SargassoPirate

It's kinda nice to cruise the old school way. Disconnect from the world while on the ship. Enjoy watching the sea roll by while enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning. Enjoy talking to people. Going free-style and not obsessing about dining times. Ignoring the fear of missing out when it comes to production shows and ports. Come back refreshed.

Such as one's opinions regarding tipping, masks, and certain diseases?

Sounds like a wonderful adventure. I have traveled abroad for extended periods of time by combining land tours and cruises. Some land tours are totally independent travel and others organized through a tour company - such as someone who specializes in South America, for example. With the advent of online banking and paperless statements, I receive very little first class mail, and our local post office will hold it until I return or I have a neighbor pick it up. For travel insurance, I carry an annual policy that covers me on any travel more than 150 miles from home - car trips, motorcyce trip, cruises etc. For coverage beyond the limits of the policy, I self insure by not taking the insurance offered by the cruise lines or travel companies and over 50-some cruises it has added up to quite a savings. For health insurance abroad I refused Medicare when I was eligible to sign up and continued Blue Cross and Shield from my employer. BCBS provides coverage outside the US. Medicare doesn't and one needs a Medicare supplemental policy for international coverage. I think you can make it work and with the internet you can find places to rent in between cruises or land travel anywhere in the world. She Who Must Be Obeyed and I once rented an apartment in Venice in between cruises and lived like locals for a while. Good luck on your adventures. "Life's a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death" Auntie Mame

I only wear a mask when required by someone in authority. 😀 I sort of enjoy knowing that they can track me when I leave a comedy show that's not funny or a production show that's way too loud - if they even care. As far as using the app to order food or drink, my legs still work and I prefer to get a hot burger or a cold drink right at the source instead of them having been carried around gathering all of those flying covids that still haunt cruise ships while the servers try to figure out where I am. Sometimes old school works better than the latest whiz bang.

I carry mine in a small leather credit card holder designed for those Apple tracking devices. I can carry a few bills for cash tips and an ID if necessary. I use it to open my door and when I order a beverage and that's about it.

Probably afraid of getting less than a 10 on the post cruise review. Just wait until something untoward happens because of a mobility device parked in a corridor and then the suits at corporate will be all over it. The SOLAS rules are there for a reason and it's not for the passengers convenience.

If I tried to drink that much or tried to max out the daily allowance, it would have to come with a free shuttle to the nearest Betty Ford clinic for a rest.

My only thought is to put the pencil to it them and compare the packages to going ala cart for the items that I will use - such as tips. I don't drink enough to make a drink package pay, don't need internet while cruising, and get by just fine with included beverages and food. I suspect I may be in the minority amongst cruisers, though.

Did you report the power scooter being parked in the corridor? It's a huge liability to the cruise line if they are aware of it and fail to take action to enforce their rules and SOLAS.

Without symptoms, how would anyone know they could infect others who may not fare so well? Isn't it up to others who may not fare so well to take precautions to protect themselves and not depend on those around them? What do you suggest?

pkt1976, I love your philosophy about life and travel. Thanks for sharing. I'm looking at a cruise on the Island Princess next year, sailing solo since She Who Must Be Obeyed decided not to sail this time. If you can find the time, could you take a couple of photos of cabin C710? On the deck plans it looks like it and the adjacent cabin have their doors on a little side corridor. I'm also interested in what they call the International Cafe and it's offerings since I often do the IC for a late afternoon snack and frozen coffee drink. Many thanks. I'll be following your adventure.

Unfortunately, with Princess, even if your mark your cabin "No Upgrade" they will sometimes "upgrade" you anyway and in my experience to a less desirable location - probably so they can resell the perfect cabin you picked originally after much study of the deck plans. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. After an unwanted "upgrade" several years ago, I now check my Princess booking every morning and if I've been "upgraded" I get on the horn as soon as my TA opens and get my original perfect cabin back. (cabins above, below, and across the corridor)

Anyone testing positive and isolated actually sick? The more people isolated for simply testing positive would encourage me not to report to sick bay for anything other than serious flu-like symptoms that I could not treat myself with some over-the-counter meds that I always carry in case. Just sayin'

Which is why I always use hand sanitizer after I am seated and pulled my chair in before I touch anything on my plate. I also refrain from laying my silverware directly on the table. I recall the days when Princess would preset the tables in the buffet with cups and mugs placed upside down on the table - after I observed them use a used cloth napkin from the previous diner to wipe off the table and then - without any handwashing station in sight - grab fresh untensils by carrying four cups or mugs at once with their fingers down inside the vessel. You have to take steps to protect yourself in the face of institutional ignorance and bad practices.

I usually carry a small roll of duct tape and some masking tape in my travel tool kit. I'll give the masking tape a try in January. If sensor lights are because of potential liability, why don't they enforce no parking mobility devices overnight in the corridors?

I wonder if a piece of blue masking tape over the sensor on those lights would eliminate the middle of the night disruptions? Which genius whiz kid dreamed this one up? Eliminate perks but spend money on gizmos?

Many years ago when I was still working, I investigated two cases of food borne illness in institutional settings. In both cases, it was traced back to poor food handling practices and food workers not washing their hands and touching multiple surfaces - cross contamination. As I have said many times, those ubiquitous plastic gloves only keep the wearer's hands clean and are theater. Nothing more.

Bobbie, I got suspended a while back for questioning the media and their quest for clicks and ratings by using words like skyrocketing and outbreak when it came to covid. One has to be smarter than the average bear and dig down in more than one source to find the truth. Statistics 101: Figures don't lie, but liars figure.

You are correct. It can be in food items that are not heated to kill the bacteria - such as salads - and for that we have to depend on the restaurant to follow safe food handling practices. That's one reason I get cranky when I see food handlers wearing plastic gloves - those gloves only serve to keep the wearer's hands clean and spread germs/bacteria from surface to surface. Food borne illnesses can be traced back to the source when a large group of people report the same symptoms at about the same time.

Atlanta, are there any sturdy straws on board? Last year all I could get with my frozen mocha was a paper straw that quickly disintegrated. I've been stockpiling straws from Starbucks for my January cruise on the CP.

Easy to tell who doesn't wash their hands before sticking their fingers in their mouth or touching food that's going into their mouth. Noro is spread by the fecal - oral route. Easy to prevent catching it. Just break the chain by washing your hands. I have little sympathy for anyone who catches noro. Just wash your dam hands.

Me too, MissP22, but the difference for me is I've only worn a mask when required, and as mandates eased I've been on planes, trains, ships, and in restaurants and amusement parks without a mask. Vaxxed and boosted. If mask mandates return, I'll comply out of respect for authority.

I still wonder how many people testing positive are even "sick"? The intense scrutiny of the cruise industry by the media and CDC has made some folks super sensitive and fearful and yet covid is everywhere and here to stay. Take whatever precautions you need to in order to protect yourself and get on with life.

Works for me. A bare bones cruise with ala-cart drinks in the evening suits me just fine. I generally push back on up charges, nickel-and- diming, extra charges "for my convenience". That being said, I have used Plus when it suits my needs, but with the price going up and perks going down I'll need to rethink it.

Cruising is a nicety, not a necessity. She Who Must Be Obeyed chooses not to cruise much anymore, but it has not slowed me down. She has other interests, as do I, so we travel together when the opportunity presents itself and we travel solo or with friends when that opportunity presents itself. The main thing is not to miss out on opportunities just because someone else doesn't want to go participate.