You wanna hear something amazing. It seems that in Washington, D.C. (yeah, that's right, our Nations Capital), it is impossible to get a wheelchair accessible taxi from Union Station to a Marriott, two miles away. Yellow Cab has a monopoly on "in-District" taxi services. 5 years ago they got a few million dollars from Congress to acquire ramped vans for wheelchairs. But, after buying them, with YOUR money, they decided to sell them (pretty sure they didn't give that money back to YOU), and quit doing wheelchair transport.
NONE of the dozen cab companies in Virginia and Maryland, which do have ramped- or lift-vans is allowed to pick-up and drop-off a fare entirely within the District, so...17 years after Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, Americans in wheelchairs have to pay a medical transport company $90 bucks to take them on a $10 cab ride.
I found this out this morning as the limo service I have used,(which had an accessible van), decided to go out of business, effective tomorrow. I have a client taking the Amtrak to D.C. to take an escorted tour, and I just had to tell her that $45 car service is now a $90 trip....she's not real happy with me, and I don't blame her, but, seriously, I think it's about time for a Tea Party.
How is it that The Only Whorehouse in America That Can't Turn a Profit (Congress) has made such a balls-up of the only territory they directly control, and people think we should turn the banks and the auto companies and everything else over to them?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Carnival Sunday Fun Day
Just got back from a Carnival Sunday Fun Day Party. About 1,000 simultaneous House Parties, all around the country, to celebrate Carnival Cruise Line. Pretty good marketing, if you ask me.
Anyway, the one I went to was hosted by a friend in San Diego, who decided to have her party at the Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo. The party was good, got to talk to some people I know, and meet a few that I have only known online, and some that I didn't know at all before today. It was pretty much what you would expect - some balloons, some streamers, some trinkets from Carnival, etc.
But the brilliant host made a great decision in having her "house party" at the winery. It was a very cool place. First off, I gotta tell you, since I don't drink, I don't spend a lot of time in wineries. I have been to a few when I was working up in the Napa area, but the ones I went to were pretty much a tasting room and a bunch of grape vines.
The Bernardo Winery (the oldest operating winery in San Diego County), on the other hand has a whole little area called The Village Shops, consisting of shops and boutiques, a cafe, a bakery, a coffee house, a jewelry store, etc. It was very cool. I got there a little early and just walked around, poked my head in a few of the shops, and thought - what a great place to spend a lazy weekend day. A little breakfast at the cafe, a little browsing in the shops, try out some new wines(for those who like that sort of thing, the rest of us can get a good cup of coffee), and to top it off, listen to some music. Just as our party was winding down they had a jazz band starting up. Apparently something they do every Sunday in the warmer months.
They also have an area for weddings, receptions, and private parties of all sorts.
So, if you live within 100 miles or so of Rancho Bernardo, and are looking for something fun, interesting and close by - Go check it out!
The winery is located at: 13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte, San Diego CA 92128.
or check them out online at http://www.bernardowinery.com/default.aspx
Anyway, the one I went to was hosted by a friend in San Diego, who decided to have her party at the Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo. The party was good, got to talk to some people I know, and meet a few that I have only known online, and some that I didn't know at all before today. It was pretty much what you would expect - some balloons, some streamers, some trinkets from Carnival, etc.
But the brilliant host made a great decision in having her "house party" at the winery. It was a very cool place. First off, I gotta tell you, since I don't drink, I don't spend a lot of time in wineries. I have been to a few when I was working up in the Napa area, but the ones I went to were pretty much a tasting room and a bunch of grape vines.
The Bernardo Winery (the oldest operating winery in San Diego County), on the other hand has a whole little area called The Village Shops, consisting of shops and boutiques, a cafe, a bakery, a coffee house, a jewelry store, etc. It was very cool. I got there a little early and just walked around, poked my head in a few of the shops, and thought - what a great place to spend a lazy weekend day. A little breakfast at the cafe, a little browsing in the shops, try out some new wines(for those who like that sort of thing, the rest of us can get a good cup of coffee), and to top it off, listen to some music. Just as our party was winding down they had a jazz band starting up. Apparently something they do every Sunday in the warmer months.
They also have an area for weddings, receptions, and private parties of all sorts.
So, if you live within 100 miles or so of Rancho Bernardo, and are looking for something fun, interesting and close by - Go check it out!
The winery is located at: 13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte, San Diego CA 92128.
or check them out online at http://www.bernardowinery.com/default.aspx
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Carnival Splendor, Cruise to Nowhere - DONE!!!
Well, first off, it was only two days - but it seemed longer, as I wasted very little time sleeping.
The Carnival Splendor is an absolutely beautiful ship. Much of the commentary has been about the "Pinkness" - personally, thought it was okay, mostly a soft pink, and with compementary colors that toned it down...and it is far from Joe Farcus' (Carnival's long-time Architect, responsible for some of the boldest and glitziest ships at sea) wildest interior. The layout of the Splendor would be familiar enough to anyone who has cruised the Conquest Class ships of Carnival - with some elements added. The most noticeable being in the Lido Deck "buffet" area. I use quotes because this section has gone beyond any traditional definition of "buffet", having a pretty vast array of food available. Unique to the Splendor is an Indian Tandoori line, which was quite good. There is also a Deli for cold sandwiches/salads, a Burger Grill, Pizza, the Taste of the Nations (ethnic food that changes daily), Mongolian BBQ, all on top your normal buffet lines. Oh, and for some reason the Fish and Chips area on the Conquest class ships has been replaced by a rotisserie....Guess you can't have everything - but they are definitely trying.
While the Buffet area on the Lido is, I think, a step up, the Pool area is a step back. Instead of Carnival's typical tiered levels of seating rising up from the Pool on Lido deck, which leaves most of the loungers in the open sun, the Splendor has, basically, three levels, straight up. This leaves not only half the Lido deck seating, but ALL of the middle deck basically shaded all day. This area is also enclosable by a sliding Magradome, and was obviously designed with inclement weather cruising in mind. However, with her home ported in Long Beach for the Mexican Riviera 7-day run, I think there is too much shade. My sense (and the observation of the veteran California cruisers with me) is that the Mex Riviera crowd much prefers to lay out in the sun and get that tan going. We shall see, but I suspect sun-drenched middle of the deck loungers will be at a premium, with chair hogs having to hit the Lido by 5 in the morning to get a spot, and LOT's of unhappy passengers forced to sit in shaded areas. And I, personally, was not thrilled that they were using the Big Screen all the time, including showing CNN News while I was trying to relax in the jacuzzi - I think the screen should be reserved for evening movies and special events, like Football Games and Concerts and such...but, while mildly annoying, it was not overpowering, and could be ignored, mostly.
The Promenade deck is pretty much the same layout as the Conquest class, with a lounge all the way aft, and various bars, lounges, disco and Casino as you go forward. Sadly, the Casino was closed for our trip, but I did walk through, and it was very nicely done, huge, with all the latest slots and video poker, and what looked like plenty of Blackjack, Roulette and Craps for her usual complement of 3,000 passengers.
The staterooms are pretty much the same as every Carnival Ship I have sailed since the Tropicale was new...your basic peach and pink. Measuring 220s.f., slightly larger than the industry standard, and a tad larger than on the Fantasy and Spirit Class ships, but the same basic layout.
Food on this cruise was excellent. Over the two nights I had a Chateaubriand that was perfect, Roast Duck that was perfect, and Lobster that was perfect. I know - three dinners in two nights...don't ask! The various appetizers/soups/salads were all good, and typical of other Carnival ships I have sailed, although the service, especially the first night, was over and above. This probably had to do with the 3 Carnival employees at the table. Breakfast and lunch I tried as many of the buffet stations as I could manage, and they were all pretty good, which is as good as buffets get.
Since the Casino was closed I was forced to spend much of my entertainment time dancing. Not my usual thing, but, hey, it was fun for all that. The Disco was pretty much what you would expect, their was a very cool Pool Party the first night out that was a lot of fun, especially as there were cameramen moving around and simulcasting to the Big Screen. So I could laugh at the other dancers, when I needed a break from laughing at myself. The Piano Bar, with Ron Pass, one of Carnivals better piano players, was great, especially after he closed the doors the last night and did the strictly adult stuff. Both nights it was a lively crowd, though, and he plays a good range of music, and I quite enjoyed myself.
I have it on good authority that the various Camp Carnival childrens areas are as good as any at sea. They were certainly spacious and well equipped with top of the line toys and games. The one exception I heard was that the Splash Park area needs seating for mom's and dad's to watch the kid's play....it seems they have exactly one wooden bench...
Also, a step up on this ship is the Spa and Fitness area. The Splendor has a new class of Spa Suites, directly below the Spa, with private elevator, and such. These suites are an entirely different decor than all the other staterooms, and the Spa itself is huge, and includes a thallasotherapy pool. Not at all my thing, but I am guessing it will be popular with Mother/Daughter and Ladies Only groups and such.
Finally, as far as accessibility - the Splendor appears to be as accessible as any. The wheelchair accessible staterooms are, again, typical of all the later classes of Carnival Ships, I did not see any thresholds that would be a problem for wheelchairs or scooters, most of the doors out to the Pool area and around the buffet area are automatic - there was even a ramp down to the dance floor in the Disco. So, wheelchair users can book the Splendor with complete confidence.
