Cruising-along

We are now settled into our airport hotel, and will be getting dinner delivered from Ivar’s. Thank goodness our flight in the morning is only 3 hours long — easy-peasy!

Happy New Year to everyone! I was asleep by 10 last night, with the sound machine turned up full blast and a sleeping pill. Still, I woke up at what must have been midnight when the fireworks (which started here around 3 yesterday afternoon) suddenly got VERY loud. I just put the pillow over my head and turned over. 😅 We have a full 3 days ahead of us, I was determined to sleep last night. 🤣 DS will be here this afternoon to take us to our airport hotel, and tomorrow by noon we should be landing in San Diego. Can't wait!! It may be hard to keep up with everything happening with the Dailyites, but I plan to do my best. 🙂 Sandi @StLouisCruisers I LOVE your DD's latest tree. I think it's my favorite! I wish a healthy, happy 2024 to everyone and maybe a cruise or 2 or 3. 🙂

Thank you Sandi! I also have taken my counted cross-stitch on many cruises. We also had a crafters group on the Voyage of the Vikings, and will have one on the GANZ too. Since we'll have a lot of sea days I should be able to make some progress -- at least I hope so!

Have you been charged? What does it say on your HAL website itinerary? Like I said, my Navigator shows we have it but we haven't been notified, haven't been charged for it, and HAL's website itinerary says we're still waitlisted.

Thanks for letting us know you arrived safely, and thank you for answering my question on the roll call re the hotel shuttle. Good to hear you had no problems. According to the roll call spreadsheet, there will be 67 of us at this hotel! Please get some photos to share of the HH get-together tonight, see you soon. 🙂 🙂

Are you looking at your itinerary on Navigator or the HAL website? Because we're waitlisted for a tour and on the Navigator it doesn't mention waitlisted at all (and we've not been charged for the excursion either). But on the HAL website when I look at my itinerary, it definitely shows "waitlisted". Another case where Navigator isn't quite right.

Good morning all! I can't remember the last time I stayed up until midnight on New Year's Eve, but we'll have our champagne tonight and celebrate early! Since our area always has a TON of fireworks on New Year's Eve I may be awake, but at least in bed. This is our last full day at home before the GANZ, so lots to do. DS will pick us up tomorrow and take us to our airport hotel, we fly out Tuesday morning at 9. I'm sure I would like the wine and probably the drink, but will pass on the spicy meal. Don't need heartburn along with all the fireworks LOL! Tonight will be pork chops and the last of the produce -- I can't believe I was able to make all the food last long enough but not too long. This may be a first for me. 😅 I had thought I'd be giving food to my neighbor, but it looks like we'll eat it all! We will be in Fanning Island on January 15 -- thank you Sandi @StLouisCruisers for the great photos. We're bringing things to donate too so I hope we're able to tender in. Apparently the ship has items from the last cruise that couldn't tender in too. It's exciting to hear that @durangoscots is in San Diego and that @cruising sister and @Cruisercl will be there soon. Please post photos of any get-togethers for those of us who haven't gotten there 🙂 See you soon! Sandi @StLouisCruisers That stocking will be beautiful! I'm always excited to start a new project, especially beautiful ones like this. I'll be bringing a large project with me on the cruise (a scene in Europe) -- we'll see how far I get 😉 I hope to at least get a good start on it. Happy New Year's Eve everyone! Edited to add that I didn't have to prove I'm human. But I never log out of CC.

Lenda don't get me wrong, mine never will be as clean as the HAL stewards get the ship either 😉 I've always wanted to stash our cabin steward into our luggage -- hard to leave such great service!

Thank you and safe travels to you! We will go to our airport hotel on Monday and fly out Tuesday morning. Can't wait to meet everyone! I'm hoping that by having the house shut tight for 3 months the dust will be minimal. I usually only have a problem with that during the summer when the windows are open.

Good morning all! Awake early (4 something) and got myself out of bed before 5...strange sleep patterns this week. Like most people I do like bacon. I just can't have it very often due to the high sodium. I can't remember ever making a resolution, and hopefully there are no enormous changes of the bad kind before we leave for the cruise. I would like the meal but as a side dish, pass on the drink, and although I haven't had this wine, I'm sure it's as good as all the other Marlborough SVs so I'd love to try it. Have not been to this port. Today is laundry day, take our mail key to the neighbor, etc. etc. I'm feeling good that the house (should be) clean when we return. Those wonderful HAL stewards do such a great job keeping everything spotless, it's hard to come home to a less than spotless house LOL! Debbie @dfish So glad to hear you slept well with little to no pain. Great news!

