PhillyLady

18 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

Voyager in 2002 for my honeymoon. 1st cruise of any kind ever. Might play a role in why I think any ship below Voyager class is small.

I also sailed RC for the first time on the Voyager back in 2002.  I think it was the biggest ship on the seas then. 

No, it was not my honeymoon, but a while later (Ha-Ha). My first cruise was in 1973, so you can imagine the difference in cruise ship size and amenities over all that time.  No, 1973 was not my honeymoon either--I was still a child!!  

I do not know why people bother to ask this type of question to an online forum of fellow travelers. None of us are immigration experts.

RC is not lying and not trying to cheat anyone. 

Regulations have been constantly changing with this new administration, and travel entities may have to scramble to adjust. 

You should always go through official channels and verify everything. No, RC staff who answer the phone are not "official" entities--only the US Department of State and similar offices for other countries set the final parameters. 

Just recently the U.K., Germany, and Canada all issued travel advisories for their citizens about trying to enter the U.S.

Your documentation may allow you to board a ship, but will it allow you to re-enter the USA?  I would triple check everything these days if you do not have a U.S. passport!

There are a LOT of negative reviews about Costa Maya in its current state floating around, so maybe rebuilding from scratch is definitely needed.

We are taking an excursion to Chacchoben Ruins on our stop there next month, but we will definitely spend a little time exploring/shopping in the port (although everyone says prices are better in Cozumel.).  

Ha-Ha--The first time I went to Cancún in the early eighties there were few hotels, especially down South in the Riviera Maya area (totally undeveloped), and look at it now--bumper-to-bumper hotels. 

Okay, I also loved Acapulco (stopped there on the original Love Boat, Pacific Princess0, and it has now turned into a cartel headquarters. 

Tourists can make or break a location by liking or disliking a place and spending money, but it is also important for it to be safe. At this point Costa Maya's isolation is an advantage for safety.

The media are reporting today that former Celebrity Captain Kate McCue will now be working for Four Seasons Yachts.

There are only about 95 cabins on each ship, and cruises start at over $30,000.00. Guess I will not be sailing on this line in the near future.

I wish her well!

By the time you arrive in Rome you will have only a very brief independent sightseeing opportunity of several hours before you have to turn around and go back. 

I know the excursions cost a lot, but that might be the way to really see a few things and go inside one of the famous sites.

We have cruised out of Rome the past two Summers and we always use a private transfer service  just for peace of mind, security, assistance with luggage, and door-to-door service.

I would not try to do a one day trip up to Rome on my own, because Rome has too much to see and do and often tickets should be bought in advance,  but if you are of that mind Cruise Critic has a HUGE thread of discussions about this under Community/Ports of Call/Europe/Italy.

Best wishes and good luck!

Okay, I have done family vacations on both land and sea, and I definitely prefer sea!

You can do as little or as much as you want together, but you can still be connected.  No kitchens, no cooking, lots of great restaurant choices, nightly entertainment, visits to interesting ports, all-inclusive price.

I started cruising as a child, so I have no phobias, but through time and our urging  EVERYONE on both sides of the family has gone on a cruise, and they all love it, no matter their preconceptions. 

As to water fear factors, do the family members go to beaches and/or swim?  Cruise ship safety is incredible in modern times, and driving in a car is more dangerous on a daily basis than cruising!

If they want calm waters, try to pick a location that is high season (best weather) and has limited heavy duty water travel (e.g. Caribbean islands, Bermuda, etc in early Summer). 

If you do not try it at least once, you will never know and can never make an informed judgment. 

Best wishes!

Reading about all the Alaska cruise discussions in the news today:  potential bills to avoid Canadian ports, and Canada adding tolls to American trucks and all trying to access Alaska. Potentially Canada could even deny land access to Alaska.

For all those who drink alcohol, I also see 200% increased tariffs threatened on European alcohol!

Yes, cruising will be affected by trade wars.

@TXcruiser33

The 2nd leg is Ireland, Iceland and Scotland.

Are you sailing in July?  We are on that Celebrity cruise as well. I am currently booking excursions, and planning Amsterdam activities! The cruise actually has more sea days than I really like, but I suppose that is due to the distances. I already bought a new raincoat and some fancy dresses. Happy sailing!

