Sarge6870

It's sad looking at this picture. Knowing that this time next year, Carnival Pride will be on her way leaving us in MD. Such a cruise industry tragedy, you know? Okay enough of that... now for today's post! You know all this blogging about my cruising bffs got me thinking of other things I like bringing with me when on the high seas. I am as extrovert as they come on the high seas and could careless about what someone thinks about me, my noise or the way I party. If my Youtube videos don't convince you, join me on the high seas for a few days... but be careful, my inner cruisetacular party animal may catch ya and have you leading the way (I promise to follow)!
When I was in the dollar store before a cruise a few months back, it was during graduation season and so there were a lot of yard signs in stock. You know, the signs that say "The Party Is Here" and "Party's This Way." Then I had this humungo cruise ah-ha moment in the store and said, "I could use these on the ship in the club, at sailaway and for the welcome aboard picture." Oh, but I didn't stop there - I added whistles, glowsticks and leis to the mix! Oh yes, we were decked out and I think you should go all out too!

But let me just warn you now. Everyone on the cruise is gonna want to be with your group (so bring extras to share with others). I was tossing glow sticks faster than hot cakes on a Sunday morning in the night club. I told my fam on the next cruise, I'm gonna open up shop in my cabin (CASH ONLY - lol). So for your next cruise be sure to pack a whistle and add a little glow to your evening wear - it'll take your cruise to cruisetacular heights! Don't forget that optimistic attitude and a few clothes too! Until we talk ship again next week, keep cruising and grooving! Oh, before I go, let me give my sis Heather Forrester (@itsme_Heather) a special shout-out as she gets ready to sail Norwegian Breakaway to Bermuda this weekend! Shout-out to everyone on a cruise right now, too! I hope you're living it up, eating my share and hitting the wrong... I mean right notes in karaoke! Peace and much love--Shon!

Cruise ships are floating flaming death traps of incendiary Hell, according to the media lately. Since nobody has actually died during all these cruise ship fires, they’ve switched to reminding us that after all these cruise ship fires good people are left stranded in cabins full of feces. We cruisers know how absurd all that crap is (pardon the pun). But fire is indeed the greatest threat to safety on ships, now as it has always been. Allow me to share the extent of fire team training on ships: I was asked by the captain of Wind Surf to simulate a dead passenger in a shockingly real scenario....
Via the crew stairs the second officer escorted me deep into the forward bowels of Wind Surf. We passed all manner of hallways and storage areas I had not known existed. After a several twists and turns, Barney stepped into what was obviously once a crew bar. Now it hosted a raucous pile of tables, chairs, and rolling desks. “Lay down and play dead. Easy. Don’t freak when the lights go out. Things will get nasty, but you won’t be hurt.”
Seeing me raise my eyebrows, he explained further. “It’s a surprise fire drill made as realistic as possible. The fire team won’t know if anyone is below decks or not and will systematically search every room for unconscious victims. Don’t hide in the cupboard or anything because that’s not realistic, but staying in the back is better for the drill. What makes this drill more accurate is that you’re our first American.”
“Why does that matter?”
“The fire team only has experience hauling out other crew members, and they’re all Asian. In a real fire, a guest passed out from smoke inhalation won’t weigh ninety pounds. You weigh about two hundred pounds, so you’re helping us create a much more accurate scenario. When they come for you, don’t make it too easy for them. Be dead weight.”
I carefully picked my way through the detritus of the dead crew bar to become a dead crew member. Propping my back against a cupboard, I splayed my legs out. With a satisfied nod, he snapped off the lights.
Darkness swooped in, solid, tangible. This was not the absence of light, but the presence of a thing. Just a few minutes of such absolute black made even an egomaniac feel small. Not scared, but small, insignificant. This was not a place for living men, here, deep below the surface of the sea. I strained my hearing to pick up a sound, any sound, but there was none. Not even the slap of waves descended down here, in the pit where I lay. I fancied I was in a sensory deprivation tank, but for the sharp tang of back-bar alcohol and solvents stabbing my nose.
After an interminable time, my ears tickled with the muted call of the ship’s intercom announcing to passengers the impending fire drill. Don’t panic at the alarms, the muffled voice said. Don’t panic at the smoke. Smoke?
A minute later, another sense tickled. The air became chemically dense. The smell was not of smoke, but something equally unpleasant. I mulled over what it could be when I was scared out of my wits by the sudden alarm. Hearing the ship’s horn blasting the fire alarm was nothing new—I’d heard it every cruise for years—but hearing the alarm in my current situation was something else entirely. It was downright unnerving. Red emergency lighting snapped on, pushing back the black from below rather than above. Though dim, the illumination was sufficient to see the hallway outside. The red opening pulsated in a rapidly thickening haze.
Smoke curled into the chamber, first slow, soon robust. Tendrils of white crawled across the ragged carpet, claiming more and more of the room. Behind the vanguard was a supporting wall of swirling grey, gradually thickening until I could no longer clearly see out into the hallway. The red remained, somehow undefinable.
Very slowly did time tick, tick away. The simulated smoke became hard to breathe. Not only did the unceasing klaxon urge me to rush into the red, so did instinct. The sensation was so powerful my legs twitched, itching for action, escape. I had to consciously fight the urge, for I had been charged with death. After twenty minutes came a flicker of a different color. A beam of yellow wandered across the reddishness of escape, then left. Eventually it returned with a companion. Then both vanished. Disappointment flashed through me. They had had overlooked my room.
Yet a minute later the glow materialized two phantoms of black. Backlit by blazing red, each cut a dramatic figure in full-on fire gear, complete with oxygen tanks and full face masks. Thickened by heavy layers of fire retardant gear, they seemed to move in slow motion. Beams from handheld searchlights roamed the smoke-dense room, lighting across old, clustered junk. Revealed in streaks were fallen stacks of chairs and tables upended upon each other, cobwebs flashing. I felt exactly like I was watching a movie: the heroes had just discovered the killer’s creepy lair.
Then a beam of light fell across my legs. Another zeroed in. Two bulky forms pushed through the thickness directly towards me. Heavily gloved hands grabbed me by the shoulders to haul me bodily from the floor. I drooped and flopped as awkwardly as possible, feet dragging uselessly on the floor. Undeterred, they slung my arms over their shoulders and hauled me out from behind the bar. Between the deafening klaxons their respirators labored. Though much taller than my saviors, both men worked as a single unit to compensate. No words were exchanged. None were needed; both knew what the other was supposed to do.
Don’t think for a minute that cruise ships leave fire safety to waiters playing with fire hoses. The ordeal fire teams maintain as routine is most impressive. But then, to be honest, I always wanted to be a fireman. They’re totally badass.
Brian David Bruns
Author of national bestselling Cruise Confidential
www.cruiselit.com

Happy Monday, cruisetacular peeps! I hope you all have been enjoying the cruising stories I've shared over the past few weeks. I'm gonna take a break from them today, but know I'll have many more in the weeks and months ahead. In fact, I just finished my blog-writing schedule last night for the duration of 2013 and it's hard to believe another year is getting ready to close on us. Whew! Time is flying, wouldn't you say?
I noticed a trend on my side of town and was wondering if you all have the same thing happening where you live? I was going through my closet the other day and realized I have an overabundance of cruise ship t-shirts. Many I wear to the gym, some I use as clothing changes when doing videos for my Youtube Channel and others are archived in plastic because they're so vintage. I have Carnival Cruise Line's m/s Celebration's inaugural cruise tee, Celebrity Cruises' m/v Horizon graphic tee and even Norwegian Caribbean Line's (now Norwegian Cruise Line) s/s Norway on a tee (you can view here). Many of you may have seen these shirts in a few videos I've done, but if you do the math something doesn't quite add up...
Many of you may wonder how do I own shirts of cruise ships that are older than me? How did I find them? Where did I find them? Well, the answer lies in a hidden gem in my neighborhood - my local thrift store. Seriously, I find so many cool cruise momentous in there! It came as a suggestion from a friend of mine one day and ever since, I've been going there looking for cruise tees and sporting them like no tomorrow.
Do you shop at thrift stores? I know many people "look down" on 'em, but they are truly loaded with treasures many others have trashed (you know how the saying goes). Feel free to share what you've found that's cruise related, in your local thrift store below. And if you've never been to one, you now have some motivation to not just look for tees, but also mugs, pins and host of other cruise collectibles (you never know what you'll find)! Keep cruising and grooving and be sure to rock your new 'thrifty cruise finds' along the way! See ya next Monday with more cruisetacular coverage!

