Cruising Caribbean

@brian amos I'm so bummed for you! I'm also very disenchanted by how MSC Cruises has handled this entire thing. Your cruise is only 9 weeks out! There is likely no way you would be able to get a refund on your flights either. MSC Cruises still hasn't got back to you in regards to other cruise options or refunds? Your travel agents don't sound very helpful either. I would send direct emails to MSC Cruises and see how far those take you. You deserve to know what's going on with your itinerary! I wonder if anyone else on the boards has been affected by these MSC Sinfonia changes. I find the ignoring quite offensive considering you paid in full! Do you think others booked on your sailing don't know it's canceled yet?

@KeithG I'm shocked at these prices! Those are some great rates. I would already book one of these bad boys if I was seeing this promotion on my end. I didn't spot this credit promotion on my CCL account I updated yesterday. At least I know it's the plan now sail later promotion. I will go back in later and see if I can access that. I wonder if this code has anything to do with your VIFP status too. I'm a red level, close to gold apparently, but I haven't cruised with CCL is a long time. I think these prices are just amazing, and I would love to see prices like this more often. I would change my cruise line of choice if this was always the case! Is CCL your cruise line of choice?

@LukeJ It's true though! I'm thankful for those public clean restrooms. They are typically spotless onboard, much cleaner than the ones at my home. People are gross and the job of a housekeeper is rough work, especially when cleaning up after filthy animals! I think women are worse than men. Maybe the men's restroom always appears cleaner because the men typically don't sit on the toilet. I'm not quite sure, but woman can be so careless! They are messier than you think.

@euroguy You may be able to catch it onboard your upcoming Carnival Firenze itinerary! I doubt it will be so taboo on an Italian-style ship. It's immaculate art. I don't know why it got so much negative attention on Carnival Pride. I think David is going to be a great look onboard Carnival Firenze, and I hope you share a photo of the statue on the boards if you get the chance to spot him!

@KeithG That's a great tip! I want to take advantage of the $500 onboard credit offer too. It's been a while since I booked a cruise with CCL so I will need to find my VIFP account info. How does this credit work? Do you receive a standard $500 credit per stateroom or does the amount depend on the stateroom type you book? That's a hefty on board credit that can go a long way. If I'm not mistaken, you should be able to use the onboard credit for gratuities as well. Is that correct? How often does CCL offer this promotion? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm very interested in booking with this offer!

@LukeJ It's nice to hear you agree. I wish that I could tell everyone that your traditional cruise experience is perfect, but it's not and nothing is. Things happen and ships aren't invincible! If there are things you just can't stand about a certain cruise aspect, you can almost always pay more to get an enhanced experience. If you want priority embarkation, you can pay for that. If you want upscale dining onboard, you can pay for that. If you wan't VIP stateroom service, you can pay for that. If you aren't willing to pay for that, then don't complain about the basic (but still great) cruise experience. I have yet to find a need for any extra services because the basic cruise experience checks all the boxes for me. One day I may go all out, but I'm afraid if I spend so much on an epic cruise experience, I will never be able to go back to basic cruising. For now, I'm sticking to the basics. My kids don't know any better and think unlimited fries and pizza is the best thing on this planet. Basically, they think it's out of the world amazing when you throw in endless ice cream.

A Viking experience sounds very exciting! What port will you be enjoying this experience? You will get to white water raft, too? That sounds amazing. I love white water rafting and archery is a huge bonus. The price has to be worth it. It's probably a few hours at least! Have you white water rafted before?

@LukeJ I like that perspective. Working-class people should have the attainable opportunity to cruise. What I don't understand is why working-class people (like me), have 5-star expectations. You can't expect 5-star service if you aren't paying those prices. The prices of an all-inclusive cruise are reasonable nowadays for everything you get (room, board, entertainment, excellent service, constant activities/endless amenities). If you want to drink top shelf and eat endless lobster every evening, you have to pay extra for those luxuries. I have a hard time upstanding why your average-paying cruiser (like myself) gets so hung up about the little things, like subpar scrambled eggs at the buffet. Let's all agree that middle-class cruising isn't perfect but it's still an awesome vacation experience for the price. Just find what you like, and stick to that. I don't like it when guests are just on the hunt for something negative. Focus on the good stuff friends!

It's all about the experience. You know half of the kids attending this function will order the ABC cereal (my children included), but it doesn't matter. Spending $10 per child on cereal is worth it to have the characters around spreading joy. That's what the cruise experience is all about and the price is still pretty fair. CCL knows guests will be more than willing to pay the new prices. I'm not a big spender, but I still think the prices are decent.

