Cruising…

[cvjw]

We are about to go on our 6th Disney cruise since the restart - with 3 of the cruises being 8 night cruises. We wore masks when DCL made us. Since they dropped precautions, so have we. No boosters. No masks. Most recent cruise was sold out, as is the one next month. We haven’t gotten sick. Everyone has to decide their comfort level. We are totally comfortable cruising.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We cruised Christmas week (Merrytime Cruise) on DCL 12/ 2022. I really didn't want to go over Christmas, but schedule wise it was the only thing that worked. We're going on The Wish in a couple of months and that will probably be it until next year. I really enjoy cruising. To me, it's a very relaxing vacation. Much more relaxing than a WDW vacation. I wouldn't hesitate to go on more. I can't give advice as to phone service, for me and my husband, we like to unplug.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Ugh...I feel ya! Same thing keeps happening to me. I finally find dates that work for everyone and will find decently priced flights but find the lodging is stupid expensive. I adjust dates some and the I have the reverse issue, and then I get frustrated and give up. I try again a few days later with a different trip idea and end up with still nothing booked.

At this point, I may just give up on a spring/summer trip and focus on something for the fall. I don't want to wait that long, though.

The other day I was thinking to myself how much I miss all the sale travel packages that used to pop up & the personal relationship Travel Agents. Guess I sort of wish there were still lots of Travel Agents who would wheel and deal with the businesses & convince me of great places to visit all over the US. I know some do still exist but the lack of competition makes the whole thing just so resistible, not at all the wooing I want, no pizzazz left in it.

 

[kdonnel]

The other day I was thinking to myself how much I miss all the sale travel packages that used to pop up & the personal relationship Travel Agents. Guess I sort of wish there were still lots of Travel Agents who would wheel and deal with the businesses & convince me of great places to visit all over the US. I know some do still exist but the lack of competition makes the whole thing just so resistible, not at all the wooing I want, no pizzazz left in it.

At least with cruises you can still give Cruise Compete a try.

https://www.cruisecompete.com/

It pits travel agents against each other to offer you the best possible deal on a cruise.

 

[CynBeth]

Barring anything unexpected we will be going on a 7 day med cruise in July with Royal we were supposed to be on a few summers ago when Covid hit that was cancelled a few times and then we did not feel comfortable traveling very far last summer. It leaves from Barcelona we are flying in a few days early and see Marseille, Villefrance (Nice/Eze/Monaco), Genoa, Portofino, and Livorno (Pisa/Florence) and ends in Civi port. Then after we will be visiting Venice and Rome fir a few days each before flying home.

 

[robinb]

I've been on two cruises since Covid, one on NCL in the Caribbean and one on Princess to Alaska. Both were well under the maximum number of passengers allowed onboard. Since then, all restrictions have been lifted and cruises are now running full with no requirements for vaccinations or testing. I have another NCL cruise scheduled in about a month and I am somewhat concerned that it will sail close to full with no attempt to protect passengers from getting sick.

FWIW, we enjoy NCL because we like the laid back and relaxed feeling onboard ... and the drink package .

Here's more information about using your phone onboard: https://www.ncl.com/about/staying-connected-sea-cellular-phone-service-texting

 

[Jeannie]

We've been on a couple of Disney cruises post Covid. Did not try to make calls, but was able to message from my iPhone to my daughter's for free.

 

[Darcy03231]

We've been on three since the restart last year with a fourth one booked for this fall. We've taken precautions (wear masks on the bus, airport & airplane and indoor areas of the ship), but DH and I both got COVID after our last cruise in February. We're both vaccinated and fully boosted and still got it. It was mild for both of us. Given the timing DH caught it in either the last port or on the ship and I caught it from him. DS came home with the flu (he did not get a flu shot) and his girlfriend remained healthy.

 

[SC Minnie]

We got back from a 7 day cruise last night. They do not ask for vaccine status or COVID testing before boarding anymore. There were a few people on board wearing masks.

People were packed in everywhere. I usually get sick after a trip where there are large groups so I expect to have a cold later this week.