Let's just throw this out there. I only have 1 child, I am an only child, and I come from an only child. None of it was planned that way... It's just how life happened. A house over run with children is foreign to me. Martha Stewart in the kitchen, I am not.
So Trenton says "Mom, can *Sheldon and *Leonard spend the night?" (*Names have been changed to protect the innocent) "BOTH of them? Like... At the same time? (insert excited little face from your only child) Well, ok...". And so it began.
I picked the boys up, brought them home and sent them outside to play. All was going well. The kids came inside and said they were getting hungry. OK, let's make dinner.
(Trenton shot his first deer last year and was super excited. He thought it was really cool that he was providing food for the family ? He wanted to make nachos and use his deer meat.)
This is when *Sheldon says "Oh, I don't eat cheese." I am thinking Oh No! I didn't ask if these kids had any allergies. Oh crap!
"Oh, I'm not allergic. I just don't like it."
Huh? ... You don't like cheese? ... On purpose? Who doesn't like cheese on purpose?
Ok fine. How about chicken.. "no"
fish sticks... "no"
hamburgers... "no"
I name off the entire pantry and fridge... "no".
Ok, Sheldon...what would YOU like to eat for dinner?
His response... "Olive Garden will be fine."
OLIVE GARDEN !!!!! .... Are you serious?
I was defeated... I ordered Olive Garden. (A child’s spaghetti with sauce in little cups on the side for Sheldon). This is when I looked at Mark and said "Let's run! Let's just go and leave them here!" (Totally kidding... But the thought seriously crossed my mind)
I return home to find three 10 year old boys watching Pokemon on the 65 inch TV and Mark hiding in the bedroom!
The husbands point of view: Well, I was sitting there watching my TV and *Leonard comes and sits beside me and says "Hi". So I said "hi."
"I really like Channel 300."
That's all cartoons. I said. And he just stared at me! So I said, would you like me to put on cartoons?
"Yes, please"
So I type in 300 and he yells "Pokemon!!" And then this stampede happened and I realized I didn't even have a place to sit on my own couch anymore and there was a 65 inch Pokemon in our living room.... So I took refuge in the bedroom.
Ha! So I am thinking "pushover" as I am busting out the OG... Feeling like a champ.
"That's not the right sauce".
What?!
"That's not the right sauce, I can't eat that"
What do you mean it's not the right sauce?! You said marinara sauce... That's marinara sauce.
"I like the kid’s marinara sauce"
The kid’s marinara sauce and the adult marinara sauce is the same! It's marinara sauce! One plate is just smaller than the other!! (my blood pressure is rising)
"It's ok. I'll just eat the noodles"
You are going to eat plain noodles for dinner!? I HAD plain noodles I could have cooked!
DEEP breath... Ok, let's just pray and eat. That bedroom is looking better and better!
Play,Pokemon,popcorn,Skylanders, candy, Beyblade, put your PJ's on, brush your teeth.... And *Sheldon comes parading through the living room in his underwear! "You don't live here kid!! Where are your pants?!" Oh Geez! I threw some blankets and pillows at them and went to hide in the bedroom with Mark! Aaah, peace at last.
6AM... Sounds of crashing, spinning, cheering... It's just a dream... "Crash, spin, cheer" ... There is no way those kids are up ... "Crash, spin, cheer" ... Because we all have Beyblade tournaments before the sun comes up! HUGE SIGH. I open the bedroom door and all three file into the living room with the sweetest little smiles "Did we wake you Mrs. Hunt?" ... As if any effort was made in an attempt NOT too.
Are y'all hungry? ... In unison "yes".
Awesome, here's some cereal.
"Mrs. Hunt, I don't drink milk"
That's fine, I have almond milk.
"I don't really like almond milk"
So eat the cereal dry. Trenton does it all the time.
"I don't really like those cereals"
Fine. *Sheldon, what would YOU like for breakfast?"
"Pancakes"
No. How about eggs?
"Do you have biscuits?"
No
"Then I don't want any eggs"
Of course you don’t, how about cinnamon toast?
"That’s fine ... As long as you don't make it soggy"
.... This kid's going home hungry!
So I Google how to make cinnamon toast bread and NOT make it soggy. Ended up putting it in the oven and using a broiler for the first time… Ever!
Then I got interrogated on the make and model of my Orange juice! It's orange juice!!!!!!!! It comes from an orange! Just drink it!!!
So. It's noon. *Leonard has left and Sheldon is still here. I have decided his parents have been eating everything they can get their hands on since I picked this kid up and are in a self-induced diabetic coma somewhere. Imagine being able to just eat something!
In the meantime, I have applied a double amount of my Derm Exclusive wrinkle cream and booked another cruise.
And that my friend’s is why I cruise!

For many of us, so called, "VETERAN" cruisers, booking another cruise is similar to a conveyor belt. Let me explain. You have the "been there, done that" mentality and just plan everything accordingly as you have done in the past. Then again, some of us "Veterans" still go into booking a cruise blindfolded. We start with, "Hey, Let's go on a cruise"!! Then comes the when, where & which questions. And of course the money issue. So when my wife approached me (as she always does when she wants to cruise) and said, "Look into it", I felt the feeling again! The "CRUISE feeling. That's all she said!! No when, where or which. Well, look at the picture that accompanies this post and you'll see where MY mindset was when she volunteered me for this task !!
So it begins! After interrogating her for some input (goodness knows I do NOT want to mess up the plans), a decision was made...."End of the year". Ummm, HUH? That's right, she wanted to go the end of the year and the rest was on me! Seeing as to how she had put her trust in me for the last eight cruises, that gave me a little bit of confidence. A VERY little bit!! But, on goes the Cruise planning conveyor belt (now known to me as the CPCB). I took many factors into consideration in planning the preliminary steps. "Let's see, been on Carnival five times, on Celebrity once, Princess once and Norwegian once". I then realized one of the only lines we haven't been on yet was Royal Caribbean. THAT'S IT!!!! We'll do RCCL!!! PHEW! Since we recently moved to Tampa, Florida, pickings were slim. When we lived on the East coast of Florida, we had Jacksonville, Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale to choose from. All within decent driving distance. But, after some research, I found the Brilliance of the Seas sailing for 7 days from Tampa on November 16, 2013!! WHOO-HOO, the biggest job is done!! And the itinerary was awesome. I venture in to planning this cruise as though I am new to cruising. Because, in fact, since I have never sailed on RCCL before, I feel as though this IS my first cruise.
My BLOG will cover the initial planning phase right through disembarkation to include updates from the ship during the cruise and a review at the end. This will help not only those passengers aboard the M/S Cruisecrazies that are new to cruising, but will also help veteran cruisers that have never sailed on RCCL before. It will also be a bunch of laughs along the way. So I guess we go into this on foggy seas!!
Join me over the next 11 months for a FULL cruise from the planning phase to disembarkation. I look forward to seeing you deckside!!!

My husband really loves me. I know this because he accepts me with all the crazy ideas that come out of my head. Being from Texas, we have always cruised out of Galveston. We (really meaning I) decided we should do something different and cruise out of Florida for our summer cruise this past year. New cruise ship… New ports… New city to discover... Sounds perfect!
We’re goin’ to Miami! Woo Hoo!
There was just one small problem. My husband has never flown. Never set foot on a plane or any other metal object that actually leaves the ground. That’s ok and all, but he also has an irrational fear of heights… Oh, and he also has a HUGE anxiety problem. This was 7 years after our first cruise and my trickery days are over so I said… “Guess what? WE are flying to Miami. You’ll be fine.” He initially agreed, but as the days started ticking by he started trying to formulate plans to DRIVE us.
Nope, babe… I can’t take 4 extra days off for us to road trip to Florida and back.
Nope, All 4 of us could fit in the truck, but the luggage would be uncovered in the bed. What if it rains or we stop to eat.
Yes, we could rent a car and drive straight though, but the extra expense to park it for 8 days or to leave it in a state we didn’t rent it from is the same price as flying.
Sure we can take Mom’s van…but it’s her company van and no one else can drive it. You can’t expect her to drive 22 hours by herself.
… and so this went on FOR WEEKS.
That’s when the thought of drugging him crossed my mind. I could suggest eating in the airport, ask him to go get me a napkin and slip something in his drink. Done correctly, I could get him on the plane and buckled in before he passed out. …. But what if my timing was off? I am 5’2 with my shoes on, I certainly can’t carry him.
So there we were. “Hey, Dude. We’re flying to Miami and though I have contemplated it, I can’t figure out a good way to drug you by surprise, so… suck it up buttercup. You’re going on your first plane ride.”
All I had to do was figure out a way for him not to freak out, get thrown off the plane, and go to jail… I got this.
We arrived at the airport and got our bags checked, stripped off our shoes and were awaiting the metal detectors. (Side Note: He wore flip flops and refused to bring a pair of socks like I had suggested… Eww) I look over and Mark’s backpack is being searched. (Shaving cream, lotion, cologne, a brand new $120 bottle of face cream) They have it all lined up there on the table. “Aww crap.”
(It appears I forgot to go over the “You can’t fly with that in your carry on list”) Sooo, our son had a little bag with his books and ipod in it. I shoved all his stuff in my bag. Then sock feet and all (no time to put tennis shoes back on) ran back out to “check” another bag filled with our (his) contraband. That little adventure got me placed in the back of the line, then re-routed through the full body scanner … then they searched my hair. That’s right… my hair… twice! (We ARE from Texas.) My son was behind them saying “Mom… what are they doing to your head?!” Your guess is as good as mine.
By this time, the plane is boarding. Trenton (his first plane ride too…but he’s totally excited!) got to meet the pilot and go in the cockpit. Really awesome for the crew to take time to do this by the way!

Mark wanted NO part of the cockpit… or the pilot… or the flight attendant. He made a beeline for his seat and sat there slightly pale and silent latching, tightening, testing and rechecking his seatbelt.
The rest of us got to our seats and got all situated. I whip out one of Mark’s anti-anxiety pills and a bottle of water. (I’m all for drugging him.) He says No, he doesn’t want to take it. He can do this, he needed to experience it to get over his fear and he would be fine. All that sounds macho and perfect…what I’m really thinking is “Umm Bu!!sh!t”, but I went along with it anyway.
As the plane takes off down the runway, Trenton and I are looking out the window when I caught a glimpse of Mark out of the corner of my eye. He is gripping the armrests, his knuckles are white, and he is completely pale. I whisper… please take that pill. He says No! I am thinking “Uh Oh, This can’t be good!”
By the time we reach the end of the runway and leave the ground he is profusely sweating. Sweat is literally running down his face and dripping onto his shirt. It was seriously like a scene from that old movie, Airplane.

