Bermuda Cruise 2025 - Disembarkation Day / Arriving in New York (05/03/25)

Disembarkation Day - It's always the worst day of the cruise for me.  First, I have to say farewell to any friends I might have made on the cruise.  But more, it's the return to the real world and its problems that is the biggest shock.

- - - - - -

Neither RQS nor I slept well the night before, and our alarms woke us up shortly before 6:00 am.  This would give us enough time to get showered and dressed, then enough time to finish our final packing chores before going to breakfast one last time.  Once we got ready to leave the room, we did a final scan to make sure we left nothing behind, then went to breakfast.

Breakfast on the last day of the cruise can seem a little rushed.  One has to be ready at all times to disembark.  Yet, one wants the time to enjoy a good breakfast and relax until one's departure group is called.  On our way to the dining room, we passed by the long line of people of "Self-Assist" passengers, people who would be leaving the ship early with all of their luggage - none would be picking up any luggage at the pier.  We sat down to breakfast and had a nice conversation with the people next to us before finding a place to wait until our disembarkation group was called.

There are several disembarkation groups.  First are the Self-Assist passengers.  Then come the passengers who have transfers and tours arranged by the cruise line.  And finally, it's time for the remaining disembarkation groups to be called.  The last time we were on this ship (and in the same room), we were assigned to one of the latest group numbers.  This time, we were assigned one of the earliest group numbers.  Instead of leaving the ship around 9:00 am, we left around 8:00 am.  This made it possible for us to pick up our luggage, clear customs, and make it to the ferry stop by 8:30 am - just in time to catch the second ferry of the day from Red Hook.  

Taking the ferry from Red Hook allows us to avoid traffic jams around the cruise terminal.  Normally, we'd take the ferry one stop, get off at Atlantic Avenue and summon an Uber from there.  Since this was the second ferry of the day on the South Brooklyn route, it skips all stops before Pier 11 (Wall Street) on its way to Corlears Hook.  This caused us to transfer to the East River route at Pier 11, and get off at the South Williamsburg stop.  Since this was the first stop of the day in South Williamsburg, ship staff has to unlock the gate for people to get on and off the dock.  Well, they forgot to do so and had to return to the pier to open the gate.

Once on dry land, we had to summon an Uber.  We found it much easier to do at this stop than at Atlantic Avenue, as we could validate the address that the driver received would be the same address we could see from where we were. (Think of building address and street signage here.)  While waiting for the Uber, we did some people watching. It was interesting to see the intersection of modern culture with the old: Hasidic Jews (the Old) and Hipsters (the New) in the same Brooklyn neighborhood. Once the Uber came, we zoomed through city streets and onto the BQE beyond the traffic jam zone.

We got home by 10:00 am and then crashed.  It was a long morning, and we needed to rest.  And that would be the theme for the rest of the day....

Bermuda Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #2 (05/02/25)

This would be our last full day on the ship, and we had errands to take care of - namely deciding what we pack in our big suitcases, and what we pack in our carry-ons.  In my case, the bulk of the dirty laundry goes in the big suitcases with my dress shoes, ties, and other stuff I won't need.  And the stuff I will need (or will have with me) has to go in the carry-on or backpack.  Either way, this is a pain in the neck, and something I hate doing at the end of every cruise.

- - - - - -

The day started out with us getting up early enough to have one last leisurely breakfast on the ship.  After breakfast, we retired to the stern of the ship to relax while the steward had a chance to make up our bed and drop off disembarkation information (with luggage tags).  Around noon, we had our last lunch on the ship, and this time, things went perfectly with wait staff service.  On my way back to the cabin, the lady from the table next to us asked me whether I was a teacher, and we got into a conversation for a few minutes.  Finally back in the cabin, I found that the room steward had made up the room and placed disembarkation information (with luggage tags) on our bed.

We packed our large suitcases, and got them ready to go out later in the evening.  And then, we went to our last dinner on the ship.  The wait staff made to ensure it was a final celebration of this cruise, and left all in the room wishing this wouldn't end.  Sadly, our stomachs were full, our hunger and thirst were sated, and the restaurant staff had to make the room ready for the late seating.  So, it was off to our cabin to rest for a while, then seeing the comedian for one last set before leaving the ship in the morning.

