dimysmith

Be careful of the jewelry sales.   We bought an Evictus watch on the last cruise.   (Hubby just had to have it)   When we returned home, it wasn't any where near the "MSRP" price they said.  People hear jewelry sale and go crazy.  
Don't  get me wrong, it is a beautiful watch, just not sure we saved that much money 

I don't deny kids can behave badly.  But I also have seen far more annoying drunk adults on cruises than loud children.

Please please don't beat me with a wet noodle for posting this. We usually go to Chops if we are celebrating a special occasion onboard. We enjoy the food and the ambiance-usually.The last time we were seated in the back of the restaurant near a large table of a family celebrating a birthday-which is fine! However, an hour or so into the service the small children were getting restless and tired. This particular night the kids began crying, sleeping at the table and even running around the restaurant like Chuck E Cheese's. The adults were drinking, toasting, and ignoring the behavior. Our quiet dinner was very unpleasant and I stopped by the desk on the way out to mention it. The hostess apologized and said they were busy and had no where else to seat us .I also gave it a poor rating on the post cruise survey. Somewhere I read to plan 2-21/2 hours for a meal in the specialty restaurants so please don't subject your little ones to hours of boredom and waiting for service, especially if you plan on a late dining time. SORRY SORRY SORRY DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER!
 

Be careful of the jewelry sales.   We bought an Evictus watch on the last cruise.   (Hubby just had to have it)   When we returned home, it wasn't any where near the "MSRP" price they said.  People hear jewelry sale and go crazy.  
Don't  get me wrong, it is a beautiful watch, just not sure we saved that much money 

Be careful of the jewelry sales.   We bought an Evictus watch on the last cruise.   (Hubby just had to have it)   When we returned home, it wasn't any where near the "MSRP" price they said.  People hear jewelry sale and go crazy.  
Don't  get me wrong, it is a beautiful watch, just not sure we saved that much money 

Make  sure to leave extra time, as the feeder road will not  flow very smoothly .  This is a distance of about 5 miles. 
 

EVERYBODY who isn't from Texas is from a different culture and NOBODY "fits in."
 
Just learn the phrase "everything's bigger in Texas" and you'll be fine.

regardless of how you get to the airport, just know you will have to go through an agriculture screening of luggage before going in to check in.  All bags have to be scanned, looking for fruits and plants that are not permitted.  
 
We booked a transfer back to the airport through RC.  The problem is your luggage goes on a big box truck while you go on a bus.  The box truck was about 20 minutes behind us when we got to the airport.   They unload the box truck and then you can get  your luggage.  It is bit of mayhem, but if you know about it ahead, it helps.   No one told us about the extra screening, I just happened to find it.  Several people rushed in to check in and try to make flights but were turned away to come back.   
 

We did it on our cruise last November and had a ball.  I did see a lot of families in the dining area.   We might do it again if it is offered. The food was good.  I am a self proclaimed picky eater, for lots of reasons.  They had a meat/cheese board that was passed. (not my thing)  Show was great and so was the 21 year old young lady that we (the table) finally told the waiters no more wine for her.   She had a friend with her to get her back to their room. 

our last cruise, (November) we left out of SJ and the area still was in bad shape from the hurricane.   There was not really anything to see.  Now, our cruise was the 3rd one after SJ reopened to cruises. Our next cruise will stop in SJ and there are not a lot of excursion choices.   The airport was still in pretty bad shape at that time.  Not enough seats for people and the AC did not work well.   Also, when you are going home, plan on it taking longer to get through security.  Your luggage goes through a scan before getting into the airport, looking for agriculture items. (make sure you do that first because otherwise, they will send you back out at the desk, slowing getting through regular TSA.  The waiting for that line is outside.  TSA pre does not apply 
Make sure you confirm the day of travel that the hotel has your reservation.  We had people at our table who came in the day before the cruise (came from Europe) and the hotel had no record of their reservation, even with their reservation number.   They were able to find a room at another hotel, but it was stressful.
Non stop flight gets the vote here.

I can see the marketing now.  "Even the ships are bigger in Texas"

It is not about beating a dead horse or about being politically correct. It's about human beings showing some respect and sympathy for parents who lost a child under tragic circumstances. It is baffling to me how some people don't get that.
If it's supposed to be a family here on RCBlog, I guess I've been disowned by some. Oh well.

It's sad that at age 24, this young man felt he needed to make such a tragic choice.