LIVE LIVE LIVE from the MARINER with MERION MOM for 53 DAYS!!!

[Merion_Mom]

Is there any feeling about how many pax will be on leg 2? Carol, have you met any who are leaving in Rio? Some of us are starting out there and it'll be interesting to see if the numbers change very much. I think I'd like empty elevators! Enjoy the sea days.

 

Trish

 

Trish, there are a lot of rumors floating around.

 

Frankly, some of them were started by us. ;)

 

The most recent rumor is that "Leg 2 is full."

 

I'll believe *that* when I see it!

[Merion_Mom]

Yes, two from the group I'm with ... got parts of our questions answered but not completely, so hope you can help.

 

1. Are the pools heated? (someone here answered the question about the pools being salt water).

 

2. Are they still serving the wonderful raisin bread in the mornings, it is called Austrian Streizel. (someone was great about posting a recipe for it so we have that ... nothing like having someone else make it and serve it each morning tho. Also a few stated it had been served in the past, but is it being served on the ship now.).

 

Thank you. Truly enjoying reading the threads on this cruise. Can't wait to sail on the Mariner in April.

Actually, your questions were answered by others, but here is what I know.

 

No heated swimming pools.

 

I have no idea what this bread is. Morning is NOT my time of day. What's breakfast? ;) :D

[Merion_Mom]

Carol, I have 2 questions..

 

Did you bring a case of water onboard and if yes, did you have any trouble?

 

We are booked with Bernard in March on the IOS. Did you pick the tour sites or did he? Is there something that you really liked and would have spent more time or that you missed? Did you stop at the Sunset Beach bar when you saw the planes?

 

We are really enjoying your posts and looking forward to each one :)

 

We were booked on all 46 nights but decided to cancel. It feels like we're with you!

 

1. No. I think that that's nuts. JMO, of course - YMMV. ;)

 

2. I told him that we wanted to see everything. He gave us options of hanging out longer at a beach, being dropped off for shopping, or going back to the cruise pier. Other than that, we saw "everything". :)

 

I didn't have any drinks at beach bars, but others may have. I just kicked off my sandals and walked in the sand and surf, then watched sandpipers until a plane came in.

[Merion_Mom]

I can answer some questions.

 

Len & letty brought on cases of water, no problem.

 

ignore Merion Mom's complaints about the ice cream. She harrassed the poor guy every day and often until he started bringing it.

 

:p :p :p :p :p

[Merion_Mom]

whew!!! Thanks to DG for posting the link to this amazing thread -- Carol, of course, I am not surprised at your adventures already! It has taken me 4 hours to catch up on this thread (it's been a busy holiday season here) but worth every second, even for all the asides of the loyal followers re: visa travails, obc rule changes and more, all interesting conversations.

 

I am amazed you have been able to post as much as you have without your laptop up and working, Carol, even using port internet cafes -- onboard use is so slow! I used to write up my daily posts, then upload them fast... and next time I will download the "print" links for CC rather than try to read all the posts online, too! (What a great suggestion.)

 

Carol, the kids and I just got back from Orlando (they did a couple of Disney days, but I was Disneyed-out after our fall sojourn, so only joined them at Universal). We are looking forward to our families getting a chance to meet in August, if all schedules allow... Right now I am in DC getting them back to school -- and will return next weekend for inaugural festivities, including GW's inaugural ball!!!

 

I so admire and envy you and the Divas of the Deep for diving into this 53-day adventure! I'm glad your daughter got to share the New Year's trip with you before you began the grand journey. And how amazing that you got upgraded even beyond a full suite to the ROYAL FAMILY SUITE!!! Awesome!! Sounds like your luck has extended to some friendly performers, too, eh??

 

Anyway, I will do my best to keep up regularly though I may not get to post much (DG and others will tell you I haven't been posting ANYWHERE lately). I really enjoy hearing all of your views and experiences, as you know.

