Kendall James-Vargas

@Seaawgs It seems we have fallen into the veteran cruiser category! I also feel like I know what I want and need out of my cruise experience. Since I know I need a glass of wine at dinner and a cappuccino in the morning, I make sure that happens. Everything else is secondary to me. I don't need shopping or specialty dining. I also don't need the casino or bingo sheets to have a good time. I stick to my essentials, and my cruise experience is exceptional. The suite class life will probably be mine eventually, let's say in 20 years when it's just me and my husband. For now, the idea of middle-class, basic cruising is perfect. My kids splash in the water park everyday and my husband abuses his drink package, napping on the pool lounger. It's a good time for everyone.

There has to be a balance. As someone who typically cruises in more moderately priced staterooms, the idea of suite class guests getting the best views is frustrating. On the other hand, those who are willing and able to pay for a suite class experience do deserve better perks because they are, in fact, paying for the best experience. The exclusive spaces onboard are needed and appreciated, but there should be nice views for the interior-balcony cabin guests too! @FJB The fact that many of Celebrity Cruises' ships are implementing more exclusive spaces can be seen as daunting. It makes me wonder, is Celebrity Cruises trying to become a more exclusive cruise line? Does the cruise line have an influx in demand for the suite class experience onboard Edge class ships? I'm sure there are reasons why Celebrity Cruises has made the decision to add more exclusivity for these ships.

@LukeJ This is an interesting perspective. I agree that the genetically modified foods aren't ideal. The motivation to have strong crops and an abundant supply makes sense, but natural is always the best way. I feel the same way about emissions. I love that we can get to and fro quickly and efficiently, but it's doing more harm than we, as a society, anticipated. Now everyone is working backwards at these issues, trying to solve the issues we created. The best things for our environment and our people are the natural, chemical-free ways, but what happens when we can't have certain foods because of bugs? Would we as a society adapt to that? From what I know about today's world, we need instant gratification. We expect and require things immediately and for items to be available when we want them. This is a first world problem, but it's a problem. I don't think our society is willing to sacrifice accessibility to everything, 24/7 for a better quality of goods. That's why we outsource so much of our products and manufacturing of most goods.

@LukeJ That's a great question. I think sometimes, people struggling with mental health experience things differently on a cruises. There are so many factors but begin near/away from family and loved ones could contribute to this feeling. I also think when you are on a cruise ship, it can be easier to do than on a day-to-day routine on land. We also have to realize that those struggling with mental health issues likely don't have access to the support they need while on a cruise such as a help line or therapist. Another thing to consider is that substance abuse and withdrawal could be another factor. Those who may be abusing drugs at home may be suffering withdrawals because they can't bring them on the ship, hence altering their mindset to consider self harm. Honestly these are just some of the many factors that do play a part as to why these overboard situations can occur with intent. If those happens on a cruise ship, it's in the news immediately. According to a source online, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death, and on average there are 132 suicides per day. Not all overboard situations are due to suicide, but this puts things into perspective. https://afsp.org/suicide-statistics/

@Balmy Jones That's such an awesome story! You must have been in such shock because winning the $10,000 jackpot is a big deal. I haven't seen it done in real life before, but I also don't spend much time in the casino. It's such a sweet photo of an exceptional memory. Now that you know it's possible, I'm sure you will continue playing on all HAL ships. This must have made you cruise complete! Was this your first time cruising on Nieuw Statendam?

@LukeJ It is certainly upsetting when that happens. Thankfully most guests manage their alcohol consumption onboard really well. Typically, the drinking crowd on most ships isn't too rowdy or out of control. I appreciate those that remain in control of themselves while consuming alcohol because it can be easily abused. One thing I don't recommend is sneaking alcohol onboard a ship. Some cruise guests are willing to take this risk and break the rules but it's not a good decision. The tips and tricks for sneaking alcohol onboard are seemingly endless but it's not worth getting caught! Save up for the drinks onboard and consume them in moderation, with self control. They are much better when a professional bartender makes them anyways!

@euroguy I like the idea of earning points based on our cabin type too. Although I'm not the type to book superior cabins, I think if you are spending more to book those cabin types, you should earn more for spending more! Many cruise lines offer a similar structure. I agree with most of your predictions, and this whole VIFP restructuring will hopefully work in your favor! @RoadTravelled I'm glad CCL is remaining proactive, and keeping guest's opinions in mind. The fact that CCL is always open to change, remaining progressive, is really nice. Many cruise lines can be sedentary, stuck in their ways, but CCL is always open to advance and expanding, making it remain a leader in the industry. Speaking of CCL advancements, the new details of Celebration Key have me so excited! The "suncastle" that will be 10-stories high will have waterslides coming out of it. The designs for Celebration Key are pretty epic.

