Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[Tree_skier]

27 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Well he finally told me more just now. The lady up in Jacksonville woukdnt let them start until noon. So they coukdnt start her job until this afternoon, it's not because the job was extra extra big. I got bad news for him with this slow elevator I spent 2 hours going up and down and didnt quite empty my car, the elevator up to the 8th floor is that slow. And he wouldnt be the only one using it, residents too. Only the 1 elevator. 

 

He said ok about 8 am he will come. I said I wouldnt mind if he came earlier. I think a better chance he can park that huge truck and someone else isnt there unloading. I'm monitoring the chances of rain here by the hour, today would have been better. The light tonight is wierd on the bldgs across the water. It's as if they are lit up ultra white tonight. 

 

One more day .... fingers crossed.

 

 

 

I've been following your saga Jane...  I'm so sorry you are going through what you are going through.

 

I spent the better part of my life in the transportation business before doing what I'm doing now full-time. I was not in retail household moving like you're doing but transportation none the less.  We didn't do your kind of work but you'd hear stories along the way.  It's a completely different kind business.

 

The retail household moving side of the transportation business is filled with crooks.  Be thankful your movers are actually coming in the morning and not the afternoon or evening.  Had they come in the evening, while the driver would probably have been sober none of the swampers would be.  I remember one story I heard where the it took over a month to get from central Indiana to NW Washington State.  Even then the movers held her stuff up until she paid some ridiculous extra fee.

 

I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow.  I'll cross a few fingers and toes for you tonight and hope I wake up to the story of your successful move. 🙂 

 

 

 

 

[Arzeena]

GOOD LUCK JANE!

I was just checking in to see if your movers arrived or gave you an update. Looks like tomorrow is the day! Have a good night's sleep. And good luck for tomorrow.

[HBE4]

5 hours ago, helen haywood said:

Minnie is a large cat.  Does this count as a weight bearing exercise?

 

Only if you play see-saw with Minnie on your right leg😁😉😇

[NHProud]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

I have not seen this. I will watch it tonight. I love Kevin’s website https://ultimatemaitai.com

 

Its amazing how many different recipes there are for a Mai Tai but one things for certain some of them are really bad while others are incredible. I have made a lot of different recipes but I keep coming back to the Ultimate Mai Tai recipe. We are planning on visiting the Royal Hawaiian in Laguna Beach before our October Navigator cruise. They apparently have a Mai Tai (I think $75) that is made with the new $500 bottle Appleton Estate 17 year. It is used in  same recipe as the original Wray and Nephew 17 year that Victor Burgeon of Trader Vic’s used when he came up with the original Mai Tai. Here is an interesting video of my friend “Spike” Matt Marble going to the Royal Hawaiian and doing a taste comparison of the two Mai Tai’s.

 

 

You might as well stay at the Blue Lantern Inn in Dana Point which is 7 miles from Laguna Beach . My friend sent out this photo this morning taken from a tower room . 
 

The photo showed her name unfortunately so I deleted. There are nice hotels in that area .  

Edited June 12 by NHProud

[NHProud]

Greg , I hope this works . 

[Sea Dog]

13 minutes ago, NHProud said:

You might as well stay at the Blue Lantern Inn in Dana Point which is 7 miles from Laguna Beach . My friend sent out this photo this morning taken from a tower room . 
 

The photo showed her name unfortunately so I deleted. There are nice hotels in that area .  

Linda suggested that we could cancel our San Pedro Doubletree red and pick a hotel like this near Laguna Beach. The only thing Judy I worry about is getting to the port on Embarkation day. I like being close to port and getting there early. You never know about LA traffic. What do you think?

[NHProud]

4 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Linda suggested that we could cancel our San Pedro Doubletree red and pick a hotel like this near Laguna Beach. The only thing Judy I worry about is getting to the port on Embarkation day. I like being close to port and getting there early. You never know about LA traffic. What do you think?

I can’t predict what the traffic is going to be like and you have to time your commute according to the when people are going to work . If it is going to worry you then maybe move closer to the port the night before your cruise. It is a beautiful area . 

[Tree_skier]

26 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Linda suggested that we could cancel our San Pedro Doubletree red and pick a hotel like this near Laguna Beach. The only thing Judy I worry about is getting to the port on Embarkation day. I like being close to port and getting there early. You never know about LA traffic. What do you think?

