Jump to content

IRMO12HD

Members
  • Posts

    379
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    2

Reputation Activity

  1. Like
    IRMO12HD reacted to CravingaCruise in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Don’t forget Tasty Cakes and Rolling Rock!  😊
  2. Like
    IRMO12HD reacted to CravingaCruise in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    It’s cruise day!
    At the airport about to board! 
    Alarm was set for 3am but woke up at 2:45 and there was no way I was going back to sleep!  Excited that it’s finally the day!
  3. Like
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from DDaley in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here's the Powder Room Power View on Mariner -- Deck 11 Ladies' Restroom
     

  4. Wow
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from FireFishII in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here's the Powder Room Power View on Mariner -- Deck 11 Ladies' Restroom
     

  5. Like
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from KristiZ in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here are some pictures of Cabin 1639.  It was sort of midship, on the port side.  As you can see, I chose to have the beds separated because it gave me more room as a solo.  Even with the beds together, the available room isn't bad, although there's only the one "easy" chair and then a desk chair.
     


  6. Like
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from KristiZ in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Following with excitement and a feeling of deja vu!  Last year, I sailed on a B2B on Navigator -- a 3 Night and then a 4 Night -- and made Diamond after the completion of the 1st half of the B2B.  FWIW, my experience with your ~question~ ("We'll also share what happens when you stay on the ship for a second cruise and reach the next level with perks after the first cruise.  I read once that you stay on the ship and the Diamond Concierge comes and gives you an orientation (of sorts).  Hoping all this to be the case. ") was that I found the Loyalty Ambassador on Day 2 of the first cruise, and notified her of my impending "promotion."  She very kindly liaised with the Diamond Concierge (because she thought she would be getting off the ship on our turnaround day -- as it happened, she didn't), and so the skids were greased for me to receive and enjoy my Diamond status as soon as I reboarded the ship for the second part of the B2B.  I would definitely recommend locating and talking to the Loyalty Ambassador as soon as you can on the first leg.
    Bon Voyage!
  7. Like
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from ellcee in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here's the Powder Room Power View on Mariner -- Deck 11 Ladies' Restroom
     

  8. Like
    IRMO12HD reacted to mk-ultra in T-2. Occasionally live blog, Navigator of the seas   
    Day 3, Sunday.
    First time for me rounding the south end of the Baja peninsula.  I don't think I nabbed a photo that does it justice.  Stunning introduction to the Pacific's mixing grounds.

    Then off to tender to my sailing event.
    Okay, color my skeptical butt very nicely surprised.  The sailboat was an actual sailboat, not a catamaran.  That's rude to you cat owners, but still.  Real 50' boat with only ~14 pax and 3 crew.  Promising.
    First half of our trip was spent motoring.  Boo.  But it's CRAZY busy with tour boats around the harbor, so I wouldn't feel cheery about being under-sail in that mess either.  We went straight to Cabo's famed "arch" and the "keyhole" for everyone to get their Instagram / TikTok moments.
    After that photo op, we motored another ~35 minutes to the cove at Santa Maria beach and let everyone bob around like orange corks in PFDs for an hour or so.  On the way there, we had a feeding.  Grilled shrimp, fresh guac, pico de gallo, fresh fruit and chips.  Served in an incongruous Japanese Bento box.  Tasty though, and no shortage of booze selections.
    The highlight of the day for me (puts on sailing nerd hat) was the trip back.  Mainsail up, motor off.  Then... why not, let's unfurl the jib.  And do big upwind tacks all the way home.  And before every tack, let's really get it heeled over deliberately so everyone squeals with delight.  And just to top it off, momma humpback whale with calf on the way back.  Awesome.

    Cabo is new to me.  With NCL Joy here as well, the line to tender back was looooooooooooooooong.  Met some cool people from Norway and Denver though.  🙂
     
  9. Like
    IRMO12HD reacted to CravingaCruise in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Yes they did!!!  Now we get to see them play on the ship!  So excited! 🏆💚
    Of course that meant one more load of laundry because we wore our jerseys for todays game. No worries. We’re packed and leave in the morning!
    Tomorrow is cruise day!!!! 🎉🎉
  10. Haha
    IRMO12HD reacted to Curt From Canada in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    I have not been on Mariner, but Adventure, Explorer and Voyager do not have them.  It is the only one at sea I am aware of.  It is not my full time "job" on cruise ships, but I always on the "lookout" for anything like it.  So far it is the only one after 26 cruises.
    I think you are correct ... this might be one of those "Use Only When Under Sail" washrooms.
    😂
    Curt from Canada
  11. Like
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from asquared17 in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here's the Powder Room Power View on Mariner -- Deck 11 Ladies' Restroom
     

  12. Wow
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from MaryS in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here's the Powder Room Power View on Mariner -- Deck 11 Ladies' Restroom
     

  13. Love
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from Curt From Canada in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here's the Powder Room Power View on Mariner -- Deck 11 Ladies' Restroom
     

