Monday, July 19, 2010

Monday, July 12; Tuesday, July 13, 2010 – Atlantic Ocean – Bermuda Bound – Partly Cloudy - 80s

Bermuda is approximately 600 nautical miles from Bayonne NJ but the itinerary has two sea days outbound and a single sea day returning.   The seas as smooth today and the Summit is not really at Warp 9.

Monday, July 12, 2010

 Sea Day 7-12 1 (Small) (2)

Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean

Sea Day 7-12 (Small) (2)

Smooth Seas

We spent most of our time either in the Aqua Spa solarium area or out on Deck 4 – most everyone on the ship is on the sun deck so there are plenty of open spots on the open deck. 

At 12:30 PM, I headed to the Cinema for my first talk, “The CSI Phenomenon”.  The talk is advertised on the events screen and that’s a mango yoghurt cone in my hand.

Me and my talk on screen (Small)

I was introduced my the Cruise Director, Rob Wheatley (from South Africa)

Intro by Rob (Small)

Introduction by Rob Wheatley 

The presentations are announced during Rob and Kirsty’s Morning TV show as well as over the PA system during the Noon announcements.  The Summit does a great job of promoting the Beyond the Podium events.

CSI Phenom 1 (Small)

The crowd leveled off at about 200 attendees – all arriving within five minutes of start time.  Many fans of the CSI shows and a pretty enthusiastic crowd including an ex-FBI investigator and crime scene evidence technician.  It went well.

Formal Night tonight – we opted not to bring along formalwear for this cruise - so we are in the buffet again.  I forgot to check with the Maitre D earlier in the day so we don’t have any seating in the Dining Room yet.  After dinner, I did manage to find Larry and he was able to give us a first seating table for two, Number 313.

Showtime Tonight:  “A Night of Stars” – a compilation of numbers by various stars – Tina Turner, Elton John, Barbra Streisand, etc.  We attended the show even though we had seen it a week ago. 

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The weather is pretty much a carbon copy of yesterday with just a few more clouds.  Sunrise has a cool metallic look.

Sea Day 7-13 (Small) (2)

Today’s talk - “The Science of CSI” wasn’t part of the last cruise so I spent a little time going through and tuning up the slides.  One of the attendees came up after the talk to tell me that the “Grim Sleeper” Serial Killer had been arrested in Los Angeles.  I will need to check on this before my final talk.

Another good crowd (200 plus) at the 1:00 PM Presentation. 

The afternoon is spent relaxing at the Solarium. 

We are at Table 313 for the first time.   Our waiter is from Turkey and is very official and efficient.  He does a great job of making sure our meals come the way we want them – no meat or seafood.  The table is near the entrance but after the crowd comes in, the area is pretty quiet.

Showtime Tonight:  Mark James, Comedian Juggler.  We had seen him on a previous Celebrity Cruise and his act was exactly the same but still entertaining.

We check out the Piano Player, Tom Listebarger, in Michaels Club.

Bermuda Cruise – Celebrity Summit – July 11-18, 2010 Bayonne NJ (July 11)

Just finished a wonderful family cruise from Bayonne Cape Liberty to New England and Canada and now we are on the same ship, the Celebrity Summit, for a seven day voyage to Bermuda.  I presented on the first and last days of the journey – good audiences (about 150 for both sessions, the second one being in the Celebrity Theater).

Disembarkation-Embarkation was handled very efficiently by the Celebrity Summit folks and soon we were back on the ship ahead of the other passengers.

We are in the same spacious cabin (3004) with its really spacious bathroom and shower.  Very nice.  Even though this stateroom was under the Celebrity Theater and near the bow thrusters, the cabin was very quiet.

Stateroom 3004 (Small)

The ship was a little late departing due to the finals of the World Cup.  While we were waiting for departure the dock about 200 yards or so on the port side was struck by lightning – one narrow bolt – instant flash and boom.  I saw it all and it was fascinating. 

It was a bit overcast and drizzly as the Summit left NY Harbor.

Sail away Bayonne 7-11 (Small)

But the rain brought the most fantastic half rainbow – it looks like the end of the rainbow may be near Wall Street but I doubt it.

rainbow1 (Small)

The Celebrity Summit followed the Norwegian Dawn through the Verrazano Narrows Bridge out into the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

NCL Dawn under the Verazano Narrows Bridge (Small)

We didn’t have dining room seating for tonight so we are in the Waterfall Cafe buffet.

Kirsty Fraser, the Activity Director, has informed me that she has scheduled me for all three sea days and does not need a promo video – she will use the one from the last cruise.