Norseh2o

Have completed 4 cruises since November, 2021. 1 on Holland, 3 on Oceania. Holland trip (35 days) was round trip from San Diego to San Diego, as I live near SD, I’ll skip the details. Flew to Venice 3 days early in November, luggage arrived safely. Days in Venice=wonderful pre-cruise experience, pre-Covid tests and proctored tests completed (negative), van travel to Trieste provided by Oceania was fine, boarded the Marina in < 45 minutes. Travel home from Miami, no luggage issues, a bit of a dash in Atlanta airport to connection to SD. April, 2022 on the Regatta Coastal California trip (❤️) involved Amtrak and Lyft travel from home to San Pedro Port. Negative test results in hand, boarded ship in less than 30 minutes, luggage on bed when we arrived in cabin after a Terrace lunch. June, 2022, flew to Lisbon 3 days before embarking the Insignia. Just under 3 hours to get through “customs”. Dreadful. We picked up luggage from carousel after our crawl through customs, not sure if it arrived with us or later but all bags were accounted for. Again, Covid test from States and proctored tests done in our Lisbon hotel room allowed easy access to the Insignia. Hotel provided excellent transportation from airport to hotel and to the Insignia. Boarded the Insignia in <45 minutes. Again, all luggage on bed in cabin after a Terrace lunch. Travel at the end of the trip, NYC - SeaTac was without delay, all bags found on the carousel. Flew Delta Comfort+ and 1st Class for these trips. Hope this helps?

I love the products that cows provide including the “waste” products as DH studied non-point pollution from dairy cows as a grad student. Prayers for all, including those with Covid-19. My 102 year old DM tested positive 7/1 and is recovering from a mild case. Thanks to doses 1 & 2 and a booster (and her great DNA and attitude!), she says that aside from a good bit of fatigue, she is fine. Thankful that one of my sisters is visiting til the end of July. I am hopeful that I can make quick trip to see her in early August (summer in AZ 🕶) and again for a long visit in September.

Afternoon tea on the Regatta in April, 2022 and the Insignia in June, 2022 was very good. I prefer herbal tea in the afternoons and the selections were adequate. The scones were tasty. When chocolate treats were featured with the teas, the Horizon Lounge was rather full. The strings music made teatime even better. Regrettably, afternoon Trivia started during teatime and one needed to rush through tea in order to arrive in time for Question #1 of Trivia.

Can openers! Thank you HAL4NOW for the suggestions and website. It may be the perfect housewarming gift for DD and family as they move to their new home. I’ll make sure it arrives on August 24, National Can Opener Day!

Good afternoon from sunny Whidbey Island! We will help DD and family move to their new home in Queen Anne, Seattle this week. So thankful to be able to help out (& spend time with grandchildren!). Blueberries are a favorite fruit, no thank you to body paint or motorcycles. We ordered euros and pounds from our bank before our last cruise (6/14 to 7/5/22) for Portugal, Spain, France, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Canada stops and managed to bring a bit home. Having the countries’ cash sure made small ‘souvenir buying’ easier & cut down on cc use. With the exchange rate so favorable, we hope to buy more for future travel. Thanks to all who contribute to The Fleet Report and The Daily.

New York City, July 4, 2022, early morning onboard the Insignia. 🇺🇸

Oh, Canada! Thank you, Ironworkers’ Union member, Leroy for the pins. @sea off Newfoundland, July 1, 2022.

I love the Old Fashion story! I was introduced to Old Fashions when living in Wisconsin in the 80’s. It was my cousin, Brian’s specialty drink, (made with whiskey), and to this day, DH and I when drinking Old Fashions, compare them to Brian’s. Good memories. 🥃 Thank you and welcome ktbraun!

Love to fish, sometimes a good Italian sub is exactly the right meal. We are onboard in Honfleur, France. We decided that rather than take the free shuttle from ship to town, we would get off of the ship and walk around the pier area as the temperature at ‘Quai en Seine’ is 93 f and air quality is poor. We will return in October and are hopeful that the temperature will be cooler and the air a bit better. 🇫🇷

Weeding is therapeutic for me, as is ironing. Inherited love of weeding from my Dad & love of ironing from my Mom. Don’t know if I am a kitchen klutz but am a little klutzy in (many) other areas. @ger_77, I love the wings! I didn’t bring yarn on this trip, as I am hopeful to finish some stitch work that begs to be finished. @Heartgrove, I am so sorry for the loss of your sister & the aches and pains and sorrows of so many of us. We are enjoying Lisbon but are sure having a time of getting beyond jet lag. We took a nice walk around Lisbon after morning (long!) naps and did buy some port & wine to take on board tomorrow. I am not much of a wine drinker but am looking forward to drinking port from Portugal in & offshore of Portugal. 🇵🇹

Our flights from San Diego-JFK- Lisbon on 6/10 - 6/11/22 were uneventful. Sold out flight from JFK to Lisbon. Landed at 8:00 Lisbon time, stood in line for immigration until 10:19. Passport stamping and glance at my face took < one second. Not the best way to be welcomed to beautiful Portugal. Grrr. Perhaps the immigration department has a staff shortage!? Pleased that we have a few days to adjust to a new time zone, enjoy the beauty (and heat, 91 F today!) of Lisbon before boarding Oceania Insignia on 6/14/22. So happy to be traveling, prayers for so many Daily-ites, thanks for the updates, news and pictures.

Packing to leave the cabin on Whidbey Island tomorrow. We enjoyed a quiet, cool and cloudy week and were thankful for today, a sunny afternoon and a long warm evening. Congratulations to @MISTER 67 for another hole in one! Prayers to all and hopes that June will be a month of peace.

Burgers, potato salad, watermelon and an Oreo cookie for dinner tonight. A cool, rainy day, perfect meal for an inside ‘picnic’ supper. 🍔🍉

Yes, @Live4cruises, retirement is a wonderful thing! Also, it’s wonderful to be able to schedule the 2nd Covid-19 booster while traveling. Pfizer 1 & 2 and booster #1 were taken care of in California in 2021, this month, while on the road traveling in the mountains, desert and finally to Whidbey Island, WA, we booked appointments @safeway, Bullhead City, AZ for our 2nd booster. Completed 5/20/2022, all is good. I guess that I missed the nasty words and don’t plan to look back for what started the to-do. The Daily is a value to me, thank you to all who find value and continue to share.

Bought 100 shares NCL (summer of 2021) @$20 plus or minus. 3 cruises since purchase = $600 shipboard credit. Hope to enjoy 3 additional trips in 2022 for $450 on board credit, 2023 trips will enjoy $1200 onboard. Hope NCL stays in business. 😌

I meant to post yesterday about my wonderful brother and DH’s two great brothers, and some pretty good brother-in-laws but the Texas news took the wind out of my sails. Today, we continue our drive to Washington, thankful for last night’s warm welcome in Bakersfield, Taco Tuesday at a restaurant with multiple sports screens (yay, Steve Kerr!), good restaurant and hotel staff, satisfying chain hotel breakfast. Thankful for the freedom to travel.