Azamara Cruisers - How are things where YOU are

[Mackdogmolly]

1 hour ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Golly, hope he doesn’t have any ill effects in the future! Give him our regards 😃.

I will! And best to Nick!

[Host Jazzbeau]

We were recently in the Azores (on Ponant) & Madeira (DIY):

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2943371-review-of-ponant-le-bellot-essential-azores-april-11-18-2023/

 

Ponant is ok, but it's not Azamara.  [Although this itinerary is the kind that Azamara would do, if they did the Azores as a destination cruise...]

[Host Jazzbeau]

So yesterday I procrastinated by working on some River Cruising Sticky updates.  Today I spent time in the garden, then rewarded myself with some Walker's shortbread Scotties and a G&T.  I felt very British!  [Note to self: schedule another trip to England and Scotland...]

[nordski]

11 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

So yesterday I procrastinated by working on some River Cruising Sticky updates.  Today I spent time in the garden, then rewarded myself with some Walker's shortbread Scotties and a G&T.  I felt very British!  [Note to self: schedule another trip to England and Scotland...]

I have just read a newspaper article that a nearby touristy town just held a “Craft Gin Festival” honouring World Gin Day. 
 

I must admit that despite the kind and helpful suggestions of posters such as Uktog, I tried a G&T on our British Intensive Cruise and, well, I was underwhelmed. I have decided that I would only partake again if sitting on the porch of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. So missing the festival was not a loss,

 

But the deeper purpose of the article was to announce that one of the popular displays at the festival was for a company producing alcohol-free gin. ( I know, you just can’t trust the colonials to respect any tradition. ) It also described how Generation Z in general are trending away from alcohol drinks. 

 

If that generational trend continues, then what will be the impact on cruise line revenues?
 

 

 

 

[Tom47]

32 minutes ago, nordski said:

I have just read a newspaper article that a nearby touristy town just held a “Craft Gin Festival” honouring World Gin Day. 
 

I must admit that despite the kind and helpful suggestions of posters such as Uktog, I tried a G&T on our British Intensive Cruise and, well, I was underwhelmed. I have decided that I would only partake again if sitting on the porch of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. So missing the festival was not a loss,

 

But the deeper purpose of the article was to announce that one of the popular displays at the festival was for a company producing alcohol-free gin. ( I know, you just can’t trust the colonials to respect any tradition. ) It also described how Generation Z in general are trending away from alcohol drinks. 

 

If that generational trend continues, then what will be the impact on cruise line revenues?
 

 

 

 

I stick with wine on cruises.  My then 21  year old granddaughter wanted me to buy her the full drink package on 52nd RCI anniversary cruise last year. I bought everyone a drink package, under 21 non alcohol.

On another note, we are getting smoke from Canada wildfires.

Edited July 1, 2023 by Tom47

[nordski]

1 hour ago, Tom47 said:

I stick with wine on cruises.  My then 21  year old granddaughter wanted me to buy her the full drink package on 52nd RCI anniversary cruise last year. I bought everyone a drink package, under 21 non alcohol.

On another note, we are getting smoke from Canada wildfires.

 

The article mentioned that Gen Z was seen as a growing market for nonalcoholic cocktails etc. I am certain cruise lines will monitor this change in tastes. 
 

As you can imagine we are also “enjoying” our Canada Day with a noticeable haze. When one gets up in the morning it is time to check the weather and then the Air Quality Index.

 

This is becoming a little too dystopian for me.

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, nordski said:

I must admit that despite the kind and helpful suggestions of posters such as Uktog, I tried a G&T on our British Intensive Cruise and, well, I was underwhelmed. I have decided that I would only partake again if sitting on the porch of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.

I am very grateful to the posters here who steered me to Silent Pool and Hendricks (and especially Fevertree!) – but that has also made me unable to accept a G&T from most bars.  If they don't have Fevertree [and especially if the tonic comes from a hose], it is unlikely they will be able to make a G&T to my taste even if I pay for the best gin.  I especially don't like their unmeasured mixing style: too much gin and too little tonic because all that ice is going to water it down soon enough – so it's a chameleon of a drink, constantly changing as you drink it.  I keep my gin and tonic both in the fridge and don't use any ice in my G&T; it tastes the same from start to finish!

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, nordski said:

But the deeper purpose of the article was to announce that one of the popular displays at the festival was for a company producing alcohol-free gin. ( I know, you just can’t trust the colonials to respect any tradition. ) It also described how Generation Z in general are trending away from alcohol drinks. 

 

If that generational trend continues, then what will be the impact on cruise line revenues?

The saving grace for cruise ships will be that that same generational trend is toward craft cocktails, even if non-alcoholic.  So the ships will be able to charge the same high prices, and profits will be even higher since they will save the expense of the spirits!

[Mackdogmolly]

2 hours ago, nordski said:

As you can imagine we are also “enjoying” our Canada Day with a noticeable haze. When one gets up in the morning it is time to check the weather and then the Air Quality Index.

 

This is becoming a little too dystopian for me.

@nordski, Happy Canada Day to you and all of the other Canadian CCers!

It has been very hazy here in Burlington, too, so not healthy to spend too much time outside. Fortunately, still have those N95 masks!

[Tom47]

2 hours ago, nordski said:

 

The article mentioned that Gen Z was seen as a growing market for nonalcoholic cocktails etc. I am certain cruise lines will monitor this change in tastes. 
 

As you can imagine we are also “enjoying” our Canada Day with a noticeable haze. When one gets up in the morning it is time to check the weather and then the Air Quality Index.

 

This is becoming a little too dystopian for me.

Happy Canada day also.

