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

[island lady]

17 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

Okay, now I need to know - what’s a shrimp roll?  Is it just like a lobster roll, but using shrimp instead?

 

Yup, Shrimp..Lobster...crab....it's all in the roll.  😉 

[Ocean Boy]

24 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

I always thought they were called "Red Hots" due to being spicy...but just found out this year they are not.  Happy to finally find out why they are so popular.  😋

 

BTW...LLBean is my favorite store!  We have only been to the one in Freeport twice, but do visit the outlet in Ellsworth all the time when we are up here.  And when not up here...there is always online purchase!  😉  Love the "Big Boot" outside the main store.  😄 

I am a huge LL Bean fan.

[jagsfan]

12 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

As we were wrapping up Lisa starting getting a lot of notifications on her phone. Today was Owen’s unofficial non school associated photo get together.  It was all out doors, with 7 groups of kids arriving every 30 minutes getting individual photos. The photographer will merge all the students together into one photo.
 

Well the rain forecast for tonight changed to late afternoon.  We all had an hour to get ready for a sooner start time. No delays with three quick showers.  Owen was all dressed up and ready to go. 
 

Drive up diploma at the school is later this week. 
 

 

 

 

Gifts bags were placed out waiting to be picked up. 

 

 

Some cupcakes too. The boys swarmed them, the girls were much more reserved. Owen said they were tasty. 
 

 

 

Each graduate got a gift bag with donations from local business, and parents also included funds to go toward them as well. 

 

The outside of the bag. 
 

 

 

The goods inside.

 

 

 

 

It goes so fast, a kid one day, a young man the next!

Congratulations to Owen!

[dani negreanu]

Please do not disturb.... I'm busy working on my tan 😉

 

[island lady]

18 hours ago, jagsfan said:

Lobstergram delivers live lobsters and Publix sells split top rolls!!! 

 

Interesting about how long a live Lobster lives out of water...a day or two at the most in your fridge.  Has to kept moist.  Keep them cool to keep them less active.  But as soon as they die....they decompose right away, then immediately needs to be tossed out.  

 

I have always refrained from shipping Lobster home...just enjoy it when I am up here.  😉 

 

Sooo...when back home in Florida...it's Shrimp rolls...or wraps.  😄 

[island lady]

18 hours ago, jagsfan said:

Everything tastes better in Maine, anyway. I think it’s the air!

 

That is the thing I comment most about....just enjoying that cool sea and mountain fresh air...kissed with the scent of Pine forest.  Ahhh...wonderful.  My lungs thank me!!  😉 

[island lady]

17 hours ago, grapau27 said:

After a high proportion of the last 15 months in various UK lockdowns it is nice to actually be able to eat out and have 2 nights in a hotel like we did on Thursday and Friday night.

 

Good to see you and Pauline getting out and about more often now.  We are enjoying it again as well.  🙂 

[BonTexasNY]

8 hours ago, MJSailors said:

Bonnie

      Since your daughter lives in Jersey, a cruise from Bayonne could be convenient for you. Both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have cruises leaving from that port. 

       We live on the North Fork of LI, the opposite side of the Island from the Hamptons. When we moved here, I was so homesick for Forest Hills- missing friends, stores and favorite places. Gradually, I became accustomed to our area,made new friends and found favorite places here. 

       I watch the Marvelous Mrs.Maisel on Netflix. I was surprised to see that her in-laws moved from Manhattan to FH. Actually, the house used as their house in the series is very familiar to me. I think I must have passed it many,many times. 

        You are correct. Our quiet town has gradually become more crowded,not only in the Summer, but also in the Fall where the wineries and pumpkin farms are the major attraction. Since Covid, we have experienced a boom in the real estate market with prices of houses escalating coupled with a lack of housing inventory. Apparently, people left the City for more peaceful living in our area. Since most people were working from home and children were learning remotely, people could move here and continue with their jobs and schooling.

        I hope that you can visit your daughter soon. With Covid numbers dropping in the tri-State area and the number of vaccines increasing, I am encouraged that my DH and I can  begin to visit family and friends we haven’t seen since March 2020. We are even considering a cruise for 2023 as we will be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary then. Time will tell !

