joeyancho

Thanks for the great review.  We are booked on her for a December cruise.  The non-yacht club perspective is appreciated.  

4 hours ago, New2Cruise76 said:

Hi all, new member here, and I'm in the planning stages of a cruise with the family for summer of 24. We've never cruised before, and with a family of 5, the price of MSC is appealing. We're planning for a Bahama cruise out of New York.

 

My wife and I had a very small wedding put together on a shoestring budget (wife's parents disowned her a month prior, so we had to come up with new funding on our own, they kinda reconciled before the wedding, but she's low contact with them because of it), so I talked to my wife on our this year on our anniversary, and we've decided to renew our vows on the cruise.

 

I've searched the forum, as well as MSCs website, and i know they offer a Vow Renewal package, and once we get booked, I'll reach out to them for more information, but I'd love to get an idea on what's involved in the process.

 

The biggest thing is that I'd like to have our kids involved. Are vow renewals similar to an actual wedding ceremony, where you can have a wedding party as part of the ceremony? Also if anyone has done this recently, which package did you get, and what was the cost?

 

Thanks in 

Not exactly sure how MSC does it.  We were married on RCCL.  Probably a similar process.  First book your cruise.  Then call the department of MSC that handles weddings,  renewals,  etc.   That person (planner)  will answer all your questions.  They will accommodate you in anything you want to do (within reason).  Be prepared to ante up for any frills beyond the basic package.  While our experience on Royal was not cheap,  it was very well done.  My lovely wife was very happy.  Very happy.   Good luck. 

Broken hips on cruise ships. 

That's a great product.  

18 minutes ago, CruisingFox27 said:

Have you considered a bubblebum seat? Would that work? 

https://bubblebum.co/

Cool

I recently bid on a yacht club interior room.  My original booking was a balcony.   We haven't heard back yet.  May question is:  is it worth giving up a standard balcony for an interior with the Yacht Club experience?  Thanks for your answers. 

On 9/1/2023 at 9:22 AM, Bgwest said:

I’ve heard it called a gateway drug. 
 

Could this be true?

 

 

 

Absolutely,  it will lead you right to the pantry or refrigerator.  

On 8/2/2023 at 7:44 AM, sverigecruiser said:

 

I know how it smells when a baby has filled it's diaper but I don't know how weed smells. 

It smells much better than that diaper.  

On 8/2/2023 at 7:37 AM, sverigecruiser said:

 

Then I can say, how do you know how weed smells? I have no idea how it smells!

It smells like skunk.  Pungent.  However it won't kill you or cause you any harm.

On dress up night I do just that.  It's fun and my wife loves it.  

7 minutes ago, GOLDENBONNY said:

Why people keep asking those questions? Covid is over, no one needs your vaccination   records or anything else . No one doing tests anymore as well 

While I agree with and understand your point,  I had covid 3 weeks ago.   It was bad until I got Paxlovid,   which worked like a miracle.  Cheers

For me the longer the cruise the better.  The Vision is in the style of a classic cruise liner.  The ship is more outwardly focused.  You feel like you are on a ship at sea.  There is lots of glass and lots of opportunity to experience the ocean.  The Adventure is more inwardly focused.   The Promenade is a long "street" with no view of the ocean.  You can lose the feeling of being on a ship in the middle of the ocean.  For your first cruise I would recommend the Vision.  It doesn't have all the attractions of larger ships but it does have everything that makes a cruise a unique vacation.  You will really feel like you are on a ship at sea.  I started cruising on smaller ships (53 cruises now)  and sometimes miss the feeling of the small ships.  I have cruised all the larger ships and they are great but bigger is not always better.  

       Having said all this I'll add that I took my 13 year old autistic grandson on the Navigator, for his first cruise,  (sister ship to the Adventure)  and he loved it.  You really can't make a mistake no matter what you decide,  you will have a blast.  Please report back to us after your cruise and tell us what you decided and how you liked it.  We would love to know.  Bon Voyage!

On 8/22/2023 at 8:46 AM, Another_Critic said:

Is Royal going to follow the new normal ... increase price, decrease quality and quantity?

Already has.  I am diamond + so I will losing a lot but I am trying something different for our next cruise.  So many small things I notice,  have been eliminated.   Many things have gone down,  except the pricing.  

Oldest: Viking Serenade.   Probably in 1997.  It was a converted ferry boat.  It was a rust bucket then.  Had a great time. 

Newest: Oasis of the Seas..  we were married on her in 2022, in Central Park.  It was terrific,  everything my bride hoped it would be. I always joke that we had 5000 people at our wedding.  

Favorite:  I guess I am obligated to say Oasis.  

Sentimental favorite:  the Rhapsody of the Seas.  First time I took a 7 day cruise.  It really wowed my.  Especially the midnight buffet.  The captain had a dry sense of humor and was hilarious at the noonday announcements.  " the sun will rise tomorrow at 6:07, whether we deserve it or not."

Bon Voyage

38 minutes ago, no1talks said:

Is that picture from a Carnival Cruise?    

Check against a list and have someone double check.   Then check again.   Glad this ended well.  

21 hours ago, hannibal54 said:

 

I served on an US aircraft carrier, I saw a lot of aircraft taking off and landing.

Thank you for your sacrifice.  

Peat Taylor in Jamaica 

3 hours ago, donaldsc said:

Why do cruises have themed dress nights and even worse why do people participate?  I just don';t get it.

 

DON

Because it is fun.  We enjoy dressing up.   We look good.  We do it for ourselves.   Simple.  No judgment on those who don't participate.  It's your vacation.  Do it your way.  

We have recently sailed from Los Angeles,  Miami, and Galveston.   There is no priority boarding for diamond plus.  Another casualty of the pandemic along with civilty. 

Sounds silly to me. 

On 8/15/2023 at 11:01 AM, dunrobbin said:

In a Grand suite last May for 7 nights cruise to Alaska.  Got 2 Towel animals only.    

Did you remove the gratuity?  Only 2 is an outrage. 

I have taken a lot of Royal Caribbean cruises but have never heard of it.  It sure does sound like fun.  Consider this the first signature on the petition to bring it back.  Signed, Lefty...

Try an old fashioned made with JD.  Or JD on the rocks.   You can actually enjoy the whisky instead of super sweet Coke. 

Actually, ⁰ Baja is on target to get hit with a hurricane.   Navigator of the Seas  is sailing that way.