panoramaofthepast

23 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

A twist tie?  Like I use on the produce bags at the grocery store?

Exactly. My dry cleaner uses them to connect hangers, so I have plenty, but the grocery store works, too!

I cover paper tags with clear tape, hole punch the ends and use a twist tie to hold it in place. It works like a charm. Just don't put it on the bags until you have finished traveling!

I don't know about Norwegian, but sometimes there is a foot stool that stows under the chair, thus providing you with a semi-lounger. The back may not recline, but the feet can go up! 

Another option is to buy a small, inflatable footstool. We have both an inflatable seat cushion and footstool that we stick in the luggage for cruises.

If you call the Latitudes number directly, you may have better luck. I think I spent more than an hour on the phone - and transferred at least once to get ours fixed, but the accounts were merged by the time I hung up. 

RCI has a 3/2/1 program, where you get price discounts for additional spa treatments

18 hours ago, complawyer said:

hey panoramaof thepast!! while i dont consider myself a tea totaler, and take full advantage of the basic drink package, i am addicted to pepsi, and it broke my heart when ncl switched to coke.

 

that being said, however, cans of soda can be bought onboard. i think it's about $3.00 per can. i also enjoy a cold cola with my breakfast. so, i would ask the cabin steward or any bartender if you can buy a 6 pack. 

 

if youre in a suite, the butler might just bring you the 6 pack at no charge, this is assuming that you wish to pay the price. if you dont get the drink package, im sure the cost of a weeks worth of diet coke is a decent price offset.

 

just sayin"

Thanks for the heads up! We are in a haven suite, so that may be the solution. I do have a soda package, so if I can just get the cans through that, I am good! Appreciate your comments! 

For the tee-totaler of the group, I find it irksome that wine can be carried on, but soft drinks cannot! I like to have bottles of diet Coke in my room, as a drink my morning caffeine cold! 

Oh well. I will figure it out! 🙂

33 minutes ago, RB9643 said:

 

Count me in as a sucker. I do this all the time. I've got 4 cruises booked between August 2023 and August 2024. And the August 2023 was booked a year ago. 😄

Add me to the sucker list - three booked between now and August 2024!

On 5/1/2023 at 8:18 PM, lissie said:

How do you get up off the floor then? Not being able to kneel would make that impossible for me 

In a most undignified manner! Basically, balance on toes/knee [if possible] and hands, like a crab and push up. It's not pretty, but it works. Come up in stages. 

I wouldn't try it for a while, but it you work PT hard and get a decent bend in your knee, it is possible. [PT/doctor say 120 degree bend is the goal; I have 136 degree bend in both knees and that really makes a big difference in mobility and stuff like getting off the floor!]

46 minutes ago, tjc78 said:

I wouldn’t have thought to bring an extension cord since I haven’t sailed with my Cpap yet, thanks!  While on the topic.. can you get distilled water from NCL or do you need to bring your own? 

My husband keeps the extension cord in his travel case for the CPAP so that he doesn't forget it. The cruise lines can provide it, but they may run out, so it is better to just pack your own! 

Contact NCL for a Special Needs form. You can order distilled water on that form and it will be in your room when you check in. Saves you lugging a gallon jug! Some cruise lines charge for this, usually around $3; I don't know about Norwegian. 

19 hours ago, Boo's Mom said:

Would you/could you have had them both done at the same time? 

No. Rehab is difficult and I would not have wanted to try doing both at the same time. But that's me. I am very glad I had them done. If you work the rehab, it is really worth the effort. 

On 2/11/2023 at 10:47 PM, jamscckmc said:

Hi all. Will be on my first cruise post tkr in April. I will be 10 months out but still have difficulty with stairs. I want to avoid elevators though because of the worry of Covid. Anyone else have trouble kneeling? I can’t kneel at all on the postoperative knee. Burning pain. Will need the other one eventually and worry I won’t ever be able to kneel.

I have had both knees replaced. I was told by both surgeons [I moved between surgeries!] that I would never knee again. Fast forward three years - I can kneel on the knee that was done three years ago, on a pillow, never on a wood floor. It isn't something to do for long periods of time, but has come along. The second one is a year old and I am just beginning to put kneeling pressure on it successfully. Bottom line - it takes a long time, but is possible. 