(This is only comical looking back, by the way.) Finally, we were in the air and he realized he survived. Without medication. Whew! One small step for man… One giant leap for the Hunt family!
I got him all settled in, turned on his movie with ear phones … (Mark, not Trenton) and all was well.
… And then we hit turbulence.
Without warning, he bolted straight up in his chair… the movie player crashes to the floor, he grabs the seat in front of him and starts glancing around frantically for … I don’t know what. Just then the pilot comes on and asks everyone to return to their seats and put on their seatbelts. I calmly pry his hands off the poor man’s seat in front of him and say “There is someone sitting there, you can’t do that.”
And then the conversation went something like this:
This really is normal…
Yes, we are going to be fine…
No, the plane isn’t going down…
It has something to do with different air currents…
Please take that pill out of your pocket and swallow it!
What the hell, if it does go down at least we are all dying together!
(In hind sight, probably not the best way to attempt to calm someone down but I was running out of ideas)
This led to him frantically pushing the “attendant” button until he managed to flag down a flight attendant for her professional opinion of whether we are all about to die or not. Finally he realized, the flight attendants were starting to serve drinks, half the people were sleeping already, the other half were reading and not another soul on that plane cared that the plane was in turbulence. “Why, oh why, Lord can’t he have a smooth flight for the first time?! You know, if this goes poorly… we won’t be flying home from Florida!”
We got the movie player retrieved, got him to drink some water, eat a protein bar for a snack….and the family of 5 crammed in the 3 seats behind us had a kid that pooped their pants. I am sure of it! Mark kept saying “What is that smell?!” Seriously?? Welcome to flying honey!
So landing was a breeze, I whipped out the Big Red gum and all was well. Good news…. We can still fly home! LOL …. And I am still married ?
FYI: If you take a power strip on board the cruise ship with you, realize as you are leaving your cabin that you forgot to pack it in the luggage you checked last night, and in a hurry shove it in your husband’s backpack with the 3 iphone chargers still plugged into it…. Going through the xray scanners at the airport…. It looks suspiciously like a bomb and can hold the line up for a while. Sorry babe ?

Hey everyone! This is my first blog here and I am super excited!! I stumbled across this site by chance and loved it! I hope my blogs will offer you some valuable tips as well as some fun entertainment.
I have never been a writer… nor thought I ever would be. I am a small town Texas girl who fell in love with cruising. The first time I saw the ocean, a magical calm came over me -- and it has been calling my name ever since. I can’t break that spell. Going to the ocean is my escape. I am by no means an expert, but researching cruises and information when I am on land fuels my passion and allows me to keep sane (somewhat) until my next cruise rolls around.
So this is how it all got started….
Our son was not quite 3. My husband and I never took a “real” honeymoon and were approaching our 5 year anniversary. To put it mildly… we were broke, but desperately needed to get away. Thankfully, a good ‘ole Texas spring storm came through and took down what was left of our sad, pitiful fence in the backyard. When we received the money from the insurance company to replace the fence, I got the bright idea that if we cooked some hamburgers and bought some beer, my husband and his friends could replace the fence themselves and save us a TON of money. (You’re welcome honey!) We could use what we saved to go on vacation!
Brilliant… I know!
My husband wanted to go to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. However, I was doing the research. Everything was so expensive… and all we had was leftover fence money! It looked like we could go to an all-inclusive resort, but we would have no money left over to actually DO anything. The extent of our vacation would be to drink ourselves silly on watered down drinks on a beach somewhere. Let’s be honest here… after a day or two…that would suck OR we could take a cruise. We would have enough money left over to still drink ourselves silly AND go on excursions in all 3 ports. Neither of us are ones to be bored so I thought this was the best deal! So I booked it. Non-refundable, of course.
I casually brought up the idea of a cruise to Mark (that’s my husband), thinking he would love the idea! This cruise thing sounded so like us! His response…no way on this earth was he ever getting on a boat for 7 days. Period.
Hmmm… what to do? What to do? … I couldn’t tell him I already spent all our money and I had no way of getting it back. I knew what was best for him… I just needed to figure out a way for him to know it too! I’m not one to lie, so I thought it best to say we couldn’t afford to do the Mexico thing so we were going to go to Galveston instead. I packed his bags (formal night clothes and all… cause that’s how awesome I am) and we set off.
Somewhere down the lonely stretch of road to Galveston from Fort Worth, I couldn’t contain my excitement any longer and let it slip that we were going on a cruise. Oh my Gracious! It got ugly in that car! By the time we reached Galveston we weren’t speaking. He finally agreed to get on the boat (thankfully because otherwise, I wouldn’t have had a ride home in a week!), but we were getting a divorce when we got off! True story.
Then something magical happened. We had the time of our lives!! The cruise ship was more than we could have ever imagined. We were upgraded from an inside cabin… to one with a porthole! We thought we had hit the lottery. Not even the waves crashing against the boat and threatening to come through the wall at any moment or the ridiculous vibration from the thrusters could spoil our fun! There was stuff to do everywhere! (Food, shows, shopping, casino, nightclubs, pools.) We fell in love with each other all over again!! Sappy… I know! We were already looking for the next cruise to book as soon as we got home. See…. I knew I was right!
That cruise in fact, probably saved our marriage. And so it began. Years later, we are still setting off together for our adventures at sea (only now he is a willing participant… minus the time I tried to move us all to St. Thomas, but that’s another blog… and now we can afford them!)
I look forward to sharing our cruising adventures with all of you!

Have you ever noticed that after a cruise, especially if it is a long one, you struggle to get back into the simple things we do day in day out in life?
Like making the bed, such a chore to do again when someone has done it for you for several weeks yet you managed perfectly fine for the last however many years before boarding the ship. There are so many little things that become mammoth tasks you just can’t seem to face anymore. Being “looked after” for a few weeks really does make you appreciate when once back at home just how well we are taken care of whilst on board our favourite cruise ships, and how hard the crew work!!
Let’s take a typical day.
You shower and then place the towel on the floor or in the shower basin for it to be changed. Sadly if you do that at home unless you have cleaning fairies living with you then it’s still going to be there when you return from work. You venture down for breakfast and all that greets you is a box of corn flakes. Not quite the same as having a full English or continental waiting for you, is it?
The fine dining is nothing but a distant memory. Before the cruise you quite happily slaved away cooking a delicious family meal but now even a sandwich feels like something you just don’t have the energy for. You briefly think back to the ease of the lunchtime buffet and how right now you would do anything just to pop your head in and see what’s on offer. Instead you now have the choice of whatever is still edible in the refrigerator.
The evening’s entertainment has resorted back to things like CSI and BBC Drama’s with the occasional trip to the local pub. If you are really lucky a series of Hell’s Kitchen might be running on TV, this way at least you can watch your frustration of being back home, magically leave via Gordon Ramsay’s mouth as he screams expletives and throws scallops at the poor souls in the competition.
As the evening draws near you settle down after such a traumatic day, in a not so comfortable bed for a not so exciting night and to top it all off there’s no chocolate waiting for you. It’s at this moment you remind yourself that even the wake-up calls from god, also known as reception, are no more. You have to fend for yourself now and rely on the good old alarm clock.
Welcome back to reality, Oh yes! It feels wonderful to be back home, doesn’t it!
There are other little things that get to me though, for example even the toilet takes on a new form! The toilets in our homes are often a lot lower than they are on cruise ships, you return home and suddenly you have what feels like 5 extra miles to travel before finding it. Not the nicest experience in the middle of the night when one is still half asleep.
Anyway……this is my back to reality check…………..
To those of you about to embark on another cruise adventure, think of us, your fellow cruisers, who are struggling to once again come to terms with our loss! ?
By Danielle aka CruiseMiss
www.CruiseMiss.com
www.facebook.com/cruisemiss
www.twitter.com/cruisemiss

So I'm at that stage in the cruising game where I am in between cruises. You know that point where you remember the last and get pumped for the next? Yeah, that feeling... that's what I'm loving right now! So many of you may remember the cruise I took back in February aboard Norwegian Jewel. I took one of my BFFs - TMT - with me for her first high seas adventure. In fact, that's her in this pic as well as another friend we met onboard, our girl Pat Montano!
Back in February we did a cruise to nowhere (CTN) and guess what I'm doing in just about 2 weeks from Norfolk, VA? Yup! You've guessed it! A cruise to nowhere... but aboard Carnival Glory. This time around TMT won't be with me, unfortunately, BUT my crazy, loud and hot mess of a family and friends WILL (pray for me... no seriously pray for me now)! I love these types of cruises and some people ask me what a CTN is. The convo tends to go a little like this...
My Neighbor: "So Shon, you're going on another cruise?"
Me: "Yup! And I'm so excited!"
My Neighbor: "Where ya headed this time?"
Shon: "Oh just out to sea for the weekend - nowhere basically!"
My Neighbor: "Um what? What kind of cruise is that?"
Well let a brotha school ya... It's the kind of cruise where you cram everything in, eat whatever you want, get a good workout in at the gym and sleep as little as possible (at least if you're sailing with me - as TMT is testament to). You just have a great time for a few days at sea. Seriously, I walk on THESE cruises in particular not knowing a soul and within the first 20 hours, new friends are joining me at karaoke, in the nightclub and even for a late night bite aboard. What are YOU waiting for? Try a cruise to nowhere today! PLUS you'll have the BEST bragging rights at the office on Monday. Everyone will ask how your weekend was and guess what you can tell them? YOU WENT ON A CRUISE! Bam! In their faces... I mean, oops, forgot to invite ya? And they're very inexpensive!
You know, I HIGHLY recommend these special and rare voyages for individuals who want to try cruising, but may still have some reservations (yes, pun is intended). Go sail for 3 days and 2 nights, come back and then book a world cruise! Okay, maybe not a world cruise but these sailings will help you enjoy longer cruises if you're a newbie trying to get into the cruising game! Try a CT today and maybe our paths will even cross on the high seas! Have you ever sailed a CTN? If so, what was you're favorite part about it? If not, what's your excuse? Keep cruisin' and groovin' until we talk ship again next Monday--Shon!

