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Disney is awesome if you can afford it. Affording it is the problem.
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Feb 7, 2020 17:11
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Welp my wallet eagerly awaits the 2021 Alaska itineraries to come out.
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Feb 7, 2020 17:13
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The Princess ship we were on last year (Star Princess) really didn't have much for kid-tainment. There was a room/zone for kids and tweens and that was about it. Mind you, it was September and didn't have many kids on board so that could be why. Friends of ours cruise Disney and it is very much kid friendly. For a family I think it's the way to go and probably worth the extra $$ if you can possibly swing it.
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Feb 8, 2020 17:00
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slidebite posted:The Princess ship we were on last year (Star Princess) really didn't have much for kid-tainment. There was a room/zone for kids and tweens and that was about it. Mind you, it was September and didn't have many kids on board so that could be why. Princess aims towards the middle-aged and older crowd.
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Feb 8, 2020 17:48
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I have cruised with DCL 7 times now, twice without kids and 5 times with kids. We once had an owner’s suite cabin on NCL and still felt the experience was overall much better with Disney Cruise Line. If you have kids, DCL just does an amazing job of keeping them entertained. The adult areas are great and child-free with my only critique being that there could be more space in the pools. Castaway Cay is a wonderful, stress free port day. Unfortunately the prices for DCL keep going up which may compel us to try other cruise lines again. Have cruised with Celebrity a couple times and found a similar level of service and amenities, though the entertainment is lacking and there are minimal activities for kids. I still feel Celebrity is a great, lesser expensive option for couple. If you are just looking for a cheap booze cruise, with acceptable service, Royal Caribbean is a decent option, especially if you can book on one of their larger ships. Richlove fucked around with this message at 19:52 on Feb 8, 2020 |
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Feb 8, 2020 19:49
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Looks like in preparation for our extended family Alaska DCL extravaganza, me and my wife are going to do a week cruise from NYC to Halifax and back down the northeastern coast on NCL. Anyone done one of these before? Thoughts on excursions that are more physical and less sitting on a bus?
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Feb 9, 2020 13:58
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Has anyone used the NCL messaging app to keep in touch with your party on NCL? My wife has a tablet but no smartphone, but that would be enough for us. Mainly I know she is going to sleep in way later than me and I want her to be able to get ahold of me if in out working out or something and she wants breakfast. Do those apps work well enough? Seems like there's a 10 bux fee but whatever. Alternatively has anyone done walkie talkies on a cruise and likes it?
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Feb 11, 2020 13:11
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I have not sailed on NCL, so I don't know what their app is like. We have used Carnival's and it works well. On our last cruise on RCCL, I saw a ton of people with walkies so I think that's a pretty good option.
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Feb 11, 2020 16:49
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slidebite posted:I've never done a transatlantic before. Mrs Slidebite is a little concerned as she can get seasick and we have a about 6-7 sea days in total. Well, my usual recommendation would be "ginger ale, plus a Shitton of ginger candy", but if ginger doesn't work well for her, that's ruled out. Gravol - non-drowsy, if you can get it - and staying towards the middle of the ship will help. The motion is more noticeable if you're outside, on the upper decks, or at the bow or stern. If she's outside the cabin (assuming you have an interior cabin), getting somewhere she can see the horizon through a window can also help. Usually, people get used to the motion within a couple days, but some people just don't adjust well. That said, rough weather can make the ship very, uh, "boaty" even for people with minimal motion sickness issues, and transatlantic trips are (I think) a little more prone to rough weather. Stocking up things she can do that don't require getting out of bed, and being gentle on herself - soup and tea, rather than heavy foods, for example - is a good plan in general.
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Feb 11, 2020 19:00
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NCL messaging app works surprisingly well. I've used it several times and never had an issue with it. The only complication is if you drop the wifi connection at any time you need to log back into the app. But otherwise no complaints.
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Feb 12, 2020 02:33
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sparkmaster posted:NCL messaging app works surprisingly well. I've used it several times and never had an issue with it. The only complication is if you drop the wifi connection at any time you need to log back into the app. But otherwise no complaints. We're headed on a cruise with NCL soon and just wondering, do we need to buy onboard wifi or mobile phone roaming in order to use the NCL messaging app?
