twangster

Day 3 - Dinner
MDR Menu

I ate in the Windjammer - Italian Night.
We've entered a dead satellite coverage zone.

Some channels continued to work such as BBC News and The Weather Channel that is temporarily available while Hurricane Michael is in play.  Royal worked out a deal with it's TV provider Global Eagle and The Weather Channel to allow this channel, not normally part of the TV channel lineup, to be available on some ships (according to James Van Fleet, Royal's in-house Chief Meteorologist).   
Our progress and location where satellite coverage is absent.

I checked out the Las Vegas Tenors in the main theater, pub singer, Schooner Bar piano player and the silent disco in the Viking Crown Lounge which was surprisingly well attended.   
After that it was time for bed.

Day 3 - Dinner
MDR Menu

I ate in the Windjammer - Italian Night.
We've entered a dead satellite coverage zone.

Some channels continued to work such as BBC News and The Weather Channel that is temporarily available while Hurricane Michael is in play.  Royal worked out a deal with it's TV provider Global Eagle and The Weather Channel to allow this channel, not normally part of the TV channel lineup, to be available on some ships (according to James Van Fleet, Royal's in-house Chief Meteorologist).   
Our progress and location where satellite coverage is absent.

I checked out the Las Vegas Tenors in the main theater, pub singer, Schooner Bar piano player and the silent disco in the Viking Crown Lounge which was surprisingly well attended.   
After that it was time for bed.

Day 3 - Dinner
MDR Menu

I ate in the Windjammer - Italian Night.
We've entered a dead satellite coverage zone.

Some channels continued to work such as BBC News and The Weather Channel that is temporarily available while Hurricane Michael is in play.  Royal worked out a deal with it's TV provider Global Eagle and The Weather Channel to allow this channel, not normally part of the TV channel lineup, to be available on some ships (according to James Van Fleet, Royal's in-house Chief Meteorologist).   
Our progress and location where satellite coverage is absent.

I checked out the Las Vegas Tenors in the main theater, pub singer, Schooner Bar piano player and the silent disco in the Viking Crown Lounge which was surprisingly well attended.   
After that it was time for bed.

Day 3 - Dinner
MDR Menu

I ate in the Windjammer - Italian Night.
We've entered a dead satellite coverage zone.

Some channels continued to work such as BBC News and The Weather Channel that is temporarily available while Hurricane Michael is in play.  Royal worked out a deal with it's TV provider Global Eagle and The Weather Channel to allow this channel, not normally part of the TV channel lineup, to be available on some ships (according to James Van Fleet, Royal's in-house Chief Meteorologist).   
Our progress and location where satellite coverage is absent.

I checked out the Las Vegas Tenors in the main theater, pub singer, Schooner Bar piano player and the silent disco in the Viking Crown Lounge which was surprisingly well attended.   
After that it was time for bed.

If I keep this up much longer I won't be allowed on the water slide.

Here are the pool, baby pool and splashaway slide rules
General pool rules for all:

Baby Splash Zone:

Splashaway Bay Waterslide Rules

I recall the pre-revitalization naysayers all claiming doom and gloom before she went in for her dry dock.  With those seeds planted, glass-half-empty minded folks will find everything they were determined to find before they boarded.
In reality, it represents somewhere around a 5% difference.  All ships seem crowded during the muster drill, yet the naysayers will claim it was never like that before.  All ships have crowded elevators when the main theater lets out, yet the naysayers will claim it's only that way now.  All ships have lines at times, all bars (even on land) have a small wait at times, yet the naysayers...
In a recent 'Captain's Corner' where guests can ask questions one cruiser voiced his dismay they shrunk the cabins to fit more in.  He was convinced they moved all the walls and made existing cabins smaller.  You could not convince him otherwise.  They never did that.  In a few places that used to be open space they have added some new cabins and in so doing they raised the total cabin count.  Yet this man was convinced all cabins had shrunk.  They have welded metal walls, it would be impossible to do what he claimed, moving all the walls, electrical and plumbing would require gutting the whole ship.  It would be cheaper to build a new ship.
Years ago ships didn't sail full.  Years ago airplanes didn't fly full either.  That's all changed in this day and age.  There are a lot of unhappy cruisers who are convinced their negative review will cause the cruise lines to re-think everything they don't like, right or wrong.  Not long ago the internet and cruise ship reviews didn't exist.  Like watching the evening news it's easy to find the bad in things while there is plenty of good as well, but we have to look harder to find it despite it being right in front of us.
I have sailed all the Freedom class ships including including Indy just before her upgrades and very soon after Libery after she received new cabins (I stayed in one).  I didn't notice any difference despite "all those extra people on board"  (including me).
Seek and you will find, but that works both ways.  

If I keep this up much longer I won't be allowed on the water slide.

