Live from the Jewel April 29-May 13, 2024: will definitely contain sarcasm and grumpiness

[YVRteacher]

9 hours ago, Faulkh said:

So glad embarkation was so smooth for you and dad and he got his beer!  Wishing you a wonderful cruise. My dad has been gone for almost 20 years, keep making those memories. My dad loved his beer too and we often tell stories about his beer enjoyment. My sons love hearing those stories. 

I love this. Thank you for sharing a happy memory about your dad.

[YVRteacher]

7 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

I need to know some very important information:

 

1. How many pillows a) started on dad's bed and b) remain on dad's bed?

 

2. How many mistakes are in today's Freestyle Daily?

 

3. How much do you DESERVE this break? (Spoiler: I already know the answer to this one)

1.  There are seven pillows on my dad’s bed. He didn’t notice them right away but when he did he said “look at all the pillows they’ve given me. Good lord. Oh well.”

 

Then he made some indecipherable grunting sounds of disgust directed toward the pillows. 
 

2.  I did not even look at the Freestyle Daily today! I don’t know how many typos were in today’s but my dad went to bed a couple hours before I did tonight and when I returned to the cabin tomorrow’s Freestyle Daily was on the dining room table. He has circled 8 activities for us to do tomorrow. 8.  I just want to read my book and now I have 8 dad activities and the Captain’s Cocktail party.

 

3. I think a lot. You do too. 
It took me hours to type up my sub plans. I have 13 classes a week and I’m away for two weeks so 26 lesson plans. 

 

 

[YVRteacher]

Here are some cabin photos. This is a two bedroom penthouse suite that is not in the Haven. We have a concierge and butler and eat breakfast in Moderno and lunch in Cagney’s. We do not have access to the Haven deck (except for glacier viewings) or the little pool and hot tub situation.

 

Living room

 

 

Dining room and espresso machine set up

 

 

Main bathroom

 

 

 

Second bedroom

 

 

Second bathroom

 

 

[YVRteacher]

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that we are meeting friends in Skagway. They are currently on the Ruby Princess. Those of you who track cruises will know that the Ruby had to arrive earlier than scheduled in Maui for three medical disembarkations then arrive in Vancouver a day earlier than scheduled because there was a death on board. 

The Ruby is overnighting in Vancouver (my friends are doing a B2B to Hawaii round trip and Vancouver to Alaska round trip) and needed our berth but we were 80 minutes late leaving the pier so they didn’t have a berth.

 

The Ruby Princess had to anchor in the harbour and wait for a berth today.  Here she is approaching Canada Place.

 

 

 

 

A majestic bald eagle circled her as she drew closer to port.

 

My friends called me on What’s App and we went out on the decks of our respective ships and waved and jumped up and down until we saw each other. 

 

That was fun. 

 

Then I had cheese bread.

 

(I did a writer’s workshop a couple months ago with author Danny Ramadan. The focus of the workshop was great sentences. You wouldn’t know it from that cheese bread sentence.)

[NillaB]

29 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

 

A few of us from the Cruise

Critic roll call met today at 4:00pm at Maltings. It was so, so lovely to put faces to names and real names to usernames.  We chatted for an hour then I could tell my dad felt overwhelmed so we excused ourselves. 

 

I brought him back to the cabin to have some quiet time. He sat on the couch while I watched the shoreside operations

 

 

and blew bubbles on the balcony. 

 

It is always important to chill the bubbly!

 

 

Our port mate today is massive!

One of our Cruise Critic roll call members who came to the get together today was just on the Quantum and he said the entertainment was fantastic but the ship was extremely crowded and not well-designed for crowd management.

 

I love the helicopter landing pad on the Quantum of the Seas!

Nooooooooo - I put it down as tomorrow 🥺😱😫

[YVRteacher]

First Dinner

 

The short version:

Dinner was mostly good.

 

The long version:

 

Normally Moderno isn’t popular on the first night of a cruise but this ship has a lot of B2B guests and hundreds of experienced cruisers. Moderno was busy.

