Going on a Cruise?

[sterlingice]

One, I'm vaguely disturbed that when I tried to search for thread titles with the word "cruise"- there were something like 11 hits and 1 was about an actual cruise while a couple used it as a verb and the rest were about Tom Cruise. Anyways...

So, in my emails for stuff like Expedia and Priceline, I keep getting advertisements for cruises, which I imagine is a pretty battered industry right now. Prices are so cheap that, even tho I don't know if it's really my thing (what? no internet! no tv?!? how do you people survive?), I'd be willing to try it and my wife seems to love the idea.

Just a few random questions, some logistical, others more, I dunno, content-based, trying to tap into the FOFC thinking- anyone who has actually been on one before. I realize, like anything, cruises are created differently. But I'm sure there are things that are mostly standard.

1) We were just cursorily looking at departing from either Baltimore or Charleston, SC as both are easily within driving distance. Baltimore is barely a 3 hour drive and Charleston is about 6 but we've wanted to visit there so maybe a day or two before a cruise would be perfect. Miami or Ft Lauderdale seem to be where most inexpensive east coast cruises leave from. However, then I have to tack on a flight where even a cheap flight for both of us probably runs $200 per person after taxes.

Show Cruise Information (http://www.cruisesonly.com/sc.do?d=&d2=&i=867133&c=1&v=36)
So, anyways, I ran across one in September which I guess is cruise offseason (hurricane season issues, perhaps- is there anything you can do to offset that potential danger?) for $299 per person which is 6 nights and leaves from Charleston- about $750 for both of us after taxes. From the reviews, it looks like a lot of people like we could be- first time doing one, picked a cheap one just to do it and they enjoyed it. Lots of the veterans didn't have anything particularly bad to say except basically "we've been on better"- which, well, what do you expect from something that's South Carolina to the Bahamas and Key West? It's not exactly the most exotic thing you could think of.

(aside: you know- the Bahamas feel like cheating. Sure, it's technically international but that's like saying Tijuana is international when you live in San Diego. I mean, geez- Orlando's twice as far from Miami as Freeport is.)

In short- it sounds like a decent, cheap starter cruise for newbies which pretty much fits us like a glove.

1A) Is it worth the extra $50is per person to get an "oceanview" vs an "interior"? We're not talking about a suite as that suddenly doubles the price? But it's not really worth $100 to be given a little porthole either.

2) So how does this work with parking? Can you park by the ship? Or do you park at a hotel? How does that work- I mean this can't be an uncommon problem. Anyone who takes a cruise has to pretty much drive to the boat, right?

3) What to do on the ship? I'm sure this varies from ship to ship but just to get a general idea. On top of that- this kindof goes with one of the later points- what costs money and what doesn't when you're just on the ship?

4) Getting off the ship? So, I see you can get ripped off with "excursions" where it costs, I dunno, $400 to go snorkeling. But if you don't want to do the cruise company's thing- can you do your own thing? How does that work- just make sure you're back on the ship before it leaves port or what?

5) What about silly little preferences for someone who has never done one before? Early or later food- is there some hidden advantage or disadvantage (maybe you get to do more stuff at your stops if you take the later dinner, for instance?) How about where to be on the ship? Is back better because you'll be away from families? Or is the front away from the engine or makes for a better ride or anything like that?

6) How does dining work? It appears they have quite a few different options (again, early vs late from above?) and you can get a variety. Are you locked into any one place? Can you, say, grab sushi early and then grab something more substantial later?

7) Hidden costs? So where else do you get nickeled and dimed? Even more importantly, where do you drop $20 or $50 or more a person that you didn't expect? Looks like food is free for these, but are tips expected? And, if so, on what amount since there's no price for the food?

Anyways- thanks for any help in advance. Considering how "cheap" it is- $750 for 6 days for 2 of us seems like worth trying it- provided I can find out about potential pitfalls and additional costs.

SI

[Airhog]

I went on a cruise for my honeymoon so I can answer a lot of the questions

1aa) You can purchase cruise insurance I believe. If there is a hurricane, they can reroute you to different destinations, or just spend the whole cruise at sea. I believe they will comp you if this happens.

1a) Not really, unless you like being able to see the ocean. My aunt and uncle cruise a lot, and they save their cash for drinks, and excursions, so they get a cheap room. When we went we only went to the room to sleep, or change.

2. We left from galveston, and they have parking lots. for a 7 day cruise, it was 45 dollars to park. We found a lot online, and saved 5 bucks by paying in advance

3. AFAIK, only gifts and drinks, and gambling cost money. On the ship we were on they have a lot of different activities. There were several clubs, for dancing and stuff in the evenings. they had nightly shows in the theather also.

4. You do not have to do the cruise ship thing. I think it just depends on where you are going. when we went to jamaca, we were very glad that we did an excursion. cause the port is shitty, and there is no place to go that felt safe. It was much better in mexico, and grand cayman. The boat will have a time that you have to be back by, otherwise you could be left behind. If you don't want to do the ship excursions, do your homework. just remember that the excursions you book on ship are more expensive, but your guaranteed not to get ripped off.

5. we chose the late dinner, just because we like eating late to begin with. you shouldn't have much problem either way though. I don't think there is really a better part of the ship to be. we had kids near us, but no issues. it was noisy in our cabin, but we were on the lowest deck at the end of the ship. Didnt really bother us though, because we only slept in our cabin.

6. you can eat as much as you want, as often as you want. The late/early dining options are for the formal dining only, which we went to and they were good. I would grab sushi as a late snack at 5, and then eat dinner later. Also, if you do eat at the formal place, you can ask for extra food. So don't be afraid to ask for a second steak, or lobster tail if you want one.

7. The only other cost is the tip, for our package. half of the tip was included in the cost of the cruise, and the other half was added at the end. I don't remember the specifics though, you'd have to look that up. basically at the end of the cruise, you can tip more money if you would like to certain people, and you can also change the distribution of your tip money. You don't tip for individual meals. Also, soda drinks are not free, you need to buy a 25$ fountain drink card. Tea and juice were free for me. So if you cannot eat a meal without soda its worth it, as drinks were like 2 bucks I think. If you like to drink liquor expect to pay for it of course. (on our cruise there was a captains party the first night, and that was the only time we got any free booze)


I think overall, we spent about 2000 on our cruise. it cost us 1400 for the cruise, plus all of the other stuff (driving to galveston from OKC, the excursions, the tips, parking, drinks, etc.)

If you have any other questions feel free to PM me, or ask here.

[MrBug708]

1A) Oceanview might be a porthole so is a window the size of a basketball worth the 50 dollars?

2) Here in Los Angeles, my dad works at the port so we got to park for free. Im not sure how it works though

3) Cheesy touristy things like trivia and dancing and things

4) You gotta pay to do activities, but if it's just a port, you can either walk or take a shuttle to activities.

5) Eat early IMO. The food is "fresher", less likely to run out of things, and the wait staff has more patience.

6) Its worth it to eat in the dining room. Plus you can order more then one item when you eat so it's a great place to try things you might never order in a restaurant back home. (Snails, duck, et al)

7) Tips can get you, the longer you stay the more it costs

[Lathum]

Airhog did a good job answering most things accurately. One thing I would caution, that time of year leaving from Baltimore the first day will probably be VERY choppy. If you or the Mrs. get seasick I recommend leaving from Florida.

As far as excursions go, they are a little overpriced, but not a crazy stupid rip off.

I like doing the late dinner because if you are doing something during the day you don't need to hurry back.

As far as eating, you eat whenever you want. The overwhelming number one reason people go on cruises is to eat. It is an embarrassment of excess. There will always be something, somewhere to eat. Some cruise lines have restaurants you have to pay to eat at certain restaurants, it doesn't look like this is one of them, however I have never been on Carnival, we do Royal Caribbean. TBH I have heard bad things about Carnival, but that may just be my Mother in Laws bias.

The interior room you tend to feel the motion of the boat less so again, if tehre are seasick issues you may want one, but like Airhog said, you really will only sleep there.

Most cruises have TV in the rooms.

I don't know about parking, we have always flown

Otherwise, it is a great experience, cruises are a lot of fun.

[dwardzala]

My experience has been on several larger ships, but in looking at the info it seems similar.

1A) is personal preference. If you aren't in your room during the day, there won't be much to see at night. I've never bothered with a seaview room.

2) I think depends on the port more than the cruise line/ship. I've always flown and been bussed to the port from the airport. Miami did have long terma parking for cruisers to leave their vehicles.

3) From the website you provided, there looks to be the normal variety of activities, casino ($), spa ($), live entertainment (usually free, but sometimes there are charges for special events), night clubs, pool, etc. This is pretty standard fair. They set up these cruises so if you are the type of person that does something 24/7 on vacation you can, or you can just chill.

4) You can always go on your own when the ship is in port. Beware, the ship won't wait for you if you are late getting back.

5)Regarding preferences, early sitting for dinner will have more kids in the dining room. Later usually doesn't. The later dinner sitting probably will not give you more time to do things ashore, but while the first sitting is going on, the late sitting people can see shows and then those shows are (usually repeated for the early sitting crowd.) As far location on the ship, you probably won't even know there is an engine. I don't think you will be able to avoid families with location.

6)Dining is set up so that you can eat 24 hours a day (or at least 20). All the food on your ship appears to be included. Be aware that alcohol and most soft drinks will cost you extra (about what you'd pay at an "upscale" bar). Coffee, tea, lemonade and water are usually included with meals at no cost.

7) Hidden cost - you will have to tip many people at the end of the cruise. You cabin staff (make bed, deliver clean towels, etc.), you wait staff (often two or more people per table) and possibly porters and other people who assist. You will also want to tip bartenders/servers who you purchase beverages from just like a normal bar/restaurant. There are often port fees/taxes which are added on to you ticket price and jack it up the same way airlines do. Excursions and shipboard activities may cost you extra, but obviously those are optional. For a 6 day cruise, you should set aside extra money so you can settle up at the end. The last 7 day cruise I took I figured cost us $1000 more after all the booze, excursions and shopping my wife and I did, but we weren't trying to pinch pennies either.

Our experience was a good one. Be aware that if you are the least bit sensitive to motion sickness, you will need to take measures to prevent it (dramamine, wrist bands, etc).

[cartman]

I'm heading out of Galveston on a cruise next Saturday. It will be my second one.

We had a room with a porthole window, and it was ok, but honestly we treated the room like a trip to Vegas: it is just a place to crash. All of the entertainment on the cruise we were on was part of the price, so no extra charge for the shows. The casino is obviously a different matter. :)

We picked the early dinner, in order to have the evenings entirely open to do stuff. As has been mentioned, the food is all you can eat. Even though the menus don't mention it, you can have multiple appetizers/entrees if you want.

As for parking, it varies from port to port, so you'll need to check. In Galveston, you drive up and porter takes your luggage. Then you drive to a parking lot the port operates, and a shuttle takes you back to the check-in point.

You aren't tied to using the cruise offered excursions. In most instances you can find the local company and book the same thing for a significant discount from what the cruise charges. The gotcha might be if the excursion is a long one. If you aren't back in time, the cruise will wait for people that booked through them. Otherwise you are on your own.

For hidden charges, just be aware that most everything has an added tip that you buy on board. Also turn off roaming on your cell phone, that might be a bit of surprise if you don't.

[Swaggs]

Most everything is covered, but I would just like add that the excursions are what make the cruise, in my opinion. We have been on two cruises. On the first, we were pinching pennies and didn't do any excursions and had an okay time. On the second, we had a little more money available and went on several excursions and had some great experiences (hiked through a rainforest w/ a waterfall, visited a mountain top, went on a tour of a Rum factory, etc.).

