kymbakitty

Just FYI, I think you made the right decision.

We go on a two week vacation for our anniversary every year. I can't tell you how many jobs I've started with a vacation planned. People vacation....it's part of our landscape so it's not like something you need to hide! I work for the government and always had a lot of time, but still.

But I agree....why even bother telling anyone about a vacation unless there is a reason to. Unless you like hearing the details yourself, it's completely unnecessary to discuss.

As far as discussing it when they asked if you had any questions, don't worry about that. If you had a question, you would have thought of one! I would never think up of questions to ask before I even interviewed. Too scripted. It would not impress me if someone came in with questions they had even before the interview. Maybe that's just me though.

If it is meant to be, it will happen.

And unless you are working for Homeland Security, I can't imagine a company that would expect you to cancel a vacation as a condition of employment.

Good luck!

We've only been on one Carnival cruise. It was on the new class of ship in 2001. Ours was the Liberty of the Seas. It was a 17 day Panama cruise and we had an aft suite. It was close to $9k, which I remember because I had been expecting Carnival cruises to be less expensive.

We've never taken another Carnival cruise. We had such an amazing cruise that we don't want to ruin the memories.

The ship was beautiful, the food was awesome, and it was the first time we did the alternate restaurant thing....it was Joe's Crab Shack and we had the best experience. There was a beautiful glass staircase in the middle of the floor. The experience was so awesome we went back two more times. I believe it was $25 per person and worth every penny.

They also had a beautiful flower shop. I can still see the dozen peach roses that my hubby got from the room.

We've been on over a dozen cruises (never same ship twice, doubt we ever will) and to this day, one of the most beautiful ships we've ever been on. And, the exercise facility was the best one ever too.

The second day, there was a note under our door. The cruise line gave us $300 OBC as an apology for the Jacuzzi tub not working. They were waiting for a part. We cracked up laughing because we would have never known.

Loved the separate bedroom. Really neat dressing room separating the two rooms.

We have been taking 14+ day cruises for quite awhile now.

I used to pack gowns....some pretty amazing ones actually....probably only two places they could be worn is on red carpet and cruise ship! Some were so over the top that they would be too ridiculous for a Christmas party. Hubby used to schlep beautiful double breasted Tux and I had about ten different colors of matching how ties and cumer buns to match my outfit. Hubby always played along....didn't mind one bit. I put a photo album together for every vacation we've taken and I have some amazing memories and pictures.

After 20 years, we still cruise. Still 14+ day ones, but no formal anymore. There are sooooo many other places to eat on ships today, we just don't usually go anywhere near the MDR anymore (select MTD so we don't have an assigned seat).

But something Dr. Phil said that I've never forgotten, which seems appropriate to this inquiry is, "you wouldn't care what other people thought (about you) if you knew how little they did."

So pack one, pack eight....whatever makes you feel special. No one is going to be discussing that gal that wore that dress twice over their cocktails.

:)

We had the same issue recently flying from sacramento to FLL. Prices were off the charts! We ended up booking 2 months out and flying from San Francisco, which was $300 less per person! We paid $398 r/t. Just keep checking and be sure to use tripadvisor to track your flights.

Did you take train to Emeryville and then over to SFO?

Yea, don't want to miss out on MORE food just before dinner..... :rolleyes: Seriously, we did not touch the snacks very often because most of the time we were still somewhat full from lunch. Eating more snacks would spoil dinner for us...

I thought the same thing. I have no idea what type of snacks were so tempting....nothing we've ever seen that was worth ruining dinner over. Shrimp on a piece of rye bread? Fried "x"? No thank you.

Dawn

If I didn't do the responsible thing and pay cash (debit), and used my card, I would get every penny back...but you are right, I'm screwed if cancel!

This is the only thing that confused me.

You are an intelligent, educated father. How is paying by cash responsible? I would never risk paying cash for anything. Depending on the card, you often get an extended warranty on just about everything you buy. Plus you always have backing when things go wrong.

Most of all (for me anyway), I would get physically ill if I forfeited points from using our Hilton AMEX and/or Marriott Visa.

We won't even go to an Arco gas station because we wouldn't get points!

Of course we haven't had credit card debt for probably 15 years now, but I'd never go out on limb and pay cash.

I do hope everything works out though....I don't like being told something only to find out someone made promise that didn't actually come through.

Good luck!

Not everyone wants to stand around and wait in lines, eat "honey stung chicken", play bingo, trivia, sit around in the hot humid Caribbean sun, or be entertained by some "tribute to Broadway show"..

Many like to Hunt, fish, hike, camp, or just do nothing.

I have no clue what this post is referring to...?

