mking8288

(optional reading for some, others are welcomed to skip, no comments and/or replies, etc. needed or expected - intended to be informative & not a "debate") A few words about the week's associated CruiseCritic Meet & Greet gathering, first, the organizer hovering from the get go wasn't going to have one. Reason: the one & only full sea day was Day 7, en route back to NY (while anchor off VZ Bridge near Staten Island ... sadly, like this weekend too b/c of mother nature, another storm in-bound) Then, a # of CC'er asked and then, IMHO, reluctantly set-up and request submitted to NCL ... then, announced (prior to "official NCL" confirmation, that it would be held at a given date/time & location - Supper Club) 😳 Subsequently, a 2nd M&G date/time and elsewhere - District Brew House earlier in the week (actually, 6 PM on Day 2 ... which, also, isn't exactly a good time either for many - prime for folks going to dinner) Roll call wasn't very "active" with less than 40 to 50, and only about half (re)confirming to be there, for one or the other, or both - not the way that "yours truly" would organize and run the M&G. I wasn't really involved nor too active within the circle either - just a gut feeling from years of being in these. In fact, most of the roll call for the NE-Canada "Escape" sailings this year are similar, loosely & not well organized, some didn't bother to do one until up close & near embarkation. Social media private groups apparently were the domain. Not saying anymore about it and what my thoughts are - CC admin & mods, sometimes, should "patrol" these roll calls a little better, but that's me & my views only. Anway, some of us did attended the 2nd M&G announced for the roll call, perhaps no more than 20 to 25 people showed up, could be 30 - the sign-in attendance sheet had a short list on it, and I wasn't there early either. M&G held later in the week, which was the one initially announced on the roll call - was bad, poorly attended - less than 10 showed up ... none but one "junior" officer walked by, not even sure if he was just in the "Club" from an earlier gathering. There was supposed to be a slot pull, didn't go myself as those are always optional - the energy and synergy just wasn't there as a whole ... better things to do for the time slot given. For "our" upcoming cruise(s) - looking much better, roll call is more active, has a bit of energy, folks chatting & sharing tips on ports, tours, transport & other matters - lively and feeling of being spirited. Let's see how it go ... last week's gathering wasn't the worst, but certainly not a successful, nope - not sure if I would grade it with a "passing" grade. A # of CC'er are / were following this as they are sailing the Escape soon or next, perhaps - if some of you see & are reading this ... consider taking another look at the roll call and whether the M&G is happening or not. This week's cruise with Charlie coasting along and riding shotgun, I'm confident it's fine. Next week and subsequent ones ... there's some chemistry happening with one that shouldn't and let's leave it at that. To me, it's just bad karma for someone to wear multiple hats, a foot on each boat and not putting enough efforts - end up calling names, hijacking rosters and confusing the hell out of others, not eveyone wish to be here or there, on both and sometimes, with the mess - why bother. Aside from the ones that knew us from previous M&G - ship will continue to sail. Go undercover and slip behind the curtains - if I stay silent & quiet and just act as if I knew nothing and not troubled by it. Maybe that's fine too, right. Okay, "ranting" done for these - every now & then, another CC will post similar concerns and asked "why" and "why not", etc. No need to chat about this sensitive topic/subject and respond - my other motto, agree to disagree, stay civilized ... not just go with the flow, humor and patience, and "wing it" - useless to get upset about matters beyond one's "control" Life is too short for some, cherish, enjoy & cheers. Goodness, less than 2 months and time to shift focus and compile that packing list, will be back soon - hopefully, the next installment and continuation of the Semi - Live series, different ship and different itinerary, ports and adventure ahead; and, try to make it fun and informative. This chapter or series edging toward closure, with the Escape now returning to homeport again (early) and chats going on - allow someone else to pick up the torch & continue, it's a good thing too. Just wondering if anyone on "this" week's Escape that signed up and get to do their "Dine With (NCL) Officers" onboard - I always find that interesting, informative and fun to do, and meet other "serious" cruisers from all walks of life. There's always "next time" and better luck - and, with mother nature & weather, never hurts to ride with the lucky stars and wind direction. /mking8288 - Henry (and, Susan)

