Home Sweet Home Survey Results Part 2

Q: Your space, your thoughts
Winning Answer: All of them
A: Everyone did there unique version of Thank You Ken and Cindy. Normally I don't print these but these were so touching...

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Bill says:

"Mike & Maureen have raised three great kids. They are fun, happy, obedient, respectful and helpful. They were so easy to spend time with and take care of. Except for not driving, I think the kids are so good they could have watched themselves for the week.


I was surprised at how helpful my Droid was during the week. I would have gotten lost many times without it. And it helped me find Andy at MayFair.


I was also surprised at the parents of the kids' friends who let me pick up their children without meeting me, speaking to me or seeing me.


It was a really fun week. I hope you all had as much fun on the trip as I did in Macungie."

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Cyn says:

"Woman of little words has no thoughts :-)"

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Dad says:

"Aside from getting married and having three wonderful children (Cyn & Mo also included here), this cruise adventure ranks as one of the most memorable family celebrations ever.



We cannot thank you all enough."

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Karen says:

Dear Ken & Cindy,


I had a wonderful and magical time with my dear family and the Mediterranean cruise is a journey I will treasure always. Thank you Ken and Cindy, for giving me the chance of a lifetime to actually see and visit places I once only dreamed about or read about in books. I kept a lot inside on the trip - and again, I will call you this week with an update - but being with the ones I love, I put my problems and trouble behind, if only for a while, and I treasured every moment ; it was refreshing and exciting and it has given me strength to face whatever lies ahead. It may be a while before I get a chance to write something in the blog, at least publicly, as I have some serious legal issues to deal with but I hope to contribute again as soon as the dust settles. Thanks again Ken & Cindy - your generosity and love is a brilliant light and I am blessed to have been touched by it. I love you both very much~


Karen

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Ken says:

very nice

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Mike says:

Oooooo... Wow... Thanks again Ken and Cindy!!! So very generous, with memories that will last a lifetime!

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Mo says:

Thank you Ken & Cindy!!! Awesome idea and loved it all. Keep daydreaming about the sights we saw and the experiences we had. We are truly grateful for the experience and can't tell you how much we appreciate it. It's still a 'pinch me' feeling. Still can't beleive we were in Europe!! Gotta go back. Would love to show the kids. Would have to spend weeks showing them everything.

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Mom says:

It was a great trip Ken and Cindy thanks to your generosity. We will cherish the memories forever. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.


Did we go to Europe yet?

P.S. I gained 3 pounds. BooooHoooo."

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Ken and Cyn say:

Ken and I are very happy that we were in a position to afford the cruise but we know that the monetary aspect is truly of little consequence.  What is truly important is that we could and we all wanted to spend time together.  The time we spent together and the memories that we made are priceless.

Home Sweet Home Survey Results Part 1

As nice as life was on the Voyager of the Seas it is good to get back to our normal lives.  So what was it like to get back home for you...

Shown below is the "winning" answer(s) and then everyone's answer. The winning answer is arbirtartily decided by me for reasons only known by me. I've decided to post everyones response; let me know if you like this format.

It has finally happened and it proves that good things come to those that wait.  Our survey this week was answered by a non OPERATION: Poisson Rouge contributor; Bill of the Bill and Ed team of South Bound Brook NJ responded.  Thanks for responding Bill.

Q: What was the best thing about being home?
Winning Answer - Everyone!
Bill: being with Ed again
Cyn: Getting head butts from Whitey, having Farah camped out on my lap this morning, and a cup of hot coffee
Dad: Being home.
Karen: ...exactly that - being home..
Ken: Sleep
Mike: Seeing my kids! (Well, 2 of them. sam is at a sleep over.)
Mo: Kids & Pillow
Mom: Seeing my animals.

