Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[Luckynana]

@bobmacliberty  When is your daughter's big day?  The Wedding must be soon approaching.😊

 

I haven't been to Savannah in quite a few years.  Renovating an old Power Plant into a Hotel is interesting.  We stayed at a Hotel in Monterey California that was originally an old Bank.

[maggieq]

26 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

Our daughter is in the middle of a bachelorette party weekend in Savannah.  11 girls in a nice, large Airbnb.  We drove up to Savannah yesterday to get the house ready for their arrival...food, drink, decorations, etc.  I also acted as chauffer from the airport.  Once most of the girls had arrived, we left them alone to party without the old people.  We decided to stay overnight in the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District.

 

The whole Plant Riverside District is fairly new (3 years) and a little further upstream than the River Street area that's been a highlight of Savannah for many years.  There was an old power plant located there that has been converted to a really cool "upscale industrial" hotel and a bunch of restaurants/bars/shops/entertainment areas.  It reminded me of a cruise ship on land in that everything you needed for several days of fun is right there, including a jewelry/art store 😁.  You can take "excursions" during the day and go do the other fun stuff that Savannah has to offer.  So with that cruise ship on land idea in mind, I thought I'd provide a short review of our stay.

 

The hotel spans 3 different buildings with different "vibes".  We were in the main Plant Plant building with lots of exposed brick, steel beams, ductwork, etc.  They did a great job of maintaining the original power plant industrial character while creating modern and comfortable rooms.  They have a lot of art scatter about, some of which was very unique (like a Royal ship).  The huge main lobby area had a large chrome dinosaur suspended from the ceiling.

 

 

 

 

We arrived before check-in, wanting to drop our luggage before heading to the Airbnb.  I asked if they had any upgrades available (I have Marriott Bonvoy status) and they were able to immediately give us a corner room with a river view, which we appreciated.  Our view, overlooking the river and Starbucks below.

 

 

We then headed to the Airbnb where we unloaded a lot of supplies.  Micheline stayed there to get things set up while I went to the airport.  I had to practically drag Micheline out of there around 7:30.  I think she really wanted to stay for the weekend, while I really needed to go get dinner.  So back to the hotel we went.  We walked along the river trying to decide where to eat, passing a few interesting areas.

 

 

 

Our original plan was to eat at District Seafood, but the menu was mostly fried seafood, which we generally avoid.  It was also all outside (partly covered) and it was beastly hot.  We then headed toward District Smokehouse (BBQ), but it was similarly outside, so we went inside to Stone & Webster Chophouse.  I started with a great Old Fashioned that used vanilla flavored demerara simple syrup and then had a perfectly cooked 8 oz filet.  Micheline had a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc and some fantastic diver sea scallops.  Add a couple of sides of grilled asparagus and pomme frites and we had a really good meal, although expensive.  Fortunately, a stay at the hotel included a $33 credit at one of the restaurants to soften the blow.  Sorry...no food porn.

 

After dinner, we decided to check out the Electric Moon Skytop Lounge and get a nightcap.  It's on the roof of the power plant building and is a high energy dance bar.  The DJ music was thumping when we got there but it wasn't too crowded yet and we found a place to sit outside away from the music.  Our view of the river from the rooftop.

 

 

After a few minutes, a smallish cargo ship was being escorted up river by some tug boats, which I thought was an interesting contrast to the dance music being played.

 

 

When we first arrived, most of the people there were 40 and over.  After about 30 minutes, the 20 somethings started arriving, including a couple of other bachelorette parties.  Time for their night to get started, and time for us to go to bed. 😁

 

Wow thanks for posting this. My sister moved last year to SC and we have talked about a girls trip to savannah.  The JW’s are top on my list of hotels and this looks like a great one. 

