Hoyaheel

So if fuchsia is too bold for you, try coral.

I don't think it has to be an issue of "too bold". Some people (like me) just don't look good in fuchsia:p

 

For longer trips, I love mix & match & neutral colors with a few different accessories or scarves--makes life and packing so much easier!! When I pack, I usually have black & khaki as my neutrals and red and turquoise as my accent colors, and most things will go with each other to make multiple outfits (and layers if that's important, based on my destination)

7 day Caribbean cruises will be younger in demographic than the longer cruises I was on. Larger ships will also tend to be a little younger (I'm 35, but we like longer cruises when we can get away--sadly, not this year, or so it appears right now....Too busy at work:rolleyes:) You will absolutely be fine in a cocktail dress or separates at the same level of dressiness.

I've sailed HAL three times, the most recent trips were a 15 day Panama Canal in October 2008, and before that, 11 day southern Caribbean in 2006. My husband brought & wore his tuxedo for all the formal nights, and I wore a variety of dresses, 2/3 of which were long. For the 15 day Canal trip, we had 4 formal nights. I did bring one skirt/two tops for 2 of those nights, and 2 long dresses for the other nights. Not ballgowns--easier to pack. I felt at least half the passengers wore tuxedos & dresses - at least cocktail--on both those cruises. At two of our meals during the Canal cruise, we had a bridge officer (in dress uniform, YUM!) and the party planner at our table--so I'm definitely glad we were dressed very nicely & formally:p

 

However--if you don't want to wear a long gown, or even a cocktail gown--in this age, you will be far from the only one who looks like that. HAL is still one of the more traditional lines, but even they have loosened up....

That cooking class sounds fun--are there any that aren't done through the cruise ship?

We sailed the Maasdam last October (2006) and parked at the cruise center owned lot (Cedar Grove, $10/day, pre-paid) and it was fine.

 

We looked at staying over night and getting "free" parking, but the hotel room (at the Radisson, I believe) cost the same as the parking for 11 days did, so we just drove in (3.5 hours) the morning the cruise departed. The Radisson is actually close to the Cedar Grove lot. There are places closer to the pier but their room rates are higher.

You can buy OTC diuretics but many contain ingredients that could cause diarrhea. Not a good alternative to bloating, eh?

 

Many foods have a diuretic effect--watermelon, peppermint tea, green teas.

 

 

As to why chefs add so much salt when cooking--salt used during cooking flavors dishes in a way that salt sprinkled on at the table cannot achieve. At home, I don't cook that way and I don't miss it, but when dining out (and yes, you better believe chefs in land-based restaurants cook the same way) I do notice different flavors in my meals. It's just --at home, you might have one dinner out occasionally, but on a cruise, they've "got you" 3 meals a day.....

 

Again, many people don't have any problems at all......

I drank tons and tons of ship's water on my cruise at the beginning of november and nothing swelled. (when I say "tons", I mean approx 120 oz a day, minimum) Plus coffee in the morning and after dinner, ice, etc.....I was very worried prior to sailing and all for nothing.....

So what is it that makes our feet/body swell? !

 

I vote dietary changes--more rich foods than normal, more salt than you're used to, just plain "different" foods and perhaps more to eat than usual.

Thanks Wraithe--that matches what my husband was able to come up with in his searching (I think he found something that said the cruise we would be on would have comparable or LESS sodium than we have from our well water and RO system in our house:rolleyes: ) So now I'm not making him pack water bottles for me--I drink over a gallon a day, which obviously would have been too much to pack.

Coach has a gorgeous chocolate suede tote I want, but alas, my tan leather one I've had since college will NOT die. Seriously, it's 15 years old and I use it every day for half the year to carry stuff for work, and it's in mostly fabulous shape.

 

A couple years ago I started buying Tignanello leather bags for my "every day" bags--have a nice turquoise one for summer and a brick red smallish tote for winter. Found a magenta suede hobo I might use for early fall (sort of awkward--fabric color is "spring-y", but it's suede--when to use?) I won't spend designer money on a bag--not my style--but I do love Coach....I just don't change my bag that often, so I don't really need more--running out of space in the closet:rolleyes: Have the Coach station bag and a couple smaller bags--old styles not made anymore, you can't kill those things.....

What about wine? I understand you are allowed to take wine and champagne onboard, but how do you get it through at the airport?

It's not illegal to travel with alcohol. It is against FAA regulations to consume alcohol on a plane that was not provided by the airline. Just pack the wine carefully. We carry it on the plane with us if it's a couple bottles.