3Sisters

@LukeJ Being a spouse is not easy. At some point I guess you really do just start messing with one another for the fun of it. Usually one person has a better sense of humor than the other. Typically, I can take a joke, but my husband can't. I try to get him to lighten up a bit, and I would say he's on the verge of tolerating my humor. He can't really get rid of me at this point. Maybe that's why we bug one another so much (sometimes intentionally and other times unintentionally). We are inseparable and that's only because we are married! 

@rindybar I'm sure long drives are not fun either! I don't enjoy long drives, personally. It's a perk to cruising for sure! You can travel to new destinations without having to necessarily fly or get in a car (depending on the circumstance). Flying is a serious way to get around and once you are in a plane, it's almost impossible to get out until you get to your final destination. MSC World America is going to be a lovely ship. I have had my eye on those sailings too. I wish I could say they were YC experiences, but my children are young enough to not even recognize the difference thankfully. 

@AftBalconyPlease I'm so surprised NCL Sun doesn't have Starlink onboard yet! Do you think the ship even will at this point? I don't understand what the hold up would be. The fact that the ship is advertising Starlink onboard but not offering it is a huge ethical issue I think. Have you been on other NCL ships that have the service onboard? I would imagine the speed was so much faster than what is was on your last NCL Sun cruise! That's why Starlink is such a hit, because the speed is so much faster than the generic browsing service offered onboard.

@LukeJ Speaking of animal lovers, how do you feel about dogs on cruise ships? I personally don't care as long as they aren't in my way or taking over public spaces. I don't want to have to deal with pet odors or fowl pet behaviors anywhere, but other than that I'm fine with that. I would rather see someone with an emotional support dog than pose their erratic behaviors on me. 

The paperwork and back-end finances can be tasking and time consuming. The worst is when you have to make phone calls to cancel services. I have such a problem with waiting on the phone for over an hour just to cancel a service or troubleshoot a billing error. It feels like such a waste of time! Getting though to companies with your valid complaints is a huge issue. I can't stand when I have to be transferred to 1,000 departments to correct an error. It happens all too much in the US too.

@rindybar Would you be curious to try another itinerary? I would recommend the MSC Divina for your next YC cruise if you like the ships upcoming itineraries. MSC Divina is in the Mediterranean right now, but she is coming to the Caribbean for some of 2025, cruising out of Miami. Are you aa part of the line's voyager's club program? That will get you an extra 5% off you next sailing! I love that the line offers that. 

@Miss Lizzie I don't think a power strip would be acceptable, but I also don't think it would be an issue either. Power strips in general aren't typically allowed, but a multiple USB wall charger should be approved. Personally, I would bring this multi plug outlet extender with pretty much a guarantee it won't be comprised. I have brought hair styling devices and sleeping devices onboard my cruises without question. This is a safe bet for you. Do as you wish, but I don't think it should be an issue for you.

This will give you some guidance. https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/guest-services/prohibited-items/

@LukeJ I think I may know what managerial style may resonate well with you then. I'm glad you appreciated my compliments. They were genuine and sincere. Running a household is the most underrated thing, almost as underrated as parenting. We live in a society where no one wants to parent anymore! It's often seen as inferior to be your child's full-time caretaker. I don't get it, but that's the way first-world society has shifted. I personally opt to stay home with my family and care for my household in a never ending way. I don't get paid to do it, but I prefer to do those "menial" things everyday because I value that for my family. I have the capability of sending my kids to school and hiring help to clean my home/care for my children. My family would happen to be more well-off in terms of finances if I chose this, but I don't value finances above caring for my family. It's a sacrifice of finances and freedom, but it's indeed the most important job to raise your kids/care for your home your way. My motto is, if you aren't able/willing to give your kids your all, including lots of dedicated patience/time/energy, then you may reconsider the idea of parenting at the time. It's totally fine to not want to make such a sacrifice, but if you aren't wanting to make those sacrifices don't do it. 

That's why I don't have a pet! I have friends that are the best of pet owners, but that just could never be me. I'm not going to take my pet out to dinner with me. It won't get a stocking under my tree at this stage in my life. 

@Seaawgs Those are some major skipped stops. I don't blame you for canceling and waiting for the right itinerary. Africa is one of those places you want to spend some quality time in since it's so remote! The vast tourist opportunities in areas like Kenya shouldn't be skipped. I wonder if many world cruises end up like this, rerouting and shifting itineraries quite often. It makes me think like maybe the world cruise itinerary may be too good to be true. I didn't even think about visas! That would be such a tedious feat for an itinerary like this. That takes so much time and energy! If you book your world cruise through a travel agent, will that person help you obtain all of those necessary documents/visas? You have to pay for those visas too, right? 

