jamessemaj

I have sailed on rci 4 times and ncl 1. I didn't care for the dining routine on ncl, but overall all things equal I would go with rci, but would say the difference is very slight. NCL has some excellent extra fee dining options as good or better than rci. The smoking on the balcony is of no concern to me, but then again the balcony is not worth the extra cost either. Another option you might consider especially if balcony smoking matters to you is taking an interior on ncl and having even more money to spend on other things. In any event, I don't think you would regret going with ncl if you are cost conscious.

I got a stamp a couple of years ago in Victoria. I walked in; went to the little gift shop; walked back out and asked if they could stamp my passport.

A lot of people want to stamp their passport. Maybe I could set up a little concession stand in ports I visit to accommodate them for a fee. Just kidding, but...

Many people in Europe buy a phone and contract with a carrier which provides a sim card. It is cheaper than American carriers. The iphone works on the European circuits, but must be unlocked for those sim cards to work. There are kiosks where time can be bought on the card. Unlocking the phone is controversial in the US as the contract says you cannot do it. There are programs online that do it, but it can be tricky and might mess up the system. It is best to go to a shop which will unlock the phone. If you are under contract, it may cause problems with your carrier, but if not under contract there should not be a problem. There are also companies which sell sim cards for this purpose to Americans. Google sim cards.

I experienced this sea leg thing, sense of motion that wasn't there, after my first cruise which was 14 day TA. It lasted about a week if I remember and was pretty mild compared to what some others here say. But I have not experienced it after subsequent cruises. Maybe some people acclimate and eventually don't experience it.

I do wish some of you would "listen" to Greatam!!!!!!!

She has asked and asked, for years, for anyone to prove to her that cruise air tickets are exactly the same as airline booked tickets. NO ONE has done so and she deals with travel issues for her business every single day. She is really trying to help and deserves your respect.

I did read the post on this thread and didn't learn anything, such as how the tickets are different. That was a pretty long post to not say much.

Be at least as generous to the staff as you are with yourself in booking the Owner's Suite. Congratulations, btw.

My first cruise was in 2010 and I don't know what most of those things are, but my imagination doesn't find them enjoyable. I must be part of the riffraff that came aboard when it went inclusive rather than exclusive like the Titanic.

OP your post #5 describes exactly the best course and what the practice is. A cash deposit is put down and as it declines further arrangements are made at the guest relations desk (after standing in line, lol).

I have had the same experience. Pretty good for international travel, not so good for domestic. One time I used cruise air (it was either Princess or more likely RCCI) was for a transatlantic and involved both domestic to Ft. Lauderdale and international return form Europe. I booked both with the line because the Europe portion couldn't be beat; it came as a package and I had to accept both the domestic and Europe portions. I booked separate domestic on my own even though I paid for their package including the whole trip. I still came out ahead.

I join the minority opinion on not choosing Copenhagen. It's not that I find it especially dull, and most there do speak fluent English, but the expense of the place, like food, just knocked me down. But compared to the US that applies to greater or lesser extents throughout Europe. I think of the extreme disparity in quality and cost of food often when I am enjoying a $10 meal that would cost 3x as much in Europe with much poorer quality.

I have no answer for the OP on her son, but do find it interesting. I would seek formal and official clarification before this point if it were me. Was his name changed, does he have a US passport, does he speak Russian, is he completely Americanized? Maybe the Russian officials would be none the wiser and have no clue if you join one of the visa exempt tours. I hope the OP explains the outcome. It would satisfy my curiosity.

My old expired passports with the stamps are great souvenirs of my travels. But now stamps are not so common. In Europe you used to be stamped in each country, now you may not even get a stamp entering the EU, especially off of a ship. Last year I entered Spain off a ship, traveled for a week, and on leaving the customs agent asked me where I had entered. Ship. She nodded and then stamped for the exit.

I was substituting in a disciplinary room in Texas a few years ago and there was an honor student there. Turns out he had taken a trip to Europe with his parents and had to serve time. Absences in public schools in Texas affect the amount of state funds the district receives.

Just an aside from a disinterested solo traveler. I honestly thought this was a joke and smiled when I read the first post. Then I viewed the photos and thought, no, it is serious. Then I saw that it was an old thread revived and read all of the appreciative comments. I am still thinking about it and the need for it and still don't fully understand. But congratulations to the OP for what others find to be a great idea.

RCL doesn't have self-service laundries but does offer cleaning for a fee and on some days has special discounts for laundry.

I traveled with that company in the 90s and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Air was included from Miami to Iquitos, Peru at the headwaters of the Amazon. The boat traveled about 500 miles to the borders of Brazil, Peru, and Columbia and then returned to Iquitos.