I don't like to hunt, fish, or camp, nor do I like to stand around and wait in lines, or eat honey stung chicken. We don't play bingo, or trivia, and I don't like to lay in sun. We haven't been to a Broadway Show on a cruise ship for over 15 years.

Not sure what you were replying to or trying to say.

From a pretty early age (30), we have always vacationed once a year to somewhere pretty special. We always took 2 weeks, and it started out as cruises for us. We've taken 4 TA's, 5th one planned for October 2015 on the Allure. We've done 2 Panama cruises and a Hawaii, Alaska and one from Brazil to FLL. A myriad of Carribean cruises, but unlike others, that would never be our chosen itinerary, no matter what ship we are on. Too many places to visit in the world.

But I started traveling for work about 13 years ago and had a great teacher to help me maximize point earrings. As a result, we've been on quite a few land vacations, paying only for airfare. We'd pick 2 neighboring countries and figure out how to get from one to the other...which was often an adventure in and of itself.

Free hotels in Budapest, then over to Amsterdam. Ireland, then over to London. Paris over to Vienna. Rome then over to Sorrento. Australia (Brisbane) over to Sydney. Kauai over to Big Island. Maui over to Oahu. Cusco (Macchu Pichu) over to Lima. Rio de Janeiro then on to cruise ship. Barbados (entire 2 weeks). We've been able to stay a few times at one of my favorite Hilton properties in Cabo San Lucas, which I always forget because it's such an easy vacation to plan and about a 3 hour flight. This fall will be two weeks in Puerto Vallarta, free at all AI Hilton (it is a surprise that it is an AI, hubby doesn't like AI, so I'm not even going to tell him. Breakfast is always free for us because I have status with Hilton and Marriott, and if he doesn't want to eat dinner at hotel, it won't matter....we always like exploring the countries anyway in rental car), and a week at the PV Marriott....free also.

So.....because I have always been very busy with planning vacations every year (we've been taking 2 a year for the last 10 years or so), we've always known that if we bought a timeshare or a motor home, we would not be able to justify still vacationing above and beyond the cost and expenses involved in ownership.

This was especially true when 11th hour.com was operating. You used to be able to book condos for $461 (total) for 7 nights....all over the world. We booked a week online at Pali Ke Kua near Princeville in Kauai and it was amazing. We booked it 9 months out, so the 11th hour was just the name of the website.

Still, after all these years, we incorporate cruising because it's so relaxing. I want to do a Mediterranean Cruise, but they are too darn port intensive, which is something neither of us enjoy.

Next stop....Africa. I would love a cruise though....but they are usually too long.

:)

I'm always floored every time I read a post from a cruise passenger that is lambasting the cruise line for not making an exception for their accident/unexpected illness or death in family. Yes, I always feel badly that someone experienced an unexpected accident, but isn't that why you buy insurance....for the unexpected accidents and illnesses?

I don't get it. If they make an exception for the couple that experienced a tragic accident, how could they not make that same offer to everyone that had something unusual happen where they couldn't make the cruise.

Buy insurance if you expect to be compensated if the absolute worst happens. Not because you can talk cruise line into making an exception for you.

Definitely keep it a secret. First off, guys don't quite get anywhere near excited as we do. Yes, he'll be thrilled about it, but just not quite like us. My DH would never brag or even discuss the type of cabin he was assigned on a cruise with coworkers

....it makes me chuckle a bit to even consider it. He loves vacations and I have the best traveling partner in the world--we're just wired differently.

I have surprised him twice with first class. That was fun!

We made Diamond in the middle of our last cruise but really wasn't planning on going into the DL on our next cruise since we don't bring any type of dressier clothes (we tend to eat all our meals either in the Windjammer or Park Cafe) and the rest of our gang aren't anywhere near Diamond. This new turn of events is very exciting to us. I guess I'll forego my normal strawberry colada and go back to my old stand-by of tequila and 7-Up! Woohoo! :D

I'm confused. Do you have to get dressed up to go to CL now?

Can you get any good beers on tap? I'm not talking about domestic....wouldn't drink them if they were free. I don't drink domestic on land, I'm definitely not going to drink at sea-ha!

"if you were commuting to work......." I'm not, I'm on vacation, and frankly, I don't anticipate having to deal with a bunch of rude adults or, for that matter, unruly kids while trying to experience a quiet dinner with my wife.

 

After 22 cruises, including many with our children, our travel choices are evolving to more land based vacations to some of the wonderful venues we have experience while cruising. Some of this change is due to the continuing erosion of the cruise experience. I believe this is another step in that continued erosion.

We are doing less cruising also. We'll go spend a couple weeks in two neighboring countries, and pepper in a TA cruise when we cruise.

I don't really care if the kids ate for free....that doesn't phase me (what someone pays....heck, a percentage of them are eating there for free so the amount paid, for me, is irrelevant).

