Cruising Caribbean

@Jim Lamb Icon of the Seas has almost made it to Miami! It's getting very close. I can't believe it's almost there. The poor weather patterns have the ship arriving later than I expected, on January 10th. Will you be cruising onboard in the coming months? The prices seemed very steep for the initial itineraries, but I figured if I wait a bit I will find some better price options. The ship has to be worth it. We can't forget it's the largest cruise ship in the world!

@euroguy Your Mardi Gras cruise is around the corner! I have a cruise next month too and will use the free step program. Would you be willing and able to try another continent? I have noticed you are cruising lots out of the U.S. but it would be so nice if CCL would offer you a reduced-price cruise the embarks outside of the U.S.! You must be very excited about Firenze. That's a bucket list ship for me. Do you plan to use the new virtual disembarkation process on your upcoming cruise?

@LukeJ John Travolta on a plate is a huge pass. I have trouble believing the people who order this actually eat it. The tentacles are suction! Those things will suck if the muscles contract. I have come close to trying cricket tacos, but then I passed on them. I love crunchy things, but not when it's in the form of an exoskeleton. Have you heard of cricket tacos? I doubt it's something you would ever see at Guy's Burger joint.

@euroguy If only more people knew about this STEP program! I have mentioned it to a few cruisers who truly had no idea about this. I looked into the card with no annual fees and it's such a great choice! Do you have any cruises booked with those points you earned from last year? Happy New Year!

Wow, this is some serious flooding. Cruise ships shouldn't flood like this. Apparently, all of this water damage was due to bad weather, but what if the weather is bad again? Even the ship's forward elevators were closed due to the water damage. If I was a guest onboard, I would be very apprehensive about continuing the voyage on this ship. It's going to keep happening unless the issue is properly addressed. I wonder if there are some adjustments that could be made to repair the issues for the time being. This itinerary still has many days to do.

You are really lucky! I would like to have my own well water supply and have more land. Right now where I reside, I don't have the opportunity to have my own well system. It sounds like your area has really high standards for its water. Our area puts tons of chemicals in it to keep it consumable. That's why a better filtration system is a must for our household. I didn't realize it was such a dreary place. Does it get cold enough for snow and ice? That would make for a gloomy winter. I don't mind the rain as long as there isn't lightning/thunder. I was so used to heavy rains in Florida. When I moved to the west, everyone feared driving in the rain. People cancel plans due to driving in the rain here! I show up, rain or shine. The people in the west aren't brave in the rain. At least we likely have that in common! You probably still show up at the place, even when it's raining.

This new CCL disembarkation feature will certainly take off! That's a really interesting thought about the service coming with a fee. It likely will cost some extra cash after its soft launch is over. Guests are going to fall in love with the feature; they already are! I wish more cruise lines offered a service like this. Waiting in long lines is not my thing. The disembarkation process always feels like hearing cattle. A simplified process is long overdue. It shouldn't be as stressful as it usually is!

@brian amos Have you received an update yet? I have been following this to see if any updates have been posted yet. What are the exact dates for your cruise itinerary? I would like to hear more about the information you are concerned about. I'm with @Woody14. I'm a bit confused and would like some more details!

@Seaawgs Unfortunately much of what you are saying is quite accurate. The pandemic unfortunately changed the game for cruise lines, and they were forced to do whatever the government said in order even to have a hope of getting back to a state of "normalcy." Now some destinations are taking advantage of that. I see that many regions want to recover from the shutdown losses, but why are cruise guests having to take on that burden? Obviously, cruisers are catching on and it's a shame. I agree with PaulB. Customer service isn't what it used to be, and cruise lines keep having to jack up the prices for a diluted experience. I miss those old cruise days. Although I don't think the price increase for the port fees in Lisbon is that excessive, it all adds up.

@FJB Happy New Year! What a great way to start the year, with no hangover! I wish I had your tolerance. I'm such a lightweight. It's another added bonus you ended up booking some excursions. Which excursions did you end up booking? Did you book anything new or some of the same? I have booked some of the same excursion options in the past, and I usually wish I ventured out to try something new.

