Snaefell3

Not that one. Sticking to Bermuda/GSK/E US Coast, and it's Roll Call. Methinks these are times for as non-exotic travel as you can get, mundane even.

This is especially true of longer cruises (more days = more slots), where I've been told stories of crew walking the Grand Dining Room line 10 minutes before opening, offering immediate specialty dining seating. ...and still looking forward to a choice between calling Oceania and singing Auld Lang Syne when our window opens at 12:01am EST, Jan 1.

Since sometime last century 😇 ...and, in a low voice, "I know you did it right, but she'll worry if I don't check".

You also have superior diplomatic skills to not have had a that's-my-job porter take offense and ...misroute the bags

Well... Since you and your bags usually part ways before you enter the terminal, you're talking about porters hand-(mis?)writing the tags. "Traveling" is a short way of saying "opportunities to solve problems", but why ask for one more? 😉

I've received SBC on sales. It appears that the better a deal you get, the more "combinability" restrictions get imposed. I infer from stray sales staff comments that SBC is actually NCLH's money and so gets barred only on the sweetest deals. I'm jealous. 😉

Interesting thought. Booked aboard, transferred to TA.

www.oceaniacruises.com →My Account/Reservation → (logon) → Manage This Booking → View Credits will show this popup with the SBC. In this case it was $50 each and labeled "COMPLIMENTARY SHIPBOARD CREDIT", but I've seen other labeling.

Never heard of them so I went to their website ...and saw satin-patched jeans‽

Oceania newbie, but 2-for2, both in 2023: • Downloaded the request form via https://www.nclhltd.com/investors/shareholder-benefits • Scanned the filled-out request form as .PDF file • Waited for last broker statement before Final Payment date - It shows 100 or more NCLH shares, right? 😉 • Scanned the page with NCLH position from that statement as .BMP file. • Edited BMP with a "paint" program, placing grey block over account number. - I also redact other stock positions, realized gains/losses, etc. • Printed the file using "Microsoft Print to PDF" pseudo-printer (sorry Apple folks) • Emailed to ShareholderBenefit@oceaniacruises.com, attaching both PDFs • Received immediate auto-reply acknowledging receipt of request, but no other reply • Found SBC in booking at https://www.oceaniacruises.com/ by end of next business day - SBC had different description each time, making me think it was manually typed in. • Emailed TA that SBC was in place and that no action about it was needed by them. - They don't really need to know even who my broker is.

Not revealing restrictions on a price offering means the real price is not disclosed: "opaque". Quod erat demonstrandum.

Try a third: "Not disclosing even the existence 'combinabilty' restrictions when making a price offering, much less that the offering had such". Case in point: I transferred a direct booking to a TA who then added an OCAPP perk and triggered a 40% fare increase to the lowest fare that allowed OCAPP perks. Oceania "graciously" reinstated the original fare (without OCAPP). I still sail Oceania because I enjoy their voyages, but I treat their sales staff like a used car dealer -- or maybe a 3-card Monte dealer.

SHHHH! Don't give them ideas. We already traded an overnight in Charleston for GSC.

...and our next cruise is Nassau/Hamilton/Norfolk/Charleston/Canaveral. Call us ...cautious, too.

The PLAN has had a naval base with escort task forces in Djibouti since 2017, but has pretty much ignored these attacks despite some of the attacks being on PRC shipping.

You'll be able to "dine out on" that for years. 😉 Glad it seems most of the action was in your rear view mirror, and you didn't have a front-row seat.

If you visit, two things to notice: • The number of ships showing "Destination: ARMED GUARDS ABOARD" • Ships teleport across the area the Houthi have been attacking (They're turning off their AIS beacons)

Interesting. When was this?

Ship tracking websites rely on each ship's "AIS" beacon, which all come with "OFF" switches.

Cargo ships, I doubt any cruise ship would avail itself. Non-US flagged vessels, in any event. Good question, though. I would have thought CTF 150, but it's the Pentagon doing the leaks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Task_Force_150 https://gcaptain.com/pentagon-to-launch-operation-prosperity-guardian-to-reopen-red-sea-passage/

New development: Operation "Prosperous Guardian" will provide naval escort for convoys past Bab al-Mendab. Maybe the ships can show Tom Hanks in Greyhound for evening entertainment?

To state the obvious, it's tougher to find slots for everybody on a ship with four specialty restaurants sailing for 7 days than on a ship with two specialty restaurants sailing for 16 days.

Table for 8: Would be great were there a 2nd night when you could sit simpatico. Table for 6: Too often splits 4 plus 2 ignored. Table for 4: Crap shoot, but with good odds. Table for 2: Well… We are here for the food, aren't we?

Watch their fleets, not their press releases. #1, #2, and #5 biggest container fleets' ships are shaping course for the Cape of Good Hope, not a "we'll decide later" sort of course.

The Houthi went from targeting Israeli ships to ships bound for Israel to ships scheduled for Israel in a future voyage to all shipping in about a week. I doubt NCLH, nevermind Oceania, even asked about rates.