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

[Momof3gurlz]

21 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

Well, I got an unexpected email from Royal Caribbean today. It was a Cruise with Confidence Future Cruise Credit. The thing is, I wasn’t expecting any. 
 

The booking number was for a cruise canceled by Covid in April 2020, but we took the cash refund for that one.  The FCC is for $203, and the only thing I can think it would be for is this sailing we booked with free gratuities.  
 

Now I have to seriously search fall cruises, since it has to be used by the end of the year. I can see a visit to Next Cruise next month. 

This prompts me to ask something I’ve been wondering.  When all of you search for cruises, what’s the criteria?  Are you searching for specific dates? Itineraries? Prices?  Ships?  Just curious. 

[Momof3gurlz]

There have been a couple of touching tributes on TV this week. The late Jerry Remy “Remdawg”, Somerset MA native, former Red Sox player and NESN sportscaster and currently watching one for Guy Lafleur prior to tonight’s Bruins game.  

[A&L_Ont]

6 hours ago, Husky1987 said:

Yesterday was tough, but cathartic.  We buried my Mom yesterday, on what would have been her 91st birthday. Working through the grieving process since she passed, I’ve tried my best to consciously turn my sadness into gratefulness. So lucky to have a mom who filled my life with such unconditional love that could have caused a loss this deep.

Growing up, my mom wanted to be two things: a nurse and a mom. I can say with all confidence she was the best at both.

She worked for over a decade at Swedish Hospital in Seattle as the private surgical scrub nurse for Dr. Bill Hutchinson, one of the best surgeons in the world and the founder of the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center. She may have had THE prime nursing job in Seattle, and was damn good at it.

And she gave it all up, a week before I was born, in the prime of her career at 33, to be a mom. She loved being a mom, always involved in everything my brother and I were doing, from PTA to baseball to soccer to skiing.  We spent a good part of most summers on our boat in the San Juan Islands and on Hood Canal. She told me many times that the happiest time of her life was carrying me, knowing she was going to be a mom.

She and my dad started cruising in the mid-80's, and by the time my dad's health caused them to stop in 2009 after about 25 years of cruising they had been on 35+ cruises, almost all with Royal.  Grateful that they passed their love of cruising on to me 🙂 

Appreciate the fact that I can "journal" my thoughts here...

I’m sorry for your loss.❤️

 

[A&L_Ont]

Today we had a late Easter dinner at my MIL’s.  Rabbit veggie bowl. 
 

 

 

 

Prime Rib for dinner. 6lbs of delicious beef. 
 

 

 

My plate. 

 

 

Chocolate tarts for dessert. I only had one.  

 

 

 

 

[dani negreanu]

8 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

This prompts me to ask something I’ve been wondering.  When all of you search for cruises, what’s the criteria?  Are you searching for specific dates? Itineraries? Prices?  Ships?  Just curious. 

 

Itinerary [on either Royal or Celebrity].

 

Only 2 cruises were for the "ship" -- Allure, when she was in Europe, and in 7 weeks time [hopefully, Covid willing] - Celebrity's Beyond.

 

We aim for balconies, preferably near mid-ship ["humps" in Radiance class]. Lately, we've been lucky, when prices for "concierge" balconies on Celebrity were less than "regular" balconies, so we switched, since the "concierges" are better located.

[Ocean Boy]

20 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

This prompts me to ask something I’ve been wondering.  When all of you search for cruises, what’s the criteria?  Are you searching for specific dates? Itineraries? Prices?  Ships?  Just curious. 

All of those. Add departure port to the list, too.

[aussielozzie18]

14 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Today we had a late Easter dinner at my MIL’s.  Rabbit veggie bowl. 
 

 

 

 

Prime Rib for dinner. 6lbs of delicious beef. 
 

 

 

My plate. 

 

 

Chocolate tarts for dessert. I only had one.  

 

 

 

 

That late Easter dinner all looks so good 

[h20skibum]

27 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

This prompts me to ask something I’ve been wondering.  When all of you search for cruises, what’s the criteria?  Are you searching for specific dates? Itineraries? Prices?  Ships?  Just curious. 

For us, it can be any of the above.  We are always looking for January cruises, because we know we will be in the Ft. Lauderdale area over Christmas and New Year holidays. Next year, we start with a short Liberty sailing, then move over to Harmony.  We typically sail on newer, larger ships now, and I am always looking for good deals. 
 

