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Tom and Mary Milano
TomandMaryMilano@Yahoo.com
Age: 75
Occupation: Retired Restauranteur
Number of Cruises: 29
Cruise Line: Princess
Ship: Coral Princess
Departure Date: February 12, 2003
Itinerary: 10 Night Partial Transit of the Panama Canal
(Our review is quite long. It reads much better if you print it.)
Our “Coral Princess” Cruise Reaffirmed All the Reasons We Love to Cruise.
The friendly, caring attitude of the crew and their desire to please us, is the number one reason we love to cruise. Of our twenty-nine cruises, we have never seen a crew that exhibited these qualities to such a high degree, as did the crew of the “Coral Princess.” This was only their fifth cruise and to watch the crew interact and see the way they performed their duties, you would think they had been working together for years. We will be telling you about the many ways they contributed in making our cruise so special.
Why we Write Reviews:
Mary & I have made twenty-nine cruises since our first cruise in the summer of
1996. We are going to repeat what we say in every one of our reviews. The reason
we have become so passionate about cruising is, Mary & I can’t think of a more
romantic, intimate, exciting way of spending quality time with the one you love,
than when on a cruise. Having been retired for twenty-nine years, has given us
the opportunity to take vacations all over the world. We thought we had
experienced the very best, that is, until we took our first cruise and realized
our cruise vacation far surpassed any vacation we had experienced. Although we
have done a lot of cruising, we do not profess to be cruise experts. We just
love cruising and our main purpose for writing a review is to share our cruise
experience with you and to help you decide if this is the ship you would like to
book for your next cruise. Cruising has added a whole new dimension to our lives
and we hope it does the same for you.
Something to Consider When Reading Our Review!
When we first began reading cruise reviews, we were surprised when we read the
reviews of two people who had been on the same ship and one said it was the best
cruise they ever made and the other said their cruise was a disaster. It didn’t
take us very long to realize that there are many reasons why this happens. We
come from different parts of the world and are used to the different customs of
our areas. We also have different preferences. Some like plain food. Some like
gourmet food. Some people are disappointed if the waiter isn’t friendly and
talkative, while others would like their service to be more refined and
professional. Some like to dress casually. Some like to get dressed to the
nines. Where one might consider the decor drab, another might define it as
understated elegance. Some of us come from the city, some from suburbia and
others from the country. Remember the words from a popular song of bygone days,
the one in which they pronounced things differently. “You say pototoes, and I
say potatoes,” “You say tomotos and I say tomatoes.” We not only pronounce
things differently but we also view things in different ways. The point we are
making is, when you read our review don’t be alarmed by anything we say. Take
what you can from it and disregard the rest. What you will be reading is just
our opinion, it doesn’t make it right or wrong, it’s just our opinion. If you
have a question about any aspect of our review, write us and we would be happy
to try and answer your questions, especially those from first time cruisers.
To Expedite the reading of our reviews, we have consolidated our suggestions at
the end of our review in a section entitled,”Suggestions That Could Enhance Your
Cruise,” which includes;
Things to do Before, During & After Your Cruise:
A Better Way of Tipping:
The Magic of the $2 Bills:
The First Hours Aboard Ship Are Important:
Should You Buy Cruise Insurance:
Addresses For Researching Your Cruise:
All Ships of a Cruise Line Are Not the Same:
You Should Write a Review:
These are Some of the Things You Will be Reading About in Our Review:
......Interesting Facts About The “Coral Princess.”
......Wimpy Considers Valentine Week ‘The Super Bowl of Marriage Maintenance:’
......Valentine Meditation. “In sickness and In Health:
......The Wheelhouse Our Favorite Lounge at Sea.
......Like Norma Zimmer of Lawrence Welk Fame, Mary is Now a Champagne Lady.
......How to Get a Free Margarita at Pancho’s in Cozumel.
......Valentine Meditation, “I Wouldn’t Think of Divorcing Her.”
......Mary Has Tied the Knot More Times Than Elizabeth Taylor
......Poem That Describes Our Life
......One of Our Finest Dining Experiences:
......Three of The Most Exceptional Bar Servers we Have Met:
......Ninth Annual A.A. Reunion Cruise to Paradise!
Embarkation:
We invite you to join us as we leave our home in New Smyrna Beach and head for
the port of Ft. Lauderdale, to embark on a 10-night partial transit of the
Panama Canal on the new Princess ship, the ‘Coral Princess.’
Mary, the director of our en-route music programming, surprised me. Besides the
usual CD’s of combo’s we had danced to on previous cruises, she also included in
her programming a series of CD’s entitled, ‘News From Lake Wobegon’ by the
humorist Garrison Keilor. Our friends, Charlie and Marie Phillips sent us this
collection of hilarious stories that Garrison tells about growing up in the
fictitious small town in Minnesota, Lake Wobegon. We laughed for three solid
hours. His stories were that funny. Then all of a sudden I was hearing the
beautiful voice of Sherri Cafaro, a vocalist we met on an RC cruise, singing one
of Wimpy’s favorite tunes, “Unforgettable.’ As I listened to Sherri’s soft,
velvety tones, I felt a shiver go up my spine as I felt the Wimpy persona taking
hold. Mary knew what she was doing. For the last half hour of our drive she
played the sensual, sultry music she knew would turn Macho Tom into the cruise
companion she loved, that delightful, lovable Wimpy character. By the time we
arrived at the terminal we were in full cruise mode and eagerly looking forward
to celebrating our 30th ‘Honeymoon.’ (Our first ‘Honeymoon’ was when we married
and the other 29 are our cruises.)
***Our regular readers are familiar with the Wimpy character but for our new
readers, a quick explanation. Tom had been a Macho man most of his early life.
In his latter years he began to realize when he did those little wimpy things
that Mary loved him to do, his lovely Mary gave him a lot more reason to smile.
Although Tom was macho, he wasn’t dumb. When Tom is at sea, on another of their
‘Honeymoons,’ he takes on the Wimpy persona to it’s highest degree by using
these occasions as an opportunity to do all sorts of lovely little wimpy things
for his Mary***
When we approached the terminal area we were asked to present a photo ID. We
left our luggage with the porters and entered the terminal at 11:30. After
having our carry-ons scanned we boarded the ship at 12:00 and inserted our ships
card into a machine that also took our picture. The entire boarding process was
quick and painless... now come with us as we go to our cabin and meet our cabin
attendant.
Cabin:
We had an inside cabin that had the best layout of any cabin we have had, other
than a suite. As you entered you looked directly at a large mirror on the back
wall above the bed. Immediately to the left was a short hallway that had the
closet on the right and on the left was the entrance to the bathroom. Straight
ahead, at the end of the hallway was a cabinet with shelves, with a safe on the
top shelf. It was the most spacious closet/cabinet arrangement we have seen. My
Mary packs enough clothes so she has a choice of dress’s in case she has a
sudden change of mind and even with this amount of clothes, we still had excess
room in the closet.
As you walk into the main part of the cabin, you again see the mirror and it
reflects back the desk area which also has large mirror. It gives the room a
very spacious feeling. There is a night stand with two drawers, on both sides of
the queen-sized bed. The desk has drawers on the left side and an empty
refrigerator on the right. An inside cabin is the best possible blackout
curtain. If I hadn’t checked the time I would have slept past breakfast most
every morning.
