fungirl28

We just booked a 15 day Cultural Crossing from the Netherlands in October 2026. This will be a first cruise on HAL but the price was less than a 7 day Med Cruise I took on RCCL. It gave me a March 2026 date for an additional deposit and a final payment date in August 2026.

I was loyal to Royal until recently and I felt like I got tricked on my last sailing. I had an amazing time but they switched the ship after I had painstakingly pick the stateroom I wanted on a ship that was older than I liked but I could've rolled with it. The ship they switched the sailing to, I would have never voluntarily picked that ship. But it was the itinerary I wanted and I was trying to deal with it. However, the treatment from the phone agent left was it for me. I started looking at other cruise ships and I noticed that I could get better itineraries on certain ships, for less money. I won't pay top dollar for old ships. I have future cruises booked on Virgin, Princess, Carnival and Royal. I will go where the best itinerary takes me.

I'm excited! Whenever I take a cruise from LA to Mexico, I am only there for the ship. I look forward to booking!

Whew....missed that. Thanks for pointing that out.

Thank you for sharing this. I've been looking for a particular itinerary and Virgin has the exact places I want to go. I will be giving them a try next year.

New passport process after I lost my expired passport. Applied expedited processing 7/19 at USPS. Received at Locator 79 - 7/24 Processing - 7/24 Once I realized that locator 79 had some issues with delays, I began to worry about whether I would get my passport in time. I emailed requesting expedited shipping last week. Emailed to have passport delivery expedited - 8/17 Card charged: - 8/21 Status switched to shipped - 8/21 Scheduled to be delivered by 8/24

I took my first cruise on Royal in 2005 and I have been cruising exclusively with them ever since. I loved sailing with Royal and after trying Carnival once in 2007 I was loyal to Royal. However, what has me looking at other lines is the less value for the high prices. I still enjoy the food as I am not a picky eater but I have notices the cuts in certain areas. I am fine with paying the price as long as I am getting the same value but if I am paying more just to get less, that is nonsensical to me. I am now looking at cruises on Carnival, Princess and Celebrity for future sailings. I will still sail Royal occasionally but I am definitely not using them for all my cruises anymore. And if I find a line that actually give me better service, that is who will get my money.

This is good to hear. Waiting for my passport for a Med Cruise in October. I also ordered expedited service since I do not want to stress myself out, lol.

This thread has helped me start to manage my expectations. Had my Oct 2023 cruise switched from Brilliance to Enchantment and I am a little apprehensive. I sailed on Enchantment about 16 years ago, and while it was a beautiful ship then, I have gotten used to the bigger ships. However, I picked this particular ports for the itinerary and it is my dream cruise and I am not willing to miss out on these ports.