peajay84

761 days. :(

I don't like being stressed about getting somewhere "on time" so I plan on being early just in case something happens along the way. We fly in the day before embarkation so I won't be stressed about missing a flight/connection. Our hotels have usually been near airports which are 30-45 minutes from the port. I arrange transportation that will get us to the port between 1030-11a. Our last cruise didn't have staggered boarding, this time we'll have FTTF. Even if we get there and have to wait, I'll feel better that we're at the port and I can relax until it's time to board.

I'm hoping for $50 deposits again but could live with 50% deposits.

I love your style! God I hope we cruise together someday!! I'm sure we'd be best friends and quite possibly quarantined in our cabins with guards stationed outside the door!

Me too! Sounds like the watermelonqueen needs to organize a fan cruise! :)

are you talking about airlines or cruise ships. You can not bring "booze" on board carry on or luggage. The airlines do not care.

If they're talking about ambarkation, you can bring bottled wine or champagne (one bottle per person) onto the ship in your carry on.

If they're talking about debarkation, you need to pack it in your luggage if you'll be flying after you get off the ship.

We pack booze in our luggage all the time when we travel and have yet to have any issue with it (other than a bottle leaking every now and then). We fly so it has to go into checked luggage. We pack it well and declare it when going through customs. No problems.

Okay--now what about putting sparkling wine into checked luggage?? Any suggestions??

I won a bottle of champagne on the Valor our last cruise. We had the Cheers! package so didn't drink it while on the ship. I was concerned about packing it in our luggage for our flight home due to it being carbonated but didn't have an issue. I wrapped it in a towel (we bring our own beach towels so we know which are ours) then in a trash bag (I bring extra to pack dirty clothes in) just in case it burst open or broke but I got it home without issue.

I won a bottle of champagne on the Valor our last cruise. We had the Cheers! package so didn't drink it while on the ship. I was concerned about packing it in our luggage for our flight home due to it being carbonated but didn't have an issue. I wrapped it in a towel (we bring our own beach towels so we know which are ours) then in a trash bag (I bring extra to pack dirty clothes in) just in case it burst open or broke but I got it home without issue.

I won a bottle of champagne on the Valor our last cruise. We had the Cheers! package so didn't drink it while on the ship. I was concerned about packing it in our luggage for our flight home due to it being carbonated but didn't have an issue. I wrapped it in a towel (we bring our own beach towels so we know which are ours) then in a trash bag (I bring extra to pack dirty clothes in) just in case it burst open or broke but I got it home without issue.

As travel writer/ombudsman Christopher Elliott often writes: Put everything in writing!!! It is that e-mail trail that will serve you best when problems arise.

I work in a health care office and the rule is and will always be..."if it isn't written down, it didn't happen" which is usually attached to "if it happens, write it down". Of course this has to do with billing and documentation but it is good to apply it to everyday life as well.

I tried working with a PVP when I went to book our upcoming cruise but was told everything had to be via phone. She couldn't/wouldn't communicate via email. I can use the internet/computer while at work but due to the nature of my job I can't be on the phone for long periods of time so I can't call in during the day. I don't have the time nor the want to be on the phone after work so email is my only option. If they don't want to/can't communicate via email then I'll just continue to book it myself online.

It would be more convenient to have all of the cash already in your S&S account. The only bad thing about cruise cash ... IF something happened and you didn't make it on the cruise or had to leave the cruise early for some reason (like medical), I think you lose the cruise cash. If it's gift cards, they re-issue a gift card back to you replacing the unused amount.

Good to know! Too late for this cruise but will keep in mind for next time! Thanks!

I had $150 of Carnival eGift Cards I'd gotten through Verizon. I went ahead and purchased Cruise Cash via the "Fun Shops" to have as On Board Credit to use while on our upcoming cruise. I'll also have a CC on the account as well to cover anything the Cruise Cash and other OBC doesn't.

I can't see any pictures you've posted either. :(

I believe Artistea UK is the brand of specialty hot teas currently sold at the coffee bar and as an upgrade in the sit down restaurants.

I'm picky about my tea...but very far from a "tea snob". I like Nestea Instant and Lipton bag tea. Or most loose leaf tea. Most people call what I drink "trash tea".

My personal opinion is that it's a waste of money. I'm a non drinker so it would definitely not be worth the cost to me. I don't even think bottomless bubbles is worth it. I understand that others like the all inclusive feel which is fine, but not for me. It's part of the reason why cruising is great. I don't have to pay extra for "all inclusive" for something I don't want.

 

I might change my mind about bottomless bottles if they had coke freestyle machines.

