Opera at Sea. 8th April

[czechmate]

We are having a fabulous and wonderful time.

11 at Goosbys and 26 at the Il Patio GTG. Such a great group with smiles laughter happiness all the way.

Good food, good wine GREAT company could you ask for more.

 

Benitad - we have wished you were here so many times and drunk to your health so frequently - you are taken care of healthwise till 2050.

 

We owe CruiseCritic big time for bringing us all together.

 

Amazing how many people we have met who read through each and every word of the posts and yet made no input!

 

More to come - you did not think we would go quiet now did you :-)

[Rotterdam]

Glad to hear you too are enjoying the Opera!!!!!!You might have to stay on for an extra week just to ensure you are correct in your happiness!

 

 

 

If Galen is still working at the bar in the Cotton Club - please send him my regards - John from NYC on the 26 Feb cruise - Johnny Walker Red & water!

[Oakville]

We want MORE - what was the biggest surprise? What is your opinion of the food? Is there anything that could be improved?

 

P.S. Stop staring at the beautiful and talented ladies in the production shows who are oh so physically fit...

[Benitad]

Barry, you have no idea how we're all living vicariously through you! Best wishes to everyone, and please say hello to my friends on the Opera. Tell Benny the waiter in L'Approdo that Olivia and I say hello! Take lots of pix of all you drunken louts ... but for crying out loud, leave some Limoncello for us!

[MimiKez]

Promise there will be more more and much more.

 

I am passing on wishes to ALL the staff that have been mentioned and believe me folks they are so PLEASED and Delighted. There are great smiles when the staff realise people really appreciated their efforts. I say hand on heart we could not ask for more helpful staff. These guys and gals are so polite and want so much to give service.

 

Last night I enoyed a rack of lamb with provencal herbs which was cooked to perfection and meltingly tendered served with the most al dente carrots and delicious butter green cabbage. The RISOTTOS are truly the food of the GODS!

 

Even the New Yorkers are rating the pizzas as a 10.

 

Little gripes but hey are they small.

OH - We were on embarked by 11.45 on Saturday 2nd at Fort Lauderdale

and the spirit decanted into plastic bottles duly arrived in the cabins.

 

A couple of naughty nameless CruiseCritic ladies smuggled bottles of rum on board last night in the pockets of their very volumionous shorts!!!!!!!!!

[czechmate]

Promise there will be more more and much more.

 

I am passing on wishes to ALL the staff that have been mentioned and believe me folks they are so PLEASED and Delighted. There are great smiles when the staff realise people really appreciated their efforts. I say hand on heart we could not ask for more helpful staff. These guys and gals are so polite and want so much to give service.

 

Last night I enoyed a rack of lamb with provencal herbs which was cooked to perfection and meltingly tendered served with the most al dente carrots and delicious butter green cabbage. The RISOTTOS are truly the food of the GODS!

 

Even the New Yorkers are rating the pizzas as a 10.

 

Little gripes but hey are they small.

OH - We were on embarked by 11.45 on Saturday 2nd at Fort Lauderdale

and the spirit decanted into plastic bottles duly arrived in the cabins.

 

A couple of naughty nameless CruiseCritic ladies smuggled bottles of rum on board last night in the pockets of their very volumionous shorts!!!!!!!!!

 

The above was posted by ME!!

 

Unfortunately it came up under Mimikez. I can only imagine that Mary used this terminal and did not log out so it was still in her name.

 

Mary I am sincerely sorry.

[Magwa]

Sounds like you are all having a whale of a time. I'm jealous! Bottoms Up!:)

[wwinfl91]

Tell Gino and Cynthia "HI" and have a great cruise from Warren and Trisha.

 

We will be seeing them in Belgium in May.

 

Have a great current cruise.

[stormyc]

Thank you for sharing your cruise - there's nothing like a report from onboard! Sounds like you all are having a wonderful time!

[Lill]

Glad to hear that everyone is having a great time! Will be watching for updates. Color me a bright shade of green. :D

[cronestein]

We are having a fabulous and wonderful time -

 

We owe CruiseCritic big time for bringing us all together.

