3Sisters

@Pennsylvania Cruiser Did you recently experience this on a past itinerary? It's certainly a bummer. I have noticed a few cruise lines have also changed their room service options. From what I understand, the cost per stateroom order is about nine dollars and change. Was that the room service breakfast price you noticed on your recent Celebrity Cruises sailing? I saw that the cruise line may also still be doing the complimentary stateroom breakfast but only charging for certain hours of the day. I too enjoy the occasional breakfast in bed, particularly when I book a balcony stateroom!

@MarkH A private group tour sounds like a fun initiative. I wonder if there are any other cruisers on the same September itinerary with you! Sharing a taxi could certainly help with lowering the cost a bit. Will this be your first time cruising onboard Regal Princess? This ship was involved in a plane crash rescue back in 2019! It was a pretty amazing rescue mission. @kefthecruiser Thanks for sharing this spot to visit! The photos are truly a sight to remember. It looks very remarkable and like an unforgettable experience. How far was this location from the port?

One of Disney Cruise Line's new ships will homeport in Singapore for a minimum of five years! This will be the line's first Southeast Asian deployment, and it will begin sailing out of Singapore in 2025. Additionally, Disney Cruise Line is beginning to share more subtle info on another upcoming fleet member, Disney Treasure. This ship will begin cruising in about a year and Disney Cruise Line fans are getting pretty excited about all of the new expansions for the cruise line. Is anyone else excited about all of these new additions?

@FJB I think this seaweed belt is going to get a lot of news coverage until the whole thing is over and gone. It could be worse, but maybe it's just best to avoid cruising to the affected areas if you are looking for a pristine beach experience. Beaches are definitely beautiful and enjoyable but it's not the only place to explore at each port! Ports of call have so much more to offer than a beach-focused experience. This sargassum bloom actually does some good for the environment, so it's truly a benefit in several ways.

@716Matt I'm hopeful you will be able to make your door stand out. I would imagine as long as it isn't inappropriate, no one will say anything. You can't go wrong with Royal Caribbean, their itinerary selection is pretty endless and customer service is usually on-point. Will you be cruising on the new Icon of the Seas? The cruise line just released some of the all-new venues Icon of the Seas will feature. I would imagine NCL is going to be pretty different than Royal Caribbean but you will surely have a great time in good company. Despite the mixed reviews, Norwegian Epic does have some fun bars onboard, one that's a 24/7 beer place called O'Sheehans and another Mattings Whiskey Bar with a huge selection of whiskeys if that's something you would be interested in. The Spice H2O lounge is an adult-only pool area that may be a hit for your group if you are traveling without underage guests.

@kefthecruiser I wouldn't even know where to begin in terms of working in that field so hats off to everyone who has the ability to do so! I think the pressures on engineers are pretty fierce because, as you said, you make one mistake and it could change the whole trajectory of a project. Cruise ship engineers working on such a big but intricate model are responsible for the functionality and safety of the ship and that's a lot of weight to bear! That little statement at the end made me laugh. I, too, am so sure that Icon of the Seas will only sail the waters when it is 100% safe and ready. I would imagine quadruple-checking everything is a must. Icon of the Seas will have some epic new venues onboard, including never-before-seen bars! One of those is a Dueling Pianos venue which will surely attract a big crowd. Another popular offering will be the coffee venue Rye and Bean, with traditional lattes to espresso martinis. I'm most excited about the Bubbles walk-up champagne bar. Bubbles will feature different types of adult beverages for convenient purchase in Central Park.

@bombarc I think listening to very loyal cruise guests is what needs to happen! All of those particular details are what make each cruise line so special and unique. The way Norwegian Cruise Line honors its loyal guests is how it can display its uniqueness and celebrate with those that truly cherish the cruise line. Taking away perks and special treatment makes the experience less exciting. The cutbacks are happening with every cruise line but when you start cutting back loyalty perks it makes guests feel like they aren't appreciated. Many loyal NCL cruise guests are exploring other cruise lines because of all of these shortcomings. I also hope Mr. Herrera addresses the customer service issues and begins to listen to customers! In other news, Norwegian Cruise Line is bringing back in-person muster drills. I think it's overall a good thing, but I did enjoy watching it from my cruise cabin as well. It's definitely safer to do the in-person practice. What do you think of this change?

