Ecstasy (12/11 - 12/15) Reviewed By Lynn

Just got back a few days ago from 4 night Western Carribean aboard the Ecstasy. Overall, we had a really great vacation but not due entirely to the ship itself, but to the time my husband and I were able to share together. Your vacation is mostly what you make of it, and we certainly didn't let any of the negatives get to us.
Embarkation:
Arrived at the port about 11:15 am and were intending on carrying on all of our baggage to avoid any delays in receiving them later. Upon entering the building, we were told that the largest bag we had was to be left with a porter. Went back outside and gave my bag to a guy who reminded me he wouldn't be seeing me again (hint hint), so I gave him a $2 tip and thanked him and was on my way back inside to start embarkation. We waited on line for a few short minutes to put the bags through the x-ray machine. They asked me to open up one of my carry-on's in which I had 24 bottles of spring water. They were just checking for alcoholic beverages I guess, because, they let us go after that. We then proceeded to a desk to have our I.D checked and get our cabin keys. After that we waited on line for about 35 minutes and then were able to start boarding. The process really is pretty organized and if you are excited about the trip, then it all goes well. Right before getting on the ship, they stop you and take a picture (which we ended up buying later on).
First impression of ship:
The grand Atrium doesn't look so grand at 12:00 in the afternoon, but at night it takes on a transformation. All of the decor on the ship is mean't to be appreciated at nighttime. The hallways are decorated in an atrocious color scheme of geometrics and very outdated framed graphics. The carpets really are pretty worn and could benefit from a shampooing. After the first day though, you are not interested at all in the decor and it really makes no difference.
Our cabin:
We had an ocean view cabin on the Upper deck. I will admit that it was a bit disapponting upon entering the room. The cabins really are not kept that well.The carpet really needs shampooing, the bathroom sink was chipped in several places and the shower sprayer didn't work all that well. It was very apparent that they only change the sheets and towels before the next passengers arrive. The room could have used a thorough scrubbing with a bucket of hot soapy water. But alas, I was prepared--- I had brought a can of Lysol with me! I used that to spray the toilet, sink & shower floor (only took a couple of minutes to do). The light switches were also pretty sticky and so were the drawer handles. The bedspreads were very worn looking and one of our mattresses were sunken in the middle (alot of other passengers commented about the same thing). I was prepared once again and had brought a set of queen sheets from home w/ 4 pillowcases (again, did not take up much room in luggage, and was well worth it!!!). We had our cabin steward put the beds together and asked her to leave them that way for the remainder of the cruise. This worked out great, as our sheets were fitted and did not slip off the bed to expose the bare mattress as the other sheets would have. Another plus was that the sheets helped cushion our souveniers in our luggage for the trip home
It was nice having the window in the room as well. We had beautiful weather all 5 days, so it was nice waking up every morning to sunshine.
There was an amenities basket in the room with the usual small shampoo and conditioner, 2 razors, 2 Tylenol PM samples, small deodorant sample and some lifesavers. These things were not much use to us as we had brought our own. There were NO HAIRDRYERS ladies, so don't forget to bring one if you cruise the Ecstasy. There were also 2 bathrobes which we did not use as our cabin was usually pretty warm.
Lido deck buffet:
I found the food to be mediocre. There was not that much of a variety on any given day. We found the cheesesburgers to be the best choice, They were actually good. The 24 hour pizzeria was also a disappointment. The pizza was always cold and dried out and there was only cheese and pepperoni available the whole time. Carnival boasts these hot specialty pizzas, fresh ceasar salads and garlic rolls 24 hours a day. We were never able to get a salad, nor were there ever any rolls. Bar drinks:
Drinks were great!! I especially loved the drinks of the day. They do not skimp on the alcohol at all, so you definitely get your money's worth there! We also purchased drink coupons in advance and they were accepted for everything except the drinks in the souvenier glasses.
Rolls Royce Cafe
They sell coffee, espresso, cappuccino and desserts at this cafe for a nominal fee. The coffee was very good and I didn't mind spending $1.50 for a good cup of coffee. I also tried the chocolate cake for $2.00 and that was also very good.
Dining Room:
