Jim_Iain - Summit Live Post B3B Greenland / Iceland / Canada Aug 7, 19 and 31, 2022

[Arzeena]

35 minutes ago, Wink87 said:

This is Lain.

All this time reading and thoroughly enjoying thier review upon review upon review, I thought this was Jim. 🤔😳

Apologize for the mix up. Now I know.

[sbt518]

On 8/3/2022 at 12:15 PM, Jim_Iain said:

 

I grew up in my teens in Longmeadow, Mass.  so still have a bit of Massachusetts in me

OK, first of all I love your reviews and I want to be you or Iian when I grow up so I can travel as much as you.  But I'm already almost 50 so I don't have much time left to grow up. 🤣

 

And second of all, I live in NYC now but I grew up in MA and have family in Longmeadow so now I like you even more, as if that was possible since I've read all your reviews and love to follow along on your travels.

[Benthayer Gonbak]

11 hours ago, Redking said:

How I wish that were the case. Best I don't completely hijack the thread but we did contact the CEO, the NZ government finance and transport ministers (the NZ government are the majority shareholder in Air NZ) stating that refunds should be offered in line with other carriers and so that we can more easily choose to fly on a cheaper flight. Nope! They are a great airline but not that great that they can justify a 205% increase on their usual fare. And breath. Rant over and back to enjoying cruising vicariously 🤣

That’s disappointing for sure.  Many have also manage to file with credit cards as non delivery of services but often the airline has drug the issue out so long that that doesn’t work either.

 

since many are still cancelling flights it would seem the issue you describe remains and is tangentially relevant here!  As for the increased cost just Wow.  
 

 

[fngram]

43 minutes ago, dleighb said:

Thanks for the tip Re the Buffet Station Map….a post of your photo would be appreciated!

 

BUFFET

We're getting the lay of the land for the buffet. Everything seemed all over the place, and we couldn't really find anything. Today as we were leaving we saw the map of the stations at the entrance before the hand washing station (which I really dig). That would have been helpful for us to have noticed previously, but now we know where it is and have taken a photo to study, we will be better prepared for the rest of the trip. The garlic fish yesterday for lunch was one of the best things I've eaten on the ship. Not overcooked, flavorful. If that shows up again, I'm getting a larger plate. We found the "afternoon tea" in the Oceanview cafe too. But it's not all together. The sandwiches are at one station, the scones at another, the desserts at another, and naturally, the tea is the standard Bigelow options unless you go to Cafe Al Bacio first. Still. quite nice, and the scones are tasty.

 

 

 

 

[WorkerBee74]

1 hour ago, Wink87 said:

This is Lain.

 

It's Iain.  Capital I, not L.  Think "IAN" but Scottish 😄  

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, dleighb said:

We are on the same ship, but being non-elite in the "cheap seats", a nightmare experience getting to Newark (not the cruise's fault), and packing for a cold three weeks, I think we are having a slightly different experience. Not bad necessarily, but not quite as amazing. 🙂 Let me sum up (in hindsight, the summary got a bit long).

 

We were among those with messed up drink packages and stood in that line. Not a huge deal.

MDR

We've definitely seen this is a new crew. By last night, we could also see a lot of improvement in our MDR staff, so I think it is a matter of getting them all used to working with each other and getting into the swing of things. Back to the Prime Rib comment from above, we are ordering up. The first night, I ordered medium rare (as is proper for all red meat), and that sucker was definitely in the "stick a bandaid on it and send it back out to graze" category. We said something to our Maitre D, and he told us to order a step up in the dining room. It feels very wrong to be ordering Medium instead of Medium Rare, but it seems to be working. We are a little curious about the "How to Grill a Steak" seminar today. Are they going to teach it the Summit Way or the right way? Granted, we're from Texas. We're very serious about our meat!

 

BARS

The drinkers in the group have not been having great success. Out of stock on many of the things they want to try. We also are having a difficult time finding a bartender who can do actual mixology on cocktails. We have had that on past cruises. For example, if I say I want a sweet, fruity cocktail, they give me a blank stare. If I don't know the name of it, forget it. And even if I do, it is likely they won't have have the stock that they used to. But there are still drinks on board, and our group is still happily enjoying them, so it's not like anyone is going to go into detox or anything from lack of alcohol!

 

CABIN

We are in Concierge Class, and no real issues with the cabin. It is quite lovely. Storage space has been nice. Decent room to move around and the shower is adequate size for a ship. I have definitely squeezed myself into smaller! Our attendant is significantly better than our last attendant on our AUS/NZ cruise pre-covid, and he has been stellar so far. (Granted, that wouldn't take much as on that cruise, we put our DND on the door for most of the trip just to keep him out of our room.)

