3Sisters

I have been reading some comments about RCL changing up itineraries and skipping ports that have really upset some guests. Anthem of the Seas has been altering many of its itineraries due to engine maintenance issues. RCL has not been properly compensating guests for that slow speed and skipping ports. I wouldn't be happy either, would you? 

@LukeJ I see what you are saying but if you spend enough time cruising with the line, you definitely deserve some loyalty points. The points you earn incentivize you to only book with that one cruise line. I have so much incentive to book with MSC Cruises right now because I'm so close to the top tier. I'm intentionally investing in bookings with the line just to reach that status. If I book with another line like Celebrity Cruises, I will be missing out on some serious points.

@Loyal Cruiser That's true, you have to spend money to earn points, but if you spend enough money you will make it high up with any loyalty program! If the loyalty perks are good enough, like this perk with Celebrity Cruises, you will be willing to spend with the line to earn your way.

@LukeJ Apparently, the fans were banned due to risks associated. The line sent out some info clarifying the fan ban. You should be able to bring a hand-held, battery-powered fan onboard an NCL cruise. The big ones still aren't allowed. https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-cruise-line-clarifies-about-popular-prohibited-item/97944

@Cindy P Don't forget about the walkie-talkies being banned! I used to use the around the ship all the time as a child with my family. What a shame! https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-cruise-line-adds-another-item-to-prohibited-list/106471

@Seaawgs That's a good way to look at it. Eating out every day on land surely adds up! The everyday water and electricity bills add up too. I like that trick. It doesn't cost much more after you factor all that in. I wish Celebrity Cruises offered some sort of incentive for back-to-back sailings! Do you typically book through a travel agent? I typically go directly through the cruise line. 

Yes, RV through the U.S. would be grand, and then 1/3 of the year traveling the rest of the world via ship! That's the ultimate dream. Do you typically book the same stateroom so you don't have to move your things? I have always been curious about how each cruise line handles back-to-backs. 

@RoadTravelledThanks for sharing about your Venezia experience! I love the Italian flair. I have cruised on board a Costa ship before and I really enjoyed the Italian ambiance. I have yet to splurge on a Chef's Table experience, but I think you have sold me. Were you able to finish the 9-course meal? I hope the portions were small. That sounds like an insane amount of incredible food. 

I'm so glad you weren't affected by this loyalty suspension. It doesn't get better than 30 minutes! Have you been on an itinerary like this before? Did you get to go to any new destinations on this cruise?

Thanks for adding that. I didn't realize the ratio of Platinum and Diamond guests would be over 75% or more. The priority line would be the majority at that point. I would want the laundry service too after a 15-day cruise! When you cruise for more than 7-days, do you eat in the MDR every evening? 

@euroguy Yes, I really appreciate you sharing the info. It's such an insider tip too. I have been cruising for some time but the US. DEPT OF STATE -STEP PROGRAM never crossed my mind. It should just be illegal to cruise without it. It's a free safety net, and barely takes any time out of your day to do. I'm all for this.

TSA pre-check is another great service! You do have to pay extra for it, but for cruise guests who are coming from out of state, this is worthwhile. I'm accustomed to driving to the port which makes it more convenient, but if you are taking more than 2-3 flights per year, I think it's very worth it. I would love to hear more about the credit card info. I just get points back! I would be willing to switch it up if the perks were better.

@euroguy To be clear, I never regret my overpacking decisions. My outfits are always on point and pretty fabulous. There are times I take only a backpack on to save money. It's hard to do, but I have learned that backpacking in the summer months with shorts and tank tops, is much easier than backpacking in the winter months. I don't look as fabulous on those trips, but it's alright. I feel it on the inside!

On a different note, I love cruising because I don't have a limit to suitcases. I also love checking them car side, and I can just have them delivered right to my cruise stateroom. That's just another great perk to cruising! 

@RoadTravelled I'm so glad you provided this feedback. I always question hearsay comments so getting news from someone directly from the ship is pretty impressive. I hope you are enjoying your cruise!

Were you affected by this? https://www.cruisehive.com/another-carnival-cruise-without-loyalty-benefits/111383 Apparently, Carnival Venezia Dimond guests didn't receive their typical loyalty benefits. I know you must have some sort of loyalty status with the line because you are an avid cruise guest!

