trivia addict

We are Diamonds on Royal.

We started in 2005 when our two children were teens and even now they still continue to cruise with us a few times a year.

That being said, my husband and I just returned from our first cruise on Norwegian. 17 days through the Panama Canal.

Many will disagree with me, but we found many things with this cruise that we felt were better than on Royal.

Over the years, Royal's service, and food have declined. Add to that, the fact that they offer very little in the way of booking perks and their prices for cruises are high.

Diamond perks are getting slimmer and most of them are unusable to us.

On Norwegian, we found the staff friendlier and happier, the choice of free style restaurants appealing, and we had found a deal that gave us the full beverage package and gratuities included, which one seldom finds with Royal.

Contrary to dealing with "red necks" as stated by someone previously, we found our fellow passengers well traveled, sophisticated, interesting and friendly.

I have 3 more cruises already booked on Royal for this year. At the moment I am fighting them over the loss of a $50 onboard credit that I lost when I upgraded my stateroom on my next cruise. I am getting nowhere and receive no interested customer service from phone calls or emails. My loyalty to them means nothing.

When these 3 cruises are finished, my future cruises will be booked with Celebrity and Norwegian. I will not miss my Diamond status at all.

Barcelona is a very interesting city. You will not regret visiting it. I have been three times and would go back anytime.

A few pointers. The Sagrada Familia is not to be missed, as is the Gaudi House. The Hop On Hop Off bus is the best way to see the city. Everything important is covered. We had the two day pass.

A word of caution. Barcelona is the only European city that I ever had anything stolen, and on one occasion, I'm sure that had I not been super aware, we would have been the target for pick pocketers.

This is not to discourage you, only to warn you to be very cautious. As I said, I will return if I ever get the opportunity!

I love my packing cubes. Since discovering them a few years ago, I have used them every time I travel. Land or sea, carry on and luggage, I always use them. I have small medium and large. The small are great for electronic equipment and camera items.

I even buy them as gifts.

Depending on the length of the trip, I either sort them by clothes category or pack an entire outfit in one cube.

I buy eBags on Amazon, which very often has them on sale.

And while you are shopping on Amazon, treat yourself to cruise tags for your luggage. Another item that has made my travel easier!

We have done NYE cruises with our adult children for the past 5 years, and already have the coming year booked! We all love it. The atmosphere on the entire ship is festive and happy. It is still decorated for Christmas, although the decorations are taken down a few days later.

The large ships with a Promenade have a giant tv screen counting down the seconds until midnight in the Promenade with a large crowd in attendance. Almost like a Times Square. Unfortunately , they have found a way to make money by renting tables in the Promenade at exhorbitant prices, but you need not do this in order to attend and have a good time.

Celebrations are taking place all over the ship on every ship. People use it as an excuse to break out their fancy clothes, but anything goes as far as dress,

At dinner, hats, tiaras and leis, are given out at the tables. Each ship has a pool party on the top deck. One year, we were off the coast at Key West and watched the fireworks from the pool deck.

I highly recommended a NYE cruise. Something to be said about celebrating all night and not having to drive home!

As for birthdays, you can arrange with the matrie d' ahead of time to have a cake delivered to your table on the day you want to celebrate. ( free).

Lovin' this thread!

" vacation = no sex". A rule to follow.!!

Won't go into ruined vacation detail, but even with children in second cabin, sex is not a good idea....!

Our children are adults now, and we are still lucky enough to cruise together, but husband and I spend most time in Vintages, regardless!

Richard Spacey is the very best. The only one that ever made an impression on us. I thought he had gone to corporate for Celebrity. Good to know he is actually now on a ship. Anyone know which one?

Definitely the Caribbean!

Another vote for Paradise Beach.

We have been to Cozumel 4 times and have gone there each time.

Will go each time we stop in Cozumel.

It is not an all- inclusive, but the food and drinks are reasonable. The guacamole is delicious!

The staff is friendly and eager to please. The pool is beautiful and the restrooms are well maintained.

Not too crowded, either.

A 10-15 min. Cab ride.

You are trying to compare two different species. I have sailed all classes except for the Quantum, many times. The Seranade is a particular favorite. She is beautiful and I have never felt crowded or had to wait for anything.

I must say that I like this class when going to scenic itineraries, like New England or the Baltics. Because it is a small ship, you really feel that you are close with the surroundings.

I enjoy them all , and will say that each class has its good features and negatives. However, the positives ALWAYS outweigh any negatives! I never regret being on any of them!

It really depends on what you are looking for.

Are you looking for a classic ship to relax upon, and meet people and spend your days in a low key manner? Or are you looking for the excitement of a big ship with bells and whistles that keep you going from one activity to another all day long? Both are reasons to cruise.

It MAY depend on your age. The young families may want lots of activities.

An older couple may want a quieter space.

Then again, age is a matter of thought. Everyone is different in their approach to life.

And trust me, getting lost on a big ship has never worried me. ( with any luck, soccercrazy , you may one day reach 65+ and I hope you don't get lost onboard.)