I haven't heard of Johnny Cake bread, but I think I found it on youtube. It looks delicious. Based on how @FJB said it, I thought maybe it was a dessert cake. I think I was wrong.

@Chris Yates This is so exciting! I hope you have a lovely cruise on April 14. I have heard that many CCL sailings don't end up having many singles show up at the meetup. That's such a shame because there are plenty of singles onboard to attend. The idea of getting a drink together is a splendid idea. I won't be on this sailing, but I hope you end up rounding up a few others to tag along! @RPC1954 will be cruising CCL out of Port Canaveral the month before. If only you both were cruising at the same time!

@Colleen ONeill That's just awful! The Haven Penthouses suites are known to be very expensive, providing guests with an over-the-top cruise experience. Why would the ship have its Haven Penthouse suites located above a noisy area? That just makes no sense to me. This no-sleep experience is almost as bad as catching a stomach bug onboard your cruise. I can't believe you ended up sleeping in a chair in the atrium as a Haven Penthouse guest. The ship couldn't even offer an interior room? Future NCL Getaway guests should be warned about this noisy stateroom. The cost you pay for this experience should be an unforgettable and flawless experience. A sleepless nightmare is what the cruise ended up being for you guys! NCL's customer service has significantly declined. It's such a shame. Have you cruised with any other cruise lines?

Happy New Year! I can't believe 2024 is officially here. I already have one cruise booked in February 2024, but my goal is to add one more to this year's vacation roster. Does anyone have some new and exciting 2024 cruise plans? In February, I will be cruising on a ship I have already enjoyed in the years past. The cruise I would like to book for Fall 2024 would ideally be something out of the ordinary for me. Any suggestions outside of the Carribean would be much appreciated!

@FJB I didn't even think about opting for a travel agent. From your experience, does a travel agent charge more money for the cruise than if you book directly with the cruise line @Aquainst1? I like receiving information about my cruise directly to my email, going through a third party just seems like an extra step. I guess if they are helping you with travel documents, then it's worthwhile. Sometimes visas take forever to get. If you don't receive your visa by your embarkation date, are you still able to hop on the cruise? I was under the impression if you don't receive the visa in time you can still hop onboard your cruise, but you can't get off at the supposed port of call without the mandated visa.

@FJB I would assume a stop in Half Moon Cay too! That's a great place to stop. @SpaceCowboy9 You caught Carnival Vista in its newer days! CCL does a great job of maintaining its ship so I can only imagine it's as good as ever. I haven't cruised on CCL for quite some time. Does the line still offer unlimited soft serve fleetwide? With all the cruise-wide cutbacks happening I was concerned that the line may have done away with the guest favorite. I know the towel animals are still in full swing! I love it when guests post their towel animal zoo photos on the boards post-cruise.

@RoadTravelled I'm glad you haven't noticed any evidence of this either. I have only known CCL to be an excellent company to work for. I would be pretty ashamed if what @american stated was indeed correct information. I love that you seek out hardworking crew members on your cruise and give them letters of appreciation. That is such a kind and unforgettable gesture. It can turn around anyone's bad day! I try to be very kind with my words and actions, but I love the idea of taking it a step further to those who noticeably make a difference in your cruise experience. Generally, I only tip the housekeeping staff and the MDR waitstaff. You nailed it on the head. The life of a crew member is not an easy one, but CCL does do a good job of compensating its employees. There are many perks to the job that include free housing and dining that do add up. I always feel so strongly for those employees who have to be away from their young spouses/children to make a living and provide. I commend those crew members for really being so selfless, putting their family's needs above their own.

@SpaceCowboy9 I'm so impressed with the ship's decor. I will need to cruise on Carnival Sunshine to experience this beauty myself. A 95-year-old mother-in-law, that's pretty incredible! The idea of the door closing is important. Maybe I could cut it to make it fit exactly on the door. Do you think I could bring scissors on board? I have yet to bring those on board, but I see how it could be seen as a weapon. It's honestly about the same danger as a shaving razor! Are all stateroom doors that lovely on Carnival Sunshine? I'm still so shocked by the fun. Maybe it's time I switched up the cruise lines I typically cruise with.

