Why can't North Americans live without 'iced water' at mealtimes?

[AmoMondo]

Would be great if they had started real juice on room service. My experience has been it's the awful coloured sugary watery stuff. I shall try on the Orvhestra in August.

[sidari]

Tim ... It could be that i missed the real juice on the card but cannot recall seeing it.

[moomoocow]

We did try room service in the middle of the night one night which was good value. But I did get the feeling the room service came from a different area of the ship than the buffet or the MDR and that's why we had actual orange juice.

 

Probably an anomaly. Can anyone confirm the Preziosa continues with the tradition of "orange" "juice" "drink" at breakfast?

[Blazerboy]

What a fun read for a Sunday morning.

 

From the U.S. but lived in Mallorca as a youth. From Boston originally ( the one on our side of the pond) but now in San Francisco for the last 25 years. If that combination doesn't scare you, you're brave folks!

 

Water? Only use it to prevent dehydration, but that means I do like it with my meal- otherwise I might not remember the end of it with the amount of wine I consume. We automatically buy water because the ship's water makes my ankles look like I have Edema (such an attractive girl in her youth!). Don't think I've ever paid much attention on land based trips in Europe.

 

On other issues, my brother went to Aldenham for a year, and made the pants/trouser mistake many times. He also, as we all did in the '70's, had a pair of Kelly green trousers, and none of his classmates believed that on Cape Cod in the summer, these were the height of fashion. Good thing they didn't know about my trousers with lobsters embroidered on them.

 

And, living in San Francisco, pleased be warned that saying someone is inhaling in a cigarette in your local vernacular ( sucking on a.....) will either raise both eyebrows in shock, or one eyebrow in invitation. And, in either case, you would be subjected to a lecture on political correctness, likely more fierce if you both are of the heterosexual persuasion.

 

Current studies show that diet drinks may often lead to worse problems with obesity. As I don't want my stomach rotted out, and would rather remain pudgy than obese, I don't drink coke or diet coke. I drink water, wine or spirits, and don't adulterate any of them with soda or juice!

 

Squash - thought all three kinds were vile as a fat child- hated exercise, watery juice or vegetables. Now rather like the vegetable one, and am old enough to see the value in the exercise one. Still don't like the drink one.

 

Italian Ships- haven't sailed on one since the last crossing of the Michaelangelo in 1975. Won't make the usual Cruise Critic mistake of asking here if I'd like MSC. You're all either biased cheerleaders, or would try to scare me off based on second sentence of my post.

 

Shirley Valentine- own a copy of the movie. Adore the line when she says that she thought a certain anatomical part was the latest offering from Ford.

 

If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear flowers in your hair. (Cue music).

 

Andrew

[Wookiee]

{{{Lurker}} BEST THREAD EVER!!!!{{{Lurker}}}

[warmbajanbreeze]

This is such a funny topic. :)

 

I suppose it's just what Americans (myself included, although Barbadian by birth) are accustomed to. I'm accustomed to ice water at the table in restaurants in both places, so it would seem odd not to have it as a choice.

 

However, it's necessary when travelling to realize that you're not on home turf anymore, and you have to adapt to other ways, especially when you're in someone else's back yard, so to speak. Interesting, interesting topic.

[sidari]

"Won't make the usual Cruise Critic mistake of asking here if I'd like MSC. You're all either biased cheerleaders, or would try to scare me off based on second sentence of my post"

 

Blazerboy .... If you think we are all cheerleaders maybe you should read my review of our recent Opera cruise!

 

On the water issue a recent report said that drinking water with hot food slows the breakdown of the food in the stomach while having a hot drink with hot food actually speeds it up.

[Blazerboy]

"Won't make the usual Cruise Critic mistake of asking here if I'd like MSC. You're all either biased cheerleaders, or would try to scare me off based on second sentence of my post"

 

Blazerboy .... If you think we are all cheerleaders maybe you should read my review of our recent Opera cruise!

 

On the water issue a recent report said that drinking water with hot food slows the breakdown of the food in the stomach while having a hot drink with hot food actually speeds it up.

Comment was not based on you fine travelers, but on the inane person who asks this question in the first place, followed by the assumption that, if one were willing to cruise with a Yank, one must really love the line. I suppose now that I know where you stand, I should be worried that, if you are too encouraging, it would be to punish me with a bad cruise as payback for the Boston Tea Party, Wallis Simpson, or the introduction/infliction of McDonald's to/on the world.

 

As far as drinks, does that mean the obesity issue in the US would be solved if we just heated up their diet cokes? (Yuk... well, yuk to cold diet coke, too...)

 

Andrew

[sidari]

Maybe Hot Tea instead of Coffee ? ... Hot coke .... :eek:

[Keel Haul]

The term "head cheese" for brawn is strange and what do you pack in your "fanny" (brevis)?

[maryann2]

Genius. The "Everton" tea served isn't too bad and you can always order the free room service breakfast which (whisper it) came with actual real life orange juice. From an orange.

