maryandmarge

8 minutes ago, Rubyfisch said:

So today was the first day of the full shutdown. I left the terminal building around 5:15 pm, and was at South Station by 5:45 on the Silver Line. With no traffic, that would probably take a little under 15 minutes.

 

The availability of Ubers and Lyfts wasn't great, and the Silver Line is getting to use an access road that no one else is, which makes things a little faster.

 

All in all, it could have been better, but it also could have been worse. I'm not sure how much of a real test today was, though, as I think a lot of people took it off.

Thanks for your response.   Hoping as the month goes on others coming off the cruise ship and heading to the airport will also give us some input also.  

16 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Oops, sorry. You shouldn't have any problems catching a 12:45 flight.

I’m hoping that’s true - but because they are closing the one big tunnel this week for the rest of the summer - people have expressed concerns in traffic holdups.    Even Holland sent out an email last week warning of possible delays.  I really don’t want to reschedule flight home to later flight.    Thanks for your response.    

16 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Arriving at 12:45 on day of sailing? Not a wise choice...look at the weather and flight issues already this summer.

Sorry I wasn’t clear.   We are flying in a day early as we always do.   They question I posted was for after cruise going from port to airport.    Thanks.  

We are on a Holland America cruise to Iceland and returning to Boston on August 23rd which is a Wednesday      We have booked the transfer from port to airport thru Holland.   Our flight is at 12:45 on Southwest.    I’m hoping that people that cruise before us will post on here how bad the delays getting to airport are and if I should be concerned with the flight I have booked.  I appreciate any updated info that anyone can share.  Please do not suggest we take a taxi or Uber as we are in our senior years and don’t feel comfortable doing either of those options.  Thanks

Maryell

13 hours ago, annnrl said:

In October my husband and I took a 21 day Panama Canal cruise from Vancouver to Ft. Lauderdale on the Nieuw Amsterdam.  My husband and 40 other passengers booked a ship excursion to go zip lining in Costa Rica.  A rain storm came through and Holland America cancelled all of the excursions except theirs (they didn’t know this at the time). In order to get out of the rain forest they had to zip line on medal cables in thunder and lightning and pouring rain, walk almost 4 miles in calf high mud, and be shuffled all around for three days wearing the same gross smelly clothes. Three days later (after the canal) they were flown to Panama to rejoin the ship. (Three people actually were flown to 5 countries before they could get back onboard.) Holland’s idea of compensation for this fiasco was a refund for the excursion, $150 OBC, and a $100 off of my husband’s next cruise. They also offered to show them a movie of the Panama Canal.  We put in a claim to the insurance company who just told us yesterday that they are only going to refund us $111 because he technically didn’t miss a port because the canal passage isn’t a port. Holland’s reasoning behind not waiting was purely financial.  The captain stated that they would have lost the $300k that they already paid and they would have to pay that amount again for the new spot.  We have been on over 35 cruises and we never thought something like this would happen.  It’s amazing that no one was killed. (Other passengers have tried to post their story on Holland’s Facebook page, but it keeps getting taken down.)

I was also on this Panama Cruise and felt bad for the 41 people that we had to leave behind to be able to meet our time slot at the Panama Canal.     I would like to correct you however when you said Holland cancelled every other excursions on that day.   We did a Holland shore excursion to the Countryside and Coffee Plantation quite a distance from the ship.   When we left the pier it was a bright and sunny day.   We did encounter severe rain storm on returning to the ship.   In Hollands defense there were a lot of tours that went out that day.   Not just the zip line one.   I agree that they should have done much more in compensating those people on that tour but also felt like people on Cruise Critic should also know it wasn’t the only tour that went out.  

9 hours ago, cruising sister said:

Good morning all,

I made it back from my Disney cruise. I think they pipe energy into the ship. I describe it as a cruise on steroids. I have to say the food is very good. The buffet is excellent. I guess they need to keep the parents happy. 
 