 

Thenford Grey is a delight; he became quite chummy with Sheron and me when we took his tour (there were only 5 of us on the trip and we got very personal attention)... I agree that he is the best guide we have ever had on any island anywhere. High praise indeed.

 

The food sounds delightful; glad to hear you are not wasting calories when it is not "worth it" (though the daily coffee ice cream is indeed a trial -- how could one say no?) -- and it certainly sounds as though you are managing to make the most of the CL drinks, etc. (before AND after dinner, oh my!) -- are you racking up as many free champagne bottles as we did on the Monarch?!?! (I'm still upset we didn't get photos with the captain when we were invited for the bridge tour; what was I thinking?)

 

Missing you, dear, and hoping you are having the time of your life; it certainly sounds like it!!!

 

Much love,

 

-Denise

 

Hey, Denise, I didn't have so much champagne on the MAJESTY that *I* forgot which ship we were on!!!!! ;) :D

 

I'm glad that you found this thread - August is still possible for DS and me, but DD will definitely still be in England.

 

More people were up later tonight, so that's a good sign.

[Merion_Mom]

Perhaps he thought there was a bottle of brandy hidden inside! :D:D:D

 

I bought THAT right on board in the ship's store!!!!! ;)

[Merion_Mom]

Those on board:

 

Make sure to stop and say "Hello" to Indi and Palo (the champion bar tender). Last I knew, they both were working in the Casino bar. They are fun, entertaining, and good all round guys. Tip them well and tell them Bob and Marc from the Dec 7th cruise say "hello." Picture of them with us from that cruise:

 

Indra is working the overflow Concierge Lounge on this cruise (first the Dragon's Lair, now the Lotus Lounge) and takes good care of me, always ready with my Cosmo(s).

 

:D

[Merion_Mom]

Time permitting, ask Catur (I believe this is you cabin attendant) if he knows Natalie Samuel (another CA), ask where she works, and mosey by and tell her the Lanes from Dallas, TX say hello and give our love. We sailed with Natalie on Rhapsody several times and consider her to be our son Luke's shipboard God-mom.:D

 

jw, he was our steward on the 12/28 cruise. We now have Samuel from Trinidad and Tobago. :)

[Merion_Mom]

Hey Carol.........we are hoping that you are catching the game on the big screen. If not........halftime finds the Eagles ahead of the Giants..........10 - 8!! Go Eagles!!

 

By the way......we (Cardinals) won BIG time last night!!

 

Rick

As I entered the Lotus Lounge tonight, another passenger informed me that the Eagles had won. I WHOOPED, and offered to buy everyone in the Lounge a drink!!!!!!!

 

:)

[Merion_Mom]

Superbowl will start around 8pm Santiago Time and Bruce Springsteen is the half time show. :D Carol relay that Bruce will be playing at half-time to Cindy in case I forget to tell her. You got my back covered....... Right? ;):D:D

 

I'm taking good care of Cindy for you!!!!!

[Jacquelyn11]

Always one of the best cruise ship meals for me! Omlets the way you want without having to do all the chopping! And the waffles... YUM!!

 

I'll have to locate this bread when I'm on the Liberty in 5 months!

 

Can't wait to enjoy coffee on my aft balcony!

 

Enjoy your sea days Carol!

 

Jacquelyn :D

[Merion_Mom]

Thanks, Rick! Jim and I leave for Rio Friday night, so we have some of Sat., Sun., and Mon. morning there. And we're getting excited! We have plans with Paul and Carol (prdancer) and Belinda and Rick (MsDolly) in Rio. It's going to be great to meet our on-line friends. Soon you and the leg 3 gang will start packing. Hopefully Bobbie will be over her cold before you come aboard.

 

Trish

 

Bobbie seemed healthy tonight. She was all dressed up in her shiny formalwear. :)

[Merion_Mom]

So, the elevators turned over to a repeat day for this first time (of many) on this cruise.

