NouCruzer

Well, being of the male gender, I know exactly how I would use the protective aid..... 😜

Enjoying your 1492 TA reports. Perhaps the Titanic lectures are appropriate since the singer seems to leave you with a sinking feeling. Also, check the library for anything by Jules Verne; my understanding is that he wrote some pretty deep tomes. Of note, autocorect changed that to times but didn't catch my omission of the second "r" in autocorrupt (er, I mean autocorrect). So I agree with you; "May the inventor roast in pieces".

If you have a CostCo in your area, try the Kirklands Brand Irish Cream. $18 for 1.75l (at least in our locale), but I'll bet that you won't be able to tell the difference from Bailey's at 3 times the price.

But 15-20 frozen mojitos is likely a more effective treatment for back pain than CBD. 😉

Actually, the Chefs Table menu changes quite frequently, if measured in geologic time. Been the same since our first dinner in 2015.

We are booked on a November cruise on Explorer OTS and I see that the coffee card drink package is being offered for $31 per person for the entire 8 day cruise (for a maximum of 15 drinks per person). This would be a no brainer for my DW and I, as we could easily have 2 capacchinos (or specialty coffees) per person each morning and maybe an espresso after dinner. But I also recall discussions in the past where some beverages have been charged double for certain coffees. Looking for first hand experience regarding how RCI handles this offer. For example, if a capacchino requires 2 punches on the card, it's a no go; not worth it. If not, we're in. Thanks.

Yes. Asymptotic means you are very close to being sick without actually being sick. The OP lost her ma, think.

It's a diabolical plot to get you to purchase the drink package on board. Next, there may be a shortage of water from the taps and taking showers with bottles San Pellegrino to rinse your hair. Will it ever end?? Do I need to add a 😏

Directionfinder, We were on the Inner loop itinerary just after Mary, late May into early June. Flora provides shorty wetsuits, masks and fins; these are fitted to each passenger on the first day and used throughout. We did just about every snorkeling excursion that was offered. The crew did not say that the water was cold, rather defined it as various degrees of "refreshing". Chilly when one first entered but after a minute, we were comfortable in the shorty suits. We were also told that the cooler Humboldt current arrived early this year and that the water was cooler than usual for May/June. Again, nothing that made us uncomfortable; we typically stayed in the water for up to 45 min on each excursion. One positive note is that the cooler waters meant more varied marine life. One one excursion, we were able to snorkel with a 10 foot manta ray. One last note; deep water snorkeling meant that you entered the water directly from the zodiac rather than from shore; don't expect to be able to stand with feet on the bottom; depths ranged from 10 - 40 feet. There were multiple excursions offered each day; one could easily participate in three per day. If you didn't want to snorkel or take a long hike, shorter hiking options or zodiac rides were offered. As for the hikes and other land excursions, our daytime temperatures were in the low 70s. We wore shorts and short sleeve tops and were very comfortable. Just remember the hats and sunscreen and you shouldn't have to worry about burning.

I'll second North Seymour and Elizabeth Bay. On Flora, this would be the Inner Loop.

Same here. I enjoy watching European cycling. Many of my friends and relatives think that it's just boring. But then again, they watch golf. I haven't had the opportunity to see a TdF stage, but years ago, my wife and I had the opportunity to see the finish of a Giro d'Italia stage in Genoa. The route ended with 4 laps around the city, so we got to see the peleton pass by 4 times before the sprint finish. Impressive stuff.

Carole, We just returned from Flora two weeks ago. What I recall is that there is a small retail shop onboard with a limited selection of clothing and other paraphenalia. There is also a one table massage room available. The only expense that we incurred was for a short visit to Medical for a minor issue. Our TA sent us an Amazon gift card pre-trip and a Shutterfly card post-trip which were a better option than OBC in our opinion. However your situation works out, you will have an outstanding trip.

Thank you for the review. Very helpful since we depart in 2 weeks on Flora.