[bobmacliberty]

We awoke late the next morning and decided to go for a big breakfast (which we don't normally do) and skip lunch.  We went to the breakfast buffet in the lobby restaurant called Turbine Market + Cafe. While not as extensive as the Windjammer, everything was fresh and the cooked to order omelets were excellent.  We were about halfway through our breakfast when Micheline noticed the artwork above us, a sculpture rendering of the Lunch Atop a Skyscraper photo.

 

 

We had already decided that we needed to go back there and spend a couple of nights, so we spent the rest of the morning checking out the rest of the area. There are several small gathering areas and fountains scattered about, and shops along the street.

 

 

 

There's another rooftop lounge called the Myrtle & Rose Rooftop Garden.  Although it wasn't open yet, we were able to go up and walk around.  It had sort of an Alice in Wonderland feel to it.  It would be a great place to enjoy a cocktail on a nice night.

 

 

Chess set with different types of artifical turf as chessboard squares.

 

There's a very nice rooftop pool area atop the 3rd building.  I didn't see any chair hogs.

 

 

We strolled along the river front to see what we had missed the previous night.  I found a cool little Biergarten.  Wish I'd seen that the night before.

 

 

The smoke stacks from the original power plant and still part of the complex (including a private room part of the Chophouse that's inside one of the stacks) and the Talmadge Memorial Bridge always seemed to be in the background.

 

 

We really enjoyed this place and will definitely be back, since it's only a 2 hour drive for us.  If you've not been to Savannah since this area opened, I'd highly recommend it.

 

Before driving back home, we toured the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters.  It was an interesting hour spent seeing how both the Savannah rich and their enslaved people lived in the 1800s.  The house itself was ahead of its time in several aspects, including a complex indoor plumbing system before even the White House had indoor plumbing.  The house also had many faux finishes, like Georgia pine wood that was painted to look like Oak, Mahogany, and even marble.  Creating the faux finishes was more expensive than using the real material, and was therefore a way for the rich to "show off" to guests.  Who knew?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bobmacliberty]

5 minutes ago, Luckynana said:

@bobmacliberty  When is your daughter's big day?  The Wedding must be soon approaching.😊

 

I haven't been to Savannah in quite a few years.  Renovating an old Power Plant into a Hotel is interesting.  We stayed at a Hotel in Monterey California that was originally an old Bank.

 

The wedding is September 9th...not too far away.  My parents retired to Savannah and I used to go to the downtown area at least once a year, but that was probably at least 15 years ago.  SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) has bought a lot of run down property away from River Street and refreshed it, so the downtown area is looking a lot better than I remember it.  The old houses along the many squares still look great.

[Sunshine3601]

6 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

We’re finally experiencing some summer weather here.  Our daughters home reno is moving along really well and it looks like they’ll be moving back home Sunday or Monday!  They’ll have no countertops in the kitchen for another week or so, but the cabinets are in, new appliances installed and new floors are done.  There’s still a ton of finish work to be completed but our SIL & Andy can pick away at that.  They’re anxious to get home and we’re looking forward to getting our house back lol!  I will surely miss seeing these two every day though. 

They are So Adorable🥰  I agree with @HBE4

[BonTexasNY]

5 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Prior to my children being born we went to the Newport Folk Festival many times.For anyone into Folk Music especially from the 60’s and early 70’s I recommend the Festival Songbook.It has lyrics to some of the great songs as well as attendees at the festivals .

I've posted this before.  I was at the Newport Folk Festival sometime in the late 60s. It was fabulous!  Saw Bob Dylan, Judy Collins and a host of others perform.   As a single gal at that time, I remember how cute those Navy guys stationed in Newport were. 😉

 

I just spent quite a while trying to track down a song that I love.  I couldn't remember the name, but the tune kept playing in my mind.  FINALLY, I googled "songs by Andrea Bocelli" and boom, there it was, "Time To Say Goodbye".  I never tire of hearing that song.

[h20skibum]

Been busy the last couple of days with all the grandkids.  We watched my daughter’s two, while she was out to dinner with some of her teacher coworkers.  
 

