shipgeeks

I'm just curious why a cabin steward would even think to look in on a cabin more than once or twice a day. Do some pax put out the "please clean room" tag/light multiple times?

We don't use (buy) holders at all. Our RC tags are set up to just print, fold where directed, loop around suitcase handle, seal with wide clear tape. Works every time.

TC, it is probably worth posting this on the MSC board, as well, to get some knowledgeable answers. Also, I'm curious about your online booking site. We have used one for years, but after using their site for info, we would email our agent with our request, and he would call us to answer any questions, offer a cabin number, take our payment info, make the booking, etc. Does yours not have that?

Hlitner, My point was that overall, dress was a step up from the extra-casual style that is not uncommon on Bahamas and Caribbean cruises, with a few going to dinner in the shorts they had worn to the beach that day.

I'm following a couple of HAL world cruises. Some pax are using luggage that joins three nesting-size cases which link together for wheeling, as well as shipping cardboard cartons of other items. The luggage will go under the bed, and cartons can be discarded. (Although, I remember being offered out-of-cabin storage for our luggage, long ago.) Cruise papers include the notice that formal wear is required for entrance to all table service restaurants on the (many) formal evenings.

Etta, I love your idea of de-framing all the photos. I'm going to pack up my photos in separate envelopes by family or other category, and pass along all those frames. Your timing was perfect, as I've been looking for photos to donate to the local historical society, and finding lots of frames in perfect condition. Another perfect timing story: We were recently given an Amazon gift card. We don't use Amazon. Later that day, the newsletter from a charity we support arrived, and had a notice of "please check our Amazon wish list for items that we badly need". We were able to send the gift card to them along with our usual annual gift, instead of debating which friend or relative to give it to.

We're not doing these jobs ourselves, but we've noticed two jobs here that retired people are filling: At the Port of Baltimore, many of the RC staff seem to be over-55s, including some couples. As the ships sail less than once a week, it seems like a good part-time job. They obviously have an enthusiasm for cruising, as well as great skills with handling all the pax, and sometimes we see them onboard (off duty) as well. Locally, we use a county ride-share service to get to appointments, stores, etc. I would guess that about half of the drivers we've had are over-55s, and most tell us they are retired but decided to take up another job.

Inquiring minds want to know: Is RC using the term Formal for certain nights, or Dress Your Best, or....? It looked like quite a few men were in tuxedos, and women in gowns, as well as all the white outfits, on NY Eve. Any other special themes?

A question (or two!) for those onboard. Is the world cruise shaping up to be what you expected? Have you been on a world cruise before? What, if anything, is different? Atmosphere? Passengers? Service/amenities? I'm just curious.

One cabin cleaning per day appears to be the standard now among all mainstream lines.

According to some comments I've seen, they are not aboard, but are picking up comments here and there, and posting them as their own, or even making things up, including some absurd "facts" that have no basis in reality.

Our excellent waiter in 1998 was our waiter again in 2016. I guess he wasn't too disenchanted with his job.

On my first cruise, my waiter mentioned (a day prior to "tips day") that his wife back in Jamaica had cancer. I'll never know if it was true, or a ploy to get a bigger (much bigger) tip.

Misconception: "The most desirable cabins are on the highest decks". (They cost the most, so they must be the best.) Reality: Unlike the Empire State Building, height doesn't necessarily provide a better view. For anyone concerned about seasickness or ship movement, the lower the better. And apart from the outdoor pool, which is on an upper deck, public rooms - restaurants, bars, theater, casino - can be high or low, so getting to them will almost always require some walking or elevator, no matter where one's cabin is.

It has been several years now since we did TAs, but we always found them to be dressier than Carib/Bahamas/Canada cruises, probably because with all the sea days, people were more inclined to consider evenings special, with music, dancing, and extended dinner times. Just more festive overall.

Really?? Cruises are that disappointing for you? We are always sad to be disembarking, even though we have a good life at home.

Are you all booked for early or late traditional dining? Or anytime dining?

Freeport has really changed since we were there! It was previously just a shipyard; no shops or cabanas.

We sail mostly the smaller ships, and we've been told a number of times by crew members that they prefer them, and that they also have area preferences -- US east coast rather than Med or Asia, for example.

We get an email one (or two?) days before departure, asking us to make any requests such as this. Years ago we could do so at the time of booking; but now I think they prefer that we wait for that email.

I lost my interest in having a camera when I was about 13, and have not taken a photo since. But I have written a daily journal on every cruise we've been on. I love going back later to read them, and occasionally add a postscript or two. A lot of what I write is my/our observations, including things like "Our tablemate asked for....." and our waiter tactfully replied with ".....", as well as conversations with some of the crew members and other passengers. It's those little moments, I guess. I just take plain, ruled journals, usually with a soft but sturdy cover. No photos, no souvenirs, apart from occasionally saving the business card of an officer, musician, or other person aboard who we want to remember. Will they ever be of interest to anyone else? And would I want anyone to read some of those private thoughts? I just don't know, but I enjoy doing them, and re-reading them later.

Sweet Charity is a classic! And when we've seen this production show, we thought the dances from it were very well done.

We have sailed out of Baltimore, to Bahamas or Caribbean, every winter for years. We board in long pants, sweaters, and coats. Coats go under the bed the second day. I don't think we've ever had a change of ports on these winter cruises, although we have, occasionally, in other months.

After our Seaside cruises of early 2020, we came home and immediately booked two on Armonia. Of course, the four times we re-booked never happened, and now she is far away. We'd book again any time she came to the US. We first sailed MSC in 2002, on Melody, out of Florida. Built in 1982, retired in 2013. I would sail on her again if I could! 1,076 pax. We had a nice-size OV stateroom; there were no balconies. Entertainment was great. The only thing I'd do differently, if I could go back in time, would be to eat all meals in MDR. Little did we know at the time that that was the expectation. Buffet was very skimpy when we had breakfast and lunch there.

Ruby, Do you happen to know what ship is in your photo, post #10? NCL? Have a wonderful cruise! We will be aboard again in a few weeks.