Wimpy did his usual thing with his cabin enhancers. The Wizard scented plug-ins,
a three-outlet connection, a night light and a can of air-freshener. He looked
at Mary and smiled as he plugged in the Gardenia Wizards. It wasn’t long before
the sweet scent of Gardenias wafted through the cabin. I watched as Mary inhaled
deeply and then she looked at me and smiled. Wimpy knew this Valentines week was
going to be something... very... very special..
There was knock on our door and our cabin attendant Brandon entered and
introduced himself. We weren’t talking but moments when I handed him his
envelope with the weeks gratuity. He was surprised. I told him, on the day of
disembarkation we would like to come back to our room after breakfast and wait
there until our color was called. He said, “No problem mon.” Brandon was the
perfect steward. We rarely saw him but the room was kept immaculate. These
people rarely see the light of day and deserve your generosity. They take care
of 14-18 cabins and a little math will explain why it’s such a difficult job.
They make up the cabin twice a day. If they take 20-30 minutes to make the bed,
clean the bathroom, vacuum the room and tidy up, that makes for a very long day.
We were happy to make out a “You Make a Difference” card for Brando.... now
before we make a tour of the ship, we think you should know some interesting
facts about the ‘Coral Princess.’
Interesting Facts About the ‘Coral Princess:’
This is an entirely new class of ship for the Princess Line. The 88,000-ton
“Coral Princess” has the same amount of public space as the larger “Grand’ class
ships, with fewer passengers. It has several cruising firsts. The Bayou Café, a
New Orleans type restaurant featuring Cajun and Creole specialties and a live
Jazz combo. The ScholarShip@Sea program which allows the passengers to
participate in lecture and enrichment programs during their cruise. The Universe
lounge, a two deck show lounge with three revolving stages with giant projection
screens. Perfect setting for full blown Las Vegas type shows. The only cruise
line with a wedding at sea program.
Another very interesting first is the Coral Princess’ unique gas turbine/diesel
engines. The new gas turbines are installed in the funnel, freeing additional
space for the ships public rooms and onboard facilities. The engine design
results in a significantly lower levels of noise and vibrations... If you are
not comfortable reading things of a sentimental, romantic nature... it might be
best if you skipped the next few paragraphs.
Wimpy Considers Valentines Week the Super Bowl of Marriage Maintenance.
(The reason I am writing about Wimpy so soon into our review, is because the
thought and effort of what he did to surprise his lady Mary, set a romantic tone
for everything that took place on our cruise.)
I remember the early days when I kept the same car for a number of years, I had
to occasionally charge the battery or it wouldn’t run. In a way marriage is a
lot like that. Every now and then you have to make sure you recharge the
batteries of affection and love, to keep your marriage running smoothly. I
remember reading that, “A marriage may be made in Heaven but the maintenance
takes place on earth.” If ever there was a time for some serious marriage
maintenance, Valentine week is it.
Mary had told me that the best and most memorable part of our cruises are the
things Wimpy did to surprise her. Wimpy knew he had to do something very special
for Valentine week. Wimpy prepared for it the same way a coach prepared for the
big game. He thought about all sorts of things he could do to surprise Mary and
after much soul searching, he formulated his game plan. Defense may win the big
games in football but it’s a strong offense that’s needed for a super week of
marriage maintenance. Now for Wimpy’s game plan:
In thinking about our past life and realizing the enormity of the things Mary
has done for me and continues to do for me, I knew a one day celebration would
not be adequate. I knew my game plan had to encompass the entire field, the ten
days of our cruise. I started preparations a full six weeks before our cruise.
In shopping around for ideas, I came upon some beautiful animal figures that
were magnetized so that their lips met in a kiss. I started collecting them.
Ladybugs, little bears, big bears. monkeys, you name it, I collected it. I also
collected some small Valentine frames, one in Lucite, another in silver and a
silver box with a heart-shaped insert for a picture. I searched our albums for
the appropriate pictures and framed them. I was a steady customer at the
Hallmark store, searching for cards that spoke my heart and for some humorous
ones that offered a change of pace. For ten days my computer room was out of
bounds for Mary, while I wrapped each gift in Valentine paper and matching
trimmings and wrote a note on each of the cards. I had to buy an additional
carry-on for the gifts. Like the coaches, I had done my preparation for the big
event and now it was time to deliver.
I usually wake up a half hour or so before Mary and go to the lunch room to fill
two thermos mugs with coffee to take back to our cabin. When I get back to the
room, it isn’t very long before Mary is awake and heads for the bathroom. That’s
when I would get the gift for that day from the valise and put it on her night
stand with a card. I had so many gifts and cards that in order for me to keep
track, I had a calender with notes I made of the gift and the card for that day.
It was the same as a coach having a play book. Besides this, I had typed a pad
of notes of endearment on 3 x 3 post-its and affixed them at different times to
the bathroom mirror, on the desk mirror, on the lamp on her night stand and
other places I’m not going to tell you about. Needless to say, it was a week we
will never forget. To start each day with such depth of feeling, set the stage
for the most heart warming and memorable cruises we have made.
I learned in my latter years that time and effort expended, are more appreciated
than giving extravagant gifts. I remember reading about a native boy in Africa,
who walked fifty miles to give a gift of a few colorful shells to a parting
Missionary. When he gave the missionary his gift, he said, “Long walk part of
gift.” I know from my Mary’s reaction that “Much effort by Wimpy is the most
important part of his gift.”... I hope we still have a few men readers with
us... if so... I invite them to join us as we take a quick walk around the four
decks of the Atrium. We’re going to tell you of the various venues and a little
later we will visit some of them and give you a more in depth description.
The Atrium:
Fifth Deck: As you can see, the Atrium is a very beautiful area. This is the hub
of the ship and everyone visits here sometime during the day. It rises from the
fifth deck, the Princess Plaza, to the eighth deck. The Princess Plaza is
comprised of the Bordeaux Dining Room, the Passenger Services Desk, the Tour
Desk and La Patisserie, where in the afternoon, we found a cozy corner and I
sipped a Coffee Lotte, with my lovely Mary.
Sixth Deck:
This is where the Provence Dining Room is situated and where we enjoyed
afternoon tea. The remainder of the circular area is a series of shops. The
Grand Casino. We liked the fact that we didn’t have to walk through the Casino
to get to the aft end of the ship. The Explorers Lounge, another show/dance
venue. The Photo Gallery, that does an exceptional job in taking and displaying
pictures. And finally the Universe Lounge. The most elaborate stage set up we
have seen. Three stages, all capable of revolving, with various lifting
capabilities. This is where they showed movies during the day.
Seventh Deck:
The Princess Theater is at the froward end of the ship. On the way to the
theater you pass the Churchill Lounge, a cozy lounge for enjoying a drink and a
cigar. The Crooners, a classic 1960's martini bar, with pictures of Frankie and
the “Rat Pack” decorating the entire wall area.
The Wedding Chapel, a beautiful intimate area used for Princess’ wedding-at-sea program. Princess Fine Arts Gallery. A separate Art Gallery room for displaying the art aboard ship. A great idea. Sabatini’s Trattoria. An elegant Italian restaurant. The Bayou Café.’ A New Orleans type restaurant featuring a live New Orleans Jazz combo. The upper level of the Universe Lounge. And last but not least, our all time favorite lounge at sea, the “Wheelhouse Lounge.” We will be telling you much more about the “Wheelhouse” and the wonderful trio of servers that helped make our cruise one of the best we have had.
Eight Deck:
The Cardrooms, the Library and the Internet Café.
