Joebucks

I'd say most bottles would be allowed as long as they are in the 15%ish alcohol range. The concern is not that you must have grape alcohol. It's that you're not bringing liquor.

They are both fantastic routes. I know a lot of people are leaning towards the Jewel, it is definitely a good route. I would probably want to start and end at Barbados more than St Maarten (I wonder what's the different in flights). However, I would advise that the Virgin Islands are no slouch when it comes to beautiful beaches.

Not really. You have to understand that with any large fleet of ships, what is realistic. Just like other giants such as Norwegian and Royal, they're going to make heavy use of ports like Nassau and Cozumel. They are easy to get to, they can support a lot of (large) ships, and yes red and blues will go there. What would the alternative be? Carnival also has journeys for those cruisers who want something a little different. I think the OP's question is interesting, because some ports are quite absent. I know some will immediately go into the immature "it's a cutback". Looking at Royal's long itineraries, a lot of similar ports are also absent there. Could be a number of factors.

Perhaps there is a couch bed and fold out beds? While I could tolerate it with immediate family, I shudder at the idea of 5 people sharing a room, even a suite. Bathrooms become scarce. You hear every sound all night from snoring, to getting up. I've done rooms with 3 and didn't like it.

Honestly, almost every ship has this. Even the "loud party" ships have tons of quiet spaces where you can read. The adults-only areas can be very relaxing. However, you will need to go to a premium line if you want to be choosy on where you can go. You can't go to a main pool on a mass market and expect any type of quiet.

I don't remember it exactly. We went to I believe Carlisle Beach in Barbados. For $20pp, they gave us a chair and umbrella on the beach, and a catamaran ride. Catamaran took us snorkeling to a shipwreck and saw a large sea turtle swimming around that the instructor fed. Obviously, these types of tours can be had all over. It was a really good time for a very low price.

I've had so many different experiences with carry-on wine. The most common being lack of care. Once I had 2 bottles, and the employee made sure my other half didn't have a bottle too. Once, they really inspected my bottle.

I'm not sure what nerve I struck there. These threads usually imply (and klfrodo did as well) that you should get travel insurance for justifications such as "can you afford to pay for your care up front? Then you should have travel insurance." Travel insurance isn't going to send them an immediate bill and let you go on your way. I was legitimately asking a question in case there was such a plan. I think the naïve view is the blind support for travel insurance without truly knowing the ins and outs. Maybe you know more about it. Most people who come in these threads, don't. People are led to buy it, thinking it is some big payout account for your slightest inconvenience. Whereas there are plenty of exclusions (pre-existing conditions, secondary coverage, COVID exclusions, etc). Where some people may want to compare other options such as annual plans, credit card coverages, etc. Perhaps they already have overlapping coverages and don't even know. People should also travel with a credit card with significant credit limit in case they need quick access to funds.

So do international hospitals not accept international health insurance coverage but will take your $150 travel insurance plan and let you go on your way? That doesn't seem to add up.

Smaller Luxury Ship + Can access more ports + Higher level of service + Higher food quality + Less crowded - Less entertainment options - Less food options - Higher price Mass Market Large Ship + More food options + More entertainment options + Lower price - More crowded - More likely to be "bothered" by other passengers Honestly, it goes into personal preference. Some people want to feel exclusive and everything is for them. Some are bothered that other people may be having a good time. Some have different food preferences. Some get bored easily.

Out of all of the "cutbacks," the only one I have personally felt is the steak. The strip loin absolutely sucks, and the loss of the filet at brunch is the end of one of my favorite entrees. I'm very much open to cruising other lines. Carnival roped me in again with a 7-day, balcony, on the Celebration for $1250 total. Less than $100pp per day, for their newest ship. There are new lunch options (and I am probably going to eat at Shaq's way too many times) and more included dinner options. I think I will finally go to Cucina and try the chicken parmesan. Sure I lost something, but I gained in other areas. Hell, even if I didn't gain, the experience was still plenty. I could piss and moan about steak, or look at the reality. I could go on another line for "included steak" and surely spend more money overall. I could do the steakhouse selection steak for $23 (might be what I do). I could do the steakhouse for $48. It isn't all magnified because I can't have 3 dinner plates or pizza at 4 am.

