ptod

For snorkeling try.......
In Barbados - Sailcalabaza.com or Silvermoonbarbados.com
In Bonaire -Seacow-bonaire.com

I posted this over on the roll call thread.....
I had a dream last night that there were so many you-tubers/vloggers/bloggers on this sailing that if you compared their video clips you will see the same 47 regular passengers in all the videos.  I hope I remember to brush my hair every day. 🤣
Now I wish I had brought my Whalers t-shirt in case a certain channel catches me in a crowd shot. 🙄

After I managed a cruise with 4 separate reservations, I said never again.  I herd cats at home - I don't want to herd adults to a cruise port ever again.
MEI has lots of great agents.  Fill out the form you can find on this message board and let them know where you are in the process and what help you are looking for.  Let them know what kind of communication you would like - they will do their best to match you up with an agent.  There is no obligation to use the agent that contacts you back - but talking to a real person costs nothing.
The only way to know if you will like/benefit by working with a TA is to try. Give a TA - any TA - a chance to make your life easier - and be waiting in your corner when something goes sideways.  And eventually something always goes sideways. 😜

If it ever takes me an hour to finish a drink, I will voluntarily return my official membership card to Team Deluxe Drink Package. 😜

If it ever takes me an hour to finish a drink, I will voluntarily return my official membership card to Team Deluxe Drink Package. 😜

The only time I get the DX is when I'm on a group cruise with @Matt 😂  

A bunch of quitters in this thread. You can’t drink all day if you don’t start early.!! 🤪

Fixed it for you 😂

If it ever takes me an hour to finish a drink, I will voluntarily return my official membership card to Team Deluxe Drink Package. 😜

You can do like I am doing and only purchase the package when it is around the $60 mark. If it is not around that range I am now going to just buy the Refreshment package which can be easily found around the $23 range.

If it ever takes me an hour to finish a drink, I will voluntarily return my official membership card to Team Deluxe Drink Package. 😜

If it ever takes me an hour to finish a drink, I will voluntarily return my official membership card to Team Deluxe Drink Package. 😜

If it ever takes me an hour to finish a drink, I will voluntarily return my official membership card to Team Deluxe Drink Package. 😜

If it ever takes me an hour to finish a drink, I will voluntarily return my official membership card to Team Deluxe Drink Package. 😜

After I managed a cruise with 4 separate reservations, I said never again.  I herd cats at home - I don't want to herd adults to a cruise port ever again.
MEI has lots of great agents.  Fill out the form you can find on this message board and let them know where you are in the process and what help you are looking for.  Let them know what kind of communication you would like - they will do their best to match you up with an agent.  There is no obligation to use the agent that contacts you back - but talking to a real person costs nothing.
The only way to know if you will like/benefit by working with a TA is to try. Give a TA - any TA - a chance to make your life easier - and be waiting in your corner when something goes sideways.  And eventually something always goes sideways. 😜

Check on the price of 2 connecting cabins as well - access to 2 bathrooms without going out into the hall in your pajamas.  🤣

In case you weren't aware, you can split a 3 device package between 3 people (each using only 1 device at a time) - price is usually lower than 3 individual packages.  Only works if you are ok sharing the same user name/password.
Keep checking back on prices - they change at various times.

Midnight and/or midnight chocolate buffet (with ice sculptures).  Not that I care about chocolate, but the spread was visually impressive.

For a lighter mystery series, try the Patricia Fisher cruise ship mysteries by Steve Higgs.
I like to sit in the loungers or Adirondack chairs between the mini golf and the ice cream dispenser (deck 15 portside aft). 

