3Sisters

@Jorge Blackshaw I thought it was interesting that Carnival Cruise Line doesn't actually have rules against fishing off of a cruise ship. There are some CCL rules that were broken, and now the cruise guests are banned from ever going on a CCL cruise again! Your commentary made me laugh, and I really don't think the cruise line should have banned them for life. It seemed like a minor offense but I guess the hook could have hurt anyone on a balcony below or nearby. Hopefully, this was just a game of catch and release.

@kefthecruiser That's too funny,  "the Ship on a Stick" award. I guess this is a note to cruise guests to save your fishing for land unless you want to be banned from cruising forever

Holland America Line has been preparing for its 150th festivities for quite some time, and the line has officially recreated its initial transatlantic voyage departing from Fort Lauderdale on April 3. The cruise line has a such rich history behind it, over 150 years worth now! It began as a Dutch shipping line with its first ship Rotterdam in 1872 and has now transformed into a large cruise line operating 11 ships globally. Has anyone enjoyed cruising Holland America Line in years past or has a booking with the line in the near future?

Sometimes I do this same thing, I get close to booking a cruise itinerary, think "This escalated quickly," and then continue looking at other booking options. Oftentimes the cruise lines will email me things like, "Continue with your booking." That's when I laugh and think, "Not with those hidden fees." In my opinion, the extra fees have gone up. Beverage packages are definitely on the rise too. The cost of cruising is still worth it to me though! I'm not sure if I agree with CCL's pooled stateroom gratuity share, but I could always tip extra to my stateroom attendant if they do an exceptional job like they usually do. If they work extra hard, they deserve extra compensation! 

@neil This is not a good look for Celebrity Cruises. Since this itinerary was such an amazing one, it's really hard to make up for this lost itinerary! I didn't realize that over 1,000 cruise passengers received the cancellation email. That's a large group of upset passengers! This oversold Celebrity Millenium cruise was to depart from Tokyo and the flights to the area aren't notoriously cheap. I agree several guests are going to lose faith in the cruise line, but mistakes do happen. Royal Caribbean recently oversold Wonder of the Seas for a spring break itinerary, and since this is the world's largest ship and a popular time of year, it was really hard to match. Many Royal Caribbean guests were pretty frustrated by this overbooking. 

Palazzo Ducale is a well-review museum located near the cruise port in Genoa, and not too far from the local Cathedral. Honestly, if I make it over there any time soon, all I will really want to do is try some of the local cuisines! The food options sound mouth-watering from traditional pizza to Ligurian and Piedmontese styles. I love exploring new foods, although I'm not sure if I deserve the title of a foodie. Italian is one of my favorite food groups. I love when cruise ships offer an Italian night onboard. I usually go for a yummy pasta dish! Taranto will be expecting a large number of cruise guests this year, and cruising throughout Itlay seems to be gaining popularity. This port will actually host an Italian Cruise Day 2023 in October.

@LukeJ I feel exactly the same! I think most extremely critical feedback ends up being negative and sometimes gives cruise ships, or any experience, a bad wrap. I try to ignore most of the "negative only" reviews because if the reviewer doesn't even have even one positive thing to say, the entire approach is clearly coming from a place of negativity. I think staying humble and appreciative of the things you have really helps in harvesting a positive mindset. Constant negativity can really weigh a person down over time, and usually, negative people will find negative outlets to express their emotions. I have had jobs that had me working odd hours of the day and sweating, but it certainly makes for a better time when you are in good company! Working around enjoyable, kind people can make any work environment tolerable.

@Carnival VIFP I completely agree here! The perks for someone that is almost a double diamond should be even greater, and there should be another level for avid cruisers like yourself! What other perks do you think this upper-level tier should have? Maybe a perk of something in the spa could be nice? 

@Carolyn Kendall I hope you are able to keep this benefit. I think if CCL restructures its loyalty tiers and ends up removing perks for guests, it will receive some horrible backlash. In my mind, the cruise line needs to add more levels and maybe more perks, but taking some away will get some pretty negative responses. 

