KenzSailing

Well, locavore is all the rage! On another local note for Vince, we just dined at the latest DC restaurant he won't get down here to: Pastis, Stephen Starr's new neo-bistro in Union Market. We made the rez a couple weeks ago and we're glad we did because, two days before we went, Sietsema published an absolute rave in the Post. OLoPP had the duck confit, chicken Kiev for me, both spectacular, and service was top notch. Just be prepared for a room that, once it gets full, sounds like you're in the landing pattern at National.

Tastes just like chicken!

OK, I'm a little late to the party, but it tickles me no end that the poster who (mistakenly) corrected -Lew-'s grammar, using that one word, misspelled it. I so love social media.

Guy opens 50+ restaurants and a hotel or two and he forgets his friends. 🙁

I ordered a hi-ball, I got a fastball: https://dc.eater.com/2024/4/24/24139066/celebrity-chef-nobu-matsuhisa-shohei-ohtani-wingos-dukes-grocery-dc-am-intel?ueid=4eba6b281d9f0c8ecfc26836a0d720b7

Over on Facebook, back when this was a hotter topic and Crystal's position was still "no how, no way" I remember Cristina Levis jumping in to state unequivocally that casinos don't make money for cruise lines, they make money for the concessionaire. Also, hi Vince!

You should take classes next to me. You can have my barely touched wine. I take the cooking classes to pick up a pointer on two and to have a bit of fun, for which I want a clear head. Regent is an AI line, plenty of time to get pleasantly foggy in the evening.

Yeah, could be. IIIRC, the current CEO(or whatever) stated on FB that casinos are not money makers for cruise lines, they mostly make a profit for the casino vendor. That, coupled with NC's obvious ambivalence(at best) about casinos, has to make you wonder. Assuming their initial about face was driven by negative reaction on social media, interesting they're polling folks they know to be established Crystal cruisers. They're not trolling for new casino clients. Essentially, "OK, Crystal cruisers, time to turn your cards over." Me, I'm standing on 19. (And yeah, I just mixed a Poker and Blackjack metaphor.)

Based on the survey wording that started with words to the effect that "Crystal has announced it will bring back casinos in 2024" I got the feeling that what they're trying to figure out is what size the re-introduced casinos should be. Interesting they didn't drill down on preference for slots vs table games(and what sorts of table games.) Determining that mix is probably left to whatever vendor they hire, I suppose.

Interesting. I watch a lot of Youtube videos about cruising(yeah, I gotta get a life...) There's a US TA know for their many, many cruise line in-depth videos, mostly on mass market lines, but certainly across the market segments. They just posted a short featuring Crystal's 2026 WC. That's got to help.

No, we don't. Now, let's beat this dead horse some more. Hey, anybody want to discuss dress codes?

I have one rock solid belief about human nature, based on experience: everyone, and I mean everyone, is convinced that the way they handle their finances is rational, and everyone else is doing it wrong.

My gosh, I love this thread. I started out reading about a recent RSS cruise experience, and also got advice on breathable fabrics and how to mulch my garden. Now that's full service! And yes, it's the Cruise Critic way.

I respectfully disagree, but every cruise(and cruise experience) is different.

The repetition of conjecture is not synonymous with fact. If social media has taught us anything, it's that sometimes where there's smoke...there's a smoke machine.