 

I don't know if this is an anomaly. I will test on the Preziosa and report back. But I will be bringing Yorkshire Tea and a heater too.....

 

What type of plug do you have on the water heater? I have one with US type plug but not sure what outlets MSC has.

I am thinking of trying MSC in October and have really enjoyed this thread.

 

I travel solo most of the time and understand the solo supplement is lower. However does the price drop after final payment as I am still seeing 200% for a solo?

[All aboard??]

What type of plug do you have on the water heater? I have one with US type plug but not sure what outlets MSC has.

I am thinking of trying MSC in October and have really enjoyed this thread.

 

I travel solo most of the time and understand the solo supplement is lower. However does the price drop after final payment as I am still seeing 200% for a solo?

 

I have noticed that North American TA apply a 100% SS - not sure if it is MSC USA that does this but I book through MSC Switzerland / Australia / South Africa and UK and on all occasions have been given a 50% SS or even 0%.....even for Yacht Club.

[maryann2]

I have noticed that North American TA apply a 100% SS - not sure if it is MSC USA that does this but I book through MSC Switzerland / Australia / South Africa and UK and on all occasions have been given a 50% SS or even 0%.....even for Yacht Club.

 

I priced the cruise I was looking at Oct 25th Preziosa through a UK travel agent too and still 200%. I will be in Barcelona prior to my Transatlantic on Carnival.

[All aboard??]

I priced the cruise I was looking at Oct 25th Preziosa through a UK travel agent too and still 200%. I will be in Barcelona prior to my Transatlantic on Carnival.

 

My German travel agent which uses MSC Switzerland shows 50% SS even for Yacht Club.....I will check my uk based TA as well and revert...

[All aboard??]

My German travel agent which uses MSC Switzerland shows 50% SS even for Yacht Club.....I will check my uk based TA as well and revert...

 

My uk travel agent also gives 50% SS even for the Royal Suite - for me it seems as though you being ripped off.

[Skipper Tim]

What type of plug do you have on the water heater? I have one with US type plug but not sure what outlets MSC has.

I am thinking of trying MSC in October and have really enjoyed this thread.

 

MSC has U.S. and continental European type power sockets side by side. My immersion element came from Eastern Europe with the correct plug already on.

 

I travel solo most of the time and understand the solo supplement is lower. However does the price drop after final payment as I am still seeing 200% for a solo?

 

I defer to All Aboard? above.

 

The repositioning cruises ("Grand Voyages' or just 'Transatlantic cruises') always start at zero single supplement in the UK. I can't see U.S. supplements because the PRISM spies know I am not in the U.S.. Actually in Greece I can't see any live prices because the Greek website does not have online booking.

[maryann2]

MSC has U.S. and continental European type power sockets side by side. My immersion element came from Eastern Europe with the correct plug already on.

 

 

 

I defer to All Aboard? above.

 

The repositioning cruises ("Grand Voyages' or just 'Transatlantic cruises') always start at zero single supplement in the UK. I can't see U.S. supplements because the PRISM spies know I am not in the U.S.. Actually in Greece I can't see any live prices because the Greek website does not have online booking.

Thank you for the information about the plug. Good to know.

 

If I go to the MSC UK site I cannot price as get routed off. However I have noticed now on the US travel agencies that the solo supplement is 150% for the Preziosa.

 

I will be interested in the Transatlantics for next year though as I love Transatlantics.

 

Sorry to hi-jack the water thread. I am originally from the UK so used to the quirks.

[Skipper Tim]

My mother and I had lunch at what I consider to be the most traditional Greek taverna in Stoupa yesterday - small straw-seated wooden chairs, paper tablecloths etc.. I ordered our usual, tzatiki, Greek salad, chips and a kilo of white wine. As the OP of this thread, I was horrified when the first thing to arrive was a carafe of iced water. Worse I drank some. Worse still, I enjoyed it.

 

I am now confused about my identity.

[sidari]

Tim ... :eek: ... :D

[Boytjie]

You ordered CHIPS in a Greek restaurant?!

[maryann2]

You mean not egg and chips?

[Keel Haul]

You ordered CHIPS in a Greek restaurant?!

nothing better with Kouneli Stifatho or Youvariakia.Kalo Taxidi

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/10113/greek-hand-cut-chips.aspx

[Skipper Tim]

You ordered CHIPS in a Greek restaurant?!

 

Look, I feel terrible about the water, don't guilt me up on chips! As far as I know, just as curry is the English national dish, so chips are to Greece. We were been patriotic.

[Skipper Tim]

nothing better with Kouneli Stifatho or Youvariakia.Kalo Taxidi

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/10113/greek-hand-cut-chips.aspx

 

Efharisto poli! I find stifados a little less common than they used to be but better.

[Keel Haul]

Efharisto poli! I find stifados a little less common than they used to be but better.

parakalo, it's summer. Stifatho is winter comfort food for shepherds.