Azamara Cruisers - How are things where YOU are

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, MNgardens said:

Thanks for that history lesson.  I didn't know that Renaissance had ships before the R-ships.  Do you know if the layouts of the oldest ones are essentially the same as in the 1990's or had they been gutted and reconfigured? Obviously not asking about the privately owned ones but about the ones Noble Caledonia and Grand Circle own.

I don't know what they were like in the 1990s [I've not have much luck finding obsolete deck plans for any ship].  I believe that a small number of new cabins were added on the top decks.  But the amazing thing about these ships is that the cheapest cabins are 226 sq ft [21 sq m].  Here is the current layout and decor for Island Sky:

 

Island Sky Deck Plans.pdf

[mwf7501]

8 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

 

Mark, I am so sorry about your SIL too. I am wondering how the SSA is going to handle these disability claims. Our daughter may have to apply too.

Thanks for all the kind thoughts and suggestions.

 

Mackdogmolly, the disability plan she is pursuing is through her employer, not SSA, so unfortunately I cannot offer any insight in that regard.

 

Wishing everyone the best.

[the mice]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I don't know what they were like in the 1990s [I've not have much luck finding obsolete deck plans for any ship].  I believe that a small number of new cabins were added on the top decks.  But the amazing thing about these ships is that the cheapest cabins are 226 sq ft [21 sq m].  Here is the current layout and decor for Island Sky:

 

Island Sky Deck Plans.pdf 741.21 kB · 3 downloads

I cleaned out a lot of my travel info files a year or so ago and trashed any old brochures I might have had, so I did a little searching.   This link shows the Galapagos II deck plan.   IIRC, this is essentially the same as it was when it was Renaissance's ship.   Even the deck names are the same as Renaissance had named them.  

http://www.eqtouring.com/galapagos-cruises/explorer_deckplan.html

 

When you mouse over some of the individual staterooms, you can see the decor which was updated.   I remember the Renaissance ships being a beige/cream color with wood trim.  Understated.  

[the mice]

Paging Grandma Cruising and Bloodaxe - I'm on a email list for The Travel Magazine, which is British, but I love to read the newsletters.   Saw this article and thought "what a beautiful area you live in/near."

https://www.thetravelmagazine.net/walking-scarborough-north-yorkshire.html?

 

One day I am going to finally get to York and explore more of the area.   Have either of you done any of these?

[the mice]

Oh, and if you are a little more adventerous, you could try this:

https://www.thetravelmagazine.net/would-you-swim-in-a-floating-pool-suspended-between-two-skyscrapers.html?

 

I'll just settle for watching the rain outside my window today.  That's my close encounter with water - other than the shower or from the deck of a cruise ship!

[Bloodaxe]

43 minutes ago, the mice said:

Paging Grandma Cruising and Bloodaxe - I'm on a email list for The Travel Magazine, which is British, but I love to read the newsletters.   Saw this article and thought "what a beautiful area you live in/near."

https://www.thetravelmagazine.net/walking-scarborough-north-yorkshire.html?

 

One day I am going to finally get to York and explore more of the area.   Have either of you done any of these?

 

I know all those areas very well, in our younger days we did lots of walking but now it's mainly in the car.

The Yorkshire Moors Railway from Pickering to Whitby is one of our favourite days out.

We sometimes stay in a Country House Hotel between Scarborough and Whitby but it's only just over a hours drive from our home in a village just south of York.

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by Bloodaxe

[Grandma Cruising]

10 hours ago, the mice said:

Paging Grandma Cruising and Bloodaxe - I'm on a email list for The Travel Magazine, which is British, but I love to read the newsletters.   Saw this article and thought "what a beautiful area you live in/near."

https://www.thetravelmagazine.net/walking-scarborough-north-yorkshire.html?

 

One day I am going to finally get to York and explore more of the area.   Have either of you done any of these?

Like Bloodaxe we know the area well and have done bits of these walks, but not all of any of them - we like a walk, but not as far as these. You’re right, that coast is beautiful. One of our favourite places at this time of year is Bempton cliffs, north of Bridlington. It’s an RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) site and is a breeding ground for Puffins and Terns https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/bempton-cliffs/

[excitedofharpenden]

It's so beautiful up there. I lived in Guisborough for a while before moving down south. Trips to the North York Moors. The winters could be long up there though and the sea fret often spoiled a warm summers day. I still have family in Scarborough.

 

Never did the railway, but the National Railway Museum in York was a regular haunt. I love that place. I've found a YouTube channel that focuses on rail trips and that is something I'm looking at doing from London up to Scotland or maybe down to Penzance.  So much to see in this country that I've not done. 

 

Phil 

[Grandma Cruising]

10 hours ago, the mice said:

Oh, and if you are a little more adventerous, you could try this:

https://www.thetravelmagazine.net/would-you-swim-in-a-floating-pool-suspended-between-two-skyscrapers.html?

 

I'll just settle for watching the rain outside my window today.  That's my close encounter with water - other than the shower or from the deck of a cruise ship!

That looks amazing. Sadly I don’t have a spare £1m to buy a flat there!

[royallondon]

13 hours ago, Bloodaxe said:

 

I know all those areas very well, in our younger days we did lots of walking but now it's mainly in the car.

