srlafleur

In over 20 cruises (multiple lines and ports), I think maybe there have been a couple or so that I wasn't able to unpack before or immediately after muster. Once or twice we happened to see our bags down the hall, waiting to be delivered, and just grabbed them ourselves on the way to our room.

Not 100% in agreement with the winner. It was fine, but I thought the other top look should have won.

Also not 100% in agreement with the loser, though that may be part personality conflict with the "safe" bottom look (Seriously? THAT was the best of the bottom 3?).

(Cryptic enough? Don't want to be a spoiler:D)

I've been to Nassau a few times. I don't hate it. I don't even dislike it. My experiences there were fine.

I just feel like "been there, done that". I think, for many experienced cruisers, it's the same sort of thing. Sometimes it's tough to find a cruise that doesn't go there or to some of the other ports that seem less popular.

Some of the negatives that people speak of would hardly be noticeable on the first go-round because of the excitement of visiting someplace new. After several visits, that honeymoon glow wears off.

Said TA might have been thinking birth certificate plus state ID with photo, for someone without a passport.

However, a passport trumps the need for either or both of those, unless you don't carry your passport ashore, in which case you do need some form of photo id.

Upon re-boarding in ports, I've never experienced anyone looking closely enough that they could notice the expiration date of the ID - passport or otherwise, just that the name matches the cruise card and the photo matches the face. (A cursory glance, at best). Of course, there's a first time for everything...

An aft-facing balcony is our stateroom of choice. Except for one notable exception (my fault), we've never been bothered by noise.

The exception? On Carnival Sunshine we found ourselves directly beneath the nightclub, and I think directly below the speakers in the nightclub. BOOMBABOOMBABOOMBA. The first night was really loud, but hubby can sleep through anything, and I just took a sleeping pill.

We didn't complain, but I'm pretty sure some others did, since subsequent nights were considerably quieter. The music was still going on, but the bass and the overall volume were lower. And, of course, it didn't go on all night.

Anyway, long story short - book with cabins above and below, whenever possible.

But that goes for staterooms in any part of the ship.

People who wear jumpsuits are obviously ones who seldom need to use the restroom!

Agree! If I see something I like that turns out to be a jumpsuit, it's off my list immediately. Seriously, who wants to have to disrobe entirely? After a couple of drinks, a long dress is tough enough! :rolleyes: :D

I don't really care, old vs. new. I've enjoyed myself on every cruise we've taken. I don't sail for the ship so much as for the ports. I don't partake in anything but the most basic stuff that every ship has, old or new, anyway. Sure, seeing some of the new stuff is neat, and it's great that the newer ships have more balconies than some of the older ones, since that's our stateroom of choice, but as for the new mega-ships that are limited in the ports they can visit due to size, and that house more people than the small city I grew up in?

Nope. Not interested.

Getting on board with tiny bottles vs. Ziploc bags: I'm thinking it's likely that they could think the bottles were bought as souvenirs. Baggies? Not so much. I'd go with the neat little bottles.

I don't currently have any pets. However, while it's no where near the same thing, I do have an elderly mother in a nursing facility. If she were to die and I were on a ship halfway around the world, what could I do about it? I've left instructions in the past to not contact me. (I'm her only child)

Now, if she were to become very ill (she's actually in pretty good shape for the shape she's in), that might be a different story.

If something were to happen not as expected as an 89 yo's death...say, to my kids, their spouses, my grandbabies, THAT would also be a whole 'nother story, because I would feel the need to be home ASAP to be with the rest of the family.

A pet? No, I wouldn't need to know, and if I did find out, I wouldn't rush home.

Just a note:

There are stairs and viewing platforms alongside the falls, so one can enjoy seeing the falls (and take pictures) without having to actually climb in them. You are perfectly free to make that decision once you see what it's like: too crowded, too steep, whatever.

Any time something like this occurs it is frightening and sad, of course. But here in the U.S. our news cycle, with its 24/7 coverage, repeating the same things over and over, ad nauseum, merely heightens the sense of "terror". It feels like it's still happening, even when it's well over. We can look forward to hearing about it for days, whether or not the investigation has turned up anything new to report.

Years ago, I flew into Dublin airport, arriving 1 hour after a bomb had been detonated in a rental car parking lot. We were totally oblivious to it because the airport had returned so quickly to "business as usual", and only found out because a guy at the rental counter happened to mention it. Now, granted, no one was killed, it was a "local" problem, and not nearly as frightening as suicide bombers, but had it happened here in the U.S., even way back then, the whole airport would have been shut down, we would have been diverted somewhere, and all hell would have broken loose. Mind, this was well before 9/11, but I remember having that same thought even back then. "Man, if this were back home, it would have been handled very differently."

Anyway, point is, seems like all that overabundant media coverage helps the terrorists, and not just by giving them all that publicity.

TI am hoping they all step it up next week and that no helps that one designer who takes credit for other peoples' ideas.

 

Lisa

Agree! That final look was actually lovely, not quite baroque, but very nice, but it was practically a team challenge! They really have to stop helping to that extent.