They were all here again today, and we went out to a fitness trail while Susan had a doctor’s appointment.  The kids have put up a magnetic board in our living room, and they are counting down to the next big adventure. 
 

 

They are excited to spend next week there.  
 

Meanwhile, I found a Green Hawaiian on the restaurant menu tonight. 
 

 

I guess tomorrow will be packing day.  I am just glad Susan is better than she was a week ago.  

[Ocean Boy]

25 minutes ago, BonTexasNY said:

 

I just spent quite a while trying to track down a song that I love.  I couldn't remember the name, but the tune kept playing in my mind.  FINALLY, I googled "songs by Andrea Bocelli" and boom, there it was, "Time To Say Goodbye".  I never tire of hearing that song.

That is a great song and Andrea is a great singer. If he lived near me I'd be knocking down the gate and crashing past the goons.

[BonTexasNY]

43 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

That is a great song and Andrea is a great singer. If he lived near me I'd be knocking down the gate and crashing past the goons.

I totally agree!

Andrea does beautiful duets with his son Matteo and his young daughter.  What a gift he has!

[aussielozzie18]

Good morning, another beautiful Saturday in Sydney.  Spent the morning in bed finishing Matthew Perry’s memoir “Friends, lovers & the big terrible thing”.  After lunch, we did the  4km Blue Gum loop walk in Hornsby, north of Sydney.  The blue gum forest we walked through was beautiful as were the streams we walked past. Very tranquil walk.  Plenty of rock stairs and a bit of rock scrambling meant we got a good workout too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ReneeFLL]

 

On 7/5/2023 at 3:02 PM, mo&fran said:

I guess it has to get a little scary before it gets better.  The radiation doctor said I need a dental exam before he can start.  The radiation can cause dental issues if precautions are not taken first.  

 The radiation treatments are 35 doses, scheduled 5 time a week , seven weeks.  

One can be missed, but 35 is a hard number, so if one is missed, it has to be made up.

The chemo treatment is planned to take 6 weeks, once a week, through IV.

After about  4 weeks , they expect I may have trouble eating, so they are ordering a feeding tube to be installed.  The point is to keep my body nourished , Boost drink is suggested when swallowing becomes difficult,or if the feeding tube is used.

  I asked about my October cruise, and they all seem confident I will be recovered.

Dentist tomorrow for him to see what is needed there.

Then a visit to the GI guy to schedule the feeding tube.

Souns like a lot of Dr visits over the next 2 months.

 

Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery.

[Arzeena]

New fridge came in yesterday. Thank you all for your information shared here in selecting one.
Second ice maker came along at the same time but they did not install that in the bottom freezer. We will have to watch You Tube and install it ourselves or call some one from GE to do so.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Arzeena

[Arzeena]

@Sea Dog

Greg, we looked at April 1 and April 12 Beyond sailings and went with the April 12 one since hubby wants to go to St Marten!

 

I hope you paid a good price  for that cruise. Currently Celebrity's prices are crazy especia! I am glad we had a deposit to play around with.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Arzeena

[brookmill18]

@aussielozzie18 I love your pictures of both your outings in the city and your walks in nature. Do you mind if I ask--how long does it take you to drive/take transportation to the places you go? Now that we're almost empty nesters we've been talking about getting out more! We are only about 20 min from Boston but the drive/parking usually make it seem like a chore but I think it might be worth it. We need to get out more! Your location seems so perfectly suited both to getting into Sydney (so jealous!) and lovely nature settings--both beach and woodsy--love it!

[grapau27]

Good afternoon.

We went to the city beach about 8 miles from home this morning.

We had breakfast in our garden room before we went to the beach and are sitting in our garden room now after eating lunch.

I hope everyone is safe and well and y'all have a great day and weekend.