What's not irrelevant is changing the ambience of the experience. This is partly why we started trying the alternative restaurants. We all know cruise lines started to attract more and more families with children. Fine. I get it. But the specialty dining was one of the few venues where you could go whenever you wanted and other than a well behaved 12 or 13 year old, you didn't hear screaming fussy babies, parents CONSTANTLY hollering at their kids to stop running, throwing food, bothering the table next door, etc. The entire ambience changes from a 4-5 star experience to a Red Robin chain.

I don't think we'll have to worry about this on TA cruises, but this will definitely affect the shorter 7 day cruises. I think Celebrity might be our better choice if this is really the direction RCI is going. They are putting a lot of little eggs in one basket. Hope it was worth the gamble (i.e., attract more cruisers with small children than the amount of cruisers that don't want to experience every single venue with small children).

Is a sno cone setup next in the CL's?

Oy vey.....not good.

Dawn

So often I look at all the tables of two looking enviously at the tables of 8 or 10 who are laughing and joking, generally having a great time while they sit there glumly. The people at the large tables were generally strangers until the first night. I have seen so many nice people draw the most reserved and shy into the conversation who are soon not so shy.

This may be one of the most presumptuous posts I've ever read. More like ridiculous.

There are no more couples looking longingly at a large table than there are people from a large group looking longingly at a small table wishing they were there!

If you want to sit with a large group of people, you request to do just that. Most, if not all, tables for two are occupied by couples that specifically requested a table for two.

Perhaps the decibel level coming from a table of 8-10 was so high that the couple that chooses to spend an intimate dinner alone couldn't even hear what their spouse said so they looked over to see where all the noise was coming from.

I think it's great when tables get together and muck it up. But I guarantee, I'm not looking over longingly, wishing I was part of your group.

How silly.

We've found that on cruises with a lot of people from the West coast, they are not very friendly. They ignore you, are unfriendly, and will just step right in front of you when you are in the buffet line etc. When coming back from a repositioning Hawaiian cruise through Vancouver, a customs agent made the comment that we must not be from California, we were too friendly.:)

I can't believe what I just read. So I reread it to my DH. He said, "wow.....that guy must have been from New York, " and we both cracked up.

You must see how silly it is to say people from a certain part of the country are unfriendly. Just like it's silly to assume folks from New York all chew gum and talk really loud and swear profusely.

You also realize a majority of residents of California are not natives of California (me--Pennsyvania and hubby--Ontario, Canada).

What a funny post. Scary funny, but funny all the same.

When we go with our 3 kids we usually do it once for fun because they like it. We haven't been to Chops so we have usually paid $20-$25 for Portofinos or Giovanni plus we get a bogo from C&A. Otherwise we stick to MDR or WJ.

 

I don't think it's worth it even if it's just the two of us. It's a slower pace and a lot of food. I can't do that more than once or twice, at most, per cruise.

 

I just read a review by someone who ate in specialty every night and would not do it again. I think I would feel the same way if I tried it.

Yeah, I agree. We wouldn't even want to eat in specialty restaurant every night. Ugh....I can't even image doing that if it were free--seriously.

There are so many other places to eat though, besides the MDR and specialty restaurants. And like a lot of people, we don't usually eat 3 meals a day on vacation. And if you are in suite, you can get full access to menu and have romantic dinner on balcony. Sometimes we would order two big salads and that was plenty. So much food....so little time.

:)

Not sure if they do this anymore, as it was over ten years ago.

But we had what they called a category C cabin booked on a 16 day TA on the Grandeur. They are JSs today. Even back then, 250 square feet was about the smallest we could do, so long as it had a decent balcony. I think the cruise was about $2,500 per person.

Then a Tuesday sale was rumored and someone sent me an email about it and I contacted my TA about it. It was for one day only and it was all A/B/C cabins (A's are now OS and B's are GS) were $1,249 per person, all inclusive. We had to forfeit our $900 deposit, but we did that without hesitation. It was room 8002....probably aren't even numbered like that anymore~~ha!

We were ruined after that and it's been suites now every time. So not sure how that worked out in the end.

This upcharge was a new concept for everyone when it started and I still remember thinking how silly it was to pay extra for meals when you've already paid for them.

Fast forward about 10 years already (wow....where does time to?). And the truth of the matter is that we seldom go to MDR on cruises anymore.

Like someone else pointed out, everyone spends their money differently. The very same couple that would never spend $140 on dinner may just have "donated" that to the casino, or the shops, or spa, or their bar tab ends up more than the cruise itself (it's really funny when the latter pokes fun at the ones that pay more for specialty dining--tee hee).

Are you going to be spending money on tours? Or is it a cruise that doesn't require that (few do, IMHO)?

