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LIVE LIVE LIVE from the MARINER with MERION MOM for 53 DAYS!!!


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& Doris is teaching my daughter Caitlin to play cards!!!. Carol, give her (Doris) my love.

 

Julie

 

Ruh roh :eek:

 

We see Caitlin every day, and every day we are more and more impressed with what a lovely young lady she is!

 

Congratulations to all on her admission to the uni program of her choice!

 

I hope that your and Tony's trip home was smooth and seamless. :)

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Heyyyy mom, you look amazing!!! I'm so glad you're having a good time! Although it is quite hard for me to follow your posts here b/c so many other people are postings as well. Sorry I havn't written in a while, but I'm fine, no worries! I'm applying to some jobs right now (well one to be specific, but once I get one application done, the rest will be cake... hopefully!) I've officially passed 3/5 classes and waiting to hear on the 4th and 5th... by this monday I think! Havn't spoken with David at all, but yes the ice storm around the US has been news here as well!! Andrea (near Louisville, KY) was without power for a few days (no heat - ice everywhere!) insanity. We're even expected to get some snow Sunday/early next week. Congratulations on selling!!!!!! IM SOOO HAPPY THAT IS OVER AND DONE WITH, maybe you're feeling a bit better???

 

The Love,

Beth

xxx

I love you, B! You wrote me on CC instead of an email! LOL!

 

Becky said that the storm wasn't too bad at home - other areas must have been worse. Get in touch with David about our April plans. I *do* feel much better, now that the house is sold. And we are staying in our RFS until Los Angeles!!!!!

 

Be good, and let me know about those other two classes, ok? And tell me about the job!!!!

 

XOXOXOXOXOOX

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Rick - have a wonderful time!! What an incredible trip - if we had known about this long ago we might have signed up for at least the around the horn part of the trip. Once in a lifetime adventure.

 

Please give our love to Carol, Doris, Len and Letty and Bobbie.

 

Keep thnking about joining us on the Independence TA April 12. We have almost 100 people in our group over on our thread with alot of great onboard activities planned and precruise dinner in Ft. Lauderdale. We are taking a post cruise trip for two days in Normandy to see all the WWII landmarks and then on to Paris for two nights and one day. Come join us!

 

Safe Travels Rick. Mary (and Dennis)

 

Mary, WISH YOU WERE HERE!!!!!! I keep telling stories about our Girls' Week Away..................we MUST do it again!!!!

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Mary, WISH YOU WERE HERE!!!!!! I keep telling stories about our Girls' Week Away..................we MUST do it again!!!!

 

Carol - HI!! Miss you too!! And yes, we need to do a Girl's week away again soon!!!

 

I love Penquins - one of the reasons I would have loved to have gone on this trip. Thanks for the very cool pics!!

 

Take care of yourself and thank you for sharing this wonderful trip with us. Take care, Mary

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Ode to Royal Caribbean

 

 

 

I love Royal Caribbean

And it’s many splendid ships,

With all the dining venues,

That do define my hips.

 

The crew from many nations,

Are the best that one can find,

Working day and night,

To help the guests unwind!

 

Exotic drinks are served,

At a vast array of bars,

But the smiles of staff mixologists,

Truly are the stars.

 

Activities keep one busy,

Variety for each guest,

From things like napkin folding,

To more x-rated like, “The Quest.”

 

The various destinations,

Are some of the planet’s best,

Enough to cruise a lifetime,

With little pause to rest.

 

From Caribbean beaches,

To Norway’s grand fiords,

To Sydney’s lovely Opera House,

Cruising offers life’s rewards.

 

As one sails about the oceans,

Great friendships form so fast,

Among the staff and passengers,

Treasured connections last.

 

New ships debut so often,

Each grander than the last,

But I cannot forget the ones,

That were built far in the past.

 

Welcome to the Oasis,

The grandest ship of these,

But, no matter what may come,

I love the Monarch of the Seas!!!

 

Carmen Henesy

1-29-09

 

 

Hey Rick,

 

I know you're having a great time...I just came back from the MN in FL...sailed on 1/19 - the crew really miss CA, not too much for them to do at Merritt Square on their days in Port Canaveral. I dined with Terry Lunder one night and with Captain Rick another...and some cruisers from the Sovereign...I'd met them on the second to last SS sailing. They did the first MN sailing out of FL and had T shirts made for the occasion...even one for Captain Karen. they were calling the MN, "my Monarch" but I said, "hey, it is MY MONARCH.' By the way, I'm on the Feb 20th Mariner...so, hopefully, we'll meet at last.

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Blunder of the Seas was critterchick's DH's suggestion/nickname for the ship that was eventually named OASIS of the Seas..... not everyone (myself included) thinks that bigger is better!

