3Sisters

Did you by chance stay in an all-inclusive hotel? I have been interested to do something like that as an extended family vacation. I'm glad you felt safe while off on your own, touring the Dominican Republic. I'm sure most of the locals are kindhearted people. The area's culture seems very inviting and family oriented. I haven't ventured out on my own without a tour guide, but I remember feeling safe as well. I will be back in Puerto Plata soon, and I do intend to do some self-guided exploring. I will let you know how I feel once I'm there.

@Woody14 Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of this valuable feedback! You have a very diverse cruising background. I really like the way you broke down your post; it was very easy to follow. I agree that food quality and portions have declined. In fact, I have read lately that some of the major cruise lines are cutting so much so, that they are no longer allowing guests to order more than one of each food category in the MDR. For instance, you can only order one app instead of two because you can't choose. From my most recent cruise experience with MSC Cruises, the line hasn't made this sort of cutback, but I do not like this sort of restrictive structure. I see the value in cutting food costs and waste, but it's one of the things I really enjoy about the MDR, having the ability to pick and choose through the menu at my leisure. Service is half of the experience! You are spot on. I love keeping the same waitstaff for the entirety of my cruise and getting to know them. Over the years the service has gone down; I really think this is because the overall crew morale post-pandemic has significantly declined. This is something that may entice me to try Celebrity Cruises. I also think not feeling rushed is a huge part of the dining experience. I'm actually surprised that you haven't felt rushed at all in the MDR with Celebrity Cruises. This says so much about the culture of the cruise line! I do agree that it's time for you to try MSC Cruises again. I do notice in recent years, as the line makes a larger presence in the U.S., that the overall quality and culture of the line are changing. I'm not sure if this statement would be true for European-based ships. I enjoyed the larger diversity in the crowd, attracting guests from all over the world. I have noticed while cruising out of U.S. ports, that MSC Cruises has a more Americanized crowd and less of the cultural diversity I enjoyed on previous cruises.

@rindybar Will you be cruising out of New York on your MSC Meraviglia sailing? If so, I hope you are able to arrive a few days early to enjoy all of the local amenities. Here are some local hotels in New York if you need a place to stay before or after your cruise itinerary.

@Stew This is very exciting! I do believe that the Cowboys game should be played on some of the onboard CCL screens such as at the sports bar. I highly doubt these football games will be displayed in the stateroom televisions but if you spend the time in the sports bar you should be able to watch it all live! Hopefully, another sports fan chimes in here because I don't usually pay much attention to sports on tv, or television in general for that matter.

@rindybar NCL Haven's staterooms seem to have a separation via a door, which will likely be the biggest difference between the two staterooms. I'm not sure if MSC Yacht Club offers a stateroom style with this feature but you could always do a joining room if that's something you are interested in. Based on this stateroom video, I would imagine you are going to be spending loads of time on that private balcony in the whirlpool! You can't top a private amenity like that! Do you enjoy ordering room service? In this type of stateroom, you will have plenty of space to enjoy the unlimited perks of breakfast in bed!

@SpaceCowboy9 What a nice plan! With that amount of extra time, you can surely explore more St Martin beaches. I haven't taken a cruise out of St Martin before, but I think it's very smart that you will be flying in early to enjoy all of the local amenities. For someone who hasn't cruised out of this area before, what are some of your favorite spots in the local area?

@euroguy I'm intrigued by what prompted this question! Do you feel as though cruising is easier to plan for versus a land vacation? I find booking a cruise experience much simpler that coordinating all of the logistics behind making a land vacation to become just as relaxing and adventurous.

@rindybar I think I noticed this post in another thread, but I'm very excited for you to experience cruising MSC Yacht Club style. I'm not sure if there is a better way to cruise, and the experience looks unbeatable. The stateroom has to be amazing, but more importantly to me, it's the butler service and private pools and dining rooms that will make this experience better than any other!

@Woody14 From what you are describing, it sounds like Celebrity Cruise Line has a much more relaxing atmosphere than some of the other major cruise line competitors! I would likely prefer this type of non-chaotic atmosphere. Please expand more on the MDR experience, I have felt like many of the major cruise lines are diluting the MDR experience in recent years. Without those major thrilling attractions, I would imagine this ship does attract fewer children onboard. I would also assume that the crowd is less rowdy without some of these wild attractions and events. At least you still get some comedy onboard. One of my newer favorites, MSC Cruises, seems to offer no comedy onboard.

@SpaceCowboy9 I found this article that mentions Friar's Bay Beach. https://www.cruisehive.com/stunning-st-maarten-beaches-you-should-experience/26930 It seems like a very popular, off-the-beaten-path type of beach experience. I think it's worth a shot! The only thing is it's about a 45 min drive from the port, but that isn't too bad for a full-day affair.

To be honest, I didn't know that there was a VAT in the UK. What is the VAT for and what percentage is it at? What does this taxation even go towards?

@Kitty It's so stressful to be on hold for that long. I get so frustrated with airlines when they do that too. It just drives me nuts, and it feels like such a waste of time! On top of that, it feels like the cruise line doesn't even value your time. With the shortage of customer service agents, I have also found email to be a better form of communication. It does take time to get a response, but you usually get a real response and not some random excuse that doesn't equate or truly meet your need. I will anticipate your update here. It's tedious, but don't give up!

