Opinions on Star Princess Hawiaan trip

[keithm]

We've done 2 trips the last 2 years on the Oceania Riviera. Both trips I/we loved. I have one booked for Feb 2020, but now my "PIA" husband suddenly said he wants to do a 15 day trip on the Star Princess to Hawaii & back. I told him the food will be nowhere near as good, but he seems ok with that. This is surprising, as he's a chef & we're both in the food industry!

  He's grown tired of the Caribbean.(though, I have not) Perhaps having him shovel the 2ft + snow we usually have while we're cruising will change his mind, but I doubt it. In any case we're probably looking at a mini suite at about $2700 PP or the "Club Class" which has a better food option as you're in a "special" area of the dining room(though not sure of the prices)If anyone has done this trip in these accommodations, your opinion would appreciated. We did one Trip on the Regal in 2016 which was kind of crappy the first week, but really nice the second week. The food was really very nice. NOT on the level of the Riviera, but quite good for a mass market ship. The buffet had the best selection we'd seen on a cruise ship.

[wrl001]

I fought my DW on taking the Hawaii cruise this October from Vancouver because I love the Rivera, its food and butlers.  Smaller ship as well.

 

I guess we will see.

[Shmoo here]

27 minutes ago, keithm said:

We've done 2 trips the last 2 years on the Oceania Riviera. Both trips I/we loved. I have one booked for Feb 2020, but now my "PIA" husband suddenly said he wants to do a 15 day trip on the Star Princess to Hawaii & back. I told him the food will be nowhere near as good, but he seems ok with that. This is surprising, as he's a chef & we're both in the food industry!

  He's grown tired of the Caribbean.(though, I have not) Perhaps having him shovel the 2ft + snow we usually have while we're cruising will change his mind, but I doubt it. In any case we're probably looking at a mini suite at about $2700 PP or the "Club Class" which has a better food option as you're in a "special" area of the dining room(though not sure of the prices)If anyone has done this trip in these accommodations, your opinion would appreciated. We did one Trip on the Regal in 2016 which was kind of crappy the first week, but really nice the second week. The food was really very nice. NOT on the level of the Riviera, but quite good for a mass market ship. The buffet had the best selection we'd seen on a cruise ship.

We did a Hawaii cruise, on the Star Princess last year.  IMO, the food we've had in the main dining rooms on Princess overall is the best food we've had on cruises.

 

The "special area" is still just in the main dining room.  The food is the same food, with some additional options.  

[keithm]

3 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

We did a Hawaii cruise, on the Star Princess last year.  IMO, the food we've had in the main dining rooms on Princess overall is the best food we've had on cruises.

 

The "special area" is still just in the main dining room.  The food is the same food, with some additional options.  

Have you done the Chef's table?

[Shmoo here]

17 minutes ago, keithm said:

Have you done the Chef's table?

No.

[keithm]

43 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

We did a Hawaii cruise, on the Star Princess last year.  IMO, the food we've had in the main dining rooms on Princess overall is the best food we've had on cruises.

 

The "special area" is still just in the main dining room.  The food is the same food, with some additional options.  

Besides Princess, what other lines have you tried?

[Shmoo here]

25 minutes ago, keithm said:

Besides Princess, what other lines have you tried?

Disney, Carnival, Holland America.  Also have done Vantage river cruises.

[nbist]

We loved the Star and the Hawaii 15 day route so much that we are doing it again this January. I much prefer this route to the Caribbean, but different strokes.......That said you may not be happy if you continually are comparing the Star Princess to Oceana 😉 

 

Taste in food is so subjective that it is hard to reassure you that it is wonderful all the time. Though we have found the food on the Star to be consistently good with some great dishes and some not so great. We have never gone hungry or felt is was subpar.

 

I will be honest in that the more we cruise the less I enjoy the Main dining room for dinner (anytime or traditional seating) on any line. It is often noisy and chaotic. On the last few 7 day cruises we have eaten in the specialty dining rooms every night. On the 15 day Hawaii we still do about 1/2 our dinners in the specialty restaurants, a few in the MDR and the rest graze at the buffet or eat burgers under the stars. Yes, Crown Grill and Sabatini's cover charges will increase your overall bill, but we plan for this expense and think it is worth it. 

 

Good luck with your choice.

