navybankerteacher

Only the new big ships are so limited. I expect that there will be a return to somewhat smaller (admittedly higher fares) ships as more and mor of the monsters of the seas wind up being restricted to private islands - as mor and more worthwhile ports of call decide that they do not want thousands of bargain cruisers disrupting their economies and ambience and limit port calls to smaller ships - which are likely to be carrying higher-spenders.

I was on Oceania’s 9/13 sailing intended for Bermuda - which was diverted to Nassau. While Nassau is the dregs of cruise ports, a good part of my reason for sailing is the shipboard experience - which I find unacceptable on NCL, unsatisfactory on Royal Caribbean, and just OK on Celebrity - so I still feel I made the right choice.

Would the ferry be running in the off-season? Of course there will always be a bus possibility.

Very often there are special group rates - where everyone going to something like a “destination wedding “ pays a bit less than the regular fare. Of course part of the enticement for such deals is often a very low (or perhaps free) fare for the organizer. Strikes me as kind of cheesy when the host of such a deal profits from having guests subsidize him/her.

Cruise passengers tend to provide income to some locals: tour guides, cheap souvenir sellers, less expensive eateries, etc. , while offering nothing except disruption and crowding to everyone else in the community (who happen to pay much/most of the taxes necessary to develop the port facility).

Planning on regularly coming in a bit late as a “hack” (meaning a device for one’s convenience- regardless of its impact on others) is obviously rude.

I think NCL has just started sailing from Baltimore.

While it might be less expensive if you are travelling alone (not so likely if two or more are sharing), the cruise line transportation generally requires you to wait until the bus is filled - which frequently involves a long wait.

I wouldn’t do it because: a) there are better places to go in January. b) I am not interested in a cruise that calls at Dockyard, rather than St. George and/or Hamilton. c) that sailing is, I believe, offered by NCL - which I avoid.

If you are in a hurry you should cross 12th Ave, and just be aggressive in grabbing one of the fair number of cabs coming along . If you are diffident, you will see a lot of them grabbed ahead of you. Best bet is to be among the last leaving the ship when the rush has eased.

Act like a vulgar schlub - which activity seems to be enjoyed by a fair number of cruisers.

School reunions only seem to make sense when scheduled to take plac in the same area as the school - that is if any significant level of attendance is desired.

After the first evening this tends to work. There is no need to plan on a ten minute delay - or actually anything more than a minute or two..

Depending upon how you do it, it may or may not be “rude” to point out another person’s rudeness when it has a negative impact upon you or your civilized dining companions; but, if it has a positive result it can be seen as a courtesy to the person who needed to be advised.

Bermuda is always a bit iffy. Our September sailing from New York wound up in Nassau due to weather concerns. But you can have calm seas any time of year - and at least in January the island will not be crowded - and you could get 70 F weather. Enjoy.

It is difficult to get informed opinion on this matter on a Cruise Critic thread. Communities which realize the negative impact of (especially large) cruise ships calling are taking action to protect themselves. When a 4,000 passenger ship (or several) comes in, local facilities can be overwhelmed - and very many of those thousands are determined to save money - some even scheduling return to the ship for lunch rather than having to pay for it ashore. It seems likely that more and more destinations will, like Venice and Bar Harbor, start taking steps to join the ports which have already opted out - like St. Barth’s, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, etc. - and protect themselves from the increasingly apparent myth of the “benefits” offered by cruise ship passengers. The mass market lines, by their success to date, are likely to put an end to much of their appeal - and become primarily boat rides to cruise line owned islands.

Celebrity is the more mature sibling of Royal Caribbean - less flash, a bit more grown-up, somewhat better food and service. Miles above Carnival - which slightly trails NCL in the race to the bottom.

Or consider you local church’s or synagogue’s “bereaved” sites— which, in addition to helping you come to terms with your loss, also provide a pool of people in your situation

Atmosphere, food and service on Celebrity are likely to be notches above what is found on NCL.

The fact is, crew members are very rarely rude to passengers —that is the specialty of arrogant other passengers.

The Med is generally calm - you might get some rough water in the Fall if the Mistral (a steady wind down the Rhône Valley) is blowing when you pass heading east just north of Corsica or south of Sardinia, but otherwise it is likely to be fairly calm. Best advice is to get a lot of fresh air, only eat and drink moderately, and take some stomach settlers like candied ginger or green apples.

Until about 20 years ago most lines sold shared accommodations - sadly, the state of our civilization now makes that sort of thing dangerous and obsolete. In any event, I think your best bet would be to seek a travel partner in your home area - possibly through church or some civic group - so you could get to know a potential travel partner before being stuck together for a week or so.

I take it you travel alone - and do not share tables with others, especially at breakfast.

I took no offense - I merely questioned the appropriateness of your likening travel on a private yacht with cruising: other than both involving being on the water there is minimal similarity.