deelightfull

I think the whole point is to limit how many people go, so no, there's no other way. It's really hard when so many people want to see this beautiful thing, but at the same time seeing the beautiful thing, ruins the beautiful thing. I don't have any good answers.

https://www.juneauempire.com/news/unprecedented-visitors-at-mendenhall-glacier-rapidly-outpacing-allowed-capacity/#:~:text=A service day equates to,do not need a permit. From the article, the tour companies are not booking tours they don't have permits for, so if you have a tour with a tour component you'll be fine. But, if you're visiting in August or September (or October!) It looks like getting a tour of otherwise visiting is going to be an impossibility. If visiting the glacier is vital, you need to go earlier in the season, which is not helpful now, but could be for those planning for 2024.

If you Google "carnival Mardi Gras deck plans" you get links to the pdf version on <carnival.com> and also an online copy on <cruisemapper.com>. Hope you find what you're looking for!

So you know where I'm coming from, I always do laundry at a laundromat at home, and if we're out for more than about 5 days I always do laundry on vacation. (And I'm used to doing laundry for three: me, hubby, and the teen boy.) If I were in your shoes, and I had laundry at the hotel I was in before the cruise, I'd consider doing it there. It would depend on what was going on the evening before departure and what the first day or two of the cruise is like. Most people don't come on the ship needing laundry, so it should be pretty empty then. I just don't like the idea of repacking dirty clothes, that would be the tie breaker. But activities for me would be the most important. So, really, for me, it would depend on what my biggest block of downtime looked like. No hotel laundry? I'd much rather do it on the ship, where I could go back and forth to my room instead of hang out at a laundromat. That beats the minor inconvenience of repacking dirty clothes. Have fun 😁 and enjoy your nice long vacation! Laundry on vacation isn't my absolute favorite, but I love taking a vacation long enough that it's necessary! 😉

West coast, best coast 😉! Looking forward to reading the rest!

If it was me I'd take the 1300 rooms. Mostly because two of them connect, and I think you'll find that helpful. (On the other hand, connecting doors are less soundproof than a solid wall). Secondly, they're closer to the elevators, and I like that. (Other people have valid reasons for disliking the same thing.)

Improv style games with the fun squad. Something like whose line is it anyway, later in the evening at a smaller venue like the punchliner.

This is easy for me, I don't drink alcohol, so don't ever get cheers anyway! It looks like you ended up going with a home port cruise. Which one did you end up picking?

You're absolutely right, and I'm one of those people that gets confused. Thanks!

Hmmm.... I think before the cruise you can only get spa passes for the length of the cruise, and then on board you can purchase day passes, if the spa has room that day. They don't usually sell day passes for sea days, as those days are the most crowded. Two days passes on a four day cruise is the length of the cruise, right? (I mean embarkation is one day, debarkation is one day, and then the two days in the middle?). I don't know if that's what you mean by four day. I know for sure the spa isn't available on debarkation. I know they use embarkation to sell stuff, I don't know if the thermal pass is open that day. 🤷

While we were docked in Ensenada on Father's Day they ran a while crew drill over the pa. (I'm sure other stuff was happening, but I didn't see anything else, just heard what was going on over the announcement system.) It was very interesting, to me anyway, as they called for crew members to lead each muster station in order to lifeboats and then each crew station went to boats/rafts. Second calls for each set of life rafts to be lowered. Then there a final announcement that must have been to clear rooms. Most of the announcements were just in the hall, but the final one was in the room. Then a "final final" announcement that everyone that was supposed to be at the debrief should report to the bridge and the drill was over and another announcements were heard were real and we should pay attention. 😁 I'm only a lowly red card, but it was interesting to me!

It's very similar to a futon, it's not that hard to put away.... But then you have to remake it 🫤. You can walk around it. And each lounges on their respective beds.

Yup! (From experience over President's Day weekend with the Radiance) 🤷

It was left the whole time and it was made at the same time the "big bed" was made.

I loved them on the Panorama because they'd tell you which elevator of the 6 would be for you. So you'd know which one you were waiting for and not miss the elevator that opened behind you!

I can't speak to every ship, every night. In my experience teen clubs are closed from about 4 to 8 (sea days, when they open earlier) or from 6 to 8. (Port days). But when they open at 8 they're open all the way to 1am. If your kiddo(s) will join you for the shows anyway, it shouldn't matter much. They'd be with you either way. As for afternoon snacks, buffet may be closed from 3 to 5:30, but there's always Guys or the Deli or Blue Iguana or about a million ice cream cones. 😉

I had fun looking around and thinking what I'd do. I'd do a holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years) cruise out of my home port, nicest room I could afford. (And my home post is Los Angeles, so I understand all about been there, done that, we only have like 5 ports total. 🤷) I look forward to seeing what you choose.

Fun idea! I've only ever sailed Carnival or of one port, Long Beach, but I've take three different ships from there. I also average ice cream 2.5 cones a day. 😁 I've had 0️⃣ female cruise directors on Carnival. 🤔

For our last cruise hubby got a phone call offering him an upgrade to higher floor, for like $20, which we didn't do. However, when we logged on, in the cruise planet there was that higher floor offer, but there was an additional offer for an upgrade to a room with spa access for the same price as a thermal suite for one. That offer we took. Now I know, always check the planner!

I know all about those red eyes! They're no fun, but necessary sometimes. I'm West coast traveler, so I don't know much about Newark specifically. I've only flown into Newark once. 🤷. It depends on how much your crew packs, but with five people and luggage, I personally would be voting for a car service, so you can insure the size of the car that's coming and it looks like it's going to cost about a $100. (And honestly, that works out to about $20 which is not that much more than five train tickets!) I believe there's a board specifically for New York. You may be able to get a better recommendation from natives. 😁

The Uber estimator is coming in at slightly less than either the car service or the taxi. Right now Uber estimated the ride in an XL at about $70, but I don't know if you'd be landing at time that would cause that price to go up. Uber is, of course, much more variable in price than either the taxi or the car service.

The website rometorio.com can be helpful in situations like this. It will compare options for you. https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Newark-Airport-EWR/Manhattan

Valid question! It was an upgrade because this interior came with spa privileges 😁.

My 15 year old goes to the 02 club now, but used to be in circle c. In both places, he plays the video games they have at the club. He's never gotten any wifi on any cruise, because we're mean and cheap like that 😉. (You do you. You're probably not as mean or as cheap as me.) Sometimes he brings his Switch on the cruise. I haven't kept track if he brought it to the club or not, but I know he hasn't lost it. 🤷

We were in room 1015, and I think most interiors can accommodate a rollaway. It absolutely was listed as accommodating 3 people, we had three people on the trip from the beginning. On other trips I could see where the third person would sleep, a couch, a Pullman, etc. We were initially in an interior with a Pullman and when we upgraded to this room, I was like, they know we're three people, right?! And my hubby was like, yup, the documents told me they'd put in a rollaway.... And then I couldn't find pictures. 🤷