silvercruiser

Too often, if it's a large table, there'll be one person who dominates the conversation and it's hard for others to carry on other conversations because of the size of the group. After several hundred days of cruising I learned that there's no point in giving obnoxious people just "one more chance" and staying at the same table a second night. Change tables right away.

Don't count on a free upgrade from the lanai cabin. I had one booked for Voyage of the Vikings two years ago and got an upsell offer to a balony cabin overlooking the sea on the aft end, (one of those added-on ones everyone complains about since the change to the ship did away with a pool) and since I was solo the original cost ofthe upsell was an extra 100%. This sure was a one-time big treat.

I've never even noticed the logo of the ship on the cabin doors! What a great hint about the bow facing forward. Thanks, from a 4* Mariner who should already know this little gem of information.

I meant to add that when they advertise a big sale the SS is always 100%, no matter what level of cabin you choose.

I too have sailed solo since my husband died and can't think of any friends I'd really like to share a cabin with now that I'm used to having it all to myself.

Actually, HAL offers a better deal on single supplements than some of the other cruise lines. So does Princess, but beware! Once you get up to the level of a balcony cabin the rate will always be 100% more. For inside or oceanview cabins it can range fro 40-60%. Crystal offers only 25% increase, but their prices are high to begin with. RCL and NCL seem to charge 100% on all cabins.

It can also depend on which cruise you take, even with the same line.

4* HAL........Elite, Princess.........800+ days at sea

But the changes made allowed HAL to add those wonderful aft-facing cabins on two decks. I had one for Voyage of the Vikings two years ago and it was heaven to sit out on the nice big balcony and watch the sea.

4* HAL ... Elite Princess ... 800 days at sea

Capt. Peter Bos was on Voyage of the Vikings two years ago and did such a wonderful job of informing us of everything we wanted to know. His efforts to make a stop in Greenland were heroic and then he apologized for the necessity of missing the port. Definitely about the best and nicest capt I've met in over 800 days of cruising. He's a real treasure.

I met people last summer who were sure that it was their travel agent who had given them Explore4 as a free gift.

I had it in 2014 for b2b cruises on the Amsterdam, Panama Canal, then Alaska, for a total of 35 days. When the promotion ended I saw that the cruise prices had gone down and I saved $1000 by rebooking without the Explore4 promotion.

They used to add extra pages for free. Now I just ask for the additional pages when renewing, as it's free at that time.

I found that if I used the card for a specialty coffee I didn't get the 4* discount.

Trader Joe's sells ginger candy.

I sailed on the old Westerdam the week the film crew and actors were onboard. They figured they'd get about 10 minutes of movie out of the week, but it turned out to be only about 3. It was fun seeing and talking to the film people and in one scene my husband's foot is showing for about 2 seconds.

Remember Connie Francis, the singer?

Nov. 8, in 1974, actress and pop singer Connie Francis was raped at knife point after a concert on Long Island, NY.

An intruder snuck through the balcony door of her Howard Johnson’s hotel room. Francis was raped, tied to an overturned chair and and nearly suffocated to death under the weight of a heavy mattress the culprit had thrown upon her.

She subsequently sued the motel chain for failing to provide adequate security and won a $2.5 million judgment. The judgement at the time was one of the largest awarded, and led to reform of hotel security, the result of which influenced the hotel and motel industry to install deadbolts.

She spent the entire $2.5 million settlement on funding victims’ rights groups.

I had one of the new aft cabins on VOV in 2013 and it was wonderful.

I don't usually pay much attention to the captain or remember his name, but my 2013 Voyage of the Vikings had such a wonderful captain, Peter Bos, that I'd sail almost anywhere to have him as captain. He tried so hard to get us into difficult ports in Greenland and reported what was happening at regular intervals, informing the passengers of what he and Seattle were trying to do and then apologized when things didn't work out. He was so personable and approachable that I rate him right up there with my other all-time favorite, Captain Eric on the old Orient Cruise Lines when they owned the Marco Polo.

4* HAL.....Princess, Elite.....42 ships....7 continents....800+days at sea

I seem to remember a MacDonald's or Starbucks a couple or three blocks up the street from the ship in Hamilton where it was free if you bought some small thing to eat or drink.

ACTIVE military personnel are eligible.....

........also RETIRED military personnel who meet these requirements:

Retired personnel defined as

A) enlisted personnel or officers with a minimum of 20 years of service,

B) medically retired, or

C) 100% disabled

Like I said, always do the math!

MandD .... Yes, I omitted the military OBC and it's the same amounts as what is given to owners of 100 shares of Carnival stock.

ACTIVE military personnel are eligible.....

........also RETIRED military personnel who meet these requirements:

Retired personnel defined as A) enlisted personnel or officers with a minimum of 20 years of service,

B) medically retired, or C) 100% disabled

Some may like a reminder of the various $ benefits available for Princess cruisers. I find that when deciding whether to book two b2b instead of booking as a single cruise that it helps to do the math.

OBC

Amt of OBC from owning 100 shares of Carnival stock:

length of cruise Amt of OBC

6 days or less ......................$50

7-13 days ......................... $100

14 days or more ................. $250

Amt of OBC from using FCC

length of cruise Inside or Oceanview Balcony or Suite

3-6 days.....................$15 ....................... $25

7-10 days ................... $25 ....................... $50

11-16 days .................. $75 ......................$100

17+ days .....................$125 .......................$150

FREE INTENET MINUTES PRINCESS Platinum level or higher

7 day cruise ................. 150 minutes

8-20 days .................... 250 "

21 days or more............. 500 "

OK, I was wrong. The first PIAZZA was on the Crown.

I just realized that the area I was talking about was the PIAZZA and it was my impression at the time that the Emerald was the first ship to offer this. I think I'd better grab a cruise on her next winter before she leaves the Caribbean for good.

I guess I just remember that entertainers in the atrium was something new on the Emerald.

Colo Cruiser, I didn't know there were atriums with entertainment and the Internatiolna Cafe before Emerald, but in checking my ship history with Princess I see that we'd only been on the Sea, Star, Sun and Caribbean before that cruise on the Emerald.