 

It's Sunday again, and this time we had a relaxing day at sea.

 

Since we left Barbados, there has been A LOT of motion. I was almost thrown/rolled out of bed a couple of times last night, but managed to get a decent night's sleep anyway. ;)

 

Up on Deck 11, there were white caps in the pool. :D Still, they didn't close them.

 

The CD's Trivia Bowl continued today, and we had a respectable total. Not killer, but enough to keep us in the running.

 

Today was the big kickoff for one of the major "events" of this long cruise. It's the Royal Caribbean Film Festival 2009.

 

We have a guest now, and will have more later. He's Rusty Mowbray. (I may be spelling that wrong; I haven't seen it in print. Try imdb.com, and let me know) He helped Simeon introduce the festival, and today's movie, West Side Story. There was a Q & A afterwards, and it was quite interesting.

 

One of our CC group, la profesora, Sande, had been at the original Broadway premier, and remembered many details.

 

Rusty will be leading some master classes in dance, and he choreographed the number that the RC Singers & Dancers did as the opening to the "Festival." It was Ann Reinking's version of Bob Fosse's All That Jazz. Very good.

 

Then tonight there was West Side Story trivia in the Schooner Bar. I would have won, but I played with a "group", and I wanted to be nice and not say, NO, that's not right!!!!!!

 

Then Simeon led sing-along for a couple of hours. What fun! He doesn't know/hasn't seen some very classic and famous Broadway musicals, like South Pacific and Camelot (two that were requested by passengers), but he knows 1776, and he and I sang a couple of songs from that. There were many other songs, too. There was one "ringer". An entertainer who had just boarded in Barbados sang that famous song from Les Miz, but she's a professional singer. She is wonderful.

 

Then we hung out in the Wig and Gavel until the end of the evening, with Mark B. Good times.

 

Oh, dinner was excellent again. The food has been very impressive so far.

 

They are apparently holding a series of special dinners in Chops for "Top Cruisers". The Royal Divas have been invited for Tuesday night. Attire is formal. ;)

 

Tonight all of the 46-nighters received a special pin, commemorating the cruise. It is a *gold* rectangle, with the map of our route on it, with *diamonds* marking Port Canaveral, Rio, Valparaiso and Los Angeles.

 

There is a Crown & Anchor Welcome Back party tomorrow, but it's hard to understand why they are bothering. Probably 95% of the passengers qualify.

[Merion_Mom]

We have come up with a brilliant plan to save RCCL lots of money.

 

There are 480 people entitled to use the Concierge Lounge.

 

RC bans passengers from carrying on their own liquor in port.

 

If they would let the D & D+ (and suite) passengers buy and bring on their own bottles, those people wouldn't be lapping up a fortune in free booze every night in the Lotus Lounge!!!!!!!!!!

 

Pretty clever, eh?

[TPKeller]

We have a guest now, and will have more later. He's Rusty Mowbray. (I may be spelling that wrong; I haven't seen it in print. Try imdb.com, and let me know)

No IMDB hits on Rusty Mowbray. The closest two suggestions were:

 

1. Rusty Mowery (Art Department, Legally Blonde: The Musical (2007) (TV))

5. Ross Mowbray (Miscellaneous Crew, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006) (VG))

 

Sorry...

 

Theron

[Craving A Cruise]

BRILLIANT IDEA!!!!:D Why didn't someone else think of this sooner....:rolleyes::) I think you might be on to something.......LOL.

 

I love reading your posts. You sound as though you are having a great time and enjoying every minute. ( As you should!) But, do you have any idea how many of us here at CC are jealous of you?

 

Have a fantastic cruise. Bon Voyage!

 

We have come up with a brilliant plan to save RCCL lots of money.

 

There are 480 people entitled to use the Concierge Lounge.

 

RC bans passengers from carrying on their own liquor in port.