I recall the pre-revitalization naysayers all claiming doom and gloom before she went in for her dry dock.  With those seeds planted, glass-half-empty minded folks will find everything they were determined to find before they boarded.
In reality, it represents somewhere around a 5% difference.  All ships seem crowded during the muster drill, yet the naysayers will claim it was never like that before.  All ships have crowded elevators when the main theater lets out, yet the naysayers will claim it's only that way now.  All ships have lines at times, all bars (even on land) have a small wait at times, yet the naysayers...
In a recent 'Captain's Corner' where guests can ask questions one cruiser voiced his dismay they shrunk the cabins to fit more in.  He was convinced they moved all the walls and made existing cabins smaller.  You could not convince him otherwise.  They never did that.  In a few places that used to be open space they have added some new cabins and in so doing they raised the total cabin count.  Yet this man was convinced all cabins had shrunk.  They have welded metal walls, it would be impossible to do what he claimed, moving all the walls, electrical and plumbing would require gutting the whole ship.  It would be cheaper to build a new ship.
Years ago ships didn't sail full.  Years ago airplanes didn't fly full either.  That's all changed in this day and age.  There are a lot of unhappy cruisers who are convinced their negative review will cause the cruise lines to re-think everything they don't like, right or wrong.  Not long ago the internet and cruise ship reviews didn't exist.  Like watching the evening news it's easy to find the bad in things while there is plenty of good as well, but we have to look harder to find it despite it being right in front of us.
I have sailed all the Freedom class ships including including Indy just before her upgrades and very soon after Libery after she received new cabins (I stayed in one).  I didn't notice any difference despite "all those extra people on board"  (including me).
Seek and you will find, but that works both ways.  

If I keep this up much longer I won't be allowed on the water slide.

I recall the pre-revitalization naysayers all claiming doom and gloom before she went in for her dry dock.  With those seeds planted, glass-half-empty minded folks will find everything they were determined to find before they boarded.
In reality, it represents somewhere around a 5% difference.  All ships seem crowded during the muster drill, yet the naysayers will claim it was never like that before.  All ships have crowded elevators when the main theater lets out, yet the naysayers will claim it's only that way now.  All ships have lines at times, all bars (even on land) have a small wait at times, yet the naysayers...
In a recent 'Captain's Corner' where guests can ask questions one cruiser voiced his dismay they shrunk the cabins to fit more in.  He was convinced they moved all the walls and made existing cabins smaller.  You could not convince him otherwise.  They never did that.  In a few places that used to be open space they have added some new cabins and in so doing they raised the total cabin count.  Yet this man was convinced all cabins had shrunk.  They have welded metal walls, it would be impossible to do what he claimed, moving all the walls, electrical and plumbing would require gutting the whole ship.  It would be cheaper to build a new ship.
Years ago ships didn't sail full.  Years ago airplanes didn't fly full either.  That's all changed in this day and age.  There are a lot of unhappy cruisers who are convinced their negative review will cause the cruise lines to re-think everything they don't like, right or wrong.  Not long ago the internet and cruise ship reviews didn't exist.  Like watching the evening news it's easy to find the bad in things while there is plenty of good as well, but we have to look harder to find it despite it being right in front of us.
I have sailed all the Freedom class ships including including Indy just before her upgrades and very soon after Libery after she received new cabins (I stayed in one).  I didn't notice any difference despite "all those extra people on board"  (including me).
Seek and you will find, but that works both ways.  

If I keep this up much longer I won't be allowed on the water slide.

If I keep this up much longer I won't be allowed on the water slide.

If I keep this up much longer I won't be allowed on the water slide.

If I keep this up much longer I won't be allowed on the water slide.

Here are the pool, baby pool and splashaway slide rules
General pool rules for all:

Baby Splash Zone:

Splashaway Bay Waterslide Rules

Times varied today.  It was done in sessions so each has a distinct end and no one can just stay all day although on this cruise that was probably not enforced.  Long pants and socks required.  
 

Day 3 - Midday
Here from near the center of the Gulf of St. Lawrence I wandered around and grabbed some more photos.

Following seas from the 20 knot tail wind makes for very smooth sailing with little wind on the helipad.

There was a request for some Sports Deck photos so here they are.  Starting with mini-golf at Adventure Dunes.




 
This is a two level mini-golf that starts on deck 13 and ends on deck 12.

I talked to the sports deck crew and they don't operate the flowrider or slides below approximately 10°C or 50°F.  Since we are right on that bubble they are currently closed.  They call to the bridge who advises them on weather and they make a call go/no-go.





Main pool deck.



Time for lunch at Cafe Promenade.  Noted a pulled pork BBQ special.

Updated pizza selections.


A couple of turkey sandwiches, a slice of BBQ chicken pizza and a pulled pork BBQ sandwich.  All were quite tasty.  I'm ready for a nap.

Meanwhile, back in my cabin...

Day 3 - Midday
Here from near the center of the Gulf of St. Lawrence I wandered around and grabbed some more photos.

