A Scot cruising from Galveston - Good or bad idea?

[Joe01]

I'm thinking of cruising on Liberty of the Seas for next summer. Done all of the Oasis Class and want a change. We want to visit California and a good combination with that would be a cruise from Texas. I've wanted to sail LB for a while as the prospect of a Freedom Class with the slides appeals to me.

Personally, my reservation is that I am not an American and worry that I would feel out of place sailing from Texas. It felt like that on EN out of Baltimore. 

Is this something to worry about or should I consider booking it?

[Matt]

Just now, Joe01 said:

Is this something to worry about or should I consider booking it?

Should you worry about it? No.  

Will there be a lot of people from Texas/Oklahoma and the mid-west? Yes.  Cruises from Galveston tend to attract people from the area, just like your Baltimore sailing.  Cruises from Florida tend to get a healthier mix of folks from other places.

Still, I'm not sure it really matters where other guests are from.

[Joe01]

9 minutes ago, Matt said:

Should you worry about it? No.  

Will there be a lot of people from Texas/Oklahoma and the mid-west? Yes.  Cruises from Galveston tend to attract people from the area, just like your Baltimore sailing.  Cruises from Florida tend to get a healthier mix of folks from other places.

Still, I'm not sure it really matters where other guests are from.

Sometimes you get changes in demographic depending on where you go from. I don't want to feel like the odd person out. Baltimore felt like a culture shock as we had only sailed from England before. Had good and bad experiences from New Jersey and as you said, Florida attracts a wide clientele (I was actually on one of your Harmony sailings, but only saw you once and didn't have the opportunity to say hello).

[Clear Laker]

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. 

 

 

[Joe01]

Just now, Clear Laker said:

Joe

We sailed on Liberty in Oct 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 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. 

That might be a good thing then. I personally don't have much experience with Texans, but I'm from a different culture and worry about not fitting in. 

How did the Liberty differ from your experiences on other ships?

[Clear Laker]

Just now, Joe01 said:

That might be a good thing then. I personally don't have much experience with Texans, but I'm from a different culture and worry about not fitting in. 

How did the Liberty differ from your experiences on other ships?

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. 

[Ray]

Personally i dont think it matters where you sail from or even just travel on vacation. 

If we go to spain, france or anywhere in the world we are always going to be different as its not "home" and that applies to everyone be it brit or american etc. we are in a foriegn country with people of a different natiinality, race even religion, in my opinion you just have to go with the flow and enjoy yourself without worrying about feeling out of place or not fitting in. Its 2 weeks of your life and who cares what anyone thinks, chances are your never going to see them again! so just go, be yourself and have fun  

[Matt]

Just now, Ray said:

Personally i dont think it matters where you sail from or even just travel on vacation. 

I agree. When I sailed from Galveston, everyone was from Texas or Oklahoma and being from NY (at the time), people were baffled why I was there, but it felt almost like I was from another country.  All that being said, it did not make the cruise better or worse, just a different experience.

[Joe01]

2 minutes ago, Matt said:

 I agree. When I sailed from Galveston, everyone was from Texas or Oklahoma and being from NY (at the time), people were baffled why I was there, but it felt almost like I was from another country. 

That's sort of what worries me. One of the things I like about sailing from Barcelona or Fort Lauderdale is a diverse mix of different types of guests.

[Joe01]

One thing that I do also worry about is that Liberty will feel too small after Harmony/Symphony. I did Anthem after Oasis/Allure and it felt too small. 

Is size an issue? 

Another thing as well - Is the crew on LB decent? The captain who is scheduled to be on LB for July 2018 (per the 10 week rotation) is the same one we had on EN & SR. EN had a less than stellar crew, alongside both being our least favorite cruises. I'm not saying that the Captain affects a cruise, but to an extent, I think that the Captain, Hotel Director and Cruise Director are ultimately the 3 individuals responsible for setting the tone on a ship, and the rest follows.

[baltodave]

We sailed on Liberty at the end of May and had a wonderful time (even though the weather was not great).  It's still a Freedom class ship so it's not small at all!   Being from Maryland, I think we were the only ones from the east coast and that was just fine.  Yes, the vast majority of the guests were from Texas and Oklahoma (there's even a large Texas flag hanging in the Promenade).  Personally, I liked the vibe of the ship and its passengers; everyone was extremely nice.    One word of advice:  try to fly into Hobby/HOU (easy for us since Southwest is the predominate airline at BWI) the day before, stay near the airport and take a shuttle to the port the next day.  (If that's not possible, just remember that Bush/IAH airport is at least 90 minutes from Galveston) In fact, I think the ride from Hobby to Galveston is shorter than Orlando to Port Canaveral.  

