3Sisters

@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.

@LukeJ That's incredible! I would be willing to transfer on a bus during a visit too. I'm curious to hear from @Sullanciri has to say about the check-in/transfer system in Venice. The area has done its fair share of protesting large ships due to flooding issues in the past. https://www.cruisehive.com/venice-to-ban-large-cruise-ships-from-august-1st/53238

@kefthecruiser I completely agree that phone cameras are no match for the traditional camera. The quality is way better on a nice Olympus digital camera! The only reason why Apple's cameras are so popular is because of how convenient they are. You don't have to bring anything else with you, just your phone. Your phone does it all now, just like the watches. I don't own one of those, but they track your activity, heart rate, and even your sleep quality. It's just wild. I don't know how I really feel about all of the "waves" 24/7. I'm more of a turn my cell phone on airplane mode when I sleep type of person.

@Claude Take a look at this thread for more Emerald Princess updates.

@SpaceCowboy9 I absolutely love Antigua! The beaches are out of this world. We took a taxi to a private little beach tucked away about 15 minutes from the port (I forgot the name of the beach unfortunately), but it was by far the most tranquil beach spot with the most beautiful water. Here are some good recommendations while visiting Antigua. https://www.cruisehive.com/things-to-do-in-antigua-for-cruise-visitors/27454 This is a really romantic itinerary! I love that this itinerary stops at more than 4 ports of call. That seems rare for typical 7-night itineraries. I hope you find a few beaches with cabana service. My guess is you will be spending much of your time at the beach!

Planned to open this January, CocoCay will now offer an adults-only beach option for cruise guests! I happen to think that this adults-only beach addition will be a big hit for RCL guests. Who is looking forward to this exciting new CocoCay amenity?

@Claude I'm surprised Princess Cruises was unable to give you any updates. Your cruise is only 2 days away! Take a look at this article. This may have all the information you need about your upcoming itinerary on Emerald Princess. https://www.cruisehive.com/hurricane-forces-princess-cruise-ship-to-alter-itinerary/110560 Caribbean Princess' itinerary has already been affected by Hurricane Lee. https://www.cruisehive.com/hurricane-forces-extensive-itinerary-changes-for-princess-ship/110633

Emerald Princess is changing its itinerary due to Hurricane Lee. Guests will unfortunately be skipping Halifax, Nova Scotia. Is anyone affected by this itinerary change?

@Deneshia Kinder I really hope Carnival Sunshine's air conditioning is repaired by then. In fact, I believe it's a crime if the air conditioning isn't fixed by October. You should be just fine by November 18. Air conditioning is a pivotal part of the cruising experience. I'm not sure if you saw, but some Carnival Sunshine itineraries have been updated. Thankfully those itinerary changes are for 2024 sailings. https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-line-adjusts-itineraries-for-three-ships/110524

@kefthecruiser Itineraries are beginning to shift and cruise guests sailing out of Baltimore are starting to get a little uneasy about their upcoming itineraries. Vision of the Seas cruises out this Thursday, September 14th, but it's not looking very promising. Let's just hope Hurricane Lee veers east! New England needs to keep a close eye on this hurricane.