@MeriToT The last few posts have chats among several geeks here, which I am sure will leave others wondering about the language & codes, jargons that we are using. Rest can just skip or not try to decipher & not worry about a thing. Image of the back of the LG monitor, used the smaller iPhone SE22 as it’s tight quarters there. 90-deg HDMI right angle adaper would made it easier to plug the 6' or 10' cable into the slot, sort of touch & feel for making a solid connection. Next to that bright one is HDMI 1. Go to settings and scroll down several to find the locked input tab within setup and change it. Will need to use the proper unlock code (think of the most common, default digits - didn't bother to change it, perhaps too complicated for the installer(s) at the shipyard or during dry dock upgrade ... An universal remote or one that’s compatible with newer LG HDTV, tuned to the same WiFi network, will help to change the input source since it’s Ethernet hard wired (black Cat-5E/6 ??) to boot the interactive, customized Linux OS. A good project with sea days in the itinerary and for someone staying onboard most of the time. We’re too busy to try more or put my time on it. Please kindly reset & resort changes made to the HDTV, for the next cruiser’s convenience. Have fun 👌 If NCL would make it easier, for our convenience, of course, to provide the common HDMI connector somewhere as universal ... as most hotel chains do these days. Disclaimer: This is not recommended for most, unless you know what you are doing - there are other input ports there, including VGA/digital signal source - safety hazards caution must be observed. Otherwise, invest in a light Chromebook or tablet, iPad - since you are likely "casting" or "streaming" offline, pre-loaded content and not live OTA.

NCL's portal (regular) is working ... fingers crossed as we cancelled weekend out-of-town getaway. NHC called it at 14:00 EDT - CYCLONE BECOMES TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA (storm tracking further west toward inland - should not be too bad for our neighborhood.) In case anybody else is lurking & thinking about the above reference deal, that Haven suite is back and available, perhaps folks upgraded to a nicer Haven suite & "free" it for bidding or a direct deal - GTY cabin to be assigned. Hush, ya blowing our cover ... it's 11 plus 14 for 25 days of floating only 😄 pre-cruise air / independent sightseeing, together is an entire month ... getting cold feet. Minor things, just us, will houseplants "make" it - maybe get one of our trusted nephew to come over with a set of keys to check on things. And, hold mail at the post office.

Here's hoping that folks flying in are insured against travel disruption and coming in early - cause airports and airlines are likely going to hit their cancellation commands, triggering delays and backups. Safe travel. Latest storm track appeared to be further inland away from NYC's corridor but further south, BWI, PHL, DCA/IAD. ATL - major hubs for major carriers are going to be impacted, no matter what. Escape really pushing hard, aided with a strong tailwind - already off the Rockaways (appro. 25 to 30 miles SE of JFK Airport) NYC ... should be picked up by the pilot boat already at Ambrose Channel for the inbound escort. Sea swell increasing with a few white caps, not bad thus far. Going to tune to marine VHF frequncies on the scanner to listen ... Will they drop anchor or come into Pier 88, tide and strong river current were factors last week for us. For a bird's eye view - have a look and check back ... https://www.flightaware.com/miserymap/

Short answer, yes - several Acer micro space-saver PC in the iCafe, 2 of them were off-line for whatever reason, but other terminals worked. Bare bone desktop, just the browser and zero apps to run anything else with and locked down otherwise.

Very good summary. Thank you. We're at sea "Escape"ing Lee about the same time & wondering what will the "Sky" be doing to outrun the storm and didn't see any live post, but had an idea tracking on cruisemapper. WiFi was "bad" and just usable at times ?? Glad that things weren't too bad overall, 15' to 19' waves (assumed large sea swell, rough & near gale force wind) to be the challenges - like you said, book & cruise during hurricane season - to be expected & prepared for, things happen. Now, folks dealing with TS Ophella ... NCL, RCL and CCL are all activating contingencies and adjusting this weekend's schedule. We took over the Gem then in 2012, you might remember Pier 88 was runing dark on emergency generator power - embarkation was delayed and we ran straight toward the inbound Nor-Easter, blased our way thru to reach calmer ocean.