 

[aussielozzie18]

44 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

This prompts me to ask something I’ve been wondering.  When all of you search for cruises, what’s the criteria?  Are you searching for specific dates? Itineraries? Prices?  Ships?  Just curious. 

Itinerary, price, ship

 

or I get a msg from daughter suggesting a holiday like I did yesterday:

”mum, since you won’t come to Hawaii with me, do you want to do an Ovation Cruise to The Great Barrier Reef in December”

 

Edited April 24, 2022 by aussielozzie18

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

 

YES! We need a @Ocean Boy self portrait!

 

 

 

 

Bravo well done sir!

 

 

Anyone who will not tell us his real first name is not likely to post a picture😀

[Ocean Boy]

4 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Anyone who will not tell us his real first name is not likely to post a picture😀

Where is your picture?

[lenquixote66]

29 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Where is your picture?

I cannot physically post pictures but I have sent pictures of me and my granddog and grandpuppy to Bella’s male human.

I cannot understand why someone does not disclose their first name especially on this thread.

[akcruz]

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

This prompts me to ask something I’ve been wondering.  When all of you search for cruises, what’s the criteria?  Are you searching for specific dates? Itineraries? Prices?  Ships?  Just curious. 

 

I start with dates and departure area then look at itineraries, price, ship.  Of course if I hear of a good deal will take a look.  Not cut and dry.

[Ocean Boy]

14 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I cannot physically post pictures but I have sent pictures of me and my granddog and grandpuppy to Bella’s male human.

I cannot understand why someone does not disclose their first name especially on this thread.

You know what? It doesn't matter to me if you don't understand. I will leave it at that out of respect for this thread.

[DaniDanielle]

8 minutes ago, akcruz said:

 

I start with dates and departure area then look at itineraries, price, ship.  Of course if I hear of a good deal will take a look.  Not cut and dry.

We look for sailings out of Cape Liberty.  We can almost walk to that port!

[LucasLikesToCruise]

1 hour ago, Arzeena said:

Lucas how is your Mother doing?

Good evening Arzeena, thanks for asking.  As you, and many others on here, know, I don’t post a lot about the day to day stuff since I don’t want to sound like I am complaining or frustrated all the time. But since you asked.  She had to start a new chemo last week.  They are trying Gemzar chemo once a week now. 

She was on Abraxane chemo once a week for about 15 months.  It was doing great for about a year according to her CT scans back in December the newest tumor had reduced in size drastically.  The CT scans a couple of weeks ago showed that it had grown back to its original size before the Abraxane chemo.  So it’s time to try something new.

 

I learned something last week that I had not known.  Evidently the hormone receptors of cancer can change from positive to negative over time.  It’s seems her original biopsy from 2000 and the tests done in 2008 when it metasticized was positive, but the biopsy of 2020 was negative.  So I am just waiting for the new biopsy to be scheduled to see if the HR is + or -.   That will determine what additional drug they will add for the new gene therapy to go along with the Gemzar chemo.  
 

I think i have all the terminology right, I’m still reading through all the print outs of the gene study and drug sheets her doctors gave me.  They know I like to research everything so they print it all out for me.

 

Also had a new appt with a new neurologist that specializes in Parkinson’s to try out different medications and therapies for that, but need to get her gaberpentin dosages correct for the neuropathy in order to work on the Parkinson’s.   
 

Needless to say that my days are kept busy trying to figure all of this out and deal with everything on my own.  I do appreciate your concern and really enjoy this thread to help keep me sane at times. 🙂

[Sunshine3601]

5 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

It’s hard to decide.  I was hesitant planting last week when it forecast 37°  night coming up.  I planted and they were fine.  I read warnings about tomatoes and below 50° weather but it pertains to more mature plant and germination.  My planting buddies convinced me to go for it. I had a few that I planted that did not look as good as I wanted when I planted them.  I seeded next to them and in a few weeks I will decide if the seeded looks better than the original and thin out the weaker looking plants. 
When the cost of wood was high last year I made my new beds out of cinder block.  I now have 3 cinder block and 3 wood. Yesterday I spent time filling the holes with dirt so I can plant in them.  My legs are sore today.  My OT SIL recommended I take a day off.  He said don’t risk hurting something before the cruise!  Supposed to get heavy rain this evening and tomorrow.  It has been so windy but I believe it is making the plants stronger. Forecast yesterday said it would drop to 39°  Tuesday but now saying 41°. I have too much out to have to try and cover.

