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I’m celebrating an anniversary this week – my 200th posting since starting this blog in late April of 2008.

My regular musings about everything cruising have come a long way since their humble beginning nearly two years ago. For example, selected blog postings are now featured on Canada’s premiere media aggregation service (www.bourque.com). In addition, Commodore Dave is now the primary provider of cruise content to Canada’s largest online media portal – www.sympatico.ca. You’ll find it at http://travel.sympatico.ca/trip_harbour/.

But what I enjoy most is getting comments from our readers – which now number more than 5,000 a month. Over the last year, I’ve received dozens of comments on a wide range of topics including pirates at sea, pisco sours, cruising to Haiti, and the population of Istanbul, to my foibles at sea, swine flu, tipping and outsmarting the cruise lines. Some agree with my views, and some don’t; but their comments are always insightful, entertaining and very much appreciated.

For example, when I criticized MSC cruises for allowing passengers to help fight off a pirate attack near the coast of Somalia, Ron jumped to their defence:

“Dave, those people who threw some furniture at the pirates who tried to capture a cruise ship recently should be commended, not criticized. None of them were compelled to take part in the defence of the ship and the fact they did is great. The sooner the pirates realize they are not on a cakewalk the better and if some participating passengers get hurt or killed defending the ship, well, that’s life and good for them for trying. The fact that it was an Israeli ship says a lot. Mainly it says that if you want what is mine you had better be prepared to fight me for it. I am tired of being a victim.”

(In that case, maybe we should start arming passengers with AK-47 assault rifles!)

And then there was my blog about Istanbul when I grossly over-estimated the size of the local population, which Ray took me to task for:

“What were you drinking, Commodore Dave? The population nearly doubled since you arrived, from 12.6 Million to 23 Million. I don’t think so. Maybe you counted all the Turks that now reside in Germany.”

(Whatever I was drinking, I’d like some more!)

My post about 10 ways to outsmart cruise lines by spending less on board the ship generated a lot of positive response, except for John who took offense with my suggestions:

“It seems to me to be a bad idea to bite the hand that feeds you. This industry has always been about add on services to offset lower fares and increase on-board revenue…nothing new here. Here is where I take offense….I spent three years working for a large unnamed line as a senior photographer. The photographs are taken quite clearly without obligation to buy…..

Encourage restraint by all means, but putting the squeeze on on-board revenue producing services can only result in higher fares in the long run. The ships have to make money however they do it.”

(I’ll make sure to pass around a collection plate the next time I’m sailing on a billion-dollar ship!)

However, the posting that generated the most response was the one asking if cruise ships should be sailing to Haiti so soon after the earthquake. Bob agreed with my position that RCI had done the right thing by returning to its private resort area in Labadee, Haiti:

“We will never be able to “Fix” the press and the way it reports. Some reports and “Stories” are better than others. Yours CD is a pretty good one btw. Labadee was way out of whack with Haiti well before their latest tragedy. RCI made a decision quickly and in my opinion the right one. Cruisers and future cruisers and others that have been or will go there will be split on their thoughts as are folks in all sorts of matters. It’s the human way. At least RCI is helping. Doing something… and because they had infrastructure already and it was unharmed were able to do it right away.”

(Agreed, but let’s not give up yet on trying to fix the press!)

However, Gerald took exception:

“Now if you were to go without passengers aboard and only crew and medical professionals; to get some of those Haitian people on to see to their medical needs, to feed and clothe them with all the clothing that the rich forget aboard your ships, etc. That would be a nice deed from your rich company……..”

(Gee, that sounds like what the Red Cross should be doing with the donations from companies like RCI!)

Believe it or not, I occasionally make spelling and grammatical mistakes, which a handful of readers have been good enough to bring to my attention. For example, Jim wrote:

“When speaking of Cartagena you said “…built on the foundations of a raised Indian temple…” Did you mean a razed Indian temple?”

I did and admitted so.  But then I embarrassed myself again by saying “mucho gracias” to Jim for his help, which prompted the following response:

“Last time, Dave. I promise. It’s muchas gracias, rather than mucho gracias.

Love your blog, by the way. All the best.”

(I’ve already offered Jim a job as a copy editor!)

From time to time I’ve tried to be funny with some blog posts in a series I’ve labeled “feeble attempts at humour.”  Thankfully, a few people like Vampzzzgirl have found them entertaining, in this case, one called “Behind the Fun Tours no Fun at All”:

“Hilarious!!!! Soooooooooooo funny I couldn’t stop laughing!!!! Fabulous blog!!! 2 thumbs up!!!

(Thanks. Gee, I wish you had 3 thumbs!)

I could go on, but I think you’ve got the idea – I love to get comments! Whether good, bad or even embarrassing, interaction with readers is the greatest reward that any writer could ask for. So thanks for your comments, and please keep them coming.

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