Q: What time did you go to bed Sunday evening?
Winning Answer - Michael: 0:00:00
Bill: 0:04:00
Cyn: Our plan was to go to bed about 9PM. We made it until 7:30.
Dad: ~3:30 AM (their time)
Karen: I believe I passed out at about 11 PM...it's really all a blur...
Ken: 7pm
Mo: 10:30?
Mom: 10 pm our time.
Author interjects - isn't it something Dad answers their time and Mom answers our time?

Q: What time did you wake up Monday morning?
Winning Answer - Mo: 6:10:00
Bill: 7:15
Cyn: About 5AM
Dad: ~4:30 AM (our time)
Karen: Woke up (WIDE AWAKE) at 5:30 AM - was bummed I couldn't go back to sleep
Ken: waokeup=4am, getup=545am
Mike: 4:30
Mom: 7 am our time
Author interjects - honorable mention goes to Ken who was obviously still struggling to wake up when answering survey.

Q: Did you watch the Lost finale yet?
A: Everyone watched the Lost finale except for Karen, Mo*, Mom and Dad. *Mo watched the finale but dozed off multiple times. Not sure if that counts!
Q: What did you think of the Lost finale?
A: Those that watched the finale thought it was so so.
Bill: Never saw the show before but loved watching Samantha react to it

Q: Did anything eventful happen in your absence?
Winner: Mike and Mo - see their answers below
Bill: new bedroom rug arrived
Cyn: Unfortunately my sister-in-laws' mom has a re-occurence of brest cancer. Say a prayer, send good thoughts!
Dad: Ant infestation in kitchen
Ken: Freezer frost
Mike: Billy and Ed redecorated our living room. New pictures onthe walls, furniture arranged differently, new desk for Mo's computer, pantry and kitchen drawers have organizers.
Mo: living room makeover, pantry organized, kitchen drawers organized, laundry new shelf and organized, new desk in dining room so now my dining room table is clear of 'stuff', more stuff to take to Goodwill, a framed new piece of artwork by Sam in the living room
Mom: I came home to a clean house. bless the Dickster.


Q: Anything surprise you?
Bill: there is always something to do with kids around
Cyn: BP oil leak still well, leaking
Dad: Dick M was able to get rid of ants
Ken: entire trip went smoothly (almost), no events at home
Mike: No (incuding the Billy and Ed remodeling)
Mo: all the work Billy did improving our place -- with the kids help
Mom: No.

Q: Now with the cruise behind us what are you looking forward to?
Bill: Getting back to my life with Ed
Cyn: I would like to train for a 5K.
Dad: June Fishing camping trip, July birthday celebration here, August Cape May camping
Ken: work, routine, summer, looking forwards to the year
Mike: Finish editing 'The Interview' with Nana and Pop-pop. 4th Annual RV fishing trip with Pop-pop and my boys. Wildwood, with the Bischers.
Mo: Returning!
Mom: Camping in Cape May and maybe Maine in September.

The last question of the survey is the "typical" open ended question where you write about anything that you want.  The answers ranged from funny to touching so come back to the blog tomorrow.

Home Sweet Home

Ken and I are very gratful that by and large the OPERATION: Poisson Rouge adventure went off without a hitch (but stayed tuned for a blog entry by Karen if she feels up to it).

7 more days...

In a stunning turn of events...fraught with mystery and intrigue...And our leading story tonight...woman breaks arm, foils family vacation*.

This is the last full weekend before our departure to Europe.  What will you be doing?  Do you have Gazillions To Dos or just Odds and Ends. Almost 100% of the Lang Clan said that they only have odds and ends left.  I pity the poor person who said they have a Gazillion To Dos.  Psyche! Most have a Gazillion (how many is that in Euros?) things to do followed by Not Much!  You retired folks make us working stiffs look bad!

But we pretty much agree that we are silly/stupid/dumb to get any Euros in the USA before our trip.  Mike of course is yielding to Mo on this one.   

*Some of the best quotes came from the question asking if anything could make this experience better.

