3Sisters

@LukeJ Hey, most people have a "what's in it for me" mentality. If it works, it works! My husband and I make trades like that more than you think. He gets a guys trip; I get a girls trip. He goes to a wedding solo; I go to a wedding solo. He gets to golf all morning with his friends; I go out with my girls friends that evening for happy hour. It's all about balance! If your wife is incentivized by certain things, it could be an easy ask if you position it the proper way.

@LukeJ It's such a simpler world when guests don't feel the need to overindulge in alcohol. The constant push to purchase the beverage packages makes guests feel more obligated to consume alcohol in larger quantities to get their money's worth. I prefer the pay as you drink method. It makes you more mindful and intentional about what you are consuming! Not to mention, it will certainly save you money this way if you aren't consuming 10 drinks a day. What are your typical drinks of choice while on vacation?

@Rlafer It seems like it was a good first NCL experience if you are coming back for seconds! There is another cruiser in the group @Rainy who is looking into an NCL New England/Canada cruise as well. These are excellent stops! How long is this itinerary? I have been looking into an itinerary similar to this one that would depart from Boston or a nearby US port. Which port of call are you most excited for? Hopefully you aren't most excited for Bal Harbor! I saw the ordinance that was placed to limit cruise guests to a maximum of 1,000 per day. If NCL is offering the stop, I would assume it may still actually stop there unless you are otherwise notified. Hopefully, it ends up happening despite these regulations in place!

@Susan theiss The parties seem to change every now and again so it's hard to keep track of each ship. Many ships are consistent with certain themed nights depending on the duration of the sailing. Are you looking at a particular CCL ship? Cruise Hive does an excellent job at mapping out most of the parties offered onboard each ship, but once again, they are all subject to change. Have you cruised with CCL in the past?

@LukeJ I used to love Haagen Daz! There was a storefront in my old hometown and I went back last month to see it had officially closed down. It was such a bummer to see it gone, but it reminds me of Baskin Robins. It used to be so popular and now I barley see any storefronts around. Smaller, mom and pop ice cream shops are much more popular and I see why. They are all made fresh in house, using really wholesome ingredients. Who wants to consume ice cream made last month when they can have some made just earlier that day? The micro-ice cream shops are all the rave now, and I'm down for the crave!

@Victoria Thanks for chiming in here! I have yet to cruise with Oceania cruises and and I haven't tried Humphry Slocombe ice cream or sorbet so this would be a treat. I have heard amazing things about the cruise line. I'm so accustomed to cruising with your basic, average cruise line, I think Oceania cruises would knock my socks off. Have you cruised with the line before and if so what ship would you recommend for a first-timer? Also, do you know if Humphry Slocombe ice cream is sold in large retailers in the US? I would love to try it but I'm not in California.

@RoadTravelled I appreciate your perspective here. On my last cruise I felt so foolish looking for the floor buttons once inside the elevator! Honestly, the smart elevators simplify the process. If you are drinking, all you have to do is hop on and hitch a ride. It puts you out wherever you need to be! I really like the smart elevators, but I don't cruise with a mobility device and if I did I may feel differently about it all. I like the way you put it; change is hard. It's an adjustment but when looking back, I prefer this way over the old one. I have found it to be more efficient and timely as well. During peak hours (like dinner time) I remember waiting for over 10 minutes or more for an elevator! Don't knock it till you try it! It's a pretty great advancement to me.

@pablo If you love wine, I think this package could be worth it. I'm pretty sure you are not charged an additional corkage fee as long as you purchased the bottle onboard. From what I know about this package, you can take the opened bottle back to your stateroom. I have also heard it can be saved and stored for the following evening if you choose to leave it at the MDR for the following evening. Here are a few extra details that may interest you and help you make the decision whether to purchase the "Cruise the Vineyards" package or not. https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1358/~/cruise-the-vineyards-wine-packages

@Rlafer That's a really good question! I would think the cruise itinerary will remain unless otherwise stated. Has NCL reached out to you with details that refer otherwise? What ports of call are you currently slated to have? Will this be your first cruise onboard Norwegian Sky? It's a solid ship with the perfect guest capacity and size! It's not too big but not too small either; it's just right.