We haven't been on the Star for a long time, last time doing the Mexico Rivera back in ages, as in long ago, however, FWIW. Sideways have that unique layout and we liked them if you can book it - should be YT videos out there, practically the same among the Dawn, Gem, Jade - like the regular Obstructed Oceanview, all on Deck 8. #8112 and #8612 are better than #8114 or #8614, avoid #8116 or #8616 if you can, unless they are the only ones avaialable, as it is closest to the nearby stairs & elevators. Noises & parties n Deck 6 or 7 can be heard in the mid/late evenings as it travel up - for early-to-bed folks, avoid it. If you are the ones doing the partying & dancing in the atrium as noisemakers, then it's fine. Check your itinerary for tender ports before worrying about lifeboat operations, and they are generally discrete and not that noisy - starboard side are busier and used more frequently - when at anchor and running lifeboats as tender to bring pax ashore & for their return. Your room steward and/or dining room team aren't going to be out there walking, only designated team members are out there on the walkway as permitted when ship isn't on the move, and they don't look or peakk into the cabins, by will past by the windows - keep the window curtains closed & all is fine. The ones designated #812* and #862* are designated for accessible pax - the one we saw onboard the Dawn looked quite nice & spacious. Sleeps 3 with the convertible sofa chair and an upper pullman or bunk dropped out of the ceilig, for a maximum total of 4 guests.

Jim and all ... had you refilled your plate, should have cellular signal off & on heading toward St. George before making that wide turn to leave the coral reef zone. RCL has cancelled their entire 5 days cruise *Vision of the Seas) out of Baltimore to Bermuda scheduled tomorrow with the developing tropical storm system & forecasted poor regional weather. Significant compensation being offered, guests were notified late yesterday, as no other (alternate) port of call(s) available to change to, per cruisehive.

Haven for the TA already sold out, 58 days to go as you well know. Better ask & decide quick or else, you will either have to bid for it or stay downstairs in steerage, LOL. We don't have many doing B2B. @azcruise is running the first M&G. Shall I hold a spot for you 2 on the Dec roll call 😁 😉 as we are most definitely planning for a M&G (roster is growing fast) ... not a chance to allow anyone from FB to attempt to hijack the CC gathering onboard. They do theirs and we do ours, they are welcome to join us ... Oops, quick - looks like that category is gone, sold out this morning ?? appeared either folks given upgrades already via bidding and/or others just buy up directly. 2 BR Villa is still available, "slightly" higher - much more spacious.

How about this, my layering approach, since I have the long sleeve variant already 😆 for the TA flights later in the Fall. 4 more pockets, 2 of them good for all the smartphones plus the iPad Mini and 2 USB battery bank. Most definitely can wear & carry 10+ pounds of gears 😆😆😆 Inside pockets or pouches will provide that extra protection layer against pickpocketing in EU tourist hotspots like La Ramblas 😁

@JIMESOPUS Nice & sunny, beautiful day in Bermuda. It looks like the Joy is staying put as scheduled and MSC sailing later today as scheduled. Meanwhile in other news, NCL Escape had cancelled Halifax's scheduled port of call today, apparently left Saint John yesterday & changed course, returning early to NY again ... reaching the Newport/RI & passed Cape Cod/Nantuket Island - Martha's Vineyard area already at 21.2 knots. Montauk, NY is perhaps 75 nm ahead - yet to reach any CC posting onboard the Escape ... just calculating the #'s - expecting her to reach NY later this evening or tonight, drop anchor or dock early at MCT-Pier 88. Looks like another weekend of disruptions to air travel along the East Coast corridor. Flightaware and the other app that's loaded on our Pixel, Galaxy and iPhone - like the Windy App is my "go to". Safe maritime travel for everyone on the return to NY this weekend. Misery map on FA - https://www.flightaware.com/live/cancelled/today

Hmmm, those with flights in-bound for NY and out-bound from ship(s) coming in ... good luck & best wishes for safe and on-time travel, going to need that ... with the tropical storm inbound - Ophelia making Capt Mattias onboard the Escape & his bridge team a bit anxious in deciding to make changes in the interest of safety & comfort for all onboard. MSC's docked at Bermuda hasn't reported an early departure yet (this afternoon sailaway is 3 PM local time) Windy App charts showing that sea state & waves are going to be higher, urrrrh, worst than usual - starting late tonight into Sunday at least, brace for rough conditions in-bound and out-bound. Bonine or whatever, ginger & green apples - proven to work for those prone to motion sickness. Cheers, we are in the peak hurricane season/month - travel / trip insurance or self "insured" to assume all risk. Going to put some Rain-X on our vehicle in case we must drive somewhere, for better visibility.