Bermuda Cruise 2025 - Port Day #3 / Departing Bermuda (05/01/25)

 

This would be a short, last day in Bermuda for us.  Due to GI-Tract issues I have, I decided to stay near the ship while RQS went to the Clocktower Mall to do some last minute shopping.  This would prove to be the best thing we could have done, as I barely had any warning before my GI Tract demanded attention.

But first....

I woke up at 4:00, and took care of my GI Tract's first attack on my body - and I survived.  But I knew it would be back for another round later on in the day.  So, I tried to go back to sleep for as long as I could before the two of us decamped for breakfast.

Buffet breakfasts are rarely memorable, and this one was far from worth remembering.  I had rushed to get showered and dressed in order to get some hot food from the buffet trays.  This time, I picked up some hash browns, sausage, and some hard boiled eggs - and had as enjoyable a breakfast that could be had in the buffet.  After this, I went back to the cabin, while RQS went for one last visit onshore to do some shopping.

When RQS returned, it was back to the buffet for a late lunch.  While there, a lady sat next to us, and we started discussing cruising, shifting over to politics.  This woman was a rare breed in Florida - a passionate liberal.  And this allowed us to talk about politics.  Later on, I felt safe in showing her how I looked as Marian - and she didn't flinch.  

A couple of hours later, we went to dinner and had a nice meal.  As much as I liked the octopus dish, there wasn't enough octopus and too much stewed vegetables to have me order it again.  The salmon I had for the main course was good, but I was glad to have a plate of Pasta Alfredo in front of me - RQS's lamb shank wasn't done right, and she had to wait to get one from the kitchen.

Although we had reservations to see the comedian again, we passed on it to let our food digest.  This was a good day, and we'll hate to be back in New York this weekend.

Bermuda Cruise 2025 - Port Day #2 (04/30/25)

Today, we planned to take the ferry to St. George, a town on the other end of Bermuda.  To do this, we had to get out of the cabin early, eat breakfast, and show up at the ferry dock by 11:15 am.  And this meant interrupting our sleep to do so.

But first....

Often, we get into a routine on cruise ships where we are either late for breakfast, or proceed to an early lunch. We didn't have that luxury today, as there were only 2 ferries to St. George in the morning, and 1 returning ferry in the evening.  If we got stuck, we'd have to catch a bus to Hamilton, and then catch another bus to the Dockyards.  Instead of a 30-45 minute ride, the return trip could turn into a 2 hour journey.  So we made sure that we were early for both the outgoing ferry and for the return ferry.

Arriving at St. George, we found it emptier than the last time we were here.  It was much more mellow than the last time we were here.  Within the first hour of arriving in St. George, we had lunch at a local restaurant - across the water from where the town crier was "Dunking" a local "Hag" (both the crier and hag played their roles well) with the help from some bystanders.  Inside the restaurant, things were much more mellow.  A musician was playing soft rock standards while I ate my Fish and Chips and RQS ate her Fish sandwich.  When we were done, we went to look for a nearby perfume factory - which we never found.

On our way to the perfume factory, we stopped at a local museum.  RQS took the tour of the building, while I got into a conversation with a local.  Both of us had a good time there.  But Cinderella had lost her slipper, and she had to be home by midnight - the ferry was scheduled to leave at 4, and we didn't want to miss it.  Once at the ferry dock, I got into a conversation from someone who used to work at a building near my childhood church, and we continued for over 30 minutes, in direct sunlight before getting on line to take the ferry. Eventually, the ferry started taking passengers, and we got on for the ride home.  By now, my scalp had had more than a healthy share of sunlight, and I knew I'd have a nice sunburn when I got back on the ship. But it was worth the sunburn to have had the nice conversation I had.

We took a break for a little while before going to dinner.  Both of us were stuffed to the gills before the meal ended.  At least, service was on target today.  And if I had thought of it, I'd have asked for a dinner portion of the mussels with a side of mixed veggies - the mussels were that good.  Instead, I had the beef short ribs (which were ok) with pasta topped with Bolognese sauce on the side.  (I should have had more mussels!)  

