NHProud

1 hour ago, MJSailors said:

Graham-Question for you-have you and Pauline cruised with Cunard out of Southampton?

If so recently could you give us some tips to enjoy the cruise?

Thank you!

MJ🙋🏻‍♀️

I’m very sorry for your loss .  
 

I am neither Pauline or Graham however we have sailed on the QM2 out of Southampton and stayed on the QM in Long Beach, CA . 
 

The ship is too formal for me .  The library is extremely nice . I didn’t attend any of the lectures.  The buffet was not to my liking. I didn’t want to dress for dinner so never made it to the dining room .  The staff was polite and helpful. 
 

it was just not my cup of tea . I mentioned this years ago and Lady Hudson replied she enjoyed the ship . 
 

So whatever rocks your boat. 
 

I’ve begun watching Murder and Other Options and the series takes place on an art deco ship which reminds me of the QM . 
 

Enjoy your cruise on Cunard. We very much liked our repositioning cruise from Québec to Florida on the Serenade. 

8 minutes ago, CruiszBug said:

Test #2... Can anyone see my photo?? @Ozark_Kid @dani negreanu @Sea Dog

Yes , and thank you . Safe travels !

9 minutes ago, George C said:

My wife’s friend wanted to see Challangers ,since I am going we will see Fall Guy instead, we go to movies a lot , always studio movie grill so I can order margaritas and wife gets Chardonnay.

 

I always watch Kentucky Derby and Preakness and Belmont stakes , did attend Belmont stakes in the 1970’s but not interested in attending anything that has 100,000 other viewers. 

Your wife’s friend will be missing out on male frontal nudity.  The tennis shots were great but a very annoying movie . 
 

My only race track experience was at Del Mar in San Diego. Where the surf meets the turf . 

33 minutes ago, George C said:

Kentucky Derby today 5 hour tv show to cover a two minute race 😁, went to our favorite restaurant last night observed 4 woman at the next table all staring at there phones at the same time. 

My friend and I watched the movie The Challengers at a movie theater along with maybe 8 other moviegoers.  It is pitiful how few people go to the movies. Perhaps, it is because the movie was so bad . Too long , too many flashbacks and it was rated R.  She is my former doubles tennis partner and it is about tennis . I would have left but she wanted to stay. 
 

No chance of staring at phones at our table . No phones , books or newspapers allowed.  

6 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

My granddaughter who is in college is going to Poland May 4 for a ten day trip with 19 other students and 3 Professors.She hopes to be able to make side trips to the city where my father grew up and to the city where my other grew up.

If she is going to Warsaw she should visit the Jewish cemetery.  It will make a lasting impression. 

36 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

After I got ducked yesterday, we made a trip through the mall near @LionesssSue’s house.  

 

Now, I have never been a fan of those generic mannequins with half a head missing.  Express seems to use them for all their displays. When I looked in their storefront window at the men’s shirts, I saw this. 

 

Now, something just seemed off.  Maybe if someone can figure it out, they could Point out what it is.  

That could be one or maybe two Seinfeld episodes. 

21 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

@aussielozzie18 Wishing you a most wonderful cruise! 

And wishing you a good time with your guy friends.  Safe journey, tomorrow ! 
 

Am I having an episode of déjà vu ? Have you stayed there before with the same friends ? 
 

Anyway , don’t let anyone ruin your fun time .

Judy

17 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

 

My parents went on Tauck Tour, many, many years ago to Hawaii and they could not keep from telling everyone how nice it was and that they took care of EVERYTHING on the tour. They really enjoyed it a lot.

 

Even back then though it was very expensive and even now even more expensive. Probably more then we want to spend.

We toured Germany on a 3 week bus tour courtesy of a German foundation.  The hotels were basic . It was fine .  The highlight was a formal reception in Bonn. You won’t know unless you go .  

47 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Going to pack light though, fine with me just shorts and t-shirts and a pair of sneakers. Not having to pack dress clothes like for a cruise sounds like a dream vacation for us.

 

We can handle our own luggage when packing like no problem. Having to share a bathroom for a night or 2 not a big deal.

 

Yes, all the hotels are probably going to be nothing like 5 star hotels but no big deal we will be traveling with our boots on the ground getting the real experience of what these countries are all about.

 

Good Luck on your geek squad arrival, usually those guys know their stuff when they do finally arrive.

It looks like a wonderful itinerary.  I especially like the visits to the museums .  It covers a lot of territory but if you’re able and don’t mind then go for it.  We are too old now and glad we did our independent travel when we did . 
 

No show , yet , for the geek guy.  

17 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

I looked, but not easy finding a tour that covers as many places as the 21 day tour Rick Steves offers.

 

Granted , I agree with you. I’ve been to all of the places mentioned except the three between Rome and Paris. We lived for 13 months 10 miles from Dachau . 
 

You’ve been warned , you’ll have to transport your luggage in some places, no A/c , no elevators and in one hotel a shared bathroom.  
 