- Mom goes for the heartfelt answer "with Tootie"

- Ken the ever cautions, chants "No jinx, no jinx"

- And Karen replied "The experience would be better if I don't have to get a hard cast - will see this AM at 11 - hope the orthopedic Dr. just gives me a sling/air cast and some mild pain meds...I know...terrible timing! "

And to Karen's reply I said "watcha talking bout Willis?" and then called Mom and Dad.  For many days Karen was having pain and tingling in her arm.  Looking at possible causes was a little scary, what could it be? And then Karen remembered bumping her elbow/arm.  An x-ray later the doctor says Karen has a slight fracture, she should take a Advil, go on the cruise and then the doctor charges Karen's insurance a ton [sorry that was projection]. 

Everyone please meet Kitty Karen (happily not at the Kitty Sanctuary).  Please note, poor Karen did not get any happy pills.  Feel better Karen - we love ya.

Looking forward to seeing you all at our house!  Be safe!  Be happy!

8 more days...

Cruising with Cyn Collection of useless information circuitous to the OPERATION: Poisson Rouge Adventure.

Provence is the last stop on our European adventure.  Collective sigh on 3, 1....2...3.

This day next week, I will be [hopefully] completely last minute packing.  What will you be doing next Friday? 

Ships, ships and more ships. Toulon is France's exciting naval epicenter. Bobbing sailboats dot its busy harbor. On land you'll find tons of maritime museums, ancient fortresses and a fair share of sailors. And in true French fashion you'll also find plenty of stylish spots for shopping and lunching. But what really makes this seaport so special is its proximity to glitzy Saint-Tropez and the Côte d'Azur.

The One Thing You Don't Want to Miss
If you're looking for the perfect photo op, take a cable car to the peak of Mont Faron. After you've soaked up the scenery, visit the Mémorial du Débarquement en Provence, a museum that houses an interesting collection of World War II memorabilia.

Other Fun Things to Do
Catch some Mediterranean sunshine at Plage du Morillon - the seaport's most popular beach. Pop into the Musée de Toulon and ogle its vast collection of Provençal, Italian and religious masterpieces from the 16th century to the present. Take a boat tour around the harbor.

Shopping For Bargains There are plenty of places to shop for designer fashions, fine jewelry and French perfume. You'll even find a three-story mall that has just about everything, including a supermarket and a movie theater.  

Blah, Blah, Blah, onto the survey.   

See ya fine folks in Provence.

10 more days...

You know, with me posting 4 out of 7 days of the week, you would think I would get the first single digit count down day but NO!  What odds would Monte Carlo give? But I digress..

Our family has interesting buying habits when it comes to under-garmets and this you mostly only fnd out by asking. Answers to "are you buying new underwear" ran the gambit and includes these priceless responses:

Michael says:
The ones I have are all "like new"

Mo, the-always-astute-one says:
Better than buying old underwear

While Mom solves all problems by NOT wearing underwear, Dad is insisting on wearing Speedos all the while Karen curses the skinny-minny French women with their skimpy thongs. 

As far as what this family is most looking forward to in Nice our answers were mostly unamious: Relaxing, Sleeping In and combinations of putting mother's feet in the Mediterranean.  Why do 4 of us want to put mother's fee in the Mediterranean?  And who would they be?  Like I said interesting family.

You heard it here first - there will be a throw down between Mom and I. For some interesting reason Mom thinks SHE will be trapsieing around Europe with George Clooney but Georgie and I have booked an excursion for the two of us.  You know the song, Georgie and Cindy in a tree...

And lastly Karen's report on Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano IS highly antipated but the volcano will NOT be stopping our flight to Barcelona.  We are going to Barcelona come hell or hot volcano lava [high water].  Come on guys cut me a break -- all these blogs get hard :=)  
 
See ya in Provence - a very very French excursion.

11 more days...

Cruising with Cyn
Collection of useless information circuitous to the OPERATION: Poisson Rouge Adventure.


Nice (Villefranche) is the fourth stop on our European adventure and the first in France. 

