SDHALFAN

I am another one that uses Photobucket. It is quick and easy and I have stored lots of photos. Such as a picture of me with my 1st grade class :)

 

Hi Lovely Lady Lisa:

I'm also betting that you are the little sweetheart on the far right in the first row, but then again you could be the sweetheart with the heavy bangs, third from the left in the front row - no, scratch that, I will stick with my original thought.

Heck, you all look so darned cute, and thanks for sharing such a great photo.

Valerie:)

I was also surprised that Emily was sent home. The dress Jennifer made was very boring and unflattering.

I didn't care for the winning dress with the protruding thigh puff. I preferred the beautiful and original black skirt/top.

I really don't need to add anything since I agree with you 100%. Okay, I can add that I thought the winning dress was a joke:eek: .

Valerie:)

Please add me to your list of devoted fans - what a review:cool: . It almost the made me wish that I had been on the same cruise, but I am a devoted HAL fan, as evidenced by my user name. Thanks to Carlena1, from the HAL boards, for recommending that we read and enjoy your review.

I only have one bone to pick with you - I loved Buenos Aires and would go back there in a heartbeat. However, we were there during their Springtime and the Jacaranda trees were in full bloom, the parks were filled with gorgeous flowers and I found the Argentines to be very warm and welcoming people (even to us "Ugly Americans";) .)

I can't wait for your next cruise and your next review.

Thanks so much for a truly great read and I hope that you and Sailor Jill had a wonderful Christmas and I send my best wishes to both of you for a sensational 2008.

Valerie:)

We just discovered that a few of the wooden souveniers we bought in Bali and Java have bugs! Namely, they are the puppet dolls and wooden carvings.

 

Knowing from a previous experience, we have bagged them and placed them in our freezer for a few months. That seemed to do the trick.

 

Better check your treasures just in case!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Thanks Bill and Mary Ann for the heads up. So far none of my masks, puppets or wood carvings have exhibited signs of bug infestation but I have bought "stuff" elsewhere before that has. I didn't know about the freezer "trick" - thanks for that valuable information.

See you again aboard the Amsterdam on July 27th for that anniversary cruise (actually I'll probably see you the night before at the dinner). I know that there is another lady with whom I did crafts almost every day on the GWV who is also going on that cruise and I imagine that we will see even more familiar faces. It should be a lot of fun.

Valerie:)

Passengers lists - or rather lack of such - were mentioned earlier. We were issued passenger lists on the ms Amsterdam's Grand World Voyage earlier this year.

Great thread by the way. My very first cruise, apart from an overnight Ferry from Port Said to Nicosia, was on a converted Troop Carrier transporting RAF family members home from Egypt to England waaay back in 1951. I don't remember the name of the ship but I can assure you that she was nothing like the Grand Old Ladies of the Sea that you all remember.:D

I did not take another cruise until 1986 when we sailed from Vancouver to Alaska on the ss Rotterdam - now she was a classy Lady!

Valerie:)

Hi Bill and Mary Ann,

So that glorious cruise is coming to an end. Darn - I have had so much vicarious fun travelling along with you since I left the ship in Hong Kong.

Enjoy your last couple of days at sea and please have a safe trip home to California.

Valerie:)

hi guys,

Mary Ann and Bill have you by any chance met a couple called George and Dorothy? They come from New York state and are really nice people we met a couple of years ago.

 

Carry on cruising,

Teresa

Would that by any chance be Dorothy and George Hennings? If so then indeed Maryann and Bill, and even I, know them. Dorothy (aka Blue Whale) was instrumental in getting together the CC'ers aboard ship and she did a tremendous job coordinating all kinds of things like the CC meetings and even lunches where several CC members at a time got to know each other more "up close and personal".

I have to agree that they are really, really nice people and are a joy to travel with. I hope to meet up with them again soon on a future cruise.

Valerie:)

I have been enjoying all your posts, along with Barbara and Orlin's blog, ever since I left the ship in Hong Kong, and I thank you for taking the time out of your busy days to take us along on your adventures.