As you can begin to see, the puzzle pieces into the initial planning of your cruise vacation are coming together. And, at this point, we have not even spoken to a cruise agent. The reason for this is that I have found if you jump right in and call a cruise agent without any preparation, you will be faced with an abundance of cruise options that may confuse you. In many cases this approach can lead to “Impulse Buying” and very well put you into a cruise that is beyond your vacation means. By the time we get to the point of calling an agent, you will know how much you can spend, what you may like your itinerary to be and our next two steps, your accommodations and your departure port. It may seem that my approach to planning your cruise vacation as very involved. I do this so the next time you plan to cruise, you will have these steps stored in your memory and planning will be easier. Remember, the best cruise comes from the best planning!
Your choice of accommodations will also factor into your financial planning. When you see advertisements such as “Cruise 7 days to the Caribbean beginning at $479”, the small print in the ad is the word “Beginning”!! What the advertisement is not spelling out, unless specifically indicated is that the price is for an inside cabin. Unless you are comfortable in an inside cabin, you may want to add approximately another $200 per person to that price for an Oceanview or Balcony cabin. Square footage in cabins varies largely between inside and larger accommodations. The prices for larger accommodations such as mini/junior suites up to such cabins as Owners suites go up. An inside cabin is fine for a couple sailing together but if you are a family, things in an inside cabin can and will get a bit tight. On some vessels, more than 2 passengers in an inside cabin are impossible and you would have no choice but to upgrade to a larger cabin. Keep in mind, there are personal benefits to a larger cabin but most cruise veterans will tell you that the only real times you are in the cabin are to sleep and for other personal reasons. T
he majority of your time on a cruise is spent up on deck or in your ports-of-call. I have sailed in Inside, Oceanview and Balcony cabins and prefer Balcony cabins because it allows me to see what the weather is when I wake in the morning and also allow us to order scheduled room service delivery in the mornings for our coffee and Danish’s. We also enjoy being able to sit on our balcony when entering and leaving ports. The choice of your cabin should be researched prior to booking your cruise. Cruise lines post the various cabins on their vessels and have specifications of their cabins. Keep in mind, when researching your cabin type, if you feel you may be prone to sea discomfort, look for a cabin that is mid-ship in every aspect (front to back and top to bottom). Although today’s modern cruise ships have equipment to minimize movement when at sea as well as medical assistance to ward off sea sickness, planning your cabin location is the best approach in avoiding any discomfort.
When choosing a departure port, you may be lucky enough to be within driving distance of a nearby cruise port. If so, you can drive there and park your vehicle for a fee for the duration of your cruise. You may also have shuttles in your area you can arrange to take you and return you from the port. Plan on between $5 and $9 per day if you plan to drive and park your vehicle to the port. In some cases, you may have no choice but to fly to your embarkation port. This could be because you do not live near a cruise port or if your planned itinerary leaves from a port that does not access your planned cruise. For example, cruises leaving from the Tampa Florida area mostly cruise to the Western and Southern Caribbean and the majority of cruises leaving from the East coast of Florida cruise to the Eastern Caribbean with some that go to the Western and Southern Caribbean. You will see the variations as you research your cruise.
In my upcoming BLOGS, I will discuss documentation needed for your cruise and some variations in cruise line amenities. Please continue to enjoy your extended stay on “Planning Island”.

I see it all the time - parents who take the kids on vacation and then pretend they don't know them - or they do remember and bring them along to places off limits to kids, like the adult-only pool or hot tub, because - what the heck - "they're my kids, we're on vacation, we paid good money for this cruise and we'll do what we want." Yes, you're on vacation, but that doesn't mean you're on a sabbatical from parenting the kids you brought on your cruise. We all love children, but the antics of your own kids may not be as amusing for the people around you – especially if they’re shouting and running about, and otherwise invading the personal space of your fellow passengers. Trust me, you won't make any friends. So do your kids and yourself a favor and set some limits and enforce them. Cruises are the best family vacation, and ships have great programs for kids - try them out.
And while you're at it, please tell your children that elevators are not amusement rides. Your fellow passengers will be very grateful.
Visit Cruising with Children here at CruiseCrazies for more advice and tips on family cruising.

Sail with us as we take our first cruise with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines aboard the "Jewel of the Seas". If you have never sailed before, or never sailed with RCCL this may be an interesting cruise. I will be posting as often as possible (as connections allow) and you may even find me in the Live Chatroom for streaming Q&A's!! If you are online on the CruiseCrazies site anytime between May 2nd and May 6th, pop into the "LIVE CHAT ROOM" and you may see me there!!! All you have to do is highlight the "Connect" tab above then click on the "Cruise Chat Live" button. I will begin posting the morning of May 2nd (Pre-Cruise) and will continue through our cruise which features a stop in Cozumel. Don't miss this.........

Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's the media doing what they do best and that's stirring the pot. Alright, so if y'all have been following our trusted media sources here in the States, then you've been well aware that Carnival Cruise Line is back in the spotlight yet again. Here's the spark notes version:
Carnival Dream, Carnival Legend and Carnival Elation were all reported to have somewhat similar issues with propulsion systems on their respective ships. This comes to light after the fiasco with Carnival Triumph last month where thousands were stranded at sea for about 4 days. So, now we all want to know the same question: What's going on with the ship in Carnival's fleet?
THEN before I closed my eyes for bed last night, guess what? Yet another cruise ship was reported having issues, P&O Cruises' Ventura. Then this morning I saw a report stating Regent's Seven Seas Voyager is also experiencing some propulsion problems. And so what? Seriously people, there comes a point in our lives we have to decide if we're going to cower and live in fear or step out and travel the world we've dreamed about and seen on Google Images. What's the worse that can happen? You get a free cruise out of the deal? Hmm... sounds like a bargain to me, right?
If you are a fan of my Facebook Fan Page, you may have seen me post this picture from when I sailed Carnival Pride last November. Instantly, the comments began pouring in and you can see many cruise fans like you and me are still sailing and not allowing any of this to set us back from enjoying high seas adventures - including on Carnival Cruise Line vessels. In fact, I'm still sailing Carnival Glory with my hot mess of a family for what's going to be THE family cruise of the year coming up in May. Past, present and future cruise ship incidents will not stop me... ever! I know who holds tomorrow and He'll never let go of my hand. So SHOULD something happen to one of the ships I'm currently booked on, know I'll be alright. In fact, I'll be the Black guy running around on the deck praising God and shouting (be sure to get some good stills of me)!
Like I said in My Thoughts on Carnival Triumph, I am no stranger to cruise ship incidents. In fact, I remember back in 2006 when I tried my second attempt at a cruise to Grand Cayman, Carnival Imagination was docked in Miami with a propulsion system that wasn't at 100%. They told us we would sail to Nassau and Freeport, Bahamas instead - staying oversight in each port (where they were going to work on the ship while we were having fun, LOL). We got to pick if we still wanted to sail or go back home. What do you think I did? Yup! Sure did, and had a blast! Carnival took real good care of us: gave us on-board credit and money back on pre-booked shore excursions. It's not stopping me, it hasn't stopped me and it never will. That's my piece and I'm sticking to it!
LONG LIVE CRUISE VACATIONS!
As always, you're cruisetacular for reading! Until we talk ship next Monday--Shon!
P.S. Please keep the two passengers who were sailing P&O Cruises' Adonia in your prayers. The husband and wife duo were injured with gun shot as they were walking en route back to their vessel in Bridgetown, Barbados. They have been taken to the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Barbados and are being treated for their respective wounds according to Cruise Law News. Get the full story here.

Hey, y'all! Sorry I missed posting part 2 on Monday. Over the weekend I had a host of events happen. My lovely mother celebrated her birthday but I also lost my pal Zoe. She was truly the sweetest thing walking on four legs and I'll always love and miss her! She was my partner in crime on a few blog posts and she always be!
I mean what can a single guy say? Zoe was THE best chick-grabbing magnet... I mean woman meeting pal ever! Now what is a guy to do? We had some great times and I'll always remember the great memories we shared! I wish I could have taken you on some cruises with me because I know you would have LOVED it! Thanks for being a sure thing for this crazy, loud and MJ-lovin' dude! Not many women would put up with me like you did! Thanks for also being a fan of Mandisa... and hearing me try to sing and hit those high notes (sorry for making you do that thing with your ears, LOL). Zoe, this blog post is for you!
Just wanted to let y'all know I didn't forget about you all, but I hope to get that new post up to y'all by next Monday!
Thanks for following along! You're cruisetacular for reading... as always!

