Solo cruising - new expectations

[elycelynne]

14 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi, the last time I sailed with Celebrity was 2017. I tried Azamara once since that cruise and 2 river cruises......all my other sailings since that time have been on Silversea.  So, yes I moved up. I realized after a couple of cruises I LOVE the small ships and all they have to offer me.  So, no I have not gone back to mainstream. 

Good that you're able to do so! 😃 I would probably love it too ... My finances, not so much!  (That is, unless I found an incredible bargain.)

[rkacruiser]

3 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Restaurants in Ohio stayed fully closed for the entire time? 

 

No.  They were open for carry-out dining; then, opened for in-restaurant dining at reduced capacity with masks required except when eating/drinking.  June 2nd, all of our Governor's public health orders will be rescinded.  For me, I have remained in my "bubble", successfully, venturing "out" when there were certain errands and appointments/commitments that I must honor.  June 2nd will be my "July 4th" for 2021.  

[coastcat]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Having last dined in a restaurant in March, 2020, I wonder if I will remember how to "behave" when I go out for my first restaurant dinner?  😄

There will be two forks to the left of the dinner plate.

• The fork closest to the plate is for your entree.
• The fork furthest from your plate is for flinging food at the people at the next table who are talking, loudly and in great detail, about their intestinal difficulties.

[Lois R]

1 hour ago, elycelynne said:

Good that you're able to do so! 😃 I would probably love it too ... My finances, not so much!  (That is, unless I found an incredible bargain.)

Yes, it was not something I expected. I had some life changing events happen and am able to sail with them. 

[elycelynne]

41 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Yes, it was not something I expected. I had some life changing events happen and am able to sail with them. 

Maybe I'll start playing the lottery.  That's the only monetary life changing event I could ever imagine happening to me! 🤑

[Lois R]

26 minutes ago, elycelynne said:

Maybe I'll start playing the lottery.  That's the only monetary life changing event I could ever imagine happening to me! 🤑

It wasn't the lottery.  That would be pretty amazing.....I saw 2 folks who live in Ohio---one is a 22 year old....she got her vaccination and their state is doing a lottery.......she won.  And the other one was a high schooler who won a 4 year scholarship to college. 

[elycelynne]

8 minutes ago, Lois R said:

It wasn't the lottery.  That would be pretty amazing.....I saw 2 folks who live in Ohio---one is a 22 year old....she got her vaccination and their state is doing a lottery.......she won.  And the other one was a high schooler who won a 4 year scholarship to college. 

LOL, I didn't think it was!  I was just saying that that's the only way my particular circumstances could improve on such a large scale.  I did see those two particular Ohioans.  And to think -- Many of us didn't need additional incentives other than "I don't want to catch Covid and die"!  (Or "I want to travel".)

[Lois R]

2 minutes ago, elycelynne said:

LOL, I didn't think it was!  I was just saying that that's the only way my particular circumstances could improve on such a large scale.  I did see those two particular Ohioans.  And to think -- Many of us didn't need additional incentives other than "I don't want to catch Covid and die"!  (Or "I want to travel".)

I know......I agree. I knew way back at the beginning I would get a shot. The only thing I kept asking was "when can I get mine"?

[debenson0723]

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

No.  They were open for carry-out dining; then, opened for in-restaurant dining at reduced capacity with masks required except when eating/drinking.  June 2nd, all of our Governor's public health orders will be rescinded.  For me, I have remained in my "bubble", successfully, venturing "out" when there were certain errands and appointments/commitments that I must honor.  June 2nd will be my "July 4th" for 2021.  

That is next week!!  Are you sure you are ready?  I jumped in feet first earlier this month when I went on my first vacation in over a year...took a plane, stayed at a hotel, ate in several restaurants.  I was in a state that did not enforce mask wearing and 99% of the people didn't. I thought long and hard about the situation and decided that I was going to take my mask off and smile (I have been fully vaccinated since early March). I thought if I go home and am sick 5 days later then I made a very stupid mistake. But guess what?  I am fine...not just fine, but great.  I have gone back to mask wearing at work, since it is required by my employer but when I am out and about, the mask comes off, if allowed.  Hopefully this will be the case everywhere soon and we will all be healthy and smiling again.

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, coastcat said:

The fork furthest from your plate is for flinging food at the people at the next table who are talking, loudly and in great detail, about their intestinal difficulties.

 

🤣🤣  Love it!!  There have been times when I wished I could do something as uncouth as that.

 

18 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

That is next week!!  Are you sure you are ready? 

 

Ready?  Yes, I believe I will be.  I am confident because of being fully vaccinated and am of a similar opinion like yours as to getting "out and about".  Living is a risk.  Dealing with what hopefully will be an improving situation with Covid is simply just another risk that one must take.  

 

20 hours ago, Lois R said:

And the other one was a high schooler who won a 4 year scholarship to college. 

 

This young man lives in a suburb of the city where I live.  He is just an 8th Grader.  

 

Our Governor indicated that this scholarship money, while it was promoted as being able to be used at any Ohio public university or college, could also be used when he needs to access it to a private university or college as well.  The value of the scholarship at that time will match the highest state university's costs for a 4 year education.  Quite a significant win for this young man!

 

The vaccination rate for Ohio had been dropping.  There has been an excellent improvement in the vaccination percentages since the Lottery was announced.  Yet, the amount of flack that the Governor is receiving from some of his own Party is disheartening and disgusting to me.  

[Lois R]

Yes, that's right...he is very young. I saw him interviewed with his parents on the news. He said he was looking at Ohio State........

 

We all live in such different arenas....I have been eating out for a long time. I got my shots back in March/April. 

[MsEvolution]

On 4/21/2021 at 5:42 AM, Lois R said:

I have a cruise booked for July out of Greece and am very, very much looking forward to it.🙂 As for expectations and how things will go.......protocols, etc. The ship I am sailing holds 600 guests so much smaller than the mega ships/floating cities. I still think I will be able to interact with other passengers. This is my 1st of 4 cruises I have booked.......July, Oct, Dec and next March.  Will just see how things go!  It will definitely be a new experience (for everyone).  I am going with an open mind and plan on enjoying myself😃

 

Sounds wonderful! We’ll have to hear all about it when it’s done!

[reeinaz]

I'm booked for a September cruise to Bermuda on NCL. This will be my 1st NCL cruise and I'm in a studio. Regardless of the rules on this cruise, I will try to keep in mind that it won't be a typical experience, for better or worse, lol.

 

I did travel to Key West in May by myself for 4 days and had an awesome time. I doubt the cruise will be a worse experience than that.

[coastcat]

3 hours ago, reeinaz said:

I'm booked for a September cruise to Bermuda on NCL. This will be my 1st NCL cruise and I'm in a studio. Regardless of the rules on this cruise, I will try to keep in mind that it won't be a typical experience, for better or worse, lol.

 

I did travel to Key West in May by myself for 4 days and had an awesome time. I doubt the cruise will be a worse experience than that.

It seems like the experience will be reasonably close to what it used to be. Since NCL is doing 100% vaccinated cruises, masks and social distancing won’t be required on board. We might need to mask up for the boarding process, and in port if required by local laws, but it’s looking like a much more relaxed experience than I had feared.

 

58 days until I step onboard again!