Cindy....how could you not like large ships? You know our Mustard of the Seas is much grander than the Oasis. And, I thought the Oasis is going to be very popular is that actually not the case:confused:

Rick I hope you had a great flight and easy embarkation onto the Mariner. I will be trying to co ordinate with Larry and Cherie a sailing on her down to Mexico when I get out to visit my daughter Kim in LA....maybe we can sail on a quickie again.:p

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Ruh roh :eek:

 

We see Caitlin every day, and every day we are more and more impressed with what a lovely young lady she is!

 

Congratulations to all on her admission to the uni program of her choice!

 

I hope that your and Tony's trip home was smooth and seamless. :)

 

Hiya Carol, the Divas & Hornblowers

 

Carol - you're too kind!

 

The day after you sailed from BA (I watched the Mariner leave from the Sofitel - our room was on the 18th floor), I headed over to the markets at San Telmo for the antique markets. It's such a cute area, I brought Tony back for dinner. The square that was filled with stalls during the day, had tables & chairs and lots of people -all sizes & ages tango dancing. It was magic. No tourists, just locals enjoying themselves.

 

We flew out to Sydney on Qantas and were surprised & delighted to find we had been upgraded to Business. Going through immigration, we were asked where we had visited in South America in the past six days. We told him, Rio, Iguasso & Buenos Aires but that we had our yellow fever shots. He said we didn't need them as Iguasso & the remainder aren't in the YF zone.

 

It's been very steamy & hot in Sydney. The dogs were happy to see us, but are missing the grandchildren of our housesitters who had a family reunion here over the Christmas holidays. Without Caitlin, it's quite quiet.

 

We are missing all the Hornblowers and am sure we will meet again. Tony is definitely sold on cruising.

 

Tell Caitlin we are overdue for an email!

 

Thanks again for all the help & now the catchup on what's happening on our Mariner. I must say I found the staff always going way beyond the call of duty in trying to oblige all people on the ship.

 

Julie (& Tony)

DSCF1967.jpg.2e1b323bb86be6179cb75cc851979ec8.jpg

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The tendering process *was* very slow and frustrating. Here is what I heard:

 

Ushuaia sent the wrong size or type of tenders at first, and they couldn't "hook up" to the Mariner, so there was a delay at the outset. Then it took a long time to get the ship's excursions off. This is ALWAYS the process: you have to be on a ship's excursions to get off first. They were still loading ship excursions on the tenders at 8:35.

 

Then there was a VERY long line of the rest of us. We were down there and fussing to get off at 8:15, but were made to wait. The group of which I was a part ("Jill's tour") finally was on a tender at 9:15. We were on the pier around 9:30. We had a pre-arranged tour with Pira Tours, which is the only company that takes you ONTO the island to WALK with the penguins.

 

The restriction is: only 20 passengers at a time on the island, and only a maximum of 80 per day (or 4 boatloads). Jane's group, which pushed their way (;)) onto a tender before we did, was one. We were another. People were turned away at the pier not because they were late, but because the quota had been filled for today.

 

There were other tours that took their passengers right onto the island. People simply couldn't get off the boat and walk around, but they were within feet of the penguins.

 

I'm not that good at estimating crowds, but these are pictures of the lines to get on a tender to return to the ship at 3:45 P.M. Looks like most of the ship to me!!!!!

 

2478346590077959744S600x600Q85.jpg

 

 

2428296930077959744S600x600Q85.jpg

 

 

2019993820077959744S600x600Q85.jpg

 

 

 

 

2378871730077959744S600x600Q85.jpg

 

After seeing the line, I was determined NOT to stand in it for over an hour. I did a little bit of aimless shopping, used the ladies' room in a bar, then settled in on a high flower bed wall, where I sat for more than an hour. Then I ran into Woody, who showed me where Vicki and Susan were sitting on another step, which was in front of the tourist bureau. They would stamp your passport with "Ushuaia" stamps and "El Fin del Mundo" stamps. If you didn't have your passport (and we didn't), they gave you a certificate with the stamps instead. Mine is very cool.

 

We waited until all of the standing was over, and when it looked like the next people in line were the last, and would all be able to get on the next (and final) tender, we got up off our butts and walked across the street to the line. We boarded the tender at 5:15.

 

The scheduled last tender was 4:15, according to the Cruise Compass. :rolleyes:

 

 

Hey Carol....these pictures remind me of Hawaii ......The same exact thing, hundreds of passengers standing in line for over a hour....not just tendered ports but all ports because their security is very slow as everything is hand searched. Add the tenders and wow....its very slow!

 

***

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