@rindybar I would be curious if the YC pool bar would be much quicker on other ships. It's not supposed to be understaffed and I would imagine most (if not all) other ships have better bar service. MSC Cruises prides itself in having exceptional YC service, so I'm assuming this was a fluke thing. If you are paying that much for exceptional service, you should receive just that. You were clearly gracious, but I do think you deserve faster service while cruising with the YC experience. Are you looking into your next MSC YC cruise already? I have looked into cruising YC with MSC Divina. I have heard great things about that ship.

@LukeJ You are right! Everyone is so different and unique in their own ways. In term of child rearing, no two children are alike! I have learned that my parenting styles need to shift for each child because they are respond so differently depending on the discipline style. Being a boss is lots like being a parent in terms of having to connect with them on a subordinary level. Some people are more motivated to succeed or are more likely to succeed if you manage them with their preferred style. You can't be a chameleon and mold to everyone, but sometimes the littlest gestures make the biggest impact in an employees performance. I'm sure you have an example of that! You are a seasoned boss, and I love your outlook.

@euph85 Absolutely! When is your departure date? I would imagine NCL should give you notification whether your bid has been accepted or not within the week. I do think New York to Bermuda cruises are popular but I don't think they are most popular. Personally I have seen other itineraries seem more popular (although it is a great route). 

It's awesome you have enjoyed NCL Joy in the past and are anticipating cruising on it again. Do you live near NYC? That would make this route very practical for you! I haven't use NCL's bidding program before, but I don't think the maximum bid is always necessary. Keep me posted for sure! I would be curious to see if the other boards end up being right. I'm pretty optimistic about it! 

@Seaawgs That does sound like an excellent itinerary! I think that is an unforgettable cruise experience that most cruise lines don't offer. Have you taken a world cruise in the past? It's quite unfortunate no compensation was offered. I will have to be more intentional about browsing the routes. You seem very knowledgeable on world cruises. Clearly you have done some good research! I guess if you are going full forge with an epic cruise itinerary that will eat up half of your year it has to be exactly what you are looking for. South Africa is a dream destination for most and would be a must see for me. Have you cruised to South Africa in the past?

@euph85 I'm glad you are going on a cruise for your anniversary! It's the best way to celebrate! I have done it before and always enjoy it. Booking 30-days out is something I have actually never done before. I typically book like aa year plus in advanced, but hopefully this allotted you with some great rates! I don't think you are getting your hopes up. There are chances you will possibly get one of those upgrades! I haven't used NCL's bidding system before but there is still time to find out if you stateroom bid will be accepted. Keep your hopes up and keep us posted. I'm curious to know what my odds could be if I did the same thing. Will you be cruising aa new ship/itinerary this time around? NCL Haven is a great package so either way I believe you will have an exceptional cruise experience!

@Jim Lamb I see the sarcasm! CCL does have ships filled with kids and families. It's basically one of the most family-friendly lines, alongside RCL. The kids clubs on CCL are really awesome and the programs run throughout the day, giving parents plenty of opportunities to take a break. Unfortunately my kids are hit or miss with the kid's clubs, and I don't force them to stay. I opt for a wider range of cruise lines because my kids really don't care about the clubs very much. 

That's a shameful experience! CCL should have tried to do something about the stateroom next to yours. The pajamas in the dining room issue is a big pet peeve of mine. I can't stand that. If you want to be comfy and wear loungewear, just dine in the buffet. It's important to at least be courteous and try to look decent for the MDR. The prices are lower for CCL and the shorter itineraries are very popular amongst the rowdy crowd. If you look at longer/more exotic itineraries, you will notice a shift in the crowds. Not all CCL ships/itineraries are the same. You can find a different culture on each ship, particularly if you book something that's not a weekend getaway. 

@Seaawgs I think a bit of compensation would be appropriate. Did HAL not offer an incentives? The cost of a world cruise is really steep, so you have to get what you want out of it. If you are skipped desired destinations without fair reciprocation, it may be better to try something else. Do you plan to skip that HAL world cruise and possibly try again the following year? A few different cruise lines offer world cruises. What made you choose HAL over the other cruise lines? I have looked into a couple of world cruises, but it seems the itineraries are pretty subject to change, particularly due to weather/political affairs. 

Was this the itinerary?

https://www.cruisehive.com/holland-america-line-changes-itinerary-for-upcoming-grand-voyage/127666

@Emrys Thanks for your feedback! I typically cruise the Caribbean, as you mentioned. I have been itching to cruise out of South America for quite some time and plan to spend a month there exploring a few different local countries. Ideally, I would have found an itinerary that cruised out of Peru, but I was unable to find any that seemed worthwhile. I feel very confident to cruise with MSC Cruises and was a little hesitant to cruise with a foreign line since I'm unfamiliar to Brazil. It sounds like your next cruise should be to South America! I have only been to North America and South America so I have many others to explore. Trying something different is surely a step in the right direction! 