@euroguy You have to love John Heald! Rubber duck fun is here to stay and guests are thrilled about it. Why hate on the ducks? They didn't do anything wrong. I don't see the point in banning them, but maybe I'm just missing the memo. I would feel differently if they were disruptive or vulgar, but they are too cute to dislike! The crew has to love them. They keep things fresh and exciting. What's not to love?

@Woody14 I agree about August. It's a beautiful summer month but the prices are higher, and there are always more kids! CCL is notorious for attracting families with children during the out-of-school months, and the prices capitalize on those off-times. Early November is a good time to cruise as long as you can lock in a good cruise rate. I recommend observing price trends to find those good rates @Zebby. Wave season is upon us and the prices are pretty attractive right now.

@LukeJ That's spot on! It's almost like a huge key to mental health. How can you barely take care of yourself and feel happy about yourself? It's a counteractive statement. If you prioritize your appearance and well-being, it will show in your character. If you are struggling to feel confident and happy in your skin, taking care of yourself is a really good start. Sometimes it's as simple as treating yourself to a massage or a new hair gel that makes a big impact. Your mood can be a reflection of how you appear and vice-versa. If my appearance is rough, I'm likely feeling it. Like the other day, I was running a fever but still had to take my kids to karate. I showed up, looking rough, but I felt rough so I was hoping no one would approach me. Unfortunately, everyone approached me to chat and asked if I was ok because of my bare face. Maybe next time I need to skip the deodorant if I want others to stay away!

@euroguy I'm glad I clarified it with a local then! It did come off as a pretty bad issue. Shade would be a really nice addition! Many cruise ports don't offer enough shade and I don't understand it. I'm laughing so hard thinking about my daughter last night. She told me she was hot in the car but didn't want to take off her coat because "she has to practice waiting outside to get on the cruise ship and see how hot she can't get." It's the price you pay for getting on a Caribbean cruise. The fire alarm went off in the middle of our embarkation process last time and we had to wait 2 hours in the unshaded street until the building was cleared. It was brutally hot; like an oven. I think that's what she was practicing for! I love Port Canaveral and you will too. Everything there is a breeze and it's never too busy. Mostly an older, not first-timer crew onboard. I think you will love all of the newness of the facilities and the whole design. It's an optimal size!

@LukeJ Yes! There is actually a popular port-found brand that offers bamboo-only products. It's called Cariloha. From throw blankets to polo shirts, the brand's bamboo products are endless and of great quality. I'm not sure why we don't see more bamboo cups! It's fair to say bamboo cups could be a great alternative! Stainless steel is a great, easy-to-clean material. It's very antimicrobial, and I believe so is bamboo! Plastic gets gross pretty quickly and absorbs odors. I guess the price is what made it become popular over time.

@Liz I love that you are interested in using a refillable water cup onboard. I love to do that, particularly when I don't purchase a beverage package. Usually, I refill my bottles at the buffet areas. I haven't been on Celebrity Silhouette yet, but I think a pool deck fill station is a very convenient location for a fill-up! Do you typically bring reusable bottles onboard? If the bar isn't busy sometimes you can refill it there, but during peak times, I try to avoid refilling at the bars.

@euroguy That's really fair to say! If I was in your shoes I don't think I would venture you either. You have a really good thing going with CCL. Priority boarding plus a lounge is awesome! I haven't gotten to a cruise status like that with any cruise line, but I'm getting very close with MSC Cruises. The biggest issue I face with them is the perks in general. They just aren't that great. I would venture to say at some point MSC Cruises is going to enhance its loyalty perks to mimic those of its competitors. RCL has a great loyalty program too that runs very competitively to CCL. Free drinks all over the ship just tie it all together. It's the icing on the cake. You won't find that anywhere really. Free laundry service is another huge perk that's hard to beat. If any cruise line dedicated a personal assistant to me, I would be all in. If they are willing to invest in me like that, then I'm willing to invest that in them. All of these perk are making me jealous! I wonder if I will ever get anything close to all of that. I don't have more than 30-40 cruise days with CCL, but I haven't double-checked in such a long time. I have more days with RCL and definitely with MSC Cruises. I'm Gold with MSC Cruises and only a few cruises away from Diamond.

@GeeVee Were you able to find the parking options you were looking for? @Woody14 It's great to hear you felt safe in Galveston. I'm impressed at how bikable the city must be. There are many cities where biking isn't as accessible. Biking in Galveston summer must have been very hot. I'm sweating just thinking about it! You walked your carry for 30 minutes in the summer heat. I'm becoming more and more impressed. I don't think my husband could convince me to do that. I don't think he could convince me to bring a carry-on only either. I'm turning more and more into a high-maintenance person as I write. Wait, did you rent manual bikes? I assumed you rented e-bikes!

