graphicguy

35 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

The spot is dry, for now 😸  Dan, if it looks good, talk w GF and book it !  It's safe to walk past that area, apparently 😁

 

Thinking a round, brass plaque on that spot with my image.  Thinking something along these lines.

https://images.app.goo.gl/gX8H1K7rGCB2zDvXA

GF left to go back to TN last night.  We spent all day yesterday trying to come up with a cruise we can do together.  I still have a couple of CN certs left.  I booked Joy/Bermuda for next month.  But, neither of us have been to northern Europe.  So, partially based on the posts here, we're thinking we could pull this off.  

Again, I can cruise whenever.  She needs a lot of runway as far as time off.  We were looking at Europe cruises yesterday.

She's camera shy, but she found this one from a few years ago.  I think we were sailing the Epic....????  There was no label on the photo.

BTW...she's a Nurse and it's "Nurse's Week".  So, thanks to all the nurses who really heal us when we're broken.  

Never seen those Vibe Cabanas for "rent".  I think it's first come, first served.

And, you'll stick out like a sore thumb if you try to "CHOG" them.  Be easy to remove someone's "stuff" if it sits there for 30 minutes or so.

1 hour ago, TravelGirlinDallas said:

This happened 18 years ago today. ♥️

Yay.....Happy Anniversary!!!!!

I am so LOVING this cruise looking at all the pictures.  Given I already love the Prima, I'm now shopping the same itinerary.

27 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

@graphicguy you left an indelible mark on the Prima forever…

 

 

Oh my......feeling a bit infamous.....I wonder if I can somehow capitalize on that to have a Prima doorway named after me. 😉

1 hour ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Top of the morning to you all. 
 

Cherry cookies were spotted at the buffet this morning. A crew member walked around with a tray of cookies offering to everyone and then bypassed me. 
 

“Excuse me, you didn’t offer me any cookies.”

 

He didn’t expect that attitude so early in the morning. 
 

 

 

Oooooo....never seen those before.  I will be on the lookout for those cookies.

17 hours ago, #55worktoplay said:

In the high tech hat days we got some kind extra pay every month to keep us. I and many others were getting offers with huge sign on bonuses. I held in with the safe route through those times. Did get out at 50 to return as consultant though. 

My old company would compensate those of us who stuck around through the "lean" times, and did so quite generously often.  Heck, I remember a few years before COVID, when we were starting to really advance into much larger revenue growth, they sent me two tickets to see Hamilton on Broadway with hotel, airfare and meals per diem along with a 5 figure check after going without a raise the prior year.

They contact me at least once a quarter wanting me to come back as a consultant.  I tell them all the time, they can find someone cheaper, and certainly can find someone younger to help out.  Yet, they keep trying to get me to jump back in the saddle.  

Will say, they do make it very attractive.  But, the further out I'm gone from working, the less and less I want to jump back into the fray.

I kind of view this the same was as I do flight boarding times.  Generally speaking, if you're not on board 10-15 minutes before doors closing, you're OOL!  Once in a while you'll catch a break.  Mostly, not!

Tours, especially private ones, have no safety nets.  Late to get back to the pier?  Weather?  Traffic?  Irresponsible tour operators (as in the one in Africa that didn't get the guests back in time)?  None of that matters and the ship's schedule is the schedule.

You get some leeway if it's a ship sponsored tour.  But, independent?  Grace period would be hard to come by.

@KmomChicago...God Bless you.  Tough hand you've been dealt.  Sounds like you've perpared yourself to "move on".  The hardest decision is that...to finally move on without feeling guilty.  

Lost an ex wife that way.  She's alive, but no longer my wife.  But, after all your pleading, threats, tears, etc eventually you have to move on without fear of them hurting you, hurting someone else, hurting themselves.

All that said, I hope this last ditch effort works out for him.

But, you're going to take a cruise.  Have fun!!!!!

9 minutes ago, #55worktoplay said:

Do you have any hair left? 😀

 

I live and work in what was Canada’s San Jose but I took the safe route and stayed with federal government.  I work with many ex Nortel employees who pretty much lost their retirement and had to start over in their 40’s and 50’s. A 75 year old company gone. Who would have thought huh! 🤔 

Gov’t work is a whole other world.  Good for you!  Dealt with DOD contracts.  Y’all have your own challenges.

I have friends and neighbors who work(ed) locally for P&G and GE….both major employers in my area.  They’re all stressed, all the time!!!!

