First X Cruise:SILHOUETTE JAN 17 2016

[Pmorton3360]

Great pictures already. Did you have to get any new cameras or were they all in Chicago? Looking forward to your review. Pam

[riclop]

Love your humor and looking forward to reading your review.

[SOLIVITA LADY]

Just found your review so checking in for the ride. Interested to see what you thought about the ship and cruise.

 

Hope you are fully recovered from the events in Chicago and enjoy your new auto.

 

Jackie

 

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk HD

[Tommy3putts]

Looking forward to reading and seeing your exploits. Already enjoy your style.

Edited January 26, 2016 by Tommy3putts

[MisterMet]

Norris,

 

Glad to see you've recovered from your horrific event and back out cruising. Loved your Emerald Review and are really looking forward to your X review (your reviews are truly the most comprehensive). We are on X Summit to Bermuda in August (our first X cruise) and are interested in your comparisons.

 

The weather here in S. Florida has been iffy at best lately. It looks like you had sunny skies for sailaway and return. Can't wait to see what you have to say.:)

Edited January 26, 2016 by MisterMet

[Bimmer09]

Saw the notice of your X review on the Princess Board so...reporting for reading (and photo) enjoyment. Welcome Home.

 

Thanks for the welcome and -welcome to this new review!

 

I think you will like what you see...

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Norris, happy to see your review. Subscribed.

 

Howard and Janeen, so glad you saw this in the early stages. Great to have you along for the ride!

 

Norris

 

[Bimmer09]

Great pictures already. Did you have to get any new cameras or were they all in Chicago? Looking forward to your review. Pam

 

Hello again, Pam!

 

I have all my original cameras but I have added a new one-a GoPro Hero 3+ which you'll see in action later.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Love your humor and looking forward to reading your review.

 

Glad to see you here and thanks for the kind comments. My humor is what holds me together. I love a good chuckle.

 

Norris

 

[cgags47]

Well, your reputation surely precedes you! Can't wait to read the entire review, as I will be on the Silhouette, same itinerary, in March.

Edited January 26, 2016 by cgags47

[Bimmer09]

Just found your review so checking in for the ride. Interested to see what you thought about the ship and cruise.

 

Hope you are fully recovered from the events in Chicago and enjoy your new auto.

 

Jackie

 

Hi Jackie-all is well now, especially after a cruise! The new car is resting but will get a work-out this week.

 

My thoughts on the ship and cruise will become apparent as we go along.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Looking forward to reading and seeing your exploits. Already enjoy your style.

 

Thanks Tommy-pull up a chair!

 

There's beer in the fridge so help yourself.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

 

Glad to see you've recovered from your horrific event and back out cruising. Loved your Emerald Review and are really looking forward to your X review (your reviews are truly the most comprehensive). We are on X Summit to Bermuda in August (our first X cruise) and are interested in your comparisons.

 

The weather here in S. Florida has been iffy at best lately. It looks like you had sunny skies for sailaway and return. Can't wait to see what you have to say.:)

 

I'm glad to see you here and that you loved the Emerald Review-that was an amazing itinerary. I don't think we are done with the Med yet!

 

It was 48 degrees and windy when we got of the Silhouette and waited in a line with about 600 people...pier 25 is not pier 2!!

 

Thanks for the kind and generous comments.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Well, your reputation surely precedes you! Can't wait to read the entire review, as I will be on the Silhouette, same itinerary, in March.

 

Hi-this will be finished before March so you will be well prepped...

 

Norris

[LabGuy64]

Nice pics but,....I am not up for a multi week review....take care

 

 

Hi-this will be finished before March so you will be well prepped...

 

Norris

[cgags47]

Hi-this will be finished before March so you will be well prepped...

 

Norris

 

Sounds like a plan to me!

[mmi1103]

We leave in 3 weeks for the Silhouette and are looking for current MDR menus. Any pics you could offer? Thanks!

[Bo1953]

... for your review. We will be on Silly in less than two (2) weeks and I will read as you post up to that point...

 

Your text and photos are phenomenal, I can use a few lessons from you... :)

 

Again, thank you.

 

bon voyage

[Bimmer09]

We didn't just suddenly find ourselves on the Silhouette one day-there was a Back Story leading up to it. We have to go back in time to the genesis of the idea.

