BullDawg91

We're cruising in a couple of weeks and I'm wondering if anyone can report on what Internet package you had if you called home via wifi with FaceTime or Facebook Messenger Voice or another app.

I prefer to be able to check in with relatives while we're gone so don't flame me for wanting to stay connected.

But then again I wouldn't take Royal Caribbean or any of the behemoths the Europe. They can't get into the small ports and so many ports in general are tendered. It take three hours to unload a typical large ship in Santorini, and three more to reload. With. 10 hours in port, that makes for a long time standing in lines and no time to see anything.

Good to know. I don't like the idea of the mega ships anyway and the Med is on my bucket list.

We haven't traveled enough to feel comfortable doing our own excursions outside of ports where we can just walk around. Maybe in a cruise or two, I'll feel savvy enough to deal if we get in a tight spot returning.

Wow, greatam. Thanks for the warning. Mom and I wouldn't mind a passport issued in Mom's birth certificate name. I just needed to know which way to fill out the paperwork. What I would really like is to apply in person so documents could be shown and questions asked and answered right away. Unfortunately the passport office (as opposed to acceptance facility) in my city only allows appointments for travel within two weeks.

 

 

 

Vicki

Have you looked at neighboring cities? Locally, our Post Office is always booking passport appointments more than two months out. In the surrounding cities and just over the state line into Alabama, they are serving walk-ins and making appointments only a day or two out.

I was a little concerned when I went to a small post office in a very small town that I might know more about the process than the agent did, but he was very efficient and knowledgeable. About 3 weeks later, we had passports.

I appreciate your response. I really do. However, this response is very telling to me. I think it assumes too much. I can already tell I'll probably only eat in the restaurant once, and only as an excuse to see my wife and daughter in dresses.

It assumes too much? How so?

On most lines, you are expected to come to the dining room dressed in decent clothes - not like you came straight from the pool. Your wife and daughter aren't required to wear dresses. We are talking about table service restaurants where two people will serve your table.

In the buffet areas/lido where service is self-serve, the dress is more casual. There you can probably put a t shirt over swim trunks and be okay.

After traveling last year while a parent was ill at home, I decided it was well worth my peace of mind to spend the money for passports so that we could come home mid trip if necessary.

Thank you so much for all of the responses!!! I keep hearing basically any cruise over spring break will have some college partiers so just choose where we really want to go.

 

 

 

Next question, we are trying to decide between 2 Royal Caribbean cruises, one to Costa Maya and Cozumel, a Bahamas cruise, or Carnival cruise to 3 Western spots, or Bahamas cruise. Will all of the ships have something to do for our kids, ages 10 to 16?? Do I base which one we do off of the actual cruise ship and what all is on board or the actual stops we are going?? The kids really want the Bahamas, but none of the cruise ships look amazing?? I am so torn because we have never cruised before so just not sure how to decide it all!! We would rather not spend a TON of excursions so leaning towards Bahamas cause we can just relax on the island and walk around. Any advice???

 

 

 

Thank you so much!!!

I don't know what you mean about "just relax on the island and walk around". What island? You certainly can't do that at Nassau. I'm not being snarky, just wondering what your expectations are from the ports.

DCL is more than kids' clubs and characters. Like I've said, it's not a floating theme park. The service and relative elegance of the ships appeal to many people as well as the lack of upcharging/nickel & diming.

I don't go to RCCL boards and say RCCL isn't worth it because I've never been on one of their cruises.

Royal is only best to Royal fans. You won't get a straight answer on that.

If you have limited days you can travel, book in advance.

You don't have to book kids' club time. They can stay all day if they want. Don't plan anything for sea days. You can wait and see how they like the clubs and book you a spa experience or just sit and relax.

This isn't a Disney parks trip where you you need to do a lot of planning - just go with the flow.

I've never sailed Celebrity, so I don't troll their boards and comment on the value.

 

 

 

Just checked and there is a 4 day Magic Bahamas Feb 28,2016 for $135 a day interior. Panama Canal and Transatlantic are about $100 per day.

 

 

 

Value, like beauty is in the eye of beholder, and not for us to judge what others want or like.

 

 

 

I'm a car guy, big time. I like german cars, Mercedes, Porsche, VW, Audi and so on. If you are not, you may think I'm crazy for driving a $60k Mercedes but I enjoy it, and can afford it. Yes I could drive an Accord and get better MPG, but no one ever opens their garage and sees an Accord and smile. A spring day, tail of the dragon, with the top down is why I love driving. I also change my own oil, rotate tires, do brake work and such because I enjoy playing with cars.

 

 

 

I's the same with cruises, I get excited walking to the boat but I get really wound up with Disney. It's just "better" and "worth it" to me. I actually sing the "Disney Boat Song" which drives my family nuts. I just point out to them that they don't have to come.

 

 

 

I think Disney is worth it, if you don't think so, don't cruise Disney. I won't miss you.

I know the tail of the dragon. Found by accident on our honeymoon lost in the Smoky Mountains.

We had excellent reception on the Wonder, even on our balcony.

Really, you're only immersed in Disney if you want to be while on DCL. It's not a floating theme park. Characters make appearances but no one holds a gun to your head to stand in line to meet them. I rarely saw kids in costume unless they were dressed for character meets. My kids didn't care about character meets, but you should have seen them light up when we ran into Cinderella in a hallway! The shows are Disney related but are fantastic professional performances. The movies in the theater are current Disney and not just animated. We saw Lincoln on a rainy day.

I would probably pick the longer cruise (because it's longer), but if I could afford a comparable length DCL cruise, I'd be there.

I vote Disney this time around due to kids' ages. It's a fabulous experience - beautiful ship.

My family has done 2 Disney cruises and we LOVED them. I highly recommend them. That said, we are about to try Carnival due to the price.

There are intangibles that you get with a Disney cruise that can't be valued and have no value to some people. Frankly, only you can decide if it's worth it and it's impossible to know without trying it.

I loved walking around just checking out the decor, making pictures and discovering very discreet Mickeys (not exactly hidden).

Find out where the port's webcams are and wave to your friends at home watching!

We did 5 day Disney the last week of March into April. Being Disney ($$$), certainly no booze cruise. To pricey & dull for the college crowd! We loved it though.

One that may come is MedJet Assist. Look up the details. It's quite popular with cruisers here. I think you can get it as an annual policy.

We had custom shirts for a family cruise. My sister used someone who did "spirit wear" for the local high school. We had a pocket area design and a big design on the back. Our embarkation pictures were great!

For our next cruise, my 4 had matching shirts from a Pinterest idea for two days. Again, it makes for great pictures!

We are in a somewhat similar situation but would prefer to leave from Miami which limits us to the Wonder for 4 or 5 nights. We have never been on Disney but have taken four family cruises on RCCL and Celebrity.

 

 

 

All of those ships were newer than the Wonder so we were wondering if we would find the Wonder to be dated? Our group would include four grandchildren, aged from 13 to 7.

All the Disney ships are a classic style and won't look dated like the disco ball ships of other lines. They also maintain their ships all the time.

I have read of some bathrooms looking a little worse for the wear but I haven't seen it.

We had the new bedding in March 2014. The ship looked wonderful, no pun intended, having just had a short dry dock in January 2014. The carpets in public areas had been replaced at that time.

Have fun!

I scanned mine documents on and emailed them once I had a contact person.

I will do that. We sail on May 23rd so it will be a while before you hear back!

We found it chilly and unpredictable enough after two cruises that we decided not to do it again.