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Encore - Live 11/2


TheDougOut
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I like others don't post much, but, do thank you both for the time you've given to these live reviews. 

 

I bounce from board to board and thoroughly enjoy many different reviewers on different lines.  It's also due to CC that I finally got the nerve to vacation solo, when others weren't able to travel with me.

 

If this was your final live, again, thanks to you both and hope even if not live, look forward to further contributions to the boards.  Please know, that in addition to entertaining us, you  also provide valuable and useful information. 

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I just want to thank you. I can only imagine the time that it takes to do a live review.  It takes me weeks just to do a photo review on here! I always appreciate your posts and look forward to at least hearing about your next adventure. And I wish I could swing a cruise to hang out with you and Sue. You seem like our kind of people.

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One more post of gratitude, I haven't followed all of your live reviews, but your first review of the Escape was absolutely inspirational.   I sailed on her after you and constantly thought about how I was walking in your footsteps.  My whole family (none of whom  have ever been on cruise critic) refer to Doug Time.

 

I appreciate the time it takes to do these reviews, and thank you for it.  I also appreciate the effort you put into all of the on board activities.

 

Maybe some time our paths will cross:  on future sailing on some ship, you'll be sailing "incognito"  but I will recognize you and I will tip my beer in your direction when I see you at the bar.   Or, alternately, I'll see some guy I think is you incognito and I'll tip my beer at him.   In any event, a beer will be tipped in your honor.  Maybe many beers.

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19 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

I really enjoyed your LIVEs, tho. 😎


I did too.  I will say that sailing with Yorkvillain in the flesh is a lot more fun than reading about it.
 

One day in the future York and I need to cruise with you Doug.  You can let Sue know that Lisa loves Gummies, they’ll get along perfectly.

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59 minutes ago, Yorkvillain said:

I didn’t do a live thread on my last 5 cruises and I have to say that I actually enjoyed the cruises even more. 

 

Imagine that.  

And some of us miss your “Lives”. Damn Dr. Ho!

 

Your’s and Doug’s were the first two lives I read and I was up all hours following you around the ship.

 

I’m a little selfish in saying I wish you both would continue BUT I would much rather you both enjoy the precious vacation times with both of your significant others and see your cruise experiences in a far more valuable sight.

 

Thanks to both of you!

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9 hours ago, TheDougOut said:

My “one last time”...

 

Orchestrating the Bliss & Encore transatlantic groups has been exhausting. I’ve been at this for nearly 3 years now, and I can’t even begin to estimate how much time was involved.  I’m really looking forward to taking a long (forever?) break from all of this.

 

My first “live” thread was intentional, and it served a purpose.  

 

The prior summer my parents wanted to go on a big family cruise in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary.  We narrowed our ship possibilities down to the Celebrity Summit & the Norwegian Breakaway, eventually deciding on the Breakaway.  

 

For the months leading up to our cruise, we all second-guessed our decision based on all the negative posts & reviews found on CruiseCritic & elsewhere.  Impossible to get a drink at the bar, an hour-wait for a trip down a water slide, rude staff, etc. - we read it all.  

 

We then boarded a fully-booked ship and were blown away by every aspect of the experience.  It was absolutely perfect, and all week we just kept shaking our heads, trying to figure out how someone could experience anything other than a great time on that ship.

 

Fast forward to the Escape launch later that year - and all the same negativity began to surface.  The ship’s rating on CruiseCritic hung well-below 50% for months, with all the same arguments & critiques being made.  

 

The endless discussions debating the ship went in circles, with comments shifting between those that had nothing good to say and those, much like myself, that were dismissed as “cheerleaders”.  It irked me to no end.

 

Then it was our turn to have a go at it, and I knew I had an opportunity to dismiss the baseless negativity once and for all.  So I went “live”, with the intent to be big, loud, fun, and honest.  I wanted to demonstrate what it was REALLY like to go on this class of ship, so all the people planning their first cruise could comfortably dismiss the negativity and allow the fun & anticipation to take over.  And it worked - much better than I ever imagined.

 

That first thread nearly killed me.  I was well-beyond exhausted as I obsessed over the dialogue that was developing with those reading along.  Sue HATED that I was doing it, as I’m OCD and allowed it to completely take over our trip.  This became an escalating argument, to the point where I wasn’t allowed to have my phone visible, forcing me to sneak around in order to post.

 

Her frustration continued right up through the morning that we disembarked.  That morning we needed to figure out how to spend the day in Miami before flying out that night, and my brain was useless.  As we stood in the median outside the port, I knew she was completely pissed off, scowling at me as I could do little more than lean up against our luggage.

