Great video! Another little “secret” many people don’t think about - you don’t even have to get off the ship at every port! I love enjoying a quieter ship on port days ❤⚓️
Your so right about there being a cruiseline for everyone. I see so many bad reviews people leave about not enjoying their cruise. I really think first time cruisers should do their research on which cruiseline best fits their lifestyle.
My wife Amy and I would like to thank you for taking the time from your busy evening to speak with us and offering to take a photo with us. We really enjoy your videos!!! We hope your dinner at Rudi’s was as good as ours. Thanks again!!!
I am the cruise lines' worst nightmare for making money even though I've been on 21 cruises in the past 2 years. I don't ever upgrade, I purchase last minute and only interior highly discounted cabins, I never pay a solo supplement, I don't buy drink or specialty restaurant items and I don't spend money on board or for excursions or gamble. Having a blast in retirement though.
You are amazing! For a change of pace, check out Uniworld's 12 Days of Christmas sale in early December. River cruises are wonderful for solo cruisers and it is nice to see the interior or a country. My first ocean cruise is upcoming but I wish it was a river cruise.
Same. Last minute deals and no packages have worked wonders for us. There’s so much to see, do and enjoy that’s already included. We’ve yet to feel the need to spend in extras. 🤑
My first cruise was a few weeks ago. I did not purchase the WiFi because of the expense and I was fine. I enjoyed it but overpacked and did not wear a lot of outfits
Same here on my first cruise. I WAY overpacked. Learned and now we are going on one in 3 weeks and taking my sons friend with us and told his mom that so he doesn't overpack and end up with a huge bag filled with unnecessary stuff
I've been on two cruises, both on the same line, and have booked two more on that line. So I love it and none of the following are deal-breakers, just things I've learned to my surprise and now take into account: The quality of meat, polultry, and fish in the MDR and Buffet is just ok. I generally stick to long cooked stews for meats in the MDR. The swimming pools are not inviting and impossible for swimming. The massage in the spa was really expensive and the sales pitch so aggressive that under no circumstances will I ever return. I don't drink alcohol and the number of micktails so limited, the prepartions so uncreative, and the drinks all so overly sweet that there is no point to buying a drink package to get them. That all being said, I had a great time and find it really easy to have nothing but great meals, great entertainment, and awesome days every day--and all for a relatively low price.
I agree with bringing a well stocked “first aid kit” with sun, cold, seasick, cut/abrasion remedies. But please be advised that not all OTC remedies are legal in all countries. For example, Sudafed is illegal in Japan. Know the laws for where you are traveling.
Great video! Thank you. Our cruise ship had a shop with pre-used bags. We were told that everything in the shop had been used as props in movies. However, nothing came with any documents to authenticate this. They were very overpriced! The cruise lines don't tell you that there are not enough elevators on board the ship resulting in long lines and overcrowding. They also do nothing to stop people from being chair hogs near the pool decks. I really think the cruise lines should do something about this.
We have knowingly purchased items on the ship that were more expensive than if we purchased them at home. For a lot of reasons, we receive lots of onboard credit we do not purchase. At the end of the cruise, we purchase items that may be overpriced, but free to us. And, any leftover onboard credit, we have the front desk contribute it to the ship’s crew.
I've only been on 2 cruises: both had port cancellations but the alternate ports provided awesome experiences. At the end of a reposition cruise, weather prevented the ship from being able to come into port (Aukland NZ), so we had to stay an extra day out at sea. I'm sure this was very inconvenient for some cruisers, but we were thrilled - a free day of cruising! When life deals you lemons, you CAN make lemonade!
As always, a great informative video! On our cruise to Alaska in June, we missed a port due to a medical emergency. When you have planned for over a year, you go through alot of emotions when this happens but at the end of the day, we were glad the fellow cruiser survived, we made the best of it & now planning our 4th cruise. 2025 is going to be a memorable year!
A lot of good points Ilana. On upgrades, sometimes it can be a pleasant surprise. On a recent cruise, I got upgraded from an inside stateroom to a fully obstructed ocean view. I've always thought of an obstructed ocean view as being the cruise ship equivalent of having a seat right behind a post at a sports event. So, I never would have picked one. But having the natural light coming in through the window was a nice change. And because I usually book inside staterooms anyway, I didn't really miss not having a view.
Great video! Had an NCL sailing skip Cairo & Alexandria Egypt ports due to civil unrest years ago. Was extremely disappointed but they subbed 2 ports in Greece instead which were nice. Duty free shopping on a ship/airport/wherever is nothing special if you live in (or near) a state with no sales tax. I love a luxury bag but the prices on the ship are huge ripoff. Research online sites like she mentioned. Then make the purchase while still on vacation if u want (if that’s part of the vacation experience for you).
On a cruise a couple of years ago my husband bought me a Louis Vuitton bag from the onboard shop. The price was actually pretty reasonable and it was in excellent condition so I was very happy with that!
Sweetpea, I watched your review on the large toilet bag. I had a medium because it was all i needed. Holy smoke, the large was a bit bigger but now i could squish the air out and over all..smaller!
Your shots of the pool area are very revealing. People on the "mega ships" are packed in like sardines and the pool area is simply not much fun when this happens. Buffet venues also become way too hectic and there are people scurrying around like ants on a donut. I don't know what the allure of 8,000 passenger ships is and wish they'd go back to smaller, more manageable, sizes. The "mega ships" also post fares so low the demographics quickly spirals downward so your cruise is more like a cheap amusement park experience. Yes, some people don't mind the chaos but there is a big pushback in the cruising sector against oversized ships. Good advice in your video and all true.
It just means the mega ship isn't for them. The same way smaller ships aren't for some of us. If I book a small ship I know I won't rate it highly even though I rarely visit pool areas or the buffet on any ship.
@@feelosophy1921 Your point is well taken. However the pushback on mega ships is not only coming from the passenger sector. Many cruise ports have had enough of the weekly invasions and are shutting their doors. Contrary to popular belief, cruisers often bring empty dollars to a local economy and cost the port more than what they leave behind in revenue. That is resulting in all kinds of backlash.
For the buffet all you have to do is go during an 'off hour'. When do people generally eat? 7-8am, noon, and 5-6pm. Just eat at 9, 2, and 7, or 2 and 7 if you don't eat breakfast. Simple.
@@garyjarvis2730 I don't know how everything played out, but our usual cruising group took a week down in Key West in Spring of 2021 (we were tired of not going anywhere). At the time, the city, and the merchants of Key West were ready to go to war with the Legislature and Governor DeSantis over the mega ships. The city had passed an ordinance limiting the size of cruise ships that would be permitted to stop in Key West, while the Legislature and DeSantis were in the process of trying to pass a bill that would allow the mega ships at all ports in Florida. They also made a point of telling the city that state law would override their local ordinance. We talked to one of the shopkeepers, and she said the city didn't want the huge ships because the passengers would just inundate the downtown area, and they didn't think it was fair to the people who were vacationing in town. She also said that under the state law, they would be mandated to upgrade their port area to accommodate the larger ships. (No indication that the state would pony up any funding to help them do so.) At the time, Key West was a "tender" port for the mega ships, meaning that they were too big to dock there, so they had to anchor a bit offshore and the passengers would have to take shuttles into land. Apparently, the local politicos and merchants had a gigantic caravan heading to Tallahassee that next week to tell DeSantis what he could do with his legislation, and that they had no intention of abiding by it, if passed.
