boulders

They just started releasing Europe for summer, 2024. Winter 2024 Australia grand voyage was released around February/March. I'd expect to see fall, 2024 somewhere in the next 3 months or so. 

I was able to get the premium wifi upgrade last night for the $9.99 per package. I sail in January, so we'll see how that goes...

I looked at the shore excursions and compared to what I paid for them in August/September. One was listed at a regular price of $232, on sale for $197. I had paid $168. Only one of the three shore excursions I booked was a lower price than what I paid - $9 less. So, don't assume the listed discount will save you money. 

She should be able to get into the US with just the birth certificate. She should be able to get on a cruise from the U.S. to the Caribbean with the birth certificate and Canadian drivers license. But, she won't be able to get back into Canada with just a driver's license. Is she on a visa? Isn't that attached to her passport? 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

Tenerife is in the Canary Islands and is part of Spain. It's not a remote island in Africa. The requirement to be at least 12 months for a voyage with more than 2 consecutive sea days is part of the cruise contract, in section 5, that you signed. This one's on you. 

https://www.princess.com/legal/passage_contract/pcl.html

24 nights in the summer to the Med  and 22 nights to Antarctica over Christmas. I shared a cabin with a 7/8 year old and 2 teens for both cruises. The kids missed about 8 days of school for the second cruise. 5 days before break and 3 days after break. The oldest had his senior year high school exams about 2 weeks after we returned from Antarctica. He did just as well as if he'd been in school. We sailed Holland America for both cruises. 

On 11/3/2022 at 8:47 AM, cruisemom42 said:

Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations for a World Cruise for solo passengers?

 

I am well accustomed to the solo supplement, but paying for a phantom double for >100 days is a pricey prospect. Do any lines that offer world cruises also have either solo accommodations or a reduced supplement for solos?

 

Also, what about onboard experience for solos?  I've read discussions on the HAL board where it seems solo cruisers have had mostly good experiences.

Holland America's supplement for solos is only about 60% for insides and oceanviews on their world and grand cruises. 

20 minutes ago, DE Solo said:

In the past, children have not been permitted in the casino while it has been open. Not sure if this is still true.

They can walk through, but can't stop. 

37 minutes ago, wandrr said:

How about a ten-year-old unaccompanied on a tender? I am too lazy to look this up, and I bet not many people have experienced it. I would expect the tender staff to send the kid back to mommy or daddy, but does anyone really know?

 

Similarly, an unaccompanied ten-year-old going ashore at a normal port...

A few years ago, when my kids were that age, children weren't allowed off the ship without a guardian. 

 CDC guidance for cruise ships

1 hour ago, trixiee said:

When I mentioned to my PCC that I wanted to transfer the booking, I was offered a price match - in OBC.  I was happy to do this. YMMV.

Same here. I think they want to keep the bookings in house.

Kids don't need toys on a cruise.

I've cruised many times with 4 people, including me and my 3 kids in various size cabins, including a HAL inside for 3 weeks. The kids found plenty to do on the two HAL cruises we've been on. My youngest was 6 and 8 on those. We had a great time, each time, well, except for the Carnival cruise. I don't see an issue at all.

Many people cruise with kids that age and younger. The ultimate Royal Caribbean cruise has many people cruising with their kids in the same cabin for 270 days. 

On 10/14/2022 at 1:19 PM, WCB said:

 

Getting out of the pier was like going through a maze.  Once out of the terminal building, we entered a narrow walkway that had cyclone fencing on both sides.  It seemed to go on forever, and oddly enough, we saw many empty cans of cat food on both sides of the fencing.  We can only assume that there are a lot of rodents here, and the cats serve a purpose

Actually, it's the cats that are the pest. They eat the eggs and birds of ground-nesting birds. The cat food is there for 2 purposes: to feed them so that they don't eat the native birds and to attract them so that they can be neutered/spayed. 

22 hours ago, kitcrazy said:

Thank you everyone for your kind responses.  I've done it!!!  I went on a recommended website and was able to get a 10-day cruise on the Caribbean Princess to Panama Canal, Costa Rica & the Caribbean at an excellent price with a zero single supplement.  It leaves on December 18, so I will be away over Christmas. I still have moments of regret -- wondering if I'll end up having days where I stay in my cabin and cry -- but it's too late to change my mind since it's fully paid up! If anyone has some tips on how to cope, I'm all ears.