Steves is known for his no frills travel . It is not for me but you and your wife are younger and more fit than me .  I would definitely check out his hotels . 
 

We’ve been waiting since 7:30 am for the geek squad guy . We were to be his first stop today . Best Buy has no number for him and still looking. Bad service for $250 to install a TV. 
 

28 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Can't seem to find a like tour at either of the 2 tour companies you named above like  what Rick Steves Tour offered....

Look at Gate 1 travel tours.  I have friends who have used this company.

There’s an article about Rick Steves in today’s Washington Post .  Travel : By the Way 

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

Most likely not the greatest place to ask this question but has anyone ever taken a Rick Steves  Tour?

 

We are looking to take  Best of Europe in 21 Days Tour in the fall of 2025

 

 https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/europe/europe-21-days#tour-dates

 

The tour groups are small, 24 to 28 people which I think would make it nice.

 

We have canceled our side by side cruises we had planned for this May to Europe and Norway Fjords Cruises.

 

Just though for traveling that far to Europe we wanted to see and do more then we could ever do on cruise stops.

 

Granted this wouldn't get us to Norway, but at a later time we might do a cruise up that way in the future.

 

Anyone here ever taken one of their tours?

Did you look into Road Scholars and O.A.T . ( Overseas Adventure Travels ) ? 
 

I have friends who have used both .  

25 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Most likely not the greatest place to ask this question but has anyone ever taken a Rick Steves  Tour?

 

We are looking to take  Best of Europe in 21 Days Tour in the fall of 2025

 

 https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/europe/europe-21-days#tour-dates

 

The tour groups are small, 24 to 28 people which I think would make it nice.

 

We have canceled our side by side cruises we had planned for this May to Europe and Norway Fjords Cruises.

 

Just though for traveling that far to Europe we wanted to see and do more then we could ever do on cruise stops.

 

Granted this wouldn't get us to Norway, but at a later time we might do a cruise up that way in the future.

 

Anyone here ever taken one of their tours?

I haven’t however my friend used his recommendations for hotels in Paris and London years ago. The Paris hotel was fine however when she arrived at the London hotel at 10:30 pm she decided she couldn’t stay there .  

I’ve heard him speak at numerous travel shows and he even asked to join me at my table for lunch .  You probably know his travel philosophy and be prepared to pack light. 

@jmh2006  Condolences on the loss of your dear father.  Cherish the memories of your time spent together. 

@bobmacliberty @HBE4 @dani negreanu

Thank you for your help regarding TV’s .  We bought a 55” LG at Costco . It will be installed tomorrow by a Best Buy geek squad guy.  Hurray ! 
 

@Sea Dog My friend has the same issue with her son so certain topics are off the table however when she visited him at his home he showed up for dinner in a tee shirt that she found offensive. She and her daughter just left the room . He has been warned for their next visit in June.  No reason for you to leave your friends and shorten your vacation because somebody can’t abide by the house rules . 

8 minutes ago, Lionesss said:

First of all. 
 

Thanks for following along on our endeavors. 
 

The time has come to pack and put our luggage filled with memories in the hallway for pickup. 
 

We have luggage valet so we will see our bags at the final destination. 
 

Now. 
Some topics not discussed yet but will be addressed once we are home. 
 

Namely:  

1.  What happened to Sue that almost jeopardized the possibility of canceling our cruise. 

2. Misbehaving teens. 
3.  Very active cruise thread. 
4.  Yes sir ree guys more cutbacks on RCI. 
5.  Generosity of drinks. And abundant bartenders. 
6.  Food ratings. 
7.  Ducks duck goose. 
 

Right now starting to face reality. 
 

💕
 

 

Always an interesting read.  Awaiting final chapter and safe travels home.

18 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Thanks for this information. I find this very interesting..

You and I are alike in some ways . If something interests us we’re all in . Back in the day when my husband was working and pre-pandemic when shuttles were plentiful to some of the 8 casinos near my home , I thought , I would figure out how to beat the odds . I bought books , subscribed to Strictly Slots magazine and watched this guy Curtis on TV.  Sadly, it didn’t work .  I no longer put cash in the one arm bandit . 

1 hour ago, Lionesss said:

Yes. 
I agree

I never insinuated I got it totally for free. 
 

To attain a free GS. Cruise you need 25,000 credits. 
Yup 

I have 25,000

How long did it take? 
6 evenings. 
How much of my money from home????

 

Let’s just say. It was not totally free and cheap. 
Had I not won 3 jackpots, then I would be boo hooing. 
But

Fortunately we are better than breaking even. 
 

Be safe. 

 

Did you mean 2,500 points ? You are one classy lady . 

7 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

I've also been shopping / researching / looking at TV's since the beginning of the year.  I've put that purchase on-hold for now due to a few other big expenses occurring but I can give you some insight from my experience.

