Live from the Jewel April 29-May 13, 2024: will definitely contain sarcasm and grumpiness

[YVRteacher]

And ramen. 
I had a big bowl of ramen today.

[YVRteacher]

13 hours ago, tjatczak said:

So looking forward to your review...your "style" and love of your dad make for an entertaining combination!

Thank you for reading! 

[YVRteacher]

7 hours ago, kateeov said:

I am so excited to have found this thread. This is my first time reading your reviews, but I'm already in love.

I too am a sarcastic adult daughter traveling with a grumpy old (77y) dad who's easily frustrated, but is still among my best friends. And we also did our first cruise after my mother passed (2021) and we didn't feel right doing our usual road trips. We're absolutely in love with cruising now bc we still get to explore several new places all in one trip, but we don't have to drive lol.
I'll be doing the Jewel starting May 13th so I'll wave from the terminal and tell my travel companions that someone famous is getting off the boat. This trip will be without Dad, but one of the friends I'm going with is bringing her mom, so there will still be boomer technology frustration to deal with lol. I'm already taking notes (can't wait to try that brunch!) and am excited to see what else you share!

A kindred spirit!

I will wave in the general direction of embarkation on May 13!

 

Definitely go to OEB! There is a location downtown in Yaletown, one in North Vancouver, one in West Vancouver and one at The Amazing Brentwood in Burnaby. This is my favourite location. They don’t take reservations but you can go to their website and secure a place on the virtual waitlist through Yelp. 

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

[YVRteacher]

7 hours ago, libtrek said:

Made a sticky note. I’ll be there with my grumpy guy. I told them they’ll have beer (shhh, NA).

I put a sticky note on the schedule too!

[YVRteacher]

6 hours ago, Southern Dan said:

Looking forward to following your reports from the Jewel, I will be on her 8/12 Seaward to Vancouver.

Thank you for reading!

 

You will love being on the Jewel from Seward to Vancouver in August. Are you going to spend time in Vancouver after the cruise?

 

We board again the day you disembark.

[YVRteacher]

5 hours ago, mimi'sgirl said:

YAY!!  So looking forward to your next adventure with Dad! We will be sailing on the Jewel this Christmas. Wishing you a relaxing and fun filled cruise! 

Thank you for coming along on this adventure.

We are booked on the Jewel Christmas cruise too. I’m not sure I can convince my dad to get on an airplane though…

[YVRteacher]

5 hours ago, KACTravels said:

Hello Yvonne! I’m really looking forward to your review. Please say hello to your father and I hope you both have an amazing birthday back to back annual cruise.

Thank you Kelly! You and Mike/Bailey were so kind to my dad during dinner. I’ll always remember that (he won’t, but I will!)

[YVRteacher]

You know it’s almost cruise time when the fridge is as empty as the buffet French fry serving bin on a spring break cruise.

 

 

#poorplanning

#Istillhavethreedays

#cheeseomelette

[ChiefK92]

19 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Let’s meet at 4:00 at Maltings on Monday.

@NillaB and @ChiefK92 please come!!

Sadly think we'll be arriving on the ship a bit later than this as we're taking the wildlife tour from ACT big bus that drops us off around 4:30, but will absolutely say hi if we end up running into each other 😁 Big W tonight for our Canucks!

[YVRteacher]

I’ll post in both roll calls.

For those boarding April 29, let’s meet at 4:00pm in Maltings.

 

For those boarding May 6, we will figure something out.

[YVRteacher]

@ChiefK92 are you packing a Canucks jersey? I’m tempted!

[YVRteacher]

The Access Desk got their act together this year.

What is this Ns. business? Is this a new gender about which I don’t yet know?

 

Or have they figured me out and are

not-so-secretly calling me No Sh*t Yvonne?

 

I am thrilled that our concierge is Armando!!! He knows both my dad and I so well and anticipates my dad’s needs before I even need to ask. The care and kindness he shows to my dad is so appreciated.

