EdmPair

Let's be fair here. We could offer gentlemen dinner companions for single rich older matrons. If I only looked a bit more ... well ... young. And it would be charged by the hour.

I like how this thread has turned. The lawyer idea was hitting me as just too funny to have been a real suggestion. I still can not decide if the OP meant it or not.

Roll calls are like all the other forums here and everywhere else I have haunted over the years. Some topics and posts light up with many replies and ongoing life of their own. Others fizzle. I have been the last poster on a number of threads here as I can see those every time I come back. It happens and it really is not personal.

At the same time, bring you spirit and excitement to the conversation and see who react to that. Speak of what you know and read the post by others to see what you can learn. Given that, the roll call or any other thread will be of value. If it runs out, so be it. Personally, I would rather have a good discussion with a few and just pass over posts which are not of interest to me knowing they may be of value to others.

I will also post at times just to show some other cruiser that somebody had cared enough to listen.

My last thought is the roll call is not the cruise. You can still LOVE the trip even if the roll call is not your thing.

Well, the bars near Castro and Market serve all the alternative lifestyles. It is almost as if you are avoiding the word Gay. Then again, the inclusive wording now is an alphabet soup of letters and I can not be certain I could even get them all.

Please, if you do not go to such bars in your hometown do not play tourist in San Francisco just to see 'some of us'.

Deck? Level??

When I get on the elevator, I ask "Which floor?"

Do you do the same on the subs? [ducking for cover]

Congrats!!!

 

But does the Star not leave on August 17 for Alaska??

Ooops... Misread the schedule. It departs 17 of JULY. We are pondering the 17 July departure. Enjoy your trip.

Congrats!!!

But does the Star not leave on August 17 for Alaska??

Not sure about boats, but you can ship ships.

The board wants to break up URLs so you need to glue this back together.

http://m(dot)imgur(dot)com(slash)gallery/29EcG

I chuckles every time I see this photo of a ship-shipping ship shipping shipping ships.

Now, say that fast.

If I were in some far off land, I would have no idea what the dog was trained to find. I like seeing the doggy but know it is generally not good for it to sit by me.

The chemical sniffers are getting better as time passes. This is the machine you see in the airports when a small white pad is wiped over luggage or clothes and then put in a machine. Not a chemist, but am told they are better for traces of explosives than the dogs but not as fast. A good dog can do once over very fast. I wish I had time and could pet them. They always look so cute but I know they are working.

I will casually call it a sloop or barge. In fact, I will use all kinds of boat terms for the cruise ship.

"I have shown you the photos I took of our cruise skiff?"

Nobody mentioned galley for kitchen. Personally, if you are standing inside the kitchen during the tour even on a sea day and have ever stood in some other big commercial kitchen, it looks the same. I did not spot any clues it was still on a tub.

And then there are the bathrooms. Anybody???

Well, as long as I have gone there, where exactly is the poop-deck?

Later,

M

I have often found schedules for each port I was visiting or even curious about. Dropped a friend off in Quebec City a few months ago and it has a schedule for just the cruise ships in that port. Also an idea.

I would choose to layer 3 shirts on one hanger and fold pants onto a shelf before I would use my precious luggage space and weight on hangers. I pack carefully including formal wear but when you fly, I am gonna gamble on the steward getting me a few more even if wire rather than carry then thru airports.

We took on fuel oil in St Petersburg for HOURS on the Grand Princess. They also repeat the 'no smoking warnings' multiple times before and during. And my vague memory says they closed the promenade on that side during it too but not sure. I would have thought with the size of pipes it would go faster than it seemed.

NICE: On Princess many of the crew are Filipino, and I asked our steward to write a few phrases in Tagalog for me like please and thank you. He filled a whole sheet of paper with common phrases. I am taking it on my next Princess cruise.

Perhaps toss those up here. Some other of us could use at another time. It would be NICE of you.

Been on 2 cruises so giving advise from that POV.

I can see why a cabin steward would say 'sure, leave your room service tray in the hall'. I also think any blockage in the hall creates hazards for those who walk or wheel in good conditions and peril for the same in an emergency. What is the rush to get rid of your tray? You ordered the food so call for room service to take it or wait.

I like arriving a bit early for boarding but some seem to be pushing it a bit. The lines give times to try to balance the load on staff to bring on all of us smoothly. They won't turn you away but is it really that needed. I think getting there 1/2 or 1 hour ahead is fine but so of you almost want to camp out the night before. Relax.

