aungrl

We got very lucky on our "In the Wake of the Vikings" a few years ago. We made both Qaqortoq and Nanortalik, and also cruised Prince Christian Sound, which is the most beautiful sailing I've ever done.

And please check back in and let us know how it went!

It seems redundant to pile on, but I agree that Royal Caribbean is probably your best bet for finding something for everyone across these age groups. But I also strongly agree with the advice, above, from @jsn55, to find a travel agent who specializes in cruises, AND, when you've narrowed down your options, send them around for voting. That one step will save you endless grief.

I was typing my response, above, as you were typing this. So, obviously, "good advice not needed" from me, but it was too late to recall it. 🙂

It sounds like one thing you might be looking for is a way to tell your parents that you're going that will also enable you to leave your guilt behind and enjoy your trip. Given the circumstances you've described, perhaps you could tell them you're just about to book the trip, but wanted to give them the courtesy of telling them just before you pull the trigger. Tell them that you've thought seriously about all of the concerns they - particularly your mom - have expressed, and that you have plans in place to mitigate all of those. (These would be things like buying the internet package, as suggested by @Prometheus1, so that you can touch base with them each morning and evening; joining the roll call for the cruise you've chosen so that you can establish some relationships in advance with people you can spend time with if you want to once you board, etc.) End by saying that their support would mean so much to you, but that this is something you really want to do. And then go and book it. (From what you've described, it also sounds like it would be a good idea to tell them together, so that your dad can throw his support behind you.) I know this is different than the "just do it" advice, and while that was my first instinct, to be honest, it did occur to me that that isn't going to work for you, so I hope the above is maybe partially useful. Good luck.

Okay, it's Friday at 10:37 p.m. on the East Coast. Experiment is over. Fix this forum, please. It's an overwhelming fail.

That's exactly what I did in the colder and very rainy ports...silk long underwear under rain pants. The brand I bought then is WinterSilks...more expensive than some brands, but they last and last and last. I still have the 2 original pairs of pants and tops I bought ten years ago and they're just as warm and don't show any signs of wear.

You know, interestingly enough, I was prepared for that, and our numbers stayed the same.

I wish there was a clapping hands emoji to select! Wait, I can just add one....👏

This is very similar to a longer post I wrote on the other thread related to the change. Completely agree!

Not "grandma knows best", but my husband and I had the same experience last July. We submitted our renewals at the same time, expecting the very worst, and by mid-morning the next day, I got an email that mine was approved, and my husband's approval came in a few hours after that. No interview, nothing else to do.

Laura, I think you're getting a clear indication that people don't believe this is the right forum to upvote a "right" answer. As so many are indicating in one way or another, Cruise Critic at its best is about experienced cruisers providing answers and guidance as requested. And many times, these answers and guidance are based on personal experience and opinion. In other words, there is no one right answer to any given question or topic. So best case, upvoting is meaningless, and worst case, it's destructive to the overall intent of 'users helping users', and allowing various opinions to flourish and expand others' thinking.

Exactly my thought when I read Laura's post!

I agree with others! This is NOT a change for the better. I actually thought there was a problem with the interface on my iPad when I first logged in and got this new format. If this becomes the standard format for "Ask a Cruise Question", I'll stop reading this forum. If this becomes the standard format for all of the CC forums, I'll stop reading CC!

Alaska, and the Chilean Fjords would get my vote. Lots of gorgeous scenery to be seen from the ship.

So from this list, it seems that you could cut out two pairs easily by choosing either the black formal or gold formal, and either the black wedges or gold wedges. Either should go with everything you might wear. To go further, consider whether you need both formal shoes and smart casual shoes; in other words, could the black or gold wedges work for all formal and smart casual situations? And, then, consider whether you need both colors of flip flops. If you could make either the gold or black work, you'd be at the "3 pairs" number, i.e., gold (or black) wedges, gold (or black) flops, and black walking sandals. (Plus the Skechers that are on your feet on the plane.) This is pretty much how people make the "3 pairs" work.

The brand of mine is Marmot, and I found them online, although I can't remember where. (I had a pair from LL Bean that were similar, but were heavier and didn't pack as small. The material of both was Gore-Tex.) My husband got his at Cabela's, also Gore-Tex. I've read that Gore-Tex isn't technically waterproof, only highly water resistant, but I can tell you that both of these kept us 100% dry in a sideways rainstorm for over an hour in Iceland.

We did an extended cruise through some cold and wet ports in September a few years ago - In the Wake of the Vikings, on Viking Ocean - amazing and highly recommend! - and both of us took waterproof pants that zipped on over our regular pants. On two different occasions, we were really glad we had them. We would have been wet and miserable from the upper knees down without those pants, as out waterproof rain jackets only hit us at just above our knees. They're really lightweight, easy to pack and throw in a small backpack or larger purse when you take them off if they're not needed, and I would most definitely take them again for similar rainy climates.

Amazing!! First appearance on a Viking ship in how many months now?

This made me remember an old Grey's Anatomy episode - really old - where Bailey finds a pair of Meredith's unmentionables and tacks them to the bulletin board in the hospital corridor. Is there a bulletin board somewhere near by? 😊

That's a great goal - maybe then we can come, too!

Fran, I'm sure Clay will weigh in when he sees this, but this is always my husband's first breakfast - and then several more times! - and we've always gotten it in the Restaurant.

Look at those happy happy faces!! So excited for you guys.

Now that I see the dress, I think the hat - while terrific on its own - is too casual for the dress. Is a hat a "must have"? If not, I think the dress will be lovely without one.

I'd want to see it with the dress to be 100% sure, but I love the hat as pictured. Looks perfect for Ohio in January if you definitely need to wear a hat.