Wishing you the best. I pulled thru and am 7 years free. It takes a strong constitution and I've watch everyvone of your videos and i have no doubt you're a strong and a determined man. No fears. Looking forward to your good news update. Peace xxoo
Mr. Terris, my husband and I took our first cruise last Oct. 2018 and we are now big fans. We discovered your channel after that cruise, but now we are loyal watchers. Thank you for all your helpfull information. I hope to meet you on a cruise one day! Cheers!!
We prefer Disney Cruise Line and were talked into a Carnival cruise. We knew it was a huge step down in price and most likely quality but, the difference was HUGE !!
Haha...I got "upgraded" to yes, a balcony from an inside, but I agreed to it over the phone. Looked at the map, and we were now right over the nightclub. Oh boy! Thankfully, we got another upgrade offer to a better deck.
Cruise prices going up over time is very true. It’s currently happening to my cruise next month. I’m glad I locked in my price this past May. It is now $300 more for the same cruise.
Larry, I have been on 3 Carnival cruises, like you, not my choice at all. I have not been on Holland American, but have been on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean and love them both. I go on the normal size ships, not the mega ones. As I say, if I want to be part of a city full of people, I could go to NY. I suppose as you get older, the peacefulness and all the shows and games you can participate are much more important. They are to me.
I cruise Carnival and Royal. They are both equally enjoyable. I find the length and price of the cruise are more of an indicator of what crowd you get on the ship rather than the cruise line. Yes, Carnival is always cheaper, but if you are booking a longer cruise you don't get the party crowd.I have had a party crowd on Royal as well but it was a 4 day cruise and on an older ship so it was cheap.....you get what you pay for.
Number 1 used to have some truth to it. 15 year's ago I could get some great last minute deals. But with price protection reduced deposit sales and cruising becoming the the most budget friendly Vacation those day's are long gone
Don, you and I must have the same circle of friends because I've heard ALL THOSE TIPS! Thankfully, I was able to quickly figure out all those things by myself and have been fortunate enough to have been on many cruises with most of the main stream lines: Carnival, Celebrity, Holland, Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean. I agree with you that each line is unique and they all have their pluses along with some areas that need improvement. ALWAYS enjoy your entertaining and often informative videos. Continued good health and safe travels.
I have been watching a long time but rarely comment. I look forward to your videos every day. Great advice. I have listened to too many bad tips. I am so happy you pointed these out because I have heard all of these.
Totally. Just because Carnival runs Cunard does not make Cunard anything like Carnival. Even if the Victoria and Elizabeth RESEMBLE Carnival ships (from the outside, anyway...even the outer decks are totally different)! Was so pleasantly shocked when getting a visit aboard the Elizabeth.
I when I went to Alaska, from Australia, for a bucket list cruise, I booked whatever I wanted to do in advance. Not travelling thousands of miles and missing out.
@@janebeville7446 Mee too. I ticked for an upgrade on an inside. Got a bigger inside right under the music bar. Stomping above head until well after midnight. Made 8:00am excursions tough to make!
I've tried the steak house on carnival and loved it felt it was well worth it for a little extra . We got a special experience that we will treasure, also the price is very fair
I love to go back and watch the older stuff. In some ways you have changed drastically and in other ways you haven’t changed at all. It’s always been a good show.
Excellent explanation, price protection. I am sure the specialty restaurants are different and better. However, the food I have already paid for is better than any food I have on land. Shore excursions, don't apply to us, we just want to go to the beach. Yep, cabin upgrades are not always better. We were only offered once, and it made no financial sense. Yep, they are not all the same. Not a fan of NOR, but love carnival and RC.
Don, you are so right about everything. I like to pick my own cabin and I do not want any upgrades. You never know what you are going to get. No Thank You!
Is specialty dining really worth $30 to $50 more especially when complimentary main dining was not subtracted out? That’s a very expensive steak!!! The beverage and drink package is a rip-off when there’s many port days. You can’t take advantage while on-shore.
Tip # 2 is probably propagated by people who read somewhere that turn-of-the-century ocean liners had the first and second class dining salons served by the same kitchen, and assume that nothing has changed in over a hundred years.
Hint: Ships are waaaaay more crowded during summer, and school holiday periods. Why you ask, aren't they always sold out? Yes buuuuut...off season, the average barely over 2 person per cabin, summer, they average almost 3, sometimes over 3. Therefore, same sold out ship, almost a third more people!!!!!!!
The steak house on the Royal Princess was THE worst steak I have ever eaten! Princess specialty restaurant was absolutely horrible! The thinnest, grisliest, STEAMED not broiled steak! June 9th, 2019
two comments here, First on excursions, our last cruise we did 3 excursions thru the ship and 1 we booked thru Shipmate. Never again, we will always go thru the ship for the peace of mind. We were told the last tender was at 3:00 and they didn't get us back until 3:15, a little bit of savings is not worth the stress. Secondly, on all lines being the same, are you kidding me, how could anyone even say that with a straight face. We absolutely Princess, but, I hate having to stand in line at the bar to get my unlimited soda filled. Seriously considering RCCL for our next cruise just because of the Freestyle machines.
