shipgeeks

No tape! Anything that might leave a residue could lead to cleanup charges for you.

Our experience at Baltimore has been strictness. It has eased a bit in recent months, but no guarantee that you will be allowed to join the line earlier.

And we have met the most interesting and pleasant people in DL over the years.

OP, I can't answer your questions directly, but I'm wondering if some other options might work for you. We have been to Saint John several times, but have always just walked the city. Next month we will take the HOHO bus circuit. One of the stops is noted as Fallsview Park, Reversing Rapids. I know that is not Hopewell Rocks, but it seems to offer a view of the tides, and the option to leave the bus and stay there as long as you choose. (Negatives: you would have to tote your cushion, and probably no restroom on the bus, but perhaps one at the park?) Since the bus circuit runs all day, you could plan to arrive at prime viewing time. We have booked the bus as a cruiseline excursion, as we have OBC to use up, but tickets are available in the terminal upon arrival, as well. I recall reading that the circuit takes about 90 minutes, so your time on the bus would not be nearly as long as the excursion you describe. Perhaps others can weigh in on whether this bus is a worthwhile way to be able to enjoy the Rapids, if that is your primary interest.

This conversation has illustrated two different reasons why people cruise: to explore new places, or to be on a ship at sea. We are absolutely in the second category. We've explored a lot of the world in our earlier years, but when we first sailed we both knew we had found our ultimate bliss. We still do as many cruises in a year as we can, but we choose to stay aboard much of the time, perhaps just watching the commerce that goes on ashore, and waiting for the lines to be cast off again. As far as asking a crew member for a recommendation, no, I would never infringe on a place where the crew grapevine lets them have some authentic food and some privacy away from passengers and just have a few hours being young people with their friends. Some of our best days have been on TAs, with nearly a week of sea days, and leisurely lunches in MDR or buffet, occasionally with an officer and his family present, and sometimes with special menus. But even on regular port days, having lunch aboard without all the crowds can be very pleasant. One such day we happened to see a huge stingray in the water next to the ship; we were able to watch it for quite a while from our table next to the panoramic windows.

I'm curious whether the young lady in the photo above, on the stairs, happens to be Ashley, from South Africa. There is a certain resemblance.....great smile. The Ashley that we met on Seaside was, at that time, the liaison for the English-speaking passengers. We met her at a social event, and had lots of happy moments with her throughout the cruise. It would be nice to know she is still around.

I'm sure overselling has been going on for years, and by all cruise lines. When we were offered a cancel and re-schedule years ago (different line), I believe we were chosen because we also had their flights and transfers. When we accepted, they took care of all the rebookings. No hassle for us, and they had the inside network to do so. Even though I ended up going to work on Monday after being expected to be away for almost two weeks, it was a win for us in the long run.

I have determined when the low and high tides will occur during the two days we will be in Saint John. However, I'm wondering when, in relation to those, that the "rush", or most interesting viewing, happens. Any recommendations? For us, on September 18, low is at 8:33am and high at 2:38pm. On September 19, low is at 9:08am and high at 3:14pm (shortly after we depart).

Any evening in Bolero's, with live Latin music, calls for a Mojito. These days, I am trying to match my drink choices with the itinerary I'm on. Dark and Stormy when cruising to Bermuda, or perhaps a Rum Swizzle. At Coco Cay, a Cuba Libre or Pina Colada have that tropical feel and refreshing-ness. Now I'm working on what to order on my coming C/NE cruise. Long Island Iced Tea as we start to head north? A drink with cranberry juice?

We are always being given soft magnets from insurance agents, research studies, charities, etc. Unfortunately, I never use them for anything.

You can go to Guest Services onboard and get C$ on the spot.

Agreed, and the same on Vision and Enchantment. The only time I had to squeeze was when I took an oblong canvas suitcase (large duffel?) with the zipper around the top, and fairly stuff sides. Now we use hard-sides, and slide them under either closed or open. It's just a matter of sliding it over the horizontal bar that connects the bed legs when starting the process, then the rest is easy.

