SDHALFAN, How Was Your Cruise?

[Old As Dirt Mom]

OK Valerie, you've been home for two weeks now from doing the Ft. Lauderdale/Hong Kong portion of the Grand World Voyage. I've seen you flitting in and out of threads here and there, but now it's time to "spill the beans" and give us the story of your cruise:) I've been very patient, but no longer, please give us the scoop? How was it?

 

gratefully yours,

 

Karin

[SDHALFAN]

OK Valerie, you've been home for two weeks now from doing the Ft. Lauderdale/Hong Kong portion of the Grand World Voyage. please give us the scoop?

 

gratefully yours,

 

Karin

 

 

 

Okay Karin:

 

You are so right and I have been very lax in not posting about the cruise. If I had to sum it up in one word it would be - SENSATIONAL. The cruise was all that I had hoped it would be and even more. The ship was beautiful, as usual; the Officers and Crew were outstanding; the service was without par and to put it in a nutshell I had a blast.

 

I felt a little bit guilty about spending my daughter's "inheritance" on this cruise but I had such a good time and it was so good for my soul that I no longer feel any guilt and am thinking about doing segments on future Grand World Voyages. One thing I do know for sure though is that I will never take a full GWV since it is a very looong time to be away from family, and friends (to say nothing of "home sweet home"). I did actually talk to several people who were taking the full cruise who told me that they envied me and wished that they were leaving the ship in Hong Kong also since they were missing the old familiar "stuff". Don't get me wrong - they were thoroughly enjoying the cruise and looking forward to exploring new horizons but they did have a longing for the familiar.

 

Okay, enough about "the familiar" - I finally got home after a non-stop flight from Hong Kong to San Francisco (where we cleared Customs) and then had about 2 hour layover until I caught the 1-1/2 flight from SF to SD. Good part here - since I booked within a certain time frame HAL upgraded me to Business Class from Hong Kong to San Francisco and 1st Class from San Francisco to San Diego. Nice to see how the other half live, and let me tell you they live very well - HK to SF was the best flight I have ever had (slept almost all the way home) and SF to SD was okay but I wouldn't actually spend money myself to upgrade here since the flight is so short - so what, I get a cup of coffee before take-off while those in coach don't?:D .

 

OKAY, I'm home - now the nightmare starts: while I was gone my refrigerator/freezer apparently died. My first clue was when I opened the front door and thought "well that's certainly an interesting pong (pong being English slang for a very weird and disgusting smell - yuck). I won't even bore you with how many times I have scrubbed the interior of fridge and freezer and the pong is still lurking. Tomorrow someone will finally arrive to put my fridge back together - good news: it's all under warranty. My large T.V. was busy dying before I left and still is; ditto for my automatic garage door opener and my city-owned trash can has a huge whole in its side. Good news - fridge and trash can will be taken care of very quickly. I'm trying to decide whether or not to fix the T.V. or buy a new one and have yet to call someone about the garage door.

 

HELP - I need a cruise, and quickly:D . If you want to actually know about what happened on the cruise then I'll have to save it for another post since this one is so long.

 

Thanks so much Karin for asking and I did have a fabulous time and definitely want to go back for more - more of those incredible ports, the friendly islanders, the wonderful HAL officers, crew and staff members, just the whole experience - dayum (to quote Grumpy1) I had the best time ever and can't wait for more of the same.

 

Valerie:)

[hammybee]

How fabulous that you got upgraded. That makes up fo the trip from hell-o from, where was it, Austrailia or was it SA?

 

Homes know when they have been deserted or sold. How nice that it gave you a pong ( my new favorite word) to show you how much you were missed, while abroad, AGAIN.

 

Well I for one am not satisfied with your pithy report. I want more about the shipboard experience, your cabin, your ports of call and all the juicy details.

 

Welcome home, Val.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Hey, Valerie, thanks for posting here in the midst of chaos and destruction at your house.....I say ditch the T.V. and start saving for another cruise.....Please take me with you; let's pick a great World Cruise segment that leaves from the west coast, so we can minimize the flying, shall we?:)

 

I'm with Hammybee. You're a fantastic writer. We want more, more, MORE! We are greedy little bu--ers here, aren't we?

 

The dog needs a bath. There's a prevalent pongish aroma emanating from his vicinity......eh, tomorrow. ;)

 

Karin:)

[rkacruiser]

Hello Valerie,

 

I, too, would enjoy learning more about your adventure inasmuch as I will be joining the Amsterdam at Civitevecchia on April 13th for the last segment of the current World Cruise.

 

Bob