Mrs. Thomas

Tour de corn. I love it !

I had just turned 18 and there was a reason for enlisting.  Suddenly, the whole world opened up to me.  I am very grateful for the experience I had.  
I was just in Pennsylvania a couple years ago. It was to visit the site of the Battle of Gettysburg.  I also visited the grave sites of my distant ancestors who immigrated from Ireland in the late 1700's.  They were buried in Pennsylvania in a farmer's field but there used to be a church there. .  It is amazing what you can see from google earth.  The whole trip was in conjunction with visiting friends in Virginia.  That visit was followed by a cruise from Cape Liberty to Bermuda.  Read about the "cruise ship" Sea Venture that ship wrecked in Bermuda.  It all ties into the Jamestown colony in Virginia. The cruise included a stop in Boston ... I'm a big Boston Celtic fan from the Larry Bird era. The current rendition of the Celtics are good too.  I shouldn't forget the excursion to Lexington and Concord.
Arguably, the best state fair is in Iowa. It is best when all the politicians come to Iowa before the Iowa Caucuses.  If you like bicycle riding, Iowa has an annual ride across the state that attracts an estimated 20,000 bicycle riders from all over. It is affectionately called the Tour de Corn but the real name is RAGBRAI.  There are some states that try to imitate.  Sorry, no state fair or bicycle ride this year during the end of July thru August.

First, thank you for your service sir! I grew up broke (broke means no money, poor is a mindset) , so travel was always very limited. I was in high school when I got to start traveling more, because I worked for the money to go. I also went places with band class. In the past 10 years I have been able to go on my first cruise, go to Pennsylvania, DC (3 times), Texas, Niagara Falls, Tennessee and multiple times to the SC and NC coast. A couple of my trips were with 8 Days of Hope to help with damage from natural disasters. I miss cruising, but I also have a huge bucket list to see right around me. It's amazing the things you find in the little places. One day I want to go to different state fairs and local festivals around the country. There are a few in NC I still haven't been able to go to. We have an Old Soldier's Reunion festival that lasts a week here and it's been canceled this year for the first time in about 60 years.

@crisgold52 You have been blessed to have the funds to do such traveling. Many have not been as blessed as those of us who can travel. I haven't done as much as I would like, but I have been to a few places. I see you went to big cities. Have you ever been to the little towns in places like the NC coast or parts of Louisiana? They have a culture and even language all their own. Big cities are all the same. Little towns, like where I live, are, or can be, a completely different experience. They are often dismissed, but are rich with history. I never said people shouldn't travel outside the US or that Americans don't because they dislike the idea. All I'm saying is that there are many things that most Americans are trying to see first. We want to see what is in our own backyard. This country is falling apart (partly, and please let's NOT go into politics. I hate it.) because many don't go out and meet people that live in the same country and have meaningful conversations.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." ― Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad / Roughing It

YES! This is why I decided to try and book a cruise during February! BTW, I love the meme. It's so true for NC too.

First, thank you for your service sir! I grew up broke (broke means no money, poor is a mindset) , so travel was always very limited. I was in high school when I got to start traveling more, because I worked for the money to go. I also went places with band class. In the past 10 years I have been able to go on my first cruise, go to Pennsylvania, DC (3 times), Texas, Niagara Falls, Tennessee and multiple times to the SC and NC coast. A couple of my trips were with 8 Days of Hope to help with damage from natural disasters. I miss cruising, but I also have a huge bucket list to see right around me. It's amazing the things you find in the little places. One day I want to go to different state fairs and local festivals around the country. There are a few in NC I still haven't been able to go to. We have an Old Soldier's Reunion festival that lasts a week here and it's been canceled this year for the first time in about 60 years.

I agree completely with you@twangster we need to learn from the progress and the mistakes that are being made. My point was with the comment that was posted to the CDC. That person seems to have an axe to grind with the cruise industry as a whole. I think the CDC listening is a good thing, I just hope they listen to the panel that RCG put together and they come up with the best program for us.

You can keep the Canadian air in the winter but I don't mind it in the summer.  The opposite goes for the hot Gulf Coast air we get in the summer.  When those two air masses collide the weather becomes interesting but prone to violence.

@Mrs. Thomas I traveled extensively in Europe while in the Air Force.  I also managed to see a part of the Middle East.  I have even been to East Germany and the Soviet Union ... two countries that technically don't even exist anymore.  I experienced culture shock and reverse culture shock.  My own back yard seems best to me now.  If cruising isn't safe, I have only seen a few of our National Parks.  I have at least driven through most of our States but the southern States pull me the most.  The mountain States to my west are a close second.  To be honest, I can say I have liked everywhere that I have been.  I do miss cruising too.

