shipgeeks

One of our favorite things to do on a sea day is being on the Promenade Deck to either walk, lounge, or stand/sit at the rail to watch for flying fish, along with the beautiful and changing sky and sea. It can be mesmerising. Like some of the above, we also enjoy private cabin time (no balconies for us), leisurely meals (dining room or buffet, never in the cabin), and at least looking in on some of the more active things going on around the ship. We are not pool/sundeck people, though. The daily planner is always a good source of info on what's going on and where.

And now you've made me think some more.... I think that in those earlier days, the buffet was meant as just a backup to the MDR, for people who wanted to stay in their wet bathing suits, dash in, dash back to the pool. We certainly discovered that on our first MSC (US) cruise two years later, in 2002. We were disappointed in the meager offerings in the little buffet at breakfast and lunch, then, perhaps six days into the 12-night cruise, I wandered into the dining room, and found everyone eating from a nice, extensive menu.

Yes, that's our Regal Empress, thank you. We sailed on her in 2000. When did you? Ours was a fabulous cruise in all respects.

I should have continued my comment above to say "wear the caftan!". Jeans and t-shirt are fine for the grocery store; a cruise is special. Comfort is good, and the cruise is a chance to break out of the home routine.

Wait....are you talking about Regal Empress, or Regal Princess? Regal Empress, a gorgeous ocean liner owned by Regal Empress Cruise Lines, had some of the best dining room food we've had in our 50 cruises. Best duck, best pasta, best orange sherbet.....and we still remember them from over 20 years ago. We have photos of the elaborate buffet displays on our wall. Loved that cruise. The cruise director we had on that trip will be on our RC cruise next month.

I am absolutely allergic to photos, too! But jeans and t-shirt have never entered my mind or my packing list for a cruise. And I don't have a caftan. My boarding outfit, now that I sail out of Baltimore after a morning on a bus, consists of black stretch slacks, a nice jersey appropriate to the day's weather, and a jacket appropriate to the weather. Travel sneakers will be swapped out for flats for drinks, dinner, and the evening's activities.

And at least they didn't get caught going far north, with nothing but shorts in their luggage, and no beaches to go to.

I definitely grew up with the "no white after Labor Day" rule. White dress shoes, most likely bought for one's Easter dress, would be totally inappropriate to wear to school in September and thereafter. Likewise a white summer dress, or a man's white linen jacket. or trousers. Those did not get packed for going back to university, either; darker colors were the norm.

Barbados; that makes sense. As well as the geographic and climate difference, I was thinking of the "anything goes" style in much of the Carib (maybe not so much in Barbados) compared to the more traditional/formal Bermuda culture.

Thank you, CDN. I'm not sure we fit the intention of the book, but will explore further. My big question at the moment, thanks to this post, is how to spend what we do have. Example: I do enjoy some shopping, but prefer the adventure of charity stores over department stores. In the past year or so, I have bought two fabulous cruise dresses, and a purse I've been wanting for years. Total for the three: under $20. A drop in my bank account bucket, and a drop in the bucket of the charities, even when I rounded up. (But I have doubled - or more - my annual contributions to my chosen charities.) I am just not finding any luxury goods or services I want, or that will improve our quality of life. I tried some high-end shampoos and lipsticks; found that I preferred my cheap old classics. Both our local laundries/dry cleaners are gone, so we no longer have that little luxury of DH's shirts being washed and ironed. We have more than enough "things" (artwork, rugs, furniture, appliances) in our home, so we don't want more.....so what can we spend on?

I taught fitness classes for 35 years, then mid-semester 2020 those classes ceased to be. I stayed in touch with my students by producing a daily fitness blog....but I did so sitting down for hours at a time. Yes, my fitness declined and is still not as it should be. A basic independence thing I always recommend is standing from a seated position without using hands. Doing so multiple times makes it a useful exercise. Climbing stairs is something that if not done, can be lost forever. I learned this reality at my parents' retirement home. Posture is important for comfort, ease, appearance. Stretching can be helpful. Tech neck is not a good thing. Balance is a good skill, and especially so on a moving ship! Daily practice helps. Stamina and strength can be maintained by finding activities that you enjoy enough to do them regularly. Sports, dancing, walking....

Yes, plenty to do right at the port. What is the attraction at K?

Anybody care to share the premise of the book, before I order one on ebay (ranked by lowest price, of course)?

frofro, I think your packing considerations will be based more on temperatures rather than "seasons", especially now that so much of what we wear is sort of universal: stretch pants, athleisure wear, white jeans/pants. As to temperatures, Bermuda most likely will be warm, and on deck will be mild to warm, but perhaps with a wind factor making the air feel much cooler while in transit. I always pack a fleece or lightweight jacket for that reason. Onboard in the evening, I imagine dress will cover a big range. No fabrics or colors are inappropriate.

Labor Day here - usually early September - used to be considered the end of Summer, and therefore the end of the season for wearing white shoes, white summer dresses, etc. Now with white sneakers (trainers), white jeans, and many other year-round white items, the "rules" no longer apply. Puzzled Yank here - what does the Caribbean have to do with a cruise to Bermuda?

badtwin, it just so happens that I am packing a velvet jacket, to wear with flowy pants, on my C/NE cruise in two weeks. Aboard the ships, especially now that some have enhanced post-covid AC, I am always cold. My evening outfits, on both casual and formal nights, now always have sleeves, usually long. I miss wearing my standard sleeveless/strapless dresses, but I refuse to cover them up with a cardigan, or worse yet, a big hoodie. I also think of ships as having no particular place/time/season, just a world unto themselves, therefore we can create our own choices. (But, having said that, I would not be likely to wear a Carib-print dress on an Alaska cruise.)

