Hlitner

Good point. It has happened to us, but was the exception. When I talk about the "art" of conversation, part of the art is not to venture into controversial (especially hot button) topics with relative strangers. Once you get to know folks, the rules change as everyone starts to understand the various comfort levels of the group. It is telling that quite a few posters, here on CC over the years, indicate that they do not even know what topics are fair game. My goodness, being on a cruise makes it very easy. The typical ice breaker topics are the cruise, ports, travel, etc. The old axiom of not talking about religion and politics certainly applies. DW and I love the Open Seating concepts on cruises. Most of the time we go to the MDR (especially early in a cruise) we tell the host/hostess we would like to share a large table. When we meet folks that get along we often dine with them on some other nights. If we get some "table duds" we politely do our best to avoid those folks in the future. On many cruises we quickly find a small group of folks who seem to enjoy each other, and will often dine with some or all of those folks on future nights. On some longer cruises we actually form a regular group, sometimes arrange for a specific table waiter, and we all tend to become good friends :). On other cruises this does not happen, but we usually find a few others that we enjoy seeing now and then on other nights. And than there are a few rare cruises when nothing seems to work out, and DW and I will either keep sharing with strangers or ask for a 2 top. But with Open dining we have all the options. One wonderful and interesting exception happens on Seabourn where that luxury line has what they call "Hosted Tables." These large tables are hosted by 1 or 2 staff ranging from the Captain, other Senior Officers, Senior Staff, and entertainers. You only get go to a hosted tables if you volunteer, and they are generally made up of some singles and a few couples. Most of those tables have been fantastic and we have made many friends on our Seabourn cruises. One very Senior Officer (who used to work for HAL) told us he avoided the MDR on HAL, but loved the hosted tables on Seabourn. He explained that the company encouraged the senior staff to host a table at least twice a week. On Seabourn it is also very common for the Captain (and Staff Captain) to routinely host tables. On one cruise we were invited to dine with the Captain in the alternative Thomas Keller Grill and there were only two couples (the other couple was from Wales) and the Captain. We were relative newbies on that line, in a lower category suite, and there was no reason for us to be invited to that table other than having volunteered for hosted tables. This particular Captain turned out to be a delight and told us he liked to host small tables (only 4 others) because it got boring dining with the same few senior officers night after night. The "loneliness of command" is not much of an issue when with passengers. On SB, most folks are very well traveled and do not ask the silly questions like "how fast does the ship go." What we have found fascinating about Captains and Chief Engineers are where they decide to live. Their job makes it relatively easy for them to live anywhere the world and they settle in various countries for some strange reasons. It is amazing how many do not live in their native countries. Hank

A few thoughts. We used to see tuna salad at the sandwich bars on Celebrity and HAL. But HAL eliminated their sandwich station and replaced it with pre-made sandwiches and we are not sure if they ever offer tuna. On Princess you can sometimes find tuna sandwiches at the International Cafe during the usual lunch time hours.

ROFL. I go back to the 70s with cruising and remember the days when we would get to a port and passenger/crew would rush off the ship to get to the nearest phone booths (often on the pier or in the terminal) where they could use phone cards or make collect calls. That was crazy but kind of fun. But times have really changed. I no longer need to carry 20 pounds of Michelin Map books when we go to Europe (we do a lot of self driving) or drag along my Gar.man Nuvi (with European Maps). Now, all I need is my iPhone which handles GPS duty, tour guide duty. lets me make or change reservations, etc. And anyone from home who needs to reach me has to simply dial my regular number (having T-Mobile means it will work in over 200 countries). We can Facetime with our grandchildren no matter where we happen to be in the world (although the time zone issues can be problamatic) and even control our home thermostat! Being away for months at a time is now so much easier because of electronic banking. bill payer, etc. I love the technology because it makes long trips so much easier, but on the other hand I miss the good ole days when I would get angry at DW because she was a lousy map reader :). It is almost too easy to drive anywhere in Europe. If I get desperate it is just a matter of asking Siri! Hank

