Return to Band Camp: A first-time, potentially somewhat live narration - Escape April 16

[zzdoug]

On 4/9/2023 at 2:41 PM, Travelicious said:

As I mentioned, I have upgraded to FAS+ for this cruise.  I'm not much of a high-brow connoisseur when it comes to liquor, usually being fine with normal beer like Bud Light or Coors Light, and Bacardi, Tanqueray, and some of the cheaper wines on the regular drink package list.  But I'm looking forward to trying some of the higher end stuff. 

 

I welcome any suggestions on specific brands and drinks I should request.  I am prone to hangovers, so I won't be having 10 per day, but I am bringing Liquid IV on the recommendation of some of our more prolific reviewers and drinkers.  I hope it works!

I like micheladas. I'm pretty sure you don't need the upgrade for that because the beer brand really doesn't matter, it's overwhelmed by the tomato juice, so I just order whatever is on sale. But it's something to try if you haven't before. 

 

Other suggestions:

Campari spritz

Old Fashioned 

Martini

Pina colada. Because why not? 

 

But to really appreciate the top shelf liquors and wines, order them straight. Especially bourbon, tequila etc. 

 

The whole reason cocktails were invented was to obscure the harsh taste of bad liquors. I'm assuming. When mixed with lesser liquids, they it's hard to tell the difference between the good stuff and the bad stuff. 

[Travelicious]

Good news!  I've received an email indicating that payment for my work last month has been successfully deposited to my bank account.  But, it says, to give it two days to actually appear.  Looks like I won't have to cruise while destitute.

 

I'm almost 60, but my mother still worries anytime I go anywhere, especially when I travel alone.  She's just a worrier.  Fortunately, my sister and brother-in-law will be traveling to Israel during the same time period, so she should be able to expend more of her worrying efforts on them than on me.  I asked her if she tried to talk them out of going, and she said, "I kept my mouth shut, just like I keep my mouth shut with you."  She doesn't keep her mouth shut with me.  😆

[Travelicious]

4 more days! 4 more days!

 

Today's agenda includes taking my 17+ years old long-haired chihuahua to the beauty parlor.  I don't like the long hair, so have been getting it shaved off for the last 10 years or so.  At this age, though, his hair is so thin that there isn't much to cut off, except on his ears, one patch on his right hip, and his forearms.  The groomer said she will give him a mud bath to help with the dry skin since she doesn't have to spend as much time cutting hair.  

 

Bear:

 

Edited April 12, 2023 by Travelicious

[Travelgrrl]

On 4/8/2023 at 3:20 PM, Travelicious said:

I had to search a bit for the PG version.  Her stories get a bit more risqué later in the movie.

 

 

 

Band camp logo:  

 

[Travelgrrl]

Excited to join you on this trip but my heart is a little broken I won't get to meet someone with the magnificent name/nickname "Pookie"!

 

Also in the Studios and looking forward to it!  

 

 

[Travelicious]

1 hour ago, Travelgrrl said:

Excited to join you on this trip but my heart is a little broken I won't get to meet someone with the magnificent name/nickname "Pookie"!

 

Also in the Studios and looking forward to it!  

 

 

Pookie will be on the Celebrity Solstice next month.  Join us there and you can meet her!

[Travelicious]

Anyone who will be on this cruise should feel free to add your experiences here.  

[Travelgrrl]

44 minutes ago, Travelicious said:

Pookie will be on the Celebrity Solstice next month.  Join us there and you can meet her!

Sadly, this is probably my one and only cruise this year (maaaaaybeee December '23) as I'm the caregiver for my 97 year old mother and also work full time. A sister flies in twice a year so I can get a break.  So I'm Pookieless!

[debk68]

I appreciate your commentary.  My husband went on a cruise alone a few years ago, his friend cancelled last minute and I could not go.  He met so many people that he still talks to today.

 

For drinks, I always ask for no sour mix.  It is a powdered mix that gives me heartburn.  I also ask for my regular mojito with 3 muddled lime wedges instead of the lime juice from the bottle.  I am assuming you have the beverage package, try new liquors!  For example, the GreyGoose Grapefruit vodka or try gin if you are a vodka person. 

We signed up for this cruise last week, we kept asking NCL why we could only use the 10% on this specific sailing, they never mentioned that it was a Latitudes sailing.  We probably missed the mail/email mentioning this.  We thought it was a credit from all of the COVID cancellations we had.  The dates worked, so off we go.

Looking forward to Howl at the Moon! 

See you soon, unless of course we get that uprade to a Haven.

Deb and Jon

 

[Travelicious]

4 minutes ago, Travelgrrl said:

Sadly, this is probably my one and only cruise this year (maaaaaybeee December '23) as I'm the caregiver for my 97 year old mother and also work full time. A sister flies in twice a year so I can get a break.  So I'm Pookieless!

Bless you for being the main caregiver!  That is hard.  Twice a year is not much relief, but I'm sure it is greatly appreciated when the time comes.

[Travelicious]

9 minutes ago, debk68 said:

See you soon, unless of course we get that uprade to a Haven.

 

Well, I'll probably be seeing you, as I think the Haven is probably booked up.  

 

Thanks for the drink advice.  I am definitely prone to heartburn, so need to avoid the sour mix.  What do they put it in?  There is something in traditional margaritas that causes a flare up.  I'm not sure if it is the tequila or the mix.

[Travelgrrl]

13 minutes ago, Travelicious said:

Bless you for being the main caregiver!  That is hard.  Twice a year is not much relief, but I'm sure it is greatly appreciated when the time comes.

I am so ready to have fun!  Packed 3 books, 5 movies, little piglets to hide around the ship, a jumbo tube of glow sticks for the Glow Party, chocolate coins to enhance cash tips, my favorite candy and snacks, room decorations, fun clothes, and a few silk flower hair clips if I'm feeling extra whimsical.

