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

[Zu~]

Hey Carol and Hornblowers ! I said goodbye lots of you at the pier, but some of you know my porter and I got separated when I had to take my eyes on off him for 10 seconds to turn in the customs form. Well, I never saw him again. I finally found 3 of my 4 bags tossed by the curb. Well of course the bag I never ever take my eyes off has disappeared. Computer, pictures, meds, "jewelry" you get the idea. Priceless. Anyway, I thought that maybe one of you saw a little blue roll aboard/backpack looking lost. It may have ended up on a bus-who knows. I contacted and filled out a lost report right then and there.

It is only stuff, but good stuff, never know maybe a kind hearted person found it.

The trip was such a good time with so many good people on board. I'm very grateful to have been part of it.

I'll be checking in now and again. Luv,Zu~

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Carol....or anyone....WE have a question..... :D

 

DH loves a Latte Coffee.....does the Mariner have anything similar to Seattle's Best...like on the Radiance class?

 

This is the first Voyager class for DH....

I was on the Voyager class (Navigator) back in 2004 but can't remember! :)

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

***

[Sooner-b-Crusin]

Good morning fellow hornblowers..... I just got my lazy butt outta the bed. You'd think I had been on a 46 day work release program.:eek:

 

It was wonderful to meet everyone. OMG, how will we ever top this cruise. Well, some of you probablly will, but I'm pretty sure that Roy & I won't.

 

Zu, glad we got that last hugg in line. Sorry about your bag.

 

Marianne, I miss you girl. YOU are awesome.

 

Carol...... I'm pretty darn sure we will sail together again, we can stir up some trouble.

 

We had a very uneventful trip home. All luggage checked all the way thru to Augusta GA. Sorry no funny stories. But GLAD all my zillion suitcases made it home with us. Altho, a lady setting right behind us COUGHED all the way from LA to ATL..... (guess what, she was on the cruise, but not a hornblower... I didn't recognize her) Roy said you should have known by the sound of that cough.

 

OK, so I kidnapped 3 of my grandkids that met us at the airport at midnight, and brought them home with me. (Carol.... do not read the next sentence)...... they are skipping school today to stay with grandma.....

It's good to be home, my dog slept all night right up against me. OH YES, it's good to be home.

 

Thank you all for putting up with all my "southern crazyness" for 47 days.

[TerriDHair]

Good morning fellow hornblowers..... I just got my lazy butt outta the bed. You'd think I had been on a 46 day work release program.:eek:

 

It was wonderful to meet everyone. OMG, how will we ever top this cruise. Well, some of you probablly will, but I'm pretty sure that Roy & I won't.

 

Zu, glad we got that last hugg in line. Sorry about your bag.

 

Marianne, I miss you girl. YOU are awesome.

 

Carol...... I'm pretty darn sure we will sail together again, we can stir up some trouble.

 

We had a very uneventful trip home. All luggage checked all the way thru to Augusta GA. Sorry no funny stories. But GLAD all my zillion suitcases made it home with us. Altho, a lady setting right behind us COUGHED all the way from LA to ATL..... (guess what, she was on the cruise, but not a hornblower... I didn't recognize her) Roy said you should have known by the sound of that cough.

 

OK, so I kidnapped 3 of my grandkids that met us at the airport at midnight, and brought them home with me. (Carol.... do not read the next sentence)...... they are skipping school today to stay with grandma.....

 

It's good to be home, my dog slept all night right up against me. OH YES, it's good to be home.

 

Thank you all for putting up with all my "southern crazyness" for 47 days.

 

Welcome back, Pat and Roy! I'll bet you have some great stories to add, and I can't wait to hear them! This cruise gives new meaning to the name "Mariner Maniacs", lol! ;):D

[CruiseKeeper]

She has to cook for herself!

Make up her own room and clean her own bathroom. :eek:

 

After 53 days I wouldn't know where to start!!

 

***

 

She'll have to make up her own trivia contests. :eek:

[booze brothers]

Welcome home Carol. Really sorry to hear of the flood damage in the basement. Please tell me the cat wasn't down there!! :eek:;)

Mimi

[megr1125]

Welcome home!!!!!!!!!! That went by fast..