We ate all of our dinners in the dining room and breakfast there twice. The dinners were pretty good, there was a nice variety. The only thing was that the quality of the food was inconsistent. Some things were overcooked, some undercooked and some just right. The wait staff was not very attentive nor were they friendly. They didn't seem to care either way whether or not we enjoyed anything. Sometimes we would be halfway into our meals without even receiving any beverages. Breakfast in the dining room was a waste of time, because it was the exact same food that we could get ourselves on the Lido deck buffet. I ordered room service once and it came very quickly. We ordered a BLT and a brownie/cookie plate. I didn't like them at all. Key West:
We chose to take the Catamaran Fury as a shore excursion in Key West. It was very nice. The boat was very clean and the staff was friendly and very professional. They take you out for an hour ride while giving a short snorkel instruction. Then you get 1 hour to snorkel with a lot of supervision if you are a beginner or you can go out on your own if you like. That day, there happened to be a whole lot of giant jellyfish in the water, so I opted not to snorkel at all. My husband went in and was careful to avoid them and he had a fun time. After that, there is another hour ride back to shore while they serve cold beer and soda on board. It was so nice to just lay on the sundeck and relax. We really enjoyed that trip and would recommend it highly. Once back on shore, we walked around Key West and did a little shopping and sampled some Key Lime Pie. The only complaint I had was that we had to leave so soon. We got off the ship that morning at 8:15 and had to be back by 1:30. It really isn't enough time to do that much. Cozumel:
We were able to get off the ship in Cozumel at about 1:00 on that day and we decided to take a cab to Chankanaab Park. It cost us $4.00 to get there because we shared a cab with other people. It then cost us $10.00 each to get in to the park. It is a beautiful place and they keep it very clean. There were clean restrooms, an outdoor shower, lockers, lots of chaise lounges in the sand and outdoor bar/restaurants. There were also stands in which you could rent snorkel equipment. We had brought our own with us. You have to walk down rocky stairs to get into the water, so be careful because they are very slippery. The water was clear and beautiful and there were lots and lots of fish to see. After that, we walked around the park in the botanical garden and looked at some statues. The park closes at 5:00. We then took a cab from there to Carlos & Charlies ($5.00-shared again). C&C's was very busy. We got a table and ordered drinks and food. The staff was very friendly. They took a souvenier photo of us which we purchased for $13.00. Finally we spent the next 2 hours shopping, but did not make too many purchases as I am not into haggling and that is the only way to shop in Cozumel. The price tags on everything were always way beyond what you were supposed to end up paying. After a while, I decided I didn't want to play those pricing games anymore. We finally ended up going back to the ship at about 8:00 and had dinner. Everyone was due back on the ship no later than 9:30 pm. All in all we really enjoyed Cozumel a lot. I found the people to be kind and the city to be clean.
Day at Sea:
Thursday was our last full day on the ship and it was very relaxing. We just chose two deck chairs and laid in the sun most of the day. We also purchased several very nice photos from the photo gallery. They really do take very nice pictures. They also charge a lot of money for them! I really didn't mind though because they make nice memories. Played bingo in the afternoon, but didn't win. Then attended a disembarkation discussion which was informative. They basically explain how to fill out the customs form and when to place your luggage outside the door and also where you are to wait the next day for disembarkation
Tips:
We left all the recommended amounts and tipped a little extra to our cabin steward (only because she was always available and very friendly - not at all for the way she kept the cabin as I explained earlier.) Oh, and we only got 2 towel animals out of the 4 nights-she made the same thing twice.
We were not at all impressed with our waiter, but as I stated, we did tip the staff the recommended amounts. As a matter of fact, the service on tip night was the worst of all the nights!
Miscellaneous:
The toilet in our cabin stopped working on numerous occasions, as did other passengers' on our floor. When we would bring it to someone's attention, we would be snapped at that they knew already.
My husband had a massage in the Nautica Spa which he enjoyed very much.
None of the staff was very attentive at all. Some were not even friendly. This is the area that we saw the most difference between our cruise on Royal Carribean. We never felt pampered-we sometimes felt like a nuisance! Overall, we had a great time because that is the way we wanted our vacation to be. We did not expect perfection and we obviously did not get it. I think we might cruise again with Carnival because they are less money, but may go for one of the newer ships next time.
This is all I can think of at this time, but if anyone wants any specific questions answered, please let me know.