Don, I just discovered your channel and love your advice and manner. Some commenters have alluded to a personal struggle of yours, which I am not aware. But I wish you all of the best and Blessed Cruise! Thank you again for your time and advice. On the handful of cruises we have taken the last few years, I find the type of crowd is proportional to the length of the cruise and the destination. The "party" crowd goes for shorter cruises and beachy destinations. NE/Canada had more middle aged. We are doing Panama Canal this fall and expect and crowd more interested in history, etc.
When we were boarding our cruise in May a couple with their teenage grandson were bragging they were frequent cruisers. They also only had their boarding pass. No passports. The husband said he read it on the internet the didn’t need them. Omg. They had to get pulled out of line. They said they packed them in their bags. Read the emails the cruise line sends you. Do what they say and don’t be a jerk and then get upset with personnel.
You don't need your passport, of it's a cruise that starts in the same US port and it ends in and you have your US birth certificate and a current picture ID.
I took a 14-Night Norwegian Caribbean cruise buying 3 days before the sailing date and my cabin was right over the teen dance club and the room was reserved for hearing impaired ...well the good news, it was during school and only 1 12 year old young lady on the whole ship with her little brother and sister who were much younger. My cabin was so quiet, comfortable, large...inside cabin and the absolute best ever cabin! Usually I sail with a balcony but for $1033 including tax and gratuity, I’ll take it! Loved Norwegian...will sail again...I’d even do the same 14-nights.
Deadliest Catch excursion? Huh? They take you out on a fishing vessel and you watch them work? And people pay money for this? What's next the lawn mowing experience. This better come with a shrimp buffet and some champagne.
The shore excursion tip was particularly great: we bit the bullet and paid for the dog sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier on our recent Alaska cruise - it was expensive but totally worth it. I pre-booked it online and it was almost booked out, so very glad we could make it!
Love your videos, they are so helpful and informative, you seem so humble and nice and it's really nice to listen to someone who has an eye for facts and perspectives of different people and not just bulldozer on about things. such an open mind. what a youtube hero!
It irks me when people give advice that cruise company X, is the BEST cruise line. When asked what other cruise lines they have been on, they have ONLY cruised with one cruise line. Also, I hate it when someone goes on one cruise ship and badmouths the entire cruise line, without accounting for the fact some cruise lines have many different classes of ships. What comes to mind are people that say they would never go on Royal Caribbean because their ships are too big......they do have smaller ships too!
Andrew Paluch I owned a travel agency for decades and have had different experiences on the SAME ship on different cruises. The ship doesn’t change but there are a lot of variables like weather, rowdy passengers,menu changes, different shows, etc that affect your enjoyment of the cruise. Getting norovirus once will really make you dislike a particular ship!
What type of cabin can also impact your experience. The larger ships have nice options. On Carnival if you feel you need less crowd, more peace, you can opt for the Havana cabins. There are also spa cabins. Similar options on the other cruise ships as well. Choose your experience.
We booked our excursions two months ago for the cruise we are going on next month We were debating on what we wanted to do at one of the ports but we finally decided and booked it well The one excursion we are doing on one of the islands which is a beach break with lunch and unlimited rum is now sold out I am so glad that we booked when we did I feel bad for some of the people that wanted it and it’s sold out it’s sad one lady is on our cruise Facebook page and she said that when she checked out she forgot that Island excursion and now it’s sold out. Always book your excursions before! Plus always book them with the cruise line you have no idea what could happen I’m not willing to take that risk ever.
Great video. I like booking my excursions through the cruise line, I feel that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Also, I am Catholic and found out that the only cruise line that offers a Catholic Mass every day is Holland America. Just FYI. We've done a cruise on Holland America and one on Princess. Both were great!
I worked reservations for a cruise line a few years ago. I learned that if you book only inside cabins your chances of getting an upgrade are slim to none, no matter your sailing status.
right on..we went on the disney dream yrs ago...I was so disappointed. I had expectations that all the cruises that I had limited learning of, were all the same
I remember in another one of your videos that you warned us about taking the upgrade. At the time I had never cruised before and have just booked our first one with an accessible cabin for my husband. I'm so grateful for your advice because it would have been awful not having the accessible room.
We followed your advice. It cost a little more to pick the cabin we wanted but it was so worth it! We had a storage closet on one side of us nothing on the other side and only cabins around us. Quiet peaceful perfect
Cruise ships are not all the same but going on an expensive Cruise doesn’t make them the best. You have to take into consideration your Personality, what you expect from a cruise (ports, activities, service, atmosphere etc). For me it changes from cruise to cruise sometimes I lay back and want to be pampered other times I want to be in all the activities, sometimes it’s all about the ports and which ship does them best. Somethings I like better on some ships and others but one thing is always the same, I am on vacation having the time of my life!! 🥳
Just did my first cruise ever to Alaska in May on Celebrity Solstice. We didn't go to a specialty dining restaurant because we were being scrooges. Probably we should have because the food in the main dining was very average.
