3Sisters

My vote is pool and poolside activities. I love playing out in the sun on vacation, and attempting a good tan. I particularly love watching the games out by the pool. I'm not usually one to participate in the wild games, but watching them is always a good time.

The lifestyle of the rich and famous for one week. That's what I tell my children, you can have ice cream everyday for seven days, on a cruise once a year. Dessert everyday is only for vacation! This also applies to chocolate milk.

I'm most frustrated with guests who are rude to crew members due to a language barrier. I don't understand why a language barrier would make someone talk down to others. Coming from someone who barley speaks a second language, it is not easy.

@lovetotravel104 Was Princess Cruises able to provide any sort of reasoning for the lack of internet onboard?

Unbeknownst to me, the Starlink service is actually faster than most at home internet packages! I didn't realize it is that good. Although I personally don't usually use the wifi on board, I'm most excited for the crew members that will have access to this. For most crew members, this is one of the only ways they can connect with their family for many months to even years.

@Yuvraj Are you excited for an upcoming cruise?

@FJB I understand most people don't enjoy the gym as much as I do, but the spa and saunas are all a part of this experience to me. A walk on a treadmill and decompressing in a sauna is very relaxing to me!

@Jen K. You are going to have a great time! I have heard the same for Dunn's River Falls. It's pretty well known; so you should be able to just hop in a taxi, and they will take you where you need to be. I personally would feel more confident going on a jungle tour with a guide. The perk of booking an excursion through the cruise line is in an event something happens, prolonging your time, the cruise line will wait for your return.

@FJB Six is a great amount of ships at once. I would imagine the port has prepared accordingly so that guests still get their usual experience at Sint Maarten. When you visit, how many ships are usually present at the same instance? On a positive note, the area is certainly starting to recover from its past economic loss.

St. Lucia is beautiful! I'm sure the guests onboard Ariva are enjoying their time. Hopefully some of the new crew members get to stop off and explore the port as well. A rainforest hiking tour of the vegetated land sounds unforgettable. Barre de L'Isle Reserve would likely be my top choice for hiking.

I'm always one to visit the gym onboard any cruise! I absolutely love when the wellness center has views of the ocean. It makes for an incredible run. Norwegian Prima seems to have a beautiful gym offering, with views of the pool.

With the pandemic, cancellations and itinerary changes really peaked. The industry became so unpredictable. Now, I think the cancelations are normalizing, bringing some predictability back to cruising. It's all a gamble, but it's a risk I'm willing to take!

It's Wave Season with Celebrity Cruises. This would be the perfect time to book and save. The discounted rates and up to $800 in cruise credit are significant savings opportunities. Does anyone plan to take advantage of this sale? It runs through March 1, 2023, so you do have some time to book.

@Woody14 Thanks for sharing that! Do you know if the open air trucks were priced about the same? That would likely be the best option when traveling with a large group.

@Woody14 I love the loyalty! I always tend to gravitate towards the least congested bar. When you make a connection with a crew member, it's hard to forget them. Especially if you return on the ship and get to see them again! Have you had this sort of experience in the past?

@Martins It was a serious mistake! I'm not sure why risk taking like that is necessary. I would imagine cruise guests were so frightened!

I like a few of these Western Caribbean ports. I guess my favorite would be Grand Cayman. The last time I visited I had a wonderful experience. It seemed very clean and organized, and I had a seamless excursion experience.

@FJB That's good to know. I guess it's an exclusive hotel! Does the hotel staff match the same as the cruise staff, sort of contract based? Or are most of the employees at the Princess hotels native to the local area?

@Woody14 I'm browsing the menus now! It looks so delicious. The Blue Iguana offers arepas too. That's one of my favorites. I'm blown away. Next time I cruise with CCL I'm totally grabbing breakfast here. https://www.carnival.com/-/media/images/explore/dining/menus/blue-iguana-cantina-breakfast-menu.pdf

@Woody14 I'm glad to know you felt safe. I was thinking if it would be a smart mode of transportation with children. It would likely be the most affordable option! Do you know if they allow a lap child to ride?

@RoadTravelled Thanks for sharing the Express Debark process. I had no idea the line offered this option! @Woody14 Yes, it all depends. The crew usually tries to work quickly to get everyone off the ship though. It's a pretty seamless process, but you never know. @Cruzer I hope you can get off before 9am! Traffic is whole other factor.

@Woody14 You can't go wrong with a good burger! I'm assuming the burgers from Guy's Burger Joint are much better than the ones at the buffet. Which taco place are you referring to? I love tacos!

The line is offering so many options though! Do you perhaps enjoy wrestling? Norwegian Pearl is going to offer a wrestling charter this year too.

@Woody14 That's a great idea to leave the currency you exchanged for the cruise with the staff. Since they travel those areas frequently, they would likely put it to good use! That's a pro tip. When I travel with a beverage package I usually let the package handle this tipping and travel the ship without cash in hand. I think I will consider tipping favorite bartenders additionally from now on. Thanks!

@disneyphile I haven't brought a needle felting kit before, but I don't think you will have any problems bringing it in your suitcase. I did notice the line allows needles onboard for medical purposes. https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/special-needs/diabetes-medicine-storage