[Joe01]

17 minutes ago, baltodave said:

We sailed on Liberty at the end of May and had a wonderful time (even though the weather was not great).  It's still a Freedom class ship so it's not small at all!   Being from Maryland, I think we were the only ones from the east coast and that was just fine.  Yes, the vast majority of the guests were from Texas and Oklahoma (there's even a large Texas flag hanging in the Promenade).  Personally, I liked the vibe of the ship and its passengers; everyone was extremely nice.    One word of advice:  try to fly into Hobby/HOU (easy for us since Southwest is the predominate airline at BWI) the day before, stay near the airport and take a shuttle to the port the next day.  (If that's not possible, just remember that Bush/IAH airport is at least 90 minutes from Galveston) In fact, I think the ride from Hobby to Galveston is shorter than Orlando to Port Canaveral.  

Thanks for the advice about Hobby. I was thinking of going to Bush because United has a hub there and could take us back to Scotland via Newark rather than waiting around all day and connecting in London instead.

It definitely seems like I will be the only Brit other than a few entertainment staff. Fingers crossed it won't be like Baltimore as that was only catered to an 'All American' demographic and they couldn't have made it more obvious (especially John Blair the CD).

Have you sailed anything larger than Liberty? Just curious in terms of how the ship would feel after 7 Oasis Class sailings since 2014. I haven't sailed Freedom Class in 6 years.

[baltodave]

2 minutes ago, Joe01 said:

Thanks for the advice about Hobby. I was thinking of going to Bush because United has a hub there and could take us back to Scotland via Newark rather than waiting around all day and connecting in London instead.

It definitely seems like I will be the only Brit other than a few entertainment staff. Fingers crossed it won't be like Baltimore as that was only catered to an 'All American' demographic and they couldn't have made it more obvious (especially John Blair the CD).

Have you sailed larger than Liberty? Just curious in terms of how the ship would feel after 7 Oasis Class sailings since 2014. I haven't sailed Freedom Class in 6 years.

Yes, we have sailed Oasis once (had Boardwalk Balcony).  While it's enormous, because of the number of eating venues, we never felt crowded there.  However, I didn't like having to make reservations for the entertainment (not necessary on Voyager & Freedom class).  Also, while the aqua show is very cool, I liked the laid-back vibe of having the belly-flop contest, sexiest man, etc at the main pool (rather than the aqua theater on Oasis).  We all just sat around the side of the pool and had some good laughs. So, now I've been on Voyager, Freedom and Oasis class and I think I prefer the Voyager or Freedom class ships more (they are similar).   We didn't meet any Europeans on Liberty but did meet some Mexicans (I thought it was funny that they traveled to Texas for a cruise to Mexico!).  I think you'll be fine (especially since there won't be much of a language barrier).

[HeWhoWaits]

16 hours ago, Joe01 said:

That might be a good thing then. I personally don't have much experience with Texans, but I'm from a different culture and worry about not fitting in. 

How did the Liberty differ from your experiences on other ships?

EVERYBODY who isn't from Texas is from a different culture and NOBODY "fits in."

 

Just learn the phrase "everything's bigger in Texas" and you'll be fine.

[Michael Vitale]

17 hours ago, Joe01 said:

I'm thinking of cruising on Liberty of the Seas for next summer. Done all of the Oasis Class and want a change. We want to visit California and a good combination with that would be a cruise from Texas. I've wanted to sail LB for a while as the prospect of a Freedom Class with the slides appeals to me.

Personally, my reservation is that I am not an American and worry that I would feel out of place sailing from Texas. It felt like that on EN out of Baltimore. 

Is this something to worry about or should I consider booking it?

You should have the same reservations that an American has in sailing from Barcelona. Or Civitivechia. Or Southampton.  Why on earth would you feel “out of place”, and isn’t that part of the experience of traveling abroad ???

[fonemanbob]

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.  

[ellcee]

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.

[Joe01]

Just now, ellcee said:

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.

