DocF

Does anyone know if the ships sell rain ponchos? I am having one heck of a time trying to find some in Arizona right now.

Could that be because it rains so little in Arizona? :p

We got caught once with no rain gear on a Carnival cruise and bought for very little money disposable ponchos on board the ship.

Doc

Keep your eye on the forecast track; it changed a whole lot overnight. The 11 AM update will be interesting.

A relatively major shift to the east for the projected track has happened overnight. The other projections are starting to come closer to the European model which has the storm heading northeast and away from land. The 11 AM update will be most interesting and may tell the tale.

The best answer is as early as the cruise line and the captain can determine this is necessary. We actually missed one port call we were trying to get to the pier. The winds kept blowing the ship off course and finally the skipper cancelled the call. Another time, we we had already dropped anchor at Half Moon Cay when it was determined that conditions were deteriorating and tendering back from the island to the ship would be too hazardous. Usually, you will have more notice than these two incidents.

The lack of agreement among the models for this storm is amazing. The one thing they all agree on is a major course change that will put Joaquin right over the Bahama ports for the weekend. It looks as if most of the models are now starting to pull together and show it heading for the North Carolina coast. It is now a category 3 storm. Can you think of a more disruptive scenario that this boys and girls?

Back when DW and I were looking for our first cruise, several things about Princess just plain turned me off. Bang for the buck just does not seem to be there. For that reason, I would opt for HAL.

One cannot predict weather this far out anywhere on earth. The worst storm we ever encountered was going around the north end of the Med. We got hit by a storm with 85 knot winds. Yes, people were seasick. Yes people fell and broke bones. DW and I sat in our OV cabin and watched waves crash against our window. The rest of our time on board was calm and easy. This was approximately when you are debating cruising.

Bring along some generic Bonine!

The reason is called yield management. The idea is to fill the ship. If it takes cutting prices, so be it. There are many books that explain this system. It is used by airlines, Amtrak, hotels, and all the cruise lines.

For DW, it would be a stateroom with only a shower. She is looking forward to having a tub. For me, it would be getting stuck with an inside cabin in the bilge.:eek: That is well below the guarantee verandah we have booked.:D

Now to see what we end up with.............

Doc

Are we talking about four adults or a couple and children. My thoughts on the best seating for dinner are very different for these scenarios.

The buffet areas tend to be very noisy at meal times. The main dining rooms do too as people cannot converse in polite tones any longer; they seem to have to shout at the person seated next to them.

On ships with two dining rooms, the mid-ship one is smaller and should be somewhat less noisy. Also, late seating tends to be less noisy. The upper level of the dining room may also be quieter. We were assigned to the upper level on one cruise and the noise levels, at least in my perception were lower.

I do not use hearing aids, but I have a great deal of trouble hearing over background noise, so I have paid attention to this issue.

Doc

Almost anything goes these days on Carnival for "Cruise Elegant" night. Wife beaters and extreme cut off shorts and beach style flip flops will usually not pass muster. You will also see a few of us who dress in a formal style with nice dresses and tuxedos.

We own 4 International Traveler bags. We have three giraffe print and one bright red. They have been used and abused for years on cruises and flights all over the world. They look really bad, but they are in great functional condition. In addition I have a smaller hard side carry on that I picked up a few years ago. It is a spinner and that can be an advantage if boarding an airliner that does not use baggage cans.

I am a great one to offer advice on the topic of seasickness as I usually am not affected by it. There is one motion that will get me and a ship of the size of even the smallest cruise ship cannot manage to achieve it. It is strictly a small boat movement. It has gotten me twice in my 73 years.

I would say get the patches if you are really worried about mal de mer. My next suggestion would be the generic version of Bonine. Beyond that, a positive attitude can achieve wonders with this issue. I have survived having the Carnival Splendor tossed about in the Northern Mediterranean during an 85 knot gale without getting sick.

Good luck,

Doc

The noises we have heard when cruising are not at all related to our stateroom location. We have had a couple of instances where drunks would stagger off the elevators, go bouncing down the corridor, being rowdy all the way. The ambient noise we have heard in our staterooms has been minimal and not nearly enough to influence our selection.

We were on the ninth deck for a TA on the Magic and located right under the Lido bar. Once or twice, we heard chairs being moved, but that was no more than twice in 15 days.

We carry our passports when we are off the ship. They are in a passport pouch on a neck cord. These can be put inside the clothing and are not at all obvious if one is somewhat paranoid. The purpose of the passport is ultimate identification. It does no good in this regard if it is left in the stateroom safe.

Doc

Either book a rental car or there are some local shuttle services. I no longer have a number for any of these, but that would be my first choice as These could pretty much carry you door to door.

Doc

As of June, I saw white packs, brown packs, yellow packs, blue packs, pink packs. No Stevia in any form which does not bother me as it tastes like grass clippings. I have been on cruises on Carnival as long as 15 days and have always found an abundant supply of yellow packs.

While I was working, I was on the cutting edge of electronic technology. I said several times each day, "I love modern technology, I love modern technology, I love modern technology.....................................etc."

One of my colleagues on a tech board was on the pre-beta test panel for Win10. He says, and I concur, wait until January or thereabouts to upgrade.

Doc:D

Don't forget, you can always repair the hem of your tux pants with duct tape. ;)

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

The one time I actually carried duct tape on a cruise, that is what it was used for. :eek:

I have found that the less is more approach works best. We have posted on the CC Roll Call for our cruise where and when the Meet and Greet will be. If one wishes to wander in, that is great; if one does not, that is no skin off my nose. This takes about 30 seconds to organize.

Doc

This post is interesting because a lot of the things mentioned are things that I have brought up in the past.

 

The whole point of a passport is to prove your identity. We would never be in a foreign country without it being on our person. We have waterproof pouches if we're going in the water.

 

The whole take a copy of the passport thing is useless. This is the same as taking copies of your license, credit cards and cash. Why are you more likely to lose your passport than those other items? Be aware of your surroundings just as you would in any other place. We use our passports as ID even when we fly domestically. It is the best form of ID. We have had to produce our passports on a few occasions when we used a credit card. I think maybe those that don't travel internationally very much are the ones that fret about losing the passport. We just feel it is another piece of identification. Be aware of pickpockets, especially in certain countries where it is prevalent.

 

I would be more concerned about my credit cards and cash the day after Thanksgiving in downtown Chicago while surrounded by thousands of people than on an island.

 

Be aware of your surroundings, take your passport, and have fun.

While you and I think alike, I hope you realize that you will never convince those who think the passport must be guarded as if it were the Hope diamond to be rational. This document is issued as the ultimate means of identification and should be treated as such and used as such.

Whatever the dress code says is acceptable attire for men, on Formal, Elegant, Gala or just plain Fancy-Shmancy night, I will wear my tuxedo. I know this is a serious sign of creeping old fuddy duddyism.

Doc:p

DocF is a combination of my last initial and my nickname at the company where I worked (sort of) for over 35 years. I was the doctor of copyology.:)

t car is correct. Nassau is known for having a bunch of cheap ¢rap available for sale. So I guess the stuff made in China IS Authentic Nassau Souvenirs

I can't argue with this. :p I do believe the wood carvers outside the Straw Market make most all of their stuff and the prices are not too bad either.:D