Cruise Report

[Appa23]

So, the (much, much) better half and I hopped onto the Carnival Imagination last week in a belated celebration of 15 years of wedded bliss. It was the 4-day Western Carribbean cruise, with stops in Key West and Cozumel. As it is the only boat and cruise that I have taken (twice), with nothing for comparison, I have to say that it was one of my alltime favorite trips and an unbelievable blast! (I saw this even though we had high winds and rough seas for much of the trip, and it rained nearly every day at some point.)

As I do not want to bore those of you who made it to this point of my post, I will hit on the highlights:

- My wife loved the fact that she got to eat shrimp at every meal and lobster during the formal dinner. It is a rare treat in a family where the boys hate seafood.

- We came home with an armful of "Ships on a Stick". My wife volunteered me for a "name that song" contest on the big stage during the first night, and we hit several other trivia contests when our schedule allowed. I was joking with the entertainment director that I was trying to win one for each kid, plus the grandparents who were watching the kids.

- In Cozumel, one must go to Senor Frogs and Carlos & Charlies for a drink (or two or . . . .)

- I was surprised to see that Barack Obama had a staffed office in Key West. If ever there a city that was a lock for "The One", it is Key West. Maybe it was there for the tourists.

- We were very fortunate to be seated with 4 other super-nice, very fun, couples of assorted ages. I wondered if the cruise line purposefully grouped us together. There was an adorably cute newleywed couple from Pittsburgh, an A-A couple celebrating 13 years of marriage from Oklahoma City, a 60-ish couple from rural Tennessee, and a 60-ish couple from Delaware (who booked late and had a cabin with bunk beds. LOL!) The OKC couple has a son who is playing football at Weber State on a scholarship. We will be corresponding with these couples in the future, that is for sure!

- We wanted to do the "Marriage Game" on the last night, but our anniversary was not high enough to be the mid-point of the longest-married and the newlyweds. One of the stars of the cruise was the "longest-married" couple -- married over 54 years -- from Canada (I want to say that they mentioned Alberta?). They were featured in three shows, IIRC. The cruise line served them a private dinner on deck one evening, with a strolling guitarist, and we saw them coming in from that dinner. Simply the cutest thing ever!!!

I probably am forgetting a thousand things that made the cruise so much fun. The best part clearly was getting to spend some uninterrupted, quality time with my wife.

[MarleysGh0st]

As I do not want to bore those of you who made it to this point of my post, I will hit on the highlights:

We never get bored with trip reports, especially when they involve winning some trivia game swag!

Thanks for the report and welcome back!

[earendel]

And in other Cruise news, Tom's brother William Mapother has been in the River City appearing in a play.

[Appa23]

I remembered one other thing that I wanted to mention.

I have travelled a fair amount with my job over the past decade-plus. In all of that time, I never have had a plane delayed by mechanical difficulties. That luck ended on this trip.

We flew Omaha to Chicago, and then Chicago to Miami on American Airlines. (Do the opposite for our intended trip home.)

We were supposed to have less than a 2 hour layover at O'Hare. However, we noted that the stated time to begin boarding had come, and no boarding was commencing. Suddenly, the board changes the flight departure from 1:00 to 1:30. More time passes, we still can see our plane outside of the window, yet no luggage or passengers are being laoded. The gate agent makes an announcement that they are looking at something on the plane. The board changes departure to 2:00 then 2:30. Eventually, they announce that our plane can fly, and they are bringing a bigger plane for the flight, but it needs to be moved over to the jetway and prepped for the flight. Total delay was around 3 hours. Once again, my wife proves that she knows what she is doing, booking us to arrive in Miami the night before our cruise leaves.