I'd recommend saving the money on the oceanside room and putting it towards excursions. As Cartman said, the room is just a place to crash -- they are very small and minimalistic regardless (unless you spring for a suite, which we have never done), so you won't be spending much time in there other than to sleep.

[Airhog]

Just to add to what Lathum said, there was one fancy resturaunt on our carnival boat, that you had to pay extra to eat at.

[Lathum]

Most everything is covered, but I would just like add that the excursions are what make the cruise, in my opinion. We have been on two cruises. On the first, we were pinching pennies and didn't do any excursions and had an okay time. On the second, we had a little more money available and went on several excursions and had some great experiences (hiked through a rainforest w/ a waterfall, visited a mountain top, went on a tour of a Rum factory, etc.).



Sounds like Puerto Rico

[Mustang]

1A. I would not go on a cruise and not get a balcony view. We loved it because it was great to relax on and just read or lounge when you didn't want to hassle with the upper decks.

2. We have normally flown in and then were bused in groups to the ship. I'm not sure how far away you are coming from, if you are relatively close (150 miles) might be easiest just to pay someone to drop you off and pick you up.

3. Most everything is free on the ship. Comedy shows, variety shows, movies.. They have trivia contests and things of that nature so, there is always something to do. I think some of the sports equipment might have a small rental fee, but other than that your biggest expensive will be drinks.

4. You don't have to do any excursions. You can walk off the ship and do whatever you want. Just as long as you are back in time. They will not wait for you and if this happens, you are on your own. Our excursions were normally in the $75 range (Tulum, tour around Cayman Isles, etc)

5. Early/Late dinner, just a personal choice. We liked the later meal because when we got back on the boat it gave us a little more time to relax and get ready instead of rushing. As for boat position, we have stayed in the middle and back and had no preference.

6. We like the freestyle dining which is show up when you want between the hours they have. Typically there is the nice dining sections and then the buffet sections. The nice dining section has set menus and you can order whatever. If you want multiple appetizers, have at it. Some places have a different restaurants that you can pay for, but the price isn't that bad. We typically go once a cruise to these type of places just because they are more specialty ones - Steak, Italian, Sushi, etc. Just remember to reserve a spot early in the cruise and make a reservation as they are not ones you just show up at.

7. Hidden costs? Not really. Just be careful on the booze. When you go on the ship, you don't pay for anything with cash, they just give you a card that is attached to your room that you pay for at the end of the cruise. I've heard horror stories of some people getting carried away and they have a $1500 booze bill at the end. Also, you pay roughly $10-$12 a day in tips to your room cleaners. I believe a small tip is added to bar bills for the bartender also.

[path12]

Most of your questions have been answered, but personally I'm with Mustang that having a balcony is well worth the upgrade.

I'm also a fan of the later dinner, just because 5 is too damn early for me when I'm on vacation. We'd usually have dinner and a bottle of wine, then hit the late show.

Excursions are OK if you feel weird/paranoid about your ability to make your way around in a place you're not familiar with. I kind of like just figuring stuff out on my own -- when we stopped in St. Maarten we found a taxi driver who took us to a beach on the other side of the island, then came back three hours later to pick us up and take us to another little town area where we wandered around for awhile, then he picked us up again a couple hours later to take us back to the docks. We were a little nervous at first that he might not come back, but it worked out fine.

We've also went on excursions that were quite nice, but there is a bit of bus tour feel to those IMO.

[CU Tiger]

Much of this has been covered, but I am going to chime in
1-with my opinions
2- With Charleston,SC specific info

My wife and I have been on 8 cruises, and thoroughly enjoyed them.
That said if you are leaving out off Charleston you are going on Carnival. Which is a good "starter" type cruise, and honestly enough what we did the first 3 times. They are low on the high scale list if that is your thing.
But they cover all the basics well, and are a good value for thee $$ imho.

1)The insurance thing is worth looking into. Also cruise prices vary GREATLY, research this. We have found good deals through different sources without ever seeing any one source be consistently the ticket.

1A) I personally would not go on a cruise without a a balcony room. A few things to consider, the rooms are considerably smaller than you average hotel room. Having a window helps it feel bigger. Also the extra light afforded by the window is worth it to me by itself. Plus you cant beat sitting on your own balcony with your wife at night smelling the air, hearing the waves and the privacy cant be matched up on deck. Also my wife is mildly sea sick and interior rooms kill her but as long as she can see she is fine.

2) If you cruise out of Charleston,SC there is a parking deck right there by the port. It was $25 for a week last time we left from there. LEAVE NOTHING IN YOUR CAR. NOTHING.NOPE NOT EVEN THAT. NOTHING. The ship schedules are well posted and thiefs know how long your car will be there. Also it takes much longer than you would expect to get on and off the boat. Arrive earlier than you think you need to.

3) On the boat, casinos are usually ab ig hit, and of course they cost money. Alcohol is always nice and it costs money. Think bar prices for drinks all week. There are duty shops on board where you can buy trinkets, they will take pictures every time you turn around and try to get you to buy those. And all wait staff work exclusively on tips, so every time you get a beer, you are expected to at last toss a dollar to the bartender. There are shows which can be a bit hokey but...can also be entertaining. There will be spa services (at cost) sun bathing and swimming pools on deck...

4) You can do your own thing, but excursions are often very well put together. I would plan on doing at least one, otherwise you may find yourself wondering around all day. Specific point. If you find yourself in freeport try to check out the Bananna Bay Cafe, you will most liekly have to rent a car to get there but it is worth it. Its a local restaurant and what it lacks in amenities it makes up for in scenery and food. They have a dock that is literally 30' into the ocean you eat on and it is authentic iland grub. You will probably be the only toursit there.

5) Again Id take any balcony room over any non balcony room.

6) You ahve teh formal dining every night everything else is just walk up and order/grab and certain food places will be open all night. It is literally all you can eat. You can walk up and get pizza take a bite and trash it and go get a burger, then sushi etc. etc.

7) This will vary greatly, but my wife and I will generally go through a couple hundred in alcoholic drinks in a week. Something about it for us, you get up on a boat and just want a drink...and like I said bar prices or a bit higher ($4-$5 beers) $8-10 drinks etc. Oh and if you like Cigars, you will need $50-100 for Cubanos to smuggle back in your luggage.

[path12]

I've also found it fairly easy to smuggle in some alcohol for in room drinks in a water container, though they do frown upon that so YMMV. Can save you a few bucks -- but if you're up on deck you won't want to schlep down to your room every time you want a drink, so expect to pay for most of your drinks.

[terpkristin]

I went on a cruise with my family over labor day weekend. I went in expecting to HATE the cruise and ended up having a much better time than I'd expected. Actually, it was so much better that I'm contemplating another one (though I wouldn't go back to Bermuda, which is where I went this time).

1) We were just cursorily looking at departing from either Baltimore or Charleston, SC as both are easily within driving distance. Baltimore is barely a 3 hour drive and Charleston is about 6 but we've wanted to visit there so maybe a day or two before a cruise would be perfect.
I think it's well established that I think Baltimore is a fine city, and this is where our cruise departed from. They have a lot of cruises in and out, so they know what they're doing and do it efficiently.

1A) Is it worth the extra $50is per person to get an "oceanview" vs an "interior"? We're not talking about a suite as that suddenly doubles the price? But it's not really worth $100 to be given a little porthole either.
Do you get seasick? My sister, who does not normally get seasick (we've been out on very rough seas on my dad's sailboat), had an interior room on her first cruise and an oceanview on her second, and after that, always gets oceanviews. She said for her, she felt less likely to get seasick on the oceanviews. I dunno. She and I shared a room and had an oceanview. I don't get seasick so can't judge that, but our window was a good size (3' x 4'), though we rarely looked out it.

2) So how does this work with parking? Can you park by the ship? Or do you park at a hotel? How does that work- I mean this can't be an uncommon problem. Anyone who takes a cruise has to pretty much drive to the boat, right?In Baltimore there is ample parking at the port, or you could take a cab from the hotel or airport. I believe that if you tell them you're flying in (and flying out), that you can arrange to be on a shuttle to the airport.

3) What to do on the ship? I'm sure this varies from ship to ship but just to get a general idea. On top of that- this kindof goes with one of the later points- what costs money and what doesn't when you're just on the ship?
During the day, I napped and did a ton of reading, mostly up on the pool deck or the top deck. I hung out with my family, sometimes we'd just sit around talking. We did drink a bit, though not as much as it seemed most people did. There were a few activities during the day on the boat that were interesting (my mom and I did a wine tasting, there were some movies, and there was a game or two--trivia-like stuff). But mostly during the day I read. Never went to the casino, even at night, though my folks did (they like the slots).

At nights, after dinner there are shows and then usually music and dancing up on the deck. We did family dinner in the dining rooms and usually did a show.

4) Getting off the ship? So, I see you can get ripped off with "excursions" where it costs, I dunno, $400 to go snorkeling. But if you don't want to do the cruise company's thing- can you do your own thing? How does that work- just make sure you're back on the ship before it leaves port or what?
Yep. If you can find things to do on your own, you most definitely don't need to book through the cruise line, and you'll save a truckload of money. I did 2 snorkeling trips and 1 scuba trip, none through the cruiseline. Did a glass-bottom boat trip that was and was overpriced, though was still fun (and was with the family). They'll tell you what time you need to be back. Just remember to bring a small pouch or otherwise for your passport and stuff. That's one thing I didn't really realize, how much, even on the boat, I'd want a small backpack with me, to carry my book, my sea pass, sun screen, iPod, camera etc.

5) What about silly little preferences for someone who has never done one before? Early or later food- is there some hidden advantage or disadvantage (maybe you get to do more stuff at your stops if you take the later dinner, for instance?) How about where to be on the ship? Is back better because you'll be away from families? Or is the front away from the engine or makes for a better ride or anything like that?
I think higher up is better than lower down, again if you get seasick. We had really rough seas one night and it was definitely rougher on the lower decks. Dinner is a personal preference. We did the earlier dinner so we had time to change clothes if we wanted before night events, since all the dinners were a little more dressy than jeans and t-shirts.

6) How does dining work? It appears they have quite a few different options (again, early vs late from above?) and you can get a variety. Are you locked into any one place? Can you, say, grab sushi early and then grab something more substantial later?
You're assigned a dinner time and you need to go there on time. On RC, you have the same waiter the entire time for dinners. Usually there are 5 options for first course, 5 for second, and 3-5 for dessert. Alcohol is extra. One night is always a fancier night (on ours they had lobster, duck, and some steak thing as the main dishes). There is always a vegetarian option. You can get multiple dishes in each course if you desire. You also won't be hungry on the ship. Breakfast you can go to the dining area and get sit-down service or buffet style in the other area, as much as you want. Lunch is the same deal. The dining area is open at a certain time, or you can go through the buffet, which has lots of options. Between breakfast and lunch the buffet areas have snacks and there is usually also an option for stuff like burgers, hot dogs, pizza, fries, etc. Between lunch and dinner there are also snacks, like nachos, etc. Dinner you can do in the main area or in the buffet area, or do the buffet area as 2nd dinner after the main dinner, usually it stays open til 10 or so with a variety of food stuffs.

7) Hidden costs? So where else do you get nickeled and dimed? Even more importantly, where do you drop $20 or $50 or more a person that you didn't expect? Looks like food is free for these, but are tips expected? And, if so, on what amount since there's no price for the food?
Tips are expected on drinks. They also expect you to give gratuity per person for your dinner waiter, your area waiter (the guy who is over your main dinner waiter), your housecleaning people, etc. All that is done at the end of the cruise, they give you envelopes for them and suggested gratuities.

