Cruising Caribbean

This sort of occurrence sometimes happens accidentally as well! A few years ago, two crew members fell off of a Royal Caribbean lifeboat while doing maintenance on the ship. The ship heard the code "Oscar," meaning man overboard, or in this case "men overboard." Thankfully the crew members were fine and were wearing proper lifejackets during this event. For anyone who feels cruising is unsafe, take a look at this article which is really helpful for feeling secure and safe while onboard. https://www.cruisehive.com/stay-safe-enjoy-cruise-time/10584

@Nana007 & @Jim Lamb & @ArveyD There are so many different opportunities onboard, such as evening theatre shows that are not conducive to a service dog or pet. I read a recent article about Cunard Line and chocolate tasting better at sea. I couldn't help but think, how would this sort of experience pan out alongside an animal that can't consume chocolate without assuming health risks? The dog would have to spend time in the stateroom if the owner wanted to participate in something like this. I honestly think it's cruel to bring a service animal onboard a cruise if it's going to spend most of its time scared and cooped up in a small cruise stateroom. Do you agree?

Disney Treasure is such an exciting ship! A "lucky coin" has recently been set underneath the keel of the ship during its keel laying ceremony in Papenburg, Germany. Disney Treasure will follow the launch of Disney Cruise Line's most recently built ship now cruising the seas, Disney Wish. The Grand Hall onboard the ship truly screams "Disney," with an immaculate fairy tale staircase featuring Aladdin-themed decor. https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/why-cruise-disney/treasure

@Ingesey Unfortunately these sorts of things do happen and I doubt Princess Cruises is going to issue any sort of credit for this itinerary change. It's quite normal for itineraries to shift due to natural circumstances such as weather or a medical emergency. I can imagine that being on a cruise for 5 days without the opportunity to explore on land must have been disappointing but thankfully you did have the Preimire package and likely took advantage of all the ship had to offer. I agree that offering a backup port of call would have been a better outcome, but it doesn't always end up that way. Which Princess Cruises ship did you cruise on? Was this the cruise you were on? https://www.cruisehive.com/princess-cruise-ship-misses-two-ports-on-caribbean-cruise/98280 If so, it seems the bad weather truly influenced the outcome of this itinerary. @kefthecruiser Cheers to getting your money's worth while utilizing the drink package for those extended times at sea! I agree that the terms and conditions of any cruise state itineraries are subject to change due to uncontrollable circumstances such as weather.

@Yehudit I don't think you can go wrong with either month! I prefer April just because of the weather patterns. April will likely have less rain, although Texas has been suffering from droughts lately so the rain would be a big positive for the area. The Caribbean is usually consistently warm but May is more likely to rain and attract mosquitos, but it's all relative. Which cruise line do you intend to cruise with? Do you want to fly into Houston and then drive to the Port of Galveston?

The scandalous television show, Real Housewives, will come to life on a fan club cruise onboard Celebrity Silhouette. I personally am not too wild into the show, but I think this fan club cruise, "Wives at Sea: A Housewives Fan Cruise," is going to be a big hit. This themed cruise will actually have celebrity favorites onboard, surely attracting a crowd. Flip Phone Events will be producing this fun-filled cruise, truly bringing the television show experience to life for some of its biggest fans. Is anyone interested in this Real Housewives cruise experience? I think I would tag along just for a good time.

@KeithG I think sticking to the smaller, not as popular mega-ships, is the way to go. In order to get the best cruise experience it's smart to keep your standards high and remove an annual cruise if necessary to get your desired experience. I like the quality over quantity perspective. Carnival Cruise Line is snapping back at some of the myths circling the internet recently about changes being made. I'm glad the cruise line has clarified these rumors, particularly the ones about the new VIFP gifts. I'm sure you have heard about the new fanny pack gifts for VIFP members beginning today, April 6.