Any companies who didn’t make retirement accounts untouchable should have their exec staff and major investors made responsible for shortfalls.

My company (AMD) was close to bankruptcy because Intel could outspend us in bringing the latest and greatest chips to market quicker than we could.  So, we were always on the fringes until the last few years.  

Some years they wanted an accounting of every paper clip we used.  Went without raises some years.  They made up for it once the company’s fortunes turned.

But, there were other years when we were barely scraping by as a company that I wondered if every HR email that hit my desk was a RIF notice!

13 minutes ago, Ellis1138 said:

Is it a specific Amex card that does this?

AMEX Platinum…

This explains the program…

https://global.americanexpress.com/card-benefits/detail/cruises-privileges/platinum

2 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Le Bistro is my least favorite but Platinum AmEx buys dinner for me and a buddy so I will try it again tonight. 
 

I like French food…just not Le Bistro. Stay tuned. 
 

That’s why I go to LeBistro…the AMEX PERK!

@mking8288...I have not had a "good" meal at LeBistro in all my sailings.  I know I'm way in the minority on that.  Have to say, your meal looks exceptional, though.  Glad you really liked it.

19 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

@graphicguy …

 

While at the start of the pub crawl (special thanks to @Taxvp for coordinating) @Fogfog and @mking8288 mentioned that there is an active leak coming from the Local bar, so a crew member has been standing with a mop at the ready. 
 

And in case there are any nonbelievers…

 

 

We have all been thinking of you. 

 

I wonder if I can get a plaque with an outline of my face plant on the floor right there to commemorate my lack of decorum?  Looks like it could be an ongoing issue at that particular place.

15 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I always enjoy reading your posts and it's a joy to see what you write. However, this time I can't agree with you. As far as I'm concerned, cruise lines are only in charge of what is actually theirs, meaning their staff, and that's it. Dock workers, pier workers, tugboat operators, customs and border enforcement, and municipal workers do not work for the cruise line, so any delays or bad customer service are NOT the fault of the cruise line, period.

I could be wrong, but I think the pier workers are mostly union workers.  NCL couldn't motivate them either way even if they wanted to because they aren't NCL employees.  

I can't imagine NCL trying to get them to work smarter, better, etc and the pier workers  taking direction from an outside source very well.

Thought I read one time even the baggage porters/handlers are union.

Nothing against unions, but forcing the pier workers to be more efficient is probably a lost cause.

10 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Yes, we were a fabless company. So many great memories there. The company was so employee oriented I could tell stories for days about how well we were treated. Money flowed like water. I was so sad when I had to quit because I loved it there, but the Navy was moving us to Key West.

Heady times.  I remember flying into SFO or SJC at least 3-4 time a month and just amazed at the the the tech businesses cropping up in South SF, or San Jose, Milpitas, Los Gatos, Fremont, etc.  I know for a while, my company (don't know why I'm keeping it a secret, it's Advanced Micro Devices-AMD) was busting at the seams,  We had little pockets of workers in different parts of the area because we couldn't find a space to house all of us in the same facility.

In SJC, the Avis counter was right outside to the right.  You could check for your car and walk right to it...no bus.

The remote people would make a stampede on Friday afternoon to go home.  Problem, there would be so many of us returning our rentals that they'd start huge lines waiting to just get into the parking lot of the rental parking lot.

We had flights to catch.  So, we'd double and triple park our rentals outside the Avis parking lot and "hope" they'd find it and send us a receipt for our expense filings.

Up until the day I retired I still wonder after a couple of years whether I would go back, as AMD has approached me to do several times.  

Through the thick and the thin of the business, I loved it all.

24 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

Some noise in a corner. Have asked to have engineering look at it. Given the rolling seas ..we understand. Not new to ships. Hoping they can address it. It’s a bit of an intermittent click. Not constant. And definitely depends on roll/pitch

 

 

Re specialty dining.. we had 6:30 reserv, got seated at 7:10. Food and service was excellent. Best dessert on the ship imho is the orange/ fillo dough basket/ Greek yogurt ice cream thing Palomar .

 

On ship vibe etc…for us bridge players it’s been harder because mahjong groups are big. Guest services has moved mahjong to different venues to allow other board games, cards to have space etc yet some mahjong pax don’t care despite signage and being asked to relocate.

 

Cookies still MIA.

 

TYVM Peter for hosting today. We all had a great time.

 

@graphicguy  we thought of you in the Local.