One of Our Finest Dining Experiences:
This is going to be difficult to write about because it is very hard to convey
in writing, the feeling of warmth and caring that emanated from the Maitre
D’hotel, Generosa Mazzone, his assistant Guiseppe Franchini and the entire
dining room staff. Generosa is the epitome of what a maitre d’ should be. We
sailed with him and his assistant on the Ocean Princess just before the ship was
transferred to the parent company. After we booked the Coral Princess, I called
my agent and asked him to find out who was the Maitre D’hotel. When he told us
it was Generosa, I knew we were going to have a great dining experience, it
couldn’t be any other way. When we went to dinner and walked into the entrance
of the Bordeaux dining room, Generosa saw us and he came toward us with a big
smile on his face, both hands outstretched and gave us a big cheery greeting,
“Buona Sera Tom & Mary, Buona Sera.” He then gave Mary a big hug and kissed her
on both cheeks and you guessed it, he did the same with me. He is without a
doubt, a most charming man, who completely disarms you with his warmth and
sincere display of affection. The picture shows Generosa, on one of those
occasions when he was greeting me. Guiseppe then came to meet us and greeted us
in the same fashion. Guiseppe is very much like Generosa. He is also very
friendly and outgoing and has a winning personality. Every evening when we
entered the dining room, we got the same type of greeting. What a wonderful,
uplifting way to begin ones dinner. It was because of these men and the servers
at our station that we had the finest dining experience of our twenty nine
cruises. We had some very special moments with these two men, that we will never
forget. I will tell you about them later on in our review.
We were seated at a table for four with our friends the Phillips. We had excellent servers. Joao, from Portugal was our waiter and Pedro from Mexico was his assistant. Joao was everything you would want a waiter to be and then some. He seemed to anticipate our every desire and was very helpful in making suggestions. We developed a very warm relationship with him and we looked forward to the evenings when we would see him.
Mary & I owned and operated an award winning restaurant and we know how
difficult it is to train a staff to perform at a very high level. After only
their fifth cruise, to have the dining room staff come together and perform as
they did on this cruise, is a remarkable achievement and the person responsible
for this superlative effort is Generosa Mazzone and we salute him for doing such
a outstanding job.
Even though exceptional service adds greatly to the enjoyment of a meal, the
benchmark for judging a restaurant is the quality of its food. We’re happy to
tell you, the food couldn’t have been better. We can truthfully say we enjoyed
every single meal. Not only was the food delicious but the way it was presented
and garnished made your eyes tell your stomach it was about to have something
very special. The Executive Chef, Michele Cozzoli has done an top-flight job and
without a doubt is one of the finest Executive Chefs in the cruise industry. The
only dining room experience we have had that could compare to this, was our
first cruise on Celebrity’s Zenith, in 1996.
On our last cruise aboard the ‘Brilliance of the Seas,’ I gained seven lbs. in
eleven days. When I returned home I decided to do something about my weight and
started eating the Atkins way. Within a short period of time I lost the seven
lbs I had gained. I had such good results, I decided I would try to continue
doing the same on our cruise. On the eighth night I saw on the menu my all-time
favorite dessert, a Chocolate Souffle. After eight days of not having a pastry
or cake of any kind, I couldn’t resist and I gave Joao my order for a Chocolate
Souffle... the way I like to have it served. I told him I wanted the Souffle
left in the Ramekin so I could open the top crust with my knife. Then after the
hot, thick, rich Zabaglione was poured into the dough, I told him I wanted a
scope of Vanilla ice cream to put on top of the hot Zabaglione and have it melt
into the Souffle. Joao kept laughing as I gave him my order. He said he never
had anyone ask to have a Souffle served this way. Just the thought of having
this unbelievable combination of the exquisite taste sensations of cold, creamy
ice cream over the thick, hot Zabaglione caused me to start salivating. Mary &
the Phillips were having a great time laughing at me because they could see I
could hardly wait until Joao brought me my first dessert in eight days. I didn’t
realize Charlie had his camera with him. When the dessert arrived, I slit the
crust on the top of the souffle like a surgeon performing surgery. I made the
incision and poured the thick, hot zabaglione into the dough, all the time
moaning and groaning in anticipation of the taste sensation I was about to
experience. I then placed the ball of ice cream in the Zabaglione and watched it
as it slowly melted and became one. It looked so good, I asked Joao to bring me
two more scopes of ice cream and I also dropped them into the Zabaglione. I
commenced to eat my Souffle and savored every spoonful. I took a full half hour
to consume this extraordinarily, delicious concoction, moaning and groaning all
the way. I don’t think I have ever enjoyed a dessert as much as I enjoyed that
souffle. Even Guiseppe came to the table to see what was going on. While I was
working my way to the bottom of the ramekin, I hadn’t noticed that my moaning
and groaning had drawn the attention of the people at the table next to ours,
who happened to be one of the lecturers, Captain Michael. All the time this was
taken place, Charlie was taking the pictures you see below. After I finished, I
slowly leaned back in my chair and was in a state of complete ecstacy, when
Captain Michael came by as he was leaving the dining room and with a big smile
on his face, he said, “You know, I’ve been watching you eat that Souffle and I
don’t think I have ever seen anyone enjoy a dessert like you have. He was
laughing as he said. “You remind me of the cafeteria scene with Meg Ryan, in the
movie, “Sleepless In Seattle.” The four of us almost fell out of our chairs. We
had a real good laugh belly laugh. The perfect ending to a fabulous dinner. Next
time you cruise on the Princess Line, try a Souffle the way I ordered it and see
if it has the same effect on you. If you do, write us and tell us about it.
BTW, I had another Souffle on the final night. When we returned home and weighed myself, I was much surprised to see, I had lost a full lb. A dream come true. Being on a ten day cruise and not gaining any weight but instead losing a lb. It proved to me that eating the Atkins way works... I think it’s time for a change of pace... being this was a Valentines week cruise, we decided to intersperse our cruise remarks with a series of meditations of love and marriage... we hope you enjoy them... the following article expresses the ultimate in fulfilling ones marriage vows...
“In Sickness and In Health”
My wife Muriel, has Alzheimer's Disease. She has started speaking only in
phrases and single words. But she can say one sentence, "I love you." She not
only says it, she acts it. At first, the board of the seminary where I work
arranged for a companion to stay in our home so I could go to the office. During
those two years, as soon as I left for the office, Muriel would take out after
me. With me, she was content; without me, she was distressed, sometimes terror
stricken. The walk to school is a mile round trip. She would make that trip as
many as ten times a day.
Sometimes at night when l helped her undress, I found bloody feet. When I told
our family doctor he choked up. "Such love," he said simply. Then, after a
moment, "I have a theory that the characteristics developed across the years
come out at times like these."
Muriel still feeds herself, but leaves all other functions to me. Yet she is
contented (which is my goal) and often bubbles with laughter. What more could I
ask? I have a home full of love and laughter; many couples with their wits about
them don't have that! When Muriel reaches out to me in the night hours or smiles
contentedly and lovingly as she awakes, I thank the Lord for his grace and ask
him to let me keep her. Muriel is the joy of my life... A devoted husband living
his vows to the fullest... it’s now time to take you to our favorite lounge at
sea, the “Wheelhouse.”