To sum up, the Splendor is, in my mind, probably the best ship in a long time doing the Mexican Riviera 7 day from LA/LB. And, as far as I know it is the youngest ship to be sent to the West Coast since the Tropicale, back in 1982 or whatever, so - Thanks, Carnival!!!
And, of course, when you're ready to book that 7day Mexican Riviera cruise on the Carnival Splendor, we here at www.daveholmantravel.com are ready to help.
The Carnival Splendor is an absolutely beautiful ship. Much of the commentary has been about the "Pinkness" - personally, thought it was okay, mostly a soft pink, and with compementary colors that toned it down...and it is far from Joe Farcus' (Carnival's long-time Architect, responsible for some of the boldest and glitziest ships at sea) wildest interior. The layout of the Splendor would be familiar enough to anyone who has cruised the Conquest Class ships of Carnival - with some elements added. The most noticeable being in the Lido Deck "buffet" area. I use quotes because this section has gone beyond any traditional definition of "buffet", having a pretty vast array of food available. Unique to the Splendor is an Indian Tandoori line, which was quite good. There is also a Deli for cold sandwiches/salads, a Burger Grill, Pizza, the Taste of the Nations (ethnic food that changes daily), Mongolian BBQ, all on top your normal buffet lines. Oh, and for some reason the Fish and Chips area on the Conquest class ships has been replaced by a rotisserie....Guess you can't have everything - but they are definitely trying.
While the Buffet area on the Lido is, I think, a step up, the Pool area is a step back. Instead of Carnival's typical tiered levels of seating rising up from the Pool on Lido deck, which leaves most of the loungers in the open sun, the Splendor has, basically, three levels, straight up. This leaves not only half the Lido deck seating, but ALL of the middle deck basically shaded all day. This area is also enclosable by a sliding Magradome, and was obviously designed with inclement weather cruising in mind. However, with her home ported in Long Beach for the Mexican Riviera 7-day run, I think there is too much shade. My sense (and the observation of the veteran California cruisers with me) is that the Mex Riviera crowd much prefers to lay out in the sun and get that tan going. We shall see, but I suspect sun-drenched middle of the deck loungers will be at a premium, with chair hogs having to hit the Lido by 5 in the morning to get a spot, and LOT's of unhappy passengers forced to sit in shaded areas. And I, personally, was not thrilled that they were using the Big Screen all the time, including showing CNN News while I was trying to relax in the jacuzzi - I think the screen should be reserved for evening movies and special events, like Football Games and Concerts and such...but, while mildly annoying, it was not overpowering, and could be ignored, mostly.
The Promenade deck is pretty much the same layout as the Conquest class, with a lounge all the way aft, and various bars, lounges, disco and Casino as you go forward. Sadly, the Casino was closed for our trip, but I did walk through, and it was very nicely done, huge, with all the latest slots and video poker, and what looked like plenty of Blackjack, Roulette and Craps for her usual complement of 3,000 passengers.
The staterooms are pretty much the same as every Carnival Ship I have sailed since the Tropicale was new...your basic peach and pink. Measuring 220s.f., slightly larger than the industry standard, and a tad larger than on the Fantasy and Spirit Class ships, but the same basic layout.
Food on this cruise was excellent. Over the two nights I had a Chateaubriand that was perfect, Roast Duck that was perfect, and Lobster that was perfect. I know - three dinners in two nights...don't ask! The various appetizers/soups/salads were all good, and typical of other Carnival ships I have sailed, although the service, especially the first night, was over and above. This probably had to do with the 3 Carnival employees at the table. Breakfast and lunch I tried as many of the buffet stations as I could manage, and they were all pretty good, which is as good as buffets get.
Since the Casino was closed I was forced to spend much of my entertainment time dancing. Not my usual thing, but, hey, it was fun for all that. The Disco was pretty much what you would expect, their was a very cool Pool Party the first night out that was a lot of fun, especially as there were cameramen moving around and simulcasting to the Big Screen. So I could laugh at the other dancers, when I needed a break from laughing at myself. The Piano Bar, with Ron Pass, one of Carnivals better piano players, was great, especially after he closed the doors the last night and did the strictly adult stuff. Both nights it was a lively crowd, though, and he plays a good range of music, and I quite enjoyed myself.
I have it on good authority that the various Camp Carnival childrens areas are as good as any at sea. They were certainly spacious and well equipped with top of the line toys and games. The one exception I heard was that the Splash Park area needs seating for mom's and dad's to watch the kid's play....it seems they have exactly one wooden bench...
Also, a step up on this ship is the Spa and Fitness area. The Splendor has a new class of Spa Suites, directly below the Spa, with private elevator, and such. These suites are an entirely different decor than all the other staterooms, and the Spa itself is huge, and includes a thallasotherapy pool. Not at all my thing, but I am guessing it will be popular with Mother/Daughter and Ladies Only groups and such.
Finally, as far as accessibility - the Splendor appears to be as accessible as any. The wheelchair accessible staterooms are, again, typical of all the later classes of Carnival Ships, I did not see any thresholds that would be a problem for wheelchairs or scooters, most of the doors out to the Pool area and around the buffet area are automatic - there was even a ramp down to the dance floor in the Disco. So, wheelchair users can book the Splendor with complete confidence.
To sum up, the Splendor is, in my mind, probably the best ship in a long time doing the Mexican Riviera 7 day from LA/LB. And, as far as I know it is the youngest ship to be sent to the West Coast since the Tropicale, back in 1982 or whatever, so - Thanks, Carnival!!!
And, of course, when you're ready to book that 7day Mexican Riviera cruise on the Carnival Splendor, we here at www.daveholmantravel.com are ready to help.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Dave Holman Becomes Cunard Commodore
Local Travel Professional Becomes Cunard Voyage Expert by Earning Prestigious Top Rank in Cunard Academy
HESPERIA, Ca (1/15/2009) – A Hesperia travel professional has achieved prestigious Commodore status in the Cunard Academy training program, certifying him as a Cunard Line expert for booking travel on the company’s flagship Queen Mary 2, iconic QE2 and newest liner, Queen Victoria. As a Commodore, David Holman of Dave Holman Travel Services joins an exclusive group of travel professionals who are now recognized by Cunard at the Academy's highest level for their unique qualifications and knowledge as a voyage planning professional. Mr. Holman earned this distinction after completing the minimum 25 courses necessary to graduate from the programme.
"We at Cunard are very proud of Mr. Holman’s dedication, as he put in extra effort to offer clients exceptional knowledge regarding the legendary ocean liners of Cunard," said Jan Swartz, Senior Vice President of Customer Service and Sales for Cunard. "Travel professionals who reach this top level in our Academy program have completed hours of course work to become an expert on the company’s legacy, traditions and unique voyage experience and can provide their clients the opportunity to be a part of an iconic Cunard travel adventure."
Cunard Academy is the cruise industry’s most comprehensive online training program available to travel professionals in the U.S. and Canada. Travel professionals who complete the extensive coursework become experts on a wide range of topics, offering travelers full knowledge of important details about a Cunard voyage aboard Queen Mary 2, QE2 and Queen Victoria. Courses educate travel professionals on such areas as the line’s legendary Transatlantic Crossings and World Cruises, exclusive Grill accommodations, compelling enrichment programmes (Cunard Insights), world-class dining and renowned White Star ServiceSM .
"I'm thrilled to be a Cunard Commodore and expand my expertise about these iconic ships. The knowledge I've gained makes me a more valuable resource for my clients, and helps me to match a Cunard voyage to sophisticated travelers who seek the quintessential ocean liner experience," said David.
To become a Commodore, travel professionals must fulfill 25 required and elective classes, representing approximately 15 hours of total course work covering worldwide destinations, onboard programs, and customer service skills. As they complete courses, travel professionals earn their "stripes" through four levels: First Officer, Staff Captain, Captain and finally Commodore, and can continue to take elective courses to expand their knowledge and keep their Commodore status current.
For further information, contact David at {Dave Holman Travel Services, 760.265.3687 or sales@daveholmantravel.com or use the Cunard.com travel professional locator at http://www.cunard.com/.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Carnival Splendor, 2 day Cruise to Nowhere
In 6 days, I will be boarding the Carnival Splendor, one of Carnival Cruise lines newest and biggest ships. Another of those 2 day deals for Travel Agents and Media types. This time it is not a pre-inaugural, like the Ruby Princess in November, but a WEST COAST INAUGURAL, as the Splendor is going to be home-ported in Long Beach, doing the 7-day Mexican Riviera run.
I had a chance to do a ship inspection of the Splendor last year, about a month after she debuted, and she really is a lovely ship, and different in many respects from Carnivals other ships, with more amenities, more balconies, etc. While the interior is glitzy and unmistakably Carnival, some of the features are unique.
She is far and away the nicest ship to homeport on the West Coast, for any line, which is why, I suppose, they are making such a big deal of it. Right before my cruise, from San Pedro, she will be doing another 2 day from San Francisco for Agents from the Northwest. And all the big wigs from Carnival will be there, including John Heald, their Capo di Tutti Cruise Directors.
Speaking as one who has always kind of resented that California seems to get the 2nd tier ships, compared to Florida, I am happy to see it coming. Royal Caribbean is also moving one of her newer ships here, so maybe, just maybe, the land of The Love Boat, is finally getting the respect it deserves as a cruise base.
Anyway, I will keep you all posted on how it goes....
