Simon Bolivar's Caribbean Cruise Jan 2017

[Simon Bolivar]

What boat are you going on @Simon Bolivar?

The good ship MSC Armonia John.

[Simon Bolivar]

Cheers for your best wishes guys! Having a great time but coming to an end tomorrow. Today we are in Cozumel, Mexico, tomorrow Habana & flight home. Internet onboard very expensive & poor connection. Just haven't had time to post really but once home & sorting out my photos, I'll catch you up with the stories. We did go to the Nacional twice, smokes some rare & distinguished cigars, bought so good buys & had fun dressing for the occasions. Just hoping we can get our luggage through without extra charges as we were practically at our limit on the way out & despite our intention not to buy any tat, somehow you collect it anyway. Managed my 100 cigars & have managed smoked all the cigars I bought with me, which wasn't easy as I had a productive & persistent cough which I had for a 5days+from arrival.

[the pondering moose]

Cheers for your best wishes guys! Having a great time but coming to an end tomorrow. Today we are in Cozumel, Mexico, tomorrow Habana & flight home. Internet onboard very expensive & poor connection. Just haven't had time to post really but once home & sorting out my photos, I'll catch you up with the stories. We did go to the Nacional twice, smokes some rare & distinguished cigars, bought so good buys & had fun dressing for the occasions. Just hoping we can get our luggage through without extra charges as we were practically at our limit on the way out & despite our intention not to buy any tat, somehow you collect it anyway. Managed my 100 cigars & have managed smoked all the cigars I bought with me, which wasn't easy as I had a productive & persistent cough which I had for a 5days+from arrival.

I'm glad you had a good time and hope you avoided baggage charges. They are a mare.

I also always chuckle when anyone describes a "productive" cough (despite that being the correct nomenclature), as if such a thing allows one to be productive, or it itself is somehow useful. I hope it's cleared up.

[Simon Bolivar]

OK Folks, here's a few pics to start with. Storyline will be added tomorrow.

[Alexw33]

A man of fantastic taste, looking forward to the story Simon.

[Simon Bolivar]

Storyboard added here!

OK Folks, here's a few pics to start with. Storyline will be added tomorrow.

The first two photos are a Party Corona 2002, gifted by a kind friend from the States. As you can see it was an informal dress night (two gala nights a week when passenger were encouraged to wear black tie), we had been to the evening show on board the MSC Armonia, as we took the second seating for dinner to avoids others rugrats. Turns out there were very few children onboard, very few under 30 & not many more between 30-40. Those I did see seemed to be with grandparents who were probably paying for the whole family. There are cruises of course catering for children but although they had facilities onboard for them, I would suggest you book a more family orientated cruise if you wanted to take your own.

Shows started after cocktails at 19:15 & were rather good, certainly better than the entertainment we have had during other recent holidays at hotels e.g. the Dominican last Oct. After the show we were seated at dinner for 20:45, which at up to 7 courses lasted until 22:00. I would describe the dinners as four 4*, the service excellent & entertaining. There were 150 chefs & cooks onboard & 200 waiters for under 2,000 passengers. They did have a member?s dining room were standards of dress where more strictly enforced & they may have had a higher standard of food presentation as well. Those members we did speak to weren?t very impressed, as the Armonia is the oldest in the current MSC fleet & if your last holiday was on one only 2yrs old, obviously the standards of the facilities aren?t going to be the same.

They originally seated us on a French speaking table because we had booked from Belgium they assumed we could speak French. It was awkward for the others as only a couple spoke English & that broke the conversations up. We asked if we could be seated in future at an English table & of course ended up on a table of our own!
The cigar, ah yes; an aged party is usually a joy & so it was with this Corona. After a suitably heavy meal & yes I had at least 6 courses but the portions weren?t large, to kick back on the pool deck, listen to Cuban singers & the band & be able to light up still within the fragrant breezes of the Cuban coastline, was a fitting end to the day. A large Jamieson?s or two & with the wife amused by the band, I was free to dive into the waters of Havana intoxication. Perfect construction, white ash, quite powerful party flav form the start. Steady as it burned; no corrections necessary. Always check the liner you are considering for their smoking policy; some, especially the American ships, have a ban everywhere except the Cigar room. On the Armonia, there was also smoking allowed on the port & stbd waists, stern decks & on the pool deck (which is sheltered from the wind buy the deck above), the stbd side was given over to the smokers. Everyone seemed happy with this arrangement & no friction when lighting up. There were a few other cigars smokers but no one serious, mostly just smoking a few Monte? bought in Havana. Tried to start a few conversations (& as some of you know I can drag a conversation out of almost anyone) but never really got anywhere besides nodding & agreeing whether it was a good cigar or not. So it was a little disappointing not to meet any likeminded souls, even in the cigar room; where 90% were smoking fags. Of course a point to remember is that if they weren?t catering for the mass of cigar rete smokers, they would probably close the cigar room & put some more slot machines in there so they have their purpose.