 

Amazing how many people we have met who read through each and every word of the posts and yet made no input!

 

more to come - you did not think we would go quiet now did you :-)

 

Hello lucky -devils-

 

I am beginning to see the light .

Today ,for the first time ,I am longing to /for the cruise.But it needs at least 2 weeks to recover.

 

To you all:have a wonderfull time!

Is Henry in 10065?????

 

Bye Eternity.

[czechmate]

Thank you everyone for your good wishes.

 

Eternity - we are happy to hear that there is some improvement in your health but it is a huge shame that you are not with us. Yes Henri and Marian are in 10065 and very happy

.

 

Rotterdam - Galen certainly remembers you and almost broke my hand with his handshake at mention of your name. He was ready to give me plenty of messages for you.

 

Magwa - We dine with Robyn and toast you everynight!!

 

Benita - Florin has an MSC cap just for you!

 

Last night we had a private cocktail party for us C.Cers in the Byblos Disco

and they did us proud with excellent hot and cold canapes. We were celebrating a great 6 days in the Caribbean and the onset of Atlantic!!

 

We arrived 2 hours early in San Juan. Departed Martinique 1 hour later and Barbados 2 hours later and the extra time in the ports was much appreciated.

 

For those who remember the Milan airports transport problem - there will be coaches one way at 25 euro per person.

 

Sea is described as rough 2.5 to 4 metre waves but although we are rocking and rolling it is GREAT!!

 

So far sunshine all the way apart from some rain at Port Evergaldes on sailing day but it cleared up mid afternoon.

 

More later

[stowaway2k]

It all sounds so fantastic!

 

I hope Lirica's 2 May repositioning is as wonderful as yours sounds, including the heavy seas.

Thank you for the continuing updates, please don't stop!

 

Kyle

[cronestein]

czechmate,

Thanks for your update,but crying out loud,why am I here in this cold /rainy/windy Holland ???(inside the heating very high)

 

It is going better every day ----- one hour!!!!

 

Nice a rocking sea ,I like that.

Have Henri and Marian used the balcony,or was it to windy?

Shame I did not learn to know you,but who knows-----

Please say -hello- to Robijn and Madge for me.

And the whole bunch a happy crossing--------

Eternity

[cronestein]

czechmate,

Thanks for your update,but crying out loud,why am I here in this cold /rainy/windy Holland ???(inside the heating very high)

 

It is going better every day ----- one hour!!!!

 

Nice a rocking sea ,I like that.

Have Henri and Marian used the balcony,or was it to windy?

Shame I did not learn to know you,but who knows-----

Please say -hello- to Robijn and Mary for me.

And the whole bunch a happy crossing--------

Eternity

 

Mary I hope you have a wonderfull trip.

[czechmate]

Opera is coping wonderfully with the waves and the wind.

 

The decks and the balconies are in full use every minute of the day.

 

The biggest complaint we have is that there is not enough time to fit in all that we want to do every day.

 

One lady told me to day she was "Homesick" I said I was too - "Sick I had to go home". Thankfully though that time is still many days away and we will make the most of each and every moment.

 

Another complaint. All the mirrors in the cabins have a fault. Everyday they make us look larger!

 

All messages are being passed on to those mentioned

[cronestein]

Czechmate,thanks again for the updating.

 

I love windforce 6/7 blue sky and sun.I think thats your way of life on

this moment.

My son is in Cuba,the weather there is quite different.

Tropical showers,hot and humid.

Once again have a nice crossing.

Eternity

[Benitad]

Czechmate ... here's a lesson: the minute I stopped pigging out the mirrors were kinder!

 

I am so envious ... Florin, Pasquale, Benny, Christophe, Sylvester, Bapoo, Barbara, Carmine ... I never found a person who was unkind to us on the cruise. And with you ccers, I just KNOW it would be even better. I hope you guys are taking METICULOUS notes, because ... well, goshdarn it, you owe it to us. I can't wait to hear the rest of it!

Is that South African woman (yes, I know it's Mary!) behaving? I certainly hope not!