It was a good day, and we hope to enjoy our remaining time in Bermuda tomorrow.

Bermuda Cruise 2025 - Port Day #1 (04/29/25)

 

Bermuda, at last!  It's been a while since we were here, and we haven't yet decided what to do.  So we ended up going ashore for a while, then taking it easy on the ship.

But first....

The weather in Bermuda is often warmer than it is in New York.  Today was an exception to the rule, as we needed our early spring clothes (long sleeved shirts, windbreaker and full length trousers) to go outside - something we found out right after breakfast.  To make sure we made it to the main dining room for breakfast, we woke up around 7 am and made it to the dining room just before 8:30.

Once we were seated, another couple sat down next to us, and cruising became the topic of conversation.  The couple had taken an MSC Mediterranean cruise, and it was very different in style and ambiance than MSC's American subsidiary.  They noted that people were coming onboard and leaving the ship at almost every port (no Jones Act / Passenger Vessel Services Act problems in Europe), and it felt strange in comparison to North American based cruises.  But the thing they noticed first and foremost was how many people smoked, and how much they smoked.  I don't think I'd want to be on a ship where I'd have to air out my clothing every day to avoid getting sick.

After breakfast, we took it easy for a while, then walked off the ship.  It took us a while, but we bought a 1-day Bermuda transit pass (bus and ferries) that we plan to use to reach the other side of Bermuda tomorrow.  And then, we browsed the Clocktower Mall before going back to the ship.  It was nice to be on land for a couple of hours, and it will be nicer to spend the whole day there tomorrow.

We rested when we returned to the ship, and then went to dinner at our new assigned table.  As usual, the food was good and filling.  But service wasn't that great - I had to ask our waiter a couple of times before my wine was brought to the table.  RQS had to request a second portion of ice cream, as they did not deliver the sugar-free variety they had the night before.

A little over an hour later, we went to the ship's theater to watch a comedian, Joe Materese, perform.  Strangely enough, he was able to tell Italian jokes without offending anyone.  But then, being Italian, he was able to poke a little fun at his background without getting anyone upset.  I had to leave the theater a little early, so that I could take a bio-break.  Yet, I saw enough of this act to make me want to see his 18+ show later on in the week.

PS: Universal Standard's Mystery Box sale ended today.  Instead of buying one of these boxes, I decided to buy a simple chambray dress with a 25% discount.   RQS said it was well worth the money.

Bermuda Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #1 / Gala Night (04/28/25)

Today, we were at sea, on our way to Bermuda.  And we knew we'd be dressing up for dinner tonight. But first, brunch....

We decided to get up late, and make it to the dining room for brunch at 11 am.  As expected, we had to wait for 15 minutes before being seated - and then, at a shared table.  Although the Bucatini Carbonara portion looked small, it was very filling.  Sadly, the noise level in the restaurant was so loud, that we couldn't enjoy a conversation with our table mates.  And, as expected, service quality left something to be desired.

We took a rest before dinner, and eventually changed for gala night.  RQS put on a nice dress and I reluctantly dressed in a men's suit before going to have our photos taken. While our photos were being taken, some woman in her own world decided to ignore what we were doing and I had to shout a little to get her off the stairs and get our pictures taken.

Once done with the photo shoot, we went to dinner.  Our friends from the night before were seated with their travel group across the room, and we were stuck with another group who sounded like they came from the "Brooklyn cast" of "My Cousin Vinny."  Everything you can say about loud, boorish people could be said about this group, as well as the friends who were sitting nearby.  When we were done with dinner, we asked to be moved to another table for the rest of the week, so that we would not be sitting near this boorish group.

Our request was accommodated, and we hoped that tomorrow we will have a better night's dining than we did tonight....

PS: One thing of note - RQS said that if we take the Atlantic Crossing together on the Queen Mary 2 (with me presenting as Marian), that she wants me to learn how to dance.  I readily accepted that offer.  One question though - who will lead on the dance floor?