People piss and moan over fees and frees. You'll never change that. It's like the meme of not wanting to buy a product that is $10 + $2.39, no thanks. The product that is $12.39 + free shipping is the better deal because you got something for free. It's probably the most annoying topic in all of vacationing. It never gets old hearing my friends and family tell me how amazing their vacation was because "everything was included, and they didn't have to worry" for some ungodly price. Meanwhile, my trip was less than half, and I enjoyed everything I wanted. Then they proceed to tell me I am lucky I can afford to travel so often. Apparently, a single price saves you money, no matter what that price is. Law of vacation. Gratuities shouldn't be optional, but that's not the world we live in. Any time something is optional, the responsible people are stuck footing the bill.

Go to cabin. Unpack for the week. Eat. Get muster stuff out of the way. Enjoy vacation. Not always in that order, but close.

You mean profit. Revenue is sales, which could decrease due to less labor. None of us have I'd be curious to know the price difference between the same experience with Carnival with the "Cheers on us" offers and other things added in.

One of the best parts of the breakfast burritos

Take any topic. People will choose sides, and defend it to the death. Most of the stuff you don't see on one side, won't be visible going the opposite way.

Need another one for the employees who stop time and frantically search out their best customer who left a $1-$2 tip then bring them a triple pour.

How much of this is an opinion you formed on your own vs following the complaint hive-mind? The FOMO scenarios people create are something else. "What if dish 1 is bad, and dish 2 is so small that I need dish 3?!" Not only doesn't that happen, but it wouldn't happen. In the history of restaurants, if you send your dish back for poor quality, has anyone ever been charged for a second dinner? I can put away some serious food. But with all of the stuff I eat during a normal day, I am completely stuffed after dinner after my Caesar salad, appetizer, and entrée.

This is a poor assessment. What makes you think people wouldn't buy it? Liquor is mostly over $10. Cheers is $1000+ for 2 for a week. What makes you think people with bottles are in the room the whole time? If the worst customer is the discounted rate, who doesn't buy anything, all this does is remove one option. If the justification was that it is going to push more people into Cheers, I doubt that. They could have easily raised the price for this and made it very profitable.

I hate it. Your average 7 night cruise already has 3.5 days aboard to explore and enjoy the ship (5 if you count the other halfs when you come back from port days). By the time port days come, we are itching to get off. It isn't a cruise unless we've spent some time relaxing by some beautiful beaches. It's all part of the great variety that cruising offers. I never understood the logic of "I've been to a port 5 times, therefore I cannot enjoy it". Especially when you've spent more than 5 days on that same ship that week, and that same argument has now escaped. A good portion of people do it to save money, and I get it. Buying lunch, taxis, drinks, can add up quickly in place of an experience that has no additional charge. Especially for those who have Cheers. I have found however, that there are many ports that have $1-$2 beers at the shops. It is nice to not be tethered down by your drink package.

Eventually, it will go to zero. Times have changed. As the older generations are replaced with new, that allure continues to shrink. Sadly, I think the MDR death isn't too far off that either

People absolutely hate change. I'm a believer many people who "hate the big ships" either just aren't used to it or are regurgitating the lines they hear from those people. Y Sure, you may not want to ride a roller coaster, but then I better not see you enjoying yourself at Brass Magnolia or enjoying a Shaq's Chicken Sandwich. People act like a larger ship means you're scaling Mt Everest vs a hill. How many vacations are people going on that has most of their food and entertainment closer than even the largest ships? Still, I get it, it isn't for everyone. Some people don't want to have fun (I'm not trying to be rude when I say that). As with everything in life, there are pros and cons. Not just the cons many people on here love to point out. Personally, I'd rather take a vacation where there was so much to do that I didn't get to do it all (and want to return) vs sitting around bored.

Uber/Lyft will take you to the port far cheaper than most "packages and bundles"

I honestly hate it so much. The casino bar was always a fun spot.

And these are the kinds of things many people never notice. Focusing on what is "included" after 700 days of one line, instead of the savings from eliminating airfare and the fare itself (or lack thereof). While all scenarios are not equal, the bottom line tells a different story than a "free" buzzword.