Villefranche is your gateway to the one-of-a-kind French Riviera, home to Monte Carlo, Cannes and Nice. Shaded by jagged mountains touching deep blue shores, Villefranche offers sunny beaches, sophisticated resort cities, quaint red-roofed villages and spectacular views.

See ya in Nice Baby!

14 more days...

This week's answers were the best yet - thanks for the responses. 

I think the most valuable answers came from father and son in response to the question about thwarting pick-pocketers.  Dad and Ken's Q and A goes like this (Mom/Karen you may wish to skip this section). 

Q: What if anything are you doing to thwart pick pockets?
Dad's A: Thinking about just wearing a speedo.
Ken's A: Kick them in their funny place.



Q: What will you be taking off shore with you and how will you be storing it?
Dad's A: Money, can't fit much in a speedo [though].
Ken's A: money in my shorts.

Q: How much money are you bringing into port?
Dad's A: 50 Euros if it fits.
Ken's A: 2 dollars.


My interjection: Looks like someone got short changed.
Ken's interjection: Dad should be able to fit way much more in his speedos.
 
And not to be outdone Mike too is obsessed with his shorts and will be storing his money in his underwear.  Mike takes the prize as he will be storing 300 big ones in his briefs {I swear to god I typed 'big ones' before I realized the double entendre}. 

Michael very astutely asked (my spelling must be atrocious) how there are 296 steps in the Leaning Tower to run up while there are 294 steps to walk up.  The running or walking is not part of the equation here.  But depending what side of the Tower you start at there are a different number of steps.  This is thanks to the sandy substrate the tower was built upon.  BTW while spewing useless information the Leaning Tower of Pisa is NOT the only tower that leans; many do because of poor substrate. 

Over and out.  See ya in Provence next.

15 more days...

Cruising with Cyn
Collection of useless information circuitous to the OPERATION: Poisson Rouge Adventure.


Florence is the third stop on our European adventure. 

Breaking News!
The wonderful tour company Rome In Limo is booked for the day we are in Florence.  I am looking frantically for a replacement.  By now we should know what the can't miss items are in Florence but I will steal from an email Mo sent to me today. 

Pisa:
Tower, Duomo, and Baptistery. Main reason to go to Pisa. The Field of Miracles, the medieval wall, and the town itself can all be experienced while we walk or drive.

Florence:
-- square of Michelangelo (Piazzale Michelangelo) is where you can see the famous view of Florence with the Duomo rising above the town.
--'quick drive down into the historical center' (not sure where that is since I thought all of Florence was historical)
--Santa Croce church -- all the most important artists are buried.
-- Drive around the city continues with a visit to the Duomo(cathedral-huge)(open til 3:30 - free), Giotto's Bell Tower (Campanile)(6 Euros - open until 7:30). The Baptistery (bronze doors being the highlight-free and always available to see) is right there too (inside -- 3 Euros open until 7). I would like time to climb the dome of the Duomo or the bell tower.
-- Signoria Palace and the Square -- outside the Uffizi gallery (paintings) -- square is full of statues(copy of David where original used to stand), restaurants, town hall, palace
-- The Old Bridge -- gold and silver market -- can be viewed from near the square -- along the Arno River
-- Pitti Palace -- it's a palace and interesting to see how the royals lived if you want to.


Onto the survey. 

See ya over in Florence!

17 more days...

We have a winner! We have a winner! We have a winner!

Mo is going to try to see the most sites in Rome. She (and by default Mike) will be seeing: The Roman Forum, Sistine Chapel, The Pantheon, St. Peter's Basilica, Trevi Fountain, The Colosseum, Vatican City, St. Peter's Square, Palatine Hill, Capitoline Hill, view from dome of St. Peter's, Circus Maximus, Arch of Constatine and the Arch of Septimus Severus.  Followed closely behind Mo is Karen who not only is going to see a large majority of those sites, Karen has said (reading betwee the lines that is) she will be taking Ken and Cindy to the Cat Sanctuary.

