Hlitner

Consider that Uber/Lyft will cost you less than $20, and take you when you please without any hassles waiting for others, loading luggage, etc. Why on earth folks are willing to pay Princess (or any cruise line) for hotel packages (including transfers) in Ft Lauderdale is a mystery. As to when to go to the port, this is one of those personal preference issues. Do you enjoy sitting in an uncomfortable chair (at the port) cooling your heels until boarding starts and your group is finally called (only to stand in various queues). That is the price to get aboard as early as possible. On the other hand, you could arrive at the port around 2pm and get processed (with little or no wait) and be on the ship in minutes. Also keep in mind that many of us have some kind of Priority Boarding (i.e. Elite, Suites, etc.). Once boarding does start (and this is often beyond the control of the cruise line) the priority folks will go first. Even if you arrive before the priority group, you will likely be "cooling your heels" as they fight the lines to be among the first to board. We do think there is one very good reason to try and board among the first. If you are planning on reserving the Sanctuary, that is first come, first serve. And even if you are among the first aboard, you still could be out of luck with most (if not all) the spots going to those who are their turn around day (back to back cruisers). Hank

The various cabins/suites that are included in the Yacht Club are displayed (on any booking site including MSC's) as being part of the Yacht Club. That info is also part of the suite description. Most, not all, of the suites are contained within the Yacht Club enclave (generally protected from the rest of the ship by electronic doors) with a few suites (primarily on a few older vessels) outside the enclave (they still get all the YC perks). Hank

No. In fact, many ports (all over the world) prohibit bringing food ashore. Hank

While it can vary from ship to ship, in the past we have always received a letter (sent to the cabin) telling us to report to a specific area (usually a lounge or one of the unused restaurants) where we waited until taken to a tender. If you do not get any instructions, you can stop by the Captains Club host/hostess desk and ask....or simply ask at Guest Relations. Those without priority would normally go to a much larger venue where they are given a tender ticket and wait for their ticket number (or color) to be called. Since you brought up drink service in the main theater, over the years (we have been on 33 Princess cruises) the service situation has varied from pretty lousy to none! My suggestion (which is what we always do) is stop at one of the bars (before you go to the theater) and get your drinks to carry into the theater. Hank

There is no easy answer to the OP's question. Most "Promotions" are offerings from the various cruise lines and should be accessible through the cruise line and most cruise/travel agents. That is the easy part. When it comes to discounts (which can come in various forms such as on board credits, rebates, etc) these are generally provided by cruise/travel agencies and consortiums (which are networks of many cruise/travel agencies). Sometimes, the deals offered (especially via the major consortiums) are a combination of discounting and certain cruise line incentives (given to consortiums and some high volume agencies). We do not know of any easy way to find the best deals other than shopping around among multiple high volume, reputable cruise/travel agencies. I do think that socializing on cruises, and asking how they book cruises, is often the best way to get tips on who (and who not) to use. Hank

Just a note that what you call the "old port" actually has a real name which is "Skala." The port that is used for most excursions (because it can handle buses) is called Athinios. This port is also used for ferries to/from other islands and the mainland. Hank

I would add that those who are "Elite" do enjoy tender priority (getting ashore).

Hmm. We would stay in Florence (for at least 2 days) and make our way to Livorno (via train or a pre-booked transfer) the day of the cruise. Bottom line (for us) is that Florence is one of premier tourist cities in the world while Livorno, is at best, tolerable. Our alternative plan would be to fly-in to Italy days (or weeks) in advance, rent a car (with a drop in Livorno) and have fun with an independent driving trip (we have often done this in Italy). When we have a rental car we do avoid Rome, but if we want to go to Florence we stay at the Hotel David where we feel very comfortable, enjoy their free parking, and can also enjoy the long stroll (along the Arno) into central Florence. Hank

