Mum2Mercury

I personally like Osprey backpacks, but -- given that they have lots of pockets and zippers -- they aren't known for being lightweight. One tip: If she finds a pack that she likes except that it lacks a padded section for the iPad, she could opt for a padded zippered pouch that could slide into the backpack. I particularly like my Healthy Back Bags by AmeriBag. I have one in medium and one in large. The large could work as a carry-on, if you're a bit on the minimalist side.

We've saved more than a few bucks going with Guarantees! I think this fear of a horrible room is over-rated. I've had rooms that were better than others, but I've never had a genuinely bad room. We usually end up on the 6th floor with Guarantees, and although it's not a crowd favorite, it's become our favorite. Once our kids were out of the house and we retired, we decided to try Interiors. While a Balcony is certainly nicer, we actually like Interiors. I don't get the point of an Ocean View. An Interior is inexpensive, and it's fine if you just need a room for a place to sleep and shower. A Balcony gives you more space (and a place for Dad to disappear while his daughters are dressing), and it gives you a real connection to the ocean. But I don't see that an Ocean View has any real benefit over an Interior. Agree. Excitement, anticipation, curiosity -- sure, but not actual stress. To be fair, a functional problem could happen in any room -- whether you chose the room or not.

Thoughts that come to mind: - If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is. - If it costs nothing, YOU are the product. (Or, more likely, your information.)

I fully understand that my "worth-it meter" is set lower than other people's. What really matters is that my husband and I are cheap at the exact same level.

Yes and no. While we may vary in our willingness to accept risk, and we may make different choices based upon the specific island or the distance from the pier, some things are facts. Indisputable, cold, hard facts -- and not everyone has those straight. Whatever you (using the general you) think is appropriate, I urge you to check government websites and KNOW that what you believe about your chosen document is actually correct. Seriously, not everything on this thread or this site is correct.

I love Coco Cay, but since you're arriving after the bigger ship and you prefer pools, I'd consider taking a nice walk around Coco Cay ... maybe eating lunch on the island, then returning to the ship's pool, which will be less crowded than the Oasis Pool or the Hideaway Pool. Those prices are a whole lot more than $22. No way that space can absorb 2000 people without being overcrowded. I'd pay for Hideaway IF it were winter and the cost were no more than $30. Maybe. Hard to justify any cost when Coco Cay is awesome without paying anything.

We strongly prefer My Time Dining. Our experience: - It does start a little later than we'd prefer, but -- like you -- we consider Early Dining too early and Late Dining too late. - We always make reservations, and we've always been seated within 5-10 minutes. 100% of the time, though we only sail in low-season when it's not so crowded. My Time is somewhat flexible: If you show up 15 minutes early /late, they'll still seat you quickly. This is not true with Traditional Dining -- everyone arrives at the same time. - We get the same wait staff each evening, though we've been seated at different tables in the same general area -- maybe because we tend towards choosing the same time every evening? - Our service has been excellent regardless of whether we have My Time or Traditional Dining. - Don't write off the buffet for dinner. We enjoy a fancier dinner, but maybe not seven nights in a row. Typically we hit the buffet two nights out of a week-long cruise. - Now, for tips: Chances are really good that you'll receive excellent service, but -- if you're this nervous about it -- CALL NOW and remove your tips. Anything you CAN do ahead, DO ahead. Then bring along cash money to tip as you see fit on the last night.

I do my best to learn from others' mistakes! Doesn't always work out for me. If you're putting your ID or credit cards deep down in a front pocket, consider adding a big safety pin just above those valuables. While nothing's guaranteed, that safety pin is hard to see, and it'll make things significantly more difficult for a pick pocket.

My husband was just saying he wants to do this itinerary again. I'd be interested in hearing about any excursions you enjoyed (or heard about others enjoying). I'd love to see Mexican food replace all the Johnny Rockets. But, while my husband LOVES Playmakers, I wouldn't want to give up the Pub. I think all casitas on all ships are one deck above the pool /placed on the jogging track. You can see Windjammer's evening theme (Tex-Mex or Asian, for example) on the phone app. You can also see the MDR menus. They post these waaaaay in advance -- like, more than a year in advance.

Yes. My typical going-ashore outfit is a tee-shirt dress over bike shorts, which have deep, tight pockets on each leg. The pocket on the right holds my phone, and the pocket on the left holds my ID, credit card and cash money. All that's in my backpack is sunscreen,a protein bar, etc.

Thing is, pickpockets are out and about in all the ports -- and they practice their trade /hone their skills every day. They're pros. This fear is overblown and gets way more discussion time on this board than it deserves. Judging from these boards, you could get the idea that multiple families miss the ship at every port; in reality, most cruisers are back on board hours before sail-away. You have great control over whether you get back on time; whereas, you have little control over whether a criminal targets you. That's like something out of a James Bond movie! A more common story: My friend had her passport in her purse, and -- in the back seat of a taxi -- she rearranged things in her purse /shopping bag. In the process, she lost her passport. Dropped it between the seat cushions. Whatever you're carrying, you have a chance of losing -- either to a criminal or through a moment of foolishness. If you're saying, "I could never ...", you're fooling yourself.