Bermuda Cruise 2025 - Embarkation Day / Leaving New York (04/27/25)

 

The day got off to an inauspicious start.  We woke up early, got showered and dressed, and took an overpriced Uber to the pier.  (I shouldn't put it that way - we needed to get there on the day of the Brooklyn Half-Marathon, and the price is what the market would bear.)  We weren't surprised about the traffic jam leaving the terminal area.  But we were surprised to quickly make it from the Atlantic avenue exit on the BQE to the Brooklyn Cruise terminal.  

Arriving at the cruise terminal before noon can be a problem when a cruise is fully booked.  But with the ship having propulsion problems, people were arriving early, so that they would make it onto the ship before its planned early departure.  As for us, we were out of our Uber and through the terminal, finally reaching our cabin in less than 20 minutes.  This is a record for us boarding this MSC ship.

Once onboard, we tried to go to the one sit-down restaurant that was open for lunch - and were told that they were full, not accepting new diners.  (Why didn't they keep this restaurant open longer, or open up one of the other dining rooms?  They should know the general expectations of their cruisers by now.  But I digress.)  So, we ended up going to the buffet, where I ended up staining my shirt with pizza drippings and having an unsatisfying lunch.

After a rest, we went to dinner at the same place where we tried to have lunch - and met a nice couple from New Jersey.  We (mostly me) chatted with the couple, and I think they were entertained by the chat.  Hopefully, we'll see them tomorrow.  

Once dinner was over, we retreated to our room, and had a nice conversation with our room steward.  After the next cruise, he will be going home to the Philippines to surprise his wife and 2 children for his wife's birthday.  We chatted about things involving cruising, as well as some of the places we'd like to go.  As much as we could have talked longer, RQS reminded us that he had 3 other cabins to service, and that we needed some rest.

All in all, this was a good day.

 

I am finally cruising again! (a short post)

 

By the time you read this, RQS and I will have returned from our most recent Bermuda cruise on the MSC Meraviglia.  We have been haunted by a curse on most of our Bermuda cruises so far.  On our first cruise, someone fell into RQS's leg, and she was crippled for several weeks.  Our next cruise had its scheduled Bermuda port time shortened by 2 days, leaving us with a single port day on a 7-day cruise. Finally, on our 3rd cruise, we had 3 port days in Bermuda - and in all of them we had good weather.  This time, the ship has propulsion issues which is forcing us to arrive earlier at the pier - who knows whether our time in Bermuda will be shortened or not.  I don't.

This time, I am much more ambivalent about cruising than usual, given political events in this country.  Hopefully, nothing unexpected will happen.  But if it does, I will report it here if possible.  I figure that this trip will be a form of current litmus trip on how Customs and Border control will treat an American who despises the snowflake.  I expect things may get worse over time, as we move towards being an autocracy. As long as I am able to transit out of and in to this country without hassle, I will remain here.  But if things change, I will use my Letter of Transit to leave for Lisbon as soon as practical and make a new life somewhere else if needed.

But back to Bermuda....

Even when the weather is bad there, I always felt good about being in Bermuda.  The place is clean and safe, and well worth visiting at least once.  Given that I will have no video access to left or right leaning American video media, I will be able to disconnect for a while. This will be a blessing for me.  I'll be sure to relax, and I'll be sure to unwind.

I wonder what it will be like when we take our New England / Canada cruise? 

 

 

 

PS: I will post daily entries from our 6-day cruise when I get back home. 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of little things, but nohing big for me.

 

Soon, I'll be going on a Bermuda cruise.  And things are backing up in the queue of last minute items to check on my to-do list.  Although I have set up my Hold Mail request, I still need to pack, take care of my medications, and get all needed bills paid before I go away for a few days.

- - - - - -

Today, I took RQS's lead and donated some books to the local library for resale.  I wasn't going to tell RQS this, but I was using this batch of books as an excuse to visit the store and chat with one woman I meet at a recent meetup.  Since I have more than enough books to donate, I can always make another visit in the future.

