Scenic Eclipse News

[goorawin]

On 9/13/2019 at 12:36 AM, RockyandMoose said:

Some photos of the deluxe veranda stateroom And bathroom. Shower pressure is excellent with both an overhead rain shower  and handheld spray as well. Products are excellent quality with mild if any scent. They are also hypoallergenic. Bathroom has ample drawer, wall cabinet space for stowing product and personal items. 

I have just caught up with your Eclipse experience which is certainly very interesting and detailed. More importantly it covers a different angle to mine, so that’s great.

I have noticed that you have only minor concerns about your suite and yet your photos reveal some of the concerns we had with ours.

Firstly I would appreciate your assessment of the reflections in the TV when viewing it. Since the TV is such an important device in a paperless ship its vital that it is easy to operate and view.

Secondly would your prefer to have a more conventional type of basin in the bathroom, instead of the very flat surface which is far more prone to splashing?

Thirdly what are your thoughts on the square and very sharp door handle in the shower.? Do you think it could present a danger to someone, in the event they slip, which of course can happen anytime but is far more likely in a moving ship.

Finally those narrow depth wardrobes may be fine in a home but on a moving ship, no. If the ship has gone through a heavy swell, a lot of what is placed on those shelves will end up on the floor when opening the door.

 

There are many other issues like this on the Eclipse that I strongly believe Scenic needs to be made aware of. This is important before the final design of the Eclipse 2 is locked-in. It is only through honest assessment by passengers will these sort of changes be incorporated.

[czardas]

40 minutes ago, goorawin said:

 

There are many other issues like this on the Eclipse that I strongly believe Scenic needs to be made aware of. 

 

Goorawin did you end up managing to finish the lengthy survey at the end of the cruise?  Also did Scenic end up giving you any type of compensation for the delayed start of your cruise etc ?

[mochuck]

47 minutes ago, goorawin said:

I have just caught up with your Eclipse experience which is certainly very interesting and detailed. More importantly it covers a different angle to mine, so that’s great.

I have noticed that you have only minor concerns about your suite and yet your photos reveal some of the concerns we had with ours.

Firstly I would appreciate your assessment of the reflections in the TV when viewing it. Since the TV is such an important device in a paperless ship its vital that it is easy to operate and view.

Secondly would your prefer to have a more conventional type of basin in the bathroom, instead of the very flat surface which is far more prone to splashing?

Thirdly what are your thoughts on the square and very sharp door handle in the shower.? Do you think it could present a danger to someone, in the event they slip, which of course can happen anytime but is far more likely in a moving ship.

Finally those narrow depth wardrobes may be fine in a home but on a moving ship, no. If the ship has gone through a heavy swell, a lot of what is placed on those shelves will end up on the floor when opening the door.

 

There are many other issues like this on the Eclipse that I strongly believe Scenic needs to be made aware of. This is important before the final design of the Eclipse 2 is locked-in. It is only through honest assessment by passengers will these sort of changes be incorporated.

There are plenty of other things in the shower that you could hurt yourself on if you slipped. The tiles, the glass and everything else. I don't think you need to worry about the door handle.

[RockyandMoose]

So very nice to hear from you. There is an old saying that it is the difference of opinions that makes horse races.  We have seen and considered the various things which you wrote about while you were on board the ship and we respectfully do not reach the same conclusion as to some of them. However allow me to address your items serially  serially.

 

 If we were designing the ship and the state rooms we probably would place the television over the desk area where there is a large wall directly in front of the bed on which a television could be placed or behind which a television could be placed with a mirror on top. The choice to place the television behind the mirror and across from the two person couch is artistic and we agreed that it is difficult to watch the television or to read the items on the television without drawing the blinds and curtains for best contrast. We expect crystal clear viewing to be easier if the television was moved.  Obviously that will not be happening on this ship. At the same time however we noted in the materials which were provided upon embarkation that the option was given to have a paper program of activities deliver daily to this swee obviously that will not be happening on this ship. We asked our Butler who has been terrific to arrange for that and it has been here each evening when we were tired so that we can review it before the next morning. Frankly, we prefer having the paper version anyway because until scenic develops an app that you can carry around with you on your cell phone, it is the easiest way of keeping track of the various activities we wish to attend and the timing of them.  And come up here and thetic Lee, the quality of the activities on board coupled with the fact that all spa services are free presents its own wow factor!

 

 My wife and I actually prefer the basin on the ship in our suite rather than a bowl shaped basin sticking up from the counter. In rough seas one could be washing their face and hit their head on either the fucet or the sides of a bowl basin. The ships we have been on in the past have had the basins sunken into the counter or rising above the countertop.  Moreover often in order to accommodate two basins next to one another they have been smaller and not as practical for us. Once again this is a matter of taste. I suppose that someone who wants to wash garments in  the sink onboard may find these sinks problematic.  We do not.  And for those who absolutely want to wash garments by hand there is a nice size basin in the Launderette on the third floor to accomplish that purpose.