MJ

We would love to cruise out of the NY area but when we're back East we want to spend every single minute with family and friends. The friends of my heart are still in NY.  Unfortunately, when our grands can cruise is when the rates are highest which does not make it practical for us. As soon as my grandson will be double vaxxed, my husband and I will be on a plane heading East OR they might come for a TX visit.  OR we might take a road trip instead of flying.

 

 

Oh yes, there is a real estate boom and a seller's market all over the country.

 

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and men that made a difference in a child's life.

[island lady]

16 hours ago, jagsfan said:

I make them the way the lobster rolls in Maine are made. Anywhere in Maine I’ve had them, anyway. 
Cut boiled shrimp into chunks and mix with a little Mayo, salt and pepper. 
Toast your split top (New England style)rolls in butter in a frying pan till they’re golden. 
If I have lettuce on hand, I’ll lay a lettuce leaf in. Then stuff with the shrimp. 
Connecticut style,  like with lobster,  would be serving it warm with the shrimp just tossed in melted butter. 

 

My shrimp rolls...which ending up morphing into shrimp wraps:

 

Warm the low Carb tortilla wraps in the microwave with a teaspoon of cream cheese until just soft. 

Spread out the cream cheese. 

 

Whole peeled shrimp that was lightly tossed in butter and blacken seasoning in fry pan until just turning pink.  Top that onto the wrap, and enjoy.  🙂

 

Interesting indeed how you can get so creative with rolls and wraps.  😉  

[island lady]

15 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

The other night we grilled up some burgers with blue cheese and swiss cheese then I buttered some brioche buns with KerryGold Garlic and Herb butter and lightly grilled them.     Delicious!

 

Yummm!!  🙂 

[island lady]

38 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I am a huge LL Bean fan.

 

Me too!  I think half my wardrobe is LLBean...and all of my jackets.  😮😉 

 

Plus I adore their big fluffy towels.  

 

 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2021 by island lady

[Arzeena]

43 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I am a huge LL Bean fan.

+ 1

Their clothes never "die".

[island lady]

Yesterday afternoon, watching the rain heading our way, Bucky down in front of the house checking out the rainbow.  Unfortunately did not find the gold at the end of it...sigh...no free cruise for us.  😉 

 

 

[A&L_Ont]

4 minutes ago, Paul from Maryland said:

 

I've been considering PPF for the front end of our new car.  Might also lightly tint the side windows.

 

I’ve been doing it since 1993 with dark tint, but that was to work with my alarm to help hide all the car audio equipment in my Explorer. That faze lasted about 10 years.  Since then I lessened the darkness level.  LOL, my age as doubled and tint level has halved. 

 

4 minutes ago, Paul from Maryland said:

Got home yesterday from a drive and found some bird poop on the hood.  It seems to have dulled or etched the clear coat...an area about the size of a dime.  We were already thinking of performing the cars first wax job, so we did that.  It may have helped a bit?  Not sure.  

 

We have a quick detailer (Meguiar makes a great one) that we use in that type of situation. Spot spray the bird “gift” and wipe the debris with a microfibre cloth. It’s great for clean ups between washes. Any parts store will have both, and the rags are found in bulk at Costco.

 

4 minutes ago, Paul from Maryland said:

A neighbor recommended trying some polishing compound.  I also saw a YouTube video by a pro in a body shop, using a compound and an electric buffer that completely removed a similar spot.  

Polishing a car is something I would never attempt. The shop I go to has seen horrendous polish jobs done by other shops, and dealerships that claim to detail. The factory protectant layer of paint on a car is paper thin.  A quick wax will help to protect the bird poo spot if it actually sat long enough to contaminate the paint.  PPF definitely helps to protect the paint from environmental fallout that can harm paint.

 

Scott, who owns the shop, has been in business since the early 90s. He has made a reputation for the quality of work that comes out of his shop. If he were to say anything he’d say, find the right shop to do the work and pay the price once.  He has done a lot of jobs fixing other shops mistakes.  

 

 

 

  

[island lady]

9 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

I’ve been doing it since 1993 with dark tint, but that was to work with my alarm to help hide all the car audio equipment in my Explorer. That faze lasted about 10 years.  Since then I lessened the darkness level.  LOL, my age as doubled and tint level has halved. 

