!!! SILHOUETTE !!! Western Caribbean- The Ultimate Review & Complete Pictorial Guide!

[rupertfrog]

Gambee you are doing a great job with your review! I'm all caught up now ... I'm loving the pictures. You make me wish it wasn't 10+months till we are on the Silhouette.

I like to see/learn about the ship, ports, & excursions in advance .... this is very helpful. I'm also following Bugsy & plan to check in with LibraryLady when she sails in January. I'm very glad to have all the information in advance of my sailing in early March.

I'll be back to finish our cruise!;)

[need2cruisesoon]

Gambee didn't eat in Blu - that's only for Aqua class guests. I have eaten in Blu in 3 different S class ships and the only time I was bothered by loud diners was when we were seared near a table if 8 very loud diners.

Thanks librarylady, I was not paying attention but appreciate your feedback on dining in Blu. I am considering a AQ cabin for a Med cruise aboard this beautiful ship but need to make a decision by Monday.

Ron

[micmacmissy]

Somehow I just watched the fisheye video- missed it the first go around! Wish I could "see" the whole ship that way!

 

Am I the only one who thinks the mismatched chairs in Qsine are really ugly?

 

Gambee, did you visit the Art Studio? I'm wondering what that is, and if they have classes/events in there.

 

I wish everyone that read your review could send you a few bucks...it would fund your next cruise! Appreciate all that you do!

[Tommy3putts]

Gambee, Have you thought about editing all your videos and photos in to one video for YouTube? The images are wonderful and should be seen. Very enjoyable review. Thanks for doing it!

[FTLAUDER]

My favorite pictures so far are Michaels Club. I especially love the bar with the "window" behind. Its a little moody, like the opening shot of a film noir.

WE almost booked the Silhouette in March, that 123 deal is a super idea!! Its now on my list for sure.

[gambee]

Thanks Gambee. What an excellent review. I know everyone keeps telling you but your pictures are magnificent! Love them!!! We have only sailed mostly RCCL ships and Celebrity only once, we love them both as both offer something different from the other. We have never sailed NCL so I'm looking very forward to your next cruise. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

 

Patty

 

Thank you again Patty, I am happy that you continue to enjoy my work. We are also super excited for our breakaway cruise, NCL is a wonderful company and offer a unique product. I have very high hopes for that cruise and hopefully the weather cooperates for that voyage.

 

Now that was a cool video!

 

Thank you for commenting on that specifically, in this cruise I only made one video like that. But due to the high demand of that video in particular I plan on doing many more during our next voyage.

 

I loved the video....thank you. Hey....you didn't stop at the Purell station....

lol

 

Another vote for this video, =) thank you.

 

I have my own little purell bottle on my camera bag ;-)

 

Just had to point out that that is our Oklahoma Sooners playing on the television in Michaels! Boomer Sooner!

 

Now that my friend is something that Gambee would never have noticed :D

[sonicbuffalo]

loved the pictures yesterday of Labadee and the Blu restaurant. It gets me excited to cruise again soon. Do you know of any sites to post pictures of land vacations on? we're traveling to El Paso tomorrow morning.

[gambee]

So the crappy internet has been mentioned a couple times by multiple people. That's the wireless, right? Did you ever try the internet lounge on board?

 

yes that is the wifi, on the last day I go to the internet lounge and funny enough there was a sign saying that the internet was out. So I am pretty sure the problem is everywhere.

 

LOVING your very entertaining review and photos Gambee. Unfortunately we had the same kind of weather when we were in Labadee in January on the Allure. When we were there I was on a mission to find me a bottle of that very smooth Pango after you describing it in your Allure review and I didn't find it anywhere. I'm surprised you got back on the ship this time without a bottle. Did you look for it this time?

 

OMG!!!! I completely forgot about Pango!!!!! How did that happen!!!! and the bus stopped right on that stop :-( noooo. hummmmm I guess I will have to go back again ;-)

 

 

Have a great weekend..............can't wait for tomorrow;)

 

I am actually having a very relaxing one, thank you.

 

 

Gambee, I am so amazed at your photos. You make the most normal things seem like works of art. Colors are just outstanding. You really are an artist. You missed your calling. You should have been a professional photographer. Of course, there is still time for that. ;)

 

I was only on one Celebrity cruise (Summit), but I found the artwork to be very intriguing. Things I would have never thought of as being works of art. I wonder how or who picks out what art will be on a ship. Sometimes, I think they must be a little quirky. Such unusual things.

 

 

I hate to see your review end. I am thoroughly enjoying it. Can't wait for the next one and this one isn't even done yet. Just do us all a favor and never stop cruising......:p

 

Thanks for all you are doing for us. It is really appreciated.

 

Gwen :)

 

Hello Gwen,

 

well I might have not missed my calling, I have high hopes for 2013, this is Gambee's year. I am glad you enjoy my work and no worries I don't think I will ever stop cruising.

[gambee]

Gambee, those tables in Blu are real close to each other. Did that bother you? I mean I talk loud and my girlfriend says to pipe it down when we go out. just wondering if you felt others could hear your conversation with your mom while dining.

