Viv0828

My husband takes medication that requires him to make sure he has enough electrolytes after sun exposure or he gets quite ill, so I guess we will have to bring electrolyte tablets instead of Gatorade. He's also diabetic so needs the low sugar type which probably wouldn't be available as Powerade. [emoji15][emoji568][emoji485]

Hopefully, the kind of Gatorade you need is available in powdered form or in cans.

If you like your sodas in bottles, you can probably bring an empty soda bottle on board and refill it from your cans. I sometimes do that at home since I like diet cherry coke and I've never seen it in small bottles.

If you can't find what you want in cans or boxes at home, you probably can buy it in your port of embarkation or order it online at Amazon or a similar site.

An option might be for one person in your group to research port one, another to do port two, etc. You shouldn't have to shoulder the entire responsibility. Good luck.

You might also look for the roll call for your cruise and you could get some ideas there.

Sometimes the multi city option works and sometimes 2 one way tickets are cheaper. I go to a website like kayak and fool around.

We took a transatlantic cruise to Europe and then traveled around for a month. Since we were somewhat flexible on our dates we found a FRA to BUR flight - yay - no dealing with LAX - via SEA - for under $600 and we were able to upgrade to business class for $350 each and had lay flat seats. I thought it was a great deal on Condor.

If you are arriving from Hawaii directly there shouldn't be any customs??

Rental car??

We got off with the other passengers, went through a special disembarkation line, rented a car and had a great day in Fort Lauderdale, and then re embarked in another special line for continuing on passengers in the afternoon.

We have been on a bunch of cruises and NEVER have taken a ship's tour. The thought of being on a bus with 50 other people simply does not appeal to us.

We have arranged 5 or 6 private tours but we usually just do it on our own. We research where we want to go, what we want to see and grab a cab or public transportation at the port and do it.

We have traveled this way in Europe, the Caribbean, south and Central America , Asia and North Africa with no problems. We have never even come close to missing the ship.

So do whatever fits your needs and makes you feel comfortable. Enjoy!

I think I would prefer a summer cruise with a little one as they all seem to like pools and beaches. I think it would be far harder to find things to do with your toddler in cold weather.

We flew icelandair several years ago. For $50 extra we could do a stopover in Iceland. I highly recommend this if you have extra time. We stopped in Reykjavik for several days and had a great addition to our vacation.

After a similar bad experience, we now only use ATMs at banks. So far so good.

DS and fam have flown to visit us numerous times DGD is a diabetic so there are always needles and insulin in their carry on. As much as they've flown the TSA has never even asked them to open their bag to check it out.

Now if I were bringing a lot of prescription narcotics I think I would leave those in their original containers so I wouldn't be considered a drug smuggler.

Thanks for all your replies. I have forwarded them to DD.

Aloha, Viv

Yes. A cab would have been a bit less but it was so convenient and we were lazy. Lol!

We did not rent from national/Alamo but we gave the driver a twenty for the 2 of us which he smilingly accepted and we rode the almost empty shuttle to the port.

DD is taking a 4 day cruise from the LA area this weekend. She got an email from Carnival yesterday telling her not arrive for boarding till 3pm. I believe the ship leaves at 5pm. Should she do that or can she arrive earlier to board? TIA!

For those panicking, it is allegiant airlines.

Obviously every cruise line could add the DSC into the cost of the cruise, thus eliminating the problem of folks removing it. So why don't they? There clearly is some big financial advantage to the cruise line to structure things the way they are.

I just look at the DSC as part of the cost of the cruise and tip extra to those that give exceptional service. Last year we cruised on voyages to antiquity where the DSC was included in the cruise price and I liked that waaaay better.

Why on earth would a cabin steward take a curling iron, designer sunglasses that could be a knockoff, and only some of a person's jewelry?

I would bet the OP took out the sunglasses to wear off the ship, forgot the curling iron in the bathroom, and put part of the jewelry in another place in the suitcase.

If a person is going to steal something, he might as well steal something of value.

I would check on Amazon for both the reviews and a comparison price.

I have way more problems with the website on my iPhone than on my laptop - no matter what time of day. Could it be the CC app?

I think just about any flip flop with cloth between the toes is comfy. I like orthaheel since they have an arch support.

Wow! I am so sorry about all that. Your story makes me realize how lucky we are to never check baggage. I hope your luggage ultimately gets returned. And it certainly would not have cost RC much to have had a more helpful attitude.

We set our computer so our trip photos flash up on the screen. We also make a shutterfly album of each trip that we go through periodically.

I take the majority of my pics with a point and shoot that has a big zoom. I take a few pics with my phone to show friends that ask questions about a popular sight.