 

BUFFET

We're getting the lay of the land for the buffet. Everything seemed all over the place, and we couldn't really find anything. Today as we were leaving we saw the map of the stations at the entrance before the hand washing station (which I really dig). That would have been helpful for us to have noticed previously, but now we know where it is and have taken a photo to study, we will be better prepared for the rest of the trip. The garlic fish yesterday for lunch was one of the best things I've eaten on the ship. Not overcooked, flavorful. If that shows up again, I'm getting a larger plate. We found the "afternoon tea" in the Oceanview cafe too. But it's not all together. The sandwiches are at one station, the scones at another, the desserts at another, and naturally, the tea is the standard Bigelow options unless you go to Cafe Al Bacio first. Still. quite nice, and the scones are tasty.

 

Jim/Iain, on Monday, I was still so worn out from our Saturday travel debacle, that I didn't do my normal photo tour of the ship. I see from your photos and grey clouds today, that I chose poorly. Your photos are great. Also, you did the same tour that we did in Halifax (now I know to look out for that green jacket), but being from the flat plains of Texas, the humidity was killing me by the top of that Citadel climb! Looking at your photos, I see several that I should have gotten for my scrapbook, but we were so done by the time we hit the boardwalk, we just headed back to the ship. I think I need to hang with you so I can get true scrapbook worthy photos!

 

 

Love reading your experiences.    I also noticed that the staff in Luminae are working better together.   We learned many years ago to go to a Specialty on the first night.   A combination of the Passengers and the Waitstaff getting everything settled has always been a challenge.

 

If you want something on the lighter side the Spa Cafe is really a nice choice.   Check the app for all they have on the menu as they also make a daily sandwich to order. 

 

[verizon]

23 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

This is why I love TMobile

Hi Jim,

I just have just switched to T-Mobile for two month ago.Would you kindly show me what setting should I set on my I-phone so I won't get charge when I use in the fall in Europe?

Thanks from Rich.

Edited August 10, 2022 by verizon

[cachouonacruise]

22 hours ago, FLCruiser97 said:

But of course! Love the lemon tarts.

Strangely, when we asked for Lemon Tarts at Al Bacio on Silhouette in June, this is what we received. ( i guess we had the non-suite Lemon tarts🤣🤣🤣) 
 

Yours looked really delicious, indeed! 

 

 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

5 hours ago, Arzeena said:

 

This lovely person who is aged to perfection. Jim or Ian?

Iain

 

[cachouonacruise]

Thank-you very much Jim for all the beautiful pictures of yourselves, the food and the visited areas. They really helped me re-discover a part of my own country, which I have not seen in a while! Bravo! 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

One of the many most disappointing things on our Apex TA in April , after waiting 2 1/2 years to get Apple fritters from Bacio , they stop making them 😢

on the upside , I could still fit into my pants on day 14 😁

[jwlane]

1 hour ago, verizon said:

what setting should I set on my I-phone so I won't get charge when I use in the fall in Europe?

Europe is great for T-Mobile also!  Data is free (it slows after a certain point), and calls are only 25¢ per minute.  We used regular settings while ashore---on the ship, airplane mode (with wifi on).  If you need more calls, a 10 day pass is $35, 30 days is $50.

Edited August 10, 2022 by jwlane

[clanger]

24 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Iain

 

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, verizon said:

Hi Jim,

I just have just switched to T-Mobile for two month ago.Would you kindly show me what setting should I set on my I-phone so I won't get charge when I use in the fall in Europe?

Thanks from Rich.

Doesnt T- Mobile give you free data in the eu , so you wouldnt have change any settings 

[Redking]

8 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I've been looking at Air Fares to Australia for our 2023 cruise (not yet available) but checking current rates to see what they look like.   Ouch. 

😱

[Oceansaway17]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Love reading your experiences.    I also noticed that the staff in Luminae are working better together.   We learned many years ago to go to a Specialty on the first night.   A combination of the Passengers and the Waitstaff getting everything settled has always been a challenge.

 

If you want something on the lighter side the Spa Cafe is really a nice choice.   Check the app for all they have on the menu as they also make a daily sandwich to order. 

 

hey Jim,  JJ Cruise vloggers are on board.  Two great guys who did a LIVE the day you left.

If you see them go up and say hi as they are really great nice men who travel on ships a lot.

[Oceansaway17]

23 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Well we had to have coffee and some Lemon Tarts. 
 

 

wow they look good.  I will get a chance next year when I take the Summit from Boston to NE unless they have them on the Equinox for my Nov cruise

[Jim_Iain]

7 hours ago, Arzeena said:

I love those lemon tarts too! One bite and gone!😁
 

Thoroughly enjoying this!

