ThyriC

Seeing those videos from the people in Abacco were just absolutely heartbreaking.  This storm that looked like nothing much when it began just turned into a monster.  My thoughts are with these people that they come out safe on the other side.  Homes can be rebuilt, possessions re-acquired, but lives cannot be brought back.

Yes.  There is Royal Gifts that has several different bottles of liquor (and wine) available for prepurchase to be in your stateroom.  I believe the options are jim beam, bacardi, a type of gin (sorry I'm not a gin drinker), and Absolut.  They also include like 4 sodas with the bottle.   But keep in mind the size of that bottle because that's not a typical liquor bottle they have for the cost.  

James Van Fleet just shared this on social media. This is being played on board the ships. 
 

We end up doing a Pub Crawl, Poker Run ...... All participants put in $5. At every bar, not only do you have a drink, you draw a card ...... at the last bar, you find out who has the best poker hand - that person wins the cash ..... I was fortunate enough to win two years ago w/ 3 Kings ... Nice .

I'm always amazed how the countdown moves fine when you're months and months away, but that last 30 days takes forever

32 days until we sail to Bermuda after a 2 year vacation break (including a forced cancellation of a Mediterranean cruise in-between) and first time back to Bermuda since our honeymoon 37 years ago.
We began booking our reservations this past weekend and that just amped up the anticipation.

If it were me driving, I wouldn't even go through Philly, I'd bail off I-95 at the Delaware Memorial Bridge and take I-295 N.  Follow Route 40 and cross over to the NJ Turnpike, then it's straight up to Newark/Bayonne.  Sounds a bit complicated, but it's a really easy drive, and will get you around all of the Philly traffic.

Hot Stoning at Izumi ....
They are such "ROCK" stars there.....

SQUEE!!  I hadnt seen that on their website about some of their products being available at the clocktower mall.   Crossing fingers it'll be there because I'd like to make my 2nd day a bit more shopping dedicated

I always bring my own straw:

LOL, my hubby keeps "forgetting" our hand sanitizer, so I'm the automatic dispenser ? My purse is ready for any kind of emergency  ?

I think you "can" check your luggage but its not going on that train with you.  There's no baggage car on the NE corridor train.  On the Cardinal, yes they run a baggage car.  But the NE Corridor, nope, not even if you go from DC to Boston.  But they'll stick the luggage on the Cardinal for you to pick up later in the day.  But that thing has some crazy delays (I regularly see it with 2 hour delays, I dont think I've ever seen it on time)

Hmm, I take this train for business. The front and back of each car has a luggage rack. So you're correct about no luggage check but you can fit a full sized suitcase at the front or back...even when there are no luggage racks there are open spaces that people store their luggage. There are plenty of people on this train for the Newark stop so you'll see plenty of full sized luggage.
Also, you should see me trying to get my heavy carry-on over the seat...I usually need a little help or a few tries.

I have Pam Richter out of Pennsylvania.  She has been nothing short of an angel for me.  In just a few email conversations, she already knows my cruising preferences, how I like to travel, I swear the woman is a mind reader.  She even extended a reservation hold for me when it benefitted my credit card miles to wait an extra few days only to have my plans completely change due to a move down south.  After all I put her through, only to cancel, I felt so bad, but she was very reassuring and hasnt stopped her top notch service.  
Its very comforting for me to use a travel agent, to know that in 67 days I have nothing to do but relax.  

I have Pam Richter out of Pennsylvania.  She has been nothing short of an angel for me.  In just a few email conversations, she already knows my cruising preferences, how I like to travel, I swear the woman is a mind reader.  She even extended a reservation hold for me when it benefitted my credit card miles to wait an extra few days only to have my plans completely change due to a move down south.  After all I put her through, only to cancel, I felt so bad, but she was very reassuring and hasnt stopped her top notch service.  
Its very comforting for me to use a travel agent, to know that in 67 days I have nothing to do but relax.  

I use the packing cubes from ebags.  I get 2 large, 4 medium and 4 smalls and those fill my 2 suitcases with room for things that dont fit in the cubes.  I love them.  I dont use any compression cubes because I'm horrible at compressing things that much, and I dont have a vacuum for vacuum bags while on the cruise to repack.  
Mine are purple because.... they're PURPLE I have to have them!  