@american You make a great point! Although CCL is usually really good about sticking to its promises, other cruise lines may be better at holding up their end of the bargain. This entire circumstance that @Norm Hicks is referring to seems to be mostly wether related and CCL did offer a bit of compensation for what unfolded. I believe the Captain and crew could have done better here, but at least everyone stayed safe through it all. It sounded very nerve wracking and I think I would have been left traumatized too. I don't blame you for how you felt. It's pretty rare that those things happen in unison during any itinerary.

@lisamorand Since I haven't cruised with a trailer before, I'm not 100% sure. As long as there is space on the lot, I would think it's charged the same depending on the parking garage of course. Port Canaveral has more spacious parking options in my option. Fort Lauderdale's port is a bit more intense. There are plenty of options for parking at/near Port Canaveral. I recommend taking a look at these options. https://www.cruisehive.com/things-to-know-about-port-canaveral-cruise-parking/28776 Let me know what you decide!

@LukeJ Have you seen the golf tour cruises? Those look incredible. I'm not a golfer but I would seriously tag along for the fun because of how incredible the itineraries look. Cruise lines like Costa Cruises and Azamara have specialty cruise packages that offer unforgettable golf experiences. https://www.cruisehive.com/cruise-line-touts-package-for-golf-enthusiasts/111737 https://www.cruisehive.com/azamara-unveils-new-european-2024-cruise-itineraries/80877

@FJB That looks like a lovely drink at an exceptional bar! I love that you share these photos and take us along on your cruise experience. It reminds me of how good and unforgettable cruises are. I love a moody bar with dim lighting. I may be able to replicate a drink like this are home but I can't replicate this ambiance and atmosphere. Another perk of a lovely bar like this is that you don't have to make your own drink. Does this bar onboard Celebrity Silhouette offer live entertainment? Live music just adds to the ambiance!

@Pilot That's great feedback. It's hard for me to enjoy the newer larger ships. I tend to prefer the smaller or mid-sized cruise ships. When the ship gets overly populated and over produced, I feel like I'm not getting what I want out of my cruise experience. I want tranquility and peace during my cruise. The shows and live music are great, but when it's loud blasting music and games 24-7 it's not necessarily for me. If I cruise on a larger ship, I want to book the ship within a ship experience that many cruise lines offer, but I can't often afford that luxury. One way to connect with the sea on a larger ship is investing in a nicer stateroom with a balcony or whirlpool suite.

@FJB This photo makes me want to go back on a cruise ship! The endless cozy pool towels and the sunny loungers with a drink in hand is truly unbeatable. It looks like you got a lovely shady lounger in this photo! Also, I have never thought to pair my alcohol with a ginger ale but I think it's genius. Everyone always opts for sprite or coke. Why not a ginger ale? Great for potential sea sickness too. I want to give it a try next cruise!

@LukeJ I totally see your point on this! Traveling hours or days on end to get to your vacation is just not a good start or end to a vacation. It's actually one reason I love cruising. I show up to the cruise and I don't have to drive or fly around anywhere else for the duration of the experience. If I wanted to drive around endlessly to get to my destination, I would take a road trip, but endless hours sitting is no fun. It would be so awesome to go to another country and cruise out of that country but the flight length and travel to/from the port of embarkation can be quite difficult. Some of flights and hotels just cost more than the entire cruise itself! It's much easier to cruise out of a nearby port. It makes things cheaper and simpler.

@FJB & @LukeJ I too rarely ever use room service, and I also prefer to use the stairs. I use the elevators too, but if you take the stairs you can enjoy more food without having to worry as much. There is too much good food to restrict your diet onboard! If I'm not staying active enough, I definitely come off the ship much heavier. It's not that hard to go and get the food yourself. Unless it's like a super special occasion, I find room service pretty unnecessary. That's probably why I never find the extra cost worth it. Thankfully, I have good working legs, so I might as well put them to work! I had free breakfast in bed for my last two cruises and I didn't use the service once. It was free but unnecessary for me.

