Heartgrove

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! The Armistice was signed in 1918 that ended WWI. What a shame after all the work to organize the League of Nations by President Wilson, politics prevented the United States from signing the Versailles Treaty by seven votes. Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! We had some much needed rain yesterday that came with stormy weather. Hopefully it helped the grass, bushes, and trees. The plumber came yesterday to replace the PRV for the water in the house. He made light work of it thanks to the PEX piping as all he had to do was shut the water off, cut the plastic PEX, and crimp the new pipe in place. With the trip charge, price of the part, and labor it was almost $500.00! Now that our water is once again regulated, I will put out the hose to flood the tree roots which I'm sure need it. I have been working on ideas to add a third cruise to our trip next Spring. I guess I am travel frugal with getting to and from cruises. We disembark from our MSC cruise to the Canary Islands on May 3rd in Southampton. I would like to add a third cruise up to Norway as long as we are there. MSC has four contenders, one Celebrity, one Fred Olsen, and even Cunard's Queen Anne! It might not come to pass but I enjoy putting together possibilities. Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Wow, what a difference nine months make! That did not exist at all in September! All of that is landfill. Their infrastructure really needed the boost. Much better than standing in the rain for over an hour like we did waiting for a tender. To MSC's credit, they did walk along the line passing out rain ponchos. Although our cruise was about $8K cheaper than the comparable HAL cruise last year for two Deluxe Balcony staterooms.

@StLouisCruisers Sandi, it appears that you were able to dock at Stornoway. Last year on our MSC cruise we had a long tender ride to Stornoway. Officials had said that they were building a pier for cruise ships. The excursion to visit the Calanais Standing Stones was well worth it. They are actually older than Stonehenge.

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

@rafinmd Happy Birthday, Roy!

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Hot, hot, hot! Thankfully Sam is not wanting to stay in the yard like usual. Stay cool everyone. Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

I am in the USA so our booking offerings are different than yours. On the MSC site for the December 13 sailing sold here it is $300 USD (237.14 Pound sterling) per person to add the drinks and one WiFi. When we were on the Preziosa last year, we had the drinks package so had bottled Still water with our meals. I don't recall if there was tap water available.

Very nice to hear about your cruise on the MSC Splendida. We sailed on her in October 2022. Our cruise was to Sicily and Southern Italy from Genoa. Although we were in YC that cruise, we did try the buffet (yes, the pizza is the best!) as last September we sailed on the MSC Preziosa in September 2023 to Scotland and Ireland. The plan was to see if we would enjoy a cruise enough for ten nights in the Fantastica Experience. It was - so we treated DSIL to sail with us and it was very reasonable to have booked two Fantastica staterooms. Our experience aboard the Preziosa left us with a very positive attitude about cruising MSC in Europe. Our cruise was about 80% +/- German so smoking was never an issue. We had 6:00 pm dining and ate 9 of 10 dinners in the MDR. The one night we ate in the buffet as we wanted to see the sail away from Cobh, Ireland. The dinner selections were always varied so never really experienced the "MSC gravy" like you did. Our tastes favor Mediterranean so enjoyed the fish offerings. I would imagine that the head chef actually decides on the menu offerings depending on the sailing. Ironically we had booked your itinerary for this Fall in conjunction with the Grand Voyage Transatlantic aboard the MSC Divina. We were going to do the last of the season 9-Night cruise from Trieste and then board the Divina in Genoa three days later. But MSC cancelled the Divina sailing which then disrupted our plans for the Spendida sailing. - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! No rain in sight and my grass is turning to straw. I need some sea air! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Hot weekend ahead! Stay cool. Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

I sailed on the Carnival Venezia in November which has "Smart" elevators also. They were worse than the elevators on the Seashore. During the cruise they would arrive empty or totally full. Disembarkation was total chaos in that you needed to ride "Up" in an elevator so that you would be able to ride "Down" to disembark.

@StLouisCruisers Sandi, I might have missed the reason for cancelling all three Greenland ports. Was it fog? I have been looking at two Celebrity cruises (NB or SB) for next year Reyjkavik via Prince Christian Sound, Greenland but may reconsider. That is the draw for us as we have been to Iceland.

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! The country just lost a man who was probably the greatest baseball player in history. RIP Willie Mays. Lately we have been having a plumbing problem in the house for at least two months that has been very elusive. It started with our water bill showing increased usage over the last two billing cycles. Sue pays that bill and didn't mention it. She finally did make a comment as I had noticed that one of the toilet valves was leaking ever so slightly. Changed the valve and created another problem. The valve sounded like a foghorn just about - but not - every time it was used. Called the manufacturer who suggested I get a different model flush valve. While I was at the "Depot" I also purchased a water pressure gauge. Normal house pressure is about 35-50 psi. The next day I had the city come out to verify that the pressure reducing valve had broken. The house was getting the full 100-110 psi delivered by the city! Sue doesn't want me tackling the job so I arranged for a plumber for the 26th. This is the first time in five houses that I ever had this problem. Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

I can remember checking into ATL while on business in the '90s at the UAL counter. The agent told me that my bag would make the flight but I would probably not! Of course the UAL flight was at the last gate of the concourse and the gate agent actually had closed the door. They opened it for me and the FA then told me to take the first available seat. It was like the old OJ Hertz commercial running through the airport.

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

@durangoscots Have a very Happy Birthday, Susan!

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! To those who are father's, Happy Father's Day! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Thank you @Denise T for the pictures of Coast Guard Base Ketchikan and and of the Fast Response Cutter USCGC Douglas Denman. This class of cutters are notable for being named after Enlisted Men and Women Heroes of the United States Coast Guard. The Douglas Denman is the 49th built of the Sentinel Class. Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Happy Friday! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Thank you for remembering the USS Liberty incident anniversary. Have a Great Weekend! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! I had yesterday's Cocktail of the Day for the first time on our first trip to Italy. We stayed at a hotel with a roof top lounge in Verona overlooking the Arena. The bartender concocted his own in batches. It was then served in a flask along with a glass of ice. One of my top five cocktails! Have a Great Weekend! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack