Bowen

Agreed.

This was our experience when we did Alaska in 2019. We booked side by side rooms, my parents had a large balcony, we had a regular one. They were the same width, but there's was very deep, probably an additional three or four feet compared to ours. We could see the same things from both balconies.

And if you want to verify what I'm saying, go look up TSA biometric data collection on face scans. All of the capability is there, every bit of it. Are they using it on you, maybe, maybe not, but can they take a picture, update your biometrics, and send it to the great warehouse in the sky, absolutely.

Your facts aren't facts at all, though. The original design of facial scanners was to collect (COLLECT) biometric data from foreign nationals, not compare, not snap a shot then immediately delete. Do you think the entire programming was changed because you check a box that says you're an American Citizen and thus that data will not be collected from you? Also, as to your claim that the pictures are immediately deleted, this is false, even by TSAs own verbiage. The pictures are deleted, but kept on the RAM until actually deleted, which normally happens every 24 hours OR after the unit has been powered down for 30 minutes, BUT pictures may be kept if they can be useful to make the whole recognition software more reliable. So, believe what you want to believe, I'm going to let my family believe what they want to believe. If there's one thing I learned in the past three years it's that there's a whole lot I don't know, and I'm not going to dismiss it when other people have opinions that I might think are wild. And I'm still going to be walking through the facial scanning section of customs, but I'm certainly NOT going to be judging anyone for a fool if they decide against it.

It's very fast, we have a split every time, and without fail the passport lines are slower than the BC lines coming back from Galveston. We sailed in September, January, and April, part of the family used the BC line each time, they were through before the rest of us each time.

Today's delusions are tomorrows FOIA admissions. You do you, my family can do what they want, it's nothing to you. Just stop being rude.

We'd like to do an excursion in at least one port, but we like to do things in our own little group of 10 ish people. We did the monkey/sloth thing in Roatan last time and it was a lot of fun. The guide even took us to his buddy's house and opened up coconuts for us so we could drink the water. It was really a great excursion. Is there anything more personalized like that that any of you would recommend in any of those three ports? Thanks!

It's so nuts that so many people get bothered by something that affects them not at all.

We've grown our group! Two married couples in their 40s, one older couple in their 70s, and four kids 12-16. It's going to be so much fun! We plan on seeing all of the shows again, but we probably won't watch the comedy shows again, we were kind of meh on them last sailing and I presume they are the same.

I don't believe that, neither do they, so they can err on the side of caution.

That's not their issue, their issue is that every time you walk through one of those facial scanners your photo is updated in the database. They don't want that. They want to provide photos on their terms. Just like how people turn off their GPS and stuff, yeah it can probably be extrapolated, but if you'd like to only give information when you want to give it, then that's okay.

I get it. They don’t want what they perceive to be an intrusion. That’s their right.

I have family members who have a passport and use it to board, then disembark with their birth certificate because they refuse to go through any type of facial scanning, which many ports now utilize.

They can’t all be angels like you were when you were a teenager.

Yes, same!

Yep! We have magnets and put up a white board! We do get the occasional lewd message, but we just erase them when we get back to the room. If my teenagers see the message first, all bets are off, they might reply.

We did this, no problem. As long as someone in your cabin is in the photo.

Great examples: My mom and I played slots on Allure, she put in $60 the entire cruise and just kept winning. She ended up with over 700 points for that $60. I put in $700 ($100 a night) over the duration and ended up with less than 700 points. So for her the cost of each point was like 10 cents, and for me it was over a dollar. It just all depends on your luck and whether or not you leave that money in and keep playing.

Fantastic room! We have a family panoramic suite on Explorer and it was awesome, one of our very favorite rooms!

Counterfeit items don’t bother me really, only because I presume people know based on the price whether or not it’s too good to be true. Counterfeit tickets do bother me though. I need to work through this mentally.

Very true, I’m just positing that the reason other religious events are in the cruise compass regularly is because they are self led. I think whomever posted about attending the Catholic Church local to the port is a great idea, and seems very doable in most ports.

Just doing my yearly “Mikes Weather Page” plug, he’s awesome!

I think you’d also be able to have just a general Christian meet and greet that you could post in the library. I think when it’s something self led like that it’s easier to do since it’s not contingent on having clergy on board.

I always carry mine and my kid’s with me, my mom likes to leave hers on the ship in the safe. It’s whatever you are most comfortable with.

We love Explorer. I have two teenage boys who have been on most classes of ships, Explorer remains their favorite.