 

 

 

 

Sounds like I’m an unwitting celebrity!  LOL!

Y’all are bringing back a lot of fond memories!

Loving all of the reports and pics!  Thx!

5 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Crew are given the option of remaining on for the nude cruise, or transferring to another ship.

Any idea about how many crew opt out?  Percentage wise?  What if they can't get enough crew to work this cruise?

2 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Ocean Walk not officially closed but not a soul outside 😆😁 but loungers stacked up & secured against motion.

@dexddd - this is for your convenience to sail & sustain ... or just to look at & ponder 🤗

 

 

 

 

The Local is just as quiet, too early at 9:30 & sleeping in 🤫

 

 

 

There's a yellow caution & large towels on the floor near the bar counter & walking path into/thru The Local ... (is there a leak somewhere ???) must be the infamous spot @graphicguy Dan still has flashback for 😬 

 

That's the spot!  LOL!

10 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Not sure if you ever heard of them, but I worked for a company called Chips & Technologies in the late 80’s. They were in Milpitas which is in the San Jose area.

 

I had indeed heard of Chips and Technologies.  You guys were a fabless graphics chip company, right?  At the time, I was working for Xerox (job I had coming straight out of college).  I commuted to their Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), obviously in Palo Alto.  

They were working on the graphics chip which would eventually be used for the MacOS (a whole other story). Knew a lot of the tech companies out in the Valley back then.  Brings back some memories.

I was recruited pretty heavily by some of them.  Back then it was a "big deal" to work for Xerox.  Today, they are just a sad shell of what they used to be.  Story has been told over and over.  See Kodak, Wang, Data General, Control Data...all either out of business or an anemic form of what they once were.  They stubbornly held on to the past without moving forward.

I was recruited pretty heavily back then.  Ended up going the "start up" route in the early '90s (a small Milpitas firm, also in the GPU space when only big room filled computers ruled the day and we were doing the same thing with our chips).  Right place, right time!  We went public during the boom.  Then, the bust hit.  We still had long term contracts with the likes of HP, DEC (long gone), Gateway (gone), Compaq (long gone), etc.  But, as those customers began falling, we had to reinvent ourselves and became a complete GPU (integrated CPU and Graphics chip on a PCB).  

My company bounced around from one owner to the next.  At one time, we were actually bought by the tractor company, Kubota (whose U.S. HQ was in San Jose at the time), because they wanted into the computer business.  Talk about mismanaged and a company who had no idea about how to run a tech business....LOL! It was interesting, if not entertaining.

Anyway, Kubota realized they didn't know what they were doing and divested our division (High Performance Computing Division).  We ended up being bought by a large computer graphics company based out of Mississauga, Ontario (Advanced Technology Inc).  Then, about 10 years ago, we were bought by the "other" big chip manufacturer, and were based in Fremont.  I retired from them right after COVID.  Seemed like the right time for me.

As I look back, I can't tell you how many firings and RIFs I went through, even at some stops, I wondered whether my paycheck would clear.  But, somehow they viewed many of us a bridge between the original company and the new companies we were bought by.  So, we rode the wave and held on...sometimes way past the time others thought were prudent.  I doubted my own career path many of those times.  Silicon Valley and the world of funding by Venture Capitalists is not for the faint of heart.

As luck would have it, eventually I was again, at the right place at the right time, as I still had founders stock in the original start up that was bounced around. That stock converted every step I took.

I was more lucky than good.

LOL!  Just laid out my resume for you guys.  

3 hours ago, Funsince1983 said:

Mm prob not. Bermuda in September/October is questionable. The Quebec City whatever other New England ports itinerary looks like it could be enticing. 

Looked seriously at a Norwegian Joy cruise for New York, but ended in Quebec City.  Nice itinerary, though....Halifax, Sydney, Charlestown and Quebec City. Last I looked a month ago, fares were good.

3 hours ago, cwn said:

Interesting about eating times….on April 5-16 sailing Hudsons was open for dinner 5-9pm and Commodore open 5:30-9:30. For lunch Surfside grill was open 11:30-5pm, the cafe 11:30-2pm, Local Bar and grill 11am-10pm, Indulge varied usually for about 2 hours between 11 and 3 depending on port time or sea day. The only time we found a crowd at the main restaurants was just as they opened. After about 30 mins or so you could just about walk in. I didn’t make the speciality reservations until we got on and had no trouble getting times we like just had to be flexible on the days. Don’t understand why the times would change so.