Destiny 5 day Cruise from New York City to Saint J

Destiny Review 6/3 NYC/Saint John/Halifax Destiny 5 day Cruise from New York City to Saint John/Halifax.............. June 3-8 Embarkation: I arrived at the Passenger Terminal about 11:30AM and found I was about the 100th person in line. After going through the xray machine there were about 20 lines in which all your paperwork was processed. This took less than 5 minutes afterword you were told to go intoa line where you were issued your Key card which in the case of the Destiny was also your sail and sign card..Afterwords it was up the gangway and find my cabin. Entire time: 20 Minutes

Cabin: First I must say that I had a 6A Guarantee so did not know where my cabin would be until I checked in..When I checked in they told me my cabin would be 7150, so to go from Riviera Deck to the Empress deck was a good upgrade, at least I thought so until I got into the room. Upon opening the door to my cabin I realized that I got a fantastic upgrade I was looking at a Cat 11 Mini Suite. Minibar, Jacuzzi Tub, seperate dressing area, refrigerator. I would have been happy with just a balcony. Also I was travelling alone so this was really a huge room for 1 person(although I was not going to complain..LOL) I only had 2 problems with the room which I will address later.

Ship: After unpacking I decided to venture out and see what the ship was like. I found her to be typical Carnival Decor, that glitzy Vegas style we have all grown to either love or hate. I was on the Fascination last October on my first Carnival cruise so I was comparing everything from that experience. I really only have 2 complaints a bout the ship and they are traffic flow and the elevators. I found traffic flow to be very bad especially in the forward areas around the lounge, lobby area and most of all around the gift shops. When the tables come out for the sales these areas are clogged with people. I found that on the Fascination these tables were in front of the theatre so unless there was a show about to go on or get out these areas were out of the way of the general traffic. On the Destiny they were right out in the the Aisle in the Atruim area. I was just waiting for someone to get pushed over the railing with all the traffic.... The second problem I found was the elevators. There are 3 elevator areas forward,aft and one bank in the middle(TIP 1: Use this bank of elevators most people use either forward or aft ). The forward elevators were the worse. with a total of 12 elevators you would think you would get one........Don't hold your breathe..Most times I just walked the stairs....(TIP 2: When you get out of the elevators you can orient yourself to to the front of the ship for port(left and even number cabins and starboard(Right and odd numbered cabins) by looking for the stairs. )

Entertainment: I must preface this section by stating the I am a New Yorker and love the theatre. That being said I must say the entertainment was good. Typical musical reviews with dancing, I must say both vocalists were very good and I was not disappointed. The magic show was also good. I missed the Talent show( but one of my table mates was Mary in the Bedtime Story) and also the late night comedian so cannot comment on them. John Heald was the CD and was ok. I had heard all the jokes before on my last cruise, so think that maybe Carnival ought to hire someone to bring up new material. most of the other entertainment was Bingo, Horse racing, Trivia, There was 2 movies in the lounge (of course,one was Titanic( a fitting movie for going to Halifax)).

Food: let me just say I gained 5 pounds.....Nuff said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Staff: Everyone was very good for the most part. I heard of some complaints with on of the people in the Photo area, but other than that everyone gets high marks. I must point out the one person I will remember for a long time and that is Andrea who is a bartender in the flagship lounge. She is there during the afternoons so everyone has to stop by and say hello. She is one of the best barpeople I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Tell her Gary, Sharon, and Randi all say Hi.....