Good afternoon, I'm taking a lunch break from deep cleaning the kitchen. We got good news this morning. Previously we had asked our PCC and the upgrade department if we could upgrade from our BC cabin next week to a B or even BB. The cost was too high, so we let it go. Then this morning DH saw that our cabin has changed to a B! So we're happy campers today, and no extra $$. Debbie @dfish I'm very glad to hear that the surgery "couldn't have gone better", and that you plan to take advantage of the pain pills. The trick is always to not let the pain get away from you, always stay ahead of it. I learned that the hard way 😉

Good morning all! Our high today will be 62 -- unbelievable for late December! Then back down to the 50's then 40's and more rain. Interesting collection of days, I'll pass on the meal, drink and red wine. Tonight will be meatloaf, baked potatoes and carrots. Making my way through the freezer, it should be almost empty by Monday. Other than having to get more milk, we've done well on emptying the fridge and freezer! We haven't been to this port. Today is clean the kitchen day, the last room to clean and then the house will be as good as it will be until we return in April. Tomorrow is a last laundry and pack last minute items. Thinking of you, Debbie @dfish. Prayers for a successful surgery and swift recovery. @seagarsmoker So sorry to hear that you came home from your cruise with the flu! Lorraine @cruising sister Thank you for sharing the photo of Baby Murphy. She's truly a miracle baby. 🙂

Every PCC we've ever had has done this also.

We had a wonderful few hours with DD and the boys. It was bittersweet and I admit to getting teary-eyed. Going to miss them so much! I told the boys no more broken bones while we’re gone and to try not to grow TOO tall. 😉 The weather was ok although not as great as predicted. But they have a covered porch and we were comfortable.

Good morning all! I'm a little late this morning because I was awake from 3 until after 5 (seems to be happening often) and then got my best sleep after that and got up late. Our weather is a big question mark today -- literally. My weather app shows huge question marks for the whole afternoon -- no kidding! 🤣 Hopefully it's the same as what showed last night, sunny all afternoon because today we're taking cookies down to the DGSs to get some last hugs and time together outdoors before we leave on Monday. This morning I heard that a 3rd friend has come down with Covid. So that's 3 friends in the last week and they live in all parts of the country. 😞 We've been to Dubrovnik many times, here are some of my photos. View of Dubrovnik from hillside We were entertained that night by a talented group of Dalmatian singers and dancers. One of the wineries we visited Mosque in Mostar, Bosnia Mostar Mostar bazaar For our cat lovers in the group, one of the scenes in Dubrovnik that held me captive last time we were there. (there are many more cats lounging around nearby, but this group struck me funny, guarding the private area. I'm always drawn to the side streets I hope everyone has a great day!

Good morning all! We have showers and up to the mid 50's today. It looks good for flying south on Tuesday. I've never liked fruitcake, we visit the zoo in Seattle often with the grandsons especially in the summer. DD has a membership. DD makes cut out snowflakes with the boys every year. I'm not very good at it. 😅 I'll pass on the drink and wine, but the meal looks good. Have never been to Grenada. Today I'll be baking cookies to take to the grandsons tomorrow. Since we're being very careful not to catch anything before the cruise, we'll do an outdoor visit with cookies and get some hugs. I don't even want a cold much less anything else. It will be hard, but at least we'll get to see them. The house cleaning is almost done now, just the kitchen left. Hoping we can keep it this clean until we leave LOL! Happy Anniversary @SusieKIslandGirl! Thinking of you Debbie @dfish now before your surgery and especially on Friday

Looks very good to me too, on both my phone and desk top.

Hi Rich, do you know if the Lectures in the World Stage are being televised for in-cabin viewing? Thanks for letting us all know how your cruise is going and we'll see you on the 3rd!