@euroguy First of all, thanks for this awesome review! I loved reading your impression of Grand Turk, Amber Cove, and San Juan. You gave such a thorough analysis of these locations, and I really value this feedback. The weather in San Juan, and all of your stops this cruise, seemed really lovely. I'm glad you didn't get any bad weather patterns like I experienced on my MSC Seashore cruise. Thankfully it was short lived and I dodged most of it, but we did have to do an itinerary change because of the weather. These CCL Premier and Ultra offers just blow my mind. I think you are so deserving of these offers because you play hard in the casino and are such a loyal cruise guest. You could likely earn statuses like this with other cruise lines too but you continue to cruise with CCL. If CCL didn't offer these awesome perks to you, you would probably take your loyalty elsewhere. I think CCL shows how valuable you really are to the line by offering you these exceptional perks. It sure does keep you coming back, and it would keep me coming back too! Which itinerary are you learning towards for February 2025? It seems you really loved cruising the Caribbean that time of year, just like I do!

@FJB It's so horrid. It always makes me so sad to see man overboard news. I get upset at how frequent these situations occur but they are so hard to stop. Details didn't divulge where this was intentional or not, but it's still such a shame. This passenger on MSC Euribia was caught on camera, confirming he did go overboard. @LukeJ I think there is an element of mental health attached to these overboard scenarios. Obviously, each individual occurrence is so unique; you don't always know the real reason. Sometimes it's substance abuse or an accident. It would be so nice if these things would go away, but I don't think they ever will. We can't control everyone. Feel will is a must, but I wish these guests didn't feel an impulse or urge to do such a thing. It's so disheartening.

@LukeJ It seems we are on the same page. I hesitate to be intoxicated off of the ship because I want to be fully aware of my surroundings. I don't know what to expect when I'm visiting a new area. If I'm off exploring somewhere new, it's best to enjoy the area and be fully alert. I feel most comfortable drinking onboard the cruise ship actually, but I'm not interested in over drinking. The days of excess drinking are short lived for most. You come to realize that there is more to vacation than constant intoxication. Drinking alcohol can be so fun, particularly while on vacation, but it doesn't make or break a vacation for me. A vacation without it is just as fun as a vacation with it!

@SteveR Both you and @Willie will be going on a singles cruise with different lines this year! Will this be your first singles cruise with NCL? This sounds so fun! I would be really awesome to connect with other singles guests that will cruising onboard the same sailing! Will this be your first time cruising onboard Norwegian Breakaway?

@Willie I hope you have a lovely time on your upcoming singles cruise. I can't wait to read about what you thought of Princess Cruises in comparison to other cruise lines. Most guests who cruise with Princess Cruises fall in love with the line, and I have heard the food quality is better than most. What is typically your favorite cruise line? I would assume after this cruise experience you would book another for the coming year. I recommend looking into booking your future cruise onboard your upcoming Enchanted Princess sailing. Usually, the rates, deposits, and onboard credits can be really great, better than booking off-ship. I recommend looking into itineraries that you could potentially be interested in beforehand and see the costs of those itineraries if you were to book on the ship! You never know; you could be pleasantly surprised.

@euroguy How about that? You were right in your anticipation! He is well-suited there, in all his glory. I'm glad CCL was able to feature David onboard Carnival Firenze. I'm also glad he's featured in the atrium. What a way to showcase such a cool work of art! September will be here before we know it. Time is just flying by for me this year. I'm so excited for spring and the flowers to bloom, but I know the fall season will creep back around again faster than I expect!

@euroguy That sounds more like it! I'm glad you clarified that! CCL has been cruising out of Port Canaveral for quite some time and has been pretty loyal. It makes sense to me that CCL will be expanding its sailings out of Port Canaveral. I didn't realize it has been that long since you have cruised out of Port Miami. It's still has hectic as ever, but operations run generally pretty smoothly now since its added terminals and more. Priority boarding out of Port Miami is going to be a much better experience. As someone who boards as a regular passenger, I can guarantee the process is very congested and not a cake walk. With your priority boarding perk, you will likely have a good experience the next time you cruise out of Port Canaveral. I have cruised to many of those ports before, and I would personally choose number four due to the itinerary. Number two's itinerary is a good one too. I don't think you could wrong with either. Have you cruised out of Tampa before? The flight cost to Tampa is usually more than to Miami. I always find the cheaper flights going into Miami. Avoiding Spring Break would be ideal. The dates of number one and three are going to likely attract a spring break crowd, filled with kids. That's something to keep in mind.

@georgie After cruising on MSC Seashore last month, I can attest that karaoke onboard was seemingly endless. It was offered every single evening on my seven night cruise. Karaoke attracted a crowd every evening. Many singers weren't half bad and the events were mostly held at the uptown lounge on Deck 8. The chairs were so comfortable; I really enjoyed going to the karaoke events in the evening due to being in the lounge itself. I actually participated for the first (and likely only) time. It was cool to say I tried it once, but I don't like being on stage so I didn't love it. Some of the guests onboard really loved singing and being on stage. Half off them weren't even good singers, but they loved to do it anyways!

