Day 2 - Nassau, Bahamas
Today, Celebrity Beyond is docked in Nassau, Bahamas. We have been to Nassau more times than I care to count, so our plan is stay onboard and get more photos and video of the ship while most people are ashore.
We were blessed with calm seas last night as we sailed to Nassau. I am up early to get some work done while Rickee sleeps in a bit longer. Last night was our first night in the Infinite Balcony stateroom and it was very comfortable. The bed is as comfortable as I remember from our Celebrity Apex cruise. Both pillows are quite large and firm. One thing we love about this stateroom is the blackout shade that completely covers the “balcony” window. This shade can be lowered and raised electronically using the switch panel next to the window, or from the LCD control pad next to the bathroom.
This morning, I visited Café al Bació (Deck 4 midship) for the first time. When we sailed on Apex last year, I went to coffee every morning at Luminae lounge (we were in a Sky Suite). On this sailing, I need a good place for morning coffee and a nice table where I can work on my blog and photos from the previous day. Café al Bació is the perfect spot. There are two large tables that are designed for laptop working. While they do not have plain drip coffee here, they do make an excellent Americano, and of course they can make any specialty coffee drinks you desire. The coffee drinks are not complimentary, but are included in the Premium Beverage Package. A wide variety of breakfast pastries, on the other hand, are complimentary and look delicious.
Complimentary Pastries at Café al Bació
We made another attempt at Team Trivia today held in The Club on Deck 4. Today’s theme was Sports Trivia and we did poorly…again. If we had only known that a golf ball had 336 dimples.
Interestingly, it is quite cool in Nassau today. I did not check the actual temperature, but I am guessing in the mid-to-high 70s (F). It was actually perfect weather for doing our daily one mile walk around the walking/jogging track which is the most unique track we have seen. The track changes elevations between Decks 15 and 16 and is slightly different from the one on Apex. The track on Beyond extends aft then wraps around in front of Rooftop Garden, rather than going all the way behind Rooftop Garden. It takes five laps to make a mile.
After our walk, we visit the Magic Carpet for a much needed morning cocktail. Rickee has a Bloody Mary and I have a Piña Colada. Both were excellent. We enjoyed our refreshments as we sat and looked at Carnival Mardi Gras docked right next to us. We reflected on what a great cruise we had aboard Mardi Gras.
Magic Carpet Bar - Deck 16
For lunch today, we went back to Oceanview Cafe on Deck 14. Once again, we have a light lunch because we plan to have dinner this evening at Cyprus, one of the four main dining rooms on board.
As large ship buffets go, Oceanview Café is about as good as you will find. Again, neither Rickee nor I are big buffet fans, but we do like the way the food is presented at Oceanview in separate serving stations. Unfortunately (for us), many of the dishes are self-serve. There are a few dishes which the crew will put on your plate for you. There is a very large selection here for breakfast and lunch; however, we have heard that there are very few choices for dinner.
We usually sit aft, near the Pizza station. I tried a slice of pizza and have to admit it was much better than I remembered last year on Apex. It’s not quite up to Carnival pizza’s flavor, but it is pretty good.
Caesar Salad Station
One of my favorites at Oceanview is the Caesar Salad, which can be made fresh to order.
Most of the afternoon was spent reading in our stateroom on our “Infinite Balcony”. I am pleased to report that we have not suffered from any cigarette smoke odor from the smoking area on Deck 5 port side.
We chose to have dinner early this evening so we could make the early show at The Theater. We chose Cyprus dining room which is one of four themed main dining room options on Beyond. Cyprus offers a Greek cuisine menu, but all of the main dining venues share a selection of Celebrity Classics from which to choose.
I will include our Cyprus dining experience in my Food and Dining video review which will be posted to our YouTube channel (@cruisereport) at the conclusion of this cruise.
Before heading to the theater, we had a little time to kill and decided to make a donation at the Casino on Deck 5. The slots have not been kind to us on Beyond.
We arrived at The Theater on Deck 4 early to get a good seat for tonight’s show, Stage Door. The show opened with a greeting from our Cruise Director, Luigi, who introduced Captain Kate McCue.
Captain Kate McCue
Captain Kate introduced members of her Senior Staff to the audience and welcomed everyone onboard Celebrity Beyond. She has a BIG personality to match the responsibility of mastering a $1.4 billion ship.
Tonight’s show, Stage Door, is simply a “must-see” if you are sailing on Beyond. A cast of 22 singers, dancers and musicians put on a memorable show, and one of the best shows we have seen on a cruise ship. The ship’s musicians backed up a musical score performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The combination of set design, a huge LED screen surrounding the stage and a variety of costumes make this show a visual feast.
Stage Door on Celebrity Beyond
We are very excited to see the next show on Celebrity Beyond. If Stage Door is any indication of the entertainment to come, we are in for a real treat.
Tomorrow is a day at sea and we plan to do what we do best: relax!