 

That was exactly my thought, but we never ate there. That said, the tables at Qsine, the lawn and the MDR are just as close. And that was an issue for us during the entire cruise, there is very little privacy in that respect. For us is not a big deal because we talk in spanish between us, so no one is listening to our conversation. But you easily listen to the conversations of the tables around you.

 

Gambee you are doing a great job with your review! I'm all caught up now ... I'm loving the pictures. You make me wish it wasn't 10+months till we are on the Silhouette.

I like to see/learn about the ship, ports, & excursions in advance .... this is very helpful. I'm also following Bugsy & plan to check in with LibraryLady when she sails in January. I'm very glad to have all the information in advance of my sailing in early March.

I'll be back to finish our cruise!;)

 

Thank you :-) I am glad this review is helping you plan your trip, after all that is main reason for putting this reviews together.

 

Ill see you around =)

 

Somehow I just watched the fisheye video- missed it the first go around! Wish I could "see" the whole ship that way!

 

Am I the only one who thinks the mismatched chairs in Qsine are really ugly?

 

Gambee, did you visit the Art Studio? I'm wondering what that is, and if they have classes/events in there.

 

I wish everyone that read your review could send you a few bucks...it would fund your next cruise! Appreciate all that you do!

 

I will have to get much more of Breakaway with the fisheye lens, apparently a lot of people liked it.

 

Actually I also found then ugly the first time I saw pictures of them on the internet, I guess they grew on me.

 

I took pictures of the art studio and posted them already, where I am not sure. I think it was at night but can't recall what day it was on. They do have some events there, but I never saw one. You can look on the newsletter and see what they offer.

 

I will see you around Missy =)

 

Gambee, Have you thought about editing all your videos and photos in to one video for YouTube? The images are wonderful and should be seen. Very enjoyable review. Thanks for doing it!

 

Thought of it yes, but honestly this is a lot of work already, doing a video would add more to that. In addition to that my computer is a little dated and editing video on it is a painful process. Maybe in the future if I upgrade my computer.

 

 

My favorite pictures so far are Michaels Club. I especially love the bar with the "window" behind. Its a little moody, like the opening shot of a film noir.

WE almost booked the Silhouette in March, that 123 deal is a super idea!! Its now on my list for sure.

 

I also loved how those pictures came out, funny enough that day I discovered a new way of taking pictures without a tripod. I guess it worked good =)

 

 

loved the pictures yesterday of Labadee and the Blu restaurant. It gets me excited to cruise again soon. Do you know of any sites to post pictures of land vacations on? we're traveling to El Paso tomorrow morning.

 

Not really, some people blog it on personal blogs, but non that I know about, sorry.

[4774Papa]

What was there to do in Labadee?

It appears that there is a zip line there.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labadee

[gambee]

What was there to do in Labadee?

It appears that there is a zip line there.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labadee

 

Hello Papa,

 

if you you to this link you can see all the activities that are offered there.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/destinations/shoreExcursions/subGateWayByPort/search.do?LocationCode=LAB

[birthdaygal]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, Love your pics especially the trail you took and the ship peeking through...anyway I am teaching onboard the Celbrity Silli in January and have been assigned to the Michaels Club venue for two mornings...wondering if this is my classroom pics? Looks lovely! And I don't require projector etc...so should work fine...just trying to make sure I am reading this correct...and thanks again...they should hire you to do this as you are fantastic! Barb

[gambee]

Hi, Love your pics especially the trail you took and the ship peeking through...anyway I am teaching onboard the Celbrity Silli in January and have been assigned to the Michaels Club venue for two mornings...wondering if this is my classroom pics? Looks lovely! And I don't require projector etc...so should work fine...just trying to make sure I am reading this correct...and thanks again...they should hire you to do this as you are fantastic! Barb

 

Hey Barb, yes that is correct. That is indeed your classroom.

 

May I ask what your teaching?

 

Thanks for the kind words =)

[birthdaygal]

Hey Barb, yes that is correct. That is indeed your classroom.

 

May I ask what your teaching?

 

Thanks for the kind words =)

You deserve all the kind words for all the pleasure and info you are giving everyone and yes if you got a dollar for each....hmmm...but anyway to answer your question, I have been teaching real estate onboard Celebrity for the past ten years to a group of realtors from Springfield IL who receive continuing education credit for taking the classes....We have really had a great time...I am a realtor here since 1987 and was an el ed teacher before that so now also list, sell, and teach real estate...I have not been on the Silli before but have been on Equinox and Solstice past couple years...love the S Class. We are in Aqua and will be eating in Blu again and I really love the windows which you caught with your camera! Thanks again and if you are ever in Springfield, IL be sure you come to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum--it is top notch!

[prekteacher]

Well I have finally caught up in your fabulous review. This looks like an amazing ship. You have made the most out of a poor week of weather and this trip review is as great as your Allure one. I can't wait for the NCL report as my kids are bugging me to go on Allure or try the Breakaway! Have a great Sunday to you, mom, and your bf!