This is topic that has recently become dear to my heart, and I thought it might be fun to start a dedicated thread. From reading lots of CC posts, and meeting many folks on our cruises, it has occurred to me that many cruisers make their cruise booking decisions on very narrow criteria. For example, there are many folks who profess to be "loyal" to a particular line. There are others that are addicted to a particular itinerary, length of a trip (i.e. 5 days, 7 days, etc). And than there are those who simply "know better" and always book their cruises a certain way (such as directly with a cruise line) and simply ignore other ideas that can save them a lot of money. The cruise industry (we have been cruisers for over 50 years) is "dynamic" and has undergone many changes over the decades. We think that the COVID shutdown has caused another dynamic change in how cruises are priced and what is delivered for that price. Look at the various cruise line threads on CC and you will find numerous posts about "cut backs," "new packages," more onboard fees (such as for room service or previously included venues), etc. I have no answer for those who put "loyalty" ahead of critical thinking, so will ignore those folks and assume they will continue on their merry way. But for those who are seeking "value" we think many need to open their minds, do the math, look at the current reality (as opposed to what they experienced in the past), and except a very basic tenant. "Value is not the same as price." If you simply want cheap, then read no further and look for the cheapest cruise/cabin. But for those that seek value, you need to look beyond what you initially pay for a cruise, the amount of a deposit, or loyalty. Shockingly (for some) I could say that some of the best values in cruising may be often found on the premium/luxury lines! Consider that we recently took a Seabourn cruise (a small ship luxury line..by any measure) for about $400 per person/day! Sounds expensive? Consider that once we paid for that cruise, we did not pay one single penny more for anything aboard (other than to use some on board credit). Consider that if we had booked a comparable cabin (small suite) on a mass market line we would have liketly paid $250 to $600 per person day and then had to also pay for drink packages, add-ons for some onboard dining, tips (laughingly now called "crew appreciation") etc. And after paying all that money (on the large mass market line) we would have faced the usual queues for dining, fighting our way into a crowded bar/lounge, waiting in a queue for tender tickets and than cooking our heels until our ticket was called, having to deal with annoying ship photographers, having our peace interrupted with announcements of onboard sales, etc! Speaking of luxury lines, the first time we ever cruised on any luxury line was years ago on the Crystal Harmony! That ship has a few inside cabins, and they were priced relatively cheap. The cabin was nothing special, but it got us our first luxury cruise experience with superior food, few queues, fellow passengers who did not treasure their "wife beater" tops, backward baseball caps indoors, etc. These days, there are some "value" cabins found on luxury lines which will usually be outside suites (no balconies) or the lowest category suites/w balcony. Interestingly, on many of these luxury lines the lowest price suite is exactly the same size (and layout) as suites in a much higher category! What is the difference? Location! We have suites in the best locations and the worst locations and the reality is that it made zero difference when it came to our enjoyment. We also have this so-called category oft referred to as "Premium" cruise lines. This would be lines like Viking Ocean, Oceania, Azamara and a few others. Sales and Promotions can often make these lines a decent "value" although one does need to be cognizant of what is included in the fare. Oceania and Viking, for example, do not generally include adult drinks (other than at lunch/dinner) without paying extra. And finally I will touch on a sensitive subject here on CC, which is how one books a cruise! Any cruise. In nearly all cases, shopping around among multiple high volume, reputable, cruise agencies will yield significant overall savings. 7-10% is not unusual, although the real overall savings will vary depending on cruise line, lenght of cruise, etc. This is also another loyalty issue. We have told our favorite cruise agent that we are only loyal as long as she can give us the best deal! Period! Loyalty is a two way street. You be loyal to me with the best overall deal and I will be loyal to you :). That is why we have always used more than one cruise agency (one agency does not have the best deals for every cruise line). And here is an ugly truth (at least for us). In nearly 50 years of booking far more than 100 cruises, we have only ONCE, found the best deal by booking directly with a cruise line. And that was because that particular cruise line did not take bookings any other way (it was Renaissance Cruise Lines). Twice (with Princess and Oceania) we have challenged cruise line reps to match the deal we could get from cruise agencies and they failed (big time). The Princess rep actually explained that they do not try "to compete with cruise/travel agencies" because they need those agencies (who book the vast majority of all cruises). So why do many folks continue to book direct? I guess for the same reason that some folks are happy to pay the sticker price for a new car :). Hank