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Feb 12, 2020 03:11
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Bleargh, our Asia cruise (Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) starting next week was just cancelled by the cruise line. Full refund + huge credits for another cruise within about a year. Now to figure out a contingency plan for the rest of the month... Hawai'i or England look like the top of the list. poolside toaster fucked around with this message at 14:57 on Feb 12, 2020 |
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Feb 12, 2020 14:39
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I think anyone with an Asia cruise any time this year should be ready for cancellations.
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Feb 12, 2020 14:51
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Am I wrong or are there a bunch of entitled whiners on Cruisecritic? Just crybaby Karens wanting to talk to the manager about everything.
Chin Strap fucked around with this message at 23:56 on Feb 12, 2020 |
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Feb 12, 2020 22:43
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You're not wrong. Cruise Critic is the DISBoards of cruising.
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Feb 12, 2020 23:11
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poolside toaster posted:You're not wrong. B-b-but my first cruise is 3 months away and I want to keep obsessively researching stuff and this thread was too short 
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Feb 12, 2020 23:48
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arrowdust posted:We're headed on a cruise with NCL soon and just wondering, do we need to buy onboard wifi or mobile phone roaming in order to use the NCL messaging app? Nope, it works using the internal network. No extra purchasing needed, just the  for the messaging through the app.
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Feb 13, 2020 01:43
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I just remember it being spotty using Carnival a few years ago and we mostly stayed together anyway. Not a complete waste of five bucks but it wasn't as useful as I thought. I keep forgetting about the walkie talkies though.
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Feb 13, 2020 02:55
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I did my very first cruise (Royal Caribbean, Explorer of the Seas, 5 day eastern Caribbean route) last week and I wanted to thank folks in this thread for giving out good resources and allying some fears! Obsessive research is definitely my game and between goons and my travel agent things went really smoothly. The only thing that hosed us up was just winging where to go at the Port of Miami by telling our Uber driver 'That's our ship'. That was a little stressful but that was literally the only hiccup of the whole trip.
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Feb 13, 2020 04:54
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Chin Strap posted:Am I wrong or are there a bunch of entitled whiners on Cruisecritic? Just crybaby Karens wanting to talk to the manager about everything. There is definitely some value in cruise critic and real gold info, but holy poo poo yeah there is a metric poo poo ton of whiners.
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Feb 13, 2020 05:44
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slidebite posted:There is definitely some value in cruise critic and real gold info, but holy poo poo yeah there is a metric poo poo ton of whiners. Don't you even dare taking away a Diamond Platinum Ruby Plus member's access to the suite lounge! You will regret this! Also, tuxes are required in the dining room at all times. Anything less is just another sign of decline of the once-prestigious Caribbean Party and Booze Line. Zero One fucked around with this message at 06:26 on Feb 13, 2020 |
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Feb 13, 2020 06:24
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poolside toaster posted:Bleargh, our Asia cruise (Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) starting next week was just cancelled by the cruise line. Full refund + huge credits for another cruise within about a year. So while I was at work tonight, the SO and our travelling companions planned and executed a replacement vacation: Flight to Hawai'i (O'ahu) and a week-long stay at a resort, then flight to California and three days at Disneylandl, staying on property. Not a cruise, but acceptable.
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Feb 13, 2020 07:04
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Just got off the inaugural NOLA cruise for DCL. They gave everyone a lithograph to commemorate the inaugural cruise. This was our first time cruising Disney and it was fantastic. I’ve loved cruising Royal but Disney blows it out of the water in almost every category. Definitely worth the price difference if you can afford.
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Feb 14, 2020 15:09
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Going on my first cruise in a couple months, went with Royal Caribbean and the Oasis of the Seas because it's the biggest boat with all the activities (I'm gonna do the surf simulator thing so much). We don't have our room yet, but we're going to be on an interior balcony, I'm hoping we get to be above the central park area. Wish I had read the thread beforehand, it sounds like a travel agent would have streamlined the booking process. It's my first time getting to book a large trip like this for myself and I constantly feel like I'm forgetting something. If anyone has any advice particular to Royal Caribbean, I'd love to hear it.
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Feb 15, 2020 20:30
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bonus hole boy posted:If anyone has any advice particular to Royal Caribbean, I'd love to hear it. I believe on the last night of the cruise, Royal Caribbean cruises all have “The Quest,” which is ambiguously described as an adults only game show. It’s incredibly weird, louder than you think possible, and definitely worth going to. My wife was “meh” on it, I loved it. I would expect a full range of reactions to it.