I had a chance to do a ship inspection of the Splendor last year, about a month after she debuted, and she really is a lovely ship, and different in many respects from Carnivals other ships, with more amenities, more balconies, etc. While the interior is glitzy and unmistakably Carnival, some of the features are unique.
She is far and away the nicest ship to homeport on the West Coast, for any line, which is why, I suppose, they are making such a big deal of it. Right before my cruise, from San Pedro, she will be doing another 2 day from San Francisco for Agents from the Northwest. And all the big wigs from Carnival will be there, including John Heald, their Capo di Tutti Cruise Directors.
Speaking as one who has always kind of resented that California seems to get the 2nd tier ships, compared to Florida, I am happy to see it coming. Royal Caribbean is also moving one of her newer ships here, so maybe, just maybe, the land of The Love Boat, is finally getting the respect it deserves as a cruise base.
Anyway, I will keep you all posted on how it goes....
Monday, March 16, 2009
MSC Lirica final review
Wasted Potential
I am just going to give an overview of my recent 10 day Caribbean sailing on the MSC Lirica. For those who might be interested in more day to day detail, I wrote a live daily review, and you can view it here: http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=941026
First to give credit where it is due, the ship is maintained beautifully, and there was no hint that she is six years old, although the basic design is older than that, and from the wheelchair accessibility angle, definitely a generation (or two) behind current cruise ships. Every threshold is square, and most quite tall, making any navigation around the ship painful. Doors in several areas, and the elevators, are barely wide enough for a wheelchair, and as a result, after only 10 days the rims on my brothers chair are dinged up badly, and the wheels are actually loose, and need maintenance (it is a nearly new chair). Likewise, debarking the ship (from a separate but equal ramp down one deck from where the able bodied have a staircase)in most ports required 4 steps at the end of the ramp, which is just silly, because 4 steps or a hundred is no different if you can't negotiate even one. And apparently no one in this 400 ship company is aware that the problem is solved with A LONGER RAMP! It's not rocket science, but it is pretty simple physics. So, no matter what this line and ship have to recommend it, if you are disabled STAY AWAY!!!
Also, the front line staff (stewards, dining room and bar staff, etc), as with most lines are some pretty great, hard working, eager to please folks. There is, though, a palpable tension between the front liner's and the supervisors, who are uniformly haughty and arrogant, both with passengers and with the staff they supervise. One "for instance" - the gentleman assigned to assist wheelies and slow-walkers, etc, off the ship, a great guy from Montenegro whose name I will not even try to spell was GREAT!!! He was friendly, never seemed to mind the extra work his employer was putting him up to, etc. The boss man at the top of the gangplank was a different story. After making a comment about how silly it was to have steps at the end of the ramp, he replied to me in his best practiced sneer "Don't worry, we are professionals!", to which I could not help but reply "Maybe you should go to work for Carnival or something, so you would know what that means".
When the whole San Juan snafu came to light (an entire day was cut from our Port Call, and nearly everyone on the boat, including many who had verified the times with MSC prior to sailing), EVERY person above receptionist that we spoke to refused to give any explanation other than to blame the Florida office for being stupid.
Now, as far as the food, I actually found it quite good, in most cases...the meats I was served were tender and tasty, with the exception of one lamb dish that was a bit overcooked, and that is just my preference for the medium rare, as well done lamb just get's that "mutton" taste that I don't like, but some people (including the chef apparently) do. The pastas were good, and the risottos excellent. Fresh fruits and vegetables were plentiful and varied. I personally love a traditional English breakfast, and the buffet every morning had grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and beans. They did not have English bacon, but the sausage and ham were fine.
One exception on the food was the room service. Twice I ordered, once an MSC Club sandwich that was just weird. Limp bacon, a slice of turkey or chicken, and sliced hard boiled egg, slathered with so much mayo the whole middle just slid out upon biting. The other was a chicken ceasar salad which was limp and over-dressing'd, unlike every salad I had in the dining room or the buffet.
The entertainment was, overall, good. One trio (harp, guitar and bongo) "Los Paraguayos" was all over the place, and I sought them out every chance I got. Those South American rhythms just speak to me. The main lounge featured some decent singing and dancing, a pretty good juggler, and average magician, and some really excellent acrobatic cirque-type acts. And the entertainment crew, conducting goofy games on deck and such were really delightful young people who seemed to enjoy their jobs. Stefano was also good, but he billed himself as "guitaround the world" and then played nothing but Frank Sinatra tunes. Not bad music, just not what I would call "around the world".
The casino was adequate for the size of the ship, never empty, but never TOO crowded. The dealers were, like the entertainment crew, really fun. Paula, Maria, Maria and Roberto from Italy, Mirela from Romania, Carely from Peru, Carlos from Costa Rica and Christo from Bulgaria all did a fine job. And I told each of them I would mention them in the review if they would just give me a 32 on the Roulette wheel. To each of you: Grazie, Multemetz (sp), Gracias, and Blagodaria.
Which brings me to the best part of the cruise for me: I met people, over ten days (not including crew, which is always pretty international) from Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Holland, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Argentina, Vietnam, China and Australia. The mix of passenger nationalities was quite a bit more than most cruises I have been on, and the languages I heard, just walking thru the dining room was a lot of fun. My best companions by the end of the cruise was the roulette playing bunch that consisted of an English lad with CP, two newlyweds from Australia, a very tall and very friendly German, and a very short and grumpy Frenchman (he was actually a nice guy, but didn't like all our fun interfering with his serious gambling)
So, after all this good stuff, what could they do to mess it up? Well, let's see - how about the second largest shipping company in the world acting like it can't read a port schedule? Seriously, name a port and a date, and in ten minutes I will tell you every ship that will be in that port. But MSC tried to act completely surprised that we had to go to Pier 34 to debark, rather than Pier 4 where we started. For those of you who aren't familiar with Port Everglades, Pier 34 is a container cargo dock a mile or more away from the cruise ship terminal. Now, the Lirica being the smallest of 10 cruise ships scheduled in to Ft. Lauderdale that day, no big surprise. And you would think people who can move their 1,500,000 containers around the globe, could get 1500 people a mile or two. But no, debarking was a complete disaster, and they, again spent more time blaming others than trying to fix it. And the bottom line for me was that they did not have a shuttle with a wheelchair lift to get us to the cruise terminal, and they would not let Yellow Cab come to the Cargo area to pick up passengers, so I was finally forced to bribe one of their airport shuttle operators to take us to our hotel. That is $70 I am determined to get back, one way or another. Again, people with disabilities, beware - MSC has no desire to deal with you...period.
So, bottom line: Did I have a good trip? Yes, but only because I insist on it, and did it in spite of, rather than because of MSC Cruise Line. Would I do it again? NEVER. Between the poor design of the ship, the complete lies about the itineraries, and the total chaos of debarking, if MSC, today, offered me free cruises for life, I would pay to go on any other ship I have ever been on.
I am just going to give an overview of my recent 10 day Caribbean sailing on the MSC Lirica. For those who might be interested in more day to day detail, I wrote a live daily review, and you can view it here: http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=941026
First to give credit where it is due, the ship is maintained beautifully, and there was no hint that she is six years old, although the basic design is older than that, and from the wheelchair accessibility angle, definitely a generation (or two) behind current cruise ships. Every threshold is square, and most quite tall, making any navigation around the ship painful. Doors in several areas, and the elevators, are barely wide enough for a wheelchair, and as a result, after only 10 days the rims on my brothers chair are dinged up badly, and the wheels are actually loose, and need maintenance (it is a nearly new chair). Likewise, debarking the ship (from a separate but equal ramp down one deck from where the able bodied have a staircase)in most ports required 4 steps at the end of the ramp, which is just silly, because 4 steps or a hundred is no different if you can't negotiate even one. And apparently no one in this 400 ship company is aware that the problem is solved with A LONGER RAMP! It's not rocket science, but it is pretty simple physics. So, no matter what this line and ship have to recommend it, if you are disabled STAY AWAY!!!
Also, the front line staff (stewards, dining room and bar staff, etc), as with most lines are some pretty great, hard working, eager to please folks. There is, though, a palpable tension between the front liner's and the supervisors, who are uniformly haughty and arrogant, both with passengers and with the staff they supervise. One "for instance" - the gentleman assigned to assist wheelies and slow-walkers, etc, off the ship, a great guy from Montenegro whose name I will not even try to spell was GREAT!!! He was friendly, never seemed to mind the extra work his employer was putting him up to, etc. The boss man at the top of the gangplank was a different story. After making a comment about how silly it was to have steps at the end of the ramp, he replied to me in his best practiced sneer "Don't worry, we are professionals!", to which I could not help but reply "Maybe you should go to work for Carnival or something, so you would know what that means".
When the whole San Juan snafu came to light (an entire day was cut from our Port Call, and nearly everyone on the boat, including many who had verified the times with MSC prior to sailing), EVERY person above receptionist that we spoke to refused to give any explanation other than to blame the Florida office for being stupid.
Now, as far as the food, I actually found it quite good, in most cases...the meats I was served were tender and tasty, with the exception of one lamb dish that was a bit overcooked, and that is just my preference for the medium rare, as well done lamb just get's that "mutton" taste that I don't like, but some people (including the chef apparently) do. The pastas were good, and the risottos excellent. Fresh fruits and vegetables were plentiful and varied. I personally love a traditional English breakfast, and the buffet every morning had grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and beans. They did not have English bacon, but the sausage and ham were fine.