Ahhh, great minds think alike :). On longer flights (especially when we are going to need some sleep) we now splurge on lay flat business class...and are even choosey about the airline and type equipment. Ten years ago we would usually opt for the cheapest air, but age does change one's point of view The balcony issue is something that has recently generated serious discussion at home. For about the last 20 years, there has been little discussion as we simply booked balconies as a matter of course. It was on this last Seabourn Quest cruise that we both reevaluated our thinking in view of the oft excess cost we are now seeing to simply get a small cabin balcony. We still book balconies on the mass market lines because we can usually justify the extra cost (generally no more than $50 per person/day). But it is on the premium and luxury lines where the cost differential has us questioning the value. Many folks think that just because folks book luxury lines, they have little interest in cost. But, that is not always true. In fact a friend argues that the very reason he can afford the luxury lines is that he has spent his life looking for "value" and not just spending because he can! We now embrace the "value" aspects of cruising and travel and often post about the subject. So, for example, where we see some cruises on lines like Seabourn and Silverseas as a terrific value, we find cruises on Celebrity (in Retreat suites) ridiculously overpriced and a very poor value. Hank

Let me start by saying we are "old as dirt" and have cruised on 16 different lines (which will increase to 19 over the next year). So we have a good basis of comparison. I think the OP's research is spot on! Assuming they have no interest in casinos, they might want to give Viking Ocean a try. As to being the youngest cruisers on the ship, that may be an issue (especially if you book a longer cruise). That being said, at one time DW and I were among the youngest and always enjoyed the experience. It is less about real age and more about attitude. There are some cruise lines where folks seem to embrace acting old (we have felt this on some HAL cruises). But there are other cruises where the ole folks are actually quite young at heart (we have found this on Seabourn). As to Oceania, our vote is still out since we have yet to try this line (it will be happening this March) and we have some doubts. Azamara is a great product, although we are not big fans of their "R" ships (Oceania also has several of these vessels) and their postage stamp cabin bathrooms/showers. Hank

The thing about "Plan Bs" is that we have never missed a ship (knock on a bulkhead) in hundreds (perhaps more than a thousand) of cruise ports in nearly 50 years of extensive cruising. In the case of doing things at Naples, most of our cruises have another port the following day, usually in Italy or relatively close...so we have little concern. When we go off to places like Ischia, we take a close look at the weather (when we arrive in the Port) and act accordingly. A terrific advantage to DIY travel is the flexibility to change plans at a moment's notice. Taking ferries to places like Capri, Ischia or Procida are best left to good weather days :). What makes Naples such a wonderful port (for us) is that there are so many options in how to spend one's day. We could easily come up with dozens of options (including Ischia), many of which are not done by the usually overpriced (and overcrowded) cruise line excursions. Hank

Yep, we have done it (and posted here) a few years ago. It is just a short walk (less than 10 min) from the Naples cruise port over to the ferry port (Molo Beverllo), where you can easily purchase tickets for the next high speed ferry to Ischia, Procida, Capri, etc. Once on the island of Ischia, there is a public bus line that circles the island (along the outer road) in either direction. Of course, you should do your pre-visit homework to determine where you want to go....during your visit. Just beware that ferries do not run (to Ischia or Procida) as often as one would desire, and cruisers need to carefully check the schedule to make sure they can get back to Naples in time to catch their ship. And as always, we who are independent travelers should always have a "Plan B" which is how to catch-up to the ship in the unlikely event that a ferry is cancelled, breaks down, etc. Over 50 years of extensive DIY travel has taught me to always have that "Plan B" in the back of my mind. Hank

Terry, I am starting to think that the WSJ gets some of its article ideas from CC :). We have been talking about this for several years. They are late to the funeral. "Over Tourism" is a big problem in many places around the world (including in the USA). The irony is that, in most cases, the locals and "town fathers" supported many of the projects that caused over tourism....until they didn't. Just consider a place like Charleston, where there was plenty of support to construct the pier facility that is located downtown, and a perfect location for cruise ships. Now, they support all kinds of limitations on the use of that expensive pier. It is the same in Key West where the locals are overwhelmingly opposed to cruise ships docking at their two, well located, Mallory Square piers. Venice spent a fortune constructing a large cruise port (Maritimia) and then doubled down by supporting the construction of the very efficient People Mover (which connects the port to Venice). Now, that huge cruise facility lies mostly unused and will likely suffer from decay...over the next few years...when locals will probably start whining about their abandoned cruise port. Oops. Shouldn't post this here since somebody at the WSJ will read it and come up with another "original idea" for a story. Hank

