Sarge6870

Did a little research for ya Jan and found this quote from cruisedeckplans.com...... "All category 2D cabins have obstructed view when looking down to the water and slightly obstructed horizon view. Category 2C has unobstructed horizon view but obstructed views when looking down to the water. " Seems your only, partial obstruction will be when looking straight down at the water. Hope this helps!! The picture below is from cabin 6222 which is on your deck but forward of you. As you can see, it looks like your obstruction will be of the tops of the lifeboats yet not bad at all. You should be OK

We don't have anything booked for 2014 yet Jan!! Send me a PM with the date(s) your going and I'll look into it for us!!

Sounds like a good way to go from the "Post-Cruise Blues" to the "Pre-Cruise WHOO-HOOS"!!!

I also fill out the surveys (sometimes). The last cruise on the Jewel, we were told the "WOW" cards should have been in our cabin yet they weren't. The pursers desk said they do not have them since they are distributed by the cabin stewards. The cabin steward told us to get them from the pursers desk!!!

I think that what gets me the most Kev is when I view my CA's site, open a W. Med. cruise....it gives me an option to "See All Dates" and opens a new page indicating " June 2013 - November 2015" sailings yet 2015 is grayed out!! What I want to do is book as soon as possible so we can get a suite and pay it off over time.

Chrissy and I are planning a W. Med cruise in 2015 for our 25th anniversary. My CA tells me that there are no dates for any of the lines for 2015 yet and should be released by the end of this summer. I have been getting some REALLY great offers going to ports we would like to visit but the dates only go to the October/November 2014 timeframe. When can I expect the 2015 dates to be released? It's killin' me!!!

This may be a bit of a side-bar to the question but there are many things I have missed in the past. There are also some things I have done in the past that I can no longer do. Many of these things over the years have come as a monetary constraint and some due to health issues. For instance, I used to always LOVE the free Bridge Tours the ships used to offer. After 9/11, those tours were completely cancelled yet are now beginning to re-emerge on some vessels. The problem is that the lines now CHARGE for the bridge tours (as much as an additional $150 pp). That would be $300 for my wife and I to go on the tour but we would rather use that money towards other things on the cruise. Other things we used to do such as snorkeling and walking excursions we can't anymore primarily do to health. But, we never feel disappointed when we return from our cruises!!

That's the thing Jan, I write of the whole trip and not just the complaints. I have written a review to the cruise line of every cruise we have taken (including RCCL for the Jewel cruise we did in May). The cruise lines have responded every time I have written to them regarding my past cruise. And I hope you still have that response from the 2003 Carnival sailing because they will still honor it!! We indicated a response from Carnival we had gotten in 1990 when we booked our 2002 sailing on Carnival and they still honored it with what they promised. And they do read the letters. But like I said, the trick is to send an email review AND a hardcopy to their corporate (and to wait patently for their response).

So, you just returned from your cruise. Maybe even your first cruise! Have you considered writing a post-cruise review to the cruise line you have just sailed with? I always do and have since we began sailing in 1990. Sure, writing reviews here on the Crazies site is well received, but telling the cruise line itself will result in more positive reviews in the future after they correct the issues you indicate. Regardless of if the cruise was great or less than perfect, believe it or not the cruise line wants to know of your experiences. With the solid competition between the lines, the only way to keep passengers returning is to investigate and correct any short comings as well as to enhance the positives. Keep in mind, you may have not been the only passenger to experience the positives and/or negatives of that particular ship or line. There may be issues on board that have been addressed in the past from other passengers but remember the saying, "The squeaky wheel get's the grease". Make sure you NAME those crew that have worked above and beyond your expectations. Not just those that may have performed to less than what you had expected. Crew that receive compliments are usually recognized and in many cases promoted. And there is an adverse reaction for those crew that receive multiple complaints! In all of my past letters to various cruise lines, I have received a response and ALWAYS some type of added amenity towards my next cruise with them just for taking the time to review my total experience from ship to crew. Here's the trick, Start off with sending an email to their "Contact Us" link from within their website. I usually type up the review in a word type program and copy & paste it to the email. Doing this also let's you keep a copy of the review for future reference and will allow you to proof read it before firing it off to them. Use spell check!! You are writing a professional letter to a corporation and they will take you more seriously if you sound professional. Don't beat them up. Of course there is a certain language you can use when writing to get your point across without sounding like your willing to meet them in a alley somewhere. Regardless of how severe the issue is, anger is usually met with an angered response which will get you nowhere fast. Always use a type of "Pro's & Con's" approach to your review and give the feeling that you are open to returning to cruise with them again. Indicate that you will also be mailing (that's right...SNAIL-MAILING) them a copy to the corporate office. Keep in mind, their response can take two to four months but it's worth the wait and don't finalize an emailed response from them as the close of that review. Many emails are sent to a customer service rep and that will be as far as it goes. Sending the mailed letter to their corporate office will usually cause a response from someone a bit higher up the line..

