Bimmer09

I helped myself stay warm(er) on the trip back by standing infront of the engine room exhaust on deck. I smelled of diesel (un nouvelle fragrance pour l'homme by Givenchy) but was toasty. My first cruise with thermal layers and puffy coat and they made a big difference to my comfort! ....and we're back on dry land

JeanieCAston, thanks for (a) reading and (b) commenting. I had no Guinness cans after 3 p.m day one but I really only asked at the Sunset bar. I switched to Heineken, then Moretti when the Heineken ran out then Stella when the Moretti ran out. When you mark things up to Beyond Airport Prices (BAP) and then run out of stock you are basically a Business Idiot. You have a ship full of Mugs (er, Guests) who'll pay anything for their favorite drink and you run out on day one, or day 5 or day 9. As the ship pulls into the disembarkation dock at the end of the cruise-that's when the ship should run out. Then you load up more. The bars get replenished from the stores each day is my understanding- "we'll have it tomorrow" but Tomorrow Never Knows... I was offered an extra toss pillow each time I expressed disappointment at their inventory management. I politely declined. Cheers! Norris

The fishing boat you saw a couple of pics ago was packed with whale seekers, but offering no wind protection. The lower deck on our boat was full of seated people, had toilets and a little snack shop which had candies and chips, soft drinks and cans of Icelandic beer. They could also do a toasted cheese sandwich. I grabbed a beer and a ginger ale for Carol. It did a steady business and the server was very nice and well spoken. We learned some Dutch but made no effort to learn any Icelandic. Suddenly a shout split the air...WHALE! a WHALE!! THAR SHE BLOWS!!! I had the camera set to record rapid bursts and this is the most revealing of the 6 shots. Such a huge mammal, such beauty, such grace, leaping out of the sea only to plunge back down to the deeps-or maybe it was a floating car tire? We've been on 3 whale watching trips in Juneau Alaska with Harv n Marv. On the first, in a 6 man boat, a humpback breached 15 to 20 ft away and the splash set the boat a rockin' so that other 150 seater boats in Auke Bay came on the radio to see if we were ok. There were so many whales Auke Bay we got tired of them and cries of Whale! Whale! would be met with a chorus of "whoop de dooo". We were whale watching in Cabo san Lucas at Christmas and the free rum drinks made up for the lack of good sightings. This was a bust whale-wise. Ever since Covid apparently a lot of the tourist whales have decided to work from home and many don't show up for work. Still the boat ride was fun although there was another 90 minutes of it together back to the Apex. A legion of people who had stood up front to get a better view of the whales/floating tires now came to the back and filled up the pathways into the deck cabin so going for another beer was off the menu. They sought warmth, not safety. More...

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formerly Sun Princess (sold 2020), now Pacific World More later

It's windy out here at speed. But the view is stunning! Cloud Porn I'm taking pictures to the left and to the right as I stand, bracing myself against the hull More

Having a whale of a time! Even though the weather has been cold and windy we are loving this ship and the crew is as good as they come. It's a crew of smiling helpful faces and the ship is like a floating art gallery. I do notice and look every time to see if any of the Infinite (ha!) Balcony windows are down but the answer is no. I 'll keep checking. Here's what's happening-we are going to meet up on the dock and go on a 4 hour whale watching trip-an X Excursion. We'll walk 15 minutes to the whale boat. It will take 1.5 hours to reach the spot where the whales are (allegedly). We are scanned by security as we get off the ship and join a throng of people by the dock gates and wait for 15 minutes or so. Two young Icelanders stop us from going beyond the gates to get a better seat as we can see the red whale boat in the distance. The wait gives me a chance to snap this I love that bow-just like ships before World War I. Old is new again! I make sure I am standing by the Icelandic lady who is going to lead us to the boat and we set off. Some who had escaped earlier waited for us so when we caught up to them I was no longer at the head of the line but close enough to bag a good seat. On this tub, at the stern near the flag, sheltered from the wind (I told myself) Behind me Carol is in the crowd but out of shot I got a good angle on the Apex Find me a better looking ship- I can wait Once onboard there is the safety drill- nah , just kidding. There was no telling where the life jackets were although being a seafarer I figured they were in the benches we were sitting on but it would have been reassuring to hear the crew give a nod to safety. We got bupkis. Hey ho-we put to sea anyway. A warning-if you love clouds and mountains , boy do I have a treat for you!! If you love the sight of a humpback whale leaping majestically from the sea then turn back now. It's a whale glimpsing tour-if you are lucky. Still the 3 hours on the boat not seeking whales is a fab ride if you are in toasty thermal underwear like me with a scarf and a puffy winter coat. I think you will like the photos at least. More...

