KKB

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OK...we are there with 3 other ships...potentially 9K passengers total. Azmara Onward 8-8, Rhapsody of Seas 7-9, NCL Breakaway (us) 1-10 & Celestial Olympia 2-9. We have booked a ship excursion to ease getting there, but it drops us at Fira at 7PM. My though is since 2 ships arrive much earlier than us & all 3 leave an hour earlier, simply wait to get the cable car---maybe 8PM or so? (my thought is at 7 the other ships passengers will be in line) I'd love to stay & see a sunset at 8:20, but I fear others on our ship may do the same... No interest in taking steps at dusk! Thoughts?

2 years ago I saw a Carnival Casino ad on FB & sent in my Diamond card. Immediately got an offer for a free cruise--3 days to 2 weeks, all over. We chose a 14 day Hawaii cruise & were pleased we loved it even tho others said we would not like Carnival after all the other lines we have sailed. We just got essentially free cruises in AUS with the FP offer. Also seeing $100 offers. We don't gamble as much on a cruise as in Vegas so our offers are Interiors...but we were called with an offer for $700 upgrade to balcony on that sold out Hawaii cruise so no complaints. $700/2 for balcony on 14 day cruise--still a deal.

Princess would be a better option even on an older Princess ship. Food & service definitely better on Princess. Tho specialty dining & production shows better on NCL. (I have not sailed older NCL ships...and the labor shortages--cost cutting or supply issue, not sure--on our Encore ship has me questioning if we will sail NCL in the future. We have 2 booked yet this year so we shall see!)

We encountered this in Paris in the 80s. Lady in front of us tried to speak English with a French accent & shopkeeper just kept saying "I don't understand" in French. We high schoolers carefully chose our words in French & the shopkeeper then said "It is OK, I speak English, she just make me mad!" But this is easy--if they don't want my business, THEIR loss!

Oh, my we understand this! DD had a soft doll (creatively named Baby)--we wisely bought another when it became her lovey, as we learned from DS1. We could wash it, not worry if it was lost, etc. Bless that girl--she is 25 & Baby is still on her bed (at HER home!)

I am so dang picky about wings...our local "Cheers" will grill them upon request...and I ask them to be DOUBLE grilled as I HATE soft skin. I want CRISPY skin (but not breaded) I does seem like on the Getaway in 2019 they were crisp...but not last year on Getaway or Joy. Boo. Perhaps we will get lucky on Breakaway or Joy this year.

DH & I did Carnival in January--our 1st Carnival & all we heard was that we would NOT like it. WE LOVED IT--very good food, SO much to do, great bands & bartenders. (If you take the Miracle I KNOW you would find the decor...well...interesting!) There was a storm in CA that gave us some waves & winds a couple days (tho sunny & warm) & we had to wear patches for a couple days for the first time in many years. I did not think I wanted to to AK but we did last Sept & loved it as well! We did Discovery Princess--you will find that AK cruises are much more casual & relaxed. What we loved about Princess was different kinds of local salmon nightly--SO good!

We are scheduled for this cruise next April so looking forward to your TR! I did UK similar schedule on MSC in May & due to some various issues did not get to do things I wanted at all the ports so VERY much looking forward to returning. I found the Scottish Highlands SO beautiful--and the citizens were so lovely & personable everywhere. Have a wonderful time!

10 Princess & 3 RCCL cruises in 20 years. I like MDR & service better on Princess. I like specialty dining & theatre shows better on RCCL. But by & large they are more alike than different. (Our kids sailed DCL, RCCL & Princess at the ages of your kiddos--now as young adults, they say EVERY cruise they have done was a good time. They loved kid club--and sometimes they didn't. Really depended on other kids. Luckily our kids also enjoy each other's company as well as ours)

For most of 15 years we did an annual Caribbean cruise. Since retiring last year, have done 8--honestly, Caribbean has lost it's allure a bit. Also finally did AK, Hawaii & 1st Europe cruises this year---AND WE ARE HOOKED. Now that we have the time, we are looking to go to places we have never been before. We try to find a good deal on a cruise when air will cost us more. There is NOTHING wrong with the Caribbean--goodness knows we have done 23 over the years. It was the perfect fit for us for many years regarding time & money--and it appears it may be for you at this time. I loved the value of it for a long time. Do what YOU want to do!

