Thoughts, impressions, and observations for the World Cruise.

[cruisegirl1]

41 minutes ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

Dry cleaning is still being debated. Several folks have reported being told it's not included. But there are several emails and an FAQ saying it is

Thanks - I hope it gets worked out.

M

[island lady]

5 hours ago, doghog said:

Good thing you didn't have to take malaria pills. Ask Bucky why. 😱

 

P.S. good job posting pictures. 🍷

 

Oh believe me...he already had that wonderful experience in the "Land of the Dragon"...though he said the Malaria pills were almost worse than having the disease!

[island lady]

4 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

I love Baklava

 

Haha!  Silly girl!  😄   Hey, where were you two tonight?

[island lady]

4 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

Dry cleaning is still being debated. Several folks have reported being told it's not included. But there are several emails and an FAQ saying it is

 

I gave up, and did the boil and fry and the "do it yourself".  😉 

[island lady]

3 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Yes, have been getting Paper Bag on last 2 Ships

 

We are getting new cloth draw string bags.

[CSHS1979]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

Haha!  Silly girl!  😄   Hey, where were you two tonight?

 

Barbie movie. Royal messed up the dbl feature. Should have followed with Oppenheimer

[doghog]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

We are getting new cloth draw string bags.

That's what Celebrity uses. Light gray. 

[island lady]

10 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

Barbie movie. Royal messed up the dbl feature. Should have followed with Oppenheimer

 

We watched the Arubian dance (like colorful Carnival/Mardi Gras) like celebration on the pool deck at 7 pm.  It was great...but my video did not turn out...drats.  😞 

[bobmacliberty]

19 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Yup, can rule the world as long as you have Duck Tape!!  😄  Quack!  🦆

 

And WD-40.  If it doesn't stick and it should, use duct tape.  If it sticks and it shouldn't, use WD-40.

[island lady]

Welcome to Curacao!  We are waiting to go ashore until my sister arrives.  She is staying for a week in Bonaire, but taking a little island hopper over here right now just for the afternoon.  We are meeting at Ceviche 91 Gastrobar....soooo good!  Great food and drinks, fantastic waterfront deck on the mouth of the harbor.  Will post yummy pictures later.  🙂 

 

Then tomorrow, when we arrive in Bonaire, they are picking us up to visit with them at their rental condo and enjoy the day together.  

 

After I had already teleported home yesterday, due to needing another tube of my favorite toothpaste, I found this sign.  I am waiting to be arrested by Serenade security soon.  😱😁

 

 

 

[island lady]

17 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

Dry cleaning is still being debated. Several folks have reported being told it's not included. But there are several emails and an FAQ saying it is

 

Yeah, I just asked my cabin attendant.  He told me it is just the "boil and fry" for we on the quarter segments as well.  Though being in a suite, we get freebie pressing on formal night...whop-de-do.....not needed, we are not doing the formal thing.  

 

So in other words...nothing different at all, unless full WC cruisers.  And as we all know.. all Pinnacles and D+ still get it, even in an inside cabin, on a one week cruise.  😑

 

Indeed the wording was really misleading on that perk. 

[Ocean Boy]

22 minutes ago, island lady said:

Welcome to Curacao!  We are waiting to go ashore until my sister arrives.  She is staying for a week in Bonaire, but taking a little island hopper over here right now just for the afternoon.  We are meeting at Ceviche 91 Gastrobar....soooo good!  Great food and drinks, fantastic waterfront deck on the mouth of the harbor.  Will post yummy pictures later.  🙂 

 

Then tomorrow, when we arrive in Bonaire, they are picking us up to visit with them at their rental condo and enjoy the day together.  

 

After I had already teleported home yesterday, due to needing another tube of my favorite toothpaste, I found this sign.  I am waiting to be arrested by Serenade security soon.  😱😁

 

 

 

How awesome that you are having a little family reunion in the Caribbean! That sounds like such a nice thing to do.🙂

 

I have yet to make it to Bonaire. I've only seen the lights as we passed in the night on Adventure.

[island lady]

3 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

How awesome that you are having a little family reunion in the Caribbean! That sounds like such a nice thing to do.🙂

 

I have yet to make it to Bonaire. I've only seen the lights as we passed in the night on Adventure.

 

Bonaire is beautiful.  And when we used to snorkel...it was THE place to snorkel and dive.  Water is gorgeous!  All the ABCs owned by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  

 

We don't snorkel any longer...Bucky freezes his skinny ass off too much.  😄 

 

 

 

 

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

We don't snorkel any longer...Bucky freezes his skinny ass off too much.  😄 

 

You need to fatten him up.😄

[island lady]

One thing I forgot to mention...and this may be more related to the team of "I always take my passport into the ports of call".  

