edspec

47 minutes ago, Funsince1983 said:

If he were my husband and down $10k on a cruise he'd be wifeless too. 

Two great minds…

1 hour ago, Greenpea2 said:

I dunno, my mind can't wrap around it, The wifeless guy -- last I looked -- was down $10,000. An improvement from the high of $11,800. I am just so not in alignment with such things...

I had to stop reading it.

8 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Yikes, I’m about 50 pages behind. Read Sid’s and Megan’s reviews and then had stuff to do for my next two cruises. Boarded Royals newest ship the Icon Of The Seas for the 7 day inaugural cruise. The day we got off of that we boarded the Odyssey Of The Seas for an 8 day cruise. Unfortunately, it ends in 2 days. I have a lot of threading to do.

How was Icon? 

16 hours ago, TxTeach79 said:

How's everyone's tax return sitch going? I could really use mine, but we're dragging a bit. Last year my return was in my account by 2/1, and this year I'm still in that limbo between "accepted" and "approved"... I'm a teacher and have a low four digit refund, so it's not like I'm a high priority or target or anything, I just always get nervous at this part. Anywho, it's still projected for 2/18, so hopefully that holds and it updates soon. This ridiculous Funwagon ain't gonna repair itself...

The state tax refund only took six days, still haven't gotten the deposit from IRS, but last year I think that took 2-3 weeks.  

I get a nice refund every year since my W-4 is married but withhold at the single rate and I contirubute the max catch-up amount to my 401K and a large chunk to my 457B.  I got in the habit of planning for a refund back when we had no money and the $15/paycheck that we'd have received wouldn't have been noticed.  The refund allowed us to pay our car registrations each year without me stressing about it.  Car registration in California is very high, and in those days something I had to plan for.  Car registation is no longer an issue but I still like getting a refund 🙂

@willdra DH and I have the talk about where we were and now here we are.  We were so, so broke in the early days and now here we are comfortable and able to take lovely vacations.  It's odd how it happens, one day you're checking over every item in your grocery cart, balancing the bank statements, staying up nights trying to figure out how to pay a bill and then slowly it starts to get better.  I still remember going into a gas station in 1996 and buying a soda since I was thirsty. A really big deal as money for something like that was absolutley not available up to that point. 

Your review has decided me, we need to do another Panorama or Firenzia cruise before we leave California.  We're buying in Latitudes Hilton Head so need to take care of our west coast cruises before the move.

That excursion looked fun, we'll have to try it next time we're on Panorama, which with all the recent great reviews will be soon.  

On another note, how was Latitudes?

@WatermelonSugarHighI’m an early to bed, early to rise person so the the nightlife wouldn’t be a factor for me. Their app also seems to be wonkier than most and their website isn’t particularly user friendly either.  Good thing we don’t all want the same thing 🙂

I occassionally come over to this forum to see if I should change my mind about VV.  Thank-you for this thread @WatermelonSugarHigh, it reinforced my decision to avoid VV.  Too many other cruiselines that are a better fit for me.  

58 minutes ago, EllieinNJ said:

Is there an Imax theater on board?  I thought I read that Vista class had Imax but couldn't find it on the ship's floor plans.

On Panorama the Imax theatre was replaced with the trampoline area.

What’s up with the wind? Is it time of year, route, ship design or a combo? 

@Funsince1983

Rockford was the singer 

Sorry about Covid, I came down with something today which took away my appetite . That NEVER happens.

Sorry @Hogladyrider as you know dementia is the worst. Even with my mom in a really good private home it’s a lot.

Did I read that right, he is now $8000 down?  I'd be a basket case but he seems to be having a good time so proves we're all wired differently. 

We were without power yesterday afternoon and evening, ASD DS did not take it well 😞 Thank God that's over with. Still raining though.

I'm baffled as well.  All he had to say was that he was solo, and the drink package mix-up didn't need to be explained.  TBH I'd have just paid for two and when the ship sailed and she was a no show the package would have been refunded.  No need to waste time with guest services.

On 2/1/2024 at 7:44 AM, deladane said:

 

I hate that we have become slaves to Ian's nap schedule, and I always hoped he would be the kind of kid who would just sleep in his stroller wherever we went, but that does not work for him unfortunately.  Even yesterday, when his daycare was closed for a teacher training day, he refused to nap and just kept saying "It's wake up time!".  And that was in his own crib in his bedroom where he is used to the environment!  We really had no chance of getting a good nap out of him when we were on a cruise with lots of other exciting things to see and do.  I can't wait until he's a little older and doesn't need a nap anymore.  You're going to have such a fun time on your next cruise with the kids being old enough to really enjoy all the activities on the ship!