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Feb 15, 2020 21:32
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bonus hole boy posted:Going on my first cruise in a couple months, went with Royal Caribbean and the Oasis of the Seas because it's the biggest boat with all the activities (I'm gonna do the surf simulator thing so much). We don't have our room yet, but we're going to be on an interior balcony, I'm hoping we get to be above the central park area. If you need a travel agent and it hasn't been 30 days since you booked, I'd be happy to help you transfer it to me and then I can assist you. Boxman posted:I believe on the last night of the cruise, Royal Caribbean cruises all have “The Quest,” which is ambiguously described as an adults only game show. It’s incredibly weird, louder than you think possible, and definitely worth going to. My wife was “meh” on it, I loved it. I would expect a full range of reactions to it. I am not a fan of this. It's all stupid stuff like simulating orgasms and poo poo and I just don't care to do stuff like that. That said, on our last RCCL cruise everyone raved about the Oasis Class ships. I understand that there a lot of activities you need to reserve ahead of time, like seating at the nightly shows. That's something you might want to check into.
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Feb 15, 2020 23:50
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bonus hole boy posted:Going on my first cruise in a couple months, went with Royal Caribbean and the Oasis of the Seas because it's the biggest boat with all the activities (I'm gonna do the surf simulator thing so much). We don't have our room yet, but we're going to be on an interior balcony, I'm hoping we get to be above the central park area. I was on Oasis last year. Gorgeous ship with a lot to do. I also spent a lot of time on the surf simulator cuz it’s amazing and fun. Definitely look into booking any shows to ensure you get a spot when you want. Don’t worry if you can’t book the diving shows. 1) Most of them got canceled on ours due to rocky seas and 2) you can just sit at the tables just behind the diving seating area without reservations. Just get there 45min early. If it’s a 7 night trip, I’d advise at least one night in the specialty restaurants or at least not the main dining room. In recent years, RC has gotten pretty repetitive each night with their menus in the main dining room. Also, keep in mind you can order as much food as you like on cruises. So feel free to order multiple appetizers, entrees and desserts if there’s a lot you want to try. If you like live music, the Central Park often has live violin and singers at night which is super relaxing under the stars.
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Feb 16, 2020 00:57
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bonus hole boy posted:
If your ship has a Johnny Rockets and you want a good burger, go ahead and pay the $10. It's unlimited burgers/fries/chili, plus the burger patties are much tastier than the ones they have on the buffet. Plus you can get a great peanut butter/chocolate milkshake for a few bucks more. We noticed our cruise director eating there the night we did. It was the best meal we had on the last Royal Caribbean cruise IMO. Hopefully the Oasis ships have a different selection.
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Feb 16, 2020 03:28
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The Refreshment package that covers soda on RC will also cover the milkshakes and floats at Johnny Rockets, as well as non alcoholic smoothies.
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Feb 16, 2020 03:35
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BlackIronHeart posted:The Refreshment package that covers soda on RC will also cover the milkshakes and floats at Johnny Rockets, as well as non alcoholic smoothies. But not the one that JUST covers Cokes. At least ours didn't.
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Feb 16, 2020 04:04
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I just discovered this thread, but happy to see some other Disney Cruise Line travelers on here. I just got back from my 8th one (posted a trip report in the Disney for first-timers thread earlier), and already pre-booked No. 9 for January 2021 on the Dream. The only reason I don't mind budgeting aggressively to afford DCL cruises is because you see that DCL spares no expense on maintenance and upkeep overall, and the food and amenities are deluxe, and what I'd expect for the price. Plus, even it one DCL cruise could be 2 or 3 on another line, my wife and I will never have the time to actually do that second or third cruise, so we just treat ourselves.