When we skipped or cancelled 2 ports last week and hopped ahead to Saint John, $100 refundable OBC per stateroom plus $60 (2 x $30 with 2 in the stateroom) - an additional 10% discount or "credit" was issued to be used to book & sail by Dec 31, 2024; and, will be available on/after Oct 2, 2023 (next month) It appeared that this amount is becoming sort of a basis (i.e. Sky's modified itinerary out of Quebec ... 600 miles out of the way to try best to avoid Hurricane Lee, 15 to 19 ft. waves for extended duration, etc.) - FWIW. We are okay with that, but wondering about those that pay thousands for Haven or suite if they feel it's adequate - it is what it is. (And, I'm not cheering about all these and it's not nice for those that long planned & dreamed for a nice week onboard ... please make the best out of it all. Good luck & safe travel) Surprise, that 10% discount or code was already generated & available in our MyNCL accounts for our 3 staterooms. As a matter of fact, our BIL/SIL already used it to book a cruise ahead for May 2024, since they much rather reserve an accessible cabin, if possible & still available ... and, they did. Prices for 2024 and there is just one and only ship available, the Norwegian Joy ... at least they are familiar with the ship, layout, the (re)design ahead for the OL should be fine with them, as we likely won't be cruising with them (different plan in place for us, subject to change) - our best (CAS) friends had that cruise date booked, so they'll have good company together. Nice, huh ... perhaps but the discount doesn't amount to much - as that 10% came to about $100 in savings only (will come to $200 if they are able to use the code from both individual accounts) This month's DoubleUp CruiseNext Deposit promo is only valid for Balcony & Up, sailing at least 4 months out ... so, not "usable" at the moment. On the lookout for extra deals & valid promo to apply them between now and next January when cancel/final payment deadline is reached. With last week's cruise, they joined the rank of being Sapphire - not that it's really matter ... an extra "carton" of Flow water in the stateroom to welcome back on embarkation day. Actually, we only received 2 cartons of Flow water last week instead of 4, as we've been getting 4 "bottles" of Aquafina water all along ... before the switch. Little details that didn't bother us & not worth calling Guest Services, let alone go stand in line to ask or question the Latitudes rep onboard. Oh, our points from this cruise hasn't been posted or updated to be reflected or shown in our MyNCL accounts, not a big deal, but got 12 months to track it - normally posted within 24 (to wait 48) hours upon disembark/end of the cruise to show up. Emailed the NCL desk - verbatim replied as below: Okie Dokie 👌 apology accepted herein 😬 Thank you for contacting Norwegian Cruise Line. Our records indicate that your Escape reservation xxxxxxxx is included in your cruise history and we are in the process of updating your cruise rewards. Please allow up to 14 days for this update. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience. Sincerely, Norwegian Cruise Line

Odd, post an update & cross-link here a short while ago, and thus far, not showing up ... hiccups with this thread on the CC portal ?? Deja Vue again - like last week, she'lll safely reach NY Lower Bay sometime tonight ... shutting down the casino and shops early again. That's not good for NCL revenue. Safety first, however.

Breaking news for a beautiful sunny Friday morning in NY - TD #16 is a fast moving one per NHC and weather experts, expecting to be name Tropical Storm Ophelia, won't reach hurricane strength by more of a Nor-Easter up the mid-Atlantic coast ... well, go to one's favorite weather source for details, charts & forecast. Huh, continuous readiness planning 😮 FWIW, with her given speed now ... all engines running at 21 knots and good sea state/conditions, etc. - will most definitely reach NY harbor sometime tonight, perhaps mid evening and drop anchor ??? again and begin shutting down the casino & shops early, again. Truly, deja vue and a repeat of last week but not as bad, safety first vs. revenue. For whatever reasons, posted on the other thread as it should be seen by many others, not updating or being refreshed - CC portal or website being sluggish this morning ??? Sometimes, alas, CC itself also suffered from hiccups and/or the Mods are exercising discretion & reviewing, editing posts ...

