momof3cruisers

That’s awesome! When my boys were 12 and 14, we bought them tuxes. It was cheaper than renting and we were on a seven day with two formal nights with grandma who wanted formal pictures. They LOVED them! Might have had something to do with all the compliments and flattery. 😉

Well, I really didn’t want him to get in trouble and kept hoping he’d step up his game.

Yep. I misspoke. Payroll taxes for the crew, not income taxes.

I’m quite surprised to hear that Shirley Temples aren’t included. My kids always asked for them. Huh!

From what I have read, an additional reason is because the fare is considered income for the cruise line. Which they have to pay taxes on. So, a % would automatically be unavailable to the crew anyway. The cruise line is making money in the US, they pay US taxes. The crew are not considered to be making taxable income in the US but only under whatever system their home country has in place. The crew receives more money when tips are paid to them because the cruise line doesn’t have to pay taxes on that money.

I like John but I’m calling baloney on that! We had a cruise a year or two prior to the shut down. We met our room steward on day one and at the time you could still choose twice a day service so that’s what we chose. The first full day, he never came at all. The second day, he came, made the bed, took away towels from the floor but didn’t replace them, didn’t empty the trash and didn’t leave ice as we had requested. He had said he was out of cards so we didn’t have his number and couldn’t find him in the halls. Called the housekeeping number on the phone and asked for ice. Some random person brought it. Next day, we left a note when we went off the ship for the day asking for fresh ice but when we got back to our stateroom, he hadn’t been there. This was like 4 in the afternoon. Still nowhere to be found. This basic pattern went on. On day six, I went to guest services and cut the housekeeping tip by 50%. Golly gee, when we returned to our cabin that afternoon, there he was in the hall asking if there were any problems. Uhhh, yeah! I told him he had missed our room completely more than once and only did a partial job the other times. No way was it a coincidence that he was finally around when we had been searching for him all week.

They are best friends and I can’t imagine them caring but if they do, I guess they’ll have to meet elsewhere. 😎 That’s a thought but they both really need at minimum a window. An inside would be too closed in. Part of the reason for leaving MN at that time of year is the lack of light.

I cannot EVEN believe that none of you are including the very important long distance calling card. You know—to use at a pay phone when they call home. Sheesh! Bunch of amateurs around here! Oh, and left over Halloween candy…in July.

I’m sorry, but whether a dog is on its handler’s lap, is truly no one else’s concern. It’s very possible that one of a dog’s tasks involves physical contact. For instance, service dogs for children with autism are often trained to crawl into their laps to distract them from self harm, to calm them or refocus the child by demanding to be petted. Dogs for people with PTSD, will often climb on their handler to help to ground them and bring them back to the present. They may be trained to provide deep pressure on certain points in order to calm heart rate. Diabetic alert dogs are often carried by their handlers so that they may alert them to the change in the smell of their breath when their sugar is too high. I would hate for people to make assumptions about very valid tasks based upon erroneous information.

That’s really disappointing. I’m over all the trashy behavior. I’m sorry you weren’t able to enjoy your balcony.

You and I totally need to be friends! I would join you in the ice cube throwing. My son and I are devising a plan of how he can surreptitiously shoot the loud, crude, offensive language filled adult men who play basketball across the street at a public park (with a playground for little kids) with his airsoft gun.

Have you done a three day out of Long Beach? I’ve been on a few definite booze cruises to Ensenada. This was back when Imagination and Inspiration sailed from there. Maybe the newer ships have cut back on the issue.

Silicone too in a handy little case. I use silicone straws that come in a little case that has a carabiner on it. I just hook that to my purse strap. Last cruise, I clearly drank too much though and I lost two of them. Ooops.

Yep. I had better luck messaging my sisters via iMessage who were in CA, AZ and TX than I did messaging my son who was on the ship with me via the app. LOL

It does seem like there should be some standards of behavior in “Serenity” but security probably has a lot bigger problems to deal with.

Kids it’s more than two

If as an adult you will have more than three sodas a day, then yes. And it is from when you board through the morning you get off.

You’re very welcome. Happy to help.

Meaning you realize service dogs do not have to be licensed?

Can I ask what kind of coffee you usually drink at home? Looking for options for my husband when we go camping. He has brought a French press before but it’s kind of fiddly out in the woods.

Great pictures. We aren’t super fans of the bigger ships either though IMO, Carnival has done a better job with the Excel class than Royal’s Oasis class as far as actually feeling like you are on the ocean. Can I ask where you go the tags you made up for your ducks? I have a friend sailing with me next winter and she is way into this duck idea.

They really seemed to have a very special relationship. I’m sure he will miss her dearly. Very sad. He also really came through for me when I was having some confusion with the special needs department on our son’s first cruise on Carnival. He was so very kind and helpful. He has a really big heart.

I had this happen just after the restart. My friend and I got an incredible rate so we booked it quick and then a few weeks later, she realized she couldn’t go. We left the booking as it was and I just paid the whole thing. (It was like $35 pp, not kidding, not a casino deal) and they refunded her taxes and port charges to my card on file for onboard expenses.

For 11 days your own outdoor space would be really nice. That’s only about a $10 a day upgrade. As long as you aren’t under the galley, it should be quiet. IMO it’s a good way to find out if you like the coves. Not to much invested and as you say, your other cruises are in the cabins you know you like so you can go right back to them if a cove doesn’t fit your style.

I currently have an aft wrap plus a regular aft balcony right next to it on a 48 hour hold. Deck six, Havana. For mid November out of Port Canaveral. On the cruise would be myself, my husband, our two sons (22 and 23) and the older son’s service dog. Max, the dog is a big part of the appeal to this cabin/balcony set up. My son’s main concern is his dog not having any room to play. This big balcony situation would give him some breaks from working. And, I have always wanted to try out the Havana area. My sons are very chill young men. They don’t party or act obnoxious etc. Not the type to get into Lido deck crazy shenanigans, more the type to sit in the sun listening to a book. Here is my dilemma; those two cabins are around $6,000 total. Two regular balconies on deck 9 (which is under the lido I believe but the only deck that shows two cabins next to each other) is $3,500. So….is Havana that much better? And share your thoughts on the value of a ginormous balcony. I’ve never paid this much for a cruise, even for the reg balcony price. 🤨