The Bistro- Off topic and fun posts!

[rafinmd]

I have a sunset today, not a sunrise.  It's from my 2007 upper Amazon cruise, taken shortly after boarding La Amatista in Iquitos 16 years ago today.

 

 

Roy

[ctjon]

For all's information - Anne Marie and Keith's blog now has information about their 2 upcoming Serenity cruises - always an enjoy to follow

[Keith1010]

Our last visit to Monaco.was on World Cruise 2019.  We will be there again in August.

 

 

 

So one of the things I think of when I see this is the song "We All Live In A Yellow Submarine. Written as a Children's song even us adults would sing along.  I can hear Ringo now.

 

Keith 

 

 

 

[rafinmd]

I have a sunset today from a 2008 Rovos journey from Dar es Saleem to Cape Town.  On July 23 we had an overnight stop at Tau Game Reserve in South Africa right on the border with Zambia.

 

 

Roy

[Keith1010]

Thinking of the song I left my heart in San Francisco sung by the late great Tony Bennett.  We enjoyed four years in the East Bay and loved every minute of it.

 

I took this photo on one of our many return visits to San Francisco.

 

Keith

 

[USCAdventurer]

keith,

i'd like to follow your blog but i don't know how to get to it.  Can you explain for me please?

 

thanks you,

[Keith1010]

46 minutes ago, USC Adventurer said:

keith,

i'd like to follow your blog but i don't know how to get to it.  Can you explain for me please?

 

thanks you,

I will be putting up a link on the other thread in a couple of days.

 

Keith 

[rafinmd]

On 7/23/2023 at 11:07 AM, Keith1010 said:

LeeAnne, thank you. It's all good.

.........

Those of us who can cruise are very fortunate no matter what line we sail because the vast majority of the population in this world won't cruise.  And when we are so fortunate to sail a luxury line and have the money and the health to do it I just want to enjoy the experience as much as possible. There will come a day when this is no longer possible for each of us due to health and then what comes after that.

 

I will share a few more tidbits tomorrow or Tuesday and then we will focus on the pre-cruise and the cruise.  

 

Many thanks,

Keith 

I don't want to hijack Keith's other thread bud wanted to expound on this.  Most people here know I loved old Crystal and have many voyages behind me on Harmony, Symphony, Serenity, and Bach.  I am thrilled to have been able to cruise so much   Now that age and health are starting to catch up with me and I'm pretty sure I'm down to 2 more trips.  My planned final cruise will be Panama Canal (new locks) on MS Rotterdam in November.

My next booked cruise is September 29 to October 13 on Queen Mary 2, New York-Quebec-New York.  That will be my first and only time in the Grills, essentially a free cruise from cruise credit from the cancellation of the 2020 World Cruise.  QM2 will arrive in Quebec October 5, turnaround day is October 6 and she leaves October 7.  Just a few days ago I discovered that Crystal Serenity arrives in Quebec October 4, turnaround is October 5, and departure is October 6.  When I saw that I immediately wanted to take a walk over and at least get a first hand look at Serenity.

 

This is where I start to question my sanity.  I took a hunch tody and did a little checking; then called my TA.  Crystal got back to her quite quickly and while all the single rooms are gone but they quoted her a double room (limited view) midship for very little more than I expected for a single cabin.  When I walk over to check out Serenity it may now be with packed bags.  Still a few hurdles to clear.  While I don't expect to get any money back from Cunard I want to be sure leaving early will not be a major problem and I have a couple of Doctor visits tomorrow and Wednesday that I just want to clear but it looks like a match made in heaven.  Both ships even return to New York on October 13 so my train back home is still good.

 

Life is interesting.

 

Roy

 

[TheKingD]

Roy, I hope you can make this all work out so you can cruise on the Serenity.  I have followed your postings for several years now - going back to your trip on the Bach, because we were going to be on the Debussy soon after your trip.  I have looked at the fall trips on Serenity, and I cannot make any of them work for me this year, but I might be able to in 2024.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you about this!!

 

Cindy

[KenzSailing]

 

You go Phileas!

[KenzSailing]

(Wolfman Jack voice:)

 

One week to go, let's have some sailing music!  This first one goes out to that guy already hanging around Marseilles.  Locals say his clothes are extremely wrinkled:

 

 

Next up, well, if you're on an ocean, there's a shoreline somewhere.  And some of those shorelines have beaches.  And some of those Beaches have Boys(also, a lesson in cruising decorum gone terribly wrong):

 

  

Let's up the tempo with some bloated 70s pop:

 

 

Then mellow it back out again:

 

 

Finally, let's close this show with some serious quality:

 

 

(This is the Wolfman, signing off.)

[Stickman1990]

Hey Wolfman

 

How about a request for my poor buddy? - his bags have been packed for so long now 

 

 

[May B]

Roy! A match made in heaven, what a sweet way to describe it.

 

Good luck getting it all fixed up perfectly.

[Keith1010]

Roy....I hope you will be able to cruise Serenity and will be pulling for you.  Your post is precisely what I've been talking about for quite awhile which most understand but some do not. You are in my thoughts and prayers Roy.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

One of our tender stops on Serenity in October 2018 sailing the Mediterranean. We returned to the Mediterranean in 2019 and look forward to visiting this region next week.

 

Keith 

 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is another from my 2009 Gallapagos cruise on International Expedition's Evolution.

 

 

Roy

[Keith1010]

Todays' photo is from a Crystal Cruising friend of ours who will also be on the first couple of Crystal Serenity cruises.  She took this on a recent walk. It says it all for me.

 

Keith

 

 

 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from my 2010 Blount cruise from Rhode Island to Quebec.  On July 26 Grande Caribe was at sea from Charlottetown to Perce:

 

 

Roy

[USCAdventurer]

Thanks for the wonderful music, KenzSailing 🙂

[Keith1010]

Bags have been packed and we are ready to go.

 

Roy...I am very happy that you have booked a Crystal Cruise.

 

Keith

 

 

 

 

[rafinmd]

It looks like Symphony has completed her drydock and is back at a finishing dock,

 

My July 27 sunrise is from my 2007 upper Amazon cruise.  July 27 was my last full day on La Amatista:

 

 

Roy

[Keith1010]

I always enjoy transiting the Panama Canal.

 

Keith

 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from my 2010 Blount Cruise from Rhode Island to Quebec.  On July 28 the Grande Caribe was on the lower St. Lawrence River:

 

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

4 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

I always enjoy transiting the Panama Canal.

 

Keith

 

A favorite canal spot of mine is in the area between the Miguel and Miraflores locks where we sit at water level looking at ships above us on the new canal.

 

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from a 2005 Blount Cruise from Duluth to Chicago.  It was taken about an hour before Grande Caribe reached her destination at Navy Pier.

 

 

Roy