Many of the places on our newly created bucket list involve land destinations, and I recently came to realize this could have serious implications on our quest to see the world before we die from the deck of a cruise ship. We may have to choose one or the other from time to time, dividing our time between land and sea, in order to fit everything in.
So I thought I would use this opportunity to stage a different kind of comparison of cruise vacation vs. land vacation - a boxing match of sorts.
I used to think I would be happy just traveling the world by cruise ship. After all, what could be better than sitting on my balcony as our floating chariot leads us to far away places. Then, in 2011, we gathered the entire family together and ventured to Portugal, the land of my husband's ancestors. His parents spent time there as children, and we thought it was far past time we made the journey. It was an incredible experience, renting a car and traveling all over the place, visiting the tiny rural village where his father was born, as well as the home where his mother spent her girlhood, its facade long abandoned and somewhat broken, but still standing.
This made me think about other destinations in the world we have yet to see, particularly in our own country. Several days ago we returned from a week in Arizona, visiting Grand Canyon and Sedona, just a sampling of places we would like to see in this country before we're too old to enjoy them.
The contenders in the ring will be my Ireland/Scotland cruise last summer ("Cruise") and a theoretical similar land tour of the same area ("Land"). The tourists in this bout will be a family of six in a rental vehicle - I call the family "ours", but it could be anybody's.

Besides the obvious - the inability for a cruise ship to go far enough inland for, say, the Grand Canyon, here are some differences I've noticed in my own limited travel experience.
We'll go five rounds.
Round 1: The Journey
Cruise: It's a very relaxing, picturesque ride around the Isles when the driving is left to our brave and noble captain. We lounge on our balcony watching the world go by. Family members are having fun exploring the ship.
Land: Driving long distances can be tiring, not only for the driver but for weary passengers, as well, when confined to a car loaded with an excessive amount of luggage - not to mention the backseat driver who wants to control the driver and the kids whining "Are we there yet?"
And the The Winner of Round 1 is: Cruise
Round 2: Convenience
Cruise: Our bags appear as if by magic at our cabin door on the first day. We unpack, lay our stuff out neatly in the drawers, making it a painless process to get dressed every day, and don't think about luggage until the end of our time at sea.
Land: Each family member hauls their own over-stuffed bags into the rental car, where it is soon discovered there is not enough room for all this luggage in the trunk. Holy crap! Mom (yours truly) decides the only way to solve the problem is to toss out some of her least favorite articles of clothing, merge the rest with everyone else's stuff, and leave the excess bag behind, asking the hotel clerk to kindly do what they will with it. We schlepp our luggage in and out of each hotel along the way. Certain members of the family have organized each day's outfit into plastic baggies for easy management. The rest of us go on a daily fishing expedition.
And the Winner of Round 2 is: Cruise
Round 3: Bang for our Buck
Cruise: For one price, we get our transportation, meals, entertainment, on-board activity, recreation, atmosphere, fresh air, a daily change of scenery, a new place to land our feet every day, and a room with a view (a window at the very least will be required for that last one). The best part? Everybody in our party can pretty much do and eat where they want, choosing from the obscene number of dining and entertainment options on board.
Land: The package put together by the travel agent might include air, hotels and a rental car, but that's about it. Or you might try to be creative and piece your own vacation puzzle together. Either way, be prepared to dish out lots of British pounds or Euros for bangers & mash, haggis, Irish stew, fish & chips, and all that Guinness you'll drink. And don't forget the park and castle entrance fees. Oh, and that part in the cruise where everyone goes there own way? No way. Since there is only the one car, we are all forced to stick together like glue, and we all must mutually decide on a place to eat, which can be a bit challenging when Dad wants a big juicy steak, and Junior wants a Happy Meal.
And the Winner of Round 3 is: Cruise
Round 4: The Sites
Cruise: The ship will take us to different fabulous ports throughout the sea journey, where we can get a brief look at the city or town it covers, from several hours to a full day - and occasionally an overnight in each port. Planning ahead is important in order to make the best of the limited time in port. A couple of hours may be fine for one port, and not nearly enough for another.
Land: Freedom is the word here. It's our itinerary, created by us, and we can plan it any way we want. We're not on someone else's schedule (unless, of course, your husband runs a tight ship with everyone on his schedule). We can choose to spend three days in a city to get a real flavor of it, an overnight in another, an hour or two at an Irish pub, or simply pass through town. With a car, we can go anywhere, whenever we want. This is very important when visiting a destination with a particular purpose in mind, i.e. family heritage.
And the Winner of Round 4 is: Land
Round 5: Freedom
Cruise: There is nothing that says we need to get off the ship when it docks in a port in the itinerary. If we feel like staying on board, we may even have the pool to ourselves. If we prefer to do nothing, we can take comfort in the fact that no one will think less of us. We are are on a cruise, and that's what we paid for. Have we ever stayed on board in lieu of visiting a port? No. The world is too big and time is too short to ignore a destination. But it's still an option.
Land: The whole family is packed into the car, we've paid good money to see SOMETHING and are going to have to drive to get to the places we came to see. No, there will be no "doing nothing" on this land tour. We're on a mission. We have a lot to see and limited time to see it.
And the Winner of Round 5 is: Cruise
There you have it. The Cruise has taken the championship title, just as I knew it would.
Will this stop us from vacationing by land? No, of course not. Land vacations still have their special place in the world of travel, especially since the kids are grown, and it's just the two of us now. It just means that we now make sure the rental car is the right size for our luggage!
Do I still prefer cruising? Absolutely!
To read more of my personal cruise and travel stories, visit my blog: Seven Sea Journeys at CruiseCrazies.com

Welcome back!! First off, allow me to extend my sympathies to the passengers of the failed Carnival Triumph cruise. I sincerely hope that with time, you will take advantage of the discount you have received from Carnival and venture to the open seas once again. There has been enough coverage from the media and aboard the Cruisecrazies site so that's all I'm going to mention about the Triumph incident.
Now that we have covered the most important aspect of your cruise planning, Finances, let’s discuss the variations in the different vessels and some of the most popular cruise destinations you may choose from.
When choosing a cruise ship for your vacation, there are many variables that come into play including, YES, finances again. It seems that in most cases, the smaller vessels operated by lines such as Silversea, Seabourn and Costa just to name a few, seems to be a bit more expensive yet provide a quieter atmosphere and more of a personalized touch. The larger vessels, also known as “Mega-Liners” operated by lines such as Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean are more family friendly priced and offer more of a family type atmosphere where there is something for just about every age group. If you’re a couple planning an intimate and relaxed type atmosphere with very little hustle and bustle, a smaller vessel may be to your liking. Vessels that host in the range of 2000 passengers would most likely fit your needs. If you’re a couple or family that enjoys the party type atmosphere with activities around every corner then a cruise aboard a vessel in the 4000 to 6000 passenger range will keep you very busy. Just keep in mind that the larger vessels have much to offer. If you are planning a cruise on, let’s say, the Oasis of the Seas for 7 days of bliss, you may find that there is just not enough time within one week to discover all the ships amenities have to offer.
Where to go! Hmm, this is more personal preference than anything. If you prefer the warmer climate type destinations, then cruising the Eastern (St. Marteen, St. Thomas, Nassau and Freeport), Western (Cozumel, Roatan and the Caymen Islands) or Southern Caribbean (Aruba, Curacao, and Granada) may be a direction to go. If you’re more interested in a colder climate, then an Alaska cruise may be in your future. All destinations offer their own enticing amenities such as snorkeling and scuba diving in the warmer climates in the Caribbean sailings and visits to small Alaskan towns and Glacier views in the colder regions. Your cruise agent can provide more insight on the regions you will be visiting on your cruise vacation.
Here’s a commonly asked question, “Do I need a passport to go on a cruise”? The answer, Yes and No! The U.S. Department of Homeland Security states that if you are on a “Closed-Loop” cruise (a cruise that originates and returns to the same U.S. port) and are visiting what are considered U.S. possessions such as Puerto Rico, you do NOT need a passport. A certified (not a copy) of a U.S. State issued Certificate of Birth and a State issued type of photo I.D. is fine. The only catch here is even if you are cruising from and returning to the same port in the U.S. yet are visiting a foreign country such as Mexico or Bermuda, those countries DO require you have a Passport. My personal advice, GET A PASSPORT!! They are good for 10 years. Just be aware that it can take a couple to a few months to receive your Passport if it is your first time applying for one so plan well in advance of your cruise. Now, until my next BLOG entry, you may wish to go back and review my previous cruise planning steps easily just by clicking here... http://www.cruisecrazies.com/forums/blog/17-brilliance-of-the-seas-2013-uncut/. Till next time, may you have calm seas and beautiful sunsets.