 

With regard to the door knob on the shower the edges of ours were not perfectly 90°  And feel somewhat smoothed and rounded. It is an interesting choice of devices for opening the door nonetheless.  A bit harder to grasp firmly due to size and the tight seal of the door itself.   In our experience most cruise lines don’t even have a pull to open the shower door. Instead there is a towel rack which you have to yank on to open the shower.  Apropos of that we do wish that  scenic had some form of towel rack very close to the showers that would be within reaching distance when you were in the shower and wanting to grab a towel before stepping out into the bathroom. We also note is that the seal on the door and at the base of the shower is outstanding. When you close the shower door even if water sprays directly on the door no water leaks out onto the floor. We’ve been on many other ships where the caulking gives Way in a matter of no time not to mention how it accumulates mold. On this ship that is clearly not a problem.

 

 We respect the fact that the bathroom not only on ships at sea but also at home presents one of the most dangerous places for potential injury. Obviously it is made worse in very rough seas but we have not experienced them on the ship and have no particular desire to experience them just to test out the dynamics of the bathroom. However we cannot think of a better shape for a door knob on the shower unless you opted for a round one and in any case it is such a small factor in that bathroom that we do not personally find a troublesome. Once again it is a matter of differences of opinions.   We feel confident that scenic will be evaluating some of these choices as they build their subsequent ships.

 

There are several things that we like about the bathroom including the excellent water pressure, the great capability without feeling like you were being water boarded for the rain portion of the shower from the overhead nozzles to produce a good stream of water and the excellent ESPA lotion, shampoo, body wash and conditioner provided in the dispensers.. The fact that the water heats up quite instantly both of the sink and in the shower is an added bonus as is the nightlight which glows from under the sink  making it safer if one needs to visit the restroom in the night and not worry about waking up their fellow passenger by turning on the lights to do so. 

 

As to the narrow wardrobe we too are puzzled by the lack of depth of the shelves. We are assuming which is always a dangerous thing to do, that a good portion of the wiring for each of the cabins is behind that narrow space. The shelves there are really rather useless other than for things like gloves, shoes placed toe to heel, scarves And other objects. I think that stronger magnets on the wardrobe closet doors would be helpful all around and I believe, based on conversations with others who are connected with Scenic, that scenic is aware of this design irregularity and will not be repeating it on the next build.  What we do note is the presence of a recess on the desk between the desktop and the wall ideal for storing things that might otherwise fly off the desktop in rough seas and the stability of the furniture and equipment in the suite Which would resist rough seas.

 

 Again, it is important to note that travel is very much a matter of personal opinions and tastes. We have found the furniture in the room and the common areas to be very comfortable. We have found the food offerings in the yacht club to be varied, delicious, portion to properly for people who are diet conscious and buy a large healthy options are equal to the amount of options that might be fried or heavily sauce in there for offputting to some of us we have to watch our waistlines. There’s always a bright assortment of fresh fruit, salad fixings and if you don’t see it But you ask for it it is amazing how quickly things you might want to turn up.   And the dining and experiences have been consistently wonderful. There is so much variety and accessibility of the restaurants with the exception of those that require a reservation due to limited seating has been delightful. 

 

 

My wife and I had occasion to speak both with Mr. Moroney and with Marcelo, the Hotel director since we have been on board.  In passing my wife mentioned that what she missed in the state room was a magnifying mirror backlit or otherwise. That conversation occurred around midday and within two hours such a mirror had been placed on the desk in our room. We have found the staff to be very gracious and quick to address guest concerns in a meaningful fashion. Glenn also made it very clear to us that they were interested in feedback and welcome people to communicate either directly or through their travel agents about our concerns which they would be reading carefully and fully as they contemplated subsequent builds.  

 

 Tempting though it may be to simply make comments on venues such as Cruise Critic, people who really like the line and care about its success will take the extra effort to prepare a letter and send it on to scenic. This evening we will be having dinner with the hotel director and I will be asking him for an email address to which these comments can be sent.

