Heartgrove

Thank you Rich, thank you Tina, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! We had Sue's family from Ohio overnight earlier this on their way to Virginia Beach. They had rented a house for the week near the beach. Four adults and three children surprised Sam I'm sure. Everyone was amazed at how big he actually is compared to photos! Sam finally discovered that we have a screened porch. We have an outside set of stairs down from the porch I determined that are too steep for him to manage with his rear legs. Juno loved being out there (even winter) if she couldn't be down in the yard. Alaskan Malamutes like to have a perch that they can lay and observe their realm. Sam is actually doing much better overall right now but does things occasionally that are not his norm. Today for some reason left a portion of his food. I'm wondering if the tumor is getting larger as it compresses his stomach? Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need today. - Jack

Back in 2017, DW and I had booked a HAL cruise from Copenhagen to the British Isles. A calendar conflict developed that we needed to cancel. DW felt like your GF but I convinced her to instead sail the previous 12-Day HAL cruise from Copenhagen on the same ship calling on the Baltic ports. Granted, we had two days in St. Petersburg and an overnight in Stockholm that made it memorable. But we both feel that it ranks as one of the best cruises (and interesting) we have ever done.

Sailing in the Aft portion of the Volendam won't be as bad as what I use to experience. ☺️

The actual engineroom will be 2 decks below between D1904, D1891 to E1922,E1911 on Deck 1. But the auxillary equipment machinery spaces with the generators and propeller shafts will be aft of there. If you find a side view photo, the engines will be below the funnel on top. The four main engines power two generators that then drive the two propellers. There are two thrusters in the bow and two in the stern to move sideways to assist in docking. The thrusters are usually activated early in the day/morning when arriving at a port. That is when most passengers complain about the noise/vibration.

Thank you Rich, thank you Tina, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Sue's Stress Test went well and I will catch up tomorrow with the Daily. Stay Safe, and prayers especially for everyone needing them today! - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Tina, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Late posting today after a busy morning along with another fitness session. @0106 Tina, I agree with you ordering eggplant when I see it on a menu! When I have a meeting in the evening and need to eat dinner early, Sue will sometimes buy a frozen "Michael Angelo's Eggplant Parmigiana" for me. Not the best but better IMO than the other brands. Stress Test for Sue tomorrow so will be on late again tomorrow. This will be the last check after her rapid heartbeat epizodes. Of course she wore the monitor for 30 days and it never occurred! Stay Safe! - Jack

LOL as well! My wife and I were almost on your present cruise! Instead of from Germany, about two months ago MSC put on their website Reykjavik to Greenland to Akureyi (11-Nights) cruise starting August 4. So tempting I almost convinced my wife that we should book it. We did an Iceland circumnavigation on Viking in 2021 so really just needed the Greenland portion for our bucket as well. It is an easy 5-1/2 hour flight to Keflavik for us. But my wife felt it was too close to when we leave in September for the Preziosa cruise, plus MSC at the time was only showing 1-2 staterooms (poor choices) to choose from for each category, Now that it is so close to the sail date there are quite a few staterooms open. I am going to see if they do the same type of booking next year. Maybe then?

Thanks for responding. Enjoy your cruise. You are currently on the cruise that I hope to do in three years! Enjoy Iceland! We did that with VO. I have found that I like the size of the Fantasia-class and may never sail on their newer larger ships. We were on the MSC Splendida last year and next month on the MSC Preziosa. I hope to make a decision on next year's MSC cruises before we leave for the Preziosa. That way I can maximize my 12+ month Voyagers benefits. Now that the MSC Fantasia itineraries for September 2024 have been published we are looking at week on the MSC Divina and a week on the MSC Fantasia before traveling up to Rotterdam to board our HAL Transatlantic. Almost decided on the MSC Poesia 23-night Copenhagen to Genoa in September 2024 but the purser (DW) would rather sail twice next year in YC. We are also impressed with the cleanliness on MSC, and the crews are just great! From the YC director down it was just a wonderful experience last year. I have read on MSC that they make announcements in languages for the nationalities onboard. Our cruise last year only had announcements in English, French, and Italian.

Could you possibly share your cabin number/classification as balcony staterooms do vary according to the MSC experience?

It may depend on how many are planned for the reception. When we were on the Koningsdam December 2021 it was held in the room on the Port side off of the Crow's Nest.

