shipgeeks

I started a Baked Beans post in UK Cruising, The Pub,, to see if we could find some more answers. We did! Have a look.

Tweezers, once each hair is long enough to grip (it doesn't take much). And tweezers are small and easy to pack for any hairs that appear while on a cruise.

OP, It might be of interest to you, being in Australia, that Royal Caribbean will have a fairly small ship, Brilliance of the Seas, doing ANZ cruises starting next year. Her capacity is a bit over 2,000 pax, I believe, which is certainly smaller than the biggies that have 5,000 or more. We find that class of ship quite comfortable and appealing. (We, too, are not at all interested in ships with malls down the middle, thrill rides, etc.)

OP, Now I understand your frustration even more clearly. We too were at Ocean Cay prior to our more recent visit to Coco Cay. At Ocean Cay, we could see the entire layout of the island from the ship: the beaches, the loungers and umbrellas, the walkways, the food areas. Choosing a destination was easy, and easily walked (or golf carted) to. IMO, Ocean Cay is a tough act to follow! It sure was for us.

Oops, I should have said "sister ships" re the two groupings. All, of course, were fleetmates.

Horizon and Zenith were fleetmates. They sailed prior to Century, Galaxy and Mercury, which were fleetmates. Those were all preceded by Britanis, and then Meridian.

But it is convenient, for the $50 or less that I might want to take ashore.

Galaxy.

Not CelebrityX. Just Celebrity, or X. X is the Greek relating to Chandris, the family that started what is now Celebrity. While I'm here, I'd like to offer a suggestion re a difference. As NCL is Anytime Dining, and I expect you are used to that, don't think you can walk in to a set dining restaurant on Celebrity, sit wherever you want, walk around, invite friends to join you at the table, and otherwise disrupt the meal of the people assigned to that table. It happened to us on our last X cruise, with a number of NCL cruisers, and it was not a happy experience. There are some differences.

We, like the OP, were disappointed with Coco Cay, and we had maps. We took the tram around the circuit. Loud music everywhere, a closed-in feeling along most of the route; very little opportunity to see beaches, pool, or other attractions. We were one small ship in port, but it felt like being at a mall just before Christmas, with all the hype. We completed the circuit, sat for a while in Adirondack chairs, then went straight back to the ship. The photos above do not look anything like what we saw. What we saw were the new adventure park rides and such. Not my idea of a private island day. We have probably been spoiled by visiting MSC's Ocean Cay. Now that is an island paradise! Just the sights and sounds of nature, visibility across the island, white sand, turquoise waters, palm trees, very few buildings, very soft music along a few of the walkways. We are due there again in November, and will give it a try, but I have to agree that it was not the positive experience that we expected.

Or exchange some at Guest Services.

We cover them with wide clear tape all the way around. Have not had a problem. Good idea to print an extra, though, and put it inside the bag.

We've had both; it's unpredictable. We just take our own wide-mouth bottles and fill them in the cabin or WJ (following hygiene instructions, of course!)

We have sailed on Enchantment twice this year; have three more booked in the months to come. The crew were excellent; we never felt like it was understaffed. Food was fine in MDR and WJ. The only areas in which crew shortages were noticed was in the entertainment. We heard that one production show cast member had covid, so all were isolated and not allowed to perform. Evening shows usually had single performers, or the occasional movie night. Music venues were fine. Both times so far we were assigned to an 8-top in the MDR. First cruise there was one woman seated with us (with a space in between); second cruise there were two men. So we were never crowded. I would not hesitate to book Enchantment.

Maybe within the same restaurant, without my noticing. Within my family and friends, no, never. Do you? Doesn't it make them soggy? Salt is my essential, although I enjoy a bit of malt vinegar if I'm also eating fried fish.

Do you use ketchup? What do you put it on? In spite of growing up near the original Heinz factory (I still have my pickle pin from school tour), my family only used ketchup for the occasional hot dog or hamburger. I have since learned that some use it on fries and scrambled eggs. I see huge dispensers in the buffet. I've never bought any for home use. If I enhance my baked beans, I use bbq sauce, onions, and peppers. I don't feel like I'm missing anything! Should I?? What does it enhance for you, at home or on a cruise?

We've had the Compass, and paper menus, given to us automatically on both our cruises this year. Cruise Compass has been available in a rack near Guest Services each day, as well. And I found it interesting that we did not receive any spa/excursion/art paper at all. Yay!

OP, Thanks for starting this. You have led me back to my journal, and to my cruise books from those days. Interestingly, although we sailed MSC in 2002, I just found in a Frommer's guide, 2000, that MSC expanded into the Caribbean market in 1998, offering 11- and 12-night itineraries January through March. Melody had been recommended to us by the social hostess on a Premier ship several years earlier. She was built in 1982, and had a passenger capacity of 1,076. Our OV standard cabin was roomy, at 185 square feet, with a tub in the bathroom. There were three pools, one with a magrodome. Some notes from my journal: Dinner was at 9pm. There was a very small buffet at breakfast and lunch, but I learned, several days into the cruise, that meals were expected to be taken in the dining room, at one's usual table. Lots of music and dancing throughout the day and evening. Enormous aft lido deck. My first hint that many non-Americans are aboard: a young man in a tiny Speedo, then a not-young man in a tiny thong bikini. Very few t-shirts anywhere. Crew show included a program by the onboard Flamenco dancers, followed by the Samoan crew (engineering department?) dancing, including a fire dance. Some of the foods were "the best I've ever had", while some were so-so.

We sailed on MSC Melody, out of Port Everglades, in early 2002. I can recall a lot about the cruise!

Melody, 2002.

For whatever reason, flying fish are my favorites. We have both spent many hours at the rail on promenade deck, watching for them. One time we were having lunch at the center front table in WJ, and DH noticed a lot of them right at the bow. One of the servers, a young Chinese man, asked what we were looking at. He became quite excited to see them, and called over all his fellow crew members to watch. Lots of gasps, giggles, and Oohs. While docked in Barbados, we were in the Lido, deck 14 I believe, when DH spotted a huge manta ray in the harbor right below us, as clear as could be. He mentioned it to a little boy nearby. The boy was ecstatic! After feasting his eyes for a while, he ran over to where his family was sitting, saying "Mom, Dad, you should see the big manta ray right below us!". Mom scoffed "Stop telling lies, Tommy". "It's there, the man showed it to me!" "There's no manta ray, stop saying that; now you have to leave. No more made-up stories."

Didn't Key West successfully limit cruise ship visits?

Is your first full day aboard a sea day? That would probably be a formal night. On any night there will be a variety of styles of attire. The only theme party we've seen so far is the 70s party; hardly anyone dresses to the theme. A white night deck party has been mentioned.

We are in our 70s, healthy but not as quick as we used to be. We have made the decision to only cruise locally due to our distaste with flying, especially right now with all the cancellations and other problems. The three times we did transatlantic cruises (our favorites), the flights back were so unpleasant that we vowed never to commit to a long flight again. Sitting still for all those hours, we find, is harder on the body than any other element of our lives. But apart from the flights, we would do it again for sure.

Pizza in the buffet is free. We frequently went there late in the evening, or late afternoon, waited for it to come out of the oven, and grabbed some right away. Yum! IMO, so much better than having it delivered (here at home, or room service on a ship).