rkacruiser

Sitting at the bar is a great place to meet fellow guests and be able to easily strike up a conversation with those people as well as with the bartenders. Bartenders are often very interesting people who have many stories to tell when they have the time and motivation to do so.

When I did the tour, a lunch was served aboard. It was a wrap with a bag of chips. I think there was a Chocolate Chip Cookie included. I recall that there was a snack bar that sold a variety of items and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Yes! Snow City Cafe for Breakfast or Lunch.

2019, the Westerdam was docked at the RR forward position. No issue on getting off the ships and boarding the tour buses waiting for us. Returning, the buses were not allowed on the pier. (And, why is that? Oh, silly me. There is a gift shop or two one has to pass before getting on the ship.) The walk where I was left off the bus, which was before the Small Boat Harbor, to get to the gangway was quite enough of a walk for me! To get to whatever ship was docked to our stern, that would have been quite a walk! (Of course, your experience may have been different than mine.)

As a solo cruiser on MSC, there ought not be any issue in meeting others during the cruise.

News/photos at 11:00? Glad that you enjoyed your experience!

I like Chocolate as well (maybe not as much as RuthC), but this is an event that has never impressed me. Often held soon after, or as, second seating dining is completed. Like I need another dessert so soon? I suggest that it might be replaced by some past amenity such as the Royal Dutch Tea.

I like Chocolate as well (maybe not as much as RuthC), but this is an event that has never impressed me. Often held soon after, or as, second seating dining is completed. Like I need another dessert so soon? I suggest that it might be replaced by some past amenity such as the Royal Dutch Tea.

Don't forget the changes that have taken place since July, 2021. Nobody's crystal ball could have forecast most of what has taken place. My crystal ball remains in the shop, Is yours working?

I feel the same way, although only one visit to St. Petersburg. I am glad that I was able to visit Petropavlosk. It's scenic, it's different, and the citizens there were more friendly than what I experienced in St. Petersburg.

The seating configuration of the air craft has some influence on my seating preference. The duration of the flight may also have some influence. Window seat? I prefer the left side because I have some hearing loss in my left ear and can more easily hear the flight attendant or a seat mate on my right side. Aisle seat in the middle section of a plane? The right side. Aisle seat on a one corridor air craft? The right side.

I have been able to cash traveler's checks on HAL within the last 5 years.

The Orange Party is much ado about little in my experience. Wine tasting after the Mariner's reception with ample Mimosas, you must have had an enjoyable afternoon. The cheese plate at the wine tasting appears a bit skimpy of cheese. Where are the crackers?

I am a pleased Morgan Stanley client. For a very long time, the analysts ratings for some of my holdings differed with what I owned. I have never reacted just because of their ratings of a security. They sometimes say "Hold" or "Sell" or "Buy". I find such recommendations interesting. If the recommendations differ from my thinking, it prompts me to do a bit of research. But, I have never bought or sold just based on one person's or one group's recommendation. I have owned some equities where the recommendation was to "Sell". I still own them. Some are still paying dividends. And, Pre-Covid, I could have sold them for a nice Capital Gain with Uncle Donald or Uncle Joe being the beneficiary.

A variation of this theme is what I am considering. I have two positions in CCL. Sell one now, wait for the Wash Sale rules no longer apply, which I think will be still less than what it is currently, and replace those shares (and maybe more) as the CCL price recovers. A sale of that position will result in a nice tax loss which will be of benefit both for my Federal and State income taxes. Before Pre-Covid, when hotel vacancies were "tight", cross placing of guests did occur, I think. I know of one occasion when an "outside the family of HAL/Princess hotels" needed to be used.

It is a lesson that needs to be re-learned from time to time in most areas of industry and government.

I disagree with the title of the post. This is a benefit for those who own CCL stock and ought not to be called a "discount". There are some who believe that we CCL stock owners do get a discount on our fares because of that ownership. Certainly not the case.

Many years ago I sailed on a Los Angeles-Honolulu-Honolulu-San Francisco-Los Angeles cruise in September on a PFEL ship. Weather was great and other than some fog and cool weather during the short run from San Francisco to Los Angeles, there were no weather or stormy sea issues. Pre-Covid, I have seen ads for a NCL Pride of America crossing from the West Coast to Hawaii after a scheduled drydocking. Maybe, there would be on from Hawaii to the West Coast before drydocking. These would be infrequent, however.

Welcome back to the Boards! It's difficult to understand why some of these sites work smoothly and then, a glitch happens. Maybe caused by an "improvement" to the site that our computers don't understand?

AAA sells traveler's checks and some large banks may still do so. It is not as easy to cash them as it once was, but, a large bank ought to do so and the Front Office on cruise ships will cash them.

I don't recommend that. All though it does make shampooing what hair remains much quicker. 😀

One needs to get information from a variety of sources. Mix that with what is learned about financial management and investing and the company's history. And, then, make a decision on what to do based on what that equation equals. It's complex. It's like what I found Algebra to be when I was a high school Freshman.

Your post saying that Cantare is still performing is great news. Probably a different group of gentlemen from when I enjoyed them during Nieuw Amsterdam's first Summer in service, but, they provided the most enjoyable main theater performance that I have experienced. Now, if we can get rid of this Dance Company.

Your entire post is excellent. Covid caught the the entire world with "its pants down" and no government, company, or even "We, the People" reacted in a rational, intelligent manner. We remain paying the price for that. And, we will be doing so for a few more years, I believe. Regarding the CCL price drop, the analyst at Morgan Stanley has been negative on CCL for some time. I am a MS client with CCL in my account. My advisor has not been calling me about this, ringing alarm bells. What does that tell me? The Market is spooked. That is what I think. And, have thought for many years. Have never held a position in NCLH while holding positions in CCL and RCL. The only adjustment that I ever made was in RCL when it approached its low. Bought more as the upswing began and have benefited from that strategy. My plan is to due the same with CCL. But, I don't think the time is just right yet. To the best of my knowledge, the Zaandam is not scheduled for the 2023 World Cruise. It's the Zuiderdam that will sail that itinerary. Very true. Yet, my understanding is that many savings accounts are well filled. The question is, if this is true, how will the owners of those accounts choose to use their funds? For the first time in a few years, July 1, the fellow participants and me in our retirement program will an increase in our COLA of a whopping 2% in our payment. I filled up my gas tank this afternoon. I spent 53% of that whopping increase in my benefit for July. So what? How many videos have I seen this year that show fights/brawls in airports and on planes? Yet, people are still flying.

I sometimes get unwanted advice without being on a cruise. As you probably do as well. I do get unsolicited suggestions during conversations with fellow guests. Some of which have proved to be informative and helpful.