cruizinwithkids

Almost 30 years ago, my husband cruised with his best friend. We treated the friend as he was going through a terrible divorce. The friend is very tall and big - not fat, just broad. Anyway, he put on 15 pounds in 4 days - eating, drinking and just letting loose.

He's happily remarried now and he and his wife have been on many much more luxurious cruises than the one they went on long ago, but he still calls the one with my husband his favorite vacation.

It was a Royal Caribbean cruise.

I take it that you have not seen or reviewed gary222's posting history.

Your comment literally made me LOL. As someone on the NCL boards I've seen gary222's posting history.

I do think an inexperienced cruiser who doesn't want ANY kids should stick to the luxury lines that have been suggested. While I find it hard to believe, some people I know, cruised and hated it. I would love a longer cruise but I don't think it's best for a first cruise.

One negative aspect of cruising on the Dawn to Bermuda is that it arrives in Bermuda on Sunday, when public transportation is limited, taxi fares carry a stiff surcharge, and many stores are closed. It limits what you can do that first day in port. The Breakaway arrives in Bermuda on Wednesday, when full bus and ferry service is running, taxis are priced normally, and everything is open.

I agree with this, but I also have a flip side. At least for ME.

As much as I try not to, I spend the days leading up to Bermuda, looking forward to and anticipating arrival. I "waste" enjoying the actual cruise. For the return trip, I am in no hurry at all.

So for my simple mind, one day before Bermuda and two days after makes my cruise seem longer.

Having sailed with my "kids" while they were in their 20's, I would have to say make it the Breakaway. A few years ago, we gave them a choice for a Christmas present. It was between the 4 of us in a balcony on the Breakaway or a suite on the Dawn. Both Bermuda cruises. After looking at the activities on the ship, they picked the Breakaway and loved it.

I would like to see some of those Cruise of yesteryear items return again. I miss the Cooking Light menu items, chilled soups in the MDRs,and guest lecturers

We took the kids out of school years ago for an Alaska cruise in 2003. There was a guest lecturer who was just soooooo dry. The kids wanted to kill me. I have to admit, I couldn't even attend her second lecture. I was going to just to make the kids but my mother told me I couldn't subject the kids to that.

That same cruise, there were crew members helping my daughter do her Spanish homework.

 

It's like a new sport watching the happenings around here [emoji41]

That's hilarious!!!

Try going to the ports of call section of the boards. You can generally get a lot of helpful advice there.

I have not done any private excursions in any of the ports you mentioned so I have no advice to offer there.

I added a link.

Welcome to cruise critic.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5

If you do a search of the forum, using that date, you will see that there are actually 3 roll calls. Yours and another have no activity, except the original post. One does have a bit.

Hope you have a great cruise, with or without a roll call.

I would go for the gratuities.

I am platinum latitudes and I'm really not that impressed. The friend that is my recent cruising partner just hit gold and he's very excited. Meh.

There had been talk a few months ago of revising the latitudes program where there were higher booking discounts depending on the latitudes level. Haven't heard anything recently. I personally believe the perks have diminished as there seem to be more and more higher level members.

The terminals are very close to each other. I assume it is split to make things move more smoothly.

The terminal is where you check in, so you will be split up during that process. You have to go to the assigned terminal as that is where the room keys are.

I have no idea if you could request a change ahead of time.

Are your reservations linked?

 

Trying to get the 18% removed every time you get a drink would just make every purchase hard work. Having an enjoyable holiday would be a bigger priority for me.

I could not agree more with this.

My GUESS is that the server can't remove the charge at all. The computer is probably not programmed for a simple override. A bar manager or someone like that could probably do it.

If I were the bartender and I saw someone come to the bar who's transaction was going to take a very long time, I'm pretty sure he or she would be the last person I serve.

And to the OP, if you are going into a cruise knowing that each transaction is going to be a battle, is this the right vacation (or maybe just cruise line) for you?

BTW, my first cruise was in 1988 and there was a tip added to each of those drinks. $1.50 for the beer and .28 tip (15%) DH had many, many, many such transactions. :D

i've done this at least once a day since feb to check out the total prices. i'm way to familiar with the booking screens and even noticed at one time if you wanted free internet you had to call in. unsure why that was. but the spa rooms have been constant pricing for 6 months. i hope tomorrow is not a day for increases. i also know the other haven prices by heart by now and the daily inventory of rooms. sad i know

I hope you are also familiar with the "rules" as you are within final payment/cancellation period. I'm pretty sure you are not automatically entitled to new perks.

 

I can certainly understand why you might not like being referred to as a "jerk", however I'll bet the person you call "chair hog" doesn't like that label either.

Sorry, I had assumed that it was a universal believe that there are chair hogs. As I said, I have literally never sat on a lounge chair by the side of a pool on a ship. I really didn't realize that the existence of chair hogs was a debate.