I like that you can get just a daily rate when needed, instead of having to pay for the full week. For someone who needs a strong signal for a day or two that price isn't half bad. 

@euroguyThat luggage valet service sounds like a dream! I always fill up my suitcases to the brim so this would be perfect for me. I can be found taking stuff out of my suitcase at the airline counter to make it light enough, and then walking through the airport with a pair of boots that made the suitcase too heavy. Yes, I am one of those people! 

@FJB I see you, and I hear you. This is very logical. It makes so much sense, yet I agree with @euroguy. I love towel animals! I can't imagine cruising on CCL without them! 

@Seaawgs This is a really realistic assessment. A 35-day back to back to back itinerary is pretty impressive. You must really love your Celebrity Beyond. Were you able to snag a pretty good rate for these back-to-back itineraries? I wish cruise lines offered a discount for purchasing itineraries like this in bulk! You will be cruising for over a month on Celebrity Beyond. My husband wouldn't oblige, but my dream is to live in an RV and cruise the rest of the time. This lifestyle would only be feasible if I could snag awesome cruise itineraries for weeks at a time, without having to pay an arm and a leg!

@euroguy This is such good information! Thank you so much for sharing this because many people don't even know where to start. It is so very important to be aware of where you are visiting and the threat level. Many cruise guests rely so heavily on the cruise line to tell them everything they need to know about their cruise when in reality, the customer service representatives oftentimes have absolutely no clue. You have to protect yourself and be prepared for the places you visit. I find it foolish to go somewhere without taking the proper steps to secure the safety and well-being of yourself and those you may be traveling with.

I had absolutely no idea about the US. DEPT OF STATE -STEP PROGRAM! I'm really glad you enlightened me about this free service. I love that you provided the link too. It's too perfect. One click of of a button, and I feel so much better about protection while visiting foreign territory.

@Cwilpa I'm surprised that you are writing this! I was most excited about these new Diamond Princess itineraries, but I have yet to cruise with Princess Cruises. From what I gathered, the itineraries are great but you believe the ship is not. I was under the impression Diamond Princess wasn't half bad. If you wouldn't cruise Asia onboard Diamond Princess, what cruise line would you recommend instead? 

@Carnival glitch cost lots This is such a bummer! I wish you were able to book that steal of a cruise deal. The price, seemingly, was just too good to be true. These glitches affected many cruise guests! MSC Cruises is another great cruise line. Have you cruised with them in the past? Did you end up picking the same type of itinerary? Hopefully, it all turns into a better cruise than expected!

Carnival Legend will be homeporting in Galveston beginning in October 2025. It will cruise several Western Caribbean itineraries carrying from 4-10-night options. Carnival Legend will be the smallest CCL fleet member cruising out of that port during that timeframe, homeporting in Galveston alongside Carnival, Breeze, Dream, and Jubilee. Out of the four CCL ships cruising out of Galveston in fall 2025, which would you be most interested in booking? The new Carnival Jubilee will hold 6,500 guests. Although Carnival Legend is a Spirit-Class ship, I think I would prefer cruising onboard it instead of Carnival Jubilee. 

@Buddyboy53 I second what @euroguy said, better late than never! I'm so glad to hear about your positive cruising experience! I'm happy to read you now enjoy cruising and are ready to do it again! What were some of your highlights from your Carnival Liberty cruise? I have yet to meet an impolite cruise crew member. Some guests come on here and say the cruise crew isn't always great, but from my experience, the crews are the highlights of the ships! For your next cruise, would you consider cruising for a longer duration, say a 7-night itinerary? 

@mcarab This would be such a dream itinerary for me too! The flight won't be short or cheap, but like you said, it would be worth it for a dream trip. Since I haven't done this trip I don't have too many tips, but I would advise you contact your bank to see about doing some currency exchange ahead of time! Contacting your bank would also be great just for the curiosity of utilizing those banking systems out of the country and educating yourself on current currency exchange rates. 

This would be a great article for you to review about Norwegian Dawn ahead of time. https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-dawn-cruise-ship-overview-and-things-to-do/68769 There are plenty of things to do onboard this awesome ship. Will this be your first time cruising with NCL?

