JennyB

Who said on one episode "I AM IN CHARGE OF 600 PEOPLE!"  Haha...that ship was the Pacific Princess with a passenger capacity of 668. @princevaliantus and I were just mentioning that. 

I'm guessing that half the members on this blog never heard of any of those people! And for those who don't, Betty White is now 97 years old and loved around the world.

This is her in 1976

Here is me automatically thinking why do they have world of Warcraft bands on the boat and how do I get one... never mind ?

B2B2B2B2B2B2B2B2B2B cruise...or any free cruise...   ? 

@Kelz they only allow non surge protectors, and even the non ones can be confiscated depending on the crew. What I mean is, surge protectors are prohibited and on paper the non surge protectors are allowed. Every once in awhile someone reports that a non surge was taken (you pick up anything that was confiscated as you get off the ship). I was going to ask you what kind this is, but from the picture I see the word “protected” with a little status light above it so I’m going to guess it is, and likely crew would also. I would suggest a product that specifically says “non surge protection” and “ship approved”. There are many options, but here is one as an example.
Cruise Power Strip with USB Outlets - Non Surge Protection & Ship Approved | Travel Accessories and Must Haves by Cruise On https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BHVKPC3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-y.dDbT7499HF
 

That's a really great option. I am happy to hear it may not be as rare as it appears!?

Lots of advice about US Passports but I thought the OP said they were from Ireland.

We've traveled with family on one cruise and with friends on another.  We made a plan to eat dinner together each day and kind of just decided what to do then, when to meet up, what to do together and what times, we just let each other know our general plans.  Most of the times we just did those things together, but sometimes we might go our separate ways for a while.  I run a business from my phone/laptop and did NOT want to be tethered to them on vacation...so we just used good, old-fashioned, talking to people.  LOL.

Oh good. It wasnt on a cruise but when I've travelled down south with my daughter we would sit on the balcony while our daughter napped. ( door dead bolted with a baby minitor)
 This way mommy and daddy dont have to sit in a dark room for 2 hours. 

To be clear, the messaging feature of the app does not work on Oasis yet.

If remembering right, at least for our cruises, around 3:30 - 4. Gets done right before Sail Away party.

Yes, complimentary ice cream is served elsewhere on the ship. There's self-serve ice cream machine at the pool deck, as well as complimentary ice cream in the restaurants.

Plus on NOTS the last night was a sundae bar. My hubby ate no food but did eat 6 scoops of chocolate ice cream 

#sadface

I am very prone to motion sickness.  I am also claustrophobic, afraid of heights and afraid of water I cannot see/touch the bottom of.  I SWORE I would NEVER cruise...
THEN, my brother and I bought our parents a cruise for their 50th Anniversary...and parents wanted us to go with them...so THEY bought OUR cruise.  LOL 
On that cruise (a 4 night Bahamas cruise that left from Orlando in an interior cabin), I took Dramamine non-drowsy every day...knowing ahead of time that I tend to get motion sick...and I didn't want to be sick on the cruise.  I was MISERABLE the whole time...not with motion-sickness necessarily, but just generally feeling "off".  I did NOT enjoy that cruise.  I just didn't feel like myself.  I even told my hubby and the others we were with that when i tell them, somewhere down the road, "Oh, it wasn't THAT bad...we can go on another cruise..." I WANT them to remind me how TERRIBLE I felt on that cruise. 
So two years later (LOL)...hubby and i went on another cruise (6-night Western Caribbean that left from Ft. Lauderdale, balcony room) ONLY after I did some TONS of research...I read somewhere that taking the non-drowsy Dramamine MIGHT have been the whole problem.  So, on our second cruise I didn't take it each day.  I just went and packed some to take with me "just in case".  The only time I ended up feeling sick was after an excursion day in port where we rode a charter bus all day.  That evening, back on the ship, I was a bit sea sick...So, i took dramamine and was perfectly fine the next morning.
We cruised again last December...didn't need the Dramamine AT ALL.  Not one time.
Having the balcony room also helped.  It helped me not feel so claustrophobic.  
I won't lie and say I don't ever feel the ship moving.  But it's not an uncomfortable feeling and it hasn't been to the point of making me feel sick.  And most of the time, I DON'T feel it. 
Honestly, everyone who tends toward motion sickness feels and deals with it differently.  I have had such a great time on our cruises, and we will likely cruise for the rest of our lives.