Three of us have said we are most looking forward to see the Colosseum (Mike, Mo and Janet).  I could have wagered money on what Karen would say she was most interested in seeing -- Trevi Fountain.  While I'd like to be hanging with Karen at the fountain, Ken and I are hanging with Dad. To the  question, what are you most looking forward to in Rome, Dad answered Wine at Lunch.

On to the first of the two filler questions: who will have nicely manicured nails?  Half of us will and half will not.  While it is probably very easy to guess, I'll provide the answer.  Mom of course will, Karen probably will, and Michael was very smart by getting his done yesterday.  Mo said his 'dark eggplant' colored toe nails are to-die-for.

As always we end the survery with an open ended question: anything else to add.  Instead of picking a single item, there were three precious answers:

Mo:

I want to get one of those tacky photos with a gladiator!

Karen:

Rome is sure to be an action-packed-fun-filled day! This is the one place I hope to buy a remembrance token from our trip...something special and uniquely Italian...maybe a small piece of jewelry - like a silver cross necklace.

Dad:

Best not have too much wine at lunch.

That's all for this edition folks. See ya'll in Rome!

18 more days...

Cruising with Cyn
Collection of useless information circuitous to the OPERATION: Poisson Rouge Adventure.


Rome (Rome baby!) is the second stop on our European adventure. 

There is just an absolutely huge list of things to see in Rome.  Explore the Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain and other wonders of this ancient city. Picture the gladiators and their chariots on an interior tour of the Colosseum. Bask in the glory of Vatican City, with an inside look at St. Peter's Square, St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museum and the magnificent Sistine Chapel. See like I said so many really great options in Rome.  Ya'll know what Rome has to offer - onto the survey before my head pops off. 


See you in Rome!

21 more days...

Breaking news here, while most of us will be paying for items in Europe via "normal" means, credit cards, cash and the like Mike will be paying for things in Europe with sexual favors (don't shoot the messenger).  I thought that these surveys would be helpful to gather information but never did I think that the surveys would be a tool for bribery.  Mike/Mo we will talk off line on this subject.

We clearly all want to see the Pompeii while Ken and Cindy want to also see Capri and Sorrento.  There's only so much dust we can take in a day :-).  As far as what the cruise line is offering we have a split decision from those who answered the question.  Two peeps (Mom and Dad) will be taking NP03 (Exploration of Pompeii) and  two peeps (Ken and Cindy) are leaning towards NP02 (Capri, Sorrento & Pompeii - NP02, Colloseum).  Mike/Mo or should I say Mo/Mike, I understand you may be leaning towards the on your own excursions.  Can wait to see everyone to catch up!

As far as the cuisine in Naples -- on the off chance I misunderstood I will apologize up front -- sorry Mo if I misunderstood -- Naples is the birth place place of pizza, unlike anything we've had in the states, please please eat a slice of pizza.  Karen, Ken and I will be nibbling on some bruchetta right after the pizza (did I mention the gelato?).  9:09 PM just happened to look at the excursion Ken and I might take and I'm uncertain if we'll be getting any pizza.  According to the description we will be having lunch at a typical restaraunt. We may need to reconsider.

We will be retiring the line of questions involving shopping and souvenirs. 

The next survey will be a little more racy so stay tuned.

22 more days...

Cruising with Cyn
Collection of useless information circuitous to the OPERATION: Poisson Rouge Adventure.


Naples is the first stop on our European adventure. 

Naples is not only picturesque, it's also one of the world's greatest cultural centers, filled with extraordinary works of art and architecture in the classical Greek and Roman styles. Several interesting tours are available of the city itself and the fascinating places that lie just outside of Naples. 

The One Thing You Don't Want to Miss
While you're in the area, you'll want to visit Pompeii [or Herculaneum!], one of the most famous excavation sites in the world. A thriving city 1,900 years ago, it was devastated by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. when 30 feet of volcanic ash and pumice stone covered it. Enter Pompeii by the sea gate and take a short walk to the hub of the city: the Forum. View the lavish temples and porticoes that lay beneath the ash for centuries.

