SargassoPirate

Funny, and a good point but I don't consider feral children an imperfection since they are not easily overlooked. Same with drunken idiots. Most other things one can overlook or work around on a cruise.

That's funny. I've run into more feral children than drunken idiots in bars on cruises, but I have sometimes ended up at a table next to a large table of loud, shouting, drunken idiots in the MDR.

And you can lift it into and off of the x-ray conveyor.

When I see anything Family Friendly I equate that to unfettered feral children accompanied by clueless parents. It only takes one or two.

My easy breezy solution is I don't answer the phone unless it's someone in my contact list. If it's not, I silence the ringer and see if they leave a message. More often than not, they don't.

The clothes on hangers swinging back and forth seemed to be setting it off on my last. I pulled some painter's tape out of my tool kit and covered the sensor. When I needed the light, I just reached up and twisted the tape and the light would come on.

Yes, for most people and depending on where one is traveling. From the CDC: For most people, a single dose of yellow fever vaccine provides long-lasting protection and a booster dose of the vaccine is not needed. However, travelers going to areas with ongoing outbreaks may consider getting a booster dose of yellow fever vaccine if it has been 10 years or more since they were last vaccinated.

When I'm at sea, I am totally immersed in the experience. I leave the day-to-day world behind and I am easily satisfied with most any ship with a real promenade since I can always find something to eat and a wee dram in the evening. When I'm not at sea, I'm always planning my next cruise.

I avoid the MDR for the evening meal. Too loud and too long. I was on the Caribbean Princess in January and ate every evening meal in the HC. I would load up my plate, grab another plate as a cover, get a drink, and go out to one of the tables at the Outrigger bar and dine while watching the ship's wake and sometimes the sunset. The crew back there was very attentive and refill my glass, etc.

Generally, about the only vaccination required by some countries is yellow fever. I haven't checked to see if that has changed for quite a while because I'm not due for a yellow fever booster yet. You can check the CDC website for recommended vaccinations for travel outside the US. I tend to err on the side of caution and if a vaccination recommended for certain areas in a country, I'll opt for the vaccination whether I have plans to travel to that area or not. Malaria carrying mosquitos do not observe political boundaries, for example. I also enjoy excursions that include a meal off the ship - such as at a beach resort or with a local family. Therefore, I get a hepatitis vaccine. My best advice would be to find a local travel medicine clinic/provider in your area, but go armed with the CDC information.

I prefer to do my own and the turn around time is about an hour and a half instead of 2-3 days. Plus, it's done right.

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I made a pact many years ago that we did not want to end up in the old folks home with regrets about things we didn't do when we had the opportunity. Mark Twain said something like twenty years from now you'll regret more the things you didn't do than the things you did. GO FOR IT!

It works if you are an early riser - like I am - and can call from a house phone.

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I are looking at the QM2 cruise to Tromso roundtrip from NYC for October 2024. We are RCI and Princess cruisers, but did a transatlantic on the QM2 several years ago and loved the ship. No country fare rides and no feral children. Didn't see a single T-shirt or ballcap on backwards in the Britannia dining room for the entire voyage.

Yes, always on any cruise line. Any cruise line's idea of an upgrade is an upgrade in category and not location. You may wind up right below the pool deck or above a night club, for example. And if you think about it, there's probably a good reason that "upgrade" cabin is unsold. If the cruise line can "upgrade" you into a less desirable location, your old cabin is available for sale. I've never been disappointed with cabins above, below, and across the corridor.

There are several countries that I refuse to visit out of concerns for personal safety and others that I refuse to visit because I don't want my tourist dollars to support them. Everyone has to make their own risk assessment or personal choice.

I often cruise solo and never seem to have trouble meeting people in venues other than the MDR. On longer cruises one often sees the same people who are on a similar "schedule" or frequent the same venues. A smile and raised glass by way of greeting goes a long way. As I've lost more and more hearing over the years, the MDR atmosphere has become less and less pleasurable. It's already a noisy environment and hearing aids just amplify the noise. Couple that with getting assigned to a table with a low talker who will not or cannot speak up, and it's not for me.

Thanks, host hattie. We are doing our due diligence with research to avoid surprises.

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I are considering a Britannia Club Balcony for a crossing on the QM2. On the Cunard website it says: "In the evening, you’ll be free to dine at any time between 6.30pm and 9.00pm, with a table reserved for you throughout your voyage. During the day, casual dress is welcomed, with smart attire (jacket optional) after 6.00pm. Dining at the Britannia Club Restaurant is included in your fare if you are staying in a Britannia Club Balcony stateroom. There is no need to book." Does this mean that our table is there waiting for us anytime we decide to show up for dinner? Thanks from a Cunard Newbie.

Passenger cabins above, below, and across the corridor, and no connecting cabins is the only way to go. I study the deck plans carefully before I book to ensure that She Who Must Be Obeyed is not disturbed. Makes for a more pleasant cruise for both of us.😁

I love the Costco Citi card for all sorts of travel. That cash bonus voucher that arrives every February is a real plus too. The only way to "beat" the credit card companies at their own game is to pay the balance every month and avoid interest charges. If you are interested in such things, Netflix has a nice little series called 'Money Explained'. The episode on credit cards is the one to watch.

I grew up during the pre-vaccine days of polio, so I've always been a good hand washer. On cruises I wash frequently, on the way into the dining areas, and sanitize after I'm all settled in at my seat. THEN, I keep my fingers out of my mouth and I don't touch any food with my fingers - including pastries and rolls (which I don't eat anyway) Beyond these precautions, there's not much else I can do. I will add that I've been on over 50 cruises without ever getting sick. I never get the flu, other than a mild case in the 1960s that may or may not have been the flu in, and the last time I had a cold that required the use of a tissue was in the late 1980s. And, I'm one of the minority of Americans who still hasn't had covid.

Just pick up the medallion at the port like you would the card or brass key. No need to pay to have it shipped.

We sometimes drive to Fort L to avoid flying. When we drive we stay at a Homewood Suites near the airport and Dania Beach where we book a stay and cruise special. Free parking up to 21 days. The hotel arranges shuttles to and from Port Everglades or Miami Port.

Perfect. I hope they didn't remove them under the guise of "covid". Thanks for your help.