 

 finally a word about customer evaluations. If you expand our signature you will note that we have sale 25 cruises with Crystal cruises. And all that time Christo has given a very sparse amount of time to guests to respond to quality assurance questionnaires which are emailed to the traveler typically on the day of disembarkation with a seven day deadline. We have groused about this a number of times and on one instance in the course of the world tour they actually agreed to give us 14 days to respond. It was hardly enough. On the one hand I understand that the company may want instant feedback.   In that manner something complained about that is substantial can be cured before the next passengers are brought on board and have to endure the same problem. On the other hand the hotel director is so visible that these types of comments which typically end up being put out in detail on Cruise Critic could be brought to the hotel directors attention immediately when they occur. Also, perhaps a sign of our current world where people shoot from the lip, the opportunity to give deliberate thought before answering surveys is not possible when one is asked to complete a massive survey overnight.  Are feeling is that if we cannot meet the deadline which the shipping poses it does not preclude us from riding to the ship business office is directly. The one advantage of such a letter once sent is clear.   Our letters typically get a signed written reply and on some instances, if I come and we have made or a misfortune of some minor type has befallen us, the ship has afforded us a credit for onboard use on a subsequent sailing.

 

 last but not least I would be remiss if I did not mention that one of the greatest attributes of Crystal cruises is the magnificent crew who make you feel at home from the moment you step on board both initially and on subsequent cruises. We have found the same magnificence here on the eclipse. Within a day staff members have been addressing us by name and anticipating our every need. They all smile broadly whenever you see them in any of the common areas. While my wife and I were at lunch today  The captain approached us for the second time in as many days inquiring as to how we were enjoying our journey. We also interacted with the helicopter pilots who gave us such confidence based upon their demeanor that we, who are reluctant helicopter flyers, have signed up to take a helicopter adventure tomorrow. From the most important officers on the crew down to those who are simply in charge of the important PR work of waiting tables and helping guests, they have been friendly, welcoming and clearly appear to love their work on the ship. 

 

Do we intend to cruise on the ship again? Absolutely. We have already booked two additional cruises and look forward to them next summer. We wish that the boutique on board had more Crysta do we intend to cruise on the ship again? Absolutely. We have already booked two additional cruises and look forward to them next summer. We wish that the boutique on board had more Cynic branded items – – my wife nabbed the last scenic jacket, And we wish that they offered shoeshining services. But at the end of the day for us to ship, the itinerary and most important it’s personnel are the most critical things.  And in these departments Glenn and his company have hit a grand slam in our books.

 

 

 

 

[Vpilon]

I will be sailing on this ship from Cartagena to Lima this year. It’s sounds like everything I dream of.  I don’t sweat  the small stuff. I do like wine with my meal. How is the selection of wine and cocktails ?   

[RockyandMoose]

So far excellent wine choices reds and whites changing nightly and extensive bar options.  We understand that there are some ver high range options available at a price and not otherwise included.  Lovely Champagne bar with good variety in Lumiere.  Full bars also on the ship.

 

 One correction to our prior posting. Some of the services in the spa are charged for and are not free. Certain features of the spa such as the sauna, steam rooms etc. are complementary. My wife had a massage this morning which she thoroughly enjoyed and noted that the price was below that charged in Southern California for a massage at some of the top rated spas and that there was no place on the bill to leave a gratuity! 

[Vpilon]

Thank you!

[RockyandMoose]

For those on Cruise Critic who have cruised already on the eclipse and have comments which they would like to share the hotel director Marcelo Afonso Has provided the following email address so that feedback can be provided to  has provided the following email address so that feedback can be provided to Scenic:

 

customercare@scenic.com.au

 

We enjoyed a simply magnificent dinner this evening at the chef’s table with wine pairings this evening. It was a wonderful experience each course being as good if not better than the previous one. The company was equally divine. Chef Tom  and his team were not idle during the delays in commencing cruises aboard the ship. In the time that they have they developed 2200 recipes and what was showcased this evening cannot be adequately put in words. I will try in the next day or two to post pictures of the courses. But one thing is certain and that is that a cruise on the ship should absolutely include a Chef’s table reservation if at all possible. Not only is the ship and expedition ship but the expedition continues into the dining on board manned by a crew of 36 chef chef‘s table reservation if at all possible. Not only is the ship and expedition ship but the expedition continues into the dining on board manned by a crew of 34 chefs!

[Silver Spectre]

Thanks RockyandMoose for your extensive reporting and photos. Looking at wardrobe space is there room to hang full length dresses?

[towel-animal]

10 hours ago, RockyandMoose said:

We enjoyed a simply magnificent dinner this evening at the chef’s table with wine pairings this evening...one thing is certain and that is that a cruise on the ship should absolutely include a Chef’s table reservation if at all possible.

 

Sounds fabulous! Can you tell me how the reservation worked? Did you have to receive an invitation to this dinner? Or were you able to reserve it yourself and pick the night of your choosing?

 

Also, have you heard of any plans to open the Yacht Club buffet for dinner?

