Cruising Caribbean

@LukeJ I would totally support you! If my cruise was free and booze was no longer I think I would become a thermal suite guru. The spa would be my ultimate escape. What a life that could be, reading my Bible in the Himalayan salt room for hours on end. I think I would live a life full of wellness and health, focusing on vitality. Maybe I would become the priest influencer, traveling the world via cruise sober minded. I mean, maybe the cruise line needs a little more holiness! I would imagine some cruise lines don't have enough holiness onboard, the holiness ratio could be off. As a priest, I could provide some holiness amplification services onboard.

@KJP Did you ever figure out that that light was? I'm intrigued to find out what it was all about! @euroguy I'm interested in this capital card! I also always pay off my cards so I don't incur any interest. That's the best way to use a credit card. The security benefits are much greater than that of a debit card. Do you find the capital credit card to give you a better return than that of other cards?

@euroguy Blogs aren't too difficult to create but they are a time commitment for sure! You have to dedicate time to write and gathers your thoughts together in an easy-to-read way. Conversing on the boards is more lighthearted and convenient for sure. I have yet to get a cooler that would freeze itself! I always have to add the heavy icepacks which are bulky and take up a lot of space in the cooler. The benefit to those over ice is that they don't melt or leak. Once again, thanks for your tips and tricks. I think that cooler is worth it for less than $20. That's a very reasonable price!

@FJB Thanks for sharing the photo and the map! I would absolutely give this place a shot next time I'm there, but I would make my husband bring along his proper filming gear to document the adventure! It's been way too long since I have done a zip line adventure. It would be my first time zip lining it a terrain like that. I have only zip lined in very wooded terrain in the Carolinas. This adventure is pretty deep in the island. I didn't realize. Were there some cuisine options nearby or did you have to dine elsewhere?

@LukeJ Well, if priests are cruising free, and I'm a priest, it would be against my moral conduct to behave in such a way. For those who are only playing the part, the idea of a secret drink would be genius! If I'm getting free cruises, I would assume a lifetime of sobriety. I would rather be celibate and sober, cruising everyday of my life than risk my lifestyle for a hidden drink. That goes to show, I would take my role very seriously. All of this to say, I would still be your friend if you chose to be a priest and drink on the job.

@LukeJ I have yet to cruise with P&O Cruises, but I have heard guests really enjoy it and the itineraries are priced pretty fairly. Do you get any loyalty benefits while cruising with P&O Cruises? It looks like they have a Peninsular Club that gives a bit of a discount. Do you enjoy unlimited free ice cream when you cruise with P&O Cruises? I noticed the line offer Jude's ice cream and lots of flavor options onboard!

@Joeblow I partially agree. If you are blind, a service dog can be so beneficial! Since I don't have a mental health condition, it's hard for me to assume that a dog isn't imperative or beneficial. I also haven't had a service dog. My family dogs were always just a pain so to think a trained dog is able to assist in a mental health scenarios seems far fetched, but I have seen some people with special needs really benefit from a service dog. I agree most regular dogs belong in a yard. I wouldn't really want an indoor dog, personally. Service dogs do serve great benefits. I don't mind really imperative service dogs onboard, but the idea of bringing your "service pet" along on your vacation for fun doesn't sit well with me. For the record, I have lots of friends that bring their dogs onboard their cruise itineraries that aren't even service dogs. The supporting documentation needed to bring your "service" dog onboard is slim to none.

@Willie I hope you have a great cruise!I love cruising in June. The weather is typically warm and sunny, and it's the perfect time of year to enjoy tropical paradise in the water. I would have never assumed Princess Cruises prices would come out cheaper than RCL's! That's very surprising to me. Your cruise is only 2 months out, and I'm sure you make some incredible memories. Does Princess Cruises offer a randomized roommate option or do you have to bring your own roommate along?

@Charles S I can't believe NCL cancelled your cruise twice! That's a bad track record. I also can't believe it didn't benefit you in the slightest. Where do you typically purchase your travel insurance? If you purchased it through the line, I would expect better outcomes. It almost seems like a scam to me. I also think the travel agent should have worked harder on your behalf. It doesn't sound right at all.

