Harry and Lucille

My fiancé and I are getting married in 2018 and we are basing our wedding date (not set yet) on the cruise we pick. We have never gone on a cruise before, and we are finding that we are completely overwhelmed with all of the options to choose from (on top of planning our wedding!).

 

The first hurdle we are trying to jump is picking our cruise line. We are wanting to book a longer cruise, 10-14 days. We are not looking for a "family friendly" cruise with a lot of children/teens. We are both relatively introverted and would prefer more time/space to ourselves than a lot of group activities or crowded decks. Good food is a priority, don't care as much about shows/entertainment. Shopping is not a priority. I am a fitness junkie, so would like a workout facility/spa/jogging track/pools, etc, if possible. Good service/crew members is pretty high on our list as well.

 

We settled in with Princess quite a while back. Fits us well. Yes, we are older and Princess cruises attract a more laid back group. Great gym, pools, jogging, good crew, etc. We find the food selection to be from good to great. All depends on your taste. Longer cruises don't attract many familys with children.

 

Always inpressed with the service from all crew folks. They always go out of their way to please. They all take the passenger experience to the highest level. Can be involved with group activities, however, many "hidy holes" aboard to hang out in if you wish.

 

Check them out. Harry

 

PS: Wedding chapel is super too.

We received a very nice Casino cash offer and booked our next cruise. Limited time to book one of the cruises listed. Helps me check off cruises on my bucket list. Last one was inside cabin and casino cash to Alaska for 10 days. Was great. In two weeks? Off to Panama for 10 days and a "pile" of casino cash.

I always call the casino phone number on the offer to make sure that the cruise I selected will accept the offer.

ALWAYS take the original paper offer given for proof. No problem. ;)

I was raised with the thought that there are three things not to be discussed in an open, public gathering with strangers. Religion, Sex or Politics. While I have opinions on all three, I keep them to myself.

Just wondering if anyone knows the rate of point accumulation at a Princess Casino. Saw where other players were saying that 5000 to 8000 points "might" get you a comped or discount offer on a future cruise.

 

Just wondering what the accrual rate was. Land based casinos advertise, for example, 3 points for every dollar played, or offer ??X multipliers on special days. Just wondering if the 5000-8000 points was within my budget, or if I'm destined to be a minnow.

Regular cruiser on Princess and enjoy the Casino. That being said, I have never really thought about it.

Casino offers seem to vary from ship to ship. Last two offers gave limited time and cruises to take advantage of the offer. Last cruise we went on a 10 day to Alaska with a free inside cabin and $250 cash from the Casino. Fit our bucket list.

Next cruise to Panama in Feb. Offer was cash. $800. I like to play and so far it has been win, lose or break even. Never lost much money. Have a daily set aside to play with. I figure $100 per day and usually have about a year to save it up.

This cruise makes five in a row with Casino offers. So far I am ahead in my play. I guess they just want the chance to get their money back. ;)

We cruise Princess. LA and FT. Lauderdale have Valet luggage service. Put your bags out and the next time you see them is at your home airport.

Our carry on bags are just bags that stay with us. Just a thought.

With long wait time, we have rented a car to schlep the luggage along. Rent at airport and drop off whenever. Rental companies provide free shuttle to and from the airport.

On the Island in Feb. to Panama. Casino is fronting $800 for me. Guess I will see how it goes.

Casino is separate from other Princess operations and they are different from ship to ship.

Oh well. I will continue to play what I call "The Cruise Ship Game".

Both from Casino. Took advantage of a free inside cabin to Alaska and taking advantage of the second one to Panama. Casino cash on both, but, Panama is the cash only. That is ok tho.

Limited cruises and time to book, however, both were on our bucket list. Win, win as far as we are concerned.

The length of the muster drill while everyone is taught how to put on the life vest takes a while. How long would the drill be while folks were taught how to put a life suit on? Can't picture a large group trying to get into them.

Kon Tiki by Thor Heyerdal. Sail a balsa raft across the Pacific to Easter Island. Will make your cruise ship look like the biggest and best castle in the world.

Whole experience, with pictures. From building the raft to the day to day experiences along the way.

No accounting for "taste".

:confused:;):rolleyes::D

Makes "home" easy to find. Place one at eye level and other about 12" above the deck. Never know. Late night and too many adult beverages in the Casino and I might end up crawling to the cabin. ;)

The California Current is a Pacific Ocean current that moves southward along the western coast of North America, beginning off southern British Columbia and ending off southern Baja California Peninsula. It is one of five major coastal currents affiliated with upwelling zones, the others being the Humboldt Current, the Canary Current, the Benguela Current, and the Somali Current.

The California Current is an Eastern boundary current and is also part of the North Pacific Gyre, a large swirling current that occupies the northern basin of the Pacific. The movement of northern waters southward makes the coastal waters cooler than the coastal areas of comparable latitude on the east coast of the United States. Additionally, extensive upwelling of colder sub-surface waters occurs, caused by the prevailing northwesterly winds acting through the Ekman Effect. The winds drive surface water to the right of the wind flow, that is offshore, which draws water up from below to replace it. The upwelling further cools the already cool California Current. This is the mechanism that produces California's characteristic coastal fog and the negative temperature anomaly we measure in California's coastal waters during summer (Mann and Lazier, 2006). This translates into cold coastal waters during the summer, stretching from Oregon to Baja California. Note, this does not include the coastal water surrounding San Diego.

I'll try not to ramble, but two stories.

