rkacruiser

But, there does seem to be a possibility that the Fed will moderate the rate hikes. Our friends in the UK, unfortunately, are headed into months of economic woes, I am afraid. (Please keep the contagion on your side of the Pond, my UK friends,) Our economic situation is so difficult to understand. Some small signs that inflation is starting to drop. And, some people's bank accounts are healthy while too many others are not.

This is true on all cruise lines. But, when I come waltzing in shortly before the posted closing time, I sometimes feel guilty because I am keeping my dining room staff (as well as those in the Galley) working longer than perhaps necessary if I had been an earlier arriving guest.

The only time that I care what the name of the cruise line is on a bag is when I am at a pre-cruise hotel and/or airport and see someone with a bag from the cruise line on which I will soon sail. It's a conversation starter and has proven to be an interesting one. Speaking with a soon-to-be fellow shipmate is an "upper" for me and permits follow-up conversations, at times, once onboard.

An increase in the fare of less than $4? Big deal. Personally, I think you are giving them too much credit. The ships don't get that close to have an impact on the glaciers, in my experience.

True Confession time: During my first cruise, I packed one pair of dress black shoes, one pair of dress brown shoes (when I wore a brown suit), a pair of white shoes for causal nights at sea, a pair of slippers, and wore a canvass lace-up shoe as my embarkation shoe and daily shoe around the ship and ashore. I wised up after that cruise!

Your experience is different than mine. Don't recall any unpleasant service; could be more efficient at times, I would agree. The best staff experience is the Delta Sky Clubs. The one in the International Terminal! it's the best!

Your most recent series of posts on this topic are excellent. I would suggest that another factor is the discomfort many Americans have when English is not the primary language of the places they are visiting. Not knowing the language can cause insecurity in some people and these same people lack the "travel sense" to be able to deal with the situation. Your last sentence in the quote above is very relevant to many posts we read on CC. How many posts are seeking information from others when that information is readily available online or in a library. How many times has a question about "parking in the Port of Miami" been answered on the Florida Message Board, just as an example? Please don't misunderstand me as to my willingness to help answer others' questions. I am pleased to be able to share my knowledge (CC posters have surely helped me over the years!) and answer their questions to the best of my ability. But, to be an informed traveler, it requires some effort on the part of the traveler. In some ways, I am reminded of my days teaching early adolescents. ("Mr. RKA, why does xylem transport water and not food in a tree?" My response: "Excellent question, student. Why don't you go to the library and see what you can find out."

If so, "cheap, cheap, cheap"! And depriving their guests of an important part of an Alaskan cruise.

An excellent observation and when the entertainment director has tried to present a mini-version of a part of a Broadway popular show, while the music is enjoyable, the production pails in comparison to the "real production". My sole experience on MSC--I was very pleased with the mix of entertainment that I attended. Opera, Las Vegas type of reviews, solo and group musicians, our CD who had been an entertainer himself and presented an afternoon program in the Main Theater that was nothing short of entertaining! Comedians? There used to be comedians employed by cruise lines that were funny. Maybe, for some of today's cruisers, they are. But, not for me. I miss the performances of folks like Patrick Murray and Matilda. The mix of entertainment to suit an international guest list is a strength of MSC, I believe.

Thank you very much, Lois! I would appreciate learning about your experience.

Yes, I do. Sometimes, I get a craving for a Dairy Queen sundae and will buy one. We have an ice cream company called Graeter's in my area that have ice cream stores that sell retail packaged products, but have a real soda fountain set-up with made to order sundaes, sodas, malts, milk shakes, and phosphates. Delicious! A Vanilla Phosphate and a Chocolate Soda made with real Vanilla or Chocolate Ice Cream were my favorites. Many days after school, as I passed by the drug store had that old fashioned soda fountain, I would drop a bit of my allowance into their cash registers by ordering one of these delights.

Experienced cruisers, in my opinion, have discovered this "secret" for a satisfactory dining experience in any buffet restaurant on whatever ship. Go for breakfast or lunch at "prime time" and expect a less than serene dining experience. Go after the multitude have left, no lines, decent service as required, and a better dining experience. Have yet to book a cruise, but, am very interested and am learning. That is a reason why I participate in this Forum. The definition of "luxury cruising" is, I fear, changing just as other aspects of cruising is. One set of "rules" for one cruise and a different set for another? My friend, the one item that stands out after all of my years of cruising is that the only thing consistent in the cruise experience of recent years is the inconsistency of the experience from one cruise to another.

This is the kind of excursion cruising that one desires! Your photos remind me of my trip in the Amazon rain forest. Certainly glad that I did that cruise! This kind of an experience is what makes traveling exciting for me. The unexpected and when the unexpected turns out to be a delight....well, it makes the experience more significant than it might otherwise be. 😁 Wouldn't expect a Mandarin Oriental in this location!

Thanks for the information. Someone in Miami messed up?

I rather thought from the photos that I have seen of the Jewish Rye bread that it was a light Rye. Marble Rye? I have tried that variety as well and like it. I wonder if that mail order bakery would slice it before a loaf is sent and, if they did, would slicing impact its ability to stay fresh, even in the freezer.

Hard ice cream for me. I grew up on Dairy Queen. And, it was good. But, on very special occasions, Mother would buy a carton of Lady Bordon. That was even better.

Well, it certainly started out well. But, in such special dinners such as what you experienced, foods are served course by course. Not with beef and two seafoods on one plate with sides in other dishes. Why two seafoods? What wines were served with the beef and the seafoods? Reds go with beef. Whites go with seafood. I don't know that Princess has ever had a Sommelier. Their Head Waiters do the job and I have found them to be very good/excellent in comparison to some Sommeliers on other cruise lines. When I sailed on Coral Princess in 2019, one of the Head Waiters was a Red wine specialist and another was a White wine specialist and they knew about which they spoke.

Slippers is something that I pack in my carry-on bag when I fly. On overnight flights, I slip off my shoes and put on my slippers. The socks that the airline supplies are OK, but, walking in the aisle in the dark to go to the loo, stubbing a toe against a hard surface in those socks might result in a broken toe.

Thanks. Is Jewish Rye close to a light Rye or a dark Rye Bread? I assume if I ordered a loaf from the bakery that CGT mentioned, that the bread would need to be sliced by me. Correct?

This is news for me. Why? Obviously didn't get the National Park's Service permits, but, why didn't they?

1 pair of walking shoes that I wear when i embark and are my everyday shoes around the ship and ashore. I pair of black dress shoes. 1 pair of slippers. Sometimes, I will take a pair of canvas type lace-up shoes. And, always a roll of duct tape. (I needed that when my walking shoes (which had lots of wear on them) began to split at a spot where the top of the shoe meets the sole. I was able to repair the shoe from the inside with the duct tape until the end of my trip. The repair even proved to be watertight!.)

More cabins; more guests; not any more public space. Plus, with the change in the ship's funnel appearance, it makes the ship look odd, I think.

The demographics on HAL are primarily as they are on any cruise line. There will be a wide range of cruisers. True, on longer cruises, such as a world cruise, the age groups will like to less varied than on a 7-14 day cruise. But, during my world cruise, there was a family with children and they were being home schooled during the cruise.

Still learning, what makes Jewish Rye so good and different from commercial Rye Bread? I accessed that web site and the bread sounds "interesting". But, $10/loaf?

Correct, in my opinion. That is what I have thought. When I get to my window seat, the shades go up! I like to watch what is taking place on the tarmac. Once, I saw my luggage being loaded!