Yulp ... saw this & checked a few sites first to make sure as best as I could, amended info to the semi-live that I am wrapping up

This sub-topic discussion is getting some of our CC mates and friends "lost" but the handful of tech geeks will appreciate the chat, and find a way. @Jimsopus - currently on MSC at Dockyard in Bermuda shared one of the tips, to tweak & play with his VPN setting, and viola - upload success & reasonably quick. That's the nice thing about paying for (extra or otherwise) unlimited access during the cruise ... not having to worry about signing out or out of those "free" minutes - the PAYG prices are outrageous. My motto for it, for emergencies, communication access is priceless - whether it's texting or SMS/messaging or able to access real-time info/news at sea ... even if and when we put ours in "away or vacation mode" with auto-replies. One time, the niece SMS'ed us about the death of someone dearest to us while at sea, and that was like day 2 or 3 of our 14 nights on the Escape in 2019, not much we could do but, messages gone back-n-forth instead of being delayed for another 3 days (skipped a port stop) and she "represented" us and helped do whatever, as we couldn't be there. Now, 4 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up is more typical for many folks on a NCL cruise when the server's load isn't stretched or high on a sea day, with nowhere else to go for all onboard - usable for Skype & Zoom voice & video is possible, no assured ... Facetime & WhatsApp - not going to be consistent. For your Epic trip in the Med next month, expect reasonable access most of the time. You'll probably find land cellular signals to be good & strong enough at times to ditch or switch off WiFi from the ship. Meanwhile, stay tuned for further Escape news ... breaking update this morning. Ooops - unhappy campers onboard - just posted a few minutes ago here by another local CC'er.

Hear Hear 😳 😟 Anyone holding their breath for the upcoming exciting new entertainment from NCL promised this summer - end of September around the bend, Fall is in the air. All the little things that didn't matter, or shouldn't are adding up and not seeing anything to cheer about, really. One change is 99% certain ahead for 2024 - DSC will be going UP again ... COLA. The grass aren't necessary greener across the ocean with the competition ... and I am not cheering about all this, far from it. Apparently, Haven still selling out despite sky high prices and minimum asking bids, plus the live bidding frenzy - more for less. Must be lucrative with the group chartering business too. OP aren't the only household that hit that full stop button on cruising lately or at least pause to question, what the heck is one buying. The Joy's CTN next January and February, I mean ... urrrh, TA is dirty cheap ... long sea days lover, nice prices out there - especially if one is near Miami or close enough to Florida. Sadly, perhaps not, inflated and elevated prices are out there just about anywhere you look - nicer land hotels, if you haven't look or price them lately - sit down firmly first before you click on the keyboard.

@JIMESOPUS Jim - good to hear that VPN tweak works out on the upload, I was frustrated in January on the GA with u/l as well as d/l speed and cycle thru all the options ... as the server/hardware & inTRAnet speed was good & fine - then, in a nutshell, problem solved. Epic, get thru ... last week, watching the limited 300 minutes being metered, sneak chunks of data traffic thru. If by chance you are also using cellular and it's sluggish, and you are on a higher deck - go to the lower public decks - #5, 6 or 7 might get your stronger & more consistent signals ... Dockyard's towers are beaming their 4G LTE closer to ground & not aiming them 10 to 15 stories tall, not with all the low-rise homes & buildings in the "parishes" there - although, water reflected signals will reach up high across the Bay - at least, my "theory" BTW, in case you haven't check the local BDA marine forecast, NHC updated forecast for TD #16 isn'tl looking pretty up the mid Atlantic coast this weekend, likely to slide up further to the DE/NJ shorelines - expect wind, waves & swell on the probably ship route on the return to NY, worsening into Saturday. Have a look at Windy App ... past the words to friends onboard, best to be prepared for a bumpy ride. Leaving earlier than scheduled to rush back doesn't look like will make a difference - ship will have to find a weaker hole to punch thru as by mid/late day - the front isn't going anywhere away. Have a safe ride back to NY and best regards.

