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I would add to look up packing tips on You Tube. There are lots of great videos on efficient, lightweight packing.

I usually use a combination of rolling and folding and some down right scrunching if it is a crinkle type dress or top, (got to love those!) I even pack my sun hat in my carryon by rolling the bottom layer of clothes to fill in the gaps on either side of the extendable handle mechanism that makes the bottom lumpy; and then roll, fold and pack other clothing leaving a "hole" the size of the crown of the hat. Stuff the crown of your hat with crushable clothing (preferably a top, but underwear works too) and then place the hat upside down in the "hole". The brim should be flat with the top layer of clothing.

I usually stash socks and underwear in the outside pockets as long as it doesn't bulge out the suitcase so much that it is no longer compliant with the size regulations. A bit of shifting towards the sides of the outer pockets usually solves the over stuffed bag. As well, don't unzip the suitcase extension as it will most likely make your suitcase noncompliant. If you over indulge with souvenir shopping, then this leaves you with a bit more packing room for the trip home and it doesn't matter as much if you have to check it for home bound portion. If your bag doesn't make home when you do, it isn't as much of a problem.

I also take a pashmina type shawl for evenings in the dining room, or out on the windy deck. They pack flat and can be worn so many ways that they earn their keep.

If you decide to take along the extension cord, there is nothing to say that it has to remain coiled up. It will take up less room if you stretch it out along the perimeter of the suitcase. It works for belts too.

For meds / first aid kit, I try to buy only blister packs which I then take out of the packaging, cut out the dosage info and then keep them together with an elastic band. All the meds goes into a ziploc bag along with a couple of band aids and some moleskin for blisters on sore feet.

We travel for at least a week without having to launder with just carry on, but your situation may be different with the cpap equipment.

Do a trial run as it really is worth it.

Signed,

A Reformed Overpacker

I'm of the mind to check out each island, but maybe just not make a full day out of it in each port. If the port area has some interesting things to check out, then make that your shorter day in port. If the port area is what is getting such negative reviews, then consider an excursion that is further afield; but each island has some hidden treasures.

Your itinerary is one of the more interesting ones in the Caribbean. Spend some time in the Ports of Call section and do a search of what's not to miss about each port. Think about what types of activities that you, and your travel companions enjoy: active, history, beaches, scenery or even tours of spice factories.

For myself, I loved old San Juan; the history, architecture, and breakfast at La Bombonera, not to mention that the blue stone cobblestones that line most of the streets were originally used as ballast in the old sailing ships. I found it to be an interesting city.

In St. Croix, we visited a sugar plantation that was hosting an art show that day and we met some interesting crafts people. I would definitely go back.

St. Maarten is another fascinating island, but if there is any chance that you would go on another cruise, this one is included on many other itineraries. We really enjoyed a couple of beers on the beach while watching the big planes as they came in for a landing - yes, this is the island where the planes are so close that you feel that you could almost reach up and touch them as they come in for a landing.

I have never been to St Lucia, but I would love to go see the scenery.

Enjoy your trip! And do come back and post your thoughts and experiences of the various islands when you get back.

We used to make the count down paper chains using pictures from the cruise catalogues from the travel agents. When they took a chain link off, we would talk about the picture, deck plans, etc. and it would help build the excitement.

Meds for the kids as the shops on board don't stock kid strength meds. (I learned this the hard way.) At least Gravol, Benedryl, Tylenol, Pepto Bismol, and a couple of bandaids are the minimum that I take, but some parents also take powdered Pedialyte. I usually take them out of the box, cut out the dosing info and attach it with an elastic band to reduce the bulk.

I would look into the availability of an accessible cabin which will have more space for walkers, walk in showers and no steps into the bathroom. They often book quickly, but it would be worthwhile looking into. They would probably be big enough for the three of you too.

You may also want to consider renting a wheelchair as it can be a long walk to the dining room or the theatre, especially if your MIL uses oxygen. At the least, I would request wheelchair assistance with embarkation and debarkation as there can be long lines and staff will be able to get you and your MIL from point A to Point B with the least amount of hassle.

If you are flying to the port, I would request wheelchair assistance at the airport as well. Just have some small bills for tips.

I took my DM on a Caribbean cruise a couple of years ago and at the time, she only used a walker, but she appreciated having a wheelchair and the accessible cabin. We were on Celebrity, which had a couple of wheelchairs available to borrow just inside the gangway, but they were only for short term use. I'm sure they would be much more in demand on a HAL cruise. I also took my MIL on HAL's Volendam to Alaska several years ago, and we had a great time. There is wealth of info on the Alaska boards for ideas on shore excursions.

Thank you for all your help the walk part I fine with me Just the heat or no cover would get to me

It really depends on the ship. We were on Celebrity's Summit and about 1/3 of the deck was covered and the rest was open. See if you can find some photos of the aft of the ship that you are considering.