We had an itinerary change on our recent (May 2024) Alaska cruise that was quite disappointing to me. I had booked a certain cruise line and itinerary largely because it included Glacier Bay. One week after paying for the cruise, I received an email that said there had been an itinerary change and we would no longer be going to Glacier Bay but another bay, another glacier. I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt that we would still get to see a glacier up close. As it turned out, this was not at all the case. We entered the bay, the glacier was so far away we could barely see it. We only stayed there for an hour and a half and then we left. We still enjoyed our cruise and we did get to see the northern lights but I do feel disappointed that I did not get the full Alaska cruise experience I had expected.
Thanks for these videos. I have never been on a cruise but I will someday. These videos help people like me who have never been on a cruise. Thank you.
When you first cruise, it's a little disconcerting that they're always trying to sell you something - photographs, massages, art, jewelry, you name it. You'll get a lot of practice saying "no thank you." Fortunately, the cruise staff aren't pushy about it. Also, people don't appreciate that the cruise will cost them a lot more than the advertised $999 or whatever. For starters, you may want a fancier cabin than that $999 windowless inside cabin, and the cruise line assumes two people per cabin, so a solo cruiser will pay more. Then you have to add in airfare, transportation to and from the cruise ship. gratuities, shore excursions, drinks, Internet, souvenirs, your purchases on land (including food), and any extras like specialty dining, spas, casinos (you'll probably lose money, of course), etc. If you fly in a day early (as you should), you'll have to pay for hotel, food, and more transportation. I broke all the costs down for a friend I was trying to interest in cruising and he was a little shocked.
There is a lot of nickel and diming going on. But I also like not paying for things I won’t use. But I’d love it if they’d just include SOME things. Like for Carnival, they charge $5 to use the Hub app texting feature. Why are they charging at all?!?! That should be included.
Many years ago, an NCL cruise from LA to western Mexico ports was canceled due to the flu epidemic in Mexico at that time. Our choice was to take a refund/cruise credit OR take the changed itinerary north to Seattle and Canada. We didn’t want the cooler weather and took the credit, then took the LA cruise south the next year. It happens and you just go with it. 😊
I’ve had itinerary changes several times. Always weather-related. Biggest itinerary change was from eastern Caribbean changed to western Caribbean. Three cruises affected by hurricanes.
We recently had a complete itinerary change from a Eastern Caribbean Itinerary to a Western Caribbean Itinerary change on the Icon of the Seas. I was very thankful since Ernesto hit St Thomas on the day we were expected there. I don’t know if I’m an exception but I cruise during Hurricane season knowing a change is likely and to be flexible. We had great weather with this updated itinerary and a great holiday. It didn’t matter to us what the ports were on the Icon of the Seas 😊
Great video, Ilana! It was very factual and honest. We've been on 89 cruises, mostly Royal Caribbean, and have found ways to not spend extra $. We are Diamond Plus, so we get 10 free drinks per day (we just do specialty coffees), free portraits, free laundry and discounts on other things! We have had only one minor itinerary change. Barbados had issues with docking, so we were routed to Martinique. Oooh, la, la!🇫🇷
Two missed ports of call in Hawaii due to medical emergency and weather. It was unexpected and very sad. We were so looking forward to seeing the Hawaiian islands. Thanks for all your great tips and info. 👍
We had an itinerary change a couple of years ago. It was a short cruise out of Miami to Key West and Nassau. The first night, the captain came on and told us we couldn't dock in Key West, so we were going on to Nassau. Ended up spending two days in Nassau, where most of the excursions were also canceled. That's a LOT of Nassau!
We got rerouted from the Bahamas to Canada (Bay of Funday). We still had fun, but no pink sand! We live in NJ and could repack before getting on the cruise out of Bayonne, but too many people had already left and had all the wrong clothes!
Thanks for another great video. Another secret that I didn't notice in the comments below. You are allowed to have just one person in the cabin order the unlimited drink package. You have to call directly - but a simple, "My wife doesn't drink" is typically reason enough. I believe most cruise lines will require the other person to get the much less expensive "refreshment" (non-alcoholic) package.
On our Greek Island NCL Gem cruise, we had the best itinerary change on our cruise.. Piraeus was no longer available because there was a local strike.. we went to Santorini.. rats, right?? Santorini was the highlight of the entire cruise and the island was gorgeous. One tip... always use the tram when ascending and descending, regardless of the wait... Lots of pooping donkeys going up and down the path to the top of the island..
We cruised to Bermuda however never made it . We knew upon boarding we were told of a diversion to Charleston . But we tried to get to Bermuda but it did not happen . Hit a hurricane 18 ft swells for 12 hrs. We ended up with 100 pct credit for your next cruise .. then Covid hit and when we rebooked we got a 600 onboard credit .. it was a blessing lol
I discovered that, on P&O, if you are booked on an excursion but are not well enough to go (eg with a very bad cold/cough), you can't get your money back unless you get the ship's doctor to endorse your ticket. This costs about £200, with no guarantee that the doctor will provide the certification. This policy, of encouraging sick people to mingle in close proximity to potentially vulnerable passengers, seems to fly in the face of their intention to prevent the spread of disease.
Not only is no cruise line right for everyone-- no one cruise line is right for you. We vary who we sail on depending on what we are in the mood for at that time. We pick the line based if we want to just a go and relax cruise or is it an itinerary intensive cruise or an entertainment cruise or a foodie cruise etc etc?
My first cruise itinerary to celebrate my 50th birthday was totally rerouted because of hurricane Ian. I was supposed to go to Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Mexico. Instead, we just went to Puerto Plata and Nassau 😤 I just became a travel agent so I’m already working toward making up that birthday cruise with something 10 times better 😊
In 2022 on a transpacific sailing Pago Pago was dropped and replaced by Tauranga, New Zealand. We loved the change as we loved an additional NZ stop plus Tauranga allowed us to go to Hobbiton (which was a terrific tour!).
We got COVID on our Alaska cruise in 2023. We just thought it was a cold and didn't know it was COVID until we got home. We did go to sick bay, but they wanted $100 each just to talk to us, and didn't have medications (at least I don't think that there was a pharmacy aboard). It didn't spoil our cruise, but it did slow us down. Also, please mention that there is no dentist on board, so part of our pre-cruise planning is to get a full dental checkup 2 or 3 months prior, so you can get on board with healthy teeth
Haha! Laughing about the Dentist check up, Good thing I had my cleaning last Tuesday. We are going on an Alaskan Cruise on the 18th through the 27th. First Cruise for me. Going on the Norwegian Sun. I'm looking Forward to it.
