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

[George C]

1 hour ago, Coralc said:

It was good, wasn't it?  It is a Ron Howard film, and very well done. It is also available on Amazon Prime Video. Colin Farrell actually played a normal person. 

Yes I knew Opie directed it , I thought Colin Farrell was very good , I always like Viggo Mortensen , Ron Howard said they did there own diving , he had wanted to use stuntmen .

Edited August 14, 2022 by George C

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, Coralc said:

It was good, wasn't it?  It is a Ron Howard film, and very well done. It is also available on Amazon Prime Video. Colin Farrell actually played a normal person. 

 

I want to watch it too. I will tell you that if you have Disney Plus the National Geographic documentary is incredible as it uses mostly actual video footage of the rescue as it was happening. Here is the trailer:

 

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, HBE4 said:

 

Back in my high school & college days, I worked in several deli's and would hate it when a customer ordered head cheese. Nasty to hold & slice and even nastier to clean the slicer afterwards. Fortunately, not to many people ordered it. I did taste it once.  **** warning to those with a weak stomach, don't read ahead  **** 

 

Think of slimy jello with chucks of indeterminate meat inside.

In other words, it is appropriately named.

[Ozark_Kid]

 

 

[George C]

6 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I am not Italian but my Godfather was and he took me for pizza many times when I was young.
For 25 years I worked for a company where between 95 to 99 percent of the employees were Italian and over the years I went out with them on work days as well as weekends and very often for pizza.I have never been In Italy or Dallas but I have been to about 10 cities in Texas and the only city where I found great pizza was in Houston and the owners were from the Bronx.

I thought you said that you first had pizza at age of 16?

[lenquixote66]

6 hours ago, George C said:

We watched a pretty good new  movie yesterday on Netflix “13 lives” about soccer team stuck in caves from about 5 years ago. 

I saw it,it was very good.

[lenquixote66]

5 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Happy 14th birthday to your youngest granddaughter Lenny.

 

Thanks Graham for the beautiful greeting.

[lenquixote66]

5 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

Lenny, have a great day celebrating!

Thanks,Marietta.I sang my version of Happy Birthday ,sort of like a 1950’s Doo Wop song 

[Luckynana]

7 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Today is my youngest granddaughters 14th. Birthday.We will be celebrating late this afternoon.

Happy Birthday wishes to your granddaughter, Lenny!

[Sunshine3601]

58 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

 

 

Precious💕  how was Finnleys first night home?

How is your DD doing?

[lenquixote66]

4 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

I've been to Buon Amici several times and always had excellent food & service. A friend of mine who has very high standards and is very selective about where he eats (i.e. extremely picky) says Buon Amici is one of his favorites as is Parkside in Corona, Queens

My late friend who lived in Cortlandt Manor was friends with the owner of Buon Amici.The first time my wife and I went there with my friend and his wife my friend introduced me to the owner and said that Lenny came all the way from Long Island just for dinner,which was true.I got a big hug from the owner .Every time I was there afterward if the owner was there he would come over and hug me .If we were there before the traditional dinner time we were seated at the table he reserves for his friends and family.

A friend of mine who lives in Hartsdale is also a regular there.

I have only been to Park Side twice and both times as part of a group.

Another one of my favorite Italian restaurants is Steve’s Piccola Bussola in Westbury,LI.The food and service are always very good.

 

[lenquixote66]

4 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I hope your GD is enjoying her special day.   Happy Birthday to her🦋💐

Thanks,Debbie .She had a nice day.Instead of the traditional birthday cake Toby made Coffee Cake muffins.We put candles in my granddaughters muffin and sang to her.

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, George C said:

I thought you said that you first had pizza at age of 16?

Yes,in Jamaica Queens .Being young does not necessarily mean 5 years old.

[lenquixote66]

19 minutes ago, Luckynana said:

Happy Birthday wishes to your granddaughter, Lenny!

Thanks,Maryann.

[Husky1987]

Best NYC pizza:  

 

1. John's of Bleecker St

2. Juliana's

3. Scarr's 

4. Patsy's

5. Keste'

6. Village Square/Prince St.

 

[Luckynana]

3 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Look who found Finnley!