Thank you Rich, thank you Tina, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Stay Safe! - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Tina, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Stay Safe! - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Tina, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! I wonder if Italy has a "National Lasagna Day?" Last October and November I had the most deliscious Lasagna in Milan and Venice. One was at the "New York Lounge" across the Piazza Quatro Novembre from Milano Centrale, and the other at Trattoria Povoledo Venezia along the Grand Canal in Venice. Both were from Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel recipes. It was almost like a de-constructed lasagna as the meat sauce was a puree with lasagna noodles laid over free form. Dee-liscious!!! Always planning cruises for the future, I happen to watch a YouTube video the other day about the Carnival Luminosa. It is one of the former Costa ships that Carnival has added to their fleet. It actually is very similar to HAL's Vista and Signature ships in layout. We are sailing aboard the Noordam on the "29-Day Japan and North Pacific Crossing Collector" from Yokohama in April-May 2025 after visiting with my friend in Melbourne, Australia. It started me wondering what cruises were available for the Luminosa as it does Alaska/Australia sailings. Perfect timing for a cruise to the Islands of New Caledonia from Brisbane plus UAL does a LAX-BNE non-stop! The only additions would be the cruise plus a one-way flight on Virgin Australia BNE-MEL. And it would only add a week to the front end of our trip. That would stretch it out to close to two months. What surprised me was the cost currently for a balcony was about 2/3rds of just a comparable 7-day to Nassau. Now to convince the purser (Sue.) ☺️ Stay Safe! - Jack New York Lounge-Milan version Trattoria Povoledo Venezia version with a Murano Glass water glass.

@durangoscots Susan, so sorry to hear your sad news.

Now close this negative thread and rename the title to something like "MSC Comes Through in the End."

Thankyou! It is deceiving from the front as to how big (4,200 sq. ft.) it actually is. The first day the painters were here and they went around the back, they were very surprised. After being here for five years, our 10-year plan or so is to go into something smaller when we start having trouble maintaining it ourselves.

Thank you Rich, thank you Tina, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Bon voyage, Sandi @StLouisCruisers! We are very happy with the way the house turned out. The body is a color called "Cast Iron" by Sherwin-Williams. The tall peak on the rear was a bit of a stumbling block and was left until the end. The painter needed a 40-foot ladder to reach that peak. I have to admit I was concerned with the young painter working off that ladder. Now for a bit cooler weather and my job of painting the shed to match. Have a great weekend everyone! Stay Safe! - Jack

Thank you Rich, thank you Tina, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! I am just back from starting a new fitness program at our community hospital. Before COVID I had been active with a different one, but then COVID - and you know the rest of the story. Then procrastination and so on. The personal trainer I used is still there but he has moved up in the administration. He agreed to be available to work with me so I have signed up for their "Starter Kit" which is five sessions once a week. This will help me fine tune my workouts with proper placement and technique. I have already noticed the value of his instruction today! Currently watching Laurence Olivier's "Henry V" on TCM. Stay Safe! - Jack

July 3 is seven days after June 27. Just like July 2 is seven days after June 26.

I've never run the due date down that low which could be the reason I haven't received one. Good to know that they actually do keep track, even if it is maybe based on GMT +02:00.

That seems to vary comparing Viator vs Get Your Guide. We have a six hour excursion (small van) with Viator for Stornoway, Scotland in September. There are three of us for $450 that meets us at the pier. In comparison, Get Your Guide has closed for the season but going back to an August date, offers a two hour tour for $417 up to four people at one Stornoway historical site. Cheaper, right? The catch is that they will meet you at the tour site - 12 miles from Stornoway! Read the particulars for each company and excursions.

Maybe the situation I gave was because of the second offer being for the one Pinnacle Suite onboard and needed to get closer to the sail date. I was already in a Signature Suite to begin with, not a verandah.

Like I said, that was 2017 so it may depend on the actual cruise. Comparing cruise companies, last week I received an upsell offer for our MSC cruise in September. They use a bidding process for the upsell so you get to set the amount you would care to offer, but it does have minimums for the bids. On that particular cruise the offer was for three choices: an Aurea Experience balcony (we are in a Fantastica Experience balcony); one for an Aurea Suite; and the third was for a Yacht Club suite. They are listed in the pecking order and priced accordingly. The Fantastica would only change to a more midship location and "Anytime" dining, the Aurea Suite would be a larger stateroom, and Yacht Club (which we have enjoyed in the past) is a true suite all-inclusive experience (they refer to it as "A ship within a Ship") with many amenities and services including a personal butler.

Viator contracts out with local guides. We are using them for an excursion in Stornoway, Scotland next month. When we were on our Baltic cruise in 2017 the only tour company we used was SPB Tours for St. Petersburg. I believe that SPB operates in other cities in the region though. I am not sure of your itinerary but most cities in that region are easy to navigate on your own, and the English language is readily spoken.

With regards of moving up two or more categories, in the past I received an upsell from a Signature Suite to a Neptune Suite. I purchased the upsell and a few days later recieved an upsell to a Pinnacle Suite, which I declined. It is possible to move two or more categories but it is done in steps one at a time.