I will join the others who have tripped and fallen the past two weeks. My grandson cut me off with his Spider-Man suitcase and I flew over it landing on the airport floor. Just a little stiff this morning otherwise ok. The other casualty of the trip was my iPad. The hotel said they will mail It if they find it. I am not holding my breath. I will buy a new one before my surgery Thursday. Typing on my phone is very frustrating. 
 

Prayers to all. 
 

Thanks for the update on your Disney Dream cruise.  Our family is heading to Miami this weekend to go on the 5 day Marvel Cruise on the Disney Dream.  This group includes my grandkids who are 9 and 11.    This is a cruise we had to cancel 3 years ago when the oldest got sick the day we were supposed to leave.  Hearing that the food is great is awesome.    Hope you heal fast from your fall in the airport.  
Maryell

4 hours ago, atexsix said:

Good Afternoon,

A few of you were asking, so here's our booking update:

 

Well I spent the bulk of last evening and today tracking down accessible suites on HAL and Princess for this fall, I just don't want to chance Dad's ability to stand up and walk a few steps.  Both sailings are in September, both to Alaska, and both fairly comparable; I have no suite experience on Princess, but I have stayed in Neptunes.  So much was already booked up that it's a miracle we found something, particularly with HAL because accessible suites are pretty limited.  And I had countless website issues with both lines, what would life be like if we didn't have website problems, it's amazing cruise lines manage to stay in business.  Anyway, we just have to make a decision between the two, but we're leaning toward HAL of course, Eurodam is a favorite ship and we will never criticize the Crow's Nest again after not having it at all on our last cruise, honestly I'll get down and kiss the floor.  But that's one reason we wanted to try another cruise line, it puts a lot in perspective.  Incidentally we looked at the Haven and laughed, what  NCL called a "penthouse" looked like a broom closet.  Celebrity had no availability, and Royal Caribbean, a line we've never sailed was also pretty much sold out at the suite level.  Carnival I wouldn't dream of trying.  And Oceania didn't have anything in September. 

 

The HAL Alaska itinerary is a lot less expensive, but we like the Princess port stops better.  The Princess penthouse suites on Royal have a nicer layout with being able to close off the bedroom area, however the size of the Neptune balcony compared to Princess is laughable.  So I'll give it all a bit more thought, but I welcome everybody's opinions.  

 

It rained off/on all day and it's cold, much more January like than the last couple of weeks that were starting to feel like early spring.  

 

Dad's okay and we're meeting with two nurses tomorrow for another assessment, although this time it's with the V.A. and will be permanent rather than the shorter in duration Medicare home health.  

 

Hope all of you are having a good day.

 

~Bruno

Hi Bruno

I can’t offer any advice on comparing cruise lines as I’ve never cruised on Princess or Royal Caribbean. Plus I’ve never stayed in anything larger than a regular balcony room.    I just wanted to say I’m happy to see your post that you are able to check into cruising again with your dad.     This is great news.    I’m sure you’ll have a great time in whatever you pick.   Stay healthy and have a great 2023!   
Maryell

On 12/22/2022 at 6:05 AM, mitsugirly said:

 I found a good price on the Days Inn Miami Airport North using priceline and Capital One shopping for $156 and only an extra $9 for the two queen size bed rooms. ($33 cheaper than using their website) Thanks!

 

Candlewood is $216 for my dates

You might want to check Days Inn Trip Advisor reviews are really bad.    I was checking to see if that would be an option for us in February and decided it is not.    

7 hours ago, atexsix said:

@Quartzsite Cruiser  Yes, it is very hard to find the time for recharging the battery, caregiving for somebody bedridden is a huge responsibility, he's 100% dependent on me, in fact, it's very much like having a dependent.  I rarely get away from the house now.  Hobbies and maintaining friendships are off the table, I've tried, and it's just too difficult, about the only thing I can manage is fiddling around with my Iphone because most things can be done in little tiny pockets of time.  Thanks for taking the time to write.

