3Sisters

@Senior Cruiser Those straws are the worst! The only reason I enjoy straws because of my teeth sensitivity. The drinks onboard are always served with ice, and I prefer my drinks tepid. It's actually better for you not to consume ice cold beverages. My teeth are really sensitive to the cold drinks so a straw makes a difference for me. @LukeJ The chip in the arm thing is already happening! Many stores are beginning to accept that form of payment as well. I won't be participating in that payment style, but facial recognition is all all around us. I can't escape that. Even when I get on and off my cruises, my face is scanned and I don't even get the opportunity to show my passport.

@LukeJ If it was priesthood versus married life, I think the decision is easy. One gets you free cruises, the other does not. Your wife and I would make the same choice, a good choice. I wonder what other lifestyles could earn you free cruises for life. The life of a gambler may earn you such a lifestyle. You have to be a high roller though! I think you should make the decision to become a priest at at least 18 years of age or older. It's a big decision, but I think I would sacrifice many things to have a life of free cruising, including accepting the challenges of priesthood.

@ChrisP It's always exciting to try a new itinerary! I wish I was exploring a new area on my next cruise but I was unable to find one in my budget. That's such a bummer some of the excursions through the website are already sold out! Are there any other Princess Cruises' excursions you are interested in that you could book? It's possible the longer you wait to book the more these options will sell out. I personally don't like to wait to book excursions onboard for that very reason; there aren't many options left over. You can choose from the leftovers essentially.

@LukeJ You actually did cue that song in my mind! That's too funny. I love that you had the opportunity to live close to family. It can be a blessing, and occasionally a nuisance, to have family live nearby. It's something that isn't common practice anymore. I actually don't live near any of my children's grandparents right now. I have seen mint jelly at the store, but I'm so used to fruit jellies I haven't gone out of my way to explore it. I'm going to have to try mint on my meat in the coming weeks and report back to you with my synopsis of the experience. You are a chef, so I take your word for it!

@LukeJ If it's a cardboard straw versus no straw, I will choose no straw. The ice on my teeth isn't always the best, but I get very impatient trying to suck up fluids through a dysfunctional device. Maybe that's the whole point of cardboard straws, to deter guests from even enjoying the thought of a straw! That's one way for the beverage department to save money. @Seaawgs That's something I did not think of, but it certainly made me laugh. An eject button could be a worthwhile thought, but maybe a safe room end location would be best. I would support with this idea if the person was "dumped" to a safe room, not "dumped" off of the ship. Some guests probably deserve that, but a safe holding area is more reasonable. I wouldn't be surprised if every ship has a safe holding area onboard already!

@LukeJ It's not fair, and you never see the wait staff working up a sweat in a hot kitchen and accidentally chopping their fingers while in such a rush. In order to be successful in the culinary world you have to be so competitive and resilient, making many sacrifices such as not seeing your family or eating normal (or any) meals during your shift. Many people don't understand that while everyone is eating hungry, the people that work in the kitchen can't eat! That's so true about the salary. It's a nonstop, around the clock job. Waiters and waitresses can almost make their own schedule, with much more flexibility and get paid more hourly. Also salary jobs are always taxed more than tips!

@Seth On August 12, 2026, there will be an eclipse that will encompass Portugal, northern Spain, Iceland, Greenland, Arctic Ocean, and Atlantic Ocean. Not all cruise lines have released itineraries into mid-2026, but I will keep my eye out for any options coming out! It would be so awesome to be able to view the eclipse from a cruise ship! https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/baltic/icelands-majestic-landscapes/pricing.html#noscroll This itinerary is close but not quite! It will be in the Faroe Islands on August 12, 2026, very close to total eclipse there. This is the Iceland Majestic Landscape Viking cruise embarking August 6, 2026 from Reyjavic, Iceland.

@Cruise RN It has to be difficult to start a family while away at sea for work! Were you able to have your husband join you on the ships you were contracted on? Would you be able to bring a child along during your contract? I was always curious what certain crew members were allowed to do. As a nurse, I would imagine you could potentially bring your husband along, but it may depend on your contract/ship. I like the book title! It's cleaver to use the word "unsinkable," a great pun. You have ten days until it's out!

