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Good news. It looked a lot better this morning than when I went to bed last night, and so far pain levels are back to where they were two days ago. Sent the doc’s nurse a photo and spoke with her directly. She said the pain was most likely a combination of the front part tearing a bit (she could see that in the pic), but only superficially; plus normal pain from the sutures being pulled and tugged as I move around. No follow-up or delay in getting the sutures removed is needed. She said apart from that, everything looks great and I’m clearly doing everything I’m supposed to be as far as wound care and maintenance. Also said once the sutures come out on Tuesday that I should feel a lot of relief. It will still look a bit raw at that point; normal for this kind of surgery. Full healing will take another 2 or three weeks, and I’ll need to continue using gauze coverings throughout. Oh, and she said the picture I took was great! ?

And that will seem low in a month or two. It's coming folks...

Oops. I just booked Serenade.

Lawsuit has been dropped https://news.bloomberglaw.com/class-action/royal-caribbean-investor-drops-lawsuit-over-virus-disclosures

When you discover a blog but find out you have to read it.

I stopped doing people's homework about .... oh , wait. I never did other people's homework! ??

Nope I would think someone of that age might want to Sleep in Sun tan Hang by the pool and see the fun there All of the above while on social media

Oops. @twangsterjust made me book something too. ???

yes it is operating at 50% capacity (hearsay in talks to increase to 65% soon), but the 50% capacity sacrificed are the inside staterooms, and not 50% for each category. Had a friend in GS last week and was turned away from CK for lunch because they did not make a reservation. CK seat capacity is also reduced to comply with local social distancing measures requirement. Instead they offered to send the food to her room, which may be the reason why they allow CK menu for room service for Sky Class.

Please don't get her started...

This is what I already told my girls. ?Seriously, I am not waiting around for them. Bit selfish, but that is what happens when you have a cruise crazy mom who has not been cruising for a while.

Some website 'test' sailings up for next weeks release: Serenade - Tampa Voyager - San Juan Allure - Galveston Harmony - Orlando Symphony - Miami

Somewhere a lawyer is at a bar right now...

I'm 48 and my wife is 49. Both of us fall into the "essential worker" tier in Illinois.. I haven't gotten a flu shot in almost 25 years... We both got our first dose of the Pfizer Vaccine Tuesday..

@twangster Every day a little closer!! Crossing fingers for my Cruise this year!!!

We're up to 70 million jabs here in the US as of Feb. 25, and we're jabbing about 2 million...a day.

I forgot about the breakfast. One of the favorites of ours! My wife I are not buffet people. And we don't like do main dining for breakfast as it just takes so long! But breakfast in chops is great for the suite guests. Can take your time if you like, or they help to get you out quickly if you prefer. And much more attentive than main dining!

It's fantastic news! Not sure what it looks like on the East Coast, but here in Ontario the pace is picking up. There is some light at the end of the tunnel. There is one health unit that I know of in Ontario that has already started to vaccinated the general public seniors 80+. So not as fast as the US, but definitely the pace is picking up. With the Astra Zeneca news, that pace can only pick up, God willing. Before AZ was approved, we (teachers) were slotted for May 1. I am hoping that moves ahead. Definitely going in the right direction finally.

Wait congress passes stuff that might solve a simple problem ??? Is that allowed ?

Nah, that size hail is normal with spring storms around here.

Was onboard in Dec20. Can confirm it is still there and the menu is accurate. The noodles may be decent by American standard, but it is just edible by Asian standard.

A lady goes to the bar on a cruise ship and orders a Scotch with two drops of water. As the bartender gives her the drink she says, 'I'm on this cruise to celebrate my 80th birthday and it's today.' The bartender says, 'Well, since it's your birthday, I'll buy you a drink. In fact, this one is on me..' As the woman finishes her drink, the woman to her right says, 'I would Like to buy you a drink, too.' The old woman says, 'Thank you. Bartender, I want a Scotch with two drops of water.' 'Coming up,' says the bartender. As she finishes that drink, the man to her left says, 'I would like to Buy you one, too.' The old woman says, 'Thank you. Bartender, I want another Scotch with two drops of water.' 'Coming right up,' the bartender says. As he gives her the drink, he says, 'Ma'am, I'm dying of curiosity. Why The Scotch with only two drops of water?' The old woman replies, 'Sonny, when you're my age, you've learned how to hold your liquor. Holding your water, however, is a whole other issue.'

Yippee for Galveston !

Mine is personalized. ? It’s a perk from being the stubborn Canadian Scorpio that @Matt loves to blame for everything. ?

It’s a slippery slope from Sky Class to Star Class ??

In other news, this week I have booked a studio interior on at least 3 cruises, albeit short cruises. They are so cheap!!! What could go wrong?

Hoping to be a beacon of hope: my original appointment date was April 16th until I got a text on Sunday that there were appointments available this week for me. ?

