KBS1607

That's so great about him being fascinated with a cruise. How did he get interested?

We did an actual holiday cruise and it was great! Although I broke my hand on an excursion.

Our favorite was a Mediterranean from Venice, Dubrovnik, Ephesus and Greece. That was 10 days.

For our 30th anniversary I was able to get my husband to take two weeks off and we did a 14 day Panama complete transit.

I'd pick Crystal for a world cruise except for the fact that when DH and I did our 14 day it was too long for us. So I can't ever see us on a 100+ day cruise. I like to live vicariously through Hank and others. I don't know if I could even do a 28 day. We have dogs and cats.

At least I'd do my dream cruise to St Petersburg on Crystal. I like seeing everyone's answers.

I was so glad I had heard about the port day specials on here! They had some great ones.

I've only done Coral but we loved our full transit cruise.

Well at least I finally have one that's a gleam in my eye! Not booked yet but doing a Baltic next year with DH, daughter and daughter's BF! My dream cruise. I knew people here would understand being excited about just knowing we are doing this.

Perhaps you could contact this group https://www.childrenofvietnam.org/

and see if they can find a need for the devices in Vietnam.

That would be really nice! What a disappointing outcome for you, Father!

Dubrovnik seems very short on cruises-- I'm looking for 2018.

I have Baltics booked for 2017, and here is my suggestion, as they all pretty much do the same itinerary: I made a list of each city and wrote down the exact port times for every cruise I was interested in (NCL, princess, royal, celebrity, HAL). It helped me compare them much more clearly, and I was easily able to make a decision this way (I chose HAL-- three overnight stays, not just one like most others). This is not a cruise where the ship matters as much, as there are few sea days here.

 

 

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Which cruise did you go with? We may do the Baltic this year. Sorry to derail the thread.

I didn't realize only some cruise lines did that. HAL did that on our Mediterranean cruise.

I now carry some with me and use it every day, a few year's ago the ship doctor's told me to do that because I had developed an upper respiratory bug. I don't generally live 24/7 in air conditioning so it is not a problem at home.

You can make your own very easily! It's just salt, baking soda and purified water.

We haven't cruised since our 2014 Panama Canal cruise. No big vacation this year as we got a golden retriever puppy in March. I think this year may be my dream cruise--the Baltic. We had it booked in 2006 or 2007 but had to cancel as my MIL had lung cancer and it's never worked out since.

I've loved seeing all your pictures!

See, I don't understand leaving it in your safe-- it's what we do but what good is it if you miss your ship? Not that we ever would because my husband is a nervous Neil and usually wants to do ship excursions or get back to the ship three hours early.

LOL Trucker Dave!

When we did our Mediterranean cruise we asked all the experienced cruisers we met their favorite cruise and they all said the Baltic! Our 35th anniversary will be in 2019 but we might do our cruise before then. We haven't traveled since our 30th- the Panama Canal cruise.

Be sure to keep us posted.

I hate to hear that about the MDR on embarkation days. That was a nice Princess touch.

I'm asking about the "company scam of paying much less to the crew than promised". Not aware of any "scam" of this nature.

Yes, I'm wondering about this also? Is this a conspiracy theory regarding tipping I'm not up on?

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We just got off the Regal. Park West basically took over the Piazza every morning with either auctions or "education" seminars. If a person went to the international cafe other places on the middle of the ship, you could not help but hear them. The Piazza used to have some entertainment most mornings, but it was all Park West. It could have had something to do with some people there were on a "free cruise" from Park West. Apparently they had spent enough money with Park West that it was a free cruise.

Wow! I wonder how much they spent? I hate to hear that about the Piazza being taken over. On our last cruise you could ignore them.

The worst for me was no cronut every morning brought by my dear husband. It's been two years. I need to plan a cruise. We had an elderly Scottie and then a young golden retriever. I think we can go now.

I probably gave up too easily!

Try the cronut if they still have them in the International Cafe. They were great! We usually ate lunch in the dining room on sea days. And breakfast too.

I am left handed. I have taken a class twice trying to learn how to knit. And twice to learn to crochet. The instructor was experienced teaching lefties but I just couldn't learn. I would still like to learn.

On my last cruise I was envious of those who could go to the knitting group on it.

Your kids are great ages! You all will have fun!

Funny that it only took an hour and a half to get a passport. Wonder how they verify who you are?

 

Some people here like to say that you will be trapped and spend days upon days trying to get a passport. No doubt it would have been easier to just book a flight and leave had he had a passport but definitely not the horror story some like to give when people ask if it is ok to travel without one. And I'm not dismissing how scary it must have been, only that it appears easier then some would like people to believe to obtain a passport in an emergency situation.

He had an expired passport with him. I guess that helped with the speed.

Good for you! I hope you have a great cruise.

I'd just like to live near a port.

We did our longest ever this fall. Fourteen days, we were ready to get home. We have pets so that was a big part of it.

I'm so sorry about you missing your cruise. You've had a great attitude and I hope you enjoy the Mediterranean one. It was one of our favorites.