I'm in Roatán next month as well, and all those tours were for sale on my cruise, but I would not book one at all. I am an animal lover with lots of pets, and I know that wild animals (non-domesticated) can often be unpredictable and carry diseases. That is why I do not swim with the stingrays or the pigs, and husband does not scuba dive with the sharks. By the way, once when I was at CocoCay after a rainstorm I saw small sharks swimming right up to the beach. They are as fast and as slippery as eels! The rainstorm cooled off the water and they felt comfortable moving closer. Yes, I got out of the water ASAP. I am glad they have the giant pool there now. 

P.S. I actually did swim once with the dolphins, but I would probably not do it again. Dolphins belong in pods out in the ocean. 

P.S.S. People can potentially give the animals diseases as well, -for an example, when zoo animals caught covid from the zookeepers. 

You can always ROYAL UP!

As an East coast resident, I have sailed out of ports from NY to Miami for decades. Baltimore has always been a very easy drive - leave in the AM, on the ship for lunch, ample open parking.  The only stress was dealing with I-95 traffic. Yes, the ships were smaller and the itinerary was usually the same (Bahamas, Florida). The one thing I will say is that sailing out of the Northern East coast in Winter is COLD.

Well, I am 100% not a huge fan of NCL, but their cruises are supposed to start out of Philly in April 2026. It might be fun to see what it it like to just take a local train or a short drive and be on a cruise ship, rather than a multi-hour drive, or a long flight. In the meantime there is always NJ (and NY)!

Well, I'm sailing RC out of Tampa next month--IMO one of the easiest FL ports. I need some hot weather (smile).

Ha, Ha--Ours are already printed and with my copies of documents that I always take on every cruise!  Examples includes receipts of all my on-board purchases, shore excursion information, copy of my insurance plans, etc., etc. My phone goes in the safe when I get on the ship--I am unplugged and relaxed!

Often many people are slow and fumbling with all the electronics. I have never had check-in last longer than five minutes for any cruise because I am always super prepared!

Any time there is an issue with passport/visa eligibility, I believe the policy of most travel entities (cruise lines, tour companies, airlines, etc.) is the final responsibility of ensuring document compliance always rests WITH THE TRAVELER!

I do not know if any cruise lines really have a "function" of flagging ineligibility.  I have seen some reports from people over the years who were denied boarding due to errors with their passports.  Even travel agents might not double check their client passports and confirm they are not within expiration timelines.

I travel internationally frequently, and I am well aware of the six months requirement for many countries. I will probably renew our passports at least eight months before expiration, because I want to allow time for processing and to avoid delays with any potential future trips. 

After many decades of cruising my first loyalty is to being on water, not with any one particular line.

I have sadly seen a few cruise lines that I sailed on come and depart (forever) (examples: American Hawaii cruises, Dolphin, Chandris, etc.). 

When I cruise outside of the North American continent usually my first priority is itinerary, and I look for a ship cruise line that can also deliver high quality service and great shore excursions (I like Celebrity, Princess, Cunard, Holland America).

Yes, I have been on a small ship like Viking, but I am still active enough to prefer the hustle and bustle of the big ships with all the theater productions, so the small luxury lines will have to wait a little longer for me to completely change to them. 

I will say I have been to the Caribbean so many times I have somewhat lost count, and itinerary no longer is the priority.  I had been known to call my previous travel agent and say, what is the cheapest Caribbean cruise leaving in the next few months--put me on it.  I do like RC, NCL and Carnival for easy getaways, or if children are involved.

So there are the old standby cruise lines, as well as many newcomers to the field (like MSC). I think of RC as mid-range, so if the prices are making you gasp, then you should try to sail on an older ship, select a time period that is less popular, or look at cruises out of different ports, or select a destination that is swamped with other ships and more competitive (Alaska).  It is important to calculate the cost per night, because sometimes the longer cruises (one week or more) come out a better bargain than the shorter ones.

Yes, it takes time, energy and dedication to do all the cruise research on pricing. Of course it has been shared here that if you book through an agent like MEI you could also access group rates which might be more acceptable to your budget. 

IMO cruising is a great way to see the world and enjoy an (almost) all-inclusive experience.  Bon voyage!