I've read this complaint from time to time on lots of cruise lines. Best advice is easy, and DIY: Find the little hole in the bathroom floor (not the shower drain), and pour a glass or two of water into it. If that drain has become dry, it can develop an odor. This usually freshens everything. I'm sure many people don't know this, and just report/complain.

Our dilemma, re how to spend all the $$ we now have. Being on a cruise ship, preferably at sea, is our best bliss. We have been upgraded from inside cabin to balcony; realized we do not like having a balcony. OV is perfect for us. Suite? I don't see any reason to want one, especially if it has a balcony. We have done most of the excursions we ever wanted. Not interested in spa services or other onboard extras. Over our first 60 or so years, we travelled to and/or lived in Europe, UK, Mexico, Australia/NZ, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, all across the US, and more. We are more than satisfied with having done that, and not anxious to do more land or air travel. We have flown first class; it was nice but still requires showing up at the airport, sitting in a seat, and other uncomfortable elements. No real wish to do any more. I gave up driving at 40, as a gift to myself, getting rid of something I disliked. DH gave up his license at 80; our one car went to grandson. No interest in having an RV, or having to travel to a resort or hotel. The good life is either here at home, or on a ship. We are doing four cruises a year.

I just came across this thread last night. My brain has been on overtime ever since. We have so much in common with many of the thoughts....and some not so much. I intend to post some of my own thoughts. Will try to keep them brief. Background: We, too, were frugal throughout our youth and working years. (I allowed myself one new garment a year during college, to be able to pay my tuition.) I discovered my life calling at 39: becoming certified and teaching fitness classes. Taught at a university; decent pay but no benefits. Added a regular job there, in medical research; poor pay but outstanding benefits, which we now realize have us set up for life. But so far, our efforts to spend are meager. Primarily, I no longer "fret" over the cost of things. If groceries, and utility bills, seem ridiculous, I just let it go. If I run out of the reduced-price transportation vouchers, I just use full-price ones. To be continued....

That does sound accurate. If you are starting from your ship, the longest walk will be the pier, from ship to land, equivalent to a city block or so. The building at the end is the Visitors Center, a good place to get a map and perhaps info from the friendly and helpful people there. Then just walk across the track to the plain one-story building where you can buy tickets/browse the gift shop. If you are already on shore for other attractions, you won't even have to do the pier walk at that time, unless you want to go back to the ship to change your shoes or something.....

We have cruised to Saint John several times, and have always just walked around the city on our own. The City Market is walking distance from the port, as are a number of interesting churches and other buildings, and the new Container Village (Area 506) right at the cruise terminal. I don't know anything about St. Martins, so can't help there. Reversing Falls only reverse in daylight twice a day; I wonder if your excursion would try to get you there at an interesting time. An alternative might be the HOHO bus, which has a stop right at the ship. Tickets are sold in the terminal. (And it is sold as an inexpensive excursion on our cruise.) Stops include the city market, and Fallsview Park/Reversing Rapids, but not St. Martins. What is the attraction there? This bus would allow you to stay as long or as short as you wish at any stop you get off at (within reason). I believe this bus only runs during cruise season, so it might be wise to check your dates, if you are curious. It might also show as Big Pink Bus Tour. I hope this is a start to making a decision.

To be really perfect, my sea day would have to be one of many, such as on a trans-ocean voyage. During that perfect day, time would be spent in my perfect cabin, promenade deck, upper decks, MDR, buffet, and dance floor. The cabin would be an OV on one of the lower decks, with a big window so I can gaze at the sky and sea, and perhaps the occasional flying fish or other creature. There would be no clutter in the cabin: no coffee or breakfast delivery, no towel animal, no flowers, no ice bucket, no wine bottles, no plates of cookies or fruit. My bedside table has just my book, glasses, and hand cream. Breakfast and lunch might be taken in either MDR or buffet, and would be leisurely. Breakfast would be just the two of us, and lunch might be at a long table where people, including the occasional officer, come and go. Between meals there are walks on promenade deck and upper decks, enjoying the vastness of the sea and sky, and the variety of colors, clouds, etc. Evenings aboard, since no one has exhausted themselves touring, are festive. Dancing in one of the central venues, a drink and conversation in the repeaters club. Then dinner, at our set table with the same 6 or 8 people, with lots of conversation, and enjoyment of the food. Before turning in, a final walk of open decks, to look at the stars and feel the fresh air. Then back to perfect cabin and a best sleep ever.

We (Americans) sailed on Fred.Olsen a number of years ago, on a cruise out of Miami. I believe we were among only 19 US passengers aboard. The others arrived on charter flights from the UK. We enjoyed the cruise. Small ship. Lots of music and dancing at night. I was graciously invited to join a British passenger for a round of carpet bowls one day. In the dining room we were seated with two other American couples. Pleasant people, but they were not at all interested in the British side of things, and they were horrified that iced tea was not offered. We found some of the foods different, but we enjoy that. We probably would have preferred to have our dinners with UK passengers....but maybe they would not appreciate us. But we did enjoy our interactions with many of them in other settings.

And I am just the opposite! I now wear long sleeves every evening on a cruise, especially on the ships that have had enhanced post-covid AC installed. I miss wearing many of my sleeveless dresses, but I refuse to do what some end up with, a big grey hoodie over a nice outfit.

Some further thoughts on my part, and perhaps the other side of the coin. I make an effort to dress well/interestingly/creatively. I love a lot of vintage glamor. But if our paths crossed, and you happened to look my way, you might see a grimace that you could interpret as disapproval. In reality, I'm probably saying to myself, "Ugh, I hate being such a Plain Jane. All these years of trying, and I'm again reminded that I'm still ordinary and boring". Then you might turn away just before I gave you the big smile of "well done".