Crown Princess ABC islands Jan 12 to 20, 2018

Thank you Norris for another amazing review. I have been reading along from close to the start and thought I

better let you know how entertained I have been, and that I have been lurking!

 

I have been going between this review and your 2015 Rome to

Barcelona review which reminded me that during that review I had told you, that you made me put it on our

bucket list. This October that one will be splashing out of the bucket onto the promenade deck.

 

We are going on the Celebrity Reflection October 1, sailing of the Western Mediterranean. First time to Europe for us!

I will also reread your 2014 Venice to Rome next. Your ideas and experiences in Rome and Barcelona have been

exciting to re-read with the idea that in a few short months we will see all that! The research and planning have

been fun yet overwhelming at times. Thank you for these past reviews! They are invaluable to all of us, your readers.

 

Kitty

Kitty- welcome!! Did not know you were reading this but now I do and am glad to see you here.

The Rome to Barcelona on the Emerald was my favorite cruise outside of the 3 Alaskan ones. It wasn't because of the Emerald and her crew as some of them may have hit their heads on the low ceilings above the bunk beds ( I had the top bunk when I sailed those 44 cruises with Royal Caribbean) but the ports- aye aye aye!!I Italy....every day Italy until the end and then to discover Barcelona! Rome, Venice and Barcelona are 3 cities I would want to visit for a week without a ship being involved. Venice is tiny but so unique. Yes read the Venice to Rome one as it was magical to me. It cost a lot of money because of the ship being so small and booking the most expensive suite and we went bonkers on booking a stunning hotel but have no regrets as that was a once in a lifetime experience and they treated us so well. Our experience in the hotels in Rome and Venice left a lasting impression of Italian hotel hospitality-so warm and welcoming but I think knowing a few Italian phrases really helped to set the tone.

If you read that one and there is no photo here and there just click on the blank space and it will take you to the original photo on Flickr.

The video I took when sitting in a canal side Venetian restaurant eating good Italian food during a rainstorm and a gondola goes by with a guy singing is one of my favorite video moments ever.

Italy- I first visited it in 1965 and didn't get back until 2014 and I so regret that long delay.

We both love it there and love the Italian people we meet.

And you are going on the Reflection!! Lovely ship. Have you read my review?

You are in for such a treat! What is your itinerary?

Excited-for-you-Norris

And you are going on the Reflection!! Lovely ship. Have you read my review?

You are in for such a treat! What is your itinerary?

Excited-for-you-Norris

Norris,

I will definitely reread your Reflection review! It is so fun to read something that you know is going to happen

to you shortly!

We will not be going to Venice, sadly, but there is always a reload of that bucket list especially after I am reading your

wonderful time there.

Our ports for this 11 day cruise in October are:Rome-(two days at sea) -Gibraltar, UK-Malaga, Spain- Cartagena, Spain,- Ibiza, Spain, - Barcelona, Spain (overnight) -Nice, France- Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy - back to Rome. We will be staying four more nights in Rome before flying back to US.

At the Florence/Pisa (La Spezia) port we will be seeing the Cinque Terre.

So much to see and do!!!! We may need a vacation from our vacation! :D

Kitty

We are in our seats in good time for the Voice of the Ocean show in the Princess Theater.

Show begins at 2.30 pm on our last full day on the ship. This pic was taken 18 minutes before the start and the seats would fill up.

It looked like it wasn't going to be the dismal throw-away event like the auditions in Club Fusion. The iconic red chairs made for some anticipation.

There will be judges!

 

 

and 6 contestants



 

Corey introduces the judges. The first, who's name I didn't catch on video is Jeffrey Allen who does an Elton John Tribute show. He performed in the Princess Theater after we left Curacao and again after we left Bonaire but we didn't go as we are not fans of Elton. Michael Misko is the funny magician Carol saw on our Thursday sea day. Miss Rose is the Entertainment Director.

Norris,

 

I will definitely reread your Reflection review! It is so fun to read something that you know is going to happen

to you shortly!

 

We will not be going to Venice, sadly, but there is always a reload of that bucket list especially after I am reading your

wonderful time there.

 

Our ports for this 11 day cruise in October are:Rome-(two days at sea) -Gibraltar, UK-Malaga, Spain- Cartagena, Spain,- Ibiza, Spain, - Barcelona, Spain (overnight) -Nice, France- Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy - back to Rome. We will be staying four more nights in Rome before flying back to US.

