Shadowmeboy's "Bliss"ful Eastern Caribbean Pictorial Cruise Review

[ellenw]

1 hour ago, shadowmeboy said:

 

It wasn't very noisy because the duck tail helps to mute it and spread the noise out.

And, thanks for all your efforts on this review.

[shadowmeboy]

 

Our Cruise Critic Meet & Greet was in the District Brew House.

 

 

 

We got there early to get things arranged.

 

 

A look around

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Officers for our sailing.

[shadowmeboy]

 

CC members mingling about with officers!

 

 

 

 

We had a really good turnout!

 

 

Silas Cook, the Cruise Director

 

 

 

Silas getting everyone focused and starting Introductions

 

 

Kimberly - CruiseNext Manager 

 

 

Charlyn Padilla - Guest Services Manager

[shadowmeboy]

 

Jocel Guzman - Assistant Hotel Director

 

 

Jose Fletes - Executive Housekeeper

 

 

Rogeliza Nanad - Restaurant Manager

 

 

Roger Gavankar - Executive Chef

 

 

Kiran Aguilar and Wade Cleophas - Beverage Managers 

 

 

 

Assistant Food & Beverage Manager - I missed his name

 

 

Mark Maeling - Senior Food & Beverage Director

 

 

Ligaya Dagasdas - Group Service Coordinator

 

 

Jovo Sekulovic - Hotel Director

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

Jovo said a few words and then handed it over to me.

 

 

We had Slot Pull sign ups, Cabin Crawl info, and continued mingling. Then a little before one we headed to the Casino to do the Slot Pull. 

 

 

 

40 people participated! $20 buy-in and $2 winners pot. We had a blast. Trace was easing into it the entire time! Steve had fun spinning here.

 

 

The top spinners!

[shadowmeboy]

After the Slot Pull we headed to The Local for Lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

Susan stirring in her Splenda with a knife, a downside to no straws. 

 

 

Trace is still getting used to this picture thing!

 

 

Time for a Mudslide!

 

 

Maria got the Soup of the Day. Similar to an egg drop soup.

 

 

Watermelon Greek Salad

 

 

Hot Buttered Pretzels with Cheese fondue

 

 

1/2 dozen chicken wings

[shadowmeboy]

 

Trace got a Coney Island Dog

 

.

 

I got an All-American Cheeseburger with Bacon

 

 

Maria got a Tortilla Bowl

 

 

Susan got a Rachel without the Swiss Cheese.

 

 

After Lunch, Susan and I headed to the Casino to consolidate bills from the slot pull. While I was at the Cashier, she was taking pictures of the chandelier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

We went and relaxed in the Stateroom for a while. We watched our Seattle Seahawks beat the Carolina Panthers!

 

Finally it was time for Susan's go-cart session.

 

 

on our way, I poked my head into Le Bistro

 

 

 

 

Margaritaville - I wish Norwegian had kept it Ala Carte, we won't go to it with the $15 per person cover charge. Its not worth it.

 

 

 

We climbed up to the racetrack.

 

 

 

Someone is excited. Susan checked in to the go-carts 10 minutes early at 4:20pm.

 

 

 

 

Just a note remember to wear closed toe shoes when showing up to race. They will not let you enter without proper footwear.

Edited December 17, 2018 by shadowmeboy

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

a group of riders getting ready to race.

 

 

Finally an hour after checking in, Susan climbed into a Go-Cart.

 

 

 

 

 

I captured a really cool shot of the Sunset waiting for Susan to race.

 

 

Waiting for Susan's heat to go.

[shadowmeboy]

 

Video of Susan racing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

She got the third fastest lap!

 

 

 

She had fun!

 

We had to hurry  back to the Stateroom and get ready for Dinner. Before Dinner, we had to get photos!

 

 

Waiting for the Captains photo!

[shadowmeboy]

 

Captain's Photo with Captain Robert Lundberg

 

 

 

 

 

Ocean Blue

 

 

 

 

 

photo stations set up in the Atrium

[shadowmeboy]

 

Guest Services and Credit Desk

 

 

Shore Excursions

 

 

Music in the Atrium

 

 

 

Finally it was our turn!

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

I am going to stop here for the evening day 2 continued tomorrow.

[Kealy]

What a great start -- looking forward to more of your review!

[shadowmeboy]

8 hours ago, Kealy said:

What a great start -- looking forward to more of your review!

 

Thank you, glad to have you following along.

[shadowmeboy]

Trace and Maria met us down in the Atrium.

 

 

Just keep smiling Trace!

 

If you remember at the tail end of Day 1, we got invited to a Captains Cocktail party in the Haven. Trace and Maria also got invited, and were initially planning on not attending. My persuasive self helped convince them that we all should go.

 

Matthew's thoughts went like this when we got the invitation.

 

1. Cool, we got invited to a Captains party.

2. Extremely cool, its in the Haven area.

3. How am I going to get into the Haven for this party? I don't have key card access. I guess I could call Pamela the HD director secretary. 

4 I wonder if Trace and Maria got invited?

5 If they did, we could go together, and they have key cards to get us in the Haven.

6 Let's call Trace!

7 They did, they are going now, no need to call Pamela and bother her. uh oh, we need to change our reservation for Q.

8 Call Trace back! We need the reservation moved.

 

So here we are at the present.