Overseas, they started doing that quietly already and apparently, as we are know - DOT and FAA and airlines-friendly and not opposed to these "safety" measures ... since many are flying their narrow body jets across the pond, especially when demands aren't high, slower too ... fuel savings are substantial. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12445831/Airline-weighs-passengers-safety-reasons.html Domestic carriers probably are looking into it but ... LCC in EU and Asia are stepping up their games, at least on their domestic or regional routes. All this b.s. does not enhance or move that seat pitch and most importantly, seat width in coach (747 in my teen days were 18" wide by 34" on Pam Am's 707's and later 747's ... United and others stick with those, then as the B757's and B767's began service, shrinkage came along plus thinner cushions & paddings. The movements to leverage LCC's growing restrictions on flyer's rights have been to use measures like stuffing those hollow neck pillows and king pillow cases with rolled up clothings & soft items - wear and/or hug them when boarding, and evade the gate dragons - always check the specific airline's rules about it, and what's permitted or not. Flyertalk is the place to find & ask that question. We have yet to pull these tricks on carriers that we've flown, yet - Southwest, Frontier and Frontier, etc. comes to mind as good candidates to pilot & test these schemes, in the name of safety. Not a chance we'll purposely book a flight with them - not sure if NCL selects them as partner in bookings ... cruise terminal check-in, are a piece of cake and a walk thru the park - flying, not any more. For me, the vest (actually, any multi-pocket jacket or garment - same principles or concept apply) idea ... helps keep those personal items close-by instead of getting it gate-checked, things that I like to have access to in-flight. Some can be replaced easily, others not so much, i.e. an IFAK (what's that - Individual First Aid Kit) when going ashore ... anyone in the armed services, first responders and EMS knows the importance of having something handy, except an AED (which I habitually looked around for one, depending on the situation) For Dan's scheme, he can definitely roll, stuff & fit 25 pairs of boxers in one of the larger neck pillow case - plus get to use it while flying, with room for several t-shirts, etc. Nephew works in cargo bu whenever he's inside T1 - the terminal for international airlines, he sees travelers doing it.

Airlines are now weighing pax too, at the boarding gate, so they can accurately compute gross takeoff weight for the aircraft, fuel use and ETOP, etc. Here, 6 lbs worth in transferred body weight with pouches, and a foldable bag or daypack to store once onboard and to deplane later. And, the neck-pillow case trick 😉😉😉

@graphicguy Nice find on that bag ... from the specs given, as long as it isn't overpacked & using those compression straps to compress everything tightly together should help. Flying DL all the way, should be safe with your lifetime status to get past the gate dragons when boarding. Surprises happen and as long as you don't need to deal with any airport & airline hub by transferring or in-transit thru EU security & passport control, should be reasonably safe - don't they sometimes give you a special tag or pass with elite status recognition. Haven't flown much in the last 7 to 8 years until lately ... but Star Alliance is us and as long as I'm using JFK outbound, nephew @ ground ops can usually help "take care of us" with any possible boarding & often get us upgraded, subject to availability on a # of carriers. Otherwise, doubtful that you can claim that as the smaller piece for "under the seat" option, just way too big to slip it under ... front cabin, there's usually lots of OHB space to put it above, just need to be 95% sure that both items get on the jetbridge & down the ramp to greet the purser, as they are less likely to challenge elite members as they have the pax manifest, as you well know. eBags Motherlode Junior is smaller than its original bigger 22" brother, at 19" tall and I am getting to like, love it a lot - expandable & no problems whatsoever with a net total weight of 20 lbs, 25 lbs and 30 lbs with that 2 Pack-It gadget pouches and Chromebook/laptop as those are like 11 to 13 lbs alone combined. Too "expensive these days as Samsonite/eBag's corporate owner raised prices again & again - not even at $180 with 20% off code ... Amazon has it at about $145 when I last check it - practically the same. One of the nieces living in England but hop all over the world these days with her beloved said there are tons of EU spec'd spinners, rollerboards and backpack that are more compatible overseas and for transit thru Asia, smaller & perhaps, suggested that we shop for one on our next trip & haul it back on the TA. There are a # of 20L, 25L and 30L ones on Amazon that are smaller but shape-wise, should be more compliant with underseat requirements and not questioned at the boarding gate. TP-Portugal specified that the personal bag (under the seat) to be smaller and limited to 10 lbs only (yes - not even 3 kg) total ... it will get "rejected" if they choose to enforce the rules, and apparently they are inconsistent, worst if you are on a narrow bodied TA jet on the route. For the cabin overhead bin, they allow up to 22" x 14" x 9" - BUT and it's a big but, 22 lbs or 10 kg. Business/First, on their directly operated flights, I'm told - exempt ... all others, comply for gate-check with a penalty fee ($100 USD based on EU exchange - conversion rate) The other option is ScottVest, should've "invested" in one a decade ago when they're under $100 then, now - they want something like $229+ and up for a warrior-certified vest. My new travel vest cost a lot less - with several Eagle Creek pouches & soft bags, should do it, especially if the weather is cool enough to be undercover with a windbreaker as the outer layer. Checkout Amazon's options - saw an option or two for under $75 overnighted for next day delivery. DW hates using one of half dozens of backpack from the home collection & rather use a smaller rollerboard - can't convince her to use a sturdy, "pre-owned" (male styled ??) one in our collections (not going to spend $$$ on another one, too many already. Well, got a plan - stack my backpack on top of her eBags rollerboard (lifetime warranty, yet to be tested against free replacement or repair/exchange) P.S. Quick drying Under-Armour boxers ?? they aren't "cheap" (other brands are out there) but I think a dozen should suffice, wash them in the sink - once on the ship, do that 1st load, then a 2nd load and a 3rd load, should all be free with Platinum/+ status on 11 days plus the extra, for being in Haven. Not that it'll save a lot of compressed & rolled up space in the carry-on's corners.

