TimeRacer

I just did my check-in for Ovation in May out of Seattle, and snagged the 10:30am slot. And yes, I was the crazy one who got up at 3am to check in.

This is the highest one I can find on my cruise planner right now for my May Alaska cruise.

Noon is the earliest I'd be comfortable with, simply because security at TPA can take a while. Then, you'll have time to get off the ship, grab an uber/lyft/cab, and be able to have a cushion for peak security waiting. 

On our Alaska cruise in May, we decided to try out Wonderland. On our first cruise we skipped all specialty dining, so we thought it would be fun. We went for quirky, since that's usually our style. I pulled videos for my picky children so they know kinda what to expect.

My weird question is this: are the portions enough that my high-metabolism, huge appetite hubby will be fine, or am I gonna have to direct him straight to Sorento's after dinner so he isn't whiny all night?

2 hours ago, Cactus527 said:

If you don't already, you could consider using compression packing cubes - it will save you space in your suitcase and allow you to bring more!

I just ordered a set that my best friend's wife swears made their Iceland cruise a breeze. I test packed some of the extra layers I want to take, and I think they are going to be a true gift from the travel gods!

I opted for Southwest instead of Alaska Airlines for our Alaskan cruise in May, partially because the extra cost of the checked bags annoyed me. That said, my family flies carry-on only for trips of 5 days or shorter; longer than that, we bite the bullet and check the bags. With having to do layers for Alaska, we're absolutely checking bags.

My hometown airport is super easy, except for Monday mornings and Saturday mornings. Then, good grief. 

We're doing our first Quantum class sailing in May. (Ovation in Alaska!) Honestly? I'm worried I'm going to hate it. Our first cruise ever was on Serenade, and we absolutely fell in love with her. I'm worried the Quantum class is going to be too much for us. 

I'm not surprised by the prices, but they do hurt. Those inside cabin prices are more than our family of 4 paid for a balcony on Ovation next year. Guess my plan of hitting up older ships with quirkier itineraries is going to be the way going forward. (And yes, I know Ovation isn't really an older ship, but I guess age is relative in cruise ship time)

My younger cat would just live in a suitcase if I'd let her. As soon as it's opened, she's in it. Makes it a challenge when I'm just trying to put the nesting suitcases back together for storage.

We're sailing on Ovation in the spring, and two70 looks so interesting to me. I have a feeling I'm gonna fall in love and just live there for the week.

I opt for budget-friendly when in Tampa, and like to book hotels in Westshore, which almost always have airport shuttles. The cruise port is a super-easy drive from there, so we just took a Lyft. Tampa's airport and cruise port aren't terribly far apart, so the uber/lyft options are usually budget friendly. 

Water was provided, and since it was before noon that was enough for me that day.

You're going to love Serenade! She is such a lovely ship, and you can find so many random little places to sit and watch the scenery go by. I kept a little bottle of sanitizer in my pocket for buffet trips. Sanitize walking in with the crew, and hit myself again before actually eating. Little things to keep my germs to myself and to hopefully keep others' germs away.

I personally fell in love with Serenade of the Seas, which is the sister to the two ships you mentioned. Since Radiance class ships are a little older, they are comparatively smaller and feel very intimate. If you want to just relax with a few things to do here and there and to be able to really focus on the scenery, you can't lose with a Radiance class ship. They were designed for the Alaska route (or at least it seems like they were) with windows everywhere, and lots of comfy places to just sit and enjoy a drink and conversation as the world goes by. If you're the kind that likes to go go go all the time, it may not be the best match. 

While the ships are kept clean and have been recently refreshed, don't expect a super high-tech experience like on Wonder by any means. You're still sailing on a 20+ year old ship. I think that is part of the charm, though. Also, since there's only half the guest capacity of the bigger ships, the crew is easier to get to know. 

Everyone above has excellent advice. Frequency is key. I have Southwest rewards because I fly with them most often. My city isn't a hub, but they offer the most direct flights to the places I frequent. Hotels, I have multiple loyalty accounts since I tend to go with whatever chain is where I wanna be. I have been favoring Hilton brands more, because they do sales for rewards members. It may only save me $15/night, but hey, that's a good sandwich from a local joint once I'm where I need to go.

Hubs and I think that we're cruise people now.

Ovation - May 17, 2024

Chichen Itza from Cozumel. The ferry got me. Yes, it is a long day, and the ruins were amazing, but I feel like it's a "Been there, done that" type of thing. That, and I still have nightmares about that ferry. I've never gotten sick on a ferry before that trip, and to then hop right into a bus was a bit much for me.

I don't regret doing it, we loved it overall, but definitely won't do again if/when we go back to the Western Caribbean. 

This is all on the guide, for sure. He said  "2:45-2:50" which means everyone heard "2:50" and he should know that. You always assume the people are going to head back to you at the time you said to be at the bus, because that's just how people are. My husband is that type, so he never actually knows when we have to be anywhere because I intentionally tell him incorrect times so we aren't late. When dealing with the public at large, you've gotta factor in these types of folks, and the last minute bathroom emergencies, and whatever other nonsense can hit.

I really hope it's just a cool new show element. Because I'm the type that even *looking* at a skateboard gives me bruises. 

Welcome! I found this board extremely useful when cruising for the very first time. I hope your kiddos love the surprise!

While I'm fine with this change, it won't stop the drunken frat boys from being obnoxious.

Both of my kids (8 and 11) had no problems walking up to any bar to get a drink on their drink packages on our last cruise. We were on Serenade, and the bartenders at our two favorite bars even learned what drinks the kids liked, which made my youngest feel extra special and seen.

We decided when we did our first cruise that we were going to get passports. It was honestly past time for us to have them, anyway. We made a point to order them super early (avoiding the extra cost of expediting) and budgeted for them. 2 adults, 2 kids, wasn't exactly cheap but I think it was worth it. It's also nice to know that I have a government ID for my minor children should I need it for any reason.

Serenade has a mixture of armed chair and non-armed chairs in both the MDR and the Windjammer. Non-armed were trickier to find in the Windjammer, but they did exist. That said, the chairs are reasonably large even with arms, so if you get stuck with one, it isn't as tight a fit as typical restaurant chairs can be.