silverbathwater

Thank you everyone [emoji16]

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We are a small group of 4 sailing on the Glory on December 9th and returning to Miami on December 16th. We have a 7pm flight out on American Airlines.

AA doesn’t offer early luggage check. We are thinking of either taking an excursion with carnival and have them handle our luggage or getting to the airport and putting our luggage in consignment at the airport to them explore the city.

Wondering if anyone has any suggestions or previous similar experience?

Looking at booking family harbor interiors for our families. children range in ages 7-17.

 

Please let me know is it noisy b/c so many kids?

 

would older ones hate it or is it similar to other cruises?

 

Any other thoughts?

We sailed the Vista 10-day Mediterranean. Stayed in room 2489 in the Family Harbour.

PROS: Family Harbour lounge. The Lounge serves breakfast. Having breakfast in the lounge was by far the greatest perk. It isn't crowded, the food is similar to what is served in the buffet and it is right around the corner from your room. It also has the best ice cream on the ship. Great place for kids and parents traveling with younger ones.

CONS: Motor noise.

My husband I both worked for the Canadian federal government as project officers. I called and asked our agent at MSC about getting the civil service discount of 10% and he said we had to be teachers or firemen etc. and that civil servants like us did not get the discount.

 

He suggested I send him some proof of our employment and he would double check that his info was correct. I will do that and post the answer here when I receive it.

I also work for the Canadian federal government and received both the 5% returning customer discount (after status match) and the 10% civil service discount. I had to be persistent with he TA who initially was not aware of these discounts. Persistency and fact gathering may be key in getting this combination of discounts. MSC call centre was spectular is assisting me with the TA.

The only time we encountered an issue boarding with alcohol was during the stop in Sicily. Italy had raised the alert level to category 2, following the explosion in NYC (Sept 2016). As we entered the port terminal, people were being screened by Italian Border Service - they were confiscating all glass bottles.

When my bag was screened, I was asked to surrender the bottle of wine i had purchased. They (haphazardly) explained that the bottle was a restricted item for international travel. I told them that the next port is Naples, Italy: international rules need no apply. I wasn't trying to be petulant; I work in a similar field and believe it was a legitimate response.

Then it dawned on me: national pride. Do Sicilians see themselves as Italian? Am I leaving their nation? Seems a little to existential for a bottle of wine. Oh well, tread lightly.

The answer remained the same. No bottles beyond this point.

So I said, no problem. May I exit the secure zone and go back to the vendor to return this sweet nectar that you are ripping away us.

The immediate answer was no. I was completely fine with the answer, after all, its just one bottle. Not a big deal. But for some reason, I heard myself say: Why? Why is apparently a question only answered by a supervisor.

The supervisor came to us and reconfirmed that I could not board the vessel with a glass bottle. I acknowledged my understanding. I asked him why I couldn't leave the secure zone to return the bottle to the vendor. He said that I could and that I should simply go back through the same door...

We returned to the vendor and ordered lunch. We drank the bottle of wine while enjoying the main square.

Upon our return to the secure zone, the long lines to screen your belongings where gone. Not an agent to be seen :eek::eek::eek:

Lousy timing I guess.