rkacruiser

🤣 Me too! I have only changed the setting back to its original once since I took delivery of my Buick. That was because one of the dealer's employees changed the seat's position to fit him and did not restore it to its original setting (which is what the dealer's service department is expected to have their employees do). Truly "small potatoes"!

I have been blessed by witnessing the sights and sounds of the calving at Hubbard Glacier a couple of times. Spectacular and words/pictures don't do them justice. One needs to experience "live and in person". Never have seen anything as impressive during any of my visits to Glacier Bay.

This does not even look appetizing to me. Bacon does not enhance everything. A fish like Branzino is one of them. kjbacon, pleased to know that you have been released from captivity. Something "else" is happening with the virus that isn't understood. You took the full 10 days; President Biden has a case of "rebound Covid" and, locally, I am hearing of that as well. Not being able to actively participate in the sailaway party that you described must have "hurt". May the rest of your cruise be "fair winds and following seas"!

Agree! Thor Heyerdahl's The Kon-Tiki Museum is worth a visit as well.

I have heard of others doing that. I enjoy a well prepared salad. For me, because salads are so filling, when I dine out, I usually take a large percentage of the salad home to finish the next day.

Good advice from Essiesmom! I also avoid those cabins that are potentially near the parts of the ship where the ducts leading to the funnels from the engine room are located. Studying the ship's deck plans will show blank spaces aft of the middle of the ship where these ducts usually are. I have, on some ships, noticed a bit more noise walking along the corridor in those areas. Also, sometimes, that part of the corridor seems to be a bit warmer than the part forward and aft of that area.

Deck 4 mid-ships is an area where I have had a stateroom and I liked the location. The most potentially stable area is the very lowest passenger deck, mid-ships, but, those are not veranda cabins. The video shows a nice sized veranda, but, it does appear more narrow than some others. The video does show the floor to ceiling windows of other cabins on that deck that have partially or fully obstructed views. If you decide that a veranda is not that important, those cabins are very good value and their interior is larger than other cabins such as the veranda cabin shown in the video. Welcome to CC, new member!

Once upon a time, a sorbet would be offered for that purpose. Only now offered during the very elegant and formal dinners. When I first experienced this, I thought "how weird"; sorbet in the middle of my dinner? Eventually, I learned its purpose.

Thanks for the update. Good to know. Never have tried the dish with a filet or salmon. I like crab in place of Canadian Bacon with the eggs cooked as you describe.

The Alaska State Museum is an easy walk from the cruise ship docks. Opportunities for a lunch stop at Alaska Fish and Chips Company and Hanger on the Wharf are my suggestions. If available and if interested, sometimes there are tours of the Alaska State Capitol that I found interesting.

On most of the HAL cruises on which I have sailed, there are special dinners that are titled by a variety of names. They are a gastronomic excess for this senior citizen, but, didn't once were. Always, they were enjoyable, informative, with excellent dining companions with lively, interesting conversation. Well worth the cost of the experience when one is still able to indulge in such an experience.

A visit to the market in Papeete is recommended by me.

A Kiplinger publication that I received to day had some good news for cruise lines, one of which was that bookings remain solid at good pricing. A negative piece of news is the difficulty of employing adequately trained staff that allows the service experienced by guests to meet their expectations. When one reads some of the cruise reports, particularly for the luxury cruise lines, this is a comment that is sometimes made. In comparison to what "normal operating year"? None of the cruise lines have had one since 2019.

I check and double check the destination on the tags put on my luggage. I don't use the kiosks. It's too easy for a traveler to make a mistake. If possible, and I do this when embarking a cruise, if the bag has two handles, put a tag on both handles.