 

Sorry people, no can do if you were on this cruise.  They collected all passports at check in and will hold them until you end your cruise, be it 274 days or just a segment/quarter.  

 

Me...no worries, as we always take our passport cards into port, and leave our passports in the safe.  So now they are in the really big Serenade safe. 

[island lady]

1 minute ago, Ocean Boy said:

You need to fatten him up.😄

 

LOL...he should weigh 400 pounds with all the cookies, candy, and sweets he likes to eat!!  Me, if I even smell food I gain 10 pounds.  😝

[island lady]

Another observation.  Mid ship glass wall elevators, two on the inside looking over the Centrum, four on the outside facing the ocean (and the only ones that go up to decks 12 and 13).   Of the four outside elevators, one has not worked (stuck on deck 12) for the whole cruise so far.  😕

 

Luckily not a full ship.  

[Ocean Boy]

3 minutes ago, island lady said:

One thing I forgot to mention...and this may be more related to the team of "I always take my passport into the ports of call".  

 

Sorry people, no can do if you were on this cruise.  They collected all passports at check in and will hold them until you end your cruise, be it 274 days or just a segment/quarter.  

 

Me...no worries, as we always take our passport cards into port, and leave our passports in the safe.  So now they are in the really big Serenade safe. 

I really dislike it when my passport is not under my control.😏

[lovesthebeach2]

11 minutes ago, island lady said:

One thing I forgot to mention...and this may be more related to the team of "I always take my passport into the ports of call".  

 

Sorry people, no can do if you were on this cruise.  They collected all passports at check in and will hold them until you end your cruise, be it 274 days or just a segment/quarter.  

 

Me...no worries, as we always take our passport cards into port, and leave our passports in the safe.  So now they are in the really big Serenade safe. 

 

5 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I really dislike it when my passport is not under my control.😏

when we’re on the 2 segments in June-July they’re going to take our passports? We also have the passport cards which we also take with us when we get off.

 

I’m with @Ocean Boy I’m not comfortable with them out of our control.

[island lady]

15 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I really dislike it when my passport is not under my control.😏

 

In this case it was "my way or the highway".  😉 

[island lady]

11 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

 

when we’re on the 2 segments in June-July they’re going to take our passports? We also have the passport cards which we also take with us when we get off.

 

I’m with @Ocean Boy I’m not comfortable with them out of our control.

 

Not sure if this will be the case for future segments...but I am guessing it is.  We were never told in advance ourselves.  Was a bit of a surprise...but what were we to do?  

 

This happened on our 3 week European Viking river cruise a couple of months ago as well.  Was miffed at first, then got used to it.  

 

Was told it was for the ship staff to present at each different country we visit.  Definitely stiffer laws than just bouncing around the Carib.  

 

At least we did not need to apply for Visas on this first quarter.  

 

 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2023 by island lady

[island lady]

Spotted this fishing charter coming in yesterday in Aruba.  Sushi anyone?  Waaaahoooo!!  😉 

[lovesthebeach2]

11 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Not sure if this will be the case for future segments...but I am guessing it is.  We were never told in advance ourselves.  Was a bit of a surprise...but what were we to do?  

 

This happened on our 3 week European Viking river cruise a couple of months ago as well.  Was miffed at first, then got used to it.  

 

Was told it was for the ship staff to present at each different country we visit.  Definitely stiffer laws than just bouncing around the Carib.  

 

At least we did not need to apply for Visas on this first quarter.  

 

 

 

 

We’ve had our passports taken a couple of times, but they gave them back a few days later.  I remember I think in Scotland or one of the countries up there, and Iceland didn’t take them, but they came on the ship and we all had to have them stamped.

[orville99]

45 minutes ago, island lady said:

Another observation.  Mid ship glass wall elevators, two on the inside looking over the Centrum, four on the outside facing the ocean (and the only ones that go up to decks 12 and 13).   Of the four outside elevators, one has not worked (stuck on deck 12) for the whole cruise so far.  😕

 

Luckily not a full ship.  

That's a bit better than on our 28 night cruise preceding yours - on that one, two of those elevators were stuck on deck 12 all cruise.

[island lady]

11 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

We’ve had our passports taken a couple of times, but they gave them back a few days later.  I remember I think in Scotland or one of the countries up there, and Iceland didn’t take them, but they came on the ship and we all had to have them stamped.

 

Yup, this is the case.  One day on the Viking Vidar, we were sitting in the lounge and the locals came on board, given the boxes of passports.  Loud stamping noise for 1/2 hour.  What a boring job that must be.  😮