The Wheelhouse Lounge–The Number One Lounge at Sea:
The Wheelhouse is a very beautifully appointed room. Just off the foyer is a
small Ships Museum with pictures and memorabilia of the early ocean liners. As
you enter the room you get the feeling your in a different era and are walking
into the library or study of an old English Manor. The room is handsomely
decorated in rich, mahogany wall paneling, with pictures of the great ocean
liners of the past interspersed along the walls. It has a series of warm, cozy
seating arrangements of cocktail tables surrounded by a sofa, two winged back
chairs and end tables with lamps. Some of the chairs are done in attractive
materials and others were finished in soft leather.
As our regular readers know, we enjoy dancing before and after dinner. We find
it’s a wonderful, romantic way to start the evening. We usually dine at 6:00 or
6:30 and on most cruise ships finding a lounge where we can dance before dinner,
is rare if not impossible. Not so with Princess. Princess, on all it’s ships,
schedules two combo’s to play in the Wheelhouse. One starts at 5:00 and plays
till nine and the other starts at 9:00 and plays to closing and they alternate
their schedule each day.
Both combo’s, the ‘Laura Farrow Trio’ and the Don Sauro Trio,’ had a great beat
and played our kind of music, the great ballads of bygone days. Laura Farrow had
an exceptional voice and knew how to put over a song. She sang all our favorite
ballads, ‘Wanted’... ‘Unforgettable’... ‘Embraceable You’... ‘Only You’... and
on and on down memory lane. Mary as usual, looked absolutely stunning. Mary has
retained her figure and is the same size as the day we were married. Through the
years she has added to her wardrobe but never throws anything out. Consequently,
she has an extensive wardrobe and uses all of it. I’ve said this before but it
bears repeating. My Mary is like a rare vintage wine, she truly gets better and
better with age. Just looking at the pictures in this review and I’m sure you
will agree with me. Each evening I couldn’t wait to get to the Wheelhouse, so I
could take Mary in my arms and dance, while listening the Laura singing those
wonderful love ballads of yesteryear. As we danced, I made sure we covered the
entire floor so everyone could see how lovely Mary looked. We did pretty good in
the dance department. We danced our W.W #2 slide and glide, a very decent Rhumba
and a lively Cha-Cha. The Cha-Cha caused both of us to have very sore calf
muscles for two days but we didn’t mind. We danced every night before and after
dinner and if we didn’t make the show it didn’t matter. We were having the time
of our lives. We have never been on a cruise that satisfied our desires as much
as our cruise on the ‘Coral.’
Three of The Most Exceptional Bar Servers we Have Met:
As you might imagine, we have met numerous bar servers during our twenty-nine
cruises but we never met servers like Arnold, Arvin and Joseph, who worked in
the Wheelhouse. The first night we broke the ice by doing the $2 thing with each
one. From that moment on our relationship with them blossomed. As soon as one of
them saw us walk into the lounge he would come over to us, with a big smile on
his face and greet us. We weren’t exactly money producing customers, with Mary
occasionally having a drink and me having my usual club soda and a wedge of
lime. That wasn’t important to them. As the days went on, we learned about each
of their families and what their aspirations were and we became more and more
enamored with them. They each had wonderful personalities and we looked forward
to our conversations with them. Our friends the Phillips often joined us and the
young men responded to them in the same fashion. As the cruise drew to an end,
we knew we were going to miss them so I asked them if they had an e-mail
address. I told them I wanted to keep in touch with them and send them our
‘Teaspoon of Spiritual Nourishment’ to read, so they could have an inspirational
message to start their day. They were very excited. Arnold had an e-mail address
but the others didn’t. Before I could say anything to Arvin and Joseph, they
hurriedly told me they would get e-mail addresses’ so I could also write to
them. When Mary & I spoke to these young men, we felt such a warmth toward them,
it was as if we were conversing with family members. The last day of the cruise
we happened to see Arnold during the day and he asked us if we would be at the
Wheelhouse that evening. He said I hope so because I have something I want to
give you. That night when we went to the Wheelhouse Arnold met us and handed us
a package and a note. When we opened our package, we were astonished to see that
this young man had spent some of his hard earned money to buy us a gift, two
white Princess baseball type caps like the crew wore. The comments in his note
brought a tear to our eye. He then asked us and the Phillips to take a picture
with the three of them. Can you imagine the emotions we felt?
Since we returned home, I have been sending Arnold the ‘Teaspoon’ every night so he has it to read in the morning. Just yesterday we received an e-mail addressed to Mrs. Mary and Tom Milano... Greetings From Three Young Men!! It went on to say, they went ashore and were writing their e-mail from an internet café and that Arvin and Joseph had opened E-mail addresses’ so we could write to them. He signed it, Love And Prayer From The Young Guys... Arvin.. Joseph.. and Arnold. Meeting these three young men was one of the highlights of our cruise and will be a memory we will always treasure. These three young men, exemplify to the highest degree, how a cruise line would like their crew to interact with their guests. We hope Princess recognizes the worth of these three young men. If you happen to meet Arnold, Arvin or Joseph, make sure you tell them... Tom and Mary said hello... we hope you have an appetite.. because we want you to join us for diner at the signature alternative restaurant of the Princess Fleet.
Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria:
We had dinner in Sabatini’s, with our friends the Phillips. This is a very
elegant restaurant setting, with an open grill area where you can see your food
being prepared. We have dined in many Italian restaurants but I have never been
to one that served food like it was served at Sabatini’s. Before I tell you
about our dinner, I want to mention the Maitre d’ Constantine. He greeted us
very warmly, and after having just a few minutes of conversation he made us feel
completely at ease. I mentioned Generosas name to him and he smiled and said,
“Generosa was my mentor for six years and whatever I am is because of him.” What
a nice thing to have a fellow employee say about you. He led us to a very nicely
appointed table in a private alcove. He introduced us to the waiters who would
be serving us and said he would be back to see how we were doing.
The head waiter, (I’m sorry I don’t recall the server’s names, it seemed every
time I turned around, we had a different one) told us we were going to
have an opportunity to taste small portions of many Italian delicacies, some
that we may never have had. Within moments waiters began bringing us an array of
Antipasto items... Sweet Melon, imported from Italy... Tender Shrimp and
Marinated Artichoke, with White Truffle Oil.... Porcini Mushroom with Olive
Oil...Steamed Black Mussels... Deviled Crab Cakes with a Salmon Roe Rouille...
Beef Filet, with Grilled Vegetables and Sun Dried Tomatoes... Breaded Soft
Italian Cheese in Olives Tapenade, a thin slice of Nordica Pizza topped with
Wild Smoked Salmon, Fresh Tomato, Garlic, Sprinkled with Capers and Dill and
then Sergio Caviar on Potato Latkes and Chive Cream. All this and we hadn’t
ordered our dinner. Just before the waiter took our order for soup, he took our
entree order which he said would be served after the Pasta course. As you might
imagine, after the Pasta course we were ready for the first available couch.
When the entrees were served, we did little more than taste them. Our palates
and our stomachs were exhausted sampling all these gastronomical delights. I
think my friend Charlie termed it best when he said it was an ‘Adventure in
Dining.’ If you cruise on the Coral Princess, make sure you try Sabatini’s, it’s
a one of a kind dining experience. There is a cover charge of ($15) which
includes gratuity... we are now going to tell you about a very pleasant lunch we
had at the Bayou restaurant.
The Bayou Café:
When you enter the Bayou you feel your in the French Quarters in New Orleans. It
is the first New Orleans-theme restaurant at sea with a menu that features
peel-and-eat shrimp,.alligator ribs, gumbos and jambalaya., not to mention a
bevy of exotic cocktails.
