vswan

I would change the my time dining/any time dining. It was a nightmare in November on the Oasis. Got in line at 6:30 hoping to get into the 6:45 time seating even with reservations. Those with no reservations had an even longer line. Was just awful. Know it was my own fault for not choosing early dining, but by the time I had finished eating it was too late for most show. They need to change things up and have two restaurants (or levels of restaurants) one with the early and late dining, one exclusively for my time starting at the early hours and going right through. Gave up and went the the buffet and the food there was horrible.

Although this probably isn't your situation, if any of the minors have a different parent than those on the cruise, there is other paperwork which must be completed and signed off by the non-sailing parent. I took my grandson this summer without parents and needed to have additional paperwork. Some of it they advised to by notarized. Didn't have any issues, but it's an extra step if there are non traveling parents.

Love this topic. Was recently on a RCL cruise and I have never seen so many thongs in my life. Thought there must be a fabric shortage. I'm all for people being comfortable enough in their own skin to wear whatever they want, but very few people look good in thongs. Even saw some who had what looked like sores on their backside showing. Just no... One woman who had a wonderful figure and looked good in the thong, stood at the bar, posed and felt up her own butt cheeks. Just no... Will say it was good people watching. If your girlfriend is comfortable with it, go ahead and wear it. As for men wearing thongs, as long as their stomach doesn't hang over and make it look like you have no swimwear on, go for it.

Not sure if they will be going in the ocean, but reef safe suncreen is difficult to find where I live. Also found I needed chap stick and body lotion.

It's been a long time since I've cruised out of San Juan, but if you want to explore San Juan wouldn't it be possible to drop your luggage and do some exploring/touring before going through the check-in process rather than checking in and then trying to get off and back on?

Am booked in a balcony solo on the Jade in Jan. 24. Went online to my acct yesterday and did a little snooping. Although I didn't receive an email for the upgrade bidding, it was available online. Not something I'm interested in, but it was there. Also, checked another website and found out that the solo balcony I was offered (and it looks like other BT category balconies) were either far forward or were "hull" balconies. Took me a some snooping to figure out what a hull balcony was, but looks like it will be okay for me. Not what I would have picked if given the full choice of options, but I'll still get fresh air and have a private space to sit somewhat outside.

The music was set up inside and there is a section of outside seating. You should still be able to hear the music, but it wouldn't be as loud as inside.

I have no idea if what I was told was true, but I had a hair service onboard in August. I asked the stylist how much of the 20% tip he actually received. He told me the tip was split 3 ways, him, the salon and I think the third was the ship. I did the math and tipped an additional amount so that he actually received a reasonable tip - probably an extra $10, can't remember now. On another cruise line I had a hair service and the stylist was really pushing the products. I told her many times that I wasn't going to buy anything, didn't have space in my luggage and that I could get the same brand of products less than 5 miles from my home. I must have told her this a half dozen times.

We went to Breezes. Nice pool and beach area.

Just home from a wonderful 7 day cruise on the Oasis. Traveled with my adult daughter, just the two of us. We had a wonderful time, but then again, I find it hard to have a bad cruise. Just a couple of notes. I have no idea who the captain or cruise director were, so can't answer that. Will be happy to answer what questions I can. Ship - Once on a ship this big was enough for us unless there is a price and itinerary we just can't pass up. We had an outside balcony cabin - nice size for two, can't imagine with 4. Floors in the stairs and halls seemed to be wet - and so of course I had to touch it to see if it was - and yes, some areas were wet. Thought the central park area was interesting, the carousal would have been great with kids. One note - there was a kids in swim diapers swim area which is not common on a lot of ships - and is important to those with small kids. Hardly any overhead announcements and those that there were sounded jumbled and hard to understand. Overall was a nice ship, just to big for me. Guests - I don't think I've ever been on a cruise with this much diversity. Many families with kids which was kind of surprising considering it was early November. Heard many languages and people seemed to be from all over - actually was a very interesting mix which I really appreciated. Dining - we did not like my time dining. Made reservations in advance for most nights at the earliest times available when booking - 6:45 to 7. If you didn't have reservations, you needed to get in another line that went after all those that had them. Problem was that by the time we finished eating all of the 8ish shows were already going and we did not stay up for the late shows. I would book early dining if we did it again. Went to the Windjammer on two nights when I didn't have reservations. Were not impressed with the evening food selection. Did do Giovanni's once and loved it. Did Park Cafe several times during the day and liked that. Shore excursions - We booked with Resorts for a Day in Nassau - so not through the ship, didn't book anything at CocoCay or Labradee, just did the chairs and umbrella near dining and bars - it was nice. We did book a shore excursion in Jamaica - what a zoo. Everyone had to meet in a central onboard location - had several with different excursions - the lines wound around and back and down, took more than an hour to get a sticker for your shirt - then your group got off when called and met at station off the ship. Talked to someone who finally gave up after 2 1/2 hours trying to get to a beach excursion. They could have just told you to take your ticket to the station printed on the ticket and skipped the whole theater mess. Wardrobe - I just have to go here. I have been up and down on the scale all of my life and am by no means a skinny mini. There must be a fabric shortage going on. I have never seen so many thong or nearly-thong swimsuits on people that must not own a mirror. Kudos to those who are larger divas who wanted to go to the beach and were comfortable enough to embrace it and put on swimwear - one and two piece. But thongs do not look good on many figures. My favorite moment was watching a gentleman on the chair near me bust out laughing when a woman walked by in her lace up the sides and down the front with a thong back - and she was not a small woman. And if you do look good in a thong, do not stand at the bar, pose and stroke your bare globes for all to see. Overall a good cruise. Met a lot of nice people and look forward to my next sailing!

