OBSERVATIONS FROM THE POOP DECK SEASCAPE

[KeepCalmBearOn]

6 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

P.S. This repeating of mediocre entertainment on board makes it really hard to justify a B2B cruise. Another reason we just book one week at a time.

 

Everyone has their own likes and priorities and they may change over time. I know mine (ours) have.

 

When we started cruising heavily in the mid/late 80s and through probably 2000/01, we chose cruises for itineraries/port stops. After we'd hit just about every port possible in Europe and the Caribbean we shifted to choosing ships we wanted to try. That is when staterooms, food and shipboard amusements became more important.

 

I would book a B2B in the YC if the food was so good that entertainment faded into the background. If I were to choose a line purely on entertainment, Royal might win with Broadway at Sea. But Royal comes up wanting in other area.

 

50 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

When it comes to checking for interlopers the entire staff are Milquetoasts

 

I don't think frontline workers should be the ones confronting interlopers. The skills for confronting tactfully should be left to managers. Frontline workers should identify potential interlopers then hand off to management. There was a recent YC incident where a frontline worker confronted a YC guest and it blew up into a huge kerfuffle here on CC and on YouTube. It was entirely avoidable. MSC admitted so in the end.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, KeepCalmBearOn said:

kerfuffle

Here is another  hoo-ha, hurly burly, and to-do. Topless bathing on the One Pool Deck.

P.S. I dare not check this out for myself, just will take DW's word for it.

Edited April 25 by morpheusofthesea
p.s.

[Bgwest]

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

When it comes to checking for interlopers the entire staff are Milquetoasts ("Milquetoast definition: a very timid, unassertive, spineless person, especially one who is easily dominated or intimidated.") 

Edited April 25 by Bgwest

[morpheusofthesea]

3 minutes ago, Bgwest said:

This gentleman looks more like an intellectual, than a milquetoast.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

The original Caspar Milquetoast.

 

[no1talks]

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"When it comes to checking for interlopers the entire staff are Milquetoasts"

 

"Milquetoast" is, of course, a perjorative riff on the breakfast dish milk toast.

 

Those of you who know for whom milk toast was usually prepared may wonder why it is not a modern feature on the breakfast menus of some ships.

[morpheusofthesea]

17 minutes ago, no1talks said:

Milquetoast" is, of course, a pejorative riff on the breakfast dish milk toast.

Pejorative ? I thought I was being kind. I was thinking of the more descriptive milksop, pansy, pantywaist ,and sissy, but decided on the more 'flattering' Milquetoast.

[Best Cat Mom]

Kind? Is that like nice? Not allowed, sir! 😁

[morpheusofthesea]

23 minutes ago, Best Cat Mom said:

Kind? Is that like nice? Not allowed, sir! 😁

I had to look this one up...

“I would define ‘kind’ as behavior that’s thoughtful, caring and considerate, but also strong, confident and self-caring,” said Dr. Marcia Sirota, a psychiatrist and author of “Be Kind, Not Nice: How to Stop People-Pleasing, Build Your Confidence and Discover Your Authentic Self.”

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, no1talks said:

Those of you who know for whom milk toast was usually prepared may wonder why it is not a modern feature on the breakfast menus of some ships.

"Steerage class passengers on the Titanic ate basic meals of boiled vegetables and meats, cooked in a single pantry, and served cafeteria style. Meals could also include pea soup, oatmeal porridge, rice pudding, and sea pie. Passengers would eat their meals next to where they slept, and until the early 1890s, they had to provide their own eating utensils". I guess you are alluding to those beneath steerage ?

Edited April 25 by morpheusofthesea

[cruisebeachgirl703]

6 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

When it comes to checking for interlopers the entire staff are Milquetoasts ("Milquetoast definition: a very timid, unassertive, spineless person, especially one who is easily dominated or intimidated.") Except when in comes to guarding the pergolas of the RS and OS suites. DW just saw our pool attendant ask a couple squatters to vacate an owners suite pergola. This is another reason I tip these guys on a daily basis to towel and prepare our pergola and guard it from poachers.

Glad to report on Magnifica in February there was an attendant checking as soon as you entered the Aurea Sun Deck.

[cruisebeachgirl703]

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Here is another  hoo-ha, hurly burly, and to-do. Topless bathing on the One Pool Deck.

P.S. I dare not check this out for myself, just will take DW's word for it.

At sea or in port?

[cruisebeachgirl703]

5 hours ago, KeepCalmBearOn said:

 

Everyone has their own likes and priorities and they may change over time. I know mine (ours) have.

