Sunday November 21, LA

Well we arrived in LA just before 7am , dark, cold and rainy.  Yikes I want to go back.  We proceeded down to immigrations and were in and out within 20 minutes piece of cake.  We then went for a nice leisurely breakfast in the dining room and I decided it was my last chance to have the Swedish pancakes so that is what I had.  Yummy!  After our breakfast we went back to our cabin and gathered up our carry on bags.  How the hell do people have only one small bag we always look like the bag people!  I decided instead of heading down to the Starlite Club to wait for disembarkment we would go to the main lobby where we would get off.  And so we sat, and sat, and sat.  Now they start calling over the loud speaker for Mr. & Mrs. I AM BETTER THAN ALL OF YOU AND I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO IMMIGRATION.  4 TIMES BEFORE THESE VERY INCONSIDERATE PEOPLE SHOW UP.  Now no one is allowed off the ship until every passenger has cleared immigration it is now after 10 and we have a 12:40 flight.  So I go up to the desk and ask What happens if I don't make my flight.  No problem they tell me call this number and they will rearrange it for you but you should make it.  Okay I go back and wait and wait and wait.  It seems there was some kind of a union problem with the porters and they had to get the union bosses in.  Our crew had to off load the luggage and then we still had to wait.  Well actually the first thing they unloaded was the poor women who died on Saturday in her sleep!  Finally they start letting people off and  we go into where our luggage is now we have 4 suitcases and 4 carryons (what are we doing wrong) and no porters and I can't help. Sat in my scooter in tears feeling completely useless.  Finally one of the Crystal Reps finds us a porter and we are on our way to our bus it is now 11:30 and the bus is gone.  I said Oh well I guess we are not going to make this flight and the man in charge asked me what time is you flight when I tell him 12:40 he says get me a handicap van here pronto.  They make me drive up the ramp strap it in and off we go.  If anyone saw the movie way back in the late 70s early 80s called Foul Play with Goldie Hawn there was a scene with a chinese couple in the back of a taxi cab waving American flags and that is what I felt like.  Our driver Mohammad thinks he is Mario Andretti and he takes of around a turn the whole scooter feels like it is going to turn over I am trying to keep it balanced and the suitcases are falling all over me.  Bill is sitting in the front seat and notices none of this.  Well after a frightful ride we arrive at the airport.  Now we have our boarding passes and I had paid for the luggage on line thank God.  We are met by a Crystal Rep who is brand new check in our luggage tags say late check in makes you feel really good.  The Rep is taking us up to security only problem is she is taking us the wrong way I have to tell her we need to go left to the gates.  We get to security and of course I have to again have this new pat down.  Next time I am refusing unless I get someone who looks like Leonardo DiCaprio.  Go through security and get to the gate it is now 12:18 take a deep breath and they board us.  When we get to the door they take my scooter and tell Bill he has to check the carryon we don't understand but not going to argue we don't have the strength.  I announce I am so glad we are in aisle 9 at least we don't have to walk the whole plane.  Wrong again  We get on the United plane and it is one of those commuter planes 12 rows!  The overhead bins can't fit anything bigger than a computer case and I can reach them  Bill has to really duck his head.  But hey 1 hour and 10 minute flight and we even got drinks!
SO THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I LEARNED THIS TRIP.  ACAPULCO, NO ACAPULCO
HUTALCO, NO HUTALCO, PUERTA VALLARTA IN, OUT AND IN AGAIN. 3 PEOPLE TAKEN OFF THE SHIP ILL ONE DEATH.   I LEARNED YOU HAVE TO GO WITH THE FLOW~~~~~~~~
And so we were thrown back into reality yesterday and I must say I don' t like it.  Where is the maid to pick up my towels, where is my creme brulee where are my dirty martinis.  Oh crap I am home if I want any of that there is no one here to say "My pleasure Mrs. Gilbert.  Oh I want to go back, I need to go back.  Oh wait I am going back Jan 5th and the saga will continue!!!!!

here are some pictures of the Gala buffet and Bill with our waiter Zoltan and me with the head waiter IVO

Saturday Nov 20th en route to LA

Well this is our final day and I can't beleive that this is over. 19 days went  so fast.  Not too much going on today.  there was a great lecture by Jim Brochu on Ethel Merman and the they had the most incredible grand gala buffet.  Food Glorious  food.  All kinds all types and all kinds of desserts. Today I must pack and I hate that.  I really want to just stay on here!  We had  a marvelous time and I am sad it is over.
I am having some technical difficulties uploading pictures so I promise when I get home I will definetly upload some pictures!