One exception on the food was the room service. Twice I ordered, once an MSC Club sandwich that was just weird. Limp bacon, a slice of turkey or chicken, and sliced hard boiled egg, slathered with so much mayo the whole middle just slid out upon biting. The other was a chicken ceasar salad which was limp and over-dressing'd, unlike every salad I had in the dining room or the buffet.
The entertainment was, overall, good. One trio (harp, guitar and bongo) "Los Paraguayos" was all over the place, and I sought them out every chance I got. Those South American rhythms just speak to me. The main lounge featured some decent singing and dancing, a pretty good juggler, and average magician, and some really excellent acrobatic cirque-type acts. And the entertainment crew, conducting goofy games on deck and such were really delightful young people who seemed to enjoy their jobs. Stefano was also good, but he billed himself as "guitaround the world" and then played nothing but Frank Sinatra tunes. Not bad music, just not what I would call "around the world".
The casino was adequate for the size of the ship, never empty, but never TOO crowded. The dealers were, like the entertainment crew, really fun. Paula, Maria, Maria and Roberto from Italy, Mirela from Romania, Carely from Peru, Carlos from Costa Rica and Christo from Bulgaria all did a fine job. And I told each of them I would mention them in the review if they would just give me a 32 on the Roulette wheel. To each of you: Grazie, Multemetz (sp), Gracias, and Blagodaria.
Which brings me to the best part of the cruise for me: I met people, over ten days (not including crew, which is always pretty international) from Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Holland, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Argentina, Vietnam, China and Australia. The mix of passenger nationalities was quite a bit more than most cruises I have been on, and the languages I heard, just walking thru the dining room was a lot of fun. My best companions by the end of the cruise was the roulette playing bunch that consisted of an English lad with CP, two newlyweds from Australia, a very tall and very friendly German, and a very short and grumpy Frenchman (he was actually a nice guy, but didn't like all our fun interfering with his serious gambling)
So, after all this good stuff, what could they do to mess it up? Well, let's see - how about the second largest shipping company in the world acting like it can't read a port schedule? Seriously, name a port and a date, and in ten minutes I will tell you every ship that will be in that port. But MSC tried to act completely surprised that we had to go to Pier 34 to debark, rather than Pier 4 where we started. For those of you who aren't familiar with Port Everglades, Pier 34 is a container cargo dock a mile or more away from the cruise ship terminal. Now, the Lirica being the smallest of 10 cruise ships scheduled in to Ft. Lauderdale that day, no big surprise. And you would think people who can move their 1,500,000 containers around the globe, could get 1500 people a mile or two. But no, debarking was a complete disaster, and they, again spent more time blaming others than trying to fix it. And the bottom line for me was that they did not have a shuttle with a wheelchair lift to get us to the cruise terminal, and they would not let Yellow Cab come to the Cargo area to pick up passengers, so I was finally forced to bribe one of their airport shuttle operators to take us to our hotel. That is $70 I am determined to get back, one way or another. Again, people with disabilities, beware - MSC has no desire to deal with you...period.
So, bottom line: Did I have a good trip? Yes, but only because I insist on it, and did it in spite of, rather than because of MSC Cruise Line. Would I do it again? NEVER. Between the poor design of the ship, the complete lies about the itineraries, and the total chaos of debarking, if MSC, today, offered me free cruises for life, I would pay to go on any other ship I have ever been on.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Live from MSC Lirica, Day 9
So, today was a Sea Day...and pretty typical...I am still impressed by the ability to get a table around the pool, even when everyone is here. Getting through the crowd to get from one end to the other was a challenge, since so many people are apparently offended by "rows", and feel the need to move their chair so that it is anywhere but in line.
Most of the day I just lollygagged around the pool, read a little and tried to recover from yesterday's stress.
Last formal night was tonite. I had the Veal Rack. Everyone else at the table had lobster, which was big, but looked and was reported to be a bit dry...which is why I don't get lobster on cruise ships...I don't remember the last time I had a good one.
The rest of the meal was fine. AFter dinner and a brief appearance at the Cocktail Party, of course, it was back to the casino....I still think it's the best room on the boat, the dealers are uniformly good, friendly, and I have now added Bulgarian to my list of languages, thanks to Christo, who taught me "Blago dari-a" (sp)..Thank You, in that language. Don't know when I might have cause to use that again, but I do like learning new words and phrases in every language I can find someone to teach meThe midnight buffet was to die for tonite - really awesome spread of meats, cheeses, fruit and veggie carvings, some bread baked in fish and crocodile shapes, tons of desserts, etc...A nice effort.
Tomorrow I will be in classes the first half of the day, and packing the last half, so I think I will wrap this up tonite. I will be posting a full review when I get home Sunday, so stay tuned if you are interested, and I will try to tie this all up in a nice little package.
Happy Sailing, Everyone.
p.s. two things - yesterday in all the confusion, anxiety and anger I committed two serious blunders...first off, when I dropped the rental at the airport I left my 44oz cup in the car...now I am stuck here for two days drinking from the little shot glasses they use on board (I knew about the cup thing, which is why I had the cab stop at a BP on the way to the port to pick up a Big Gulp), and, worse, I failed to buy a refrigerator magnet, which really is a big deal for me...I have kept my collection pretty well over the years, and this is a serious miss...oh, well.
Most of the day I just lollygagged around the pool, read a little and tried to recover from yesterday's stress.
Last formal night was tonite. I had the Veal Rack. Everyone else at the table had lobster, which was big, but looked and was reported to be a bit dry...which is why I don't get lobster on cruise ships...I don't remember the last time I had a good one.
The rest of the meal was fine. AFter dinner and a brief appearance at the Cocktail Party, of course, it was back to the casino....I still think it's the best room on the boat, the dealers are uniformly good, friendly, and I have now added Bulgarian to my list of languages, thanks to Christo, who taught me "Blago dari-a" (sp)..Thank You, in that language. Don't know when I might have cause to use that again, but I do like learning new words and phrases in every language I can find someone to teach meThe midnight buffet was to die for tonite - really awesome spread of meats, cheeses, fruit and veggie carvings, some bread baked in fish and crocodile shapes, tons of desserts, etc...A nice effort.
Tomorrow I will be in classes the first half of the day, and packing the last half, so I think I will wrap this up tonite. I will be posting a full review when I get home Sunday, so stay tuned if you are interested, and I will try to tie this all up in a nice little package.
Happy Sailing, Everyone.
p.s. two things - yesterday in all the confusion, anxiety and anger I committed two serious blunders...first off, when I dropped the rental at the airport I left my 44oz cup in the car...now I am stuck here for two days drinking from the little shot glasses they use on board (I knew about the cup thing, which is why I had the cab stop at a BP on the way to the port to pick up a Big Gulp), and, worse, I failed to buy a refrigerator magnet, which really is a big deal for me...I have kept my collection pretty well over the years, and this is a serious miss...oh, well.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Live from MSC Lirica, Day 8
You know, I always advise friends and clients that to truly be a traveler, you have to roll with the punches, go with the flow, don't let stupid stuff ruin your vacation, etc, etc, ad naseum....I am having a hard time taking that advice....
I am so p....ed off right now at MSC I can't really find the words....Somehow a day has been cut off our stay in San Juan...and pretty much everyone on board is as surprised as our group that we are sailing off tonite, rather than have another day in PR. I am telling you, if you go to MSC's website it says we are in port until 2am Friday...if you look at the roll call here for this cruise, you will see there was considerable discussion of this very point and that more than one person called MSC or their TA's to get clarification. And let me tell you, they could have cancelled any port on this cruise, and I would have been okay with it....all those little Caribbean islands are pretty much the same after a while, but Puerto Rico was THE reason I am on this boat. I have planned for months to bring my brother here, where we lived as kids, and see certain places and things that he remembers like it was yesterday, and talks about frequently. And bright and early this morning all that went out the window, and I had to scramble to re-assemble my whole vacation...the fact is there is nothing they could do at this point to make it okay...If MSC right now, refunded my entire cruise fare, I still wouldn't feel anything but cheated, lied to and ripped off.
Those of you who have been following this thread would probably agree I have been fair and even handed with MSC...I am reporting the few problems honestly, and giving praise where it is deserved, but I can tell you right now I will never book a client with MSC under any circumstance, period.
So, enough of that rant, because even this is not enough to knock me off my stride.
After digesting the news of our change of plans, (well and cussing for a few minutes), I ran over to the Hertz office down the street and arranged for a car...I prefer to do this sort of thing on the spot, when I can see the actual car, and know that it will work for us, rather than book in advance, because I always seem to get the "or similar" model, which is typically a Yugo.
So I got us a nice Dodge Caliber, room enough for the four of us, and with the station wagon thing in the back to make loading and unloading the chair easier, and off we went, to terrify the little old ladies...Those of you who consider white water rafting or zip lines to be "adventure travel" really need to get a car in San Juan THAT"S adventure....my poor mother and old aunt from Wichita, Kansas were white knuckling it the whole way thru town. I have driven here before, many times, and kinda like it...it speaks to my "inner F1 driver". Anyway we made it thru town and out to El Yunque, the rain forest, where my dear aunt just had to wonder if "it rains here all the time, because the last time I was here, it was raining too"....-Um...Duh? What part of RAIN Forest is tripping you up? So after an hour or so of oohing and ahhing at plants, flowers and rain, we went to Luquillo Beach, which is not only one of the most beatiful beaches around (and also where me and my brother were baptized a hundred or so years ago), but also has a "Sea without Barriers" Wheelchair Accessible beach, one of only a handful in the world, and it was AWESOME...my brother has not been in the ocean in I don't know how long, it was worth the 2000 miles in the air and 1000 miles more at sea to see it. We have a pool and jacuzzi, with hoists, so he get in the water often, but there is just something about soaking in the ocean.