 

Short Story: Follow @bobmacliberty & the CNET guide advice.  I'll also throw out Tom's Guide as they usually speak plain English

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-tvs,review-2224.html#section-tv-benchmarks-comparison

 

Long Story: I've been all over the map. Initially not wanting to spend a lot of money (TCL, Hisense), then deciding I was going to go high-end for premium picture quality since I watch a lot TV,  probably to much. Finally decided on a few mid-range to high-end models from Sony & Samsung that I was waiting to go on sale.

 

First, pick the TV size you'd like. The picture resolution is so good these days you can probably go bigger than you realize without eye-strain. There are online guides out there to help you choose. Ignore all the tech-spec numbers & acronyms as it can become confusing since different manufacture with use different acronyms form the same technology*. Pretty much all TV's are smart TV with 4K resolution, also called UHD (Ultra-High Def) or FHD (Full High Def). 

 

Decide on price & where to buy. I've found that Best Buy, Amazon, B&H Photo, Walmart generally have the same "sale" price. I've had good experience dealing with knowledgeable, non-pushy sales people at Best Buy.  I'm usually a "middle-of-the-road" guy, not the cheapest or the most expensive but I won't mind spending a little more for something that I'm going to use every day for the next 10 years.

 

*  I know more about OLED,QLED, QNED, nits, color temperature, blooming, dimming zones than any sane person should ever know. LOL

I will checkout Tom’s guide .  I don’t have your patience to do all that research.  I hope , you are soon watching your favorite programs on your dream TV .  
 

Thank you for your help. 

@Sea Dog  I hope , you are not in the path of the tornadoes. 
 

Take care . 

2 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

I am physically incapable of providing just basic info when it comes to tech so hopefullt this isn't too much info for you. 🙂 I like to use a website called CNET for info about several things tech related, including TVs.  Here is their most recent "buying guide".  It provides a good, not too deep, discussion about features and other considerations when buying a TV, and recommends a few models:

Your TV Buying Guide: Spring 2024 Edition - CNET

 

You probably can't go wrong if you buy a mid-level or better TV from Sony, Samsung, or LG.  We have all Samsung TVs so that the remotes and user interface are the same everywhere. They will all have about the same features and pretty similar picture quality.  You may hear people saying that one brand is better than another but in this price range, that's mostly brand loyalty talking.  There's not much difference. Here is a Best Buy feature comparison of 50 inch TVs from those brands that are about $500:

Compare - Best Buy

 

If you read the CNET buyer's guide, they'll tell you to ignore the tech specs.  If you want to save a little and don't need the absolute best picture quality, there are models from these suppliers that are less expensive, and there are brands like TCL and Hisense (both recommended by CNET but I've never owned one).  I picked 50 inch only because you mentioned currently having a 36 inch model.  A 50 inch set will initially look huge to you, but you will quickly get used to the size.  If you've got space and don't mind spending a little extra, I'd go even bigger.  55 inch has become a standard size and 65 inch would be even better for a living room.  Note that these numbers are the diagonal length of a TV from corner to corner.  When determining what will fit a specific space in your house, you'll need to get the width and height values online.

 

You most likely currently have cable TV and can continue using cable with any new TV.  If you want to cut the cable, there a few streaming services to which you can subscribe.  New TVs come with apps (may be called something different for a specific brand) that you can easily install.  They are very much like a computer...for example launch the Netflix app (by clicking on it with your TV remote), sign in to your separately purchased Netflix service (usually just needed the first time you launch the app), and you're good to go.  You use the TV remote to navigate around the Netflix screen to pick what you want to watch.  Same goes for YoutubeTV, Apple TV, Prime video, Disney, Paramount, etc, etc. You may have more difficulty picking which streaming services to buy than which TV to buy.  Or you may end up (like we did) buying several different services which are starting to add up to almost the same cost as cable. 😁 Almost any brand TV will have an app for the above mentioned services, but you should confirm that in the online specs before buying.

 

Happy to answer any additional questions. 

I’m so appreciative for your long reply and the time it took for you to do this for me. I’m going to check out CNET .  We have one week left to back out of our contract with Direct TV so we will be buying a new TV this weekend.  Thank you for your help . 
 

Judy

It has been discussed before at length however I can’t find it so any help here would be appreciated. I’m not looking for in depth replies just basic info of what to look for in buying a streaming TV. We are not into complicated technology and gaming . Just basic stuff.  We’ve been watching our 36” not smart TV but have to switch because that is what Direct TV is using . 
 

Thank you .

@dani negreanu so very happy for you and your family.  Happy Passover ! 

@Jimbo I like your attitude. 
 

@cruiselvr04  I think it’s called Swedish death cleaning . My friend told me she was doing that . How morbid! 
 

@firefly333  My neighbors moved in and I never saw a truck .  We don’t see them at all . Never !  We alerted our neighbors on our cul de sac that we were coming with a large moving van that took a day to unload.  Allied had 5 men to load and only 2 to unload. We told them they needed more men which they got .