gooch47

We tend to stick with the cruise line that now offers the best perks for its most traveled passengers.  For us that is Princess.  We've been cruising NCL quite a bit recently but don't feel the perks are quite as good.   

We've done this trip twice.  Once the seas were so bad we stopped in Iceland but got there so late all tours were cancelled.  The other time we sailed through the tail end of a hurricane (Maybe Wanda?) that really tore up southern Florida but still managed the stop in Iceland.  Both times we missed Greenland.  One of these was in September of 2005, the other in July of 2006.

But the worst seas we've ever encountered was between New York City and Ft. Lauderdale ... TWICE.  Both times we missed our flights.

And we sailed around Cape Horn which is known for its horrible sea conditions and the water was as smooth as glass.

The moral of this post is you never know.

Our longest was our 28 Australian Circumnavigation cruise in 2007.  To be honest, by the time it was nearly over I wished it WAS over.  I know people will disagree.  That was just me.

We've taken lots of 7-day back to backs.  Fourteen days didn't seem too long.  Those were just fine even though the itinerary was exactly the same for most of them.  We've gotten to the point where we seldom get off the ship so where it stops is kind of irrelevant.

I wish once and for all we could get a clear answer about the issue of paying the Daily Service Charge vs. giving money directly to various employees.  Do they get to keep it?  Does it have to go into the pool?  You hear various answers where people are 100% certain it is one way, or %100 certain it is the other.

Technically, couldn't they leave the embarcation port, go out to sea a few miles, sit there for however many days and return?  

Find a restroom, LOL.

Totally off subject, but my husband and I are seriously considering having our cremated remains incorporated into cement castings and having them become part of an offshore reef.

Google "cremation reef" to get details.

The Celebrity Xpedition held about 100 passengers but both times it was only about half full.  It was big enough AND small enough to be perfect for that cruise.

Galapagos Islands on the Celebrity Xpedition.  We did it twice.

Second (third?) place was our Australia circumnavigation cruise.

Thanks, but I did say I did this "in the past."  I've graduated to more modern methods.

In the past I've bought large size zip-loc bags and put "fluffy" stuff in them.  Sit on them and seal them closed.  It looks funny doing it, but it works fine.  I've not seen them or looked for them lately but in the past they sold ones big enough to put a sweatshirt in.  You'd be amazed how flat they come out.

Sorry.  Never mind.

We were concerned about the possibility of swarms of mosquitoes on our Amazon River cruise.  I saw exactly two mosquitoes the entire cruise and one of them was dead.

We made the mistake of leaving our balcony door open with the lights on inside during an evening stay at, I think it was, Cabo San Lucas.  A small swarm of black beetles invited themselves in and one bit my husband on his bare butt.  They were quickly dispatched to bug heaven.

20 minutes ago, JMorris271 said:

Never mind it can look  like having the hand look like a fishing lure either.

It's wonderful you got that camera back.

Yeah.  I thought of that, too, when I encountered a big barracuda on one trip.  I didn't have any rings on but a sparkly diamond bracelet.

Left an expensive camera in the waiting area for a ship's excursion.  We figured it was long gone.  Came back to the ship and it had been turned in, thank goodness.  By a passenger, no less.

I don't remember when or which ship but we were on a snorkeling excursion and the tour people warned us not to wear rings in the water.  They told us that salt water can make your fingers shrink just enough for the rings to come off.

I found a purse on a cruise ship and when I turned it in they had to fill out a whole page of paperwork ... on me.

I even use a work address on luggage tags.  Don't advertise that you're not home.

I all our cruises I've never found anything in a cabin.  Didn't look all that hard, but still.

The cafeteria trays and beach towels were an attempt to make a soft bed hard enough to sleep on.  We had one in Australia that was so sunken in that I ended up sleeping on the floor.

On 3/21/2019 at 11:19 PM, MicCanberra said:

My wife and I travel for safety sake, we once read a report that over 90% of accidents happen in the home.😁

I saw a thought provoking t-shirt on a snorkle trip once that said, "You could die falling off your couch, too."  It was a picture of a snorkler (is that a word?) with a big fish staring at him.

I sometimes think people are more inclined to publish a bad review than a good one.

Someone mentioned putting things on the lamp in the room.  The bulb generated heat.  Wouldn't that be a fire hazard?

7 minutes ago, gooch47 said:

#1  We took a seaplane inland in Alaska to see bears fishing for salmon.  Loved it except the smell was horrible.  The bears were only biting the belly out of the fish and leaving the rest to rot.

 

#2  The "Jumping Crocodiles" in Australia.  Can't remember which port.  It was on our circumnavigation cruise.

 

#3  Darn.  I am really getting old.  Can't remember which island but the Galapagos Island tour where we walked for a long time over lava rocks using a walking stick to keep from falling.  You had to be careful where you put your feet to avoid stepping on baby sea lions and birds.  The wildlife had absolutely no fear of humans.

I posted mine before I read everyone else's and they brought back many wonderful memories.  Before I was married I had never been out of the state of Ohio.  Now when I think back to all the things we've seen it boggles the mind.

#1  We took a seaplane inland in Alaska to see bears fishing for salmon.  Loved it except the smell was horrible.  The bears were only biting the belly out of the fish and leaving the rest to rot.

#2  The "Jumping Crocodiles" in Australia.  Can't remember which port.  It was on our circumnavigation cruise.

#3  Darn.  I am really getting old.  Can't remember which island but the Galapagos Island tour where we walked for a long time over lava rocks using a walking stick to keep from falling.  You had to be careful where you put your feet to avoid stepping on baby sea lions and birds.  The wildlife had absolutely no fear of humans.

The cutest towel animal I ever saw was a monkey sitting on the toilet wearing sunglasses and reading the Latitudes newsletter.

 I always roll my eyes when I see the signs stating that you can voluntarily reuse your towels (hang them up) to save the environment.  I always say to myself, you mean to save YOU money.

I know this won't go over well, but I get slightly annoyed at the "Titanic" class system trend such as the Haven or Club Class on Princess.  It just doesn't seem right that there are places us "low class" passengers can't go, dining room areas we can't sit in, or <<horrors>>>, separate dining rooms.

Yes, I know they pay extra for it.  We could afford to, too, if we wanted, but don't.

Not the same thing, but I'd be nervous.  We went on a swamp tour in Louisiana.  The boat stopped near a herd of feral pigs and they were scary.  They were trying to climb onto the boat and fighting among themselves.