To BLOG or not to BLOG

[Kween Karen]

Add me to the list of HAL friends who are encouraging you to just enjoy your cruise. If HAL were paying you to spend hours each day blogging about your cruise, then maybe. But that's not the case. I compare live blogs to experiencing one's holiday through the lens of a camera. Studies have shown that a camera is a barrier to one's enjoyment and memory of living.

 

Send us a review later. In the meantime, just relax and live in the moment.

 

Linda (formerly of Seattle, who watched you depart on your first Grand Voyage in 2009 from Seattle.)

 

I remember that Bon Voyage and your sign. What a thrill!! Thank you for doing that!

[jbhcw]

Have a wonderful Blog free cruise:):):) Have read all of your reports and loved them...but I know it takes a lot of time....this time you can just enjoy it all:):)

[1of4]

Enjoy the last Grand Asia-Australia! I wish I was on it and it would have been my choice for my first Grand voyage so I am hoping HAL brings it back. I still have a few years to work so I will wait and see.

 

Soak it all up! I hear it is amazing.

[PetNanny]

Will miss your blog but hope you post a review on your return. Enjoy your cruise.

[Randyk47]

Add me to the list of HAL friends who are encouraging you to just enjoy your cruise. If HAL were paying you to spend hours each day blogging about your cruise, then maybe. But that's not the case. I compare live blogs to experiencing one's holiday through the lens of a camera. Studies have shown that a camera is a barrier to one's enjoyment and memory of living.

 

Send us a review later. In the meantime, just relax and live in the moment.

 

Linda (formerly of Seattle, who watched you depart on your first Grand Voyage in 2009 from Seattle.)

 

Interesting you should mention a camera being a barrier to enjoying a vacation. On our first Med cruise two years ago we took thousands, and I mean by actual count, of pictures. I remember thinking when we returned my memories were sometimes in the context of what and how many photographs I took at this site or that city. This last trip my camera started to malfunction occasionally so I spent less time taking pictures and more time just experiencing. Of course now we're home and Mrs. K is updating our web page she's noticing we don't have as many pictures to pick from and have gaps. You just can't win. :rolleyes::)

Edited August 21, 2014 by Randyk47

[whogo]

Have a great cruise! I completely understand and support your decision not to blog.

 

Have you considered a much reduced "live from" thread without photos? I assume you will want to keep some kind of journal of your travels and keep your family informed, too, so...

[Been There, Planning That]

Your blogs provide such excellent PR for HAL they should consider offering either an upgrade to the penthouse, pay as a PR officer or at least free passage. Yes, you do independent tours for the most part but you manage such an upbeat view of cruising and HAL in particular.

 

Ruth, another fan

[kazu]

Your blogs have been a joy Karen, and, although I will miss them I think you are certainly deserving of enjoying the cruise, focusing on it and having a great time and not worry about the blog.

 

Do hope you will come back and share with us though. Your experiences are always interesting.

 

Have a fabulous cruise!

[ANSalberg]

Yes we met on this fall Grand Cruise....but it didn't do Asia that year...it did New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific so this is my first time to Japan and China. Maybe you did the South America Grand also.....can't remember for sure.

 

Karen- I'm flattered you remember!!! And it helps! You will thoroughly enjoy Asia -We've returned many times because of it's lessons! Last Fall it was themed for WWll -a theme I've read about extensively for over 50 years beginning with Anne Frank's Diary - The people AND history there are amazing. I would go back there in a heart beat however we've been retired for 15 years -and [ do the arithmatic] its getting harder and harder to DO the walking and getting around we LOVE to do, sadly.

Karen -ENJOY this cruise -I'm envious of YOU and YOUR ability; please NEVER change ;) Lovingly Anne

[ANSalberg]

Karen - While I'm thinking about it -You might just keep a [ more or less] daily diary of what you are seeing and doing -In a kid's notebook! You can do that MORE easily on your own time than the blogging -THEN you can decide when you get home what you can do with your memories!

The reason I suggest that is because I DO do that -and that makes the rounds of the kids/Grands -very happily SHARING our travels. I mean unedited FEELINGS about your travels and the people you meet -OR your EMOTIONS about the places and people. I do that and it helped me put a distance between sadness or complete joy that is NOT mine [ if you know what I mean] because it's "private" - it's privately mine and a space between doing -writing -AND then re-reading sometimes MAKES me think as much as .....reading a novel. XXXXX Anne

[NMLady]

Karen - While I'm thinking about it -You might just keep a [ more or less] daily diary of what you are seeing and doing -In a kid's notebook! You can do that MORE easily on your own time than the blogging -THEN you can decide when you get home what you can do with your memories!