You KNOW I'm in! Will be very curious to hear your thoughts on this MSC cruise.

We were denied on our free casino cruise in Jan. Fair. I now have a $100 casino rate (plus $200OBC) for Feb. Not expecting it but will try.

LOL--just booked July 27!

It's weird...even on my online TA it shows that too. Might be worth it to book...bring a couple bottles of wine & NA drinks on board...

I have never had issues using hand soap for washing out a cup or clothing--works quite well actually!

Absolutely try again. Princes was our 1st cruise 20 yrs ago & got us hooked on cruising. We mostly sailed Princess for 10 yrs (also DCL & RCCL), then found Celebrity & found it a small step above other lines in service & food--tho we feel Princess is a close 2nd. The last 10 yrs have mostly sailed Celebrity but have also sailed NCL, Carnival & MSC. Last yr Princess sent us a casino offer (bizarre after 10 yrs!) so we tried again...and have done 4 more since then with another booked this fall! Give it a try!

So I just resubmitted the OBC for our August sailing...we shall see.

@Dorhead1230 Loving your Live (pre) TR! Former teacher here, too. A couple tips on your "extras" you pack. I bought tiny ziplocs (snack bags could work too) & fill each one with meds to take up less space. I use a label maker to tag each one, but a sharpie would work too. Also--no need to bring laundry detergent or dish detergent--soap at sink works just as well (seriously, there is VERY little differentiation between ingredients in various detergents/soaps)

(thx for the other thread...I also have a QANTAS/AA flight booked next year via points...tho via the QANTAS site. It isn't yet listed on AA site & I can't book a seat...I will cal them & check on that too) 100% learned my lesson to double, triple check & when something feels off, go with your gut!

I checked again & realized that I had clicked on "Contact Reservations" on AA site & it sent me to another page...I clicked on the number listed...but somehow it went to a different number. Not sure if it is an AA issue or my phone. AA is helping me right now & honestly, are being wonderful. Even though the credits aren't showing up in my account she could see them. The GOOD news is I do appear not to have lost the credits! But she said I do not have to pay anything, but this "travel company" I inadvertantly called tried to charge me nearly $800. I'm usually SO SO careful about things like this...glad for a happy ending. (on a side note...when we closed on the home we live in, DH & I received an email from our realtor--same email address, same signature--telling us to fax a check to a number rather than bring it to the closing. Luckily I was too busy at work to deal with it & DH called our realtor--also a friend. Come to find out it is a huge scam. Email IDENTICAL to his, as was signature. Would have been out a life changing amount)

Today I clicked on a Google search for AA customer service. Unbeknownst to me, it redirected a call to "FlySky9 LLC" (the AA 1st 3 digits were 433...but went I looked at my "recents" it says 499...NOT sure how that happened when I clicked on the 433 number) Thinking I was speaking with AA, asked them to book a flight for me with a travel credit. In the end they said I needed to pay the taxes on the flight & I gave them my credit card number. I thought that a bit odd...but I was distracted in picking up my father for an appointment at that point. Luckily Chase sent me a fraud alert--the amount was double the price they said it would be! I texted them to Cancel the flight. Then I noticed that my ENTIRE AA credit is missing from my account. They asked me for the tickets numbers for this credit. I don't know how they could use it, as AA says it has to be used only by the ticketed passenger. I am aware that I may just be out of luck & wiser from this experience. But at least if I can let someone know, perhaps no one else will be screwed over like I was.

Please elaborate--I don't see it on any menus I see online!

Looking to take advantage of a good offer today...but Princess Chat is all but non-responsive & I don't have time to call today. Can I go ahead & book the one I want then call (or try chat) again later & cancel? (I'm losing my small deposit either way but the benefits of changing outweigh the loss by a long shot)

Prices online r showing about 50% off brochure price… A certain online TA is having a 4th sail…priced the same but with significant OBC