 

@dfish Did you move to another state?  Was I reading that correctly?  If so, I hope it went well for you.  Wherever it is, the picture of the dusting of snow looks beautiful.  

 

@StLouisCruisers  Thanks so much for writing.  I've thought of you a couple of times because I know you've been on some cruises and unfortunately I was not in a position to follow along with your adventures, I hope they've been enjoyable and I hope even more I can return to cruising some day.  

 

I wanted to take some additional time and say hello to the rest of the dailies, when I posted I thought I was in yesterday's daily.  I hope you are all doing well, taking lots of trips, and having a great time!  Since I don't know when I'll be back, I'd like to wish you all Happy Holidays now!

Bruno - It’s always good to hear from you and see how you are doing.   I know you deal with it one day at a time.    You are a great guy - and a good care giver.    Hoping some day to catch up with you again on a ship.   Best wishes for you to have nice holidays.       Take care of yourself. 
Maryell

18 hours ago, oakridger said:

Yes, I actually saw it happening from my veranda on deck 5!  That picture is nothing like what their vessel/raft looked like!  Can't believe everything on the internet!!!  😏

The article posted above by @Petunia1950 was pretty concise and the video is the real deal!!

 

~Nancy

Hey Nancy 

Seems like you had some added excitement on your cruise.   Kudos for all that were involved in saving those lives.     Seems like you have been on the seas forever.    Hope you are enjoying your Caribbean cruise before you return home.   We had some nice times while on the Panama Cruise but it was hard coming home afterwards to real life of fixing my own food and making my bed 🙂.    Enjoy the rest of the cruise.  I hope some days our paths cross again.   Safe travels.   
Maryell.  

We booked thru Holland America for our 17 day Panama Cruise from San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale.    They use the Sheraton Marina - 1380 Harbor Drive.    When we first signed up we were told Hollands block of rooms was full and we were waitlisted.      About a month or so later we were notified that rooms became available - it was $340 for 2 people thru Holland and that included transfer from the airport to the hotel (which is already free if you book yourself) and then also the transfer from hotel to ship in the morning.    There was a convention going on and the hotel was very crowded - we checked in around 7 pm and there were probably 30 people in line behind us when we were thru.    Although we were able to walk around the marina area and check out yachts and such we were not happy with the room we got.    I had checked out reviews before we left and the Lanai Towers were reported to have musty smell.    We were in a first floor room and as soon as you opened the door - you could smell it.   Luckily we travel with a can of aerosol room spray and after spraying the room and bathroom - it was fine.    If they put you in the Bay Tower I heard that is fine.    In the morning we took a walk around the grounds and along the bay and could see the ships that were in port.    Transfers all went smoothly.  Hope this helps in your quest for finding a room.    In the future I think we would probably book our own and pay for the transfers at another hotel.   

I can't say anything but good things about our room stewards on the Nieuw Amsterdam for 17 days.   They came and introduced themselves when we received our luggage and asked for our requests while being on ship.    We asked for morning service and not evening -  ice twice a day - towel animals - and chocolates.   We received excellent service along with our requests all 17 days.   From the second day on they were calling us by our names each time we saw them.    They would go out of their way to acknowledge us in the hallway and asked if we needed anything else.    We remember the food being more variety in past Holland cruises.    

7 hours ago, dfish said:

Good morning, everyone.  I think I finally figured out how to post pictures that show up from my phone.  We shall see as this is the test post.  Yesterday I did the Walk the Ocean Floor tour to the Bay of Fundy.  What a unique experience!  I told Sister Sue that we were doing that again next year when she is with me.

 

This was at the Fundy Welcome Center.

 

Coming down the steps to the ocean floor.

 

 

 

 

Lots of critters in the tidal

pools.

 

 

 

Enjoy!!

Wow Debbie - the pictures are nice.   Is that a Holland tour or private tour?    Sounds like a good option for the cruise next year.   Keep having fun on your cruise now.  We’ll be going thru the Panama Canal in a few days.   Safe travels. 
Maryell. 

