Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[lenquixote66]

4 hours ago, MJSailors said:

@grapau27 Graham-Thank you for the anniversary greeting! You always find very happy celebratory greetings to post here!

@Arzeena I am hoping that you enjoy the cruise on the Summit.

Maybe it was a good thing that you rebooked the cruise for another date.

There had been a Noro outbreak on the ship before we got on the ship. People were served by staff in the buffet-which I think is a good idea.

Also, there were staff to remind folks to Washy,washy at the entrances of the buffet. Thank you for good wishes.

@DaniDanielle A 😊 attitude helps! Thank you for the kind words!

@jmh2006 I did rent clubs at Turtle Hill Golf Course and it was a very good set.

The lack of concern and effort to help us did not reflect the Bermudian welcoming attitude we have so often encountered in our many past visits to Bermuda.

Because of this, I would not recommend the course, but YMMV.

In retrospect, I think we would have done better at the pitch and putt mini golf at the Dockyard-oh well !

@Sunshine3601Thank you for the kind words.

@sgmnThank you for the kind words.

Lovely photos of your trips to the Med. I visited Sicily with friends during college. I I have many good memories of that trip!

It does not look as it has changed much over the years.

@lenquixote66Thank you for the good wishes.

I am hoping that your poem is selected.

@BonTexasNYA positive attitude helps!

We made a lot of lemonade that vacation 😉!

@Luckynana Thank you for your reply. It seems that Covid is an unwanted souvenir from a vacation.

Good that you recovered from your bout and I am getting a bit better each day. Dr said ride it out with fluids and rest-so that’s it!

I do appreciate all the responses and reactions to my post.

There are kind, good people in this world!

I hope I didn’t neglect any posters who sent us good thoughts.This thread moves so quickly, it is difficult to keep up at times. 
Wishing all the posters and readers here a pleasant day!

MJ 🙋🏻‍♀️

MJ ,I read my poem today and it was verbally evaluated .The most interesting thing is that some of the people were giving their thoughts about the meaning of the poem and nobody was even close.

It is between me and three other poets to determine who will read to a National zoom audience . The show is Monday at 4 PM and I will not find out until Monday morning.

[lenquixote66]

TSOTD is from one of my favorite places,Denali National Park in Alaska.

[MJSailors]

@lenquixote66 Keeping fingers crossed that your poem is selected!

MJ🙋🏻‍♀️

[QueSeraSera]

3 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

people were giving their thoughts about the meaning of the poem and nobody was even close.

I think this is what all talented artists experience.

I am no artist, but love art.  If the meaning is clear to everyone, it is science or engineering, which is what I was.

But I think how wonderful it must be to create something that fires people's imaginations in so many different ways.

Echoing @MJSailors that I hope your poem is selected.

[Bailey & Sophie]

14 hours ago, vacationlover_mn said:

I saw that pic,  and immediately knew that someone lived around us 😉. It was so horrible yesterday!!!

 

Where are you? We're sorta by Washburn High School...50th Street & Nicollet Ave in Tangletown.

[Sunshine3601]

16 hours ago, sgmn said:

Hi Debbie, me too ✋️ 😊 

Though we've decided to use Gary's 'free' (still pay taxes) 'firm' airline staff tickets. Though they are supposedly firm they never get confirmed until a few days before (and potentially not at all) so it's a risk.

The upside is the price is right ✅️ and they are valid in business class. 

At mo the flights are wide open and we have some plans B, C and D so fingers crossed it'll all be ok. Gary has quite high priority. 

We'll probably fly out either the 9th or 10th

 

Looking at staying at either Home2 Home near port or Hyatt in downtown area. Anyone with knowledge of Tampa have any feedbacks?

Also beginning to look at ports. 

Sue 

We are probably going to fly into Tampa on the 10th.   Looking to stay near the Riverwalk, maybe Embassy Suites.   I have my notes from hotel researching at home.   Will check out and let you know in the coming weeks.  

[Bailey & Sophie]

6 hours ago, Lionesss said:

Good afternoon. 
 

To summarize my casino experience. 
 

I gambled enough over 6 days to earn a grand Suite on a selection of ships and dates through the casino 

 

So I went to our TA  and she booked. 
 

Symphony of the Seas 8 days next April. 
 

The free cruise does not include tax or port fees 

Before we left the ship we turned in our paperwork to guarantee us the $2000 in casino credit, and our credit card was charged $200.  
We also got some on board credit. It’s either $200- or -$300. 
 

