Jan115

Well, Carnival sure changed its tune fast. Did they grow a heart or was it the onslaught of complaining cruisers that made them re-think the room service charge?

As much as I love Amsterdam, the city is clearly discouraging cruise ships from porting there. The fact that they are taxing cruise passengers and not land tourists says it all.?

Not just Carnival, but Norwegian and RCCL has relegated their older, smaller ships to the weekend quickie cruises. It’s too bad because I have a fondness for some of the older, smaller ships. Nowadays if you want to cruise on a small ship on a longer itinerary, you may have to look at the premium lines.

I can empathize with the woman. I haven’t tripped over a bucket yet, but have tripped over those big orange cones, both on a Royal Caribbean ship in the buffet area and on sidewalks. Very easy to do when you’re not looking. Most likely a spill happened at the breakfast hour and the crew rolled out the bucket to clean it up, when a wet mop and towels would have safely done the trick.

@motherboarder That looks AMAZING! I have developed vertigo issues in my later years, so I wish I had tried parasailing - or any adventure sport for that matter - when I was younger.

That's one of those incredible experiences that never leave you. It must have been amazing!

Happy New Year, Everyone! If anyone is still on the fence or waiting for the right time to book into our group, this would be it! Princess is starting the new year off right with a fabulous All-Aboard Sale. BOOK OUR CANADA-NEW ENGLAND CRUISE and you'll enjoy a night of FREE specialty dining, plus an additional $75-$125 per person to spend on board (depending on cabin type)! Plus, fares are LOWER than our group rates. Offer valid January 2-February 28. Click the link above or message me to learn more.

Exactly why my passport goes with me whenever I leave the ship. You never know what can happen on shore - you lose track of time, break a leg, run back for a baseball cap (that was dumb!) or fail to set your watch to local time. At least by having a passport, it'll make your meet-up with the ship a little less stressful.

Remember the days when you could order an entire breakfast from the room service menu for free? I'm not sure if this is another way to nickel and dime the guest, or to discourage the guest from ordering hot breakfast because the ships are getting so big that it's too difficult to get the food to arrive hot. I stopped ordering anything beyond coffee, fruit and pastry in the morning both because I can't eat that much in the morning and the food was cold by the time it got to me.

A photo popped up in my Facebook "Memories" today, which prompted me to post this new topic - what was your favorite thing to do on shore in any cruise port? I've got several favorites, but I would say that this horseback ride on the beach in St. Maarten was the most memorable. I booked it independently with a family-owned stable, and it was SO much fun! Two of my daughters joined me - that's Jennifer in the red shirt up front, and Amanda (not pictured) is up front, as well, behind the guide. Being a horse novice, I was very happy they gave me the most gentle one, and in fact I was able to hold the reins and take a photo at the same time. How about that! What's yours? If you don't have a photo, just tell us!

Yeah, Andi - this article doesn’t make much sense. Are they talking about those that don’t leave an extra something for crew members over and above the auto tipping? Or do the room stewards eyeball the final bills outside each passenger’s cabin the morning of departure and compare notes to see who removed auto tipping the day before? I would think they are busy enough getting the turn around complete to give it much thought.

We're birthday buddies, how awesome! Let's raise a glass to ourselves on January 15th!?

Thanks so much for reviewing the Carnival Vista and the other Carnival ships, as well. A lot of people here cruise the ships you mention - they just haven't posted up a review. Hopefully, that will change with the new year!? I can see that you love Carnival. I've only sailed one Carnival ship - the Imagination - back in 2003. There are have been a few new ships and lots of refits since, so I guess it's time to come back and give Carnival another shot!

Welcome to CruiseCrazies @motherboarder! Wow - that's a lot of cruising! Thanks for jumping right in and posting. We look forward to seeing more of you around our friendly community. ??

Welcome to CruiseCrazies @Melhelm1988! Whether you're a seasoned cruiser or planning your first, we welcome your comments, cruise stories and questions and look forward to seeing more of you around our friendly community. ??

Welcome to CruiseCrazies @Cwmsladym! Whether you're a seasoned cruiser or planning your first, we welcome your comments, cruise stories and questions and look forward to seeing more of you around our friendly community. ??

I agree, Jackie. 7 cruise ships are far too many, and all the more reason to get far away from the port to an off-the-beaten-track island locale. ?

St. Maarten is so beautiful and one of my favorite places. We rented a car for the day and went horseback riding on the beach during one visit, and it was the perfect and easy way to get around and see the whole island. ??️

How tragic for such a talented young man, and so very sad for his family. Interestingly, the NY Post's article on the incident contained a couple of comments he posted on Twitter: Only four days before his disappearance, Hough posted a chilling message to Twitter. “Beneath the water is beauty,” he wrote. “Always look beneath the surface before you decide on things.” In his Twitter bio, he says, “Travelling the world by a big ass boat, taking in life and learning new things every single day.” I wouldn't presume to know if these words are a clue to his disappearance, but it does make one wonder.

Welcome to CruiseCrazies @rwams99! Whether you're a seasoned cruiser or planning your first, we welcome your comments, cruise stories and questions and look forward to seeing more of you around our friendly community. ??

Welcome to CruiseCrazies @byron1972! Whether you're a seasoned cruiser or planning your first, we welcome your comments, cruise stories and questions and look forward to seeing more of you around our friendly community. ??

Welcome to CruiseCrazies @Cerina Whether you're a seasoned cruiser or planning your first, we welcome your comments, cruise stories and questions and look forward to seeing more of you around our friendly community. ??

I agree, Andi - more luxury, less thrill. ? To get these great amenities on a smaller ship, though, I think I'll have to step it up to Viking Ocean, Oceania, Regent, Seabourn, etc. - and get a third job in the process! ?

No - no news about this than what was reported. My guess is that they were simply a couple caught up in the excitement and not paying attention to all-aboard time.