CruiseExperience

Just got back from Scarlet Lady and a friend told me something kind of wild. There was a cabin across from her with security posted outside 24/7, and they were going in like once an hour. I’ve never seen anything like that on a cruise. Is that basically someone being confined to...

Just got off a week on Sun Princess (Eastern Caribbean). We were in a Cabana Mini Suite on Deck 9 with direct Cabana access. Before boarding, someone who had just finished their week told us, “I’m never sailing this convoluted piece of crap again.” Not exactly reassuring. Happy...

Currently on Discovery Princess and had one of those random cruise moments. Last night around 7:45 at the Crown Grill Bar, there was a woman in the most stunning green dress. Not even a formal night, but she absolutely owned the room. So elegant. I stepped away for a few minutes...

Currently on Carnival Sunshine and we had a pretty scary few hours early this morning. Around 1:55am on March 1 we lost power, propulsion, and sanitation. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel was visible ahead of us, so we weren’t that far out. Power cut in and out a few times....

On Princess, there usually isn’t free soda included unless you have a beverage package. In the buffet you’ll typically find water, basic juices at breakfast, tea and coffee, but not unlimited cola or lemonade all day. You can normally bring a limited amount of canned soft drinks...

Just a heads up for anyone considering the 4x4 Jeep excursion. Within the first 10 minutes the AC died and the engine overheated. When we first started it, the dash was already lit up with warning lights. Check engine, ABS, low tire pressure, traction control. As a mechanic,...

We boarded the 10 night Honolulu to Vancouver sailing and were told at check in that 2 of our 4 port stops were canceled because of bad weather. Pretty disappointing since we had excursions booked at every port and only justified flying to Hawaii from the East Coast because of...

I always focus on the base price when booking. This time I actually totaled everything after the trip. Drinks, excursions, specialty dining, WiFi, gratuities, all of it. The extras came out to almost 40% of what I spent overall. Not mad about it. I knew I was adding things along...

That would look super eerie. Costa Maya is usually packed the second a ship docks. If the boardwalk is empty and it’s really windy, there’s a good chance they either delayed disembarkation or strongly discouraged people from going ashore. Wind can mess with gangways and smaller...

We started cruising in an inside cabin with bunk beds on our honeymoon. Back then just affording the trip felt like a win. For most of our lives we saved. For the house. The car. The kids. Retirement. Saving became automatic. Spending on something “luxury” felt irresponsible,...

Love seeing posts like this. After getting advice here and going down the YouTube and review rabbit hole, they finally booked their first solo cruise. Celebrity Reflection, mid ship deluxe balcony, all inclusive, sailing to the Bahamas out of Fort Lauderdale in May. That...

I’ve been looking at some repositioning cruises and noticed that Le Havre is often marketed as a “Paris” stop. But when you actually look at it, Paris is a pretty long trip each way. Between the travel time there and back, it seems like you’d get very little time in the city,...

Currently on Sun Princess and this has been a mess. Earlier this week we got the email saying our upgrade bid was accepted and that we’d be upgraded before the cruise. We show up and we’re still in the original cabin. Went straight to guest services and they couldn’t give any...

Just wanted to vent and maybe save someone else the pain. I was supposed to go on a 5 day cruise with my family for a friend’s birthday. First cruise ever. I was really excited. Winter storms hit my home state about a week before. Roads were still icy in spots, but flights were...

Booking my first cruise and stuck on the classic debate. Do I splurge on a balcony or save the cash for excursions, drinks, and food? I can afford the balcony thanks to some extra work money, but I keep going back and forth. On paper it sounds great. Private space away from the...

Our flight got hit with a massive storm delay and now we’re landing in Miami at 1:06 pm. Final cruise boarding is 2:30. No checked bags, going carry-on only, and ready to move fast. I’ve never gone to the Miami cruise port on my own before, always used cruise transport. Any tips...

Curious if this has happened to anyone else. I booked, paid for, and got written confirmation from Princess for a specific cabin and itinerary. A few days later they called and cancelled it, saying the cabin I booked wasn’t actually eligible for the promotion I used. The price...

One day they had a “guess the price of the painting” thing. To find out if you won, you had to attend the art auction the next day. They said they’d announce it at the beginning, which of course didn’t happen. Still, we went anyway and honestly had a good time. Overall, I think...

I bought my dad a 16 day Panama Canal cruise on Princess as a Christmas gift. Ft Lauderdale to Los Angeles, leaving Jan 5, 2026. Balcony room, bid for an upgrade and got a mini suite, premium package… we were both really excited. It was going to be our first Princess cruise....