Edited September 16, 2019 by towel-animal

[RockyandMoose]

A full length dress is likely to be too long for the wardrobe.   Judging from what we have seen about the ship, there would be little need for opportunity to wear such a dress on board. The evening attire here is very very casual. Gentlemen may want to bring a blazer or a sports jacket if they feel I need to dress up for dinner but the majority of guests wear collared shirts and either denim‘s, khakis, dark jeans or slacks. Most women seem to be wearing pants With a top. A light sweater is advised as some of the common areas are kept very cold for some but for those of us who run warm it is nirvana. As there are no semi formal or formal nights, even the notion of country club casual may be a bit too dressy. If you look at the photo which I posted you can see the length of the bathrobe for some idea of length.

[RockyandMoose]

We have not heard any word about opening the yacht club for dinner. The ship is still trying to get all of the services running at peak efficiency and it is going to take some time.  The yacht club is staffed by the people who run the Dining venues as it is so staff would have to be diverted from the 8 dining venues onboard if the Yacht club is to remain open for dinner service. We suspect that it is more likely for that to occur when the ship is headed into the southern hemisphere and warmer weather we’re dining with a view of the sky and stars might be lovely. The other thing we would observe us that he has never been a problem to get into almost any restaurant on board as a walk-in with the exception of the Japanese teppan  which by necessity is limited to eight persons perceiving though they do multiple seatings each evening and Lumiere which is by reservation due to the set multi course menu with wine pairings.

 

When we boarded the ship and met our butler the first things we asked about were signing up for the cooking school epicure and dinner at the chef’s table. He told us he would make arrangements for us. As of last evening we had yet to be told whether we would have an opportunity to dine at the chef’s table or not.   We were invited to and did sign up to attend the cooking school which was fantastic. Last evening while at the bar we were approached by the woman in charge of the chef’s table advised us that three people in a group who had been invited to the Chef’s table had canceled at the last minute and knowing that our Butler had indicated that we were interested in dining there asked us if we were ready to join that evening. She successfully changed our reservation at Lumiere to another date and we were able to enjoy the chef’s table meal. One thing I can tell you for certain and I know my wife will agree  Is that although the portions are small at the Chef’s table, the cumulative affect of those various courses is substantial and it is probably better, if given a choice, to know in advance by at least a day before you’re going to dine at the chef’s table so that you can eat very sparingly in the morning and at lunch anticipating a very substantial meal that night at dinner. Just a word to the wise in that regard but it absolutely in our opinion is a must to do on the ship... is that although the portions are small at the chef’s table, the cumulative affect of those various courses is substantial and it is probably better, if given a choice, to know in advance by at least a day before you’re going to dine at the chef’s table so that you can eat very sparingly in the morning and at lunch anticipating a very substantial meal that night at dinner. Just a word to the wise in that regard but it absolutely in our opinion is a must to do on the ship...Not just  because of the excellent food and wine but because of the opportunity to have your dinner served by the sheriff and explain course by course by the chef and to learn more about him and his background and the important things in his life which brought him to this point of excellence on this exquisite expedition ship. He has such passion and has a crew of chefs working with him collaboratively without the histrionics of most television chefs.  So check with your Butler when you board the ship and make that request a top priority!  Some photos of some of the courses from the chefs table are attached.

Edited September 16, 2019 by RockyandMoose

[Carol From California]

4 minutes ago, RockyandMoose said:

We have not heard any word about opening the yacht club for dinner. The ship is still trying to get all of the services running at peak efficiency and it is going to take some time.  The yacht club is staffed by the people who run the Dining venues as it is so staff would have to be diverted from the 8 dining venues onboard if the Yacht club is to remain open for dinner service. We suspect that it is more likely for that to occur when the ship is headed into the southern hemisphere and warmer weather we’re dining with a view of the sky and stars might be lovely. The other thing we would observe us that he has never been a problem to get into almost any restaurant on board as a walk-in with the exception of the Japanese teppan  which by necessity is limited to eight persons perceiving though they do multiple seatings each evening and Lumiere which is by reservation due to the set multi course menu with wine pairings.

 