@Lindsay I would recommend snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay if you enjoy snorkeling. It's top-rated by guests and is filled with lots of marine life! https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60580-d109549-Reviews-Kealakekua_Bay-Captain_Cook_Island_of_Hawaii_Hawaii.html

@LukeJ I miss a good evening walk! I haven't done that in so long! It has been hanging at the park, watching the kids lately. I love the idea of just walking but chasing my kids on bikes or dragging them as they walk isn't so pleasant. Unless the weather is crumby or you are in a rush, I agree that walking a mile down the road is a no brainer. Your body is so used to being active it won't let you sit down for too long! Flights/long drives must be uncomfortable for you. I'm definitely not a bland person. My kids sometimes prefer bland or their favorite sauce, but I love all the flavors! I can always tell when my husband doesn't like my meal when he asks me to grab him the hot sauce. I guess if he drowns it enough in hot sauce, he won't even be able to taste it!

@LukeJ I'm right there with you. Walking is the best. It's easy to do anywhere and with pretty much anyone. I love the convenience of walking because you don't need any special equipment, just a decent pair of sneakers. I have a treadmill so walking is more convenient than every before, even when the weather is bad. Getting outside is important though, so I walk outside when I can. Golfing is a great way to stay social, relatively active, and get your vitamin D. I think 15,000 steps is awesome. In fact my husband is going to the driving range after work. It's one of his favorite ways to decompress. The life of a chef is tough! I can't imagine working on your feet that much on top sports injuries as a child. You have been so physical most of your life! Are you the chef in your home too? I'm the chef in my home, the one expected to feed everyone. It's fun, but I run out of ideas quite often. I don't go out to eat much so I have to continually try and switch things up so they don't get bland.

I can't believe it's almost that time of year again! Hurricane season for the Atlantic will begin before we know it, less than two months away. The waters get warmer but hurricane season makes things pretty risky when it comes to cruise travel. I really hope that this year's hurricane season won't be too bad, but it's just so hard to predict. Is anyone planning to cruise the Atlantic this 2024 hurricane season? This year, I'm avoiding hurricane season, but during the winter months, I'm open to cruising again!

@euroguy Did you see who is the godfather for Carnival Firenze? He was an actor in Mean Girls and Cake Wars (which I love). What do you think of Bennett becoming the godfather? Based on his ties to CCL, I think he's a pretty good fit for the role.

@LukeJ I see the point in gathering over a beverage and how fun those "memories" can be. I just don't like when we pressure one another in really any way. I love the option of having a beverage if you feel like it; I have a problem with people pressuring others to drink. St. Patricks day is a big drinking holiday. The US only enjoys it because of the food, fun, and mostly because of the beer. Ireland is a great place and celebrating this day in the US fits the bill, but many people don't actually care about the holiday, they participate for the booze.

@LukeJ Greece is another dream travel destination for me. That sounds like a very personalized experience. It's nice to know the locals, but it's different when you have a connection with someone who knows the area. Since I don't know anyone in Greece, I am fine to explore on my own and then cruise the rest of the way. Cruising is such a practical option for exploring costal cities around the world. It feels safe, easy, and convenient. Not to mention, the cost of cruising can be cheaper than traveling via land, without the hassle of using public transit or navigating unfamiliar territory. Would you go back to Greece? What city did you stay in?

@LukeJ That's right! Free ice cream is certainly important. Honestly, many cruise lines aren't doing free ice cream anymore. You have to wait until the MDR dinner experience to get some on the side with your dessert. Like you are saying, it's not just ice cream. It's all the little things, like Celebrity Cruises' cookies. I think we pay enough for free ice cream, which isn't a big ask, but cruise lines are really trying to make the most money possible. I know many cruise companies had to go into more debt to stay afloat during the shutdown, but it's definitely killing the experience for me. I would much rather pay an extra $100 a cruise to get unlimited ice cream and cookies. I wouldn't eat $100 worth, but it's about the principal at having it available at my discretion that I love. It's a perk of cruising actually! I like not having to pay for me meals onboard and not looking for prices of each item. It's liberating. That's something I have to do on land, not on my "all-inclusive" cruise experience!

