DaisyGoldberg

The sun came out and the sky is blue, so you should be getting a great look at the ship (in case it rains later!)

Thanks! No problem with a step in the second bedroom. Just didn't want mom wrestling with a step in the middle of the night. The bedroom in the master certainly looks tight!

If you don't require a balcony and are on a scenic cruise, the SJ suites are terrific. Lots of room, gorgeous floor to ceiling windows - we did Boston to Canada back to back and the views were just STUNNING. There are suites with balconies as well, but not the same views from inside the room, clearly. The Murphy bed is quite comfortable as well if somebody needs it. And the location is great - a short walk to elevators and everything front of ship, and a short walk across the pool area to midship. On a cool weather itinerary I'd take an SJ on the Dawn any time.

Unfortunately, videos of these suites don't show what I'm looking for. Is there a step between the master bedroom and its bathroom? My mom uses a walker and we've stayed in multiple 2 bedrooms on various ships, including in Havens, and there has never been a step into the bathroom from the master. However, the accessibility document triggered by applying for wheelchair assistance to board the ship indicates steps entering BOTH bathrooms. I can tell from one video that there is no step up from the living room, but there are no angles in any films or stills I've seen that show the transition between master bedroom and bathroom. We'll cope, however it turns out, but I'd rather not worry about it if the letter is mistaken and it's one level on the master side of the suite. Thanks!

The washable reuseable pads are great and you can use them in combination with disposable pads. If you have a light leak, the disposable one can be tossed, and the reusable one put away for the next evening if unaffected. We don't put it under the sheet - if you wash them several times they're quite soft, and they don't move. Just get a larger size so you aren't worried about what will happen if you roll over. The purpose would really be just to save the mattress/bed in case of a real flood. Pad inside disposable diaper then lying on disposable pad on top of reusable sturdy pad is great protection, and you can easily dismantle when you get up in the morning so that the room attendant simply makes the bed as usual. Give it a try at home and see how secure it is. We buy the scented bathroom trash bags and just tie them up tight and put them in the trash (urine only). They've always been removed with the trash with no comment.

We took some grab bars similar to those pictured above on our last cruise. They came in very handy for my mom to transfer from her chair into the toilet area. There was a very thin (more decorative than anything, in my opinion) grab bar beside the toilet, but that was a couple of steps in from the door - pretty useless in terms of transferring from a chair or walker. She would set her walker aside at the door and step into the cubicle. So we put one outside the cubicle and one inside, so she could pass hand to hand with something to hold onto. They have a very sturdy grip on smooth surfaces and don't weigh much, so you can transport them easily. You just press them against the wall and snap the lever and they will hold a LOT Of pressure. To release you just flick the lever back up. Leave them up for the cruise and take them down the day you leave (you may have to tug hard!) If you want to take them off and move them to the shower, that's easily accomplished, too! Unfortunately they don't stick to the patterned surfaces in the rest of the cabin.

You can also discuss the individual ports with the concierge -- some may have a level walk off platform, others a steep ramp. Very port- (and sometimes tide-) dependent. They should be able to clue you in as to which ports you might be more comfortable being wheeled off vs walking off.

We logged in five minutes early because I wanted to make sure we were both in frame, and the lady popped up and took us right away. So don't be surprised if you're greeted BEFORE starting time if you're there. I think they just field these things steadily all day long, so if they have a break and somebody's there, they might as well get you out of the way. The link may only work within a narrow window, however.

Copley Square is a great location and walkable to all the sights, shopping, etc. However, the end of October will be very crowded and expensive. A week earlier during the Head of the Charles race there probably wouldn't be any rooms in Boston at all.

If it's a back to back with identical itinerary it will give you so much freedom - plan to see a show or have a certain dinner but just plain don't feel like getting up from your nap and dressed for the evening? Roll over, sleep til 8, hit the buffet, go back to your room and watch a movie, make it an early night and maybe start the next day earlier than you would have. The freedom of solo travel is doubled when everything is scheduled twice for you!

10-15k for a Haven vacation and you end up at Water World!

Bet it's gone at first drydock.

Having sailed once in the Garden Villa, it's something we'd like to try again, but probably will only happen through bidding for the upgrade. If after the cancellation date our family is in 2 separate cabins, and one of us wins the GV upgrade, am I right that the second cabin people would still be stuck with their costs for their cabin if they canceled it to join us in the GV? That would be the biggest reason not to bid for a GV upgrade as we'd have to figure the cost of that original cabin on top of the bid. Only way around it I can think of is for the second family cabin not to be booked until the GV upgrade is unsuccessful, but that carries its own risks.