MWarren3549

That I am sure is part of it. But I found this to be true long before the pandemic. It is a mindset that Americans have been bashed over the head with for so many decades ... it's a compulsion. And cruise tipping ... wow ... people can't wait to state how much above & beyond they tip the stewards and dining staff.

Yes, I've seen tip jars at the Starbucks windows. And yes, they do!! I am telling you ... Americans are falling all over themselves to TIP anyone & everyone. SMH ...

As soon as possible. The one I am on for my upcoming Jan. 2024 cruise has been sold out for a couple of weeks.

Tip jar at Starbucks DRIVE THROUGH!!!! OMG it is out of control.

Yes - that is true for the onboard venues. I have been part of very large groups many times and I'm heading out on another cruise on 1/20th. We pay a large premium to have these venues closed and used for our group alone. The Piano Barbarians close the Piano Bar throughout the cruise where it is only our group inside. They are a great, rowdy bunch ... My tribe.

LOL It always amuses me when people apply US norms and labor laws and ADA laws to companies OUT OF THE COUNTRY .... Most staff are paid an X $ amount for their contract. Or a set X $ amount PER MONTH of their contract ... they are NOT paid an hourly wage for the 14 - 18 hours a day that they work. FYI - I work very closely with a cruise line employee and am in the middle of processing his Visa docs to submit to homeland security.

But you can't travel/go ashore on 'LOCAL' time ... you ALWAYS have to remain on 'SHIP' time.

NO! Never change your watch to local time. ALWAYS keep it on 'Ship' time. The difference is: Getting back to the ship EARLY or becoming a pier runner and most likely missing the ship and finding your things on the dock.

IDK if you want to hear this ... I did a 12 day transatlantic cruise from NY to Amsterdam. Flew to Ireland ... spent 3 days at an airbnb in Dublin and then met up with a land tour group for 2 week bus tour around Ireland. I did laundry bag on ship 2X in 12 days. I had drop & p/u laundry service in Dublin. Then 1 hotel we were there for 2 nights and I did a pleading, begging rush drop & deliver laundry service. I packed in a 22" rolling duffel and a beach bag for the whole month! I tied my sneakers to the outside straps of the duffel bag so they didn't take up space inside.

Thank you ... that is what I thought ... but have never experienced it.

I have a question about this - and it isn't me - But Drinks on Us with Companion ... Does that companion HAVE to be 21 years or older? A woman posted wanting her underage daughter to be the 'companion' on her Drinks on Us offer. I don't think this is allowed, but IDK. Thoughts or have experienced this? Thx!!

Well ... a full month of travelling ... flying from Amsterdam to Dublin and 2 week tour from there ... DEF needed laundry services and needed to be able to carry all of my things with me. To each their own.

Hahahaha Really? A 2 week transatlantic and NOT doing any laundry. Yeah I am NOT packing too little. I am packing exactly enough that I can control and carry with me and NOT have it lost by the airlines. BUT that is just me ... who has seen MANY MANY people running around in same clothes because their luggage was lost for their entire vacation.

IMHO ... You are packing way too much. I travelled for a month - 1st a 2 week transatlantic cruise to Amsterdam and flew to Dublin and did a 2 week bus tour of ireland - ALL in a beach bac and 22 inch rolling duffel bag. Yes I did laundry (or sent laundry out) on the cruise and at the airbnb I stayed at before the bus tour around ireland and then at 1 of the hotels. But I knew exactly where all of my luggage was at any given time. No chance of it getting lost or put on wrong airplane.

Our Med Cruise in 2013 ... I was SO EXCITED to go to Turkey / Istanbul / Bazaar ... only to find out it was Ramadan .... !!!! Very disappointing.

Inside cabin ... 1982 ... had 4 beds ... 4 girls travelling Boston to Bermuda on original Carnival Mardi Gras. It was WONDERFUL and so started my obsession with cruising. 🤩

1) NCL typically has an employee who heads up the 'Solo Group'. They meet each evening in a closed/empty lounge to meet & greet. They get a headcount for dinner. Call to dining room and get tables set up and then ... en masse ... all go to the dining room, walk PAST everyone in line waiting to be seated and are seated at their designated tables. The groups have been FUN and friends can be made and go on excursions together and to the shows together and see each other at dinner and rehash the day and fun. It is a huge plus for that cruiseline. ALSO - look at prices for a single interior price - even with the solo surcharge - compared to the solo cabin. SOMETIMES the single interior is less $$$ than the tiny solo cabin. That little lounge that is in the solo cabin area is NOT worth the extra $$$ .... IMHO. Just look at your desired cruise and price the options available.

Wow ... Everyone is only discussing liquor/beer/wine. Think about coffee drinks, sodas, bottled water, etc. ALL of the drinks you have in a day. NOT just downing/chugging liquor.

Ask to be seated at a table with others. People tell the MD they are happy to share their table. Whether it’s for a solo cruiser or people in a hurry to get to a show.

I am really sorry you struggled. Try NCL. They have a group just got sold. They meet every day before dinner. They get tables for all the solo diners and we get priority seating. Great way to meet & greet other solos.

Look at EVERYTHING the drink package offers. Beyond the alcoholic drinks. Bottled water. Specialty coffee, ALL virgin bar drinks, etc. Price everything before making this decision.

You KNOW it was a joke ... right? hahahaha It's the phrase that SO many people on here use instead of 'Steward'.

That seems to be very low. We did Barcelona to Venice in 2013 ... we chose to do NCL ship excursions because we had NO idea/information of what to do in these countries or how to go about doing it. NCL is VERY expensive on shore excursions ... but that's the bullet we bit for the cruise.

WOW !!!! OMG in a sailboat??? SCARY!