momofmeg

On 10/14/2022 at 4:36 PM, shipgeeks said:

Further to several comments above.

No taco bar?  I saw (and enjoyed) a smallish taco bar on Seaside almost every day, more often than I've ever seen one on RC.

However, personally, I hope MSC never becomes a clone of RC/Carnival/NCL.  If I wanted only Broadway-type shows, and American music and food, I could more easily sail on those lines.  I choose MSC because it is more interesting to be aboard.  I loved the shows, and very much enjoyed having foods that are not what I can get at home every day.  I'm fine with having no comedy shows, no piano bar, and I ask for "no towel animals" on all cruises.  BTW, we sail Bella, not YC.

 To be fair I was on an old ship, Armonia, only like 2000 PAX, so maybe there was no room for a taco bar. We were supposed to go to Cuba but 2 weeks before our departure Cuba got banned again for Americans and we went to Key West instead. Remember I said I had only done one cruise on MSC and I was supposed to do a cruise similar to the one we have booked now this December, that was supposed to happen in in May 2020 which COVID canceled. That cruise was Seaside I think, and now we are going on Seascape. Lol when we booked this latest cruise, I thought it was the same ship until my daughter told me Seaescape is brand new.

I do know there is a Mexican alacarte restaurant on Seaescape. It is considered sort of a specialty pay extra restaurant, but you pay by what you get. So, you don't have to have a meal of several courses if you don't want that much. The sushi bar works the same way from what I have read. 

Now Carnival's taco bar is no extra charge and is open like 11 to 4.  It is not open at dinnertime. I would think MSC's may be a little better quality since there is a fee for it.

On 10/13/2022 at 12:07 AM, Stockjock said:

Offshore customer service is better on Carnival.

Most everything else, I prefer MSC.

Exception: If you like to drink until you are sloppy drunk and are a hardcore party animal, Carnival may be a better option.

Carnival may offer more for hardcore drunks; I do not know but I found if I took a week or longer cruise I never had to dela with that. That goes for all lines, shorter cruises seem to bring out the worst in people as though they need to put in much as they can since they do not have a week. Royal Caribbean short cruises were just as bad. NCL although not as many drunks had a lot of misbehaving youths beating on our room doors 1 am in the morning and throwing food down the stair wells all the time. Even a shorter Celebrity cruise had people behaving badly. However, on all these lines, people behaved much better when the cruise was not a short "party" cruise. I never want to book anything shorter than 5 days.

On 10/13/2022 at 2:28 AM, WhaleTailFlCruiser said:

i don’t drink at all honestly, I do love food though and I enjoy the fun shows and deck parties and watching movies under the stars on my carnival cruises.

 

 Thank you all for the responses. I have booked my first MSC cruise for next year. 

Most Princess ships offer movie sunder the stars too.

 I only sailed MSC once back in 2019.  We were supposed to go in 2020 but COVID happened but we really liked MSC. We really liked the international flair and how many PAX were European even though we sailed out of Miami. Contrast with our Carnival Pride sailing from Dover England this summer.  That cruise was 90% Americans and Canadians. There was a small tour group from Japan, under 100 people, and we met a couple from Israel, but we met only one British family. That was it.

 The things we love best about Carnival is the pizza station, ice-cream. omelets, and taco bar all in the buffet. Carnival does that best, we all know but MSC also had great pizza It was just as good, and their soft serve ice cream was almost as good. No taco bar but the main dining room did serve great pasta dishes. Italian does seem to be their specialty.

As far as the shows, etc. they were good. I do not remember any towel animals though. I can tell you more after December as we are finally taking the cruise, we hoped to take back in 2020.

2 minutes ago, momofmeg said:

 

However, as I also said and if you read the NEWS you know this is true. all the major cruise lines have dropped the vaccination requirements.  The rest have dropped negative COVID tests.

 However, if you choose not to cruise, then don't. No one is making you. Everyone should  make their own decision about that.

 However, I do think anyone who cruises should make sure they buy good insurance for the what ifs. Because no matter how young and healthy you are, you never know. I have heard too many horror stories and WAY before COVID existed. Things happen out of our control

On 8/15/2022 at 7:42 AM, K32682 said:

People also lie

Your conclusion is incorrect. Please read post #35. 

