Wildcatllamas

Thank you so much Donna. I will ask for a topper just to be safe.

Barb

A friend is thinking about coming with me on a cruise on the Sun. I have been told by NCL that the main bed doesn't break down to 2 twins. She says she is fine sleeping on the sofa bed but can anyone tell me how comfortable it really is? Is there an option for a roll-away? If a roll-away are they comfortable? Hate to have her cranky by day 2 because the bed options aren't great.:(

Thanks!

Well I got in on the tail end. A friend and I were looking at doing the Pacific Coast cruise in September 2014 and were trying to decide between NCL and HAL. I have been sailing on NCL the last year and been very happy. She has done HAL. I was going to ask for advice on which is better but I think I will lean toward NCL with this. Last cruise with NCL DH and I took on 4 bottles of very nice wine and just paid the corkage. A glass apiece each evening while sitting on our balcony was so nice.

If you are wanting the luxury of a beautiful suite I would definitely do the two bedroom. I have stayed in it and on our last cruise saw the SJ which is basically just a large open room with curtain dividers to afford a semblance of privacy.

The fold out couch in the small bedroom is not real comfortable so I would definitely request two egg crates. The fold down bunk would be good for a child or small adult.

The only thing dividing the master bedroom from the master bath is a heavy curtain. The cabin has pocket doors the separate the master suite from the living room area of the cabin. So unless you are planning on allowing who ever sleeps on the couch to use your bathroom in the middle of the night they will be using the one in the small bedroom.

There is room in the living room area to move the dining table back a bit and put a roll-away in there. It may be a little crowded but doable.

It is a beautiful suite and my DH, DD and I enjoyed having our dinner served to us their on a couple of nights when we were just to tired to move.

Thanks so much for the info. We had Monica back in January and she was great with us. I liked our butler but he wasn't over the top. I have heard that Maxi was wonderful.

Oh Don you are terrible to post such awful pictures ;).

They started the Chef's Table after we sailed on the Star in January but will be on her again in December and will just have to insist that DH join me on this culinary excursion.

Kudos to NCL for following CC and stepping in when needed.

I will be sailing out of NOLA in December with DH. So looking forwarding to reading your information.

Grass fed beef ? Probably a far stretch. Possible but highly doubtful. US beef is mostly grain/corn/lot fed beef. There are some small farms that still grass fed, but call me skeptical that anyone uses them for large supplies. Besides, US palates are geared for taste in corn/grain/lot fed and not grass fed. Grass fed cattle are predominantly Austrailians/Argentina supplied beef to the rest of the world.

 

And if they were truly antibiotic/steroid free cattle (or grass fed) don't you think NCL (which is a marketing machine) would advertise that particular item like crazy ? They would even exhibit "Grass fed" all over the place because most people don't know that grass fed beef taste completely different and the American palate doesn't even like "grass fed" but it sure sounds good. (I'd venture to guess most Americans don't know what the cows are fed, but thats another story).

 

Now, this isn't to mean Cagneys doesn't /sometimes/ serve a tasty meal or a delicious meal, or a crappy meal. Just that whatever crazy assertions you're making here definitely aren't the case.

Anthem you are right on several things. There is so much involved in the cattle industry from the ranch to the processor. Marbling provides internal basting thus a moister cut of meat as long as it isn't cooked dead. Prime is your highest level of marbling but requires a longer time at the feedlot.

Grass fed beef will have a different flavor in the fat and meat. Some say a more "gamey" flavor here again depends on the grass. Most feed lots use minimal corn since the advent of the ethanol industry for fuel. It is usually more sileage which can be a composite of many things. I have even seen sawdust used as part of a sileage mix.

Aging at least 7 days will begin to break down the meat fibers for a more tender cut. Aging 21 days will give the most tender but will also equate the most expensive due to the waste of the trim off. If you are eating a tender steak and hit a spot that is suddenly very tough - usually (but not always) a location where the shots were given. Then there is the term "dark cutter". This is an animal that was extremely stressed at the time of slaughter. Meat won't last no matter how you care for it from store to home.

So steaks can be a matter of personal preference. I prefer a well marbled steak aged 14 days that is seared on the outside and barely warm red on the inside. Of course DH always threatens to kill it if it moos at him.;)

Oh Darth my group that is going on the Star in January are going to love your photos. They cover everything that most folks want to know. Thank you!!! And Donald - go suck a raw egg somewhere else.

