Donut23

Fingers crossed here too for her. After all, we cruise lovers, have to look out for each other.

Thanks.

They are way too cute. Met in a community dance class and he has swept her off her feet. They could easily become addicts and he can afford the addiction.

My Jim had never cruised until we met. The Radiance and Alaska changed his mind forever. The Grandeur could easily do the same.

I have been quietly watching.

My next door neighbor and new beau are sailing on Saturday. She is a little high strung about problems so I have not shared the Noro news the last weeks.

I just got off the phone with her assuring her the ship will be very clean. She got the text too.

Jim and I love cruising and we hope the have fun. They are such a cute couple and she deserves it after many years of caring for her Mom and family.

Fingers crossed.

If not immediately there, you are not far at all from the airport where you will have a big choice.

Don't forget, if you are coming from the far side of the island at the end of the day. traffic through town is simply awful. Give yourself enough time.

It's not just the CL or DL it's every where!!!

Yes there are rude obnoxious people in every area of that ship! In fact rude and obnoxious people in ever area of our lives.

Ok pick any area of the ship and you'll have stories of rudeness.

I too am annoyed by those HOT SHOT NOBODIES who seem to hold court in the CL.........and you know who you are! We are D+ and have seen all kinds of shenanigans in the Cl and everywhere.

We still love to cruise and try to ignore the undeserving hot shots no mater what color their cabin card is.

AMEN!

We call them "the Entitled". You find them almost everywhere.

Bad episode at Disneyworld with a Disney Vacation Club woman screaming at a cashier at Boardwalk Bakery. "IS THIS WHAT $40,000 GETS? I AM AN OWNER. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS...yada yada yada". Hubster, as only a native New Yorker can do, finally said..... "Listen Honey, if I give you $40,000, will you shut up and leave?"

Little people with perceived importance....a little like 3-day old fish.

For others.......Hubsters first cruise was the Radiance in 9258........the balcony is quite deep with at least 75% coverage if not more. You will be out there on a lounge chair in the rain, and perfectly dry.

Even better, in warmer climates, you can sleep out there on your lounge chairs without worry of evening dew getting you wet. I've done it.

Not to worry 9256. We were right next to the cabin and they were out there in lots of weather. There is a reason this cabin is booked the first day reservations open.

We will be arriving in Alaska in 51 days and eventually staying in 1100 directly above. Have been counting down since the first day reservations opened-----450+ days. :-)

I was in Florida when I gave in to the pain. ER docs confirmed Pancreatitus and wanted me admitted to the hospital. Heck with the holiday-it was a lost cause. With fistfuls of pills I managed to get home by not telling Southwest Airlines how seriously ill I was. Two weeks later I was released from my local hospital.

Great weight loss program---little expensive. Went on the trip later. Had more fun......wasn't throwing up in every bathroom.

I hope all ends well.

You will have far more fun traveling when you are well. Additionally, it's just darn right frightening to be so far from home when you are sick. Better to be home in your support network.

There are so many variables....size of the ship, weather, open seas or protected waters, cabin location.

I always bring Bonnine, ginger snaps, crackers and my magic bullet....my Jim. He has NEVER seen even a white cap in all his cruising----Even the 13 day Explorer cruise from Bayonne in December. I spent months preparing him for the "North Atlantic in December". It was a lake in both directions.

For me, I'm lucky. I get sleepy in any kind of big sea so I just fall asleep.

No one can really say......even from week to week.

Prepare for rough seas and celebrate when they are calm!

Hi

 

Can anyone tell me are they still doing the murder mystery parties. Heard some people say they still do but others not. We are on Indy in October thanks

They have taken our payment for the Murder Mystery Dinner on the Radiance this June in Alaska! That would be a YES! :-)

My wife is an insulin dependant diabetic and has never had any problems. The fridge is cool enough for the pens.

 

The only advice I would give is to spread the pens amongst different bags just in case anything happens to them. We put some in my carry-on, some in hers and some in the suitcases.

 

Pete

Always carry your medications. Never check them or even let them out of your sight until tucked in your cabin.

CVS and other stores have small cases to carry insulin with cold packs. I tse insulin, DH uses Embril. Both are far too expensive to play around with.