I think you should do as I do, chose your ships for the ports and times available.

Whatever ship you are on, look for its positives and you will find them!

Every time we go to Cozumel we go to Paradise Beach.We were a bit disappointed when we went last month, because so many water toys have been added to the water that there is not much room to actually swim and enjoy the waves.

However, their pool is beautiful, and the service is good and food and drink are reasonable, so we will go back again!

Completely agree with Jersey Girl!

Complaining about a venue that can be relaxing and not crowded or noisy is counterproductive for those who complain about too many people in their spaces.

Love to go there for a quiet drink before dinner with DH or a chance to catch up with DD when she is with us,

We usually end up talking wine with the knowledgeable servers and also learn much about their home cultures.

We would miss Vintages.

Yes, Über is the way to go.

We took a taxi from the Fort Lauderdale airport for our New Years cruise last month. The taxi driver was rude and surly form the moment we got into the car. The worst part was that he nearly killed us getting us to our hotel.

Speeds up to 90 mph on the freeway, and came close to hitting two cars and a truck! He had a real anger issue for some reason.

My husband spent the next hour on his phone trying to get the right agency to report him. The number listed in the taxi was useless, and each agency passed him on to another.

Took the kids advice after that and only used über!

Über is much more regulated and safe as far as I'm concerned! Will never take a taxi from FLL again.

That is great news.

Jamie is the best! We had him a few years ago on the Freedom when he was the Assisstant for Richard Spacey. They were our favorites of all time!

I'm really hoping he is on this New Years cruise with us.

You can buy canned green beans on Amazon. See if they ship to Mexico.

Maho Beach, like all beaches in St Maarten is a public Beach.

It is a fun experience to go and watch the planes, but like a previous poster said, it is not a toes in the sand beach.

Go to watch the planes, but don't expect to lay on a sand beach and float in the waves. The beach is small, and rocky. The water is rocky and cloudy.

There is a nice bar restaurant there with a party vibe, but because it is so popular it may be hard to find a seat.

We took a taxi, but I know there is a public bus that would be cheaper.

If you take a taxi, leave plenty of time to come back, because afternoon traffic can be quite slow.

We did it once, the kids loved it. But on our last cruise to St Maarten, just a few weeks ago, we did Dawn Beach. Quiet, sandy, and beautiful water.

Only $12.00 for two chairs and an umbrella.

Agree with previous posters. A private tour with one of the companies mentioned is the way to go in SPB.

We did a RCCL cruise this past summer and booked a two day ( with optional night tour) with Alla tours. Four if us did this, while the ther six in our group did ship tours. We saw more, had quicker entry, had a private guide and van, and paid less than the six. While I highly reccomend Alla, I have read that all of the others have very satisfied customers as well.

The key is to book a PRIVATE tour! You will not regret it. SPB is amazing!

Agree with a previous poster. I live in the NY Metropolitan area. Friends who come frequently to the City always stay in Candlewood Suites in Jersey City. It is reasonably priced, self park, clean, and 15 minutes by the Path train to either 34th Street ( midtown) or lower Manhattan and the 9/11 Memorial.

Agree with a previous poster. I live in the NY Metropolitan area. Friends who come frequently to the City always stay in Candlewood Suites in Jersey City. It is reasonably priced, self park, clean, and 15 minutes by the Path train to either 34th Street ( midtown) or lower Manghattan and the 9/11 Memorial.

Sorry, also a "no" for unmarried children!

Funny , our first cruise with the kids was The Big Red Boat also! It was horrible. Not only was it disorganized, but my son and I both got Noro!

Took us 10 years to go back to cruising! But once we did, we haven't stopped yet!

I am a MIL and have treated my adult children and their spouses to several cruises with us. I always say that it is my gift to myself to have them with me!

The only condition is that they pay for whatever expenses they incur on board for themselves. So when they do their onlne check-ins, they input their own credit cards.

Good children that they are, they always show some sort of appreciation by gifting my husband and I either drink packages or an excursion, which shows up on my cruise planner before we sail!

Definitely book a private tour for St Petersburg. You will see so much more than a ship tour, and I agree, Alla Tours can't be beat!

They will give choices for small group tours, or let you customize your own tour for a private tour.

We used them for a tour this past July while on a Royal cruise. Four of us chose to do a private tour and the cost was not much more than a cruise tour.

We contacted Alla 6 months before the cruise and worked with them to do a two day private tour including an optional night time river cruise with caviar and vodka!

We had a private guide and driver with a beautiful van. We had early entry into all buildings, all entry fees were included, hydrofoil transportation from Catherine's Palace, and our van always met us by the doorways.

From the time we started planning with them to the end of the second day, everything ran smoothly, and in the end, we felt that we had not missed a single important site in St Petersburg! ( Unlike our other traveling companions who opted for the ship tours!)

FYI make sure that whatever tour you take, you see the INSIDE of Church of The Spilled Blood and St Issacs Cathedral..our shipmates missed these magnificent interiors.