Never too old!

[Red State Sam]

Thanks for the info. You're right - he is one heck of a guy! We can only hope to keep his outlook as we grow older.

[ibz1492]

I just stumbled onto the 55+ Forum and my head is reeling after having read all the postings since sometime in 2005! You all may be interested in reading the letter I recently emailed to my many cyberfriends in Canada, the US and in Europe and if you have questions, don't hesitate!

 

Musicus

 

Dear friends,

 

come the middle of September, you’ll not get any more forwardings from me and I’ll ask you to take me off your mailing list, if I happen to be on it. From that time onwards and for at least one entire year, my internet access will be severely restricted, although I hope to stay in touch with many friends on a personal level.

 

But let me explain…

 

Having outlived my wife, many close friends and. with exception of my son, all my family, I’ve reached the age where assisted living with its amenities looms large. I visited several such facilities but despite comfortable lodgings, the often quite pleasant surroundings exude a depressing “Waiting for God” feeling for me when I see some of the residents. I think that I am not ready for this- yet.

 

After my thoroughly enjoyable 14-day Panama Canal cruise over Christmas/New Years (my second cruise experience), I began to think of cruise ships as a viable alternative.

A comfortable room with all amenities, from Satellite TV,

air conditioning to private bath (and no more making the bed each morning, cleaning room and bath, changing linen); a choice of restaurants with fabulous menus (goodbye TV Dinners or having to cook and then eat alone); nightly Broadway Class entertainment in a luxurious theater (beats lousy TV fare); swimming pools, jaccuzzis, well equipped gym and a medical facility complete with doctor and nurse - all a short walk away; a well stocked library and lectures, a casino, bars and interesting people to meet - and to top it all off, travel to places you would never have seen otherwise -- all in all, what more could you want?

 

For many months I have been working on a plan to spend one year on a cruise ship, which entailed arduous computer research covering cruise lines, their ships and itineraries (which often were hard to find for more than a few months) and finally, costs!

 

To my chagrin I discovered that I would be faced with a single supplement varying between 50% and 100% of the double occupancy rate, which is the industry’s standard and I knew then that I would have to stretch my budget limitation by at least $10,000 to get anywhere near to my goal.

 

I am happy to report that I finally succeeded in finding the right Line, ship, itinerary and price (which however will mean that I’ll spend more of my son’s inheritance …) and I will leave on MSC's "Poesia"

October 9 at Quebec City, returning to there October 15, 2011.

Oh yes, I forgot to tell you: I was born February 9, 1917.

 

Attached is my itinerary. It certainly would be nice if some of you would decide to take one or two of the cruise legs and we would see each other! And should you be alone, don’t forget that my stateroom has twin beds! Sharing the stateroom with me will save you a lot of money and if I am lucky and you are female, be assured that I will be on my best gentlemanly behavior!

 

Ahoy!

 

Egon

 

MY ITINERARY ON MSC “POESIA” 2010/2011

004 Saturday Oct. 9 – Sat. 16 - 7 Quebec, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Bar Harbor, Maine, Boston, MA, Newport, R.I., New York

P005 Saturday Oct. 16 – Sat.23, 2010 - 7 New York, Hallifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, Quebec

P006 Sat. Oct.23 - Nov 1, 2010 - 7 Quebec, Sydney, Boston, Newport, New York, Fort Everglades

PO07 Mon, Nov 01, Thu, Nov 11, 10 Port Everglades, Cozumel, Puerto Limon, Cristobal, Cartagena, Montego Bay, Port Everglades

PO08 Thu, Nov 11, 2010 Sun, Nov 14, 2010 3 Port Everglades, Coco Bay, Nassau, Port Everglades

PO09 Sun, Nov 14, 2010 Sun, Nov 21, 2010 7 Port Everglades, Charlotte Amalie, Philipsburg, Nassau, Port Everglades

PO10 Sun, Nov 21, 2010 Sun, Nov 28, 2010 7 Port Everglades, Key West, Ocho Rios, Georgetown, Cozumel, Port Everglades

PO11 Sun, Nov 28, Sun, Dec 05, 7 Port Everglades, Charlotte Amalie, Philipsburg, Nassau, Port Everglades Cozumel, Port Everglade