Cabin coolers are fine for storage.

At Walt Disney World the guests setup Christmas Tree Exchanges for December guests. Lets just step Pool Chair Exchanges with our fellow Cruise Critic guests. It should be no problems keeping the ships, guests and dates organized....bwahahahahahaha!

Annapolis is not really all that friendly for a big cruise ship. as for BWI to Annaplis. the options suck. one accident and you are hosed for hours.

 

last week.. TWO Major accidents( one on the 100, one on Ft Smallwood road) jacked up traffic on the main highways and all the back roads for pretty much the entire day. the first accident was an like 10 am, the second was just before evening rush hour. on a normal day it takes Mr Spook 30 minutes to get home from work. that day.. over 3 hours.

 

furthermore there really is nowhere to put a cruise terminal in Annapolis and trust me, the Navy is NOT giving up their prime real estate and access.

Even the USNA bulkhead is not big enough. When Navy ships call on Annapolis for Commissioning Week, they stand off out in the center of the Chesapeake where commercial traffic anchors.

Too shallow.

The problem with Annapolis as a port is the distance from BWI. Lots of stuff for excursions in the Annapolis area! And so close to DC! If RCCL could build a terminal in the DC area it would be very profitable!

As much as I would love Annapolis as a place to embark, it is not nearly big enough or deep enough, sadly.

It's only 30 minutes to BWI...certainly DCA (Reagan National) and IAD (Dulles) would be available but not much more convenient.

Just no space for a cruise ship pier, resupply facilities or parking.

Too bad. Annapolis, my home town, is beautiful. People would love it!

Oh boy.

My next door neighbor and new-ish beau are going on their first cruise ever on the Grandeur the middle of April. To call her a skiddish traveler would be kind.....she was still freaked out about the fire.

Hubby and I are such happy cruisers. We want them to have fun. They are so cute together and she deserves this really nice guy finally!

I want them to have a magical time. We cruise lovers have had those cruises that were so special. Keep your fingers crossed for Bob and Margaret!

We were just on Jewel, and there was an elderly couple that had rented a motorized cart, and didnt have an accessible room.

 

The cart was parked in the hall every night. I was a little suprised that was allowed.

 

The sad part about using electic carts, is they often wait a long time to get an elevator that is empty enough to get the cart on. Some don't care if it's empty, they wheel right in running over feet ! :eek:

 

I have a suggestion on future ships, that one elevator on each end is designated W/C, and it takes a seapass card ( which is programmed for handicap) to allow them to call the elevator.

 

I think that would save grief on all parties involved.

Hello!

I have been trapped in a scooter since an accident a few years ago. Since then I have sailed on the Brilliance, Jewell and Explorer.

Each time we have been in a regular aft facing cabin. I prefer a Pride Revo 3 wheel scooter. It's nimble, plenty of power and fits through the cabin doors.

I am able to bring it into the D1 cabin, turn it around alongside the bed and park it alongside the big sofa with plenty of room to move about. It is very easy to charge here just across from the desk area.

I do not feel right leaving it in the hallway in the way. This way is out of everyone's way and ready for launch fully charged.

Careful. There is a new test menu working on the Navigator. Hopefully it will not make it fleet wide. There have been 2 or 3 very active threads working the last month or so about it.

Fee increases to $35

Most steaks have an a la cart additional cost $19-$26

Baked potatoe gone, replaced with cheese tater tots (Tourette's kicking in now)

Crab cake appetizer gone

Other changes but must stop now and call the crisis hotline.........sigh.

We were married on the Radiance in Juneau years ago and our reception was simply dinner in Chops. We are returning with friends for our Anniversary in 67 days. Our reservations are made for Chops unless the menu has changed....we will cancel the dinner reservation.

I think there was one breakfast included in one of the hotels or lodges we stayed but it was not a cooked breakfast. I had called the cruise line and inquired about the food on the tour (we did a 4 day land tour and 7 day cruise with Celebrity in 2010) and the rep that answered made it seem that there were a few meals provided. She was way wrong. Yes, it was expensive. We ate as cheaply as possible except for the dinner at the top of the mountain at one of the lodges (can't remember the name of it but the food was fabulous). The best meal we had wasn't even on the tour. We ate at Humpy's in Anchorage before the tour started and then had lunch there again when the tour took us back to Anchorage on our way to Seward to pick up the cruise. Yummy! And all the types of beer they had too was amazing.