I have another visit to make to the family homestead to deal with contractors entering the building.  This time, I have to be there while a chimney liner is installed, and possibly be there to let the plumbers in the following day for gas pipe replacement.  The chimney liner replacement has been scheduled, but telephone tag has prevented me from scheduling the gas pipe replacement.  But with expenses like these coming down the pike, both my brother and I will need to put more money into the house than we'd want to do right now.

Hopefully, the second co-op board meeting of the month will go well.  Our finances are still up in the air, and we have issued a new assessment to cover our shortage for the forced insurance coverage contracted for by the bank last year. Although the notice hasn't gone out at the time I'm writing this entry, I know people will be upset as soon as they receive notice of the assessment.

Before I go on my cruise, I have to pack my bags for the trip.  Given that I have 4 bags of laundry to do, I expect that I will spend the better part of one day washing, drying, and folding laundry.  I've been very lazy about this task lately, but I will do it before the coming weekend.  At least I have more than enough clothes to get by until my laundry is done.

Bill paying is a task I do several times each month.  I need to make sure that all of my important bills are paid off, including this year's car insurance bill, which has gone up by $75 for this 6-month period.  This makes me glad that I took a distribution from my 401-K last year. 

As I said, lots of little things, but nothing that big....

 

Bermuda Cruise 2024 #2 - Disembarkation Day (11/03/24)

 

(A blurry view of the Statue of Liberty at 4:30 am)

We had a busy morning.  Both of us woke up around 4 am, just after the ship passed under the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge.  This was fortunate, as RQS wanted to try and get a shot of the statue from our balcony.  However, the above photo was the best shot from both of our phones, as our phones were not equipped to capture low light images from a moving ship.

When we reached the pier, we got ready to leave the cabin for the last time - we showered, dressed, packed our carry-on bags, and checked the room for forgotten things before going to breakfast.  Breakfast was the worst meal we had on the ship, as both service was very slow and the quality of the eggs were bad enough for us to order freshly fried eggs.  Just before our replacement eggs were delivered, our luggage tag color was called, and we proceeded off the ship.

Using a cane off the ship had an advantage for us, as we were routed to a priority path to reach our luggage. Once in the luggage pick up area, we were directed to the small area where both our bags were stored.  And then, it was a short trip through the customs stations then to the cabs waiting across from the cruise terminal.

We were at Grand Central in less than 15 minutes, and home by 10:15 am.  Finally, our Bermuda trip was at an end.  Both of us are now ready to take another cruise - and we just got off the ship!  Now back to our regularly scheduled lives.

Bermuda Cruise 2024 #2 - Sea Day # 3 (11/02/24)

 

It's fitting that the day started with overcast skies.  Tomorrow, we'd be heading home from the cruise terminal, and dealing with traffic issues triggered by the NYC Marathon.  To most, it's a symbol of New York supporting athletics.  To people in transit to other places, it's a pain in the *** that can't be avoided.

- - - - - -

The day started with us waking up early to have one last relaxed breakfast in the main dining room.  Although the quality of food was as good as usual, the service was sloppy at best.  This might have been triggered by too many people trying to eat at Taste or Savor at the same time, or it might have been caused by bad management of these dining areas.  I won't bother to take a guess about which scenario is true. 

Once done with breakfast, it was off to the photo gallery to select one photo of the two of us that we could frame in each of our apartments.  We selected a nice photo, and then went to the duty free liquor store, where I burnt off the rest of my non-refundable cruise credits (along with a few extra dollars) on a bottle of Amaretto.  And, finally, it was back to our cabin to finish packing, accommodating our late dinner at Le Bistro (a specialty restaurant).

One of the benefits I have with my Platinum loyalty status is to get luggage tags that give me a priority in leaving the ship on disembarkation day. We went to Guest Services and got bad information from one of the crew manning the area.  After a wasted trip to our cabin, we ended up going to Guest Services again and asking for our yellow luggage tags - which we got without anyone checking our status.  Now, I know what I have to do on future NCL cruises to get priority disembarkation.