As I said at first, I expected to HATE the cruise and I would love to go on one again. Good luck. :)

/tk

[sterlingice]

Well, we put down a deposit on a cruise (with the intent to go). I'll post more as we get closer to the time. It's 5 nights and leaves Charleston in September (hooray for hurricane season!)

SI

[Airhog]

On the liquor thing, at least on carnival, you are allowed to bring so much on. We brought on a bottle of champagne. Didn't bring on any other liquor as we don't drink much.

[cartman]

On the liquor thing, at least on carnival, you are allowed to bring so much on. We brought on a bottle of champagne. Didn't bring on any other liquor as we don't drink much.

According to their site, you are allowed to bring one wine bottle on per person. We flagrantly violated the rules last week, and tried to bring on board two bottles of Crown Royal. It was successful. And, as we heard in the debarkation meeting, even if it wasn't successful, they return the seized liquor at the end of the trip instead of pouring it out.

Well, we put down a deposit on a cruise (with the intent to go). I'll post more as we get closer to the time. It's 5 nights and leaves Charleston in September (hooray for hurricane season!)

SI

Have fun! We had a blast over the past few days, even if we had 20+ foot waves on the last day of our trip. :D

[sterlingice]

Oh, and I can't believe I didn't do this earlier:

Thanks, everyone, for all the advice- we took it all under advisement, considering our conditions. :D

Again, we'll probably be back to pick people's brains this summer as times get closer.

SI

[DanGarion]

I'm surprised no one else posted this yet...

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[Landshark44]

my wife just booked a cruise for us. her and i, and we have two boys 8 and 13. leaving in november, out of tampa, we go to grand cayman and cozumel. i am very much looking forward to it. we were able to get two cabins next to each other, all for around $1400.......

we are looking at excursions, now. it's another thing we'd like to pay for ahead of time. it seems there are about thirty in each port. anything you guys have done that you loved? thanks...

[Samdari]

my wife just booked a cruise for us. her and i, and we have two boys 8 and 13. leaving in november, out of tampa, we go to grand cayman and cozumel. i am very much looking forward to it. we were able to get two cabins next to each other, all for around $1400.......

we are looking at excursions, now. it's another thing we'd like to pay for ahead of time. it seems there are about thirty in each port. anything you guys have done that you loved? thanks...

You have to go to Stingray City from Grand Cayman. When we were there, it was just about the only thing to do. Easily the best excursion I've done on 3 cruises.

[cartman]

my wife just booked a cruise for us. her and i, and we have two boys 8 and 13. leaving in november, out of tampa, we go to grand cayman and cozumel. i am very much looking forward to it. we were able to get two cabins next to each other, all for around $1400.......

we are looking at excursions, now. it's another thing we'd like to pay for ahead of time. it seems there are about thirty in each port. anything you guys have done that you loved? thanks...

We found a great beach in Cozumel called Nachi Cocom. It isn't offered by the cruise lines, you have to book direct. It is ~$50/adult, $30 per kid, and all of the food and drinks are included. They only allow 100 people per day in, so it isn't crowded. You get your own area on the beach, and there is also a freshwater pool with jacuzzi and swim up bar. There are also available, for an extra charge, jetskis and kayaks to rent, parasailing, beach massages, and there is also a boat that will take you out snorkeling for around $30 per person. The snorkeling was incredible when we went. We even had a couple of dolphins swim underneath us, and we could hear them talking.

Cozumel Beach Break at Nachi Cocom the Perfect Day in Paradise at Nachi Cocom in cozumel (http://cozumelcruiseexcursions.com/cozumelbeachbreak.htm)

[Jon]

my wife just booked a cruise for us. her and i, and we have two boys 8 and 13. leaving in november, out of tampa, we go to grand cayman and cozumel. i am very much looking forward to it. we were able to get two cabins next to each other, all for around $1400.......

we are looking at excursions, now. it's another thing we'd like to pay for ahead of time. it seems there are about thirty in each port. anything you guys have done that you loved? thanks...

There's a turtle farm and rum factory in Grand Cayman. The turtle farm was great. And the rum factory gave out samples...

[Landshark44]

cool, thanks. stingray city is definitely on our list of things to do.....

my wife was also looking at some sort of zip-line adventure. any of you try this one...?

Adventure Park, Zip Line & Snorkel Combo (http://www.carnival.com/ShoreExcursionDetails.aspx?region=CW&portcode=CZM&excursionname=Adventure+Park%2c+Zip+Line+%26+Snorkel+Combo&excursioncode=304062)

and another one where you walk on the ocean floor, wearing some sort of helmet.....

SeaTrek Helmet Diving (http://www.carnival.com/ShoreExcursionDetails.aspx?region=CW&portcode=CZM&excursionname=SeaTrek+Helmet+Diving&excursioncode=304026)

[PurdueBrad]

We're going to Cozumel, Cayman, Roatan, and Belize in June so I'm definitely taking notes!

Right now, we're thinking:

Belize- Cave tubing
Cozumel- Atlantis sub
Isla Roatan- The beach
Cayman- Dolphin Experience (swimming with the slimy little bastards)

[Landshark44]

can you bring "red bull" on a cruise? and some vodka to go with it....?

[Ragone]

if you are going to nassau.. don't do the cruise excursion tour.. there are locals who give tours for like 1/3rd of the price that are extremely legit. Took us everywhere the cruise ship tour would have and more.

we went last year on norwegian, i would recommend them highly.

[Landshark44]

Ok, we are set to leave in two weeks...(Nov 7th)

I still haven't booked an excursion for Cozumel, and am interested to know if anyone has had any positive experiences there. We are doing the "Swim with Dolphins" the day before we get there, in Grand Caymen....

Also, my wife and I can drink some alcohol, and are concerned about our possible bar tab. Has anyone had any success sneaking alcohol onboard? Some tips for doing so would be appreciated....

[cartman]

Check my post a few up with the link to Nachi Cocom. We had a blast there.

[Landshark44]

Check my post a few up with the link to Nachi Cocom. We had a blast there.

i was just checking that out. it does look like a good time......

thanks

[sterlingice]

*sigh* I ended up not even going because of almost losing my job and then moving to Indy as a transfer :(

SI

[CU Tiger]

we just got back from the same trip last month.
tampa-grand cayman-cozumel-tampa

We did an excursion in cozumal that went snorkeling and then went to some private beach and had a big play day....they had there huge wipeout style inflatables out in the water and everyone had a blast...

[cartman]

As for getting alcohol on board, just put a bottle in each of your bags. They only do random searches, and no one we talked to had any confiscated. The drink prices on board are pretty outrageous. Once you get on board, and verify that your contraband made it on, you can get an unlimited soft drink card for something like $8/day. That is how you make your own mixed drinks, as long as you remember to bring a flask.

[Landshark44]

we just got back from the same trip last month.
tampa-grand cayman-cozumel-tampa

they had there huge wipeout style inflatables out in the water and everyone had a blast...

do you remember the name of the place you went? was it a hotel?

alcohol right in the carry-on? seems so simple....but i'll try it, nothing to lose.......

[cartman]

No, we put the bottles in our checked luggage. They'd probably find it in the carry-on, since you have to run it through an X-ray machine.

I think we did that same excursion on a different cruise to Cozumel. Was the boat a catamaran, and the beach with inflatables also had a small grill to buy food? We had fun there as well, but enjoyed Nachi Cocom a lot more on the second cruise. There were several reasons why. One was that instead of only 4 hours, it was all day, two, all drinks were free, not just beer and watered down margaritas, third, it was a lot more secluded, four, the lunch that was included was awesome, and finally, we got our own private snorkeling tour for three of us that lasted over an hour and a half.

[Landshark44]

did you try and hid the fact they were bottles of alcohol?

what i mean is, should i just put a bottle of scotch in my suitcase? Or.....

should i pour scotch into an empty ice tea bottle, and then put it in my suitcase?

[Landshark44]

my wife and son have decided to do this excursion...in cozumel..

Adventure Park, Zip Line & Snorkel Combo (http://www.carnival.com/ShoreExcursionDetails.aspx?region=CW&portcode=CZM&excursionname=Adventure+Park%2c+Zip+Line+%26+Snorkel+Combo&excursioncode=304062)

[cartman]

Didn't try to hide them. They were just bottles of Crown in those pouches they always come in. On another cruise one of my aunts just put a 1.75 liter bottle in one of her suitcases.

[cartman]

I'll check with my aunt, but I think they did that zip line on a cruise last year, and she was disappointed. They made it sound like it went through the trees, but she said it was all over concrete. I'll see if that is the same one she did in Cozumel.

[Landshark44]

cool, thanks...

[Lathum]

Plus anything they confiscate you can get back at the end of the cruise.

[Jon]

I just got back from a Scandinavian cruise a little over a month ago (my 8th). Due to the economy, they've begun really enforcing the alcohol policies on the ship (since that's where they make there dough). You may be able to sneak some through, but if not, you'll get it back at the end.

Try to get on the ship around noon, if possible. That way you can get there before the majority of people show up and take a look around. One suggestion I would make is to bring a bathing suit with you as well (along with socks, etc to change in after the pool time), in case you want to hit the pool in the afternoon before you get your lugguage.
More importantly, check out your table as soon as you get on the ship. That way you know where it's located, whether the table is too big or too small, and generally if you like it or not. If you don't, talk to maitre d' and try to switch. If they're able to, they usually do it with no problem (including changing from early to late seating--I prefer late seating--it doesn't give you more time ashore usually, but it does give you a little rest period before dinner). And, If your wife is looking for a massage, the best time is to schedule the massage as soon as you get on the ship--that way you get the time that you want (they have a schedule of port times, etc--best massages are during days at sea).

As for tips, I've found that, although you tip at the end of the cruise (and can add it to your overall cruise bill), it's good to slip the room steward and your waiter some cash the first day. This was suggested by another frequent cruiser that we met and it has paid off each time. The room steward does a little more in your room, gives you robes or extra towels, and generally is more helpful. The waiter will make an extra effort for you as well (such as remembering if you said that you really liked an appetizer --the waiter may make the effort to have it for you if it's not on the menu another night). This isn't in lieu of tipping at the end, just a nice little extra to get good service (not that service is bad, but anything extra is good).

Have fun! And don't feel obligated to follow the ship's schedule. My first cruise was on carnival, and I was hesitant to go because I heard that they push the whole "do this" "do that" mentality. Once aboard, I did my own thing (which included sitting by the pool with a book and music). I now generally use Royal Carribean, but I use the same principles. It's my vacation, so I'll do what I want.

Also, before you leave, make a copy of the passports to bring with you just in case. If possible, scan them into a PDF, email them to your wife, yourself, and another friend/family member. They may take it from you when you go onboard, but it's good to have a copy.

[Landshark44]

thanks jon, good advice....

[Jon]

I mean the cruise lines may take your original passports, which is why you want the copies (that you would bring with you ashore just in case).

You're very welcome for the advice. If you have any other questions let me know.

You will have a blast. Once you go on one cruise, it will be difficult to stay away.

[Lathum]

Leaving for an Alaskan cruise next Saturday. Really excited. We have a lot of excursions and spa time planned. Can not wait.

[sterlingice]

It makes me sad that I started this thread and never got to go on the cruise :(

SI

[Glengoyne]

Can you give details. Mrs. Glen's parents are doing a Princess Alaska cruise at the end of September.

Ports of call/excursions chosen
Cruise line

[Lathum]

Can you give details. Mrs. Glen's parents are doing a Princess Alaska cruise at the end of September.

Ports of call/excursions chosen
Cruise line

We are doing Princess as well, leaving from Seattle, which is obviously convenient for us. Our ship is the golden princess.

