LukeJ

@Cruising Caribbean ooof, I'm not getting involved in any part of that ha ha 😂. I'm sure my wife would say the same about me. I'd have no problem with giving up drink if I wasn't around other people. I've easily one that before, where I could go months without touching a drop of alcohol, but I do enjoy the social aspect, and I definitely wilt to peer pressure when someone offers me a drink.

The four seasons are definitely hard to judge and plan for. It could be raining to begin with, and you will head out in a long coat and then the rest of the day could be glorious sunshine, and you end up looking like an idiot wearing a hat and a coat in temperatures akin to a summer's day. And that works both ways too, out in shorts as the day started off well, only for it to rain hard and windy.

@3Sisters that's great memories you have with your mother, I like that positive thoughts. My nan used to be the same, always making us food and treats. Really were spoilt and brings out a warm glow when thinking about those days. Mint is fantastic and versatile. You can definitely drink it as a hot drink and it does help your digestive system. It would make the room smell nice also. I used it in most meat dishes I prepare. Finely chop it and add to the cooking process. I even make a sauce out of it, with vinegar and a bit of sugar with the finely chopped mint and sprinkle it over my meat.

It's because someone recognises the work she puts in and appreciates their efforts. I'm not saying waiters/waitresses don't deserve their tips, but it's more of a given thing about tipping in that profession. They don't even have to do their job well, and there will no doubt be a tip for them in return because we tend to tip for the overall food and experience. In the UK anyhow, not sure how it works in US. So a lot have had tips from me and they haven't even gone out of their way to deserve it. So when a cleaner for example gets a tip, it's not as common and means something to people. 

@3Sisters some people do deserve their tips, and means a lot to them due to their lowly pay. And you can always tell who are the sincere ones and not doing in because they have to, and these genuine people deserve their tips as far as I'm concerned.

The weather is hideous, and can have four seasons in a single day. The ice isn't what I have experienced in other parts of the world, our ice is sludge and black ice combined and is difficult to grit on the roads. And in the UK, we are a nation that's not very good dealing with climates like snow. The second it snows, that's it, everything and I mean everything closes. Work places, schools, buses and trains just close down. 

@3Sisters oh that sounds brilliant that you would have had some great sweets growing up with your mum as a chef. I can only imagine what pastries she would be making. Delicious. The herbs are easy, and mint has to be my all time favourite, alongside rosemary. Mint grows like a weed and can dominate the garden, so it's best to keep it contained. But fresh mint in your diet is stunning. The smell, the taste of it is my all time favourite. Sometimes I just rub my fingers on the leaves of mint and rosemary and just smell it.

Actually I take it back, that sounds even better than the drink. I like how you put that. I want to read the bible in the Himalayan salt room. That sounds peaceful, and the idea of being a priest influencer and travelling the world via cruise sounds like my chosen vocation. Thank you for bringing this to me. 

@Cruising Caribbean I'm glad to hear it, and I like to think you would be my support when I feel the need to take a swig from my bible. I still don't know whether it is actually true and does it continue if priests go onboard for free. I find it hard to believe because cruise lines do anything to make profit and take as much money as they can from you, and wouldn't allow a religious person the luxury of free travel because of their beliefs. 

I generally tend to get sea sick 🤢 at the beginning, especially if I'm sailing on an empty stomach. I am getting better the more I sail, but there is a small feeling then mostly. As soon as I have food and if I have to an alcoholic beverage, then it settles down and I can continue with the rest of the day. 

Yeah, added sugars are what we are all guilty for I guess. I know I'm one for sweets, and part of my diet will probably contain sugars. I do try to make up for that, by compensating for good nutritious foods in between and days where I will eat nothing but healthy foods. Herbs are fantastic and so easy to grow. You don't need a large area, you can grow some on your window sill in small pots if you are short of space.

No, they tend to only salt the roads when the extreme weather hits and ice is forecasted. And even then, it's only the main roads that are done. We do have thunder and lightning, and it looks spectacular at night to watch, and no I don't plan to do any driving when we have weather like that.

@Kendall James-Vargas I live in Wales, UK, a country next to England. It rains and rains there. It has to be one of the wettest countries around. It's a beautiful country, very green which is not surprising with the amount of water that nature gets. We do go cruising to try and get away from the weather, it can destroy you at times when you look out the window and see even more rain. It's difficult to plan anything, as if it's not raining in the morning, and as family go out or even go somewhere, there is still a high chance we could possibly get caught in the showers later. 

