Mum2Mercury

Well, yeah. I thought the rule was, MINORS match their parents' loyalty level. Once she's no longer a minor, the rule wouldn't apply to her. It never really helped or hurt me, but that's how I assumed it worked.

Reiterating what someone else said: I never return towels (until the end of the cruise, obviously); rather, I exchange them. That is, I get my towels on Day 1 and exchange them, exchange them, exchange them. Benefits of this system: - My room number isn't going in /out of the computer multiple times per day, so less chance of human error. - I have towels in my room as early (or late) as I want -- even if the towel station is closed. Negatives of this system: - I always have a shelf full of towels in my cabin closet. I don't care, but a cabin housing 3-4 people might need that shelf for clothing. - I have to remember to bring them up to the pool deck. One more thing: If you don't return a towel, the cost is $25.

Yes! This! Well, in all honesty, the crew is going to come around every hour or so .. if you happened to take your bathroom break at just the right (or wrong?) time, you could get a card, even if you hadn't been chair hogging ... but, if you're back in a few minutes, nothing will come of it.

If we remove the chair hog problem, chairs would be available when you come back from that "quick" breakfast, which means you wouldn't feel it necessary to leave your things at the pool.

In general, we avoid ship-sponsored excursions /use private vendors. We have always been very happy with our private vendor tour guides and tip them about 10% of the cost of the excursion. In contrast, the few ship-sponsored excursions we've used have been large groups shepherded by lackluster tour guides who put in the minimum amount of effort. We typically do not tip them.

No formal night on a 3-night.

Hmmm, we've heard of people being told, "You must finish one before you can have a second", but we haven't heard, "NO, you cannot have more." That's worse, and I'd like to hear whether this is a pattern over the rest of the cruise -- or just one waiter who made a mistake. Reminds me of my girls having lobster on a cruise for the first time. One asked, "Do they kill the lobsters or just wait for them to die?" Apparently she hadn't considered that animals are food previously. Um, Sweetheart, we have to face some facts. She got over it, and she's a hard-core carnivore.

Yes, bottled water on the ship is 100% an optional purchase. The free water at Cafe Promenade or Windjammer tastes good -- I drink a ton of it when we cruise. Many people like to have a bottle to take off the ship, but ONE bottle (or a refillable bottle) is enough, as you can refill it. Ideally, bring a wide-mouth bottle that you can easily refill from Windjammer's ice water cups. Definitely. And I wonder if anyone asked, "What's going to happen with all these plastic bottles after people have consumed our product? Can the earth afford this?" You know, when a system WORKS, it's often invisible. That is, people just don't notice /don't pay attention to how it works. They just use it. Examples are all around us: Water, electricity, highways ... but when these things don't work /fail temporarily, people notice (and suffer) because they need those things so badly in daily life. In contrast, if bottled water isn't available, no one's really suffering. You can bring 12 non-alcoholic beverages of average size. Is it something like 16-18 oz per bottle?

True, many of the things on this "new" menu were on the "old" menu, but they're rearranged and interposed with new items. But, no, they didn't really start from scratch with the new menus. Yes, I definitely appreciate hearing what was good /what we should skip ... and details about WHY so I know whether I'd share that opinion or not. But the menus aren't the same for every day? Are they not serving what's on the menu? I absolutely love Mexican food ... seems like most people do. Fish & Ships on Independence seemed to be popular too. You're right that some people just like complaining. You're not the first person to say that on these boards, and I wouldn't have guessed it from the name. I'm going to have to try that on our next cruise. Well, many of us would like to know which dishes most people prefer ... ahead of time. Who doesn't love a good baked potato? Of course, I'm American, but I have Irish ancestors on both sides of my family -- and some stereotypes are true.

True, but that isn't the only measurement of "what's right". Any man with sense will take some care to make his girlfriend happy, and if she's wearing a ball gown, he should take a hint. Your opinion and my opinion don't matter to him -- but hers should. Eh, yeah, we've all seen this picture before -- but this particular moment of MDR waiting line history isn't typical. Another picture taken five minutes later probably would've shown people dressed to the 9s, and the average diner is actually somewhere in between the two. Seriously? Shorts and kilts aren't comparable, and -- sadly -- we don't see nearly enough kilts! Kilts can be dressed up or dressed down, but when men wear them to formal night, they tend to go all out with the jacket, dress shoes, etc. Eh, aren't the crew kinda required to say, "Yes, yes, yes" to anything the customer says?

While people will be wearing shorts in the MDR, they will be the minority. Yes, you'll see a few people in gym shorts, but they'll mostly be teens. Most men wear pants /nice jeans and a polo /dress shirt /Hawaiian type shirt. Most women wear sundresses /casual dresses. Has he considered how he will feel in shorts /polo shirt while his girlfriend is in a ball gown? Has he considered how SHE will feel taking pictures with such a mismatch? I suspect he will feel uncomfortable once the time arrives.