@LukeJ I do try to take a little pride in how I look. It's good for me and everyone around me really. If you look your best, you feel your best. I know it's trendy to be natural and be yourself. I'm all for that, but there is a level of putting your best foot forward that resonates with me. Vanity is all in the eyes of the beholder. Getting yourself cleaned up and looking fresh is important. There are obviously exceptions like running to Home Depot in the middle of a project, but still taking a shower when you get up is a plus. I grew up with a mom who used to shower before the gym every day. I thought she was crazy, but she always told me "No one wants to smell a sweaty person." She believed in a clean sweaty smell. It was noble of her to say, but I never took to that. I shower after my workout. Hopefully my deodorant and detergent hold me through the workout without my scent knocking anyone out.

@LukeJ Bamboo is actually great too! I totally forgot about that fabric. It dries really well too. It's very breathable and lightweight. Honestly, I don't know how bamboo can be used in so many forms. I have pajamas, cupboards, flooring, curtains, pillowcases, and much more made from bamboo. It's so versatile! Cotton can't be a cutting board or flooring. I'm becoming more and more impressed with bamboo as I type!

@LukeJ You are wild! I can't tell if this is supposed to be a joke or not. If I pulled out crickets at my BBQ my friends and family would laugh so hard at me. If I told them it was the more sustainable way, I think they would laugh at me even harder. As much as I think it's an interesting approach to food, I love beef and chicken. I will always prefer those over crickets. I don't know if my mindset will ever change but you never know! I try to be progressive, but I'm pretty suck in my ways.

@LukeJ Recycled bamboo is a great thought! I don't like plastic bottles either. I try to avoid anything plastic in my house when possible. I have a plastic cutting board but I have seen how bad those are. When you cut on a plastic board, you cut little parts of the board off and it gets into your food to be ingested. I have a bamboo cutting board, and it's such a better choice! It's sturdier, sanitary, and has no microplastics associated. The natural materials are so much better than the man-made ones. This statement applies to clothing too. Cotton and linen are so much better for your body than polyester and other similar materials. The problem with natural clothing materials is the cost! The poor quality clothes are so much cheaper than the 100% cotton products.

@Sandra young That's a very ambitious walking goal! Five miles a day is not for the faint of heart. It's a pleasure to hear you have enjoyed this lighthearted fun of hiding cute rubber ducks. The game is particularly fun for children. My children surely enjoy it, and it's a novelty to find/hide them. The tracking of ducks is a fun idea, but very unlikely considering the cost that may be associated. I can't believe you found 52 ducks! You must have had such a great bunch of duck lovers onboard that cruise. I feel lucky to find one or two on my cruise itineraries lately. I think CCL is one of the cruise lines that participates the most in this ducky activity. At least CCL is still on board the fun train, and hopefully, cruise lines like DCL will change their stance on discouraging ducks. There is no need to be a killjoy!

Thanks @LukeJ! I don't always want to be the nagging parent, but I'm always teaching/correcting behaviors to a fault. My husband wants to talk to me when he comes home and I have no more energy to talk! Engaging with my husband on another level is really important too. He gets to see me dress up in the evenings instead of barely hanging on with a messy bun. I feel relaxed enough to engage in casual conversations that I usually dismiss because we are both on autopilot. The relaxed setting of a cruise vacation is important for everyone! So many of my friends ask me how I'm able to take my kids along with me on vacation. Believe it or not, I enjoy it and even though it's more work, it's a more memorable experience. For this very reason, cruising needs to be at least a week-long experience for me. I want to be able to fully unwind and unplug with my family. It usually takes my husband a good 24-48 hours to disconnect from work in his mind. Cruising is just so healing and restorative in more ways than you can imagine!

@LukeJ There is no strict dress code on the cruise lines I go on! I do enjoy dressing up for dinner and looking my best. It's nice to be dressed in how I feel. If I feel most casual, an evening at the buffet is a nice option! Typically, I want to dress up since I'm not actually doing the cooking on vacation. I'm usually the one cooking for my family day in and out, so I find getting dressed up to be served for dinner as a super reward! I'm glad I'm not the only one bothered about the pajamas. There is a difference between loungewear and pajamas. Comfy clothes are fine, but I don't see the motivation behind wearing the clothes you sleep in out in public. Those are for resting and should stay clean! Maybe I'm just old-fashioned.

@lauradionjones I have had friends take service dogs on RCL cruises before. Did the line just change its policy? https://www.royalcaribbean.com/experience/accessible-cruising/service-animals Where did you source your information from? If you have a medical service animal you should be able to bring it onboard most sailings with proper documentation. I would try calling the cruise line directly if you haven't done so yet. It's not very difficult to get your service animal onboard, and I would hate for you to miss out on a cruise because of misinformation!