I'll be honest... I've run numbers on this (full-time passenger, not crew - I did my six years in the Navy, don't want to be crew). I'd say we (me and my wife) ran the numbers, but I think it was more me running numbers and her tolerating me on this.
I personally would love to retire to a life of cruising, at least part of the year (maybe a cruise or two per month?). I looked seriously about the announced world cruise and would absolutely LOVE the opportunity. Yes, I've even thought about how I could turn my experiences in teaching into a remote (or onboard) opportunity to cover the expenses. Maybe they'll start doing this as a regular thing and I can look at one as I get closer to retirement.
As far as becoming mundane and losing its appeal, well, I had a job for a few years that flew me around the world, about 150,000 miles per year, and I can honestly say I was as giddy as a school kid each and every time I boarded the plane. And I've been cruising commercially since 1999 (got out of the Navy in 1992). And I still get the thrill and goosebumps every time I cross the gang plank onto the ship, so I don't know, I think I've got the sea in my veins.
 

We prepay the standard gratuities, I'm pretty low maintenance and don't ask the room steward for anything but will usually leave something extra for him as well as the waiter and assistant waiter at the end of the cruise.  I tip the bartenders and extra buck a drink and once I had two exceptional bartenders who went above and beyond in service and friendliness so I also sought them out on the last night to thank them and give them a little extra.  On excursions you'll want to give the tour operator and driver a little something.  I will bring a bunch of ones, fives and tens to use for tipping.
However much you give they are very appreciative of it, also write down the names and positions of those who go that extra mile and mention them in your post cruise survey.

We use the provided envelopes at the end of our cruise if we tip our cabin steward and Main Dining Room waiters.
 
If we tip “on the spot” such as at a bar, for room service, or the baggage porters, we use cash. 
 
We are not “wealthy”, but we are well-off enough to be able to take a cruise.  Because of this, when budgeting for a cruise, we include money for extra tips.  Sometimes we’ve given all of it out, other times we being home a little leftover cash.  
 
We have no concrete method of tipping, however, I have worked retail for over 35 years, so our default is generous.   If I’m asking someone to bring me coffee to my room in the morning because I’m too lazy to walk a minute or two to get it, I’m going to tip them. 

There is more to the story. The pre-pay prior to voyage goes to the room steward, dining room exc and is pooled as a collective tip. I believe there is an option to either pre-pay this or pay daily onboard off room account. Then you have the 18% that’s added to every single purchase onboard (bar drinks, speciality dining exc). If you tip more then the 18% (which many people including myself do) it’s easy to just add in what you wish on the signed sales receipt. When I buy a bar drink I normally add another $1.00 per beer in addition to the 18% gratuity. The bar tenders do not look at this as “cheap” at all. For speciality dining (family of 4) I will add $50.00 on top of the 18%. In the casino after 10+ beers the tips get better and better! Hope this helps. 

I feel your pain.  I have been tempted to bid on some ridiculously low minimum bids, but I have always passed.
There was a reason I picked the room(s) I did - even if it was so long ago that I can't remember.  🤣🤣🤣
When I am finding it really hard to resist, I ask my TA for the current prices to just upgrade via her.  I compare her new quotes to my current invoice and decide I got a deal I was already happy with and move on.
If I think a particular cruise needs something a little extra, I find a nice excursion or a specialty restaurant and use the "bid" money I was tempted to risk.
I do get excited for those who bid and have my fingers crossed for them.  I have also been know to randomly blurt out "good for them" when people post that their bids were accepted.
Have a great cruise!

I feel your pain.  I have been tempted to bid on some ridiculously low minimum bids, but I have always passed.
There was a reason I picked the room(s) I did - even if it was so long ago that I can't remember.  🤣🤣🤣
When I am finding it really hard to resist, I ask my TA for the current prices to just upgrade via her.  I compare her new quotes to my current invoice and decide I got a deal I was already happy with and move on.
If I think a particular cruise needs something a little extra, I find a nice excursion or a specialty restaurant and use the "bid" money I was tempted to risk.
I do get excited for those who bid and have my fingers crossed for them.  I have also been know to randomly blurt out "good for them" when people post that their bids were accepted.
Have a great cruise!