The Bistro- Off topic and fun posts!

[BWIVince]

9 hours ago, KenzSailing said:

News: Resorts World Las Vegas VP of marketing resigned today.  RWLV "will be evaluating" the structure of their marketing department, according to their email (I only saw a screen grab, can't repost.)

 

There is a TON of churn in my industry right now -- that one is probably 80/20 industry/Genting and not as much Genting as it may look from the outside.  RWLV was built primarily to support the connected LVCC expansion, and the events industry is NOWHERE near right now what anyone projected 3, 6, 12 or 18 months ago, sadly.  

 

It's not as bad as it could be -- CES did happen this year, technically, sort of -- but it's not reached any kind of sustainable level either.  Properties that depend on big citywide conventions are going to be more impacted than properties that depend on certain niches of in-house meetings (and in some rare cases, vice-versa), so there are a lot of opportunities in sales right now for people to move to properties that are more insulated from the pandemic, now that we see the recovery is going to be slower than anticipated for group travel in certain markets.

 

Vince

[ctjon]

Thank you Keith - you summarized cruisecritic board activity very well.   Now some computer genius needs to download all the threads from the beginning, scan them, and come up with a count of each topic you mentioned.

[BEAV]

8 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

Brian, your timing going to Hawaii was perfect.  Low Covid rates and quiet airport and flight.

 

A few weeks before we took our July 3 Serenity restart cruise our son warned us that the  airports would be crazy and he was right.  They were mobbed.

 

I think I am going to start following your lead when it comes to making travel plans.  😀

 

Keith

 

If only I could time Wall Street as I did the land of Aloha last year! 😱

 

AND, speaking of “timing” I discovered this lovely little gem on Saturday, the last day dinners were served aboard Symphony for an undetermined amount of time. I’ve enjoyed “Therapist” every night since. No, my insurance doesn’t cover it, but a 4-pack only set me back twenty bucks. But another advantage is the “no appointment necessary”. 

 

Wonder how it’d pair with that “pot” so eloquently served in Waterside..... Hmmmmm 🤔

 

 

 

Edited January 25, 2022 by BEAV

[May B]

17 minutes ago, BEAV said:

 

If only I could time Wall Street as I did the land of Aloha last year! 😱

Great one!

[KenzSailing]

5 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

Why is Waterside closed on some selected days for lunch particularly on a pot day in the Mediterranean.  

 

 

I'd say that one is asked and answered!! Sometimes your typos are too good!!

Thanks, Keith!!

 

Patty

 

Easy there Keith, that's a felony in Texas.

 

OTOH, vax rates soared in Quebec when they made it a requirement in order to enter a dispensary or liquor store.  Classic carrot vs stick, or in this case, edible vs jailable.

[TheKingD]

Today is my birthday, and I received a birthday email from Crystal, along with some from my dentist, my wine clubs, my alumni association, my ophthalmologist, and plenty of others.  I'm such a true-blue Crystal gal that their email seems very bittersweet.

 

 

Crystal Birthday.pdf

[rafinmd]

In hard times I like to look for signs of normality.  One thing that can't get much normal is that whether it's spectacular or hidden and one sees it or not the sun will always rise.  Considering the sad situation with Crystal Cruises I am going back to something special.  When the Crystal Serenity Northwest Passage was announced I got the incredible dream of a complete circumnavigation of the Americas and I was able to do it in a span of about 4 years, while the segments ran in different directions and a random order.  This was my circumnavigation:

 

Fort Lauderdale to Rio, MS Maasdam, January 2015

Rio and Buenos Aires, Crystal Serenity, 2017

Buenos Aires and Manta (via Antarctica), Crystal Symphony, 2016

Manta and San Diego, MS Zaandam, 2017

San Diego and Vancouver, MS Oosterdam, 2017

Vancouver and Seward, MS Westerdam, 2018

Seward and New York, Crystal Serenity, 2016

New York and Southampton (another detour), 2016

Southampton and Fort Lauderdale, Queen Victoria, 2016

 

In this sequence I am using one of the first sunrises from the Maasdam.  January 25, 2015 was a sea day between Key West and a planned stop at Grand Cayman:

 

 

Roy

 

[May B]

Great post, Roy. Thank you!