[XBGuy]

Keith, my wife and I are booked on the Star Princess sailing the 15-day Hawaiian itinerary out of Los Angeles on January 13.  I'm afraid that my post cruise report will be too late for you to have any timely reliable information.

 

I have followed many of your posts here on Cruise Critic the last few years, and I think we are on the same page as you regarding the food on Princess.  In her working life, my wife was also a chef--although, not in a restaurant.  She was the one who developed recipes used as marketing collateral for consumer food products--think, back labels, shelf tear-offs, neck hangers.

 

Princess is our preferred cruise line, because it we can drive one hour to the port and board the ship.  No airlines and no airports.  We just enjoy the shipboard experience, and the itinerary is not terribly important,  We do have an issue with the dining room environment, and I'm pretty sure it is not a Princess issue.  We just don't care for that production environment.  We want to dine, not eat.  For our next two cruises--next month to Alaska and, then, the January one to Hawaii--we have booked a suite.  So, I know that we will be ordering room service off the dining room menu and enjoying it, at our leisure, in our cabin--with our own wine.  Since we live driving distance from the port, it is easy for me to carry my own wine on board.  On the other hand, I have to agree that the recent upgrades to the Princess dining room wine list have made it more attractive.

 

We will have a few meals in the specialty restaurants.  I am not sure if the Star Princess has the old Sabatini's or the new Sabatini's Tratorria menu.  People here on Cruise Critic seem to feel that it is the new one, but the Princess web site sure makes it look like it's the old one.  We have had one cruise with the Tratorria menu on the Grand Princess, and we had dinner there two evenings.  All in all, I think I liked that menu better than the old one.  I have read that the Tratorria menu has been updated.  So, that is another consideration.

 

I know, and understand, your opinion on the Crown Grill proteins.  My experience has been hit or miss.  I have had some very good meals--nothing transcendental--and I have had some that are just meh.  My wife's favorite Crown Grill entree is the Mussel Pot.  She will have that at least once, and often, more per cruise.  I have to say, the Sea Bass entree has been very good,  I've ordered the Lobster Tails once.  One and done.

 

We have done the Chef's Table--I think it was on the Crown Princess.  Again, one and done,  The food was excellent--well-prepared and tasty.  Unfortunately, we were just not comfortable in the group.

 

We have consistently enjoyed the Ultimate Balcony Dinner on multiple Princess ships.  Of course, we especially enjoy the attentive service.  Two servers dedicated to us.  How can it get better?  I have to admit, however, that on one occasion my Filet Mignon was, again, meh--chewy and lacking in flavor.

 

It is unfortunate that we do not have any cruises booked on a ship that has SHARE.  In multiple cruises we have had 10, or so, meals in SHARE.  We have tested all three iterations of the menu, and, while I certainly, have found menu items that I would not go back to, I honestly feel that every meal I have had there has been excellent.

 

I honestly do not believe that you are going to find that the food has significantly improved, Keith.  We try to make the cruise about us, not Princess.

 

I should mention, however, that we are looking at an Oceania cruise in September 2020.

[MJSailors]

       Food quality aside, I think there are other considerations for this Hawaiian cruise. 

My DH and I have considered it and had one booked a few years ago which we cancelled due to health reasons and one for this past Spring which we also cancelled for various reasons. Traveling from the East Coast, it is a trip for us to LA or SanFrancisco. There are many sea days involved,ten in total, I recall. We both enjoy seaways on our cruises and we are never “bored” on a ship.

However, since we are in our mid-sixties and do have some health concerns,we didn't think  it would be a good position to be in sailing on the Pacific Ocean for all those days.

The cruise does not allow much time in any of the ports in Hawaii. We felt that we would only get a brief overview of the islands.

    I am wondering if the OP has taken these ideas into consideration as well.

  We have concluded that it isn’t the cruise for us. But, I would be interested in reading the opinion of other people in our age range that have taken this cruise. I do hope others post here about  their experiences.

     We might be persuaded to book and follow through with such a cruise !

[Shmoo here]

30 minutes ago, MJSailors said:

       Food quality aside, I think there are other considerations for this Hawaiian cruise. 

My DH and I have considered it and had one booked a few years ago which we cancelled due to health reasons and one for this past Spring which we also cancelled for various reasons. Traveling from the East Coast, it is a trip for us to LA or SanFrancisco. There are many sea days involved,ten in total, I recall. We both enjoy seaways on our cruises and we are never “bored” on a ship.