So, after that we got changed and back in the car and back to town, where I real quick drove thru Bayamon to look at our first home here, and decided to skip Rio Piedras, where we lived for a lot longer, because I was not entirely sure where that house is (I think the neighborhood may have been torn down to expand the University there...I am certain I remember what street we lived on, and have not been able to find it on any map, paper or virtual), and it was getting dark, so we just came on back to the ship, tired, hungry, but happy.
Of course I then had to drive all the way to the airport to drop the car off, because the local office doesn't do after hours drops, and this is just one of the added complications of not being here in the morning, so I could drop it off a hundred yards from the boat where I got it. And avoid a $20 cab ride, as well.
Anyway, I really am tired, and still a little miffed, so I am going to stop now, get some sleep, and tomorrow enjoy a sea day, and hopefully put the bad feelings away, and just remember the good parts of today....
I am so p....ed off right now at MSC I can't really find the words....Somehow a day has been cut off our stay in San Juan...and pretty much everyone on board is as surprised as our group that we are sailing off tonite, rather than have another day in PR. I am telling you, if you go to MSC's website it says we are in port until 2am Friday...if you look at the roll call here for this cruise, you will see there was considerable discussion of this very point and that more than one person called MSC or their TA's to get clarification. And let me tell you, they could have cancelled any port on this cruise, and I would have been okay with it....all those little Caribbean islands are pretty much the same after a while, but Puerto Rico was THE reason I am on this boat. I have planned for months to bring my brother here, where we lived as kids, and see certain places and things that he remembers like it was yesterday, and talks about frequently. And bright and early this morning all that went out the window, and I had to scramble to re-assemble my whole vacation...the fact is there is nothing they could do at this point to make it okay...If MSC right now, refunded my entire cruise fare, I still wouldn't feel anything but cheated, lied to and ripped off.
Those of you who have been following this thread would probably agree I have been fair and even handed with MSC...I am reporting the few problems honestly, and giving praise where it is deserved, but I can tell you right now I will never book a client with MSC under any circumstance, period.
So, enough of that rant, because even this is not enough to knock me off my stride.
After digesting the news of our change of plans, (well and cussing for a few minutes), I ran over to the Hertz office down the street and arranged for a car...I prefer to do this sort of thing on the spot, when I can see the actual car, and know that it will work for us, rather than book in advance, because I always seem to get the "or similar" model, which is typically a Yugo.
So I got us a nice Dodge Caliber, room enough for the four of us, and with the station wagon thing in the back to make loading and unloading the chair easier, and off we went, to terrify the little old ladies...Those of you who consider white water rafting or zip lines to be "adventure travel" really need to get a car in San Juan THAT"S adventure....my poor mother and old aunt from Wichita, Kansas were white knuckling it the whole way thru town. I have driven here before, many times, and kinda like it...it speaks to my "inner F1 driver". Anyway we made it thru town and out to El Yunque, the rain forest, where my dear aunt just had to wonder if "it rains here all the time, because the last time I was here, it was raining too"....-Um...Duh? What part of RAIN Forest is tripping you up? So after an hour or so of oohing and ahhing at plants, flowers and rain, we went to Luquillo Beach, which is not only one of the most beatiful beaches around (and also where me and my brother were baptized a hundred or so years ago), but also has a "Sea without Barriers" Wheelchair Accessible beach, one of only a handful in the world, and it was AWESOME...my brother has not been in the ocean in I don't know how long, it was worth the 2000 miles in the air and 1000 miles more at sea to see it. We have a pool and jacuzzi, with hoists, so he get in the water often, but there is just something about soaking in the ocean.
So, after that we got changed and back in the car and back to town, where I real quick drove thru Bayamon to look at our first home here, and decided to skip Rio Piedras, where we lived for a lot longer, because I was not entirely sure where that house is (I think the neighborhood may have been torn down to expand the University there...I am certain I remember what street we lived on, and have not been able to find it on any map, paper or virtual), and it was getting dark, so we just came on back to the ship, tired, hungry, but happy.
Of course I then had to drive all the way to the airport to drop the car off, because the local office doesn't do after hours drops, and this is just one of the added complications of not being here in the morning, so I could drop it off a hundred yards from the boat where I got it. And avoid a $20 cab ride, as well.
Anyway, I really am tired, and still a little miffed, so I am going to stop now, get some sleep, and tomorrow enjoy a sea day, and hopefully put the bad feelings away, and just remember the good parts of today....
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Live from MSC Lirica, Day 7
Antigua - nice, hot, good shopping, fun people...but at this point I am kinda focused on Puerto Rico...and now they are saying we will be there at 9am, instead of noon, so that's a REAL two days...cool.
In an effort to stay out of the casino (apparently some people think I live there), I allowed myself to be talked into (I am such a sucker for a pretty face) going to the show tonite "Theater of Love" ...it was pretty much what I expected, and I was ready to go after the first set of ballet to romantic music. The next number was equally boring, until the piano and player levitated about 8 feet up off the stage, and did a slow front flip, while the player continued on...and then reversed for a backflip, and the guy never missed a beat...okay, THAT was pretty cool!!! and then some pretty interesting acrobatics set to music, so I ended up staying for the whole show. After the show, we went down to the Beverly Hills Lounge for "Stefano", who is billed as playing "Guitaround the world", which, I don't know, would seem to imply a wide range of guitar styles...Turns out he covers the entire musical spectrum, form Frank Sinatra all the way to Dean Martin.....now, this is not a problem, as I love Ol' Blue Eyes, but Stefano really needs to bill himself as "Guitaround North Jersey, 1952-1961", just to be accurate.
Anyway, all this frivolity was preceeded by a dinner of Chicked and Pistachio terrine which was just too much like cat food for my taste, a pretty decent asparagus risotto, and really good Saltimbocca, which I haven't had since I lived next door to an Italian restaurant in Long Beach, back in the late 80's.
I am getting burned out, here, but a few random thoughts about MSC, so far:
The bath towels are bigger than the bathroom...really huge, plush bath sheets, very nice.
This is the perfect sized cruise ship, for my tastes - big enough for plenty of activity, small enough that after 6 days I know most of the staff, and fellow passengers at least well enough to nod and say "Hi" too.
The pool area is as big or bigger on this 1500 pax ship than on some 2500-3000 pax I have been on, and consequently, I have NEVER, NOT ONCE, been unable to find a table or lounge chair around the pool...NEVER...Quite a change from some where every chair is taken by sunrise...
The Animation Team is a really nice touch...about 10 young men and women, who conduct poolside games, and engage in various antics at unexpected times and places (last nite one of them was in a bathrobe in the lobby, laying on the floor clutching a wine bottle), and are all very friendly even off duty when you see them. They all stop to talk and tell you what's coming up, etc....really cool.
I have never seen a Cruise Director (until now) who had time to read a paperback over lunch at the buffet EVERY DAY, nor have I ever met one who totally ignored passengers as they passed by....and I know she speaks 5 languages, so that's not the problem....Seriously, I am not one of those who tracks CD's from ship to ship, and compares notes or anything, (however, I do know all of the Casino Hostesses and most of the Dealers. LOL) but I have talked to a few of them over the last 28 years, and all of them are A: Affable, and B: Busy...I am just sayin'
Anyway, tomorrow is Puerto Rico, and I will let you know how that goes
In an effort to stay out of the casino (apparently some people think I live there), I allowed myself to be talked into (I am such a sucker for a pretty face) going to the show tonite "Theater of Love" ...it was pretty much what I expected, and I was ready to go after the first set of ballet to romantic music. The next number was equally boring, until the piano and player levitated about 8 feet up off the stage, and did a slow front flip, while the player continued on...and then reversed for a backflip, and the guy never missed a beat...okay, THAT was pretty cool!!! and then some pretty interesting acrobatics set to music, so I ended up staying for the whole show. After the show, we went down to the Beverly Hills Lounge for "Stefano", who is billed as playing "Guitaround the world", which, I don't know, would seem to imply a wide range of guitar styles...Turns out he covers the entire musical spectrum, form Frank Sinatra all the way to Dean Martin.....now, this is not a problem, as I love Ol' Blue Eyes, but Stefano really needs to bill himself as "Guitaround North Jersey, 1952-1961", just to be accurate.
Anyway, all this frivolity was preceeded by a dinner of Chicked and Pistachio terrine which was just too much like cat food for my taste, a pretty decent asparagus risotto, and really good Saltimbocca, which I haven't had since I lived next door to an Italian restaurant in Long Beach, back in the late 80's.
I am getting burned out, here, but a few random thoughts about MSC, so far:
The bath towels are bigger than the bathroom...really huge, plush bath sheets, very nice.
This is the perfect sized cruise ship, for my tastes - big enough for plenty of activity, small enough that after 6 days I know most of the staff, and fellow passengers at least well enough to nod and say "Hi" too.
The pool area is as big or bigger on this 1500 pax ship than on some 2500-3000 pax I have been on, and consequently, I have NEVER, NOT ONCE, been unable to find a table or lounge chair around the pool...NEVER...Quite a change from some where every chair is taken by sunrise...
