3rdGenCunarder

And it's a good way to use up that last bit of OBC if you have any.

Dutch night in the MDR. I still make the mashed potatoes with carrots and onions in them. Sailing out of NYC! There were pool games. I can live without those.

I think it's nonrefundable. .

Thank you. I'll keep going for as long as I can. I keep a journal when I travel, and I've got a whole shelf in my bookcase full of them. Since I got a digital camera, I also make a photo book when I get home. I do take them out and read/look at them. It reminds me I'm very lucky to have traveled as much as i did with my husband. And also lucky that I can continue to travel. If there are any lurkers out there reading this, take heart from those of us who did that leap and go for it!

I booked thorugh a TA, so I had to do CO through her. She was able to give me a list of available cabins, I chose one, and then she called HAL and took care of it.

Now let's hope the improve the onboard enrichment to support these itineraries.

I can't say quite EVERYTHING I've learned about cruising came from here, but at least 50%. I just played the Club Orange Game and got a $3000 upgrade for $360. So thank you cruise critic posters!

Right, it does make for funny amounts.

The daily program from my Eurodam cruise in January shows ocean Bar closing at midnight and Pinnacle Bar closing at 10PM. There's no mention of other bars. Depending on the entertainment schedule, BBKing or Billboard had a last show at 10:45, but no mention of closing time for those bars.

It's now just pay the difference.

They do say they will limit HIA, so maybe they've sold enough that they wouldn't be able to honor any more specialty meals. Please report back after your cruise (or on it if the internet is good 😀) and let us know what the onboard price is for social and surf packages.

Wow, that's surprising. Good to know.

At one point, maybe 5 years ago, they said they were not accepting garment bags because they'd had problems with them getting damaged or catching on things. Even one that zips tight and stands up like a suitcase. I don't know if that's still true. Call Luggage Forward and ask a lot of questions about timing, restrictions, etc. In the past, when I've shipped a bag from the US to Sotuhampton, I had to give an exact inventory of what was in there, for Customs. When I shipped a bag from London to Southampton, I didn't need all that documentation.

The art gallery was on Eurodam in January. It's a small space, but it was crammed with art. The former computer room just aft of Explorer lounge (I think that's what it was, it looked like there were desks in it) was used as the pre-performance area for the LC players. I don't know if they practiced there, but it was a place to wait to be called to the stage. Idon't think it was used for anything else. Combining that would be a lot of work and I suspect the decision to change the LC contract was made too close to drydock time to do anything there. It's a shame it's such a dead space.

It isn't a direct replacement. Manitoulin is out, and Escanaba has been added, but not on the same day. So the itinerary is getting reworked. Day 1 is Chicago hotel Day 2 is boarding the ship in Chicago Day 3 is cruising Day 4 is Escanaba (formerly Mackinac Island) Day 5 is Sault Ste Marie Day 6 is Mackinac Island (formerly Manitoulin) Day 7 and onward remains the same It's a sensible change, as the old Interary would be US-Canada-US-Canada. Now there's only one border crossing, when we get to Port Colborne (for Niagara Falls). Fewer logistics, and probably less expensive in fees for the cruse line. I guess the Toronto to Chicago will be the same but in reverse.

How lovely that your return to travel grew to be a group event. I'm grateful that I had a chance to develop my solo travel skills before Covid hit. Staying home all the time might have become a comfortable habit.

If it's a recent port change, they may still be sorting out the tours. I've never been to either of those ports, so I have no idea what could be offered there.

I do use the ship laundry, and I've never had to resort to the bathtub to wash anything large. However, I have often used the sink for washing, especially if I've spilled something and need to wash the item right away before a stain sets. I had no idea that was a weird thing to do. To get back to beverage questions, I didn't see the coffee mug on my recent cruise, but I wasn't looking for one. I get a 4-star discount on coffees, and I doubt they'd give me another 25% off. On Eurodam, I got my special coffee in the Pinnacle bar and asked for it in a china cup and saucer because a good coffee deserves a proper cup, and I didn't mind drinking my coffee there, by a window.

You're right about Geiranger. It's incredible. And the trip up the mountain gives you a chance to get a picture of your ship in a gorgeous setting. One of my favorite vacation pics is DH and me with the fjord and QE2 in the background. One warning--if you're not good about twisty roads or heights, you might not want to do the excursion up the mountain. We did an excursion up to see a glacier at the top of the mountain. LOTS of switchbacks on the road. On the way up, after just a few turns, we had a photo op stop at a hotel. One woman on our tour said she was done and would get a taxi back down to the ship! IIRC, there's now a museum in Geiranger. On our second time there, we were with friends, and she was NOT a good bus rider, so we didn't do the steep excursion. Instead, we walked around a bit and I think we went to a museum.

I don't recall ever seeing any. Maybe when they get the arts and crafts program going, they'll offer them through that.

Lately it seems that the "crew appreciation/service charge/tips" (the name keeps changing, maybe it's crew incentive now?) are included in HIA only when it's an early booking bonus. I had HIA (without the crew appreciation) on my recent cruise and I guess I came out near to even. I would have come out ahead if HAL hadn't cancelled a shorex I couldn't replace with another. Once I was on board, I remembered that I get 50% off specialty dining and the fancy coffees, so that made HIA a bit less valuable to me. Since it wasn't a big winner for me, I decided not to get it on the next cruise I booked, for next winter. Then I booked a cruise for next summer with the early booking bonus, and that extra amount (about $15 per day in a vista suite) made HIA definitely worth it, still at $50 per day. And now that internet prices are going up and Canaletto prices are going up, maybe HIA will look better to me.

What's next, three-card Monte?????

I did a chat with AQV this morning. I was told by a shorex agent that the Development Team should have the new Escanaba excursions ready to book "mid-March." I hope they send out an email updating everyone on the itinerary changes instead of leaving us to stumble on it ourselves.

I would say of all the themes, masquerade gets the least attention. Nobody wears a costume. People bring masks to wear for dancing in the Queen's Room--think Mardi Gras, not Halloween. I do dress for the themes because I have dresses that fit the colors. I bought a flapper dress when this theme first started because I was excited to have a "Miss Fisher" (PBS-Australian mystery series) dress. I love wearing it. It just makes me smile and feel festive. I was surprised at how many women do dress for the 1920s. But not all, and as long as you dress up to the regular gala dress code, nobody will be bothered about it. The 1920's theme is easier for a man, wing collar shirt with the tux and they look very Gatsby.

Of course. The whale watch was a gray day, but I still got some good pics. I went with Baranoff Tours.