Well, that's good news then. Relaxed and fun people are my type of cruisers! 

[Joe01]

Here are some questions:

1) Will Liberty feel too small after Symphony? Bear in mind that I thought that about Anthem after Oasis Class. 

2) Does Liberty have a good crew? From lower down up to the Captain, Hotel Director and Cruise Director? (albeit senior staff may change).

3) In July, will it attract mostly older, conservative types or will there be plenty of younger folks as well?

[Mljstr]

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. 

 

 

 

[Matt]

6 minutes ago, Joe01 said:

1) Will Liberty feel too small after Symphony? Bear in mind that I thought that about Anthem after Oasis Class. 

Nah, Freedom class is still a big ship.

7 minutes ago, Joe01 said:

3) In July, will it attract mostly older, conservative types or will there be plenty of younger folks as well?

Like all RC cruises, I think you will find a good mix.

[Rose City Cruiser]

3 minutes ago, Mljstr said:

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 for 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. 

 

 

 

"Texas Forever"

[Joe01]

Just now, Matt said:

Nah, Freedom class is still a big ship.

It is big (certainly felt like that on Indy), but my concern is that I am too used to Oasis Class. Anthem didn't feel very big and I am wondering if it was the Quantum Class ship design or if I was spoiled by Oasis Class. 

[Lindsay]

18 hours ago, Joe01 said:

I'm thinking of cruising on Liberty of the Seas for next summer. Done all of the Oasis Class and want a change. We want to visit California and a good combination with that would be a cruise from Texas. I've wanted to sail LB for a while as the prospect of a Freedom Class with the slides appeals to me.

Personally, my reservation is that I am not an American and worry that I would feel out of place sailing from Texas. It felt like that on EN out of Baltimore. 

Is this something to worry about or should I consider booking it?

Consider it!  Liberty of the Seas is an awesome ship (one of my favorites).  I am sailing on it again in September for the 3rd time.  

I am a little bias but it's been said before time and time again...the people you will encounter going on this ship are mostly from Texas (I would guess) and we are some VERY polite and nice people!  

[coneyraven]

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.

[function12]

You will be fine.  Yes there will be a lot of people from the Great state of Texas but that is what will make it fun.  Yes we have grass and trees here too.  Even schools.....

[NS8VN]

Please understand that your concerns are a bit like someone flying in to Scotland from the US for a cruise and expecting to be on a ship full of people in kilts, haggis at every meal, and bagpipes being played through the night.  The cruise will be quite diverse.  While I'm sure you will see more cowboy hats than you probably have in your entire life I would doubt on a ship that big that you will have trouble finding people, Texans or otherwise, that have more in common with yourself than the traditional Texas ideal.

[fonemanbob]

Moving from Chicago to Tennessee I have learned a whole new dialect.  And working in New Orleans for several months after the hurricanes I can speak Cajun.  Now that is some awesome food them there folks serve.  And some they are fabulous folks to be around.

Edited August 5, 2018 by fonemanbob
updated information

[islandgrandma]

 We are currently "from Texas" but have lived in 11 other states and one other country over the past 4 decades.  One of the best parts of traveling for us is getting to meet people from other areas and learning about those areas from experiencing them instead of just reading about them.  If you are not able to relax and "go with the flow" and do not enjoy being able to meet new people and have new experiences, then don't put yourself in situations that you will not enjoy.  Many people in the world can't afford the joys of cruising and traveling.  Since you can, do the things you enjoy.

[HeWhoWaits]

2 hours ago, coneyraven said:

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.

Having grown up in PeeGee Canny and having relatives in the Nap Lis area, it all makes perfect sense to me!

 

[HeWhoWaits]

1 hour ago, NS8VN said:

Please understand that your concerns are a bit like someone flying in to Scotland from the US for a cruise and expecting to be on a ship full of people in kilts, haggis at every meal, and bagpipes being played through the night.  The cruise will be quite diverse.  While I'm sure you will see more cowboy hats than you probably have in your entire life I would doubt on a ship that big that you will have trouble finding people, Texans or otherwise, that have more in common with yourself than the traditional Texas ideal.

Mmm - haggis! Where do I sign up?

[Joe01]

Just now, HeWhoWaits said:

Mmm - haggis! Where do I sign up?

Same here! 

