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LIVE LIVE LIVE from the MARINER with MERION MOM for 53 DAYS!!!

Merion_Mom

By Merion_Mom,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Pumbaamd

Pumbaamd

Posted
Posted

Carol,

So very, very sorry to hear about the water damage.

And, on a better note, so very, very happy to know that you just had the cruise of a lifetime!

Take some time, get your home back . . . and when you are ready . . . let us know that you are O.K. and ready for your next cruise!!!

Rick and Deirdra

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cruisemates2

cruisemates2

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Caroll,

 

Thanks for taking the time to share your cruise with us. We were on the Mariner just before she left Pt Canaveral, and we really loved her. You were in good hands with Capt Johnny. He is such a nice man, and a pleasure to sail with. I have enjoyed reading every post, and wished we could have been on this sailing with all of you.

 

Janet

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cruisemates2

cruisemates2

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Carol,

 

Also, forgot to mention that we are sorry you will be going home to water damage. Our in -laws just returned from a five day cruise only to discover water damage inside their home from a leak in the utility room. They had to rip up wood flooring and carpet!! YUK!!! Hope you are more fortunate than they were.

 

Janet

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rednancy1

rednancy1

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I loved Cloris Leachman in Spanglish, cannot wait to see your pictures Carol :D

 

###

 

Does anyone remember Cloris Leachman as Lassie's second mother. Just before June Lockheart stepped in, right after Jan Clayton left. :D Cloris was only there for one season. :(

 

OMG, am I showing my age or what? :confused:

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kathy&bob

kathy&bob

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Mariner is our favorite ship, been on it several times. RCCL could keep Freedom in Miami forever. We looked at the cruise a few months ago when transition was scheduled. Fantastic deal, not sure I could do 53 days, but I could survive. Going to Alaska in May on Serenade, would like to hear from anyone on same cruise, 5/16 to 5/23. Bob rdubois16@cfl.rr.com

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BonnieNYTX

BonnieNYTX

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I've been A.W.O.L. for so long I don't remember the last time I posted on these boards. I was thinking of the great people I "met" on here and what do I find? Carol on an almost never ending cruise!!! Way to go, Carol. :D I read a mere 20 pages tonight and will read more tomorrow. Your "Live from the......" threads are always eagerly anticipated. One just doesn't know what to expect!!! :p Your cruise. so far, sounds awesome and I would love to see the pictures.

 

We had Abe as a CD on the Rhapsody and you are right. He's adorable, high energy and looks ummmm young.

 

Five suitcases? I take 2 for a one week cruise. LOL

 

Can't wait to read about all the uhhhhh "trouble" you got into!! :rolleyes:

 

While I am here, waving at Robin and Wrona!!

 

I SHOULD to stop by the Mustard of the Seas thread.

 

Carol, again, good to "see" you. Hope your trip home was uneventful and safe.

 

Thanks for sharing your journey at sea with us.

 

One more thing, just how long does it take to wind down from a 53 day cruise??

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mjldvlks

mjldvlks

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I have bad news from home.

 

My friend who is watching my house for me discovered 6 inches of water in my basement and a broken pipe. I think that it turned out to be several broken pipes and at least one broken radiator. There is major water damage to my house, although I am hoping that it is mostly confined to the basement.

 

Just before I left home for Port Canaveral, I had finished cleaning out my parents' house and moving ALL of their furniture and hundreds of boxes into my house. I do not know what has been damaged by the water.

 

I have managed to change my flight home (yea, Southwest!) from Friday to Thursday, and will head straight home from the pier, instead of relaxing and flying out the next day.

 

Fortunately, wonderful friends at home are taking care of repairs and cleanup. They tell me not to worry, but how can I not??????????

 

Carol - oh my - how awful. I hope that all your parents things are ok. So sorry you have to come home to this.

 

Thank you so much for the wonderful thread - my favorite had to be the penquins - I want to go someday! Keep in touch and let us know how things are. Take care, Mary

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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hi there merion mom, this is another merion mom who needs to know where the garage door opener is....want to send me an email or give me a call?

 

Sorry to butt it, but if you need to open a garage door, without a remote control or inside button, all you need to do is pull down on the rope with the handle on it near the motor. This will disengage the track and you can manually pull the door up. You can snap it back up to lock the door again when you pull the door back down.

 

Yes, my DH and I own a garage door company...hope this helps...if not...nevermind!:)

 

Do you know her neighbor who is trying to contact her? And probably not just about the garage door opener. :)

 

Actually, this *is* my wonderful friend who was watching the house for me, and discovered the burst pipe before it became a disaster! She wanted to put stuff out in the garage to dry.

 

She is just THE BEST. She (and my other friend who is doing the repair and cleanup work) picked me up at the airport tonight.

 

Life is truly all about FRIENDS!

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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This afternoon at 2 P.M., Carol Channing took over the Savoy Theatre.

 

She spoke about her amazing life, and told stories about all the famous people of her career - all of them are/were her friends.

 

She sang several songs, and although the voice is 88 years old, it is still that same characteristic Carol Channing voice.

 

I am in awe of this Living Legend.

 

And she and her husband, Harry, are just wonderful and adorable. They are so friendly, and just stop and talk to anyone and everyone who wants to talk to them.

