“B” Is For Balcony-Cruising

B is For Balcony

On our first cruise, in 1994, we had an interior room.  At the time, we didn’t know any better and we couldn’t afford more.  Like many first time cruisers, we started and ended our day with activities, using our room for little more than falling into bed, exhausted.  This is the number one reason we hear for not upgrading the room and if you have nothing to compare it to, then price alone can be a compelling argument.  After twenty years of cruising, and a few lessons, we have come to understand the difference that this little extension of the room makes.

Copy (1) ofDSC_0899I remember the first time we had a balcony, there were things to learn.  Lulled by the soft breeze and setting sun, we fell asleep with the curtains open.  Forgetting that it is a continually changing landscape outside that window,  we woke the next morning in port,  docked next to another ship, looking directly onto their balcony rooms…and they into ours!    Still, that ever changing, floor to ceiling view is just one of several reasons to have a balcony room.  This is especially true when cruising very scenic locations such as Alaska.  While most passengers are on deck fighting for that perfect picture of the glaciers, you can simply return to your room and enjoy the passing scenery in quiet serenity.

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“A” is for Atriums-Cruising

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While cruising, we challenged our fellow travelers to document their time on board the ship.  The goal was to find something to photograph, which began with the letter “A”.  We chose atrium.

On a cruise, the atrium is usually one of the first places that a passenger will see on embarkation day.  Similar to a hotel lobby, it is the heart of the ship.  In this location, you will also find the customer service desk, the shore excursion office, the purser’s desk and the cruise consultant.

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Around the Ship-An ABC Cruising List

Cruising is so unique that I thought it deserved an ABC list of its own!  Use this list to discover your ship.  Highlighted items will link to other stories within the blog and/or you may use the search feature.

Alcohol

Art Auction

Art Gallery

Atrium

At Sea

Balcony

Bars

Beauty Salon

Bridge Tour

Buffet

Cabin

Cabin Steward

Captain

Casino

Centrum (see also atrium)

Champagne Tower

Chocolate Buffet

Cigar Room

Classes

Cocktails

Coffee/Tea

Comedian

Dining

Disembarkation

Embarkation

Entertainment

Excursion Desk

Excursions

Fitness Center

Formal Night

Free Dining

Future Cruise Sales

Galley Tour

Games

Golf

Grill

Guest Services

Hidden decks

Hot tubs

Ice cream

Internet at Sea

J

Karaoke

Laundry

Learn Something New

Lectures

Library

Lifeboats

Lingo

Lounges

Maitre d

Magician

Massages

Medical Center

Movies Under the Stars

Music

Muster Drill

Nap

Open Ocean

Organizing a Cabin

Passenger Services

Photographers

Photos/Video Gallery

Pools

Quiz

Room Service

Sail Away Party

Sanctuary

Sauna

Shops/Shopping

Shore Excursion Desk

Shows

Solarium

Spa

Splash Pool

Sunsets/Sunrises

Tea/coffee

Teen Center

Towel Art

U

Vow Renewal

Walk a Mile

Wine Tasting

Xbox

eXcursion Desk

Yoga

Zen

 

 

 

 

ABC Lists-Exploring With the Letter “G”

 

Gaelic

Gaillardia/gardenia/geranium

Gale

Galleon

Galleria

Galley

Gallop

Gamble

Game

Gammon/gateau/gelatin/gerkin

Gander

Gannet

Garden

Gate

Gather

Geode

Geodesic  dome

Georgian

German

Get away

Gig

Glamour

Glisten

Gnome

Goal

Goat/Goose

Go Kart

Golf

Gold/golden

Gorge

Gorse

Gothic

Grail

Grammophone

Grass

Gratitude

Grindstone

Guitar

gym

ABC Lists-Exploring With the Letter “F”