I'm a genXer who has only been on 1 cruise (expo '86/Vancouver, BC - Juneau/Inside Passage. Holland America Line. M.S. Nieuw Amsterdam...(since renamed?...most likely sailing with a different company or scrapped??). I love hearing your stories and advice. THANK YOU!!! Perhaps will take another one someday
Laughing at the upgrade issue. First/only cruise (so far) I bought the balcony upgrade. I was directly over the piano bar. :P Still loved it though. Thanks for all the tips. Oh! It was the Carnival Victory to Cozumel Mexico. Now I need to plan my 100+day world cruise. :)
Hi Don love your information about cruising. Just got back from our New Year eve cruise on the Carnival Sunshine out of Charleston . We were very disappointed. We had a group of 25 and Carnival set us in the lobby of the main dinning. Terrible location. The food was cold each night. The service was a F my husband’s bake potato came after he finish is pork chop which was hard. Friends ordered a Martini and it was Service in up right glass, because they didn’t have a martini glasses. Not a good experience Please pass this information on to your views
For us it is all about the food and the cabin. We have tried several different lines. Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, Holland America..... They are all very different. Our last Vacation was a Cancun resort all inclusive, food was crap compared to any of the cruises we had been on. The best mix is the buffet being as good as the dining room, the specialty restaurant being great. We liked to come back from shore excursions, shower, head up to the buffet and take our choice of good food out to the open air rear dinning area. Watch the sun go down. My wife liked the dining room, I liked the buffet. We worked. It out and I usually lost weight on a cruise.
I just noticed now that I called you "Fr. Don". I'm so sorry. I had just earlier been talking to a family friend who is a priest, named Fr. Don. lol. I'm sorry. Know that he's a good guy to be mixed up with.
#3 There are exceptions. Bernard's Tours in St Martin Guarantees they will get you back to your ship on time. I don't know if you can get a tour with them at the pier, we booked online. One of the best excursions we have ever been on.
I tune in to your videos everyday. love them. watch them over and over again too. I keep a journal for Alaska cruise with notes from your videos. addicted for sure.
Ok on the shore excursion tips, a questions Booking through your travel agent ahead of time time you do not get the same guarantee; on getting back to the ship do you feel the same? As to booking ahead of time. We just booked a trip for 2021 for my 50th birthday. With this cruise being a very special cruse, Not only am I very concerned with the line I am very considered with the room. We decided to go NCL haven aft balcony. If I did not book now I would not have gotten my dream room with the biggest balcony on the ship. So to this point I completely agree.
All cruises are definitely not the same. I thought that when I first started cruising and went with Norwegian and I hated it. I was bored out of my mind. And it was only about 10 people on the ship under the age of 50. So I only cruise with Carnival
Love Princess, not geared towards kids and families with. Much more relaxing and peaceful. That being said it's not a luxury experience, but it's certainly more upscale than you're going to find on Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, or Carnival... again because they aren't catering to families.
@@vittoriovuocolo2438 I'm booked on my 2nd Princess, and my 2nd Carnival cruises coming in the next year. Regal Princess in October and Carnival Panorama Leap-year. Personally, I don't care about water slides etc... and would rather not be surrounded by kids. For them being owned by carnival, they do have several brands, including Cunard and Holland America. Holland America actually controls Princess from what I've read. I personally preferred the staterooms layout and furnishings on Royal Princess to Carnival Pride. Regal is the sister to Royal, so I expect similar staterooms. As for Panorama I expect better than Pride, though Pride was recently Dry-docked for a renovation a few months after my cruise. I guess my question is what specifically is your qualm with Carnival?
@@717dash_cam I like other cruise lines better.carnival really cheapened the product when they became the fun ships.im older and mobility challenged.i like a line with some class and decent food.carnival has gone to hell in my opinion but my wife still likes them even though 2 days in she will start complaining.mostly about the food and lack of lido entertainment.its not what it was.i prefer celebrity.
@@vittoriovuocolo2438 Understandable. Royal Princess definitely felt easier to move around, especially in the room compared to Pride; Even for an interior state room, the layout just felt better with the beds on the far wall and not walking right into closet cabinets on whatever side the door opens on, and a bathroom door on the wall it doesn't. The closet is it's own separate space that divides the room from the bathroom. Lido had some good entertainment on Princess, movies on the screen, some other options. La Piazza, their main floor usually has some nice entertainment that isn't blaring. Food, I feel like and several people who've cruised other lines have agreed that Cruise desserts suck. Though, I've had Tiramisu that was phenomenal on Princess, and I think another cake, but the rest have all been under-sweetened. I can't attest to Main dining on Princess (yet, I will be able to in October) but buffet was a mixed bag of some better options on either. The drink packages (soda and coffee) I feel are better priced (or were when I was on Royal in 2016). I personally am not a heavy booze drinker, so I usually just give myself a prepaid allowance. Princess, at least for Royal in 2016 was doing maintenance painting at every port, whereas the Celebrity ships looked quite ragged. Overall Princess definitely has some class that Carnival lacks, but I feel like they're addressing slowly by adding more family/kid zones to separate the other zones on the newer ships. My main gripe overall for both is a lack of outlets, especially near the beds. People travel with CPAPS and other miscellaneous devices that should be or are better plugged in bedside.
That is why RC, Carnival and Norweigan are called "contemporary " and Princess , Holland America and Celebrity are "premium ". It's all about the style of cruise you want. Something available for every taste.