You validated my cruise experiences as I was in tune with all your comments. We did have a cruise break down in Mexico, skip one of its three stops and short change the second one, but that is the only variation I've had in 20 + cruises. The used back stores are new - only one we've encountered on Discovery Princess and it was woefully understocked and over priced :( Yes the Internet is getting better but remember Platinum and Elite Princess cruises get half off.
Great video. Waiting to book my first luxury ship: ie Viking, Regent or Seabourn. Saving up still. I have never had an itinerary change. All excursions booked were taken. Been on 4 cruises.
I would like to see a fun cruise line with more upscale and smaller ships. That is one niche that no one seems to cover. Carnival is really fun, but smaller and more upscale would be nice! I hope that someone will bring on a better experience by combining the fun aspect with a more refined ambiance.
Planned an Eastern Caribbean cruise to St Kitts & St Thomas but were diverted to Cozumel, Roatan & Costa Maya due to Hurricane Debbie & Ernesto. Not the trip we thought we were going on but still a great vacation.
About 2 years ago we missed our tender Port of Lahaina because it was too windy. We thought we'd just go next time. We didn't know that Lahaina as we knew it would be no more.
We were recently on a cruise that had stops in both Coco Cay and Nassau. After we went to Coco Cay they changed our itinerary, canceled the Nassau portion and put in another day at Coco Cay. The biggest problem is that you are no longer are eligible for the pre cruise prices excursions at CocoCay. It cost us quite a bit more to do the same things we had done 2 days before.
Alaska cruise three weeks ago..had massage…therapist was not pleased that I didn’t purchase products after massage…also, both my husband and I got Covid when we got home😣can happen anytime I guess…
On our Alaska cruise, because of a landslide into the ship birthing in Skagway, we ended up missing Skagway and going to Icy Straits, Hoonah. It was still a nice stop, but we missed some nice excursions. We want to go back to see Skagway.
My husband and I cruised to Alaska a month ago ( our first time). We loved it!! We both smoke ( I know boohoo), but the smoking area was at the back of the ship. It was beautiful, and almost deserted most of the time. We could hang out on the deck chairs in the sun with a drink in the quiet. It was great!!! I did have a massage, it was great too. The lady doing the massage offered the products she used for $800 ouch!! I told her I couldn't do that. After talking a bit, I got 2 of the 3 products for $143. I left thinking wow if they can sell that to me for that amount then the mark up is really high!! I have yet to use them though. So I guess I shouldn't have even gotten them. Oh and when we were coming home we were feeling pretty bad, well really bad. We went the next day to the Dr and found out we had COVID!! We noticed at the end of the cruise people were coughing every where, even on the plane. Oh well, we still loved it and are going to do it again!!! We went on Princess Discovery. We are older and I believe it was a good fit for us ❤
Love your videos Ilana. What dress are you wearing? It’s beautiful. On the itinerary change, one time we had booked a western carribbean itinerary and there was a hurricane headed straight for that area, so they changed our entire itinerary to eastern carribbean/Virgin Islands which we absolutely loved!
I love the Thermal Suite and my seaweed wrap and massage..on every ship I am on. Yes, the hard sell is a pain…But I have learned to just ignore and tell them i do use the products, which is true, but I buy online and get a better value. I am still holding on to the thought you will be traveling on my 21 TA in March😂😉🚢
We had our Bermuda trip changed to Freeport, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay last September because of a hurricane. It was a 6 day sailing from Norfolk, Virginia.
Our first post Covid cruise substituted 4 of our 6 ports because ports kept opening and closing. We had a blast and called it our mystery cruise. I’m sure only 40% capacity helped.
Major Itinerary change on a cruise. We were on a cruise from LA to PV and back with a return stop in Matzatlan and Cabo. Unfortunately they were planning routine maintenance on the ship in PV that went south. We wound up not leaving PV until after midnight which changed everything. We were told that by missing our next scheduled stop we lost our reserved stop for the rest of the cruise. My husband & I didn’t care because we hadn’t booked any excursions anywhere and we love sea days. So I guess we just sailed in circles in the ocean until our return. But needless to say there were some very unhappy cruisers. The cruise line did give everyone ship credit and a final refund of $250 per person to ease the pain.
Years ago we scheduled an Eastern Caribbean cruise during hurricane season and we had to be completely rerouted to a western Caribbean route to avoid the hurricane. We had never gone to the eastern Caribbean ports so we were bummed but we had a great time especially when all the excursion fees were refunded.
I’ve actually had two cruises to “nowhere” when a tropical storm impacted our Tampa to Cozumel sailing and shortened it a day as well as being unable to dock in Bermuda and not enough time to divert elsewhere.
Yes, in fact on my most recent cruise. We were scheduled to go to the Dominion Republic but hurricane Ernesto decided to go there at the same time. Instead we went back Nassau instead of having four sea days going back to Cape Liberty, New Jersey. By doing this we stayed well north of the hurricane and only had one day of slightly rough seas.
I have received free upgrades, pre-pandemic cruising for free. Those upgrades were really good upgrades. I was upgraded from a balcony to a mini-suite on Princess cruises and a regular balcony to extended balcony on Celebrity and also an upgrade to Aqua class from Concierge level on Celebrity. Those days are long gone though. By the way I knew what the upgraded cabins would be before those cruises.
We missed a port (Vigo, Spain) on the Sky Princess due to weather. No other option was given. I had specifically wanted to go to Santiago de Compostela, and that was one of the reasons why I booked that cruise. But safety is a great priority!
Missed Puerto Rico on my first cruise because the sea was too choppy and we weren’t going to make the port in time. I was okay with it but felt badly for the passengers that had planned on spending the day with family.
The original itinerary for our 2017 7-day cruise was Galveston-Cozumel-Belize-Roatan-Galveston. The actual itinerary was Galveston-Roatan-Belize-Cozumel (two days)-New Orleans (three days)-Galveston. Thirteen days. Hurricane Harvey happened 😊
Quite awhile ago, our ship was diverted to St. Croix. We had never been there before. It was one of the best stop on the cruise. Diversions or even just staying at sea are less likely now with larger ships. Diversions on small ships was more likely in heavy seas. Also cruise ports are better accessible.
Tip: many shore excursions through the cruise lines are the exact same ones you'd book yourself with a significant mark up. So many times we've met at the excursion's business to be told our first stop was to pick up the cruise passengers. Atlantis sub excursion in Cozumel for example.
The added bonus was we got it for the black Friday price which was less than half the cruise price. The operator told us the cruise won't allow them to sell at discount to the cruise passengers. That's the Royal treatment for ya
In June when I was on a Danube river cruise flooding caused us to miss two ports. Did not get to see Regensburg or Salzburg but did get an extra day in Vienna
I didn’t know that Princess has a vegan menu in the main dining room until almost the end of our 14 day Panama Canal cruise. I don’t have allergies and we are really pescatarians but I do like to avoid dairy when possible. So now I know for our next Princess cruise January 2025. The offerings on the vegan menu were creative and delicious.
On a MSC cruise from Brooklyn to Bermuda, our 7 day Bermuda cruise was canceled due to bad weather. We wind up headed to Cape Canaveral, Nassau Bahamas, and Ocean Cay instead. Kind of a bummer but we made the most of it.
