shipgeeks

We did two 7-night MSC cruises last year. There were two formal nights each week. Dress varied from tuxedos and long or cocktail dresses, to suits, to dress shirts. White Night, mentioned above, was well represented, but the other theme nights not so much.

Same here, and our Patient Numbers are printed there. Nothing was done by hand; the cards were printed from the center's computer system while we did our 15 minutes observation time. Might be our patient numbers within our health system, though, rather than a national vaccine registry.

"Patient Number", listed on card.

I'm curious whether the number on each of our cards is a unique number, like a passport.

Back in the days when old ocean liners were still available for cruisers to book, we found Gruziya, and had all intentions of booking a cruise on her. Alas, it was not to be. However, while on a port stop at Cozumel, we found that we were docked a short distance from her. We walked over and had a look, but the exterior was the extent of it. Nice looking ship. I just found several copies of "Nothing Can Go Wrong" on ebay, for under $7. That sounds like a book I would enjoy.....unless some of you snap up the least expensive copies first.

Come on down to Port of Baltimore.

I still chuckle when I look at our photo of one of the displays on a buffet on Regal Empress. Two roast chickens were propped up, with hard cooked eggs for heads, hats on the heads, one holding "cymbals" made of cucumber slices and one playing a guitar. So clever and so well done.

The Chocolate Buffet when we sailed on Norway was during the afternoon. The many tables filled a large room. I don't think many passengers ate a full dinner that night. We have always had late dining, and always a leisurely meal with a lot of conversation among our tablemates. We shouldn't have ever needed more food. But regularly, at bedtime, Mr. S would say "I just want to get a glass of milk". So we'd head to the midnight buffet.....and end up with some crab legs, cheesecake, etc. Each night had a different theme. And on several occasions, we'd run into our dinner mates, and ha

I imagine people are still cleaning out their closets, and their aunts' closets.....so there might still be some gems appearing in the stores, especially as they start putting out summer items. (Saw some this morning!) Love those picture above! Wide-bottom pants with fitted tops, shorts with matching tops (or one-piece?)

I think that's what they mean by "membership card". As long as it clearly shows your name and loyalty level, it should work, but might take a few weeks to complete.

RK, You have reminded me of our earlier days, when we had discovered the Regal Empress and wanted to sail on her. Our local TA refused to book it for us. "Old ship". He could not understand that a shipgeek might really like an old ship. So we booked it direct, and had one of our best cruises, on one of the loveliest ships around. Did any of you sail on Regal Empress?

Lowiepete, I'm sorry to read that you found the word 'alien' a negative. I'm American, but lived in Australia for 12 years. I went as an assisted migrant, and my status was Resident Alien. I had to report every two years, to confirm that I was still living there. I paid taxes but could not vote. "Alien" was just another word, as was "Yank". To me it just meant that I was not a citizen of that country.

A day or two before the end of the cruise, you will be given a form to check off re your plans for departure. (In your case, private arrangements; no flight times, etc., unless you choose to do a ship departure tour.) You will then be given color-coded luggage tags to use if you put your luggage out on the last night, so you can find it in the terminal, and a departure time. (If you do this, as well as keeping your documents and things, be sure to keep clothing to wear as you depart! Walking off the ship in your pj's and bare feet is not fun!)

I have to agree with RK that it detracts from the festive atmosphere of a Gala night. On our last X cruise, second Gala night, a couple arrived at our dinner table in rumpled t-shirts. Lest you think they were young innocents, or unable to afford a business shirt, their introductions began with "I'm a doctor; what do you do?" Their conversations, and table manners, were similarly casual and "all about me". We later learned that they told the Head Waiter we had invited them; we didn't even know them. The upside is that it led us to trying MSC, which we now prefer.

We sailed on Southern Cross when she was SeaBreeze for Premier Cruises. Lovely ship. Two levels of Promenade Decks.