Jim_Iain Apex Key West, TansAtlantic and British Isle with a Week in Amsterdam

[jimbri]

Safe travels!

 

[Jim_Iain]

What a day.  Our plane out of Boston had a 1 1/2 hour delay.  first I got a delayed departure for DFW to MIA.     Then got advised we were leaving over two early.  

 

 

We checked out quickly and then got advised of a really late departure. 
 

I checked at the First Class checkin and asked if she could get us on an earlier flight.  
 

she was fantastic and gave me a an involuntary change but have to fly coach.   I told her we really didn’t care. 
 

The 6:30 was running late so here we are already boarded.    At least we will get in at 10:52 as opposed to a maybe 2:30am.  
 

Big 😊 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

39 minutes ago, jimbri said:

Safe travels!

 

Unless something goes terribly wrong we are on our way

[clochette]

hope

18 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Unless something goes terribly wrong we are on our way

hoping everything goes very smoothly

[DUTRAVEL]

Too bad you don't drink Jim - you are going to need a cocktail once you finally get onboard tomorrow! Maybe Iain can help out and drink two for you!

[Tee & Chilli]

Great news, safe travels 

[abbydancer2003]

35 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

What a day.  Our plane out of Boston had a 1 1/2 hour delay.  first I got a delayed departure for DFW to MIA.     Then got advised we were leaving over two early.  

 

 

 

We checked out quickly and then got advised of a really late departure. 
 

I checked at the First Class checkin and asked if she could get us on an earlier flight.  
 

she was fantastic and gave me a an involuntary change but have to fly coach.   I told her we really didn’t care. 
 

The 6:30 was running late so here we are already boarded.    At least we will get in at 10:52 as opposed to a maybe 2:30am.  
 

Big 😊 

 

 

Just curious - since I think you were in paid first/business, do you get anything back?  Or since it was your choice, nada.

[DaKahuna]

 

40 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

she was fantastic and gave me a an involuntary change but have to fly coach.   I told her we really didn’t care. 
 

The 6:30 was running late so here we are already boarded.    At least we will get in at 10:52 as opposed to a maybe 2:30am.  

 

 

 

Bummer you were not able to stay in first class.  

 

Great news that you got on an earlier flight. 

 

35 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Unless something goes terribly wrong we are on our way

 

 Fingers and toes crossed hoping you'll make it. 

[wrk2cruise]

22 minutes ago, abbydancer said:

Just curious - since I think you were in paid first/business, do you get anything back?  Or since it was your choice, nada.

 

He made a point to say the nice agent marked it involuntary so hopefully there will be compensation.

[abbydancer2003]

3 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

He made a point to say the nice agent marked it involuntary so hopefully there will be compensation.

good point.

[Oceansaway17]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

We had a really nice lunch.    Service was really slow and at the end of the meal the waiter came over to thank us for our patience and said the Manager had comped our lunch.    If I knew that I would have gotten desert.   LOL

 

They are having a Tri-Delta Sorority Conference at the hotel and they are packed with young ladies... Iain was saying they all look so young... Smart A$$ that I am I said yea when you consider they were probably born in 2000.   We both groaned.  

wow free lunch that was nice.

 

best of luck on Apex.  I am doing the Edge in August from Barcelona and it is the first time on an Edge class ship.

 

toodles you and Lain are one of my favs on all of CC,  nice and polite and interesting too.

[hcat]

 glad u are on your way

hoping to hear you have made it to Miami..

what a nail biter! 

[haynesra]

15 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

There is a pub 100m from the cruise terminal called Kelly’s Bar who have live music on.

My favourite is the Rob Roy on Pearse Sq just a bit further along.

My last visit before lockdown on Reflection …..in the Rob Roy.

The train station is next to the ship,,,20 minutes into Cork City.

 

Thanks JeanieC will definitely check out both Kelly's and Rob Roy!

[TravelBluebird]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

We checked out quickly and then got advised of a really late departure. 
 

I checked at the First Class checkin and asked if she could get us on an earlier flight.  
 

she was fantastic and gave me a an involuntary change but have to fly coach.   I told her we really didn’t care. 
 

The 6:30 was running late so here we are already boarded.    At least we will get in at 10:52 as opposed to a maybe 2:30am.  

 

Wow, quite the start to your voyage!  Jumping on the other flight in coach was smart…arriving at 2:30am would have made for a much rougher day tomorrow, not to mention leaving very little leeway for anything else to go wrong.

[MarKay525]

1 hour ago, abbydancer said:

Just curious - since I think you were in paid first/business, do you get anything back?  Or since it was your choice, nada.