However, since we are in our mid-sixties and do have some health concerns,we didn't think  it would be a good position to be in sailing on the Pacific Ocean for all those days.

The cruise does not allow much time in any of the ports in Hawaii. We felt that we would only get a brief overview of the islands.

    I am wondering if the OP has taken these ideas into consideration as well.

  We have concluded that it isn’t the cruise for us. But, I would be interested in reading the opinion of other people in our age range that have taken this cruise. I do hope others post here about  their experiences.

     We might be persuaded to book and follow through with such a cruise !

As I said, we did this cruise last year.  

 

Now, as a disclaimer, we've been to Hawaii several times on land only trips, and this was our 2d cruise to Hawaii.  We (read that as "I") like sea days.  I'm a firm believer in this is a vacation.  And on vacation I like to relax and not feel like there's something else I should be doing.  But there were enough activities onboard to keep us as occupied as we wanted to be.

 

In ports, we did a couple of excursions.  We also rented a car on a couple of islands to drive ourselves around, because we'd been there before.  In Honolulu, we took the bus out to Waikiki and just spent some time on the beach.

 

Will I do another Hawaii cruise?  Yes.  If one comes along that fits in our schedule and doesn't hurt the pocketbook too much.

 

Oh, and BTW, we're past our "mid-sixties" and have no health issues that would concern us on a long sea voyage.  

[sdbart]

Keith, we're also Oceania lovers (we spent a month on the Riviera last fall). We're in our mid-seventies and prefer either land trips (we're former backpackers) and cruises with as many sea days as possible. We live in Southern CA and DH's doctor doesn't want him flying at this time, so that really limited places we could travel to. I really dislike road trips, so that meant cruising from a nearby port if we wanted to travel. HAL cruises out of San Diego (15 minutes from home) to Hawaii and Mexico, while Princess cruises out of LA (two hours up the road) to Hawaii, Mexico and Alaska, all round trips. 

 

We ended up choosing the Star Princess out of LA to Hawaii. We've been to the islands several times (and DH spent three months in a tent on Kauai when young and foolish), so we don't care that we'll only be spending a day on each of four islands. For us, the voyage is the important part of the cruise, not the destination and we're looking forward to the nine sea days, along with humpback whale watching on Maui and relaxing on the beach on Kauai and Oahu .

 

We've cruised with quite a few O regulars who also cruise on Princess and we know not to spend all our time comparing the two lines. While the Star is larger than we'd like, it at least has a real wrap-around promenade deck and many open decks to explore and get away from the crowds, should I choose to do so. Yeah, the decor may be dated and not very stylish, but we're pretty sure we'll have a great time (we always do, no matter where we travel) and meet nice fellow cruisers. 

 

Oh yeah, friends have said that the best part of Club Class dining is the personalized service with the best wait staff. For us this is important, as I try to avoid buffets, even O's. Whenever we cruise, we end up, even when dining with people we've just met, enjoying really long leisurely dinners, usually closing whichever venue we're eating in. 

[cr8tiv1]

I haven't been following ELUA's posts about their schedule for the fall/winter.  BUT...if they are on the (Star) cruise, then the food won't matter as much.  You will have an opportunity to immerse yourself in Hawaiiana and Culture.

 

Also, Please do explore the different foods on each island.  You will have a chance to eat lunch in every port.  Find the local hide-a-ways instead of the YELP tourists recommendations.  The islands are full of delicious foods.

 

Displaced Local Girl. 

[keithm]

2 hours ago, XBGuy said:

Keith, my wife and I are booked on the Star Princess sailing the 15-day Hawaiian itinerary out of Los Angeles on January 13.  I'm afraid that my post cruise report will be too late for you to have any timely reliable information.

 

I have followed many of your posts here on Cruise Critic the last few years, and I think we are on the same page as you regarding the food on Princess.  In her working life, my wife was also a chef--although, not in a restaurant.  She was the one who developed recipes used as marketing collateral for consumer food products--think, back labels, shelf tear-offs, neck hangers.