We've been to Bermuda twice. Loved it. Thankfully, my brother that sailed with us had been there numerous times prior to us so we kind of had "Tour Guide" for our trips there. We would reserve scooters a week prior to our arrival and they would have them at the pier in Kings Warf or St. George waiting for us when we arrived. Being the Island is only about 22 miles long and 3 miles wide, we were able to traverse Bermuda from one end to the other, stopping at beaches and English pubs along the way. And we loved waking up to Bermuda every morning for 4 days. Looking forward to this Shon!! Plan to see me in the CHAT on the 20th!!

It sounds to me with the info provided by Kevin, the NCL was more shooting towards developing Crawl Caye as a private island considering it is about 45 acres big. Since Belize has refused this proposal citing the possible environmental impact, maybe now Belize should give some attention to the port where the tenders from the ships currently arrive. For anyone that has been to the port of Belize, you already know of it's unorganized state. You ride a tender for 20 to 30 minutes and are taken to a port that is more of a "Flea Market" then anything else. We went to the "Restaurant" right at the port entrance just to find that half of the items on the menu were no longer being offered. We walked around the garage sale environment and were greeted by sales people that would give you an attitude if you walked out of their shop without buying anything. There were people hanging over the perimeter walls of the port yelling and with signs trying to get you to come outside for a horse and buggy ride. I was NOT impressed by ANY means by this port of call!! I know that many enjoy the scuba and snorkeling Belize can offer but some passengers like to just venture out on their own (as we have done in Bermuda). We spent maybe 2 hours in the port before returning to the ship. If any of our future cruises include Belize as a port of call, we have already agreed to stay on the ship. UNLESS, they do something about the port.

For many of us that have grown up in the 1960's or earlier, on this rock we call the United States, family vacations usually involved dad's vacation time from work and the family going to the local beaches or loading in the car (if you were lucky enough to have one) to visit the rest of the family that lived in a more suburban setting than you. As we grew older, we found that perfect one that we wanted to always be our best friend and we could share our interests with. I did, lucky enough and Chrissy and I have sailed together since 1990. We began cruising with being totally awe struck with the comfort and convenience of being on a ship at sea that were what we considered as self contained. There was everything onboard we could possibly want and more. There were multiple places to eat whenever you wanted, bars, entertainment, atmosphere, being waited on for any of our needs and of course, the numerous ports of call. We began our cruise experiences only visiting the tourist areas that were in the immediate locations of the ports we visited. We really never got the full spectrum of the world around those ports. Then, as time (or cruise) went on, we began to venture out a bit more on our own to the areas well outside of the tourist areas. Now keep in mind, some areas could be dangerous so do your research pre-cruise before you plan your personal excursions. At first, yes we were worried about not knowing where the safest and best locations were to go, but we wanted to see how the people of that country actually live. We did this in Bermuda (scooter rental) and in Aruba (jeep rental). We went to local churches, restaurants, bars and the like to meet the people that live there. We talked to many of them. We even just walked the streets, away from the basic tourist areas. Some were interesting and some, well let’s just say, not so much. What it comes down to is that these locals have the same concerns and interests in their lives as we in the U.S. do. They want a good life. They want to be successful. They want their kids to get a better education then they did so they could succeed in life. In many of these countries, cruise passengers that don’t go, what I call, “Outside of the bubble”, never get to experience these things. In many cases, I was so impressed that even with their living conditions, these people were destined to succeed if it only meant having a roof over their head and food on the table for their families. We also began to notice that many of these types of people worked on the cruise ship we were sailing on. Many of the crew come from countries where their future and their family’s future rely on income. And your crew onboard, many away from home for 6 or more months at a time, working as much as 18 hours a day and earning a pittance from the cruise line send their money home for their family to survive. I have taken the time on many cruises to just talk to members of the crew and found they love talking about home. Let’s face it, they miss their families being away that long and having them tell you about their home life and families is almost like a post card for them. It’s not always all about the tip although they do appreciate it. Many crew seem to gravitate to certain passengers as we do to them. If you really want to visit the non-tourist areas of ports, just talk to your crew. I’m sure you will be enlightened with how as kids, they had no car or vacations as many of us did growing up. With all the information available to you on this site and the experienced cruisers here you can pose questions to, you have no excuse to be locked in the “Bubble” for your cruise. Get out and experience the world. CRUISE...........

Were going in November Jackie!!! Come aboard........ :)

For me, there are many unanswered questions in this story. Was there an investigation as to WHEN the lobster had been purchased? Since that is a regular port of call for the Expedition, had it been purchased less than 5 days prior to the discovery of the lobster onboard? What is with the "5 day" consumption rule? For me, if the lobster was purchased within the regulated season, why couldn't it be frozen for consumption outside of the 5 day rule since you can freeze seafood for some time? It's kind of like being fined for something AFTER the law regarding the infraction expired!! I just feel the Galapagos National Park shot itself in the foot by suspending the Expeditions permit for 45 day's. That's a lot of tourist dollars that they will now not get.

