shipgeeks

Thank you for all the replies! On the recommendation of a friend, I tried baby shampoo for eye makeup removal. It burned my eyes; I did not stick with it. Micellar water on a disposable pad seemed to work well for removing eye makeup, but in the morning I always had black under my eyes. That doesn't happen if I use makeup remover sheets, then face cleanser all over (with my hands), then rinse well with a wet washcloth. In the morning, regardless of my bedtime routine, I just wash gently with a wet washcloth. My SiL uses Ponds; however, she does not wear any makeup, ever. Mum, I always do the same, re cutting across a tube of product, to get several more uses!

I choose fleece, or wool or cashmere, as my warm layers, rather than a cotton sweatshirt/hoodie, as they are less bulky for packing, and they dry better if they get damp.

Some recent posts about the lack of washcloths on European ships, as well as ads for micellar water "as used by European women", have led me to wonder about the differences, and the pros and cons of each. Some posters said they thought using a washcloth ("flannel", "washrag") is gross. I went through a bottle of micellar water, using it for makeup removal as well as skin cleansing. It worked well, but I went through a lot of cotton pads. Alternately, I use a makeup wipe to remove eye makeup, then wash with a liquid face wash and washcloth. That washcloth gets used once, then laundered. What do you do?

From the photo on their website, it appears that all seats face towards the bay, so you will have good viewing either way. It's not evident, though, which seats might be odd or even.

But are they paid the same to feign interest?

Well... As a fellow Bella to H, I was supposed to be in this discussion; however, I never did come up with any similarly witty-enough repartee to reply, so I've been reading but not writing. But I do have some thoughts. When we sailed on Seaside, we did not witness any boorish (or worse) behavior. We did sense a slight difference between week 1 and week 2 of our B2B, which confirms to me that it can be the luck of the draw whether one ends up on a good or not-so-good cruise, depending on passenger makeup. Since then, I've read some accounts of very loutish behavior onboard. My theory is that a number of people have been drawn to MSC for the low prices, but unaware of the differences. Once they have sailed without benefit of ketchup and butter, I predict they will not return to a cruiseline that was so disappointing. Eventually things will return to the gracious experience that was the case a few years ago (even for Bella pax!) Along those lines, I continue to hope that MSC will stop doing so many short cruises, many of which seem to have the worst behavior, and offer, at a minimum, 7 + 7. Currently the only way to sail for more than 7 nights is to tack on a 4 and a 3. No thanks.

Sometimes I wonder if part of the reason for the reported decline in quality is that meals are pre-plated to satisfy the people who complain that "dinner took 40 minutes for three courses; that's way too long!" Perhaps the drive-through crowd has messed things up for those of us who enjoy a leisurely dinner.

What kind of information do they want?

The passenger mix. At least when we sailed, Americans were definitely in the minority. It really felt like being "away" rather than our usual cruises with 2,000 of our neighbors. The food, beverages, and entertainment continued this feeling of being away from home, all in a good way. Unlike the poster above, we sailed in Bella level, the lowest level of booking. We were bowled over by the amount of positive attention we got from senior officers and other crew members. Oh yes, the private island is a paradise; totally unlike the islands crammed with thrill rides and adventure parks.

Or lift the suitcase up a bit to slide over the bar that forms the crosspiece of the legs. Works every time for us.

Cheng, thank you for your reply. My freighter voyage was back in 1969; I know things have changed since then, and that is a helpful note. Jim, I see there are sub-forums here for solo cruisers, freighter and other non-traditional cruising, and world cruises. All of those might be useful for you. In the meantime, I would recommend doing a "regular" cruise or two in the five years of your planning time, to see what you like and dislike about being at sea.

Jim, Have you done some cruises? Are you familiar with certain cruiselines? For a commitment as big as yours, choosing the right cruiseline could make a big difference. There are people who cruise as singles. I believe there is a sub-forum for that here on CC. It might be worth your while to post your question there, too. Also, how would you feel about travelling on a cargo ship? That might get you to a lot of interesting destinations.....but would not have the entertainment and such that a cruise ship would. Good luck!