We are on the Nieuw Amsterdam right now in a 5th floor balcony.   The door is not magnetic.    I had a new 11” x 11” magnet made by Etsy and was so disappointed.    Until we realized that since the wall was magnetized we were able to hang it above our mailbox.    Others on our floor have door hangings.   Some look like they are hung using command hooks.   We always like seeing the different things people mark their rooms with.   
Maryell 

In Ohio the land between the sidewalk and street is called the “tree lawn”.  At least that’s what we’ve always called it.  
Maryell

8 hours ago, atexsix said:

Good Morning,

 

Thought I'd pop in, just to feel a little more normal from the weekly cacophony of nurses and therapists coming by.  Dad is doing fine, he sleeps a lot and the only real pain he's been in lately is in his lower legs.  We finally got a hospital bed, the kind with the air mattress that rotates the pressure.  An RN drops by twice a week and a PT as well, although the benefit of the latter is questionable because Dad refuses to do the assignments in between visits.  My entire dining room has been transformed into a makeshift supply room, which doesn't really matter because we're not having people over outside of brief periodic visits just to say hello. 

 

We've had a couple chilly mornings and there's a hint of fall in the air.  It's hard to believe how fast the time is going, in another couple weeks I'll be putting out the pumpkins and fall decorations.  

 

Cruising feels like a million miles away, but once in a while I think about it and I know I'll return to it someday in the future, whether that's in a couple of years or ten; I wonder how many changes there'll be by that time?  I wonder how large the ships will be?  Hopefully the world cruises will be returning this winter, it's so enjoyable to read about them. 

 

I hope everybody is doing well and having fantastic trips abroad.  And my apologies to our British friends about the Queen, you're in my thoughts.  

 

Take care!

 

~Bruno

HI Bruno

Great to hear from you - I always watch for you to post.    I have a close friend since elementary school who is dealing with the same issues as you - her mom has lived with her for years and she's 98 and has been failing this past month.   We offer what help we can to support her - but know that the outcome will not be good.   Her mom is 98 and has had a great life.    

My sister and I are on the Nieuw Amsterdam on October 8th - going from San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale thru the Panama Canal.   We'll do a toast to you and hope to be able to sail with you once again in the future.    Stay healthy and take care.

Maryell

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

The premium package will give you more mg that in theory means your internet won’t slow down as fast.

How well it works is debatable depending on ship location, cliffs, obstacles and the satellite.

 

,Premium will cost you more on board if you wait.  Surf will do everything you want but it will slow down (not shut off) when you run out of the mg.

I guess it depends on how many emails and internet usage you need.  I tend to do LIVE threads - so yes, I would probably do it but what is right for me may not be right for you 😉 
 

I haven’t cruised since B.C. (Before Covid) so my experiences are not recent.  I’ll find out soon enough in November, God willing 😉 

Thanks so much for your reply,    i think since the cost is so minimal (less than $2 a day) we'll go ahead and prepay the premium internet.      Hope you are able to cruise in November!!  

On 7/17/2022 at 1:28 PM, kazu said:

There are 3 internet packages -  Social, Surf & Premium.

 

The Surf is only good for things like FB - not email or internet.

 

the Premium is supposed to be faster than the Surf and theoretically permits streaming while the Surf does not.  The Premium also has more mb allowed.

 

The number of MB allowed just means it slows down - you don’t get cut off - at least not in my experience.

 

I believe these rates are still applicable on the ships:

 

 

the only one offered to purchase pre-cruise is the premium package (which is at a discount)

 

If there are 2 in the cabin and you both have an internet package and both log in on one device each with your own log in.

 

Otherwise it is one device at a time.  So for example you can log in on any of  your Ipad, smart phone, laptop, etc but you can  only use one device at a time.

 

If there are two of you and only 1 internet package then only 1 person can be on at a time.

