KINGBOBOFTHENORTH

Final DJ sets at Ultra actually end at Midnight.

During online check-in you should be able to skip the photo and credit card sections and still complete everything else. You can then generate your cruise docs once you're within the time window. Your photo(s) will be taken at the check-in desk in the cruise terminal and credit card input at a kiosk (or Reception desk) onboard.

Before leaving on any international trip my wife or I announce "PASSPORT CHECK" and we each have to show each other our passports regardless of how many times we had recently looked at it.

My power strip was confiscated when boarding MSC Seaside at Port Canaveral last year. It was returned by my room stewardess on the final night of the cruise. But this was the first time that MSC or any cruise line had taken the power strip. Now I just bring a multi-plug to expand one outlet into three which is plenty.

Correct, that's what my MAS rep told me. The Bahamas cruises on Paradise do have a fuel surcharge but the Mexico cruises on Islander do not.

It's been my experience that it's less than 30 days. They refer to 2 billing cycles because some of the population has a billing closing that's this week, or next week, or in 3 weeks, etc and it might not post this cycle but which puts it into the next cycle. But if your credit card cycle just closed, it may very well post before the next bill drops.

Got my own answer. There is no fuel surcharge on the Islander.

No, there are no nice beaches near the cruise port. The port is in a very industrial area. But there will be taxi drivers there offering rides to a beach which is about 20 minutes away, near the Port Lucaya Marketplace. The taxi will be a shared taxi van and will run about $15 return.

When you drop off a car at the Rental Car Center at MIA, especially with one of the major rental car companies, you'll find a staff of greeters who will scan the code on the door, close your rental and print/email your receipt. You can then be on your way to the port via taxi or rideshare. When you return your car to a city/neighborhood location, you typically have to park your car and go inside to close your rental. Inside, on a port day (which is pretty much every day in Port Miami, you'll find the above-described chaos with so many coming off ships and renting cars while you and others return cars. If you have a hotel, then taxi/rideshare/hotel shuttle to the hotel. In either case, save the heartache and return to the airport rental car center.

I just priced-through a November date on the MAS website doing the 50% rate on the Islander. The online price quoted was $229 per person + $109.70 per person taxes/fees for a total of $338.70 pp. Total for 2 would be $677.40. Not great but not too bad either. But no mention of a fuel surcharge. Is this something they spring on you once onboard, added to your shipboard account?

There is a port bus that takes you from the ship to just outside the port gate. From there it's about a 10 minute walk to the Civitavecchia train station. Last time I was there they had a couple ticket machines to buy the tickets to Rome Termini plus a ticket window. The train was absolutely packed; all seats taken and me, wife and son had to stand in one of the vestibules. Make sure you have your wallet in a front pocket and your hand on the wallet. A woman with a purse should keep it clutched tightly to her chest.

We sailed out of Southampton this past December and prices were in EUR.

About 25 minutes, a few minutes less on Saturdays & Sunday mornings.

In 2021 when we over-nighted in Dubai, the casino did not open.

Seriously, for one roundtrip between the airport & Port Canaveral, just bring some 1 dollar bills or a roll of quarters and pull off into the Cash lanes. The transponder would just be a hassle. However, those "2 days before the cruise" concerns me because other than I-4, every expressway around Orlando is a toll road so you're bound to run into more tolls.

I agree! I've been on 1 Costa ship and 1 Carnival ship that had that same disco design with the dance floor being downstairs and a couple of overlooks above it. Can't wait to see it on Margaritaville at Sea! (Of course it's all about the DJ.)

No, the shipboard account gets closed on the day one disembarks the ship. There are no further service charges/gratuities added.

To provide another price point, please be aware that a train from Paris St Lazare to Le Havre is only $18-$25 per person one way. A taxi from the Le Havre station to the port is another €10.

I'm skeptical about what the NCL rep told you. Just recently in Cape Town NCL told us that their cruise transportation would meet us in Baggage Claim but in reality it was after Baggage Claim in an area of the terminal where one went after retrieving their baggage. The same might be at CDG. Baggage Claim itself might be in a secure area you can't get to but neither can the NCL rep. The NCL rep would be standing inside the terminal where everyone comes out of the secure area. This is also typically friends & family await arriving passengers along with taxi and limo drivers. You might want to post something over on FlyerTalk and ask people familiar with CDG arrivals. I'd do that before paying $600 for a taxi ride to LaHavre.

Not only that, but they're advertising BOGO as low as $149 for the first, second goes free, on their new Islander ship. But when you look at the various lead prices, there's nothing even close to that price. I guess they've yet to realize they've got thousands of cabins to sell and the ship is sailing relatively soon. They better quit playing games.

Yes, but not the same issue you had. But last January I had flights booked by NCL Air where the first flight on Delta did not show up on Delta's website or in their computer. I called NCL Air several times and they promised everything would be ok. On the morning of the flight, still no Delta flight and NCL Air finally took me seriously. After they talked to Delta and confirmed no reservation, NCL Air rebooked me THAT DAY on American. So if NCL Air blows you off with your concerns, make sure they document your call to them in their Notes. Then when you finally get your Air confirmation, if it's wrong, there will be a record of you informing them of their error. Hopefully it will be right though.

I've upgraded from an Inside to a Balcony at the Reception desk upon boarding. So it can be done at any point if there are cabins available.

If you booked directly with NCL, try to get this fixed NOW before they book your airline reservations. Call NCL's Air Department at 866-625-1163. If you booked with a travel agent or on-line cruise agency, you'll need to call them.

For what it's worth, none of that stuff is actually made in the Bahamas. They want you to think it is but it's all imported from Asia. IMO, just go to the Straw Market and you'll find the same stuff and you can negotiate the price.

And while Princess, Celebrity and RCI will charge a single passenger 2X the price, MSC will often charge a single traveler somewhere between 1X (no single supplement) to 1.5 the price, a much better deal than the others.