navybankerteacher

These two are where you would have the best chance of seeing several ships (perhaps five or six) in port on the same day.

That “finalization” 60 MINUTES before sailing really involves removing names of people who have not shown up - not adding last minute walk-ups.

NCL is likely to be less expensive, but will feel more crowded and will require paying for alternative restaurants if you want food and service comparable to that on Celebrity or Princess.

Of course your 5 1/2 hour flight time SFO to MIA, which you are comfortable with, is just a bit shorter than our 7 hours JFK to LHR (our most frequent TA). For you to get to London or Paris takes a whole lot longer.

I have read that passenger lists must be finalized at least 24 hours prior to sailing. I know in the past a genuine “last minute” booking was possible - but it seems not to be the case any more.

“Last minute” really means last 48 hours or so. But, yes: there are “last minute” deals to be had virtually every time an itinerary fails to sell out as anticipated. Your best bet would be to establish a relationship with a travel agency which specializes in cruises - but they are likely to inform established customers first. Still, if you monitor prices for an itinerary you are interested as sailing date nears, you may find prices being cut. Of course, unless you live very close to a port, you are likely to pay as much more in last minute airfare as you might save on last minute cruise fare.

The fact is, Cunard wants to maximize sales; so, while they continue to claim to maintain the experience which many of their customers want, they are reluctant to offend those who want a "no rules" experience. They know that, if they were really clear either way, they would lose some customers for one reason or another.

Just think of what people will be getting served in 20 years - while they think back to the good old days of 2022 when dining in the Grills was a special experience. Perhaps it is a good thing that human life spans are limited.

The evenings on QM 2 are not just “glammed up affairs for those who want to “dress” “. They are for everyone — all of whom booked knowing that they were expected to “dress”.

But they are really short sleeve sport shirts - not actually the intention of the term “collared shirt”.

Agreed - but to us the choice of airline is significant - we are comfortable flying coach, but only if the configuration has two seats then an aisle.

Pretty fair - realizing that you will want to get to the airport no later than 8:15 or so. I would prefer a leisurely debarkation which would give me a day in Barcelona and, perhaps, a wider selection of flights the next day.

“Spring Break” is a catch-all term referring to school and college vacation times in the second half of the academic year. The period during which cruises become inundated essentially starts with Presidents Week - late February, increases with intensity through March, and finally tapers off around mid-April. Of course summer vacation time, especially for southern colleges starts at the end of April, so all of May and most of June (Spring) can be seen as being impacted by “Spring” crowds.

Cunard regularly has “traditional” dance venues.

I would never let the line book air - they will route you the cheapest way - which is almost certain to be the least convenient for you. When booking with Cunard, HAL and Celebrity I have chosen "cruise air" which leaves it up to you to choose the airline, flight, seats, etc. -- you only get the connection once you have paid in full - so you want to be sure you are going. But the price you pay, especially for a one way trans-Atlantic, is far less than anything otherwise available.

Did you have so much to do that first day off the ship that you could not have enjoyed a casual breakfast, eased off the ship at 9:30 (without paying anything extra), and gotten home by 11:00 - after an easier drive because it was after morning rush hour?

Yes - that is what I referred to as “(relatively) remote Bayonne”.

Do you really have to get an early start? I can understand if you are talking about a ten hour drive home and you have to be at work the next day. Otherwise, why rush? Why not make the trip back home part of the vacation?

Manhattan fills the bill - it is a cruise ship destination located on navigable waters (the North River), which has remote cruise ports: Brooklyn and Bayonne. I have always wondered why the numerous piers on the west side of Manhattan have been allowed to rot and crumble into the river, while facilities in (relatively) remote Bayonne and Brooklyn are pushed.

Of course it is one of the boroughs of the city, just like the Bronx — but when people talk about visiting New York City they are essentially thinking of New York County (Manhattan) and not Richmond or Kings County.

Or Bayonne, or Brooklyn - for New York.

Of course --- all of their promotional stuff is absolutely truthful.

What I did years ago when traveling with little ones was to get a day room at an airport hotel.

Go up the west side highway then across Manhattan on 125th St. Or, just go up Tenth Ave. to 125th, then head east to the RFK (as it is now known). Yes, you might hit some traffic - but, unless you really believe there is never any traffic in the lower West side of Manhattan or in North Jersey, it will surely be easier/quicker to get to LGA from the West Side of Manhattan than to EWR.

A valuable addition to the discussion: when it comes to mass market cruise lines, it pays to at least consider the appropriateness of the cliche - "the masses are asses".