When we boarded the ship and met our butler the first things we asked about were signing up for the cooking school epicure and dinner at the chef’s table. He told us he would make arrangements for us. As of last evening we had yet to be told whether we would have an opportunity to dine at the chef’s table or not.   We were invited to and did sign up to attend the cooking school which was fantastic. Last evening while at the bar we were approached by the woman in charge of the chef’s table advised us that three people in a group who had been invited to the Chef’s table had canceled at the last minute and knowing that our Butler had indicated that we were interested in dining there asked us if we were ready to join that evening. She successfully changed our reservation at Lumiere to another date and we were able to enjoy the chef’s table meal. One thing I can tell you for certain and I know my wife will agree  Is that although the portions are small at the Chef’s table, the cumulative affect of those various courses is substantial and it is probably better, if given a choice, to know in advance by at least a day before you’re going to dine at the chef’s table so that you can eat very sparingly in the morning and at lunch anticipating a very substantial meal that night at dinner. Just a word to the wise in that regard but it absolutely in our opinion is a must to do on the ship... is that although the portions are small at the chef’s table, the cumulative affect of those various courses is substantial and it is probably better, if given a choice, to know in advance by at least a day before you’re going to dine at the chef’s table so that you can eat very sparingly in the morning and at lunch anticipating a very substantial meal that night at dinner. Just a word to the wise in that regard but it absolutely in our opinion is a must to do on the ship...Not just  because of the excellent food and wine but because of the opportunity to have your dinner served by the sheriff and explain course by course by the chef and to learn more about him and his background and the important things in his life which brought him to this point of excellence on this exquisite expedition ship. He has such passion and has a crew of chefs working with him collaboratively without the histrionics of most television chefs.  So check with your Butler when you board the ship and make that request a top priority!  Some photos of some of the courses from the chefs table are attached.

Thanks for the wonderful description of the Chef's Table dinner but no photos came through.  

[RockyandMoose]

 Just back from an evening on shore to see an of Green Gables – – a very long running musical production here in Charlottesville. Scenic arranged for a bus to take us to six blocks to the theater and we parked right in front of the exit at the time of the show ended. We were provided with orchestra center seats approximately 6 to 8 rows from the stage dead center. We were also provided with tickets for complementary beverages at the interval/intermission.   It was a lovely evening. In order to accommodate the passengers who wished to attend the show several dining venues open earlier than usual. By the time we returned from the theater however at around 1130 the bars were still open but only room service was available for a late night snack. The server from room service brought the snacks down to the lobby lounge for all to enjoy. As the ship  gets more into the groove I think that scenic may wish to offer some location beer in the lobby lounge bar or in the azure lounge and bar for late night snacking especially on evenings when events off of the ship or part of the program. 

 

 Our helicopter plans were dashed at our last port due to the sudden rolling in a fog of securing the landmarks necessary for the pilots to safely conduct those tours. Though no more helicopter opportunities were scheduled, scenic made extra efforts and was able to arrange for permits to be issued for us to get our helicopter adventure in rose Blanche the day after tomorrow. In addition  complementary tours of the areas where the helicopters and the submarine are capped to allow guests to see them and to meet the personnel who operate them were offered to all passengers who’s submarine rides and helicopter rides were canceled which was a classy thing to do. Talk about going the extra mile!

 

We had occasion to use the laundry services on the ship  to wash and iron some jeans, some sports shirts and blouses. Everything was returned in pristine order and in a timely manner. The pricing was extremely reasonable and an excellent value. 

 

One other point which will be of interest book to those of you who are going to be traveling on board. The menus in the Japanese restaurant and in elements changes every 3 to 4 days. This has its good and bad points. It assures great variety Which is a wonderful thing but this evening when I had a hankering to re-order the celeriac Tonkatsu at Koko’s It had vanished from the menu. Tomorrow night we will be dining at Lumiere the only other reservation required venue for dinner on the ship and are looking forward to the set menu there which, unless they changed it in the past two days, includes courses of lobster bisque and Château Briand! We just may have to make another visit or two to the gym. It had vanished from the menu. Tomorrow night we will be dining at Lumiere the only other reservation required venue for dinner on the ship and are looking forward to the set menu there which, unless they changed it in the past two days, includes courses of lobster bisque and Château Briand! We just may have to make another visit or two to the gym!

 

 Finally on a personal note for those of you out there who are like me and find it while one cookie is good two or three is often better, the manner in which portions are served on the ship is an excellent means of keeping your weight under control. I am sure that you can order as much as you would like and as you are asked by one of the crew which cookies or dessert you would like you may be served one at a time, it does help with your ability to say no which as I see it is a very good thing. We also note that the food is not overly salted which can be a problem on cruise ships. 

 

 Please do not be shy about asking questions. If we cannot answer them directly we will get the answers for you while we remain on board. We have met a lot of scenic employees from all aspects of scenic including sales, operations and the like and have shared lots of opinions with them and been solicited for feedback which we have provided as frankly as we possibly can. And we continue to have a great time making memories to last us our lifetimes! 

[Silver Spectre]

19 hours ago, RockyandMoose said:

A full length dress is likely to be too long for the wardrobe.   Judging from what we have seen about the ship, there would be little need for opportunity to wear such a dress on board. The evening attire here is very very casual. Gentlemen may want to bring a blazer or a sports jacket if they feel I need to dress up for dinner but the majority of guests wear collared shirts and either denim‘s, khakis, dark jeans or slacks. Most women seem to be wearing pants With a top. A light sweater is advised as some of the common areas are kept very cold for some but for those of us who run warm it is nirvana. As there are no semi formal or formal nights, even the notion of country club casual may be a bit too dressy. If you look at the photo which I posted you can see the length of the bathrobe for some idea of length.

