Ray

I'm in NO way disagreeing with you as you are entited to your opinion, as i stated in a post yesterday it's RC that makes the rules not the guests and as you yourself mentioned it's a suggested dress code not compulsory , HOWEVER you must realise that times change, you wont get a cruise like you used to nowadays! the days of the Love Boat style cruise are gone, not because of the passengers but because of RC. Cruising used to be about doing very little except sit outside in the sun and read, then get dressed up to the nines for evening meals. RC and all other cruiselines have made cruising more open for less affluent families meaning it's not just the snobs who get to cruise now. This means familes with children , young couples on honeymoon or family groups who are celebrating a special occasion can experience visiting new places that previously were maybe outwith their budget, Cruiseline companies have realised that their Love Boat style guest will in time vanish, so they have been opened up to a new breed of cruiser because it's a business and they need to make money. By doing this they have had to change how ships are to keep these new cruisers coming back, that means ships have had to change to accomadate these HORDES ( your words) , Waterslides, Broadway shows, ice rinks to name a few have been included to cater for these new cruisers ( who may be teachers, nurses or even doctors). would you want all of these attractions introduced removed as well, to return to the good old days of cruising? We should never judge a book by it's cover, like wise we should never judge someone by how they dress

on port days set the alarm clock for 6am and make an early start lol

english, scottish, welsh irish or albanian, doesnt matter because where someone comes from doesnt make them a better CD, CEO or even a doctor! it's about putting in the effort, listening to advice and learning, if your good or bad its not because your from outer mongolia its becasue you have or havent put in the effort

Having worked in the middle east and travelled far and wide, the accent isnt the problem, it's how it's spoken. replace scots words with the proper english, talk a bit slower and it's not an issue, in my opinion it's about having respect for others, if i go abroad people make the effort to make sure i understand so i do likewise

not all where inventors John Witherspoon Born in Gifford, East Lothian. Joined the clergy, becoming an ordained minister in 1745. Emigrated to the USA in 1786. Helped to draft the Declaration of Independence (he was also the only clergyman to signed it, but 21 of the 56 signatories were of Scottish descent).

lost for words So your saying that by changing your accent from scottish to english it will make you a better CD? Honesty whatever your smoking right now you need to stop!!! how can someon's accent make them good or bad? i have never heard so much rubbish in my life!! you should be proud of where you come from because scotland has contibuted so much to the world and will continue to do so

Personally i will dress up for formal night, i have mentioned on a previous thread that im taking my kilt with me, but if there are people at my table wearing shorts then thats fine with me, fact is some shorts can be more expensive that a 3 piece suit ( well mine are )

No shock that i have ultimate drink package

does this include the magnetic strips on bank cards? i had this issue with metro passes while in paris, put them in wallet next to bank card and it wiped metro pass, which pissed me off as even with reciept showing date we bought them we had to buy new ones

Way i see it, it's RC who make the rules not the guests, so if RC dont want shorts in MDR on formal or any other night ban them!!! TOTAL BAN No one should judge or look down on anyone due to what they are wearing if RC says it's ok. In my opinon a nice pair of shorts with the right shirt or polo shirt can in fact look way better than a pair of trousers, it's not what you wear but how you wear it

For any UK cruisers saint martin, Martinique and Guadeloupe are included in your uk data allowance at no extra cost as they french colonies

I'm quoting this one again, because personally, I think that this is important. I wish that there were more, especially given that it is entertainment. Can we stick to cruise topics please, RC Blog is a friendly place where we discuss cruises, ports excurions etc, Debates on peoples sexuality and should there be more LBGT staff etc should not be discussed here. And please dont class me as homophobic, oldest daughter of 28 has been out for 11yrs and i couldn't be more proud of her and her partner

My comment was simply a joke to try and make light of a sad situation, it's called "laughing in the face of adversity" however WE should be grateful that the incident wasnt worse, 1000's of people on the ship that could have become targets for someone wanting to end their life, as has happened in various schools or streets across the world, when someone has no control of their brain or their actions the result can be catostrophic, we should be grateful that didn't happen.

Apologies if you were offended Me i joke about everything because life is to short to worry about things but i realise not everyone is the same.

