Allen2

Just our "take" on hurricanes: we were on a ship that suffered through serious fringes of a hurricane, and things got very dicey. Hurricanes also cause ships to skip scheduled ports. Our plans now include not sailing during hurricane season - OR - traveling outside of the hurricane zone. Think Europe, Alaska, riverboats and so forth.

We are on three spring B2B cruises in the South Pacific - a South Pacific Cruise, a Transpacific Cruise, and Hawaii to Vancouver. Am having trouble finding answers to a couple of visa questions, including no help at all from RCL. We know that Australia and New Zealand (starting in October) both require electronic visas (ETAs), but are having trouble finding out about New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Loyalty Islands, and several French Polynesia stops. Do the other ports require visas, or does a ship's blanket visa cover us? Or no visa required for US citizens? Also, any comments about tours on the small islands would be GREATLY appreciated! And, has anyone purchased non-RCL tours, such as those offered by Cruise Excursions and others? If so, what kind of results and comments? Thanks in advance for any help!

Would consider length! We did 54 days/17 countries including some countries that one would now not dare to go to. It is easy to keep in touch, and electronic bill pay helps. The biggie is your home/apartment. If apartment dweller, perhaps could put furniture in storage and have about 3/4 of a year with no rent, insurance, utilities to help offset cost. Did meet someone who said living on ship competitive with high-end assisted living facility.

Love it! Please forward to RCL' home office!!!!

Twangster - THANKS for the "heads up" on today's sale...not a lot, but saved $18 on three dive trips!

Go EARLY and enjoy!

Are there rental car shuttles FROM Ft Lauderdale to the airport? Thanks in advance.

One other point - Southwest is cancelling an average of 100 flights per day. May wish to drive

Here is a thought: an hour plus/minus to get to airport, and park. AT LEAST an hour to check in and clear TSA. Thirty minutes flight at a minimum. Baggage pick-up another thirty minutes. You can drive and be in control using the same amount of time and less money (airport parking in Orlando is not cheap) and a car takes more people than one $150 ticket. I am a SWA fan, but have been "burned" many times with weather delays in Fort Lauderdale.

Understand that Royal actually hired IT professionals instead of part-time high school students

We have done many B2B cruises, and enjoy most of all an end-of-season cruise in an exotic locale, followed by a transatlantic or transpacific. Downside of doing this: no transportation at one end (port) or the other - or both. Have three booked together around Australia, crossing to Hawaii, and third to Vancouver. Highly recommend!!

If you do not speak Spanish, be aware that on some of the PR cruises most of the lounge entertainment features Spanish-speaking bands singing in Spanish. You may not recognize the music - but sometimes that can be fun.

If you remind yourself that RC's website is among the most consumer-Unfriendly, you may gain the patience to work through (continuing) issues. Because we all enjoy cruising so much, we usually overlook these issues.

Staff is flexible - remember that most likely the only staff knowing about a room exchange is your room steward - and he/she is working for tips.

Remember, too, up to $250 shipboard credit for 14 days or more!