pseudoware

Be sure to verify if your ship stops in La Seyne Sur Mer, where most large ships go, or Toulon, Provence. Two different ports. Our cruise called the stop the latter, actual port was the former.

If La Seyne Sur Mer, no tour recommendation, but this post helped us plan our transportation into Toulon and the rest of our day there:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1226994

You can checkout out the France sub-forum in the Ports of Call boards for other suggestions.

Carnival has been mentioned previously. I recently came off my first Carnival cruise. From the moment I'd set foot outside our cabin, it was difficult to tell they had any indoor non-smoking areas on board at all.

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We disembarked in Long Beach a few days ago, and there appeared to be a much shorter, dedicated line and checkpoint for pax electing to use a porter. A porter approached us and said any payment is strictly gratuity-based.

With that said, I didn't see any pax w/o a porter try to use that line, and I'm not sure if there were any official restrictions w/doing so. As mentioned, the process likely varies by port.

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Another romeinlimo vote.

We skipped the Colosseum lines w/romeinlimo, went right in. At the Vatican, you can't really avoid the line to get into the Vatican museum, but you don't have to wait in line for tix. Paying for a Vatican guide is highly recommended.

Also, romeinlimo has a tour sharing site where you can arrange to share an 8-pax Mercedes Sprinter, for example, helping to cut costs.

If you're limited to a single day in Rome, you don't want to do it in a bus with 70 other tourists.

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I am currently on this 4-night itinerary. I went to dinner in the MDR tonight wearing casual shorts, a t-shirt and flip flops. I did not feel the least bit out of place.

Tomorrow is elegant night. I plan to switch up and go with a v-neck shirt, instead.

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You may not be "worried," but be prepared to be not allowed in the dining room, depending on who the Maitre d' is. If you stick to the minimum dress code, then you would be guaranteed admittance. Some ships are much tighter with dress code enforcement than others.

I believe the original discussion was specific to the 4-day itinerary from Long Beach - one where VERY casual attire is not unusual, even on "elegant" night. What you state is likely true otherwise.

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Although a large ship with a lot of PAX, it somehow didn't feel as "over-crowded" as the numbers on paper might indicate, for some reason.

Study the deck plans, board early, and explore. Get oriented and gain a handle on where things are. We find this helps us feel a little less lost and more comfortable w/the size of the ship for the rest of the cruise. Enjoy!

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Although I've visited all the aforementioned ports and have not necessarily had any bad experiences, and my stays were not as extensive as other posters - sometimes perception is more important than reality. If safety concerns are in someone's head every time they set foot outside, it's going to impact their stay. Just saying.

It can be unsettling to see troops in fatigues carrying rifles on your way for some fun in the sun. While caution s/b taken wherever one travels, there are plenty of warm sunny places where such reminders simply don't exist. Just my opinion, but I factor in this stuff when considering where and how to spend my time and money on vacation.

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The quality of the free coffee can range from "it'll have to do" to hot brown water, IMO. Consider packing some Starbucks Via instant packets or something similar. Hot water s/b available near your cabin 24/7.

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Was just discussing this w/DW & kids today. We'll be on the same ship a couple weeks earlier. Nobody wants to pack extra even just to be "smart casual" for a night. I'm willing to do the buffet on elegant night if attire dictates it, but based on replies, it sounds like that won't be necessary.

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Royal Princess :) Not the "Royal" the OP had in mind, but similar experience. Not having to pick a designated driver is a bonus.

Searching "royal caribbean new years eve" on YouTube gives good examples of what you're looking for, OP.

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Yes & no

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DON'T DO IT!

Because tanks lack the depth of the open ocean to permit deep diving, dolphins in captivity frequently experience overexposure to the sun, which can result in sunburn and blistering. Zinc oxide must be applied to their backs. Tanks are often heavily chlorinated, burning the eyes of dolphins and causing permanent damage to eyesight.*

In some facilities, the water is improperly*treated and maintained, with litter from park customers thrown into tanks, or bacterial growths which lead to lesions and open sores. Other dolphin facilities in sea lagoons near*cruise ports*collect fuel runoff from ship motors and other marine waste.

Dolphins who participate in swim with interactions are regularly observed with persistent wounds and abrasions from being handled by customers, their beaks raw from pushing guests through the water or being grasped for kisses and photo ops. Other wounds are observed as the result of aggressive outbursts from tank companions, as bullying has been regularly documented. Dolphin and whales in captivity are often documented with compromised teeth, often the result of frustrated chewing on their tank walls.*

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Beer Pong

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Waiting until your onboard will be to late.

Not necessarily true. If you make the request to the maitre d the day of embarkation, and they can accommodate, they will. With that said, if important enough to me, I'd make arrangements in advance w/the cruise line AND hit up the maitre d after boarding to make sure all is in order. I'd also take that in-person opportunity to try to improve the table location, if possible. Doesn't hurt to ask.

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Thanks for the replies.

There's the "dress code", and then there's what people actually wear on a particular itinerary. I'm interested in the latter, and I think I have a pretty good idea, now.

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Anything goes? Are shorts OK? Thanks.

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Definitely check into the kids club ASAP after boarding, if that's what you choose to do. Not always the case, but I've been on cruises where they became fully booked, leaving some parents out of luck.

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When my parents retired and started cruising to different locations around the world multiple times a year while my wife and I were either working or changing diapers, I was nothing but happy for them. Not for a second would I want them to feel the least bit of guilt, and if they did, they did a good job of hiding it each time I came over to be given a list of house-sitting instructions right before their next trip.

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No red flags, we're there to enjoy each other. With that said, the greater the diversity across ages, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, professions, education level, etc. the better.

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We decorate our door with lanyards.

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... might have had an occasional cigarette on the balcony late at night

Sounds like you did it every night.

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Just adding that there are "safe" exceptions to flying in a day earlier. We fly from OAK to LGB day of. About a half-hour Lyft to the port. Multiple daily flights to SoCal should anything happen.

But I agree, anything longer, prior day at least is the way to go.

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Power to you guy. Puff away. It's your right. But it is my right to mobile through an area filled with toxic fumes and to be repulsed. No show biz involved. Just frighten disgust. . If that annoys you,... sorry.

"Smoking area" is a joke when the smoke fails to remain in said area.

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Just because a smoker is in the "smoking area" doesn't mean their smoke stays there with them. Nobody wants to breathe smoke, period.

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