Baked Alaska

ha ha ha I have sailed solo often since my first cruise and yes the questions are plentiful I love giovanis but only eat there when sailing with family when alone for me it usually starts with the head man at the door don't you want to make friends? I reply I spent my whole life with the govt fugitive task force and am working please just give me a table by myself if you watch over the following nites of the cruise you will see the eyes on you grow to alarming levels I guess the staff talks a lot oh and one side bene my service has always been impecable?

Have fun with it.  
"I'm a really mean person and no one likes me"
"They went overboard at the first opportunity"
"It was a last minute deal and the cruise only cost me $60.  How much did you pay?"
"I'm doing research for a blog" - then turn the table and ask them all sorts of questions.
Seriously though, I just explain I have a flexible travel schedule and my friends and family do not, which is the truth.  

Oh come on now, we all now @Matt has ALL the answers!
I cruise solo often.  I am also a frequent solo business traveler.  When you travel for business sooner or later you have to eat.  I'm not going to eat fast food so you reach a point as a business traveler that you get over any hang ups or issues about eating alone in something other fast food restaurants.  Sometimes this means eating at the bar within a restaurant but sometimes I just want a table.  In fact, if someone else is paying the bill, why not try a reasonable sit down restaurant?  
Cruising solo and eating dinner alone come naturally because I have traveled solo for business.  We all have to eat sometime and in the case of a cruise, we all paid for our included meals.  Since I paid for it, why not try a reasonable sit down experience?
For solo dining I choose My Time Dining.  I am always seated at a table for two by myself.  Service is typically fast and the wait staff always treat me well.  I have never noticed if any one is looking at me because quite honesty I don't care if they are, much like when I travel for business.  I wear a sports coat on formal night.   It's easy to do and it respects the dining room process.  i don't pay a lot of attention to what other people are wearing and it doesn't bother me if others don't dress up.  I wouldn't even notice if someone wore white after Labor day, I've probably done it myself.
I tend not to do specialty dining very often.  I do sometimes, but rarely.  The MDR for me is generally ideal .  I take pictures of menus for the blog (flash off) and if I remember pictures of my meals.  I often think what I might blog about or reflect on the day and before I know it my meal has arrived.  
I paid for the MDR, so I have no qualms about using something I paid for.  

Print off the deck plans and study them. That way, you will know where everything that interests you is located before you board the ship. For the sail away in Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale),  head up to deck 14 immediately after the mandatory safety briefing, port side and go forward, through the sliding glass door and out onto the deck. You will be standing on top of the bridge and you can walk out onto the top of the "wings". Great views, but VERY windy....hang onto your hat and/or toupee! 

You're pretty much doing everything I think any of us here do. Just missed the part about "wailing and gnashing of teeth when there is no more of any of the above to do for distraction, because you're all caught up!" ?
Oh, and of course, "Looking at available itineraries and making mock bookings for hours on end to see what might be the next cruise after this one."

Price you first see on the RC web site is the non-refundable rate, yes. If you've already booked with your TA, he/she should indicate if they've given you the NRD or refundable; my recollection is they default to refundable unless you explicitly tell them you want the NRD.

@JLMoran Oh NO! PLease don't feel bad!!! I like the interface and will be using it now! Much better than the others I had been using! Thank you also for checking on this. I thought it was a karma/vibe sorta thing! ?

I saw that today in an email and I was thinking, hmm, got to remember that one for a 2021 cruise, Yes, I am out that far already.  When I mention that to friends they always have the same response, how can you plan out that far and I say, if you want the deals, you got to plan. Either you wait until the last moment or plan them out.

I haven’t noticed a happy hour for hooked before but see it listed now in the app. Has anyone seen this before or is it new?
 
 

I'd still argue this point, since the cabin gratuity, as noted, also goes to the staff in the Windjammer, Cafe Promenade, and other eateries on board that are complimentary. You'll almost certainly be eating at one or more of these establishments for breakfast and lunch, even if you never set foot in the MDR, so refusing the cabin gratuity for dining is stiffing all of those folks, not just the MDR staff (unless you plan to pass a few singles and fives across the food stations to the chefs / servers working back there, or hand some off to the staff clearing the tables...)