On 8/11/2022 at 11:34 PM, K32682 said:

 

We aren't talking heart attacks. We are talking COVID and there are examples of passengers who test positive being put off and left to fend for themselves. Therefore, I am not going to run to be tested should I come down with symptoms that are mild but might be COVID. 

 Hank needs to post here. He has taken several cruises since the ships started up again a year ago. He said those who tested positive were quarantined in their cabins and if possible were moved to a suite if there were empty suites on the cruises he had taken.

 Now the nightmares I read about, were not people being dumped off ship. It was when they tested positive, and the cruise ENDED, and they were still positive. The USA was requiring negative COVID tests before flying home.  But the CDC dropped that back in June. We flew home from England 2 weeks ago and no one asked us even if we felt unwell.

besides I think it is a moot point now with most cruise lines dropping vaccination requirements, and even the ones that still require you be vaccinated are not requiring a COVID test anymore. 

thankfully COVIDF is less of a threat now. Yes, people still die of it but finally less people are dying form COVID than the flu. The only people who still need to worry are those immune compromised. The rest of us can breathe a sigh of relief.

Now I am a bit concerned because I got whooping cough 10 years ago after our Italy cruise when there was an outbreak. (Summer 2012) Five years ago come October I came home with the flu when there was an outbreak on our Norwegian Jade Canada cruise. So, I am concerned for myself Healthwise somewhat, but lol not just COVID. I just know my immune system is not as good as it was.

On 7/4/2022 at 10:14 AM, Hlitner said:

The problem for cruisers is that even if you get a very mild or asymptomatic case of COVID (and it is detected) you will likely be quarantined for a week!  That is a bummer when on any vacation.

 

Hank

 It is what it is. However, my niece almost died who got COVID while pregnant. If that prevents me from giving it to a pregnant woman, I am fine with it. I am willing to take the chance. I had to cancel 3 cruises the last 2 years, I am glad I am getting to do this one.

On 7/1/2022 at 4:36 PM, SargassoPirate said:

I'm not worried about cruising, flying, eating a restaurant, attending a movie, attending a concert, or any other life activity. I'm vaxxed and boosted.  Sure, there are a few people who are vaccinated and who still get covid, but the illness are milder - which is what the vaccine is supposed to do - and therapeutics are available.  

 

Consider this information from the CDC and see who is causing the spikes from the variants. 

 

CDC COVID Data Tracker: Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status

Yes, friends got it who are boosted. He was mainly sick one day. He said it felt like the flu that one day, then it was like a mild cold. She was sicker, it was about a week for her, but neither ended up in the hospital and she has Lupus, which is probably why it was worst for her but who knows if she had not been boosted. They are in their early 50's.  My niece, 24, had a baby in March and very nearly died because of COVID.  She spent a month in ICU while my sister took care of her newborn for her with fears, she may be raising that baby. My niece was not vaccinated.

On 6/28/2022 at 12:32 PM, Ken the cruiser said:

Sorry. I don’t know what to tell you. We trust the guidance CDC has provided, are double boosted as we are in our late 60s with very minimal side effects from the shots, and have moved on. 

Honey, I did not mean the CDC.  I was referring to the comment to google for answers.  However, I am not sure the CDC is that much better than basic googling, lol!

Yes, I am boosted and yes, I will be masked up, BTW. My comment was not about that.

On 6/23/2022 at 10:01 AM, PacnGoNow said:

Moderna is working on a vaccine that may be available in August or September once it’s approved, that will be an annual vaccine.

 That is what I am hoping for. Once a year. My second booster I waited 7 months, (June 2nd) but I did it because we are going on a cruise in 3 weeks and I wanted it still l in my system, not already gone when we take, the cruise.

On 6/22/2022 at 3:45 PM, SargassoPirate said:

Could be that wholesale testing of vaccinated people who are not sick is proving to be Schrodinger's Cat.

who knows? I was sick but kept testing negative but a few weeks after I started developing the mouth ulcers which they think comes to some people after having COVID. 

On 6/19/2022 at 5:25 PM, Ken the cruiser said:

If you do an internet search on “COVID severity if unvaccinated”, you will get a bunch of articles. Choose the one(s) you feel most comfortable with, as there are plenty.

