cruisinfamily7609

Funny. Grandeur was my favorite ship on RCCL. I say “was” because it’s been a hot minute or 50 since I last cruised on RCCL...but you’d never catch me on Icon or any of those mega ships. We took one of them (Vision of the Seas, I believe), many years ago when it was one of the biggest in the world, and while the cruise was still fun, I decided then and there I’d leave the megaships to others and stick to something a little smaller. So for me, yeah at the time I did judge RCCL based on Grandeur. And quite honestly, while I’d recognize the age of the ship, that shouldn’t have anything to do with the quality of the food and/or service onboard. I mean, one should be able to say “sure, this ship is not the youngest in the fleet and it doesn’t have all the bells, whistles and “newness” of say...ICON, but the service is still great and the food is good.” On the other hand, I do think it’s fair to say that a cruise to the Antarctic would be incredibly different from one to the Mediterranean, Caribbean or even the Mexican Riviera, regardless of the ship, and/or cruise line involved.

We are traveling with my 80-year old mother in February on NCL. It has been nearly 20 years since I last left out of San Pedro terminal - are there baggage handlers or porters? I’m sure there’s got to be, but I also remember having the option to take our luggage on board ourselves when we cruised this last summer on Carnival so I thought I’d better ask and be prepared! My mom uses a walker, so it sounds like maybe having a wheelchair would be the best option for her. Is it pretty easy to request one or do I have to somehow reserve it in advance? Once she’s on the ship I think she’ll be okay with just her walker since she can take her time.

This is good to know. I’m gluten intolerant and I’ve yet to find good GF bread (although I will say I like Trader Joe’s GF white bread, but the slices are so small and is SO high in calories I can’t eat it anyway. LOL) I was wondering about their gluten free pizza on board. I was told it was really good, but of course that would depend on who is making it that day, I’m sure.

We’ve flown in and out the day of cruising and returning for as long as we’ve cruised. I think we’ve had one cruise where we actually flew in a day early and left a day late and my husband was not the least bit thrilled about doing so (or spending the money to do so), and we haven’t done it since. This time, since we’ve moved out of the LA area, we are driving down the night before our cruise and staying overnight. Here’s the thing: everyone is different. Would *I* like to come down early and stay at a nice hotel? Sure. Anything to extend vacation is a-ok with me! My husband though, sees it VERY differently. He doesn’t like missing work, vacation is sort of a “forced” thing for him, and he certainly isn’t going to take off more time just to get somewhere early and stay in a hotel overnight, particularly because doing so costs extra. Even if we have the budget to do so (we do), he isn’t one to spend on things like family vacations. Cruising isn’t a past-time for us, it is a treat! We did a lot of red-eye flights to get to the east coast early and onto a ship. I realize many of you may think that’s nuts. I’d agree. But, when it’s the only choice you have between cruising and not cruising (and certainly not multiple times in a year)...you do what you can. So many people who post here on Cruise Critic are just incredibly privileged individuals and don’t even see it; which is just...well...it’s actually pretty embarrassing to see the lack of self awareness. Even back when Cruise Critic was just a forum board on AOL, people acted as though it was perfectly normal to have thirty cruises in the bag, with another twenty or in planning. It is as though no one realizes that most people don’t take ten cruises a year or something. HELLOOOOO....The rest of the country, much less the whole world, is not necessarily wealthy. Not everybody can even cruise once, much less cruise in a suite, or be platinum/diamond/etc members on any line, or even cruise more than once every few years. It doesn’t make them heathens, or even people you might not want to know. It makes them the majority, to be brutally honest. If you have the type of lifestyle that affords you such things, take more time to count yourself lucky, and less time to judge everyone else for what they aren’t able. Asking questions about why someone wouldn’t go early and stay over is like asking why someone wouldn’t sail in a balcony cabin every single time they cruise. Not everyone has the same opportunity or budget. I don’t fault those who can, but I feel like I have to sometimes beg forgiveness because we couldn’t, and still don’t. I feel lucky to just be able to get on a ship again, regardless of whether I am flying in last minute or - as the case will be this time - driving in the night before. Maybe that’s just me.

I am gluten intolerant. There is no way I'm telling the server when I get on board Saturday. No way, because of all the reasons everyone else has brought up. This way, it is up to me to decide what I can or cannot eat, and I’ve gotten pretty good about being able to say “leave the gravy on the side” or “I prefer no bun, please”. I can’t stand gluten-free bread (seriously yet to find one that is even worth eating), cross-contamination isn’t a problem since I don’t have Celiac, and as someone else said - for me it is a mere inconvenience, not life threatening. Also, it gives me a very good reason to avoid stuff I shouldn’t be eating anyway. LOL I know I could go to the MDR and alert everyone to my intolerance, but I find it is just far better if I handle it on my own. The situation would be completely different for me if I had Celiac, though.