 

 

We have a quick detailer (Meguiar makes a great one) that we use in that type of situation. Spot spray the bird “gift” and wipe the debris with a microfibre cloth. It’s great for clean ups between washes. Any parts store will have both, and the rags are found in bulk at Costco.

 

Polishing a car is something I would never attempt. The shop I go to has seen horrendous polish jobs done by other shops, and dealerships that claim to detail. The factory protectant layer of paint on a car is paper thin.  A quick wax will help to protect the bird poo spot if it actually sat long enough to contaminate the paint.  PPF definitely helps to protect the paint from environmental fallout that can harm paint.

 

Scott, who owns the shop, has been in business since the early 90s. He has made a reputation for the quality of work that comes out of his shop. If he were to say anything he’d say, find the right shop to do the work and pay the price once.  He has done a lot of jobs fixing other shops mistakes.  

 

 

 

  

 

Bought our motorhome brand new,  which was one of the unfortunate "victims" of having the "Diamond Shield" coating on the front of the big flat surface (all the painted area from windshield down).  It's a type of clear film overlay to prevent stone chips.  Was popular when it first came out.  

 

All of the Diamond Shield applications after about 5 years starts to discolor and look like rust.  If you let it go too long...it has cracks all in it.  Tough to remove, and easy to pull the paint off when you do.  I had quotes from 850 to 1200 to have someone take the stuff off.  It has to be heated and scraped off, with saving the paint at the same time.  Takes two days for a team working full time.  

 

We had it done while we were gone, with pictures sent to us.  Looks great!  

 

There is a lot of information on the web, almost all concerning removal of the ugly stuff.  I am wondering if the company has been sued.  

Edited June 20, 2021 by island lady

[sgmn]

2 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!     Hope all Dad's get to do whatever they wish to do while enjoying time with their children.     

Heading out now for a nice long bike ride as the weather today is beautiful, then fly various kites on the beach and cook up Dad's favorite meal, scallops from Barnegat Bay/Viking Village before our Son leaves later today to go back home.     

Sounds perfect,  have a lovely day with your family

Sue

[jagsfan]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

My shrimp rolls...which ending up morphing into shrimp wraps:

 

Warm the low Carb tortilla wraps in the microwave with a teaspoon of cream cheese until just soft. 

Spread out the cream cheese. 

 

Whole peeled shrimp that was lightly tossed in butter and blacken seasoning in fry pan until just turning pink.  Top that onto the wrap, and enjoy.  🙂

 

Interesting indeed how you can get so creative with rolls and wraps.  😉  

Boy, that sounds good! I never though of cream cheese!

[George C]

1 hour ago, BonTexasNY said:

We would love to cruise out of the NY area but when we're back East we want to spend every single minute with family and friends. The friends of my heart are still in NY.  Unfortunately, when our grands can cruise is when the rates are highest which does not make it practical for us. As soon as my grandson will be double vaxxed, my husband and I will be on a plane heading East OR they might come for a TX visit.  OR we might take a road trip instead of flying.

 

 

Oh yes, there is a real estate boom and a seller's market all over the country.

 

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and men that made a difference in a child's life.

I totally love cruising out of New York ( not New Jersey) then we can combine our two favorite vacations,  we then spend a couple of days before and after the cruise in midtown Manhattan . 

[A&L_Ont]

2 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Bought our motorhome brand new,  which was one of the unfortunate "victims" of having the "Diamond Shield" coating on the front of the big flat surface (all the painted area from windshield down).  It's a type of clear film overlay to prevent stone chips.  Was popular when it first came out.  

 

All of the Diamond Shield applications after about 5 years starts to discolor and look like rust.  If you let it go too long...it has cracks all in it.  Tough to remove, and easy to pull the paint off when you do.  I had quotes from 850 to 1200 to have someone take the stuff off.  It has to be heated and scraped off, with saving the paint at the same time.  Takes two days for a team working full time.  

 

We had it done while we were gone, with pictures sent to us.  Looks great!  

 

I think the "Diamond Shield" company went bankrupt.  😡

The quality of the film will show if it yellows over times. Especially, when it cracks like your situation. In the beginning anything was better than nothing, but the product has gotten so much better over time. There is even PPF now that it it has fine/small surface scratches they “heal” with the heat of the sun. 
 

