May B

I’ve decided the person who wrote the FAQ section is somewhat clueless about what is planned. Not sure why they haven’t updated the question about specialty dining, now that Nobu has presumably signed the contract with NC. It reminds me of when we used to wonder what was taking them so long to add entertainment and enrichment details to specific sailings. To us it seemed like it should take about five minutes. What a first-world problem THAT turned out to be, compared to what was coming down the pike.

Perhaps b/c the previous cruise and the next cruise have more sea days. I was talking to a friend today who reminded me that the bridge people are often booked for several cruises in a row.

What I meant to explain is that I think you purposely chose Crystal cruises for the at-sea days. I think I told you that Steve Smolen ran the bridge program on our only Oceania, but I don’t know if he ever had enough of a turn-out any day for a sanctioned game. It was late afternoon. Only one other guest besides Mr B and I showed up. It was a VERY port-intensive Mediterranean cruise. He did quite a few B2B2Bs.

Such a frustrating disease to watch. To say nothing about how much research has been, so far for no results.

Darlin’, I understand that in YOUR experience, that has been the case, on Crystal and on other lines. In MY experience, NO Crystal cruise ever sailed without a bridge instructor in the a.m. on sea days, and a sanctioned game around 2 pm. I agree there were no lessons on port days. I might even agree that on one day in a particularly juicy port, the 2 pm game was not ACBL-sanctioned.

I think stopping at every hand sanitizer IS his hobby! I actually do like to use the hand sanitizer after I felt it prudent to use the railing when I went up or down the stairs. At least that got me so I could take out my key, open the door, and wash my hands with warm water and soap.

Sad for your dad and family, but so glad you could laugh about it! Some things are out of our control.

Yikes! At least after two days, they just took away the one that still wasn’t working, on deck seven.

Sure he could and he often does. He doesn’t want want somebody ELSE to find it empty and “give up trying”.

Except the crew on board are usually MUCH more responsive than reservations. The real answer is we don’t live in a perfect world. What we CAN control is our response to that world. Sadly, Mr B has been more grumpy lately. I’ll have to deal with it.

Actually, I carry the one they gave us in our cabin. But he was gallivanting around without me.

Of course. At Ocean View, that’s 100% true.

Mr B thinks this is too long to wait. He reported two empty Purell dispensers to Guest Services at 7:50 am. At 8:30, neither of the two had been refilled. He thinks this is too long to wait, especially b/c our sailing follows one where Noro and Covid were prevalent, so prevalent that the ship was visited by CDC and underwent a thorough, and I mean super duper thorough, cleaning before we could board.

See post #1 of this thread to find the CC ones. I haven’t gone looking for any on that other, bigger site. I do, however, have very good friends on the inaugural of Serenity. They were the reason Mr B and I tried Crystal in the first place.

Nancy, good find! Thx for posting it.

I thought they warned us of the planned purge, and asked us to report any threads we wanted saved. Still, it seems a shame to lose all that history.

Roy, it’s great to hear from you about this! And also about Symphony now.

Absolutely, but I don’t think that was the (retired) Salobs. I could be wrong. It was the Regional at Sea, in the daytime, for sure. They have to be in a separate room from Crystal’s bridge program. In the evening the regional moves into the bridge room.

I was thinking there was a movie in the Hollywood Theatre at 10:30.

There are several who run organized bridge, after blocking space (staterooms, and playing space). I’m guessing I know who you mean, as I can only think of one who is new to the market, and they seem to have taken over for the previous couple. That previous couple had a huge number of loyal followers, b/c they did a beautiful job. I actually stopped in to say hi once, on Symphony. Their game was in Prego! The husband was extremely gracious. One year they went directly from the holiday cruise, ending in Miami, to Australia to board the other ship. I was impressed!

Also, they help even out the genders in dance classes.

I did get the Jack Anderson email. I don’t care what I receive, tbh, as long as I love the cruise experiences I am looking forward to enjoying on Serenity, this year and next.

Hi Kathy, I agree that Larry Cohen, Robert Todd and Michael Berkowitz are the best-known instructors. However, their cruises (exclusively run by a travel agency I shall not name, b/c I think it isn’t allowed on Cruise Critic) were Regionals at Sea. I expect they will be up and running as soon as their terms can be negotiated. Unless the infamous owner of that agency carries such a grudge against OC that he refuses to book NC. They have a RaS advertised for December on another cruise line. However, Ginny and Jeff were famous enough that bitob was looking forward to cruising with them, and they were running Crystal’s bridge program. I am personally acquainted with five others who directed/taught in Crystal’s bridge program. Four are very experienced players and teachers, and the other one is a very experienced club director.

See what happens when I just take somebody’s word for something, without verifying? Thx for correcting my misinformation. Clearly I was misled!

I believe the recent death of a passenger during turbulence was on a Netjet. I never saw the description of what actually happened. I have been fortunate to go to two BRK weekends. Love them!