My husband and I sailed Celebrity when we were young. I think we were just about 30. It was a lovely, but very quiet experience compared to Royal Caribbean (keep in mind this was 22 years ago, so yes now I’m in the 50+ crowd. LOL) At the time, we could see why people loved Celebrity, but we were still craving a little more nightlife. Nowadays, we are more than ready for peace and quiet when we cruise alone. That said, we are going on a cruise a week from today and will be going with our three adult kids...and we’re on Carnival. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun and a cruise I hope to remember for a very long time. 🙂 Best of luck - I think you’ll figure out what will work best for you!

I have three kids (they’re adults) and they’re all in one cabin while my husband and I are in another. I checked everyone in, got them their sail & sign cards, made sure their passport info was added and correct. It was super easy. You are able to make more than one sail & sign account per cabin - so like for my kids each of them has their own credit card - and so it is just a matter of assigning the right credit card to the proper person. Very simple.

I've been cruising a long time. The very first time I cruised was in 1995, and THAT line was long. Everything was done pretty much by hand, including the paperwork that I had to fill out and then present to the staffmember checking us in, who then had to put it in a computer. I’ve been to the Long Beach Terminal before, and while no - it’s not a cruise terminal - it is really not any worse than any other terminal I’ve checking in at. I think it’s a matter of just going with the flow and not doing your darnedest to compare with other cruise lines. Just have fun and relax - it’s vacation!!

We are on the Panorama on 6/17. About two days ago we received an email from Carnival letting us know that the ship is experiencing an issue that is “affecting its maximum cruising speed” and the team at Carnival is working on a repair plan. As a result, they adjusted the itinerary for our cruise, now leaving Cabo at 2pm and the return to Long Beach will be at 9:30. This doesn’t just affect our cruise, but will affect all cruises from 6/3 to 7/1. It’s not that big of a time difference, but I am curious to hear if they really are able to get back to LB by 9:30 am on the day of disembarkation. Again, it doesn’t matter for us because we are driving from the central coast and back again, but for others - maybe it will really mess up travel plans. Checked in for our cruise this morning. SO much easier than back in the day when we had to do everything right at the port before boarding. I remember doing that for our honeymoon and having papers everywhere to scramble through. Then again, I also remember the days where I’d be watching my mailbox like a hawk waiting for my docs to arrive and getting everything - including the luggage tags - and being so excited. Still super excited, but it’s a teeny bit different now. Never been on Carnival before, but we’re going with our three kids this time - they’re all grown now, but not so grown they want to be on Celebrity where it’s far quieter. I think it’s going to be a blast for all of us!

I will say that we’re not cruising until next July - 2024 - and we can’t really reserve much yet. I am not complaining, it is about 450 days (give or take) until we cruise. I just know I’ve looked for various things and noticed that no matter where I look within the site, it is far too early to book dinner reservations. LOL

Our first cruise with Seabourn is still well-over a year away, but reading your review makes me wish it were sooner! 🙂 Your trip sounded lovely, and I appreciate all of the points and tips given. Thanks!

I think it’s just a matter of preference. We cruised in an aft cabin once on RCI, probably *winces* in September of 2004 (time flies I guess) and yes - we found it to be a little dirty with soot. Honestly - we didn’t use the space, so we haven’t booked it again. That said, I know MANY cruisers who love them and don’t mind paying the extra for them. (back when we cruised in one, they weren’t really much extra. I want to say ours was a mini-suite, but it was so long ago now, I can’t swear to it) The soot probably depends on where you’re cruising, the wind and weather, and that sort of thing.

We’re on a cruise to Mexico in June. The last time we visited the Mexican Riviera was in 2005. I figure that the worst case scenario for us is that we’ll stay onboard the ship. For us, the itinerary chosen was out of ease based on where we live. The ship is the true destination for us, and I don’t think any of us would necessarily care if we didn’t go ashore in one place or another. Shame that people can’t just answer the question without feeling the need to apply judgment first, but that’s Cruise Critic for you. I’d forgotten how people make snark into a sport here. Time is too short for that, IMO.

My kids (they’re adults) are doing this excursion on our cruise in June. I’m actually surprised there aren’t more reviews (for anything really) on the Carnival website. Makes it hard to know what to book, particularly when the reviews don’t seem all that recent. Anyway, my kids are super excited about that excursion so I hope it’s good. I’m going to be on the ship, enjoying the getaway!

Let’s see...we last cruised in 2013, I think...but that’s just a guess, to be honest. Since then, we’ve camped and done other land based vacations. This is going to be a huge change for several reasons. Our young teens are now adults, our preschooler is now a teenager, and we are now in our 50s. We haven’t ever cruised on Carnival as a family - our last cruise was on Royal Caribbean. It's been so long, I don’t even think we HAVE expectations other than enjoying ourselves!