If you like to spend a lot of time on your balcony, the extra cost of an aft balcony can be worth it. Several years ago, my DM and I were taking a port intensive Southern Caribbean cruise, but one night we sat out by the railing to watch the stars as we sailed to the next port only to discover when we went indoors that we had numerous spots of soot from the stack on our clothes. They cleaned our affected clothes for free, but we didn't sit out by the railing while sailing after that. Fortunately with such a big balcony, it wasn't a big deal.

We hurriedly parked in the large garage at the Seattle port and had a wonderful cruise. Seven days later we got off the ship and realized we didn't have a clue as to even what floor we were parked on. Felt a little better when we started hearing car alarms and beeps as other people who had the same problem tried to find their cars.

I always take a picture of the parking garage floor number or nearest post so that I can recall where we parked when we get back. When scrolling through the pictures years later, I sometimes have a "why did I take THAT picture!?!" moment and then I remember and promptly delete it. Sometimes I have thought that I should take a picture of a recently rented car because there have been moments when I have walked out to the parking lot and thought "now what did we rent this time?!"

My children will be 12 and 16 when we go on the Allure in November. We have only been on a Disney cruise so no formal night really on that ship. What are the expectations for my kids regarding dress. My son is the 16 year old and my daughter 12. For some reason I am more worried about formal night than anything else. :)

Our DS's are younger, but we take one or two pairs of dark trousers and two collared shirts, one a dress shirt that is dressed up with a patterned tie (patterns hide any stains better :D) on formal nights, and a slightly more casual collared shirt for the "resort casual" nights.

Hi all, quick question!

 

I've been on plenty of cruises before but my upcoming cruise is going to be the first one where we all have to actually fly to the port, and as checked bags are just so gosh darn expensive these days we will be only be taking carry ons :( I've been reading a lot about people getting slapped with overweight fees, what do you mean by this? If I can get it to fit in an a overhead compartment but it's overweight I will have to pay extra? Thanks in advance, hope it wasn't to silly of a question! :D

We usually travel with just carryons and we have only had to weigh them once. They said that it can be an issue for the cabin staff if they have to move the bags once they are in the overhead bins and it can be a safety issue for those sitting below.

Some tips for keeping the weight down... Limit your packed shoes to two pairs (one formal and one sandal, wear your walking shoes on the plane) they are often one of the heaviest things to pack. Don't forget that liquid and gel toiletries have to be smaller than 3 oz and all of them must fit in a smaller ziplock bag. This also helps to keep the weight down. Double check with your airline for what is allowable in carryon luggage and for that matter, double check what carryon luggage size is allowed on your flight as it varies by airline and sometimes by plane.

Happy packing!

On the return trip, she keep wanting to get out of the plane (this was prior to 9/11). The stewardesses were very helpful in trying to keep her calm and in her seat but passengers around us were frightened. We had never witnessed our normally calm mother exhibit any of this behave in her entire life. It was totally unexpected! So, expect the unexpected. When you remove a dementia patient from their normal routine, you don't know how they will react.

I recently took my mother on a cruise who is in the early, but progressing, stage of Alzheimer's. I contacted our local Alzheimer's Society for any info and tips that they could pass along about travelling with dementia and one thing that they mentioned is that the reduced oxygen in planes can cause additional confusion and agitation. It is my understanding that you could ask the flight attendant for some oxygen to help calm them down.

This trip was all about Mom and what she wanted to do. I often found that she was more confused later in the day when she was tired, so we only went to see one show together. She often went to bed at 8:00 and I would go out after she was asleep. I avoided noisy and busy locations like the buffet for breakfast unless we went later in the morning. Mom had trouble tuning out the ambient noise and conversations around her and found it quite tiring and confusing. The MDR was also quite noisy and I would request a table in a quieter location or at the very least, seat Mom at the quieter side of the table. We moved tables one night when we quickly realized that we were right next to main thoroughfare for the waiters and we would have no peace throughout the meal. It was just too distracting and stressful. Some nights we went to the Buffet and other nights, we just ordered room service. We often had breakfast on the balcony and then went ashore to tour around in a hired taxi.

I did a lot of research about suitable excursions before we went, but I didn't book anything in case Mom wasn't up to it. The one thing that I hadn't anticipated was that many of the taxi's in the Caribbean drive must faster than what Mom was used to and she found it quite stressful, (the near miss head on collision didn't help) so by the time that we got to the last port, she didn't want to take a taxi anywhere and we just stayed onboard. It was nice being able to explore the ship without the hustle and bustle and it was much more relaxing by the pool.

If I needed to run an errand and mom wanted to read on the balcony, I would leave a post it note on the cabin door reminding her to stay in the cabin until I got back which worked out well. I held onto Mom's key card and her passport as well as any travel and flight documents. The only time that I left Mom alone was in the cabin.

Take things day by day, sometimes hour by hour and be as flexible as possible. If your Mom isn't up to doing something, then let her do what she needs to do. Your daughter is old enough to go and do things on her own if your Mom needs you, and while it would be nice to have some mother daughter time, this trip is more about your Mom. Seeing how much my Mom has deteriorated in the three months since we went makes me glad that we went when we did. I'm sure you will have a lovely and memorable trip. Do report back after your trip so that others may learn from your experiences.