@Sundrawatti Singh How do you think Carnival Cruise Line could prioritize its senior guests?  Do you think that CCL could allow for priority embarkation and disembarkation for its senior loyalty members? This sort of perk should be a priority for anyone needing mobility assistance, not just necessarily senior guests. Do you agree? I believe the amount of cruises completed is important, but days booked onboard a ship and money spent onboard are also important factors! 

@OhioCruzers Hopefully you find some other guests who will be cruising alongside you in February. I wish I was one of those cruise guests, but I can't complain because I will be cruising out of Florida about a week after you in February 2024! Will you get to stop at any new ports of call on this transatlantic cruise experience? 

I think it's the caffeine that gets everyone hooked on Coke! I personally rely on a cup of coffee in the morning to get by, and it has that same caffeinated effect. I really don't like the amount of sugar in most sodas, I find it unnecessary. Everyone has their personal tastes and habits but overdoing anything has its downfalls. 

@kefthecruiser Anything is possible! Themed cruises generally attract a big group of fans, but it definitely has to be wildly popular to et everyone "onboard." Usually, music genre cruises are really popular too. I'm thinking Tim Allen would cost a pretty penny to get out at sea for a cruise. It would certainly be a fun time though. Norwegian Cruise Line did a Guy Harvey cruise experience a few years back. His artwork on the exterior of Norwegian Escape is so beautiful! 

@LukeJ & @FJB Are masks being found onboard cruise ships again? https://www.cruisehive.com/princess-cruises-advises-mask-wearing-on-one-ship/99028 What do you think of this? 

@OhioCruzers I really hope you are able to get some answers here! If it's public knowledge that Norwegian Joy is going to dry dock, then it's likely a true fact. Sometimes the dry dock takes longer than expected too! That recently happened with MSC Cruises, and guests were very upset with the lack of notification from the cruise line. Many cruise guests got stuck with their plane tickets, paying for them without a cruise to go on! I hope this some thing doesn't happen with NCL. 

@kefthecruiser That made me laugh. I guess this isn't your type of crowd! That would be a great cruise. I'm picturing it now, "Last Man Standing" featuring Tim Allen at Sea. Is it true that there is going to be another season airing this year? I notice online that that may be so but apparently, it ended in 2021 after the ninth season. 

@CaptAng Thanks for the update! I was really curious if this reservation structure would be a hit or a bust. It seems like it may require more patience if you pursue the standby line, but with a positive attitude and possibly a drink in hand it could be alright. Were you able to enjoy the shows every evening onboard? 

@Shepherd42 You are one amongst many cruise guests that are recommending the same thing for Carnival Cruise Line! I think you definitely deserve double points as a solo guest. If the cruise line initiates the incentive structure for cruise guests to earn points per dollar spent onboard, this could be a really great perk of that system. @Brent Shuffler I notice more complaints about Carnival Cruise Line's loyalty program than Royal Caribbean International's loyalty program so maybe this would earn CCL some extra popularity amongst its biggest fans, not that it needs any more! I think that the line is really leaning towards moving in this particular direction. Your recommendations are really reasonable and, I believe, in alignment with the cruise line's ideal VIFP program restructuring. 

@LukeJ I think security dogs would be a really smart idea to help intimidate guests and filter out any of the banned items from making it onboard the cruise ship. Celebrity Cruises just updated some of its passenger terms and conditions to affect the legal jurisdiction over the passenger's county of residence and where the booking was made. This terms and conditions update will affect cruise ticket contracts to be governed by the guest's country of residence at the time of booking. These sorts of fine details are constantly being updated, so keep an eye out to see if Carnival Cruise Line begins shifting around some of its rules and regulations to better enhance its cruising experience. 

Recently, Carnival Cruise Line extended a health and safety partnership, allowing the line to continue to advance in the cruise market. Remaining up to date with the cruise line's recent news will allow you to be the most informed on critical updates! Hopefully, CCL chooses to crack down on this issue.

@Pwo I'm very surprised by the amount of rain Fort Lauderdale received in these past few days! This excess in flooding is definitely unusual for the area. I do think that the areas will recover quickly from this but apparently today there are still chances of rain all day. By the time you arrive in Fort Lauderdale, you should be able to get to the port without trouble if the area has the ability to evaporate some of the excess water. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/historic-rainfall-sparks-major-flooding-in-fort-lauderdale/

The area is considered to be in a national state of emergency. Maybe if the roads are still bad then there would be a delay to your cruise itinerary? This is a historic flood for the area. I'm pretty saddened by this news. I would absolutely call the cruise line though and check-in. 

