Mum2Mercury

Yes, I agree ... though, as a Southerner, I still have a bunch of shorts too. Living here, we can wear shorts maybe 5 months out of the year. Agree that Americans go for a "sporty" look. As for the hidden pockets for cell phone and cash, if I'm wearing a casual dress without pockets, I often wear bike shorts underneath. This is also handy if I'm going somewhere active ... like if I'm taking my little grandson out to the museum or the zoo, and I'll be bending over a lot to lift him up. I like these from Amazon; they have a slash pocket on each leg, and I buy the shorter inseam (shown). Since they cling to the body, they can feel hot in mid-summer.

I've fallen in love with skorts over the last couple years, as they're a "step up" from shorts and look a bit more polished. BUT the details must be right: - I don't like the ones with a skirt in front /shorts in the back ... the skirt has to go all the way around. - I have two that're twill or thin canvas (right fabric terms?) that I pair with casual blouses and sandals. This is nice for meeting friends or going out for a casual dinner in summer. - I have two more that're stretchy material -- Kohls carries them, and they seem to sell out fast. These are uber-comfortable, and I wear them constantly in the summer, but I wear them with tee-shirts or tank tops and usually white Keds or Vans.

What I'm hearing is that you made a reservation, chose a room, had a solid price and a contract. And now they want to change that. That's not how contracts work.

I'm not the target audience for The Key. Specific thoughts: Priority access: We always arrive early and are among the first "regular cruisers" to board. Yes, boarding 30 minutes earlier would be nice, but I would not pay more for this small perk. Carry on bag delivered to your stateroom: No thanks. The whole point of bringing a carry-on is that you don't trust your documents, money and cards, medicines, jewelry and electronics to other people. I don't carry on clothes, etc. that I would trust to others. Welcome lunch & 20% off specialty restaurants: Eh, our habit is to eat only "included" food ... we're perfectly happy with that /would rather spend elsewhere. We would eat the "exclusive" lunch but wouldn't bother with the specialty restaurants. Fast lane at onboard activities: Not a big deal to us. Priority tenders: Very few ports require tendering, so this isn't much of a perk. Dedicated seating at shows: This isn't enforced. Internet: We don't buy the internet package. Breakfast and disembarkation: We're happy with the standard offerings for breakfast, and with self-disembarkation we're through the terminal and are in our car 7:30-7:45. We don't enjoy the process of leaving the ship, but I don't think it could be a whole lot better with The Key. I can see why people who were going to buy an internet package anyway could justify adding on these other perks, but -- to my eye -- those other perks are low value.

Aside from WHAT you'll pack, consider HOW you'll pack. That is, fold or roll things nicely/compactly so that you can fit a lot into a small suitcase. An added benefit of "packing tight" is that things can't move around /don't get wrinkled. You Tube is chock-full of videos about how to pack well.

Three things to make this work: - Pack 2-3 shirts for every pair of pants. Pants can easily be worn a couple times. - Shirts are easy to wash in the sink, but pants are a bit much -- remember you can send them out to the ship's laundry. - Shoes are your biggest space hogs, so plan carefully: maybe a pair of tennis shoes + a pair of walking sandals. Since you're planning to wear pants all the time, these will be fine for the dining room. Why wouldn't you believe this? I'm a great packer and have no problem doing it. Eh, then you've gotta get them back home.

Ah, no. You made all the right decisions by leaving ahead of time -- internet and everything everything else is just gravy. Your story /not getting to the hotel until very late is the epitome of WHY people should leave at least a day ahead of time. I think I like this plan: short and intense followed by slow and relaxing. That's her fault for failing to do her homework. Well, that's not a surprise, given the reduction in housekeeping staff.

How to up your towel game: Check out your towel(s) on Day 1. Never return them (well, until the last day -- obviously). When they're dirty or wet, exchange them. This means you'll always have clean towels in your possession, and if the towel station is closed or the line is long, you're not inconvenienced. You do have to store them in your room and remember to bring them to the pool. The fewer times your room number goes in /out of the computer system, the fewer possibilities of human error charging you for a towel. As for the islands, I bring my own towels off the ship, then I swap them for fresh ones before I return, which means I'm not carrying heavy, wet towels. And I'm ready to return to my room and store my fresh towels.

