Brobbins246

Like many others have mentioned, I love reading blogs and watching vlogs. I also rewatch my cruise vlogs since I love to relive my memories. youtube.com/melkaps

Seems like they are providing evidence against their case.
The picture they shared at the hockey rink has the girl standing on the floor leaning on the glass.  Freedom has glass starting at the floor.  Standing on her feet she could lean on the glass and look out.  There was no need to lift her to the railing.  
Some hockey rinks have wooden boards starting at the floor going to waist level then glass above the boards.  Freedom isn't like that.  There was no need for Grandpa to pick her up in the first place, unless... she wanted to look out the window.  
It seems the little boy knew it was a window if he offered that he would jump out the window after her.  Only Grandpa supposedly didn't know there was a window.  I don't buy it.  She wanted to look out the window instead of the dirty glass.  Grandpa lifted her up and lost his grip.  That's what the investigators reported in the first hours after it occurred.  They talked with him.  They drew their conclusion from their initial review.  Hours later after they lawyered up the story changed.

They keep defending the grandfather by equating this to the little girl's enjoyment of banging on the hockey glass at her brother's games.  Can you imagine how that makes the brother feel?  He's only 10, only a few years older than 7 when most kids start to lose their egocentric thinking that everything in the world happens for and because of them. (Some people never outgrow that, but that's another topic.)  Everytime he hears about the hockey glass, he probably feels guilt about playing hockey.  Do you think he'll ever enjoy playing that again?  In the Today Show interview, the mom said her son is torn up, feeling guilty about not being there when she fell, because if he had been, he would have jumped out the window to catch her.  Totally irrational thought, but that's normal for young kids.  Everything is internalized. 

Thumbs up for Michelle at MEI

Thumbs up for Michelle at MEI

Thumbs up for Michelle at MEI

DH and I have been on 2 RC cruises, and we are taking our kids on their first in 39 days. We've been dry docked for almost 9 years, so I need to say that again...39 DAYS! I've been joking here and there since we booked (a long 9 months ago) that I'm going to book another cruise. He didn't unload the dishwasher like he said he would - I should book another cruise. Kids were in our bed all night because of nightmares - we should book another cruise. Know what will fix your cold honey? - another cruise! Etc. His mother's birthday is in February, and I've been saying we should pay for her to join us on one. You know make it a Christmas present or birthday present, and there just happens to be a 5 day on Enchantment in February that would be perfect for us. BUT, he hasn't wanted to book another until the kids go on their first, and we can be sure it's a good fit for them (DD is Autistic and has Generalized Anxiety Disorder). She's really excited though, and I'm ready to book them all!
Well, I texted him some of the new sale prices today with, "I officially lost 20 pounds, guess what I want as a reward?". He responded, "Let's call Mom and talk about it when I get home"!!! I about fell out of my chair! I was thinking I would just go buy a new pair of pants! I guess now that we are getting close and he's also getting excited that it doesn't sound like such a bad idea. Wish me luck as I try add another sailing to our calendar tonight! ?

Just a tip in case you want to purchase a shot of rum or something to make your mocktail a cocktail, I found on my cruise that the shots cost as much as a cocktail does.  I had the refreshment package thinking I could jazz up my included drinks for not much money and was shocked by the price of a shot.  So I only did that once.  Luckily I didn't feel like I missed out on much staying sober the rest of the cruise, and was still very happy with the refreshment package.

Very well stated! Thanks for the validation. I think we're pretty much in agreement, here.

I totally agree that Grandpa used poor judgement resulting in a tragic mistake. But I don't think the family is necessarily trying to "strike it rich" - because I remember how I felt when tragedy struck my family, albeit under different circumstances. One of the early symptoms of grief is anger, and certainly this family has a lot to be angry about (Mom is angry at Dad for letting Grandpa take the baby over to the window, Dad is angry at Grandpa for lifting the baby up to the window, Grandpa is angry at himself for being responsible for the tragedy, Grandma is angry at Grandpa for causing the death of the baby, etc.) and when people are angry, they flail around looking for someone to blame. When my daughter was killed, I was angry at EVERYONE with whom I could find anything to be angry about, and her father was so angry he drove people away (a phenomenon you may have observed in other bereaved parents), but that was just a normal grief reaction that gave way, eventually, to the deep grief that comes when the energy provided by anger is spent.
The only person I blame is the lawyer, who I think is the one trying to get rich by inventing this cockamamie story of it being a "kids area" and parading this family in front of the media. I don't hate lawyers, by any means. My dad was a lawyer, but he never chased an ambulance or a cruise ship or dragged his clients into the limelight. He honored the confidentiality of the lawyer/client relationship, that this lawyer apparently never heard of.

I ended up booking 2 at the same time one this yr and one next year. Now I will book every year for 2 yrs out, that way i have one scheduled every year at the best prices.

My next cruise is in March 2021, so I feel your pain!

Haha. We've done that a few times. Usually make between $200 & $500 and get rid of a lot of unwanted stuff. Funniest one ever was when 2 older women were arguing over who would get a 50 cents toilet bowl brush!! ?(No, it had not been used.)

Have a garage sale to get extra cash for a short sailing! 

I watch Royal Caribbean Blog videos and visit this page ?
40 days until Navigator!

Well, it's not a cruise and it's not the color of the Caribbean, but it sure helps! We are only about a half hour away and are here now. Like I've said before, do not judge NJ by the turnpike!

I have been watching Royal Caribbean Blog's YouTube channel, other you tube channels, and reading all the posts here. 
Having the Queen Mary II in port today does not help matters. On the bright side I only have 41 days to go to set sail in Barcelona.

I spend so much time watching all types of cruise videos! Vlogs, packing videos, ship tours, port tours - even for places I'm not going. It reminds me of the last cruise and just takes some of the edge off of having to wait.

That's a long time...I find anything  over a year is too far out!...usually we try to have something every 6-12 mths to look forward to..makes it manageable..lol..
 
I spend lots of time here and on other cruise sites....videos......travel sites.....it all helps..
 
But over 600 days..I couldn't do that without at least 2-3 in between to look forward too....
 
good luck!

Sounds like a #winning idea!

Book another sailing to cut down the countdown!

+1 on this!
Guilty as charged! ?
 

Drink Package Training

I just read the blogs by @Lovetocruise2002 ??

Total first world problem here, but I'm dying waiting out the 620+ days I have before my next cruise in April, 2021.  My last cruise that we took 3 months ago was booked and planned in about 9 months, which was more mentally doable for me.  We can't afford to go again for a couple more years, but we know when we can go with our kids' school schedules, so I was able to take advantage of the good rates by booking this early.  But I don't know what to do with myself to make the time go faster.  I'm researching the ship and ports online all the time, but I can't book any shore excursions or make any real plans this far out, which I'd probably change 10 times between now and then anyway.  Even my wedding 20 years ago was planned in a shorter time than this (about 18 months) and I'm going crazy waiting.  I'm mostly just venting, but if you have any coping mechanisms to suggest other than booking more cruises in the middle, I'm all ears.   BTW, we'll be on the Freedom ABC Islands/St. Maarten cruise then.