 

 

We get up to the Haven area, and they do have someone letting invited guests in. 

 

 

 

walking into the Haven deck 17

 

 

 

Haven seating area and bar

 

 

Courtyard

 

 

 

The reception was in the observation area.

 

 

 

 

 

Mingling with Officers

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

We found seats and enjoyed and drink and canapes. 

 

 

A little while later, Trace showed us up to the overlook area.

 

 

 

Looking down on the reception.

 

 

This is what the observation area looks like without a bunch of people. Trace was able to take these.

 

 

We headed up to deck 19 the Haven Sun deck.

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

Coming back inside, looking down on the courtyard.

 

 

 

Haven Restaurant entrance is to the left.

 

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A

few more shots of the Haven Courtyard

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We exited the Haven and headed down to deck 6 to go to Q.

 

 

 

 

We arrive at Q at exactly 7:30 pm for our reservation.

 

Edited December 17, 2018 by shadowmeboy

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

Trace was fascinated by the water cup. It looks like a red Solo cup, but is heavy like a regular glass. It was mind blown.

 

 

The menu

 

We order drinks and food at 7:40 pm.

 

 

 

 

We all had to try the Q specialty cocktail - the Smoked Peach Margarita.

 

 

drink menu

 

 

They came around and we got a group photo there at Q

[shadowmeboy]

Appetizers came at about 8:05 pm

 

 

Susan got bacon topped Deviled eggs

 

 

She also got a chopped salad.

 

 

Maria got Fried Green Tomato's

 

 

The band, Nashville Junction,  came up and started to get warmed up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maria got Tex-Mex Style Tortilla Soup.

 

 

I got Texas Crab Cakes - those were so good.

 

 

Trace and I both got Loaded Fries.

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

pausing for a second. I tried to edit an above post to add these, but I didn't save in time.

 

 

 

A few more pictures from the Haven Courtyard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

So the wait at Q began. We finished our apps by 8:15pm and expected entrees to arrive by 8:25 pm to 8:30 pm.

 

 

8:30 comes and goes.

 

8:40  comes and goes.

 

Finally at 8:50 pm entrees arrive to our table. Now mind you there are other tables around us, who sat after us, who got their apps after us, but entrees before us.

 

 

Maria got the Boiled Honey Citrus Salmon

 

 

Trace and I got the Pittmaster Platter. The sausages and pork ribs were good. The brisket and chicken were so-so and under seasoned. Cornbread was just ok.

 

 

Susan got the Pulled Pork.

 

 

after she doctored it up. She of course loved her dish.

 

The sides we ordered to go with our entrees arrived 10 minutes after the entrees.

 

 

The Mac and Cheese and Onion Rings were good.

 

 

Trace's Loaded Baked Potato was ok and the corn was bland and lukewarm. 

 

 

Dessert menu came at 9:15 pm. 

 

 

Warm Chocolate Brownies

 

 

 

Sweet Potato Pie

 

 

Mason Jar Banana Pudding

 

 

Bread Pudding.

Edited December 17, 2018 by shadowmeboy

[shadowmeboy]

The Assistant Maitre'D Garry Velez stopped by the table and asked how the meal was. We mentioned the drinks and ambiance was great, parts of the meal were great, but the pacing of the meal was way of, and told him times of courses. We also talked about the food flavor being off and bland.

 

He apologized and told us he would not charge our Specialty Dining Plan. He wanted to us to come back later in the week, all we had to do was let him know what day and time. We said we had to discuss it and look at our dining schedule for the rest of the week.

 

After the Q, we rolled ourselves to the Casino and then to the Theater for the Show Havana!.

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting for the show to begin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Havana! was good. We were just tired after a long day. We headed back to the stateroom and found this.

 

 

We quickly got ready for bed and crashed. 

 

End of Day 2

Edited December 17, 2018 by shadowmeboy

[Leo T]

Hi Matthew, a lot of thanks for your review. It was my first cruise ever and it gave me so much joy and pleasure that I bought 2 next cruise coupons. I've back home to work and was very sorry that I didn't have enough memories from the cruise. Now your supplement to my pictures and memories made the difference. I just enjoyed the second pass of our journey. It's not less important than suggestions that I've got from this forum before the cruise. Special thanks to Debbie. Here are some of my pictures.

Leo.

[ClaireAndMike]

Do you know how Maria liked the the honey salmon from Q?  I'm new-ish to eating fish (was vegetarian for many years but have recently eased up) and thought that'd be a specialty restaurant I might try.  Oh!  And also that smoked peach signature drink.  How was that??  I'm usually just a wine drinker, but thought that one might be good to try.  

[shadowmeboy]

4 hours ago, leonidt7 said:

Hi Matthew, a lot of thanks for your review. It was my first cruise ever and it gave me so much joy and pleasure that I bought 2 next cruise coupons. I've back home to work and was very sorry that I didn't have enough memories from the cruise. Now your supplement to my pictures and memories made the difference. I just enjoyed the second pass of our journey. It's not less important than suggestions that I've got from this forum before the cruise. Special thanks to Debbie. Here are some of my pictures.

Leo.

 

It was great having you along. I am glad you had a great time! Thank you for sharing your photos!