Other hotel services could include off-ship staff that works in the "hotel services" section of corporate. We have no idea who actually gets 40% of the funds. To my knowledge - which may be lacking - there is nothing that says that all of the service charges collected go to the actual staff on the ship.

Not quite the same thing, but I have a cruise booked leaving shortly. Have been watching to see if there are any price drops - only raising at this point -, when I pull up the ship and the three dates listed for the same 7 day itinerary all within the same month the prices on all three weeks vary by hundreds of dollars for the exact same room. Same ship, same itinerary, same month, same room. Just depends on supply and demand.

I've spent way more than $300pp to get a balcony vs inside cabin. Have had many insides, but once I had a balcony, have a hard time going back to inside. Like my own outdoor space and fresh air.

In reality a $2 pppd increase isn't going to break my budget, but I agree that it's frustrating that we are expected to help pay the salary for those who should be getting a salary from the cruise line. Combine that increase with less service and it just upsets people. I'm one of those who feel if I am expected to pay it should be part of the initial cost. If I was still cruising with a family of four and expected to pay full grats on all of them, I would probably at least entertain the thought of removing them for some of the guests. Yes, I pre-pay mine and leave them on. I also will occasionally tip a bartender, but it's hit and miss. Depends on if remember to grab some $1, when I leave the cabin.

Which of the lines that you've sailed have you liked the best? What did you like about them? That would give us a better idea of what might appeal to you. I would add that I've sailed on HAL many times and although many feel they are "old" I've found there S. caribbean itineraries wonderful in the past and I would compare them to Celebrity or Princess. I would compare NCL more closely with Royal. Haven't done Carnival, so no idea where they would fit.

Which ship are you looking at? The newer ships have all the bells and whistles, the older are more relaxed which are the ones I like. Haven't done Carnival, but have done Princess and Celebrity. In reality, unless you've been on any line within the past year or so it's tough to compare with all of the cutbacks on most lines. My advice, if the itinerary appeals to you at a price that is within reason, book it. I've never had a bad cruise and NCL can be fun. I find their drink and dining packages very reasonably priced and there is a good mix of passengers. Atmosphere is laid back and just do what you want when you want.

I am prone to motion sickness, so take a bonine once per day whether I need it or not. Figure better safe than sorry. Does not make me drowsy. Since this works pretty well, I wouldn't switch to something else.

I am not gay, but have no negative feelings about same sex couples. One thing I've noticed on all of the ships that I've been on (from HAL, NCL, Royal, etc.) is that they are very accepting of same sex couples. Enjoy your vacation time and life as you wish.

I would like the 2 extra days, but I would also like the thermal spa access and balcony cabin. Can understand why you are conflicted. It really depends on your priorities. I would rather have the balcony cabin so I had private outdoor space, but I enjoy NCL cruises more than MSC cruises. No one can make this decision for you. If money is the primary deciding factor, do MSC, of more time on vacation, then do NCL.

A question. I have upgraded after final payment of number of times. As prices have dropped I just called my PCC and asked what a direct upgrade would cost - and what my options were. I don't understand how I would do that online. Is changing/upgrading online only done prior to final payment?

Yes, cruise is mid-January.

This could be a bit deceptive. I was a late booker and wanted to book a balcony, but as a solo I had to pay double. There were very few balcony choices left and I was offered either a sail away or an aft balcony - which I love, but the price was very high, higher than the club balcony suites. When the solo balconies opened up the price was much less than the aft I was original offered. I had also booked the spa pass figuring it would give me a place to "be quite," but cancelled that once I was able to get my balcony space, so that would have been part of my savings. All of my perks transferred.

I've booked a solo cruise for January on the Jade. I am platinum, so get two specialty dinings for that and two for booking a balcony. Even though reservations have opened, I haven't booked anything yet. Know I would book for 2, 1 is not an option. For those that have cruised solo prior, are you better off booking now or waiting until onboard and meeting others at the solo gatherings that also have specialty dining vouchers to make reservations with? I suppose I could book for 2 now and offer another solo onboard the extra slot. I had originally booked a OV cabin because the balcony was just so out of what I was comfortable booking at double the cost. Today I looked and they had opened up the solo balcony cabins, so I called my PCC and upgraded - reduced cost by over $1000 with this option versus paying double for the balcony. He said that I would have access to the solo lounge, which I was pleased to here.

Just redeemed my points and it took just a couple of days. The question that I had was - how long does it take to go from charges, to payments to points that can be redeemed. If you are charging one month, paying the next month when do the points show for redemption. Is there a lag time between payment and points?

One other thing that could be going on. There are some cruises that offer extra latitude points for latitude members. If you booked one of those at the right time you might have gotten the original points and two or three times the points added to it depending on what the promo was at the time. It's my understanding you keep that "promo" if winning an upgrade bid, but if the price drops and you call and pay for an upgrade that "promo" falls off and you lose the points - happened to me..