fonemanbob

Yup, I got Basal Cell Carcinoma (so have my mom & dad).  I grew up in SoCal, LOVED tanning.  I've lived in the PNW for about 20 years now so I was pretty pasty most of the year, but I still got skin cancer a few years back.  Now, no more tanning beds. I do the spray tanning before going to the tropics, wear SPF 50 or greater ( with reapplication)  & a floppy hat.  I still wind up getting a tan.  But I won't even do a base tan anymore in a bed, because having your face dug into with a scalpel 3 times while they keep seeing if there is more cancer to get rid of was not worth how awesome you look brown or how convenient tanning is.  Luckily, mine was not melanoma and I had an amazing surgeon and very determined eyebrows    

Having had numerous skin cancer removal surgeries I would simply say : No tanning beds, SPF 50 or greater, zinc and a big floppy hat.  Having lIved in Florida and now moving back. I respect the sun and fear the scalpel.  I  get tanned on every cruise but not burned like a lot of people do.  It is all about respect for Mother Nature.

Having had numerous skin cancer removal surgeries I would simply say : No tanning beds, SPF 50 or greater, zinc and a big floppy hat.  Having lIved in Florida and now moving back. I respect the sun and fear the scalpel.  I  get tanned on every cruise but not burned like a lot of people do.  It is all about respect for Mother Nature.

Never put your address on the tags. Name and phone number only.  Reason being:  Oh look they are going on a cruise for a week. We have their address. Lets pay that house a visit.  Or posting on Facebook. Look we are boarding the ship.  See you in a week or so.  Don`t make a crooks life easy.  

I’ve read ALL of them.  I will admit they get a little weird down the line but I really love them.  It can get very confusing as everyone has a couple of names and the names of locations change from time to time.  You have to read them carefully not just skim read as I have been known to do.  Not with these books....
My second fave series are the Narnia Chronicles. I have read those about a dozen times.  I never get tired of them. I gave my daughter a bound set when she first started reading and to this day (she is 42) they are among her most precious belongings.

I imagine there are several threads on this topic.  We are travelling with a couple families and looking like the guys do not want to dress up and wear pants, long sleeve shirt and especially a jacket.  I have heard that most ships have loosened up a bunch in terms of requiring jackets etc..  The guys are planning on nice shorts with button down Hawaiian type shirt with deck shoes.  The ladies are still mostly going to wear summer type dresses.  Will this work in the specialty restaurants and main dinning room?      

Tipping the room steward and bartender on the first day has always paid off handsomely for us.  We have done this on every cruise. At first the kids and wife thought I was crazy to do that.   They are so underpaid and work hours longer than most farmers.   Bring 2 bottles of wine on board if you like wine. The daily drink specials are also good.  Don`t buy merchandise on the ship.  All purchases go on your sea pass.  You can run up a huge tab in no time.  Use your camera and have someone take your picture.  We do that a lot and take other peoples pictures all the time.  We do a lot of non ship excursions and find them to be smaller in group size and cheaper.  But if you miss the ship its your dime. Or no excursion and do our own wandering.   

Like many have said a travel agent is the only  way to go.   GOOD LUCK

That`s  the scary thing about letting them pick your room.  Not to be the devils advocate. What if there are no rooms. Do they reimburse your air fare, etc.? I would check with my travel agent and get their advice. If you don`t have one you may want to consider one.  They are free and worth it.  And you may get a perk or two thrown in. 

$ 7.00 for Pringles.  $ 5.00 for a candy bar.   Stop the Taxi or just stop at a store on your way to the Port.  

Living in Tennessee I could bring Jack Daniels or store Moonshine or real Moonshine.  Then again I will keep the real.  We know how over worked and under paid they are and give them a gratuity at the start and at the end plus the prepaid gratuities.  It pays off in respect as to how well we have been taken care of during our cruises.  When you hear some of the stories that we have heard over the years you know that they are truthful and sad.  We are so fortunate living in this country compared to the rest of the world.  

Looks like the personnel have changed since we were on in Feb. The lead guitarist then was a very young man (did not learn his name). Not only was he wonderful in WWRY but he played many LONG sets in the Schooner Lounge and was incredible there as well.

I remember the first time we ever saw Blue Planet. We thought it was the most wonderful show we had ever seen on a ship.  That was Dec 2009.  Now we don’t even bother with it anymore.  They really need to change these things a bit more often.  Yes, I am fully aware of the cost in both dollars and logistics for such changes. Don’t care. They still need to make more frequent changes. Cats ?  Really ?  STILL ?