Many years ago we booked our first balcony on the Grand Princess (when it was a new ship). We were hooked and generally book balconies (or small suites with balconies) on our many cruises. But that was until recently! Why? Everything has a price (economists call this price elasticity). On a recent Seabourn cruise, which we booked at the last minute (about 3 weeks before the 32 day voyage) the only suites (the ship is all-suite) remaining were a few on Deck 4, where all the suites have large windows (but no balconies). The suite is exactly the size of the suites w balcony, but you do lose that extra perk. Much of our cruise was in chilly waters, and it occurred to us that we would not have used our balcony for more than a few short minutes a day. During that cruise we booked another long Seabourn cruise. The extra cost of having a balcony (for the same size suite) was $150 per person/day. We honestly did not see the value in spending $300 a day for a small balcony. We are now looking at a Silverseas cruise on a similarly designed ship, where a balcony adds a similar cost. What do you think? Hank

That is interesting, from a financial point of view. I can see DW and I following a similar pattern. While we do really enjoy wines, they must at least be drinkable (by our standards). If the complementary wines are rubbish, we would probably drink a lot more of the Moet as the better option. Moet will cost EJ more money than buying half decent wines in the $15-$20 range (wholesale). Hank

Lisbon is a docking port with several different docking locations (all within the city). Ships are generally cleared in about 20 minutes (after the gangway is in place) and there will than be an announcement that the ship has been cleared and passengers can proceed ashore. As to a self tour to Sintra, we assume you will want to take the train which means you must get to the Rossio Station and buy tickets. We have sometimes encountered a long queue at the station (for tickets) but we would assume that in November (outside of the tourist season) you should have a very short wait. Depending on your docking position it is possible to walk to the train station (that can take at least a half hour) or you can try to grab a taxi to save some time. Hank

We insure nothing! Why? Since we cruise quite often (over 100 days this year), buying trip insurance is quite expensive. Instead, what we do is buy an annual travel health insurance policy (GeoBlue) and use a credit card that provides (as part of the card) up to $20,000 ($10,000 per person) of trip cancellation/interruption insurance. This is not cancel for any reason....but one must have good cause to cancel (such as medical, death, etc). By using this method (which is somewhat self-insuring) we have saved far more than $100,000 in insurance premiums (over many years).

Right you are. It was Ian who died in 2020.

Am in heaven when eating a good "Cubano."

Elliot died in 2020! LIke many things related to HAL, this post is somewhat dated. We always found him a delightful entertainer. Hank

We find Rome (and much of Italy) a very tourist friendly country. Even if HAL does offer a pre-cruise hotel package (which would probably include transfers) it will likely cost you about double the price of simply booking your own hotels and doing your own transfers. For transfers (from airport to hotel and hotel to port) you can simply grab a taxi, or pre-book one of the decent local transfer/tour companies such as Romecabs.com or Romeinlimo.com. As to dealing with Rome, you can either do your homework and do things on your own, or you could book local tours (online of through your hotel). There is also a lot of good info right here on CC and quite a few of us are happy to answer any question. Hank

We actually love culinary walking tours, but that is somewhat different than most cruise line "walking tours" that simply walk folks around town (usually within sight of the ship) and tell them things like "this is a nice boutique," "this is an old restaurant." etc. In fact, at the end of our recent Seabourn cruise we spent a few days in Montreal where we booked a local culinary walking tour and it was loads of fun. We also recommend that folks, who have a day to kill in Miami, consider booking a food tour of Little Havana. Hank

DW and I are very independent travelers/cruisers and generally are off on our own using public transit, rental cars, trains, our feet. etc. Since we tend to avoid the tour thing, we will sometimes find oursleves in places where cash is still king. I do think one could travel in Finland and Sweden without any cash. In Norway, we still sometimes need cash for various street markets. As to the Euro countries, cash is definitely becoming less important, One exception is Italy, where there are still some places (eating venues and smaller vendors) that only accept cash. There are also the times when the card readers are simply not working (this has happened to us a few times...most recently in Bruges). We see cash as a backup, but like to have enough to cover the tab in case our plastic does not work. That being said, because we do so much independent travel we carry 3 different ATM/Debit cards (each drawn on a different bank) and quite a few different credit cards. When one is out of the country for weeks/months, having backups is a good thing. Hank

That begs the questions, why is it not a liability issue when they decide to open the bow and not an issue on other cruise lines (including lines owned by CCL?