Sorry that you had to miss Casablanca since I really enjoyed my visit there several years ago - but better to be safe than sorry.

As far as Funchal goes (although I'm betting that you have already been there anyway), it's a great substitute for either Casablanca or Gib. It's a lovely town on a lovely island and I'm sure that you will have fun.

Take care and just know that as this special cruise winds down that I will be as sad as you are that it is over since I have been living the second half of the cruise vicariously through you two.

Valerie:)

Barbara and Orlin Stansfield, from Tennessee, are also writing up their escapades as they go along on this exciting journey. Their blog does have some great photographs and they have sometimes taken different tours than Mary Anne and Bill so it's interesting to read both blogs and get comparisons.

 

I log onto both blogs first thing the in the morning to see what these guys have been up to and I thank all four of them for "taking me along on their trip" since I left the ship in Hong Kong:D .

 

Barbara and Orlin's write-up can be accessed at: www.cruisingstanfields.com. I have bookmarked it for easy reference.

 

Valerie:)

Okay, that www.cruisingstanfields.com link didn't work too well this time:o so I googled: Adventures in cruising with Orlin and Barbara, and had much more luck.

Valerie:)

Bill and Mary Ann ... We have so enjoyed reading all your posts regarding your world cruise (first thread we check when we log on to Cruise Critics). What a wonderful time you seem to be having. Thanks for sharing this with all of us!

 

One question - are you planning on posting a photograph album when you return? We would love to see the many pictures we are sure you are taking.

 

Again ... thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

Barbara and Orlin Stansfield, from Tennessee, are also writing up their escapades as they go along on this exciting journey. Their blog does have some great photographs and they have sometimes taken different tours than Mary Anne and Bill so it's interesting to read both blogs and get comparisons.

I log onto both blogs first thing the in the morning to see what these guys have been up to and I thank all four of them for "taking me along on their trip" since I left the ship in Hong Kong:D .

Barbara and Orlin's write-up can be accessed at: www.cruisingstanfields.com. I have bookmarked it for easy reference.

Valerie:)

I got back a couple of weeks ago from the first half of the ms Amsterdam's GWV (I got back two weeks ago from today and I can't believe that the time has flown by so quickly - but I digress): you have to understand that this is all conjecture but the rumors were fairly rampant and it seems that there was indeed some truth to them.

On the first half of the cruise at least two people were disembarked because of stealing from the Onboard Shops. You know how they always have those "sales" with tons of merchandise on tables outside the various shops? Well, apparently a couple of people just helped themselves to the merchandise and "forgot" to pay for it. What had all of us wondering was why they just took the merchandise and didn't take the box that the merchandise came in? That empty box would be a dead give away in the first place wouldn't it? Apparently the people involved also didn't realise that there are security cameras all over the ship - for all sorts of reasons, and I for one am glad that they do have those cameras in place - my personal security is important to me:D .

The second theft situation may well have some validity since an officer, and I have absolutely no idea which one, did tell one of my shipmates that a "lady" apparently fell in love with the cutlery in The Pinnacle Grill and helped herself to quite a few table settings. She was confronted (those "Big Brother" cameras again?) and was escorted to her cabin where it was found that she had at least 100 pieces of the cutlery in her possesion. She and her travelling companion were also disembarked at the next port of call.

There were all sorts of rumors going around, also concerning possible theft from other passengers, and who knows what the truth is but it does seem fairly sure that at least four people were disembarked on the cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Hong Kong.

I have to agree, and it was also wondered about onboard ship: why, if you spend all that money on a GWV, would you need to steal anything at all? Certainly these sad people have far more problems than we can understand.

I have no idea whatsoever about the latest theft reports and I also look forward to hearing from Mary Ann and Bill when they get back from the Taj Mahal all about their wonderful trip, oh yes: and those thefts.

Valerie:)

I am also looking forward to reading all about your travels once I get home in early March (I'm only going as far as Hong Kong).

See you on board.

Valerie:)