Constellation - LIVE

[excitedofharpenden]

This will be a brief one as we are into our first full day on the ship. Arrived at FLL a couple of days prior and used Holland Limousines to get me from Miami airport. Rick (Chessbriar), thanks for the recommendation. They were efficient and very friendly.

 

We boarded at about 11.15am and it was an absolute breeze. No need to worry about Captains Club/Suite/Concierge Class lines as we just walked straight up to the counter and with Express Pass in hand were on before you could say baked alaska.

 

The ship is really nice and the condition is great. My cabin, 7208, is in great shape and I really like that aft view. I had chatted with those on the previous cruise and told the occupant of 7208 to keep it tidy. Now, I am not one to cast doubt on ones character, but I found a few bits of masking tape stuck around the cabin. I had a chuckle to myself and took them off and put them in the bin. Today with moderate seas, one of the cabin draws keeps opening and closing and banging against the cupboard door. I went to look in the bin, but my room steward (Enrico from the Phillipines, very pleasant) had cleaned up. So there's me trying to find if I had missed any of that tape around the cabin. Sadly not.:D

 

Rather disappointingly, I have a friend who occupied the cabin last Christmas and she had left me a present behind the safe. Sadly it is no longer there, so I say to whoever is enjoying the shot glass, cheers;)

 

Simon Weir is joining the cruise later as Hotel Director after his appendix has been sorted out. The captain's first name is Ioanis, I think and we meet him tomorrow. Don Fluke did not attend the CC gathering (otherwise well attended).

 

I'm going to see the Perry Grant I have heard so much about. I am sure he will not be my cup of tea, but I will visit as a proud member of the rubber neckers club;)

 

Food was good last night as were the Martinis and Sancerre and I was up early for a mile walk before breakfast and another after. It is really good to be back on a ship again and I really enjoy the trip around the jogging track in the morning, looking at the clouds and fighting the wind (meteorlogically and not anatomically speaking).

 

If you are on an upcoming cruise, you are in for a treat.

 

Terry (Terilynns), we have met with Ocha (sp?) in the Martini Bar and he is a great character.

 

Phil

[excitedofharpenden]

Forgot to say, Host Andy, sorry that you were unable to make the cruise:( I hope that all is ok at home.

 

Phil

[uktog]

Hi Phil

Have a wonderful time

So the lovely Ochu in the Martini Bar - say hello from Mr Laphroaig also known as the Man who cannot juggle Grenadine Bottles - we were on the Baltic trip with him and he was a hoot. DH tried to juggle Grenadine bottle at his mixology class - Ochu was taught by Sudi and I think keps in touch with him

If Simon is coming on I guess the lovely Nina must be due her holidays - she is a lovely Hotel Director

Take care and keep away from the masking tape

A

PS I think your Captain is Capt Pappanikolu and his family live in Sandbach

[Karynanne]

Phil, good to hear that you're having a wonderful time. Please say hi to everyone also.

 

Bill and I had "your" cabin on our TA last April, right before we met with you in London.

 

Have fun...enjoy the cruise, and give big hugs to the gang from me!!

 

Karyn

[SF]

Glad to hear you're enjoying your cruise. We don't leave on Constellation until the first week of June on a Baltic cruise. Hopefully you'll keep posting as reading about the ship is atleast the next best thing to actually being there and helps pass the time.

Enjoy............:)

[CajunLiner]

Phil, sounds like a good time so far! How was the sail away? Are the owls behaving themselves? LOL!

 

Keep posting, love to hear about your trip!

 

Donna

[teedee]

Phil - Thanks for taking time to post, I'm glad to hear you're having a good time. I can't wait to sail on her in September.

 

Terri

[nu2sea]

Hi Phil!

 

Thanks for virtually taking us with you on your cruise. We loved the Connie last spring and look forward to seeing her again in September. Until then, and since I really don't fit into a suitcase, travelling via your words is great!!

 

Please say Hi to everyone for us!

 

Susan

[Andy]

Hi Phil !

 

You have no idea how disappointed I am, that I am not on the Cruise. I was miserable on Thursday, when we made the decision not to go, and I am not any happier today :( . I was incredibly excited about being on this sailing, as we planned it a very long time ago, and this is one of my all time favorite itineraries.

 

As most of you are aware, Mom was seriously injured on Century 2 months ago, and she has not been well since. Unfortunately, Mom has not recovered, and she was simply not up to going on the Cruise. Hopefully, Mom will be well enough to try again, when Celebrity's ships return to the Caribbean in November.

 

Phil..... please keep us posted, and say hello to all of my Cruise Critic friends. I will be watching this thread each day. I hope you, and our other Cruise Critic friends will keep us posted. Have a wonderful time onboard Constellation.

[marne-c]

Phil: My wife and I will be on the same Baltic cruise on Connie as poster SF. We too will be hanging on your every word in anticipation!

 

--Marne

[goofysmom99]

Phil, I know you and the gang must be having a fantastic time! We'll try not to be too envious. . .we stay-at-home folks are looking forward to being back on the Connie in September, too! Enjoy! We're all looking forward to your travelogue installments.:D

[kernow]

Thanks for posting live, I'll be checking all the installments too as we are boarding on the 2nd as you get off. We are in the cabin next to you, 7206.

Have a fabulous trip and take good care of everything for us.

 

Julie

[emcee207]

Phil, We were on the Century in early Feb. Ochu is a great bartender and as friendly as Sudi. One late night in the Martini Bar he carved our names in the ice that is on the wall behind the Bar. I got a great picture of it. LOL, he spelled my name "espanol style"; Luis as opposed to Louis. We got a chuckle. Ask him about it. Have fun!!!