 

Happiness written all over her sweet little face!💕

[Luckynana]

1 hour ago, Ozark_Kid said:

 

 

Thank you for sharing your precious granddaughters, John!💕. This is awesome!💕

[lenquixote66]

18 minutes ago, Husky1987 said:

Best NYC pizza:  

 

1. John's of Bleecker St

2. Juliana's

3. Scarr's 

4. Patsy's

5. Keste'

6. Village Square/Prince St.

 

Having lived all my life in NY and the majority of my life in NYC I have been to all on your list.John’s I agree has great pizza.Patsy’s also has very good pizza. The others in my opinion are not equal to John’s and Patsy’s .

However,it is all one’s opinion .

[akcruz]

1 hour ago, Ozark_Kid said:

 

 

 

This is where we need a ❤️ button, so precious.  Thanks for sharing.  Hoping all are doing well.

[BonTexasNY]

54 minutes ago, Luckynana said:

Happy Birthday wishes to your granddaughter, Lenny!

From me too !!

[lenquixote66]

1 minute ago, BonTexasNY said:

From me too !!

Thank you,Bonnie.

[A&L_Ont]

On 8/11/2022 at 9:12 AM, HBE4 said:

 

I think he loves checking out new places.  Currently on Bristol, VA. Right over the border from Bristol, TN. 

 

 

 

Love these photos. Glad to see you made it back. 

Edited August 15, 2022 by A&L_Ont

[harryfat1]

On 8/10/2022 at 8:01 AM, harryfat1 said:

Finally made it to a city with 4G signal.

 

2 days behind in pictures upload versus real time.

 

Day 3 highlights - Princess spends 9 hours at Glacier Bay National Park with Park ranger taking over the PA system after they board the ship as well as set up shop on the ship's lounge.

 

Had to quote myself to find out where I last left off on our Alaska cruise upload from few days ago.  Never caught up with bad wifi signal on day 3 onward.

 

Now that we are home, here are some more pics that I couldn't upload from days 2 and 3. More glacier pictures than an average person cares to see...

 

For $279/pp, you can take a boat excursion that comes to the ship to take you closer to the Hubbard Glacier.  Too rich for my blood.

 

 

 

 

Calm waters of Glacier Bay

 

 

Everyone was on deck trying to find wild animals. Funny to see all the people run to the starboard side when it's announced something there and then run back to the port side when another announcement of something spotted on another side.  Guess that replaces the tread mill exercise for the day.

 

Think the captain was worried about the ship tipping over as all the overweight people were leaning to one side on those whale sightings....

 

 

So I'm blind as a bat and I can NEVER find whatever animal the park ranger announced over the PA system during the whole day we were there.  Everyone else gets all excited when something is announced.  I can't see a dang thing in the sun fighting for elbow space.  So just aim at the basic direction of what people are pointing and take a picture to hope for the best.

 

I believe that's the mountain goat that was mentioned but I couldn't see it until after coming home and looking for it on a laptop... 

 

 

As we had all day at Glacier Bay, we were roaming from station to station to see what each area offered.  The park ranger got all excited over couple orcas right in front of the ship while we were there.  I have never seen75 year old grandmas run so fast to fight for spot to take pictures. I never did sees the orcas in person myself but my older son got a picture of it through the window.

 

 

Few more glacier pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[A&L_Ont]

4 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Look who found Finnley!

 

 

Congratulations on your newest family member.  

[harryfat1]

Day 4 - Originally we were scheduled to go to Skagway but due to rock slides at the RRF dock, Princess moved many of her ships to other ports.  We were diverted to Icy Strait Point (ISP) instead of Skagway.  We had booked a bus tour to take us up to the Yukon area but that went down the drain. 

 

To me, ISP is Alaska version of Falmouth.  Artificially created port just for cruisers. The port is know for 2 items - zipline and whale watching. Maybe 3 if you care to ride the $49/pp gondola at top of mountain.

 

Many people opted to just walk around the port shops looking at $130 jackets and kept on walking.  Yeah, no typo.  There's a ONE in front of the next 2 numbers.

 

 

As this is a RCI based thread, I should at least mention something RCI related.  Radiance of the Seas is docked next to us but she left way early before 3 PM.  Then HAL took her spot at 6 PM.  Not sure if it's even worthwhile to get to port at 6 PM but guess cruise companies feel the need to have an extra port day to get more revenue.

 

 

$49 gondola takes you way up the mountain

 

 

Free gondola takes you for a 4 minute ride instead of walking through the woods to do more shopping and food places.

 

 

There is a nice paved walkway to the town of Hoonah but there's nothing to see there but the scenery on the way was pretty.  

 

The highlight of the day was seeing whales from the walkway as they swam by.

 

 

 

 

 

Whales