RNSANE

Remember, you have Florence Nightingale here...I have tons of stuff, if not for me, for others who might need it: - Meclizine for motion sickness - I've never had it - Various analgesics - Tylenol, aspirin, motrin - Antacid - Tums and Alka Seltzer - Benadryl - good for sleep and allergies - Cough drops and that fabulous Chinese cough syrup, Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa - Immodium & Lomotil - for Montezuma's revenge or someone lesser's - Colace - just in case - Gas-X - my cabin mate might need it! - Antibiotic spray/cream - Assorted bandaids - Cortisone cream - Purell - Water purifying tablets - Moleskin - Plastic medical tape - Safety pins - Small container of vaseline - Small nalgene bottles - Insect repellant - Prescription meds and copies of prescriptions

Ah, the anticipation and joy of setting forth again on a cruise....if I could just unpack from the Monarch, I could pack for the Brilliance....have to fly out at 12:15AM Sunday for Miami - won't be the same without Joey on board.

Last year, I did the Serenade, seven day, San Francisco to Vancouver, which was lovely. The Radiance did the same itinerary from Los Angeles. I try to do one of the coastal cruises every year. They are usually marked down quite a bit and are on one of the Radiance class ships, all glass, great vistas for viewing the scenery.

Yep, I kind of thought it was sayonara lobster...I sailed on the Rhapsody from Ensenada to Honolulu in late September and, while we did get lobster, there was only one per person. No crawfish, either...which I, honestly, like just as well!

Welcome to this interesting spot, wchan - an addictive fun site of cruising cronies.

Now, I am just going to have to email Seamus and tell him you told a fib, Joey! I know he looked at the pictures this morning.

Lobster, if they have it, and RARE ( walking about the dining room ) prime rib.

Well, after forty years as a nurse and having to eat in hospital cafeterias, I usually opt for the dining room and being waited on though I will, occasionally, do the buffet. Since we have assigned dinner seating, I like the idea of meeting new folks at breakfast and dinner - I don't "commune" the way you do, Joey!!!! I will occasionally eat in the fine dining restaurants like Chops and Portofino....on the Radiance last January, Captain Richard took the four "Queens" to dinner at Portofino and that was fabulous.

Hi doloresz, Happy to see a new cruiser in this crowd of delightful people!

Dear Fullimit, You'll find the support and friends here limitless! Welcome to a great group!

I often do that as well...and I have my special Pure Inventions tea that I carry...nice flavors like Tropical ( mango ), Pineapple-Coconut, and Raspberry - just a few drops and water is transformed ( for those of us who don't adore water.

You were never in your cabin on the Monarch as far as I could see.....so look at all you saved, Joey, dear.

Boy, what ships let you on that early? You must have an in with the crew!!!!

It is so nice to be in a balcony...I just love sleeping with the door open and hearing the ocean. Once on the Vision, I slept with the door open. The next morning, I couldn't utter a world....I dined at the captain's table the second night and I was quite interesting....couldn't talk at all. Folks would say that was a plus!

Boy, does that make sense...I have a colleague who was coming to Reno from Zurich for a forensic conference...it took him nearly 36 hours to get there, what with winter blizzarsds - and they weren't in Switzerland, either. Fortunately, he wasn't headed for a cruise ship.

I drink their water in the dining room - or tea - but I wouldn't drink it out of the tap....sometimes, I've had it run rusty from the faucet...I'm thinking it's rust but, god knows, what it could be.

I always meant to do the Legend when she was sailing out of Tampa - don't know if Royal Caribbean has a ship out of there now. How convenient, though. It was fun staying at the Marriott Harborside last visit....I actually flew in to Tampa, drove over to Sarasota to see friends, went on to Miami to do the Majesty and see my bar manager friend from India, drove back to Tampa and stayed two nights with my friend who works at Moffitt Cancer Hospital, then stayed four days at the Marriott Harborside before returning home. For old times sake, we had dinner one night at the Columbus....it isn't the same as it was 35 years ago - or it seemed more exciting back then...though my meal was certainly good. I thought the flamenco dancers were much better back then.

I will give you the email of a forensic nurse colleague in San Juan or contact her, Joey, for recommendations. Yolanda is a "local girl" - while I've been to San Juan fifty times in about twenty years, it's now been at least ten years since I've been there. Mostly, I wasn't cruising out of San Juan but staying there so I didn't care about being near the port - stayed at practically every place in the area - the El San Juan, Condado Plaza, Caribe Hilton, El Convento. Now there are newer and nicer hotels, I am sure. I've been all over the island to many paradores, improved my Spanish considerably, even had a wonderful romance for a couple of years! That was in my skinnier days!

It's all a blue now!

I get off in Nassau only with crew friends to occasionally eat at an excellent restaurant, Cafe Matisse, near Parliament....or to go for raw conch salad, made fresh by the bridge going to Paradise Island. There are pretty areas of Nassau, leaving the downtown area. I've spent several weeks there, in years past, when I was on the board of directors for northern CA Caribbean Tourism - but the best place I stayed in the Bahama was Eleuthera at Windemere Island Club...when all of us went as guests. The island is 2 miles wide and 12 miles long and is beautiful. Nassau is so crowded and dirty.....I do love conch - cracked, raw, chowder...but, their fritters have a random piece in too much batter. I LOVE guava duff, a wonderful dessert, when I can find....WOE IS ME - I DO LOVE FOOD!

I never use a TA....but I know most of the bar managers and hotel directors, by now, and I always bring gifts for the crew and they always send me at least two or three bottles of wine....and being diamond plus, I could opt for champagne but I always go for the dozen roses. Sometimes, I get champagne and roses. I guess they appreciate my loyalty. But I so much appreciate them.

It's funny, I find myself drinking all the fun drinks of my youth as a student nurse in New Orleans...things such as Velvet Hammers and Golden Cadillacs. I have to tell the bartenders how to make them. Now that they have mint on board for mojitos, I can even get mint juleps...after all, I AM a Southern belle, originally from Georgia!

Then how come it took us so long to meet, Joey? Was it the second morning?

That would be wonderful.....I do love Royal Caribbean but that is not an option with them...though I do frequently get wine and champagne sent to me which is a good thing.

Hey, gymbrat33, you live in Miami...you MUST try Tutto Pasta one day for lunch or dinner and tell them Carmen from San Francisco sent you. My friend, Sherry and I are flying in on Sunday just to have dinner there before our cruise. We love the place!