4boysnana

Dear Sue

It was a great pleasure to send you a few cruise ideas. I wish I could send you a hug along with the good wishes.

I believe cruising is the perfect vacation as it is so flexible. I hope you have a wonderful time.

I had to cancel my Infinity cruise for next year but I will be thinking of you.

Happy cruising

Susan

Sue,

Happy cruising! On my next cruise I will be bringing a walker, cane and scooter.My scooter will be used for distances and my walker has a seat. I can walk a little with the cane but I don't do well standing in lines and will use the walker. I will have a seat for sail a way or just wave watching.

I am so looking forward to my cruise and I will do what I have to do to enjoy the wonders of being at sea. Every ones cruise experience is different and we might not be climbing rock walls but we will have a wonderful time.

Don't get too tired and pace your self. If something would help you ask to see if it is available. I have requested a shower chair and guess what? I need to elevate my legs every day and I am bringing a deflated beach ball to blowup in the cabin. That will be my footstool. Cute too.

Have you spoken to the Special Needs desk? They will be glad to help in any way they can. I will have a cruise line transfer and they have a bus that can handle my scooter.

Plan ahead and ask questions. Pamper yourself and do something for yourself everyday.

Have fun and enjoy every minute. Give a big smile to all those around you and a bigger smile to those that are honored to help you.

I wish we were going to be on the same cruise and we could have lunch or tea.

Relax and enjoy the healing power of the sea.

Feel those cool breezes and look at the twinkling stars. They are for you.

Happy cruising. If you see a smiling lady with a little gray hair and a few other interesting things going on it might be me. I WILL see the world one port at a time.

Susan

Dang, I wish I hadn't read the whole thing. I am sorry I didn't know my BIL was on all those cruises! He would knock down a lady to get to the buffet first.

embarrassed.....again

4boysnana

Happy cruising!

Don't worry...be happy. I wish you were going on my next cruise and we could go have lunch.

I am a BBW and I love cruising. I will be bringing my scooter and my walker with seat on my next cruise. I have a condition that limits my mobility and the walker is great for short distances or standing in lines.

I called Hawaii today to ask about some tours on the islands and if you ask and investigate in advance you can get good advice about what will be comfortable for you.

If you go to the dining room just hold your head high and if needed ask for a chair with no arms. For me they have one at my table ready to go after asking the first time.

I always ask for a shower chair because of my mobility and it helps prevents falls!

I just found a great swim top that I will using on the beach and I have capri pants that I will be loving. I don't want to get burned while swimming with the rays!

Enjoy every minute of your cruise and don't worry about others.

4boysnana

No animal should be dressed in human clothes in my opinion.

I agree. I would be honored to share a cruise with a true service animal but I would be sad to see a pooch dressed in a sailor suit in a stroller. I have heard people say they bought the certificate on line rather than pay for boarding for the poor little pooch.

It has gotten out of hand with the people scamming. I was at my local produce market and a lady had her mutt and it was not on a leash. It lifted it's leg on a case of vegetables and I did say something to her. She said, It's OK he's a comfort animal.

Market staff had to throw the whole thing out and they said they could not confront her.

4boysnana

Years ago when cruising with our preteen kids we ordered escargot for them so we could get a few extra to enjoy. Those rotten kids really liked them.

They are now adults with kids of their own and they still like almost anything.

Happy cruising

4boysnana

I was so excited when I read that the Fall cruises were posted on HAL. I have been waiting to book a bucket list cruise for next year.

I raced over to the HAL website and..... no Panama Cruises after May 2016.

I cancelled the Celebrity cruise on my signature to try HAL and now I wish I had stayed with it. Many calls to HAL with creeping delay starting in July and then August and now they say they will contact me in September.

I wonder if this has something to do with the new canal opening and maybe a higher cost of the cruise?? I can't figure out what is going on. The cruise I want is listed in the atlas.

Come on HAL. I need an HC cabin and I know the demand will be high.

4boysnana

Looks like this thread is winding down, but I want to share my story first!

 

A couple years ago I was wondering around the ship in the evening (it was not an NCL ship) and came across a situation out side the photo area. A security guard was confronting a group of teenagers, and I quickly picked up that one of the teenagers was caught trying to take a printed photo he had not paid for. The kid (guessing he was 15-17 range) was arguing that he had forgot he had it, or that a friend had put it in his stuff - some sort of BS story.

 

Regardless, what got me what how he was treating the security guard. Instead of being apologetic and respectful, he was yelling at the guard, using steady profanity and insults. I was shocked to my core with the behavior and could only imagine what type of upbringing would cause a kid of this age to act like this.

 

Then to top it all off, the security guard eventually let the kid off with a warning. I can understand that cruise lines might turn a blind eye to some behavior in certain circumstances, but in my opinion, this kid deserved the proverbial book to be thrown at him!

I greatly hope that there was a strong followup for the young persons sake. If kids get away with something by using profanity and yelling I am afraid they will continue to abuse rules and laws until they can't talk their way out of a situation.

Of course I can hear the parents making excuses and buying off crimes also. I pity the kids these days that haven't been given the gift of strong values.

4boysnana

Hello

I have been waiting to book a Panama Canal cruise for next year. The thing that is really annoying is that I was told in June it would be available in July and then I was told August and now September.

I have thought about going with another line, in fact I was booked on a Celebrity cruise and cancelled it to try HAL. I liked some of the ports better but now I am wondering if I made the right choice.

Come on HAL! The cruises are planned and in the on line brochure and now we just want to reserve our cabins. I really think the frustration and constant delays is costing you customers.

