la_croisiere_s'amuse

Yeah, that's a relatively recent development. 🙁 I'm like you, photos are a high priority (we have a digital photo frame that we use exclusively for cruise photos) so it's worth it for us, but I definitely liked it better when we didn't have to whittle them down.

Just so you're aware, it seems to be a gamble at every port. I've read reports of check-in times being enforced, and not being enforced, at every port I can think of offhand. It seems to depend on the day, who is working, barometric pressure and phase of the moon perhaps ... 😁

Hmmm ... that is tough. Prices on Wonder are just because it's her inaugural season, not because there's anything substantially better than other Oasis class ships. So in that sense, Harmony would be a good alternative. Unfortunately, it's the worst itinerary in my opinion. 🤨 And it's true, Voyager won't have all the bells & whistles that would likely appeal to your daughters. But it is a great itinerary. My recommendation would be this: if itinerary matters the most, pick Voyager. If ship matters more, pick Harmony. If you really need both, bite the bullet and pick Wonder. 😁

They do offer specials onboard, but in my experience they are seldom as good as a decent sale ahead of time. Come to think of it ... I don't think I've ever seen anything that would compare. Unfortunately, prices for photo packages for my upcoming cruises are a LOT higher than I've paid in the past, but that's probably true across the board. 🙁 If you see a sale of 30-35% off, that's probably the best you will get so I would pull the trigger.

Looks surprisingly empty given the crowds I've seen in your onboard pics! You definitely deserve the break. 😉

Another vote for deck 8 due to Central Park, but as others have said, it's mostly a question of what appeals to you most. If you anticipate spending a lot of time on the Boardwalk or Promenade, deck 6 would probably make more sense. And I agree, no real perks to deck 7.

Some friendly advice that has made my life infinitely more pleasant: 1) Hover your mouse over a username 2) Wait for options to appear 3) Click "ignore" on the right hand side 4) Choose what types of content you want to ignore If you're ever feeling particularly masochistic and you want to see a particular post by a hidden user, there is an "Options" drop-down menu next to every hidden post. From there, you can choose to see just that post, or stop hiding the user.

Indeed. And I know this because our birthdays are in August and September. 😉 That being said, we're pretty "go with the flow" types, and although we've had our fair share of changed/canceled ports on our birthday cruises, we shrug it off. The captains (and corporate, I'm sure) go to great lengths to keep the ships & passengers well out of harm's way, so if you're okay with the risk of some last-minute changes, that's the main concern. No real threat of drowning. 😉

Oh wow, I haven't seen the Titanic staircase backdrop in forever!! Memories ... 😁

Yes, with the stipulation that they are magnetic, as you plan to do, rather than taped.

Full disclosure, when I go to Europe it's for work, not vacation, so my perspective may differ. And as much as I love virtually the entire country of France, I really can't recommend Marseille. Any of the excursions in the surrounding areas that have been mentioned would make a much more enjoyable day IMHO. Naples ... yes, it's dirty and noisy, and I LOVE it. 🥰 Partly because the southern part of the country was "home" to me, and it just encapsulates the essence of urban southern Italy which I happen to love. That being said, yes, the surrounding areas also have some really worthwhile stuff. But I wouldn't be scared away if you enjoy the urban vibe--I think NYC is a good comparison. Marseille is, of course, also urban and dirty and noisy, but to me it just doesn't feel like France. Naples, on the other hand, oozes Italy. 🙂

Logically it would seem so, wouldn't it? 😉 But I don't think that's necessarily the case here. The requirements are to "describe the nature of your sincerely held religious beliefs, religious practice or observance that conflicts with the vaccination requirement", so if it qualifies as "sincerely held," it doesn't necessarily have to jive with any dominant world religion or even an officially established one. It seems like the more pertinent factor is going to be that magic 10% threshold.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I love Alaska cruises but this will be my first time on the Ovation so it's helpful to hear about other's impressions and experiences. Glad you enjoyed. 🙂

If you mean "benefit" in the tangible sense, such as sharing perks from your C&A status, then no. But as others have pointed out, it can make things easier for scheduling & planning purposes.

Aaaaah I LOVE the Edgewater!! Yes, it is perfect for Pier 66 but even worth the drive when you're not. 😉 Thanks for doing this, looking forward to following along!

This recent thread has lots of information on the pros and cons of Central Park and Boardwalk balconies:

I wonder what he thinks about serving carbonara without incorporating the egg ... 😂

Respectfully disagree with both of these positions. 😉 Both systems have hard-core fans, and I think the option to choose is something that sets Royal apart. Or even just different floors of the dining room, as Royal has been known to do. I'm hoping that this is one more thing that will smooth itself out as the labor situation improves and things gradually get closer to normal.

Sembra buonissimo tutto quanto! Full disclosure, I still can't wrap my head around what we call carbonara ... but that's a "me" issue. 😁 Glad you enjoyed!!