 

can't wait to hear more of your adventures.....you have just enough time to do your wash, catch up on the mail and pack for your cruise with MOS!!

 

hope your house survived...

 

(and for the person who asked about lattes...yes, mariner has a cafe promenade just like the other voyager class ships!)

[seychelle]

I know that Captain Johnny brought back to the ship 2 rocks from Cape Horn and had them mounted on plaques and auctioned them off to benefit a charity.

 

Anyone know what they went for during the auction?

[toonjie]

Welcome back Carol, glad you had a great cruise and hope the basement damage wasn't bad! Wish we could have stayed onboard with you, but it was great to at least spend a week with you! :)

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

This thread has 2458+ posts and 180,350+ views!

 

Carol ....you know how to entertain a crowd!!! :D :D

 

Hope you're getting some rest....hope your furnace gets fixed soon. :eek:

 

***

[crusingdave]

I know that Captain Johnny brought back to the ship 2 rocks from Cape Horn and had them mounted on plaques and auctioned them off to benefit a charity.

 

Anyone know what they went for during the auction?

$5,100.00 total for both of them. We got home Thursday night and I just got my computer back, I put it in the shop for a cleaning while we were away for the cruise of a lifetime.

 

Dave and Amy

[rubrrick]

I have spent the last hour reading about the last leg of Carol's cruise........that I was lucky enough to be aboard!

 

Bobbie made me promise that this would be a special cruise.........and asked that I not spend time on the internet.................and trying to comply with her wishes............I didn't post very many times on the last leg.

 

Carol..........and this is her thread.........did an incredible job........feeling sick as she was!! Talk about a trooper............she reminds me of the Energizer Bunny...........that just keeps going..............and going!!

 

Our reunion.........in the Lotus Lounge...........was .........well........ just a couple of old friends coming together once again. Carol....is Carol, and can dine with the Queen..........or hit the slot machine........with one of her oversized............extensions of the upper body!:eek:

 

It's wonderful to be home.........but there are so many things that I want to say about the last leg.

 

Someone will help me with a site.........where I can upload pictures!! I have an incredible one with Carol and the Captain..........in our cabin.

 

Then I have to tell about a phone call that we received just a couple of days before the end of the trip.............from Carol............saying that she was throwing a party in the RFS..............and if we had anything to contribute..............it was a cabin party to end all cabin parties!!

 

I know that a few people did not make it out of bed much before noon the next day!! Carol, Cindy and Jeanine...........thank you all so much for so much fun!!

 

Now that I'm home.........give me a chance to collect my thoughts......and I'll post some of the wonderful events of the last leg!!

 

I also had an interesting time last night........meeting Adam Goldstein.

 

I'm hoping that the two nighter that many of my friends are aboard now.......will be more entertaining..........and more enlightening than the one nighter.

 

Happy to be home...............and if Bobbie would post............she has some wonderful stories to tell.

 

To our many friends from the cruise..........Roy and Pat, Paul and Judy, Joe and Torrie, Don and Pat, Woody.........gosh........the list is damn near endless..............Thanks to all of you for making Bobbie feel at home for the time that I was not aboard.............and what a wonderful reunion.......and meeting so many new friends!!:);)

 

Rick

[crusingdave]

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.

 

It took us about 15 minutes to get a porter - we had 7 bags including carry-ons. After we got on a shuttle bus there was a man making a huge scene, he asked for someone with a later flight to get off the bus. HE used profanity and a security guard ended up calling the port police to control him. The problem was the luggage compartments were full with about 35 to 40 people on a 55 passenger bus.

 

Also the porter said the port wanted to supply 50 porters, however Royal Caribbean said to supply only 28 porters. With the amount of luggage people had it was insufficient.

[wrp96]

Hey Rick you have mail!!

[bubbie617]

Carol....or anyone....WE have a question..... :D

 

DH loves a Latte Coffee.....does the Mariner have anything similar to Seattle's Best...like on the Radiance class?