We had a wonderful lunch here and met two delightful servers, Orlindo and
Antonio, both were from Portugal. There wasn’t anything on the menu that
appealed to us but with their help we had an excellent lunch and a lot of
laughs. After we had desert, the food and Beverage manager Dow came to our table
with an arm filled with strands of colored beads. He said to Mary, may I, and
preceded to place four or five strands around her neck. A nice touch of the New
Orleans flavor. Cover charge of ($8) includes complimentary cocktail.
BTW, at night at the Bayou, you can sit in the lounge area and listen to a great
Jazz combo that plays from 8:00 till mid-night. You really feel like your in New
Orleans... now a short break so you can read another of our Valentine
meditations.
“I Wouldn’t Think Of Divorcing Her”
After two years of marriage, Pete no longer saw his wife as interesting, fun, or
attractive. In his mind, he regarded her as a sloppy housekeeper, overweight,
and a woman with a fault-finding personality. He sought out a divorce attorney,
who advised him: “Pete, if you really want to get even with your wife, start
treating her like a queen! Do everything in your power to serve her, please her,
and make her feel special. Then, after a couple of months of this royal
treatment, pack your bags and leave. That way you’ll disappoint her as much as
she has disappointed you.”
Pete could hardly wait to enact the plan! He picked up a dozen roses on his way
home, helped his wife with dinner dishes, brought her breakfast in bed, and
began complimenting her on her clothes, cooking, and housekeeping. He even
treated her to an out-of-town trip.
After three months, the attorney called and said, “Well, I have the divorce
papers ready for you to sign. In a matter of minutes, you can be a happy
bachelor.”
“Are you crazy?” Pete said. “My wife has made so many changes, I wouldn’t think
of divorcing her.”
it has been said... success in marriage, is much more than finding the right
person, it is mostly a matter of... being the right person... now relax as we
tell you about an interesting program that Princess calls Scholarship@Sea.
Princess Scholarship@Sea:
Is a lecture, enrichment program that encourages you to “Learn While Cruising.”
The lectures and demonstrations are held in the Universe Lounge which has the
capability, with it’s three revolving stages and giant projection screens, to
broadcast a cooking demonstration to an audience of more than 400 people. It
also can accommodate 50 passengers for a hands-on web page design seminar. This
program gives the passengers the opportunity to learn new skills or update their
knowledge on a variety of topics, including pottery, cooking, computer skills,
web page design, estate planning, watercolor techniques, finance, photography
and visual arts. A number of new features were built into the ship, including a
full demonstration kitchen, like the kind you see on the TV food shows and the
first onboard pottery studio and kilns. All courses are free and passengers can
enjoy as many as they wish.
Some of the lectures offered on our cruise:
Chess: History & Rules of the Game
Responsibility of Grand Parenting: Godfrey Harris
Advanced PC Concepts: Fred Perry
From Russia With Love: Barbara D. Mayer
Breadfruit Bligh & Events Leading to the Bounty Mutiny: Captain Michael Irving
Digital Cameras: Fred Perry
Financial Implementation of Weather Derivatives: Anjelina Belakovskaia
Horatio Nelson-El Pequeno Almirante Ingrel: Captain Michael
I think it’s time to tell you about the cruise director and the culinary
demonstrations..
The Culinary Demonstrations Hosted by The Cruise Director Paul O’Loughlin:
Paul was the cruise director when we sailed on the Grand Princess. He was great
then and even better now, if that is possible. His background is that of a
performer and it is evident in every thing he does. He has total command when he
is on stage and has just the right comment for every situation. We particularly
enjoyed his banter during the Culinary Demonstrations. The two Culinary
Demonstrations we attended are part of the new Princess Scholarship@Sea program.
The demonstrations were held on center stage of the Universe lounge with the
same type kitchen set-up that you see on Food TV. One of the demonstrations
featured Executive Chef Michele Cozzoli and Sous Chef Joachim Grill, assisted by
Generosa Mazzone and the other featured Generosa and Michele as his assistant.
They explained the ingredients that they were using and preceded to do the
cooking of the particular dish they were preparing. As they were chopping and
adding ingredients, overhead cameras were focused on the counter and range and
the pictures were shown on two large screens on either side of center stage. It
was a great way to show what they were doing and it proved to be very effective.
A lot of friendly kidding was taking place between Chef Cozzoli and Generosa and
the audience of some 400 people were completely absorbed in what was being said
and what was being done. Paul O’Loughlin used them both as foils for his very
humorous remarks. Chef Cozzoli, Generosa and Paul O’Loughlin would make a good
comedy act. If you get a chance to witness one of their demonstrations, don’t
miss it. They are pros in every sense of the word and it’s a unique format to
display the art of cooking.
BTW, Princess has a cook book they sell at the Culinary Demonstrations. It
contains the favorite recipes of the Executive Chefs in their fleet. We
purchased one and have tried some of the recipes and they turned out very well.
The photos in the book are the most outstanding photography of food we have ever
seen. The pictures alone are worth the price of the book... now that you know
everything about Italian cooking... come with us and be our witnesses... we’re
going to get married again!
Renewing our Wedding Vows... Again:
The Magradome is an enclosed pool area with a moveable glass canopy that can be
closed in inclement weather. Captain Pickford chose to hold his renewal of
Wedding Vows ceremony in this area. Some fifty to sixty people were in
attendance. It was of much shorter duration than the many others we have
attended. My Mary just loves getting married. I have been keeping count and I
can now announce that she has been married more times than Elizabeth Taylor.
Thank God, unlike Elizabeth Taylor, she keeps on marrying the same man.
BTW, unique in the cruise industry, Princess’ wedding-at-sea program is the only one which allows couples to be married in international waters by the ship’s captain. The bride and groom can choose from several different wedding and reception packages that include flowers, music, a photo session, champagne, cake and other extras. The Bride & Groom can share their happy day with their loved ones at home through Princess’ unique “Wed Cam’ on the company’s website, princess.com If your planning a wedding you would do well to give this some thought. It would be a fabulous way to have a wedding and honeymoon... a Valentine mediatation... did you know Geese mate for life?
Geese Are a Wonderful Example of Undying Love
Few sights evoke as much attention, and awe, as that of a large flock of
Canadian geese winging their way in their V-formation to the north or south.
What many don’t know is that when a goose gets sick, or perhaps is wounded by a
shot, it never falls from formation by itself. Two other geese also fall out of
formation with it and follow the ailing goose down to the ground. One of them is
very often the mate of the wounded bird, since geese mate for life and are
extremely loyal to their mates. Once on the ground, the healthy birds help
protect him and care for him as much as possible, even to the point of throwing
themselves between the weakened bird and possible predators. They stay with him
until he is either able to fly, or until he dies. Then, and only then, do they
launch out on their own. In most cases, they wait for another group of geese to
fly overhead and they join them, adding to safety and flying efficiency of their
numbers... Valentine meditations like this give us a great deal to think
about... we hope you have enjoyed them... now to tell you about the
entertainment.
Entertaiment:
We can’t tell you much about the entertainment because we skipped most of the
shows and spent our evenings tripping the light fantastic in the Wheelhouse. We
did see the last production show, “Curtain Up.” It was rather unique in that the
cast did all of their costume changes without ever leaving the stage. A very
talented cast sang the songs from hit Broadway shows. Their presentation of
“Cabaret” was our favorite.