The Animation Team is a really nice touch...about 10 young men and women, who conduct poolside games, and engage in various antics at unexpected times and places (last nite one of them was in a bathrobe in the lobby, laying on the floor clutching a wine bottle), and are all very friendly even off duty when you see them. They all stop to talk and tell you what's coming up, etc....really cool.
I have never seen a Cruise Director (until now) who had time to read a paperback over lunch at the buffet EVERY DAY, nor have I ever met one who totally ignored passengers as they passed by....and I know she speaks 5 languages, so that's not the problem....Seriously, I am not one of those who tracks CD's from ship to ship, and compares notes or anything, (however, I do know all of the Casino Hostesses and most of the Dealers. LOL) but I have talked to a few of them over the last 28 years, and all of them are A: Affable, and B: Busy...I am just sayin'
Anyway, tomorrow is Puerto Rico, and I will let you know how that goes
Live from MSC Lirica, Day 6
St. Lucia, nice place, but I wouldn't want to live here...as a port stop it is pretty good as there is plenty of shopping in walking distance. We spent a couple hours in the Central Market, picked up some shirts, a hat, and of course a refrigerator magnet...My steward finally noticed and asked about them (I have developed the habit over the year of hanging them on the ceiling by the door of my stateroom, as it is the only reliably metal surface in the room.) My poor brother is in a bit of pain...dealing with the curbs and all, I managed to get his leg up under the wheelchair, trying to cross the busiest intersection in town...my bad...but he is a trooper, and will be fine tomorrow) None of these little islands have decent sidewalks, or crosswalks or anything. Oh, and St. Lucia was HOT!!! Kinda nice (it's been tooooooo long since I was too hot, but I did get a bit sweated up with all the walking)
After our jaunt to town, we went up to the cabin and I did run into one of those silly customer service issues that MSC is kind of famous for. I called room service and tried to order some Iced Tea (oops, won't make THAT mistake again). The conversation went something like this:
Hello, Room Service, may I help you?
Yeah, I'd like some Iced Tea please, for two.
We don't have Iced Tea
Uhhhhhhhh, okay....you have tea right?
Yes, sir, we have hot tea
Okay, and you have ice, right?
Yes, but we don't serve Ice Tea from Room Service, sir!
Okay, so you have ice...and you have tea...so, pretty much all we need is something to put it in, yeah?
Sir? Excuse me?
....So...I finally ordered hot tea, and called the steward to fill my ice bucket, and had a bucket of iced tea, rather than the pitcher I had hoped for - but I did get my iced tea, and unlike some people, I pretty much refuse to let it ruin my day...but it is exactly the kind of obtuseness that gets MSC bad reviews, and they really need to figure out a way to get their people to be more flexible. Again, they are all very helpful and friendly and all, but they don't seem to want to get creative in serving customers...they do what the book says, and that's it. Oh, well...at least they appear to be hearing the complaints and working on it at the Corporate level.
Anyway, so, after all that it was time for dinner which included tonites Risotto of the day, which was PUMPKIN!!! and it was excellent, maybe the best so far. Also a corn and chicken veloutte that was very forgettable and a rack of lamb that was a tad overcooked (and with lamb even a tad overcooked just changes the flavor to "mutton")..So, not their best effort tonite, but not really "bad"...
Tonites entertainment was a magic act - good, but not spectacular, pretty typical cruise line magic act fare...except for the python.
And then back to the casino, where my winnings tonite pretty much covered my losses last nite, so I am probably down less than a hundred for the trip so far (which is excellent, for me) Oh, yeah, and the whole Jack Nicholson thing reared it's ugly head....I am often told I look like Jack (hopefully they mean when he was younger and sexy. lol). Personally, I don't see it, but whatever...anyway, a couple of the dealers have been joking about it, and calling me Jack, and "Meester Neekoleson", and tonite one of them brought out a camera and we had a "photo op" out in the hall in front of the Casino...I think some people thought there was an actual celebrity on board, as they all giggled and took pictures of each other, while I did my best Jack Nicholson wry look.
And now, my friends, it has been a long, hot day (hope you Northerners are jealous), G'nite!
After our jaunt to town, we went up to the cabin and I did run into one of those silly customer service issues that MSC is kind of famous for. I called room service and tried to order some Iced Tea (oops, won't make THAT mistake again). The conversation went something like this:
Hello, Room Service, may I help you?
Yeah, I'd like some Iced Tea please, for two.
We don't have Iced Tea
Uhhhhhhhh, okay....you have tea right?
Yes, sir, we have hot tea
Okay, and you have ice, right?
Yes, but we don't serve Ice Tea from Room Service, sir!
Okay, so you have ice...and you have tea...so, pretty much all we need is something to put it in, yeah?
Sir? Excuse me?
....So...I finally ordered hot tea, and called the steward to fill my ice bucket, and had a bucket of iced tea, rather than the pitcher I had hoped for - but I did get my iced tea, and unlike some people, I pretty much refuse to let it ruin my day...but it is exactly the kind of obtuseness that gets MSC bad reviews, and they really need to figure out a way to get their people to be more flexible. Again, they are all very helpful and friendly and all, but they don't seem to want to get creative in serving customers...they do what the book says, and that's it. Oh, well...at least they appear to be hearing the complaints and working on it at the Corporate level.
Anyway, so, after all that it was time for dinner which included tonites Risotto of the day, which was PUMPKIN!!! and it was excellent, maybe the best so far. Also a corn and chicken veloutte that was very forgettable and a rack of lamb that was a tad overcooked (and with lamb even a tad overcooked just changes the flavor to "mutton")..So, not their best effort tonite, but not really "bad"...
Tonites entertainment was a magic act - good, but not spectacular, pretty typical cruise line magic act fare...except for the python.
And then back to the casino, where my winnings tonite pretty much covered my losses last nite, so I am probably down less than a hundred for the trip so far (which is excellent, for me) Oh, yeah, and the whole Jack Nicholson thing reared it's ugly head....I am often told I look like Jack (hopefully they mean when he was younger and sexy. lol). Personally, I don't see it, but whatever...anyway, a couple of the dealers have been joking about it, and calling me Jack, and "Meester Neekoleson", and tonite one of them brought out a camera and we had a "photo op" out in the hall in front of the Casino...I think some people thought there was an actual celebrity on board, as they all giggled and took pictures of each other, while I did my best Jack Nicholson wry look.
And now, my friends, it has been a long, hot day (hope you Northerners are jealous), G'nite!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Live from MSC Lirica, Day 5
Hey all, great day in St. Maarten...weather was about perfect...every time it felt like it would get too hot, one of those scattered clouds would come across and cool it down to "perfect" again.
Got off the ship first thing this morning and set up a tour for the four of us with a guy with a wheelchair-ramped van. Turns out on this island that is half-Dutch and half-French, populated mostly by Africans and Indians, our tour guide was "JOSE"...from Puerto Rico originally, so during the slow parts of the drive we compared notes on P.R. (I used to live there, many moons ago, for those who don't know me)...Talk about your small world, huh? So we drove up to Orient Beach, and over to Marigot on the French side, and pretty much covered the island in an hour and a half, then stopped in Phillipsburg for cigarettes and rum and other goodies....12 bucks a carton for smokes, so I feel like I hit the jackpot!
By the way, and apropos of nothing, we were all alone at the dock this morning; by the time I set up the tour the Celebrity Summit was pulling in; and by the time we all left to get on the van, the Costa Atlantica was docked. And right next to us was a Dutch Navy frigate...so it got pretty busy at the terminal by the time we came back from touring.
Back on board we had a lite, late lunch...again, Bacon and Spinach pizza is better than it sounds...that and a hot dog and I was ready for nap-time. We went and chilled in the cabin and watched Iron Man in Italian for a while, til dinner, which was the best I have had so far.
Prosciutto (sp) and Melon appetizer, clam chowder (tasty but a bit thin), and the best risotto ever, with bits of sausage and mushrooms...very hearty...followed by a nice filet mignon that was cooked a perfect medium rare, and quite tender. And then, of course, the Ice Cream of the Day, which was NOT RUM RAISIN!!! woohoo, but a sublime mint chocolate chip that went perfectly with the dark italian coffee they serve...have I mentioned that the coffee is great? I drink a gallon or two a day of coffee, and consider myself an expert on the subject.
After dinner we went down to the Beverly Hills lounge for a little ABBA contest (those of us who had way too much ABBA in the 70's are getting way too much ABBA again in the "oughts"...must be a karma thing), which honesty compels me to admit, I aced, even though it is embarassing to say it.
And now I am just killing time waiting for tonites show, which is something operatic...something tells me I won't stay for the whole thing, that the song of the roulette wheel will pull me away, but, you know, gotta try that high brow stuff once in a while, just to prove to yourself you really don't like it...
Tomorrow, St. Lucia
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Live from MSC Lirica, Day 4
What a beautiful day, in a beatiful little town (Road Town). I have always loved the Virgin Islands (U.S. and British, I am really not that xenophobic). After a great English breakfast at the buffet, complete with fried tomatoes, beans, mushrooms and limp bacon , We hit the town. Once more, wheelchair accessibility on MSC is a joke. There were two exits from the boat to the dock, one on Deck 5 with about twenty steps, and one of Deck 4 with only four steps...thing is, for a wheelchair ONE is too many, and the difference between 4 and 20 is minimal. However, once again where the Line falls down, the staff made up for it. They would not even let me assist, as four burly seaman grabbed my brother's chair and just carried him on down the four steps. Really, all the staff so far have been extremely helpful, and mostly friendly (the others aren't unfriendly so much as just too serious about their jobs).