For me nothing changes.  I'll do what I've always done.  Look at the price of a particular cruise and compare it to other options.  
Price is a factor for me but so is ship and itinerary.  
Market demand will drive prices, not OBC.  At the end of the day if RC is pricing themselves above the competition, demand will drop and soon after so will prices.  
OBC is great but now I can see everything at face value.  
I'd be more upset if the opposite were true.  If they never offered OBC then announced this new concept of OBC but with higher up front prices I'd be left thinking "what idiot dreamt that up?"
 

Having lived in the Arctic in my youth, I lived in their space.  I snowmobiled in their space.  I went hiking in their space.
It's easy to say "cruiselines see a chance to make a few bucks" but I guarantee you people want this kind of experience.  It's offered because there is demand.  
It's a small ship that specializes in high adventure exotic cruising.  The ship has 80 cabins.  
This sort of excursion has been running for decades.  Sooner or later something was bound to occur.  That doesn't mean that any excursion with any risk should be banned.  Seems to me its journalism trying to sensationalize anything they can to make headlines.  

I must agree.  If you are close enough to be attacked, then you are clearly in THEIR SPACE.  Wild life is just that,  wild.  I have no problem with folks observing wild life from a good distance, I have no problem with rescue centers that allow controlled access to the animals.  But when you are out in their environment, on their turf, keep your distance.  If you are close enough that they are aware of you, and close enough that they alter their behavior because of your presence, you are too close!

Who are these people?  These are probably the same people that can keep wine in their house.  When I go to someone's house and they have a plethora of wine, I am like - how do you do that?  We can't keep wine in our house for a collection!!!!  People come over and it gets poured!
But I digress...so I view the people who spend ZERO on board with the same awe.  I can't imagine going on a cruise and NOT having a huge bill at the end!  Much respect to you zero spenders but how do you do that???

Suppose there is a cruise that has a $1300 fare that comes with $100 on-board credit (I'm just making up these numbers)
Then the prices go up. Do I care whether it goes to $1450 with $100 OBC, or if it goes to $1350 but zero OBC? No, I do not care; either way, I have to pay $150 more than otherwise. In fact, I actually prefer the zero OBC, because that will make it a little easier to meet the payment deadlines. (And people who plan to spend zero on board will certainly prefer that setup.)
Or maybe I just don't understand what the attraction of on-board credit is to begin with...
 

Alrighty now ...... since I'm already offended by this guys description of of fine folks from the Old Line State, and, most notably, Charm City.  And if we're referencing linguistics for those from the Lone Star State ......
...... Here's your education - Part Deux --- HOW TO SPEAK MERLIN....
Sad Part Is, I Understood everything here to the point I'm guilty of speaking exactly as they describe.   Enjoy.  Oh, and @baltodave - You know I'm right.
 
Youz in Maryland talk funny... The "Merlin" Dialect

The Merlin Dialect is spoken by a mixed population which inhabits a triangular area on the western littoral of the Chesapeake Bay, bounded roughly by a line commencing at Towson's Toyota, then westward to the Frederick Mall, thence following the western border of the cable TV franchise and the string of McDonald's along Route 50 to the Bay.

All of these lands and the natives thereof are known as the Land of Merlin. They divide it further into semi--tribal areas called "Cannies" (e.g., Ballmer Canny, PeeGee Canny, Muntgumry Canny, Hard Canny, etc.).

The dialect area is centered on a market center called Glimburny, there the people come on weekends to trade their goods. Because of the numerous words and phrases common to both Merlin Dialect and modern English, linguists have long postulated that there is some kinship between the two.

Speakers of Merlin Dialect are all able to understand standard English from babyhood, chiefly because of their voracious appetite for television. However, they invariably refuse to speak standard English, even with outsiders who obviously cannot understand a word they say.

Lesson 1 Vocabulary

Ballmer -- Our city

Merlin -- Our State

Arn ---- What you do to wrinkled clothes

Bulled Egg -- An egg cooked in water

Chest Peak -- A large body of water nearby

Colleyflare -- A white vegetable

Downey Owe Shin -- Summertime destination "down to the ocean"
(such as Ayshun City)

Droodle Pork -- Druid Hill Park

Faren Gins -- Red trucks that put out fires

Flicktid -- A word only Merlin natives have ever heard of or
used. Possibly deriving from the word "afflicted" taken from standard
english (ex. "Shut up. Yor jist flicktid!)

Hi Hon -- How we always say "hello"
Hode Ooon -- When a secretary puts you on hold.