@Lillian Barreiro I'm sorry you got sick on your recent cruise. It's very interesting that both you and your husband got sick on both cruises. Since I'm constantly, out and exposed to all sorts of germs, my immune system has been so good to me, warding off illness while cruising. I don't think that the masks helped very much with the spread of germs onboard, but I do think handwashing is crucial. I agree with @Seaawgs. I think hand sanitizer and handwashing are very important. Also trying to keep your distance in large crowds can also be beneficial. Sicknesses go around everywhere, all the time. I hope that the next time you cruise you won't encounter that again @Lillian Barreiro! @FJB Testing and the shot did not prove very beneficial in my book, but those who have weakened immune systems could have benefitted from these methods. I didn't find masks very helpful, but I courteously wore them for those who are immunocompromised. I hope they never circle back around.

@american This can't be! That's just awful. Why would the cruise line take a kickback from its crew members like that? They work so very hard for their earnings, living away from friends and family to make a living. That's so unjust. Do you know what percentage CCL ends up keeping? The crew should get at least an 18% tip and I feel that is pretty standard. I'm not so worried about the cruise and its price, but I am concerned that the cruise line isn't fully tipping out to its hardworking employees. I have heard that CCL is a great company to work for. This is making me think otherwise.

It sounds like I need to try this Welsh water! Is that where you currently reside? I have yet to drink from a tap and enjoy the taste. All of the US water to me tastes like chlorine and bleach. I don't really like the generic bottled water offered here any better either. I have been asking my husband to invest in a reverse osmosis filtration system for our home. Have you heard of that before? It's a bit costly to purchase and install but the health benefits are endless. The local water here is just no good. I can't even imagine how it would potentially be on a cruise ship either. It's hard to properly clean moist things! They are breeding grounds for bacteria.

@LukeJ If you want to book shore excursions through the cruise line, it's always best to book ahead of time. The good ones always book out pretty quickly and I have missed out on the best shore excursions by waiting too long. You usually get a bit of a savings deal booking ahead of time too. If you choose to book a shore excursion outside of the cruise line, there usually isn't as much of an urgency involved. I'm curious what port of call you will be exploring! What type of excursions are you interested in? August is only seven months away. You might as well just book now if you can!

@Mavis How horrid was that? The winds were so harsh that the roof of the terminal collapsed! I would imagine your NCL ship will also use the Costa Salguero terminal instead. It sounds like that is what the plan of action is until the repairs are made to the Quinquela Martin Cruise Terminal, which will likely take several months! It's only about two miles away, so not that bad at all. What is your NCL embarkation date?

@Amythest2112 I'm laughing so hard! Blue Bell definitely isn't known for its quality ingredients. Most ice cream has artificial flavors and colors nowadays. That's one of the reasons I cook in so much. When you go to restaurants, they feed you that same kind of junk unless you go to a 4-5-star restaurant that prides itself in clean dining. Almost everywhere you go to get desert is offering Blue Bell style ice cream as the accompaniment to the dish. @FJBBlue Bunny is a great name for dairy-free! The dairy-free lifestyle is an expensive and trendy one. It's all filled with added oils and fillers to try and get it to the consistency of milk. It's all about trying to attain milk likeness! I understand for the purpose of allergies, but oat milk costs like $5. It's made of such a cheap ingredient! People pay through the roof for oiled and sugared products that don't even come close. But I do agree, it is the future.

@LukeJ I hear what you are saying, but don't you think the larger ships pose larger risks for cruise companies? It's almost like keeping up with the Jones effect. Everyone wants to stand out to be the biggest and best, but the quality of those companies has evidently declined in the process. Everything on the larger ships just seems more diluted. To be honest, everything is diluted. Just think about the crew-to-guest ratios. Larger ships notoriously run with more guests and less crew to tend to the ship's needs. As you mentioned, there is really no more personalized touches or things that make those ships stick out to me. The crew and the ship culture truly make a cruise complete. It's not about the large amount of pools or bars onboard. It's even worse when you have to wait at those bars for over 15 minutes during peak times for a drink! I will continue to choose more intimate cruises lines and ships as long as I possibly can.