It stops in Juneau, Ketchikan,Skagway, and Victoria with a "scenic" cruise day.

In Juneau we are doing

Bike & Brew Glacier View
JNU-455 Approximately 4 hours / From $99
12sfS
This guided bike tour offers you an exhilarating way to enjoy some of Juneau's most beautiful scenery - the Mendenhall Valley. Upon
arrival, your expert guides will outfit you in top-of-the-line gear and give you a safety briefing before you set out on your 9-mile ride.
Be sure to bring your camera, as photo opportunities abound. Starting beside Auke Lake, you'll enjoy the picturesque views of it and
the Mendenhall Glacier from in front of the charming Chapel by the Lake. Then, you'll stop at the beach for another spectacular view
of the glacier's western vista and a snack before continuing to the glacier's east side. Your final stop is near the Mendenhall Glacier
Visitor's Center so you can see the Glacier from a much closer perspective. Then, finally, you'll board a van for a ride to Merchant's
Wharf where you'll sample award-winning beers from Alaska's micro-breweries.


In Skagway we are doing

Glacier Lake Kayak,Scenic Railway & Klondike Summit
SGY-770 Approximately 5 hours / From $229
13sf
Ride the historic White Pass & Yukon Route railroad and explore the crystal-clear waters of a glacier lake by kayak on this scenic and
immersive 5-hour excursion.
Your tour begins onboard a vintage railcar in operation since 1898. Enjoy a ride with plenty of sights along the way, such as Gold
Rush Cemetery, Pitchfork Falls, Black Cross Rock and infamous Dead Horse Gulch.
The next portion of your adventure begins at Bernard Lake. Paddle for approximately an hour across the pristine waters in your twoperson
kayak. Your naturalist guide will entertain you with stories of the gold rush and point out wildlife - watch for bears, mountain
goats, caribou and eagles.
Enjoy a light snack with beverage before boarding your motorcoach back to Skagway. En route, your driver will narrate the journey
along the Klondike Highway. Soak in the views of the mountains, waterfalls and glaciers on this 45-minute drive.


And in Ketchikan we are doing

Coastal Wildlife Cruise
KTN-630 Approximately 3.25 hours / From $169
1ef
This 3 1/4-hour cruise takes you on a search for black bears, eagles, seals, sea lions, humpback and killer whales. Your tour begins
with a short walk to board a custom-built, high-speed boat specially designed for wildlife viewing. You'll cruise 25 miles to a remote
inlet to witness seals and eagles fishing for salmon and look for bears as they emerge from the forest to forage on beach grass and
dig for clams. Although bear watching is your main objective, you'll spend about 30 minutes viewing wildlife that may be sighted
during the journey to and from the bear viewing area. You'll keep a keen eye out for wildlife on the move. Whales, porpoise and sea
lions follow schools of herring and salmon as they migrate to and from their spawning streams. Your excursion concludes downtown,
with a short walk back to the pier.


Really excited about the excursions. We also have a couples massage planned to relax our tired bones from the excursions and my wife has various mani/pedi/facials scheduled. I will likely be drinking and gambling during those.

We are leaving the little one with Nana and PopPop and are really looking forward to alone time, long quiet meals, and lots of sleep.

One of the things that sucks for us is we live cross country from our whole family and we tend to spend all our vacation time on visits. We decided this year to do something for ourselves and are really looking forward to it.

[MrBug708]

I'm going on a 12 day Med. cruise that departs Barcelona on Wednesday.

[Blackadar]

I hope ya'll have a better time than I did.

I went on a nice cruise last year - the Allure of the Seas in the Eastern Caribbean. Beautiful ship, no doubt. But it pretty well sucked. It was like being trapped in a hotel for a week, the excursions were underwhelming and frankly I was bored as hell. I guess it's just not my style of vacation.

In 3 weeks I go to SF, whitewater rafting and Yosemite. THAT'S my style of vacation. :banana:

[MizzouCowboy]

I'm going on a 12 day Med. cruise that departs Barcelona on Wednesday.

Awesome! Should be a great honeymoon to say the least.

I took my wife on a 12 day Med. cruise for our 20th anniversary 'bout 6 years ago. We departed out of Citacavechia (I'm sure that's spelled wrong), which some how Carnival calls Rome. Anyway, it was an amazing trip and seen stuff that we never thought we'd see. My favorite port was Dubrovnik, Croatia. Just a beautiful city and the people were the friendliest I'd ever seen.

The only bad thing for me was being on the ship for 12 days. The first week or so was great, but by the 10th day I couldn't wait to get out of there. I really think it was because we had an interior cabin. Without any light coming in you really had no idea if it was morning, night, or whenever.

[MrBug708]

Ya...12 days might be long, but it's pretty port intensive, so I'm hoping that will keep us from getting too antsy

[tyketime]

We are doing Princess as well, leaving from Seattle, which is obviously convenient for us. Our ship is the golden princess.

It stops in Juneau, Ketchikan,Skagway, and Victoria with a "scenic" cruise day.

In Juneau we are doing



In Skagway we are doing


And in Ketchikan we are doing




Really excited about the excursions. We also have a couples massage planned to relax our tired bones from the excursions and my wife has various mani/pedi/facials scheduled. I will likely be drinking and gambling during those.

We are leaving the little one with Nana and PopPop and are really looking forward to alone time, long quiet meals, and lots of sleep.

One of the things that sucks for us is we live cross country from our whole family and we tend to spend all our vacation time on visits. We decided this year to do something for ourselves and are really looking forward to it.
My wife & I cruised on the Golden Princess last August (My mother-in-law paid for cruise to celebrate her 70th birthday). Mrs Tyke and I have done 6 or 7 cruises now. We found this one to be our least favorite. The ports are beautiful, and I will mention our excursions down below. But as far as the ship itself, we thought it was a little older. The age demographic skewed quite a bit older (as we expected it would). But that, in turn, led to less enjoyable nights on the ship as many of the passengers had already gone to bed earlier. As you will be in Alaska with colder temperatures, most people choose not to hang outside (except for Glacier Bay - and you have to get up really early for that). We made the most of it since my wife's sisters and spouse are all relatively the same age (40-49).

In Juneau, we did a bike tour as well which was very cool. The van drove us to top of mountain, and we rode down stopping a few times for scenic reasons. We ended up down by the water which was beautiful with a glacier in the background.

In Skagway, we did the Train ride. It was cool to ride an "older" train up the mountain pass. The scenery was magnificent, and when we stopped at the top, it was breath-taking views and so very quiet. But then the train came back down basically the exact same route. So the ride up was great, the ride back felt long and not as exciting.

In Ketchikan, we did the Zip Line Adventure. I weigh 220, and had never zipped before. I was scared shitless on the first "practice" line. But after the 2nd or 3rd one, I relaxed and enjoyed it. On the last (and longest) line, we zipped across a river and there was a baby bear running across an open field. This was by far my favorite shore excursion, and certainly a highlight of the entire cruise.

I hope that you and your wife have a great trip. Enjoy the alone time - it sounds like you need it.

[tyketime]

Lathum - 2 other things:

1. We were booked on Deck 3. This is one of the 2 decks whee passengers get on/off the ship. We were awoken a couple of mornings to the gangway planks being maneuvered into position. It was very loud. I found several reviews online where others complained about the same situation. The Purser's Desk acted as if this was the 1st time they had heard of the problem. We did get a $40 credit, but truthfully - it was a real problem for us.

2. The exercise room is OK. That first day of sailing at sea was very rough (until you get up closer to Alaska). We signed up for a Spinning Class. I was on one end, and I rocked front and back which was troubling, but OK. Others who were in the middle of the semi-circle swayed side to side. At least 2 of them got sick and had to quit the class. Exercising on the treadmill will also make you thankful for the side rails. I never use them in a "regular" workout, but had to hang on while in choppy waters.

So plan accordingly.

[Lathum]

Thanks for the feedback Tyke. I'm going to see if I can find out what deck we are on prior to boarding. We are staying in a mini suite, not sure if that makes a difference.

I likely will not be exercising while on the ship, so no worries there.

As for the late nights we tend to go to bed on the early side. We aren't interested in nightclubs. We'll do some shows than maybe drink in a bar or the casino.

[terpkristin]

Leaving for an Alaskan cruise next Saturday. Really excited. We have a lot of excursions and spa time planned. Can not wait.

Go whale-watching and bring a good camera. Are you going to do a land tour, too? Will you guys be visiting the glaciers?

I had an amazing time in Alaska. I'd love to go back.

/tk

[terpkristin]

I did the same Princess cruise in 2010 (all the same stops, plus we did the land cruise), 1 week on the water and 1 week on land. We did our whale-watching in Juneau. Toward the end we went to College Fjords and Glacier Bay which I guess not all cruises are authorized to go to.

My entire set of photos is here (215 pictures): Cruise to Alaska, August 2010 - a set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/sets/72157624702924759/) but my favorite 2 are 20100814 thru 20 Alaska Part 1 1274 Harvard Glacier Calving 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/4935820208/in/set-72157624702924759/) and 20100814 thru 20 Alaska Part 1 555 Juneau Whale Watching Humpback Sasha Fluke | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/4935213465/in/set-72157624702924759) from the water portion. We did the land portion too and got to see Denali. 20100820 thru 24 Alaska Part 2 423 McKinley Sunrise play with lighting | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/4935835870/in/set-72157624702924759/)

/tk

[Kodos]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Pn0WdJx-Wkw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Lathum]

Videos are blocked at work, and given the cruise ship that has been in the news I'm not sure I want to see that video anyway

[MrBug708]

Certainly sounds terrible, buy planning on going on a cruise this summer

[Desnudo]

Make sure to bring one of these

Amazon.com: BABYBJORN Potty Chair, Blue: Baby (http://www.amazon.com/BabyBj%C3%B6rn-055115US-BABYBJORN-Potty-Chair/dp/B000056J7L/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1360943948&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=infanty+potty)

[Scarecrow]

We were scheduled to go on the Triumph next month. Switched on Tuesday to the Carnival Magic during the same time; new ship + 2 more days + stops in Hondurus, Belize, & Mexico instead of just Mexico = $750 (but well worth it).

[Dutch]

This one is making the rounds with my military buddies on FB. :)

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/c63.0.403.403/p403x403/17527_10151447546963606_1262938859_n.jpg

[kcchief19]

Yeah, I have a very low tolerance for cruise ship disasters. If the boat goes down and there's fatalities, we can talk. If you have to sleep in a tent or take a dump in a plastic bag, yeah, it was a bad cruise. But it's not like it was the Titanic. I saw some moron last night who said the conditions on board were similar to the Superdome following Katrina. Really? Were gangs of starving criminals stabbing people on the lido deck?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0M9b8zZtoPQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Dutch]

wow, lmao! "only 51 people died!?...I thought it was like a 1,000...that's no tragedy!" haha!

[sterlingice]

Yeah, I have a very low tolerance for cruise ship disasters. If the boat goes down and there's fatalities, we can talk. If you have to sleep in a tent or take a dump in a plastic bag, yeah, it was a bad cruise. But it's not like it was the Titanic. I saw some moron last night who said the conditions on board were similar to the Superdome following Katrina. Really? Were gangs of starving criminals stabbing people on the lido deck?

Love it :D

(Tho I don't believe anyone was stabbing anyone else in the Superdome but I could be wrong)

SI

[AnalBumCover]

Thought I'd give this a fair bump since we see the Disney Vacation thread and the Hawaii Suggestion thread frequent the front page.

I think I got spoiled by Celebrity Cruises during my 2018 trip to the Mediterranean (Italy, Malta, Greece). I'd prefer not go on any other cruise line, except maybe Disney. The food and onboard experiences were top-notch.