P012 Sun. Dec 5, 2010 - Sun. Dec 12, 2010 7 Port Everglades, Key West, Ocho Rios, Georgetown,,Cosumel, Port Everglades

PO13 Sun, Dec 12, 2010 Sun, Dec 19, 2010 7 Port Everglades, Philipsburg, Charlotte Amalie, Nassau, Port Everglades

PO14 Sun, Dec 19, 2010 Sun, Dec 26, 2010 7 Port Everglades, Key West, Ocho Rios, Georgetown, Cozumel, Port Everglades

PO15 Sun, Dec 26, 2010 Sun, Jan 02, 2011 7 Port Everglades, Charlotte Amalie, Philipsburg, Nassau, Port Everglades

PO16 Sunday, Jan. 2nd – Tuesday Jan. 4th, 2010 – Fort Lauderdale, Nassau, Fort Lauderdale

JAN 4 - 9 CHARTER

PO18 Sun, Jan 09, 2011 Sun, Jan 16, 2011 7 Port Everglades, Charlotte Amalie, Philipsburg, Nassau, Port Everglades

PO19 Sun, Jan 16, 2011 Sun, Jan 23, 2011 7 Port Everglades, Key West, Ocho Rios, Georgetown, Sunday,

PO20 Sun, Jan 23, 2011 Sun, Jan 30, 2011 7 Port Everglades, Charlotte Amalie, Philipsburg, Nassau, Port Everglades

PO21 Sun, Jan 30, 2011 Sun, Feb 06, 2011 7 Port Everglades, Key West, Ocho Rios, Georgetown, Cozumel, Port Everglades

PO22 Sun, Feb 06, 2011 Sun, Feb 13, 2011 7 Port Everglades, Charlotte Amalie, Philipsburg, Nassau, Port Everglades

PO23 Sun, Feb 13, 2011 Sun, Feb 20, 2011 7 Port Everglades, Key West, Ocho Rios, Georgetown, Cozumel, Port Everglades

PO24 Sun, Feb 20, 2011 Sun, Feb 27, 2011 7 Port Everglades, Charlotte Amalie, Philipsburg, Nassau, Port Everglades

PO25 Sun, Feb 27, 2011 Sun, Mar 06, 2011 7 Port Everglades, Key West, Ocho Rios, Georgetown, Cozumel, Port Everglades

PO26 Sun, Mar 06, Wed, Mar 23, 17 Port Everglades, San Juan, St. John's, Castries, Funchal, Malaga , Alicante, Barcelona, Genoa

PO27 Wed, Mar 23, 2011 Thu, Mar 31, 2011 8 Genoa, Malaga, Cadiz, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Alicante, Barcelona, Genoa

PO28 Thu, Mar 31, 2011 Fri, Apr 08, 2011 8 Genoa, Malaga, Cadiz, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Alicante, Barcelona, Genoa

PO29 Fri, Apr 08, 2011 Sat, Apr 16, 2011 8 Genoa, Malaga, Cadiz, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Alicante, Barcelona, Genoa

PO30 Sat, Apr 16, 2011 Sun, Apr 24, 2011 8 Genoa, Malaga, Cadiz, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Alicante, Barcelona, Genoa

PO31 Sun, Apr 24, 2011 Mon, May 02, 2011 8 Genoa, Malaga, Cadiz, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Alicante, Barcelona, Genoa

PO32 Mon, May 02, 2011 Tue, May 10, 2011 8 Genoa, Malaga, Cadiz, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Alicante, Barcelona, Genoa

PO33 Tue, May 10, 2011 Fri, May 20, 2011 10 Genoa, Malaga, Cadiz, Lisbon, Vigo, Southampton, Zeebrugge, Kiel

PO34 Fri, May 20, 2011 Mon, May 23, 2011 3 Kiel, Oslo, Copenhagen, Kiel

PO35 Mon, May 23, 2011 Fri, Jun 03, 2011 11 Kiel, Bergen, Tórshavn, Akureyri, Isafjordur, Reykjavík, Lerwick, Kiel

PO36 Fri, Jun 03, 2011 Tue, Jun 14, 11 Kiel, Copenhagen, Trondeim, Honningsvag, Tromso, Hellesylt & Geiranger, Bergen, Kiel

PO37 Tue, Jun 14, 2011 Sat, Jun 25, 11 Kiel, Copenhagen, Trondeim, Honningsvag, Tromso, Hellesylt & Geiranger, Bergen, Kiel

