VS046 JFK-LHR 27 DEC 15 (Upper Class)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

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Cabin Crew

Finally I get around to writing the return TR, as I've got a slow morning at work! Since we were New York virgins, and some of you have expressed interest in what we got up to, I'm going to bore you before getting to the flight etc.

The Trip
We had 4 nights, 3½ days, and as many of you know, NYC was having a bit of a heat wave through December. It was very wet when we arrived, but warm, and on Christmas Eve it hit 23 degrees celsius and some folk were walking around in shorts and flip flops! We didn't need the thermals we'd packed or even the coats.

After dinner on our first night, we just wanted to crash out in our suite (I love that word); besides, I'd had a lot to drink since hitting the Clubhouse at LHR, and then the 2 margaritas with dinner kind of made me all wobbly again.

So, we're first timers in the city that never sleeps, so of course we're going to do the main touristy things. However, I'm not one for packing my itinerary with attraction, museum, attraction, boat cruise and so on. I had pre-booked Top of the Rock and Empire State Building. The plan was to go to the Rockefeller Center / 5th Avenue and have a wander around, and we arrived early for our TOTR slot, and went straight up. We spent a good hour here, great views, took some pics, had some pics taken (2 digital photos included with our tickets), and had a good moan with some of the staff about Donald Trump. We then headed slowly to Herald Square to have a look at the flagship Macy's - my it's impressive, and I think the only one of their stores with a Louis Vuitton / Burberry / Gucci store. Needless to say my hubby physically steered me away from both LV and Gucci stores. First thing was lunch in one of their cafes and then a little shopping, mainly for a couple of gifts for family. We've gotten to the stage as a couple where we don't bother with Christmas presents anymore. We're both difficult to buy for, even simple gifts, and I'm the kind of person that will go and get something if I want it. However, hubby's watch had broken so I said I'd treat him to a new one. I tried steering him to the fine watches department, but he was having none of it, and in the end decided on a nice Skagen watch, and we got the usual tourist 10% discount.

After a siesta back at our hotel we headed back out. I'd done some research and found a Japanese place, a traditional Izakaya, down near Herald Square so we headed off for a great meal in a really nice basement place with a great atmosphere. Food was plentiful, as was whatever cocktail they were serving me! We had a nice wander around photographing the Macy's windows and at about 10pm we went to the ESB. I'd got VIP passes, and surprisingly, there were a lot of people even at that time, but having the VIP pass meant we went all the way to the front of the line for the elevator, personally escorted. Needless to say the views were awesome. We originally planned to go a little later and be romantic and see Christmas Day in atop the ESB, but after a good hour we'd had enough and headed back down and back to the hotel.

Christmas Day we headed to Central Park Zoo and then for a nice walk through the park to Bethesda Fountain to people watch, and there were some crazies so that was fun. Heading back out the park towards 5th Avenue we couldn't believe the crowds - it seems the warm weather brought everyone out just wandering around the streets; no shops open so nothing for them to do, but it was complete chaos. We'd planned Christmas dinner, a nice prime rib roast, at the hotel, but there was a blip when we arrived - they'd ran out of rib roast! The alternatives weren't up to much and in fact my hubby couldn't eat his meal it was so awful, so that was the only thing that put a dampener on the day.

Boxing Day we had to return to Macy's to get the strap altered on the new watch. That was all we planned to do, but then I hit the Ralph Lauren section and came away with a new outfit, and then went and bought...SHOES! Our main plans were early dinner at Gallagher's Steakhouse - oysters and a huge rib steak - fabulous, and then a Broadway show - Kinky Boots, which was one of the best musicals we've seen (and now we plan to see the London production and compare).

This brings us to our final day, we tried to get a late checkout but the hotel could only offer us an extra hour, so we decided to checkout and ditch the bags with the bellman and we headed off to the WTC and 911 Memorial - wow those 2 pools are amazing and it was so thoughtfully put together. There were crowds of people, and the museum had a long line of people buying tickets, and then another line, maybe an hour wait, to actually get in. We decided not to bother with that, and just wandered around the memorial. It was quite a moving experience, especially reading the names of the dead, and in some spots there were flowers placed. We headed across the road to Brookfield Place and the Luminaries light exhibition in the Winter Garden - a beautiful display of lights hanging form the ceiling, with 3 or 4 consoles where you touch the console and wait for the colour to change and when you find a colour you like you let go and it ripples though the whole exhibit. Brookfield Place has mainly high end stores so I had a quick look around, then we had a wonderful lunch in the market area, oysters, hot roast beef sandwich with fries and a glass of champagne. Hubby then wanted to go and get some biscuits and sweet treats from the French sweet shop so I nonchalantly said he'd find me in one of the other stores... and I headed straight back to Gucci to treat myself to a new wallet! This was met with various comments I won't mention here, and one of "how much was that?", which was met with "if you don't ask I won't lie, besides, it's my money I earned it!". It turns out that the extra bag we packed "just in case" was a good idea as I'd filled it yet again!

And the Clubhouse / Flight bit
So that's the highlights, still with me? It was very soon time to head off to JFK. I planned to use Uber as we'd been using them all throughout this trip to get into midtown and back. However, the one thing I don't like about Uber is their price hiking when demand is high - they say it's to get more drivers on the road but it's really just to get more money. The fare estimate had jumped from $60 to $99 so with the help of the hotel doorman we took a Yellow Cab - supposedly flat rated. Well we got stung and I've put in a complaint with 311. He charged me $70 and I gave him $80 expecting change (thinking he'd added his own tip already), but he drove off.