In a recent interview I did with CruiseLine.com, I was asked if there were some features I'd like to put on a cruise ship in the near future. Not only did I have one or two things, but four came to mind. Since my interview with them last month a few others have come to mind and I thought I'd share them with ya to see if you'd like to join my demand team in hopes that one cruise line out there will hear our cry and supply the innovative goods! I mean it seems 'impossible' is no longer a word for cruise lines these days. Let's see, we have Imax/4D theaters, ropes courses (Carnival Cruise Line); decks that walk over the water (Princess Cruises); bowling allies, rappelling walls, salt rooms and ice bars (Norwegian Cruise Line); rock walls, surfing simulators, zip lines and skating rinks (Royal Caribbean International); and even water slides that go off the sides of cruise ships (Disney Cruise Line)! So what's next? I think a few of my suggestions! Now to all the cruise lines in the world, grab your pens and paper! On your mark, get set, call your designers!
CM3K's Cruise Ship Amenity Wish List
  #1: A Non-Water Based Roller Coaster
    I have the biggest passion for heights, speed and a good shake along the way. So what better combination could there be to satisfy these loves than having a roller coaster on a cruise ship. If a cruise line were able to configure a way to do this, I would easily sail them with no questions asked. Now here's my 2 cents on this: I think it should be taken to a whole new level on a cruise ship! They should make it an indoor roller coaster with black lights everywhere making it a glowing, thrilling time! This way, it could still run should the weather not permit for it to function outside; plus it would be another cool thing for passengers to experience while at sea!
#2: Laser Tag
Speaking of things glowing in the dark, lets get a laser tag facility aboard a cruise ship. My question is, why hasn't this already happened? Don't y'all think this would have been birthed on a ship around the bowling alley and rock wall era? I think this would be cool to be on two decks or so that may or may not have some kind of character theme (hint hint, NCL, RCI and DCL). Also, I think having some sort of inflatable, portable scene could also be to the cruise line's advantage. That way, you can play laser tag under the stars! This would be super cool on ships that have nice open-air deck space like Norwegian Epicor Oasis and Allure of the Seas! I'd really think Disney Cruise Line could capitalize on this with Toy Story characters Zurg and Buzz Lightyear. But for some reason, idk why...I could definitely see Royal Caribbean hop all over this one! What do y'all think?
#3: Bumper Cars
Keeping with things that could be enjoyed regardless of the weather... BUMPER CARS! Doesn't everyone love these things? If you don't, I'm sorry... you just weren't raised right. Don't be caught in front of me while driving one of these bad boys -- Bump Man 3000 will getcha LOL! Again, a character affiliated cruise line such as Disney, Royal Caribbean or Norwegian (hint hint) could really run with this idea. And with RCI running this new "Built for Wow" campaign, I again wouldn't put this pass them for one of the Sunshine class vessels coming to us in 2014 and 2015, respectively. BUT who knows, NCL may get dibs first? And to my cruise lines who already have vessels with ice rinks on them (RCI, hint hint), y'all can take this to a whole new level. BUMPER CARS ON ICE! Now that's really a "WOW" moment!
#4: Bungee Jumping...off the Ship
Now take a deep breath. I know what you're thinking. Some of you may think I'm a little crazy for this suggestion, but I think it would be super cool! In fact, this would be a cool shore excursion for those who aren't interested in doing something in port or for those who've been to their ship's current call before. I think they--whichever cruise line(s) do this--should somehow build a ledge that would go off the ship, sort of like a retractable portion of the deck that is sturdy and can withstand strong winds the top of the vessel experiences and have bungee jumping available for passengers only while the ship is in port, on the side of the vessel opposite to the dock. So who's with me? Huh? Huh? Huh? Any takers willing to sign "those papers" should a cruise line yield a vessel with the human rubber bands? For some reason, my gut says NCL would so be into this one!
So those are my suggestions for now. I've got 4 more cool ones coming your way next week in part 2's post! Be sure to tell me what you think of my suggestions and check back for more things I'd like to see on the high seas! You're cruisetacular for reading! Until we talk ship next Monday--Shon!

Carnival Triumph re-entering U.S. waters in Mobile, Alabama.
Photo Credit: gCaptain
What happened was truly unfortunate. The conditions on-board I can't even begin to fathom -- from having no air conditioning, to the exposure many had to bodily waste, and having to use bags as lavatories truly could evoke testing times... but let's look put things in perspective. This was an incident that falls back on Carnival Cruise Line 100%, no doubting that. But Carnival handled this like the crisis management pros they are.Carnival Conquest, Carnival Elation and Carnival Legend --who also sail Western Caribbean waters-- were dispatched to aid Carnival Triumph with food, supplies and even transportation of passengers with pre-existing medical conditions that needed assistance. They gave everyone their money back, transportation back home and post-cruise hotel arrangements, motor-coach bus service and even additional monetary compensation for this disaster. Did I mention Carnival's CEO Gerry Cahill flew to Mobile, Alabama, boarded Carnival Triumph and personally apologized to the passengers and crew in person, can you say cruise hero? Truly amazing!
Now Here's My 2 Cents...
One report I read stated there were about 45 people on-board who had Bible Study and said the encouragement they had in their time with the Lord while stranded at sea, gave them hope that they would return back home just fine. I was so elated to hear of this because as a cruiser who has also been on ships where catastrophes have happened and being a follower of Jesus Christ, I know there's is something special and incomparable that happens between people and God while on the high seas. I've been on ships where engines have stalled, ocean waves have turned violent, passengers have died and had medical emergencies and hurricanes have shown their ugly side. But the one thing I know works and has helped me in my time of peril while at sea, is prayer to and worship of the Lord.

It may sound crazy to some, but to me it's an innate reaction. Whenever I'd hear that "unknown" noise on a ship, see waves come closer than I was planning, or hear the Captain come over the PA system with a late night announcement, I do just what I was taught growing up -- stop, drop and pray! I've learned in my life that unexpected problems is not the issue, but WE are. Stop hoping for your problems to change and YOU change -- change your perspective, outlook and decide to speak encouraging and positive words over your situation. God set the Isrealites free from Pharaoh and wanted to take them into the promise land He had for them... then they wandered in the wilderness for a whole 40 years. Why? Because their attitude and mindset put them there! God knew their mindset wasn't ready to take on the enemies they'd have to battle for full possession of the Promised Land so instead of leading them the way of 11 days, they kept making donuts in the desert for 40 whole years.
Now I am in no way saying that the mindset and attitudes of the persons on-board Carnival Triumph caused this incident to happen, but I do think had an optimistic and positive atmosphere been birthed, both on land and at sea, their deliverance could have come sooner than it played out. I'm not negating the harsh conditions aboard the passengers experienced, I'm not suggesting that this cruise was a good one, nor am I saying these people shouldn't be mad with Carnival about what happened. But what if the 45 people who gathered for worship turned into 450 or even all 4,000 people on the ship, standing together in praise and worship; making the best of their conditions and keeping a positive mindset awaiting a miraculous happening. And on the contrary, what if all the sources bad-mouthing Carnival and this cruise turned their hot air into prayer (yes, this includes the media). What could have happened? Could you imagine? Millions gathering in prayer and not pointing their fingers? I could keep going on with this BUT, I'm glad to say it's over, see everyone disembark fine and get back to living life as they know it.

They're all back safe and sound -- with Triumphant bath robes!
Photo Credit: NY Daily News
Some of y'all think what I just said is crazy, "off the deep end" or even unreal. But I do believe that when we band together in courage and faith, hoping for the impossible, God will honor that act. So next time all hell breaks lose instead of getting worked up and looking for someone to blame, begin to pray and trust God to make the impossible possible. For with man, things may look grim, but with God ALL THINGS are possible! Next time you hear of a high seas tragedy, stop bad-mouthing and being a negative Nancey, but start believing the best -- your negativity won't help anything, but your positive thoughts will be infectious and be more beneficial than you'd know. That's my piece and I'm sticking by it. Until we talk ship again--Shon!

y
An engine fire ... a cruise ship dead in the sea without the power to provide the basic of needs. A pleasant ocean escape to the Caribbean becomes a bad cruise to nowhere. Such was the picture on board the Carnival Triumph on its 4-day sailing last week.
The unpleasant details of life on board that cruise need not be repeated here. We've all seen the video footage and heard the news reports. When the disabled ship finally reached the dock in Mobile, Alabama, greeted by 200 Carnival personnel who would assist in getting the tired passengers home, TV cameras were on hand to fill us in with more images and interviews of anyone willing to talk, providing sensationalized news coverage at its best - playing off other people's misery. The sorry thing is that the general public sitting at home on their couch eats this stuff up, only encouraging more of this. Such is journalism, I guess.
Who do I feel sorry for the most? The first-time cruiser. Imagine you're embarking on your first cruise. You've been on the fence for a long time about cruise travel, but you decide to make the leap, choosing a nice, short 4-day Caribbean cruise to get your feet wet, so to speak. You're all relaxed, you've found your way around the ship, having a great time, thinking - yeah- this is pretty nice. Suddenly, you learn that a small fire has broken out in the ship's engine room. Although it has been quickly contained, the fire has knocked out most of the electrical power to the ship. The vessel has crawled to a halt, aimlessly adrift, and you soon discover that there is no air conditioning, no running water, no working toilets, and no hot food. The ship is slowly being towed to dock in Mobile. It's an agonizingly slow process, with wind, sea currents and a busted tow line impeding the way. You are told it will take days to reach land. Gone is your dream cruise vacation. Instead, you find yourself on a floating sewage barge. Some first cruise. You tell yourself you should have trusted your instincts and picked that all-inclusive resort. Here, on this ship, there's no escape.
Despite what some passengers have said to the contrary, Carnival seems to have fairly and adequately compensated its passengers. Each passenger was given a full refund, paid transportation home, and a future cruise credit. I don't know what else they could have done to satisfy their passengers, short of giving them a fully-paid cruise - on Carnival or any other line the customer chooses.
The real shining stars of this cruise are the crew of Triumph. Stories abound of crew members who never ceased to smile, offered words of comfort, remained professional, and otherwise made the best of a bad situation. They are to be commended and, I hope, appropriately compensated for their efforts.
The same cannot be said for Carnival. Assuring the safety and comfort of its paying customers is, or should be, the cruise line's #1 priority. Regrettably, Carnival dropped the ball on this one. It was unnecessary and inexcusable for cruise passengers to be exposed to the foul conditions caused by the power failure. It was reported at one point that there were five working toilets for 4,000 souls on board - far from comfortable.
What could Carnival have done to better assist its passengers during this unfortunate journey, and what steps could the line take to prevent another incident like this in the future? Dare I say that some of the following suggestions may seem elementary and overly simplistic, but I can't help myself.
Perhaps the cruise line should have reconsidered evacuation of passengers, even if some risk was involved. Surely, somewhere a ship could be found to make the transfer, at least giving passengers the option of getting away.
Portable toilets. It sounds like a ridiculous idea onboard a mega ship, but I have to ask. Why don't cruise ships have a supply of porta potties stored away on board for emergencies such as this? Not possible? Drop 'em in by helicopter.
Portable generators - huge ones. I don't pretend to know the inner workings of getting electrical power to all areas of the ship. I only know that when average Joe Homeowner has a power outage, he powers up his portable generator. There must be a large-scale way to do the same on a super-sized cruise ship.
Lifeboats. Why are they there, if not for evacuation of cruise ship passengers. Bobbing at sea in a lifeboat at sea might be preferable to conditions on the ship - at least to some folks - no matter how risky it might be.
Above all, an emergency back-up plan. With each new ship comes bigger sights, bigger sounds, bigger everything - requiring big power. It would seem that cruise lines would have in place adequate back-up power relative to the size of the ship it is selling to its customers.
In the meantime, while the potential for litigation brews, investigation of Triumph's engines are under way. Reports of past engine problems have prompted discussions of whether or not the ship should have sailed in the first place. Time will tell. Just as the Costa Concordia forced changes to safety and security all throughout the cruise industry, so may Carnival re-examine its response to shipboard emergencies as relates to passenger safety and comfort. At least I would hope so.
What about that first-time cruiser? Will he choose to cruise again, or has this hellish five-day cruise to nowhere turned him off to cruise vacations forever? If you were to pole the veteran cruisers on board that cruise, asking if they would continue to cruise, I would bet the majority would say "hell, yeah!" Hundreds of ships sail every year without a single major incident. Nevertheless, just like any other form of travel, incidents and accidents sometimes occur. Some of them may be simple annoyances, some may be terrible ordeals, and every now and then one may even result in fatality. Each one can be a learning experience for all involved. For the cruise line, it is a way to change, improve and correct that which is faulty.
Just as the old hippy expression says: ***t happens. There is an abundance of seaworthy ships, and there are fascinating places to explore. Opportunities for new discoveries are as endless as the sea. So get back out there, trump the Triumph travesty, and choose to cruise!
To read more of my personal cruise and travel stories, visit my blog: Seven Sea Journeys at CruiseCrazies.com