[Oliver]

I live in Houston and I just thought I’d throw in a quick comment here. I’d have lived here since 1975 when I was 5 years old (except for 4 years of college). I have seen Houston and Texas change tremendously. Shows like “Dallas” are not refelective of how it is here. People do not walk around with Cowboy hats and boots all the time. And not everyone is in the oil or energy business.

While it’s true that’s still our primary industry, we have diversified so much sense 1975. I remember in the 1980s oil business was down and the whole state went into a huge recession. Nowadays that wouldn’t happen. People are moving here like crazy the last 20 years. Actually I like too many people are here but that’s a different topic. 

Bottom line is that Texas is much more Diverse than people realize. We are friendly and very cosmopolitan. I would not worry at all being out of place. Book your cruise and enjoy it!

[Ray]

3 hours ago, NS8VN said:

Please understand that your concerns are a bit like someone flying in to Scotland from the US for a cruise and expecting to be on a ship full of DRUNK people in kilts, haggis at every meal, and bagpipes being played through the night.  The cruise will be quite diverse.  While I'm sure you will see more cowboy hats than you probably have in your entire life I would doubt on a ship that big that you will have trouble finding people, Texans or otherwise, that have more in common with yourself than the traditional Texas ideal.

You missed a word out so i kindly corrected it for you  

[JLMoran]

4 hours ago, Joe01 said:

1) Will Liberty feel too small after Symphony? Bear in mind that I thought that about Anthem after Oasis Class. 

I haven't yet sailed on Anthem (just 74 more sleeps!), but I have a feeling that your impression of Anthem being small is due in large part to the traffic flow issues that others have commented on in their live blogs. When I sailed on Freedom, I never felt like the ship was small, nor did I ever feel it was crowded unless I was on the pool deck in mid-day; and that time of day, that area's going to feel crowded no matter what ship you're on.

If part of your goal with taking this cruise is to experience a new itinerary and new ports, then let that be the driving goal and set aside concerns about the ship or the passengers; focus your energy and attention on the ports, the experiences they offer, and the memories they will give instead of the ones from the ship.

Heck, I have reservations about most likely having to sail a Vision class ship for a Greek Isles / Adriatic Coast itinerary, as I think I'd prefer a Radiance class, but the ports are the key thing with that kind of trip; and with so many of them, I'm taking the attitude that any potential lack of amenities on the ship compared to other classes probably won't even be noticed, as I'll be too tired at the end of each day! 

[Ray]

4 hours ago, Joe01 said:

It is big (certainly felt like that on Indy), but my concern is that I am too used to Oasis Class. Anthem didn't feel very big and I am wondering if it was the Quantum Class ship design or if I was spoiled by Oasis Class. 

would it not be a good idea to sample ALL sizes of ships along with different races, leaving from as many ports as possible and travelling to far flung out areas of the world just in case you succeed in becoming a CD? 

the more experience you have of these things then if you ever become a CD and got stuck on a freedom size ship out of galveston full of texans, then you will have firsthand experience and know what will work  . 

 

[Rose City Cruiser]

In the case of cruise ships, bigger is not always better. 

[Joe01]

53 minutes ago, Ray said:

would it not be a good idea to sample ALL sizes of ships along with different races, leaving from as many ports as possible and travelling to far flung out areas of the world just in case you succeed in becoming a CD? 

the more experience you have of these things then if you ever become a CD and got stuck on a freedom size ship out of galveston full of texans, then you will have firsthand experience and know what will work  . 

 

I wouldn't care about what ship I get assigned to if I worked for the company (provided I have a good team) as you are getting paid and aren't there to enjoy the ships amenities as a guest, but getting experience in different markets comes with the job. I can only cruise once or twice a year so my experience would be limited. I have at least seen most classes.

[Joe01]

2 minutes ago, jurrjurr said:

In the case of cruise ships, bigger is not always better. 

For me, it is. Otherwise, I wouldn't have sailed Oasis, Allure, Harmony and Symphony.

[Rose City Cruiser]

31 minutes ago, Joe01 said:

For me, it is. Otherwise, I wouldn't have sailed Oasis, Allure, Harmony and Symphony.

Is it more of the shows, activities and amenities the OA ships offer?  We loved the Aquatheater shows.  That is my favourite feature in the OA class that no other ships can offer.  Size to me just means it can fit more passengers.