 

Anyway after the comments on the yellow jacket,  now I am confused which one is Jim and which one is Ian? Jim is the mischievious looking one? And Ian is the taller one with glasses? Am I right? or is it too early in the morning🤣

Nope.... Iain's the mischievous one and has a full beard.  In the photo he had on the Dayglow Green Jacket and the T-Shirt with Aged to Perfection.   I was in Red and wear glasses but Iain usually has me remove them for a photo.    I have the longer hair that has a life of it's own.

[kwokpot]

19 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Doesnt T- Mobile give you free data in the eu , so you wouldnt have change any settings 

While that is true and it does work, depending on what you're doing on land at each port would determine whether you should pay extra for T-Mobile high speed data roaming. For years we used the free data and we did a lot of our own touring using Google maps for directions and recommendations for things to see, places to eat. 2G speeds are painfully slow once you're used to 5g LTE. If all you're doing is checking emails, social media, and the occasional restaurant recommendations, the T-Mobile free 2G international data plan is adequate. But if you're going to use Google maps for step by step tour info directions for 5-6 hours at each port it would behoove you to pay for the high speed data plan. We did exactly this this past May/June when we were in Europe for 5 weeks on the Carnival Pride. We paid for the 30 day plan, 1st time ever, and it was well worth the money. There were numerous people on our cruise complaining that Greece and Italy are technologically backwards because GPS doesn't work on their cell phones. It wasn't the countries that were backwards but not having the proper data connection on their phone that was the issue, which no one seemed to understand. 

 

[Redking]

8 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

 

Love, love, love their soups. Findlay could easily cruise and eat nothing but those soups 👌
 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

@Anita Latte and Others,

 

Here is the most recent update, with your suggestion added.

 

 

Georges Simenon Series 

Gideon Oliver -Aaron  Elkins  series 

Louise Penny’s Gamache series.

Dorothy L. Sayers Lord Peter Wimsey series

Any books by Josephine Tey

Barbara Hambly - Benjamin January series, if you like historical mysteries!

JD Robb books and Robert B Parker

The Scarapetta series by Patricia Cornwell 

MC Beaton books 

Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley Series.  

Donna Leon’s Brunetti series. 

Any books by Tana French

Any books by P. D. James.  

Greg Isles, a writer from Natchez, MS.

Snowblind” by Ragnar Jonasson.  (Book 1 of 6 - DarkIceland)

Cork O’Connor series by William Kent Krueger.  Also non-series books.

Brad Thor

JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter series), writing under the name Robert Galbraith -- the    

     Cormoran Strike series.

Andrea Camilleri -- the Inspector Montalbano series.

Helen Fields -- the Perfect series.

Karin Slaughter -- the Will Trent series

Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

James Crumley —should be read in order

Winston Graham—Poldark series

Janet Evanovich—Stephanie Plum series.  Fox and Hare series.

Anything by Tim Dorsey or Carl Hiassen 

Old Archie comic books and Mad Magazine. 🙂

Ian Rankin’s Rebus series

Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks series

Nevada Barr’s National Parks series

Anything by Anne Cleeves

Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes - current times

Thomas Pitt series by Anne Perry - Victorian era

 (and if you are planning a trip to Egypt check out theAmelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters)

Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City.  4 books.

The Longmire books by Craig Johnson.  Also suggest the fantastic series on Netflix.

David McCullough 'Path Between the Seas' (Panama Canal)

Caroline Graham Inspector Barnaby series. 

John Sandford , the Prey series and the Virgil Flowers series

Any books by Harlan Coben

Khalid Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Kite Runner

Cupcake Brown, A Piece of Cake

Andy Weir, “not science fiction but science plausibility”

Danelle Harmon Series

Caleb Carr -  The Alienist.

Anthony Horowitz, Magpie Murders/Susan Ryeland Series.  Also Horowitz & Hawthorne series

Rex Stout, Nero Wolfe books, later written by Robert Goldsborough

Ruth Ware

Stuart Woods, Stone Barrington series.  #61 just published.

Tess Gerritson

Lisa Scottoline.

Michael Connelly Bosch books

Lee Child Reacher series

James Lee Burke Robicheaux

Patricia Cornell Scarpetta books

Jonathan Kellerman Delaware books

Greg Iles

Jeffrey Deaver Lincoln Rhymes series

Nelson DeMille

John Grisham

Scott Turow

Pat Conroy...more family drama than mystery

The Outlander series

Brad Meltzer

Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six (same author)

I just finished American Dirt and loved it so much I bought two more of her books.  

Iris Johansen (EveDuncan series, and others).

Colin Dexter Inspector Morse series

David Baldacci—Amos Decker, Atlee Pine and John Puller series

JA Jance

Karen Rose

Carol Goodman, The Stranger Behind You,  plus other books.  Contemporary suspenseful fiction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much -   I started to read a new series yesterday.    I thought I found them on the list -  Now I have no Idea where I got the referral.