If I miss the opportunity to secure the cabin I need (HC) I will be a very sad cruiser. HAL are you listening?

4boysnana

I booked one about 540 days out to get the cabin I need. I am checking everyday on a Panama canal cruise for September of next year on HAL that hasn't been released. I is driving me nuts. You can see it on the online brochure but you can't book it yet. Maybe August.

4boysnana

Thank you to the well traveled and knowing people that share their expertise on these boards. I always hope the cruise lines take note and hear from the few that struggle and yet still really want to travel despite challenges.

I am one of those cruisers that waits at the elevator and waits as people rush to get on and heaven forbid they wait or give room for a scooter or walker. I have waited as elevator after elevator goes by until I find one that I can use.

On one deck plan I saw a wheelchair symbol on an elevator on a lido deck. Are there elevators that are or could be reserved for assisted device use? I know changes are coming from the ADA and it would speed up the other elevators and we would not hold up the masses. Many people are kind would do anything to help but if we had a key card just for use on the cruise for a selected elevator it would give us freedom.

I wish I could take the stairs and I know there are ever increasing numbers of cruisers that need a little help. Thanks for listening.

4boysnana

And one of those. It looks like so much fun.Thank you for posting the pictures. Made my day.

I better not over pack so I have room in my suitcase! On other trips I have had to purchase luggage.

Fun fun fun

Happy travels

4boysnana

Are you going to Curacao? There is a huge, wonderful fabric shop on the second or third street back from the waterfront, midway in the block, on the left, if you are walking towards the floating market.

 

I am not a quilter, or crafty at all, but I was taken by the beautiful prints, and brought a few yards home.

 

In Panama and Costa Rica you can get pieces of the mola fabric made by the Embera Indian women, which are quilted works of art in their own right. Again, not cheap, so so worth it for the hand crafted artistry.

 

Good luck on your search. And yes, I was at the batik factory years ago and nothing was cheap, even then.

I am going there in January! I will check it out. Did they have batik? Thank you for letting me know.

I would love to find some nice tropical fabric and I also do embroidery and needlework.

See you in the checkout line

Happy travels

4boysnana

In Arizona batik fabric is always a little more per yard than other quilting fabric. I am hoping they might have some small picture type fabrics. Like a sea scene with palm trees or something.

I am working on a batik quilt right now that is called SEA GLASS. It is light blues and greens in batiks.

I would love to find someone on my cruise that would like to hunt down some quilt shops on the Islands.

4boysnana

we have been on a few cruises when the police "escorted" someone off the ship.

 

we had a woman stowaway one time - ft lauderdale.

 

another time we had a young man who was trying to smuggle drugs into the country -- ft lauderdale.

 

and we had 3 young men who got rowdy in the ocean bar during happy hour. At our first port of call -- the police took them off the ship -- san juan.

 

in ft lauderdale disembarkation was held up because of the arrests -- ship could not be cleared until the police had done their duty.

 

have no idea what their penalities were.

stowaway????

I am planning on visiting this location on my cruise in January. I can't wait! I better leave room in suitcase for fabric. I quilt and sew and yes I am a fabricaholic.

4boysnana

I agree! I have going nuts trying to book for next year. Like some of you I have been given the creeping delay story for months. June then July and now August.

I need an HC room and I know they will be gone in a flash. I Haven't sailed with HAL for decades and I wanted to try them but this is nuts.

You can look at the online Ebrochure and see the ships and dates but you can't book a cabin.

4boysnana

What about seating that is also wider as well as higher. I have really bad hips and find that most of the seats are too small.

I like your style! I have asked for a chair with no arms in restaurants or dining rooms that have miniature seating.

I agree. I also must book cabins at least a year in advance to secure an HC cabin. I wish we had more options and I would be thrilled with a modified cabin that had a wider door to work with scooter. I would need a little room to turn around but I don't need a roll in shower. Maybe there should be scooter cabins! We need a good charging spot and an automatic opening door would be great. I can always dream. I would love being able to afford a balcony but I don't need a ramp.

Since I am dreaming.....how about seating that is a little taller? I will be out there with my scooter, walker and cane but I hope the cruise lines are listening. Do any of the cruise lines have dedicated elevators for special needs travelers? I am sorry to make other wait as we roll on and off elevators.

Thank you for the increased HC restrooms but let's keep working together to make our experience safe and comfortable. Most of the staff are great and very helpful.

Happy travels

4boysnana

Lucky duck! Congratulations and enjoy every minute.

I got a free upgrade on Princess from HC inside to an ocean view for a 28 day. I about fell over.

4boysnana

I have been checking everyday and still no Panama Canal past May of next year. Come on HAL.... I have even started looking at other lines.

I had called and a very nice agent told me it would be this month.

4boysnana

I want to sit at the quilters table!

I would love solo cabins with a balcony and while I am wishing I would like lower solo fares.

How about guarantee HC cabins?

4boysnana

Thank you so much for the wonderful pictures. I would have loved to be on one of those breath taking ships to view the three Queens.

Wow. You were in the right place at the right time.

Happy travels to all

4boysnana

This is a returning airport story. My DD and I were at the London airport years ago while it was under construction. We were having fun shopping in the shops and decided we should start towards the gates to board. We thought we had lots of time but as we entered the passage way to the gates there was a sign that said it was about a 45 minute walk to the gates! We picked up the pace and it was a long walk.

It was at least 45 minutes dashing and by the time we got to our gate the door was closing on the plane and we leaped on and the door slammed behind us. Why is our gate always the last gate?

They should let you know how long the walk will be before you enter the passage way or is it the panic way.

4boysnana