Bimmer09 Posted October 24, 2019 Author #526 Share Posted October 24, 2019 3 hours ago, bdpatrick said: I'm truly enjoying your review so far, your pictures are simply amazing. We plan on doing the Norwegean Fjords for my 50th coming up in a few years and your review has me so looking forward to it. Thanks again. Sly Sly thanks so much for the compliments and I am glad you are thinking of the Fjords for a special anniversary. We will go back again to sail further North and see more of that beautiful country. I can't think of anything negative about it-nice people, wholesome food and without the rain it wouldn't be so green and there wouldn't be waterfalls that boggle the mind. It's special. Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterMet Posted October 24, 2019 #527 Share Posted October 24, 2019 On 10/22/2019 at 11:52 AM, Bimmer09 said: There's a good accessible restroom up by Sunset bar. I love the etched sink-very elegant cloth towels also a nice touch I need to get warm so go down to deck 5 and have a peek into some of the rooms down there at the stern like QSine the setting for Le Petit Chef which we enjoyed Tuscan Grille nice ambience in this room breakfast menu for Blu Norris, Still here with you and enjoying as usual. Pam and I thought Le Petit Chef was quite clever and found the food to be very good. We had a blast and hope to try it again on the Constellation with our friends in June 2020. I’ve really enjoyed your pictures. It’s too bad the weather didn’t cooperate with you more as I know how much you like being out on the open decks with your coffee and smokes early morning. I admire your dedication getting up early, but that’s when you get the “$$ “ shots. 😄😄 Trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 24, 2019 Author #528 Share Posted October 24, 2019 3 hours ago, jlf1 said: Norris, I did read and will give it another try because your reviews and pictures are so wonderful. Thanks Judy, I would have hated for you to miss the London pics on our last day. Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 24, 2019 Author #529 Share Posted October 24, 2019 56 minutes ago, MisterMet said: Norris, Still here with you and enjoying as usual. Pam and I thought Le Petit Chef was quite clever and found the food to be very good. We had a blast and hope to try it again on the Constellation with our friends in June 2020. I’ve really enjoyed your pictures. It’s too bad the weather didn’t cooperate with you more as I know how much you like being out on the open decks with your coffee and smokes early morning. I admire your dedication getting up early, but that’s when you get the “$$ “ shots. 😄😄 Trip Trip, agreed that Le Petit Chef is very clever and very witty and the food is worthy. A meal that is an event but of course if you are in a hurry or like to languish between courses it wouldn't be a good idea. They discounted it drastically ($55 down to $35) and half (if that) the tables were taken for the 8.15 slot. It should maybe alternate nights with QSine as we know it from previous times. QSine offers such great variety dishes and presentations which raise a smile. I miss it. The weather on shore was benign for the most part and we only got wet on the boat to Lysefjord and I had no head protection and can't work the camera while holding an umbrella. The camera got soaked but kept shooting as it's weather-sealed. Since I came home I had two falls within seconds of each other on a muddy slope and the camera flew into the air and landed with a thud in mud just as I did. I cleaned the mud off as best I could with some Kleenex and wipes and kept on shooting even though my clothes were caked in black mud. I don't mind the rain in Alaska or Norway as it's usually soft drizzle and makes the landscape look better but rain on the ship where I spend 80% of my waking time outdoors is a buzz-kill. I like to sit at the Sunset Bar and look over the grass at the sea while sipping my beer and chatting to strangers but that was rare on this trip due to rain and a cold wind on the North Sea. Next cruise in January is Western Caribbean on the new Sky Princess, our first time on a new ship which is currently on her maiden voyage and I expect to get some good outdoors time with my beer and cigarettes. Aft cabin as always and a third of the price of our original S1 suite on the Silhouette. Thanks for following along Trip! I looked ahead to my London pics this morning and am excited to show them to you! Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norwaylady Posted October 24, 2019 #530 Share Posted October 24, 2019 It’s been a pleasure to follow you Norris! Hope to see you further north soon:) Now it’s time for us to enjoy X Reflection from Lisbon;) Flights to Porto tomorrow morning and Reflection in Lisbon to Barcelona on Monday😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 24, 2019 Author #531 Share Posted October 24, 2019 That was a stellar lunch and Murano remains my go-to Fine Dining choice at sea. Afterwards we went our separate ways-me to roaming and Carol to the deck 5 forward smoking deck where she had the place to herself and was sheltered from the wind. Even though it was drizzling she was dry as the space is covered. It was a grey, desultory day. The seas weren't big but the sky showed no sign of ever producing sunlight that ship was soon gone like a motorcycle at a traffic light I was lucky in that I had London to look forward to in the morning and the weather there was top-hole as they say when raising their brolly and adjusting their bowler hats. If I was just getting onto a bus transfer to Heathrow in Southampton I would be feeling cheated by the dismal weather today. I live outdoors on a ship, mainly because of my smoking but also because I love to see the sea at all times and I'm a ship nerd if ever there was one as my dad was a ship's Captain and I spent time sailing with him in the British Isles from I was age 5 to 13. So I delight in davits and capstans and scuppers. Call me weird, call me a taxi, call me Ishmael. I sailed on steamships with men shoveling pyramids of coal (not the "clean" coal LOL) with their shirts off and sweat running from under their neckerchiefs and diesel motor vessels to ports in Wales, England (hello Liverpool, Preston and Blyth) and on fishing trawlers to Scotland (Portpatrick) so being on a ship of any size is a thrill for me and harkens me back to the days before containers were invented and cranes and derricks with cargo nets ruled. When a crane lifted a train wagon full of coal dug by Lancashire miners into the air and let gravity shower it into the hold of a ship where blackened-faced Scousers shoveled it into the corners.... Halcyon days! I am older and softer now and a puff of cold wind can send me scurrying back indoors I had never tried a Martini until this day but the curiosity got the better of me and there was the Martini Bar.... This was a Bombay Sapphire London special with a sprig of mint @ $15.50 Now I see what the fuss is about. A delicious and refreshing drink! There was no bartender show and what a dextrous show that is on Celebrity! The multi-pours with a crowd pumped up. When on holiday anything that is beyond the norm, say an everyday experience in a hotel bar on land, is double the fun on a ship where the staff is literally bending over backwards to entertain you. You're not at home in a Barcalounger flipping TV channels, you are out there sharing experiences with strangers and we thank cruise ships for experiences like that and this ship's crew is working hard everyday on our behalf. Work and the daily routine is forgotten for a week and that's worth paying good money for. there's a band doing a sound check on deck 3. "One two-testtttt!" "Testing One Two!" but I only stay for a minute or two as they are using the Beatles' From Me to You to test. 56 years later the song holds its' magic. I bought the 45 single and wore it out. I'm back in the cabin to warm up Cold and grey out there but cosy in here. There's a bed and that can only mean a NAP! zzzzzzz...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 24, 2019 Author #532 Share Posted October 24, 2019 4 minutes ago, Norwaylady said: It’s been a pleasure to follow you Norris! Hope to see you further north soon:) Now it’s time for us to enjoy X Reflection from Lisbon;) Flights to Porto tomorrow morning and Reflection in Lisbon to Barcelona on Monday😉 Reflection? Great ship too! I hope you savor the Lawn Club Grill. Barcelona stole my heart 4 years ago and I long to go back. Portugese cusine was my go-to treat when living in New Jersey and is where I came to love Sambuca and espresso. Bon Voyage!! Norris . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlf1 Posted October 24, 2019 #533 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Norris, Picture loading problem fixed. Hooray!!1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt fan Posted October 24, 2019 #534 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Following along and so enjoying. I have never tried a martini, the one you ordered sounds especially good. I am curious, since you come from an old school cargo ship type that your father worked on, what did you think when you first heard of cruising on a cruise ship? Was this before you worked on one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purduemom1 Posted October 24, 2019 #535 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Norris, I just binge-read your great review! I really enjoyed your amazingly good pictures because they brought back so many happy memories. We did the Norwegian Fjords on HAL last May. It was a family cruise (all adults) and we did visit some different ports. However, Flam and Stavanger were on our itinerary. We also did Norway In A Nutshell but on our own. It took pre planning and pre purchased tickets but worked out well for us. Then in Stavanger, DH and I did the Fjords Cruise, again on our own, buying tickets as we boarded the boat. Our children wanted to do the Pulpit Rock hike and opted to book thru the cruise line. (timing is everything with this kind of excursion) They loved every minute of it and took some amazing pictures. I mention this for those who are planning a Fjords cruise and are exploring possible port activities. So, thanks so much for taking us along-I’m enjoying every post! Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purduemom1 Posted October 24, 2019 #536 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I should add that we booked our cruise 2 weeks before hand and the Nutshell was not offered thru the cruise line or perhaps it was fully booked. Of course, meals were additional. We completed the tour with a little extra time so we enjoyed the brewery right there by the port before returning to the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 25, 2019 Author #537 Share Posted October 25, 2019 On this cruise we have skipped the nightly theater shows bar the first. We passed on the ones featuring the Celebrity singers and dancers in retrospect but without much thinking beforehand as when coming back from a day ashore dinner and an early night had some appeal and sleeping on a ship has a lot of appeal! Good deep sleeps. Tonight with the luggage being placed into the hallway ready for disembarkation it was now or never for the shows and so we went to an early one at 7 pm and followed it with dinner at the Lawn Club Grill, weather be damned. An early night was factored into the math. Had it been the Caribbean with a warm dry night we would likely have stayed up later to star gaze or walk the decks and enjoy the weather. But this is the cold North Sea... One thing we don't see on Princess and certainly not on Azamara with it's low ceilings are aerial acts and that picture says it all but with some surprises. interesting headwear but useless in the Norwegian rains Carol bought one afterwards in the gift shop but the first time she twirled in the cabin she knocked the art off the walls the man is singing to them then the aerialists the man is joined by a woman with a similar taste in Inca hats dancers a pretty theatrical effect up, up and away... a Mexican queen sings huzzah! more... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 25, 2019 Author #538 Share Posted October 25, 2019 don't try this in your cabin. On second thoughts...go right ahead! as Game of Thrones fans we like anything with dragons our CD comes out at the end of the show to tell us what's happening around the ship Celebrity encourages audiences to take photos (no flash) and video of the show. When I wasn't taking stills I was running the camcorder... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need2cruisesoon Posted October 25, 2019 #539 Share Posted October 25, 2019 (edited) Mr N, this has got to be one of your best reviews ever. Specific, detailed, humorous and at times sprinkled with a bit of Je Ne Sais Quoi that keeps me wanting more. Bravo my good friend from Chicago. Ron/Need2Cruisesoon Edited October 25, 2019 by need2cruisesoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey22 Posted October 25, 2019 #540 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Norris, We are on Azamara next year and I am considering just buying the tickets for the railway in Flam online rather than doing a ship excursion. How far is it from the dock to the rail station? Would we be missing something by doing it on our own versus with the ship? Thanks and loved your review. Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 25, 2019 Author #541 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Here's one of the video excerpts I shot which will give you a flavor of the show. There's a 30 second wait for the curtain to rise at the start. The Adele song is one of my favorites of hers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 25, 2019 Author #542 Share Posted October 25, 2019 8 hours ago, need2cruisesoon said: Mr N, this has got to be one of your best reviews ever. Specific, detailed, humorous and at times sprinkled with a bit of Je Ne Sais Quoi that keeps me wanting more. Bravo my good friend from Chicago. Ron/Need2Cruisesoon Ron, I'm happy to see you still reading along and thanks for the kind compliments! I'm glad you noticed the Je ne sais Quoi! Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 25, 2019 Author #543 Share Posted October 25, 2019 5 hours ago, Mickey22 said: Norris, We are on Azamara next year and I am considering just buying the tickets for the railway in Flam online rather than doing a ship excursion. How far is it from the dock to the rail station? Would we be missing something by doing it on our own versus with the ship? Thanks and loved your review. Jane Jane, nice to have you onboard! I don't think you would be missing anything by buying the train tickets online. The train is visible from the ship and a 3 to 4 minute easy stroll. If we are ever back there that's what we will do. Thanks for reading! Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 25, 2019 Author #544 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Another video featuring the aerialists Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 25, 2019 Author #545 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Off to the Opera tonight but time to add another video....and who doesn't love dolphins??! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 26, 2019 Author #546 Share Posted October 26, 2019 I shot most of the scenes that night but those three should give you the gist-acrobatics, singing and theatrical visuals. We had picked the 7 p.m show so we could round off our week with a Lawn Club Grill dinner. A visit to deck 5 promenade was in order first. This was the coast of France there weren't many outdoor diners due to the wind. Only the hardy we didn't use the salad bar, despite it's variety it's us and the team 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 26, 2019 Author #547 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Flatbread to start steak, lamb chops and bratwurst on the grill the chef and assistant the oven man the condiments Carol adds some creamed corn to her plate of lamb chops, tandoori chicken and a shrimp skewer with onions and peppers. Mac n cheese was her 2nd side my filet, tandoori chicken, lamb chops and bratwurst with a baked potato and weird baked kidney beans a satisfying meal! Just one thing missing... straight from the 475 degree oven the chocolate chip cookie! Francisco our waiter from night one wasn't working but stopped by to chat. He was also leaving the ship in the morning, going home to Goa for vacation. We wished him well. Our luggage was already taken when we walked down the long corridor to bed a short time later. We would next see it in Southampton after a last deep sleep on the Silhouette. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsgoggins Posted October 26, 2019 #548 Share Posted October 26, 2019 (edited) We saw Euphoria on Silhouette’s Ireland/Iceland cruise in August and I had a good chuckle at the thought of Carol twirling that hat in the cabin. I’m so sorry this review is coming to an end, I’ve loved it! it’s taken me right up to my own next cruise on Reflection, 28th October from Lisbon to Barcelona before she heads back to Fort Lauderdale (without me). I was also on Silhouette in January 2018 and so were you, although I didn’t ‘know’ you at the time! Your review of that cruise showed me things on the ship I hadn’t noticed. Since then I’ve followed you on your Amazara adventure and will be looking out for a review of your next Princess cruise. Thank you so much. Edited October 26, 2019 by mrsgoggins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 27, 2019 Author #549 Share Posted October 27, 2019 Carol's notes tell me that after LC Grill we went down to deck 7 and there was a band playing sixties music down on deck 3-the one testing their sound on From Me To You earlier and that there were mobs of people on the dance floor. She retreated to the Hideaway and listened from there. People were dancing in the elevators her report says. I didn't stay for the band but instead renewed my acquaintance with the bed pillows. Here were the things to do on this last sea day The Senior Officers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmer09 Posted October 27, 2019 Author #550 Share Posted October 27, 2019 18 hours ago, mrsgoggins said: We saw Euphoria on Silhouette’s Ireland/Iceland cruise in August and I had a good chuckle at the thought of Carol twirling that hat in the cabin. I’m so sorry this review is coming to an end, I’ve loved it! it’s taken me right up to my own next cruise on Reflection, 28th October from Lisbon to Barcelona before she heads back to Fort Lauderdale (without me). I was also on Silhouette in January 2018 and so were you, although I didn’t ‘know’ you at the time! Your review of that cruise showed me things on the ship I hadn’t noticed. Since then I’ve followed you on your Amazara adventure and will be looking out for a review of your next Princess cruise. Thank you so much. Mrs Goggins, thank you for following along and enjoying this. Bon Voyage tomorrow! We are going on a Fall Foliage road trip to the Mission Peninsula in Michigan on Tuesday at the crack of dawn. A 300 mile drive so I will be away from the computer a lot. I hope you'll come back to look at the London wrap-up pictures. The Princess cruise ends January 25 and the review should start the 26th. New ship! Cheers! Norris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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