My whole point was just wondering if there are chairs with towels that are not being saved but just have a towel left on them.

I still don't think my general comment about chair hogs was a reason to call me a jerk.

Or maybe they just have to pee? Or get a drink? Or jump in the pool to cool off? People like you are the problem, when you see a chair like that and automatically think, "chair hog". That makes you the jerk, and not the person doing it.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My father died of skin cancer. I don't sit in the sun. I don't know why you would call me a jerk. I don't take chairs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know there are plenty of chair hogs - the ones who put a paperback on the chair or a pair of flip flops or whatever. I just wonder how many of the chairs covered with towels are just like that because people are done.

I am a freak who always clears off my table after eating at the buffet. Many others don't. Are the chairs basically the same? I'm done, so I take my stuff and leave anything else?

I don't really know because chair hogs have never been an issue with me for loungers. I think sitting in the sun is hot and boring.

I participated in the poll because I really like the subject and am looking forward to the results. I went with the onboard experience being the same. But I really have no idea. I'm definitely a person who sees the world through rose-colored glasses and I've been fortunate to cruise enough that they all kind of blend together.

Excluding the Sky, my last 4 NCL cruises have been 2 times on the Getaway and 2 times on the Breakaway. I remember having a really great bartender and waiter (same bar), but couldn't remember what ship it was. Then I remembered that we were watching a football game so it had to be the Getaway since we didn't sail the Breakaway during football season.

I just hope that people can keep in their minds the difference between on-board experience and corporate experience. My PCC is awesome, but over the years we have had less than stellar corporate experience.

Big discussion on premium drink prices. There is a menu about 1/2 way down the first page of this thread.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2386816

Agreed, they do not publish price lists (I wonder why?:rolleyes:)

 

However they do know that they have repeat passengers who know what prices used to be (clue is the Latitudes programme) and that this information gets public very quickly via social media.

I agree the repeat passengers are a big problem. Last year DH cruised with his sister. They are cruising again this year. I asked if someone could order a Dark and Stormy made with Myers. Interestingly enough, a Dark and Stormy is actually trademarked in the US and uses Gosling Rum. I assume it can be ordered with Myers.

SIL drinks wine. I'm trying to find the current wine list. If DH and SIL are not forewarned they will order exactly what they did last year. I'm sure they would notice that they didn't sign last year but they have to this year - and there is a balance to what they are signing.

I like Dark and Stormys, but is this really a "premium" $17 drink? I think I'll just do a ginger ale with rum then lol

My husband's next cruise is without me, the cheap accountant. When at home he only drinks beer. When he cruises he drinks beer and Dark and Stormys, but it's not like he's a Dark and Stormy connoisseur. I THINK the menu said a Gosling Rum and Gosling Ginger beer is $17. Could he ask for a Dark and Stormy made with Myers Dark rum? I have to tell him what to do or he'll miss me. LOL

I like to get on-board and have my vacation immediately begin. I do that by limiting the carry-on luggage. I want to be able to explore and not have to drag around luggage. I like to have a nice relaxing lunch in the dining room. Maybe have a drink up on deck or at any other venue.

My goal is to not waste time waiting for the room to be available. I'm onboard and time to have fun.

 

I love the Magic Bands at Disney.

And maybe NCL can increase there revenue with all the band decorations. I've been totally suckered into those. :D Though I do think I'm going to pass up on the latest - Dooney and Bourke Magic Bands!!!:D:eek::D:eek::D

I think it can be difficult to substitute another port due to needing staff at the port. Immigrations, customs, etc.

The only port I can recall being substituted is Nassau. They seem to be able to welcome ships with the drop of hat.

My GUESS is that you can't really talk to anyone on board. It looks as though it is really handled by a 3rd party. It looks to me that where the wedding takes place is based on size of party and availability. It says that location will be assigned some amount of time prior to sailing.

Last time I was on the Sky, we were docked next to a Disney ship. We could see a very nice looking wedding taking place on deck. Atlantis would have been the back drop for pictures. It was fun to watch and like I said, looked very nice.

https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/Norwegian_WeddingBrochure_050516.pdf

Thanks for the info. I believe that those bartenders that say they don't get the tips are just trolling for additional tips from passengers and it always amazes me that folks fall for it.

I've never had a bartender tell me one way or another, but then again I have never asked.

If someone at my job asked if I got paid enough, or asked if I wanted more, I would tell them I wanted more.

If this is a two person room and the other person will be going, a name change can be done.

If it's a studio, then I have no idea.

As it is far off, the shore excursion agreements might not be in place. But this is from the NCL website - obviously as it is a link.

And sorry, I did miss that port on that cruise.

https://www.ncl.com/excursions/search?Ntt=St.%20John%27s,%20Antigua&Ntk=ShorexPort