DCPIV

I've yet to hear of anyone just ringing up their Retreat Host and saying "hey, come draw me a bath." However, we've been asked more than once if we'd like to have a bath drawn. It's been offered to be ready when we were to return from a long day, it's been offered for formal night, and it's been just an open offer. If you don't like the sound of it, then don't ask for it and drive on, but it's most certainly something they are ready, willing, able, and glad to do.

I'm sure that was part of it. There also were stories of folks just ordering something like a Coke just because they could.

Oops.

It's not new, and it's not just Celebrity. RC, Carnival, MSC, and NCL charge delivery fees in one form or another, and there may be others. Among other things, there was a bit of abuse (especially late at night).

And they don't stain, if even you spill a nearly full glass of red wine on them. Try and just take my word on that, though.

I do like it, and I'm rather pleased when I find one in the room (as long as they give me enough of the pods that I like 😁). I still bring the instant, though, because it's just become a part of my travel kit. Toss a handful or two of the Via packets in a baggie and toss that in your carryon, and you're good to go, no matter what comes.

Not to mention that wet cotton chafes something terrible (and is even worse once it dries back out after being in salt water). Same thing here. Golf, fishing, or hiking shirts have replaced all the old cotton. Also like @terrydtx, I've also retired all the cotton shorts for something synthetic. Even my trousers are mostly synthetic, these days. We've come a very long way in those areas. Well, I still have a fair number of cotton Aloha shirts that I wear frequently, even in the Summer. Those things have some sort of magic sewn into them that they just don't get hot. Anything else cotton now feels like I'm wearing a fur coat.

It was pretty much the same on Reflection back in February. I no longer smoke, but it was rather unusual NOT to see someone enjoying a cigar on the port side of the Sunset bar or the bocce court also right there. If I recall, there were a few different Gurkhas available at the Sunset Bar. I don't recall what was in the liquor store, but they cigars in there. Well, the truth is that the lounges were getting to be negative revenue spaces. Fewer passengers were using them, and even fewer were spending any money in there. Folks were bringing their own cigars and just utilizing drink packages. Add to that the fact that you couldn't do a whole lot more with that space for the rest of the day because folks didn't want to go in there because of the odor (that might cling to you after you left). A card room might generate zero revenue, but it also has essentially zero maintenance, and it comes with a good deal more flexibility.

And some of us travel with instant coffee, so that we're all set for such things even if there is a coffee maker in the hotel or cruiseship room (because many of them still aren't very good, even if they are there). My favorite is Medalgia d'Oro because I'm more an espresso guy, but I also use Starbucks Via packets when I don't care to travel with the bulk of the jar. There's a lot of good instant coffee out there, and the tap in the bathroom gets plenty hot.

I've had similar experiences. Absinthe or Herbsaint are pretty hard to come by on a cruise ship, as are Peychaud's bitters. Sazerac rye (or any rye) also is getting tough to find on board at the moment, although some still have some Bulleit rye around. Years ago, I tried getting one on a ship that had Sazerac rye and Pernod on board. I figured the Pernod would be close enough to stand in for absinthe. What I got was something more like a Manhattan (like @miched mentioned) because they didn't have Peychaud's, only Angostura bitters. Big difference.

Yes, there are. They are wrapped around the flatware.

He'll be fine with a button-down and khakis. If he wants to bring and wear a blazer, rock on. He'll look great. No need for the black slacks, unless he just cares to. Honestly, my dressing habits have changed since the restart (as have many others). I may or may not bring a jacket, and I leave the tie at home.