3Sisters

@RoadTravelled Thanks for sharing your experience! I was under the impression CCL was pretty good about keeping consistent with that loyalty perk. I love that the Priority tickets get you your luggage that quickly! I personally despise having to carry my luggage onboard myself, so the priority drop with priority delivery is optimal. That's a great tip. Carrying some very important things on is the smartest, and I also recommend tipping well. If you tip well you can assume your luggages will be handled with care. 

@LukeJ I have never seen bottled mint! The closest thing I have seen to that is dried, like in tea bags. Unfortunately I typically shop at a bulk grocery store for my large family and I haven't seen it sold there, but I will venture to aa smaller grocer in the coming weeks to scoop some up. I really enjoy culinary as well, but I'm just not as good at it. I'm hoping my husband will smoke some meat on the grill this weekend! If he does that then I can just focus on the sides. Do you smoke meat at home? It's definitely a labor of love. Once reason I love cruising so much is to get culinary ideas! I love when the food options are from around the world, it gives me ideas on what to cook at home. My menus can get bland very quickly. 

@LukeJ If you have lived in the UK your whole life, I'm assuming you will likely stay there for the rest of it! I would imagine when you are in the middle of the rough, colder months you contemplate why you stay. It seems life family is what is keeping you there. I have heard lovely things about France. Are the climates any different than the UK? What would bother me the most is not being able to go outside for a walk! I can't believe you have had 5 months of that! That cold, wet wind makes you stay inside, and I can see how it keeps you down. Do the kids get many days off from school during these brisk months?

@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.