The local excursion companies have a vested interest in getting people back to the ship on time. I have been on many local excursions and they were wonderful and many of them were half price of the cruise ships excursions.
I wouldn't even want to go on any excursions. Just being on the ship is my vacation. My parents went on so many cruises that in the end they didn't even go ashore at all the ports.
Love your videos Don! Great information! We have 21 days Cruise booked in April 2020 on Princess Caribbean! We just returned from the same ship in June. We were not very happy with the buffet food. I was wondering does the Ships have the same Chefs at the dining areas or do they rotate throughout their contracts? Thanks😄
I agree with almost everything you said, but we have been disappointed with some specialty dining. We were on the Carnival Dream April 2018 and had a family dinner (8 people) at the Steakhouse. Our entire party thought that the food was better in the Main Dinning Room. I know my Ribeye was and my wife said the chicken breast was also better in the other dinning room. Hoping for an excellent experience when we dine at Sabatini's Trattoria Italian on the Regal Princess in October.
William Maxey we ate in Sabatini ' on the Regal earlier this year. It was good and it was a nice change. Wasn't the greatest food ever, but was a nice change of pace. We also didn't pay for it so that was also a plus. Enjoy your cruise!
I like the feedback re the cruise less and cruise the way you want. I hear people say all the time - a balcony is a waste of time. Go inside and cruise more. First this is our vacation and we can only go so many times and we want to enjoy a balcony so maybe we cruise 2 or 3 rather than 4 or 5 and that is okay to us.
@@kimO.7439 because in none AK cruises, it's harder to identify the local vendors that contract with the ship, I book through the ship to ensure not being left behind.
We got SO lucky with our cabin. We were on the Carnival Victory on deck 7 and 2 feet from a door to the deck on the bow. We had a king size bed, two beds that came down from the ceilings for the boys, and a rollaway bed for my daughter. Except for the crowds on deck 9 and the automatic gratuity for EACH member of the family (Carnival even charges gratuities for 4, 7, and 13 year old children, over $40.00 each for a 3 day cruise.), great experience for our first cruise. Also, organize your shore excursions with the ship. We ended up paying $150 dollars for a ride through the ghetto on New Providence (Bahamas) some stops at some retail establishments, the police asking our 'taxi' driver to leave an attraction, and getting dropped off at a beach within sight of the ship. The guy was nice, but the lobby of the Atlantis resort for about 45 minutes isn't exactly what I wanted to do on my first trip to the Bahamas. The kids were MISERABLE, too.
My own view on cruise lines is that, while they are different, most of them are really good fun. I’ve yet to have a bad time on a cruise. If you work to have a bad time, you probably will.
I followed my brother when he took a excursion. He paid 170.00 and I paid a cabbie 30.00 to follow behind......Then I heard all the info that he heard as well. Our cabbie was so friendly we booked him for hours and tipped well.
The Bering Sea Fisherman's tour is excellent! I highly recommend that one. I've been twice and enjoyed it just as much both times. They do a really good job.
Don you are such a kind person. It's not always just what you say, it's the way you say it. Your presentation always has integrity.
Wishing you the best. I pulled thru and am 7 years free. It takes a strong constitution and I've watch everyvone of your videos and i have no doubt you're a strong and a determined man. No fears. Looking forward to your good news update. Peace xxoo
Mr. Terris, my husband and I took our first cruise last Oct. 2018 and we are now big fans. We discovered your channel after that cruise, but now we are loyal watchers. Thank you for all your helpfull information. I hope to meet you on a cruise one day! Cheers!!
I agree completely. Great advice as always. Thanks, Don!
We prefer Disney Cruise Line and were talked into a Carnival cruise. We knew it was a huge step down in price and most likely quality but, the difference was HUGE !!
I love the way you crack yourself up Don. I love all your stories.
Haha...I got "upgraded" to yes, a balcony from an inside, but I agreed to it over the phone. Looked at the map, and we were now right over the nightclub. Oh boy! Thankfully, we got another upgrade offer to a better deck.
J Worth What cruise line is that?
Cruise prices going up over time is very true. It’s currently happening to my cruise next month. I’m glad I locked in my price this past May. It is now $300 more for the same cruise.
I really hate those ads that interrupt the videos mid sentence!
Hey Don, these are the best NOT to FOLLOW TIPs. Great flip on the general cruise advice
Being at the "9 pm bedtime, peace and quite age", I prefer Holland America. Just got back from a Carnival cruise. In 3 words, "glad it's over".
Larry, I have been on 3 Carnival cruises, like you, not my choice at all. I have not been on Holland American, but have been on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean and love them both. I go on the normal size ships, not the mega ones. As I say, if I want to be part of a city full of people, I could go to NY. I suppose as you get older, the peacefulness and all the shows and games you can participate are much more important. They are to me.
Larry Dorazio must have been a short cruise and older ship
That’s too bad; I LOVE Carnival!
I cruise Carnival and Royal. They are both equally enjoyable. I find the length and price of the cruise are more of an indicator of what crowd you get on the ship rather than the cruise line. Yes, Carnival is always cheaper, but if you are booking a longer cruise you don't get the party crowd.I have had a party crowd on Royal as well but it was a 4 day cruise and on an older ship so it was cheap.....you get what you pay for.