One cruise changed the order of the ports and also arrival and departure times. Because we booked excursions with the ship they took care of the different days/times and it was no problem at all😀
We've had 2 itinerary changes in our cruising, both due to weather. Back when we were cruising Disney, we couldn't dock at Castaway Cay due to winds. This past May, on a Princess cruise to Alaska, we couldn't port in Skagway due to a rare King Tide. We could've ported but wouldn't be able to leave and the next day was Glacier Bay. Captain chose to port at Haines, and while not Skagway, it was unique and enjoyable and less touristy. No Diamonds International!!
Last year we booked a 12 day Panama Canal cruise for March of this year. The entire cruise was changed to several Caribbean ports. It was an original itinerary, but it no longer went to the one port I wanted.
I had to cancel a 28 day Mediterranean Cruise last year due to a family emergency. The first day they docked in Israel, was the day the war with Hamas started and it took several hours to get the passengers back on board so they could leave.
I LOVE your videos!! A personal question for you and your family. You mention about getting ill on board. Since you have taken many,many cruises,have you or your family ever gotten sick while on board? Especially Covid or Norovirus?
It was an Atlantis Cruise on a Celebrity Lines Ship. Due to forecasted swells, we needed to cut our port visit to Martinique short (or at least be back on the ship) at a much earlier time than originally planned. We had to cancel our dinner reservations as a result.
No major change, but we did have to skip Newport due to heavy fog once. That was a disappointment, but, as you say, it comes with the cruising territory.
Not really an itinerary change but on a cruise out of Tampa, our return to Tampa bay was impacted as the bay was closed due to dense fog and our ship was put in a queue to enter. Our 7:00am arrival became 3:30 pm. We did not have cell service while we waited to enter Tampa bay. It was frustrating to be sure. Things happen. Remember that when planning the return flight home
🤔I had no idea some of the items sold was “pre-loved” or “pre-owned “ in the cruise ship shops! Is there an indication on the tag that indicates this, or you just know ? Thanks for sharing this information
Yep! My upcoming cruise dropped Ensenada Mexico and added Victoria BC. I booked the trip based on that the cruise went to Mexico. Really disappointed as I am from Victoria so day 2 I have to spend there :// so I really lose a day/port
Hi Ilana, I have been looking at some of your videos & I was very impressed with your commentary & the hints & tips you give out I have just subscribed to your channel & pressed the bell 🔔 notification to receive your latest video 👍 Ilana, Please can you answer a few questions for me ( what was your favourites cruise ship you have been on & why ) ( Have you ever been on the Marella Explorer 2 cruise ship & what did you think of it & what would you rate the food out of 10 ) I really hope you receive this message as I really would love to hear your opinion THANKS ALL THE BEST LIN 💖🙂
We are leaving in a week on an east coast cruise. Although there have been no itinerary changes thus far, Princess did inform us that we would be tendering in a couple of ports instead of docking. It can take a while to get off the ship when tendering and we may miss an excursion we've booked (and paid for) with Shore Excursion Group as Princess usually lets folks going on Princess excursions off the ship first. We're hoping that that SEG will wait for us!
I had an unusual itinerary change. Last December on the NCL Getaway, out of NYC to several Caribbean ports. Three days before departure comes an email changing the order of the ports. All the same ports but instead of going east to west (i.e. Bermuda first) we go west to east (Bermuda last) changing what were port days and the sea days. Not a big deal to me. Of course the was a mess for the excursion staff - in my cabin my tickets (for the wrong day) and a letter saying the excursion was cancelled. A day later was a letter that the excursion was on with a new date and a phone message that the information was provided in cabins so no need to go to the excursion desk. The behind the scenes tour I was looking forward too was cancelled (since the originally scheduled day was no longer a sea day); I think they could have offered a new date. Now here is the stranger part: At the captain's lecture someone asked why the last minute change in itinerary. The captain didn't tell us the reason but said it wasn't last minute - it was decided several months earlier. So why did NCL keep it a secret? Telling the truth is always beneficial, and the excursions could have been rescheduled in a much calmer fashion. As a denouement, for the trip back north we diverted further west due to weather and the Bermuda stop was cancelled (no type of compensation). I did check the weather for Bermuda, and there really was a storm....even if we could have made it to port it would have been a lousy day in the rain. Another strange issue was that after about 3 days the cruise director disappeared. The assistant picked up the responsibilities, and did a fine job, but no explanation was ever offered as to what happened. Did they think no one would notice? It was a good cruise, but NCL seems to have a problem with passenger communication. Whereas on other cruises the captain would make a daily announcement, this captain never did - he only made the announcement of the Bermuda cancellation.
We missed a port in the Dominican Republic, a new stop for us, due to weather. There didn't seem to be any bad conditions on the ship's extra day at sea, but safety first!
My bucket list trip to Reykjavik never made it there due to strong winds. We ended up with a cut-down itinerary and a future cruise credit but I was bitterly disappointed.
We've been cruising before anyone (maybe) dreamed of internet onboard. We had one cruise where the itinerary was changed. Headed for the Carribean, but a silly hurricane changed plans, and we ended up going to Belize.
Great video! Another little “secret” many people don’t think about - you don’t even have to get off the ship at every port! I love enjoying a quieter ship on port days ❤⚓️
Yep 🇦🇺❤️🚢
Your so right about there being a cruiseline for everyone. I see so many bad reviews people leave about not enjoying their cruise. I really think first time cruisers should do their research on which cruiseline best fits their lifestyle.
So true.
My wife Amy and I would like to thank you for taking the time from your busy evening to speak with us and offering to take a photo with us. We really enjoy your videos!!! We hope your dinner at Rudi’s was as good as ours. Thanks again!!!
@@jmonchi007 you guys are awesome! So nice meeting you!
I am the cruise lines' worst nightmare for making money even though I've been on 21 cruises in the past 2 years. I don't ever upgrade, I purchase last minute and only interior highly discounted cabins, I never pay a solo supplement, I don't buy drink or specialty restaurant items and I don't spend money on board or for excursions or gamble.
Having a blast in retirement though.
You are amazing! For a change of pace, check out Uniworld's 12 Days of Christmas sale in early December. River cruises are wonderful for solo cruisers and it is nice to see the interior or a country. My first ocean cruise is upcoming but I wish it was a river cruise.
Same. Last minute deals and no packages have worked wonders for us. There’s so much to see, do and enjoy that’s already included. We’ve yet to feel the need to spend in extras. 🤑
Eexactly!
Hi, how do you find those "last minute deals?" I'd appreciate some info on that, thank you! 😊 @andariegos9466
Ditto…other than 4-5 drinks for a week long cruise, we don’t really spend anything else.