I'm a fan of the drink package.  Its more the peace of mind than trying to beat the drinking game.  I like to think of it more like "drinking insurance" than I think of it as a game of "beat the house".  Here's why.
1.  Soda costs 3.50 each.  Same with bottled water.  Do you like bottled water or do you like tap water?  Do you like tea or lemonade over soda?
2.  Specialty Coffees are in the 5 dollar range.  Do you like your coffee plain?  Or do you like a latte or other specialty coffee?  
3.  Adult beverages.  Your typical rum and coke will run you around 8 dollars.  A Lava Flow with Kraken rum will run you 13.  
Now lets add up our numbers.  You wake up, have a latte or two.  That's 10 dollars for the day thus far.  Now you go do trivia or something and have a soda.  We're up to 13.50 for the day.  Its now lunchtime.  We're on vacation so we get our day drinking on.  Lets have that lava flow.  26.50 for the day.  Lets also have a bottle of water so we dont have issues with alcohol.  we're already at 30 on the day.  Now we have a latte at midday for a little extra pep, 35 for the day.  Lets have a soda before dinner.  38.50 for the day.  Lets have a glass of wine with dinner.  45 for the day.  We go to the nightclub or to the evening show, lets have a rum and coke and dont forget that bottle of water.  56.50 for the day.  Before gratuity on the adult beverages.  You're pushing 60 dollars without the DBP and that's really not drinking heavily at all.  
And this isnt trying to challenge our alcohol tolerance in the least and we've hit a rather high number for the DBP.  Anything more than that, and you've exceeded the DBP.  That's not to say you cant have a great time having regular coffee or tea with breakfast, drinking tap water, "enhanced water" tea and lemonade throughout the day, the same with lunch and dinner, and maybe one alcoholic beverage a day to get you to 13 a day.  Then, yes, the DBP is not for you.  
But for me, I'm on vacation.  I want my frozen adult beverages.  I want my special coffees, and I need my soda to survive.  I'm not a fan of tap water on a ship.  Its definitely drinkable, I'm just not a fan of it.  Bottled for me please.  
 

Thank you.  I think the ferry that frightened me was the one to St George because that's a lot more limited of a schedule.  I adore St George but with only one shot at the ferry there, and only one coming back, knowing myself, and how I can get lost in a box, I'd miss the ship.  

No. No. No. They're creepy and not like original cast creepy. I see the trailer and just get creeped out.
Also, this just reminds me of Barf from Space Balls.

I'm a fan of the drink package.  Its more the peace of mind than trying to beat the drinking game.  I like to think of it more like "drinking insurance" than I think of it as a game of "beat the house".  Here's why.
1.  Soda costs 3.50 each.  Same with bottled water.  Do you like bottled water or do you like tap water?  Do you like tea or lemonade over soda?
2.  Specialty Coffees are in the 5 dollar range.  Do you like your coffee plain?  Or do you like a latte or other specialty coffee?  
3.  Adult beverages.  Your typical rum and coke will run you around 8 dollars.  A Lava Flow with Kraken rum will run you 13.  
Now lets add up our numbers.  You wake up, have a latte or two.  That's 10 dollars for the day thus far.  Now you go do trivia or something and have a soda.  We're up to 13.50 for the day.  Its now lunchtime.  We're on vacation so we get our day drinking on.  Lets have that lava flow.  26.50 for the day.  Lets also have a bottle of water so we dont have issues with alcohol.  we're already at 30 on the day.  Now we have a latte at midday for a little extra pep, 35 for the day.  Lets have a soda before dinner.  38.50 for the day.  Lets have a glass of wine with dinner.  45 for the day.  We go to the nightclub or to the evening show, lets have a rum and coke and dont forget that bottle of water.  56.50 for the day.  Before gratuity on the adult beverages.  You're pushing 60 dollars without the DBP and that's really not drinking heavily at all.  
And this isnt trying to challenge our alcohol tolerance in the least and we've hit a rather high number for the DBP.  Anything more than that, and you've exceeded the DBP.  That's not to say you cant have a great time having regular coffee or tea with breakfast, drinking tap water, "enhanced water" tea and lemonade throughout the day, the same with lunch and dinner, and maybe one alcoholic beverage a day to get you to 13 a day.  Then, yes, the DBP is not for you.  
But for me, I'm on vacation.  I want my frozen adult beverages.  I want my special coffees, and I need my soda to survive.  I'm not a fan of tap water on a ship.  Its definitely drinkable, I'm just not a fan of it.  Bottled for me please.  
 