 

Enjoy your land tour but be ready to shell out for the food!

LOVE Humpys!

We tried it years ago on DH's first trip to Alaska. I had seen it on Rachel Ray's $40 a day show.

We will be there again this June!

Yummo!

You need to take another look at the way things work.

 

You get to the ship and show them your passport, then get on the ship.

 

I get to the ship and show them my BC and DL and get on the ship.

 

You know where you keep your PP at home so it is easy to find.

I keep my BC and DL and I know where they are so it is simple.

 

If you lose your PP or forget it at home it is a real pain.

If I lose or forget my DL and BC it is a real pain.

 

 

 

please tell me how your life is simpler by having a PP.

If you travel outside the US, it's the smart thing to carry. Compact, designed for travel vs. an older piece of paper.

I don't understand what is wrong with a passport.

There is a fine little museum Downtown. If this is your first trip to Alaska, it will offer a good understanding of the culture and different people of Alaska.

Where do you have good lobster in Anchorage?

 

We're spending one day there before taking the train to Seward on 6/6, so we're looking for ways to spend that day, and a recommendation for a great meal would be much appreciated.

 

Thank you.

Great Pub Fare......A+ salmon is Humpys. Remember Rachel Rays $40 a day? She did Anchorage YEARS ago before our trip and stopped at Humpys. Locals agreed. We loved it and will stop there again.

Want 4 star and have a car, drive 30 minutes south to the Alyeska Resort and take the tram up 2,300 feet to 7 Glaciers. The view alone is worth the stop but the food here is sublime.

By the way, we will be on the same cruise. Up a week ahead out on our own tour.

Safe travels!

68 days for us!

I came into the travel biz at the end of Premier's lifespan. We were not allowed to book them because of the instability of the company. Guests would come back with truly sad stories of maintenance problems and other signs of a company on the edge.

I remember the morning it was over for them. CNN on the pier interviewing guests arriving and the ships now bank-owned forclosures. That was a very sad day in my former industry

I have enjoyed all the good reviews of those ships in better times. I'm happy they were able to bring so many smiles to people.

We're definitely SILLY. We, not only decorate the door so we can find our room:D, but, if. we have a Pr room, we decorate the window looking out on the Promenade. At Christmas we had twinkling lites all around the window that came on every night. Silly and lots of fun. We can always find us.

We had 1688 the 13 days before the Christmas cruise. We were decorated for Christmas inside and out! We had the Dollar Stire foam snowflakes hanging over our bed!

.....but we do the same if we travel to a resort and stay there.....vs. moving every day or so. Admittedly worse when we drive to the port or resort vs. flying.

We have themed napkins, December we even have little Christmas trees-----thank goodness for Dollar Stores.

DH calls it..... Nesting.

We have phone, tablets, cameras and even a great little set of travel speakers for the iPod. We are power strip people.

I found an articulating power strip. It bends and curls in all sorts of shapes so you can fit ALL the little black boxes on at once to charge...5 plugs as I recall.

I think Jim plans to carry it on with all his Hoo Haa but not setup straight.....perhaps they simply will not recognize it.

We also carry one of those very realistic battery candles. I LOVE it. It's a gentle nightlight and automatically comes on each night at the same time. It's so realistic our cabin steward on the Explorer to us we could not have an open flame. He did not believe it was not real until we opened the battery compartment.

We will be celebrating an Anniversary on our next cruise...door must have some acknowledgement of this!

TIP

Do NOT use regular tape or masking tape. It will may damage the surface when removed. Don't panic, thank a boater for the solution!

3M manufactures a removable tape. It is sooooooo good, use can use it in the direct sunlight...on boat hulls or decks for WEEKS. You will find it in any hardware store or Walmart. It's royal blue. Can't miss it!

I always take my own insulated cup......large.......to use. I take a medication and my mouth is always dry....I'm sipping all day. The little Barbie-Doll size bar glasses would not last long for me.