MamaFej

Was it the one with the helicopter? I'm not confident that one ever actually goes anywhere. 😉

I was so surprised when I spoke to him for a short bit on a staircase on the Summit. I was expecting to hear a Scot, but heard an American.

Be on the lookout for hitchhiking sea lions. They've been know to hop on the backs of fishing boats, with rather self-satified looks on their faces. I'm sure you're familiar with the look, given where you are from and your extensive travels. My grandpa was a master sea-lion impressionist: both the vocalizations, and the look.

Hubby had Lobster Eggs Benedict in Bar Harbor, Maine on a Summit cruise this past September. He was in heaven!

Yeah... I keep feeling jealous when I read this thread, then I remember why I had to bow out, and I feel better about it.

I loved when she explained the significance of her tattoo.

I bought them, based on Jim's recommendation earlier this year. They do work well to dampen noise, including snoring. However, for me, they are very uncomfortable. I am a side-sleeper, so I only wear one at a time (the other ear being buried in a pillow). When I almost inevitibly wake up during the night, I have to switch ears and sides. If Hubby isn't snoring too badly, I don't bother with them, and just play my sleep stories or soundscapes on the phone. If he is, then the Bose buds come out. This is not to discourage you, just to make you aware of another experience. They do come with three sizes of silicone for the part that goes into your ear. Even the smallest is too large for me. Other folks find them to be comfortable. Hopefully, you will, too.

???? Was it a repeat of the Tournament of Champions? Or an episode from her earlier run? I loved this year's TOC. The new format is exciting. In SoCal, it has been back to regular episodes with a very impressive run. We get repeats on the weekends.

Thay are, with two lovely children. Scratch that. With one lovely child, and one who has the potential to become lovely again, after he gets this through this %(&^ phase.

In my experience, eggs benny is considerably better in the OVC than in Luminae, Blu, or MDR, mostly because it is put on your plate hot, and you can eat it right away. With wait service, you're at the mercy of anything that happens between the time it is set upon the plate and the time the plate actually makes it to your table. This is not in any way a knock on the service staff. It is simply an observation of Real World experiences and cicumstances beyond the waitstaff's control. I imagine your son will prefer the OVC Benedict. .

We have friends who got married on Friday the 13th. They paid about 40% of normal prices for the venue, catering, DJ, etc. They are pretty smart cookies, and it was a lovely wedding in May of 2005. .

By the way, your screen name makes me smile. My late brother was an Army MP.

(In my best Paul Harvey voice) "And now you know... the rest of the story."

I'm not a big fan of telling others what they "should" do. I do think that double gratuities are fair in a cabin designed for two people. You might consider tipping extra, if you feel it is warranted. Only you can decide what is best for you. I certainly would not fault anyone who pays what the cruiseline charges, and not more. My point was simply that the workload for serving a cabin or table occupied by one person is not half of that for two. In my view, the cruiseline charging for two, and not decreasing the pool from which tips are paid to the crew, seems fair. I think it is unfair for the cruiseline to charge double for consumables like beverages or internet access. I hope I have clarified.

Psst: I have it on good authority that Iain never reads CC. He'll never know if you sneak and eat his.

Add in the plane from David's example above, and there's a joke to be made about an aircraft carrier, but I have too much of a headache to come up with it.

If you're 13th in line, and there isn't a #14 or above... . . . . Of course, if that's the case, who is flying the plane?!?!?

I vote for "Cheeky Grin."

I agree. It is absolutely unfair for a solo traveller to pay twice as much for beverages and wifi; a solo traveler is unlikely to consume twice the average amount. As for gratuities, the tipped workload is not halved for a solo versus a pair. It is, perhaps, cut by a small percentage. The gratuities go more directly to the hard-working crew. They should not be penalized with a 50% lower gratuity amount for nearly the same amount of work. They wont scrub half the toilet, half the shower... make half the bed. Carrying one dish or beverage isn't really half the work of carrying two. Beverage and wifi costs are borne by the corporation, and I feel confident that there is plenty of profit based on the per-passenger prices. Doubling that charge reeks not only of unfairness, but also of greed.

Yes, but... did you wave?!?! 😜 Judging by the relative position of Anacapa Island, we were either at the right edge, or just out of frame in this pic. Now, we are in traffic, headed home, and feeling jealous. Hve an awesome time!!

My dad is a retired homicide investigator. He used to bring work home... including photos of crime scenes and autopsies. I learned the hard way NEVER to turn over an upside down photograph. Well, I didn't learn the first time, but I should have. I definitely learned after one mistake in particular.

Regarding cruising "near home," I keep hoping for a cruise out of LA or Long Beach with an overnight in San Francisco when the Dodgers are playing the Giants. You know, something simple. 😉

Thanks for this. I've read at least three of Lisa See's books (including her non-fiction one about her own family, in which I learned so much interesting history). I enjoy her writing, and will be on the lookout for this book before our 2024 trip.