Friday November 19th Cabo San Lucas

Friday November 19,2010

Happy 60th Birthday Bill for real this time!  We had a nice light breafast and tendered over to Cabo.  Wow what a change since we were here a few years ago.  It is so built up and they are building a convention center.  After trying to find free internet gave up and came back to the ship.  Bill went on his hunt for the cigar store he remembered.  Sat on our veranda and read my 6th book this cruise my I am behind.  Bill returned and we went for lunch then at 1pm we went up to the pool area where there was a champagne sailaway.  The band played as we sailed from Cabos.  Then again Roger got up and sang this time he did both Turn, Turn Turn and Mr. Tambourine man.  It was so much fun.  Bill is now done in the cigar lounge enjoying his cigar and I am once again going to read.  The internet has been down all morning due to maintenance so I am going to finish my 7th book!  tonight is the Captain’s farewell party and gala and tomorrow is a sea day.  I can’t beleive how fast these 19 days went and although I will be sad to depart in LA I know that we will be back on board Jan 5th so that will be good.

Tonight was a formal night and they had another cocktail party so I had my grey goose dirty martini and then we had a bottle of champagne at dinner for Dad’s birthday I drank half of it we had beef wellington and baked alaska for dessert.  They had a carrot cake for bill and on it they wrote Happy 20th + 40th birthday and they all sang to him.  After dinner was the show Curtain call and it was great.  Then we hit the casino for a few minutes as we lost our money and I came up to relax and read and bill went for a cigar.

November 18, 2010 Puerta Vallarta Mexico

November 18, 2010 Puerta Vallarta Mexico

We arrived in Puerta Vallarta early this am.  We took the shopping directors advice and took a cab to a beach and restaurant called Daquiri Dicks. On the trip through the town I remembered that I really liked it here when we were here a few years ago with Judy and Eddie and I still like it here.  We had the beach to ourselves most of the time.  It was nice they charge you $10 for two lounge chairs an umbrella and to use the bathroom. we had frozen strawberry daquiris and Bill had a virgin pina colada with the best tortilla chips.  Then we had another round of drinks with nacho’s.  MMMM.  all this for less than $40 lounges included.  We then took a cab back to the ship and I laid by the pool while Bill went for his cigar at 3:45pm they started the sail away party.  Margaritas and rum punches galore with mexican appetizers while the band played Mexican music.  After a little while the dancers were up there and dancing and having everyone up on the feet doing YMCA.  Then they started to play some serious music and again Roger McGuinn got up and sang Turn Turn turn to a loud appreciative audience.  Now I am sitting here waiting for Bill to finish his shower so I can take mine and he looks out and sees that we are near Puerta Vallarta again.  The captain comes on and immediately says there is a medical emergency they have to evac someone so we are now 2 hours behind on our trip to Cabos........ This is the second old person to be taken off the ship this cruise and one went down in Prego the other night .... Yikes these old people need to stay home~~ seriously I hope that they both are doing well.

November 17, 2010 at sea en route to Puerta Vallarta

Yesterday afternoon Bill went for a pedicure this is what happens when you forget to bring your nail clippers and he loved it not good!   I went for a facial I must say I haven’t had a facial in about 5 years but it was great!

