Itchy&Scratchy

well, that was definitely a mistake. After our 2016 cruise on Caribbean Princess we vowed never to sail on her and to always choose much newer ships. No wonder it was a mess.

nobody will care.

they have a crepe bar???? Yay! Is it breakfast, lunch or dinner? In the buffet? Was there nutella?

nope, even when I was young. My mom, on the other hand, even at 70+ drinks about 5 cups of coffee a day. Regular, not decaf. I would probably die....

I would experience unpleasant tachycardia after 2 coffees and be unconscious after 2 alcoholic drinks, so I would not be enjoying my vacation to the fullest. 🙂

you mean - other people are usually happy when their itinerary, ports of departure and arrival, AND dates/days of travel change drastically?

On Enchanted last year there were two distinct lines. And by lines I mean - 2-3 people at the most. I got a fancy coffee every morning, not an early riser by any means, so 8-9 am maybe? We were on a full cruise during Thanksgiving week just to give you an idea about the crowds. It was delicious. Here is my review of the coffee menu: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2897524-enchanted-thanksgiving-2022-southern-caribbean-review-with-patters-menus-and-pics-of-food/page/2/#comment-64403424

yeap, you are thinking of Princess, MSC and maybe NCL as well.

yeap, totally barren. What a shame, really...

They are. We are 40-50, with preteens.... Trying Celebrity for the first time next year. However, I looked at the menu on Reflection (in the app), and it looks the same or worse than the current RCI's menu. Something I thought I'd never say about X.

we live in GA, and we still love Caribbean beaches year round!

hmmm, price difference on the cruise we are on is pretty significant: $2,623 without AI and $4,572 with AI for 3 people (one of whom is a minor). So, $1,949, which is more than buying 2 adult drink packages, 2 wifi plans and grats for 3 people for 7 days.

really? grats, a drink package and wifi package for 2 adults will be $3,400 for a week? I calculated $1,505.

is the Hyatt on 17th any better than Comfort suites just south of the airport (not comfort suites blah-blah south)?

but the good news is that labels usually have both measurements listed. As in "17 fl oz/500 ml." I had to adapt when I immigrated to the US, but it's no big deal.

Having been to both, I would confidently say that Coco Cay is a lot better than Princess Cay. Free umbrellas for all. A pool for those who don't care for the beach. Much better free food on Coco Cay. Lots of activities for kids and young adults, if they are into that. Lots of regular beach space without the rowdy younger crowds (even with two ships in port, one of which is Oasis class) if you care to walk beyond the first part of Chill Island. No need to tender. Better beach itself. Frequently running shuttles for people with mobility problems. On Princess Cay we've been hard pressed to find space in the shade and not shoulder to shoulder with other people every time we were in port. It has very little natural shade, but umbrellas aren't provided. The same light snorkeling. We have been previously overwhelmed by the grill smoke blowing right onto the beach on Princess Cay. Can't say the same about Coco Cay. Even though we cruise with a preteen, he is not interested in regular kid activities and would rather chill on the beach. We don't use or go to the "amusement" parts of the Coco Cay. For us, Coco Cay is perfect for a very relaxing time on the beach. And there is funnel cake!

I would recommend taking as many doses as needed per person per day for the duration of the cruise. One never knows when one (or all people in the family) might get a diarrhea, constipation, sea sickness, acid reflux, a cold, etc. for the entire duration of the cruise. We literally bring an entire backpack of OTC and prescription meds (mostly OTC) for the 3 of us, coz you never know what'cha gonna get. Plus, every imaginable size of bandaids, if you have a kid who is prone to accidents.

I am sure a lot of women in the US would welcome a prolonged paid parental leave, free or reasonably priced prenatal and postnatal care, and birth as well, and free daycare and preschool. It has nothing to do with the independent attitude, though, but everything with being infant/child friendly. 🙂

we are on the Reflection ABC itinerary at the end of March, and it doesn't look like we'll be switched. Beyond will be doing a 10 day itinerary at the same time as Reflection's 8 day trip (different ports too). Would be nice. It's an inside room anyway, so no gripe about infinite veranda....

well, that makes all the difference. When we were there, we had Harmony and Indy the first time, and Oasis and Jewel the second time. Both ships were full, and so was the island.

maybe, it's because a lot of kids in the US are still in school during the week you traveled, which is not the case for OP's week.

We sail on Princess a lot - great, sophisticated experience - even in lowly inside or obstructed balcony cabins. We love Princess, but only Royal Class and newer. Please keep your Princess cruise - you will love Sky Princess. We are trying out Seascape in November. Steerage class. Oy.

even the US as a country is not all that friendly to the babies and kids in general, so I am not sure why you would assume that a US cruise line would be. 🙂

yes, there are. I can't tell if you are being sarcastic or not. We skip lunch so we can enjoy MDR dinners to the fullest (literally). good for you. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

no, I can get much better pizza at home at a much better price. We indulge in MDR food twice a year wanting to try different things (and we don't waste food either - we finish all the appetizers and entrees unless they are bad), so having to pay $5 starting with the 3rd entree is a buzzkill for us personally. P.S. I don't know what red funnel is.