On the trip back, we actually board the plane, but then we do not leave the gate because of a "light on the instrument panel that maintennace needs to examine." I am guessing that this took an hour. It gets fixed, but we need to top off the gas tanks to make up for the fuel used to run the air and whatever while we waited. When they add fuel, they note that the indicator on the winbg is not working, so that needs to be examined. When they announce it, we decide to check on what other flights are avaialble out of Chicago to Omaha and KC (which is where our kids are.) We were supposed to have a three hour layover, but we could see that time was dwindling away. A few others made calls, especially after the FA's gave the number, as several people were flying to Chicago for international flights. We ended up getting two seats on a later flgith to KC.

Long story, short, we were over three hours late in leaving Miami. We walk off the plane into O'Hare to hear that our names being called, as our Omaha flight was leaving in two minutes. Meanwhile, we are several concourses away from where we would need to be. So, we found the gate for KC and went to check in for that flight. Meanwhile, we have no idea where our luggage is heading, and neither did AA. As it turns out, as we left Kansas City the next day with our kids, as we were driving by KCI, we called and found out that our bags were just coming into there, so we picked them up (which had most of the kids' presents) as we drove back to Omaha.

The other funny part of the whole "waiting on the plane in Miami" debacle was how several of our fellow passengers acted. As time passed, there was a group in the middle set of seats that decided that AA should be breaking out food, besides the water that they were offering Even after they were told that there only was a limited amount of snacks on the flight (which otherwise would be for sale during the flight), and certainly nowhere near enough for everyone on the plane, they kept making a fuss. Then, as we get ready to taxi for takeoff, an older gentleman decides that this is the time to use a cell phone to make alternate flight arrangements from Chicago to Dublin. Well, this group imemdiately starts yelling at the man to get the *************** off of the phone. "We have been having mechanical issues, and you gonna bring this plane with that ****** phone! You gonna kill us all!"

[gsabc]

Sounds like you had a good time. Very nice anniversary.

Don't have your cholesterol checked for a few weeks, though. The shrimp wreak havoc with the numbers.

[MarleysGh0st]

I remembered one other thing that I wanted to mention.

I think that was more than one thing.

But you've been truly fortunate if you've never had mechanical delays before.

Although they're not nearly as much fun as mechanical failures in flight.

[Bob Juch]

The airport code for Kansas City is MCI, not KCI.

[Appa23]

The airport code for Kansas City is MCI, not KCI.

Hey, I finally found the one place on earth that Bob apparently has not lived.

Everyone that I know from Kansas City refers to the airport as KCI, for Kansas City International. I believe that even the local stations call it KCI on their weather forecasts. (I will wait to see if Sunflower or our other KC BBs tell me otherwise.)

Does anyone actually refer to an airport by its code?

I do not refer to Eppley as "OMA".

[Appa23]

The airport code for Kansas City is MCI, not KCI.

Yet, www.flykci.com is the official website for the airport.

[Bob Juch]

The airport code for Kansas City is MCI, not KCI.

Hey, I finally found the one place on earth that Bob apparently has not lived.

Everyone that I know from Kansas City refers to the airport as KCI, for Kansas City International. I believe that even the local stations call it KCI on their weather forecasts. (I will wait to see if Sunflower or our other KC BBs tell me otherwise.)

Does anyone actually refer to an airport by its code?

I do not refer to Eppley as "OMA".

Actaully I have lived there and am looking at a new job there.

I'll buy a ticket to MCI, not KCI.

[Bob78164]

The airport code for Kansas City is MCI, not KCI.

Hey, I finally found the one place on earth that Bob apparently has not lived.

Everyone that I know from Kansas City refers to the airport as KCI, for Kansas City International. I believe that even the local stations call it KCI on their weather forecasts. (I will wait to see if Sunflower or our other KC BBs tell me otherwise.)

Does anyone actually refer to an airport by its code?

I do not refer to Eppley as "OMA".

It's routine in these parts to refer to Los Angeles International Airport as "LAX." --Bob

[gsabc]

I'll buy a ticket to MCI, not KCI.

In my neck of the woods, MCI means Massachusetts Correctional Institution. There are lots of ways to get one-way tickets to there ...

[Jeemie]

The airport code for Kansas City is MCI, not KCI.