This is an ever expanding list for the letter F. Here you will find words which describe; activities, name places  (cities, towns, states, countries, restaurants, stores etc).  Words may elicit emotions, describe an event or festival or be the beginning of phrases and quotes. . Basically, you are limited only by your own imagination.  Therefore, this is a long list, with a variety of words which might be helpful when planning any adventure using the letter F. This list will be updated regularly, as more suggestions are offered. Eventually it will be broken down into categories. Remember, a word may have more than one meaning. For example, the word “farm” might bring to mind a Farmers Market for one person but an animal farm for another. Words can become actions, emotions or lead you to discover new destinations. They won’t necessarily be the same as the dictionary definition. Be creative and use this list in any way that inspires you to try something new! It will be impossible to list every word/phrase beginning with F here, so remember to look for restaurants, stores, road names etc., to inspire you. Think beyond locations. Consider new foods to try, animals to see , experiences to have, song titles that speak to you, or anything else that gets you thinking out of the box. Let your own individual experiences reflect a personal journey of discovery and have fun with the wordplay! As always, we value your contributions, so please leave a comment when you think of other ways to explore, using the letter F. (Please remember to keep your comments G-rated!)  Here is our list so far.  Remember to check back often as we are always growing the lists.

 

Factory

Falcon

Fair

Fall

Family

Farmer’s Market

Fauvism

Favorite (colors, flowers, foods, quotes….)

Favorite Things to do Alone

Favorite Things to do Together

Feast

February

Fedora

Ferment

Ferry

Festival

Fiddle/Flute

Field

Finch/Fox/Frog

Film

Fire

Fireworks

Fish

Fish & Chips

Flag

Fleet

Float

Flowers

Fly

Folk/ Folklore/Folk dance

Fondue

Food (eat it, make it or catch it)

Football/Frisbee

Footpath

Forage

Forest

Fossil

Fountain

Four/Fourteen/Forty

Frappe

Freesia/Fritllaria

French

French Cuisine

Friday

Friends

Fruit

Fun

Funny

ABC Lists-Exploring With the Letter “E”

This is an ever expanding list of date ideas for the letter “E”.  Usually we use a dictionary to generate a long list of   words, which might help generate ideas.   Read through the adventures below, to see some of the ways we might put the words together, to come up with our adventures.

1.  Get up “early” to watch the sunrise and “enjoy” an “English breakfast”.   Then, just take it “easy” for the rest of  the day.     You could stay in your pajamas and go shopping for “each other on E-Bay”.

2. Go to a restaurant to eat.  Make sure it serves an “Early Bird Special”, if you want to save money. Order your favorite “entree”, or “eggs, eggplant, elderberry, enchiladas and/ or Eastern or European Cuisine”.  All great “E” themed foods to try. You could even wash it all down with an “Espresso”, or “Earl Gray Tea”.

3. Take an “entourage” of friends to an “Escape Room”. Make sure you like them though because you will be locked up together, in a “themed” room for 60 minutes.  You must cooperate by using clues to solve puzzles, which will help you escape.  This makes an “epic” gift.

4. Perhaps animals are more interesting to you.  Egrets and elephants both begin with E.  Could you visit a bird sanctuary, or a zoo to see them.  Have you ever ridden an an elephant, or gone to a circus where they perform?  How about an Equestrian Center?

5.  We love celebrating any holiday.  “Earth Day” is one which comes in the spring.  There are many ways to observe it.   What a better way to spend a date, than  by “engaging” in activities such as a parade, or a clean up “event”.

6. Maybe learning is something you like to do.  How about attending a class, watching a documentary, or visiting a museum?  You could choose to learn about “Egypt and/or Egyptians”, or maybe the “Economy” or “Entomology” is more your thing to study.

7. “Elders” always appreciate a visit.  Whether “eight, eighteen or eighty”, people have numerous “experiences” to share.  “Engaging” helps us all connect.

8. Sometimes it is fun to just sit at the “edge” of a cliff, or watch a movie that keeps you on the “edge of your seat”, either would be very “entertaining”.

9. What about taking a car ride, and making only “East” turns, to see where you “end” up?

10.  Perhaps you will  visit an ocean and watch the tide “ebb”, or perhaps an “eddy” is easier to find.  Float in the water to “ease” the week away.

