Essiesmom

Some travel agency sites do. You just have to wade through them to see. EM

Well, have you looked at the deck plans and counted how many of each type there are? Back in 2019 we sailed on Seaside. When I booked, I checked number of cabins on cruisedeckplans.com. This was before any bidding for upgrades. I noted that there were 80 OV cabins, half Bella and half Fantastica. And 1300 balconies. I figured if I booked a Fantastica OV gty I would probably get a balcony. Because there will be some people who book a cabin number because that’s what they can afford. We did get a balcony. Last year I also sailed on Seaside, and booked a gty…don’t remember if it was inside or OV, but was Fantastica. Got assigned balcony. I’m awaiting my current gty on Seashore, Bella this time because that was all that was offered. It’s all in the numbers. EM

I’ve no idea about the noise, as I’ve not been in one of those suites. But there are movies and parties that happen around the Long Island pool, which is two decks up from the highest aft facing cabins. And a bit forward from them. There are no activities scheduled for the infinity pool area. I will post the schedules from last Dec. when they populate to this iPad from my phone.

I already have one…maybe I will check my carryon and carry on the egg crate. Might be worth it for five nights. However, it they would give me an extra half dozen pillows, I might survive. EM

Try not to over plan your ports. You have chosen the hottest month for a Mediterranean cruise and the hottest locales. And August is the month when Europeans take vacation, so venues will be crowded. My practice when visiting a new port is to take the ship tour that gives an overview of the location, and only a half day. And don’t try to do everything as a group. Not everyone will be interested in the same things. EM

You will find many interracial couples on the ship. No one blinks an eye. Relax and enjoy. EM

This has been mentioned many times…but when they assemble a table of singles or unrelated couples, no one checks packages. I never have one, but others at the table do. EM

Just read every thread here on the first ten pages or so that has YC in the title. That will tell you more than you want to know. EM

I cringe when I read of Broadway style shows on cruise ships. I always think they have never seen a real Broadway show. Yes, there are a few of the largest, newest ships that have a real Broadway show. But for the other 99% the show in the theater is more like a Vegas Revue. EM

But, it’s an experience that must be…’experienced’. Like the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, the souk in Marrakech…but on a smaller scale. I wonder if the shopping area in the new dock area has cut down on the crowds in the Straw Market…?

Somewhere in the checkin there was a place to fill in ‘sailing with’. You would input the other booking number there. If it is too early for checkin, you can call customer service and have them do it. EM

Take some external pictures and send to cruisedeckplans.com. All but one of their exterior pics are of her before she was stretched and the balconies tacked on. Spent 9 days on Armonia, interesting ship. EM

There is a very recent thread about this near the bottom of page 3. Started Thursday. EM

That just tells you she’s never seen one…or did t know she saw one. EM

I’ve also never heard of cash refund…but maybe in form of OBC, ?refundable? Or cash it out in the casino…. EM

I use videos occasionally when researching cabins. Sometimes for myself, more times to answer the cabin questions of others. I am particularly looking for the locations of upper bunks. I want to know if they are in the ceiling or on the walls. I much prefer still pics, only viewing videos when that is all that is available. For example, I am booked on Magnifica in July for 3 nights. I booked an inside, the only one shown available that had only one bunk, which is on the wall. I was sent an offer to bid for an upgrade, and I do like having a couch in an OV, but many of the obstructed OV have two uppers, so I declined to bid. EM

You don’t press numbers. You slide the ball along the bar. You need to know what the current price is to book that cabin type to know if it is a bargain for you. Or what it would have cost if you have booked it originally. I put in a minimal bid for the next category up for my July 14 sailing. But I could t price check because the category was showing sold out. EM

Yes, but I am never one to try to be the first onboard. Especially when I traveled with my sister, I had to work to get her up in time to eat the free hotel breakfast. Take the latest shuttle bus. But I like to get onboard in time to get a nap before sail away. Old lady here. Now I will be sitting around in the hotel lobby, using their internet while I wait for a time to get a taxi to port. I can live with it. EM

I wonder if it happens to most cruise lines that have very short cruises. Late booking on a stolen card, booking expensive extras…anticipating cash refunds for cancellation. We just don’t hear about it. On the Carnival board they watch the Galveston webcam and see people taken off in handcuffs…rather than outstanding warrants, maybe they are wannabe scammers…. EM

Some use lanyards, others don’t. My card always goes in a pocket. Country trading pins? Never heard of doing that on a cruise. In fact, have t heard of that in many years. Not all doors are magnetic. Depends on the cruise line and ship. Perhaps you should ask on the board here for the line you are sailing. EM

As for trying a different company, I am suggesting MSC, with a cabin in the Yacht Club. Separate dining, lounge, pool, butler…I have never sailed them in the Yacht Club but from accounts on the MSC board here, it might suit you. And I think you should consider making up an introduction letter for your butler/cabin attendants detailing your deafness and how they can best accommodate you. EM

I didn’t think I got the email, but remembered I had an email yesterday from X about the Galapagos. I get lots of cruise line emails and delete unread if I am not currently interested in that line or itinerary. So I went back to the trash pile and sure enough, it was the webinar invite. EM

Generally, I don’t watch videos. I never go directly to YouTube. I will admit to watching one lengthy video…from Where’s Walter, because it was about cruising on Virgin Voyages. I was considering the line and found the descriptions quite puzzling/confusing. Mostly I pass over short videos embedded in threads, and I never intentionally take videos. EM

Cabins are categorized and priced by the preferences of cruisers. If more people want aft cabins over forward cabins, they will price them higher. Bet the midship insides are even higher. Why do you say your TA charges more? It is the cruise line that sets the rates, and you can check this by doing mock bookings for the cruises that interest you. EM

So far as I know, there is no interface that plucks a name off the waitlist when a cabin is cancelled and back in inventory. I don’t know who monitors that at Carnival. Once a cabin pops up it will be online and fair game for anyone. Your best chance is probably to check the cruise multiple times a day. EM