 

They ate at the table next to us a couple of nights ago.

 

I met them when I was returning my concierge card to the CL this morning, Thursday, and told her how much I had enjoyed her show, and what a high point of the cruise it was for me. She spoke warmly with me for a few moments. Then I went out to the elevator to go downstairs. It was delayed, as it always is on departure morning. Carol & Harry came out of the CL, walked past me, stopped, and she said, "How lovely to run into you again!"

 

She is an incredible woman!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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It was so hard to say goodbye to everyone.

 

But there were several opportunities to do so. :rolleyes:

 

The line for immigration came out of the dining room on Deck 5, went ALL the way down the Royal Promenade to the end, where it doubled back all the way to Guest Relations.

 

I went up and down the line saying goodbye to everyone.

 

Then I went up to get my stuff, and came back down and got in the line. More chances to say goodbye to people.

 

I ended up being the absolute last person in the dining room.

 

Why?

 

I wasn't the last to go in.

 

But I was the last to leave.

 

Why?

 

Because I'm honest.

 

I declared the jewelry that I bought in Rio at H. Stern. They gave me several written documents, including one that stated that jewelry made in Brazil was not subject to U.S. duty.

 

WRONG.

 

I had to pay duty on my purchase right on the spot. The officer who "took care of me" told me that he had had another passenger in the same situation. He doublechecked with his supervisor, and there is no such exemption.

 

The officer wrote up a receipt. He told me that I could contest it with Customs when I got home, but I had to pay the duty then and there or not be re-admitted to the country!

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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We all know that the last day of any cruise is the worst. So many aggravations. I can overlook most. Even the immigration/customs thing - not Royal Caribbean's fault.

 

But the pier was a disaster. There were hundreds of people with two, three, four, five bags each, and very few porters. It's not like a week-long cruise, where most people can grab a bag in each hand and wheel out by themselves.

 

Royal Caribbean was actually making it worse. An employee told us to line up in a nice neat line, and we would get a porter as they re-entered the building.

 

We stood there like nice obedient sheep, and in 20 minutes, not one porter came through that door.

 

Why?

 

Because after they took people's things out, they re-entered by ANOTHER door, a BACK door, and everyone seemed to know it except Royal Caribbean! People were just grabbing them as they came back in through that rear door.

 

Fortunately, Barney and Marjorie nabbed a porter, and even though their bags pretty well filled up his cart, they asked him to throw my three on top.

 

He did, and we were off. That was a HUGE load.

 

He took my stuff out to the island where you catch a Prime Time Shuttle or Super Shuttle.

 

I lucked out, and got on the very next Prime Time Shuttle. It was tough, but the driver got all of the bags onto the van. I was the first drop-off, and at first I had a heck of a time.

 

There I was, trying to haul four very large and heavy bags to the SW check-in line. There are VERY specific signs there: Go to the back of "THIS" line. Check in ONLY by getting in this line.

 

Well, there was no way that I could wheel four bags to the back of that line. An employee explained that I had to go to the back of the line. I just sort of looked at him, and before I could speak, he asked me, "Are you alone?"

 

When I told him that I was, he took me immediately to his station, at the front of the line, carrying my bags himself.

 

He asked me how I wanted to pay for my third bag (SW takes two for free), and I told him, "Cash". As quick as that, I was on my way inside with my carry-on bag.

 

Security was almost empty. I zipped through the passport check and up to the scanner line in a flash with no waiting.

 

Then it happened.

 

Yep, my bag had two "suspicious" shapes in the x-ray.

 

The TSA guy was SO SO SO nice. Exactly the opposite of the creep at MCO who made me cry when he yanked my bag after the Crown Princess list.

 

I asked him whether I was allowed to help him check out whatever the scanner found problematic. He said, "Sure. The round shape down in the bottom corner, and the square shape in about the middle".

 

Well, I knew exactly what those two things were.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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Remember my story about the rock in St. Kitts and the Royal Caribbean security guy who seemed fascinated by it, and just couldn't believe that "it's a rock!"?

 

Well, the round shape was THE ROCK. As soon as he saw that it was just a rock, and a souvenir from St. Kitts, that took care of that. No problem.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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When you reach Diamond Plus in Crown & Anchor, you get only a few more benefits than Diamond. For instance, you get an "amenity" in your cabin: a bottle of wine, a beach towel, a tote bag, flowers, cheese plate, etc. You get to select which one you want.

 

Another benefit comes "on the tens".

 

On the occasion of your 30th, 40th, 50th, etc. cruise credit, you receive a "crystal block" of your ship, commemorating that sailing.

 

It's an etching of the ship on the surface of a large chunk of crystal.

 

Well, you know how we joke about the "diamonds" in the diamond pins?

 

This really is crystal.

 

LEAD crystal!!!!!!!!!

 

It shows up on the x-ray scanner as a dense, metallic object!

 

Mystery solved - I was free to put my sneakers back on, put my computer away, pack my quart plastic bag away in my suitcase, and go to the gate!

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scubapro48

scubapro48

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Hi Carol,

Now that we are back and able to freely use the internet, I hope to catch up and re-live our wonderful trip through your thread.

 

Now for the hard work of catching up with everyday life!!!!!

 

Thanks for helping make this the remarkable trip it was. Miss you already!!

 

Mariana

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