3Sisters

@Maria That seems so different from the U.S. health insurance that I have. The provincial medical coverage you have seems so much better!  I would imagine there is a number to call for any situation and it likely would be taken care of. It's a really wise choice to purchase it, and I believe I will purchase it for future cruises. I'm glad you shared your perspective on this.

@Maria I have been on MSC Seaside too! How did the MSC Seaside compare to your first NCL cruise? I have yet to cruise with NCL, and it's basically because of the recent reviews I have been seeing. Your post is just another example of the inconsistency NCL has been displaying to its guests. I typically cruise with MSC Cruises, and the line always gives great options for its guests. I think the option to cancel or change itineraries would have been given if you booked with MSC Cruises. It's hard for me to consider cruising with NCL when circumstances like yours seem to happen more often than not. Also, I do believe Rick is booked on that same itinerary. 

@SpaceCowboy9 Thanks for sharing this beautiful photo of your family. What type of stateroom is this with the palm trees? Did you add that extra or was that part of the door? I have only been on cruise ships that have boring metal doors so this ship/stateroom just looks over the top to me. Is that even a hand sanitizer station outside of your door? I'm just in shock at this slatted door. I must be cruising in the wrong stateroom or on the wrong ships. I want my cruise door to look fun and tropical like that! 

I love seafood too! There is nothing like enjoying seafood in the sea. When I'm on a cruise ship I try and opt for the seafood dishes when possible because it's just too fitting! It may come as a shock to you, but I have never tried Wagyu steak. It's likely been an option for me before, but I chose the seafood option instead. It's about time to give it a go. I have seen it at the store, but I wouldn't want to purchase it fresh and ruin it with improper cooking. My first time eating it should definitely be at a nicer restaurant. I can only imagine it just melts in your mouth. 

Which cruise line has the best ice cream or gelato to date? Please share your personal experience below. I'm going with MSC Cruises because not only the gelato is spectacular but so are the flavor options and the fresh cones! The last time I was on MSC Armonia, unlimited gelato was included for guests. From what I have seen, all of the other fleet members don't offer this perk, so I was truly blessed during that sailing! 

@MariaYou make a good argument. I typically do not purchase traveler's insurance, but I really should start doing it. I feel like I'm taking a big risk every time I don't. As you mentioned, the medical coverage is just one portion of the insurance coverage. You get more than you think when you purchase traveler's insurance. Does your provincial medical coverage cover you while on the ship? From what I know about the medic on the ship, usually, it's fully out-of-pocket-only care. Baggage loss is a huge coverage and I believe there is a flight incentive too (like travel transportation expense coverage) that could be used in case of an emergency. 

Do you enjoy seafood? It's funny you mention this because last night I was at my husband's work party and a friend was raving about this new Japanese restaurant that has a black miso sea bass that is "out of this world." Then he told me the price per person and I almost lost my marbles. It's on average about $200 U.S. dollars per person. As someone who rarely goes out, this sounds like a super exclusive place. I doubt I will ever go. Maybe I could mimic the sea bass recipe at home though! I'm always up for a challenge. 

@RICK9772 You may be on the same itinerary.

@Maria You are pretty relaxed about the multiple cruise changes. I love your chill perspective; I need to try to be more like that. I can tell this isn't your first rodeo. How many cruises have you been on? I do have to agree that lounging by the pool while everyone is off of the ship is the absolute best. I love it when the pools aren't overly crowded. I try to avoid the crowds when possible, the bars are all open and available on port days too. You don't have to wait in line to get your margarita! 

The only real issue here is the NCL is not following through with its advertised itineraries, as mentioned above. It does lean towards false advertisement considering how often these changes are occurring. 

@DICK REIF Thanks for sharing your experience here! That's so impressive your cruise made it three days earlier than expected. That speed is pretty rare. This itinerary also sounds exquisite. Was it a one-way route? I can't even imagine cruising through that channel and getting to take in all of that breathtaking scenery. You may have just sold me on the Silhouette! Were you able to see landmasses from both sides of the ship while cruising through the passage to the Baltic Sea?  

What is the best stateroom location? Do you prefer the front, back, or middle of the ship? I'm also curious if it's better to be on the upper or lower decks. I booked a family stateroom on the aft of the ship and it seemed very rocky. I got a bit seasick, and that's generally very unlike me. I didn't realize the location of your stateroom makes a difference in your overall cruise experience. This seasickness could have been due to rocky seas, but when I got out of the stateroom I felt just fine. Maybe I felt this way because of its proximity to the engines. You could feel them working, particularly rumbling on sea days. All feedback is appreciated! 

