Kendall James-Vargas

@dad004 I have found that cruising off season is significantly cheaper. Season could depend on the embarkation/disembark region and/or areas visited. Since I have children in school, I usually have to look at dates that fall within that schedule. It seems significantly more expensive to book during those off-school times, such as summer, vs all other times of the year. Where do you intend to embark/disembark? When school is out, the prices are usually higher.

@Mark Morel That is pretty impressive you were able to smuggle alcohol onboard. I have never had the confidence to do that, but it sounds like the cheers package isn't very efficient for you. That's a bummer they don't offer bottles for purchase anymore, the last time I cruised they still had that offering. Alcohol is certainly a huge money maker for the cruise industry.

Recently, Royal Caribbean removed one of its loyalty benefits, eliminating access to the Concierge Lounge for Diamond Plus guests. Has anyone been affected by this change? Perhaps, the line's loyalty programs may be getting oversaturated. It takes a great amount of loyalty to receive Diamond Plus status.

@possibly last cruise That sounds like an interesting idea, someone serving ice cream could be a cost efficient way to be less wasteful. It saddens me to think of the idea that food is unnecessarily going to waste!

@KristineF I agree, four entrees would be pretty filling! @wmrad007Although the 24 hour ice cream offering certainly has been a staple for Carnival Cruise Line, I would say it likely won't affect me cruising with them in the future. I understand the constant changes to your pre-planned vacation could be upsetting; however the fact that we are finally able to cruise again give me so much to look forward to. Hopefully all of these constant shifts help the cruise line get back to a state of normalcy, where guests can be confident in their consistency and choose to cruise again.

@Mel Cruising during this day and age is so challenging. All of the protocols can be disenchanting to many, even avid cruisers. As an avid cruiser myself, I have found the mask protocols to be efficient, but it certainly was challenging to keep my toddler wearing hers in public spaces. Hopefully the current worries of cruising subside a bit, so the industry continues to recover from the elongated shut-down.

I'm shocked to read that Royal Caribbean's new ship, Icon of the Seas, will feature such a large amount of swimming pools. The ship will also have the biggest waterpark at sea. What have been some of the best waterparks you have experienced with Royal Caribbean and how do you think Icon of the Sea's will differ?

@KristineF The constant changes in cruise protocols can certainly be difficult to keep up with. I hope the industry returns to simplified protocols where guests can feel confident to cruise again. There are certainly several boxes to check before a sailing, more than the pre-pandemic days. In my opinion though, going through the additional steps is worth it to get back to vacationing on a ship again!

@Kim6203 I'm sad to hear you had such a negative experience on your back to back cruises. There have been so many changes since the pandemic, and it sounds like they are still working out some kinks as they return to a state of normalcy. I hope the next time you cruise you have a better experience than this one!

@Patriot67 It's refreshing to hear you had such a positive experience on your recent Oasis of the Seas cruise. Will this be your first cruise onboard Wonder of the Seas?

@Jim Lamb These are all really great questions. I definitely don’t think the system for allowing pets onboard is fool proof. I have had a friend bring their “emotional support pet,” and he didn’t have to provide any specific documentation. There must be associated risks with being a pet onboard and being exposed to viruses. Since each differing cruise line has specific protocols, I would say some may be more strict than others for requiring guests to submit supporting documentation.

@DeanneB I love hearing that cruise lines are bringing back some of their onboard activities! When I sailed with MSC the beginning of this year, their usual activities were few and far between. I'm glad RCL may offer Quest! It's one of my favorite late night activities onboard. @Lorna Please keep us posted if your sailing did offer Quest! I truly hope you get to experience it.

@dad004 I used to live near Port Canaveral, and I was always fortunate enough to have a neighbor run me to the port. Having been there in the past, I would say there are several secure options once you arrive to the port, with ample parking. Since I haven't paid for parking at the port before, I'm not certain of what the costs would look like. In my opinion, the security and convenience of parking near the ship may be worth the slight additional price you may encounter. The pick-up and drop-off areas at the port can get chaotic anyways!

@KristineF That's very true. The restrictions do make it more difficult to explore but hopefully it's all temporary! I agree with @DeanneB, a relaxing swim sounds like a bright idea instead.

Has anyone cruised with Virgin Voyages before? I have been looking into the cruise line, and it seems like the line is adding new ships to the fleet. Resilient Lady looks like an incredible new ship to explore, and it will sail its first voyage on May, 2023 from Greece. Does anyone intend to sail on Resilient Lady's maiden voyage next year?

Princess Cruises has released some fun fleet-wide holiday menus for those who plan to spend this year's holiday season with the cruise line. Does anyone plan to spend the holidays onboard one of the line's ships? Princess Cruises has had some pretty big promotions these past couple of months! I was tempted to book its Black Friday promo. The line offered 60 different sailings under $60 per person, per day for guests!

@FJB I totally agree! This is one fluke of an accident that could have been much worse. I'm just thankful no one was hurt during the incident! @kefthecruiserHopefully the crew is more cautious next time!

@FJBIt sounds like you truly do enjoy cruising with Celebrity Cruises. I hope you get the opportunity to book the Celebrity Ascent and explore all of its new onboard offerings. I'm sure your third cruise onboard the Celebrity Millennium will be another great time!

I don't think you have lost out on this fun opportunity. Although I have not experienced the Dr. Seuss Breakfast before, the scheduling for this special event is based on each specific itinerary. Guests will be notified of the event date once onboard, and you should have ample time to solidify your reservation. The Dr. Seuss Breakfast does cost a nominal fee of $8 per child (under 2 are free) and $10 per adult. https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1387/~/carnival’s-seuss-at-sea-program

Although Grand Turk is amazing, I'm sure you will find several other ways to unwind onboard the ship. On the bright side, you should have ample time to truly enjoy all of the onboard amenities. Hopefully you have a wonderful sailing!