May B

I’m so pleased to see you single out this sentence.

Bon voyage!

Thx! Please tell her Muriel of Muriel and Phil fame says hello. We’ve played on a team with her at least once. Plus, she was the bridge person on one Crystal we were on, also on Symphony (although I don’t recall the itinerary!).

Love that space to wait to board at Pier E. It was the site of my last two Crystal cruises! Thank you, Rob, for your great posts. Bon voyage to you both.

I don’t know what sailing you were on, but n Nov. 2nd out of Miami, there were way more than 20 guests, plus dance hosts, plus entertainers. Just watching CD Raphael and his dance partners was fun for me. I just looked at my photos, where I was reminded we ate at Umi Uma that night. It was fun seeing the other diners in their white, such a variety!

As we all know, Viking does things differently from other cruise lines. One thing they do that can work in our favor is post availability of various categories. This helps us watch for potential sell-outs, of either the category we want or the entire ship. Another thing I consider courteous is changing promos on the 1st of a month and keeping them until the last day of the month. This allows a last-day booking, to hold with deposit due on the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd of the month. Then check the promo/cruise fare on the 1st to see if it behooves us to put down the deposit or wait for the end of the next month. The $25 pp deposit is quite nice as well.

I’m always disappointed when it’s somebody I don’t know! I hope there’s been a good turnout. On a few days in port on Serenity recently, they didn’t have duplicate on the schedule, just unhosted bridge. They tried that on the holiday cruise and practically had a mutiny.

One of the beauties of Crystal’s method of charging you after the shore excursion has been enjoyed: in case an adjustment becomes necessary, it can be done before the charge is even posted to your acct. Kudos to Crystal for that. It impressed me as a very civilized way of doing things.

I don’t think Crystal’s res. agents have a corner on that market.

So glad to hear you can play duplicate again! So, pray tell, who is it?!

Actually, our friends on deck seven were in an Oceanview and got the little snack things every late afternoon from their butler. Our butler, otoh, for our desk nine double with a veranda got them to us exactly ONCE. I guess he couldn’t handle all his 18 of our category plus the rest (mostly sapphire but a couple of handicapped-accessible aquamarines and Jr CPs).

On Serenity on Nov. 2nd, I was amazed at how quickly a little line-up was seated, lickety split. And I don’t mean they rushed us to our tables. It was all gracious and comfortable.

That ship had issues that don’t resemble Serenity in any way, shape or form. Its problems were unique and sad to hear about. Actually, I’m sure they were frustrating to mgmt. as well as the guests.

Wow, bummer …for the players AND the instructor!

Tripacian, I’d like to hear who’s doing the bridge if you get a chance. I was intrigued to see that I know the couple on the Serenity holiday cruise doing bridge (in the Lounge). Bon voyage to you and to DaisyUk. It makes it even more exciting for me to know people currently board Crystal. Happy to have cruised with the four of you.

Aha! Another fun tool for me to have in an open window. In the old days 😳 I remember lots of flights were x6, so the reverse for LGA is fun to consider. It’s like a spaghetti model, to get planes where they’re going? The one son will look for all the DCA exceptions, one by one, I’m sure. When Mr B and I flew to SJU for our honeymoon, we missed our plane from ALB to JFK, and they put us in an air taxi. We were at the airport on time, but we didn’t go to the gate until we heard them say final call, and they’d given our seats away by then!

Wow. Thx, FT! Can’t wait to try to stump my sons the aviation gurus with this tidbit. Is TPA-LGA about 1300, and MIA just sneaks in under the 1500? I was sure there would be LGA-SJU, but since I have the highest regard for your knowledge, now I know there isn’t.

Crystal tours certainly put money in the locals’ pockets. Locals are the tour operators, guides, bus drivers, boat drivers, and there might be a shop or restaurant involved, as well. I actually think the most dangerous thing when I go off ship is the uneven pavement I walk on! That was true recently in New Orleans, as well. Actually, I knew somebody who was mugged in New Orleans on a Sunday a.m., walking to or from church, about 40 years ago. I live in the city with the most pedestrians hit by cars of any city in the US, or something like that. I still go for walks. We all have our own standard of being careful. Let’s try not to relax those standards!

Since we first stepped onboard the Connie in 2008, we have felt the same. Crew and staff are so happy, such a huge asset on this ship. We were on this cruise with you! Didn’t see your thread. Actually, son who cruised with us found it, after we got home today. As he and I discussed, there’s so much posting on the Celebrity boards, threads get buried quickly. So now I just read the Viking boards and the Crystal boards, until I suddenly wonder, have I missed anything re Celebrity! Anyway, the escargot in the MDR also are excellent. I never saw the brownie sundae, but I was happy with every dessert I had, so I won’t worry about it. Actually, I enjoyed five beef dinners out of six, a true rarity. So happy to have prime rib, tournedos, Wellington and Dianne all nicely done on this cruise. Back to the way it used to be! With an extra oomph b/c it was a holiday cruise.

I do not recall having goose on the menu on any of my 56 past cruises. I am looking forward to this first, though: Xmas Eve dinner, crispy frog legs are an appetizer in the MDR.

And to Ivi: I have walked into my local Apple Store numerous times. Purchasing what you want will be cinchy. When you walk in, an employee will come ask you how you can be helped. Then they’ll walk you to the correct display and get a salesperson. Or, they themselves will be the salesperson. If you’re going from an old device to a new, don’t blink or you may miss the data transfer! Well, that may be an exaggeration, but not by much. The employees are also very good at answering questions that perplex us but are a piece of cake for them! The appts. are generally to sit at the Genius Bar for help with a more complex problem, I think. If they do even have them any more. Have fun!

I see those MCI marks on the sidewalks, Keith, and I wonder: are they actually about “your” MCI or something else?

I agree it doesn’t make sense. I think in this case you should either ask for the mgr. at the agency or call Crystal yourself. My own booking was in a double veranda like tripacian (hi!), to a classic aquamarine. There are many aquamarines on deck 10 and I was able to choose my specific cabin. I took the closest to midship that was offered. Until travel agents can see live availability, we can only trust what the Crystal agent tells us!

It just goes to show you how easily people make things up. Do they lie? Fib? Delude themselves? Guess? Fake it? I agree, Keith. It happens everywhere. Mr B used to say the three words he loved to hear were “I don’t know.” Then he knew he could expect some credibility in the rest of what the person said. He was talking about medical students and house staff! Even other attendings or private docs.

You inspired me, tryber. G-d willing and the Creek don’t rise, Mr B and I will be cruising in our first Aquamarine in June. I think this was a crafty plan by Crystal. Trying to find another cruise to book another one!