3Sisters

@Seaawgs That's so true! Waste can be relative to cost, to some degree. I guess it all depends on the circumstance truly. I'm not quite sure if you usually purchase the Premium beverage package onboard, but I do agree that most purchasers are looking for quality over quantity. I would make the casual assumption that the basic beverage package purchasers are more likely to purchase quantity over quality. Would you agree? I think that cruise lines are making the tough decision to either increase the cost of certain dining options or reduce the options in the MDR to both turn over a larger profit margin and reduce food waste.

Well, I agree with your wife then! Shopping is definitely relaxing, especially with a drink in hand. It's certainly one of my guilty pleasures. I'm most interested in the malt whiskeys and cigars! A shop like that would make for some great Father's Day gifts.

@Pianoman I'm bummed you had such an upsetting dining experience onboard this Holland America Line ship. I agree that the $35/person upcharge warrants a great experience! I'm also hopeful that the updated menu will be enhanced to become more likable for guests. The customer service should have definitely been better than "rude and dismissive." @Bill The cruise line has significantly been increasing its pp upcharge for Canaletto! I didn't really how the prices have gone up so much, but I can't say that I'm surprised either. Pasta is definitely an Italian staple!

@Jeffrey I too would appreciate some additional information here. This seems quite vague. How is Carnival Panorama operating under false pretenses? Why are you supposed to be receiving compensation? @Woody14 I'm right there with you!

@Woody14 I agree that a 5-person stateroom would likely need to be booked by calling customer service. The representative would be able to give you some good answers here. @mcnattsteve1960You can't go wrong with Carnival Cruise Line. The line has a really appealing style for everyone; it's truly inclusive for all. There is something for everyone onboard. What is your favorite CCL ship? You must have a pretty awesome loyalty status with the line!

@CARDRIVERCAROL What was your preferred port of call if this clearly wasn't your favorite? I personally haven't been to Skagen, but I have heard good things. It's supposed to be a more quaint, smaller port of call. Were you able to do any sort of excursion while you were there? Why wouldn't you recommend this port of call? I would appreciate it if you could expand on this a bit more.

@kefthecruiser Based on this statement on buoyancy, the larger ships actually sink deeper into the water. The vessel has to potentially have a different, sleeker (slim) design than the smaller boats. I wonder if the boat's depth has to shift depending on the ship's tonnage. That would make sense to me. The larger ships weigh more, and at the same time have to accommodate more people/things, and the overall weight increases substantially. I'm sure total weight distribution is super important too. Can you imagine how the ship would potentially shift if all of the cabins and guests were on one 1/3 of either end of the ship? I would imagine either the front or back end would tilt. Based on your engineering knowledge, does this principle have truth?

@kefthecruiser Thanks for all the great information! I love how knowledgeable you are in terms of hurricane info. You really know your stuff! I had no idea that homeowners insurance does not cover storm surge damage. However, it does make sense that flood insurance would cover any storm surge damage. If you are located in a flood zone in Florida, you must have flood insurance coverage. I love booking cruises at that time of the year as well. The prices are great, but you definitely run the risk of itinerary changes! @euroguy This was definitely a bummer situation! Cruise captains need to have the proper knowledge to make better judgment calls. It's always better to play it safe than to be sorry.

I have always been curious how pools are designed onboard cruise ships from how the ship stays float with so much water weight onboard to how the ship's piping system is designed. Royal Caribbean Line just revealed its latest pool design onboard Icon of the Seas. Icon of the Seas will have 62% more water surface areas onboard than any other ship at sea, offering at least 7 differing pools. The ship will offer a swim-up bar called Swim and Tonic onboard! This mega-ship will also have the biggest waterpark to be constructed on a cruise ship, Category 6 waterpark. Engineers must have thought long and hard about making this ship a reality!

I don't enjoy the use of paper straws but it's definitely nice to offer, at least for the kids or anyone who might need it. Although I prefer a straw while drinking cold drinks, it's not the end of the world if I don't have one. I think the perk of more paper straws is that they are biodegradable versus forever-lasting plastic. Thankfully if I ever overorder, I know my husband will finish it off. My husband will always clear off my plate, and it definitely can work in my favor. I agree though; there is no need for food waste, especially when there are still parts of our work battling access to food and water daily. How privileged we are to have access to cruising!