PO38 Sat, Jun 25, 2011 Sat, Jul 02, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Olden, Bergen, Kristiansand, Oslo, Kiel

PO39 Sat, Jul 02, 2011 Sat, Jul 09, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallin, St. Petersburg, Kiel

PO40 Sat, Jul 09, 2011 Sat, Jul 16, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Olden, Bergen, Kristiansand, Oslo, Kiel

PO41 Sat, Jul 16, 2011 Sat, Jul 23, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallin, St. Petersburg, Kiel

PO42 Sat, Jul 23, 2011 Sat, Jul 30, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Olden, Bergen, Kristiansand, Oslo, Kiel

PO43 Sat, Jul 30, 2011 Sat, Aug 06, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallin, St. Petersburg, Kiel

PO44 Sat, Aug 06, 2011 Sat, Aug 13, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Olden, Bergen, Kristiansand, Oslo, Kiel

PO45 Sat, Aug 13, 2011 Sat, Aug 20, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallin, St. Petersburg, Kiel

PO46 Sat, Aug 20, 2011 Sat, Aug 27, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Olden, Bergen, Kristiansand, Oslo, Kiel

PO47 Sat, Aug 27, 2011 Sat, Sep 03, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallin, St. Petersburg, Kiel

PO48 Sat, Sep 03, 2011 Sat, Sep 10, 2011 7 Kiel, Copenhagen, Olden, Bergen, Kristiansand, Oslo, Kiel

PO01 Sat, Sep 10, 2011 Wed, Sep 28, 2011 18 Kiel, Copenhagen, Zeebrugge, Southampton, Vigo, Lisbon, Ponta Delgada, King's Wharf, New York City

PO02 Wed, Sep 28, 2011 Sat, Oct 08, 2011 10 New York City, Sydney, Charlottetown, Quebec, Halifax, Newport, New York City PO03 Sat, Oct 08, 2011 Sat, Oct 15, 2011 7 New York City, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, Quebec

 

I have met only a few people who have lived aboard, so I delighted to see your posting. By now you are back from a year at sea and I would love to hear your report..... Didn't you get a good break on rates because you were a constant passenger, little trouble (I suspect), and a bit of a celebrity to the Poesia crew.... Please update us....

[yellowbird23]

Pics to follow:

 

 

Since I last wrote,, nothing really worthwhile mentioning happened. I am sure you are not particularly interested in knowing that it has been cool and very windy so that I had my daily swim only towards noon, slowly increasing my laps again until now I am doing 8 of them. There you have it, like it or not!

Sabor has really filled up and now most people seem to be between 25 and 35. Most `action` is around the pool which is flanked by the La Isla and Roberto`s restaurants as well as a well frequented bar and it`s pretty noisy, further `enhanced` by the loudspeakers at the little stage blaring mostly rap. Tattoos are very much in evidence and today I saw a woman in her 40s in a bikini, with large prominent tattoos over each breast, as if the formidable cleavage wasn`t enough to draw attention to her already sagging busom. In years to come, there will be a lot of old people with wrinkled tattoos. While I always go down there for lunch, I am happy to come back to the much quieter area of the Regency Club, where now most schoolage kids have left.

I made quite a few friends since I last wrote, but as is always the case, all I now have is their email addresses. But we communicate and we exchange photos.

 

January 13: In the last few days I spent many frustrating hours on the computer. There is firstly the fact that I am dealing with an unreliable travel agent (highly recommended to me by a former and befriended Poesia tablemate), am being stonewalled on several important issues and left without communication for a week or more. Problem is that I now cannot deal with MSC direct, having begun with a travel agent, and also the contact the latter has with the MSC office in Fort Lauderdale does not react to my emails. Then, making rail reservations for my trip from Genoa to Bern and return, it keeps on saying that my Mastercard number is wrong. Eventually I have to use a debit card. And then I find out that I cannot get an e-ticket, because the Italian Railway does not accept it. So now I have to make arrangements for someone in Bern to pick up the ticket at the station there and mail it to me in Fort Lauderdale, but I still have to find someone to send it to. Finally, I made hotel reservation for my stay in Southampton of July 26-August 1 and had quite some time until I could ascertain that the room I get will be on the groundfloor as requested, for which I have to pay over $ 10 more per day because it has an en suite; the ones with a shared bathroom are all upstairs. Uff!