Over the next couple of years, we plan on doing a Caribbean cruise, and maybe Alaska. Definitely another European cruise, but that's a little bit further off into the future.

[Ksyrup]

We just booked a 6 night Caribbean cruise for mid-February with my wife's parents. I've never done a cruise. We were supposed to do an Alaska cruise in 2020 but, you know. I figure this will be a decent starter trip. It's Carnival but we purposely went with affordable so we could get a nice suite.

[sterlingice]

I posted this on another board somewhat recently. I've only been on one cruise before (Alaska about 6 years ago) and have tried to brainstorm where would be a good cruise destination. Here's my basic thoughts and open to what I haven't thought of:

I have no desire to go on the drunk party boat leaving from Galveston or Florida or whatever. I think those are the ones that fit under the category like others have said where you can just go to a resort and get the same thing.

I think an ideal cruise desintation is somewhere where you don't stop at any one place for, say, 5 days, but an area where you'd spend a day or two in a lot of places.

I would totally go back to Alaska on a cruise and see some things we saw before and some new things. I'd also want to pair it with a land trip to Denali. We couldn't do that last time as our parents had volunteered to watch our son before he was born and they even tried to back out so we were limited to cruise and go home for time.

We just got back from Hawaii and I could see that as a viable way to see all the islands or a number of them. We spent a week each on the Big Island and Oahu and I don't think I need to spend any more time on Oahu in my life but if you haven't been, spending a day or two on each major island could work.. That said, if I went back to Hawaii, I'd probably just spend some more time on the Big Island, some time on Maui, and some time on Kauai. It costs less than $100 a ticket on Hawaiian Airlines to go between the islands so there might be more bang for buck both in cost and time to fly between them and drive around on them rather than being restricted to cruise ship hours of like 8-5 and then having to be back on the boat.

I can't see Western Europe as good for this. I'd want to spend a week in London or Paris or wherever and a cruise just doesn't afford you the ability to really dig into a location unless it's the first or last stop on your trip and then you can spend a couple of extra non-cruise days there.

For that reason, I think the Mediterranean could work for us. We've visited Italy before so the fact that Rome deserves like 5 days isn't as big of a deal for us. Maybe something like start in Barcelona and end up in Athens. Spend a little extra time at the start and end of the trip but also get a day or two in places like the South of France, Monaco, some of the smaller Italian cities, maybe Eastern Europe, etc.

Same for Northern Europe. Like I'm not sure how many days you really need in the Scandinavian cities or northern/eastern Europe but it would be a good sampler of a lot of countries. I think those river cruises in the same area are the same idea.

Maybe Southeast Asia? But it seems like a lot of countries don't have cruise ports or that western ships visit them.

There are some places I just have no interest in doing like the Caribbean (drunken party boats) or United States (I can just drive/fly). Also, there are places that I don't want to cruise but want to spend more time in: Japan, Australia/New Zealand, Egypt, Western Europe.

My parents did the South American coast with an excursion to Antarctica. But I feel that you have to do Antarctica last - it has to be your 7th continent. And I still haven't been to Asia (except part of Turkey), Africa, or Australia. So that's a long way off.

In a similar aspirational vein, I've always wanted to do an around the world trip like Phileas Fogg, using different modes of transportation to get around the world and stop in many major cities along the way. Take a cruise across the Atlantic, take the Trans-Siberian railroad across parts of Asia, etc. But, until I win the lottery, or something like that - it's not going to happen.

SI

[AnalBumCover]

I have no desire to go on the drunk party boat leaving from Galveston or Florida or whatever. I think those are the ones that fit under the category like others have said where you can just go to a resort and get the same thing.

Here in California, we call that the "Booze Cruise" which is usually reserved for the 3-4 day one-stop from Los Angeles/San Diego to Ensenada, Mexico during Spring Break. And it certainly lives up to its name. Anything longer, with more ports in the itinerary, and you'll less likely experience the booze cruise vibe.

[Edward64]

We just booked a 6 night Caribbean cruise for mid-February with my wife's parents. I've never done a cruise. We were supposed to do an Alaska cruise in 2020 but, you know. I figure this will be a decent starter trip. It's Carnival but we purposely went with affordable so we could get a nice suite.

I'm guessing cruises require proof of vaccination (and maybe booster) but not daily testing while on the cruise. But if you did fall Covid sick in cruise (e.g. fell ill and then got tested on the cruise), I'm guessing you get quarantined?

[Ksyrup]

I don't know. We've got a few months to figure it out. We haven't started filling out all the info they require yet, just booked it.

We got the Havana Cabana suite which provided some unique room upgrades (swinging hammock chair on the balcony, 3 closets and a rain shower), plus the Havana deck is only accessible to Havana deck guests until 5pm every day, so we can have less crowded pool, bar, and dining options (and no one under 12 allowed).

I figured that was a good option for us and my wife's 75-80 year old parents.

[Edward64]

Hah, I was thinking that sounded really romantic and then you added

good option for us and my wife's 75-80 year old parents

[Ksyrup]

They have never been able to travel like we (and my parents) have. And we just got back from 2 weeks in Hawaii with my parents. So we're taking them on the cruise as a gift. Caribbean was the best option for a late winter/early spring trip (we're already booked for the summer). Plus, at their age, they can't be as active as we are so a cruise makes sense. When we vacation, we don't sit still. Even on Kauai for 12 days, we did about as much as we were physically capable of doing (and left my parents when it was stuff they weren't up to). My wife's parents are older by 3-5 years and not in as good a shape.

But yeah, there will be no private time that week...

[Lathum]

I'm guessing cruises require proof of vaccination (and maybe booster) but not daily testing while on the cruise. But if you did fall Covid sick in cruise (e.g. fell ill and then got tested on the cruise), I'm guessing you get quarantined?

correct. Vaccination and a negative test a day prior to boarding are required. If you do get it there is a bank of rooms reserved to quarantine people.

We are going on an Alaskan cruise next July and I belong to some facebook groups and you can imagine this is a hot topic. Lots of stories of people coughing a lot, runny noses, people not testing because they don't wanna ruin their expensive trip, etc...

This will be our 3rd Alaskan cruise and I can not recommend it enough. We did Princess for the first two and are doing Royal Caribbean this time. We are bringing the kids and RC has more kid type stuff. We got a great deal and decided to do 2 rooms adjoining so the kids will have their own space. Plus the balcony opens up so its like one long balcony, hich is a must for Alaska

[Ksyrup]

I was so stoked for our Alaska cruise that never happened. We had a large suite on the back of the ship with a huge balcony, it would have been great. We'll eventually get there.

[GrantDawg]

We went on a cruise 20+ years ago, and had a good time. I have been thinking of doing another, but I'm not sure the wife is going to want to.

[Ksyrup]

Things can change by February, but according to the Carnival site we have to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of a negative test taken within 24 to 72 hours of the time of sailing. That shouldn't be difficult - especially since very few people are testing anymore.

[Edward64]

correct. Vaccination and a negative test a day prior to boarding are required. If you do get it there is a bank of rooms reserved to quarantine people.

We are going on an Alaskan cruise next July and I belong to some facebook groups and you can imagine this is a hot topic. Lots of stories of people coughing a lot, runny noses, people not testing because they don't wanna ruin their expensive trip, etc...

This will be our 3rd Alaskan cruise and I can not recommend it enough. We did Princess for the first two and are doing Royal Caribbean this time. We are bringing the kids and RC has more kid type stuff. We got a great deal and decided to do 2 rooms adjoining so the kids will have their own space. Plus the balcony opens up so its like one long balcony, hich is a must for Alaska

I'd hope those set aside quarantine rooms have balconies. I'd go crazy with just a porthole.

[GrantDawg]

I'd hope those set aside quarantine rooms have balconies. I'd go crazy with just a porthole.
That's all we had, but of course we were 20 years younger. But I will say we spent next to no time in the room. Sleep and...well...we were 20 years younger.

[Lathum]

I'd hope those set aside quarantine rooms have balconies. I'd go crazy with just a porthole.

They do not. I don't even think they have a porthole. It is on the 3rd deck.

[Edward64]

They do not. I don't even think they have a porthole. It is on the 3rd deck.

Not good. I'd want my money (pro-rated) back.

Any idea what the policy would be if someone looks obviously ill with "flu" symptoms on the cruise. Would they be forced to take a test? I can see how some will avoid taking a test unless they absolutely had to.

[Lathum]

Not good. I'd want my money (pro-rated) back.

Any idea what the policy would be if someone looks obviously ill with "flu" symptoms on the cruise. Would they be forced to take a test? I can see how some will avoid taking a test unless they absolutely had to.

I do not believe they can force you to test once on ship but not sure. As far as a refund not gonna happen, you knew the risks. Apparently a lot of people claiming allergies.

It is a year away so who knows where we will be then, but I will likely avoid the elevators and maybe the casino.

[Edward64]

Really no idea if this is good or not. I tend to believe it's premature but I figure the CDC probably knows best. I assume the cruise industry will be really motivated to monitor & quarantine as necessary so there are no mass incidents or negative publicity.

Good to see as it's one more step back towards the new normal.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/19/shares-of-cruise-liners-jump-after-cdc-ends-covid-19-program.html
Shares of cruise lines including Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian rose Tuesday after the U.S. Center for Disease Control ended its Covid-19 program for cruise ships.

The CDC’s program for cruise ships, which became voluntary earlier this year, required all passengers to be tested, encouraged vaccinations for staff and passengers and outlined specific quarantine procedures in the event of an outbreak.

The CDC said it would still provide guidance for cruise ships handling of Covid-19 cases, but that companies can now use their own strategies to mitigate the spread on the virus. That means cruise lines can make their own policies regarding vaccination, testing, and quarantine requirements.

Carnival shares gained about 7% on Tuesday to close at $10.36, while Royal Caribbean shares gained almost 6% to $36.36 and Norwegian shares rose roughly 3.5% to $12.85.

[QuikSand]

...but I figure the CDC probably knows best.

Glad I wasn't drinking anything when I get here...

[QuikSand]

I assume the cruise industry will be really motivated to monitor & quarantine as necessary so there are no mass incidents or negative publicity.

Did Senator Susan Collins write this?

[Edward64]

Had to google on it.

She is from ME and Bath Iron Works is in ME so I guess that's understandable. Or are you thinking there's more other than wanting to support an industry in her state?

[Ksyrup]

I think he's referring to the naivete expressed by the statement (assuming it wasn't meant to be taken as straight-up sarcasm). Similar to Collins' statements that Trump learned his lesson after the first impeachment and that Kavanaugh would uphold Roe.

[Edward64]

Okay, didn't think of that angle.

I get Susan Collins but do think the default is CDC knows best (for now).

[sterlingice]

Did Senator Susan Collins write this?

lol

SI

[flere-imsaho]

She is from ME and Bath Iron Works is in ME so I guess that's understandable. Or are you thinking there's more other than wanting to support an industry in her state?

BIW does mainly defense contracts and its shipbuilding facility on the Kennebec River is not big enough (nor is the river navigable enough) for large cruise liners. Having said that, Maine (mainly Portland & Bar Harbor) does get a lot of cruise ship trade.

However, I'm pretty sure that's not what QS meant. :D

[Ksyrup]

Okay, didn't think of that angle.

I get Susan Collins but do think the default is CDC knows best (for now).

Which isn't the same as (and may not translate to) companies doing what's best/prudent for public health.

I'll be interested to see how this plays out since I just booked a cruise for February.

[Edward64]

Virgin isn't a big player and doubt the others will follow suit (right now). If I was Chief Risk Officer, I'd say keep the pre-cruise test. If anything, think passengers would be somewhat reassured that minimal checks are being done.

