Suzila

None on the Carnival Paradise in february...I brought my own . Sue

That was always my one fear when we used to travel with the kids...would they be fooling around and push one another over the railing? This is how bad I am...our gift to our son and our new daughter-in-law was their honeymoon cruise in January. They laughed at me when we dropped them off at the port and I told my son to have a wonderful time, and STAY AWAY FROM THE RAILING! (hey! I'm ALWAYS going to be his mother! LOL!) Sue

We've been on three Royal Caribbean cruises. two Princess cruises. one NCL cruise three Carnival cruises --------------------------------- 9 cruises so far. Our destinations have been Baja California, Mexico (Mazatlan, Puerta Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas), Alaska, and Panama Canal. We live in the Los Angeles area, so Baja has been our most frequent cruise, when we need a quick break. We just drive down to the port and hop aboard! We have one cruise scheduled for the western Caribbean coming up in July. I don't remember the name of the ships we were on, nor many of the dates. I do remember 1994 was Alaska, 1998 we took my son and his friend to Baja for their high school graduation gift, 1999 we went through the Panama Canal (wanted to do that before it changed hands), August 2003 I won a Carnival cruise for 4 to Baja, and February 2005 my hubby and I took a quickie cruise to Baja. I hope our total of cruises continues to grow in leaps and bounds over the next few years. Sue

We haven't had a balcony yet either, but our friends did when we cruised through the Panama Canal. While hubby and I spent most of the day out on deck taking every picture possible of the canal, our friends sat on their balcony and watched the canal pass by that way. Even our friends admit that we saw more of the canal than they did...sitting on their balcony, it looked like we were pulling into a train station! Sue

I'm not sure, after seeing the hole in the ship (that's definitely a hole, not a dent!), that I'd want an extended stay onboard, unless it was going to sit right where it was. I wouldn't want to be on the sea, knowing it has a hole in it. Yes, you can call me 'chicken'. Sue

I'm hoping you'll include what there was to do in Cozumel other than the beach. Looking forward to your review. Welcome home! Sue

I'm hoping you'll include what there was to do in Cozumel other than the beach. Looking forward to your review. Welcome home! Sue

I'm hoping you'll include what there was to do in Cozumel other than the beach. Looking forward to your review. Welcome home! Sue

I'm surprised and disappointed to hear all this Jeff, but appreciate your summary. I think it was the Seaward that we were on. So, in that vein, I've been hoping to take a cruise around Hawaii, maybe next year. Isn't Norwegian the only line that cruises around the islands? I'm not interested in cruising across the ocean TO Hawaii. Just want to fly there and cruise around. Do you happen to know if any other line does that? I'm sure not going to take a chance on NCL if it's as bad as you say. Thanks, Sue

I'm surprised and disappointed to hear all this Jeff, but appreciate your summary. I think it was the Seaward that we were on. So, in that vein, I've been hoping to take a cruise around Hawaii, maybe next year. Isn't Norwegian the only line that cruises around the islands? I'm not interested in cruising across the ocean TO Hawaii. Just want to fly there and cruise around. Do you happen to know if any other line does that? I'm sure not going to take a chance on NCL if it's as bad as you say. Thanks, Sue

I'm surprised and disappointed to hear all this Jeff, but appreciate your summary. I think it was the Seaward that we were on. So, in that vein, I've been hoping to take a cruise around Hawaii, maybe next year. Isn't Norwegian the only line that cruises around the islands? I'm not interested in cruising across the ocean TO Hawaii. Just want to fly there and cruise around. Do you happen to know if any other line does that? I'm sure not going to take a chance on NCL if it's as bad as you say. Thanks, Sue

I just read the review...this was bpasdar's first cruise and unfortunately, it wasn't just the giant wave that seems to have probably turned him off to cruising. As he reports, the itinierary was changed right from the start of the trip. Many people don't know or don't understand that the cruise lines will change the itinerary if they feel it's not safe to dock somewhere, for whatever reason, i.e.: weather. I think you should just expect this to happen and try to go with the flow. I'd rather have a changed itinerary than get on a ship and head directly into a storm. Unfortunately, it seems like the wave was quite a big surprise anyway, even though they tried to avoid it. I've only been on one NCL cruise and that was about 10 years ago. The only complaint we had, and it really wasn't a complaint, was that the ship was older (can't remember offhand which ship it was). But the food was great and the entertainment was very good. We enjoyed that trip. Has NCL changed so much? The review makes it sound like NCL is a terrible cruise line. I realize that the giant wave would ruin a vacation, but the way bpasdar has reported it, it sounds like the entire cruise was horrible. Should NCL be avoided? Wondering how everyone else feels about this line. And, did bpasdar propose to his girlfriend? He didn't say. Inquiring minds (nosy people!) want to know! Sue