January 14: I am back from Cozumel, where I stayed overnigt at the Flamingo Hotel in a beautiful downstairs room with attached bathroom all laid out with small tiles in different subdued metallic colours - a very stunning effect. The room has obviously been newly created because they are making major improvements throughout. My good friends Thomas and Shirley, the owners, had hunted up a keyboard for me and brought it down to Sabor on the 12th. The idea was that they would would come and get me next day in the evening, because they had hired a sax player and we could have a musical evening. With the hotel fully booked, this would be a treat for them as it also would be for me, because I do miss musical activity. The keyboard, being a Synthesizer Work Station rather than a true performance instrument (like the Yamaha PSTR 2100 which I had), and with several unkowns to me and the foot pedal not working, was a bit of a disappointmen, but in the end I could play the piano, albeit without the use of the damper pedal, but it enabled us to come out on top. The great surprise was that after a while we were joined by a hotel guest from Chicago who happened to be an excellent professional trumpet player and then, we three had a wonderful jam session which started at 8pm and ended about 11.3o pm. There were quite a few people and two with me befriended couples from Sabor also came. All in all, the evening was very successful and lots of fun.

I stayed in that beautiful room and had breakfast in the morning, did computer work until the battery ran out and then went with the scooter to my friend Miguel who owns a barber shop in town and got myself clipped - for all of 50 Pesos (abbout $4.00). Later, Shirley drove me the long way back to the hotel in a deluge of a downpour and I stayed put, slept for half and hour and then did more emails. Since it was still raining in the evening, I had a rum and coke and ordered a hamburger with fries and salad plus a so-so- cheesecake from roomservice and now, barely 9 pm, I'll go the bed and to sleep, perchance to dream ....

[PartyOfOne]

 

Jan 13 2012 Flamingo Hotel (3)

 

 

 

Jan 13 2012 Flamingo Hotel (6)

 

 

 

Jan 13 2012 Flamingo Hotel (7)

 

 

 

Jan 13 2012 Flamingo Hotel (9)

[yellowbird23]

Dear friends, I believe that this is worth illuminating:

As part of my 2012 itinerary, I booked 5 cruises on my beloved MSC "Poesia" starting in Cozumel (Mexico) on February 13, 2012 and ending in Genoa (Italy) April 4. The bookings were made on October 11, 2011 and I had emailed this to my travel agent:

Further to my last email with my potential itinerary attached, I would like to mention that a requirement is also that there be no cabin change on any of the back-to-back cruises. This means, for instance, that on Poesia from the 13. of February to April 4 I can have the same stateroom. Please note also that I am asking for handicap cabins.

For the first three cruises I am assigned cabin # 12022, for the next # 12025 and the last one again # 12022. It means that I have to move twice. Both cabins are handicaps and are adjacent to each other. The move to # 12025 is on March 10 (i.e. 5 months from when I booked), for a 7-day cruise. I was put on a "waiting list". Ever since then I've spent many frustrating emails to have this situation corrected, bcause I felt that to the person(s) who were booked into 12022 for that week it would make no difference to have # 12025 instead, which actually, being right accross from the lift, could be more desireable. Finally, a few days ago, I suggested that MSC got in touch with the person(s), explain the situation and ask whether they would accept the cabin number change. This is what my travel agent wrote today, January 16:

As far as cabin 12022, they said they would not do that. In my mind and yours, that seems like the solution, but not to MSC. Our only hope is that he cancels.

I'll be on four other MSC ships during the year and am on several other "waiting lists".

Where there's a will, there's a way. So much for being a "VIP Guest" as my MSC badge says.

Egon

 

 

:

 

[Red State Sam]

Okay - how do we start an e-mail war with MSC? I cannot believe that they would treat him this way. Has no one with that line learned how to use an adding machine. What he is paying them alone should give him a boatload of special treatment, not to speak of the free publicity he is getting them! After what has happened this past week, I would think all cruise lines would be bending over backward to keep their customers happy! Somebody speak up - LET THE WAR BEGIN!!!!!!!