Thanks for the detailed response, it’s appreciated. My OH is a child of the 60’s and owns mainly full length floaty dresses and skirts, worn day and night, and hates it if they cannot hang without creases. It looks like the Eclipse designers have followed a trend of many new luxury hotels and forgotten what some women prefer.

[Geri c]

Hi RockyandMoose,  Thank you for the excellent reporting.  My husband and I check for your posts every day.  I was excited to read you are heading to Rose Blanche in Newfoundland,  we were there several years ago and it has spectacular scenery, especially the stone lighthouse and area.  

We are looking forward to our cruise in the Med next May.  Geri and Terry

[Holy Roller]

Dear RockyandMoose,

 

Thank you so much for your excellent insight into the workings of the ship.  We are due to board next month in Miami and cruise to Peru through the Panama Canal.  We have only used Seabourn and SIlversea in the past so your information has proved most useful. 

If you happen to notice which house champagnes they are serving we would love to know.  Also, were you able to book all the shore excursions and restaurants when you first boarded or are they released on a more daily basis?

 

Many thanks and please don't let your updates stop you from enjoying your cruise. 

[gnome12]

10 hours ago, RockyandMoose said:

 Just back from an evening on shore to see an of Green Gables – – a very long running musical production here in Charlottesville.

 

As a proud Canadian, it is Charlottetown, P.E.I. and Anne of Green Gables (she is very particular that her name be spelled with an "E").

😉

[RockyandMoose]

of course you are correct on both counts.  I apologize for the errors.  As you may have noted, my posting last night or should I say early this morning was after a very long day and a full one at that.  I have been dictating using the iPad in an effort to post more thorough answers but the risk in doing so is the infernal autocorrect feature on iPad dictations.  I should proofread before posting.  Will try to do better next time.  And to think, Anne with an E was a major theme of the Anne of Green Gables musical show we saw last night.

[RockyandMoose]

Holy Roller,  When we boarded we already had booked online a few shore excursions but had not booked all of them.  On boarding we obtained a print out of all of the excursions for all of the ports of call and were then able to sign up and in a few cases make last minute changes with great ease.  There are frequently several choices for shore excursions and that makes it hard to select between them.  Talk about an embarrassment of riches!  The excursions we have taken have been noteworthy for the small size of the groups and therefore the ability of passengers to get their questions answered by the guide.  

 

Also today we used for the first time the QuietVOX system which, for the uninitiated like we were until today’s food, allows the guide to wear a headset with a microphone and the passengers each wear a discreet earpiece and you can hear the guide perfectly despite the noise around you and in spite of the absence of your proximity to the guide.  

 

This morning was a walking tour of Charlottetown PEI.  We started at a local indoor market similar to the well established food halls we have seen in Lisbon.  The first course was a strip of bacon, cooked and basted with local honey, then with milk chocolate and finally studded with peanut pieces.  After a short walk we enjoyed a local coffee with small bite sized local cakes.  In no time we were off to one of an increasing number of micro craft breweries for a blueberry beer with three types of steamed local mussels—one in the tradition white wine broth, one prepared in a light yellow curry, and the third in a citrus liquid.  All delicious and excellently complimented by the beer.

 

We walked down to the pier area and tried the French fries /chips from The Chip Shack which were first parboiled for a minute and then fried again for a super soft interior and crunchy, delicious outside.  The owner took the time to explain her process to it and indeed, as the signs around her shack proclaim, she is the Queen of Chips!   Finally it was a stop at the local Lobster House for cold lobster rolls—very tasty.  A good time was had by all.    And remember these shore excursions are free of charge just like last night’s evening at the theater!

 

For folks like us who are accustomed to sailing on larger ships, we found the smaller size of the group we were in to be advantageous.  Doing a walking tour with 13 people is much more manageable for the guide and the cruise personnel who accompany the guests to each event.  It also has allowed us to meet folks on these tours who we then see on the ship and can dine with and get to know.

 

I would be remiss if I did not repeat here that we simply are having a wonderful time.  The crew are all lovely, and appear to really enjoy their work, each other and the guests onboard.  It appears to be a very international crew with lots of diversity ethnically and racially as well.

 

We are just about to head back out to sea on the way to Rose Blanche where, if weather cooperates, we will try to get our ride on the helicopter tomorrow.  Pray for clear skies!

 

Cheers!

[RockyandMoose]

Hi Holy Roller,  

 

Onboard they serve five champagnes:  1.Champagne Lombard. Brut rose Premier cru.  2. Chassenay d’Arce Rose Brut. 3. Convert Premier Chassenay d’Arce Cuvée. 4. Champagne Michel Forget Premier Cru  and 5.  Blanc du Blanc Champagne Autreau Brut Grand Cru.