@KeithG It's interesting to read your perspective on back-to-back cruises. I haven't experienced that before! That's nice, at least you know that the cruise crew would take care of moving everything for you. It's just one less thing to worry about! If you have the ability to take off work that long or are potentially retired, this truly is a great way to vacation! I hope I can get to that point in my life and have the resources to travel like this.

@Joey That's funny you refused to wear denim! As much as I love dressing up, I do love to wear a nice pair of jeans every now and again. I'm glad we share the same interest in dressing up spiffy. What is your preferred way to keep your formal clothes wrinkle-free during your cruise? My husband usually has all of his eveningwear pressed onboard. As soon as we get our luggage, my husband asks the housekeeping staff to take his shirts to be ironed ASAP. It's such a bummer that irons and steamers aren't permitted on board, but I understand it could be a safety hazard.

My mom was just telling me about this earlier today! I'm so saddened by this horrid tragedy. As of late it seems the U.S. Coast Guard and other rescue personnel on the job are going on standby as no new news has come about. The debris field shows signs of a catastrophic implosion. What was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime, ended up being such an awful endeavor. My heart goes out to everyone who is suffering through this.

@Ri411 That's a great question! You have to fill me in if Captain Johnny becomes Icon of the Seas captain! What led you to believe that be may get the job? I can't believe the ship is already undergoing sea trials and will have its maiden voyage January 2024. Will you be cruising on this ship for its maiden voyage?

I totally believe that cruise lines are not as attentive and crew members are overworked. When someone is overworked, it's very noticeable. Lots of guests are complaining about the lack of genuine care from customer service but they are likely just burnt-out crew members. There are always difficult guests onboard a ship that just nitpicks everything, but the quality of cruising has gone down some. The little acts of kindness have sort of gone out the window. Especially with the popularity of mega-ships, everything is just mass-quantified and the specialty/personal touches no longer exist. Sometimes the smaller cruise lines cost a bit more but you are getting a more personalized/quality experience instead of a mass-produced cruising approach.

@Aquainst1 That's true! I would have been so terrified, but thankfully no one was injured during this incident. Have you cruised onboard Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas before?

It's certainly not for everyone! There are height and weight requirements as well that make this activity more exclusive. To top it off, you also have to be a pretty brave soul, and doing more peaceful activities likely attracts the majority. I'm pretty sure you have to pay extra too. Zip lines are for adventure/thrill seekers. Also, I think many people outgrow ziplining. I'm still interested to do it, but with young kids, I usually end up doing something geared towards them.

@Barbara Davis I'm hopeful that once Carnival Cruise Line announces some of its loyalty changes, solo cruisers will be positively impacted. Lots of loyalty members have been providing feedback on the disadvantage solo cruise guests have in terms of earning points and paying a double occupant price. I expect to see changes for solo cruise guests in the near future as it seems there has been a larger group of solo cruisers speaking up on this matter. @euroguy Thanks for your insight here! @Joey That's a really nice thing to do! If you are paying double occupant prices, you might as well have another occupant tag along! You are a great friend and family member; I doubt this crosses the mind of most. You are truly a generous person! Yes, I hear you; Carnival Cruise Line has to keep up with its competitors in this arena. At this point, solo cruisers are beginning to look elsewhere for a more reasonable cruise experience.

@SpaceCowboy9 I'm glad you aren't intimidated to continue visiting the DR. Most of these happenings are likely not affecting travelers that are exploring some of the amazing things the area has to offer. I agree, staying aware of your surroundings in every area is the best way to protect yourself against any crime. The cruise port is always pretty safe. Amber Cove is a gem, and for those that don't know, Amber Cove is Carnival Cruise Line's private island.

@Tasselhoff I'm not a fan of this procedure either. Norwegian Cruise Line started utilizing a reservation system for the theatre onboard all ships and I think it's super unnecessary. It's just a way to entice and incentivize loyalty members without having to spend extra on a perk. It's a sneaky way to cut back. Have you utilized this reservation system yet? From what cruisers are saying, there are plenty of opportunities to get into the show after reservations have passed through but it's like a last-minute thing. It sounds similar to dining without a reservation, sometimes you get in, other times you don't.

@Kitty I would try emailing both customerrelations@princesscruises.com and customerservices@princesscruises.com. Let me know which email is the most effective for future reference but the line should definitely get back to you on this matter, with a nice paper trail along with it for reference. Give it a week and see how the email contact works. Hopefully, you can get to the bottom of it easier this way.

@Barbara Violetta That's truly incredible! You are certainly one well-traveled person. It's pretty cool that you can spend your retired life traveling onboard a cruise ship. Do you live full-time on this residence ship? In a residence ship, are all meals included? I'm assuming you don't do much cooking if that's the case. If you don't have meals included on the ship, how do you purchase your groceries? Does your residence ship travel around the globe?

@Mr.Bill Honestly, lots of avid cruisers also appreciate a more quaint, less crowded cruise experience. Those ships are some of the most mature and faithful ones in the fleet! I haven't cruised onboard Carnival Horizon but I'm glad to hear you have loved it! Mardi Gras has been very popular amongst the masses; I really think the ship just has any and everything a cruise guest could want. Carnival Valor really is that perfect-sized ship. How many times have you cruised on it? The ship has spent time in so many different ports of call!