Sunni Ten

1- Ditmar, I'm jealous of your country's health care system. Ours is awful. Health care should be a right, not a privilege.

2- As for snobbery, I find cruising to be extremely affordable, even for us poor folks. (I'm on a teacher's salary.) The fee includes a week's lodging, all you can eat 3 meals a day and tons of entertainment (both on your own like the pools, but also on stage). The only thing that boots a cruise's expense is the airfare.

3- How do I block certain posters on this board, like someone who feels a need to preach about his fit and healthy lifestyle on a cruise board, as if any of us care?

Just asking (no judgment implied) - but, have you ever tried traditional New Haven pizza?

I have not! BUT I've heard that CT pizza (specifically New Haven) ranks up there with NY pizza. (As does NJ pizza, for that matter.) Yum... Would love some right now...

Are there any threads on this board about cruise weight gain!?!?

, preferred type of pizza - you name it.

It is not the topic - it is the way it is discussed - that is the problem.

True! I'm definitely a pizza snob. You can't beat New York pizza. ;p

I don't understand how "What do you do for a living?" is a prying question. We spend 40+ hours a week doing what we do. It's a big part of our lives, whether we hate it or love it or make good money or don't. I think it's a common, perfectly acceptable question to ask. Now, it's up to the one who answers to divulge as little or as much as they want.

Yeah, my mom loves to talk politics. She always wants to convince the other person that they are wrong (even on a cruise ship). I have long learned that it is rarely worth it to try to do so.

EXACTLY. My dad uses Facebook to go on political rants... which often turn into heated arguments with the few friends who disagree with him. He doesn't get that his friends will NEVER change their minds. And I've told him if he REALLY wants to make a difference, to email his congressmen and senators often and sent him email links to do so. Not sure he ever took me up on it. Facebook is for sharing cruise pictures and cat videos. LOL!

... must be a subscriber to the Ignorance-Is-Bliss Club!!!

Because I wish to not discuss politics with strangers and new friends, I'm ignorant?? Geeze. I thought this was supposed to be a friendly, helpful board.

I guess not. :(

I'm VERY politically involved and always have been. But I've also followed the well-known etiquette rule of avoiding conversations about politics and religion at parties and gatherings.

So glad you made your request ahead of time. But what do we do if we end up seated together? Shall I be the first to leave, or should you? I, unfortunately, have reached that undesirable "Senior" demographic and everyone knows that we can no longer have intelligent discussions, share insights or laugh and have fun. I wouldn't want to ruin your cruise.

Ha! No offense meant. And I don't mind sharing a meal with ANYONE. But lots of meals all week? I personally would like to find some people with common interests and usually that means about the same age. I LOVE kids and I work with them in my career. But honestly, I really don't want to share a table with a bunch of kids all week. Just my personal preference. You may love it. I would dislike it, especially on my vacation.

I belong to a meet-up group in my city and the age specified in the blurb is 35 - 55 and it's a great group! There's a similar group called "Over 40" which is more broad and most members are in their 60s and 70s. Nothing wrong with that group... but the few times I went, they talked about their pensions and social security and all the fishing, volunteer work and traveling they do because of all their free time. Meanwhile, those of us in our 40s could not really relate. We had more in common with those of us closer to our age, discussing jobs, finding employment, struggling to pay bills, how social security might disappear, dating, raising kids, etc.

So, to each their own. I'm just saying it doesn't matter what age you are, sometimes it's nice to meet and socialize with people about your age. Or not! Your preference!

NOooooooooo! Please, no politics conversations! Especially after this last election. I really want to enjoy my cruise. I hope NO ONE I run into discusses politics.

You could also bring a Brita water bottle which will filter out all salts/minerals that may possibly be in the ship's water which I have no issue with. Much more convenient than hauling around a heavy case of bottled water and way better for the environment. Actually, I've been avoiding bottled water of late due to reports of chemicals lfrom the plastic eaching into the water, especially if left out in the heat.

So I've been meaning to buy one of these filtered bottles, for my use at work and around town, not just for cruising. But when I've researched it online, it's unclear where to buy replacement filters. For example, Bed Bath & Beyond sells these bottles, but no replacement filters. Odd. In fact, one of the reviews for the product on that site mentions that problem.

I'm about to go on my first cruise and I don't see a problem or see it as snobbery if someone asks about a cabin. Frankly, I see a cabin as a place to sleep and I don't intend to spend any time in there except for that. And you know what? I bet the mattresses are the same. And I bet they're all the same, cleanliness-wise. So, some rooms are bigger and some have a porthole or a balcony. Their choice! They might see it as something they must have, and that's fine. I see it as an unnecessary expense.

1- Any issues or stories to tell about seasickness? I get bad cases of it in small boats (in bays and such). I'm hoping on a super large cruise ship, I'll be okay!? I'm guessing I should pack some dramamine just in case?

2- Do the ships sell gift cards of any kind? I'm sailing with my parents over Christmas and my dad is impossible to shop for. He's nearly 81 and doesn't need or really want anything. My mom suggested I get him a gift card for something back home. (Boring, but okay.) But how about a card he could use right on the ship?

3- Do ships have adults only pools?! (I'm going on Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas)

4- How many people use walkie-talkies on board? What other ways are there to communicate with on-board family members? Electronic message boards? (If that doesn't exist yet, it should.)

5- Explain meals. Are you supposed to sit at the same table?

6- Hmm... what else?

First time cruiser here. So, do people generally sit at the same table with the same people? Is that how it works?

I'll be traveling with my parents (70s/80s) and I really want to spend time with them... but I also would like to spend some time with people about my own age (47). I just have this fear that I'm going to be spending every meal with senior citizens... or worse, children. (I like kids, but this trip is my social time. I work with kids and would like a break.)

I'm sort of a Solo Cruiser. I'll be traveling with my senior citizen parents. They've cruised a lot while this is my first time. They've been on a lot of the excursions (ex. ruins in Cozumel) and are not beach people. So I'll be venturing out on my own a lot, which is fine. (Nice to have a break from the folks!) But... I'm hoping to meet up with some other travelers my age (I'm 47). I'm brand spanking new to CruiseCritic so I hope to find some forums to meet other travelers on my ship. I'm still trying to figure it all out.