KmomChicago

Yes I understand that and I am not trying to be disrespectful or disparaging. There are plenty of pastimes that are not my interests. I actually do understand the idea of, for example, low stakes slots as similar to video games. If you enjoy the game itself, I understand that concept. We spent money at the arcade and got solid entertainment value. Same for show tickets or sports. If it’s great entertainment for the investment, understandable. I was really thinking on the practical level of the $$ out and $$ in. I see so many cruisers sailing free or nearly so and struggle with FOMO as I pay my hard earned money for advertised fares. However, after a certain point I can’t tolerate the risk and loss, even with generous comps. It’s literally terrifying, I don’t have any other word, to imagine playing over the thousand dollar level. I guess I am trying to grasp are they playing and taking risks solely to earn “free” cruises or do they love the game with its high risk, win or lose is totally fine, and the comps are just a bonus? Sounds like it’s a good game for others but not me, I think I get that.

I guess, simply doesn’t compute to my little stupid pea brain that does exactly the opposite, sends me unpleasant stress hormones, warns me this all makes no sense and directs me towards almost any other activity.

Okay. As a mostly non gambler who has actually tried but can’t get into it, I just want to ask because my mom was a slot player back in the day who did Vegas and local casinos and bus trips to Tunica. She was always getting comps and gifts. Just regular hotel rooms and buffets, nothing approaching high roller quality accommodation, but quite a lot of modest level comps nonetheless. I never understood the math. The house always holds the advantage, statistically, or else they wouldn’t have the funds for the comps. Or for the machines and tables and dealers and the real estate they all occupy. At 4k, I can simply buy the vacation I wanted anyway and then spend the vacation enjoying the, well, vacation. Sitting in the casino more than an hour actually feels like work to me. And when I lose my daily $100 gambling budget I am absolutely done for the day. And if I go the other way up to say $300, I actually cash out, put away the winnings, go back and gamble with the original budget only, and when I inevitably lose that, I don’t touch the $200 bounty from ten minutes ago. So economically what is the advantage to the hard core gambler that I am missing / missing out on?

Safe travels home. Hope you have continued success with your health improvement, physical and emotional. Cats are among life’s greatest gifts.

Glad you have Bailey. Nothing like a sweet perfect kitty to give the world meaning and sanity when things otherwise don’t seem to make sense or matter anymore.

Especially Statue of Liberty.

Nice job @harryfat1. New York is a hard place to do cheaply and I am sure the trip cost a small fortune but thanks for showing again how careful decisions can get you everything you really want without going completely overboard on the spending. We also saved on our visits to NYC, by staying over in Jersey City (great, convenient to and from Manhattan daily) or Secaucus (doable but NOT convenient for getting to Manhattan) on Hyatt points, by never staying in the area more than 4 days/3 nights (when we run out of hotel points), by eating some cheapish meals - and enjoying some free attractions like Central Park and just wandering around cool neighborhoods. EXCELLENT tips about transportation in from JFK! Great deal and efficiency. Good info also about timing subway usage to avoid rush times. As you mention Times Square on New Year’s Eve must be a nightmare unless you’re walking distance to your hotel. We visited many of the same places and you made me feel like I have been to several new ones so it was fun to re-experience the city with some fresh additions, much appreciated. Looking forward to your triumphant return to Carnival and next year’s European journey.

I’m not sure it’s sexism if it’s actually the verified fact. Maybe. But who against? The sitters or the plane viewers? Would you have an opposite effect at the Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky? That Intrepid museum is great, one of my favorite attractions in NYC. Great aircraft and being in the ship itself is very cool. I am female and I have always liked military, air and space, and ship museums. I was a small child during the moon landings and had an astronaut cake at my 4th birthday party! I have visited 3 of the 4 Space Shuttles, at Kennedy Space Center, Los Angeles, and the one on the Intrepid. Oddly I have been to DC a couple times since they put the shuttle there but it’s so inconveniently located I never make it out there. BTW I liked the quilts in Paducah too. I like museums in general.

I am so glad my Disney days are probably behind me.

I benefit greatly from promoting @harryfat1 in my trip reports as I always tell the Royal Caribbean crew members that we are working together. Without fail they offer me free lemonade, coffee and tea in the Windjammer whenever I mention this! I’m not sure how far this association will go to get me similar freebies next time I make it to the Big Apple, but every little bit helps us fellow cheapos.

Fellow art lover who also doesn’t get it. I remember asking my mom, about 5 decades ago, why Picasso is a great artist if he can’t do any better than that. Because it looked like the crap we were generating in 2nd grade art class and I knew only like 1 in ten students had any tiny speck of drawing talent even then. She said he could paint better than that, and did it this way on purpose. 🤨🧐🤔 That didn’t help me get it. I have studied further and I know what they say about Picasso but I still think his prolific output supports my general opinion, and he only did one truly great piece in his life as far as Kmom, renowned art critic, is concerned. This is it. I love it. It redeems all the rest. He did one very good cubist piece. Guernica of course. He should have stopped there. I eventually came to a grudging appreciation when compared to Jackson Pollack whose messes I just do not like at all, and my all time art nemesis (see what I did there) Mark Rothko. I have no talent and I can do this. No one would buy it or else I would be doing this. WHY???

