Jan115

Have ANOTHER wonderful cruise @AndiD! Wishing you clear skies and calm seas as you soon sail away aboard the Adventure of the Seas. Please tell us all about your adventure when you return, or post a review!?

Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed review, Andi. I am so excited, and will make it my mission to book her for 2020, with or without the CruiseCrazies. ?

Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed review, Andi. I am so excited, and will make it my mission to book her for 2020, with or without the CruiseCrazies. ?

Oh, I would love that, and I think David would too - all that natural light!

Just 12 days for me. I'm not retired yet and work two jobs, so long or frequent cruising is not in the cards at the moment. ?

So sorry to hear about your Mom. It must have been a difficult time for you - thoughts and prayers to you and your family. 
How great that the lead singer is still performing with cruise ships 20 years later. I know several musicians who have done cruise ship gigging, and it's not a glamorous job and hard way to earn money for most, and I don't know of any who have survived cruise ship performing for very long. Your photos must have brought back some fond and bittersweet memories for him. 
I'm glad to hear you had a great B2B even though the ports weren't the best. You two always look like you're having a great time from your photos, and I bet you would be a fun couple to cruise with. Hope to see you both on board one day!??️

Beautiful photo, Andi. Ice-coated trees in the sunlight is a pleasant side effect of an ice storm. Good job posting a photo, by the way!?

It may be a year away, Larry, but planning is half the fun, and you’ll have plenty of time to do just that!?

Our first cruise was for our 25th anniversary as well....only we had to wait a year because of our daughter's wedding - so technically it was our 26th.  ?      We did HAL Ryndam in Alaska, which started my absolute love affair with Alaska....

15 days twice:  once to Hawaii, roundtrip LA, and once doing the full crossing of the Panama Canal.  We LOVE the longer cruises and want to get on a transatlantic, and the 28-day Hawaii/Tahiti sailing on Princess...among others.

I WAS ON THIS SHIP IN 1976.  A SINGLES CRUISE.  HAD A BLAST.  IM SURE IT IS A LOT DIFFERENT NOW.
 

Thanks, Jan!  We have been waiting for this cruise for almost two years....now if the weather will let us get there....!

And I am not a Carnival fan, but I do love Michaels....and I can't pass up the opportunity to win a free cruise!! ?

My husband and I loved sister ship Koningsdam and hope to get aboard Nieuw Statendam in the not too distant future!??

I am the least crafty person you’ll ever meet, but this sounds fun and something really different for Carnival cruising. 

I have used the same TA since 2002 to book all but 2 cruises (got friends & family through a friend that worked for NCL). My TA specializes in cruises (though can perform all) and has ALWAYS been there for me (49 cruises booked through her to date)!!! I wouldn't book any other way.

I’m happy to report word from Princess that the fire was confined to the staff operation buildings and did not involve the guest areas of the island and that, except for one public restroom, non of the cruise line’s itineraries were affected. Calls will resume to the island on Feb. 4th with the Regal Princess. Meanwhile, the fire is under investigation.

John you are so right with regard to tipping.  Aussies DO NOT tip. We asked our server in Sydney if he didnt mind telling us how much a server typically earns per hour and he told us AUS$27 per hour and that was a couple of years ago. They get a decent wage and don't need to rely on tips.  South Africa pays a little less per hour but tipping is at your discretion and never above 10%, also when you are seated for dinner it is expected that you will be at your table for at least 2 hours id not more to enjoy the dining experience..... it's seems like it's only North America that has the "quick in and out" mentality at restaurants, with low hourly rates for servers, therefore servers expect high tips and turn over tables as fast as possible to make a livable income.  With all our world travel we always make sure that we are tipping according to the culture that we are visiting.

I'm an inside cabin gal.. living on social security it affords me the opportunity to cruise more often!! I turn my TV on the forward cam for my lil window to the world :)

CONGRATULATIONS, JACKIE - an honor well deserved!! You’ve been a loyal member from the start, always have much to contribute and are always a wealth of information when it comes to cruising.??

I just ran across an article in my FB feed by the Bahama Press that Princess Cruise’s private island of Princess Cays was gutted by fire this morning - how awful!?
Photo by Bahama Press

 

I unfortunately won't be traveling for a while. ?  Training is a month.  I won't be live on the phones until March, I believe. There are block out periods and I believe I don't receive my vacation time for a year.  Funny I was looking at the Regal and Caribbean today!  I am studying.  ahem... lol 

Welcome aboard @cruisinkim ! Whether you're a seasoned cruiser or planning your first, we welcome your comments, cruise stories and questions and look forward to seeing more of you around our friendly community. ??

I hope all cruise lines but these guys on a blacklist and ban them all from their ships as well.