Random thoughts: - You've already received some great information about how to avoid lines. - One thing I don't think anyone mentioned: The lines to board /disembark are very real, and I don't think any of us enjoy that part of the cruise. And that's unavoidable. - Is it possible he isn't crazy about traveling with extended family and is using this "lines thing" as an excuse? At this point, I'd tell the extended family, "We've chosen this cruise. Here are the details about date, travel, boarding, etc. How many people from each family will attend? We need a solid answer by this date so we can book the trip."

We cruised in balconies as a family of four several times, and it was fine. The balcony is the cheapest way to get a completely separate space where someone can find a bit of privacy. If you get balconies next to one another (on most ships), you can ask the cabin steward to open the dividers between the rooms, and you can have one long balcony shared between the family; this is an easy way to come and go between cabins without going out into the public hallway. Yes, it was small, but we knew what we were getting into -- if someone was paying for my room, I'd be thrilled with it. Try to book your rooms near the gym, and half your crew can shower /use the bathroom in the gym. If that's not possible, book a room near public rest rooms.

Cruise showers are not the best /not the worst -- by the way, I'm talking about Royal Caribbean: - They are small. - Most of the ships have a curved glass door rather than a shower curtain, which doesn't cling to you or leak. - They include a hand-held shower head. - The faucets are unique and take a moment to figure out, but once you set the temperature to your preferred level, it'll stay at that temperature for the rest of your stay. - The temperature is PLENTY HOT and the pressure is good. - I have never experienced a drop in pressure or temperature. - The only toiletry provided is a large container of all-purpose liquid, which is great for body wash but not so good for shampoo.

See, I think the opposite: I figure within 20 years, especially now that I'm retired, I'll have visited all the land-based spots I want to see ... and a cruise is just easy, especially if I opt for a B2B, so it would work well for an elderly vacationer.

I'm sure it has to do with them having fewer stewards now. Each one must "turn over" more rooms than in the past. I don't see how they do it. It is one of the older ships. I'm concerned about things like this -- in my experience, a good steward makes a lot of good things happen, even if they seem invisible. Yes, I always-always-always want a paper Compass. It feels "more complete". We loved Coco Cay, and I think we're in the majority. I think they advertise the slides, etc. because those things bring in money, whereas we're 100% satisfied with the no-cost loungers at Chill Beach. I think the official time is 2:00, and they aim to open at 1:00 so you'll be happy that your service was better than expected. Yes, I definitely enjoy a nicely balanced review -- because real life is never all bad or all good -- which gives plenty of details. This one was A+ with solid information.

Of course! I'm 56, so twenty years only makes me 76 ... maybe I won't be snorkeling or taking part in other strenuous activities, but I fully expect to be able to cruise. I come from a long-lived family with great genes, and I take care of myself. My mom's turning 80 this year, and she walks every day and manages a large garden. She might need a little more rest than she used to, but she could wheel her own luggage on /off without any difficulty.

Multiple thoughts: - Most excursions begin fairly early in the morning and return to the docks before noon. Some companies run a morning and an afternoon excursion that might begin at, say, 1:00 and return 4:00ish. Your question really only matters if you choose the afternoon excursion. - The morning excursions seem to be more popular, as most people would rather get up, complete their activity, then have the option of staying in port a bit longer OR returning to the ship early afternoon for lunch onboard. - Yes to what an above poster says about tour companies returning you to the docks exactly when promised. This is their job, and these companies do it seven days a week -- they can predict with accuracy how long it takes to drive to X, etc. - Note I said "return to the docks", not the ship. The tour guide will return you to the docks, and you still have to walk to the ship -- many people will choose to shop or drink very close to the ship. - Depending upon the island, getting back to the ship might be very quick; for example, in Aruba you could just about throw a ball and hit the ship from the sidewalk, and no impediments exist to slow you down. Other locations are different; for example, we were in Nassau in December: I think seven ships were docked that day, so that gives you an idea of how long the dock is, and island has a separate security checkpoint, which was a real bottleneck. They really stared at my passport, which was odd because it's a new passport /the picture is current. Anyway, I'd estimate it took us 30 minutes to get through the port security, walk the dock, then go through ship security. - Are you docking or tendering? Tendering is less common now, but it is a much more lengthy process. - I personally aim to be back at the ship two hours before it sails; I don't cut things close. Things can go wrong (small injuries that slow you down) or can go right (cute shop or bar you just have to visit). - I don't think an hour is enough to get back on the ship, have two people shower and dress and get to the restaurant. I'd give myself 1 1/2 -2 hours. If you're a bit early /late to dinner, they can usually accommodate you.

I enjoyed Blue Lagoon too. We visited on our very first cruise, and I did find the boat ride kinda long, but -- being inexperienced -- I hadn't yet realized some excursions require fairly lengthy transportation. No, we're on the East Coast, and we've never had a casino offer. It was, however, a last-minute deal and an inside guarantee. You're totally right that $99 isn't typical, but we jumped on it right away! Had a great time on Independence. I've never been into vacation shopping, but I'm neither a Millennial nor a Gen Z.

