euroguy

@Cruising Caribbean i literally smiled and laughed outloud when i read about you buying few exta bingo cards and thought of me .... you crack me up and find it most amuzing that of all people i would be the one to cross your mind... 🤣 I suppose that I have impacted your life in some way...hopefully in a positive way.. next time instead of spending an extra $20-40 on bingo cards try a slot instead...live on the wild side 😜 What trip/ship did you just go on?? You are accurate when you say I do a lot of research prior to sailing date so I can always have an epic trip... sometimes to much that I drive myself crazy looking at all the options and possibilities. I had a really hard time for Skagway to decide what I wanted to do as we dock for 13 hours and so much to see and the excursions I could find from both CCL and Private left a lot of missed items that imop are must see's and I'm sure I drove my CCL personal assistant to need counseling session 😆 ultimately she helped me get a steal of a deal for a rental car for 12 hours for $150 vs $250 and it will be at the port waiting my arrival so I can simply walk off the ship and directly to the car. It's basically 1 hwy with virtually no other roads. She was able to get me a map with literally a step by step mile by mile to all the destinations (pictures attached) I will be seeing so much more than any others going a ways into the yukon and it will o ly take me maybe 5 hours round trip getting me back to town/ship around 1-2 pm, ship leaves at 8 pm so that means I will also have tons of time to visit plenty of shops/sights in skagway itself. Basically I get to pretty much see everything for less than what other excursions charge more to see so much less and I won't be cramed into a bus waiting for others and being part of a cattle call. I can stop when and where I want for as long or short as I want at each stop, so if one turns out to interest me more I can spend more time and vice versa. Ok this is turning out to be very long, you might need to take a nap mid way through

Wow that is amazing. I always dislike having to lug my luggage at the end of a cruise. I wish more ports offered this service. I also wish that CCL would have made this option/information more accessible prior to booking my flight, I certainly would have booked a later flight so I had more time in Seattle. Thank you for link and information

@Cruising Caribbean you are correct by say its pretty good time to go to Alaska #1 schools are back in session so less youngsters, not that I a problem with them but will be a little less caos and more adults #2 less mosquitoes #3 still in whale season #4 not snow season #5 right before the season transition. Regarding my CCL personal assistant she has been great keeping in touch with me and set up a helicopter ride in Ketchican to see a special waterfall and land on top of a mountain to take in the views for about 20 minutes. At the top no buildings or any people just spectacular views and serenity of nature. Then Juneau I'm on a private boat to go see humpback whales and with a little luck some orcas. I have not decided yet whats for Skagway...maybe a trip across the Canadian boarder to the Yukon. As for.the bears most trips don't seem worth it as you're very far from them and have to use a telescope to get a decent view... I have probably been closer to a grizzly in a zoo...lol but there is a jet boat that goes up a river to the grizzly feeding grounds which may be so so. I certainly will post as always a run down of my trip rwgarding ship, food, excursions and overall experience with few pics so others know what to expect and look forward to. Another note regarding my CCL personal assistant she has been great and we are in discussions about my future cruise in March or April. I'm thinking to wait and see what new spectacular offers they present after my upcoming Alaska cruise.

Oh another question I heard but have not been able to verify, that cruise passengers can have your bags taken directly to air port and will see them at your flight end destination. Do you know anything about this?

@RoadTravelled i thought i was in the know after being on 9 CCL cruises but obviously not...lol thank you very much for the additional info and recommendations for Victoria. I had no idea about the must stop at a foreign country...but I've always in past cruises been to foreign lands so guess thats why. I know that at the Victoria pier they have some shops and restaurants about 10 min walk from cruise ship. Was anything open when you docked? Again thank you so much for the detailed information. It's always nice to have some idea what to expect when embarking at a new port.

Oh and thought it was confusing why the ship stops in Victoria at night for on a few short hours. Was anything open at the pier ??

@RoadTravelled thanks for the run down. I'm flying into Seattle and was thinking to take an uber to terminal. Do people have to line up outside like they do in long beach for your deignated entey time?