 

In addition to these “included in your fare” bottles, there is also a Chairman’s Cellar Selection of wines and champagnes which you may enjoy but you must pay for the bottles as they are not included in the fare.  In the champagne category  on that list is Cristal at $295 vintage 2008, followed by Dom Perignon vintage 2008 at $235 USD, followed by Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2012 at $120, Veuve Cliquot Rose 2008 at $68 USD and finally Mumm’s Cordon Rouge at $58 USD.

 

The collection of reds and whites is rather deep and heavily French—Haut-Brion, Latour,

Margaux, Mouton-Rothschild with vintages as to the reds almost exclusively 1195 with a couple 1998 and one Bordeaux 1997.  Three white wine offerings —two from M=New Zealand Cloudy Bay and Kumu River Mates priced $35.—$45.  One white burgundy from Louis Jason 2014 for $110.

[towel-animal]

@RockyandMoose, thank you again for your detailed updates and descriptions!

 

When you have a moment, I am curious about the following:

 

1. Have all areas/features of the ship finally been finished? The poster onboard the previous cruise mentioned that the pools and hot tubs still had a construction/maintenance team working on them.

 

2. Is there any "entertainment" onboard the ship similar to what you find on more traditional ocean cruise lines? For instance, movies or singing/dancing in the theater or lounges, etc...

 

3. Have you found shore excursion offerings are departing in the early morning? Or afternoon?

 

4. You suggested in an earlier post to pack along an extension cord so you can plug in more electronic devices in the suite. In my experience, the cruise lines I have been on have not allowed these to be brought onboard, and in fact confiscate them until the end of the voyage. Is Scenic allowing guests to bring along an extension cord? This would be very convenient if so.

 

Thanks again for all your posts!

 

 

[Holy Roller]

Dear RockyandMoose,

 

You are "Stars".  I feel embarrassed about the effort to which you must have gone to help those of us lucky enough to be boarding over the next few months.  I have no more questions and thank you profusely for your detailed responses.  If our travels ever coincide I owe you a very good drink; at the least.

 

I shall keep my fingers crossed for you both for fair weather and an enjoyable helicopter ride.

[RockyandMoose]

1 hour ago, towel-animal said:

@RockyandMoose, thank you again for your detailed updates and descriptions!

PLEASE SEE REPLIES BELOW....

 

When you have a moment, I am curious about the following:

 

1. Have all areas/features of the ship finally been finished? The poster onboard the previous cruise mentioned that the pools and hot tubs still had a construction/maintenance team working on them.

No.   Both visible to the public and behind the scenes they were still work going on in all types of different ways. For example the printed in room dining menu has been replaced by a beautiful portfolio containing the same information. Paper brochures are being finalized detailing the features of the ship and how to use about operating the television, the phones in the lake. The top floor Jacuzzis are installed but the teak wood flooring around them is still  being worked on all the way should be completed soon. However the areas most frequently occupied by the passengers are complete in the largest measure. It is hard to tell what other features may not be completed and what additions may be made over the next several months. It is also clear that the crew is still getting to know all of the procedures and fine tuning their performance.

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2. Is there any "entertainment" onboard the ship similar to what you find on more traditional ocean cruise lines? For instance, movies or singing/dancing in the theater or lounges, etc...

 There is indeed entertainment on board but it is much more limited and does not compare in quantity to ocean cruise lines. Movies are offered in the evenings on certain evenings only in the theater. There is nightly music in the lobby lounge both before and after dinner with a duo – – and gentleman who plays excellent piano and a female vocalist who entertains until very late in the evening. On this cruise there are two nights with a single vocalist performing in the theater,  there was a night with a local quartet in Boston, and there is an evening plan going forward before the end of this cruise of karaoke. Evening entertainment in the theater is sparsely attended and even on the night when the featured entertainment was a lyric soprano singing Broadway tunes, the theater was about half full.  This was particularly sad because the entertainment that evening was lovely and deserved a greater audience. The other lounges do not have any form of entertainment in them. We are accustomed to multiple entertainment venues on the Crystal Cruise line so that you could move from bar to bar or theater to bar and have all sorts of entertainment well into the wee hours.  Such is not the case here. My assessment is that on itineraries where there is more exploration going on during the day as would be the case on Arctic, antArctica and northwest passage cruises, the early morning starts, the physicality of the activities would be such that most people would want to have dinner, perhaps a nightcap And then get to bed fairly early to await the next day’s adventures.  I also did not know that huge demand among the passengers for more entertainment options on the ship. A sizable amount of the passengers on board on the screws are dining at dinner hour starting at 7:30 or 8:00 PM and dinners are running until 930 or 10 o’clock at night.  While there are indeed bars on board none of the bar venues other than the lobby lounge or big enough to accommodate for example a duo or trio of musicians and any sizable passenger load. But it remains to be seen whether additional entertainment options are requested by passengers and how scenic responds to that demand.

