Jasukkie

Just want to tag on here rather than starting a new thread. This was as close to a perfect cruise as I could imagine. 

The excursions were magical and while they were very expensive, I have no regrets. For people doing research for future Greenland cruises, book those iceberg tours as soon as you can. By the time your cruise comes around you won't remember the money you paid for them six months before. 

We did the Hvalso Viking church excursion which was $309. Yes, a ridiculous price. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'm glad there wasn't a tour guide. It's a quiet experience. There are enough signs to tell you what you are looking at. It's so rare to be in a place where you can't hear a single man made sound. I would have liked more time but I also understand they have to balance that with no facilities on site.

It's hard to describe time on this sailing, the days flew by, yet I also felt like I had been onboard for a month or two. Weird to be back in the real world now.

Sometimes they have you sit in the theater with your excursion group and they escort you off together. Other times you just meet in the pier area. There will be plenty of staff to help you get where you need to be. Shore excursions staff have hours on the boat if you want to check in with them as to what to expect ahead of time.

2 hours ago, b&wcruiser said:

you only need it on the Oasis and Quantum class ships.

I've bought the pass on Radiance class before.

My doctor wrote a prescription for me ahead of my upcoming two week sailing. I figure covid will be onboard and I'd rather be less sick than more sick. A positive test is no longer required to fill the prescription. I've taken it before without problems, as have a lot of people I know.

The wind tunnel effect on the front of Anthem has lifted me off my feet enough that I have wondered if it were possible to be blown overboard. 

I've done Miami to Rome in the spring and there were some chillier days by the Azores to Gibraltar but nothing too bad. Overall, it was pleasant, but not warm enough to want to go in the pool. Of course, each sailing is subject to weather patterns at that time. 

Just out of curiousity, what do travel workers like pilots and flight attendants do with this issue? Is there any way to renew your passport without mailing in your current passport?

I want to buy the thermal suite pass on my upcoming Jewel sailing but I've never seen it available in the cruise planner. I've done it on Radiance. I know they pale in comparison to the thermal suites on other lines but it's a nice little extra for me. I will check as soon as I board and see if they are offering it.

I would advise opening a high yield savings account and depositing the money you would make as cruise planner purchases and using that as a vacation account.

I thought this was about a hurricane I hadn't heard about yet.

1 hour ago, jerseyjjs said:

  

 

At $3,000 for 2 for a 5 night western Caribbean sailing in early December, that ice cream and pizza are not close to being "free".

The price point is getting closer and closer though. Gratuities and great wifi are included, and the food is considerably better. There's a value to me in my cruise experience to not be seen as a revenue target as well. There's no upselling or nickel and diming onboard. I enjoy both brands. Time will tell, but I could see frequent cruisers who sail without kids deciding to cruise less often but spending more for an upgraded product feel. Royal gets the big family groups. There's probably enough market share for both as long as the economy keeps humming along. 

I've always had port fees returned. 

Virgin Voyages's free ice cream is really good. It's right next to their really good free pizza.

I have one cruise coming up soon and nothing booked beyond that. I would book something for the winter season but I'm feeling a combination of been there/done that on repeating ports, and sticker shock at the price. I understand it's a business but I view my own vacation budget that way too.The value for the price has to be there.

Virgin Voyages has the best pizza I've had at sea. Fresh, made to order, pretty quick, and very tasty. And built into the all-inclusive price, which now isn't more than Royal in some cases. You have to compare apples to apples with them because grats and excellent internet are included in the sticker price.

I took my kids so many places, not so they could have memories, but so they could be formed by experiences. 

And really, I cruise for the feeling of being at sea, which is more a vibe than specific event memories. 

Oh my. I try it every now and again to see if anything's changed. It's really bad.  Sorrento's also looks dated. I could see them scrapping it and coming out with a light and bright space with made to order upscale pizza for a fee. 

(Pearl clutchers, please skip this post)

The better part of valor is discretion. Assuming the son is an experienced drinker and won't recreate Titanic at the bow after a lava flow with watered down rum, he just needs to play it cool. GF obtains a beverage at a bar, walks back to the cabin or a rest room, pours drink into the soda cup. Casually hands off soda cup to her BF. Waits 30 minutes or so, gets a drink for herself from another bar. Don't act a fool. The fact that these are purchased drinks does not mean crew will look the other way if she just hands it right off to him at the bar. Don't do that. They are working and there are supervisors and cameras.

(really, really don't read this part)

There are many people who use rum runners to save money. The refreshment package, aka the mixer package, used to be a lot cheaper. I think the high price is Royal's response to people bringing their own alcohol, which is a shame for people who used to be able to get this for like $18/day who have no interest in using it as mixers. There are many youtube videos on the rum runner subject if you are interested.

11 minutes ago, Etta1213 said:

I remember browsing shops in a port, then getting in a line late in the afternoon to get back on the ship. For some reason, the line was long and barely moving. We stood in full sun. I had a tough time with it. I think it depends on one's health/stamina too.

For sure, I'm heat intolerant myself. I should have said there's about a 10 degree difference in the temperature between the coldest and warmest time of the year in the Caribbean, so they don't have the extremes of 100 degree temps the way we can have in the mainland US.

Just to echo others, do not use your vouchers in the dining room. They can't seem to understand the problem that one person being tapped out could affect them later if a couple doesn't stick together the rest of the evening. I've also been charged two vouchers for an Irish coffee, one for the shot and one for the specialty coffee. Regular coffee would have been fine but they didn't ask. 

11 minutes ago, Etta1213 said:

I grew up in PA with rough winters. For me, warm weather vacations hold a strong attraction. However, if your trip will be in summer, expect to accept possibly intense heat in the Caribbean.

The Caribbean tends to not get the intense heat that we get in US summers. It's the risk of hurricanes that would make me leery of booking there in the summer/early fall.

If you were offering me a free cruise and I had to choose between those two I would definitely choose Alaska. I've done both and the scenery in Alaska wins for me. 

You know your wife and whether she is more of a beach, warm weather person, or more of a nature and scenery person. That should drive your decision.

This is one where I consider the journey to be the destination. Two of the ports are by tender so who knows if those will make it, the excursions are expensive, and there's really not much there. There's no scenic fjord cruise by on the Bayonne to Bayonne itinerary. But there is a chance at the Northern Lights, and hopefully a feeling of getting away from it all. It's also a rare chance for a 14 night cruise that doesn't require airfare for people who can drive to the port.

It makes a huge difference. You can have a relaxing breakfast and then just stroll off the ship without the sometimes rude experiences on other cruise lines. Totally different vibe.

I just priced Sandals as that had been mentioned. I guess I'm a bargain cruiser but I usually get balconies and it's substantially more for Sandals than any cruise I've taken. Not even close. Y'all are really paying $400 per person per night? That's a 7 night $5600 cruise for two? I've never paid close to that.