RNSANE

I almost exclusively sail on Royal Caribbean and I arrive at the port about 11:30 so I can beat the lines. There is normally a special boarding section for diamond/platinum passengers and a lounge to wait for embarkation and, of course, you are given priority boarding. Have you arranged to have your dining seating with your friends?

Joey, I am SO glad you reminded me about Mardi Gras...I have some great beads and earrings, too...and, since I went to nursing school in New Orleans and lived there for six years, I can do Mardi Gras really well....my dear friend, Trudy, the Guest Services manager just emailed and she'll be on vacation then...boo hoo...I really miss her when she isn't on board.

So far, just have the Monarch booked in Feb...but I plan to do that at least three more times before they leave in October....and I'll go to the Sovereign or Majesty to see my bar manager friend...I want to do the Radiance to see friends there and Sherry and I are hoping to do one transatlantic, prefererably the 14 day on the Navigator, I believe it is, that stops in Bermuda, Lisbon, Sevilla, Malaga and Barcelona...the rest is up in the air. If the Monarch does a canal to get to Port Canaveral, I'd like to do that....who knows what is in store.

Since it's just me, I make the decision....however, I often find a great deal and put it out to all my forensic nurse colleagues...often ten folks tag along with me. I usually plan the next cruise while I am on board a ship - or while perusing the "hot deals", etc. I've been so many places, the itineraries aren't always so important, it's just that I want to get away and see crew friends.

But, Mary Lou, I just finished unpacking last week and put my bags away from the Brilliance cruise! And there were only two weeks between the Brilliance and the Monarch...at least, I'm waiting a month between these two cruises.

My docs arrived, too - and I have word that I got my spot at my favorite table ( 482 ), second seating in Claude's dining room...though I may join you one night in your solitude, Joey! Now do you have a SPECIFIC table you want to ask of Seamus for you 1/14 cruise.

Hooray for you....I know it's nice to have them in your hands! Chintzy luggage tags and all.

I don't especially like Miami....considering it's Miami and the home of Royal Caribbean, the terminal isn't very well set up. On our recent Brilliance cruise, there wasn't the usual lounge for the Diamond - Platinum passengers and there were plenty of them. Because it was the first US port for the ship after returning from Europe, it took much longer to disembark passenger and the crew had to go through much longer custom formalities. Passengers awaiting embarkation were jammed into the small waiting area and everyone was in the Windjammer at once at 1PM...that couldn't be avoided but, certainly, you'd think RCI could do better in their homeport terminal. Of course, I absolutely abhor the Miami airport, too. San Francisco doesn't have a very nice terminal/port area, either...thankfully, Pier 39 is right there to make passengers feel a little better but getting on and off a ship in SF leaves much to be desired. I love Singapore...nice cruise terminal with a great shopping center right there...

There is a formal ( if you can call it that ) night but would be fine, Sue, I think...some people don't dress up at all....me, with forty years in scrubs, etc...I LOVE dressing up. A tie and collared shirt and pants would be fine.... You'll enjoy the Monarch...please send me your complete names and cabin numbers and I'll see if my good friend, the F & B manager, might send you treats to the cabin one of the nights. Carmen

Hi Rose, I'd heard from Michael Prasse - see personal email I sent you. Thanks for delivering messages. I could have sent a longer list but I know you're busy having fun. Who is the loyalty ambassador on board? Inga? I've had a couple of emails from Robert Wood, the maitre 'd over the last few days...if I knew your table number and seating, I'd send him over your way...if you you get a chance, say hello to him. He's tall, handsome and very British. When the Radiance was here for the day last year on the coastal, Michael got me a pass and I spent the day on board ( literally from about 9A to 11P ) - I even went to second seating in the dining room. A couple of the bartenders thought I'd been on the cruise since sailing and gave me the devil because they thought I hadn't made it to the Schooner yet. What was really funny was that a couple approached me who had dined at the captain's table with me for my 60th birthday on the Monarch two years prior...we were able to arrange dinner with me that night since so many passengers were off the ship in San Francisco. Great fun. I wanted so badly to stow away but I promised Michael he wasn't going to hear security paging me - or calling him!!!!

I have seldom done cruise line air. Most of the time, I've found I can do better on my own. But, if you're doing custom arrangements, you should be able to specify what you want. Since I haven't used that service, can you choose your own seats, etc? That would be most important to me.

Good for you, Sue...but I wish you were doing the four day with me and Joey. Have you been on the Monarch before? This will be my 18th cruise on the MN...I feel like she's my home and I do know a large percentage of the crew.

Of course, I'm happy for you, James and Donna...but definitely envious...I don't think I've ever won anything in my life! Congratulations.

Very much enjoyed your review. I haven't yet sailed on Holland America. It sounds wonderful but, after sixty cruises with Royal Caribbean, it's hard to switch lines.

Kenny and Ryan were great...not quite as wonderful as you...and we met that nice couple from England...and another cute couple as well ( all guys, though )...how come I never meet guys looks for GIRLS!!!! Aren't there any left? You win a drink at the Schooner next time we meet.

I enjoyed the pictures, Peddlar...the fog rivals San Francisco. I've sailed out of Galveston about ten times..have many Texas forensic nurse colleagues. Merida looks like a lovely city. I've always wanted to go there and spend a few days. I speak Spanish fairly fluently and I thought it would be a reasonably close place for me to go and practice...though I am never adverse to flying to Barcelona!

I always look at those gorgeous young things, their plates piled high with goodies and think, "Now, I'd like to see you in thirty years!" I am so envious of their ability to indulge and still look spectacular. Of course, they race about the ship, with their hummingbird metabolism - as I once used to do!

Sherry and I REALLY missed you on this cruise...notice who we hung out with most, Joey!

Gene, where have you been all my life? Cruising, I hope. Good to see you here.

You are certainly starting the New Year off in a great place, jimijacobs!!

Nice to see you've joined us, Evee626!!!! The more the merrier.

Howdy, haymish!!! Glad to see you here.

Gang, If you click on the window under my signature, it will take you to the webshots site and you can click on slideshow to see our photos on the December 2007 Brilliance cruise. Also, I think you can see my other albums, including the December Monarch cruise with that wild Joey!

kasowell, I have only one thing to say about your arrival on the scene!