So what about that breakfast Bacon Maple Shake? Is it any good?

Assuming the passport isn't required for going ashore: - Leave the passport - Wear the watch

Yeah, none of us know /understand the whole story, but I THINK they want to set it up like dominos -- no, not pizza. You're in an Inside. The Jones are in an Oceanview. The Smiths are in a Balcony. What they want Royal Up to do is to bump you to the Oceanview, the Jones to a Balcony and the Smiths to a Suite. Three families feel good about moving up a category, and Royal pockets more money. You see where the "currently unavailable rooms" came from. It's also possible that - TAs are holding some rooms, which they will release at whatever point. - Some passengers will "drop out" for whatever reason before final payment.

Speaking only for my own district: We no longer have Fall Break. Instead, we have a couple three-day weekends spread across the semester. I prefer the smaller, more frequent breaks. January. I'll never know!

Grandeur was not that crowded.

Out of Tampa most recently.

Yes, I've sailed on Thanksgiving -- never again. Too crowded. Too many kids.

We've cruised (twice) on Halloween. It's not a particular busy week, and it's not particularly kid-heavy. The weather was lovely, and the prices were low. I think most kids prefer to stay home /take part in their local activities with their friends, and I think most parents don't want their kids to miss out on a once-a-year treat at home. Kids (though few in number) were able to trick-or-treat in the shops, and some people (us included) gave out candy. We attached a little plastic tub to our door and people helped themselves as they walked by -- people seemed to like it. The Windjammer put up fancy decorations at the door. The Centrum was decorated with balloons and streamers. More adults dressed up than I would've expected -- and some went all out. Halloween fell on formal night, and adults came to dinner in costumes!

From their website: Important details and advisements No shorts or skirts may be worn in the Galley. Wear closed-toe shoes. Video cameras are not permitted. Purses and bags are not permitted.

Interesting that we have photo evidence that the rule isn't always enforced. Still, I am coming prepared with long pants and tennis shoes -- I'd be super-upset to miss out on this activity, and they'd be 100% in their rights to deny someone who comes dressed inappropriately.

I can't imagine boys that age even noticing noise. I looked at the floor plan, and it's not an ideal cabin -- but when you choose a Guarantee for the cheapest room on the ship, this can happen. We ourselves opt for Inside Guarantees often, and we've literally never been disappointed. I don't think your sons will be either. Having said that, thoughts on this location: - We were on Deck 3 on a recent cruise, and it's not a location I'd choose, as it's far from the upper decks, where everything's happening -- but it also wasn't the end of the world; I think we said ONCE, "This isn't as nice a location as we usually get", and then we were over it. - Many people love being right by the elevators, and this room is very close to them. - It's a connecting room, which may or may not be a problem. You can hear more noise through the door than through a wall, but last time we had a connecting room I think I heard a sneeze once -- and I was standing right by the door at the time. Other times we've had neighbors who were more noisy, but it's never been a problem. I wouldn't choose a connecting room on purpose, but I wouldn't be overly upset about it either. - This room is very convenient to the MDR and the casino. This room seems to be under the casino entrance, and I suspect it's not under actual machines. I really don't think your sons'll be hearing clink-clink-clink all night. - I assume they'll be above crew quarters, which are likely to be quiet all the time. No, you won't hear mechanical noises -- but the people who come and go to those elevators make noise, and essentially everyone on Deck 3 will pass this room as they come/go to the elevators.

No, but only because they haven't yet thought of it as a potential income stream.

I copy/paste mine 3 to a page, then I laminate them with my home laminator (a gadget that's useful more often than you'd imagine). That costs about a dime for three tags. I attach them with zip ties. I always put a couple tags on our suitcase, but that's really just paranoia -- they stay on great.

Yes, this used to be a real problem for the cruise line. I know we used to see on this board "Take towels, then just dump them on the beach -- nothing happens". Yeah, past cruise passengers earned us this new system. Well, we don't pay literal money as long as we return our towels -- but, yes, everyone now has another responsibility onboard. In theory, this shouldn't happen -- just like people shouldn't be able to charge drinks to your room. What should happen in, the crew member puts in your number, and your picture pops up on his computer. I had a little SNAFU on Coco Cay once. I gave my card and room number to buy a drink, and the crew member said, "No, that's not you." He turned the computer around and showed me a picture of a black man. I am a white woman. Before I could even formulate a thought, he said, "Oh, no -- what ship are you on?" I said I was on Independence. He laughed and said, "This is the man in the same room number on Liberty." That's a thing that could only happen on Coco Cay, but it illustrates how the crew sees your picture /easily verifies your identity. You're allowed to take towels ashore -- you just have to bring them back. Otherwise, you'll be charged $25 for each missing towel.