 

For the first 70  minutes there was one waiter for the whole restaurant. One. We were late leaving port due to mechanical issues (something needed to be repaired) lots of luggage, bunkering and something about this being the first big turnaround port after the transpacific. I’m telling you this because in Canadian ports only one bar per deck can be open. The Pit Stop is the smoking bar so that one stayed open and Sugarcane was closed. The waiter was not only bringing bread,

sauces and sides, he also had to go up and down to the pool bar to get everyone’s drinks. 

 He actually came and apologized to us for the poor service and we said it wasn’t poor service and we weren’t in a hurry. Moderno ended up being the perfect spot for sailaway because dad could stay sheltered and not have his hair blown about (heaven forbid) and I could pop outside for photo opportunities. 

 

The salad bar was mostly good although the potato salad and the couscous were so salty they were inedible. 

 

Here’s my plate.

When I took a photo of dad’s plate he asked what I was  doing. I said “taking a photo of your plate.”

 

He asked why.  

 

I said because I think it’s funny that you went to a salad bar and came back with no salad on your plate.

He did have a pile of ginger which he was about to put into his mouth all at once.  I said stop! That’s ginger-you’ll hate it. He looked sad and said “I thought it was salmon.”  

It’s a good thing he has me around!

 

My dad loves soup so he was happy with his plate of “salad,” a bowl of lobster bisque,

one piece of bacon-wrapped chicken

and a slice of fresh, hot pineapple. 

I had the salad bar, avocado maki,

 

mashed potato and black beans. 

 

We shared the banana thing for dessert and both enjoyed it. 

 

When we walked across deck 13 to get to the bow, dad had a conniption because his hair got blown out of place. 

 

more salad bar photos

 

 

 

 

[YVRteacher]

8 minutes ago, NillaB said:

Nooooooooo - I put it down as tomorrow 🥺😱😫

I was wondering where you were! Let’s have another get together.  I’ll set something up and post here and in the roll call.

[NillaB]

Just now, YVRteacher said:

I was wondering where you were! Let’s have another get together.  I’ll set something up and post here and in the roll call.

I promise,  I'm usually more organized that this (I'm teased for my planning...).

Yes, please 🙏 

[YVRteacher]

Sailaway photos

 

 

 

passing under the Lions Gate Bridge (built by the Guinness family)

 

with West Vancouver and Ambleside and my dad’s house to the north (right side)

 

and Stanley park to the south (left side)

Ambleside

 

 

buildings are the University of British Columbia 

 

 

we enter the Salish Sea

 

 

It snowed last night, a light dusting of powder 

 

Howe Sound

 

 

[YVRteacher]

Evening

 

After dinner my dad wanted some entertainment. I knew he wouldn’t like Nikki Carr but I said I would go if he wanted. 

 

There were about 200 people in the Stardust theatre and about 12 people clapped at her jokes. We lasted a couple of minutes and just had to leave. She is that bad. This is the same comedian who was on the Breakaway last month and I was so disappointed to see her name in the Freestyle Daily.

 

As we left my dad said he couldn’t believe NCL is hiring such poor entertainment. 

 

I then suggested the casino which was a great idea because we won!    
 

 

 

[YVRteacher]

The Thermal Spa

 

This may be the best dad story ever. Make sure you’re sitting down and are not going to spit your coffee or wine on your companion.

 

After our big casino win, I wanted to go to the thermal spa and hold down a hot ceramic lounger and let the thalassotherapy pool work its thalasso magic.

 

In the cabin my dad asked, “what do I do now?”

 

I said put on your bathing suit and robe. 

 

He went in his room to change and I went in my room to change. We both came out wrapped in the dense snuggliness of  Haven terry cloth robes.  When we arrived in the spa all the loungers were taken and we had to wait a few minutes before two became available. I knew from last year to go full-on Princess and the Pea and stack the towels and pillows in order for dad to be comfy. I made his ceramic stone lounger cozy nest and told him to take off his robe and lay down.

 

He disrobed.

 

And there he stood.

 

Naked in the thermal spa except for his flip flops.

 

 

As I and all the other patrons gasped in horror, dad asked,

“What? Was I supposed to put something on?”