My first cruise was a few weeks ago. I did not purchase the WiFi because of the expense and I was fine. I enjoyed it but overpacked and did not wear a lot of outfits
Same here on my first cruise. I WAY overpacked. Learned and now we are going on one in 3 weeks and taking my sons friend with us and told his mom that so he doesn't overpack and end up with a huge bag filled with unnecessary stuff
I've been on two cruises, both on the same line, and have booked two more on that line. So I love it and none of the following are deal-breakers, just things I've learned to my surprise and now take into account: The quality of meat, polultry, and fish in the MDR and Buffet is just ok. I generally stick to long cooked stews for meats in the MDR. The swimming pools are not inviting and impossible for swimming. The massage in the spa was really expensive and the sales pitch so aggressive that under no circumstances will I ever return. I don't drink alcohol and the number of micktails so limited, the prepartions so uncreative, and the drinks all so overly sweet that there is no point to buying a drink package to get them. That all being said, I had a great time and find it really easy to have nothing but great meals, great entertainment, and awesome days every day--and all for a relatively low price.
Whinner
I don’t drink alcohol either. Thank you for the info.
I agree with bringing a well stocked “first aid kit” with sun, cold, seasick, cut/abrasion remedies. But please be advised that not all OTC remedies are legal in all countries. For example, Sudafed is illegal in Japan. Know the laws for where you are traveling.
Great video! Thank you. Our cruise ship had a shop with pre-used bags. We were told that everything in the shop had been used as props in movies. However, nothing came with any documents to authenticate this. They were very overpriced! The cruise lines don't tell you that there are not enough elevators on board the ship resulting in long lines and overcrowding. They also do nothing to stop people from being chair hogs near the pool decks. I really think the cruise lines should do something about this.
We have knowingly purchased items on the ship that were more expensive than if we purchased them at home. For a lot of reasons, we receive lots of onboard credit we do not purchase. At the end of the cruise, we purchase items that may be overpriced, but free to us. And, any leftover onboard credit, we have the front desk contribute it to the ship’s crew.
I've only been on 2 cruises: both had port cancellations but the alternate ports provided awesome experiences. At the end of a reposition cruise, weather prevented the ship from being able to come into port (Aukland NZ), so we had to stay an extra day out at sea. I'm sure this was very inconvenient for some cruisers, but we were thrilled - a free day of cruising! When life deals you lemons, you CAN make lemonade!
As always, a great informative video! On our cruise to Alaska in June, we missed a port due to a medical emergency. When you have planned for over a year, you go through alot of emotions when this happens but at the end of the day, we were glad the fellow cruiser survived, we made the best of it & now planning our 4th cruise. 2025 is going to be a memorable year!
A lot of good points Ilana. On upgrades, sometimes it can be a pleasant surprise. On a recent cruise, I got upgraded from an inside stateroom to a fully obstructed ocean view. I've always thought of an obstructed ocean view as being the cruise ship equivalent of having a seat right behind a post at a sports event. So, I never would have picked one. But having the natural light coming in through the window was a nice change. And because I usually book inside staterooms anyway, I didn't really miss not having a view.
Are you able to see the location of the 'upgrade' cabin before deciding?
No. That is the point Ilana has made on these upgrades, both in this video and others. If you get an upgrade, you go where the cruise line puts you.
Hearing the phrase pre loved always makes me chuckle. 😂
@@Honolulu-Blue 😂
Great video! Had an NCL sailing skip Cairo & Alexandria Egypt ports due to civil unrest years ago. Was extremely disappointed but they subbed 2 ports in Greece instead which were nice.
Duty free shopping on a ship/airport/wherever is nothing special if you live in (or near) a state with no sales tax.
I love a luxury bag but the prices on the ship are huge ripoff. Research online sites like she mentioned. Then make the purchase while still on vacation if u want (if that’s part of the vacation experience for you).
On a cruise a couple of years ago my husband bought me a Louis Vuitton bag from the onboard shop. The price was actually pretty reasonable and it was in excellent condition so I was very happy with that!
Sweetpea, I watched your review on the large toilet bag. I had a medium because it was all i needed. Holy smoke, the large was a bit bigger but now i could squish the air out and over all..smaller!
@@crazy4dariver it’s true, it can fit a lot, but aldi be more “flat” 😂
Your shots of the pool area are very revealing. People on the "mega ships" are packed in like sardines and the pool area is simply not much fun when this happens. Buffet venues also become way too hectic and there are people scurrying around like ants on a donut. I don't know what the allure of 8,000 passenger ships is and wish they'd go back to smaller, more manageable, sizes. The "mega ships" also post fares so low the demographics quickly spirals downward so your cruise is more like a cheap amusement park experience. Yes, some people don't mind the chaos but there is a big pushback in the cruising sector against oversized ships. Good advice in your video and all true.
It just means the mega ship isn't for them. The same way smaller ships aren't for some of us. If I book a small ship I know I won't rate it highly even though I rarely visit pool areas or the buffet on any ship.
@@feelosophy1921 Your point is well taken. However the pushback on mega ships is not only coming from the passenger sector. Many cruise ports have had enough of the weekly invasions and are shutting their doors. Contrary to popular belief, cruisers often bring empty dollars to a local economy and cost the port more than what they leave behind in revenue. That is resulting in all kinds of backlash.
Ants on a donut! 😂
For the buffet all you have to do is go during an 'off hour'. When do people generally eat? 7-8am, noon, and 5-6pm. Just eat at 9, 2, and 7, or 2 and 7 if you don't eat breakfast. Simple.
@@garyjarvis2730 I don't know how everything played out, but our usual cruising group took a week down in Key West in Spring of 2021 (we were tired of not going anywhere). At the time, the city, and the merchants of Key West were ready to go to war with the Legislature and Governor DeSantis over the mega ships.
The city had passed an ordinance limiting the size of cruise ships that would be permitted to stop in Key West, while the Legislature and DeSantis were in the process of trying to pass a bill that would allow the mega ships at all ports in Florida. They also made a point of telling the city that state law would override their local ordinance.
We talked to one of the shopkeepers, and she said the city didn't want the huge ships because the passengers would just inundate the downtown area, and they didn't think it was fair to the people who were vacationing in town. She also said that under the state law, they would be mandated to upgrade their port area to accommodate the larger ships. (No indication that the state would pony up any funding to help them do so.) At the time, Key West was a "tender" port for the mega ships, meaning that they were too big to dock there, so they had to anchor a bit offshore and the passengers would have to take shuttles into land.
Apparently, the local politicos and merchants had a gigantic caravan heading to Tallahassee that next week to tell DeSantis what he could do with his legislation, and that they had no intention of abiding by it, if passed.
Mother Nature doesn't always cooperate with your itinerary, just deal with it because they have your safety first.
We had an itinerary change on our recent (May 2024) Alaska cruise that was quite disappointing to me. I had booked a certain cruise line and itinerary largely because it included Glacier Bay. One week after paying for the cruise, I received an email that said there had been an itinerary change and we would no longer be going to Glacier Bay but another bay, another glacier. I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt that we would still get to see a glacier up close. As it turned out, this was not at all the case. We entered the bay, the glacier was so far away we could barely see it. We only stayed there for an hour and a half and then we left. We still enjoyed our cruise and we did get to see the northern lights but I do feel disappointed that I did not get the full Alaska cruise experience I had expected.
