Eli_6

Great suggestion. I don't think I was doing that. I just had changed the shipping address.

We did Alaska (which requires coats and boots plus took formal wear) in just carry on and back packs. Last year, we did 3.5 weeks in Europe with just carry ons, a backpack, and 1 checked luggage. Only reason I checked a piece of luggage was because I bought gifts to a friend and her daughters that included an American Girl Doll, clothes, and books. How do I do it? 1. I wash clothes on the ship or use the laundry service so we don't bring more than about 5-6 days of clothing. 2. I limit number of shoes we bring to 1 pair snear, 1 flip flop and 1 formal wear shoe (if we do formal night). This is a big deal because my husband wears size 12/13 and my boys have adult size feet already despite being 8 and 10. 3. I vacuume pack any bulky items like coats or jackets. 4. Most days I don't wear makeup at all...if I do, it is foundation, powder and lip gloss. I pack very little jewelry. 5. I buy sodas, wine, etc. once we get to where we are going. Honestly, this year I probably will even skip formal wear because that usually requires an extra bag and it is just extra to carry. The reason I do this is: 1. I want everyone to be able to carry their own luggage. I am traveling with two kids and so can't be carrying my luggage, and carrying their luggage or messing with a cart. 2. Due to no fault of our own (roads shut down in port of Dover and no one could get anywhere) we had to walk 1.3 miles to the ship carrying our luggage from our hotel. Things like this happen sometimes...especially in Europe. Another time (on a different trip) someone jumped in front of our train (to commit suicide) and they had to shut the train down and we had to walk a long ways to a bus stop. Things like this happen. Best to not have to deal with a bunch of luggage. 3. Last summer, there were lots of problems with bags being lost. It was truly next level ridiculous. Flying carry on only prevents this from happening. 4. It is just easier.

Thanks! I will check that out.

That is actually not a bad idea at all because they live on the TX/LA border and would be less likely to experience motion sickness.

Yes, they specifically asked my husband to ask for my advice so no need for you to be snarky. In fact, they asked him to tell me to "find them a cruise they would enjoy." No, I am not accompanying them on the cruise. I plan all of our family vacations (for my husband, myself and my children) and have been cruising since I was 14 years old (now 42) so that is why they asked.

I guess I would say "full of rocks." I could feel the coils sticking into me. It just seemed like a really cheap mattress. I was on the Breeze in February and the mattress was fine...but I suspect that was one of the "old" mattresses.

Never mind....just saw what shipping charges are on Amazon international.

I think maybe I am going to try to buy a mattress topper on Amazon Spain and have it shipped to my hotel in Spain. We will be there for 3 nights ahead of time.

I am literally the first sailing after dry dock on Pride. Our room steward actually put two mattress covers on our bed on the Breeze after I complained...and even then it wasn't great. He offered to try to find us some "old" mattresses, but I told him that was too much trouble for a 4 day cruise. I would think they would be replacing the mattresses on Pride...but I suppose there is a possibility they won't be. I honestly hope they aren't.

We just got off the Breeze and the beds were terrible. Our cabin steward informed us that we had new mattresses. He said other people had complained about them, too, and it seems like everyone liked the old mattresses better. I have always thought that Carnival had super comfortable beds, but these new ones are awful. I am worried now about my 12 day Europe cruise on the Pride since it will just be coming out of dry dock. I am starting to wonder if I need to travel with an egg carton or something. The only problem is that I am trying to do carry on only. BA won't check your luggage through in Heathrow if the short leg and TA flight are not on the same ticket (mine aren't since the LHR-BCN is only one way and my TA was a rewards ticket) and I don't want to have to go through customs and security to pick up and recheck my "checked" luggage. Has anyone else found a way to make the bed more comfortable in a space saving (for packing) manner?

I think it is because the cruise I just went on is the the cruise that will push me into "Platinum" on my next cruise and it hasn't yet been applied to my VIFP points. The website says: "Took a cruise and you don't see it here? Cruises may take up to 14 business days after a sailing to reflect on your account history. If there is a sailing missing, let us know by clicking this button." I just got off the ship on Monday so I would assume that it will show up sometime in the next 10 days or so.