 

In the year 780 B.C a band of Etruscan shepherds were camped high in the mountains of what is now Northern Italy, tending their flocks when suddenly from the sky in a ball of fire and light came a...no, wait a minute-that's going so far back it's ridiculous!

 

Let me think... Ah! It was last MARCH 2015 that we surfed online for our traditional winter "Escape the Chicago cold" cruise. I suggested another Princess

Cruise after also sifting through HAL, Royal, Cunard, Oceania and Azamara while Carol stumbled on an X cruise while searching for Caribbean-most sea days. She likes the lazy sea days whereas I am Mr Shore Excursion.

 

What ship? said I.

 

Silhouette, said she.

 

I spat out my coffee,even though I wasn't drinking any at the time. BOOK IT!! I love the design of those S Class ships! I cried.

 

Yes it looked good on paper so I logged into the X web site and although the website appeared to have been engineered in the days of steam I managed to book an aft Sky Suite (we are aft-dwellers through and through) and the process was begun.

 

The website operation gave me the impression that the office was staffed by elderly gentlemen with pince-nez glasses, shuffling along between filing cabinets

and blowing dust off the booking documents before taking their quill pens to mark down my request in a heavy ledger.

 

What made the decision truly sweet was the 1,2,3 GO promotion that was offering us $300 OBC, Gratuities Paid (and the suites charge over $16 a day per person in tips) and a Classic Drinks Package thrown in. So our on board spend was likely to be over $1000 less than we normally spend. We chose the excursions months later and of course had to pay for them up front.

 

I saw my first S Class up close for the first time in January 2012 during our first visit to Fort Lauderdale. Here was my reaction... (you have to wait for the Pacific Princess to pass first)

[YOUTUBE]

[/YOUTUBE]

 

 

Here are the people who went on this cruise....

 

 

The dolphin is Tilly and we love her but we just can't take her cruising as a service animal or a comfort pet-well we did once but had to keep her in the bathtub and the splashing and squeaking kept us awake all night. Also there was no room for us in the shower...

 

Anyway-I'm thinking it is time to push the boat out on this review...

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

We leave in 3 weeks for the Silhouette and are looking for current MDR menus. Any pics you could offer? Thanks!

 

Hi, we only ate in the MDR once-our last night but I believe I took a pic of the menu and will find it for you.

 

Watch this space.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

... for your review. We will be on Silly in less than two (2) weeks and I will read as you post up to that point...

 

Your text and photos are phenomenal, I can use a few lessons from you... :)

 

Again, thank you.

 

bon voyage

 

Bo, thanks for joining us here and for the kind comments. Much appreciated!

 

You'll see many Silly photos before you go-day and night shots.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Nice pics but,....I am not up for a multi week review....take care

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Norris

 

[Bimmer09]

When you book a cruise 9 months out you have lots of time to dream and plan.

 

Life goes on and then one day you look at your phone and the Shipmate app looks like this...

 

YIKES!! Today is the day!

 

Cat sitter arranged? Check

Packing list completed? Check

Mail stopped? Check

 

and so on....

 

The taxi arrives at 5 a.m for a 7.30 flight. It's Chicago so we allow lots of time to get there, drop the bags, make our way through security via TSA Pre (best thing ever)

 



 

stop at the United Club for espresso and a quiet room to wait in...

 

 

Flight is on time. That's always a good way to start!

 

 

The aircraft is being prepped. Someone onboard is helping the pilot sober up.

 

 

Thanks for reading along....we'll continue tomorrow..Up Up and Away!

 

Norris

[MJSailors]

I hope that you and Carol enjoyed a lovely,sunny,interesting cruise! This Platinum level Princess cruiser has jumped ship for the past week to check for any postings by you on the Celebrity forum.

Glad to know that your review will soon begin! Reading your reviews are like reading a good book- they are page turners!

Welcome home and get to work on the X review post haste! (That is a request,not an order.) :)

[katie11]

Hi Norris,

I too, have been waiting for this review. I have really enjoyed your Princess reviews and will be very interested in your X opinions.

Your photo's are brilliant and I can't wait for the next instalment.

Kerry