Tree_skier

More than acceptable.

Following 🙂

It's funny, these type of threads rarely change anyone's behavior. In this instance it has changed mine. I will probably stop tipping when dropping my bags off. Intellectually I have always known that these are longshoremen who are handling our bags but tipping is so in grained into my thinking I just did it without thinking all the way through. I won't be tipping them anymore. I have a set amount I tip every cruise. I bring a collection of $1's $5's, and $20's specifically for tipping. The amount I don't tip the longshoremen will simply go to Cruiseline employee's I interact with. Thanks to everyone for this good discussion.

Spend as much or as little as you want. There should be no pressure on you to order anymore or less then you actually want. If you want to sit and drink free beverages while eating food the windjammer that is your prerogative. That being said, I'd slip the server a tip of some kind for whatever service he or she provides. How much is entirely at your discretion and almost any amount will be gratefully accepted.

$72 a day will take some effort but I have full confidence in you! Great start 🙂

I'm a bit of a spread sheet nerd. That makes it easier if you are adept with excel. If you don't mind me asking, what was your pppd cost of the DBP?

That was on the Chops menu. I order it every time.

Following along. I love live reviews!

Great review Andrew, Thanks for a great ride. Travel safe.

The terminal he was dispatched out of didn't have cruise ships but his union dispatched longshoreman to the cruise ship terminals as well.

This is so true. We are generally balcony people. We cruised one time in a suite. It was Serenade in an OVP suite. The OVP is unique on Serenade and unlike other OVP's on other ships. It is massive. It is bigger than a GS and more comparable to an OS without a balcony. We loved it and I found DW spent more time in the room than was typical. As you said, the size of the room is just so hard to put a number on The four cruises after that were all in balcony cabins and we missed the extra space but still very happy with our experiences and we were "ruined" for standard cabin after a suite. Our next two cruises are back in suites. One on Navigator in Feb and one on Oasis in March. We'll see if I'm singing the same tune in a couple of months.

On top of what @Biker19 says you should receive a letter in your cabin when you arrive on day 1

I have a friend who for years has been a longshoreman. For years they only job he took was working car ships. The drove the car off the ship and walked back on got another and drove it off. Wash, rinse, repeat. If they unloaded the ship they were done for the day and were paid and given credit for 8 hours irrespective of how few hours they actually worked. After several years of that, he got his first aid ticket. For the rest of his career he sat in the first aid room waiting for someone to get hurt. He mostly read and napped. He retired in luxury at 55.

While this is true for working as a longshoreman there is an exception for truck drivers at the ports. Both union and non-union drivers can operate at seaports hauling containers in and out of the port. That being said, I agree actually working on the dock and not in the terminal is reserved for longshoreman. I don't know that there is anyway for the cruise lines to work around that.

Yes unless you are in a suite

$10 for 4 bags. 2 large ones and 2 carry ons. Never had a problem.

Not quite. Depending on the level of service you book determines which cabins are available to reserve.

Fantastic ride Andrew... Very impressive.

It actually wasn’t bad. The window onto the promenade made a big difference. I don’t think I could do a true inside any more. We’re mostly balcony people with a suite thrown in every once in a while for variety. Next two are suites but after that the next 4 cruises we are in regular balconies

I've noticed that the GGG flyer hasn't had anything on Navigator for quite some time. Those LA itineraries must be selling better now. I got one in Sept for $149 for a promenade view inside.

The only mainline cruise co. that is still listed as going to Bar Harbor in 2024 is Norwegian and I suspect they will be dropping it too. They list gem and breakaway as calling in 2024 but that isn't possible with their capacity so those itineraries will inevitably get a change.

My next cruise is $1800 total for OVP suite on Navigator. A $100 still is significant to me. If I can save it I will I've got a CLS this coming March on Oasis for $6200 total including tax.

Bar Harbor has been dropped by Royal starting in the 2024 season and replaced with Sydney NS. Bar Harbor is finished as a cruise port.

The longest I waited was about a week.

This I very much agree with. Cruise lines have no interest in any impediment to cruising. I still think it is prudent to have one but fully understand that people will continue to live their lives the way they want irrespective of what is safest. I'm not exactly one to talk when it comes to risk taking. I just choose to take my risks somewhere else.