I am so sorry for your loss. Animals become like a part of our family. I agree that the cruise will help you keep your mind off of the loss. We had a Great Dane who lived 12 years we lost when my son was a baby. It was heart-breaking. Two of the last pets I have gotten have been a macaw and a tortoise because they will outlive me unless they get sick.

I am not getting them to Europe. Already tried that. I am going to recommend that they look into Princess, HAL, or Celebrity.

Yeah, Jubilee might be a good option out of Galveston. They would not have to fly then.

How did you get this to work? My family and I all have android devices.

I hear what yall are saying about Alaska sometimes being rough, but I don't think the itineraries that depart from Seattle go up to Anchorage so I think you are pretty much within sight of land for all but maybe the first day.

We did Alaska on the Splendor. Book the smaller boat that goes up the Fjord asap as they book up fast and that excursion is well worth the price. In Icy Straight Point, I recommend just buying the gondola passes once you get there and riding them up and down the mountain rather that booking anything through the cruise. That is an experience in and of itself. There are also hiking trails around there that are fun. It was one of our best days. In Junea, we took a helicopter to the top of the glacier. I am glad we did it once, but I probably won't do it again because those excursions are $$$$. Bring a rain jacket. I got one that condenses down super small for packing, but still works great. Bring an eye mask or chip clips to keep the curtains closed if you are in a balcony room because it never gets completely dark.

My husband told me that his parents are wanting to go on a cruise. For years, their vacations have always involved driving somewhere like Colorado or Michigan and doing outdoorsy things. They have only even been a plane a handful of times...usually to go to Las Vegas or California or the Northeast...somewhere that is a bit far to drive to from Texas. My father-in-law has traditionally been very anti-cruise, but I guess our cruising has changed his mind. My in-laws mentioned to my husband that they were looking at the 8 day Dream out of Galveston. However, my father-in-law cannot go offshore fishing because he gets sea-sick so I have concerns about them doing that cruise because it goes across the gulf and can sometimes get rough. Also, I can see him getting annoyed with the big crowds, lots of kids and party atmosphere. I personally think that they need to do an Alaskan cruise. It is a much more low-key crowd, they will love the sights, and I don't think the boat will rock as much. Any other itineraries you would recommend? If they do Alaska, which Carnival boat would you rec? We did the Splendor before and I liked it...although, the circles and the pink may be a bit much for my FIL. I know the Luminosa is cruising next summer from there. Any thoughts on that ship?

I am turning platinum on my next cruise as well. Anxiously awaiting for my "check in" time to turn from 14 days to 16 days. I just got off my cruise that bumped my next cruise up to platinum yesterday so hoping that it turns soon.

The monopoly box is rectangle. It fits in a 21/22 inch carry on suitcase.

I am back from the cruise. The staff was great...especially our room steward Putu. Food was okay. All the guests were well-behaved (generally speaking), but GOODNESS there were SOOOOOO many kids on this cruise. I have never seen that many even when cruising pre-Covid at Christmas. It was an hour wait to check your kids into the kids club and my kids said that there was about 100 kids in each age group. The teenagers who seemed to be the worst behaved. My husband caught some of them spitting off the slide stairs on guests below and told them, "Cut that sh*t out" and they did. Then, last night, we had someone ding-dong ditch our cabin three times. (I.e. knock on the door and then run off.) We still had fun and the boat and crew handled the crowds as well as could be expected, but there were lines for everything. I think the kids outnumbered the adults. My husband thought this was the "busiest" and most crowded he had ever seen a boat, but I think Christmas in 2019 was just as bad. He also referred to this cruise as the "hormonal" cruise because of so many teens running amuck. And almost everyone was blue or red so a lot of people who didn't seem to know cruise etiquette...or who were just walking around looking dazed and confused. Another thing: They just replaced the mattresses and they are really uncomfortable. I think they must have gotten the cheapest kind they had. The third and fourth beds (pull down and couch) were also terribly uncomfortable and my husband said that we will NOT be cruising with four of us in a cabin again. We still had fun, but I will avoid cruising at Easter in the future.

It is Easter for us.

I feel a bit like I am in a camper.