Radiance 9-14-07 Polar Bear Express "Special"!

cruisenfever wrote:

jillybabes wrote:

Just finished packing and we are ready to leave in the AM for Orlando...
Try not to chatter too much while we are gone...Have a great week everyone...Later, Jill

Wait a minute...........there isn't a port in Orlando? Have fun.

We are spending the night before boarding the SOS in PC ...

Afternoon all.

Got home this morning at 4, left the dogs out of the bedroom and slept on the sofa until John got out of bed around 6:30. Went back to bed and slept until 9:30.

Plan to relax the rest of the day until we leave for the ballgame at 5.

Safe trip Jill, like I said on the phone wish we were joining you.

d

jillybabes wrote:

cruisenfever wrote:

jillybabes wrote:

Just finished packing and we are ready to leave in the AM for Orlando...
Try not to chatter too much while we are gone...Have a great week everyone...Later, Jill

Wait a minute...........there isn't a port in Orlando? Have fun.

We are spending the night before boarding the SOS in PC ...

Oh yeah right!!

Jill - Yes, have ANOTHER great cruise!!!!!!

Off to get a haircut (finally)...

Sheila - Guess the little one does "wike" Mickey D's.

Have fun Jill

Went to Kohl's and used my coupon to get gd socks and undergarments. Was also able to find what I need so I could wear the dress I purchased at Dressbarn.

Been a warm day here.

It's been a scorcher here, but it's cooled down a bit near the water, so I'm outside on the patio as I type this! I'm holding off on the adult beverages since we are going to a wine tasting at 6:00 followed by dinner. I should probably have a piece of cheese, though, to sop up some of the offerings, LOL.

Bon voyage to Jill, who is long since departed!

Ginny, good job on the shopping. I discovered an unused Bed Bath & Beyond gift card that my father & SM sent me for Christmas so I got a new set of towels for my bathroom plus some kitchen gadgets.

Discovering surprises like gift cards is way fun!!!!!!!!!!!

All this talk about Kohls has cost me $200!!!!!!!!!!!!! and that's with a 20% coupon!!

But I got stuff to redecorate our bathroom, and got dh 2 pairs of shoes, pants, several shirts (he's horribly hard to buy for and hates shopping), baby gift....WAIT A MINUTE>>..I didn't get NOTHING for me!!!!!!!!

Booked a 'closeup' tour at Sea World for the dd, gs and I in june....he loves penguins and they had a tour to be able to touch one......he will be sooo excited.......cannot wait......

Now it's off to some zzzzzzz'sssss.......

Happy Sailing AGAIN SIS......

jul

Just home from the ball game. We left during the 8th but heard after we got home the our team won.

I'm waiting for 11 pm to roll around as I am working again tonight, but only for a few minutes.

Tomorrow I get to relax and do whatever I want. I think the kids are coming by for a visit. Since Tricia is between semesters and therefore isn't studying it's always easier to visit Mom and Dad on Sunday. I also need to go to Target and get a couple packs of bar towels to make golf towels, one of my projects from my embroidery machine. I made a test one for Tricia's BF and I showed it to her last weekend and her only comment was what only one?? So for Christmas I guess I'll make him a half dozen.

Weather here today was just beautiful low 80's, perfect. Hope it's the same tomorrow maybe I'll try to sit out and get some sun.

I'll check in tomorrow!

d

Morning all another beautiful day in big-D. Got to sleep in thanks to John, he got up when the dogs started to whine to go out. I've read the paper and had my morning coffee, puttering around in my room, watching cable movies and playing with the embroidery machine. Making Christmas surprises!

Still need to go to Target and either Lowes or Home Depot.

Did anyone see the "wingnuts" latest post on NCL? She's apparently become a know it all about mini-suite becoming deluxe balcony cabin in the future. And, someone told her: well here's the post:

Quote :

Quote:

Originally Posted by MACOP a mini is a DELUXE BALCONY not a suite. No perks other than 48 jours in advance dinner reservations. The Matre D has a list of Suites & names of who is occupying it. We had a mini on 4/27 so I know.

I keep seeing you make posts that the AF Mini Suite is a Deluxe Balcony. I would like to request that you refrain from continuing to do so. NCL may very well be changing what they call the AG and AF cabins, but they have not yet done so and to continue to call them Deluxe Balcony cabins could be confusing to new cruisers. NCL still lists them as AF and AG Mini-suite on their website. I know, I have sailed on the ship 3 times in the same AF Mini and there are definately differences between the Balcony and Mini-suite cabins.

As to my understanding to the original question:
Only passengers booked in AE type (FULL suites) and above are given the benefit of eating breakfast and lunch. As the above poster has mentioned they could speak to the concierge upon boarding the ship and find out the definative answer to the question. Nothing is ever carved in stone.
__________________
Karen

This is so funny!

d

Gmorning all.......