[yellowbird23]

Okay - how do we start an e-mail war with MSC? I cannot believe that they would treat him this way. Has no one with that line learned how to use an adding machine. What he is paying them alone should give him a boatload of special treatment, not to speak of the free publicity he is getting them! After what has happened this past week, I would think all cruise lines would be bending over backward to keep their customers happy! Somebody speak up - LET THE WAR BEGIN!!!!!!!

And it's not like MSC Poesia or any of their ships solo are inexpensive. I went once on it and never again. Just didn't have anything I really liked other than my inside cabin, which was fine.

 

P.S. I was on Costa Concordia 3 years ago. I wondered why the captain went so close to white cliffs on the way to Greece. Now I know why.

Edited January 18, 2012 by yellowbird23

[Fisherlady48]

I was not going to interject myself in this, however he is not the only passenger on this ship. People book many many weeks/months years in advance. It is the responsibility of his travel agent to get him the same room for his cruises. Not MSC. and it really will not be a big deal to have his room steward move his things for one week, then back again.

[yellowbird23]

Good news! You got your cabin 12022 on the sailing of 3-10-12.

Just like I thought. They would not tell me why or how they got it, but the important thing is you got it. Personally I think that cabin cancelled.

Just my thought

[yellowbird23]

I was not going to interject myself in this, however he is not the only passenger on this ship. People book many many weeks/months years in advance. It is the responsibility of his travel agent to get him the same room for his cruises. Not MSC. and it really will not be a big deal to have his room steward move his things for one week, then back again.

In my opinion, after being on a cruise ship for one year, playing for the guests (I know it was at his request that he was allowed to do so), as far as I'm concerned they know his name on the ship irregardless and he is a walking advertisement for them. Enough said!

[Fisherlady48]

Pat, you are correct. It his choice that he plays the piano. And again, it is his travel agent's responsibility to communicate his cabin choice to the cruise line. "Enough said"

[nonna5]

Good news! You got your cabin 12022 on the sailing of 3-10-12.

Just like I thought. They would not tell me why or how they got it, but the important thing is you got it. Personally I think that cabin cancelled.

Just my thought

 

 

I am so glad Egon got his cabin.

[yellowbird23]

Pat, you are correct. It his choice that he plays the piano. And again, it is his travel agent's responsibility to communicate his cabin choice to the cruise line. "Enough said"

I think he still likes to let people know he is in control and a little bit of b***ching makes him feel better. As long as he's headed somewhere he doesn't really give one iota. I sure hope I live that long to be able to do what I like, but I don't think that my "resources" are as healthy as his. He is still swimming each day and that in and of itself is amazing. As ornery as he is, he will do alright. I can't believe he is going transatlantic again. He is coming back, I believe, on Queen Mary II:)

Edited January 19, 2012 by yellowbird23

[bjbear]

Just moving us back up so we don't get lost in the shuffle! ;) Weather here has been cold and snowy and I'm wishing I were on a cruise!! :D

 

Sue

[CAC104]

Although we haven't had any posts from Egon, I have loads of daily e mails from him with things of interest. He actually sends me more stuff than anyone else, so he must have lots of folks sending him stuff. It must take him quite a while to read everything.

[yellowbird23]

My computer took a dump over the weekend and just got it back yesterday. Nothing much going on, but I think he'll be headed out through the Caribbean soon. Lost all of my e-mail addresses.

[Red State Sam]

Same thing happened to me not long ago except mine just died. Had to get a new one, but fortunately I had subscribed to Mozy just two weeks before it happened, so I was able to download all my info into the new one without a glitch.

[yellowbird23]

I learned today that Carnival not only owns Costa, but a total of 10 big cruise lines including Princess, Seabourn, Holland America, Cunard and P&O.

Egon

[yellowbird23]

#12: January to February 13, 2012:

Well, I finally took the bull by the horns and sent the following email not only to all my contacts, the travel agent, her contact at MSC and, most importantly, to Rick Sasso, the CEO of the company:

"The following is my blog on

www.cruisecritic.com .

"Dear friends, I believe that this is worth illuminating:

As part of my 2012 itinerary, I booked 5 cruises on my beloved MSC "Poesia" starting in Cozumel (Mexico) on February 13, 2012 and ending in Genoa (Italy) April 4. The bookings were made on October 11, 2011 and I had emailed this to my travel agent:

Further to my last email with my potential itinerary attached, I would like to mention that a requirement is also that there be no cabin change on any of the back-to-back cruises. This means, for instance, that on Poesia from the 13. of February to April 4 I can have the same stateroom. Please note also that I am asking for handicap cabins.