@Ash17 That's a great reason to celebrate! September is a good month to cruise as long as you can avoid the hurricanes. Either way, you will be taken care of by RCL. RCL always treats guests right. Either the cruise reroutes itineraries to avoid a storm or you have other rebooking options, but you can expect to be taken care of nonetheless. Sending lots of prayers your way for your August scan! Taking and cruise and living it up is my favorite way to live life. Whenever you have an opportunity to cruise, take it! Life is short and we all should enjoy it to the fullest. Is RCL your preferred cruise line? It's one of the most popular out there for a reason! 

@rindybar This is such a promising review! I'm so glad you enjoyed MSC Yacht Club. It's an experienced I haven't explored yet, but I do foresee me trying it in the future! I think I remember seeing your initial post pre-cruise. How did the service/stateroom compare to NCL Haven? I wonder why the disembarkation wasn't all that great. That's great feedback! I know YC guests have great treatments during the itinerary getting on/off at ports, but the service should include disembarking at the end of your cruise! Did you at least receive priority disembarkation? Which ship did you cruise on?

@ConnorWood I recommend that same thing! Reaching out to the cruise line is always the most reliable source. I have heard great things about Starlink. It's very popular and has rolled out pretty much everywhere by now. I would be surprised if the entire fleet didn't have it by now! 

@KJP I'm not sure what happened that time on Carnival Venezia, but the US Air Force had to do a medical evacuation on the ship on May 4, 2024. It reminded me of your post (although I'm not sure we got the final outcome). This airlift was super impressive. The story was incredible and inspiring, but I'm still curious what happened onboard Carnival Venezia with the helicopters that last go! 

@Cornelis That's so unfair to the captain! People need to grow up and take ownership of themselves. Clearly, I also get irritated by this. How can one person be so self-centered to ignore the needs of the hundreds, potentially thousands, of other people onboard? I don't think a captain should wait for tardy guests. It's unfair to the rest of the guests onboard. If you were on the other end you would understand. Yes, it would be a disappointment to be left behind, but you didn't make it. That's life! 

@LukeJ I'm thinking about that dry mouth affect after a night of drinking and feeling dehydrated. Maybe this trick is how you get your moneys worth out the beverage package. You just have to keep drinking and drinking until you can't drink no more. I get headaches really easily. Not eating enough or timely enough is a huge factor for me. I can't drink anything on an empty stomach either. Just the rockiness of a cruise ship can even trigger one for me or if I don't get enough rest. Typically when I drink in the evening I end up staying out later. 

This MSC Bellissima guest is wild. The only reasoning this man would have tried to enter the country illegally would be because he was truly intoxicated on something. First of all, it was a super dangerous attempt. Secondly, it's highly illegal. Thirdly, it's insanity. I really think he had to be out of his right mind. 

@Kirk Gillespie That's wild the insurance didn't work out here. Did you end up cruising with your t-shirt? It's unfortunate you felt the need to take the cruise even thought you were ill and still contagious. Masked-cruising isn't the same, and at this point I doubt you were even motivated to mask. If the cruise line doesn't care about you being sick, then why should you care? It's commendable that you were trying to avoid passing it on to others. I would rather cruise healthy than when I'm not feeling well. I hope you recover quickly!

@Woody14 Thanks for sharing your Canadian perspective. Out of most places around the world, the US is one of those countries that tips pretty generously, more than most. Since the US is a melting pot and lots of visitors and foreign residents are here, not everyone knows the tipping expectation. It's something that has to be learned, and it definitely jacks up the price of your meal. I think that's why fast food companies are so desired and popular. People want to go out to eat, not having to cook food at home, but pay a lower price without having to tip. Even when you go to a simple drive through coffee shop, you are encouraged to tip. I don't really enjoy tipping for a coffee or a tea at a drive through. I despise it so much I avoid going out for coffee at all costs. I'm an avid coffee drinker (daily), but I probably go out for a drink once a year. That's only because I'm traveling all night and have no option to make it elsewhere. Spending on drinks is such a money waster. I only want to spend on drinks if I'm on a cruise ship. I'm willing to dish out more while on a cruise vacation.

Has anyone cruised out of Santos (Sao Paulo), Brazil before? I'm looking into an MSC Seaview itinerary for next year, 2025, that would cruise out just before travel visas became mandatory for US citizens. I have been on MSC Seaview's sister ships and feel very confident about the ship itself. It seems the cruise line has expanded immensely in South America, and I would love to try out a new itinerary! Since I haven't been to Brazil, I'm curious about this cruise port and local airport in Santos. Thanks in advanced!