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The contrast effect makes a big difference -- has been studied by psychologists since the 1920s. So when you know you are on an older ship, you do need to refocus your expectations. That's no excuse for poor service, but experienced cruisers have learned to ask for a supervisor. Sounds like you tried that at least once. I actually prefer the shows on smaller ships - more singing and dancing. I agree that MTD often doesn't work the way it is supposed to, which is why we request traditional dining. It locks in our dinner time. There are always some ports that are less appealing than others, which is why some preparation is helpful when visiting a new country. I find that I can always learn something special about a new culture. I hope your next vacation, whatever you choose to do, is more enjoyable. I appreciate your effort in reporting your experience.

The Amazing Secret River is a walk/ swim through cavern. Requires ferry ride. My son enjoyed horseback riding on Cozumel Island.

The sources depend upon such factors as where you are going and your risk factors (age, health). We sometimes use the cheap Royal/AON policy when we are in popular destinations for which evacuation costs aren't prohibitive. However, we went overboard on a policy with Allianz for the South Pacific next year (a different cruise line), as we will be in remote areas; travel agents there recommend higher health coverage than the typical house policy provides. So you can Google numerous references but keep your own risk factors and the destination in mind.

Galveston ran late when we sailed in December. I wouldn't worry too much; 11 AM is good....

Never seen card on sale. Caps or lattes in December about $5 with 1 punch for a single and 2 for double, etc. So the most savings is if you get a single espresso shot. 15 shots per card buys 7+ doubles for me which might save 10%. You can get different sized cups if you want extra milk or foam. You can get coffee instead of espresso, too. But they have free coffee elsewhere.

Easy, no one counterfeits $1 bills. Now US forever stamps are a different matter.....Foreign counterfeits abound.

If you mean Coco Cay, you don't need an excursion; just enjoy the beach and free amenities. Thrill Park is pretty expensive, but there are moderately priced rentals for water activities on the beach. If Bahamas is Nassau, a ten year-old might like the pirate museum, which is walkable from the ship. There is some shopping downtown, but Nassau isn't the favorite port for most cruisers. Some splurge for a resort day pass to get to a nicer beach. We've tried a snorkeling excursion. At St Thomas, my young son liked an excursion that included an undersea boat experience coupled with a private zoo. There are also beach excursions there, and some folks like shopping. Haven't been to Nevis/St.Kitts. Try looking at travel videos?!

On the ship remember ice show reservations, right? We enjoyed hanging out by Boleros for music or dancing last year.

If you want to try the specialty dining, I'd suggest a single lunch you can book in Cruise Planner. You would be able to book your time in advance rather than waiting until you are on the ship, which is always a hassle day 1. Then I'd put the other $$ into excursions. We have had great lunches at Chops and Jamie's at about one-half the price of dinner. We have always enjoyed the meals at MDR except for excessive waiting with My Time Dining. However, we haven't tried the new menu yet.

I don't think $40 is fair. At that price there should be booze....At 20 I was underwhelmed with my Harmony experience.

Sorry about your experience. My son had a Baltic cruise a year ago, and Air2Sea immediately fixed a travel day snafu caused by the airline. Most airlines still don't have a good track record. Hope your next cruise is smoother.

He/she could order 2 birth certificates so one can be used while the other is attached to passport application.

We didn't authorize our son to charge his SeaPass until he was in high school. At that point he roamed the ship with his friends and only saw us for meals. When he was younger, he was usually with us or Adventure Ocean. We tried arcade prepaid access once, but we couldn't get it to work. And he had a soda card, so he could get drinks on his own when needed.

The iced lattes aren't so rich. I liked the Caribbean Coconut but was charged two punches.

You can check periodically. Do also check reviews because this isn't the real excursion in travel videos but a local reconstruction.

When Royal lost my wife's suitcase, we looked up executive emails at another site and made persistent contact. We provided receipts for gifts and clothes. In the end we got about 200 plus Allianz insurance. This blog has published CEO email.

On Allure I went to Cafe Promenade. Barista checked her list and issued the card.

We've seen 1100 to 1200 when we check in next AM. But ship may not load until 11, so arrive 15 min early and you are good. I think it varies by port and other circumstances.

You might have a chance for the Love and Marriage Show, or whatever they call it now. They take the most recently married couple who volunteers as one of three couples. Sometimes it's someone who got married on the ship or close to the day of embarkation. Whatever the outcome, congratulations! (and don't climb the balconies....)

Consider travel insurance, as with any expensive vacation. Try not to worry. If the storm pass through your destination ports before the cruise, you may find the beaches are cleaner and nicer. We loved Coco Cay when our cruise arrived there a few days after a major storm.

The ship I'm on is always the best. There are tradeoffs on everything else. I do believe crew performance and itinerary make the most difference.

While we choose our room, we've had situations when we had noise, so looking at deck plans is important. We survived the noise. Wife says my snoring was worse...

On Oasis class we found we wanted to avoid the acqua show the first night due to frequent cancellations and general confusion Day 1.

And it begs the question of whether the Internet is worth it (excluding those who work from ship).

I believe there is a cruise video on the Diadema, if that helps. I'm thinking it was on Nat Geo's mighty cruise ships....