[robynp]

Hello everyone! Still very SMOOTH sailing aboard MSC Opera! Can't believe the Atlantic is being so kind to us - seas are like a lake today!

 

Cronestein - pleased to hear you have recovered from your illness, and we do wish you were onboard with us!

 

Benitad - of course we are keeping notes (and photos!). You will be pleased to know Mary is NOT behaving herself and is keeping all of us entertained! We are a very lively and happy lot of cruisers aboard. I have the same problem with the mirrors, but it is SO hard to stop eating the delicious food! And it's all your fault anyway - I dine with Czechmate every evening, and we are continually drinking to YOUR health, so I figure that's why I'm putting on extra weight....ha,ha.

 

I'm enjoying the cruise so much, I'm just about convinced to cancel my January/February 2006 voyage Southampton to Sydney. As you can probably guess I'm booking Opera 2006 Transatlantic April 2006 instead! The decision has been helped along by a bit of 'wine and persuasion' from Czechmate !!!!!!!

 

Ciao ciao

Robyn

[czechmate]

At Il Patio there was a magnificent sea food buffet today. What really was impressive was that as soon as one large arrangement of food began to look less than perfect it was immediately replaced.

The regular lunch buffet was still served also and both restaurants were open.

I want you all to know I am watching my waist line closely!! It gets easier every day!!

 

Today we had the C.C. Golf Tournament. Henri is the mens champion and Joan of Oz the lady champion. Howls of laughter could be heard all round the ship at our "Tigers" impressive performances.

 

It is a glorious afternoon and we wish that you were all here sharing this great experience.

[cruising babe]

Last night we had a private cocktail party for us C.Cers in the Byblos Disco

and they did us proud with excellent hot and cold canapes. We were celebrating a great 6 days in the Caribbean and the onset of Atlantic!!

 

Glad to hear that you are having such a good time, we are really counting the days now to our cruise on the Lirica on 02 May.

At the moment there are about a dozen CCers, how do we organise a cocktail party ?

 

Looking forward to hearing more about your trip and seeing some photo's

 

Irene & Roger

[Lill]

Darn those pesky mirrors! ;) Wonder if it could have anything to do with the absolutely yummy pastas??

[Benitad]

I wonder if this is the first time we've had a blow-by-blow description as the cruise happens; I certainly believe it is about MSC! It's so exciting that we don't have to wait until you all get back to hear about it!

(If you Operaticcers detect a little nudge of encouragement here, you wouldn't be mistaken at all:rolleyes: ...)

[sunpsyche]

So nice to hear great reports from the ship. We'll be taking our first MSC crusise on the Opera in January. Keep em coming!

[czechmate]

After 6 and a half fantastic days at sea during which we had force 8 gales and 4metre rough seas we finally reached Europe yesterday with the arrival at Teneriffe.

 

There was almost a sense of sadness as it hit us that the days are passing far far too quickly and the end of a wonderful cruise is too fast approaching.

 

During the rough weather there was of course some movement and during one night in particular some people did not sleep too well but overall Opera coped extremely well.

 

Tonight is The FAREWELL GALA. That is not fair - we still have today at sea then Cadiz and Palma to come and we want MORE: We are going to be a very sad bunch when it comes to the day of parting.

 

The staff are absolutely wonderful. The singers come and join us at our tables, the magician gave us a private show and everywhere we are welcomed and greeted with smiles.

 

The food remains of a consistently high standard even if there is a little disappontment from time to to time. It is impossible not to find something that you can enjoy. Thet choice and variety are vast.

 

That said we have still heard "This is the worst ship ever - never again with MSC" to which one of our Florida ladies responded with "From which planet do you come?".

 

We have reached the conclusion that if anyone does not enjoy this trip then they do not enjoy LIFE. Period!

 

It could well be that the transtalantic crossing of Opera in April 2006 will become a re-union cruise for us all.

 

The cocktail party was arranged through the assistant purser a very helpful and friendly Croation named Neven. Be warned though we did pay for it - but it was well worth it.

 

OH! They are changing the bed sheets everyday!! I should live in this style at home!!