Other Fun Things to Do

• Take a boat trip to the entrancing Isle of Capri, and explore Capri Town. Wander its quaint streets and explore its shops and cafés. Discover the Gardens of Augustus, overlooking the famous Faraglioni of Capri and Marina Piccola.
• Take a ride up the Amalfi Coast. With its ocean views and beautiful vistas, it's one of the most breathtaking stretches of road in the world.
• Walk around and spend an afternoon getting to know the picturesque city of Naples.

Whatever you decide to do in Naples we want to hear about it!  Do share afterwards on deck 13 or at dinner.  As always take the survey below.

See ya in Naples

24 more days...

So who thought I would forget to submit my blog on time?   :-)

What are we doing in Barcelona you ask?  Andy/Dad/Pop Pop was simply brillant with this quote: Actually I do not plan to "plan ahead" for Barcelona but instead, upon arrival, decide what to do based on available energy after a long airplane ride, what is still available and what seems appealing at the time.

Maureen and Karen are experiencing Barcelona to the hilt...but my money is on Mo.  1. She filled out the survey before even me (I admit to waiting though) 2. Mo filled out the "Other" text box with like 3 or 4 sites she came up with on her own.  Sounds like a woman with a plan, map and iternery.  Minimally we can all meet up on Las Ramblas as we've all unanimously said we'd be strolling/shopping.  Ken and I are going to stalk Mo though.

This family is so like minded - we are all looking to drop a couple of pounds before the cruise -- which works perfectly for the couple of pounds a cruise adds to one's waist line.  We are also not dead set on buying any souvenirs - that's ashame Ken and I thought we'd be showered with plastic snow globes :-)

Speaking of like minded most of us will be eating the scrumptous seafood offerings in Barcelona.  It should be simple for us to stop off at a Tapas bar for seafood. 

What we decided to splurge on was all very cruise related such as suitcase, comfortable shoes, messenger bag (check out my messenger bag!) but Ken's response was priceless -- he said his splurge is the cruise.

Well that's it for now.  Get ready for questions about what we are doing in Naples.  Oh my did you see that?  I think that was the Naked Man of Barcelona!

25 more days...

Cruising with Cyn
Collection of useless information circuitous to the OPERATION: Poisson Rouge Adventure.


Barcelona is the first taste of our European adventure. And a small taste it is.

We have a bit of time buffer in case our flight is delayed (see Karen's weather reports for more info on that possibility).

Logistically we have to make it from the Barcelona airport to VOTS. There should be someone from RC there to direct us to the pier.  We will need to secure our luggage and go to the pier. We've been told that we will be allowed to board the boat (oh no my mom says it is a ship appparently boats are small and the Voyager of the Seas ain't small), I digress (have you seen that commercial?), drop our luggage, relax a bit (but do realize I believe staff will still be tidying our rooms on the boat, I mean ship) and then we may leave the ship if we are back by 5PM.

So what does one do with a limited and undetermined amount of time in a foreign city?  Here is a short description of items to do in Barcelona taken from the RC web site.  Just make sure you are back in time.   

While you're in Barcelona, don't miss the Picasso Gallery. Several adjoining 15th-century palaces house a huge collection (over 2,000 pieces) of Picasso's work.

- Other Fun Things to Do Stroll along Las Ramblas, a wonderfully vibrant part of the city where street vendors and performers vie for your attention. [We are within walking distance to Las Ramblas.]

- Explore the many churches and cathedrals of Barcelona and discover the city's modernist architecture along Paseo de Gracia.

- Visit Antoni Gaudí's unfinished Segrada Familia. With eight soaring spires and a spectacular main façade, this cathedral is a true architectural masterpiece.

Of course there are also things to do outside of Las Ramblas, perhaps a taxi drive away. 