How is that going to help? They contradict each other so who knows what is actually true. I want truth not propaganda and propaganda come from both extremes. Everyone has an agenda it seems. Few are like me, middle of the road.

On 3/13/2022 at 6:20 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

I assume you’re quoting me for continuity of the thread. But, just in case, I don’t recommend using the telemedicine exams anywhere that internet can be sketchy.

 I was only saying I would spend the extra, better safe than sorry. That's all.

On 3/11/2022 at 6:50 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

A teleproctored test requires live streaming. Your ship may charge extra for that level of internet and it may take quite some time for the whole procedure, which (if the internet charge is time based) could cost you more than you’d prefer. 
You didn’t mention which cruise line or their onboard testing availability. Our preferred line is Oceania and, if you need a test to immediately fly home, O provides it onboard at no charge. 

 So, in the long run, the money you saved buying those tests will be spent on internet costs. I found out Heathrow airport (we are going to England) offers a 4-hour test for $150 a person. My husband balked when he could do it this way cheaper, but I flat said then I am not going.  Whose to say if even your hotel has good internet to livestream. You never know. I would rather be safe than sorry. After all, we are already spending thousands so what is a couple hundred more? And yes, believe it or not, I'm a cheapskate, but never on things that really matter. 

On 11/4/2021 at 4:28 PM, cruisingguy007 said:

If you ever come to Cali for a cruise, you'd love Año Nuevo State Park. Beautiful coast line and all the sea lions and elephant seals action you could want. 

Lol! it was a California coastal cruise we did on Grand Princess back in October 2013. Roundtrip San Francisco. We stayed post cruise and went to Muir Woods and Armstrong Forest, plus toured several wineries. We do want to do it again, but this time focus on Baja Mexico. I don't know when. We had to cancel 3 cruises because of COVID. We are hopefully doing one to Scotland in July 2022. We were supposed to do that one in June 2021.

 Maybe we can do that Baja California one soon. I think I would prefer that to going back and doing one in Florida where we have been to all the ports so many times. Especially since we missed 3 cruises so far. We may as well do one that will cost us a little more.

On 11/2/2021 at 9:42 AM, MimiMomma said:

Any suggestions for packing for a 2-3 week cruise? Is there enough room

to put things on inside room? Balcony room?

Leave your jeans at home. They take up to much room in the suitcase. I try to take thin and lightweight things that can be easily rolled up to  take up little room in the suitcase. I only bring a couple of outfits for evenings/ dinner which I repeat. You know a pantsuit, a dressy dress and one or 2 skirts that I could use with the tops  that I would wear the next day with a pair of capris for daywear. Evenings were not a problem for repeating clothing since the ships are air conditioned.    I also stick to neutrals mostly with a couple of tops in bright colors to vary it a bit. Don't depend on the ship's laundry service. They were only allowed to do so much because of pollution laws in some areas.  On some ships you have to put in your orders, 2 or 3 days in advance. I learned that the hard way.  This was a June Med cruise when it was as hot and miserable as Florida that time of year so yes we sweated in our clothing and needed them washed. Fortunately I had some Tide to go packets in my suitcase and was able to rinse out a few things to tide me over.(no pun intended) The clothing being light weight also helped it to dry fast so that was a plus for me too.  However, lol I was able to fly home with clean clothes since I got laundry service the next to the  last day of the cruise.

On 11/2/2021 at 2:56 PM, Essiesmom said:

We book a whale watching tour in Maui, saw nothing.  Got back on the ship and saw many close in from our balcony.  EM

 True, there is always the chance, but you very well know if the whale watching company has a good reputation for knowing what they are doing, they will cancel a tour if they believe there will be no whales.   For example, in Newfoundland we had a tour canceled by the company when they believed we had little chance of seeing whales. They suspected the whales had already traveled south as it was September and they had not seen them in a couple of days. Of course, they had already told us that may happen and if it did, they would cancel our tour.

  The tour we took from Santa Barbara, called it a wild sea life tour and made no guarantees about whale but said we would see plenty of sea life and we did. we saw numerous dolphins, sea lions, seals and yes, we saw 2 whales too. So we lucked out.