 

Hope this helps a bit 🤞 

 

 

Hi Jacqui -

We are on a 17 day cruise from San Diego to FLL thru the Panama Canal in October.  We were going to book the surf package which according to the pricing looks to be $179.99 because all we really do is check emails and surf the web.    Our reservation has the option to only prebook the premium package at $212.   No option to book the surf package early at a discount.    So it looks to be only another $32 if we booked the premium before we get on the ship.    Is it worth the extra less than $2 a day to get the premium package or should I save that money and just wait and book the surf package once we are on the ship.   I know you have a ton of cruise experience and hopefully you can give me your advice on this.

Thanks much

Maryell

Tim - Looking forward to following along as we are on a similar trip next year on Zaandam - 25 days - July 29, 2023.     Always watching for cc suggestions for make a cruise even better.     I followed your Alaska cruise with your wife and young grand daughter - you both were so blessed to be able to spend that quality time together.   They grow up so quick and then have lives of their own.

I hope you have great weather - meet lots of new cc members - and enjoy your trip.  Stay safe and healthy!  

Maryell 

My sister and I are doing a similar trip - 25 days -  July 29th, 2023 on the Zaandam so following along to get lots of good ideas on what we should do.     Safe travels and have lots of fun.

Maryell

37 minutes ago, dfish said:

Don't I wish!   But, I will be onboard next year!

Hi Debbie - 

I try to follow the Daily when I can so I'm familiar with some of the names and where people are from.   My sister and I live in Valley City, OH so about an hour from Kent where you live.    I noticed yesterday that you posted on here that you are on the Zaandam on the 25 day cruise next July 29th 2023 up thru Greenland and Iceland.  My sister and I have also booked this cruise so I look forward to hopefully meeting you then.   We've done N England and Quebec cruises in the past and Iceland has always been on our bucket list.  Fingers crossed that we all stay healthy and are able to cross this off our list. 

Safe travels.

Maryell 

Hi Bruno -

It was nice to be able to read your comparison of Holland to Princess as we've never cruised on Princess.    It seems you were able to enjoy this cruise more than last September when we were sailing on N. Amsterdam with you.    I understand the health issues we have to deal with as we age.  Normally when we cruise my sister and I would look for the longest excursion that would give us the most to see in the ports that we have never been to.   Since she had back surgery the end of April and is getting all her strength back - we have decided to go thru possible excursions and maybe not pick the all day ventures.  We don't snorkel or do the water excursions.  We like to see the local country sides.   We'll know in the next couple of weeks what we think we can do and can get those booked for our 17 day San Diego thru Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale in October on the N. Amsterdam.   I hope someday your options will allow you to plan more cruises and that we are lucky enough to be able to be on the same ship as you.    Stay healthy!

Maryell

5 hours ago, ShipWalker said:

Easy to carry and unroll for use. Regular size roll of gaffer tape is as big as a roll of duct tape. 

We have always done the same thing with the duct tape and taken it on travels with us.   Never know when a small piece of duct tape will fix a problem.   Plus it takes up very little space in your luggage. 

2 hours ago, atexsix said:

Hey Roy!  I'm busy getting ready for my own trip, just got back from testing negative for our PCR's; but I wanted to pop in and wish you a bon voyage.  Have a great time!  I know I will.  

Hey Bruno

Just wanted to congrats on the negative testing and I hope you and your dad have a wonderful safe cruise.   Looking forward to hearing your comparison between Holland and Princess after your return.

Enjoy - 

Maryell

We've only stayed in oceanview or balcony rooms - and since our first cruise in 2008 we've left an envelope every morning for our room steward with $10 in it.   Our only request was ice in the bucket in the morning and towel animals at night if possible.    We've always had excellent service and towel animals.    That being said - we have always left our room in excellent condition when we leave for the day.    We figured they have enough dirty rooms to clean - we can at least make ours as easy as possible for them.     We aren't drinkers so tipping bar staff has never been addressed.   I will say that the last cruise we did in September 2021 on Nieuw Amsterdam I did go back the last day and tip the girl in the Lido who was making the omelettes,   She put a smile on my face every morning and was a great way to start out every day.