We like the way Princess schedules their entertainment. They give you a choice
of shows to see and
often repeat shows for those who missed seeing them the first time around.
We had very negatives feeling about the group that played in the”Explorers
Lounge.” We went there three different times to dance and the group never played
dance music. They played as if they were in concert and never played any songs
we could dance too. I’m sure Princess will do something about this. It’s a shame
to have a lounge as beautiful as the Explorer and see it three quarters empty
most of the time... now it’s going to be my pleasure to have you meet the lady
that was chosen to be the Champagne Lady of the Coral Princess.
Mary and “Norma Zimmer of Lawrence Welk Fame” are Both Champagne Ladies.
Mary was chosen to be the Champagne Lady and assist Maitre D’hotel, Generosa
Mazzone in pouring the first bottle of champagne into the champagne glass atop
the 700 glasses of the Champagne Waterfall. Starting at 11:00 o’clock Generosa
assisted by the head waiters of the two dining rooms began slowly building a
pyramid of 700 champagne glasses that reached several feet high. In the
meanwhile, lines were tied to the rails of the decks and party streamers were
begriming to be tossed over the lines, giving the area real party atmosphere.
While the pyramid of glasses was growing in height, the band began playing and
the crowds grew larger and larger. When the final stage was reached, with a
single champagne glass at the top of the pyramid, some 1,500 passengers had
gathered around the rails of the four decks of the Atrium. It looked like the
setting of a spectacular New Years Party.
At 11:45 Guissepe came and escorted Mary to the platform ladder besides the Pyramid. Paul O’Loughlin was the M.C. He made his usual humorous remarks and made the announcement that Mrs. Mary Milano is our Champagne Lady. Then with the band playing a drum roll and everyone joining in the countdown, Generosa helped Mary up the ladder and held her hand as she poured the champagne into the top glass. The crowd burst into applause as the champagne rolled over the edge of the glass and then trickled down into the lower glasses. Mary was thrilled to have been chosen to be the first one to pour the champagne onto the pyramid. She looked every bit the champagne Lady, in a beautiful white gown. After he helped Mary down the ladder, Generosa invited lady after lady to climb the ladder and keep pouring champagne into the top glass. The Atrium was a bedlam of singing and dancing and a huge conga line formed that weaved its was in and out of the crowd. It was a site to behold. But the piece de resistance, was when everyone on the four decks, including the crew, joined in doing the Macarena. This mad frenzy lasted for a full half hour with a continuos flow of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. It was a site we will never forget. To see so many people enjoying themselves so fully, having the time of their lives. This evening will be locked in our memory forever... now we're going to the 12th deck to visit the Horizon lunch buffet room.
The Horizon:
Is a very nice lunch area with a very fine selection of food items. They had one
or two carving stations every day. They also featured an egg station where you
could have your eggs done anyway you like. The one negative we found is the
entrance area and the way they have their lines set up. It is barely six feet
from the entrance doors and they have the pick up station for plates and
utensils. This causes a jam even when there are few people in line. Another
problem is they have their food stations set in a row, one after the other. You
have to stay in line even if you don’t want anything from the first two
stations. If you go ahead to the station with the food you want, people are mad
because your cutting into the line. If it at all possible, they should change
the traffic pattern.
The Pool Area:
It’s a very nice pool area with a very large dance area in front of the band
stand, which is the home of a group called the Sugar Canes. They are very good
and play all the songs that let you know your cruising the Caribbean Seas.
Aft of the main pool area is another pool in the Magradome and the Spa & Gym
areas. We usually spend a great deal of our time in this pool area but the first
day we tried it, four boys were cannon balling into the pool and making a racket
and nobody was doing anything about it. These type areas on Royal Caribbean
which they call Solariums are restricted to person over sixteen and they closely
supervise the area so that it retains a serene atmosphere. We intend to do a lot
of cruising on the Princess line and we hope they do something about this very
beautiful area so we can use it in the future.
The spa and gym are very spacious. We didn’t use either one. All the way aft is
a very small pool that wasn’t used very often.
Panama Canal and Ports of Call:
We were in a good position on the rail as we made passage through the locks of
the Panama Canal A running commentary that could be heard on the decks explained
everything that was taken place. It was very interesting. I think you will be
surprised to learn that the Princess Line pays a fee of $245,000 to the
government of Panama to access the canal, which comes to approximately $120 per
passenger, the highest toll paid by a cruise ship. Tolls are levied on a net ton
basis, under a special Panama Canal measuring system. The lowest toll ever
collected was 36 cents, paid by Richard Halliburton for swimming through the
canal in 1928.
Sorry but we can’t tell you much about the Ports of Call. We have been to the
Caribbean Ports many times and have seen what we wanted to see. On our recent
cruises, we very seldom go ashore. We find when everybody is ashore we can more
readily enjoy the amenities of the ship. We occasionally get off the ship and
walk the pier so we can see the ship from different perspective... before you
read our conclusion, we would like you to read a poem that expresses how Mary &
I feel about our life.
We’re Having The Time of Our Lives!
We’re having the time of our life right now,
The battle is almost won,
Our faith is strong and our conscience clear,
And we’ve only just begun
To know the peace He has promised us,
The joy of a job well done,
and we count our blessings along the way,
And thank him for every one.
We’re having the time of our life now,
For we never thought we’d be
Given a second chance such as
The Lord has given us,
To see with clearer eyes than we
Have ever seen before,
To Know that when we knock,
His hand will open the door.
How like a dream our old life seems,
So far within the past,
We’ve traded foolish fancies for
The things we know will last.
And we’re strong within His strength,
And precious in His sight,
Accepting all He sends, because
His ways are always right.
We’re having the time of our life now,
Because we’ve learned to share
Everything we do with God,
Each minute we are here,
For He alone can read our hearts,
And know what is within,
And He makes all things wonderful,
...Because He is our friend.
All of the above makes our life what it is.
Tom & Mary
Conclusion:
As the Poem says, Mary & I are having the time of our lives and we had the time
of our life on this Princess cruise. We have had many wonderful times in our
long life and we have shared many very special moments, but with that said, we
both feel that the enjoyment we experienced on this cruise on the “Coral
Princess, is in a category all by itself. And the major reason for this
happening is the main reason we are so passionate about cruising. Its because of
the friendly, warm, caring attitude of the crews of these magnificent floating
resorts, and particulary the "Coral Princess," that make the cruise industry
what it is. What vacation can you think of that you could do twenty nine times,
and say, that the twenty ninth time was the best yet.
We are going to celebrate our 38th anniversary on Celebrity “Summit” April 14th.
This will be our second cruise on the Summit. Then on September 13th we look
forward to meeting felloe A.a. members on the Ninth Annual A.A. Reunion Cruise
to Paradise, on RC’s “Navigator of the Sea.” And if Generosa Mazzone and
Guiseppe Franchini are still on the Coral Princess the week after Thanksgiving,
we will book the Coral Princess again. We want Generosa and Guiseppe to be the
hosts of Mary’s birthday celebration. Can you believe the lady you see in this
picture is going to celebrate her 80th birthday on December 2nd. Leo
Buscaglia is right on target when he said, “ Love is the long-sought Fountain of
Youth. As long as we love, we remain young.” Mary is living proof of that.
Thank you for your patience in reading our very long review. We hope we have
given you the information you were seeking. We would be happy to answer any
questions you might have, especially those from first time cruisers.