I am the same here.  When I am on vacation, I prefer to be waited on.  I dislike buffets even at home, so I don't enjoy the chaos of it on vacation.  In real life, at home, I do all the cooking, setting the table, serving the humans, etc.  So on vacation, I don't want to do that. 
We've done a couple specialty restaurants and I don't really think they're special enough to do with the extra cost on a short cruise. However, on a longer cruise I would totally do them again, one or two nights. 

i see what you did there! LOL

I am very prone to motion sickness.  I am also claustrophobic, afraid of heights and afraid of water I cannot see/touch the bottom of.  I SWORE I would NEVER cruise...
THEN, my brother and I bought our parents a cruise for their 50th Anniversary...and parents wanted us to go with them...so THEY bought OUR cruise.  LOL 
On that cruise (a 4 night Bahamas cruise that left from Orlando in an interior cabin), I took Dramamine non-drowsy every day...knowing ahead of time that I tend to get motion sick...and I didn't want to be sick on the cruise.  I was MISERABLE the whole time...not with motion-sickness necessarily, but just generally feeling "off".  I did NOT enjoy that cruise.  I just didn't feel like myself.  I even told my hubby and the others we were with that when i tell them, somewhere down the road, "Oh, it wasn't THAT bad...we can go on another cruise..." I WANT them to remind me how TERRIBLE I felt on that cruise. 
So two years later (LOL)...hubby and i went on another cruise (6-night Western Caribbean that left from Ft. Lauderdale, balcony room) ONLY after I did some TONS of research...I read somewhere that taking the non-drowsy Dramamine MIGHT have been the whole problem.  So, on our second cruise I didn't take it each day.  I just went and packed some to take with me "just in case".  The only time I ended up feeling sick was after an excursion day in port where we rode a charter bus all day.  That evening, back on the ship, I was a bit sea sick...So, i took dramamine and was perfectly fine the next morning.
We cruised again last December...didn't need the Dramamine AT ALL.  Not one time.
Having the balcony room also helped.  It helped me not feel so claustrophobic.  
I won't lie and say I don't ever feel the ship moving.  But it's not an uncomfortable feeling and it hasn't been to the point of making me feel sick.  And most of the time, I DON'T feel it. 
Honestly, everyone who tends toward motion sickness feels and deals with it differently.  I have had such a great time on our cruises, and we will likely cruise for the rest of our lives.

Just remember 5 letters when you’re on a cruise..
R
E
L
A
X
You can’t do it wrong! 

I am not disagreeing with any of these...just agreeing with
"After 25 cruises I have issues finding answers to certain things. @Matt's blog is the greatest resource form any cruiser."
I will say about the Royal Up program.  I've read lots and even bid once...being this close to your cruise, you won't be able to do anything with it.

I LOL'd at your "edit" ...

I LOL'd at your "edit" ...

U.S.S. Yosemite, 1974-1978.

If you know you will want the package, go ahead and buy it.  If/when the price lowers, you can cancel and rebook at the lower price. 

SS Norway, March 1985. Loved this ship. We ate at the Captain's table with the Captain and several officers every night! First legal beer at 18 (turned 18 on the cruise), first opportunity to blow my money at the slots, first time eating so many gourmet foods, especially at the Captain's table. Such an opportunity that I didn't understand at 18 years old!
https://www.cruisehabit.com/billys-favorite-ships-story-ss-norway-aka-ss-france