 

Princess is our preferred cruise line, because it we can drive one hour to the port and board the ship.  No airlines and no airports.  We just enjoy the shipboard experience, and the itinerary is not terribly important,  We do have an issue with the dining room environment, and I'm pretty sure it is not a Princess issue.  We just don't care for that production environment.  We want to dine, not eat.  For our next two cruises--next month to Alaska and, then, the January one to Hawaii--we have booked a suite.  So, I know that we will be ordering room service off the dining room menu and enjoying it, at our leisure, in our cabin--with our own wine.  Since we live driving distance from the port, it is easy for me to carry my own wine on board.  On the other hand, I have to agree that the recent upgrades to the Princess dining room wine list have made it more attractive.

 

We will have a few meals in the specialty restaurants.  I am not sure if the Star Princess has the old Sabatini's or the new Sabatini's Tratorria menu.  People here on Cruise Critic seem to feel that it is the new one, but the Princess web site sure makes it look like it's the old one.  We have had one cruise with the Tratorria menu on the Grand Princess, and we had dinner there two evenings.  All in all, I think I liked that menu better than the old one.  I have read that the Tratorria menu has been updated.  So, that is another consideration.

 

I know, and understand, your opinion on the Crown Grill proteins.  My experience has been hit or miss.  I have had some very good meals--nothing transcendental--and I have had some that are just meh.  My wife's favorite Crown Grill entree is the Mussel Pot.  She will have that at least once, and often, more per cruise.  I have to say, the Sea Bass entree has been very good,  I've ordered the Lobster Tails once.  One and done.

 

We have done the Chef's Table--I think it was on the Crown Princess.  Again, one and done,  The food was excellent--well-prepared and tasty.  Unfortunately, we were just not comfortable in the group.

 

We have consistently enjoyed the Ultimate Balcony Dinner on multiple Princess ships.  Of course, we especially enjoy the attentive service.  Two servers dedicated to us.  How can it get better?  I have to admit, however, that on one occasion my Filet Mignon was, again, meh--chewy and lacking in flavor.

 

It is unfortunate that we do not have any cruises booked on a ship that has SHARE.  In multiple cruises we have had 10, or so, meals in SHARE.  We have tested all three iterations of the menu, and, while I certainly, have found menu items that I would not go back to, I honestly feel that every meal I have had there has been excellent.

 

I honestly do not believe that you are going to find that the food has significantly improved, Keith.  We try to make the cruise about us, not Princess.

 

I should mention, however, that we are looking at an Oceania cruise in September 2020.

Thank you! Very informative. If you do Oceania, I recommend Riviera/Marina over the smaller ships in the fleet. Food was always excellent. Yeah, in the La Reserve some pax definitely have their noses in the air when it comes to the wine served with the courses.

[keithm]

2 hours ago, MJSailors said:

       Food quality aside, I think there are other considerations for this Hawaiian cruise. 

My DH and I have considered it and had one booked a few years ago which we cancelled due to health reasons and one for this past Spring which we also cancelled for various reasons. Traveling from the East Coast, it is a trip for us to LA or SanFrancisco. There are many sea days involved,ten in total, I recall. We both enjoy seaways on our cruises and we are never “bored” on a ship.

However, since we are in our mid-sixties and do have some health concerns,we didn't think  it would be a good position to be in sailing on the Pacific Ocean for all those days.

The cruise does not allow much time in any of the ports in Hawaii. We felt that we would only get a brief overview of the islands.

    I am wondering if the OP has taken these ideas into consideration as well.

  We have concluded that it isn’t the cruise for us. But, I would be interested in reading the opinion of other people in our age range that have taken this cruise. I do hope others post here about  their experiences.

     We might be persuaded to book and follow through with such a cruise !

We're 65/58. So far health has not been an issue. My brother who's done Hawaii several times feels that just flying there is the best option. SOOOOO many choices!

[keithm]

1 hour ago, sdbart said:

Keith, we're also Oceania lovers (we spent a month on the Riviera last fall). We're in our mid-seventies and prefer either land trips (we're former backpackers) and cruises with as many sea days as possible. We live in Southern CA and DH's doctor doesn't want him flying at this time, so that really limited places we could travel to. I really dislike road trips, so that meant cruising from a nearby port if we wanted to travel. HAL cruises out of San Diego (15 minutes from home) to Hawaii and Mexico, while Princess cruises out of LA (two hours up the road) to Hawaii, Mexico and Alaska, all round trips. 

