scienceteacher

QuilterGirl: What a fantastic run-down. Anyone who hasn't done this but might be interested gets a good idea of how it works here. One of the things I found interesting was that the two directors I had were really different and had their own arrangements for some of the songs, even some different songs.

 

One seemed really focused on doing it her way, and the other was really open to chorus members helping shape the performances, adding harmonies wherever they saw fit. Guess which one we liked best.

 

Jim

I tried out the choir on our Panama Canal cruise last November. I dropped out because the director wasn't interested in taking ideas from the choir members. I would have continued but we had many people who were very musically talented but the director was not taking any ideas. It just wasn''t worth my time. I might try again this year.

Don't be so rude to others. Just bc they asked a question maybe they didn't know how much time to allow.

 

Be Happy and share a smile.:)

Than you for your support. I was insulted by their response.

You'll get a variety of answers. Those who live in the greater LA area and deal with LA traffic will tell you no earlier than Noon, preferably later. Those who don't live in CA will tell you, "No problem making an 11am flight! Do it all the time."

 

Even docking at 7am, it's not unusual for disembarkation to start at 8am. My last several cruises disembarking at San Pedro, there were still passengers disembarking at 10:30am which means that disembarkation started late and was slow.

 

The 110 and 405 (the highways between San Pedro and LAX) can be parking lots at any time of the day or night. The HOV lane can be just as bad. I've been at LAX at 10-11pm and it's been gridlock. Other times, it can take half an hour to get just from the entrance to LAX to a terminal. Lines to check in and go through Security can be very long. The news is recommending arriving at the airport 2-3 hours before your flight.

Thanks for all the advice. We decided to go for a flight at 1:45. We will get home quite late but at least we will have no worries.

I am trying to make air reservations for the trip home after our cruise. We are cruising out of Los Angeles and will be flying out of LAX. How early can I get a flight? The ship is supposed to get in at 7 A.M.

We've chosen cruising as our favorite form of travel for the past 30 years and thought back on what policies and procedures were in place back then and what it looks like now. Please feel free to add to my short list -- it will bring back memories.

 

Things that have changed over the years:

 

- You used to be assigned to a table of strangers at a specific time ... sometimes you liked them but sometimes not. There was an early seating and a late seating. If you showed up more than 10-15 minutes late, you had to go to the buffet. NOW: ANYTIME DINING OPTIONS

 

- Collecting envelopes and cash to tip each staff member on the cruise separately. Rumor has it that people didn't show up to the dining room on the last night of the cruise so they wouldn't have to tip their waiters. :( NOW: AUTOMATIC GRATUITIES

 

 

 

 

- Early wake up on the last day of the cruise to line up onboard to go through customs. Lines would string all throughout the entire length of the ship. NOW: CUSTOMS USUALLY (not always) HANDLED IN THE TERMINAL

 

- All large pieces of luggage were put outside your doorway the evening before disembarkation; this was pretty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

much mandatory. NOW: CARRY OFF AND LUGGAGE VALET OPTIONS

 

- Long lines at the front desk to get a copy of your bill. NOW: FOLIO KIOSKS AND TV OPTIONS (on some cruiselines)

 

- A call to the room service pantry for requesting food items. NOW: ORDERING OF ROOM SERVICE ON THE TV (on some cruiselines)

 

- Drinks were offered at per drink pricing, albeit decent pricing: NOW: BEVERAGE PACKAGES AVAILABLE

 

- Midnight buffets, special champagne brunch buffets, other specialized buffets with food displays and ice carvings: NOW: SPECIAL BUFFETS SEEM TO HAVE ALL BEEN ELIMINATED :(

 

Well, that's all I can think of at the moment - some positive and one or two negative in my opinion. Many will complain about the cutbacks here and there but I still think cruising gives us the best bang for our buck. While I recall my first cruise way back in the early 80s was in an oceanview cabin on Carnival - the cost was $100 a day per person excluding gratuities. I see better pricing than that across many of the mainstream cruise lines....and that was 30+ years ago. Wow!

I agree with everything you said. Cruising is the most economical way to travel. It cannot be beat. There are pros and cons to changes made but you still come out with a fabulous vacation.

I love watching the waves. I really love everything about cruising.

Lots to do in San Diego--

Within a short walk is the USS Midway. In the other side is the Maritime Museum, a collection of smaller boats and a Tall Ship.

 

Balboa Park museums and zoo

 

Old Town

 

 

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We are planning to go to the USA Midway. I looked them up on-line. It sounds amazing.

I've taken cruises when those on the roll call organized their own book club. They picked a book and arranged to meet at afternoon tea to discuss it. It was fun, interesting and we got to know each other better than at a M&G. :)

Great idea!

