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Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

dani negreanu
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sgmn

sgmn

Posted
Posted
On 3/6/2023 at 3:00 PM, dani negreanu said:

LONG.

 

I want to tell you how important is to share your thoughts, your musings, what's bothering you, what's confusing you, with friends and family.

 

1) I've always been a very avid reader. In childhood and young adulthood in Romania, I was devouring every book in sight. I was walking to my tennis and ballet lessons while reading a book. Luckily, in the early fifties of the previous millennium, there were not many people on the streets and cards on the roads.

One of the books that stuck to my mind involved a dog, named Dingo (but the book's plot was not in Australia), who died at the book's end and slavery. Dingo was not the title. 

 

For many years I've tried to find out the book's name, without results. Tried to ask on Google, no finds.

 

Then the "new kid in town" -- chatgpt -- arrived, and I said to myself -- for sure the "chat" will know. To my huge disappointment, the chat immediately gave me 5 books with Dingo in the title. I've tried and tried, but the "chat" kept asking for more details... Hey, buddy, if I had more details, I didn't need your help... I gave up.

 

At the week end, I've shared with my sons and DIL my frustration. All 3 of them googled the "data" and, surprise -- my DIL found a plot ticking "my" boxes. I read the summary, and, YES, found it -- Dick Sand, A captain at fifteen, by Jules Verne. I've read all of Verne's books, the famous ones, didn't remember this one. DIL said: "you didn't ask Google the right questions"....

 

Of course, I've immediately ordered it on Kindle.

 

I cannot describe how relieved I felt after this. It was something that for years was in the back of my mind, and I've often said to myself that I'll die without finding, again, the book's name.

 

2) For the last year, I've checked options to visit Marrakech, but the flights back to Israel are awful. ALL of them leave between 11PM and midnight. It means checking out at 11am more or less, and wandering, "homeless", until late evening. Moreover, when our security guys at the airport hear that you've left your luggage at the hotel/rented house, they get very suspicious. I don't sleep in planes. So round and round I kept checking flights, no dice.

 

At an evening with friends, I've aired out my frustration. One of my friends, the coolest guy on earth, said: "what's the problem? you don't have to fly BACK from Marrakech!! fly to another very near airport, like Marseille, or Barcelona, find a quick connection, or stay a night, and fetch a "normal" flight back to Israel".

 

Eurika!!! 

 

Found a noon flight from Marrakech to Madrid (a mere 2 hours flight), and decided to spend 3 days in Madrid too, since last time we were there was... 1976. Then a noon flight to Israel. "Problem" solved.

 

Marrakech, finally, here we go....

 

3) Speaking of the flight to Marrakech... I'm not keen on the seats we have, and I was following the seat's map, hopefully, for cancellations. The seats didn't "move", but I've noticed a very nice drop of price... The tickets are already paid. No refunds. What to do?

 

Again, talking with my sons and DIL, she said: "why don't you phone [being on hold an hour or two...], may be they'll let you cancel for a fee, but if the fee will be less than the drop in price, it will be worth it?"

 

That's what I've done. The cancellation fee was 50$ pp, and the gain was 250$.

 

I still have the same seats...☹️

 

Talk, share, speak your mind, it costs nothing, and the results are wonderful.

Sounds like all your stars are lining up Dani, wonderful ✨️ 

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sgmn

sgmn

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Good morning.

25°F and snow this morning.

I hope everyone is well and looking forward to today.

The forecast is promising snow here overnight. Our first snow of the winter 

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grapau27

grapau27

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58 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

It never ends.

Two weeks ago I posted that my good friend Mike fell in his house,went by ambulance to an ER and died in the hospital.

 

We just got a call that his wife fell in the house yesterday ,went by ambulance to the same ER and is still in the hospital being treated for her injuries.

I'm so sorry Lenny.

I hope she is okay.

Graham.

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Rusty_lock

Rusty_lock

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Posted

Howdy, Dave @Tree_skier from Labadee sends his greeting. He’s having a ball on Oasis. All of you on the grand Bella tour are in for a treat. Staff is finely tuned and entertainment is perfect. 
 

he was in Labadee today and asked me to say hi on his behalf. 
 

he’ll be posting tomorrow. 
 

0DEB7BEA-9C4F-44DF-A98D-6FDCC1985CF5.thumb.jpeg.ad0432583ab45986bf3b224d405feeab.jpeg

 

Man he’s got white legs. 

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mo&fran

mo&fran

Posted
Posted

Friday we board Grandeur of the seas  for another B2B  casino comp cruise. Quite a difference from the Harmony,  but I  looked at the ship that we sailed back in 2003, Celebrity Horizon,  and they are very similar in size  WE will have an ocean view, so we will see how that works out. 

 WE have no more cruises booked, so I expect to spend some time at the next cruise desk.  

WE turned Pinnacle back in November, but still haven't received tha magical name tags or anything else,  other than the gold sea pass cards. I understand there is a free cruise coming somewhere. 

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mo&fran

mo&fran

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One interesting thing I ran into with this cruise.  When we were living in Ct, we did winter cruises out of NJ, and often stopped at Labadee.  We were often able to rent a cabana on Barefoot Beach.  After the restart, the cabanas price took off, and they were made available for anyone to book.  They were priced out our range, so I rarely looked at the price.

 This upcoming cruise is a 9 day and a 5 day.  I just happened to look at the prices for the beach cabana for the 6 day cruise, and it was $299.  I looked at the 9 day, $699.

 Guess which one I booked.

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Sunshine3601

Sunshine3601

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

It never ends.

Two weeks ago I posted that my good friend Mike fell in his house,went by ambulance to an ER and died in the hospital.

 

We just got a call that his wife fell in the house yesterday ,went by ambulance to the same ER and is still in the hospital being treated for her injuries.

So sorry to hear about Mike's Wife.   🙏

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lenquixote66

lenquixote66

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10 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

So sorry Lenny for you and Toby.

Thank you,Marietta.Our friend had a stroke in January .She barely got through her husbands passing.They were married nearly 60 years.I actually knew her before Mike because we both worked in Staten Island in 1959.

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Ozark_Kid "Live from...." Rare

Ozark_Kid

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I have had 37 falls ,24 on my head .I often have wondered why I am still on the planet. 

You have a much better memory than me.  I have fallen a lot in the last 2 years but couldn't tell you how many.  Maybe the epic falls like on the tram January or falling on my eye around Christmas.

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
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3 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Thank you ,Graham for being one of the nicest people I have ever “met”.

Unfortunately she has a heart problem and she is in the CCU.

 

Thank you Lenny.

Sending your friend my prayers 🙏 that she recovers well.

Graham.

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grapau27

grapau27

Posted
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3 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I have had 37 falls ,24 on my head .I often have wondered why I am still on the planet. 

I'm so sorry to hear how many falls you have had Lenny.

Please try and take care.

My late father fractured his skull when he fell in his 20s working in a shipyard.

He fell and hit his head while in hospital aged 85 and died soon after.

Graham 

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sgmn

sgmn

Posted
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11 hours ago, sgmn said:

The forecast is promising snow here overnight. Our first snow of the winter 

Well the promised snow fell. Not much, though more is forecast for today.  My poor daffs look a bit flattered but hopefully they will recover

20230308_082501.thumb.jpg.61c7a951729ba2a0ff8357499f996305.jpg

 

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