volfan22701

according to the ones working on getting it open it should be by the end of May.

We have cruised Sunshine 7 times over the last 10 years or so and she is definately one of our favorites. we have 3 more cruises on her booked over the next 2 years. the layout is not bad, plenty of food choices and deck space. adult decks are nice. in the evening there is a nice area near the bars with a band and dance floor as well as several other places to listen to music. we always pick one of the 8 day trips to go on. we have one in April out of Charleston and then 2 next year from Norfolk.

odd numbers are always on starboard side. even numbers are on port side.

Since they are under 21 years you are responsible for them and they will have to board with you. since you have FTTF they will get to use the benefit of boarding at the same time. there may be other benefits they will not get but because of the age they have to board with you.

1 hour ago, dallasdan said:

We have used BC for 19 of our 20 cruises.  Never once was my wife asked for our marriage license.  

same here for first 13 cruises. then we got our passports. they understand married women have different last names from their birth certificate.

we take plastic straw as well. they are not a problem if disposed of properly and way less a pollution problem than many other things all cruise lines do. our choice and if you don't agree just too bad. all about choices.

great review and makes us even more excited for our turn on the Magic this October and again in April next spring. will be an 8 day eastern in October and an 8 day southern in the spring. is our second and third time on Magic. we also have not been on a cruise since February 2020 and are so ready for a lot of the things you enjoyed on your cruise.

we had a final payment date in July for our October cruise and they started sending me reminders every few days a month in advance. always have for other cruses as well. not that i would miss one because i stay on top of my dates. just how i am.

we have cruised 6 times on the Sunshine and have it booked for 2 more. it has always been one of our favorites. right now i imagines all ships are understaffed and probably have issues on getting the food and supplies they were getting years ago. i imagine all are having some of the same issues so it ends up that you have to go in with knowing this and enjoy them the way they are for now, i would think in time it will revert back to better service and food.

nice review, and sounds like you had fun. we have been on the Sunshine for six cruises and have 2 more booked on her. this October and next April. countdown is at 53 days for our next cruise from Baltimore on the Legend May 28th and sure we will have fun as we always do.

we like any room on deck 5 aft. convenient to several bars, the nightly band playing music, and the casino. all our favorite things to do.

 we have cruised on the Sunshine 6 times and it has always been a favorite. have it booked for a cruise now in the fall of 2023. we have 3 booked between now and then. it is an older ship and certainly could do with some work but nothing unsafe about it and we do not look at the issues, we look at the fun we have. our cruises are always fun no matter the ship and have been on some older than Sunshine.

i have 4 booked now going out thru 2023 and still have casino offers into 2024. mostly free interior ans drinks and some cash for the casino. have had better but pretty much this is what i have been booking.

44 minutes ago, Virga said:

Super curious to learn what level of play earned offers back pre-plague.  Very little play earned us pandemic offers, but I'm sure that won't continue.  Thank you for asking, OP, and thanks to everyone else who responds!

We have been getting offers of this type for many years before the pandemic. free or nearly free rooms, casino cash of 100 to 500 each, free drinks from day one. sometimes all these and sometimes combinations. we probable spend between 100 and 300 per day each. have been boooking under casino rates for the last 12 years or so.. have 4 booked now over the next 2 years.

19 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

Are you still booking her under her old name?

no, always married name.

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

Generally, the problem is not with the cruise line and check-in (though some try to match what CBP requires), the problem is that when you go to disembark, CBP "recommends that you have your bridging documents to prevent undue delay".  It is at the CBP officer's discretion, at the disembarkation "interview" (wave through sometimes), whether he/she will ask to see the bridging document.  If you don't have it, you will be sent aside for secondary screening, while they check their database for your information.  It could result in a missed flight.

returned from each cruise and never had one even mention it. doubt she even knows where it is after 35 years.

18 cruises in and my wife has never had hers and never been asked. gone out of 5 different port and this covers 16 years. don't think it is an issue. they know your name changes when married.

Cruised 18 times with 6 from Baltimore and have always checked our luggage. have never had a single issue anywhere. i would think anything other than normal handling damage would be extremely rare, and we have never had any damage at all. 

all the cruises i have been on, 18 as of now, it has always been 30 minutes prior to sailing. have not heard of any change in thet.

we have never had to use 2 cards. always made a new card for the ones switching rooms so it functioned just like the original. have done this on at least 7 or 8 cruises.

we have done this many times. no issues but each person changing rooms need to be there with their card.

15 hours ago, sfaaa said:

Cruise prices out to Feb 2022 have never been this low. You have to go back to the days after 2008 financial meltdown to see cheap deals like the current offers.

when i check our offers we have good casino offers out into spring of 2024. most are free interiors with free drinks in casino. some come with extra on board credit. have 4 of thee booked now out through 2023.

by far the best deals are the casino rates. and there are many different offers from the casino. we usually get offers for free inside rooms and less than half price balcony's. they usually come with drinks on us cards while in the casino. right now i am seeing many offers for free rooms up to balcony level with extras like free drinks and casino cash or on board credit. i have 4 booked thru 2023 all with very good rates like this.

slots get you points faster. we usually play an hour or so in the morning while having our first coffee. then may stop in in late afternoon before dinner. at some point in the evening after dinner and whatever else we get into we go back for a couple hours before bed. we play in casinos all over so the ship seems to do us as well as most places. our last dozen or so cruises have been anywhere form halfprice to free and always get free drinks while in the casino,

21 hours ago, jmoak said:

I had planned to book me in one room and wife in the other. I didn't realize you didn't have to actually name the other guests at booking? That's interesting...That could leave the option for someone else to join later (another couple or our kids).  

 

I didn't think about getting the extra cards as well...That would make it easiest rather than trying to get things swapped out...

Swapping out the names in the rooms and getting new cards takes just a few minutes at guest services after boarding. we have done this on at least a half dozen cruises because we both get good casino room rates and can book rooms for friends or family cheaper.