[ceilidh1]

47 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

You know it’s almost cruise time when the fridge is as empty as the buffet French fry serving bin on a spring break cruise.

 

 

#poorplanning

#Istillhavethreedays

#cheeseomelette

Looks like my fridge right now. And I’m not even going anywhere.

[YVRteacher]

You could come here for omelettes…

[YVRteacher]

Dad story.

 

I am done work until May 14. I spent the day with my dad, doing all sorts of tasks that needed to be done.

We met with the tax man and I filed my dad’s taxes. I tried to fix his new phone which was installed incorrectly. I went through all of his finances and wrote everything out step by step and entered all the bills and payments in a paper planner.  We walked to the drug store to pick up a prescription but he hadn’t placed the order so there was no prescription to pick up. We go back Sunday to get it. I asked the pharmacist to check everything and there are two medications my dad is supposed to be taking that he didn’t refill. That is all sorted out now. 
 

It was break time so we went for ramen.

 

Best ramen ever and they let me order a mini bowl for dad!

 

 

 

we had iced sake and it was delicious

 

 

Next door to the ramen place, a new coffee shop/bakery has opened. These caught my eye!

 

 

 

This caught my dad’s eye

 

 

and he LOUDLY exclaimed, “is this for people???”

[YVRteacher]

Dad story #2

 

After lunch I said to my dad, “should we walk back to your place and work on your phone some more?”

 

He asked, “oh, did we walk here?”💔

 

(the phone company had installed the phone incorrectly and it took the maintenance guy two hours this afternoon to fix it. I tried my best but just couldn’t do it. The whole building switched to a new phone company. My dad had a perfectly good phone and an answering machine he knew how to use. The phone company took away the old phone and his answering machine which belonged to my dad. I met with the front desk guy later this afternoon to explain that seniors need support when technology is changed and that they shouldn’t have taken away something he knew how to use without teaching him how to use the new system AND ensuring the new system actually worked. I used all my educational inclusion and success language. The front desk guy said they have been having a lot of problems with the new phones and many residents are upset. I have also set up a meeting with the General Manager, the Director of Care and the Resident Engagement Manager to discuss my dad’s needs.)

 

I came home and had a chocolate.

[libtrek]

2 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Dad story #2

 

After lunch I said to my dad, “should we walk back to your place and work on your phone some more?”

 

He asked, “oh, did we walk here?”💔

 

(the phone company had installed the phone incorrectly and it took the maintenance guy two hours this afternoon to fix it. I tried my best but just couldn’t do it. The whole building switched to a new phone company. My dad had a perfectly good phone and an answering machine he knew how to use. The phone company took away the old phone and his answering machine which belonged to my dad. I met with the front desk guy later this afternoon to explain that seniors need support when technology is changed and that they shouldn’t have taken away something he knew how to use without teaching him how to use the new system AND ensuring the new system actually worked. I used all my educational inclusion and success language. The front desk guy said they have been having a lot of problems with the new phones and many residents are upset. I have also set up a meeting with the General Manager, the Director of Care and the Resident Engagement Manager to discuss my dad’s needs.)

 

I came home and had a chocolate.

 

[libtrek]

Well, we are at stop 1 for the cruise, Detroit airport hotel before flying to Vancouver in the am. My R is very grouchy and was mumbling loudly in bathroom. Went to help him as he slid sideways into bathtub. I grabbed him so no injuries, but now he’s sideways in tub with feet hanging over side. Managed to get him up finally. This cruise may be a real adventure. Sigh. Mary Lou

[YVRteacher]

10 minutes ago, libtrek said:

Well, we are at stop 1 for the cruise, Detroit airport hotel before flying to Vancouver in the am. My R is very grouchy and was mumbling loudly in bathroom. Went to help him as he slid sideways into bathtub. I grabbed him so no injuries, but now he’s sideways in tub with feet hanging over side. Managed to get him up finally. This cruise may be a real adventure. Sigh. Mary Lou

Do you have an accessible cabin booked on the Jewel?