@FJB That's good to know. It means guests should plan accordingly and ensure they have plenty of travel time to get back to the port without rushing prior to departure. I did a bit of research on the island and found out it is a volcanic island! I would love to see a volcano face to face but I'm not sure how safe they are in St. Lucia (or anywhere for that matter). Have you explored a volcanic region before? With the bad traffic in mind, I likely would not rent a vehicle while there. It sounds like it would just be a headache trying to navigate the island.

@Rainy I have yet to take a Canadian cruise, but I would love to hear all about it. How long is you itinerary? The summer is the perfect time of year for this cruise and although the summer time does often encompass hurricane season, it's generally not as affected as the southern region. Enchanted Princess is the perfect size ship too. Have you cruised on this ship before?

@FJB Did you tender at St. Lucia? Were there many ships docked at the port that day? Based on what you are saying, it seems St. Lucia isn't doing a great job at managing an influx of cruises guests visiting all at once. Many Caribbean itineraries don't stop there and it could be due to its limited capacity. I'm going to have to learn more about that port.

@GeorgeF I want to say I feel this way, but I just don't. Most cruise lines are trying to take an all inclusive approach. Why do they do this? They do this because they have a larger clientele. The more attractive the cruise line can be to all, the more revenue they can build. It's a pretty simple principle. There are other adult-only cruise lines or linen that have few to none amenities for children. As @Seaawgs explained, older adults want to be able to treat their family to a cruise and have everyone feel entertained and welcome onboard. If you have an affinity to Celebrity Cruises, but the line doesn't have enough options for your family, you are going to find another line to cruise line that has more options for all. It does make senes. @FJB I completely agree with this. It's not a super long timeframe and guests can easily avoid it. You are spot on here. I feel the same. I would feel differently if kids were allowed at the solarium from 12-2pm. That's peak pool time. By the time is 5pm, the sun is going down and I'm getting ready/dressed for dinner and a before drink. The pools are often shady or cool at that time anyways.

@pablo I'm pretty sure this isn't allowed. If you choose to do it, I would make sure you look into the rules and ramifications of the decision to break those rules. Personally, it's not worth the risk. I would just get your money's worth off of the ship! The cruise ship makes money off of guest consumption onboard. There are rules for a reason!

@Larry Vervack At some point, I believe you could combine those CCL benefits, but I have heard is may be no longer. I would send out an email to confirm if you can still combine those to benefits. Since I don't qualify for the military benefit, I haven't attempted to confirm this myself, but it's certainly worth double checking. If you are the one booking the reservation, you will absolutely quality for that military benefit. I have also read on the boards that some guests have only received this perk in the past if they make the booking via phone. If you receive a solid response, let me know. I would be interested to see if Carnival Cruise Line is still offering the option to combine these perks.

@LukeJ I tend to enjoy watching karaoke but not participating. If the crowd is too rowdy, I prefer to avoid the karaoke scene all together. It's much better when the guests are good singers! Watching the singers make a fool of themselves is not fun for me. I have noticed most cruise lines have a karaoke option onboard at least once a sailing. It seems like a popular thing to do when you are hyped up on your drink package. Live music by professionals is certainly more my thing. Now I can't get a drunken Mariah Carey solo out of my mind! I agree, that's really the worst.

@DMG I understand how you feel about the solarium. I do, however agree with @FJB. I don't think the limited amount of time children are allowed there should be a huge issue. It's only about a 2-3 hour window. You can avoid that without issue, not having to worry about the kids bothering you. I understand how nice it is to have a kids-free zone, but the solarium is kids free the majority of the day! If the hours were expanded, I could see how that would be extra frustrating, but as it is now, it seems quite reasonable.