  14. Wow
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from JohnK6404 in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here's the Powder Room Power View on Mariner -- Deck 11 Ladies' Restroom
     

  15. Wow
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from CravingaCruise in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here's the Powder Room Power View on Mariner -- Deck 11 Ladies' Restroom
     

  16. Like
    IRMO12HD reacted to Curt From Canada in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    You are in for the treat of a lifetime!!  Navigator has the BEST PUBLIC WASHROOM at sea.  Deck 11 aft elevators port side.  Do not pay any attention to any "passé" gender based signage ... you will be DIAMOND!!  If I remember correctly, Diamond members can use any public washroom regardless of gender.  Please check this out ahead of time with the Diamond Concierge (as I could be wrong)
    😉
    Have a blast ...
    Curt from Canada
  17. Like
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from FireFishII in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here are some pictures of Cabin 1639.  It was sort of midship, on the port side.  As you can see, I chose to have the beds separated because it gave me more room as a solo.  Even with the beds together, the available room isn't bad, although there's only the one "easy" chair and then a desk chair.
     


  18. Thanks
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from CravingaCruise in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here are some pictures of Cabin 1639.  It was sort of midship, on the port side.  As you can see, I chose to have the beds separated because it gave me more room as a solo.  Even with the beds together, the available room isn't bad, although there's only the one "easy" chair and then a desk chair.
     


  19. Thanks
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from CravingaCruise in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    "This cruise, I'm bringing a hanging closet organizer for our shoes, an over-the-door shoe organizer for all of the bathroom, sunscreen, and all the little misc items (I've come to really appreciate this one), several drawer organizer collapsible containers (from IKEA), magnet hooks & clips galore to hang anything I can to keep stuff off the table, a magnetic white board week-at-a-glance to keep track of our days, and another white board for leaving notes for our cabin attendant along with the magnetic cup for pens.  I feel like things are coming together.  I'm open to suggestions for maximizing space in a small cabin.  Have any?"
     
    You might want to bring one or two kitchen garbage bags to put in your suitcases.  I assume you're going to keep them under your bed(s), and it's really handy to have the bags in there ready to receive dirty laundry!  When I'm solo-ing, I just put my laundry in a bag in the closet, but putting it in the suitcase saves space and time when it comes to packing up at the end of the cruise. Also, don't forget lanyards to hold your seapass, and a water bottle for your trips to the fitness center!
  20. Like
    IRMO12HD got a reaction from Sweety in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Here are some pictures of Cabin 1639.  It was sort of midship, on the port side.  As you can see, I chose to have the beds separated because it gave me more room as a solo.  Even with the beds together, the available room isn't bad, although there's only the one "easy" chair and then a desk chair.
     


  21. Like
    IRMO12HD reacted to Irieman in Serenade Jan 18-28- 10 days South and Central America   
    Sorry about the videos. There was no apparent way to delete them unlike hotos that have an X on them.  Now on to day 10...  The Last Sea Day. 
    Why is it that no matter how long your cruise is, you hit an amazing groove during the last days and want it to go on and on. This was one of those days.
    We slept in a bit and caught my brother and sister in-law at the Windjammer for breakfast.  The French-toast has been a winner this week and a long with eggs and fruit made for satisfy meal.  
    Next up was the Captain's Corner Q&A.  The Captain went in record that he loves the small ships because of the variety of ports. He said that he gets bored sailing the same  6 or 7 ports over and over again with the larger ships. He can't wait for the World cruise and the challenge of all the ports during the trip. He also shared that the only pilot that takes full command of the vessel is when traversing the Panama canal.  All other times, ultimately the captain has the final responsibility.
    The chief engineer mentioned that Radiance class has the most output of power when compared to weight of all classes of RC ships. He feels it's one reason Serenade was chosen to do the World Tour.  Having completed over 3000 natural miles this cruise I can tell you, we booked it many a see day at 23 knots. It was impressive.
    The rest of the day was me getting caught in the cruise food vortex where it seems that food swirls around me like a never ending tornado and also trying a few new things.  Best example was learning the basic steps to the Cha Cha with some of the dancers. Great fun!
    Some other observations...
    This is our last cruise on the old menu.  As a vegan, the current options have some winners and losers but at least there are two options each night. Heading to the new menu means only one option each night. Looking forward to new dishes but worried about lack of choices especially on 10 day or longer itineraries.
    All ten days from Tampa down to Panama at 9 degrees north of the equator had amazing Internet. Maybe 2 minutes of no service but the rest of the time was fast enough for full streaming including my sister in-law having a zoom meeting without a glitch. 
    Signed up for the Next Cruise by and decide within two months. It's not a big savings but the low deposit plus an extra hundred or two in a discount is better than not doing it.
    Enjoyed the Key and for us, it was worth having some skip the line benefits, meals and internet.
    Well, will sign off for tonight as I hear the luggage getting picked up from the hallway. Not the best of sounds I have heard this week!
    Be well.