Thanks for these videos. I have never been on a cruise but I will someday. These videos help people like me who have never been on a cruise. Thank you.
When you first cruise, it's a little disconcerting that they're always trying to sell you something - photographs, massages, art, jewelry, you name it. You'll get a lot of practice saying "no thank you." Fortunately, the cruise staff aren't pushy about it. Also, people don't appreciate that the cruise will cost them a lot more than the advertised $999 or whatever. For starters, you may want a fancier cabin than that $999 windowless inside cabin, and the cruise line assumes two people per cabin, so a solo cruiser will pay more. Then you have to add in airfare, transportation to and from the cruise ship. gratuities, shore excursions, drinks, Internet, souvenirs, your purchases on land (including food), and any extras like specialty dining, spas, casinos (you'll probably lose money, of course), etc. If you fly in a day early (as you should), you'll have to pay for hotel, food, and more transportation. I broke all the costs down for a friend I was trying to interest in cruising and he was a little shocked.
There is a lot of nickel and diming going on. But I also like not paying for things I won’t use. But I’d love it if they’d just include SOME things. Like for Carnival, they charge $5 to use the Hub app texting feature. Why are they charging at all?!?! That should be included.
Many years ago, an NCL cruise from LA to western Mexico ports was canceled due to the flu epidemic in Mexico at that time. Our choice was to take a refund/cruise credit OR take the changed itinerary north to Seattle and Canada. We didn’t want the cooler weather and took the credit, then took the LA cruise south the next year. It happens and you just go with it. 😊
I’ve had itinerary changes several times. Always weather-related. Biggest itinerary change was from eastern Caribbean changed to western Caribbean. Three cruises affected by hurricanes.
We recently had a complete itinerary change from a Eastern Caribbean Itinerary to a Western Caribbean Itinerary change on the Icon of the Seas. I was very thankful since Ernesto hit St Thomas on the day we were expected there. I don’t know if I’m an exception but I cruise during Hurricane season knowing a change is likely and to be flexible. We had great weather with this updated itinerary and a great holiday. It didn’t matter to us what the ports were on the Icon of the Seas 😊
14 cruises and my itinerary has never been changed 🥳
Lucky you! 50% of mine have been changed.
Great video, Ilana! It was very factual and honest. We've been on 89 cruises, mostly Royal Caribbean, and have found ways to not spend extra $. We are Diamond Plus, so we get 10 free drinks per day (we just do specialty coffees), free portraits, free laundry and discounts on other things!
We have had only one minor itinerary change. Barbados had issues with docking, so we were routed to Martinique. Oooh, la, la!🇫🇷
Two missed ports of call in Hawaii due to medical emergency and weather. It was unexpected and very sad. We were so looking forward to seeing the Hawaiian islands. Thanks for all your great tips and info. 👍
We had an itinerary change a couple of years ago. It was a short cruise out of Miami to Key West and Nassau. The first night, the captain came on and told us we couldn't dock in Key West, so we were going on to Nassau. Ended up spending two days in Nassau, where most of the excursions were also canceled. That's a LOT of Nassau!
We got rerouted from the Bahamas to Canada (Bay of Funday). We still had fun, but no pink sand! We live in NJ and could repack before getting on the cruise out of Bayonne, but too many people had already left and had all the wrong clothes!
Thanks for another great video. Another secret that I didn't notice in the comments below. You are allowed to have just one person in the cabin order the unlimited drink package. You have to call directly - but a simple, "My wife doesn't drink" is typically reason enough. I believe most cruise lines will require the other person to get the much less expensive "refreshment" (non-alcoholic) package.
I agree 110% about so-called “cabin upgrades.” An upgrade in the eyes of the cruise line probably won’t be a upgrade for you!!!
On our Greek Island NCL Gem cruise, we had the best itinerary change on our cruise.. Piraeus was no longer available because there was a local strike.. we went to Santorini.. rats, right?? Santorini was the highlight of the entire cruise and the island was gorgeous. One tip... always use the tram when ascending and descending, regardless of the wait... Lots of pooping donkeys going up and down the path to the top of the island..
We cruised to Bermuda however never made it . We knew upon boarding we were told of a diversion to Charleston . But we tried to get to Bermuda but it did not happen . Hit a hurricane 18 ft swells for 12 hrs. We ended up with 100 pct credit for your next cruise .. then Covid hit and when we rebooked we got a 600 onboard credit .. it was a blessing lol
I discovered that, on P&O, if you are booked on an excursion but are not well enough to go (eg with a very bad cold/cough), you can't get your money back unless you get the ship's doctor to endorse your ticket. This costs about £200, with no guarantee that the doctor will provide the certification. This policy, of encouraging sick people to mingle in close proximity to potentially vulnerable passengers, seems to fly in the face of their intention to prevent the spread of disease.
Not only is no cruise line right for everyone-- no one cruise line is right for you. We vary who we sail on depending on what we are in the mood for at that time. We pick the line based if we want to just a go and relax cruise or is it an itinerary intensive cruise or an entertainment cruise or a foodie cruise etc etc?
Would love to see a video on flying to Vancouver and how to get through customs and transportation to Canada Place. Never been to Canada. Thanks
My first cruise itinerary to celebrate my 50th birthday was totally rerouted because of hurricane Ian. I was supposed to go to Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Mexico. Instead, we just went to Puerto Plata and Nassau 😤 I just became a travel agent so I’m already working toward making up that birthday cruise with something 10 times better 😊
In 2022 on a transpacific sailing Pago Pago was dropped and replaced by Tauranga, New Zealand. We loved the change as we loved an additional NZ stop plus Tauranga allowed us to go to Hobbiton (which was a terrific tour!).
We got COVID on our Alaska cruise in 2023. We just thought it was a cold and didn't know it was COVID until we got home. We did go to sick bay, but they wanted $100 each just to talk to us, and didn't have medications (at least I don't think that there was a pharmacy aboard). It didn't spoil our cruise, but it did slow us down.
Also, please mention that there is no dentist on board, so part of our pre-cruise planning is to get a full dental checkup 2 or 3 months prior, so you can get on board with healthy teeth
Haha! Laughing about the Dentist check up, Good thing I had my cleaning last Tuesday.
We are going on an Alaskan Cruise on the 18th through the 27th. First Cruise for me. Going on the Norwegian Sun. I'm looking Forward to it.
Oh man, same. No idea until I got home. I was so sick. Now I want to go back to do the things I missed.
Superb video, Ilana! The note about not necessarily getting the itinerary you booked is gold.
You validated my cruise experiences as I was in tune with all your comments. We did have a cruise break down in Mexico, skip one of its three stops and short change the second one, but that is the only variation I've had in 20 + cruises. The used back stores are new - only one we've encountered on Discovery Princess and it was woefully understocked and over priced :( Yes the Internet is getting better but remember Platinum and Elite Princess cruises get half off.
Great video. Waiting to book my first luxury ship: ie Viking, Regent or Seabourn. Saving up still.
I have never had an itinerary change. All excursions booked were taken. Been on 4 cruises.