Ports: The first thing I have to say is that the local people are extremely friendly, you do not have people hawking to get you to take a tour with them like in the caribbean, At both stops there are Flea type markets located right after you get off the ship. you can get all the gifts you needs at these places.Some places have both US dollar and Canadian Dollar prices on them, but for the most part they are listed in canadian prices...Exchange rate is close to 1.50 to it is easy to convert. Also they will likely give you canadian back.Just use it at another vendor. In Saint John I took the St. Martins/Echo Caves tour. I enjoyed this very much. you make the following stops. Reversing Falls, City Market, St. Martin, Echo Caves. In St Martins you make 2 stops, one is at a gift shop and the other is at the docks where you can take pictures of the Bay of Fundy,Twin Covered Bridges,and the lighthouse.At echo caves you also have a great seafood chowder for lunch at the little restaurant. the tide was coming in when we got to echo caves so was able to get all the was out to them(they are accessable only during low tide). The guide talks about the history of the areas and are knowledgable. They only do this a few times a week though so you can stump them on a question. One thing to keep in mind is that Saint John is on the Bay of Fundy with the highest tide changes in the world.I have pictures of a small fishing boat laying in the mud in St Martin and on the return from echo caves about an hour later it was floating upright in the bay. On the way back the tour will ask if there is anyone who wants to get off at the city market or go back to the ship. It is only about a 5 minute walk from the market to the ship so if you want to do a bit of shopping you have about 2 hours before you get to the ship. During the trip from Saint John to Halifax there was a woman who had a Heart attack so the ship was delayed for 4 hours getting into Halifax. Here Carnival fell down by not informing people earlier. We were due to get into Halifax around 8-9am so there were alot of people milling around wondering what was going on.The TV system has a channel that will give you all the ships info, sea conditions, time, estimate time of arrival, distance to next port. I noticed when I woke up that the Est time of arrival was 13:30. I thought there was engine problems...I had read all about the problems that Destiny had in Boston so was paying attention to any problems.About 9am John Heald got on the intercom and announced what what happened,that the woman was doing ok. At that time all of the tours were cancelled. Alot of people were upset. But later all of the tours were put back on, they were just not sending out tours every half hour of so but just filling up a bus and going. They also decided not to leave Halifax until 8pm instead of 6pm. So in the long run carnival did all they could to accommadate everyone's needs. We arrrived at Halifax right around 2-2:30pm....(TIP: They say to keep your watches on Ships Time.. Remember this is 1 hour EARLIER than Halifax and Saint John's time. There were a few problems in Halifax with the shops closing at 6pm Halifax time). I did not take a tour here as I was supposed to meet a friend,but my friend broke her ankle and could not take me. So I just walked the city. There is a great walking tour of the city that Halifax has worked out. You can either pick up the Halifax guide either at the information desk in the terminal or you can order it through the Halifax website.I will say that most everyone took the Halifax/Peggy's Cove tours or the Titanic Musuem tour....I did not hear anything negative on either tours. If you have the time make sure to stop and walk around the Barrington/Historic Properties shopping area. They are right next to the bay. Uppon leaving Halifax we ran into a good storm. Up to this point the seas were 1-4ft waves, but that night the rain kicked up and the seas were up to 15ft waves. so things got pretty hairy for some people(read seasick. there were alot of little white bags all around the ship that night and the next morning). I had problems sleeping because one of my cabin closet doors keeped opening and closing. and there was a light switch attached so not only was the door banging but the light would go on at the same time.I finally just stuck all my shoes in the doorway and took out the ballast in the light and the next day told my Cabin steward to have it repaired which it was during the day. Disembarking: We were a little late getting back to New York Harbor by about 1/2 hr.Immigration got onboard in Halifax so the last day at sea they took care of all that. They also had 2 types of Disembarking the ship....If you were carrying off all your luggage you would be able to leave as soon as customs released the ship. If you were not in a hurry you could leave bags outside your door the night before and after all the other guests had gotten off they would be letting you go. Since I live only 15 blocks from the ship I was going to just set my bags out that night and not rush. But my dinner table and I starting to party and I did not get my bag out in time.Which worked out well in the long run because the current in the Hudson was strong enough that it took us over 2 hours to dock. There was mass confusion because everyone decided to wait in the lobby instead of their rooms as was suggested. Carnival was keeping people informed on the situation but should have said that the lobby would be off limits so customs could check the ship.Once I got to the ganway I was off the ship through customs and cathcing a cab in 5 minutes. So after docking things went smooth. Closing Remarks: All in all the cruise was all I had expected it to be. This is not your party hardy cruise but a relaxing 5 days at sea. This time of year you have to expect the weather and sea to be changing, so I would never complain about a rough ride or bad weather (the ride was not rough at all but you did notice rocking though). This was an older crowd I would say 90% were retirees. There were about 300 kids on board and they all were very behaved. Camp Carnival was all over the place with the kids and all the kids seems to be having a good time. All in all I would take this cruise again anytime, The people on carnival were great and the people in the ports even friendlier.