Holluntown -- Highland Town

Nap Lis -- Capital of the state of Merlin

Ole Bay -- What our crabs taste like

Oreos -- Our baseball team

Payment -- That strip of cement that you walk on

PohLeese -- Those guys in uniform that git ya when you're speedin'

Share -- What you take in the morning to get you clean

Flares -- Tulips, roses, etc.

Tarred -- How you feel when you work too hard

Warsh -- What we do with dirty clothes

Warter -- What we drink (aka "Wooter")

Winders -- Those glass things that we look out of

Paramore -- Power mower

Brawl -- Broil

Sem Elem -- Seven Eleven

Allanic -- an ocean

Arnjuice -- from the sunshine tree

Arouwn in all directions -- norf, souf, ees, and wes

Aspern -- what you take for headaches

Bald -- the way some people like their eggs

Bawler -- what the plumber calls your furnace

Beeno -- a famous railroad

Calf Lick -- as in "bleevers are Protestant, Jewish, and ..."

Canny -- a state gubmit division, such as Montgomery, Anne Arundel or Prince George's

Drooslem -- city in the Holy Land

Duddeney -- "He sure does, duddeney?

Err -- a time measurement of 60 minutes

Far place -- where we burn wood

Fard -- area between the eyes and the hairline

Farmin -- the people who fight fars

Ford -- opposite of backward

Idnit -- "It is, idnit?"

Ignernt -- ignorant

Klumya -- Rouse's new city (Columbia)

Meer -- what you see your reflection in

Mudnlaw -- the woman who's married to your fodlaw

Natty Boh -- Beer

Norf Abnew -- North Avenue

Numb -- conjunctive 1st person pronoun: "Aw've bin workin six
errors numb tarred."

Plooshin -- let's get it out of the Cheaspeake

Sarn -- what a Pleece Car or Farn Gin makes noise with

Slong -- "good-bye"

Spearmint -- experiment

Warshnin -- our nation's capital

Wooder -- what you wrench your hands with

Yerp -- Europe

Youz -- you all

Zinc -- where you wrench your hands or wash your dishes



Lesson 2. Oral Exercises

Listen and Repeat:

Merlin: Ah herd sarns at sod the hass a bat hunnert toms lass not. Itsem Ann Earl Canny farn gins.

Standard: I heard sirens outside the house about a hundred times last night. It's those Anne Arundel County fire engines.

Merlin: She raider boskle from Droodle Pork to dantan Ballmer wither ahz clewzed.

Standard: She rode her bicycle from Druid Hill Park to downtown Baltimore with her eyes closed.

Merlin: The Hard Canny Toms sayz the canny cancel pace pained bon ambalances.

Standard: The Howard County Times says the County Council postponed buying ambulances.

Merlin: Pitcher bane seat owen. Weer goon danny ayshun.

Standard: Put your bathing suit on. We're going down to the ocean.

Merlin: Ah sawn ambalance good dan Rosters Tan Raid a bat a huunert molls an air, nit was porn dan rain.

Standard: I saw an ambulance going down Reisterstown Road about a hundred miles an hour, and it was pouring down rain.

Merlin: It spaced a snaid mora. Better pitcher snay tars owen.

Standard: It's supposed to snow tomorrow. Better put your snow tires on.

