Jim_Iain – East meets West Equinox Caribbean – B2B2B -March 14 to April 4

[Jim_Iain]

14 hours ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

I’m sorry you didn’t get to go and to find out when you had already traveled across the country. 😏  Your blogs are always so entertaining. I’m excited for your next one, whenever that may be! 

Thanks ---   The next one was suppose to be a B2B2B2B Southeast Asia - Australia and New Zealand starting in November.   We aren't feeling too confident but like the rest of the community just waiting to see what happens.   This one was booked over 2 years ago so will be sad to have it cancelled.

[Von & John]

When the cruising world returns to cruising...

I envision this sudden rush of us "cruise deprived" peeps doing everything in our power to jump on the nearest ship...

Canceling a cruise or having one cancelled on you - generated for me some of my greatest moments of angst in my travels...

My parents instilled a love of travel & independence in us, from a very early age... 

As my mother was fond of saying, she just wished we hadn't learned the lessons quite so well 😀

I've traveled on every continent, every US state (lived in many) & visited most Canadian Provinces, none of these travels have generated the level of angst of canceling &/or having a cruise cancelled on me...

I can't wait for the world to balance back out & for the time we'll feel safe in traveling again!!!

[BEAV]

I’m feeling y’all’s pain. 

 

The travel gene skipped a generation in my family. My parents were home bodies. But, thankfully, I got the travel bug from my Grandparents. I used to tell my parent’s they should have named me “Let’s Go” instead of John Doe. 

[Von & John]

I'm not sure how far back, but I believe the family on both parents side were travelers.
I hear stories & see pictures of grandparents traveling with their siblings or friends, w/out parents, quite a way at a young age...

Most traveled outside the US - whether in their younger years, the military, Adult Years or their Retired Years...

My one Grandmother & 2 sisters traveled from Wisconsin to Arizona to work for the summer, all under the age of 18...

I believe wanderlust is in our genes...

My nieces & nephews continue the travel tradition - a number of them have lived abroad as well...

Edited April 29, 2020 by Von & John

[cruisequeen4ever]

18 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Thanks ---   The next one was suppose to be a B2B2B2B Southeast Asia - Australia and New Zealand starting in November.   We aren't feeling too confident but like the rest of the community just waiting to see what happens.   This one was booked over 2 years ago so will be sad to have it cancelled.

I understand; we had 2 cruises canceled this summer. 😏 Our next one is Antarctica in December. 🤞🤞🤞 

[Jim_Iain]

On 4/28/2020 at 3:44 PM, Von & John said:

When the cruising world returns to cruising...

I envision this sudden rush of us "cruise deprived" peeps doing everything in our power to jump on the nearest ship...

Canceling a cruise or having one cancelled on you - generated for me some of my greatest moments of angst in my travels...

My parents instilled a love of travel & independence in us, from a very early age... 

As my mother was fond of saying, she just wished we hadn't learned the lessons quite so well 😀

I've traveled on every continent, every US state (lived in many) & visited most Canadian Provinces, none of these travels have generated the level of angst of canceling &/or having a cruise cancelled on me...

I can't wait for the world to balance back out & for the time we'll feel safe in traveling again!!!

 

I sure am missing being on a ship.   We are suppose to be in Alaska in Milie as I write.

 

I have a feeling we may treat the re-opening of sailing the same way we do a new ship.   Wait awhile and let them work the bugs and new protocols out first.   I keep trying to keep an open mind that our November - December cruises will happen.

[Jim_Iain]

On 4/28/2020 at 3:54 PM, BEAV said:

I’m feeling y’all’s pain. 

 

The travel gene skipped a generation in my family. My parents were home bodies. But, thankfully, I got the travel bug from my Grandparents. I used to tell my parent’s they should have named me “Let’s Go” instead of John Doe. 

I always traveled heavily on business (in excess of 100,000 miles a year).   Iain talked me into my first cruise in 2000 and I thought he would have to tranquilize me.   I just couldn't imagine  being stuck in one place for a week.   Obviously I was wrong and fell in love with the high seas. 

[Jim_Iain]

On 4/29/2020 at 9:53 AM, cruisequeen4ever said:

I understand; we had 2 cruises canceled this summer. 😏 Our next one is Antarctica in December. 🤞🤞🤞 

 

Sounds like a wonderful trip.  We have never done Antarctica but have done one around the horn.  One of my favorite cruises.    My fingers are crossed for you.

[Bo1953]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I sure am missing being on a ship.   We are suppose to be in Alaska in Milie as I write.

 

I have a feeling we may treat the re-opening of sailing the same way we do a new ship.   Wait awhile and let them work the bugs and new protocols out first.   I keep trying to keep an open mind that our November - December cruises will happen.

I totally want to be on a new ship, just to help work out the kinks! LOL

 

The staff is just so happy when I dis-embark... they dodge another 'improvement point'... LOL

 

bon voyage

[MamaFej]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I sure am missing being on a ship.   We are suppose to be in Alaska in Milie as I write.

Yup, we do too. We were supposed to disembark the day you were to embark. We even considered booking your cruise, too, but didn't want to be away that long during the last quarter of our son's senior year of high school because there are so many important events, including Prom on the 25th.

 

I guess we didn't need to worry about that.

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, MamaFej said:

Yup, we do too. We were supposed to disembark the day you were to embark. We even considered booking your cruise, too, but didn't want to be away that long during the last quarter of our son's senior year of high school because there are so many important events, including Prom on the 25th.

 

I guess we didn't need to worry about that.

Wow... I can only imagine how disappointing it must have been for your son.    The Senior Prom was always the culmination of many years of hard work  and a last farewell to all of our friends before we headed to College.    Those things can never be recovered. 