 I only wanted the OP not disappointed if he saw none from ship. He does have a better chance if he books a tour, especially for a Caribbean cruise.

Just now, momofmeg said:

 There's always a chance but don't count on it as it is not very likely. If there is you will hear  the captain come over the intercom and tell everyone. We did see whales on ship In Alaska. They said it was very unusual. On a California coastal cruise we saw a school of dolphins.  So occasionally it happens but if you really want to see whales or other sea life you should book a tour. we have always seen stuff when we booked a tour.

 

 Now, this may not interest you, but at Ensenada everyone's least favorite Mexican port. We saw a bunch of sea lions on the rocks by the ship's dock. I loved that better than any nature tour I have taken. but then I love sea lions.

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

I'm going on a Carnival Mexican Riviera cruise in January. Seems to be whale season. The ports mention whale watching in these months. What is the likelihood I will see whales from the ship? Will the crew point it out? What else should I know?

 There's always a chance but don't count on it as it is not very likely. If there is you will hear  the captain come over the intercom and tell everyone. We did see whales on ship In Alaska. They said it was very unusual. On a California coastal cruise we saw a school of dolphins.  So occasionally it happens but if you really want to see whales or other sea life you should book a tour. we have always seen stuff when we booked a tour.

On 9/14/2021 at 2:57 PM, davekathy said:

All the cruise lines need to make it mandatory that everyone no matter their age, medical condition(s), or excuse(s) be vaccinated before boarding their ships. 

Carnival did. The 77 year old woman that died was vaccinated. I guess that is why the CDC recommends people with compromised immune systems or over 65 not cruise right now. I get it. in 2012 I came down with whopping cough  3 days after coming home from a Med cruise. I had no idea you need the vaccine booster for that every 10 years, I had not had that vaccine since I was a  preteen.  in 2017 I caught the flu on a Canadian cruise. Yep, if anything is going around you are more apt to get it on a cruise ship.  So if your immune system is weakened, you really should not cruise.

On 9/14/2021 at 8:36 PM, frantic36 said:

What happened in Iceland? Positive cases went up a bit but deaths from Covid are rare. As far as I know they have only had one death from Covid since May. I have a friend that lives there.

Good to hear. New Zealand has done well too. So has Saipan.

On 10/10/2021 at 2:58 AM, DeeDee Groff said:

 

Talbots has both a dedicated area for petite misses in their stores, and you can also find petite misses offerings in their catalogs and online.  Shop their sales for the best discounts.

 I did not mention  Talbots because there are no Talbots around where we live. I was mentioning the stores  I know about. Of course she can try online shopping  but I hate returning online. I prefer to go in person if possible, so I don't usually recommend that. . Maybe the OP has access to a Talbots.  It is not an issue for  my daughter. She is able to find things that fit her correctly. Which was my point. The OP says because she is short, maxis are too long on her.  I guess we can agree she  needs to find a store that carries petite misses, the size  range for short women.

To the OP, petites start in size 0 but go up into larger petite women "big gal" sizes. the only difference is  the length of dresses and pants, and where the waist line hits. You may find you will love that size range for pants too so you won't have to have your pants hemmed. 

On 9/12/2021 at 9:43 AM, Sunshine3601 said:

Fortunately there haven't been any outbreaks large enough for the news to focus on (other than that one carnival ship with several crew members with covid).

Covid will get onto a ship and may have a positive case or two pop up per ship That shows the current protocols are working.  

 

 a 77 year old  vaccinated passenger from Oklahoma died  after that cruise. I read that, but the only death  so far I have heard of since cruising came back. That gives me hope that the vaccines and  other precautions do make a difference.

Since COVID isn't going away we  need to learn  how we can live with it safely.

On 7/21/2021 at 6:36 PM, Missbollinger said:

Thanks!  I’ve been shopping, us ladies are on the ‘shorter’ side so maxis are hard to find without alterations.  I will post soon with pics!

 Midi length is the rage now and they will be "maxi" on you. Or else buy from the  misses petite section. My daughter is 5" and she wears maxis a  good bit   that she buys in the petite misses section. Kohls and Dillard's still have those.  I know a lot of stores like Macys and JC Penney has done away with that section but there are still stores that carry petite misses.