I truly hope you are having a calm, relaxing stay at Planning Island. Now that you have had some time to consider your finances for your cruise vacation, we can venture to our excursion of “Tour of Days”!
If this is your first cruise, and just want to investigate what a cruise is all about, a three to five day cruise may be a good start for you. I personally feel anything less than 7 days is a waste of precious vacation time but YOUR cruise is just that, YOUR cruise!! You MUST understand that what you have decided to be your maximum financial expenses for your cruise vacation, should dictate the length of your cruise. As explained in our previous post, most of your amenities are covered by the fare you pay for your cruise. BUT, there are many opportunities to spend, spend, spend!!! Although your 15 or so meals daily are covered, there are specialty restaurants on most ships that are an added expense to indulge in. Then there are also the shops onboard, the shops at your ports of call, the casino, alcoholic beverages and shore excursions just to name a few, at your ports of call that are NOT covered by your cruise fare. There is nothing worse than not being able to indulge in fun on your vacation because finances won’t allow it. This would be a good time to navigate to the “Shore Excursions” tab under the “Save Money” tab on the Cruisecrazies homepage to get an idea of what shore excursions are available at different ports of call you may be interested in visiting on your cruise. There, you can see what excursions may interest you and you can factor those costs into your cruise finances. Again, this will help you in deciding how many days may be right for your cruise. Now keep in mind, you do not have to do ANY shore excursions on your cruise. There may also be some listed on the homepage of the cruise line you choose to sail with which we will discuss in later BLOG.
Remember, anytime you have questions regarding shore excursions, your fellow passengers on the M/S Cruisecrazies are always willing to help!! All you have to do is ask. So now you have reviewed what your finances are and can include, if you wish, shore excursions as part of that decision to see how long your cruise can be. In my next BLOG, we will talk about choosing an itinerary that interests you.
I hope your “Tour of Days” excursion on Planning Island is sedate and calculated.

Allow me to take this opportunity to welcome you to our first port of call, “Planning Island”, located in the remote area of “Land of the Lost”. It may seem funny, but yet for many, so true. It’s the feeling many get when planning their first cruise or even their next cruise. Even for veteran cruisers, it seems that the water changes with every cruise booking. I will approach this first port as though you have never been to this island before. This will allow new passengers to experience the sometimes confusing steps of planning your cruise vacation. Of course, these shore excursions are personal experiences encountered from my past eight cruises to this hemisphere. Remember as we continue, all experiences vary by passenger yet the final outcome will be the same.
Just to give you some background on myself, Captain Tim, I have been fortunate to sail to many ports of call over the years aboard many wonderful ships. My past cruise ships include:
*Carnival Celebration
*Celebrity Meridian (Celebrity Cruise Lines Flagship)
*Norwegian Cruise Lines Dreamward (Now called the Norwegian Dream)
*Carnival Ecstasy
*Carnival Pride
*Carnival Triumph
*Grand Princess
*Carnival Dream
My ports of call over the year have been Key West, the Eastern & Western Caribbean as well as Bermuda. The planning of our next cruise on November 16, 2013 began after three years of no vacation.
So let’s begin with what I consider to be Step one in the planning stage, Finances. For us, this is the crucial step in a successful cruise vacation. Even before you plan the time-frame, itinerary, cruise line and ship, you want to make sure it is within your means. Ask yourself, “What can we afford”. You can book cruises for as little as one day, usually called a “Cruise to Nowhere”, cruises that are called “Back to Back” ,a cruise right after a cruise and cruises that can last weeks to months. So, now you see why finances are the most important step. Although most of the amenities on-board are included in your cruise fare, there are some extras that you may need to consider. The amenities vary from cruise line to cruise line but these are the generals that are included:
*Your Cabin
*Food (Including 24 hour room service)
*Entertainment
*Some Non-Alcoholic Beverages
There are some additional charges you may need to consider such as Specialty Restaurants, Alcoholic Beverages, Shopping, tipping and Shore Excursions. Some of these items may be included in your cruise fare dependent on the cruise line you choose. In the upcoming “Tim’s Times” planning guides that you will find in your cabin next to your towel animal, we will discuss these varied amenities. So until next time, sit down and consider what your cruise vacation budget is.
Again, Welcome aboard and I wish you a wonderful day on “Planning Island”.

For many of us, so called, "VETERAN" cruisers, booking another cruise is similar to a conveyor belt. Let me explain. You have the "been there, done that" mentality and just plan everything accordingly as you have done in the past. Then again, some of us "Veterans" still go into booking a cruise blindfolded. We start with, "Hey, Let's go on a cruise"!! Then comes the when, where & which questions. And of course the money issue. So when my wife approached me (as she always does when she wants to cruise) and said, "Look into it", I felt the feeling again! The "CRUISE feeling. That's all she said!! No when, where or which. Well, look at the picture that accompanies this post and you'll see where MY mindset was when she volunteered me for this task !!
So it begins! After interrogating her for some input (goodness knows I do NOT want to mess up the plans), a decision was made...."End of the year". Ummm, HUH? That's right, she wanted to go the end of the year and the rest was on me! Seeing as to how she had put her trust in me for the last eight cruises, that gave me a little bit of confidence. A VERY little bit!! But, on goes the Cruise planning conveyor belt (now known to me as the CPCB). I took many factors into consideration in planning the preliminary steps. "Let's see, been on Carnival five times, on Celebrity once, Princess once and Norwegian once". I then realized one of the only lines we haven't been on yet was Royal Caribbean. THAT'S IT!!!! We'll do RCCL!!! PHEW! Since we recently moved to Tampa, Florida, pickings were slim. When we lived on the East coast of Florida, we had Jacksonville, Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale to choose from. All within decent driving distance. But, after some research, I found the Brilliance of the Seas sailing for 7 days from Tampa on November 16, 2013!! WHOO-HOO, the biggest job is done!! And the itinerary was awesome. I venture in to planning this cruise as though I am new to cruising. Because, in fact, since I have never sailed on RCCL before, I feel as though this IS my first cruise.
My BLOG will cover the initial planning phase right through disembarkation to include updates from the ship during the cruise and a review at the end. This will help not only those passengers aboard the M/S Cruisecrazies that are new to cruising, but will also help veteran cruisers that have never sailed on RCCL before. It will also be a bunch of laughs along the way. So I guess we go into this on foggy seas!!
Join me over the next 11 months for a FULL cruise from the planning phase to disembarkation. I look forward to seeing you deckside!!!

It was August of 2003. We were joyfully embarking on our second cruise, this time a 5-day voyage on the cruise ship Imagination, one of Carnival's smaller vessels. After our rookie sailing the previous summer on the Grand Princess, we simply couldn't wait to share our newfound love of the cruise experience with our two daughters, ages 16 and 11, and hoped they would be as thrilled as we were.

Our destination would be the Western Caribbean, the ports of Belize and Key West, and two relaxing days at sea. We happily crammed our family of four into a 160-square-foot inside cabin, and off we sailed to paradise!
Look at all that space - very cozy, wouldn't you say?