I do love HAL but the entertainment is WAY better on RCCL.
Number 1 used to have some truth to it. 15 year's ago I could get some great last minute deals. But with price protection reduced deposit sales and cruising becoming the the most budget friendly Vacation those day's are long gone
Don, you and I must have the same circle of friends because I've heard ALL THOSE TIPS! Thankfully, I was able to quickly figure out all those things by myself and have been fortunate enough to have been on many cruises with most of the main stream lines: Carnival, Celebrity, Holland, Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean. I agree with you that each line is unique and they all have their pluses along with some areas that need improvement. ALWAYS enjoy your entertaining and often informative videos. Continued good health and safe travels.
I have been watching a long time but rarely comment. I look forward to your videos every day. Great advice. I have listened to too many bad tips. I am so happy you pointed these out because I have heard all of these.
Saying all cruise lines are the same is like saying all department stores are the same! No, Wal-Mart is NOT the same as a Nordstom's....
I never thought of Walmart as a department store🙂
More like a discount store
Totally. Just because Carnival runs Cunard does not make Cunard anything like Carnival. Even if the Victoria and Elizabeth RESEMBLE Carnival ships (from the outside, anyway...even the outer decks are totally different)! Was so pleasantly shocked when getting a visit aboard the Elizabeth.
I when I went to Alaska, from Australia, for a bucket list cruise, I booked whatever I wanted to do in advance. Not travelling thousands of miles and missing out.
Come on over and visit. Not really that far Denver to LA to Australia.
If you pick the perfect cabin for your needs, an upgrade could be a curse!
Definitely! I took an upgrade to a balcony and ended up clear on the other side of the ship from the rest of my family. What a pain!
@@janebeville7446 Mee too. I ticked for an upgrade on an inside. Got a bigger inside right under the music bar. Stomping above head until well after midnight. Made 8:00am excursions tough to make!
Agreed.
I've tried the steak house on carnival and loved it felt it was well worth it for a little extra . We got a special experience that we will treasure, also the price is very fair
I love to go back and watch the older stuff. In some ways you have changed drastically and in other ways you haven’t changed at all. It’s always been a good show.
Excellent explanation, price protection. I am sure the specialty restaurants are different and better. However, the food I have already paid for is better than any food I have on land. Shore excursions, don't apply to us, we just want to go to the beach. Yep, cabin upgrades are not always better. We were only offered once, and it made no financial sense. Yep, they are not all the same. Not a fan of NOR, but love carnival and RC.
Wonderful advice on "worst cruise tips ever". Thanks for sharing Don. Always a pleasure seeing your vlogs and videos.
Wonderful advice! You have to weigh every tip that you get with your own judgment!!❤️
Booked a princess cruise through the Panama Canal, same mini suite today is 1600 more per person! great video Don!
Don, you are so right about everything. I like to pick my own cabin and I do not want any upgrades. You never know what you are going to get. No Thank You!
Is specialty dining really worth $30 to $50 more especially when complimentary main dining was not subtracted out? That’s a very expensive steak!!! The beverage and drink package is a rip-off when there’s many port days. You can’t take advantage while on-shore.
Great advice Don. Keep up the good work!
Tip # 2 is probably propagated by people who read somewhere that turn-of-the-century ocean liners had the first and second class dining salons served by the same kitchen, and assume that nothing has changed in over a hundred years.
Hint: Ships are waaaaay more crowded during summer, and school holiday periods. Why you ask, aren't they always sold out? Yes buuuuut...off season, the average barely over 2 person per cabin, summer, they average almost 3, sometimes over 3. Therefore, same sold out ship, almost a third more people!!!!!!!
The steak house on the Royal Princess was THE worst steak I have ever eaten! Princess specialty restaurant was absolutely horrible! The thinnest, grisliest, STEAMED not broiled steak! June 9th, 2019
Very true. Many don’t understand the differences
two comments here, First on excursions, our last cruise we did 3 excursions thru the ship and 1 we booked thru Shipmate. Never again, we will always go thru the ship for the peace of mind. We were told the last tender was at 3:00 and they didn't get us back until 3:15, a little bit of savings is not worth the stress. Secondly, on all lines being the same, are you kidding me, how could anyone even say that with a straight face. We absolutely Princess, but, I hate having to stand in line at the bar to get my unlimited soda filled. Seriously considering RCCL for our next cruise just because of the Freestyle machines.
Don, I just discovered your channel and love your advice and manner. Some commenters have alluded to a personal struggle of yours, which I am not aware. But I wish you all of the best and Blessed Cruise! Thank you again for your time and advice. On the handful of cruises we have taken the last few years, I find the type of crowd is proportional to the length of the cruise and the destination. The "party" crowd goes for shorter cruises and beachy destinations. NE/Canada had more middle aged. We are doing Panama Canal this fall and expect and crowd more interested in history, etc.
Great advice on all subjects And always get insurance.