 

I guess we all are getting accustomed to the new normal.

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

I totally want to be on a new ship, just to help work out the kinks! LOL

 

The staff is just so happy when I dis-embark... they dodge another 'improvement point'... LOL

 

bon voyage

You have me chuckling.    I once was taking an Inaugural flight on a new Dreamliner from London to SFO.   The flight crew were struggling as none had ever flown that aircraft before and were trying to figure things out.

 

1/2 way across the Atlantic a water line broke and flooded the whole first class sections.   They shut off the water and closed the bathrooms for the rest of the flight.   The attendants tried to put down plastic bags and blankets but by the time we arrived my feet were soaked and curled up like I had been swimming for hours.   

[MamaFej]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Wow... I can only imagine how disappointing it must have been for your son.    The Senior Prom was always the culmination of many years of hard work  and a last farewell to all of our friends before we headed to College.    Those things can never be recovered. 

 

I guess we all are getting accustomed to the new normal.

He's one of hundreds of millions of people missing out on once-in-a-lifetime experiences. My heart hurts for all of them. However, people finishing one major segment of their educations, especially high school seniors, have a special place in my heart.

 

I've been crafting like a madwoman to help me cope. One of my first projects after shutdown was these shirts for my youngest and his friends, my oldest's students, my daughter's college friends, and the granddaughter of a cruising friend I met on Cruise Critic. 

 

[Von & John]

13 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I sure am missing being on a ship.   We are suppose to be in Alaska in Milie as I write.

 

I have a feeling we may treat the re-opening of sailing the same way we do a new ship.   Wait awhile and let them work the bugs and new protocols out first.   I keep trying to keep an open mind that our November - December cruises will happen.

 

We miss traveling in general & cruising as well.

At this point, we'd love to just be able to fly to the Lower 48 to visit Johnny's Mom - she's the only parental figure we have left!

If we can do that one trip this year - we'll be happy!!!

[begood2me]

On 4/28/2020 at 6:01 PM, Jim_Iain said:

Thanks ---   The next one was suppose to be a B2B2B2B Southeast Asia - Australia and New Zealand starting in November.   We aren't feeling too confident but like the rest of the community just waiting to see what happens.   This one was booked over 2 years ago so will be sad to have it cancelled.

Bummer!

[GeorgesGal]

If you are sailing on the Millie, I sure hope it WON'T be cancelled, since I'm due to sail on her in September, Vancouver to Tokyo!  Here's hoping.... . 

 

Donna

[Bill Miller]

Good News, was looking forward to meeting Jim & Lain on the March 28th Equinox. Received the refund to my credit card for fees and cabin on Wednesday 4/29. Look forward to catching up with you in the future. Hope to meet Bo as well. I know he has stories to tell.  

Until next time, Bon Voyage   

Bill

[Jim_Iain]

15 hours ago, Von & John said:

 

We miss traveling in general & cruising as well.

At this point, we'd love to just be able to fly to the Lower 48 to visit Johnny's Mom - she's the only parental figure we have left!

If we can do that one trip this year - we'll be happy!!!

Wouldn't that be nice to visit her on Mother's Day.

  

We no longer have our parents with us but Mother's Day was always special as my Mother's Birthday was May 5 and I always combined both celebrations.

 

Iain still has a 95 year old Aunt that he talks to weekly in Scotland.   She's still a very social lady and going nuts stuck at home and not meeting her pals for their daily coffee clutch.

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, GeorgesGal said:

If you are sailing on the Millie, I sure hope it WON'T be cancelled, since I'm due to sail on her in September, Vancouver to Tokyo!  Here's hoping.... . 

 

Donna

Same here.   Our cruises are booked on Eclipse.   Booking the first day it came out we got a really great rate and the price has since doubled. 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

Good News, was looking forward to meeting Jim & Lain on the March 28th Equinox. Received the refund to my credit card for fees and cabin on Wednesday 4/29. Look forward to catching up with you in the future. Hope to meet Bo as well. I know he has stories to tell.  

Until next time, Bon Voyage   

Bill

 

Wow... I've yet to receive a penny for any of the cruises.   

I agree... I get a kick out of Bo and look forward to meeting him some day.

 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

Good News, was looking forward to meeting Jim & Lain on the March 28th Equinox. Received the refund to my credit card for fees and cabin on Wednesday 4/29. Look forward to catching up with you in the future. Hope to meet Bo as well. I know he has stories to tell.  

Until next time, Bon Voyage   

Bill

 

Wow... I've yet to receive a penny for any of the cruises.  Curious,   Did you receive anything via e-mail that that the refund was on the way?   I've heard nothing.

I agree... I get a kick out of Bo and look forward to meeting him some day.

 

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

As this Covid19 lock down continues I am sure we are all going stir crazy.  

 

I was just tidying up one of the guest bedrooms, for what I have no idea.   I looked up and was instantly reminded of our Inauguration as a Zenith on Silhouette.

 

Here's a picture of the Model of the ship the Captain gave us in front of a Gaudi Ceramic we've had for 30 years -

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

On top of cruising being shut down almost all Starbucks have been closed.   I’m a real coffee addict and have found a really good local coffee shop that is open for touch free coffee service.   Just place the order by cell phone and it’s ready for grab an go.  No sitting permitted by county ordinance.   They roast their own beans daily and make a great cappuccino.   Feels good to support our neighbors. 
 

 

 

My new first stop on my daily 10 mile walk and my new go to coffee shop. 
 

Got a kick out of a little gift item. 
 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Really in need of a haircut. Went to the Grocery Store today.

[remarcm]

Not sure I understand the name of the coffee shop🤔???

 

OK, looked again...Clocktower.

Edited May 3, 2020 by remarcm