Did you see MSC Euribia will have some really unique new dining spaces onboard? The Helios Wine Bar will have high-tech tables with digital coasters. I have never heard of such a thing! The 96 available wines offered will be visible through the tables and food pairings will be available. This is totally something that sounds worth the hype.

I completely agree that this number is sadly too high. I wish that these risks weren't there but when someone is inclined to take such risks, it will happen anywhere. Thankfully the woman who was on the seven-night Celebrity Solstice cruise was found. The woman failed to return to her ship during her overnight call in San Francisco, and a missing person alert was sent out. There is truly never a dull moment in the cruise news world!

MSC Group's luxury cruise line, Explora Journeys, just revealed the godmother for its first ship, Explora I! I'm thinking this cruise line is going to do so well considering how MSC Cruises is taking off. Explora I will begin guest sailings in July 2023, and the second fleet member, Explora II, will begin cruising in the summer of the following year. I'm most excited about the sustainability-focused mission and immaculate itineraries that Explora Journeys will offer.

That's very exciting! Which ship will you be sailing on? Visas are occasionally required for some ports of call. Usually, the cruise line will notify you of the proper documents needed to get onboard your cruise and off at every port of call. Which ports of call will you be stopping at? Make sure you check online at your booking before your cruise to ensure everything is properly lined up so you don't miss out on getting off at a super cool spot!

@kefthecruiser Thanks for sharing your recollection of the area. I doubt anything has been reconstructed since your visit in 2016. It doesn't sound like you went on a good beach day, but maybe in September, the weather would be nice for a walk on the beach. If you are going all the way over to the cemetery via car from the port, you might as well make a full day of events if you can!

@716Matt I'm curious, what is your typical stateroom door decor? Do you usually go with a theme? I have done this before in celebration of a birthday and I never missed my stateroom! It's very clever, but I have also heard of flamingos being used to symbolize something else about your party. Have you heard of this before?

@wecruise Sometimes the customer service representatives aren't always aware of the changes being made. I'm not sure why that occurs, but they just don't always seem in the loop. I'm sure NCL will be sending you an email update pretty soon; just try and hang tight. Hopefully, these scheduled dry dock changes give you an upper hand to rebook your cruise with a little bit of additional cruise credit. I wouldn't pay in full just yet. Keep me posted on what ends up happening. Norwegian Cruise Line hopefully gives you a nice substitution that you could enjoy after Norwegian Joy's dry dock.

@James Genteel I would hope that MSC Cruises is well aware of these potential risks and will design MSC World America to be safe and secure just like all of its other ships. Have you noticed that any of the cruise line's other fleet members have unsafe areas on board? I don't like taking my young children on any balcony due to their innate nature to climb and jump on/off anything they get their hands on. I have cruised onboard an MSC Cruises ship and chose a balcony stateroom. I did feel very secure with my children, but I ensured they didn't touch the balcony chairs. Monitoring your children is a must everywhere, not just onboard a ship. I honestly felt more risk with the pools and swim safety since my children are still learning to swim!

@MarkH I hope you can visit this memorial site on your upcoming Regal Princess cruise! I found this pretty cool site with some options from the port, but the prices are a bit steep, as you mentioned in your initial post. https://www.overlordtour.com/product-category/tour-from-ports/ @kefthecruiser It's pretty amazing this cemetery is so closely located to the English Channel. Are you aware if a ferry or tender would be able to cruise to this spot from the cruise terminal? I would much rather enjoy a ferry to this scenic Omaha Beach spot instead of traveling via road in a car.

@Don nix That's such an awful circumstance. The night before a cruise I'm always double, triple checking for all of my documents to ensure they don't accidentally get misplaced or left behind. After spending some much time and energy planning a cruise vacation, this is an absolute bummer you were denied boarding! What sort of documentation was acceptable other than a passport? What will you end up doing in Fort Lauderdale with all of this unexpected free time? @Woody14 Those are all really good questions. I hope that this cruise guest wasn't denied boarding without a very factual reason. After flying all that distance to arrive there, it must be such a disappointment to find out you didn't have the proper documentation to get on board the ship! Carnival Cruise Line recently sent out a notification on necessary documentation for two of its specified sailings. I wonder if this cruise guest was notified by Princess Cruises that this particular itinerary had some sort of specified exemption.