In 20 days I'm headed to Alaska out of Seattle, which is my 1st cruise out of that terminal. Has anyone cruised out of Seattle and can tell me what the set up is like? Thanks so much

@Cruising Caribbean much like you I have mostly been to warm ports and alaska has been on my list of must does as at some point cruises may not go any longer due to environmental issues. So finally i'm pulling the trigger and going for the 1st time ...and CCL of course provided an offer couldn't refuse as well 😆 bears are so fuzzy cuddly I don't see the problem hehehehe

I read the post regarding the cruisers who used magnets and a projector etc... I must admit it was pretty clever however I can understand the safety issues. I do hear what youre saying regarding it would be nice if CCL did upgrade or update TV shows but at the same time I personally can not recall one single cruise that I thought gee I want to go hang out in my cabin and watch xyz. (I can do that at home). I'm in my mid 50's and always seem to find d things to do and and meet tons of people, meet up for cocktails, dancing, listening to live bands, shows etc... simply enjoying what the ship offers. Isn't that why most of us go on a cruise, no fuss enjoy life get out of our cocoons spread our wings and fly...lol yes everyone has the right to do as they please and don't mind that just kind of seems a bit counter productive to the whole cruise thing, but to each their own.

@Mr.Bill im not sure what.you loyalty level is with CCL but if you have a CCL personal assistant I would reach out to that person. If you don't then I would co tact customer service. I've travel exclusively CCL, spend a lot in casino and receive some pretty increadibly offers, however I've not received any such as you state. I would certainly follow up on it prior to your sail date. Safe jouneys and happy meals to you

@Cruising Caribbean absence make the heart grow fonder 🤣 been really busy at work ..but now 29 days to Alaska and have things to get done... but whos counting lol

@Kendall James-Vargas as always you're on point. 😆

I'm getting ready to take my Alaska cruise in 30 days and was was watching a few videos regarding Alaska cruises and one of them stated that on the night before debarcation when you put your luggage out in the hallway you can have them taken directly to the airport and checked in so you wouldn't see them again until you arrived at you flight destination. I love this idea. Has anyone ever heard of this or done it??

My last cruise in April out of Long Beach it seemed that it made no difference if you had FTTF as you had to stand outside in your boarding time slot. Then would see people that had an earlier boarding time show up 1-2 hours past there assigned boarding time and allowed to go inside to wait and board causing my enrltry into the building delayed. They finally let our line in and it was a swip left or right type situation.. FTTF go left general boarding go right. Once inside I sat down for about 10 minutes and diamonds, platinum, and suites got to go first then FTTF. Ot sure how soon after FTTF the general boarding started but it seemed a bit of a waste to have the FTTF in regards to embarkation. Priority demarcation for tender ports was nice but didn't make any difference when trying to get back on the ship everyone had to stand in line under the scorching sun for an hour as we waited for tenders to.go back and forth (cabo). On demarcation day it was a cluster "F". FTTF met in one of the lounges had coffee and pastry service buy we sat and waited as we saw many people leaving the ship many who didn't have any status and was carrying their own luggage. The one nice perk of the FTTF was guest services which I used a couple times. I was able to use the exclusive line vs general line which was typically very long and I was able to bypass that mess and got right up questions handled and on my way in quick fashion.if I'm being honest I have mixed feels regarding to the FTTF program. I'm certainly looking forward to becoming a platinum level in 1 more cruise.

@SpaceCowboy9 I like you're rec's all though I have heard some concerns about San Juan and Americans. perhaps they have been miss placed. When was the last time you went to San juan? Taking the ferry to?? Thanks fkr tour group info thats a valuable tip as i usually hire private vs. Ship as usually get bigger bang for your buck. Ive experience some increadible things booking non ship excursions, as was not listed for ship and saved tons of money as well.

I'm a curiouse person and enjoy others perspectives. So I pose this question... how many cruises per year do you take and why cruise vs. Land vacations ?? For me I look at cruise a bit like buffets, which I enjoy a good buffet not because of the unlimited quantity but more of I like a large variety of foods and can satisfy all the taste buds and can have as little or more of any one item that fits my current needs. With that said, for me cruises offer such a variety in itineraries and go to multiple locations to get a wider variety of a region. With so many different cruise ships and each one different from each other, the ship becomes an destination within its self. I only have to unpack once while traveling to different regions, no worries about safety, hotel quality getting from point A B C. I meet so many great & different people while cruising, some I've kept in contact with. I can be as active or not as fits my energy level. And last but not least... variety is the spice for life. And i take 2 to 3 cruises per year. I could list so many more reasons but let's hear yours. Cheers to cruising!

