[Spridgets] Monaco Here We Come

[Macy Larry]

Hmmm,

Cruise stories. My first cruise was my honeymoon. Theresa and I went from Vancouver to Alaska, in July. It was interesting as we spent most of the days on the deck watching the scenery and there was some amazing stuff. We went through a channel on our first day that I swear was only about 8 feet wider than the ship. We stopped in Juneau, Ketickan and Skagway. One day we took a raft float down the Chilkat River through the Bald Eagle Preserve. Saw about 3000 bald eagles. Watched a couple shows and participated in a "game show" thingy. 

Then, isn't there always a "then" on our way back to Vancouver we spent 2 days, well a day and half, at sea, in beautiful sunny weather. I was never so bored in my life. Well maybe I have been, but nothing to do but walk around the ship and look at water. I never went to the casino, it has no interest for me. Was a great cruise, but I doubt I would have the patience to do a cross Atlantic one. I also did not like the scheduled dinner times, but we were on the second shift, so it wasn't so bad. And they gave us envelopes with positions on them at the end of the cruise for "tips" along with a pamphlet about how much should go in each envelope. The guy that did our room and made towel animals got the biggest one (he wasn't supposed to ;-)

My Second cruise was a Rhine River cruise, but that's another story. 

Larry


On Nov 11, 2011, at 16:04 PM, Kirk Hargreaves wrote:

> Interesting boat.  I went on a cruise one time in my life . . a gift from
> our three kids.  For me, I really did not like it at all.  The Capt kept
> the boat running in circles to keep the casino open.  Growing up in So Cal
> I knew the distance and the speed we were traveling.  San Pedro to Catalina
> does not take several hours . . I knew he was buying time. .  under the
> pretense that we were headed in a straight line.
> 
> Then they scheduled us for dinner.   The worst part for me, being told when
> to eat and what to wear when I want to take things at my own pace.  After
> dinner they pushed everyone for tips.  . a tip to the waiter (understood)
> and then a tip for the cook, and a tip for someone else that was involved,
> etc.  It was a "tip marathon."   They also had the percent worked out that
> we were to tip. .  and as I recall is was over 15% for each person.
> 
> Anyhow . . this reminded me.   Of course had it been a nicer trip, say to a
> further away destination with better room accommodations, and flexibility
> with the schedule (I hear that some of the cruise lines are removing the
> scheduled "you have to be there" dinner thing) it might have been a
> pleasant experience.
> 
> To me, and this is just me, I felt confined and as such I wanted off that
> boat as soon as possible!
> 
> Kirk
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-- 

Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
macy at upenn.edu
Senior IT Program Director
Neuropsychiatry Section
Department of Psychiatry
Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce St. - 1015 Gates
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Some people are like a Slinky, not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. - Anon