 

Sara Parestky -  The V.I. Warhawski Series  -  I just started "indemnity Only (1982) and is #1 of 21

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

@Anita Latte and Others,

 

Here is the most recent update, with your suggestion added.

 

 

Georges Simenon Series 

Gideon Oliver -Aaron  Elkins  series 

Louise Penny’s Gamache series.

Dorothy L. Sayers Lord Peter Wimsey series

Any books by Josephine Tey

Barbara Hambly - Benjamin January series, if you like historical mysteries!

JD Robb books and Robert B Parker

The Scarapetta series by Patricia Cornwell 

MC Beaton books 

Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley Series.  

Donna Leon’s Brunetti series. 

Any books by Tana French

Any books by P. D. James.  

Greg Isles, a writer from Natchez, MS.

Snowblind” by Ragnar Jonasson.  (Book 1 of 6 - DarkIceland)

Cork O’Connor series by William Kent Krueger.  Also non-series books.

Brad Thor

JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter series), writing under the name Robert Galbraith -- the    

     Cormoran Strike series.

Andrea Camilleri -- the Inspector Montalbano series.

Helen Fields -- the Perfect series.

Karin Slaughter -- the Will Trent series

Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

James Crumley —should be read in order

Winston Graham—Poldark series

Janet Evanovich—Stephanie Plum series.  Fox and Hare series.

Anything by Tim Dorsey or Carl Hiassen 

Old Archie comic books and Mad Magazine. 🙂

Ian Rankin’s Rebus series

Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks series

Nevada Barr’s National Parks series

Anything by Anne Cleeves

Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes - current times

Thomas Pitt series by Anne Perry - Victorian era

 (and if you are planning a trip to Egypt check out theAmelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters)

Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City.  4 books.

The Longmire books by Craig Johnson.  Also suggest the fantastic series on Netflix.

David McCullough 'Path Between the Seas' (Panama Canal)

Caroline Graham Inspector Barnaby series. 

John Sandford , the Prey series and the Virgil Flowers series

Any books by Harlan Coben

Khalid Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Kite Runner

Cupcake Brown, A Piece of Cake

Andy Weir, “not science fiction but science plausibility”

Danelle Harmon Series

Caleb Carr -  The Alienist.

Anthony Horowitz, Magpie Murders/Susan Ryeland Series.  Also Horowitz & Hawthorne series

Rex Stout, Nero Wolfe books, later written by Robert Goldsborough

Ruth Ware

Stuart Woods, Stone Barrington series.  #61 just published.

Tess Gerritson

Lisa Scottoline.

Michael Connelly Bosch books

Lee Child Reacher series

James Lee Burke Robicheaux

Patricia Cornell Scarpetta books

Jonathan Kellerman Delaware books

Greg Iles

Jeffrey Deaver Lincoln Rhymes series

Nelson DeMille

John Grisham

Scott Turow

Pat Conroy...more family drama than mystery

The Outlander series

Brad Meltzer

Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six (same author)

I just finished American Dirt and loved it so much I bought two more of her books.  

Iris Johansen (Ev

[Ex-Airbalancer]

3 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

While that is true and it does work, depending on what you're doing on land at each port would determine whether you should pay extra for T-Mobile high speed data roaming. For years we used the free data and we did a lot of our own touring using Google maps for directions and recommendations for things to see, places to eat. 2G speeds are painfully slow once you're used to 5g LTE. If all you're doing is checking emails, social media, and the occasional restaurant recommendations, the T-Mobile free 2G international data plan is adequate. But if you're going to use Google maps for step by step tour info directions for 5-6 hours at each port it would behoove you to pay for the high speed data plan. We did exactly this this past May/June when we were in Europe for 5 weeks on the Carnival Pride. We paid for the 30 day plan, 1st time ever, and it was well worth the money. There were numerous people on our cruise complaining that Greece and Italy are technologically backwards because GPS doesn't work on their cell phones. It wasn't the countries that were backwards but not having the proper data connection on their phone that was the issue, which no one seemed to understand. 

 

I don’t have T-mobile, since I am in Canada 

in the EU I will usually just get a Vodafone tourist SIM card , for about 20€ you get about 20 gb of data for 30 days 

on my August cruise a Baltic and than Arctic transatlantic I am going with Simcorner card $35 cad for 12 gb of data for 30 days 

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, lola2013 said:

Iain.  Sorry...just having a little fun this morning.

Not a problem we both had a good laugh.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, cachouonacruise said:

Strangely, when we asked for Lemon Tarts at Al Bacio on Silhouette in June, this is what we received. ( i guess we had the non-suite Lemon tarts🤣🤣🤣) 
 

Yours looked really delicious, indeed! 

 

 

 

Those are my favorite.  I guess each pastry Chief has his own twist.