Around 8 pm, we pushed our bags into the hall for delivery to the pier, and then proceeded to the ship's French restaurant for dinner. We ordered wine with our dinner, and never had to show our cruise card for it. Could the staff be using some system to remember that we had the drink package on a prior visit to the restaurant?  Or, did they stop giving a damn about checking for drink package cruisers?  Given the behavior of other bar crew personnel on this cruise for soda and alcohol orders, I'm not sure of what is going on. RQSr and I started with the Mushroom soup, and I followed that with some more Escargot.  RQS had the Dover Sole, while I had the Beef Tenderloin.  Both were yummy.  And then both of us finished with the Strawberries and Cream over Sponge Cake.  This was pleasant, but I'd rather have had a simple Napoleon to finish off the meal.

When we were done with dinner, it was back to the cabin to try and sleep, as tomorrow would be a busy day.

Bermuda Cruise 2024 #2 - Sea Day # 2 (11/01/24)

 

 

2:00 am - All Aboard!

 

7:30 am - Already at Sea!

Technically, the ship was in port until 7 am this morning. However, all aboard time was 2 am, meaning that for all practical purposes, this was a sea day.

- - - - - -

RQS and I got up late enough to miss all vestiges of breakfast.  I took my time in getting moving, and we decided to go to one of the ship's casual dining venues, the American Diner, around 11:45 am.  When we got there, there were 20 people in line ahead of us.  While waiting, we bumped into our newfound friend and chatted for a while.  Luckily, the line started to move at noon (when service started), and we were politely able to end our conversation without further commitments to meet again.

This dining venue is in a sheltered area above the lido deck, but it still outdoor dining.  Given how busy the place is, we were glad to get there to be seated promptly.  But then we had to wait for service.  Eventually, someone took our beverage order, and then our food order.  Both beverages and food took a relatively long time to come to the table.  RQS and I had different opinions on our salads, as I had the Caesar Salad and she had the Greek Salad. I enjoyed the Chicken Chili, and she enjoyed her Nachos.  Eventually, the main course came - a Cheeseburger for me and Pulled Pork Sliders for her.  Even if the burgers were the same as from O'Sheehans downstairs, it tasted better for some reason.  As for the pork sliders, RQS enjoyed them, but couldn't eat all of them.  I tasted the one she didn't eat and i wasn't impressed - I guess I wasn't in the mood for any meat drenched in BBQ sauce.

After lunch we took our time in getting back to our rooms to take a nap.  I needed it, for again, I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep again.  On our way back to the room, we noticed that a larger than normal number of people (for this cruise) were outside sunning themselves by the pool area.  This would be the last warm day we'd likely have before reaching port, and I might have been soaking myself in the hot tubs had I brought my swimsuit and other falsies.

- - - - - -

After our nap, it was time to go to the photo gallery and look at the pictures taken of us dressed to the nines.  Most were OK, but I wish we had been on MSC for this cruise, as formal nights were truly formal nights.  On NCL, they only have "Glow" nights, where people may opt to dress nicer than usual.  Yet, we got a few nice pictures taken of us,   On the way there, we met a couple dressed to the nines - the gentleman was in his Marine Corps finest, while his wife was decked out in a beautiful gown.  I'd have loved to have seen their photo shoot!

Next stop was another one of the complimentary main dining rooms, the Manhattan room.  This restaurant is similar to the other 2 complimentary restaurants (Taste and Savor), save that it is larger and has space for people to dance if the background music causes a couple to leave their table to dance a bit.

Dancing wasn't in the cards for us this night, as we were both hungry and interested in what was on the menu.  I started with the Baked Brie Salad, followed by the Chicken & Shrimp Paella.  It was good, but not as good as I've had in a favorite Spanish restaurant that is long shuttered.  For dessert, it was a pair of eclairs.  They were tasty, but not exactly what I would have wanted to finish the meal.

At this point, we were getting tired, so we went back to the room and retired for the night.

 

 

Bermuda Cruise 2024 #2 - Port Day # 3 (10/31/24)

 

Halloween.  Our last day in port.  We decided to stay near the ship and do our exploring in the Royal Naval Dockyard area.  

