nutterbutter818

I look at evacuation and trip interruption. When I am flying, especially internationally, I also look at what kind of coverage is available for for lost bags.

Skyscanner or Momondo.

There is a Sheraton across the street from the cruise terminal. We didn't stay in it but we saw it on our visit last year and it looked nice. There is a cool hotel that used to be a convent called El Convento. It is not beachfront but I thought it was cool and close to everything. I would guess it to be a mile or two from the cruise terminal. We usually stay in Airbnbs.

We went to Cuba last October (not on a cruise) and I can't wait to go back. I am hoping to convince my hubby we need to cruise to Cuba. Maybe I'll just surprise him and not even bother trying to convince him. Lol.

I put a patch on the morning we board (you need to put it on at least 4 hours before) and change it out every three days. Works like magic for me.

RCI and NCL definitely seem more user friendly in this respect.

NCL is a tad pricier but they have specialty dining.

We typically do suites because like to have space. With 4 people I would go with GS. My husband and I travel with a kiddo in a manual, fold-up wheelchair so we really like the extra space even though she isn't in the chair all the time.

Yes. Always crowded with people who have no grasp of personal space or hygiene. Seating limited, chairs moved from their places by folks who demand on trying to fit 7 people at a 4 top.

That's part of the reason why I prefer the MDR!

We usually order coffee for the room for when we first wake up then we go down for breakfast. I don't mind buffet for breakfast or lunch but I really prefer MDR for most of my meals.

We travel with our kiddo in a wheelchair and we typically board right away. We do typically book suites though so that may be a part of it too.

I have received upsell calls for each of the previous CCL cruises and they both came in about a couple of months before we sailed. One was for balcony to a suite and the other was a suite to penthouse. I love the extra space so I am open to another upsell if the price is right for our next cruise coming up in May. I have yet to receive upsell/upgrade calls for other cruise lines.

I purposely cruise when kids are in school. It isn't that I don't love kids (we have 3), but I enjoy to cruise with less noise, screaming, crying, etc. There are always some kids but definitely fewer.

Mediterranean or Scandinavia. Either are awesome.

I usually compare similar excursions on Shore Excursioneer. They are often less expensive BUT you have to read the fine print to know where to meet, if transportation is included, etc.

I am not a novice cruiser but I always learn something here. :-)

Carnival is the worst for suite perks in my opinion. We usually travel in suites regardless of the cruise line but we do it for the space instead of the perks. I love NCL perks but we also pay more for NCL. It just depends on what matters to you.

Nassau is overrated in my opinion but the others are ok.

Picking a cruise line definitely depends on the kind of trip I am taking. We do Carnival when value is more important to us and then we choose RCI or NCL when we want something a little more upscale. When we decide to get married, we will probably splurge and go NCL for our honeymoon(I like having a butler in the suites). I have always had good experiences while cruising but I tend to be more laid back and don't let the little things get to me. We are on the Freedom in May but RCI Serenade of the Seas next year out of Copenhagen. I love that we have so many options for cruising!

I like pre-paying for budgeting purposes however I still allocate and bring extra monies so that I can give additional for those that go out of our way during our cruise. We have a daughter that travels in a wheelchair and it is not uncommon for someone to go above and beyond to make our cruise and her experience the best possible.

I have been shopping for travel insurance and I think outside policies offer greater protection and benefits. It all depends on the coverage you want though.

I bought $2100 in gift cards and use them to pay $2036 for a balcony room for 2 of my kids. I will apply the balance to my S&S account when I am on board.

I had a girls' trip in which we flew from Texas to MIA and did a quick cruise to Bahamas. We added a few days before the cruise and rented a house boat in Ft. Lauderdale but I would have done the trip even without that. It was a great week!

You can purchase cruise cash through the Fun Shops and apply it to her account using her full name and cruise month or room #. They should be able to find her that way.

As long as they are well behaved when they are away from you, they should be fine at 12+. I have seen some younger than that roam freely which I think is a bit too young but it really can be a case by case basis. Some kids are more mature than others.