Congratulations!  I'm doing a very similar itinerary in January with Celebrity. 

It's OK to cry!!! You are still grieving. Let yourself cry for a bit and then go out and have fun!  Make sure to prebook your excursions so that you have a time and a place to be on certain days. Get a massage/manicure/pedicure. Play bingo and/or slots. Enjoy yourself.

Although part of me died with my dh, the rest of me is still here and I get to do things that I never would have done with dh around. 

There's an online travel agent that makes searching for solo fares relatively easy. It's the one that comes up first after the ads and after cruisecritic when I do a google search for solo fares cruises. 

Hugs to you. I was widowed unexpectedly many years ago when I was in my forties, so I know your pain. I've done quite a few cruises after being widowed.  Actually, I didn't cruise until I was widowed. I love that someone else takes care of the details of where to eat for dinner and how to get from port A to port B. That was the scariest part of travelling by myself. 

I like the cruises that had extended family groups the best - Holland America and to a lesser extent Disney and Royal Caribbean. Holland America especially has pretty good solo fares all the time. I'm going on an 11 night Celebrity Caribbean cruise in a few months as they had an excellent solo fare for a cruise I wanted a few weeks ago. I haven't been on Celebrity before. That fare is gone now. I didn't like my Princess Alaskan cruises as that seemed to be all couples and that was a little triggering. 

The solo cabins look tiny to me. I think I'd be claustrophobic and I sailed in an inside for 24 days with my 3 kids. If you wait until after final payment date, you should be able to get a good fare for whatever cabins are available. 

Join your roll call and go to the meet and greet. That way, you can set up excursions with others and have some familiar faces once on board. 

Once on board, ime, get a table with others in the MDR at dinner rather than eating alone. For breakfast and lunch, I usually eat in the cabin or in one of the restaurants. The lido is not set up for singles. There was a recent thread in this subforum discussing that issue. 

2 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

I think that you are correct.  I am hoping or another Grand Asia but do not expect it any time soon.  Possible 2024 but more likely 2025?

Instead of Grand Asia, they're doing a Grand Australia & New Zealand in 2024. It's been released for a while and is very popular. There's one stop in Indonesia. 

I'm taking my first cruise on Celebrity as a Florida resident soon. I got a 15% discount on the cruise. 

HAL from time to time sends me offers based on my loyalty status. I got about a 15% discount on my last 3 week cruise with them. 

These discounts come about 4-5 months before sailing. 

I'm a Celebrity newbie too. I booked my first X cruise in August for a January '23 sailing. All that was available for dining was the anytime or "Select" option. A couple of weeks ago, I was able to pre-book my dining time for each night of the cruise on the app. I've read elsewhere on CC that this will prevent lines, but if you don't pre-book, you might experience wait times of 45 minutes. 

MCO is closing tomorrow at 10:30 am. 

Tampa airport is closing at 5 pm today. https://news.tampaairport.com/tampa-international-airport-prepares-for-potential-severe-impacts-from-hurricane-ian/

I was upsold to a Neptune years ago. You won't get the free laundry or the double points as someone else mentioned. You have to pay the advertised rate for a Neptune for those perks. 

HAL and the Netherlands government have known for months that the arrangement would end this week. Surely they've made arrangements to rehouse the refugees. I doubt that any refugees will be just dumped on the pier. 

The Prinsendam was built in 1988 and was sailing for HAL when it was over 30 years old. I'd say that Volendam has a few more years in her in the fleet. I'm booked on the Grand Australia cruise in 2024. 

Thanks for the comparison with HAL. I'm cruising Celebrity for the first time soon. My favorite other cruise line is HAL. 

You are entering Canada at the end of the cruise, but the Canadian government processes everyone who is boarding as if they are entering Canada on boarding day. 

NAAT is not a type of PCR. PCR is a type of NAAT. Both are types of a molecular test. You need a molecular test within 72 hours of boarding time or an antigen test within 2 days. Both need to be professionally administered, i.e. can't be self- administered. If you are boarding on Saturday, any time after 2 pm on Wednesday should be safe for a molecular test (PCR or NAAT). Or you can book a rapid antigen test for anytime Thursday or Friday.