For the first three cruises I am assigned cabin # 12022, for the next # 12025 and the last one again # 12022. It means that I have to move twice. Both cabins are handicaps and are adjacent to each other. The move to # 12025 is on March 10 (i.e. 5 months from when I booked), for a 7-day cruise. I was put on a "waiting list". Ever since then I've spent many frustrating emails to have this situation corrected, bcause I felt that to the person(s) who were booked into 12022 for that week it would make no difference to have # 12025 instead, which actually, being right accross from the lift, could be more desireable. Finally, a few days ago, I suggested that MSC got in touch with the person(s), explain the situation and ask whether they would accept the cabin number change. This is what my travel agent wrote today, January 16:

As far as cabin 12022, they said they would not do that. In my mind and yours, that seems like the solution, but not to MSC. Our only hope is that he cancels

.

I'll be on four other MSC ships during the year and am on several other "waiting lists". Where there's a will, there's a way. So much for being a "VIP Guest" as my MSC badge says.

Egon"

One day later, this came from my travel agent:

Good news! You got your cabin 12022 on the sailing of 3-10-12.

Just like I thought. They would not tell me why or how they got it, but the important thing is you got it. Personally I think that cabin cancelled. Just my thought

...and my reply to that:

Whatever! You really doubt that my letter to everyone, including cruise ciritic.com and the MSC CO had anything to do with it?? "

However a similar situation still exists on another ship later in the year.

24. January: I got an unlikely present today from an unlikely source: Mastercard! To make the story as short as I can: the last statement, over $ 5000, was due to be automatically paid from my bank account on December 25. I had however neglected to provide sufficient funds and so only some $3000 were paid at that time. This being holiday time, I only looked at the account towards the end of the year and immediately provided additional funds to pay the balance of about $ 2000. When I checked my Mastercard account at the beginning of the year, I had been charged with almost $95 interest. Today I phoned them about it (with Skype) because I found this excessive , and, lo and behold, they reversed the interest charge (saying because I was such a good customer...). Thank you, Bank of Montreal/Mastercard!

January 25: This morning when I went to the pool for my swim, a couple emerged from one of the apartments, introduced themselves and started talking with me. In the course of conversation, he said that the time here seems to fly and I said that it seems to go faster the older we get. Whereupon his wife quipped "yeah, because it's downhill".

A cheery thought!

January 26: I wonder: While I usually only initiate a conversation if I see a lady sitting alone close to where I am, more often than not I am spoken to by people, mostly in the restaurants. Sometimes I know that the reason is simply boredom because they have exhausted conversation with whomever they are with. This of course leads nowhere. But nearly all other contacts develop with interesting people and lead to friendships and this is very gratifying. I write this because I just got to know a couple from Winnipeg this morning at breakfast with whom I felt an immediate rapport.

January 30: Well the couple from Winnipeg (he is owner/editor of a newspaper there) have left and today another befriended couple from Minnesota also went - they bought me a jar of Orange Marmalade in town because I complained that all Sabor had for ever was strawberry jam. People are so nice!

Today "Poesia" is in port here in Cozumel and the next time she is here will be when I get aboard again on February 13, two weeks from now. I got an email today from my friend Mandy-Leigh who is the Concierge on the ship and it seems that my "coming home" is eagerly expected. I certainly look forward to it.

PS: About the photographs: someone had the idea of fashioning bandanas out of the napkins in the Roberto's restaurant.

[PartyOfOne]

 

The gang

 

 

 

Jan 18 2012

[yellowbird23]

# 13: February 1-13 2012

February 1, 2012

I had a wonderful surprise today: a small but heavy carton arrived by mail (with a hefty $ 33.50 postage paid on it); it was from ex-Sabor friends from New York. Inside: Four jars of wonderful special jams - someone else remembered my complaint about the only and eternal strawberry jam available here at Sabors. And there was a birthday card with it, saying "the world is a lovelier place just because you're in it." I was deeply moved by this loving remembrance. It never rains but it pours! I now have jams coming out my ears, for I am already working on the big jar of orange marmalade which my friends from Minnesota brought me only days ago when they left.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ONE FOR THE BOOKS!

