The Bistro- Off topic and fun posts!

[Keith1010]

A view of Serenity eight years ago from Bonifacio, France.

 

Keith

 

[Keith1010]

 

 

 

Today, we honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States military. They sacrificed their own lives for a common cause.

 

Keith

 

 

T

 

 

 

[Keith1010]

47 minutes ago, Keith1010 said:

 

 

 

Today, we honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States military. They sacrificed their own lives for a common cause.

 

Keith

 

 

T

 

 

 

I know I said today. Meant to have said over this Memorial Day weekend recognizing that tomorrow is the actual observed Federal Holiday.

 

Keith

[rafinmd]

9 hours ago, Benny B. Goode said:

 

I'm excited to see that you have upcoming cruises again!

 

The QM2, as you already know, but maybe some others do not, gets the best speakers,  and has many excellent entertainment options. (Plus there's a planetarium!) The last time I was on board was in 2018, and one of the featured speakers was Dr Ruth! She graciously lent me her ear in the Grills Lounge.

 

Speaking of lending an ear, I see there is also now the Royal Shakespeare Company.

 

I look forward to a report from you in October!

Thank you.  I will disagree somewhat.  I think Crystal was somewhat ahead of Cunard in the quality of speakers but Cunard was the only other line I've seen in the same league.  I  did appreciate that often Cunard recruited from a different pool, often coming from different nationalities, especially appreciated on occasions where I went directly from Crystal to Cunard of vice-versa.  What set the 2 lines apart for me is I much more often saw Crystal speakers mingling with guests around the ship.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from a 2016 NCL Getaway cruise New York to Bermuda.  May 28 was a sea day from Bermuda to New York.

 

 

Roy

[Stickman1990]

Asuka II is getting a refit 

 

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/05/asuka-ii-2023-voyages-and-refit-revealed/

[rafinmd]

1 hour ago, Stickman1990 said:

Asuka II is getting a refit 

 

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/05/asuka-ii-2023-voyages-and-refit-revealed/

 

And people complain about the age of Symphony and Serenity.

 

Roy

[ctjon]

I certainly remember cruising on Harmony - then when I first did Symphony it was such an upgrade from Harmony.  Wonder what it will look like after this refit.

[Keith1010]

Often on tours you can still see Symphony or Serenity from various vantage points.  This was from a small village in Italy nine years ago.

 

Keith

 

[rafinmd]

I have a sunset today rather than a sunrise, exactly 1 year ago today.  At the time I was on Adventure of the Seas, just having departed Halifax:

 

 

Roy

[Leejnd4]

14 hours ago, Benny B. Goode said:

 

I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Fun Uncle.

 

We didn't discuss sex nor marriage. I didn't want to bring up my track record for fear that she would disapprove. What we did talk about, though, was New York City, the Yankees, and old Yankee Stadium, as it was in the 60s.

In her ship talks, she was unbarred as to those other subjects. At the end of the second lecture, she encouraged everyone to return to their staterooms and try something new. Then the Cruise Director admonished everyone not to do that all at the same time, fearing the negative impact of rocking the boat, so-to-speak.

Dr. Ruth was charming, of course, and although I got extra time with her in the Grills Lounge, she was accessible to everyone after her lectures to the degree that someone can be on a ship of that size. However, it is exactly the ship's size that allows Cunard to bring in many and varied talents. Another one I remember, from that same trip, was Michael Kushner who worked at Bletchley Park with Alan Turing. There was Colonel Stephen Bauer, who was a military social aide at the White House during the Nixon Administration. And others. But my favorite, after Dr Ruth, was a fellow in the band playing and talking extensively about Rock and Roll in the Golden Lion Pub. He had sessions over a number of days, highlighting Clapton, Hendrix, a 22 string guitar, and Dire Straits - that last one as we were sailing through a strait.

 

My sister Helen rode in the back of a limo with Dr. Ruth across Manhattan once, many years ago. (She was an advertising executive at the time, and was accompanying Dr. Ruth to a photo shoot.) There was a lot of traffic, so it was a pretty long ride, and they had an opportunity to have a nice long chat. Helen described her as charming and delightful...and yes, they talked about sex. Dr. Ruth asked how her sex life was! As the ride was ending, she handed Helen a handful of condoms. Helen asked her if she would autograph one for her...and one for me! Which she did. I still have it in a box somewhere. 

[Leejnd4]

5 hours ago, FuncleAlbert said:

 

I still have one from high school!

Autographed by Dr Ruth??? 😳

[Keith1010]

A day in Paradise thanks to the tenders.

 

Keith

 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from my 2013 Blount voyage New Orleans to Saint Petersburg.  10 years ago today I woke up on the Grande Caribe and did the short sail down to Saint Petersburg:

 

 

Roy

[Keith1010]

May 2018 while sailing Crystal Symphony Los Angeles to Vancouver via Hawaii.

 

Keith

 

[rafinmd]

Keith, I'm guessing that was likely Maui.

 

Today's sunrise is from my 2015 Prinsendam Baltic cruise.  On May 31 we were due to visit Visby, Sweden but waved off due to the weather:

 

 

Roy

[Leejnd4]

19 hours ago, softly darlene said:

 

So fun!

 

At first read I had to check if I was still in the Crystal Cruises Forum.

Well that's the beauty of having a thread specifically called "Off Topic and fun"! We can talk about anything, right? Even autographed condoms! 

[Keith1010]

1 hour ago, Leejnd4 said:

Well that's the beauty of having a thread specifically called "Off Topic and fun"! We can talk about anything, right? Even autographed condoms! 

I would use a sharpie and not a ball point or else nine months later there could be another cruiser.  🤣  Just say'n.

 

Keith

[BEAV]

21 minutes ago, soupysailor said:

This forum has changed a lot since the middle of May! 😮

…just another by-product of global warming. 

[Leejnd4]

1 hour ago, soupysailor said:

This forum has changed a lot since the middle of May! 😮

 

Hey, we need something to keep us occupied until our next cruises! 

[Keith1010]

6 hours ago, soupysailor said:

This forum has changed a lot since the middle of May! 😮

Maybe it was the time that one of the posters complained about those who were posting too much about Crystal.  

 

I wonder if this thread will require a minimum age requirement of 18 to enter.  🤫

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Another day in Paradise.  January of 2014.

 

Keith

 

[Leejnd4]

How about some Crystal food porn? Name these dishes! And tell me if your mouth started watering the moment you saw these pics. 😛

 

 

These were both from my last Symphony cruise, in South America, in 2019.

 

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by Leejnd4
Spelling

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from my 2013 Blount cruise from New Orleans to Saint Petersburg.  On June 1 I woke up South of Washington on Amtrak's Silver Meteor:

 

 

Roy

[Robato Wild]

1 hour ago, soupysailor said:

 

There once was a lad on Cruise Critic,

Whose posts were long and prolific.

And often he gloats,

In re his favorite boats,

It was Genting that was parasitic!

 

😀 Good one!

 

My turn.

 

High up on my list that is bucket,

Is a cruise that makes port in Nantucket.

I'd prefer to go nude,

But I don't want to be crude,

So I just bought a shirt from Untuckit!