ChessE4

What an awesome report and more awesome journey. Thanks for taking the world along on your cruise!

We did a hotel by airport, and they provided shuttle to port. Marriot property we found online for cruise and park. Near Olive Garden.

If you call rewards center the OBC can be pushed through. That is what I needed to do once.

All good replies, but we think the travel secret is where you cruise, not how often. Living near Baltimore gave us access, but how many times do you need to visit Nassau? We were enthralled by Auatralia/NZ, the Canaries, the Med, and even Curacao. Looking forward to Tahiti. So the secret is understanding why you travel before maximizing the travel. But agree with all the suggestions.

Between the two classes, I prefer Radiance. I love the chess set/pool table and small cinema. There are great views top decks. I agree with others that imminent sale is unlikely.

Look at your room code, eg 2v. 4v, etc. Check deck plans. Looks like you're near diamond lounge. There are different sizes, and most interior rooms don't have windows--hence interior.

As stated, my ship (vision) had both US and Euro ATMs. While the ATM on the ship was a bit high, around $7 last November, the Barcelona ATM charged almost the same and then had a currency conversion fee. Therefore, I get money before I leave from my bank in sufficient quantity that I don't need to get extra on the road. Historically, bank ATMs in Germany were pretty decent. But I compared rates from my bank, the Barcelona bank, the ship Guest Services, and the ship ATM. My bank was the best net after all fees.

My advice is to use a Travel Agent and look at the final price. Sometimes there are state residency discounts or special promotions, but all of that is transparent if the price suits you (or them).

It may be that the insurance company is looking at pre-existing conditions. To be covered for that insurance must be purchased soon after booking cruise. Wishing you the best.

Great point, as was OPs and others who tried to explain. Getting back to cruising, let's just embrace the point that cruisers should be culturally sensitive wherever they travel and respect local customs since they are guests. Or just stay on the ship. We can't fix governments; we can be good world citizens.

For us, the contests are really just an activity to kill time. We never expect to win, but we are sometimes entertained as we walk along the promenade. As for the sales, we sometimes find unusual gifts, although that pretty much ended a decade ago when Royal changed their sale strategies. There used to be more "itinerary oriented" goods for sale instead of just cheap imported products. Same for straw markets. It can be fun to stroll through them and take in the sights/sounds without really intending to make a purchase.

San Gervasio is on the island and is a decent half day tour. We did it last December.

But don't send in your only birth certificate at this point. Get another official copy so you can board if passport doesn't arrive in time.

Right. Cost is why I would change dates now to a time I knew I could go rather than waiting. That is, I wouldn't book iffy dates. However, even best laid plans can fall through. Hope it works out.

Port intensive cruises can wear you down. So we balance long days with short ones to avoid fatigue. That's my tip.

I would avoid anything unethical while cruising. If I wanted soda for two trips, I'd pay for two trips. With the complimentary beverages, I am never thirsty. An occasional a la carte soda really hits the spot.

I wouldn't book extra trip. When I worked, I cleared dates with boss. If my leave got cancelled at the last minute, at least my family could go. As it turned out, my leave was never cancelled. Might consider just changing dates, not double booking.

I complained to AAA and was told to contact Herz. Herz says car I was given was larger. I said that was their problem as I didn't pick an upgrade. Won't deal with them again and exploring how to follow up on their bait and switch tactic. Funny that Thrifty didn't say car was larger. It certainly didn't seem larger.

In Curacao a nice lunch in a Venezuelan restaurant downtown would be delightful, and you'd enjoy the walking bridge.

If paid by credit card, could charge be disputed?

We masked when we got sick on last day. So pack masks for your cruise, just in case and for elevators.

Yes, but it is pricey, like 25 to 30 for a day. You would get it on the ship thru the App. So if you are a soda drinker, you might consider the Voom and soda package when it is on sale in cruise planner. PS. It is a 24 hour block, so you could spread a 1 day buy over two calendar days, if that helps.

Shops were open sailing between ports. We paid over 20$ in VAT to Royal. Not a lot.

VAT is tax. We paid it for ship purchases, like souvenirs, too.

Have a great trip! My son and I did the "shire" excursion, but I forget which port. It was OK, just over-priced. You don't actually go inside the hobbit huts-- you just see the door and village, eat in the tavern, etc. The hobbit houses are at a sound stage, which is a different excursion (and I also forget which port).