When we were boarding our cruise in May a couple with their teenage grandson were bragging they were frequent cruisers. They also only had their boarding pass. No passports. The husband said he read it on the internet the didn’t need them. Omg. They had to get pulled out of line. They said they packed them in their bags. Read the emails the cruise line sends you. Do what they say and don’t be a jerk and then get upset with personnel.
You don't need your passport, of it's a cruise that starts in the same US port and it ends in and you have your US birth certificate and a current picture ID.
I took a 14-Night Norwegian Caribbean cruise buying 3 days before the sailing date and my cabin was right over the teen dance club and the room was reserved for hearing impaired ...well the good news, it was during school and only 1 12 year old young lady on the whole ship with her little brother and sister who were much younger. My cabin was so quiet, comfortable, large...inside cabin and the absolute best ever cabin! Usually I sail with a balcony but for $1033 including tax and gratuity, I’ll take it! Loved Norwegian...will sail again...I’d even do the same 14-nights.
Deadliest Catch excursion? Huh? They take you out on a fishing vessel and you watch them work? And people pay money for this? What's next the lawn mowing experience. This better come with a shrimp buffet and some champagne.
That is hilarious, I was actually thinking that excursion sounded good until I read your take on it.
I have a great excursion for you. You will pay me $100 and I will let you mow my grass.
Sam Paul 🤣🤣🤣
Pay me 10$ and you can watch my paint dry! Only 6 hrs.
The shore excursion tip was particularly great: we bit the bullet and paid for the dog sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier on our recent Alaska cruise - it was expensive but totally worth it. I pre-booked it online and it was almost booked out, so very glad we could make it!
Great advice! What is your favorite cruise line? Mine is Princess.
Hey, I’m going on that deadliest catch excursion with Disney in a few weeks and I booked ahead of time!!
We are too when we go at then end of August. Let me know how it is, please?
Love your videos, they are so helpful and informative, you seem so humble and nice and it's really nice to listen to someone who has an eye for facts and perspectives of different people and not just bulldozer on about things. such an open mind. what a youtube hero!
great advice. ive found out the hard way. i'm still learning.
It irks me when people give advice that cruise company X, is the BEST cruise line. When asked what other cruise lines they have been on, they have ONLY cruised with one cruise line. Also, I hate it when someone goes on one cruise ship and badmouths the entire cruise line, without accounting for the fact some cruise lines have many different classes of ships. What comes to mind are people that say they would never go on Royal Caribbean because their ships are too big......they do have smaller ships too!
Andrew Paluch I owned a travel agency for decades and have had different experiences on the SAME ship on different cruises. The ship doesn’t change but there are a lot of variables like weather, rowdy passengers,menu changes, different shows, etc that affect your enjoyment of the cruise. Getting norovirus once will really make you dislike a particular ship!
Connie Crawford I meant to mention that! Thanks for the post.
What type of cabin can also impact your experience. The larger ships have nice options. On Carnival if you feel you need less crowd, more peace, you can opt for the Havana cabins. There are also spa cabins. Similar options on the other cruise ships as well. Choose your experience.
Great tips again Don, you are the best. I do believe most ships other than X cruise is the best, all others are really the same.
We booked our excursions two months ago for the cruise we are going on next month We were debating on what we wanted to do at one of the ports but we finally decided and booked it well The one excursion we are doing on one of the islands which is a beach break with lunch and unlimited rum is now sold out I am so glad that we booked when we did I feel bad for some of the people that wanted it and it’s sold out it’s sad one lady is on our cruise Facebook page and she said that when she checked out she forgot that Island excursion and now it’s sold out. Always book your excursions before! Plus always book them with the cruise line you have no idea what could happen I’m not willing to take that risk ever.
Thanks Don for the heads-up … 🌷
Great video. I like booking my excursions through the cruise line, I feel that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Also, I am Catholic and found out that the only cruise line that offers a Catholic Mass every day is Holland America. Just FYI.
We've done a cruise on Holland America and one on Princess. Both were great!
Such great advice!
I worked reservations for a cruise line a few years ago. I learned that if you book only inside cabins your chances of getting an upgrade are slim to none, no matter your sailing status.
The Gospel according to Don. So true, So true!
right on..we went on the disney dream yrs ago...I was so disappointed. I had expectations that all the cruises that I had limited learning of, were all the same
Good advice Don.
I remember in another one of your videos that you warned us about taking the upgrade. At the time I had never cruised before and have just booked our first one with an accessible cabin for my husband. I'm so grateful for your advice because it would have been awful not having the accessible room.
Saying all lines are the same is like saying all hotels are the same! Motel 6 is nothing like the Hilton
We followed your advice. It cost a little more to pick the cabin we wanted but it was so worth it! We had a storage closet on one side of us nothing on the other side and only cabins around us. Quiet peaceful perfect
Thanks for the look at the ship! O thought she was identical to the Regal but she's not!
Cruise ships are not all the same but going on an expensive Cruise doesn’t make them the best. You have to take into consideration your Personality, what you expect from a cruise (ports, activities, service, atmosphere etc). For me it changes from cruise to cruise sometimes I lay back and want to be pampered other times I want to be in all the activities, sometimes it’s all about the ports and which ship does them best. Somethings I like better on some ships and others but one thing is always the same, I am on vacation having the time of my life!! 🥳
You're completely right !!! Congrats !