P.S. Some items I might have overlooked in our review can be seen in our “Loose
Ends & Random Thoughts” section at the end of our review.
May your next cruise be your best,
Warm regards,
Tom & Mary Milano
TomandMaryMilano@Yahoo.com
SUGGESTIONS THAT COULD ENHANCE YOUR CRUISE:
Pre Cruise Things To Do:
For those of you who are reading our reviews for the first time, we suggest some
pre cruise things to do, that have greatly enhanced our cruise experience.
Read: “Before, During and After Your Cruise. http://www.TomandMarysCruiseReviews.com/ThingsToDo.htm
Read: “How to Heighten Your Cruise Experience” http://www.TomandMarysCruiseReviews.com/CruiseExperience.htm:
Prepare Envelopes for Tipping Before you Leave for Your Cruise:
Many of our readers have tried our suggestion on tipping with gredat results.
Following are some examples of the many e-mails we received.
<<The tipping went very well. I would recommend it for everyone. All in all we
had a delightful experience made even more so by the tipping method. >> Mike &
Pat Ball
<< I followed your tip suggestion on our last cruise and had the best service of
any cruise thus far.>> Jay Krueger
<<I’ve been on 18 previous cruises and I never had the service or got the
attention like I did after pre tipping the crew on our last cruise. Your
suggestion worked like magic and it didn’t cost any more than I normally tip.
Thanks for a great suggestion.>>
Mike Sullivan
Our Tipping Suggestion:
We like to give the suggested tip for the week, to out waiter, assistant waiter,
head waiter and to our cabin attendant, the first evening of our cruise. Tipping
at the end of the week is like locking the barn door after the horse has run
away. We make out [3x5] envelopes with a note that reads... The main reason we
love to cruise, is because of servers like you who go out of their way to make
our cruises special. We want you to know we appreciate what you do and would
like you to have this as a down payment on your services...Thank you, Tom & Mary
Milano.”
We have never had service on any of our cruises that was poor enough to warrant
us tipping less than the suggested amount. By tipping the suggested amount on
the first night, you let your servers know that you are appreciative of them and
they can expect an additional stipend at the end of the cruise. [At the end of
the cruise we usually give an additional $20 to the waiter, $10 to the assistant
and $10 or $20 to the cabin attendant]. Giving an extra forty dollars for the
week, is a small price to pay to ensure the very best from your servers. Take
our word for it. It does make a difference. Make Out Envelopes For Pre Tipping.
Magic of the $2 Bill:
If what we hear from our readers is true, banks should start running out of $2
in the new future. This again is another low-cost way of getting a high return.
We start collecting $2 bills weeks before the cruise. We take with us $20--$30
in $2 bills. I call these our magic potion. I take a $2 bill and keep folding it
until I have a small square, with the large imprint of the $2 covering the
surface. I use the $2 bills a lot in the beginning of the cruise. It's important
what you say when you give it, otherwise it doesn't have much significance. When
I give it to a server, I say to them, “Give me your hand.” When they give me
their hand, I take it and with my other hand I show them the folded $2 bill;
then I say to them, “I want you to know this is a magic $2 bill and I can
promise you that during this coming week something special is going to happen to
you, something that will make you very happy, and when it happens we want you to
come tell us.” Very few servers have ever seen a $2 bill and that alone gets
their rapt attention. Then you can see by their quizzical expression that their
thinking; it's crazy but who knows, it might work. Who among us doesn't have
some form of a lucky piece? A lucky coin, a rabbits foot, a religious medal. All
we can tell you is, we’ve had the most amazing, wonderful things happen as a
result of giving out these two dollar bills; not the least is the friendliness
and the exceptional service we have received from our servers. [If you don’t
tell the story, the effect is greatly diminished] Start Collecting $2 Bills.
Make Your Luggage Easy to Spot:
85% of all luggage is black. It will save you a lot of time and aggravation if
you put a colorful bow or luggage strap on your belongings. It will much easier
to identify them among the thousands of pieces of luggage on the terminal
floor...Tie Something Colorful On Your Luggage
The First Hours Aboard Ship Are Important:
Mary and I have found that there are certain things that we can do the first day
that will set the tone for our entire cruise. The first thing we do is check our
table assignment. We can’t stress enough the importance of doing this. It’s
important to see if the table assigned you is what you requested. If it isn’t,
speak to the Maitre`d as soon as possible and he will has a chance to make the
change you desire. If after the first evening, you are not happy with whom
you’re seated, speak to the Maitre`de and ask to have your table changed. If he
can possibly change it he will, he wants to make you happy. If the ship has an
alternative restaurant, this is the time to make your reservation. Most
alternative restaurants have limited seating, so be sure to make your
reservation as soon as you can... Check Your Table Assignment and Then Make
Reservations For The Alternative Restaurant.
All Ships of a Cruise Line Are Not the Same:
Mary & I come from large families. Our siblings have similar characteristics but
each one has their own distinct personality. Cruise lines and their ships are
like that. Not all ships of a cruise line are the same. They differ for many
reasons. The age of the ship, the size of the ship (the tonnage), the amenities,
the expertise of the Food Manager/Executive Chef but the most important
difference is how the crew comes together under the guidance and the direction
of the Hotel Manager. The effectiveness of his training of the servers is
reflected in the way the crew caters to and pampers their guests. While it's
hard to bypass bargain rates, never pick a ship based on price alone. You must
first factor in your personal interests and lifestyle, pick the ship, and then
go bargain-hunting. Cruise lines do vary in their strengths and weaknesses.
The point we’re making is, if you want to increase your odds of booking the ship
that will best fulfill your expectations, we suggest you learn as much as
possible about the ships of the cruise line your considering booking. Read as
many cruise reviews as you can. Frequent the cruise message boards; there are
good ones that have many seasoned cruisers and TA’s as members. If you
have a question about a specific ship or port, post your question and one of
them will answer you. You shouldn’t leave every thing to your TA. Do as much
research as possible so you can give your TA the information he/she needs to
help you select the right ship and right itinerary for you. The Internet has a
wealth of information about cruising. The following are cruise web sites we
recommend that will help you in your research.
How to Get the Best Possible Price When Booking a Cruise: A day doesn’t go by
that we don’t receive an e-mail from our readers, thanking us for our suggestion
on how to get the best possible price when booking a cruise. Take our word for
it, our suggestion is a win/win situation. If you would like us to send you our
suggestion, drop us a line.
Informative Cruise Web Sites:
These are URL’s of interesting and informative cruise web sites. We will be
adding to this list with each new review.
Cruise Reviews & Cruise Articles: http://www.cruisereviews.com
Cruise Chat: http://www.cruise-chat.com/6/ubb.x
New Ships & Cruise News http: //www.cruisenewsdaily.com/newships.html
One of the Best for Cruise Links: http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~rklein/cruise.html
Deck Plans of Cruise Ships: http://www.cruise.com/pez/ship_deck/decks.asp
Sites for the Caribbean Islands: http://www.shipboardcruiser.com/islandcruise/cb.html
Comprehensive List of Cruise Links: http://www.cruise-links.com
Good Ladies & Men’s Packing List: http://cruisediva.com/pack3.htm
Tip Calculator: http://members.aol.com/CruiseTip/
Sobriety @ Sea: http://www.sobrietyatsea.com/pages/1/index.htm
Cruise News-Updated Weekly: http://www.cybercruises.com/newsfile.htm
Cruising For Singles: http://www.cruisereviews.com/NancyNorris.htm
Royal Caribbean Discussion Group: http://www.evensens.net/rccl/rccl.html
The Best Cruise Ship Pictures on the Internet:
http://home-4.tiscali.nl/~t411310/indx.htm
A good way to save these URL’s and have them readily available: Swipe with your
cursor and copy. Then in your e-mail program, open new message, then paste. Then
address the message to your self and in the subject line write Cruise Sites. In
a short period of time you will receive it as new mail. Open a new folder, name
it Cruise Sites in your e-mail program and move the e-mail with the Cruise URL’s
to that folder. This way you will have the URL’s handy whenever you need them.
