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Not sure why Cgerue showed up. Should have been Cherie. Sorry for not paying attenttion.

Rich, You answered a question I was going to ask at the end of your cruise: "Are there any places you have visited that you would like to revisit on a land vacation?" We only spent a night in Oslo in December but the surrounding area looked amazing when flying in and out. Thank you for letting us cruise with you!! Cgerue

BeachBum47, So happy to hear that your mom is good and she had good care. Your Mom looks great at 82!!!! Great news about your mom and it is a reminder to all traveling to get medical insurance. We have for several years. I don't care about trip interruption or travel costs, the medical is important. And we also get it for young adults traveling with us. I hope you have another adventure in the future for you and your Mom. Cherie

OlsSalt, Love the comparison to a plastic dog collar. I heard a program about health during the winter months many years ago and the most important thing was "DO NOT TOUCH YOU EYES, NOSE, OR MOUTH" before you have washed your hands. Great advice. It works for me, but when driving home from a store I have to remind myself not to scratch the itch on my nose or eyes. If you touch something that is contaminated it will not cause you a problem unless you transfer the contamination to your face. Of course there are airborne diseases but that's another topic. JMO. Cherie

Awesome. Thank you!!!!!! Cherie

Thank you. It is interesting to see how they have divided the 2024 WC. I'll wait to see how they segment the 2025 WC or Pole to Pole GV, if not sold out for the entire cruise, which is unlikely. Cherie

Thank you. I thought it was much later before WC segments were offered. Understandable. Cherie

For those "in the know" do they wait to offer segments of these cruises? Both have interesting itineraries. Thank you, Cherie

I was told many years ago never to eat mollusks in a month without "ber" at the end. So even though I love, love, love mussels I would have enjoyed some Belgium frites with amazing dipping sauces. JMO. Cherie

I asked this question last year on the HAL forum and recently posted on our decision because of the informative posts. Celebrity, Princess, and HAL have great "antartica" cruises but not the real thing. We decided on a cruise that is not a "drive by". Cherie

There is a U.S. Embassy in Luanda. They might be of help. If you need help in contacting them your Representative or Senator should be able to help. The U.S. Ambassador to Angola is Tulinabo Mushingi, PH.D. There are many numbers for the U.S. Embassy in Luanda but a couple are 244 222 64 1000, 244 222 44 7028. On the Embassy's website there are also email addresses. A call or email to our State Department could also get quick results. So shocked that HAL is not being more helpful. You should not be going thru this. I am so sorry for you and your family. Cherie Sorry I notice you have already contacted the embassy.

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Your previous comments about HAL have been so negative that I was curious as to why you were taking this 42 day cruise, but when you referenced the previous cruises that were postponed, it made sense. Hope you have a great cruise. We always like late dining because late is just our usual dining time. 2 hours seems normal to us for a relaxing and enjoyable dinner. How fun to dine with passengers from other countries. Hope you enjoy good company and good food on the rest of your cruise. Cherie

Hlitner, Hoping that the dining on your 42 day Westerdam cruise will not be anything like what you describe and a great experience. Cherie

Your WC reports are fabulous and it seems like you are enjoying it more everyday. Your photos are great and daily life onboard sounds good, especially when you connect with other passengers that you enjoy spending time with. Thank you for this "live from." Cherie

Thank you for the fun and informative posts and photos. This is a great time of year to get cold weather clothing at a good price, I've made a list of things we will need. I think I will get "Under the Ice" for my husband for Father's Day. Fleece hats with a visor would be great, I'll search for them. Bringing layers seems to be the name of the game. I love silk long underwear but haven't had any for a long time. And I don't think I've ever had silk socks. Bringing warm things to meals is really a great idea, so you're always ready. I think that packing a flexible outlook will also be important because the weather seems to dictate what we will and will not be able to do. Seeing Antarctica and the wildlife will be just amazing. Having light for 22 hours a day will also provide lots of viewing opportunities. Thank you for the encouragement and much appreciated information. Cherie p.s. We are booked for February 2024. Where has time gone!!!!

No chip on my shoulder, I love visiting Mexico. Unfortunately we are experiencing an increased cartel activity in Mexico that you may not be aware of. "eyeroll" ...love it. Happy cruising, Cherie And you did say "some of you folks say". Hilarious... I 'm not one of "you folks".. Awesome.

"Hilarious"...not so much if you vacation in Mexico or live in the southern U.S. North Americans are crazy? Possibly. Awesome coming from an Australian. I lived in Texas for a few years and never used "y"all". Only for those born and raised in Texas. Not alarmed is a great way to travel. When cartels are involved, OP should be alert and alarmed. Cherie

Not reported and responded to by authorities. Living in the world of "if it doesn't affect me, it doesn't matter." Really? Do you really think that Mexican authorities report deaths by cartels? Hello Disney. I wonder how many Mexican citizens are incapacitated by the cartels daily. Don't know, don't care.... O.K. My preference is not to travel to Mexico but no worries for others who do. Have fun, Cherie

Thank you OlsSalt, I have a friend on an Atlas ship now in Antarctica. I looked at Atlas but it seems a bit more expensive than Viking. I refer to your recommendations re packing. etc. and really appreciate your posts. I may bring extra ear muffs and tennis visors for passengers less informed!!!!! Cherie

You're correct, in my post #26 I did ask you to give comps, whichever ones you chose to provide. I don't have a problem admitting this. Wishing you lots of happy stays, travels, and cruises to Mexico. Cherie p.s. I'm sure you know that the crime reports in coastal Mexican cities are tied to the cartels? You think all crimes are reported? I love Disney.

Sorry, I thought you were providing comparable statistics. No problem if I misunderstood your post #27. Not sure where you live but Compton doesn't scare me. (I've also lived in Texas.) And where the ships are docking is "pretty safe" is your opinion, which is as valuable as mine. As I and others have said to OP, be aware of your surroundings and do not wear anything flashy. Whether I would travel or cruise to Mexico now is not important, it's being honest about the situation. We disagree on the safety of cruise ports but that's o.k. That's what CC is for. Cherie

Thanks so much for the stats. Monterey Park was not the result of a cartel and police responded. L.A. - 9th worst...what is the first? Thanks for letting me know that I am not safe, maybe I should start locking my front door. I still feel safer in L.A. than across the border. I think we should agree to disagree on whether traveling to Mexico is as safe or safer than traveling in the U.S. Sorry you have had unfortunate personal experiences in U.S. cities. JMO. Cherie p.s. I have served on a jury in Federal Criminal Court of a member of the Sinaloa cartel. Still feel safe in L.A.

Thank you tupper10, We just need to have room in our luggage to bring the jackets home. Can't wait for the adventure. Cherie

Really? Just NYC or other cities? I live in L.A. and don't fear the cartels unless I were to compete with them for drug sales. I think it's all personal experience and your recent experiences in NYC, LA, and other large U.S. cities have been different than mine. But also I have not compared the crime rates of Mexican cities to U.S. cities. Possibly you can provide the comparison. I think one thing that affects my opinion is if I encounter a problem can I contact local authorities and they will respond. Not sure this has changed in Mexico since the 1970's. Differences of opinion are what CC is for. Cherie