 

The next part continues to make me laugh, as right in the middle of all this tension, a young couple run up to meet me.  And then seconds later, a taxi screeches to a halt as JimTheLizard jumps out to shake my hand.  It wasn’t until that moment that Sue realized just how big it had become, and I spent the rest of the day either smiling or snoring away in some public place.

 

I’d like to think I played some small role in the subsequent shift of the public’s view of the Escape, at least on CruiseCritic.  Ratings began to rise, as many more people began to celebrate the ship than ever before.  Many subsequent reviewers went “live”, keeping the momentum alive.  

 

The thread served its purpose.  

I couldn't agree. Started my live reviews because I happened to stumble upon your review on here one day and then my movement began. I honestly love doing my live reviews, but they are overwhelming at times, people want every little bit of information. And on top of that I post to multiple sites so everyone can follow. I still enjoy my vacations, but really love interacting with everyone through my reviews. Thanks again for everything you've done! Always enjoyed reading your posts!

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10 hours ago, TheDougOut said:

The next part continues to make me laugh, as right in the middle of all this tension, a young couple run up to meet me.  And then seconds later, a taxi screeches to a halt as JimTheLizard jumps out to shake my hand.  It wasn’t until that moment that Sue realized just how big it had become, and I spent the rest of the day either smiling or snoring away in some public place.

 

For those of us who were on that next sailing of the Escape, your live review was the topic of conversation up in Vibe, and yes, JimtheLizard was in Vibe too .  It was a great group on a great ship andafter having to cancel two cruises on her,  I'm counting the days [85] until sailing her again. 

 

Before sailing, in between your trips to the airport, you answered my question about the Hyatt East as it had just opened and I was concerned about the location.  I don't drink beer but  we toasted  you with an IPA at the Hyatt    (We ended up with a room that they forgot to install the bathroom door -  good practice for the Epic last year!) 

 

Based solely on number of views, you're reviews are huge but you and Sue deserve to vacation on vacation.   So enjoy but know we'll miss you

angela

 

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10 hours ago, 17cruisesnsl said:

 

For those of us who were on that next sailing of the Escape, your live review was the topic of conversation up in Vibe, and yes, JimtheLizard was in Vibe too .  It was a great group on a great ship andafter having to cancel two cruises on her,  I'm counting the days [85] until sailing her again. 

 

Before sailing, in between your trips to the airport, you answered my question about the Hyatt East as it had just opened and I was concerned about the location.  I don't drink beer but  we toasted  you with an IPA at the Hyatt    (We ended up with a room that they forgot to install the bathroom door -  good practice for the Epic last year!) 

 

Based solely on number of views, you're reviews are huge but you and Sue deserve to vacation on vacation.   So enjoy but know we'll miss you

angela

 

_storage_emulated_0_DCIM_Camera_20160205_133959.JPG

Hi Angela!.  Hope you are well!. That was a fun Vibe group!. 

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Doug (and therefore Sue), I've had to take a hiatus in cruising for a few years due to  life's challenges (my last was about ten years ago). However, I had learned then about CC, and so came back here to learn about the Encore, since my wife and I will be joining 100 other friends and colleagues on the Jan 19th sailing. You've certainly made this a much easier vacation (my wife has never cruised before, and has some trepidation), and over my past 8 cruises since 1996, I would have enjoyed the time with you and all of the other "regulars" I've spied here. Since I've been on NCL before, I'm happy to return, and am choosing to stay with the line to build up those Latitude points.

Thank You for your OCD, and thank Sue for understanding that this is a part of you, that part that enjoys "giving  back" to all of us who like to cruise. I hope to meet you someday, and raise a stout together.

Ralph

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22 hours ago, TheDougOut said:

 

Those that didn’t participate.

 

Dumbest idea ever.  

 

It was the most fun ever. I'm sitting in my office, looking at snow out my window and at the piles of work on my desk, considering recreating it all alone at 4pm today. 

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20 minutes ago, wallaceralphl said:

Doug (and therefore Sue), I've had to take a hiatus in cruising for a few years due to  life's challenges (my last was about ten years ago). However, I had learned then about CC, and so came back here to learn about the Encore, since my wife and I will be joining 100 other friends and colleagues on the Jan 19th sailing. You've certainly made this a much easier vacation (my wife has never cruised before, and has some trepidation), and over my past 8 cruises since 1996, I would have enjoyed the time with you and all of the other "regulars" I've spied here. Since I've been on NCL before, I'm happy to return, and am choosing to stay with the line to build up those Latitude points.

Thank You for your OCD, and thank Sue for understanding that this is a part of you, that part that enjoys "giving  back" to all of us who like to cruise. I hope to meet you someday, and raise a stout together.

Ralph


Ralph,

 

See you guys on the 19th!!!

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