I guess I am not so picky about my cabins, because I always get those offers and I never do them (just once, minimum bid, and I won.). I figure that if I purchased the cabin I wanted at the price that I wanted, then why would I pay more for a different cabin anyway?

Sure I understand about having a nicer, bigger room, but will I really get the use out of it the room deserves?  Ha-ha, that sounds funny, but I have had some hotel room upgrades that were just wasted on me--once to a multi-bedroom suite in Vail (just monstrous), and once for business, me alone to a three story six bedroom multi-bathroom vacation home on the hotel property (No extra costs for me on either on these upgrades)! 

When I am on a cruise I use my cabin mainly for sleeping and getting dressed, so it is not my "hang-out." Yes, I am cruising RC in April, and sad to say I did not even open up the RC bid offer, because I do not even care--I am going on the cruise for the beach and the warm water! Then off to Iceland this Summer on Celebrity--much too cold for nice balconies!

But, to all those who are interested and successful, bon voyage!

I have been to St. Thomas enough times that it almost bores me.  

Curaçao is unique and lovely with all the multicolored houses.

I actually had to look up Cabo Rojo although I have been to the DR multiple times, on both cruises and land resort stays. 

I am interested in Legend as well--I think Port Canaveral will attract more families, and the itinerary is a bit more simplistic. Of course I agree eight days over seven always wins, as long as the cruise cost per night is not overly excessive.  Bon voyage!

Well, when I am in Alaska out on a windy deck shivering, the ship always feels warm.  In the hot Caribbean or Mediterranean sun, the air conditioning is great.

I always wear a dressy cover up over my sleeveless gowns indoor at dinner and in the theater, but I take it off when I hit the dance floor.

I am another person working around school holiday dates for my DH, so I know the challenges of trying to schedule when every year might be different. Philly was great this past Christmas/New Year's, with a total of 16 days (yes, teachers had to do online professional development one day), and then a snow day made for another online day! No, we did not cruise, but DH got to go skiing in Switzerland instead.  Now for Easter/Spring break week we are heading off on RC to the Western Carib for warmth, sun, beaches and Mayan ruins.

I would like to try out one of the new mega-ships, but definitely not one that goes to a different port every day, especially Barcelona, as just a bit too hectic with shore excursions. I want a chance to enjoy and really check out the ship, so please give me some sea days (smile)!

P.S. It does not matter if Philly opens before or after Labor Day--they always have to end up closing a few of the non-air conditioned schools through September due to heat!

P.S.S. I just canceled a tour scheduled for late June to Brazil & Argentina and lost $600.00 deposit. They now have a new visa process in place just for US & Canada as "reciprocity" (I call it revenge) and want us to show a copy of our bank statements to enter!! Additionally they have both yellow fever and dengue fever outbreaks right now. Oh, well, someday.  In any case, I just booked a nice Celebrity Iceland/Ireland cruise, no bank statements needed (just credit and cash, ha-ha!).

Those robes are nice to wear on the ships but not something I would ever wear at home. Yes, they are very thick and somewhat heavy, but not really soft at all.  There are many robes for sale in the world that are much, much softer, better fitting, better material, and cheaper prices.

I guess you could just buy a RC patch or something and sew it on--HA HA!

Ha-Ha, I come from a family of competitive table tennis players--we all have our own paddles with different rubber types on each side to better spin the ball and do loops. The cruise ship equipment is low budget.

We used to go to tournaments all around the East coast back when table tennis was just starting to come into its own as a US sport. Danny Seemiller and his family were our friends as well as our competition.

Sorry, what happens on cruise ships is just "ping-pong," due to lack of skill, technique, and knowledge.  It is hard to play against people who do not understand the international rules, such as what connotes a legal serve. In any case, my brothers always won all their matches and played against each other at the end for the little cruise ship prize. Dad came in third.  Those were the days!  Hope you find a few serious (real) players and enjoy your cruise. 

Husband scuba dives and always rents equipment, because the suitcase cannot fit it all (formal clothes come first for all my photos!).  He does the same with his faraway skiing trips (although he always brings his own helmet). Most dive excursion costs include all of the equipment, anyway. Sometimes they even give you a wetsuit (Hawaii did this -full body, because it was a bit chilly), although he has a "shorty" he can bring. He just brings his scuba watch and that is about it (and a waterproof case for ID, money, etc.). He has very nice flippers but they are heavy as well, so he will only bring if we go to a resort hotel and he can scuba/snorkel every day.