Dan ... we are back on watch. Final countdown sequence yet, packing 98.5% done and systems checked, time for that single digital dance just around the corner - as early as today or tomorrow ? Susan "instructed" me to tune our intermediate radar to home in mediterannean options ahead, and ya know what that means. Lately, I don't recall reading "serious" live review on the Epic, yours is the one to be on. Bon Voyage and have a great trip. Love our Airtags 😁 😎 😬 on last week's dry run - remember this one, just kidding.

How are you ... what's going to be more "weird" is that we are likely going to be seeing more of us (NCL addicts, not cheerleaders) hanging out at the other lines, MSC and Princess come to mind, as Susan and I have been discussing & debating, especially seeing what NCL has on their calendars for NY/NJ folks ahead in 2024-2025. Literally not "them" sounding the general alarm for us to abandon their ships but rather, we are going to jump & leap across the river to other ships ... and, we hate the ultra-mega RCL monster ships at Cape Liberty. Manhattan's congestion pricing ahead next Spring isn't going to help with our ground transport cost either. Twice cancelled the Prima ... but, found a deal and we are well past the point of "no return" paid & ready to go soon. One more cruise for us and we'll be Diamond with the home away from home cruiseline and since one of our nieces promised to "sneak" us onboard, pretty certain she/they are going in 2024 - will do the match - supposingly, will be just "Gold" - upgrade to YC (Inside, at least ??) and see what the fuzz is all about. Kick the cans ourselves, going to be an interesting semi-live for sure. Don't you feel "at home" a bit, just kidding but what is different about it ?? Last week, we're prepared for the worst but it wasn't all that bad - aside from 2 cancelled ports and missed our Bar Harbor lobster rolls. EMC's satellite WiFi while connected was awfully slow at times but I managed to squeeze every last breath out of her, not easy and had to turn off Google One's VPN plus it turned out it was Amazon's VPN that has been the evil root cause. Final evening before disembarkation, the line at iCafe manager's desk was gone, just about everybody were on their own cellular data while docked off the VZ Bridge, either facing Staten Island or Brooklyn. Because of the lack of major production show - nothing against the Choir of Man, just not our cup of tea - avoided the possible elevator crush - used the stairs more often than not, being on steerage Deck 5 and only scouted the buffet upstairs 4 or 5 times, including refilling the water bottles. Didn't want to repeat our "exposure" like last May's Joy encounter again as we haven't gotten the newest booster, just approved. BIL/SIL that sailed together last week did feel the friendliness and helpfulness of the crew, especially during embark/disembarkation using WC assistance. They sailed MSC once before C19 when the ship was calling NE-Canada in the Fall then, with a mixed experience and like the shows ... maybe, time to do a "conference call" with the rest of my gang to go as a group, ship will be the destination as the itinerary is so familiar and boring, the same old ports again. NCL is dropping the balls themselves with their executive decisions "against" NY/NJ and folks in the Northeast, including neighbors north of the border & within a day's worth of driving distance - with their ship deployment schedule. Not happy with seeing the Getaway again and the one & only, last night - joking about the Joy instead next year on a last minute deal to Bermuda, Balcony sailaway rates is fine for Susan & me, but if the price is right - take the Inside GTY. Oh darn, those prices now are just crazy, crazy & unbelievable. And, if we don't find something to our liking at all, imagine us sailing Carnival's ship from NY ... and file a semi-live report (maybe submit that CC review with a different "identity" NHC's latest update on that tropical disturbance down in the Florida peninsula possibly create rough sea state conditions & wind, etc. by the weekend but you should be in-bound by then, nothing serious unlike last week to worry about. Cheers. Have a great day & week ahead, all ... /mking8288 - Henry