 

We ended up choosing the Star Princess out of LA to Hawaii. We've been to the islands several times (and DH spent three months in a tent on Kauai when young and foolish), so we don't care that we'll only be spending a day on each of four islands. For us, the voyage is the important part of the cruise, not the destination and we're looking forward to the nine sea days, along with humpback whale watching on Maui and relaxing on the beach on Kauai and Oahu .

 

We've cruised with quite a few O regulars who also cruise on Princess and we know not to spend all our time comparing the two lines. While the Star is larger than we'd like, it at least has a real wrap-around promenade deck and many open decks to explore and get away from the crowds, should I choose to do so. Yeah, the decor may be dated and not very stylish, but we're pretty sure we'll have a great time (we always do, no matter where we travel) and meet nice fellow cruisers. 

 

Oh yeah, friends have said that the best part of Club Class dining is the personalized service with the best wait staff. For us this is important, as I try to avoid buffets, even O's. Whenever we cruise, we end up, even when dining with people we've just met, enjoying really long leisurely dinners, usually closing whichever venue we're eating in. 

Hope DH gets the ok from the Dr. soon! Still weighing options. I do not mind long sailings, though I'll have to stay out of the Casino! The sanctuary sounds relaxing. We loved it on the Regal.

[ell52]

23 minutes ago, keithm said:

We're 65/58. So far health has not been an issue. My brother who's done Hawaii several times feels that just flying there is the best option. SOOOOO many choices!

We've taken six 15-day Hawaii return cruises out of LA and Vancouver, but we take long (4 wk) land vacations to Hawaii regularly too.  The cruises are mainly for the rest and relaxation of the sea days while still getting a taste of the islands.The land vacations are to feel and experience the local ambience -- so much so that we're often mistaken for being locals. It really depends what you want out of the experience. Though if you do a land vacation on Oahu, there are lots of new and exciting restaurants to try (Maui as well).  

 

As for the food on Princess, it's okay to meh-- not great, not terrible, with the exception of the specialty restaurants.  We really enjoy the Crown Grill and think they deliver an excellent steakhouse experience.  As well, the new menu in Sabbatini's on the Star is a huge improvement over the old menu. 

 

(We're 74/69) 🙂 

Edited August 11, 2019 by ell52

[MJSailors]

       Thank you to the other posters who have responded about my concerns regarding an Hawaiian cruise. I noted that you are all from West Coast locations. 

We are in NY,so lately,most of our cruises have been to Bermuda, the Caribbean ,Canada and New England.

          My DH has been treated for cardiac issues and also experiences anxiety. He feels comfortable traveling near the East Coast . Although,he has mentioned interest in  a British Isles cruise.

        As Keithm posted,there are sooooo many choices !

For now,we are planning a resort stay in Bermuda in Nov. to play golf, a brief stay in a Florida condo to visit friends in Jan.2020 and a March 2020 cruise on the Sky Princess. For now, our travel card is full.  Fingers  crossed that all the plans are realized.

 

[sdbart]

1 hour ago, keithm said:

Hope DH gets the ok from the Dr. soon! Still weighing options. I do not mind long sailings, though I'll have to stay out of the Casino! The sanctuary sounds relaxing. We loved it on the Regal.

Thanks. Love being out on the ocean. One of our favorite cruises was a westbound TA with only three ports and ELEVEN sea days. 

[cr8tiv1]

I don't want to scare you, but I would be concerned about any possible cardiac events while at sea.  The Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated land in the entire world.  Once you are out of reach of the best Coast Guard equipment, you are at the mercy of the doctors onboard.  Honolulu is the only place that has cardiac doctors and facilities.  All patients from the outer islands are air vac'd to Oahu.  Be sure to take out travel insurance.  

 

Prioritize you're wants.  Is the food the most important to you?  I've enjoyed the Crown Grill and Club Class dining.  Can you swing a suite?  The suite breakfasts are a great perk.  Sabatini's and the other specialty restaurants are not to my liking, but I am not a foodie.  

 

Do you want to learn more about Hawaii?  Some lecturers are fantastic.  

 

It's a long way for you to come before you start your cruise.  Enjoy

[keithm]

8 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I don't want to scare you, but I would be concerned about any possible cardiac events while at sea.  The Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated land in the entire world.  Once you are out of reach of the best Coast Guard equipment, you are at the mercy of the doctors onboard.  Honolulu is the only place that has cardiac doctors and facilities.  All patients from the outer islands are air vac'd to Oahu.  Be sure to take out travel insurance.  