I thought the same thing! It's super ironic that this perpetrator actually worked as a cyber security officer for the city, especially for that long. This guy worked for the city for 20 years! That's a long time, and I'm sure many coworkers didn't see that coming. It's so upsetting to think about this because I think it happens all too often and goes unnoticed more than we would like to believe. I'm glad he was caught, and I hope many victims come forward with a good testimony to keep this perpetrator from endangering more people!

@Woody14 I love how you created a cruise line class that entails waterslides, hairy chests, and belly flop contests. Do you think RCL is more "upscale?" I find them so comparable and both lines tend to have a pretty "alive" evening crowd. I haven't cruised with Celebrity Cruises, so I'm interested to hear your opinion on the nightlife options. Do you think CCL has a more wild nightlife scene than Celebrity Cruises? I enjoy MSC Cruises' diversity for sure. Out of all of the cruise lines I have cruised with MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises have the most well-rounded guests from around the globe. Celebrity Cruises just released pretty cool video footage of a medical evacuation onboard Celebrity Eclipse. Do you know why helicopters can't land on cruise ships?

@Vic I hope you are enjoying your cruise! I'm glad you have such a positive attitude toward the itinerary updates. I love that Princess Cruises has done such an exceptional job at keeping guests informed and in the loop. It shows how much the line cares for its guests. The line values guests so much that it diligently tried so hard to get cruisers to Skagen after all. I'm glad you will be able to stop there! Let us know how the port of call was.

Deck 6 of MSC Euribia is going to feature the largest shopping center onboard a cruise ship. This Luxury Plaza onboard MSC Euribia will offer a grande shopping experience from cigars and malt whiskies to sustainably produced and eco-friendly products, aligning with MSC Cruise's sustainability commitments. From smartwatches to cell phones, the MSC Euribia Luxury Plaza will also offer the most Samsung products in the entire fleet. This is going to be one ship where you can shop till you drop!

Honestly, Sky Princess is such a lovely ship, and even if guests had to miss a stop, I don't think it would ruin this overall cruise itinerary. Apparently, the Sky Suites onboard happen to have some of the largest balconies at sea featuring amazing views of the ocean. Sky Princess also has the only jazz theatre at sea. I'm not sure if that's still the case, but the ship definitely has all of the bells and whistles!

@VLH Thanks for the feedback! Water coming down the walls sounds bizarre. Maybe there was a minor leak in need of repair, but since you weren't able to see it, that's a good sign. I agree that MSC Seaside is beautiful, I'm glad you felt the same. Unfortunately, any protein, especially fish, can get this way when under heating lamps for a while. Proteins can get tough when overcooked or overheated. What was your preferred spot for coffee onboard? I absolutely loved the Venchi shop onboard! The cappuccinos were exquisite, and so was the gelato. MSC Cruises is very environmentally friendly; its Ocean Cay marine reserve and sustainability efforts go above and beyond in comparison to many cruise lines. In fact, MSC Cruises just sailed its first-ever net-zero emissions cruise. I appreciate this review. It says a lot about your priorities and how much you care about the environment!

@Emrys Thanks for the heads up! I would imagine guests onboard Sky Princess may be a bit disappointed, but Princess Cruises really did a good job at facilitating a comparable port of call. Stopping in Zeenrugge, Belgium will be a nice, but unexpected, shift. At least guests still get the opportunity to get off the ship and explore somewhere new.

@FJB I haven't cruised out of the port of Baltimore before! I'm curious to hear about cruise line options, airline and parking accessibility, and standard ports of call for Baltimore departing itineraries. @kefthecruiser I agree that the traffic in these areas can be wild, particularly in Port Miami. When traveling to Miami, particularly the port, give yourself an extra hour. The traffic is absolutely horrid almost all of the time, even in the middle of the night it can be trafficky. I agree, I prefer to cruise out of Port Canaveral than Miami, but Port Everglades is really great too because of the diversity in itinerary options. Port Everglades can be more congested than Port Canaveral. They are all close together so sometimes cruising out of the port with the best price and itinerary you are looking for is the way to go!

