sjn911

Agree, although I did reach for the water glass once I was through......:confused:

Jimboo....Excellent to be chilling with one of your reviews.

There is a website called www.whatsthefare.com You put in a starting and an ending address, and it will give you a breakdown as to approximate cost for Uber, Lyft and taxi. For FLL to Miami cruiseport, it's 32 for Uber, 33 for Lyft and 49 for a taxi. Uber XL is 72 and Lyft Plus is 73. You should be able to do two regular cars and put 3 in one and four in the other. Look for promo codes online as well, it's usually a free 22.00 ride for first time on Uber. If two people out of the 7 have never used them, that's a great saving.

I am soooooo out of it with these options...thank you.

Not sure but think this is just a rib eye leaving more or almost all the rib bone on it,???? Sometimes to me rubs and spices sneak in not good tenderizers..I just love really good meat with a cooked over the coals kind of flavor..and slight marbling to make tender. Marbling usually best achieved by a little corn feed at end before butcher, 3 to 4 weeks....all grass beef is just not as tender. Best as ground beef to me...low fat ground. At home for steaks I usually just get good sirloins on sale. But love tenderloins, T-bone, rib eye and NY Strip. Sometimes a rib steak can be too fatty and too much gristle..places can give you huge ones that are lower grade...look good and then...wow the meat to fat and gristle ration is What?? I think all the meat looked good at the Steakhouse. I am sure there is a fluke piece of meat and mistake that should be remedied with another one pronto.

The adults only pool is now fair game for splashers and marco-polo yellers.

Love the way you put it LOL...not thrilled about that but nice Conquest will have Serenity. :(

I love the color co-ordination of Ok girl. Silicone Earplugs and a pretty sweater or wrap...cotton and light weight jacket. I live in what seems like terminal winter but can't wear wool if not lined. OK I went for 3 things..and there are many more lol.

First year family went to Hawaii was the most epic snow year on a cattle ranch. We had to snowmobile one by one with dad and suitcase 5 miles to Suburban dad parked on highway. We slept the night before at my grandmothers in Town 80 miles away and dear family friend who took us kept our big coats in car for return..it snowed here Monday..lol....sigh, still thinking about the retirement winters and praying I can make them warm.

I have found amazing coats at Walmart, a long down one for here and wear both mine and moms 9 years later and a cute layer one..Finally....those 3 jackets in one..have not unzipped it yet LOL. In the 70's down coats were SPENDY...Viva Walmart...and any Brick and Mortar store....all the way to Designer...

My husband and I, I guess you'd say downgraded, from a Grand Suite to a Junior Suite on Ecstasy; V10. I'd assume people either love it or hate it. We are okay with a smaller balcony, being up higher in the ship and hoping the halls up there have a little less hustle and bustle and the stewards are less bogged down? Accurate assumption?

 

 

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That is an accurate assumption, for quieter... and for a solo on the other extreme,,one of the most affordable great location deals is the 1A and the inside 1A's with one bunk on Empress Deck are slightly larger...so much so that they will sometimes put another bed next to the twin, leaving the bunk up, Nobody is across from you on these rooms and they seem larger to me than the regular Spirit and Conquest insides. Also much more apt not to be kids next door and parents across hall mania...and a straight shot out to Centrum Bar and elevators. Middle ship location. I had bad memories size wise and narrow one wall bed wise from an old inside in 80's and found this delightful with a large enough for me just twin...the fake curtained window held the animals on the sill. Next time I will maybe try the double bed...one guy way back was a regular solo on this class whom they remembered and made the double for........the nobody across hall and under carpeted dining room and over reg cabins makes them unique and special..like a HUGE train cabin in a way...loved it. I liked it better than friends on Cabin crawl for that 4 day Cruise because even less commotion in my hall.... and it was friends then with a 1600 cost for the Veranda Jr Suite for one and 1600 for 2 and 290 (appx..then 1A's were 0nly 150%} for mine for one...it was a Catalina Ensenada 4 day one on sale on Paradise at the time..2nd favorite cruise I think..second week in June in 2009. All this said..I would still be very happy with a Junior Veranda Upgrade...knowing what they are...a unique nice cabin.

I think it would be fun to see next step up before Conquest Class and Compare later to totally updated Sunshine if you want to do all. More than the Fantasy class to snoop around...I am sure it will be a steady good Carnival cruise with proper expectations.

I have been on a Fantasy and a Spirit class. It is fun to compare.

It took me too many days driving back from Oregon last time and as a solo unit. Fatigue and chronic pain stuff. I love to drive but would be worn out and unable to enjoy my cruise unless it was a 3 hrs top thing and 2 nights before in a hotel resting. And I have a miracle 19 year old Dodge Stratus ES. LOL...paid for with winter studs and all weathers to change every needed season.