Next 2 pics are from a gala night. 15yrs ago my parents went on a cruise with P&O & they had a photo taken dressed for the gala night with father in a white tux & red tie & mother in a red evening gown. I wanted to have a similar photo which I could give to my mother so she could put it next to theirs. I don?t know why my father chose a red tie so although I wore black tie the other nights, on this occasion I wore the red. The cigar for after dinner a PL RE Asia Pacific Encantos, gifted to me by Gerard, an American friend over a year ago; little knowing that one day we would share Davidoff?s in the El Nacional! I am jumping ahead; this cigar is also a fine smoke & I suggest this will be of a similar standard as the German RE 2009 Lonsdale is today.

The last pictures were taken in Jamaica. We arrived in Montego Bay at 08:00 & I was surprised after hearing only bad tales about the area over the years (10CC have a lot to answer for, couldn?t get that song out of my mind as we toured around; luckily no one offered me a dollar for my mother?s silver chain) how pleasant it was.
After climbing Dun River Falls in the morning they took us to an MSC approved restaurant, which hopefully meant food hygiene standards were being met, for lunch & afterwards we had an hours to relax & admire the wonderful views, bathed in the glorious Caribbean sunshine that they portray in the brochures, which you rarely see yourself in the two weeks you booked. For this occasion I had planned ahead & found the perfect choice of smoke. So for once I didn?t smoke Cuban but Jamaican. Now the few modern Jamaican cigars I have smoked over the years have all been very mild but like the Cubans, their tobacco used to be stronger too. So chose a 1970?s John Knight Petit Corona, these were rolled in the UK from imported Jamaican leaf (tax dodge of its day). I did split the box with fellow members on here couple of yrs ago so I know some of you have tried them. Whilst you can?t compare them with a Havana for flavour, these have certainly stood the test of time. Imagine a modern Jamaican aged for 35yrs, when it?s already so mild, what?s going to be left? These still have a strong tobacco flav, perfect construction & draw. Kicking back with a Red Stripe, we watched the Cat?s sailing in the foreground of our little piece of paradise.
More later.

[mcdee]

Great holiday stories Simon!

[Simon Bolivar]

Last photos & story. OK, just to wrap here's the last photos. 1&2 are a freshly rolled panatela, gifted from Gerard, rolled at the el Naccionel, a fine & strong smoke it was too, whilst I watched the silver surfers get up & shaking it all about. No3 is a 1960's Clear Havana Sumavana Whiff, on our last afternoon. No4 The last selection box you'd want oa friend or relative to pick up for you at the airport, didn't bother asking the price but anymore than a CUC or two each - would be too much. No6&7 My haul, in all it''s glory. Hope you enjoyed them, if anyone wants to discuss further details of Havana or the cruise ship, please feel free to drop me a PM.

[handlebarpipe]

Great photos, looking forward to reading the update on your trip.
Marc

[Emaresee]

white and black tie.... you smoothy!!

Looks like a cracking haul - glad to hear you had a ball!

[Simon Bolivar]

Great photos, looking forward to reading the update on your trip.
Marc

Hi Marc, you probably replied before I had typed in the story, it's there now :O)

[SHAMZ84]

Hey Simion looks like you had great time.... Great smokes as usual.

Looking very sharpe fella.


How does a freshly rolled cigar compared to boxed young cigar?



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[Simon Bolivar]

Hey Simion looks like you had great time.... Great smokes as usual.

Looking very sharpe fella.


How does a freshly rolled cigar compared to boxed young cigar?



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Much better INMO, no armonia or harshness, springy feel, would have bought some but already had my 100stick DF allowance.

[handlebarpipe]

Hi Marc, you probably replied before I had typed in the story, it's there now :O)

True, enjoyed catching up now. Sounds like you had a great time.
Marc

[SHAMZ84]

Much better INMO, no armonia or harshness, springy feel, would have bought some but already had my 100stick DF allowance.

That's interesting to know cheers Simon.

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