@ChrisP I totally understand that! My husband doesn't always do well with unexpected changes either. It's always better to be over prepared than under prepared. You will be leaving pretty soon! You must be so excited. Based on this comment, I would recommend splurging on an Uber to and from the airport. I wouldn't risk ruining your husband's experience for $100. I would be much more convenient.

@PatM Thanks for confirming that. That's such a shame! It's a minimal benefit to add, but I guess CCL is cutting corners where it can. That's a brilliant strategy to get those benefits, but you have to be strategic in order to get those rates. January fell in this same year which is great, but when was this rule actually enacted? CCL usually does a great job at honoring all veterans. Hopefully you can continue to stack those privileges! Let me know how it goes with the third party app. I'm curious to see if it will work!

@LukeJ It really was a great time in life to create those memories with her! Sometimes she does the same with my children and it's such a nostalgic feeling. I do enjoy mint tea, but I get the prepackaged tea bags. Seasonal mint chocolate hot cocoa is delicious too. I have yet to use mint with meat! I would have never thought to add it into a sauce for my meat either. Do you enjoy mint jelly? I have heard of that but have yet to try it. I think it's supposed to be on toast.

@LukeJ Wow, juice in cardboard boxes is a great choice! I'm sure they are lined with a questionable substance, just like cans but it's a really great idea. It's rare I see drinks in boxes in the US but there are some, particularly at higher end stores. Things that are compostable/recyclable are always the better choice, but cardboard straws annoy me. I have children that chew on straws and they last a matter of two minutes before they are disintegrating. Reusable bottles are great, but you still have to use soap and water to clean them. That has an impact on the environment too. It's always something. Sometimes you just have to choose the lesser of the two evils.

@LukeJ It's very true. I'm not sure why chefs aren't as appreciated! The chefs are the ones sweating, breaking their backs to provide you with delicious, safe food. The waiter just brings it out! The job of a chef is a very physically demanding job, and the hours are more than that of a server. The life of a server is less demanding. If you area the chef you have to go in early to prep all of the food. The waiter just shows up and is ready to roll! You often will tip for the food quality, and the chef/sous chefs should get a kickback for that. I think the US is more tip dominant. Gratuities are expected in many professions. Also, many professions expect good tips. It you give a mediocre tip you risk your food being tainted or bags being lost at the airport because you didn't tip enough. That's why, in the US, you have to tip well.

@Cruise RN What a cool novel! It sounds like a fun read, especially for those that enjoy cruising. What enticed you to write a book on this topic? I wonder if there was a personal experience while on the job that provoked you to write about it. How long were you a cruise ship nurse for? Did you enjoy it?

@LukeJ The idea of having four seasons in a day sounds fun, but that has to be difficult to plan for. Everywhere you go you have to bring an umbrella and winter coat just in case! Black ice is horrid! I have never experienced it, and I can't imagine having to drive in it. I wonder why the UK doesn't manage the roads better. It's not necessary to shut everything down! Where I live everything remains open unless it a very heavy snow dump, typically about 1-2 times a year. I can't imagine an area that expects snow to shut everything down because of it. If the roads were better, maybe people would feel more comfortable with traveling and going to work when it occurs.

@LukeJ Yes, but what's funny is she is gluten-free and rarely ate anything she made. Me and my friends were savages eating her cookies and brownies she made weekly as teens. She was definitely one to feed the masses. I try to buy healthy mixes and replicate what she did for me and my brother growing up, always having a baked good available to taste. It's hard to keep up with the type of mother she was. Her house was always so clean, so much cleaner than mine now. haven't tried growing mint before, but I could see rosemary thriving on my balcony in the non-snowy months. I love how rosemary pairs with meats and breads. How do you typically use your mint? I typically put it in my water, but I don't usually cook with it outside of seasonal sweets here and there. I know mint is really great for your digestive system so I would love to use it more in my savory dishes.

@LukeJ Yes, that's one thing about being a chef you don't get, tips. It's so different when you tip because you want to, not because you feel like you have to. It's a nice gesture to do when you really appreciate someone. Some bar tenders and other crew members onboard almost expect a nice tip, but it's so nice to tip when you know the person isn't expecting it. It means so much more to that person! After tipping her I wanted to go out my way to tip all off the bathroom attendants. I'm sure not all would have the same reaction she had, but the appreciation she expressed spoke volumes about her.

