Mum2Mercury

No, if your final payment date has passed, they're not going to help you. Beyond the posted rules, They. Do. Not. Care. Summer school ... let's try thinking outside the box: Does your student have the option to take the summer school class through a different venue? Community college, online, or an adjacent county?

I've never played this game, but your post intrigued me enough that I went to You Tube. Arcade Mike showed us how to play this game: https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=how+to+play+coin+pusher+game+in+casino&type=E210US662G0#id=1&vid=5b72c75d3e0eff49084c8b223bea32e8&action=view My take-aways: - He was smart to start out with a $5 limit. He stuck to his limit. - He says it's smart to put all your money into the right OR the left (not to split between both), but then he didn't follow his own advice. - He says you should stay until the very end. Says people tend to walk away before the "pushing" has stopped, and sometimes coins drop after they've walked away. - He did what most people would do: He played until all his money was gone. - He seemed pleased with his experience, saying he played a long time on $5. I guess that's what matters.

Drink more juice and water? Eat more vegetables?

We love our door decorations. Our artist daughter painted two kissing goldfish for us (just cheap paint she already had + a piece of poster board). I cut up some freebie sheet magnets and put them on the bottom side, then laminated the two fish. We keep them in a manila envelope, and they're easy to slap on the door. Some people go "all out" and cover their whole door + garlands around the edges. Other people just have a plain little magnet or something to identify their door. Most fall somewhere in between ... our fish are pretty average. Magnets really are best. No way they're going to harm the metal doors. As for cheap Dollar Store stuff, yeah, they can be bad. When our oldest finished high school I bought some graduation "clings" for our glass front door. Maybe from Target's dollar section? They looked and felt a bit like Jello. I kept the page they came on, thinking I'd peel them off our door and save them for future graduations ... nope. They came off in bitty pieces and left a color tinge on my glass door, which wasn't easy to wash off. Avoid, avoid, avoid! I do not believe door decorations are a fire hazard.

That's not been my experience.

True. It's rough not being able to reach ... anything. My youngest daughter was just measured at the doctor, and she is officially the tallest woman EVER in our family. She's 5' 2 3/4".

Most people want to claim the earliest check-in time, and those slots are limited. If you check in at midnight, you can pretty much be assured of getting what you want. Not just back during the pandemic. Maybe it's because we always check in during the earliest time slot, but we see the staff putting people into groups. Do the 12:00 people get in once the 10:30 crunch has moved through, or do they actually have to wait until 12:00? I'm not sure, but I do know that the staff serves the 10:30 group first.

I'm aware that my worth-it-meter is set lower than other people's, but I'd pay no more than $30 to go to Hideaway Beach ONLY IF it were winter, and I wanted the heated pool. I am not motivated by adults-only, pizza or music (in fact, I'd go early enough to get a place on the far edge away from the DJ).

I'm not at home and don't have access to my cruise files, but here are a couple thoughts: - You should email RC's Special Needs department. Now -- don't wait. Let them know you need help with embarkation /disembarkation. You may see something else on the list that would be helpful to her as well. - If you're going to rent a scooter, consider requesting a Handicapped Room. We usually go with Guarantees, and we were placed in one recently. The extra space was very nice, and -- if we'd had a scooter -- we would've been able to bring it in without trouble. The only thing we didn't like was the curbless shower. - If you're buying a scooter, yes to the light ones. My stepfather has one, and it's amazingly small (he is not small, but he's fine on that thing). Do splurge on a second battery (so you can be sure to have an extra on hand) and bring a backpack that will allow you to bring that second battery ashore with you.

My engineer husband would eat this up. I'm going to get him one for his birthday, which will fall just three weeks before our next cruise! Thanks for the idea. Bringing a few days extra is a good idea. The possibility of your cruise being delayed a few days is remote, but it doesn't take much space. IN THEORY the attendant would collect anything left behind, but it can happen. On a recent cruise we found a 3-outlet plug-in. Not something we ever use, but we took it home and gave it to our daughter, who was glad to have it. I've heard of people finding things left behind in the room safe.

