Allure & Indy TA 2014

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Traveler Allure & Indy TA 2014
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- Apr 27, 2014
- 🌧 11 °C
- Altitude: 30 ft
- England Southampton Southampton Town Quay 50.89504, -1.4054950°53’42” N 1°24’20” W
Day 1
Long flight
April 27, 2014 in England ⋅ 🌧 11 °C
Well the taxi came on time as usual, I can highly recommend Martin and his airport service. The airport check in was brill, it took all of 2 minutes to drop our bags and check in.
The flight to Heathrow was uneventful a was the flight to Miami, the latter being good but long and tiring. Sheila and I have agreed that after the cruise next January, we'll probably not be doing anymore long haul flights.
Anyway we arrive at the wonderful Miami airport, where the lovely immigration officer refuses to accept sheilas disabled card, saying it's not an official US document, no you knob it's an official UK document, but Shelia calms me down and we join the other queue. Maz and Sue are already at the front and convinced one of the staff that we were travelling together and she let us join them. We were very grateful as Sheila could not have stood for much longer she was knackered. Anyway we get through "homeland security" (did you notice the facecious inverted commas) lol. Then we have to queue again for customs where a completely disinterested customs guy takes a Perfunctory glance at our passports and waves us through. A completely pointless exercise as we had already had our passports checked properly at immigration, I'm certain they don't really want visitors in this bloody country. No wonder they are disliked all over the world.
Anyway got to the hotel with the excellent transfer service, (did you notice there where no facecious inverted commas then) great and quick service. The hotel is nice and the room is excellent.
So it's now 5.30am and I'm on the lobby having a coffee and writing this blog, and looking forward to watching the Liverpool v Chelsea game which is on the TV at 9.05am local time. Just a bit disappointed with the Everton result yesterday, think they've thrown away the 4th place in the league, as I can't see Arsenal slipping up now, as they've just started hitting some good form. But hey ho, it's only football, and for once Mr Shankley was wrong it's not more important than life and death, as Hillsborough proved. Speak later.Read more
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- Apr 29, 2014, 11:59pm
- ⛅ 16 °C
- Altitude: Sea level
- North Atlantic Ocean 49.730491, -12.06222849°43’50” N 12°3’44” W
Day 3
The little things
April 29, 2014, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
It's the little things that make it special.
Such as being a little able to have lunch freshly prepared for you in the concierge lounge, and having the added bonus of free beer or wine.
This is the kind of thing that is missing from the loyalty program on all the other Royal ships.
I've said for a while now, that the loyalty program has been slipping, and that by being "loyal to royal " you weren't being made feel special or valued.
But on here even though the size of the ship makes things a little impersonal, things like this do make you feel valued.
Anyway, enough of all that... This morning we had breakfast in Johnny Rockets which is just one of the many places on board where you can get breakfast. Then last night we went to the Aqua Theatre and the show was amazing, with some spectacular high divers and brilliant acrobatics. I would definitely recommend it as a not to be missed show. The picture here doesn't do it any justice I'm afraid.Read more
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- Apr 30, 2014, 11:59pm
- ☁️ 19 °C
- Altitude: Sea level
- North Atlantic Ocean 41.092186, -33.41903741°5’32” N 33°25’9” W
Day 4
Definitely the WOW, Factor
April 30, 2014, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
The first impression of the ship is WOW!
It's the most impressive ship I've ever seen, but whether it's too big, which is the usual report you seem to get, remains to be seen.
Sheila, Sue and I went to see the show last night, which was a full-length version of Chicago, which, though not as good as the Broadway versions I've seen, was still a fabulous show, and not just a cutdown version which is what I was expecting.
The theatre, was packed, emptied out quite quickly.
Before the theatre, we had all gone to the Windjammer for a bite to eat. The food was good as was the selection. The only downside was the size of the place. It is smaller than the Windjammer on other ships even though this monster is far bigger than most other ships. The big saving grace is that there are far more alternative eateries on here than on other ships.