 

This is the first Voyager class for DH....

I was on the Voyager class (Navigator) back in 2004 but can't remember! :)

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

***

 

As Diamond members of Crown and Anchor, you have entree to the Concierge Lounge where there is a wonderful machine that makes and dispenses cappuccinos (sp?), lattes, espresso and good old coffee. It's available 24 hours a day.

[henepup]

Carol it has been wonderful reading your post every night.

Thanks!!

Henepup

[SherriZ366]

As Diamond members of Crown and Anchor, you have entree to the Concierge Lounge where there is a wonderful machine that makes and dispenses cappuccinos (sp?), lattes, espresso and good old coffee. It's available 24 hours a day.

You also get a coupon for a specialty coffee from Seattles's Best in your Diamond coupon book. You can have any coffee/any size you want with flavors etc.

[elleluv]

Great job (as usual) on the thread, Carol. It was great to read your posts and relive some of our time on the cruise and also get informed of some missed moments! Let us know how you fare with the water in your basement… hopefully it’s not as bad as it sounded.

 

We had such a fantastic trip… 46 nights sounded like a VERY long time before we left, but it went by extremely quick. We met such great people on this trip, after spending so much time together it was really hard to leave both our new friends and the ship.

 

DH has quite a few pictures from the trip that he’ll post to his photo share site in the next couple of days. I’ll post a link once he’s done.

 

I’m about 95% through the mail, only about 25% done unpacking and haven’t even started the laundry yet. I keep hoping it will wash and fold itself like it did on the ship… it’s going to be very tough to adjust to real life!

 

Ellen

[IBookHePays]

Thank you again, Carol, for sharing your vacation with us...it's been wonderful!

 

Please let us know how you are making out with your water problem. Hope it wasn't too bad and that it didn't ruin the last days of your incredible trip :)

[Carolyn R]

:D

 

 

Wish you were going with us!! You are well loved!! I'll pass the word, and, of course..........Dorass will have a wonderful come back!!:D Just for you!!

 

Rick

 

PS.............I just realized that it's under a hundred hours.........and I'm gone!! Ahh.......one that can start counting the hours! ANTICIPATION!!

 

72 hours till my flight check in!! YEP............I'm starting to count the hours!!

 

It won't be long and they will be saying "Good bye Rick!!" Well, maybe not quite like that!!:eek::rolleyes::D

 

For now............I'm just going to say.........Good night Rick!!;)

 

How prophetic! Rest in peace Rick.

[Carolyn R]

I am so embarrassed! Somehow I got my signals crossed when hearing about someone dying on board. Maybe too much wine? So glad you are still with us Rick and hope to meet you someday.

[piercetc4]

if the last 53 days has flown by for me , i know it really flew double time for you , carol- i am wondering if pcd for a 53 nighter is worse than for a 7 nighter? and also wondering when the pcd sets in after such a fabulous 53 nighter?

welcome home- hope the water damage isnt too bad and that nothing important was ruined-

 

thanks again for the wonderful thread!

[rubrrick]

I am so embarrassed! Somehow I got my signals crossed when hearing about someone dying on board. Maybe too much wine? So glad you are still with us Rick and hope to meet you someday.

 

I'm resting in peace!! After a long drive back, and a sick DW......yes, she finally caught what so many had onboard.........and now we are unpacked.........and having a nice day of rest!!:D

 

Actually......it's time for a martini!!:D:D

 

Rick

[rccruisers]

Carol, welcome back to the "real world". ;) I know you will miss the Mariner of the Seas, she is a great ship. We have sailed on her many times out of Florida but now she has a new home and the west coast will get to enjoy.

 

Sorry to hear about your problem at home but you had some really good friends taking care of things while you were gone. Friends like that are "true friends".

 

Get some rest and thanks for letting us be a part of your cruise!:D

[brwneyez424]

Welcome home all you lucky people that have been on the mariner for so long. It was wonderful living the trip with you. I was wondering if anyone has a picture of the tenders in cabo? I read on here that they are easier now and would love to see a picture. Again welcome home. :)