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Fax because fax is secure - you should not be emailing an image of your driver's license or credit card info (or passport, or banking information, etc.). Email is not secure.

You could send a password encrypted attachment, but quite frankly most people don't know how to do that correctly, or then how to coordinate the password with the recipient.

We just did a Merrytime Cruise over the holidays - our adult 26 year old daughter joining us. Yes, there are more children on DCL. There are also adults-only areas where (1) there were no children, (2) there was fabulous service, (3) there was calming music or total quiet, and (4) there were always (lounge and other) chairs available in any venue. The entertainment venues are family in the early evening, and most go adult-only after 9 PM as the kids have their own clubs. We enjoy the DCL adults-only areas, DCL entertainment, etc. I think the dining room food is rather bland, but it is generally well-prepared.  The general entertainment will be family oriented, so yes, there will be many kids. You will pay a premium for holidays on Disney, and I believe the single supplement is steep. If your Merrytime Cruise is not directly over Christmas it will be less than if it were directly Christmas and New Years.  We enjoy DCL as adults-only as we enjoy Palo & Remy (the upcharge restaurants), the entertainment in the main theater and smaller venues, the adults-only lounge areas. Our daughter would go back on DCL as an adult, no hesitation.  Would I cruise DCL single? Honestly, I don't know - the single supplement I believe is the same as paying for two people in a cabin - so if I got a great last-minute deal, perhaps, but those are few and far between.

Thank you for the balanced review. We will be sailing in late February on the Edge and have concerns about the IV not feeling like a verandah, but we will give it a try. I prefer not to be in direct sunlight when looking for lounge chairs on deck, so it may work out well for us. On the flip side, if it feels more like a window than a shady space in the outdoors we will probably be disappointed. There is so much to explore, I'm sure we will be able to deal with it for the week, regardless!

On 12/28/2018 at 7:44 PM, mmsoko said:

Would visiting forts be “scooter “friendly?   Daughter has MS and uses scooter

It has been a couple years since I have been in the forts, but as I recall El Morro had more steps - it would be accessible on the top level but I don't recall seeing a way to go down all the levels to the ocean other than steps. San Cristóbal had more ramps throughout the fort as part of the fort's historic construction.

There is accessibility info at https://www.nps.gov/saju/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm. So I would aim for San Cristóbal as the primary fort to spend more time in and enjoy.

Thanks for the thoughtful review! We enjoy live music, so the mix of old and new will be welcomed. We sail on her in February, so we will definitely be checking out the various theater, bar, and club musicians.

On 12/3/2018 at 9:54 PM, ohhbother said:

We’re an IV cabin at this very moment. I would absolutely book it again on a

cold-weather cruise. On a Caribbean cruise, I’d prefer a real balcony where I can step outside and feel like I’m truly outdoors. You never get that sense on the IV. Plus the thing is so darn small. It’s crammed full of furniture that you have to move every time you step into or out of that area. 

 

On the positive side, it is really nice having the large window - lets a ton of sunlight into the room. But these cabins are much more like an oceanview cabin with a picture window that opens than a true balcony cabin. 

 

Hope that helps!

We are debating keeping our IV or moving to a traditional balcony for our February Edge cruise. Coming from a cold weather climate, we enjoy the warmth, breeze, and sounds while sitting on a cabin balcony. If the IV only acts as a window, and those other elements are removed, then indeed it is more like an oceanview stateroom with a window that opens. If I have to go to the open decks for that "outside" feeling, then I give up the whole point of the balcony for us - the privacy and quiet of a balcony cabin! It will be interesting to watch the reviews come in over the next few weeks.

Thanks, VT. I appreciate the input. I think we are going to keep that cabin as there are no obstructions, we are fine with the shade, and overall the location is pretty convenient. I think being so close or even under that dividing wall will make it less noisy. Given the design around the Solarium Pool, I think we are not directly under the pool deck chairs, but rather just under the Solarium. We will see how it plays out and I will report back!

We are in 12127 in late Feb - I'm also trying to figure out what is above that stateroom or if there are other considerations I should be aware of. From what I can tell on the deck plans, the room is under the solarium pool and general pool wall area - I think the pool bar is in that area as well. We generally do decks between cabin decks, so pondering moving down a deck or two because of potential motion and noise. Thanks!

I echo the positive experience with Captain Chip and Stingray Sailing. We sailed with Captain Chip on Feb 1 with a group of only 9 people. At the sandbar there were a couple boats with at least 40-50 people packed on them like sardines - and we were so glad not to be on those boats! Captain Chip knows his way around the stingrays, and makes sure that each person has the opportunity to engage with stingrays in a manner comfortable for the human as well as in a respectful manner for the stingray. Can't say enough good things about Captain Chip, and if we return to Grand Cayman we will book with him again.

We did the food tour on Jan 31 in Falmouth, and had a delightful time. Our guides were Sanya and Steve, and it was a pleasant mix of food, history, culture, and laughter. Sanya is high-energy, and both she and Steve are proud of their country. The tour served as our lunch, and we found it to be interesting and enjoyable. I left a positive review over on TripAdvisor.

I agree, get the Global Entry for $100. The extra $15 is recouped with one international entry back to the US when you see the lines you get to skip and the speed and ease of global entry - and make that flight connection you worry about making. Check your credit cards - some will pay for it as a perk of the card. Check your airline frequent flyer mileage programs - you may be able to use miles to pay for it. Our whole family has Global Entry, and it has saved us all time and worry.

In Juneau, my husband and I did the Helicopter Glacier Trek (JNU-855) and it was our favorite excursion of the cruise - pricey but worth it. Two hours of trekking on the ice was awesome. Great equipment (pants, jacket, helmet, boots, crampons, fanny pack, harness, etc) provided and scenic helicopter ride to and from glacier. And we had a terrific guide! Picture from the glacier

Called TA today, and was able to add the complimentary gratuities to our Jan 2018 Regal cruise. No change in fare. Took an hour on hold, and TA said wait times have been long all day at Princess.

Sorry you and your mother encountered rude fellow passengers. The crew can do an admirable job creating a pleasant environment for passengers, and we passengers can add to their efforts by simply modeling and demonstrating pleasantness ourselves. Smiling, saying good morning, hello, etc. can go a long way to creating a positive vacation experience. Never know what baggage others may be carrying with them, so I simply aim to be kind to others and take the high road when I encounter rudeness.

Really I just asked for a recommendation for a fun sports bar not for commentary about choices we are making. We are excited about going to Taku Glacier Lodge for most of the day and enjoying a beer and the game afterward. Everyone has the right to do what they want on their vacation!

Spot on, Jakeconmag! Each of us has interests, commitments, and compromises we make when traveling- enjoy your trip!

If you look at that particular entry she posts a comparison shot of 2014 and 2015.

http://susanstevenson.com/blog/2015/09/denali-road-lottery-2015-a-snowy-event/#more-1461

She has captured some beautiful images, thanks for sharing!

Came across the article "This Natural Phenomenon In Alaska Happens Just Once A Year And It’s Spectacular" today about the colors of September in Alaska. I am hoping on our Sept 10 sail followed by the land tour we see some of the colorful tundra in the Denali area.

Have any of you experienced cruisers encountered this?