Kiki and The Noush

Thanks for doing this! Can't wait to follow along 🙂 Hope you have a fabulous cruise!

We didn't book a resort, but we did the "exercise" on paper. We're in PA and we costed out a land trip to Ottawa - we were looking for a short vacation in between cruises. We ended up booking a 4 day on Liberty to Nova Scotia. The prices are higher, but we still can't beat them when I add up gas, hotel, food, entertainment, etc. I wish the prices hadn't increased as badly as they have, but I get it and I just wish they would raise the prices where they think they need to be to turn a profit and stop with the cutbacks. I will gladly pay for the vacation experience I want - I just wish they would stop the bleeding.

Exactly what Tree_skier said. We have the UDP booked and this is what my calendar for the first day looks like.

You definitely do not have to purchase a thing. Like everyone else has said, you won't be thirsty and you won't starve. I think a lot of it comes down to what experience you want, what matters most about your vacation to you and of course, how much you're willing to spend. I hope you have a great cruise!

A quick check of Tesco's current ad in the UK shows chicken wings for £2.19 for a kilo. I've spent enough time in the UK to know their grocery store prices are drastically cheaper than ours. The price for where they live is correct.

This is such an awful situation. I feel so badly for the family, but also all of the passengers on the ship. It would be very hard to have a joyful vacation knowing there is a young man missing and a family in agony. So sad 😞

I love the Lavazza. I drink only espresso at home. I've been known to go to cafe promenade for a plastic cup half full of half and half and take it back to put in the 'mini fridge' (yes, I know it isn't a fridge). If I don't put ice in with it, I replace it daily. This is assuming they actually have half and half on your sailing - that's a completely different problem lol.

Gotcha.

The stipend for ala carte used to be $35.

All of the prices are up. I'm okay with that - I get it. What I really hate is the 'double dipping'. For instance, the price of the UDP has gone up considerably - fair enough, but they have also devalued it by decreasing what it will get you. UDP costs more, the ala carte stipend was reduced from $35 to $20 and now they have increased the prices at Playmaker's and Portside by about 50%. Again, I get the increases... I just hate the double dipping.

We did it on Oasis a couple of years ago. If you are interested in going for the entertainment aspect, it is worth doing at least once. Food? meh - all of our proteins were severely overcooked. Steak and lobster. It was a lot of fun, but I probably won't ever do it again.

Vintages - No Johnny Rockets - Yes, does not include beverages (milkshakes) English Pub - No

Just my 2 cents - we had a virtual balcony on Anthem and I absolutely despised the thing. Hate is not a strong enough word to describe how much I loathed it. To me, the view of the ocean is horribly pixelated, enough to give me a headache. Turn it off? Not that simple. Yes, you can turn it off, but it continues to emit a blue tv tube type glow - the only solution was to have maintenance come and disconnect the wretched thing. So.. If you don't mind a fake looking, pixelated video and if you won't mind the room lit with blue light (I sleep pitch black and even put a towel to block the light coming from the bathroom) then you might enjoy it. Never again for me! LOL Also, in our room with the virtual balcony, we only got a chair. No sofa. It would have blocked the "view".

I probably wouldn't know who it was 🙂 The last time we were on Oasis, I ran into the captain of the ship by the elevators in central park. Half tipsy me said "Are you the captain?" because he had lots of gold on his uniform - He said "yes, I am".. oops! lol He was the nicest man and chatted with us for quite a few minutes.

Thanks, good to know! We've never had a problem like this, but I'll be sniff testing for sure!

I have no idea how to even find the hotel director LOL. Ask the concierge, maybe?

Yikes... we've got 1756 in a few weeks.

What room number?

You are very conscientious! I can't even count how often we have to dodge someone's scooter that they have just left in the hallway so they don't have it taking up space in their cabin.

Here's my method on how many we can bring - after they are all packed, we "test" them by seeing if we can move all of them at once. If I can drag them all at the same time, I can bring them! LOL Yes, I always overpack and yes, I always find a spot to store them.

I know what I am about to say won't be popular, but it is my opinion and you know about those 🙂 I wish they would give me back the things they have cut and raise the rates. Everything in my world has been affected by inflation. My electric has gone up 55% in the last 13 months, I'm in PA and we're back to near $4 for a gallon of gas, etc. etc. etc. I am paying the higher rate - I like twice a day service. I want fresh towels. I keep my cabin extremely tidy and yes, I make my bed. I honestly don't understand how people have such a problem with trash - mine could be emptied once for the whole cruise and it would be fine. Regardless, I still want twice a day service. For me, it is one of those things that makes cruising "special". I never have a reason to stay in a hotel for a whole week. If I take a land trip, it is usually in Europe and I opt for B&B's. My next cruise is in a few weeks. I booked a suite, bought the UDP and the DBP. I like to have whatever I want, whenever I want it. If I have to pay more for that - fine. I get it. I will say I am sick of hearing about yet another cut. Just raise the rates and be done with it.

This. Also, I don't go on a cruise to get the same experience one might get in a hotel.

We loved Anthem.

If for some reason you never are able to find or print them - don't stress. The porters at the dock will tag your bags for you. Have a great trip!

I hope you can reunite the ring w/ the owner. Good luck!