I'd rather be Crusin' than watching the debates!

[Toad]

I know who I want and now I would rather be DREAMING of crusing than watching the debates!

[RuthC]

I'm with you there. Both candidates have written off Rhode Island as a foregone conclusion, and with four electoral votes not worth campaigning for.
So-o-o-o...gives me lots of time to come here, read about ports, and ships, and dream of rolling seas.

Yup. If I can't be cruising I'd just as soon be on Cruise Critic.

[ekerr19]

I thought it was just me...

All of a sudden, they (both parties) have realized Colorado is still up in the air and we are inundated with the most annoying TV ads from both sides... :(

[bepsf]

I wonder if they showed the debates on the ships...

Would you have watched - or toddled off to the Ocean Bar for another cocktail?

[bombero]

I wonder if they showed the debates on the ships... Would you have watched - or toddled off to the Ocean Bar for another cocktail?
I think I would have jump over the side. :D .. Bombero >> The big "O" Oct 24th

[Toad]

The Ocean Bar, the casino, my suite..... anywhere but the debates! Crusing is for RELAXING!

[Pete&Cat]

LOL, you folks are too much. I agree, I can't wait till this is over! I sail on Statendam Nov 5, just three days after the elections. I wonder if half the boat won't be talking to the other half hehe :D

[gliles]

I wonder if they showed the debates on the ships...

Would you have watched - or toddled off to the Ocean Bar for another cocktail?
Ocean Bar

[Lovebirds]

LOL, you folks are too much. I agree, I can't wait till this is over! I sail on Statendam Nov 5, just three days after the elections. I wonder if half the boat won't be talking to the other half hehe :D
Or is it the LEFT side of the ship won't be talking to the RIGHT side of the ship.

Just be sure to vote (as long as you vote the RIGHT way):D

[Randyk47]

I guess I'd get in real trouble for saying at this point I really don't care. OK.....that's not totally true but the debates make absolutely no difference to me one way or the other. As I said in another thread....as far as I'm concerned they could throw all the TV's over the side....I'm cruising and I'm on vacation. Short of the world ending I'm just pleased as punch not to be bothered with the news of the day. :)

[Ziggy7]

I'd rather be cruising than anything at all!
Not touching the politics of this thread hehehe :)

[cruznon]

I read somewhere a couple of weeks ago that some CC's are sailing on
NOV 2nd--election day--I can only imagine THAT first evening out! The liquior will flow--for one reason or another!

[anngie]

I'm with you guys. I'd rather be cruisin'. Politics has no place on a cruise ship or on the boards. I have already voted by absentee ballot but on vacation or in a vacation mode it is time to leave the political views behind and have fun.

[merryecho]

cruznon- that would be me sailing on election day, in a group of exactly half staunch republicans and half dedicated democrats. I am in the minority on this board as I love listening to every word of the debates, and, having worked very hard on the campaign, am going to be going crazy without news on election day. I truly wish the ship would acknowledge the strong feelings that are bound to be showing and designate a left bar and a right bar, so each side can celebrate/commiserate without offending anyone.

[cactuslady]

Or is it the LEFT side of the ship won't be talking to the RIGHT side of the ship.


That would be port and starboard. HAL caters to at least one side by providing the New York Times Digest every day, where the editorials are decidedly listing to port.

They also have tasty port available in the Ocean Bar and other lounges for those who prefer that more congenial alternative. One might even run into one of the many passengers and crew from countries besides the U.S. who can provide interesting perspectives on what government and politics is like in the rest of the world. I've learned a lot from chatting with the Australian consul general to the U.S., an English judge, businessmen from New Zealand, South Africans, Canadians, Dutch officers, and so on. A sea voyage outside of U.S. territorial waters is a good place to discover that the U.S. election follies are not the most important thing in the world to quite a lot of people.

[merryecho]

cactus lady- of course american politics are not important to many americans, much less the rest of the world. However, we travel outside the US frequently, and have many friends in the countries you mention whom we correspond with. They most certainly are very concerned about the outcome of this election, as are the people we met in Spain, France, England and Portugal last summer, who didn't hesitate to express their very strong feelings. I am only saying that this will be a huge day for me, and I am sure for many on the other side. To have to avoid the subject of politics that day (which of course I will do when speaking to my friends whose opinions I know to be opposite to mine, and to strangers whose opinion I don't know) will be the equivalent of asking a football fanatic to not discuss football on superbowl day, if your hometown team was playing and your son is the quarterback.
I would love to have a safe place to talk about the election (with anyone,from either side) without risking offending anyone.

[Tatka]

cactus lady- of course american politics are not important to many americans, much less the rest of the world. However, we travel outside the US frequently, and have many friends in the countries you mention whom we correspond with. They most certainly are very concerned about the outcome of this election, as are the people we met in Spain, France, England and Portugal last summer, who didn't hesitate to express their very strong feelings. I am only saying that this will be a huge day for me, and I am sure for many on the other side. To have to avoid the subject of politics that day (which of course I will do when speaking to my friends whose opinions I know to be opposite to mine, and to strangers whose opinion I don't know) will be the equivalent of asking a football fanatic to not discuss football on superbowl day, if your hometown team was playing and your son is the quarterback.
I would love to have a safe place to talk about the election (with anyone,from either side) without risking offending anyone.
Yes..they are concerned..;) Every time I call to my friends to Russia or Ukraine they beg me to vote for Kerry (for anybody except Bush for that matter). Actually I think they have more info about it than some of my neighbours do.

[dukie91]

I can handle the debates. I just can't handle the hundreds of commercials. I am so glad we will be on the O' October 24, so we will miss the major bulk of advertising that last week. They always go wild the last week.

[kelelmel]

Of course I would rather be cruising, but in some sick, demented way, I have kind of enjoyed the debates.

[BillReif]

In answer to the question if the debates were available on board, I just returned from the Statendam 15 day Hawaii and watched three of them on board on CNN. For the last one, the CD taped it so that people who missed it could watch it if they wanted to.

[Himself]

I don't think the debates mean anything. People who are going to vote for either Senator Kerry or President Bush have made up their minds by now. I frankly don't buy "Undecided". Lake the biginner of this thread, I would rather be crusing than watching a debate when both cadidates refuse to talk about issues.

HIMSELF

[Thoth]

actually, I was on the Oosterdam during one of the conventions and I made an effort not to watch the other. While on the Oosterdam, nobody talked politics around me. That was SO nice!!
Mississippi is a non-battleground state, so neither candidate pays me any mind.

[Ziggy7]

I just wanna be cruising !!! lol :)

[The_Hall_Monitor]

I'm voting for a king. Look what we go with 'taxation with representation.'

[Host Walt]

I'm with you guys. I'd rather be cruisin'. Politics has no place on a cruise ship or on the boards. I have already voted by absentee ballot but on vacation or in a vacation mode it is time to leave the political views behind and have fun.
Rats. You exposed my big secret.

I do exactly the same thing. Anyone who wants to discuss "politricks" with me hears a simple, "I've voted already, don't waste your time."

Whatever happened to the good old rule that said do not talk about religion or politics? I liked that rule, whether it's on vacation or at work. My political attitudes are mine and are not to be shared. The only thing I say about politics is that I really would like a person to be fully informed about the person or measure for whom or which they are voting before casting a ballot.

Voting without having an understanding violates our democratic principles.