euroguy

@Kendall James-Vargas to be frank it was 20 years a go and I would need to dig through photo albums to try and figure out what island it was and the which town on the island. I can say that back then had to take an 8 hour ferry boat ride that was straight out of Indiana Jones. You had 1st class and zero class. Zero class was people sleeping on the outside decks with their chickens, goats, ducks and whatever else they bought. It was almost comical, but certainly 3rd world and an eye opener. The people were genuinely nice and welcoming as well really liked Americans, well at leat this American. I remember when I reached the town/village all the roads were dirt lined with painted rocks.. most didn't have much but they appreciated and had pride in what they did have. When I started walking down the dirt road a group of about 10-15 young children approx 5-10 years old saw me and came running up to me sayaying hello Americano with great big smiles and excitement trying to speak English. It truly warmed my heart and I melted inside. I have experienced similar in Mexico in very remote villages. The Philippines has about 7000 islands and it can be a very special place to visit, but you have to remember that it is truly a 3rd world country still to this day and poverty is ramped and certain regions are not advised for Americans to visit and even in the better parts it's always best to have local guides to watch over you. Japanese investors have built a ton of different resorts that are right on the ocean on different islands which are very nice and safe for the unfamiliar traveler, which I mich recommend for you and your family.

@FJB... shhhhh 🤐😂 dont give them any more reasons

@PaulB im certainly don't fall under that category. Grew up on a real farm with livestock and cash crops had my 1st gun at 7. Then went to college and went to the big city. You can take the country boy out of the country but can't take the country out of the boy. 🤣 I certainly agree people should experience the country and all the glory it offers, learn about what it actually takes to put the food on one's plate. It puts a lot in perspective.

@Cruising Caribbean no I didnt try to be vegan I love my steaks and seafood way to much and oh yes it was a dining challenge when out and staying in.

@@Cruising Caribbean the luggage Valet service in Seattle is 100% FREE and worked like a dream. Never saw my luggage until I reached my end destination which was great. Additionally the bag over weight charges go away so you need not worry about being over weight. CCL provided the simple formula to fill out and then night before debarcation you receive your boarding pass and luggage tags. Just that simple ...and I really like simple and not lugging my bags off the ship and through U.S. customes ugh. More ports need this service.

Really sorry to hear the bad news, headaches and extra cost, makes me so much more appreciative to have a CCL personal assistant for my cruises.

@Kendall James-Vargas the weather was a balmy 60 degrees, but you need to keep in mind that the waters is fed partly by the glacier so the water is really cold so the bergs last. The changes to Half moon cay don't excite me. I'm fare ski d and blond so I would be melting and die in excessive heat, thanks but no thanks, I will skip that stop.

@Kendall James-Vargas I've posted a new topic regarding the State Dept for everyone along with a link. As for the credit card I use is Capital One Venture One which is specifically geared towards travel and yes I also get reward points and you it for booking and excursions and other travel stuff i.e. ubur lyft dining events rental cars ... yes it covers all your rental car insurance needs as well (automatically) they sent me a link to all the stuff it covers and I was blown away. Flight delay hotels and meals lost luggage, I think if I recall even extended warranty on purches. And you are correct always travel with passport. Another great travel tip: TSA PRE CHECK, worth its weight in gold. I fly through tsa check points don't have to take my shoes or belt off no full body scans etc. I usually can get through tsa screening in less than 5 minutes, the only exception was Seattle which took about 15 minutes but had a lot of people, however the standard line which I saw was horrific and would have been 1 - 1.5 hours.

@Cruising Caribbean well you get 2 cards and a special 3rd card now for $45...ugh if you want a tshirt along with those cards it $75 ...no thanks Vicariously huh? 🤣

In a recent post by John Heald he specifically addressed the library topic and stated the CCL is fading them out quietly.

In another post I discussed how I enroll with the Dept. of State and register my travel itinerary as a safety protocol when traveling to foreign lands. I was requested by @Kendall James-Vargas to provide some additional information for others. First I will say its always a good idea to check out the threat level for your travel so you can be aware, forewarned is forearmed to take any necessary precautions. DO NOT rely on CCL to tell you, as they didn't say a peep regarding Mazatlan when I went in April and it was listed as level 4 Dont Travel (highest level) and they listed why and locations etc. The second thing is to register with the US. DEPT OF STATE -STEP PROGRAM, it's a free service. It notifies the embassy and Consulate near your travels that you are in the area and they can send notification if necessary to you cell phone about needed to evacuate and how to get help etc. Additionally if something happens to you they are more quick to assist you as they already have all your personal information i.e. passport #, driver's license. # date of birth, emergency contacts etc. Yes it takes a few minutes to do, but you never know what might happen and being proactive is better than reactive. Below is the link to US Dept of State travel advisory so you can see what threat level your travels might be and scroll down and you will see the button for the STEP program. Again it's 100% free. I hope some of you find it helpful and I do this everytime I travel to any foreign country. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/