@RoadTravelled That's such a great tip, to opt-in to the CCL text messaging alert system! It's the most immediate form of communication and almost everyone uses it nowadays. For all cruises, especially those potentially affected by natural disasters, it's so important to get text updates from the cruise line. Without the text updates, you may accidentally overlook really important information about your itinerary! I appreciate the step-by-step process for those who aren't currently enrolled in this alert option. 

@jcordle How did your cruise turn out? Were you pleased with the outcome?

@kefthecruiser This is very well said! It's very upsetting to assume that the line's debt would impact its decision to choose what is best for guests. I don't like the idea of assuming NCL (and/or other cruise lines) would be making poor judgment calls that would, potentially, negatively affect cruise guests. After reading some of the line's latest questionable judgment calls, it can be easy to assume that upper management is not doing a good job at keeping guest's safety as its top priority. Let's just hope the line does better from now on!

After cruising so many times, I should know that sickness doesn't constitute reimbursement! I thankfully haven't had any issues with sickness and embarkation in the past, but it is a potential. Next time I book, I may consider the travel insurance after all. I can't imagine how upsetting it would be to lose thousands of dollars and miss your vacation due to being sick. It makes sense to be refunded and re-book with a credit. As I'm writing this, I'm really starting to see the enhanced value of travel insurance. 

@Shallun That's a great question. I haven't been on this excursion before, but since it's a Carnival Corporation-owned private island, you may get some professional photo options. If you call the cruise line, it should have an answer to this question. My assumption would be yes, official photos will be available for purchase. I'm not so sure you would get a video, but you never know! 

https://www.cruisehive.com/21-things-half-moon-cay-carnivals-private-island/22968#h-horseback-riding

Princess Cruises will be cruising more 2025 Japan itineraries! Diamond Princess is going to sail some really epic cruisetours keeping up with the increased demand for Japan itineraries. March through August 2025 Diamond Princess will be homeport in Tokyo. Has anyone cruised to Japan with Princess Cruises in the past? 

@Deneshia Kinder I understand that it has rolled out on 11 ships fleetwide. The ships that should be offering this Starlink service already include Carnival Panorama, Elation, Sunshine, Magic, Pride, Sunrise, Vista, Mardi Gras, Valor, Celebration, and Venezia.

https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-line-has-good-news-for-guests-that-use-wifi/106019

Will you be cruising on a CCL ship soon? I have heard the Starlink service is wonderful and totally worth the extra cost.

@jryka I totally overlooked that! I guess you should somewhat enjoy the water if you are choosing a cruise as your vacation. 

@LukeJ This is a really great motto. It's a mind-over-matter thing. You just have to go for it and give it a shot. You can't let your ailments hold you back! 

@Benjamin This is really sad. You must have been so upset when you couldn't board that itinerary. That's a really great question. Whoever is making these itinerary decisions does not seem very level-headed. I think it's really about turning a profit, and that is not a good way to be. I didn't realize NCL wouldn't reimburse you due to a sickness. I understand you didn't have insurance but still, it seems pretty unfair to me. 

@bombarc That's quite scary! I would have opted out of that cruise experience, but once you book and pass the refund period, there is no turning back. It's just a testament to the culture of the line. It's a business trying to make money regardless. That's what this scenario sounds like to me. 

@KJP I saw this news article about Carnival Paradise and two women being struck by a hit-and-run. https://www.cruisehive.com/two-cruise-passengers-left-in-mexico-after-accident/110832

The only news I about Hurricane Lee and its effect on one of Carnival Venezia's recent itineraries. Do you have updates on the helicopter? I'm super intrigued now! 

https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-ship-changing-itinerary-due-to-hurricane-lee/110341

@Rosemary Two days in Kona sounds pretty amazing to me! Since most things are closed on Sundays and you don't enjoy spending time at the beach, your options could be limited to spending extra time on the ship. I found this great article about things to do in Kona that may interest you. https://www.cruisehive.com/ways-to-enjoy-kailua-kona-hawaii-for-cruise-visitors/33202

@kefthecruiser Wow, after reading this I'm questioning Princess Cruises' ability to do better. Let's just hope the cruise line pulls through with some good excursion options for guests to fill their time.