Mum2Mercury

We'll be cruising over Halloween ... costumes aren't my thing, but I might pick up a tee-shirt. I think I'll go see what Amazon has.

Luggage tags? Sunscreen? It's on clearance at Walmart right now.

I'm at a loss to understand why our experiences were different. We were on Explorer last month -- September 2022 -- so what I'm saying is current: - We had reservations for each evening. - On the first night we presented ourselves at the MTD area, and we were shown to the podium we both described. At the podium we gave our room number and were escorted to our tables. - No printed tickets of any kind, but the lady at the podium looked at a computer screen and seemed to "check us in". I can't say exactly what she did. - We had the same table and same wait staff each evening. Our table was always available -- that might've been luck.

We were directed to that same podium on Explorer on the first night /continued to use it each evening. We were not in a suite.

The stand is just outside the dining room. Maybe I don't understand what you're saying.

My Time Dinner reservations open super early on the App. I've just made reservations for a cruise that's literally a year away.

Odd question: These prices are listed in US dollars. Will taxi drivers accept pesos? I ask because my husband recently found an envelope full of pesos we'd set aside from a former trip -- and we'd like to use them. While I'm asking, we're planning to spend the day at Chankanaab Park -- will they accept pesos at the ticket gate? for food and drink? Thanks for any help you might be able to provide.

I didn't see a suite podium on Explorer (last month). We were assigned to the second of three dining room floors ... perhaps the suite podium is on the lower /largest dining room space?

Obviously I don't know who's in a suite and who isn't, but -- having reservations for MTD -- we lowly inside-room cruisers essentially walked right in every night. The line for people without reservations was always fairly long,

Back to the original question (because crock pots don't interest me): If size prevents you from bringing the gifts, consider giving a picture of the gift. Unless you're talking about a small child, he or she will be able to understand that the gift is waiting back home. Once I planned to give my daughter a hamster for her birthday, but we were on vacation. I gave her a magazine-book about how to care for a hamster and a picture of the hamster cage I'd already bought. It turned out great because she spent every hotel-moment reading that book; by the time we returned home, she was educated on what type of hamster she wanted, and she was well prepared to care for it.

True, but that's a different point.

If you're getting a passport for the first time (or if your old one's been expired... oh, I don't know how many years), you cannot mail the application and assorted materials. You must have an appointment to drop it off in person, and you're unlikely to get one within a week or two or even three. My point is, a passport does require some effort -- it's more than having a birth certificate, driver's license and marriage license on hand. And then there's the money.

Plus an application, plus a photograph, plus the -- what is it? -- $130 or so? Plus the appointment to drop it off (assuming it's a first passport). I'd say whether to get a passport depends upon the travel you're considering over the next years.

If you are cruising with a birth certificate and a state ID -- AND if your name has changed because of marriage, you need the marriage license as a "bridge document" between your birth certificate (with your old name) and your driver's license (with your new name).

Are you saying the cruise line's excursion is full? If so, I wouldn't try to get a spot -- who wants to be in an overcrowded excursion? I'd look for the same experience through a private excursion. The same activities are usually available, and you're likely to have a superior experience -- smaller groups, tour guides who are more motivated.

The cost.

That's an interesting thought: I do give blood regularly -- my whole family does, not only to be helpful but because we have a blood condition, and we need to shed iron on a regular basis.

If I didn't trust the crew and officers, I couldn't sail. Having said that, I could imagine things "breaking down" toward the end of a real emergency -- as the fire or sinking came nearer and nearer, and as the passengers who remain onboard are the ones who aren't cooperating. That's why I'd want to reach the lifeboats first -- while things are still more orderly and calm. So 24 years ago. Almost half my life ago. This is a reason to feel very good about the cruise industry's safety record. How many thousands (millions?) of ships have sailed without a need to put passengers into lifeboats. The idea of getting into one of those packed-in-three-high boats is terrifying. The idea of such a boat capsizing and being caught underneath other passengers while water comes in is beyond terrifying. I totally "got it" from the beginning -- we're just talking about how things work in the most extreme situations. I've enjoyed learning from you. Good story! Makes me think about something my father-in-law said about his time in Vietnam: he couldn't predict which of his new soldiers would be any good. Sometimes the big, strong guys were no good once bullets started flying. Ah, but passengers do vote -- they vote with their dollars, and they vote with their survey at the end of the cruise. And passengers, by and large, love the new, streamlined muster system.

I don't think anyone believes you're going to get heirloom quality things as a gifty-gift. But why put it down?

Diamonds International gave us the free pendant in September, but they also didn't ask us which ship brought us to shore. I like the pendant. Does Effy give out free stuff to get you in the door?

My husband just mentioned that Belize is listed on the State Department's "think twice about going" website. Did you feel comfortable taking a shore excursion? We're looking at cave tubing with Butts Up, which seems to be a pretty big enterprise. Thanks for any info you can share.

Couldn't they give it less? I watched the Original Loveboat because I was 10-12 years old and watching TV on Friday nights was all we had to do. I loved that show, and if the story lines were cheesy, I was too young to recognize it.

I use our Royal Caribbean VISA for everything cruise-related -- including parking at the Miami port. You know, double points; I do try to spend efficiently /try to maximize rewards where I can. When my credit card bill came in, I realized the parking money goes to the Miami Port -- not to Royal Caribbean. No double points.

Yes, that's exactly why I watched it, and that's exactly what I thought of it. Yes, seeing him bring out drinks was the highlight of the show for me. I jumped right up from the sofa and said ISAAC! I hadn't thought about him in ... maybe fourty years? But his name came to me immediately. Except for a head full of white hair, he looks the same.

Diamonds International (a mainstay at all ports, it would seem) gives a free gift to cruisers. It's a silver whale tail (or maybe mermaid tail?) pendant. You can buy a silver chain to match for $10, if you like. Not what you asked, but I won a magnet on our last cruise.