So after all is said and done I had to pay 

$27 total for me and my husband. 
 

And I did come home with $$$ 

 

Be safe. 

 

Nicely done.

[Sunshine3601]

13 hours ago, sgmn said:

Congrats to Eric on his retirement and welcome to the club 👏 

Enjoy your time out at the shore, it sounds beautiful there. 

Do you think when you retire you may spend more time there ?

We have discussed selling our home in PA and moving to shore house full time when I retire, but we keep flip flopping on those thoughts.  I have another 10 years before I'm retirement age.  

If we don't live here full time we will definitely be here more than the last couple of years.   

Plenty of time to figure it out.

[Sunshine3601]

6 hours ago, Lionesss said:

Good afternoon. 
 

To summarize my casino experience. 
 

I gambled enough over 6 days to earn a grand Suite on a selection of ships and dates through the casino 

 

So I went to our TA  and she booked. 
 

Symphony of the Seas 8 days next April. 
 

The free cruise does not include tax or port fees 

Before we left the ship we turned in our paperwork to guarantee us the $2000 in casino credit, and our credit card was charged $200.  
We also got some on board credit. It’s either $200- or -$300. 
 

So after all is said and done I had to pay 

$27 total for me and my husband. 
 

And I did come home with $$$ 

 

Be safe. 

Nicely done.   Always nice to come home with winnings and another free cruise.   😃

On our last sailing Eric received a certificate for a JS and we booked it for an 11 nighter on Anthem next January plus something like $1200 in freeplay.  Plus the OBC from next cruise that we booked on the app while still onboard.

Edited June 16, 2023 by Sunshine3601

[Bailey & Sophie]

 

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday due to the fires we had to keep the windows closed and took our walk inside at a local mall. 

Today the air quality alert was dropped so we went to our favorite lake for our daily walk.

Downtown Minneapolis in the background is visible. OK, we don't have the biggest downtown but it's visible today.

 

We also saw this great heron fly by and land in a tree right by us.

 

 

 

[SteelCityCruiser10]

So quick question for my casino inclined friends here.  We’re currently on Radiance.  Because we had a skipped port and a cancelled excursion we have a $200 credit currently in the last day.  The TA we had used when booking a couple years ago had a $300 cash back promotion where i get $300 back to my credit card - but ONLY if i have that amount charged on my account.  
 

I was thinking .. can I charge $500 from a casino machine to the room without a fee and cash out quickly?  I would then have $300 of charges on my account to turn in for the reimbursement after the cruise.  Does this work??

Edited June 16, 2023 by SteelCityCruiser10

[Sunshine3601]

13 hours ago, sgmn said:

And a few pics from Taromina in Sicily where we were on child care duties whilst my son and DIL went to a wedding 

 

View from our apartment

son and DIL ready for wedding 

the bride and her father. Part of the pool was glassed over for the ceremony 

some views 

I surely wouldn't mind babysitting there.   Gorgeous

[QueSeraSera]

22 minutes ago, Bailey & Sophie said:

Downtown Minneapolis in the background is visible. OK, we don't have the biggest downtown but it's visible today.

Love the Twin Cities.  Worked there for 5 years (Pillsbury), never felt more welcome in my life when out of my home town.  

[SteelCityCruiser10]

46 minutes ago, singinalot said:

 

 

 

 

What a great sign!  😀🍻

 

[Coralc]

1 hour ago, SteelCityCruiser10 said:

So quick question for my casino inclined friends here.  We’re currently on Radiance.  Because we had a skipped port and a cancelled excursion we have a $200 credit currently in the last day.  The TA we had used when booking a couple years ago had a $300 cash back promotion where i get $300 back to my credit card - but ONLY if i have that amount charged on my account.  
 

I was thinking .. can I charge $500 from a casino machine to the room without a fee and cash out quickly?  I would then have $300 of charges on my account to turn in for the reimbursement after the cruise.  Does this work??

You can try, but there might be a daily limit on charge to room. If you are unable to charge the full amount, maybe have your wife try an additional withdrawal on another machine. I have charged to room many times, but never for such a large amount. 

[lenquixote66]

6 hours ago, MJSailors said:

@lenquixote66 Keeping fingers crossed that your poem is selected!

MJ🙋🏻‍♀️

Thank you very much,MJ 

[lenquixote66]

3 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

I think this is what all talented artists experience.

I am no artist, but love art.  If the meaning is clear to everyone, it is science or engineering, which is what I was.

But I think how wonderful it must be to create something that fires people's imaginations in so many different ways.

