Jean C

They also spell out the one free bottle of wine per person on your luggage tags what they become available 🍾

Very smart 🙂

I probably shouldn't say this, but other than on our last cruise where we took no drinks on boarding, we have always taken (and got away with it) one bottle of wine each in our carry on luggage as well as one bottle of wine each in our checked bags. One time we had to go to the naughty room to collect a suitcase because of a power board (alcohol wasn't the problem). While there we saw an opened suitcase full of bottles of an average quality wine - not a single thing else in the bag other than bubble wrap, just bottles and bottles of wine. If nothing else, the case must have weighed a ton! I suppose 15 or 20 bottles were more of a concern to them than a single bottle 🍾 🤣

That's good to know, thanks. On a recent cruise we didn't need to take any soft drinks on board with us, but will be later this year. It hadn't even occurred to me that their policy may have changed 🙂

Hahaha, I love the American quick wit. We were on a small bus tour in San Francisco. The driver/guide had to turn his vehicle around on a narrow road with a rocky bank. He asked the passenger at the back to let him know when he came close to the rocks - while manouvering the American playfully called out, just keep on backing up until you hear the sound of tinkling glass 🤣

I can only imagine that state taxes vary so they don't use a uniform price, but even then it really doesn't make sense? People who use cash must end up with a wallet full of coins from presenting a guesstimate number of notes for what they think the final price will be 💰

Agree 👍

We'll be in Honolulu for a few days later this year but will stay in a condo and self-cater, so that reduces costs. We'll go to the Cheesecake Factory for a meal, for old time's sake (had complimentary breads there, including chocolate bread which sounded yuk but was surprisingly good), and The Moana Surfrider Beach Bar for the best Mai Tai's, so will tip there. On one of our visits to Laihana we went to Bubba Gump's, just to say been there, done that (where I got the now well worn tee-shirt). We ordered some fried prawns or something and had the Captain's special cocktail. The waitress asked where we were from, at first I thought general chit chat, but she went on to say that they did special bills for Aussies and NZers. It turned out to include a narrative about tipping - I was a bit miffed, as we don't need reminding! Funnily though, Keith being Keith, grabbed a random passing waitress to pay the bill. Our lady was horrified when we got up and said we'd already settled the account - she raced off to the cash register, no doubt to claim her right to the tip 😂

Fingers and brain not playing nice. I only just "got" it, even quickly checking my spiel before submitting, I saw what I expected to see rather than what was there! I used to work for a major, very prestigious, law firm so you would expect them to get things right 🤔 I was attached to Personnel (hate the term "human resources") for a while. At a team meeting shortly before Christmas, the HR Director proudly showed us the meal at a restaurant voucher that had been produced for the staff Christmas gift that year. It was personalised with the law firm's name. I don't know how many people had previously seen/approved it, but the first thing I noticed and said was "they've got the name wrong"! They'd mis-spelled one of the names of the firm, using an alternative spelling for a name that could be spelt in more than one way 🤣 They hurriedly had them reprinted 😂

Ouch 🙁

This current bit of bath/shower discussion developed from an earlier mis-type of mine where I said bath over shower instead of shower over bath - people are being literal, hehehe 🛀

PS, I'll be in Honolulu later this year, maybe I'll brave Ala Moana [sudden involuntary shudder] 🥴. Like a bloke, I'd just never know where to start, hehe 😂

Wonderful, it's such a joy finding clothes you like that fit, especially when it doesn't always happen. I'm petite, have a "mature" figure, ie a thicker waist and, cough, cough, a small spare tyre around my middle, and not being buxom to match the bits that need a "large" size, "medium" never looks quite right! Sizing is weird though, my daughter bought me a medium size top for Christmas that looked a bit too big on me around the shoulders, I exchanged it for the same thing in "small" and it fits perfectly!

I still have family in the UK but if and when I go back again, I'll get new notes for the trip. Maybe for 2025 you could trim back to shorter cruises? Besides, it would be such a shame to have no use for your "cruise wardrobe", n'est ce pas?

It always used to be 10 or 15% for a meal and one or two dollars for porters. I tend to pay 15% these days but can't bring myself to fork out 20%. $10 or so for day trip tour bus operators, especially if they are very good, more for weekly/fortnightly bus tours. These days Keith usually takes care of tipping in the US so I'm out of touch, but yonks ago when I travelled back and forth to home via the US, I researched the protocols, much harder to do then than it is now with readily available, always accessible, internet 💵

I feel for you. I must have a few male genes in me, I hate shopping and wear my clothes until they almost disintigrate. People don't understand, fit, comfort and an old friend are everything 😂

I'd happily trade the face washers for choices any day - I only use them to mop splashes from the vanity unit and polish the taps (force of habit) 🍫 😪

I had a tee-shirt from Bubba Gump Maui (Laihana). I wore it and wore it and then relegated it to around the house and gardening. It developed one or two small holes that I repaired, however I've just noticed that the back has gone very thin and has gone into about 3 or 4 small holes. The fabric is so thin now that it's not worth repairing any more and I doubt it will even last for the remainder of this summer, sob sob 😪

That's interesting. For whatever reason, I usually book the restaurant on the higher deck, so for next cruise that's Concerto. I wonder if others have the same weird tendency. I also avoid the restaurant with the dedicated section for chef's table, as I don’t want to be glancing over to tables getting better service than mine 😂

Eating out in NZ has become very expensive too. I grit my teeth at cafe prices, even just for a small slice of cake (and they've definitely shrunk of late) or a muffin - daylight robbery!

I too miss all those bits and pieces. I do believe however that the pen/pencil and pad in the cabin were very useful for communicating with the steward for minor things. I've never not had a face washer (recent cruise was in a mini suite, if that makes a difference) - have they gone by the board?

Yes, I've heard they are super comfortable. I have very slim feet and they simply don't fit me, sob, sob 😪

On a lengthy cruise we often saw an obnoxious man, usually in the trivia sessions, making loud comments usually about the pronunciation of the trivia presenter, smiling broadly and looking around to see who heard him. This went on day after day. We nicknamed him bogan man. Then one day something very serious must have been said to him, as he was meek and quiet for the rest of the cruise - I'm guessing they threatened to put him ashore if he didn't behave 🤔

This is really handy when you're considering a quick meal in Horizon or going to the MDR. I've never seen a page like this before. Having said that, on our last cruise a lot of paperwork relevant to our cabin, ie kids club info, went to the single lady next door. It took her a few days to realise it was probably meant for us and passed it over. You don't know what you don't know so we didn't realise we were missing anything!

Yes, there's free wifi at the terminal. No codes or anything, your wifi instantly works, both inside and on the concourse outside 🙂