 

When we started cruising heavily in the mid/late 80s and through probably 2000/01, we chose cruises for itineraries/port stops. After we'd hit just about every port possible in Europe and the Caribbean we shifted to choosing ships we wanted to try. That is when staterooms, food and shipboard amusements became more important.

 

I would book a B2B in the YC if the food was so good that entertainment faded into the background. If I were to choose a line purely on entertainment, Royal might win with Broadway at Sea. But Royal comes up wanting in other area.

 

 

I don't think frontline workers should be the ones confronting interlopers. The skills for confronting tactfully should be left to managers. Frontline workers should identify potential interlopers then hand off to management. There was a recent YC incident where a frontline worker confronted a YC guest and it blew up into a huge kerfuffle here on CC and on YouTube. It was entirely avoidable. MSC admitted so in the end.

Without repercussion to the offenders it will continue unfortunately.

Edited April 25 by cruisebeachgirl703
missed a word

[Bgwest]

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

This gentleman looks more like an intellectual, than a milquetoast.

Wally Cox. 
The original Mr. Peepers. 

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, cruisebeachgirl703 said:

At sea or in port?

Today at sea. But why would that make a difference?

Edited April 25 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, Bgwest said:

Wally Cox. 
The original Mr. Peepers. 

I always thought Wally Cox was an intellectual watching him answer questions on Hollywood Squares. 

[Bgwest]

21 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I always thought Wally Cox was an intellectual watching him answer questions on Hollywood Squares. 

I never really watched HS. My reference is to his character in Mr. Peepers. 

[DaKahuna]

15 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

P.S. This repeating of mediocre entertainment on board makes it really hard to justify a B2B cruise. Another reason we just book one week at a time.

 

 We found the entertainment in the TSL to our liking so spent quiet evenings there.  I did attend some main theater shows but was not really impressed, even with one other said was good.  

 

[RichYak]

4 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 We found the entertainment in the TSL to our liking so spent quiet evenings there.  I did attend some main theater shows but was not really impressed, even with one other said was good.  

 

We never even found the Carousel Lounge on Meraviglia. We always turned around when we hit the casino thinking that was aft-most. Rookie mistake. 

[morpheusofthesea]

Tonight’s Le Cabaret Rouge was much better. The adagio duo act combined with the violinist to produce a really good performance. The resident female vocalist, Georgia, did a great set of songs as well. The band repeated at least one song, “I Just Shot the Sheriff “, and the MC, Jaquay, came on stage wearing the same black outfit he’s worn every night. I think he sleeps in it. His posters display him in flashy red and white jackets. He is a poor representation of an MSC MC. We are used to more professionalism from past LCR MCs like Samulous and TK.

[morpheusofthesea]

We broke away from Le Cabaret Rouge to get good seats for a Chora Theatre Special guest artist singer and entertainer, Tom Stephenson. His act combined singing a few popular songs and audience participation with humor. He is quite entertaining and worth going to see. His act begins by embarrassing late comers to the theatre, by leaving the stage followed by a spot light focusing on him and the late comer repeating with the audiences' help that the show starts at 9:30. Another song that begins "when you touch me like this, when you touch me like that" with the aid of a male audience member is hilarious. A third tune is him as Frankie Valli and 3 seasons from the audience.

Edited April 26 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

We found the entertainment in the TSL to our liking so spent quiet evenings there.

Others find that to be true. MSC puts their best talent in the TSL.

[no1talks]

6 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"I guess you are alluding to those beneath steerage ?"

No.

As the 19th century was transitioning to the 20th, milk toast became very popular as what we would call a "super food" for the convalescing and infirm. It was the deemed a wonder of nutrition for anemic & sickly children as well as the superannuated & dyspeptic folks feeling the heavy hand of Father Time. It's still around in some regions as a warm thing to eat on a cold day dish.

Thus, "milquetoast" was coined as a slam at the timid, nervous "ninety-eight pound weakling" in the mold of Caspar Milquetoast.

[no1talks]

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"I always thought Wally Cox was an intellectual watching him answer questions on Hollywood Squares." 

Not burst any bubbles, but the quips & witticisms were written for the questions by the production team. The competitive game itself was on the level. The comedy was not.

[morpheusofthesea]

4 hours ago, no1talks said:

Not burst any bubbles, but the quips & witticisms were written for the questions by the production team. The competitive game itself was on the level. The comedy was not.

You are a wealth of information.