gabbygrrl

On 8/16/2024 at 5:30 PM, the penguins said:

sharing a hotel room is one thing as most people at out all day only return to sleep. On as ship you tend to use the room much more especially on sea days.

You said October but what cruise?

We are on the Transatlantic.

TY. We took your advice and booked 2 connected Sunset Cabins. It's a 10 night Med cruise.

6 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

That’s going to be very tight and probably not very comfortable with just the one bathroom for the four of you

Luckily for us, we're all low maintenance 😁 We've traveled a lot together and shared hotel rooms before, so this isn't a biggie. It's the bedding on the sofa that is a concern. None of us are younger than 45, so achy backs are always front and center.

Just booked for Oct 2025, 4 of us in a Sunset Concierge Balcony. Does anyone have experience with the sofa bed? We've never sailed with 4 adults in a cabin. I presume we can request a mattress topper for it, just like the bed, but I'm curious how comfortable 2 adults will be on it. 

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

OP, Your use of the words "talked into" makes me wonder if taking your friends on a cruise is a good idea.  We love just about all aspects of cruising, anywhere in the world, but there are people who are just not a good fit, especially as you mention that they have a fear of open water.  That is our favorite kind of sailing.....but if our best friends tried to talk us into going on an RV trip with them, because they love it so much....we would be a definite No.

Just wondering.....

You make a good point. I should have worded it like this-when we were discussing visiting the Greek Isles and how time consuming it is moving between the islands, our friend said she would be open to taking a cruise, as long as we didn’t cross into the middle of the ocean (a transcontinental  or say Athens to Barcelona). We talked more and she was up for it. We loved doing Europe by train a few times, but as you know, that doesn’t work for Greece. Trying to take our 10-12 days and make the most of it without spending every few days on a 4 hour ferry transfer. 

16 hours ago, crystalspin said:

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/find-a-cruise?dealId=HIAEBBPKG&csvFileName=multi_HIAEBBPKG_1.csv&ICID=INTHWEB2024062113IK5GAGSK&destinationIds:(E)&shipId:(OS)&departDate:[2025-09-01T00%3A00%3A00Z TO 2025-10-01T00%3A00%3A00Z%2B1MONTH-1DAY]&start=0

A few of those 10 day options look great. Thank you!!

40 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

The thing about cruising in Europe and more specifically the Med, it is something we have been doing for about 40 years! 

So let me tap into that experience-do you have a particular itinerary or ship that you enjoyed? We are all non-smokers and have cruised extensively with Celebrity due to the non-smoking casino and their strict policy. However, we are open to Princes, HA, Norwegian, etc, looking for a ship size around 120,000 tons or more..but not the giant ships they are churning out now!

33 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

A few different issues.  The odds are good, that the Med will be relatively calm during the summer months.  But "odds" are just that, and anyone getting on a ship needs to understand that rough seas can happen anywhere at any time.  Even a storm, hundreds (or thousands) of miles distant, can result in long swells that can make, even the largest, ships rock and roll.  
 

As to the "open ocean" comment, that is somewhat laughable.  Cruise ships do not generally cruise close to land, and even in the Med (which is actually a huge body of water) a ship can be hundreds of miles off-shore.  The truth is that ships are at their greatest risk when near land, because they have to be concerned with the depth of water, increased traffic, etc.  

 

DW and I have spent years on cruise ships (all over the world) and one just never knows, when they book a cruise, what kind of weather and sea conditions will be encountered.  For those folks who have all kinds of anxiety about potential sea conditions, perhaps they should just spend their time on land.

 

Hnak

I hear what you are saying. As I mentioned, we have cruised a LOT as well. And I can tell you, there are certain areas that tend to be more inclined to rough seas-NYC/BOS to Bermuda, some TransAtlantic routes, etc. I had read quite a few remarks about cruising around Italy, specifically someone saying to avoid the boot and stick to sailing from Venice or Athens if you want to do Greece. I was trying to confirm that.

They are looking to try something new, something that they have been hesitant of in the past. I'm trying to support them while doing my best to avoid as many deterrents as I can. 

I appreciate your feedback. We just did Europe by land with them, so we're looking for a new adventure. Safe travels!