The reason I suggest that is because I DO do that -and that makes the rounds of the kids/Grands -very happily SHARING our travels. I mean unedited FEELINGS about your travels and the people you meet -OR your EMOTIONS about the places and people. I do that and it helped me put a distance between sadness or complete joy that is NOT mine [ if you know what I mean] because it's "private" - it's privately mine and a space between doing -writing -AND then re-reading sometimes MAKES me think as much as .....reading a novel. XXXXX Anne

 

That is such a good idea! That is what I've done for each of our cruises. Each day, or night I spend time writing in a spiral notebook. Then, sometime after the cruise I am able to share some of the details and highlights of the cruise with others while some of the writing remains private.

[hal lover]

Hope you have another wonderful cruise! I too, will miss your blog!

[SilverDollarDoll]

I remember that Bon Voyage and your sign. What a thrill!! Thank you for doing that!

 

Karen,

I don't know how to ask a question of you so this became the best option. I notice you just posted yesterday so you are "at home".

I absolutely love and appreciate all the time you put into journaling and then sharing with us. I've been away from CC for awhile so I'm hoping I'm doing this ok.

 

Here is my question. Do you by any chance have a record somewhere in your travel files of who you used for tours taken in 2004 to Alaska with your friend Jeri. I'm not sure if you booked anything private or if you did all your tours through Holland. So, hoping not to be breaking any rules I wonder if you could add that information somewhere. Please advise. Here is my email...don't put any spaces through the address...doing that so I don't get bombed with spam. Thank you so much for reading this.

Silver Dollar Doll. Email - Lexy Lawrence @ gmail (dot) com

[SilverDollarDoll]

I remember that Bon Voyage and your sign. What a thrill!! Thank you for doing that!

 

Oh Karen,

I told you it's been awhile since I used this. Earlier message left my wrong email. Please change it to - (no spaces again) - yxelyxel @ gmail (dot) com

Senior moment is what I'll blame it on. Thanks.

[2engineers]

Karen - so sad we will not be able to read about your many adventures on the Grand Asia - but fully understand the time commitment involved.

 

Hope you have a fantastic cruise--hope you have a great birthday celebration (even though you are older than Aldona) lol.

 

Guess we will have to hear about the cruise when we meet on another cruise!

 

Bon Voyage!

 

Barb and Barry

[madera1]

I too have enjoyed reading your detailed reports but agree that it is so time consuming that it interferes with just relaxation and just enjoying the trip. Enjoy your vacation.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Kween Karen]

Karen,

I don't know how to ask a question of you so this became the best option. I notice you just posted yesterday so you are "at home".

I absolutely love and appreciate all the time you put into journaling and then sharing with us. I've been away from CC for awhile so I'm hoping I'm doing this ok.

 

Here is my question. Do you by any chance have a record somewhere in your travel files of who you used for tours taken in 2004 to Alaska with your friend Jeri. I'm not sure if you booked anything private or if you did all your tours through Holland. So, hoping not to be breaking any rules I wonder if you could add that information somewhere. Please advise. Here is my email...don't put any spaces through the address...doing that so I don't get bombed with spam. Thank you so much for reading this.

Silver Dollar Doll. Email - Lexy Lawrence @ gmail (dot) com

 

At that time I booked all tours through HAL.

[Kween Karen]

Karen - so sad we will not be able to read about your many adventures on the Grand Asia - but fully understand the time commitment involved.

 

Hope you have a fantastic cruise--hope you have a great birthday celebration (even though you are older than Aldona) lol.

 

 

 

Guess we will have to hear about the cruise when we meet on another cruise!

 

Bon Voyage!

 

Barb and Barry

 

Thanks.........I SURE wish you were going on this trip. Loved spending time with you.

[erewhon]

I have always enjoyed your blogs, and have learned lots from you,.......sometimes it's beneficial to have time to yourself and forget about the internet.:D

 

Wishing you a fabulous cruise.

[jammen]

Looks like you have your things together, have a good time. Don't forget to get some rest.

[Infi]

Karen, count me in as another who has so enjoyed your blogs, especially the World Cruise last year. Loved all of the photos and how your entries were always so well done and thoughtful, but I understand how much time it takes. You've inspired us to put the grand voyages on our list, just waiting for DD to be done with school so we can start cruising! Enjoy the Grand Asia, and thank you for taking the time to share your adventures with us in the past.

[Kween Karen]

Thanks everyone for your kind words about my previous blogs.....and your support of my "time off" for this next cruise.

[BettyPC]

I just went to the "Blog" section of CC to see if you had anything recent that I hadn't read - didn't see anything - so I searched your name and found this thread!

 

I hope you had a great cruise and I hope to read about your adventures in the future!

[sammygoose]

Karen, I wish I knew you and I feel like I do but realistically I don't. So anything you give me is a gift and anything you don't I never had anyways.

 

I've loved your posts but your time is yours.....total respect.:)

[Overtime4me2]

I've always enjoyed your blogs and I've been so busy working this past year that I totally forgot to look for your Asia cruise til now, and see that you decided not to blog. I TOTALLY don't blame you for not blogging it this time. I've blogged on a couple of Alaska cruises and understand the time that it takes....A LOT!!

 

I hope you had a wonderful cruise!! :)