Aquahound

Not having their admin assistants in the office will not prevent exempted personnel such as CBP and TSA from doing their jobs. 😉 In other words, CruiserBruce is correct. CBP will still be on the job. Go and enjoy your cruise.

I'm not being brainwashed by anyone. I can't stand the stench. Period. Why is that so hard to comprehend?

But I do enjoy standing back and watching the insanity that occurs around the $10 "sale" table for a bunch of $5 crap. 😁

The growing trend to ban or restrict cruise ships usually has more to do with environmental impact or strained infrastructure than it does the passengers. That said, I do know that many cruise ship passengers have a tendency to think they are more valuable to a cruise port than what they really are, so sometimes that attitude can cause everyone to be painted with the same brush.

Royal Caribbean Oasis class, hands down.

Wow, you remember that, huh? Thanks! 🙂 To answer your other question, I've sailed relatively recently on HAL. Their entertainment cannot touch RCI's, so I don't recommend for you anything older than Koningsdam. It's been longer since I sailed Celebrity but I have a cruise booked on Edge next year based on recommendations from a good friend of mine who cruised that ship and was blown away. I've always thought Celebrity and HAL had better food. Celebrity is my favorite for specialty restaurants. FWIW, that same friend also recommends Viking Ocean if you decide to go premium+. She's got me almost talked into a cruise with them.

I know you said you tried other lines early on, but a lot has changed. I highly recommend you try Celebrity or HAL again, and on their new ships. Plus, on Celebrity, they will match your RCI status. The ships are beautiful, and it'll be a nice break from the same-ole, same-ole. I'll go against a couple of the recommendations, suggesting trying the more luxury or more premium lines. I don't totally know you, but I'm basing that on hubby's love for the Flowrider. 😉

Not in my experience. No idea about Icon yet, but in 8 combined Oasis and Quantum Class cruises, I have never found the pools overly crowded, not even on sea days. But that certainly is true about other big ships. The absolute worst crowding situation I've ever seen on a cruise ship was on Norwegian Escape. It's why I would never recommend Breakaway+ ships for pool people.

Definitely Royal Caribbean and like the others said, Icon, Oasis and Quantum classes.

Just go to the Hangar. It's a great atmosphere that is waterfront with a view of the ships. The chowder is delicious. One of my favorite downtown restaurants is Salt, but it is pricey.

When I lived in the Keys, Miami and FLL were easy commutes for 3-day cruises. They made for great weekend getaways and for some reason, I never really felt like my cruises on Majesty of the Seas were booze cruises. We always had a great, and relaxing time. I would never fly to a 3-day cruise though unless it was part of a longer vacation.

I'm a fan of CK. The service and meals remind me of how the mdr used to be. I don't think it's anything spectacular but I do think it's a lot better than today's mdr.

Chill. Just chill. Get to know the massive ship and you'll figure out what's next once you're there.

On the amazingly bad note, and ironically consistent with NCL, mine were Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Sky.

You can try to paint it that way all you want but it doesn’t change the fact that locals rely on it for commuting. They do not appreciate it when it fills with cruise ship tourists trying to save a few bucks. Personally, I try not to be an ugly tourist when I travel. If you’re ok with that, go for it.

I will never forget my first RCI cruise on Monarch of the Seas. It was the most beautiful ship I had ever seen, and I have very fond memories of that cruise. But to answer the Op's question, I will have to pick Allure of the Seas as most amazing.

The long walk is associated with the city bus. People use that option because it's only a couple bucks. I don't recommend using the city bus. It's there for commutting locals, not tourists.

In Juneau, I recommend the tribal Sealaska Heritage Institute. It's a very easy walk from the pier.

The adults only solarium pool areas on Royal Caribbean Oasis and Quantum Class ships are quite spectacular. However, I recommend Celebrity or HAL...in that order...for a more adult cruise.

Yes, and I have rented one. They are in great shape, and Klondike is the only private car rental I recommend in Skagway as an alternate to Avis. Definitely go the car rental option. The sites are beautiful. I have gone as far as Whitehorse, but I do not recommend it. There wasn't much to see there and unlike most Canadian cities, I found the people to be very cold and unwelcoming. However, do try to make it to Carcross. It's a quirky little village with a cool history. If you do have time to go a little further than Carcross, the Robinson Roadhouse is a neat little historical site to visit. If you make it that far, that should be your turnaround point.

I recommend Holland America for Alaska. The reality of an Alaskan cruise is that the weather is not always perfect and IMO, HAL ships are designed very well for inclement weather. Standard cabins are larger and have couches (unlike Princess), balconies are large, and all HAL ships have beautiful forward-facing lounges (called the Crows Nest) that offer 270-degree panoramic views. More specifically, take a look at Koningsdam. She's a beautiful ship. Good luck on your choice.

Go Royal Caribbean! Their new, large ships are quite spectacular, and the entertainment is the best at sea. You mentioned pool decks....the sprawling pool decks of the Oasis Class are amazing.

For some reason, I have not found this to be a problem.

I've sailed a couple cruise ships that I referred to as tubs or barges. I can only imagine how triggered some people got over that. 🙄 I wonder if folks sailing the QM2 get bent out of shape when people call her a ship and not a liner.

For what it's worth, another definition of suite is the personal staff accompanying a VIP. So, if the room perks include a butler, concierge, etc, technically you are booking a suite. Just sayn'. 😉