Wow, this is a challenging pack! My thoughts: - You really don't want any shorts for the Panama portion of the cruise? So no swimsuits either? - Engage the 3:1 method for your daytime wear ... for every pair of pants, bring three shirts. I'd bring four pair of jeans /casual pants + three shirts to match each. Lots of short-sleeved shirts that can work in Panama. My family's from Panama, and Guayaberas are super-popular in that warm climate. - Add four layering items ... sweatshirts or jackets. Things that can match the pants you've already packed /cover the shirts you've already packed. - Dinner wear ... I'd bring 1-2 pairs of nicer pants + three dress shirts to match each pair. Done. No one will notice if you're wearing the same pants over and over, and classic men's dress shirts aren't much different. Since you'll only wear them a few hours, it's not going to be a problem to re-use them. Just hang them up nicely after each dinner. - Will. you need a heavy jacket in addition for the time of year you'll be in Alaska? Gloves and hat? - You mentioned doing laundry in port on day 16. If you can do a big bundle and get your pants /shirts cleaned for $30, I'd consider letting the ship do it, but -- since you know the area and aren't really into touring on that day, hitting a local laundry mat isn't the worst plan. Do bring along a roll of quarters and some laundry sheets; that'll be a money-saver in the long run. - I'd bring a pair of comfortable sandals for the Panama portion + two pair of shoes (in case one gets wet). - As for the suitcase, you're almost certainly going to need two ... I'd try to choose one that'd stack on top of the other, allowing you to pull just one. - Bring a backpack for your carry on /let it double as your ashore bag. What a great trip you're going to have!

If you're really motivated, here's a work-around: Put your milk or yogurt into the ice bucket (obviously, with ice) and wrap the bucket in a cold, wet towel. Put the whole thing in the room cooler (as you said, not a refrigerator). It'll stay cold.

Sounds like a glitch. Yes, you must call for 5 in a cabin. No, it's not a pain to call them -- it's just hard to get through in the middle of the work day; instead, call early or late. They're open until something like 11:00 pm.

- Schlep = walk down the hall rolling a suitcase - Nothing to buy - Nothing to pack

Blasphemy!

Thing is, you pack enough of these little things that "take no real room", and collectively -- surprise! -- they take room. Alternately, you could leave it where it is so a child can find it. It could make a kid's day. If you know ENO hammocks, they can be hung anywhere ... on a balcony, several places on the deck above the pool deck. Love it! I have a template I fill in for every cruise. I type in lots of pertinent information, and we keep it on the wall during the cruise: Dates, anticipated weather, docking and sailing times, tours, dinners, etc. I leave blank space so we can write in things we see on The Compass -- shows or movies we want to see, etc. We really rely upon that template. Alternately, take your suitcase down to the gym and use that scale.

- To be fair, lobster is offered once a week without upcharge. Personally, I like the option to order a lobster or a good steak in the MDR -- it's cheaper than the whole family going to a specialty restaurant. Options are good. - I agree that the MDR's "included in the ticket" steaks aren't a strong point. Windjammer has better steaks most evenings /pork chops on most other evenings. - And, yes, the bread is nothing we can't get at Food Lion's deli. Good but not memorable. Personally, I'd like to see some garlic bread in that bread basket -- that might tempt me to eat carbs. Didn't they have cartons of milk? I'm not a milk-drinker, but I know I've seen them. My husband complains about the same thing: On the older ships, the early risers congregate on deck waiting for coffee. On newer ships, the Promenade Cafe takes care of this need. Exaggeration. I like the smaller ships too -- they have their perks, especially for anyone with mobility issues. BUT I expect to pay a lower price for a smaller, older ship with fewer amenities. I agree that your stage of life plays into what you enjoy /don't enjoy in a cruise. Sure, we must allow for individual differences, but -- being mid-50s, retired, and not quite a senior citizen -- and I'm not looking for the same things I did when I had small children.

That makes no sense. I thought lack of a reservation was their clue that you planned to eat in the Windjammer or elsewhere. False. I've never had a moment's trouble with My Time Dining. We are just a couple /not a group -- perhaps that makes a difference? I'd assume they don't understand their options.