Hey y'all! I'm from Texas and have sailed from Galveston at least 10 times and I can tell you this. You will have a ball. Texans are friendly, inclusive, not stuffy and love to have a good time.They will think you and your accent are great!  Someone will probably invite you to come home with them for dinner. Book the cruise. You will love the experience and the cruisers. I will be on the Liberty June 2, 2019. Maybe you will be too. You will have to learn a few Texan phrases first- 
In case you’re considering a trip to the Lone Star State, here’s a guide to the very best Texan phrases:
“I’m madder than a wet hen!”
Translation: “I am very mad!” 
Example: “My daughter’s peculiar new boyfriend is a vegetarian. He was madder than a wet hen when I served brisket at dinner just to spite him. Ha ha!”
“He’s all hat and no cattle.”
Translation: “He often speaks highly of himself, but does not follow through with his actions.”
Example: “That Barack Obama is all hat and no cattle, which is why I chose not to vote for him in the previous election.”
“More than you can shake a stick at.”
Translation: “A lot.”
Example: “I own more Willie Nelson albums than you can shake a stick at!”
“Ready and rarin’ to go.”
Translation: “Excitedly ready to go.”
Example: “Let’s hope the quarterback for the team that I like is ready and rarin’ to gofor the big game tomorrow!”
“Bless your heart.”
Translation: “I feel sorry for you,” or “I am going to act as though I feel sorry for you so as to maintain my polite demeanor.”
Example: “It is very unfortunate that you are sick tonight, the night of the big Willie Nelson concert. Bless your heart.“
“Might could.”
Translation: “Could.”
Example: “You might could just sell your ticket to me. I am a big fan of Willie Nelson.”
“I wouldn’t trust him any farther than I could throw him.”
Translation: “I wouldn’t trust him.”
Example: “My boss drives a Mini Cooper, therefore I wouldn’t trust him any farther than I could throw him.“
“Sure’nuff.”
Translation: “Sure enough.”
Example: “I drove through the beer barn around midnight, and sure’nuff, they no longer had Shiner in stock.”
“Y’all.”
Translation: “You all.”
Example: “If y’all take Interstate 35 to the Willie Nelson concert this evening, you will likely be stuck in traffic for quite a while.”
“If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute!”
Translation: “When it rains here, it doesn’t for very long.”
Example: “If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute! We are at a Willie Nelson concert, after all.” 
“Fixin’ to.”
Translation: “About to.”
Example: “I am fixin’ to vote for the Republican candidate.”
*While these phrases are used by residents from many Southern states that aren’t Texas, it wouldn’t be very Texan of us to not claim them for ourselves. 
 
   

I'm a New Yorker who visits the Dallas area a few times a year to see friends. I find Texans lovely and friendly people. Sure it may be a little culture shock but it was culture shock for me when everyone called me "ma'am" and "miss" instead of glaring at me. Also what @fonemanbob said, southerners tend to be less stressed (It's true!). If anything you may get a little attention for your accent and it's all good attention.

Honestly we don`t care where we sail from. I may catch flak for this but folks from the south are less stressed and laid back than folks from the northeast.  And  they are actually friendlier and a lot more polite.  And there are a lot of transplants there as well so you will have a nice mix of fellow cruisers.  Also the cruise prices tend to be cheaper .   On our cruise in Feb. a gentleman at our table is of Scottish heritage and wore a kilt on formal night.  PLEASE give it a go.  And you may have  a Scottish brogue but they will have have a southern drawl.   It will make for a nice mix.  

We have sailed from 3 different ports in FL and San Juan PR besides Galveston.  Each location and ship had it's own vibe.  We stated on Allure so we like the big ship offerings.  Liberty will provide you many of the same experiences while being on a slightly smaller ship.  We found the people to be friendly and liked to have a good time.  I travel a lot for business.  I find the people in the South and Midwest to be more accommodating towards everyone no matter where your from then the Coasts (this is a generalization not a commentary on parts of the country).  But truthfully we have never had a bad experience on a ship or land vacation with fellow vacationers and we have been almost everywhere.  We have collected many friends over the years from our vacations.
If you like the itinerary, I would say YOLO … Book It. 

Joe
We sailed on Liberty in April a few years ago.  We are from the upper Midwest.  We enjoyed the cruise and the people.  Texas is a very diverse state.  We also had a lot of people from the Midwest and Southern States that were in easy driving range.  I don't think Liberty sees as many people from the East Coast as flying is not as convenient and due to the expense to fly from to Houston for them.  As Matt said, it is much cheaper to fly to FL from the East to catch a ship.  You should be able to get less expensive flights on Southwest if your are visiting California first and then flying to Houston from there. 
We enjoy the Freedom Class ships and Liberty has already been upgraded with slides etc.  It is just the perfect size (not too big, not too small).
I'd encourage you to include people from "flyover county" in your vacation plans.   You will have a good time. 
 
 

It's an addiction....a very, very bad addiction. Welcome to Cruiseaholics anonymous ? And congrats on 30 years!

My vote is in for Canada/NE July/August 2020 GC! Just in case @Matt didn't hear me the first 10 times or so before ? I am even willing to cruise Lady G to meet everyone! That says a lot cause you all know I love OA class! Lol

Please @Matt, think about the school employees. I would like to go on a group cruise. Sorry JLMoran.

I totally agree. We are more of a "ship is the destination" family anyway.