Middleager

BIL and SIL, and all their friends caught Covid from a Princess Alaska cruise in Sept.

I tell my wife to wear little and pack little. (guess what she does)

Last year before going on the 2022.12.5 NCL Getaway transatlantic cruise, we bought an annual Blue Cross medical insurance, that covers multiple trips of up to 31 days each. An annual plan is only a few dollars more than one single trip plan, so it was worth it for an annual plan. We'll be going on a longer trip later this month October, for 48days, and this would go beyond the end of the existing plan (which ends 2022.12.1). I checked for more annual plans but with first trip for 50d coverage (and other trips up to 31 days), and Blue Cross has much better pricing than ManuLife or other banks. But I thought maybe I can check with Blue Cross, and extending my existing plan, and yes they can. So I just bought a single trip plan for 50days, for which they gave discount for the 31 days from existing plan, for about $45/p for my wife and I. Later when we come back, we can buy new plans when we are ready to travel for future trips. If we decided to stay longer than 50 days, we can call Blue Cross to extend a few days, so that's also good to know. Just thought to share this with people who are looking for travel medical insurance.

I catch cold easily. So I don't risk not having a down jacket with me coming back from warm weather to cold/freezing weather. It's an inconvenience to bring a winter jacket, but a minor inconvenience. The light thin down jacket that you can roll up into a small bag works really well.

I'm a downclass passenger. I can't afford to fly First Class on planes, or stay top class on cruises. I usually book insides, and feel pampered on cruises. I'm content if we are not successful in our bids for upgrades. We'll still enjoy our cruises. Lower decks may get to lifeboats faster though. If the boat flips over, the higher decks will hit the water harder. But my cruiseships won't hit an iceberg.

Unless ship gets in late, there should be no problem. FLL port is close to FLL airport. Do a self-disembarkation to get off ship early, often can get off shortly after 7am. Lots of cabs waiting and can take you to airport in less than 15 min.

I'm a low class, err I mean downclass, commoner. I usually book inside, through a TA affiliated with TD bank's travel visa card. This TA does participate in the upgrade process and I do get email telling us we can upgrade. I've bid on the last 2 cruises, not successful on the 2021/Dec Getaway transatlantic sailing (with just over 50% occupancy), and was successful on the 2022/March first sailing of the Jewel since the pandemic. Both times bidding for balcony (not interested in upgrading just to oceanview)