Onto the crux of this posting...please tell us what you may do in Barcelona and take the survey below.  I will then post the results in a subsequent posting. 




And don't forget to do your homework - see what excursions RC has in Naples.

See ya in Barcelona!

28 more days...

Unfortunately the bad news is there in the results of the survery. There are two people who will not be wearing underwear on the dress up nights.

Perhaps I need a follow-up question for the other days. If anyone wants to know who the possible streakers are I am looking for a bribe.

What are you most looking forward to? Everyone is looking forward to sightseeing (so sightseeing we shall). 4 out of 7 of us are looking forward to stuffing ourselves with food.  Half of us will be people watching while the other half are relaxing.  Wonder if the people watchers will be watch the relaxers - would not think that is too exciting.  One nerd wants to see Italian art and 1 romantic wants to spend time with hubby. 

What is the one thing you will not leave home without? Most of us will not leave home without their significant other but Ken would apparently leave me behind in favor of his pants.  Yes pants. 

Please rate your fluency with the Italian/French langage. We're screwed.  Need I say more? On the average we know a smidge more Italian (thanks for the language lessons Karen) than French but we pretty much rated ourselves as Poor.

Now onto the questions involving excursions... None of us have booked any excursions yet (I hope you are looking at the RC site - they have an updated list of excursions they are offereing with descriptions, prices and sometimes videos [link below].  I recommend doing some research quickly and booking some.)  What type excursions are you more likely to participate in? Cindy, Ken, Mom and Dad (by default I'm adding Karen) are considering particiapating in the excursions offerered by the cruiseline.  Please note if you go off on your own you need to get back before the ship leaves, if you are on a cruise sponsored excursion and you don't get back on time, the ship [supposedly] waits for you.  EVERYONE says that they are open to participating in excursions with the family.  A couple of people said that they would be open to using a hired driver.  I've done some research on this (I looked on the RC site to be precise) and it is a little expensive but could be very cool.  Please note prices on site is not per person but per vehicle. 

Anyone dining in Portofino (on board fancy shmancy reservation only restaraunt for a 20-25 dollar upcharge per person)?  Ken and Cindy hope to book reservations for the second night.  Our [read my] logic is: first night we would like to share in the experience with everyone, dinners on the third night and forward may be filled with stories on what everyone did at the port.  Everyone else by and large said that they Dunno if they are going to Portofino. 

What will you be wearing on the dress up dinner nights?  Based on our answers we will be dressed to the nines.  Michael, I am sorry no baseball caps allowed in the main dining room.  I believe you could be seated in the crew's galley kitchen though. Mo, cool gown huh.  Do tell.  I have some gowns (not sure they fit but I belive they still look good enuf). 

What if anything do you want to add? Everyone but me answered this question with a chorus of 'good job'.  This is not for a compliment, this is for you to share anything I may have missed or if you have a question you want in a subsequent survey.  Freel free to use the comments section at the very end of the blog to compliment me.

Coming next week (actually in a day or two or theree - I better check) a survey on what we plan on doing in Naples our first stop.  As part of the survey is a question specific to the excursions offered by the cruise ship - so you may want to prep. 

29 more days...

Cruising with Cyn
Collection of useless information circuitous to the OPERATION: Poisson Rouge Adventure.

Since November of 2009 the OPERATION: Poisson Rouge blog authors have faithfully brought you the most up to date information, best travel tips, rip-roarously funny content and some of the best art work around. Time to change things around a bit.

We want to hear from you. Cruising with Cyn will be changing things up a bit by providing surveys for your participation. Below is a the first survey which centers around the general cruise experience.

For the first survey I'd like e-a-c-h of us to take it. Subsequent surveys will have the option for "couples" to take the survey or if you want each person of the couple can take the survey.

Boy that sounds confusing! Well it should be easy. Please take the survey below. In a day or two I will post the results. Subsequent survey postings will be specific to a port of call so if you have a question you want to add to the survey -- email me (or put it in the Comments).