 

 

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For a non-drinker it would be a waste of money. I'd never purchase Bottomless Bubbles because I don't drink soda.

I agree that it's nice to not have to pay for things you won't want.

If only one adult in a cabin wants it/will use it, then it's not worth it either. It would be less expensive to not purchase it for 2 (or more) and just have the one that drinks pay as you go.

I've tried the tea, but not on the ship. I'm pretty picky about teas if I have to pay an additional fee, and this brand really didn't wow me.

I've never had it either. I've never even seen it in my part of the country. From what I read on their website I probably won't be too impressed either as I don't drink sweet/flavored tea and I'm not a green tea fan either. I had hoped to drink the Honest Tea instead of the tea offered on Lido deck (I purchased the Cheers package and it includes Honest Tea). I'll probably end up bringing my Nestea Instant tea from home or brewing my own with the tea bags on ship.

Do you folks that don't hit your limit usually give drinks to fellow cruisers without Cheers?

No, we don't because it's just the two of us. But even if we did cruise with others that didn't purchase Cheers we wouldn't share. A, because it's "against the rules" and in general we're not rule breakers. B, because we're selfish that way. Others have the opportunity to purchase the package if they wanted to. We wouldn't ask or expect others to give us "free" drinks when we also had the same opportunity to purchase the program.

Really like this program with the Alchemy bar. Last cruise we sat down and drink ourselves through the menu. Would not have tried many of those drinks without Cheers.

Yep, The Alchemy makes it worthwhile for us too!

 

Might be something to think of being you can take a 12pk. Soda/juice on board is order a Bottle or 2 from bon voyage dept.

 

Yes you pay 80-90 a bottle for a 1 liter but depending on your pour your average drink cost comes out in the 3.00 range per drink.

 

Yes it's a hassle going back to cabin unless you take a yeti/Thermal mug.

If we drank simple drinks I'd order the booze/soda pkg from the Fun Shops and make my own as it's a much better value than Cheers. But none of my faves are jack/coke, captain/coke, gin/tonic, whiskey/sour, etc type of drinks. And I don't like drinking the same drink all the time. I like different things depending on my mood. And I'm never in the mood for beer!

For us it's a yes. But we've only done 4 and 5 day cruises. If we ever do a 7 day or longer cruise we probably wouldn't - depending on the ports of call.

We usually drink 3 adult beverages each weekend evening. When cruising we start happy hour a little earlier and/or have a glass of wine with dinner. I might have a Latte one or two mornings and my husband might have a malt one or two afternoons. I'm a huge tea drinker and am not a fan of lido tea so Honest Tea is preferable. We also like to have a couple bottles of water available in our room for when we are resting there.

So, for us we generally break even. Just like the Aft Extended Balcony room we book, Cheers! is a splurge. We only cruise once a year so we feel like we can spend on things like this.

Lots of folks don't know the old military adage of not locking your knees when standing for long periods, especially on steel decks. Locking the knees will close off the blood return from the feet, and can cause frequent passing out, especially in heat.

Didn't learn this in the military. Learned it in high school choir! "Stand with knees slightly bent and one leg slightly in front of the other"

It's not just typical of the cruise industry. After my mother passed away I immediately started cancelling all her utilities, letting them know that she had passed. When it came to her internet service I was just informed that service wouldn't be officially cancelled until the modem/router had been returned. I returned it to them the next day since it was the end of the month and didn't want to be charged another month. I was shocked when I received a bill for $250. When I called about it I was told it was a cancellation fee. I explained once again that she had died. Didn't matter, contract was such that early termination for any reason resulted in the cancellation fee. I was livid but paid the fee so we could get the estate settled in a timely manner.

Shortly after this a salesperson for this internet/communications company came into my workplace to pitch their services. It just so happened that the salesperson was a former co-worker and friend of mine. I lit into her about the whole disgusting situation and how it was handled by their customer service rep (she was very cold and curt - no sympathy whatsoever about losing my mother just days before). Needless to say, after I gave her an earful she was probably sorry she'd walked through the door! To her credit, and her boss's, they quickly cut me a refund check and offered a very sincere apology. I doubt I would have gotten the refund if it hadn't been for my previous aquaintance of the salesperson and I appreciated her going to bad for me. While I was very appreciative of the refund, I told both her and her boss that I'd really rather have them change their policy and that if a death certificate was produced, the cancellation fee would be waived. Don't know if that happened or not but they said they'd consider it.

Sailing in Feb, now I'm overly excited!!

when in Feb? we'll be on Feb 12-17. Can't wait!