But everybody who has flown out of it regularly calls it KCI.

I know this- I lived in Lawrence for a year.

You obviously didn't live there long if you didn't realize everyone calls it KCI.

[Appa23]

The airport code for Kansas City is MCI, not KCI.

Hey, I finally found the one place on earth that Bob apparently has not lived.

Everyone that I know from Kansas City refers to the airport as KCI, for Kansas City International. I believe that even the local stations call it KCI on their weather forecasts. (I will wait to see if Sunflower or our other KC BBs tell me otherwise.)

Does anyone actually refer to an airport by its code?

I do not refer to Eppley as "OMA".

It's routine in these parts to refer to Los Angeles International Airport as "LAX." --Bob

Everyone calls it LAX.

[DevilKitty100]

Hey, I finally found the one place on earth that Bob apparently has not lived.

Everyone that I know from Kansas City refers to the airport as KCI, for Kansas City International. I believe that even the local stations call it KCI on their weather forecasts. (I will wait to see if Sunflower or our other KC BBs tell me otherwise.)

Does anyone actually refer to an airport by its code?

I do not refer to Eppley as "OMA".

It's routine in these parts to refer to Los Angeles International Airport as "LAX." --Bob

Everyone calls it LAX.

Everybody except Susan Ray.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj8f30Iguw0

[Bob78164]

Does anyone actually refer to an airport by its code?

It's routine in these parts to refer to Los Angeles International Airport as "LAX." --Bob

Everyone calls it LAX.

If you knew the answer, why did you ask the question? --Bob

[littlebeast13]

The airport code for Kansas City is MCI, not KCI.

Hey, I finally found the one place on earth that Bob apparently has not lived.

Everyone that I know from Kansas City refers to the airport as KCI, for Kansas City International. I believe that even the local stations call it KCI on their weather forecasts. (I will wait to see if Sunflower or our other KC BBs tell me otherwise.)

I don't know what she calls it, but sunflower's not from Kansas City or even close.....

lb13

[MarleysGh0st]

<sigh>

Nobody else cares about Appa's cruise, but they'll sure give him grief over an airport code!

[clem21]

While we're already arguing about it, I'm headed to KC next weekend for a newspaper convention. Honestly, it seems like a rather dull place from the brochures but perhaps someone here could help. Any recommendations for places I should see, eat, etc... would be great.

[littlebeast13]

While we're already arguing about it, I'm headed to KC next weekend for a newspaper convention. Honestly, it seems like a rather dull place from the brochures but perhaps someone here could help. Any recommendations for places I should see, eat, etc... would be great.

I've gone to KC about 20 times now. I've been to Kauffman Stadium and.....



And.....



And.....



Uh.....





That's it.....

I would never be on any city's bureau of tourism.....

lb13

[clem21]

While we're already arguing about it, I'm headed to KC next weekend for a newspaper convention. Honestly, it seems like a rather dull place from the brochures but perhaps someone here could help. Any recommendations for places I should see, eat, etc... would be great.

I've gone to KC about 20 times now. I've been to Kauffman Stadium and.....



And.....



And.....



Uh.....





That's it.....

I would never be on any city's bureau of tourism.....

lb13

Kauffman Stadium is closed for tours due to renovation or building or something.
Any more bright ideas lb?

[silverscreenselect]

We were very fortunate to be seated with 4 other super-nice, very fun, couples of assorted ages. I wondered if the cruise line purposefully grouped us together. There was an adorably cute newleywed couple from Pittsburgh, an A-A couple celebrating 13 years of marriage from Oklahoma City, a 60-ish couple from rural Tennessee, and a 60-ish couple from Delaware (who booked late and had a cabin with bunk beds. LOL!) The OKC couple has a son who is playing football at Weber State on a scholarship. We will be corresponding with these couples in the future, that is for sure!