I just read the review...this was bpasdar's first cruise and unfortunately, it wasn't just the giant wave that seems to have probably turned him off to cruising. As he reports, the itinierary was changed right from the start of the trip. Many people don't know or don't understand that the cruise lines will change the itinerary if they feel it's not safe to dock somewhere, for whatever reason, i.e.: weather. I think you should just expect this to happen and try to go with the flow. I'd rather have a changed itinerary than get on a ship and head directly into a storm. Unfortunately, it seems like the wave was quite a big surprise anyway, even though they tried to avoid it. I've only been on one NCL cruise and that was about 10 years ago. The only complaint we had, and it really wasn't a complaint, was that the ship was older (can't remember offhand which ship it was). But the food was great and the entertainment was very good. We enjoyed that trip. Has NCL changed so much? The review makes it sound like NCL is a terrible cruise line. I realize that the giant wave would ruin a vacation, but the way bpasdar has reported it, it sounds like the entire cruise was horrible. Should NCL be avoided? Wondering how everyone else feels about this line. And, did bpasdar propose to his girlfriend? He didn't say. Inquiring minds (nosy people!) want to know! Sue

I just read the review...this was bpasdar's first cruise and unfortunately, it wasn't just the giant wave that seems to have probably turned him off to cruising. As he reports, the itinierary was changed right from the start of the trip. Many people don't know or don't understand that the cruise lines will change the itinerary if they feel it's not safe to dock somewhere, for whatever reason, i.e.: weather. I think you should just expect this to happen and try to go with the flow. I'd rather have a changed itinerary than get on a ship and head directly into a storm. Unfortunately, it seems like the wave was quite a big surprise anyway, even though they tried to avoid it. I've only been on one NCL cruise and that was about 10 years ago. The only complaint we had, and it really wasn't a complaint, was that the ship was older (can't remember offhand which ship it was). But the food was great and the entertainment was very good. We enjoyed that trip. Has NCL changed so much? The review makes it sound like NCL is a terrible cruise line. I realize that the giant wave would ruin a vacation, but the way bpasdar has reported it, it sounds like the entire cruise was horrible. Should NCL be avoided? Wondering how everyone else feels about this line. And, did bpasdar propose to his girlfriend? He didn't say. Inquiring minds (nosy people!) want to know! Sue

I've told my cruise agent over and over...I don't care where I am on the ship, as long as I'm on the ship. I don't care if the ship ever leaves the home port. Just get me on. The cabin doesn't matter to me...I barely spend any time in it. I am with the hubby I love, on vacation, not doing my normal chores and errands, eating like a pig, meeting new people, seeing new places, or the same places I've seen before... Truthfully, I love an interior cabin. It's cozy. There's only two of us. It's good and dark, so you can sleep as long as you like (as long as you remember to bring an alarm clock for that last day, or days you want to catch an excursion!). If I want to watch the sea, I'll go out on deck. I don't need a window or balcony. The balconies don't excite me. A cruise is a cruise is a cruise. Once you're onboard, you're in paradise. That's how I feel about cruising. Sue

I've told my cruise agent over and over...I don't care where I am on the ship, as long as I'm on the ship. I don't care if the ship ever leaves the home port. Just get me on. The cabin doesn't matter to me...I barely spend any time in it. I am with the hubby I love, on vacation, not doing my normal chores and errands, eating like a pig, meeting new people, seeing new places, or the same places I've seen before... Truthfully, I love an interior cabin. It's cozy. There's only two of us. It's good and dark, so you can sleep as long as you like (as long as you remember to bring an alarm clock for that last day, or days you want to catch an excursion!). If I want to watch the sea, I'll go out on deck. I don't need a window or balcony. The balconies don't excite me. A cruise is a cruise is a cruise. Once you're onboard, you're in paradise. That's how I feel about cruising. Sue

I've told my cruise agent over and over...I don't care where I am on the ship, as long as I'm on the ship. I don't care if the ship ever leaves the home port. Just get me on. The cabin doesn't matter to me...I barely spend any time in it. I am with the hubby I love, on vacation, not doing my normal chores and errands, eating like a pig, meeting new people, seeing new places, or the same places I've seen before... Truthfully, I love an interior cabin. It's cozy. There's only two of us. It's good and dark, so you can sleep as long as you like (as long as you remember to bring an alarm clock for that last day, or days you want to catch an excursion!). If I want to watch the sea, I'll go out on deck. I don't need a window or balcony. The balconies don't excite me. A cruise is a cruise is a cruise. Once you're onboard, you're in paradise. That's how I feel about cruising. Sue

