Jim_Iain - 9/5 and 9/17 Equinox B2B - Come along for a Live Blog

[Jim_Iain]

The Captain just came on and announced there was another confirmed case of Covid and they were removed from the ship this morning.    Contact tracing was done and those in close proximity were isolated and were being tested further.   No number of contacts were identified. 

[Beba-Beba]

5 hours ago, Islandhop9 said:

Is the helipad area ever open to commoners or is it VIP only? 

 

In know it is accessible on some of the RC ships. 

Pre-pandemic I have been invited to the heliport for sailaway.  I book 1A and was Elite at that time.

 

Mary

Edited September 9, 2021 by Beba-Beba

[Jim_Iain]

Door Hanger Breakfast

 

i believe the same S and above.   It might also be in AQ. 
 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2021 by Jim_Iain

[ROYALBOY]

31 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Contact tracing was done and those in close proximity were isolated and were being tested further.   No number of contacts were identified.

If no tracelets how is contact tracing being done?

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, ROYALBOY said:

If no tracelets how is contact tracing being done?

Security cameras with facial recognition.   They are really not giving much details on how.

I guess they would also have records of when you card is used to enter your room and make charges.

 

 

[barneymag]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Another option for making free phone calls without huge surprises is to use FaceTime either with  or without Video     

 

Another option is an app called WhatApp.    It can be used for both messaging and to make calls.  Very popular in South America 

Safest way is turn “mobile data” off but wifi on and be connected to the X included package, then simply use “FaceTime” “Messenger” or “WhatsApp”. all 3 have voice only or video options depending on available bandwidth and should take away any risk of charges from your network 

[GeorgiaPeach51]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Carlos is such a clown and an enjoyment.   He photo bombed the picturre and I liked it better than the one I had framed    I usually have my coffee down on 5 mid day and grab one (ok 2) of those Lemon Tarts.   Yummy

Oh gosh, you had to remind me of those lemon tarts!  One of my favorite things on the ships.  And the photo....even worse!  🤨🤨🙄🙄

 

And I am loving all these book series recommendations.  I’ve started to put them in notes on my iPad....I know better than to think I will remember any of them.

 

I am enjoying reading your blog, and so happy for you both that you get a “do-over” for that Royal Suite after the terrible disappointment you experienced before.  👍🏻👍🏻
 

Joanie

[daydreamer16]

5 hours ago, Islandhop9 said:

Is the helipad area ever open to commoners or is it VIP only? 

 

In know it is accessible on some of the RC ships. 

We were in Aqua Class on the Summit, a few years ago and we were invited by Captain Kate! It was so awesome departing Bermuda right before the America's Cup with lots of sailboats practicing out at sea! 

[Laurab23]

1 minute ago, daydreamer16 said:

We were in Aqua Class on the Summit, a few years ago and we were invited by Captain Kate! It was so awesome departing Bermuda right before the America's Cup with lots of sailboats practicing out at sea! 

Sounds like we might have been on the same cruise. We were on Summit the week before America's Cup. We were also in Aqua but have never been invited to the helipad.

 

Laura

[taylortime05]

On 9/5/2021 at 6:05 PM, Jim_Iain said:

Someone asked earlier how we got from Embassy Suites to the Port.    I compared Uber and Lyft again and this time we took Lyft.     Great driver and we gave him a $5 tip almost as much as the fare.    We chose the one with 10 minute waiting time but he was there in about 3 minutes.

 

 

   

Hi Jim,

 

We're staying at Embassy Suites 2 days prior to 9/17 cruise.  Do they still have the nice breakfast and social hour?  I thought there must be some changes due to Covid.

[daydreamer16]

It was late April cruise or early May,2017 I think. All I know is that the sparkling wine was flowing & I was so worried I would trip over something getting out of there! 

Edited September 9, 2021 by daydreamer16
spelling

[taylortime05]

On 9/5/2021 at 7:09 PM, funatseascott said:

Our room looks the same, just opposite of you in 1612.  Added the balcony pics for others thinking about staying in the Royal Suite.  Hot tub will be used often at night.

 

 

That's looks wonderful!  I'd love to have a hot tub on our balcony.  How are they handling the hot tubs by the pools?  Is there a reduced limit on # of people allowed in the hot tub at once?  

[goofysmom99]

48 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Door Hanger Breakfast

 

i believe the same S and above.   It might also be in AQ. 
 

 

 

 

 

The same room service door hanger is in concierge class, too.

[DaKahuna]

9 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

The Library is used during the cruise with many reading in the nice peaceful setting.    So far haven't seen the Card Room used.

I have used the Card Room on one cruise.  I found I got better WiFi speeds there than in our cabin.  

[ROYALBOY]

57 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Security cameras with facial recognition.   They are really not giving much details on how.

I guess they would also have records of when you card is used to enter your room and make charges.

 

 

Big brother is watching… guess will have to bring a wide brimmed had and dark sunglasses 

[DaKahuna]

 

Feel free to be my proxy and have an Aspen on my behalf.