Its on our to do list.  We feel doing the back to back gives you the best of both countries and beats flying over there twice.  30 days is a lot of cruising but both countries are spectacular. Go for it. Will be looking into booking it on our cruise in Sept. on Anthem. 

Oh Boy.  Sounds like a case of  (Senior Pool Rage).    They make medication for that is what I always tell the wife and others.  

Like they say there`s one in every crowd.  Never seen it happen.  If you want to see some aggressive people just go to the shopping seminar.  That is almost as entertaining as watching the Walmartin`s.  My most memorable aggressive experience on a cruise was 4 years in the casino.  This guy was at the machine for quite a spell.  He got upset and threw the chair over  and walked off. Yous truly sat down and 3rd pull I won $300.00.  Cashed out and called it a night.  Went back to the room and the wife said I thought you were going to the casino.  I said i did and won $300.  Nightie  night.

The seats that @Lovetocruise2002 is referring to were not in the balcony but directly behind the sound mixer board, sort of up a half level, I had made reservations but was also in a suite and got there 20 minutes before the show with no issues, but my wife and I had to become the seat police and help the poor little girl that was trying to keep the reserved seats reserved, people were getting very rude with her.
I would highly recommend this show, it is by far one of the best production shows I've seen on a Royal ship, the lead male singer on Anthem di a pretty good job of imitating Freddie Mercury.  

Did the cruise on a Princess ship many years ago and would highly recommend taking the cruise, so far in my life it has been a once in a lifetime trip that I hope to repeat if possible.

We look at weather as a fact of life.  Having lived in Florida and now moving back there you just go with the flow.  Mother nature is very unpredictable.  The ship will reroute  and off you go. Do as the others have said for where to turn for forecasts.  They can barely predict 2-3 days out. Heaven forbid 10 or more days out. Like the song says: Don`t Worry Be Happy. And pack Bonnine or Dramamine.  

Like they say there`s one in every crowd.  Never seen it happen.  If you want to see some aggressive people just go to the shopping seminar.  That is almost as entertaining as watching the Walmartin`s.  My most memorable aggressive experience on a cruise was 4 years in the casino.  This guy was at the machine for quite a spell.  He got upset and threw the chair over  and walked off. Yous truly sat down and 3rd pull I won $300.00.  Cashed out and called it a night.  Went back to the room and the wife said I thought you were going to the casino.  I said i did and won $300.  Nightie  night.

I totally agree with you regarding The Weather Channel ..... ever since they were bought by NBC, they seem to be more interested in ratings ....
Personally, I love Accuweather..... I find them to be much more reliable.

Living in Tennessee I could bring Jack Daniels or store Moonshine or real Moonshine.  Then again I will keep the real.  We know how over worked and under paid they are and give them a gratuity at the start and at the end plus the prepaid gratuities.  It pays off in respect as to how well we have been taken care of during our cruises.  When you hear some of the stories that we have heard over the years you know that they are truthful and sad.  We are so fortunate living in this country compared to the rest of the world.  

As the ship begins to fill up both Royal Up and GTY bookings are often used to optimize muster zone capacity.  This can delay GTY assignments.
Cabins are allocated to a specific muster station which is associated with specific lifeboats.  Lifeboat have a finite capacity and they are not allowed to oversubscribe lifeboat capacity.  
If a specific muster zone has capacity for 7 more guests versus another one that can accommodate two more guests they can review the GTY and Royal Up bids to assign or move people around to better optimize each muster zone possibly resulting in being able to sell one more cabin or add a guest that otherwise might be unavailable.   
While overselling is (or was) more common in the aviation industry it's not as prevalent in the cruise industry.   
A hotel reservation is basically a GTY booking and even when a hotel is fully booked up it's very rare for a guest with a reservation to be turned away. 
Not all cabins on a ship will appear in inventory for booking.  Some are held back for various purposes including crew overflow when entertainment cast are turning over or other work is occurring that requires temporary crew or contractor space beyond the crew quarters capacity.  Like hotels often a couple cabins may be blocked out of inventory to deal with emergencies (even if Guest Services says there are no cabins available).

Better functioning website.

Im from scotland we call 40 degrees with wind swirling round you outside " SUMMER" 
Also I dont smoke inside my house, be it sun, rain or snow i go outside, it comes down to having respect for non smokers which includes my wife. 
 
However respect should work both ways, if im in a designated smoking area outside no one has the right to complain or make comments to me about the smoke or smell