rrraydon

2 minutes ago, CruisnDeb said:

This is very sad.

Yes…this cruise is nothing like the sailing I was on just a few weeks ago, sadly. 

I went to guest services this afternoon to add another credit card to my account. I’m not sure what the available balance is on the card that they have, tbh I’m not sure what card they have …. lol. But, I’ve been gambling a lot and I want to make sure I can keep doing that. So, I get to guest services, they have 3 people behind the desk and one customer being taken care of and then there’s me. I got up to the desk and tell the gentleman I’d just like to add a credit card to my account. He tells me to go over to this machine next to the counter and do that. Seriously??? Three of you are standing there doing nothing. I say nothing and go over to the machine…it won’t register my card or do anything. I swipe it 3x….nothing. Now I’m mad. I walk by the counter to the 3 guys still standing there doing nothing and say..”well that didn’t work, sorry to have disturbed your “do nothing for the guests time” and I keep walking. 

Wanted pizza for a snack at 3p and this was what was available… 😞 

I finally just got service back, everyone has been out since yesterday. You should have seen the line at internet servuces! 
I did not get to the dining room last night for dinner, I went to the buffet. Food was mediocre but I consider what o paid for this cruise. 
I spent the rest of the evening reading and relaxing. 
This afternoon I went to the dining room for brunch, food and service was fantastic!

My plan tonight is to go to the MDR ( the maitre d stopped by my table at lunch and was asking for feedback on the brunch and said he’d be looking for me at dinner for more feedback). After dinner I plan to go to the show, not sure what the show is yet since their planner is online and I haven’t been able to get online until now. 

The nicest thing just happened… it’s chaos onboard as everyone is walking around to get checked of for muster so they’ll open the bars. 🤣 Crew members are everywhere with their life jackets on and directing everyone. I’m walking around and I hear “Miss Donna, Miss Donna!”. Now, I’ve only been on this ship one other time a couple of weeks ago. This very nice lady brought me awesome cosmos in the Tiger Lounge and chips and peanuts to go with them. She remembers me! How crazy is that??

She said, “do you remember me??”…Welcome back! (I did remember her too. 🥰
 

If you’re ever on Magnifica, look for Danielle, she is top notch!!! 

MSC does not play around with muster. Every bar and pool is closed until everyone has completed muster. 
 

AND…all elevators! 😞 I’m too fat for that. 

I’m on the ship and drinking my first drink… LIT. 
It took me a while to find my cabin, like it was my first cruise!! Lol

i got to the terminal at about 2:10 and was on the ship by 2:30. 
MSC does muster a little different. You have to watch a video in your cabin, call a number on your cabin phone that they give you on the video and then head to your muster. It needs to be done by 3:30. I haven’t done it yet so I have to get busy on that or I’ll be “one of those people”. 😜

it’s 3:15 now so I’ll check back in later. 

I made it to the gate…woohoo. I ended up parking in the express lot, it’s closer to the airport. 
Got my Cinnabon roll and coffee. Now we wait….. lol. Take off is 10:55 and it’s 09:35.

19 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

The adventure begins.

 

Sarah and I are sitting at the airport waiting for our flight to Vancouver where we will board the Explora Journey tomorrow for a 6 day cruise to Los Angeles.  This will be our first time sailing a cruise line other than Royal and this will be the complete opposite of what we are used to.

 

The Explora Journey is 64,000 Tonnes. 900 passengers and 700 crew, all suites, everything included.  This is MSC's new high end line that for an easy comparison would be like Silversea is to Royal.

 

We only have two stops, Astoria and San Francisco.  Astoria we will just wander around and have lunch in town at a local fish and chip shop.  In San Francisco we are docked from 9am to 11pm so I have Go Cars booked for 8 hours for us to see some sights and then an evening behind the scenes tour of Alcatraz.

 

I'll post pictures and updates along the way.

 

The only concern right now is that yesterday, Westjet issued a 72 hour lockout notice to the mechanics union so that could impact our flight home.