@FJB That's a great thought. It would reach a better audience if moved over to the Carnival Cruise Line forum.

@Kat627 This just breaks my heart. I hope that Norwegian Cruise Line changes this and makes things right for its housekeeping staff. I don't think anyone should feel so overworked and exhausted to then have to attend to rude cruise passengers. It's just unfair that the cruise line has decided to make cutbacks that are affecting cruise guests but more importantly the crew and the overall well-being of all staff members onboard. You aren't the only loyal NCL cruise guest that has experienced these sorts of issues. It's evident customer service has declined and it's majorly due to the cutbacks. I'm hoping the new leadership changes positively impact all of these issues.

MSC World America is going to outdo itself in the North American market. I looked up some prices, and they have gone up! As much as I want to book onboard MSC Cruises' new ship, I think I'm going to have to save up before I do so. I think this new ship may be priced a bit higher than some of the others. Maybe if I keep my eyes peeled for a good promotion I may be able to snag a better deal in the coming months.

@Kris Smith I saw the article you are referring to about fans being banned on board Norwegian Cruise Line ships. I think it's all a matter of safety. Anything that could be potentially hazardous is a deal breaker. My husband pays way too much money to get his shirts pressed onboard because he can't bring an iron along. I would say this is a great time to try some heatless wave action. They aren't the most beautiful or comfortable thing to wear before bed, but they can get the job done.

@kefthecruiser I love the hurricane prep, "Hunger Games" reference. People do just go wild in terms of clearning the shelves and stocking up during this season. I told my mom to do the same last hurricane season, but as a Florida native, she refused. She ended up living on peanut butter and toast for a few days until the stores reopened. It's nice to have some things, but you don't need them all! It reminds me of the baby wipe and toilet paper shortage. I never thought I would see that day when toilet paper was a prime commodity. I also second booking a cruise in September. The prices are low and you never know what you are going to get. It's a bit of a gamble, but it's a risk I'm willing to take for a good time at a reasonable price!

@TEXAS GAL That's a great question. I don't have children old enough for most of the waterslides so this isn't a deal breaker for me. I think for some families/cruise guests this is an exciting part of cruising, but immaculate waterslides aren't appreciated by all. The kid's clubs onboard all Royal Caribbean ships are way more important to me and my family than any waterslide experience. Icon of the Seas is going to have some amazing spaces onboard that have already attracted a crowd. From the neighborhoods to the intricate details for each stateroom category, Icon of the Seas is outdoing itself. Would you be interested to cruise onboard this ship?

@Todd I'm so glad you were able to get your hands on a Fun Times newsletter! That's such a bummer that the app didn't work the entire time while you were onboard your recent Carnival Dream cruise. This is yet another reason why having the Fun Times newsletter back is so exciting! Honestly, it's just convenient to have options whether you choose to use the app when you have your phone on you in hopes that it works or bring along a Fun Times hard copy to browse at your leisure. I remember when cruise lines use to supply pens in each stateroom to mark up the newsletters! Now I always find myself asking for a pen or bringing my own because the room usually doesn't have one.

@FJB Keeping the ship in sight could definitely be reassuring to some, but I wouldn't say this strategy will ensure any traveler's safety. I think just doing what you feel is secure and going with your gut will work out just fine. I wouldn't say missing out on exploring new places should be a factor. Cruise ports of call are meant to be enjoyed! @Jim Lamb I feel the same way. If cruise guests were in any sort of imminent danger, the cruise line would notify everyone onboard. Crime is everywhere, but it shouldn't necessarily stop anyone from safely having a good time.