We much prefer ATD, and have done it since it's inception on every cruise line we've sailed. We request a table for 2, and we haven't usually had much of a wait, if any. Longest has been maybe 1/2 hour, but we just got a beeper, found a bar, and had a cocktail while we waited. No biggy.

Bummer on our upcoming Princess cruise in Japan - only fixed dining! :(

We've purchased the drink package for our Japan cruise on the Diamond. It's our first time on any cruise line to do so.

Since it includes pretty much anything liquid (bottled water, fresh-squeezed juice, soda, specialty coffees, milkshakes on up through all but the most premium alcohol pours), it seems like quite a bargain. (for us, it's dependent on itinerary - if we were going ashore at the butt-crack of dawn and back on board late, it would be a different scenario)

Are you sure you were on Island, not Royal or Regal? Royal and Regal are the only Princess ships with a curtain in the mini-suite. EM

Nope, definitely Island, Panama Canal, over Thanksgiving.

It had been in dry-dock not all that long before. Perhaps they added the curtains then?

I look at the whole menu before making my selections. If what I really, really want for an entree seems "weighty" (higher calorie, higher carb, etc.) I'll try to make lighter selections for my appetizers - clear soup, salad, fruit, etc. I eat some bread (it's too yummy to ignore, entirely), but certainly not every meal and I go for the higher fiber types - chewy, with lots of grains and seeds. (fortunately, that's the kind I prefer, anyway). If I have room for dessert, I usually will only need a few bites to satisfy my sweet tooth. Or, if there's a fruit soup on the menu, I may order that for dessert. (okay, it might actually be more calorie-filled than some dessert options. Don't judge!)

I avoid "fried" and "creamy" as much as possible, and I like to take my time, so my meal will have "hit bottom" before dessert, so I can best judge if I actually have room for it or if it will make me feel over-stuffed.

But, it is vacation, so a little indulgence is in order.

Everything in moderation, including moderation!

No curtain dividing the living from the sleeping area in any mini-suite. It's open. I wasn't aware that there were curtain dividers in mini-suites on the Island. First I've heard of it. Full suites, yes, but not mini-suites.

Oh, we were definitely in a mini (C728), and there was definitely a curtain. It was awesome for the afternoon naps - added a bit more darkness to the room. I don't normally nap, but I slept like the dead on our sea days! :D

Hi all,

We enjoyed a mini on Island Princess in November. One of the best things about it was the curtain dividing the bed space from the living space/balcony.

Can anyone tell me if there is the same in the minis on Diamond? (specifically E731)

Thx

The winning look was great and I would totally wear that. I agree that any of the top 4 would have deserved the win. There was definitely a bottom look and that designer should have been sent home. I think the judges are very biased towards the designer of the bottom look and that is why no one went home this week. It's "one day you're in, the next day you're out" not unless we really like you and then we will change the rules to keep you. The bottom look, IMHO, was frumpy dumpy and and boring color pallet. I understand that the original idea was scrapped, but that??? Ugh.

 

Lisa

Agree, though it was maybe more of a toss-up for me between the bottom 2 designs. I think we agree on who should have gone home.

Overall, I'm a little disappointed in this year's "all-stars". A few of them I like, but it seems kind of "meh" overall.

I can live without it, but find it does help keep things organized.: sunscreen, hosiery, jewelry, hubby's ties, all those smaller things that create clutter on flat surfaces or are small enough to get misplaced easily.

I even use it for shoes, if I have spare pockets.

Currently, 2 days in a row at sea is pushing my tolerance. I like ports. It's also pushing my wallet, since The Hubs likes the casino... and I end up getting sucked in there as well :eek:

Then again, we've never taken a cruise longer than 12 days total, and that was an exhausting Mediterranean itinerary, after which I was envious of the folks staying on for the TA. I would have welcomed a few sea days.

14 in a row? No, thanks.

I've been somewhat disappointed in the taste level and, for that matter, the construction level, of some of these "All-Stars". The finalist kids on PR, Jr. could design circles around a few of these supposedly seasoned pros.

Generally speaking, I would take my second choice over nothing, because I'm always running on the (admittedly, possibly mistaken) assumption that there's always next time.

BUT, that really depends on what the 2 lines you're choosing between, what the itineraries are, and whether or not this is "the vacation of a lifetime."

The lines we cruise are similar enough to each other in what they offer (that we care about), that that wouldn't matter to us.

As for itinerary, well, that is THE most important to us, so if we have to choose between, say, Europe or (ho hum) yet another week in the Caribbean, we'd likely hold off, unless something came up that was too affordable to miss at the same time as "oh my gawd, we need a vacation STAT".

And after a few weeks you can often tell a designer's style without having to be told their name. Not sure an "anonymous" runway is such a big deal to start with.

Yup. every time they say "anonymous runway", I whisper back "My a$$!":o

If they truly wanted it to be anonymous, they would have the designers in a different room entirely. Surely the judges try to be objective, but everyone develops preferences (for good or ill) after a few challenges.

Yay! I'm not the only one watching!

Definitely agreed with the winning team this week - even before I saw the others, I just knew it. And the loser? OMG. WHAT was he thinking? The taste level of both in the losing team was sorely lacking, but jeeze-louise. I do agree with the judges that it could actually have been good with a lining.