old card then our new card. Never took the old cards. So we do have both cards. Otherwise fairly similar experience.

 

[FionaMG]

1 hour ago, Sinders99 said:

@twangster what a shame they take the first sea pass card off you. I like to keep ours as souvenirs 😔

 

I would be gutted too as I have all my seapass cards from every cruise I've done.

I wonder if they'd give it back later, if asked for? After all, the B2B peeps going into Amsterdam instead of staying on board get to keep theirs...

[twangster]

The free specialty coffee offer for Diamond and above continues this cruise.  
 

[h20skibum]

1 minute ago, FionaMG said:

I would be gutted too as I have all my seapass cards from every cruise I've done.

I wonder if they'd give it back later, if asked for? After all, the B2B peeps going into Amsterdam instead of staying on board get to keep theirs...

The last B2B we did, they took our old cards.  They then delivered our old cards to our cabin later. 

[twangster]

1 hour ago, Sinders99 said:

@twangster what a shame they take the first sea pass card off you. I like to keep ours as souvenirs 😔 Thanks so much for sharing such detail on change over day. It really helps put my mind at ease for our change over day in July. Am still undecided on whether to stay onboard or go ashore. We have the unlimited dining plan on our second cruise, so staying onboard would mean we get first pick at reservations before the other passengers start boarding.

But being in a foreign port, far from Australia, an extra 4 or 5 hours in Amsterdam would come in mighty handy for restocking snacks and seeing some more sights. 

 

1 minute ago, FionaMG said:

I would be gutted too as I have all my seapass cards from every cruise I've done.

I wonder if they'd give it back later, if asked for? After all, the B2B peeps going into Amsterdam instead of staying on board get to keep theirs...

Somehow I misplaced my card for cruise 1 early this morning.  Guest services created a new one for me.  
 

Great fortune though, I found my original card from cruise 1 sometime later.  

[twangster]

1 hour ago, Hoopster95 said:

Hey @twangster! I’m in the waiting room waiting to board as you’re posting. It’s packed down here. Looks like Key, Pn’s etc just starting to move now.

 

Thx for all your updates. I caught up on this thread last night and this morning. Are you ok with me joining this thread to add photos etc like we did on the Ovation-Alaska thread a few years back? I not interested in posting my own reviews anymore as you know. I understand if you wish to keep this thread yours alone. 

Absolutely.  The more pics the better.  Always great to see things from multiple perspectives.  

[twangster]

Crystal block form if this is a milestone cruise for you.  
 

 

 

 

[twangster]

Beverage package rates on board

 

 

 

[bobmacliberty]

3 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

Hey @twangster! I’m in the waiting room waiting to board as you’re posting. It’s packed down here. Looks like Key, Pn’s etc just starting to move now.

 

Thx for all your updates. I caught up on this thread last night and this morning. Are you ok with me joining this thread to add photos etc like we did on the Ovation-Alaska thread a few years back? I not interested in posting my own reviews anymore as you know. I understand if you wish to keep this thread yours alone. 

 

@twangster and @Hoopster95 posting in the same thread!  Can't wait.

[bobmacliberty]

6 hours ago, twangster said:

Just after 8am and Voom is still working from cruise #1.

 

These pictures were taken earlier.  They are calling tags 1 - 20 here at 8:09am so basically on time.  The formula one chicane in the deck 4 Centrum was packed a few minutes ago but is pretty clear as I post this.   

 

 

 

 

It's been a very orderly debarkation process at least here on the ship.

 

Cruise one summary: 3,732 nm sailed.

 

Solo in a balcony so 30 CAS points earned. 

 

 

 

 

Those extra points helped to secure my access to the Concierge Lounge for cruise number two.

 

 

As requested I've been limiting my time in the club so that suite holders are not impacted during the happy hours.  

 

Most nights I used my CAS vouchers at various bars around the ship chasing the live musicians that suit my taste.  I would much rather listen to live music at a real bar over the the club on deck 13.  That may help to explain why so many bartenders know me by name now.  Hmmm.  Maybe that's not a good thing.  🙂 

 

Time to head to the theater to be checked in for cruise number two.

 

 

Interesting that as a Pin you're allowed to bring one other guest in your stateroom.  Has that always been the case?  I thought that only Pins (and Suites) were allowed in.  If you were sharing a stateroom with a Pin but were not Pin yourself...no luck.  

[RFerrington]

5 hours ago, twangster said:

At the starboard side entrance to the theater on deck 6 they scan us “off the ship” (and keep the old sea pass card), we move through the theater, collect our new seapass card, then at the exit of the theater on the port side there are interline agents to check us in much like you would in the terminal.   You’ll need a setsail pass and passport.  I used my phone.  
 

Next we are scanned “onto the ship” like you would be in the terminal upon boarding.   

 

Using this process we officially “leave” the ship for cruise #1 and immediately “board” the ship for cruise #2.  
 

With that we are free to wander the ship.  

How nice that you don't have to disembark !!  Awesome turnaround

[RFerrington]

8 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Interesting that as a Pin you're allowed to bring one other guest in your stateroom.  Has that always been the case?  I thought that only Pins (and Suites) were allowed in.  If you were sharing a stateroom with a Pin but were not Pin yourself...no luck.  

I believe that this is a brand new "perk".  Not sure that I concur but nobody asked me !

[twangster]

33 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Interesting that as a Pin you're allowed to bring one other guest in your stateroom.  Has that always been the case?  I thought that only Pins (and Suites) were allowed in.  If you were sharing a stateroom with a Pin but were not Pin yourself...no luck.  

 

This was announced a couple of month ago if I recall.

 

There were threads on it, of course.

 

My gut thinks it is because there is a growing Pin contingency of parents with minor children.   Since Pin is not conveyed to dependent children it created a situation where the Pin parents had access but their children did not have access.  By allowing a Pin to bring someone in their cabin with them it solved this issue.  

[njkruzer]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

 

Somehow I misplaced my card for cruise 1 early this morning.  Guest services created a new one for me.  
 

Great fortune though, I found my original card from cruise 1 sometime later.  

Interesting idea!  When they've taken ours I just go to GS and reclaim them.  I guess in August I'll have to do that.

[twangster]

The bridge is focused on the 11% that haven't done muster yet.  

 

No word yet when we should expect to reach the lock.

[njkruzer]

3 minutes ago, twangster said:

The bridge is focused on the 11% that haven't done muster yet.  

 

No word yet when we should expect to reach the lock.

I never understand why people avoid going to muster, especially since the new muster is so easy to do.  Precovid we met a couple that were pleased to tell us how they avoided going and where they hid!  Don't get it.

[twangster]

Paying closer attention this time, it appears the Port of Amsterdam is installing shore power capability.  

 

 

Edited May 30 by twangster

[twangster]

No delay departing tonight.  Lock expected in 1:30 to 1:45

 

Sailing away shortly.  

[twangster]

The Welcome Aboard event in the Safari Club reminds me of a cross between Top Tier and what Empress used to do on day one given it had no loyalty lounge.  
 

Sparking, white and red wine.  Live music.  Small bites.  
 

 

 

 

Our LA Isabeth is checking ID at the entrance.  Diamond and above.  
 

Edited May 30 by twangster

[twangster]

Sail away from a Safari Club window.  
 

[twangster]

They sure love their bicycles here.  
 

 

[Hoopster95]

I’m up front 😃

[twangster]

Isabeth reports the Welcome Aboard events are only for cruises 12 nights and longer with high numbers of CAS on board.