3Sisters

@Arh I saw this! I would be so bothered by this. The cruise line should definitely reimburse you for not being transparent and upfront about this. Essentially, the cruise line didn't honor what it advertised. That's not fair.

@kefthecruiser & @benjellos Did you see this NCL article in the news? https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-cruise-line-advises-guests-of-strike-impact/106555

Guests have been advised about an air travel strike. This is a whole other mess for the NCL guests that are cruising on the Norwegian Breakaway. 

Has anyone on the boards cruised with Margaritaville at Sea before? I noticed the line's Heros Sail Free promotion, and I love how generous this line is to our real-life everyday heroes. I assumed that Margaritaville at Sea was adults-only, but I was incorrect. I would love to hear some reviews of the cruise line from anyone who has sailed with them before.

@euroguy Do you have any insider updates on your upcoming CCL sailings? I know you had a couple in the works. I was also curious if CCL gives you the upgraded wifi option for those cruises! I would imagine if you have a booking assistant you are likely getting access to only the best wifi available onboard! 

@KeithG I'm right there with you. The simplicity of cruising makes it super convenient. Planning a vacation takes time and lots of effort. I love just booking a cruise and knowing that everything will be taken care of once I arrive at the port. I agree that sightseeing/exploring can be better on land, but at this stage in my life, I'm going for relaxation over sightseeing! 

I love patisseries! All of the delicious cuisine options, in combination with the unlimited food options on board will be endless amounts of food. I hope you are able to get your steps in during your cruise to counteract all of the food. I usually try to hit the gym a couple of times and take the stairs most of the day to counteract the amount of food I end up enjoying on my cruise. 

@Cindy63 That is a fact! It's a bummer Ocean Cay will be closed to the public but as an area of conservation, it's sensible to continue to upkeep the area with a close. I will explain why. Ocean Cay just received an honor from Mission Blue calling it a Hope Spot for its outstanding conservation efforts. Aside from this recent honor, this private island furthers the efforts of the MSC Foundation and the launch of its Super Coral Program. What really makes MSC Cruises' private island stand out amongst the other private islands is its conservation efforts and commitment to sustainable efforts over the standard hyped-up guest amenities. 

I'm not sure if you agree, but the only vacation I truly feel relaxed on is a cruise. All other vacations have an element of coordinating a flight or catching a taxi. It's even a hassle at times to book a big place to stay with family because someone ends up doing all the cooking. I absolutely love the consistency of cruising. I can always expect a good time, unlimited everything, and not have to worry or rush anything during my time on board.  

I think I was right on the money about an industry shift. Royal Caribbean stated that it will be utilizing new waste-to-energy technology for two of its new ships. This will be the first time for the industry as solid waste becomes power on these cruise ships. The two ships that will feature this technology will be Icon of the Seas and Silver Nova. It's a very interesting process and I wonder if other lines will follow suit and begin to implement this sort of sustainable system for its ships.

In addition, I completely agree about the food waste onboard. Maybe this is why cruise lines have become so repetitive with food offerings. Perhaps cruise lines only stick to guests' favorites to avoid a potential waste of food if the dish isn't as popular as the rest. 

@Mr.Bill All of this information should be linked to your Carnival Cruise Line account. If you can't find it in your CCL account, I would check your email and see if you can add it to your account for safekeeping. If you previously accrued this credit, you should have it in an email, but if you booked with a package that includes an onboard credit it should be listed in your booking receipt. You could always call the cruise line to verify what cruise credits are associated with your booking number. It's definitely best to do it now before you get on board your cruise. 

I have yet to cruise to Asia! I wish I had pictures to share of an experience like this. Ironically enough I was showing my children info about Asia and its culture. They were very surprised to learn that it's not only the largest continent but also holds the largest percentage of the world's population. Unfortunately, Asian cruises were postponed for several months during the shutdown. Of all areas, I think Asia took the longest to restart cruising afterward. At least cruises have resumed since! Resort World Cruises sails throughout Asia and announced it will be sailing some LEGO-themed itineraries this summer!

@LukeJ I second that comment! Norway is so picturesque. It will be an unforgettable holiday for sure.

Which ports will you be calling in?

I can't wait to read your post-cruise review!

@Ralph I'm glad you are moving on from this horrid NCL experience. RCL is going to be such a better fit, with itinerary options galore. It is a bummer you had to endure this upsetting event onboard your last NCL cruise, but if anything you are committing to sail with what I consider a much better cruise line! With all of RCL's new ships, you really can't compete with the cruise prices or quality. Not to mention the guests onboard definitely know how to have a good time! 

Disney Cruise Line recently upped its prices for some of its specialty restaurants. The cruise line isn't known to be affordable to begin with, but it definitely goes above and beyond for its guests, particularly the younger generations. For those that have splurged, is Disney Cruise Line really worth it, especially now with all of the price increases? Some say it really is that magical.