So, we cruised up and down the waterfront, looking at all the tourist "stuff", picked up the obligatory refrigerator magnet, sat in a little cafe and had a Ginger Beer (which I also smuggled a few back on the boat, because it just brings back childhood memories - I love Ginger Beer).
After a couple hours I was tired of pushing and Steve was tired of being bounced around (the sidewalks [where there are sidewalks] are less than optimal for wheeling, as is typical in this part of the world), so we headed back to the ship to chill out and have some lunch. A pretty good roasted veal on the menu today. AFterwards we hung out at the pool, and it was warm and calm and fabulous. At the risk of offending anyone, I just want to say I am sometimes reluctant to peel off the shirt this time of year, as I am "winter white"..but I was so far from being the whitest (or belly-havingest) person by the pool I felt totally un-self-conscious about letting it all hang out and getting a start on my 2009 TAN.
Played some goofy game by the pool, mostly because Marika, one of the crew, was just too darn cute to say "no" too, and it was time to rest up for dinner.
Dinner tonite was an appetizer of mozarella and tomatoes, okay - nothing I can't get at home, a cream of asparagus soup that was great, a Seafood Risotto that, like all the other risottos was nicely done, but a bit heavy on the mussels, which are not on my top 10 list seafood wise, and finally a Veal Cordon Bleu that was done to a turn - and I realized something else I really like about MSC...they are not so politically correct that they refuse to kill and eat little lambs and baby cows...I have had veal or lamb nearly every day, in some form and I really love both.
Now, the dessert story...If you remember, MSC prides itself on it's ice cream. Dinner ONE, I ordered the ice cream of the day for dessert and it turned out to be Rum Raisin, one of VERY few ice cream flavors I don't like. And last night, the whole Creme Brulee thing got in the way of the Ice Cream, so tonite I again ordered the Ice Cream of the Day, and GUESS WHAT FLAVOR IT WAS? Yup Rum Raisin again..........Anyway, I traded it out for some chocalate parfait thing that was okay - but I honestly wasn't even hungry by then.
So, after dinner, back to the casino, as I felt realy bad for taking them for $465, after my post last nite. Not to worry though, they got back about half of it. However, it took so long to lose $250, I totally missed the Elvis Tribute show (okay, just kidding, I didn't really miss it, so much as avoid it...sorry, but where I live, two hours from Vegas, there is an oversupply of Elvis Impersonators, I really don't need to see any more) - and there you have it, another day in Paradise.
WE are already tied up at the dock in St Maarten, though we can't get off the ship til morning...Due to the sea conditions the Captain decided to just come straight here and tie up overnite, rather than drive in circles all night as they usually do between ports this close...So up early tomorrow to get into St Maarten and buy some stuff, and I will tell you all about it tomorrow.
Ciao
So, we cruised up and down the waterfront, looking at all the tourist "stuff", picked up the obligatory refrigerator magnet, sat in a little cafe and had a Ginger Beer (which I also smuggled a few back on the boat, because it just brings back childhood memories - I love Ginger Beer).
After a couple hours I was tired of pushing and Steve was tired of being bounced around (the sidewalks [where there are sidewalks] are less than optimal for wheeling, as is typical in this part of the world), so we headed back to the ship to chill out and have some lunch. A pretty good roasted veal on the menu today. AFterwards we hung out at the pool, and it was warm and calm and fabulous. At the risk of offending anyone, I just want to say I am sometimes reluctant to peel off the shirt this time of year, as I am "winter white"..but I was so far from being the whitest (or belly-havingest) person by the pool I felt totally un-self-conscious about letting it all hang out and getting a start on my 2009 TAN.
Played some goofy game by the pool, mostly because Marika, one of the crew, was just too darn cute to say "no" too, and it was time to rest up for dinner.
Dinner tonite was an appetizer of mozarella and tomatoes, okay - nothing I can't get at home, a cream of asparagus soup that was great, a Seafood Risotto that, like all the other risottos was nicely done, but a bit heavy on the mussels, which are not on my top 10 list seafood wise, and finally a Veal Cordon Bleu that was done to a turn - and I realized something else I really like about MSC...they are not so politically correct that they refuse to kill and eat little lambs and baby cows...I have had veal or lamb nearly every day, in some form and I really love both.
Now, the dessert story...If you remember, MSC prides itself on it's ice cream. Dinner ONE, I ordered the ice cream of the day for dessert and it turned out to be Rum Raisin, one of VERY few ice cream flavors I don't like. And last night, the whole Creme Brulee thing got in the way of the Ice Cream, so tonite I again ordered the Ice Cream of the Day, and GUESS WHAT FLAVOR IT WAS? Yup Rum Raisin again..........Anyway, I traded it out for some chocalate parfait thing that was okay - but I honestly wasn't even hungry by then.
So, after dinner, back to the casino, as I felt realy bad for taking them for $465, after my post last nite. Not to worry though, they got back about half of it. However, it took so long to lose $250, I totally missed the Elvis Tribute show (okay, just kidding, I didn't really miss it, so much as avoid it...sorry, but where I live, two hours from Vegas, there is an oversupply of Elvis Impersonators, I really don't need to see any more) - and there you have it, another day in Paradise.
WE are already tied up at the dock in St Maarten, though we can't get off the ship til morning...Due to the sea conditions the Captain decided to just come straight here and tie up overnite, rather than drive in circles all night as they usually do between ports this close...So up early tomorrow to get into St Maarten and buy some stuff, and I will tell you all about it tomorrow.
Ciao
Friday, March 6, 2009
Live from the Lirica, Day 3
Finally, some good weather!
About 4 in the morning we got alongside Hispanola, and everything smoother out nicely...then the sun came up, the weather got good, and all in all it feels like a tropical vacation finally.
To backtrack, I wanted to tell everyone, one of the absolute nicest things about MSC so far, is that, for the most part no one has tried to sell me anything....I got on the boat without getting my picture taken, OR having to argue with a phtographer...they were selling soda cards, and wine packages and excursions in the lobby when we got on, but they were just standing politely, and talking to people who wanted to talk to them, rather than attacking everyone as they came on. So far I have had my picture taken ONCE!!! during dinner, and he was very low key and pleasant...no stupid clowns or pirates or any of that, and I have not seen one thing for sale on a table in a hallway. For those of us who remember the days when you had to actually get off the ship to be attacked by third-world street urchins peddling crap (before the cruise lines hired them to work the ships), it really has been a nice change of pace, and a major selling point for MSC. Likewise, every time I sit by the pool, ONE waiter/waitress will walk towards me...I shake my head and smile, they nod in understanding, and we don't have any more trouble. It really is pleasant.Anyway, so, a lovely day...the stop was to short to bother tendering to Cayo Levantado, so I sat by the pool and, because it was warm and sunny, wondered why A: European men think anyone older than 25 can wear a speedo without looking foolish, and B: why they don't have drug stores in Europe like they do here with aisle after aisle of razors, cremes, waxes and depilatories, so women can get rid of unsightly body hair....
After that philosophical rumination, I went to the buffet and had some good lamb roast, and...yes....TUNA PIZZA!!! It's actually a lot better than it sounds. seriously, the pizza was good, and I had five slices so I could try a bit of everything...and it was tasty!!!So, more lolligaging at the pool, then a quick rest up, and off to dinner, where the halibut steak was excellent, and my first real disappointment food-wise...one of my dinner companions confessed to never having had creme brulee...I convinced her that if she ever once had a good creme brulee, she would never order anything else...I am such a salesman, everyone at the table ordered it, and when it came the top was charred... Unbelievable the creme itself was good, but when you over heat the top and it goes from carmelized to "burnt sugar"...yech. And when I asked the waiter if he could bring us some that wasn't burnt, he looked at my like I was the retard...apparently someone at MSC thinks that is how it is supposed to look....oh well, like I said it is the first real disappointment food wise, so I will survive it.
Anyway, after dinner we stopped in the Casino, again, and I turned $100 into $200 pretty quick...so I am only down $100 at this point...maybe I will try again now.
Tomorrow, Tortola, BVI.....All for now
About 4 in the morning we got alongside Hispanola, and everything smoother out nicely...then the sun came up, the weather got good, and all in all it feels like a tropical vacation finally.
To backtrack, I wanted to tell everyone, one of the absolute nicest things about MSC so far, is that, for the most part no one has tried to sell me anything....I got on the boat without getting my picture taken, OR having to argue with a phtographer...they were selling soda cards, and wine packages and excursions in the lobby when we got on, but they were just standing politely, and talking to people who wanted to talk to them, rather than attacking everyone as they came on. So far I have had my picture taken ONCE!!! during dinner, and he was very low key and pleasant...no stupid clowns or pirates or any of that, and I have not seen one thing for sale on a table in a hallway. For those of us who remember the days when you had to actually get off the ship to be attacked by third-world street urchins peddling crap (before the cruise lines hired them to work the ships), it really has been a nice change of pace, and a major selling point for MSC. Likewise, every time I sit by the pool, ONE waiter/waitress will walk towards me...I shake my head and smile, they nod in understanding, and we don't have any more trouble. It really is pleasant.Anyway, so, a lovely day...the stop was to short to bother tendering to Cayo Levantado, so I sat by the pool and, because it was warm and sunny, wondered why A: European men think anyone older than 25 can wear a speedo without looking foolish, and B: why they don't have drug stores in Europe like they do here with aisle after aisle of razors, cremes, waxes and depilatories, so women can get rid of unsightly body hair....