When we got to our cabin on Vision and met our cabin steward, he asked us whether we'd prefer AM or PM. We chose morning. Perhaps your neighbors all chose morning? We were fine with our once-a-day visit. We still had a cruise planner delivered in the evening, and our steward was always around, if we needed to ask for anything, or just exchange conversation.

When we did this sailing in June, we departed Baltimore at 3pm. After a sea day, we arrived in Bermuda at 1pm, and then departed 24 hours later. I can't remember the times for Nassau and Coco Cay, but they were morning arrivals and afternoon departures.

Why do people keep admonishing the OP about wanting roomy luggage? That is his question; why do we need to know why, or telling him not to pack so much? DH and I enjoy having tuxedo, dresses, etc. on a cruise that we would not take for a land vacation. Maybe OP has medical or electronic gear that must be taken. It's none of our business. Just answer the question.

I might also mention that onboard in the evening, people seem less likely to wear sundresses or Hawaiian shirts, but more an urban look, partly due to cooler weather out on deck, and partly because it is just a different vibe.

To me, the least appealing dish that could be put in front of me would be a fish or animal that still looks like itself, ie a whole fish. I'm not 100% vegetarian, but I do find looking at a dead whole animal very off-putting.

We have never used the app for anything. We also don't log on at midnight, nor try to secure an arrival time first. We've never had a problem doing it all at leisure.

Bella passengers have set dining times. If your options are the two that you mentioned, you will be assigned to one of those. If you are given 5:30 you could go to the dining room on boarding day and asked to be moved to 7:45; however, 7 would not be an option. If there is a third, it would be around 9:30, but that is probably already filled.

We've done that cruise a number of times, and will do so again next September. We are typically long pants people, but some will board in shorts no matter what. Layers are my key. I might start the day in a short-sleeve top, covered with a long-sleeve, and if it's cold in the morning, a fleece or rain jacket. That day could be warm and sunny a few hours later, although I would be unlikely to be down to just the lightest shirt (but that's me). I do not expect to be packing my winter jacket, but quite possibly a jacket that is a step heavier than a fleece. Comfortable walking shoes are a must! All those ports are great for doing on your own.

I think the fresh-squeezed is delicious; well worth using one of my D+ vouchers every day.

On Vision, show times are geared to mesh with the traditional dining times. As I recall, shows were at 7pm and 9-something. Especially with your large group, I would definitely recommend set dining.

I keep reading posts complaining about the decline in food quality, and to a point I agree that things are not as they were 30 years ago. However, today I was struck with a new thought. I'd be interested to know whether the rest of you, especially those who have worked in food service, agree. Dinner on a cruise ship used to be a special event every night. No buffet, just a good meal at a set table in the dining room. Now there is anytime dining, buffets, specialty restaurants. I continue to read complaints along the lines of "It took a whole 40 minutes for me to get and eat three courses! That is way too slow; I have things to do! I go to the buffet now, where I can be in and out in no more than 15 minutes." If passengers expect instant service (as in the drive-through line at home), I imagine meals have to be pre-prepared and plated, rather than plated and perhaps even "finished" when the waiter puts in the order. So all of us, including those of us who appreciate a leisurely meal, are getting food that was put out in anticipation of diners wanting that beef or chicken right away. Will it be as good as a meal assembled upon request? Any thoughts?

Some random thoughts: We've been cruising for 30 years. Never heard of double points. Everything is much more expensive. Our groceries cost more than double what they did just a couple of years ago. We cruise to be on a ship at sea, and to have some nice food, music, service, conversation with other passengers, and entertainment. All of that is still there. We rarely have an interest in other stuff such as specialty restaurants, souvenirs, excursions, shopping. We sail only the small ships. On our last cruise, the Captain was asked if they will be sold off soon. He said No; there is still plenty of life left in them.

I've seen recommendations for Trinity Reservations. They list a number of hotels and their amenities (shuttle to port, etc.), and can make the booking.