@SpaceCowboy9 I have heard such amazing things about cruising out of San Juan. I would really like to try a cruise out of there and spend some extra time at one of the awesome resorts nearby. The tickets from the States are very reasonable too! Jacksonville has a bit more variety in terms of itineraries. It's always nice to switch up the ship too. I don't mind the same stops but I definitely like exploring the ships. I'm usually one to cruise for the ship, not so much for the stops, but I'm sure that will change once my kids get older. 

Wow, that article on the shark attack is so saddening! I stand by my recommendation of booking all excursions through the cruise line to ensure safety and peace of mind. Of course, flukes happen everywhere, but I believe that the cruise line options are the safest and most secure when traveling to unknown territory. I love learning about the local culture! It sounds like you got the real deal experience from sugar canes to cigars! Were about able to bring the cigars back home with you? 

Unfortunately, I'm not finding any updates on this case. Sometimes cases like this take forever for a final verdict to come about. Let's just hope we don't see more situations like this come about. I'm already paranoid enough to look for hidden cameras now! 

@rindybar This is definitely a great drink package, but you are certainly paying enough to utilize the best of the best onboard! How do you think the cost of MSC Yacht Club compared to that of NCL's Haven experience? 

@vacation3 Go for the Starlink option! Especially if you have work to get done, or need things done quickly. If you just want leisurely browsing the basic package should do the trick. It really depends on what kind of internet speed you need to have. 

@kefthecruiser I totally agree with you there. It's really imperative that the U.S. Coast Guard ensures all of the repairs were done properly. Unfortunately, the process just seemed to take so long! At least the guests were safe, but I bet this poor captain is going to be so very cautious at every other port of call from now on. I'm glad Princess Cruises properly compensated its guests. It's not every day that you read cruise lines are literally paying for their mistakes. 

@CEHCrusin That's going to be an exciting itinerary! I, too, haven't been docked at a port of call for more than one day at a time. Three days docked at the same location is new to me as well. I recommend trying to eat at least breakfast and dinner onboard the ship, because like you said, you paid for them. Also, the food is readily available, which makes eating on board more practical. Evening shows are a must! You should definitely try and make all of those as well. How long is your Celebrity Cruises itinerary? If it is less than 7 nights maybe opting for the later dining time would be better so you don't have to feel rushed to head back to the ship in time for the early seating. 

@rindybar Wow, you have been to Bermuda so many times! You have much more experience than I do cruising to Bermuda. I have been to crystal caves and caverns in the past but never in there. I believe the last one I visited was in North Carolina. They are truly amazing, but as you mentioned, they are definitely not for someone who gets uneasy in small spaces! Is this one of your favorite things to do when you visit Bermuda? 

@Joe36251 This is pretty odd. It's impressive this search continues after such a long amount of time has passed. 

@kefthecruiser It's such a bummer Ruby Princess took so long to get out of the port after the collision! I wouldn't have imagined it taking so long, really impeding that cruise itinerary.  

https://www.cruisehive.com/ruby-princess-finally-departing-san-francisco-after-collision/105977

The current itinerary had to skip visiting Sitka, Glacier Bay, and Juneau and is currently planning on stopping in Ketchikan on July 12.  Ruby Princess plans to make it to California on July 16, following its originally slated itinerary. 

@SpaceCowboy9That sounds totally up my alley! I appreciate you sharing this info. The next time I'm there I would be very interested to visit. My husband, on the other hand, may be apprehensive accompanying me to a day of leisurely shopping at my discretion. I may end up needing a whole other empty suitcase for my novelty finds! There isn't anything better to shop for than handcrafted goods. I guess the second best is shopping for second-hand goods, including thrifted items. I do enjoy the thrill of the hunt. 

@Jess Are these stateroom choices or itinerary change options? I think you could potentially back out but I'm confused as to what special offers you are referring to. If it's a stateroom bidding option, you won't be able to back out if you bid and RCL accepts your bid. You could always call the cruise line to clear up any details. I would hate for you to be kicked out of a stateroom/itinerary you were super excited about just for betting on a "special offer." Is this the first time you have received an offer like this?

I'm assuming it wasn't a great white shark then! Those things are massive. I agree that the no teeth comment doesn't sound accurate. Thankfully you enjoyed it for its beauty and nobody got attacked so that's good! Earlier this year, CCL ended up canceling several shore excursions because of the number of shark attacks in Noumea. I definitely wouldn't want to risk being shark bait. I guess some areas are more prone to attacks than others. I wonder if it has something to do with the amount of food access for the shark locals. If the sharks get hungry, they will be searching for a vacationer floating on a beach mat. At least that's what I imagine could happen.