[George C]

11 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

I've posted this before.  I was at the Newport Folk Festival sometime in the late 60s. It was fabulous!  Saw Bob Dylan, Judy Collins and a host of others perform.   As a single gal at that time, I remember how cute those Navy guys stationed in Newport were. 😉

 

I just spent quite a while trying to track down a song that I love.  I couldn't remember the name, but the tune kept playing in my mind.  FINALLY, I googled "songs by Andrea Bocelli" and boom, there it was, "Time To Say Goodbye".  I never tire of hearing that song.

Bocelli was definitely one of the best concerts I ever attended, we have tickets for Judy Collins playing with a symphony at eiessman center in Richardson in January. 

[Ocean Boy]

9 minutes ago, George C said:

Bocelli was definitely one of the best concerts I ever attended, we have tickets for Judy Collins playing with a symphony at eiessman center in Richardson in January. 

Judy, at 84 years old, still has an amazing voice. Suite Judy Blue Eyes still has it.

[Sea Dog]

43 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

@Sea Dog

Greg, we looked at April 1 and April 12 Beyond sailings and went with the April 12 one since hubby wants to go to St Marten!

 

I hope you paid a good price  for that cruise. Currently Celebrity's prices are crazy especia! I am glad we had a deposit to play around with.

Sorry we are going to miss each other.  We are paying $6457.00 for a aft balcony cabin. It’s expensive but we wanted to try a Celebrity ship. When you get to the cruise terminal if you see a sad sea dog that will be me getting off the ship.

[George C]

9 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Sorry we are going to miss each other.  We are paying $6457.00 for an aft balcony cabin. It’s expensive but we wanted to try a Celebrity ship. When you get to the cruise terminal if you see a sad sea dog that will be me getting off the ship.

Prices have really gone up we paid a lot less than that for an aft sky suite last year with 800 OBC last year on beyond. 

[Sea Dog]

3 minutes ago, George C said:

Prices have really gone up we paid a lot less than that for an aft sky suite last year with 800 OBC last year on beyond. 

Yes we probably could have done a Royal Caribbean B2B on one of their smaller ships for that price. We figured we wanted to try Celebrity to see how we liked it. With those priced we may be a one and done though.

[George C]

15 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Yes we probably could have done a Royal Caribbean B2B on one of their smaller ships for that price. We figured we wanted to try Celebrity to see how we liked it. With those priced we may be a one and done though.

We also will be doing more rccl unless celebrity reduces suite price. The one cruise we will continue is our 70 music cruise. We get a nice discount on that for repeating on charter and they also give me a veteran’s discount. Next years lineup is fantastic 

Foreigner 

Randy Backman

Mellisa Manchester 

Don McClean 

Dave Mason

War ,    And many others

 

[h20skibum]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Good afternoon.

We went to the city beach about 8 miles from home this morning.

We had breakfast in our garden room before we went to the beach and are sitting in our garden room now after eating lunch.

I hope everyone is safe and well and y'all have a great day and weekend.

The weather looks beautiful in that beach photo.

[Luckynana]

12 hours ago, h20skibum said:

 

I guess tomorrow will be packing day.  I am just glad Susan is better than she was a week ago.  

Happy to hear that Susan if feeling better!  The kids are going to have a ball at Myrtle Beach😊

[Luckynana]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Judy, at 84 years old, still has an amazing voice. Suite Judy Blue Eyes still has it.

That's so good to hear!  We've been to one or two of her Concerts years ago.  We went to a Melanie Concert two years ago, and it was really sad to not only see her walk on the stage with a cane and the assistance of her son, but the voice she once had is no longer there,😢  We had been to many of her Concerts in the 60's and early 70's

[Luckynana]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

Sorry we are going to miss each other.  We are paying $6457.00 for a aft balcony cabin. It’s expensive but we wanted to try a Celebrity ship.

 

54 minutes ago, George C said:

Prices have really gone up we paid a lot less than that for an aft sky suite last year with 800 OBC last year on beyond. 

 

We also are paying over $6,000 for our Beyond cruise next March, but I believe it is that high due to going to the Panama Canal.  I've never paid near that price on any of our Celebrity cruises.