CGTNORMANDIE

We always had bbq chicken on the Webber with my family’s special bbq sauce.. Potato salad and Cole slaw were the accompaniments with blueberry pie and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Don’t forget the corn on the cob, cold beer and iced tea. RK, try placing a quartered onion in your bean pot when baking your beans. This year I made a big pot of my world famous chili.

Thanks so much Bea. “Hope Springs Eternal”

Thanks Bea, Well, at least we can say we enjoyed the YC back when. NF brute with a shot of cognac and 1/2 a shot of lemon sour makes for a great French 75! I am very interested in Azamara but I’m still waiting for a kidney transplant. That should happen shortly then I’ll get off the beach and out to sea. The kidney and Covid had me held up for the past 5 years. So here’s hoping.

Hi again Bea, I just got the answer and it is YES! That’s great because DW might have a glass of rose’ before dinner…😇 I prefer the higher grade drinks. What’s the story with the Champagne? As I recall that is your favorite libation.

Hi Bea, long time since we spoke last. Question: does Azamara allow just one person to upgrade to the Ultimate Package?? 😁

BON VOYAGE Lois!! I see you are saving your appetite for better things to come…lol.

Thank you…does not sound like anything to be concerned about.

Hi Heidi, what percentage of the time would you encounter rough weather? How long, on average, would a storm last?

A small short cut of the rump grilled with eggs over easy, hash browns and a grilled English muffin…

So true…however…overtipping when the drink arrives always goes a long way to insure prompt service in the future! TIP…To Insure Promptness.

This is very possible as the waiters work as teams in the Specialty Restaurants.

Trying to figure out the MSC Drink Packages is an endless conundrum. The real show stopper is the MSC policy that all occupants in the same cabin must take the same package. In your case you can simply go with the Non Alcohol Package for $25.00 per day per person. As long as both of you in the cabin subscribe for the same package. Now if your DW or SO doesn’t need the package that means you’d be spending $50.00 per day to get your fruit juice. Maybe charging each drink would be cheaper than getting a package?

We always tie a brightly colored bunch of yarn, at least twenty strands, around the luggage handle. The bunch of yarn really stands out and cannot be confused with a similar piece of luggage. Do that and take pictures of your luggage.

“The dining room staff’s tips are pooled”…here we go again…lol. The DSC is pooled but not the cash you hand a waiter, a Maitre D, or assistant waiter, bartender, etc etc. Cash tips go directly into the pockets of those who receive it.

It always cracks me up when I read “tips are pooled”. Tips handed directly to service personnel are not pooled. The only time tips are pooled is through the Daily Service Charge. Room service personnel are on the low rung of the pay ladder. We always give them a $5.00 bill at time of delivery.

Yes…but that was done to avoid the sun and to stay on the cool side of the ship.😎

Lest I forget my special pots and pans. Way back in the 1980’s Revere Ware made a gourmet set of pans. They were copper with two layers of stainless. They were so good they could not sell them to the regular Revere Ware customers. They ended up in a Revere Ware discount store in Freeport Maine…close to LL Bean. I bought two full sets…and they were not cheap. I put them in storage and I was finally able to get them out last year. They are beautiful…my pride and joy…and they really work great!

I never mentioned radar. Today’s weather reporting at sea is done by satellite which enables the ship to avoid storms.

Violent storms on the Southern Atlantic route are very rare…hence once in a century. Satellite weather reporting makes it possible for ships to avoid bad weather.

You were in the North Atlantic and you were very fortunate that you had decent weather. The NA can be nasty at almost any time of year. It is a totally different experience when compared to a southern Atlantic crossing. April 12, 1966 the Italian liner Michelangelo ran into a terrific storm in the North Atlantic. Three people were killed, two passengers and one crew member, fifty passengers were injured and the decks below the bridge were severely damaged. The two passengers decided to go to a forward cabin to view the waves. Apparently they got more than they bargained for.

Let’s not forget the stainless colander, the Chinese spider scoop, the stainless wire mesh strainer, stainless tongs and most importantly your knife collection in wooden block holder with hand held sharpener. I’m just getting started…lol.

Let’s hope that the Med storm of 2012 was a rare event. Most Southern Atlantic crossings are smooth sailing.

It certainly is unusual but if it was done in celebration then that would explain it. The signal for imminent danger is five short blasts repeated. I guess an 11 minute blast means Happy Days Are Here Again!! LOL!

Barring any giant hurricane, which the ship is able to avoid most of the time, you should have good sailing weather. Temps in the Med will be warmer mid 70’s and low 80’s. Moderate temps in the Southern Atlantic low 70’s then warming from Bermuda on to Ft. Lauderdale…low 80’s. These are average temps. All that said you could end up with warmer or cooler but now you at least have an idea of what to expect. Most Southern Atlantic crossings at that time of year are very enjoyable with smooth sailing and weather and sun good enough to sit outside. Note the word…MOST. I’m sure you will hear from someone who ran into clouds and cold weather or a storm but that is very rare.

As a former yachtsman and Rear Commodore of a Yacht Club I know the USCG recommends the above. I find an 11 minute blast strange indeed.