@Clive73 I didn't realize the cruise line has been operating at 103% occupancy. That's excellent news for NCL. I think 100 pounds in a future cruise credit is pretty fair. It may not be the perfect reimbursement, but at least it's something. It shows guests that Norwegian Cruise Line values them. The demand for cruising is certainly on the rise, aside from the poor customer service, it seems like NCL is still performing pretty well. Were you affected by this shift in alcohol service?

@Jim Lamb That's awesome. Probably a really nice crowd to perform for. Nothing like performing for vacationers who are relaxed and in a great mood. Then again, if you have a family at home, it's even better to be able to go home to them every night. Also, eating out all of the time doesn't compare to a nice homecooked meal!

MSC Cruises will be cruising its first zero-emissions voyage. In fact, this will be the first-ever net zero greenhouse gas emissions sailing in the history of the industry. MSC Euribia will leave the shipyard in France on June 3, embarking on his historical voyage. I'm very excited to see the uproar in excitement over this major achievement. I think this is the beginning of a true industry shift. Do you agree?

All the cruise lines are beginning to invest in reducing food waste. Carnival Cruise Line invested over half a million in this mission, purchasing serval food digesters and parts. Believe it or not, all the food wasted onboard from things like guest leftovers used to, and may continue to, be discarded into the ocean! This causes big environmental concerns. Reducing the amount of waste by limiting guests in some way or another is much better than sending more scraps into the ocean unnecessarily. Let's think bigger picture. If you aren't satisfied with the offering in the MDR, go to the limitless buffet. Consider what you put on your plate and how you order, it's not necessary to waste. As intelligent human beings, we can be more strategic than that.

@John Lauterbach That would be a hard-to-fill request, but I agree that 2-4 drinks a day would be a luxury. At that point, I doubt any of the platinum and above guests would purchase the drink package. Considering Carnival Cruise Line is trying to recoup its losses, I highly doubt this suggestion will be taken into consideration at the bottom line. Most other cruise loyalty programs don't offer such a hefty amount of "free drinks." When I cruised MSC Cruises in years past, one of their stateroom tier options included 12 drink tickets! It was the best but the line has since taken that perk away. Also on day two of that cruise I found out I was pregnant, so that was a literal "buzz kill." I agree that 1 drink per week cruise is pretty lame, but maybe CCL will meet guests in the middle. Even if Carnival Cruise Line just upped the offering to 1 free drink per day, that would be a great improvement. I'm anxious to see what the line ends up doing and how loyal guests respond to the impacting changes.

@thecruisegirl I'm not sure if Carnival Cruise Line offers this but I think they do offer price matching if the prices go down. I say that booking it now, where the prices currently are, is the safest bet. Prices are all on the rise, and I don't foresee them going down at all. That's just what I have noticed lately anyways. Also, you should totally do more asking on public forums! First of all, posting on the boards is fun and you get so many different perspectives and insights, and secondly sharing commentary with like-minded cruise lovers is such a treat. I enjoy sharing my experiences with novice cruisers, having my questions answered by super-experienced cruisers, and occasionally playing devil's advocate to spike up a healthy debate! @euroguy That is great advice. Take the offer while you can! @Woody14 This is more great advice. Sometimes just booking to save your spot can be beneficial. You can likely cancel or change it as needed, but at least you know you were able to pick everything out the way you would prefer it and save your spot ahead of time.

@euroguy As sweet as the photo was, I'm not sure I would be the one kissing the camel, especially now that I have confirmation it could potentially spit in my face. I know people get really into their horses, but since I haven't spent much time around horses, I also don't think you would find me kissing a horse either. What a great memory though! Tiger King was so very sad but also had some very hilariously absurd scenes. It felt so abnormal and surreal that watching it totally had me perplexed. I couldn't relate to the lifestyle at all and the drama and secrecy had me questioning so many aspects of the film! Let's just say, it was a great way to occupy my time during the shutdown. I can't believe you actually wished the tigers were larger! Especially after watching Tiger King. Those things are carnivorous! You must live on the edge from time to time. I will enjoy watching the thrill from afar, these on-the-edge adventures have me on the edge of my seat!