Happiest when cruising

I don’t think so, since it departs after September 12, 2023. It actually doesn’t say “book “by” - just Effective on June 29. So..maybe they clawback anyone they have recently credited past the September date? I am just going to wait to read the official document when it comes out to the public.

I do wonder about that. From reading all these posts on OBC for various reasons, it seems many people aren’t actually shaking down their own wallets, and come off a ship with a zero balance. I know we have come off a cruise with a cheque due to us. Sometimes we have a small balance due, but we are not making too many onboard purchases anymore. It really depends on length of cruise and how big our budget is at the time. And..it looks like we might be watching for the solo rate sale and book 2 cabins…I’ve always wanted my own bathroom.

I actually really dislike having that screen across from the end of the bed, but that’s the life of a cruiser in an inside cabin. It’s too bright when I’m trying to sleep while hubby is watching some old movie. For myself, I don’t bother wasting time watching TV during a cruise, there’s too much other stuff to do.

Ooops….I guess I didn’t pay attention to your whole post. The TV was above the refrigerator, but it was a small flat screen. We were in an interior. I never bothered watching it, but my husband liked the Wake show.

You do not need a tour to go there. You can purchase your own ticket for 1.00 to go to the memorial. Here is the link. https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/233338/ticket/16 You can take an Uber or public transit there, too.

As of May 5, no big flat screens.

No need for the Capital letters. I believe we were on different ships. So, I don’t have the answer you think I should. I’m glad you had a short wait.

https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/233338/ticket/16 Here is where you can purchase tickets, without buying some sort of excursion. They sell out fairly quickly. We bought them as soon as they opened up and were able to get morning tickets. It really depends on what else you want to do that day, but we only wanted about 3 hours there, with still time left to do something else in the afternoon. I’ve attached the schedule for you, currently selling up to August 13. With lots of says sold out. You can also just show up and and get in the stand by line…but you’d probably be waiting a bit.

But….with the time it takes to get off the ship, if it tenders in Lahaina, you might not make it. The last several have been around 3 hours to get off the ship, unless you have a Princess Excursion, and the Elite priority waiting area also took a very long time. Olivia, the CD, made it seem like it was a one off, but apparently it was not. I’ve read enough about the situation to realize it has been going on for quite a while, and is still continuing. We were on the Crown in Mid April.

You would not have enjoyed Lahaina this April. For sure people were waiting a very long time in the waiting/holding area.

I don’t think I’ll ever qualify for one, but I know it has been a bit of a hassle for some people.

Actually, you no longer have to. Your PVP can book it for you. Whether they want to or not, is another matter.

If you are tendering in, do use up your OBC by booking the cruise line tour. You will get off the ship in time to make your excursion. It’s a crazy waste of time otherwise. We waited about 3 hours to get off there and another 3 to get back on.

Thanks for your response. I just have to figure out if I can manage being in huge crowds of people. It would be a weird thing to just use the ship like a hotel on land, but I’m interested, for sure.

Have you done the New Orleans itinerary? I’m thinking of booking it for 2024. How close is the ship to the fun?

What about letting your sister handle some of it, especially if they are not go with the flow type. That way, she can take responsibility for what she planned, and you get to relax a bit. I love a vacation where I do not have to plan anything, and it did it once with my sisters. Best vacation ever, but you have to be in that mind set. I usually like to be the one in control of everything, but I kept my mouth shut when things were different than what I what I would have done. I just handed over my share of the costs, and let it be…

What would I be confused about? 60 USD is currently around 81 CAD. I am using 35% as an average…of course people might be able to do a bit better through some online searching. I actually have a USD credit card and USD bank account and I was a banker for 25 years, so I’m pretty sure I understand how to get the best rate on the exchange. You still need to have the available funds to buy the USD. I still need to pay attention to how much I am willing to spend on vacation extras. Maybe one day, I won’t need to do that. I had not considered the Premium package where people are already paying 80, I think.

Thanks for your response. I’m waiting for a really great sale where I just won’t want to say no to it.

Luckily, that’s not something I have to worry about…we don’t use those bar venues. We went on the Discovery last fall and had a great time, but it was only 6 nights and not too crowded at that time.

Would you consider it if it was 81.00 USD per day, per person? We make our money in CAD, and we spend in CAD. If a base price cruise is 6 K USD, then that 8100 for us. So, we need to plan for that. 162 per day is high… I’ll just pay the gratuities and half price wifi cost, at about 55.00 CAD for both of us per day. I only need one device for the wifi as my hubby locks his phone in the safe, the moment we get into our cabin. I won’t get into the drink piece of it, as it isn’t something we are very interested in. I also think…would we spend over 100 per day on drinks/ coffees, if we were at home? I don’t really understand the “I’m on vacation mentality of it” either. There are options for everyone on a cruise and that’s why we like it.

Yep, there are lots of reasons not to go there, and a few reasons to go for a quick meal. Sometimes the dining room just takes too long, even for lunch.

That’s amazing. Which one? Did you have to call in to get the price, or was it just whatever is showing on their site?

Oh…we like the older ships, but that buffet on the Crown was not very big and quite crowded most times. I’m ok with having to look for a seat, but since it was cruising to Hawaii the weather was not great, so there were many more people eating indoors than what you would see in the Caribbean.

Would I be dreaming to hope they get the newer Marketplace Buffet? We’re booked on the Circle Caribbean cruise in March, but we just did 21 days on the Crown, so now I am rethinking the cruise to maybe something newer, even if we have to go back to FLL for a btb.

What level or price point of a cruise do you book that they would discount it 500.00?