First Major Cruise Line Drops Covid Tests From U.S. Ports - TheStreet (https://www.thestreet.com/investing/first-major-cruise-line-drops-covid-tests-from-u-s-ports)
Now, with the CDC dropping its oversight of the cruise industry, at least when it comes to covid, it's now fully up to the cruise lines whether they plan to keep the precruise testing requirement in place.

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) - Get Carnival Corporation Report, Royal Caribbean International (RCL) - Get Royal Caribbean Group Report, and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) - Get Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Report have not yet dropped the precruise-covid-test requirement -- but a big-name upstart competitor has.
:
"Virgin Voyages announced today that, following the ending of the covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the cruise line would be ending its precruise testing requirement for sailings from the U.S. as of July 27, 2022," the website reported.

[Ksyrup]

Given cases rapidly increasing now and the unknown of the "next variant," it also doesn't make much sense to prematurely pull the requirement only to have to institute it again in a few months. Although it feels like everyone is beyond Covid at this point and I wonder what a true game-changer would have to look like for the same percentage of people who approved of widespread masking/testing requirements to feel the same way today.

[sterlingice]

Considering that COVID test administration costs money and it looks a lot better for the company if you can just shrug and say "we don't know if there's a risk of COVID on your cruise", all cruise lines will be dropping it as soon as the business side convinces the legal side to do it. What the numbers look like in the outside world mean nothing to them. At most, maybe the major cruise lines will use one of their brands as a differentiator like, I dunno, Princess gets to be the old person "sure, you have to give us a valid negative test but that means you'll be a lot safer on this line than Carnival's booze and COVID cruise" while the rest of Carnival's lines are "hey, no restrictions".

SI

[Ksyrup]

We're about halfway through our Caribbean cruise, so I thought I'd give my thoughts as a first time cruiser.

We're on a 6 day Western Caribbean cruise on Carnival Horizon that visits Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. We just left Ocho Rios in Jamaica. We're doing this trip with my wife's parents, who are 76 and 80. We got a Havana Cabana suite which is, I think, one of the nicer suites on this ship. It's got some nice "Cuban" flourishes in the decor - we have a large shower with both a regular head and rain shower, several closets, and an extended balcony with a couple of deck chairs and a swinging seat. This area is restricted to 21+ and we have exclusive use of the pool/bar area until after 5pm.

Overall, I've been really impressed. Knowing that Carnival is the budget/family/young adult/drunk crowd cruise line, I tempered my expectations some, but they have constantly exceeded them. The food has been way better than I expected, there's been plenty to do, there's always free food open somewhere at all times, and the workers are exceedingly nice. Given that we left Miami on Super Bowl Sunday, the sail away party was crazy since it was combined with their Sailgate Party. It's definitely a young person's ship.

A few oddities... the people and the way they dress. Lordy. You do you, but holy crap. It's like rooming for a week with several thousand people you see walk by when you're at the airport people watching.

I'm shocked at how many people have the time/money (retirees, I get it) to cruise so often. In our Havana area, we've met 3-4 couples who are on their 2nd, 3rd or 4th cruise in the past 3-4 weeks. Most of them did this one back to back with the previous 8 day cruise this ship went on to the Eastern Caribbean. A couple others had tacked these on to 1 or 2 cruises with a few days on land. Crazy. Reminds me of the motorhome lifestyle where people sell their homes, buy a motorhome, anchor in AZ or SD (for tax purposes) and travel the country.

Did I mention the food? It's pretty damn good. You can stuff your face if you want, but at many of the sit-down meals, the portions are small enough that if you don't get extra, you can actually pace yourself pretty well. You also (or at least we have) lose all concept of meals, like forgetting which day it is. One morning, we had a huge breakfast, my FIL topped it off with banana cream pie, then 3 hours later we all had salads and ice cream for lunch. Insane stuff like that.

Anyway, we're on the way to Cayman Islands. The Jamaica excursion was fun. We aren't doing too much because of the in-laws' limitations.

We're booked on a Celebrity cruise to Alaska in September, so I'll be really interested to see the differences. Different climate/places, different luxury level, totally different ship and cruiser vibe. We won't be bicycling over the ocean around the top of the ship in September or running into Dr. Seuss characters, I don't imagine. But I'm definitely looking forward to just Michelle and I doing the next one.

[Ksyrup]

One other thing I forgot to mention - cruisemapper dot com. Extremely handy and interesting to track your own ship in real time as well as see who's in port with you or where other ships are around you. We had 6 other ships in Port Miami with us and it was fun to track them and watch them leave one after the other (virtually) since we left first. It's also freaking crazy how many people are cruising at once, even in just one area of the world.

[Lathum]

Alaska is amazing. Doing our third one this July. Can’t wait.

[sterlingice]

We really enjoyed Alaska. Still my only cruise to date but it was just a great thing to cruise. There's no other way to really see it.

SI

[AnalBumCover]

We're booked on a Celebrity cruise to Alaska in September, so I'll be really interested to see the differences. Different climate/places, different luxury level, totally different ship and cruiser vibe. We won't be bicycling over the ocean around the top of the ship in September or running into Dr. Seuss characters, I don't imagine. But I'm definitely looking forward to just Michelle and I doing the next one.

Interested to hear about this upcoming trip, as Alaska on Celebrity is on our checklist.

[Ksyrup]

We got home about 1am Sunday morning. Spent Saturday visiting some of my wife's family's old friends around Ft. Lauderdale before flying home that night. Debarkation was OK, but what was really surprising is that we didn't have to go through customs or even show a passport to leave. There were 2 lines - US citizen and I guess non-US/immigrant and we just walked through and all they did was scan our ship card. They provided all of the customs info prior to leaving about when and what you had to declare, but there was nothing. In-laws had more than a 1 liter of alcohol each but weren't asked to declare anything. Is that the norm?

[Swaggs]

We just did one a few weeks ago and the experience was much different than those that we had done in the past. They literally just had each of us (wife and two children) look into a camera and let us through - it took no longer than a minute for the four of us and the other family we were with. We had rationalized that it was because the ports we stopped at were all run and operated by the cruise company (this cruise was only 3 day/3 night over a long weekend), so there was not a lot of opportunity to acquire things other than what was on the ship and on their private resort.

Our previous cruises, we had to wait in line with our bags for at least an hour and go through security again. We went with friends that have also been on multiple cruises and we all just kind of looked at each other when it was over. We had booked a car and were early enough that we could cancel it without getting a charge.

This was in Miami. Other cruises have always been at Port Canaveral and once in San Juan, PR.

[Ksyrup]

Yes, this was Miami as well. Carnival scanned our faces as we left the ship and then scanned our cards which had a picture of our faces as we left the terminal, and that was it. I'm not sure I actually ever saw someone from "customs." No one looked in our bags and even if I had something to declare that was clearly beyond the limits of what we were allowed to bring in duty free, there was no opportunity to do so.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Doing some reading since this made me curious, it looks like you're supposed to fill out a declaration form -- either on paper or electronically at a kiosk -- as part of your return.

Those forms are most of it at this point it seems, although your bags (moreso flights than cruises) may have been x-rayed or otherwise scanned and the presence/suspicion of contraband has already been determined before you start walking off a ship.

The not showing ID, etc and just scanning is probably connected to the fact that many busy ports (including Miami & most of the Florida ones) have gone to biometrics and facial recognition cameras, which are tied to all passports issued in the past several years. With some cruise lines also using similar methods, it's really all happening without you even thinking about it.

[Ksyrup]

From what I read while we were on the ship, you only have to fill out forms if you are above the limit of whatever you are bringing back depending on the applicable exemption for where you are returning from. For us, in the Caribbean and since we did not visit a US territory, it was 1 liter of alcohol per person and $800 (it's $1600 from US Virgin Islands, Guam, Samoa, etc.).

We had bags x-rayed returning to the ship from each port and the alcohol was taken and brought back to us the night before debarkation. However, none of our luggage was inspected, x-rayed, or anything as we left. And we were not asked about what we were bringing back or given forms to fill out, even if we wanted to.

[JonInMiddleGA]

From what I read while we were on the ship, you only have to fill out forms if you are above the limit of whatever you are bringing back depending on the applicable exemption for where you are returning from. For us, in the Caribbean and since we did not visit a US territory, it was 1 liter of alcohol per person and $800 (it's $1600 from US Virgin Islands, Guam, Samoa, etc.).

We had bags x-rayed returning to the ship from each port and the alcohol was taken and brought back to us the night before debarkation. However, none of our luggage was inspected, x-rayed, or anything as we left. And we were not asked about what we were bringing back or given forms to fill out, even if we wanted to.

I haven't a clue since I don't cruise, but the stuff I read said the forms were required for anything, but if you were under the personal exemption amount (whatever that's properly called) then it basically triggered nothing.

{shrug} who knows.

Odds are it's simply governmental slacking if you really wanna know my expectation.

[Ksyrup]

So... A post-script to our cruise.

On the day we got back to port, we had almost 12 hours to kill so we visited some friends in FTL. While there, we had lunch which included bottled water that had been frozen at some point and then put back in the fridge. My bottle was definitely new but my wife said hers seemed like it might have been opened already and when it warmed up some, she thought it tasted funny so she stopped drinking it. It's possible they filled some bottles to freeze and they got mixed in with brand new bottles, not sure.

A couple hours later before we board the plane, she starts having stomach issues. I don't know how she made it through the flight and a 90 minute drive home, but she did. And she's just barely recovering now, having lost all her cruise weight and then some from constant toilet visits. Her doctor had her do a stool sample and she's got shigella which is all over the news right now and has prompted a CDC warning.

We're not sure if it was from the bottled water or the cruise, but she also started getting sick (like allergy symptoms sick) at the end of last week. Today when she lost taste and smell, she tested positive for Covid. So, it's entirely possible she got both from the cruise.

I tested negative so far, which is really pissing her off. But that's not a great way to end your first cruise, especially when you've got a couple more already scheduled.

[JonInMiddleGA]

okay, having now Googled, that sounds VERY unpleasant

But now I'm curious: the bottled water part of it, etc. Was that at the friends house or dining out? (I'm reading it like the former). Do they have kids in potty training or something? Or do they not wash their hands much?

Cause the reading makes it sound like this stuff is usually contracted in some pretty limited situations. And I don't think FtL is known for unsafe/unsanitary water or anything so it seems more likely unsafe handling rather than bad water outright.

[Ksyrup]

Friends house. They are an older couple (60-70) and a 50-something cousin living with them temporarily because the wife broke her hip. I'm guessing it was from the cruise but she mentioned something about the water tasting funny before she started feeling bad, so she linked the two right then and there.

[Ksyrup]

It could have been from anything on the ship really, but if I had to come up with a specific instance, it would be the hot tub. We spent a total of 3 hours sunbathing and never got in the pool, but after returning from an excursion one day, Michelle and I spent about 30 minutes in the hot tub by ourselves. Shortly after that, I happened upon an article about ways to stay safe on a cruise and one of them was avoiding the hot tub. The hot water allows bacteria to survive and of course, multiple people are in and out of them all day.

So that means I'll be lucky if my wife even packs a bathing suit from now on ...

[Flasch186]

Yeah NEVER use their hot tubs&hellip;. Ever


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sovereignstar v2]

You just have to pee in it. Kills all the bakteeriuh

Sent from my CPH2451 using Tapatalk

[sterlingice]

You just have to pee in it. Kills all the bakteeriuh

Sent from my CPH2451 using Tapatalk

Don't shake hands with Moises Alou?

SI

[QuikSand]

I really just don't get the appeal. Even more so now that I'm more learned about communicable diseases and the like. But even before, not really.