The concierge lounge on here is fabulous, with a wonderful view of the Boardwalk, the Aqua Theatre and the sea beyond, definitely a big step up from the pokey hole on the Independence. Although the Diamond lounge on the Indy is better than the Diamond lounge on here.
We're in the Bahamas today but I won't be getting off as I've been a few times before and there's nothing I want to see, so I'll have a good look around the ship. I have been considering having a go on the zip wire that they have on board, it looks exciting, but maybe a bit too exciting for me? I'll have a think about it and I'll let you know, lol.Read more
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- May 8, 2014
- 🌧 27 °C
- Altitude: 39 ft
- Puerto Rico San Juan Isla San Juan 18.465539, -66.10573618°27’56” N 66°6’21” W
Day 12
San Juan, Puerto Rico
May 8, 2014 in Puerto Rico ⋅ 🌧 27 °C
The captain has informed us that we'd be about an hour late getting into San Juan, Puerto Rico, as one of our propellers has developed a fault so we are limping along on 2 out of the three engines.
He said that the company were flying out someone to repair it.
Must be a sort of RAC for ships lol.
We got off in Puerto Rico and went to our little ice-cream parlour for an ice-cream and some free internet.
Sheila and I found it a couple of years back, and it's brill, the internet is quick and the place is always nice and quiet.
Everyone else off the ship heads for, Starbucks, Burger King, etc for the internet, so those places are packed and the connection is generally maxed out, the little ice-cream parlour is perfect and it's only two minutes further on. ( but shush, keep that to ourselves, lol)
No show in the theatre last night, so nothing to report on the entertainment front.
After the surprising Crystal Palace vs Liverpool result we are all waiting for tonight's Man City result, we'll Maz and I are waiting for it, because to be honest Sheila is feeling ill and a bit suicidal over Liverpool slipping up in the title race.
But this had definitely been the best run in for years, it's all going right down to the wire.
If I'm honest Liverpool do deserve to win the title this season, not because of all the sentimentality over Hillsborough, but because of the football, they've played all season.
Although I would normally not want the "red shite" to win the title, this season and because of the anniversary of Hillsborough, I wouldn't be too sad if they did. ( there I've said it, but please don't ask me to repeat it. Lol )Read more
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- May 9, 2014, 11:59pm
- ⛅ 11 °C
- Altitude: 16 ft
- England Southampton Southampton Cruise Port 50.897576, -1.40881450°53’51” N 1°24’32” W
Day 13
Southampton UK
May 9, 2014 in England ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Well we're all safely docked at Southampton. The crossing was a good one with near perfect weather conditions. In fact some people where using the pools and sunbathing right up until yesterday!!
The were a couple of altercations in the nightclub during the trip one of which ended up with the guy being put off the ship in St Maarten.
We also heard that one girl was threatening to throw herself overboard, so for the last couple of days she had to be placed in an inside cabin with a guard on her door.
This is the Indy's last season in the UK so after we take her back to the US in November we'll probably not see her in Southampton again, which will be sad as she's a nice ship.
Once again I've met some lovely and interesting people on the trip, and my email contacts list is as ever expanding.Read more
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- May 9, 2014, 11:59pm
- 🌙 24 °C
- Altitude: 33 ft
- Sint Maarten Philipsburg Pond Island 18.029584, -63.04713718°1’47” N 63°2’50” W
Day 13
Phillipsburg St Maarten
May 9, 2014 in Sint Maarten ⋅ 🌙 24 °C
Last night we were about five hours out of Philipsburg, when the captain announces that we had another medical emergency, and we had to return to St Maarten so a passenger could be taken to hospital.
That's at least for people taken off ill on the cruise.
Our trip to Maho beach to see the planes landing didn't come off, as the weather was not brilliant and it kept raining, so we decided to leave it for another day.
Because no doubt as big Arnie would say, "I'll be back".Read more
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Long flight

The little things

Definitely the WOW, Factor

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Southampton UK

Phillipsburg St Maarten