earlydiner

We are on the Solstice 9/16/22 Pacific Coast and it has about 225 cabins still available (mostly veranda and concierge cabins).  I have been counting cabins for a couple of weeks and the numbers haven't changed very much.  

When I get stuck on a technology issue I use my grandkids or kids.  What I can do in two hours, takes my grand daughter about two minutes.  

Raspberry Fizz is very sweet but delicious.  Had one every night before dinner in the MDR on the Summit.

We are at 30 days to go and not yet open on the Solstice September 16th out of Vancouver.

We have always checked in at 45 days on Celebrity but here we are 33 days to go and they are "Not quite ready for you".  Maybe  at 30 days.

On our Summit cruise in June, if they didn't have diet Coke,  they would have Coke Zero.  We couldn't tell the difference.

I might expect this in the Oceanview but just looking at the menus on our September cruise on the Solstice and saw that the same is true in the MDR.  Meals are more meatloaf and chicken and less steak and lobster.  On our last cruise a couple of months ago on the Summit, the New York strip steak was about 1/2 inch thick.  I ordered it only once.

Just our opinion, but we feel that the "around the ship" music is much better on Princess than Celebrity.  Theater both are excellent.  

We were on the Summit a couple of weeks ago and there was always a long line on deck 4 Select Dining.  I got reservations several months before the cruise online.  We chose 5:30 dining (thus the Earlydiner name) each night.  After them showing us our table on night one, we loved our waiter and assistant waiter.  On our way out of the dining room that night,  we locked in that table  for the remainder of the cruise.  So we ignored the lines and proceeded directly to our table each night.   Most nights, our waiter was waiting for us at the dining room door and escorted us to the table.  Yes,  you get some dirty looks but that beats waiting for 30 minutes in line.  

I had the 4oz filet from the kid's menu on the Summit 10 days ago.

Posted it under "Reviews" on last Saturday, however they review it before it appears.  

 I had the kid's filet on the Summit last week.  Small but delicious.   Much better than the New York steaks on the regular menu.

In Bermuda we did the  island wrap around tour with Juanita.  Booked it through Trip Advisor.  It was a 5 hour tour but turned out to be closer to 6 hours.  We took it on the day we were in port all day so it was great. I believe the cost was $85.  Well worth it.  She grew up on Bermuda and knows the island well. Everywhere we stopped, she seemed to know all the locals.  We also took the ships tour to NYC ending at EWR. Very good tour guide and driver.  Four hours long and I believe it was $99.

I had the kid's filet on the Summit last week.  Small but delicious.  Much better than the New York steaks on the regular menu.

I wrote a full review on our cruise but wanted to share that on Memorial Day, Cruise Director Rich Clesen hosted a service in the Sky Lounge that was really great.  Rich spoke, then a couple of veterans shared and prayed.  The tear jerker was when the Summit orchestra trumpeter played TAPS.  Beautiful service.  Big thanks go to Rich.

We have been on both.  I would say that if you are younger (50-) or are taking kids and/or grands, the Symphony would be better since there is so much for them to do. 

I asked Bermuda if their office was open Saturdays and Sundays and the answer was YES.

I talked to the Bermuda travel yesterday since I had not received my link for the negative test.  She sent it while we were on the phone.  I ask her if they were open for calls on Saturday or Sunday if needed.  The answer was YES.  Also asked if all else fails, is there a Bermuda representative at the Summit check in.  Again the answer was YES.  So if uploading does not work for some reason, show your vaccine card and/or negative test results to the Bermuda rep at the ship and all is good.  Let's just RELAX.  (After we get our negative test results)   

I am so happy that Newport was put back on our itinerary. Don't care why just happpppy.  See everyone onboard on Monday on the Summit.

If you go to Alaska, make sure you see the Hubbard Glacier.  It was a  like seeing pictures of the Grand Canyon and then seeing it in person. It was a big WOW!  So massive and loud "cracks" as it calved.  We have seen other glaciers and none compare.  Last time we saw Hubbard it was on the Eclipse.  The captain rotated the ship 360 degrees several times so that all could see no matter where you were on the ship.  Have fun.

I did just what you tried many times.  Noticed that when I brought up the picture of the vaccine card it said "Complete".  However when I hit submit it went back to "incomplete".  I have a really great TA so I emailed her with pictures of the vaccine cards and she took care of it by sending it to the "Star" desk.  Don't know what happened but it is now all done and the Vaccination step is now green.  

Victoria Clipper is a high speed people ferry between Seattle and Victoria's inner harbor.  Time is 2  3/4  hours one way. Fares are $115-$160 round trip.

You can have as much butter as you please in the MDR.  All you have to do is ask.  I always ask for the pads of real butter.  Never been turned down.  

Our first cruise was "free" as a reward for sales of corn seed.  It was 1989 and we were on the SS Norway.  Yes things have changed for the better,  however we loved it as it was then as well.  My wife says that cruise was not free because we have enjoyed 30+ cruises since.    I think we have been on eight different lines and loved every single one.  Kinda settled on Celebrity with just us and when we take the kids and grandkids it is RCI.  

No test required of Canadians traveling into USA.