We have had on again, off again problems with the Flight Ease site for many months. Although we already have flights booked for an upcoming Asian cruise, we like to check (on a routine basis) to see if there are some new flight options and/or prices. There are times when we are locked out for days. A few weeks we actually called HAL to complain and they had no answers! But a few days later, all was again fine. Keep in mind that the folks that handle HAL's Flight Ease also handle the Princess flights (and I think Cunard). It is a big operation. If you can get past the usual HAL clerks to the actual Flight Ease folks you will find a lot of skill/knowledge. The usual HAL clerks/PCCs do not have a lot of knowledge about airline stuff. Hank

I did note the OP lists Australia as their home so that may not fit my recommendation. But we love doing Trans Pacific cruises that include multiple stops across the South Pacific. Our favorite was on HAL's Osterdam when we did a 4 week itinerary from Seattle to Sydney. Consider that just about all the cruise ships that do the usual Aussie/NZ itineraries will also do 2 trans Pacific's a year. For those that have the time and love sea days, they are a great option. Hank

Over the years we have cruised in and around Europe in more than 10 different cruise lines and a River cruise line. They have all been wonderful :). The OP does not say anything about their cruising background, but I will assume they have been on 1 or more cruises in the Caribbean or Alaska. Cruising in Europe is somewhat different as most will agree it is more about the ports/itinerary than the ship. I would suggest the OP consider itinerary and budget as the primary issues and the cruise line somewhat less important (although you still want to be on a decent line). When looking at the itinerary pay attention to the actual times the ship is in each port (long port days are desirable). Also give some consideration as to which day of the week in each port keeping in mind that Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are the days when you need to be cognizant of what you want to do vs the possible closures of a museum or site you might want to visit. I would also suggest that if you are American/Canadian and only comfortable with the English language, you might want to stick with cruise lines that are English oriented. Some of the Europeans lines are targeted at other languages (such as Aida to German). You might also want to look for a cruise that begins and ends in different ports. Why? You can extend your vacation on both ends and spend some land time in two different places. A good example would be an itinerary from Barcelona to Rome (Civitavecchia). And also consider that there are some excellent itineraries in Northern Europe where the summer temperatures will be more comfy for folks who want to avoid the hot weather often found in the Mediterranean area. Hank

Hmm. I guess that fits the "ignorance is bliss" definition 🙂 It reminds me of the guy who spent his entire life riding in an old VW Beatle and would say it was the most luxurious car on earth. Nothing wrong with HAL, but we cruise several other lines that are far superior in most ways. Hank

And student responds, "what is a library?"

I certainly would not leave a big tip in Lincolnshire :). It might get me a big lecture about Americans. Hank

I cannot speak to Celebrity but can comment on the subject as it has applied to several cruises (all involving Europe) we have taken in the past 15 months. Yes, forced debarkation does occur on some lines/itineraries. On most of the cases of which we have personal knowledge, it happened because of local/national COVID requirements/restrictions. So, for example, when we did a 2 week transatlantic on a Seabourn cruise, folks who got COVID within a few days of our arrival in Lisbon, were forcefully debarked in Lisbon to complete their 7 day quarantine at a decent local hotel. Why? It had to do with the following port that would have not accepted the ship unless it had departed Lisbon "Covid free." In another case (which happened in Greece) several folks were forced to debark another Seabourn cruise on the island of Rhodes because of Greek regulations that required those with COVID to be in quarantine at an approved local hotel (this happened in Aug 2021). There are numerous other examples of forced debarkation in European ports (MSC had quite a few cases in Italy). The good news is that many of these local rules are now gone as of last spring/summer but some pockets of tough rules do remain. It is a constantly changing situation so what exists today will likely be different tomorrow. Hank

