Marseydotes

Sailed on Regatta thru Panama Canal two years ago. We loved it.

Had the House Select package earlier this year. We had a cocktail in our cabin while getting ready for dinner (you can bring liquor on board). We enjoyed having wine with dinner and lunch. Some posters have said the wine stewards only gave one glass then disappeared but we did not experience that--they returned and offered a second glass on our trip. We do not drink much, so this was sufficient for us.

We always travel with in-laws. The do not take magnets. We do. They do not take duct tape. We do. Reason: metal walls hold the daily papers, invitations, excursion tickets, etc. that my SIL (sister in law) throws on a table and then loses......

Thought duct tape was stupid till a suitcase split open on debarkation. Taxi had to stop at a store to buy duct tape!

I bring every over the counter meds I can--after spending hours with my BIL searching for cough drops.

If it fits in the suitcase, I see no reason to leave these thing behind!

Choose the cruise that best meets your needs and those of your kids. Pay the fee and then don't explore prices further! You will be happier that way!

Use a TA for the (probable) extras he/she may offer you. A good TA is a treasure!

Have a great time with your girls!

Have sailed on 3000 passenger ships and both the R ships and O ships of Oceania. In very rough seas, you will feel the roll and/or pitch on any ship, I believe. Low and middle is the steadiest part of the ship.

29 foot waves in March off shore from Argentina on board Regatta was my worst encounter. The captain (a marvel of humor and patience!) told us he does not sail WITHOUT the stabilizers.

Don't worry--enjoy a very pleasant ship!

We were just there in March (2016). Cape Horn was a lake, but we were told that it is unusual.

Atlantic side had some pretty rough weather, port cancelled, but not Falklands.

Penguins still on Falklands (two kinds) mid March!

I love old-fashioned things, and bought an old clock from e-bay. It folds up into its own case. Many may remember the style!

But, for a CHEAP option, just put a battery "tea candle" in front of your clock! We keep one on the balcony (when we have one) and one in the bathroom to avoid waking each other up with a bright bathroom light.

We love the Med. It is hard to choose favorites but for us, Rome, Florence, Barcelona, Venice and Athens stand out for beauty, history, architecture, and food! We have a soft spot for Rhodes--ancient "feel" everywhere!

You cannot hit all of these in one trip. As others have said, pick a few of YOUR "must-sees" and read up on the other ports offered on the different cruise lines. Pay attention to the ports you will visit ( and the length of time spent there--a short day in Florence will waste much of the day getting there and back! That is more important than the ship to us!

Most important of all, take time to stop and just soak in the atmosphere!

Our March cruise had the muster on the second day, before leaving Buenos Aires.

I also handed the concierge our list on the first day. He arranged the date, place, and time (as usual, first sea day in Horizons at 11:00 a.m.). We had a very nice turnout and even though O does not "go overboard" with the setup as some other cruise lines do, it was well worth the trouble! Very pleasant to bump into fellow CCers around the ship!

Yes, Horizons in the morning. Deck 5 has some loungers outside and generally quiet. The library is beautiful and relaxing. During the day, the main bar area is quiet, too.

Enjoy breakfast in the main dining room, especially on a sea day--usually great views and leisurely dining.

Baristas has quick little snacks and good coffees, and the tea time in Horizons is very pleasant with the string quartet and nice pastries.

But my favorite spot is near the boutiques in early evening when the quartet plays and you can people watch.

Wow--just scanned the entire thread. I am drooling (not for the sticky buns, either!)

Thanks, Joe. Maybe 2019........

Some good advice from all. One major thing to remember--WHERE are you going and WHAT are you likely to do?

Examples:.binoculars in Caribbean--probably not. Alaska--oh, yes!

Swimsuit: do not own one myself (sun and chlorine allergies!)

Ship excursions:sure, if you are unsure. Otherwise, plan private ones for a small group and YOU tell them when to return (I insist on more than an hour leeway)

Getting to the ship for embarkation very early--not me--I go at 1:30 and walk on board without lines.

Since we are all so different, as are the ports and climates, new cruisers need to think most about the "where" and the "what." Best advice of all--bring LOTS of money!

To answer your question, Chuck Town, Regatta is our favorite ship. Cozy, like a British Gentlemen's Club. The library is outstandingly beautiful and relaxing. Crew are wonderful. We enjoyed the string quartet each evening, but seldom made it to the theater for night ntertainment. Those we have seen were fine, just not Vegas Glitz. I like having no photographer bugging me, no art auction. Horizons, the forward-facing lounge, is a great spot for quiet conversations and views during the day. Hope you love it, too!

We took this bus ride two years ago. It was an efficient way to get to Florence and allowed us to plan out our own sights. We left at 9, and had to meet by 4 for the return, but our ship left around 5:30.

When on a new ship (new to us!), I like to start exploring from the top down. Reason: those people boarding after us are filling the elevators both with people and their carry-ons, so taking a flight of stairs down each time is easier.

I do like to try to unpack, if possible, before muster. But as others have said, keep it light--your vacation starts when you walk up the gangway. And for us, the muster is not horribly boring--it SCREAMS "cruise time!"

On board Regatta now, just sailed around Cape Horn. It was beautiful, but the captain reported that probably only 4 times a year is it that pleasant! He also mentioned that the west-to-east journey is a bit easier.

Depending on the time of your return flight home, you might check out a ship tour-and-transfer where they give you a tour bfore heading to the airport. Our flight was at 2:30, so it worked perfectly and was a nice ending to our time in Copenhagen (having stayed a few days before the cruise). Best part was that it was a convenient and cost-effective way to get to the airport.

Suggestion for Tallin--take a taxi to the upper town, then it is mostly DOWNHILL walking back toward the ship! :D

As a retired teacher, thinking of your son, the sights in Alaska will last him a lifetime and he will also get some fascinating history and sociology lessons!

I can second all of the advice of the previous posters!

--you can book private tours as long as they provide a group visa

--check out your roll call for groups already formed

--private tours can be cheaper and better than the ship tours

--Viatour acts like a middleman--no need to go through them--look in the posts here on CC under "ports of call"

--highly recommended groups are numerous and will help you find the tour best for you (we wanted totally private last July--just the two of us--and got it--it was EXPENSIVE but we spent all the time we wanted at the Hermitage and the other palace that holds the Impressionists)

Enjoy it! Was one of our bucket list ports!:D

If your boys like history and culture, there is nothing to compare to Europe! As the previous poster said, being very port-intensive, there will be limited time for socializing. But finding a buddy or two and perhaps joining them for dinner would help. And, private excursions with others on your roll call, especially those who also have kids, would be your best bet. I would agree that the folks on HAL tend to be older. Never sailed NCL but had a super good Carnival cruise in the Med several years ago.

My fellow O cruisers are gems! Thanks for all the advice and tips!

We will be going on our longest cruise next month--altogether almost a month. We have a house/dog sitter, but I am concerned about the cars. Should we disconnect batteries for a monthlong vacation, or take any other preventive measures?

Our Alaska cruise was years ago. The helicopter to the glacier the best money we ever spent on an excursion. Lots of windows, so the cramped feeling was not bad. Go!

Seems to me that the bottom line here is this: if you have found a very good TA, who is always available, watches for price drops, and offers something extra, you have the best deal! Otherwise, dealing directly with the cruise line may be easiest.

I have used the cruise line directly, the big-box store, and a TA. Now, I would not give up my TA unless the big-box offered a terrific deal. I have found a super one!

Check them for good sites, tours, restaurants. But to me, the best is the forum comments from very recent visitors--with little details to make all of your time in Rome easier!