  22. Like
    IRMO12HD reacted to Ampurp85 in Serenade Jan 18-28- 10 days South and Central America   
    I got my freeplay for being diamond, it has to be used by day 2.
  23. Like
    IRMO12HD reacted to Irieman in Serenade Jan 18-28- 10 days South and Central America   
    Costa Rica, the third new port in a row.
    Hello again from Serenade which is again, rocking and rolling more than I have experienced in my dozen plus cruises.  It's the same as when we were heading south now that we are heading north so I assume the strong east southeast wind does not play well with ships. Interesting, sailing from Columbia to Panama and then to Costa Rica was almost straight west which was relatively smooth. 
    Now back to the port of the day, Lemon, Costa Rica.  It's a very undeveloped port at area so it's straight to parking lot from the pier. Literally you pass a band and 10 steps more you are at the excursion buses. No running the maze of shops. My party easily boarded the bus to the Rain Forest with the tram ride through the canopy. 
    It was a busy day there but very well run. The actual bus trip was a adventure as we gained about 1400 feet with the last 40% on narrow dirt roads.  We passed dozen of kids and even adults, all who smiled and waved at us. The bus goes so navigating the terrain that you could really study how people set up there homes and make a life.
    The destination had I testing displays scattered around the vast compound with a focus on frogs, insects, reptiles and butterflies.  The guides were extremely knowledgeable and their mission of saving the biodiversity of the rain forest was ever present. It led to a strong feeling of authenticity of the excursion over visiting a place trying to make a buck.
    Ship thoughts for today.
    We are trending to the Windjammer for dinner as the Serenade has the amazing outside dining space. The view, fresh air, and laid back feel draws us up there more than on any other ship. 
    The pools and bars remain quieter than normal as I continue to chalk that up to an older crowd on the ten day trip.
    The spa must also be hurting as there are all around the ship with more unique offers. I personally have never massages offered on the pool deck by the minute. One dollar per minute 🙂
    That's it for now. I will rode the waves and motion back to sleep.  Enjoy the photos from the excursion!!
     
     
     
     
     
     




  24. Like
    IRMO12HD reacted to CravingaCruise in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    3 More Sleeps!!
    I'm officially done with work for the week and my co-workers are all super jealous - just like I like it!  🤣
    The staging is almost complete and we've officially taken over the kitchen table and every other surface with all the stuff we're taking!  I know I'm totally an over packer, but I just like to be prepared. 18 days on a cruise or away from the comforts of home is a long time.  I've been caught on vacation without things I needed and I vowed not to spend a fortune on a necessary item I had forgotten at home again. The hospitality industry loves it when guests show up without an essential item - they seem to charge the most for those types of items.  I'd rather spend vacation money on something fun or exciting versus a necessity. Hence, the reason I over pack. 
    It's kind of funny that I seem to pack more when we sail in a smaller cabin.  When we sailed in a suite, I still over packed, but I had way more places to unload our stuff and didn't have to worry about how to manage all the little things. Knowing we're going to be in a pretty small space, I feel the need to over-organize.
    I just watched Danny's cabin tour from Harr Travel again just to see all of the spaces. I love his videos because he shows everything in the room without making you motion sick watching someone whip around their camera. Although, I've started muting him because I'm kind of over hearing how he always brings along an extra converter to take advantage of the Euro plugs in the room and brings a portable charger so he can charge his phone at the bedside overnight since there is no plug available. 🥺
    It's super helpful for me to watch the videos so I can plan out where things will go, which then helps me know how to pack for organizing our stuff. This cruise, I'm bringing a hanging closet organizer for our shoes, an over-the-door shoe organizer for all of the bathroom, sunscreen, and all the little misc items (I've come to really appreciate this one), several drawer organizer collapsible containers (from IKEA), magnet hooks & clips galore to hang anything I can to keep stuff off the table, a magnetic white board week-at-a-glance to keep track of our days, and another white board for leaving notes for our cabin attendant along with the magnetic cup for pens.  I feel like things are coming together.  I'm open to suggestions for maximizing space in a small cabin.  Have any?
    Tomorrow is laundry day and packing clothes with any last minute stuff on Sunday!  We're mostly saving Sunday for the next Eagles game - crossing our fingers for one more win!  Hubby got some Eagles magnets to add to our door decor in hopes of that win.  🙂  
    Okay - break's over!  Back to the packing! 

  25. Like
    IRMO12HD reacted to CravingaCruise in DIAMONDS Are a Girl's Best Friend!   
    Update on the shoes!
    All three of the new walking shoe choices arrived and we have a winner!  I swear it felt like I was qualifying for the Olympics just trying to put the stupid things on!  I haven't tied shoes with laces in years!  I'm keeping the best pair, the others are going back to Amazon, and my butt is going to the gym on this ship!!  😫
×
×
  • Create New...