I started this discussion, and -- finally -- I'm coming back to tell y'all what I did: I tried on the swimsuit again with an eye towards cutting away the lower /under half ... and when I did, I decided this isn't a project that'll work. The swimsuit is empire-waisted; that is, it is made up of a bust area + a skirt that flows from under the bust area. I realized that the skirt flows not from the bottom of the bust (where a bra's lower band would sit) but mid-way under-boob. Does that make sense? Anyway, once I was wearing the suit, I realized that my breasts would not be supported at all and would be likely to, um, slip below the bust line. So I said goodbye to the swimsuit. I really did like the idea of adding a bikini bottom + an upper dress, but this particular suit just wasn't going to work out. I am shopping now for a replacement ... hopefully in pink!

I do use the ship's towels, though you're right when you say they're bulky. If you roll a ship's towel into a tight spiral, it doesn't take up as much space.

I do admire organization!

Me too, and they're available everywhere. I'm pretty sure I bought them at Harris Teeter's pharmacy. I like to label them with the date. At home I have a routine, and I never miss taking medicines, but onboard I'm kinda bad about it. I bring a bit of Scotch tape and tape the little baggies (in chronological order) inside a cabinet -- makes it super easy to keep up with things. No check-in person has ever bothered to look at medicines I'm carrying. Perhaps because I'm tiny and white with gray hair and look like a Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher? That's not fair, but it's the world in which we live.

You're not going to save $$$$ by booking onboard, but you'll save $. And that's better than 0.

Do not underestimate the value of speaking one-on-one in English (assuming, of course, that's your native language). I just called the Royal Caribbean website a few days ago, and while I appreciated the person who helped me, I really had a hard time understanding what she was saying. True, but you can work against this by "doing your homework" and picking out a cruise before you leave home. I'm definitely going to do this next time! We've been caught off guard twice now since we "returned to cruising": - We found a fantastic $99 deal, which would've been even better if we'd had a Next Cruise Credit with which to purchase it. - We decided to do a family cruise, and I wish we'd had a Next Cruise Credit with which to purchase it. Gotta step up my game and be better prepared.

Widest point at which any pair of pants would reasonably be expected to end. Well, I haven't seen a pair that look flattering yet. Those gray capris above are a good example (or bad example?) in that -- in spite of the fact that the model is stick-thin and her top /jacket are quite nice -- the capris just look like a big chunk of oversized fabric. I am noting that many of these "new" capris are longer than the older styles. More like ankle-length pants ... do those have a name?

I've noted these online more than once -- I'd like to try a skirt. Any hints on what's best?

I've noted these online more than once -- I'd like to try a skirt. Any hints on what's best?

I've never seen skirted leggings before, and -- while they look quite practical -- they are not attractive and do not look like something an adult would wear. I really think you can do better. I wear lots of dresses in the summer, and -- if I'm doing something active -- I often wear bike shorts under my dress. My favorites came from Amazon and have a large slash pocket on each leg: one for my phone, one for money or cards. They are a bit thick /hot in mid-summer; I know that thinner options exist, but I don't happen to own any. Yes, this would be much better than the proposed skirted leggings, and this gives you loads and loads of options. Do focus on the LONG top ... leggings aren't pants. So true, so true! Capris "cut the leg" at the widest point, making your legs look fat. Kate Middleton would look dumpy in capris, so -- as you so correctly point out -- what do they do to the rest of us? Sneakers or walking sandals would only make a bad concept worse.

I think we've all thrown away something valuable in a similar way! I know I had bought myself a small clutch purse, and -- for no good reason -- it was tucked away with my Christmas bags. I pulled everything out and sat on the floor for a big wrapping session, then threw away all the empty bags, etc. Days later -- after the trash had been picked up -- I realized my new purse was missing. I never did find it, so I'm quite sure I threw it away with all that trash. I was so angry with myself! As for packing jewelry, I have a small jewelry case -- a Vera Bradley item I bought from Ebay years ago. The small bit of stuff I carry fits easily in that case. More often I just wear one simple necklace and one simple pair of earrings -- boring, I know.