Following seas from the 20 knot tail wind makes for very smooth sailing with little wind on the helipad.

There was a request for some Sports Deck photos so here they are.  Starting with mini-golf at Adventure Dunes.




 
This is a two level mini-golf that starts on deck 13 and ends on deck 12.

I talked to the sports deck crew and they don't operate the flowrider or slides below approximately 10°C or 50°F.  Since we are right on that bubble they are currently closed.  They call to the bridge who advises them on weather and they make a call go/no-go.





Main pool deck.



Time for lunch at Cafe Promenade.  Noted a pulled pork BBQ special.

Updated pizza selections.


A couple of turkey sandwiches, a slice of BBQ chicken pizza and a pulled pork BBQ sandwich.  All were quite tasty.  I'm ready for a nap.

Meanwhile, back in my cabin...

Enjoying your blog & periscopes! ?

Day 3 - Midday
Here from near the center of the Gulf of St. Lawrence I wandered around and grabbed some more photos.

Following seas from the 20 knot tail wind makes for very smooth sailing with little wind on the helipad.

There was a request for some Sports Deck photos so here they are.  Starting with mini-golf at Adventure Dunes.




 
This is a two level mini-golf that starts on deck 13 and ends on deck 12.

I talked to the sports deck crew and they don't operate the flowrider or slides below approximately 10°C or 50°F.  Since we are right on that bubble they are currently closed.  They call to the bridge who advises them on weather and they make a call go/no-go.





Main pool deck.



Time for lunch at Cafe Promenade.  Noted a pulled pork BBQ special.

Updated pizza selections.


A couple of turkey sandwiches, a slice of BBQ chicken pizza and a pulled pork BBQ sandwich.  All were quite tasty.  I'm ready for a nap.

Meanwhile, back in my cabin...

Day 3 - Midday
Here from near the center of the Gulf of St. Lawrence I wandered around and grabbed some more photos.

Following seas from the 20 knot tail wind makes for very smooth sailing with little wind on the helipad.

There was a request for some Sports Deck photos so here they are.  Starting with mini-golf at Adventure Dunes.




 
This is a two level mini-golf that starts on deck 13 and ends on deck 12.

I talked to the sports deck crew and they don't operate the flowrider or slides below approximately 10°C or 50°F.  Since we are right on that bubble they are currently closed.  They call to the bridge who advises them on weather and they make a call go/no-go.





Main pool deck.



Time for lunch at Cafe Promenade.  Noted a pulled pork BBQ special.

Updated pizza selections.


A couple of turkey sandwiches, a slice of BBQ chicken pizza and a pulled pork BBQ sandwich.  All were quite tasty.  I'm ready for a nap.

Meanwhile, back in my cabin...

Elevator upgrades are underway.  They are manufactured by Kone, a big name in the elevator industry.  They have Kone employees on board doing the upgrades.  I saw this on Mariner a few weeks ago as well.
Old elevator signs are being replaced.

New indicators are bigger and easier to read.  My guess is that there is more to this upgrade than just signage.  I'm betting old control systems are being modernized and newer controls will allow intelligent adaptations to respond to peak times and other such things. 

Spotted a ship in the distance.  It's the Oceania Insignia out of New York.  

There is also some work being done on the ping pong tables.

Slides and flowrider are closed despite the cruise compass times listing them as open.  It is pretty cold out there.


Despite the cool temperature it's a beautiful day.

 

Day 3 - Sea Day 
Our progress so far has us entering the Gulf of St Lawrence and beginning to make the turn South-East.  



At 22.5 knots we have to be pretty near full speed ahead.  The ship is very smooth though.

I noticed on the card left with the D+ Champagne the voyage number is 888.  I wonder if this is the 888th sailing of Adventure?

We changed times last night, we are now on Atlantic time.

The Northern shore of the Gaspe Bay Peninsula.

Voom is non-existent.  I've ventured up to the Viking Crown Lounge to eek out a small 3G signal from the tip of Quebec to write this.

Day 2 - Dinner
Here is the MDR menu

I had an overseas work call so I missed my MTD reservation (again).  To the Windjammer!  British Night.  

I went with Fish and Chips and a Cottage Pie (I skipped lunch).  The Sheppard's Pie looked good and tempting but I resisted.  Bangers and Mash also available as well as several other British style items.  
In other news the whole Viking Crown Lounge was the Diamond Lounge.  Oddly they were still asking to see cards to enter the Diamond Lounge while the temporary bar on the dance floor of the VCL was open for anyone to walk up to.  I guess they figured there are so many D/D+ why not?
Seating was hard to come by so off to the pub.

Entertainment was not inspiring me tonight.    The pub was about to become karaoke.  Viking Crown was still recovering from the Diamond Crush game.  Trivia in the Schooner Bar.  Comedian is my mother's age and last night targeted my mother's age group with her jokes.  I'm sure in 20 years I'll be rolling on the floor, but not tonight.