EvanBedar

But of course you have to filter those out of the hundreds of bloviators who don’t really know much but can’t resist stating bad information as fact anyway. Bullies who try to insult you into agreeing with them. High Horsies who state everything in exaggerated terms, like “Don’t bother doing” this and “always do” that. Saner advice is to fact check every single bit of advice you get here and on any social media travel forum. A room full of busy bodies is not necessarily a more reliable resource than the 1 or 2 people who just give you their facts and let you decide.

You can also cancel the Premium Drink Package and they will credit it back to your credit card. Recovering alkies in our household, so this online promo package wasn't our thing.

Anytime I read a review by someone who absolutely hates everything right down to the buttered rolls, I give it a wide berth. It sounds more like someone who just felt bad the whole time, and they just wallpapered it with negativity.

A non stop from Chicago to London on British Airways is outstanding. You basically sleep the whole way. Get upgraded to business class and you don't want the flight to end because now you have to start paying attention to your calls and emails again.

Definately communicate what you think your specific needs are going to be to the Access Desk. Access Desk Guest Relations <accessdesk@ncl.com>

What do you mean “MC the wedding”. Do you mean the reception? The DJ doesn’t pick up the microphone until the weddings over.

G’bye

Is there such a thing as “first choice of cabins”? They release them in groups. All you know about what is available are the 5 or so per deck that appear online, or what they tell you is available on the phone. I don’t think anyone can just say, “I want this stateroom on this deck.” Maybe you can, I’ve never heard of it. If anyone should be able to it’s a couple celebrating 50 years I suppose.

I have never booked a cruise in less time than the exact moment it becomes available on the cruise line's website (it's usually not quite two years, but 18 months certainly.) I could never do what some of these old money people do around here, and just plop down deposits on two or three cruises a year. By the time it comes available, I've already been researching the one I've chosen for close to 3 years.

A great tip, but seriously ... if they hold your luggage you have bigger problems than what you're going to wear.

Not getting your flight itinerary until their last possible moment is definitely due to airlines' cancellations etc. That's for sure. But I doubt we'd ever see the itineraries stop being so cheap and inconvenient. That's the whole purpose of them booking it; they want the absolute cheapest airfare.

It is true they find the absolute cheapest path. If they could buy an itinerary with you stowing away in the wheel well, they’d bah-gawd take it!

They’re flying two of us for a thousand bucks. Round air from here to Tenerife is about $1750 pp.

Because I couldn't afford $3000 in flights. Mm-kay. Thanks.

I use a CPAP machine, so I'm good in the hissing department. lol

It's not horrible, but if you're used to micromanaging your cruise itinerary like I am, you'd hate this like I do. But I'll take it. 2 Layovers in both directions. One layover in both directions is four hours. I'm sure I'll have to recheck my bags. I was able to select preferred seating with Air Canada on my departing flight, but not on the Swiss Air to Tenerife. The changes cost me $270 total for two legs, two passengers. American Airlines offers no link to change anything about the seating, nor does Iberian to get off the island. So few choices, long layovers, and Airlines I never choose on my own. The good thing, after all the warning, and emails, and customer service reps reminding me "your flight arrangements will arrive some time between 30 days, and as late as two weeks before your cruise date" ... the itinerary came at exactly 50 days. So if you're one of those people counting down the days and dreading a two month wait, hopefully this give some hope.

I bring one of these just to store laundry until I get around to figuring out how I'm going to launder it. Not a necessity, it just keeps the underwear and socks off the floor, and a place to toss a damp swim trunks. They collapse to about the thickness of about a half inch.

Shorts are barbaric in one of the formal dining rooms. But that’s just one of my obsessions. I mean, if you were thrown overboard in the only pair of long pants you packed and you’re just waiting for them to dry, I guess that would be one thing. But presuming you have a pair of ordinary mens slacks or even some jeans for goddsake … wear the damned things. No one wants to see your tarantula legs while they’re trying to enjoy their angel hair pasta.

The Do Not Call program is in shambles. The FTC stopped enforcing complaints to that effort years ago. It needs a complete overhaul. And, in case it’s not obvious even if it was a useful tool, it’s a US only asset.

you get nothin’ from me tough guy

Sounds like a good reason to add the streaming-quality wifi package to the add ons, yeah?

Is the a la carte laundry menu really so expensive that a room full of veteran cruisers has to limit themselves to a 16 inch paper bag?

Boy is this ever junk science. Care to link to an abstract of an actual study that you’re basing this hooey on? “third hand smoke” ha ha ha ha ha ha

“D” Stands for Divorce. But now we all see where your mind is.

Well, there’s at least one thing we can agree on.