Where I go they have large cutter that cuts pattern for specific cars. For other cars they “bulk” wrap from straight sheets of material.
 

Photo below is a great example. In the background you can see large cutter. 

 

[DaniDanielle]

2 hours ago, singinalot said:

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there (even if it’s not a holiday in your country today). 🤗😉🤗

I second this!

[DeltaOne]

2 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

We have a quick detailer (Meguiar makes a great one) that we use in that type of situation. Spot spray the bird “gift” and wipe the debris with a microfibre cloth. It’s great for clean ups between washes. Any parts store will have both, and the rags are found in bulk at Costco.

 

Polishing a car is something I would never attempt.

 

I'm pretty sure I saw the Meguiar's product yesterday when we purchased the wax.  I'll get some.  

 

Yesterday I did buy some Meguiar's car wash.  Since the car was new I've been using Optimum No Rinse (called ONR).  It seems to do well enough, but doesn't suds up at all.  I think ONR was developed for areas with water restrictions, many use it with a two bucket process instead of using a running water hose for pre-wetting and rinsing.  One bucket with the ONR solution, one bucket with clean water for rinsing.  I guess I prefer a nice sudsy solution for washing the car.

 

When the car was new three months ago I bought some Chemical Guys spray...says it's a hybrid wax (whatever that means.). After washing you spray it on then buff.  I haven't tried it yet.

 

As for the compound polish, I would only try it on the small dime sized area the bird poop left.  Regular wax for the rest of the car.

[island lady]

2 hours ago, jagsfan said:

Boy, that sounds good! I never though of cream cheese!

 

Me neither...just kind of popped into my head one day.  It's good!  🙂 

[island lady]

1 hour ago, A&L_Ont said:

The quality of the film will show if it yellows over times. Especially, when it cracks like your situation. In the beginning anything was better than nothing, but the product has gotten so much better over time. There is even PPF now that it it has fine/small surface scratches they “heal” with the heat of the sun. 
 

Where I go they have large cutter that cuts pattern for specific cars. For other cars they “bulk” wrap from straight sheets of material.
 

Photo below is a great example. In the background you can see large cutter. 

 

 

 

Ours was fine for about 5-6 years...then started to look like rust.  Did not let it get so bad as to crack,  like some do when they wait too long.  We are selling the Land Yacht this winter (other travel adventures getting in the way now).  So did not want that "first impression" to look like a rusty bus!  😉 

[Momof3gurlz]

1 hour ago, A&L_Ont said:

The quality of the film will show if it yellows over times. Especially, when it cracks like your situation. In the beginning anything was better than nothing, but the product has gotten so much better over time. There is even PPF now that it it has fine/small surface scratches they “heal” with the heat of the sun. 
 

Where I go they have large cutter that cuts pattern for specific cars. For other cars they “bulk” wrap from straight sheets of material.
 

Photo below is a great example. In the background you can see large cutter. 

 

Wow, interesting. I just assumed you were talking about something that was sprayed on.  Shows how much I know about cars.  It must take some skill to get that on smoothly. 

[mo&fran]

Well, here we are  on board the ship in Coco Cay.

Yesterday, everything went pretty much as planned. Boarded an Jet Blue E190 in FLL for NAS.  30 minute flight, gate to gate about an hour though. NAS  Immigration was a snap, but baggage claim was a nightmare.  Bags were piled on top of bags on the carousel, some falling off.  It seemed like forever before we found ours.  Having the ships bag labels saved us. once we saw the labels, we were good to go.  There was another security person we had to go through, but when she saw our ship tags, she just said "Enjoy your cruise".

 

As we exited the terminal, RCI people were there to take our luggage and take it to the ship.

 

 Next stop was the Colonial British Hilton to check in. They had buses waiting to take us, and it did take us awhile.  It was no 2 minute drive, that's for sure.  Thing is, you are asked to provide a check-in time when doing online check-in, and I selected 530, having no idea how much time it would take, assuming the flight arrived on time, which it pretty much did.

I was using my rollator, which I really needed for all of the walking, and that did vacillate some steps, like going through immigration.