Trainman-2

Breakfast in the Windjammer...

Once again, thanks to all of you on CC and the the Officers, Staff, and crew here on the Freedom for your sympathy and support.

Last night's towel animal...

On being On Time for dinner in the MDR

Yesterday was a sea day but as I sat in the MDR I watched people arriving late.

Entire families and groups of 6-10 people walked in late.

Many of them after 7:00 pm, one hour after the 6:00 scheduled seating time.

As I was leaving last night at 7:25, a family of 7 walked in.

I know that there has been a vigorous discussion on this subject in another thread going on and I don't want to restart it here. But over an hour late seems to me to be pushing the common standards of decorum.

My favorite place early in the morning is the coffee corner in the Café Promenade!

When I boarded the Freedom Sunday the Ship's Computer System was down for maintenance and didn't come up until late in the afternoon.

But the WI-FI system has improved significantly since I was on the Freedom last year.

In the past, I had to upload photos to Photo-Bucket one at a time and the process was slow. Now I can upload 4 at a time and the process is pretty quick.

I do get one recurring error message shown below...

I am usually able to resolve this by hitting the "Refresh Screen" button but sometimes that doesn't work so I go back and reload the page using the saved listing in my "Favorites" section.

Overall, the WI-FI system is much faster

HTTP proxy reports : <H1><H3>(The specified network name is no longer available. ). </H3>

</H1>

I dined alone last night!

I am at a table for 4 and the other Solo Cruiser told us Sunday that he didn't bring a coat or tie so he would not be there for last night's formal night.

I have no word on how the father of the lady who sat across from me Sunday night is doing. I did get their cabin number from the head waiter but was unable to reach her last night.

Here is last night's main menu.

I had the Filet of Beef which is one of the offerings RCI does consistently well across the fleet. They normally offer medium rare and medium well. I was always able to get the medium well modified to "no pink" for Carol. they did this without drying out the meat. I had mine medium rare and it was excellent.

I also ordered the Sautéed Seasonal Mushrooms in a blue Cheese Cream Sauce with Bohemian Dumplings. This was Excellent! I recommend this to anyone who likes Blue Cheese Dressing. If you don't like blue cheese dressing, don't try it!

It was sort of strange eating by myself in the MDR. I don't expect two of my table mates to return and I have no clue what the forth guy is going to do.

Day 3, Tuesday, September 7, 2010

LABADEE

We are scheduled to arrive at 8:00 am.

As I type this it is still dark outside. I can see white caps on the ocean and many stars but there are a few distant thunder storms with lightening flashing and thunder rumbling in the distance.

My plan is to go ashore to check out the new additions to the "island" but I will have to take my walker with me. I really don't think I can make it the length of the pier with our sitting down to rest.

A Special "Thank You" to the Guest Relations Manager and his entire Staff for taking the time to make yesterday both "Special" and "Memorable" for me.

I logged off after the above post and went out onto the balcony for a smoke break. The ship has apparently increased its speed because the sound of the waves is much louder and the amount of white froth from the ship cutting through the water is more prominent.

There are thunderstorms off in the distance and lightening flashing from cloud to cloud and cloud to the ocean.

If Carol were here with me, she would be sitting right next to the railing looking down. She always told me that she could see Angels in the froth of the waves and in the clouds.

It is almost as if the Sea knows that Carol has come home...

Scattering Carol's Ashes Went Well This Afternoon...

Here's the story...

I arrived at the Guest Relations desk at 10 minutes to 4:00 with Carol's ashes in a special carrier that the Funeral Home gave me. The carrier held a cardboard box which I had never opened.

The Guest Relations Girl I have been dealing with told me to wait at the Champaign Bar that the people were on their way. She must have noticed that I was starting to tear up so one of the other girls came over and two female Officers that I have chatted with a few times showed up to keep me company.

The Guest Relations Manager and two Security Guys showed up and walked me to the stern of the ship on Deck 2. We went through the Crew Area and the Security Guy was there to unlock all of the doors and hatches.