I would like to see a fun cruise line with more upscale and smaller ships. That is one niche that no one seems to cover. Carnival is really fun, but smaller and more upscale would be nice! I hope that someone will bring on a better experience by combining the fun aspect with a more refined ambiance.
To tell you the truth, I wouldn't mind paying a few hundred bucks extra if it kept some of the lowlifes and riffraff off.
@@russs7574 For sure!
Very true about getting sick. My last 3 cruises I went home sick, once with a cold and twice with Covid. 😞
Another great post that is helpful to all types of cruisers. Thanks for all you do!
Planned an Eastern Caribbean cruise to St Kitts & St Thomas but were diverted to Cozumel, Roatan & Costa Maya due to Hurricane Debbie & Ernesto. Not the trip we thought we were going on but still a great vacation.
About 2 years ago we missed our tender Port of Lahaina because it was too windy. We thought we'd just go next time. We didn't know that Lahaina as we knew it would be no more.
On the Carnival Magic. They were having engine problems so the ship could not go at full speed, so the cancelled one port of call. St. Thomas
We were recently on a cruise that had stops in both Coco Cay and Nassau. After we went to Coco Cay they changed our itinerary, canceled the Nassau portion and put in another day at Coco Cay. The biggest problem is that you are no longer are eligible for the pre cruise prices excursions at CocoCay. It cost us quite a bit more to do the same things we had done 2 days before.
Alaska cruise three weeks ago..had massage…therapist was not pleased that I didn’t purchase products after massage…also, both my husband and I got Covid when we got home😣can happen anytime I guess…
On our Alaska cruise, because of a landslide into the ship birthing in Skagway, we ended up missing Skagway and going to Icy Straits, Hoonah. It was still a nice stop, but we missed some nice excursions. We want to go back to see Skagway.
My husband and I cruised to Alaska a month ago ( our first time). We loved it!! We both smoke ( I know boohoo), but the smoking area was at the back of the ship. It was beautiful, and almost deserted most of the time. We could hang out on the deck chairs in the sun with a drink in the quiet. It was great!!! I did have a massage, it was great too. The lady doing the massage offered the products she used for $800 ouch!! I told her I couldn't do that. After talking a bit, I got 2 of the 3 products for $143. I left thinking wow if they can sell that to me for that amount then the mark up is really high!! I have yet to use them though. So I guess I shouldn't have even gotten them. Oh and when we were coming home we were feeling pretty bad, well really bad. We went the next day to the Dr and found out we had COVID!! We noticed at the end of the cruise people were coughing every where, even on the plane. Oh well, we still loved it and are going to do it again!!! We went on Princess Discovery. We are older and I believe it was a good fit for us ❤
I have friends who smoke. We want to go to a cruise together. I will ask about where the smoking area is located on the ship.
Was on a Holland America cruise and because of bad weather conditions, we could not anchor off of St Marrten. We spent an exrtra day in St Thomas.
Love your videos Ilana. What dress are you wearing? It’s beautiful.
On the itinerary change, one time we had booked a western carribbean itinerary and there was a hurricane headed straight for that area, so they changed our entire itinerary to eastern carribbean/Virgin Islands which we absolutely loved!
I love the Thermal Suite and my seaweed wrap and massage..on every ship I am on. Yes, the hard sell is a pain…But I have learned to just ignore and tell them i do use the products, which is true, but I buy online and get a better value. I am still holding on to the thought you will be traveling on my 21 TA in March😂😉🚢
We had our Bermuda trip changed to Freeport, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay last September because of a hurricane. It was a 6 day sailing from Norfolk, Virginia.
I'm on RC's ultimate world cruise right now. We just skipped Nuuk, but they added Halifax, so that's cool.
Our first post Covid cruise substituted 4 of our 6 ports because ports kept opening and closing. We had a blast and called it our mystery cruise. I’m sure only 40% capacity helped.
Our first post-Covid cruise was only at 2/3 capacity. Loved it.
Major Itinerary change on a cruise. We were on a cruise from LA to PV and back with a return stop in Matzatlan and Cabo. Unfortunately they were planning routine maintenance on the ship in PV that went south. We wound up not leaving PV until after midnight which changed everything. We were told that by missing our next scheduled stop we lost our reserved stop for the rest of the cruise. My husband & I didn’t care because we hadn’t booked any excursions anywhere and we love sea days. So I guess we just sailed in circles in the ocean until our return. But needless to say there were some very unhappy cruisers. The cruise line did give everyone ship credit and a final refund of $250 per person to ease the pain.
Years ago we scheduled an Eastern Caribbean cruise during hurricane season and we had to be completely rerouted to a western Caribbean route to avoid the hurricane. We had never gone to the eastern Caribbean ports so we were bummed but we had a great time especially when all the excursion fees were refunded.
We never had a big itinerary change either. For sure have missed a few ports.
I’ve actually had two cruises to “nowhere” when a tropical storm impacted our Tampa to Cozumel sailing and shortened it a day as well as being unable to dock in Bermuda and not enough time to divert elsewhere.
That kind of sounds amazing.
Yes, in fact on my most recent cruise. We were scheduled to go to the Dominion Republic but hurricane Ernesto decided to go there at the same time. Instead we went back Nassau instead of having four sea days going back to Cape Liberty, New Jersey. By doing this we stayed well north of the hurricane and only had one day of slightly rough seas.
I have received free upgrades, pre-pandemic cruising for free. Those upgrades were really good upgrades. I was upgraded from a balcony to a mini-suite on Princess cruises and a regular balcony to extended balcony on Celebrity and also an upgrade to Aqua class from Concierge level on Celebrity. Those days are long gone though. By the way I knew what the upgraded cabins would be before those cruises.
Great video, people don't always realize these things can happen.
We missed a port (Vigo, Spain) on the Sky Princess due to weather. No other option was given. I had specifically wanted to go to Santiago de Compostela, and that was one of the reasons why I booked that cruise. But safety is a great priority!
Missed Puerto Rico on my first cruise because the sea was too choppy and we weren’t going to make the port in time. I was okay with it but felt badly for the passengers that had planned on spending the day with family.
Thx yes I've found significantly better deals on pre loved luxury elsewhere
The original itinerary for our 2017 7-day cruise was Galveston-Cozumel-Belize-Roatan-Galveston.
The actual itinerary was Galveston-Roatan-Belize-Cozumel (two days)-New Orleans (three days)-Galveston. Thirteen days.
Hurricane Harvey happened 😊
These seem to be more tips for the cruiser not secrets cruise line are keeping from us. Thanks for the tips!
I have a question. What if your stateroom is already sold out but want to do a price match?
Quite awhile ago, our ship was diverted to St. Croix. We had never been there before. It was one of the best stop on the cruise. Diversions or even just staying at sea are less likely now with larger ships. Diversions on small ships was more likely in heavy seas. Also cruise ports are better accessible.
Tip: many shore excursions through the cruise lines are the exact same ones you'd book yourself with a significant mark up. So many times we've met at the excursion's business to be told our first stop was to pick up the cruise passengers. Atlantis sub excursion in Cozumel for example.