I don't know if it is the same company or what the program is now, but that trip was through very remote area with stops in primitive villages along the way. The only way to get to Iquitos is water or air, no highways. I also went on an extension to Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu. I think the Shining Path has been shut down, but they did bomb the train from Cusco shortly before or after my trip, but I was not aware of any danger. Other than that, I never felt unsafe in any place I went, and it was all escorted. Hope it works out for you. Very interesting trip.

Edit: just want to add that some danger is inherent in this trip because of the very remote nature of most of the Amazon. If anything does happen heath wise or other, it is in the middle of nowhere and far from civilization. Just something to consider. But there were several people in the 60s and 2 men in their 80s on that boat of about 30 people, along with a majority of younger people. There were no problems.

The fire disaster reminded me of a trip I took on the California Zephyr which originates in Chicago, but which I caught in Reno. Met a man who told of the train getting stranded in the old pre-Amtrak days when it was operated by the private rail lines. It got stuck in a snow storm for days between Reno and Sacramento before rescue arrived. So these things happened in the good old rail days as well. I would still take that over being stranded for unreasonable time in a plane on the tarmac.

Should I have asked what was the best ship you were on and why? OBVIOUSLY everyone has an opinion and I am just looking for ideas.

That's what you did ask, but maybe the proviso that you had booked Carnival based on itinerary and want opinions on just a cruise for the ship confused some people? You will find a lot of that on CC. Just ignore the extraneous balderdash and pay attention to those who respond to your question.

Those luxurious small ships are small because they have a small clientele who can afford them.

My favorites have all been Voyager class, the biggest I have been on so far. Voyager, Navigator, Adventurer of the Seas. All very close in layout, but the Navigator edged out the others slightly for the crew and atmosphere on the cruise I was on. Of course, crew and atmosphere are subject to change each cruise.

The problem with Amtrak is erratic times due to its subservience on the rail lines after the owners abandoned passenger service for totally freight service. Other than in the northeast corridor, I wouldn't rely on Amtrak to get me anywhere on time, even though it is vastly more comfortable and enjoyable than flying.

If we had a reliable high speed rail network like there is throughout Europe and parts of Asia, and if regular trans ocean liners returned, I would never enter an airport again.

I doubt that his powder would replicate the sophisticated distillation and aging of fine liquors. Just a cheap high.

I just coincidentally heard of this product today, somewhere on internet news sites. I might try it in very small quantity, maybe, but with extreme caution until all of the tests are in and my first reaction is ewwwwwwww. I have no idea how the cruise lines would react or deal with it. Interesting development for sure. Your link says in the fall, but I am sure there are many issues to be resolved first.

The cruise line chooses me. I go for price and the longer cruise the better. I have deposits from previous cruises on RCI and Princess, but in the interim have gone on NCL but didn't leave a future cruise deposit because it was too much $. Always looking for the bargain and it's rarely the standard Caribbean cruise, usually repositions.

I do feel some guilt going with price because of how horrible the airline industry has turned out to be over that very issue, and the worst part of cruising being having to fly to ports. Don't know if the cruise industry will turn into the horrid creature that the airline industry has become, but if that is threatened, I would pay extra, extra to help them avoid becoming that. The alternative would be to leave cruise vacations, and still have to fly to all inclusives. For sure.

The shorter the cruise the more of a party hardy atmosphere. The itinerary also affects the nature of the cruise.

My first cruise, with some trepidation as to whether I would even like it, was 14 days transatlantic reposition. I had a lot of travel experience under my belt both good and bad and had no question that even if I didn't care for it, I would survive and learn something.

I loved it and have not since taken less than a 10 day cruise, a couple of 21 days, and don't really look seriously at even 7 days, let alone 3 or 4. Your mention of being attracted to sea days is a good sign of your mind set and I doubt that you would have a problem.

So...I vote for the longer the better. Edit: Although I comment on shorter cruises being party ships, that is just word of mouth. A party cruise is not a bad thing and maybe I need to try a shorter cruise.

Really, folks, the OP was asking for perspective on a given situation which may just be a matter of miscommunication. I find the jumps to interventions, psychological counseling, or other remedial actions regarding the child to be bit much.

It is not at all unusual for a 5 year old to feel insecure and uncomfortable staying in a foreign environment. The issue concerns taking him on a short cruise and the surprise response of grandma of yes take him at your own expense and responsibility.

It appears that the OP and her mom are on the way to a resolution and I wish them well. No need for such jumps to conclusions about psychological issues, etc. We really know very little (almost nothing) about the child or anything else about the family.

Maybe mom assumed you really, really wanted him on the cruise even though she didn't want to cruise and thus her surprise response. So to add to my suggestion to set it aside by saying you didn't intend to assume full responsibility for the child, add plenty of sugar based on what she and everybody seems to know...he would just not be happy and would be unmanageable without her with him. Maybe she would accept that with a smile?