Queen Mary 2 Review Western Mediterranean Septembe

Southampton, Vigo, Barcelona, Cannes, Rome, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Southampton

We booked the QM2 for the first time this year.

Embarkation:
We booked a limo to Southampton from London and we arrived at about 12:30. There was a queue but it went fast. We were issued a cruise card with our picture on it and went straight to the ship. We stepped into the Grand Lobby and were amazed, it is so beautiful, one of the stewards asked us if we know where to go, we said yes, so she said welcome back! That was nice especially it was our first time on the QM2. Our cabin was in one of the best locations between the two sets of 6 elevators number 5133.

The Cabin:
Our cabin was a B2 (Premium Balcony). It was very similar to our cabin on board the Constellation. Both QM2 and Connie were built at by Chantiers de L'atlantique, so we felt immediately at home. The bed was comfortable, it had some cushions, the bedspread was very nice, there was a desk with refrigerator, some drawers, hair dryer, and interactive TV, soba bed which was good, wardrobe with a safe, 3 very nice wall pictures. The shower was big and comfortable and under the sink was a cupboard with some storage space. The toiletries were from Canyon Ranch. The air-condition system was very good. The balcony was in hull and very private, its door was a regular one and not a sliding door. The interactive TV was the best we?ve seen, it had a selection of music, we could send and receive emails - there was a keyboard on top of the TV, and a selection of pay movies, also there was information about the ship and the evening menu, which was great.

The Ship:
The ship is the most beautiful ship we?ve seen. The Grand Lobby is magnificent with wonderful chandeliers. The halls that ran from one end to the other on deck 3 and 2 where very wide with beautifully decorated walls. Decks 2 and 3 are the main public area decks with the Queen?s Room, the Britannia Restaurant, the Royal Court Theatre, the Chart Room, Golden Lion Pub, Champagne bar and Illuminations. All are lovely and very beautiful. Illuminations is also a planetarium which is a novelty. Our favorite lounge was Commodore Club on deck 9. The Winter Garden is also lovely. The library is the largest we saw on a ship and has a very good bookstore. The casino is large but full of smoke. Throughout the ship there are beautiful pictures of Queen Mary 2, Queen Mary, QE2, QE and all the other ships. This is the most beautiful ship in the world.

The Food:
The Britannia is very large and beautiful. Our waiters were Lisandro and Lara. They were great. The food was wonderful. The desserts were fantastic. The ?Peach Flambé? and the ?After Eight? were the best. Dinner was an occasion to look forward to. For lunch and breakfast is was open seating and there was a choice between the Britannia and the Kings Court. The Kings Court was OK but we mostly ate at the Britannia. Entertainment and Activities:
The Royal Court theatre is very beautiful. The Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers were very good, they did several shows, the singers Emma Sinclair, and Paul Emmanuel, John Martin a comedian and a pianist, flautist and violinist and a juggler. All in all the entertainment was very good. There were movies daily in Illuminations. Illuminations is wonderful with great sightlines, we saw there also a very interesting planetarium movie. There was also music at the lounges and bars.

There were many things to do, especially in sea days, quizzes, lectures, chef demonstrations, art auctions and more. There are several swimming pools and the spa therapy pool, which cost extra, Connextions internet café, there are two game rooms with tables set up with board games which were very nice.