Have a great time!

There are so many fantastic places to visit that even if Santorini is cancelled you will hopefully go somewhere else equally unique. Med cruises are something you can do again and again over the years, so if you miss something one time you can go on another cruise. I had to wait almost a decade to get back to Istanbul, because there was an attempted coup in 2016, and cruise ships stopped going there for many years. 

At this point the most worried about Santorini are the Greeks, who are asking their scientists to review the situation, and have now decided to create an evacuation port to get residents (and any visitors) off as soon as possible in case of severe earthquakes/landslides/etc.

If your excursion is booked with the cruise line, no worries, you will receive a refund or credit. For independent excursions you may need to discuss the terms and conditions with your provider. 

By the way, all of us have had experience with bad situations in travel--we lived through the Covid pandemic!

Best wishes!

Ha-Ha--As soon as I make my deposit on a cruise I usually start booking my shore excursions, especially if there is something I must do, and even more so if I have on-board credit.   I have booked excursions as far in advance as a year and a half.  I always choose first from the cruise line excursions, but if there is something I know about and want to do that is not listed, then we will arrange on our own (example Scuba diving for husband in Caribbean, visit Basilica Cistern in Istanbul). 

Sometimes I budget almost as much or more than the cost of the cruise for the excursions, especially the Mediterranean/Europe/etc. Yes, tours do sell out, especially the very unique ones. I try to purchase in order of priority--maybe one a month until I do all the port days. 

I am booked on a Celebrity Iceland cruise for July, and already about five excursions are completely sold out.  I have sailed on Viking, and they open up shore excursions based on cabin cost, which can be very annoying for those at the lower end budget because often the good tours all disappear. 

Well, there are often sales of 20% and even 30%, and that is about as good as you can get. You can find some threads on this forum from other cruisers who booked and cancelled then rebooked excursions to get a cheaper price, and unfortunately the RC accounting system messed up and sent them potential cruise cancellation notices for lack of payment, so I would proceed a little bit with caution.  

Pompeii is fabulous, but a bit hot and dusty, and a lot of walking.  If you can splurge you might want to combine it with something more relaxing, like lunch in Portofino or Amalfi, to make a whole day excursion.

Have a wonderful time, and bon voyage!

Hello, I have sailed in the Mediterranean multiple times, and the cruises are always outstanding. I have even sailed out of Venice a few times, which is no longer permitted. RC ships usually sail out of Ravenna now, which is at least two hours away by car. Venice departures usually stop in Croatia or another spot as they head out to sea. Yes, Venice is a lovely and seductive city full of canals and deserves at least several days to visit.

You should also check cruises out of the wonderful capital cities of Rome and Athens, both of which have ports less than an hour away. You could also stay in those cities a few days in advance to explore and recover from jet lag. There is a lot to see and do in both of these cities, and a few days will just introduce you to their treasures.

So, why do you want to travel to this area?  I love archaeological sites, and the more the better, but some people tire quickly when walking around in the hot sun and the dry landscapes.  Highlights for me from the ancient perspective: Pompeii (Naples), Ephesus (Kusadasi, Turkey), Olympia (Katakolon), Delos (Mykonos), Knossos (Crete). More medieval: Rhodes, Istanbul.  Also important to me is prehistoric Akrotiri in Santorini.

From the water/beach perspective: Amalfi, Portofino (Naples), Mykonos, Katakolon. Many of the towns/cities in the Med are great for just strolling, shopping and touring.

In my opinion, the Med has some of the most lovely waters in the world, and the itineraries are amazing, but it is easy to get a bit exhausted if you go from site to site each day.

Please note there is a lot of walking in all of these sites, often over uneven surfaces, and Summer heat can be intense. Because we want to see as much as possible, we usually book all day tours from the cruise line, but there are many options for do-it-yourself and short experiences.

Perhaps you want to review some travel resources like Rick Steves' videos/books.

Have fun planning, and have a great cruise!

We are booked on the Speedboat Safari/Lamanai ruins tour in Belize, and the Chacchoben Mayan ruins tour in Costa Maya, but any visit anywhere to a ruin is a great learning experience IMO, since I am an amateur archaeologist!