I'd pick the hotel you want without worrying to much about traffic hold ups.  LA traffic can be a deal but if you give yourself 30 minutes extra for transit time you'll be fine at Dana Point.  It's way nicer than San Pedro.  

[cruiselvr04]

We went from Azusa to San Pedro last month on a Monday. It’s about the same distance you’re considering.  We left Azusa about 9:30 and got to the pier within an hour. We had an 11 check in time. However LA traffic is unpredictable.  As long as you build in extra time you should be fine. I think we got lucky. 

[Sea Dog]

39 minutes ago, NHProud said:

I can’t predict what the traffic is going to be like and you have to time your commute according to the when people are going to work . If it is going to worry you then maybe move closer to the port the night before your cruise. It is a beautiful area . 

 

4 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

We went from Azusa to San Pedro last month on a Monday. It’s about the same distance you’re considering.  We left Azusa about 9:30 and got to the pier within an hour. We had an 11 check in time. However LA traffic is unpredictable.  As long as you build in extra time you should be fine. I think we got lucky. 

 

19 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I'd pick the hotel you want without worrying to much about traffic hold ups.  LA traffic can be a deal but if you give yourself 30 minutes extra for transit time you'll be fine at Dana Point.  It's way nicer than San Pedro.  

 

Since this is our first cruise out of LA and San Pedro I think we will play it safe and still stay with our reservation with the Doubletree. We will go ahead and spend the approximately $75 each way to visit the great tiki bar The Royal Hawaiian the day before our cruise. Guess we can consider it a similar cost of a Royal excursion and still cheaper than probably renting a car. Plus the last thing I want to do is drive in a city I am unfamiliar with after drinking some tiki cocktails. Way cheaper than a DUI.

[Tree_skier]

6 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

We went from Azusa to San Pedro last month on a Monday. It’s about the same distance you’re considering.  We left Azusa about 9:30 and got to the pier within an hour. We had an 11 check in time. However LA traffic is unpredictable.  As long as you build in extra time you should be fine. I think we got lucky. 

An hour from Azusa seems pretty good.  You'd have been going right into the teeth of the traffic on 605.

[firefly333]

10 hours ago, Arzeena said:

GOOD LUCK JANE!

I was just checking in to see if your movers arrived or gave you an update. Looks like tomorrow is the day! Have a good night's sleep. And good luck for tomorrow.

I called him usually you could park along either side of the elevator with a area big enough for 3 big cars, but the elevator guys have a truck and wagon in the area on one side. I said if hes soon he can park right now. 

 

He answered his phone this time. He said jane I told you 8 to 10. I said you said about 8, this is the first time I heard 10. No wonder they started past noon on the job yesterday. I bet it wasnt all the ladys fault theyndidnt start until past noon. 

 

Hes alone and having to wait on workers to show up. I agree, no way alone hes going to be able to  ove those triple dressers. More rain is coming. I told him I would get here as soon as he can. He cant do it alone, has to wait for other workers to unload. I'm still next on the schedule. Hes got the truck with my stuff. Driving alone. Interesting when I call his phone  number on my cell phone reads Washington state. Hes a long way from home. So now it could be another couple of hours, but for sure I'm next.

[bobmacliberty]

9 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

 

 

 

Since this is our first cruise out of LA and San Pedro I think we will play it safe and still stay with our reservation with the Doubletree. We will go ahead and spend the approximately $75 each way to visit the great tiki bar The Royal Hawaiian the day before our cruise. Guess we can consider it a similar cost of a Royal excursion and still cheaper than probably renting a car. Plus the last thing I want to do is drive in a city I am unfamiliar with after drinking some tiki cocktails. Way cheaper than a DUI.

 

I used to have a business trip each year to Irvine, CA.  We'd stay at the Inn at Laguna Beach (now the Casa Loma Beach Hotel).  It's been many years and with the name change I can't say what the hotel quality is like now, but the location is unbeatable...sitting on a small cliff overlooking the ocean and walking distance to everything in Laguna Beach.  Google Maps says it's a 0.1 mile/3 minute walk to the Royal Hawaiian.  Uber from the airport and to the cruise port.  Just sayin...😉😁

[DaniDanielle]

Good luck Jane!

