mom2mybugs

This is great... More options for my vegetarian daughter! I know the regular menu had vegetarian choices, but sometimes they are a bit confusing or not marked... This gives a "don't think" option. Jane

Keep an eye out for cruise planner sales and also add ons if you are getting the drink pkg. I know my last cruise I got voom for $9 a day. Also if you aren't going to be on at the same time, you can share the pkg (if you get 1 device it's as many as you want, just 1 at a time. Jane

@karl_nj thank you for your review! I agree with you that I definitely could feel I wasnt on a ship with Oasis class. We ended up going to the sky deck a lot in the late afternoon when the chair hogs were gone to get a glance of the ocean. One of these days I'm going to try the tutti salad...I'm just always guarding my deck chair on those sea days! Let us know what you book next! Jane

Thank you! That was awesome! Jane

Not really on the research.. Usually I do a ton of looking up and then call Sharla say MEI and say yolo book it. I haven't found her prices to ever be better than mine... Jane

Nope... Traveling with friends who don't seem to understand my obsession with cruising! Jane

Yes...I have never been asked in the Caribbean! Just Europe. Jane

Awww... Thank you.... Lands end and zulilly are my new faces! Just like heading to Disney... Just take the breaks when you gotta and you will be fine! Also grab lots of water...I think that made our trip so much more bearable (though we got so lucky it wasn't hotter). I will cross my fingers that adventure open turns out to be the best thing ever!! Jane

And be sure that if asked, you pay on the card in the local currency. We were told that the conversion is better when your credit card does this after the transaction and not the store charging in your own currency. Jane

I will not cruise or travel outside the us without insurance. While we weren't covered with our last huge issue even with the insurance, I still trust that the insurance will cover the medical if something happens... And too much can happen! I just take the cost of insurance and consider it part of the cruise fare. Jane

Thanks! We didn't do the solarium alot on vision because frankly the chair saving made me want to strangle people! Did you find the pool deck and upper deck (does empress have a sky deck?) crazy crowded on sea days? And we survived an ocean view on majesty... are the rooms significantly smaller than that on empress? I could go look but you were just on!!! Jane

My daughter and I did this exact itinerary on vision our very first cruise, but my husband hasnt done it. I really like the idea of 4 ports for him! Jane

I never had to show an Id... Just the sea pass card. If you need a picture Id, the passport card definitely works but I don't remember showing any Id other than the sea pass card. Jane

I think freedom will be out of San Juan and those flights are incredibly high usual. Ok.... Obviously I need to organize, because some of the bigger ships are only 300 or so total more. Can someone give me a way to see exactly what ships have what? Anyone done the research already and made a spread sheet of restaurants, amped etc? I can take notes ship by ship but if this is already done it saves me the effort lol! Ok.... Editing because I'm back. Any bigger ship will cost me btw 600 and 1000 more so that just can't happen this trip. the other thing that looks intriguing is empress. It's a tiny ship, but an extra day and it's 200 cheaper on a different ship than vision class. Problem is the itinerary isn't as good (only 1 new port) and 3 sea days on the very tiny ship I will have to go back to @twangster's blog and look at more detail since I didnt read it closely (was too tired in Europe lol). I also hate to give up Tampa so I have to count that as a factor. Jane

I think just like room choice, team drink pkg etc, the key is a highly subjective and personal decision. I don't look at it as 19 per day, but at least 38 because everyone in the room has to get it. Right there I know I'd never get the value out of it if we have any kids with us. Then in addition, I know I usually end up doing specialty dinner one night at least, so the lunch isn't really something I'd normally do. I will say after my Europe trip that you might want it if you have a lot of tender ports and aren't doing royal excursions. My guess is that I will never purchase it, because we will usually share the 1 device so that makes the value go v down even further. Jane

Welcome to all the new cruiding friends! This is a great place to hang out!!! Jane

Does everyone experience the week long depression when you come back from the cruise? I couldn't even think about cruising for a week...I was so sad to be off the ship. I am still missing someone making my bed every day and grocery shopping for me. And where the heck is my deck chair and adult beverage lol??? I was reading about the royal amp on freedom (one of my favorite ships) and I'm starting to rethink spring break 2020. Here's my dilemma... We are booked on rhapsody. Pros:. Great embarkation City (Tampa), great itinerary (includes Belize and Roatan, both of which my husband hasnt done) and mostly amazing price. We booked a year ago, and with 2 sales our price was close to 1900 for 3 of us (85 a day/pp at spring break!). We won't get even close to this good a price is we book another ship. Cons:. We just sailed the same ship basically (vision) and I'm wanting to try the new amped restaurants and bars (mostly playmakers and lime and coconut since I won't do the slides most likely). Now to be fair, it's a 4 port cruise so not a ton of ship time anyway. Cost...we are thinking about going to Europe again next summer to England, Scotland and Ireland and drink pkgs and crazy airfare will hike the cheap cruise anyway, though we just did all the restaurants so wouldn't likely do any specialty dining unless we got a great deal. Ugh.... So anyway I'm mostly brainstorming. I know it's all subjective... You guys cant decide my budget etc for me lol! But if we cancel, it will likely be another 2 years... Maybe summer 2021 at earliest... Till we cruise again because my 16 year old wants Disney for her senior year spring break 2021!! I guess I raised her right but I hate having my obsessions at war!!! Anyway just wanted to post I'm alive back and that cruising is way more fun than work, toe surgery (my 16 year old) and the dentist! Happy Sunday everyone! Jane

I'm finally back Michelle... Sorry about the delay. I looked it up... The tour was Rome, the eternal City and it was through royal. It really was the best tour over done, though it may have been because the tour guide was SO amazing. Also I liked that they have us 2 people... One to guide the history, and one to keep track of the logistics and keeping us together! Jane

I think my travel agent logged it in our account. It might also be that I bought the decorations for the room. We also had an amazing stateroom attendant who might have said something. I was very surprised though that they were ready for us even when we only went to the dining room a couple of times and had a different waiter! Jane

@berkeleykel I just did Athens and mykenos. Mykenos had a tiny close beach that was free...we did a trip out to the ancient island of delos.... In Athens we did the Acropolis. Both of these ports involved a ton of walking, much over uneven pavements. If your little one tires easily, temper expectations and don't plan on the whole day, or think about some time in adventure ocean while you explore. Let me know if you have any other specific questions...we didn't find cruising until my kids were teenagers but I'm a preschool teacher so I tend to have little ones in the back of my mind lol! Jane

Sorry answering so late! Cake or something like it has been on most if not all my sailings. Nice little touch! Jane

You need your passport to go to Europe anywhere. Once there, though, we never used it... It stayed in the safe the whole cruise. We didnt even need it to get off, since we stayed in the EU the whole cruise. Keep an eye on the Visa requirements that are coming though.... You will need to get that done depending on travel date. Jane

It's an amazing and encompassing and informative place! Highly addictive (like cruising lol). Jane

I'm telling you... The laundry bag for 25 was wonderful!!! I really could have done one suitcase. Taking fewer shoes really helped. Next time I will definitely plan on rewearing evening dinner clothes and washing the daytime stuff that gets too sweaty to just re-wear! Can't wait to hear how your trip goes! Jane

I'm so glad! It will be nice for me to look back on as now I'm in dry dock for awhile lol! Jane