LeeW

We set my watch and had a tiny folding alarm clock (need for early excursions even though ship docking wakes us up). Problem was that both have pushbuttons to light up the display so you have to fumble to find out what time it is. Found this clock and really like it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09NM45VJX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Fairly large (4" wide) but it is both battery powered and lighted. Battery lasts at least 6 weeks (still running on originals). Easily visible across the room (although that location not good for an alarm).

We prefer partial transit (sometimes with small boat excursion through rest of locks). We've done 3 partials and 2 full transits. Excursions on the Pacific side have very long bus rides, plus we like cruises that go to the ABCs as well as the Canal. Had a 19 day Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver cancelled in 2021...... Not impressed with Chiapas on Pacific side, although Puntarenas was great and we did have one cruise that stopped in both Nicaragua and Guatemala.

All three people will move but you only pay the bid for the first two. Same for 4 person cabin.

Yup. Our assistant on last cruise considered it a challenge/fun to get in and and out quickly. Gave him more time to speak with us as well. And most of our orders were "special" with substitutions. Allure had a special challenge because the kitchen is on a different floor from the dining room we were in. He had to use the escalator each time.

Not with the soda package. Gun only (unless the guns are not working at that particular bar). You might look into the canned soda package in the Gifts area of the web site. Slightly cheaper than bar price for single can.

Most ships let you do a room charge but you can't put winnings back into the room account. You take a ticket out of the machine to the cage, get cash, and then you can reimburse your room account at Guest Services if you wish.

Typically they let you take one of three buses back to the ship, leaving roughly on the hour. If you miss it you wait an hour. The big key is when the water park opens - 10, versus when your ship arrives. They walk you from the bus/taxi area through the hotel to the other end of the water park to process in and spend quite a bit of time touring you through the area. Either buy direct or through a local hotel day room (depends on how many people if this is a good option). See the Nassau board for how this works.

The pier is in the general aviation airport, so no hotels near the pier. There are a few cheaper ones near the end of the entry road and several around the Sheraton. Beach ones tend to be expensive. We prefer to stay out in the Carolina area north of the airport (Embassy). This trip staying in the airport hotel. Cheaper (even has a rooftop pool) but since we don't get in until after 10 made more sense than taking a cab anywhere. If you have an early flight the next morning you also can't beat being already in the terminal. No sightseeing from there, though. Remember that all bags have to go through agricultural xray before they will check you in at that airport, so allow a bit of extra time for your flight. But they also won't let you check bags more than 3 hours before flight out.

The Tabyana ship tour tends to be cheaper than taking a cab and paying admission.

In September Radiance had the indoor pool open for kids 8-10 and 12-2 every day both weeks we were there. That said the waves were high enough on a few days end of first cruise that nobody was allowed in the pool. Even the dams of towels the pool attendants were trying to use were not keeping the water in the pool. Sorry about rotated picture.

That class of ship may have some special menus in the Park Cafe. Have seen BBQ at least once on Brilliance and Radiance. Not late at night, though. Many buffets have a special huge dessert menu available for lunch on one day with lots of chocolate stuff. And lately they have been doing the large welcome back cake (had a welcome Wonder of the Seas cake on Allure this fall).

Interesting. In Fort Lauderdale in October and all the taxis we took had a big sticker on the side window indicating the fixed price for trips to and from airport or cruise port.

Sky also has a lot less shade in the Sanctuary than older Grand class ships. It does have a gazebo with couches, but only a couple of loungers in the very front sides have shade (obviously depends on sailing direction, but we were in Caribbean).

Have done this several times on partial transit cruises. Normally once the ship reaches Gatun Lake you catch a tender-like boat to shore and then are bussed to the other side of the lake (where the pilot boats dock). Maybe 100' from bus to the boat, then a few steps down into the boat. Ours had some seating on picnic tables aft but most people stood for the transit and moved around a lot. In all three cases we took the boat southbound and were bussed back to Colon after the tour. You will likely share the lock with a freighter of some kind and can touch the walls. You do miss the cruise ship return transit to Colon but get to see the Cut and the original locks on the Pacific side (ask pilot about dent in Miraflores Lock). Have never seen them try to handle a scooter, and frankly the small boat used doesn't have any room to run around. Would require them lifting the scooter over the side of the dock into the boat and back at the other end. If he can walk a few hundred feet and get on and off buses he will like this tour.

A few weeks ago on Allure we backed in to the old cargo port adjacent to the normal port (starboard side). Larger ships can't fit between the reef and port in Aruba. Curacao was port side at the farther out pier. New Norwegian ship had the closer in dock. Both locations had shuttles running to the main dock entry but it was faster to walk.

Sapona was a fun snorkel, although a fairly long boat ride out there. Half of the concrete wreck is above water and a ton of fish around it. Went there on Celebrity Infinity in October, partly to visit ports that Royal wasn't doing. Would have hit Grand Turk but pier was still out. Key West was still cleaning up from hurricane a week earlier.

We use the first two D+ internet and then use our other one to sign up for rest of cruise. App defaults to the Surf and Stream option with $51 credit, which usually results in a small charge to our onboard account for the remaining days. I have to intentionally change to Surf if I want to avoid that.

Second one makes more sense - passengers have to process through immigration at the first US port after a foreign port. Certainly partly depends on when they have space available at each port.

If Norway satellite coverage is similar to Alaska you won't get much of anything up there (including internet).

Nearest ATM is in the large elevated building right in front of you as you get off the pier outside one of the shops. No idea what currency it dispenses (have never used local currency in St Maarten).

TAs that don't go through Iceland/Greenland do tend to be cheaper per day but sounds like you are getting a great deal. I don't see the TA appearing for sale yet but likely they are still working out details and arrangements for folks booked on the non-TA cruises. Hmm - we don't have April 2024 planned yet... You will NOT be the only ones on the ship (although they could remove some of the performers before the cruise depending on where they need them).

If you are sailing for the ports the ship doesn't really matter that much. We've sailed a couple of times on Vision. An old-style cruise experience. Much of the entertainment is in the atrium - fair number of performances by the crew members. Much more interaction with senior crew than on the large ships and price is usually pretty decent.

Not sure when the $17.50 increased charge will kick in. You can avoid the increase by paying in advance depending on when you booked.

Did Radiance up and back this year (cruises 5/6 to Alaska). The ship has good viewing areas and an enclosed solarium with some good loungers. Rained most of trip up (Hubbard Glacier fogged in) and very little on trip south. Ship is fine for this - you spend most of your time in ports so you don't need all the fancy shows in Alaska. Lots of the entertainment is in the atrium, so can get a bit noisy if your cabin is near there until around 10 PM. If ship has an excursion to the Eagle Preserve (in Haines but usually get ferry from Skagway) would highly recommend that float trip (did this 3 times). Train is ok although seats are not very comfortable (did this twice). Also recommend the whale watching tour with AlaskaShoreTours in Juneau. You can bundle this with a trip to Mendenhall Glacier if you like. While we prefer Princess for the trip into Glacier Bay, this was also good and we hit ports we had not been to before.

If you have your bag only checked to a layover point you are going to pay the bag fee again for the second flight.