 

At the Florence/Pisa (La Spezia) port we will be seeing the Cinque Terre.

 

So much to see and do!!!! We may need a vacation from our vacation! :D

 

Kitty

Kitty, I am glad we went to Venice first as that cruise wasn't all about Italy which we were both revisiting for the first time in decades. We had the variety of Croatia and Malta to break up the Italy and we loved both of those stops very much. Once we got off in Rome-our first time there-we got hooked on the Italian atmosphere and cafe lifestyle as well as the antiquities. Hooked for life!

Your Itinerary is mouthwatering and you are going to get that variety too. I was last in Ibiza in 1972-yikes! Loved it then. Nice, France we had to miss because of the deadly floods that weekend (Oct 2 2016). Gibraltar I have never been to. Being on a glorious ship like the Reflection and seeing all these great ports is indeed something to anticipate. Well chosen!!

La Spezia is the closest port to Cinque Terre and we loved our brief time there, even on a cloudy windy day.

The Med will always call to us. I am excited for you!

I know you'll take a lot of great photos for CC.

Norris

Just to give you an idea of some of the logistics of putting videos in the reviews I have uploaded Voice video # 3 to Youtube an hour ago and the timer tells me it will be processed in 9 hours 42 minutes....must be rush hour for uploading videos to Youtube!

The photos take very little time as once they are in Lightroom to be prepped for Flickr it can take 5 seconds to two minutes to do the tweaks necessary depending on how I want the photo to look, which is ideally "how I remembered it". Cameras and eyes simply don't see the same.

Back at the Voice of the Ocean and we both agreed that it was a valiant effort by Princess to give us a new kind of entertainment on board. No the judges aren't stars and the singers aren't of the high calibre of TVs Voice contestants but this is free entertainment and those are our fellow passengers up there entertaining us as best they can. We applaud everyone who gets up on a ship and tries something as difficult as singing in tune and in a time and with some feeling.

It's a day of relaxing delights from the moment I awoke until now-coffee on deck in the fresh sea air, taking some pics while the ship is quiet, a nice cooked breakfast, a Guinness on deck, chatting and people watching, then off to a British Pub Lunch (more Guinness!) and now the Voice finals for about 45 minutes. Then maybe a nap? Pop Choir around 5 pm then pack and then a slap-up feed in the Crown Grill. Just a typical day on a Princess ship. Love it!

Some stills between video shots

 

 



 

Video 3 processed in a fraction of the time estimated Youtube time. There's a glitch in the camcorder's autofocus at the beginning, caused by a light on stage but it only lasts for 20 seconds or so.

Clip # 4 and there are only two more after this ( I promise!!)

 



 



 

LFaB-4EfoDE

 

 

 

 

Video shooting note- I couldn't hold the camera up to my eye level for these videos as it would have annoyed the people behind me-very distracting-so I had to hold it lower to screen the color viewfinder with my body. I don't have a note from my mother, alas.

 



 



 

Norris

Love your reviews Norris. Didn’t see this review until recently. Getting excited for our upcoming Celebrity Cruise and enjoyed your Celebrity review before our first cruise. Your photos are amazing. I have a crop sensor Nikon D500. I know yours is a full frame, but any suggestions for taking stills of the onboard productions. I have Nikkor 16-80, 35 1.8 & 10-20. I’m sure I’ll use them all on the cruise but have never taken photos of shows before.

Maris

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Maris, good question re taking photos at the shows where no flash is allowed. My full frame camera doesn't have a flash which is fine by me as I never use flash.

Much depends on where you like to sit. We usually sit right at the back, about 4 rows from the exit so we can get in and out easily without going down and then up a lot of stairs in a crowd.

From there I use my crop sensor Canon as I have a 55 to 250mm zoom on it. Being a crop sensor this actually gives me 55-250mm multiplied by 1.6 (for Canon or 1.5 for Nikon) which means in my lens the range is 88 to 400mm.

In Flickr, and a major reason I love it, under my photos is the EXIF data which shows me all the settings that took the photo. As you don't have a lens bigger than 80mm you will need to sit closer to get detail. Here are 2 photos to illustrate.