Wow, Jim, thanks for this unusual detail. I will find it on our next E Class sailing- we put down a deposit on a future cruise and of the cruises we have looked at so far Carol has asked me-does the ship have Eden? and when I have said No she tells me "Forget that then!" LOL. You and Iain liked Eden too if I recall. Thanks for the comment! Norris

Cool church in the center of this next one I take a walk up Promenade Deck 5 Fine Cut Steakhouse has some outdoor seating which would be fantastic on a warm Caribbean or Mediterranean night Some of the lifeboats can hold 440 people! The Promenade ends here

Cosmopolitan Breakfast The only dining room serving breakfast and our first visit. Some goofy art by the doorway Carol loves the napkin being draped by a welcoming waiter, the water pourer, the coffee offerer, the juice lady, the pastries person. So much wonderful attention! First class service!! Carol's fruit plate Carol's French omelet with Gruyere cheese, herbs and bacon My "all the sides" repast. The corned beef hash at right was a standout. A wonderful start to the day! We enjoyed talking to a Canadian couple at the next table-seasoned cruisers with Crystal. Husband was a geologist and knowledgeable about Iceland. The nearby restrooms are opposite this artwork. Our Whale Watching excursion is not until 12.15. Carol is off to Eden to relax but her Zen will be shattered by a dance class with only one participant. I'll go back to deck 5 and take pics of Akureyri.

LAND AHOY SHIPMATES! I have my coffee and am clothed for warmth. I'm aft and sheltered by Eden. We're sailing down a wide fjord on our way to Akureyri. We dock at 10 a.m.

Here is the Captain's Introduction of the Officers given while there was an audience in the theater for Crystallize. Norris

Sure you're probably right-but why do you think that is? If you were staffing a ship and your specialty restaurant was Italian wouldn't you want someone who is either an Italian chef or at least someone of another nationality with a lot of Italian restaurant experience to run the kitchen? Raw on 5-are the sushi chefs Japanese? Probably Philippines like the man in my photo. If the Apex made do with 6,000 less toss pillows in the bedrooms they could afford to attract some Italian cooks. Mamma mia! Fine Cut steakhouse I would expect a chef (with tattoos) from Chicago, New York or Miami. Norris

Excellent catch!! We've only eaten in Tuscan Grill once- on our first Silly cruise. Have never returned. During the meal in 2016 I asked Carol-how many Italians do you think are working in the kitchen? None she said. I nodded. The head Chef was brought out to see us at the end of the meal. A Jamaican man. It was Italian food made by cooks who had never been to Italy. We felt the same with our Tuscan dinner. We'll try it again on our next sailing. Carol's summary of Crystallize afterwards was "pretty dreadful but with great projections" Thanks for the comment and correction! Norris

Coming up on Day 4- first sight of Iceland with my morning coffee. Akureyi-eye candy with mountains Breakfast in Cosmopolitan dining room A whale glimpsing trip A fine sail away Dinner in Normandy Next the Captain introduces the Officers...