The Itinerary:
Since we?ve already done the Western Mediterranean we didn?t go down in every port. The first one for us was Barcelona.

Barcelona:
We booked a limo to the Arts Decorative museum and afterwards to the CosmoCaixa science museum, both are very interesting.

Rome:
We booked a limo to Rome, had a nice breakfast at the Cavalieri Hilton. We went to see Villa Gulia, afterwards we went to see the new Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition in Piazza del Popolo which was very interesting, they built models from Da Vinci?s plans and it was amazing. Finally we paid a visit to Galleria Doria Pamphilj. Then we had lunch at Cavalieri Hilton before returning to the ship. A fantastic day.

Gibraltar:
We booked Gibraltar with elegant tea. After the tender experience, we had a guided coach tour in Gibraltar, and afterwards we went to one of the local hotels for tea and some cakes. It was very nice. Then we took the bus back to the port.

Lisbon:
We booked a shore excursion, which included the Maritime Museum. This is a fantastic museum with a lot of ship models, marine instruments and wall pictures, from the earliest vessels to the modern ones. It is the most comprehensive marine museum we ever visited. Afterwards we visited the monastery and then back to the ship. Lisbon is a beautiful city and we really want to return some day.

We had a wonderful cruise, the weather was perfect (about 22-25 C) in all the ports we visited, everything was perfect.
We really love QM2, it was very hard to leave her in Southampton.

See you next time QM2.

Alaska Inside Passage

Sailed out of Vancouver for the Inside Passage. Ship was full, just over 1200 passengers, yep, most over 65... but all seemed to enjoy the cruise.
First stop was in Juneau, arrived at 2:00 p.m., we took the tram up to the 1800' level on Mt. Roberts. Viewed the movie about the native indians, etc. Carried our coats, shirt sleeves only, even when we sat in the snow banks. The view to the ship below, and the snow capped mountain ranges is breat takeing. Was able to see the highlights on a walking tour of the city, St. Nicholas Church, the totem at the capitol, and even the Red Dog Saloon. Did not have time to visit other sites, but took the tour to the Salmon Bake. If you go, be sure to have plenty of that sweet sauce on the fish, and go back for more. A very short walk to the small water falls, but is a nice photo op.
Skagway was the next stop, and took a bus, there at the docks for $1.00 to the city. Tho a short walk, not much to see on that walk. Numerous "trinket" shops, and all folks friendly. I think I read the population is about 800, and about 700,000 tourists visit each year!. Took the bus back to the ship for lunch. Then boarded the White Pass & Yukon train at 1:30. Climbed up about 2200 feet, and the snow was about 6' deep, but was out side the train (in between cars) to shoot video. Had sleeves rolled up most of the way.
Sailed at night to Glacier Bay, fantastic to see the ice calf, and the thunder as it hits the water. Hat, gloves, and something to cover the ears is a must. Ketchikan is the place to shop, numerous stores, within 3 or 4 blocks, and fair prices. Take advantage of discount coupons available in Canada Place while waiting to board ship. Had great weather, no rain, a few clouds. Was able to see, and video quite a few eagles as they flew in this area.
Cabin 023 is on the Navigation deck, with full verandah, whirpool tub/shower, king size bed, and were we ever spoiled. Service was excellent, room as well as dining room staff. Natch... food was tops. Cruise director was knowledable and entertaining. Shows in good taste, colorful, and peppy. There was a magician, a banjo player, and a comic... all were most enjoyable.

Click on the Alaska folder.
Shot over 150 digital, and perhaps two dozen on 35mm. The video runs 3 hours, tho! My wife is already thinking of our next cruise... New England or back to Alaska? Yes we are over 65! It was the first time I have ever walked a mile befor breakfast! Four times around the main deck. Nugh of this, hope everyone will enjoy their cruise as much as we did, our first.