Maybe he had the pizza

The Metro is good and pretty easy to use ( very similiar to NYC Subway system) each route in numbered and colour coded. Signs in metro tunnels leading to each stop only show the LAST metro stop on that route, so the likes of the yellow line will have two tunnels going in different directions with only the final destition displayed at entrance, so when you are heading for a train make sure you know the final destination of the route you want. http://www.ratp.fr/en/titres-et-tarifs/paris-visite-travel-pass Stations are in my opinion cleaner and safer than NYC, However this is one place you can be scammed and not expect it! If you arrive at airport ( CDG) head downstairs towards RER train and there is a place to purchase tickets. Buy RER ( Train) ticket into Paris, this ticket will allow you to use metro to get to your final destination within Paris, when you arrive at Gurd De Nord or any other main Station you will as we all are first time be lost and be looking for correct subway to get to hotel, Be careful of gentleman wearing suits approaching you to offer help, they will ask to see your ticket tell you it's NOT valid even though it is, and that you need another one to use metro, and to follow them. they will take you to ticket machine OUTSIDE station and then put their weekly or monthly pass into machine to buy your tickets ( which you dont need as you were already inside metro station), if you are lost ask the guards or police. The metro is zoned from 1 to 5 so if going outside Paris this is zone 5 and more expensive. Very Nice area you are staying in, i have stayed near there in Place de Italia, given your location almost all Paris Landmarks are within walking distance. so metro pass may not be needed some days, The Latin Quarter which is near your hotel area is a great place to eat, every restaurant offers fixed price 3 course meals prices range from 10 to 18 Euro https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g187147-d189685-Reviews-Latin_Quarter-Paris_Ile_de_France.html Some Attractions such as the Louvre, Arc De triomphe etc offer free entry on a sunday. https://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/themed-guides/paris-for-free/free-museums-and-monuments-in-paris/free-admission-and-good-deals-in-museums-and-monuments-in-paris The Area around the Moulin Rouge is an eye opener if travelling with younger children or men with heart conditions best to avoid lol Around every attraction there will be Eastern Europeans looking for visitors to try and beg money from or sell things to. like anywhere else just ignore and walk by. Some Toilets in Paris can be an experience as my oldest daughter found out A hole in the ground with 2 footprints in concrete to show where to put your feet as you squat wasnt her idea of luxury ( public toilets charge so make sure you have loose change ) Anything else you want to know just ask Ray

I have been to Paris 5 times if you need any advice on places to go, good places to eat and how to avoid being scammed etc feel free to ask

I must agree I couldn’t care less whether someone is good or bad as a CD, AM or whatever, for me it’s about the trip, seeing new ports, meeting new people etc The crew are only a small part of the experience and in my opinion not worth worrying about

Couldn’t agree more!!! For any new cruiser like myself seeing what can only be classed as constant abuse or criticism directed at any cd or any other member of crew on forums like this may make new cruisers think twice about booking a particular ship because of what is written, therefore potentially missing out on a great ship and ports of call just because they read constantly that the CD or AM was no good. Dont get me wrong it’s ok to have an opinion but not to go on and on constantly about it. Way I see it if you have a problem learn from it, if asked to express your opinion do so in a manner that is respectful to those that ask and those you are talking about then leave it at that! Don’t repeat yourself over and over trying to be a voice that is heard when no one is really interested

For a new cruiser like myself it's great to see that you are NOT posting everyday, as this can only mean you are busy enjoying yourself and have no time to post.

I purchased the voom surf and stream package for 1 device months ago at a cost of £76.55, today in the sale the same pack after discount will cost me £83.95 Taking a note of the price for packages or excursions you want to do months in advance does help to see if you are getting a good deal when sales are on

you contardict yourself, you say on one post you DONT expect to have much fun then your last you want to join in the fun. Way i see it from all your posts you want a CD job and very few of the current CD'S meet how good you would be in your own mind. Your constant complaing about how bad people are is tiring and boring

You never know for every 1 person complaining there may be 5 saying they do a great job. And IF youre not expecting much from the cruise WHY book it? Way i see it if you go onto a cruise with such a NEGATIVE attitude towards crew/ ship or anything you're just going to pick up on every little thing that you dont like and complain about it constantly.

Would be even better if her in doors wasnt going

No you need to stop off be it Iceland, dublin, london etc. We are going to london this time on way to NYC with BA. a few hours hanging about airport then Delta down to SJU. Stopping off in NYC for a few days on way back