twangster

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Have a great cruise!

Following!

The ship is gorgeous. Everything still looks so new. My room is perfect for what it is and I have a virtual balcony. All of my dinner reservations have been made except for my last sea day, it was easy to do as I walked in. Made my way to the spa and made a hair appointment for tomorrow night. If anyone remembers last time they screwed it up so this is try #2. 
 
YOLO

Let's just say this - I DO NOT use this word outside of this site but YOLO. This cruise was my bonus trip for the year after reading all of your lovely blogs and seeing your amazing pictures. I was supposed to visit a friend in Texas but we couldn't go this year so I booked this for myself. I've traveled alone before and booked a solo room before but this is my first true solo cruise. It's also my last cruise for probably a long time. I have a big land based Italy trip next year which is my #1 bucket list trip.
I've always wanted to go to Bermuda - in the late 70's (just dated myself but it was the LATE  70's) my aunt and uncle left from NY to Bermuda. At that time you were allowed to bring guests on the ship before it left so my mom, two cousins and myself got to board. There is an amazing picture of us at the shipyard - bell bottoms and a ton of hair. I have a vague memory of waving goodbye to my aunt and uncle and streamers all over (environment, whaaaat)  and remember smiling for the picture. They brought us pink sand in a bottle when they came back, since then I've always wanted to go. It's my #2 bucket list trip.
Bringing my new DLSR camera so I can practice for Italy. I'll probably forget half the time as I usually do. I'll likely update Instagram (Islalay76) and wait to upload the other picture when I get home. I'm VERY green on the DLSR - Nikon 3400
Refreshment package and I'm bringing 2 bottles of wine on board. Ultimate Dining Package and Chef's Table. I've only been to Izumi in the past so this should be fun.
If there is anything you want to know or see let me know.
Periscope is NoBadWords (I'm a tv censor, it's a joke) but I'm not really comfortable on it so not sure I will use.
 
So thank you all for giving me the courage to book a solo cruise.....YOLO!

Dropped pup off last night and passed out on the couch before 9. I haven’t been sleeping all week. 
This is my first time playing with the camera and Luna is my favorite subject. It only took a half hour to figure out how to get the picture from my camera to anywhere else.

Too bad it's not a parka, otherwise LuluBot would buy three.  

Day 6 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
I woke early to capture our arrival and I wasn't disappointed. 

 

it was nice to see sun and sky after several days of gloomy, wet weather.

Too bad it's not a parka, otherwise LuluBot would buy three.  

Day 6 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
I woke early to capture our arrival and I wasn't disappointed. 

 

it was nice to see sun and sky after several days of gloomy, wet weather.

How about the terms and conditions for Voom that suggest streaming isn't allowed despite the plan name Surf and Stream?

Day 6 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
I woke early to capture our arrival and I wasn't disappointed. 

 

it was nice to see sun and sky after several days of gloomy, wet weather.

I went to the main theater but while the singer was good, it wasn't my era of music so I left from the back of theater standing room only area.  It was packed.
Seas have settled down quite a bit and checking the radar it seems what's left of Michael is straight off our port side several hundred miles away.  Seas were quite normal and what you might expect on any cruise.  It's hard to capture in the darkness but there is really nothing to show.

To the pub where once again I finished off the Kraken.  Where is @Matt when you need him?  (or his disappointed, rejected mug?)

Day 5 - Dinner
I decided to eat dinner in the MDR after looking at the menu.  MTD reservation set for 6pm off I went arriving at about 10 minutes before my 6pm reservation.

My section from a previous night full they put me in a new section.  While the wait staff were friendly and well suited for the job service was slow.  Possibly the slowest I've experienced in any MDR on any ship. A full twenty five minutes after being seated they came to take my order.  First course arrived after another 30 minutes.  To put that in perspective as a solo traveler I've frequently been out of the MDR in under 60 minutes.
French onion soup

Australian Bass

I was careful to ask if this was a fresh water Bass or a Sea Bass.  Sea Bass I was assured.  
For those that don't know I am not into super fishy tasting seafood.  What most restaurants pass off as SeaBass is often pretty mild and I've had it numerous times.  This was pretty fishy tasting.  I know it's good for you and I tried, but two bites in I was done.  
This is what I like about cruising.  Try something.  If you don't like it, order something else.  
On this night thought I was already an hour into the meal and I knew the Top Tier event would be a zoo.  I'll grab something later, dessert please!
Next up, Sugar free Cheesecake.


Gobbling that down off I went straight out of the deck 3 MDR into the line for Studio B and the Top Tier event. 

The Top Tier event line was longer than it was for the ice skating show the night before.  Deck 3 cabins are to my back, the MDR to the right past the stairs and Studio B seemingly 3 1/2 miles to the left.  I've never seen a Top Tier event attended like this one.

A few minutes before the posted time they opened the door and we proceeded inside.
I always like when Top Tier is in Studio B because it means the skaters will do a quick routine for us.  Tonight was no exception. 
It starts with a fun skit with a couple in what appears to be a French restaurant with the girl tipsy with wine while her companion tries to keep her on the straight and narrow.  Pulling her back at times, spins, twirls and a bunch of skating routines I don't know the proper names for while she shrieks with 'drunken' joy.

Very well done.

Next up an individual skater doing some more amazing skating moves.

At one point she is skating backwards and does a full backflip.