Our Final Suggestion is to ‘Write a Review: http://www.cruisereviews.com/submit/
After you adjust to being back home and you slowly recover from after cruise
depression, sit down and write about all the wonderful things you experienced.
You don't have to be a polished writer to write a review. All you have to do is
write as if you were having a conversation with your best friend. The important
thing is to be honest and forthright. Writing a review is a wonderful way to
relive your cruise, and at the same time help fellow cruisers by sharing your
thoughts. Tell them your opinion of the ship, the food, the crew, the
entertainment, the ports of call and any special moments you experienced. Also
write about the things that weren't so wonderful so your fellow cruisers can be
forewarned. Include your spouse and ask her/him for suggestions on what you
should include. And remember, don't be afraid of writing too much, longer is
better than shorter. People are reading your review to determine if the ship
your writing about is the one they should book. Put yourself in their place and
tell them all the things you would like to know. But whatever you do, the most
important thing is for you to have fun and enjoy what your doing. If you need
help, Mary and I would be glad to assist you.
LOOSE ENDS AND RANDOM THOUGHTS
The Cruise Reviews Web Site is Getting a Face Lift: Our editor Tom Ogg, is in
the process of revamping the entire http://www.cruisereviews.com site. He has a
lot of new ideas that we think you will find interesting and informative. Make
sure you keep an eye on his page.
Personal Choice Dining:
Personal Choice dining allows the guests to dine when and with whom they want.
Passengers may chose a restaurant type option or the traditional cruise dining
experience, with an assigned dining time, table mates and servers. .
Our Thanks to Charlie Phillips:
We enjoyed cruising with Marie & Charlie Phillips. Marie is Italian and helped
us when we needed to know how to say a particular phrase in Italian. And we owe
a special thank you to Charlie who took all the candid shots in our review.
“A Teaspoon of Spiritual Nourishment”: Mary & I have collected one page
meditations for many years. Our local paper published them as a daily column. We
now send them by e-mail, five nights a week, to our loved ones, friends, crew
members of some of the ships we have sailed on and to readers of our reviews. If
you would like to receive the ‘Teaspoon of Spiritual Nourishment,’ send us an
e-mail and we will put you on our mailing list. (Example)
A Teaspoon of Spiritual Nourishment
Compiled by Tom & Mary Milano
Do Your Best
It is told of Leonardo Da Vinci, that while he was still a pupil, before his
genius burst into brilliancy, how he received a special inspiration in this way.
His old and famous master, because of his growing infirmities of age, felt
obliged to give up his own work, and one day asked Da Vinci to finish for him a
picture which he had begun. The young man had such a reverence for his master’s
skill that he shrank from the task. The old artist, however, would not accept
any excuse, but persisted in his command, saying simply, “Do your best.”
Da Vinci at last with trembling hands, seized the brush and kneeling before the
easel prayed: “It is for the sake of my beloved master that I implore the skill
and power for this undertaking.” As he proceeded, his hand grew steady, his eye
awoke with slumbering genius. He forgot himself and was filled with enthusiasm
for his work. When the painting was finished, the old master was carried into
the studio to pass judgement on the result. His eye rested on a triumph of art.
Throwing his arms about the young artist, he exclaimed, “My son, I paint no
more!”
There are some who shrink from the work which our Master gives them to do. They
feel they are not worthy; they have no skill or power for the delicate duty. But
to all their timid shrinking and withdrawing, the Masters gentle but urgent word
is, “Do your best.” They have only to kneel in reverence and pray, for the skill
and strength for the task assigned, and they will be inspired and helped to do
it well. The power of Christ will rest upon them and the love of Christ will be
in their heart. And all work done under blessed inspiration will be acceptable
to God. We have but to go before God in prayer and he will supply what is needed
to complete his work... J. R. Miller
Are You Happy?: Before you can give an honest answer to this question, you must
ask, “what is happiness?” Is it a person? A place? A thing? The answer must be
“No” to each of these if we are to find ourselves on solid ground. For the first
aspect of happiness which we must recognize and accept is that no one, no place.
Or no thing can make us happy! It must of necessity always come from within. If
the capacity for a joyousness is not within a person there is no way, he can
obtain happiness. Too often we confuse happiness and pleasure. Pleasure can be
purchased... but happiness can NEVER be bought... it must be lived. A key to
accomplishing this, is to live your life one day a time, each and every day of
your life.
Unusual Coincidence at an A.A. Meeting:
We attended a Dr. Bob and Bill W. Meeting, (A.A. Meeting) and met a delightful
young lady who is doing a great job of working the 12 steps of the A.A. program.
She joined us for us for breakfast on two occasions. The second time we had
breakfast we got around to talking about where we came from and to our amazement
she came from our hometown, Huntington, Long Island and lived three blocks from
where our restaurant was located. Then she told us she attended meetings at the
Old First Church on Main Street, which was where I made my first A.A. meeting
37+ years ago. Talk about it being a small world.
If you know someone in A.A., they might appreciate if you tell them about the
new A.A. web site Society@Sea.
http://Sobrietyatsea.com They can get to that site and get all the information
about the Ninth Annual A.A. Reunion Cruise to Paradisse, on the Navigator of the
Seas, this coming September 13th.
I Almost Became a Head Waiter:
One evening I wore a white jacket, with a white shirt and a black tie and black
pants. The head waiters wore a different jacket each evening. Little did I know
the night I wore my white jacket and black tie, the head waiters were dressed
the same exact way. When we entered the foyer of the dining room, where Generosa,
Guiseppe and the head waiters gathered, they exploded in laughter when they saw
me in the same outfit they were wearing. They were all laughing as they gathered
around me and before you know it, Guiseppe took the brass name tag from one of
them and pinned it to my jacket. They burst out in laughter when Generosa told
me, I was one of them and he wanted me to seat the next party and I did. It was
a very special moment and we were glad Charlie Phillips captured it with his
camera.
Love Requires Effort to Keep it Healthy:
Love never dies a natural death. It dies of neglect and abandonment. It dies of
blindness and indifference and being taken for granted. Things omitted are often
more deadly than errors committed.
In the end, love dies of weariness, from not being nurtured. We don’t really
fall out of love any more than we fall into it. When love dies, one or both
partners have neglected to replenish and renew it. Like any other living,
growing thing, love requires effort to keep it healthy. There is no failure in
love, except in no longer trying.
Revealing Mary’s Age: I want you to know, especially the women readers, I would
never think of revealing Mary’s age if I thought it would offend her in any way.
I know her thoughts as if they were mine. She felt if by doing so, it would help
even one of our readers realize that life is not over when they reach the age of
sixty-sixty-five, she felt it was the thing to do.
Finally--The End
Ever thought of becoming a part time or home based travel agent? Follow this link to see some of the books Tom Ogg has authored.