Just did my first cruise ever to Alaska in May on Celebrity Solstice. We didn't go to a specialty dining restaurant because we were being scrooges. Probably we should have because the food in the main dining was very average.
Great tips. Always enjoy your cruise advise.
I'm a genXer who has only been on 1 cruise (expo '86/Vancouver, BC - Juneau/Inside Passage. Holland America Line. M.S. Nieuw Amsterdam...(since renamed?...most likely sailing with a different company or scrapped??). I love hearing your stories and advice. THANK YOU!!! Perhaps will take another one someday
Laughing at the upgrade issue. First/only cruise (so far) I bought the balcony upgrade. I was directly over the piano bar. :P Still loved it though. Thanks for all the tips. Oh! It was the Carnival Victory to Cozumel Mexico. Now I need to plan my 100+day world cruise. :)
Hi Don love your information about cruising. Just got back from our New Year eve cruise on the Carnival Sunshine out of Charleston . We were very disappointed. We had a group of 25 and Carnival set us in the lobby of the main dinning. Terrible location. The food was cold each night. The service was a F my husband’s bake potato came after he finish is pork chop which was hard. Friends ordered a Martini and it was Service in up right glass, because they didn’t have a martini glasses. Not a good experience Please pass this information on to your views
For us it is all about the food and the cabin. We have tried several different lines. Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, Holland America..... They are all very different. Our last Vacation was a Cancun resort all inclusive, food was crap compared to any of the cruises we had been on. The best mix is the buffet being as good as the dining room, the specialty restaurant being great. We liked to come back from shore excursions, shower, head up to the buffet and take our choice of good food out to the open air rear dinning area. Watch the sun go down. My wife liked the dining room, I liked the buffet. We worked. It out and I usually lost weight on a cruise.
Yes correct I’m a travel agent use us!🥰 you’re my favorite Don
Yep. A cruise is not just a cruise so many differences
Thanks, Fr. Don.
I just noticed now that I called you "Fr. Don". I'm so sorry. I had just earlier been talking to a family friend who is a priest, named Fr. Don. lol. I'm sorry. Know that he's a good guy to be mixed up with.
#3 There are exceptions. Bernard's Tours in St Martin Guarantees they will get you back to your ship on time. I don't know if you can get a tour with them at the pier, we booked online. One of the best excursions we have ever been on.
I tune in to your videos everyday. love them. watch them over and over again too. I keep a journal for Alaska cruise with notes from your videos. addicted for sure.
Ok on the shore excursion tips, a questions
Booking through your travel agent ahead of time time you do not get the same guarantee; on getting back to the ship do you feel the same?
As to booking ahead of time. We just booked a trip for 2021 for my 50th birthday. With this cruise being a very special cruse, Not only am I very concerned with the line I am very considered with the room. We decided to go NCL haven aft balcony. If I did not book now I would not have gotten my dream room with the biggest balcony on the ship. So to this point I completely agree.
I agree with everything you said, Don.
I like that info about upgrade. I had never checked the box but I know I won't .
All cruises are definitely not the same. I thought that when I first started cruising and went with Norwegian and I hated it. I was bored out of my mind. And it was only about 10 people on the ship under the age of 50. So I only cruise with Carnival
Some of us over 50 are not boring.
Just got back last Sunday June 30; 2019 and had a wonderful time. Went to The Bahamas on the carnival
Pride
Love Princess, not geared towards kids and families with. Much more relaxing and peaceful. That being said it's not a luxury experience, but it's certainly more upscale than you're going to find on Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, or Carnival... again because they aren't catering to families.
I've been wanting to try them but was scared to since they are owned by carnival
@@vittoriovuocolo2438 I'm booked on my 2nd Princess, and my 2nd Carnival cruises coming in the next year. Regal Princess in October and Carnival Panorama Leap-year. Personally, I don't care about water slides etc... and would rather not be surrounded by kids.
For them being owned by carnival, they do have several brands, including Cunard and Holland America. Holland America actually controls Princess from what I've read.
I personally preferred the staterooms layout and furnishings on Royal Princess to Carnival Pride. Regal is the sister to Royal, so I expect similar staterooms. As for Panorama I expect better than Pride, though Pride was recently Dry-docked for a renovation a few months after my cruise.
I guess my question is what specifically is your qualm with Carnival?
@@717dash_cam I like other cruise lines better.carnival really cheapened the product when they became the fun ships.im older and mobility challenged.i like a line with some class and decent food.carnival has gone to hell in my opinion but my wife still likes them even though 2 days in she will start complaining.mostly about the food and lack of lido entertainment.its not what it was.i prefer celebrity.
@@vittoriovuocolo2438 Understandable. Royal Princess definitely felt easier to move around, especially in the room compared to Pride; Even for an interior state room, the layout just felt better with the beds on the far wall and not walking right into closet cabinets on whatever side the door opens on, and a bathroom door on the wall it doesn't. The closet is it's own separate space that divides the room from the bathroom. Lido had some good entertainment on Princess, movies on the screen, some other options. La Piazza, their main floor usually has some nice entertainment that isn't blaring.