Chrissy always makes fun of the fact that I either lose or maintain my weight post cruise!! I allow myself to indulge in EVERY food item the ship can (literally) throw at me!! I don't watch what I eat and I don't work out onboard (never really understood the "exercise" thing on a cruise). I think it's the "roaming" I do on a cruise. I try to investigate every inch of the ship so I will walk bow to stern, port to starboard and low to top deck. When you think of it, that's a lot of ground to cover! I also tend to take excursions where there can be a lot of walking involved since I love to take in the local sites and history. Granted, I also like my beach time . Chrissy on the other hand tends to enjoy her down time and reads books or her kindle. Every "body" is different and I'm just lucky enough to be nosy where my activities are exercise within itself! My point, enjoy your cruise and worry about it when you get home!!

I hope this catches on, and at an affordable rate. My wife likes to go to N.Y. twice (at least) a year to visit family and friends. I wouldn't mind doing a 3 to 5 day cruise while she's gone!!

Without question, I would most DEFINITELY cruise Carnival again. Having sailed with Carnival five times, the most recent being on the Dream in 2010, I have had nothing but fond memories of my cruises with them!! As I have mentioned in previous posts, and I'm sure many would agree, you endure the possibility of some type of mishap in your vacation. I have had more concerning incidents happen to me on planes than on cruises. I have had my car break down en-route to my vacation. We even had to wait for a hurricane to pass in Aruba (which by the way is not considered in the hurricane belt). Granted, these passengers on the ships endured the unthinkable, but in most cases were reciprocated for their ordeal. Just my opinion.........

Our big "must bring" item....singles (the dollar type). You have to tip (both ways) the parking personnel, the porter, transportation people (like bus drivers on shore excursions and taxi drivers) and we always need tips for our daily room service deliveries!!! I am finding though that as I embark on more cruises, the "must have" list is getting smaller! Don't take as much as we did nine cruises ago.

I think the main thing that causes me concern is the statement, "A French environmental organization, Robin du Bois, labeled the Lyubov Orlova an imminent threat to health and safety."In case of a collision or sinking or any accident, the Lyubov Orlova will immediately release fuel … other toxic liquids, asbestos ... mercury and other non-degradable floating waste," the group declared in a statement.". Why was this vessel allowed by the International community to be adrift for so long without any monitoring? The fact that it had been re-secured in International waters THEN ordered by the Canadian government to release the tow is inexcusable. Somewhere along the line, someone should have stepped up and took control of the drifting vessel especially when it presented a danger to other vessels at sea. Now, if the vessel did sink as reported, all that fuel and the toxins aboard are now in the sea endangering sealife. Funny how you hear nothing from the mass media about this especially since it has been an ongoing issue. Media seems to be concerned about how cruising is going to kill you!!!!

"Do y'all think the media will soften the blow on RCI versus the TKO they gave Carnival earlier this year?". I've read three different reports of the fire on the G.O.S. Shon. All from three different reporting agencies. The media continues to kick Carnival when their down by just HAVING to mention the incident on the Carnival Triumph in the reports of the G.O.S. fire !!!

When visiting Cozumel,Mx, Paradise Beach has free WiFi with connections from 2 separate locations. One is at the beach bar and one is at the pool bar. I got full bars throughout Paradise beach on my tablet. And if you forget to take your device, they have 2 PC's at the bar (I'm using one in my profile picture when I did the CHAT) that are free to use. They just ask you keep your usage to a 15 minute max on the bar computers so others can have access to them as well.

Thanks everyone for to positive replies to the video. I hope that it gives you a reason to visit, or in many of the members cases, RE-visit Paradise Beach. One of the great things about Paradise is it is off the beaten path AWAY from the tourist area. Not to mention you can have access to the beach, the beach amenities, two lounge chairs and an umbrella for $2 USD.!!! But you want to make sure you order some yum-yums from the menu. You can't beat the friendliness and warmth (thanks Krista & Memo) that the beach provides. Now that I am more acquainted with my new camera, I hope to have a better video post cruise after we return to Paradise Beach in November!!!

Good post Shon but there are another group of cruisers that complain WITHOUT anything to compare their cruise to...NEW cruisers!! Many of these folks have watched too many reruns of "Love Boat" and think that their cruise and EVERY cruise is the way it is portrayed on the T.V.!! I have heard people pick everything about their cruise apart like they were taking a puzzle apart. When I cruise, I may "compare" the cruise to past cruises but for me, as I always say, the only bad cruise is the one where the ship sinks!!!

Here's just a couple of additions Jan...... D.O.D. : "Drink of the Day". They are drinks offered by the ship daily where you get to keep a flute type glass (for a additional fee of course) with the cruise lines logo on it. Usually some type of tropical drink. The glasses used to be actual glass but are now made of plastic. I have about 20 of these glasses from past cruises I would also like to add for the new cruisers, the easy way to remember "Port" from " Starboard" (Left from right side of the ship) is that "Port" has the same amount of letters in it as "Left"! And remember, the "side" of the ship is determined while facing "forward"

For me it depends on the ship and the amount of day's the cruise is! I am more partial to sea days (Chrissy is not) but if it is a crowded cruise, with a lot of noisy partying and no place to relax up on deck, I look forward to a port day or two!!