That close up was taken with the lens at 250 mm (really 400mm magnification) from this seat

That was with the Full Frame camera at 24mm (no 1.6 multiple on a FF as the sensor is 1.6 times bigger already).

From our usual seats and to get everyone on stage and all the scenery in the pic a 55mm gets this view-so your 80mm reach would work but without close-up capability.

I would suggest sitting in the raised seating and not on the floor just in front of the stage which would be a temptation as you'll see the whole set and what's happening at the back of the stage better and with less likelihood of heads in the way. If you want the close-ups then I recommend renting a zoom lens from Borrowlenses.com. I rent from them if for instance I am going to Alaska (see Star Princess review) and know I will need a zoom to see eagles, whales or glaciers up close. My 55 to 250 lens is not a Canon L Lens (top of the line) and is not as sharp therefore.

In the Caribbean my zoom was mainly for shows, for other ships nearby and for land far away-like the salt mountains in Bonaire. Mostly I used a 24-70mm L Lens, F4.

Borrowlenses have a Nikon 18 to 300mm lens for $50 a week so you need to book one for two weeks for a 7 to 10 day cruise. A 200mm is only $44.

I hope this helps!

Norris

Maris, good question re taking photos at the shows where no flash is allowed. My full frame camera doesn't have a flash which is fine by me as I never use flash.

 

 

Much depends on where you like to sit. We usually sit right at the back, about 4 rows from the exit so we can get in and out easily without going down and then up a lot of stairs in a crowd.

 

From there I use my crop sensor Canon as I have a 55 to 250mm zoom on it. Being a crop sensor this actually gives me 55-250mm multiplied by 1.6 (for Canon or 1.5 for Nikon) which means in my lens the range is 88 to 400mm.

 

 

In Flickr, and a major reason I love it, under my photos is the EXIF data which shows me all the settings that took the photo. As you don't have a lens bigger than 80mm you will need to sit closer to get detail. Here are 2 photos to illustrate.

 

 

 

 

That close up was taken with the lens at 250 mm (really 400mm magnification) from this seat

 

 

 

 

That was with the Full Frame camera at 24mm (no 1.6 multiple on a FF as the sensor is 1.6 times bigger already).

 

 

From our usual seats and to get everyone on stage and all the scenery in the pic a 55mm gets this view-so your 80mm reach would work but without close-up capability.

 

 

 

 

I would suggest sitting in the raised seating and not on the floor just in front of the stage which would be a temptation as you'll see the whole set and what's happening at the back of the stage better and with less likelihood of heads in the way. If you want the close-ups then I recommend renting a zoom lens from Borrowlenses.com. I rent from them if for instance I am going to Alaska (see Star Princess review) and know I will need a zoom to see eagles, whales or glaciers up close. My 55 to 250 lens is not a Canon L Lens (top of the line) and is not as sharp therefore.

 

In the Caribbean my zoom was mainly for shows, for other ships nearby and for land far away-like the salt mountains in Bonaire. Mostly I used a 24-70mm L Lens, F4.

 

 

Borrowlenses have a Nikon 18 to 300mm lens for $50 a week so you need to book one for two weeks for a 7 to 10 day cruise. A 200mm is only $44.

 

 

I hope this helps!

 

Norris

Norris

Thanks so much for your guidance. I’ll have to copy your reply so I can refer to it offline. I do have a 55 - 200 but just a kit. I’ll try it along with my 16 to 80. It’s better quality. My D500 is new to me & is supposed to be good for photos of shows. It even has a special metering mode for stage lighting. We will be going to most of the shows, so I guess trial and error. Thanks again. Your reviews are amazing & photography even better.

Maris

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Well Mr. Norris; I posted on your Regal thread that I have taken a break for a bit; but now I am back and I have read all 34 pages of your ABC cruise yesterday and today. Your photos as always are amazing. Your sunrises and sunsets; oh my; perfection. What a wonderful break from your cold Chicago. What a fun way I to spend my weekend Norris: I have really enjoyed catching up! Thank you for all of your time and effort in making us a part of cruising!

Thanks for the great compliments and most of all for taking the time to read the whole thing so far. Re the time and effort I am having iMovie struggles and wasted an hour just now watching the spinning Apple beach ball/restarting the computer etc. All that to bring you the video of the Pop Choir singing Sweet Caroline etc. It will have to wait until after work today. Again, not something I recorded to play back at home but maybe some of the readers were singing in it or are curious about it.