I was on a Gay only cruise and many of the doors were decorated. Usually held on with magnets. I never heard of anything being lifted but it could happen. My other cruise was on Princess and decorated my door. I saw only 2 or 3 other decorated doors. All were with magnets. I would NEVER risk tape -- real duct tape would damage many surfaces but often the stuff sold in dollar stores is not furnace grade duct tape.

Standard advice on cabin location is about 2 dimensions. The first is cost as inside cabins are cheaper than those with windows which are cheaper than balcony rooms with are cheaper than suites. You know your budget. You also need to guess how much you react medically to motion. Fewer than worry about it actually get sea sickness but when you do it can really hit. Since motion is a problem you need to minimize just that. Cabins near the middle of the ship and closer to the waterline move the least. As you move UP or Forward/Back a cabin will move more and sea sickness risk increases.

Hope this helps.

M

Hope thi

There is another geometric consideration which limits seeing aurora. On a cruise ship you are at sea level and surrounded by coastal mountains. The aurora is over the pole but can vary and be wide at times or very centred on the pole. All this happens north of where the cruise ships travel and is easily blocked by the mountains. The sun cares not when it will toss off the needed energy to light up the night but a good long clear winter night makes the faint glow seem more dramatic. Many will see them as very bright but you need to let your eyes adjust for about 20 minutes to the low light levels for best effect.

Best of luck from Edmonton.

I was on a trip with friend who left behind his camera charger. In the cabin country of northern Ontario, we went shopping for this particular charger. When he could not find one, he tried for another new battery and that was also not in the stores in this very touristy area.

If you are getting a camera, I highly suggest something which takes batteries you can charge and get anywhere. Mine takes AA and I can take spares as well as the charger. If I forgot/lost/broke the charger, I may or may not get another. However, I know I could get the batteries. (In tourist spots, they can be very dear but at least I keep getting some photos.)

My 3 cents.

Don't sweat it. I rarely buy sandals either and when I do they are Birkenstock with leather uppers and NOTHING between my toes. Wear what you wish to the pool or beach and enjoy your trip. If you wish to talk to others at the pool, just look for all the other guys wearing full shoes.

The OP deserves a prize for that subject line. I too was thinking any case which can carry a body will never get checked! But I have seen bags that size as carry-on being put directly over my seat.

Not sure what happened to dinah1. I looked back and she was active in several roll calls on previous trips across last 2or3 years.

I personally stood in the middle of the buffet line during a very busy time and started to swear and scream and toss off random personal insults at anybody nearby and they called me all kinds of names. One sounded just a bit like EdmPair. I chose that for my CC name.

A stuffed toy from home. Your 'pets' deserve a vacation too.

Comfortable deck shoes. As you hike the ship, there are often puddles of water from the various pools and the staff washing decks, so your shoes will have to handle it.

Magnets to hold papers to the walls which are often metal. (Busted, I have a soft spot for fridge magnets as souvenirs.)

I was once with a friend at a store and when we arrived at the till, two staff were talking to each other about 6 feet behind the counter. After waiting an acceptable time, my friend picked up the desk phone and dialed "0" and instantly asked for store security. By this time, the staff were paying attention and rushed over. When the operator asked the problem, he said the staff who were talking can now explain. A manager arrived fast and we were very admonished for touching the house phone without asking. However, the looks suggest the staff got much worse.

I could see myself picking up my cabin phone after commanding the cabin attendant stay and quickly asking for housekeeping management or security. If the operator wanted to know why, force the inconsiderate attendant to explain it. A few ballistic angry customers and Princess would 'modify' this policy. There is nothing in a Patter which can not be left outside.

M

I like the little bowls of pistachio custard. Not too sweet.

And the panini ... a good warm squished sammich! The mozza just slightly melted and the tomatoes just slightly cooked.

The Grand had a chicken and walnut salad. Nobody has mentioned that yet and it is good.

I tried some of the soups and all were good. On a cool day, I remember the Cream of Mushroom in particular. Comfort food in the most elegant of atrium.

Finally, the next person who calls a sliced and toasted English muffin with fried egg in the middle, a McMuffin is subject to being banished from the IC to the HC!

That is all.

M

If you have judged your relationship with brothers correctly, this will be great no matter how the logistics work. As to the 'downers', it is a surprise and maybe a supper. It is not surgery to become co-joined twins. I am sure the bros will have time alone later too.

At the major chain hotel I work at we have only one emergency key that will override a deadbolt. The housekeepers have no access to this key, only management and is only ever used in an extreme emergencies.

This is the plan by the lock makers and to me is the best practice. The idea of most all cabin staff having a card to over-ride the deadbolt is too open with key access.