ksslms

Norris,

Fantastic Review and reminisces from your time working on a cruise ship ... you are a GREAT storyteller - which can be best defined by that I feel like I've known you for years even though we have never met! And the photos just add to the fun!

Obviously I came way after the fact to read through the review these last few days - prompted by the desire to learn about The Reflection after booking the March 2019 Mardi Gras cruise. Your wonderful descriptions of the ship make my wife and I anticipate the cruise even more (and it is 15 months away). Coincidentally, we booked the sister cabin to your home on the ship (#7309). We also seem to share many other likes and dislikes (food, lifestyle, traveling preferences etc.) as you and your wonderful wife / traveling companion! I won't bore the readers with a list ;), but wanted to mention just a few that I'd thought you would enjoy.

(1)Yes, a trip to Miami without staying in SoBe and eating at Joe's Stone Crabs is like not really visiting the city! (2) Funny you should mention Brennan's as your FAV Houston restaurant. My wife and I celebrated our 1st anniversary eating there in 1983! My wife (from a small town in TX) eyes were wide with the multiple waiters, busboys and maitre d' hovering constantly around our table (is it still that way? ... that just didn't happen at the Dairy Q in North TX)! We enjoyed a wonderful multi-course dinner, completed by flaming Baked Alaska and specialty coffees for dessert! When we got up to leave, an elderly couple who were seated near us motioned us over to their table, and told us, "that they enjoyed watching us eat" - through all the courses and required manipulations by the waiters! Well, I'm not sure if we were proud or embarrassed by the show we must have put on - but it is a story my wife and I recollect at every anniversary dinner! I imagine you and your wife enjoying the same wonderful meal, and although we have never eaten at the restaurant again it has moved to the top of our list if we are ever back in Houston.

Well - I have bookmarked your Canada cruise and look forward to hearing about the ship and your travels, who knows - maybe a Princess Cruise will be next on our horizon. BTW, too bad you didn't get to Quebec City as part of that cruise, it is a wonderful city (the last port in our recent Canada cruise), and I know you would enjoy staying at the Le Chateau Frontenac and eating at Le Continental ... wonderful establishments where quality and service are paramount!

Happy Cruising!

Ken and Le'Ann.

Killsport - "Favorite spot: Silhouette Sunset Bar with a cigar and single malt"

Awesome comment in your SIG. Hopefully the Sunset Bar on the Reflection will allow the same enjoyable libations!

Regards, Ken.

Thanks so much for taking the time to post details on this (hopefully) exciting and fun cruise! I look forward to all of your posts! Cuba is definitely on our future cruise list! Would love to hear if visiting cigar factories / cigar and rum retailers was an option (either NCL planned or safely On Your Own)!

Keep up the good work!

Best Regards, Ken (and Le'Ann).

Great review Doug and Sue. Took a few months off the boards after our last cruise, what a great way to be welcomed back seeing your review of the Dawn! Followed your live Escape review, then hopped on the Escape ourselves. Our next cruise will be Dawn to Canada, your wonderful comments and pictures have us excited ... and yes, we also luv the suite life!

Enjoy your second trip on the Escape with your kids!

Regards. K & L!

Photo proof!!!

Thanks so much Doug fit the wonderful tour of the Escape. You got us so excited for our "Escape" this week. Needless to say we had to stop at the beer hall first. Wife poured down a Boulevard wheat, I went the way of a Magic Hat #9. Hope you have a safe trip home.

Regards, Ken and LeAnn.

Enjoyed smoking almost one a day in the cigar lounge on Breakaway this past September. Plan on doing the same in 12 days on the Escape :). BTW the cigar lounge is 8th deck center starboard, adjacent to the Maltings Bar.

The humidor (located at the entrance to the lounge) had a decent variety of smokes (10+ labels), and appeared to be well kept. I saw people buying cigars each day from the humi, and never saw anyone who was disappointed in the storage quality of the smoke. I thought the mark-up cost for the cigars was reasonable considering you are away at sea. My 2 cents, you'll be fine buying on the ship if you only plan to smoke 1 or 2, unless you must have a certain brand/style. If you plan to smoke regularly while on your cruise, bring them from home and save yourself some money. And a sealed zip-lock bag is all you need for 1 week of storage, although I bring mine in a travel humidor since having cigar swag is half the fun of being a BOTL!

There is 1 large screen TV in the lounge, and unlike many cigar lounges has large windows looking out to the outside deck, so it is not like you are in a cave! Also, excellent waitress service inside the lounge for the bar that is located adjacent to the lounge. If you have the UDP, well the Woodford Reserve and JW Gold went down far too easy with my smokes! Expect the room to be smokey if crowded. Was never too crowded, except the last day of the cruise when weather caused most outside decks to be closed and forced the cigarette smokers inside the lounge. As I have found across many venues all over the world, cigars smokers are a friendly bunch and I enjoyed some fun conversations while sitting in the lounge!

Finally, as per Bermuda and CC, if you want certified Cuban cigars you'll need to take the ferry over to Hamilton and visit Chatham House on Front Street, 4 blocks or so from where the ferry stops (authorized Habanos SA retailer ). Prices were as expected (which means expensive), but a good selection and are legit CC. Let's just say I found it worthwhile to fill some of the open slots in my travel humidor with a purchase from Chatham House. Yes, you see a few Cuban cigars in all the tourist shops on the pier, but no guarantee on how they have been stored and take the great chance they are donkey turds and not hand rolled CC.

Have Fun! Regards, Ken.

Thanks so much for a great review and pics! First time seeing photos of a standard H5 cabin! We are excited enough to start packing now.

Any pictures of your balcony? Also, any pictures of the humidor smoking room near the Tobacco Road bar?

Thanks again!!

Ken and Le'Ann!

Fantastic Info ... I also enjoy my smokes and will be on the BA with my DW in September!

Anyone know the normal operating hours for the Humidor Lounge and/or the adjacent bar? Also - do they get very crowded?

Thanks in advance! Although I'll miss smoking on the balcony - getting to smoke with other Cigar Lovers can be fun too!

Regards,

Ken (and Le'Ann)

DW and I watching the Sail Away from the Crows Nest on the Eurodam enjoying first mojitis of the week. Thanks to all who wished us a great sail away.

K&L.