 

If they would let the D & D+ (and suite) passengers buy and bring on their own bottles, those people wouldn't be lapping up a fortune in free booze every night in the Lotus Lounge!!!!!!!!!!

 

Pretty clever, eh?

[NorbertsNiece]

I've found a Tony Mowbray and a Dr Alison Mowbray who do talks.... not remotely related to show business.....

[truffles2]

We have come up with a brilliant plan to save RCCL lots of money.

 

There are 480 people entitled to use the Concierge Lounge.

 

RC bans passengers from carrying on their own liquor in port.

 

If they would let the D & D+ (and suite) passengers buy and bring on their own bottles, those people wouldn't be lapping up a fortune in free booze every night in the Lotus Lounge!!!!!!!!!!

 

Pretty clever, eh?

 

Now that sounds like a winning idea.

I'm pretty sure that the rumor that the ship is full on the second leg is just that--rumor. I have been checking available cabins regularly and there are many. They had reduced the price for new bookings (:mad: $2500 less for our cabin:mad:) but that is gone.

[jwlane]

Samuel from Trinidad and Tobago

Oh, I'm sure he'll know Natalie-that's where she's from.

[gatour]

There was a Russ Tamblyn also known as Rusty Tamblyn in West Side Story. Since the movie shown was West Side Story, I thought he must have been associated with the movie in some fashion.

[rubrrick]

Hey Carol...........if the ship is sailing "full" on the second leg, Bobbie will be picking up one round of drinks for the Diva's in the Lotus Lounge..sometime between 5 and 8:30 PM!!:D:D

 

This mornings count of empty cabins........and I have not looked at anything but balconys and above.........there are 16 Junior Suites and 44 balcony cabins available..........with just 7 days before the ship sails......from Rio. I'm not going to bother counting the outside and insides left...........let's just say many.

 

The good news that I got from Bobbie this morning, is that ALL fuel supplements that were charged to credit cards...........are being refunded to the same credit card. I don't know if this is company wide, but it is for the Mariner!! I'm going to start a thread with this news!!

 

Have a wonderful time with the Captain at Chops!! Bobbie will be there with the Divas. She is feeling a bit better......and thinks that she will be over it by tomorrow.

 

Enjoy your sea days!!

 

Rick

[The Big Booper]

Nothing on IBDB either.

[rednancy1]

There was a Russ Tamblyn also known as Rusty Tamblyn in West Side Story. Since the movie shown was West Side Story, I thought he must have been associated with the movie in some fashion.

 

In West Side Story Russ Tamblyn played a member of the Jets and Tony's best friend who was killed by Bernardo, Maria's brother. Capiche? :D

 

Oh the useless info we keep in our heads. :o:o:)

[critterchick]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Tamblyn

 

West Side Story is one of my favorite musicals ever. When I was a kid, my parents took us to New York for "culture" visits, and we saw an amazing array of plays, musicals and concerts. I was too young to appreciate it all at the time, but Cab Calloway and Pearl Bailey performing together in Hello Dolly remains in my memory today.

 

Carol, glad you're having such a good time! So are you staying on for both pre-inaugurals? I think that's the least they could do for the 46-nighters...:)

[rubrrick]

I just had a very nice chat with Bobbie. It seems that today is cloudy and a bit of rain.............but she says that the cruise is great!! I won't call often.............it's 7.95 per minute.......with a 10 minute maximum. We got cut off in mid sentence!!:eek:

 

She says that this is one of the nicest crews that she has cruised with. Sounds like everyone is having a wonderful time.

 

She also reported that the price of Ketel One.........which used to be 39.95 for 2 liters........is now $50.00. It's gone up $10.00 since our cruise in November!!:cool:

 

Apparently there is a "click" of people that she is hanging out with at the cocktail hour (s) in the Lotus Lounge..........and loving every minute. Lots of jokes (Doris) and great fun!!

 

The internet aboard continues to be extremly slow.........so I get cripted messages, hence the reason for my call.:);)

 

Rick