11. Concerts are always on the list, “Electric Light Orchestra” would surely get you “energized”.  Or, you could put on “elegant” attire and sip “effervescent” drinks while being “enchanted” with the “entertainment” of your choice.

12. Take and “epic” trip and cross the “equator”.

13. Connect with the seasons by celebrating the winter or fall “equinox”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABC Lists-Exploring With The Letter D

This is an ever expanding list for the letter D. Here you will find; activities, cities, countries, emotions, events, festivals, individual states, phrases and words. Basically, this is a long list that might be helpful when planning any adventure using the letter D. This list will be updated regularly, as more suggestions are offered. Eventually it will be broken down into categories. Remember, a word may have more than one meaning. For example, the word “derby” might bring to mind a horse race for one person but roller derby for another.  Words can become actions, emotions or lead you to discover new destinations. They won’t necessarily be the same as the dictionary definition. Be creative and use this list in any way that inspires you to try something new! It will be impossible to list every D themed word here, so remember to look for restaurants, stores, road names etc., that may begin with the letter D. Think beyond locations. Consider new foods to try, animals to see , experiences to have, song titles that inspire you, or anything else that gets you thinking out of the box. Let your own individual experiences reflect a personal journey of discovery and have fun with the wordplay! As always, we value your contributions, so please leave a comment when you think of other ways to explore, using the letter D. (Please remember to keep your comments G-rated!)

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ABC Lists-Exploring With The Letter C

This is an ever expanding list for the letter C. Here you will find; activities, cities, countries, emotions, events, festivals, individual states, phrases and words. Basically, this is a long list that might be helpful when planning any adventure using the letter C. This list will be updated regularly, as more suggestions are offered. Eventually it will be broken down into categories. Remember, a word may have more than one meaning.  For example, the word “cards” could be used to initiate sending cards to others, or it might mean playing a game with a deck of cards. Words can become actions, emotions or lead you to discover new destinations. They won’t necessarily be the same as the dictionary definition. Be creative and use this list in any way that inspires you to try something new! It will be impossible to list every C themed word here, so remember to look for restaurants, stores, road names etc., that may begin with the letter C. Think beyond locations. Consider new foods to try, animals to see , experiences to have, song titles that inspire you, or anything else that gets you thinking out of the box. Let your own individual experiences reflect a personal journey of discovery and have fun with the wordplay! As always, we value your contributions, so please leave a comment when you think of other ways to explore, using the letter C. (Please remember to keep your comments G-rated!)

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ABC Lists-Exploring With The Letter B

This is an ever expanding list for the letter B. Here you will find; activities, cities, countries, emotions, events, festivals, individual states, phrases and words. Basically, this is a long list that might be helpful when planning any adventure using the letter B. This list will be updated regularly, as more suggestions are offered. Eventually it will be broken down into categories. Remember, a word may have more than one meaning. For example, the word “bath”  could be used when describing a location like Bath, England or it could mean a container, used for cleaning the body, which holds a large volume of water.  Words can become actions, emotions or lead you to discover new destinations. They won’t necessarily be the same as the dictionary definition. Be creative and use this list in any way that inspires you to try something new! It will be impossible to list every B themed word here, so remember to look for restaurants, stores, road names etc., that may begin with the letter B. Think beyond locations. Consider new foods to try, animals to see , experiences to have, song titles that inspire you, or anything else that gets you thinking out of the box. Let your own individual experiences reflect a personal journey of discovery and have fun with the wordplay! As always, we value your contributions, so please leave a comment when you think of other ways to explore, using the letter B. (Please remember to keep your comments G-rated!)

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ABC Lists-Exploring With The Letter A

This is an ever expanding list of adventures for the letter “A”.  Generally Alan and I use a dictionary to generate a long list of  “A” words.  We then try to use these words to spark date or travel ideas.   Read through the adventures below, to see some of the ways we might put the words together, to come up with our adventures.  This list may also generate ideas for photos to take, while we are on the date and/or offer words we might try to incorporate into our story.  Keep the list going by posting “additional” ideas below!

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