 

Best wishes for a safe and uneventful travel day tomorrow.

 

I’m so glad we finally get to meet in person on Monday.

[MrsTocko]

12 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

The Access Desk got their act together this year.

What is this Ns. business? Is this a new gender about which I don’t yet know?

 

Or have they figured me out and are

not-so-secretly calling me No Sh*t Yvonne?

 

I am thrilled that our concierge is Armando!!! He knows both my dad and I so well and anticipates my dad’s needs before I even need to ask. The care and kindness he shows to my dad is so appreciated.

Hopefully they will have adjusted the pillow count appropriately before you get to your room.  I’m sure a well mentioned word with Armando will make it happen….ive been thinking about that since page one…

[MrsTocko]

11 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

We walked to the drug store to pick up a prescription but he hadn’t placed the order so there was no prescription to pick up. We go back Sunday to get it. I asked the pharmacist to check everything and there are two medications my dad is supposed to be taking that he didn’t refill. That is all sorted out now. 

Not because there are any cognitive issues, but for some reason my strong, independent, smart DH became incapable of making dr. appts, ordering refills, taking the truck in for maintenance…the very minute we got married 12 years ago…so, for his one prescription at the local Walgreens, I downloaded the app to my phone, his email, my face as the password…so I can order for him….i created all his logins, and listed myself as care giver/authorized person.  I know that you may need to do things differently with your dad, but if you can get the updates that prescriptions are due to refill that will ease YOUR mind.  If you havent done this already. and it’s possible you havent (though not likely because you are a smart woman) because sometimes it is harder to think OUTSIDE the box when you are IN box

[NillaB]

On 4/26/2024 at 9:27 AM, YVRteacher said:

It’s a beautiful walk!

 

I definitely felt nervous when I did it by myself and actually turned back. It was a drizzly day and there weren’t any other humans on the trail that day. They say you don’t need to be faster than the bear, just faster than at least one other person but that doesn’t hold true when hiking solo!

Hmmm, maybe I can find someone to do it with.

Someone slow 😅

[YVRteacher]

For anyone arriving in Vancouver this weekend, I apologize on behalf of the weather! We really need the rain, though.

 

Indoor activities I recommend:

Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver Art Gallery

take the Skytrain Expo line to Metrotown

Bloedel Conservatory

 

 

[YVRteacher]

Yesterday I made one of the most important phone calls of my life. The conversation went a little like this:

 

Alaskan Fudge Company:

Hello, Alaskan Fudge Company. How can I help you?

 

Me: Hi! My name is Yvonne and I’ll be in Juneau on the Norwegian Jewel on May 2. I’d like to preorder some huckleberry truffles, please.

 

Alaskan Fudge Company: sure, we can do that. How many would you like?

 

Me: three dozen please

 

Alaskan Fudge Company: 

We can definitely do that for you. Would you like to pay now or when you pick them up?

 

Me: I’ll pay when I pick them up. I need to buy other truffles, too.  I just really needed to secure the huckleberry truffles.

 

Alaskan Fudge Company: we have lots of truffles right now but I understand!

 

Me: thank you so much!

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

2 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Yesterday I made one of the most important phone calls of my life. The conversation went a little like this:

 

Alaskan Fudge Company:

Hello, Alaskan Fudge Company. How can I help you?

 

Me: Hi! My name is Yvonne and I’ll be in Juneau on the Norwegian Jewel on May 2. I’d like to preorder some huckleberry truffles, please.

 

Alaskan Fudge Company: sure, we can do that. How many would you like?

 

Me: three dozen please

 

Alaskan Fudge Company: 

We can definitely do that for you. Would you like to pay now or when you pick them up?

 

Me: I’ll pay when I pick them up. I need to buy other truffles, too.  I just really needed to secure the huckleberry truffles.

 

Alaskan Fudge Company: we have lots of truffles right now but I understand!

 

Me: thank you so much!

 

 

They are awesome!