The "Troggs Tapes" are legendary entertainment as they argue with some colorful language. I played in a band supporting them at a London University in 1977. The entire 11 minutes is on YouTube. Norris

We went to a show after our Tuscan dinner (the only room pic I took at dinner) There are restrooms outside Tuscan opposite this art We stopped to check out the Martini Bar where some Officers were preparing to pour some cocktails We moved on to catch the show Carol might tell you about the show-it was a loud and incoherent "story" (not) about a woman who plays electric violin, sometimes on a trapeze (as we all do) while a couple of fine ladies sing very loudly but in tune, some rock songs and dancers show their stuff. High energy plus colorful visuals. iPhone photos

Dinner in Tuscan Grill We had a reservation and the joint was jumping but luckily we got a table off to the side near the front which was quiet. Described as a creamy Tuscan shrimp soup there was no cream but rather a thin tomato broth. Carol had a salad We've been to Rome several times and I always order Spaghetti alla Carbonara -a dish I have been ordering since I lived in Nuremberg for a while back in 1972. Guancale, an egg whisked and dropped into the pasta once cooked, some Pecorino Romana cheese and black pepper. No spaghetti (but I knew that) but a big poached egg on top which I removed immediately and placed on my empty bread plate. There can be no Italians in the kitchen. The pasta was big and heavy so I left half the plate uneaten. No one asked why but that saved me a lecture. Fail. Carol's pork chop with a sweet sauce she says. Possibly the cause of an upset stomach that evening? No dessert for me- I had a Sambuca in an inappropriate glass and an espresso, while Carol had a cannoli As we were starting our first course (soup) a Head Waiter plus a head chef came to the two couples next to us to enquire about their meal. Please don't come here I thought. They came here. How is your meal she asked as my second spoonful had just been consumed "It's a bit early to say as I've just tasted two spoonsful of soup" She didn't introduce the chef but told us she was in charge of the 4 dining rooms. The thought bubble above my head said "Oh,I don't think so". An awkward pause and she slithered away. Odd. The room was very nice, I'll give it that.

The Faroes will soon be a smudge on the horizon and we won't see them on our return journey Our next Major event is dinner in Tuscan, followed by a show

We lunched in the very busy buffet.Carol's notes (no photos) say there was a Greek theme so I had skewers of kebabs, moussaka etc ( I am sure it was a pile of delights) Carol had a stir fry and we both had baklava. We had a wee bit of business to attend to. We wanted to change our Whale Watching trip tomorrow in Akureyri for a waterfall visit so we had to amble down to the Shore Excursions desk to see if it was possible. That meant a visit to deck 3. There was one young lady there and she took our request although she didn't seem to know the excursions listed as much as we expected. We would have to "wait and see". Future Cruises is busy Guest relations just off the Martini Bar So chic/upscale Internet desk. Apple products Very striking design on deck 3 Probably time for a relaxing nap...

The Faroe islands, founded by the Faroes of ancient Egypt who built the pyramids back in...wait a minute, um, that's a different Pharaoh . I was misled by a Boston mailman I was talking to in a pub there some years ago. He had a head full of random facts he liked to amaze with. This is a different Faroe entirely and they are aligned with Denmark and a magnet for serious landscape photographers. One of the friends I will be meeting in Belfast is a fine woman from these lonely islands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faroe_Islands Torshavn the capital city (Google images)

Actually, although you are correct, I recall my dad singing it with gusto . He'd fill up a bathtub then turn on the shower using the shower curtain like a windswept sail . The shower spray was used to replicate a storm at sea and he used a small canoe oar to steer his tub safely to land. He taught me a lot about seafaring' and liked to give practical demonstrations. Norris

I am a "Glass half full" kind of guy, always optimistic but if it's my beer glass that is half full it's time to spring into action. So I work my way up to deck 15 where the deer and the antelope would play if it wasn't so windy. This lonely guy is waiting for me (or anybody) I've made do with Heineken which at $7.50 (plus 20% armed robbery) adds $9 to my tab. A Stella Artois is $11 (plus 20%) =$13.20. I can get 6 of them in my wine shop across the street for $9.99. People have stopped asking if we'd like to buy the Beverage packet which was tiresome on day one/two. Even at their best price of $54 each we declined. 54x2x12= $1296 We tracked our spending on drinks and the total for both of us was $851 so we saved $445 over the package. In a warm climate I would drink more cold beers and Carol more sodas. They call the wind Maria and she howls her way down this deck I take refuge in the Rooftop Garden but the wind follows me Alas, the Rooftop Garden Grill will remain closed while in cold waters. Bummer. My Spidey sense was tingling and it wasn't the Heineken. I sensed land....