15 hours ago, crystalspin said:

 

 

What time of year are you looking at and I will send you a few choices!

Thank you! We are looking at 2025, Sept or Oct.

We are seasoned cruisers (20+), mostly the Caribbean and Bahamas. Next year we have talked our friends in to joining us in the Med for their first cruise. 
At issue-they only want to do a sailing that doesn’t go out into the middle of the ocean. They want to stay “closer to shore” due to their fear of open water plus being sea sick. They also prefer to stay away from the mega shops, as do we.

We’ve talked about doing a Greek Isles cruise. 
My questions: if we start in Athens but end in Rome, is the trip around the “boot” of Italy particularly rough? Any suggestions to help us pick an itinerary? Looking at Sun Princess, Celebrity, Holland Am..or RCCL as a last choice. 

We have a 7nt cruise booked for late 2024 on the Apex. It will be our first Edge class ship. We have a sunset balcony (which we love) and the classic drinks/wifi package. We are also Elite. (Cross posted)

My question: Princess, which we have never sailed, has a great price on a similar 7nt in a Premium Deluxe Balcony with the “Premier” package included, on their new ship, the Sun.It would save us about $1000 (that includes the ship gratuities that Celebrity does not include).

We love to gamble but it seems like the Princess casino is quite small-and allows smoking-which is a HUGE negative! We are torn over the savings vs the downside of the casino. 
It also seems like the Princess package includes a lot more, like dining and room service where you can use the drink package. So those are positives. 
Any feedback? We keep going back and forth and are hoping for some insight or opinions. I can think of a lot of ways to use that $1000 but the thought of all that cigarette smoke makes me cringe. Help!

We have a 7nt cruise booked for late 2024 on the Apex. It will be our first Edge class ship. We have a sunset balcony (which we love) and the classic drinks/wifi package. We are also Elite. My question: Princess, which we have never sailed, has a great price on a similar 7nt in a Premium Deluxe Blacony with the “Premier” package included, on their new ship, the Sun.It would save us about $1000 (that includes the ship gratuities that Celebrity does not include).

We love to gamble and it seems like the Princess casino is quite small-and allows smoking-which is a HUGE negative! We are torn over the savings vs the downside of the casino. 
It also seems like the Princess package includes a lot more, like dining and room service where you can use the drink package. 
Any feedback? We keep going back and forth and are hoping for some insight or opinions. I can think of a lot of ways to use that $1000 but the thought of all that cigarette smoke makes me cringe. Help!

If you are vegan or simply enjoy Indian food, mention it to your server.  The menu they have for the staff always includes Indian dishes, which they are happy to serve you on request in the dining room. We have had some of the most amazing matar paneer and butter chicken!! It changed each night, and we were asked if we wanted a side or full portion. Delicious!

6 hours ago, tert333 said:

I guess they will start decorating at the beginning of your cruise so that it is done by November 27.   We are on the Summit from Nov 22 - 27.   They said the ship will be decorated November 25, so I assume that means that it will start at the beginning of the cruise with the intent it is done by the 25th.

As someone else mentioned, the decorations come out overnight. I sailed a few years back and woke up to a completely different ship! 🎅

We always stop by "Bocce-ball" (our shorthand) in the afternoon for an iced coffee with Bailey's or Kahlua. 

They are delicious.

Also I had a bartender at the Sunset tell me that the perfect Bloody Mary was made with Belvedere Vodka. So he had me try that, and then each morning made it with different brands...and he was right, Belvedere for the win! 

15 hours ago, micruiser2002 said:

The problem is this says "Should" not "MUST" get tested.  A lot of people keep saying the cruise lines are doing what the CDC has mandated and I would just like to see where it has been mandated.  If it is the cruise lines that are requiring this then they should be transparent about that.  With the holidays coming up I believe it is going to become very difficult to get a covid test within 2 days of sailing.  Even the at home tests are limited and the ones I got expire in mid December and that is with a extension.  I only see 1 company who has the allowed at home testing which also makes this more difficult.

I believe the testing requirement being reduced from 3 days prior, to 2, is because you can now get tested with results available in as little as an hour.  Therefore, testing prior to sailing should be fairly simple. With Walgreens, CVS, airports and private companies all offering a 24 hour or less turnaround time, even the holidays should not present an issue. The at-home kits with emed are 24/7, 365, so no issues there either.