I didn't realise that salt was so big in your diets. I season my food when I cook, I don't tend to put salt on my food after the cooking process. I love spices, and can use them in most things I cook. I grow fresh herbs too, and I love using them in my dishes also. Paprika is a favourite of mine, and pepper. I do love a hot and then a bit of a kick in my food. 

@3Sisters That's right. I realise that cruise lines and their ships will never go back to the olden days of spoiling their guests, however there has to be some perks otherwise it will be like any other vacation. What I don't like is that cruise lines state that costs go up, and the need to keep things tighter due to inflation, and then in the next sentence we all have to hear about record breaking revenue that they have reported in the first quarter. 

@Cruising Caribbean without sounding blasphemous, wouldn't it be good to have a cut out inside the bible where you can hold a canter and have a secret drink. If it saves you money, then that could be something worth while considering.

Free ice creams, and after reading about Carnival decisions on upgrading and raising prices, I think the next cruise I will over indulge on ice creams just in principle before they all start charging prices. There are loyalty benefits while cruising, and I let the wife sort that side of things and other financial stuff,and I just follow her.

Yeah I'm not a fan of sauce, much prefer the flavours that come from the actual dish. People say they don't like the taste of salt, if you can taste salt in your food, then you have over seasoned. Salt brings the flavours out, not ruin it. Most find bland food acceptable these days, and if there is a slight flavour in it, they believe it's salt not the actual flavour they can taste. 

@Cruising Caribbean me and my wife tend to go for a walk as often as we can . Even for a half hour if the weather is not great. It just helps keep us fitter. Some people I know will drive to a shop that is a mile away, I personally don't see why you can't just walk there. Yeah I've tried to keep in good shape and I was used to standing all throughout the day. Since I've stopped, it hurts if I sit down too long and I need to get up and move about. I don't tend to chef much in the house, all those years have put me off I guess. I do tend to try and keep my hand in and not leave it all to my wife, but our tastes differ, and my wife prefers bland foods with no flavour, so I usually don't even participate in getting into an argument and I leave her to it.

Yeah it does grate on you after a while, and sucks your mood down. I mean we have had constant rain in this country now since October. We expect rain and grey clouds around the winter season, I mean that's given. Bit we are in April and it just will not relent. 

@mikeHive Scotland is a massive place with the best people. They are so friendly and fun to be around. One of the places I love going to Scotland is Edinburgh, it's not only filled with history, but the architecture of the buildings is something else. There's plenty to do there, and I can guarantee you will have an amazing time. Same in Ireland, beautiful people. Plenty to do there, great times. My favourite is south Ireland, just stunning. 

I tend to do a lot of walking these days, and I go to the gym, which is good for mental health also. I don't play sports as much anymore, body won't let me, but when the season is in, golf is my go to activity. I don't use golf carts, we will always walk. Can cover up to 15,000 steps on a good day. So if we play a couple times a week, that helps loosen me up too. I coach the rugby as I mention, and that keeps me active as I get involved in training not just stand on the side. I occasionally coach the soccer team, and get involved too with that, but not as much. I'm desperate to create memories with my son as I missed a chunk of him growing up because I was forever working as a chef, so didn't see him.

I guess different people have different opinions on loyalty, and it all comes down to which suits their needs. As long as there is some appreciation from cruise lines, then that's what people tend to accept. Personally I like P&O, I think they do try and entice you back and they do look after you aboard their ships.

A white Christmas is a fairytale, and one that most people would love to have happen on Christmas morning, opening the door to see a blanket of white with snow falling just like in the movies. Large parts of Europe have that fairytales, but the UK is a different world. It hardly snows, just horrible wet muddy sludge. The wind is biting, hits your right in your head letting off excruciating pain. It's rainy ALL the time. Just soul destroying. So even if we went to the nearest country in France and they have snow, it's just peaceful, and doesn't have that horrendous wind that hits you.

If alcohol goes up in prices, you can take it or leave it really. You know the cruise lines are making profits, it just shows you how much profit they want to make, not need to make. But water, they know people need water not just want it, they need it and will pay for it. I wouldn't trust the water that comes from the taps personally, yes you can wash in it and brush teeth but not to consume litres a day that we do. So that's why I think the cruise line is being disgraceful, they are taking advantage of the supply and demand scenario.