I am sure there are folks here who would chide you for reducing auto grats. You have to love that HAL has changed the term to "Crew Appreciation." But I chide the cruise lines (primarily the mass market lines) for creating this problem with the concept of auto grats. They could easily follow the lead of most of the higher end luxury lines which have a no-tipping policy. In fact, the first time we cruised on Seabourn and tried to "slip" some cash to a favorite crew member, she politely refused the tip and suggested we donate to the crew welfare fund that is handled by guest services. In about 50 years of extensive cruising, it was the first time I had a tip refused. But the mass market lines have created a monster with their tipping schemes. While they tell you that auto tips are voluntary, there are many subtle ways they do their best to create "tipping guilt" among passengers. One example is on some mass market lines where you must sign a bar tab and there is a place for "tips" although you have already paid auto-tips and likely had 18% added onto that drink price for another tip (and now they want you to add even more tips). It is the same at some alternative restaurants where you pay extra to dine in the venue, but you get a "check" at the end of the meal with a place to add extra tips (again this is above the auto grats and the extra you have paid for the venue). Why do the lines do this? It is all a "con" so they can market faux lower prices which attract a fair number of customers who shop for price when they cruise. The luxury lines, on the other hand, know that most of their customers are seeking quality/luxury and the price is secondary. So they price their product to include just about everything (truly all-inclusive). My problem on those luxury lines is using up the non-refundable OBC (we once left a Seabourn cruise with over $500 of OBC). It kind of gives me an idea that Southwest airlines should simply market all their flights at $9.99 per ticket and then have a mandatory "tip" add-on of hundreds of dollars :). Of course this kind of deceptive pricing is illegal in the USA (and most places) when it comes to the airline...but there are still no laws/rules that apply to cruise pricing. There is now a movement (at both the Federal and State levels) to control or ban so-called "resort fees" charged by many hotels. It would be nice to see a similar movement regarding the cruise industry or at least some attempt at creating a "cruise passengers bill of rights." Read the fine print of cruise contracts and you will realize that the customer has no rights when it comes to the cruise industry. Hank

There are quite a few inexpensive luggage scales one can buy at any luggage store or on Amazon. These small scales (which you can easily put in your carry-on) pay for themselves the first time it keeps you from being overweight or having to deal with the hassles of finding a scale in a hotel/ship. Hank

In a way you have made my point. Your post is all about American tipping culture. But what often gets ignored (by Americans) is that outside of the USA/Canada, the tipping culture is completely different. Travel in Australia and you will find that most folks do not tip. Their culture supports the idea that waiters are paid a "living wage" and they do not expect tips (although that may be slowly changing). Some of these waiters might be disappointed if they wait on Americans and do not get a tip, but they are actually laughing at the foolish Americans who would leave a tip. Travel in Japan and leave a tip (even a small tip) and you will get smiles. But behind that smile they are thinking you are being a typical patronizing American who insults folks by throwing around their money. Go to most places in Italy and France and a small tip is considered normal. But if you tip 15, 20 or 25% they will think you are just another American tossing around money (this is resented). We have all heard the term "Ugly American" and this can be applied to Americans who think it is correct to spread their own culture wherever they go rather than trying to adapt to the local norms. While big tips can sometimes buy a friend, in many cultures it is seen as something that is just ostentatious, patronizing, and does little to make a friend. I learned this lesson, when as a young man living in Japan, I witnessed some very bad behavior by fellow Americans who were attending Expo 70 (Osaka). It was embarrassing to see how some folks acted which was very insulting to the local/national culture of Japan. Folks could improve their travel experience by taking a few minutes to read-up on the local culture//mores of where they are going to visit, and then use that knowledge as a basic guide on how to behave. Hank

