StLouisCruisers

Good morning! I’m ready to go and just waiting for the driver to take us to the airport. DH and I will be going to Road Town, Tortola, BVI in January. I’ve never done this before and don’t know if it will work but I just copied the url link of the previous posting of Road Town. I’ll give it a try. oh goodie! I learned something today. Hope everyone has a great day. Talk to you all later. 😉

Thank you Debbie. I hope you and DH enjoyed your visit with family after the Zuiderdam cruise. Hoping for good service from Delta tomorrow to make up for July 20!

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes for DH. We've been busy all day getting house chores done (I like to leave things neat and clean), plus the packing and trying to figure out what size luggage to take. Then I had to catch up on the Daily! In the morning we're being picked up at 7 a.m. for a ride to the airport, so since my laptop will be packed I won't be providing the link for the port of the day. If one of the early posters wants to look for it, the date was Sept. 14, 2023 and that is the only time we've had tomorrow's port. 9-14-2023 is on page 145 and hopefully that will make it easy to find. I can check in on the Daily goings on when we are settled in at our gate. We're getting there an hour earlier than originally planned because our driver has a doctor appointment and needs to be back in town for that. I'm looking forward to seeing DS, DDIL and Ren but not to the high temps there in the Dallas area. DS says their AC went out overnight and he's waiting for maintenance to show up to repair it. It's a necessity with 100 degree days!! So let me personally thank Terry @smitty34877, Denise @Denise T, Ann @cat shepard, Melanie @puppycanducruise, Debbie @dfish, Eva @superoma, Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser, Annie @marshhawk, Joy @Seasick Sailor, @Mr. Boston, Gerry @ger_77, Elizabeth @Haljo1935, Jacqui @kazu, Carolyn @Cruising-along, Brenda @bennybear, and Vanessa @JazzyV for your well wishes for Dennis. This is in addition to the early birds I thanked earlier today. You are all fantastic! Sorry @Mr. Boston I don't know your first name and couldn't add it to my thank you list! Thanks to everyone who posted their wonderful Seattle photos today. Also for the suggestion of the tour after disembarking and the transfer to the airport. We may need that. We also have the 28 day Alaska cruise booked for 2025 so will be joining Carolyn @Cruising-along, Edi @NextOne, Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser and possibly Karen @durangoscots if all goes as planned. Jacqui, I'm very sorry to hear you've been dizzy for a while and had that fall. Good luck with all the showings and I hope one results in the perfect offer! 7 showings in one day is great news. Annie, wow on the tree limb in Penny's pool! I hope it's not as bad as feared for them. The Good Ship Murder sounds really interesting! That's too bad that Chuck couldn't get his immunotherapy due to swelling. I hope he can get the PET scan on 9-4 and the immunotherapy finally done on 9-9. Paul, I'm glad to hear you got to Urgent Care after waking up with a fever today. But what in the world is with the pharmacy, making you come back to show identity, and then pick up later. Very inconvenient for a sick person! I hope you're feeling much better very soon though. Jack, That's such a shame that your DSIL fell and broke her ankle. I hope she is able to have surgery soon and recovers quickly. Joy, It's very sad about your neighbor's poor cat being run over. I'm sure they are devastated about it. Great to hear the water softener is repaired now, free of charge of course. Elizabeth, The MSC private island looks very nice. Docking is so much more convenient too. Disney has a dock at Castaway Cay which is great for families with small children. Tendering would be a nightmare for some people. My goodness, that's a big price to pay for one day of internet for a second device, but business is business! Sharon, you're welcome for the link. Glad it helps people out. The photos were great! Dixie, very good news your surgery is done and a success! Jack, what an interesting story about living in Seattle in the early days. Aren't you glad you heard these stories from your grandmother? Such a treasure! Vanessa, sorry to hear the vertigo is still such a problem. Good luck getting an answer on what the cause is. I hope you and BFF can enjoy some touring on your cruise. Which day in September does it start? Charlene, that's ridiculous they told you the tour was accessible and then failed to come through with one. I'm glad at least one of you got to go but I sure understand you stewing about it all day. They definitely owe you refunds, and if they were good business owners would refund your tour too. Time to relax for a bit. Happy hour, a light dinner, hand wash the dishes and some TV or reading. Talk to you tomorrow!