@BOCCENANA I'm very excited for you! I can only imagine that the ship is going to be so spectacular and have a feeling of true luxury. Have you cruised with Silversea Cruises in the past? Silver Nova is going to set some huge standards for elite-style cruising. It will be the first Nova-class ship in its fleet. I didn't realize that the cruise line is in the process of building another spectacular ship, Silver Ray. Both of these ships will be the largest in their fleet accommodating 728 guests each. I think the Observation Lounge and Panorama Lounge are going to feature the most amazing evening views. Which ports of call will you visit?

@716Matt What's your usual cruise line of choice? Norwegian Cruise Line has been making some significant changes to its upper management, changing around so much of its cruise experiences, hopefully for the better. 1. I highly doubt the decor will be an issue. I haven't heard of this banning, but I'm sure if it's appropriate there shouldn't be any issue with it. It's worth a shot to bring a couple of magnets. They are easy to pack and take down if the cruise line asks you to do so. I love the idea of "making it stand out after a few drinks!" 2. My guess would be yes you can use magnetic hooks as long as they don't damage the walls in any way. Most cruise cabins are made of lots of metal! 3. I don't have a solid answer for this question, but I haven't heard of a USB plug that wasn't able to be used onboard a cruise ship. Is this a common thing? Norwegian Epic has some seriously awesome nightlife options and plenty of dining options to choose from too. Don't miss out on the Epic Plunge waterslide that ends in a pool!

Most NCL cruise guests that have been giving reviews on the boards are identifying customer service to be the largest area of complaint. After the staffing cutbacks is really when guests started noticing the lack of reliable and consistent service. Norwegian Cruise Line has also been continuing to decline its brand share prices and recently received a higher-than-expected loss. The cruise line has cut back on entertainment significantly and is now requiring pre-cruise entertainment reservations. Itineraries have been changing more frequently than not, and it seems like the cruise line is really cutting corners. On another note, Norwegian Cruise Line is anticipated to meet record occupancy levels this year, so hopefully, we see a turn of events now that the upper management is shifting.

@LukeJ You seem to really be doing your research! For me to fly all the way to Greece from the United States, it has to be for a longer cruise itinerary. I wouldn't want to go all the way over to this region for anything less than a week and a half because there is so much to explore! Virgin Voyages could be another great luxury cruise option. Virgin Voyages is a really intriguing cruise line to me because it's still so new but has also become very successful. I guess it's because of the entire brand. It has name a great name for itself in the industry. The cruise line will actually have a special addition cruise called Limitless Voyage. It's all in partnership with Jenifer Lopez and her foundation, Limitless Labs. Virgin Voyage has some pretty cool collborations.

@FJB I definitely did not recognize the sarcasm, but I'm not too knowledgeable on the topic anyhow. I wouldn't say the question was irrelevant, especially if @Ian Feldman hasn't experienced this sort of thing while cruising before. I agree with @kefthecruiser that you certainly take a chance a port of call is canceled due to any natural circumstance, but it's a risk you take with every booking. I found this great article on the seaweed blob. https://www.cruisehive.com/massive-smelly-seaweed-blob-approaches-florida-and-the-caribbean/97131 It measures 5,000 miles wide. That's a huge span coming towards the Caribbean and Florida. One really valid reason to avoid this stuff is the unpleasant stench it often has. It could make your beach visit a bit smelly. Some areas in Florida are already seeing the seaweed begin to wash up on shore. I guess now we just watch and see where it ends up landing and how bad the effects really are.

@LukeJ Norwegian Cruise Line is making lots of changes to its brand lately. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is bringing in some new senior leadership, and hopefully, it helps improve some of the recent flaws guests have been identifying. Frank Del Rio, CEO and President of NCL has decided to step down. Maybe this position was a little bit too much to handle. Beginning April 1, David J. Herrera will be NCL's new President. All of the new leadership will hopefully help strengthen and enhance all Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings brands to keep up with the strong industry competition.

@msb61 I haven't experienced either of these particular excursions, but I can tell you that Cartagena is an amazing port of call and both options could be good. Based on the descriptions, I would say you should go for the unlimited attraction pass because it includes the hop on hop off bus tour. The Cartagena Unlimited Attractions Pass excursion will encompass 5 hours of fun and explore so much more than solely purchasing the hop on hop off tour. The price point is great for the duration as well. In my opinion, the Unlimited Attraction Pass is the way to go! https://www.celebritycruises.com/pcp-excursions/cartagena-colombia-tours/cartagena-unlimited-attractions-pass?destination=CARIB&port=CTG&excursionItemID=100000004214938025

@Ludwin Zavala I completely agree! The engineering behind creating these massive ships is incredible. I hope Icon of the Seas is thoroughly tested because it's truly the first of its caliber! Engineering is such a special art; it takes so much effort and brain power to ensure that the ship can safely cruise with 7,600 cruise guests onboard plus the crew! Icon of the Seas is going to be making some big waves pretty soon! It will have six water slides and seven pools, which surely is a great amount of water weight to carry.