Nailing the landing like she did the night before.

This is a very small sheet of ice.  It's no where near what we see in the competition skating or the Olympics.  Very well done.
Next the Senior officers are presented ending with the Captain who a does short speech.  I was a bit surprised when 25-30% off the people got up and walked out once they sensed his speech wrapping up.  Indeed this is a strange cruise.
The Captain offered there are over 10 million Crown and Anchor members now.
Time for Top Tier numbers.
Gold 685
Platinum 406
Emerald 225
Diamond 630
Diamond Plus 499
Pinnacle 78
That amounts to 1,838 Top Tier with 1,207 vying for Diamond Lounge access.  
Top cruiser 1,975 nights.

Day 6 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
I woke early to capture our arrival and I wasn't disappointed. 

 

it was nice to see sun and sky after several days of gloomy, wet weather.

Day 6 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
I woke early to capture our arrival and I wasn't disappointed. 

 

it was nice to see sun and sky after several days of gloomy, wet weather.

How about the terms and conditions for Voom that suggest streaming isn't allowed despite the plan name Surf and Stream?

Maybe I 'got' his sense of humor being Canadian but I don't think he was trying to be left, right or anywhere else.
It's hard not to scan the TV line-up and not hear extreme rhetoric from many news outlets, Canadian or American (yes, Canadian news endures the same political diarrhea with its politics except it ends in 'eh')  so I think his point was, while those stations continued their verbal diarrhea few even mentioned this earthquake or the impact to the people of Haiti while these supposed 'news' channels chose to remain babbling on.   

I went to the main theater but while the singer was good, it wasn't my era of music so I left from the back of theater standing room only area.  It was packed.
Seas have settled down quite a bit and checking the radar it seems what's left of Michael is straight off our port side several hundred miles away.  Seas were quite normal and what you might expect on any cruise.  It's hard to capture in the darkness but there is really nothing to show.

To the pub where once again I finished off the Kraken.  Where is @Matt when you need him?  (or his disappointed, rejected mug?)

Maybe I 'got' his sense of humor being Canadian but I don't think he was trying to be left, right or anywhere else.
It's hard not to scan the TV line-up and not hear extreme rhetoric from many news outlets, Canadian or American (yes, Canadian news endures the same political diarrhea with its politics except it ends in 'eh')  so I think his point was, while those stations continued their verbal diarrhea few even mentioned this earthquake or the impact to the people of Haiti while these supposed 'news' channels chose to remain babbling on.   

Maybe I 'got' his sense of humor being Canadian but I don't think he was trying to be left, right or anywhere else.
It's hard not to scan the TV line-up and not hear extreme rhetoric from many news outlets, Canadian or American (yes, Canadian news endures the same political diarrhea with its politics except it ends in 'eh')  so I think his point was, while those stations continued their verbal diarrhea few even mentioned this earthquake or the impact to the people of Haiti while these supposed 'news' channels chose to remain babbling on.   

I went to the main theater but while the singer was good, it wasn't my era of music so I left from the back of theater standing room only area.  It was packed.
Seas have settled down quite a bit and checking the radar it seems what's left of Michael is straight off our port side several hundred miles away.  Seas were quite normal and what you might expect on any cruise.  It's hard to capture in the darkness but there is really nothing to show.

To the pub where once again I finished off the Kraken.  Where is @Matt when you need him?  (or his disappointed, rejected mug?)

Day 5 - Sydney, Nova Scotia  Sea Day
I woke to take in our arrival to Sydney.  Sunrise was supposed to occur at 7:11am although with the rain and overcast conditions it wasn't going to be a visible sunrise.  
All the upper decks were closed due to high winds but I found the sports deck was open.

I ventured towards the Windjammer for it's 6:30am opening.  Early I had some time to kill so I took some pictures of Giovanni's.



The Windjammer opened a few minutes early and I enjoyed a custom made omelet and some fruit.
The sky was beginning to brighten and I could see we were well off shore for a 7am arrival.  I sensed something amiss.  
I walked trough the Solarium and planned to take some pictures out a window since the upper deck was still closed.  The hot tub looked very enticing given the cool and wet conditions outdoors.

Those city lights barely visible on the horizon are the lower tip of Cape Breton.   

Our progress so far:

I checked the marinetraffic.com app and it confirmed my suspicions.


Sharp at 8am the Captain made an announcement. 
Winds up to 40mph at the pier.  Pier closed.  Port officials offered anchorage which didn't make sense. 
We gain a sea day and plan to keep our scheduled call into Halifax tomorrow.  As the remnants of Hurricane Michael approach us we are expecting 35-40 mph winds and 12' seas but with our slower speed towards Halifax the Captain predicts very little ship movement. 
At the moment there is very little movement.  Once in a while you feel a little side-to-side shimmy, much like a really smooth subway train ride or if riding in an airplane and you feel just a little bit of bumpy air. It's barely perceptible.  

Day 4 - 70s Party
Like other ships with a Promenade, Adventure has a 70s party.

Day 4 - Ice Skating "Cool Art, Hot Ice!"
7pm and 9pm
I showed up outside Studio B to find the doors opened early and a packed house at 8:20pm.  I managed to find a single seat while it was standing room only not long after I arrived.
Very good show but I'll let the pictures do the talking.



















Another 'don't miss' skating show.