Once upon a time, my dinner order would be an appetizer, a soup, a salad, an entree, and a dessert. Today, the order would be an appetizer, soup, or salad. Then, an entree and a dessert. Of the three Starters, an appetizer would be the most likely choice with a salad being the least likely choice. (Salads fill my tummy too much.) This would be true regardless of MDR or a specialty restaurant. If a Caesar Salad is prepared tableside, I probably would choose that and, depending on the appetizers available, one of those. There have been times when all of the appetizers and/or soups were more appealing than any of the entrees. I have had a combination dinner such as that with no entrees.

Hi Lois! I am glad to know that your leg is better and that you don't need a cane. I had a knee injury in Egypt during a cruise, but, the medical staff on the Amsterdam was able to deal with it and I didn't have to cut the cruise short. I did require arthroscopic surgery on the knee, however. Any need for repair for you? I chalked my experience to "just part of another travel adventure". To return to "regular programming"---- How do you like your eggs and English Muffin prepared?

I have wondered about this. So, on the last evening of the cruise, after the shops on board have closed, a report has to be generated and sent to USCBP before arrival the next morning in port. Correct? If so, is there a time deadline the Purser's Office on the ship must meet for the report to arrive at USCBP so that it can be reviewed?

2002, Asia Pacific Cruise on the Volendam, before leaving Vancouver, Captain Harris informed us the weather for the next 24-36 hours would be very good. The next morning, we awoke to very rough seas and strong winds. Even predicting the weather and sea conditions 24 hours in advance can provide surprises.

Like navybankerteacher, Lido restaurants where sandwiches are available usually have potato chips. On my most recent HAL cruise (pre-Covid), one afternoon during HH, potato chips was one of the 3/4 items presented as snacks. Bringing mixed salted nuts may be a decent idea if you like them with HH drinks or at any other times. Mixed nuts are becoming difficult to find on a ship. If any nuts are available, it would be plain peanuts.

Some of the ships have become so large that there are places on the ship that I never visited on a 7 day cruise.

I think what I experienced was minimal of what might have been possible because I am low maintenance. In any of the YC venues on Meraviglia, I saw none of this. My fellow guests "put their pants on like I do", were so friendly that I was asked to join them for dinner. Certainly. In some ways, the service was more than I really needed. A large fruit bowl that I could never consume and which was completely refreshed half way through the cruise. (It didn't need it!) My stock of Prosecco was always replenished. I only asked for Butler service twice to a show. Once to the Cirque du Soil show that I had booked in a lounge that I didn't really know where it was and was a long way from the YC for this very slow walker. She stayed with me until the doors to the theater opened, took me to my reserved seat, and ensured I had my included drink. The other time was my first attendance to a show in the Main Theater. A Butler escorted me to the reserved seating area where another Butler had been assigned to keep others from using those seats. When I knew where that area was, I managed to get to the theater on my own. (What would have been helpful was a Butler getting me back to the YC when the show was over. Priority elevator service was a myth more often than not in my experience.)

Agree, The "butlers" whom I initially encountered in Miami were young men and did not "fit" the age or the nationality of the Butlers whom I encountered on the ship. I am unsure who escorted me aboard Meraviglia from the Lounge. It was someone different from the person who got me to the check-in/refreshment Lounge. Whomever it was took me directly to my suite's door. A nice variety of small sandwiches, snacks, and beverages were available including unlimited Prosecco. (Maybe that is why I don't remember who the person was? 😀) No, it is not. ALL of the cruise lines on which I have sailed has experienced this inconsistency of service/expectations issue as their fleets have grown larger. What is "baffling" to me is why the corporate executives in charge of the onboard experience don't seem to recognize this as an important irritant to those who have sailed on that company's ships.

If one believes in the industry, if one believes in an investment one has made in the industry, what one must do is to "hang tight". Granted that the "seas" are more rough than they have been. But, for those who have been long time investors, patience and confidence in those who operate the companies will find "smoother seas". Why wouldn't they? Do they want their stock options to become worthless?

That's the best! Some very creative Cabin Stewards!

My experience as well as to quality. They will remain lovely throughout a 7-10 day cruise, at least.