 

 

6 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Cafe al Bacio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ymncruise]

5 hours ago, RichYak said:

If my memory serves, you have to set it up initially in your home zone (ie not roaming). It should work for you on your next cruise now that you've set it up.

Yes, I think it will work next time. I had just switched to T-Mobile and probably didn’t have a setting right. Also, I was using the included internet plan so that may have been part of the problem. If it doesn’t work with the included internet, I’m going to try using my captains club minutes. That worked for me before when I had Verizon but I didn’t think to try it. On one of the islands, T-Mobile sent a pop up offering service for $5 for 24 hours. I can’t remember if it was for st Maarten or Nassau. 

[MartinsCruise]

58 minutes ago, daydreamer16 said:

We were in Aqua Class on the Summit, a few years ago and we were invited by Captain Kate! It was so awesome departing Bermuda right before the America's Cup with lots of sailboats practicing out at sea! 

 

We were invited to the helipad on the 5/7/17 Summit cruise which I believe was the last cruise before the actual race.  When we showed up to go to the helipad they told us it was canceled due to the high winds.  We've been invited to quite a few of these but this would have been the only one out of Bermuda.  It was fun watching the sailboats practicing for the race.

[ymncruise]

1 hour ago, barneymag said:

Safest way is turn “mobile data” off but wifi on and be connected to the X included package, then simply use “FaceTime” “Messenger” or “WhatsApp”. all 3 have voice only or video options depending on available bandwidth and should take away any risk of charges from your network 

Good to know! Thanks

[goofysmom99]

12 minutes ago, ymncruise said:

Yes, I think it will work next time. I had just switched to T-Mobile and probably didn’t have a setting right. Also, I was using the included internet plan so that may have been part of the problem. If it doesn’t work with the included internet, I’m going to try using my captains club minutes. That worked for me before when I had Verizon but I didn’t think to try it. On one of the islands, T-Mobile sent a pop up offering service for $5 for 24 hours. I can’t remember if it was for st Maarten or Nassau. 

Wifi calling is great, but sometimes people forget the courtesy of taking/making calls in their cabins. I found I could text on the lower wifi speed but got so frustrated with everything else being sooo slooow, I upgraded and have ever since.  The wonders of wifi calling = in 2018, out in the Atlantic on Silhouette TA, had a crown come off.  Used google to find an emergency dentist in Boston then wifi calling to make a Sunday appt.  Rather than visiting the Kennedy Library, got to take an uber to the dentist. 🤑 (Made it to the library in 2019)

[taylortime05]

1 hour ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

Oh gosh, you had to remind me of those lemon tarts!  One of my favorite things on the ships.  And the photo....even worse!  🤨🤨🙄🙄

 

And I am loving all these book series recommendations.  I’ve started to put them in notes on my iPad....I know better than to think I will remember any of them.

 

I am enjoying reading your blog, and so happy for you both that you get a “do-over” for that Royal Suite after the terrible disappointment you experienced before.  👍🏻👍🏻
 

Joanie

Hi,  

I’m trying to pick a few books for our cruise on Sept 17th. If you have the list of recommendations from these posts could you please repost it here?  I’d appreciate it so much because I haven’t had time to go back through all the posts but I do plan to do that.  I learn so much from everyone.  
Thank you so much!

[funatseascott]

1 hour ago, taylortime05 said:

That's looks wonderful!  I'd love to have a hot tub on our balcony.  How are they handling the hot tubs by the pools?  Is there a reduced limit on # of people allowed in the hot tub at once?  

We haven’t seen more then 4 at once but not sure if they are being limited or people are limiting on their own.  We usually don’t use the whirlpool on the sun decks, so this is nice to have each night.  We had dinner delivered to our room tonight, going to get some coffee at Bacio, then back to the jacuzzi for the rest of the evening.  Very peaceful and romantic.

[MR_T]

6 hours ago, abbydancer said:

Usually it's by invitation - I've been there as concierge, elite, and suite.  I don't know if there's a way to request it.  I can't see that it would just be open to everyone because it's not that big.

We’ve also been invited for several reason from solo traveller in an inside to elite plus and everything in between, I think it depends on good opportunity’s regarding good weather and time of day etc… we’ve been invited before and it was cancelled due to weather and then on some cruises they’ve held it on several days of the cruise so I guess the more they do it on a ship the more chance everyone gets to go. 

[taylortime05]

11 minutes ago, funatseascott said:

We haven’t seen more then 4 at once but not sure if they are being limited or people are limiting on their own.  We usually don’t use the whirlpool on the sun decks, so this is nice to have each night.  We had dinner delivered to our room tonight, going to get some coffee at Bacio, then back to the jacuzzi for the rest of the evening.  Very peaceful and romantic.

Sounds so nice.  Enjoy!

[stunned]

Jim, 

I know it might be a tough question to find answers to, but I’m curious if those being quarantined went on excursions with the passengers being taken off ship for positive Covid tests. We sail Nov. 7 and I’m second guessing if booking cruise line excursions is not the safest move.

Judy