@crisgold52 You have been blessed to have the funds to do such traveling. Many have not been as blessed as those of us who can travel. I haven't done as much as I would like, but I have been to a few places. I see you went to big cities. Have you ever been to the little towns in places like the NC coast or parts of Louisiana? They have a culture and even language all their own. Big cities are all the same. Little towns, like where I live, are, or can be, a completely different experience. They are often dismissed, but are rich with history. I never said people shouldn't travel outside the US or that Americans don't because they dislike the idea. All I'm saying is that there are many things that most Americans are trying to see first. We want to see what is in our own backyard. This country is falling apart (partly, and please let's NOT go into politics. I hate it.) because many don't go out and meet people that live in the same country and have meaningful conversations.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." ― Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad / Roughing It

@crisgold52 You have been blessed to have the funds to do such traveling. Many have not been as blessed as those of us who can travel. I haven't done as much as I would like, but I have been to a few places. I see you went to big cities. Have you ever been to the little towns in places like the NC coast or parts of Louisiana? They have a culture and even language all their own. Big cities are all the same. Little towns, like where I live, are, or can be, a completely different experience. They are often dismissed, but are rich with history. I never said people shouldn't travel outside the US or that Americans don't because they dislike the idea. All I'm saying is that there are many things that most Americans are trying to see first. We want to see what is in our own backyard. This country is falling apart (partly, and please let's NOT go into politics. I hate it.) because many don't go out and meet people that live in the same country and have meaningful conversations.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." ― Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad / Roughing It

Well, depends on where you are. Our numbers are mostly coming from Charleston, Greenville-Spartanburg, and Myrtle Beach (in that order). Where i live (just across the border south of Charlotte, NC)....not so bad. Y'all c'mon down!!!! In January you can have days where its either 65 and sunny, or 32 and freezing rain. Roll the dice! lol 
  

There is no such thing as a "new normal" - it's total tripe and in a way, kinda sinister. There is NOTHING normal about a lockdown and not being able to travel! Things like this are temporary.
Indeed, back in Scotland, we're pretty much back to normal, though I wish Nicola Sturgeon would open the cinemas and gyms...

Those are the "cruise ships are petri dishes" people. Because of whatever reason, they are against cruising (from germs to jealousy) and don't think others should go either. I hope the opinions from those people are fully ignored.

Those are the "cruise ships are petri dishes" people. Because of whatever reason, they are against cruising (from germs to jealousy) and don't think others should go either. I hope the opinions from those people are fully ignored.

LOL Maybe we are all just walking in a circle. Sure feels that way with the bookings. I am determined to get my family on a cruise. Hopefully our first one will be Navigator in Feb.

I highly doubt they ever cruised. It sounds like one of those people who have gotten caught up in an extreme environmental conservation group that doesn't really do it's research. They watch all the negative things but never the positive. Sounds like their glass is never half empty, just empty without looking at the glass. If they would just do the research and learn to truly love the nature around them, they would be much happier and could enjoy life.

From what Matt wrote on the blog, looks like you could do it as soon as you can get on the ships wi-fi, or if you can get into your room right away. Still have to visit the actual muster station after that though. I like to explore (and film) as much of the ship as I can before sail away, (dinner's first seating which we get is usually shortly after that) so we'll be taking care of it as soon as we can.
P.S 
(Knock on wood) Sure hope the ships wi-fi is capable of handling all of this happening at once and doesn't decide to go out.

It sounds like you can do all of the electronic part at any time (maybe even while still in the terminal ?) but I think the personal visit to the muster area itself may have a specific timeframe. I guess we’ll have to see how they work it.  We would definitely be ones to do it as quickly as possible to get it over with.

This brings up another point. Now that it is electronic, can you do it say right when you get onboard, or not long after, just to get it out of the way?

No judgement! We all have the things that we feel kick off our vacation!

The problem is they are not supposed to sail or leave port until muster is complete.  Deactivating a seapass card takes too long for people to notice and do something.  
I suspect we'll be inundated with instructions during check in.  "You MUST do e-Muster before 4pm"... "If you don't do e-Muster by 4pm this horrible thing will happen".
Then there will be paging announcements every 20 minutes from 1pm onward "Guests are reminded they must complete e-Muster before the ship will be allowed to sail".
There will be notices in the staterooms and cabin attendants will remind guests.  
It will be hard to miss.

I hate crowds and the muster drill was always my waking nightmare. It always seemed like I was crowded by the people who took early advantage of their drinks packages, so I could never really hear anything. This way I will be able to understand everything and not have to ask where we meet after everything is over. Some change is good.

Better yet, deactivate the seapass card entirely, so on ships with RFID doors you couldn’t get into your room, forcing a visit to guest services.