rafinmd

Well, my dental visit today was not a good one. It looks like there are a few cavities but all can be handled in one sitting. She also decided that one of my teeth has to go. I'm definitely not looking forward to that. Roy

[A request. I visited Prince Rupert many years ago arriving by train and leaving by ferry (I think the most recent was 2010). My recollection from that time is that the pier was just a collection of pilings with no deck and was far below the water level. Can you take a couple of pictures of the ship from town and what the port facilities are like.] Oops, I see you don't go there. I thought you did. Roy

I'm delighted you are enjoying the cruise. A couple of things, one for you and one in general. I was in Prince Rupert many years ago, arriving by train and leaving by ferry. At the time the area where cruise ships apparently dock appeared very dilapidated and quite far below the level of town. Does the dock appear to be recently upgraded and how tough a walk is it to get from the dock to town? As kind of a comment I see at least one live thread on this cruise, done by a poster with a handle starting with DrK. I'm baffled, he starts with "This is probably my last HAL cruise" in his opening post and does nothing thereafter but complain. I can't figure why he is even bothering, except maybe that his constant negativity is cathartic for him. It does sound though that it was wise for me to book Club Orange for my November Rotterdam cruise. Roy

Today's sunrise is from my 2017 Crystal Symphony cruise from San Diego to New York. May 4 was a sea day from Puerto Vallarta to Huatulco.: Roy

Today's sunrise is from my 2017 Crystal Symphony cruise from San Diego to New York. May 4 was a sea day from Puerto Vallarta to Huatulco.: Roy

Happy ALMOST Friday. Thank you Rich, Sandi, Eva, Debbie, Dixie, and Ann. My favorite birds are penguins. I see that in celebration of Star Wars Day Princess Lea gets her star in Hollywood. I like the Lourde quote but have not been to Taiwan. I think we were scheduled there on my 2017 Grand Asia but had to change plans due to objections from China. I'm pleased that @cruising sister is safely in Barcelona so hopefully her toe is not in too bad shape. I'm delighted that Ivan is working out. I'll pass on both the shrimp and the candied orange peel. My alternative is Classic Caesar Salad, Broiled New York Striploin and Peach and Berry Crisp, my final dinner on my 2019 Nieuw Statendam transatlantic, Dentist today, not one of my favorite activities. Roy

Bon Voyage! Roy

@St Pete Cruiser great news. I hope you're actually feeling better. Roy

I hope I'm not accused of cheating on this. At Number 3 I'll say a 2014 World Cruise segment on Amsterdam, Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale. I hadn't really been looking for this but I had booked a pair of Crystal Cruises, from Bali to Cape Town. Years earlier I had flown to Cape Town and back and I was really dreading the idea of doing it again, so I looked to see what was available and found the Amsterdam leaving Cape Town just 3 days later. While not what I was looking for it was a great cruise. One of the highlights was the port call at St. Helena. I climbed a long stairway, "Jacobs Ladder". This is the view from the top and the stairway Number 2 is the 2019 Prinsendam Grand South America. While there were MANY highlights from this cruise one that is unique is our visit to Grytviken, South Georgia Island, normally open only to much smaller ships than the Prinsendam, and we only got final permission a few days before our arrival. We saw lots of wildlife as well as Shackleton's grave. Here's the museum building with a lot of historic equipment out front: Number 1 is not exactly a cruise. It's what I call my 2018 "Grand Alaska". It started on MS Volendam 3 days Vancouver to Skagway and then overland via Denali to Anchorage, and finally MS Westerdam back to Vancouver. I turned 75 that summer and my brother decided to make it a birthday celebration, joining me from Vancouver to Anchorage. That year he itineraries were set up with a minimum of port duplication. The only port in common was Juneau but we took the small boat tour up Tracy Arm and had minimal time there. Westerdam did her Glacier viewing at Glacier Bay and stopped at Haines instead of Skagway. Here's the point where we crossed over to the Yukon: Sadly, Roger had died within 3 years. Roy

Your Thanksgiving or ours? A one-week cruise will likely have more (but I doubt still a huge number) while longer cruises are unlikely to be affected. Roy

While things could happen at any time if a ship is delayed leaving there is a master Alaska cruise schedule that is quite definitive. Ports may require a ship to tender if there are more ships than docks but it doesn't happen that often. Here's the master schedule: https://claalaska.com/?page_id=1250 The first item is Berth Codes, and for each port there is a list of berth codes with some marked "Anchor" meaning tender required. For example, there are 4 anchor locations for Juneau (ACT,AIF,AMP, and ASD) The other thing is a calendar for each port. Find your ship on the calendar for those ports and you will see a berth code next to hour ship Ship names are also coded but there's a guide to those codes as well. Roy

My big take away there is that people with higher credit scores will STILL pay lower overall fees than those with lower credit scores. Sounds fair to me. Roy

@grapau27 QM2 is back at see. With the cancelled TA she is doing a 5-day "Coronation Cruise" which I understand sold out almost immediately. Headed now for Liverpool and will be at sea on the 6th. @superoma my good doctor's visits were quite a while and probably should come off the celebration list. I am still feeling week but probably that would be better off in the rotation. Doing more and maybe it's worth celebrating my fleshing out of my September and November cruises. Roy

Bon Voyage! @kazu we're in the same boat as I'm following a live thread on the same pair of cruises I should have been on now. Roy

Today's photo is from my 2019 Nieuw Statendam transatlantic and is a sunset rather than a sunrise. On May 3 Nieuw Statendam visited Cherbourg. Roy

Happy Hump Day. Thank you Rich, Sandi, Eva, Debbie, Dixie, and Ann. Wishing good outcomes today for @cruzn single @cunnorl, @RMLincoln and @kazu. I definitely appreciate teachers but will pass on the garden and the lumpy rug. Strange quote by Wilde. "Gone With the Wind" was definitely worthy of a Pulitzer. I have not been to the port of Saguenay but have sailed up the river as far as Cape Trinity. Another cold, damp day today (high 54/12). I'll pass on the meal. My alternative is Classic Caesar Salad,Linguini Russo, and Vanilla Ice Cream as served on MS Nieuw Statendam March 3, 2019, Roy

I have found that putting certain posters on my "ignore" list lowers my blood pressure dramatically. Roy

I got a call from my TA a little while ago. Based on the feedback here she confirmed that I now have Club Orange for my November Rotterdam cruise.' Roy

I guess unless the raindrop moves that's it. Thanks Leanne, Lou & Dave, Copper, and fellow addicts. Roy

I think it's about 2 steps forward and one step back but I see slow improvement, enough that I've added trains and hotels for QM2 in September and Rotterdam in November. Roy

Headed into a raindrop. Roy

Keith, did you eat that whole pizza? Today's sunrise is from my 2017 Crystal Symphony cruise from San Diego to New York. May 2 was a sea day from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta: Roy

Today's sunrise is from my 2017 Crystal Symphony cruise from San Diego to New York. May 2 was a sea day from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta: Roy

Thank you. Your impressions largely were very much like mine. I tend to be a small ship person but actually preferred Allure to the Quantum class. Roy