Speaking as someone who may be guilty of saying the same thing to someone about cruising, it's just envy. I would love to cruise more if I could get the time off work and hope my time is coming someday. BTW my biggest obstacle to cruising is airline flight prices. If I lived within easy driving distance to a good port I would probably be able to squeeze more than one in a year.

It is really hard for a lot of us and being landlocked and going through what the last and coming corrections have been in economy.

Yah I get that all the time that I should be helping them out yet like you said they smoke and drink etc

 

 

 

Yup save and budget - and sometimes i just splurge and go for the hell of it

Amen bnorris, Amen.

Some of the rudest remarks I have heard were from family - Actually had someone tell me yah we were all talking and think you hit the lottery

My grandma left a little quote...she was my favorite and I say was "healing Judgement" in this lifetime. She did a wonderful job keeping her mouth shut but sometimes the "grand dig". It is the judgement and control and what one learned around money at the source of this one...white lies are forgiven in heaven...possibly congratulated. Loved your comment.

Thanks everyone for the input! We have put 2 inside Spa cabins on hold on the Sunshine. We will officially switch tomorrow from the Fascination. We will get 8 days vs 7 on the Fascination, and we can get a spa cabin on Sunshine for much cheaper than a regular cabin on Vista. Also, the flights and hotels to Orlando are MUCH cheaper than Miami so we can go to Disney with the money we save! We are considering Disney our missing port that we would have had on the Vista. Also, the Serenity deck on Sunshine is 3 floors and looks the best I've seen of any Carnival ship. As we are a bachelorette party of 6, the spa option is a huge selling point for us. I still want to sail the Fascination itinerary so I think I will schedule that for a NYE cruise later in 2018!

LOL..got to end...this is perfect!!!! Perfect for your situation!!!

Yes it's very enticing....I've been wanting to do a family cruise anyways, for my 30th bday maybe... and the Fascination sounds like more of ship to have a family vacation in hang with my parents than meet singles

Agreed..an old Fantasy Class in right situation is salt of earth people and a lot of fun for port intensive and less crowds. They are the oldest and check current reviews. If too much and could not change then it is right one..great minds to meet who thought alike,,,,,.and I have just read up to this post...lol....so if decided then great..just following up.

I would go with the Vista, I have cruised on Fantasy class ships and it was not very exciting, the Vista has it all! Also check the conquest sailings out of FT Lauderdale its a mid sized ship and it sails to San Juan as well.

 

 

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My vote like MikenEvi2008 is Vista or maybe the Conquest....but for your goals..and I could be wrong..but for your goals and age group I would say the more time and sea days and newest ship...more of younger group wants newer for sure. I love the Fantasy class for the deals and smaller amt of people being served is often good service but the Vista is getting all the best service people I bet, best music etc. and kinks worked out by now and just so many more to do options on ship for meeting people...the Port Plan is good for meeting too. IE the beach stuff in Grand Turk and the 3 sea days!!!

Many people think that cruises are for "the rich." I know we've gotten that reaction and we only have one cruise under our belt (with another on the way). We're far from rich, just a normal family on a strict budget. I don't fault anyone for thinking that, though. A lot of people who haven't looked into it don't think about how all-inclusive cruising really is. They take vacations that include hotels, food, entertainment, travel expenses, etc. and don't realize they're spending just as much, or more, than some cruises. Technically, you can buy your tickets and not have to spend another dime once on board. Is it the cheapest vacation around? No, we've taken cheaper ones and still had a great time because we're into a lot of things that can be done for next to nothing or even free. But with a little planning and saving, a cruise is very doable for a lot of families. So don't be too hard on them for making the comments they do. If the reason behind their reaction is because they think it's too rich for their blood, educate them a little. If all else fails and they're just jealous, stop telling them about your cruises. Then you won't have to worry so much.

 

 

You might as well steal it, they stole it from a movie. ;) In case you're wondering, it's from "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."

Agree with your comment, I am grateful to have been in many learning situations on ups and downs of income and times. And to have enjoyed getting the biggest bang for my buck in great travel situations. And the view form my little home much more, grateful to have one. Some folks after 2008 for zero fault of their own took a huge hit. Looking forward to more travel and less penny pinching one day...gratefully..knowing I have options come what may. If you have LOVED Cruises and travel...nothing like helping many find a way!! Almost as good as going!!!

You should make up a cool story to tell them. Something like it's how you dispose of all the income you make off of the moonshine that you brew and distribute. Tell them that Moonshiners show on TV is actually about your life, those people all work for you.

 

Or how you were strolling down the beach and tripped over a piece of wood on one of your first cruises, you dug it up and it was filled with gold doubloons and now you travel on the cruise ship trying to find the tribe this gold belongs to in order to give them back the gold and remove the curse. (This way if they ask you for some you can say I wouldn't wish this curse upon you)

LOL...Wonderful....:cool:

Edited to add...understand all sides on this one...had some relatively dry years in travel and this place has helped the loss of learning that happens if you stop going a certain way and updates and helps me be ready at last minute for two and soon soon to be a third in past 10 years...my others were earlier. I think one is very lucky to cruise early in one's life and have some but not all special things..and then be in some kind of socio economic level to travel at all at any decent for you budget. It is a real gift to teach people who can. It is also good if you have understanding of the long dry phases inbetween...so looking forward to that ending, LOL...one day at a time toward your dreams. But the meanies...go the absurd answer route..just not too mean.