@euroguy I am so guilty of this! I usually have great things to say about my cruise experiences, but I generally never post about them. It's so true that only the negative comments really stand out, and they give ships and cruise lines such a bad reputation. I should be better at writing reviews in general. It takes extra effort, but I am so grateful for those who do go out of their way to post appropriate and balanced feedback. I think the keyword is balanced. When the review is 100% negative I don't even give it the time of day. When someone is 100% negative, their perspective is clearly skewed and they likely complain about everything, all the time. My children call those "Negative Nancys" and the modern-day name is "Karens." Have you heard of a Karen? 

@Lucille King Do you really think you will utilize the room service option that much? I totally understand the price increases have been significant, but this particular expense doesn't bother me. Do you intend to order room service on the daily? I'm never in the stateroom long enough to utilize that service. Breakfast in bed can be fun, especially when it's delivered right to you as soon as you wake up. As you stated in your initial post, continental breakfast is free, so you can utilize that perk as much as you want during your upcoming itinerary! What is your Apex embarkation date? Is it coming up soon?

@Woody14 I understand the perspective, but it's the risk you run as a TA in the cruise industry I guess. It's very fluctuating revenue when the income is 100% commission-based. Once you build your clientele I see how it could be a lucrative field, but I bet that takes at least a couple of years! I have considered this line of work, but I think it may be oversaturated. For niche bookings, such as the group options you mentioned above, I see how that particular TA sector could be very lucrative, but you have to be able to cruise with your guests at any given moment. As someone with a family to care for at home, that lifestyle wouldn't work because I have too many daily responsibilities at home. It takes a special person for sure!

@Stanley I'm laughing that there were only three dozen out! How is that supposed to feed everyone? I stayed at the Double Tree about a month ago, and the unlimited cookies were the best perk. The hotel is nice too, but the unlimited warm cookies are such a treat! Oatmeal raisin is just subpar. Do you agree? Oatmeal raisin probably costs more to make anyway, especially if they have nuts. I don't get it. Give the people what they want! That's just a simplified solution. 

I didn't realize the prices between Celebrity Cruises and Oceania Cruises were that close. I may look into Oceania Cruises instead! It's known as a more upscale line anyway. I can only imagine the experience is much better with a respectful crowd. The Oceania Cruises' itineraries are pretty unique too. Which Oceania ships have you enjoyed? 

@Woody14 The next time you end up getting a customer service agent on the phone it may be worth an ask. I guess it really depends on how much it bothers you. This happened to my husband with his loyalty number. The whole loyalty points thing was under multiple accounts and they were never merged properly. Needless to say, his account never reflected his proper sailings and points accrued. To this day all it only shows is his Gold status. It drives him crazy but I'm tired of returning emails with useless responses. His status is there, and almost every time he gets his stateroom key it's the wrong color. It's such a nuisance, but I'm tired of putting energy into it. I have to correct the issue once onboard, waiting in the long customer service line. It's not ideal, but I'm over it.

@Woody14 That's super intriguing! I'm so surprised that you don't get your commission until after the ships have sailed. That blows my mind. I'm envisioning this scenario. You book a group of four for an awesome cruise itinerary for the following year. Everything seems perfect until 4 months out there is an itinerary change and the guest decides to cancel the cruise because it's skipping a major port of call. Does that mean all of your previous work was in vain? You can't control what the cruise lines decide to do with their ships and itineraries either. 

This is a very interesting breakdown of how this sector works and the multiple facets I was truly unaware of. The option of hosted group cruising is very enticing! I love this idea, and it must be so neat to see the whole vision and itinerary come to life. The buy ten get the 11th free promotion is another great perk. You are very knowledgeable when it comes to cruising. This career just has to come so naturally for you. Thanks for all of this enlightening info!

@Woody14 Thanks for the confirmation on this! I didn't realize Virgin Voyages never allowed them. Maybe the adults-only crowd could take it out of context pretty quickly. The line's suites are so epic. My friend cruised in one of the line's suites and had a stateroom party. It was just wild! I was in awe watching her Instagram stories. That's likely what the line is trying to avoid. 

I do want to follow the rules, so as long as it's allowed, I will give it a go. I don't want to give off any wrong signals. I have heard rumors about pineapples and flamingos. 