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3. Have you found shore excursion offerings are departing in the early morning? Or afternoon?

 There is quite a variety in terms of departure times for sure excursions. Some leave as early as 8:30 in the morning, some mid day around 1230 and several that we have been on have left at 10 o’clock in the morning. Again there is such a variety in terms of shore excursion offerings that you may put them in terms of departure times or subject matters or both. Additionally because of the size of the ship it is easy to walk into town And to explore on your own if you would rather not go on an organized excursion.

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4. You suggested in an earlier post to pack along an extension cord so you can plug in more electronic devices in the suite. In my experience, the cruise lines I have been on have not allowed these to be brought onboard, and in fact confiscate them until the end of the voyage. Is Scenic allowing guests to bring along an extension cord? This would be very convenient if so.

 I need to be very clear here about the extension cord I was referring to. I have a cord that is under a foot-long that has three 110 V outlets and two USB ports as well. It is not what someone call an extension cord because it does not extend 3 feet or 5 feet or 12 feet but rather is very short. I don’t think it would be any different in terms of the power load to one of those three prong three socket bars which can be inserted into a three prong plug. We have used the less than 1 foot extension cord and it is present and out in Plain-view and we have had no one take issue with it.  We purchased it on Amazon and I’ve used it on other cruise ships.

 

 Frankly we could probably do without it saving except for the fact that if you bring a USB hub to plug in multiple devices such as two iPads and two iPhones into one electrical socket, that would use the electrical socket for 110 V if you are traveling from the United States. If you added into that a hair dryer because you did not want to use the Dyson dryer provided in the frankly we could probably do without it save except for the fact that if you bring a USB hub to plug-in multiple devices such as two iPads and two iPhones into one electrical socket, that would use the electrical socket for 110 bolts if you are traveling from the United States. If you add it into that a hairdryer because you did not want to use the Dyson dryer provided in this   State room you would need to unplug your USB charging hub in order to plug in the hairdryer unless you opt to bring a hair dryer with a different type of electrical ending – – one which you might have acquired in the UK or in Australia for example. It’s also worth noting that by each nightstand adjacent to each side of the bed there is a port to plug-in a USB device and a plug Which takes an Australian device. Our Butler pointed out that if we needed adapters all we have to do is ask for them and the ship would provide them. So in our minds eye, although we came prepared with transformers/converters and adapters, we did not need to bring any of those with us.

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Thanks again for all your posts!

Our pleasure!

 

 

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Edited September 17, 2019 by RockyandMoose

[RockyandMoose]

We have a new captain of the ship starting today, Captain Griffiths leaving the ship today after spending 18 months on it starting back in the days when it was in the shipyard. If anybody deserves a vacation he would qualify!

 

Before we embarked, we had inquired of those on board about the ambient temperatures of the common areas, hallways and state rooms. We receive some answers but we can provide you with more thorough answers based on our experience now having been on board the ship for a week.

 

Before providing the information below a warning is in order and that is that our itinerary started in New York where the average daytime temperature was a slightly humid 78°F   en route to Halifax where the average daily temperature has been in the 60s Fahrenheit. Additionally in the absence of tender services most embarkation disembarkation is  from the fourth floor lobby lounge area and when the ship is import the entry/exit off of the ship brings whatever the ambient temperature is outside into the fourth floor lobby area. And search most people will find that either a light wrap or longsleeved shirts will be more comfortable in cooler climbs in the lobby lounge. Similarly in the stairwells in the hallways the temperature tends to be cool in the very low 70s.  

 

 Air conditioning in the room works fantastically. You may set the temperature to whatever cooling point you wish and set the fan speed to slow, medium or high or automatic to maintain the temperature. If the room feels stuffy when you walk in, by increasing the fan speed or lowering the temperature a degree or two within a few minutes the room will be exactly as you like it. I prefer very cool temperatures and for me 70° is ideal. Today in Town Most people were bundled up and I wore a short sleeved shirt with a windbreaker and was very comfortable.   Others wore multiple layers to feel comfortable. If you are going to be traveling in cooler areas it would be prudent to bring a sweater, at least one or two long sleeve shirts so that you have options. The theater is also kept quite cool and because there are no windows in the theater there is no opportunity for sunlight to provide any warmth or warming factor In that part of the ship.

 

The lounge is on decks five and up including the yacht club, the azure lounge and the Observation lounge are kept at a very comfortable temperature for the majority of passengers.

 

 

Edited September 17, 2019 by RockyandMoose