 

 

Moments later the entire spa emptied out. My dad turned to me and said in a soft puzzled tone

 

 “everybody left.”

 

Yes.  Yes they did. They did not know the Full Monty would be showing tonight in the spa.

 

After 20 minutes of hot ceramic lounging my dad turned to me and said, “I’m cooked.”

 

Then he asked, “where did my clothes go?”

 

I laughed so hard I couldn’t speak. 

 

I know this is Freestyle Cruising but no one wanted to see this.

 

If we get kicked off the ship due to indecent exposure, I’ll be really mad I don’t get those huckleberry truffles.

[YVRteacher]

Here are photos of the Jewel just after departing from the port

and swinging west to head under the Lions Gate Bridge.

 

 

 

 

These photos were taken by my two friends on board the Ruby Princess.

 

[Faulkh]

Best dad story ever!!! is an understatement, thanks for the warning as I was sipping coffee. I now know the trick to getting the spa to empty.  I love how you roll with the antics of your dad and can laugh with it.  Love your report, thanks for sharing, can’t wait to read more. 

[GALSews]

Could you please tell me when the dinner with the officers is? Our last cruise, first as Sapphire either they didn't have one or we weren't notified of it?  IjJust want to see if it could affect our current schedule assuming that the day is the same in two weeks. Then again, as I told my geometry students, "If you assume, it makes an a** of you and me."

 

Yes, you were correct, had I been drinking tea when I read your dad story, I'd still be cleaning up my laptop from the spray.

 

I was trying to figure out how you got the pictures of the Jewel. I knew that you can't bring drones on the ship.

 

As salt is contraindicated (I like that word) for me, I'll have to make sure the folk at Moderno's know I am coming. Last time I had the "baconless" bacon-wrapped chicken, it was very dry. Assuming (again), perhaps the bacon insulated the chicken and adds moisture, so if they cooked it for the approved time, overcooked. 

 

As always, enjoying you photos and stories. Thanks.

[Disney Deb]

I'm so excited to actually be following a live review of yours, YVR! Especially since I'm going on this ship in August :). I'd read all the others well after you were off the ships.

Your latest dad story is the best LOL. Glad that you can roll with it. 

Hope that you have a wonderful trip!

[NillaB]

7 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

 

The Thermal Spa

 

This may be the best dad story ever. Make sure you’re sitting down and are not going to spit your coffee or wine on your companion.

 

After our big casino win, I wanted to go to the thermal spa and hold down a hot ceramic lounger and let the thalassotherapy pool work its thalasso magic.

 

In the cabin my dad asked, “what do I do now?”

 

I said put on your bathing suit and robe. 

 

He went in his room to change and I went in my room to change. We both came out wrapped in the dense snuggliness of  Haven terry cloth robes.  When we arrived in the spa all the loungers were taken and we had to wait a few minutes before two became available. I knew from last year to go full-on Princess and the Pea and stack the towels and pillows in order for dad to be comfy. I made his ceramic stone lounger cozy nest and told him to take off his robe and lay down.

 

He disrobed.

 

And there he stood.

 

Naked in the thermal spa except for his flip flops.

 

 

As I and all the other patrons gasped in horror, dad asked,

“What? Was I supposed to put something on?”

 

 

Moments later the entire spa emptied out. My dad turned to me and said in a soft puzzled tone

 

 “everybody left.”

 

Yes.  Yes they did. They did not know the Full Monty would be showing tonight in the spa.

 

After 20 minutes of hot ceramic lounging my dad turned to me and said, “I’m cooked.”

 

Then he asked, “where did my clothes go?”

 

I laughed so hard I couldn’t speak. 

 

I know this is Freestyle Cruising but no one wanted to see this.

 

If we get kicked off the ship due to indecent exposure, I’ll be really mad I don’t get those huckleberry truffles.

I would have stayed 🤗 

I went before the comedy - just squeezed it in and then made a mad dash for the comedy with my new friend who I met in the spa, so it seems we did things opposite ways round!