@ChrisP A British Isles cruise sounds brilliant! Unfortunately, I have not been to these destinations but I can't want to read your cruise review sharing which ports of call you really enjoyed. I have looked into cruises that visit Cork, Dublin, and Belfast. The other locations are completely new to me. Have you cruise near this region in the past? Are you flying into Cork? Regal Princess is surely a lovely ship. I hope you enjoy your upcoming cruise that's about one month out now!

@Laurie214 That sounds like an amazing cruise itinerary! Have you taken Danube River Cruise in the past? These Gate1 prices do sounds really good. Does this company provide travel protection for you? If a flight gets changed or delayed, will Gate1 cover those additional costs? When booking with Viking, you have great reassurance that you will be compensated in case of incidentals. How does Gate1 handle their incidentals? Unfortunately, I have become so skeptical of travel/booking agencies because they don't always pay out and cover incidentals like the actual cruise line would.

The recent news states that RCL's new ice cream brand will be an in-house selection. I don't think any of the major names we are thinking of will be the chosen brand. The idea for RCL to make its own brand is ideal. If the line does it right, guests will be craving to go on a RCL ships just to get that signature ice cream! It's a smart way to attract repeat customers. The question I have is will each RCL ship make their own ice cream onboard? That would be really awesome. RCL may do some really cool flavor options too, to keep up with the wildly popular Ben and Jerry's flavors. https://www.cruisehive.com/royal-caribbean-changing-ice-cream-options/118381

Those Alicante numbers are wild! I didn't realize how popular it is. @LukeJ I don't want to go to the same place every year. It does get quite boring. I do cruise to the same places a lot, the Caribbean. I'm ready and excited to branch out. I love going back to places you enjoy, but branching out and experiencing new things is optimal. If you are going to spend to go somewhere, why not try somewhere new and unfamiliar to you? There is beauty in both, but trying somewhere new is much more appealing to me!

@Tammy Bramer Are you booked on either of these three CCL ships that had some itinerary changes? https://www.cruisehive.com/guests-informed-of-itinerary-changes-for-three-carnival-ships/127074 I'm not sure why your Half Moon Cay stop has been changed. I haven't seen anything that indicated changes or closures. Apparently, you option is Princess Cays, unless you are considering to cancel your cruise. Half Moon Cay is a great stop and I can see why you are bummed about skipping it. Did CCL give you any explanation as to why you won't be stopping there? Have you been to Princess Cays? https://www.cruisehive.com/reasons-you-should-cruise-to-princess-cays-bahamas/24023

@vision of the seas Which RCL ship will you be sailing on? The amount of time the Baltimore port will be closed is uncertain. Considering how near April 12 is, I expect your cruise to reroute. This article may have information you are looking for. https://www.cruisehive.com/how-is-the-baltimore-bridge-collapse-impacting-cruises/127125 If you are booked on Vision of the Seas, I expect you to be rerouted possibly to Norfolk, VA like Carnival Legend.

@FJB This is a huge deal! I can't believe the Baltimore bridge just collapsed. It was a very important bridge for the area and this collapse has impacted many Baltimore cruises. Currently, the Port of Baltimore is remaining closed for cruise ships. That's such a bummer and very upsetting for those booked on an itinerary that embarks from Baltimore. CCL has affected itineraries alongside RCL. CCL's ship Carnival Legend will be switching its homeport to Norfolk, VA for the time being. The big question is, how long will cruises be impacted by this collapse?

@LukeJ The fun ambiance and noise can be a treat but it can get rowdy pretty quickly. My kids think those poolside games are the best. I love that the fun comes directly to the pool, where mots guests want to be during the day. These games require lots of guest participation and can lead to others doing crazy things that draw others into the activity. That's right! If you wanted to participate you would do it. You don't need anyone pushing/forcing you to do it! I hope that never occurs on a cruise ship for you. The idea of doing nothing and relaxing is one of the biggest perks of cruising! Relaxing is key. Live poolside music is always a treat too, oftentimes better than the loudness from the interactive outdoor games.