I recently took my elderly mother and her rollator on a trip and we ended up checking her rollator as baggage, but not before I took a couple of digital pictures just before handing it over as evidence of it's prior condition. Other than one very minor scuff mark, it was fine.

We opted to use the wheelchair assistance at the airport as the distances can be far and the assistants can bypass many of the lineups making going through security and immigration a lot less arduous and tiring.

One way to avoid the worry and angst is to just take carryon luggage. Just double check the allowable luggage size for each leg of your trip as it can vary depending on the size of the plane. As a reformed overpacker, I can attest that it is certainly doable. There are lots of threads on the subject; you can check out the Ask a Cruise Question board as well.

Yes, it is 100% correct that a closed-loop itinerary such as this does not require a passport for US or Canadian citizens.

Just in case a newbie Canadian cruiser reads this and thinks that they don't need a passport to sail out of the US... wrong. All Canadians need a passport to leave and re enter Canada, and to sail on cruises out of the US; and any other country for that matter. Which makes me wonder... does a Canadian need a passport to sail from say Montreal or Quebec City if they are returning to the same port making it a closed loop cruise? I am assuming that they do as it is an American immigration law, not a cruiseline rule.

It is now listed for sale for $49 US.

HAL's Volendam allowed children to swim in the covered pool, and when the weather was nice enough, they opened the roof. When sailing Glacier Bay, they threw bergie bits from the glaciers in the outdoor pool and awarded certificates to anyone who went for a dip!

Two years ago we sailed on HAL's Volendam with our then 5 & 8 yr old DS's, MIL and SIL. The kids don't generally like going to the kids club on any ship (5 different cruise lines so far), but they liked this one the best.

Look at the itinerary first and see which lines go where and when you want to go. At the time, HAL was one of the few lines that went into Glacier Bay which I am really glad that we got to see.

Our DS has a dairy allergy and we had similar experiences when we sailed on the EPIC a month ago.

We dealt with 3 or 4 Maitre D's over the course of the week and would often see them in various restaurants including the buffet. They were very helpful in getting dairy free food for us from the main kitchen without a lot of explaining and waiting. We also had a standing order for dairy free chocolate cookies which were made especially for our DS which were brought out with dessert.

When you check in at each restaurant, you give them your cabin number which is flagged with your dietary allergy. We always reminded the hostess that we needed to speak to the Maitre'D and also mentioned it to the waiter. Of the four cruiselines we have been on, this was the easiest and most accommodating.

Strongly recommend the NCL two bedroom family suites.... they are on the Pearl, Jewel, Gem, Jade, Dawn, and Star, so basically you can pick from a ton of itineraries. They are on the new Epic too, but I'm sure that's more expensive.

 

They have a living area with single bed sofa, a "master" bedroom with queen size bed, and a small "kids room" with a double bed and third pullman berth. And two bathrooms including a huge master bath with dual sinks and separate tub and shower. The suite perks on NCL are incredible, and the prices quite reasonable... the initial first and second passenger costs are higher for these suites, but their 3-5th passenger costs are MUCH lower than Royal Caribbean, so it's worth a look. We also enjoyed the suite perk of dinner served from any restaurant in your room.... there's a real dining table, and a balcony on which to enjoy your meal.

There was a Youtube tour of one of these cabins on the Epic recently on the Norwegian Board. It's worth checking out just for the wow factor.

The city bus also goes there. It is the same route that goes to Totem Bight and I think it costs about a dollar, half price for seniors. You can catch the bus near the tunnel that is near the cruise docks. The visitors desk on shore can give you more details about schedules and where exactly to catch the bus.

I always find it interesting to check out local grocery and hardware stores when travelling. Seeing what they have for sale can be revealing about the local culture. Gold pans for sale in the hardware store in Skagway for instance. Walmart can be a bit more homogenous, but sometimes you just need stock up. I am guilty of this as well. Several years ago while going camping in Hawaii, the first place that we went to after we got off the plane was to Walmart :p:eek::D.

Hi Alex - we're on way back to Cozumel in a week or so for the 16th time so I can answer some of your questions or at least give my opinion.

 

1. Sand is going to be about the same because, as pointed out, they're next door to one another. However, there's a long stretch of beach between. I would definately choose Uvas over Chankanab for the food, the people and the relaxation factor. Unless you have small children and then I'd have other suggestions.

 

3. See you already found that out. You can only book kayaks through the cruise lines.

 

Uvas is great. One of my favorite places on the island for sure. Eduardo - get my fajita's and nachos ready!!!

We are travelling to Cozumel with two DS's 6 & 9 and I was wondering which beaches you would recommend?

Eldest wants to snorkel, but youngest doesn't. I was thinking that the clear bottom kayak might be a fun way for our youngest to see some of the undersea wildlife without actually putting his face in the water. I was hoping to find an independent tour/beach operator to save $$$. We are also stopping in Belize and Costa Maya.

Any insights from those who have been there would be greatly appreciated. Oh... and we leave next Saturday. Down to the wire for excursion decisions! :) :eek: :D