 

The other thing I was not prepared for was the dress code on board.  Resort casual for the day and resort elegant for the evening.  A quick shopping trip and visit to the dry cleaners was required this week.  So much for travelling with a carry on only.

 

Tonight's hotel in Vancouver is done on the cheap with us staying at the Days inn by the Airport however an unexpected bonus is Vancouvers summer food festival is open and across the street so that will be dinner tonight.

Have a fantastic time! I'm leaving on MSC's smallest ship today (the cheap seats). 😁

I don't know why the OP keeps saying "like MSC"... Stop banging on MSC, I'm just hoping the next 8hrs goes fast so I can get on Magnifica and get some fun in the sun and some of that yummy pizza!!!! 🤣

13 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

Those that hate it do so because it is a European line that has not totally bought into the US mass market way of doing things.  EM

You are so right. This right here is exactly why I enjoyed my first MSC sailing last month. I LOVED how different MSC is in this aspect. I enjoyed meeting and socializing with so many internationals. Yes, we had language barriers but we figured out what each other was saying.

I leave on Magnifica today and can't wait!! Back on her again in July, too! 😁

2 minutes ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

The standard 'pour' is well over a land-based double so no need to ask for one.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

You ain't kiddin'... I love it! 🤣 MSC bartenders are the best!

Very sorry to hear that, I hope the person is ok. 

On a side note, the Edge sure is having its share of bad luck this cruise. I hope after this your sailing gets better. 

I'm back on the Magnifica for another solo. A few weeks ago I did a review on my first solo sailing which was on this lovely ship in an inside cabin (which I wasn't a fan of the inside cabin, but loved the ship). This cruise I have a balcony up on deck 11 FWD. I initially booked an OV window but moved up to a balcony for $90.

If you've read any of my previous reviews, I mentioned I have been booking cruises once or twice a month.  I started a new job where I work overnight weekends and then take a few short cruises Monday through Friday. As a result, I fly out the morning of my cruise most times. Today is no different. My flight leaves BWI at 10:55 this morning and is due to arrive in MIA at about 1:40pm. Sailaway is 5pm.

I get off of work at 7a (4.5 hrs from now) and head to BWI long term parking ($55 for the 5 days) which is about 1.5hrs from my job. I'm hoping to get to the lot (with some traffic) by 9a and hopping on the shuttle to head over to the airport. Fingers crossed all goes smoothly and no delays!

Last time I Ubered over to the port and I plan to do the same this time. I walked right to checkin and walked right on the ship with no problems.

I'm excited to visit Bimini as I've not been there before. I have read some reviews and decided to rent a golf cart and ride around the island--- my own "hop on/hop off" kind of excursion. 

Nassau, I'll probably do what I did the last time I was on Magnifica and what I did on Liberty of the Seas the week before last, stay on the ship! 😄 Last sailing on Magnifica most everyone got off the ship at Nassau and I felt like I had the whole ship to myself, it was soooo relaxing! I'm hoping for the same this time as well.

Something I plan to do differently on this sailing is, I plan to eat in the MDR. I did not visit the MDR at all previously and I'm curious how the food is in there. I did enjoy eating in the buffet and definitely enjoyed all of the pizza! 

Like before, I purchased the drink and the internet package. Their bartenders and servers are the best and their drinks are STRONG, just like I like them. 😁 Plus, I drink a lot of the lattes....they have espresso machines at every bar. 

Gonna get back to work now and I'll check back in with you later today!  

13 hours ago, yogini06 said:

I was on this sailing and up on deck 15 during the 360° maneuver.  My pictures look much closer than what I saw. 
 

I posted a link above that USCG cleared them of violating any federal laws.  As noted previously they violated local rules put in place for environmental purposes. 

Objects in the rearview mirror appear much closer than they are... 😁🤣

Videos and pictures can be zoomed in, can be focused way out...all kinds of various options nowadays. It's difficult to base opinions of distances off of these pictures and videos as we don't know what the settings were. 