[zzdoug]

On 4/8/2023 at 2:20 PM, Travelicious said:

I had to search a bit for the PG version.  Her stories get a bit more risqué later in the movie.

 

 

The PG version kind of misses the point.

[Travelicious]

Why is this week moving so slowly?  I've had my suitcase laid out, lightly packed for a change.  But every day of this slow week I've been adding to it. Now I need to unpack some of the things I've been adding.   With a free bag of laundry on the ship, I really don't need that much. 

 

The one thing I always take, but can't always use, is a Roku with a USB input.  I have a bunch of pre-recorded shows that can be put on a flash drive and, hopefully, watched through the TV in the cabin.  My recollection is that I was able to do so on this ship at Band Camp in a balcony cabin.  Some of the ships, especially the newer ones, have the televisions locked down tight, and there is no way to be able to stream through them - at least no way I know of.  

 

Anyway, for this trip I plan to watch Dahmer, which aired on Netflix.  I've been saving it just for this trip.  For our Alaska cruise next month, I've been saving season 2 of Only Murders in the Building.

 

I usually read while flying and during afternoon down time on the ship.  I don't have anything special to read, but have a bunch of Amazon First Read books on my Kindle.  As an Amazon Prime member, one of these free books is available per month.  So far, I have found them entertaining enough to keep my interest.

 

[helene109]

We are on this cruise too! Flying into Ft. Lauderdale Saturday morning! Staying in Miami! 4 adults! So excited our first 7 day Norwegian cruise! 

[Travelicious]

1 hour ago, helene109 said:

We are on this cruise too! Flying into Ft. Lauderdale Saturday morning! Staying in Miami! 4 adults! So excited our first 7 day Norwegian cruise! 

Hope all goes well with your flight to FLL.

[helene109]

15 minutes ago, Travelicious said:

Hope all goes well with your flight to FLL.

Getting nervous, airport doesn’t open till 9 am tomorrow!

[JIMESOPUS]

We are just two CC rule breakers, flying down on Sunday - logic says, no hurricanes and no major snow storms this time of the year ( never added biblical floods into that equation ).

 

Also flying with NCL air, they will get us there, right?

 

 

 

[Travelicious]

28 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

We are just two CC rule breakers, flying down on Sunday - logic says, no hurricanes and no major snow storms this time of the year ( never added biblical floods into that equation ).

 

Also flying with NCL air, they will get us there, right?

 

 

 

Hope you are not flying in to FLL.  I wonder how the roads to get out Fort Lauderdale will be, assuming flights coming in.  

 

As Rosanne Rosannadanna used to say:  

 

 

Edited April 14, 2023 by Travelicious

[Travelicious]

Plans for today:  clean the house; take care of any last minute work needs; unpack most of what I've been adding to my suitcase this week; print airline boarding passes; possibly sneak big suitcase into the car while Bear is napping.  No need to stress him out too soon.

[Sugar Magnolia]

48 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

We are just two CC rule breakers, flying down on Sunday - logic says, no hurricanes and no major snow storms this time of the year ( never added biblical floods into that equation ).

 

Also flying with NCL air, they will get us there, right?

 

 

 

At 2:00 AM yesterday morning, I received a wakeup call from JetBlue alerting me that my flight from FLL to SJU was canceled. Working though my Ambien fog, I booked a later flight on Spirit Air from FLL to SJU. Then I realized that even if FLL and the roads were open by then, there was no guarantee that the equipment would be there. I was able to grab the last seat on American from MIA to SJU. 
 

After checking in at MIA for my American flight, I received a text from Spirit that my flight was canceled. I was feeling pretty smart about myself, even if I had to take out a second mortgage to pay for my last minute ticket. 
 

Good luck to everyone traveling these next few days.
 

[cruiseny4life]

13 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

At 2:00 AM yesterday morning, I received a wakeup call from JetBlue alerting me that my flight from FLL to SJU was canceled. Working though my Ambien fog, I booked a later flight on Spirit Air from FLL to SJU. Then I realized that even if FLL and the roads were open by then, there was no guarantee that the equipment would be there. I was able to grab the last seat on American from MIA to SJU. 
 

After checking in at MIA for my American flight, I received a text from Spirit that my flight was canceled. I was feeling pretty smart about myself, even if I had to take out a second mortgage to pay for my last minute ticket. 
 

Good luck to everyone traveling these next few days.
 

Are you cruising???? And good luck with your flight!! 

[Sugar Magnolia]

1 minute ago, cruiseny4life said:

Are you cruising???? And good luck with your flight!! 

Thank you. Yes I arrived San Juan yesterday and embarking on the Epic today on its repositioning cruise to NYC. 
 

Had I not been able to fly to San Juan due to the closure of FLL, I would have pivoted to this cruise on the Escape with @Travelicious and the rest of gang on this special Latitudes sailing. Still jealous.

 

[Travelicious]

I've completed most on my to do list, except for finishing the house cleaning.  The battery on my Shark cordless vacuum (which I love) went out, so it is charging now.  Boarding pass is printed, and suitcase was snuck out to the car while Bear was having his morning nap.  He is nearly blind and mostly deaf, but somehow he always manages to spot anyone heading to the kitchen.  Weirdly, he roams the house looking for me even when I'm sitting in my recliner, the usual spot.

[Travelicious]

Okay, chores are done.  I'm ready to go to bed so it will hurry up and be tomorrow.  

 

But, wait.  I need to have a few drinks first.  Yes, remember when I said that I am prone to hangovers?  I have learned throughout my life that hangovers are more frequent and painful when I have not been drinking much.  So, in preparation, I have been drinking much more than I usually would on just regular days at home.  It is kind of like working out, you know?