We have sailed on Grandeur, Enchantment, and Vision many times each, and love that class. Officer conversations continue to say that RC is committed to sailing from Baltimore indefinitely, so there is hope there for Vision class. No recent mentions of getting rid of any of them, either.

I guess a Long Island Iced Tea would be appropriate as we sail north?

I agree with the above. We got Canadian currency at Guest Services on a quiet day before our ports, and we always have a variety of bills, loonies, and toonies we can use ashore. Then at the end it's easier to bring home just the bills for future cruises.

I was in NSW, between 1969 and 1982. I'm not quite as old as the 1930 rules! But thank you for the additional information.

I was going to say HoJo's, too. As a child our family had occasional Sunday dinners there, and then in high school it was a convenient and predictable place to double-date after a movie.

FWIW, I read that as a polite way of stating "suite" without making that word the main emphasis. And I agree it is always appropriate to give name. We have opted out of caller ID, call waiting, and answering machine, so we appreciate it. A few years ago we had a call on Thanksgiving, wishing us a happy day. We figured it was our son. But the conversation became more and more puzzling, and we finally had to ask who it was. It was a friend we hadn't seen in a long time.

When we sail to Bermuda, I order a Dark and Stormy as a fitting beverage. Cruising to the Bahamas and Caribbean, and especially on a private island, a Mojito, Cuba Libre, or Pina Colada feel appropriate and refreshing. How about sailing to Canada and New England? Can you think of any classic drinks with a connection to the area? And what about other parts of the world? (And is it okay to ask a Drinkie question in a Foodie forum??)

We've never done so, but I understand you should not use anything that could leave a residue when removed, as you will be charged for the cleanup. I believe there are magnetic products that are safe to use.

We certainly agree that menus, and food, were better in those days, especially on Chandris/Celebrity. However, other elements were different, too. All passengers ate at their set time and table, and long dinners, as a social event, were the norm. That seems to be the exception now. I also note (and remember) that items such as tomato juice as an appetizer, or hearts of lettuce, or sliced tomato as the salad, are featured on these menus. Would anyone order those now? I know that I appreciate being able to order, and enjoy, things that are much more labor-intensive.

I tried that once, and tried PB&J once; did not like either. I do like a celery stick with PB, though. I read somewhere that peanut butter is the preferred snack/energy food among the Rockettes.

We do, and crunchy only. I grew up on peanut butter sandwiches. Never heard of putting jelly on, too, until I was in college. My mother was strictly a one-ingredient sandwich maker, cheese OR ham OR peanut butter. When I lived in Australia it was called peanut paste, at the insistence of the dairy board. I bought mine at a shop that would grind it on the spot, into the container you provided. Good stuff.

Yes, some wonderful things never get old! Green flash: ours was at Nassau, as we stood out on deck before departure. Flying fish: love watching for them, most usually from Promenade Deck, somewhat forward. One time we lucked out and got a table right at the forward windows in the buffet, where we happened to see some flying fish jumping around the bow. We mentioned it to a newly-arrived Chinese assistant waiter, who became very excited, called all her peers over, and we were treated to several minutes of joy and delight as they all exclaimed about the sight. We love having OV cabins on lower decks, and sitting at the window. We've seen a few flying fish from there, which is really neat, too. Albatross: while crossing the Pacific on a cargo ship, we had an albatross soaring above the ship for several days. "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" frequently came to mind. Vulture: one sea day during a cruise, a vulture settled himself onto the edge of the funnel; he stayed for quite a long time. I named him "Ruffles", as the air continually ruffled his feathers up all around him. Cruising is so wonderful.

We have given up owning a car, and have lost interest in flying to a cruise. However, we still want to cruise on a regular basis. There is a bus company near us that provides five cruise packages a year, from our nearest port, which in our case is Baltimore. There are usually around 30 people on the bus, and all are encouraged to share tables at the breakfast stop, so people who have not yet chatted with others are able to begin to get to know people in the group. We tend to stick to ourselves during the cruise, but we notice from time to time that some are meeting up with other bus people on the ship, and on the return trip it appears that many know most of the others. It seems to work out especially well for those traveling solo.