 

Prioritize you're wants.  Is the food the most important to you?  I've enjoyed the Crown Grill and Club Class dining.  Can you swing a suite?  The suite breakfasts are a great perk.  Sabatini's and the other specialty restaurants are not to my liking, but I am not a foodie.  

 

Do you want to learn more about Hawaii?  Some lecturers are fantastic.  

 

It's a long way for you to come before you start your cruise.  Enjoy

No cardiac issues, but I see your point. We saw a cardiac issue happen(the events, not the actual issue)The person was medflighted off the QM2.

[MixerDave]

I am sailing on the Star out of LA on 12/4 - any others on this cruise please join the roll call and sign up for the meet and greet.  I have arranged for it with Princess.  I will provide further details.

[keithm]

15 hours ago, MJSailors said:

       Food quality aside, I think there are other considerations for this Hawaiian cruise. 

My DH and I have considered it and had one booked a few years ago which we cancelled due to health reasons and one for this past Spring which we also cancelled for various reasons. Traveling from the East Coast, it is a trip for us to LA or SanFrancisco. There are many sea days involved,ten in total, I recall. We both enjoy seaways on our cruises and we are never “bored” on a ship.

However, since we are in our mid-sixties and do have some health concerns,we didn't think  it would be a good position to be in sailing on the Pacific Ocean for all those days.

The cruise does not allow much time in any of the ports in Hawaii. We felt that we would only get a brief overview of the islands.

    I am wondering if the OP has taken these ideas into consideration as well.

  We have concluded that it isn’t the cruise for us. But, I would be interested in reading the opinion of other people in our age range that have taken this cruise. I do hope others post here about  their experiences.

     We might be persuaded to book and follow through with such a cruise !

This is why I'm asking for opinions & insights on those who have. As for health issues, the only one is the fact my spouse had a Kidney transplant some years ago. Usually the first year is when you have issues(as he did) they then "tweak" the meds to find the right dose. Obviously, we have to watch for any "signs" of problems. signs usually show up well in advance to any true issues. A long sea voyage like this does bring a few thoughts on that matter, though.

[satxdiver]

We are sailing on the Star to HI this November.  We did the club class last year when I managed to snag a deal that was a few hundred over our mini in the aft section.  It was online only over a weekend which has led some to believe it was a mistake in pricing.  Several of my fellow pax managed to score the deal.  With that then the club class is simply a section of the mid deck 6 MDR with a separate entrance.  Tables have grey table cloths to signify the area.  Service is better as the waiters have less tables to attend to but the menu is the same as the regular pax in the MDR.  What they do is offer one special main course and sometimes one special dessert from what the regular pax are offered.   We are elite so the other perks that come with the club class are included in our elite perks so nothing gained there.   In short is not in our best interests to pay the extra fee.  

 

When they first offered ATD we jumped on it but after a few years decided that TD was actually the best for us.  We had TD back when that was the only choice and enjoy having the same waiters, table, MDR and set time.  The waiter quickly learns our likes and dislikes and is quite friendly since we get to know about them.  

 

We have been on the Star before so nothing new there but this is our first voyage to HI.  We have been by air to HI before and spent time on three of the islands.  Kauai will be new to us.  I sometimes post while on board and may this time as well given the large number of sea days which both of us really enjoy.   

[sdbart]

1 hour ago, keithm said:

As for health issues, the only one is the fact my spouse had a Kidney transplant some years ago. Usually the first year is when you have issues(as he did) they then "tweak" the meds to find the right dose. Obviously, we have to watch for any "signs" of problems. signs usually show up well in advance to any true issues. A long sea voyage like this does bring a few thoughts on that matter, though.

A friend had a liver transplant two years ago. This spring, he cruised to the Baltic, including St. Petersburg (on Princess). We flew to Barcelona four months after DH had open heart surgery and since then have traveled in Europe (including the Balkans), taken four TAs, and done land trips to Brazil and China. Yes, we take precautions, take out travel insurance with pre-existing medical condition waiver  and plan carefully. The upshot really, is that everyone has to decide what they are comfortable with. Hope you have many travel adventures in the future.