Thanks for your reviews! I'm on Magnifica for the 2nd time tomorrow. 😊

26 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

So gorgeous. The start of texas hill country. Their house is behind so many trees I missed it. I

And she is such a great decorator. Inside is as beautiful as out. I took some pictures today of the missions and all. Hardly saw the Alamo and riverwalk due to lots of rain and construction. Such a  nice visit. All the homes around here look like mansions to me. I sure enjoyed our visit. Boarding mariner monday. 

 

Some friends are just good and forever.  This was the best shot of her house from the road where you can see her house, the rest trees block it. Google maps just shows trees for her house. One of the missions. Wish it was a sunny day.

 

 

 

I've yet to visit Texas. Maybe soon I'll sail out of Galveston and spend a few days visiting before the sailing. 

7 hours ago, firefly333 said:

My buyers of course dont remember my schedule and said the co signer hadnt applied yet, asked for 10 days, went into title company and told them 30. I said no if you dont close by may 30 I'm done, I'll call one of those cash buyers always hounding me to sell. Here I was ready to move, called movers, had tags on stuff not to neve, and he has been busy and didnt do anything. 

 

So I'm here in san antonio at my friends house. Its gorgeous though it's been a rainy day. We ate mexican some place good and she picked out a  movie with a Louisiana storm and hungry alligators. Lol. Seriously that's how it was advertised. Only 2 people got out alive.  Going to riverwalk tomorrow unless it rains worse. Rainy all day here and coolish. We have one more friend from 50 years ago living amelia island florida so she can come visit us both.

 

They did 2 cruises, this spring a river cruise in florida on American cruises. She doesnt live more than 100 people on her cruises. I took her in a suite once on royal and fancy suite hotel and she wasnt impressed, not her thing. They took american cruises to alaska too and loved it. 

 

They sold off the rest of their acerage but kept 2 acres and a enormous house. Some random pictures, dont want to post when we have time together but I did make it here. We have all been friends since I was about 23. She and i hiked to the bottom of the grand Canyon, she came to visit me in hawaii, we went out west camping in national parks. Hard to believe 50 years. 

 

Gorgeous gardens!

6 hours ago, earthchild618 said:

I am also cruising solo in June to Canada!

YAY!!! See you out and about in just a few weeks!!

8 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

 

Sue and Donna,

 

Pls. help me understand... "12 hours shifts" -- does it mean continuous 12 hours, or 4 days [shifts] of 12 hours, and then 4 days off?

 

Same as 3 week end days in a row?

 

When I've served in the army, we had 7 hours shifts with 2 breaks of 20 mins of sitting down.

 

We're patrolling in what may be called the "Grand Central", checking suspects of terrorism activity.

 

I used to return home whipped out.

 

Since then, I'm sitting down whenever I have the possibility....😉

My shifts are every Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights from 7p to 7a...I work in the emergency department. It can be busy some nights and be 12hrs non stop or if slower some breaks in-between.

Magnifica last month we just watched the video, made the call and went to the MS and had our card scanned. No problem.

5 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Plenty of people decline meds for colonoscopies. Though I understand it is more common in Europe. Angioplasty and stent placement don't require meds. I've never heard of someone being awake for a hip. Maybe Americans are just wimps.

A lot of my patients are so I'm gonna have to agree with you on that! lol

1 minute ago, sgmn said:

I use to do days and nights shifts , 12 hour shifts, four on four off. The feeling of going home and snuggling into bed as everyone else was going to work almost made shift work worth it. 

Yes! I feel the same way... 😂 Mine are three 12s also. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

58 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Good morning.

It is partly sunny and 46°F here at 09.16am.

I hope everyone is safe and well and y'all had a great weekend and looking forward to a nice day today.

Good morning! However, I work overnights, so 2 more hours of work and I get to go home and go to bed. I guess it's like night time for me instead of morning. 😁

05:00am here, sunny and 86 here today.