After that philosophical rumination, I went to the buffet and had some good lamb roast, and...yes....TUNA PIZZA!!! It's actually a lot better than it sounds. seriously, the pizza was good, and I had five slices so I could try a bit of everything...and it was tasty!!!So, more lolligaging at the pool, then a quick rest up, and off to dinner, where the halibut steak was excellent, and my first real disappointment food-wise...one of my dinner companions confessed to never having had creme brulee...I convinced her that if she ever once had a good creme brulee, she would never order anything else...I am such a salesman, everyone at the table ordered it, and when it came the top was charred... Unbelievable the creme itself was good, but when you over heat the top and it goes from carmelized to "burnt sugar"...yech. And when I asked the waiter if he could bring us some that wasn't burnt, he looked at my like I was the retard...apparently someone at MSC thinks that is how it is supposed to look....oh well, like I said it is the first real disappointment food wise, so I will survive it.
Anyway, after dinner we stopped in the Casino, again, and I turned $100 into $200 pretty quick...so I am only down $100 at this point...maybe I will try again now.
Tomorrow, Tortola, BVI.....All for now
Thursday, March 5, 2009
MSC Lirica, Day 2
Rocking and rolling today!
Serious wind and cold all day, made the classes all morning bearable. Not like I wanted to hang out by the pool anyway.
After classes went to the buffet for lunch...pretty good cheeseburger. Not Carnival good, but good.
More classes in the afternoon, then up and dressed for the Gala Dinner, which was good. I had a risotto, not as good as yesterday, but okay, a great cream of onion soup, veal picatta that was VERY good (despite what I have heard, I have had beef, pork or veal several times, and it has always been tender and juicy). Ice cream, which I had to pass on, last nite, was really good, with one problem. Of the 10000 possible flavors of ice cream, I like about 9,995 of them....Rum Raisin is one of the other five. So, guess what tonite's "ice cream of the day" was? Yep...oh, well, I will try again tomorrow.After dinner was the Cap'ts cocktail party, with the usual stuff...not my kind of thing, but I went anyway, to kill time before the show. Oh, and I also took a minute out on the way to drop $50 on the Roulette table. So far the casino has not been good to me, though the dealers, Roberto from Italy, and Varcelia (I think), a new hire from Peru are both a lot of fun.
Finally, I went to the main show tonite...interesting, and mostly good. A combination of magic, juggling, dance, a "cirque" type act with guy in a man-size hula hoop, doing various spins, somersaults, etc, while standing inside the hoop, and the highlight, a beautiful couple doing a cross between interpretive dance and a gymnastic floor exercise, set to Creed's "Arms Wide Open", which, weird as it sounds was actually oddly compelling and sensous, almost erotic.
And with that, I will close for the night...Tomorrow, Cayo Levantado, D.R., and hopefully some warm weather...
Serious wind and cold all day, made the classes all morning bearable. Not like I wanted to hang out by the pool anyway.
After classes went to the buffet for lunch...pretty good cheeseburger. Not Carnival good, but good.
More classes in the afternoon, then up and dressed for the Gala Dinner, which was good. I had a risotto, not as good as yesterday, but okay, a great cream of onion soup, veal picatta that was VERY good (despite what I have heard, I have had beef, pork or veal several times, and it has always been tender and juicy). Ice cream, which I had to pass on, last nite, was really good, with one problem. Of the 10000 possible flavors of ice cream, I like about 9,995 of them....Rum Raisin is one of the other five. So, guess what tonite's "ice cream of the day" was? Yep...oh, well, I will try again tomorrow.After dinner was the Cap'ts cocktail party, with the usual stuff...not my kind of thing, but I went anyway, to kill time before the show. Oh, and I also took a minute out on the way to drop $50 on the Roulette table. So far the casino has not been good to me, though the dealers, Roberto from Italy, and Varcelia (I think), a new hire from Peru are both a lot of fun.
Finally, I went to the main show tonite...interesting, and mostly good. A combination of magic, juggling, dance, a "cirque" type act with guy in a man-size hula hoop, doing various spins, somersaults, etc, while standing inside the hoop, and the highlight, a beautiful couple doing a cross between interpretive dance and a gymnastic floor exercise, set to Creed's "Arms Wide Open", which, weird as it sounds was actually oddly compelling and sensous, almost erotic.
And with that, I will close for the night...Tomorrow, Cayo Levantado, D.R., and hopefully some warm weather...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
LIVE from MSC Lirica!
Okay, we have sailed! On our way, after tomorrow at sea, to CAyo Levantado in the D.R.
First, some housekeeping items. I want to give a shout out to my friends at Special Needs at Sea, they came thru again, and everything was all set to go when we got to our stateroom.
Boarding was as painless as any line I have cruised with. Our party was all together at 1pm, went in, swiped passports and credit cards, and on the boat by 1:15, where a white gloved steward took us to our stateroom. It doesn't get any better than that.
After a little break, we went up to the Buffet for some lunch, and everything was, well, as good as buffets get; which is to say, not exactly haute cuisine, but it was hot, tasty and varied. Tried some ravioli in cream sauce, chicken Romano, pork Milanese and Sheperd's pie...all good.And all better than I expected, based on some of the reviews I have read.Their is a nice outside area to eat - but it got cold and blustery just about the time we were boarding so we ate inside the buffet proper. After lunch, we took a quick tour of the ship, all the usual bars, lounges, shops, blah, blah, blah, and a smallish casino. I will report more, when I actually experience the venues.
By the time we got back all our luggage was in the room waiting for us - again, as quickly as any line I have sailed with lately.
Quick unpacking, while ditching the muster drill, and time for dinner. Left the rest of my party, who were still full from lunch, and went up to the L'Ippocampo dining room. Met up with a couple of TA friends, and were joined by Jean Rice, one of MSC's group dept people. As some of you know, I had a bit of a set to with MSC about my stateroom assignment a couple of weeks ago. Ms. Rice is the lady who fixed it, and she was every bit as interested in discussing the issue, and how to prevent it in the future, as she was when we were actually working through, so props to her...a few more like that, and some of the customer service dings MSC has been getting, will surely lessen.
As far as the ship, I can only say the LIRICA is an example of a great little cruise ship from the 80's...even though it was built in 2000, it is (I think)the third in a series built for the now defunct Festival line, and obviously was designed in the late 80's/early 90's. The hallways are too narrow, as are the elevator, and every threshold on every fire door is a lip at least an inch high, making navigation with a wheelchair nearly impossible. While the stateroom itself is barrier free, and well laid out, the ship as a whole is at least a generation behind. While most people would never notice, slow walkers and wheelchair users should be warned, this may not be the best ship for you.
So, in conclusion, based on first impressions, I think I like MSC, and would recommend them, but I am not sure the Lirica would be on my list for my disabled clients...but it's only the first day...we shall see what we shall see.
First, some housekeeping items. I want to give a shout out to my friends at Special Needs at Sea, they came thru again, and everything was all set to go when we got to our stateroom.
Boarding was as painless as any line I have cruised with. Our party was all together at 1pm, went in, swiped passports and credit cards, and on the boat by 1:15, where a white gloved steward took us to our stateroom. It doesn't get any better than that.
After a little break, we went up to the Buffet for some lunch, and everything was, well, as good as buffets get; which is to say, not exactly haute cuisine, but it was hot, tasty and varied. Tried some ravioli in cream sauce, chicken Romano, pork Milanese and Sheperd's pie...all good.And all better than I expected, based on some of the reviews I have read.Their is a nice outside area to eat - but it got cold and blustery just about the time we were boarding so we ate inside the buffet proper. After lunch, we took a quick tour of the ship, all the usual bars, lounges, shops, blah, blah, blah, and a smallish casino. I will report more, when I actually experience the venues.
By the time we got back all our luggage was in the room waiting for us - again, as quickly as any line I have sailed with lately.
Quick unpacking, while ditching the muster drill, and time for dinner. Left the rest of my party, who were still full from lunch, and went up to the L'Ippocampo dining room. Met up with a couple of TA friends, and were joined by Jean Rice, one of MSC's group dept people. As some of you know, I had a bit of a set to with MSC about my stateroom assignment a couple of weeks ago. Ms. Rice is the lady who fixed it, and she was every bit as interested in discussing the issue, and how to prevent it in the future, as she was when we were actually working through, so props to her...a few more like that, and some of the customer service dings MSC has been getting, will surely lessen.
As far as the ship, I can only say the LIRICA is an example of a great little cruise ship from the 80's...even though it was built in 2000, it is (I think)the third in a series built for the now defunct Festival line, and obviously was designed in the late 80's/early 90's. The hallways are too narrow, as are the elevator, and every threshold on every fire door is a lip at least an inch high, making navigation with a wheelchair nearly impossible. While the stateroom itself is barrier free, and well laid out, the ship as a whole is at least a generation behind. While most people would never notice, slow walkers and wheelchair users should be warned, this may not be the best ship for you.
So, in conclusion, based on first impressions, I think I like MSC, and would recommend them, but I am not sure the Lirica would be on my list for my disabled clients...but it's only the first day...we shall see what we shall see.
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