Food, I feel like and several people who've cruised other lines have agreed that Cruise desserts suck. Though, I've had Tiramisu that was phenomenal on Princess, and I think another cake, but the rest have all been under-sweetened. I can't attest to Main dining on Princess (yet, I will be able to in October) but buffet was a mixed bag of some better options on either. The drink packages (soda and coffee) I feel are better priced (or were when I was on Royal in 2016). I personally am not a heavy booze drinker, so I usually just give myself a prepaid allowance.
Princess, at least for Royal in 2016 was doing maintenance painting at every port, whereas the Celebrity ships looked quite ragged. Overall Princess definitely has some class that Carnival lacks, but I feel like they're addressing slowly by adding more family/kid zones to separate the other zones on the newer ships.
My main gripe overall for both is a lack of outlets, especially near the beds. People travel with CPAPS and other miscellaneous devices that should be or are better plugged in bedside.
That is why RC, Carnival and Norweigan are called "contemporary " and Princess , Holland America and Celebrity are "premium ". It's all about the style of cruise you want. Something available for every taste.
Great tips, definitely some I’ll keep in mind for my next cruise. Thanks.
Exactly. I've talked to people who cruise on just one line as they like it that much!
The local excursion companies have a vested interest in getting people back to the ship on time. I have been on many local excursions and they were wonderful and many of them were half price of the cruise ships excursions.
Very valuable advice! Thank you, Don.
I wouldn't even want to go on any excursions. Just being on the ship is my vacation. My parents went on so many cruises that in the end they didn't even go ashore at all the ports.
Honest advice as usual. Love your channel.
Love your videos Don! Great information! We have 21 days Cruise booked in April 2020 on Princess Caribbean! We just returned from the same ship in June. We were not very happy with the buffet food. I was wondering does the Ships have the same Chefs at the dining areas or do they rotate throughout their contracts? Thanks😄
I agree with almost everything you said, but we have been disappointed with some specialty dining.
We were on the Carnival Dream April 2018 and had a family dinner (8 people) at the Steakhouse.
Our entire party thought that the food was better in the Main Dinning Room. I know my Ribeye was and my wife said the chicken breast was also better in the other dinning room.
Hoping for an excellent experience when we dine at Sabatini's Trattoria Italian on the Regal Princess in October.
William Maxey we ate in Sabatini ' on the Regal earlier this year. It was good and it was a nice change. Wasn't the greatest food ever, but was a nice change of pace. We also didn't pay for it so that was also a plus. Enjoy your cruise!
Thanks for the update, Don!
I like the feedback re the cruise less and cruise the way you want. I hear people say all the time - a balcony is a waste of time. Go inside and cruise more. First this is our vacation and we can only go so many times and we want to enjoy a balcony so maybe we cruise 2 or 3 rather than 4 or 5 and that is okay to us.
I'm going on Vista Feb 22 2020 Can't wait!!!
Only fares you can't get price protected (after final payment), is Interline
All cruise lines are the same. I laughed. Sea Dreams is the same a Oh My God of the Seas. NOT!!!!
I booked all my AK excursions myself directly with the same vendors the cruise line uses; saved money. I wouldn't do this in the caribbean though.
I am going to the Caribbean in December. Would you please tell me why you wouldn't book local excursions there?
@@kimO.7439 because in none AK cruises, it's harder to identify the local vendors that contract with the ship, I book through the ship to ensure not being left behind.
We got SO lucky with our cabin. We were on the Carnival Victory on deck 7 and 2 feet from a door to the deck on the bow. We had a king size bed, two beds that came down from the ceilings for the boys, and a rollaway bed for my daughter. Except for the crowds on deck 9 and the automatic gratuity for EACH member of the family (Carnival even charges gratuities for 4, 7, and 13 year old children, over $40.00 each for a 3 day cruise.), great experience for our first cruise. Also, organize your shore excursions with the ship. We ended up paying $150 dollars for a ride through the ghetto on New Providence (Bahamas) some stops at some retail establishments, the police asking our 'taxi' driver to leave an attraction, and getting dropped off at a beach within sight of the ship. The guy was nice, but the lobby of the Atlantis resort for about 45 minutes isn't exactly what I wanted to do on my first trip to the Bahamas. The kids were MISERABLE, too.
My own view on cruise lines is that, while they are different, most of them are really good fun. I’ve yet to have a bad time on a cruise. If you work to have a bad time, you probably will.
I followed my brother when he took a excursion. He paid 170.00 and I paid a cabbie 30.00 to follow behind......Then I heard all the info that he heard as well. Our cabbie was so friendly we booked him for hours and tipped well.
Do you recommend the Deadliest Catch excursion? Going August 2020!
The Bering Sea Fisherman's tour is excellent! I highly recommend that one. I've been twice and enjoyed it just as much both times. They do a really good job.
Don - have you been on a Disney cruise? If so, are there other cruise lines that are similar in quality & value?
Price drop is a possibility as long as u have not selected a non refundable deposit price. Never a guarantee to get a price drop.
Great advice, your the best!
Don, I really liked this video. It helped put everything in perspective.
Great information.... Don thank you again👍👍👍👍
Very good tips Don!
GREAT advice Don!!!