Echoing @MJSailors that I hope your poem is selected.

I have been writing since I was in college.I have written plays,short stories and poetry but if my poem is selected to be part of this program it will be

unreal .

Thank you

[lenquixote66]

2 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

We have discussed selling our home in PA and moving to shore house full time when I retire, but we keep flip flopping on those thoughts.  I have another 10 years before I'm retirement age.  

If we don't live here full time we will definitely be here more than the last couple of years.   

Plenty of time to figure it out.

The couple that I know who live in LBI moved from a suburb of Philadelphia .

Edited June 16, 2023 by lenquixote66

[BonTexasNY]

Sitting here in fear of yet another tornado watch/severe Tstorms/hail until 10:30pm Central time.  30 more minutes to go.  This makes 3x in one week and that's 3x too much. I invited 2 single neighbors to come join me and Jack earlier for a bit but they've been in Texas for over 30 years and are used to this severe weather.  Jack and I are here in TX 19-1/2 years and we will never get used to it.  Never!

 

@sgmn Sue, Your pictures are gorgeous. Great place to babysit.

@singinalot Crystal, please keep those pictures coming and continue to have a great time.

@lenquixote66 Lenny good luck with your poem

 

Jack fell asleep and I'm going to calm my nerves with ice cream.  Great excuse, right?

 

 

 

 

[aussielozzie18]

6 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

Sitting here in fear of yet another tornado watch/severe Tstorms/hail until 10:30pm Central time.  30 more minutes to go.  This makes 3x in one week and that's 3x too much. I invited 2 single neighbors to come join me and Jack earlier for a bit but they've been in Texas for over 30 years and are used to this severe weather.  Jack and I are here in TX 19-1/2 years and we will never get used to it.  Never!

 

@sgmn Sue, Your pictures are gorgeous. Great place to babysit.

@singinalot Crystal, please keep those pictures coming and continue to have a great time.

@lenquixote66 Lenny good luck with your poem

 

Jack fell asleep and I'm going to calm my nerves with ice cream.  Great excuse, right?

 

 

 

 

I am sorry you are going through this.  I hope you & your home are ok.  You deserve ice-cream.

[Ocean Boy]

6 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

 

Jack fell asleep and I'm going to calm my nerves with ice cream.  Great excuse, right?

 

Are you sure that you don't want to try Kraken instead?

[aussielozzie18]

8 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

Love the Twin Cities.  Worked there for 5 years (Pillsbury), never felt more welcome in my life when out of my home town.  

My daughter was a camp counsellor at Camp Pillsbury in Owatonna.  She had an absolute blast.  

[aussielozzie18]

On 6/15/2023 at 5:11 PM, sgmn said:

Hi aussie, doing good thank you.

It's been a hectic few months and I'm really out-of the loop here on Danis thread, but I do dip in from time to time and try and keep up. 

We've got a heat wave at mo so trying to keep cool during the day, keeping busy with grandkids and gardening.

We've also had a couple of trips. Symphony in mid May in the Med, and a family trip to Sicily  (Taromina) in late May.

Both were great. Our first RC cruise since 2019, great ports though the weather was cool and overcast with with rain on a couple of days including our one and only sea day. 

Sicily was great, spending time with youngest son and family. Will post some pics later but just have to rush out at mo

Thanks for asking 🙂 

Sue

Your photos are absolutely stunning.  What a great location to be babysitting.  Thank you for sharing them.  Lovely photo of your son & DIL too.  
 

My daughter arrived in London yesterday.  First full day was spent at Hampstead Heath swimming.  Hopefully the heatwave eases soon.

[aussielozzie18]

9 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

We have discussed selling our home in PA and moving to shore house full time when I retire, but we keep flip flopping on those thoughts.  I have another 10 years before I'm retirement age.  

If we don't live here full time we will definitely be here more than the last couple of years.   

Plenty of time to figure it out.

Apparently, we are moving from Sydney in 5 years.  DH told me that once we are empty nesters, he wants to sell up and move…plenty of discussions to be had before that happens.

[aussielozzie18]

On 6/15/2023 at 10:53 AM, jagsfan said:

You’ve shown me so much of the Australia I missed on my visit! And most of it so close to Sydney!

Thanks @jagsfan.  I am glad you enjoy my posts so much.  I figure since I am not a frequent cruiser like everyone else here, I could contribute by showing all the things you can do from the Sydney port.  I also thought yourself and @dani negreanu who have been to Sydney would especially appreciate my posts.