[schmoopie17]

It could have been worse. He could have done the Full Monty in Moderno.

 

(I was going to input a joke about swords, but thought better of it...)

 

I really need to book a cruise with you guys. Except I don't know if you could handle two "dads"...

 

 

Edited April 30 by schmoopie17

[quillwercruisers]

13 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

You will meet them at the NCL check in desk inside Canada Place.

 

Thank you very much.

[YVRteacher]

Day 2

 

Last night I set an alarm in the hopes of an early start but the repeated tapping of the snooze button made for an 8:50am get up time. I came out of the bedroom and looked outside and it was stunningly beautiful! We have an absolutely gorgeous sea day.

I slept so well last night but I needed seasick medication. We are rocking from bow to stern!

 

I listened to my dad’s complaints about the prolific pillows and the sheet that got a little shifted out of place but was reported with the magnitude of WWII. Sometimes all I can do is listen.

 

We enjoyed a relaxed and small breakfast in Moderno where we both requested a half order of Eggs Benedict

 

(with ham for dad, sans ham for me) and no breakfast potatoes. I hate those things. They are greasy and seasoned with oregano and that is ugh in my mouth. The breakfast buffet in Moderno was fresh and beautifully presented so I savoured papaya, kiwi, orange and watermelon along with an apple pastry. The almond croissants had an extra generous heaping coating of icing sugar today so I skipped them. 

 

In a surprising change, NCL is now back to Starbucks coffee for the French Press. For the first time since Covid we had great morning coffee. Ah! So good (no, no, no-that wasn’t an invite to break out Sweet Caroline…)

 

After breakfast we attended the This Is Alaska slide show in the Stardust Theatre. Why? Because my dad circled it. There was a much larger crowd for this than for the comedian last night.

 

We learned there are 800 B2B2B passengers on board but I would like to confirm this.

 

The person from the Shore Excursions department, Leah, who did the presentation was well-spoken and funny. 

 

She told everyone to get broke on this cruise buying shore excursions and creating special memories. She recommends going to the bar before looking at your final bill on a cruise.

 

Leah encouraged us not to waste a day and said during Covid she was thinking about her last contract and wishing she had walked to the top of the Parthenon.

 

 

We then took ourselves to O’Sheehan’s bar for some people watching and libations.

 

Pineapple mimosa for me and Bahama Mama for dad. My dad asked when was the last time he had one of these. It must have been July 2023 on the NCL Spirit.

 

As we were watching the large screen in the atrium slides came on informing us about Seymour Narrows and Ripple Rock. This is a tricky passage to navigate due to narrowing shores (a 750m wide channel) and swift currents. 

Ripple Rock was a submerged mountain with twin peaks just below the surface of Seymour Narrows. 119 boats struck Ripple Rock and 114 people died in marine accidents from the strikes. On April 5, 1958 Ripple Rock was detonated using 1375 tons of Nitramex 2H explosives. The explosion stands as the largest non-nuclear blast in North America. 

 

In my mom’s family all the uncles were expert tugboat captains based out of Campbell River. My uncle John was the man who was sent down as the diver who set the charges to blow up Ripple Rock!

 

My dad is fixing to go to Guest Services to ask why Uncle John’s name isn’t on the slide in the Atrium.

 

My dad was hungry at 11:30am. Not because he was actually hungry but because 11:30 is lunch time where he lives. I definitely wasn’t hungry so we went to the Garden Cafe so we could have something quick and small. All the food looked appealing and was nicely presented. My Indian food was excellent! Rotis are available upon request. 

 

Dad of course had his soup. He plunked down in the green plastic chair and declared “I love soup. I’m addicted to soup.”

 

I told him there are worse addictions. For example, it seems I am addicted to cruising.

 

Thank you to Cruise Critic member Tammy from Prince Edward Island for saying hi and chatting during lunch today. It was lovely to meet you and your husband. Tammy heard me call my dad “dad” and asked If I was Yvonne. 

 

During lunch the captain came on the PA to provide weather, navigational and wildlife information. He told us he most recently spotted whales off the port side in the distance so a bunch of people in the buffet stood up and rushed to the windows. 