What a great way to start the day Bill and I both had hot stone massages this morning and it was great.  We then went for a light breakfast as this afternoon is the  Mozart Tea and we want to be able to eat.  After a brief visit to the casino brief as we made some money and gave it all back we went to a lecture by our friend Jim Brochu on “Loving Lucy”  he was a close friend of Lucy’s and played backgammon with her almost daily.   It was another great lecture by Jim and he has one more on Ethel Merman and we are looking forward to that one as well.

We are now getting ready to go up to Palm Court to read and then have the tea.

Oh I am so relaxed it is wonderful.  Today was the Mozart tea and they have two very special drinks one is the hot chocolate amadeus it is hot chocolate wth rum and whipped cream ah my favorite!!!!!!!!!!!!! the other is iced coffee with vanilla ice cream. Pictures to follow.  Tonight we had a great meal and our head waiter Ivo had a special dessert prepared for us   it was raspberry sherbet with a raspberry sauce and merinque excellent Sulzburger Nockln it was fabulous so light.... After dinner we headed to the Starlite Club for the game show and the band was playing while people were dancing.  The next to last number Roger McQuinn (Lead singer, gutarist and founder of the Byrds) happened to be passing through and got up on stage and sang Turn, Turn, Turn.  It was awesome!

Tonight after dinner they had a game show called The Liar’s club it was hysterical they had 4 of the entertainers  and they all had to give a definition of a word and they were really hard never heard before words.  They were hysterical  we laughed so hard.  One of the panelists was Ron Lucas he is  a ventrilquist and he had his dummy who kept saying bad words it was so funny!!!!!!!!!!! anyway it is off to bed for the night we will be in Puerta Vallarta tomorrow maybe!

Pictures will be posted at a later date running out of internet minutes

Tuesday Nov. 16th continued

Tuesday Nov. 16, 2010

Today we were suppose to be in Hutalco Mexico this was  a subsitute for Acapulco because of the violence there.  Well we could not dock since there were2 ships in port already so we were to tender.   All was well and the water calm until we dropped anchor and then the ship started to list from side to side.  Really good for my vertigo I must say.   But thank goodness I slept in and wasn’t upstairs in the Lido for breakfast.  I am told dishes and glasses went this way and that.  in the spa they had to run from room to room and try to catch all the products fallng out of the cabinets. Then when they opened the doors for the tenders water started to come in so they decided to cancel the port.  Here Bill and I not hearing any of this go down stairs in our bathing suits and coverups for a day at the beach.  Oh well up to the pool but wait all the old people who go to bed at 8 are already up there in the shade and I refuse to sit in the sun so down to our veranda to read.  The captain just made an announcement that we are headed for Puerto Vallerta so we will be at sea today and tomorrow and them Puerto Vallerata and the next day Cabo San Lucas.  one thing you learn when you cruise is that you must be flexible.  

Yesterday Bill and I put a deposit on the 2012 world cruise.  yes this was Bill’s idea.  He loves the fact that it goes from LA to LA and is 94 days as opposed to 110.  

Tuesday November 16,2010 No Hutalco

We didn't tender in Hutalco too many swells making it impossible for the tenders to run.  Off on the high seas again....... destination ??????

Since I am not getting any comments on here or by email I figure no one is reading this so

Monday November 15, 2010 en route to Huatulco Mexico

Oh what a busy day.  We started with a light breakfast and then off to see and hear Roger McQuinn give his final lecture he was the lead singer, lead guartarist of the Byrd's (Turn Turn Turn and Mr. Tambourine Man)  what a lecturer he has played with all the great.  then this afternoon our friend Jim Brochu who is n actor and I know him from cruise critic anyway he wrote a play that won awards about Zero Mostel and he performed it. it's called Zero Hour it was fantastic.  then we had do quickly change and get to the captain's quarter's for cocktails before dinner.  This is actually our 3 cruise with this captain and he is shy.  We had a lovely time and I am getting to be known as "the dirty martini lady".  The deck hands work in the resraurants and bars at night.  Our friend Ricki came right up and said Good evening Mr and Mrs. Gilbert Mrs. gilbert can I get you a grey goose dirty martini and a cranberry juice and club soda for your Mr. Gilbert.  So after 2 martini's my feet are now swollen and we head to dinner.  It was a great dinner as usual and Banana's foster for dessert.  Yunmy.  We then went to the show  This evening it was Ronn Lucas he is a ventrilaquist who has performed on the Late show and what not he was hysterical.   I was so exhausted after the show wonder why it is now almost midnight and we came back to the room.  Last week we got a certificate for a free 8x10 picture.  Then we got a beautiful picture frame.  Tonight we came back to the cabin and awaiting us there was a box of See's chocolates..........  too tired to eat them.  i am enclosing pictures of us with the captain in his quarters and a picture of friends of mine from cruise critic

Sunday, November 14, 2010 Costa Rica

 Today we spend  the day in Costa Rica.  We took a tour that we actually took the last time we were here which was 4 years ago and boy have things changed.  Now they actually have a 2 lane toll road that looks like a highway!  It took 1 1/2 hours to travel by bus from the sea port up to the Cloud mountain where the coffee plantation is.  The Costa Rican coffee is grown in volcanic ash which makes it taste different.  They have won again the best coffee in the world title.  We will have  a taste test when we get home since we also bought coffee from Columbia!  It was very interesting to watch how the coffee grows how it gets picked and cleaned and roasted.  We had a nice lunch and headed back to the port via the Pan American Highway.  Now this road I remember, they call it a highway and it is one lane each way.  And the traffic gets backed up.  Think GW bridge or Tappan Zee Bridge on a Sunday!  

 We stopped halfway back for a Bano break and a gift shop.  All in all we were gone 7 1/2 hours.  Got back to the ship and  and Bill went to have a cigar and I was so thirsty I went up to the ice cream bar this is only the 3rd time since we have been on here!  I had the best chocolate shake!  Then time for a little reading and more advil.  Tonight is a casual night and I have seen the menu and they have veal saltimbocca and I forget which fish bill will probably have.  The big production show tonight we have not seen it is called  Route 66 and I am looking forward to seeing that.  Tomorrow is a sea day and we have the cocktail party in the captain’s quarters tomorrow evening before dinner.  I can’t beleive that we will be home a week from today.  My how fast time flies when you are having so much fun!

Saturday November 12 enoute to Costa Rica

This morning we had the special birthday breakfast and I have to say some of it was really really good.  of course I didn't eat the lox and bagels nor the caviar.  have had steak and eggs for breakfast but never had filet mignon  Not going to risk an allergy attack at the high seas.

We then went to a lecture.  But it was not a good day for me or Bill.  My vertigo was terrible and Bill's implant was very loose.  Anywaywe both took it quite easy yesterday.  In fact our stewardess called to\ make sure we were all right.   In the afternoon we saw a dolphin playing in the water and were told that there were many of them in this part .  We saw one.  We had a light lunch and went to the Palm court to read.  Last night's dinner is not my favorite so I preordered the strawberry soup and veal  cordon bleu.  The dinner in the dining room last night was NEPTUNE.  All seafood and fish!  Bill had the clam chowder and Ahi Tuna.  WE both had the special dessert crepes suzette. The show was fabulous it was dancing with the stars.  the 4 professional dancers taught 4 crew members in 1 week how to dance and they were really reall good,

So that's it for today.  Tomorrow we will be in Costa Rica.  Here are some pictures of our famous breakfast. the first one is the appetizers from left to right it is a Raspberry chocolate cornflake crumble  yummy,  waffle cone with Lemon cottage cheese and marinated st]rawberries,mini bigaels with smoked salmon and wasabi cream cheese, small doughnuts filled with cointreau flavored vanilla cream.
middle one is the truffle omelet and filet the last oneis  creamed spinach and the caviar with chive cream fraiche!

