SelectSys

I hope you are correct. I would hate to see the same menu occur 2 or more times on a single cruise.

Kids are one of the only groups where discrimination is still allowed. I found you a link with decent information for Gatwick along with some further embedded links for making a reservation to take away the issue of not being able to enter the lounge due to overcrowding. https://www.airtravelgenius.com/london-gatwick-airport-lounges/#:~:text=Clubrooms Gatwick North Terminal&text=Children under 12 are not,a selection of newspapers%2Fmagazines.&text=Free access for Qatar Airways and Westjet premium passengers.

Does the menu just keep getting rotated every week or do the chefs try and do some different each nigh? Thanks for any insight regarding menu rotation in the MDR.

I really have no idea but all the tourist vendors have access to these schedules too and I would think at least some of these nearest the tender port will adapt their schedules to the ship's schedule.

And the $ has gone down too!

Of course, the impact to company reputation and possible economic costs would be enormous if passenger safety was truly at risk. However, if the risk isn't there, today's fuel costs might drive the captain to pick the most economical route and speed.

WN is my number #3 airline after AA and AS for domestic US travel. I actually used to fly on WN more but AS has dramatically improved their service in San Diego providing a credible alternative to Southwest for many destinations.

That makes sense - "low cost" isn't the same as "low price." Even on a common measure of operating cost basis, this chart from 2018 (the latest comparison I could easily find) suggests WN isn't even really a low cost leader anymore. U.S. airlines: domestic cost per available seat mile 2018 | Statista

I am not sure if you are being facetious or stating your true opinion. However, I like Southwest although I don't understand why they are still considered "low cost" by some these days.

On a transatlantic cruise from Florida, the ship took a rhumb line course which kept us pretty far south for quite a while. I am not sure why the captain made this decision, but I was happy with the warm weather! With fuel costs so high right now, the economics would point to something more like a great circle route as being more likely in 2024. Of course, I don't know how the lines factor in passenger comfort when making a decision to spend money on fuel.

Enjoy your trip. If you like steak, I would recommend "El Perregrino" (The Pilgrim) for dinner. The last time we were in Cabo, my wife and I shared the "Asdo Argentino" and it was wonderful although a bit over the top in terms of quantity. It's kind of busy so you need to make a reservation in advance: https://elperegrinocabo.com/

You are on the right path from my perspective with a DIY day in Ensenada. I would add Bar Anadaluz and Hussong's Cantina to your selection. Both play a historic role in the city and both believe they invented the margarita. My money, for what it's worth, my money is on Bar Anadaluz. Remember that La Guerrense has both a cart and a restaurant. The more authentic experience (and cheaper) is to eat off of the cart. Another good spot for lunch after a tostada from the cart might be Muelle 3 (Pier 3) if you want something by the harbor. A walkable cerveceria would be Wendlant to try one of the bigger local beer companies. Another alternative would be to get a cab and visit the Valle de Guadalupe for some wine tasting and lunch. The bottom line is to do your research on the web and don't let some local steer you into a location where they may be getting a commission. I am sure others here will have ideas as well. BTW - anytime you contact with someone (e.g., taxi driver) make sure to agree to everything up front such as time, number of stops, etc and of course price!

I would do ATVs in Cabo and Jet skis in Mazatlán. The ATV rides in Cabo are north of the city along the highway to Todos Santoa on the Pacific coast. It's really a pretty area. For jet skis, I would simply take an Uber or - if you must/want - a "pulmonia" to the Zona Dorada (golden zone) north of the port. Jet ski rentals can be found in front of the hotels and restaurants there. What I like about this location is that Isla de Vendados or Deer Island provides some amount of protection from the waves.

This doesn't make any sense to me. Water taxis won't help you get to Centro which isn't all that far of a walk from the tender port. By the "main area" you may be referring to Medano Beach? The beach is walkable from the tender port but is on the opposite side of the harbor and is quicker to reach by water taxi. As a benefit, the water taxi will likely take you past the arch - assuming you negotiate that first as part of the overall price.

Yes, I have been on that flight before. On my first search, I simply pulled google flights to see what showed up which didn't include that flight and only a daytime departure which might provide better connecting service to points east and south on AA. I just went back and can see that the San Diego "red eye" exists in January but is more than twice the price of AS flight to MCO. I learned how to adapt to these flights working as a consultant many years ago. Again, what works for you may be different than what works for me as we all have our own physiology which probably influences our preferences. Again, I never made the claim that Brightline is the answer for every situation but does add something new to Florida travel that can possibly benefit cruisers. I will think it might even be more valuable for cruising when the planned extension to Tampa is made.