The day started with us NOT meeting up with our new friend, and eating our breakfast in the main dining room.  This allowed us to enjoy our breakfast conversation and decide where we wanted to go without worrying how we might entertain someone attaching herself to us.

We left the ship after lunch, and proceeded to the Bermuda National Museum.  Most of the exhibits are in the former Commissioner's house.  The lower level of the house was dedicated to exhibits related to the defense of the island.  The main floor was dedicated to the settlement history of Bermuda, including its involvement in the slave trade.  The upper level of the building was dedicated to Bermuda's art, as well as a room dedicated to America's successful capture of a WW2 U-Boat.

By the time we finished with the museum, we were tired and ready to eat some lunch before resting.  So we trekked back to the ship and proceeded to the buffet for a late lunch.  Afterwards, we rested for a few hours before changing for dinner.  It's been a long time since I've put on a pair of stockings and tried to look my best.  But RQS said I looked good enough.  So we proceeded to the ship's French Restaurant, Le Bistro.

On the way to the restaurant, we lost track of each other.  Eventually, after playing IM Tag, we found each other and got the first set of pictures taken of us.  And then, it was time for dinner.  As expected, dinner was yummy. RQS had the Mushroom Soup, while I had the Onion Soup and Escargot for starters.  (I love French snails when properly cooked!)  For our main course, RQS had the Pork Chop, while I had the Coq au Vin. (French vittles are quite tasty when done right - and these were done right.)  We finished the bottle of wine from last night's dinner, and enjoyed food that neither of us would normally get at home.

Our next stop after dinner was to get another set of pictures taken of us.  While posing, a parade of costumed cruisers walked by, and neither of us could capture the parade with our cameras.  About the only shot I got that was worthwhile was of a person dressed in a dinosaur suit at the top of the stairs.  Afterwards, we listened to a couple of singers in the atrium area before going upstairs for the night.

On the whole, it was a nice day - especially now that we may have formal pictures of the two of us with me presenting as Marian. 

Bermuda Cruise 2024 #2 - Port Day # 2 (10/30/24)

 

This would turn out to be a nice day, in spite of our new friend accompanying us to breakfast, and then to St. George, Bermuda.  But first....

This would be my second day presenting as Marian on Bermuda.  The weather was a little windier and cooler than I originally planned for, so I knew that the dresses I wanted to wear on this trip might not cooperate with me while on the island.  Should I have brought a trouser like garment to wear on windy days?  As much as I'd have wanted one yesterday, I wouldn't need one by the end of the day - the winds died down quite a bit over the time we were there.

- - - - - -

Neither of us wanted to get up early.  Given that we had arranged to meet our new friend downstairs, we felt like we should keep our word and meet her.  However, this would prove to be a taxing decision, as our new friend is the type who latches onto people and expects them to do the work in a friendship.  For example, another friend of this lady said that she'd meet her at a bar near St. George.  However, she had no idea of how to get there.  Did this friend of ours do any research?  No.  It was if she expected everything to be handed to her.  Later, when we got on the ferry together, she could have asked the guides for help - but didn't.  RQS had gotten tired of this lady, and we were glad that she went out on her own after we got off the ferry.

Once on land, we saw the town crier as he announced that they would simulate the dunking of an old hag at 1:00 pm.  This sounded like too much fun to miss.  So we walked down to where the dunking was to be held, and we were not disappointed - it was fun to watch. (On the way there, we listened to a tour guide tell her group about Bermuda's connection to the American Revolution, and how it was treated before and during our war of independence - a truly friendly relationship.) But then, we wanted to get some food before going back to the ship.  So it was off to find a place where we could eat an affordable meal.

On the way back, we stumbled into a Bermuda museum dedicated mostly of Bermuda's connection to the American Civil War, and how many people in this neutral island profited off the war.  It's nice to know that this British possession had/has such a good relationship with the USA.  Although I didn't take many pictures there, it is a place well worth visiting when in St. George, Bermuda. After we found a place to eat, we went back to the ferry and took it back to our ship.  It was nice to be able to rest a bit before dinner.