This is another prime example of why i always travel with a passport on cruise ship visiting foriegn ports and purchase travel insurance separate from my credit card. Yes I purchase my cruise with a credit card that provides free travel insurance. The reason is one may cover more or different items from the other. Additionally when traveling to foreign lands I always register with the U.S. Department of State. When you do this it asks for itinerary, passport info emergency contacts and other information. Yes it take a few extra minutes but when in need of assistance you have set yourself up for success by being proactive v reactive. Fortunately I have never had any reasons to utilize any safe guards but just in case it's all set up.

@3Sisters wow you really are on top of things 👏

@Shallun I have not done the excursion you are talking about at the location. With that said i recently was on cruise to mexico and booked a camel excursion through carnival (which is rare for me). During this excursion photos took place prior to ride and they did a drone while inroad on the camel on the beach. Both came out great. I suspect that something similar would take place for horses as the excursion company wants to make additional money beyond just a ride from people

@Cruising Caribbean i would pass on most vegan dishes. no offense to vegans and yes i am/was very aware of vegan diets/meals etc. as I dated one for a while, to each their own. I am anxious to see what is on the new menu and have the opportunity to experience it. Hopefully someone has and will enlighten everyone what to expect and what's good v yuk ☺️

@Cruising Caribbean actually Bing is getting pricey as well... of course I give it a go at least one time per cruise 🤣 would you expect anything otherthan? 😏

@Linda Browning I have not seen library, card rooms or cigar bars on Carnival ship for some time now. I'm taking a guess that it's been probably 10 years or more. CCL is more focused on a bit younger generation which seems to have removed those spaces to be filled with other items inline with the primary cruiser base. You said this is your 1st cruise with CCL, have you cruised recently with other lines that have libraries and card rooms?

@Rochelle on my last cruise i was not one of the ones looking for a quiet place to hang out however, as I walked about the ship during the day and evening I did see some lounges not in use for entertainment which had a lot of seating and was mostly quiet which might work for you. The days of libraries and cigar bars are a thing of the past and long gone Era, at least from what I can see from CCL. I wish you the best

@Tootie I'm a frequent flyer to both land based and cruise ship casinos. I'm not sure when you last visited a casino but it sounds like it has been some time as Penny slots have not really been "penny" slots for a very very long time. With that stated the payouts have increased greatly as well. It is confusing about you comment about you'll choose a table game. black jack and other table games on ship have a minimum of $10 per hand bet so that means with $25 credit you would get to play 2.5 hands. I'm thinking there are a lot of other activities on a cruise ship that you might enjoy v. Casino

In the Philippines I have rode a mule to the top rim of a semi dormant volcano, the center was bubbling and steam coming out of some vents as you went up the side (noone else was there). Also took a ferry to a remote island that is known for its crystal blue waters and amazing beaches with only a couple thousand residents... I was the only American and treated like royalty and it was stunning. I have been truly blessed to see so many great and amazing things in the world.

@LukeJ yep I skip the tourist traps big time..usually lol always an exception to every rule. I have cruised the Mexico from Ensenada to Acapulco and everything in-between. I would hire private drivers to go to places far inland upto 100 miles away from ship. I have met some of the nicest people, been invited to break bread and share meal with them. Been to town with 100 to 500 people. Visited banana and coconut plantations, hseen hand made tile being done, released 2 baby sea turtles to the ocean that local where protecting from human preditors, swam/snorkelers in waters that tourist would die for and played with tiger cubs and so much more. Yes I will skip the tourist traps any day of the week and telwice on sunday. On the west caribbean side I have climbed myan pyramids that are off the beaten path and was left speechless when standing on the top and hearing the howler monkeys in the jungle surrounding it. I love the road less traveled. But some times I do get drawn into some commercialized things like the cliff divers in Acapulco...but I had too lmao @Cruising Caribbean no picnics one must be cautious about wild life and not becoming a meal for some lol the air was crisp clean and amazing

@RoadTravelled you're good sir. Everyone has a point regarding the matter. I shared mine...lol

Better late than never...welcome aboard!!

I saw 2 red fox's and got great pics of them on my digital camera I will see about transferring to my phone to send you pics. They where so close I could have fes them out of my hands if I wanted. Unfortunately I didn't see any bears, moose ... I kept calling Hey Bear!! But didn't help lol

@Kendall James-Vargas yeah that is a pretty crazy pic of the berg. I cant believe i got sucha picture and captured it like it did. Next cruise is either March or April not sure if will be Caribbean or Mexico the jury is still out