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I don’t care for a rock hard mattress. I sailed 15 days on the Venezia 2 months ago and found the bed very comfortable as did my niece who sleeps on a hard mattress at home and hates it. If you like super soft and squishy they aren’t that. Medium firm I’d say.

I did a journeys cruise on the Venezia in October. There was plenty to do on sea days. Many themed trivias, some exceptional karaoke, afternoon as well as evening comedians doing family and adult shows, shows nightly in the theater around 7 and 9, game shows, bingo, a throwback day with games from back in the day, coffee talks with crew members, movies on the lido deck and some afternoon movies in the theater, sports on tvs in the sports bar, casino, morning stretch, dance classes, lots of varied musicians and singers performing afternoon and evening in different areas of the ship. The cruise director was exceptional as well hosting themed functions throughout. I’m not sure you could do early fixed seating in the dining room and still make the first show. We’re Lido people and quick eaters so we’d go early show, late comedian or the opposite. And when they say the comedian is doing an adult show, they mean it. We had sea day brunch offered in the dining room on sea days as well. That and the anytime dining uses an app to request a table and it tells you when your table is ready. The Luminosa is like the Venezia so there will probably be smart elevators. Push the floor you want and repeat for how many people you are. There are no buttons inside the elevator so get on the one it tells you to, not the one that opens first. This was a nightmare the first day because people were just crowding on anything that opened. There’s a monitor playing the instructional film by the elevator banks. By day 2, no waiting, no crowding. I hope this is enough information. I don’t keep the daily programs.

We stayed at a LaQuinta in Seattle that was walking to Pike's Market and the Space Needle. Again I used points but it looks like the $270 range. It was nothing special but we were only there to sleep a few hours. We went to an Ed Sheeran concert in the Seahawks Stadium and getting an Uber was next to impossible and EXPENSIVE so we walked the 2 miles back to the hotel getting in at 11:30 pm. We felt safe (2 women) but those couple of blocks that seemed straight up near the end of the walk were killer. We also did a harbor boat tour through the locks that was just okay. I've taken the ferry to Bainbridge before and enjoyed that little island. The LaQuinta is on 8th and the Theodore is on 7th a few blocks apart. But like I said, nothing special. We stayed at the Embassy Suites at the airport before out cruise and used a shuttle to the ship from there. The LaQuinta was for after our cruise and was a quick Uber ride from the ship.

Do the hike from Bondi to Coogee. It is beautiful as it follows the coast. There are stairs in random places but its not difficult and you are not rushed. We used Uber to get to and from. From Circular Quay you can take the ferries to the Sydney Zoo and/or Manly where there is a nice beach. Take a tour of the Opera House, see a show there is you like, and walk through the Royal Botanical Gardens that are adjacent. We took a tour to the Blue Mountains that included a fantastic wildlife refuge on the way. If you aren't afraid of heights you can climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge. I couldn't do it but plenty of people are up there throughout the day. We stayed in Circular Quay area at the Shangri-La. It's really nice but pricey (I used my Chase Sapphire points though) The train is easy to use to get to the airport from that area as well. You don't need Australian dollars - just tap that Visa or Mastercard.

I sailed the Mediterranean on the Liberty when it was new and beautiful. John Heald was the cruise director. He knew how to command a stage. What a sharp sense of humor.

Throw some refried beans, potatoes, cheese and salsa on that taco and I'm there with you (eggs optional in my case) Got checked in yesterday and yup priority on the boarding passes. Thanks for the heads up Jamman54. I probably wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

I will share with you what was tried on me and what finally worked for me and you can take that info to your nephrologist and see what he thinks. If you can find any numbers for protein in any of your tests that would be helpful. You said in the beginning you did a 24 hour urine catch. That is the best indicator of protein loss if you can access those results. So, see you in 2 weeks roughly.

Whaaaaat!!!!! Some free laundry! You’ve made my night. I can cut back on some clothes now.

I'm 8 days short of Platinum but my check-in says the 13th anyway. Guess I'll know if that's correct when I attempt it in the morning. I'm flying out of here Friday and as usual have left a ton of things to do before then. I managed to give the shrubs a haircut today so there's one thing off my list. Stacks of clothes are laid out but no suitcase yet. Why am I still the wait till the last minute kind of gal? Old dog, new trick?

Those are definitely kidney disease numbers. That's a crazy high BUN, high creatine and low iron. My creatine at its worst hit 2.0, I had to have iron infusions twice and my egfr bottomed at 21. I believe 17 is dialysis - we were already saving a vein for that just in case. I want to discuss my treatment with you and hopefully Myriam as well. See you at the Meet & Greet. And enjoy that turkey bacon!🦃gobble, gobble

I'd like to know your protein numbers - blood and urine. If you're being told to limit protein which it sounds like with the limiting of meat which would include chicken and fish if that's the case, I'm very curious if your disease is the same as mine. My kidneys would not let protein into my blood so my blood protein was very low and my urine was loaded with protein. Are you still improving, stabilized?