Noordam TransAtlantic

We just returned from this cruise on Holland America's older ship, the Noordam. About two-thirds of the passengers were on a back to back and had gotten on in Rome; we flew into Lisbon, Portugal and cruised "home" from there.
A TransAtlantic cruise is a different kind of cruise to begin with; it is a repositioning cruise to get the ship from one cruise area to another. They are seldom "port intensive" cruises but they can offer you many days of relaxing on the water cruising. They can also have the roughest crossings because they are crossing the middle of the ocean either at the beginning of the season or at the tail end of a season. This one was from the very last of the Mediteranian season to cross to pick up the Caribbean season. These are BASIC definitions and I was amazed at the folks on our cruise complaining about the lack of ports! HELLO!!!!!
HAL cabins are bright, cheerful, immaculately clean and well cared for. They are also good sized by cruising standards; our deluxe cabin was the first cabin off the balcony of the show lounge but was separated by a door into our hall which muffled most sounds. I loved this cabin because it was extraordinarily centered and had easy access to literally ALL parts of the ship! Now; nine days in a row at sea! The schedule called for a stop in the Azores but awful weather & gale-force winds forced a cancelation of those stops -our first and only stop would be Half-moon Cay in the Bahamas. My husband was in "Hog heaven".
One of the additions to our cruise that we thoroughly enjoyed was a cooking extravaganza in the show lounge one morning showcasing some very different kinds of food Sushi, spring-roll, crab cakes & sauce, cream puffs. We watched from the balcony as they brought out tray after tray of beautiful samplers -and, amazingly -watched people go thru the buffet with full plates -sometimes two, visiting with the chefs & asking questions! We slept in most mornings so we had just had breakfast and the amount of food was enough to make you a little urpy [ is that a word?] but 12 trays of cream puffs and eclairs were gone in under a half an hour! Amazing! Another afternoon extravaganza was a main diningroom buffet that is usually only done on the World Cruises - amazing ice sculptures, watermelon cut-outs, and food displays. The ONE that tickled me [ among many WONDERFUL things] was egg penguins sliding down a mayonaise hill; lobster or shrimp tails, olives, and something yellowgold forming a beak; they were wonderful & entirely edible, according to the chef.
As always on HAL, the Indonesian & Filipino crew are one of their greatest assets. These young people work incredibly long hours & do an incredibly efficient job -and visit with you in a friendly manner I've NEVER experienced on other lines - it is not that Princess, for example, is bad - their foreign crews are great too; its just that HAL does it all one BETTER! They remember your name, they visit with you to the VERY best of their ability [ I wish I spoke as many languages] and they seem genuinely to care!
By the time we reach Half Moon Cay, everybody was ready for an at-shore day -but the weather didn't cooperate. Hubby & I went ashore and swam for about a half an hour in the decidedly cool water -it felt good. Visited with a few folks and clammered on board again in time for dinner in the Lido diningroom.
The usual on board activities were available - Casino [ did not pay well; do any of them?] Bingo [ God, save me from Bingo] a well stocked library [ I read 4 books] movies both in a theater and on your room TV, Trivia games, shops that enticed every day with something different, lectures [ David Pasta did a 3-lecture series on plate-techtonics or the moving of the earth's crust as relates to volcanos, dinosaurs, ecology, and today's weather and climate. All three were terrific & well attended.] and various programs usually found on cruise itineraries.
Most of the cruisers were old-timers and knew exactly what to expect on this kind of cruise; the rough weather was not only NOT a problem, many seemed to enjoy the challenge. I did see one woman out that first night with a look of total terror on her slightly green face, but by and large it was just a normal "at sea" day with a bit of a challenge to stand up [ you COULD land in someone's lap!]
Would we do it again? In a flash; we had planned for this cruise and we were delighted with its content. It was an 11 day, transAtlantic from Lisbon to home -one very long travel day and a shorter one "home" and our 10th cruise -third with HAL. The thing I want to say to those who would have been unhappy; do your homework! If you DON'T like "at sea" days, this was NOT your kind of cruise; The food was EXCELLENT and always served piping hot! Dishes that were spicy were marked as such with a star [ my tummy can't take that, and I appreciated the little stars] The cost was below the average cost of an 11 day cruise - and that allowed us the three OTHER cruises we took during this calendar year! AND it allowed us to see Portugal -a new country to us. Enjoy!