What you say also happens when we cruise on MSC out of Florida. That cruise line attracts a high percentage of European passengers (often in excess of 50%) and when we relax inside the Yacht Club enclave, it has a very Euro-centric atmosphere. We hear quite a few different languages, chat with folks from many different countries, and you can feel the European culture in many ways such as when folks go to dinner (dining after 8 is pretty common). Just socializing with our fellow cruisers is lots of fun and a small challenge since one needs to be up on issues like the Premiere League and Euro politics to not feel left out of discussions. There are many travelers (including DW and me) who really enjoy mixing with other cultures. It is something you do not get when you are on a 60 person excursion bus where everyone is from the ship and North America. On excursions folks generally rely on the guide to dish out some of the local culture. But when you go off on your own you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture (including food and wine). Hank

DW and I really enjoy visiting HK and mainland China. It is a fascinating country with so much to offer any visitor. That being said, the current government of China seems to be not rational when it comes to anything COVID. The government is willing, and able, to lock just about anything down including cities, amusement parks, etc. One minute you could be happily touring some place in China and the next minute you might find yourself imprisoned where you stand without the ability to leave. Will China do this to cruise ships, excursions, etc? Who knows. But we do know that they recently shut down Disney's Shanghai Park with no notice and trapped thousands within the park. IMHO anyone would have to be nutz to visit China until their government gives some assurances that will end this insanity and guarantee that tourists will not be trapped in various part of their country. Otherwise, it seems to be country best avoided. Until such time as China abandons this crazy "zero Covid" policy one would be rolling the dice anytime they entered a place under the control of the Chinese government. Hank

We have had some Europeans ask us what it is about Americans and their love of tours. I have no answers other than booking tours/excursions are easy and some folks like being among large groups of other Americans/cruisers. The truth about independent travel is that it does take work, research, a spirit of adventure, and a lot of "travel sense." The rewards that come from doing things on your own can be amazing including the ability to meet and interact with locals, make friends among folks you meet in foreign countries, and go to places that are not specifically designed for tourists. Some of the best times we have had in Europe are when we have simply rented an apartment for 1-2 weeks in various places, had a car, and just got to experience a region. Living in a place like St Remy Provence, walking home from the boulangerie with bread under my arm and a bag of fresh croissants is a neat experience. And discovering that some of the locals started to become friendly after the first week (this seems to be a rule) was also enlightening. Getting a big hug from the boulangerie owner on our last day was one of those precious moments that will never be experienced on an excursion. There are some others here on CC who truly understand about what I speak, and others have no clue. We have had fellow cruisers spend hours with us on long cruises while they pumped us for information on going ashore on their own, and then later apologized because they ultimately booked an excursion (which they did not like). The truth seems to be that most Americans are just not comfortable anywhere outside America. Being on a large bus, with other like thinking souls, best suits their preferable way to travel. So be it. Hank

My favorite cruise agency (who are members of a major consortium) tells me they have no problems handling Explora. Not so sure I would be comfortable dealing with the Explora web site, but using an agency seems like a good bet. We are looking at one particular cruise and already got a quote from our favored agency. Hank

Perhaps we should talk about definitions. Tipping in advance (like the first day) is not a tip but more like a bribe. Some folks hope that they can bribe certain crew members to give them better or specialized service. Maybe it works and maybe that crew member thinks "what a fool, now that they have paid me I will move on to others!." The entire tipping culture, which is primarily a North American thing, has been discussed on many CC threads (over many years). It is a hot button issue. But suffice it so say that outside of the USA and Canada, most of the world does not believe in big tips (or any tips) and in many cases resent Americans/Canadians who think they can get better treatment by "throwing their money around." Hank

"Fast and reliable" Internet is not something that one should expect on any ship (although RCI is moving in that direction). Your Internet might be OK (it will never be fast) or not! It might work all the time, or it might not work at all (this has happened to us on a few cruises). Frequent cruisers (including me) have learned to simply accept that onboard Internet is what it is (or isn't). If your job depends on you having decent Internet you would be wise to avoid any cruise ship. Hank

