Oakman58

I'm not a coffee snob but I have to have a cup of coffee first thing in the morning to wake up the internal organs. I bring a collapsible water kettle that boils water and then make instant coffee.

If NCL doesn't want to have room stewards provide ice, then they need to install ice machines on every passenger deck so we don't have to run all over the ship to get ice. Even the cheapest hotels provide an ice bucket in the room and an ice machine on that floor. Since my cruise on the Bliss, I've cruised with Carnival and Princess and with the exception of theater entertainment both cruise lines have exceeded NCL in almost all other categories. Keep in mind that I'm a normal cruise passenger not a Haven passenger. BTW, both of those cruise lines still have a steak filet and lobster night in the main dining room without an upcharge. When's the last time NCL offered that in the main dining room? I'm looking forward to my cruise with Holland in June and Royal Caribbean in September to see how they compare to NCL. While all cruise lines have made cutbacks in service, NCL's has been drastic enough that other lines are more enjoyable. That's my opinion of course.

I certainly wouldn't be tipping that room steward.

If this is your first time on an Alaskan cruise then I would rule out Royal Caribbean because they can't go into Glacier Bay National Park. In my opinion Glacier Bay is a must do for the first time to Alaska.

I guess with the steering wheel on the right side the drive on the left side of the road.

The Aft elevators don't go down to deck 5 so you get off at deck 6 and take the escalator at mid-ship down to 5. Or you can just walk to the forward elevators and go down to deck 5.

Volendam hands down because it goes to Glacier Bay.

I'll be following along with your live trip report. I'm doing a similar cruise on the Luminosa only in the opposite direction, Seattle to Sydney.

We had a starboard side cabin on our Hawaiian cruise with Princess. Because the ship was avoiding weather we arrived in Hilo earlier that scheduled and at night. In the morning I stepped out onto our balcony and was surprised to see a snow capped mountain. It was Mauna Kea (13,803 Elev.) in the distance and it was a beautiful and unexpected sight. My picture doesn’t do it justice. With the zoom lens on my camera I was able to see the observatory on top of the mountain.

He announced on our cruise back in September that he was going to take some time off. I guess he felt it was time for a change because he's now working for American Cruise Lines.

Although it’s quite away off, I’m really looking forward to the cruise on the Spirit. I know I will enjoy the cruise because looking at the deck plans I see the Spirit has the Alchemy Bar and Guy’s Burger Joint. The only thing that could make the cruise better would be an energetic Cruise Director and staff. When we were on the Glory the CD was Christian and he was energetic and very funny.

I really enjoyed reading your report, thanks for sharing your trip with us.

I would love to know why Royal Caribbean decided not to finalize its contract with the National Park Service for Glacier Bay. I mean really, Glacier Bay is not only a spectacular national park, it's also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This was cabin 12174 with the bed by the balcony. BTW, I haven't heard anyone mention this lately but the back on the couch swings open to provide more storage. I didn't like the wave wall, I thought it made the cabin feel smaller than it was.

I will definitely be checking this out. Thanks for the info.

So glad to read the positive comments for an older ship. I prefer ships that are the size of the Spirit or slightly larger. Carnival has a history of using their oldest ships in Mobile. I thought the price was right when I booked the 8 day cruise.

Have a great trip.

I’ve been thinking about taking a cruise out of Mobile AL for more than 15 years and it looks like I will finally do it. I’ve booked a cruise on the Spirit for February for the Western Caribbean. I like the design of the ship. What I didn’t like about the Conquest Class ships is the “you can’t get there from here” design of deck 3. The Spirit doesn’t have this. Here's a picture I took of the Carnival Holiday leaving Mobile Bay and heading into the Gulf of Mexico.

That my friend is where you are 100% wrong. The right lawyer would have no problem getting satisfaction.

I loved the eggs benedict that I ordered many mornings on our Diamond Princess cruise to Hawaii. For lunch one day I decided to get a chili dog from the Trident Grill. I had to wonder who in their right mind would call this a chili dog?

Personally if this happened to me I would already have a lawyer looking into my options.

The switch to Coke was welcomed by my wife. Her favorite drink is Rum and Coke and she detested Rum and Pepsi.

The only rub I have with Princess is that the standard balcony cabins only have a place to sit for one person. The chair by the desk is the only seat in the room. When we ordered a room service breakfast I had to drag a chair in from the balcony.

We used NCL air one time and decided never again, and that was pre-Covid.

Every one of us tip, this thread is about over-tipping.