SLSD

We have not done this--but it is also so tempting, I know that this last June the cruise following ours had a VERY good price. I did talk to a few people who would have loved extending--but didn't. Why? They had airline tickets through Seabourn--which could not be changed.

The real issue is that many of us are traveling light. My husband brings a conservative sports coat (which he wears whenever he dines in The Restaurant), dress pants, dress shirts and bow ties. He has found these combinations to be more useful than packing a suit (which he would only wear on a formal night) or his tux (which would be the same). It's all about bringing clothing that will be worn more than one or two nights--depending on how long the cruise is. He wears his sports coat on flights, so it does not have to be packed. We traveled with a carry one each and one medium size bag shipped. That's not one medium bag for each of us, but just one bag for both. Yes, it could have be lost as well--as Luggage Forward sometimes doesn't come through, but we trusted them more than we trusted what would happen with tight connections, two different airlines and SAS. He owns a suit(s) and a tux, but finds them impractical to bring (see above).

We had definite trust issues with airlines and shorter than comfortable connection times. We were too frugal to ship two 50 lb bags, so we just sent one for the two of us. It worked out fine--especially for my husband. I think men can pack fewer things (even though their items are more bulky). In the final analysis, it worked for us--and relieved a lot of stress and worry about the possibility of bags not arriving. We also both packed our carry ons to be adequate for the entire 14 day cruise even if our shipped bag did not arrive.

stan01, On our most recent Seabourn cruise (June of this year), we packed as lightly as possible--a carry on bag for each of us and one 48 lb bag (for the two of us) shipped with Luggage Forward. Did we have everything to wear that we would have liked? No! Did we make it through the 14 day cruise appropriately dressed and meeting every dress code? Yes, we did. I do think that packing light (with mostly small carry ons) is the wave of the future. We just have to pack smarter and better. I'm still learning.

jondfk, We have cruised Seabourn many times and had a later boarding time than you were given. There is no rhyme or reason here as cruiseej has suggested. I think traveling abroad can be challenging and the best we can all do is arrange transportation to the port based on what we are told initially.

Thank you Nancy! ---Susan

The Salt Lick was a favorite of ours almost 50 years ago when my husband and I were dating. It's still so popular that getting in is problematic!

Yes, escaping the heat has become our top priority. We would love to meet up with you on a cruise. Keep us apprised of your itineraries. I think you know who I am on FB--so you could message me. What is the RT cruise? Is that Regency?

With a very good zoo--even though those are controversial. But hey everyone--come to Texas for Tex Mex--we'll steer you to some great places to dine.

We are still mulling over our options and discounting Asia in January. We enjoy January in Texas at our farm (IF there is not another polar vortex). We are now looking back at Northern Europe for July and August 2024. We HAVE to escape Texas heat in those months. We may even consider a return to Norway with Iceland and some UK included for 28 days. The fact that there are some shorter itineraries is a concern --but hey--we need to get out of the heat.

Ok. I will admit this--I am a huge fan of Mi Cocina in Dallas. We dine there at least once a week--and more likely twice. I tend to be a creature of habit when it comes to Tex Mex. For me, it's the ambience as much as the food, but Mi Cocina fits the bill on both counts. I think it would be a mistake for any cruise line to try to make Tex Mex. You just have to be local. https://www.micocina.com/

Something timeless always (alas) changes with time. However, there are a few dresses I regret letting go of. I'm also thinking of a skirt or two.

I know you "get" this--I can tell from what you posted. My husband wore his best business suit to something this last week and it was an eye opener. I tried to contain myself, but fine suit that it was (and not all that old), i knew that its time had passed. And you are so right about the floppy ties for women lawyers. Their time passed long ago. I'm not sure I would have ever worn them. I'm actively searching for just the right thing to wear for dinners on a cruise. I've had my tried and true, but they need updating as well. I feel that there is a fine line to tread. The upshot is that no retired lawyer (or anyone else for that matter) needs more than one fine high quality suit these days. And, I am not so sure that said fine suit needs to be toted on a vacation cruise.

Hmm... I posted a much longer comment--and only this shortened version is appearing...

We were on Sojourn on deck six next to an elevator and heard absolutely nothing. We enjoyed the proximity. In fact, this was one of our favorite veranda suites ever--even better than deck eight more costly suites.

Mr. SLSD's tux still fits as well, but updating probably is best every few years. We are just not so sure that purchasing a new tux is a good investment. These days, we don't go to charity events (we dontate instead) that we previously attended to support clients, the firm, etc.

