totalmorganmove

I don't remember who our captain was on Brilliance on our recent Canal traverse but he mentioned them coming aboard to steer us through. It was more like many pilots though! A team of close to a dozen hopped on board - must have been very crowded on the bridge! Sounds like a really great bridge tour! We met Captain Marek a few years ago while on Radiance - one of our favourites (and one of the only people we could understand on the announcements!)

Day 16 - Disembarkation , but also New Orleans I was hoping to get up early enough to see our final stretch up the Mississippi, but it was too dark for anything really noticiable. Went and got my final latte from Cafe Lattetudes and then did a few laps of the top deck. While there, I noticed three ambulances waiting by the gangway. One woman came out on a stretcher with the medical crew carrying her luggage and was whisked away. Hopefully she is okay. There were also lots of crew coming on and off. There were a number the joined along the way in international stops, so this was their US immigration processing. Sunrise was gorgeous! We left the room about 7:45 and went to The Key departure breakfast. It's nothing super special, but it is very calm, which was good because there were people clogging the elevators and hallways with luggage at 6 am, despite self-assist not starting until 8. We chatted to some friends at breakfast and then left the ship around 8:40. Luggage pick up was smooth but when we arrived at customs, everything was at a standstill. They werent looking at anyone's passports or anything. Not sure what caused the hold up, but about 10 minutes later things started back up and we were fine. We ordered a Lyft and while we were waiting the coroner's van came through. This confirmed that our Alpha Alpha Alpha call on day 2 and the padlocked door in our hallway was indeed an unfortunate ending. Off to enjoy the Crescent City for a few days!

Day 15 We of course got our two free photos. We are still getting them printed, despite everything being digital these days. I always have one photo of mum and me from the cruise that I can display as soon as I get home! Absolutely beautiful final sunset at seas! We then went to the farewell show, and there was quite a good comedian - Drew Thomas - way better than the guy we had earlier in the cruise. And then all the officers come on stage - always a good photo op and a chance to show appreciation for the people making our vacation happen. We then rushed off to dinner. We actually booked our next cruise onboard on Day 1 (we had been hmming about it in the lead up and getting on board was the only convincing we needed!) They had given us a free bottle of champagne. I was not gonna drink it alone, so we arranged with our waitstaff to bring it to the dining room ahead of dinner so they could chill it for me. Then they put out 8 champagne glasses and we shared it with our dining table! We have truly had a lovely table. We also discovered that you can add photos to someone else's account! They just scan the barcode on the bottom and do some magic at the photo desk.

Day 15 Back to pack again for a bit. Have most of it under control. After training, I went back to the WJ to discover a chocolate fountain! Glad I peeked in! I also walked by balloons ready for tonight. Balloon drops are not the norm on most of the small ships we've been on, but they've set it up for the "Mardi Gras Party" tonight! The CD, John, has supposedly tried to explain to the staff repeatedly that there is no such thing as a Mardi Gras party and that Mardi Gras is the party and it's a season. I'm glad they vetoed him as it looks fun Then I went to the Talent Show. It was a mix of guest groups that different activities staff have worked with the whole cruise - choir, improv, and a "flash mob". And then they were interspersed with talent from the crew - a few from housekeeping, restaurant, and the backstage staff of the theatre. It was cool to see the crew highlighted! Final trivia session - Travel themed. 9/15, so nowhere near as good as our progressive team. Now to the pool for my last dip of the cruise, if it's quiet enough!

Thank you! They are a really lovely cast and crew! One of the things I've noticed more on this cruise than any other is how kind the crew and officers are to each other. It has really stood out in their interactions in every venue, hallway, and port.

Day 15 - Final Cruise Day! All good things come to an end. Had a slight lie in this morning, so only time for a quick stroll on the promenade deck with my coffee before pilates. Beautiful weather and had the helipad all to myself. Then back to the room to begin packing. I am a piece by piece packer so I do a bit all day and then throw my luggage out at 10:55 pm Hurried to the WJ for my last breakfast there. We will go to The Key breakfast tomorrow, just because it's quieter. I don't usually eat breakfast at home so it is a cruise luxury. Now rushing back to the gym for my personal training session!

Day 14 After lunch we rushed to progressive trivia - we came in second! We only lost by 2 points, and given that I didn't actually join until round 2, I'm taking this as a win! We got little cruise ship USBs and water bottles, so not a bad deal for 8 rounds of RC trivia. I popped back to our room and discovered the dreaded luggage tags, but also a Panama Canal Crossing certificate - didn't know that was a thing. Luckily, we have one more sea day, so we just put the luggage tags in the drawer and pretended they don't exist. Hung out by the pool for a bit as there were no afternoon gym classes. The sea is definitely rocking today. I jumped in the hot tub for a bit (had the whole thing to myself) and the water was spilling out. I love having the late dinner because the pool clears out, but we still have a few hours of daylight left. We went to the show before dinner. Standard production show, however this is the cast's last show of their contract. Seems like they got one of the best contracts - they started in Australia, did a transpacific, had the Alaska season, and got to finish going down the coast and across the Panama Canal. (Side note, our waiter is staying on until drydock in Europe after the NOLA season, so he will have done 4 continents on one ship!) Tomorrow is the last day and they have only one show time. This is pretty standard. However, the single show is at the same time as the second dinner seating, forcing people to choose! We have negotiated as a table with our waitstaff to come at 8:15 after the show, as long as we're ready to order!

