MJSailors

Lenny- That was some trip you took from Brooklyn to the Bronx! My husband drove from Merrick to Forest Hills to see me for three years before we were married. It was a bit of a trip driving on the Southern State Pkwy and the Interboro (now the Jackie Robinson Pkwy) . I think it was true love ! But,then, three boyfriends before him made the trip from New Hyde Park, Floral Park and Bellerose. The closest fellow lived in Jackson Heights. Good thing gas prices then were no where near what they are today ! MJ🙋🏻

Lewis closed a number of years ago. One of the sons ,possibly grandson ?, is Barry Lewis. He is an historian. He had a show on PBS awhile ago hosting walkabouts giving the history of neighborhoods of the various boroughs of NYC. I recall that David (?) Hartman - actor- was on the program with him. I would shop with my mother at Lewis during the 1960s-1970s. I still have Christmas ornaments that we purchased there.

Are you old too George? LOL! Now that you mention it, the J train sounds familiar. Have to ask you,since your parents lived in Woodhaven,did they shop at Lewis of Woodhaven? Great store and good people who owned it. Did you go to Forest Park for picnics and rides on the carousel there ? MJ🙋🏻

Don’ t waste your $$$$.

PS I meant to add that the elevated tracks (similar to the Loop in Chicago) were taken down some years ago. When I first saw Jamaica Ave without the tracks, it looked very bare. But, there was more sunlight for the buildings facing the tracks. A plus for those living in apartments over the various shops and businesses in those buildings. MJ

Mimi- You had me thinking about trains/subways after reading your post. The train that ran over Jamaica Ave ,called the El,wasn’t the 6th Ave train. Lenny is correct that the 6th Ave train was the F train which ran underground on the subway line. It went into NYC. I took that train many times from Forest Hills into the City until about the mid eighties. The train along Jamaica Ave was the BMT and I think it went into Brooklyn. To take that line into NYC might have needed a transfer at some point. My aunt was a legal secretary for a firm in Manhattan. She took the El as she lived in Woodhaven a few blocks from the train. I took the train with her several times and I remember liking the BMT over the F train as it had red vinyl seats and was high up so I could see things. Funny what I remember from childhood. I recall subway cars had straw-like webbing on them,the cars were a dark olive green and vote for Miss Subway posters were prominitely displayed over the seats with individual posters displaying photos of the contestants. Yes, I am old! You took the train to Brooklyn to swim in a hotel pool. My friends and I took trains- with several transfers- to Rockaway Beach in the summers to swim in the ocean.We were in HS,but too young to drive. Good times! Wishing everyone a 😎day ! MJ🙋🏻

@Kate-in-CanadaPardon me, but IMHO, wearing the robe supplied in the cabin outside of the cabin to the pool etc is tacky. I agree with @hcat . People wearing them as coverups stand out as looking odd. MJ

My DH is a very generous tipper. As part owner of a restaurant before retirement, he realizes the sometimes difficult work of a waiter/waitress and keeps that in mind. He has tipped $5 a bag to a porter at the pier. He also is generous to Belen, hotel housekeepers etc. @zitskyYou are not alone ! MJ🙋🏻

@Kate-in-Canada This may have been mentioned and may be something you are aware of... have cash ready to tip porters for both embarkation and disembarkation at the pier/ cruise terminal. MJ

Thank you,Luckynana- I am not sure of the names of Madge’s friends and neighbors at Breezy. I visited her family place a few times one Summer as I dated her son. That was over forty years ago. Some names escape me as my memory is not as sharp as it once was 🙄! MJ🙋🏻

We have had cruises on Celebrity and Princess. I have found that both offer shampoo and conditioner that caused my hair to tangle and makedit difficult to comb out. I took my own small bottles of toiletries on subsequent cruises. Problem solved for my thick hair. Depending on your hair type ,YMMV.

Dani- I was sorry to read that the Covid symptoms are lingering. Rest,fluids and some time spent outside on your balcony should help your recovery. Good that your hubby has remained Covid free. It is a tricky virus. Andrew- Good to hear that your Mom is out of surgery and that you can see her this evening. @mets07 Yes, my friend Madge was a true Irish lady. She was like another mother to me as she was a veteran teacher at the school where I had my first teaching job. She passed away at age 90 this past December. I miss her. She loved going to Breezy Point every Summer and loved the beach.

So many people to respond to here- Bonnie- So glad that you are home,getting ready to move to a new home. Keep up the good recovery and take care of yourself. Soon, your grandchildren will be bringing you hugs and happy times. I wish the best to you and your hubby with the move and hoping for good days for both of you.💐 Mimi- What a wonderful birthday celebration for you! I tell my friends,don’t count the candles,but be sure to celebrate ! You did it up great with your hubby and friends. Wishing you many happy days in the year ahead.🎉 Andrew and John and Lala- Wishing good outcomes for your loved ones’ surgeries tomorrow. Both Mom and Feliix’s Mom have good people to support them. Love and care contribute so much for a person’s recovery.🤗🤗 Dani- I see that you have been posting which ,to me,means that you are feeling better. I hope this is the case. 💐 Lenny- I get days mixed up too. On the 4th of July,I kept thinking it was Sunday. Maybe because it was a holiday. I mentioned it to my friend’s son’s girlfriend who is fifteen. She said she was thinking the same thing. When she said that,I didn’t feel quite so “old”!🙄 Graham- I was blessed to have parents who taught me so much by their loving and generous spirits. So many lessons learned by just watching them and how they lived their lives. I lost my Dad to Alzheimer’s disease when I was twenty- seven. My Mom lived to age ninety-three. ❤️❤️ I also want to express my thoughts of the present Queen Elizabeth. She was so young when the responsibility to her country was placed upon her. She has been a strong woman and has experienced so much during her ninety-six years. She is a prime example of the Greatest Generation. Unfortunately, leaders today seem to lack the level of her standard of responsibility and dedication to their offices. @Luckynana and @mets07 I read your posts about Breezy Point. A dear friend,Madge Reilly would spend Summers their with her son and daughter for many years. Her maiden name was Sullivan,I think. Do either one of you recall Madge or her family? It is a long shot, but sometimes,it is a small world.😉 Wishng all posting here,good days,good health,good travels,good celebrations,good times. Take care everyone !! MJ🙋🏻