Recently flew on American and due to a series of major screw ups on my part, we were in coach rather than the first class seats we had paid for. American reimbursed us the difference in the fares, which I really appreciated since I flubbed up.

So hopefully same will occur with Jim & Iain.

[asnaleah]

Hoping all is well and you board tomorrow with no more hiccups!

[jelayne]

Enjoy your cruise!  Wish we were with you.  We head to FLL on Thursday, which by then this whole hassle of getting to Florida will be a distance memory.

[DaKahuna]

15 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Enjoy your cruise!  Wish we were with you.  We head to FLL on Thursday, which by then this whole hassle of getting to Florida will be a distance memory.

 

I hope it is as well.  We are also flying to FFL on Thursday.

 

[Jim_Iain]

Just a quick progress report.    We arrived in MIA at 10:30 PM but by the time we got our luggage and Uber to Fort Lauderdale it was just before midnight.

 

We were starving as they didn't have any food for sale in coach.   Next challenge -  the only thing open was McDonald's and Burger King.    The front desk told us the inside lobby of McDonald isn't open so you have to order via App.    Catch 22 they only have drive up opne and when we tried to pick up said we couldn't get food without a car.... ugh...  After pleading the manager told us to come around to the front where they have access for GrubHub and App based order. ..   Neve thought about that.  

 

We got our burgers and finally settling in.    Iain cracked open a bottle of Chardonnay he brought with us and we are finally settling in.   

 

The really good news --- just checked our original delayed flight and it is now not due to arrive Miami until 3:00 AM.      We definitely made the right choice.

 

Being West Coast time and having taken a 2 hour nap we are pretty perky.   

 

Being a weekend the Hyatt House serves breakfast until 10:00 AM.   Just a quick sleep tonight and will be boarding before we know it.

 

I will answer some of the questions tomorrow...    Pleasant dreams.

[abbydancer2003]

5 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Just a quick progress report.    We arrived in MIA at 10:30 PM but by the time we got our luggage and Uber to Fort Lauderdale it was just before midnight.

 

We were starving as they didn't have any food for sale in coach.   Next challenge -  the only thing open was McDonald's and Burger King.    The front desk told us the inside lobby of McDonald isn't open so you have to order via App.    Catch 22 they only have drive up opne and when we tried to pick up said we couldn't get food without a car.... ugh...  After pleading the manager told us to come around to the front where they have access for GrubHub and App based order. ..   Neve thought about that.  

 

We got our burgers and finally settling in.    Iain cracked open a bottle of Chardonnay he brought with us and we are finally settling in.   

 

The really good news --- just checked our original delayed flight and it is now not due to arrive Miami until 3:00 AM.      We definitely made the right choice.

 

Being West Coast time and having taken a 2 hour nap we are pretty perky.   

 

Being a weekend the Hyatt House serves breakfast until 10:00 AM.   Just a quick sleep tonight and will be boarding before we know it.

 

I will answer some of the questions tomorrow...    Pleasant dreams.

Thanks for the update.  Sorry it's so late, but glad you're where you need to be.  Have fun.

[JintyGirl]

Cheers from Glasgow Airport! We’re starting our journey to LA (boarding the Solstice on 22nd April and visiting San Diego beforehand). Hoping for a smoother trip. Glad you got there in the end. 😊

[Cap_D]

Have a wonderful trip.  Two weeks ago we had zero issues with boarding, which began around 11 am (we arrived later).  Elena, Jat, and Carolyne should be the Retreat concierges, whom I presume you'll get to know well.  Yuksel is the Maitre 'd at Luminae with Cindy at the host station.  They were all great.  

Edited April 15, 2023 by Cap_D

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, DUTRAVEL said:

Too bad you don't drink Jim - you are going to need a cocktail once you finally get onboard tomorrow! Maybe Iain can help out and drink two for you!

 

I did indeed drink some wine for me.   Years ago I started packing a bottle of Chardonnay  for the first night we arrive.    

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, abbydancer said:

Just curious - since I think you were in paid first/business, do you get anything back?  Or since it was your choice, nada.

 

Was told that I need to contact AA and they would recalculate and give a credit for the difference on fare.   To help the agent processed our change as an involuntary downgrade which makes AA the cause of the download.

[Jim_Iain]

11 hours ago, haynesra said:

Thanks JeanieC will definitely check out both Kelly's and Rob Roy!

If all else fails there's a McDonald open at 1 AM.  LOL   Fine dining at it's best.