I remember being a young woman like your daughter.  What worked for me to dress up?  Pants.  Lots and lots of pants.  I wear pantsuits and female tuxedoes for formal events, so why cant she?   Look at female sports figures today.  Serena Williams, the women of the womens soccer team like Megan Rapinoe, the women of the WNBA. these women can rock a tank dress or a pantsuit like no tomorrow.  Too young to pantsuit, ok how about yoga pants and a dressed up tee?  Something with a few sequins on it enough to draw the eye from the yoga pants.  Pair that with a pair of vans slipons and you have a sporty formal night appropriate outfit that I'd dare any sweats for everything teen to turn their nose up at.  

I, too, like sea days, but I also like visiting the places on port intensive cruises.  For me, going to the Med is all about those destinations and not about the vehicle to get to those destinations so for me, I'd adjust my expectations to the destinations.  But I'm in the USA, and I dont get to see the Med all that often.  Its more of a once in a lifetime experience.  But I also understand why for others the ship is the destination rather than the ports.  Repositioning cruises are perfect for those who are all about the ship rather than the destination.  Like I also see people saying Nassau is on so many itineraries that frequent caribbean cruisers would probably prefer another sea day to visiting Nassau again.  But everyone has different tastes.  I think that's why I like the smaller ship sailings that seem to me to have more sea days than they do port days.  
I think also with Oasis class, the ship CAN be the destination.  If belly flop, sexiest man, etc are your thing, I might even look into shorter Med cruises and do back to backs rather than a single long cruise.  More sexy man more belly flop and more sea!  

I'm a fan of the drink package.  Its more the peace of mind than trying to beat the drinking game.  I like to think of it more like "drinking insurance" than I think of it as a game of "beat the house".  Here's why.
1.  Soda costs 3.50 each.  Same with bottled water.  Do you like bottled water or do you like tap water?  Do you like tea or lemonade over soda?
2.  Specialty Coffees are in the 5 dollar range.  Do you like your coffee plain?  Or do you like a latte or other specialty coffee?  
3.  Adult beverages.  Your typical rum and coke will run you around 8 dollars.  A Lava Flow with Kraken rum will run you 13.  
Now lets add up our numbers.  You wake up, have a latte or two.  That's 10 dollars for the day thus far.  Now you go do trivia or something and have a soda.  We're up to 13.50 for the day.  Its now lunchtime.  We're on vacation so we get our day drinking on.  Lets have that lava flow.  26.50 for the day.  Lets also have a bottle of water so we dont have issues with alcohol.  we're already at 30 on the day.  Now we have a latte at midday for a little extra pep, 35 for the day.  Lets have a soda before dinner.  38.50 for the day.  Lets have a glass of wine with dinner.  45 for the day.  We go to the nightclub or to the evening show, lets have a rum and coke and dont forget that bottle of water.  56.50 for the day.  Before gratuity on the adult beverages.  You're pushing 60 dollars without the DBP and that's really not drinking heavily at all.  
And this isnt trying to challenge our alcohol tolerance in the least and we've hit a rather high number for the DBP.  Anything more than that, and you've exceeded the DBP.  That's not to say you cant have a great time having regular coffee or tea with breakfast, drinking tap water, "enhanced water" tea and lemonade throughout the day, the same with lunch and dinner, and maybe one alcoholic beverage a day to get you to 13 a day.  Then, yes, the DBP is not for you.  
But for me, I'm on vacation.  I want my frozen adult beverages.  I want my special coffees, and I need my soda to survive.  I'm not a fan of tap water on a ship.  Its definitely drinkable, I'm just not a fan of it.  Bottled for me please.  
 

I, too, like sea days, but I also like visiting the places on port intensive cruises.  For me, going to the Med is all about those destinations and not about the vehicle to get to those destinations so for me, I'd adjust my expectations to the destinations.  But I'm in the USA, and I dont get to see the Med all that often.  Its more of a once in a lifetime experience.  But I also understand why for others the ship is the destination rather than the ports.  Repositioning cruises are perfect for those who are all about the ship rather than the destination.  Like I also see people saying Nassau is on so many itineraries that frequent caribbean cruisers would probably prefer another sea day to visiting Nassau again.  But everyone has different tastes.  I think that's why I like the smaller ship sailings that seem to me to have more sea days than they do port days.  
I think also with Oasis class, the ship CAN be the destination.  If belly flop, sexiest man, etc are your thing, I might even look into shorter Med cruises and do back to backs rather than a single long cruise.  More sexy man more belly flop and more sea!