shipgeeks

I've heard of the Tutti, but have never seen it, even many years ago. How is it different from the large array of salad ingredients available in WJ and Park Cafe every day?

The pins are still nicer than the "diamond earrings" one can get for free by visiting Diamonds International. I think they had a touch of diamond dust glued on, but I'm not sure.

Harriet, I would highly recommend studying the four different "experiences" offered when booking MSC, as each provides different pros/cons. For example, we would not be happy with anytime dining, so we do not book Aurea, but book Bella as that gives us traditional dining. We do not want room service, so do not need Fantastica. Secondly, if you have a good loyalty status with one of the lines you've sailed, consider doing a status match, which could give you some nice benefits. We found MSC different from our other lines, but in a good way! I hope you will find the same.

And many 12-nighters.

That was one that got moved to Norfolk unexpectedly, and quite a few pax cancelled.

The Vision class ships based in Baltimore always sail full!

Another option is to not buy cruise insurance, or at least to know what might be covered. I'm always curious to read "my insurance didn't cover that, and I assumed it would cover everything". Many people apparently assume that insurance will cover anything that can go wrong. Hospitals in foreign countries frequently require cash or credit card upfront; proof of insurance might not be enough. Coast Guard evac is paid for by our taxes. Existing credit card might cover loss of luggage. Know what you are buying insurance for.

I agree, and not the size element, but the fact that on a Vision class ship, I can see the sea and sky from almost anywhere on the ship, but on a ship with a Royal Promenade, I would feel like I was in a mall/city/theme park. I can do that at home; I don't need to do it on a ship.

We saw that, too, but are wondering where she will dock, as the terminal is being used as command center.

OP, much good info above. My recommendation would be to study the four MSC "experiences", and to look into doing a status match with your X status. Re the experiences, which one you choose will determine not only your cabin, but your dining, and other factors. We were fine with Bella (the lowest) because it gave us set dining, which is a must for us. Aurea has anytime dining, access to the spa, etc. We loved our MSC cruises because they were a much more international experience (pax makeup, foods, shows, and more). I'm not sure that is the case so much any more, but I would have no hesitation in finding out!

I've seen recommendations for Trinity Reservations, which lists a number of hotels and their amenities such as shuttles.

I think that several years ago, this was much more likely; now not so much. It was not that long ago that if one person at the table said they loved the mushrooms or other dish, and some of the rest of us smiled, there would be a platter of that, for the table, every night. Now, because so many pax complain if a three-course dinner takes more than 45 minutes, the system is apparently set up to provide maximum speed for all diners, whether we want speed or not. There's probably not much wiggle room in the new system for any exception to the rule. I'm just happy if I can manage to get my turkey dinner without the corn, but I rarely expect to be able to ask for broccoli instead of corn.

We have always gotten an email a couple of days before the cruise, with a link allowing us to make any requests such as this. We do it then, and it's always done right.

I think I would be very apprehensive about driving an unfamiliar vehicle in an unfamiliar city! Have you considered something like the HOHO bus? You can get of and off, or not, at any of the areas in the route, without having to park or drive.

They will review it with you, in person, at the port. Takes 10 seconds.

I never understand why people seem to need more hooks. Every cabin we've been in had good, strong hooks in the entry hallway, more in the bathroom, and a drying line in the shower. Someone left their magnetic hooks in our cabin recently, and they didn't even support a ballcap.

Are you aware that you are probably not allowed to take it onto the ship, if you find some? Most ships will have notices stating that no sand, shells, sea glass, or other local items can be taken aboard; and many islands also say not to remove these items.

When we did a HAL cruise to Montreal several years ago, we ended up docking far downstream from Montreal, due to river conditions. There were shuttles into the city, but they would certainly have added some time to the connection. There didn't appear to be any other modes of transport there - no rental cars, trains, taxis, etc.

A caveat, based on our experience a few years ago. Our ship was scheduled to arrive at the usual Montreal port, but due to high water, we had to dock downstream. We were fortunate in that we had booked the cruiseline transfer to the airport, as there were no taxis, drivers, or rental cars there. It was a very long ride to the airport, but we did get to the airport in good time for our mid-day flight.

Saint John and Halifax are very easy to do on your own if you are the least bit mobile. We've been to both several times, have never done an excursion, and never wished we had. Halifax has a harbor-front boardwalk right at the ship, and connects with maritime museums, eateries, breweries, and harbor views. The Citadel, a very old cemetery, botanic gardens, and other attractions are uphill from there. On our next cruise to Saint John, we will probably use the Pink Bus to take in the circuit beyond where we've walked in the past, including the reversing tides and other sites.

Maggiev, Where do you all live? I have an inkling you might be in the PA/Ohio/MD area? If so, or even if not, I would recommend the Royal Caribbean C/NE cruises from Baltimore. Could you swing 9 nights? The ship is Vision of the Seas, which has a great ship ambience, many adults, excellent crew. We travel to Baltimore on a Lenzner coach from the Pittsburgh area, but it's a nice drive, with parking right at the port.

But fb is such a great source for accurate information! How else would I have learned that cruise ship toilets don't have seats (just the rim), food is not included in the fare, and all passengers are required to buy lanyards, ducks, door decorations, and magnetic hooks.

Very well said, and exactly what I've been thinking for a couple of years now. I've read so many posts complaining that dinner "should not take a whole 50 minutes!" To us, that about covers settling in, perusing the menu, ordering, chatting a bit, then consuming the appetizer. Those 2.5+ hour dinners were great!

Anyone else besides Mr. Shipgeeks watching the recovery process for hours at a time?

And I notice that at home, I spend a lot of time sitting (aka slouching) and reading CC, or doing awkward stuff like vacuuming, neither of which is great for my back. On cruises, I do none of that.