SargassoPirate

I was on two Caribbean cruises this past winter. As soon as I got on board, I switched to airplane mode and the connected to the ships wifi. I turned off mobile data and turned on wifi calling. While I don't go around with my nose stuck to my phone, I was able to receive texts, emails, and send/receive phone calls. Wifi calling worked like a champ. It also avoids those annoying texts that you receive in many of the ports, trying to get you to connect to their system.

US drug prices are indeed very high. The US is one of only two countries where drug companies are allowed to advertise on TV. Anyone see the connection?

Stories like this help reinforce my decisions to book standard and then go a la carte for my evening wee drams. Much, much easier to keep track of and avoids the angst of having to deal with overcharges and trying to get them resolved. I still keep an eye on my shipboard account, but have never had any troubles like those reported here, even with the advent of the medallion. If Amazon had this much IT trouble, Bezos would still be selling books out of his garage.

Come Feel The Love 😄

Couples only? What about the solo cruiser? If this is such a good deal for the consumer, why are they pushing it so hard?

After following this discussion, I cannot help but be reminded of two maxims from my Economics 101 professor back in the 1970s. 1. Charge what the traffic will bear. 2. If you want more of something, subsidize it and if you want less of something tax (charge for) it. All of our postings here are just whistling into the wind when we, as consumers, have the final say on how we choose to spend our money. For example, if I'm looking for a hotel stay and they charge a "resort fee", I look elsewhere. However, as long as a sufficient number of people will pony up the resort fee, the hotel is charging what the traffic will bear and there is no incentive for them to change their pricing structure. The free market economy works for the benefit of the consumer as it fosters innovation and competition. There are plenty of ships that sail the seas. I just try to be on one where I can find something to eat when I'm hungry and a wee dram in the evening.

"Come Feel The Love"

It's really none of my business, but I'll butt in anyway. Medicare does not cover you outside the US. Make sure you have a supplemental plan just in case.

It's great that you don't have to pack up your drawers and other unmentionables. 😉

You got it. SWMBO made a middle of the night visit to the commode and when she flushed, it sounded like an explosion and caused her cabin boy to sit straight up in bed. That plus the uncomfortable convex sofa, the wash basin on a countertop in the room, and an indifferent crew in the MDR. The only cruise where we could hardly wait to disembark.

It's also worth considering to determine if the seatbelt on the plane will be an issue, and possible turbulence while wearing the seatbelt - and you always want to wear the seatbelt on a plane. Also, as an RN, you are aware that some people heal faster than others, so take into consideration your usual healing and recovery rate. Go slowly and have an enjoyable cruise. The sights and sites there are wonderful.

SWMBO and I are as loyal to any one line as they are to us, and that's why we first shop for where we want to go, when we want to go, which cruise lines are sailing there, and secondly we put the pencil to it. We have built up loyalty status with RCI and Princess mainly because the itinerary fit and they passed the pencil test at the time. That being said, we have also cruised with Cunard, NCL, HAL, Celebrity, and Viking and had wonderful cruises on all but NCL where we made an EPIC mistake. I don't feel compelled to only cruise with any one line out of some sense of obligation to them. Are you feeling the love yet?

Scotmay, One option is to see if the crew can do some sort of valet parking for you at bedtime. I have seen this done in the past, especially after complaints about scooters being parked in the corridors overnight. The crew drove the scooter away, charged it overnight, and returned it the next morning when the person was ready to leave the cabin. By no means should the mobility device be parked in the corridor or the elevator lobby/stairwell/crossovers. Do not block any path of exit travel.

I agree. And that's $6660 per person and SWMBO doesn't drink. I would need a Betty Ford van to pick me up at the end of the cruise. But then remember, you see more old drunks than you do old doctors.

That's the beauty of a free market. We can spend our money as we see fit.

Well, at the end they did say: "Come Feel The Love"

At the end of September. SWMBO and I booked a standard cruise.

I just received an email from Princess outlining all of the new charges and urging me to upgrade to Plus or Premier. They closed by saying: "Come Feel The Love"

Nothing like annoying your customer base to help your bottom line. How did that work out with Bud Light?

So, for the 111 day world cruise, if one were to upgrade to the Plus, it's $60 a day per person for 111 days, or $6,660, and for that you would get 2 casual meals and 2 fitness classes for the entire voyage? For teetotaler SWMBO and me, there is no way that the Plus makes any sense when compared to the standard and going a la carte, especially knowing our cruising style and past spending habits.

Sounds like a good plan, and sensible. You have to take steps to protect yourself and you can't depend on others to do the right thing to keep you safe. Treat every surface as if it's contaminated and break the chain of cross contamination.

I'm a bit slow sometimes, but it finally dawned on me why the push to Plus and Premier has me irritated. Princess has adopted the same business model as the automakers and cable TV companies - but at least for now we can still book a standard cruise and go a la carte. Try that with a car dealer or the cable company.. Try to find a basic car on the dealer's lot. They are all loaded up with "convenience" packages with one up to three or four tiers. Full of stuff you may not want, but to get a feature that you do, you have to accept a "convenience" package. Used to be you could order a car and then choose from a list of options to equip it the way you wanted. Most basic cable plans consist of about what you can get if you stick up an antenna. Then they offer tiers and in order to get the channels you really want, you have to get a package with 200 other channels that you'll never watch. As long as I can go a la carte, give me the standard cruise. I don't want the premium desserts, I don't want to pay for what used to be complimentary casual dining, I don't want fitness classes, I don't need a special seating area in the theater, and I don't want specialty dining. Signed, Old School Boomer and Proud Of It.

"Keep on telling me about the good life Elton because it makes me puke" 😉

Or maybe just tell the maitre d that your shorts and T shirt are identifying as a tux.

How about a cargo kilt?