MSC is changing (perhaps for the better). A few weeks ago we embarked on the Seashore (Yacht Club) and had done the usual online check-in stuff. You can input a credit card online, but the MSC system keeps giving indications that you will still need to register a credit card once aboard (this is normally done the first 24 hours at one of the terminals located around the ship). Once we were aboard I stopped by the credit card terminal located in the YC and started the usual MSC procedure of registering my card. The system immediately rejected my card telling me I already had a card registered. So, surprisingly, the online process actually worked (although we never received a confirmation until onboard). For newbies to MSC, I will say that their system is different. While just about every other cruise line would require you to register a credit card during embarkation (before you board the ship) on MSC it is normally (or used to be) done at any of the terminals (on the ship) during the first day, I assume that if you fail to have a card registered your onboard account will eventually be frozen until you either register a card or provide some kind of adequate cash deposit. Hank

I am an independent and somewhat adventurous traveler. What this means is that, to me, the word tour is a 4 letter word! And "excursion" is an even uglier word that defies a label "). After more than half a century of independent travel (all over the world) we can offer a little advice that is mostly common sense. Do your pre-trip homework! Read about the places you may visit, learn about local/regional transportation options, and look at most of the possibilities/options at your port/destination. You can learn on the Internet, through books, or by reading the description of excursions. Many experienced independent travelers have learned to keep their options open by not getting tunnel vision about a single itinerary. So, for example, if we were planning on taking a jet boat from Naples to Capri (Italy) for the day, and it turned out to be an ugly rainy day, we would probably walk past the ferry port and head into town (Naples) where we could spend a nice day at some local museums, shopping, and enjoying a long lunch or perhaps some of the pizza for which Naples is quite famous. Meanwhile, folks booked on the overpriced excursion to Capri would take the boat through rough seas and bad weather, and get to Capri (which is primarily an outdoor kind of place) and try to deal with the rain. So the lesson is to learn about all the options so that you can change plans (on the fly) to suit the weather conditions and your mood of the day. Hank

Never asked. We just met these folks, while The World was spending a day docked in Key West and we happened to be vacationing in that same city. The folks we met (actually two couples) were all Americans in their 60s - 70s and loaded down with shopping bags. We chatted about the cost of living on a ship, and they said that the World is a lot more expensive than if they had simply decided to live on a normal ship. But The World made it possible for them to own their own ship-based Condo and they had a lot more space and amenities (such as a working kitchenette). Hank

I would just point out that this depends on the ship. On most luxury lines there is plenty of room on the pool deck with no crowding or feeling like a sardine. Even on the ship within a ship options (lines such as NCL and MSC) there are restricted decks that have plenty of room. We just returned from the MSC Seashore where we were in their Yacht Club. The private YC deck had well distanced loungers with thick comfy cushions and decent deck service. It was so much better than going to most beaches (and we are very familiar with many beaches in the Caribbean) that we stayed on the ship when we were in several ports. As to beaches, in many parts of the world beaches also mean being bothered by vendors, hearing blasting music, paying high prices for lousy drinks/food, etc. One can certainly pay to go to a decent resort where they can usually get decent loungers, food and drink. But at what price? We could sit in our plush lounger on the MSC Yacht Club's deck where we had unlimited drinks, a pool-side buffet/grill, great service, etc. which was included in the cruise price. It would be the same if in NCL's Haven area, Celebrity's Retreat area, or on just about any luxury cruise line. Hank

I am really enjoying the "great toilet paper discussion." Been on CC from the beginning and do not recall such an enlightened discussion about toilet paper. Live and learn :). On our 100+ cruises I must say we never counted or paid attention to the TP. We simply expected our steward to make sure we never went without...and that has never happened. Hank

It is not just your cruise. Our March, Japan cruise still lacks shore excursions for quite a few ports. I think the problem is that HAL is terribly understaffed (in Seattle) and many of the shore-based tour companies (that contract with cruise lines) have yet to get their act together from the COVID shutdown. HAL is at the mercy of the shore-based companies. You might consider doing what we do as a matter of course which is to plan your own port days orjoin with a few others on your CC Roll Call and put together some small group private tours. Hank