We went for it and planted all our seedlings.   

6 mounds of burgess cucumber

4 back beauty eggplants

4 long eggplants

4 CA wonder bell peppers

3 sweet banana peppers

3 Hiberno peppers

4 golden zucchini

6 Amish paste tomatoes

6 super sweet tomatoes (grape tomatoes)   I ear these like candy

6 beefsteak tomatoes

6 delicious tomatoes

And we sowed one bed with seeds for Great Lake Green beans

 

And we planted various sunflower plants along different areas of our fence.

 

I feel like I am missing something.

 

In the middle of doing all of this Eric replaced the car battery on my convertible that has been in garage on float charger all winter.   And he discovered he has a big screw in his tire that keeps loosing air so he removed the tire to take to garage and get a plug tomorrow.   

 

And I mowed the yard!

 

Long productive day with perfect weather😃

 

 

[Ocean Boy]

[Sunshine3601]

8 hours ago, Husky1987 said:

Yesterday was tough, but cathartic.  We buried my Mom yesterday, on what would have been her 91st birthday. Working through the grieving process since she passed, I’ve tried my best to consciously turn my sadness into gratefulness. So lucky to have a mom who filled my life with such unconditional love that could have caused a loss this deep.

Growing up, my mom wanted to be two things: a nurse and a mom. I can say with all confidence she was the best at both.

She worked for over a decade at Swedish Hospital in Seattle as the private surgical scrub nurse for Dr. Bill Hutchinson, one of the best surgeons in the world and the founder of the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center. She may have had THE prime nursing job in Seattle, and was damn good at it.

And she gave it all up, a week before I was born, in the prime of her career at 33, to be a mom. She loved being a mom, always involved in everything my brother and I were doing, from PTA to baseball to soccer to skiing.  We spent a good part of most summers on our boat in the San Juan Islands and on Hood Canal. She told me many times that the happiest time of her life was carrying me, knowing she was going to be a mom.

She and my dad started cruising in the mid-80's, and by the time my dad's health caused them to stop in 2009 after about 25 years of cruising they had been on 35+ cruises, almost all with Royal.  Grateful that they passed their love of cruising on to me 🙂 

Appreciate the fact that I can "journal" my thoughts here...

So sorry for your loss.   She will remain in your heart and you remember and respect her everyday for the rest of your life.   May she rest in RIP🙏

 

Please feel comfortable in sharing your stories on this thread.   We are one big family 🥰

[Sunshine3601]

8 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

So on Labadee I always take a walk through the vendors' "gauntlet". I'm not sure if these folks ever heard of Covid but they still get right in your face. If I get sick it isn't going to be from the ship. Then one guy starts telling me how hard it has been over the past couple of years while three of his buddies were sitting there playing on their $600 cell phones. I just didn't have the patience for it today and had to get out of there.

The Haitian government must have given them free phones🤣

[aussielozzie18]

@Sunshine3601 you had me drooling at all your plantings.  Can you share photos of your produce down the track.  Would love to show my dad who loves his veggie patch.

[BonTexasNY]

2 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

Well we know what his toe looks like 🤣!

AND he wears great sandals!

1 hour ago, A&L_Ont said:

Prime Rib for dinner. 6lbs of delicious beef. 
 

 

 

My plate. 

 

 

Chocolate tarts for dessert. I only had one.  

 

 

 

 

I cannot tell you how incredibly delicious that prime rib looks.😋

Can you divulge how it was cooked?

 

[aussielozzie18]

@LucasLikesToCruise Thank you for sharing.  Cancer care is complex.  Glad you are enjoying Dani’s thread and it is providing some relief for you.

Edited April 25, 2022 by aussielozzie18

[aussielozzie18]

DH & Max had their last session with The Dog Listener (Tony Knight - UK) yesterday.  DH very happy with the sessions and implementing the lessions learnt with confidence.  Max happy but mentally drained.

[LucasLikesToCruise]

3 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

DH & Max had their last session with The Dog Listener (Tony Knight - UK) yesterday.  DH very happy with the sessions and implementing the lessions learnt with confidence.  Max happy but mentally drained.

Very cute.