navybankerteacher

That may say as much about the quality of the institution(s) where he taught as about his educational qualifications.

I do not doubt his brilliance - rather I question his motivations and, at bottom, his qualification to teach. It is one thing to let one’s personal views be known, but something entirely different to let them warp objectivity.

I’ve enjoyed three distinctly different lines of endeavor: military, finance and education - because they never conflicted with each other, there never was a need to avoid briefly discussing aspects of all three - sometimes at the same dinner, if it ran late as sometime happens if you are fortunate to have a good group.

So, in stead of teaching history (which was his responsibility) he essentially campaigned for his political beliefs. I would have been inclined to drop the course myself on principal - regardless of whether his point of view jibed with, or conflicted with, mine.

Your mentioning Bermuda reminded me of an NCL cruise I took from New York several years ago. After overnighting at St. George the ship moved to Hamilton (supposedly for the next two nights). Shortly after mooring alongside, rough weather reports triggered decision to head away from the island. Many were ashore, so ship left a few tenders to bring them out to where it was waiting (for several hours) off the north shore. Most made it, but I heard a few were left behind when we finally pulled away and headed (slowly, to eat up time) back to New York. When it comes to ships’ movements there is no such thing as a sure thing.

Depending upon season and length of time in port - might want to taxi out to Virginia Beach - great public beach, possibly get a tour of the Naval Station if that interests you - otherwise, not much of great interest. Colonial Williamsburg (about an hour away) is great, but you could just scratch the surface. Charleston - you are right in center of beautiful old city - great for walking around, possibly tour out to Fort Sumter.

Check real time - if your flight is 8 hours after your ship is due in, you probably want to allow three hours at the airport before flight and at least one hour after ship is due in before you are off, then about an hour each way - to Rome and then to airport. You are looking at perhaps two hours in Rome. If you are thinking of going to the airport first to store luggage and then into Rome, you are cutting time in Rome down to about one hour. My serious suggestion is to change your flight to a day or two later so you can really see a bit of Rome (how many times are you going to be in the area?). I am continually amazed at the number of people who unthinkingly fail to take advantage of great embarkation and debarkation ports while booking a cruise - focusing only on the cruise itself.

Never liked cards, but I’ve streamlined my birthday gift giving: two bills —- one to pay for the present the other to pay him/her for picking it out (their choice which is for which). Children get a $100 and a $2 (finally a use for those Jefferson’s), grand children (more of them, not as close, and happier with less) get a $50 and a $1. If I ever get great grands they’ll get the full set ($20, $10, $5, $2, and $1) I used to give the grands.

Including last minute give-aways to TA’s, friends of management, suppliers (I have met a few on cruises), etc. Once spaces are purchased, the lines have zero incentive to sail with ANY empty cabins. A traveller getting a freebie is still virtually certain to spend something on board.

He appears to travel without a razor - only a blade. When it comes to those mini lather cans, I always use it up upon returning home before going back to my regular - so whenever I travel I bring a full one.

You do not bring toothpaste? And it sounds as though you just hold that razor blade in hand and scrape your face with it - I suppose the shower gel the ship provides would soften your whiskers — but still…..

When you book a cruise you are taking a cabin off the market - you are getting something which may have value for you, particularly if due to demand the fares go up. Of course if fares go down you would like to be able to forget (cancel) that booking and book another one. Please explain why you think you should be able to get that valuable option for nothing?

I guess that Saturday is popular -there is a late one at $83 — anyway, it demonstrates the need to plan ahead.

Which is going to fairly likely.

OP is talking September -- ample lead time to get a good fare. A $120 one way a month from now sounds high -- that's what Acela or business class looks like a month from now.

Stay up to date on vaccinations, wash hands frequently, avoid touching things used by others, avoid crowds, wear mask in planes and other crowded places.

Have you considered taking Amtrak - at least pricing it for cost comparison (remembering to crank in all driving costs as well as parking) and saving yourself a pretty tough round trip drive? Probably about $70 round trip per person.

Same here - it’s one thing to show up at work an hour early on a Fall Monday - or an hour late on Spring Monday — but it’s something rather different to stand on the pier waving bon voyage to your departing ship.

Nit-picking. It depends upon the size of the universe: if it happened twice on two cruises, the correct term would be “always. If it happened twice on three cruises, “frequently” would be misleadingly low. Twice in thirty is a lot more frequent than your “never”. It helps readers of these threads to know that it can, and does, happen. And if someone only sailed to those ports it would be always.

It is a lot more frequent than your “never” out 27 cruises. The real point is that cruisers should be aware of the time they should get back on board.

I recall it happening at least twice - 30 cruises on ten lines.

There are few trans-Atlantic sailings this time of year - so that sounds like the NCL straight shot Southampton to Miami. The Atlantic is fairly cool this time of year - you may hit some sunny days with temps as high as 70 - but winter is winter, even in the mid-Atlantic. It does look like great pricing.

Frequently it will be 30 minutes before scheduled sailing from a port of call. But the intelligent cruiser will generally plan to be back on board an hour before. Stuff just happens…..

Yes, frequently a ship will maintain its own time (most often on a short cruise to a port or two in a different time zone). The daily schedule will almost certainly make it clear for each day you will be in a port - and the ship’s time, and departure time, will be posted where you leave the ship

If you are on the 2/13 NCL from Southampton to Miami (hardly “next week” - but still a TA during which getting to “warmer” weather is relevant, you will probably be in the 50’s-60’s until a couple of days before hitting Miami — which might not be that much warmer in Mid February.