I have a wierd attitude! Not all of my trips have to be "first class, six star". Example: we just returned from a weekend road trip to the mountains (hills?) in SW Oklahoma with the local Mercedes Club. Stayed two nights in a rather pedestrian hotel in a small town. But, we got to see parts of our home state we never saw before. And I got to actually drive a car (someone elses) with over 600 hp and over 700 lbs. ft. of torque! A screamin' machine. Priced at $180,000! Someday, when I grow up, I may buy one of those! Overall, we all had a great time. But somehow, when I am on a ship, anything other than first class, six star turns me off.

It is not actually the lack of included booze, or the rip-off bar prices thereof. It's more the lack of easy availabilty of soda and bottled water, and the rip-off prices for these. And the "ity bitty" rooms unless I upgrade to where I might as well have booked RSSC or Silversea, and the lack of such common conveniences as fridges in the room (that even cheap small town hotels on land have these days).

Maybe I can enjoy a brief land trip with "mass market" accomodations, as we can go to any restaurant we chose, and I can always go a few blocks and buy some wine, beer, alcohol, soda, and bottled water and bring it back to the room without having the "gestapo" there to inspect it and take some of it away till I check out. And even our "mass market" hotel in a little "noplace" Oklahoma town had a fridge in the room for my convenience. And, there was something about the fact that this car club trip cost about $80 pp per day, including club fees, hotel costs, meals, and 300 miles worth of gasoline at rip-off prices we all have to pay these days. On the last night, we all sat around a meeting room in this hotel, drank beer, wine, and cocktails; and told lies about our cars! Not a very classy trip as far as accomodations were concerned, but a great trip and a great time with friends, and nobody was trying to rip us off with $2.00 cokes and $4.00 beers. These were less than 1/4 that cost from the grocery store down the street.

All this may sound a little "down market" for a Mercedes Club function, but it was not. All enjoyed seeing a nice small town with many scenic areas around it. Even for the guy with the $180,000 car. But he too told me he would not take one of those cruise lines where it is an arm and a leg for a decently-sized and equipped room, and where all beverages are a rip-off. How do you think he became able to get a $180,000 car?

Thanks,
Richard