 

Barb

[gambee]

Now they are moving the wave runners back to shore.

 

 

 

 

With the blink of an eye it was sail away time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gambee]

 

The path we walked that day.

 

 

 

 

 

Since it was Good Friday my mom had gone to mass and I just stayed in the room and watched a movie. I also started working on my videos.

 

[gambee]

 

Here is the sail away video

 

 

 

 

I took one with the camera opining straight down.

 

 

 

 

And this one is a few miles out

 

 

 

 

This last one was actually from that morning, it is of the fishermen out in the ocean.

 

 

 

[gambee]

Sometime had passed and my mom came back from mass, we then got ready and headed out for cocktails and dinner.

 

Cocktails that night was at Molecular, we ordered two drinks a ginger mojito and a lucky cat. The cat was much better than the mojito.

 

 

Lucky cat is smoking and mojito is in the tall glass.

 

We took our drinks and started heading towards Qsine,

 

 

 

[gambee]

I stopped in the ensemble lounge and took pictures of the drink menu there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2013 by gambee

[gambee]

Qsine

 

Ok lets see Qsine, I had been looking forward for this restaurant for a long time. As the tech geek that I am this is one experience that I did not feel like missing. Let me try to go through the basics first. You enter the restaurant and you're given an ipad, each person gets one. Then you start going through the menu, each person is supposed to add 4-5 items to their list and then the lists are combined by the server and he decided in what order to bring the items out to you.

 

The thing about it was that once you select the items the server comes and reads off the ipad and copies the items into his note pad. You never truly get to send the order digitally to the kitchen, another thing that they should consider doing is putting pictures of the items in the Ipad that way you get a better understanding of the items. I mean the entire pint of the ipad is to make the most out of it and to me it seems like Qsine is not using the Ipad at its max. Another thing that I noticed is that the kid in the table next to us must of dropped that ipad about 3 times, before the parents decided to take it away from him. I wonder what the ipad turnaround is, with drink spilling and whatnot.

 

The service in Qsine was good, the server was very nice, but I think he forgot one of our items and I know he forgot one of the items for table next to us. But he was extremely energetic and friendly and that is something most look for.

 

The food in Qsine is for the most part excellent! Very good food and always coming, we enjoyed it very much.

 

Now for my biggest complain and the reason that I am most likely not to go back. When I pay additional for a specialty restaurant I like to be relaxed and with some distance from other tables. Qsine is too crowded and you're basically eating with the tables next to you, I am not a fan of that.

 

Anyway lets get started,

 

Here is the ipad

 

 

 

 

 

And here is the video of the menu,

 

Please watch this video, it will help you understand how the menu is.

 

 

 

[gambee]

First we ordered the Lava crab

 

This item was extremely good, it was like fried thin noodles with crab. ASTOUNDING!

 

 

Disco Shrimp, very tasty.

 

 

Treseviche, it was very tasty.

 

 

Sushi lolipops, they were ok I guess. It also comes with a small tuna salad.

 

 

Lobster Escargot, Very good. The little cones next to it are bread.

 

 

Taco Royale, it was very good and you made your own guacamole.

[English101]

 

 

[/b][/color]

 

LOVE this!

[gambee]

And the painters Fillet, Excellent! (it comes with a bunch of sauces to try)

 

 

The dessert menu

 

 

We got the tombstone and the cupcakes, the tombstone was good. But the cupcakes were absolutely HORRIBLE!!!!! The worst cupcake I have tried in my life, I got buttered in because it said Red Velvet, but it was just really dry and really bad. In addition to that, the make your own system does not work very well, the bags break easily and everything goes in your hands.

 

 

 

 

 

The restaurant was not full, maybe it has to do with the recent price increase.

 

 

That table was dinning with an officer.

 

By the way I was spotted by Kevin (FRMPEI) inside Qsine, he said my mom gave me away, lol. Very nice fellow, I wish I had more time to get aquatinted with him. Funny enough the table next to us were also members of cruise critic.

 

Overall like I said we had a good time and the food was fantastic, but paying an extra $45 to get in to that crowded place is not worth it at all. Now if they removed a few tables out of there and made everything more open and relaxed (like murano) I would be all in for that.

 

[gambee]

 

So some of you have made reference about the dress code. As I stated before I am not a fan of dressing up, that is exactly why I decided to go to specialty restaurants and dress smart casual.

 

So someone asked if people dress formal also in specialty restaurants.

 

Well my friends at some point in Qsine my mom goes to me "look around and looked at how everyone was dressed" and then is when Gambee felt like this.

 

 

 

Yup, most everyone was dressed with full suits and tie, the whole shebang. Now please note I was dressed nice, but in no suit. I really did not care as I was following X protocol by the line and it seemed to bother not one around me. And in my defense at least I was not wearing shorts like the kid next to me :D.

 

By the way aren't kids not allowed in their specialty venues, I remember reading that somewhere. There were kids in all of our occasions in specialty restaurants, I have no issues with it, simply pointing out. Maybe they are just a little more lenient than their guidebook states.