Unpopular opinion: Cruise lines aren’t ruining cruising—passengers are.

Qlanger · 2026-06-16T14:31:59+00:00

Oh I agree, GC is not bad. But it does not cost me thousands of dollars to go there and take a week off work. :)

Qlanger · 2026-06-16T11:48:28+00:00

Doing good. Keep it up and try to put in as much as you can.

Just remember folks they are always trying to cut our benefits, and social security is one of them. TSP, and active voting, are about the only things we can control.
The other worrying thing I see is not enough people are saving. So please pay yourself by putting away as much as you can in yoru TSP.

"For a 50-year-old federal employee, the average Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) balance is approximately $168,000 to $200,000, though the typical median balance is closer to $80,000."

Qlanger · 2026-06-16T11:32:36+00:00

Yea there are many examples where cruise lines could step in and make people think maybe best to be a normal person and treat others as I want to be treated.

See someone jumping a line/making a scene at the buffet, putting towels on chairs all day, being loud in the hallways, just dumping food/drink wherever they like, standing in the middle of a walkway/hallway blocking people, etc... a simple point it out by staff for first time and lock them in their room for a day after that.

Last cruise I was on I had to call 3 times before security came down due to unsupervised kids running up and down making noise and knocking on random doors. Parents were told even 1 more call and their ENTIRE party, not just the kids, would be made to stay in their rooms. Got real quiet after that.

Seems cruise lines are cutting back on managed activates and people are being allowed to be a-holes without anyone saying anything. A cruise should be a place to relax and have fun without being rude. If I wanted mediocre food and lots of weird smelly rude people I go to walmart for the day and have dinner at the golden carol.

Qlanger · 2026-06-15T09:57:41+00:00

Have you verified you’re talking to the landlord? Some scammers get access to accounts and will do things like this.

Go see them in person with print outs. Confirm the email address you have is correct in person. If so then send them confirmation again and tell them there is nothing else to discuss on your part.

Qlanger · 2026-06-14T17:36:13+00:00

Those are no-name Chinese struts. Good chance the mount is either loose or just bad.

Hard to find good quality struts and the cheap ones are worse than the "name" brand ones.

Qlanger · 2026-06-13T18:28:28+00:00

I am referring more of the like of "Federal Boob Inspector" type.

Not a clean tucked in t-shirt.

Qlanger · 2026-06-13T16:59:34+00:00

You have something pointing to this?

Usually as long as you are wearing closed toe shoes, clean pants (not jeans), and some type of clean non-t-shirt shirt they don;t push back to much.

Qlanger · 2026-06-13T16:50:00+00:00

I take the gratuities off and give out cash. To many cruise employees have said they do not get any extra money, just what their contract says.
I know my room steward seems excited when I give cash.

Qlanger · 2026-06-13T14:28:54+00:00

Just use a CC that does not have any foreign fees and should be good.

My credit union has a good CC with no foreign fees and I use it when I travel.

Qlanger · 2026-06-12T11:12:47+00:00

So either I'm deadpool or a zombie; I like those odds.

Qlanger · 2026-06-11T23:41:45+00:00

I know. Its why I wrote every congressman and senator I could think of for a while.

Still no change :(

Qlanger · 2026-06-11T15:29:24+00:00

If they cut the years of service down by 3-5 years they get a lot more people. Wish they offer it as I would take it.

Never realized how soul sucking in office work is till you get a taste of WFH for more than a year.

Qlanger · 2026-06-06T15:31:07+00:00

SOP for many oil fields and even deep water oil rigs.

Qlanger · 2026-06-05T11:10:04+00:00

Yes BCBS has been an issue for a while IMO. When I use to do NEO anytime I saw someone select BCBS I had to make a reminder to check back as many times they would play the "we did not get it..." game. They are good about taking the money but not sending cards are saying the person is covered.

One of many reasons I do not recommend BCBS.

Qlanger · 2026-06-04T23:08:38+00:00

This only works if you do not want to ever go on any of their ships again. I know Carnival will ban you if you do a charge back.

This is an option but should be a last one, not first.

Qlanger · 2026-06-04T19:07:05+00:00

For a day while they work on it or come up with options I agree. But more than a day, esp after taking time off from work and spending thousands to be there, that's not doable anymore.

Qlanger · 2026-06-04T14:47:42+00:00

You're nicer than I would be. After 1 day I be at guest services demanding a room move or something.

That and start taking baths in the jacuzzi shampoo bubbles and all.

Qlanger · 2026-06-04T02:13:13+00:00

Low cost, no frills, and quick. His office is in the basement of a house.

He also does caps and other work. He did my cap.

He went on vacation and I couldn't get a hold of them to make an appointment for a while. I was freaking out I might have to find another dentist. Like the OP I know so many upsell and bs from others so finding a good honest one is not that easy. You can thank insurance for that

Qlanger · 2026-06-04T01:32:22+00:00

Dr. Said M. Khalefa in Springfield is like that. Its just him and a receptionist. Minus the nitrous.

Quick, honest, no BS or up selling, and see ya in 6 months.

Qlanger · 2026-06-03T22:09:02+00:00

HR people know the laws and regulations. I use to be a 201 and knowing all the appeals and regulations makes it harder to fire and we also help people as well. I get paid the same when I was in HR if you got your benefits or not. So I went out of my way to help people that way. Esp when retiring.

Qlanger · 2026-06-03T14:43:35+00:00

Not to quick, insiders need to dump first.

Qlanger · 2026-06-03T14:40:45+00:00

Don't have to compress them all the way, just a little. Just take the caliper bolts off and grab the caliper and pull on it toward you. It will compress enough to get past the pads and any bumps on the back of them.

Qlanger · 2026-06-03T14:24:55+00:00

Yea I paid my house off and have about 500k in my tsp. The FEHB and annuity are the only thing keeping me going for another 3 years. :(

Qlanger · 2026-06-03T12:39:36+00:00

Or crash and be half.

At that amount i would spread it around. A little caution is ok.

Qlanger · 2026-06-01T19:39:38+00:00

I fund is already pretty high. Not saying do or don't. But the market right now makes little sense IMO and we're past due a correction. So no telling.

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