This is where I have the best of both worlds. I grew up an hour outside of Chicago; it’s where I mostly fly from to visit other places. But it has always been and is still an excursion to get in the city, so I only do it occasionally, and I still see it as a tourist. I go in for “daycations” or overnights a couple times a year. For spring break this year I took my teenager for 2 nights and we stayed in a different neighborhood (Lincoln Park) than usual (Loop) and had a great time exploring. Loving what you’ve done with NYC. Plenty to photograph in the world’s greatest city. There are actually a lot of cruises from Bayonne (RCI brands) and Manhattan (Carnival brands) so this is definitely a relevant bonus report.

Agree. Not a NY’er but occasional visitor. That’s a lot for one day for people of a certain grown up age. I could have handled that in my strong 25-35 range but any one of those would BE the day all by itself ever since then.

This is the voyage I need right now!

These were our cards for this cruise and our lanyards. We got the lanyards from a previous cruise on the all access ship tour. I thought it was fun to make use of them one more time as they’ve been hanging on pegs in a closet for five years. I know a lot of people think wearing your keys is kind of rookie cruise behavior but my teen and I would lose our heads if they weren’t attached so lanyards usually work pretty well for us. The upside down card is for the person in our family who didn’t make it onboard. It worked as a room key of course. At the end of the voyage I couldn’t decide whether to keep as a souvenir which we usually do, or if it might have too much baggage attached to it. Funny how “stuff” doesn’t really matter in so many ways and at the same time, sometimes stuff carries all kinds of stories right along with it.

The live format adds urgency that post reviews will never approach. We’re motivated to interact while it’s happening. Reading it later, I confess I often never finish, because there’s no FOMO and I know I can come back later whenever, if I want to. Though I probably don’t actually remember to do so. But a live means if you want to join the party you need to join it NOW.

Amazing itinerary, let’s go!

Looking at @sid_9169’s beautiful pics of the ships, am I the only one with mixed feelings about post Farcus ships looking like absolutely every other cruise ship and newer hotel / resort on the planet? I know Joe’s designs were far out and understand why Carnival decided it was time for change but are we losing something important aesthetically and when will the world rebound back to unabashed creativity?

Same. Also former employee (server) at several restaurants. It’s not just that they can do bad things to my food, though they certainly can. It’s simply a massive pain in the neck for them. I have never sent back food, demanded a replacement, or refused to pay. In extremely rare cases I just don’t eat it. I still smile and say thank you and then almost certainly never return. My one Carnival steakhouse experience was good but haven’t felt any interest in returning. I would certainly do so if traveling with someone who wants to.

This is a good description. There are a few ifs here. If you have the time to post in the moment it’s definitely a little positive endorphin rush to get instant affirmation from those following. Much like a friendly in-person conversation. It’s fun to take your virtual friends along. If you find doing that is NOT intrusive to your interactions onboard. If you find you as the author/OP are more into it as it happens and, right along with followers, sorta over it and back to real life as soon as you get home. If you enjoy the added sense of purpose - you’re on vacation and also managing a happy task. If you notice you take way more photos and notes to help you remember later than you would otherwise (you definitely take far more pics if you’re reviewing, live or post, than if you’re just chillin’). For me if my spouse had come to Alaska last month I would have been semi-live at most. Like Sid I was getting a little tired of the focus being a roving reporter on assignment and I could see it impacted my travel companions to some degree. Being unexpectedly solo and with the kids being on a separate schedule with their interests, I had a whole lot more time on my hands, and preferred to interact with the virtual community rather than try to make friends onboard. In some ways it was a bummer of a trip for me due to personal problems and doing a live perked it up somewhat. Y’all are a support network. I needed you more than you needed me.

Wow, it should not be a surprise but this ad is a blue card. How much louder could it scream “welcome newcomers!

According to these suspiciously attractive and cheerful medical professionals, you have Covid.

Yeah I took a test the first day I got sick and it was negative but when the fever kicked in the next day it was VERY positive, like as the liquid seeped up the line appeared bright and instantly, well before the control line appeared. No waiting 15 minutes. I do a really thorough swabbing job which they claim can help get better results.

On my cruise that crud was Covid.

Will be interested in your perspective. Being a “never third tier” on any line, and with a cruise resume covering only 15 sailings over nearly 40 years and having just recently hit 75 nights at sea: I maintain my general opinion that cruises are more similar than different and I have noticed more differences across ships than cruise lines in some cases. I assume you will be satisfied with the stunning new Jubilee. It will have one of Carnival’s top cruise directors and you will see how they are more visible, transparent and participatory with activities than other cruise lines where they are charming managers with limited scripted public appearances. Watch out for trip hazards. I found Excel class to have invisible stairs in lounges where ramps would have made sense and have since wondered how often drunks bruise shins and ankles onboard.