Dixie @summer slope good luck with that cataract surgery today! John @Copper10-8 happy anniversary to you and your child bride! Charlene @cunnorl have a great Golden Circle tour today. Iceland is an amazing place, Isn't it? Thank you for the birthday wishes for DH Vanessa, Charlene, Terri, Nancy, Roy and Graham. He's actually 76 today but will be happy to repeat 75!!😁

Good morning friends! It’s 68F here with a high of 92 and sunshine expected today. Wishing my DH a very happy birthday today and happy left handers day! Thank you Rich @richwmn for the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the ship location maps. I would love to celebrate Left Handers Day, National Filet Mignon Day, and National Prosecco Day. I like the quote, and find it amusing that zucchini is the latest fad on the menu scene here. I’m not sure I’d like the Dragon Berry Mojito or Riesling. It’s amazing a woman joined the U.S. Marines back in 1918. Thanks to Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope and Ann @cat shepard for your reports today. Prayers for my DB, twin sister, DD, the people in Israel and Ukraine, the hostages still held and our military members on bases and ships in a war zone. Many prayers for our Daily Care list people especially Tana and Terry, Chuck and Annie, Ann and Pat, Joy’s DS Bonnie, Nancy’s DB, Melisa’s DH, Jacqui, Elizabeth, Debbie, Roy, Terri and Jim. May you enjoy better health very soon! Cheers to everyone cruising, preparing to cruise, and celebrating their own special occasions. Thank you Vanessa @JazzyV for your work updated the lists for us each day! Great work! Today’s port is Seattle, Washington which was port of the day back on May 22, 2021. Yes I’ve been there but don’t think I posted photos. Someone else can show the Public Market Underground tour, lovely marinas and famous landmarks. Thanks in advance for your photos, and here’s the link for your convenience. I hope all of you have a very good day, and stay safe and well!

Elizabeth @Haljo1935 hope you have a wonderful cruise!

Karen @luvteaching please wish your DM a very happy 98th birthday!! What a special day for your family!

Oh my! Hoping you have a very happy birthday today Rich @richwmn!! Thank you Ann @cat shepard for letting everyone know.

Castro, Isla Chiloe, Chile On Dec. 22, 2016 while on Seabourn Quest we stopped in southern Chile at the port of Castro. This was an Antarctica/South Georgia Island cruise from Valparaiso, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The view of town from the ship. We tendered to shore for a look around this colorful town. A look at the Seabourn Quest from the dock. We started our walk about town The well-known church of Castro, the Church of San Francisco We then continued on to an overlook showing the stilt houses Castro is known for. We proceeded on to a local market. Somehow I resisted purchasing this sweater The same evening our favorite captain came down our hall during the Block Party. We had met him 6 months earlier on the Prinsendam’s Norway intensive cruise. He invited us to dine with him and a lovely couple from Stavanger that evening. Captain D.D. is quite the conversationalist.

Good morning friends! This morning we’re a couple of degrees “cooler” at 68F. High temp will be 92 with sunny skies again. There is an air quality alert all day though. Thanks Rich @richwmn for the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the ship location maps. I’d be happy to recognize youths, middle children, and the days of the milkman. I remember our neighbor having milk delivered (they had 7 children!). Always a fun quote by Groucho Marx. I love shrimp scampi and would give the zucchini noodles a try. I could try a cosmopolitan and would enjoy the pinot grigio. An all-around good day! Hurray for Isaac Singer and his sewing machine, Henry Ford’s Model T, and the early IBM computers. Thank you to the F&B ladies Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for their excellent reporting. Prayers for my DB, twin sister, DD, the people of Israel and Ukraine, the remaining hostages, and our troops on bases and ships in the war zones. Special prayers for my friends here on the Daily Care list including Tana and Terry, Chuck and Annie, Joy’s DS Bonnie, Nancy’s DB, Melisa’s DH, Jacqui, Elizabeth, Debbie, Roy, Terri and Jim. Wishing big time that all improve and heal. Hoping everyone has a great cruise and celebrations of their special occasions! And a big thanks to Vanessa @JazzyV for continually watching and listening to us and updating the Care and Celebration lists. Thanks also to Charlene @cunnorl who will wish Chantal on the Zuiderdam a happy birthday tomorrow. I think she will appreciate it! Port of the day is Castro, Isla Chiloe, Chile. It’s one I don’t have a record of seeing before so another new one. No links today but I do have photos from our stop there coming up. DS made it safely to Texas through torrential storms in Oklahoma that seemed to cover half the state. I’m sure Ren and DDIL made it there okay too or I would have heard something. This morning Ren has to see the team doctors who will determine how well he has healed and then school starts right afterward. Yep, jumping right into the school year today! Wishing him the best! I hope everyone here has a very good day. Please stay safe and keep well!

I did the same with cold water wash and low heat. I even requested the tags not be put on the front bottom of my tees as they left a wrinkly mark that showed. I asked they put them on the side seam area. It helps to be specific. They aim to please!!

No, we don't remember any tours available at the pier. I'll keep my fingers crossed they come up with some tickets for you two!