Can you budget and save for this added expense so it's just a part of the cost of the cruise, like anything else you may anticipate?

I just know we don't use the MDR anymore and just do MTD so all the tips are already disbursed for us AND there isn't a table that has been assigned for us (yes, people still do that so they don't have to tip, but those are few and far between).

I think it's wise to think about this now and consider whether it will be a part of the cruise or maybe a one time experience. You won't spend a second on the ship thinking about.

Imagine this being the only cruise you take with your adult children for YEARS! Kids go to college, get married, have their own babies, go into military and move thousands of miles away. If that was a consideration, would it change your view? If not, maybe the MDR is perfectly fine for the whole cruise.

Have fun deciding!

The most we ever spent for just cruise fare, was $9k for a 17 day Panama Canal cruise on the Dawn Princess out of San Francisco. We had an awesome aft suite. It was a great cruise.

We have had a travel fund since we first were married and have never gone on a vacation that wasn't paid for before we left the house. Pretty sure the experience would not be nearly as enjoyable if I knew I couldn't afford the cruise.

Last couple of cruises have been $7k for cruise fare only...with the next one on the Allure in GS on Allure for 12 night TA. We'll still need airfare, but we are diligently saving now so we'll have plenty of time to save. The 14 day TA on the LOS in an OS in October 2013 was $6.3k for cruise fare, plus few days pre and airfare of course.

Dawn

I see this option as a really nice perk. As far as changes to flights, the airlines pull those shenanigans....Choice Air would have no reason to do that unless they weren't being told of schedule changes (I've actually had this happen with Delta and Open Skies, direct reservations too).

Anyway, I love the options. You have so many selections. Plus you can upgrade to biz class for a whole heck of a lot less than you can do on your own.

There is an option on the website where you don't need a reservation #....just to get an idea of how much it would cost.

Good luck!

So you think giving an incentive or discount in order to earn someone's business somehow indicates the breakdown of society? That's been happening pretty much since cavemen started trading rocks for other rocks ;)

 

It's a competitive world out there, and people just don't need TAs like they used to. 20+ years ago you needed a TA to research prices on flights and cruises, do the bookings, etc. Now not so much.

 

So they give up part of their commission to entice people to book with them, otherwise why should anyone use a TA to book a cruise? To call and make the booking? Meh I can do that myself, and not have to go through a middle man.

Exactly!!!!!

So for the folks that think they are stealing the TAs hard earned money, if the next day your TA ran an add in paper offering $350 OBC and paid ggratuities on the cruise you just booked the day before, would you wonder why the same offer wasn't made to you (you are good customer) but shouted to the world of strangers?

Every weekend there are adds for cruising and they all offer perks. It's called competition...free market. If a TA can no longer be competitive in this industry, like many other professions, they look for a career change.

Dawn

Those type balconies ruined us forever! We loved that room!

We were very surprised to learn that the category below this one (regular balcony room....one deck above or below....can't remember) also had wrap around balcony, even though it wasn't depicted in any of the brochures.

Enjoy!

That's interesting. My recent cruising experience is on Princess where room service personnel, being part of the waitstaff, do share in the auto-tip.

 

We'll be cruising on Allure for our first ever RCCL cruise in an OS in August.

 

Can anyone outline who, specifically, shares in the auto-tip.

 

Thanks...

 

Lew

I don't really know for sure whether the auto tips cover room service, although I highly doubt it because then all the passengers that don't get room service would start backing out portions of their tips for not using this service!

But we've gotten room service over the years and I don't really care whether they are or they are not....I would never even consider not tipping some employee for schlepping us room service (1st world problem).

No more than we would ever consider removing auto tips because we don't go to the MDR for our meals.

Come on folks.....are we really still debating whether a cruise passengers should shell out a couple bucks to someone that schleps breakfast/lunch/dinner/coffee/cocktails to your front door?

Ugh.....

Which would you pick?

 

I have a hard time justifying spending more money on food when so much is available with the cost of admission, but I'm starting to think we might need to try one specialty restaurant for a great "date night".

 

Let me know which one you'd pick and why.

 

Thanks!

Jen

I think most can relate to how you feel about paying extra for food. We felt that way the first time we shelled out $50 for a dinner, then promptly went back four more times on same cruise.

Our last 14 day cruise, we never went to MDR for one single breakfast or dinner and only twice for salad bar lunch. We always eat in the alt restaurants and just consider it the cost of cruising.

We don't gamble, hardly ever buy any junk on the ship, and we rarely buy pictures anymore. We don't play bingo either. We could afford to do any/all of these things but just don't want to anymore. I don't even have room on dresser for any 8 x 10's....ha.

So we have changed how we feel about this and seldom go to MDR.

Enjoy!