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Feb 16, 2020 05:36
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^^ Very similar to why we prefer Regent. The ships are incredibly maintained, suites are amazing, staff and food are second to none. Not cheap by any stretch, but since they included virtually everything if you only do a big grand holiday once a year or two, I'd rather save for that. Of course, YMMV and I totally get people not wanting the same things for their holidays.Braksgirl posted:I understand that there a lot of activities you need to reserve ahead of time, like seating at the nightly shows. That's something you might want to check into. slidebite fucked around with this message at 17:38 on Feb 16, 2020 |
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Feb 16, 2020 17:25
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Braksgirl posted:If you need a travel agent and it hasn't been 30 days since you booked, I'd be happy to help you transfer it to me and then I can assist you. Ouch, that's rough. I think I'm about two weeks past that point by now, but thank you for the offer. I think I've got it sorted out at this point, there has just been a lot of checking and rechecking of every little thing. As far as event seating goes, we splurged a little and got ourselves The Key program, which I think includes access to the seating reserved for high tier rewards members? We also picked up the refreshment package that includes mocktails and other non-alcoholic drinks, so hopefully that will cover the specialty drinks because I love a good malt. We'll get the chance to try the steakhouse as part of The Key, but we're also planning on going to the Hibachi place to watch the chefs do their thing. The tips are all very much appreciated, the idea of a cruise is something that has appealed to me for a long time so I'm excited to get the chance to finally go on one.
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Feb 16, 2020 21:08
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I used the Key on Mariner last year. It was nice but never needed to use the special seats because on that ship they just weren't as busy. The welcome lunch and departure breakfast were good though. The menu is not the full Chops menu so I do highly recommend going to dinner there one night. It was our favorite on both Mariner and Oasis.
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Feb 16, 2020 22:31
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The gnocchi at Giovanni's is good. Funny story from my cruise:. We ate at Giovanni's and I got the calamari, which was tasty, but I think it didn't agree with me. We were about to sit down at the Windjammer when I felt an urgent need for the toilet so I hit the restroom right outside. It was... Well, seafood, y'know? About 30 seconds into this strenuous act, someone comes in from the pool deck and tries my stall handle. I respond with "Occupied." and then this guy starts screaming at the top of his lungs. "I WANNA TELL WHOEVER IS making GBS threads, THANKS FOR making GBS threads IN THIS loving BATHROOM SO I HAVE TO SMELL YOUR loving poo poo, INSTEAD OF making GBS threads IN YOUR loving CABIN! gently caress!" I've never laughed and poo poo like that before. Apparently I chose the bathroom right by the pool deck smoking area. BlackIronHeart fucked around with this message at 00:06 on Feb 17, 2020 |
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Feb 16, 2020 23:52
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Forgot to mention: for Oasis ships even with the Key you still need to make show reservations. But you will have a reserved area so you don't need to show up super early.
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Feb 17, 2020 00:06
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BlackIronHeart posted:Apparently I chose the bathroom right by the pool deck smoking area. Ironic, isn't it?
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Feb 17, 2020 05:16
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BlackIronHeart posted:About 30 seconds into this strenuous act, someone comes in from the pool deck and tries my stall handle. I respond with "Occupied." and then this guy starts screaming at the top of his lungs. That's beautiful.
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Feb 17, 2020 07:43
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Last of everything I really need to get done for the cruise is done (booking paid off, flights booked, hotels booked) so now it's just trying not to anxiously vibrate into the sun while I wait for it to be time to go. I'm going to add a dining reservation, too. It's $25 (last I checked) and it's a cool-looking Asian restaurant, and I want egg rolls and ramen.
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Feb 18, 2020 12:58
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Zero One posted:Forgot to mention: for Oasis ships even with the Key you still need to make show reservations. But you will have a reserved area so you don't need to show up super early. What do you think is the best deal in Cruising right now out of the big brands (carnival,RC,celeb,princess,NCL) ? Its so hard to try and compare apples-to-apples because even if you try and get a final number of the cost of the cabin+fees+gratuties, you really have to do a ton of napkin math of 'this one has a drink promotion, this one was more shows i want, this one has free speciality dining, this one has 11 dollar drinks, this one has 6 dollar drinks, etc etc etc'. Its batshit trying to actually figure out if any are even cheaper. But I guess I am looking mostly at RC vs NCL on a megaship in caribbean for first cruise. Hard to go that wrong on that right? I'm excecting about 1 grand per person for 7 days, plus how much extra for dining and excursions? Also, seeing a lot of '60% off second passenger' and 'five free perks' etc right now. Are these typical sales that happen all the time and its not actually cheaper (ala car dealers having 'employee pricing' every 2 months that is only 20 bucks cheaper) or is it actually good sales due to fears of me?
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Feb 21, 2020 05:13
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