 

 

 

Our next stop was the Italian restaurant onboard ship, La Cucina.  We weren't disappointed by this specialty restaurant's food.  However, we wouldn't make it a habit to eat here, as we can get good/great Italian food at many places int he NYC area. The house salad and the calamari were very good, and I couldn't finish the Osso Buco we each had as a main course.  The only disappointment, if we could have one was that we each had only one Cannoli without any espresso with Sambuca to finish off the meal properly/  Shortly after dinner, it was off to the main theater to see a show where 4 singers performed Broadway show tunes.  This was better than the usual fare on most ships, as both RQS and I were clapping by the end of the show....

Bermuda Cruise 2024 #2 - Port Day # 1 (10/29/24)

 

The day started out with having breakfast in the buffet with our new friend.  RQS mentioned that she is a relative newbie to cruising and travel, by the way she approaches things.  But I'll get into that later.

There was a part of me that was afraid to go onshore as Marian today.  Even though I asked the right questions of the right people, I am always concerned when I visit a new place as Marian.  So, when the ship pulled into port around 1:30 pm, I knew that I was going to confront my fear head on.  

While eating lunch, the ship made port and it took a while for Bermuda customs to give the ship clearance to discharge passengers.  Around 3:00 pm, we were off the ship and on our way to the Clocktower Mall to do some shopping.  And that's where I dropped $50 on a necklace and a bracelet that I could wear later on. However, the stores closed relatively early (in relation to the ship's arrival), and we ended up walking back to the ship around 5:30 pm.  

It was very windy, and my hair was all mussed up.  But I continued my walk to the pier knowing that I'd have to pull my passport out and possibly risk a confrontation.  Thankfully, my worries were all in vain.  Bermuda is now a port I can safely visit as Marian without worry.

 

Shortly after we got back on the ship, we decided to have dinner in one of the main dining rooms.  But first, we changed one of our French Restaurant reservations to the Italian restaurant onboard the ship.  Although it is one of the line's specialty restaurants, we are not impressed by Italian eateries, as they are a dime a dozen in the NYC area. 

I decided to have the Onion soup and the NY Strip steak.  Sadly, I was not impressed by the soup, as there wasn't enough cheese on top to balance out the flavor of the onions. However, the steak was as good as I remembered - not good enough for a place like Gallagher's in NYC, but good enough to enjoy on a cruise ship.  As we were about to finish our meal, we saw our friend again, and decided to meet up with her after she finished her dinner.

When we finally caught up with each other, we got a drink from the bar (a big mistake) and went to the buffet area where we could talk without shouting over the din of others yammering away.  Around 10 pm, we parted and agreed to meet tomorrow for another breakfast.

Bermuda Cruise 2024 #2 - Sea Day # 1 (10/28/24)

 

This was our first full sea day on the ship.  We were scheduled to meet our new friend after breakfast. But we didn't know whether she's want to lunch with us.  So, we went to the buffet for a light bite, then met our new friend at Starbucks before going to a more quiet location to chat.  After chatting for 90 minutes, we arranged to meet again.

 

Later on, we went for lunch in the main dining room.  Although the service was a little sloppy, the food was up to the standards we remembered on prior NCL sailings.  I found it funny to find a Bay Scallop appetizer being served in Escargot plates.   Afterwards, we went to our room to nap a little. 

After our nap, we debated getting dressed up for a nice picture.  However, I felt that people were dressing a little too casually for us to get dressed up for a photo.  So I said to dress casually for dinner, and we proceeded to the Churrascaria for Brazilian BBQ.  Surprisingly, neither of us gorged on food.  Nor, did i take any pictures of what was being brought to our table. We were still feeling full from breakfast and lunch.  But we enjoyed the food we did have.

I was feeling a little tired, while RQS wanted to see what they had in the stores.  While I was in the room, RQS stopped by the casino and won a few dollars.  Yay!  Now, we can afford the formal photographs we want taken on a future day on the ship.

- - - - - -

PS: The afternoon ship announcement mentioned that the ship had returned to NYC overnight, and was expected to reach Bermuda 2-3 hours late.  At least, we won't lose 2 days in port due to weather on this trip.