The advanced MSC World Europa is beginning its inaugural European cruise season, sailing the Mediterranean Sea all summer long. The most advanced ship in its fleet, MSC World Europa spent her maiden cruise season in the Middle East and will now kick off this summer's itineraries in Europe, bringing its modernized amenities to new environments. This LNG-powered ship has an onboard microbrewery and even an 11-deck dry slide, alongside the fleet's largest children's area. I think this is going to be an epic summer season for the ship, and guests are going to flock to the ship due to its superb amenities and itineraries that will visit some of the most well-known ports of call in Itlay from Genoa to Naples. Has anyone cruised onboard MSC World Europa yet? 

@avidcruiser This is a super odd circumstance, and NCL really needs to respond to you with some clarity and proper feedback. I don't understand why you weren't personally contacted about this change already actually. I'm assuming you will need to get off of Norwegian Epic for the entire day, maybe due to maintenance or a particular issue that needs to be addressed onboard. This means you will need to get a taxi and pack up all of your things and presumably go to a hotel for the evening, returning to the ship the following day. It's very unjust that Norwegian Cruise Line won't even respond to you about this matter. Hopefully, the price reduction is greater than $40 because the amount you will need to spend making up for this lost day onboard will likely triple/quadruple that. I'm thinking you will need to go through the immigration process again and won't be able to bypass any of this. What an unfortunate situation! Please share when you get your necessary feedback and get to the bottom of this! Your cruise is only 6 days out now, and less than a week to go.

@Dani124 It looks like you have got your answer! Yes, Norwegian Cruise Line offers clotheslines for its guests in the stateroom showers. It sounds like you will have plenty of space to dry out your bathing suit after a day by the water. Do you have an upcoming cruise onboard an NCL ship?

@Edward Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Freedom is an excellent ship! You really can't go wrong choosing a Carnival Freedom itinerary, and it sounds like you felt the same way. It's so bizarre that you noticed the dining area windows weren't up to par. Did the windows in the dining room seem grimy and dirty? It's possible they were due for a cleaning. Perhaps it's time they get switched out due to years of saltwater wear and tear. The ship underwent dry dock in 2014, but maybe it's due for another couple of days of extended maintenance and upkeep. I have noticed that the dining room windows are sometimes small and foggy on some ships from the temperature differences between the interior and exterior environments. Did you notice that was the case here?

@FJB That's true. Not everyone enjoys the same cruise experience and sometimes we all get a bad taste in our mouths. Although the VIFP perks may not be the best right now, the cruise line is working on enhancing them so that could be promising! In addition to this, Carnival Cruise Line is still dominating the market in several aspects. Although the overall prices are on the rise, CCL just released its sustainability report and it's pretty exciting to see all of the measures the cruise line is taking to advance its sustainability efforts. The cruise line is continuing to reduce food waste, plastic usage, and emissions, striving to be carbon-neutral by 2050. 

@Julia It seems this is a popular request! Hopefully, it is strongly considered by the Carnival Cruise Line team. Did you see that Carnival Spirit just made a 24-person rescue yesterday? The cruise crew didn't even end up shifting its itinerary due to this setback. The ship was sailing near the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico during the rescue. Way to save the day Carnival Spirit! 

@Jriley Flights to Europe are certainly expensive! It probably was a better rate booking ahead of time. I'm so bummed that MSC Cruises only notified its guests about the extended dry dock about 2 weeks in advance. I'm assuming they didn't realize how long it would take until it was already having its work done, but this extension surely ruined a lot of travel plans. I hope you had a nice time in Spain and France. I applaud you for making the best of your circumstance! 

@AlastairI'm not surprised that MSC Cruises chose not to refund guests' flights, but it's a huge disappointment due to the loss! Did the cruise line offer another itinerary or a greater cruise credit for a future cruise itinerary? This mishap really gave guests a bad taste in their mouths. Hopefully, MSC Cruises learns from this and does better next time!