Day 14 Yoga (again, I know I have a very boring on board routine!) Followed by the Backstage Tour. We were excited about this as on our first Diamond cruise all they did was an "up close" chat with a few of the production crew. This time we were led by the Dance Captain and Production Manager through the backstage area, sound booth, and production booth. It was quite in-depth. This is the last sailing for the current cast and they will disembark with us in New Orleans! They had decorations up all over backstage to celebrate closing night! Then off to the centrum for the international parade of flags. Probably my favourite cruise event every time. Awesome to see such a multi-national crew, including 1 officer from New Zealand, that I've run into a few times! We had booked lunch at GT, our first specialty lunch ever. It was a lovely window table to enjoy the view. Of course, we over-ordered. Starters: Caprese Salad, Cheese & Meat Board, Calamari Mains: Filet, Chicken Piccata, Carbonate (half portion) Dessert: Tiramisu, Cannoli + a glass of prosecco for good measure!

Day 14 - The Penultimate Sea Day I was up early today, about 6:15. Even though the time difference is crazy, I'm trying to get back to my 5:30/6 am school wake up time ahead of my return. Quick stop at Cafe Lattetudes. They are awesome. I am impressed by how they seem to know everyone's order. I then went for a hot girl walk on Deck 12. It was a literal hot girl walk because it was 30 degrees at 7 am. I took a few ship photos on my way. Obviously, Brilliance is an older ship, but other than a few small cosmetic dings (chips in a bathroom door, fraying chair in the lounge) it is in good nick. And exceptionally clean. The only major maintenance issue has been that the Deck 4 bathrooms right outside the MDR are freakishly hot. But this is the only place with that problem.

Day 13 Weather has been stunning since we got to the Caribbean. Clear skies and sun. Feels crazy that not far from us is a massive hurricane. Went to the solarium to finish my book - Unlikely Animals. That's three books this cruise, and now I'm out with 2 sea days left plus a long flight home. I will have to make due with audio books now. (I should have taken out a book from the ship library and read that and left my last one for my trip home.) Library is pretty well stocked on this boat. Show tonight was a Beatles tribute band and they were awesome! They are Abbey Road. Also, WJ was doing a New Orleans night tonight so pre-show, I popped in and grabbed a few beignets in preparation for our 3 days there. I didn't grab a picture but tonight's menu was called Taste of The World and it was just random! Veggie tempura, and ceviche, and chicken schnitzel, and black forest tart. So strange. I'll have to take photos of the ones in the app before we leave and share all the strange menus! After dinner was the 70s party. I don't know if this is an event on bigger ships, but on every Radiance class ship we've been on people go all out. Like the centrum was packed and people were partying like it was 1979. I stayed for a bit and then went to go to bed and saw the coolest thing! The moon setting! So I stayed up another half hour watching.

Day 13 - Sea Day (again) This sailing has far too many sea days. I am sea day-ed out. If the dates had lined up, I would have done the Radiance repositioning, but alas school holidays are fixed. Yoga this morning as usual. The one thing I do love is how ridiculously easy it is to get to know other passengers and crew on board a smaller ship on a long sailing. I know all the gym goers quite well and the two trainers too. From there, I grabbed my laptop and worked / half listened to the Captain's Corner. Always interesting to see what questions they get. We are a few days behind Milton, luckily, but someone asked what would have happened if our cruise was 3 days later. The captain said we would have had an extended overnight visit to Cartagena! There are many Floridians onboard and I hope that their homes and families are as safe as they can be until they can get home and assess. I had to vacate as the choir came in to practice after. There is a talent show on the last day and the guest choir is the opening act. Windjammer for lunch as the MDR had the same menu we've already had. And, as usual, progressive trivia. We discovered we are back in se ond place with just a 5 point difference. There is an actual prize pack for this one, rather than just key chains. Wish me luck!

I just left Captains Corner a little while ago and the Hotel Director mentioned that the menus are standardised across the fleet so people know what to expect. I found this hilarious because I feel like having the same menus is exactly why we notice when something is prepared totally differently! I'm sure it simplifies purchasing but I am impressed that they are able to make the same thing, with the same ingredients, 20+ different ways.

