TheDivineMrsM

Kris, I'm "all that" when it comes to family vacations, too. A cruise simplifies the process.

" Happy Sails!"

Plz people, lets not get wacked out over a lanyard question. Anyone fortunate enough to take even one cruise is fortunate enough. In the small town in Ohio where I live there are impoverished people who will never even see the ocean much less sail on a beautiful ship to an exotic location. My coworker just buried her eight year old son this week. You wouldn't know it to look at me but I am dealing with a devastating health diagnosis. Let's keep it real here.

I'm going on my first cruise soon.

I work with elementary school kids and am quite accustomed to large groups of loud, noisy kids having fun. No problem. I am very adept at at seeing oncoming kids who look like they don't see me but might plow into me and swerving expertly out of their way. I do it about every work day and take it in stride.

What I observe with some kids is they want/crave adult attention. My son is grown. When I'm on vacation, I just don't want to be entertaining someone else's children. Some parents think that just taking their kids with them on vacation is good parenting. They don't interact with their kids. They want their kids to find their own things to do. It's not up to me to fill the void. Kids are great, but I am on my own vacation and want to spend it the way I want to. Some outgoing kids have no problem striking up conversations with strange adults. Sometimes I think kids sense I am a kid friendly adult; I've learned to smile politely and ignore them. I spent endless hours having fun with my son and his friends while they were growing up and now the torch has been passed to the next generation of parents raising children.

Oh my there are lots worse things in life to be upset about than someone wearing a lanyard! The way a person acts, talks, or smells can be lots more offensive.

I always purchase a new silk pillow before each cruise and gently lay the seapass card on that. Then I carry the pillow with two hands firmly, but gently underneath. At the pool I place the pillow on it's own lounger with the seapass card resting on it. I have to make sure to turn the seapass over frequently or else it burns due to a lack of sunscreen. We generally can only lay out for an hour or two, else the seapass gets bored without the use of a cellphone or ipad. :cool:

I ordered the low maintenance sea pass! Only way to go! Sewed up an old microfiber washcloth to make a small pouch and gonna fasten it to the inside of my swim suit with a diaper pin. Hands-free carrier. Those pillows a thing of the past!

Yeah, I actually wondered about the drivers license. They say you don't have to take your passports with you when visiting the Bahamas, but you say that the three of us should all take our licenses?

debitoo, ha, ha, I got a kick out of your reply....and those of you saying they are cheap insurance, I get what you're saying!

Is there any need to pack umbrellas or rain ponchos for an 8 day trip to the Bahamas?

Two of our excursions involve getting in the water: snorkeling in CocoCay and dolphin encounter in Nassau. Would you suggest we wear our swim suits under a pair of shorts and shirt? Or just take the suit with us. Just thinking of what would be the simplest approach.

Thanks for the tip! I didn't know that.

Is the room key card the same size as a credit card or larger? I am sewing a small pouch to carry the key, credit card and a few bills for when we go on our excursions and want to make the size of it so that it fits these three items. Thanks!

I don't have any cruise experience yet as my first cruise is coming up, but these are my thoughts from just traveling in general which I have done.

Two hundred dollars isn't that much price difference. If you have never been to the eastern Caribbean, then book the big, beautiful ship and explore that region. Chances are you can see the western Caribbean at a later date on another ship. We've visited many places and they ALL have something to offer, whether they are far away or in our own area of the USA. It's really oftentimes what you make it. I once went parasailing at Put-in-Bay on Lake Erie. No, it wasn't the ocean. But it remains one of the most beautiful experiences I had in my life.

I realize everyone is different when it comes to the foods we eat. But I wonder if it's necessary to pack any snacks.

Okay, if I were to get a lanyard, does the sea pass card have a hole in it, or did someone say they will punch a hole in it so it can be put on the lanyard?

Yeah, the thing is, I feel better about myself when I tip. I don't have to tip big. But reasonable.

We took a tour recently of the Coca Cola Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. We paid a little extra for the VIP tour and the guide was terrific. When we went to tip her at the end, she refused to take it. I figure it must be the museum's policy for the guides not to accept tips, which makes me believe they pay their guides a decent wage.

We live five blocks from the Ohio River. DH and DS are fisherman. I think we'll find the excursion interesting at the very least and plan to enjoy the adventure comparing where we live to another part of the good old USA.

If it makes you feel better, I've been through this topic before and just to let you know, the excursion is billed on RCIs website as "Central Florida Everglades". Tomato, tomahto, I am not from Florida so I shall enjoy learning and seeing the geography and the region.

Thanks for the tip, Tbone!

Yes, isn't it amazing how a really good tour guide takes the experience to the next level? In our travels, we have most often had reasonably good tour guides. Taking a grey line tour through upper New York City, you'd have thought the tour guide was the city's mayor, he was simply wonderful. And guide from Vegas to Grand Canyon terric as well.

I get that not all guides have that gift to bring a tour to life. Still, we generally always tip and are inclined to give a bit more if we thought the guide went above the norm.

What about that Atlantis dolphin encounter? There are gonna be a few people helping us. Maybe they have a tip jar?

I work at an elementary and sparkly lanyards are a fashion statement with the teachers and staff. Just sayin'.

The three of us will be taking three excursions.

*First, in Port Canaveral to the Everglades on an airboat.

**Second, to Atlantis for the dolphin encounter.

***Third, to snorkel in CocoCay.

As it's our first cruise, and I didn't want to worry about anything so I popped for the trips booked through RCI cruiseline.

What kind of tip should we consider giving for these excursions?

Okay what is the verdict? Can you pack a power strip for your cruise on RCI or will it be confiscated?

I know that Family Dollar in our area sells the sparkly lanyards.

I also wanted to say that if I wore a lanyard everyday to work, I, too, would not be using on on vacation!

Beautiful!

Ooo, sparks, that was easy enough! Thanks!