Friday November 12, 2010 Transiting the Panama Canal

Another terrible day at sea, it is a hard job but somebody has to do it so it might as well be me (HA HA)
We transited the Panama Canal today and it took almost 8 hours we were stopped for awhile and no one could figure out why we were stopped and they were letting the Celebrity Infinity go ahead of us but it turns out one of the passengers on our ship had to be taken off in a stretcher not sure what happened. Anyway the traffic was light so it didn't take the whole 8 hours. It is really an engineering marvel to watch them lower these ships up to 80 feet then let the water in and raise you up and over. For those of you who watched the webcam I hope you enjoyed it.

Tonight we had another lousy meal... Bill had dover sole meuniere and I had honey baked ham We both started with probably the best pasta dish I have ever had. It was rigatoni pasta with a chuncky tomatoe sauce with friend eggplant, some hot peppers and a dab of ricotta cheese. marvelous. I skipped dessert tonight okay all of you who fainted can now get back up. I was just too full. Tomorrow is another sea day and we have quite a few things going.
In the am I am having my special birthday breakfast since I had an early morning tour yesterday this is the birthday that just keeps going. Yesterday I got a lovely birthday card from the captain. Today a bottle of champagne arrived. Keep this coming I am really enjoying this,

Friends from cruise critic are having a fitness challange tomorrow at 5:30 am and then the big french fry challange. One of our cruise critic members is a fitness and health nut never eats anything fried or fattening no desserrs except for fruit. So they challanged him to eat feench fries this should be fun. Then tomorrow night they had a drawing for people to enter to "Dance with the stars" I wasn't picked damn it. That would be hysterical me and my cane!!!!!

I am posting a few pictures of the canal. Enjoy the rest of your night I am going to read and relax!!!! I am even too tired this evening to go to the show or casino ok back up again....... I lost this afternoon then went before dinner and Bill and I won it all back plus.... so enough casino today. I can't believe this cruise is half over already.  It is certainly flying by.
Good night all!

Thursday November 11, 2010 Cartagena Columbia

Thursday November 11, 2010 Cartagena Columbia

Okay today did not start out well for me at all.  Now you all know it’s my birthday and that means it should be  a good day wrong........

We arrived in Cartagena about 6:30am I had been up since 4am not even sure why just got up to go to the bathroom and could not get back to sleep.  We had a light breakfast yogurt and english muffin and tea delivered to the room at 7:00am needed to be downstairs for a tour at 7:30. So down  we went and we waited on the bus.  The bus left the port drove literally not even 1 minute and we had to get off the bus onto a boat.  well what I don’t understand is these people here are short!  the step down into the boat was half of my body and with my hip not working there was no way this was going to happen on top of people waiting behind me to get on the boat.  After 3 tries I just said forget it and was ready to head back to the ship.  The tour director said no he called and they were going to take us on the city tour instead.  So he very nicely transferred us to the other bus. But in the meantime I couldn’t stop crying because I now realize just how bad this hip has gotten and that I really have no choice plus I was so embarrassed.  Anyway we took the city tour very nice Chris and Luke if you are reading this we went past the General Garcia statue and over the General Garcia bridge!!!!!!

Now we get out to look at their fortress  I stay on the bus because the steps into the bus are about 4 feet high.   we then drive all over the city and come to the old city.  Now comes the realization of why I didn’t sign us up for this tour.  It is a walking tour around the old city.  30 minutes of walking which I did and was ready to collapse. all the buildings are no more than 3 stories high. Now they take us to the new city this is where they have the high rise buildings. They take us shopping.  I had already asked this bus driver if he knew the emerald place I was suppose to meet the shopping director from the ship and he said yes.  So he took me up this huge outside staircase.  I swear everything is steep here anyway up  we go and Bill bought me the most gorgeous 4 carat emerald pendant.  

Tonight they had one of my favorites Wiener Schnitzel yummy and then they presented me with a cake called St. Honore it is pastry filled with bavarian creme and topped wth cream puffs!  Oh yes it is as good as it sounds.  I did not have the bottle of champagne I asked him to wait till the next formal night.  Tonight they had a mind reader and he was truly awesome.  He took Bill and  other people on stage and told them to lie if they wanted to a question and he could tell if they were lying well Bill did so well he said “ I wouldn’t buy a used car from him” I was hysterical.  Anyway he was really really entertaining.