The Yorkshire Moors Railway from Pickering to Whitby is one of our favourite days out.

We sometimes stay in a Country House Hotel between Scarborough and Whitby but it's only just over a hours drive from our home in a village just south of York.

 

Having never been to this area, we’re off on Sunday to Raithwaite’s, Sandsed and plan to take in the Railway.  There appears to be many places to explore close to Whitby, just hope the weather is kind 🤞

[Mackdogmolly]

4 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

That looks amazing. Sadly I don’t have a spare £1m to buy a flat there!

Even if I could afford it, no way I would go in that pool! 😳

[Host Jazzbeau]

Swimming in it is one thing [scary enough!] but imagine being the 'pool guy' who has to clean it!!! 

[Mackdogmolly]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Swimming in it is one thing [scary enough!] but imagine being the 'pool guy' who has to clean it!!! 

Hazard pay for sure!

[Bloodaxe]

9 hours ago, royallondon said:

Having never been to this area, we’re off on Sunday to Raithwaite’s, Sandsed and plan to take in the Railway.  There appears to be many places to explore close to Whitby, just hope the weather is kind 🤞

The weather is looking good from Sunday on through next week.

It may be worth  booking you train ticket in advance, be aware that not all the trains are steam hauled, worth checking the time table on line.

 

 

[Tom47]

16 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

It's so beautiful up there. I lived in Guisborough for a while before moving down south. Trips to the North York Moors. The winters could be long up there though and the sea fret often spoiled a warm summers day. I still have family in Scarborough.

 

Never did the railway, but the National Railway Museum in York was a regular haunt. I love that place. I've found a YouTube channel that focuses on rail trips and that is something I'm looking at doing from London up to Scotland or maybe down to Penzance.  So much to see in this country that I've not done. 

 

Phil 

I also like trains, but I only rode 1 UK train.  see below.

If you do the Az Sea of Cortez cruise, there is an excursion on the Copper Canyon rr, which I recommend.   Az charters the train.

[nordski]

This isn't strictly "How Are Things Where I Am", but numbers from England suggest that about 2 million individuals (the majority women) are suffering from Long Covid symptoms and Minister Matt Hancock has devoted about $100 million for research and to improve services for those afflicted.

 

If those numbers are typical of other nations, then we can hope that other

 countries will follow suit.

 

A number of posters have informed us about family members who struggle with this form of the disease. We all hope for solutions.

 

Perhaps a concerted international effort can help address the issue.

[Grandma Cruising]

Just thought I might cheer you up with some photos of our summer bedding pots and tubs - plus a picture of our ‘bee hotel’ which is now fully booked (we have miner bees that come back to this area every year.)

 

 

 

[Ithikan]

Your begonias and bee hotel are beautiful, Grandma Cruising!

[Mackdogmolly]

2 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Just thought I might cheer you up with some photos of our summer bedding pots and tubs - plus a picture of our ‘bee hotel’ which is now fully booked (we have miner bees that come back to this area every year.)

 

 

 

Beautiful! But what, exactly, is a bee hotel?🤔

[Grandma Cruising]

15 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Beautiful! But what, exactly, is a bee hotel?🤔

It’s designed as somewhere that solitary bees can use to deposit their eggs along with some food and then they seal the hole up. Next year the new bees emerge.

There are types of bee that don’t live in a community, but are solitary - like miner bees https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/blog/ryan-clark/guide-solitary-bees-britain

[Mackdogmolly]

4 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

It’s designed as somewhere that solitary bees can use to deposit their eggs along with some food and then they seal the hole up. Next year the new bees emerge.

There are types of bee that don’t live in a community, but are solitary - like miner bees https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/blog/ryan-clark/guide-solitary-bees-britain

Fascinating!! I’m going to get one for our pollinator garden!

[Mackdogmolly]

Pictures from my out of control herb garden, pollinator garden and our 3 raised bed vegetable garden! Oh, and a hanging flower basket and late blooming rhododendron.

 

Edited June 25, 2021 by Mackdogmolly

[excitedofharpenden]

11 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

It’s designed as somewhere that solitary bees can use to deposit their eggs along with some food and then they seal the hole up. Next year the new bees emerge.

There are types of bee that don’t live in a community, but are solitary - like miner bees https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/blog/ryan-clark/guide-solitary-bees-britain

Love this idea!😎. A couple of years ago I had a swarm of bees obviously in transit as they'd lost their home and took up temporary residence in the garden. They moved off very quickly once they found somewhere. 

 

Phil 

 

 

[Grandma Cruising]

11 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Love this idea!😎. A couple of years ago I had a swarm of bees obviously in transit as they'd lost their home and took up temporary residence in the garden. They moved off very quickly once they found somewhere. 

 

Phil 

 

 

It could have been a new Queen bee starting a new colony, that happens when there are too many bees in the hive. 

[Grandma Cruising]

11 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Pictures from my out of control herb garden, pollinator garden and our 3 raised bed vegetable garden! Oh, and a hanging flower basket and late blooming rhododendron.

 

 

Lovely, what pretty petunias, and you’ve got a great range of herbs.