Happy Hump Day, Gerbil Nation!
I’m sure we’ve all had days like the one represented in the thread gif.
I hope Fatwa’s roofing gig is going well, TeX and teh moos are getting along, and Kate is getting a nap now and again.
This was our first cruise and so we were asking the more experienced travelers for tips on how things worked and what to do. Everyone was quite friendly and helpful, but I was amazed at the number of cruises most of these folks had under their belts. One couple had gone 31 times. Other couples weighed in at 28, 19, 11, 14. Most of these were older retired couples, but there was one younger couple from South Carolina that go twice a year, and another couple from a few miles from us that try to go every 4 months.
How did they afford it? It was Mrs Sven who picked up on the pattern: retired fireman, retired teacher, retired policeman, retired city engineer, active city engineer, retired IRS agent, etc. The folks that had 10 or more cruises to their names were all civil servants of one type or another. Federal, state, city. Good pensions. Some of the retirees had done their 20 or whatever and then picked up second jobs or started their own businesses.
The on board casino was terrible. Maybe 75 slot machines that no one seemed to have any real luck on; 10 video poker machines with the worst pay tables that I had ever seen. For table games, they had 2 roulette wheels that were seldom played, 2 craps tables that saw some action, 1 Caribbean stud table, 1 pai gow that never opened, 10 or so blackjack tables dealt with a continuous shuffler--these are ones that should be avoided at all costs-- an electronic Texas Hold’em table that was mostly vacant, and one Let it Ride table.
But they were there and so you play. The place was seldom busy, maybe ran at about 50% capacity on any given night. Me and Mrs Sven got into a blackjack tournament and I got knocked out in the round right before the final table. Mrs Sven made it to the final table, misplayed one hand and finished second.
So I’m down about $1600 after 4 nights when I hit four deuces on a video poker machine for a $1000. Nice, OK, back into the running. The next night I sit down at the Let it Ride table. Three hands in I’m dealt a 3-card straight flush: 5, 6, 7, of Clubs. On my $5 3-card bet, that pays 80:1 for $400. The next card out is the 9 of Clubs. Gutshot straight flush draw, but the next card out is the 8 of Clubs. Bingo. The full payout came to $5400, easily the most money I’ve ever won on one bet and the most they paid out to anyone the whole cruise.
So with those winnings, we were able to pay off all the expenses that we incurred on the boat including all the excursions and have more than a bit leftover. Couldnt have asked for anything more.
Kings and Hawks tied at 4 heading into the second OT period.
In Juneau, the guide we had was a woman named Kellie Nightlinger. Nice girl, quite passionate about the wild and Alaska, and somewhat famous as a survivalist. She was on one of those survival reality shows, Naked in Africa:
“In an interview with the New York Daily News, Nightlinger and Snyder regaled Don Kaplan with their “ultimate” survival stories, including that one time Nightlinger used her vagina for bait and caught a fish with her vise-like thighs”
It sounds like an adventure and a good time. My Russian friend and his wife really enjoy cruises. Almost any other vacation she ends up working to take care of the family. The cruise lets her relax and have a good time. I am glad yours went well.
Happy Hump Day, Gerbil Nation!
I’m sure we’ve all had days like the one represented in the thread gif.
I hope Fatwa’s roofing gig is going well, TeX and teh moos are getting along, and Kate is getting a nap now and again.
Ugh. A poor start for the Kings as they try to finish off Chicago.
This was our first cruise and so we were asking the more experienced travelers for tips on how things worked and what to do. Everyone was quite friendly and helpful, but I was amazed at the number of cruises most of these folks had under their belts. One couple had gone 31 times. Other couples weighed in at 28, 19, 11, 14. Most of these were older retired couples, but there was one younger couple from South Carolina that go twice a year, and another couple from a few miles from us that try to go every 4 months.
How did they afford it? It was Mrs Sven who picked up on the pattern: retired fireman, retired teacher, retired policeman, retired city engineer, active city engineer, retired IRS agent, etc. The folks that had 10 or more cruises to their names were all civil servants of one type or another. Federal, state, city. Good pensions. Some of the retirees had done their 20 or whatever and then picked up second jobs or started their own businesses.
The on board casino was terrible. Maybe 75 slot machines that no one seemed to have any real luck on; 10 video poker machines with the worst pay tables that I had ever seen. For table games, they had 2 roulette wheels that were seldom played, 2 craps tables that saw some action, 1 Caribbean stud table, 1 pai gow that never opened, 10 or so blackjack tables dealt with a continuous shuffler--these are ones that should be avoided at all costs-- an electronic Texas Hold’em table that was mostly vacant, and one Let it Ride table.
But they were there and so you play. The place was seldom busy, maybe ran at about 50% capacity on any given night. Me and Mrs Sven got into a blackjack tournament and I got knocked out in the round right before the final table. Mrs Sven made it to the final table, misplayed one hand and finished second.
So I’m down about $1600 after 4 nights when I hit four deuces on a video poker machine for a $1000. Nice, OK, back into the running. The next night I sit down at the Let it Ride table. Three hands in I’m dealt a 3-card straight flush: 5, 6, 7, of Clubs. On my $5 3-card bet, that pays 80:1 for $400. The next card out is the 9 of Clubs. Gutshot straight flush draw, but the next card out is the 8 of Clubs. Bingo. The full payout came to $5400, easily the most money I’ve ever won on one bet and the most they paid out to anyone the whole cruise.
So with those winnings, we were able to pay off all the expenses that we incurred on the boat including all the excursions and have more than a bit leftover. Couldnt have asked for anything more.
Kings and Hawks tied at 4 heading into the second OT period.
In Juneau, the guide we had was a woman named Kellie Nightlinger. Nice girl, quite passionate about the wild and Alaska, and somewhat famous as a survivalist. She was on one of those survival reality shows, Naked in Africa:
“In an interview with the New York Daily News, Nightlinger and Snyder regaled Don Kaplan with their “ultimate” survival stories, including that one time Nightlinger used her vagina for bait and caught a fish with her vise-like thighs”
Hardcore.
It sounds like an adventure and a good time. My Russian friend and his wife really enjoy cruises. Almost any other vacation she ends up working to take care of the family. The cruise lets her relax and have a good time. I am glad yours went well.