I don't mind bringing my own bottle of wine onboard. That $22 difference is a couple drinks or a taxi to the beach. I'm carrying a backpack anyway, and it's not a difficulty for me; someday when I'm old, it might be more difficult. Sure I may've paid thousands for the cruise ticket ... but why does that mean I should not be frugal with my other spending? The less I spend on things I CAN get for less, the more money I keep or can spend on other things. I didn't go from being a free lunch kid to a wealthy early retiree by spending when I could save! Yes, and this makes no sense. 1 bottle for a three-night ... 1 bottle for a seven-night ... 1 bottle for a 21 night. But 2 bottles for two B2B seven-nights. It's not at all equal.

A couple thoughts: - Like others here, I am confused about why the OP knowingly paid $$$$ for a short cruise, then complained about the price. In my humble opinion, that's way too much for a 4-day cruise. To put it in perspective, we paid $99 for a three-night on Indy last December ... of course, that doesn't include port fees and taxes, but the total was still under $500 for the two of us. - Yes, short cruises are different ... a little wilder, a lot more drinking. It's quite possible the OP didn't know this going in; if he had, perhaps he would have felt different about the trip. - Yes, this is Spring Break time ... perhaps the OP didn't realize he was booking a 4-day on steroids. - Summing up the above comments: You need to go into any cruise with the right expectations.

Since you said "My Time", I think you mean Royal Caribbean ... but, for all I know, other lines may use that same term. - You can make reservations quite early using the Royal Caribbean app on your phone. - Earlier times tend to go faster. - The smart thing is to make a reservation for each evening, then change it if you decide to do so. - They don't seem to be all that fussy about you being 15 minutes or so early /late. - They have one line for people with reservations, another for people without reservations -- the reservation line is significantly shorter. - We always had a two-person table.

What would I pack for 15 days? At a glance: - For dinners: 3-4 nice dresses, 2 pairs of pants (neither one black), 4 dressy tops ... you don't get messy or sweaty at dinner, so I'd plan to wear each one twice ... and in 15 days I would do casual a couple nights - For daytime wear: 4-5 casual dresses, 5 bottoms (skirts, shorts, whatever), 12 tops ... I'd hang things that I'd worn only to breakfast, etc. ... and wear things "on their last legs" for shore excursions, knowing they'd get sweaty and could not be worn again. - Two layering pieces: A thin sweater and a rain jacket (because I wouldn't let rain stop me on shore stops). - For the pool: With all those at-sea days, 3 swimsuits + 3 cover-ups - For the gym: 2 shorts + tees ... I'd have to wash these a couple times - Shoes: 2 pair of comfortable daytime shoes comfortable for walking ... probably a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of walking sandals ... 1 pair of dressy wedges in a basic color that'd match all my dinner things ... and a pair of pool shoes - Miscellaneous: 2 nightgowns, a couple pairs of socks (though I don't wear them often), and small clothes. Jewelry, a ball cap, a beach hat, a small backpack for shore trips and a small clutch purse for dinner.

The new process: - You need to make an appointment for check-in /boarding. You can do this online something like ... 45 days before your boarding date? If I'm wrong about the 45 days, someone will correct me. - When you make your appointment, you'll put in your passport /birth certificate information, your credit card (for onboard spending), your emergency contact. You can take a picture, but they always seem to re-do it at the terminal anyway. - The last item is your check-in time. Most people want the earliest time, which is usually 10:30. If you really want that, you can stay up until midnight the night before and do your check-in at 12:01. I'm a night owl, so this is easy for me. - Once this is all done, you'll be able to see your boarding pass (with a bar code) online. We like to print ours, but some people show it on their phones. - Off topic, but you'll also need to print your own luggage tags now. On your boarding day: - The terminal staff will line people up according to their check-in time. Suites, Keys and a few other groups go first, then 10:30 people, 11:00 people, etc. In my experience, they do enforce check-in times. - This seems to run pretty well. We've always checked in at 10:30, and we've usually set foot on the ship 11:00ish. - As other people have said, rooms open around 1:00. - Our luggage has always been in the hallway when we arrived, but -- as I said -- we've always had an early boarding time, so they haven't had time to get backed up yet. You know, first in -- first out for delivery. Disembarkation: - We found our disembarkation information on our bed after dinner towards the end of the cruise. - Yes, if you plan to use traditional disembarkation, you must put your luggage out the last night. - We much prefer self-disembarkation: You can walk off the ship any time you choose, but you must carry your own luggage. We have a long drive ahead of us, so we like to be among the first to disembark. We get into line at 7:00 (this doesn't make us first), and we tend to be in our car headed North 7:30 - 7:40. - If you haven't been through it yet, the new facial recognition software in the terminals is amazing. It really speeds you through the terminal.

Might be right.