[May B]

Edited January 25, 2022 by May B
I was trying to post something else, but I hope you enjoy this instead.

[May B]

[BEAV]

Bravo, May B!

[mskatiemae]

3 hours ago, TheKingD said:

Today is my birthday, and I received a birthday email from Crystal, along with some from my dentist, my wine clubs, my alumni association, my ophthalmologist, and plenty of others.  I'm such a true-blue Crystal gal that their email seems very bittersweet.

 

 

Crystal Birthday.pdf 281.88 kB · 17 downloads

Happy Birthday! Though bittersweet...

[rafinmd]

This post will get long.  I'm don't think it fits any of the other threads so I'll post it here.  The current image of Crystal seems to be pirates running from the law and I'd like to highlight a different view.  These are all scenes I have a personal relationship with:

 

In 2010, planting a tree in Malta:

 

In 2011, with novelist Kathy Reich, painting an orphanage floor in Fiji:

 

Later in 2011, cleaning an Oregon beach from Astoria.

 

 

In March, 2013, practicing English with students in Petropavlovsk, Russia.

 

 

In September 2013, separating good food from bad for a food pantry in Halifax

 

 

In September 2016 dedicating a sigh post requested by Pond Inlet, Canada

 

 

Also September 2016, assembling food boxes for a Boston food bank:

 

 

In 2017 interacting with orphans and teaching crafts in Cartagena:

 

 

And in 2018 in Fiji, helping assemble simple houses in Koroipita, Fiji:

 

 

Roy

 

[KenzSailing]

You go Roy.  Lots of us will strap in for this ride. 

[TheKingD]

Thank you Roy, for adding some heartfelt perspective.  Ditto @KenzSailing.

[May B]

I did the Astoria in 2016 on my first Serenity, second Crystal. These are wonderful, Roy!

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from my  aborted 2020 Crystal-Cunard World Cruise.  On January 26 Crystal Symphony was at sea from Los Angeles to Nuka Hiva with a medevac detour to Cabo:

 

 

Roy

[Keith1010]

So who was the last person standing; well left on the slippery pole.

 

Cruise Director or Captain?  Both or neither?

 

Keith

 

[rafinmd]

 

Today's sunrise is from my 2015 cruise on MS Maasdam.  January 27 was the last sea day before arriving in Aruba.

 

 

Roy

[KenzSailing]

 

Now, there are lots of things to be bothered by these days, but you know what really frosts my cupcake?

 

Applebee's co-opting the Cheers theme.  That ain't right.

[BEAV]

1 hour ago, KenzSailing said:

 

Now, there are lots of things to be bothered by these days, but you know what really frosts my cupcake?

 

Applebee's co-opting the Cheers theme.  That ain't right.

 

In my house, the 11th Commandment was created in 2019, which reads “Thou shat NEVER set foot in an Applebee’s as long as ye shall live”. 

[Texas Tillie]

6 hours ago, BEAV said:

 

In my house, the 11th Commandment was created in 2019, which reads “Thou shat NEVER set foot in an Applebee’s as long as ye shall live”. 

 

I've been to Applebee's once. There used to be one near me. Since it closed the building had about 3 different restaurants, none of which lasted. It's now a dialysis center!!

 

Patty

[BWIVince]

1 hour ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

I've been to Applebee's once. There used to be one near me. Since it closed the building had about 3 different restaurants, none of which lasted. It's now a dialysis center!!

 

Patty

Does it have the same clientele as the original Applebees?  That sounds connected.

 

Vince

[Keith1010]

I've been two Applebee's one time.  Why because we were in East Texas and the choice was Applebee's or something worse. So we went with the best of the worst.  🤗

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

I guess it won't be long until this vessel (former Crystal Harmony) will be the only Crystal vessel current and past carrying guests but in spite of this I am hopeful we will be sailing with Crystal again.