We went into the area on the stern where the crew normally handles the large ropes and cables used to tie the ship to a pier. The Environmental Officer met us there and explained that all that I could toss over were Carol's ashes. The carrier and the card board box and the inner plastic bag had to stay on the ship.

The Guest Relations Manager had a pair of scissors which he handed me so I could open the box and the plastic bag. Then we went out onto a "little balcony" that hangs of the side of the ship right at the stern that they use for throwing ropes and so on.

He said we were going to do a "little ceremony" and he handed me the sheet of paper (below) which we read together and then I slowly poured Carol's ashes into the sea and it was over.

They escorted me to the rear elevator bank and from there I went up to the Olive or Twist on Deck 14. This was our favorite spot to hang out in the afternoon before dinner. We could go into the Diamond Lounge for free wine and snacks and come out to smoke. I ordered a Bahama Mama and Diet Coke for me and a Glass of White Zinfandel to honor Carol.

I just heard from Guest Relations that the Captain said "Sea Conditions" won't be "right" until 4 pm this afternoon.

The Captain is always right so 4:00 it will be...

You may have noticed that my lunch was sort of "puny" today and not up to my usual standards.

Too much food at the M&M this morning and I worked on my cheese tray left over from yesterday a bit too.

Another excellent lunch in the Windjammer today...

I went up there in a Cheese Burger mood but when I saw the carved turkey (one of my favorites) I changed my mind.

We all king that they are not carving "real" turkeys. They are some sort of "machine made" turkey breasts. But RCI has this offering right! They are always tender and moist! Always! Excellent gravy too!

RCI's Greek Salad is enough of a reason to cruise by itself. Carol and I both loved them.

I am still waiting on final appoval to scatter Carol's ashes this afternoon. Maybe there will be word when I return from lunch.

Thanks again to all of you here on CC and especially to all of the CC Members that I have met on-board in the last two days. I really appreciate your expressions of sympathy and support.

We had a nice Meet & Mingle this morning.

As you can see the sun has burned off most of the clouds. There are still a few out there but it is turning into a nice day.

MONDAY, Day 2, At Sea

Good morning everyone,

I actually over slept by my standards and just barely got down the the snack bar on the prominade for morning coffee by 6 am.

Walked back to the room and learned that I had left my Sea Pass in the room so I walked all of the way back to Guest Relations and got an Extra Key and then walked back to the cabin. I was pooped after that.

Here is a view down my long, long hall way on deck 9.

I headed up to the Windjammer for breakfast, got some silverware wrapped in a napkin, left it and my cane on a small table for two and headed to the buffet line to get my breakfast. When I returned there was a lady sitting at my table for two. She had moved my cane but I sat down in my seat facing her and told her how delighted I was for her to join me. She mumbled something about me joining her but I think she realized that I had been there first when I unrapped my silverware. She said she had to go and bugged out leaving two dirty coffee cups on my table.

My breakfast...

It is a cloudy, rainy morning but I think as the sun comes up it will clear off by late morning.

All of the Chair Hog's towels out by the pools got soaked in a brief rain storm as I was leaving the Windjammer.

Lots to do this morning. I have to finalize arrangements for scattering Carol's ashes and our M&M is at 10:15.

More later...

Those three young guys I mentioned eariler have already corrupted me. After my last post I went back up to the O&T Lounge on deck 14 and hung out with them awhile.

It is about 11:30 PM as I type this. On past cruises Carol was usually ready to quit for the night and hit the bed by 9 pm and that was just fine with me.

Who knows, maybe I will sleep late tomorrow.

As always, I am thanking all of my Cruise Critic Friends. I have met several already and our M&M is tomorrow morning at 10:15 so I will meet the rest of them then.

My walker is adjusted to maximum height already...

More tomorrow, night everyone...

Hello Everyone,

Things have not been going well for me so far on this cruise. It is very emotional for me! Lot of tears and sniffles!

I made up the two photos above a few days ago at home.

I have Carol's ashes here in the cabin with me and arrangements have been made to scatter them at sea tomorrow (Monday) at 2:00 pm. I have no clue how that will work but I will let you know what happened when it is over.