@TV Don I think HX may interest you! HX's entire fleet will be all-inclusive, making your dreams come true. https://www.cruisehive.com/cruise-line-makes-entire-fleet-all-inclusive/126366 Would you be interested in cruising with this expedition line? I would absolutely consider it if the price was right! I do expect this to be a costly experience considering it is all-inclusive.

@Woody14 I travel with a no-sing group too. I guess there are no perfect people, but likeminded people are a good place to start. It's hard to cruise with others when they aren't "your people.' For instance, when a group has a different ideal cruise experience in mind, it's hard to agree on what to do daily, making one party having to sacrifice their ideal day to accommodate the other party. I don't mind doing this every so often, but ideally just doing whatever I want when I want is my favorite cruise experience. Even when I'm cruising with extended family, I feel like I have to accommodate to their needs instead of just focusing on what I care to do in that moment.

@euroguy I don't think that the new Brightline stop will be completed by then. My advice would be to wait until the Brightline stop is ready to roll! Miami is a great embarkation port when it comes to accessibility. Although Miami is very busy and gets chaotic, the public transit system is pretty great. It's been around for quite a while so Port Miami has it's operations pretty much down to a science. Of course, it doesn't operate without flaws, but it's one of those ports you can't go wrong with. You have cruised out of Port Miami recently haven't you? Do you think that CCL would stop cruising out of Port Canaveral completely? I find that unlikely.

@Michelle S. Well, many cruise lines will be searching for other viable options to stop at instead of Bar Harbor due to those new marine limits. What other nearby ports of call would you recommend? @LukeJ I see what you are saying about environmental factors, but most newer, larger ships are designed to reduce their emissions! Maybe the area just doesn't support large ships well; it could just feel more chaotic for Bar Harbor. It's a huge operation. Sometimes quality over quantity is a smart decision.

@Old Cruiser Wow, it's so impressive you will be on cruise #43 soon! You are a very experienced cruiser, even more than I had thought. You made me laugh with your "equal opportunity cruiser" comment. My goal is to be able to say I have traveled to (hopefully cruised to) all seven continents at some point. Have you cruised outside of your continent of residence before? At this stage in my life, I try to cruise affordably and conservatively, but I have ambitions to do more. I found out on my last cruise that I am officially a Diamond member with MSC Cruises. I have been loyal to the brand for the past six years and clearly that has paid off for me. The loyalty benefits at this highest tier level really don't compare to many other lines like CCL. I'm hopeful MSC Cruises will up its game with loyalty perks in the months/years to come.

@Old Cruiser Well if John Heald said it, I should trust his word for it! I trust his judgement for ports familiar to me, but when it comes to exploring foreign territory, I'm hesitant. On my last cruise, I took @euroguy's advice and left it behind, but I went to ports I had visited in the past. You just never know when you may need it in an emergency situation. Sometimes I think the likelihood I will loose it is likely higher than that of me actually needing it off-ship in an emergency situation. Do you typically leave your passport on the ship when you cruise?

@FJB That's a bummer! When doing an activity line that, should you wear one that attaches to your forehead? I see why the zip lining staff didn't allow you to bring anything hand held along because of the potential loss associated. Is there a chest strap style you could use to film with your GoPro while adventuring? My husband enjoys the GoPro but he always brings the little and large poles that can go underwater. He doesn't have any of the additional attachments. I would love to see that new thread. I will keep my eyes peeled for it. I love your recap posts! Every time I want to try Celebrity Cruises more and more.

@euroguy It's impressive for sure! Are any of the future cruises you are looking at out of Port Canaveral? I would say the next cruise you book out of Port Canaveral you should consider taking the Brightline once that stop is open. With the amount of traffic that area gets, it's about time it invests in better public transit systems that run to the port. Once the Aquarium opens up over there, it's going to be another huge attraction. Thee timing of this new Port Canaveral Brightline stop and the opening of the local Aquarium is quite uncanny!

@Old Cruiser I can't say I'm surprised about the "lobster night" having the longest wait time. Carnival Celebration seems to have its MDR operations very organized and streamlined. Many other ships don't operate as such capacity. The idea of letting the dining room know before you leave your cabin is brilliant. I never thought to do that, but it makes perfect sense. When did you decide to take such a step? I think all guests should consider doing this to save on wait times. You seem like a seasoned cruiser with many good cruise tips!

@euroguy Did you see the recent news? https://www.cruisehive.com/new-transportation-option-coming-for-port-canaveral-cruisers/126014 The Brightline, that 3Sisters mentioned, will be opening a new station near Port Canaveral! This would make transport to and from the Orlando airport to the cruise port that much simpler. The Brightline travels south, down the east coast of Florida, making travel to other south Florida regions easy and convenient. You were right on the money with a train/tram system to and from the cruise port/airport!