My most recent experience having a CCL Personal Assistant was when setting di ING time for MDR early dining was already full. I put in one phone to her and the next morning I had a conformation email that I was early dining...Awesomeness I won't have to race to the restaurant manager on day one and argue for dining change and hope he/she will do it. Erica also said I could call even after normal hours since I'm 3 hours behind her... amazing!!!

@East Coast I've not received an echo offer as I just started returning to cruising after taking a few years off for personal al reasons. I have received the Premier, Ultra and Elite offers. I was not aware of the Echo offers until now and after some research I'm not sure they still exist as what I can see would have had to book by Octber 2022 and use by end of August 2024. My most recent cruise and 1st after returning was just this last April 2023. I do have another scheduled for very end of August 2023 and also looking at either March or April 2024... basically every 6 months or so. Receiving Elite offers after my last cruise in April tells me I spent way to much time in the casino 😆 but I do like the free cabin offers. I'm hoping that after August 2024 they will have a similar new program. @Cruising Caribbean the ECHO program is through CCL which stands for Executive Casino Host On Call.

Thank you all for the suggestions I'm researching to see which might be a good fit.

Well it took some time but it looks like CCL has listened to its guests as they are coming out with 60 new dishes and larger portion sizes for the main dining room and expanding the menue so if you want to pay additional you can have some meals from the specialy restaurants. They will be trying out the new dishes on June 17 on the Cranival Dream. Then expanding to the entire fleet by fall. I for one welcome the change as the meals on my last cruise in April were very disappointing. I hope the changes take place by my next cruise in September to Alaska, if not I know I will get to experience them in april 2024.

I'm thinking of taking a cruise in April out of Florida and interested in hearing g people's thoughts about must go to ports and why. FYI I have been to Costa Mya, Belize, Progresso cozamel Thanks

I'm thinking of taking a cruise in April out of Florida and interested in hearing g people's thoughts about must go to ports and why. FYI I have been to Costa Mya, Belize, Progresso cozamel Thanks

@Kendall James-Vargas thank you for providing the link. It was an interesting read. Some of which I had recently read and some new information. it would have been nice to have more food options but for me I've eaten from street vendors in 3rd World Countries to Michelin rated restaurants in NY and everything in-between. So I will find something that satisfies the taste buds and fulfills the nutrients needed lol. Besides I absolutely love sea food and at every Alaskan port I can get my food fix on... if needed. Glass half full. I was glad to see that the ship has the lido canopy especially on the Alaska cruise as it will be more climate controlled, where as on warmer climate cruises the open lido is great. Of course I was excited to read about the newly refurbished casino ... go figure!! 🤣 I have sailed on 2 or 3 spirit class ships previously and found them to be enjoyable and easy to navigate vs the Panorama was a massive ship and felt like I walked the entire ship constantly to the point of almost exhausted and feet hurting. It will be interesting to see the cross over / duel ship construction/layout the Luminosa provides. No I have not saved with Costa or any of the Italian fun ship previously however at the end of next year the Italian fun ship the Fenzia will be port at my nearby port of Long Beach CA so I will definitely be trying g out that ship in the very near future. The bottom line is the Luminosa is not the newest and fanciest of ships and lacking in certain ways. Everyone has a choice on a cruise to be as disappointed or happy/fun as you want. I personally look at it as another adventure to destinations untraveled and prefer to keep it on the positive. Regardless it's better than the alternative... being home and working. I'm looking to possibly cruise out of Florida in April. Any suggestions as to must go to ports on the carribean side? I've been to Costa Maya, Progresso cancun and Belize previously. As always enjoy your input and feedback.

@Kendall James-VargasOh and yes my personal CCL assistant has earned her number in my phone with speed dial. I feel so prevledged and very appreciative.