The added bonus was we got it for the black Friday price which was less than half the cruise price. The operator told us the cruise won't allow them to sell at discount to the cruise passengers. That's the Royal treatment for ya
In June when I was on a Danube river cruise flooding caused us to miss two ports. Did not get to see Regensburg or Salzburg but did get an extra day in Vienna
Yikes, you did miss out. I just watched Rick Steve’s cruise along the Danube including some fine spots in Regensberg & Salzburg.
@markb8954 still had a great time. Really enjoyed my combination land tour and river cruise on Gate 1 starting in Berlin and ending in Budapest
I didn’t know that Princess has a vegan menu in the main dining room until almost the end of our 14 day Panama Canal cruise. I don’t have allergies and we are really pescatarians but I do like to avoid dairy when possible. So now I know for our next Princess cruise January 2025.
The offerings on the vegan menu were creative and delicious.
Thank you so much for all the informative videos! Helps alot
We booked a cruise for June of 2024 that had a major itinerary change. New England ND Canada with a trip to Charleston, Sc. Charleston was dropped.
On a MSC cruise from Brooklyn to Bermuda, our 7 day Bermuda cruise was canceled due to bad weather. We wind up headed to Cape Canaveral, Nassau Bahamas, and Ocean Cay instead. Kind of a bummer but we made the most of it.
One cruise changed the order of the ports and also arrival and departure times. Because we booked excursions with the ship they took care of the different days/times and it was no problem at all😀
I had an itinerary change back in May. I was on Independence of the Seas, and instead of going to Haiti, they took us to Coco Cay
Also, if you use a different type of sweetener for coffee or something else. Make sure you bring enough packages.
We've had 2 itinerary changes in our cruising, both due to weather. Back when we were cruising Disney, we couldn't dock at Castaway Cay due to winds. This past May, on a Princess cruise to Alaska, we couldn't port in Skagway due to a rare King Tide. We could've ported but wouldn't be able to leave and the next day was Glacier Bay. Captain chose to port at Haines, and while not Skagway, it was unique and enjoyable and less touristy. No Diamonds International!!
We had a 7 day cruise turned into 14 days. Hurricane Harvey. We got two weeks for the price of one.
Last year we booked a 12 day Panama Canal cruise for March of this year. The entire cruise was changed to several Caribbean ports. It was an original itinerary, but it no longer went to the one port I wanted.
I had to cancel a 28 day Mediterranean Cruise last year due to a family emergency. The first day they docked in Israel, was the day the war with Hamas started and it took several hours to get the passengers back on board so they could leave.
@@patriciashaw6791 😢
The spa does a very hard upsell for products after the massage and unless I win a free massage or get a significant discount, I don’t book one.
I LOVE your videos!! A personal question for you and your family. You mention about getting ill on board. Since you have taken many,many cruises,have you or your family ever gotten sick while on board? Especially Covid or Norovirus?
I live in Canada too ❤ love cruising and love your channel 🎉
It was an Atlantis Cruise on a Celebrity Lines Ship. Due to forecasted swells, we needed to cut our port visit to Martinique short (or at least be back on the ship) at a much earlier time than originally planned. We had to cancel our dinner reservations as a result.
No major change, but we did have to skip Newport due to heavy fog once. That was a disappointment, but, as you say, it comes with the cruising territory.
Not really an itinerary change but on a cruise out of Tampa, our return to Tampa bay was impacted as the bay was closed due to dense fog and our ship was put in a queue to enter. Our 7:00am arrival became 3:30 pm. We did not have cell service while we waited to enter Tampa bay. It was frustrating to be sure. Things happen. Remember that when planning the return flight home
🤔I had no idea some of the items sold was “pre-loved” or “pre-owned “ in the cruise ship shops! Is there an indication on the tag that indicates this, or you just know ? Thanks for sharing this information
Yep! My upcoming cruise dropped Ensenada Mexico and added Victoria BC. I booked the trip based on that the cruise went to Mexico. Really disappointed as I am from Victoria so day 2 I have to spend there :// so I really lose a day/port
Hi Ilana, I have been looking at some of your videos & I was very impressed with your commentary & the hints & tips you give out I have just subscribed to your channel & pressed the bell 🔔 notification to receive your latest video 👍 Ilana, Please can you answer a few questions for me ( what was your favourites cruise ship you have been on & why ) ( Have you ever been on the Marella Explorer 2 cruise ship & what did you think of it & what would you rate the food out of 10 ) I really hope you receive this message as I really would love to hear your opinion THANKS ALL THE BEST LIN 💖🙂
We are leaving in a week on an east coast cruise. Although there have been no itinerary changes thus far, Princess did inform us that we would be tendering in a couple of ports instead of docking. It can take a while to get off the ship when tendering and we may miss an excursion we've booked (and paid for) with Shore Excursion Group as Princess usually lets folks going on Princess excursions off the ship first. We're hoping that that SEG will wait for us!
I had an unusual itinerary change. Last December on the NCL Getaway, out of NYC to several Caribbean ports. Three days before departure comes an email changing the order of the ports. All the same ports but instead of going east to west (i.e. Bermuda first) we go west to east (Bermuda last) changing what were port days and the sea days. Not a big deal to me. Of course the was a mess for the excursion staff - in my cabin my tickets (for the wrong day) and a letter saying the excursion was cancelled. A day later was a letter that the excursion was on with a new date and a phone message that the information was provided in cabins so no need to go to the excursion desk. The behind the scenes tour I was looking forward too was cancelled (since the originally scheduled day was no longer a sea day); I think they could have offered a new date.
Now here is the stranger part: At the captain's lecture someone asked why the last minute change in itinerary. The captain didn't tell us the reason but said it wasn't last minute - it was decided several months earlier. So why did NCL keep it a secret? Telling the truth is always beneficial, and the excursions could have been rescheduled in a much calmer fashion.
As a denouement, for the trip back north we diverted further west due to weather and the Bermuda stop was cancelled (no type of compensation). I did check the weather for Bermuda, and there really was a storm....even if we could have made it to port it would have been a lousy day in the rain.
Another strange issue was that after about 3 days the cruise director disappeared. The assistant picked up the responsibilities, and did a fine job, but no explanation was ever offered as to what happened. Did they think no one would notice?
It was a good cruise, but NCL seems to have a problem with passenger communication. Whereas on other cruises the captain would make a daily announcement, this captain never did - he only made the announcement of the Bermuda cancellation.
We missed a port in the Dominican Republic, a new stop for us, due to weather. There didn't seem to be any bad conditions on the ship's extra day at sea, but safety first!
My bucket list trip to Reykjavik never made it there due to strong winds. We ended up with a cut-down itinerary and a future cruise credit but I was bitterly disappointed.
We've been cruising before anyone (maybe) dreamed of internet onboard. We had one cruise where the itinerary was changed. Headed for the Carribean, but a silly hurricane changed plans, and we ended up going to Belize.
Have had a couple of ports canceled due to strong storms in Australia and New Zealand.