PATRLR

Great Bay is for those who enjoy the crowds and the busy beach party scene. If you are concerned about crowds, then Great Bay may not be for you. What we did was took the water taxis over to Great Bay so we could do a little shopping and then grabbed a cab from there to Divi. We enjoyed Divi, it's quieter and has a restaurant/bar with good food and drinks. I'd recommend it.

I wouldn't count on the schedule as it is today being the same when we get to April 2025. I remember Viva had a similar gap and they ended up adding a 4 or 5 day cruise along with a number of private PR type sailings.

Back in my days of parenting/coaching travel softball, yes, the team did decorate the doors of each player. Typically just a home made sign of sorts in team colors with athlete name and number. Are you sure about that? How do you know they are all unique, do you review all of them when you get on board? I had noticed the sequential aspect on most of the cruise ships I've been on. Still not sure I should trust they are unique. 🙂 Someone has to. Thank you for taking one for the team! More seriously, I haven't looked but it seems like there should already be a rule against leaving your crap all over the ship.

Some have more than others. The umbrellas can be problematic when at sea because of the wind. The larger VIbes that span the width of the ship are easier to find shade in. If you enjoy the spa then it sounds like you made the right choice. For us, we don't like the idea of being inside, so the spa is not attractive.

That statement alone speaks volumes to just how difficult it is for elites to score upgrades. Keep in mind that I only took exception to the "almost always" part of her statement. I don't doubt that she frequently rides up front courtesy of various complimentary instruments, I'm just not aware of anyone, outside of GS, that would claim "almost always". And I doubt Bird is GS because she would have told us.

$329 for 14 days is a great deal. I thought they were up to $269 for 7 mights. Your description of what you enjoy and looking for is about as perfect a match for Vibe as there is. You will love it there! As for fair skinned and not wanting the sun, I know Viva's Vibe had shade either by umbrella or some permanent structures. I assume Prima is the same. We also don't like to be in the sun and we had no problem being comfortable in Viva's Vibe.

You must be incredibly lucky to almost always get upgraded. All one has to do is spend some time in places like FlyerTalk to see how difficult it is to score upgrades, even for the most elite of travellers. Back in my heavy travel days (UA 1K+) doing similar volume as you claim, my upgrade success rate was at best 50% and with credit cards now allowing any old Ma and Pa Kettle elite status, all reports are it's even more difficult. After a few years of minimal biz trave (so no status), last year I managed to make PremPlat on UA/ I've got some flights coming up soon and I have zero expectation of getting an upgrade and I know there will be plenty of 1Ks ahead of me who won't get upgraded either. Unless you are something like Global Services (on UA - but all the major lines have similar), I highly doubt you are almost always getting free upgrades and if you are GS, you are GS because you are likely buying F seats outright.

Really? A decorative bow is stronger than the handle itself? That would have to be the case for the handle to get ripped off - the handle (or its connection to the bag) would have to be the weak link. smh. Do people still use business cards? I know I have some in my desk somewhere, but I haven't carried nor received any in many years. Agreed. And as someone who for years didn't have any hanging tags I was asked to add one many times because my case at the time had a little sleeve on the back for contact information. I seem to recall there used to be a sign somewhere that said all bags had to have a name tag (or something like that).

This is not correct. We are not sun worshippers, yet we consider Vibe mandatory. We enjoy being outside - if one doesn't like being outside, then I would say Vibe is a waste of money.

Absolutely my observation as well.

As that will be before we are on Sky in July, I'll be looking forward to that report. Hoping the newer ship has a better feel for you.

Just be aware that the Vibe is a quieter type of place. There is no pool, so no pool games or DJs spinning records and people dancing and all that party scene. It has hot tubs, no kids so no kids hanging out in the hot tubs, a private bar and dedicated bar servers, private bathrooms (so generally clean), and a consistent crowd that tends to get to know one another, if you want.

As stated, card access. In December, wrist bands were not used on Viva. Previously my experience is that wrist bands didn't need to be worn. They are very good at getting to know who should and shouldn't be there.

Yes!!! Although some try to throw me out of the club when I declare that the Dio/H&H lineup was my favorite. Saw that lineup perform at the Hartford Civic Center, front row - awesome show.

Wait a second, I just got finished reading your "Live" from your other Process cruise and how you wouldn't do them again. 🙂

Not only can we not redesign a ship, we really shouldn't waste our time commenting on the good or bad of a ship's design. Everything is designed correctly because maritime engineers did the designing and we're not maritime engineers. 😉

yeah, sorry, went right over my head for sure...

???

Aren't those the two guys who got in a big tiff on NCL because the Haven concierge wouldn't let them eat in the Haven restaurant at a time when they felt they should be able to eat in the Haven? As I recall, they were not staying in Haven.

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This is the complimentary NY Strip on the MDR menus every night we are talking about? Flavorful? How could you tell it was flavorful, wasn't it buried under that heavily salted brown sauce? Just curious, how recently were you experiencing these steaks?

I agree we shouldn't expect "Michelin star graded", but there is no reason they can't serve some of the best meals those 2000-3000 passengers have ever had. Cruise ships used to serve many hundreds of covers in a sitting and the food was always some of the best you'd ever been served. If a kitchen can serve hundreds, it's a matter of continuing the scale to serve thousands. It can be done. Yes, I know the cost is not insignificant and the mass market cruise lines demographic won't want to pay the higher fares - I get it. My point is, very high quality, some of the best you'd ever had, can be served to 2000-3000+ fellow passengers.

I didn't say that you said that. I didn't say anything close to that. If you are going to berate people, try to comprehend the conversation and stay on topic and not create new ones.

Well now I need to go read your "live" report... 😉

Speak for yourself. I am "anyone" and I have no problem answering OPs question and do no agree that it's none of their business. I also believe what other people do, as asked by the OP, is extremely relevant and appropriate to ask. If you don't want to answer, if you think what YOU do is none of OPs business, that's your prerogative but you don't speak for me or anyone else. @dominicr We do not leave any tip in the MDR. We would if something happened that had the wait staff going above and beyond in service to us, but, I don't recall that ever happening. That's also the case with just about everyone else on board the ship that we interact with.