I don't live right there in Atlanta but close enough to say I'm happy we don't have many bugs here. Of course we have a contract with an exterminator for pests/termites/fire ants so no wonder we don't have a problem. From my experience the Clearwater Beach area (Pinellas Park) has a huge bug problem!!🪳 I hope both you and Chuck make it to Penny's pool today for some fun, cool water, relaxation. Do what you have to do to get yourselves there!😉

Katakolon (Olympia), Greece Way back in 2014 we enjoyed a Black Sea cruise, followed by a Holy Land cruise on the beautiful Prinsendam. It was our first cruise on her, and on Holland America, but that ship kept us coming back. On Oct. 31, 2014 we had a nice visit to Katakolon but made no plans to see Olympia. We needed a rest day after extensive tours in Haifa, Ashdod and Naples (Amalfi coast). There were many shops and cafes to check out. I wish I knew what this was. Looks like you could find a way to Olympia at this location if you wanted to. If you feel like museums, they have a big one there. Then there was St. Nicolas Church with the Navy Memorial right in front of it on the sidewalk. But the waterfront area was the nicest spot to spend some time. With a nice view of the famous BHB, Prinsendam Some of the very nice cafes along the water, where you could enjoy a refreshing beverage and use the Wi-Fi. And finally, since it was Halloween, we got a kick out of the fun display outside the Prinsendam dining room that evening.

Good morning friends! This morning it’s 70F with clear skies. We expect a high of 92 with sunshine today. Thanks Rich @richwmn for the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the ship location maps. Interesting days to recognize. Jay Leno has always been a funny man. I’d enjoy the BBQ chicken, but would skip the drink and wine. It’s always good to hear of a peace treaty, and the Mall of America opening makes me wonder how that mall is doing these days. Thanks Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for your F&B reports. Prayers for our Care list Dailyites in need of them including Tana and Terry, Chuck and Annie, Joy’s DS Bonnie, Nancy’s DB, Ann and Pat, Jacqui, Elizabeth, Roy, Debbie, Terri and Jim. I can’t wait to hear that you are feeling much better! Prayers too for my DB, twin sister, DD, the people of Israel and Ukraine, the hostages still held, and our military members in that dangerous region. Congrats to all celebrating their special occasions, cruising and preparing to cruise! Hope it’s wonderful! Thank you Vanessa @JazzyV for your list keeping work everyday! Our destination today is Katakolon, Olympia, Greece. Being very popular, we’ve seen it here three times before. June 18, 2021, March 23, 2022, and March 30, 2023. Here are the links and I’ll show my photos again too. Charlene @cunnorl do you know if Chantal is still the Future Cruise Consultant on the Zuiderdam? If she is, could you stop and tell her happy birthday on Tuesday August 13th? Also remind her it is Left Handers Day on Tuesday because she is a lefty too. She noticed DH’s birthday when we were booking with her. Please tell her the former guests across the hall from her cabin, Sandi and Dennis wish her a happy birthday too! Hope you all have a relaxing Sunday. Please stay safe and keep well!

I submitted our laundry with a request on the sheet for hypo allergenic detergents. I think I said please use no dye/no perfume detergents and that seemed to work fine. No one contacted me telling me it was impossible. I read here on Cruise Critic in the past that you can request that. Also if you have very sensitive skin you can request sheets and towels in your room that are washed with those types of detergents too. The dermatologist had just told DH to try those detergents for a while due to a slight rash he developed, so we just went with it while on our cruise.

Congratulations Graham! I hope everything is okay with you both even though nothing went as planned today. Get some sleep tonight! DS arrived at his hotel for the night safe and sound in Springfield, Missouri. We got a chance to chat during the drive since he called us as he crossed the Mississippi River into St. Louis. He got a good look at the Gateway Arch and Busch Stadium where the St. Louis Cardinals play ball.⚾

Nancy, what a lovely bride (and groom)! I send them my best wishes for a long and happy marriage. Ann @cat shepard I laughed out loud at the Wonder Bread bag vintage boot liners. I don't think we've ever had to use that type of thing but it tickled us both.

Bon Voyage Karen @luvteaching! Happy Birthday wishes to @Tbay!! Maureen @RMLincoln Emerald Princess may not be new but we have had many special and wonderful cruises on her. Our family came with us in 2019 to celebrate our 50th together. So much fun! I know you and Richard will have a great time! Graham @grapau27 good luck to the Sunderland team and I hope they have a very successful season! You're right, Paul Bunyan Day is June 28th according to NationalToday.com. But he's big enough we can celebrate him several days and it won't hurt I suppose! LOL!