This was a very informative sweet thread...thanks, Sarah

I want to go on a cruise with Jamman and Patti! They're probably a whole lot of fun!

Me too...one day one day,,,,

Jeff..so thrilled to be reading another review...you make them fabulous...happy April and thanks again...I may even be one behind this one..lol...Godpseed....Sarah THANK YOU!!!

My great aunt and great uncle used to cruise all the time. They would book cruises way in advance. My great aunt had cancer. She'd go years in remission but it would keep coming back. But she would always have cruises booked way in advance, because it gave her something to look forward to! This went on for 10+ years

 

Sadly, she passed away 6 years ago. But I know she will always be with me in spirit when I'm cruising!

Beautiful story....thanks..Godspeed to her and many good travels to you and yours.

So much depends on schedules, how folks money comes in, a family's pace...etc.

It's a simple, feel good story. Kinda cool to run across a message in a bottle. How often does that happen? With that said, I've experienced the problem of trash in the ocean. I worked on board Boeing Jetfoils back in the late 70s and when the company first got them, we would get shut down by trash sucked into the waterjet intake. It was a real problem. They overcame it by fabricating a self cleaning screen over the intake, but it was frustrating and expensive for the company, what with cancelled runs and unnecessary repairs and maintenance, initially. It was tough going at the start.

Great co-relation to issue.

I can see both points of view, and the hopeless romantic in me comes down slightly on the side of Ray. What I think it hilarious is that so many people on these boards always seem to value chengkp75's opinion and can't wait for him to jump into a thread and settle arguments... until it rains on their parade. Considering he probably has more time at sea than everyone else in this thread combined, I still value that opinion even if the message in a bottle makes for a good story.

So well put, my thoughts as well.

Well, this thread turned into a buzz kill, fast like. LOL. OP, hope you find Ray. He'll undoubtedly be thrilled.

I can not believe I have been at these boards as long as I have...but way back between now and January 2009, there was a long one just debating plastic bottles over glass ones and the simple joy of doing it...the romance.

I get the OP; and the wonder of it all; and being a teacher. I have wonderful teachers in my group.

One was my mom and so sad I never got to cruise with her. She passed 2012 and ended her teaching career in a horrible way by a home made instrument she taught having a nail fail and hit a kid in the eye...a law suit..and a lot of pain and noboby was a better teacher or felt more horrible for her mistake. In this debate the real the pain is less direct.

I also get Cheng...you just can not understand the loyalty or love of a place and the difficulty in protecting it. If you work on or with nature in any way it is so tough. Dad was a rancher, the history of the homesteads that put that ranch together originally and leaving it better than he found it meant everything and he did. He could not live there until death there as only ways to survive our era not inheriting or being uber wealthy was to do it for 20 years and then sell...sadly before the big raise in the value of land there, 5 more years of doing it and then selling just a part he could have died there; BUT..defeating the purpose of open land leaving it a carefully ranched place. As well as not finding death too early. He did not want the nature conservancy route.

We all are stewards here with slightly different visions of best use and moving forward, here we have two very wonderful parties having similar goals in an imperfect line of perfection.

Way better than the plastic or glass thread of many moons ago...

Dad was able to stay around longer than mom with a pacemaker they both got a same time and they both enjoyed 5 acres and mountain views in the end for retirement a few hrs east with closer neighbors. At almost 82 as a solo unit he stayed and we are always fighting best use of land with 3 to 5 big animal units as grandchildren and his adventures come and go. He finally allowed help trimming 5 horses feet with his grandson, a precious thing. Face to face I am sure Cheng and OP can work out understanding if not total agreement by focusing on what they care about. It is how a small community of hard headed cowboys and ranch owners worked it out before more and more corporate or pleasure ranchers took over.

I love the mystery,,,terribly romantic in a different wonderful way that can lend to so much better..good luck op. God uses all our mistakes and personalities.

My pleasure...just paying it forward, like FiremanBobswife. :*

oops....thanks to you both..lol...

This is just a wonderful thread...thank you..having a little trouble with the replys and quotes on new system..

I prefer the spice rubbed ribeye, but there's nothing wrong with the cowboy steak! :D

LOL...having survived a cattle ranch..I'm loving this thread...the pics look good. Everyone here in steak country has different tastes and rubs and preferences. I love the real meat taste with a little salt and pepper and corn fed at the end no matter the cut. I had the filet and that was very good the one time I have been so far.

Hi Jamman and everyone....still have to look up your last review Jamman...thanks as always.