@xpcdoojk As my late mother would say, “If you can’t say anything nice,don’t say anything.”. IMHO,that is good advice.😉 MJ

Very good response,Graham. You are a gentleman. MJ🙋🏻

@MaggieAtSea I am not sure of the date of the cruise on the Summit you are choosing. Keep in mind that Bermuda has national holidays this year on July 28 and July 29. Most shops and businesses are closed in celebration and many Bermudians go to the beaches and have picnics and barbecues. One year, my DH and I were on the Summit to Bermuda and experienced the holiday situation.Of course, it didn’t cause us to have an unsatisfactory cruise,but it did limit somethings we had planned for our visit to Bermuda. @LuvCruising88. If your DH was my hubby,I would gently remind him of how fortunate he is to be going on a cruise with you considering the way the world is lately. Lack of his favorite whiskey,while disappointing, pales in comparison to problems people are facing. On a helpful note, perhaps Celebrity allows one bottle of scotch to be brought onboard. A bottle of wine is allowed,at least it used to be permitted. If that is not possible, perhaps you can visit various bars in Bermuda where he can get his Crown fix. Wishing you both an enjoyable cruise ! MJ

@groryjm Thank you for the astute reply. Enjoy! MJ

Why not contact the cruise line or if you are using a travel agent and confirm if you will be allowed to board the ship ? Isn’t better to know beforehand instead of being turned away from the cruise terminal ? MJ

Pardon my curiosity, but I see that you occasionally refer to “your gastronome”. I am thinking that you are referring to your wife who must enjoy gourmet quality food,hence the nomenclature. I am just wondering, if your are referencing your wife, why you don’t use DH or her given name as other posters do on CC? Cheers! MJ

You get what you pay for. 😉

Unfortunately, previous posts of previous cruises written by the OP have rarely continued to the end of the particular cruise. Disappointing in a way because his writing style is one that grabs a person’s interest. it is understandable that a person should be enjoying their vacation and doing a live review can take precious time away from the person's vacation. Perhaps the OP will continue posting,or a least post a recap of this cruise once he has returned home from the cruise. Interested readers will ,most likely, monitor this thread to see if additional postings have been written. However,based on previous postings by the OP, continued writings about this cruise to Bermuda on the Summit will probably not appear here. I do hope that XZ and the OP enjoy the cruise,especially in the suite accomodations they had onboard the Summit. MJ🙋🏻

@sgmn That hallway on the Beyond would have given me vertigo. It seems that a good amount of decor on the Edge class ships are design (?) over comfort. When the Edge first began sailing, many posters were critical of the Kelly Hoppen-I think I recall the designer’s name correctly-design of the ship. The furniture was uncomfortable,decorations in the cabins were superfluous and took up needed space and the open veranda cabins had limitations. We have taken cruises to Bermuda on the Summit and have enjoyed those cruises as the ship is comfortable for us. I have no desire to be on an Edge class ship. It is unfortunate that Celebrity has chosen to go in the design direction that makes passengers feel uncomfortable or at least scratching their heads- ie the sculpture of the white elephant on the pool deck. Thank you for your post. I am wishing youand your DH good travel moments in the days ahead. MJ🙋🏻

Triple wow! I skipped ahead to the last page of postings and found your musings about the cruise on Beyond. I sympathize with your feelings/reactions. Hoping you are feeling better.💐 MJ🙋🏻

Enjoy,enjoy,enjoy ! Safe travels to you and Carol. MJ🙋🏻

@Carol28 I also have asthma,so I will respond as someone who realizes your concern about heavy smoke in the air. A number of years ago,my DH and I were on a Disneyworld vacation. As the plane was approaching Orlando,we saw a plume of white smoke in the area,but we didn’t give it much thought. After two days at the Disney resort, I was feeling tired and out of breath. I started my rescue inhaler. By the second night,I told my DH that we had to go home. We then realized,from local news reports,that there were forest fires in the area. My DH arranged a change of flight home for the next morning. Disney did not charge us for the remaining nights of the stay because of the smoke situation. When I saw my doctor ,he had to prescribe Prednisone to help me get over the asthma flare up. With that being said, the advice that I would give you is to say indoors as much as possible, carry all your asthma medications with you and wear a mask. If you are feeling symptoms,call your doctor and he/she may advise you on what to do and/or prescribe some stronger medication. If this is a part of a cruise tour package, I think a call to customer services now may give you information about cancelling that part of your vacation if necessary. I hope the air clears by July 8, but better be prepared than feeling poorly.Alaska is a beautiful place, I hope you get to enjoy it ! Take care MJ🙋🏻