[nordski]

1 hour ago, Tom47 said:

Happy Canada day also.

Thanks!!
 

They are opening the Dome for the Jays game so air quality may have improved.

Edited July 1, 2023 by nordski

[nordski]

2 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

@nordski, Happy Canada Day to you and all of the other Canadian CCers!

It has been very hazy here in Burlington, too, so not healthy to spend too much time outside. Fortunately, still have those N95 masks!

Thanks. Our eldest is supposed to go family camping north of Montreal next week. Interesting that the air has been better there so far.

 

I will tell her that, as attractive as it is, the area around Burlington is not an option at this point if conditions worsen at her destination.

[Whitby100]

We’re visiting our eldest in Ottawa 🇨🇦 And are currently under a tornado watch as a thunderstorm rages.  Lots of haze for last few days, but no smoke smell.  Celebrations are on hold downtown as storm hopefully passes.  

[nordski]

1 hour ago, Whitby100 said:

We’re visiting our eldest in Ottawa 🇨🇦 And are currently under a tornado watch as a thunderstorm rages.  Lots of haze for last few days, but no smoke smell.  Celebrations are on hold downtown as storm hopefully passes.  

That’s a lot of potential excitement. I hope you do get to enjoy some celebrations.

 

Our eldest lives in Brooklin. She keeps trying to talk us into moving there.

[Whitby100]

Brooklin is lovely! But my brief visits to Orangeville also indicate it’s lovely too.
Thunderstorm over, no tornado 👍celebrations have resumed and hopefully we will be able to see fireworks from the rooftop terrace later 🤞until then a few glasses of wine and dinner.  Happy Canada Day !

[nordski]

I do hope that Mackdogmolly and other posters that live in Vermont are avoiding the worst elements of the deluge that seems to be centred on that state.

[Mackdogmolly]

1 hour ago, nordski said:

I do hope that Mackdogmolly and other posters that live in Vermont are avoiding the worst elements of the deluge that seems to be centred on that state.

https://www.wcax.com/2023/07/11/parts-interstate-89-closed-emergency-shelters-open-across-vermont/
 

Thank you, @nordski. It is the worst flooding in the state’s history. My hometown of Montpelier is under water, as are many other towns. And many, many roads washed out, where rivers have jumped their banks. My son-in-law’s organic farm was flooded in such a way, which will render any crops they couldn’t harvest in advance unsalable. We here in Burlington are safe and dry, with power, and feel very fortunate. 

[nordski]

1 hour ago, Mackdogmolly said:

https://www.wcax.com/2023/07/11/parts-interstate-89-closed-emergency-shelters-open-across-vermont/
 

Thank you, @nordski. It is the worst flooding in the state’s history. My hometown of Montpelier is under water, as are many other towns. And many, many roads washed out, where rivers have jumped their banks. My son-in-law’s organic farm was flooded in such a way, which will render any crops they couldn’t harvest in advance unsalable. We here in Burlington are safe and dry, with power, and feel very fortunate. 

Thanks for the update. I had read that much of the worst of the flooding was around Montpelier but Burlington was also mentioned.

 

I hope that the federal and state governments will quickly come to the aid of those, like your son-in-law, who have suffered such serious damages.

 

As such a unique event, this must be quite traumatic.

[Mackdogmolly]

Just now, nordski said:

Thanks for the update. I had read that much of the worst of the flooding was around Montpelier but Burlington was also mentioned.

 

I hope that the federal and state governments will quickly come to the aid of those, like your son-in-law, who have suffered such serious damages.

 

As such a unique event, this must be quite traumatic.

We had a similar catastrophe in 2011 with Topical Storm Irene, so this is so discouraging 

[Mackdogmolly]

2 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

We had a similar catastrophe in 2011 with Topical Storm Irene, so this is so discouraging 

At the time, it was said it was a once in a 100 year event 

[nordski]

3 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

At the time, it was said it was a once in a 100 year event 

These “once in a hundred year events” are becoming rather too common for my liking.

 

One thing I will never miss about living on a farm is the dependence on the weather, and we never faced what you have encountered.

[Grandma Cruising]

9 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

https://www.wcax.com/2023/07/11/parts-interstate-89-closed-emergency-shelters-open-across-vermont/
 

Thank you, @nordski. It is the worst flooding in the state’s history. My hometown of Montpelier is under water, as are many other towns. And many, many roads washed out, where rivers have jumped their banks. My son-in-law’s organic farm was flooded in such a way, which will render any crops they couldn’t harvest in advance unsalable. We here in Burlington are safe and dry, with power, and feel very fortunate. 

So glad to hear you’re OK Betsey, but sorry to hear about your son-in-laws farm.

[Tom47]

On 7/11/2023 at 7:14 PM, Mackdogmolly said:

At the time, it was said it was a once in a 100 year event 

Also glad that you are ok.  DW and I have visited Vermont many times.  DW is a covered bridge fan.  We have visited all 104 cbs.

.

Edited July 12, 2023 by Tom47
typo

[Mackdogmolly]

That’s our State capitol building in Montpelier, with the statue of Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, on top. In front, is State “Street.”

[the mice]

Betsey, glad you are OK and spared the flooding where you are.  Sorry to hear about your son-in-law's farm.   

Are you going to get more rain this weekend?  That's what's forecasted here in NY.  

We are fortunate that we are on high ground above the Hudson River and other than some plantings, mostly ferns, battered by the torrential rains, we didn't have any issues.

However, north of us, lots of areas were not so fortunate.  West Point is across the river and about 20 miles north.  Cars were up to the roofs in water, and some roads totally washed away, caved in, etc.  A real mess for sure.  The county north of us had major flooding, too.