I have read a few posts concerning the Princess Book Club but they are older posts. Has anyone had a recent experience with the club? According to the Princess website the book for March is “The Lake House” by Kate Morton. We are sailing March 14th. From what I’ve read the club is disorganized and the moderator, if there is one, is usually not very knowledgeable about the book. I plan to download the book to my tablet so I can start reading it before the cruise. Listed on past platters the first meeting is 9:00am on the second day. I assume this is to pass out the books that they have on hand. This is rather early for me so I would like to know if it is even worth it to participate. Any experience out there with it?

I was looking forward to participating in the book club when we cruised with Princess last fall. I was disappointed to find no knowledge of the book club by ship staff. It was never mentioned in the patter.

I have always found it easier to eat healthy on a cruise than at home. Since someone is cooking and cleaning up, it is easier to choose healthy options more frequently throughout the day without resorting to the "junk" that tends to tide us over when at home.

 

Like others who have posted, we always use the stairs and make a point of walking the decks after meals.

 

Where I find it difficult is in the drinking! Being tempted to have those "refreshing drinks" at the pool. If I must have one, I stay away from the sugary ones, and opt for a Tom Collins. The same with before or during dinner drinks, I will usually opt for white wine instead of mixed beverages or fruity drinks.

 

It's amazing how many calories are in the alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) beverages - and how they add up!

I absolutely agree. I have no trouble sticking g to my low carb program while on a cruise. The buffet is perfect for breakfast with omelettes, cottage cheese and/or fruit. For lunch I can always have a big salad or chicken and a cooked vegetable. For dinner we always go to the MDR where I get whatever I want but within reason. I only have one piece of bread. I get dessert but rarely finish it. This is vacation so I have a few treats.

We did that cruise last November. It was wonderful. We ate at the he Bayou Cafe. The service was spectacular as was the food. We enjoyed all the entertainment.

Have to admit I do like the "red" heart shaped mousse dessert :)

We loved that dessert also.

We are doing the Partial transit on the Coral in late Oct. I have been warned about the heat. We purchased neck scarves that you soak in cold water. They have beads in them that swell with water and you wrap them around your neck to keep you cool. They can be purchased on amazon. I hope it helps keep us cool.

We also plan on using the bead neck scarves.

Thanks! I am looking forward to a great time. I will be on the Coral Princess from October 28th till November 8th. (Panama Canal)

Anyone ever joined the pop choir? I wanted to know when they rehearse. How often and for how long?

I would rather go through the old locks. There is history involved here. To me, there is nothing sensational about the new ones.

Am I better to book this now , I notice that closer to sailing they offer much better deals. I always book 2 years in advance but thinking this one I should wait. Any suggestions?

We booked our cruise in Jan. for a Oct. 28th cruise and got a great deal. After that the price never went down but was almost double before it completely sold out. If you don't mind the price now, then go ahead but 2 years is a long time.

I like to wear my paladar pants with sparkly tops. Also sparkly jewelry makes a great outfit for formal nights.

I have been looking at those because we want to visit my husband's brother in Los Angeles. The airfare is quite high and the flight times are terrible on the return to Cleveland. I thought it might work out so much better if we fly to LA, take the cruise and then fly home from Vancouver. I haven't figured out a time to do it or if flights from Vancouver to Cleveland are any better. Some day I will get it right.

We have only had a balcony once. People told me that once we had one we would never cruise with an inside cabin again. They were wrong. For us, it wasn't't worth it. It was nice but not worth the extra money. I enjoy finding a different nook in which to relax, read, people watch, or just watch the waves. I can enjoy a glass of wine anywhere on the ship. It is true that the I side cabins are small. The only cruise on which I definitely should have gotten a balcony was in Alaska. My brother was on the same cruise and he had one. The view from his balcony was much better than being high up on the deck. I still say I would rather cruise more often.

I am bringing paladar pants and a few silky or sparkly tops on our cruise to Panama Canal. In the past I often packed dresses or a black pencil skirt with a sparkly top. Some sparkly costume jewelry also is nice. I never take my good jewelry on vacation. Wear whatever makes you feel special. Don't worry about your fellow passengers.

I know you asked for specific dishes but everyone has different tastes. I would watch the carbs and try not to eat between meals. This is vacation so fry to enjoy things but in moderation. Sometimes I think I do better when I allow myself some treats. Maybe if you try to create a great experience that is shaped by what you do instead of what you eat than you will have a fantastic vacation and will not put on the pounds. Good luck and I hope you have a fabulous cruise.

Whether it's cold or not, I rarely drink coffee.

 

But I LOVE drinking Cocoa-Coffee! Instead of adding water or steamed milk to a hot cocoa packet, use coffee. If you can get it, add a dash of heavy cream - like they use to make whipped cream. Absolutely delicious. Think of it as a hot Starbuck's Frappuccino.

I make what I call a "mocha" often at home. It is yummy!

We booked Southwest from Cleveland to FLL and Jetblue for the return flight from FLL to Cleveland. I have flown Southwest often and am usually pleased. In this case I chose based on flight times and price. I was lucky to have booked on Jetblue before they started charging for baggage.

Thanks for the feedback. I will be bringing some kind of deterrant as the biting bugs always seem to find me.