MandyMooToo

Hi! Yes, AirTags helped quite a bit this time. We were directed to a long line at the baggage service office but right beside it was the actual baggage claim area. All of the bags were just piled up in the middle of the room. Not in an office, as Delta said. So we went searching with the air tags and found both bags (they were in different piles in different places). It was fine, just slightly stressful. It we made it!

Finally on the second leg of our flight to Orlando (out of ATL this leg). Slight delay as the planes are backed up. Of course they are 😑 I am not a good flyer, ha ha. Bundle of nerves! Especially since I got the notification that our bags were sent ahead of us hours ago. I only fly a couple of times a year so this was not something I am familiar with, and was somewhat concerning, but the Delta gate agent assures me this is a common practice and our bags will be waiting in the baggage office when we arrive. Cross your fingers for me…😳

Based on the responses from my prior post, it seems there is interest in a live review of Seashore. I have the YC included internet package, but may upgrade when we get onboard, so we shall see how well this works! Some basic info about us and this cruise: Travel group of 4, myself, husband and another couple that we have cruised with for years. We are all in our 40s-50s and typically cruise with RCCL (though we have all tried Carnival once or twice). We booked this cruise on a whim due to the price and being curious about MSC. My husband and I are in a YC interior cabin (we prefer interiors for the darkness and because they are usually easy to get low and midship for motion sickness avoidance). Obviously this is our first MSC cruise and we are exited to try something new. We fly out this morning as we always try to go down at least one day ahead, just in case. Ask any questions and I will try to answer them as we go along and I will post our experiences. Thanks for reading 😊

Perfect! We fly down on Saturday so I will start a live review then and any questions anyone has, I will try to answer. I am curious about the internet and if it will be good enough to allow for easy posting and uploading pictures...we shall see. Thanks for the feedback!

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So true! I was surprised really. I guess I have/had more faith in my fellow humans, ha ha. We did not make much use of the buffets, for obvious reasons.

Would it be beneficial for anyone if I did a live review of our 4 night cruise on Seashore that leaves this Sunday? We are trying MSC for the first time and settled on an interior YC cabin as we love dark and cool interiors. We normally book on RCCL but have also cruised Carnival a couple of times. I enjoy reading the reviews, especially the lives, but didn't know if there would be any interest or if everyone has had enough of those!

The Cruise Director for Seashore posted (on the social media site that cannot be named) these theme nights for the 4 night cruise earlier today: Glow Party Tropical Night White Party Sunshine (70s and 80s) We are on the sailing leaving Sunday also for our first MSC cruise.

Royal ships still have plenty of hand sanitizer randomly throughout the ship (at elevator banks and entrances to restaurants and main dining) and hand washing stations going into the buffet.

I did see post #12 and I know what you are saying. I was just posting what experiences we have had over the years booking new ships (Allure, Wonder, Icon, whichever). I agree that part of the pricing comes from the changes that have taken pace in the travel industry in general over the last few years, but either way, booking early seems to find the best price. And no, I did not price Star when it as released. We have enjoyed the big ships so far but I want to try out Icon before we book anymore. The older I get, the more I am looking for quiet and chill, not huge and busy, so we shall see!

It seems like, in our experience, that the earlier you book these ships, the better the pricing. We are leaving on an 8 night NYE cruise Saturday on Wonder. An interior cabin (our usual) cost $2958 for the two of us for this cruise. Our Icon sailing for an interior plus in August 2024 (made the day bookings opened) cost us $2535. These sailings have doubled now. Maybe Wonder will come down a bit after Icon launches and so forth.

Port fees and taxes are added upon booking. So when I pay in full I am paying for all of it. I do get that in the cruise contract they can raise or lower port fees as applicable but a raise of that amount was a surprise when the email said it would be much less.

The issue for some is that the cruises were paid in full by the time this came out. Sometimes we wait and keep a small balance owed until final payment, just in case there is a price drop, but for a NYE cruise it was highly unlikely that was going to happen. So after payment in full, we had to pony up an additional $125. I do realize fees go up, heck, cruises have gone up tremendously themselves, but $125 when the email said it would be more like $30 was a shocker. We paid it of course but I find the amount to be high compared to what we were told. And before someone throws in the "if you cannot afford it you shouldn't be cruising" line, we can afford it, we just didn't like having to pay it 😆

I’m really not sure who/what is pushing the amounts higher. Royal was insinuating it was because of the new port in the Bahamas. I can’t remember where I read that at though.

I will say that it’s funny how the email made it seem like we would pay maybe another $30 and it was $125 and some change.

This is what they sent us. I got another email later with the exact extra amount we owed. I can’t find it but it basically said this is how much the fees are going up.

Our Wonder cruise next month went up a lot. We had already paid in full and the port fees increased for the Bahamas and we had to pay an additional $125, on top of what we already paid.

Just an FYI, AZO is likely the same as the little orange/red pills the OP was given in medical. "AZO® Urinary Pain Relief is specially formulated with Phenazopyridine Hydrochloride" That same med is what many drs often give for UTI pain relief. I always take a pack when I leave the country, just in case. Uristat is the same as AZO, just a different brand. AZO has a few different types of UTI pills but the standard one is what is most popular. Of course I agree that you should always tell your dr what you are taking, OTC/herbal/whatever though!

First time sailing Celebrity, checked in on the app, both my husband and me, and somehow we got two different check-in times (Port Everglades). I got 12 noon but the earliest available for him is 1pm. Anyone know if we will be allowed to check-in together at 12 noon? I know on RCCL the whole party can check-in together, all cabins regardless of times, but I was not sure with Celebrity. And I did try a search before asking but could not find the answer! TIA

They were available on our Mariner cruise last fall.

I just got that email too. But the one I got a couple of days ago showed our taxes going up by over $120 for two people on one cruise. Not sure which email is accurate.

As I said previously, Jamaica is one place where half and half is not typically available. Also, as I said before, it is available and popular in Canada and the US. In "other countries" it has a similar equivalent as single cream and light cream I am not sure why this is becoming an argument. Just because it is not popular in the UK, or other places you listed, does not mean it is not popular anywhere else. Why you feel the need to put my words in quotes and continue to question me, I do not know. But there you go.

That discount is only for Pins and suites, sorry.

I didn't say specifically the UK, just other places. Half and half is popular in Canada as well as the US and in other countries it is pretty much equal to light cream or single cream.

Most people using it in their coffee ony use a tablespoon or so, not a large portion.