johnson6ofus

Don't go NCL. Lousy trip in July 2018 with family of 9 (35th anny trip).They were cheap on everything from food to cabin storage. We love Princess and like RCCL.

Cruise fare+ port charges+tips..... we have had many wonderful cruises with a check out bill of only tips. BUT, you have to get to the port/ ship/ hotel (if added). Add airfare+ taxi/ Uber fare + pre or post hotel costs + meals before/ after the cruise.

Alaska is beautiful and you see wonderful scenery from the ship. Shore excursions are extra and add up fast. Alaska has a short season and they gotta make the $$$ while they can to support the businesses.

NOT NCL!!!!! We had a sub-standard experience with them. 9 of us on board in July 2018. They have removed all quality and substituted "as cheap as possible" hoping the cruisers don't notice.

Cheap food (no lobster, no shrimp cocktail, etc., no cabin storage (come on, nightstand with no drawer to save $5???), and cheap high school production show. And worse, the ship stopped farther away from the glaciers than any other ship I had been on.

Go Princess!

We are also in Texas. Did 9 people on NCL (July 2018) out of Vancouver and back from Anchorage. It can be done in one week. I was surprised how far from the glaciers the NCL ship stopped...pick RCCL or Princess. (And NCL was cheap on many other on ship items....food, cabin storage, shows...but that is another story).

Many people do it in one week. Budget is teh big concerns. You can do anything, but at what price?

I would just say stay away from NCL. They have gone so cheap now.

No bringing soda or water on board at any time (more ways to extract $$$ from you). No lobster night, escargot was two served on a cracker, no shrimp cocktails..... sigh. Cutting costs by serving the cheapest food.

No pillow chocolates. No drawer in the nightstand (silly, but helpful) and another obvious cost cutting thing. And the shows were also "cheap" ... production show was worse than high school.

Go to RCCL or Princess.... and nothing to add to the above posts. Go in the early spring.

Research their unique and nickel and dime policy that prevents ALL soft drinks and water NOT purchased from them. Cabins with no shelves or drawers, cheap food (cut lobster, shrimp, escargot and strawberries) I assume to save $$$.

NCL IS NOT as good as, or even similar to RCCL or Princess. Pick someone else....

No bashing please.... be nice. It is a weather mess and everyone is doing what they can. No one predicts the weather and resulting conditions with certainty.

If you are NOW on the Carnival Breeze, what are they telling you on board? I am sure there are people who wanted to get off the ship and go home, just as people wait from this end to get on.

I would love to see a post from some one on there now with an update. In any case, stay safe and safe travels home when you are able to.

<Yes, son booked on the 8/27/17 departure. I know what they are saying to the outbound passengers. What are they saying to the inbound?>

"1. Carnival could've gotten this information out sooner. Yesterday would've been perfect as most folks could've adjusted course."

I don't know how. If you look at weather MODELS, as they are called, they are a number of variables that make the path 500-1000 miles wide at points. If I could predict the weather, I would be worth a bazillion dollars.

You anger the people who want to go, and the weather clears, and is ok. OR, you anger the travels for not cancelling sooner.

Carnival, nor any other cruise lines, controls the weather.

I did something stupid and didn't read a confirmation. Really last minute booking and prepay at booking. My fault, I acknowledge.

Booking agent couldn't help.

I contacted Carnival. With two hours they solved my problems and rebooked. I wrote the complete story---the truth---- and pleaded for help. They didn't have to. It is in the contract they publish...I know.

BUT--- THEY WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY, even though they could hold the contract against me, and helped me. Too many times on the forums, everyone shares a nightmare. I wanted to share an applause for Carnival customer service. :D:D:D

When we are on a family vacation, and we are paying for the kid's expenses, one of the very few rules we have is that we all eat dinner together each night. There's plenty of time outside of dinnertime for them to do other things.

Yup...100%. We cruised with our 4 sons, starting at ages 5-10. They are now 24-29, still love cruising, and still great guys. In the old days of tighter dress codes, and long dinners, they actually looked forward to dinner together!

In 1995.... No game boys either on board- find something to do. And they really learned to love that rule too!

I think what our family is going to do is hang out in port with the kids for a while, let the play at margarita ills for a bit then let them go back to kids program as we explore the town of falmouth on our own or do a walking tour and taste some real Jamaican food and red stripe.

Used to be that the kid's clubs were all closed in port. Believe that is still the case...

On one ship, the waiter had commented how all his passengers had pre-paid the auto gratuity. I think he was calmer, as he knew he would be paid. No tension of "will they stiff me???"

Early on this process, I did "buck the system", and do it my way. Now, it is just the way it is done. Some cruise lines fight to keep them "On" your account, unless you have specific complaints.

I don't want anyone to worry they will work for free for me, and I will run off the ship. Just auto tip and add a little extra if you feel service was exceptional!