Margo and Louis aka Luis

[Andym]

Phil,

We will miss the usual web cam pictures.... unless

[Texed]

Phil and all the " others", have a waffle for me. :D

[excitedofharpenden]

Our second sea day and it is a bit brighter than the first, which ended up very wet and started out the same this morning. We are well on past the Bahamas and travelling at a very comfortable 16 knots. It isn't rocking and rolling so much either, but I don't mind that as I have packed my Elvis shoes;)

 

Dinner last night was my favourite main dining room dish. The Tourndedos of Beef Forestiere. It was as good as I remembered and the desert, Paris Breasts arrived on the plate in a pair of, well, Paris Breasts I guess.:D

 

Our Crusie Critic attendees did a tour of the bridge this morning and had a wonderful time meeting Captain Papanikolao (sp?). He really is a delightful gentleman.

 

I haven't spent any time near the pool so can't tell you whether the chair hogs are in evidence. I went to see the lecturer yesterday, but it was a bit boring as I know all there is to know about continental drift and the fish that live in the deepest part of the ocean (and the look of those makes me no nearer liking to eat fish). He seemed a bit scripted in his delivery as he was reading from a book. No shows yet. The Martini Bar has seen to that.

 

Ann and Louis/Luis, I will search out Ochu tonight and see if I can get him to dish the full dirt:D

 

Andy, I should have asked about the bridge cam. I was too transfixed at the view out of the bridge window and concentrating on not pressing any of the buttons I shouldn't:eek: I miss it too.

 

Julie, you will love your cabin, I'm sure. The room steward there is Annalise at the moment and she seems very friendly.

 

Susan, Terri, Karyn, Ruth, Ed, Donna and Host Andy, wish you were with us. Donna, I know you are on your cruise now and hope you are having a wonderful time too, but in terms of your comment on behaving. Of course we are not!:p

 

I'm away for a glass of champagne now as it's nearly the midday announcement. It's a tough life, but someone has to do it.

 

Phil

[AstridSJ]

Phil,

 

Thanks for keeping us posted on how things are on Connie. I can't wait to board the day you get off the ship.

We will be on deck 7 aft as well.

 

Astrid

[nu2sea]

So Phil, did Garry remember to bring the peanuts?

 

I just went and checked out Bob's website for this cruise. Looks like you folks just took over the aft. Now is when I really value all of Bob's work, since I can use his site to check out who is where and what you all are up to!

 

Between his work and your log I can enjoy the cruise without ever leaving my recliner. (Not really, but it does make me feel a touch less bereft.;))

 

Have fun!

 

Susan

[98Charlie]

Hi Phil. Great to be reading your posts. I know how very long you guys have all been planning this cruise.

 

Say hello to all the owls for Gwynn & I.

 

Dianne

[Karynanne]

Phil, did the gang take a picture of everyone in their "Owls" attire? It sounds like you're having a wonderful time, and keep us posted!

 

Karyn

[Luckyroot]

Phil, thanks for posting live. We had originally booked this cruise and had to cancel as well :mad:

 

I wore my Night Owl shirt today in honor of the Hooter's cruise and thought of you all today. Maybe now I'll have a martini too!

 

 

Wish I was with y'all, give everyone a hug from me!

[Host Anne]

Phil ~ thanks so very much for taking the time to share your cruise with us! It's "almost" as good as being there! Please tell everyone I said hello and hope that you all have a fantastic cruise! Keep Connie in great shape for our group cruise next February....you should come along...book it on board :)

 

Andy ~ I was so sorry to hear you cancelled. More importantly, I hope your mom is feeling better soon!

 

Happy sailing to all!

[BocaRoo]

Thanks for posting! Glad you're having fun and hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise! We've sailed your itinerary twice - it's really great!! Would you kindly do us a favor and give Marilynn & Bill (wv4891) big hugs & hellos from us (Jill & Kevin Plut)? We were all supposed to sail together on the original 4/13/07 sailing, and you probably know by now what happened to that!

 

We'll be on the Constellation's 11/5/07 repositioning cruise, but it's a long way off! We're selling our condo, buying a new one and moving in - all in the next six weeks, so we'll really need that cruise to relax!

 

Take care, and have many martinis for us! :D

[wvufan]

Good morning:)

 

Hi Phil

 

We appreciate and look forward to your posts. We got to meet a lot of your gang on a previous cruise (Bob and Garry, Cruising with Marti, LSimon, Ma Bell, et al), so we are following along with interest.

 

One of our good friends we met on a cruise years ago and have kept in almost daily contact with through these boards is Cheryl (Finely Cruising). We tease her after every one of her cruises because she has never had a bridge tour despite a burning desire to do so.

 

So, if you happen to be on an excursion with her on a boat (the regatta in St Thomas?), you might have a bit of fun by an elaborate showing of the controls and telling her that Bob-WVU fan arranged for a bridge tour:D

 

Say hi to the folks.

 

OOOEEE:D :D Bob and Phyl

[bob278]

We are on this cruise with Phil and he is doing a great job on description so we won't add much. Garry and I are having a great time with him and all the others in our rather large group.

 

The ship is in good shape (although we were about 2 hours late leaving Ft Lauderdale due to turbine maintenance). But all is well now.

 

We tried a test flight of our kite yesterday with mixed results. Will probably do our main flying while in port one day soon.