Last but not least, perhaps, aside from maybe a few summary thoughts ... I think most of the bases in our sights are well covered by now - feel free to ask other questions. About 2 months remaining for the next one but the "Gang of Four" are going to be on the road pre-cruise, time to turning and look ahead. These are mainly for the tech geeks and gadget loving CC'er looking for ideas & tips, others - feel free to skip it, for your convenience of course. (Snoopy - optional, has been traveling with me for decades ... feel free to bring your own favorite "pet" along) With the newer ships and availability of bedside USB ports, it is going to be nice to carry fewer extension cords - this is what I plan to pack for the next cruise (sharing use w DW, of course) and should power all the electronic gears coming with us. GE's Triple Outlet 3-prong Cube Tap and a EU 2 prong round 220 volts to 110 volts outlet adapter (not a power converter) that is on (almost) all NCL ships these days, old & new alike, and, commonly founded in EU hotels ... these can be found on Amazon and eBay, inexpensive and compact. The third item, is a EU 2 prong 220v to 110 v adapter with an On/Off switch, that fits perfectly in the ship's cabin - found it and sold at Ponta Delgada in the Azores during our recent TA, cost about 3 Euro only at one of the waterfront gift shop frequently shopped by ship crews on leave, apparently very popular. Used it last week on the Escape, fit perfectly into the outlet, tightly and not loose - it's probably available on eBay out there but thus far, not seeing this on Amazon's USA marketplace for sale. Will have to find them & get a few extras, for ourselves and will be a nice "gift" for our F&F circles that do cruises. These are the items that I'm going to pack for the next cruise, including the iPad Mini 5 (just updated to iPadOS 17) plus the Lenovo Chromebook (just read that Google is going support newer CB for up to 10 years - nice, if they last that long, batter-wise as they aren't designed to be replaced, even by the pro's.) 2 tiny / small Anker USB-C chargers and the regular Apple USB-C charger that's good for CB charging, plus a dual USB hi-output charger, a 10' and a 6' USB 3.0 extension cable - and the usual 1 m or 3 ft. USB-C and USB-A cables (tested for fast charging) along with certified Lightning cables (3' and 6' length). A flat 6' HDMI shield cable to pair with the USB-C to HDMI 4K cable adapter (Samsung Galaxy friendly). Anker 8-ports USB dongle-charger, 2 pairs of wired earbuds plus a pair of NC bluetooth earbuds. Couple of assorted adapters, not shown, several mSD memory cards plus a Linux-based self-booting USB memory stick that'll run off most PC, RedHat OS. Just added another 10,000 mAH USB battery pack to the other 10,000 mAH USB battery pack - extra reserve & standalone power source for extended use, without the need to look for an outlet to recharge or for a quick boost. On sale for $10 at Amazon with a promo code but using points on one of the credit cards, free & delivered on disembarkation Sunday, just in time, Plus, a Coleman multi-tool. All these fit into 2 Eagle Creek Pack-It-pouch "system" (small size) except for the iPad Mini; and, will board our flight & stuff them into my travel vest, together - unde 8 or 7 lbs. How "cool" is that 😊 On a side note - her 24" spinner weighted in at 36 lbs, mine with the 23" Kirkland (by Costco) expandable rollerboard (lifetime warranty - a heavy "beast" by itself at 12 lbs - also weighted at 36 lbs. and the eBags Motherlode 19" Junior convertible, expandable carry-on at 25.5 lbs that included all the electronics & gadgets, etc. shown here ... not bad. Her carry-on 21" rollerboard by eBags at 20 lbs. No chance that the airline's "gate" police will catch us exceeding the generous allowance for our upcoming flights ... especially not when we can check 2 luggage each, up to 50 lbs or 23 kg per piece plus a carry-on & small personal bag.