I had a rough trip to the port from Palm Coast, FL where I live. It is only a 90 minute drive but I had to pull over and compose myself twice because I teared up so badly that I couldn't see to drive.

Here is a photo of me outside the terminal building at the port.

You can tell my walker is too short for me. Sometimes I feel like the Hunchback of Palm Coast when I am using it. I only use it on cruises and when I get home I am going to have to modify it or get one for tall guys. The Notebook is hanging from one side and my CPAP from the other and Carol's Ashes are on the seat.

Port improvements have finally been completed! You now get a parking ticket when you enter the RCI area, then go drop off luggage, and then park. You pay the parking bill on the way out now.

Check in was a breeze. I walked in about 10:30 and they directed me to the handicapped line. Two others were ahead of me. In 10 minutes I was checked in and about 11:15 we started boarding.

There were lots of people there and the regular check in lines were long. I have never seen so many people so early!

I went directly to Guest Relations to see about scattering Carol's ashes. They took down the info and when I got back to the cabin after dinner there was a message waiting that everything is set up for tomorrow afternoon.

Then lunch at the Windjammer. And of course the obligatory lunch photo.

After lunch I went up to Deck 12 to the smoking area. No chairs at all! The loungers were all tied down. Luckily I had the walker with me.

I got into my cabin, 9248, which is a Junior Suite about 12:45. It has lots of room and is very nice, even a walk-in closit. I will try to post some photos tomorrow.

Carol's favorite thing was to sit on the balcony so I posed this photo of her ashes with a RCI Robe. Wierd maybe, but that was Carol. That is what I will always remember of her!

Dinner tonight in the Main Dining Room was the Prime Rib and it was excellent. I am at a table for 4. The widowed lady across from me is about my age, maybe a bit younger, and was traveling with her dad who is 90. About 2/3 of the way through the meal we realized that he was "not right" so we called the Head Waiter who called in Medical and they took him down to the Medical Area. I hope he will be "OK"!

After dinner I went back up to Deck 14, to the smoking area in the Olive or Twist Lounge and met the same three young guys I have been running into in all of the smoking areas on the ship. I ended up telling them Carol's story without too many tears and they offered to go with me tomorrow to scatter her ashes but I think I am going to do it on my own. Nice guys! They cheered me up a lot!

One thing for sure. I will never again get a cabin near the forward elevators. The distance from my cabin to the rear elevators is just beyond what I can walk comfortably with my cane. Most of the time I am able to make it and then head down the stairs to the computer center where I can sit and rest a bit. I don't like to take the walker because it is often tough to get through crowds and almost impossible to move between the tables in the MDR.

That's it for tonight folks. Lots of tears today but many good memories too!

Bear with me please...

Jim

Thanks Radio!

We will be on the Freedom in October.

Fantastic Live Post as always!

Trainman-2 (Jim)

Well done Jack! Well Done! :D

Check out this thread I posted last summer just after the Labadee Zip Line opened.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=570658

Important Note: Nobody has died on the Labadee Zip Line. The recent death was on another zip line. I am not aware of any serious injuries on the Labadee line.

When the line first opened, the weight limit was 300 pounds and when my son rode it he weighed about 315. He told me they didn't check his weight.

IN the photo below, my son is in the yellow shirt. This is the landing area and there are springs and other gizmos to stop the riders. The main problem seems to be cable sag. Note how low the kid in the grey shirt is hanging. He could have hit the front of the landing platform (the blue area) easily. My son was even lower when he was hanging from the cable.

Now look at the two girls in the photo below. They are smaller and lighter and hanging much higher.

At the time I took these photos about a year ago, the cable farthest from the camera was not as tight as the others and was lower and closer to the landing platform.

From RCI's viewpoint, the issue is safety.

They don't want a rider to be able to hit the front of the landing platform with their feet.

This is one of those cases where it is better to be safe than sorry and I have great respect for RCI doing the "right thing" to protect the riders even if some of the heaver riders can't ride.

Aspen Summer

1/2 Blue Curacao

1/2 Malibu Rum

A Splash of Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass

:D :D :D :D :D

TrainMom & I on the Mariner of the Seas last year.