@LukeJ At least you came to that conclusion because I still have hopes the cruise lines will spoil me! Since it's rare that I feel "spoiled" on a cruise anymore, I always go out of my way to say a big thank you and tip those that go above and beyond. There was a housekeeping crew member that was stationed in a bathroom near the main dining room that I took my children to in the middle of dinner each evening. I saw her on multiple occasions and she was just the sweetest! She happened to even help my children wash their hands when I was busy with another child. I went out of my way to tell her how important she was to my cruise experience. When I gave her a tip, she teared up! Unlike the stateroom attendants, some crew members don't get tips regularly and when they do it's very meaningful. If I feel spoiled by any crew member, I always try to tell them/show them how important their presence was to me.

@LukeJ It sounds like we both like to cruise during those cold winter months. I think our seasons are about the same. In countries below the equator the seasons are reversed. The salt on the roads in rough on vehicles, but it does a great job at preventing the cars from sliding. I would imagine it's pretty hard to plow the roads when they are icy. It's much easier to plow the roads when its fresh snow versus sleet. That must make leaving your home very difficult and dangerous. There is likely not much motivation to leave your home in that weather. Do you have obligations that make you leave your home each day?

@LukeJ That's such a cool career path, being a chef. My mom was a pastry chef growing up and I definitely indulged in my fair share of sweets! I wish that I was half the chef my mom was when I was growing up. I try to keep up, but she just has natural talent I don't have. Recipes get me by. I also would love to start growing my own herbs. Basil was the only thing I was able to keep alive, but I grew it inside my home in a window sill. I need to be better at keeping my plants alive. Sometimes I forget to upkeep them. What is one herb that is easy for you to grow and doesn't die very easily?

@euroguy That's true! I have been eying some transatlantic sailings and would love to cruise from the US across the Atlantic to a new continent! The fact that you could miss you entire cruise and not be refunded would be horrid. That's almost like my worst nightmare! It's certainly worth noting that passport books are important, and it is important to bring them along outside of the Caribbean/US territories (for the most part). Did CCL send you the email?

@DeanLand Thanks for sharing your insight on Cabo Rojo! I don't understand why Cabo Rojo is open to guests if they aren't really ready yet. I would be pretty upset to miss out on all of the new attractions other guests will have access to in the coming sailing. From what I'm gathering, there isn't much to do outside of the port and the port isn't really ready for guests either. That's really frustrating. I'm surprised you had two ports of call changes on this HAL itinerary. Typically, HAL is pretty good about following through with its original itineraries. I appreciate your positive words and realistic/relatable review of the port. I would be dissatisfied if I were you too and would likely not get off of the ship based on this review.

@LukeJ That's a smart strategy! I chuckled at your comment. It's good to hear P&O Cruises is still offering guests free ice cream onboard its sailings. I like the idea of letting your wife handle those thing! As I have read in other posts, she enjoys vacations just like I do. That likely means she knows how to plan a great one too. I really hope some cruise lines, like P&O Cruises won't stoop that low as to charge for such a perk. If you have free unlimited desserts in the buffet, I don't see the big deal about free unlimited ice cream. It's not going to make or break the cruise line's budget!

@NWMike, @Dee Dee7 should take advantage you are currently on the ship! I hope you are having a lovely cruise! Are you enjoying Carnival Panorama? What has been your favorite amenity onboard thus far?

@euroguy At this rate there is no going back. You are likely going to keep cruising on for years to come! I feel that way about cruising. There is no going back for me. If anything, I will just continue to expand my horizons when it comes to cruising from lines to destinations. I agree about that. If you make it all the way to this exciting vacation spot and realize in hindsight you should have explored something you missed, it you be very upsetting. You have to make the most of those cruise stops! One thing I don't like feeling is rushed, particularly when it comes to getting back to the ship on time. If I had the opportunity at a free suite I would hold off too! I actually have never cruised in a suite before. At least you have one booked for 2025. Carnival Horizon will be a great time. Will that be your first time on that ship? I did cruise on earlier this year and it was great! I was unable to book a 2025 cruise onboard, although I wanted to. None of the dates worked for me. I anticipate a very busy 2025, so I may just have to do a last minute cruise and fit it in when I can next year. It's not ideal, but with the busy schedule ahead, I can't commit to a date at this time.