Markanddonna

As you can see from many experienced cruisers, you can't predict seasickness. I have sailed hundreds of days and had only two experiences of seasickness. I was once in a medicane (hurricane in the Mediterranean) and had no problems. So, go figure. Pick the itinerary you really want, and go with it!

Duck Duck Go is the answer. My evil twin wants to answer the phone with an excited voice, "I'm so happy that NCL is finally giving me that free cruise. Please tell me all about it."

I like variety. We go on several cruise lines, and the differences in the decor are quite appealing to us.

For those who need to make a claim: keep very good records and get a letter from the doctor if any extraordinary situations arise. We needed to go home early because of an illness, and the doctor in Poland wrote a letter to recommend it. When I got home, I made a table of the expenses and coded it to match the receipts. THe insurance company sent a check within three weeks for the full amount.

Naturalists are sort of an Alaskan cruise thing. Some cruise lines don't have any speakers at all while others make an effort on transatlantic and transpacifics. You never know what kind of speaker you will get. A forensic pathologist, or a sea life expert...

I understand that the European Union countries will soon be eliminating the stamping of passports.

What you describe seems to work on almost any cruise line in 2024. Almost everyone has luggage restrictions. Those who don't and live near the port can continue to bring their tuxes and fancy dresses if they wish. Hardly anyone does.

Everything depends on the current composition of passengers. A transatlantic or longer cruise will be more sedate without a lot of partying around the pool. Even a more upscale cruise line can be overtaken during Christmas or spring and summer breaks. So, that same ship during a rather wild NCL or RCL cruise during spring break in the Caribbean would morph into a quieter, calmer experience during shoulder season when the young folks are at school or at work. Avoid cruises shorter than a week.

We get an UBER to get us from FLL to Miami and it is around $50. Same price as you would pay for two people with NCL.

That is exactly what we are seeing in this past year. Surprised that many ships are sold out, except for the most expensive cabins. Maybe a good last minute sale in the Caribbean, but that's about it.

We cruise to the Caribbean to get away from northern winters, that's it. It is generally less expensive than getting a condo or hotel. Nice if you have a place to stay down in FL, but we do not.

I read this will first be offered to TMobile customers. Love TMobile anyway because it is so much easier and cheaper than the others for those who frequently travel outside the country.

Great website. Gives lots of info on things to do.

One issue in Ravenna is the small number of taxis. Regular cruise critics recommend the ship shuttle to get from Ravenna's train station. They advise that you can't count on a taxi in Ravenna. One RCL poster noted that there is NO Taxi stand at the port either. I imagine the taxi companies are fully booked ahead of time.

Back to the original question. In 2024, I have noted that many cruises are selling out and prices going way up. We were hoping to find an inside cabin on an eastern Med cruise and inside and OV are sold out and the balcony has doubled in price. You might find a last minute reduction to the Caribbean during hurricane season, but travel is booming!

Most status matches don't go from zero to Diamond. I agree that it is unfair to loyal customers to have someone match to the highest status from another cruise line. At the time, MSC was trying to get into the American market.

The people onboard didn't know but word gets around on Cruise Critic and similar boards.

I managed to match to MSC Diamond status from NCL about 4 years ago but they raised the bar since then. I walked onto my first MSC cruise with Diamond status with never having been on their ships. Their loyal passengers complained, and they changed this generous match.

I can sympathize with the OP. My DH has had his share of illnesses picked up onboard the ship. What they didn't mention was trip/health insurance. Now that we are older and wiser, this is essential. That said, we carry a "little pharmacy" with us and self-medicate and isolate until our better judgment tells us it is time to go visit the medical center. Our doctor also prescribes the protocol to start when my DH has a bronchial infection (he has COPD.) We have used the doctors onobard twice, one time extensively, and they always responded with kindness and an accurate diagnosis and treatment. We have learned that the possibility of getting sick on a cruise is quite high for us. However, in the past ten years, the ONLY times we have been ill was in the mid- to later days of a cruise. Picked up COVID twice (the only time we had COVID) by the end of a long cruise. However, we also realize that we would rather "risk" getting ill to staying home and not traveling. On the other hand, we are now leaning more toward just flying to a European destination and taking public transportation to where we want to go. We seem to stay healthy on those sorts of trips, despite flying across the Atlantic. Trip insurance, while used only once, was really important for a TA cruise a few years ago. My husband had to have the European equivalent of Paxlovid and became quite ill. The travel insurance company paid for all the medical care and the airline supplement (the difference between the current fare and the one we paid for) to fly home early, which was on a European doctor's advice.

CruisePlum gives you a historical record of the price of a cruise and I believe you can set it for notices, although I have never done so.

Will travel insurance cover our expenses if we choose to fly in on the same day of the cruise? We will have a very early morning direct flight to Boston, and the sailing is at 4PM.

You mentioned a hurricane warning or watch. What about something like Superstorm Sandy back in 2012? Would the cruise out of New England have been covered?

I have traveled with at least 8-10 sailings on all three and several on each since shutdowns with the pandemic. I've been in the Haven, but not the Yacht club. Really, you can't compare the experience in the Haven or Yacht Club with the other cabins. You pay a lot more so of course you will have a better experience. I would rank the three very closely but in this order: RCL, NCL, and MSC. I would sail on any of them if the price and itinerary were right. My two absolute favorites were NCL Spirit in 2022 to Israel and RCL Anthem TA in 2022. I loved two earlier MSC Divina sailings, but my worst cruise ever on the same ship was in 2023. Go figure.

The reality is that the correct time may change just before you board the ship. We've seen that happen several times and it fluctuates for various, unknown reasons. It used to be that the doors closed 15 minutes after the scheduled time. Like so many things on today's cruises, you likely will be allowed in if you are running late. Much varies with that ship's policies and the temperament of the people in charge of seating.

Phil and Christine, So much advice...much of it is outdated. After my last two Transatlantics (2023 and 2024), I tested positive for COVID-19. I only found out because I read that some of our fellow passengers had COVID-19 and, therefore, tested. I essentially had NO symptoms: no fever, sniffles, cough, headache, or fatigue. I still isolated myself for several days out of courtesy to all whom I might have encountered. Those were my only COVID experiences. Obviously, a lot of people who were onboard knew they had COVID or they had symptoms. So many people in the theaters who are hacking say, "Oh, I have allergies." My logic and experience tell me differently. Christine, I bet by the time you read this, you are feeling quite well. Don't cancel the trip unless you feel really ill. BTW, this virus is airborne in so many cases. While we should keep our hands clean, I doubt doing so keeps you away from COVID-19.