[George C]

Edited June 12 by George C

[George C]

3 minutes ago, George C said:

Went shopping at total wine today 

[HBE4]

27 minutes ago, George C said:

 

 

Now that's starting the weekend early!😄

 

I've heard that Thursdays are fast becoming Friday Eve (at least in this house!) so what does that make Wednesday?  The Eve of Friday Eve? 😆

[HBE4]

And speaking of starting the weekend early, Lenoard is already letting it all hang out. 😯

 

[Tree_skier]

I'm hoping Jane's @firefly333 silence today means everything is going according to plan... 

[Arzeena]

5 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I'm hoping Jane's @firefly333 silence today means everything is going according to plan... 

Just what I was thinking too!

[Luckynana]

14 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I'm hoping Jane's @firefly333 silence today means everything is going according to plan... 

I'm with you, Dave!😉

[firefly333]

Well they did come and have gone. I'm feeling kinda idk .. things are broke. Valuable stuff too. He says it's my fault I should have had my antiques crated at additional cost. I have a black lacquer table and a mahogany end table both with broken legs I'm most upset about. A scratch on the headboard of my mahogany bed frame that wasnt there before.,it was bought new because it matched a antique triple dresser. It's my fault I called the main guy away from setting up a triple dresser. The other guy was putting a marble top on a napoleon table wrong and it too had a piece of board inside the drawer I dont know what it used to be attached to. But anyway, he walked away from the triple dresser and left it standing on its end wrapped up.

 

To start with he arrived 1030 maybe later before 1130. His cab of his truck is huge  ot just that he has a 18 wheeler, that cab is extra long too. Spent a hour figuring out how to get in and turn around and pull alongside my bldg. There is a big parking lot right outside the fence. He said the trees will scratch the top of his truck, it's happened before these trees are  ot that big and just along the fence, there was tons of room to pull his truck. Anyway that took over a hote. Even the maintenance man was involved in trying to get his truck to make the turn at the north gate, come down to the south and turn around.

 

There are some small things broke. A xmas tree I set there at xmas just to say its xmas, the top is bent, past fixing. Ruined junk. A vacuum handle in pieces doesnt go back together seems broke to me. The scratch on my bed frame. 

 

What I am feeling so down about is I'm no better off than before they came kitchen wise. They packed boxes too heavy for me. I really only wanted my microwave especially. The moving guy said hey they cost $40 get another. The issue is partial pack apparently isnt partia unpack. I have no idea which box the microwave is in. I had 80 boxes and they came and packed up my kitchen and microwave and pots and pans. Silly me thinking a partial pack meant partial unpack. I cant even lift the boxes or microwave by myself. I'm used to zapping my coffee a little warmer than a coffee maker makes it. I like my coffee super hot. So valuable antiques I've had for 50 years and treasured are broke and I still have no kitchen stuff to use except what I bought to jse while mynstuff came. I have to make a claim for damage. But he says my fault for not having valuable antiques crated. And a room of boxes. And a triple dresser standing on its end.

 

This black lacquer table is over 300 years old. The mahogany end table also very old. The boxes are triple deep at the end and the big ones are stacked double high and double deep that mostly I cant pick up. My kitchen stuff is in there somewhere I'm sure. And microwave. I only have some plastic silverware to use. .. oh let me add the picture of the triple dresser it will take 2 strong men to set so it's not standing on its end. If you paid for them to pack your stuff would you assume that also meant they would unpack the stuff they packed? I really wanted my microwave.

[StanleyandGus]

I’m pretty sure the estimator should have suggested boxing the antiques. I have antique tables, and every time I have moved with them, they are wrapped in moving blankets and taped.

 

At the very least, all the things the movers packed should be labelled, ie kitchen/ microwave. The movers should definitely have set up your dresser!
 

I’m sorry that it has gone this way. Is your cousin able to help?

[Arzeena]

Jane, I am so sorry for what you are going through.

What the movers packed ,like for example, furniture, they should have unpacked and set up. Boxes, I believe they do not unpack or arrange your stuff. So sorry to see such a beautiful table not handled well and broken. That dresser they should have unpacked.

Take pictures and I hope you are filing a claim.
Just throwing ideas: Perhaps your bedroom furniture guy may help? Or young students off from college? Perhaps ask at Publix, they seem to have lots of young guys and maybe someone knows someone who can help for some extra $$$?

[Keksie]

Jane, another place to try is a local community college.  Sometimes they have a list of students who will do odd jobs.  Also, maybe ask your maintenance guy if he knows some guys who can help you.  For the antiques that need repair you can look online for antique restoration places in your area.