Day 12 After wandering, we were hot and also hungry. We knew from the description of the tour that it didn't include lunch but we figured we could try and fit it in. Mum asked the guide for recommendations and then invited her to join us for lunch, which she happily accepted. We went to a lovely seafood place in the old city, called Montesacro. It wad quite upscale but we managed lunch for 3 with drinks for $70. After that, we drove back to the cruise terminal, I did a lap trying to avoid the bird areas. They also had a few other interesting species - tortoises, anteaters, monkeys, capybara, peccary. There is also a large shop and a bar. The bar had snacks and I intended to get some arepas but the beer was half the ship price so the lines were crazy! Back on the ship for a shower, swim, and some reading. It was far too hot to do anything else. You would never believe I lived in Miami for 4 years the way I can't cope with the heat! Dinner was Italian night. The choice of nights has been a bit strange. We had USA on our first night in Mexico, Mexico at what would have been our second night in Mexico but the port was cancelled, Caribbean on our last night in the Pacific Ocean, and Italian at our only Caribbean stop! There has also been zero singing and dancing from the MDR staff. To be fair, we missed two nights but no one at our table mentioned any so I think it has been quiet. 10 dinners and nothing. I got the mushroom risotto which was actually quite good. The truffle oil was noticeable. I also got the polenta fries. This was a dud. The description said chilled hazelnut red pepper dip. I got warm marinara. I've had this before and it wad a completely different dish. I also go the vegan berry and oat bar for dessert which was nice and not overpowering. I skipped late night comedy and went to bed. 10 pm is way past my home bed time and I was excited to put my freshly washed PJs on!

Day 12 - Cartagena, Colombia We did our washing the night before. Mum was very pleased go discover the Diamond discount on the wash & fold bag! I managed to fit in yoga before we docked in Cartagena. It wad absolutely downpours and there was tons of thunder and lightning. The other couple at yoga said they would head down to guest services and cancel their excursion. I tried to tell them that it was a passing storm on the radar and it would be gone within the hour. I hope I convinced them! Sure enough, an hour later as we were disembarking, the rain had lightened to barely a drizzle. Disembarkation was a bit of a dumpster fire though. They had stated they would have all of the shore excursions meet in the theatre and they would go down the forward gangway. This left the main one for everyone else. Well that is not what happened. Instead, EVERYONE was coming through the main gangway. People were joining the stairs everywhere from Deck 6 to 2, and also taking the lifts down to 2 to avoid the line. It was chaos. It was shoulder to shoulder going down the stairs. And to top it off, the crew started a drill in the middle of it. Multiple crew came from I-95 and attempted to get up the stairs, only to turn around! 30 chaotic minutes later, we were off and found our guide. If you've never been to Cartagena port, it is good to know that the port is an eco-park filled with tropical birds. I mean HUNDREDS. I did not know this. I am TERRIFIED of birds. It was not a great start. So I was quite happy to high tail it out of there. Our guide Nohemey and driver Herson were very apologetic about the traffic situation and reorganised the order of our stops to try and beat it. They said whenever it rains, the streets flood, and it just becomes chaos. We made three scenic stops at the fortress, the monastery, and the old city walls just to look around. Then we were taken to the main tourist shopping area where there were high pressure sales to buy emeralds. My new thing is just to tell everyone I have no money as I'm getting married and weddings are expensive. This is definitely my best strategy I've ever had, because they are always very congratulatory but also realise that I definitely don't have any money and leave me alone! After this, our driver took the car somewhere while our guide took us on a 1.5 hour walking tour of the old city. It included a visit to the inquisition museum. I had not been aware how far and wide the inquisition went into the Spanish colonies. All the signs were in Spanish, so our guide was very helpful in explaining everything. The city is absolutely beautiful! Every building was stunning. I really felt like a single port stop was not enough here. However, the touts were out in full force and we could rarely walk more than a few steps without being offered hats, emeralds, photos with women in traditional dress, coffee, etc. They are VERY aware of cruise ship days.

Day 11 The second half of the canal was a lot quieter as the heat wiped most people out. We spent most of Gatun Lake inside, enjoying the air conditioning. We did MDR lunch, our second one of the trip. They have 5 menus, each repeating once. I think the one we got though is on most itineraries, but some I've never seen before. NZ is very sparse on mozzarella sticks so that is my go to. Around 2:30, I went back on deck in preparation for the Atlantic side locks. Less busy, but still very crowded. The heat was so intense. We would have stayed through the very last lock, but we had a pedicure booked. I always hesitate to use the onboard spa because of the hard sell, but 14 days is a long time. We checked in on time, but they didn't take us for 20 minutes. Turns out the people ahead had booked online and they had gel that needed removing, and the nail techs were unaware. So we passed under the final bridge out to the Caribbean Sea from the pedicure chair. Headliner was a guy called Dario El Gaucho, from Argentina. We weren't sure what to expect, but it was a good mix of music, magic, and Argentinean culture. The headliners in general have been a cut above what we normally get on Radiance class. Dinner was Taste of Asia. Controversial, but I thought the dumplings were better in the MDR than in Izumi the night before. Shrimp pad Thai was one of the few real duds of the cruise. After, we went up to Park Café for dessert and then to the helipad for stargazing. One of the lecturers on board has had all of his topics about astronomy so he hosted the session on board. Was pretty cloudy, so less to see, but cool nonetheless!