I sure would check with NCL. I have never sailed with them before but so far everyone I have had to deal with has been wonderful.

I do not know anything about peritoneal dialysis. My father self-administers hemodialysis at home and has for a couple years. We sailed on Norwegian last year and NXStage delivered all of his supplies to the ship with no problems. He treated every morning of our 7 night cruise, in his cabin, with no issues. We now have 35 people and a wedding booked with Royal Caribbean in Feb. 2012 and they are telling us he cannot sail with us!!:confused: I can GUARANTEE that this will be our last dealing with Royal Caribbean.

I know this doesn't answer your questions. I do know that they have no issue with Peritoneal Dialysis and no line has an issue with self-administered hemo.

 

Good Luck!

Wow ticruiser that stinks. When my DH went on dialysis we looked at home hemodialysis. Our clinic checked on cruiselines and said that all would accept a patient who self administers provided they knew ahead of time so they could prep for it. What does RCCL say as to why they are denying him passage? Is it to late to cancel and book with NCL? Good luck with this.

JustJen my DH went on PD in September of 2008. In Febuary 2009 we did our first cruise with him on PD. That was on Celebrity. Last December we did our next cruise - this time on Princess. We are scheduled to sail on NCL in January. We have even traveled to Mexico of a land based trip one Christmas.

On our first PD cruise Baxter delivered our supplies directly to the ship and we just traveled with his machine. This last time because Baxter now charges over $300 to deliver the solution we had it delivered to our hotel, stuck luggage tags on each box with a good solid taping over them and dropped them with our luggage with the porters. We will be doing that again in Tampa.

We haven't had any problems with the Baxter HomeChoice machine and alarms although we haven't had rough seas on either cruise.

Be sure to have your DH to work closely with his home clinic. DH's clinic has him take antibiotics with him just in case he winds up with peritonitis. Better to be safe than sorry.

Enjoy your cruise.

Hertz does have a drop off and pick up at the port but you have to make the reservation by phone. They also have a pick up and drop off location at the Marriott Waterside. That can be made on line and then you just call to confirm pick up or drop off. The Marriott also has a shuttle to the port.

Invite all your friends to a party in any cabin ending in 4. There aren't any on the Star !!!

Oh how funny. The hotel I work at doesn't have a room 510. A new bell person will always be sent to 510 within the first day or so.

Just ordered this dress for our cruise the end of this month. Starting to get real excited.

Char it on the outside and warm rare inside if it is a filet. Ribeye warm that fat up just a bit. Yum.:D

We're examining PD, but want to get more experience on HD before making any changes. DW is afraid of the procedure, since diabetics such as myself heal very slowly, from the surgery for the catheter, for example.

 

gary

Hi Gary,

Tell your wife not to worry. My husband has had diabetes since 1965. Healing can be a problem but your PD unit monitors everything very closely. DH has a great team and there was never any hesitation for the surgery. Much like your fistula it has to heal for a certain length of time before use. PD has several advantages - done daily so you feel better, less restrictive food options, easier travel and if there is any residual kidney function it is preserved longer. Home Hemo is also an option and it to has a travel set up. But with Home Hemo they require that you have an assistant with you during your treatments. I just about passed out just watching the video (and yet I give shots and treat wounds on our animals all the time).

Do watch the low potassium. Very important!!! My husband has had two episodes of cardiac arrest due to low potassium. First one we started CPR right away and the second time his defibrillator kicked him silly.:eek:

Barb

Hey Gary,

Good luck on your cruise. My husband has been on Peritoneal dialysis for over 2 years now. We have done two cruises and one all inclusive vacation to Mexico. Our next cruise is the end of December.

I know Hemodialysis is more restrictive for traveling but the Peritoneal has been great.

We have to pay to have the solutions used to be delivered to the ship but there is no cost at this time to have it delivered to any of the hotels we have stayed in.

Watch your salt while on the cruise as well. That is one thing that can be a real problem.

Have fun!!!

After two cruises to Cozumel DH and I decided we want to see more of the Mayan ruins near Cancun. Have been trying to wade through so many sites and information and then this morning I thought - gee check out Cruise Critic. And there lo and behold all the information I needed. I should have thought of you folks earlier. Always good info on cruises and now this - I am so happy.:D

Barb

My DH and I are booked into 1067 on Celebrity Century. Our TA says that will be a great room but after looking at the ship diagram we will be right under the ladies bathroom outside of the dining room and just down from the pool area. Does anyone know anything about this particular location or room?

Barb