Once I get through the iMovie issues it is back to the photos and I took a lot on our last morning while waiting to be booted off the Crown.

Norris

Norris

 

Thanks so much for your guidance. I’ll have to copy your reply so I can refer to it offline. I do have a 55 - 200 but just a kit. I’ll try it along with my 16 to 80. It’s better quality. My D500 is new to me & is supposed to be good for photos of shows. It even has a special metering mode for stage lighting. We will be going to most of the shows, so I guess trial and error. Thanks again. Your reviews are amazing & photography even better.

 

Maris

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Maris thanks for the kind compliments!

Will you be posting your Celebrity pics on CC?

When do you sail?

Norris

We are a half hour out from our ABC cruise. Woot! Thanks for bringing us along on yours. I will finish it up when we get back.

We are a half hour out from our ABC cruise. Woot! Thanks for bringing us along on yours. I will finish it up when we get back.

In that case-Bon Voyage!!

I know you will have a great time.

Enjoy!

Norris

I'm still here, Norris, following along even though I've been a bit quiet lately. I'm loving all the ship pictures, and the videos of all of the activities aboard the ship. :D

Maris thanks for the kind compliments!

 

Will you be posting your Celebrity pics on CC?

 

When do you sail?

 

Norris

I may try to post. That will be trial & error. You save from Lightroom to Flickr don’t you? And then post from there? I do have a Flickr account. We are flying from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale next Wednesday, the 21st weather permitting & sail on the Reflection March 23 for 10 days to the eastern Caribbean. Can’t wait to leave this long winter behind. I think it may have even been worse in Chicago.

Maris

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I may try to post. That will be trial & error. You save from Lightroom to Flickr don’t you? And then post from there? I do have a Flickr account. We are flying from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale next Wednesday, the 21st weather permitting & sail on the Reflection March 23 for 10 days to the eastern Caribbean. Can’t wait to leave this long winter behind. I think it may have even been worse in Chicago.

Maris

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Maris, I process my RAW files in Lightroom and "publish" them to my chosen web host which is and I hope always will be Flickr where they compress them to JPEGS and from Flickr it is so easy to share using the BBB function to CC. Just copy and paste and then erase most of the url gobbledegook that identifies the location of that photo on the web. Just keep the text that begins and ends with the word img.I post the pictures big enough to fill the whole width of the CC available page. If you need any help when the time comes, just come back and post here and I will be happy to help you.

The Reflection is a dazzler of a ship. Great choice!

Bon Voyage!

Norris

Your CG meal looks delicious, especially the dessert. You can't find a meal of that quality for $60 something on land. We go to Ruth Chris from time to time and yes, creamed spinach always, garlic mashed potatoes and a steak each costs way more.

The last day of cruising is always bittersweet. Looking forward to your pictures gliding into Florida.

Your CG meal looks delicious, especially the dessert. You can't find a meal of that quality for $60 something on land. We go to Ruth Chris from time to time and yes, creamed spinach always, garlic mashed potatoes and a steak each costs way more.

 

The last day of cruising is always bittersweet. Looking forward to your pictures gliding into Florida.

Wow, what a great review.

I have your cruise next January bookmarked to look for your review.

Until adieu.....

Judy

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Your CG meal looks delicious, especially the dessert. You can't find a meal of that quality for $60 something on land. We go to Ruth Chris from time to time and yes, creamed spinach always, garlic mashed potatoes and a steak each costs way more.

 

The last day of cruising is always bittersweet. Looking forward to your pictures gliding into Florida.

The CG meal was delicious indeed! It is terrific value at $29 each.

We like Ruth's Chris too-steak spitting butter at you when it comes to the table. We don't go out for steaks in Chicago (gasp!) as I cook a mean filet in a cast iron skillet (finished in the oven) without the huge mark-up. We dine out for stuff we don't cook ourselves cooked by some talented chefs.

I looked at my harbor photos of 6 a.m Port Everglades after driving in from Michigan this morning and there are some nice ships lit-up shots. Then I hit some rooms like Adagio, Sabatini's, Vines-basically anything I had missed. Later in Ft Lauderdale we have a meal of the Gods. So-more to come!

Norris