So in my teens and 20s, it was Pepsi and twinkies for me, but these days it's diet coke to calm my caffeine cravings.

Bigger question - am I allowed to bring sodas on board? It is allowed on other lines and I really like having my caffeine before I face the world [and you will like me better if I do! 🙂 I have been reading conflicting answers to my question, so I am trying again..

One trick we have used for years is to make "tip envelopes" before we leave home. One for the room steward, for our table waiters [if you have traditional seating on a cruise], one for each excursion, things like that. That way we don't have to scramble at the end of the cruise. If we feel it extra isn't warranted, it stays in the safe; if we feel more is needed, we add it in. Works for us!

On 4/9/2023 at 6:06 PM, ihate2cruise said:

"Glacier Bay v Tracy Arm - we actually like Tracy Arm better."

May I ask why?  Doing Alaska for the first time May 2024.

Part of it comes from that up close and personal excursion on Princess, so we got closer to the action, so to speak. Glacier Bay is the most well known and it is lovely, but I thought Tracy Arm was more picturesque. 

If you have never been to Alaska before, any of them will be stunning, so pick the itinerary that suits you best. 

On our last two RCI cruises, we watched the safety video on the RCI app while on the train from DC to Port Liberty! Once on board, we checked in at the muster station and were done! 

I would add to the chorus of later arrivals. We got to the port around 12:30 and were checked in and on board within 30 minutes, almost no line. 

If you are concerned, book a ship excursion as a precaution.

In Cozumel, we would always go to Nachi Cocum, about a 20 minute taxi ride from the port. It's a day resort, minus the bells and whistles for kids, so it's pretty quiet. Set price gives you pretty much all you can eat/drink for the day. a lovely beach, a pool and hot tub, attentive staff, plus add-ons for a fee  like a massage, jet ski rides, parasailing. It is our go to place in Cozumel and we have never had a single issue, except sunburn! 

Princess used to do an off boat excursion while viewing the glaciers. You would transfer to a smaller boat [maybe 50-75 people] that proceeded the cruise ship in and were able to get up close and personal to the glaciers and animals. It is by far the best Alaska excursion we ever did [in four cruises, on three different lines!]. If that is still available, I would pick Princess. 

Glacier Bay v Tracy Arm - we actually like Tracy Arm better. Either way, the views will be stunning! 

21 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

For those who have a neighbor (kid?) come over to feed and clean, how much do you pay them?

When I had a house/pet sitter, it was $30/day, but she stayed at the house. 

In the past, we had a house/cat sitter who stayed at the house, but when we moved our new  retirement community had a cat-sitting co-op; basically everyone knows everyone's cat and will feed, change litter, and play for no charge. We just pay it forward. 

We drove from Dallas to NOLA [10 hour drive], only to discover that the passports were sitting on the table in Dallas! Called our daughter, who got the passports and started driving east; meanwhile Mike jumped back in the car and drove 5 hours north to meet up with her half way. She got a hotel for the night and he drove back to NOLA that night, getting in at 5am. In one of those unexpected coincidences, fog rolled in and departure was delays by about 6 hours. He managed to sleep for 5-6 hours, we boarded and he took a nap! 

Moral of the story - double and triple check the passports! 

We have cruised twice from Port Liberty and taken Amtrak from DC to Newark Penn Station the same day. Both times it has been very easy, although the trains are crowded! You can get an Uber or taxi right outside the train station - Uber is about half the cost of a taxi! [We learned the hard way!] Getting on board, you may be in line in your vehicle to get to the actual terminal for upwards of 30 minutes. First time - total from Penn Station to the ship was almost an hour; second time it was 30 minutes. 

Thanks for the review. We head out July 30th with our daughter and DIL, so this was good info to have!

We have family in Okinawa; Japan is not yet open to tourism and it doesn't look like it will any time soon. I have a cruise booked from Tokyo to Seattle in April 2023, but have only put down a deposit. I am not optimistic, but have until January to decide! 

10 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

Just one device at a time.  

Thanks! We were on line making reservations, so your answer was very timely!