 

We were on the Starboard side.

 

Captain also mentioned that tomorrow morning from 5:30am-7:30am would be prime wildlife viewing time. I told my dad if got up at 5:30am the only wildlife people would experience would be a grumpy bear. I hope the animals all brought their watches and are prepared to turn them back an hour tonight because there are passengers on this ship expecting sightings tomorrow with the sunrise.

 

Halfway through lunch I said we didn’t receive our chocolate covered strawberries yesterday. My dad said go tell Rumi. I said one does not go to the GM to discuss the absence of strawberries.

 

 

Someone did knock on the cabin door yesterday with a plate of shrimp canapés but I said no thank you.

[YVRteacher]

 

Who’s on Board?

 

Captain

 Stefan Nordberg

 

General Manager 

Rumi Khatao

 

Staff Captain 

Santiago Filevich

 

Chief Engineer 

Tomislav Russo

 

Food and Beverage Director Tyson Pinto

 

Casino Manager  

Jennifer Dimalanta

 

Restaurant Manager 

Maria Dizon 

 

Executive Chef 

Baiju Ravindran

 

Guest Services Manager Ronan Ramos

 

Executive Housekeeper Ricardo Nastor 

 

Cruise Next Manager 

Rodan Robles 

 

Cruise Director 

Renan Franco

 

Beverage Manager Windchester Barracks 

 

Head Mixologist 

Aan

 

Shore Excursion Manager Boyd Chin

 

Concierge

Armando De Guzman

 

[YVRteacher]

Sea day afternoon

 

One of the activities dad circled in the Freestyle Daily was Alaskan Trivia. This was a popular event and Bliss lounge was full of trivia doers.  The questions were challenging so my dad was at his best, making pfft noises and announcing how stupid the questions were. A team from Alaska won with 17 points and we came second with 11.  After trivia dad said he couldn’t do any more cruises. I told him he had to since we just paid in full for August. He said he couldn’t. I said I wasn’t talking about this right now. In 5 minutes he will forget this conversation as well as all the trivia questions and answers so the swearing and grumpy noises will make a return next week. 

 

Before making the long trek one floor up to the spa, I did a bathing suit check for all those involved. Swimwear adorned, we secured hot ceramic loungers like the hopeful Gold Rushers staked their claims in the Yukon. Unlike the miners we left our horses and pick axes back in the cabin. 

 

My dad looked at me as soon as I got him settled in the hot ceramic lounger and asked, “is it time for a sleep?”

 

Let’s talk spa etiquette. I think people don’t realize how loud their voices are when amplified by the acoustics of the thalassotherapy pool. People are trying to talk over the noise of the jets and it turns into shouting. Both last night and today the spa has been really loud. 

 

Continuing with Spa Etiquette 102 (I wrote volume 101 last year) do not use your arm to reach in and unclog the lemon that is blocking the inside spout of the large lemon water vessel. No one wants your hairy arm in their lemon water.  @schmoopie, I am expecting great things from you with that lead in…

 

There was a woman on one of the ceramic loungers picking the dead skin off her toenails and leaving the detritus behind on the lounger. I almost threw up seeing that. Speaking of throwing up, someone tossed their cookies this afternoon near where the art sculpture is. 

 

I get it. 

 

That thing is ugly. I heard a man ask the art consultant how he would get the statue home if he won it. She told him he doesn’t win the statue; he would win a piece of art if he guessed correctly. He seemed disappointed and walked away. Good call, buddy. 

[YVRteacher]

We are having a wonderful time! We love the Jewel! It’s a great feeling on board with happiness abounding.

[gerry1.10]

14 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

We are having a wonderful time! We love the Jewel! It’s a great feeling on board with happiness abounding.

Great to hear! will be on it in 12 days.

Any change in the officers since your posting on the "where the officers are" ?

 

Thanks

[www3traveler]

I am glad your cruise is going well.

[Always Cruising]

Captain Stefan is very nice and so approachable.  We sailed with him years ago when his wife and children were onboard, and they played with my granddaughter.  Great memories...