Good morning friends! I had a good night’s sleep and was up on time to work out on the treadmill. I’m glad I don’t have to do my walking outside in this hot, humid weather. Right now it’s 73F and will end up 93 and sunny today. No relief in sight. Thanks Rich @richwmn for the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the ship location maps. Well, spoiling our dogs, shapewear and Paul Bunyan all on the same day! Something for everybody. I'm sure all the dogs will be happily spoiled by their parents. 🐶 When I read that quote I feel sad so I’ll move on. I would skip the Salmon Sushi Grain Bowl, am unsure if I’d like the Pisco Sour, and would pass on the Shiraz. I’m glad the foundation stone for the Royal Observatory in Greenwich was laid on this date. I enjoyed our visit to it. Getting married in space is something only a select few (2?) people can say! Let me say thanks to the F&B ladies, Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope and Ann @cat shepardfor their hard work reporting back to us. Prayers for my DB, twin sister and DD, the people of Israel and Ukraine, the hostages still held, and our men and women in uniform in the war zones. Many prayers for our Care group including Tana and Terry, Chuck and Annie, Joy’s DS Bonnie, Nancy’s DB, Ann’s DH Pat, Jacqui, Elizabeth, Roy, Debbie, Jack and Terri and Jim. 🙏 Hoping for improvement in health conditions, freedom from pain, resolution to problems physically and mentally, and for those who feel great loss. Cheers to all cruising and preparing to sail as well as celebrating their special occasion today. 🥂 Thank you Vanessa @JazzyVfor your list keeping skills each day! Today we have another new port and it’s in the Dominican Republican too. Samana, DR. I’ve never heard of it before and haven’t visited naturally. No links and no photos. Hoping someone can give us a glimpse of this new port for the Daily. Wishing DS safe travels today and the same for Maureen @RMLincoln and Richard. Stay safe and keep well everyone!😊

Bon Voyage!!🚢🐳

Thanks Graham. Some people call us crazy, but we just wanted to be home, after 70 days away.

It's near the end of the cruise on a sea day. Check your Daily.

Jack @Heartgrove, sending hugs and heartfelt prayers to you both on this very sad day. I know the decision was hard but a necessary one. 😢 ❤️ Thank you Dixie @summer slope, Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser and Carolyn @Cruising-alongfor your opinions on kitty cat’s smile. I think I’ll go ahead and keep it! Brenda @bennybear, the flight refund was due to the global tech outage on July 19. We had Flight Ease tickets on Delta the following day which they cancelled. The hard part is Delta needed info I didn’t have and had a hard time getting; then the fact they just paid Flight Ease apparently. I expect FE to contact me sooner or later with the FULL price refund exactly as we paid. So far all our inquiries and reimbursement requests from FE and HAL have gone unanswered. I also want Delta to repay us the cost of our rental car, fuel and meals. No hotel since we drove straight through, all 1,147 miles! I’ve discovered we will be in Amber Cove in January 2025. I appreciate everyone’s photos today! Probably won't take a tour there. Linda @lindaler I hope your son will be able to return soon and you can enjoy that cruise. Debbie @dfish, so glad to hear no sign of any more critters in the house. They can fit through the tiniest crack or hole. Fingers crossed the place the pest guy fixed was their entrance point. Karen @quilty964, your 2 grands and friends, and focaccia bread all look great! DS shipped his Audi A7 out to Los Angeles for his oldest son to use at college. The boy wanted it and since DS was going to sell it and get a new car, he had it shipped out yesterday. Should be there Sunday. The man who drives the car hauler was taking several other cars from Ann Arbor to L.A. I would hate that drive for sure! Meanwhile DS is preparing for his drive tomorrow to Springfield, MO and then on Sunday the remainder of the way to Dallas in Ren’s Subaru. He’ll arrive in time to pick up Ren and DDIL at the airport. He’ll be staying in Texas with them this fall since he’s begun his sabbatical from his University position.

Still stitching. Staying nice and cool inside today. I’m working on the toe area of the stocking. Yesterday on International Cat Day I finished the cat except for the outlining. I’ll show you a photo of the cat and also of the chart which shows the outlining I’ll be doing on the cat. I kind of think the cat has a big smile on its face! What do you cat people think? Should I temper that smile a bit, or make it exactly as shown on the chart? Note the blue lines where the whiskers will cover the mouth. Maybe that would be enough to hide some of that smile. Next up is finishing the hay the cat is sitting on. Looking at the chart I can see it will take 3 different colors to finish up those blank spots. The top of the stocking still needs the name area done. So still lots to do. I may not get this finished by the September wedding which is sad. If so, Ashley and Chris will have to wait to get it 2 or 3 days before Christmas. Not ideal but better than after Christmas. Now to go back and catch up on the last 5 or 6 hours of the Daily.