I think that checked baggage really isn't necessary for many considering that the "carry on" dimensions and weight limits for Brightline are very generous. https://www.gobrightline.com/terms-of-service#baggage The time difference also depends on whether or not I have an additional flight connection or not. It can also depends on the time when flights depart from your home city and arrive in FL For example from my home airport of San Diego, the only "red eye" nonstop flight to Florida on one of my preferred carriers is Alaska to MCO. The FLL and MIA flights on AS and AA are during the day which wastes even more time from my perspective. It also depends on the fare difference to fly into MIA. If I fly into FLL for a Miami cruise, I might pay this amount for a taxi/Uber depending on the time of day. Bottom Line - I never said it works every time, only that it adds new options for some situations. I think you are probably right. Perhaps it will be a station in the future. The future expansion is also planned to go west to Tampa which will also add another cruise option for MCO flights. Maybe. In looking at the policy, you really only need to check oversized or overweight bags. Most normal bags - even those checked in on planes - can be brought on board. We will see. I also think that if the baggage policy isn't correct, Brightline obviously can tailor their offering based on "lessons learned." At least Brightline completed their planned project.. My home state of CA has given academics plenty of fodder to discuss how train projects can really "go off the rails" by spending billions for nothing.

This is going to be an interesting subject going forward. In looking at the consular pages for Spain and Italy, it seems that to stay longer than 90 days one must get a long term stay via in Schengen country. With this visa in hand, it's necessary to obtain your long term visitors resident card within 30 days of arriving in the country that provided the initial visa. This probably won't be a big deal to me, but I can easily see how it could become an issue for some. The recommendation on some of the web pages I read was to always leave a bit of a buffer in your available visa time to deal with logistical issues or problems in traveling. Here is a link to the Schengen Visa Calculator: https://ec.europa.eu/assets/home/visa-calculator/calculator.htm?lang=en BTW - It's kind of interesting playing with the calculator as it looks at both the 90 day and 180 day windows to determine your available time in Europe. Waiting one extra day changed my result from 57 to 90 days! It's understandable from a rules perspective, but kind of crazy at the same time...

The recent opening of Brightline rail service to MCO enables new options for people boarding South Florida cruises from Miami and Ft Lauderdale: https://www.gobrightline.com/. I believe the addition of Brightline may provide a viable option to consider when cruising from South Florida. From where I live, the flights to MCO are usually cheaper than going to MIA for non-stop service. The only disappointment for me as a cruiser is that Brightline didn't build a station enabling ready access to Port Canaveral. This seemed like such an obvious stopping point - at least to me. In addition to Brightline, Tri Rail offers service between MIA and West Palm Beach (actually Brightline serves West Palm Beach too) as another alternative. I have used Tri Rail in the past when visiting friends in Florida to keep them from needing to dive either to MIA or FLL. It really isn't too bad a service from my perspective and would consider using it in conjunction with a cruise as well.

Are you kidding me? Do you really want the airlines regulated like the power or water company? That would destroy innovation, choice and only serve to raise prices. Since you have grandkids, I would think you remember the era the of federally controlled airlines. This stifled competition and innovation. Remember that Southwest started as a Texas only airline if memory serves me correctly as they really couldn't fly as they wanted to outside the state. BTW - the notion of the "public utility" really only is relevant if a natural monopoly exists for providing a product or service. The airline business doesn't really qualify for this type of regulation. Air Traffic Control is an example of a "natural monopoly" as it would be harmful and dangerous to have competing ATCs covering the same airspace.

I actually switched from Qantas to AA. I had a call center agent make the change and the miles credited back almost immediately as I was watching the transaction on the website while the agent made the change from one flight to the other.

I really like this write up. I was also planning on a trip to the Blue Mountains in early November following our cruise and this fits in perfectly as to what I was thinking. Thanks for posting! My gut suggests that going on a weekday would be best to avoid a bigger crowd.

I also prefer Spring and Fall as others have stated with a bias towards Spring for the longer days. You statement regarding wildlife would push me towards New England/Canada even though my own preference would likely be towards Italy as I really enjoy the Med during the early summer. I guess the scenery in both locations depends on what you like. An interest in seeing Fall foliage would of course push you towards the leaf season. Logistically, the North American trip would also be easier. Good luck with your choice! It's interesting that you are trying to decide between what in my mind are quite dissimilar cruise destinations and experiences. The AC rules in Italy are a consequence of the War in Ukraine and the desire for conserving energy. Interestingly I was just in Spain and no similar rules are in place. https://www.coolingpost.com/world-news/italy-limits-air-conditioning-to-25oc/

Your decision is completely understandable. I didn't realize when responding that you had any firm plan. The drive and scenery can be nice if the weather is cooperating. Have a great time and enjoy your visit to Ensenada!

Nice to hear that the AA program has at least one benefit that is superior to UA and DL. I found this link regarding airline holds of reward travel. https://thepointsguy.com/guide/award-ticket-holds/

I can't recommend any, but it is highly likely you'll need to fight your way through all the vendors trying to sell you tours of one kind or another. My personal opinion is that the blowhole is way overrated. The drive is getting longer and longer as traffic increases and really all that is there is a long tourist walk full of vendors of one form or another with the blowhole at the end.