PolicromaSol

MDR, buffets, and some snack bars are free. Plain brew coffee and tea is free. Essence water is free, milk is free. Sodas, cocktails, mocktails, fancy coffee, fresh squeeze juice, and fancier dining are extra.

Ouch! 😲

Me personally, no, but it's quite common since every boat has something a little different to offer.

IMO, kind of a pointless virtue signal, given how much fuel a cruise ship consumes to get around. But I look forward to seeing pictures of it from anyone sailing out on the 9th.

I was wondering when someone would react to the typo....🤣

Wish I had that kind of free time.🤣

I'm sure my Mother in Law would, but you'd never get her on a boat!

True. Disney is a hell of a "busy" trip even under the quietest of times, while a cruise could be considered a pure "chill" trip. I know a recovered cancer patient that still has issues with energy levels years later. She could probably never handle something like an amusement park these days. That said, personally I don't mind if someone boards with a minor illness, so long as they wash their hands. To the OP, I suggest that if you try again, just pick the calmest cruise you can. Not a lot of activities or port excursions. Just relaxing and maybe a spa visit.

Is that stuff taxable? 🤔

Joking aside, I have heard of bids winning mid-cruise. People were talking about it in another thread.

I really hope we get more offerings out of Galveston. It's within reasonable driving distance for me, and there's a lot of resorts on the way. Makes a good family road trip.

Better a cold than norovirus....

We're definitely getting to the end of the road on this. There are barely any requirements as it is, and I doubt the remaining ones will stick around much longer. Well, anyway, that's partially why I plan these things out well in advance. I got until March, so there's more chances they'll have given up the formalities entirely by then.

Inflation. It's a killer. 😔

I think you know what to do.... 🤣

There's nothing wrong with smaller ships. You will find plenty of activities regardless. (Assuming you don't get tempted to nap the cruise away.) I find that smaller ships seem to make up what they lack in fancy features with more sit-down activities and the like.

Oh man, I'd love to do one of these someday, but I feel like they'd almost be wasted on our little family of 3. Plus by the time we get around to a cruise that heads here, my kid will probably be more interested in the giant water slides.

Believe me, none of us are saying this to be mean, but your sister will probably *need* the vacation after something like this. (And if it were me I'd add a veeeeeeeeeeeeeeery long spa visit....) Shortly before I met him, my husband had been laid off just before a major vacation. (The one that resulted in us meeting for the first time.) And when he spoke with a financial advisor, they told him to just go ahead and take it, for the same reason. Everything had already been paid up and reserved. What was canceling it going to help? Provided you can keep the rest of your life together, there's no harm in continuing with existing plans. (Granted, this was over 20 years ago...) Does she have a friend or relative's house who she could leave her valuables/electronics/paperwork at? I'm sure there are ways that the rest of the house could be secured while she is out. The insurance company may even have suggestions. (Some are good about this, and some may even consider it a bonus that they don't have to pay for a hotel stay while her house isn't safe to occupy.) Pets can be taken to a kennel if need be. I'm just saying it may be best to find ways to ease her mind while she's gone, rather than try to wiggle out of it.

Digging around the FAQs on the spa, found that this company handles the spa treatments, and they sell that brand: Home page | TIMETOSPA

Yeah, used to work at an office that used RFID cards. We always kept them in sleeves, assuming we didn't just stuff them in the back of our phone case. We could always scan them without fuss. Come to think of it...

For what it's worth the TSA has never given my husband's CPAP any grief. Me on the other hand, I've gotten crap for carrying a light pen. (As in one that lights up so you can see in the dark while you write.)

I feel like I'm on something by watching it....

Working tech support I feel the same. Sometimes you want to say something. But you don't. It's more of a hassle dealing with the blowback. I try to be as self sufficient as possible with this kind of stuff so I am not ruining some employee's day. And I'm also the weirdo who drives the family to the ship port. (It's a great excuse to make the vacation longer. Wouldn't be realistic on some itineraries, but still...)

Welcome to cruising. 🤣

How are you going to do a Panama Canal cruise on an Oasis-class monster? (That's my bucket list cruise, BTW. If only I had the time!)