BND

First, I don't get your first statement. Second, it doesn't matter who cancels as long as one out of the original people on the reservation stays the same. Although I'm not sure how a minor enters into that. As long as #2 shows, then it doesn't matter. You can read the insurance info online. DH and I never cruise separately, but that is entirely your choice. Why are you asking what your family should do? It's entirely up to you.

There was a huge increase in people traveling outside of the US this year. As a result, there were huge increases in the number of passport applications starting back in the Spring. Now that it's August and school starts back soon, there is less demand. Pretty simple.

I received my old passport in the mail today. So, 13 days after I received my new one. Status had shown the old one was mailed 7/29.

And, leave it to the post office to miss a piece of mail. My old passport came today even though it didn't show in our informed delivery.

I'm also 63 and have always gone by my middle name. No one in my family ever used my legal first name. First day of school was always the same " I go by x" and that was it. However, I always used my legal first name for everything such as mortgage, taxes, credit cards, etc. It's consistent. I wish I'd changed my name when I got married because then all I'd have to do is drop my first name and use my maiden name as my middle name. The crew used my legal first name and I don't really care. It doesn't impact my life at all. I worked as a personnel security specialist for the US gov for several years and had access to full names, ssn's etc. People would ask me to do something for them and I had to verity in our db. I think you'd be surprised how many people go by middle names or nicknames as I found when I'd try to find them in the db. I had to go back and ask them for their legal name pretty often. It's more common than people think.

I'm still waiting for my old one to be returned. It's been almost two weeks. ETA, I just checked my status and it says "supporting documents mailed 7/29/23. So, I should see them soon. I know it won't be today because we get an email showing what mail we're getting everyday. I also subscribed to get updates by email, but never got a single one. So much for that.

When I sent my passport renewal in I also ordered a new birth certificate as my original is done on blue paper, typewritten and 63 yrs old. I live in VA but was born in TX. I went to the TX.gov site and ordered a new one and it took about a month. It's very different from my original that was issued in 1960 lol. I just had to provide identifying info including my driver's license number so they can verify name and address. Now, I have a 2 bc's and my passport. My DH also has a couple of copies of his NY bc as his original from 1957 wasn't in great shape and he has a passport. We've both had passports for 40+ years.

Apparently it depends on which office it gets sent to for processing. Mine was received May 19 and I got it 8 weeks and 6 days later from Tucson apparently. It showed in process until it was actually mailed. I'm still waiting on my old passport to be sent back. If they expedite, they'll have it in time.

It was updated in the Spring when the backlog became 10-13 weeks and as it hadn't really changed, they haven't updated it. People would be complaining if it was updated and was still taking longer. There are lots of reports of people who didn't get their passports in time for trips and there are still people waiting the 10-13 weeks. I waited 9. What you're also seeing is a lot of people on here paid to expedite their passports so they are getting them quicker. I know for example that my DIL's took 12 weeks after she lost hers and her and my DS couldn't book their trip to Iceland because of the wait.

Mine non-expedited took 9 weeks and two days from the day I mailed it and 8 weeks 6 days from the day they received my application. They received it on May 19.

People can want what they want, but that won't happen. They may make adjustments to the tiers (as they have previously) but they're not going to cut away the top tiers perse.

LOL that you think it's because of "post covid" times. It's the economy we're in and this is hardly the first time we've had an inflationary period. Every time we do people complain about the cost of everything. Or, haven't you noticed the costs of everything from groceries to fuel to even borrowing money? Why should a cruise line (or any company) be exempt? Also, you're the one who kept saying we'd be "masked" forever, etc. LOL.

A lot of experienced cruisers/higher status don't cruise in summer. Fall and spring tend to be the prime time. A lot of that is because most are retired and don't have to go during school holidays. Last July, we were on a 6 night to Bermuda on EN and with 475 or so points, we were the #3 onboard so we got recognized at the top tier party. The LA practically begged us to come and participate. There were two Pinnacles onboard and we were next with point count. Not as common, but that wouldn't happen the rest of the year.

We've met several Pinns onboard in the DL usually. One couple we'll be dining with each night on our upcoming 20 night b2b are recent Pinnacles and really nice people. We met them last year at our dining table on a 12 night cruise from Baltimore. We only know they are Pinns because it came up at dinner last year when we were talking about how many cruises we'd each been on.

I have only seen someone throwing their status around when at Guest Services. I have never heard or seen it done in any other venue. The only stories I've ever heard are on here. I've seen words being exchanged but never once was status mentioned. We've sat near the concierge multiple times in lounges and near the door and have never seen anyone stating their status or demanding something due to their status.

They weren't. Usually it's every 3-4 days at most.

I think you need to look at the history of pleasure cruising. You may think you're paying more, but you're not. With inflation, the addition of so many amusements and the size of ships and cabins, you're not paying more unless you choose to. Cruising used to be something only really well off people could do, even on what are now mass market lines. That has changed dramatically. Regardless, people can whine all they want about what they want. If they gave every single person what they "wanted", the cost of cruising would be twice what it is. This idea of twice a day cabin service came from the old days of elegant cruising where people changed clothes 2, 3 or 4 times a day(dressed for each meal and different activities) and no one had a mini-cooler in their cabin. If you want that kind of service in a hotel or resort, you have to stay in a very high end one in a suite that provides a butler and pay a lot for it. The cost of everything has gone up and a lot of services have gone down. Why should cruising be immune to this?

I just got my renewal back at 9 weeks and two days from when I mailed it. 8 weeks and 6 days from when it was received. I did not pay for it to be expedited either. The website said 10-13 weeks when mine was sent so I got it faster. 6 months is not what is happening unless something really wonky is going on with an individual. For a closed loop cruise out of the US all you really need is a passport that doesn't expire until after the cruise. My DH cruised out of CA several years ago with a passport that had 2 months left on it. All the person said when we checked in, was your passport is going to expire in a couple of months. No issue getting back into the US as what you really need it for on a closed loop.

Toss a coin. Those odds are just as good as anyone guessing.

You are correct. It's clear in the original post. We don't use cream or milk in our coffee. Although my late MIL was Puerto Rican and they made cafe con leche to cut the bitterness of the strong coffee they drank. They drank coffee with milk and it was very sweet with sugar their entire lives only because that's how they grew up. She would make Cafe Bustelo every day and pour some into a pan with milk and heat it to drink it all during the day. But, half and half was never part of the deal. It was always full fat milk.

https://www.*****/stthomas/getting_around_stt/taxi_stt/

There are open air taxi "busses" in the port.

Drop off for luggage is completely separate from pickup for those exiting/leaving the previous cruise. Once the luggage leaves the ship and is in the terminal for those leaving to pickup, it never gets anywhere near the arriving luggage. You should be good by 10 am or so, but there will be traffic arriving and departing. Why not just drop the car and bring your luggage in the cab instead of making an extra trip? Dropoff is right in front of the terminal either way and you'll be spending time going back and forth that really isn't necessary.

Tall tale as you had to provide your card and sign for them just like any drink. Maybe the first one they didn't realize, until they had to sign for it.

You "know"? Nope. So, where did you hear this as it's one I haven't heard before?