168 more days...

Wow!  It feels strange to be back at the keyboard.  But the blog has taken a great new direction with the addition of Wednesdays with Karen, Cruzing with Cyn, and Mo's Travel Tips.  Great job ladies!!! 

So, we were talking about the safety of ships, etc.  Let's hope that our cruise ends up a little different than this one...  Right??  At least Ken is keeping an eye out.  

ICEBERG, RIGHT AHEAD!!!

See you on deck 13 (details to follow next week!),

M&M

169 more days...

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

Ah Barcelona

While not officially our first port, we will be able to proudly claim that WE have been to Barcelona Spain as it will serve as our arrival and departure point. We will be arriving in Barcelona on Sunday May 23, 2010. [cb says Wow 2010!]

Fun Facts

Barcelona and Spanish drivers in general are one of the worst, according to recent statistics an accident occurs on average every nineteen seconds weekdays Monday to Thursday but this rises to one every sixteen on Fridays.

FC Barcelona is the biggest privately owned stadium in the world (seating 100,000 people) and is also one of Barcelona's most visited tourist attractions.

Barcelona Wax Museum, officially known as Museu de Cera, is the Spain's answer to the Madame Tussaud's in London.

Web Bites

Today it's a year-round destination, although the most pleasant weather is in May [cb says Yeah Baby] and June, when outdoor festivals herald the arrival of summer.

Barcelona is a perfect walking city...

Public transport is likewise excellent...

Just * The * Facts

Elevation: 20 feet
Latitude: 41 17N Longitude: 002 04E
Avg Temp: 61
Avg High: 68
Avg Low: 53
Avg Precipitation: 1.3
Population ~ 3 million Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain and largest on the Mediterranean coast.

See you next week on Deck 13 when we travel to Naples and have pizza?!

170 more days...

Mo's Travel Tips

Carry-on Bags:

Continental will permit one bag plus one personal item (see below), per customer to be carried on the aircraft.

The maximum combined linear measurement (L + W + H) of the carry-on bag is 45 inches (115 cm)up to 14 in x 9 in x 22 in. The maximum weight of the carry-on bag is 40 pounds (18 kg).

Personal items
In addition to the one carry-on item, you may bring free-of-charge the below items:

one small personal article such as a briefcase, purse, day planner, small laptop computer, camera case, compact disk player or similar sized personal entertainment item

Effective Aug. 16, 2008, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow passengers to leave their laptop computers in bags that meet new “checkpoint friendly” standards. For a bag to be considered checkpoint friendly, it should meet the following standards:

-A designated laptop-only section
-The laptop-only section completely unfolds to lay flat on the X-ray belt
-No metal snaps, zippers or buckles inside, underneath or on top of the laptop-only section
-No pockets on the inside or outside of the laptop-only section
-Nothing packed in the laptop-only section other than the computer itself.

CPAP breathing machines (must be removed from carrying case and submitted separately for x-ray screening)

Small and portable electronic items do not need to be removed from their carrying cases.

Note: Most knives are not allowed past the security checkpoint (including, but not limited to, pocket knives, folding or retractable blades regardless of blade length or composition, box cutters, X-Acto knives, scissors with a pointed tip, straight razors, Leatherman or Swiss Army Knives). Plastic and round-bladed butter knives are permitted in carry-on baggage. (Oh good, toast for everyone!!)

Wow! This is fun to do. Now I know why Mike has enjoyed making this blog. See you all next week!

Tah!

171 more days...

While you can no longer go inside the bridge, you can go up to the "Peek-a-Boo Bridge" on Deck 11 and look down on this massive ship's version of a cockpit-at once bigger in space you would imagine, and smaller, more compact than you would expect, considering the 142,000 tons under the helm, and its size, 1,021 feet (imagine the Empire State Building floating on the ocean, that is how big Voyager is), and 15 decks.

Looks like Ken bribed the Captain for a private tour...

HEY...Watch where you're going!!!

I will now be contributing to the blog every Wednesday. (...how did that happen?)
Looking forward to injecting some humor and facts leading up to the VOTS vacation extraordinaire at the end of May 2010...

Cruise along and enjoy!

Karen

172 more days...

Safety First!

While problems at sea are a rarity, please keep your wits about you onboard VOTS. 

However, if something does go wrong, remember your safety training, and stay calm knowing that there are plenty of capable lifeboats and willing passengers available to help out out in times of trouble.  (Funny how it always comes back to Nana, eh?)

DON'T FORGET!  Tomorrow starts, "Wednesdays with Karen" on the O:PR Blog.  Who knows what she has in store for us!  Then Mo's Travel Tips, and Cruisin with Cyn!


See you on deck 13!
M&M

173 more days...

FRENCH 101:

Here are some common phrases translated into French that you may find useful during your trip.

ENG: Where is the bathroom?
FR: Oui, oui?

ENG: Howwwwlllllll
FR: Ow-oooooooollllll!

ENG: I would like some breakfast.
FR: deux bacon, s'il vous plait (accompanied by a guesture with three fingers)

See you on deck 13!
M&M

Reminder: "Wednesdays with Karen" , "Crusing with Cindy", and "Mo's Travel Tips" all begin this week!

174 more days...

The Sunday Finance Report:

ANOTHER NEWS FLASH!

Yesterday we announced that Karen has signed up to host the blog each Wednesday with her own brand of humor.  Well, now Cynthia Beck (THE Cynthia Beck) has opted to take on Fridays, starting December 4th.

Cindy was kind enough to give me a sneak peek at a few of her ideas, and all I will say is that you will be wowed.  Really wild stuff, and different than anything that you have seen here so far.  In fact, this is the content that might take us from family and friends to national exposure!  WE'RE GONNA GO VIRAL!!!

YET ANOTHER NEWS FLASH!!!

And since Cindy's announcement, Mo has also announced that she too would like to host a day per week here on the blog.  The topic will be 'Travel Tips', and it will appear every Thursday! 

There are still more days of the week available for anyone with the interest and desire to contribute.  Stake your claim on the blog, and lets countdown together!   (Wow!  I might have to start a spinoff blog soon!)