 
All in all another great day !

Wednesday Nov 10th en route to Cartagena Columbia

Today was a sea day and as you all can guess by now I just love these days.  This morning Corey Sandler gave part two of his 3 part series of the building of the Panama Canal and it was very interesting.  In the afternoon someone I know from Cruise Critic which is a board where we go and write about our Crystal (or whatever cruise line you like) about gave his first lecture.  His name is Jim Brochu and a broadway actor and writer.  He will be doing some scenes from a play he wrote called Zero hour about Zero Mostel.  Well when they say it is a small world it really is.  It seems Jim grew up in Bay Ridge Brooklyn on 73rd Street and Ridge Blvd.  His mother went to St. Ephrem's elementary school (where I went) and to top it off his uncle was mayor of Middletown NY (where we have our NY house) now if that isn't enough his aunt was one of the nuns that taught me in Fontbonne Hall Academy.  Now that is a small world.  When I told him I was named after Celeste Holmes he almost fell off the chair.  he had dinner with her 2 weeks ago and when he returns to NY he is going to see her again and tell her that he met someone who was named after her.  He and his partner Steve are a delight to talk with.  Anyway his lecture today was on the great Kate Hepburn and he had wonderful stories about when he first met her.
Now I am attaching a picture of our lunch today just so you can see that I ate a salad (chinese chicken salad) Diane you would have loved it.  Bill had a burger and sweet potato fries.  Yes, Betty and Diane they are available all the time!!!!!!!!
Tonight  was another cocktail party this one for  the crystal society and a formal night.  It was a french dinner in the main dining room.  Escargot (no i didn't have it) French onion soup delicous and Veal cordon blue.  Excellent followed by a grand marnier souffle with sauce angliase and more grand marnier... yummy

The show tonight was Million Dollar Musical but we have seen this one before so we opted for the casino and I came back to update this.  Also doing some laundry much better late at  ngiht the old people go to bed early!!!!!!!!!
Tomorrow we will be in Cartagena, Columbia and we have a tour and them I am shopping for my birthday present  An emerald!!!!!!

Tuesday, Nov. 9th Grand Cayman

What can you say about a place that has a beach named the 7 mile beach but it is only 5 miles and place called Hell.  Well today it was like Hell there were 6 cruise ships here and I mean the mega ones.  In all there were 15,000 people yikes that is a lot of people for this cute island.

It has some of the prettiest water and the people are friendly.  Glad I was not on Carnival.  There is no dock so all ships must tender in and the line to get back to their ship was 5 blocks long.  We walked to our spot was given water or OJ and I sat and waited for the tender.  Civilized.....

Anyway they say the shopping is good but I didn't buy anything but a few things for the kids stockings.  Bill did buy himself a really nice watch.  It is one that Oprah says is fabulous it is suppose to make you calm and put you in a good mood!!!!!!!!!  Yeah Columbia Emeralds here I come ! The following pictures are from Grand Cayman except the picture of dessert which I had last night at Prego it was tiramisu, cannoli, amd panna cotta.  All very good!  Tomorrow we have a sea day that is formal and another cocktail party.   I am off to read by the pool since we went all the way to the beach and it was so crowded we had a cocktail (well I had one Bill didn't) sat and watched the water and came back.  So it is  time for me to rest my hip.  Did a lot of walking today,,,, tomorow I scoot.......

As I mentioned on Facebook and for those of you who are not on Facebook.  We were suppose to be going to Acapulco on Wednesday but due to recent problems Crystal felt it was unsafe so we are going to a small resort town of Humatco on Tuesday instead and Wednesday becomes the sea day.  Crystal thank God is always one step ahead to keep it's passenger's safe.  Friends of Bill's from AZ that are on here were on a Seaborn Cruise a couple of years ago and the pirates started shooting at the ship.  They all had to hide under he beds.  Betty you would have loved it I am sure.
Well friends and family I am signing off for today have a great day~