Lots to do today..........decided to redo my 'scpbking/computer room'......have to strip it empty , then paint walls, put in counter top in two L's....I going to take out the huge computer center and set the desktop up on the countertop....we rarely use the desktop anymore. I can envision the final room and it should be awesome......but lordy, what work it will be until then.....

Guess I'll pack up dd's huge mickey collection....her dh doesn't want it in their house so I guess it's time to closet it or sell it....

Off to get started.........Have a GREAT day y'all........beautiful sunny day here!

Susan........you're MIA.......is all OK UP THERE????

jul

Morning everyone........................time to rise and shine........though I see several are up and about already.

Diane, yes I saw that this morning. I am waiting for her response, if she does respond. Did you also notice that she now posts in whatever language that is................"jours"!! Yes, I know the "j" is right nextdoor to the "h"!!!! She's always good for a laugh or two in the morning.

Yeah...........where's Susan...............she hasn't posted in quite a while. Susan.............we miss you.................where are you???????????????

Have a good day....................

Good morning all--
Finally a sunny day here in IA.
Did you see the group cruise for this site for Radiance in Feb. 2010 to include carnival in Rio? We were not too thrilled with Brazil but then we should also think about using that expensive visa. So far nothing planned for 2010.

Getting ready to go to a 90th birthday party.
Later--

Have fun at the bday party Nancy.......90...WOW......

One wall stripped.......course it was the easy one

Ginny, I understand your frustration the past few months......although I won't really have dust, but good lord what a MESS it is going to make......

Luckily, my dd is doing the neighborhood garage sale this Fri so I am getting rid of a bunch at the same time......

I am downsizing MY CRAP.....must mean I'm getting older .....My goal is to have closets that have hardly anything in them instead of everything falling out if I open the doors........

Sell the crap and cruise another cruise with the $$$....LIKE THAT!!!!

Ok........that's enuff rambling and a long enuff break.....onto wall number 2

j

Good Morning Ladies,

Home from church and hope to go to Outback for lunch but have to wait for gd to take off.

Jul enjoy your new office it will be nice when finished. Was working on mine again last night, with son connecting printer and moving the TV/DVR thingie and CD player around. I confess I got testy with all the wires and things not fitting where they were designed to go. I am better this morning.

:><:

Quick note to say we're home.....super cruise and I am exhausted.......I needed to stay on for a B2b to recoup........

Anyway, need to catch up with online bills and laundry........

Hope everyone's week was a good one....


Back later.......................

Welcome Home Kathy........we missed ya!!!

Well......project MESS is about done........all I have yet is the computer and such, and then piles of books everywhere to haul downstairs.......(may wait for dh to get home since he can carry more in one load than I can).......

Now onto picking out color of countertop and paint.......mmmmmmmmm

j

WE'RE BA-ACK! Still in recovery though as this was the most fun we've had on a cruise in a long time for such a short time!!!

Had a bang-up birthday celebration which included roses, decorations in the cabin and dinner with El Capitan! Did some shopping in Ensenada and got some gorgeous beaded shawls. Best treat was being on the bridge for sail out of Ensenada. Couldn't believe all this as we are nobody special.

Got an email, among the 118 that I am answering, from a friend that was on the Hawaii Member Cruise and was one of the 75 that did not get their luggage until they reached Maui. Thought you' like to read it:

