Cruisin'Allie

Thanks for your reply :) maybe it'll be on Conquest by December... Not holding my breath for Liberty in two weeks tho!

Is the social media package available on all ships?

Never mind.... Just looked it up in the App Store. Thought it was to communicate with people back home.

Is this available on every ship? How does it work? Do you get access to ship's wifi for the $25 and then can only use the app? Sounds like a good deal for $25.

I use ginger pills. They work to settle your stomach. I also take them when I've "over-indulged" at dinner (helps with reflux for me too). And I agree about starting to take them a few days before travel. I've only been seasick once and we had 20 ft seas. I've felt significant rocking before and it didn't get to me.

I'm going solo for the first time in 16 days. I've bookmarked all of your reviews! Great start, can't wait for more!!

Faster to the Fun.... It's an option which essentially gives you privleges of a platinum cruiser. You receive priority boarding/tendering, stateroom available upon boarding (not waiting til approx 1pm like the others), priority line at guest services.

It's a limited option. Only so many per cruise are available, but a lot of times they will reopen with a few more available. You only need to purchase one per cabin.

Can someone please clarify if I have to buy it for both of us traveling or just pay for 1 of us and both receive FTTF???

Just one per cabin.

For me, it's worth it. I booked at the last minute (just last week) and it was sold out at the time. I checked on Thursday night and there were four left. I purchased and then posted on our roll call and two of us were able to get it as well!

Since I am a solo cruiser now, I am happy not to have to drag my carry on (rolling bag, 12 pack of soda and purse) thru the lido buffet. I'd either have to leave my bag at an empty table or juggle it all while getting lunch.... Or wait til after 1:30 to eat. I had it for the first time 18 months ago on the breeze and it was worth it just to avoid the huge GS line!

Another thing that's misleading is "two category upgrades"... Two categories sounds like interior to balcony but it's only a "better" location within the chosen stateroom type. That stumped me in the beginning.

I have seen the lowest price listed and none of those staterooms were available, but later the base price listed on the search page was updated to show lowest price of cheapest AVAILABLE... still, I agree the booking engine needs to be more clear.

Congrats and happy birthday CruisingSoon88!

I got great price drops on my Breeze cruise too. Three drops and I went from a 4J to deluxe OV plus $490 OBC :)

My Conquest cruise in December was booked very low so I'm doubting much from that one, but who knows! I also booked the 4J with that one so the OV cabins would have to go below $540pp (for 8 day) for it to net me $20 OBC.... I guess stranger things have happened!

Thanks for all the replies! I still haven't gotten a cabin assignment. I'm hoping they don't think an upper/lower porthole qualifies as OV! I switched to ATD wait list so we'll see about that also.

Sent from my iPhone using the Cruise Critic forums app... Please excuse typos!

Thanks for the quick reply! I guess I'll cross my fingers and hope for the best!

I apologize if this has been asked (I'm sure it has!) :)

I booked an OV guarantee on my cruise in 30 days. Haven't been assigned a cabin yet and was wondering if upgrades above the guarantee category happen. My sailing appears to have many open cabins, both deluxe OV and balconies.

Since I booked kinda last minute, I hope they don't drop prices to fill those cabins and start upgrading! (Prices have gone up and down since I booked and I need to STOP LOOKING.... I'm driving myself nuts!)

I need to keep taking test shots I guess. Haven't been able to get good consistent results! On my Olympus, it's a mode, not a filter I can apply to any photo.

Don't miss Amy in the pub! We loved her back in August '13!

He wasn't an option back when my daughter stuffed her "bear". That was back in 2007 tho. I ordered Freddy thru Bon Voyage for about $8. The build a bear was over $30.

Following your review!

Love your tilt shift photos! Are you using your gopro or a lens on your Rebel for that? I have that effect on my Olympus but have only played with it. (Dedicated lens for my t4i is too expensive for me but I love the effect!)

Actually La Romana was pretty much my favorite port but only because we got a day pass to all-inclusive Dreams Resort. The port area itself has NOTHING! Not somewhere where you can even walk around. I haven't heard about Amber Cove until now. Most ports are definitely extensions of the cruiseline. Just slap a different port name on the made in China souvenir!

I probably won't ever use the PVP that keeps calling me. I inherited her after my old one stopped working for Carnival. I booked my second cruise with my first PVP since he'd called me non-stop for over three years. It was absolutely NO benefit to me at all. I actually did have a question and the email went unanswered. I got a "form" email a week before sailing telling me to have fun.

I guess some of them do look out for specific deals for you but for me, I'd rather just book it myself. I find the room I want and click book now.

Wow! No kidding! I guess I'll wait and see if prices drop. Might call them. I am in an interior for the first time (usually book the 4J cabins at least... But since I booked at the last minute, OV was too high). Worried that a nice dark room will make me sleep too late!

On my breeze cruise over Labor Day I received $490 in price drops and that was after going from 4J (obstructed view interior) to a deluxe OV after final payment date. I guess I booked pretty high. I just booked for December with the $99 deposit deal and that price was $300 less than what my final price drop on breeze was (both 8 days) so I'm not expecting much more on that one (booked 4J again, so I'd have to upgrade to take advantage)

That's interesting.... I would have thought they'd start enticing people to move up. People are probably more likely to book an OV or balcony last minute than a suite!

I've been checking my Liberty cruise to see how many cabins are still available just out of curiosity. I noticed tonight that a 10 cabin block of OV cabins are available (don't know the category but not the first tier of OV). I know the site only shows 10 at a time so I thought it was unusual for five on port side and five on starboard directly across from each other to all be vacant. I'm guessing there is more available in the category as well. Do you suppose they'll start moving the lower OVs up (and eventually lowly old me in a basement interior!) or just expect to fill those as is? The price has actually creeped up also. Just wondering if any of you have any words of wisdom :)

I wonder how chaotic it is with people embarking for the first time along with people returning after a port day....