But nonetheless, we arrived at JFK, picked up our boarding passes and headed for security - the priority line was shorter than the standard, but moving more slowly. I've finally figured this out - it's because most pax travelling business or first class take more hand luggage due to their allowance - we had 3 cabin bags plus a small backpack each - no wonder the lines are slow! But very soon we were in the embrace of the Clubhouse where we whiled away a good 3 hours, with me on the usual "eat, drink, rinse and repeat" programme (it's a good one, it never fails!).

We headed off as soon as boarding was called and headed to 9A & 10A, greeted warmly by the CC who was absolutely lovely and full of personality. Hubby asked for tea and I asked for Champagne - she said I was her kind of pax - I could see we were going to be friends. The UC cabin was only about half full and I think it was generally a light load, though I didn't pay attention. The Captain announced a flight time of 5 hrs 55 minutes as we'd be following the jet streams, so it might be bumpy (it wasn't really). The FSM was not visible during this flight, didn't come around the cabin to speak to anyone, and I only saw him a couple of times sweep through the cabin. Nonetheless, the CC were great. Some pax moved seats r opted to have 2, 1 as bed and 1 as seat.

Meal service was quick, I'm afraid I didn't take note of the menu. I avoided the beef because I can't stand well done steak, so I opted instead for a vegetarian dish and mushroom tortellini, and it was rather nice. I can't remember now what I had for pud, but remember it tasted good. My hubby didn't fancy anything to eat, but was offered a breakfast if he didn't like anything on the main menu, although he declined. As usual on these redeye's, cabin lights were dimmed fairly quickly after meal service and most pax bedded down. We didn't because we've learned we can't sleep, although I think we both did get about an hour shuteye each at some point. Our CC was brilliant throughout the flight and nothing was too much trouble for her. Breakfast was served and I had bacon butty and waffles I think.

Flight was soon over and we arrived at LHR about 25 minutes ahead of schedule but arrived on stand at the correct time. We were off quickly and through the e-gates and headed straight for revivals for a nice hot shower and change of clothes, and then a nice second breakfast (as the Hobbits say) before we headed back to KGX for our train home.

All in all, aside from some blips which we took in our stride, we had a super trip and 2 super flights. There was a lot riding on this trip though, as my hubby hated Boston but loved SFO - so I wondered if it was the difference between east and west coast attitudes, and accents (he hated the hared Boston accent). Anyway, he loved NYC so we can return and do some of the other things like a couple of museums etc. So plans are afoot for September / October, I think...

Thanks for the City and Trip Reports. Shame about the roast rib - that's what we had for Christmas dinner..

Glad to hear that hubby liked NYC. It's a city in an almost constant state of change and evolution with so many distinct neighbourhoods and attractions to explore and generally well served by reward availability.

Thanks for the TR Bretty, pleased you had a good trip.

Thank you for the all encompassing TR. Glad you had a good time overall and that the return flight presented no further blips !

Thanks for taking the time to write up another TR John.

I'm glad you both enjoyed NYC (I knew you would but the Dowager Countess is harder to please)
You really made good use of your time, I can't be bothered either with planning to go here and there. We plan more where we're going to eat and drink.
Next time you go I'll let you know some piano bars to visit...always a scream!!!
I'm going to take a trip to hunter mountain when we're there in Feb and have a few hours skiing. That's the most planning we've done so far...oh and Woodbury common.
D

Thanks for posting a splendid TR John , pleased to hear you both enjoyed NYC , as Paul says there is so much to see and do so ir warrants visit after visit in my eyes , I'm looking forward to my 8 th trip in a few weeks and still feel I haven't scratched the surface .
Maybe your Fsm was the same one I had on my return from EWR a few weeks back as they were nonexistent as well !
What did you think of the zoo ? I haven't been but may do so in Feb to keep the little ones happy for a bit

Thanks for another great TR and delighted to hear you both enjoyed NYC. Annoying though that your Christmas dinner was disrupted by the lack of food.

We are there is September, so maybe see you there

had a good moan with some of the staff about Donald Trump

Well that's a darn sight better than my experience in Las Vegas. We joined a small tour out to the Hoover Dam. Everyone, apart from us and a couple of Canadians, were from Texas and they spent the first part of the road trip droning on about how wonderful Trump was, what a great American representaive he was and how people who diliked him just misunderstood what he was saying.

I had to bite my tongue for a considerable period of time and by the time we reached the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge I was more than ready to throw myself off rather than return to the bus with them. Fortunately by this point in time I had found my earphones.

Thanks for the interesting TR.
I hope hubby enjoys his new Skagen and that his strap is secure.
I say that because Mrs D bought me one a couple of years ago and I wore it on holiday.
Going through airport security at MCO I had to take it off. Everything was a bit of a rush and when I put it back on I couldn't have done the clip up properly. I was only 20 yards from the scanners when I realised it was gone. I went back to the security area but no one had seen it.
On returning home I decided it was a loss and immediately bought an identical watch to replace it.
I thought I would put a claim in on the travel insurance and so emailed MCO lost property for a reference number.
Their reply was along the lines of, "give us your address and we will send your watch back to you."
What a result, it arrived in a couple of days.
I kept the replacement so now have a spare.
Dick D

Thanks guys for your comments, lovely story about the watch Dicky. I like the Skagen watches myself because they have a slim profile and I don't like (rather detest) blingy watches, so we bought a couple of Skagens a couple of years ago. I've got a little collection of watches going now, including my Montblanc automatic which was a birthday present to myself last year

Maximus - don't get me started on Trump, we think he's a total **** in our house, the man's a xenophobe.

One thing I forgot to mention in my TR, which I've just remembered, because it was unusual for me - when we arrived at LHR we were taken to a remote stand and bussed into the terminal, a good 5 minute ride. I've never had that happen on a VS flight before, they usually got to a terminal gate with jet bridge.