u/RoundBrownBetty

I'm going solo on a 4-day out of Long Beach Port. It's my first cruise but then I'm flying straight to Vegas after for an extended vacation. I'm planning to bring a large sized suitcase and a smaller carry-on and use a backpack as my "personal item" with all my valuables stuffed in it instead of a purse.

This is fine for the plane but I didn't take into account the luggage limitation on the ship. Is my backpack going to be counted as my carry on? The language on the website makes it sound like having two cases isn't a strict limitation. Other places say I'm only allowed 1 suitcase. I will not be able to cram everything into one case and leave the $mall bag behind.

Will I be okay or should I give the cruise line a heads up?

I'm six years out with the sleeve. Way back when I started soft foods I thought a russet baked potato would be the best start. I got through half of a small one and spent the next two days unable to eat and writhing in pain on my bed. Prior to surgery, never had a problem.

A fluke? No, it wasn't. Every attempt post-op had the same result. From that point on I learned to cut French fries and every potato dish out there. I lived in fear of repeating my two days of torture. However there was hope! Apparently all potatoes are not created equal. Literally, they're very different.

I learned that RED potatoes did not send my guts twisting up into knots. I could eat them just fine. But my family doesn't like cooking with them all the time and bribed me to test my tolerance with other types of potato.

I learned SWEET potato was also safe. The absolute best type of potato is the ALMIGHTY GOLD POTATO! In my opinion, this is the best tasting and most fulfilling potato in my short list of tolerable ingredients. Apparently there's a whole biology to it that I don't know much about.

In short, I learned that Russet potatoes for me = bad. All other potatoes = good. So now I have a choice to awkwardly ask the server if the mashed potatoes that come with my meal are made with Russets or Yukon Golds.

Anyone have something to add or share?