December news

[Eman]

Hey Henry, love Barcelona! Have you ever been there? It's awesome. I use to spend my summer's with a friend when he was working in Rota, Spain for three years. Yeah I read Michele's news on her's and Matt Jr's, trip. They have more guts than me, I probably would have been fussing and cussing..glad it worked out for the both of them and they are safe..what a nightmare!!

[ROBERT M.]

I finally got round to reading December's news ...............it really did sound like the holiday from hell Michele.........let's hope your next trip on the high sea's is more enjoyable.

[paul jh]

This was a very interesting news update with the travel problems in Turkey and Israel. I thought I was right there with Michele and Matt. I still haven't looked at the pictures yet from the cruise or from Fans Reunited and the EMI paperback book launch.

I often have recurring travel disaster dreams. Just the other night, I flew to London with no suitcase and I didn't have time to return home to get it.

Seventeen formal nights on the world cruise sounds challenging. I would probably take three or four outfits and repeat them.

Also, thanks for sending the upcoming cruise lecture series in the Christmas email. You might see me on one of them as I've always wanted to try Fred. Olson and especially Saga. I don't like Royal Caribbean's food, so I won't be on those cruises. It would be neat for a whole group of us to be there as a very supportive audience, but that may be a bit difficult for us to coordinate!

[Michele Monro]

What a wonderful idea Paul, imagine having our next 'Fans Reunited' on a ship.

Royal Caribbean is one of my favourite cruise lines, how can you not like the food!!! What's not to like. There is 24 hour dining with everything from pizza and fish and chips to Ranch steaks and French Cuisine. There is breakfast, formal, casual or room service, mid morning bouillon, lunch in the formal dining room, buffet style or round the pool, Afternoon Tea, Children's Dinner which serves all the favourites from hot dogs, hamburgers, fish fingers and chicken nuggets. Dinner which you can have in the formal dining room, buffet style or in one of the speciality restaurants and then there is the midnight buffet. If none of this appeals than you can go to the 24-hour Coffee Shop, the Pizzeria, the Sushi Bar, the Pasta Bar, Johnny Rockets or the Ice Cream Parlour. Then again you could have everything served 24 hours a day in your stateroom - or you could even eat out in your ports of call.

Maybe there isn't enough choice.

[paul jh]

I'm afraid I'm a bit of a dress-snob on cruise ships at dinner. I didn't like dining with other passengers who were in jeans and T-shirts! But I also didn't like their breakfast or lunch buffets. They may be better in Europe than the Caribbean. After cruising with Holland America Line, I became very particular about dress and the quality of food served at the buffets. On HAL, it is superb!

Yes, let's have a Fans Reunited gathering on a cruise ship when you are giving your interesting presentations. I would even try RCI again, but would prefer to experience the British style of Saga or Fred. Olson, or Cunard (which is too dressy for me; they once tried to throw me out of the dining room but I walked right past the maitre d'hotel and pretended I didn't hear him.)

[mariana44]

I think I might have to stow away in one of the life boats !!!

[karl]

Jeans & T shirts is the normal mode of dress for Americans even in posher restaurants. It's the same with first class on a plane, blimey I was better dressed than they were!

Having had many trips to the States over the years taught me to pack very little formal wear as nobody gets dressed, not unless you're going to The Ritz!!

By the way Michele you mentioned Johnny Rockets, I love them and love the whole theme of it but they are quite few and far between in the States uhlike McDonalds which is everywhere.

[mariana44]

I cannot ever recall "Johnny Rockets" on my visits to Us---but I do know that everytime we asked for directions, they would always start by saying--"See that McDonalds on the corner" --yes, it really seemed like there was a Macdonalds on every single corner !!!

[Eman]

Blahhhh..there's a McDonald's every where I go...I like Johnny Rockets though. Love the old time decor and the functional booth jukeboxes..one time they even had a jukebox that played 45's.

[Michele Monro]

Fair enough but most of the cruise lines have adopted this 'dine at any time policy', but all the ships still have formal nights. Also don't forget the RCI is very different in America to the one that is based here, although sadly I heard that at the end of next year they re pulling Independence of the Seas back to the States.

Cunard is too snobby for me, they are the only cruise line left that operate a class system and if you haven't got the money for the very top tier - then boy are you aware that you are in steerage (mentality wise). Anyways you have the choice, either

28 August - 5 September - Fred Olsen's Balmoral - Norwegian Fiords
22 September - 6 October RCI - Europe

It would be wonderful to see some of you on board. I am doing several different presentations on each of them.

Have suitcase will travel.

[mariana44]

Gosh-I thought Fred Olsen went bust, many many years ago. My friends and I did a mini cruise round the Norwegain fjords in March with Fred Olsen--the weather is pretty horrendous-but they had a great system-if you were too ill to have a meal, you were given a token, and at the end of the cruise you were given cash-back depending on how many tokens you have--I am talking about the late 60's here.

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Perhaps you're thinking of Fred Pontin Marian. Many times we contributed to his coffers in the Sixties, but it didn't help.

[Michele Monro]

I thought you were thinking of Fred Pontin as well

[karl]

Michele that's awful that Cunard are so snobby.

We always used to sail to Norway when my dad took us to see his family every few years. Nowadays I fly everywhere but I did enjoy a mini cruise to Spain some years ago.

[mariana44]

No, i am not thinking of Fred Pontin-maybe it was not Fred Olsen--but i am sure it was ?? Olsen.
Plus io thought Pontins was still going.

As I say, this was ages ago--perhaps it went under-but was bought back again by a later generation.