Hi all, we just saw the new Covid protocols and are very impressed with what they offer.  We are now thinking of taking a cruise before the end of the year.  We are both fully vaccinated and with the at-home testing options, it's super easy to test 24hrs prior to sailing.  However I can't seem to find out if everyone needs to test at the end of the sailing, in order to get off of the ship.  Does anyone have that info?

We are scheduled on the Connie for a 10 night in November.  It was the only option last year, when we needed to do a lift-and-shift.  It is an amazing rate, given with how high some cruises have been pricing.  Now I'm reading that the Connie may leave the fleet, so what do you think the process is if we need to select another ship/sailing? Will it be 125%?  Or will they just make us start from scratch, applying our deposit and not transferring the benefits?

I know it's only speculation, but I have never been booked on a cruise that was canceled, and I have benefits attached that no longer exist.

TYIA!!

On 4/19/2020 at 7:05 PM, phoenix_dream said:

First of all, who in the heck would want to cruise at all with all these restrictions?  Not me.  If I wanted that much regimentation I'd join the Army (or would if I was not over 65 years old😉).  And what good do all these restrictions do if you are sitting next to people in lounges, riding with them in elevators, swimming with them in pools and on and on.  There is no way to social distance on a cruise ship - period.  Certainly some other precautions will take place, but until we can sail without needing to social distance the ships will not sail.

I disagree with you a bit here.  I have been cruising for decades and I have always employed my own "social distancing".   I'm a bit of a germaphobe.  My only struggle used to be eating at a table with others, but those days are gone.

Now, we have a table for 2, lounge by the pool but do not swim (I can't count the number of people sucking down drinks but somehow never getting out to use the restroom 😱), sit away from others in the lounge or at a show, spend a ton of time on our balcony, use the hand sanitizer machines VERY often in the casino (and even when walking through the casino to go elsewhere) and never, ever eat in the buffet.  One of the reasons cruising is so relaxing for us is that we can drink, enjoy fantastic food and a variety of destinations, all while feeling like we have the ship to ourselves.  I don't know how it will return, or when, but even before all of this, cruising had the ability (for me) to be as safe as staying at a resort.

22 hours ago, mnocket said:

Another option you might consider is to take a Twizy tour.  If you aren't familiar, Twizy's are small narrow electric vehicles where the driver is in front and the passenger sits behind.  One thing we really enjoyed was that the tour was guided - while each couple drives their own Twizy, you all follow a lead Twizy driven by your guide.  You will pull over at numerous places where your guide will explain the local sights and history.  We really enjoyed it.  If you're interested, here's the link to the company we used

I second this!  We had such a great time and saw so much of the island.  We still talk about this excursion.

I agree with the other comments. If you are looking for a busy day and music/dancing at night, go with RCCL. Celebrity is fantastic, but it's more "refined" with an older crowd (but still fun!). We made the switch mid-40's after getting tired of the belly-flop mentality with kids running wild all over the ship. The no-smoking on Celebrity is also a huge deal for us (wife has asthma). Now we're able to gamble and breathe at the same time :o)

First, the lobster in Halifax or St John is NOT the same as the lobster you'll get in Bar Harbor or Portland. It's ok, but it's not Maine lobster! Same with the cruise ship lobster-it's Caribbean and if you're used to Maine (I live outside of Portland), you can't be bothered with it. There is a big difference in flavor and lucky you, with many stops this week you can try them all and make your own decision.

In Portland, pass by the DiMillo's Floating Restaurant (tourist trap) on the waterfront and hit the Portland Lobster Company. Or for a truly local, no frills experience with some of the best lobster and chowder around, try Gilbert's Chowder House (waterfront, opposite direction from PLC). This is where the local businesspeople and tradespeople have lunch.

Happy Cruising....and eating....and drinking.....

For 3 Card Poker, can do they have a "pairs plus" bet? And can you only play that bet, and not the Ante?

TYIA

Thank you for this fantastic thread, full of information!! It is very much appreciated.

Enjoy your vacation!

I believe it is Elite and higher that offers that benefit.