Carnival Cruise Line is following suit and reducing its food waste, keeping up with sustainability trends. The cruise line is investing over half a million dollars into this initiative. I love seeing all of this "good for the planet" news. The longer we keep our planet healthy, the longer we can safely enjoy all it has to offer!

@Fredkelk I love that you are being so proactive in booking all of the best excursions and making ideal arrangements in advance. I tend to do the same so I can get an idea of what to expect and not have to stress about it once onboard. Also, if you wait until you get on the ship some of the best excursions are already sold out!

@kefthecruiser I love the history! I didn't know that Christopher Columbus named the Sargassum Sea. It makes perfect sense. I'm noticing cruisers are voicing their concerns about this year's sargassum bloom. I have experienced seasonally significant amounts of seaweed on beaches before and it isn't pleasant, but I don't think it should be oddly offputting for cruisers. If the beaches are overwhelmingly filled with seaweed, then exploring other areas of the port of call could be just fine. I hope this large bloom headed to Florida doesn't instill fear in cruise guests. You can still have fun at every port of call without sunning on the beaches!

@FJB Is this a common thing? I was under the impression a port of call would not be canceled solely due to a sargassum bloom. Has this happened to you in the past? There has to be a way to mitigate this issue so that areas such as the Cayman Islands will not suffer a loss of tourism. Seaweed is a common beach factor, but it's definitely not appealing.

@FJB This Celebrity Millenium cruise video is epic! You did a fantastic job capturing many of your vacation highlights! I have to hear more about the dirt buggies you were on. That experience looked fantastic. How long was the experience? I love that you were off the beaten path and able to explore the behind-the-scenes natural beauty of the area. Since the inauguration of this ship, it has been cruising worldwide, homeporting from Liberia to Malta. This 90,963 gross-ton ship seems to be a true classic. I'm so glad you were able to share this video with us. Now I want to book my first cruise onboard Celebrity Millenium! You sold me. Did you see the pickleball court onboard? Celebrity Cruises recently announced the pickleball installations onboard nine of its fleet members, including Celebrity Millenium.

@Fredkelk Dock Point Park has amazing views for a hike. I'm not sure how close it is to the port, but you could certainly map it out! Solomon Gultch Hatchery would also be an amazing experience if you have the time available.

@Ian Feldman This is likely a bigger issue for smaller ships, cruise ships are pretty well equipt and heavy-duty to manage seaweed, even in excess. Could you expand on the cooling intakes? I'm not sure how those work. This information is very intriguing. I never thought of the seaweed wreaking such havoc on a ship. I would hope the cruise crew does all of its preparations ahead of time to protect itself from any potential hazards. Cruises come in and out of Florida/the Caribbean on a daily. I would imagine this is not the first time they are encountering this sort of natural debris.

@LukeJ Yes, I think the pandemic was/is a good coverup for anyone and everyone that chose to use it. With a company as large as Royal Caribbean International, I'm sure it's hard to stay out of the spotlight, but I think many of these mistakes were easily avoidable. There was likely plenty of foresight to the extended dry dock for Mariner of the Seas and the Premier Pass VIP Package refund incident. There are plenty of employees that should have been able to spot this issue and correct it before it became public.

@RoadTravelled That's a great article! It really gives some insight into the "Carnival Fun Italian Style." I guess another reason to shift some of the Costa Cruises ships into "Carnival Fun Italian Style" is that Carnival Cruise Line ships are usually more popular and populated. Costa Cruises attracts a different crowd, usually less family-friendly. All of the restaurants just sound so delicious. Another perspective I could see is that Carnival Cruise Line's "Carnival Fun Italian Style" ships may be more Americanized and U.S. dominant, and Costa Cruises may be focusing its brand more exclusively on the European market.

Carnival Cruise Line's private island, Half Moon Cay, is such a popular and desired stop for many of the cruise line's ships. This island is actually used by Holland America Line as well. There is so much to do on the island and it's very well-maintained. I think if the cruise line does anything of similar caliber to Half Moon Cay, this new private island is going to be a huge success!