We got talked into one 7NC several years ago and the high points were fine, the downside felt ever-present, and I think we would have enjoyed five legit days of any of those activities (beach, pool, casino, shows) far, far more than the weak versions of each jammed onto the whatever-of-the-Seas behemoth we were on, and that was a fairly high end cruise.

Just fly to St. Maarten and spend 4 days there, hang on the beach, pay for your meals, and fly home. Just has to be a better experience.

[Lathum]

You either like cruising or you don’t. I love it.

[sterlingice]

I really just don't get the appeal. Even more so now that I'm more learned about communicable diseases and the like. But even before, not really.

We got talked into one 7NC several years ago and the high points were fine, the downside felt ever-present, and I think we would have enjoyed five legit days of any of those activities (beach, pool, casino, shows) far, far more than the weak versions of each jammed onto the whatever-of-the-Seas behemoth we were on, and that was a fairly high end cruise.

Just fly to St. Maarten and spend 4 days there, hang on the beach, pay for your meals, and fly home. Just has to be a better experience.

I'm not a "party boat" sort - that just doesn't interest me. However, I think there are a handful of places where it's the best way to get around. Alaska is definitely one - do the cruise for 7 days (and maybe tack on Denali and surrounding area after - we didn't get a chance to do this).

I could see doing Hawaii that way, going between the islands. Then again, it also cost like $100 to fly between islands and a day or two is too short on, say, Oahu, Maui, or the big island. So I think it's better to spend a few days on as many as you have time for. But if you want to do the sampler platter, I could see that.

Similarly, I've considered there are a few ways to do a sampler of Europe that way. The while river cruise northern Europe thing. Or the Mediterranean, since I've already been to Italy - hit up parts of Spain, France, Italy, and/or Greece - just to sample. That could be fun. I suspect there are parts of Asia like this, too, but I've never looked into it.

Lastly, and, unless I win the lottery, this isn't happening ever or maybe not until I retire - but I'd love to do an "around the world" trip with different modes of transport: boat, train, air. Cruise would be a part of that.

SI

[Lathum]

Just popped up on Twitter.

CDC issues warning over an increase of drug-resistant bacteria | CNN (https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/25/health/cdc-shigella-health-advisory/index.html?utm_medium=social&utm_term=link&utm_source=twCNN&utm_content=2023-02-28T04%3A01%3A04)

[flere-imsaho]

You either like cruising or you don’t. I love it.

Yeah, it's never been for me, but I've known enough people who have done it and love it that I can totally understand the appeal.

[Ksyrup]

Just popped up on Twitter.

CDC issues warning over an increase of drug-resistant bacteria | CNN (https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/25/health/cdc-shigella-health-advisory/index.html?utm_medium=social&utm_term=link&utm_source=twCNN&utm_content=2023-02-28T04%3A01%3A04)

Right, that's exactly it. My mom saw something about it last week but didn't know the name. My wife got her test results back Sunday and this pops up yesterday.

Great timing!

[PilotMan]

That sounds awful Ksyrup. Sorry to hear that for your wife and family.

The Mrs and I did our first cruises last year, a pair, in March and November and they were really great. Sounds like some terrible, terrible luck.

[Ksyrup]

You either like cruising or you don’t. I love it.

Despite the issues, we really enjoyed the cruise and will be going again.

I'm someone who does a ton of vacation planning and when we go on vacation, we usually go everywhere we can. We do not sit still. However, as we get older - and especially as my wife has started having numerous physical issues (hip and feet mainly) - I can't push her to go all-out anymore. We did that last year and she's still recovering from it (our hiking wasn't the main cause but it made it worse).

But, we still like to see places. Cruising gives you the best of both worlds - visiting multiple places without having to personally do the travel part while also having time to relax and spending just enough time in a place to get to see it without killing yourself (at least in our case).

So, that's what I got out of the experience. And it makes sense that older people enjoy cruising. This summer, we're doing the exact opposite - we're driving from Kentucky to Quebec City and back. I will never do a vacation where I travel somewhere and just sit in one place for a week staring at the beach or the pool. Even last summer on Kauai, we basically hit every inch of that island except the naval base and parts of hikes that are a much younger person's game.

We'll just skip the hot tub next time!

[Lathum]

This summer, we're doing the exact opposite - we're driving from Kentucky to Quebec City and back. !

That will be a nice drive.

[Ksyrup]

Similarly, I've considered there are a few ways to do a sampler of Europe that way. The while river cruise northern Europe thing. Or the Mediterranean, since I've already been to Italy - hit up parts of Spain, France, Italy, and/or Greece - just to sample. That could be fun. I suspect there are parts of Asia like this, too, but I've never looked into it.

These are definitely on my list. I'd love to do Norway, Greece (for family reasons), and several years down the road, I want to do a Rhine river cruise in December to visit all the Christmas markets. I think that would be really cool.

[sterlingice]

Despite the issues, we really enjoyed the cruise and will be going again.

I'm someone who does a ton of vacation planning and when we go on vacation, we usually go everywhere we can. We do not sit still. However, as we get older - and especially as my wife has started having numerous physical issues (hip and feet mainly) - I can't push her to go all-out anymore. We did that last year and she's still recovering from it (our hiking wasn't the main cause but it made it worse).

But, we still like to see places. Cruising gives you the best of both worlds - visiting multiple places without having to personally do the travel part while also having time to relax and spending just enough time in a place to get to see it without killing yourself (at least in our case).

So, that's what I got out of the experience. And it makes sense that older people enjoy cruising. This summer, we're doing the exact opposite - we're driving from Kentucky to Quebec City and back. I will never do a vacation where I travel somewhere and just sit in one place for a week staring at the beach or the pool. Even last summer on Kauai, we basically hit every inch of that island except the naval base and parts of hikes that are a much younger person's game.

We'll just skip the hot tub next time!

We've joked about doing the same trips, but, in a lot of ways, you and I really are similar travelers.

SI

[PilotMan]

I think I would kill you guys if we vacationed together.

I like to do one thing a day, if that, and the rest of the time I'd rather just be wandering here or there, stopping for a drink or to just watch the day go by and enjoy good food and company.

[Kodos]

I think I would kill you guys if we vacationed together.

I like to do one thing a day, if that, and the rest of the time I'd rather just be wandering here or there, stopping for a drink or to just watch the day go by and enjoy good food and company.

I'm like you. I prefer an emphasis on relaxation on my vacations. I don't need to maximize everything.

[Lathum]

I'm like you. I prefer an emphasis on relaxation on my vacations. I don't need to maximize everything.

I like a mix which is why cruises are fun. You have days at sea where you drink, eat, gamble, see shows, etc...then you have port days where you do an excursion then wander around a bit.

On the rare occasion we do an all inclusive type deal we are bored a few days in.

[Ksyrup]

I don't really like to relax. Or, my idea of relaxation is different than the norm, I guess. Relaxing for me is listening to music, but I could be doing that in rush hour traffic and be in my own world. Or, playing a computer game. It's definitely not sweating in the sun by a pool. I'll do that every now and then for a short time, but it can't be the main activity of a vacation.

When we go to Canada, it's going to be all about exploring. We're going to do Niagara Falls from the Canada side, explore downtown Toronto and Montreal, hit some of the stuff outside those cities and probably go to a Blue Jays game and the hockey HOF, spend a couple of days in the Mount Tremblant area so I can piss everyone off on a hike up the mountain, then finish in Quebec City for a couple of days. On the way back, we're even going to try to arrange a short family reunion in the Detroit area. Everyone can relax in the car while we drive 2100+ miles in 11 days.

[sterlingice]

I don't really like to relax. Or, my idea of relaxation is different than the norm, I guess. Relaxing for me is listening to music, but I could be doing that in rush hour traffic and be in my own world. Or, playing a computer game. It's definitely not sweating in the sun by a pool. I'll do that every now and then for a short time, but it can't be the main activity of a vacation.

When we go to Canada, it's going to be all about exploring. We're going to do Niagara Falls from the Canada side, explore downtown Toronto and Montreal, hit some of the stuff outside those cities and probably go to a Blue Jays game and the hockey HOF, spend a couple of days in the Mount Tremblant area so I can piss everyone off on a hike up the mountain, then finish in Quebec City for a couple of days. On the way back, we're even going to try to arrange a short family reunion in the Detroit area. Everyone can relax in the car while we drive 2100+ miles in 11 days.

Lol - In the vacation copying vein, we went to Toronto and Niagara back in 2018, if you want to compare notes.

We splurged for 2 expensive hotel views but both were worth it in their own way.

We stayed at the Embassy Suites overlooking the falls. That was an amazing view, from when we checked in, at night, and when we woke up. It's a crowded hotel that's a bit of a zoo if you're not a Hilton Gold member, though (breakfast, etc, can be tough).

We also paid a good chunk for the Toronto Marriott City Centre. But that was awesome, a birthday present to myself that year. It's attached to the Skydome and if you pay the big bucks (it was like $500 a night) for a stadium view room, it's like staying in a skybox. Your room is in CF and has a floor to ceiling window to watch the game from and a smaller window inside it you can open up to hear stadium sounds. There were 7 of us, just sitting in there watching the game. Then, after the game is over, you can watch them clean the stadium (which takes all night) and then the next morning see them prep for the next game. It's a really unique baseball experience.

There are a bunch of crazy rules around it - like odd check-in and check-out times and security to get into the hotel around gametime and limits on visitors and food from the outside (tho we did get 2 pizzas delivered). At the time, you would never give a free upgrade into the stadium view rooms if there was an event going on, but would occasionally do it if the team was on the road, no stadium event, etc - no idea if that's still true. Also, you can't use points (boo). But, yeah, with some planning, it's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime baseball experience if you can stomach the costs.

Other stuff
Niagara Falls - take the boat ride but be ready to be wet and have a plan to deal with it; do the hikes behind the falls, too - totally worth it; we did the boat one afternoon, stayed the night, and then did the walks the next morning before coming back to Toronto. Also, Niagara is kindof a weird town - there's like a number of casinos,
Casa Loma - This was pretty cool for a morning visit. We don't have a lot of castles or palaces in the states - only estates like Mount Vernon or mansions like Newport. This is kindof like that - a big house with cool grounds. Has a decent bit of history and, hey, it's the X-Men mansion from the movies.
Royal Ontario Museum - would like to go back but was there with a barely 3yo kid, so there was a lot of "here, occupy the kid for a while I go look at this exhibit" passing off for 15 minute chunks. Not the best way to enjoy the museum, I suppose, and I don't have a ton of memories because of that.
Hockey Hall of Fame - Feels small and intimate, but definitely a cool place. Don't miss the Cathedral - that's beautiful and we almost missed it, somehow.
CN Tower - I like going up in tall buildings and looking at cities opening up before you so that was cool. There's a section of glass floor you can lay on and my son and his cousins enjoyed that a lot.
Centre Island - Was a fun little day away, if the weather is pleasant. We took the ferry to the island, spent a couple of hours walking around a central park/amusement park island, and then headed back.

SI

[flere-imsaho]

Quebec City is great, one of my favorite cities, but be advised that it's quite hilly.

[sterlingice]

As to the whole "adventure while on vacation". Our lives are just too short and people's stories are good (generally) and, in our lifetimes, we're not going to get to see or do or experience as much as we want. So I want to do the most I have with the time I've got. Plus, our home is (mostly) relaxing. It's not that I don't have work stress or that my son doesn't cause stress. But, generally, home is a relaxing place so I don't often need to go somewhere to feel unstressed.

I swear, during the pandemic, we found out just how restful some people's home lives are. For us - there was (is) absolutely stress, but the majority of it was external. It was still us, in our little castle, up against the world, most of the time - even if sometimes the house felt a bit cramped. I had a number of coworkers who couldn't wait to get back to the office to avoid their family or hang out with coworkers or just do something different and I just don't get that. If home isn't a refuge, something needs to be fixed at home.