Everything was going great. The girls were having a blast, reveling in this great new way to vacation. "What? We CAN eat all day and all night?" They spent the first two days joyfully grazing the culinary treats that awaited them - the buffet, ice cream, pizza, sushi, and every other delectable delight. After all, where else could they eat anything they wanted and not have to empty their pocket change! David and I, in turn, spent time immersing ourselves in all manner of onboard activity and otherwise getting to know the both the ship and the world of Carnival.
Two days after embarkation we arrived at our our first port of call - the country of Belize on the eastern coast of Central America. Belize was a fairly new cruise port at the time, if I recall, featuring not much else besides tacky tourist shops. Today, if I were to return to Belize, Mayan ruins would be at the top of my list of things to see, but 10 years ago, ancient artifacts were not at the top of must-see attractions for our family.
As this was their first time at sea, we wanted to do something the kids would enjoy, so we chose a snorkeling trip. I was determined to save our family lots of money, avoid the overpriced ship excursion, and spent many months prior researching various independent tours. We finally settled on a well-recommended vendor in the cruise community. We communicated with the company back and forth, being certain that the timing would work with the ship schedule. It was a well-thought-out plan, and we were ready for snorkeling. I patted myself on the back for my incredible tour-planning skills. However, as sometimes happens in life, things don't always go according to plan.
For starters, Belize was a tender port. Our meeting up with the tour at the appointed time would depend on the arrival of the ship into port on time and the ability to be on the first tender. Carnival had a seemingly organized method of issuing tender tickets, and an announcement was made to head to an appointed area to pick up tickets, specifically at 9:00 a.m. and, as they firmly stated, not a moment before. No Ma'am, they would not jump the gun and play unfair. How noble, I thought.
We arrived at 8:40 a.m. expecting a line of eager tender passengers. What we found were many people with tickets already in hand well before we arrived. So much for fair play! Needless to say, we only landed tickets for the second tender. We arrived to the dock just after 10:30 a.m., and our snorkel boat was nowhere in sight.
After asking around at the pier, we sadly discovered that the snorkel trip had left just minutes before we arrived. The boat was gone!

My heart sank, and I felt as small as a mouse. David and the girls knew how bad I felt and bravely tried to cheer me up, my two patient girls bravely hiding their disappointment. Sure, there were other vendors pedaling their tours. However, I was in a strange new land and a bummed-out state of mind, and was not ready to risk another bad decision. We walked around the ports - and, yes, much moping on my part was involved. We checked out a few shops, discovered we really weren't having much fun, and then headed back to the ship.
Yeah, this is about all I remember from Belize ~

On the upside, the ship was very enjoyable without the crowds, and we had the pool to ourselves.
Why, you might ask, didn't we just call the snorkel boat when we knew we would be late?
I have no answer. I suspect we had no cell phones at the time. I did call the company upon return home to find out what happened, and they apologized, saying they had other people on the boat and, unfortunately couldn't wait any longer. They were nice enough to refund our deposit, even though it was not their policy to do so. Absolutely no complaints there.
So - Belize was a bust - at least for us in that moment of time. I immediately vowed never to book another independent cruise tour ever again, especially one with a tender port. Of course, I didn't listen to me and, in fact, went on to book several fine local tours in the years ahead with smooth sailing and no issues.
By the way, our interest in ancient ruins has blossomed since then, having seen the magnificent structures by the sea at Tulum, and we hope to one day return to Belize for another more interesting look at what the country has to offer.

My last cruise as a waiter on Carnival Conquest was one to remember. My section was filled with twenty coeds just graduated from college: all 22, brainy, and beautiful. These women wanted to party and indulge in every aspect of the Fun Ships they could. This meant lethal flirting with their hapless waiter, even in ports (accompanying pic is with them in Cozumel). I was in heaven.
At the end of the first dinner, my ladies remained long after. They asked a flurry of questions, like “Are you single?” “Can you party with guests?” “Show us your cabin!”. The question that got me in trouble, however, was unexpected. “Why don’t you dance during dinner like the other waiters?”
“I’m management next cruise,” I explained. “They don’t want me looking like a fool in front of staff I’ll be in charge of.”
“No fair!” they cried. “We want you to dance for us!”
“Only if you dance for me,” I retorted. The gauntlet thrown, all twenty rose and I was surrounded by spinning, whirling, and gyrating bodies. I looked on helplessly, realizing I was surely to be out-done by these women. “Come on! Join us!” Realizing they wouldn’t take no for an answer, I jokingly counter-offered, “I won’t do dinner dances, but I’ll do one better. My last day as a waiter, I’ll do a striptease.”
Their applause indicated my jest was not taken as such.
The final night came. As always, serving the graduates was not work, but pleasure. They were patient for all things barring wine service. We laughed and flirted shamelessly. All week they had tried to kiss me in the dining room. The kiss became a game for us all, a silly little prize that both sides refused to relinquish. The challenge was spearheaded by a pretty lass named Jessica. The night drew to a close, but they remained to finish their wine. Neighboring stations emptied, leaving us a solitary island of gaiety. “Last night!,” Jessica called. “Where’s our strip tease?”
All twenty cheered and began chanting, “Strip! Strip! Strip!”
“I can’t,” I replied lamely, fishing for an excuse, “I would need a stage. And there’s no music.”
“Regina!” they cried to my neighboring waitress. Though busy readying for the morning, one table had been forgotten and was completely empty. Only then did I realize it had not been forgotten at all: Regina yanked the table cloth free to reveal an ideal stage. “But there’s still no music,” I observed gratefully. Smirking, Regina signaled a hostess and suddenly ‘I’m Too Sexy’ blared through the restaurant at tremendous volume. I had been set up. But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
I leapt onto the table and began a bad dance, whipping off my bow tie and flinging it around my head. With surely the most awkward moves ever witnessed, I flung off my vest and began unbuttoning my shirt. Cheers roared from the graduates. Applause echoed from waiters. Hostesses leered. Chanting to the beat rose from everywhere. Then the maitre D’ entered the room.
I stopped mid-swing, stunned. But the coeds were just getting started. They rushed from their seats to yank me off the table. Hands tore at my chest. Buttons popped out, flying in all directions. My shirt was half ripped off before I could stop it. I had heard that women got far wilder then men at strip clubs, but this was ridiculous. I even felt my belt slipped free! Quickly I gripped my pants before they were yanked down. I began bellowing, not unlike an elephant seal under attack. Alas, there was no denying the authority of dozens of red-tipped fingernails. Here I was living my fantasy since puberty, yet was fighting like mad!
One would think the action would stop with the approach of the maitre D’. One would be wrong. He just grinned and let it flow, reserving the moment for future blackmail.
By Brian David Bruns, author of national best-seller Cruise Confidential.
Pics of the people and places I blog about are on my website and FB pages, join me!
www.BrianDavidBruns.com
https://www.facebook.com/BrianDavidBruns

Let's go back a few years when I sailed Norwegian Sun from Miami. Great ship. Amazing cruise. It was the morning I was supposed to disembark the vessel and I was a little sad. You know how after you have such a great time on a cruise, you don't want to leave? Yeah, that feeling was hovering over me like a cloud. In fact, another cruise was awaiting me that afternoon.This was the first time I decided to do a back-to-back cruise. You see, as soon as I disembarked Norwegian Sun, I was jumping in my rental car, driving north and boarding Regal Empress for a cruise to the Bahamas from Port Everglades. Very rarely do I remember my hunger pains (because I don't miss a single meal) but I vividly remember this day -- I was incredibly hungry!
I got up, showered, dressed and made a b-line for the breakfast buffet. Things were going great. I got a table on the patio area, aft of the ship, had a nice a Miami breeze caressing my bald head and Mr. Sun (the real guy, not the ship) was having fun coloring me because I could sense the blackness of my skin getting darker with each minute -- but it was greatly welcomed! So I had my food there, enjoying everything from fruit to pancakes and even a piece of smoked salmon, but I still longed for something "extra." Then I remembered I got a glance of something on the buffet I have been eating ever since I was a child: cinnamon buns. Cinnamon buns are my guilty pleasure and since I was on vacation, I thought I'd indulge in one... or two. Plus, the sun was having too much fun with my skin (I thought I'd give him a break).
So I got in line at the double-sided buffet, keeping my eyes on the pan that had the cinnamon buns in it. Mentally, I was already downing like two. As I got closer and closer to the pan, I realized the number of cinnamon buns started becoming less and less. I began praying, "Lord, please let me just get one. I just want one." My turn was next! Finally, I'll get to have one! And guess what? There was exactly one cinnamon bun left in the pan! So I grabbed the tongs, situated my plate and then... then... another pair of tongs comes into view. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. From out of nowhere, this older gentlemen, reached across two pans of food and placed his tongs RIGHT ON TOP OF THE ONLY CINNAMON BUN LEFT! Was this really happening?
I had a decision to make: I could be the good Christian guy my mom raised me to be, or I could be the hungry Black man getting what he wanted at any cost. Well, since my mom wasn't around, and since my stomach started singing loudly, I decided to go for it. I looked at him. He looked at me, then he opened his tongs and clasped them around the cinnamon bun. I thought, "This guy CAN'T be serious, can he?" So I got my tongs and clasped it from the other direction... and began pulling it back. Next thing I know, the cinnamon bun is back in the pan and we keep pushing each other's tongs back. The people in line were laughing and I uttered, "This ain't funny! You don't know the code? Well let me break it down for you: S-T-O-P! You never come between a hungry Black man and his food! Didn't your momma teach you?" After saying that, the laughs reached new heights and I notice a crowd spectating this happening like it was the SuperBowl. Needless to say, I won the tongs battle and the man was so angry, he threw his tongs on the ground. Yeah! Who was hungry now? It wasn't me! But he should have known better not to challenge "Hungry Black Man 3000!"
So I enjoyed my cinnamon bun, cleaned up my dining area and headed off the ship knowing if another person ever decides to challenge me with tongs on another cruise ship, they'll meet their match... and they better pray I'm not ravenous! So bring it! But seriously, don't you think that guy was rude? Reaching over those pans to get into the cinammon bun pan, then putting HIS tongs on [what was about to be] MY food! The nerve of some people! Good thing I did the Christian thing. Well, until next Monday's post, y'all have a cruisetacular week!