Here's a link to the NY Daily News article about it. http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/300826p-257523c.html How frightening that must have been. I wonder if they had people put on their vests and go to their muster stations. I am always amazed what a joke some people make of muster. They hold it so people will know what to do in an emergency. It's the one serious part of a cruise and it annoys me that there are people who don't take it seriously. Ahhh...got that vent off my chest. It's too early Monday morning...sorry. Here's a quote from the article: "All passengers would be given a partial refund, a credit for a future trip and access to the ship's open bar". I guess they needed access to the open bar after a trip like that! LOL! I hope no one from this message board was on it. Sue

Here's a link to the NY Daily News article about it. http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/300826p-257523c.html How frightening that must have been. I wonder if they had people put on their vests and go to their muster stations. I am always amazed what a joke some people make of muster. They hold it so people will know what to do in an emergency. It's the one serious part of a cruise and it annoys me that there are people who don't take it seriously. Ahhh...got that vent off my chest. It's too early Monday morning...sorry. Here's a quote from the article: "All passengers would be given a partial refund, a credit for a future trip and access to the ship's open bar". I guess they needed access to the open bar after a trip like that! LOL! I hope no one from this message board was on it. Sue

Here's a link to the NY Daily News article about it. http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/300826p-257523c.html How frightening that must have been. I wonder if they had people put on their vests and go to their muster stations. I am always amazed what a joke some people make of muster. They hold it so people will know what to do in an emergency. It's the one serious part of a cruise and it annoys me that there are people who don't take it seriously. Ahhh...got that vent off my chest. It's too early Monday morning...sorry. Here's a quote from the article: "All passengers would be given a partial refund, a credit for a future trip and access to the ship's open bar". I guess they needed access to the open bar after a trip like that! LOL! I hope no one from this message board was on it. Sue

Hot, Hot, Hot does it for me too...my kids were always embarassed when I got up to dance when it played...but, hey! I'm on vacation and I figure I won't ever have to see those people again, right? Sue Here's another good song that makes me think about cruising... Love, exciting and new Come Aboard. We're expecting you. Love, life's sweetest reward. Let it flow, it floats back to you. Love Boat soon will be making another run The Love Boat promises something for everyone Set a course for adventure, Your mind on a new romance. Love won't hurt anymore It's an open smile on a friendly shore. Yes LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! (hey-ah!) Love Boat soon will be making another run The Love Boat promises something for everyone Set a course for adventure, Your mind on a new romance. Love won't hurt anymore It's an open smile on a friendly shore. It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's the Love Boat-ah! It's the Love Boat-ah!

Hot, Hot, Hot does it for me too...my kids were always embarassed when I got up to dance when it played...but, hey! I'm on vacation and I figure I won't ever have to see those people again, right? Sue Here's another good song that makes me think about cruising... Love, exciting and new Come Aboard. We're expecting you. Love, life's sweetest reward. Let it flow, it floats back to you. Love Boat soon will be making another run The Love Boat promises something for everyone Set a course for adventure, Your mind on a new romance. Love won't hurt anymore It's an open smile on a friendly shore. Yes LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! (hey-ah!) Love Boat soon will be making another run The Love Boat promises something for everyone Set a course for adventure, Your mind on a new romance. Love won't hurt anymore It's an open smile on a friendly shore. It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's the Love Boat-ah! It's the Love Boat-ah!

Hot, Hot, Hot does it for me too...my kids were always embarassed when I got up to dance when it played...but, hey! I'm on vacation and I figure I won't ever have to see those people again, right? Sue Here's another good song that makes me think about cruising... Love, exciting and new Come Aboard. We're expecting you. Love, life's sweetest reward. Let it flow, it floats back to you. Love Boat soon will be making another run The Love Boat promises something for everyone Set a course for adventure, Your mind on a new romance. Love won't hurt anymore It's an open smile on a friendly shore. Yes LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! (hey-ah!) Love Boat soon will be making another run The Love Boat promises something for everyone Set a course for adventure, Your mind on a new romance. Love won't hurt anymore It's an open smile on a friendly shore. It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's the Love Boat-ah! It's the Love Boat-ah!

Jeff! Thank you soooo much for your quick reply! Very helpful information. I'm a bit of a worry wart, and wouldn't want to miss our flight because of a tour or excursion the day we go home. So your suggestions are great. Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it! Sue<]

Jeff! Thank you soooo much for your quick reply! Very helpful information. I'm a bit of a worry wart, and wouldn't want to miss our flight because of a tour or excursion the day we go home. So your suggestions are great. Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it! Sue<]