Rlandrigan

Howdy! We're looking at March 2024 for teh NS for a spring break trip, and wondering how many teens and tweens were aboard this year - my kids loved the Eurodam in Alaska except this time they want folks to talk to:) We're looking at RC and Carnival as well, but if there's a decent amout of folks from them to hang with on Sea Days, they'd prefer the ports on HAL - and my wife and I would LOVE not to deal with a monster big ship.

Appreciate the trip report - I'm a big HAL fan, and having trouble planning our spring break trip next year on Odyssey of the Seas - but our 12 and 17 year olds have demanded actual peers to hang out with:) The MDR, real Promenade decks, and a certain sense 'This is how we do things', despite not being a luxury brand(or cost!), make it my favorite. Ah well, I guess we'll try not to get trampled next spring and try for a return to Alaska someday after:)

Up until my iPhone 11Pro, I was in a constant hunt for a compact camera that didn't;t make me scream - Nikon Coolpix A, Fuji X70, Sony Rx100 series, etc - they are all great, and were great vacation cameras, but the 11 was good enough that a secondary cameras was no longer so vital. I'd buy a X80 in a heartbeat, if they ever resisted that model, partly as it was a great intentional camera and with a single flip of the switch a great automatic snapshot machine. I don't like phone camera prints, admittedly - they don't hold up at the sizes I tend to put on the wall - but that what my other cameras are for - the phones serves as the event recorder and social poster, and as backup:)

I'd take the 18-55 and the 100-400, while your Phone will serve in good stead for most things up close have a wide angle lens would nice, and the lens isn't too big. Another option is the wee EF-S 24 2.8, which is very small, and only $130 or so - not super wide, but compact and allowing more light in than the 18-55. for landscapes and interiors that would be a decent option, with the big 100-400 taking care of Denali and and wildlife from the ship.

Sony has two great cameras for this purpose, but they are pricey - the RX-100 series, which is a small, pocket camera, and the RX-10 series, which has much long reach, but is bigger. There are several versions of each, with the newest models running over 1,000. Worth it if it's worth it to you:) Another solid option is the Panasonic ZS100 or ZS200, the 200 having a longer lens, the 100 being a bit better in lower light. Both will give you much better pictures of far away things than your cellphone, but are smaller cameras so you'll bring them everywhere.

Answer: HAL is amazing. Been talking with Valerie, our PCC, since 2019 for a cruise, and we’ve had so many cancellations- we managed to slide into a VC cabin with HIA for our existing rate!:) so: do your homework, BE NICE, and just ask. im so stoked:)

As I sit on hold:) Curious if anyone has taken advantage of the current cancel up to 30 days in advance to rebook fares after Final Payment date, or if they are intentionally making you wait for the FCC to hit before applying to a new booking. Money is money, after all, but after all this time, not interested in mucking up my trip!:) Or any luck in having the difference applied as OBC or Have It All upgrades?

If you don't already have a number of lenses that you love and plan to use forever, I'd say look to mirrorless, as Canon is leading the way but most everyone is following that path - you are not going to many if any new lenses for DLSRs except for one company . Canon's R series is nifty, with a few choices, and has a lens line that is getting fleshed out rapidly. Nikon's Z series has a number of good cameras and amazing lenses, if they have what you are looking for. Sony...eh. If you like 'em, they have a lot of options. But if you prefer the DLSR layout Sony is going to be a harder transition than some. For DLSR, there's really just Pentax as a continuing theme. Weatherproof, well made cameras and some interesting lenses, but not the best AF or technology. If you are looking to get one more generation, then a used Canon 6 series or Nikon D780 to D850 would be good candidates as well.