I would just like to point out that it makes ZERO difference whether it was a suite or not. Just because you have larger accommodations does not mean your space deserves to be cleaner. The fact is, no guest should need to let that sort of thing slide, regardless of whether you are in the Owners Suite or in an inside cabin on level 1. 🙂

mine too. I remember how wonderful our honeymoon cruise was - even on Royal Caribbean. I’d rather be on a cruise ship of that size, with those amenities and that kind of service/food/etc. It was special, and we loved it. I don’t need the water slides, or massive ships, but the problem is I do want the service, and finding it is tough. Not even the ultra-luxury lines do a lot of what I remember from my first cruises.

Our first cruise was our honeymoon on Majesty of the Seas (Royal Caribbean). From there we did Celebrity and then back to Royal when we took our kids with us. This will be our first on Carnival. We stayed away purely because of the reputation Carnival had back in the 90s and early 2000s (haven’t cruised in quite some time). It was known for being a party line for its shorter cruises, and even some of the week itineraries, and we just liked Royal enough to stay with them. Since then though, our oldest went on a Carnival cruise and loved it, so we decided to try it. Why not? I will say that I felt very nickeled and dimed on the mass market lines, Carnival and Royal included these days - while booking. For me, it’s not the cost, it’s the hassle-factor. I think it is absolutely ridiculous to choose a cabin level and then have to pay more to be mid-ship or wherever. Onboard, it seems annoying to have to pay for extra entrees, or even to pay for “Faster to the Fun” (I did because I don’t like waiting when I don’t need to) I figure we’ll go this summer, see how it goes, and then decide from there for whatever trip comes next. I’m keeping an open mind, but going in with my eyes open, too. It’s our vacation - we just want to have a good time. As for an “entry” line though, I truly believe that word has more to do with budget than it does being a “starter”. I mean, it’s the same with homes. If you’re purchasing a home, you buy what you can afford. In some areas of the country, that could mean buying a very small condo because of the expense. In others, you might take the same amount of money and buy a much larger home on acreage - it’s cheaper there. That doesn’t mean it’s a starter home, but it might be your first home. And let’s face it, we don’t all live in the same area of the country, nor do we all make the same amount of money or have the same budget in mind for a cruise vacation. The other thing I’d add here is that buying a cruise on Seabourn or Seven Seas, Regent or Cunard doesn’t necessarily mean it is fancier or even that it has different amenities - although it may. It might just mean that there are less people on the ship. Maybe it’s quieter. Maybe it has to do with staff to guest ratio, or being able to go to ports the larger ships can’t even begin to think about. I think it must have a lot to do with how one defines “entry level” as to how this question is answered, and perhaps, to some extent - this is what the OP intended. At one point in my life, I was all about the nightlife on the ship. I wanted tons of activities and things to do. I didn’t mind loud and crazy. I still don’t mind these things when I’m traveling with my kids, because now they’re older too - my youngest is 15 and my oldest two are in their mid-20s. They want the things I used to look for. These days though, when it’s just my husband and I cruising, I’m looking for something that isn’t necessarily FANCY, but is quieter. Still fun, but in a different way from when I was in my 20s. And fewer kids...because I’ve already raised mine and now I need a good “starter” vacation from taking my kids everywhere with us! 😄

I am so sad to hear about the children flying into Turkey that were killed by the massive earthquake(s). That is tragic. I live in California, which of course is known for earthquakes and I feel for the people in Turkey. I honestly cannot imagine what they must be going through. Thanks again for sharing your trip - it has been so humorous and thoughtful! 😄

Not a chance!! I can’t speak for everyone, but I’m thoroughly enjoying them. It’s so nice to hear about the ship, even if it’s not the same itinerary! That said, I love cruising altogether and I’ve really missed going for the last ten years or so. (We were busy raising children. One last one in the nest!)

We loved it! There were four of us and we went on a land-based vacation for three weeks. Landed in Naples (not the most beautiful city, but we still had fun the one evening we were there - it is so different from where I live in California), then went to Sorrento for a few days, then to Rome for three nights, then a tiny hamlet outside of San Gimingano in Tuscany for five nights, Bologna for two, and then up to La Morra, a teeny little village in Piedmont for another five nights, and lastly - a two night stay in Milan. It was a dream trip for me, as my family is Italian/Sicilian and I’d never been. We felt comfortable and safe the entire time, including on the numerous trains we took to get around. Highly, HIGHLY recommend. In fact, I recommend it so much we are doing the Ovation and when we debark the ship in Civitavecchia we will spend a few more days in Rome again. I can’t wait! Eventually, perhaps our next cruise after this one, I’ll get to Sicily. 🙂

My goodness, sorry to read about your trivia team member! How frightening for her - good that she smacked him with her bag! It does serve as a good reminder to watch yourself. Your cruise diary is thoroughly entertaining, thank you for writing it!!

Faster To The Fun. 🙂

Wow. Is that really even necessary? Just be glad you didn’t spend the money since you’re so sure it isn’t worth it. If you can’t say anything nice, why even bother? Do you just enjoy being nasty and getting your digs in whenever possible just for fun?