Off-topic, but just what does it mean to say "on the High Street"? I know it's a British term, but I'm not sure if it means a common place where everyone shops (like Walmart or Target for us Americans) or if it means exclusive shops. Doesn't affect my life in the least, but I'm curious. I'll second the idea of using Ebay. Most all my clothes are purchased used -- cheaper, better for the earth too. For anyone who's not skilled at buying used, I'd suggest going through your closet and picking out a couple name brands that you really like /that fit you well. Instead of searching through the (literally) millions of things available, search for those name brands and your size. For example, last fall I bought a pair of low-rise skinny jeans /Lauren Conrad brand (which I think is sold at Kohls) that fit like a dream. Since then I have bought the same brand /size in olive green pants and white shorts ... knowing the brand and size makes it easy to get a perfect fit. That'd be okay for me, as I'm slightly shorter too. Seriously, I know people "shrink" with age, but I didn't think it would happen so soon -- I know I "looked up to" my grandmother when I was a young adult, and by the time she died I was "looking down on her" -- and I mean that literally, not metaphorically. I'm 56 years old, and the doctor says I'm no longer 5' tall! How did this happen?

No, on vacation you should expect to tip wait staff at sit-down restaurants (not fast food), taxi drivers (not Ubers) and tour guides. That'll pretty much cover you. No, you don't need help /you don't need to tip. Even if you have more /have a family, the front desk has carts you can borrow Practice with 10% (the easiest) and you can work up or down from there. Yes, this Xs 10. Since the topic is tipping, some places add the tip automatically -- if it's added already, you don't want to double tip.

Okay, but you know you don't NEED to burden yourself with all that extra for an island day -- it's a choice to carry more. Whatever you're doing, think through the way your day is likely to go: As I said earlier, by the time the snorkel trip returns to shore, the participants' swim suits are going to be dry. I've never considered that my shoe might break; that seems kinda unlikely. Yes, definitely choose something that zips, but not many bags are lockable -- fewer still are slash-resistant. (I was with a group in Mexico City, and a bunch of people did have their purses slashed /wallets taken while we waited for a bus in the rain.) Fortunately, I don't think all that's necessary during the day in the Caribbean islands; you should be careful, but you're unlikely to be the victim of a crime. If we're talking about backpacks, you should pay attention to the seams and zippers -- those are the parts that're most likely to fail you. The big-name backpacks (Jansport, North Face) all give a lifetime guarantee on your seams and zippers. If we're talking tote bags, I personally love LL Bean. I have a huge tote bag that I used to carry to /from school when I was a new teacher in the early 90s -- you know, back when we carried around books and papers that needed grading. It's still in great condition. If you're looking to get a good name brand for less, consider buying used from Ebay.

I haven't been a dozen times, but I will never tire of beach days. Coco Cay is a great stop for multiple reasons: - It's just easy. Walk off the ship, and a perfect beach day is laid out in front of you. - It doesn't have to cost a single extra penny. - They offer a variety of beaches for people who want quiet or people who want something more rowdy. - If one member of your party wants to go back early, it's easy. I hadn't thought of it that way, but -- yes. Yes, this! Coco Cay has quiet, relaxing places. What we don't know -- or, what I don't know -- is whether this will be a for-cost beach or not.

It sounds kinda good. I'd order it IF it were included in a package I'd already bought, but I'm not sure I'd pay out of pocket separately for it.

Here's what I'd pack for myself for four days -- it's 12 items and would fit in a rolling carry-on: - Shorts & top for boarding day -- would repeat the shorts on an island day - Second pair of shorts - Three tops, which would match both pair of shorts - 2 Casual dresses for dinner - 2 bathing suits + cover ups --- we spend lots of time in our swimsuits, so two are worthwhile and I don't like putting on a wet suit - Nightgown - Workout outfit - Flat white sneakers for boarding + simple sandals that'd work for the pool or with the casual dresses My husband would not be comfortable wearing shorts in the MDR ... he'd bring nice jeans or Dockers /paired with a polo or Hawaiian shirt. I don't think you'll have a formal night on a four-night. I'd never wear a "little black dress". Too plain, too nothing.