DS was a 1 pm nap boy. If he fell asleep in the car before that it was power nap and then Mr. Cranky the rest of the day. I learned early on to schedule our day around that two hour nap. We didn’t cruise in those days, just as well, we’d have been limited to TAs. 

Have a great time!

@Funsince1983 cupcake looked amazing, I’m a straight frosting girl when things get rough 🙂 A friend of my sister’s goes with Teddy Grahams and a can of cream cheese frosting on bad days.

Sorry for all those suffering from migraines. 
Welcome to our newbies!!!

Totally too late to be helpful for planning @Hogladyrider but you might enjoy Hawaii by James Michener.  

7 hours ago, jt1602sd said:

I hear you on the flights! I’m in Fresno and had to drive to Sacramento area a few weeks ago for a three hour meeting! Flying would be nice, but would be much longer than the three hour drive! Hope you made it safe in the weather! 

Thank-you jt602sd, yes, home yesterday afternoon.  There was only one really bad patch of rain but naturally that is where they're doing construction w/ narrow and split lanes.  I used to drive as far as Turlock at least once a week, and to Modesto three times a week.  So glad I work from home now.  Nothing to do w/ Covid, just organization changes and promotions. 

Honestly, at a conference and then the 2.5 hour drive home, and work and family drama??? I’ve missed three pages of Tribe news? @Roscoe13, Panorama cruise looks good, will talk to DH. @TxTeach79 glad to see you survived Las Vegas.

@Hogladyrider looks like you’re having a wonderful time, enjoy!

1 hour ago, ninjacat123 said:

Disneyland was our Mecca.  Every three years, my family would drive down from Oregon, stay at one of those funky hotels surrounding Disneyland (like Peter Pan Lodge) and spend the day at the Magic Kingdom.  Awesome!!  Thanks for bringing back some fun memories😻

Oregon too.  I grew up in Portland and I5 logging towns.  

Dole Whips are the best!!!

9 hours ago, JeffT237 said:

I would love to see a newer ship in Los Angeles full time, as this is our home port. When we first started cruising in the 90s we only sailed from Los Angeles and Long Beach, but after our first Caribbean cruise on a newer ship in the early 2000s we've regularly flown to Galveston or the Florida ports.  We like the newer ships and the Caribbean ports much better than the Pacific side of Mexico.  Growing up in Southern California we have regularly taken trips to many of these areas, Mexico has changed a lot.   But we'd consider returning to sailing from our home port on a newer ship, especially a Quantum class ship since we've yet to sail on one.  There's a reason why we always have the older ships here, I think Carnival had one of their newest ships at the time here several years ago only to have it replaced by an older ship now.  

Carnival has Panorama at Long Beach, great ship, 2019.  I would be happy to sail on Navigator but I don't do 3 or 4 day cruises and the 7 day cruises are few and far between. 

17 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

It is surprising that as one "how should I dress" thread dies a natural death another one pops up on CC.  Are people really that insecure that they do not know how to dress on a cruse or what to wear to dinner?  Really?  Wow!

 

In reality it is just a ship full of regular people, on vacation having a good time with a myriad of activities, with dinner being just one activity. Most people do not care the least what others are wearing or do they even notice.

 

I think people should adhere to the nos. No tank tops, swim suits etc.  Other than that,  I feel everyone is entitled to their own definition of formal and casual. If someone's definition is way off then it is up to the cruise line to deal with if they want to or not.  More than likely --- not.

 

 

Really great post.  

@Riles34 taco pics in the next few days.   I like to put an Asian spin on things too, your vinagrette sounds like what I use on coleslaw about 50% of the time.

Ugh, I am at a conference in Fresno tomorrow but leaving today since there isn't a decent flight from SMF.  It will be quicker to drive.  I HATE driving and Hwy 99 through the Central Valley is not scenic. If I lived someplace with decent public transportation I'd never drive again.  I think the younger generation has it right, not even bothering to get a license and using Ubers.  That's what my 20 something nieces and nephews do anyway.  Smart kids.

@Riles34 the tacos look amazing.  DH and I were just talking about having them soon and then your post pops up.  I have some cheap skirt steak so will use that though 🙂