One formal evening while at table for eight (second sea day and first meal in the MDR) was just another situation that we always seemed to encounter. After normal chit chat and introductions, talk started to turn, as we found to be usual, into a one-upsmanship contest. In going around the table, the self appointed leader, sitting to my left, started off going around the table asking everyone to tell us all about themselves. Wellll. When it became my turn, I simply said, "I'm retired. I get up in the morning and start the day putting on my pants one leg at a time. Can anyone top that story?" That is the time that I decided that it was time to move and we did. Never looked back.

Now on a lighter side. One evening sitting at an eight top, group was very quiet and laid back. No chatter and appeared to be apprehensive regarding each other. Being the weirdo that I am, I wondered how long it would take before folks actually smiled. Hummm. What could I do? Why even get involved? The light came on. I ordered a bottle of wine for dinner. This was in the days where the ship actually had a wine person (can't pronounce it or spell it). He was very formal. He came to the table, white towel over his arm and cork screw in his left hand and the wine carried carefully in the right hand. He, with great ceremony proceeded to cork the bottle, gently removed the cork from the screw and handed it to me to sniff. Well, I just put it into my mouth and loudly started sucking on it. Everyone at the table was shocked and the wine guy almost passed out. I slowly looked around the table and winked at everyone. All of a sudden it turned into the most fun table in the dining room.

Cash rules. Trinkets? Well, check this and make up your own mind. This is typical of all cruise ships. Room for two and???

I always recommend "Kon Tiki" by Thor Hyerdal. True story with many pics of raft sailed across the Pacific. ;)

In my not so humble or politically correct opinion.

Personally I don't care which way the bed is turned. As to which way they should face? Up. :rolleyes:

Has anyone posted recent menus or can tell me the best things to order on this cruise ship?

Basically the menus are the same fleetwide, however, will adjust a bit with special things depending on location. Most notable: Europe, Hawaii, Alaska.

My favorite? Crispy Princess bread roll, Escargo, Cheese plate (plain. no sauce, etc.) and a glass of wine. Nice way to start a meal. Shame it is only one time on a formal night.

The link above gives a very good example.

We always check this site. That way you know what you will be paying if using US dollars against the local currency.

Example: While on Roatan, a lady in a craft booth wanted to sell me a 20 limpera 'historic coin' for only $5.00. Hummm. At that time, one limpera was only five cents. Nice profit methinks. Lets see know. Bring it back to the US? What would it be worth if I could find a place to cash it in? Maybe a trinket of the trip? Naw ;)

The California Current is a Pacific Ocean current that moves southward along the western coast of North America, beginning off southern British Columbia and ending off southern Baja California Peninsula. It is one of five major coastal currents affiliated with upwelling zones, the others being the Humboldt Current, the Canary Current, the Benguela Current, and the Somali Current.

The California Current is an Eastern boundary current and is also part of the North Pacific Gyre, a large swirling current that occupies the northern basin of the Pacific. The movement of northern waters southward makes the coastal waters cooler than the coastal areas of comparable latitude on the east coast of the United States. Additionally, extensive upwelling of colder sub-surface waters occurs, caused by the prevailing northwesterly winds acting through the Ekman Effect. The winds drive surface water to the right of the wind flow, that is offshore, which draws water up from below to replace it. The upwelling further cools the already cool California Current. This is the mechanism that produces California's characteristic coastal fog and the negative temperature anomaly we measure in California's coastal waters during summer (Mann and Lazier, 2006). This translates into cold coastal waters during the summer, stretching from Oregon to Baja California. Note, this does not include the coastal water surrounding San Diego. There is a warm water anomaly off San Diego (Mann and Lazier, 2006).

If a "non-player is of gambling age, they may be in the casino. They cannot sit at a table with you, unless they're gambling, tho...they can stand and watch...but the seats are for players.

I play blackjack. Two hands at the end of the table. Sometimes the wife stops by to see how I am doing. She sits at the seat beside me. Since I am playing both hands, no problem. ;)

I love lobster but the over cooked, dried out four ounce tail served with two four ounce prawns just doesn't cut it. Being from Colorado, lobster price is gold plated, however, I will pay the price for live lobster here.

Lobster on formal night is special in my own way. For appetizer I order the escargo and a cheese plate served at the same time. Pair with a glass of wine and a crispy Princess bread roll. Then on to the wine braised beef short ribs. No room for desert tho. Oh well. ;)

Had cruise a year ahead of time and was working on a job in a management position.

Came time to fill out my vacation card and turn it into the boss, came back marked VOID.

Well. Copied all of my documents. Flights, times, etc. Cruise docs and phone numbers, ship and cell with e-mail address in case he needed to contact me.

Placed it all in order in a file folder. Next to last page was a note to sign one of the forms on the next page and return ASAP.

One form was a new vacation card and the second one was a termination slip.

Next day the vacation card was returned to me with a post it note saying good job and a signed vacation card.

He knew I had stood my ground and knew that when I got back, that is the way that I would always do my job. Everyone puts their underwear on one leg at a time. I was not going to be expected to jump into mine both legs at the same time.

We are cruising to Alaska in two weeks. Princess. Second to last for the season.

Most business close up Oct. 1 for the winter. Most notable is Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau. ;)

We like cruising in Nov. or the first couple of weeks of Dec. Caribbean, East, West and South are great. For the west coast it's Hawaii round trip from LA.

Princess is our line of choice. Tried many but they fit us best. Hope this helps.

Wheel of Fortune machine

$15 entry buys 5 pulls at $3 per pull

Sign up at the M&G or at the machine

Sign in and pay at machine

Play in order of sign in

Late sign in ok as long as first round is playing

No replay entries after game start

By group vote, additional rounds may be played

for those interested.

Payout will be the share, paid out rounded down

to the closest dollar and left over change will

go to the person who has won the greatest amount

for the group. (don't have to worry about the small change)

Lucille will be book keeper (full disclosure of money)

and will start the round. I will anchor the team.