Brilliance of the Seas, 7/20/07, Med – Venice LONG!

[lszu]

Thanks. I'll remember to stay away from Pinocchio. LOL! I just figured forewarned is forearmed. Or something like that.

[busygal601]

Have just finished reading your great dialogue of your trip and have also looked at your pictures. Can't wait to get going myself. I have a Canon S3IS camera but am not good at remembering the manual settings etc. so wonder if you used auto for your pics and thanks for your info.

I should have joined cruise critic a year ago!

[cruiseforus]

Thank you for the great review.

 

We will be on the Sept 30 sailing and we are trying to arrange a pick up at the pier to take us to the airport.

 

Can you tell me what time the first colors were being called off the ship.

[lszu]

I've thought of another question, if you don't mind.

 

Was there a Caribbean themed night?

[sun&sea]

:) All I can say is that your pictures are fabulous!!! Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to go myself!

 

Janet:D

[Love Cruis'n]

how was your debark from ship to airport and wait time to check in and to gate?

 

We purchased the ships transfer to the BCN airport. As I recall we were in a group that was to be called about 8 or 8:10 AM, and they were fairly close to "on time." We were probably called to debark about 8:20 or 8:30.

Our luggage was on a carrousel (like at the airport) and we grabbed it and were directed outside to a large bus, where the staff loaded our bags in the belly.

Seems like we sat in that bus for a while (maybe 30 minutes) and it got rather warm till someone went outside and found the driver who turned up the AC (lesson learned - don’t be afraid to speak up). Once at the airport, the bags were unloaded, we found ours along with a porter who helped us to the check in area for Lufthansa.

We found our way easily to the gate area, and waited till our 1 PM flight was boarded.

DW and I did a little shopping in the immediate area of the gate - didn’t want to venture too far away. Probably bought a cold drink with a few remaining Euros in our pockets.

[Love Cruis'n]

...Also, what was the Masquerade dinner all about? When was the Deck party? Theme?

 

Thanks!

 

Sorry, but decided to have dinner that night in CHOPS, so we did not participate. We did ask the next night if there were any leftover masks (for the grandkids) and were told that they were not handed out, and that guests had purchased them for themselves either in Venice or the ship's gift shop.

[Love Cruis'n]

Have just finished reading your great dialogue of your trip and have also looked at your pictures. Can't wait to get going myself. I have a Canon S3IS camera but am not good at remembering the manual settings etc. so wonder if you used auto for your pics and thanks for your info.

I should have joined cruise critic a year ago!

 

Most of the time I shot my photos on the "Auto" setting. Once in a while I would play around, but always took an "auto" photo first. About the only advise I would offer is when confronted with a back lit situation, to focus on the subject (a person's face) first - hold the lever half way down to maintain that light metering setting, and then to frame your shot and take the pic. I think the camera gives you a white square in the viewfinder to let you know where it's getting it lightmetering / focus information - so set it where you want it first.

 

The other thing I really like is the grid that is super imposed in the view finder. Just keep the subjects eyes (or the main thing your shooting) near that top grid line. Really - just watch some TV tonight - the actors (or newspersons) eyes are almost always 25-33% down from the top edge of the screen. Look at most portraits and you'll see the same thing.

 

The other thing I did was take a few video clips, which turned out really nice. No change needed - stayed in "auto mode" just hit that red button the back of the camera body to start and stop. I think it's so cool that the zoom will operate while shooting a video clip.

 

I took a lot of photos - I mean a lot. Shot at max pixels / superfine the entire time, and used up a 2 gig card, plus three 1 gig cards, plus a little more. I figured what the heck - if I take enough shots at least a few should come out good. :p

[Love Cruis'n]

I've thought of another question, if you don't mind.

 

Was there a Caribbean themed night?

 

No, as I recall there was no Caribbean themed night.