WatchHill

The drop off process on our last few cruises from S'hampton [the newest terminal] did not involve any direct contact with porters. Darcy

I check large pieces, of luggage. The one I attempted to put through the scanner was an oveseas size piece. Crazy to think I could do that, but I tried - and annoyed a lot of people. Now we drop off the large pieces and only walk on with hand-carry items. Those large pieces are heavy and take up too much space in elevators. I let the cumbersome pieces be our challenge as we do direct walk-off at the end of the cruise. For the most part, our luggage arrives in the room within an hour of our arrival. Things in the carry-on seem to take the longest to organize and store away - with DH and I agreeing [?} on who get what shelf in the bathroom. Plus always pack a change of clothes, etc., in the carry-on. Darcy

Wev'e been to Curacao a few times, but decided to do a poo/beach day rather than another tour. I booked the Marriott for the 3 of us, and hoping it's a good decision. We are on the Enchanted Princess, and at the resort on November 26. Darcy

"Got to feed the family and that cost money. So does buying things that have to be replaced because your suit case fell into the water/got on the wrong ship." NYC "For a nice tip, I will personally take your suit cases onto the ship...otheriwse they may not get one" SF Over 200 cruises, so I have lots of stories.... Not as bad as it used to be, but sadly, it's the culture we live in that supports less than stellar behavior. Darcy

When my nice dropped us at Mayflower Terminal, my husbad attempted to tip the person who removed the luggage from the boot of her vehicle and was told by the neatly dressed gentleman that tipping was "very American" and he refused to take the tip! When we left from the new terminal at Southampton [probably about 3-4 cruises], the luggage drop process didn't involve direct contact with anyone. We were told to leave the cases is a specific area and to proceed into the building and up the stairs to check in. Quite a cotract from the "hands out" and threats to put luggage onto another ship that we've encountered in SF, BOS, NY, NJ, Miami and Ft Lauderdale. Darcy

Not all luggage fits through the scanners. Standardsized suit cases, like the ones we check in for a flight, will not go through. Tried it a few times and was sent to the back of the line. The tipping at USA ports is one more reson I prefer leaving from Southampton UK. Dacy

I booked the HoHo bus online before we left home, keeping a copy of the booking confirmation with us. Not a fan of group tours. Darcy

I've seen dophins on multiple Caribbean cruises. I've even seen a few in Boston's inner harbor and leaving Bermuda. I saw one whale on an Alaskan cruise and a few off Vancouver. On a Hawaiian Island to Tahiti cruise, we traveled at peak migration time and saw multiple hump backs. Yesterday, I drove over to Plymouth MA where humpbacks have been feeding close to shore - amazing! The only time we've observed sea turtles was during a snorkel adventure in Molokini and St Thomas. Darcy

Cruising the archipelago near sun set as we leave Stockholm. Darcy

It was mid-May for the side trip to the brewery. We went there a bit after the noon hour. Given it's a popular tourist draw, it may be busy at other times, too. Darcy

The HoHo bus is a great way to get an overview of the city, but be sure to get one with live narration. We did the brewery, not a beer fan, interesting but very crowded, especially the observation floor atop the brewery. Trying to get back on the HoHo after the tour was impossible - landed up hailing a cab. We enjoyed the Book of Kells and wandering the university area, as well as Trinity. During one of our trips to Dublin, we caught a brief downpour and wandered into a small museum on Kildare St., very interesting Celtic history. We've walked along the river, stopped at a few pubs, and dined at various restaurants. Temple Bar district hs unique shops. Darcy

Whenever we sail out of NY or Cape Liberty, we spend a night a the Hyatt Regency, Greenwich CT.. Very nice property, safe parking, and ample restaurants nearby for dinner. Darcy

If you want EFFY, then go to Macy's where they sell assorted whale tails. I have a whale tail that I bought in Hawaii at Na Hoku. Personally, I can't see the big deal with Effy brand. However, if in AK, then buy something made in the state. When we were in Juneau, we stopped at a small jeweler where I bought a ring, it had a smooth oval piece of white quartz, with gold veins running through it. It's called Gold-bearing quartz or gold lod. Alaska Jewelry also sells pendants and earrings like this. Supposedly the stone was mined in AK. Darcy