I can see a man owning a white dinner jacket and/or a tux if he cruised often--say four or more long cruises a year. But, I have seen that life really does change after retirement. My husband owns a tux which he wore a number of times a year during his career. There were always plenty of black tie events--some connected to his law firm and other charity events sprinkled throughout the year. He had a closetful of dark business suits as well. The tux now needs to be replaced (updated) and the business suits have mostly been donated. He only needs one business suit (and is getting a new one) to wear to funerals and weddings and the occasional setting that would require wearing one. He has plenty of up to date sports coats (all conservative) and will be acquiring new ones. Fine dining in our city has become more casual. At the most, a sports coat would be the most appropriate thing to wear. No one even wears a suit at the law firm these days. That all changed with the pandemic. It had begun to change before the pandemic and with the pandemic, the change appears to be final. This is in a large international law firm where my husband still has an office even though retired. I used to be a proponent of dressing up on a cruise for formal nights. While I still think dressing for dinner should be different from daytime wear, I question the white dinner jacket/tux aesthetic going forward. This is just not clothing that many people are continuing to wear in their everyday lives. I know many disagree and I used to be among them. Our lives have changed and even those still working in professional careers don't dress the same way any longer.

I've read that it will be a while. Perhaps not for another year.

Same kind of people we experienced--no appreciation for what they were seeing or its significance. Can you say vapid?

I read somewhere (don't remember where) that even river cruise boats will be limited.

Just like in your photo here. It becomes you. We found the same percentages on our recent Ovation cruise in Norway.

We have done independent tours--and I checked into it in Norway. Nothing was quite doable without at least a small group--and we did not know anyone else on the ship going in. We've always done independent tours in embarkation and disembarkation ports. I think there was a real shortage of guides in Norway. They have pressed retired road engineers and water plant engineers into service as guides. They were nice men and intelligent--but did not always focus on what would be most interesting to travelers. I think the combination of the shortage of guides and the high cost of everything in Norway (the guides talked about this) made independent tours particularly expensive in Norway. One of our ship tours--in Skagen, Denmark was comprised of only 10 or 11 people. THAT is a perfect size for a ship's tour. Of course that is an entirely different topic from rude guests. Rude guests are on the ship as well as on tours--so independent tours do not completely allow you to escape that issue.

I outlined another incident on a prior cruise above. I edited to add it--so you may not have seen it. I get angry just thinking about it again. Let's just say that not all Seabourn cruisers have decent manners--and we are not talking about mode of dress here of course.

In ranting at the guide, she raised her voice using a very angry tone--over and over again. No one else said a word. We all just left the room. It seemed the best thing to do. Later, we talked to our guide and told him how sorry we were that this had happened. We made sure he felt appreciated at the end of the tour. Sadly, this is not the first time we have witnessed Seabourn guests being really ugly to a guide. A few years ago (pre-Covid), we were on an Seabourn excursion in St. Petersburg. There was a group of four guests (sadly from the United States I am embarrassed to say) who were extremely rude to our guide. The made snarky remarks and kept telling her they wanted to go back to the ship. It was an excellent guide and a fabulous tour, by the way. I finally said to one of these people that WE were enjoying the tour and did NOT want to return to the ship. We were on a 21 day cruise--but the Petersburg leg was seven days. I do not like seven day segments--based on this experience.

Mr. SLSD and I were talking about our June 8-25th Ovation cruise in Norway yesterday and our memories were jogged about a particular incident on an excursion in Tromso. We were on a Seabourn excursion which included a very well done museum in that city. Our guide, who was very personable and informed, centered his presentation at the museum on their extensive exhibit about the Sami people who are an indigenous Nordic group (think Laplanders) who have found themselves the target of discrimination across many years. There was a particular part of the exhibit which highlighted the ways in which the Samis had found connection with other groups who have struggled in the past. The exhibit reported that the Samis had seen Che Guevara as someone who had supported indigenous groups like theirs. Our guide pointed this out--not making any other comment about the controversial Che Guevara. Suddenly, a woman in our Seabourn excursion group began vehemently verbally attacking our guide! She said how dare the museum or the guide present Che Guevara as a role model of any kind. The guide had not done this--he had only pointed out that the Samis had found Che Guevara to support groups like theirs. It got really ugly. The woman was ranting and ranting and ranting. The rest of us in the group left the room--en masse. We felt very sorry for our guide who was not responsible for the exhibit or for who the Samis chose to admire. It was all made more awkward and uncomfortable by the fact that our guide had cerebral palsy and was handicapped. It was an ugly scene. And, you guessed it, the ranting woman was the owner of the dog on the ship. I cannot remember at this point if the dog was with her at this time. I think he probably was.