I've just recently discovered I like eggs benedict. Was always afraid of that poached egg, but it's darn good with all the other stuff. On a busy shore day I start with an omelet or eggs benedict or biscuits and gravy if they have it with a boiled egg sliced on top. Other days it's just yogurt with fruit and nuts or a fruit crepe - does Carnival make crepes on the lido? They're a weakness for breakfast or as dessert when I'm on Holland America. If the coffee isn't bitter I can do that with splenda and cream otherwise it's hot tea with the same. I do like breakfast potatoes or hash browns as well but that's it for breakfast for this girl. Never was a fan of breakfast foods even growing up on a farm. I don't eat traditional breakfast now. Bacon, sausage, even your turkey bacon John are loaded with sodium. I avoid sodium when I can and you'll never see me pick up a salt shaker. Cruise ship food is usually salty enough and I cringe when I see people pick up that shaker and cover their plate before they even take a bite. Well there are my breakfast choices. Don't get me started on lunch and dinner!

Have you tried sausage gravy over your grits? There's an eye opener. Same gravy you'd eat on biscuits and gravy but over grits then put those over easy eggs on top. Yum

It appears you appreciate a good breakfast. They say you can have breakfast for lunch - I'm more of lunch for breakfast as it's 8am and I just finished a bowl of leftover chicken noodle soup. My grandkids call me Garbage Grandma cause if it's a leftover, regardless of age, Grandma eats it! Fuzz on that fruit, scrape it off, eat it. I have been known to occasionally drink the water here as well! As you and I know John, we have great immune systems. I'm always giving mine something else to focus on other that my kidneys 🙄. GG

There's gonna be nothing else to try on the ship if you keep eating pre-cruise

My blood sugar was high on a surprise test by my doctor one time. She didn't buy my excuse that I'd drank a whole bottle of sweet wine at the neighbor's the night before. Now she calls me pre-diabetic. I guess that's better than being called a wine-o 🍷 😇 Salud!

Sounds like you travel in style. You can't beat a Maine lobster.

This is why I'm loyal to Holland America. Every star comes with some nice perks including reduced rates on most but not all sailings. I always advise people wanting better rates to do some slot machines while logged in as the casino offers are amazing. That's why I'm on this sailing - casino offer. You don't have to gamble a lot of money, just go in frequently and signed in so the computer knows who you are. I was so surprised on the Eurodam last month the casino was non-smoking. It was a pleasure losing money in there🤫

Labor Day Sale on Spa treatments until tomorrow midnight: 20% off with code LSPA23 online. While I was booking I noticed my check-in is available 9/13. That's next week, so close!

The Replacements is my favorite Keanu Reeves movie. Pro football and comedy all in one. After that one who knew he'd be kicking a** and taking names cause it was pretty obvious he has no rhythm when they line dance in that movie.😘

As for a meet and mingle lets just say it's that. Anyone who wants to, show up at the bar/lounge at 11 and say hi to each other. It doesn't have to be planned or anything formal. There are very few active on here, no shared independent tours to coordinate onboard, so come on by, order a drink and introduce yourself is all I'm down for. After saying that, I'm a 50/50 as a no show as I am easily sidetracked😁 Shiny object!

I stood in line for immigration at the airport yesterday for 2 hours and there was no food at the end just a 45 minute Uber ride in lines of stopped traffic. There are lines everywhere in life. Chat it up with the people around you and don't worry about what everyone else is doing. If someone "pops in" to grab an item that is readily available then "pops out" they didn't affect the movement of the line that was stalled anyway. There's stress everywhere in life, don't let it follow you to the lido on vacation. Otherwise you can always "sit and wait" rather than "stand in line" in the dining room. Just an observation and I'll be on the Venezia in a month. Maybe I'll have a different attitude after. Just came off the Eurodam to Alaska 2 days ago and yup lines for all the individual stations (especially for hand dipped ice cream) even with a great lido setup and Holland America is several steps up from the ships sailing under the brand Carnival. Ships are sailing full now and there will be lines. Now the assistant manager in the Spa on the Eurodam and her attitude - that was unacceptable - but there was no line!🙂

Just back from an Alaska cruise with 2 friends I graduated from high school with. Perfect weather. Lots of wildlife sightings, too many laughs..............and boy can Ed Sheeran put on a concert. We and 81,000 other people at Lumen Field in Seattle last Saturday night. He was on stage for a solid 2 1/2 hours. That's what I call getting one's money's worth. And 2 opening artists as well.

I didn't now the 4th John Wick was out. I do love me some Keanu Reeves!

That’s high so your immune system is still working hard, classic autoimmune disorder. Address that with your doctor as this seems opposite of suppression. It’s still looks overactive and able to fight any illness. A relevant question for your doctor with an upcoming cruise.