Good morning all! I'll pass on all the food (dumplings) and drink today and haven't been to this port (only the one in Spain) 😉 A good collection of days. Like Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser we have been homeowners since 1970 when we bought our first home. And 4 more since then (Navy moves). I still can't believe we've been in one home for coming up on 30 years after moving every few years. Today will be more house cleaning, I now have just the kitchen and master bath to do. It's been so much easier doing one room at a time. DH will be calling ship's services to ask about getting appointments for hair cuts during our cruise. Par for the course, HAL's website is wonky for salon appointments. I had no problem making my appointments (we're doing it now because there's a good discount before the cruise). BUT for men's hair cuts, only the first day of the cruise shows (????) Not many will need a hair cut the first day. So he'll call and see if he can get it done that way and still get the discount. Roy @rafinmd I'm glad the doctor is keeping a close eye on you, and hope the radiation will take care of it. Tina @0106 Thank you for adding the first line of the quote, now it makes sense to me. I often dream of falling (probably due to my fear of heights and falling). @57redbird So glad to hear that you're doing better! Eva @superoma Now I need to go see if my Hellebores are poking up yet -- they always do in January, but maybe this year.... it would be nice to see them before we leave next week.

Good morning and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all who celebrate! I would love some pumpkin pie. I don't have a favorite dish on Christmas, we always have something different each year. Today I'll be making pork chops for DH and me. The drink sounds good, will pass on the red wine. Haven't been to this port. We celebrated our Christmas last week with the family at DD's house so DH and I could isolate before the cruise. We had a wonderful day! Today will be another quiet day of cruise prep. Getting so excited! DDIL, DS and me The whole family Sadly I just saw an aid truck take a neighbor away -- what a way to start Christmas. I think he's a cancer patient and may have other problems as well. I know the aid trucks come more and more often to that house. The family is dysfunctional with lots of other problems, none of us know them. 😞 Gerry @ger_77 Happy Birthday!! @Cruzin Terri I'm glad your tummy issues are over, and hope you feel much better soon. Vanessa @JazzyV Four hours is an improvement, prayers for much, much more improvement.

The Lumpia turned out good! I did a test first, 300 degrees 10 minutes -- they were crispy but not quite browned enough to my liking so I did more at 325 and they did brown up a little more. Not like the deep fryer, but as long as they're crispy and not lily white we're happy. I'd post photos but we ate them too fast!

It has been decades since I've made Lumpia from scratch, but I've found a frozen brand that tastes every bit as good and a fraction of the work! It worked, thank you! How wonderful!!! It reminds me of when DS and DDIL flew up from CA and surprised us for our 50th. I was talking to DS on the phone, thinking he was home, when he walked into the room.🤣 I know all of us will rest easier once we're on our way! The last couple weeks are always hard. Thank you Paul -- I did Google Lumpia in the air fryer and surprisingly it says 300 degrees for 10 minutes, spritz with a little oil. I'm still going to "test" it with one or two like Lenda suggested. Now my mouth is watering thinking of that Lumpia!

Thank you! This helps a lot. Good idea to test one or two first. 🙂

Good morning all and Happy Christmas Eve! I'm running late today, not the best sleep last night. Too much on my mind before we leave in 8 days. We've been saving some of the Alton Brown Egg Nog for today and tomorrow. DS makes it every year and gave us some. 🙂 I hope Libya is celebrating, and no to the quote. We shouldn't ever be detached from life. Thank you all who posted photos of Darwin and thank you Roy @rafinmd for posting the links. We will be there on the GANZ. Our plan for that day is the HOHO, which I see some of you have done before. I would love the meal, have no instant pot so would do it in the oven. The drink and wine sound good as well. Tonight will be steak, my quest to empty out the freezer is going well! 🙂 Since we had our Christmas celebration with the family already, it will be a quiet couple of days here for DH and me. Just continuing the house cleaning and cruise prep. I would like some air fryer advice, please. I think it was Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser who told me months ago that Lumpia would do well in the air fryer -- well I got one for Christmas (yay!) and plan to make Lumpia in it today or tomorrow. I do remember you said it would be best if it has a shelf (?) Mine does, did you have other advice that I've forgotten? I haven't even read all the instructions yet, but do know that Lumpia isn't in the instructions. Would I do it like frozen fish sticks (the closest thing I see in the manual)? For that it says 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Thanks for any input!! I could also Google it. Happy Birthday to Sarah @grapau27! Happy Birthday to your DGD @bennybear! What a beautiful baby. 🙂

All of our cruises lately have been on Pinnacle class...maybe they're the only ones without the taco bar (?)