Sunshine&Margaritas

OP I was like you, trying to figure out all the do's and don'ts and getting all my wishes or most of them in a cruise. I ended up going with a great TA and left everything up to her. I told her my past vacations, what I liked to do for fun, what my interests were, what I felt was important and she took it from there. She explained to me the differences in west/south/east caribbean and she's been on over 53 cruises with her husband among many lines. Her husband works with mine and I have quickly come to find her information invaluable and I think I might love her just a smidge for how much money she saved us on our cruise. If you want to try to figure everything out yourself then by all means go for it, it just gave me too much anxiety trying to keep it all straight. My advice is go with a TA, but you've gotten great advice already from people responding before me. I wish you luck on finding your perfect cruise!

I know at some casinos on land if you're playing at a table and everyone at that table agrees for it to be non-smoking the dealer will put out a non-smoking sign. I'm not sure if it's that way on cruise ships but it may not hurt to ask. Everyone at your table must agree to it though if it's in the smoking area of the casino. Just wanted to add that in case no one knew.

I smoke and I really dislike doing it at tables when they're full because even if people don't necessarily have issues with the smell or respiratory concerns it still is pretty crappy to be letting your smoke blow in someone's face or near them, especially if you've not seen them light up and can tell they most likely do not smoke. I try to keep my ashtray away from people like that and hold my cigarette away. This is generally the time I'll break out my e-cig and just use it then. The smell (if any) is less offensive and I don't have to worry about it as much as cigarette smoke. If I really want a real smoke I'll get up from the table and back away a bit. I don't know if the dealers on the ship's casino will allow this because my first cruise is coming up and I know they have the "don't smoke if you don't play" policy, however loosely enforced. I would suppose people would care less if I was actually trying to be considerate. It's a toss up to be honest, there's so many conflicting personalities under one roof for a week. I have generally found that if you politely tell someone that you have a respiratory condition they will try to accommodate. I know I do. A very pregnant lady sat down at my 3 card poker table once and I had just lit a cigarette. I promptly snuffed it out and pushed my ashtray away. She may not have cared but I did.

I am a smoker and I won't smoke on the balcony. I'm not going to police anyone else doing it, nor say anything to those who do police others - you do you. The only thing you may hate about being my neighbor is me using my Wonderboom to listen to music while I get ready for dinner or a show. If you're on the 10th floor of the Getaway on the May 6th cruise and your neighbor happens to be listening to music and it happens to be a bit too loud, come knock on my door and I'll gladly turn it down, no muss no fuss. I try to be considerate but I have no idea how thick or thin the walls are. I do need to look up and figure out where all the "smoking allowed" venues are on the ship, hopefully by a bar somewhere :D

Shane, thank you so much for your pictures and your review. I am sorry you had so many issues. I am cruising on the Getaway May 6th and that salad picture almost made me heave. I am glad you posted it though. I think we sometimes forget that we still should be careful with other people preparing our food, though we shouldn't expect to find anything in it. I would be really happy to meet someone like you on a cruise, you are a roll with the punches kind of person and you are far more gracious about things than I would have been especially after that salad. Your complaints are valid but I am glad that you still were able to enjoy the rest of your cruise. I really enjoyed your review!