mathbees

I sailed on the Carnival Conquest many years ago (2004) and the morning I was to board, two ships had collided at the mouth of the Mississippi, so the ship could not get into New Orleans. We ended up sailing out of Gulfport, MS and we set sail about 14 hours late (8 am the next morning) by the time they unloaded previous passengers and then put us all on buses and taxis and such to get to the ship. Yup, during Mardi Gras, no less. It was quite the fiasco. Then we missed two of the three ports due to high seas (Grand Cayman and Jamaica). The third port was Cozumel, but the ferries to the mainland were not running, also due to the high seas. So all-in-all, we spent almost the entire cruise at sea. I loved it! As much as I love seeing other places, I love being on the ocean and enjoying the ship more. I think it was because of the high seas that the decision was made to not attempt substitute ports, especially on a Western Caribbean itinerary with the storms causing problems. We always have a choice... I say listen to Jimmy Buffett: These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, Nothing remains quite the same. Through all of the islands and all of the highlands, If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane

Hi Joe, I've not sailed on RCI so I may be off on some of this, but on another RCI board someone had mentioned that they've done away with the corkage fee. This would mean, though, that you had to drink it in the MDR, if I'm not mistaken. I don't believe you'd be allowed to take the bottle back to your room (at least you couldn't on the CCL cruise, but then they also had a corkage fee). I'm not sure about drinking the wine in another venue though... sounds reasonable. If you are in the US (or connecting into a US city from another country and then taking a US flight to the port city), you will not be able to take wine through TSA security checkpoints. You would need to put the wine in a checked bag. They do make wine bags that not only protect the bottle but will also contain the spill if it should actually break (something like these on Amazon). I've not used these personally, so I can't vouch for them. Another option would be to ship your bottles directly to your hotel. I think you'd have to use UPS ground and you'd want to time it carefully, but I suppose it could work. Again, I've not done this with wine, but I have done this for work related packages (alas, drinking wine is not currently work related, but maybe in the future?). The extra costs may not make it worthwhile. You would get the exact wine you wanted, though. Happy Sailing, Gary

I wonder if they are using Net Promoter Score? A 9 or 10 can make a big difference in the outcome, especially if some people give them 6 or below.

Hi Matt, Thanks for this blog. I've been a diehard CCL cruiser for many years, but am finally making the switch to RCI. I have learned a lot from your blog and am looking forward to my next cruise, alas in 2018. I have added in and pledged on the Patreon site. Again, thanks for all you do! Gary

Excellent! I hope you find it as enjoyable as I have in the past! Happy cruising...

I'm pretty sure they're talking about the buffets at WDW and not on the DCL. Someone want to confirm that DCL does not charge separately for buffets on the ship?

It may be pricier than you may be looking for, but I'm very fond of the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay and have stayed there for all 3 of the cruises I've had out of Miami (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/miabb-miami-marriott-biscayne-bay/). One of the features I'm very fond of is that it overlooks the port and if you can get a port facing room you can watch the ships coming in and going out (ships turn around at the end of the causeway and if you have the right room you can watch them the whole time). You will pay extra for one of these rooms, but it may be worth it if you've never watched these ships maneuver. There is a small mall attached to the hotel that has a couple of food options, plus the hotel has a restaurant, as well. The hotel has a good pool with a bar poolside. There is a free tram across the street (http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/metromover.asp) that can take you over to Bayside Marketplace that has plenty of food options, including the Hard Rock Miami and plenty of Cuban or other delicacies. You can also take a taxi to the Bayside Marketplace. It's fairly close, so not expensive. If you do use the tram, you'll board at the Adrienne Arsht Center and change trams at College North to get to the College/Bayside terminal (or just get off at College North and walk a couple of extra blocks). I've done both and both are convenient. Going back you can board at College/Bayside and get back to Adrienne Arsht Center directly. Look at the maps. It sounds harder than it is. I usually use the tram to get to the marketplace and taxi back to the hotel, just for convenience. You'll need to get a taxi to the port, as well, but it's fairly close, so not expensive. Getting from the airport to the hotel will also like require a taxi or shuttle service. It's been a couple of years since my last Miami cruise, so I'm not sure what the prices of the taxis or shuttle are now, but as I recall it was never overly pricey.

Bump. Anyone got an update on when the dates will be released? Thanks!

Unfortunately, the closest I got to a cruise moment in 2016 was when the wife approved a 2018 cruise (which I'm waiting [im]patiently for the itineraries to open up).

I did quite well on a competitor's ship in 2015. I won a couple of slot pulls in the 200-300 range on the first day... enough to cover my gambling for the week (making the wife happy). And then I hit a $2800 jackpot on the last night. On that same cruise I won a GoPro in the arcade. I've been on six cruises and that was the only time I'd actually won anything. By the way, yes, you are supposed to file the "income" with the IRS. However, I also keep all my scratchers and powerball losing tickets throughout the year to write off against the win. Doesn't usually even out, but softens the blow.

Thanks, Matt. I am definitely planning to jump on it as soon as itineraries are announced. I've been on many cruises but never used a TA for a cruise before as I love to do the research (I think I was a TA in a former life). We took a recent trip to Orlando and used a TA because we were meeting up with friends and they had the TA lined up before we signed on. I found the experience to be underwhelming, as I saw no value add from the TA. In fact, I had to correct the TA on what accommodations were available at Universal Studios (they didn't realize that the Hard Rock had both a Cafe and a hotel). With that said, I'm assuming my best bet would be to use a RC TA directly? Will they start working with me before the itineraries are released so we can jump on it immediately? Thanks WaaayTooo... Basing my opinion on your other posts (yes, I've been lurking for a while), you seem to also have a wealth of knowledge and experience, so I definitely appreciate the input. Fortunately I'm only looking for one suite... a base of operations, as it were. The other cabin will likely be an inside balcony near the suite. I'm much less concerned about getting the balcony, as we can be very flexible on that one. I know the suite will be the biggest challenge. Again, thanks to both of you for you insights.

Hello, We are planning a large family get together and it would be very convenient to book the 2 bedroom AquaTheater Suit on Decks 9 or 10 (for 7 or 8 people). The cruise will be in June 2018 (to coincide with my daughter's 21st birthday). We are willing to be a little flexible on our dates, but want the cruise to start on or after her birthday, preferably within 2-3 weeks. I know the suites are hard to get a that time of year and that the cruise itineraries should be announced sometime between January and March/April 2017, based on the rumor board discussions. So my questions for all of you with experience on this: 1. Is this a realistic goal or will they be booked as soon as the itineraries are announced? 2. If it is realistic, is there a best way to go about this (getting a private TA lined up prior to the itineraries being released or working directly with a RC TA?). Unfortunately for me, I have low level status on a competitor's line (6 cruises), but nothing on RC.... yet. Based on the amenities and such, I'm sure my wife and I will become long time RC cruisers. 3. Does RC hold these particular cabins for larger groups? Obviously, I will attempt to get these cabins and fall back to other options if the AquaTheater suite is not available (like the 4BR Family Suite). We will be getting at least one additional cabin and possibly 3 or 4, depending on family's availability - so in some ways the 4BR is convenient. However, we also know that it might be nice for everyone to have separate cabins (for solitude...). Thanks for the assist and happy cruising all! Gary