Carnival does try to seat people at dinner with others of similar age/marital status etc. On all our cruises before this last one, we were seated with couples who were within a decade or so of our age. This last trip, due to Travelocity's messing up my meal request (they gave us late dining which Mrs. SSS doesn't like so I had to switch us to early dining), we wound up at a table for six at which we were the only people. We really missed the camaraderie we established with the people we dined with on the earlier cruises.

I have yet to win a ship on a stick though....

[Appa23]

The airport code for Kansas City is MCI, not KCI.

Hey, I finally found the one place on earth that Bob apparently has not lived.

Everyone that I know from Kansas City refers to the airport as KCI, for Kansas City International. I believe that even the local stations call it KCI on their weather forecasts. (I will wait to see if Sunflower or our other KC BBs tell me otherwise.)

I don't know what she calls it, but sunflower's not from Kansas City or even close.....

lb13

Argghhh!!! I am thinking of the other "quilting" Christy. Why can't I remember the BB name???

[littlebeast13]

Hey, I finally found the one place on earth that Bob apparently has not lived.

Everyone that I know from Kansas City refers to the airport as KCI, for Kansas City International. I believe that even the local stations call it KCI on their weather forecasts. (I will wait to see if Sunflower or our other KC BBs tell me otherwise.)

I don't know what she calls it, but sunflower's not from Kansas City or even close.....

lb13

Argghhh!!! I am thinking of the other "quilting" Christy. Why can't I remember the BB name???

ksbirchtree.

Fuzzywuzzy's from KC, isnt' she? But she hasn't been around for a while.....

lb13

[a1mamacat]

So, the (much, much) better half and I hopped onto the Carnival Imagination last week in a belated celebration of 15 years of wedded bliss. It was the 4-day Western Carribbean cruise, with stops in Key West and Cozumel. As it is the only boat and cruise that I have taken (twice), with nothing for comparison, I have to say that it was one of my alltime favorite trips and an unbelievable blast! (I saw this even though we had high winds and rough seas for much of the trip, and it rained nearly every day at some point.)

As I do not want to bore those of you who made it to this point of my post, I will hit on the highlights:

- My wife loved the fact that she got to eat shrimp at every meal and lobster during the formal dinner. It is a rare treat in a family where the boys hate seafood.

- We came home with an armful of "Ships on a Stick". My wife volunteered me for a "name that song" contest on the big stage during the first night, and we hit several other trivia contests when our schedule allowed. I was joking with the entertainment director that I was trying to win one for each kid, plus the grandparents who were watching the kids.

- In Cozumel, one must go to Senor Frogs and Carlos & Charlies for a drink (or two or . . . .)

- I was surprised to see that Barack Obama had a staffed office in Key West. If ever there a city that was a lock for "The One", it is Key West. Maybe it was there for the tourists.

- We were very fortunate to be seated with 4 other super-nice, very fun, couples of assorted ages. I wondered if the cruise line purposefully grouped us together. There was an adorably cute newleywed couple from Pittsburgh, an A-A couple celebrating 13 years of marriage from Oklahoma City, a 60-ish couple from rural Tennessee, and a 60-ish couple from Delaware (who booked late and had a cabin with bunk beds. LOL!) The OKC couple has a son who is playing football at Weber State on a scholarship. We will be corresponding with these couples in the future, that is for sure!

- We wanted to do the "Marriage Game" on the last night, but our anniversary was not high enough to be the mid-point of the longest-married and the newlyweds. One of the stars of the cruise was the "longest-married" couple -- married over 54 years -- from Canada (I want to say that they mentioned Alberta?). They were featured in three shows, IIRC. The cruise line served them a private dinner on deck one evening, with a strolling guitarist, and we saw them coming in from that dinner. Simply the cutest thing ever!!!

I probably am forgetting a thousand things that made the cruise so much fun. The best part clearly was getting to spend some uninterrupted, quality time with my wife.

SOunds like a great time. My folks and I didn't have set seating, so we were able to float around to different dining areas and either meet up with people from the tour group, or meet new people if we wanted.

I never did win a ship on a stick.




I won a sterling silver amber pendant