 

Add us to those who really liked the Prima. We checked out the Observation Lounge, loved that with all the nooks and small food station, and all the eating places and bars. We would like to take our young adult grandkids on a week long cruise. Actually we enjoyed the Atrium for people watching.  

That was my experience, too.  Don't rush to the restaurant the minute they open, and given that, getting seated was pretty quick, simple and painless. 

44 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

We upgraded to unlimited Wi-Fi and have been fine with incoming email etc. not using streaming so can’t speak to that.

I will miss a zoom mtg by choice..good excuse ..ha

He’s getting some work done between eating, Ha

 

Balcony like all spaces ..cold wet foggy. Kinda of cool and mysterious..and the foghorn etc  … makes it fun

Robrt took a nap on a lounger on the balcony wrapped in a blanket yesterday.

He did use the pool today as have others..saying it was warm. 
 

He’s been to the gym twice as well. Can be crowded with weekend warriors so to speak.

we hear the thermal spa is nice but haven’t been.

Have noticed some pax are friendly, some aloof and in their own world AND are usually standing in the middle of walkways…kind of like herding cats in some hallways. So there are parts of the sh

ip we haven’t ventured to yet.

 

Others are just grumpy and seem to forget they paid to be here. Maybe they been stuck behind the ones standing in the middle of walkways…😆

It’s supposed to be fun, and maybe a smile, politeness to others from these grumpy ones might be the “pay it forward ticket” they need…..kwim? 

 

Noticed that we change time zones tonight instead of moving an hour today. 
 

We will see you all for Peters CC pub crawl tom.
Have our trivia question ready.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boy do I love your post!!!!!

6 minutes ago, tsahall01 said:

Apple is supposed to come out with a watch designed for seniors.  I am waiting to see what it is all about.  I've had a fitbit for years, but since fitbit was acquired by Google, their product has gone WAY downhill.  When my last Sense broke down while still under warranty, they replaced it with a Sense 2.  Very user unfriendly and I swore I would never buy another crappy fitbit again (most of my fitbits last a little over a year, so I've bought plenty over the years).  Hoping that my fitbit will last until the new iWatch comes out.

I had heard that there was a new AppleWatch coming out.  But, that's the nature of tech...as soon as you buy one thing, there's another newer-better one just around the corner.  Just stuck a stick on the sand and went with an Apple Watch 9.  

Agree about FitBit.  After being the leader of the pack, they have really gone down hill.  Before getting the Apple Watch, I bought a FitBit at Costco knowing I could return it.  After a week, I returned it and didn't look back.

I retired from a large computer chip manufacturer.  They had camps in both Intel and our own chips with the different tech and gaming hardware companies.  We had just overtaken Intel within several measurements and markets when I retired (you're welcome...LOL!) after competing (and losing) with them for a long time.  We were (and are) still going head-to-head with NVIDIA in the AI space, which is HUGE and tied to the future of just about any chip company in the world.

Anyway, all of our corporate laptops were Windows based.....EXCEPT for marketing (which I was a part of).  We had a choice of Windows or MacOS machines....as long as they ran Office.  I got one of the first Apple Laptops that were non-Intel chip based.  Learning curve was short and the MacOS is just so much more stable compared to Windows, I became a fan quickly.

We had choices of mobile phones, too.  But, I stuck mainly with Android since most of the company was using them and they seemed easier to use with Outlook (which is not iPhone's strong suit).

Since retirement a few years ago, and based on my limited experiences with the MacBook, I dove deeper and deeper into the Apple eco-system.....M2 MacBook Air, a Mac Mini as a media server that I'm in the process of loading ALL of my Music and trying to get a hard drive big enough to transfer all my physical media movies loaded.  Of course, an iPhone (13).  I just completed the ecosystem after I found out my health plan supplements a smart watch.

They'll totally cover the cost of a Fitbit or Garmin.  But, having an iPhone, the logical choice would be to get an Apple Watch.  But, they're pricey.

Asked the insurance company if I could just have a credit for the Fitbit type of watch to get something else.  They said no, then maybe, then mentioned open enrollment is coming up in a few months where I'll be doing compare and contrast.  That seems to have hit a nerve.

Anyway, they acquiesced (along with my insurance broker's nagging).  Not a lot, but $100 credit.  Sold some no longer used ear buds, mobile batteries, bluetooth speakers, etc. and scraped enough together for the creme de la creme....

I get excited about the little things in life......LOL!