This study showing its looking like it cuts transmission as well! https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-pfizer-biontechs-covid-19-vaccine-reduces-transmission-after-one-dose/

Back on the positive side: got my 1st jab of the Pfizer yesterday. Feeling a little run down, achy and a headache, but given my autoimmune disorder, it's actually a far better outcome than I expected. I was shocked how well organized and seamless the whole thing was once I got the appointment. It was given in a "mega site" in Edison, NJ. The administrative/registration end was run by the National Guard while Robert Wood Johnson medical staff did the vaccinating and post vax observation. It was 11 minutes from door to needle. I literally spent more time in observation (15 minutes) than I did waiting and taking care of paperwork. Knocking on every piece of wood within reach, but it seems like they're starting to get the system down pat up here! ?

Well, today's messaging from Fauci and Walensky is anything but encouraging or words that might lead to local officials easing restrictions or the CDC greenlighting cruising. In fact, quite the opposite and, IMO, intended. According to these now public faces of the Biden administration's COVID experts, the rate of decline in new infections is slowing so, don't break out the Champaign just yet ..... or worse, don't start relaxing mitigation measures or letting the cruise industry get back to producing billions in global economic activity.Here's the basis of that. Epidemiologist think that the UK variant is going to become the dominant strain in the US. It has risen from 1% of new cases to 10% here. The UK variant is more transmissible because it spends more time in the human host compared to the original strain (13d v. 8d). Ostensibly, that leads to one person infecting more people that they come in contact with, IOW R(0) rises. So, R(0) must be rising, right? Is R(0) rising?I track three sources of data that are the basis for R(0) - the most reliable measure of trends in circulating virus; when it's below 1.0 it can be present but it is not increasing in sero-prevalence (% positivity). All of them are in agreement: the presence of the virus is declining*. There may be local increases but these are few and far between. Check your state here:https://epiforecasts.io/covid/posts/...united-states/* This data is collated and presented at this website on a weekly basis and is current as of 02/20/2021. The CDC does not get anymore accurate data than what the states report and they will report week-ending data for 02/26/21 tomorrow. Wslenski is shamefully premature and probably wrong in suggesting that circulating virus "could be" on the rise.Are deaths and hospitalizations rising? Nope...... and these two metrics are the best and most important measures of COVID disease burden.https://covidtracking.com/analysis-u...19-data-feb-25So, what is this, people? If I can go out and show that today's statements made by Fauci and Walensky are at best premature and at the worst, blatantly wrong and misleading how much confidence should Americans have in what they're selling? Is there any doubt why people are still scarred and won't go out? Why the CDC is holding out on allowing cruises to operate from US ports causing billions in losses to this industry? Any doubt why we will continue to have these unnecessary measures being foisted on us by local officials? To bring that point home, an article popped up in my local Sun Sentinel around 2p today. The author interviewed a handful of vaccinated people in S FL asking them if their behavior was going to change after they got vaccinated and as more Floridians got their shots? Everyone of them said they were still concerned about getting COVID and still wouldn't go out or socialize much ...... face palm follows. Once people buy into how they should behave, it is really hard to change that unless and of course you aren't following this advice like sheep.

What kind of items are being reported as non-refundable? just curious

I think the BIGGEST change is that some people are reporting Non-Refundable cruise planner items, here and there.

I had one as a kid.. When I enlisted in the Army they tore it up and gave me everything all over again lol ?

Happy to help you as always! excited for Barbados sailings, beautiful island

Her AIS transmitter has been active for sometime now. Keep an eye places like marinetraffic.com or others to see if she is moving.

We saw that they played with this concept in the past but there was a work around through the calendar. There remains an order history section but I didn't buy anything for this distant cruise yet. Moving to another cruise works better in this new format. It brings you right back to My Cruises without having to log out and confirm logging out.

Being the hot chick had its advantages?

Just in case anyone thought I was kidding ?

I am so sorry, Joe. I hope you have some miraculous healing overnight.

Maybe Royal can start selling at-home beverage packages to help me subsidize the cost a bit!

So true!!!!!

I'm not purchasing!!?? My dad'll probably decide how much my brother, sister, and I get on our accounts.

Thanks Sharla I did think that but wasnt sure if i had missed something...guess its just all hearsay and our wild imaginations running wild until RC and CDC come out with whats actually happening and whats required

I'm not sure the world is ready for me in a cat woman suit, but if that's the price..... Formal night could be interesting.

Now that I think about it. ? Wearing A Mask on Allure this December would be the coolest way to cruise. ? (unless I'm misunderstand what the CDC is recommending ) ?

Correct.. You can't fly into the USA without a negative test, yet you can walk across the boarder into the USA by the thousands with no social distancing, mask and no covid test. So much inconsistency. ?

I was thinking more along the lines of: Hi, so we understand you run some kind of a business called "cruising" ... we don't really know anything about that, could you take some time and explain what it is and how works ... apparently we are in complete control of your business and we are generally opposed to anything that happens outside of a laboratory in tightly controlled conditions so this is very scary to us already.