Though, yeah, home doesn't have giant palm trees, a beach, and drinks being handed to me whenever I want. Actually, our city does have all of those things but the palm trees are filled with roaches, the beach has brown grey water from oil refineries, and I have to go to the fridge and make the drinks. I mean, when we went to Hawaii, we spent a couple of days just swimming and hanging out in our hotel (or airbnb) - but we also wanted to go see volcanoes and black sand beaches and history and sea turtles, etc. Vacations are awesome and I like some resting - but I also want different things other than just relaxing or my little frantic mind gets bored.

SI

[Swaggs]

I like a mix which is why cruises are fun. You have days at sea where you drink, eat, gamble, see shows, etc...then you have port days where you do an excursion then wander around a bit.

On the rare occasion we do an all inclusive type deal we are bored a few days in.

This is me, too.

I am bored silly when we go to the beach or a resort. I like going swimming at the beach and it is beautiful with pleasing sights and sounds, but I am always amazed when people go sit on the beach from morning until sunset for a week at the beach. When I go to the beach, I have to have day trips sprinkled in and find meals and other entertainment.

Cruises are sort of a sampler of the things that I like, in reasonable sizes. I like spending a day in a foreign country or random city, seeing shows or bands, eating different foods, talking to fellow travelers, etc. A few times, we have stopped at ports that I have later visited or wanted to visit, but for the most part a cruise gives me exposure to a ton of different things that I mostly enjoy in a short period of time (and the things I don't enjoy, I don't have to tolerate for too long).

[Ksyrup]

Lol - In the vacation copying vein, we went to Toronto and Niagara back in 2018, if you want to compare notes.

We splurged for 2 expensive hotel views but both were worth it in their own way.

We stayed at the Embassy Suites overlooking the falls. That was an amazing view, from when we checked in, at night, and when we woke up. It's a crowded hotel that's a bit of a zoo if you're not a Hilton Gold member, though (breakfast, etc, can be tough).

We also paid a good chunk for the Toronto Marriott City Centre. But that was awesome, a birthday present to myself that year. It's attached to the Skydome and if you pay the big bucks (it was like $500 a night) for a stadium view room, it's like staying in a skybox. Your room is in CF and has a floor to ceiling window to watch the game from and a smaller window inside it you can open up to hear stadium sounds. There were 7 of us, just sitting in there watching the game. Then, after the game is over, you can watch them clean the stadium (which takes all night) and then the next morning see them prep for the next game. It's a really unique baseball experience.

There are a bunch of crazy rules around it - like odd check-in and check-out times and security to get into the hotel around gametime and limits on visitors and food from the outside (tho we did get 2 pizzas delivered). At the time, you would never give a free upgrade into the stadium view rooms if there was an event going on, but would occasionally do it if the team was on the road, no stadium event, etc - no idea if that's still true. Also, you can't use points (boo). But, yeah, with some planning, it's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime baseball experience if you can stomach the costs.

Other stuff
Niagara Falls - take the boat ride but be ready to be wet and have a plan to deal with it; do the hikes behind the falls, too - totally worth it; we did the boat one afternoon, stayed the night, and then did the walks the next morning before coming back to Toronto. Also, Niagara is kindof a weird town - there's like a number of casinos,
Casa Loma - This was pretty cool for a morning visit. We don't have a lot of castles or palaces in the states - only estates like Mount Vernon or mansions like Newport. This is kindof like that - a big house with cool grounds. Has a decent bit of history and, hey, it's the X-Men mansion from the movies.
Royal Ontario Museum - would like to go back but was there with a barely 3yo kid, so there was a lot of "here, occupy the kid for a while I go look at this exhibit" passing off for 15 minute chunks. Not the best way to enjoy the museum, I suppose, and I don't have a ton of memories because of that.
Hockey Hall of Fame - Feels small and intimate, but definitely a cool place. Don't miss the Cathedral - that's beautiful and we almost missed it, somehow.
CN Tower - I like going up in tall buildings and looking at cities opening up before you so that was cool. There's a section of glass floor you can lay on and my son and his cousins enjoyed that a lot.
Centre Island - Was a fun little day away, if the weather is pleasant. We took the ferry to the island, spent a couple of hours walking around a central park/amusement park island, and then headed back.

SI

Thanks. I've got a ton of points and status with IHG so we're staying at the Intercontinental in Toronto and Montreal and few Holiday Inn Express-type places along with way on a mixture of points, discounted rates and room upgrades to make it a more manageable trip. Those are pretty expensive places but not so much when you've got free nights. The one splurge is that we're staying at the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City. I think that will be pretty cool.

I'm also happy my obsessive planning made me lock in rates last summer because everything has shot up in price in a big way since then.

[PilotMan]

Regarding Niagara KSyrup

I would recommend taking a detour up to Niagara on the Lake after the Falls. For a day or so. Very nice, older, more quiet, lots of wineries in the area. Very nice drive up there too. We did it after a couple days at the Falls.

We stayed in a room overlooking the falls, worth it, 100% worth it. The behind the falls tour was outstanding. Maid of the Mist was a blast. If you want to really experience it, front left of the boat.

I wouldn't waste much time on the US side, since you'll be on the Canadian side.

Too bad Frogman isn't around here anymore, you'll be right in his back yard going to QC.

[Ksyrup]

We did the US side when we did a NE trip in 2021. Even while we were on the boat, we could tell the Canada side looked better than the US side. So, we're going to check it out this summer since we're passing through.

[Lathum]

We lave in about 5 weeks for an Alaskan cruise. Leaving from Seattle we go to Icy Straight Point, Sitka, Juneau, and Victoria. Plus a glacier day. Wife and I have been twice. Bringing the kids for the first time. Going on Royal Caribbean. Really excited. Just arranged to have my dog boarded while we are away. The person who rebranded kennels as pet resorts is a genius. $1700 for 12 days.

[Ksyrup]

Enjoy! I can't wait to go. We are exactly 100 days from our Alaskan cruise, leaving September 8th. Curious what is going to happen with the Skagway stop because there have been rock issues and I think they are limiting the number of ships coming in (or some lines are refusing to dock underneath or near one particular rock that is in danger of falling), so some sailings are replacing Skagway on their itineraries this year.

Before Alaska, though, we're doing our Canada driving trip in 3 weeks.

Next January, a cruise with my parents on Norwegian to the eastern Caribbean.

May 2024, the wife and I are planning a trip to the UK that will likely include a 4-day Celebrity cruise out of Southampton with stops in Netherlands and Belgium. This trip is going to be a test of everything I've learned for getting the most out of points and miles. I'm hoping to pay for the flights and hotels mostly in points and miles.

[PilotMan]

I was just shopping for cruises this morning. One option on the table for our October break. I think we'll pass on Alaska for now. I think I'd rather hang on the beach or in the Caribbean.


I know the Mrs wants to do a Mediterranean cruise, but I think we'll need some more time away than a week to pull that one off the right way.



Your trips sound awesome though. I hope you both have a blast.

[Ksyrup]

We definitely want to do a Mediterranean cruise, but the combination of paying for college for the younger daughter and what we think could be our older daughter's potential engagement/wedding in the next couple of years is keeping me from pulling the trigger because I think I need to plan for a significant cash outlay by 2025 or 26.

And you're right, I'm definitely guessing close to 2 weeks for that type of cruise, even if it's a 7 day, because you want to get there in plenty of time before the cruise just in case of a worst-case scenario of flight delays/cancellations, plus the time needed to get back home.

[Lathum]

Mediterranean is on our radar. Maybe for our 20th. Are you on royal Caribbean for Alaska? We were supposed to do Skagway and it got cancelled and changed to icy straight. We’re bummed because the train is awesome and a must do. That being said we’ve done it twice and our kids and the other family were going with don’t know what they don’t know so excited for icy straight.

[Ksyrup]

No, Celebrity. For a brief time, a number of Celebrity 2023 Alaska sailings lost Skagway off their itineraries (including ours), but they came back a couple of weeks later. So I don't know what we'll get by September. It might be that amongst the cruise lines, they all horse traded different ships getting to go to Skagway and others diverting to other ports.

[Ksyrup]

It's interesting because there are a number of articles out of local Alaska papers about the rock situation, including one I read about them hiring "watch guards" whose entire job is to hike up the hill, sit around all day and watch the one big rock in danger of falling and, I guess, alert authorities if (or when) it falls. But some cruise lines are concerned not just about their ships, but passengers who could get hit by debris before anyone is alerted.

[Lathum]

I think our issue was size of the boat. We’re going on quantum which is gigantic.

[Ksyrup]

Could be. We're on the Solstice, which is only about 2850 passengers, I think. I know RCL has some mammoth ships. Maybe the way they are reconfiguring the dock situation didn't allow for your ship to make that stop. We're on the railway excursion, so I hope it still happens.

[Ghost Econ]

This may be the extreme reason why we don't go on cruises

Tristan da Cunha Government News: Suspected Hantavirus on the Cruise Ship MV Hondius (https://www.tristandc.com/government/news-2026-05-04-hondius-hantavirus.php)

[Ksyrup]

We'll be headed out in less than 2 weeks for a long vacation (3 weeks) including 10 nights on a Med cruise. I'm not all that worried about that kind of stuff, although my wife did get some form of bug on the first cruise we did, back in 2023.

But that cruise is some small cruise ship I've never even heard of. Norovirus can hit every now and then, but something like that is very rare.

[Swaggs]

We'll be headed out in less than 2 weeks for a long vacation (3 weeks) including 10 nights on a Med cruise. I'm not all that worried about that kind of stuff, although my wife did get some form of bug on the first cruise we did, back in 2023.

But that cruise is some small cruise ship I've never even heard of. Norovirus can hit every now and then, but something like that is very rare.

Same here. I've got three more planned in the next 18 months. Not any more worried than I am about any other travel or event where I'm around a bunch of people.

And agreed on that particular line. I'm not adventurous enough to use companies/services I have never heard of because, as I age, I know how many folks think they can slap a business together without knowing what they don't know. I'd rather pay more and get the self-assurance of a company that has thousands and thousands of reviews.

[Ksyrup]

We've got 2 more scheduled for 2027 after this one.

Honestly, I'm way more concerned about the possibility of fuel shortages disrupting flights than dying on a cruise.

[Lathum]

As we have one planned for August. This kind of thing doesn’t concern me at all. Just wash and sanitize your hands and you’ll be fine.

[PilotMan]

We just got back from a 10 day Caribbean with extra days on the front and back. We'd been gone for 2 weeks. It was the longest single vacation I've ever had. The cruise was a really nice break from life.

[Lathum]

We just got back from a 10 day Caribbean with extra days on the front and back. We'd been gone for 2 weeks. It was the longest single vacation I've ever had. The cruise was a really nice break from life.

It looks like you had a blast from your pictures.

[Ksyrup]

Our upcoming trip is 3 weeks. I've never been off work for that long - not that I'm going to be OFF off, but you know what I mean - since probably first year of law school (which was a full-time job in itself). And we'll be completely out of the country for the entire time.

[Lathum]

This may be the extreme reason why we don't go on cruises

Tristan da Cunha Government News: Suspected Hantavirus on the Cruise Ship MV Hondius (https://www.tristandc.com/government/news-2026-05-04-hondius-hantavirus.php)

First case has shown up in someone not on the ship.

nytimes.com (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/world/europe/hantavirus-cruise-ship-outbreak.html)

[flere-imsaho]

I'm just going to assume this is COVID all over again and get my depression in early.