There used to be such a great selection of onboard decorating options to choose from, but many of the cruise lines have slimmed down on these. Even the champagne in the room packages (and quality) are just not enticing. I have no interest in spending $100 for bottom-shelf prosecco and a basket of mediocre fruits in my stateroom.  

@Seaawgs I agree that drinking alcohol onboard a cruise ship is very popular. It's almost the assumed cruise culture and a norm for the industry. I typically consume more onboard a cruise than any other typical vacation. I guess it's just so readily available everywhere you turn! The amount of bars on the nest ships just blows me away. Alcohol does have many harmful properties when abused above legal limits. I do enjoy a good detox every now and again, but I'm generally not a heavy drinker to begin with. I prefer to be in control and self-aware at all times. 

@SpaceCowboy9 Thanks for clarifying that. Considering the minimal discount veterans get, I don't see why CCL would prevent guests from combining those two perks. Oftentimes you have to book through the line directly, likely via phone, in order to get all of those discounts properly added to the booking. I find booking online a bit more challenging to get the value and package I'm looking for. Customer service agents can be more knowledgeable when choosing a stateroom too. 

I had no idea that the shareholder benefit is an onboard credit. I'm surprised it isn't just deducted off of the final cruise amount. That's news to me. How is CCL changing the shareholder application process? Is it becoming more exclusive? 

@Woody14 I guess there wasn't a great way to keep tabs on everything back in the day. Filing cabinets were so important, but now everything is filed online. That's one not-so-good thing about digitizing everything, the potential loss of items. My husband spilled coffee on his work laptop this week, and his work had to wipe it out entirely. It's just crazy that all of his things saved directly on the laptop are gone without a trace. I believe his work stuff is saved through an alternate channel, but it's such an easy loss. I wonder why Celebrity Cruises isn't willing to just input and correct that information manually. I guess if it isn't done in an automated way, it likely won't get done. At least you got the points, but I wonder if you pushed a bit harder, if the line would change your account information to reflect all of the correct details about your cruise history with the line. 

@LukeJ I agree. Both sides are valid, but the financial situation definitely depends on tourism. Cruise guests bring tons of cash, ready to spend and boost the local economy. In terms of what the government wants, it's likely only allowing the smaller ships to meet both the environmental and financial needs of the area. If the smaller cruise ships were banned it would be too large of a financial loss, but at the same time if there wasn't a ship cutback the line would suffer too severely environmentally. At some point, I foresee cruise ships having to be even more restricted in that area, possibly banned entirely in the next 10-20 years. I'm no environmentalist, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize the alarming signs. 

@Woody14 I had no idea! I would think the cruise lines are giving at least 10% off for TAs who work directly with them. Did you enjoy your time as a TA? Was it lucrative in any way? From what you shared, it seems you have to book a lot of guests in order to profit from the deals. How did you get into cruise planning? I would love to do something like that, but I always assumed it wouldn't be lucrative enough considering its lack of consistency. I love the idea of having that work flexibility but when you are cruising yourself you likely need to purchase the wi-fi package and be accessible while onboard. That could be a potential downside. When I'm off, I love to be off, with no strings attached. 

@SpaceCowboy9 Thanks for confirming that! In years past I have decorated my door with MSC Cruises, but I was under the impression that it was no longer allowed. When I did it, I didn't have any issues. I love the idea of stars. I think I have seen some of those cardboard cutouts online before. How do you typically get them to stick? If I remember correctly, I used just basic scotch tape but the minimal decor I did kept falling down. Maybe I could try sticky tack. It used to be so popular but I haven't seen it in store for quite some time! 

@FJB That sounds like such a cool career. I love that this is something you were born and raised in. You must know all of the ins and outs of your business and feel very comfortable in your position at this point in your life. A cruise experience has to be a total change of pace from your average day-to-day experience. With all of those responsibilities, it has to be so nice to unplug and get away! I'm laughing at your training strategy. In fact, I bet you are one of the only bosses who has such an interesting perspective. From what I know about retail, the opposite approach is usually taken! I agree about not trusting anyone though. There are too many scammers out there. I don't understand why, but there just are that's why I try to stick to my immediate bubble. You can never be too cautious! 

@Woody14 That's the type of experience I have had with MSC Cruises directly too! I have always felt the line has been more than fair to me, but I always book directly with the line. I always feel hesitant to book with a third party. It's a guarantee the line will be in direct communication with you if you book through it.

You don't know what's going on behind the scenes if you book with a third party, I would imagine your TA (or whoever you booked with) may have some insight as well here. @brian amos Keep us posted.