I'm neither needy nor messy, but you're not speaking for me. I like having a cleaning in the morning -- the bed made, the bathroom refreshed, fresh towels, and the trash emptied. Then again, the room "refreshed" and evening-ready after dinner. It's something that makes vacation more special, and it's the level of service we've come to appreciate on cruises. I could accept lesser service, were it not accompanied by higher prices!

Different menus. You should be able to Google them online. If you don't specify, the internet'll probably throw the dinner menu at you automatically.

That might make sense if cabin service were the ONLY measure of a cruise; in reality, so many factors play into our choice: port locations, prices, cabins, itineraries, entertainment, onboard activities, food ... it's not fair to say, "Don't like this one thing? Quite the whole product." And emptying of the trash cans. Yes, one cleaning + a "refresh" at bedtime is great ... we don't need a second full-fledged cleaning. It's easier to get your own ice from the buffet. Bring a big insulated cup. That's my biggest complaint: They cut the service AND increased the price ... that's just bad practice. I'll die on this hill.

Several thoughts about directions: - It'll take you about a day to remember your way around. - We always try to be among the first to board, and the first thing we do is go to the tippy-top of the ship and circle down ... we find this easier before the crowds arrive. Even if we've been on this ship (or a sister ship) before, it's great to remind ourselves of where everything is and make plans. We point out things to each other: "Oh, there's the towel station." "Dad, there's your soft serve ice cream!" "This is a nice quiet spot to sit outside." - You'll find model ships /maps in every elevator /stair pod. - The public spaces' locations are labeled inside every elevator, so you'll have no problem remembering the right floor for the MDR or the theater. - Have you downloaded the app yet? It has digital deck plans. - I'm bad to get turned around when exiting the elevators ... so I pay attention to the artwork next to the door to my hallway. Whether it's little white shoes or Chinese vases, I know that's the artwork that'll "lead me home". - We always bring magnetic door decorations for our own door. About Deck 3: - We almost always go with Guarantees, and we were on Deck 3 on a not-so-long-ago cruise. To be perfectly honest, we didn't love Deck 3 ... seemed so far from, well, everything. We had a great room ... a handicapped room /so much space. We didn't let the room's location spoil anything for us. It barely mattered. - As for being near the Casino, I don't think it'll be a big deal. You'll have the hallway as a buffer. While the machines are always making noise, it's a rather low-key noise. Looking at the deck plans, I'd rather be near the Casino than the Music Hall. Tips about the Windjammer Buffet, which we've always enjoyed: - If you want alcohol, the Plaza Bar is dead-ahead of the entrance. - We think the food alllll the way at the back is the best. My husband usually heads for the carving station. Every evening they'll have either steaks or pork chops. You can have cooked-to-order eggs or omelets made in the back. - What I don't recommend in the Windjammer: pancakes or French toast. These things aren't so good if they've been sitting. - I eat low-carb, so I always have the same lunch: a plate-sized salad + a bit of chicken or fish. They do a different grilled chicken thigh every day, and I've always found them good. Windjammer is the best place to get this lunch. - If you're not an adventurous eater, Windjammer offers hamburgers, hot dogs and fries every lunch and dinner. - The Windjammer's desserts are cut very small, which I like.

I'd go ahead and schedule an Uber. I've seen the hotel shuttles backed up /people waiting. Obviously, I don't even know what hotel you're using, but I'd go for a sure thing.

I could say the same -- about My Time on multiple ships. We've never had to wait more than 5-10 minutes to be seated and have been very pleased with it. In December we took a last-minute, rock-bottom priced cruise and were forced to take Early Traditional Seating. Reminded us of why we enjoy My Time.

I have never sailed HAL, but on Royal Caribbean /most other mainstream lines you do one of two things: - Choose Early or Late Traditional dining, and that sets your dinner reservations for the whole cruise. - OR choose My Time Dining, and you reserve your specific time for each evening. You can just show up, but you'll get in more quickly with a reservation. But that may or may not be true on HAL.