Yeah, this was a cruise like no other. First RCCL changed our hotel from Embassy Suites downtown San Diego to Hyatt out by Sea World, two weeks prior to the cruise. I called RCCL to try and cancel the hotel which included the transfers to Ensenada and spoke to (3) RCCL reps in three different depts., for over two hours prior to the cruise and was told that if we cancel the hotel we would be charged a cancellation fee plus there were no guarantees that we could get transfers to Ensenada as all the transfers were sold out. Two days prior to sailing RCCL decided that all passengers would have free transfers to Ensenada except those passengers that were staying at the hotel as the transfers were included in the hotel package. That meant we paid $324.00 to stay at the Hyatt. I obtained a copy of the actual charge for a room at the Hyatt for 5/2/08, which was $189.00 per room, double occupancy. The Hyatt was okay, however, it was not downtown where we wanted to stay. We took a city bus to old town and had dinner at a Mexican Rest., and tried to make the best of a bad situation. On the day we arrived at the Hyatt, they told us we would be transferred by bus to San Diego convention center and then transferred to Ensenada to the cruise ship and our luggage would be transferred by a truck directly to the cruise ship and not with us to the convention center. Our transfers indicated we were to be transported by bus to Coral Hotel in Ensenada and our luggage was to be sealed in compartments on the bus and would be transported to Ensenada with us. This last minute change was made on 5/2/08 by RCCL, no explanation or warning. When we left Hyatt on the buses to San Diego convention center approx. noon, which was set up like a refugee camp, our luggage was sitting outside of the Hyatt on the sidewalk in front of the buses. That was the last time we saw our luggage until we arrived in Maui , (6) days later. We did not become aware of the situation until around midnight after we were on our way to Hawaii, when someone we met on the bus to Ensenada called us in our room and told us that we better get down to guests relations as all of the luggage of the guests who stayed at the Hyatt were not on the ship. When we went to guests relation, we spoke to a rep. who was very rude and could not answer any of our questions. We were given (1) each of RCCL tee shirts that had Vitality written on the front, a comb, tooth brush, 1 razor and a small shaving cream. The next morning all of us victims met down at the Guests Relations to try and get some answers regarding our luggage. At that time we could get no one from RCCL to meet with us to explain the situation. One of the victims happened to be an attorney. and he became our spokesperson as all us victims were very upset about the situation. We remained in the guest relations approx. an hour when finally the manager of the guest relations came out and spoke with us. At that time she did not know where our luggage was at and told us they were trying to locate it. She said we could purchase items on the ship, however, could not authorize an amount as their office in Miami was closed on Sun. and she had to get authorization from someone at their main office in Fl. Three days after leaving Ensenada they sent a note to our cabin that they found our luggage in a storage area at the Hyatt and they were trying to arrange for the luggage to be transported to our first port in Maui. During the six days we were on the ship, we had brought a carry-on, and we both had two changes of casual clothing, some underclothing, and all of my cosmetics and medications. I tried to pack more in the carry-on, but Mark said he did not want to have to lug around a carry-on at the convention center. He was so glad that I did pack a change of underwear, and a pair of his long pants for Mark, as there was nothing to purchase on the ship except tee shirts, sweat pants, and jackets. We were allowed free laundry, however, I was hand washing the underwear every day, to make sure we had a change the next morning . As far as formal night, we wore the same casual clothes for both formal nights and we had both formal nights prior to reaching Maui. Of course Mark loved every minute of this as he is a typical guy and he did not have to dress up on formal night. RCCL did allow the men to rent a tux at no charge, however, I would not let him rent a tux, since I had to wear my Capri pants. The ship did not have any formal wear to even purchase for men or women. Some of the women had to purchase men’s undergarments as they did not have any women’s undergarments to purchase. Mark had to purchase women’s socks as they did not have any men’s socks. I have to say we made the best of a bad situation.

I believe RCCL needs to retrain their customer relation rep’s to be able to handle any situation good or bad. We loved the Captain and our cabin steward and our waiting staff. Even the clerks in the stores felt sorry for us and tried to accommodate us with our basic needs. When the luggage was brought to our room in Maui, I kissed the luggage, gave the cabin steward a big hug and did a little suitcase dance down the hall. I was so happy to just see our luggage again. We made a lot of friends that were in the same situation “refugees” ha ha (75) victims (131) pieces of luggage. It will be a trip we will always remember.

That's it from here!
Hugs, Mar~

Oh yes, and we did officially book the Mariner on Apr 19,2009...got a hump cabin on deck 6.

AND our Voyager B2B cruises for January went down in price and we got $400 off on them!
have a hump cabin on thaose as well.

mar~

Hi everybody, I'm Home Got back about 12mn last night.
Kathy, welcome home. Glad to hear you had a good time.
Mar, you too. That luggage story was a nightmare. I'll think about that the next time we have a tx from hotel to ship

I've been reading ccc's drivel. She's quite the expert after her cruise. Glad someone is taking her to task. She said some awful things about the Overboard incident on Dawn.

Welcome Kathy and Marilyn.

Hi all! I guess I'm being punished for not posting lately! A couple hours ago, I posted about all the stuff that's been going on here, but I now see it never really posted! I think I get too busy and move on to the next website before I wait for my response to actually post! Sheesh! Anyway, sorry I haven't posted, but lots going on and no time to spend with my Polar Bear friends! Sorry!

Jul, Ray may be coming to Branson for one night next month. He has friends in Ava and he thinks he will spend one night in Branson. Can you recommend a decent hotel. Nothing fancy, Holiday Inn/Comfort Inn type, but clean, etc. I'll email you when I know his schedule. He said he wanted to stop in and see you and Dave.

Patti, please say hi to Reyno if you chat with him again!

Luv you guys, even when I don't have time to post!

Susan....good to hear from you!!...The Comfort Inns owned by the Myers Hotel Group are nice hotels. They win awards all the time. It will be great to see him....tell him to make sure he calls us......

I know what you mean about typing a post and then it's not there.....it's that thing that comes up and says a post was posted while you were typing and if you just go out of the screen like I usually do it disappears, you have to hit the save....strange...

Mar.........what a nightmare on the luggage........I guess that's why even when we have stayed with the hotel thru the cruiseline and have transfers we still just take a cab and take our own luggage.....I hate to say it but I don't trust people to do it right!....Ginny can attest to that!!!!

jul