(Travel Agent in italics)

December 22 2011

All of the above electronic tickets will be issued by 1-28-12. Now, I must send or email you these tickets and you will have to print them OR I can send them to you at that time. I was thinking FED ex?

Can I email them to the hotel and will they print them?

December 23, 2011

As for the boarding tickets available on Jan 28 (according to your email): They should be sent to the MSC Agent here in Cozumel for him to deliver them to me here at the Sabor Resort, Apt. No. 3612. With my status as a «Vip Guest» and Black Card MSC Club Member, this is the way it should be done.

January 16, 2012

Iris and I went over all issues today.

The solution for the Documents is as follows,

The Agent for MSC will deliver the tickets to you. There is one more final payment before you cruise, that is for booking 8000480, it is due 1-27-12. The balance is $3820.74.Iris and I talked and thought it would be better to wait until this final payment is done. That way the agent in Cozumel can deliver all 5 booking's to you.

January 20

Linda, I have another thought and I would like that brought up:

The MSC agent here in Cozumel will get the boarding tickets after the next final payment January 27. He would deliver them to me here at the Sabor Resort. Get them to tell the agent to do the delivery about 11 o'clock on February 13 and then, since he has to go back to town anyway, take me with him and drop me off at the ship. Give the agent my email address and get his name and email address in town for me. I imagine that he will get the ticket directly from the Poesia office when she is in Cozumel January 30. Poesia should have gotten them in Fort Lauderdale from the MSC office before that cruise start. It's not a big deal but requires someone being on the ball, coordination and doing it.

january 23

I spoke with Iris this morning and the answer to your request is denied. The agent for MSC cruises in Cozumel will be very busy that day with the ship in port. They will not give out phone numbers and email addresses for employees.

My reply:

What utter nonsense!

1) Neither the MSC Agent nor I are employees.

2) The agent's name or company, including address and telephone number are published on the daily program of all MSC ships at every port.

3) I want the name of the agent or company in Cozumel.

4) I can then get in touch with him/them and make arrangements.

If the boarding tickets will be given to the Poesia concierge when she is in Fort Lauderdale January 28, the Cozumel Agent will have them when the ship is in port January 30. But someone in the mSC office has to take the responsibility for seeing this done.

Reply:

Egon, They are still going to deliver your tickets, just not 2-13 (the day of sailing). He will be calling you to set up a time to deliver your tickets.

　

January 31, to the Port Agent:

Dear Juan,

MSC tells me that 5 Boarding Tickets have been given you with the request to deliver these to me here at Sabors where I am staying.

Since I will be boarding MSC ¨Poesia¨ when she is next in port on February 13, I wonder whether it would be possible for you to deliver the tickets on that day and then take me back, dropping me off at the ship? This would of course be a great help.Looking forward to hearing from you, with thanks and regards,

His reply:

Good afternoon Mr. Egon Landsberg.

Please be informed we do not received any boarding tickets for you, yesterday arrives the Ships MSC POESIA and the agent in Charge is confirming do not receive any kind of boarding tickets, please confirm with the company who has this tickets or when we are receiveing it.Thank you.

To the travel agent:

The MSC Agent in Cozumel did not receive the boarding tickets. Please check and advise.

February 1, 2012:

I'll check it out with Iris.

February 2, 2012

They were sent out via UPS on Monday. Scheduledx date for delivery is 2-3-12 by the end of day. It is being sent to your hotel.

February 3, 2012

The tickets arrived at 6.pm.

Waste　! Each Embarkation Ticket in duplicate came with several printed sheets of idential Terms and Conditions. I threw out no less than 20 sheets since I have had these conditions in my computer already over a year. Wouldn't it be logical to only send one set of these with the 7 embarkation tickets? The package was sent by "UPS Worldwide Express Expedited", marked "Extremely urgent" and must have cost at least $ 25.

[CAC104]

At least he did get the tickets, so he can get on the ship!

[nonna5]

What a mess. It seems he has so many problems with MSC. You would think they would take care Egon.

[jlb91454]

seems to me that the cruise line doesn't care if he is a VIP Guest. (like he is just another customer) :confused: Not the best customer service in my opinion

[Red State Sam]

He has definitely made sure that I will never use that line and I imagine there are many others that agree with me. Love his optimism though - he actually expected someone to have some common sense (a rare commodity in this world)!